Posted by: Oztralian ||
07/06/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
Apparently he and the doctor still detained applied for jobs here in Western Australia and got knocked back (rejected).
There was also a 'raid' at the Royal Perth Hospital, where coincidentally I spent all day waiting for a minor op that got canceled. Didn't see any heavily armed cops running around, but it's a big hospital.
Police searched the home of Dominique de Villepin, the former French Prime Minister who is also a man, yesterday as judges appeared close to charging him with conspiring to implicate Nicolas Sarkozy, now the President, in a corruption scandal. Criminal charges are thought likely after examining judges unearthed new evidence that appears to put Mr de Villepin, 56, close to the heart of the so-called Clearstream affair.
The scandal, under investigation since 2005, involves forged bank records that suggested falsely that Mr Sarkozy and other senior figures had received big bribes in the sale of French warships to Taiwan. Mr de Villepin was serving as Foreign and then Interior Minister and Mr Sarkozy, his rival for the future presidency, was Finance, then Interior Minister. The affair poisoned the already strained relations between Mr de Villepin, the protégé of Mr Chirac, and the Presidents mutinous subordinate, who was intent on succeeding him.
Investigating judges and police arrived yesterday afternoon at the expensive Paris apartment building where Mr de Villepin lives. They were acting on material that was extracted last week from erased data on an intelligence officers computer. This added to evidence that Mr Chirac had been briefed on the affair at the time, according to leaked judicial transcripts. Two weeks ago the former President refused to obey a judicial summons for questioning over the case. His lawyers argued that he was immune from inquiries into any acts undertaken during his presidency.
The noose begins to tighten for both men. Excellent!
Mr de Villepin, a career hack civil servant who lost his government post after Mr Sarkozys election in May, insisted that he had no role in circulating the false bank data. In response to the false allegations of recent days . . . Dominique de Villepin repeats that he never sought to investigate nor compromise any political figure in the Clearstream affair, his lawyers said.
The former Prime Minister also repeated earlier denials that he had discussed Mr Sarkozys apparent implication with Mr Chirac at the time. However, Mr de Villepin will now seek to be an assisted witness, a status that enables suspects to be accompanied by their lawyers at judicial interviews, they said.
So that the lawyers can 'assist' with his memory.
The new evidence, leaked in detail to the press, consists of computer files written in mid2004 by General Philippe Rondot, an intelligence officer. In them he reported on contacts at the time with Jean-Louis Gergorin, a vice-president of the EADS aerospace and defence group. Mr Gergorin has since admitted sending the Clearstream bank lists anonymously to an investigating judge in 2004.
In a note dated May 26, General Rondot reports that Mr Gergorin had told him that he had received instructions from Dominique de Villepin and had decided to speak to the judge. It continues: In an interview between Jean-Louis Gergorin and Dominique de Villepin on May 19, the latter was apparently jubilant but also concerned not to have his name appear in the affair. General Rondot confirmed to judges on Wednesday that the notes were an accurate record of his contacts, judicial sources said.
Mr Gergorin, who lost his EADS job, has been charged with conspiracy, along with Imad Lahoud, a computer expert, who is suspected of producing the false records. The judges are to cross-examine Mr Gergorin and Mr Lahoud over the Rondot notes, which were retrieved from a hard drive by technicians, despite their having been erased.
Computer "Expert" indeed.
The case is unlikely to reach any conclusion for at least a year. Mr Sarkozy is said, however, to be determined to have it pursued to the end.
He does seem to be the type who never forgets an insult -- or a shiv in his back.
Posted by: Steve ||
07/06/2007 00:49 ||
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#1
He does seem to be the type who never forgets an insult -- or a shiv in his back.
#6
Hey, computer expert, just because you delete a file doesn't mean the data is erased from the disk. You have to overwrite the file several times to make sure you have obliterated all the little bits and bytes. Actually, you should overwrite the whole frickin disk several times with fresh, dense garbage if you are truly concerned for the reputation of the esteemed Mr de Villepin.
#7
Ebbang Uluque6305 - with the partial steppers it requires at least 256 rewrites to erase the last magnetic fringe AND after that you need to smash the disks and melt down the pieces.
Amnesty International criticised Turkey on Thursday for failing to punish perpetrators of torture.
"Eh? When's the last time somebody tried to overthrow Amnesia International?"
Turkeys human rights record has long been stained with allegations of torture by security forces.
"A base calumny. Mehmet!"
"Yes, effendi?"
"File his ears off!"
European officials have welcomed Turkeys zero-tolerance policy against torture and ill treatment of prisoners, but Amnesty said on Thursday that Turkey was dragging its feet in punishing offenders.
"Yildiz! Did you throw the prisoner down the stairs?"
"I cannot tell a lie, effendi! I did!"
"How many times?"
"Eleven, effendi."
"Tut tut."
"I am very sorry, effendi."
"That was very egregious of you, Yildiz. You must be punished. No teevee for a week."
Torture, ill-treatment and killings continue to be met with persistent impunity for the security forces in Turkey, Amnesty said in a statement. The investigation and prosecution of serious human rights violations committed by officers of the police and gendarmerie are flawed and compounded by inconsistent decisions by prosecutors and judges. As a result, justice for the victims of human rights violations is delayed or denied.
"Mehmet, what happened to the prisoner's moustache?"
"I ripped it off, effendi!"
"Tut tut. No teevee for a week."
"But effendi! The Rula Lenska film festival is this week!"
"Okay. No teevee for a week next week."
Turkish authorities were not immediately available for comment on the report. Amnesty called on Turkey to overhaul its justice system. It needs to firmly put the protection of the human rights of citizens above that of the perceived interests of state institutions and officials, said Nicola Duckworth, Europe and Central Asia Program Director at Amnesty International.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/06/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
It's sounds like Arabic commentary. Would this be that video put out by Hizb'allah last summer when they claimed they'd got an Israeli destroyer with a Chinese Silkworm missile?
#2
This is the sinking of the decommissioned Australian destroyer-escort HMAS Torrens off the coast of Western Australia in 1998. Torrens was deliberately sunk by a torpedo fired by the Australian submarine, the HMAS Farncomb.
It was a Mark 48 Torpedo, which has a magnetic trigger system.
#4
Here's a longer version with English voice over. I too wish to know what was being said in Arabic?/Farsi? clip.
Can someone confirm that the MK48 has a magnetic influence version?
A Muslim-born woman who was forced to spend six months in an Islamic rehabilitation center because she wants to live as a Hindu said Friday after her release that she will never return to her original faith.
Revathi Masoosai, 29, said officials at the center tried to make her pray as a Muslim, wear a head scarf and eat beef, a practice sacrilege to Hindus. "Because of their behavior, I loathe Islam even more now," she told reporters. "They say it's a school, but it's actually a prison."
Her case is one of a growing number of conflicts in Malaysia between religious freedom and state policies that favor Islam, the official faith of this southeast Asian nation. The battles have strained ethnic relations in the multicultural nation. Malaysia is considered one of the world's most relaxed Muslim countries, having enjoyed racial peace for nearly four decades. But it follows a dual justice system. Islamic, Shariah, courts administer the personal affairs of Muslims, while civil courts govern Hindus, Christians, Buddhists and other religious minorities.
The Islamic Religious Department in southern Malacca state detained Revathi, an ethnic Indian, in January and sent her for religious counseling after officials discovered she had married a Hindu man. Revathi was released from the rehabilitation center Thursday, and she appeared in a High Court on Friday in an attempt to have her detention declared illegal. Though she already has served the time, her lawyers said they wanted to bring the case to court as a matter of principle and to possibly set a precedent for future cases.
Tuah Atan, a lawyer representing the Islamic department, said officials remain hopeful that Revathi might still return to Islam. "From the facts of the case, the authorities still strongly feel she can reform," Tuah said.
Revathi was born to Indian Muslim parents who gave her a Muslim name, Siti Fatimah. She was raised as a Hindu by her grandmother and changed her name in 2001, but her official papers still say she is Muslim. Revathi married Suresh Veerappan in 2004 according to Hindu rites and gave birth to a daughter in December 2005. But the marriage was not legally registered because under Malaysian law Suresh would have had to convert to Islam first.
Islamic officials seized the couple's 18-month-old daughter from her Hindu father in March and handed the child to Revathi's Muslim mother. Revathi said officials have ordered her to live with her mother for now and to continue undergoing counseling.
Lim Kit Siang, chairman of the opposition Democratic Action Party, said Friday that moderate Muslims must be concerned by such cases because they could hurt Malaysia's image by showing "a narrow and intolerant face of Islam."
#3
Lim Kit Siang, chairman of the opposition Democratic Action Party, said Friday that moderate Muslims must be concerned by such cases because they could hurt Malaysia's image by showing "a narrow and intolerant face of Islam."
Bit late for that Mr Siang, just a wee bit too late my son...
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
07/06/2007 10:18 Comments ||
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#4
"Because of their behavior, I loathe Islam even more now," she told reporters.
You and me both, lady.
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
07/06/2007 11:52 Comments ||
Top||
#5
If you convert to Hinduism, don't you have to be assigned to a caste? Seriously, what's the answer?
That's an interesting question, which John Frum will most certainly answer if he sees it. Out of thin air, I'd say a caste is birth-derived, you are born into it, you do not change it, enter or exit it (unless you convert out of hinduism altogether), whatever you do, social-wise. But, OTOH, converts may go to a specific caste?
#7
Now one can see how easy it is to lose religion all together. In the case of Islam it is utterly incompatible with any and all other religions. One has to wonder how many practice it only because it is impossible to escape. Where is freedom of choice? Freedom of conscious? Islam will tell you these are sick and forbidden western ideas.
#8
There are pan-deist versions of Hinduism. While fundamentalist Muslims ground their cult on the Koran, fundamentalist Hindus reject many ancient practices - sati (suicide of widows) for example - as legacies of Muslim and Western occupation. I maintain that Hinduism is adaptive to both modernism and secularism. Islam is not.
A week after launching his gasoline rationing scheme, which led to violence across the country, president Ahmadinejad announced his desire to replicate to replicate the idea for electricity as well. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of Shahid Reyis Ali Delvari dam in Bushehr province, he referred to gasoline rationing and announced, This type of conservation could also be applied to electricity consumption. His remarks were published in reformist newspaper Etemad Melli, following the public approval of gasoline rationing announced by the leader of the Islamic regime, ayatollah Khamenei.
The president of the Islamic Republic spoke of the need to conserve electricity at a time when just last week the minister of power boasted a record amount of electricity produced in the country last year. If no unexpected problem occurs and power consumption does not radically change during peak hours, we shall not have the expected power breaks, he said. Minister Parviz Fattah who was speaking to journalists and comparing last years power cuts with this years claimed that there was a 36 percent reduction in power cuts until Khordad 31 this year (mid June). In an earlier interview with the national radio and television, Fattah had said that the current levels of electricity production met the consumption needs of the country. Investments of the regime from the beginning of the revolution have brought us to a point that we can now claim that with 45,000 megawatts of nominal power production, we are among the leading countries in the region in this regard.
These words of the minister of the ninth Islamic government were made at a time when during the past recent weeks the country experienced extensive black outs, which experts have attributed to the run-down and limited capacity of the power grid, parts of which are over 50 years old, requiring renovation.
Ahmadinejads calls for electricity consumption stem from the 20 percent fall in gasoline consumption caused by the rationing scheme. It is in this light that Etemad Melli concluded that it should not be surprising if a plan similar to the gasoline rationing scheme is soon announced for electricity. The presidents comments gain weight when one notes that just last week the ministry of power called on the public to conserve on power consumption warning that if they did not, they would face power cuts. This warning made the headlines in Hamshahri newspaper.
Observers point out that these remarks are aimed at preparing the public for the consequences of economic sanctions that have been and will most likely continue to be enacted against the Islamic Republic at the UN Security Council. In the meantime, Fars news agency published the report of an American research center on Ahmadinejads revolution in the energy sector to break the economic sanctions against Iran. The report says that Ahmadinejad is well aware of his countrys Achilles heel and is implementing a three-pronged strategy to reduce the economic dependency of the country on imported petroleum products to confront US-led economic sanctions against Iran.
Posted by: Pappy ||
07/06/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
What about all dem nuke-u-lar reactors, Mr. Dinnerjacket? Not so much in the way of electricity being generated? I am shocked--shocked!
#3
Proof positive that they need more electricity.
Let's see, we've slowed the economy by rationing gas, so should that increase or decrease energy consumption? Seems like it should decrease it, but I don't know the economy there or if all sectors are getting hit by gas rationing.
And by the way, looks like Iran is planning to reduce its dependence on foreign energy. Isn't that unfair in light of the fact that Western countries couldn't be bothered to give this concept any more effort than lip service?
Posted by: Al Gore ||
07/06/2007 7:11 Comments ||
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#5
fwiw, the Tehran Stock Exchange is still declining. The index almost hit 14000 back in 2004 and its now down in the low 9000s.
As bad as this is, if you adjust for currency fluctuations, the situation is actually worse because of the decline (about 7% vs the dollar, about 12% vs the Euro) in the value of the Iranian Rial.
If anyone want to book mark them, the Tehran Stock Exchange site is:
#8
Dinnerjacket, I'm glad you and your asshat clowns are beginning to feel the pinch. You have successfully ruined your country. Hope the citizens hang ya'all from lamp posts (if you have any lamp posts).
#11
"A week after launching his gasoline rationing scheme, which led to violence across the country, president Ahmadinejad announced his desire to replicate to replicate the idea for electricity as well. "
DJ: Because, you know, there's just not enough violence going around?
I'm sorry, but that sentence should have had a drinks warning attached to it, I nearly wet myself reading it!
Posted by: Tony (UK) ||
07/06/2007 10:16 Comments ||
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#12
BBC radio sait that Ahmadinejad just halted production of new cars while the refit the lines to do a dual fuel gasoline and natural gas. That way he will not need the new refineries right away..
However, BBC noted that Iranian gas stations are not usually fitted for dispensing natural gas.
#13
Too bad that no matter how incompetent Ahmadinejad and his theocratic gangsters are none of it precludes the necessity of bombing the crap out of Iran yesterday. While the mullacracy is certainly displaying its dystopian vision of economic prowess we are still obliged to demonstrate just how ineffective Iran's defenses are by thrashing them with our military's little toe.
#16
Hey Rocky watch me pull an energy crisis out of my ass...
Posted by: regular joe ||
07/06/2007 16:52 Comments ||
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#17
"we can now claim that with 45,000 megawatts of nominal power production, we are among the leading countries in the region in this regard.
Anybody ever heard of rolling blackouts in Saudi Arabia or Kuwait or the UAE? It appears that Iran is a real powerhouse in comparison to say Iraq or Afghanistan. I guess that generator money went to Lebanon or Gaza for other purposes.
#18
these remarks are aimed at preparing the public for the consequences of economic sanctions that have been and will most likely continue to be enacted
They also, quite conveniently, allow Ahmadinejad to punish any areas of political resistance with selective blackouts.
#22
#12: BBC radio sait that Ahmadinejad just halted production of new cars while the refit the lines to do a dual fuel gasoline and natural gas.
Iran manufactures automobiles?
First I've ever heard of it, what do they make?
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
07/06/2007 18:29 Comments ||
Top||
#23
By the way, dual fuel requires redesign, you can't just slap a LP gas tank on it, usualy a vapor type Carburetor, and a liquid to gas vaporizer(Runs off engine heat) is the minimum necessary.
Look for production lines to be down a month or two minimum, plus added delays msking and shipping high pressure LP gas tanks, vapor generators, manifolds, and carburetors, NOT something done quickly.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
07/06/2007 18:36 Comments ||
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#24
Privided these cars run carbs, they might be able to convert in a couple months. Getting the quantity of carbs required will be a tough nut. Different game if they're injected.
Posted by: Mike N. ||
07/06/2007 19:32 Comments ||
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#25
Smart for both busting embargoes and putting to use natural gas the Iranians flare off. Iran license produces gas and diesel Peugots, Citroens and Mercedes Benz. The lower end models are carburetted and suitable for CNG conversion.
Posted by: ed ||
07/06/2007 20:24 Comments ||
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#26
Here is an article from 11/2005. The engine is being tested on a Samand car in Germany and is going through its final stage of testing. The results have so far been satisfactory. The 1.4 liter engine of this family, which is being designed jointly by Iran's Engine Research Center and FEV of Germany, is also recommended for SAIPA products.
The second engine is a dual-fuel turbocharged 1.7 liter that offers 112hp on gasoline, and by switching to gas, the power stands at 100hp. The third one is an engine of 1,400cc volume.
At least the Germans are consistent.
Posted by: ed ||
07/06/2007 20:30 Comments ||
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#27
lotp in #20: Maybe ... but you could send a powerful message if a restive section of a city lost power on a really hot day in August.
And ... Just a thought.
Projection. ;-)
That would presume people are running AC's there. Some portable fans, maybe, but I have serious doubts that ceiling fans, let alone AC units are widespread. In fact, probably 99.9% of people over there never seen an AC appliance. Fridges may be also less widespread than one would think. Most of the food prep is done from fresh ingrediences bought earlier on a market the same day.
But my outdated info came from conversations with an old college friend of mine who married an Iranian in the 70s. Born/raised northwest of Teheran to a middle class family. Detested the mullahs.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has signaled a willingness to reinterpret Islamic law in favor of women's rights, but not following Western convention, his official Web site and state-run television reported Thursday.
Khamenei's comments come amid criticism of Iran by international human rights groups for persecuting women's rights activists. "Some issues about women, which exist in religious jurisprudence, are not the final say. It is possible to interpret new points through research by a skillful jurist," the Web site quoted Khamenei as saying Wednesday during a speech to commemorate national women's day.
Iran's Islamic law imposes tight restrictions on women, like requiring them to have a male guardian's permission to work or travel. Women are not allowed to become judges, and a man's court testimony is considered twice as important as a woman's.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/06/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
This is an example of Ijtihad, otherwise known as "Same Shit Different Day"
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.
Police searched the home of Dominique de Villepin, the former French Prime Minister 
