61
Cricket Anyone / sulieman benn make de twitter front page ....
« on: March 01, 2011, 12:06:30 PM »
@suliebenn
wonder if tadpole does tweet ...
wonder if tadpole does tweet ...
April 23, 2024, 02:43:09 PM
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62
Entertainment & Culture Discussion / A talk with Derek Walcott
« on: February 04, 2011, 03:35:43 PM »
focussing on caribbean literature. queen m, ah hope yuh enjoy!
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/d_6mgbRSUzo" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/d_6mgbRSUzo</a>
63
General Discussion / Henrietta Lacks - HeLa cells
« on: February 02, 2011, 08:29:21 PM »
dey had a program on this woman on the radio. imagine dey harvest her cells and make discovery after discovery in science and medicine and her family still dirt poor. they have a book called The Immortal Life of Henrietta Sacks with some proceeds going to the family. and de scientist still doh know why her cells work they way they do.
==
Henrietta Lacks (August 18, 1920 – October 4, 1951) was an African American woman who was the unwitting source of cells from her cancerous tumor, which were cultured by George Otto Gey to create an immortal cell line for medical research. This is now known as the HeLa cell line.
Biography
Early life (1920–1940)
Henrietta Lacks, née Loretta Pleasant, was born on August 1, 1920 in Roanoke, Virginia to Eliza (1886–1924) and John Randall Pleasant I (1881–1969). Her family is uncertain how her name changed from Loretta to Henrietta; with Hennie as a nickname. Eliza died giving birth to her tenth child in 1924.
Sometime after his wife's death, John Pleasant took the children back to where their maternal relatives lived, and they were raised there by their mother's relatives. Henrietta ended up with her grandfather in Clover, Virginia. John worked as a brakeman on the railroad.
Later life (1941–1950)
Henrietta Pleasant married her first cousin, David "Day" Lacks (1915–2002), in Halifax County, Virginia. David had already been living with Henrietta's grandfather when she moved there at age 4. Their marriage in 1941, after their first two children were born, (the first when Henrietta was just 14) surprised many in the family as they had been raised like brother and sister.
More ....
==
Henrietta Lacks (August 18, 1920 – October 4, 1951) was an African American woman who was the unwitting source of cells from her cancerous tumor, which were cultured by George Otto Gey to create an immortal cell line for medical research. This is now known as the HeLa cell line.
Biography
Early life (1920–1940)
Henrietta Lacks, née Loretta Pleasant, was born on August 1, 1920 in Roanoke, Virginia to Eliza (1886–1924) and John Randall Pleasant I (1881–1969). Her family is uncertain how her name changed from Loretta to Henrietta; with Hennie as a nickname. Eliza died giving birth to her tenth child in 1924.
Sometime after his wife's death, John Pleasant took the children back to where their maternal relatives lived, and they were raised there by their mother's relatives. Henrietta ended up with her grandfather in Clover, Virginia. John worked as a brakeman on the railroad.
Later life (1941–1950)
Henrietta Pleasant married her first cousin, David "Day" Lacks (1915–2002), in Halifax County, Virginia. David had already been living with Henrietta's grandfather when she moved there at age 4. Their marriage in 1941, after their first two children were born, (the first when Henrietta was just 14) surprised many in the family as they had been raised like brother and sister.
More ....
64
Other Sports / Ferrari World
« on: January 07, 2011, 12:38:43 PM »
wow, de recession done oui.
http://www.ferrariworldabudhabi.com/en-gb.aspx
From wiki:
Ferrari World is a Ferrari themed amusement park on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi[1]. The park is situated under a 200,000 square metres (2,200,000 sq ft)[2] roof making it the largest indoor amusement park in the world[3]. Ferrari World officially opened on November 4, 2010.[5] The theme park is home to Formula Rossa the world's fastest roller coaster.[6]
http://www.ferrariworldabudhabi.com/en-gb.aspx
From wiki:
Ferrari World is a Ferrari themed amusement park on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi[1]. The park is situated under a 200,000 square metres (2,200,000 sq ft)[2] roof making it the largest indoor amusement park in the world[3]. Ferrari World officially opened on November 4, 2010.[5] The theme park is home to Formula Rossa the world's fastest roller coaster.[6]
65
General Discussion / wdf happening in pakistan?
« on: January 04, 2011, 09:52:11 PM »
how a court constituted in dis world could reform de blasphemy law which is supposedly constituted by a higher power? anyway, RIP taseer. de islamists out 4 blood. 
==
Governor of Pakistan's Punjab province assassinated
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- The governor of Pakistan's Punjab province was assassinated by his own security guard Tuesday, according to Interior Minister Rehman Malik, apparently because he spoke out against the country's controversial blasphemy law.
The security guard was arrested, Malik said. The shooting occurred at Islamabad's Kohsar Market, which is frequented by foreigners.
The guard, Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri, confessed to assassinating Taseer because "he did blasphemy of the Prophet Mohammed," said Naeem Iqbal, spokesman for Islamabad police. Qadri told police Taseer had described the blasphemy law as "the black laws."
The blasphemy law makes it a crime punishable by death to insult Islam, the Quran or the Prophet Mohammed.
After the shooting, Qadri immediately surrendered to authorities, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported, citing Malik.
Taseer was leaving the market when he was shot. The APP said he had had lunch with a friend at a cafe in the market. Earlier, Iqbal had said Taseer had gone into the market to make some purchases. He was taken to a hospital following the shooting, but died, apparently from blood loss, officials said.
However, Dr. Sharif Astori, spokesman for Poly Clinic Hospital, told CNN Taseer was "already dead when he was brought into the hospital."
Astori said doctors accounted for 26 bullets in his body. Most of the fatal wounds were to his chest, face, neck and legs, he said. Some of the bullets passed completely through his body.
Taseer knew he was targeted by some because of his stance on the blasphemy law, P.J. Mir, a Pakistani journalist and friend of Taseer's, told CNN. Mir said Taseer told him when the two ate dinner together last week that he had already told his wife to consider herself a widow.
Taseer "really felt for the people, felt for the people of all religions" and was not afraid to stand up for the downtrodden, Mir said. "Today we've lost a very good man."
He said Tuesday was a tragic day for Pakistan.
A spotlight was put on Pakistan's controversial blasphemy law in November when a Christian woman, Asia Bibi of Punjab province, was sentenced to death for blasphemy. A court found the 45-year-old woman guilty of defiling the name of the Prophet Mohammed during a 2009 argument with fellow Muslim field workers.
An investigation by a Pakistani government ministry found the charges against Bibi stemmed from "religious and personal enmity" and recommended her release. The government also said it would review the law.
In remarks to CNN in November, Taseer said Pakistan's President, Asif Ali Zardari, would pardon Bibi if the courts did not.
"He's a liberal, modern-minded president, and he's not going to see a poor woman like this targeted and executed ... it's just not going to happen," he said.
"The blasphemy law is not a God-made law. It's a man-made law," he said. "... It's a law that gives an excuse to extremists and reactionaries to target weak people and minorities."
No "big, rich, powerful man" runs afoul of the law, he noted. "It's only the poor people who they want to, you know, either grab their property or threaten them or get into local disputes. So the law is actually an unfortunate leftover from a military regime. It has to go in due course or be amended, and I think the pressure is on us, is on the parliamentarians now," he said.
"People have spoken up, I'm very happy to say," he added. "I took the initiative and I think from all sides ... people are coming out and openly condemning the blasphemy law. I think that's encouraging."
Taseer said he would like to see the law "changed in such a way that it just basically says, if you insult any prophet, no matter who he is, that's a criminal offense, but certainly not punishable by death."
Reaction to the assassination from officials in Pakistan and beyond was swift. Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said in a statement he "strongly condemned" the incident. The Pakistan People's Party, the nation's ruling party, said it would observe two weeks of mourning over Taseer's death, according to GEO TV.
"I am shocked to hear of the assassination of Salman Taseer," British Foreign Secretary William Hague said in a statement. "His death will be a loss to the leadership of Pakistan."
In the wake of Taseer's death, Pakistan's minority minister pledged to continue pushing for amendments in the law.
"I will continue," Shahbaz Bhatti told CNN. "I will campaign for this... these fanatics cannot stop me from moving any further steps against the misuse of (the) blasphemy law."
Asked if he was in fear of his own life, Bhatti said he was not, but "I am getting threats. I was told by the religious extremists that if you will make any amendments in this law, you will be killed. But I am ready to sacrifice my life for the principled stand I have taken because the people of Pakistan are being victimized under the pretense of blasphemy law."
The English-educated Taseer created "a host of highly successful businesses," according to his official website, and is "the pioneer of cable television in Pakistan." He introduced the first English news channel in Pakistan, Business Plus.
His website describes Taseer as an activist who stood up to Pakistan's previous military leadership, calling it a "brutal and medievalistic dictatorship." He was arrested a total of 16 times, according to the website, placed on house arrest several times and spent time in "jails around the country."
He married twice and had six children, according to his website, which also contained a quote from him: "You live life once, you live it by your principles and you live it courageously -- that's what it's about." He lived in Lahore, Pakistan.
Taseer's official Facebook page lists his favorite books as Niccolo Machiavelli's "The Prince" and biographies "of everyone -- from Napoleon to Richard Branson to Hugh Hefner."
He had been governor of Punjab province since May 2008.
==
Governor of Pakistan's Punjab province assassinated
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- The governor of Pakistan's Punjab province was assassinated by his own security guard Tuesday, according to Interior Minister Rehman Malik, apparently because he spoke out against the country's controversial blasphemy law.
The security guard was arrested, Malik said. The shooting occurred at Islamabad's Kohsar Market, which is frequented by foreigners.
The guard, Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri, confessed to assassinating Taseer because "he did blasphemy of the Prophet Mohammed," said Naeem Iqbal, spokesman for Islamabad police. Qadri told police Taseer had described the blasphemy law as "the black laws."
The blasphemy law makes it a crime punishable by death to insult Islam, the Quran or the Prophet Mohammed.
After the shooting, Qadri immediately surrendered to authorities, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported, citing Malik.
Taseer was leaving the market when he was shot. The APP said he had had lunch with a friend at a cafe in the market. Earlier, Iqbal had said Taseer had gone into the market to make some purchases. He was taken to a hospital following the shooting, but died, apparently from blood loss, officials said.
However, Dr. Sharif Astori, spokesman for Poly Clinic Hospital, told CNN Taseer was "already dead when he was brought into the hospital."
Astori said doctors accounted for 26 bullets in his body. Most of the fatal wounds were to his chest, face, neck and legs, he said. Some of the bullets passed completely through his body.
Taseer knew he was targeted by some because of his stance on the blasphemy law, P.J. Mir, a Pakistani journalist and friend of Taseer's, told CNN. Mir said Taseer told him when the two ate dinner together last week that he had already told his wife to consider herself a widow.
Taseer "really felt for the people, felt for the people of all religions" and was not afraid to stand up for the downtrodden, Mir said. "Today we've lost a very good man."
He said Tuesday was a tragic day for Pakistan.
A spotlight was put on Pakistan's controversial blasphemy law in November when a Christian woman, Asia Bibi of Punjab province, was sentenced to death for blasphemy. A court found the 45-year-old woman guilty of defiling the name of the Prophet Mohammed during a 2009 argument with fellow Muslim field workers.
An investigation by a Pakistani government ministry found the charges against Bibi stemmed from "religious and personal enmity" and recommended her release. The government also said it would review the law.
In remarks to CNN in November, Taseer said Pakistan's President, Asif Ali Zardari, would pardon Bibi if the courts did not.
"He's a liberal, modern-minded president, and he's not going to see a poor woman like this targeted and executed ... it's just not going to happen," he said.
"The blasphemy law is not a God-made law. It's a man-made law," he said. "... It's a law that gives an excuse to extremists and reactionaries to target weak people and minorities."
No "big, rich, powerful man" runs afoul of the law, he noted. "It's only the poor people who they want to, you know, either grab their property or threaten them or get into local disputes. So the law is actually an unfortunate leftover from a military regime. It has to go in due course or be amended, and I think the pressure is on us, is on the parliamentarians now," he said.
"People have spoken up, I'm very happy to say," he added. "I took the initiative and I think from all sides ... people are coming out and openly condemning the blasphemy law. I think that's encouraging."
Taseer said he would like to see the law "changed in such a way that it just basically says, if you insult any prophet, no matter who he is, that's a criminal offense, but certainly not punishable by death."
Reaction to the assassination from officials in Pakistan and beyond was swift. Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said in a statement he "strongly condemned" the incident. The Pakistan People's Party, the nation's ruling party, said it would observe two weeks of mourning over Taseer's death, according to GEO TV.
"I am shocked to hear of the assassination of Salman Taseer," British Foreign Secretary William Hague said in a statement. "His death will be a loss to the leadership of Pakistan."
In the wake of Taseer's death, Pakistan's minority minister pledged to continue pushing for amendments in the law.
"I will continue," Shahbaz Bhatti told CNN. "I will campaign for this... these fanatics cannot stop me from moving any further steps against the misuse of (the) blasphemy law."
Asked if he was in fear of his own life, Bhatti said he was not, but "I am getting threats. I was told by the religious extremists that if you will make any amendments in this law, you will be killed. But I am ready to sacrifice my life for the principled stand I have taken because the people of Pakistan are being victimized under the pretense of blasphemy law."
The English-educated Taseer created "a host of highly successful businesses," according to his official website, and is "the pioneer of cable television in Pakistan." He introduced the first English news channel in Pakistan, Business Plus.
His website describes Taseer as an activist who stood up to Pakistan's previous military leadership, calling it a "brutal and medievalistic dictatorship." He was arrested a total of 16 times, according to the website, placed on house arrest several times and spent time in "jails around the country."
He married twice and had six children, according to his website, which also contained a quote from him: "You live life once, you live it by your principles and you live it courageously -- that's what it's about." He lived in Lahore, Pakistan.
Taseer's official Facebook page lists his favorite books as Niccolo Machiavelli's "The Prince" and biographies "of everyone -- from Napoleon to Richard Branson to Hugh Hefner."
He had been governor of Punjab province since May 2008.
66
General Discussion / wdf happening in ivory coast?
« on: December 30, 2010, 10:17:08 PM »
dis gorn tribal oui 
==
Ivory Coast: UN warns attack 'could reignite' civil war
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has warned supporters of Ivory Coast incumbent Laurent Gbagbo not to attack his rival Alassane Ouattara's HQ.
An attack - threatened for Saturday - could spark civil war, he said.
Mr Ouattara, internationally recognised as winner of the presidential poll, is protected by UN soldiers in Abidjan.
Regional countries have threatened to oust Mr Gbagbo, but he says he will not leave voluntarily - and international pressure could trigger civil war.
"I do not believe at all in a civil war. But obviously, if the pressures continue as they have, they will push towards war, confrontation," he said in an interview for Euronews TV recorded on Tuesday and due to be broadcast on Friday.
He said his departure was not a guarantee for peace.
Mr Gbagbo says Mr Ouattara's victory is illegitimate. Both men have been sworn in as president.
'International crime'
On Wednesday Mr Gbagbo's Minister for Youth, Charles Ble Goude, urged followers to storm the Golf Hotel on Saturday "with our bare hands".
A statement from Mr Ban's office said he was "deeply alarmed" by Mr Ble Goude's call, adding that the UN mission would use all necessary means to protect Mr Ouattara.
"Any attack on the Golf Hotel could provoke widespread violence that could reignite civil war," the statement said.
"The secretary-general calls on all those who may be contemplating participation in the attack to refrain from such dangerous irresponsible action.
"He urges all the peace-loving citizens of [Ivory Coast] to contribute instead to the restoration of lasting stability and democracy in their country."
He said that an attack on peacekeepers constituted a crime under international law and its instigators would be held accountable.
Another UN official, Francis Deng, said allegations that homes of Gbagbo opponents had been marked to show their ethnicity were "extremely worrying".
On Wednesday Youssoufou Bamba, Ivory Coast's new ambassador to the UN appointed by Mr Ouattara, warned the country was "on the brink of genocide", and urged the UN to prevent the election being "stolen from the people".
West African regional bloc Ecowas is currently engaged with Mr Gbagbo in negotiations to resolve the crisis. The presidents of Benin, Sierra Leone and Cape Verde left without a deal on Wednesday but are expected to return on 3 January for more talks.
The Red Cross has said it is deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation in Ivory Coast.
The agency said that in the past month its workers had treated 590 wounded people, of whom about half had serious injuries.
It says thousands of people have been displaced within Ivory Coast and an even greater number have fled to neighbouring countries.
Fiery rhetoric
Ecowas has threatened in a statement to send in troops to force Mr Gbagbo to step down, but Mr Ble Goude warned against this.
Mr Gbagbo's supporters have said they will storm the hotel where Mr Ouattara is holed up "They should prepare themselves very well because we are thinking about totally liberating our country, and soon I will launch the final assault," he said.
Mr Ble Goude is renowned for his fiery rhetoric and has reportedly made such threats before without carrying them out.
But analysts have warned that inflammatory rhetoric could help push the nation back into civil war, seven years after a previous conflict resulted in it being divided between a rebel-run north and government-controlled south.
He is under UN sanctions for inciting violence in 2006.
The UN has some 9,500 peacekeepers in the country.
Mr Gbagbo has told them to leave, accusing them of interfering in Ivorian affairs. But the UN has refused to do so.
Mr Ouattara was initially declared the winner of the elections but his victory was overturned by the Constitutional Council.
The Council, led by an ally of Mr Gbagbo, ruled that votes in parts of the rebel New Forces-held north loyal to Mr Ouattara were invalid.
==
Ivory Coast: UN warns attack 'could reignite' civil war
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has warned supporters of Ivory Coast incumbent Laurent Gbagbo not to attack his rival Alassane Ouattara's HQ.
An attack - threatened for Saturday - could spark civil war, he said.
Mr Ouattara, internationally recognised as winner of the presidential poll, is protected by UN soldiers in Abidjan.
Regional countries have threatened to oust Mr Gbagbo, but he says he will not leave voluntarily - and international pressure could trigger civil war.
"I do not believe at all in a civil war. But obviously, if the pressures continue as they have, they will push towards war, confrontation," he said in an interview for Euronews TV recorded on Tuesday and due to be broadcast on Friday.
He said his departure was not a guarantee for peace.
Mr Gbagbo says Mr Ouattara's victory is illegitimate. Both men have been sworn in as president.
'International crime'
On Wednesday Mr Gbagbo's Minister for Youth, Charles Ble Goude, urged followers to storm the Golf Hotel on Saturday "with our bare hands".
A statement from Mr Ban's office said he was "deeply alarmed" by Mr Ble Goude's call, adding that the UN mission would use all necessary means to protect Mr Ouattara.
"Any attack on the Golf Hotel could provoke widespread violence that could reignite civil war," the statement said.
"The secretary-general calls on all those who may be contemplating participation in the attack to refrain from such dangerous irresponsible action.
"He urges all the peace-loving citizens of [Ivory Coast] to contribute instead to the restoration of lasting stability and democracy in their country."
He said that an attack on peacekeepers constituted a crime under international law and its instigators would be held accountable.
Another UN official, Francis Deng, said allegations that homes of Gbagbo opponents had been marked to show their ethnicity were "extremely worrying".
On Wednesday Youssoufou Bamba, Ivory Coast's new ambassador to the UN appointed by Mr Ouattara, warned the country was "on the brink of genocide", and urged the UN to prevent the election being "stolen from the people".
West African regional bloc Ecowas is currently engaged with Mr Gbagbo in negotiations to resolve the crisis. The presidents of Benin, Sierra Leone and Cape Verde left without a deal on Wednesday but are expected to return on 3 January for more talks.
The Red Cross has said it is deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation in Ivory Coast.
The agency said that in the past month its workers had treated 590 wounded people, of whom about half had serious injuries.
It says thousands of people have been displaced within Ivory Coast and an even greater number have fled to neighbouring countries.
Fiery rhetoric
Ecowas has threatened in a statement to send in troops to force Mr Gbagbo to step down, but Mr Ble Goude warned against this.
Mr Gbagbo's supporters have said they will storm the hotel where Mr Ouattara is holed up "They should prepare themselves very well because we are thinking about totally liberating our country, and soon I will launch the final assault," he said.
Mr Ble Goude is renowned for his fiery rhetoric and has reportedly made such threats before without carrying them out.
But analysts have warned that inflammatory rhetoric could help push the nation back into civil war, seven years after a previous conflict resulted in it being divided between a rebel-run north and government-controlled south.
He is under UN sanctions for inciting violence in 2006.
The UN has some 9,500 peacekeepers in the country.
Mr Gbagbo has told them to leave, accusing them of interfering in Ivorian affairs. But the UN has refused to do so.
Mr Ouattara was initially declared the winner of the elections but his victory was overturned by the Constitutional Council.
The Council, led by an ally of Mr Gbagbo, ruled that votes in parts of the rebel New Forces-held north loyal to Mr Ouattara were invalid.
67
Entertainment & Culture Discussion / New Zealand Miss India contest - racism?
« on: October 25, 2010, 10:45:10 AM »New Zealand at centre of another race row as beauty contestant booed
A blue-eyed blonde beauty contestant is at the centre of a race row in New Zealand after claims she was booed for "not being Indian enough".
By Paul Chapman
Jacinta Lal, 21, whose father is Indo-Fijian and mother a white New Zealander, claims she was verbally abused while taking part in a pageant called Miss IndiaNZ.
The ugly scenes came to light days after the Indian government delivered a diplomatic protest to New Zealand over what it said were racial slurs against Indians by Paul Henry, a TV host.
Ms Lal said that during the Wellington heat of Miss IndiaNZ some spectators "were saying I wasn't Indian enough to win the pageant".
Several complaints had been laid questioning her eligibility to take part because of her skin tone and hair colour, she said.
"There is no difference between what Paul Henry is saying and what those select few Indians were saying," she told the New Zealand Herald.
"They are all wrong and they should not say things like that."
She added that other members of the Indian community had encouraged her to take part.
Her ordeal was revealed by Serena Fiso, the mother of her boyfriend, who posted a photograph of Ms Lal on a Paul Henry fan site set up on Facebook in support of the TV show host.
Mrs Fiso said: "It was just appalling, it was so disgraceful.
"We were just dumbfounded.
"The Indian community seem to have taken great offence to Henry's comments but, when I attended that beauty pageant, I saw huge offence coming back the other way."
Dharmesh Parikh, the Miss IndiaNZ organiser, said he had received "two or three" complaints about whether Ms Lal was eligible to take part in the heat in Wellington.
He said she had also raised eyebrows when she later appeared in Auckland at the national finals of the contest.
"People said: 'Oh my God, look at this blonde girl coming to Miss IndiaNZ, what is she doing here?' "But this event is called Miss IndiaNZ, with an N-Z, and I strongly emphasise that this event is not an Indian event, it is a Kiwi-Indian event," he said.
Ms Lal finished as one of two runners-up in the finals.
The new controversy is indicative of the way the Paul Henry affair has divided New Zealanders, with thousands of fans calling for him to be reinstated.
India last week reacted with fury to footage of Mr Henry, a Breakfast show host for Television New Zealand, ridiculing the name of Sheila Dikshit, the Delhi Chief Minister.
The diplomatic protest led to his resignation.
Mr Henry had earlier apologised for questioning whether Sir Anand Satyanand, the governor-general who is of Indian extraction, was a New Zealander.
68
Jokes / James David Manning
« on: October 13, 2010, 10:30:26 PM »
check this fella james david manning reporting on obama, de "quasi-muslim" "long-legged mack daddy"
this fella have to be mad oui
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4xb8ILonoI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujugUiFtBKU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugv2ZQd66D0
more at:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ATLAHWorldwide
this fella have to be mad oui
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4xb8ILonoI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujugUiFtBKU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugv2ZQd66D0
more at:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ATLAHWorldwide
69
General Discussion / Manitoba Judge Investigated - Explicit Photos Posted on Website
« on: September 02, 2010, 06:59:28 AM »
WARNING: Mature Subject Matter
eh, how a trini reach up in here ?!?!....
==
Nude photos of judge contained in complaint
Naked photographs of a senior Manitoba judge engaged in bondage are part of a man's complaints to legal watchdogs about the judge's past and that of her husband, CBC News has learned.
A formal complaint was filed in July with the Canadian Judicial Council against Lori Douglas, associate chief justice of Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench (family division). Another complaint has been lodged with Manitoba's Law Society against Douglas's husband, Jack King, 64, a Winnipeg family lawyer.
The complainant, computer specialist Alexander Chapman, 44, alleges that King harassed him in 2003 by pressing him to have sex with Douglas, who was a lawyer at the time.
Over several weeks, Chapman said King showed him about 30 sexually explicit photos of Douglas, showing her naked in various forms of bondage, in chains, with sex toys and performing oral sex.
Chapman said he became so bothered by King's overtures that he began sleeping at his St. Mary Avenue office, pretending he was too busy with work to meet Douglas.
King's lawyer, Bill Gange, said King was suffering from depression at the time and didn't tell his wife that he had shown the pictures to anyone — or that he had posted the photos on a porn website.
An Ottawa legal expert said that even if Douglas, who was appointed a judge in 2005, was the unwitting victim of a scheme, the presence of the photos on the internet raises issues about her ability to perform as a judge.
"If pictures of you naked end up on an internet site, it's quite difficult to say you have the credibility to be a judge," said Sébastien Grammond, dean of civil law at the University of Ottawa.
Grammond said a judge ultimately represents the ideal of justice and therefore the judge's conduct and image reflect on the justice system as a whole. The judge is, in a sense, the embodiment of the justice system, something the Supreme Court has noted in a past judgment.
Grammond doubts that Douglas would have been appointed a judge if she had disclosed the fact that there were nude photographs of her on the internet in her application.
There is a question in the application that asks, "Is there anything in your past or present which could reflect negatively on yourself or the judiciary and which should be disclosed?"
"I think the facts are sufficiently suspect to warrant disclosure and to raise very important questions as to whether such a person should have been appointed a judge," Grammond said.
Douglas has refused to comment to CBC News on the allegations.
'Disgusting' pictures
Chapman said he first met Douglas's husband, Jack King, in 2002, when he retained him from the Winnipeg law firm Thompson Dorfman Sweatman to handle his divorce.
Five months later, Chapman said King invited him out for a drink and mentioned a porn website devoted to interracial sex, particularly between black men and white women.
"He was talking to me about websites and stuff, and … he gave me a website to go to called Darkcavern.com," said Chapman, who is black and originally from Trinidad.
King supplied him with a password, Chapman said, and told him to look at a section called "Our White Princesses," where white women post photos to attract black men. Numerous nude photos of King's wife, who was a lawyer at the same firm her husband worked at, were posted there, Chapman said.
"I wanted to puke," Chapman said. "[The pictures] were disgusting. I couldn't believe my lawyer was doing this to me."
It apparently wasn't the first time King sought out a black man to have sex with his wife. An ad on the Darkcavern site, seen by CBC News, shows nude photos of Douglas and seeks a "smooth black male or Mexican" to join the couple during a trip to Cancun in February 2002.
The ad specifies that the man is wanted "to seduce her with the intent of getting her enmeshed in the submissive, multi-partner, interracial sex scene."
"Husband will help and facilitate," it goes on to say.
Photos of Douglas have since been removed from the Darkcavern site.
'He looked at me as being a sex object'
Over the next few weeks, Chapman said King sent him more pictures of his wife and continued to encourage him to engage in a sexual relationship with her.
Chapman said he was emotionally distraught by the advances and didn't know how to handle his lawyer's persistent proposals. "As a black person, a black guy, I'm really sad that he looked at me as being a sex object."
He said he didn't have enough money to switch lawyers and had been warned by a judge not to delay his divorce case any further.
As Chapman's divorce was wrapping up, he said he eventually agreed to meet King and his wife at a Winnipeg restaurant, fearing his lawyer would not properly represent him if he didn't comply. King left Chapman alone with Douglas, and they chatted, according to Chapman's July 14, 2010, complaint to the Manitoba Law Society. In his complaint, Chapman described the meeting as feeling like "a first date."
Chapman said the couple invited him to their home in Birds Hill, northeast of Winnipeg, but he never went and he denies ever having sexual relations with Douglas.
When his divorce concluded, Chapman said he filed a complaint to the managing partners at Thompson Dorfman Sweatman. Soon after the complaint, King left the firm.
Chapman decides to come forward
Chapman received a $25,000 cash payment from King in return for promises not to take legal action against King and his partners. As part of the settlement, Chapman said he was required to not speak about the matter and to destroy all emails, photos and other materials sent to him by King. He said he signed, but kept the material.
After seven years of silence, however, Chapman decided to come forward, saying he felt distraught about the matter for a long time and worried it may have influence in civil court cases he's involved in, which is related to the divorce he obtained in 2003. CBC News has seen no evidence of such influence.
Chapman said he plans to sue both Douglas and King for sexual harassment and discrimination.
"I decided I'm tired of protecting Lori Douglas, Jack King and all these people in a legal field who conduct themselves inappropriately and get away with it," Chapman said.
Douglas unaware of posting: lawyer
Gange, King's lawyer, citing King's depression at the time, said the events Chapman alleges were part of an isolated incident and that King's wife didn't know he was soliciting a client to have sex with her. Gange said Douglas also was unaware her husband was posting pictures online.
Gange told CBC News King took time off work on a sick leave after his interaction with Chapman, and was put under the care of a doctor. Gange said King's behaviour at the time is not in any way consistent with his behaviour before or since.
King, in a letter to the Manitoba Law Society, acknowledged that he did meet and talk about sex with Chapman, but only after Chapman obtained his divorce in April 2003. He said Chapman would often initiate the conversations.
"At no time did I have an impression that Mr. Chapman felt uncomfortable having these discussions with me," King wrote in the letter, dated Aug. 12, 2010.
He acknowledged that he talked about the possibility of Chapman having an affair with Douglas, but denied that she had knowledge of it.
"I do regret that I had any conversations or any contact at all with Mr. Chapman that did not relate strictly to his divorce issues," he said. "I apologized to Mr. Chapman through Mr. Gange upon being advised that my conduct had offended Mr. Chapman."
He said he was coping with the deaths of his best friend and his brother at the time.
A spokesperson for Thompson Dorfman Sweatman said King quit the firm after the alleged incident on the advice of his doctor.
Douglas remained a partner at Thompson Dorfman Sweatman until 2005, when she was appointed to the Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench. She was later named associate chief justice and now sits on the Canadian Judicial Council, an agency that sets policies for the federal judicial system.
The council is the same agency that hears complaints about the conduct of federally appointed judges, and the same agency Chapman sent his complaint to.
Because Douglas is a judge, the council is the only professional body that can hear a complaint against her.
A Canadian Judicial Council complaint investigation typically takes three months.
A federally appointed judge can only be removed upon order of Parliament.
eh, how a trini reach up in here ?!?!....
==
Nude photos of judge contained in complaint
Naked photographs of a senior Manitoba judge engaged in bondage are part of a man's complaints to legal watchdogs about the judge's past and that of her husband, CBC News has learned.
A formal complaint was filed in July with the Canadian Judicial Council against Lori Douglas, associate chief justice of Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench (family division). Another complaint has been lodged with Manitoba's Law Society against Douglas's husband, Jack King, 64, a Winnipeg family lawyer.
The complainant, computer specialist Alexander Chapman, 44, alleges that King harassed him in 2003 by pressing him to have sex with Douglas, who was a lawyer at the time.
Over several weeks, Chapman said King showed him about 30 sexually explicit photos of Douglas, showing her naked in various forms of bondage, in chains, with sex toys and performing oral sex.
Chapman said he became so bothered by King's overtures that he began sleeping at his St. Mary Avenue office, pretending he was too busy with work to meet Douglas.
King's lawyer, Bill Gange, said King was suffering from depression at the time and didn't tell his wife that he had shown the pictures to anyone — or that he had posted the photos on a porn website.
An Ottawa legal expert said that even if Douglas, who was appointed a judge in 2005, was the unwitting victim of a scheme, the presence of the photos on the internet raises issues about her ability to perform as a judge.
"If pictures of you naked end up on an internet site, it's quite difficult to say you have the credibility to be a judge," said Sébastien Grammond, dean of civil law at the University of Ottawa.
Grammond said a judge ultimately represents the ideal of justice and therefore the judge's conduct and image reflect on the justice system as a whole. The judge is, in a sense, the embodiment of the justice system, something the Supreme Court has noted in a past judgment.
Grammond doubts that Douglas would have been appointed a judge if she had disclosed the fact that there were nude photographs of her on the internet in her application.
There is a question in the application that asks, "Is there anything in your past or present which could reflect negatively on yourself or the judiciary and which should be disclosed?"
"I think the facts are sufficiently suspect to warrant disclosure and to raise very important questions as to whether such a person should have been appointed a judge," Grammond said.
Douglas has refused to comment to CBC News on the allegations.
'Disgusting' pictures
Chapman said he first met Douglas's husband, Jack King, in 2002, when he retained him from the Winnipeg law firm Thompson Dorfman Sweatman to handle his divorce.
Five months later, Chapman said King invited him out for a drink and mentioned a porn website devoted to interracial sex, particularly between black men and white women.
"He was talking to me about websites and stuff, and … he gave me a website to go to called Darkcavern.com," said Chapman, who is black and originally from Trinidad.
King supplied him with a password, Chapman said, and told him to look at a section called "Our White Princesses," where white women post photos to attract black men. Numerous nude photos of King's wife, who was a lawyer at the same firm her husband worked at, were posted there, Chapman said.
"I wanted to puke," Chapman said. "[The pictures] were disgusting. I couldn't believe my lawyer was doing this to me."
It apparently wasn't the first time King sought out a black man to have sex with his wife. An ad on the Darkcavern site, seen by CBC News, shows nude photos of Douglas and seeks a "smooth black male or Mexican" to join the couple during a trip to Cancun in February 2002.
The ad specifies that the man is wanted "to seduce her with the intent of getting her enmeshed in the submissive, multi-partner, interracial sex scene."
"Husband will help and facilitate," it goes on to say.
Photos of Douglas have since been removed from the Darkcavern site.
'He looked at me as being a sex object'
Over the next few weeks, Chapman said King sent him more pictures of his wife and continued to encourage him to engage in a sexual relationship with her.
Chapman said he was emotionally distraught by the advances and didn't know how to handle his lawyer's persistent proposals. "As a black person, a black guy, I'm really sad that he looked at me as being a sex object."
He said he didn't have enough money to switch lawyers and had been warned by a judge not to delay his divorce case any further.
As Chapman's divorce was wrapping up, he said he eventually agreed to meet King and his wife at a Winnipeg restaurant, fearing his lawyer would not properly represent him if he didn't comply. King left Chapman alone with Douglas, and they chatted, according to Chapman's July 14, 2010, complaint to the Manitoba Law Society. In his complaint, Chapman described the meeting as feeling like "a first date."
Chapman said the couple invited him to their home in Birds Hill, northeast of Winnipeg, but he never went and he denies ever having sexual relations with Douglas.
When his divorce concluded, Chapman said he filed a complaint to the managing partners at Thompson Dorfman Sweatman. Soon after the complaint, King left the firm.
Chapman decides to come forward
Chapman received a $25,000 cash payment from King in return for promises not to take legal action against King and his partners. As part of the settlement, Chapman said he was required to not speak about the matter and to destroy all emails, photos and other materials sent to him by King. He said he signed, but kept the material.
After seven years of silence, however, Chapman decided to come forward, saying he felt distraught about the matter for a long time and worried it may have influence in civil court cases he's involved in, which is related to the divorce he obtained in 2003. CBC News has seen no evidence of such influence.
Chapman said he plans to sue both Douglas and King for sexual harassment and discrimination.
"I decided I'm tired of protecting Lori Douglas, Jack King and all these people in a legal field who conduct themselves inappropriately and get away with it," Chapman said.
Douglas unaware of posting: lawyer
Gange, King's lawyer, citing King's depression at the time, said the events Chapman alleges were part of an isolated incident and that King's wife didn't know he was soliciting a client to have sex with her. Gange said Douglas also was unaware her husband was posting pictures online.
Gange told CBC News King took time off work on a sick leave after his interaction with Chapman, and was put under the care of a doctor. Gange said King's behaviour at the time is not in any way consistent with his behaviour before or since.
King, in a letter to the Manitoba Law Society, acknowledged that he did meet and talk about sex with Chapman, but only after Chapman obtained his divorce in April 2003. He said Chapman would often initiate the conversations.
"At no time did I have an impression that Mr. Chapman felt uncomfortable having these discussions with me," King wrote in the letter, dated Aug. 12, 2010.
He acknowledged that he talked about the possibility of Chapman having an affair with Douglas, but denied that she had knowledge of it.
"I do regret that I had any conversations or any contact at all with Mr. Chapman that did not relate strictly to his divorce issues," he said. "I apologized to Mr. Chapman through Mr. Gange upon being advised that my conduct had offended Mr. Chapman."
He said he was coping with the deaths of his best friend and his brother at the time.
A spokesperson for Thompson Dorfman Sweatman said King quit the firm after the alleged incident on the advice of his doctor.
Douglas remained a partner at Thompson Dorfman Sweatman until 2005, when she was appointed to the Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench. She was later named associate chief justice and now sits on the Canadian Judicial Council, an agency that sets policies for the federal judicial system.
The council is the same agency that hears complaints about the conduct of federally appointed judges, and the same agency Chapman sent his complaint to.
Because Douglas is a judge, the council is the only professional body that can hear a complaint against her.
A Canadian Judicial Council complaint investigation typically takes three months.
A federally appointed judge can only be removed upon order of Parliament.
70
General Discussion / Flooding in Pakistan
« on: August 16, 2010, 08:02:55 PM »
ah feel iz de islamic extremism dat backfire. goodwill turn to badmind. and poor people does always ketch it in de end.
==
Pakistan's 'image deficit' affecting flood aid
By Denoja Kankesan
In one week after launching its appeal for the Haiti earthquake back in January, the Humanitarian Coalition in Canada raised $3.5 million dollars.
Now, a week after a similar campaign for the devastating floods in Pakistan, the coalition has received only $200,000 dollars in public donations.
World Vision Canada has seen much the same response. In two weeks of fundraising for the Haiti earthquake, the group raised $10 million dollars in Canada. But as of today, Canadians have donated only $313,000 dollars to World Vision for the Pakistan flood victims.
In recent days, aid agencies have begun voicing their concerns over the slow donor response to the Pakistan floods.
Canadians, it seems, have been far less generous than in the past, despite the UN saying the number of people suffering from the massive floods — an estimated 20 million — could exceed the combined total of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the 2010 Haiti earthquake and the 2005 Kashmir earthquake.
The reasons for this, aid groups suggest, include the relatively low, reported death toll of 1,600 as well as the slow onset of the flooding compared with the more dramatic earthquakes and tsunami.
Relatively low-key coverage in the international media and a lack of celebrity involvement has also kept the flood disaster off many potential donors' radar, Molly Kinder, a Pakistan aid expert with the Washington-based Centre for Global Development told the Associated Press.
There may also be concerns about how the aid money will be used.
"We often note an image deficit with regards to Pakistan among Western public opinion," said Elizabeth Byrs, a spokeswoman at the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
"As a result," she added, "Pakistan is among countries that are poorly financed, like Yemen."
'One fifth of the country'
The floods began in northwest Pakistan more than two weeks ago and have spread throughout the country.
Current estimates suggest as many as 20 million people and 160,000 square kilometres of land — about 20 per cent of the country — have been affected.
Aid agencies are working with government officials to assess the damage and deliver humanitarian assistance, but bad weather and damaged infrastructure are creating challenges for aid organizations.
Islamic Relief Canada said the reported death toll does not reflect the devastation that has been inflicted on people in the affected regions.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Sunday that the flooding in Pakistan is the worst disaster he has ever seen. "This has been a heart-wrenching day for me," he said.
"I will never forget the destruction and suffering I have witnessed today. In the past, I have witnessed many natural disasters around the world, but nothing like this."
The UN has been struggling to obtain $460 million US to provide emergency aid. Only 20 per cent of the money has been pledged since the appeal was launched on Aug. 11.
The U.S. has been the largest international donor. It has pledged $76 million in assistance. Eighteen U.S. military and civilian aircrafts are also being used to support relief operations.
"We've continued to increase our level of support and commitment to the relief operations there," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said.
Care Canada's communications manager, Kieran Green, blames the lazy days of summer for the lukewarm response to the disaster.
"People are not around and may not be paying attention to the news to understand how widespread the devastation really is."
Red Cross Canada has received $540,000 dollars in donations to date.
"It is slightly lower than we have seen in the past for other disasters but this crisis is due to a series of floods that have been taking place over a three-week period. It does not have the same impact as when you see a disaster like an earthquake, which has an immediate cause and effect," said Pam Aung Thin, a spokesperson for Red Cross Canada.
Robert Fox, executive director of Oxfam Canada said the group is now beginning to see a steady rise in donations.
"While the initial support from the Canadian government was modest, the increase from $2 million to $35 million is a positive sign and helped underline for the public the severity of the situation in Pakistan," he said. "Increased media attention has also drawn the public's attention."
Dave Toycen, the president of World Vision Canada, said people have raised concerns over whether the aid would get through and if it would be effectively used.
"The government has made it easier for aid workers and journalists to get in and we will be able to provide more evidence-based assurance on how the funds are being used and be able to show that those who need the relief are getting it."
Toycen acknowledged the reasons for the lower rate of donations but said, "I don't think any of these justify as reasons not to help."
==
Pakistan's 'image deficit' affecting flood aid
By Denoja Kankesan
In one week after launching its appeal for the Haiti earthquake back in January, the Humanitarian Coalition in Canada raised $3.5 million dollars.
Now, a week after a similar campaign for the devastating floods in Pakistan, the coalition has received only $200,000 dollars in public donations.
World Vision Canada has seen much the same response. In two weeks of fundraising for the Haiti earthquake, the group raised $10 million dollars in Canada. But as of today, Canadians have donated only $313,000 dollars to World Vision for the Pakistan flood victims.
In recent days, aid agencies have begun voicing their concerns over the slow donor response to the Pakistan floods.
Canadians, it seems, have been far less generous than in the past, despite the UN saying the number of people suffering from the massive floods — an estimated 20 million — could exceed the combined total of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the 2010 Haiti earthquake and the 2005 Kashmir earthquake.
The reasons for this, aid groups suggest, include the relatively low, reported death toll of 1,600 as well as the slow onset of the flooding compared with the more dramatic earthquakes and tsunami.
Relatively low-key coverage in the international media and a lack of celebrity involvement has also kept the flood disaster off many potential donors' radar, Molly Kinder, a Pakistan aid expert with the Washington-based Centre for Global Development told the Associated Press.
There may also be concerns about how the aid money will be used.
"We often note an image deficit with regards to Pakistan among Western public opinion," said Elizabeth Byrs, a spokeswoman at the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
"As a result," she added, "Pakistan is among countries that are poorly financed, like Yemen."
'One fifth of the country'
The floods began in northwest Pakistan more than two weeks ago and have spread throughout the country.
Current estimates suggest as many as 20 million people and 160,000 square kilometres of land — about 20 per cent of the country — have been affected.
Aid agencies are working with government officials to assess the damage and deliver humanitarian assistance, but bad weather and damaged infrastructure are creating challenges for aid organizations.
Islamic Relief Canada said the reported death toll does not reflect the devastation that has been inflicted on people in the affected regions.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Sunday that the flooding in Pakistan is the worst disaster he has ever seen. "This has been a heart-wrenching day for me," he said.
"I will never forget the destruction and suffering I have witnessed today. In the past, I have witnessed many natural disasters around the world, but nothing like this."
The UN has been struggling to obtain $460 million US to provide emergency aid. Only 20 per cent of the money has been pledged since the appeal was launched on Aug. 11.
The U.S. has been the largest international donor. It has pledged $76 million in assistance. Eighteen U.S. military and civilian aircrafts are also being used to support relief operations.
"We've continued to increase our level of support and commitment to the relief operations there," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said.
Care Canada's communications manager, Kieran Green, blames the lazy days of summer for the lukewarm response to the disaster.
"People are not around and may not be paying attention to the news to understand how widespread the devastation really is."
Red Cross Canada has received $540,000 dollars in donations to date.
"It is slightly lower than we have seen in the past for other disasters but this crisis is due to a series of floods that have been taking place over a three-week period. It does not have the same impact as when you see a disaster like an earthquake, which has an immediate cause and effect," said Pam Aung Thin, a spokesperson for Red Cross Canada.
Robert Fox, executive director of Oxfam Canada said the group is now beginning to see a steady rise in donations.
"While the initial support from the Canadian government was modest, the increase from $2 million to $35 million is a positive sign and helped underline for the public the severity of the situation in Pakistan," he said. "Increased media attention has also drawn the public's attention."
Dave Toycen, the president of World Vision Canada, said people have raised concerns over whether the aid would get through and if it would be effectively used.
"The government has made it easier for aid workers and journalists to get in and we will be able to provide more evidence-based assurance on how the funds are being used and be able to show that those who need the relief are getting it."
Toycen acknowledged the reasons for the lower rate of donations but said, "I don't think any of these justify as reasons not to help."
71
General Discussion / First black elected to office in Russia
« on: July 25, 2010, 09:16:51 AM »A Russian milestone: 1st black elected to office
By Kristina Narizhnaya, The Associated Press
NOVOZAVIDOVO, Russia - People in this Russian town used to stare at Jean Gregoire Sagbo because they had never seen a black man. Now they say they see in him something equally rare — an honest politician.
Sagbo last month became the first black to be elected to office in Russia.
In a country where racism is entrenched and often violent, Sagbo's election as one of Novozavidovo's 10 municipal councillors is a milestone. But among the town's 10,000 people, the 48-year-old from the West African country of Benin is viewed simply a Russian who cares about his hometown.
He promises to revive the impoverished, garbage-strewn town where he has lived for 21 years and raised a family. His plans include reducing rampant drug addiction, cleaning up a polluted lake and delivering heating to homes.
"Novozavidovo is dying," Sagbo said in an interview in the ramshackle municipal building. "This is my home, my town. We can't live like this."
"His skin is black but he is Russian inside," said Vyacheslav Arakelov, the mayor. "The way he cares about this place, only a Russian can care."
Sagbo isn't the first black in Russian politics. Another West African, Joaquin Crima of Guinea-Bissau, ran for head of a southern Russian district a year ago but was heavily defeated.
Crima was dubbed by the media "Russia's Obama." Now they've shifted the title to Sagbo, much to his annoyance.
"My name is not Obama. It's sensationalism," he said. "He is black and I am black, but it's a totally different situation."
Inspired by communist ideology, Sagbo came to Soviet Russia in 1982 to study economics in Moscow. There he met his wife, a Novozavidovo native. He moved to the town about 100 kilometres (65 miles) north of Moscow in 1989 to be close to his in-laws.
Today he is a father of two, and negotiates real estate sales for a Moscow conglomerate. His council job is unpaid.
Sagbo says neither he nor his wife wanted him to get into politics, viewing it as a dirty, dangerous business, but the town council and residents persuaded him to run for office.
They already knew him as a man of strong civic impulse. He had cleaned the entrance to his apartment building, planted flowers and spent his own money on street improvements. Ten years ago he organized volunteers and started what became an annual day of collecting garbage.
He said he feels no racism in the town. "I am one of them. I am home here," Sagbo said.
He felt that during his first year in the town, when his 4-year-old son Maxim came home in tears, saying a teenage boy spat at him. Sagbo ran outside in a rage, demanding that the spitter explain himself. Women sitting nearby also berated the teenager. Then the whole street joined in.
Russia's black population hasn't been officially counted but some studies estimate about 40,000 "Afro-Russians." Many are attracted by universities that are less costly than in the West. Scores of them suffer racially motivated attacks every year — 49 in Moscow alone in 2009, according to the Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy Task Force on Racial Violence and Harassment, an advocacy group.
After the Soviet Union collapsed, Novozavidovo's industries were rapidly privatized, leaving it in financial ruin.
High unemployment, corruption, alcoholism and pollution blight what was once an idyllic town, just a short distance from the Zavidovo National Park, where Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and President Dmitry Medvedev take nature retreats.
Denis Voronin, a 33-year-old engineer in Novozavidovo, said Sagbo was the town's first politician to get elected fairly, without resorting to buying votes
"Previous politicians were all criminals," he said.
A former administration head — the equivalent of mayor in rural Russia — was shot to death by unknown assailants two years ago.
The post is now held by Arakelov, a veteran of the Soviet war in Afghanistan who says he also wants to clean up corruption. He says money used to constantly disappear from the town budget and is being investigated by tax police.
Residents say they pay providers for heat and hot water, but because of ineffective monitoring by the municipality they don't get much of either. The toilet in the municipal building is a room with a hole in the floor.
As a councillor, Sagbo has already scored some successes. He mobilized residents to collect money and turn dilapidated lots between buildings into colorful playgrounds with new swings and painted fences.
As he strolled around his neighbourhood everyone greeted him and he responded in his fluent, French-African-accented Russian. Boys waved to Sagbo, who had promised them a soccer field.
Sitting in the newly painted playground with her son, Irina Danilenko said it was the only improvement she has seen in the five years she has lived here.
"We don't care about his race," said Danilenko, 31. "We consider him one of us."
72
2010 World Cup - South Africa / Best Save of the Tournament?
« on: July 20, 2010, 10:17:38 AM »
Suarez aside, what were de best GK saves of the tournament?
ah miss a number of games and trying to work through the earlier ones but two stand out for me:
- Casillas save on Robben breakaway
- Steklenburg save on Kaka
which ones were the best?
ah miss a number of games and trying to work through the earlier ones but two stand out for me:
- Casillas save on Robben breakaway
- Steklenburg save on Kaka
which ones were the best?
73
2010 World Cup - South Africa / Maradona to be renewed?
« on: July 15, 2010, 09:46:42 AM »Maradona to be offered four-year extension
Diego Maradona enjoyed his World Cup adventure
Diego Maradona will be offered a new four-year contract to stay on as Argentina coach, the Argentinian Football Association has announced.
AFA president Julio Grondona will meet with Maradona next week to offer him the chance to guide his nation to the Brazil 2014 World Cup after the AFA executive committee determined he remains the right man to command the national team after a respectable showing at the World Cup in South Africa.
Maradona had little coaching experience before taking Argentina on a roller-coaster ride to World Cup qualification. Few gave him any chance of turning his undoubtedly high-quality squad into World Cup contenders but they impressed on their way to the quarter-finals before being humbled 4-0 by Germany.
Grondona intends to meet with Maradona no later than next Wednesday to discuss the contract extension. Maradona said after his side's exit that he would consult his family and the Argentina players before deciding whether he intended to stay on.
==
"I prefer a calm coach on the bench like Van Marwijk, rather than an idiot like Maradona or Dunga."
- Wesley Sneijder.
74
General Discussion / New PM for Australia
« on: June 24, 2010, 07:34:22 AM »
noteworthy is how this played out and the differences with the pnm's succession crisis and to a lesser extent unc's.
==
How they planned Rudd's execution
by John Ferguson, Steve Lewis
Julia Gillard is Australia's new prime minister after Kevin Rudd stepped down as Labor party leader. Picture: AFP Source: The Australian
IT WAS just after 8pm in Canberra's Hoang Hau restaurant when the gravity of Kevin Rudd's plight started to become clear.
Labor powerbroker Bill Shorten was eating with the godfather of Labor's Right faction from South Australia, Senator Don Farrell, and Early Childhood Education Minister Kate Ellis on Wednesday night.
Onlookers at Hoang Hau, which means Imperial Queen, were intrigued.
As the other diners pretended to focus on their food - the speciality is salted, crispy pigeon - history was being played out by mobile phone.
The challenge was on, the three MPs making and receiving calls, no doubt in the knowledge that Julia Gillard was poised to make her run.
About 3km down the road at Parliament House, the knives were being sharpened, the end of session tiredness replaced by adrenaline.
Victorian senator David Feeney was seen walking the corridors of parliament, ducking through the ground floor gardens and into the offices of factional allies.
All the while, some of the most significant players in the Rudd Government - supporters of Kevin Rudd - were having to rely on media reporting of a looming challenge.
It was a lightning challenge executed with brutal efficiency, so much so that three ministers were hosting end of Parliament drinks.
At roughly the same time, Julia Gillard was telling Kevin Rudd it was game over as key ministers shuffled through the prime ministerial offices.
Ms Gillard entered the PM's office at 7.15pm and joining her and Mr Rudd was party heavyweight Senator John Faulkner.
Ms Gillard would watch the prime ministerial press conference about three hours later from within the suite of offices used by the PM's staff.
News of the leadership ructions emerged publicly about 7pm but the coup was under way from early that morning.
It is believed Ms Gillard urged Mr Rudd to go quietly.
Just before the story broke at 7pm, a key Rudd ally, Left-wing minister Anthony Albanese, was apparently ignorant of what was unfolding. Or he was doing an excellent job hiding it.
As manager of Government business in the House of Representatives, it is Mr Albanese's business to know what is going on.
Yet before the story hit the media, he could be seen wandering the parliamentary press gallery discussing matters unrelated to politics.
Later, he would be seen - alert and alarmed - darting in and out of the Prime Minister's Office, or PMO as it is known inside the Canberra beltway.
He wasn't alone.
An insider said that when the ABC reported meetings about Mr Rudd's leadership at 7pm, it was game on.
"It was like a bomb going off," he said.
"A lot of the ministers had no idea about it. Staffers were s----ing themselves.
"Lights that were off in offices all over the place were turned on.
"It was chaos at the entrances to Parliament."
Those ministers and MPs who rushed back to Parliament were in a state of panic.
It was only those who knew the score who didn't need to sprint.
THE battleground for the coup, however, came just after dawn on Wednesday when some of Labor's most ferocious factional deal makers jogged onto a parliamentary sporting field for a friendly game of World Cup soccer.
Mark Arbib, the NSW Right-wing warrior, laced up his boots, as did Minister for Communications, Stephen Conroy, dubbed a "factional Dalek" by party elder and ex-senator Robert Ray.
Alan Griffin, the Minister for Veterans Affairs and key Victorian Left number cruncher who had helped deliver the numbers for Kevin Rudd when he ousted Kim Beazley in late 2006, also took his place in the line-up, as did NSW MP Belinda Neal.
It was the start of an extraordinary day in Canberra, a day that ended with the death of a prime ministerial career.
About 9.30am, Senator Arbib, the junior Employment Minister and former NSW state secretary, joined up with Senator Feeney.
Senator Feeney was, like Senator Arbib, a parliamentary first-termer, winning his Senate position on the back of the 2007 Rudd-slide.
The senators went to see Julia Gillard in her office, just around the corner from the Prime Minister's suite.
They had a bombshell to deliver. Mr Rudd no longer had their support or their confidence - they wanted to put her in The Lodge.
Ms Gillard, who had pledged total loyalty to Mr Rudd, gave them no commitment but immediately started consulting her closest supporters and friends.
But she made it known she was deeply annoyed by a news story reporting that Mr Rudd's chief of staff Alister Jordan had been sounding out caucus colleagues.
Senior Labor sources said the anger was intensified by suggestions that some ministers would be necked by Mr Rudd before the election.
A little later, Senator Farrell was brought into the loop.
Then, about noon, Mr Shorten was told of the discussions.
Two weeks earlier, Mr Shorten had been to see Ms Gillard, raising concerns about Mr Rudd's increasingly erratic performance and the growing concerns that Labor was headed for an electoral trouncing.
While Ms Gillard was sounding out her colleagues, a four-person delegation - Shorten, Feeney, Farrell and Steve Hutchins, from NSW - paid a visit to Treasurer Wayne Swan.
The Treasurer went to the same high school as Kevin Rudd and worked closely with him for many years. Together they crafted the Government's huge stimulus package, which warded off the global financial crisis.
MR SWAN was a late convert to Ms Gillard, but he is deeply pragmatic. Once Ms Gillard vowed to run, he knew it was game over for Mr Rudd.
Victorian MPs were crucial in backing Ms Gillard.
By the end of the night, sources said only Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner was wavering on the transition.
Mr Tanner, who had already privately told Mr Rudd he will quit his seat of Melbourne at the next election, is a rival of Ms Gillard.
Former leader Simon Crean was reportedly reluctant to shift his support but eventually switched.
The NSW Right was already on board the Gillard train on Wednesday night. Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith saw the writing on the wall at the same time.
A senior Labor source said the idea that it was a coup forced by factional warlords was "stupid".
"The fact is there were 80-odd MPs backing Julia," the source said.
"What needed to happen was Julia had to put up her hand. Kevin was driving us into a cliff. This was a whole-of-caucus decision."
Mr Rudd clearly didn't believe so.
He pointedly attacked the factions in his press conference late on Wednesday - further evidence of his lack of political skills.
EVEN though he was hoping to retain party support, he was attacking the very people who would count the votes.
Union figures regularly refer to the ill-fated meeting Mr Rudd had with factional bosses last year over MPs' printing allowances.
"I don't care what you f----ers think!" he reportedly screamed at Senator Feeney.
Singling out the former Victorian party secretary, Mr Rudd said: "You can get f----d."
Also subject to the tirade was Senator Farrell, who became instrumental in Mr Rudd's political demise.
Stories of Mr Rudd's appalling behaviour towards colleagues are legend.
But insiders have played down the importance of Mr Rudd's rant at Senator Feeney and Senator Farrell.
"We're allowed to swear," an MP said.
"Rudd's problem was that he was wrecking the Government.
"And he wouldn't listen."
It would take a hard heart not to feel some sympathy for Mr Rudd as he fought back tears and his voice broke in the prime ministerial courtyard yesterday.
That courtyard will one day be seen as sacred territory in Australia.
Rarely used, it has been the venue for some of the most dramatic developments in modern politics.
But his farewell was very Kevin Rudd - heavy in acknowledging his own achievements but light on insight, much like Mark Latham.
The prime minister with the foul mouth and violent temper praised God before he walked off into the bowels of Parliament.
It is highly likely Kevin Rudd will never understand where it all went wrong.
- with Ben Packham
==
How they planned Rudd's execution
by John Ferguson, Steve Lewis
Julia Gillard is Australia's new prime minister after Kevin Rudd stepped down as Labor party leader. Picture: AFP Source: The Australian
IT WAS just after 8pm in Canberra's Hoang Hau restaurant when the gravity of Kevin Rudd's plight started to become clear.
Labor powerbroker Bill Shorten was eating with the godfather of Labor's Right faction from South Australia, Senator Don Farrell, and Early Childhood Education Minister Kate Ellis on Wednesday night.
Onlookers at Hoang Hau, which means Imperial Queen, were intrigued.
As the other diners pretended to focus on their food - the speciality is salted, crispy pigeon - history was being played out by mobile phone.
The challenge was on, the three MPs making and receiving calls, no doubt in the knowledge that Julia Gillard was poised to make her run.
About 3km down the road at Parliament House, the knives were being sharpened, the end of session tiredness replaced by adrenaline.
Victorian senator David Feeney was seen walking the corridors of parliament, ducking through the ground floor gardens and into the offices of factional allies.
All the while, some of the most significant players in the Rudd Government - supporters of Kevin Rudd - were having to rely on media reporting of a looming challenge.
It was a lightning challenge executed with brutal efficiency, so much so that three ministers were hosting end of Parliament drinks.
At roughly the same time, Julia Gillard was telling Kevin Rudd it was game over as key ministers shuffled through the prime ministerial offices.
Ms Gillard entered the PM's office at 7.15pm and joining her and Mr Rudd was party heavyweight Senator John Faulkner.
Ms Gillard would watch the prime ministerial press conference about three hours later from within the suite of offices used by the PM's staff.
News of the leadership ructions emerged publicly about 7pm but the coup was under way from early that morning.
It is believed Ms Gillard urged Mr Rudd to go quietly.
Just before the story broke at 7pm, a key Rudd ally, Left-wing minister Anthony Albanese, was apparently ignorant of what was unfolding. Or he was doing an excellent job hiding it.
As manager of Government business in the House of Representatives, it is Mr Albanese's business to know what is going on.
Yet before the story hit the media, he could be seen wandering the parliamentary press gallery discussing matters unrelated to politics.
Later, he would be seen - alert and alarmed - darting in and out of the Prime Minister's Office, or PMO as it is known inside the Canberra beltway.
He wasn't alone.
An insider said that when the ABC reported meetings about Mr Rudd's leadership at 7pm, it was game on.
"It was like a bomb going off," he said.
"A lot of the ministers had no idea about it. Staffers were s----ing themselves.
"Lights that were off in offices all over the place were turned on.
"It was chaos at the entrances to Parliament."
Those ministers and MPs who rushed back to Parliament were in a state of panic.
It was only those who knew the score who didn't need to sprint.
THE battleground for the coup, however, came just after dawn on Wednesday when some of Labor's most ferocious factional deal makers jogged onto a parliamentary sporting field for a friendly game of World Cup soccer.
Mark Arbib, the NSW Right-wing warrior, laced up his boots, as did Minister for Communications, Stephen Conroy, dubbed a "factional Dalek" by party elder and ex-senator Robert Ray.
Alan Griffin, the Minister for Veterans Affairs and key Victorian Left number cruncher who had helped deliver the numbers for Kevin Rudd when he ousted Kim Beazley in late 2006, also took his place in the line-up, as did NSW MP Belinda Neal.
It was the start of an extraordinary day in Canberra, a day that ended with the death of a prime ministerial career.
About 9.30am, Senator Arbib, the junior Employment Minister and former NSW state secretary, joined up with Senator Feeney.
Senator Feeney was, like Senator Arbib, a parliamentary first-termer, winning his Senate position on the back of the 2007 Rudd-slide.
The senators went to see Julia Gillard in her office, just around the corner from the Prime Minister's suite.
They had a bombshell to deliver. Mr Rudd no longer had their support or their confidence - they wanted to put her in The Lodge.
Ms Gillard, who had pledged total loyalty to Mr Rudd, gave them no commitment but immediately started consulting her closest supporters and friends.
But she made it known she was deeply annoyed by a news story reporting that Mr Rudd's chief of staff Alister Jordan had been sounding out caucus colleagues.
Senior Labor sources said the anger was intensified by suggestions that some ministers would be necked by Mr Rudd before the election.
A little later, Senator Farrell was brought into the loop.
Then, about noon, Mr Shorten was told of the discussions.
Two weeks earlier, Mr Shorten had been to see Ms Gillard, raising concerns about Mr Rudd's increasingly erratic performance and the growing concerns that Labor was headed for an electoral trouncing.
While Ms Gillard was sounding out her colleagues, a four-person delegation - Shorten, Feeney, Farrell and Steve Hutchins, from NSW - paid a visit to Treasurer Wayne Swan.
The Treasurer went to the same high school as Kevin Rudd and worked closely with him for many years. Together they crafted the Government's huge stimulus package, which warded off the global financial crisis.
MR SWAN was a late convert to Ms Gillard, but he is deeply pragmatic. Once Ms Gillard vowed to run, he knew it was game over for Mr Rudd.
Victorian MPs were crucial in backing Ms Gillard.
By the end of the night, sources said only Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner was wavering on the transition.
Mr Tanner, who had already privately told Mr Rudd he will quit his seat of Melbourne at the next election, is a rival of Ms Gillard.
Former leader Simon Crean was reportedly reluctant to shift his support but eventually switched.
The NSW Right was already on board the Gillard train on Wednesday night. Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith saw the writing on the wall at the same time.
A senior Labor source said the idea that it was a coup forced by factional warlords was "stupid".
"The fact is there were 80-odd MPs backing Julia," the source said.
"What needed to happen was Julia had to put up her hand. Kevin was driving us into a cliff. This was a whole-of-caucus decision."
Mr Rudd clearly didn't believe so.
He pointedly attacked the factions in his press conference late on Wednesday - further evidence of his lack of political skills.
EVEN though he was hoping to retain party support, he was attacking the very people who would count the votes.
Union figures regularly refer to the ill-fated meeting Mr Rudd had with factional bosses last year over MPs' printing allowances.
"I don't care what you f----ers think!" he reportedly screamed at Senator Feeney.
Singling out the former Victorian party secretary, Mr Rudd said: "You can get f----d."
Also subject to the tirade was Senator Farrell, who became instrumental in Mr Rudd's political demise.
Stories of Mr Rudd's appalling behaviour towards colleagues are legend.
But insiders have played down the importance of Mr Rudd's rant at Senator Feeney and Senator Farrell.
"We're allowed to swear," an MP said.
"Rudd's problem was that he was wrecking the Government.
"And he wouldn't listen."
It would take a hard heart not to feel some sympathy for Mr Rudd as he fought back tears and his voice broke in the prime ministerial courtyard yesterday.
That courtyard will one day be seen as sacred territory in Australia.
Rarely used, it has been the venue for some of the most dramatic developments in modern politics.
But his farewell was very Kevin Rudd - heavy in acknowledging his own achievements but light on insight, much like Mark Latham.
The prime minister with the foul mouth and violent temper praised God before he walked off into the bowels of Parliament.
It is highly likely Kevin Rudd will never understand where it all went wrong.
- with Ben Packham
75
General Discussion / McChrystal relieved of command
« on: June 23, 2010, 12:17:19 PM »
de nobel-peace-prize winning president sending mcchrystal, de afghanistan commander, on to a next vocation (as a tea party candidate perhaps) over comments he made to rolling stone. he try to pull a kanye but geh SLAP.
gen. petreaus to take over.
==
Obama fires Gen. McChrystal
(Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Wednesday fired his top Afghanistan commander over inflammatory comments that angered the White House and threatened to undermine the war effort.
Obama relieved General Stanley McChrystal of his command after a private, 30-minute meeting at the White House and named General David Petraeus, commander of the U.S. Central Command, to replace him, a senior administration official said.
McChrystal had been summoned by Obama to explain remarks he and his aides made in a magazine article that disparaged Obama and other senior civilian leaders. Obama was due to make a public statement in the White House Rose Garden.
The situation posed a dilemma for Obama. If McChrystal had kept his job, the president could have been seen as tolerating insubordination from the military. But by firing him, Obama is shaking up the chain of command at a perilous moment in the unpopular 9-year-old war.
McChrystal first met Defense Secretary Robert Gates at the Pentagon before entering the White House through a side door for his one-on-one meeting with Obama. He left before Obama's Afghanistan war council, which he had been due to attend, convened in late morning.
Obama, described by aides as furious about the Rolling Stone magazine article, issued a stern rebuke to McChrystal on Tuesday, saying he wanted to talk directly to the general before making a final decision.
"I think it's clear that the article in which he and his team appeared showed poor judgment," Obama told reporters after a Cabinet meeting.
Amid harsh criticism over McChrystal's contemptuous remarks, U.S. officials had said they expected the general, the U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan and architect of Obama's war strategy, to offer his resignation and allow the president to decide whether to accept it.
With his career on the line, the 55-year-old general apologized. "It was a mistake reflecting poor judgment and should never have happened," McChrystal said in a statement.
In the article entitled "The Runaway General" -- here -- McChrystal himself makes belittling remarks about Vice President Joe Biden and the U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke.
His aides are quoted as calling one top Obama official a "clown" and another a "wounded animal" and saying the president appeared intimidated at his first meeting with McChrystal. (Additional reporting by Phil Stewart and Jeff Mason; Editing by Patricia Wilson and Doina Chiacu)
==
so allyuh tink ah wouldn't hurt a fly .... tink again!
gen. petreaus to take over.
==
Obama fires Gen. McChrystal
(Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Wednesday fired his top Afghanistan commander over inflammatory comments that angered the White House and threatened to undermine the war effort.
Obama relieved General Stanley McChrystal of his command after a private, 30-minute meeting at the White House and named General David Petraeus, commander of the U.S. Central Command, to replace him, a senior administration official said.
McChrystal had been summoned by Obama to explain remarks he and his aides made in a magazine article that disparaged Obama and other senior civilian leaders. Obama was due to make a public statement in the White House Rose Garden.
The situation posed a dilemma for Obama. If McChrystal had kept his job, the president could have been seen as tolerating insubordination from the military. But by firing him, Obama is shaking up the chain of command at a perilous moment in the unpopular 9-year-old war.
McChrystal first met Defense Secretary Robert Gates at the Pentagon before entering the White House through a side door for his one-on-one meeting with Obama. He left before Obama's Afghanistan war council, which he had been due to attend, convened in late morning.
Obama, described by aides as furious about the Rolling Stone magazine article, issued a stern rebuke to McChrystal on Tuesday, saying he wanted to talk directly to the general before making a final decision.
"I think it's clear that the article in which he and his team appeared showed poor judgment," Obama told reporters after a Cabinet meeting.
Amid harsh criticism over McChrystal's contemptuous remarks, U.S. officials had said they expected the general, the U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan and architect of Obama's war strategy, to offer his resignation and allow the president to decide whether to accept it.
With his career on the line, the 55-year-old general apologized. "It was a mistake reflecting poor judgment and should never have happened," McChrystal said in a statement.
In the article entitled "The Runaway General" -- here -- McChrystal himself makes belittling remarks about Vice President Joe Biden and the U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke.
His aides are quoted as calling one top Obama official a "clown" and another a "wounded animal" and saying the president appeared intimidated at his first meeting with McChrystal. (Additional reporting by Phil Stewart and Jeff Mason; Editing by Patricia Wilson and Doina Chiacu)
==
so allyuh tink ah wouldn't hurt a fly .... tink again!
76
2010 World Cup - South Africa / drogba has a fractured arm? ....
« on: June 04, 2010, 07:50:33 AM »77
2010 World Cup - South Africa / Stephen Hart weighs up CONCACAF's World Cup teams
« on: June 03, 2010, 08:20:08 AM »
interview with CBC Sports. big picture and everything.
hopefully dos santos doh bail on el tri
==
Stephen Hart weighs up CONCACAF's World Cup teams
By Vijay Setlur, CBC Sports
Canada coach Stephen Hart doesn't believe Honduras will be able to make it out of the first round at the World Cup. (Juan Mabromata/AFP/Getty Images)
It has been about 18 months since Canada was knocked out of 2010 World Cup qualifying.
Since then, the country has toiled in the equivalent of the soccer wasteland, resorting to playing a string of friendlies against countries large and small.
It won't be easy for Canadian national team manager Stephen Hart to be on the outside looking in as 32 countries vie for soccer's ultimate prize this month in South Africa.
What's particularly bittersweet is two of the three representatives CONCACAF were in Canada's semifinal round qualifying group. Mexico and Honduras advanced out of the "Group of Death," and will join the United States as CONCACAF's flag-bearers in South Africa.
But what's done is done. With Brazil 2014 now his sole focus, Hart will be following Canada's regional rivals closely in South Africa as he prepares his squad for the next round of World Cup qualifying that begins in two years.
So how does Hart see the three CONCACAF teams faring?
Analysts around the confederation have pinned their hopes on Mexico, and Hart is no different, but with a disclaimer. While young stars such as Carlos Vela and Giovanni Dos Santos lead a flexible and flowing offensive system, it's the front line's inexperience, Hart says, that is a concern.
"Giovanni Dos Santos and Vela — a lot will fall on their shoulders, and they're very, very young," Hart told CBCSports.ca.
"I noticed they've selected the old veteran (Cuauhtemoc Blanco), and I don't know if he has it in him to come up with some goals. But I think it will take a team performance and a lot of discipline from them to really come off with anything."
The United States, Hart believes, will benefit from its athleticism, the strong goalkeeping of Tim Howard and an ability to launch quick counterattacks. But the question is can Bob Bradley's side consistently score goals? That's where Hart says Landon Donovan, Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey are key factors.
Honduras lacking
Honduras is no stranger to Hart, having beaten Canada twice in qualifying and again last summer in the quarter-finals of CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Canada couldn't handle their speedy attack and array of offensive weapons in David Suazo, Amado Guevara, Wilson Palacios and Carlo Costly. Despite the firepower, Hart feels the Central Americans' back-line and goaltending are lacking and won't stand up to the more organized teams in their group.
"They're going to depend on their team actually going forward. Offence is the best defence so to speak," Hart said. "I'm not sure that's going to be enough against the likes of Spain and a team that plays as organized as Switzerland and look to play off your mistakes."
All three CONCACAF teams have their strengths, but Hart believes their ability to take points from their opening matches will be the key to determining whether they advance beyond the group stage.
And that's where he feels Honduras will fall short, despite being an exciting team. Starting off against a strong Chilean side as a prelude to a showdown with defending European champion Spain will be too much.
Which goes furthest?
"I would like them to go through because they have a very exciting team," Hart admitted.
"I had a chance to speak with their coach. He's concerned about many of his players not playing consistently, but he does have a good midfield and a good attacking team that can surprise people. I wish them well, but I can't see them getting out of the group."
So which team does he think will go the furthest?
Not one to look too far ahead with Canada, Hart believes the U.S. and Mexico will reach the second round, but no further. When pressed he gave the nod to Mexico, but insisted El Tri doesn't have the goal-scoring ability.
"Mexico has been struggling to score goals and continues to struggle to score goals, and the biggest question is where their goals are going to come from," Hart explained. "They're a very flexible team in how they play technically, very sound in all positions, but that question lingers."
Regardless of how the three teams fare, Hart will look to glean valuable intelligence that will help get Canada to the status those three countries enjoy at the moment.
hopefully dos santos doh bail on el tri
==
Stephen Hart weighs up CONCACAF's World Cup teams
By Vijay Setlur, CBC Sports
Canada coach Stephen Hart doesn't believe Honduras will be able to make it out of the first round at the World Cup. (Juan Mabromata/AFP/Getty Images)
It has been about 18 months since Canada was knocked out of 2010 World Cup qualifying.
Since then, the country has toiled in the equivalent of the soccer wasteland, resorting to playing a string of friendlies against countries large and small.
It won't be easy for Canadian national team manager Stephen Hart to be on the outside looking in as 32 countries vie for soccer's ultimate prize this month in South Africa.
What's particularly bittersweet is two of the three representatives CONCACAF were in Canada's semifinal round qualifying group. Mexico and Honduras advanced out of the "Group of Death," and will join the United States as CONCACAF's flag-bearers in South Africa.
But what's done is done. With Brazil 2014 now his sole focus, Hart will be following Canada's regional rivals closely in South Africa as he prepares his squad for the next round of World Cup qualifying that begins in two years.
So how does Hart see the three CONCACAF teams faring?
Analysts around the confederation have pinned their hopes on Mexico, and Hart is no different, but with a disclaimer. While young stars such as Carlos Vela and Giovanni Dos Santos lead a flexible and flowing offensive system, it's the front line's inexperience, Hart says, that is a concern.
"Giovanni Dos Santos and Vela — a lot will fall on their shoulders, and they're very, very young," Hart told CBCSports.ca.
"I noticed they've selected the old veteran (Cuauhtemoc Blanco), and I don't know if he has it in him to come up with some goals. But I think it will take a team performance and a lot of discipline from them to really come off with anything."
The United States, Hart believes, will benefit from its athleticism, the strong goalkeeping of Tim Howard and an ability to launch quick counterattacks. But the question is can Bob Bradley's side consistently score goals? That's where Hart says Landon Donovan, Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey are key factors.
Honduras lacking
Honduras is no stranger to Hart, having beaten Canada twice in qualifying and again last summer in the quarter-finals of CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Canada couldn't handle their speedy attack and array of offensive weapons in David Suazo, Amado Guevara, Wilson Palacios and Carlo Costly. Despite the firepower, Hart feels the Central Americans' back-line and goaltending are lacking and won't stand up to the more organized teams in their group.
"They're going to depend on their team actually going forward. Offence is the best defence so to speak," Hart said. "I'm not sure that's going to be enough against the likes of Spain and a team that plays as organized as Switzerland and look to play off your mistakes."
All three CONCACAF teams have their strengths, but Hart believes their ability to take points from their opening matches will be the key to determining whether they advance beyond the group stage.
And that's where he feels Honduras will fall short, despite being an exciting team. Starting off against a strong Chilean side as a prelude to a showdown with defending European champion Spain will be too much.
Which goes furthest?
"I would like them to go through because they have a very exciting team," Hart admitted.
"I had a chance to speak with their coach. He's concerned about many of his players not playing consistently, but he does have a good midfield and a good attacking team that can surprise people. I wish them well, but I can't see them getting out of the group."
So which team does he think will go the furthest?
Not one to look too far ahead with Canada, Hart believes the U.S. and Mexico will reach the second round, but no further. When pressed he gave the nod to Mexico, but insisted El Tri doesn't have the goal-scoring ability.
"Mexico has been struggling to score goals and continues to struggle to score goals, and the biggest question is where their goals are going to come from," Hart explained. "They're a very flexible team in how they play technically, very sound in all positions, but that question lingers."
Regardless of how the three teams fare, Hart will look to glean valuable intelligence that will help get Canada to the status those three countries enjoy at the moment.
78
General Discussion / A new explanation for why we exist
« on: May 21, 2010, 08:09:18 AM »
interesting stuff. here's where the math doh line up with the science....
==
New clue to anti-matter mystery
A US-based physics experiment has found a clue as to why the world around us is composed of normal matter and not its shadowy opposite: anti-matter.
Anti-matter is rare today; it can be produced in "atom smashers", in nuclear reactions or by cosmic rays.
But physicists think the Big Bang should have produced equal amounts of matter and its opposite.
New results from the DZero exeriment at Fermilab in Illinois provide a clue to what happened to all the anti-matter.
Continue reading the main story Many of us felt goose bumps when we saw the result
Stefan Soldner-Rembold
DZero co-spokesperson
This is regarded by many researchers as one of the biggest mysteries in cosmology.
The data even offer hints of new physics beyond what can be explained by current theories.
For each basic particle of matter, there exists an anti-particle with the same mass but the opposite electric charge.
For example, the negatively charged electron has a positively charged anti-particle called the positron.
But when a particle and its anti-particle collide, they are "annihilated" in a flash of energy, yielding new particles and anti-particles.
Similar processes occurring at the beginning of the Universe should have left us with equal amounts of matter and anti-matter.
Yet, paradoxically, today we live in a Universe made up overwhelmingly of matter.
Unexplained result
Researchers working on the DZero experiment observed collisions of protons and anti-protons in Fermilab's Tevatron particle accelerator.
They found that these collisions produced pairs of matter particles slightly more often than they yielded anti-matter particles.
The results show a 1% difference in the production of pairs of muon (matter) particles and pairs of anti-muons (anti-matter particles) in these high-energy collisions.
"Many of us felt goose bumps when we saw the result," said Stefan Soldner-Rembold, one of the spokespeople for DZero.
"We knew we were seeing something beyond what we have seen before and beyond what current theories can explain."
The dominance of matter in the Universe is possible only if there are differences in the behaviour of particles and anti-particles.
Physicists had already seen such differences - known as called "CP violation". But these known differences are much too small to explain why the Universe appears to prefer matter over anti-matter.
Indeed, these previous observations were fully consistent with the current theory, known as the Standard Model. This is the framework drawn up in the 1970s to explain the interactions of sub-atomic particles.
Researchers say the new findings, submitted for publication in the journal Physical Review D, show much more significant "asymmetry" of matter and anti-matter - beyond what can be explained by the Standard Model.
If the results are confirmed by other experiments, such as the Collider Detector (CDF) at Fermilab, the effect seen by the DZero team could move researchers along in their efforts to understand the dominance of matter in today's Universe.
The data presage results expected from another experiment, called LHCb, which is based at the Large Hadron Collider near Geneva.
LHCb was specifically designed to shed light on this central question in particle physics.
Commenting on the latest findings, Dr Tara Shears, a particle physicist at the University of Liverpool who works on LHCb and CDF, said: "It's not yet at the stage of a discovery or an explanation, but it is a very tantalising hint of what might be."
Dr Shears, who is not a member of the DZero team, added: "It certainly means that LHCb will be eager to look for the same effect, to confirm whether it exists and if it does, to make a more precise measurement."
Paul.Rincon-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk
Fermilab Finds New Mechanism for Matter's Dominance over Antimatter
An analysis of Tevatron data shows an asymmetry in the way particles known as neutral B mesons decay
By John Matson
The Large Hadron Collider may be up and running outside Geneva, but the particle accelerator it supplanted as top dog in the particle physics community appears to have a few surprises left to deliver. Data from the workhorse Tevatron collider at Fermilab in Illinois show what appears to be a preference for matter over antimatter in the way an unusual kind of particle decays, according to a new analysis in a Tevatron research collaboration.
Physicists and cosmologists seek such mechanisms to help explain why matter prevailed over antimatter in the early universe, when both should have been created in equal parts, yielding a storm of mutual annihilation and not the stable material structures—galaxies and the like—that fill the universe.
Some properties of high-energy physics have been shown to be fundamentally asymmetrical, producing matter more often than antimatter, but in quantities too small to explain the relative dearth of antimatter in the universe. The new mechanism observed at the Tevatron's DZero detector appears to work on a much larger scale, says Fermilab staff scientist Dmitri Denisov, co-spokesperson for the DZero collaboration, but whether it can explain the preponderance of matter today remains to be seen. In any event, the asymmetry does not fit with the long-reigning Standard Model of particle physics, suggesting that some hitherto unknown particle or interaction may be at play.
The DZero collaborators analyzed more than seven years of proton–antiproton collisions in the new study, which the group submitted to Physical Review D and published online May 16. As the exotic, short-lived particles produced in the collisions progressively decayed to more stable particles such as electrons, a collision product known as a neutral B meson appeared to decay more often into muons—unstable particles that exist for roughly two millionths of a second before decaying further—than into antimuons.
"While colliding protons and antiprotons, which creates neutral B mesons, we would expect that when they decay we will see equal amounts of matter and antimatter," Denisov says. "For whatever reason, there are more negative muons, which are matter, than positive muons, which are antimatter." According to DZero member Gustaaf Brooijmans, a physicist at Columbia University, "We observe an asymmetry that is close to 1 percent."
Brooijmans notes that other experiments have used B mesons to expose fundamental asymmetries in physics but that the results of those experiments have adhered more closely to the Standard Model's predictions. So-called B factories have been built to explore the properties of the unusual particles, but in a more limited scope than that available at the Tevatron. "There is one big difference" between the DZero result and those of the B factories, Brooijmans says. "We have access to the Bs meson, and B factories have access mostly to Bd."
Both Bs and Bd mesons (so named because they contain a strange quark or a down quark, respectively) are short-lived, decaying away in roughly 1.5 picoseconds, or 1.5 trillionths of a second. They are known as neutral mesons because they carry no net electric charge. In their brief lifetimes, they can oscillate between two forms, each the antiparticle of the other, Denisov explains. The difference is that Bs mesons oscillate much faster, giving them more flexibility to change from a matter progenitor to an antimatter progenitor, or vice versa. "Neutral B mesons are really interesting because they can basically go back and forth between matter and antimatter, to simplify things a bit, and we would have thought that they would spend an equal time as each," Denisov says. "What we're measuring now, it looks like they prefer matter."
Even within the halls of Fermilab, the new result from the tight-lipped DZero group came as a surprise, says theoretical physicist Bogdan Dobrescu, a staff scientist at the lab. "It's very exciting," Dobrescu says. "This kind of important announcement is not made too often." All the same, he says, the result must check out in other experiments before it can gain much traction. "It needs to be confirmed before we change the textbooks," he says.
Dobrescu says it is too early to speculate on how much of a player the new mechanism might be in establishing matter's prevalence in the universe. "However, all this notion of explaining matter–antimatter asymmetry should not be the central aspect of this discussion," he says. "We are up against something more important, which is, what are the laws of physics? The matter–antimatter asymmetry is just one implication of that."
It is fairly simple to put down on paper a new particle that could explain the asymmetry in B meson decay, Dobrescu says, but it is more difficult to reconcile those hypothetical particles with what is already known. "Most of the time, if you are careful, you will see that your choice is already ruled out by other experiments," he says.
If it turns out that a new particle is in fact responsible for the odd tendency of B mesons to favor matter over antimatter, it might be unmasked in the unprecedented high-energy collisions at the Large Hadron Collider, or LHC. But don't count out the workhorse stateside, which has a head start of many years—and reams of well-understood data—on its more powerful European counterpart. Brooijmans says his "gut feeling" is that such a particle should be observable at the LHC. "And who knows?" he adds. "It might be accessible at the Tevatron."
==
New clue to anti-matter mystery
A US-based physics experiment has found a clue as to why the world around us is composed of normal matter and not its shadowy opposite: anti-matter.
Anti-matter is rare today; it can be produced in "atom smashers", in nuclear reactions or by cosmic rays.
But physicists think the Big Bang should have produced equal amounts of matter and its opposite.
New results from the DZero exeriment at Fermilab in Illinois provide a clue to what happened to all the anti-matter.
Continue reading the main story Many of us felt goose bumps when we saw the result
Stefan Soldner-Rembold
DZero co-spokesperson
This is regarded by many researchers as one of the biggest mysteries in cosmology.
The data even offer hints of new physics beyond what can be explained by current theories.
For each basic particle of matter, there exists an anti-particle with the same mass but the opposite electric charge.
For example, the negatively charged electron has a positively charged anti-particle called the positron.
But when a particle and its anti-particle collide, they are "annihilated" in a flash of energy, yielding new particles and anti-particles.
Similar processes occurring at the beginning of the Universe should have left us with equal amounts of matter and anti-matter.
Yet, paradoxically, today we live in a Universe made up overwhelmingly of matter.
Unexplained result
Researchers working on the DZero experiment observed collisions of protons and anti-protons in Fermilab's Tevatron particle accelerator.
They found that these collisions produced pairs of matter particles slightly more often than they yielded anti-matter particles.
The results show a 1% difference in the production of pairs of muon (matter) particles and pairs of anti-muons (anti-matter particles) in these high-energy collisions.
"Many of us felt goose bumps when we saw the result," said Stefan Soldner-Rembold, one of the spokespeople for DZero.
"We knew we were seeing something beyond what we have seen before and beyond what current theories can explain."
The dominance of matter in the Universe is possible only if there are differences in the behaviour of particles and anti-particles.
Physicists had already seen such differences - known as called "CP violation". But these known differences are much too small to explain why the Universe appears to prefer matter over anti-matter.
Indeed, these previous observations were fully consistent with the current theory, known as the Standard Model. This is the framework drawn up in the 1970s to explain the interactions of sub-atomic particles.
Researchers say the new findings, submitted for publication in the journal Physical Review D, show much more significant "asymmetry" of matter and anti-matter - beyond what can be explained by the Standard Model.
If the results are confirmed by other experiments, such as the Collider Detector (CDF) at Fermilab, the effect seen by the DZero team could move researchers along in their efforts to understand the dominance of matter in today's Universe.
The data presage results expected from another experiment, called LHCb, which is based at the Large Hadron Collider near Geneva.
LHCb was specifically designed to shed light on this central question in particle physics.
Commenting on the latest findings, Dr Tara Shears, a particle physicist at the University of Liverpool who works on LHCb and CDF, said: "It's not yet at the stage of a discovery or an explanation, but it is a very tantalising hint of what might be."
Dr Shears, who is not a member of the DZero team, added: "It certainly means that LHCb will be eager to look for the same effect, to confirm whether it exists and if it does, to make a more precise measurement."
Paul.Rincon-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk
Fermilab Finds New Mechanism for Matter's Dominance over Antimatter
An analysis of Tevatron data shows an asymmetry in the way particles known as neutral B mesons decay
By John Matson
The Large Hadron Collider may be up and running outside Geneva, but the particle accelerator it supplanted as top dog in the particle physics community appears to have a few surprises left to deliver. Data from the workhorse Tevatron collider at Fermilab in Illinois show what appears to be a preference for matter over antimatter in the way an unusual kind of particle decays, according to a new analysis in a Tevatron research collaboration.
Physicists and cosmologists seek such mechanisms to help explain why matter prevailed over antimatter in the early universe, when both should have been created in equal parts, yielding a storm of mutual annihilation and not the stable material structures—galaxies and the like—that fill the universe.
Some properties of high-energy physics have been shown to be fundamentally asymmetrical, producing matter more often than antimatter, but in quantities too small to explain the relative dearth of antimatter in the universe. The new mechanism observed at the Tevatron's DZero detector appears to work on a much larger scale, says Fermilab staff scientist Dmitri Denisov, co-spokesperson for the DZero collaboration, but whether it can explain the preponderance of matter today remains to be seen. In any event, the asymmetry does not fit with the long-reigning Standard Model of particle physics, suggesting that some hitherto unknown particle or interaction may be at play.
The DZero collaborators analyzed more than seven years of proton–antiproton collisions in the new study, which the group submitted to Physical Review D and published online May 16. As the exotic, short-lived particles produced in the collisions progressively decayed to more stable particles such as electrons, a collision product known as a neutral B meson appeared to decay more often into muons—unstable particles that exist for roughly two millionths of a second before decaying further—than into antimuons.
"While colliding protons and antiprotons, which creates neutral B mesons, we would expect that when they decay we will see equal amounts of matter and antimatter," Denisov says. "For whatever reason, there are more negative muons, which are matter, than positive muons, which are antimatter." According to DZero member Gustaaf Brooijmans, a physicist at Columbia University, "We observe an asymmetry that is close to 1 percent."
Brooijmans notes that other experiments have used B mesons to expose fundamental asymmetries in physics but that the results of those experiments have adhered more closely to the Standard Model's predictions. So-called B factories have been built to explore the properties of the unusual particles, but in a more limited scope than that available at the Tevatron. "There is one big difference" between the DZero result and those of the B factories, Brooijmans says. "We have access to the Bs meson, and B factories have access mostly to Bd."
Both Bs and Bd mesons (so named because they contain a strange quark or a down quark, respectively) are short-lived, decaying away in roughly 1.5 picoseconds, or 1.5 trillionths of a second. They are known as neutral mesons because they carry no net electric charge. In their brief lifetimes, they can oscillate between two forms, each the antiparticle of the other, Denisov explains. The difference is that Bs mesons oscillate much faster, giving them more flexibility to change from a matter progenitor to an antimatter progenitor, or vice versa. "Neutral B mesons are really interesting because they can basically go back and forth between matter and antimatter, to simplify things a bit, and we would have thought that they would spend an equal time as each," Denisov says. "What we're measuring now, it looks like they prefer matter."
Even within the halls of Fermilab, the new result from the tight-lipped DZero group came as a surprise, says theoretical physicist Bogdan Dobrescu, a staff scientist at the lab. "It's very exciting," Dobrescu says. "This kind of important announcement is not made too often." All the same, he says, the result must check out in other experiments before it can gain much traction. "It needs to be confirmed before we change the textbooks," he says.
Dobrescu says it is too early to speculate on how much of a player the new mechanism might be in establishing matter's prevalence in the universe. "However, all this notion of explaining matter–antimatter asymmetry should not be the central aspect of this discussion," he says. "We are up against something more important, which is, what are the laws of physics? The matter–antimatter asymmetry is just one implication of that."
It is fairly simple to put down on paper a new particle that could explain the asymmetry in B meson decay, Dobrescu says, but it is more difficult to reconcile those hypothetical particles with what is already known. "Most of the time, if you are careful, you will see that your choice is already ruled out by other experiments," he says.
If it turns out that a new particle is in fact responsible for the odd tendency of B mesons to favor matter over antimatter, it might be unmasked in the unprecedented high-energy collisions at the Large Hadron Collider, or LHC. But don't count out the workhorse stateside, which has a head start of many years—and reams of well-understood data—on its more powerful European counterpart. Brooijmans says his "gut feeling" is that such a particle should be observable at the LHC. "And who knows?" he adds. "It might be accessible at the Tevatron."
79
Jokes / Slayer goes to church
« on: May 19, 2010, 12:37:29 AM »
not sure where to put this - this is Slayer meets Evangelicals:
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/cYNOhqvNoS8" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/cYNOhqvNoS8</a>
80
General Discussion / New genome shows Neanderthal trace in humans
« on: May 06, 2010, 04:32:02 PM »
frankly, this make more sense than homo sapiens killing out neanderthal. more like bull out ...
note: the researchers suggest that this interbreeding occurred after humans left africa.
==
Most of the Neanderthal genome sequence was built from DNA retrieved from these bones found in Vindija Cave in Croatia. (Max-Planck-Institute EVA)
New genome shows Neanderthal trace in humans
By John Bowman, CBC News
The first partial genome of Neanderthals has revealed they probably interbred with humans, with most of us carrying up to four per cent Neanderthal DNA.
An international team of researchers sequenced the DNA of Neanderthal using samples of bone powder from three bones found in Croatia, Russia and Spain.
The research is revealing some interesting differences and surprising similarities between humans and our closest evolutionary relatives.
"Today, we estimate that people who live outside of Africa … are about one to four per cent Neanderthal," Ed Green of the University of California, Santa Cruz, said in an interview with CBC Radio's Quirks & Quarks.
Green is the first author of the paper describing the Neanderthal genome, appearing this week in the journal Science.
By comparing the genome to those of chimpanzees and modern humans, the closest living relatives of Neanderthal, the scientists were able to estimate how much of the complete genetic sequences they were able to piece together, and to see how different — and how similar — Neanderthal is to us.
Neanderthal is an extinct species of human that first appeared about 400,000 years ago and went extinct about 30,000 years ago. Their fossil remains have been found across Europe and in western Asia.
The researchers were able to collect enough small fragments of DNA — more than a billion in all — to have at least one copy of 60 per cent of the entire genome of Neanderthal.
"Many positions [in the genome] we have seen two or three times, and then there are positions we haven't seen any observations yet, which leaves still some work for the future," Green said.
Get degraded in ground
Extracting the Neanderthal DNA from the bones was a difficult, four-year process, in part because samples of Neanderthal bones with any DNA left are so rare. The genetic material breaks down over thousands of years.
"The DNA as it sits in the ground gets degraded into shorter and shorter fragments, so the sequences that we get are usually not more than 50 nucleotides long," said Green, who has been co-ordinating the Neanderthal Genome Project since 2005.
And the vast majority of the DNA that is left isn't Neanderthal DNA. Most of it comes from bacteria and other microbes that have invaded the bone.
"Only about one per cent of the DNA sequences we extract are of interest to us, are Neanderthal sequences," Green said.
To compare the Neanderthal genome with that of modern humans, the researchers sequenced the genomes of five people from various parts of the world: southern Africa, West Africa, Papua New Guinea, China and France.
Scientists expected, based on fossil evidence, to see a genetic "signal" that indicated that Neanderthals and modern humans interbred in Europe, where the two species coexisted for 10,000 years.
"What we have found, and it was quite a shock, is that this signal exists … within the genomes of three individuals that we've sequenced, all of the individuals (from) outside of Africa," Green said.
Interbreeding limited
The most likely explanation for this is that modern humans and Neanderthals interbred in the Middle East shortly after humans spread outside of Africa, Green said. The small amount of Neanderthal DNA found in non-African humans — about one to four per cent — suggests the interbreeding was probably limited.
"[Humans] picked up some small amount of Neanderthal genetic ancestry and then brought this with them whenever they went in the rest of the world," he said.
As well as learning more about Neanderthals themselves, researchers will use the Neanderthal genome as a comparison to learn more about humans. Because the two species are so closely related, any differences are significant, Green said.
"The main motivation for this in the first place was to use it as a resource to compare against the human genome, to understand recent human evolution," he said.
Scientists comparing the two genomes can scan through the genes looking for areas of high variability in humans, regions of DNA where one person is likely to have different code compared to another person.
They can then compare these regions to the Neanderthal genome to see if that variability existed in that species or if it emerged sometime after Neanderthals and humans split from a common ancestor.
The researchers found 212 regions on the genome where variations are commonly seen in human, but not in Neanderthals.
Implications for evolution
"Looking for these regions that are devoid of variation … gives us a really powerful way to probe our evolutionary history and ask what happened right in this important evolutionary time when we were becoming fully modern humans," said Green.
The research is still in its early stages, but Green said the results already have interesting implications for human evolution.
"What's interesting is that many of the genes in these regions have to do with cognition … with brain function," he said.
For example, mutations in these genes have been linked to Down syndrome, schizophrenia and autism.
Other genes where humans differed from Neanderthal were involved in energy metabolism and in the development of the skull and rib cage.
Green said he was surprised to see so many regions where humans differed from Neanderthals.
"It's very suggestive that there were many, many episodes of positive selection, many adaptations that we have that were found to be beneficial by evolution that led to some advantage," he said.
note: the researchers suggest that this interbreeding occurred after humans left africa.
==
Most of the Neanderthal genome sequence was built from DNA retrieved from these bones found in Vindija Cave in Croatia. (Max-Planck-Institute EVA)
New genome shows Neanderthal trace in humans
By John Bowman, CBC News
The first partial genome of Neanderthals has revealed they probably interbred with humans, with most of us carrying up to four per cent Neanderthal DNA.
An international team of researchers sequenced the DNA of Neanderthal using samples of bone powder from three bones found in Croatia, Russia and Spain.
The research is revealing some interesting differences and surprising similarities between humans and our closest evolutionary relatives.
"Today, we estimate that people who live outside of Africa … are about one to four per cent Neanderthal," Ed Green of the University of California, Santa Cruz, said in an interview with CBC Radio's Quirks & Quarks.
Green is the first author of the paper describing the Neanderthal genome, appearing this week in the journal Science.
By comparing the genome to those of chimpanzees and modern humans, the closest living relatives of Neanderthal, the scientists were able to estimate how much of the complete genetic sequences they were able to piece together, and to see how different — and how similar — Neanderthal is to us.
Neanderthal is an extinct species of human that first appeared about 400,000 years ago and went extinct about 30,000 years ago. Their fossil remains have been found across Europe and in western Asia.
The researchers were able to collect enough small fragments of DNA — more than a billion in all — to have at least one copy of 60 per cent of the entire genome of Neanderthal.
"Many positions [in the genome] we have seen two or three times, and then there are positions we haven't seen any observations yet, which leaves still some work for the future," Green said.
Get degraded in ground
Extracting the Neanderthal DNA from the bones was a difficult, four-year process, in part because samples of Neanderthal bones with any DNA left are so rare. The genetic material breaks down over thousands of years.
"The DNA as it sits in the ground gets degraded into shorter and shorter fragments, so the sequences that we get are usually not more than 50 nucleotides long," said Green, who has been co-ordinating the Neanderthal Genome Project since 2005.
And the vast majority of the DNA that is left isn't Neanderthal DNA. Most of it comes from bacteria and other microbes that have invaded the bone.
"Only about one per cent of the DNA sequences we extract are of interest to us, are Neanderthal sequences," Green said.
To compare the Neanderthal genome with that of modern humans, the researchers sequenced the genomes of five people from various parts of the world: southern Africa, West Africa, Papua New Guinea, China and France.
Scientists expected, based on fossil evidence, to see a genetic "signal" that indicated that Neanderthals and modern humans interbred in Europe, where the two species coexisted for 10,000 years.
"What we have found, and it was quite a shock, is that this signal exists … within the genomes of three individuals that we've sequenced, all of the individuals (from) outside of Africa," Green said.
Interbreeding limited
The most likely explanation for this is that modern humans and Neanderthals interbred in the Middle East shortly after humans spread outside of Africa, Green said. The small amount of Neanderthal DNA found in non-African humans — about one to four per cent — suggests the interbreeding was probably limited.
"[Humans] picked up some small amount of Neanderthal genetic ancestry and then brought this with them whenever they went in the rest of the world," he said.
As well as learning more about Neanderthals themselves, researchers will use the Neanderthal genome as a comparison to learn more about humans. Because the two species are so closely related, any differences are significant, Green said.
"The main motivation for this in the first place was to use it as a resource to compare against the human genome, to understand recent human evolution," he said.
Scientists comparing the two genomes can scan through the genes looking for areas of high variability in humans, regions of DNA where one person is likely to have different code compared to another person.
They can then compare these regions to the Neanderthal genome to see if that variability existed in that species or if it emerged sometime after Neanderthals and humans split from a common ancestor.
The researchers found 212 regions on the genome where variations are commonly seen in human, but not in Neanderthals.
Implications for evolution
"Looking for these regions that are devoid of variation … gives us a really powerful way to probe our evolutionary history and ask what happened right in this important evolutionary time when we were becoming fully modern humans," said Green.
The research is still in its early stages, but Green said the results already have interesting implications for human evolution.
"What's interesting is that many of the genes in these regions have to do with cognition … with brain function," he said.
For example, mutations in these genes have been linked to Down syndrome, schizophrenia and autism.
Other genes where humans differed from Neanderthal were involved in energy metabolism and in the development of the skull and rib cage.
Green said he was surprised to see so many regions where humans differed from Neanderthals.
"It's very suggestive that there were many, many episodes of positive selection, many adaptations that we have that were found to be beneficial by evolution that led to some advantage," he said.
81
General Discussion / Oil slick off the coast of Louisiana
« on: April 29, 2010, 12:26:36 PM »
this thing getting pretty big. seem they "underestimated" the rate of leakage - advantageous slip to keep people quiet?
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/nQf3369vInk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/nQf3369vInk</a>
82
General Discussion / A 4th ancient human species?
« on: March 24, 2010, 10:13:49 PM »Fingerbone points to a new type of human who fell off the family tree 30,000 years ago
A new species of ancient human that lived side by side with Homo sapiens and Neanderthals as recently as 30,000 years ago has been discovered, rewriting the history of humanity’s spread around the world.
The creature, nicknamed “X-woman” by researchers, is the first human cousin to be identified purely from a DNA sample — extracted from a bone fragment of a little finger found two years ago in a Siberian cave.
The discovery, which has amazed and delighted scientists, shows that the human family was more diverse in prehistoric times than had been appreciated. It suggests that many different kinds of humans left Africa separately and then thrived for thousands of years, before Homo sapiens emerged as the sole survivor.
Only six years ago, only two hominin (ancient human) species alive 30,000 years ago were known to science: the Neanderthals and us. That number has since doubled, with the discovery of X-woman and the “hobbit” — the diminutive Homo floresiensis that lived on the Indonesian island of Flores until about 18,000 years ago.
“It looks like Nature was experimenting in how to be human, and we’re the last survivors,” said Professor Chris Stringer, head of human origins at the Natural History Museum in London.
The discovery of X-woman, published today in the journal Nature, also highlights the growing power of DNA sequencing to explain the human family’s past. The fossil fragment was recognised as a separate species only from its genetic code.
The section of finger bone was found in 2008 in Denisova cave, in the Altai mountains of southern Siberia, and dated to between 48,000 and 30,000 years old. Modern humans and Neanderthals are known to have lived in the same region at the same time, and it was initially assumed to belong to one of these species.
However, when a small sample of DNA was extracted and analysed by Johannes Krause, of the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig, Germany, it contained striking anomalies.
“It was a sequence that seemed in some ways human, but very distinct from humans and Neanderthals,” he said. “All the tests suggested it was a new hominin lineage.”
Dr Krause then rang his boss, Professor Svante Pääbo, who was away at a conference in the US, to discuss his findings. “I told him to sit down,” he said.Professor Pääbo said: “It was absolutely amazing, and I thought he was pulling my leg. Whatever carried this DNA out of Africa is some new creature that has not been on our radar screens. It suggests there were perhaps three different families of humans in this area about 40,000 years ago, and also the hobbits in Indonesia.”
The DNA shows that the Denisova creature last shared a common ancestor with modern humans and Neanderthals about one million years ago. This date indicates that the fossil does not belong to Homo erectus, a more archaic species that left Africa about 1.9 million years ago, or to Homo sapiens or Homo neanderthalis, which share a common ancestor from 500,000 years ago.
The initial analysis has looked at the hominin’s mitochondrial DNA, a small part of the genome. The “X-woman” nickname was chosen because mitochondrial DNA is always inherited in the maternal line, though scientists do not yet know whether the individual was male or female. Further analysis of nuclear DNA, which makes up most of the genome, is being conducted. This should provide a more definitive picture of X-woman’s relationship to humans. A formal scientific name will be chosen when this is complete.
Professor Stringer, who was not involved in the research, said it is possible that X-woman is related to other enigmatic fossils found in Asia.
He said: “This new DNA work provides an entirely new way of looking at the still poorly understood evolution of humans in central and eastern Asia.”
Another possibility that cannot yet be ruled out is that X-woman was the result of interbreeding between a male human or Neanderthal and a female from a more archaic human species, which passed its mitochondrial DNA to its descendents. The nuclear DNA analysis should shed light on this.
Little is known of what X-woman might have looked like but the proportions of the bone are similar to those of humans and Neanderthals, indicating a similar body shape. Its size suggests it belonged to a child aged 5 to 7.
The findings point to a previously unknown hominin migration out of Africa. At present, only three such events are definitively known, involving Homo erectus, the ancestors of Neanderthals, and modern humans. The new creature probably left Africa soon after the date of its last shared ancestor with humans and Neanderthals, about a million years ago.
83
Technical Support / towards getting rid of de "COSIGN"
« on: March 12, 2010, 12:31:35 PM »
tallman/flex/e-man - any chance yuh could add "agree"/"disagree" (or "thumbs up"/"thumbs down") feedback like youtube has for comments? mho, dis COSIGN madness have to end.
84
Other Sports / Ghana's 'Snow Leopard' readies for Games
« on: January 29, 2010, 12:56:49 PM »Ghana's 'Snow Leopard' readies for Games
By Paul Gittings and Ben Wyatt, CNN
(CNN) -- Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong, or the "Snow Leopard" as he has been dubbed, is making his final preparations for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
A skier preparing to take part in the Games at this point in the calendar is not the most sensational news, until it is understood the 31-year-old grew up in Accra, Ghana (where the annual average temperature is around 79 degrees Fahrenheit) and learnt to ski only six years ago on a dry slope.
Nkrumah-Acheampong hopes his remarkable and unconventional rise to prominence -- he achieved the strict qualifying criteria set by the world governing body of his sport from his training base at an artificial snow dome in Milton Keynes, England where he was a former employee -- can act as inspiration to his countrymen.
"The response that I get from emails and phone calls, that more people are going to come into snow sports, that's what I'm hoping to achieve and 10 years from now Ghana should have a ski racer who is 10 times better than me," he told CNN.
The "Snow Leopard" first sprung to prominence after announcing his intention to qualify and compete in the downhill at the Turin Winter Olympics in 2006, despite only having taken up the sport in 2003.
"It took 30 minutes for me to be able to just go in a straight line, slow myself down and stop, and the instructor who was my friend, told me 'you know something, just go and train yourself now, just carry on. and that's when I started falling down !" he said.
After becoming hooked on downhill and pleased with his natural ability he set about trying to qualify -- a feat that involved traveling to key around the world.
He narrowly missed qualifying for the Turin-based Games but came back stronger to insure his place in Canada, an achievement the 34-year-old is exceptionally proud of.
"I think it was like sending a Ghanaian to the moon, [but] apart from it being really cool -- I still wake up and still think to myself -- this is going to be really tough, people are going to be watching you -- you can't just go to the Olympics and just have fun," he added.
The father of two will compete in two events, the giant slalom and slalom, and is anxious not to be a figure of fun like British ski-jumper Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards, who notoriously captured the headlines at the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary.
He prefers to take his cue from the Jamaican bob sleigh team who also competed in Calgary and inspired the popular film "Cool Runnings".
"The Jamaican bob sleigh team did actually try really hard to have really fast push off times, really moving down the course - not all the factors were right for them -- and they crashed -- if they didn't crash, they would have done a really good time," he said.
"So I love being compared to Cool Runnings but not Eddie the "Eagle" or Eric the "Eel" (swimmer from Equatorial Guinea) because to me, sports is a serious thing.
"If you want to be a sportsman, be a sportsman. If you want to have fun then do sports for leisure. Don't take the seriousness of sport and make a mockery of it."
There is another serious point to the Ghanaian's participation, his efforts on behalf of the charity which attempts to protect the rare animal from which he gleans his nickname.
"I'm working with the Snow Leopard Trust, they protect the endangered snow leopard," he said.
"I'm also working with Sabre which is a registered charity in Britain, taking kids in tough areas out of London and out to the Alps, showing them a different side to life."
Nkrumah- Acheampong's ambition is to return with his family, who live in Milton Keynes, to Ghana and to open a dry ski slope.
In the meantime, his attentions are fully on next month where he will pit his skills against the likes of Bode Miller and Benjamin Raich.
"I don't just want to get down, but ski well and not come at the bottom of the table," he said.
He is set to fly out to Norway and then go to base camp in Italy before his crack at Olympic glory in three weeks time.
85
General Discussion / McCain-Feingold and the 1st amendment
« on: January 21, 2010, 12:57:41 PM »Campaign-Finance Ruling Opens Door to More Political Groups
By Brody Mullins
WASHINGTON—Outside political organizations will play a larger role in the 2010 midterm congressional elections after a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court Thursday to strike down elements of the McCain-Feingold campaign-finance law.
"There will be a lot more groups advocating for and against candidates," said Cleta Mitchell, a lawyer with Foley & Lardner who advices outside political organizations. "It rips the duct tape off the mouths of the American people."
The Supreme Court decision stripped away rules that limited the ability of corporations, unions and other organizations to fund and organize their own political campaigns for or against candidates. The court also struck down a part of the McCain-Feingold campaign-finance law that prevented any independent political group from running advertisements with 30 days of a primary election or 60 days before a general election.
Together, the decisions make it easier for corporations, labor unions and other entities to mount political campaigns for and against candidates for Congress and the White House.
The Supreme Court decision is the latest in a string of judicial rulings that have chipped away at federal limits on the political activity of outside groups in elections. Last year, a federal court overturned rules imposed by the Federal Election Commission that made it more difficult for outside political groups to raise money for political advertisements.
"Taken together, the recent federal court decisions demonstrate that the government cannot regulate individuals, corporations and other entities that wish to speak out about candidates in the upcoming midterm elections," said William McGinley, a campaign-finance lawyer with Patton Boggs LLP.
At issue are limits on how companies, unions and others can get influence elections. The 2002 McCain-Feingold campaign-finance law barred corporations, labor unions and individuals from making unlimited political donations to the Republican National Committee, Democratic National Committee and other political parties.
The law led to an increase in the number and power of outside political groups beginning during the 2004 presidential election.
Reaction to the court's decision split largely along ideological lines Thursday. Groups aligned with unions and liberal causes worried that the decision would open up a flood of corporate money to conservative candidates. Groups aligned with conservative causes and business interests applauded the ruling as restoring free-speech rights. Independent groups across the political spectrum will use the ruling to drum up more contributions for their election efforts.
Sen. Charles Schumer, (D., N.Y.), said in a statement he will introduce legislation to "minimize the impacts" of the court's decision, which he called "worse than we had feared."
Anna Burger, a senior political official with the Service Employees International Union, said the decision "lifted the floodgates and started dismantling century-old restrictions on corporate electoral activity in the name of the 'free speech rights' of corporations."
Steve DeMaura, the head of the conservative-leaning Americans for Job Security, called the decision an "unequivocal victory" for those "who believe in free speech and the rights of organizations such as ours to promote our point of view."
Write to Brody Mullins at Brody.Mullins@wsj.com
86
Cricket Anyone / The world money made
« on: December 29, 2009, 08:52:32 AM »
i studying de contrast between de modern day "money" game, de focus of dis article, and de mindset of de feted WI old guard. de TT national team may represent de antithesis of dis article's conclusions ... so long as de TTCB is able to secure matches for the team. are there opportunities for TT in india?
==
The world money made
Through the 2000s the BCCI has seen its power grow exponentially with its bank balance, and the rest of cricket has fallen in line, whether by choice or under duress
by Osman Samiuddin
There are better ways to bring in a new decade, but here are a few numbers. In 2007-08, the BCCI announced revenues of over US$213 million. Cricket's two other richest boards by comparison are not a world away. The ECB and CA, respectively, rolled in $148 million and $128 million, but it is the BCCI's spurt over the decade - and particularly the second half - that is to be noted. Only in 2005-06, for example, the BCCI's revenues were $91 million. At the turn of the decade, in 1998-99, their revenue was not even $2 million. In 1992 they were trying to wipe out a deficit of $150,000, which is the kind of chump change their peon might throw at you while driving you by now. The next few years the gap will only widen.
Various estimates have Indian cricket generating anywhere between 60 to 80% of the sport's entire revenue. Everybody wants a piece of India, everybody. Countries are desperate for them to tour. Some, like Bangladesh, don't even mind if they don't ever tour India. The PCB, more loyal than the king for much of the decade, is now striving hard to make light of the latest political fallout between the two countries. It's easy to see why; in 2003-04, India's tour to Pakistan saved the PCB from the financial ruin brought on by security concerns following 9/11 and the war on neighbouring Afghanistan. This year, security concerns have led to a $125 million loss for Ijaz Butt's administration, of which $40 million is just from the cancellation of an Indian visit. The PCB's $140-million TV deal is mostly pegged on Indian tours.
Others fare better. West Indies are granted the favours of pointless ODI series when the need arises, for votes they may have given or might soon give. Sri Lanka prefer handouts, looking at the BCCI as a kind of IMF or World Bank, without the debilitating repayment plan. Even richer boards like Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa want to piggyback on the BCCI for the Champions League. The ECB, meanwhile, is in a funk, not knowing whether to hitch a ride or try and emulate the Indian board's ways. And three modern-day truisms, finally, that confirm India's dominance. One, entire tournaments are said to be scuppered financially should India fall early, as happened during the 2007 World Cup and the 2009 World Twenty20.
Two, there was a time still, during the early years of the decade, when it took an Indian at the head of the ICC to symbolise the BCCI's growing clout. Now it doesn't matter if someone from Timbuktoo is at the head, for everyone knows who is running the show. And three, the IPL has become the new county cricket. Big benevolent India, doling out the cash everywhere, making sure the world game runs along. Everybody wants a piece of India, everybody.
Cricket has made more money this decade than in any other. The late Bill Sinrich of IMG, among the most influential sports-television executives, was the key instigator behind cricket's emergence into the broadcast limelight in the mid-90s. The 1996 World Cup changed cricket's financial equations. Across the board, cricket boards have benefited from bigger TV deals as the decade has worn on. Sky, for instance, paid the ECB $475 million for four-year rights last year. The ICC, which reportedly had $25,000 in its kitty in 1997, has not missed out, netting comfortably over a billion dollars for eight-year rights for its events.
But nobody has accrued more benefits than the BCCI, whose TV deals have not only gotten bigger but broader. Nimbus paid $612 million for four-year rights to Indian cricket, and separate deals came in with the IPL and Champions League. The country has changed as much as anything else. A newly liberalised economy, an electronic media boom, a growing, hungry and transformed middle class wanting to spend not save, and a huge captive population have all shaped the BCCI's rise. But it shouldn't be seen entirely as an accident of fate, however. Somehow, as they say of India itself, the BCCI has worked. At key moments it has worked.
Not only was Twenty20, for example, not their idea, it was something they were entirely averse to, and nobody remembers the grudgingly organised domestic Twenty20 tournament they held before the IPL came along. The IPL wasn't even the first franchise-based Twenty20 league. In fact the idea for such a league, in different formats and shapes, had actually been kicking around India since the mid-90s - Lalit Modi himself and the late Madhavrao Scindia were the early floaters. The BCCI was forever wary, mostly of letting any kind of control slip out of their hands, and even at one stage objecting to foreign players participating.
But when the moment was right, just after the 2007 World Cup, they struck, spurred on by the arrival of the ICL and Misbah-ul-Haq's monumental mis-scoop. They chanced it and here came, with the IPL, the decisive shift of the decade; the then-gradual lurch of cricket's centre towards Mumbai in the decade between the mid-90s and the mid-noughties became speedier, much speedier.
Others did not take advantage. The people who created the very format, for example, sat around not knowing what to do with it. Just how and why the ECB didn't pre-empt the IPL will remain one of the mysteries of the decade. Back in 2003, when the format was first unveiled, England and the county circuit remained cricket's premier, most lucrative, destination outside of international cricket. Who would have turned down big deals to play Twenty20 for a county league? Instead the ECB came up with a belated, retrospective, utterly confused and ultimately embarrassing bid to outflank India; even if Allen Stanford was not now in jail, the dalliance with him marked a sorry nadir in the ECB's fortunes this decade.
Some boards, like Cricket Australia, haven't even made any attempt to outthink, outflank or out-innovate. Their bed was made early in the piece and nothing has been allowed to get in the way of that; no team has played more Tests against India this decade and only one team (Sri Lanka) has played more ODIs against them. A rivalry has been happily milked, understandably, even if the lengths to which they went to ensure Sydney 2008 didn't end in India abandoning the tour were less so. But what else has there been? Have Australia never felt the need, for example, to further illuminate the toughest domestic system in the world with more foreign players?
In as much the tale of the decade is about the BCCI taking a punt, it is also about the inertia of all else around them. In their immediate neighbourhood it has been supreme folly upon folly. At the start of this decade the concept of a powerful Asian bloc still existed. Project Snow was still fresh in the minds of many; the idea was mooted at a fractious ICC meeting in 1996, where Australia, England, New Zealand and the West Indies were prepared to break away from the ICC, threatened by the increasing influence of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
But both the PCB and SLC have spent the noughties slowly hacking at their own feet. Afflicted by such infighting, such crippling lack of leadership and governance, they have only been a threat to themselves and no one else. No administration has been able to look beyond its nose. The Asian Cricket Council has never been more nothing. There have been the same number of Asia Cups this decade as there were the last - three - but each one has seemed less significant, less relevant. Already it is difficult to see even that many over the next 10 years. And let alone finding enough mourners, are there enough souls who even remember the Afro-Asia Cup?
So cricket feels it has a problem. The BCCI is ruining it with too much money, not enough direction. Players want to freelance, and representing their country suddenly seems not such a big deal. The very order of the game is being shaken, by the BCCI. Like America politically, they are an easy and fashionable scapegoat, not least because they don't really care about the sniping. Like with America, some of the barbs are justified. On at least two occasions this decade, in 2001 in South Africa and 2008 in Sydney, the BCCI has played a petulant bully in battles with the ICC. In the matter of the ICL it led what amounts to a witch-hunt.
The lust for owning production of the cricket broadcast is also unseemly; the replacement of commentators with cheerleaders, in particular, a tasteless fallout. The suspicion that it has tried to isolate Pakistan - albeit with help from the PCB itself - also lingers, and Lalit Modi does often seem to make up rules as he stomps along.
But the jibes are also, in a sense, misplaced. The problem is not that India enjoys and abuses the power. The problem is, as it was with the age of Australia and England before, that cricket seems so predisposed to concentrate so much power in so few hands. At some point over the next 10 years, the ICC must seriously ask itself: what is its purpose? It cannot be the UN of cricket, because there is no use for the UN. Because of its very format, the ICC has not been able to rise above the sum of its constituent units in governing the game. If the game is global now or is trying to be, either governance has to spread and involve everyone, not just one, or the ICC has to change its very structure and grow a spine.
Those who defend the BCCI's bullishness, that it is about time the old colonials got their comeuppance, often argue that had Australia or another country been so powerful, there wouldn't be such a fuss. The implication is that race plays a part in all this. Perhaps there is some truth in it; a group as small as cricket's, with the kind of unique coloniser-colony dynamics, cannot avoid that. And the ICC still feels at times like one of those old gentlemen's clubs that has finally given admission to the oppressed, where neither the old or new order seems comfortable with their new status.
But more and more this game is about money, about who has it and who doesn't and not race. Fourteen years ago Project Snow was baldly inspired by race. These days the new talk of breakaways stems from finance and power; cricket's new alliances between the BCCI, CA and CSA, for example, in the Champions League, and their joining hands with the ECB in opposing a Test championship, cut through colour and get to the heart of all matter in this new world. Cricket has come far and yet it hasn't come far at all.
==
The world money made
Through the 2000s the BCCI has seen its power grow exponentially with its bank balance, and the rest of cricket has fallen in line, whether by choice or under duress
by Osman Samiuddin
There are better ways to bring in a new decade, but here are a few numbers. In 2007-08, the BCCI announced revenues of over US$213 million. Cricket's two other richest boards by comparison are not a world away. The ECB and CA, respectively, rolled in $148 million and $128 million, but it is the BCCI's spurt over the decade - and particularly the second half - that is to be noted. Only in 2005-06, for example, the BCCI's revenues were $91 million. At the turn of the decade, in 1998-99, their revenue was not even $2 million. In 1992 they were trying to wipe out a deficit of $150,000, which is the kind of chump change their peon might throw at you while driving you by now. The next few years the gap will only widen.
Various estimates have Indian cricket generating anywhere between 60 to 80% of the sport's entire revenue. Everybody wants a piece of India, everybody. Countries are desperate for them to tour. Some, like Bangladesh, don't even mind if they don't ever tour India. The PCB, more loyal than the king for much of the decade, is now striving hard to make light of the latest political fallout between the two countries. It's easy to see why; in 2003-04, India's tour to Pakistan saved the PCB from the financial ruin brought on by security concerns following 9/11 and the war on neighbouring Afghanistan. This year, security concerns have led to a $125 million loss for Ijaz Butt's administration, of which $40 million is just from the cancellation of an Indian visit. The PCB's $140-million TV deal is mostly pegged on Indian tours.
Others fare better. West Indies are granted the favours of pointless ODI series when the need arises, for votes they may have given or might soon give. Sri Lanka prefer handouts, looking at the BCCI as a kind of IMF or World Bank, without the debilitating repayment plan. Even richer boards like Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa want to piggyback on the BCCI for the Champions League. The ECB, meanwhile, is in a funk, not knowing whether to hitch a ride or try and emulate the Indian board's ways. And three modern-day truisms, finally, that confirm India's dominance. One, entire tournaments are said to be scuppered financially should India fall early, as happened during the 2007 World Cup and the 2009 World Twenty20.
Two, there was a time still, during the early years of the decade, when it took an Indian at the head of the ICC to symbolise the BCCI's growing clout. Now it doesn't matter if someone from Timbuktoo is at the head, for everyone knows who is running the show. And three, the IPL has become the new county cricket. Big benevolent India, doling out the cash everywhere, making sure the world game runs along. Everybody wants a piece of India, everybody.
Cricket has made more money this decade than in any other. The late Bill Sinrich of IMG, among the most influential sports-television executives, was the key instigator behind cricket's emergence into the broadcast limelight in the mid-90s. The 1996 World Cup changed cricket's financial equations. Across the board, cricket boards have benefited from bigger TV deals as the decade has worn on. Sky, for instance, paid the ECB $475 million for four-year rights last year. The ICC, which reportedly had $25,000 in its kitty in 1997, has not missed out, netting comfortably over a billion dollars for eight-year rights for its events.
But nobody has accrued more benefits than the BCCI, whose TV deals have not only gotten bigger but broader. Nimbus paid $612 million for four-year rights to Indian cricket, and separate deals came in with the IPL and Champions League. The country has changed as much as anything else. A newly liberalised economy, an electronic media boom, a growing, hungry and transformed middle class wanting to spend not save, and a huge captive population have all shaped the BCCI's rise. But it shouldn't be seen entirely as an accident of fate, however. Somehow, as they say of India itself, the BCCI has worked. At key moments it has worked.
Not only was Twenty20, for example, not their idea, it was something they were entirely averse to, and nobody remembers the grudgingly organised domestic Twenty20 tournament they held before the IPL came along. The IPL wasn't even the first franchise-based Twenty20 league. In fact the idea for such a league, in different formats and shapes, had actually been kicking around India since the mid-90s - Lalit Modi himself and the late Madhavrao Scindia were the early floaters. The BCCI was forever wary, mostly of letting any kind of control slip out of their hands, and even at one stage objecting to foreign players participating.
But when the moment was right, just after the 2007 World Cup, they struck, spurred on by the arrival of the ICL and Misbah-ul-Haq's monumental mis-scoop. They chanced it and here came, with the IPL, the decisive shift of the decade; the then-gradual lurch of cricket's centre towards Mumbai in the decade between the mid-90s and the mid-noughties became speedier, much speedier.
Others did not take advantage. The people who created the very format, for example, sat around not knowing what to do with it. Just how and why the ECB didn't pre-empt the IPL will remain one of the mysteries of the decade. Back in 2003, when the format was first unveiled, England and the county circuit remained cricket's premier, most lucrative, destination outside of international cricket. Who would have turned down big deals to play Twenty20 for a county league? Instead the ECB came up with a belated, retrospective, utterly confused and ultimately embarrassing bid to outflank India; even if Allen Stanford was not now in jail, the dalliance with him marked a sorry nadir in the ECB's fortunes this decade.
Some boards, like Cricket Australia, haven't even made any attempt to outthink, outflank or out-innovate. Their bed was made early in the piece and nothing has been allowed to get in the way of that; no team has played more Tests against India this decade and only one team (Sri Lanka) has played more ODIs against them. A rivalry has been happily milked, understandably, even if the lengths to which they went to ensure Sydney 2008 didn't end in India abandoning the tour were less so. But what else has there been? Have Australia never felt the need, for example, to further illuminate the toughest domestic system in the world with more foreign players?
In as much the tale of the decade is about the BCCI taking a punt, it is also about the inertia of all else around them. In their immediate neighbourhood it has been supreme folly upon folly. At the start of this decade the concept of a powerful Asian bloc still existed. Project Snow was still fresh in the minds of many; the idea was mooted at a fractious ICC meeting in 1996, where Australia, England, New Zealand and the West Indies were prepared to break away from the ICC, threatened by the increasing influence of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
But both the PCB and SLC have spent the noughties slowly hacking at their own feet. Afflicted by such infighting, such crippling lack of leadership and governance, they have only been a threat to themselves and no one else. No administration has been able to look beyond its nose. The Asian Cricket Council has never been more nothing. There have been the same number of Asia Cups this decade as there were the last - three - but each one has seemed less significant, less relevant. Already it is difficult to see even that many over the next 10 years. And let alone finding enough mourners, are there enough souls who even remember the Afro-Asia Cup?
So cricket feels it has a problem. The BCCI is ruining it with too much money, not enough direction. Players want to freelance, and representing their country suddenly seems not such a big deal. The very order of the game is being shaken, by the BCCI. Like America politically, they are an easy and fashionable scapegoat, not least because they don't really care about the sniping. Like with America, some of the barbs are justified. On at least two occasions this decade, in 2001 in South Africa and 2008 in Sydney, the BCCI has played a petulant bully in battles with the ICC. In the matter of the ICL it led what amounts to a witch-hunt.
The lust for owning production of the cricket broadcast is also unseemly; the replacement of commentators with cheerleaders, in particular, a tasteless fallout. The suspicion that it has tried to isolate Pakistan - albeit with help from the PCB itself - also lingers, and Lalit Modi does often seem to make up rules as he stomps along.
But the jibes are also, in a sense, misplaced. The problem is not that India enjoys and abuses the power. The problem is, as it was with the age of Australia and England before, that cricket seems so predisposed to concentrate so much power in so few hands. At some point over the next 10 years, the ICC must seriously ask itself: what is its purpose? It cannot be the UN of cricket, because there is no use for the UN. Because of its very format, the ICC has not been able to rise above the sum of its constituent units in governing the game. If the game is global now or is trying to be, either governance has to spread and involve everyone, not just one, or the ICC has to change its very structure and grow a spine.
Those who defend the BCCI's bullishness, that it is about time the old colonials got their comeuppance, often argue that had Australia or another country been so powerful, there wouldn't be such a fuss. The implication is that race plays a part in all this. Perhaps there is some truth in it; a group as small as cricket's, with the kind of unique coloniser-colony dynamics, cannot avoid that. And the ICC still feels at times like one of those old gentlemen's clubs that has finally given admission to the oppressed, where neither the old or new order seems comfortable with their new status.
But more and more this game is about money, about who has it and who doesn't and not race. Fourteen years ago Project Snow was baldly inspired by race. These days the new talk of breakaways stems from finance and power; cricket's new alliances between the BCCI, CA and CSA, for example, in the Champions League, and their joining hands with the ECB in opposing a Test championship, cut through colour and get to the heart of all matter in this new world. Cricket has come far and yet it hasn't come far at all.
87
Cricket Anyone / Hall, Sobers, Richards and Richardson - state of WI cricket
« on: December 15, 2009, 10:20:49 AM »'I'm hoping we've hit rock bottom'
Garry Sobers, Wes Hall, Viv Richards and Richie Richardson discuss the plight of West Indies cricket, Stanford's legacy, hosting the World Twenty20, and more
Interview by George Dobell
West Indies endured a turbulent year in 2009. Four greats of Caribbean cricket give their views on the current state of West Indian cricket to Spin magazine
After all the years of success West Indies cricket enjoyed, is it hard to see the side so low in the rankings and being beaten by Bangladesh?
Viv Richards That is tough [chuckles, but is suddenly serious]. Let us forget the rubbish about the depleted team: when you put a team out, that is your country's team. Don't give me no excuses. Bangladesh must be given credit, and I am not quite sure that the first-choice guys would have been able to do any better.
Wes Hall I'm not sure that was the West Indies side that was beaten by Bangladesh. You might remember that the best 35 players weren't available.
Garry Sobers I don't agree. They were the best side available. They were the West Indies. In 30 years, when you look in the record books, it won't say, "Oh, the best 35 players weren't available." Besides, why are you so sure that the first-choice team wouldn't have been beaten by Bangladesh? I'm not.
Richie Richardson It is hard, but my tears dried up long before we lost to Bangladesh. When I was playing, I was getting frustrated because I saw the way we were heading. The players at the time were very concerned but we weren't listened to. It's still sad, but sometimes you have to hit rock bottom before you can bounce back, and I am hoping we have hit rock bottom.
How do you view the players' strike?
Hall The latest players' strike, you mean? They are always on strike. Look, I was president of the WICB and experienced a couple of their strikes. Sometimes the reasons would make you sick. Some of these guys are striking for money before they have scored a run or taken a wicket! Of course there are times when the players have legitimate concerns, but the solution is to be found by communicating. Making demands and going on strike is not the way. I don't think they understand the pain they cause to all those people around the world who care about West Indies' cricket.
Sobers I wonder why they play the game now. What's their motive? We never thought about money when I played - and we never made any - but now it seems that's all it's about. Look, I'm delighted that players are making money from cricket. But what is their priority? It should be the honour of representing West Indies. But I ask you, is it? It's difficult for us to talk about it. Whatever we say, we'll be told we're bitter or jealous because they're making more money than we ever did.
Richardson The whole thing is very sad for me. We all want our best players to be out there for us, playing hard and giving everything for their country. I don't know all the ins and outs. I think the West Indies Cricket Board is responsible for cricket in the Caribbean and responsible for dealing with whatever problems we have. The players also have a responsibility but based on the little I've heard, the players have had enough. They believe they have been maltreated by the board for a very long time, that they have been let down and that the board will only listen to them if they take the actions they did. We had a lot of problems with the board during my time as a player, but nobody knew and we were winning, and many times we would put our differences aside and go and play.
[…] I don't know who they [the WICB] answer to, I would love to know. Is it the government? I believe that West Indies cricket belongs to the people. I would love the governments, if they have the authority, to take control of the board, disassemble the board and put five or six very serious and successful businessmen in control. I have nothing personal against the individuals on the board; it's the system that has to be changed.
Should Chris Gayle be captain?
Richards Maybe some of the things he said are rather unfortunate, but there are folks that do take things out of context sometimes and maybe Chris Gayle is one of those hard guys to understand at times [laughs]. Let's hope that what he said about Test cricket was taken out of context because he would have learnt his cricket playing first-class and Test cricket before he got into one-day and Twenty20 cricket.
Sobers I'm sorry, I'm not such a diplomat. I read in the papers that he didn't want to be captain. And he said he didn't care much for Test cricket. Are those the qualities of a leader?
Richardson I don't have any problem with Chris Gayle as captain. I get the impression that the players respect him and want him to be captain, and that is the key. He's very laidback, but I think he is the best man for the job.
A year ago we were all in Antigua watching the Stanford Super Series. None of us could have known what was about to happen to Allen Stanford or his empire. What will Stanford's legacy be?
Sobers I don't know what his legacy as a man will be, but his legacy for West Indies cricket is very positive. He was the first man to put the money into West Indies cricket that it needs. The Stanford Super Series was a good event and it captured the imagination of the people. I know that some are pretending they never trusted him, but I couldn't do that. I did and I still do. I've seen pictures of him in chains, which they don't seem to do to other people accused of crimes, and I hope that he is cleared. People were always looking for ulterior motives with him. I didn't see any. I believe he would have been very good for West Indies cricket. It's very sad.
Hall I don't recognise the description of the man I hear people talking about. I trusted him and believed in him and I still do. He's a good man. We're not experts on high finance, so we can't comment on what may have happened in that respect. But his aim was to get hundreds of people in the Caribbean playing professional cricket. Training every day. Living right and thinking about cricket. He had started to do that and we were beginning to see the results. He chose the right people to do the job and he paid for it. I still believe his passion for cricket - and for West Indies cricket - was genuine and it's a terrible shame things have worked out this way. We were called all sorts of names for being involved. We did it because we believed in him and what he was trying to achieve.
Richards It's disappointing to see him in the position he's in. I'm not going to be judge and jury. You're innocent until you're proven guilty. But what I do know is that what he did for us in Antigua and what he tried to get done in the cricketing world was a great period for us.
Richardson I was very excited about the Stanford 20/20 because I believed you had already started to see positive results - young kids had started to play cricket again. Families were coming out to watch cricket and the whole world was focused on Antigua. I was a member of the [Stanford] board and we had one island playing fully professionally. Since that time, the Antiguan team cannot lose a match.
There's some talk of Trinidad going it alone as a Test nation. What do you think?
Richardson It would not be good for the region. But Trinidad has shown if we work collectively and organise properly, we can be successful. We need to use Trinidad as an example.
Sobers It's rubbish. It will never happen. I know they say we, in Barbados, already did it because we played a couple of matches against a Rest of the World team to celebrate independence. But it was just a one-off. Can you imagine England travelling all the way just to play Trinidad?
Richards I don't think they should. It would be totally ludicrous and selfish. They did represent West Indies cricket in the Champions League and [reaching the final] was a remarkable effort. What they showed with those performances was that with the right environment West Indies cricket is still relatively healthy.
Hall The idea has no merit whatsoever. It won't happen. Some have said they could play in a second division of Test cricket, but I don't think that's a good idea, either.
It's becoming much harder for West Indies - and other non-English - players to participate in county or even league cricket in the UK. What are your thoughts?
Sobers The English have very short memories. County cricket was only being watched by one man with a white stick and his dog when they asked us to play. I didn't do it for my benefit; I did it because they needed help. And they'll need help again. I remember Enoch Powell's speech in 1968. Some people have wanted to get rid of us for years.
Richardson Everybody is responsible for their own development. England is trying to do what they think is best for English cricket and there is nothing wrong with that. What we need to do in the Caribbean is start looking at our cricket. We need to make sure we have a good enough structure that is going to propel our cricket way into the future. We shouldn't be dependent on English cricket.
Hall People used to moan that we learned from playing in English conditions and against their players. And it's true, we did. After one season playing league cricket in England, I had bowled more there than I had in the West Indies. But surely they could learn just as much from us? Surely if you play with and against the best players, you learn? Besides, people should ask those watching what they want, too.
Modern players seem to be injured more frequently than you were. They say that because today's cricket is more "intense". What do you think?
Sobers [looking remarkably scornful] There were some quite good players around when we played, you know. There were Test players in the leagues in those days. When I played in domestic cricket in Australia, some of the teams had nine or 10 Test players in their sides. We played without helmets, on uncovered wickets, and we played all the time. I was never injured. I know some modern players dismiss what we did as they say the game has changed. But it hasn't.
Hall I played for 10 summers and winters in succession. Ten. I'm not sure modern players are as fit as we were. What you put in your mouth is very important. And even now I swim in the sea six times a week. You have to push yourself, but sometimes poverty encourages success and wealth prevents it. Maybe wealth has come a little easy for some.
Sobers Some of these people retiring from Test cricket wouldn't be doing it if it wasn't for the IPL. I don't blame them; they have to look after themselves and their families. But the money in the game now from Twenty20 is in danger of damaging Test cricket.
Richardson It's hard to say. There's a lot more cricket. But I'm probably not the best person to make that judgement because I was always a workaholic and never shied from playing and if wasn't playing I was training. But your mind is powerful thing and if you start thinking, "I'm playing too much" then you can get an injury. A lot of it has to do with the mind.
Is there still the raw talent for cricket in the Caribbean?
Hall We do have the talent. Look at the results of our teams at Under-13, U-15 or U-17 level. They're as good as anyone's. The problem comes between the ages of 19 and 23, when they might go astray. It's more about hard work and discipline.
Richards Yes, it's rubbish when people say it's not there or people are going to basketball. We've still got a lot of talent, but people get disillusioned. Say you were a young player aspiring to play for the West Indies and you were reading all this stuff. You start to wonder: is this the right kind of environment?
Sobers I've said for years that we have the talent, but I don't know what's happened with it. I don't know any more. There is still talent, but where does it go? When I was young, I used to travel around the island watching as many of the great players as I could. I used to operate the scoreboard and just watch how the players moved their feet. I saw cricket as my way to see the world and do something with my life.
Richardson I have always believed that. I think we will always have that. I believe cricket is embedded in our genes and will always be there. But that has been taken for granted - that we will produce these players and they will go out and beat everyone. The game has moved on and other countries have analysed the game and done what it takes. We have regressed.
Hall One of the good things about Stanford was that he asked us to talk to the current players. There's a man like Sir Garry - the greatest cricketer who ever lived - available to help and not enough players seek his opinions or listen to his views. They say, "Oh, it was different in your day'. [shakes his head].
Sobers If a players phones me and asks for help, that's good. I can't just go and give them my opinion if they haven't asked.
The 2007 Caribbean World Cup was not a great success anywhere but Barbados. Will the 2010 World Twenty 20 be better?
Hall Yes. Lessons have been learned. The WICB deserve some credit for that. Ticket prices will be lower to encourage locals and there won't be the restrictions on bringing in food or musical instruments.
Richards We'll have to be better. We gave a lot of opportunities to individuals from the ICC to come and tell us how we run a Caribbean party. I hope that's not the case next time.
Richardson I hope so. The 2007 World Cup was a disaster. We were promised a lot of things. We were given the impression that this was the greatest thing on earth that was going to happen to the region, that it was an opportunity to make money and develop our infrastructure, and that then we would be sailing. But for that to happen you have to do this and do that and suddenly the World Cup became not a Caribbean show. There was nothing West Indian about it; everything was taken away. That was sad.
The Caribbean fans became disenfranchised and even the fans from overseas, who had come for a great West Indian time - they didn't see that. It was like it was held in another country. It kept the fans away. A lot of the governments spent lots of money and we have some massive structures that are hardly used. It was like money down the drain. Hopefully the authorities will have learned their lessons and next year's World Cup will be different.
This interview was first pubished in Spin magazine
88
Other Sports / David (Haye) beat Goliath (Valuev)
« on: November 09, 2009, 09:53:10 AM »The making of Haye
By Frank Keogh
David Haye says he dreamed of this day as a toddler - he's on a whistlestop media tour as heavyweight champion of the world.
In 36 hours like few others, the fast-talking south Londoner has gone from being a merely well-known British boxer to a genuine global celebrity.
And he is not hanging around after his giant-killing defeat of towering Russian Nikolay Valuev to win the WBA title on Saturday.
The bout, where Haye - a fine muscle-bound specimen but 'only' 6ft 3in and under 16 stone - took on a man seven stone heavier and nine inches taller, and won, captured the world's imagination.
It literally was David v Goliath, and although some boxing experts predicted a Haye victory, much of the wider public thought it just could not happen.
"I dreamed about all this when I was a toddler, it was just a case of what weight I would be," says the 29-year-old from Bermondsey.
"I started boxing when I was 10, and told everyone at school that when I was older, I would be world champion."
As Haye saunters through the corridors of BBC Television Centre in west London, with a bemused following of various producers and programme runners, he spies tennis star Serena Williams on a TV screen being interviewed in the same studio he just left.
"Would you like to meet her?" I ask, caught up in the moment, offering something I might not be able to deliver.
"Not today," he says with a contented smile.
Haye is moving awkwardly, limping almost. Not quite the Ali-style 'float like a butterfly, sting like a bee' character who out-thought and out-fought Valuev.
He went into Saturday's showdown nursing some minor niggles, but gently refuses to go into details.
"Just the sort of injuries an athlete picks up," he says.
The day began on the ITV sofa with Lorraine Kelly and quickly, albeit somewhat chaotically, proceeds to the BBC breakfast show version, then a 5 live studio, and BBC Worldwide.
"Where does that go out then?" he jokes. The banter is lost on some in a crowded Green Room as he waits for another interview.
The other guests bear looks that suggest they cannot quite believe he is in their company.
A canny young woman seizes the chance in between questions, texts, calls and general mayhem, to ask if Haye would be interested in doing some charity work.
Haye takes the plea in his stride like a gentle jab from a toiling opponent.
"It's for the Princes' Trust - we help young people get back into..."
Before she can finish, there's a "for sure" from Haye and there is another contact to note down.
Noting the numbers, taking the succession of calls, dealing with endless requests and generally being helpful is Haye's right-hand man Danny Watts.
It turns out he is a former amateur boxing champion whose scalps include 2000 Olympic boxing gold medallist Audley Harrison.
Watts joined the Haye camp late in the day, and seems to play the same kind of supporting role that Terry McCann played to Arthur Daley in the 1980s TV series Minder, only he's more upbeat.
He's taller than Haye so proved a good sparring partner ahead of the Valuev bout, and knows his way around the boxing circuit.
"I was in the opponent's dressing room after Saturday's fight as you have an observer from both camps to make sure everything is in order," said Watts, 36, another south Londoner.
"They were taking the bandages off his hands. I'm sat down next to him, and he's got this big head and he's grunting, and then in walks promoter Don King. It was surreal.
"Twelve weeks ago, I was a scaffolder from Peckham."
Haye took the first steps on the journey to being a world champion at the Fitzroy Lodge Amateur Boxing Club in Lambeth.
Six years later in 1996, he went with his mum to watch Valuev fight at Battersea Town Hall. The Russian knocked out Neil Kirkwood in the first round.
"I don't remember a lot about it, except Valuev's size," says Haye.
Thirteen years on, his mother is still involved, berating him with a text message amid Saturday's big-fight hullabaloo, for calling his opponent "smelly."
Haye is a friendly, down-to-earth, family man with a mischievous sense of humour, according to friend Cathy Brown.
Former female boxing champion Brown, 39, trained daily with him for several years.
She trained alongside Haye at the Thirdspace gym in London's Soho as they were both managed by Adam Booth, who also sent them on gruelling sessions near his Kent home.
"We used to train together five or six days a week, so I got to know him pretty well," said Brown, who is 5ft 1in tall and weighed eight stone at the time.
"It was quite funny sometimes what Adam put us through, and quite draining.
"He used to get us to push a car up this long road, which was on a slope. David would go first and was a lot better than me, but then he was a bit of a big lump."
Flyweight Brown fought for five world titles, including the women's WBC and IBF belts, and lost them all on points decisions from judges in Germany and Italy. Haye was at ringside every time.
"That's why I was really worried about the decision on Saturday night - it was quite a close fight, and I thought they might have gone with Valuev bearing in mind what happened with my decisions" said the former European champion.
For the record, one judge rated the fight as a 114-114 draw, while the other two gave it as 116-112 to Haye, the latter two exactly matching the scorecards of BBC Radio 5 live's commentary team.
Haye, whose 18-month-old son Cassius is named after heavyweight legend Muhammad Ali's original name Cassius Clay - wants to emulate Ali by unifying the myriad of heavyweight titles.
"David always admired boxers Roy Jones Junior and Sugar Ray Leonard," adds Brown.
"Think of a boxer's name and you might think of Muhammad Ali or Mike Tyson. He wants to be up there with the big names."
Haye's next fight will be a mandatory defence of his WBA title against John Ruiz, which will probably take place in London in March or April 2010.
Then there's the enticing prospect of a summer showdown with one of the champion Klitschko brothers at a big venue such as Wembley Stadium.
"He would destroy Ruiz and there's unfinished business with the Klitschkos," said Brown.
So will the fame and money change the boy from Bermondsey? Possibly not.
"He's serious about this boxing, but he's a really jovial, mischievous bloke who loves doing wind-ups," says Brown.
89
General Discussion / shooting in pittsburgh
« on: November 06, 2009, 01:22:15 PM »At least 4 die in gym shooting near Pittsburgh
A shooting at an LA Fitness gym outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, killed at least four people and wounded several others, a local official told CNN.
The shooter, whose identity was not immediately released, was among the fatalities, said Gary Vituccio, manager of Collier township.
At least 10 shooting victims arrived at the three major hospitals in the area.
A spokeswoman for Mercy Hospital confirmed five female shooting victims arrived at the facility with multiple gunshot wounds. Three were in serious condition, and two were listed as critical, she said.
Allegheny General Hospital received two wounded patients at its trauma center, a spokesman said. Both of victims are women and were listed in fair condition, he said.
A St. Clair Hospital spokesman said three shooting victims arrived there Tuesday night; two were in stable condition and one patient, who was shot in the chest, died at about 8:55 p.m. It wasn't clear whether the death at St. Clair was included in the fatalities confirmed by Vituccio.
Perry Calabro of nearby Bridgeville told CNN he was between racquetball games at the gym when he heard screaming and multiple gunshots. He said he ran out and didn't see the gunman or others.
Other witnesses told CNN affiliate WTAE that the lights went out before they saw flashes in dark -- what they later realized was gunfire.
Witnesses told WTAE that a man unrecognized by the gym's staff shot people in a Latin dance class.
A witness identified as Nicole told WTAE that about 30 women were in the class when "a middle-aged white male walked into the class. He had a big gym bag."
"He looked out of place in a class full of women," according to the witness, who told WTAE the man put down the bag, turned off the lights and opened fire.
90
General Discussion / White Collar Crime thread
« on: October 16, 2009, 02:33:30 PM »
weez, perp walks from wall street. look mckinsey getting dragged into de muck!
==
U.S. charges 6 in record insider trading case
By Grant McCool and Edith Honan
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Galleon Group founder Raj Rajaratnam and five others were charged with engaging in the largest ever hedge fund insider-trading scheme, generating profits of more than $20 million over several years, U.S. prosecutors, the FBI and the SEC said Friday.
Insider trading by hedge funds Galleon and New Castle and Intel's Intel Capital unit took place in shares of Hilton Hotels Corp, Google Inc, IBM, Advanced Micro Devices Inc and other stocks, according to two complaints filed in U.S. District Court in New York.
All six accused have been arrested, a spokeswoman for the federal prosecutor's office in Manhattan said. The case could represent an important development in the government's enforcement of securities laws, she said.
"This is not a garden-variety insider trading case," U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara told a news conference. Beyond the scale of the scheme, "It shows that we are targeting white-collar insider trading rings with the same powerful investigative techniques that have worked so successfully against the mob and drug cartels."
He also fired a warning shot for the rest of Wall Street.
"Today, tomorrow, next week, the week after, privileged Wall Street insiders who are considering breaking the law will have to ask themselves one important question: Is law enforcement listening?" he said.
Securities fraud charges carry possible maximum prison sentences of up to 20 years.
SRI LANKA TITAN
One of the criminal complaints accuses Rajaratnam, considered the richest Sri Lankan in the world, of conspiring with Intel employee Rajiv Goel and Anil Kumar, a director of powerful management consulting firm McKinsey & Co. The alleged offenses took place for about three years starting in January 2006.
Galleon had as much as $7 billion under management, the complaint said. Intel Capital is the investment arm of Intel Corp. Officials from Galleon did not return calls seeking comment.
Rajaratnam, born into a family of well-to-do Tamils in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo, is one of the largest investors on the Colombo Stock Exchange.
(Reporting by Grant McCool and Joseph Giannone; Additional reporting by Edith Honan, Walden Siew and Ritsuko Ando in New York, Clare Baldwin in San Francisco, and Bryson Hull in Colombo, Sri Lanka; editing by Gerald E. McCormick, Phil Berlowitz and John Wallace)
==
U.S. charges 6 in record insider trading case
By Grant McCool and Edith Honan
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Galleon Group founder Raj Rajaratnam and five others were charged with engaging in the largest ever hedge fund insider-trading scheme, generating profits of more than $20 million over several years, U.S. prosecutors, the FBI and the SEC said Friday.
Insider trading by hedge funds Galleon and New Castle and Intel's Intel Capital unit took place in shares of Hilton Hotels Corp, Google Inc, IBM, Advanced Micro Devices Inc and other stocks, according to two complaints filed in U.S. District Court in New York.
All six accused have been arrested, a spokeswoman for the federal prosecutor's office in Manhattan said. The case could represent an important development in the government's enforcement of securities laws, she said.
"This is not a garden-variety insider trading case," U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara told a news conference. Beyond the scale of the scheme, "It shows that we are targeting white-collar insider trading rings with the same powerful investigative techniques that have worked so successfully against the mob and drug cartels."
He also fired a warning shot for the rest of Wall Street.
"Today, tomorrow, next week, the week after, privileged Wall Street insiders who are considering breaking the law will have to ask themselves one important question: Is law enforcement listening?" he said.
Securities fraud charges carry possible maximum prison sentences of up to 20 years.
SRI LANKA TITAN
One of the criminal complaints accuses Rajaratnam, considered the richest Sri Lankan in the world, of conspiring with Intel employee Rajiv Goel and Anil Kumar, a director of powerful management consulting firm McKinsey & Co. The alleged offenses took place for about three years starting in January 2006.
Galleon had as much as $7 billion under management, the complaint said. Intel Capital is the investment arm of Intel Corp. Officials from Galleon did not return calls seeking comment.
Rajaratnam, born into a family of well-to-do Tamils in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo, is one of the largest investors on the Colombo Stock Exchange.
(Reporting by Grant McCool and Joseph Giannone; Additional reporting by Edith Honan, Walden Siew and Ritsuko Ando in New York, Clare Baldwin in San Francisco, and Bryson Hull in Colombo, Sri Lanka; editing by Gerald E. McCormick, Phil Berlowitz and John Wallace)