Edited for brevity. Hat tip: Instapundit
A vicious Mexican drug gang war has moved onto the Internet video site YouTube, where rivals taunt each other with blood-soaked slide shows and video of their murder victims. One popular video on the site shows a man being shot in the head. A stomach-churning series of photos shows another execution victim, his face a mangled mess of flesh.
One chilling video on YouTube called The Hit Men shows a handcuffed man, apparently a Gulf Cartel henchman caught and beaten by police. He is curled on the ground and pleading with his captors. Theyre going to kill me, he says.
Posted by: Dar ||
02/16/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
hmmm, to compare this to the beheading videos of the terrorists.
Funny how this stuff gets through without being edited or censored.
Build the fence!
Posted by: Jan from work ||
02/16/2007 0:18 Comments ||
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#2
Su madre era un hámster. Sus olores del padre de bayas del saúco. Ahora vaya lejos o taunt usted una segunda vez.
Posted by: Mike ||
02/16/2007 10:10 Comments ||
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Tee hee! I don't know a word of Spanish, but I can definitely hear the outrageous French accent!
YCMTSU THE Qantas stewardess who claimed she rejected an amorous Ralph Fiennes on a flight to India has admitted having sex with him in an aircraft lavatory.
Ewwww ...
Lisa Robertson told friends she was a big fan of the British actor and found herself luring him to the cubicle. But they apparently shared more than a 15-minute fling at 35,000ft.
Miss Robertson claims they went on to share a passionate night in a Mumbai hotel - at the star's invitation. The Australian stewardess has told friends she recognised Fiennes, 44, as he soon as he settled into his business class seat, 2K, for the nine-hour flight from Darwin. 'I've always fancied him and to see him on my flight was a real thrill,' she told them.
Later she allowed him to break aircraft rules by sitting beside her on the crew jump seat, which is used during their break. After chatting together, there was, she has admitted, a lot of 'body language' between them and even the odd kiss or two.
She gave him her phone number. Finally she decided to take matters into her own hands. 'I just stood up, reached down for his hand and told him to follow me,' she told friends. 'We went into the toilet and locked the door and off came much of our clothes.'
#1
"It is understood she has not heard from Fiennes since their encounter."
Tragic, appears to be just another "one flight stand." I've always heard careless behavior of this sort could lead to AIDS... (Airline Induced Divorce Syndrone).
Bangladesh unveiled tough new emergency rules on Thursday barring corrupt politicians from elections and confiscating their properties if they fail to come clean. If any person is convicted of a case under these (emergency) rules or has appealed against his sentence, he will be disqualified to contest any elections including the parliamentary polls, the Home Ministry said in a statement.
If any person is convicted of a case under these (emergency) rules or has appealed against his sentence, he will be disqualified to contest any elections including the parliamentary polls.
The government also empowered magistrates to confiscate or freeze assets and properties of corrupt persons if they do not match their actual income, the ministry said, amending emergency power rules. The authorities will be able to sell confiscated properties at auction and add unaccounted income to the government exchequer.
The new rules came as part of the interim governments nationwide crackdown on corrupt and underworld-linked politicians. Bangladesh has been under a state of emergency since January 11 when the president suspended national polls scheduled for January 22 and stepped down as the head of the interim government. The emergency followed months of crippling opposition protests over the disputed polls. At least 35 people died in the unrest.
Former central bank governor and interim government leader Fakhruddin Ahmed, backed by the countrys powerful army, promised tough new measures to purge the political system. At least 25 high-profile figures including 10 former ministers with links to both the outgoing Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and opposition Awami League have already been arrested. On Thursday, police arrested former ruling party lawmaker Nasiruddin Pintu and sent him to jail on charges ranging from murder, grabbing of prime land and corruption, police said.
A legal expert praised the laws in the fight against graft, but sounded a warning of the potential for misuse by enforcement agencies. The aims of the new rules are good. It must be appreciated, said Dhaka University law professor Asif Nazrul. But he added: There has not been any mechanism built into the rules to ensure accountability and transparency of the law enforcers who are given huge power, he said. There are chances that they may misuse the power. The difficult part will be its efficient application.
The stringent rules came a day after Bangladeshs army chief accused a corrupt elite of amassing huge wealth by stealing money meant for the poor. He warned no one would be spared. A list of suspects had been compiled and work to arrest those named would continue, the general said.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/16/2007 00:00 ||
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If we passed such a law here, 95% of the Democrats and 85% of the Republicans would have to resign. Hmmm, not a bad idea!
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
02/16/2007 20:59 Comments ||
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Venezuela President Hugo Chavez's plan to curb inflation by lopping three zeros from the currency may backfire because the move fails to address production bottlenecks that are pushing prices higher, economists said.
The government will cut three zeros from the bolivar's exchange rate by February 2008, Chavez said last night in a televised speech, citing rising consumer prices. He also will cut the value-added tax rate and clamp down on ``speculators'' to halt last month's 4 percent increase in the cost of food.
The steps aimed at slowing inflation and boosting local output miss the root causes exacerbating imbalances in South America's third-biggest economy, according to economists at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Bear Stearns & Co. Flush with oil money and government spending, which jumped about 50 percent last year, economic growth and inflation are both surging.
``He has a funny understanding of the problem,'' Alberto Bernal, a Latin America economist with Bear Stearns & Co., said in an interview. ``Cutting a number of zeros from the bolivar is irrelevant in the end.''
Chavez, who won a third term in December, was granted decree powers last month by Congress in his drive to seize key industries and put the country on the path of socialism. The president said he plans in ``coming hours'' to decree a law that allows the government to expropriate any business that sells food products higher than government-set prices.
The annual inflation rate rose to 18.4 percent last month, the highest in Latin America, from 10.4 percent in May.
`Hello President'
Price regulations and other controls, including a crackdown on businesses buying currencies outside official government channels, have helped to make food production unprofitable, leading to a decline in supply and spurring inflation.
``Inflation isn't a problem that you solve with a few detentions,'' Carlos Caicedo, head of the Latin American office at London-based political risk advisers Exclusive Analysis, said in a telephone interview ``Speculation is a symptom of the disease, not its real cause.''
Chavez, speaking during his daily ``Hello President'' show, said he would lower value-added taxes 3 percentage points on March 1 and by an additional 2 points in July. The highest current value-added tax rate is 14 percent.
``The only economic indicator that has me a bit worried is inflation,'' Chavez said. ``Cutting three zeros will have a positive psychological effect and lower inflation expectations.''
Unregulated Markets
Government officials blame private businesses and citizens who buy dollars outside government channels for accelerating inflation. Chavez said those found guilty of ``hoarding'' and ``speculating'' may receive prison terms of two-to-six years.
Venezuela's currency, set by the government at an official exchange rate of 2,150 bolivars per U.S. dollar, was little changed today at around 4,025 per dollar in unofficial parallel markets at 11:45 a.m. New York time. It weakened to a record low 4,700 last month after Chavez announced his plans to nationalize several companies in the phone and energy industries.
Government bonds that offer currency-risk protection fell today. The yield on the 6.25 percent dollar-denominated bond due April 2017, known as TICC, rose to 4.07 percent, compared with 4.06 percent yesterday, according to Mercantil Servicios Financieros SA. The price, which moves inversely to the yield, fell to 118.2 centavos from 118.3.
Policy Mix
Under foreign-exchange rules imposed by Chavez in February 2003, only the government can sell dollars to the public. Tax Chief Jose Vielma Mora on Jan. 26 vowed that traders caught buying and selling dollars out of the legal government channel will be ``severely'' punished.
The success of the plan to slow inflation hinges on the government's ability to restrain spending and to help increase the supply of goods and services, said Goldman Sachs economist Alberto Ramos. With or without the plan, Ramos said, inflation may accelerate to about 20 percent by year's end.
Congress discussed the plan to cut zeros off the exchange rate under the guidance of Cabezas, then head of the National Assembly's finance committee. The plan, which economists and government officials dubbed as ``monetary reform'' in previous months, has been the matter of intense debate since June.
Central bank directors Domingo Maza Zavala, who retired this month, and Armando Leon were at odds over the plan most of last year. Maza said it would trigger, not help contain, inflation.
Government spending and the nation's dependence on oil revenue may lead the plan to collapse, said Asdrubal Oliveros, an economist with Caracas-based research firm Ecoanalitica.
The plan is unlikely to ``solve the problem of Venezuelan consumers perceive inflation unless the government trims spending,'' he said.
Chavez also said the tax cuts will cost the government as much as 8 trillion bolivars ($3.7 billion) a year in lost revenue. The government will make up for such loss by creating new taxes on luxury goods, he said
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/16/2007 18:55 ||
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#1
This guy appears to actually believe what he says. What a moron. Even Castro couldn't send Cuba's economy into the crapper this quickly.
#2
Sounds of giant toilet flushing Venezuela's economy.
A 4% increase in food prices in a single month? Good lord! Think about what food prices will be like this time next year down there. You won;t be able to haul enough cash to the market with an 18-wheel tractor-trailer rig.
And, ole' Hugo plans on devaluing his own currency!
#4
About the best thing for Chavez right now is if Al-Q would carry through with the threat to attack the Venezuelan oil fields : he could then justify going after all his political opponents like Mugabe did, and exterminating them. He is going for a Kim Il Sung President - for life, and then hand off the country to his son or daughter.
Powerful drug gangs still control parts of Mexico despite a wide-ranging crackdown involving thousands of federal troops, a top security official said Thursday.
Roberto Campa, executive secretary of Mexico's National Public Security Council, said the military offensive has been successful in regaining a few drug strongholds, but other areas remain under the thumb of traffickers. "There are places where drug dealers have replaced the local government," he said. He refused to name specific cities or regions.
Since taking office Dec. 1, President Felipe Calderon has sent 24,000 troops and federal police into Tijuana, Acapulco and Michoacan state to root out growing drug trafficking that is blamed for more than 2,000 killings last year. Continued on Page 49
#3
We have to win the hearts and minds of the Mexican people. Or, do we win the hearts and minds of the drug dealers. Bette yet, the hearts and minds of the fence builders. Anyway, the hearts and minds of someone.
Posted by: Art ||
02/16/2007 9:38 Comments ||
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Winning hearts and minds is good, but mostly you just need to splatter them.
The European Union's first human rights agency, an unelected, unaccountable body with limited powers to influence EU law, will start its work in March, EU justice and interior ministers agreed Thursday. The new EU body is designed to replace the more narrowly-focused European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia in Vienna.
The agency will be tasked with monitoring rights issues in areas such as the bloc's single market and transportation as well as discrimination, domestic violence and racism. However, it will not tackle issues involving police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters.
EU member states, in particular Britain and Germany, were afraid that the new human rights body would limit national competences in police and legal issues. The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights gather and analyze information on fundamental rights and make expertise available to the European institutions and member states, ministers said.
Some information requests will be more equal than others.
However, EU ministers said earlier that the new agency would not monitor the state of fundamental rights in individual EU member states. They have also said that the new body would not overlap with the work of the 46-member Council of Europe, the continent's top human rights watchdog.
Chad said on Wednesday that it did not want a mini-summit with Sudan and the Central African Republic (CAR) to take place on the sidelines of the France-Africa summit on Thursday. Foreign minister Ahmat Allam-Mi, whose country accuses Sudan of backing rebels which carry out cross-border attacks, said such a meeting would be "inopportune and pointless". However he did not formally rule out that Chad would take part if the meeting went ahead.
Earlier French President Jacques Chirac had said a meeting between leaders of the three countries would probably take place on Thursday afternoon. Relations between the three countries have deteriorated since fighting in Sudan's western Darfur region that started in 2003 spilled over into eastern Chad and northeastern Central African Republic.
The Darfur conflict erupted when ethnic minority rebels launched an uprising, which was fiercely repressed by Sudanese government troops and allied militias.
Perhaps it happened that way.
Perhaps.
Khartoum has rejected allegations it is backing cross-border attacks by Chadian and CAR insurgents and in turn accuses Chad and the CAR of supporting rebels in Darfur. The UN last month sent a mission to Chad and the CAR to assess prospects for deploying a robust UN force to protect civilians caught in the spillover from the Darfur conflict.
The widow of Rwanda's former president Juvenal Habyarimana, whose murder sparked the 1994 genocide, has had a plea for asylum turned down by France because she may have played a part in encouraging the killings, officials said Thursday. An appeal body confirmed a January 4 ruling by the refugee office OFPRA, which said that Agathe Habyarimana may have taken part "as a instigator or accomplice" in the "crime of genocide". Habyarimana, who has lived in France since she was evacuated by French troops after the genocide, applied for asylum in 2004.
#1
Don't think a in poor, lonely widow. Think in a fra blood thirstier Winnie Mandela. She was a main proponent of the HUTU Power faction, she opposed her husband when he pacted with the FPR (a Tutsi movement). Rumors say she was implicated in the assassination of her husband. Real solid proofs that she was implicated in the genocide. The French Army exfiltrated her from Rwanda in 1994.
It is a shame that she is allowed to live in France. Well it is also a shame that some French politicians are allowed to live in France.
#2
Didn't the Hutu get their weapons from the French?
Posted by: Mike N. ||
02/16/2007 9:12 Comments ||
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Weapons, training and a couple years before the genocide with the Rwandese Army fleeing in front of the Tutsis of the FPR it was the French Army who stopped the FPR.
However the worst is that the French have continued their support of the Hutu extremists after the genocide when they could no longer ignore what kind of monsters they were helping.
With a view to bolster its undersea fighting capabilities, the Indian Navy is poised to open international bids for acquisition and construction of second range of submarines.
"The request for proposals to acquire and build six new range of submarines would be floated shortly," a senior naval official told PTI.
In contention would be the Russians with their 4th generation Amur class submarines armed with vertically launched KLUB-S Missiles and new generation of German HDW submarines with their Air Independent propulsion systems.
The navy has already firmed up a deal with the French warship builders DCN International for construction of six scorpene submarines at Mazagoan docks in Mumbai.
The first of these hunter-killer submarines are expected to roll out by 2011. Naval officials have ruled out equipping any of the six Scorpene submarines with AIP, but Naval Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta has said this capability would be a criteria for the new planned acquisition of six more submarines.
However, the navy remains tightlipped about progress of a proposal to acquire two Russian Akula (Bars) class type 971 Nuclear powered submarines, as part of India's nuclear deterrent based on sea, land and air platforms.
"We definitely would want to have nuclear submarines because of their long undersea endurance, the decision has to be political," naval officials said.
Naval and DRDO scientists have been working on an indigenous nuclear submarines for years, but are cautious to go public on the project labelled Advance Technology Vehicle.
According to sources, India may go in for first sea trials of the submarines by 2009.
Indian and Russian dockyards have been in negotiation for over three years on the acquisition of the Amur class submarines, which are described as successors to the Indian Navy's Kilo class submarines.
Amur's displacement is smaller than Kilo, but its capabilities are stated to be far superior. The Russians have offered to incorporate Rubin-Designed fuell cell AIP in their offer of technology transfer to India. Amur has a displacement of 2000 ton and can attain maximum speed of 21 knots when submerged and 10 knots when surfaced, with a crew of 30 to 34 personnel and an endurance of 45 days.
The Russians had designed the new AIP system to be retrofitted to the Indian Navy Sindhughosh class submarines, some of which are currently being upgraded at St Petersburg. However, the navy opted to go in for vertically launched Klub-S missiles instead. The Amur class submarines also sport anti-ship missiles such as SS-N-15 or the SS-N-16 Misslies and a variety of mines and torpedoes.
The Russians had designed the new generation Amur class submarines for joint induction into the Indian and Russian navies and the subs are expected to cost significantly less than the Kilo class.
However, the Americans could be late entrants for Indian submarine deal and by the time the RFP's are issued in late march or early April, they could also be in the hunt for the Indian deal.
On other acquisition prospects, Naval officials said evaluation was currently underway for inducting eight Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft. "Bids from Boeing and Airbus for the long range spy planes and from Lockheed-Martin offering the P3C Orions and Russian IL-38D for the short range requirment are under study," an official said.
Navy is also planning to buy 16 helicopters with the option of another eight to replace its ageing Seaking Mk 42s and Seaking Mk42s fleet, which are fast approaching the end of their service life. They said Navy was also acquiring Naval versions of the Hawk jet trainers.
Posted by: john ||
02/16/2007 11:32 ||
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However, the Americans could be late entrants for Indian submarine deal and by the time the RFP's are issued in late march or early April, they could also be in the hunt for the Indian deal.
One would think that if a reporter's job is reporting of defense matters, he or she would do a little research. It is not difficult to find out that the US does not manufacture conventional submarines.
Posted by: john ||
02/16/2007 11:42 Comments ||
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That may change. If US mining companies developed an interest in undersea mining operations, there would be tremendous demand for an entirely new concept in submarines.
Not as improbable as it sounds, because undersea are vast amounts of high grade surface mineral and gem deposits that have been mined out on land. This would mean only needing to haul up perhaps 1/20th to 1/50th the amount of ore to be as profitable as a land mine.
Already, diamonds are being recovered through dredging, as is gold, in river deltas. However, dredging is impractical at depth.
An undersea operation would involve shattering the sea floor with explosives, then a slow moving large boat scooping up the ore, and giving it a first crushing to a manageable size, then transferring it to shuttle submersibles that carry it up to a surface ship.
#3
I can imagine what the Greenpeace folks would make of that. They're strip mining the sea. They're killing the baby dolphins. Please donate.
Posted by: john ||
02/16/2007 13:00 Comments ||
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While the US doesn't build diesel boats at present, it wouldn't be hard to get back into that end of the business. The diesel-electric drive in a submarine is technologically not that different from what's in a diesel-electric locomotive, and we build lots of those. We also build lots of high-capacity batteries. The rest of it -- hull, sonar, electric motors, ballast tanks, and so on, is pretty much the same as a nuke boat.
Posted by: Mike ||
02/16/2007 13:18 Comments ||
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Mike: This would be a logical conclusion but it is not consistent with the reality of engineering cultures and competences. BAe Systems manufacturers top of the line nuclear powered boomers and attack boats but had real trouble with its last round of SSKs (Upholder-class, now renamed for Canada). It is about a whole-systems competence and not as simple as swapping out the engine.
#6
Yes it is true that the US has not built diesel electric subs for awhile; however, a couple of the big US defense contractors have major shares in European sub builders, and there is serious talk and planning for diesel electrics to be built in US shipyards for Taiwan. The Taiwanese would need between 8 and 16 subs, but that is being held up due to Taiwanese internal politics.
The biggest hindrance for the US building diesel electric subs is the fact that the US Navy does NOT want those subs built in the same shipyards or using any of the same crews as used for the nuclear subs. The Navy is worried about technology bleedover from nuke to conventional.
#7
RE: tech bleedover; probably more correct to say that about bleeding across countries rather than systems, since the workforce is generally 'pigeonholed' on a particular project.
Note to India: Don't ask the French to build one; when the prop falls off it will be harder to find a sub than an aircarft carrier sitting dead in the water.
#8
I would not be surprised if an effective domestic conventional submarine could not be built. U. S. shipbuilders have become dysfunctional corporate welfare whores. Look at the LCS and Zumwalt destroyer. Both are out of control spending boondoggles and the George HW Bush has enough bleeding edge tech to assure it is a catastrophe even greater.
#10
The French company DCN, which is building the Scorpene subs is also the design consultant for the aircraft carrier being built in India
Posted by: John Frum ||
02/16/2007 18:39 Comments ||
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Which is why if there is ever a diesel electric sub built in the US, watch it be built in an old closed shipyard that is brought back on line by the American incorporated branch of a foreign sub builder. And watch them hire non-union/non-Navy projects workers, to ensure quality control. Kind of like the Mercedes or Toyota plants in the South, making the quality cars.
Ahmadis continued to be murdered and attacked for their faith and discriminated against by the state and society in 2006, according to the annual Ahamdiyya community report.
One of the major incidents of the year was a riot at Jhando Sahi, Daska tehsil, Sialkot district, during which local Ahmadis were made to flee their homes by sectarian zealots in the presence of the police, who refused to restore calm on the excuse that the riot might spread to other villages, says the annual report.
Press freedom, a flagship human rights policy of the government, was selectively denied to the Ahmadiyya press, says the report. The printer and publisher of the Daily Alfazal were booked under the Anti-Terrorism Act. Sultan Ahmad Dogar, the printer, has been incarcerated since September 9, 2006.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Fred ||
02/16/2007 00:00 ||
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From the official website of the Ahmadiyya community
History bears ample testimony to the fact that Ahmadiyya Jamaat was at the forefront for the creation of Pakistan. When the British decided to partition the sub-continent into two independent states, Hudhoor made useful suggestions toward safeguarding the interests of Muslim community. In view of the disagreements amongst the Muslims of India, Qaide Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had taken up permanent residence in London. Through his representative in London Maulana A.R. Dard, Hudhoor urged Mr. Jinnah to return to India to lead the Muslims in their political struggle.
In March 1933 Maulana Dard met Mr. Jinnah in his office in King's Bench Walk, London and invited him to the Mosque in order a give a talk on the "The Future of India". Maulana Dard succeeded in getting a promise from Mr. Jinnah to return to India and resume the leadership of Indian Muslims. Upon his return he started the movement for the creation of Pakistan by uniting the Muslims under the banner of All India Muslim League. By the grace of Allah Mr. Jinnah's efforts were blessed with astonishing success. Hudhoor gave moral, constitutional, and financially support to Mr Jinnah in carving out a homeland for the Muslims now called Pakistan.
Posted by: john ||
02/16/2007 12:39 Comments ||
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The Ahmadis fought for Pakistan and they got their land of the pure.
Except they're not pure enough to live in it.
They wanted religious bigotry.. well they got it..
Hindus overshadowed all walks of life in India, causing Muslims harm in many ways. On top of that Muslims were divided, they could not put up a united front against the Hindu majority. Hudhoor tried to unite the Muslims by suggesting that despite various religious beliefs, any person who calls himself a Muslim should be considered a Muslim. So let all Muslims strive hard to unite and work together.
Posted by: john ||
02/16/2007 12:41 Comments ||
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Edited for brevity. Hat tip: Viking Pundit.
An M.I.T. graduate student has invented a hand-held gadget that lets you climb up and down walls like Batman. Called the Powered Rope Ascender, it's a spiraling, battery-powered winch that winds its way up a rope at up to 10 feet per second. "We've already gotten an order from the military," inventor Nathan Ball told FOXNews.com, though he wouldn't specify how many the Army asked for in the $120,000 requisition.
Most winches need to be bolted to the top of a building, and then lower cables or ropes to the ground to which an object or person is fixed. The winch then turns horizontally, retracting the cable and whatever's attached to it. Ball's device reverses that scenario. It works from the bottom up, or top down, attaching itself to the person or object being lifted. It then climbs the rope or cable, drawing it through a spiral ratchet as it moves along it like a bead on a string. The battery-powered gadget is envisioned as a tool for firefighters and soldiers, and helped earn Ball $30,000 as part of the Lemelson-MIT Student Prize, announced Wednesday.
Ball expects the device to eventually sell for a little less than $10,000. If the device becomes widespread, buildings could be equipped with ropes to allow firefighters to ascend rapidly and then lower rescuees to the ground. A rescuer would engage the rope into the device, and then pull a trigger to control the rate of ascent or descent. Only minimal training would be required to use it, Ball said. Link to video of the Climber in action at story link.
Posted by: Dar ||
02/16/2007 00:00 ||
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It's impressive, but don't you have to get a guy with a rope up there first?
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
Venezuela President Hugo Chavez's plan to curb inflation by lopping three zeros from the currency may backfire because the move fails to address production bottlenecks that are pushing prices higher, economists said. 
Powerful drug gangs still control parts of Mexico despite a wide-ranging crackdown involving thousands of federal troops, a top security official said Thursday.
