(SomaliNet) The Southern Sudan government has refused to allow Islamic banking system to operate in the south. The Government says it will breach the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. (GOSS) Council of Ministers in response from pressure of Islamic banks operating in Southern Sudan, for the Bank of Southern Sudan (BOSS) firmly refused to allow them to operate a mixed conventional/Islamic banking system in the Southern Sudan.
In a statement on Wednesday April 18, Samson Kwaje, Minister of Information, made clear that such a move would be in clear contravention of the terms of the CPA. The CPA stipulates that the Southern Sudan will establish a conventional banking system, whilst the North will operate according to Islamic banking Principles. You cannot do both, he said.
As a result of this decision, the S. Sudanese minister said, a number of Islamic banks had indicated that they would withdraw from the Southern Sudan.
Posted by: Steve White ||
04/22/2007 00:00 ||
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I thought it was un-islamic to charge or receive interest.
Doesn't that eliminate "Banking" entirely.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
04/22/2007 13:12 Comments ||
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President Thabo Mbekis bid to broker a political settlement in Zimbabwe could be an uphill battle, given this weeks insistence by President Robert Mugabes Zanu-PF that there can be no talks before the opposition changes its ways.
An official in the Zanu-PF's information department, privy to the partys deliberations on Mbekis initiative, said the thinking in the party is that elections are around the corner, and people will do their talking through the ballot, not over a table with the opposition. In the partys official mouthpiece, the Peoples Voice, Zanu-PF spokesperson Nathan Shamuyarira said this week that the opposition should change its stance on national issues and plead with the Western countries to lift international sanctions before any dialogue could take place.
Lovemore Madhuku, whose pressure group National Constitutional Assembly is agitating for a new Constitution, reinforced the scepticism. We knew these talks were never going to succeed, it is Mugabes technique of buying time. Mbeki will never be allowed to play his expected role by Zanu-PF. The tone of Mugabes speech during independence celebrations said it all. They dont want to negotiate with the opposition.
Madhuku added that Mugabe had agreed to negotiate with the opposition at the SADC summit only because he waited to avoid further alienating the groupings presidents.
Marking independence celebrations on Wednesday, Mugabe returned to his vitriolic style, accusing the opposition of being shameless local puppets used by Western powers to effect a regime change and criminal elements spreading anarchy. Clearly thats not the language of someone interested in dialogue, said Madhuku.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/22/2007 00:00 ||
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Even if he had succeeded, it wouldn't make any difference.
Stalin sharing power with Kaganovich. Big improvement.
An attempt to blow up the electoral headquarters with a petrol tanker, attacks by thugs, missing ballot papers and low turnout undermined Nigeria's presidential election on Saturday.
The vote should seal the first handover from one civilian president to another in Africa's most populous nation, scarred by three decades of corrupt military rule, and has been seen as a possible democratic beacon for the continent. But opposition parties said there were many problems with ballots, voting began late or not at all in some places and political thugs stole ballot boxes.
Hundreds of youths wielding sticks smashed cars and set fire to roadside shacks in Daura, the northern home town of leading opposition candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, after his supporters reported thousands of ballots missing. The crowd dispersed after Buhari called for a peaceful vote.
Opposition parties accused the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) of removing ballots from secure compounds operated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) and marking them up illegally. "What has happened right now across the country has shown the PDP, the government, Inec and some law enforcement agencies are not prepared to have a free and fair election," Buhari said.
Local media reported little or no voting in the south-eastern states of Enugu and Anambra, where people said they were disenfranchised. Thugs in Kano armed with swords and guns stole ballot boxes, while an election official in south-western Ondo state was abducted by a gang dressed in police and army uniforms.
Meanwhile, seven police officers on election duty were ambushed and shot dead late on Friday near Karu town in Nigeria's central Nassarawa State, national police spokesperson Haz Iwendi told Agence France-Presse Saturday. "The seven police officers were coming from Lafia [the state capital]. They ran into an ambush near Karu town and they were shot dead by unknown assailants," Iwendi said in a telephone interview. The attack on the eve of Saturday's key presidential and parliamentary elections brought to 26 the number of police officers killed in the past week in election-related and other violence.
Also on Saturday, European Union observers monitoring the elections criticised the organisation of the poll in the north. "For now the assessment is outspokenly negative ... I'm very concerned," Max van den Berg, head of the EU observer mission, told journalists in the northern town of Kaduna.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/22/2007 00:00 ||
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At least 100 former ministers, lawmakers and leaders of BNP yesterday expressed solidarity with Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and described a group's claim to bring changes in the party leadership as part of a conspiracy and divisive policy. After a series of informal discussions with party leaders, Mannan Bhuiyan yesterday said Brigadier (retd) Hannan Shah's claim that BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was planning to bring changes in all tiers of the party, including the post of secretary general, is a "misleading propaganda".
Meanwhile, BNP sources said intra-party feud over controlling the leadership after Khaleda's departure has taken a serious turn as she may leave the country at any time without giving any formal direction to her leaders and workers. Hannan Shah, former jute minister and adviser to the BNP chairperson, told a private television channel on Friday that the BNP chairperson would overhaul the party and remove its secretary general.
Claiming to have visited Khaleda that afternoon, he said she had planned to clean up the party and its front organisations and equip them with honest and efficient leaders. "If necessary, the BNP secretary general might be changed," Hannan said, adding, "The secretary general's activities since the state of emergency was imposed are not in favour of the party."
He also said Khaleda told him that she is unwilling to leave the country. "Why will I leave the country?...I am ready to face the trial if I have done anything wrong," Hannan quoted Khaleda in the TV interview. Sources also said a group of leaders already took initiative to control the party just after Khaleda's departure and that is why they have started campaigning against the party's present leadership.
A few former ministers and leaders are waiting for the appropriate moment to vie for party leadership, dropping Mannan Bhuiyan and his followers in the way to reorganising the party, the sources added.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/22/2007 00:00 ||
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An extortion case was filed yesterday against former BNP lawmaker and Rajshahi city mayor Mizanur Rahman Minu with Rajpara Police Station. Earlier on April 8, another case was filed against Minu with the same police station for aiding and abetting Islamist militants of Jama'atul Mujahideen, Bangladesh.
Shamsul Islam Khan of Mohishbathan area in the city lodged the extortion case accusing the mayor and 10 others including district BNP vice president Nazrul Huda and former city BNP secretary Shafikul Haq Milon. Other accused in the case are BNP activists Sentu, Mainul, Babu, Ranju, Shamsul, Islam, Ashraf and Mamun.
Plaintiff Shamsul Islam Khan, a governing body member of Evergreen Model College at Baharampur, alleged that all the accused individuals are associated together and they demanded Tk 4 lakh from him on March 29, 2007. In his case statement, Khan alleged that in 2006 during the founding of the college, Minu called him up along with college principal Abu Yusuf Selim at his office and asked them to include Nazrul Huda, Milon and local BNP activist Sentu in the governing body of the college.
As Khan and principal Selim denied to comply with Minu's demand, the mayor threatened them of dire consequences. Later on July 4, 2006, Nazrul, Milon and Sentu went to the college and demanded Tk 1 lakh in toll since they were not included in the college governing body. At that time they forcefully took out 10 pairs of benches and desks worth Tk 13,000.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/22/2007 00:00 ||
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Shamsul Islam Khan of Mohishbathan area in the city
I've been reading Rantburg too long - I read "Mohisthbathan" as "Moonbatistan" - though I doubt it makes much of a difference.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
04/22/2007 17:44 Comments ||
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Former prime minister and Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina yesterday said she will not seek political asylum in any country in case she is not allowed to return to Bangladesh. "Why would I seek political asylum here?" Sheikh Hasina threw back a question to BBC Bangla Service interviewer in reply to his query on whether she would seek political asylum in the United States of America or United Kingdom in the changed circumstances. "Tomorrow I will go to the airport and I expect sense would dawn upon the caretaker government and they would let me return to Bangladesh," Hasina said yesterday.
About whether she had talks with her party leaders about her return, she said she has constant contact with the leaders of different levels. Regarding news broadcast on a private television channel that she was not returning, she said sometimes confusions are spread with references to 'sources'. When Hasina was asked why she was taking the risk of being arrested by returning to Bangladesh, she said, "I am taking the risk for the people. I want to be back with my people on my own soil."
Posted by: Fred ||
04/22/2007 00:00 ||
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I'm BOSS (Whine, Whine)
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
04/22/2007 13:24 Comments ||
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#2
Nail a wooden stake into her heart, and see if she comes back from THAT.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
04/22/2007 17:48 Comments ||
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With around a dozen members of her family and house staff, former prime minister Khaleda Zia was all set to leave the country for Saudi Arabia. That she was going into exile anytime appeared quite obvious after she met her detained son Tarique Rahman early yesterday morning at a place not disclosed officially.
A family source told The Daily Star late at night that everybody was waiting as the flight or time of departure was yet to be set. "Madam prefers passenger plane while the authorities want her to take a special flight," it added.
None however could confirm exactly when and in which flight she would be leaving. Some sources hinted that the departure would be shortly before or after the dawn today.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/22/2007 00:00 ||
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I was boss.(Whine, Whine)
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
04/22/2007 13:33 Comments ||
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"Madam prefers passenger plane while the authorities want her to take a special flight,"
#3
She had better be careful... might end up like another famous "Zia". She should ensure that no crate of mangoes is put onboard or Pervez Musharraf is on the passenger list but doesn't turn up.
Posted by: John Frum ||
04/22/2007 16:29 Comments ||
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#4
"Madam prefers passenger plane while the authorities want her to take a special flight"
Fidel Castro met Friday with the head of a visiting Chinese Communist Party delegation, official media said. Cuba's Prensa Latina news agency reported that Wu Guanzheng, a member of the Chinese Communist Party's Politiburo, met separately with both Castro and his younger brother Raul, who has been filling in for his brother since July.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/22/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
The Chinese officials noted that Fidel didn't talk much, the room was a little too chilly and smelled strongly of air freshener (mixed with formaldehyde).
#6
From an american point of view... I'd say Sarko, who is (relatively) more free-market/less obsessively statist, and would certainly, or at least probably be less rabidly obstructionist and anti-US/anti-anglo-saxon than the shiraq and socialist crowd; I'd say he would be more US-friendly and more Israel-friendly too, and less likely to give in to ye ole "French Arab Policy".
Just judging by his ennemies, who brand him a joooooo (he isn't, as far as I know, he married in a church), a GWB lackey, an "ultra-libéral" (that is hard core free-market advocate),... and that from the left and from the right.
From a french point of view... none; only worse choices, and slightly worse choices, Sarko being the least worse, but worse nonetheless. You get my point.
From this first turn, one satisfaction : pépé Le Pen's nose has been rubbed in the dirt, that humiliation will teach him to run his movement to the ground, and betray nationalists and patriots by shifting drastically to the left, embracing "diversity" and cruising for the 'hood votes, having the odious marxist (!!!) alain soral as his adviser, etc, etc... From that ruin, I hope the nationalist right will rebuild something that isn't just the vehicle for the nepotism of a 3rd Republic dinosaur, as interesting as he may be as a character.
And one regret : Philippe de Villiers only is at 3% or so, that's too bad but not surprizing, he's the only french pol I'd be able to say I respect. Btw, under 15% for the "far right", that's a real Berezina, I wonder if the vote registration drive in the 'hoods is for something in that? About 85% voting tonight IIUC (not watching teevee, I don't vote, what for?, and don't bother myself with the yap-yap), so that's unprecendeted. Is the "allogenous" vote starting to show its muscle?
#8
To be honest, Sarko COULD turn out to be a good surprize, assuming his lack of any actual action, especially really conservative action, was due to him being under the shadow of yacoub ben shiraq. Perhaps he'll start doing stuff and all? That's why he's the least worse choice; to give you an idea, one free-market institute (not in my mind right now, it's the one with the estimed Fred Aftalion) noted the candidates according to their programs; to be classed "libéral" (free-market proponent), one had to score 180 or better. Sarko was the best, with... 54. The centrist bayrou was 20, the socialist 4.
#9
No Pasaran has the info, high turnout, Sarko wins w/almost 30%, but as pointed out by a poster, if the splinters vote for Royal, she'll pull it out when it counts.
#10
if the splinters vote for Royal, she'll pull it out when it counts.
That's why I'll vote I think in two weeks, to respond to esteemed Shipman. The voting poll is next to my job, but the 10 mn walk to it is uphill. Dang! Better bring bottled water.
#12
Both ways. In the snow. Melting in the Sahara-like heat wave, the air so still only a5089's panting breaths and the moans of the dying grandmeres were to be heard as he toiled doggedly uphill all the long miles to the poll station to register his vote. But he would not be stopped, our brave a5089, from doing his duty as a citizen of this French Republic! Only after he had accomplished this virtuous deed would he allow himself to remember that walking down such a hill is as difficult as walking up, but at least he would have the knowledge of his vote to strengthen him. That, and the anticipation of a long soak in a cool bath, perhaps with a glass of chilled fruit juice to sip, when he stumbled through the door of his humble home.
There. A better fit for the season, Jackel dear. ;-) Not as succinct, though, I must admit.
Radio Hosts Enlisted in Effort, Which Is Aimed at Rousing Area Activists Before Week of Lobbying
As the debate over immigration reform takes shape in Congress, radio talk show hosts will headline a rally against illegal immigration across from the White House today as a preamble to a week of lobbying on Capitol Hill.
Organizers hope the radio personalities, whose shows across the country often are forums for heated anti-immigrant rhetoric, will galvanize an array of groups into a potent force. The effort is aimed at reflecting grass-roots concerns raised by Washington area residents, such as over job centers for mostly immigrant day laborers in Herndon and Gaithersburg.
"We all see the illegal aliens marching down the streets, screaming, 'We are America' and 'We demand citizenship.' We are trying to offer a venue where Americans can come and express their support for secure borders and an equal application of existing laws," said D.A. King, an ex-Marine from Georgia who leads the Dustin Inman Society, which is sponsoring the rally.
Surveys show that a majority of Americans favor tightening security along the border with Mexico. But the public is divided on how to treat the more than 10 million illegal immigrants who live in the United States.
A recent Washington Post poll found that 81 percent of people said the government was "not doing enough" to stop illegal immigration. But 62 percent said those already in the country should be offered a chance to keep their jobs and apply for legal immigration status, while 35 percent said they should be deported. More at link
Posted by: Bobby ||
04/22/2007 08:06 ||
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That picture of the jerkoff beans in Minnesota still baffles me. If anyone thinks our governor has balls think again.
#2
From my neck of the woods Peter Boyles is going. Hopefully this rally will do some good.
Posted by: Jan from work ||
04/22/2007 15:25 Comments ||
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#3
Opinion is pretty set in concrete over illegal immigration, but it is not two monolithic sides in the battle; instead of bunch of mixed views.
For instance, my own view is that priority should go to erecting the wall on the most traveled corridors the illegals use. This by itself will reduce illegal crossing by 80%.
Illegals already in the country should be divided into two classes: those that have long been employed or are otherwise successful, who are integrating and are willing to pay a fine of say, $5,000 for their citizenship. Alternatively, military service can be used instead of payment.
And those who have not been gainfully employed, who commit criminal offenses above and beyond illegal entry and false papers, who cannot speak English, and who show prospect of being a drain on the public accounts.
This latter group should not only be deported, but should be advised that if they put one foot back into the US, they will go to prison for two years, then be deported again. Four years for a second offense.
This will get the "best and the brightest", who will be assets to our country, while eliminating criminals who mostly prey on the good immigrants.
Finally, I would strongly recommend State and local incentives to break up ghetto communities of immigrants, to force integration through redevelopment. This alone will strongly reduce the "second generation crime", which often happens among immigrants of all kinds who live in closed communities.
Fortunately, the Mexican birth rate has dropped, so that in the next 20 years or so, no matter what we do, much of the problem will solve itself, because many of the pressures to emigrate will have subsided.
This latter group should not only be deported,AND ALL THEIR WORLDLY POSESSIONS CCCONSFICATED. but should be advised that if they put one foot back into the US, they will go to prison for two years, then be deported again. Four years for a second offense.
OH, Fixed.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
04/22/2007 19:52 Comments ||
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#5
Instead of coming over to become Americans, these third world types insist that we change to become like them (i.e. start speaking Spanish in public schools and printing all things in Spanish, ignore laws, etc., etc.) as soon as they get a tiny bit of power.
Friends of Al Gore have secretly started assembling a campaign team in preparation for the former American vice-president to make a fresh bid for the White House. Two members of Mr Gore's staff from his unsuccessful attempt in 2000 say they have been approached to see if they would be available to work with him again.
Mr Gore, President Bill Clinton's deputy, has said he wants to concentrate on publicising the need to combat climate change, a case made in his film, An Inconvenient Truth, which won him an Oscar this year.
But, aware that he may step into the wide open race for the White House, former strategists are sounding out a shadow team that could run his campaign at short notice. In approaching former campaign staff, including political strategists and communications officials, they are making clear they are not acting on formal instructions from Mr Gore, 59, but have not been asked to stop.
Continued on Page 49
#7
"Two members of Mr Gore's staff from his unsuccessful attempt in 2000 say they have been approached to see if they would be available to work with him again.: Yeah, that's the ticket; rehire losers and then hope for differet results. Wasn't it Einstein that said something about stupidity involving the same things and expecting different outcomes?
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
04/22/2007 19:48 Comments ||
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#16
I saw some poll results the other day, which said that Mr. Gore's popularity has increased since he last ran for election, but something like 74% of those polled did not want him to run for president.
ARTESIA, N.M. (AP) - The U.S. Border Patrol's push to expand the number of agents on the lookout for illegal crossings has some current and former agents worried that the pressure will lead to corner cutting and will jeopardize public safety. Raising the Border Patrol's numbers from about 12,000 to 18,000 by the end of 2008 is a key element of President Bush's plan to improve security along the border, crossed by tens of thousands of illegal immigrants each year.
The sprawling Border Patrol Academy here in southeastern New Mexico recently started launching two 50-student classes each week, compared to one class every two or three weeks before the expansion plan was announced nearly a year ago.
Some critics worry that pressure to meet the hiring goal will lead the agency to admit recruits with integrity problems. ``That's a very real fear that a lot of agents have, that they will lower the standards,'' said T.J. Bonner, president of a union representing agents. ``They have done it before.''
Nearly 5,000 new agents were added in a five-year period that began in 1996. That expansion was criticized for poor screening that let in some agents who were later accused of wrongdoing.
Jim Dorcy, a retired Border Patrol agent who investigated corruption cases as an internal investigator and is a leader in a group of former agents, said he expects more ethical problems to emerge during the latest expansion because the numbers are higher and the deadline is tighter. ``When you're hiring a lot of people, you can't properly vet them,'' Dorcy said. He also predicted that the agency wouldn't have enough veteran agents to act as mentors for incoming rookies.
Those are legitimate concerns.
In the six months since the latest expansion began in earnest, no evidence has surfaced of lowered qualifications or of agents with ethical problems, but Bonner said the agency has already taken shortcuts in its training that could affect the quality of agents. He cited the decision to cut the length of academy training from about 19 weeks to 17 weeks.
Even some supporters of boosting Border Patrol staffing say the agency is trying to hire too many people in too short a time and is at risk of repeating mistakes made during the last big expansion.
Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, whose 26-year career at the Border Patrol included stints as an academy instructor and as a chief agent, said new candidates might not get the same level of scrutiny as they would in years with more realistic hiring goals. ``Instead of maybe asking additional questions that would tell you whether or not there is a good potential for a trainee agent to make it through the academy, you are going to let more through,'' said Reyes.
Border Patrol spokesman Mario Martinez said background checks, while not a guaranteed way of getting clean recruits, go back 10 years to determine whether applicants have had arrests, job dismissals, financial problems or a history of substance abuse. Agency officials also said interviews of recruits, ethics training, mentoring by journeyman agents and a two-year probationary period can help detect bad agents.
The Border Patrol, which so far has hired 1,000 new agents, also maintains that it isn't compromising the quality of training and that changes at the academy grew out of an effort to match its lessons with the evolving needs of agents. ``We continue to find able and willing applicants that are well qualified (and) meet our requirements for training,'' said Martinez.
In shortening the academy training, the Border Patrol removed duplicative material, such as a constitutional law class whose basics also were taught in another course, agency officials said. Other lessons were taken out of the academy so they can be taught during on-the-job training. ``The increase in people has not changed the training,'' said Agent Clark Messer, a training supervisor at the academy. ``It's still the same quality training. It's high-quality training.''
Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., a key supporter of the last major expansion, said he is optimistic the agency can meet the latest goal without compromising the quality of agents. ``We are capable of it,'' Hunter said. ``This is a small number of recruits compared to our military (recruiting efforts).''
Posted by: Steve White ||
04/22/2007 00:00 ||
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Lots of new hires in short time= TSA debacle V 2.0
/sarc on
Plus side is that when they get arrested and prosecuted for doing their jobs we won't have a lot of $$ sunk into them /sarc off
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
04/22/2007 13:31 Comments ||
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#3
Maybe you could use the Militia[tm} -
TITLE USC 10 > Subtitle A > PART I > CHAPTER 13 > § 311
311. Militia: composition and classes
(a) The militia of the United States consists of all able-bodied males at least 17 years of age and, except as provided in section 313 of title 32, under 45 years of age who are, or who have made a declaration of intention to become, citizens of the United States and of female citizens of the United States who are members of the National Guard.
(b) The classes of the militia are
(1) the organized militia, which consists of the National Guard and the Naval Militia; and
(2) the unorganized militia, which consists of the members of the militia who are not members of the National Guard or the Naval Militia.
Ever thought of asking for volunteers and training them instead of demonizing your own citizens?
A fruity cocktail may not only be fun to drink but may count as health food, U.S. and Thai researchers said on Thursday. Adding ethanol -- the type of alcohol found in rum, vodka, tequila and other spirits -- boosted the antioxidant nutrients in strawberries and blackberries, the researchers found. Any colored fruit might be made even more healthful with the addition of a splash of alcohol, they report in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.
Dr. Korakot Chanjirakul and colleagues at Kasetsart University in Thailand and scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture stumbled upon their finding unexpectedly. *hic!*
They were exploring ways to help keep strawberries fresh during storage. Treating the berries with alcohol increased in antioxidant capacity and free radical scavenging activity, they found. *hic!*
Any colored fruit or vegetable is rich in antioxidants, which are chemicals that can cancel out the cell-damaging effects of compounds called free radicals. Berries, for instance, contain compounds known as polyphenols and anthocyanins. People who eat more of these fruits and vegetables have a documented lower risk of cancer, heart disease and some neurological diseases.
The study did not address whether adding a little cocktail umbrella enhanced the effects. Hey, I don't write the jokes, I just report them.
I wonder how many olives fed to free radicals would dispose of them (with an ample supply of ethanol or without). Anyone wants to provide funding for the study?
#14
This is kind of interesting, in a way.
When I started chemo, they told Me to stay away from green tea, vitamins A and E(?), certain fruits, and such. The problem is that antioxidants interfere with the treatment, which apparently works by oxidizing to free radicals, but only fast-growing cells (like your hair).
#15
Me n the Mrs are headin' on a cruise in June. We've been prepping all week with Mai Tais. Good start. Next week...Bahama Mamas. We're feeling the powah!
Posted by: Rex Mundi ||
04/22/2007 17:32 Comments ||
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#16
I always suspected rum, vodka, gin, scotch, and tequila were health foods. Just remember: "Everything in moderation--even moderation."
#17
I feel healthier just reading this. Jack Daniels just became a vegetable serving and with a maraschino cherry, my whiskey sour is a health drink. Salud!
Posted by: Frank G ||
04/22/2007 18:39 Comments ||
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#18
JohnQC, you are right, it's healing properties were known to mankind since dawn of time when someone opened a jar with fermented berry/vine grapes juice or honey and saw that it was good. The moderation part part's important, like with all medicine.
Funny part is that the word Alcohol is of Arabic origin. I suppose that they never mastered the "moderation" clause and hence Mohamhad's apprehension (he imbibed frequently but at least he was sane and sober often enough that he wanted to preserve his lunacy, not someone else's). It seems to be inherent to Arab stock that they can't control themselves.
#19
JohnQC, you are right, it's healing properties were known to mankind since dawn of time when someone opened a jar with fermented berry/vine grapes juice or honey and saw that it was good. The moderation part part's important, like with all medicine.
Fermented honey was probably first; it takes the least amount of effort. Next was beer. Wine was last of the "natural" alcoholic beverages.
For most of history, alcoholic drinks were the only safe drinks. Water was likely contaminated.
Damn straight the stuff's good for you.
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
04/22/2007 21:30 Comments ||
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#20
Alcohol apparently has anti-inflammatory properties when ingested. For some reason red wine has an additional kick along that parameter, along with other healthful properties.
It sounds like you and Mrs. Mundi will have a wonderful time, Rex Mundi!
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.
(SomaliNet) The Southern Sudan government has refused to allow Islamic banking system to operate in the south. The Government says it will breach the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. (GOSS) Council of Ministers in response from pressure of Islamic banks operating in Southern Sudan, for the Bank of Southern Sudan (BOSS) firmly refused to allow them to operate a mixed conventional/Islamic banking system in the Southern Sudan. 
President Thabo Mbekis bid to broker a political settlement in Zimbabwe could be an uphill battle, given this weeks insistence by President Robert Mugabes Zanu-PF that there can be no talks before the opposition changes its ways.
An attempt to blow up the electoral headquarters with a petrol tanker, attacks by thugs, missing ballot papers and low turnout undermined Nigeria's presidential election on Saturday.
Former prime minister and Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina yesterday said she will not seek political asylum in any country in case she is not allowed to return to Bangladesh. "Why would I seek political asylum here?" Sheikh Hasina threw back a question to BBC Bangla Service interviewer in reply to his query on whether she would seek political asylum in the United States of America or United Kingdom in the changed circumstances. "Tomorrow I will go to the airport and I expect sense would dawn upon the caretaker government and they would let me return to Bangladesh," Hasina said yesterday. 
With around a dozen members of her family and house staff, former prime minister Khaleda Zia was all set to leave the country for Saudi Arabia. That she was going into exile anytime appeared quite obvious after she met her detained son Tarique Rahman early yesterday morning at a place not disclosed officially. 
Fidel Castro met Friday with the head of a visiting Chinese Communist Party delegation, official media said. Cuba's Prensa Latina news agency reported that Wu Guanzheng, a member of the Chinese Communist Party's Politiburo, met separately with both Castro and his younger brother Raul, who has been filling in for his brother since July.
Friends of Al Gore have secretly started assembling a campaign team in preparation for the former American vice-president to make a fresh bid for the White House. Two members of Mr Gore's staff from his unsuccessful attempt in 2000 say they have been approached to see if they would be available to work with him again.
