Grass roots via the net/talk radio killed Amnesty bill.

Politics: NYTIMES points out the role of the grass roots thru the internet and talk radio had in derailing the bill.

But the legislation sparked a furious rebellion among many Republican and even some Democratic voters, who were linked by the Internet and encouraged by radio talk show hosts. Their outrage and activism surged to full force after Senator Jon Kyl, the Arizona Republican who was an author of the bill, suggested early this week that support for the measure seemed to be growing. The assault on lawmakers in Washington was relentless. In a crucial vote Thursday night, the bill’s supporters, including President Bush, fell short by 15 votes. While there is a possibility the legislation could be revived later this year, there was a glow of victory among opponents on Friday. “Technologically enhanced grass-roots activism is what turned this around, people empowered by the Internet and talk radio,” said Colin A. Hanna, president of Let Freedom Ring, a conservative group. Mr. Hanna suggested the passion and commitment were on the side of the opponents. “The opposition to the amnesty plan is so much more intense than the intensity of the supporters,” said Mr. Hanna, speaking of the bill’s provisions to grant legal status to qualifying illegal immigrants, which the authors of the legislation insisted was not amnesty.

Pieces like this from the Wash Post "Backers of Immigration Bill More Optimistic" where people like Kyl dismissed the opposition as a small number of people certainly did help to make people more irate.

More from Instapundit.

South Korea ruling party falling apart.

Asia: As the conservative party seems poidsed to take the Presidency.

SEOUL (AFP) - Sixteen more lawmakers defected from South Korea's increasingly unpopular ruling party on Friday ahead of the country's presidential election in December. Dozens more are expected to follow suit, leaving the Uri Party, which now holds less than one-third of the parliament's 299 seats, worried it might lose the election to the conservative opposition Grand National Party (GNP). The latest group of defectors said in a statement that the party had failed to meet public expectations and that they would align themselves with other lawmakers who had already left to challenge the GNP.

Roh, whose single five-year term ends next February, has upset conservatives by distancing the country from US foreign policy while angering leftists by pushing successfully for a recently signed free-trade pact with Washington. Liberal groups, reformists and opponents of the conservative GNP have been regrouping ahead of the election. But while agreeing on the need for a unified front, no leading liberal candidate has yet emerged. Most polls show the current favourites are both from the GNP -- former Seoul mayor Lee Myung-Bak with around 40 percent support and Park Geun-Hye, the daughter of a former president, with 20 percent.

Climate deal: Big nothing.

Environment: America, China and India have no stake, Europe gets to talk a big game but no mandatory cuts. Just a lot of we will talk about it.

Under yesterday's agreement, the G8 called for strong and early action to tackle climate change through a "substantial global emissions reduction". It wants the major emitters to reach agreement by the end of next year with a global UN accord reached in 2009. The G8 added that it would "seriously consider" an agreement between the EU, Japan and Canada which would cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% by 2050, and invited the major emerging economies to "join us in this endeavour". Participation by China and India is vital for the success of the G8 deal, since Mr Bush has made it clear that he will not hand a competitive advantage to China and India. The UN said yesterday's announcement was a step towards a broader, worldwide pact by 2009. "It's a very positive outcome," said Yvo de Boer, the head of the UN climate change secretariat in Bonn. "It augurs very well for the conference of parties in Bali," he said, referring to a UN meeting in Indonesia in December that will look for long-term ways to combat climate change when the Kyoto agreement expires at the end of 2011. UK sources said yesterday's move was made possible after Mr Blair was asked by Mrs Merkel to use his close relationship with the Mr Bush to find a way forward. Mr Blair admitted that there was still a long way to go on climate change, with the need to agree on a baseline date for reductions in greenhouse gases and a formula for how the cuts should be shared out. The prime minister was encouraged, however, that reducing emissions was linked to setting up a global system of carbon trading. The Conservatives welcomed the progress made at the summit.

It just looks good for talking points that is all.

"'Police Threatened by Moroccans'"

EU: Interesting teaser that I can't access on NIS.

'Police Threatened by Moroccans' AMSTERDAM, 08/06/07 - Police in Amsterdam's Bos en Lommer district have in recent years been threatened and intimidated by Moroccan ...

Amnesty Immigration bill goes down in flames.

Immigration: It got too odious for those on the right and left to be approved. HotAir and Michelle Malkin has the roundup. Dan Balz of the Wash Post is upset at the bickering.

The collapse of comprehensive immigration revision in the Senate last night represents a political defeat for President Bush, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), the bill's most prominent sponsors. More significantly, it represents a scathing indictment of the political culture of Washington. The defeat of the legislation can be laid at the doorstep of opponents on the right and left, on congressional leaders who couldn't move their troops and on an increasingly weakened president and his White House team. But together it added up to another example of a polarized political system in which the center could not hold. The partisan blame game was already at fever pitch as the bill was going down yesterday. But to those far removed from the backrooms of Capitol Hill, what happened will fuel cynicism toward a political system that appears incapable of finding ways to resolve the nation's big challenges. If Washington cannot produce a solution to the glaring problem of immigration, they will ask, what hope is there for progress on health care, energy independence, or the financial challenges facing Medicare and Social Security? Iraq is another matter entirely. Voters wanted an immigration deal, Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) acknowledged as he pulled the measure after 9 last night: "The problem was on the inside of this Senate chamber."

The entire premise of this piece is wrong. People want Immigration reforms, this hideous bill was not it in the least. It was a horrible mish-mash of confusing laws made to give 12 million illegal aliens legal without any regard to fixing the border and regulating efficiently who comes in and out of America. The more people learned about the bill the less they liked it.

Update# I pointed out this article a couple of days ago by the Washington Post's Jonathan Weisman which said backers of the bill were optimistic which in my mind was delusional. Mickey Kaus wonders if Weisman didn't get suckered or willingly went along with it to create some mo.

"Backers of Immigration Bill More Optimistic Lawmakers Cite Sense of Urgency"--Washington Post, last Monday. As with the LAT's stories about California Gov. Gray Davis' growing confidence heading into his recall election, I don't think this story simply looks embarrassing, given subsequent events. I think it was BS at the time it was written. The Post's reporter was either willingly or (more likely) cluelessly spun by his pro-bill sources, ignoring the impact public opposition to the "grand bargain" over the recess was having.

Paris Hilton fiasco a huge embarrassment.

Entertainment: There are serious legal implications to all this despite it being about Paris.

TMZ has learned that a judge has ordered Paris Hilton back to his Los Angeles courtroom, telling her she must attend tomorrow morning's hearing. She could be sent BACK to the slammer!! Late today, L.A. City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo filed paperwork demanding a hearing before Judge Michael Sauer to determine why the Sheriff's Department allowed Paris to get out of jail when the judge had expressly ordered her to serve out her entire sentence. The hearing is scheduled for 9:00 AM PDT on Friday. TMZ contacted the Sheriff's Department, but they refused to comment on the case.

Someone in the Sheriff's Department is getting fired. Letting her out early for mental reasons just looks like a double standard justice system at work. The attorney and Judge wanted to make an example out of her and the whole system looks like a joke. I wouldn't be surprised if they shoved her back in jail by noon.

Isaiah Washington fired from Grey's Anatomy

Entertainment: A couple of lessons to be learned from this situation.

Multiple sources are telling me that Isaiah Washington will not be returning to Grey's Anatomy next season. An ABC Studios spokesperson confirms that the actor's contract option has not been picked up, but declined further comment. One insider, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation, speculated that the decision was likely due only in part to the T.R. Knight homophobic slur scandal and the subsequent fallout. "There was a pattern of problematic behavior going back before he used the F-word," says my spy. "I imagine [his dismissal] was the result of all of that." Washington's rep, Howard Bragman, confirmed the news, adding that his client was informed by Grey's executive producer Shonda Rhimes earlier today that he was not being invited back to the show. In a statement, Washington, referencing the iconic line from Network, said, "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore." (He's kidding... I think.) Plot-wise, it won't be difficult to explain Washington's absence. In last month's season finale, Burke left Cristina at the altar and moved out of their apartment.

1) Don't be a dickhead on the set of a show.

2) If you make a mistake like calling a cast mate a faggot, apologize for being an idiot.

3) Don't go to any public humiliating re-education camp and let people make a spectacle out of you to score PR points. If they try firmly say I said I was sorry but this is BS.

4) Make damn sure they are not stringing you along to finish the season and then fire you when they have made sure you are not needed anymore.

Secret Life of Mr. Lee the Cat.

General: Ever wonder what and where your cat goes for hours on end? This guy did and figured out to put a camera on his cat to take photos along the way.

Zapatero reels as ETA readies for Summer bombs.

Spain: Zappo really screwed up as the police warns him that during the ceasefire, ETA rearmed and now has a base within Madrid.

Spain braced itself for a fresh terrorist attack by Basque separatist group Eta yesterday as hopes of a lasting peace were shattered by the ending of a 14-month ceasefire. Police have warned the prime minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, that the group has several active service units in position and that it rearmed and refined its bomb-making techniques during the ceasefire, according to reports. The group had also established a stable infrastructure in Madrid.

Denzel and Russel Crowe team up again

Entertainment: Virtuosity 2: Sid's revenge! Not really, but for American Gangster directed by Ridley Scott.

Obama = Magic Negro gains a fan?

Politics: Who knew?

[Mark] McKinnon, a lifelong Democrat until he decided to team up with Bush, developed a bond with McCain over their shared belief in the need to remain committed to the troops in Iraq. McKinnon helped organize McCain’s last book tour and has traveled extensively with the senator, offering media advice to the candidate for much of the last year. But he wrote a memo to the campaign in January, explaining that he would quit if the general election pitted McCain against Obama. McKinnon wrote that while he opposed Obama’s policies, especially on Iraq, he felt that the Illinois senator–as an African-American politician–has a unique potential to change the country. Therefore, McKinnon argued, he wanted no part in any efforts to tear down Obama’s candidacy. (McKinnon, who has previously told friends he was inspired by Obama’s autobiography, refused to comment on the memo, as did Brian Jones, McCain’s communications director; Obama’s campaign said that the senator had never met McKinnon.)

" I dislike his policies, but he is AFRICAN-AMERICAN! So don't mess with him!"

That whole judge by the content of character not the color of his skin seems to have fallen to the wayside a long time ago.
tip Hotair.

Footbaths come to University of Michigan-Dearborn.

Culture: Shocking considering how U of Meeeeechigan is about diversity and multiculturalism they are just now doing this. The use of public money is an issue while to no surprise the ACLU says its a-okay. You know if it was a Christian thing, they would be suing.

The university claims the stations are needed to accommodate Muslim students, who must ritually wash their bodies -- including the feet -- up to five times each day before prayers. But critics hit conservative blogs and radio airwaves Monday to argue public money shouldn't cover the cost. "Technically, they've got a problem, because it's public money they're using to pay for this," said Hal Downs, president of the Michigan chapter of Washington, D.C.-based Americans United for Separation of Church and State. "It's one of those issues that we're going to be facing more and more in this community." The issue may push hot buttons in Metro Detroit -- home to as many as 250,000 Muslims -- but in nearby Ypsilanti, no one raised objections when Eastern Michigan University included a private bathroom with a foot-washing area in a new student union that opened in November, said Glenna Frank Miller, its director. U-M Dearborn will include the floor-level stations at two bathrooms to be constructed in August at the University Center and Fairlane Center buildings, said Terry Gallagher, spokesman for the university. The units are necessary because some students resorted to washing their feet in sinks. The university of 8,600 students doesn't track them by religion, Gallagher said. "This was a reasonable accommodation," he said. Gallagher argued taxpayer money won't be used for the foot baths because the $100,000 total bill for the bathrooms is underwritten by a fee students pay for building maintenance. But Downs countered the move appears to violate the establishment clause of the First Amendment, which prohibits governments from favoring religions or subsidizing them. The Detroit chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union isn't getting involved, arguing the foot baths are secular since non-Muslims could use them, said spokeswoman Rana Elmir. "If they're going to build more bathrooms, why not build them in a way to accommodate the students?" asked Bilal Dabaja, 22, a political science major and Muslim. "There is a sizable minority of students who are Muslims." A similar controversy erupted in April in Minnesota, when Minneapolis Community and Technical College officials were bombarded with thousands of angry e-mails after announcing plans to build foot wash stations. The issue was fueled by criticism from conservative Internet bloggers. In Metro Detroit, Southfield attorney Debbie Schlussel is leading the charge against U-M Dearborn's plans, writing: "Forget about the Constitutionally mandated separation of church and state at least when it comes to mosque and state." The Internet has created the fuss at U-M Dearborn, argued Dawud Walid, executive director of the Michigan branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. "To my knowledge, none of the students or staff have made any complaints about the foot-washing area," Walid said. "This whole thing came to light through some right-wing Islama-phobic bloggers that want to promulgate the idea that the university is being Islama-fied."

Where do the student fees come from if not taxpayers, why is the ACLU clearly dropping the ball on this because the footbaths are being put in for religious reasons not secular, did anyone know Eastern Michigan University existed which looks like a strawman argument put in by this journalist.

George Monbiot buys a car

Enviro: As Tim Blair snickers and I wonder why move to a rural area instead of a more environmentally safer city life with public transport. But if you are buying a car, for God sakes buy something worthwhile. Its not like he doesn't have money.

Canada says no to Winnie Mandela.

Culture: Kidnapping and murder will do that to you.

Gordon Brown says Brits for British jobs.

UK: Gordon Brown is going to put Brits into British jobs.

Mr Brown said he wanted to sign partnerships with all the major industries that they would help British workers to access the jobs that were available. The Government has faced growing complaints that a new wave of immigrants from countries such as Poland and Romania is driving down wages and reducing job opportunities for domestic workers.

News: Zia Haider Rahman in the Telegraph wants to confront the Muslim conspiracists who believe the government was involved in the 7/7 bombings.

Warner Bros making Thundercats movie.

Entertainment: The 80s will never die and that makes me happy. I'm guessing Lion-O's HOOOOOOOOOOO chant is out. Damn you Imus.

Studio has optioned a script by tyro scribe Paul Sopocy to turn the popular 1980s animated series and toy line into a live action feature. Warner-based Paula Weinstein will produce through her Spring Creek Prods. banner, along with Dick Robertson and Lew Korman. Property revolves around a group of humanoid cats (with feline names like Lion-O, Tygra, Panthro and Cheetara) who must flee their planet of Thundera after it's destroyed. Once crash-landing on another planet, Third Earth, they must thwart Mumm-Ra, an evil sorcerer, bent on killing them off. Sopocy has written the script as an origin story expanding on the major heroes and villains from the animated series, with the plot focusing on Lion-O coming of age as the leader of the Thundercats. Project was brought to Warner by Palek Patel, VP at Spring Creek. Dan Lin is overseeing the pic for Warners. The Thundercats franchise began in 1983 and spawned several animated series, with the most recent airing on Cartoon Network, a toy line produced by LJN and comicbooks published by Marvel and DC imprints. Warner Bros. has owned the rights to the animated series since acquiring Telepictures Corp. in 1989.

Barack "Segolene Royal" Obama warning.

Politics: People better be careful because as of right now there are quiet riots, people will feel the noize as they will rock the boys and get wild, wild, wild.... wild, wild, wild according to Obama.

HAMPTON, Va. (AP) - Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama said Tuesday that the Bush administration has done nothing to defuse a "quiet riot" among blacks that threatens to erupt just as riots in Los Angeles did 15 years ago. The first-term Illinois senator said that with black people from New Orleans and the Gulf Coast still displaced 20 months after Hurricane Katrina, frustration and resentments are building explosively as they did before the 1992 riots. "This administration was colorblind in its incompetence," Obama said at a conference of black clergy, "but the poverty and the hopelessness was there long before the hurricane. "All the hurricane did was to pull the curtain back for all the world to see," he said.

Just want to point out that New Orleans has been a heavy Dem stronghold for decades and rioting did nothing in Los Angeles except make people more wary that the policies Obama would advocate did nothing except prolong and enable the poverty. But what I am really irritated by is this black people are smoldering to riot warning card that Obama is indulging for whatever reason.

It is the same kind of talk that Muslim "leaders" speak on about Muslims if they feel alienated they would react in violence or talk of cannibalism after Katrina and violence at the superdome which turned out to be false media reports. This just drag the entire black community down as nothing more than reactionary animals. I thought Obama was better than this but it seems he just knows how to dress it up better than others before him.

He is no better than Royal.

Israeli journalists admit to slanting to anti-war.

Media: For purely selfish reasons twice they slanted and kept quiet. I guess they missed ethics class, but this would get them a Guardian award.

Dr. Chanan Naveh, who edited the Israel Broadcasting Authority radio's news desk in late 1990's and early 2000's, was particularly bombastic about his pervasive reach: "The morning audience, stuck in traffic jams or at work, is simply captive - they're ours." He also mentioned, with no regrets, two examples in which he and his colleagues made a concerted effort to change public opinion: "Three broadcasters - Carmela Menashe, Shelly Yechimovich [now a Labor party Knesset Member - ed.], and I - pushed in every way possible the withdrawal from Lebanon towards 2000. In our newsroom, three of the editors had sons in Lebanon, and we took it upon ourselves as a mission - possibly not stated - to get the IDF out of Lebanon... I have no doubt that we promoted an agenda of withdrawal that was a matter of public dispute." At this point, Army Radio broadcaster Golan Yochpaz interrupted, "In my opinion, that is just super-problematic - super-problematic." Naveh did not miss a beat and said, "Correct, I'm admitting it, I'm not apologizing, I'm just saying this is what happened. It came from our guts because of the boys in Lebanon, this is what we did and I'm not sorry... I am very proud that we had a part in getting of our sons out of Lebanon."

Also the policy of disengagement.

Israeli journalists have previously admitted that the media was largely enlisted on behalf of the Disengagement/expulsion from Gush Katif and northern Shomron. "I have failed. We have failed," wrote Kaveh Shafran, political affairs correspondent for Israel Army Radio shortly before the expulsion was carried out. "As a diplomatic correspondent, I was among those who in the past year were supposed to tell the public exactly what is the Disengagement Plan, why it was created, how it will be implemented... The media's conspiracy of silence protected Sharon when he fired cabinet ministers who did not support disengagement..." Similarly, respected Israeli journalist Nachum Barnea admitted that most of the Israeli media acted more like the "guard dog" of the Disengagement Plan rather than that of democracy. Writing in the monthly media publication "The Seventh Eye," Barnea stated that Israeli journalists made a mistake that must be acknowledged, and that there is "no argument that the tone in the Israeli media is pro-disengagement."

Kathy Griffin: Typical liberal bigot.

Politics: Then people wonder why I have little time for these Hollywood liberals who don't have a clue.

GRIFFIN: But when people say I want a woman – ‘maybe Condi Rice.’ That’s not a pro-woman woman. Let me tell you something. Condi Rice is not a woman's woman. HASSELBECK: Why? Why? GRIFFIN: Because she follows everything white men say. She does what ever the white man does. . HASSELBECK: What's wrong with the white man, a black man? GRIFFIN: Let me tell you something. Any African American woman who is a Republican does not understand that she's not a part of their agenda. Wake up!

What is this evil agenda?

WALTERS [to Griffin]: You know I love you a lot, but what you just said is so bigoted. GRIFFIN: Why? WALTERS: She shouldn't be republican because she's black and not a good example for women because she’s black – . . GRIFFIN: I didn't say that. I don't think that's who the Republicans care for in their agenda. WALTERS: – Because her boss is a white man. HASSELBECK: What agenda? GRIFFIN: I think the Republican agenda doesn't look out for women and minorities. I’m sorry. That’s what I think. HASSELBECK: Why? GRIFFIN: I think they're out for their own. [Applause] White people, rich people, big money, white men...look at the way they're gunning for Hillary. [Crosstalk]

GE looking to invest billions into Kenya plant.

Bidness: Very nice, Kenya is growing by leaps and bounds.

"....If the Kenyan deal goes through, it will rank as the single-biggest investment by a multinational in East and Central Africa. It will also provide thousands of job opportunities and boost Government tax revenue by an estimated Sh10 billion annually. GE’s proposed factory is set to produce materials for Africa and expand GE’s market in the region. The company’s railways division, which is expected to services its regional customers with products manufactured in the new plant, provides a broad portfolio of rail technology solutions. The division has contracts with major rail utilities in Egypt, Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Namibia, Zambia, Tanzania, South Africa and, recently, Kenya. GE Healthcare, the company’s medical division, is already a significant player in Egypt, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Angola, Nigeria, Mozambique, Botswana, Uganda and South Africa where it supplies a large network of hospitals and health institutions with medical imaging equipment amongst other services. GE’s other bets in the region are already paying off in health imaging and aviation, where it is leveraging new ties with hospitals and airline companies eager to replace old technologies with new ones. Currently, the company’s list of local customers includes Kenya Railways, Kenya Airways and the Aga Khan Hospital. The GE Rail team has been supporting Kenya Railways to improve productivity and efficiency by helping the firm to manage their aging locomotive fleets. GE Rail helped Kenya Railways reduce maintenance costs and increase its performance. "After the locomotives were overhauled, availability improved from 48 to over 90 per cent and the amount of cargo they were able to transport skyrocketed from 2.8 million to 5.5 million metric tonnes," says GE. The aviation arm, GE Aircraft Engines, is the world’s leading manufacturer of jet engines for civil and military aircraft, including engines produced by CFM International, a joint company of Snecma of France and GE. Most foreign direct investment in Kenya is from countries like the United Kingdom, India, China, Germany, South Africa and the US. It is usually concentrated in the service, manufacturing, tourism and agricultural sectors. "Since the enactment of the new investment Act, the authority has witnessed the entry into the Kenyan market of major multi-national companies such as Nokia," says KIA."

Couric's ratings stink, but what about everyone else?

Media: When is there going to be a focus on the fact that the world news audience seems to be shrinking by the month if you look at this graphic by the NYPOST. More from Tvnewser.

BBC broadcasts goatse olympic logo?

Media: The official logo is getting blasted as being fugly, but the BBC on its website and television then showed viewer suggestions. One from a Sean Stayte looked familiar to those who have been unfortunate to get "goatse."

*WARNING* For the love of all that is pure and innocent, do not if you have no idea what this is about go do an image search at work. Even the wikipedia post might upset you.

This was from the BBC site before someone alerted them, I don't know who took the screencap.













The unfortunate broadcast.

Mike Tyson wants to act in Bollywood

Entertainment: Oh yes, this must happen, I demand it!

Former world heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson wants to try a new career -- acting in India's Bollywood movies. Tyson said the energy on the sets of a promotional video he recently shot for a new Indian movie had got him thinking about attempting more Bollywood work, a newspaper reported. The American boxer said in The Times of India interview that Firoz Nadiadwala, producer of Fool n Final -- for which Tyson shot the video -- had approached him with another film script.

China says hell with your emissions caps.

Environment: Just making official as the "leader" of the developing countries to the G8 about trying to cap their economic growth. As I have said over and over again, no country with all the talk about capping this and cutting back that will actually go with such a plan.

BEIJING, June 4 — With global warming high on the agenda for the world’s industrial powers gathering later this week in Germany, China staked out its position on Monday by releasing its first national strategy on climate change, a plan that promises to improve energy efficiency but rejects any mandatory caps on greenhouse gas emissions. The 62-page plan, two years in the making, served at least partly as a rebuff to separate efforts by President Bush and European nations to draw China and other developing countries into a commitment to reduce emissions, which was expected to be a focal point at the expanded summit meeting of the Group of 8 industrialized nations. China has resisted mandatory reductions in emissions, arguing that it is still a developing country and needs to balance environmental improvements with maintaining economic growth.

ETA says ceasefire is off.

Terrorism: Well this is a fine ending to Zappo's suck up to terrorists policy.

The Basque separatist group Eta says its ceasefire with the Spanish government will end on Wednesday. In a message printed by the Basque newspaper Berria, the banned group says "minimum conditions for continuing a process of negotiations do not exist". Eta declared a "permanent" ceasefire in March 2006, and had insisted it still held despite a bomb that killed two people at Madrid airport in December. After the attack Spain's Socialist government broke off peace talks. In its latest statement, Eta said that from Wednesday it would defend the Basque country "with weapons and on all fronts". The announcement suggests that another big attack could be imminent, observers say.

Looking for Uncle Abdul.

Terrorism: More on the search for a suspect related to the JFK bombing plot.

Police Commissioner Trevor Paul wants your help in finding alleged terror suspect Abdel Nur of Guyana who is considered to be armed and dangerous and hiding in Trinidad. Paul issued the call for information from the public during his weekly news conference at the Police Administration building in Port of Spain yesterday which was attended by several international journalists . "I am making a special appeal to the people of Trinidad and Tobago to be on the lookout for Abdel Nur," Paul said yesterday. Nur, also called "Uncle Abdul" in Guyana, is the only one of the four suspects in an alleged plot to blow up the JFK International Airport in New York, who remains at large and Paul said yesterday that from all reports the police have he is in this country.

Star Tribune Journalists know better than you.

Media: That's right, who are you to doubt Star Tribune employees. When you have an agenda to push then everyone and everything else is wrong.

That's not much foundation for the premise of a story that ran at the top of page one Wednesday with an intriguing headline: "Did war's demons follow Iraq veteran in I-94 chase?" Several readers complained the story was straining to tie another sad incident to the Iraq war. I thought it was an angle worth pursuing, but when the facts didn't fall into place, an editor should have applied the brakes and held it for more reporting or recasting. The reporter and a central editor on the story disagreed with me. "The family said they don't believe this is related to Iraq. We reported that," said reporter Chuck Haga. "With all due respect to them, I'm not sure they're able to truly judge what role if any his experience in Iraq played in shaping his life and outlook and mental wellbeing. To a lot of other people, there's an obvious connection. We raised the question and let people speak to it." Jill Burcum, the deputy metro editor who supervised the story, said top editors were in consensus that an early version of the story recounting developments in the police investigation "didn't advance the story enough." She said there was room to debate whether the story belonged at the top of page one, but suggested that if the newspaper hadn't explored the question of a link to Skold's Iraq war service, "readers would have contacted us saying 'Are you covering up?' " The motivation to do the story, she said, was not to criticize the war, but to explore "whether veterans are getting the medical resources they need when they return home." Burcum's supervisor, Deputy Managing Editor for Content Rene Sanchez, said it was a legitimate angle to pursue given what has happened with other returning veterans. But he wishes that once the ex-wife denied a link, editing had tempered the story's "standoff" approach. I'm all for aggressive reporting on behalf of veterans. But the ex-wife's late-night denial and the lack of strong sources suggesting otherwise should have caused editors to pull the story for recasting.

All due respect to you, don't question the all knowing reporter. *sniff*

Then they wonder why they are losing readers.

UK Muslim poll shocking results.

UK: This is just straight up denial for a portion of community.

The Survey Channel 4 News, with GFK NOP, has commissioned a survey to reveal the Muslim community's attitudes towards the 'official narrative' surrounding the 7/7 bombings revealing that: 59% of the 500 people polled believe that the government has not told the public the whole truth about the 7th July bombings. 52% believe that the British security services have "made up" evidence to convict terrorist suspects. 24% believe the four men identified as the July 7th bombers were not actually responsible for the attacks. 68% believe that the Muslim community does not bear any responsibility for the emergence of extremists willing to attack UK targets. Although 58% felt that the community should be doing more.

Some inmates already ticked at Paris Hilton.

Media: Uh Oh... Now we need someone to show her certain episode of Oz to make her really paranoid.

LYNWOOD, Calif. -- Many women at the Los Angeles County jail where Paris Hilton is expected to arrive any day are already angry at the socialite, a former inmate said. Susannah Johnson, who was released Saturday after a one-day stay at the jail, said inmates were angry at Hilton, believing officials were making room for the starlet at the expense of other inmates already coping with crowded conditions in the 2,200-bed jail. "The only advice I could give her when she comes is to shut her mouth and do the time," said Johnson, 35, of Claremont.

Just remember the words of Scruffy.
"Prison ain't so bad. You can make sangria in the terlet.
'Course it's shank or be shanked."

Govt-group supports Gays passing on Aids virus.

Culture: Couple of days ago in Netherlands, we had the horrific report of a gay gang who drugged and raped other gays at parties, infecting them with HIV so they could have unprotected sex and it was cheap thrill. It gets worse as a government funded group supports deliberately passing on the virus.

Passing on and receiving the AIDS virus is seen as a game in certain gay scenes in the Netherlands. Even within a government-subsidised organisation, there have been forces who support such behaviour. This week saw the arrest of four men who organised parties in Groningen where gays were drugged with the substance GHB. The victims were subsequently raped and had a cocktail of HIV-infected blood injected in to their arm so that they would contract the virus that can cause AIDS. Police said Friday at least 7 men were HIV-infected in this way. However, these contaminations also take place willingly. Among certain gays, receiving HIV is even compared to getting pregnant, say various gay community watchers. On the Internet, HIV negative gays approach HIV positive men, requesting to be infected and vice versa. Perhaps even more remarkably, these practices are believed to have been supported from within the HIV Association Netherlands (HVN). Frank Raaphorst of HVN declared that an internal working group within HVN, with the telling name Poz & Proud, propagated unprotected sex. It is even alleged that Poz & Proud wanted to organise sex parties where seropositive and seronegative gays could have unprotected sex with one another. The national HVN chairman, it now turns out, recently resigned after he had learned about Poz & Proud's ideologies and expressed criticism of these. HVN receives subsidy from Health Minister Ab Klink for the very purpose of promoting safe sex. Klink is now having an inquiry carried out to see if "subsidy conditions were violated". In addition, Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin is examining whether HVN or its working group should be prosecuted.

Hey, if you want to get sick from HIV, go for it. But you should be forced to pay for medical expenses and be pushed to the back of the line for treatment while smarter people try to get better who didn't run around trying to get infected.

This is just stupid, grow up.

Australian court/police a circus regarding Cronulla cases?

Australia: Disturbing account about the weakness of the court system and police to get any major convictions stemming from the Cronulla riots.

Despite the hundreds of violent incidents on this night and the two nights that followed, not a single major conviction and sentence has been handed down. In Dan's case, it took the help of the media. The police were able to break the case after a TV news broadcast of an appeal for witnesses on May 23 last year. The broadcast showed photographs of a beige 1988 Camry sedan, and the first three letters of its registration, plus police computer images of three of the attackers. ....Serhan and the other assailant were convicted. Both had been in prison for nine months pending the trial. They were sentenced to time served. So on the last day of the trial they walked free. The other four men in the Toyota that night were never identified by Serhan and his accomplice. They were never charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. For leaving an innocent man to die on the street in an unprovoked attack, two men were sentenced to nine months in prison and four men got away with it. Nor were their violent actions elsewhere that night ever the subject of prosecution. "I had been warned by the detectives to be prepared for the worst," Dan told me. "I was told what would happen and then it did actually did happen. I couldn't believe it. I believed that, given the severity of the assault, and their refusal to name the other guys in the car, these guys would be locked up for three or four years. They just walked away."

Star Tribune: America's fault for Muslim terrorists.

Muslim: Last week I posted about the amusing rush by the Star Tribune reporters and praise from their ombudsman for downplaying the support for suicide bombings in the recent Pew Poll. What I missed was the editorial which says huzzah for the positive aspects, boo to the naysayers and its America's fault for Muslim terrorists anyway.

It's possible, of course, to find a few worrisome statistics in the Pew survey. A lamentable 5 percent of American Muslims consider suicide bombing justified often or sometimes. And while a similar percentage holds slightly favorable views of the terrorist group Al-Qaida, only 58 percent feels very unfavorably toward the group. These details have stoked alarmism among Islam's most vicious assailants, but there's no reason to join in the panic. The fact remains that Muslim support for terrorism is low -- and much lower in America than in Europe. Indeed, if U.S. leaders truly want to calm the violence-backers, they might consider their inciting role. As the Pew study suggests, U.S. Muslims who favor terrorism also believe the U.S. government unfairly regards Islam as a threat. So long as a pointless war rages on in Iraq, their resentment is likely to abide.

What about Afghanistan and Somalia where we had one confirmed report of an American going to fight for the Islamic council? What about Israel which is another fav excuse for the apologists? This is a good example of crowing without actually thinking thru the arguments before writing a bad editorial. But it is the Star Tribune so I am not surprised.

Trinidad angle on JFK's bomb plot.

Terrorism: Trinidad Express is all over the story as a Jamaat Al Muslimeen angle seems to be emerging. The worst thing to happen after Jamaat tried the coup in 1990 was given everyone amnesty.

T&T TERROR TRIPS JFK suspects came last month to meet 'JAM leader' Three of the four suspects allegedly involved in a plot to destroy the the JFK Interntational Airport in New York were in Trinidad less than two weeks ago seeking money for their plans, a United States court document says. » Hunt on for 3rd Guyanese THE hunt continued last night for suspected terrorist Abdul Nur, a Guyanese, for his role in the alleged plot to blow up a fuel line that leads to New York's JFK International airport which was foiled by both Trinidad and Tobago and United States authorities on Friday. » Manning vows to support US Condemning any planned act of terrorism in any country, the Prime Minister Patrick Manning administration says it is committed to supporting the efforts of the US Government in its war on terror. » Arouca residents shocked at arrest CANEFARM, Arouca residents still cannot believe that, "the old man with the shop" could have been part of an alleged terror plot targeting the United States. » COP supporter held in JFK terror plot One of the suspects detained in connection with the alleged plot to detonate explosives at JFK International Airport, New York, is a member of The Congress of the People, the party disclosed yesterday. »

More news.

The four Muslim men accused in the JFK plot didn’t turn to Pakistan, Iran or Afghanistan for support after targeting the airport, home to an average 1,000 daily flights and 45 million passengers annually. Instead, according to a federal complaint, the informant and defendants Kareem Ibrahim and Defreitas visited a compound belonging to the Jamaat al Muslimeen, a radical Muslim group based in Trinidad. When Defreitas discussed his radical “brothers” with the informant, he made it clear they were not Arabs, but from Trinidad and Guyana.

Hillary about to whip John Edward's ass.

Politics: This pic from the debate which I never knew was on says a lot. That's a "I will knock you the hell out if you keep pointing at me meterosexual boy" look right there.

Putin's nuke threat against Europe

EU: At some point in time, Europe will have to find a backbone and tell Putin to cut the crap. I have no hope it will be anytime soon.

President Vladimir Putin has sent a chilling message to world leaders on the eve of the G8 summit with a threat to aim Russian nuclear missiles at European cities for the first time since the Cold War. In comments that seemed calculated to cause consternation and division at Wednesday's meeting in Germany, the Russian leader said that American plans to erect a missile defence shield in eastern Europe had left him with no choice but to retaliate. Vladimir Putin acknowledged that targeting Europe would escalate an arms race he says has already begun "It is obvious that if part of the strategic nuclear potential of the United States is located in Europe we will have to respond," he told reporters from G8 countries in Moscow at the weekend. "What kind of steps are we are going to take in response? Of course we are going to acquire new targets in Europe." Mr Putin's anti-western rhetoric has grown more strident since Washington confirmed plans to locate 10 interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar station in the Czech Republic by 2012 - a project he believes is directed at Russia.

Anyone going to stand up? Maybe.

It is unclear to what extent Mr Putin's threat may be bluff. At last year's G8 summit, hosted by Russia, world leaders went out of their way to avoid criticising him - even though he mocked Mr Bush and Mr Blair. A year later, however, the Russian leader is increasingly aware that the mood of indulgence is swiftly evaporating. David Kramer, the US assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, said Washington would no longer "abstain from speaking out". "The suppression of genuine opposition, the abridgment of the right to protest, the constriction of civil society and the decline of media freedom are all serious setbacks." Some of Mr Putin's most loyal friends in Europe are unable to bring their support to bear after losing office. The former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder still describes the Russian leader as "an impeccable democrat", but Angela Merkel, his successor, is much more wary. Nicolas Sarkozy, the new French president, has condemned human rights abuses by pro-Russian forces in Chechnya - a subject that enrages Mr Putin.

It can't be lost on Putin this has to do with Iran and not Russia, so either he is losing his mind or so desperate to show Russian power he is willing to completely side with Iran.

Backers of Immigration Bill More Optimistic

Immigration: I got a feeling a lot of them are delusional.

Congress's week-long Memorial Day recess was expected to leave the bill in tatters. But with a week of action set to begin today, the legislation's champions say they believe the voices of opposition, especially from conservatives, represent a small segment of public opinion. Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), who led negotiations on the bill for his party, said the flood of angry calls and protests that greeted the deal two weeks ago has since receded every day. "You just have to recognize you will get 300 calls, you'll get conflicts at town hall meetings -- all of them negative," said Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), who consulted with Kyl and hopes to carry a similar deal through the House in July. "The last few days have really turned things around." Public opinion polls seem to support Kyl's contention that Americans are far more open to the deal than the voices of opposition would indicate. In a Washington Post-ABC News poll released today, 52 percent of Americans said they would support a program giving illegal immigrants the right to stay and work in the United States if they pay a fine and meet other requirements. Opposition to that proposal was 44 percent.

I would support a program like that as well if I thought such a program would exist in this bill. It doesn't and it becomes an amnesty bill for 12 million illegals who do not deserve it.

Republicans in the coalition will be expected to oppose amendments that put them in equally difficult positions. One, sponsored by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.), would expand the list of crimes making illegal immigrants ineligible for legalization. Cornyn has emphasized infractions such as gang activity and "aggravated felonies." Democrats say the list would virtually wipe out the legalization program by barring undocumented workers who ignored deportation orders, overstayed their visas or otherwise evaded immigration authorities.

Heaven forbid we don't reward lawbreakers. This whole thing is a mess and I am hoping someone is dumb or even smart enough to slyly kill this mess.

McCain points to France and gets it wrong.

Politics: Anything to defend the amnesty bill.

The man asked McCain why the United States couldn’t execute large-scale deportations, as he had heard they did in France and other countries. “In case you hadn’t noticed, the thousands of people who have been relegated to ghettos have risen up and burned cars in France,” McCain replied. “They’ve got huge problems in France. They have tremendous problems. The police can’t even go into certain areas in the suburbs of Paris. I don’t want that in the suburbs of America.”

Main problem, most of those in the suburbs are citizens of France, second and third generation who feel wronged and burn cars every night. They hate Sarkozy because he called those who are criminals scum and demand programs/money to help them.

If McCain thinks that Americans will stand for illegals threatening to riot while demanding amnesty he is nuts. The irony is McCain is using an argument that the Socialist Royal who was desperate for any kind of boost used herself if illegal immigrant crackdown advocate Sarkozy was elected.