An Ol' Broad's Ramblings
Morning Coffee 08/25/08
MDC wins Zimbabwe parliament vote
MDC chairman Lovemore Moyo becomes the first opposition speaker since the country’s independence in 1980.
As the MPs arrived for the ceremony, two MDC law-makers were arrested, a party spokesman said.
President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF did not field a candidate for the vote, but backed a rival MDC faction.
The BBC’s Karen Allen says this was a tactic to try and engineer control of parliament, which has backfired.
No doubt, Mugabee isn’t too happy, so there will be bulls-eyes painted on a variety of backs, foreheads, and family members of the opposition. If that doesn’t happen, I’m going to be REAL surprised.
“Numb’s the word,” says the 192-year-old publication, which claims an accuracy rate of 80 percent to 85 percent for its forecasts that are prepared two years in advance.
The almanac’s 2009 edition, which goes on sale Tuesday, says at least two-thirds of the country can expect colder-than-average temperatures this winter, with only the far West and the Southeast in line for near-normal readings.
“This is going to be catastrophic for millions of people,” said almanac editor Peter Geiger.
Yeah, and that lying, thieving, no good shiftless weasel, The Boracle, ain’t gonna be too happy either! OH, that’s right! He’ll just jet off to some tropical paradise while REAL folks deal with it like grownups. Well, hopefully. It’s called putting on an extra sweater. Earmuffs. A couple of pairs of gloves? Wait a minute…I thought we were in the midst of ‘MAN MADE GLOBAL WARMING’????
Israel frees prisoners in gesture to Abbas
The prisoners returned to cheers and applause as they entered Palestinian-controlled territory before heading to a massive rally attended by thousands of people at the headquarters of President Mahmoud Abbas.
The prisoners arrived in Ramallah after being released by prison guards at an Israeli military checkpoint near Jerusalem. The prisoners, some waving black-and-white checkered keffiyeh headdresses as they stepped off Israeli buses, kissed the ground before boarding Palestinian vehicles.
Among the 198 Palestinians freed was Said al-Atba, who has served 32 years of a life sentence for carrying out a deadly market bombing in the 1970s. Al-Atba, 57, was the longest serving inmate held by Israel and he is widely seen by the Palestinian public as a symbol of all the prisoners.
Such ‘gestures’ can get a whole lot of people killed. More action to ensure the safety of the people, fewer ‘gestures’ to appease a murderous society might be in order!
Jackson, Mississipppi clerk shoots robber in clown mask to death
Police spokesman Lt. Jeffery Scott says a man wearing a clown mask and carrying a gun entered the gas station just after 9 p.m. Sunday.
The man took money from the register and ran from the store.
Scott says the clerk followed the man outside and shot several times, hitting the suspect as he ran behind a storage shed.
Lt. Ron Saunier, a Denver Police Department spokesman, said the number of protesters that actually showed up was nowhere near what groups had told city officials to expect.
Recreate 68 had projected that as many as 25,000 or even 50,000 people would participate in activities this week. Instead, a group estimated by police at 1,000 to 1,200 participated in a Recreate 68 anti-war march Sunday morning, with a much smaller group parading up Colfax Avenue later in the day.
Well, it’s still early yet. I’m sure they’ll attract a few more folks….10, 15, maybe? Heh.
NYC stabbing victim’s cries for help ignored
Police found 21-year-old Ebony Garcia lying in a pool of blood at about 2:10 a.m Saturday. She was stabbed about a dozen times and died two hours later at a local hospital.
Witnesses say neighbors ignored the woman’s screams for more than 30 minutes before someone called the police. One neighbor says she ignored the cries because she thought the victim had been drinking.
Police want to question Garcia’s boyfriend. She had obtained a restraining order against him.
“Witnesses say……”?? Why didn’t the witnesses call 911? Is it because NY is o impersonal, or do they think the cops are incompetent, or what? This happens way too often in large cities. Something has gone missing in our society.
Legal Challenges Likely in Term Limits Fight
After years of scant mention, the case — in which the state Court of Appeals ruled that Buffalo’s council could repeal a term limits law passed by referendum — is again being talked about around City Hall, where it is cited as evidence that New York’s council has the authority to extend its term limits, even though New Yorkers twice voted in favor of a two-term limit.
So, once again, the will of “the people” is being thwarted by shifty politicians, eager to keep their power.
Florida, Michigan delegates get full votes
Democratic delegates from Michigan and Florida were awarded full voting rights at the national convention Sunday, despite holding early primaries against party rules.
The convention credentials committee voted unanimously to restore the voting privileges at the behest of Barack Obama, the party’s presumptive nominee for president. The states were initially stripped of delegates for holding primaries before Feb. 5. The party’s rules committee restored the delegates in May, but gave them only half votes.
The Dhimmis don’t even care about their own rules. Why should they care about ours. It’s a symptom! Is negative respect possible?
Israel police raid Islamic Movement
“The horrible closure of the al-Aqsa foundation comes for only one reason; because the al-Aqsa foundation reveals the truth to the whole world,” Sheikh Raad Salah, head of the Islamic Movment in northern Israel told Al Jazeera.
“This truth terrifies Israel and discloses the horrible crimes of the Israeli occupation authorities in al-Quds [Jerusalem] and in the holy al-Aqsa Mosque.”
Which horrible truths? Would it be the ones leaving dead Jewish bodies strewn about the country, like so much cord wood?
Motorist who bit officer says he is HIV-positive
Ross Deadwyler, 41, and police crossed paths about 3:30 a.m. Saturday when an Atlanta officer tried to stop Deadwyler along Metropolitian Parkway after noticing the suspect’s vehicle had a broken headlight, said Officer Ronald Campbell, an Atlanta police spokesman.
Deadwyler sped off, prompting the officer to briefly give chase, Campbell said.
A Georgia State Patrol officer soon picked up the chase, finally apprehending Deadwyler on Sylvan Road, Campbell said.
Deadwyler bit out a plug of flesh from the Atlanta officer’s arm as the officer reached into his car to shut off the ignition, Campbell said. Deadwyler said he was HIV positive immediately after biting the officer, Campbell said.
Uh….bit him? Over a taillight? Did the cop leave a couple of black eyes with the…uh….’suspect’? I really hope so! I also seriously pray the officer will be ok, no testing positive!
PLO lauds IRI regional position
During the meeting, Kaddoumi briefed Mottaki on the achievements of resistance movement of the Palestinian people.
Mottaki said, for his part, the Islamic Republic of Iran, since the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution has always expressed its all-out support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.
He underlined the need for strengthening solidarity and unity among different Palestinian groups and parties and expressed hope that the resistance movement of the Palestinian people would be victorious in the near future.
I’d look for a LOT of Iranian made weapons in the not too distant future.
