Venezuelan media crackdown: TV anchors sign off, mouths shut

It is pretty clear now that President Hugo Chavez's self-proclaimed socialist revolution is really one of a socialist dictator not a social democracy...

Boing Boing: A Directory of Wonderful Things:

Sunday, May 27, 2007

"In this video, you can see the strange and sad way that the news program on RCTV shut down this past Friday, after Venezuela's president arbitrarily decided to close it.

Each worker at the TV station, hundreds of people whose jobs depend on this network which has been critical of Chavez, will be unemployed tomorrow.

The station closes Monday May 28th thanks to a political decision through which Chavez seeks to gain total control of the basic freedoms of the country's citizens.

The world needs to know. Only you guys abroad can help us spread the word. Chavez spends hundreds of millions of dollars lobbying around the world with goverments and earning many international support at the expense of our taxes, natural resources, and freedoms.

Many of us are scared, but we are willing to do something about it.

Video link.

And here are videos of demonstrations against chavez closing down this channel, the most popular tv station in Venezuela, one that has been on the airwaves for 53 years: Link 1, Link 2.

Here's a Reuters item about the TV shutdown by Chavez. It will be replaced by a state-run channel "promoting President Hugo Chavez's self-proclaimed socialist revolution in a move widely criticized as a threat to democracy." (posted from Central America / Xeni) "

In child-arrest case, the adults are the ones out of control

In child-arrest case, the adults are the ones out of control, Florida police dept. suffering from idiotic police chief

AVON PARK, Fla. - When 6-year-old Desre'e Watson threw a tantrum in her kindergarten class a couple of weeks ago she could not have known that the full force of the law would be brought down on her and that she would be carted off by the police as a felon.

But that's what happened in this small, backward city in central Florida. According to the authorities, there were no other options.

"The student became violent," said Frank Mercurio, the no-nonsense chief of the Avon Park police. "She was yelling, screaming - just being uncontrollable. Defiant."

"But she was 6," I said.

The chief's reply came faster than a speeding bullet: "Do you think this is the first 6-year-old we've arrested?"

The child's tantrum occurred on the morning of March 28 at the Avon Elementary School. According to the police report, "Watson was upset and crying and wailing and would not leave the classroom to let them study, causing a disruption of the normal class activities."

After a few minutes, Desre'e was, in fact, taken to another room. She was "isolated," the chief said. But she would not calm down. She flailed away at the teachers who tried to control her. She pulled one woman's hair. She was kicking.

I asked the chief if anyone had been hurt. "Yes," he said. At least one woman reported "some redness."

After 20 minutes of this "uncontrollable" behavior, the police were called in. At the sight of the two officers, Mercurio said, Desre'e "tried to take flight."

She went under a table. One of the police officers went after her. Each time the officer tried to grab her to drag her out, Desre'e would pull her legs away, the chief said.

Ultimately the child was no match for Avon Park's finest. The cops pulled her from under the table and handcuffed her. The officers were not fooling around. In the eyes of the cops the 6-year-old was a criminal, and in Avon Park she would be treated like any other felon.

There was a problem, though. The handcuffs were not manufactured with kindergarten kids in mind. The chief explained: "You can't handcuff them on their wrists because their wrists are too small, so you have to handcuff them up by their biceps."

As I sat listening to Mercurio in a spotless, air-conditioned conference room at the Avon Park police headquarters, I had the feeling that I had somehow stumbled into the middle of a skit on "Saturday Night Live." The chief seemed like the most reasonable of men, but what was coming out of his mouth was madness.

He handed me a copy of the police report: black female. Six years old. Thin build. Dark complexion.

Desre'e was put in the back of a patrol car and driven to the police station. "Then," said Mercurio, "she was transported to central booking, which is the county jail."

The child was fingerprinted and a mug shot was taken. "Those are the normal procedures for anyone who is arrested," the chief said.

Desre'e was charged with battery on a school official, which is a felony, and two misdemeanors: disruption of a school function and resisting a law enforcement officer. After a brief stay at the county jail, she was released to the custody of her mother.

The arrest of this child, who should have been placed in the care of competent, comforting professionals rather than being hauled off to jail, is part of an outlandish trend of criminalizing very young children that has spread to many school districts and law enforcement agencies across the country.

A highly disproportionate number of those youngsters, like Desre'e, are black. In Baltimore last month, the police arrested, handcuffed and hauled away a 7-year-old black boy for allegedly riding a dirt bike on the sidewalk. The youngster was released and the mayor, Sheila Dixon, apologized for the incident, saying the arrest was inappropriate.

Last spring, a number of civil rights organizations collaborated on a study of disciplinary practices in Florida schools and concluded that many of them, "like many districts in other states, have turned away from traditional education-based disciplinary methods - such as counseling, after-school detention or extra homework assignments - and are looking to the legal system to handle even the most minor transgressions."

Once you adopt the mindset that ordinary childhood misbehavior is criminal behavior, it's easy to start seeing young children as somehow monstrous.

"Believe me when I tell you," said Mercurio, "a 6-year-old can inflict injury to you just as much as any other person."

Southern California 'Fusion' Anti-Terrorism Intelligence Center

Southern California Opens 'Fusion' Anti-Terrorism Intelligence Center

Thursday, July 27, 2006

By Michael Paranac /FOX Noise

To defend Southern California more effectively from terrorist attacks, federal, state and local law enforcement agencies on Thursday launched the area's first "fusion" command center.

The Los Angeles Joint Regional Intelligence Center (JRIC), based in Norwalk, Calif., is designed to provide a common information and intelligence-sharing network for local police and federal agents in seven counties working to infiltrate or expose terrorist operations. It will combine information from the Los Angeles Police Department, FBI and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

"It brought all of our capabilities and expertise together instead of doing it through telephone calls and e-mails," said Los Angeles Police Department Lt. Robert Fox.

"It's really unique that we have so many players coming together," Willie T. Hulon, FBI executive assistant director, said at the center's opening Thursday. "This will be a model for the rest of the country."

Memex is the Virginia-based company that created the search software used by the new L.A. fusion center. It allows the JRIC to gather, collate, track, analyze and disseminate intelligence information in real time, including counterterrorism tips and leads.

"One of the primary things we’ve done with the multi-agency approach is collecting all tips and leads into a single center to provide searching and cross-referencing with other databases within the whole system," Mike Himley, western general manager of Memex, told FOXNews.com. "Instead of the old manual processes, everything's more automated."

Memex has been in business for 20 years. Scotland Yard has been using its technology for more than a decade, and some other U.S. agencies are also utilizing it. The company hopes to put its software to use in other cities' fusion centers in the future.

"We're enthusiastic to try to share information," Himley said.

The Memex system works to reduce search time by allowing investigators to research and locate an entity by clicking through one unifying intelligence system. Agencies can share leads and are able to conduct more efficient searches when trying to locate or apprehend a suspect.

Without this search capability, Himley said, the investigator may have to make phone calls to various other agencies or sift through mounds of paper documents. A search concerning a suspicious rental truck can be completed in seconds instead of hours, Himley continued.

"The mission here is to look at counter-terrorism operations. [The system] significantly speeds up intel reports, it helps them move faster," he said.

While similar centers exist in other areas around the country, the Los Angeles center is staffed by 62 personnel from more than 15 other agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security. The center will be responsible for a region spanning seven counties which is also home to some 18 million residents. Roughly $6 million has been invested in the operation.

"No place is going to be better prepared to defend against terrorism," Los Angeles police Chief William Bratton said.

In related news, DHS announced on Thursday that analysts from the Office of Intelligence Analysis will work with state and local authorities on fusion centers in New York City, Los Angeles, Reisterstown, Md., and Baton Rouge, La. to help facilitate the fast-flow of information and intelligence on all types of hazards.

"One of the the department's top priorities is to work with state and local authorities and share information that helps to connect the dots on emerging threats," Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said in a statement. "There is no more effective way to connect the dots than by having our personnel sitting in a chair next to their local counterparts, providing them with information they need to make timely and informed decisions on how best to protect their community."

Thirty-eight fusion centers can be found around the country. DHS has so far provided $380 million to state and local governments to support the facilities.

Campers at Henry Coe park find human remains

San Jose Mercury News

March 28, 2007

Campers at Henry Coe State Park on Monday stumbled across the remains of what appears to be a man who went missing in 2005, Santa Clara County Sheriff's Sgt. Ed Wise said today.

The bones clung to the edge of a steep ravine about an hour-and-a-half hike from the park's entrance. Investigators found a rifle and clothing near the remains, Wise said.

The campers reported their find to park rangers around noon on Monday. Rangers, in turn, called deputies.

While items at the scene lead investigators to believe the remains belong to a man who went missing in 2005, Wise said authorities are waiting for results of DNA tests before identifying the man.

Google Pack Adds Free Security Apps

Ok whats the catch?
The Google Pack version of Symantec's Norton Security Scan is designed to remove all existing viruses, Trojans, and worms found on a user's PC and provide tips on how to improve PC security. Meanwhile, the free Google Pack edition of PC Tools' Spyware Doctor offers on-demand spyware detection and removal as well as real-time protection.

Google on Tuesday made moves to beef up its Google Pack service. The free collection of software applications now includes antivirus, antimalware, and antispyware tools.

Google Pack provides basic virus protection from Symantec's Norton Security Scan, which offers automatic security Relevant Products/Services updates and scheduled scanning. No subscription fee is required. The company also added PC Tools' Spyware Doctor Starter Edition, an antispyware utility that offers scheduled scanning, threat removal, active protection, and automatic updates.

The new additions are in line with Google Pack's aim to make it easier for users to find, install, and update software. A Google Updater keeps the programs up to date.

"It is almost always a benefit to security to have that kind of defense in-depth. Having this sort of free security products through Google is a great benefit for users," said Jen Albornoz Mulligan, an analyst at Forrester Research. "This offering is impressive."

Demonstrated Need

Google is responding to a demonstrated need. According to Symantec's most recent Internet Security Threat Report, home users or "the everyday Internet user" made up the most highly targeted sector, accounting for 93 percent of all targeted attacks.

The Google Pack version of Norton Security Scan is designed to remove all existing viruses, Trojans, and worms found on a user's PC and provide tips on how to improve PC security. Norton Security Scan replaces Norton AntiVirus 2005 Special Edition, which was part of the initial lineup of software when the Google Pack first launched in 2006.

Meanwhile, the free Google Pack edition of PC Tools Spyware Doctor offers on-demand spyware detection and removal as well as real-time protection. Users can choose to upgrade to the full version, which features the File Guard module.

With so many different vendors offering security, some might wonder whether you can install too much of a good thing. Indeed, downloading too many different security applications could slow a PC, Mulligan said, and there is a limited benefit to having multiple services running at the same time. "Symantec and McAfee share a lot of their information and oftentimes scan for the same threats," she added. "But if it doesn't slow your computer down then there's no real downside."

Social-Networking Play?

In a customized social networking-style play, Google also added the Photos Screensaver, which allows users to turn their screen into a digital picture frame of sorts, to display photos from family and friends or images from other photo-sharing sites.

"Now you can turn your computer into a digital picture frame that displays pictures from photo feeds -- continuously updated streams of photos from the Web. Many of your favorite photo-sharing sites support them already, so it's easy to keep in touch with your friends and family this way," Google Product Manager Jesse Savage wrote in the company's official blog.

Google Pack's growing lineup of free products also includes Google Earth, Google Talk, Picasa, Google Desktop, and the Google Toolbar for Internet Explorer. Google also has packed in third-party applications, such as Mozilla's Firefox browser and Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Google Pack Beta is available in 12 languages, runs on Window XP and Vista, and supports Internet Explorer 6.0 and Firefox 1.0 and higher.


Original story Link here at sci-tech-today.com

The Constant American: FBI Violated Patriot Act Guidelines

The Constant American: FBI Violated Patriot Act Guidelines:

FBI Violated Patriot Act Guidelines

Like that couldn't have been wasn't predicted.

ABC News reports:

The FBI repeatedly failed to follow the strict guidelines of the Patriot Act when its agents took advantage of a new provision allowing the FBI to obtain phone and financial records without a court order, according to a report to be made public Friday by the Justice Department's Inspector General.

The report, in classified and unclassified versions, remains closely held, but Washington officials who have seen it tell ABC News it documents "numerous lapses" and describe it as "scathing" and "not a pretty picture for the FBI."

FBI Director Robert Mueller is scheduled to brief Congress on the report at noon.

The officials say the inspector general found the FBI underreported by at least 20 percent the use of the controversial provision, known as National Security Letters, NSLs, in required disclosures to Congress.

The Patriot Act gave FBI agents the ability to demand telephone, bank, credit card and library records by issuing an administrative letter, bypassing the need to seek a warrant from a federal judge.

Civil liberties groups have long opposed the provision, saying the lack of oversight could lead to the kinds of problems apparently uncovered by the inspector general.

In a report last year, the Justice Department said there were 9,254 NSL requests on 3,501 persons in the calendar year 2005.

Some officials say the actual number is substantially higher.

The inspector general's report reportedly found "systemic" failures in the issuance, tracking and accountability of the controversial NSLs, although a Justice Department official said there was no finding of "willful or criminal misconduct."

FBI officials said they could not comment until the report was made public but said the FBI welcomed the findings because several of the reported problems were unknown to senior management.

"Expect a weekend firestorm," said one Justice Department official.

Bobonit News Blog - Bob's news blog: The earth is shaking...Two Major pacific rim jolts

Bobonit News Blog - Bob's news blog: The earth is shaking...Two Major pacific rim jolts

: "Thursday, March 08, 2007

Thursday, March 08, 2007

The earth is shaking...Two Major pacific rim jolts

The earth is shaking...Two Major pacific rim jolts and a smaller 4.7 5 second jolt near Bridgeport in the Central Sierra's it was felt across the Central Valley into Modesto, Stockton, Tracy and even Fresno!

Looking at world earthquakes in the last day or so hundreds of moderate earthquakes around the pacific rim including Alaska, Indonesia, Japan, Russia and in California a whole bunch of Micro Quakes in the San Francisco Bay area and Mammoth Lakes / Long Valley area.

Central California/Sierra Earthquake
A light earthquake occurred at 7:17:32 PM (PST) on Thursday, March 8, 2007.
The magnitude 4.7 event occurred 22 km (14 miles) NNW of Bridgeport, CA.
The hypocentral depth is 10 km ( 6 miles).

Magnitude	4.7 - regional moment magnitude (Mw)
Time	Thursday, March 8, 2007 at 7:17:32 PM (PST) Friday, March 9, 2007 at 3:17:32 (UTC)
Distance from	Bridgeport, CA - 22 km (14 miles) NNW (328 degrees) Wichman, NV - 37 km (23 miles) WSW (246 degrees) Bodie, CA - 39 km (24 miles) NW (308 degrees) Hawthorne, NV - 66 km (41 miles) W (261 degrees) Sacramento, CA - 184 km (114 miles) E (94 degrees)

Map of 4.7 Richter earthquake near Bridgeport California















Map of 4.7 Richter earthquake near Bridgeport California north of Mammoth Lakes and the long Valley.

Two Major Pacific rim jolts one Offshore Japan - and apparently early reports of a large quake near Valdivostock which could affect as many 450,000 people in Russia

6.1 in Russia near Valdivostock - USGS LINK

Earthquake map Valdivostcok

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Maps/10/135_45.gif

Earthquake Details

Magnitude	6.2
Date-Time	Friday, March 9, 2007 at 03:22:42 (UTC) = Coordinated Universal Time Friday, March 9, 2007 at 1:22:42 PM = local time at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location	43.218°N, 133.546°E
Depth	436.2 km (271.1 miles)
Region	PRIMORYE, RUSSIA
Distances	65 km (40 miles) NE of Nakhodka, Russia 130 km (80 miles) E of Vladivostok, Russia 990 km (620 miles) NNW of TOKYO, Japan 6525 km (4050 miles) ENE of MOSCOW, Russia
Location Uncertainty	horizontal +/- 5.1 km (3.2 miles); depth +/- 7 km (4.3 miles)
Parameters	Nst=197, Nph=197, Dmin=354 km, Rmss=0.78 sec, Gp= 32°, M-type=moment magnitude (Mw), Version=8
Source	USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
Event ID	us2007zsai

• This event has been reviewed by a seismologist.

No further reports yet potentially could affect 450,000 people.

Earthquake off the coast of Japan- USGS Link

Magnitude 6.1 - IZU ISLANDS, JAPAN REGION

Magnitude 6.1 - IZU ISLANDS, JAPAN REGION

Earthquake Details

Magnitude	6.1
Date-Time	Thursday, March 8, 2007 at 05:03:32 (UTC) = Coordinated Universal Time Thursday, March 8, 2007 at 2:03:32 PM = local time at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location	29.918°N, 140.281°E
Depth	138.6 km (86.1 miles)
Region	IZU ISLANDS, JAPAN REGION
Distances	355 km (220 miles) S of Hachijo-jima, Izu Islands, Japan 370 km (230 miles) NNW of Chichi-shima, Bonin Islands, Japan 580 km (360 miles) N of Iwo-jima, Volcano Islands, Japan 640 km (395 miles) S of TOKYO, Japan
Location Uncertainty	horizontal +/- 6.1 km (3.8 miles); depth +/- 14.7 km (9.1 miles)

------------------------------------------------------

The Editor is predicting a large quake along the Pacific Rim possibly in the United States in the next week or so....Checking lost dog reports in your area?

Technorati tags
Earthquake California Earthquake

Posted by Bob Blogger at 9:34 PM

San Jose Mercury News - Shameful sex slave denial begs for rebuke

San Jose Mercury News - Shameful sex slave denial begs for rebuke: "Shameful sex slave denial begs for rebuke
Mercury News Editorial
Article Launched: 03/07/2007 01:40:34 AM PST

During World War II, Japan enslaved as many as 200,000 women, most of them Korean, and forced them to work as prostitutes in military brothels serving the Japanese troops.

A Japanese Cabinet minister issued a lukewarm apology to the victims in 1993, and a private fund was set up to help the few remaining survivors.

But last week, Japan's conservative prime minister, Shinzo Abe, took it all back. 'There is no evidence to prove there was coercion, nothing to support it,' Abe said.

That is an outrageous lie, echoed by conservative Japanese lawmakers, one of whom likened the brothels to 'college cafeterias.'

Congress needs to send a strong rebuke to Japan's leaders. It should pass a resolution introduced earlier this year by Rep. Mike Honda, D-Campbell, that calls on Japan to unequivocally apologize for its treatment of the women and educate its people about its wartime actions.

During a U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing last month, three survivors testified about the trauma they suffered from the sexual abuse by Japanese soldiers. 'It was as if I were already dead. I cannot remember how many or how long. I lost consciousness,' said Koon Ja Kim, 81.
"

San Jose Mercury News - Google wins key ruling in patent dispute over Earth software

San Jose Mercury News - Google wins key ruling in patent dispute over Earth software: "Google wins key ruling in patent dispute over Earth software
Associated Press
Article Launched: 03/07/2007 04:14:57 PM PST

SAN FRANCISCO - Online search leader Google Inc. has won a key court ruling in a patent dispute over its popular three-dimensional software that provides Internet tours of the Earth.

In a summary judgment issued Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Douglas Woodlock in Massachusetts decided that Google Earth doesn't infringe on a patent issued to Skyline Software Systems Inc. in 2002.

Skyline, a privately held company in Chantilly, Va., had been pursuing a patent infringement claim since 2004 when it first sued Keyhole Inc., whose technology powers Google Earth. Mountain View-based Google bought Keyhole for an undisclosed amount in October 2004.

Keyhole's 3-D technology powers mapping software that ranks among Google's biggest successes outside of its search engine. Google said its Earth software has been downloaded more than 100 million times.

Skyline had been seeking unspecified damages as well as a court order to prevent Google from using the technology allegedly covered by U.S. Patent No. 6,496,189.

'From the beginning, we felt confident that Google Earth's technology does not infringe Skyline's patent,' Google spokesman Ricardo Reyes said Wednesday.

Skyline didn't immed"

BBC NEWS | Health | 'Personal' health websites sought

BBC NEWS | Health | 'Personal' health websites sought:


"'Personal' health websites sought"

People like to read personal testimonies, the study says
People searching online for health advice often reject sites giving high quality information in favour of those with a human touch, a study suggests.

Researchers found people use an initial weeding out process to deal with the minefield of health information of variable quality available.

However, this tends to mean they quickly eliminate most NHS and drug company websites, they said.

The study was funded by the UK's Economic and Social Research Council.


People don't have the patience to scroll through pages in order to find something useful
Professor Pamela Briggs
Northumbria University

The researchers examined the internet search strategies of people who wanted to find specific health information on topics such as high blood pressure, the menopause and hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

They found that many websites were dismissed at quite amazing speeds.

Lead researcher Professor Pamela Briggs, from Northumbria University, said: 'One thing that really put people off was advertising, so people clicked off drug company websites straight away.

'Generally, the medical information on drug company sites is very accurate but people question the authors' motivation and agenda.

'The issue of imparti"

Little Becky Demolition Video

Little Becky

Otherwise known as nine year old Rebecca Barry from Dublin, ‘Little Becky’ has been entertaining listeners to Dublins’s 98FM breakfast show for some time.
Becky from Dublin wants her school demolished. Great phone call from a kid in Dublin who calls a demolition company to get her school demolished.

Little Becky Demolition Video
"Do You Like School Becky?" was produced by adding Dublin area images to a Dublin Ireland morning radio show audio track. This little hell raiser Becky wants to demolish her school...blow it up and all the teachers with it...she calls a demolition company...live on air...this is the telephone conversation courtesy John W. Mississauga, Ontario.

Pelosi licked more than envelopes

Feminism comes full circle

Canada Free Press
By Judi McLeod

Friday, January 5, 2007

Feminism came full circle when Nancy Pelosi took over the speaker's gavel. Full circle because Pelosi, in spite of a definite Mrs. Cleaver image is trying to be feminism's new face.

It's a little late in life, but the San Francisco nanny has shucked off her dust cloths, her buffed parquet floors and has turned in the frilly white aprons for the tailored pantsuit.

During her debut, one could almost hear the clarion call "Housewives unite! reverberate throughout Washington. In the media hype, Ms. Perfect has taken us out of the kitchen and into the cutthroat world of politics.

"Since 1999, Pelosi has raised more money for other candidates' campaigns than any other Democrat, according to an analysis of data provided to the San Francisco Chronicle by the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonprofit organization that tracks campaign finance data."

Now isn't that just like a woman? One that sees the gender of a speaker as all-important.

"Between 1999 and 2004, Pelosi's committees gave nearly $2.8 million to help her colleagues win their races. Only former Majority Leader Tom DeLay, the Texas Republican, raised more money for his party members in Congress--$2.9 million," the Chronicle reminds us.

And we all know what happened to him.

"With the connections she gained through her investment banker husband, Paul Pelosi, her unfailing devotion to the Democratic Party and a lifelong propensity for building relationships with loyal supporters, Pelosi has been in an ideal position to recruit wealthy believers in the Democratic cause. "If you travel in upper socio-economic circles, it's always good to tap those people," said Agar Jaicks, a San Francisco Democratic activist, who was one of Pelosi's earliest political advisers. "She became very good at it, and the better she got, the more in demand she was."

Dialing for dollars did not go out with the 80s when Money Mama could finally out do Daddy Warbucks for crass politicians on the perpetual prowl for cash.

From the reams of paper used to describe her ascension to full power, Pelosi from all accounts started off as the perfect housewife, the perfect wife, the perfect mother, only putting aside her home life to lick envelopes after all family members were in bed for the night.

So good was she at the job, she easily could have starred in The Stepford Wives, the Real Thing not the movie.

Now that she's declared to make the House the most honest-ever, lost in the fog of time are some of the contributions to her own campaign.

Pelosi received a total of $3,000 from two Indian tribes affiliated with Jack Abramoff, who has pleaded guilty to fraud, public corruption and tax evasion for his actions related to his clients. But as the Examiner was quick to point out, "compared with the tens of thousands of dollars received by some others in congress, according to an analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics."

Tainted money would be as welcome in public office as glasses washed in the kitchen sink rather than the dishwasher would be in the all-granite kitchen of this modern day Mrs., er Ms. Cleaver.

The words that describe Pelosi the person as opposed to Pelosi the politician are the same ones that would apply to June Cleaver, "gracious," "charming" and "empathetic".

"When you're sitting at a table with her, she's very charismatic, much like Bill Clinton. She's empathetic, passionate and intelligent," says Bill Zimmer, the founder of Men's Wearhouse. Zimmer and his wife, Lori, have donated $10,000 to Pelosi's committees since 2001, and about $100,000 more to other Democratic causes.

But long before she became the public figure the New York Times gushed over as the "first woman speaker of the House", Pelosi was back home ironing the linens-after spritzing them of course with lavender.

Nancy, who grew up as what Liberals would call a privileged child, understands the despair of grinding poverty. How many of her school chums could boast that "Daddy's the Mayor of Baltimore?"

Raised at a time when a girl's wedding day trousseau was more important than her graduation, Pelosi married a multimillionaire.

Early married life harkens back in the days when a mother was expected to turn up at the dinner table in a dainty frock after spending the day chauffeuring her kids off to basketball practice, and when each morning started off with the fragrance of freshly baked muffins wafting out over the wisteria.

Her signature pearls, replicas of which have been doing a brisk business since the Democrats took over the House, are as real as her teeth. With assets ranging somewhere in the $16 million range, Pelosi was the 13th wealthiest House Member, according to 2005 rankings calculated by Roll Call magazine.

Everything in the Pelosi household would pass the white glove test.

The sort of all-time Girl Guide den mother, the mainstream media version is that Pelosi broke out of her yoke, taking Housewife all the way to the White House.

But while she can preside over paper napkins embossed with the gold words, "Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, January 2007 and ensure that the lilies won't wilt back at her alma mater, it's not so easy to protect the image of woman of the people that she and her party are trying to project.

"Speaker Pelosi Turns 'The People's House' into Pelosi's House'" was the charge sent out over the Christian Newswire.

"After being met by police officers, pro-life leaders were denied access to an 'Open House' being sponsored by Speaker Pelosi at the Cannon House Office Building on Thursday.

Leaders were told they would not be allowed in without an invitation and Speaker Pelosi's office would not extend an invitation to them.

"By only allowing certain like minded guests into this event, Speaker Pelosi has turned 'The People's House' into 'Pelosi's House'," said Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, Director of the Christian defense Coalition. "Only those who agree with Nancy will be allowed entry. The new speaker could have sent a powerful message of openness and tolerance on her first full day in office. Instead, she has chosen a path of exclusion and narrow-mindedness. Speaker Pelosi-our nation deserves better."

According to the spin of her hometown newspapers, Nancy Pelosi put in her time, humbly working in the background far away from the limelight. She rose to the top, they say, only after decades of selfless envelope licking.

But even honest feminists would have to admit that Nancy Pelosi licked much more than envelopes in her long ride to the top.

Mysterious metallic object crashes through the roof

FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP Wire) CHRIS NEWMARKER
Associated Press -

Authorities were trying to identify a mysterious metallic object that crashed through the roof of a house in eastern New Jersey.

Nobody was injured when the golf-ball sized object, weighing nearly as much as a can of soup, struck the home and embedded itself in a wall Tuesday night. Federal officials sent to the scene said it was not from an aircraft.

The rough-surfaced object, with a metallic glint, was displayed Wednesday by police.

"There's some great interest in what we have here," said Lt. Robert Brightman. "It's rather unusual. I haven't seen anything like it in my career."

He said he hoped to have the object identified within 72 hours, but declined to name the other agencies whose help he has enlisted.

Approximately 20 to 50 rock-like objects fall every day over the entire planet, said Carlton Pryor, a professor of astronomy at Rutgers University.

"It's not all that uncommon to have rocks rain down from heaven," said Pryor, who had not seen the object that struck the Monmouth County home. "These are usually rocky or a mixture of rock and metal."

Pryor said laboratory tests would have to be conducted to determine if the object was a meteorite.

Police received a call Wednesday morning that the metal object had punched a hole in the roof of the single-family, two-story home, damaged tiles on a bathroom floor, and then bounced, sticking into a wall.

The object was heavier than a usual metal object of its size, said Brightman, who added that no radioactivity was detected.

Brightman would not disclose the address of the house or the names of the people who lived there, citing the family's desire to not talk to the media. He would only say that the couple and their adult son live in a township housing development.

Brightman said one man who lives at the home found the object at about 9 p.m. Tuesday after returning from work and hearing from his mother that something had crashed through the roof a few hours earlier.

The Federal Aviation Administration, which sent investigators to the town, did not know where the object came from, said spokeswoman Arlene Murray.

"It's definitely not an aircraft part," she said. "I can't speak beyond that as to what it might be."

In the neighborhood later in the day, residents chatted with each other in the streets about the fallen object, but none said they knew which house had been hit.

Robert Nalven, 55, said nothing this exciting had happened in the six years he's lived in the affluent development. "I'm happy it didn't hit my house," he said.

A roadside bomb hidden in garbage exploded Tuesday in eastern Baghdad and killed three people, police said.


WASHINGTON (HN) -- President Bush is expected to announce his new Iraq strategy in an address to the nation early next week, several sources in Washington told Headline News Tuesday.

Key points of the no-news News release.

1. "the president has not made any decisions."
2. "a plan is taking shape"
3. "getting more detailed"
4. "on the finer points."
5. "informal discussions about the year ahead"
   

However, the sources say he is "driving toward a conclusion" which is as the president puts it
"A plan in the hand is better than no plan.".

Last month, It was reported that Bush was considering sending in as many as 40,000 soldiers.

That would mean increasing troop levels to their highest point in the nearly four-year-old conflict to perhaps as many as 165,000.

Other reports indicated the U.S. troop increase would be closer to 20,000, with additional Iraqi forces making up the remainder of the "surge."

Meanwhile, there are several steps including consultations with Congress and the Iraqi government that will happen before any tactical changes in his Iraq war policy are made, administration officials said.

"Tomorrow, the president will meet with his cabinet to discuss the new Congress and domestic issues," said White House party spokesman Scott Stanzel on Tuesday.

Wednesday night "the president will host a bicameral, bipartisan reception with approximately a dozen members of Congress and their spouses," the White House party spokesman said.

The White House will conduct courtesy calls to members of Congress when Bush devises his final Iraq plan, the official said.

Bush has not yet briefed Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on his plan, but is expected to do so before addressing the nation.
However, administration officials have stressed they remain in "constant" contact with Iraqi officials.
Those calls will go out "within a couple of days" before Bush addresses the nation.

UFO over O'Hare Airport?

Mysterious, saucer-shaped craft hovering over O'Hare Airport? FAA blames UFO report on weird weather
• Workers, including pilots: Object hovered over airport, shot up through clouds
• FAA not investigating report, which it says was made November 7
• "Our theory on this is that it was a weather phenomenon," FAA says

CHICAGO, Illinois (bob) -- -- A group of United Airlines employees swear they saw a mysterious, saucer-shaped craft hovering over O'Hare Airport in November.

Federal officials say it was probably just some weird weather phenomenon.

The workers, some of them pilots, said the object didn't have lights and hovered over an airport terminal before shooting up through the clouds, according to a report in Monday's Chicago Tribune.

A United supervisor had called the control tower at O'Hare, asking "if anyone had spotted a spinning disc-shaped object?". But the controllers didn't see anything, and a preliminary check of radar found nothing out of the ordinary, FAA spokesbot Elizabeth Isham Cory said.

"Our theory on this is that it was a weather phenomenon," Cory said. "That night was a perfect atmospheric condition in terms of low (cloud) ceiling and a lot of airport lights. When the lights shine up into the clouds, "sometimes you can see funny things."

United spokeswoman Megan McCarthy officially but off the record said company officials don't recall discussing any such incident from November 7.

The FAA is not investigating

At least one O'Hare controller, union official Craig Burzych, was amused by it all.

"To fly 7 million light years to O'Hare and then have to turn around and go home because your gate was occupied is simply unacceptable," he said.

Indonesian budget airliner crashes, 90 killed

Posted on : Tue, 02 Jan 2007 08:42:01 GMT | Author : Ravi Chopra
News Category : World

JAKARTA: A passenger jet belonging to Indonesian carrier Adam Skyconnection Airlines carrying 102 passengers crashed in a mountainous area in West Sulawesi province Monday afternoon, killing 90 on board, according to official sources.

The plane was earlier reported missing and the wreckage was spotted by an emergency search plane in the mountainous region near the Polewali town Tuesday morning. Initial teams of rescue operators which reached the scene found at least 90 bodies at the crash site. Police in Polewali town said there were 12 survivors.

The Boeing 737-400 was flying from Subrabaya in East Java to Manado in North Sulawesi when it lost contact with the air traffic control. Authorities said there were thick clouds and strong winds in the area when the plane lost contact.

Among those on board the ill-fated plane were six crew members and 11 children.

The crash is one of the worst air disasters in Indonesia. In September 2005 a Mandala Airlines jet crashed into a residential district in Medan in North Sumatra province, killing 149 people, which included residents of the area.

Adam Air is a budget airline based in Jakarta and is part-owned by Agung Laksono, the speaker of Indonesia's lower house of parliament. It has a fleet of 19 Boeing 737 planes.

An official of the airline said the airline office had received reports that 12 people had survived the crash. They are said to be in a serious condition and efforts are being made to reach them to nearby hospitals. However, the rescue workers are facing bad weather conditions in the area. Besides, the area can be accessed by only two wheelers and there is no communication facility.

The plane crash has occurred just three days after a ferry sank in the Java Sea with more than 600 people on board. Some 400 people are feared killed in the mishap.

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