News Stories

[Shadow Kira01]

NYPD: Divers believe they've found plane wreckage

It seems there were no survivors...

[mg1942]

Americans flocking to China to seek work, opportunity


http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/11/bu...gewanted=print

[james0246]

Originally Posted by autobachs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqpfU...eature=related
Just wait until there is video of one of these union thugs slapping some old Senior at one of these townhalls. When that hits youtube Obama will lose 5% easy. The left is un-glued.

To add some hilarity (or at least what I consider hilarity) to the situation, the man (Kenneth Gladney) that was supposedly "beaten" (later admitted to a hospital even though in the video he was up walking around after supposedly being attacked for no reason) turns out to be unemployed without health insurance (so he was campaigning to make sure he couldn't receive health insurance while looking for a new job ), and, for the kicker, in a recent conservative run rally outside the SEIU in St. Louis (which was closed when the protestors held their protest (which kind of defeats the purpose of holding a protest)), Gladney's attorney (who is demanding that Obama apologies to his client) asked for the people at the rally to pay for Gladney's medical bill...

It's hard to think of anything more hilarious (right now at least) than a man considered to be a "martyr" (Kenny the Victim) against national health care, losing his insurance and asking for others to pay for his health care. There's something deeply ironic about the situation that, sadly enough, has been lost on the majority of people supporting him...

That being said, if you actually watch the video, Kenneth Gladney actually pushes someone else of the ground first, which in turn causes someone to come push him on the ground, where he supposedly hurts various parts of his body enough to (presently) be confined to a wheelchair (even though the rest of the video shows him walking around fine after the fight). Additionally, while it seems that Gladney may have started the fight, the current facts seem to indicate that he was not actually protesting anything outside the public hall, rather he was trying to sell buttons, or some other knick-knack like that. The cause of the initial fight is still unknown.

[Shadow Kira01]

M6.5 quake jolts central Japan, injuring more than 30

A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.5 shook Shizuoka Prefecture in central Japan and its vicinity, including the Tokyo metropolitan area, early Tuesday morning, injuring more than 30 people and causing two nuclear reactors to automatically shut down.

Some minor tsunami tidal waves up to 60 centimeters high were observed in the prefecture following the 5:07 a.m. quake, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. The agency issued tsunami warnings shortly after the quake but they were withdrawn past 7 a.m.

Two nuclear reactors at the Hamaoka nuclear plant -- the No. 4 and No. 5 -- in Omaezaki, Shizuoka, were suspended automatically, and the radioactive level at the No. 5 reactor building temporarily went up, although there was no radiation leakage, according to Chubu Electric Power Co.

The quake, which originated about 23 kilometers under the surface of the sea in Suruga Bay, measured lower 6 on the Japanese seismic scale of 7 at several points in Shizuoka, including Izu, Yaizu, Omaezaki and Makinohara, according to the agency.

The agency said it will examine if the quake is related to a massive quake that is feared to hit the Tokai region of central Japan in the future -- the so-called Tokai quake.

Central Japan Railway Co. temporarily suspended operations of Shinkansen bullet trains and local trains in Shizuoka and parts of Nagano Prefecture, and some parts of the Tomei Expressway have been closed.

The surface of the road was lifted up at the Kikugawa interchange on the expressway in Shizuoka Prefecture, according to the local police.

In Omaezaki, water pipes burst at several points and water supplies have been cut off, while in the cities of Shizuoka, Kakegawa and Shimada in Shizuoka Prefecture, power supply was cut off for 9,500 households in total, according to the municipal governments and Chubu Electric.

This seems very serious. At the same time, this is also very scary as that there is no method to prevent a quake or to evacuate civilians before a predicted quake as that it is not possible to predict quakes in the first place. And even if it is possible, I doubt evacuation will be carried out in a smooth manner as that not everybody will cooperate at times on a natural disaster. There will be lots of people making fusses, disturbing the best method of evacuation which is to form lines of cars and people either out of the danger zone or into shelter places. When too many people make a fuss in one place, the disaster management department will have difficulty handling the issue while also keeping an eye on the deadline.

Hopefully, there will not be another quake...

Originally Posted by mg1942

Americans flocking to China to seek work, opportunity


http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/11/bu...gewanted=print

This is nothing new..

It started since the Clinton-era. During the Bush-era, there had been an increase of Americans flocking over to China for investment and work and now the Obama-era.. Nothing strange!

[iLney]

Originally Posted by james0246

To add some hilarity (or at least what I consider hilarity) to the situation, the man (Kenneth Gladney) that was supposedly "beaten" (later admitted to a hospital even though in the video he was up walking around after supposedly being attacked for no reason) turns out to be unemployed without health insurance (so he was campaigning to make sure he couldn't receive health insurance while looking for a new job ), and, for the kicker, in a recent conservative run rally outside the SEIU in St. Louis (which was closed when the protestors held their protest (which kind of defeats the purpose of holding a protest)), Gladney's attorney (who is demanding that Obama apologies to his client) asked for the people at the rally to pay for Gladney's medical bill...

It's hard to think of anything more hilarious (right now at least) than a man considered to be a "martyr" (Kenny the Victim) against national health care, losing his insurance and asking for others to pay for his health care. There's something deeply ironic about the situation that, sadly enough, has been lost on the majority of people supporting him...

1st: what does this have anything to do with him being "supposedly" beaten?

2nd: I guess that those evil rich bastards who fought for the independence of this country were nut or some kind of extremists. Why? They did all of those things so that the British could burn their properties to the ground. And we all knew that the main reason for the revolution was the British's taxing without representative. Those guys must haven't been rich enough. Ironic much?

3rd: there is nothing wrong for him to ask for help. If he coerces other to help him regardless of his situation, it's another story.

The one thing that upsets me the most about this issue is that people who support the bill are gonna benefit from it and those who oppose it are not. Wait. Isn't it how it's supposed to be? NO! Those people just simply have no #$%$#^ principle. What's wrong with them? Or what the heck is wrong with me for not OK with that? I bet that if their social status change they'll switch side faster than an AC current. And comments like this just make a perfect day for me.

Srry for the ranting.

[Hage-bai]

Originally Posted by james0246

That being said, if you actually watch the video, Kenneth Gladney actually pushes someone else of the ground first, which in turn causes someone to come push him on the ground,

"HE ATTACKED AMERICA". RAWWR. LOVE IT.

p.s How you can deduce any side of this story from this video confounds me. I wish i had Nancy Pelosi's x-ray vison right about now.

[Saleh]

Hillary Clinton: I'm secretary of state, not Bill

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) -- Hillary Clinton has a message for the world: It's not all about Bill.

The secretary of state bristled Monday when - as she heard it - a Congolese university student asked what her husband thought about an international financial matter.

She hadn't traveled to Africa to talk about her husband the ex-president. But even there, she couldn't escape his outsized shadow.

She abruptly reclaimed the stage for herself.

"My husband is not secretary of state, I am," she snapped. "I am not going to be channeling my husband."

Clinton's presence, so bold in her historic presidential candidacy against Barack Obama, has sometimes been hard to see in the months she's served as the supposed face and voice of U.S. foreign policy.

The president's ambitious travels have overshadowed her, heavyweight special envoys have been assigned to the world's critical hotspots, Vice President Joe Biden has taken on assignments abroad - and then last week her husband succeeded in a North Korean mission to free two journalists even as she landed in Africa on a seven-nation trip.

"You want me to tell you what my husband thinks?" she asked incredulously when the student raised a question about a multibillion-dollar Chinese loan offer to Congo.

"If you want my opinion, I will tell you my opinion," she said. "I am not going to be channeling my husband."

The moderator quickly moved on.

State Department officials said the student approached Clinton afterward and told her he had meant to ask what Obama, not Bill Clinton, thought about the Chinese loan. A senior Clinton aide said that Mrs. Clinton assured the student not to worry about it.

The student's question, according to the State Department translation, went like this: "Thank you. Mrs. Clinton, weve all heard about the Chinese contracts in this country. The interference is from the World Bank against this contract. What does Mr. Clinton think through the mouth of Mrs. Clinton and what does Mr. Mutombo think on this situation? Thank you very much."

...

[mg1942]

Hype, or true game changer? The initial cost is huge, but just like with electronics, should come down if you can get enough people to purchase the first generation.
http://money.cnn.com/2009/08/11/auto...ion=2009081108

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by mg1942

Hype, or true game changer? The initial cost is huge, but just like with electronics, should come down if you can get enough people to purchase the first generation.
http://money.cnn.com/2009/08/11/auto...ion=2009081108

I was really rooting for this... but $40K is just a showstopper for Joe Average. Expect to initially see it in fleet purchases (governments, corporations, and rental car companies). And given the GM tendency to have terrible 1st year experiences with new-tech rollout (maxim: never buy the first year of any major model or change)... my teeth are a bit clinched.

[Ledgem]

Originally Posted by mg1942

Hype, or true game changer? The initial cost is huge, but just like with electronics, should come down if you can get enough people to purchase the first generation.
http://money.cnn.com/2009/08/11/auto...ion=2009081108

Screw 'em. A 400 pound battery that runs for 40 miles, and then the gas engine kicks in? When I think of innovation (and, dare I say it - American innovation, in the field of cars, and in modern times, no less!) I think of Tesla Motors. They're 100% electric, charge in ~3 hours, have a driving range of ~240 miles. You're not going to go cross-country with it, and maybe the Californians who commute from Los Angeles to San Diego won't like it, but for the rest of us it's perfect.

Tesla's initial car is way too expensive for most people, of course. They're working on a sedan-class vehicle now.

While GM is heading in the right direction with this and should be commended for it, I'm a bit resentful of the fact that Tesla - a company that went ahead with the concept of 100% electric cars, and actually produced one that's viable - isn't getting as much press as it should. Worse, if and when GM or Ford come out with a 100% electric car, they'll probably be heralded as the first, and as being innovators. They've snubbed innovation like this for long enough. I'd like to see Tesla Motors rewarded by becoming one of the top American car companies, if not the new #1 entirely.

[Vexx]

Tesla cars are simply beautiful machines both inside and out... full agreement. I am gratified Tesla was one of the group of automakers that got those R&D grants.

[mg1942]

oh btw

The one thing that people always seem to forget when they tout these "electric" cars is that the electricity that powers these cars has to come from somewhere. Being that the vast majority of power generation in this country comes from coal, fuel oil, or natural gas it is still a fail. Increased usage only means increased demand on the electrical grid. Meaning the usage of more fossil fuels.

We have all seen how great the electrical grid can handle increased demand on the west and east coast.... What's going to happen when a million people come home each night and plug in their cars?

[Vexx]

1) its easier to control and manage centralized emitters.
2) the majority of power sources is shifting trend-wise. again, its easier to manage power source evolution if it isn't spread over millions of units.
3) you're entirely right -- the power grid sucks. T. Boone Pickens agrees with you but then we've got several massive infrastructure decays in this country (telco, rail, electric, etc).

Personally, I'm figuring the US is in an unrecoverable spiral into collapse and a "dark age" because its hands are bound by the status quo, special interests, and an inability to see beyond the next quarter So it goes...

[mg1942]

I hope GM volt does not follow the same fate as Ford taurus. I remember Taurus as a POS car that only spends its lifetime in fleet rentals.
Based on what I read the original Taurus brought many new features and innovations to the marketplace, but in later years Taurus lost its edge to Lexus-inspired Toyota Camrys and Honda Accords. My only guess is that Taurus failed because at that time FOrd has yet to master the art of Kaizen.

[LynnieS]

For the Volt's MPG-equivalent claim of 230, isn't that based on the EPA proposed draft? It may and can change once everything has been finalized - i.e., it appears to be more of a PR ploy at the moment than anything else. The cost of powering an electric vehicle is TBD, I think, given that electricity costs usually scale based on usage.

Would an owner save money also? No idea since he'll likely have to eat his share of the power generation infrastructure as well; the car makers or electric companies will not absorb the costs of building new plants themselves. Also, people don't usually want to have nuclear power plants in their neighborhoods so that means coal or natural gas instead. Do people want those instead? With "NIMBY"... probably not, so that means losses from transmission and additional environmental costs. You're not likely to save much, without new science/tech, w.r.t. the environment.

India is looking to generate 20 GW of clean energy by 2020

NEW DELHI, Aug 10 (Reuters) - The global financial crisis is hurting India's hopes of attracting about $21 billion worth of investments in renewable energy by 2012, but a new solar plan expected to be rolled out by December could provide a boost.

Renewables energy officials said on Monday they had already received more than $3 billion worth of investment since 2007, which could generate about 3,000 megawatts (MW) of power, almost half of it from wind energy alone.

It looks like the country may want others in the developed world to contribute, however.

Further on the environment front, a Guardian editorial on the 2-yrs old plan for Ecuador to receive money to not drill in the Yasuni National Park. The cost isn't too high, given that it can come from many countries, but (1) the oil will be needed - if not now, then later unless cheap clean energy does appear and (2) there is no guarantee that a second demand will not be made in the future. Hints of North Korea, anyone?

[Shadow Kira01]

FOCUS: To vote or vote not: people in S. Afghanistan remain undecided

Taliban militants have not only boycotted the elections and called on people to fight a holy war against foreigners in the country, they have also warned people not to be found after election day with their fingers inked.

''We have been warned by Taliban that if we vote and they found our people with their fingers inked they would be in trouble,'' Haji Sultan, an elder in Marja district of Helmand Province, said by telephone.

Voters have their fingers inked to prevent voting more than once. The ink stays on fingers for at least three days.

But the concern of many is about what happens after the polls and whether the security forces will be able to provide security for those who vote.

Their inked fingers will be a clear mark for Taliban harassment.

''Our elders' council asked the Afghan election commission if it was possible to vote without our fingers being inked, but they did not accept that,'' Sultan said.

And election commission spokesman Noor Mohammad Noor said it is impossible for voters to avoid having their fingers marked.

''It is not possible...this is to avoid fraud and multiple voting,'' Noor said.

''The security forces have assured us they will provide all necessary security for the people to vote,'' he added. ''The people should trust the security forces and not worry. They should go to polling centers and vote.''

When something happens to the voters.. The Afghan authorities will simply go and say "That was quite a misfortune. We are very sorry as that we have tried our best. Please rest in peace now!".

It is obvious that the Afghan authories have little concern about the safety of the voters as long as they cast their votes which indicates that chances are some of the election authorities are actually members of the Taliban or that the election authorities simply want to oppose the Taliban at all costs, even if it means to utilize the voters as expandables. One look at the situation or the other, it generally seems that the voters are the ones at a disadvantage.

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by mg1942

I hope GM volt does not follow the same fate as Ford taurus. I remember Taurus as a POS car that only spends its lifetime in fleet rentals.
Based on what I read the original Taurus brought many new features and innovations to the marketplace, but in later years Taurus lost its edge to Lexus-inspired Toyota Camrys and Honda Accords. My only guess is that Taurus failed because at that time FOrd has yet to master the art of Kaizen.

Take a gander at the Nissan Leaf.... at $25K and 367mpg averaged and 100miles/charge. Hits the market the same year as the Volt in 2011.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/0..._n_257448.html

[Thingle]

Originally Posted by Shadow Kira01

FOCUS: To vote or vote not: people in S. Afghanistan remain undecided





When something happens to the voters.. The Afghan authorities will simply go and say "That was quite a misfortune. We are very sorry as that we have tried our best. Please rest in peace now!".

It is obvious that the Afghan authories have little concern about the safety of the voters as long as they cast their votes which indicates that chances are some of the election authorities are actually members of the Taliban or that the election authorities simply want to oppose the Taliban at all costs, even if it means to utilize the voters as expandables. One look at the situation or the other, it generally seems that the voters are the ones at a disadvantage.

Islamism is an enemy even to Muslims. To the person who bad repped me for stating it while not noticing the distinction.

[Shadow Kira01]

Originally Posted by Thingle

ISLAMISM is the enemy. Wherever you're from. This is a spectre that threatens the pillars/institutions of all civilized nations. That's the reality so we must be vigilant against anyone suspicious. I hope someday, those breed of Muslims will be secularized, through exposure to cultural studies, materialism and pop culture so that we can all live in peace kumbayaaaaa. If Muslims can be secular, Islamists can too.

Originally Posted by Thingle

Islamism is an enemy even to Muslims. To the person who bad repped me for stating it while not noticing the distinction.

I don't get you..

Why is anti-Semitism a crime when anti-Islamism is perfectly okay?

----
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4.4 Please do not post about reputations

If you feel you have received an inappropriate reputation award please contact a member of staff. Please do not make posts or comments in The Forum complaining about such events. In addition, please do not request or "beg" for reputation points as this will be considered a violation of The Rules.

Is it just me or did you break one of the rules aside from your own contradicting your own Holy Bible on the issue of "co-existence" with other religions? It is a pity that this is coming from you when we had previously agreed on various political issues.

[Thingle]

Originally Posted by Shadow Kira01

I don't get you..

Why is anti-Semitism a crime when anti-Islamism is perfectly okay?

I don't get anti-semitism as crime as it is not a crime here in my country.

Straw man.

Point out to me any part in my post that equates Islamism with crime.

Enemy =/= crime. You cannot criminalize ideology. However, what they do are crimes.

Updated:
You cannot choose semitism, that cannot be said about islamism. People can be born Jewish, but people are NOT born thumping korans and blowing themselves up.