| Frist Fence Flakeout?
Frist is having trouble rounding up enough votes for a showdown over the fence this week. I'd tentatively file that under "fecklessness," especially given Frist's bravura last week. He could hold a press conference to shame Republicans as well as Dems into agreeing to a vote if he wanted to. (He might actually have more luck with the Dems--but their votes count too.) Plus, hasn't the Senate already agreed to cloture on the fence issue? Does Frist even need a supermajority? **--The grin is at about 9:18 in this video. There's an ominous sigh too (when the fence question first comes up, at about 8:00). ... .
J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Sony Models Sweep Inaugural ...
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., Nov. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sony DCR-DVD Series(1) and DCR-SR Series of camcorders rank highest in their respective segments, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Camcorder Usage and Satisfaction Study(SM) released today. The inaugural study measures customer satisfaction with standard definition analog or digital camcorders across two segments: standard definition ($399 or less); and premium standard definition ($400 or more). Within each segment, three factors are examined to determine overall camcorder performance: appearance and styling; operation; and performance and video quality. Sony products occupy the top two rank positions in the standard definition segment. The Sony DCR-DVD Series, which comes equipped with direct DVD burning capabilities, ranks highest with an index score of 744 points on a 1,000-point scale.
Pecatonica's 'geezer' to race up Empire State Building
At age 63, Bill Law's kids have declared him an official geezer. That won't stop him from toeing the starting line Tuesday for the invitation-only 31st annual Empire State Building Run-Up, an event open only to elite vertical racers from around the world. The run up the New York landmark's 1,576 steps will be his eighth stair-climbing race since the geezer declaration on his 60th birthday. "I'm in it and I couldn't be more excited," said Law, a Federal Aviation Administration air carrier inspector. "I've been trying to get into it for a couple of years now." Acceptance to the Empire State Building race requires credentials, and Law figures his were validated in Chicago last February when he won the 60-64 age group in the 1,636-step Hustle up the Hancock in 15 minutes, 5 seconds.
The government has jailed thousands of militant Is
Sayed Imam El-Sherif wrote a letter to his many friends last month, telling them that they really should find a better way of working out their differences than throwing punches. Doesn't sound like the stuff national news is made of, does it? It is when you remember that El-Sherif is better known by his nom de guerre: Dr. Fadl, the infamous founder of Egyptian Islamic Jihad (Al-Jihad, EIJ). His letter, written from his prison cell southwest of Cairo, called on Islamist and jihadi groups around the world to cease violent operations, bluntly declaring, “We are prohibited [by God] from committing aggression, even if the enemies of Islam do so." .
On Native Ground
This bill not only immunizes U.S. officials from prosecution for cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment of prisoners, it also allows the President to set the rules for interrogation and determine what constitutes cruel and inhumane treatment and what interrogation tactics it considers permissible. And there is no requirement for the American people to know any this information - it may stay secret indefinitely. If you think all this only applies to foreign terrorists sitting in cells in Guantanamo Bay, you're wrong. The language in this bill gives the President the power to seize anyone, U.S. citizen or foreign national, who has "purposely and materially supported hostilities against the United States." It codifies the Bush Administration's definition of "unlawful enemy combatant," a definition that previously did not exist in any law book.
Starbucks gives an express course in espresso making
For 3 1/2 hours Tuesday evening, it was spring training Starbucks style. The coffee company -- for the first time in its history -- shut all of its U.S. stores to retrain employees on how to create a first-class espresso drink. "It's like baseball players," said Ann-Marie Kurtz, manager of global coffee and tea education for Starbucks Corp. "They practice all the time. This gives our baristas a chance to not be in front of customers and to slow down." The training of 135,000 baristas in nearly 7,100 company-operated stores is the latest effort by Chairman Howard Schultz to turn around a company facing intense competition and working to appeal to consumers wary of paying $4 for a cup of specialty joe in a challenging economy. The training didn't cover licensed shops in airports, malls, hotels and supermarkets.
OurSound in the Newspaper
Our Sound music columnist Bill Henry turns his eyes and ears on the area's vibrant, multi-genre music scene every week in The Sun Times. From blues to bluegrass, folk to funk, pop to punk and classical to celtic, Henry writes about the area's performers and music trends. The veteran Sun Times news reporter, photographer and local musician's Our Sound column mixes profiles, feature stories, advance concert coverage, occasional reviews and scene-setting observations to chronicle the rich and diverse Grey-Bruce music community. Read Bill Henry's Our Sound column every Thursday on The Sun Times entertainment section front... .
Skateboarding flips make William Spencer a legend
Watch a montage of William Spencer tricks, including a front flip down a staircase and onto a skateboard. Watch the Pepsi commercial "More" featuring the Black Eyed Peas. Spencer does some stunt work, including running up the wall and doing a back flip. See a commerical for Shiseido Uno hair gel featuring Orlando Bloom. Everything that does not show Bloom's face is Spencer, from the hands picking up the gel to the guy flying through a window. Watch a 3-minute movie "Dewmocracy" that features the skating Spencer as the lead character in some Orwellian landscape. The viral video was directed by Forest Whitaker. .
Submit Content to the Electronic Intifada
Do not submit material that you do not hold the rights to. As a web-only publisher seeking to reach the maximum possible audience with limited resources, one of our strategies is to seek reprints of EI articles in print formats -- newspapers, magazines, and newsletters. By submitting material to EI, your material may also end up in friendly print publications, which will increase both your and our own visibility. This does not apply to photographic submissions, where EI will guide publications directly to the photographer. EI articles are not removed from our server. We believe that this archive adds to the value of EI. We may edit your piece for clarity, grammar, and brevity. If our edits are going to substantially change the meaning of a piece, we will of course ask you first. Headline, summary and illustration decisions are made solely by EI's editors although feel free to suggest a headline.
Witness: Shooting victim unarmed
Swingle said in order for a law enforcement officer to be justified in using deadly force, he must act under the reasonable belief such action is necessary to protect his own life and safety and that of others. The only role of the prosecutor during an inquest is to "have the truth come out," Swingle said. Swingle said that the public nature of an inquest in this type of case can serve to quell speculation that anything is being swept under rug because the person in question is a law enforcement officer. According to Department of Corrections policy concerning fugitive apprehension agents, deadly force may not be used to make an arrest or to prevent escape unless there is reasonable belief that the suspect is attempting to escape by using a deadly weapon, or may otherwise endanger life or inflict serious physical injury unless immediately apprehended.
|
