Mar 05 2011

In Other Formula One News

I’ll assume everyone who cares already knows that the March 13th Bahrain Grand Prix, the opening race of the 2011 season, and associated testing has been canceled because of domestic unrest right?

You might not have heard about this one-

Kickback Probe Tests CVC’s Ties With F-1’s Ecclestone

By Anne-Sylvaine Chassany, Karin Matussek and Alex Duff, Bloomberg BusinessWeek

February 15, 2011, 9:56 PM EST

Feb. 16 (Bloomberg) — Banker Gerhard Gribkowsky may have taken a $50 million kickback for engineering the sale of Formula One, the world’s most-watched motor sport, German prosecutors say. Who paid that suspected bribe, they aren’t saying.

That mystery has thrown a spotlight on the partnership between 80-year-old Formula One Management Ltd. Chief Executive Officer Bernie Ecclestone, a fixture of London’s tabloids, and the company’s buyer, CVC Capital Partners Ltd., one of Europe’s largest and most-private buyout firms.

…

The investigation is focused on the 2005 sale of a 48 percent stake in London-based Formula One to CVC by Bayerische Landesbank in Munich, which received a 10 billion-euro ($13.5 billion) government bailout following losses on U.S. subprime mortgages. That investigation is adding to uncertainties about Formula One’s future, making an exit more difficult for CVC, which manages 31 billion euros, including Europe’s second- largest buyout fund.

…

“According to the current findings, the suspect, in turn, received $50 million in payments disguised via two consultancy agreements,” Munich prosecutors said in the statement. A spokesman for the prosecutors declined to say who may have made the payments. No charges have been filed against Gribkowsky, who is being held while the probe continues. Ecclestone hasn’t been accused of wrongdoing.

…

The kickback case “has been a ticking bomb for at least a year now,” said Klaus Fleischer, professor of banking and finance at the University of Applied Sciences in Munich. “BayernLB is a money sink and is under enormous political pressure to clean up the whole mess of subprime, Hypo Alpe-Adria and Formula One.”

Gribkowsky didn’t run a competitive auction when BayernLB sold its 48 percent stake, two people with knowledge of the deal said. Kirch’s lawyers say the sale undervalued Formula One, according to a letter sent to the bank on Jan. 6.

…

Since the CVC acquisition, Formula One has been plagued by a cheating scandal, and the global economic slump led Honda Motor Co., Toyota Motor Co. and Bayerische Motoren Werke AG to quit. The average race audience fell to 44 million in 2009 from 52 million in 2004 as younger people watch less TV, according to London-based Future Sport & Entertainment.

The sport is betting on growth in Asia and the Middle East after France was dropped from the schedule because it couldn’t meet the costs and Italy and Germany lost one of their two annual races. This year, the championship has 20 races, including one hosted by India for the first time.

Mar 05 2011

DocuDharma Digest

Regular Features-

Featured Essays for March 4, 2011-

DocuDharma

Mar 05 2011

This Week In The Dream Antilles

And what a weak week it was in Weequahic.  Also, in the Dream Antilles.  Your bloguero’s seasonal affective grouchiness (SAG) kicked into high gear as Old Man Winter continued to torture the inhabitants of the Northeast with inclemency and frigidity .  Meanwhile, the radio station was broadcasting the Mets from sunny Port Saint Lucie in Florida.  It did not help your bloguero’s disposition at all that Luis Castillo was playing second and Ollie Perez was on the mound.  These two guys, who should have been traded or fired at the end of last season, still get paid 8 figures to do nothing.  Your bloguero would be willing to do nothing for mid 6 figures, and he’ll negotiate.  You know where to send the offers.

The week ended with Bloguer@s: Play the Game Right, a meta discussion of recent flameouts at Port Writers Alliance blogs.  The post spares you the details but notes that most of the hostilities are provoked by uncontrolled ego and ego’s stepchild, defensiveness.  Your bloguero asks, “Can’t we play the game right?”

In  Obama: Get Our Your Comfortable Shoes you will find a video of President Obama on the campaign trail in 2007 telling workers in South Carolina how he’ll put shoe leather to the pavement and walk the pick line with them if they have to strike.  Right.   Get out your Guccis.  And Wisconsin?  No, he’s not going there.  Nope.  He’s not even going to give a sternly worded letter to the Governor.  Posts like this heighten the contradictions, as if they needed heightening.

The Times had an article explaining how books were going to be sold in odd locations like clothing stores.  Books And Non Books notes in passing that the “books” being sold aren’t literary gems, they’re non-books.  Put another way, the publishers are going to foist a lot of paper junk on shoppers in the vain hope of keeping themselves above water.  News like this makes your bloguero think about withholding the life preserver.

Duke Snider, RIP notes the passing of a childhood hero, Brooklyn Dodger outfielder Duke Snider.   Your bloguero didn’t think Snider was better than Mays or Mantle, the other iconic New York outfielders of the era, but he loved the Dodgers, and Duke was a part of that team.

Thank You For Supporting Wisconsin’s Workers thanks readers of The Dream Antilles for going to demonstrations on Solidarity Saturday and for buying pizza for Wisconsin’s demonstrators.

Your bloguero notes in passing that this Digest is a weekly feature of the Port Writers Alliance and is supposed to be posted early Sunday morning. Well, things happen.  The best laid plans of mice, etc.  See you next week if the creek don’t rise on Sunday early.

Mar 05 2011

Popular Culture (Music) 20110304. Deep Purple Mark I

There are bands and there are bands.  This band has gone through so many transitions that even I, The Geek, can not keep up with all of them, but I do know that in their original lineup that they were close to, if not actually, great.

Deep Purple were a sort of late on the invasion set band from England, only releasing their first record in 1968.  They did some original material, but their first hit was a cover of Hush, by Joe South, written for Billy Joe Royal, and it was an OK hit.

I only intend to treat the Mark I lineup, because I personally found their material to deteriorate quickly after the band were realigned, although their big hits were later.  Please come with me and explore what was to later become one of the first big hair bands, and one of the loudest in concert.

Deep Purple were composed of five members (somehow, five tends to be an unlucky number for British Invasion bands), although the Rolling Stones were the exception to the rule.

Jon Lord on Hammond keyboard (and other keyboards), who wrote lots of their original material.

Richie Blackmore on guitar, who also wrote material.  He was from the Jimi Hendrix school of guitar, and had connexions with The Who, as did Hendrix.

Ian Paice, one of the fastest drummers that I have ever heard.  He did not have the sense of music that Keith had, but his technical ability was just awesome.

Nickey Simper, the bass player, who was underrated.  He actually was quite good, but never got any traction.

Rod Evans, the lead singer, who was entirely underrated.  After his stint with Deep Purple he went on to form Captain Beyond, about which I have written before.  Although his vocal range was not outstanding, his creativity was wonderful, and some of the songs both for Deep Purple and Captain Beyond, were in some cases just outstanding.

Except for covers of other songs, Deep Purple Mark I all took writing credits.  Jon Lord wrote much of the material, but in the early days Evans was likely the largest contributor.  You can tell the change when they went to Mark II, and I hope that a fellow reader and contributor would take on that challenge in this place, a few weeks from now.

Jon Lord, aka Jon Douglas Lord, was probably the leader of the band.  Born 19410609, he is still with us.  During his time with Mark I, he played a very good Hammond organ, usually a model B-2 or B-3, either with its onboard loudspeakers or the Leslie speaker that was an option for that instrument.  I wrote about Hammond organs here many years ago.  They are outstanding.  Lord is a follower of Bach.

Ritchie Blackmore, aka Richard Hugh Blackmore, was the guitarist for the band.  Born 19450414, he is also still with us.  He is extremely talented at wringing out sounds from a Fender that few others could make so.  The most charming part of his stage persona remains the scowl.  Like Entwistle, he rarely recognized the audience, but just did what he did, and well. Blackmore is also a follower of Bach.

Ian Paice, aka Ian Anderson Paice born 19480629, is, as I said previously, the fastest drummer that I have ever heard.  He is a great talent, and also is still with us.  Those of you who read this post regularly already know that I believe that Keith Moon was the greatest rock drummer, EVER, but he would not have fit into this band well.  Nor would Paice had fit into The Who very well.  They had very different styles, and Paice was perfect for Deep Purple.  Sometimes circumstances overcome raw talent, but please know that my vote for best drummer will always be for Keith, although Ian is very, very good IN HIS own tradition.

Nickey Simper, aka Nicholas John Simper born 19451103 was an OK bass player.  By the time that Deep Purple had formed, Entwistle was already headed towards becoming known as one of the three or four best rock bass players ever known, and Simper was no where near his class.  The left handed Paul McCartney also played bass, but both of the aforementioned ones were technically much better at it.  Nickey is still with us, and John is not.

Finally, Rod Evans, born 19470119,  is probably the most talented of the bunch, and also the one who had to give up music because of lawsuits.  He is still with us, and I wonder how much better music could have been if the attorneys had not choked him.  He was also the steering influence of Captain Beyond, and I THINK that I have written about that band here before.  If not, just jog my stupid mind and I shall.

Their first record album was called Shades of Deep Purple, on Tetragrammaton Records in the US, and EMI Harvest in the UK.  It was unlike anything else, and actually wonderful.  Here is there first big hit, Hush.  Note that their producer liked sound effects.  There is something interesting about Tetragrammaton Records:  it was founded by Roy Silver, Marvin Deane, and Bill Cosby!  Yes, that Bill Cosby.  Deep Purple were not the only acts that they carried, either.  Two obscure artists, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, turned to Tetragrammaton when Capitol declined to distribute Two Virgins, and the American release for that was originally on that label.  However, by around 1971 Tetragrammaton went bankrupt and Warner Brothers became their distributor.

The opening piece on the initial album was entirely instrumental, and I like it very much.  It is called And the Address.  Rod Evans sort of banged the cowbell.  Here you go.

Hammond organ is one of favorite instruments.  I wrote about them a long time ago here.  Just listen to how Lord plays it, and how Blackmore wrings the neck of his Fender.  Paice was not too shabby, either.

Now here is an interesting piece, from Playboy after Dark, many years ago.  An extremely young Hugh Hefner introduces the band, and I think that this is live, from 1968 or early 1969.  Tell me if you think that it is lipsynched in the comments.  I think that Richard Pryor was one of the attendees.  Hugh Hefner is still with us, at around 83 years.  Good on him!  Note that he introduced them as “The Deep Purple”.

They did a cover of Hey Joe, and it was OK.  I bring it to you for a sense of being complete.  Here it is.

By far their best number on the record was Mandrake Root.  That is sort of a joke, as the pharmaceutical drug in the UK at the time was what we here in the US would be called Quaalude!   In the UK it was called Mandrax.  However, the term Mandrake is very, very old and has to do with a magical root, Mandragora officinarum in Europe, and transferred to another toxic root, Podophyllum peltatum here in the US.  Both of them have to do with being aphrodisiacs, but neither of them really are.  Remember that the producer liked sound effects, but this is really a good number.   If you did not think that Paice was a good drummer, you never heard this.  I think that it might their greatest bit of work.  Here it is for your listening pleasure, so tell me what you think.

Was that good, or what?  Very unlike The Who, but still excellent!

They had another original song, I’m So Glad, that is interesting, but not great.  Some of the words are sort of poignant, such as, “…telephone rings, another weekend, tired of longing for you…”.  Only folks who have lost great loves of their lives will connect with that.  Here is a sample.  Note that the pictures from this video is not really connected.  I do not know about the origin of the pictures, and some of them might not even be Deep Purple, but the song is from the original record.  The interesting thing is that it is a cover!  The great composer, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov was responsible for most of it, and Skip James, who mastered the D-minor tuning for a guitar, was also partially responsible.

This number gets to be somewhat repetitious at times, but overall is OK.  Parts of it are quite good indeed.

One of the numbers that I really liked was an original composition, One More Rainy Day.  The Hammond is just nothing less than excellent on this one.  What do you think?  Most of the pictures in this one are authentic, and I have not seen the ones with Lord and Blackmore with their mates until I did the research for this piece.  Yes, dear readers, I do a lot of research before I post, even at Popular Culture.  Imagine the research that I must do for Pique the Geek!

One of the better works on this record was I Need Love, Love Help Me.  Paice and Blackmore were at their best on this one.  Please listen and comment.  Note that the picture of the band here is for Deep Purple Mark II:  Roger Glover (center) had replaced Simper on base, and Ian Gillian (just the right of Glover) had replaced Evans on vocals.  The music is, however, from the original Mark I studio material.

For the sake of being complete, I shall include Help! as the final entry here.  I think that The Beatles did a better job, but I really like Rod’s voice in this cover.  Please tell me what you say.

<

Wow!  This is really live, and much better than I had expected.  Here is the studio version.

I hope that everyone likes this.  There are two more Mark I albums to cover.  Please let me know in comments if there is enough interest.  If so, next time we shall examine The Book of Taliesyn.    If there is enough interest, I shall also report some of the connexions that they had with other bands.  I think that Mark I was excellent.

Warmest regards,

Doc

Crossposted at Antemedius.com, Dailykos.com, Docudharma.com, and FireflyDreaming.com

Mar 05 2011

Prime Time

Of course, what I’m really looking forward to is tomorrow’s Platypus Day marathon (starting at 5 pm on Disney).  Some premiers, am I the only one who detects any irony in Faux hosting the Image Awards?

Gentlemen!  Behold!

Later-

Dave in repeats from 1/20.

Aquateen Hunger Force- Assemble!

Yep, a bad night for quotes.

Zap2it TV Listings, Yahoo TV Listings

Mar 05 2011

from firefly-dreaming 4.3.11

(midnight. – promoted by ek hornbeck)

Regular Daily Features:

Late Night Karaoke spotlights Buckwheat Zydeco, mishima DJs

Dreamer says Gha!

Six Brilliant Articles! from Six Different Places!! on Six Different Topics!!!

                Six Days a Week!!!    at Six in the Morning!!!!

Essays Featured Friday, March 4th:

Paul Loeb says Go to Wisconsin President Obama

Artistic yet Philosophical ~ Painting the Self is slksfca‘s Friday Open Thought

Xanthe got an unexpected gift and says “I Need Help, Southern Ladies”

patric juillet‘s latest installment of Tales from the Larder Wilder Rice  

RiaD has some questions in Education: how much is too much?

join the conversation! come firefly-dreaming with me….

Mar 04 2011

Evening Edition

Evening Edition is an Open Thread

Now with 59 Top Stories.

From Yahoo News Top Stories

1 Kadhafi forces hit Libyan rebels east and west

AFP

2 hrs 40 mins ago

NEAR RASLANUF (AFP) – Libyan forces loyal to strongman Moamer Kadhafi killed and wounded rebels trying to advance on Tripoli and claimed to have recaptured a town close to the capital Friday, rebel and government sources said.

A doctor at one of the hospitals in rebel-held territory, where casualties were being treated from the fierce clashes round the refinery town of Raslanuf, said there were “many dead and wounded” by rocket fire from loyalist defenders.

In restive Yemen troops also killed four protesters and wounded seven in the north of the country as nationwide protests raged against President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

AFP

2 Obama steps up pressure as Libya jets strike

by Samer al-Atrush, AFP

Thu Mar 3, 6:47 pm ET

BREGA, Libya (AFP) – Libyan jets struck rebel positions Thursday as US President Barack Obama stepped up demands that Moamer Kadhafi cede power and Russia warned of an impending civil war.

Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez joined the diplomatic offensive, proposing an international mediation mission to pull the North African country back from the brink, a move rejected late Thursday by the rebels as “too late”.

It was the offensive on the ground that focused minds on the 17th day of the uprising against Kadhafi’s 41-year rule as his air force bombed rebel positions in the oil town of Brega.

3 Police clash with Kadhafi opponents in Tripoli

AFP

Fri Mar 4, 10:29 am ET

TRIPOLI (AFP) – Libyan police fired tear gas at protesters demonstrating against Moamer Kadhafi’s regime in Tripoli on Friday as rebel fighters in eastern Libya tried to push the front line nearer to the capital.

Elsewhere the UN refugee agency voiced concern for those fleeing the violence and international measures against Kadhafi bore fruit with the seizure by Britain of a ship carrying a large quantity of Libyan currency.

Some 100 anti-Kadhafi demonstrators clashed with police in the Tajoura neighbourhood in eastern Tripoli after Friday prayers, a witness said, while another said opponents and supporters of the regime traded blows near the capital’s Green Square.

4 Libya rebel town bombed amid calls for Tripoli demo

by Mariano Andrade, AFP

Fri Mar 4, 5:10 am ET

AJDABIYA, Libya (AFP) – Libyan forces carried out an air strike on the edge of the rebel-held town of Ajdabiya Friday, as opponents of veteran leader Moamer Kadhafi called fresh protests in the capital Tripoli.

US President Barack Obama said all options were on the table for driving Kadhafi out of power as the strongman’s son said air strikes on rebel-held positions were scare tactics rather than to inflict serious damage.

Despite grave reservations expressed by the US military command, Obama said a no-fly zone was among the “full range” of options as he demanded that Kadhafi “step down from power and leave.”

5 Protesters stream in as Iraq sets vehicle curbs

by Ammar Karim, AFP

Fri Mar 4, 3:32 am ET

BAGHDAD (AFP) – Protesters streamed into central Baghdad on foot after authorities imposed vehicle bans on major cities ahead of rallies over corruption, unemployment and poor public services.

The demonstrations come after nationwide protests in more than a dozen cities a week ago, which spurred Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to give his cabinet 100 days to shape up or face the sack.

Several hundred protesters had gathered in central Baghdad’s Tahrir Square by 10:00 am (0700 GMT), with more on the way, chanting, “Liar, Liar, Nuri al-Maliki” and “Oil for the people, not for the thieves.”

6 New Egypt PM vows to act on calls for change

by Jailan Zayan, AFP

Fri Mar 4, 11:41 am ET

CAIRO (AFP) – Egypt’s new Prime Minister Essam Sharaf vowed on Friday to respond to demands for democratic change as he addressed thousands of protesters in Cairo’s Tahrir Square a day after his appointment.

“I am here because I draw my legitimacy from you … I will exert all my effort to respond to your demands,” Sharaf told flag-waving supporters in the square, the centre of protests that toppled president Hosni Mubarak last month.

The premier was named by the country’s new military rulers on Thursday to replace Ahmed Shafiq, who was opposed by protesters because he had been appointed by Mubarak in the dying days of his regime.

7 Yemen army fire ‘kills four protesters’

by Hammoud Mounassar, AFP

Fri Mar 4, 11:26 am ET

SANAA (AFP) – Yemeni troops killed four demonstrators and wounded seven others on Friday when they fired on an anti-regime rally in the north, officials and Shiite rebels said, as protests raged across the country.

The shooting, which came a day after the opposition and clerics offered embattled President Ali Abdullah Saleh a smooth exit from power, took place in Amran province, about 170 kilometres (105 miles) from Sanaa.

A Yemeni security official could only confirm there was a gunfight in which four soldiers and three “armed men” were wounded.

8 Security tight for funeral of Pakistan minister

by Sajjad Tarakzai, AFP

Fri Mar 4, 3:23 am ET

ISLAMABAD (AFP) – Authorities shut down streets and police marksmen stood guard around Islamabad’s main church for the funeral mass of minister Shahbaz Bhatti, shot dead by suspected Islamic extremists.

Police and paramilitary forces prevented vehicles from approaching the Fatima Church ahead of the ceremony for the minority affairs minister, a Roman Catholic who was shot dead in broad daylight on Wednesday.

Police officials carrying metal detectors searched people before they entered the church, an AFP correspondent said.

9 Pakistan buries slain Christian minister

by Khurram Shahzad, AFP

Fri Mar 4, 10:06 am ET

KHUSHPUR, Pakistan (AFP) – Up to 15,000 people attended the burial in central Pakistan on Friday of a slain Christian minister, amid warnings that extremism was on the rise and could destroy the country.

Minority affairs minister Shahbaz Bhatti, 42, an outspoken campaigner against Pakistan’s Islamic blasphemy laws, died in a hail of bullets as he left his mother’s home in the capital Islamabad on Wednesday.

His assassination sparked international outrage and stoked concern about rampant militancy in nuclear-armed Pakistan, a fractious ally in the US-led war in Afghanistan.

10 NASA Earth observation satellite fails to reach orbit

by Kerry Sheridan, AFP

Fri Mar 4, 10:35 am ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) – A NASA satellite that aimed to study the impact of aerosols on climate plunged into the Pacific Ocean on Friday, delivering a $424-million blow to the US space agency.

The failure of the Glory satellite launch was the second bungle for NASA climate science efforts in two years, and closely resembled a botched carbon satellite launch involving the same company, Orbital Sciences Corp., in 2009.

Glory could not reach orbit after its protective clamshell-like nose cone cover failed to detach after launch, engineers said as they struggled to figure out why the expensive technology collapse had happened yet again.

11 Dior puts Galliano behind it at emotional Paris show

by Robert MacPherson, AFP

Fri Mar 4, 12:50 pm ET

PARIS (AFP) – The soul of John Galliano was laid to rest as far as Christian Dior was concerned on Friday as the famed Parisian fashion house sent out its last pret-a-porter collection from the disgraced couturier.

Not once was Galliano’s name mentioned under the huge marquee behind the Musee Rodin where Dior sent out the last 62 outfits ever to be associated with the brilliant English designer who now faces charges of hurling racist insults.

“What has happened over the last week has been a terrible and wrenching ordeal for us all,” said Dior’s chief executive Sidney Toledano, in what must be the only time a Paris fashion show opened with something close to a eulogy.

12 Fallen star Galliano absent from his Dior show

by Robert MacPherson, AFP

Fri Mar 4, 10:45 am ET

PARIS (AFP) – Dior on Friday presented its last collection overseen by flamboyant designer John Galliano, distancing itself from the “disgraceful” tirade that saw him sacked this week for alleged anti-Semitism.

Completely overshadowed by the Galliano scandal, the show took place in a subdued atmosphere in the gardens of the Rodin Museum, in a chic district just down the road from the French prime minister’s residence.

“What has happened over the last week has been a terrible and wrenching ordeal for us all,” Christian Dior boss Sidney Toledano said before the start of the much-anticipated show as part of Paris Fashion Week.

13 Euro-socialists call for lower EU loan rates

by John Hadoulis, AFP

Fri Mar 4, 12:51 pm ET

ATHENS (AFP) – Europe’s socialists on Friday said the EU must grant lower interest rates to debt-rescued Greece and Ireland and create a “robust” emergency loan mechanism at upcoming summits this month.

“The message to the EU Council is ‘it’s time for you to decide to bring down the interest rate for Greece and Ireland’,” Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, head of the Party of European Socialists (PES), told a news conference.

“The second decision (should be) to make the financial mechanism really robust,” Rasmussen said at the launch of a two-day meeting in Athens to discuss a “progressive” response to the continent’s economic woes.

14 Bangladesh fans stone Windies bus after W. Cup defeat

by John Weaver, AFP

Fri Mar 4, 9:42 am ET

NEW DELHI, India (AFP) – Angry Bangladesh fans stoned the West Indies bus on Friday, furious after their team crashed to a humiliating nine-wicket World Cup defeat where they were dismissed for just 58 runs.

The bus came under attack as it was heading back to the West Indies’ team hotel after the match, in what police claimed was a case of mistaken identity, with fans thinking it was the home team’s vehicle.

“The fans thought it was the Bangladeshi team bus and they hurled stones at it,” Imtiaz Ahmed, deputy commissioner of police in Dhaka, told AFP.

15 Fates in balance in crunch cricket W.Cup matches

by John Weaver, AFP

Fri Mar 4, 3:17 am ET

NEW DELHI (AFP) – New Zealand look set for a vital win over Zimbabwe while Bangladesh take on the West Indies in key matches that could play pivotal roles in deciding the World Cup quarter-final line-up.

The Black Caps, needing a victory in Group A after a win against Kenya and defeat at the hands of defending champions Australia, on Friday restricted the African side to just 162 in Ahmedabad.

Seamer Tim Southee took three wickets while Kyle Mills and skipper Daniel Vettori grabbed two apiece for New Zealand, desperate to register their second win with powerful Pakistan and Sri Lanka lying in wait.

16 Double-digit rise for China’s military spending

by Dan Martin, AFP

Fri Mar 4, 6:38 am ET

BEIJING (AFP) – China announced a renewed double-digit hike in military spending on Friday after funding slowed last year, but insisted the nearly $92 billion outlay posed no external threat despite concerns abroad.

The defence budget will rise 12.7 percent in 2011 to 601.1 billion yuan ($91.7 billion), said Li Zhaoxing, spokesman for China’s national parliament, citing a budget report to be submitted to the rubber-stamp legislature.

“China has always paid attention to controlling the size of defence spending,” Li, a former foreign minister, told reporters.

17 China’s defence budget to rise 12.7% in 2011

by Dan Martin, AFP

Thu Mar 3, 11:59 pm ET

BEIJING (AFP) – China’s defence budget will rise 12.7 percent in 2011 to 601.1 billion yuan ($91.7 billion), a government spokesman said on Friday, amid persistent concerns about Beijing’s military build-up.

The figure was contained in a budgetary report submitted to the National People’s Congress, the parliament’s spokesman Li Zhaoxing told a news conference on the eve of the opening of the annual NPC session.

“China has always paid attention to controlling the size of defence spending,” Li told reporters, describing spending as “relatively low” compared with the rest of the world.

18 World’s sixth mass extinction may be underway: study

by Richard Ingham and Laurent Banguet, AFP

Fri Mar 4, 12:58 am ET

PARIS (AFP) – Mankind may have unleashed the sixth known mass extinction in Earth’s history, according to a paper released by the science journal Nature.

Over the past 540 million years, five mega-wipeouts of species have occurred through naturally-induced events.

But the new threat is man-made, inflicted by habitation loss, over-hunting, over-fishing, the spread of germs and viruses and introduced species, and by climate change caused by fossil-fuel greenhouse gases, says the study.

Reuters

19 Libyan forces fight for town in west, rebels in east

By Mohammed Abbas, Reuters

1 hr 34 mins ago

AJDABIYAH, Libya (Reuters) – Muammar Gaddafi’s forces fought their way into a rebel-held western town on Friday, but rebels said they had captured the eastern oil town of Ras Lanuf, extending their hold on eastern Libya.

The fighting appeared to confirm the division of the vast desert oil-producing state between a western area round the capital Tripoli held by forces loyal to Gaddafi and an eastern region held by those rebelling against his four-decade rule.

In Zawiyah, a town 50 km (30 miles) west of Tripoli whose control by the rebels had embarrassed the government, “dozens were killed and more were wounded,” by pro-Gaddafi forces, said Mohamed, a resident. “We have counted 30 dead civilians.”

20 Foreigners may be prevented from leaving Libya

By Douglas Hamilton, Reuters

1 hr 54 mins ago

RAS JDIR, Tunisia (Reuters) – Foreign workers trying to flee violence in Libya may be trapped or prevented from reaching the Tunisian border, the United Nations refugee agency said on Friday after the flow of refugees dried up.

The number of people crossing through this border post two hours’ drive west of the Libyan capital Tripoli had topped 100,000 by Thursday but then plummeted.

“The UNHCR is concerned that the security position in Libya is preventing people from leaving,” Firas Kayal, the agency’s spokesman on the spot, said.

21 Anti-Gaddafi rebels, government dispute oil town control

By Mohammed Abbas, Reuters

2 hrs 4 mins ago

AJDABIYAH, Libya (Reuters) – Heavily armed rebels said they drove forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi from the oil town of Ras Lanuf on Friday, but Libya’s deputy foreign minister said it remained firmly in government hands.

The rebels had attacked a military base on the outskirts of Ras Lanuf, a major oil port on the Mediterranean Sea, which has a refinery, pipelines and a terminal, and the army responded with artillery fire and helicopters firing machineguns.

“We have taken Ras Lanuf 100 percent, Gaddafi’s forces have all left,” rebel soldier Hafez Ihrahim told Reuters from inside the town.

22 Shots fired at protest in Libyan capital

By Maria Golovnina and Michael Georgy, Reuters

Fri Mar 4, 9:35 am ET

TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Shooting rang out across a district of the Libyan capital Friday as forces loyal to leader Muammar Gaddafi broke up a crowd of protesters shouting “Gaddafi is the enemy of God!”

The demonstrators spilled out of the Murat Adha mosque in the Tajoura district of eastern Tripoli after Friday prayers, and several hundred of them began chanting for an end to Gaddafi’s four decades in power.

“This is the end for Gaddafi. It’s over. Forty years of crimes are over,” said Faragha Salim, an engineer at the protest in Tajoura.

23 Obama says Libya stalemate a danger

By Caren Bohan and Patricia Zengerle, Reuters

Thu Mar 3, 8:41 pm ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama said on Thursday he was concerned a bloody stalemate could develop between Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and rebel forces but gave no sign of a willingness to intervene militarily.

Rebels seeking to overthrow Gaddafi have called for U.N.-backed air strikes against what they say are African mercenaries launching assaults on Libyans to help keep the longtime ruler in power.

Calls for a “no-fly” zone over the oil-producing North African nation have also come from several senior members of the U.S. Congress.

24 Rebels will only discuss Gaddafi quitting: aide

By Tom Pfeiffer, Reuters

Thu Mar 3, 7:24 pm ET

AL-BAYDA, Libya (Reuters) – Rebels who have set up a National Libyan Council in east Libya are open to talks only on Muammar Gaddafi’s resignation or exile to stop bloodshed, an aide to a top rebel figure said on Thursday.

Ahmed Jabreel, an aide to ex-justice minister Mustafa Abdel Jalil who heads the council now based in Benghazi, said air strikes to set up a “no-fly” zone were needed to help rebels topple Gaddafi, who has refused to step down despite a revolt.

“If there is any negotiation it will be on one single thing — how Gaddafi is going to leave the country or step down so we can save lives. There is nothing else to negotiate,” Jabreel, authorized to speak on Abdel Jalil’s behalf, told Reuters.

25 Analysis: No quiet or quick exit seen for Gaddafi

By Samia Nakhoul, Reuters

Thu Mar 3, 7:24 pm ET

LONDON (Reuters) – Anyone who thought that Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi would go quietly like his fellow dictators in Tunisia and Egypt may have to think again.

He has never shied from spilling blood, and his end may well prove a bloody affair.

Gaddafi has shown this week that he clearly intends to fight on and leading Libyan analysts say regime change will only come if those close to him force him aside.

26 Wisconsin governor prepares layoffs amid standoff

By Jeff Mayers, Reuters

Fri Mar 4, 1:29 pm ET

MADISON, Wisconsin (Reuters) – A “frustrated” Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker was poised on Friday to issue layoff notices to 1,500 state workers, blaming the move on a two-week standoff over his bill to curb union collective bargaining rights.

The threat of layoffs increased the stakes in a bitter battle between Wisconsin Republicans and Democrats, a fight being watched around the nation as other states like Ohio and Indiana weigh rolling back public employee union power as part of budget-cutting efforts.

Republican Walker told reporters late on Thursday that “extremist elements” among 14 absent senate Democrats had blocked progress in negotiations on his “budget repair bill.”

27 Wisconsin’s Walker vows no compromise on unions

By James Kelleher and Karin Matz, Reuters

Fri Mar 4, 12:22 am ET

MADISON, Wis (Reuters) – Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker vowed on Thursday never to compromise on the core of his plan to curb the power of public sector unions and said investors should buy the state’s bonds precisely because he was taking a tough stance.

In an interview with Reuters Insider exactly two weeks after state Senate Democrats fled to Illinois to stall action on Walker’s proposal, he said public sector unions must be reined in to allow local governments to cut costs.

“I want to be different. I want to be unique. I want to be an innovator here and give my local governments the ability to manage their own budgets. On that part, we can’t compromise,” the newly elected Republican said.

28 Courtroom showdown in sweeping U.S. trading probe

By Grant McCool, Reuters

15 mins ago

NEW YORK (Reuters) – A sweeping insider trading case that shook the hedge fund world is finally set for trial, with onetime billionaire Raj Rajaratnam fighting to stay out of prison in a courtroom drama over corporate secrets, tapped telephones and friends-turned-government witnesses.

Jury selection in the case against the Galleon Group founder in New York starts on Tuesday. The trial, expected to last up to two months, comes as U.S. authorities push on with other probes into stock trading in the $1.9 trillion hedge fund industry based on leaked company earnings and deals.

Rajaratnam is accused of making $45 million in illicit profits through tips from former friends and associates at the highest levels of Corporate America. Once named the richest person born in Sri Lanka, the 53-year-old U.S. citizen has vowed to clear his name at trial. Galleon managed $7 billion at its peak.

29 Prosecutors plan to play Goldman tapes at Rajaratnam trial

By Grant McCool and Jonathan Stempel, Reuters

2 mins ago

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Goldman Sachs Group Inc is being drawn into the criminal trial of one-time hedge fund billionaire Raj Rajaratnam, as prosecutors plan to show an insider-trading conspiracy involving a former director at the Wall Street bank.

Prosecutors intend to introduce audiotapes showing that Rajaratnam got inside tips from his friend Rajat Gupta, who sat on Goldman’s board until last May. The trial of Rajaratnam, who was head of the Galleon Group hedge fund, starts next Tuesday in the highest profile Wall Street insider-trading case in a generation.

At a court hearing on Friday, prosecutors said the leaks include details about a $5 billion investment by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc in Goldman at the height of the financial crisis in September 2008.

30 NFL and union extend talks for another week

Reuters

57 mins ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The NFL and the players’ union agreed to extend talks on a new collective agreement for another week, raising hopes a fresh deal could be struck and a lockout avoided.

The parties had already agreed to a 24-hour extension before the original deadline of 11.59 pm Thursday but added another seven days after speaking with the federal mediator Georgge Cohen on Friday.

“At the request of the FMCS (mediator) the parties have agreed to a seven day extension ending the evening of Friday, March 11,” said Cohen.

31 Special report: Weapons and the art of diplomacy

By Ben Berkowitz, Reuters

Fri Mar 4, 10:48 am ET

NEW YORK (Reuters) – When Lockheed Martin wanted to sell C-130 military transport planes to the government of Chad in early 2007, the U.S. embassy in N’Djamena was ready to lend a hand.

Nevermind that, by the embassy’s own reckoning, the Chadian government probably could not afford the planes, was dishonest about their purpose and planned to use the aircraft to crush a pro-democracy rebellion.

“Our conclusion is that, like it or not, our interests line up in favor of allowing the sale in some form to go forward,” the then-ambassador wrote to the State Department.

32 Global imbalances require action, policymakers say

By Daniel Flynn and Marc Jones, Reuters

Fri Mar 4, 1:20 pm ET

PARIS (Reuters) – Top financial policymakers said on Friday economic imbalances could worsen without a collective G20 effort to tackle them, but they conceded that key problems such as exchange rate mismatches would take time to sort out.

The warning came from policymakers from both sides of the Atlantic, some of whom repeated a wish to see China’s currency rise and trade more freely.

“A cooperative spirit among policymakers is essential to ensure prosperity of the global economy,” Janet Yellen, vice chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s board of governors, told a meeting of U.S. euro zone and Asian policymakers in Paris.

33 China defense budget to stir regional disquiet

By Ben Blanchard, Reuters

Fri Mar 4, 3:39 am ET

BEIJING (Reuters) – China will beef up its military budget by 12.7 percent this year, the government said on Friday, a return to double-digit spending increases that will stir regional unease.

The country’s growing military clout has coincided with a more assertive diplomatic tone, evident in spats last year with Japan and Southeast Asia over disputed islands, and in rows with Washington over trade, the yuan currency and human rights.

Chinese parliamentary spokesman Li Zhaoxing said the defense budget would be 601.1 billion yuan ($91.5 billion) in 2011, from 532.1 billion yuan last year. The budget went up by just 7.5 percent in 2010, after a long period of double-digit hikes.

34 U.S. sees limited progress in Pakistan spy standoff

By Mark Hosenball, Reuters

Thu Mar 3, 6:07 pm ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – National security officials say progress is being made to persuade Pakistan to free a CIA contractor held on murder charges but that Washington could take punitive diplomatic and financial action if the case is not resolved soon.

The officials said they believed private discussions between Islamabad and Washington have cooled anti-American rhetoric that erupted in Pakistan after the arrest of Raymond Davis, a former U.S. special forces soldier employed by the CIA as a bodyguard for its operations officers.

His arrest put grave strains on ties between U.S. and Pakistani intelligence agencies, who have had an uneasy but sometimes productive partnership combating militants based in tribal areas along Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan.

AP

35 Gadhafi forces battle rebels as 37 killed in Libya

By MAGGIE MICHAEL, Associated Press

51 mins ago

TRIPOLI, Libya – Moammar Gadhafi’s regime struck back at its opponents with a powerful attack Friday on the closest opposition-held city to Tripoli and a barrage of tear gas and live ammunition to smother new protests in the capital. At least 37 people died in fighting and in an explosion at an ammunitions depot in Libya’s rebellious east.

The bloodshed signaled an escalation in efforts by both sides to break the deadlock that has gripped Libya’s 18-day upheaval, which has lasted longer than the Egyptian revolt that led to the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak and inspired a wave of protests across the region.

So far, Gadhafi has had little success in taking back territory, with several rebel cities repelling assaults and the entire eastern half of the country under rebel control. But the opposition forces have seemed unable to go on the offensive to march on pro-Gadhafi areas.

36 UN: Gadhafi forces sowing fear along Libyan border

By JOHN HEILPRIN, Associated Press

Fri Mar 4, 8:35 am ET

GENEVA – The torrent of refugees fleeing Libya has suddenly slowed, as heavily armed forces loyal to strongman Moammar Gadhafi rushed to sow violence and fear at the country’s borders, U.N. refugee officials said Friday

More 200,000 people have fled to Libya’s borders with Tunisia, Egypt and Niger since Feb. 15, when the uprising against Gadhafi’s iron-fisted rule began. But now refugees are reporting robberies, intimidation and violence from loyalist forces.

“From those that did manage to cross the border, we have heard that mobile phones and cameras were being confiscated en route. Many people appear to be frightened and are unwilling to speak,” U.N. refugee agency spokeswoman Melissa Fleming told reporters in Geneva. “They feel hunted and targeted.”

37 US begins relief operation for refugees in Tunisia

By ROBERT BURNS, AP National Security Writer

Fri Mar 4, 4:24 pm ET

WASHINGTON – The U.S. on Friday launched a multipronged effort to assist throngs of foreign workers who fled the fighting in Libya, sending two Air Force cargo planes to deliver blankets and other supplies in neighboring Tunisia. Plans were made to fly an unspecified number of refugees from camps along the Libya-Tunisia border on Saturday.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said that in addition to the military cargo flights to Djerba, Tunisia, the U.S. Agency for International Development chartered two civilian aircraft to help repatriate foreign workers who have fled Libya amid an armed insurrection against the government of Moammar Gadhafi.

Even with the emphasis on humanitarian rather that overt military action, the risk of encountering hostility and violence along the border could not be discounted. It was not clear Friday how U.S. and other international efforts to fly foreign workers away from the border area would be carried out.

38 GOP: New Obama budget-cutting offer too small

By ANDREW TAYLOR, Associated Press

53 mins ago

WASHINGTON – Senate Democrats on Friday detailed their opening budget offer of $6.5 billion more in spending cuts this year, but neither it nor the $61 billion in cuts passed by House Republicans is expected to survive test votes next week.

The votes will show the need for both sides to narrow the $50 billion gap between President Barack Obama’s latest offer and Republican cuts that Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid called “mean-spirited.”

In a fierce war of words, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said the latest Democratic proposal to meet them halfway was “nonsense.”

39 Democrats unveil counteroffer easing GOP cuts

By ANDREW TAYLOR, Associated Press

9 mins ago

WASHINGTON – Senate Democrats unveiled a detailed counteroffer Friday seeking to undo tens of billions of dollars in cuts Republicans would make to education, housing and other domestic programs.

With the two parties maneuvering for advantage in their budget clash, the Democratic plan conforms to President Barack Obama’s opening gambit to cut another $6.5 billion from domestic agencies. But neither it nor the $61 billion in cuts passed by House Republicans is expected to survive test votes next week in the Senate.

Both sides view the votes as necessary preludes to negotiations on narrowing the $50 billion gap between cuts the White House and Republican want. Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid called the GOP reductions “mean-spirited.”

40 Boehner launches effort to defend gay marriage ban

By LAURIE KELLMAN, Associated Press

54 mins ago

WASHINGTON – House Speaker John Boehner said Friday the House may go to court to defend the federal law against gay marriage, which President Barack Obama’s administration has concluded is unconstitutional.

Boehner said he would convene a group of bipartisan congressional leaders that has the authority to instruct the House counsel to represent the chamber in court. The panel would include Boehner, Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va.; Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.; Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi D-Calif., and Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md.

“The constitutionality of this law should be determined by the courts — not by the president unilaterally,” the Ohio Republican said in a statement. “This action by the House will ensure the matter is addressed in a manner consistent with our Constitution.”

41 Kasich: When Ohio union bill passes, I’ll sign it

By ANN SANNER, Associated Press

1 hr 19 mins ago

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Gov. John Kasich said Friday that he anticipates the Legislature will pass a tough bill restricting union activity by public workers in Ohio and that he’ll sign it into law with little fanfare, out of respect for the raw emotions surrounding the bill.

The measure – which still has to go through the GOP-led House – would limit the bargaining rights of roughly 350,000 teachers, firefighters, police officers and other public employees. They wouldn’t be able to negotiate health care benefits or certain other working conditions.

“The day we sign it, it’s not going to be some – you know, I don’t anticipate some big deal because this is hard for people,” Kasich told reporters at a separate bill-signing event. “And anything that’s hard, I want to be respectful of other people’s feelings, their thoughts and their emotions.”

42 Wis. governor tells unions it will lay off workers

By JASON SMATHERS, Associated Press

38 mins ago

MADISON, Wis. – Day by day, the rallies of thousands of teachers, firefighters and other public workers that propelled Wisconsin’s fight over union rights to national prominence have been giving way to smaller protests of mostly students.

When the protests erupted, the Capitol and streets around it were packed with government employees demanding that their rights not be taken away. Two weekend demonstrations after that attracted roughly 70,000 people each time. So many teachers came from the Madison district that was forced to close for four days.

But by the time Capitol police cleared the rotunda late Thursday, the crowd was down to about 50 hardcore demonstrators.

43 Fla. high court: Governor can reject rail funding

By BILL KACZOR, Associated Press

Fri Mar 4, 4:01 pm ET

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced Friday that he plans to send $2.4 billion in high-speed rail funding intended for Florida to other states after the state Supreme Court upheld Gov. Rick Scott’s decision to reject the money.

The Republican governor’s decision effectively kills the Tampa-Orlando route, but Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., said LaHood later agreed to consider a last-ditch attempt to revive the project. His idea is to let a regional rail authority in central Florida compete with other states for the money Scott rejected.

“If it can’t be done, then we’re done,” Nelson said, calling the proposal a “Hail Mary pass.”

44 Trend reversal: Big drop in kids’ ear infections

By MIKE STOBBE, AP Medical Writer

1 hr 24 mins ago

ATLANTA – Ear infections, a scourge that has left countless tots screaming through the night, have fallen dramatically, and some researchers suggest a decline in smoking by parents might be part of the reason.

Health officials report nearly a 30 percent drop over 15 years in young children’s doctor visits for ear infections. That’s half a million fewer trips to the pediatrician each year, on average.

Why the numbers are declining is a bit of a mystery, but Harvard researchers think it’s partly because fewer people smoke, meaning less irritation of children’s airways. Many doctors credit growing use of a vaccine against bacteria that cause ear infections. And some think increased breast-feeding is protecting more children.

45 NFL, players agree to 7-day extension on CBA

By BARRY WILNER, AP Pro Football Writer

1 hr 1 min ago

WASHINGTON – The NFL and its players are still talking. Soon they’ll need to start agreeing. While failing to reach a deal that would keep labor peace intact for the nation’s most popular sports league, the NFL and the players’ union agreed Friday on a seven-day extension for their collective bargaining agreement.

It was the second time they had stopped the CBA from running out, though the two sides do not appear to be close to a new pact.

“We’re obviously having a lot of dialogue,” Commissioner Roger Goodell said Friday after a federal mediator announced the seven-day reprieve. “We met for a lot of days. And we are going to meet for more.”

46 Oil prices hit highest level since Sept. 2008

By CHRIS KAHN, AP Energy Writer

1 hr 56 mins ago

NEW YORK – Oil prices rose past $104 a barrel to end the week at a 29-month high, as fighting in Libya intensified and the world’s largest petroleum consumer, the U.S., reported that employers added nearly 200,000 new jobs in February.

The Labor Department said Friday that the unemployment rate dropped to 8.9 percent in February. While that’s positive news for the economy, the report also suggests that more people are driving to work at a time when world oil supplies are under pressure because of unrest in Libya and the Middle East.

Benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude for April delivery gained $2.51 to settle at $104.42 per barrel in New York, the highest level since Sept. 26, 2008.

47 EADS won’t appeal $35B Air Force tanker decision

By DONNA CASSATA, Associated Press

Fri Mar 4, 2:32 pm ET

WASHINGTON – The European plane-building company that lost out on a $35 billion refueling tanker deal said Friday it won’t appeal the Air Force’s decision to go with Chicago-based Boeing Co. in one of the biggest defense contracts ever.

One week after the military chose Boeing, officials of European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., said they were disappointed with the decision but did not want to extend a multimillion-dollar fight that has already dragged on for a decade.

“It’s time to put the interest of the warfighter first and we’re stepping aside,” Ralph Crosby Jr., chairman of EADS North America, said at a news conference.

48 NASA satellite rocket launch fails, lands in ocean

By JESSICA GRESKO and SETH BORENSTEIN, Associated Press

Fri Mar 4, 11:03 am ET

WASHINGTON – A rocket carrying an Earth-observation satellite plummeted into the Pacific Ocean after a failed launch attempt Friday, the second-straight blow to NASA’s weakened environmental monitoring program.

The Taurus XL rocket carrying NASA’s Glory satellite lifted off early Friday morning from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, but fell to the sea several minutes later. The same thing happened to another climate-monitoring satellite two years ago with the same type of rocket.

“We failed to make orbit,” NASA launch director Omar Baez said at a press conference Friday. “Indications are that the satellite and rocket … is in the southern Pacific Ocean somewhere.”

49 AP: 53 peacekeepers killed in Somalia offensive

By KATHARINE HOURELD, Associated Press

Fri Mar 4, 12:14 pm ET

NAIROBI, Kenya – More than 50 African Union peacekeepers have died in fighting in Somalia since a major offensive against Islamist militants began two weeks ago, officials told The Associated Press on Friday.

The death toll is far higher than any publicly acknowledged casualty figures for the AU, which appears to be trying to keep the extent of its losses under wraps due to political considerations in Burundi, one of two nations providing the bulk of the forces that are fighting alongside Somali troops.

The offensive aims to break Islamists’ lock on large swaths of the country’s south and central regions. Al-Shabab, a Somali militant group with links to al-Qaida, has boxed in the government to just a few city blocks of the seaside capital. The group has instituted a Taliban-style system of rule, with strict edicts enforced by their own courts and public executions.

50 Fashion world bids adieu to Galliano’s Dior reign

By JENNY BARCHFIELD, Associated Press

Fri Mar 4, 3:49 pm ET

PARIS – Fashionistas turned the page Friday on one of the most extraordinary chapters in fashion history, paying their respects to John Galliano’s phenomenal 15-year tenure at the House of Dior – which came to an abrupt and shocking end earlier this week when the luxury label fired the British designer amid allegations he hurled anti-Semitic insults.

A somber atmosphere befitting a funeral hung over the label’s fall-winter 2011-12 ready-to-wear show, as about 1,000 black-clad fashion editors, journalists and stylists took in Galliano’s final collection for the house.

The clothes on the runway were unmistakably his: You could see Galliano’s hallmark featherlight touch on the bias-cut gowns in sheer silk and his over-the-top outrageousness in the ’70s boho looks in rich jewel tones that opened the show.

51 Rio’s Carnival bacchanal opens, city celebrates

By JULIANA BARBASSA, Associated Press

Fri Mar 4, 11:36 am ET

RIO DE JANEIRO – Covered in confetti and to the sound of drums, Rio’s mayor handed the key to the city to the mythical figure who reigns over the chaos of Carnival, officially opening this seaside city’s five-day annual exaltation of music, booze and flesh.

“It’s with much joy that I hand over command of this city to King Momo,” said mayor Eduardo Paes, himself a samba dancer and percussionist who plays in the city’s annual parade.

The rotund King Momo embodies Carnival, a raucous free-for-all where excesses are encouraged and the natural order of things is turned upside down: men dress as women, the poor parade as kings, rules are bent and everyone escapes their drab daily existence for a few days of catharsis.

52 New Orleans expecting larger Mardi Gras crowds

By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN, Associated Press

Fri Mar 4, 1:17 pm ET

NEW ORLEANS – Savoring her first taste of Carnival in New Orleans, Karimah Gottschalck broke into a shimmy as she strolled down Bourbon Street with a friend.

Fat Tuesday was still days away, but at midweek the party already had started in the French Quarter. As the 25-year-old New Yorker soaked in the boozy sights, music blared from bars and people on balconies flung beads to eager recipients below.

“I love this!” Gottschalck shouted, raising her arms. “It’s even better than I thought it would be.”

53 Vietnam scrambles to save Hanoi’s sacred turtle

By TRAN VAN MINH, Associated Press

Fri Mar 4, 1:56 pm ET

HANOI, Vietnam – Hundreds of people are working around the clock to clean up a lake in the heart of Vietnam’s capital in hopes of saving a rare, ailing giant turtle that is considered a sacred symbol of Hanoi.

Some experts fear pollution at Hoan Kiem Lake is killing the giant freshwater turtle, which has a soft shell the size of a desk. It is one of the world’s most-endangered species, with only four known to be alive worldwide.

Teams of people are cleaning debris, pumping fresh water into the lake and using sandbags to expand a tiny island to serve as a “turtle hospital.” The rescuers may even try to net the animal for the first time as part of the effort.

54 Bam! Pow! Indian comics clamor to make their mark

By KATY DAIGLE, Associated Press

Fri Mar 4, 11:45 am ET

NEW DELHI – The superhero – bulging legs stuffed into tight pants, broad chest adorned with a symbol of power – has vowed to fight the enemies of humanity. He is not Superman. He is not Batman.

He is Shaktimaan, protector of all humanity – at least in India.

In the cartoon skies over India soar a host of comic book superheros that have little to do with the leotarded titans of the West.

55 Prosecutor: Galleon founder got tips about Goldman

By LARRY NEUMEISTER, Associated Press

2 hrs 48 mins ago

NEW YORK – At the trial of a one-time billionaire hedge fund founder next week, the government plans to show that a former Goldman Sachs board member conspired with him, feeding him inside tips within minutes of learning about them during the 2008 economic crisis, including word that Goldman would lose money for the first time, a prosecutor said Friday.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Streeter told a federal judge in Manhattan that then-Goldman board member Rajat Gupta called Galleon fund founder Raj Rajaratnam twice to give him tips. Rajaratnam then traded hundreds of thousands of shares of Goldman Sachs stock.

Gupta has not been charged criminally in what prosecutors have called the largest hedge fund insider trading case in history. The Securities and Exchange Commission filed civil charges against him this week, accusing him of tipping Rajaratnam seven minutes before the stock markets closed on Sept. 23, 2008, that the Goldman Sachs board had approved an offer from Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway to invest $5 billion in the banking giant.

56 New book sheds new light on Lincoln’s racial views

By MATTHEW BARAKAT, Associated Press

Fri Mar 4, 4:04 pm ET

McLEAN, Va. – Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address has inspired Americans for generations, but consider his jarring remarks in 1862 to a White House audience of free blacks, urging them to leave the U.S. and settle in Central America.

“For the sake of your race, you should sacrifice something of your present comfort for the purpose of being as grand in that respect as the white people,” Lincoln said, promoting his idea of colonization: resettling blacks in foreign countries on the belief that whites and blacks could not coexist in the same nation.

Lincoln went on to say that free blacks who envisioned a permanent life in the United States were being “selfish” and he promoted Central America as an ideal location “especially because of the similarity of climate with your native land – thus being suited to your physical condition.”

57 Gates: Air Force must find balance for future wars

LOLITA C. BALDOR, Associated Press

Fri Mar 4, 2:50 pm ET

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Air Force must balance its legacy of combat fighters with the surveillance, space, transport and cyber missions that will dominate future wars, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday.

He told cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy that there still a pressing need for American air supremacy as countries such as China and Iran pursue longer range weapons and air defense missiles.

Developing more sophisticated fighter jets is critical, the Pentagon chief said. But he also said air-to-air combat and bombing must not continue to dominate the Air Force culture to the neglect of other capabilities needed to fight terrorists and hostile nations are neglected.

58 Federal jury in Utah convicts environmentalist

By CHI-CHI ZHANG, Associated Press

Fri Mar 4, 4:29 am ET

SALT LAKE CITY – Environmental activist Tim DeChristopher knew what he was doing when he made $1.8 million in false oil and gas drilling bids at a federal auction. He knew he couldn’t possibly pay for them. And he knew he could end up behind bars.

But he did it for the cause. On Thursday, a federal jury convicted him on two felony counts of interfering with and making false representations at a government auction. He now faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $750,000 at his June 23 sentencing.

It was a case that became a cause celebre among avid supporters and Hollywood celebrities such as Robert Redford and Daryl Hannah.

59 Pork board swaps ‘White Meat’ for ‘Be Inspired’

By MICHAEL J. CRUMB, Associated Press

Fri Mar 4, 3:44 am ET

DES MOINES, Iowa – “The Other White Meat” has another slogan.

The National Pork Board on Friday replaced the decades-old ad campaign with a new message: “Pork: Be Inspired.”

Board officials said after nearly 25 years, it was time to move on from the old message that compared pork to chicken and instead try to increase sales by focusing on the estimated 82 million Americans who already eat pork.

Mar 04 2011

We apologise for the fault in the subtitles

Technical difficulties at Søapbløx.

Mar 04 2011

Punting the Pundits

“Punting the Pundits” is an Open Thread. It is a selection of editorials and opinions from around the news medium and the internet blogs. The intent is to provide a forum for your reactions and opinions, not just to the opinions presented, but to what ever you find important.

Thanks to ek hornbeck, click on the link and you can access all the past “Punting the Pundits”

Paul Krugman: How to Kill a Recovery

The economic news has been better lately. New claims for unemployment insurance are down; business and consumer surveys suggest solid growth. We’re still near the bottom of a very deep hole, but at least we’re climbing.

It’s too bad that so many people, mainly on the political right, want to send us sliding right back down again.

Before we get to that, let’s talk about why economic recovery has been so long in coming.

New York Times Editorial: Foreclosure Follies

Recent price data show home values at nearly their lowest levels in the postbubble era, and a coming tide of foreclosures means prices will drop further. Seven million families have lost their homes so far, and another three million foreclosures are expected through 2012.

The ongoing crash is further evidence that the government’s antiforeclosure efforts have fallen short and America’s struggling homeowners need more help.

So what are House Republicans proposing? They want the government to get out of the antiforeclosure business altogether and leave homeowners to fend for themselves. The result would be hundreds of thousands of additional foreclosures and steeper price declines.

Glenn Greenwald: Bradley Manning Could Face Death: For What?

The U.S. Army yesterday announced that it has filed 22 additional charges against Bradley Manning, the Private accused of being the source for hundreds of thousands of documents (as well as this still-striking video) published over the last year by WikiLeaks. Most of the charges add little to the ones already filed, but the most serious new charge is for “aiding the enemy,” a capital offense under Article 104 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Although military prosecutors stated that they intend to seek life imprisonment rather than the death penalty for this alleged crime, the military tribunal is still empowered to sentence Manning to death if convicted.

Article 104 — which, like all provisions of the UCMJ, applies only to members of the military — is incredibly broad. Under 104(b) — almost certainly the provision to be applied — a person is guilty if he “gives intelligence to or communicates or corresponds with or holds any intercourse with the enemy, either directly or indirectly” (emphasis added), and, if convicted, “shall suffer death or such other punishment as a court-martial or military commission may direct.” The charge sheet filed by the Army is quite vague and neither indicates what specifically Manning did to violate this provision nor the identity of the “enemy” to whom he is alleged to have given intelligence. There are, as international law professor Kevin Jon Heller notes, only two possibilities, and both are disturbing in their own way.

In light of the implicit allegation that Manning transmitted this material to WikiLeaks, it is quite possible that WikiLeaks is the “enemy” referenced by Article 104, i.e., that the U.S. military now openly decrees (as opposed to secretly declaring) that the whistle-blowing group is an “enemy” of the U.S. More likely, the Army will contend that by transmitting classified documents to WikiLeaks for intended publication, Manning “indirectly” furnished those documents to Al Qaeda and the Taliban by enabling those groups to learn their contents. That would mean that it is a capital offense not only to furnish intelligence specifically and intentionally to actual enemies — the way that, say, Aldrich Ames and Robert Hanssen were convicted of passing intelligence to the Soviet Union — but also to act as a whistle-blower by leaking classified information to a newspaper with the intent that it be published to the world. Logically, if one can “aid the enemy” even by leaking to WikiLeaks, then one can also be guilty of this crime by leaking to The New York Times.

Bill McKibben: Tim DeChristopher: Taking a Leap and Pointing the Way

Let’s consider for a moment the targets the federal government chooses to make an example of. So far, no bankers have been charged, despite the unmitigated greed that nearly brought the world economy down. No coal or oil execs have been charged, despite fouling the entire atmosphere and putting civilization as we know it at risk.

But engage in creative protest that mildly disrupts the efficient sell-off of our landscape to oil and gas barons? As Tim DeChristopher found out on Thursday, that’ll get you not just a week in court, but potentially a long stretch in the pen.

Tim is a hero not because he knew what he was getting into. As his testimony made clear this week, he had no idea at all; his decision to become Bidder No. 70 was about as spontaneous an action as we’ve ever seen.

Timothy Egan: The Fictions of Mike Huckabee

Mike Huckabee is supposed to be the Republican with a heart. He’s the guy who said Mexicans are people too during the 2008 race for the White House. He’s the weight-loss humanist who refused to join that anti-common-sense fringe of his party bashing Michelle Obama for suggesting that children eat more vegetables.

But beneath the veneer of Aw-Shucks-Huck is a public figure, and possible presidential candidate, who has shown a pattern of telling outright falsehoods about himself and the president.

This week, he backstepped from an extraordinary interview in which he had claimed, several times, that President Obama grew up in Kenya. But before that, Huckabee had created a shell of mistruths about a felon he helped to free early when he was governor of Arkansas. This man went on to murder four police officers in cold blood in my home state of Washington.

Robert Sheer: Boeing Boondoggle: Pork Can Fly

“The gift that keeps on giving” should have been the headline on the Pentagon’s decision to award the Boeing Co. a $35 billion defense contract. Defense of the nation, of course, had nothing to do with it, since the end of the Cold War also ended the need for midair refueling of the nuclear-armed bombers intended to retaliate after a Soviet first strike, a scenario brought to the public eye in the 1964 movie “Dr. Strangelove.”

Indeed, at a time when drones seem to be bypassing the need for manned military bombers and fighters of any kind, and when schoolteachers and firefighters are being terminated across the country, the awarding of this long-delayed and always questionable military-industrial-complex scam is simply perverse.

John Nichols: Wisconsin Legislators Move Desks Out of Capitol Locked Down By Governor

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is so determined to shut down debate on his proposal to strip collective bargaining rights from state, county and municipal employees and teachers that he has effectively locked down the state Capitol.

A judge has ordered the governor and his aides to open the Capitol.

Obviously shaken by the popular rejection of his proposal-which has sparked protests across the state, including one that drew more than 100,000 people to Madison last Saturday-the governor and his aides have failed to comply with the order. Instead, they have restricted access so severely that, in the words of former Wisconsin Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager, they make a mockery of the state’s tradition of open and accessible government.

“Opening the Capitol to the public does not mean letting one person in every three hours, as then restricting the movements of that one person once she is inside,” explains Lautenschlager. “The governor and his aides are not respecting the judge’s order; they are in contempt of it.”

As Lautenschlager and her legal team attempt to open the Capitol, some legislators have grown so frustrated with the governor’s lawlessness that they have moved their desks out of the building in order to be accessible to their constituents.

Laura Flanders: Fighting Over Crumbs Left from Military Spending

There’s been a joke going around the labor protests. It goes something like this:

A union member, a CEO and a Tea Party member are sitting at a table with 12 cookies. The CEO grabs 11, turns to the Tea Partier and says “The Union’s out to take your cookie!”

I’ve been thinking that the joke applies pretty well to another situation. For instance, the military. Our military spending grabs 11 cookies and leaves us all battling over the 12th.

Christopher Hellman at TomDispatch added up all the military-related spending in the budget and came to a startling number: for fiscal year 2012, the actual military budget is something like $1.2 trillion dollars.

Trillion with a T.

Ray McGovern: How to Read Gates’s Shift on the Wars

In Establishment Washington, Defense Secretary Robert Gates enjoys a charmed life based on a charming persona. The Fawning Corporate Media (FCM) is always ready with fulsome praise for his “candor” and “leadership” – and even for his belated recognition that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were nuts.

“Certain kinds of public candor are so unexpected that they have the shock value of a gunshot at the opera,” purred a Boston Globe editorial about Gates’s admission that only a crazy person would commit U.S. ground forces to wars like those in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The editorial then lamented Gates’s planned retirement later this year and urged President Barack Obama “to look hard for a successor with some of Gates’s unusual leadership qualities.” Unusual leadership qualities, indeed.

Mar 04 2011

No WWL Radio Tonight

Updated: We canceled the brain scan appt due to the weather, and Mike opted out of a reschedule. We agreed that if the lung cancer is killing him this fast, the brain cancer, if its in there? Redundant test and pointless 30k out of pocket. Sigh.

Of COURSE, every time we have had a Doctors appointment this past month, there has been weather; today is no exception. We had a freezing rain overnight and everything is glare ice.

By 6;30 am I was tied to the local news, amazed that there were no school closings. Nearly every major freeway around here had been closed due to accidents. They finally, about 15 minutes before Jake’s bus put his school on a 2 hour delay.

Last night was already tough. Our first truly frightening day. I didn’t expect it because he had a fairly good day. I think because his friend came over, and the oxygen tech, he didn’t get his day-sleep in and over exhausted himself. Or maybe it grew just enough to finally collapse that airway enough that even coughing can’t get air into the collapsed right lung. I dunno.

He struggled to breathe all evening. Gasping, breathing too fast… I had to keep talking him through trying to slow it down. I spent four hours watching his every breath. I finally got him to sleep and it normalized. Part of it I think is that he took his Ty 3 too late. The other is he panic attacked about it. But the obstructed airways sound worse by the day. Its like it went from not-good to “I didn’t expect this for months” in a few days. On oxygen no less. “In through your nose slow, babe, don’t try and make it too deep or you’ll cough… then out through your mouth like a straw.” A few times when it got too fast and I could see his chest and stomach almost convulse, I resorted to having him “sssss” it in through clenched teeth with a wide mouth barely parted, and blow out just to control the spasm. Almost like childbirth breathing. Neither one worked too well. He couldn’t lay down, or he started coughing uncontrollably, felt like he was choking/drowning. “I can’t get air!” is the most he could muster to speak the whole time.

So all he could do is sit up. He was hunched, weak, so I sat behind him and supported him against my body, holding his shoulders back trying to open the chest cavity more, so he wasn’t crunching it more by bending that far up. I kept being afraid he would just stop last night, or pass out. He has asked me for a DNR and no life support under any circumstances. So, am I supposed to just let him stop breathing already, or call an ambulance if it gets worse? I realized I will have to watch him die at some point, but last night shoved it home. Its horrifying to stand watch for hours doing nothing but watching someone breathe. I even watched for hours after he fell asleep.

He’s sleeping, and breathing ok now, ok being relative. It still sounds like a death rattle and is shallow and quick, but its even at least.

I am seriously worried about getting him in the car, let alone the drive.  I am loathe to wake him, afraid it will start another attack. But they want the brain scan. Not gonna make much difference if he can’t breathe though.

I have been dreaming that I cannot sleep and am trying to get to sleep in the dream itself, exhausted and unable to get rest. Don’t need Freud to figure out what that means. But last night, thankfully, I slept sound until the alarm. The first time in a week I got more than 4 fitful hours. Then I felt bad because I should have checked on him. Yeah, I know, I ain’t superwoman.

Gah. I’m off today, at least. Though I have no idea what I will do with myself w/o the show and him catching up his rest.  Linda has plans, so no yahtzee distraction. Maybe he will let me give him a sponge bath.

Maybe I’ll be able to write something of Political substance today. That would be nice. My brain gets too full if I can’t purge it on paper.  

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