His understanding is that the gun started moving when it was not intended to move. In other words, the SWORDS swung around in the wrong direction, and the plug got pulled fast. No humans were hurt, but as Fahey pointed out, once youve done something thats really bad, it can take 10 or 20 years to try it again.
#1
I suspect a different reason, that we had learned that stealing one of these bots had become an intelligence priority for some major, unnamed power, so they were sent home under lock and key.
Nothing succeeds like success. Robots are the big thing right now, and so there must be enormous pressure to steal robot tech.
#2
Slippery slope, very slippery slope. This is scary shit. These are the K-mart versions of the stuff that's out there too.
I've heard all the arguments for and against automated warfare and semi-automated warfare, and the answer is still no, no, a resounding no.
Let's remember the three laws of robotics that Asimov laid down when considering a future ripe with Robots. They are pretty logical, and until now have really only had a place in science fiction, but times they are-a-changing. The Laws state the following:
1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
All reasonable thinking humans should be against autonomous and semi-autonomous killing machines. You replace men with consciouses with a machine that answers to no higher power beyond its programming and that's a recipe for disaster. Period.
I'm a robotics nut, but I don't even have words to express my opposition to this application of technology. Independent thinking machines have no place in the killing of people, any people, whether my enemy or friend. Call me old fashioned but that responsibility should be left to man and man alone.
There are just too many opportunities for something, anything to go wrong especially with this. The rapidly approaching nano/bio-tech revolution make completely autonomous self replicating, unstoppable war machines a not so distant reality. Read the DARPA research on this stuff, it ain't pleasant, it is scary apocalyptic shit.
I can hear the DARPA guys and gals giggling and expressing their infinite delight when considering self replicating autonomous killing machines hovering about and doing their nerdly bidding.
I have to admit, I want six of em so my 7 year old and I could spend all day and wipe out all the squirrels on the south 40, but this is just too slippery a slope.
There should be a serious debate taking place about this technology being applied to this extent before it happens, not after...oops, too late.
I work in robotics. Well, actually in artificial intelligence and knowledge representation, but on area I research is potential robotics features for mil use.
SWORDs is tele-operated. Period. Asimov has nothing to do with this system. Its software is limited to being able to manage its own gearing etc. as it traverses terrain, plus responding to operator controls. Yes, there could be a problem with its control system. The same thing is true of Predators armed with Hellfires, or with the main cannon or smaller guns on tanks.
I hear and understand your concern, but SWORDS isn't anywhere close to what you are describing. And it remains the doctrine of the US that no autonomous systems will initiate fire.
#5
Yeah people always seem to neglect the difference between remote-control cars and real Asimov-type robots. The remote-control car (like this SWORD) is no robot at all, it has no intelligence whatsoever.
#6
Asimov has nothing to do with a robotics in a warfare program lotp, I can't agree with that statement? This one program is not the entirety of my argument, the nature of the future of robotics in warfare is. User directed or autonomous, its all in the same basket philosophically speaking. The person ain't there.
I'm not arguing apples and oranges here, a dishwashing machine vs a killing machine. Swords and Predator are killing machines that currently use off site human direction.
The logical and stated evolution of this type of technology includes the absence of man in the decision making loop. Maybe today's policy dictates no autonomous killing, but how long will that thinking persist? My hope is forever, however, I doubt that will be the case.
SWORDS and Predator are both just the beginning of this revolution as you well know as an industry rep. I'm not an engineer or a programmer and that's why you don't see discussion of technical capabilities in my comments. I do, however, read the research and there's no denying where this technology leads...to autonomous and semi-autonomous killing machines.
The whole robotics warfare industry is in its infancy. That's the whole point of the article. So of course we're not talking about Star Wars episode II here. But that doesn't mean we don't have these conversations now. Thus the slippery slope angle of my entire comment. BIG things have small beginnings.
#7
Elvis, I didn't say that the questions Asimov posed aren't relevant to military robotics as a whole. I said they aren't at issue in SWORDS.
We've been moving the warfighter away from immediate experience of targets for some time now, in the case of some weapons. Tank crews don't see events around them directly, they are inside the tank responding to pictures on a screen. Even truer for fighter and bomber pilots. No, these are not all equivalent. But there is a spectrum here, not a black and white difference.
A robot that autonomously decides to fire is at the far end of that spectrum. Could happen, and if so it will be in the air first not on ground (UCAVs). But do distinguish autonomy of movement (ability to find its way across terrain), which is what most of the literature means when they say 'autonomous', from the robot picking targets and deciding to fire on them.
You might make a case WRT swarm mini-missiles. This is intended basically to be a group of tiny missiles launched together at a group of targets. They are intended to be able to negotiate with one another to ensure that priority targets are hit even when/as some of them are destroyed en route. But they themselves aren't intended to select or prioritize the targets, just to work cooperatively in destroying targets given them by humans.
So yeah - there are going to be issues we'll have to work through on this. But it's not quite in our laps yet.
(I work for the military BTW not industry, if that's relevant.)
#8
The only time I saw the late, great Dr. Asimov in person, he said that the laws of robotics should be extended even to robots used in manufacturing. Thus, in his view, they would refuse to build nuclear weapons because they could be used to kill humans. I'm not sure if he wanted to extend that concept to dual use technology or a second level - so that a robot would refuse to build something that could be used to build something that could be a weapon.
I wanted to ask him what would prevent a more primitive enemy from building nuclear (and other) weapons the old fashioned way - by humans. Thus the more primitive enemy would actually have a great advantage over us. However, I didn't get the chance.
Of course, what I really wanted to ask him was why the second and third laws weren't reversed. As they stand now, a could say to a robot "Drop dead", and the robot would be forced to shut down and "die" because the second law takes precedence over the third.
Posted by: Rambler in California ||
04/10/2008 20:11 Comments ||
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#9
Military Industrial complex, so no it doesn't make much difference. Just the pay is different eh?
Excuse my philosophical ranting about the laws of robotics in regard to a technical matter related to the SWORDS system. I lean towards philosophical left brain thinking, not technical right brain thinking. Also I have seen Terminator too many times on AMC recently so...
Anyway to bring this to a conclusion: as I said I've heard the arguments, I'm not ignorant of the current state of the technology or the application in this instance, and still, I am damn afraid of autonomous killing machines and the slippery slope we are approaching rapidly as evidenced by the advancement of robotic warfighting technology in current development. Mary Shelley would be proud of my Chicken Little role in this instance I'm sure.
#10
I think that eventually combat robots will be a lot more like UAVs in their operation.
A realistic design is probably more oriented to a Johnny Quest-style "robot spy", giant spider robot. Made of unconventional materials, it will have a very lightweight but durable body, and will be able to "close the gap" quickly with the enemy.
It will tower over people, and the enemy will be inclined to shoot up at it, exposing themselves to fire. Its artificial intelligence will be mostly devoted to navigation, and rapid withdrawl on order. Otherwise, its offensive weapons will be used for rapid, under fire, flanking maneuvers.
Its power supply will have to be extremely powerful, and its biggest limitation will be how long it can operate without refueling.
Forecasters Predict 'Well Above Average' Hurricane Activity for 2008 Season
Climate Change and Global Warming are not mention even once in this article - refreshing.
That's the latest word from a team of Colorado State University forecasters, who predict the nation's Atlantic coast will experience a hurricane season "well above average." "Current oceanic and atmospheric trends indicate that we will likely have an active Atlantic basin hurricane season," said William Gray, who heads the university's forecast team.
The forecasters predict at least 15 named storms will form in the Atlantic basin between June 1 and Nov. 30. Eight of the storms are predicted to become hurricanes, and of those eight, four are expected to develop into intense or major hurricanes with sustained winds of 111 mph or greater.
"Based on our latest forecast, the probability of a major hurricane making landfall along the U.S. coastline is 69 percent compared with the last-century average of 52 percent," said Phil Klotzbach, a member of the forecast team. "We are calling for a very active hurricane season this year, but not as active as the 2004 and 2005 seasons."
The Colorado State team reported that current conditions in the Atlantic basin are very favorable for an active hurricane season. The current warm sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic are likely to continue in the tropical and North Atlantic during 2008.
Additionally, the team expects neutral or weak La Nina conditions in the tropical Pacific, which, combined with a predicted warm north and tropical Atlantic, is a recipe for enhanced Atlantic basin hurricane activity. These factors are similar to conditions that occurred during the 1950, 1989, 1999, and 2000 seasons. The average of these four seasons had well above-average activity, and Klotzbach and Gray predict the 2008 season will have similar activity.
The hurricane forecast team's probabilities for a major hurricane making landfall in the U.S. are:
A 69 percent chance that at least one major hurricane will make landfall on the U.S. coastline (the long-term average probability is 52 percent).
A 45 percent chance that a major hurricane will make landfall on the East Coast, including the Florida Peninsula (the long-term average is 31 percent).
A 44 percent chance that a major hurricane will make landfall on the Gulf Coast from the Florida Panhandle west to Brownsville, Texas (the long-term average is 30 percent).
The team also predicted above-average major hurricane landfall risk in the Caribbean. "The United States was quite fortunate over the last two years in that we had only one hurricane landfall (Humberto, in 2007)," Klotzbach said. "None of the four major hurricanes that formed in 2006 and 2007 made U.S. landfall."
The Colorado State hurricane forecast team cautioned against reading too much into the hurricane seasons of 2004 and 2005. Are you listening Al Gore.
"The activity of these two years was unusual, but within the natural bounds of hurricane variation," Gray said.
#1
After the 2005 hurricanes the spiel became "global warming causes hurricanes". After the last couple years it changed to "global warming decreases hurricanes". I guess now they're just shutting up about it. We should enjoy relative quiet while it lasts. Because you know that this November WHATEVER kind of hurricane season we have, it will of course be blamed on globall vorming.
Forecasters: 'Very Active' 2007 Hurricane Season
03 April 2007 10:07 am ET
The latest forecast upgrades the teams earlier predictions for the 2007 hurricane season. The team now expects 17 named storms to form in the Atlantic, with nine of those storms becoming hurricanes. Five of the hurricanes are expected to develop into major storms (Categories 3, 4, and 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale) with wind speeds of 111 mph or greater. The earlier 2007 forecast estimated 14 named storms and 3 hurricanes.
2006: Forecast flop
Forecasts for 2006, by Gray's team and another by government meteorologists, also predicted an active hurricane season, but only 10 named storms developed and only 5 of those became hurricanes. By all accounts, the forecasts were wrong. Meteorologists said later on that a strong El Niño event weakened storm activity. The energy from El Niño starts with a huge, warmer-than-normal "bathtub" of seawater that races from west to east in the Pacific and across the continent and eventually results in atmospheric energy that shears the tops off Atlantic storms before they can really intensify.
Since that turned out to be soooo accurate, guess we'd better pay attention to them.
/sarcasm
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
04/10/2008 15:43 Comments ||
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#4
Not only that, Barbara, but they can amazingly predict even *more complex* weather phenomenon 100 years from now to one-tenth of one degree! It's like money in the bank!
*snicker*
Posted by: BA ||
04/10/2008 15:59 Comments ||
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#5
"they can amazingly predict even *more complex* weather phenomenon 100 years from now to one-tenth of one degree!"
So many of the globall vormers fail to realize that precision is no substitute for accuracy. There are more than content to be precisely inaccurate time after time as long as it gives their reported number an air of certitude.
Zambia called an emergency summit of southern African leaders on the political crisis in Zimbabwe, where the opposition has accused President Robert Mugabe of withholding election results to cling to power. With no resolution in sight 11 days after the election, Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa said Wednesday regional leaders would meet Saturday to coordinate their response to the crisis.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/10/2008 00:00 ||
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Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai today accused Zimbabwe's authorities of preparing a "war against the people" to intimidate opposition voters in a presidential runoff.
The accusation came as a document purporting to represent the opposition's "transition" plans circulated here in the capital prominently featuring a "hit list" of bureaucrats and security officials who would be purged. A spokesman for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change scoffed at the authenticity of the document, saying it was merely another sortie in the regime's battle to prevent Tsvangirai from taking power by frightening the higher echelons of the bureaucracy and security services about an MDC administration. "Our documents would not be circulating around Harare, unless it's a CIO means to try to cause panic," the spokesman, Nelson Chamisa, said, referring to the intelligence agency.
As Tsvangirai attempts the delicate maneuver of reassuring military and intelligence chiefs that they would not be targeted should he become president, the document sent out precisely the opposite message, undermining his efforts to peel the generals who have long supported Mugabe away from the president.
The election saw the ruling ZANU-PF party lose its majority for the first time in its 28 years of power. The opposition has kept up intense pressure on Mugabe to leave office, but the ruling party decided to fight a runoff in the presidential campaign if final results gave no candidate an outright majority. It also demanded a recount in 16 parliamentary seats. When opposition lawyers tried to go to court for an order compelling the release of the final election results today, they were blocked.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/10/2008 00:00 ||
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The mob materialized quietly in the fading dusk light. There were 50 youths hurrying along, armed with sticks, rawhide whips and knives. It was Sunday night, just over a week after Zimbabwe's disputed national elections, and even before the shouting began, John Saramu knew what was going to happen. He felt it in the knot of fear in his stomach.
"They just appeared on the corner. In my heart I felt afraid. I saw them very close to me," said Saramu, an activist for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change in a farming district outside the town of Mutare. "They came into my house. They were shouting, 'We want to kill you!' They were saying, 'We want to go around and find all the MDC supporters one by one, and we want them to get out.' "
Saramu, 39, said he was beaten for two hours by members of a gang that was pro-President Robert Mugabe, and that his house was ransacked before he managed to get away. He was badly cut in his right leg and left hand. "I escaped by a whisker. I don't even know how I did it," he said. The assailants stole cash and a list of MDC members, which could be used to find and terrorize other opponents.
Saramu and about 50 other activists near Mutare in Manicaland province were hunted down in their homes, said Misheck Kagurabadza, the area's MDC parliamentary candidate, who defeated his foe from the ruling ZANU-PF party in the recent election. Intimidation of opposition activists is occurring -- outside the limelight -- in rural areas of Zimbabwe that have traditionally been ruling party strongholds but where the MDC scored upset parliamentary victories. One activist has been killed. The fear tactics are viewed both as political retribution and as an attempt to scare opposition supporters from backing the MDC in a possible presidential runoff, allowing the 84-year-old Mugabe to hold on to power. Thus far, many believe the heavy-handed tactics are working.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/10/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
I wish they had video, the world needs to see this.
A man once considered the star witness in the case of an assassinated prosecutor has recanted testimony that helped convict three men and implicated opponents of President Hugo Chavez. Giovanny Vasquez said in an interview televised Wednesday that he believes the former attorney general, Isaias Rodriguez, was fooled by prosecutors working under him.
Vasquez's lawyer, Morly Uzcategui, said Tuesday night that his client knows nothing about the case but testified against suspects after receiving $500,000 from a government official. Rest at link.
Posted by: ed ||
04/10/2008 10:58 ||
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Ecuador's top four military commanders have resigned after the president accused the military of aiding the US in operations against Farc rebels. General Guillermo Vasconez, the head of the army, said all four had resigned because President Rafael Correa had questioned the military's behaviour.
The resignations came hours after Defence Minister Wellington Sandoval stepped down without explanation.
Mr Correa claimed last week the CIA had been manipulating his spy agencies.
The commanders of the army, navy and air force, as well as the chief of staff, had all stood down, Gen Vasconez said. "We have sent the president our resignation letters... because of the questioning of the behaviour of the military and I don't agree with that," said Gen Vasconez.
I wonder what in the world is going on in Ecuador.
Posted by: Steve White ||
04/10/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Nothing good. Good luck getting the other officers to co-operate with whatever cunning plan the Pres has, by the way..
#4
I suppose several officers are 'suspect'. When the usual commie socialist agitators whine about the School of the Americas being the home of 'Dictators are Us', they don't care that a lot of the experience the Latin American officers are exposed to are advantages and benefits of democracy and human rights. There are a lot of contacts and friendship made as well. So, I'd guess that any one with that school on their personnel record are not going to be on the invite list to El Supremo's audience.
#5
"How the fuck did the Americans know where the FARC guy was? The guy the Colombians hit (but it had to be US intell that fingered him) Somebody talked. Only guys who knew, apart from me (and I sure didnt tell) were guys in the military and military intell. It is time to PURGE"
#6
Pretty stupid for the entire military leadership to resign. Now Correa is free to promote Commie Colonels to those leadership posts. Lot easier to become Presidente For Life when your flunkies control the Power Ministries.
Posted by: ed ||
04/10/2008 9:32 Comments ||
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#7
Ecuador is Venezuela without oil run by a Chavez wannabe. What else could y9ou expect
Hungry Haitians tried to storm the presidential palace Tuesday to demand the resignation of President Rene Preval over soaring food prices.
Protesters charged the palace's gates with a rolling trash bin, but Brazilian soldiers in blue United Nations helmets fired rubber bullets and tear gas to force them back. Outnumbered peacekeepers watched as people looted nearby businesses. Across the capital, concrete barricades and burned-out cars blocked streets, windows were smashed and buildings were set on fire. No deaths were reported, but five Haitians have been killed in recent days.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/10/2008 00:00 ||
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#5
This story has all the nice touches that make every discussion about Haiti a depressing one. The rioters are descibed as "Hungry Haitians" which I'm sure is accurate, but I doubt whether the reporter actually asked any of them "Sir, are you full?" I bet he just assumed they weren't, and it's a pretty safe assumption. And it's almost too perfect that they tried to batter down the palace's gates with a garbage bin. It's Haiti, of course they'd use a garbage bin. Yes, humanity is on a long, downward spiral to the gutter, and Haiti just got there first.
(Xinhua) -- The United States has suspended the operations of its embassy in Haiti because of violence in the conflict-poverty stricken Caribbean country, the State Department said on Wednesday. "We suspended embassy operations for today because of some of the violence and demonstrations that's taken place in Haiti," said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack. "We fully hope and expect that over time those demonstrations will dissipate and we will get back to a situation where we can continue normal embassy operations," he said.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/10/2008 00:00 ||
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#3
It's just a little "scheduling conflict". Pay no mind.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
04/10/2008 12:19 Comments ||
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THe EU is 'suggesting' it's 27 (slave) members boycott the openings also, and W is 'reviewing' his August travel schedule. if these guys haave any balls there will be a lot of empty seats for the cameras to focus in on.
#5
I hope the athletes expand on an old US Olympic tradition, and not dip their flags when they pass the Head of State's box. (Yes, I know; it was an Irish American athlete at the first London Olympics who hated the English and their King, but still.
Posted by: Eric Jablow ||
04/10/2008 21:20 Comments ||
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SKOPJE - The party of Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski said on Wednesday it had agreed to hold an early parliamentary election, after Greece last week blocked the countrys bid to join NATO.
A session of parliament was called for Thursday to discuss the initiative, originally tabled by the main ethnic Albanian opposition party, the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI). Parliament has to first vote to dissolve itself for the country to hold early elections, which must then follow within two months.
The end of Gruevskis ruling coalition, less than two years since it took power, would spell a fresh period of political uncertainty in the Balkan republic. It borders newly independent Kosovo, and was rescued from all-out ethnic civil war in 2001 by NATO and European Union mediation.
Considering developments in the dispute Greece has with us, our Euro-Atlantic integration, the inefficiency of parliament and events in Bucharest, right now there is no better solution than for the nation to hold early elections, Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki of the VMRO-DPMNE told reporters. There will be a new mandate, and greater capacity to carry out reforms for faster Euro-Atlantic integration, he said.
Greece blocked an invitation at NATOs Bucharest summit last week for Macedonia to join the alliance in a dispute over the countrys name, which is the same as that of Greeces northern province, birthplace of Alexander the Great. The two have been unable to agree on a name change since Macedonia declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991.
I honestly don't see the need for an 'agreement'. The Macedonians have the right as a sovereign nation to call themselves whatever they like, and the Greeks can go pound sand.
The VMRO-DPMNE executive committee said it had accepted the DUI initiative to hold an early parliamentary election, which would likely be held in June. Anti-Greek feelings are riding high, and analysts say the conservative VMRO-DPMNE hopes to capitalise on the nationalist sentiment and secure a new, stronger four-year mandate.
Gruevskis main coalition partner, the Democratic Party of Albanians, indicated it would support dissolving parliament.
Albanians form a 25 percent minority in the country of 2 million people. They were offered greater rights and representation under a 2001 peace accord, brokered by the West to end a six-month ethnic Albanian insurgency that followed Kosovos 1999 ethnic Albanian guerrilla war for independence.
But the country continues to suffer from high unemployment and lack of economic development that has fuelled fears of renewed ethnic tension.
Posted by: Steve White ||
04/10/2008 00:00 ||
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#3
Problem is that today's Macedonians (slavs, unrelated to ancient Macedonians) tend to believe they have rights over teh territories in ancient Macedonia (ie a good chunk of Greece). That is why Greeks would like the link between ancient ancient Macedonia and modern one being cut once and for all.
When Kecia Sales and Juan Marquez were married, they were like scores of other couples: very much in love with plans to live together for the rest of their lives. But it wasn't to be. Because Juan forgot to tell his wife one little detail
After their December 2004 marriage, he told her he had been living illegally in the United States since 1999. After leaving Mexico, Marquez had made his way to her hometown of Kansas City, Kansas, where they met and married, and she took his name.
They became one of an estimated 2 million mixed families, where at least one member is a citizen or lawfully living in the country and the other isn't. The vast majority of those families, according to the Pew Hispanic Center, involve an illegal parent and legal children -- yet another shade of this country's ongoing immigration conundrum.
That he's among some 12 million illegal immigrants didn't change Sales' love for Marquez. They lived in her hometown with a couple of dogs and both worked to make ends meet. "It didn't bother me," she said. "It doesn't make him any worse of a person."
But Marquez, 26, and his wife, 40, finally decided he should return to Mexico and begin the long, uphill fight to re-enter the country legally. 26 vs 40? My BS alarm is clanging.
Marquez's decision came as Kansas and some 40 other states try to pass legislation this year dealing with illegal immigrants because Congress has failed to act. It's a move Hispanic advocates say affects more than illegal immigrants. "It impacts also documented immigrants because families tend to be of a mixed status. Hurting one individual hurts the entire family. It creates an unwelcoming atmosphere to all immigrants, whether legal or not," said David Ferreira of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
El Centro Inc., a Hispanic advocacy group in the Kansas City area, said its 2006 survey showed 63 percent of Hispanics questioned said they lived in some type of mixed family status.
Why Juan Marquez came to the United States is a familiar tale. So is how he tried to marry to get citizenship.
He wanted a better life for himself and his family, which includes two younger brothers, his mother and disabled father back in Hidalgo state. "They have no money for food. My parents don't work," he said. "I wanted to do whatever I have to do to put food on the table for my family."
He said each week he sent $100 to his family back in Mexico -- a practice known as "remittances," which the Inter-American Development Bank says accounted for some $23 billion sent to Mexico in 2006.
The couple talked about the decision for him to return to Mexico in the office of their immigration attorney, Mira Mdivani, shortly before Marquez left last month. "You don't feel safe in the streets. You don't feel safe anywhere because of a lot of things going on right now," he said. "The police pull you over for no reason."
"I want to be free, to go wherever I want to go and not be scared. In the long run, it will be worth it. We can have a better life and we won't be scared anymore," Marquez said.
When he was in the United States, he worked at construction jobs, doing everything from picking up trash to cleaning sewers and provided about two-thirds of the household income. Kecia Marquez said she worried daily that her husband would be arrested at work by immigration agents, so much so that she called him three or four times a day to check on him. Ah, so maybe he didn't omit that one detail. My sympathy level just went from 50% to 0%.
Her worries continue about whether he will be allowed back in the United States anytime soon. "It's stressful, very stressful, because I don't know if he's coming back. It's just that I'm sure we're doing the right thing. This is my home, and I want it to be here with my husband," she said as both teared up.
Mdivani said because Juan Marquez entered the country illegally and stayed more than a year, the law bars him from coming back for 10 years, unless the government approves a waiver request from his wife. She said the waiver request was denied March 13 by the U.S. Consulate in Juarez, Mexico, but it agreed to give Kecia Marquez 30 days to submit new evidence of hardship. Then it could take up to a year for a decision about whether he can return. Sure. Pay your taxes, learn english, learn how to drive, and stay out of trouble.
"The law is extremely unforgiving," Mdivani said. "But I think Kecia has a compelling case. She takes care of a disabled sister and uncle. She won't have the opportunity for any kind of decent job there and she will lose the house."
She also won't be getting much sympathy from those pushing tougher immigration legislation. I wonder if that means I'm one of those pushing for tougher legislation! :-)
"I have compassion for them, but I'm also concerned about Kansas citizens. I'm responsible to the citizens to protect them," said Republican state Sen. Peggy Palmer, who is pushing this year for stronger laws to discourage illegal immigration in Kansas.
Kecia Marquez has her own feelings about what legislators are trying to do. "It's making it hard for everyone. It's like we're being punished just because my husband is Hispanic," she said. Not if they do it legal.
Not so, says Kris Kobach, state GOP chairman, who helped draft the legislation. "It's a reflection of the fact that we're a nation that respects the rule of law," he said. "There are millions of people waiting patiently in line to get in and we shouldn't forget they are playing by the rules when talking about those coming here illegally."
If she can't get the waiver approved, Kecia Marquez says she will move to Mexico. Where she won't be entering illegally. I wonder why.
... and where her hubbie just said life was shitty ...
"That's what I'll have to do. That's my husband. I have to go where he goes," she said. "I love him, I can't forget about him." Because he has a really big . . . tract of land.
#1
If I wasn't born in this country I would be spending all of my adult life trying to get myself and my kids here ... probably even risking our lifes to do so.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to live here. It is a good "problem" to have. I don't mind people coming here that want to work. I wish we could exchange them for some people who were born here and don't want to work.
#3
nice pic - she looks like Kathy Bates as Annie in "Misery". Note the constant efforts to play the guilt card on everyone by conjoining legal and illegal immigration, in this case: "It impacts also documented immigrants because families tend to be of a mixed status. Hurting one individual hurts the entire family. It creates an unwelcoming atmosphere to all immigrants, whether legal or not," said David Ferreira of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
yup "documented" vs "undocumented", just a minor detail....f*&king lying a-holes
Posted by: Frank G ||
04/10/2008 20:05 Comments ||
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#5
I know several mixed families, and they face some nightmarish situations. Probably the worst are the illegals who were brought here as infants and are totally assimilated into American culture. They know nothing of Mexico, know nobody in Mexico, and their language is English. A brief interview shows they are American in every way but the paperwork.
I'll also add in passing that there are at least 50,000 illegal Irish immigrants in the US, that few seem terribly enthusiastic about deporting.
#6
hmmmm - are they in the millions? how about perspective, Moose?
Who's really at fault of anchor-baby familys or the situation you describe? The American taxpayer? No. The assholes that exposed their families to this situation and expect the charity of America to make it right. The $23 billion sent out of teh country is rarely realistically cited (if at all) in studies showing that illegals are an economic plus. Neither are the real drags on schools, hospitals, insurance rates, etc. Build the wall, then solve what to do with those already here. Stop the influx first. We'll have time for balancing good vs bad later if the flood stops
Posted by: Frank G ||
04/10/2008 22:07 Comments ||
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This stoopid tool is willing to undermine an American ally in a critical region to stick a finger in W's eye and to placate her free-trade-opponent and union backers.
Time for her to GO
Defying the White House, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday the House will change its rules to avoid a required vote this year on a free-trade agreement with Colombia. Pelosi, D-Calif., said the change would remove the timetable that says Congress must take up trade bills within 90 legislative days after they are received from the White House. She intended to bring the rule proposal to the full House on Thursday.
The president took action in submitting the deal Tuesday, she said. I will take mine tomorrow. "meow!"
White House press secretary Dana Perino said Pelosi was trying to do something unprecedented in the history of negotiating trade deals in announcing that Democrats would change the rules in the middle of the game. no future treaties or deals would be trusted after this gaming.
Removing the timetable sets an awful precedent for all future administrations, both Republicans and Democrats, because countries will not be able to have faith in our word when we're negotiating trade deals, Perino said.
The White House says helping an important ally in South America is in the political and security interests of the United States. Perino accused Democrats of trying to kill the deal without having to have their fingerprints on it.
House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio said in a statement that Pelosi's proposal would be cheating. What nation, he asked, would conclude a treaty with the United States knowing that Congress can change the rules of the game after it is negotiated?
Most Democrats, backed by organized labor and some human rights groups, are against the Colombia deal. They have cited violence against union organizers in Colombia and have made clear they will not consider further agreements until legislation is passed to expand current programs to help American workers displaced by foreign trade. Our focus on Colombia is the continuing violence against trade unionists, said Bill Samuel, the AFL-CIO's legislative director. He said he thought Pelosi's action effectively would stop any action on the agreement this year.'
The administration says the Colombian government has made significant strides in reducing violence. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, in a letter to Pelosi last week, said the agreement will send a clear message of support to a strong democratic ally, particularly given the continuing assault on the government of Colombia by narco-terrorists and the recent provocative actions by an increasingly aggressive Venezuela.
They also pointed out that the agreement would help U.S. companies with exports. While Colombia already enjoys duty-free status on almost all its exports to the United States, the agreement would reduce and eventually eliminate tariffs on U.S. shipments to Colombia.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said the rule change would apply only to Colombia. Under trade rules that expired last year but still applied to the Colombia deal, the House has 60 legislative days to take up the agreement after the president sends it to Congress. The Senate has 30 days after that to act.
Pelosi said at a news conference that if legislation approving the trade deal were considered now, it would lose. What message would that send to the Colombian people?"
Especially if were to be seen that Dhimmicrats voted it down ...
She denied that the rule change doomed action on the agreement this year, saying that depends on the good faith in which we conduct these negotiations.
The administration has talked to Democrats about ways to help American workers. The House last year passed legislation to expand a program that provides financial aid and training to people who lose jobs as a result of trade. But the White House threatened a veto and the Senate never took it up. Call and write your congress critter and let them know that you know what they are up to
Posted by: Frank G ||
04/10/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
What on earth would the Honourable Speaker do with her time were her slim majority to become a minority?
#3
The United States Congress is no longer recognized as a lawful operating branch of the United States Government. It is no longer considered constitutional, nor shall it be legally represented as such. This decision is final.
Posted by: Frank G ||
04/10/2008 10:43 Comments ||
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#6
American interests? Who cares! Let's screw George Bush. This has become such a knee-jerk reaction for Democrats that you wonder if some reverse psychology of the please don't throw me in the briar patch variety would be a fool-proof counter.
#7
I just gave her an earfull. This move also slams a rather large chef's knife into Charlie Rangels back. When the Dems eat their own, they don't hold back.
Posted by: Rex Mundi ||
04/10/2008 11:48 Comments ||
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#8
Some of this is the unions pulling her strings, but I'll bet a lot of this is also due to the the successful attack on FARC by the Colombians, which got Hugo's and Correa's panties in a bunch.
I wonder if any of Nancy's campaign funds can be traced to Citgo employees?
#10
Never ceases to amaze me. Clearly these liberal knuckleheads couldnt run a lemonade stand and break even. If we allow the U.S. to export to Columbia tariff free that makes U.S. goods CHEAPER in Columbia. With the weak dollar it might (just extapilatin here) cause MORE goods to be sold? Hmm if more goods are sold dont we need more workers to produce them? If we have more workers paying Fed/SS/State taxes wouldnt that raise revenues? Course I are dumb and not part of the elite Donk congress.
P.S. I swear the picture gets more scary with each use.
#11
She's got lifeless eyes. Black eyes. Like a doll's eyes. When she comes at ya, doesn't seem to be living... until she bites ya, and those black eyes roll over white and then... ah then you hear that terrible high-pitched screamin'...
A Sindh High Court judge on Wednesday cleared PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari of involvement in the 1996 murder of Murtaza Bhutto. Murtaza and his men were gunned down in an alleged shootout with Karachi police on Sept 20, 1996. Zardari was arrested for conspiracy to murder shortly after the dissolution of the PPP government and was jailed for six years pending a trial in the case.
On Wednesday, Justice Syed Pir Ali Shah allowed Zardaris criminal revision application challenging an order of the District and Sessions Court that had rejected Zardaris application for acquittal, which had been moved under Section 265-K of the Pakistan Criminal Procedure Code. The bench said that Special Public Prosecutor M Ilyas Khan conceded that all the prosecution witnesses regarding the conspiracy were dead had been examined. The court also noted in its order that Zardari was not nominated in any of the three FIRs of the case. The bench then relied on a judgement by the SHC in an identical case, wherein a conspiracy was alleged against an accused, and held that Zardaris revision application was also allowed.
The court granted our application for the quashing of the case and exonerated my client, Zardaris lawyer, Shahadat Awan, told reporters outside the SHC building, AFP reported. The prosecution failed to prove conspiracy charges and supporting evidence against our client in the Murtaza Bhutto murder case, he added. The case was the latest in a string against Zardari that have been dropped since the PPP won the general elections on February 18.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/10/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Yes and no. Essentially you have two different technologies tied together. And while that works in a pinch, it is 1st level tech. From there on, they need an integrated system where, for example, the automatic shotgun is integral to the helicopter and they are balanced, as 2nd level tech.
Then, to simplify and make ergonomic or modular design is the 3rd level. This would include things like a rapid-changing ammo pod, with quick refueling and engine replacement.
According to John Scott, PD of Clear Channel talk KKGN/San Francisco, suspended talker Randi Rhodes and Air America network have parted company as of Wednesday (April 9). In a posting on the station Web site Scott says that on Monday (April 14), "it will be our pleasure to announce the return of Randi Rhodes to the Green 960 family."
Rhodes was suspended indefinitely last week by Air America following remarks she made at an appearance for KKGN where she called both Hillary Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro "f---cking bitches."
An official announcement is expected from Air America about Rhodes' departure on Thursday (April 10).
#4
I hope someday(tm) that when 'what's it's name' goes tango uniform, some enterprising crop duster cops the copyright to the name. He/she could advertise that AA is still in business spreading the fine and deep manurer through over the air.
This is an entirely predictable consequence of the arbitrary decision to suspend her for off-air comments made to a red-meat crowd in a stand-up routine.
The entire world knows that Mark Green carries Hillary's water and they are pillars of the cozy NY Democratic establishment along with Ferraro, et. al. And just like Hillary, Mark Green is also a once "inevitable" but ultimately failed candidate to a high profile public office. I wonder if Green and Clinton supported Randi for the years that she supported the Clinton's against the fusilade of the right. May they enjoy their dubious legacies together.
Randi is the only thing that I listened to on a regular basis on AAR. I pay a premium to download the podcasts. So now the best talent has been gutted from the station AND the podcasts don't even work anymore since their recent website update. I would prefer to direct my charitable contributions elsewhere. I will be asking for a prorated refund of my recently renewed premium. I am very, very disappointed with the mismanagement of AAR. They have let us all down.
Posted by: Mike ||
04/10/2008 14:26 Comments ||
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#6
It is telling that the AAR fan in Mike's post above thinks of his subscription costs as "charitable contributions".
#12
Pappy, not all of them have the excuse of drugs, drink, or stoopid, Some are willfully Amerikkka-hating-assholes. Rhodes fits under all of the above, IMHO. That said, based on her AAR pic, and given a ball-gag available, I'd hit it....
yep, I'm a pig
Posted by: Frank G ||
04/10/2008 22:00 Comments ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
Forecasters Predict 'Well Above Average' Hurricane Activity for 2008 Season
The mob materialized quietly in the fading dusk light. There were 50 youths hurrying along, armed with sticks, rawhide whips and knives. It was Sunday night, just over a week after Zimbabwe's disputed national elections, and even before the shouting began, John Saramu knew what was going to happen. He felt it in the knot of fear in his stomach. 
A Sindh High Court judge on Wednesday cleared PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari of involvement in the 1996 murder of Murtaza Bhutto. Murtaza and his men were gunned down in an alleged shootout with Karachi police on Sept 20, 1996. Zardari was arrested for conspiracy to murder shortly after the dissolution of the PPP government and was jailed for six years pending a trial in the case. 
I can imagine people Pheasant hunting from the comfort of their Motor-home.
America network have parted company as of Wednesday (April 9). In a posting on the station Web site Scott says that on Monday (April 14), "it will be our pleasure to announce the return of Randi Rhodes to the Green 960 family."
