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POPSBlackwater:Ain't Misbehaving, Saving My Contracts for You
Of course the US government was blind to this - they didn't want to know, they turned a blind eye to what Blackwater was doing because it would have been too hard to arrange for another contractor to do all the security missions that it had ongoing. In both Iraq and Afghanistan, there are as many private contractors as there are uniformed military personnel. Most of them are not security guards as Blackwater's most visible function was. The lack of oversight is abhorrent but not surprising; the State Dept's failure to can this company is inexcusable. My only observation on this article is to suggest how the US government got into this predicament, and it's pretty easy to see. The Bush administration wanted to hold onto the fiction of a few conservative principles, one of those being the concept of a small federal government. Since it already blew that "principle" with the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, I'm betting there was White House guidance that directed "no mo
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POPSFrench Gourmet Food for Christmas? Do you know anybody passionate about French Gourmet food? Surprise that special someone with French Lavender Honey or Black Fig jam from Provence....Or why not give a heavenly experience with a block of Duck Foie Gras? Visit The French Shop for a mouthwatering experience and look for French Gourmet Food.
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POPS7 Things that Will Make You a Better Coach I’m always on the lookout for ideas that will make me a better coach. Here are seven ideas that I’ve gathered over time. Some of them will surprise you, I hope: 1. Take a vacation. Coaches (like many other people) are overworked. A vacation puts everything aside for a while and allows you to enjoy yourself. And your clients’ problems will percolate in your subconscious while you’re tanning on the beach.
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POPSObama-Netanyahu talks see no result Israel will only work for anything "on their terms only". Having seen a bit more lately about the people in the settlements, it appears to be more like a "leper colony" type situation for those who Israel doesn't want ( and probably couldn't care if they came to nasty ends). No surprise when one of them claimed to hear supernatural voices. :roll:
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POPSObama snubs Ft. Hood to relax @ Camp David No surprise really. Just more evidence that Obama cares not a twit for our military and is happy to enjoy the perks of being President in name only. Besides, it makes him uncomfortable to be around REAL men and women.
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POPSThe Electric Universe NASA's Interstellar Boundary Explorer adds more evidence that our Sun, like all stars and the universe itself is electric in nature.
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POPSKeep the government out of the news business
Turning to Washington for help to save the declining news business says much about the mentality of mainstream journalism leaders, an attitude that we and the government are on the same side. This is the mentality that led to the news establishment’s acceptance of the Iraq War. Go to the clip to learn what happened to Mother Jones after becoming a tax exempt non-profit after it reported on lobbying in Washington. Once you allow the government or private corporation to have any controlling link to the media you lose independence. Editors become fearful of criticizing the hand that feeds it. Publishers and benefactors become cozy and unbiased reports become fewer and fewer. Journalism becomes a de facto advertisement for consumer products. We hope in the future we’ll see more I.F. Stones, more guerrilla warriors on the Web, in print and on the air. Because of them—and not because of a government handout—great reporting will survive, as it always has.
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POPSBank of England holds Base Rate The Bank of England (BoE) has maintained interest rates at 0.5% for the eighth consecutive month. It is also pumping a further £25bn into its quantitative easing programme. Neil Young, chief executive of Young Group, said the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is unlikely to make any significant change to the base rate until the economy is firmly back on track.
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POPSWhich Gadgets Are Selling: For Some Technology, Analysts Say, It’s Buyer Beware What’s hot? What’s not? And what was the last gadget you actually bought? It’s quite the challenge to keep pace with technology’s latest and greatest trends, especially with disposable income tighter than ever for so many. Which made us wonder: Despite all the flashy ads and splashy headlines, which types of consumer electronics are actually selling?
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POPSGreat Whites Hang Out in 'Shark Cafe' It had long been assumed shark species at the top of the ocean food chain that roam the high seas looking for food and mates did so almost randomly. But using satellite tagging, acoustic monitoring of shark "hot spots" and genetic samples, a research team led by Professor Barbara Block of Stanford University found to their surprise that the eastern Pacific's great whites are real homebodies. Over an eight year period, nearly 100 sharks were electronically tagged, and even more had tissue samples taken by scientists working from a ship. Sticking to a schedule They found that the sharks consistently migrate along the same paths and stick to a schedule. Between August and December, the great whites, which can grow up to six metres and weigh three tonnes, stalk waters off the coast of central and northern California, feasting on seals and sea lions. Their preferred hunting grounds in this area are known as the "red triangle", notes the study.
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POPS Nature Picking Up Obama's Slack Bear kills militants in Kashmir By Altaf Hussain BBC News, Srinagar A bear killed two militants after discovering them in its den in Indian-administered Kashmir, police say. Two other militants escaped, one of them badly wounded, after the attack in Kulgam district, south of Srinagar. The militants had assault rifles but were taken by surprise - police found the remains of pudding they had made to eat when the bear attacked. Animal attacks Wildlife experts say the conflict in Kashmir has actually resulted in an increase in the population of bears and leopards. Following the outbreak of the insurgency people had to hand in their weapons to police - which put a halt to poaching. As a result, there has been a greater incidence of man-animal conflict, say experts. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8339549.stm
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POPSKing of Pop Michael Jackson's This Is It Has $101 Million Reasons to Live On Sony announced today the Michael Jackson concert movie, originally billed as a two-week-only event, will stay in theaters through Thanksgiving weekend. The un-surprise move comes after This Is It led the box-office competition with an estimated $21.3 million Friday-Sunday, and upped its five-day worldwide haul to $101 million. Even in success, though, the film didn't thoroughly dominate Miley Cyrus. Much less Paranormal Activity.
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POPS Ford Beats Government Motors AP story: "Ford Reports Surprise $1 Billion Profit. Automaker now expects to be solidly profitable in 2011." But then you get halfway down the story: "But Ford still faces obstacles in its turnaround. Last week workers overwhelmingly rejected an agreement with the United Auto Workers that would have brought Ford's labor costs in line with rivals General Motors and Chrysler. Workers objected to clauses limiting their right to strike and freezing entry-level wages and felt the company was healthy enough and didn't need further concessions." So this headline, "Ford Reports Surprise $1 Billion Profit" needs to be rewritten: "Ford Surprises by Having a Profit. Angry unions vow to redouble efforts to sink the automaker."
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