CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) - The United States is pledging $350 million to help tsunami victims, a tenfold increase over its first wave of aid, President Bush announced Friday.
"Initial findings of American assessment teams on the ground indicate that the need for financial and other assistance will steadily increase in the days and weeks ahead," Bush said Friday in a statement released in Crawford, Texas, where he is staying at his ranch.
"Our contributions will continue to be revised as the full effects of this terrible tragedy become clearer," he said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this epic disaster."
Saturday, January 01, 2005
Friday, December 31, 2004
Stat of the Day
Here are the average strength of schedules for SOME of the top programs in the country over the past 10 seasons, not including this season.
1. Kentucky 7.9 out of 330 D1-A schools
2. Duke 11.4
3. Maryland 14.6
4. Kansas 15.3
5. Indiana 17.0
6. Wake Forest 17.1
7. Arizona 26.3
8. Louisville 26.6
9. Michigan St 28.1
10. Ga Tech 29.6
11. UC 31.0
12. Illinois 33.4
13. UCONN 36.4
14. Florida 38.5
15. Oklahoma 40.9
1. Kentucky 7.9 out of 330 D1-A schools
2. Duke 11.4
3. Maryland 14.6
4. Kansas 15.3
5. Indiana 17.0
6. Wake Forest 17.1
7. Arizona 26.3
8. Louisville 26.6
9. Michigan St 28.1
10. Ga Tech 29.6
11. UC 31.0
12. Illinois 33.4
13. UCONN 36.4
14. Florida 38.5
15. Oklahoma 40.9
Hee Hee
This is wonderful. The U.S. has gone from not doing enough (too stingy) to doing too much.
United States President George Bush was tonight accused of trying to undermine the United Nations by setting up a rival coalition to coordinate relief following the Asian tsunami disaster.
The president has announced that the US, Japan, India and Australia would coordinate the world’s response. But former International Development Secretary Clare Short said that role should be left to the UN.
“I think this initiative from America to set up four countries claiming to coordinate sounds like yet another attempt to undermine the UN when it is the best system we have got and the one that needs building up,” she said.
“Only really the UN can do that job,” she told BBC Radio Four’s PM programme. “It is the only body that has the moral authority. But it can only do it well if it is backed up by the authority of the great powers.”
Ms Short said the coalition countries did not have good records on responding to international disasters.
She said the US was “very bad at coordinating with anyone” and India had its own problems to deal with.
“I don’t know what that is about but it sounds very much, I am afraid, like the US trying to have a separate operation and not work with the rest of the world through the UN system,” she added.
United States President George Bush was tonight accused of trying to undermine the United Nations by setting up a rival coalition to coordinate relief following the Asian tsunami disaster.
The president has announced that the US, Japan, India and Australia would coordinate the world’s response. But former International Development Secretary Clare Short said that role should be left to the UN.
“I think this initiative from America to set up four countries claiming to coordinate sounds like yet another attempt to undermine the UN when it is the best system we have got and the one that needs building up,” she said.
“Only really the UN can do that job,” she told BBC Radio Four’s PM programme. “It is the only body that has the moral authority. But it can only do it well if it is backed up by the authority of the great powers.”
Ms Short said the coalition countries did not have good records on responding to international disasters.
She said the US was “very bad at coordinating with anyone” and India had its own problems to deal with.
“I don’t know what that is about but it sounds very much, I am afraid, like the US trying to have a separate operation and not work with the rest of the world through the UN system,” she added.
The BCS Screwed Cal?
Uh, I don't think so.
Instead, they walked off the field embarrassed. A double-digit favorite, 10-1 Cal, ranked fourth in the nation in scoring defense, gave up 597 yards in a 45-31 loss to a Texas Tech team that earlier this season lost to New Mexcio.
Instead, they walked off the field embarrassed. A double-digit favorite, 10-1 Cal, ranked fourth in the nation in scoring defense, gave up 597 yards in a 45-31 loss to a Texas Tech team that earlier this season lost to New Mexcio.
Thursday, December 30, 2004
Is This What Happened to the WMDs?
Interesting story from Bill Gertz in the Washington Times today.
A Pentagon official who publicly disclosed information showing Russian involvement in moving Iraqi weapons out of that country has been dismissed.
John A. Shaw, the deputy undersecretary of defense for international technology security and formerly an aide to Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, was forced to leave his position Dec. 10 as the result of a "reorganization" that eliminated his job, defense officials said.
...In October, Mr. Shaw told The Washington Times that he had received foreign intelligence data showing that Russian special forces units were involved in an effort to remove Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction in the weeks before the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq began in March 2003.
In a letter to Mr. Rumsfeld, Mr. Shaw said that information about the covert Russian role in moving Iraqi arms to Syria, Lebanon and possibly Iran was discussed during a meeting that included retired Air Force Lt. Gen. James Clapper, head of the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency; the head of Britain's MI6 intelligence service; and the head of a foreign intelligence service that he did not name.
...After Mr. Shaw's disclosures, the Pentagon released spy satellite photographs of Iraqi weapons facilities that showed truck convoys at the plants, apparently in preparation to move materials. Further corroborating Mr. Shaw's account, a Russian newspaper reported that two retired Russian generals had received awards from Saddam's government 10 days before the coalition assault on Iraq began.
I don't know if Shaw is on the up-and-up or not, but this story from The Moscow News corroborates his generals story:
Reports in the Russian media about two retired Russian generals receiving awards from Saddam's government 10 days before the coalition assault on Iraq began corroborated Shaw's report.
A Pentagon official who publicly disclosed information showing Russian involvement in moving Iraqi weapons out of that country has been dismissed.
John A. Shaw, the deputy undersecretary of defense for international technology security and formerly an aide to Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, was forced to leave his position Dec. 10 as the result of a "reorganization" that eliminated his job, defense officials said.
...In October, Mr. Shaw told The Washington Times that he had received foreign intelligence data showing that Russian special forces units were involved in an effort to remove Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction in the weeks before the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq began in March 2003.
In a letter to Mr. Rumsfeld, Mr. Shaw said that information about the covert Russian role in moving Iraqi arms to Syria, Lebanon and possibly Iran was discussed during a meeting that included retired Air Force Lt. Gen. James Clapper, head of the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency; the head of Britain's MI6 intelligence service; and the head of a foreign intelligence service that he did not name.
...After Mr. Shaw's disclosures, the Pentagon released spy satellite photographs of Iraqi weapons facilities that showed truck convoys at the plants, apparently in preparation to move materials. Further corroborating Mr. Shaw's account, a Russian newspaper reported that two retired Russian generals had received awards from Saddam's government 10 days before the coalition assault on Iraq began.
I don't know if Shaw is on the up-and-up or not, but this story from The Moscow News corroborates his generals story:
Reports in the Russian media about two retired Russian generals receiving awards from Saddam's government 10 days before the coalition assault on Iraq began corroborated Shaw's report.
This is Encouraging
WASHINGTON Dec 30, 2004 — Sen. Joe Lieberman, traveling in the Middle East Wednesday, said there is strong support in Iraq for the Jan. 30 election, and postponing it would only be a victory for the insurgents.
In a telephone call from Tel Aviv, Israel, the Connecticut Democrat said conditions in Iraq, including an increase in trained Iraqi security forces, have improved since his last visit in July. And he said the escalating violence aimed at intimidating Iraqis to postpone the election or not vote is not working in most of the country.
In a telephone call from Tel Aviv, Israel, the Connecticut Democrat said conditions in Iraq, including an increase in trained Iraqi security forces, have improved since his last visit in July. And he said the escalating violence aimed at intimidating Iraqis to postpone the election or not vote is not working in most of the country.
The Biggest Story of 2004
I agree with Peggy Noonan's biggest story of 2004:
The biggest story of the year happened just as big-thinking journalists went on vacation after filing their "Ten Biggest Stories of 2004" pieces. Life has a way of surprising us.... The biggest story of 2004 has come, has not yet gone, and will be with us for some time. Two thousand five begins on Saturday. For the new year, two thoughts. Remember it can all be swept away in a moment, so hold it close and love it while you've got it. And may we begin 2005 pondering how much we have in common, how down-to-the-bone the same we are, and how the enemy is not the guy across the fence but the tragedy of life. We should try to make it better. We should cut to the chase.
The biggest story of the year happened just as big-thinking journalists went on vacation after filing their "Ten Biggest Stories of 2004" pieces. Life has a way of surprising us.... The biggest story of 2004 has come, has not yet gone, and will be with us for some time. Two thousand five begins on Saturday. For the new year, two thoughts. Remember it can all be swept away in a moment, so hold it close and love it while you've got it. And may we begin 2005 pondering how much we have in common, how down-to-the-bone the same we are, and how the enemy is not the guy across the fence but the tragedy of life. We should try to make it better. We should cut to the chase.
Taking Jesusland Seriously
Maybe the Washington Post is beginning to take Jesusland more seriously. Check out this tidbit from today's front page story:
Not only was water cascading over the lagoon side of the peninsula but it was pouring in directly from the mouth of the estuary about two miles away. Sanders feared the converging currents would swamp the small craft. At that point, Sanders said, he recalled a line from the Book of Isaiah: "When the enemy comes in like a flood, the spirit of the Lord shall raise up a standard against it."
He raised his hand in the direction of the flood and shouted, "I command you in the name of Jesus -- stop!" The water then seemed to "stall, momentarily," he said. "I thought at the time I was imagining things."
No snarky comments, no references to the man's hatred of homosexuals, nothing. This is a promising development.
Not only was water cascading over the lagoon side of the peninsula but it was pouring in directly from the mouth of the estuary about two miles away. Sanders feared the converging currents would swamp the small craft. At that point, Sanders said, he recalled a line from the Book of Isaiah: "When the enemy comes in like a flood, the spirit of the Lord shall raise up a standard against it."
He raised his hand in the direction of the flood and shouted, "I command you in the name of Jesus -- stop!" The water then seemed to "stall, momentarily," he said. "I thought at the time I was imagining things."
No snarky comments, no references to the man's hatred of homosexuals, nothing. This is a promising development.
Urge to Kill Rising
While most people react to massive tragedies with a renewed focus on the things that truly matter, many continue on with their shallow, vulgar lives.
IT seems almost impossible.
Just days after the tidal wave disaster, one of the devastated beaches was returning to normal yesterday. On Sunday, Patong Beach was hit by a wall of water that swept into Phuket, claiming at least 120 lives.
Parasols, chairs, and other beach paraphernalia were swept to the top of the tree-lined beach, dragging helpless holidaymakers with them. It was at this beach that six-month-old Melina Heppell, of Perth, disappeared from her father's arms when the huge wave struck.
For some tourists yesterday, however, the tragedy was becoming a memory, albeit a vivid one, as they made the most of the weather and topped up their tans.
Many in bathers and bikinis, some lounged on sunbeds and others took a dip in the water that had claimed so many lives a few days earlier.
Their fun in the sun came despite warnings that aftershocks could follow the disaster that is likely to have killed as many as 100,000.
As many Westerners waited for news of missing loved ones others arrived to take holidays as usual.
Engineer Paul Cunliffe, from Manchester, arrived on an almost empty flight from Malaysia. Gin and tonic in hand, Mr Cunliffe said he and two friends were booked into a beach-front hotel that had escaped serious damage, and had been assured of a "wonderful holiday".
"Our friends think we're mad. The only risk we face I think is if there's another quake. We love the place that much and we thought we would take the risk," he said.
Further south at Surin Beach, where 10 died, tourists also were out in force.
IT seems almost impossible.
Just days after the tidal wave disaster, one of the devastated beaches was returning to normal yesterday. On Sunday, Patong Beach was hit by a wall of water that swept into Phuket, claiming at least 120 lives.
Parasols, chairs, and other beach paraphernalia were swept to the top of the tree-lined beach, dragging helpless holidaymakers with them. It was at this beach that six-month-old Melina Heppell, of Perth, disappeared from her father's arms when the huge wave struck.
For some tourists yesterday, however, the tragedy was becoming a memory, albeit a vivid one, as they made the most of the weather and topped up their tans.
Many in bathers and bikinis, some lounged on sunbeds and others took a dip in the water that had claimed so many lives a few days earlier.
Their fun in the sun came despite warnings that aftershocks could follow the disaster that is likely to have killed as many as 100,000.
As many Westerners waited for news of missing loved ones others arrived to take holidays as usual.
Engineer Paul Cunliffe, from Manchester, arrived on an almost empty flight from Malaysia. Gin and tonic in hand, Mr Cunliffe said he and two friends were booked into a beach-front hotel that had escaped serious damage, and had been assured of a "wonderful holiday".
"Our friends think we're mad. The only risk we face I think is if there's another quake. We love the place that much and we thought we would take the risk," he said.
Further south at Surin Beach, where 10 died, tourists also were out in force.
It Keeps Getting Worse
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 30 (Bernama) -- The death toll in Acheh, the region worst hit by last Sunday's tsunami, may exceed 400,000 as many affected areas could still not be reached for search and rescue operations, Indonesia's Ambassador to Malaysia Drs H. Rusdihardjo said Thursday.
He said the estimate was based on air surveillance by Indonesian authorities who found no signs of life in places like Meulaboh, Pulau Simeulue and Tapak Tuan while several islands off the west coast of Sumatera had "disappeared".
He said the latest death toll of more than 40,000 in Acheh and northern Sumatera did not take into account the figures from the other areas, especially in the west of the region.
"Aerial surveillance found the town of Meulaboh completely destroyed with only one buiding standing. The building, which belonged to the military, happens to be on a hill," he told reporters after receiving RM1 million in aid for Indonesia's Tsunami Disaster Relief Fund here Thursday.
Rusdihardjo said there were about 150,000 residents in Meulaboh, which was located 150km from the epicentre of the earthquake while Pulau Simeuleu had a population of 76,000.
He said the estimate was based on air surveillance by Indonesian authorities who found no signs of life in places like Meulaboh, Pulau Simeulue and Tapak Tuan while several islands off the west coast of Sumatera had "disappeared".
He said the latest death toll of more than 40,000 in Acheh and northern Sumatera did not take into account the figures from the other areas, especially in the west of the region.
"Aerial surveillance found the town of Meulaboh completely destroyed with only one buiding standing. The building, which belonged to the military, happens to be on a hill," he told reporters after receiving RM1 million in aid for Indonesia's Tsunami Disaster Relief Fund here Thursday.
Rusdihardjo said there were about 150,000 residents in Meulaboh, which was located 150km from the epicentre of the earthquake while Pulau Simeuleu had a population of 76,000.
Merry Christmas
This is unbelievable:
Snow-emergency pay decision today
Hamilton County commissioners will decide today whether to pay employees who were not required to report for work during the Dec. 23 snow emergency. The snow emergency prohibited all non-emergency vehicles from being on the road. Some think employees shouldn't have their pay reduced or lose vacation because it would have been unlawful to drive to work, said David Krings, county administrator.
So the county thinks it might be a good idea not to pay workers because they were prohibited - by law - from going to work. Man, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Snow-emergency pay decision today
Hamilton County commissioners will decide today whether to pay employees who were not required to report for work during the Dec. 23 snow emergency. The snow emergency prohibited all non-emergency vehicles from being on the road. Some think employees shouldn't have their pay reduced or lose vacation because it would have been unlawful to drive to work, said David Krings, county administrator.
So the county thinks it might be a good idea not to pay workers because they were prohibited - by law - from going to work. Man, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
More Stingy Americans
Another $35 million from Pfizer.
The colleagues of Pfizer express their deepest sympathy and condolences to all those affected by the earthquake and tsunami that struck Asia and the east coast of Africa.
Pfizer today announced plans to commit medicines, funds, and logistical support to the relief effort following this catastrophic disaster. Pfizer will donate $10 million to local and international relief organizations operating in the region. These will include the American Red Cross/International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, International Rescue Committee, Catholic Relief Services, CARE, UNICEF, and Save the Children as well as local relief organizations.
Within hours of the disaster Pfizer colleagues began working with local governments and relief organizations to assess which of the company's medicines are needed. As a result of these assessments, Pfizer will contribute approximately $25 million worth of the company's healthcare products which includes the anti-infective products Zithromax, Zyvox and Diflucan. Pfizer organizations in Asia have already begun donating Pfizer medicines and discussing logistical support issues with local health and relief officials.
The colleagues of Pfizer express their deepest sympathy and condolences to all those affected by the earthquake and tsunami that struck Asia and the east coast of Africa.
Pfizer today announced plans to commit medicines, funds, and logistical support to the relief effort following this catastrophic disaster. Pfizer will donate $10 million to local and international relief organizations operating in the region. These will include the American Red Cross/International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, International Rescue Committee, Catholic Relief Services, CARE, UNICEF, and Save the Children as well as local relief organizations.
Within hours of the disaster Pfizer colleagues began working with local governments and relief organizations to assess which of the company's medicines are needed. As a result of these assessments, Pfizer will contribute approximately $25 million worth of the company's healthcare products which includes the anti-infective products Zithromax, Zyvox and Diflucan. Pfizer organizations in Asia have already begun donating Pfizer medicines and discussing logistical support issues with local health and relief officials.
UK Update II
Sheray Thomas disclosed his previously undisclosed illness last night:
Speaking for the first time about major surgery he underwent in October, Sheray Thomas said doctors discovered a tumor, a frightful prognosis and difficult recovery that has the Kentucky sophomore cherishing each new day.
I thought maybe it was mono or something similar (he lost 30 pounds). It turns out it was much more serious.
Speaking for the first time about major surgery he underwent in October, Sheray Thomas said doctors discovered a tumor, a frightful prognosis and difficult recovery that has the Kentucky sophomore cherishing each new day.
I thought maybe it was mono or something similar (he lost 30 pounds). It turns out it was much more serious.
UK Update
Yep, they had a 6:00 a.m. practice this morning.
"Practice probably won't be much fun," junior guard Ravi Moss said.
"Practice probably won't be much fun," junior guard Ravi Moss said.
You Go Tubby
UK killed Campbell last night, but had a very lackluster second half performance.
"We've got to be able to concentrate all the time," junior Kelenna Azubuike said. "We've got to play like grown men. There is a time for joking and stuff and a time to be serious. We need to learn that a little better."
Asked what it might take to learn that lesson, Azubuike didn't flinch.
"We are going to learn the hard way in the morning," Azubuike said.
"We've got to be able to concentrate all the time," junior Kelenna Azubuike said. "We've got to play like grown men. There is a time for joking and stuff and a time to be serious. We need to learn that a little better."
Asked what it might take to learn that lesson, Azubuike didn't flinch.
"We are going to learn the hard way in the morning," Azubuike said.
Disband the UN...NOW!
To quote Alanis Morissette, the UN is like 10,000 spoons when all you need is a knife. My God, what a bunch of gutless, worthless bureaucrats. The UN is the greatest friend evil has ever known.
UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- The U.N. World Food Program suspended food convoys to the Darfur region in western Sudan after rebel forces attacked the market town of Ghubaysh and the government retaliated, U.N. humanitarian officials said.
The relief agency halted three convoys of 70 trucks carrying more than 1,300 million tons of food destined for El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, and Nyala, the capital of South Darfur state, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Tuesday.
The attack Monday on Ghubaysh in West Kordofan follows weeks of insecurity in Darfur in which both rebel and government-backed forces have attacked each other.
It was the second attack by the rebel Sudan Liberation Army since December 19 when the Sudanese government agreed to an immediate cessation of hostilities, U.N. officials said.
The recent insecurity has effectively blocked overland access from central Sudan to the Darfur region for U.N. and other relief agencies, the U.N. Humanitarian office known as OCHA said.
As a result, some 260,000 people will miss their December rations in South Darfur as well as eastern parts of West Darfur, it said.
UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- The U.N. World Food Program suspended food convoys to the Darfur region in western Sudan after rebel forces attacked the market town of Ghubaysh and the government retaliated, U.N. humanitarian officials said.
The relief agency halted three convoys of 70 trucks carrying more than 1,300 million tons of food destined for El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, and Nyala, the capital of South Darfur state, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Tuesday.
The attack Monday on Ghubaysh in West Kordofan follows weeks of insecurity in Darfur in which both rebel and government-backed forces have attacked each other.
It was the second attack by the rebel Sudan Liberation Army since December 19 when the Sudanese government agreed to an immediate cessation of hostilities, U.N. officials said.
The recent insecurity has effectively blocked overland access from central Sudan to the Darfur region for U.N. and other relief agencies, the U.N. Humanitarian office known as OCHA said.
As a result, some 260,000 people will miss their December rations in South Darfur as well as eastern parts of West Darfur, it said.
Uh Oh!
Ok, this gives me pause:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Six commercial airliners in the past four days have had their cockpits illuminated by laser beams while attempting to land, a government official told CNN Wednesday.
The incidents have happened "all over the place" and in "kind of odd places," the official said without elaborating.
None of the flights was affected.
The government official, who spoke to CNN on condition of anonymity, said it was unclear whether this week's incidents were the result of "kids who got a laser light for Christmas" or whether there is "some deliberate attempt to target aircraft."
Kids with laser lights? Are you kidding me?
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Six commercial airliners in the past four days have had their cockpits illuminated by laser beams while attempting to land, a government official told CNN Wednesday.
The incidents have happened "all over the place" and in "kind of odd places," the official said without elaborating.
None of the flights was affected.
The government official, who spoke to CNN on condition of anonymity, said it was unclear whether this week's incidents were the result of "kids who got a laser light for Christmas" or whether there is "some deliberate attempt to target aircraft."
Kids with laser lights? Are you kidding me?
We Are Stingy
I stand corrected, we are stingy. Hey, if the NY Times says it's so, it must be true. Apparently American generosity doesn't count unless it comes from the government.
The New Media
The "blogization" of media continues, even in the wake of natural disasters. So says Der Spiegel:
"Blogs are at the forefront of the tsunami recovery effort. While traditional media drags awaiting publication, and government hotlines jam or go unanswered, bloggers have hopped into the fray, providing needed information to relatives desperate to find loved ones and those hoping to join the rescue efforts."
"Blogs are at the forefront of the tsunami recovery effort. While traditional media drags awaiting publication, and government hotlines jam or go unanswered, bloggers have hopped into the fray, providing needed information to relatives desperate to find loved ones and those hoping to join the rescue efforts."
OSU Update
It appears Maurice Clarrett was telling the truth:
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State athletic director Andy Geiger said athletic officials will sanction a businessman who gave improper benefits to Buckeyes quarterback Troy Smith.
The benefits led to Smith's suspension from Wednesday night's Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, where the No. 22 Buckeyes defeated Oklahoma State 33-7.
Geiger said 46-year-old Robert Q. Baker, who shares a luxury suite at Ohio Stadium, gave Smith an unspecified benefit at the Columbus business he used to run, in violation of NCAA rules.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State athletic director Andy Geiger said athletic officials will sanction a businessman who gave improper benefits to Buckeyes quarterback Troy Smith.
The benefits led to Smith's suspension from Wednesday night's Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, where the No. 22 Buckeyes defeated Oklahoma State 33-7.
Geiger said 46-year-old Robert Q. Baker, who shares a luxury suite at Ohio Stadium, gave Smith an unspecified benefit at the Columbus business he used to run, in violation of NCAA rules.
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
Southgate Gets to Keep Its School
Southgate school supporters reveled in a victory Tuesday night as voters gave the tiny, independent school district a gift to start the new year: enough money to keep operating.
District school officials had said that, without the 41 percent tax increase, approved in September by the school board, the district would have had to discuss a merger with a neighboring school system.
By a 57 percent margin, voters told the school board they didn't want to see that happen. The vote was 362 to 274 in an election that drew 43 percent of the registered voters.
The new tax rate, which jumped from $5.22 per $1,000 of assessed value to $7.38, will bring in $150,000 a year more for the district's budget, now about $1 million annually. The increase would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $216 more a year in school taxes.
District school officials had said that, without the 41 percent tax increase, approved in September by the school board, the district would have had to discuss a merger with a neighboring school system.
By a 57 percent margin, voters told the school board they didn't want to see that happen. The vote was 362 to 274 in an election that drew 43 percent of the registered voters.
The new tax rate, which jumped from $5.22 per $1,000 of assessed value to $7.38, will bring in $150,000 a year more for the district's budget, now about $1 million annually. The increase would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $216 more a year in school taxes.
More Stinginess
The tsunami fundraising over at amazon.com has surpassed the $2 million mark. One web site has raised more money than most countries have donated to this point. Those stingy Americans.
Are You a Female, Large and in Charge, and Looking for a Man...
...then travel to the Arab world. Apparently, rotundness is a very attractive quality over there.
NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania -- Jidat Mint Ethmane grew up in a nomad family in this impoverished nation in the western Sahara. When she was 8, she says, her mother began to force-feed her. Ms. Ethmane says she was required to consume a gallon of milk in the morning, plus couscous. She ate milk and porridge for lunch. She was awoken at midnight and given several more pints of milk, followed by a pre-breakfast feeding at 6 a.m.
If she threw up, she says, her mother forced her to eat the vomit. Stretch marks appeared on her body and the skin on her upper arms and thighs tore under the pressure. If she balked at the feedings, her mother would squeeze her toes between two wooden sticks until the pain was unbearable. "I would devour as much as possible," says Ms. Ethmane. "I resembled a mattress."
Today, Ms. Ethmane, 38 years old, is slender because her family ran out of money to continue the force-feeding technique, known as gavage. The term stems from the French word for the process used to force-feed geese to make foie gras. Yet in a recent interview in her family's one-room house, Ms. Ethmane says she still believes in the practice. "Beauty is more important than health," she says. Her husband, Brahim, agrees: "It is thin women who are not healthy."
The belief that rotund women are more desirable as wives helps explain why much of the Arab world -- which stretches from the Persian Gulf in the east to Mauritania in North Africa -- is experiencing an explosion of obesity. About half of women in the Middle East are overweight or obese, according to the United Nations' World Health Organization. In some communities, many of which were nomadic until a few decades ago, oil wealth has dramatically improved living standards. The resulting urbanization has introduced some Western habits: high consumption of sugar, fat and processed foods and more sedentary lifestyles.
In Bahrain, 83% of women are obese or overweight, according to International Obesity Task Force, a London-based think tank that tries to persuade countries to tackle the problem. In the United Arab Emirates the figure is 74%; in Lebanon it is 75%, the groups says. By comparison, about 62% of American women are overweight or obese. The prevalence of childhood obesity in the Middle East has risen rapidly in recent years and diabetes is spreading across the region, according to WHO.
NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania -- Jidat Mint Ethmane grew up in a nomad family in this impoverished nation in the western Sahara. When she was 8, she says, her mother began to force-feed her. Ms. Ethmane says she was required to consume a gallon of milk in the morning, plus couscous. She ate milk and porridge for lunch. She was awoken at midnight and given several more pints of milk, followed by a pre-breakfast feeding at 6 a.m.
If she threw up, she says, her mother forced her to eat the vomit. Stretch marks appeared on her body and the skin on her upper arms and thighs tore under the pressure. If she balked at the feedings, her mother would squeeze her toes between two wooden sticks until the pain was unbearable. "I would devour as much as possible," says Ms. Ethmane. "I resembled a mattress."
Today, Ms. Ethmane, 38 years old, is slender because her family ran out of money to continue the force-feeding technique, known as gavage. The term stems from the French word for the process used to force-feed geese to make foie gras. Yet in a recent interview in her family's one-room house, Ms. Ethmane says she still believes in the practice. "Beauty is more important than health," she says. Her husband, Brahim, agrees: "It is thin women who are not healthy."
The belief that rotund women are more desirable as wives helps explain why much of the Arab world -- which stretches from the Persian Gulf in the east to Mauritania in North Africa -- is experiencing an explosion of obesity. About half of women in the Middle East are overweight or obese, according to the United Nations' World Health Organization. In some communities, many of which were nomadic until a few decades ago, oil wealth has dramatically improved living standards. The resulting urbanization has introduced some Western habits: high consumption of sugar, fat and processed foods and more sedentary lifestyles.
In Bahrain, 83% of women are obese or overweight, according to International Obesity Task Force, a London-based think tank that tries to persuade countries to tackle the problem. In the United Arab Emirates the figure is 74%; in Lebanon it is 75%, the groups says. By comparison, about 62% of American women are overweight or obese. The prevalence of childhood obesity in the Middle East has risen rapidly in recent years and diabetes is spreading across the region, according to WHO.
More Good Work From Porter Goss
WASHINGTON, Dec. 28 - The head of the Central Intelligence Agency's analytical branch is being forced to step down, former intelligence officials say, opening a major new chapter in a shakeup under Porter J. Goss, the agency's chief.
The official, Jami Miscik, the agency's deputy director for intelligence, told her subordinates on Tuesday afternoon of her plan to step down on Feb. 4. A former intelligence official said that Ms. Miscik was told before Christmas that Mr. Goss wanted to make a change and that "the decision to depart was not hers."
Ms. Miscik has headed analysis at the agency since 2002, a period in which prewar assessments of Iraq and its illicit weapons, which drew heavily on C.I.A. analysis, proved to be mistaken. Even before taking charge of the C.I.A., Mr. Goss, who was a congressman, and his closest associates had been openly critical of the directorate of intelligence, saying it suffered from poor leadership and was devoting too much effort to monitoring day-to-day developments rather than broad trends.
Ms. Miscik's departure is the latest in a series of high-level ousters that have prompted unease within the C.I.A. since Mr. Goss took over as director of central intelligence in September. Of the officials who worked as top deputies to Mr. Goss's predecessor, George J. Tenet, at least a half-dozen have been fired or have retired abruptly, including the agency's No. 2 and No. 3 officials. Much of the top tier of the agency's clandestine service is also gone.
The official, Jami Miscik, the agency's deputy director for intelligence, told her subordinates on Tuesday afternoon of her plan to step down on Feb. 4. A former intelligence official said that Ms. Miscik was told before Christmas that Mr. Goss wanted to make a change and that "the decision to depart was not hers."
Ms. Miscik has headed analysis at the agency since 2002, a period in which prewar assessments of Iraq and its illicit weapons, which drew heavily on C.I.A. analysis, proved to be mistaken. Even before taking charge of the C.I.A., Mr. Goss, who was a congressman, and his closest associates had been openly critical of the directorate of intelligence, saying it suffered from poor leadership and was devoting too much effort to monitoring day-to-day developments rather than broad trends.
Ms. Miscik's departure is the latest in a series of high-level ousters that have prompted unease within the C.I.A. since Mr. Goss took over as director of central intelligence in September. Of the officials who worked as top deputies to Mr. Goss's predecessor, George J. Tenet, at least a half-dozen have been fired or have retired abruptly, including the agency's No. 2 and No. 3 officials. Much of the top tier of the agency's clandestine service is also gone.
Mumme-ball is Making a Comeback
SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA: Coach Hal Mumme has been confirmed as a finalist for the New Mexico State head coach vacancy. "He's one of three or four finalists," said Dart Volz, SLU assistant athletic director for media relations. The job became open when Tony Samuel was fired Nov. 24.
Mumme went 20-26 as head coach at Kentucky (1997-2000) before leaving in the wake of NCAA recruiting violations.
Mumme went 20-26 as head coach at Kentucky (1997-2000) before leaving in the wake of NCAA recruiting violations.
More Tragedy from the Ghetto
There are two things that leave the black, inner-city wallowing in crime: (1) Fatherlessness that leads to an unhealthy desire/need for "respect" ("respect" for your game, for your girl, or even for your car); and (2) Tolerating the acts of criminals.
Here's my case in point.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Vanderbilt running back Kwane Doster was shot to death after his friends and a group of other men exchanged "trash talk" about their cars, Tampa police said Tuesday.
Police continued to appeal for help in making an arrest in the Sunday morning shooting. Police said they have suspects, but need witnesses who might have seen who fired the fatal shot.
Doster, 21, was shot to death at a sandwich shop after visiting a local club with two friends about 1:30 a.m. Sunday.
While leaving the club, Doster's friends had a discussion with three other men about their cars, said Tampa police spokesman Joe Durkin. Both groups were driving what Durkin described as "show" cars, and the arguments centered on whose car was better.
The two groups met again at a stoplight, where they again exchanged words and mean stares, Durkin said. The suspects were riding in an orange Infiniti.
Blocks later, Doster and his friends pulled into a sandwich shop. The Infiniti pulled up, one man got out and opened fire with a handgun, Durkin said.
Doster, who was sitting in the back seat of his friend's car, was killed with a single shot. No one else was injured.
After recently visiting the Underground Railroad Freedom Center, I can clearly see the legacy of slavery in today's society and what that great evil has wrought. But it's clearly time for black America - and specifically black men - to stand up and be counted.
As is always the case, the cause of our problems can be found in the mirror.
Here's my case in point.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Vanderbilt running back Kwane Doster was shot to death after his friends and a group of other men exchanged "trash talk" about their cars, Tampa police said Tuesday.
Police continued to appeal for help in making an arrest in the Sunday morning shooting. Police said they have suspects, but need witnesses who might have seen who fired the fatal shot.
Doster, 21, was shot to death at a sandwich shop after visiting a local club with two friends about 1:30 a.m. Sunday.
While leaving the club, Doster's friends had a discussion with three other men about their cars, said Tampa police spokesman Joe Durkin. Both groups were driving what Durkin described as "show" cars, and the arguments centered on whose car was better.
The two groups met again at a stoplight, where they again exchanged words and mean stares, Durkin said. The suspects were riding in an orange Infiniti.
Blocks later, Doster and his friends pulled into a sandwich shop. The Infiniti pulled up, one man got out and opened fire with a handgun, Durkin said.
Doster, who was sitting in the back seat of his friend's car, was killed with a single shot. No one else was injured.
After recently visiting the Underground Railroad Freedom Center, I can clearly see the legacy of slavery in today's society and what that great evil has wrought. But it's clearly time for black America - and specifically black men - to stand up and be counted.
As is always the case, the cause of our problems can be found in the mirror.
Now That's Stingy II
Don't you think they could have waived that passport fee thing just this one time:
At the airport in Bangkok, other governments had set up booths to greet nationals who had been affected and to help repatriate them, she said.
That was not the case with the U.S. government, Wachs told her mother. It took the couple three hours, she said, to find the officials from the American consulate, who were in the VIP lounge.
Because they had lost all their possessions, including their documentation, they had to have new passports issued.
But the U.S. officials demanded payment to take the passport pictures, Helen Wachs said.
The couple had managed to hold on to their ATM card, so they paid for the photos and helped other Americans who did not have any money get their pictures taken and buy food, Helen Wachs said.
"She was really very surprised" that the government did so little to ease their ordeal, she said.
At the airport in Bangkok, other governments had set up booths to greet nationals who had been affected and to help repatriate them, she said.
That was not the case with the U.S. government, Wachs told her mother. It took the couple three hours, she said, to find the officials from the American consulate, who were in the VIP lounge.
Because they had lost all their possessions, including their documentation, they had to have new passports issued.
But the U.S. officials demanded payment to take the passport pictures, Helen Wachs said.
The couple had managed to hold on to their ATM card, so they paid for the photos and helped other Americans who did not have any money get their pictures taken and buy food, Helen Wachs said.
"She was really very surprised" that the government did so little to ease their ordeal, she said.
Not Bad Money, But...
This comes in at over $500,000 a year, but I would have thought a monarch would make more than this:
A Moroccan magazine has taken the unprecedented step of publishing details of King Mohammed VI's salary.
The French-language magazine Tel Quel says the monarch earns less than a typical company director in the developed world, under $45,000 a month. The annual expenses of the royal court are said to be around $250m.
A Moroccan magazine has taken the unprecedented step of publishing details of King Mohammed VI's salary.
The French-language magazine Tel Quel says the monarch earns less than a typical company director in the developed world, under $45,000 a month. The annual expenses of the royal court are said to be around $250m.
More NY Times Hogwash
The NY Times (of course) takes the networks to task for "sugar-coating" the legacy of deceased NFL great Reggie White. What did they "sugar coat"?
All three networks accentuated the positive and offered the idealized, saintly view of a man in a violent sport reaching out to those he sacked as well as to the downtrodden. That may be the way football folk want to remember White - and the safe path taken by CBS, Fox and ABC - but it failed to acknowledge the considerable controversy he caused when he labeled homosexuality a sin. "It's not a race" that can be compared with being black, he added.
So Reggie thought homosexual acts are sinful. Hmmm, that puts him in pretty good company. Let's see, there's Moses, Jesus and Paul. Who else? Well, our President and most Americans. Who else? Mohammed and all of Islam. Anyone else? Even the Dali Lama (but don't tell Richard Gere).
So who's left out? Oh yeah, employees of the NY Times.
All three networks accentuated the positive and offered the idealized, saintly view of a man in a violent sport reaching out to those he sacked as well as to the downtrodden. That may be the way football folk want to remember White - and the safe path taken by CBS, Fox and ABC - but it failed to acknowledge the considerable controversy he caused when he labeled homosexuality a sin. "It's not a race" that can be compared with being black, he added.
So Reggie thought homosexual acts are sinful. Hmmm, that puts him in pretty good company. Let's see, there's Moses, Jesus and Paul. Who else? Well, our President and most Americans. Who else? Mohammed and all of Islam. Anyone else? Even the Dali Lama (but don't tell Richard Gere).
So who's left out? Oh yeah, employees of the NY Times.
Good Old Fashioned Horse Sense
It sometimes pays to be an animal.
COLOMBO, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Sri Lankan wildlife officials are stunned -- the worst tsunami in memory has killed around 22,000 people along the Indian Ocean island's coast, but they can't find any dead animals.
Giant waves washed floodwaters up to 3 km (2 miles) inland at Yala National Park in the ravaged southeast, Sri Lanka's biggest wildlife reserve and home to hundreds of wild elephants and several leopards.
"The strange thing is we haven't recorded any dead animals," H.D. Ratnayake, deputy director of the national Wildlife Department, told Reuters on Wednesday.
"No elephants are dead, not even a dead hare or rabbit," he added. "I think animals can sense disaster. They have a sixth sense. They know when things are happening."
COLOMBO, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Sri Lankan wildlife officials are stunned -- the worst tsunami in memory has killed around 22,000 people along the Indian Ocean island's coast, but they can't find any dead animals.
Giant waves washed floodwaters up to 3 km (2 miles) inland at Yala National Park in the ravaged southeast, Sri Lanka's biggest wildlife reserve and home to hundreds of wild elephants and several leopards.
"The strange thing is we haven't recorded any dead animals," H.D. Ratnayake, deputy director of the national Wildlife Department, told Reuters on Wednesday.
"No elephants are dead, not even a dead hare or rabbit," he added. "I think animals can sense disaster. They have a sixth sense. They know when things are happening."
Now That's Stingy
Glenn Reynolds puts the smack down on all those "stingy" U.S. suggestions:
STINGINESS UPDATE: The Amazon tsunami relief total is now well over $1 million -- and several readers who were compulsively hitting "refresh" report that it crossed the million-dollar-mark at 6:38 Eastern. It is kind of hypnotic to see the numbers going up every time you reload the page.
Meanwhile, Tim Blair notes that France has sent $177,000:
That French figure seems impossibly low, but it checks out here and here (100,000 euros = $A177,000 = $US135,400). France is also sending rescue workers to Thailand and humanitarian aid to Sri Lanka, but please ... $177,000? Andrew Sullivan probably makes more during his Pledge Week.
And while amateurs outperform the French government, the United States government is sending $35 million plus two Naval groups. Not that that has stopped people from bitching about the United States' response. It's almost as if they're determined to find fault no matter what.
However, at this rate the Amazon donations will soon pass the German government's contribution of 2 million Euros (2.7 million dollars), too.
STINGINESS UPDATE: The Amazon tsunami relief total is now well over $1 million -- and several readers who were compulsively hitting "refresh" report that it crossed the million-dollar-mark at 6:38 Eastern. It is kind of hypnotic to see the numbers going up every time you reload the page.
Meanwhile, Tim Blair notes that France has sent $177,000:
That French figure seems impossibly low, but it checks out here and here (100,000 euros = $A177,000 = $US135,400). France is also sending rescue workers to Thailand and humanitarian aid to Sri Lanka, but please ... $177,000? Andrew Sullivan probably makes more during his Pledge Week.
And while amateurs outperform the French government, the United States government is sending $35 million plus two Naval groups. Not that that has stopped people from bitching about the United States' response. It's almost as if they're determined to find fault no matter what.
However, at this rate the Amazon donations will soon pass the German government's contribution of 2 million Euros (2.7 million dollars), too.
Put Me In Coach
Now I've heard of arguments with your coach, but this is a bit extreme.
NFL Security has interviewed Rams coach Mike Martz and offensive tackle Kyle Turley about an incident during which Turley allegedly threatened to kill Martz, sources have told ESPN.
Turley
Martz and Turley allegedly engaged in a shouting match that culminated in Martz filing a report with NFL Security regarding the alleged death threat, sources said.
The argument began after Turley, who's on injured reserve after re-injuring his surgically repaired back early in training camp, heard that Martz questioned the tackle's dedication to rehabbing his injured back. Turley decided to confront his coach.
And knowing Kyle Turley (a notorious nutjob), I would have taken this threat very seriously.
NFL Security has interviewed Rams coach Mike Martz and offensive tackle Kyle Turley about an incident during which Turley allegedly threatened to kill Martz, sources have told ESPN.
Turley
Martz and Turley allegedly engaged in a shouting match that culminated in Martz filing a report with NFL Security regarding the alleged death threat, sources said.
The argument began after Turley, who's on injured reserve after re-injuring his surgically repaired back early in training camp, heard that Martz questioned the tackle's dedication to rehabbing his injured back. Turley decided to confront his coach.
And knowing Kyle Turley (a notorious nutjob), I would have taken this threat very seriously.
Work for Free - It's Fun
Something tells me this won't go over too well:
NEW YORK (Reuters) - US Airways, the bankrupt No. 7 U.S. airline, is seeking volunteers from non-union staff to work for free at its troubled Philadelphia operations over the New Year's weekend, the Washington Post reported Wednesday.
The airline canceled nearly 400 flights over Christmas weekend, leaving thousands of passengers stranded or without luggage after three times the normal rate of flight attendants and baggage handlers based at Philadelphia called in sick.
NEW YORK (Reuters) - US Airways, the bankrupt No. 7 U.S. airline, is seeking volunteers from non-union staff to work for free at its troubled Philadelphia operations over the New Year's weekend, the Washington Post reported Wednesday.
The airline canceled nearly 400 flights over Christmas weekend, leaving thousands of passengers stranded or without luggage after three times the normal rate of flight attendants and baggage handlers based at Philadelphia called in sick.
US Aid
The recent controversy over the amount of US aid to Southeast Asia is an interesting one. Is the US a generous nation? You be the judge.
As of early Tuesday, dozens of countries and relief groups had pledged $81 million in help for South and East Asia, said the Geneva-based U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
The United States uses the most common measure of the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a group of 30 rich nations that counts development aid.
By that measure, the United States spent almost $15.8 billion for "official development assistance" to developing countries in 2003. Next closest was Japan, at $8.9 billion. That doesn't include billions more the United States spends in other areas such as AIDS and HIV programs and other U.N. assistance.
Measured another way, as a percentage of gross national product, the OECD's figures on development aid show that as of April, none of the world's richest countries donated even 1 percent of its gross national product. Norway was highest, at 0.92 percent; the United States was last, at 0.14 percent.
Such figures were what prompted Jan Egeland -- the United Nations' emergency relief coordinator and former head of the Norwegian Red Cross -- to challenge the giving of rich nations.
"We were more generous when we were less rich, many of the rich countries," Egeland said. "And it is beyond me, why are we so stingy, really.... Even Christmas time should remind many Western countries at least how rich we have become."
...Natsios said the Paris organization's figures overlook a key factor -- the billions more Americans give each year in private donations.
Americans last year gave an estimated $241 billion to charitable causes -- domestic and foreign -- according to a study by Giving USA Foundation. That's up from $234 billion in 2002. The foundation did not break down how much was for domestic causes and how much for foreign.
"That's a European standard, this percentage that's used," Natsios said. "The United States, for 40 years, has never accepted these standards that it should be based on the gross national product. We base it on the actual dollars that we spent."
As of early Tuesday, dozens of countries and relief groups had pledged $81 million in help for South and East Asia, said the Geneva-based U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
The United States uses the most common measure of the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a group of 30 rich nations that counts development aid.
By that measure, the United States spent almost $15.8 billion for "official development assistance" to developing countries in 2003. Next closest was Japan, at $8.9 billion. That doesn't include billions more the United States spends in other areas such as AIDS and HIV programs and other U.N. assistance.
Measured another way, as a percentage of gross national product, the OECD's figures on development aid show that as of April, none of the world's richest countries donated even 1 percent of its gross national product. Norway was highest, at 0.92 percent; the United States was last, at 0.14 percent.
Such figures were what prompted Jan Egeland -- the United Nations' emergency relief coordinator and former head of the Norwegian Red Cross -- to challenge the giving of rich nations.
"We were more generous when we were less rich, many of the rich countries," Egeland said. "And it is beyond me, why are we so stingy, really.... Even Christmas time should remind many Western countries at least how rich we have become."
...Natsios said the Paris organization's figures overlook a key factor -- the billions more Americans give each year in private donations.
Americans last year gave an estimated $241 billion to charitable causes -- domestic and foreign -- according to a study by Giving USA Foundation. That's up from $234 billion in 2002. The foundation did not break down how much was for domestic causes and how much for foreign.
"That's a European standard, this percentage that's used," Natsios said. "The United States, for 40 years, has never accepted these standards that it should be based on the gross national product. We base it on the actual dollars that we spent."
New Cancer Study
It appears that most cancers - like sin - are inherited:
Inheritance plays a part in 16 out of 27 cancers, a recent study reveals.
The study, conducted by deCODE Genetics in Iceland, examined the rates at which cancer occurred among all first to fifth-degree relatives of 32,000 patients who had cancer diagnosed between 1955 and 2002.
A first-degree relative is a parent or child or sibling who shares 50 per cent of an individual's DNA. Fifth-degree relatives, such as great-great-great grandparents, share 3.125 per cent of DNA with the patient.
Details of the study were published today in the open-access journal Public Library of Science Medicine.
According to the report, a total of 27 cancers were studied, including many of the most common such as lung, breast, prostate, colon and skin.
For 16 of these, relatives of patients were at a significantly higher risk of developing the disease.
Inheritance plays a part in 16 out of 27 cancers, a recent study reveals.
The study, conducted by deCODE Genetics in Iceland, examined the rates at which cancer occurred among all first to fifth-degree relatives of 32,000 patients who had cancer diagnosed between 1955 and 2002.
A first-degree relative is a parent or child or sibling who shares 50 per cent of an individual's DNA. Fifth-degree relatives, such as great-great-great grandparents, share 3.125 per cent of DNA with the patient.
Details of the study were published today in the open-access journal Public Library of Science Medicine.
According to the report, a total of 27 cancers were studied, including many of the most common such as lung, breast, prostate, colon and skin.
For 16 of these, relatives of patients were at a significantly higher risk of developing the disease.
Hmmmm
Is it just a striking coincidence?
The 9.0 killer earthquake in Asia that unleashed tsunamis killing tens of thousands followed exactly one year to the hour after the Bam, Iran, earthquake that killed 26,000.
On Dec. 26, 2003, a 6.6 quake hit the ancient city of Bam in Iran. While the quake was much smaller than the one that struck near the island of Sumatra Sunday, its epicenter was directly under the city.
On Dec. 26, 2004, the 9.0 quake struck in South Asia. While the death toll will be much higher, most of the destructiveness was the result of the giant waves triggered by the earth's movement under the India Ocean.
The 2003 quake hit at 01:56:52 UTC, while the 2004 quake struck at 00:58:55 UTC – exactly one year, 58 minutes apart.
The 9.0 killer earthquake in Asia that unleashed tsunamis killing tens of thousands followed exactly one year to the hour after the Bam, Iran, earthquake that killed 26,000.
On Dec. 26, 2003, a 6.6 quake hit the ancient city of Bam in Iran. While the quake was much smaller than the one that struck near the island of Sumatra Sunday, its epicenter was directly under the city.
On Dec. 26, 2004, the 9.0 quake struck in South Asia. While the death toll will be much higher, most of the destructiveness was the result of the giant waves triggered by the earth's movement under the India Ocean.
The 2003 quake hit at 01:56:52 UTC, while the 2004 quake struck at 00:58:55 UTC – exactly one year, 58 minutes apart.
NY Times Correction of the Day
From the Dec. 24 corrections column:
Because of an editing error, a front-page article yesterday about new rules for managing the national forests referred incorrectly in some copies to a representative of Earthjustice who criticized the plan. The representative is a man, Martin Hayden. The article also misstated his title and, because of another editing error, described Earthjustice incorrectly. Mr. Hayden is the organization's legislative director but is not a lawyer. Earthjustice is an environmental law firm, not affiliated with the Sierra Club.
In other words, we didn't get anything right.
Because of an editing error, a front-page article yesterday about new rules for managing the national forests referred incorrectly in some copies to a representative of Earthjustice who criticized the plan. The representative is a man, Martin Hayden. The article also misstated his title and, because of another editing error, described Earthjustice incorrectly. Mr. Hayden is the organization's legislative director but is not a lawyer. Earthjustice is an environmental law firm, not affiliated with the Sierra Club.
In other words, we didn't get anything right.
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
Wow, 300 Votes
Thank you left-wing nutjobs. Because of your weeks and weeks of crying and complaining, we now know that Bush won Ohio by 118,457 votes instead of 118,775 votes. That's a whopping 300 vote difference. What would we do without Jesse Jackson.
TOLEDO, Ohio - Election officials finished the presidential recount in Ohio on Tuesday, with the final tally shaving about 300 votes off President Bush (news - web sites)'s six-figure margin of victory in the state that gave him a second term.
The recount shows Bush winning Ohio by 118,457 votes over John Kerry (news - web sites), according to unofficial results provided to The Associated Press by the 88 counties. Lucas County, home to Toledo, was the last to finish counting.
The state had earlier declared Bush the winner by 118,775 votes and plans to adjust its totals to reflect the recount later this week.
TOLEDO, Ohio - Election officials finished the presidential recount in Ohio on Tuesday, with the final tally shaving about 300 votes off President Bush (news - web sites)'s six-figure margin of victory in the state that gave him a second term.
The recount shows Bush winning Ohio by 118,457 votes over John Kerry (news - web sites), according to unofficial results provided to The Associated Press by the 88 counties. Lucas County, home to Toledo, was the last to finish counting.
The state had earlier declared Bush the winner by 118,775 votes and plans to adjust its totals to reflect the recount later this week.
I'd Probably Just Put a Bullet in my Head
Of all the articles I've read about the tsunami, this story sticks out:
Among the dead was a young girl, Anousha, aged three.
"My house collapsed and I had my daughter's hand in mine as we ran back from the water," said her distraught father, Raja. "But the wave took her from my hands."
Among the dead was a young girl, Anousha, aged three.
"My house collapsed and I had my daughter's hand in mine as we ran back from the water," said her distraught father, Raja. "But the wave took her from my hands."
Quote of the Day II
"The Phoenix Suns' Steve Nash has a chance to muscle past Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan to become the NBA's first recognized point guard since Magic Johnson in 1990 to win the MVP award. It would be great to see passing rewarded in a league where it's almost extinct." -- Marc Stein, ESPN
Jim Tressel Watch Continues
A Columbus businessman’s relationship with Buckeye quarterback Troy Smith raised enough eyebrows at his office that the company attorney called Ohio State.
That Dec. 9 phone call eventually led to Smith’s suspension from the team and an investigation involving Robert Q. Baker, a 46-year-old Springfield resident who pays big bucks to watch football games from a 35-yardline luxury suite in Ohio Stadium.
Geoffrey Webster, 56, an attorney for Poly-Care Services, confirmed for The Dispatch yesterday that Baker gave Smith an unspecified amount of cash and tried to arrange jobs for Smith and another player.
"I can’t comment on any of it," OSU Athletics Director Andy Geiger said yesterday. "It’s an ongoing investigation."
Andy, the entire football program is an ongoing investigation. Geiger must go...and Tressel should probably follow.
That Dec. 9 phone call eventually led to Smith’s suspension from the team and an investigation involving Robert Q. Baker, a 46-year-old Springfield resident who pays big bucks to watch football games from a 35-yardline luxury suite in Ohio Stadium.
Geoffrey Webster, 56, an attorney for Poly-Care Services, confirmed for The Dispatch yesterday that Baker gave Smith an unspecified amount of cash and tried to arrange jobs for Smith and another player.
"I can’t comment on any of it," OSU Athletics Director Andy Geiger said yesterday. "It’s an ongoing investigation."
Andy, the entire football program is an ongoing investigation. Geiger must go...and Tressel should probably follow.
Quote of the Day
"The systems are geared to run 100 percent, and hopefully nothing goes wrong. This time, just too many things hit (Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky airport). Each one became part of the domino effect. We now know not to connect through Cincinnati in the winter or to fly Comair or U.S. Air." - Tom Parsons, BestFares
Now that's good for Comair's business.
Now that's good for Comair's business.
Roman Catholic Church in Crisis
Not only is there a moral crisis, but a financial one as well.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - First came the sex scandal. Then there were lawsuits. Now there are bankruptcies.
And some economic analysts believe this could be just the beginning of the financial fallout from widespread charges of clerical sexual abuse within the U.S. Catholic Church.
...The question is how to pay for it.
"Even without the sex abuse scandal, the Catholic Church was in deep financial difficulty," said Charles Zech, an economics professor at Villanova University who monitors church finances.
Zech said the church's money troubles include the costs of deferred maintenance on church properties, the aging of its low-cost work force of priests and nuns and its disproportionate holdings in real estate -- often run-down inner-city buildings that are hard to sell.
Frank Butler, president of a group of major donors to Catholic institutions, said the problems may go deeper.
"Many of the archdioceses are very marginal operations, and the reason for that is they have a very aging infrastructure that includes the parishes and schools," Butler said from the Washington-based Foundations and Donors Interested in Catholic Activities, known as FADICA.
In addition, American Catholics give less per person to their individual churches than Protestants or Jews do, Butler said, adding that those who do give are getting older.
"Their donor base would seem to be shrinking," he said.
Added to these long-term problems are expected payments that could total billions of dollars nationally to victims of priest sexual abuse.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - First came the sex scandal. Then there were lawsuits. Now there are bankruptcies.
And some economic analysts believe this could be just the beginning of the financial fallout from widespread charges of clerical sexual abuse within the U.S. Catholic Church.
...The question is how to pay for it.
"Even without the sex abuse scandal, the Catholic Church was in deep financial difficulty," said Charles Zech, an economics professor at Villanova University who monitors church finances.
Zech said the church's money troubles include the costs of deferred maintenance on church properties, the aging of its low-cost work force of priests and nuns and its disproportionate holdings in real estate -- often run-down inner-city buildings that are hard to sell.
Frank Butler, president of a group of major donors to Catholic institutions, said the problems may go deeper.
"Many of the archdioceses are very marginal operations, and the reason for that is they have a very aging infrastructure that includes the parishes and schools," Butler said from the Washington-based Foundations and Donors Interested in Catholic Activities, known as FADICA.
In addition, American Catholics give less per person to their individual churches than Protestants or Jews do, Butler said, adding that those who do give are getting older.
"Their donor base would seem to be shrinking," he said.
Added to these long-term problems are expected payments that could total billions of dollars nationally to victims of priest sexual abuse.
How Things Have Changed
For all of President Bush's accomplishments, none is greater than the way he has changed the landscape of the Middle East. We've seen it in Afghanistan (free elections), in the Palestinian territories (the isolation of Arafat and ascension of Abbas who is now calling for an end to the Intifada), and in Israel (where the formerly hawkish Sharon is now pulling settlements out of the West Bank and Gaza). Bush is largely responsible for all of these changes.
But his greatest accomplishment is in (and through) Iraq. It is here that tyranny and despotism has given way to the hope of democracy. It is here that the battle has shifted from taking up arms to boycotting elections. Check out the latest from Osama:
CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - In an audiotape broadcast Monday by Al-Jazeera satellite television, a man purported to be Osama bin Laden endorsed Abu-Musab al-Zarqawi as his deputy in Iraq and called for a boycott of next month's elections there.
Think about this for a moment. Osama bin Laden, the great terrorist mastermind, the mighty warrior of Islam, is calling for....boycotting an election? Man, this is Jesse Jackson territory.
We know Iraq has finally arrived if, after the election, Osama calls for a recount.
But his greatest accomplishment is in (and through) Iraq. It is here that tyranny and despotism has given way to the hope of democracy. It is here that the battle has shifted from taking up arms to boycotting elections. Check out the latest from Osama:
CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - In an audiotape broadcast Monday by Al-Jazeera satellite television, a man purported to be Osama bin Laden endorsed Abu-Musab al-Zarqawi as his deputy in Iraq and called for a boycott of next month's elections there.
Think about this for a moment. Osama bin Laden, the great terrorist mastermind, the mighty warrior of Islam, is calling for....boycotting an election? Man, this is Jesse Jackson territory.
We know Iraq has finally arrived if, after the election, Osama calls for a recount.
Churchill/Roosevelt = Blair/Bush
The great historian Martin Gilbert thinks so.
People often ask how history will remember our generation of leaders in comparison with Winston Churchill and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Many comment that today's leaders look small compared with the giants of the past. This is, I believe, a misconception.
In their day, both Churchill and Roosevelt were frequently criticised, often savagely, by their countrymen, including legislators who had little knowledge of the behind-the-scenes reality of the war.
The passage of time both elevates and reduces reputations. Today there is a cult of Churchill, particularly in the United States, but also far greater scholarly criticism, which regards him, increasingly, as a flawed war leader. The same is true of Roosevelt: his recent biographers are constantly revealing - to their satisfaction, at least - feet of clay.
Although it can easily be argued that George W Bush and Tony Blair face a far lesser challenge than Roosevelt and Churchill did - that the war on terror is not a third world war - they may well, with the passage of time and the opening of the archives, join the ranks of Roosevelt and Churchill. Their societies are too divided today to deliver a calm judgment, and many of their achievements may be in the future: when Iraq has a stable democracy, with al-Qaeda neutralised, and when Israel and the Palestinian Authority are independent democracies, living side by side in constructive economic cooperation.
If they can move this latter aim, to which Bush and Blair pledged themselves on 12 November, it will be a leadership achievement of historic proportions.
People often ask how history will remember our generation of leaders in comparison with Winston Churchill and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Many comment that today's leaders look small compared with the giants of the past. This is, I believe, a misconception.
In their day, both Churchill and Roosevelt were frequently criticised, often savagely, by their countrymen, including legislators who had little knowledge of the behind-the-scenes reality of the war.
The passage of time both elevates and reduces reputations. Today there is a cult of Churchill, particularly in the United States, but also far greater scholarly criticism, which regards him, increasingly, as a flawed war leader. The same is true of Roosevelt: his recent biographers are constantly revealing - to their satisfaction, at least - feet of clay.
Although it can easily be argued that George W Bush and Tony Blair face a far lesser challenge than Roosevelt and Churchill did - that the war on terror is not a third world war - they may well, with the passage of time and the opening of the archives, join the ranks of Roosevelt and Churchill. Their societies are too divided today to deliver a calm judgment, and many of their achievements may be in the future: when Iraq has a stable democracy, with al-Qaeda neutralised, and when Israel and the Palestinian Authority are independent democracies, living side by side in constructive economic cooperation.
If they can move this latter aim, to which Bush and Blair pledged themselves on 12 November, it will be a leadership achievement of historic proportions.
Uh, Just Kidding
Now that was a quick change of heart:
Louisville's Bobby Petrino, who has been mentioned as a candidate for several major coaching jobs in the last month and recently signed a new contract to remain with the Cardinals, has met with LSU to discuss its coaching vacancy.
LSU asked for and received permission in recent days to speak with Petrino, ESPN.com's Pat Forde reports. Sources have told Forde that if LSU were to make an offer to Petrino, it would not do so until after Louisville played Boise State (11-0) in the Liberty Bowl on New Year's Eve.
...Petrino, 43, signed a new deal last Tuesday that will pay him $1 million a year -- nearly doubling his old salary -- and assured members of Louisville's athletics association board that he wasn't going anywhere.
"I'm looking forward to the upcoming years," he said last week. "This is the place I want to be; this is the place my family wants to be. We're looking forward to the future."
Louisville's Bobby Petrino, who has been mentioned as a candidate for several major coaching jobs in the last month and recently signed a new contract to remain with the Cardinals, has met with LSU to discuss its coaching vacancy.
LSU asked for and received permission in recent days to speak with Petrino, ESPN.com's Pat Forde reports. Sources have told Forde that if LSU were to make an offer to Petrino, it would not do so until after Louisville played Boise State (11-0) in the Liberty Bowl on New Year's Eve.
...Petrino, 43, signed a new deal last Tuesday that will pay him $1 million a year -- nearly doubling his old salary -- and assured members of Louisville's athletics association board that he wasn't going anywhere.
"I'm looking forward to the upcoming years," he said last week. "This is the place I want to be; this is the place my family wants to be. We're looking forward to the future."
Good Out of Evil
PHUKET, Thailand (Reuters) - William Robins vowed Monday to change his life forever after the professional golfer from California and his new bride, Amanda, narrowly escaped death in the grip of a tsunami.
This reminds me of God's promise that he will bring good out of evil for all those who trust Him. Usually, great tragedies are merely an occasion for God's mercy. The death and destruction serves as a means for much greater good.
Like this young couple, many thousands (if not millions) will be forced to reevaluate their lives, how they live and what they believe. And despite the massive human toll, that's a good thing.
This reminds me of God's promise that he will bring good out of evil for all those who trust Him. Usually, great tragedies are merely an occasion for God's mercy. The death and destruction serves as a means for much greater good.
Like this young couple, many thousands (if not millions) will be forced to reevaluate their lives, how they live and what they believe. And despite the massive human toll, that's a good thing.
"My Life is Over"
CUDDALORE, India (AP) -- The buzz of grim conversation in the darkened morgue was broken by a man's shriek as the small body was lowered on a bed. "My son, my king!" wailed Venkatesh, hugging the limp shrouded bundle.
Thousands of miles away in Indonesia, farmer Yusya Yusman aimlessly searched the beaches for his two children lost in Sunday's tsunami. "My life is over," he said emotionlessly.
In country after country, children have emerged as the biggest victims of Sunday's quake-born tidal waves -- thousands and thousands drowned, battered and washed away by huge walls of water that have wiped away huge number from an entire generation of Asians.
Go here to help.
Thousands of miles away in Indonesia, farmer Yusya Yusman aimlessly searched the beaches for his two children lost in Sunday's tsunami. "My life is over," he said emotionlessly.
In country after country, children have emerged as the biggest victims of Sunday's quake-born tidal waves -- thousands and thousands drowned, battered and washed away by huge walls of water that have wiped away huge number from an entire generation of Asians.
Go here to help.
Monday, December 27, 2004
I Like This Move
CINCINNATI (AP) -- Eric Milton agreed to a three-year deal Monday with Cincinnati, giving the Reds a desperately needed proven left-hander and joining right-hander Paul Wilson at the top of their revamped rotation.
Milton, 29, led Philadelphia in wins, starts and strikeouts last season, going 14-6 with a 4.75 ERA and 171 strikeouts in 34 starts.
His career record is 71-57 with a 4.76 ERA in 200 appearances with Minnesota and Philadelphia. Milton made the AL All-Star team in 2001, and went 1-0 with a 1.65 ERA with the Twins in the 2002 and 2003 playoffs.
Milton, 29, led Philadelphia in wins, starts and strikeouts last season, going 14-6 with a 4.75 ERA and 171 strikeouts in 34 starts.
His career record is 71-57 with a 4.76 ERA in 200 appearances with Minnesota and Philadelphia. Milton made the AL All-Star team in 2001, and went 1-0 with a 1.65 ERA with the Twins in the 2002 and 2003 playoffs.
Another AP Howler
From the Wall Street Journal:
Reporters thought that Arnold Schwarzenegger made news in the event-starved days before Christmas when he supposedly told a German newspaper he wanted Republicans to "move a little further left and place more weight on the center," as the Associated Press version of his interview had him saying. Pundits immediately jumped on the remarks. Conservative columnist Cal Thomas suggested the Terminator might really "be the Democratic Party's 'plant' inside the GOP." Alan Colmes, the liberal half of the Hannity & Colmes debate show on Fox News, hailed it as evidence that a new "Rockefeller Republican" wing was emerging to counter President Bush.
The Governator certainly does part company on issues such as abortion and promoting hybrid fuel technology. But he was misquoted by German reporter Marc Hujer. What he actually said was: "I think that right now the Republican Party is all the way from the right to the center. And the Democratic Party is all the way from the left to the center. And I like the Republican Party to cross that centerline. Keep it to the right where it is, but I mean cross over that centerline a little bit, because that would take immediately away 5% from the Democrats and be home free for good. That's the trick."
Mr. Hujer says the governor never recommended explicitly that Republicans should edge toward the left. "He did not use the word 'left,"' Mr. Hujer admitted. "This is really unfortunate. I was trying to translate into German political terms." There's another German translation Mr. Hujer might want to familiarize himself with: dummkopf.
Reporters thought that Arnold Schwarzenegger made news in the event-starved days before Christmas when he supposedly told a German newspaper he wanted Republicans to "move a little further left and place more weight on the center," as the Associated Press version of his interview had him saying. Pundits immediately jumped on the remarks. Conservative columnist Cal Thomas suggested the Terminator might really "be the Democratic Party's 'plant' inside the GOP." Alan Colmes, the liberal half of the Hannity & Colmes debate show on Fox News, hailed it as evidence that a new "Rockefeller Republican" wing was emerging to counter President Bush.
The Governator certainly does part company on issues such as abortion and promoting hybrid fuel technology. But he was misquoted by German reporter Marc Hujer. What he actually said was: "I think that right now the Republican Party is all the way from the right to the center. And the Democratic Party is all the way from the left to the center. And I like the Republican Party to cross that centerline. Keep it to the right where it is, but I mean cross over that centerline a little bit, because that would take immediately away 5% from the Democrats and be home free for good. That's the trick."
Mr. Hujer says the governor never recommended explicitly that Republicans should edge toward the left. "He did not use the word 'left,"' Mr. Hujer admitted. "This is really unfortunate. I was trying to translate into German political terms." There's another German translation Mr. Hujer might want to familiarize himself with: dummkopf.
Indians are Dealing
At least one Ohio major league team knows what it's doing:
CLEVELAND -- Free agent right-hander Kevin Millwood is working toward agreement on a one-year contract with the Cleveland Indians, baseball sources told the Associated Press on Sunday night.
CLEVELAND -- Free agent right-hander Kevin Millwood is working toward agreement on a one-year contract with the Cleveland Indians, baseball sources told the Associated Press on Sunday night.
Bad Move for the Fins
Miami hires Nick Saban (a good move), but then gives him total control (a bad move). Coaches are coaches, not general managers. Ask Bill Parcells if that works.
The contract will be for five years and is worth $4.5 million-$5 million annually. It will also provide Saban with near-absolute control over football-related decisions and allow him to help reshape the organization following a disastrous 2004 season.
The contract will be for five years and is worth $4.5 million-$5 million annually. It will also provide Saban with near-absolute control over football-related decisions and allow him to help reshape the organization following a disastrous 2004 season.
Yes!
Pro-West opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko claimed victory in Ukraine's historic presidential election rerun, telling supporters the vote was a triumph for the country and proclaiming that "now we are free" from dominance by neighboring Russia.
Speaking in a hall at his campaign headquarters packed with journalists and campaign activists, the man who led the "orange revolution" that shook Ukraine for weeks said: "It has happened."
"For 14 years we have been independent, but now we are free. This is a victory for the Ukrainian people, for the Ukrainian nation," the 50-year-old opposition leader and former prime minister said as his audience broke into applause and chants of "Yu-shchenk-ko! Yu-shchen-ko!"
Yushchenko appeared in public as the central election commission reported that he held a 16-point lead over his pro-Russian opponent, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich, with more than 63 percent of the country's precincts reporting results.
The commission credited Yushchenko with 55.98 percent of the vote, compared to 40.2 percent for Yanukovich. Three independent exit polls published at the close of voting Sunday gave Yushchenko at least a 15-point lead over his rival.
Speaking in a hall at his campaign headquarters packed with journalists and campaign activists, the man who led the "orange revolution" that shook Ukraine for weeks said: "It has happened."
"For 14 years we have been independent, but now we are free. This is a victory for the Ukrainian people, for the Ukrainian nation," the 50-year-old opposition leader and former prime minister said as his audience broke into applause and chants of "Yu-shchenk-ko! Yu-shchen-ko!"
Yushchenko appeared in public as the central election commission reported that he held a 16-point lead over his pro-Russian opponent, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich, with more than 63 percent of the country's precincts reporting results.
The commission credited Yushchenko with 55.98 percent of the vote, compared to 40.2 percent for Yanukovich. Three independent exit polls published at the close of voting Sunday gave Yushchenko at least a 15-point lead over his rival.
This Should Get Our Attention
"All the planet is vibrating" from the quake, said Enzo Boschi, the head of Italy's National Geophysics Institute. Speaking on SKY TG24 TV, Boschi said the quake even disturbed the Earth's rotation.
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