"Reported" has always been WAY lower than actual in the Second City.
Posted by: Mullah Richard ||
01/28/2009 17:00 Comments ||
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#2
The 'authorities' blindly ignore that in Iraq, we let the locals keep their AK's and even supported a 'militia' movement in conjunction with the 'surge'. As long the enlightened city leaders of places like Chicago et al disarm the good and productive citizenry, you just surrender the streets to the thugs.
#4
Well, isnt what supposed to happen when the law protects and comforts criminals and law abiding citizens are put to hard work of breaking stones in shackles? Just reverse it and see the bad crimes vanished. I do not want to say why we tax payer citizens have a habit of shooting our own foot.
#5
These parents are placing the blame where it belongs: not on government but on incompetent parents. I can't believe WB-BM actually aired that comment.
The CIA's station chief at its sensitive post in Algeria is under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department for allegedly raping at least two Muslim women who claim he laced their drinks with a knock-out drug, U.S. law enforcement sources tell ABC News.
Officials say the 41-year old CIA officer, a convert to Islam, was ordered home by the U.S. Ambassador, David Pearce, in October after the women came forward with their rape allegations in September.
The discovery of more than a dozen videotapes showing the CIA officer engaged in sex acts with other women has led the Justice Department to broaden its investigation to include at least one other Arab country, Egypt, where the CIA officer had been posted earlier in his career, according to law enforcement officials.
The U.S. State Department referred questions to the Department of Justice, which declined to comment.
"It has the potential to be quite explosive if it's not handled well by the United States government," said Isobel Coleman, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations who specializes in women's issues in the Middle East. "This isn't the type of thing that's going to be easily pushed under the carpet," she said.
The CIA refused to acknowledge the investigation or provide the name of the Algiers station chief, but the CIA Director of Public Affairs, Mark Mansfield, said, "I can assure you that the Agency would take seriously, and follow up on, any allegations of impropriety."
It can be a crime for government officials to reveal the identity of a current covert intelligence officer, and CIA officials would not comment the status of the person under investigation.
One of the alleged victims reportedly said she met the CIA officer at a bar in the U.S. embassy and then was taken to his official station chief residence where she said the sexual assault took place.
The second alleged victim reportedly told U.S. prosecutors that, in a separate incident, she also was drugged at the American's official residence before being sexually assaulted.
Both women have reportedly given sworn statements to federal prosecutors sent from Washington to prepare a possible criminal case against the CIA officer.
Following the initial complaints, U.S. officials say they obtained a warrant from a federal judge in Washington, D.C. in October to search the station chief's CIA-provided residence in Algiers and turned up the videos that appear to have been secretly recorded and show, they say, the CIA officer engaged in sexual acts. Officials say one of the alleged victims is seen on tape, in a "semi-conscious state."
The time-stamped date on other tapes led prosecutors to broaden the investigation to Egypt because the date matched a time when CIA officer was in Cairo, officials said.
Pills found in the CIA residence were sent to the FBI crime laboratory for testing, according to officials involved in the case. "Drugs commonly referred to as date rape drugs are difficult to detect because the body rapidly metabolizes them," said former FBI agent Brad Garrett, an ABC News consultant. "Many times women are not aware they were even assaulted until the next day," he said.
A third woman, a friend of one of the alleged victims, reportedly provided a cell phone video that showed her friend having a drink and dancing inside the CIA station chief's residence in Algiers, which officials told ABC News provided corroboration the CIA officer had indeed brought the woman to his residence.
The officer in charge of the CIA station in Algiers plays an important role in working with the Algerian intelligence services to combat an active al Qaeda wing responsible for a wave of bombings in Algeria.
The Algerian ambassador to the United Nations, Mourad Benmehid, said his government had not been notified by the U.S. of the rape allegations or the criminal investigation.
Repeated messages left for the CIA officer with his parents and his sister were not returned.
No charges have been filed but officials said a grand jury was likely to consider an indictment on sexual assault charges as early as next month. "This will be seen as the typical ugly American," said former CIA officer Bob Baer, reacting to the ABC News report. "My question is how the CIA would not have picked up on this in their own regular reviews of CIA officers overseas," Baer said.
"From a national security standpoint," said Baer, the alleged rapes would be "not only wrong but could open him up to potential blackmail and that's something the CIA should have picked up on," said Baer. "This is indicative of personnel problems of all sorts that run through the agency," he said.
"Rape is ugly in any context," said Coleman who praised the bravery of the alleged Algerian victims in going to authorities. "Rape is viewed as very shameful to women, and I think this is an opportunity for the US to show how seriously it takes the issue of rape," she said.
Transportation officials in Texas are scrambling to prevent hackers from changing messages on digital road signs after one sign in Austin was altered to read, "Zombies Ahead."
Chris Lippincott, director of media relations for the Texas Department of Transportation, confirmed that a portable traffic sign at Lamar Boulevard and West 15th Street, near the University of Texas at Austin, was hacked into during the early hours of Jan. 19.
"It was clever, kind of cute, but not what it was intended for," said Lippincott, who saw the sign during his morning commute. . . . "It's sort of amusing, but not at all helpful," he told FOXNews.com.
Oh, yeah, right. If there's a bunch of shambling undead creatures with an appetite for braaaaains! blocking the highway ahead, I'd like to be told before I drive into them and meet a painful, messy, PG-13-rated death. I mean, if there's a horde of zombies running about eating people's brains in your community, shouldn't you at least be blocking the road and setting up a detour or something? Some "public safety official" you are!
According to the blog i-hacked.com, some commercial road signs, including those manufactured by IMAGO's ADDCO division, can be easily altered because their instrument panels are frequently left unlocked and their default passwords are not changed. . . . ADDCO Chief Operating Officer Brian Nicholson told FOXNews.com that the company is sending out notices to customers on the potentially dangerous security flaw. "It's incumbent upon users to change the default password and secure the sign with a padlock," Nicholson said. "We're having our engineers review this information."
In the meantime, if you're driving in Austin, you can rest assured: There are no zombies ahead.
There are hippies, though. You've been warned.
Posted by: Mike ||
01/28/2009 13:25 ||
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#4
Bah-- We've been doing pranks like this for years.
Usualy, the next moring, the road crew just laughs and resets sets the message. Problem is now some humor-impaired dork saw this, and the fun is officialy over.
I wonder how stupid it is going to get.
Posted by: N guard ||
01/28/2009 18:01 Comments ||
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The government has decided not to tolerate further untoward incidents at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque centring newly appointed Khatib Maulana Muhammad Salahuddin.
A high-level meeting of the home ministry after thorough discussion on the matter decided on Monday to go tough on troublemakers.
Unpleasant incidents including chase and counter-chase and hurling of shoes took place in and around the country's main mosque during the last three Juma prayers.
Sources say the government perks and other benefits for the khatib, who enjoys the status of a joint secretary, seem to be the main reason behind the troubles brewed often centring the post.
The home ministry meeting also observed that if necessary they would create a panel of khatibs, who in turn will conduct the Friday prayers. Besides, reducing the perks of the khatib was also discussed at the meeting.
Apart from getting a government vehicle for use and home allowance, the khatib receives a handsome monthly salary and enjoys the chairmanship of Islami Bank's Shariah Council.
He also holds the posts of adviser or member of other Islami banks and insurance companies. But the most alluring side of becoming the khatib is the hadia (gifts) given by people at home and abroad.
Chaired by Home Minister Sahara Khatun, the meeting also unanimously reached a consensus that the immediate past caretaker government chose the right person as the khatib, who delivers sermon during Friday or Eid prayers.
"Mosque is the holy place and no disorder there will be tolerated. Tough actions will be taken against troublemakers if they try again to create unrest," said State Minister for Home Affairs Tanjim Ahmed Sohel Taj.
Talking to The Daily Star, the minister said the government would not allow anyone to do politics with mosques and religion. People won't tolerate it either, he added.
He said they would ensure safety and security of the people and deal with terrorism and crime in an iron hand.
The national mosque witnessed chaotic situation on last two Fridays as devotees supporting and opposing the appointment of khatib engaged in commotion.
Chairman of a faction of Islami Oikya Jote Mufti Fazlul Haque Amini called the new Khatib a "controversial figure" following the skirmishes.
Maulana Salahuddin, former principal of Madrasah-i-A'liah, Dhaka, was the khatib of Gausul Azam Mosque in Mohakhali and was appointed at Baitul Mokarram on January 1.
Bangladesh Awami Olama League yesterday urged all devotees to show deep reverence during prayers at the national mosque.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/28/2009 00:00 ||
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WELLINGTON, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Fiji on Tuesday rejected the need for further sanctions, saying the country was not in crisis and was determined to complete electoral reform before holding elections.
The Pacific Islands Forum leaders special meeting, held in Papua New Guinea on Tuesday, gave Fiji a deadline of May 1 to announce an election date. Elections must be held by the end of the year. If the Fiji interim government does not meet the terms, its leader, ministers and officials will be suspended from all meetings of the forum, the Pacific leaders said in a statement. Fiji will also be prevented from receiving benefits that come from belonging to the forum, including new financial aid.
Fiji's interim attorney general Aiyaz Saiyed Khaiyum, a special envoy of interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama, put Fiji's case to the leaders in Port Moresby. Saiyed Khaiyum on Tuesday questioned the forum's right to impose further sanctions and said electoral reform rather than timelines are his country's priority. "There is no crisis in Fiji at the moment," he said. "You have a government in place that's been held to be legally and validly appointed by His Excellency our president (by) a three member panel of the High Court. So we do not understand what the crisis is," Radio New Zealand quoted him as saying.
Khaiyum said he spoke to Bainimarama after the meeting. Fiji was determined to complete electoral reform before holding elections, he said. He told reporters democracy was about more than elections and Fiji did not have universal suffrage. The country wanted "long-term and sustainable" democracy which "seems lost on some people," Radio New Zealand reported on Wednesday.
He said the new Presidential Political Dialogue Forum would look at reform issues and once an electoral system was decided on elections would take a further 12 to 15 months.
Khaiyum disputed the forum's right to take steps against Fiji which only allowed action if there was a crisis. Since Fiji's president ruled the interim administration was valid, backed up by a high court ruling, there was no crisis, he said. He accused Australia and New Zealand of hurting innocent citizens through sanctions -- especially a ban on travel for officials and government figures.
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/28/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
Put the heat on the forum, Commodore Frank!
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
01/28/2009 0:54 Comments ||
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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.
Chris Lippincott, director of media relations for the Texas Department of Transportation, confirmed that a portable traffic sign at Lamar Boulevard and West 15th Street, near the University of Texas at Austin, was hacked into during the early hours of Jan. 19.
The government has decided not to tolerate further untoward incidents at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque centring newly appointed Khatib Maulana Muhammad Salahuddin.
