CAIRO, July 17 (Reuters) - Nearly two-thirds of Egyptian men admit to having sexually harassed women in the most populous Arab country, and a majority say women themselves are to blame for their maltreatment, a survey showed on Thursday. The forms of harassment reported by Egyptian men, whose country attracts millions of foreign tourists each year, include touching or ogling women, shouting sexually explicit remarks, and exposing their genitals to women.
Egyptian women and female visitors frequently complain of persistent sexual harassment on Egyptian streets, despite the socially conservative nature of this traditional Muslim society. The behaviour could have repercussions on Egypt's tourism industry, a major foreign income earner, with 98 percent of foreign women saying they had experienced harassment in the country, the survey said. FILTHY INFIDEL TEMPTRESS!!!
Some 53 percent of men blamed women for bringing on sexual harassment, saying they enjoyed it or were dressed in a way deemed indecent. Some women agreed. "Out of Egyptian women and men interviewed, most believe that women who wear tight clothes deserve to be harassed," the survey said. It added most agreed women should be home by 8 p.m.
The survey said most of the Egyptian women who told of being harassed said they were dressed conservatively, with the majority wearing the Islamic headscarf. The harassment took place on the streets or on public transport, as well as in tourist destinations and foreign educational institutions
#3
I remember a story my mother told me. When she was in her 40's she was walking across an open mall to get to her car. There was one black guy with his back to her about ten yards away. She saw he was pissing on the wall and reached in her purse for her .38 S&W revolver. This bastard looked over his shoulder, saw a woman, and turned around with his d*ck in his hand. In response, she pulled that .38 out and drew down on him. She said it was hilarious to watch that melanin-enhanced POS light out down the street at full speed with his d*ck still waving in the breeze.
I told her the only mistake she made was not shooting him in the groin.
Foreign donors are ramping up aid to remote, neglected Central African Republic because they fear cross-border conflicts in neighbouring Sudan's Darfur and Chad could expand and feed on a vacuum of state authority there.
Plagued by decades of dictatorship, unrest, coup attempts and rebellions, the vast but sparsely populated former French colony is ranked among the world's least developed states.
Basic infrastructure is in ruins, bandits roam the bush unchecked by the army or police and borders are left unguarded. "Everyone's heard about Congo, Darfur, and the Great Lakes, but we've suddenly realised there is this big empty country in the middle of it all with very permeable borders," Fiona Ramsey of the European Commission's delegation in Bangui told Reuters. "Though it's a much smaller conflict, it is a large land mass. It allows smuggling of natural resources. It allows the circulation of arms," she added.
Landlocked Central African Republic's strategic significance at Africa's heart went largely ignored until an anti-government rebellion in Sudan's western Darfur province erupted in 2003, triggering a political and ethnic conflict that sent raiders and refugees spilling into neighbouring states like Chad.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/17/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Plagued by decades of dictatorship, unrest, coup attempts and rebellions, the vast but sparsely populated former French colony is ranked among the world's least developed states.
Sounds just like most of Africa.
Sure, let's send them lots of money. That'll change things...
The caretaker government is incorporating a new provision in the Representation of People Order (RPO) Ordinance 2008 to bar individuals convicted by a trial court of criminal offences involving moral turpitude from contesting elections.
At present, due to the lack of specific legal provisions an individual convicted by a trial court of such criminal offences can participate in elections while their appeal against the conviction is pending with the higher court.
The new provision drafted by the Election Commission (EC) upon government desire says such a convict will be disqualified from contesting the parliamentary polls while their appeal against the trial court verdict is pending with a higher court.
Due to loopholes in the existing electoral laws individuals convicted by the trial courts have come up as candidates for the August 4 city corporation polls. Sources said Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed himself recently expressed concern about how to prevent this.
Asked by the chief adviser, senior officials of his office communicated with the EC and requested it to look into the matter. Following the government's desire, the EC drafted the new proposal.
The draft was supposed to be sent to the government yesterday for incorporation into the draft RPO, the sources added.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/17/2008 00:00 ||
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The Awami League (AL) has said it would not hold talks with anyone including diplomats if the leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami are present. The AL yesterday informed the US Embassy in Dhaka about its stance and asked them not to invite the party to any discussion if Jamaat leaders are present. The AL asked the embassy to invite them separately to avoid meeting Jamaat.
The request came following strong criticism from in and outside the party following talks on different crucial issues with US envoy in Dhaka James Moriarty in the presence of Jamaat leader Mohammad Qamaruzzaman.
Earlier, AL leaders informed the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the International Republican Institute (IRI) representatives in Dhaka about their stance.
Insiders say AL Publicity Secretary Asaduzzaman Noor, who along with acting general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam attended the meet, called Jon Danilowicz, political councillor to the US embassy, and conveyed the decision, which is also a crucial stance of the AL-led 14-party combine. "I've phoned the US embassy and made the request not to invite us in future if Jamaat is also invited," Noor told The Daily Star.
On Tuesday's talks at the US envoy's residence, he said they did not know that Jamaat leaders would be there. He added, "As we've decided to boycott Jamaat, we'll never sit at any talks or discussion with any diplomats in presence of Jamaat leaders."
"We don't mind attending ceremonial programmes like that of the US Independence Day," he said adding, NDI and IRI now don't invite them to the event where Jamaat leaders are invited.
In response to Noor, Danilowicz said they would definitely keep it in mind in future.
The AL has earlier decided to boycott every programme attended by Jamaat leaders accusing them of resorting to war crimes during the Liberation War. However, several AL leaders violated this decision by joining programmes arranged by diplomats in recent past.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/17/2008 00:00 ||
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Protests against assault of a freedom fighter by Jamaat-Shibir activists continued with freedom fighters joined by people and different political and socio-cultural staging demonstrations in Kushtia, Rajshahi, Magura, Dinajpur and Rangpur yesterday.
They demanded judicial inquiry into Friday's incident in the capital in which freedom fighter Sheikh Mohammad Ali was kicked, shoved and whisked away at a function of a Jamaat backed so-called freedom fighter's organisation.
The protesters also demanded trial of war criminals and called upon pro-liberation forces to unite to resist them.
Our Kushtia Correspondent reports: Different organisations in Kushtia yesterday protested the heinous attack on freedom fighter Sheikh Mohammad Ali Aman by Jamaat-Shibir and demanded punishment of the culprits.
The have also demanded ban of politics by Jamaat.
The organisations included Kushtia unit of Bangladesh Muktijoddah Oikya Parishad Central Command Council Kushtia, district Awani League, Kumarkhali unit of Muktijoddah Sangsad. They held separate programmes.
Muktijoddah Oikya Parishad held a rally and formed a human chain in Kushtia town. The rally was addressed by, among others, former Zonal Council Chairman in Southwestern Division during 1971 and former lawmaker mp Abdur Rouf Choudhury, Nasim Ahmed and Sahabub Ali.
They criticised the caretaker government for not taking any action against the culprits involved in Friday's incident, alleging that it is 'soft on Jamaat'. They demanded ban on Jamaat backed so-called freedom fighters forum.
Kumarkhali unit of Muktijoddah Sangsad at a press conference at its office criticised the caretaker government for its silence on the issue despite an outcry across the country and urged all pro-liberation forces to intensify the demand for trial of war criminals.
Kushtia district AL in a statement claimed that Jamaat has gathered a large number of fake freedom fighters under its banner with an evil motive to tarnish the image of genuine freedom fighting. These people managed fake certificate of freedom fighters during the BNP-Jamaat government.
OUR Dinajpur CORRESPONDENT reports: Dinajpur units of Sammillito Sangskritik Jote, Muktijodha Sangsad and some other organisations held a joint rally and formed a human chain in Dinajpur town yesterday demanding punishment of Jamaat-Shibir activists who assaulted a freedom fighter.
They said Jamaat formed the so-called Jatiya Muktijoddha Parishad to harass genuine freedom fighters and demanded a ban on the organisation.
They also demanded trial of war criminals.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/17/2008 00:00 ||
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CHINA has announced a ban all entertainers from overseas, Hong Kong and Taiwan who have ever attended activities that "threaten national sovereignty" after an outburst by Icelandic singer Bjork.
Earlier this year, Bjork shouted "Tibet! Tibet!" at a Shanghai concert having performed her song "Declare Independence", which she has used in the past to promote independence movements in other places such as Kosovo.
China has ruled Tibet with an iron hand since its troops marched into the Himalayan region in 1950, and swiftly condemns any challenge to its authority there.
"Any artistic group or individual who have ever engaged in activities which threaten our national sovereignty will not be allowed in," the Ministry of Culture said in a statement on its website.
During performances, entertainers who "threaten national unity", "whip up ethnic hatred", "violate religious policy or cultural norms" or "advocate obscenity or feudalism and superstition", will also be banned, the rules state.
The new rules come on top of Beijing banning pop festivals and tightening approvals for outdoor events in the months leading up to the Olympics, where it fears security threats from unruly crowds and potential protesters.
Even encores need to be approved in advance.
"Nothing that has not been approved will be allowed to be performed," it said.
Though the issue burst into the international spotlight after the Bjork case, which prompted an angry rebuke from China, singers from the much freer and more open ethnically Chinese societies of Hong Kong and Taiwan are more normal targets of ire.
China banned the hugely popular Taiwan pop star Chang Hui-mei for a year after she sang the self-ruled island's anthem at anti-China President Chen Shui-bian's inauguration in 2000. China considers Taiwan its sovereign territory.
She was later forgiven, though, and allowed back into China.
Do it again and again, til you get it right!
Irish politicians reacted angrily Wednesday after French President Nicolas Sarkozy suggested Ireland should hold a second referendum on the EU's new treaty, after rejecting it last month. Irish voters dealt a blow to the European Union last month by rejecting the Lisbon Treaty in the only popular vote on the text anywhere in the 27-nation bloc.
According to deputies who attended a meeting with Sarkozy Tuesday, he said that the Irish would "have to re-vote", despite 53 percent opposition.
A key adviser to the French president said later on Wednesday that Sarkozy could ask Ireland to hold a second referendum on the document, but with some minor changes. "One of the solutions would be indeed to eventually ask the Irish to re-vote, but probably not on a text that would be exactly the same," said Henri Guaino in an interview to French television. "We'll see," he added.
Guaino stressed that Sarkozy's remarks, widely reported in the press, were "not an official statement from the president."
Sarkozy's comments were described as "deeply insulting" by Sinn Fein's Aengus O Snodaigh, who speaks for the party on international affairs. Sinn Fein was the only major political party in Ireland to oppose the Lisbon Treaty.
"In the month since the Irish people voted overwhelmingly to reject the Lisbon Treaty, we have listened to a succession of EU leaders lining up to try and bully and coerce us into doing what they want," O Snodaigh said. "The fact is that the people have spoken and the Lisbon Treaty is dead."
He added that Sinn Fein had sought a meeting with Sarkozy when he visits Ireland Monday. "It is important that President Sarkozy understands that the Irish people demand that our vote is respected and, more importantly, our concerns addressed," he said.
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/17/2008 08:19 ||
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#1
You will keep voting until you get it right, serfs!
#4
Ah, but in France, the peasants aren't allowed to vote on such important things as international treaties. So Sarkozy and the rest of the EU elite don't have to worry what the people think.
Posted by: Rambler in California ||
07/17/2008 12:29 Comments ||
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#5
Sark, don't piss off the Irish. Seriously. You dont want that.
#7
In 2005, the french voted "non" with a good majority, so this repackaged constitution was passed through the parliament, with a very touching almost unanimity from the MP. As for sarko, well, his oppostion to the entry of turkey into the EU was one of his presidential selling points, but, alas, like his others firm stances, this has gone under the bus.
Sark, don't piss off the Irish. Seriously. You dont want that.
Why? What could the irish do, except keeping getting an high economical growth, compared to the slumpish, impotent french economy? Let sarko piss them off if he wishes, why not, it's not like this is a pub brawl... in fact, I'm happy he shows himself to be like he's seen in France, I was amused/bothered by the english language press that pictured him as some kind of Reagan rethread. He's not, he's shitraq, only younger, and even less popular, for the leftists (who need to have him being a fascist), for the wingnuts (because he's a "jooooooooooooooooo", because he's sold to the Evil americans,...), and for the man on the street (because he's a blowhard more interested in his PR than any actual reforming).
#8
Ah, but in France, the peasants aren't allowed to vote on such important things as international treaties.
In France, the peasants have an habit since 1789 of having convulsive crisis that usually result in regime changes... in 200 years, as I like to enumerate in no particular order as my grasp of elementary History is a bit flimsy, 5 republics, 2 empires, one short-lived mob rule, one directorate, 1 constitutional monarchy, 1 dictatorship, one occupation gvt, hum... I'm certainly missing a few, all born on the ashes of the precedent one after a crisis, armed or not, as is the norm with the irremediably divised post-Revolution french society.
So, while I'm not particularly looking forward to it, comfortably hidden in my cozy infantilized bubble that I am, I have no doubts sooner or later the peasants will throw an hissy fit, probably sooner than later, given the "ripeness" of the 5th, the state of public finances, the general decay of France, the nullity of our Enlightened Elites (starting with sarko, the "lawyer" who never was anything else than a professional pol and speak french like the uneducated spoiled limousine brat he's been and still is)... my only real concern, through in fact, as long as I can shop on ebay, I don't really care, is that
1) the french are totally feminized (not because they're french, mind you, but because post-60's western societies are feminized, and this is true for the USA as well, for an unknown for me, but clearly real part, just think about the way your education system treats boys, or your legal system treats divorcee husbands);
2) the french are economically ignorant, thanks to the marxist-slanted public education, in fact, the brain-death of our economy is attributed to the "rampant free market economy" (while post-WWII France is something of an USSR that succeeded... for a while), even by the supposed "rightwingers" (who are socialists like all the others, they're just less shy about their racism)... so any type of "revolution" would vertainly be an involutive one, going to MORE socialism, and blaming the jooooooooooos (whose own very vocal & visible Enlightened Elites will reap what they sowed, much to the chagrin of the ordinary french jew), and the USA (not that it will matter much, of course);
and, compounding 1) & 2),... 3) there are say, 10-12, perhaps 15 or more millions of non-europeans, massively african, turkish and arab, living in France, younger, not devirilized, whose "rowdier" parts have total control of the street, with massive friendly populations just on the other side of the Meditteranea, plus turkey... oh, and did I mention that the french army is only a shadow of what a standing army should be, and that police could NOT control adequatly the relatively "modest" 2005 ramadan riots, being ordered by the then interior minister (I think his name was nicolas s.) to avoid confrontation and avoid at all cost any casualties among the rioters, so to keep the situation in check?
So, to end my rant, my conclusion is I'd better hurry getting more stuff from Evil Ebay while I can.
#9
And to add a bit more, I'd say that what I've said for France is true to different extents to most of western societies, INCLUDING the USA. I know this is not polite to mention that in good sociey, but the white race has a rather bumpy future ahead of itself, as its Nations are turned the ones after the others in colorful, multicultural, diverse... errrr... brazil (though brazil itself is on an upward trend), with all the accompanying joys. All this while the rest of the world actually get "purer" ethnically - just ask the european whites in africa!
NEW YORK (CBS) [7-18]¯ Rev. Al Sharpton spoke out Thursday against Rev. Jesse Jackson's use of the N-word that was caught on tape while preparing for an interview for Fox News.
Sharpton, who has joined Jackson in opposition of the word, said on CBS News' The Early Show on Thursday that he was "very disappointed" by this latest revelation.
"I think this certainly does not reflect the Reverend Jackson that we all know and love," Sharpton said. "I think that we have to be consistent. We have denounced the N-word at National Action Network and other groups. Those of us and many of us who have used it privately said we must refrain from it if we're going to challenge people using it publicly."
Sharpton agreed that public figures especially need to be role models for others in expunging the word from today's culture.
"Once we take this public position we have that responsibility. I've said and many of those in other groups, NAACP and others, that we've all used it in the past. And we've got to stop it as we challenge this nation," he said.
"We can't challenge others without challenging ourselves. I still hold the Rev. Jackson in high esteem, but I certainly don't condone the use of the word used by Rev. Jackson or myself or anyone else."
In the past, Jackson himself said the word is an ethnic slur that he has asked others not to use because it is offensive and degrading.
#6
Don't write him off too soon, he's pulled shit like this for years and come out smelling like a rose every time. No D.A. will indict him, no (black)jury will convict him. Unless he pulls a good one in Salt Lake City, he is virtually untouchable.
#7
Some stupid people wonder why there is racial prejudice against and hatred for blacks in America. Given their criminal depredations on and persistent insults to every other group in America, it would be a miracle if there WASN'T real animosity and dislike for them. Allen Bloom called it: there are blacks, and there is everybody else, and that dichotomy is by black choice because of self-segregation.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/17/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Sounds a lot like pandering to me. First, he tells the rubes how much he's going to give them. Second, he tells them how much he's going to cut taxes. He gets applause on both counts. Neither he nor anyone else gets to have their cake and eat it too, and that sounds exactly like what he just promised them.
In a country of 300 million people we've GOT to have some better choices for POTUS than these three lying jerks. Thinking that one of them will be the next President is depressing as Hell.
#2
Guilt ridden, ear-tickling platitudes and victimization confirmations. A gross example of good breath wasted. If he were to gain ONE vote from his attendance I'd be astonished.
#7
Enduring McPain's pandering and stuttering is causing excess stomach acid. Why do I have flashbacks of '96 and Dead Man Dole ? Any decent dog could have trounced Billy then. Any reasonable Republican ought to be able to whip the Magic Man with the forked tongue. McPain is only the candidate until the first round of voting at the convention, correct ? Maybe they'll get some intelligence and toss his shifty ass, put in a real candidate and roll over Barry like a steam roller over a drunk in the gutter.
I can tell you from personal experiece with 2 different state GOP organizations, that they country clubber's at the top would rather control a loser party than lose control of a winner.
UNtil the GOP cleans house and boots the go-along get-along RINO, it will continue to lose.
#10
I can tell you from personal experiece with 2 different state GOP organizations, that they country clubber's at the top would rather control a loser party than lose control of a winner.
The market's down? We must break something! Cue Rage Boy!!
July 17 (Bloomberg) Pakistan investors stormed out of the Karachi Stock Exchange, smashed windows and cursed regulators after the benchmark index fell for a 15th day, the worst losing streak in at least 18 years. Insh'Allah investment planning...
``I have lost my life savings in the last 15 days and no one in the government or regulators came to help us,'' said Imran Inayat, 45, a protester and a former banker who retired early and said he lost 300,000 rupees ($4,175) on the market. Hey, Mo didn't play the market. So screw you... Police surrounded the exchange after hundreds of investors stoned the building and shouted anti-government slogans. They directed their ire at the government and Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, which this week removed a 1 percent daily limit on price declines. The measure was aimed at halting a slide that wiped out $30 billion of Pakistan's market value in three months, threatening to undo a 14-fold rally since 2001.
``There has been some level of mismanagement by the authorities,'' said Habib-ur-Rehman, who manages the equivalent of 6.5 billion rupees in Pakistani stocks and bonds at Atlas Asset Management Ltd. in Karachi. ``This may be due to their misperception that they can prevent the market from falling. Investors have to learn to bear losses as they do gains.'' INFIDEL!!!
The benchmark Karachi Stock Exchange 100 Index dropped 278.96, or 2.7 percent, to 10,212.92 at the close. The index has plunged 35 percent from the record of 15,676.34 on April 18. The Karachi Index has plunged this year on concern that the ruling government coalition would collapse because of disputes between Asif Ali Zardari, co-chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party, the biggest group in the ruling coalition, and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The leaders have failed to resolve differences over how to reinstate judges dismissed by President Pervez Musharraf and whether the former army chief should be removed and stand trial.
Foreign investors slashed their spending on Pakistani stocks to $62.2 million in the 11 months ended May 31, from $1.76 billion a year earlier, according to data compiled by the central bank. Who the hell invests in the Pakistani stock market? Those trying to recover after losing out in the Somali stock market ... In Karachi investors today broke windows, threw plant holders in the parking lot of the building, burned shareholder statements and at least one protester was injured, prompting intervention by police and the paramilitary. Investors were also protesting outside the Lahore and Islamabad stock exchanges, Geo Television reported. ``We demand that all stock prices be frozen at current levels,'' said Kauser Javed, who heads the Small Investors Association. ``People have sold their assets in the last 15 days to meet payments and if things continue this way, you will start hearing of suicides. The regulators always favor big brokers and investors.'' I don't think they grasp the "free market" thingy...
#3
Seems like just about two years ago I was reading articles about paki business owners and investors living large and spending money like it was going out of style. Guess it was going out of style after all.
#4
And if you can retire on $4,175 in Wakiland, Mexico better watch out. They'll have the baby boomers moving in on em. They think they got it bad now with the Taliban, look out!
In the UK, author and historian Tom Holland, who wrote about the rise of Cyrus in his book Persian Fire, joined the condemnation of the cylinder as a model text enshrining human rights.
"It's nonsense, absolute nonsense," he said. "The ancient Persians were not some early form of Swedish Social Democrats."
He added that conquering a huge empire in the ancient world did not come without a list of atrocities, and "he staged several salutatory atrocities when he invaded."
He added that the UN's adoption of the cylinder stemmed in part from a desire to claim some eastern roots "when it is so Western in its philosophical underpinnings".
But the UN, which has promoted the relic as an "ancient declaration of human rights" since 1971, when then Secretary General Sithu U Thant was given a replica by the sister of the Shah of Iran, stood by its importance yesterday.
#1
that reputation has been challenged by German historians who claim that the UN is unjustly celebrating the rule of a man every bit as despotic as any other land-grabbing leader.
Of course, none of the other land grabbing leaders get mentioned by name in the Bible 23 times. Cyrus is the only gentile to be designated as a messiah, a divinely-appointed king (Isaiah 45).
Alexander the great was so moved by the inscription on the tomb of Cyrus that he ordered a Greek translation to be carved alongside it.
O man, whoever you are and wherever you come from, for I know you will come, I am Cyrus who won the Persians their empire. Do not therefore grudge me this little earth that covers my body
Posted by: john frum ||
07/17/2008 7:54 Comments ||
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#2
even if it was Persian propaganda, the fact that they thought it desirable to CLAIM they were tolerant marks them off from other ME conquerors, like the Assyrians. And their record of local cultural autonomy isnt bad, at least if the Bible is to be believed. Thats not the same as the Athenian respect for the free individual, but its not a bad legacy.
On Friday, May 23, investigators from the National Fraud Unit, headed by Brig. Gen. Shlomi Ayalon, arrived at the Prime Minister's Residence in Jerusalem and interrogated him on suspicion of receiving cash from Moshe (Morris) Talansky. In the course of that interrogation they whipped out Olmert's classified declaration of assets, the one he had submitted to the state comptroller in 2003 as required by law.
One line in the report cited a $75,000 loan Olmert took from Joe Elmaleh, a wealthy Israeli businessman who now lives in Vermont. Olmert received that hefty loan on January 1, 1993, when he was an opposition Knesset member and a few months away from beating Teddy Kollek in the Jerusalem mayoral race. The investigators discovered that this money has never been repaid.
The police investigators asked Olmert several tough questions. "Why didn't you repay the loan to Elmaleh?" they queried. The prime minister claimed that the repayment date had not yet arrived, even though more than 15 years had gone by. Olmert thereby effectively confirmed that he has not repaid a cent to Elmaleh. The loan is worth about $150,000 today, or half a million shekels.
The state comptroller in 2003, former Supreme Court justice Eliezer Goldberg, read the laconic report of the loan in the declaration of assets filed by Olmert - by then minister of trade and industry and deputy prime minister. He tried to understand why such an experienced politician had failed to repay a loan he took from a businessman who had had clear economic interests in Israel. In an exchange of letters, Olmert told Goldberg that he intends to repay the loan to Elmaleh when he is able, and that Elmaleh had never asked for his money back.
Goldberg, who was legally authorized to convey the information to the attorney general, preferred to compromise with Olmert, and instructed him to have Elmaleh sign a document in which Olmert undertakes to repay the money at a later date. So in July 2004 Olmert asked Elmaleh to sign a document, now in the police's possession, which states: "As deputy prime minister I have been asked by State Comptroller Eliezer Goldberg to confirm the following facts with you: The original loan that I took from you on January 1, 2003 was for $75,000. The conditions of the loan were linkage plus 3 percent interest, and we agreed that I would pay you the money whenever you asked for it. The value of the money in July 2004 is about $140,000. From here on in it is agreed that if you do not request the money, I will return it to you in full in January 2009."
Goldberg refused this week to comment on the matter, on the grounds that Olmert's declaration of assets is classified.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/17/2008 00:00 ||
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#2
This stuff can be pretty nasty. North of Sicily there is an undersea volcanic area that has turned the water harshly acidic. It is sterile ocean, and only robotic probes can dive in it.
#4
Beware this PC article from the BBC. As the Earth actually cools over the next few years, expect claims that man-made atmospheric CO2 is turning into carbonic acid that will cause a similar PH decrease in the oceans. You see, CO2 isn't warming the atmosphere, it's acidifying the oceans.
Different decade, different lie.
Posted by: Bin thinking again ||
07/17/2008 11:18 Comments ||
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#5
Gaia farts. World dies. Women and children hit hardest.
#7
The late Cretaceous ended 65 million years ago, not 93. But what's 30 million years if you're the BBC?
Posted by: Baba Tutu ||
07/17/2008 12:53 Comments ||
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#8
Baba, it was not the cause of the mass extinctions at the end of the Cretaceous (that may have been a comet or meteor that hit the Yucatan), but it may well have been the cause of a smaller mass extinction of marine life forms at the end of the Cenomanian (subdivision of the Cretaceous). The end of the Cenomanian is notable for having the highest overall sea level of the last 600 MY (as best we can tell.) I am not sure whether volcanoes were a cause, or just another effect of whatever the cause was, but the Cenomanian was quite an interesting time.
Posted by: Menhaden S ||
07/17/2008 13:20 Comments ||
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District residents can start registering their guns today. But at least one very high profile application was already rejected.
Dick Heller is the man who brought the lawsuit against the District's 32-year-old ban on handguns. He was among the first in line Thursday morning to apply for a handgun permit.
But when he tried to register his semi-automatic weapon, he says he was rejected. He says his gun has seven bullet clip. Heller says the City Council legislation allows weapons with fewer than eleven bullets in the clip. A spokesman for the DC Police says the gun was a bottom-loading weapon, and according to their interpretation, all bottom-loading guns are outlawed because they are grouped with machine guns.
Someone needs go to DC and start beating some sense into these assholes. Make them PERSONALLY liable for denying the constitutional and civil rights in defiance of the Supreme Court ruling
#1
"Bottom-loading"? What the hell is a "bottom-loading" pistol? Do they mean clip-fed? Does this mean that only broomhandle Mausers with their top-fed clips are the only automatic pistols registrable in DC by their interpretation? As far as machine-pistols go, I'd call a broomhandle Mauser *more* military than your typical run of automatics. Especially with the detachable rifle-stock.
Posted by: Mitch H. ||
07/17/2008 16:41 Comments ||
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#2
Exactly OldSpook, lets put their personal assets on the line here and see how they "interpret" the law.
I don't know exactly where your legal protection ends as a policeman, but this guy has got to be outside of that. A civil suit, or better yet a class action lawsuit would do wonders to improve their attitudes.
#3
Hmm. I suppose the military-grade weaponry (for "militia" equippage purposes) would be an argument in favor of the broomhandle Mauser, wouldn't it? Of course, it would also be an argument in favor of assault rifles and military carbines, if not actual crew-serviced weaponry.
Posted by: Mitch H. ||
07/17/2008 16:43 Comments ||
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#4
The idea that a 1911 .45 cannot be owned or carried is just wrong.
Posted by: no mo uro ||
07/17/2008 16:43 Comments ||
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#5
So I can have a British Sten MK II? It feeds from the side.
#6
This can quickly be stopped by getting an injunction from a federal judge preventing its enforcement. But that will most likely not be done, because it needs to be challenged in a low federal court to be definitively killed.
#11
typically, your civil-service protection ends at malicious conduct and/or negligence.This meets both. Sue the City, sue the persons responsible and the Mayor/Council members and Police Chief individually, which could affect them personally.
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/17/2008 21:34 Comments ||
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#12
If we didn't have a DoJ full of Clintonistas still, a public declaration and impaneling of a grand jury to question the members of the DC government on civil rights violations and conspiracy would get a quick attitude change not requiring years of appeals in fed court on 'procedures'.
#13
You are surprized that DC refused a permit for this guy? He's the guy who caused them all this grief. Heller may have the Supreme Court on his side, but DC has the Democratic Congress on their side. DC is hopeless. Evacuate the area and apply insecticide to entire area. Reinhabit after the smoke clears.
Posted by: Richard of Oregon ||
07/17/2008 22:31 Comments ||
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The US federal government said yesterday it would open 3.9m acres of land in a designated petroleum reserve in Alaska for drilling as a means to help curb rising petrol prices.
"This is welcome news at a time when Americans are paying record prices at the pump," said C. Stephen Allred, assistant US secretary for land and minerals. "Together with proposed new production from other offshore and onshore areas, these increased supplies will help to stabilise energy costs.''
The Alaska decision follows another by President George W. Bush on Monday to lift a presidential ban on drilling on the US outer continental shelf, off Florida. That decision still requires Congress to lift a separate ban on the area before the area can be leased for development. But the bureau of land management, an agency within the US Department of the Interior, said the Alaskan land that will now be offered requires no other approvals and will be up for leasing in the autumn.
The site was set aside decades ago but development was blocked by lawsuits from environmentalists concerned about disrupting wildlife. The government has tackled these fears, making it a condition of the lease by oil and gas companies that polar bears, waterfowl and caribou are protected.
#4
I wondered why Matt Drudge didn't have the economic doom and gloom stuff going today as he has most days recently. Then I went over to a financial page and found out why ...
NEW YORK (AP) -- Oil prices are tumbling for the third straight day and natural gas futures are accelerating a sell-off amid growing concerns about the weakening U.S. economy.
Light, sweet crude for August delivery is down $3.50 at $131.10 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange in extremely volatile trading. Oil is now down about $14 in the last three days.
Natural gas prices are also plunging.
Natural gas is trading down 82.6 cents at $10.572 per 1,000 cubic feet. It has tumbled more than 20 percent since its peak before the Fourth of July.
and
NEW YORK (AP) -- Wall Street surged Thursday as tumbling energy prices bolstered an already upbeat mood that followed stronger-than-expected quarterly reports from big names like JPMorgan Chase & Co. and United Technologies Corp. The Dow Jones industrial average rose more than 150 points as oil fell more than $3 and brought its three-day decline to more than $13 a barrel.
So his strategy of yelling "fire" in a crowded theatre didn't work. At least not this time.
#6
I think this is an area pretty far west of the existing pipeline. Thus there will be plenty of opportunities for greenies to stall this one by attacking the environmental impact of the pipeline, etc.
#7
Depending on the type of oil bearing strata, the yield might be good or not so good. Depends on the geology specific to ANWR's costal plain. Have we even test drilled yet? I don't think we even know.
It was probably discovered with magnetic surveys or regional seismic reflection surveys, so the geology may be unknown yet.
#8
re #4. Crosspatch. Oh my god, the economy is tanking so the price of oil is falling! This has nothing to do with the announcements made by Bush and the administration in the last couple of days. /s off (grin)
#9
Americans are turning down the economy by taking heed and the gas is starting to seriously back up at the refineries and storage facilities. Can't sell all they got now. Look to lucrative extended deals for major purchasers of bulk first so that the oil companies can lock in prices now before it drops too far. Who's going to blink first on falling prices.
#10
Down 4.22 at 130.38 as of two minutes ago. Tehran better wake up the Photoshop guys for another launch or have Mahmoud drop another one of his pearls of apocalyptic wisdom.
#12
Ole Bill and his guys deliberately understated the potential oil reserves in these areas of Alaska by a factor of 10.
On a separate note, he deliberately had the Dept of Commerce understate the potential reserves in ANWR by a factor of ONE HUNDRED as a means of justifying the set aside..as in "its only a fifty year supply"...actually its enough oil for us to tell the middle east to shove it for a long time...enough time to find those precious alternative energy sources those darling little simpletons in the environmental movement dream of.
I believe that the announcement of opening ANWR for drilling would send oil futures through the floor...Hmmmm, I wonder if the dems will call for a bailout of the commodity brokers that have jacked the oil prices?
Posted by: James Carville ||
07/17/2008 15:32 Comments ||
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#13
Light, sweet crude for August delivery fell $5.31 to settle at $129.29 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Prices have fallen about $15 in the past three days.
Natural gas futures for August delivery fell as much as 8.2 percent in the day, the biggest one-day drop in nearly a year.
Other energy futures also fell. Heating oil fell 6.62 cents to $3.7748 a gallon, while gasoline futures gained slipped fell 9.92 cents to $3.1802.
#14
Higher prices mean less demand. The bastards you see on the idiot box seem to think that gasoline is an inelastic demand. WRONG! Some of the boys at The Big Picture have been claiming for some time that commodities were the last big bubble to be popped. I thought they were right at the time and I think the proof of that belief is now beginning to make itself apparent. My guess is that in five years the price of gas will be back under $2.
#15
I wouldn't mind seeing a great many futures and hedge fund jackals lose their shirts over this. They have been dicking around with the price of oil at the cost of every other sector of the American economy, all the while running away with obscene profits. Should we feel sorry for them when they start hanging themselves in the men's room at the exchange cause they cant meet their margin calls?
I think not. Pass the popcorn.
#19
According to the Institute for Energy Research (h/t Powerline):
Section 2. Lease Sales in the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska
Ø This section requires that lease sales be conducted once a year. This is something that is currently allowed, but not done because NPRAs Indiana-sized area has no infrastructure. In addition, a history of dilatory lawsuits has made it an area of limited interest to energy producers. This section also seeks to expedite permits in the NPR-A, a positive step. However, it does nothing to tackle the biggest problem with developing new energy: dilatory protests and lawsuits. Any genuine effort must involve putting a stop to the legal blocking and tackling of groups opposed to American energy production. Incidentally, Congress should address this issue nationwide.
In other words, it's already open.
They don't sell leases because there is no infrastructure; the Alaska pipeline serves ANWAR better.
Powerline: NPR-A is already open to oil exploration and development. That isn't happening, though, because the Corps of Engineers hasn't been able to get a permit to build a pipeline, and the Sierra Club and other environmental organizations have tied up proposed projects in litigation. Moreover, NPR-A is a less desirable area for exploitation than ANWR. It has about the same amount of recoverable oil, but spread out over ten times the area as ANWR's 1002. Both environmentally and economically, ANWR is a far superior place to recover oil, and it is close to the existing Alaska Pipeline.
#20
What needs to be done is declare open season on 80% of all "environmentalists" who have nothing to do with a particular area. If you don't live there, shut your yap and move on. We have too many people in this nation that engage in lawfare with no consequences for themselves. Hanging a bunch of them may get the message across to the rest that we're tired of their "back to nature" BS.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
07/17/2008 22:11 Comments ||
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#1
The Democrats stance on domestic oil production symbolizes the height of liberal elitism. There was a rally on the Hill earlier this week called "The War on The Poor!" The organizers bused in close to a hundred (99% African American) activists demanding the Democratically-controlled Congress do something about high gas prices and stop kow-towing to the environmentalists. They were essentially calling for Pelosi's head. It was awesome.
#4
Uncle Phester, good catch on that one.
Those are all sensible, well conceived ideas to help with the demand side, and I will applaud their implementation. But that still wont do it by itself, we need to stabilize the oil market with surplus production capability to really de-fang the Arabs. WTF is wrong with the Dems? They seem to want to keep us in under their boot. I thought the Repubs were supposed to be the evil mortgagers of human suffering and woe?
#5
Dems are worthless, loathsome pieces of human garbage that truly hate this country, and particularly its white inhabitants. When I hear someone admit to being a member of the Democrat Party, I immediately assume they have no judgment, no morals, no scruples, and can't be trusted any further than I can cover them with a loaded handgun. I won't knowingly allow a Dem in my home.
#6
Uncle Phester, I wonder if the donks realize how phrigging phoolish they look. Proposed H.R. 6495 (Democrats Float Bill to Curb Gasoline Demand) is absolutely, abjectly ridculous, silly, and an insult to taxpayers and citizens. Our local police are cutting back on patrol beats. The gasoline budget for the police is about 0.4 million over budget this year. Our bus company is looking for ways to eliminate bus routes. I think we ought to "drill" inside the heads of the donks to see if there is anything there. It is really practical to move closer to a bus stop as proposed by this bill. Morons.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is probing IndyMac Bancorp Inc. for possible fraud in connection with home loans made to risky borrowers, according to a report Wednesday by the Associated Press. The report, which cited an unnamed law-enforcement source, said the FBI's investigation focuses on the company, which was taken over by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. last Friday, and not the people who ran it.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/17/2008 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[6 views]
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#1
"the FBI's investigation focuses on the company... not the people who ran it"
Ha ha... artful. This isn't a criminal investigation in any way. It's a public relations exercise. The gov't is using the news of an FBI investigation to influence market perceptions. The goal is for John Q. Public and various analysts to say "IndyMac's failure wasn't caused by mountains of bad debt, which could cause dozens of other banks to fail. The FBI is investigating for fraud, therefore IndyMac isn't typical, therefore we're all safe."
Buy gold and silver ingots and bury them in your back yard.
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.
CAIRO, July 17 (Reuters) - Nearly two-thirds of Egyptian men admit to having sexually harassed women in the most populous Arab country, and a majority say women themselves are to blame for their maltreatment, a survey showed on Thursday. The forms of harassment reported by Egyptian men, whose country attracts millions of foreign tourists each year, include touching or ogling women, shouting sexually explicit remarks, and exposing their genitals to women. 
On Friday, May 23, investigators from the National Fraud Unit, headed by Brig. Gen. Shlomi Ayalon, arrived at the Prime Minister's Residence in Jerusalem and interrogated him on suspicion of receiving cash from Moshe (Morris) Talansky. In the course of that interrogation they whipped out Olmert's classified declaration of assets, the one he had submitted to the state comptroller in 2003 as required by law. 
