RICHLAND, Wash. - A stolen truck full of doughnuts? Better believe Tri-Cities police were on that in a hurry. Moments after the theft of the Viera's Bakery van was reported early Friday in Kennewick, police issued an all-points bulletin. A Benton County sheriff's deputy quickly spotted the truck. After a chase at 30 to 35 mph, Richland police got it to stop and arrested the driver, Steve Swoboda, 19, for investigation of auto theft and felony escape. Still intact was the entire load of glazed, sugar and cream doughnuts, as well as apple fritters, bear claws. "In 24 years in law enforcement I've never had a call like that," Richland police Capt. Randy Barnes said. "To steal a bakery truck, how clever is that?"
Still intact was the entire load of glazed, sugar and cream doughnuts, as well as apple fritters, bear claws...
"It kind of sticks out, a doughnut truck," Kennewick police Sgt. Ken Lattin said.
The truck was taken while the delivery driver, Gilberto Gonzales, left the engine running during a stop at the Break Place Conoco. Gonzales asked the clerk if he recalled seeing a man who had been standing in front of the store. "The clerk said, 'Yeah, that guy's been wanting a ride to Richland for a while,'" said Mario Viera, one of the operators of the bakery. Viera said he was happy that none of the load was lost "but I'm going to make sure Gilberto doesn't leave the keys in the truck any more."
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
08/08/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Still intact was the entire load of glazed, sugar and cream doughnuts, as well as apple fritters, bear claws.
"Unfortunately, the perp is gonna walk since all of the evidence mysteriously disappeared on its way to the station."
#2
After Steve gets out of intensive care and can eat through a straw after being severely beaten, he will be transported to a maximum security penitentiary for the rest of his natural life plus 10 years for good measure. "Had he been stupid enough to have stolen a Krispy Kreme delivery truck it would have been worse. Far worse." said the Captain.
If you want to find all the cops,
They're hanging out in the donut shop.
They sing and dance (Oh-Way-Oh)
They spin their clock and cruise on down the block . . .
All the cops in the donut shops
say:Way-oh-way-oh-way-ooo-aaa-ooo...
Walk like an Egyptian
Posted by: Mike ||
08/08/2006 9:56 Comments ||
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#5
From what I heard, cops prefer healthier food than do-nuts. It has been a long time since I saw a cop eating one.
I remember when they opened a Krispy Kreme donut shop in my area. For over a month it seemed the police had traffic all re-routed to "reduce congestion" in the area. There were always about three patrol cars out front with their lights on. I don't think it was the least bit necessary. I'll bet KK was just doing a bit of advertising via the local police department! But it's true, even then I didn't see any of the police standing around eating a donut! :-)
ALBUQUERQUE (Reuters) - An Albuquerque policeman and his pilot face
disciplinary measures after using a police helicopter this week to
swoop in for a midnight snack of doughnuts, officials said on Friday.
The officer and the civilian pilot were on night patrol over the city
in a Kiowa OH-58 helicopter when they landed in a vacant lot next to a
Krispy Kreme doughnut store around 1 a.m. on Thursday morning.
``The contracted pilot and a police officer landed the copter early in
the morning, ran in and grabbed a dozen, came back out and took off,''
Albuquerque Police Department spokesman Brian McCutcheon said.
``I don't know whose brain child it was, but it's quite an ugly
child,'' he said.
McCutcheon said the event was being investigated as a possible misuse
of city funds as well as for safety reasons, although he added there
was no specific protocol for this case because it had ever happened
before.
``We've been given no reasonable excuse as to why they would even
think they could do this. But there could be some very serious
ramifications,'' he said.
An eyewitness told the Albuquerque Journal that he saw the APD
helicopter circle the Krispy Kreme and land in a nearby dirt field.
``I was angry, and I'm still kind of angry. That's my tax dollars,
your tax dollars. You've got no business flying in to get doughnuts,''
said Keith Turner, who works nearby and was taking a smoke break when
he saw the chopper swoop in,
The cost to the department of running a Kiowa, including fuel and
maintenance, is $80 an hour, McCutcheon said.
A Krispy Kreme employee who asked not to be identified said he didn't
see why people were making a big deal of the unusual doughnut run.
A New York man mauled by his pet tiger has failed in his bid to sue the city for entering his flat without a warrant. Antoine Yates was jailed after being arrested in 2003 when police found the 200kg (32st) creature, named Ming, and a two metre (6ft) alligator, Al, in the tiny fifth-floor flat. Mr Yates claimed that when he returned to his home, cash, jewellery and a pet rabbit were missing.
George, put the jewellery down and help me get this tiger's jaws off the guy's head!"
The whereabouts of the rabbit have not been ascertained, but there is no indication in the record that Al the alligator was questioned in that regard.
Judge Sidney Stein said it had been an emergency situation: "The whereabouts of the rabbit have not been ascertained, but there is no indication in the record that Al the alligator was questioned in that regard."
"I didn't mind the rescuers helping with getting Ming's jaw off of my head, but that rabbit was a dear friend of mine!"
Posted by: Steve White ||
08/08/2006 21:15 ||
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MARSHALL, Texas A truck transporting zoo animals overturned early Tuesday, spilling about two dozen penguins, an octopus and tropical fish along a highway north of Marshall, authorities said.
Three penguins that landed in the highway were killed by oncoming traffic and one died in the crash, authorities said. Another penguin suffered a broken wing. Most of the fish lived and the octopus appeared unharmed, officials said. The octopus and fish were traveling in plastic bags, and some fish died when the bags burst.
Posted by: Mike ||
08/08/2006 19:29 ||
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#1
No quips here: As an animal lover I am saddened.
#6
Liberals demanding the elimination of global warming by the stoppage of emissions of SUVs and cow's methane gas, penquins are in Texas in August? THIS MAKES NO SENSE TO ME!
NANJING: A new bar in Nanjing, capital of East China's Jiangsu Province, is offering an outlet for the stresses and strains of modern life. Customers will be able to pay money to beat up staff, smash glasses, shout and scream, and, if these anger management techniques don't work, receive psychological counselling.
Rising Sun Anger Release Bar was set up in April by Wu Gong, a 29-year-old man from neighbouring Anhui Province. Wu said he got his inspiration from the Japanese occupation of Nanking similar bars in Japan, but felt a personal need for the type of service after his experiences as a migrant worker in Guangdong Province.
The bar employs 20 "models," well-built men in their 20s and 30s, who are available to be hit. Customers can specify how they want the models to appear they can even dress as women and then they are free to give them a sound beating. Wu assured China Daily that models are fully equipped with protective gear, and the bar gives them regular physical training so they are prepared for attack.
And you pay extra to get the models who don't hit back.
The bar has four psychological counsellors, who are in fact psychology students from local universities.
The bar charges 50 to 300 yuan (US$6.25-37.5) for every customer in accordance with their demands. "With rent of 6,000 yuan (US$760) per month, we can just about make ends meet," Wu said, but he added that he was confident about success as his customer list was growing.
Wu said that at the moment most of his customers were women, especially those working in service and entertainment companies such as KTV or massage parlours.
So a massage parlor attendant comes to the bar to beat up a man. There's a novel occurrence.
Public opinion was divided over the bar. "Violence will not solve your problems. If people really feel angry, they should adjust their lifestyles or seek psychological treatment," said Liu Yuanyuan, who works for Siemens.
"Pressure in today's society comes from just about anywhere, from family or from work, from your boss or from your girlfriend. We get no place to vent anger. The idea of beating someone decorated as your boss seems attractive," said Chen Liang, a salesman.
Zhang Yong, an employee of Xiaoran Psychological Consultation Centre in Nanjing, admitted that "no matter how civilized people have evolved to be, some still find that violence is the best way to get rid of their burning rage. The existence of the bar, despite its controversial business scope, reflects the demands of a large proportion of people." Zhang warned that as the business the bar is engaged in is not subject to any regulations, customers should be careful about overcharging or hurting the models.
The city's industrial and commercial administration bureau told China Daily that Wu's bar has been registered as a dancing venue, and there is no mention in the licence about anger release. "He applied for the business of anger release but we would not give permission. It has never been listed as a proper business in this country," said an employee surnamed Wang
Wang said the bureau would discuss Wu's case and check on the bar in the following few days if necessary.
In their last two-and-a-half minutes, the pilots who flew former Proteas captain Hansie Cronje home, ignored at least 13 warnings that there was an obstacle in their way.
After the 13th warning, pilots Willie Meyer and Ian Noakes flew into the mountains at 214km/h.
The impact of the crash in which Cronje was a passenger broke the aircraft in two. All three people on the plane were killed instantly.
The alert, called a ground proximity warning, is a mechanical voice cautioning pilots to "pull up". "Why did they not respond?" Judge Siraj Desai asked accident investigator Andre de Kock on Tuesday morning. "They thought they were over the sea. They did not expect to be over the mountains.
"It does happen in certain accidents," he said.
"But is it reasonable for a pilot not to respond to 13 warnings?" Judge Desai asked.
"When you get the first pull-up warning you are supposed to immediately engage full thrust and climb higher," De Kock said.
"There is no indication that they tried to pull up the plane," De Kock said.
He on Monday testified that a combination of human error, possible instrument failure and bad weather had caused the plane to crash in the Outeniqua mountains. "It's like holes in a cheese, sometimes the holes line up and you will get an accident," De Kock said.
Judge Desai is leading the inquest into the death of Cronje, Meyer and Noakes. An inquest normally follows a fatal aircraft accident.
Cronje died on June 1 2002, aged 32, after the Hawker Siddeley he was a passenger on crashed into the mountains near George. The pilot Willie Meyer and co-pilot Ian Noakes were also killed.
De Kock also said further responded to question to his finding that the plane was "technically unairworthy" as not all the paperwork - indicating what repairs was done on the plane - was properly signed off. He said that it was probably signed off by ground staff but not completed in the paperwork on the plane. "We found that this has happened before in other accidents."
He said that the owner of the Hawker Siddeley aircraft had contracted repair work to the aircraft out to another plane repair company. "We could not verify if it was done."
#1
Sheesh. This really makes the pilots sound totally ignorant.
I have to wonder however if there were some other instruments onboard that weren't working correctly. How could their navigation be so off? Considering even a $50 hand-held GPS receiver could be used to verify one's expected position on a plane, it boggles me how anyone can get so off course anymore?
Posted by: Dar ||
08/08/2006 16:12 Comments ||
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U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia rejected a request from Texas Republicans on Monday to allow the GOP to replace former U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay on the general election ballot. "In terms of legal options, they are exhausted," Republican lawyer James Bopp Jr. said. "The order will stand requiring Tom DeLay to stay on the ballot." Republicans have reached the end of the road and it is now up to DeLay to decide whether to campaign for the 22nd Congressional District seat he held for more than 20 years. DeLay has suggested he is up for a fight if forced to stay on the ballot, but he once walked away from the race and faces a serious challenge from Democratic nominee Nick Lampson.
Last week, a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld an injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks that prohibited the state Republican Party from replacing DeLay. "We've always been confident in our legal position. It's time to put all the legal proceedings behind us and move on to a vigorous campaign," said Cris Feldman, lawyer for the Texas Democrats. "It's time for Tom DeLay to decide if he is going to cut or run."
DeLay was at his Sugar Land home Monday, but refused to come to the phone to discuss his intentions. When a reporter knocked on his door later, no one answered. Dani DeLay Ferro, DeLay's spokeswoman and daughter, did not provide an immediate response.
State law does not allow a party to replace an official nominee who withdraws from the race if another party also has a nominee for the office. Otherwise, Sparks said, a party could always replace a weaker candidate with a stronger one. Five judges, both Republican and Democrat, have come to the same conclusion regarding this case, Democratic nominee Nick Lampson said in a statement. "The people of this district have been without a member of Congress for long enough. It's time for the voters to decide who will represent them in Congress," Lampson said. "I look forward to a strong issue-based campaign against Tom DeLay."
The 41-page motion, filed by Bopp, argued that there was a good chance the full court would want to hear the constitutional issues the case raised. The motion, sent to Scalia because he handles appeals from the 5th Circuit, also said it would be in the best interest of voters to allow the Republicans to pick a new candidate for DeLay's 22nd District seat. "The 5th Circuit's decision restricts the voters' range of choices because it requires the (Republican Party of Texas) to keep an ineligible candidate on the ballot," the motion read. "It limits their choice because the opportunity to vote for an ineligible candidate is no choice at all."
DeLay fended off three challengers in the March GOP primary to win the nomination for re-election in November. Then in April, while under indictment and in the midst of a federal influence-peddling scandal, he announced he would not seek re-election. DeLay resigned from office in June and moved his official residence to Virginia, though he maintained a home in Sugar Land. Texas Republican Chairwoman Tina Benkiser ruled that DeLay was ineligible to serve in office and should be removed from the ballot.
The Texas Democratic Party sued, claiming DeLay and Benkiser were committing a sham to get around a state law that limits the ability of political parties to replace a candidate who merely withdraws from a race. The party said the U.S. Constitution sets residency for eligibility purposes on Election Day, but not for any days before then. The federal appeals court panel agreed, saying Benkiser had "unconstitutionally created a pre-election inhabitancy requirement." "I'm surprised at the outcome," Bopp said. "The Democratic Party has been successful at picking the Republican nominee."
Lampson has used the summer to define himself as candidate. He's also kept up with aggressive fundraising, having raised more than $600,000 between April 1 and June 30, according to PoliticalMoneyLine, which tracks how money is spent in politics. He has $2.1 million cash on hand. "We have to assume Tom DeLay will run an aggressive campaign," said Mike Malaise, Lampson's campaign manager. "DeLay has no choice but to base all of his hopes on a smear campaign against Lampson. There's not a lot of rehabilitation (DeLay) can do for himself." My prediction: Tom Delay runs, telling the voters not to let the Democratic Party or the court pick their senator for them. Let them know that if convicted of anything, he'll resign and let their Republican governor schedule a special election.
Posted by: Steve ||
08/08/2006 09:14 ||
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It truly would be amusing if Mr. DeLay wins the election. Could he be put up for Speaker if he does?
Arizona's Democratic Party introduced an "affinity" credit card last year to put a charge into political fundraising. To date, the party has lacked much affinity for its own idea.
The "JackassDonkey Card" - a MasterCard that puts a small percentage of the amount of each purchase into the state party's operating fund - was introduced amid no fanfare last year, said Jim Wagner, point man for the project. With fewer than 200 of the cards in use and a trickle of a cash flow, the Democrats are determined to get the word out. "This year, we're making an aggressive attempt to get it off the ground in Arizona," Wagner said. "This is a pain-free way to make donations to the party if you want to give and don't have the resources to do it." Democrat philosophy: if something is a failure, spend more on it and push it harder.
The card, issued by a Maryland-based subsidiary of Great Britain's Barclay Bank, pays the party up to a $40 royalty when approved and then kicks in slightly less than a buck for every $100 purchased on it. "What we're hoping for is what we call a 'sustained owner program' that would help us maintain a certain amount of income throughout the whole year," Wagner said. "We're thinking seven to 10 years from now it can provide a steady flow." For your successor party(-ies)
So far, it's hard to find anybody other than party officials with one in their wallet. Calls to the campaign headquarters of every Democrat in the mob running for Congressional District 8 resulted in either puzzlement or revelation. None of the committed volunteers or staffers owns the card. Few were even familiar with it. "We don't believe in borrow and spend, but haven't found a way to tax card-users directly" deadpanned Ross Lampert, spokesman for candidate Jeff Latas.
Wagner said he's busy hitting district-level meetings and functions and making the pitch for more participants in Arizona.
"There are more than 800,000 registered child abusers . mental health patients . illegal alients Democrats in Arizona, so the potential for this is huge," he said.
Arizona Republicans have pondered their own affinity card, but got hung up on the bureaucracy of it, said party spokesman Garrick Taylor. "Once you go up to $200 as a contributor, there has to be a filing with the Federal Elections Commission," he said. "We've taken a cursory look at this, but we're just not comfortable with the tracking requirements." Perhaps one reason for the failure is the millionaires like J. Forbes Kerry let their flunkies handle all the purchasing details, while a Daily Cooz poster living in his mom's basement can't pass the credit check.
U.S. Rep. Bob Ney, dogged by an influence peddling probe in Washington, will not seek re-election, state Sen. Joy Padgett said early Monday. Ney called Padgett on Saturday and asked the fellow Republican to run in his place, saying that defending himself has been a strain on his family, she said. "It's a very sad time," Padgett said of Ney's decision, first reported by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on its Web site. She said Ney told her, "that there's only so much he can take. He said, 'I have to do this.'" Padgett told The Associated Press she would run for Ney's seat.
Calls to Ney's office and staff were not immediately returned. He has not been charged and has denied wrongdoing. Padgett said Ney told her he intends to serve the remainder of his term. The six-term congressman from Heath in central Ohio had insisted he would not resign even if indicted over his dealings with now-convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
In his first primary test in a decade, Ney won 68 percent of the vote May 2 against a little-known opponent. However, he faced a tough challenge in November from Democrat Zack Space, who had made the Justice Department's investigation into Ney a focus of his campaign. For the first three months of 2006, Ney's campaign spent more than it raised, a deficit he blamed on mounting legal costs. In the past three months, it was unusually intense campaigning in his expansive rural district that caused the incumbent to spend $52,675 more than donors gave him, he said. "I'm embattled and attacked; I understand that," Ney told The AP last month after Space raised about $190,000 more than Ney for the quarter.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/08/2006 00:00 ||
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A Tucson animal terrorist activist was sentenced to eight months in federal prison Monday for interfering with U.S. Forest Service agents who were trying to capture mountain lions in Sabino Canyon two years ago. Rodney Coronado will also have to spend three years on probation upon his release, pay $100 in restitution and stay away from activists involved in such groups as the Animal Liberation Front, Earth Liberation Front and Earth First.
U.S. District Judge David Bury told Coronado he wanted to send a message that if you use "force and violence in civil disobedience you are going to be punished for it; it's anarchy."
Coronado, 39, Matthew Crozier, 33, and Esquire magazine writer-at-large John Richardson were arrested in the spring of 2004 after authorities accused them of interfering with the mountain lion hunt. Coronado and Crozier were accused of digging up a trap and laying false scents to distract hunting dogs. They were later indicted on misdemeanor charges of interfering with a forest officer and depredation of government property, and a felony charge of conspiracy to impede or injure an officer of the United States.
Coronado has spent time in prison for setting fire to a mink researcher's offices at Michigan State University. He has also claimed responsibility for sinking two whaling boats and damaging a processing plant in Iceland in 1986. During an appearance on "60 Minutes," Coronado defended those who use
tools such as arson to fight urban sprawl and animal abuse. If only this had been California, he could have put away under Three Strikes.
Coronado told the judge he was ready to accept full responsibility for his actions, but said they were meant as "nothing more than an act of civil disobedience, a protest." They were committed "out of love and compassion for those mountain lions that I lust after love," Coronado said. And torching condos was for the love of cougars, too? Methinks you simply hate humans and their activities.
"Civil disobedience" is sitting at the "whites only" counter; no one was harmed (except some of the protestors) and nothing was damaged. They did it deliberately to get arrested and sentenced and accepted the punishment. That was the whole point: to show the unjust laws for what they were. You are an anarchist (possibly a terrorist) and interfered with rangers doing their duty. You hoped to get away with it. Not civil disobedience at all.
#2
Rodney Coronado was also under investigation in San Diego for giving a lesson to "activists" in how to build firebombs the same night a huge Condo project burned to the ground in University City - with a banner taking credit by ELF left at the site
Posted by: Frank G ||
08/08/2006 12:54 Comments ||
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#3
The only way this violent individual should only get six months is if he has to share his cage with those mountain lions.
First if you are going to visit the link comment out access to "goldhost.com" by adding the following to your HOSTS file as fits your OS
127.0.0.1 goldsea.com
The port at Gwadar is without doubt currently Pakistan's flagship infrastructure project. A source of great pride for the Pakistani government, its much anticipated inauguration as the country's energy hub has been twice delayed and it is envisaged to become operational by year's end.
Built with Chinese assistance - just how much is debatable, though US$200 million for the first phase is an accepted figure plus loans - this multibillion-dollar scheme is regarded as not only an important economic asset but also a strategic one. The first phase included the construction of three multi-purpose ship berths, while the second, to be completed by 2010, involves nine more berths, an approach channel and storage terminals, by which time it will provide full warehousing, trans-shipment and industrial facilities. The Pakistani government is positioning Gwadar as "an energy port and hub for storage and refining".
No country knows the strategic value of the port more than India, which is unsettled at the prospect of having at the very least a possible Chinese listening post so close to home and at worst a possible Chinese naval presence on the Indian Ocean.
Consider for one minute, however, the possibility that despite the hype, fears, euphoria and general interest, Gwadar might just be a big, lumbering white elephant. Consider also the possibility that the security situation is now so poor in the area surrounding the port - and more widely in the surrounding province of Balochistan - that even the port's authorities are reportedly questioning whether the facility can become operational in the near term.
If proof were needed of the local population's changed attitude, it is witnessed in the security situation. When the port's construction first started, it was reported that about 200 Chinese engineers operated freely in the town, welcomed by its inhabitants and housed without security fears among the population. As the project has developed and local grievances increased, the number of engineers has steadily decreased and the 20 or so who are now left are stationed at the army's barracks, under guard 24 hours a day. A number have died in attacks, the largest of which occurred in May 2004 when three were killed and 11 others (nine of whom were Chinese) injured in a car-bombing.
As the situation stands, a five-star entertainment resort in a part of Pakistan surrounded by barely controlled desert (and not forgetting that Afghanistan's Taliban-heavy provinces border Balochistan) will surely top the attack list for a range of militant and terrorist elements. Partying aside, the prospects similarly look poor for the viable operation of the port.
#3
dammit - that was me - she lies, just ask Hillary
Posted by: Frank G ||
08/08/2006 18:59 Comments ||
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#4
Is Gwadar anything like gaydar? In either event, both seem appropriate for that part of the world.
Posted by: Tibor ||
08/08/2006 20:23 Comments ||
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#5
China's next step is security = technical units, ala CUBA-PANAMA CANAL, and then a Chinese-protected railroad network linked to Gwadar. Never doubt that once America = Amerika + West is escargot histoire', the gloves will come off between China vs Russia over whom is the big boss of the SCO and Mackinder's World Island of Eurasia ,and exclusive of Radical Islam.
Information Minister Muhammad Ali Durrani on Monday rejected a call for banning PTV advertisements promoting birth control medicines and items used exclusively by women. Durrani made these remarks in a reply during Question Hour in the National Assembly (NA). MMA's Muhammad Laeeque Ahmed had questioned the steps being taken by the government to control such advertisements. Durrani said that the advertisements for birth control medicines and items used exclusively by women were cleared by the PTV Censor Board. "All such advertisements are properly censored by senior media professionals. Therefore banning them will not be appropriate," he said. The issue could not be discussed further because of lack of time.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/08/2006 00:00 ||
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The cabinet committee formed to review draft amendments to the Hudood Ordinances has decided to delete a proposed change that would make sex with a girl below the age of 16 the offence of rape.
The ministers argued that in Islam, a woman becomes an adult when she reaches puberty.
Cabinet sources told Daily Times that several minister had objected to this clause when the draft amendments were presented to the cabinet for approval a week ago. The prime minister formed a six-member ministerial committee to resolve differences over the amendments.
The sources said Sher Afgan Niazi, the parliamentary affairs minister, Aftab Sherpao, the interior minister, and Dr GG Jamal, the culture minister, had argued at the cabinet meeting that this amendment would cause trouble in rural and tribal areas where girls are traditionally married off at a young age. The ministers argued that in Islam, a woman becomes an adult when she reaches puberty.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/08/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Yeah, but they suddenly become children again when the muzzies need the Al Reuters or AP photos splashed across the front page.
FLASH floods triggered by torrential rains have killed at least 120 people in Pakistan's North West Frontier province, and forced hundreds of thousands out of their homes in neighbouring India, officials said today. The floods played havoc in five districts of Pakistan's NWFP, including two which were badly hit by a devastating earthquake last year, submerging hundreds of villages and causing extensive property damage.
The floods have swept away mud houses and people...
The situation is worse than last year, as the rains triggered more flash floods this time in our five districts,'' NWFP Information Minister Asif Iqbal Khan said. The floods have swept away mud houses and people.
Ummm... Mud people, living in mud houses? Who knew?
By today, rescuers had recovered 43 bodies in Mardan, the second biggest city in the province, after a bridge overflowing with people collapsed on Saturday. Iqbal Khan said some 100 people were still missing in the incident. He said incessant rains and floods could lead to the spread of diseases like diarrhoea and other respiratory infections, especially among children. We are trying our best to provide food and medicines to every affected person but still there is a threat of an epidemic.
These things only happen because they don't have enough shariah, y'know...
Posted by: Fred ||
08/08/2006 00:00 ||
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Several concerts on the Dixie Chicks' "Accidents & Accusations" tour have been canceled after slow ticket sales, but the group says it has replaced them with other dates. Kansas City, Houston, St. Louis, Memphis and Knoxville are among 14 cities no longer on the original schedule released in May, according to a revised itinerary posted Thursday on the Dixie Chick's Web site. Other shows, including Nashville, Los Angeles, Denver and Phoenix, have been pushed back to later dates.
Remind me, Nashville is the 'home' of country music, right? A country all-girl band suddently can't sell tickets in Nashville? 'specially when they used to sell out there?
Billboard magazine and other trade publications have reported lackluster sales in some markets, particularly in the South and Midwest.
The North American leg of the tour kicked off July 21 in Detroit. Billboard magazine and other trade publications have reported lackluster sales in some markets, particularly in the South and Midwest.
i.e., the home of country music.
Group spokeswoman Kathy Allmand said Monday that the total number of North American dates remains the same, with several Canadian cities added in place of the U.S. shows.
The trio released a statement last week attributing the changes to attempts to "accommodate demand" or lack thereof and said more dates might be added next year. The group also said the adjustments will allow them to promote the documentary "Dixie Chicks: Shut up and Go Away Sing," for the Toronto International Film Festival in September. "We hope that our fans who were looking forward to a stop that is no longer on the tour will be able to join us at a nearby arena this fall, and we are sorry for any confusion or inconvenience these changes have caused," the Dixie Chicks said.
Many country fans criticized the band after lead singer Natalie Maines told a London audience in 2003 on the eve of war in Iraq that the trio was "ashamed" President Bush was from their home state of Texas. County radio stations dropped them from their playlists and have been slow to welcome them back, despite strong sales of their latest album, "Taking the Long Way."
Posted by: Bobby ||
08/08/2006 06:42 ||
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#1
Next excuse - Its the Diebold ticket machines.
Boston - Hyannisport - Greenwich Village - Seattle - San Francisco - Paris - Brussels - Caracas - Havana - Damascus - Tehran - Pyongyang (at the Ryongbong Hotel lounge, natch)
Posted by: Mike ||
08/08/2006 8:43 Comments ||
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#4
lol, Besoeker! I can't fathom a tour t-shirt more worthy of burning. I guess most fans (much less, hardcore country fans) would rather go see Toby Keith now, eh? Reality sux, doesn't it, Natalie? Here's my prediction that they'll be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize this year.
Posted by: BA ||
08/08/2006 8:57 Comments ||
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#5
I love how they spin it. One of the biggest country acts of all time has to cancel push back their Nashville tour date because of shitty ticket sales. I was surprised it was the same in L.A. They should revoke their citizenship and just ask the canadian government to take them in as it seems the only concerts they can sell out are north of the border. What you reap so shall you sew as they say.
#10
Tough to reinvent yourself as a blue-state pop/rock group if your name is the Dixie Chicks...somewhat of a cognitive dissonance. Like Mecca Jews - my new klezmer band :-)
Posted by: Frank G ||
08/08/2006 12:01 Comments ||
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#11
It seems their audience is becoming 'more selective'...
#16
As much as I like schadenfreude, their current album is selling relatively well - relative to other current albums, I don't know how it compares to their own albums.
Looks like they won't be needing to apply to McDonalds any time soon - too bad.
#17
They "messed with Texas" in the middle of a Texan-led fight to save Texas, America + World. Of course you know their PC/political advisor(s) needs to be hanged, and hanged high, from the nearest Texas oak.
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.
RICHLAND, Wash. - A stolen truck full of doughnuts? Better believe Tri-Cities police were on that in a hurry. Moments after the theft of the Viera's Bakery van was reported early Friday in Kennewick, police issued an all-points bulletin. A Benton County sheriff's deputy quickly spotted the truck. After a chase at 30 to 35 mph, Richland police got it to stop and arrested the driver, Steve Swoboda, 19, for investigation of auto theft and felony escape. Still intact was the entire load of glazed, sugar and cream doughnuts, as well as apple fritters, bear claws. "In 24 years in law enforcement I've never had a call like that," Richland police Capt. Randy Barnes said. "To steal a bakery truck, how clever is that?"
A New York man mauled by his pet tiger has failed in his bid to sue the city for entering his flat without a warrant. Antoine Yates was jailed after being arrested in 2003 when police found the 200kg (32st) creature, named Ming, and a two metre (6ft) alligator, Al, in the tiny fifth-floor flat. Mr Yates claimed that when he returned to his home, cash, jewellery and a pet rabbit were missing. 
U.S. Rep. 
Information Minister Muhammad Ali Durrani on Monday rejected a call for banning PTV advertisements promoting birth control medicines and items used exclusively by women. Durrani made these remarks in a reply during Question Hour in the National Assembly (NA). MMA's Muhammad Laeeque Ahmed had questioned the steps being taken by the government to control such advertisements. Durrani said that the advertisements for birth control medicines and items used exclusively by women were cleared by the PTV Censor Board. "All such advertisements are properly censored by senior media professionals. Therefore banning them will not be appropriate," he said. The issue could not be discussed further because of lack of time.
The cabinet committee formed to review draft amendments to the Hudood Ordinances has decided to delete a proposed change that would make sex with a girl below the age of 16 the offence of rape. 
FLASH floods triggered by torrential rains have killed at least 120 people in Pakistan's North West Frontier province, and forced hundreds of thousands out of their homes in neighbouring India, officials said today. The floods played havoc in five districts of Pakistan's NWFP, including two which were badly hit by a devastating earthquake last year, submerging hundreds of villages and causing extensive property damage. 
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Several concerts on the Dixie Chicks' "Accidents & Accusations" tour have been canceled after slow ticket sales, but the group says it has replaced them with other dates. Kansas City, Houston, St. Louis, Memphis and Knoxville are among 14 cities no longer on the original schedule released in May, according to a revised itinerary posted Thursday on the Dixie Chick's Web site. Other shows, including Nashville, Los Angeles, Denver and Phoenix, have been pushed back to later dates.
