This is just lovely.
A high-profile Australian charity headed by a Catholic priest has backed away from plans to set up an orphanage in tsunami-shattered Aceh after the plan enraged hardline Muslim groups.
Youth Off The Streets founder Father Chris Riley arrived in the provincial capital Banda Aceh with plans to set up a tent orphanage to house some of the estimated 35,000 Acehnese children with dead or missing parents.
The plan was backed with a $100,000 donation from NSW clubs and media mogul Kerry Packer's Nine Network funded Riley's trip.
But after the chief of the radical Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), Hilmy Bakar Almascaty warned Youth of the Streets to stick purely to humanitarian work, Riley said the orphanage plan had only ever been a last resort.
Islam means peace.
Saturday, January 08, 2005
A Nomadic Life
Great article on the human side of NFL coaching changes. In this case, Leslie Frazier.
Shaun Alexander in Bengal Stripes
Are the Bengals thinking about punting Rudy and making a run at Shaun Alexander. They may want to think again.
The little tantrum by Seattle running back Shaun Alexander after last week's division-clinching victory over Atlanta might cost him some money. Alexander will be an unrestricted free agent after the season, so he is looking at a nice new contract. But some personnel men around the league were already worried he was too much of a me-first kind of player before he complained openly about his not getting the ball at the goal line Sunday, which cost him the league rushing title by a yard. Alexander is also considered a bit aloof by his teammates, and there are questions about his ability to tough it out when things go bad. He's a good back, and he has had a heck of a year, but there are still concerns around the league as to whether he's worth paying big money. The Seahawks will get the first crack at trying to re-sign him before the free-agency period, so it will be interesting to see how they handle it.
The little tantrum by Seattle running back Shaun Alexander after last week's division-clinching victory over Atlanta might cost him some money. Alexander will be an unrestricted free agent after the season, so he is looking at a nice new contract. But some personnel men around the league were already worried he was too much of a me-first kind of player before he complained openly about his not getting the ball at the goal line Sunday, which cost him the league rushing title by a yard. Alexander is also considered a bit aloof by his teammates, and there are questions about his ability to tough it out when things go bad. He's a good back, and he has had a heck of a year, but there are still concerns around the league as to whether he's worth paying big money. The Seahawks will get the first crack at trying to re-sign him before the free-agency period, so it will be interesting to see how they handle it.
I'm Seeing A Pattern
Making matters worse, Cincinnati bound 6'10 center Abdul Herrera is again being forced to sit out and await clearance from the FHSAA to finish his senior season. Last year, Herrera missed several games before an appeal allowed him a one year eligibility extension.
"We expect it to be resolved by Friday,'' Jones said. "There's nothing that makes me anticipate Abdul won't be playing for us again after that."
"We expect it to be resolved by Friday,'' Jones said. "There's nothing that makes me anticipate Abdul won't be playing for us again after that."
No Love for Hugs
CINCINNATI, Ohio-- University of Cincinnati freshman basketball player Vincent Banks has been ruled academically ineligible for the 2004-05 season for failing to meet initial eligibility requirements, the university announced today. Banks is currently enrolled in classes at UC. Banks, a 6-2 guard from Atlanta, was named Mr. Basketball in the state of Georgia in 2003 after averaging 31.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game at South High School. Last season, Banks was the leading scorer (23.0 ppg) for high school power Laurinburg (N.C.) Prep while leading his team to a 29-4 record.
Ok, somebody explain this to me. Vincent Banks goes to high school, spends a year at prep school, enrolls at UC, and spends over four months going to class and practicing with the team. All this time, he was NEVER eligible to even enroll in college.
How does this happen? Who's at fault?
Ok, somebody explain this to me. Vincent Banks goes to high school, spends a year at prep school, enrolls at UC, and spends over four months going to class and practicing with the team. All this time, he was NEVER eligible to even enroll in college.
How does this happen? Who's at fault?
That Was A Stupid Thing to Do
I really like Armstrong Williams, but his syndicate should fire him. This is inexcusable.
Seeking to build support among black families for its education reform law, the Bush administration paid a prominent black pundit $240,000 to promote the law on his nationally syndicated television show and to urge other black journalists to do the same.
The campaign, part of an effort to promote No Child Left Behind (NCLB), required commentator Armstrong Williams "to regularly comment on NCLB during the course of his broadcasts," and to interview Education Secretary Rod Paige for TV and radio spots that aired during the show in 2004.
Williams said Thursday he understands that critics could find the arrangement unethical, but "I wanted to do it because it's something I believe in."
Seeking to build support among black families for its education reform law, the Bush administration paid a prominent black pundit $240,000 to promote the law on his nationally syndicated television show and to urge other black journalists to do the same.
The campaign, part of an effort to promote No Child Left Behind (NCLB), required commentator Armstrong Williams "to regularly comment on NCLB during the course of his broadcasts," and to interview Education Secretary Rod Paige for TV and radio spots that aired during the show in 2004.
Williams said Thursday he understands that critics could find the arrangement unethical, but "I wanted to do it because it's something I believe in."
I Am Shocked II
Hollywood glamour couple Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston have split, Pitt's longtime publicist confirmed Friday.
"We would like to announce that after seven years together we have decided to formally separate," the couple said in a joint statement released by Pitt's publicist Cindy Guagenti. "For those who follow these sorts of things, we would like to explain that our separation is not the result of any speculation reported by the tabloid media. This decision is the result of much thoughtful consideration."
"We would like to announce that after seven years together we have decided to formally separate," the couple said in a joint statement released by Pitt's publicist Cindy Guagenti. "For those who follow these sorts of things, we would like to explain that our separation is not the result of any speculation reported by the tabloid media. This decision is the result of much thoughtful consideration."
I Am Shocked
JANUARY 7--The finance director for Hillary Clinton's 2000 U.S. Senate campaign was indicted today on federal charges of filing bogus financial reports with the Federal Election Commission. According to the below indictment, David Rosen reported the false numbers in connection with a "Hollywood tribute" honoring Clinton. Investigators allege that a "wealthy individual" paid more than $1.1 million to underwrite the Clinton gala and that those payments were delivered through "several corporate entities controlled by him." While that whopping sum should have been reported to the FEC as an "in-kind contribution," prosecutors charge that Rosen covered up the real source of the money, and even caused the creation of a fictitious $200,000 invoice to aid his scheme. The August 2000 fundraiser was billed as a "Hollywood Tribute to William Jefferson Clinton," though the funds raised went to his wife's campaign kitty. The bash was held as the Brentwood estate of radio mogul Ken Roberts. While the so-called wealthy individual (referred to only as "C-1") is not named, he is clearly Peter Paul, an Internet entrepreneur who helped organize the bash. Clinton is not mentioned by name in the indictment,instead referred to only as "Senator A." The fundraiser was largely orchestrated by Aaron Tonken, a notorious L.A. con man who last August was sentenced to five years in prison following a guilty plea to a pair of fraud counts. The 39-year-old Tonken, who made his living defrauding donors and underwriters of charity events, now resides in the federal lockup in Taft, California, where he is scheduled to remain until April 2009.
Friday, January 07, 2005
More Than 1,000 Yards
That's over 10 football fields. Nice.
AR RAMADI, Iraq (Jan. 02, 2005) -- Seen through a twenty-power spot scope, terrorists scrambled to deliver another mortar round into the tube. Across the Euphrates River from a concealed rooftop, the Marine sniper breathed gently and then squeezed a few pounds of pressure to the delicate trigger of the M40A3 sniper rifle in his grasp.
The rifle's crack froze the booming Fallujah battle like a photograph. As he moved the bolt back to load another round of 7.62mm ammunition, the sniper's spotter confirmed the terrorist went down from the shot mere seconds before the next crack of the rifle dropped another. It wasn't the sniper's first kill in Iraq, but it was one for the history books.
On Nov. 11, 2004, while coalition forces fought to wrest control of Fallujah from a terrorist insurgency, Marine scout snipers with Company B, 1st Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, applied their basic infantry skills and took them to a higher level.
"From the information we have, our chief scout sniper has the longest confirmed kill in Iraq so far," said Capt. Shayne McGinty, weapons platoon commander for "Bravo" Co. "In Fallujah there were some bad guys firing mortars at us and he took them out from more than 1,000 yards."
AR RAMADI, Iraq (Jan. 02, 2005) -- Seen through a twenty-power spot scope, terrorists scrambled to deliver another mortar round into the tube. Across the Euphrates River from a concealed rooftop, the Marine sniper breathed gently and then squeezed a few pounds of pressure to the delicate trigger of the M40A3 sniper rifle in his grasp.
The rifle's crack froze the booming Fallujah battle like a photograph. As he moved the bolt back to load another round of 7.62mm ammunition, the sniper's spotter confirmed the terrorist went down from the shot mere seconds before the next crack of the rifle dropped another. It wasn't the sniper's first kill in Iraq, but it was one for the history books.
On Nov. 11, 2004, while coalition forces fought to wrest control of Fallujah from a terrorist insurgency, Marine scout snipers with Company B, 1st Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, applied their basic infantry skills and took them to a higher level.
"From the information we have, our chief scout sniper has the longest confirmed kill in Iraq so far," said Capt. Shayne McGinty, weapons platoon commander for "Bravo" Co. "In Fallujah there were some bad guys firing mortars at us and he took them out from more than 1,000 yards."
Somebody Please Silence This Man
Is there a bigger buffoon in the world today than Jacques Chirac. Uh....no.
FRENCH President Jacques Chirac made a new call today for an "international tax", saying such a levy would help generate funds to help poor countries and those hit by disasters such as the Asian tsunami."
These events stress the need to increase public aid towards development and to find innovative financing mechanisms such as an international taxation," Mr Chirac said in a New Year speech to the Paris diplomatic corps.
He said France would press the international tax idea this year at meetings of the Group of Eight - the G7 rich countries plus Russia - and at the United Nations, but gave no details of his proposals.
FRENCH President Jacques Chirac made a new call today for an "international tax", saying such a levy would help generate funds to help poor countries and those hit by disasters such as the Asian tsunami."
These events stress the need to increase public aid towards development and to find innovative financing mechanisms such as an international taxation," Mr Chirac said in a New Year speech to the Paris diplomatic corps.
He said France would press the international tax idea this year at meetings of the Group of Eight - the G7 rich countries plus Russia - and at the United Nations, but gave no details of his proposals.
I Just Love Kobe
There's nothing like comparing your rape charge to Jesus and tsunami victims.
KING: Does it [the tsunami] make your own adversity seem small?
BRYANT: Oh, absolutely.
KING: It dwarfs it, right?
BRYANT: Absolutely. You know, we all have crosses to bear. We all have crosses to bear. And you know, the cross that you are blessed to carry, may feel like a huge burden to you, but there's somebody out there who has a cross five times bigger than yours...
KING: You're not kidding.
BRYANT: ...that's carrying that cross. And then there's another person who has a cross bigger than his. And so we're all blessed in our own way, to be able to just wake up in the morning and to be able to receive the Lord's blessing, and to carry that cross and carry that burden, because it's a blessing, and that's how it should be looked. Because in the process of going through adversity, you're learning something. It brings you closer to God.
KING: Does it [the tsunami] make your own adversity seem small?
BRYANT: Oh, absolutely.
KING: It dwarfs it, right?
BRYANT: Absolutely. You know, we all have crosses to bear. We all have crosses to bear. And you know, the cross that you are blessed to carry, may feel like a huge burden to you, but there's somebody out there who has a cross five times bigger than yours...
KING: You're not kidding.
BRYANT: ...that's carrying that cross. And then there's another person who has a cross bigger than his. And so we're all blessed in our own way, to be able to just wake up in the morning and to be able to receive the Lord's blessing, and to carry that cross and carry that burden, because it's a blessing, and that's how it should be looked. Because in the process of going through adversity, you're learning something. It brings you closer to God.
History Was Made Last Night
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Richard Hamilton went into the NBA record book Thursday night with a bizarre distinction.
The Detroit Pistons swingman became the first player in league history to lead his team in scoring without making a field goal, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Hamilton, who had 14 points, missed all 10 of his shots from the floor and made all 14 free throws in a 101-79 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.
"It was just one of those nights," he said.
Thursday, January 06, 2005
He Said What?
SAN JUAN (AP) -- New York Mets general manager Omar Minaya's plan to headline the team with Latin players makes it an attractive possibility for Puerto Rican slugger Carlos Delgado, the first-baseman said Wednesday.
I've got no problem with this. In fact, I completely understand. But can you imagine the uproar if a white dude said this about white players. Yikes!
I've got no problem with this. In fact, I completely understand. But can you imagine the uproar if a white dude said this about white players. Yikes!
Pitino...and The 'Ville...Stink
HOUSTON — Houston, we have a problem?
If only it were that simple for the University of Louisville men's basketball team, which succumbed to Houston 70-67 under a Texas-sized list of woes last night in its Conference USA opener in Hofheinz Pavillion.
...The Cards probably were lucky to be that close. Houston (9-5, 1-0) led by eight in the second half and squeezed off 21 more shots than Louisville. That happened because of the Cougars' 18 offensive rebounds and a season-high 24 turnovers by UofL.
If only it were that simple for the University of Louisville men's basketball team, which succumbed to Houston 70-67 under a Texas-sized list of woes last night in its Conference USA opener in Hofheinz Pavillion.
...The Cards probably were lucky to be that close. Houston (9-5, 1-0) led by eight in the second half and squeezed off 21 more shots than Louisville. That happened because of the Cougars' 18 offensive rebounds and a season-high 24 turnovers by UofL.
Mike Davis Better Dust Off That Resume
EVANSTON, Ill. -- The Indiana University basketball team dug a deep hole last month with a six-game losing streak, and eventually a losing record heading into Big Ten play.
That hole is beginning to look like the Grand Canyon.
Northwestern, which hadn't won a Big Ten opener since 1983, dominated inside against the Hoosiers on Wednesday night in a 73-52 victory before a crowd of 7,001 at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
That hole is beginning to look like the Grand Canyon.
Northwestern, which hadn't won a Big Ten opener since 1983, dominated inside against the Hoosiers on Wednesday night in a 73-52 victory before a crowd of 7,001 at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Fighting for Themselves
Tom Friedman of the (gasp!) NY Times gets it exactly right:
It needs to be clear that these so-called insurgents are not fighting to liberate Iraq from America, but rather to reassert the tyranny of a Sunni-Baathist minority over the majority there. The insurgents are clearly desperate that they not be cast as fighting a democratically elected Iraqi government - which is why they are desperately trying to scuttle the elections. After all, if all they wanted was their fair share of the pie, and nothing more, they would be taking part in the elections.
We cannot liberate Iraq, and never could. Only Iraqis can liberate themselves, by first forging a social contract for sharing power and then having the will to go out and defend that compact against the minorities who will try to resist it. Elections are necessary for that process to unfold, but not sufficient. There has to be the will - among Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds - to forge that equitable social contract and then fight for it.
In short, we need these elections in Iraq to see if there really is a self-governing community there ready, and willing, to liberate itself - both from Iraq's old regime and from us. The answer to this question is not self-evident. This was always a shot in the dark - but one that I would argue was morally and strategically worth trying.
Because if it is impossible for the peoples of even one Arab state to voluntarily organize themselves around a social contract for democratic life, then we are looking at dictators and kings ruling this region as far as the eye can see. And that will guarantee that this region will be a cauldron of oil-financed pathologies and terrorism for the rest of our lives.
It needs to be clear that these so-called insurgents are not fighting to liberate Iraq from America, but rather to reassert the tyranny of a Sunni-Baathist minority over the majority there. The insurgents are clearly desperate that they not be cast as fighting a democratically elected Iraqi government - which is why they are desperately trying to scuttle the elections. After all, if all they wanted was their fair share of the pie, and nothing more, they would be taking part in the elections.
We cannot liberate Iraq, and never could. Only Iraqis can liberate themselves, by first forging a social contract for sharing power and then having the will to go out and defend that compact against the minorities who will try to resist it. Elections are necessary for that process to unfold, but not sufficient. There has to be the will - among Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds - to forge that equitable social contract and then fight for it.
In short, we need these elections in Iraq to see if there really is a self-governing community there ready, and willing, to liberate itself - both from Iraq's old regime and from us. The answer to this question is not self-evident. This was always a shot in the dark - but one that I would argue was morally and strategically worth trying.
Because if it is impossible for the peoples of even one Arab state to voluntarily organize themselves around a social contract for democratic life, then we are looking at dictators and kings ruling this region as far as the eye can see. And that will guarantee that this region will be a cauldron of oil-financed pathologies and terrorism for the rest of our lives.
Good Idea?
In today's Wall Street Journal, there's a piece by Bruce Gilley titled "An Immodest Proposal". In it, he writes:
"Here is an immodest proposal that could reduce global tensions, bring justice to millions, and cement China's emergence as a great power: Beijing should invade North Korea on humanitarian grounds and establish a China-backed transitional regime there. The U.S. and its allies in Asia should provide diplomatic and logistical support to the operation, while the U.N. should provide its legal blessing."
I'm not sure if this idea's crazy or ingenius.
"Here is an immodest proposal that could reduce global tensions, bring justice to millions, and cement China's emergence as a great power: Beijing should invade North Korea on humanitarian grounds and establish a China-backed transitional regime there. The U.S. and its allies in Asia should provide diplomatic and logistical support to the operation, while the U.N. should provide its legal blessing."
I'm not sure if this idea's crazy or ingenius.
Leslie's Out
The Bengals' defense improved from 2003 to 2004 but apparently not enough to save defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier's job.
Frazier, whose two-year contract had expired, was not offered a new deal, the club announced Wednesday. The decision had been made by as early as Tuesday, following a Monday night meeting involving Frazier and coach Marvin Lewis at Paul Brown Stadium.
Look, Marvin can hire or fire whomever he wants. But the Marvin/Frazier marriage NEVER made sense. Frazier is a protege if Jim Johnson in Philly, whose attacking, blitzing defenses are legendary. Marvin, on the other hand, is a conservative, fundamental, keep the offense in front of you type of defensive mind.Frazier is a good coach. But this was never going to work.
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