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Israel Assault on Gaza Humanitarian Aid Flotilla; JPost Reports 15 Peace Activists Dead
- Barak: Flotilla organizers to blame for 15 dead activists
- Reporters' log: Gaza flotilla | BBC
- Watch Press TV Report: Israel Orders Blackout
- Watch alJazeera Video Report
- More Than 10 Dead After Israel Intercepts Gaza Aid Convoy | WSJ
- Report: At least 10 activists killed as Israel Navy opens fire on Gaza aid flotilla | Haaretz
Over 60 pro-Palestinian campaigners wounded after six-ship convoy sailing for Gaza Strip ignored Israel's order to turn back, Turkish news reports. Read more.
- 10 Deaths Reported as Israel Attacks Aid Flotilla | NY Times
- Protesters on ship bound for Gaza killed in rioting | JTA
- Israel boards Gaza-bound ships, 15 dead: reports | Reuters
- Initial reports:
- "Two dead, at least 30 wounded" as Israel opens fire at Gaza activists | World Bulletin
- Report: Israel Navy takes control of Gaza aid flotilla; 2 activists killed | Haaretz
- Flotilla Civilians Under Attack by Israel | Gaza Freedom March
- Israeli military boards ship in Gaza flotilla | CNN
- Reports: Israeli Ships Attack Aid Flotilla, 2 Dead | ABC News
- TV: Israel attacks Gaza flotilla, 2 die | MSNBC
- Click "Read more" to watch Ann Wright explain "suspicious circumstances" involving 2 boats disabled with steering difficulties.
The Common Culture of Turkey, the United States, and Iran
By David Swanson
I'd guess roughly 3% of the Americans who watch the new Disney movie Prince of Persia have any idea that Persia and Iran are the same place. A similar number are probably aware of Iranians' demonstrations of sympathy following 9-11 and of Iran's assistance to the United States in Afghanistan in 2001. But surely an even smaller percentage of Americans know that Iran, Turkey, and our own country all fought revolutions against British colonialism, and developed democracies, our own serving as an inspiration for the others, our nation serving as a friend and ally to them. And you could probably fit into one football stadium every American who knows that Turkey's democratic advance succeeded where Iran's failed, principally because Teddy Roosevelt's grandson, working for the CIA, overthrew Iran's elected leader and installed a dictator, whom the United States proceeded to support and arm for decades.
Kim Jong Il Orders Military to Get Ready for Combat
Kim Jong Il Orders Military to Get Ready for Combat
By Bomi Lim | Bloomsberg Businessweek
North Korean leader Kim Jong Il ordered the country's military to get ready for combat in a message televised nationwide last week following South Korea's announcement that North Korea torpedoed the South's warship.
The message was broadcast on May 20 by O Kuk Ryol, vice chairman of the National Defense Commission, according to the website of North Korea Intellectuals Solidarity, a Seoul-based group run by defectors from the communist country. Yonhap News agency reported on the group's posting earlier today.
While Kim doesn't want war, North Korea is ready to counter any attacks from South Korea, O said in the message, according to the group, which cited an unidentified person in the country. North Korea Intellectuals Solidarity is one of the Seoul-based agencies to first report on North Korea's currency revaluation late last year. Read more.
South Korea Prepares Military For Future Aggressions
South Korea Prepares Military For Future Aggressions
President Obama Orders U.S. Military to Work With South Korea
By Joohee Cho | ABC News
Days after North Korea threatened an all-out-war against South Korea, President Obama ordered the U.S. military to work with South Korea to "ensure readiness" and prepare for future aggressions.
"We endorse President Lee's demand that North Korea immediately apologize and punish those responsible for the attack and, most importantly, stop its belligerent and threatening behavior," the White House said.
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said today that North Korea would have to "pay a price" for the torpedo attack on a South Korean navy ship in March that killed 46 young sailors.
But even as the two Koreas exchanged fierce rhetoric, analysts in Seoul said a military response is unlikely. Read more.
Obama's War Hits a Speed Bump
By John Grant
Mister Obama's War has hit a speed bump in Times Square. The question is will the President and members of Congress pay any attention to it and slow down, or will they floor the accelerator and race into Pakistan?
The speed bump is a nobody named Faisal Shahzad, a 30-year-old, westernized Pakistani, highly educated, and a naturalized American citizen with a wife and two kids. A casualty of the US financial meltdown, a career in the finance industry fizzled and his $285,000 home went underwater and was foreclosed.
Shahzad then trekked to North Waziristan in Pakistan along the Afghan border, where someone allegedly taught him how to make a car bomb. Fortunately, that training was either inadequate or he was a lousy student.
Following on the bloody Fort Hood shooting and the failed underpants bomber, Shahzad's action has become leverage for greater US military intervention into the rugged Pashtun areas of northwest Pakistan.
Talking With Chalmers Johnson: The Downward Slope of the Empire
Talking With Chalmers Johnson
The Downward Slope of the Empire
By Harry Kreisler | Counterpunch
So, what do I suggest probably will happen? I think we will stagger along under a façade of constitutional government, as we are now, until we're overcome by bankruptcy. We are not paying our way. We're financing it off of huge loans coming daily from our two leading creditors, Japan and China.
It's a rigged system that reminds you of Herb Stein, [who], when he was chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers in a Republican administration, rather famously said, "Things that can't go on forever don't." That's what we're talking about today. We're massively indebted, we're not manufacturing as much as we used to, we maintain our lifestyle off huge capital imports from countries that don't mind taking a short, small beating on the exchange rates so long as they can continue to develop their own economies and supply Americans: above all, China within twenty to twenty-five years will be both the world's largest social system and the world's most productive social system, barring truly unforeseen developments.
Chalmers Johnson, president of the Japan Policy Research Institute, is the author of the bestselling Blowback and The Sorrows of Empire. He appeared in the 2005 prizewinning documentary film Why We Fight. He lives near San Diego.
Kreisler: Once upon a time you called yourself a "spear-carrier for the empire."
Johnson: "—for the empire," yes, yes.
That's the prologue to Blowback; I was a consultant to the Office of National Estimates of the CIA during the time of the Vietnam War. But what caused me to change my mind and to rethink these issues? Two things: one analytical, one concrete. The first was the demise of the Soviet Union. I expected much more from the United States in the way of a peace dividend. I believe that Russia today is not the former Soviet Union by any means. It's a much smaller place. I would have expected that as a tradition in the United States, we would have demobilized much more radically. We would have rethought more seriously our role in the world, brought home troops in places like Okinawa. Instead, we did every thing in our power to shore up the Cold War structures in East Asia, in Latin America. The search for new enemies began. That's the neoconservatives. I was shocked, actually, by this. Did this mean that the Cold War was a cover for something deeper, for an American imperial project that had been in the works since World War II? I began to believe that this is the case. Read more.
Fortress Guam: Resistance to US Military Mega-Buildup
Fortress Guam: Resistance to US Military Mega-Buildup
LisaLinda Natividad and Gwyn Kirk | Japan Today
Barely mentioned in the shadows of these fine words with their emphasis on sustainability, are the real reasons for Obama's visit: to rally community and official support for the Department of Defense plan to relocate 8,600 Marines from Okinawa (Japan) to Guam, provide additional live-fire training sites, expand Andersen Air Force Base, create berthing for a nuclear aircraft carrier, and erect a missile defense system on the island.
United States presidents rarely visit the U.S. territory of Guam (or Guåhan in the Chamorro language), but President Obama may visit in June 2010. This will be a significant stop for residents of this small island, 30 miles long and eight miles wide, dubbed, "Where America's day begins." Guam is the southern-most island in the Northern Mariana chain that also includes Rota, Tinian, and Saipan. It is the homeland of indigenous Chamorro people whose ancestors first came to the islands nearly 4,000 years ago. Formed from two volcanoes, Guam's rocky core now constitutes an "unsinkable aircraft carrier" for the United States military in the words of Brig. Gen. Douglas H. Owens, a former commanding officer of Guam's Andersen Air Force Base.1
The reason given for Obama's unprecedented visit to the island in a White House Conference call by Ben Rhodes, Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications, is this:
While there he'll not only visit with commanders but also with local Guam authorities. And he's going to make sure that we have a very realistic and sustainable and well thought out approach to Guam. He has a vision which we refer to here as "one Guam, green Guam," which is apropos of many of the questions heretofore, designed to make sure that we're investing in capabilities on Guam that are sustainable over the course of time, that are clean energy focused, that do take very concrete steps to reduce the high price of energy on the island, and obviously will lead to an end state that's politically, operationally, and environmentally sustainable.
So the President, while there, will also take a hard look at the project and infrastructure needs on Guam. We'll obviously be looking at base-related construction that must take into accounts(sic) the needs of not only of an increased troop presence or Marine presence, but also the needs of the people of Guam, the impact on the environment, and the important role that the United States plays within the region... I'd rather just make clear that we have a commitment to the people of Guam, and that as part of our ongoing plan for our presence in the region, are going to make very common-sense and important investments in the infrastructure there.2 Read more.
Chinese Military Seeks to Extend Its Naval Power
Chinese Military Seeks to Extend Its Naval Power
By Edward Wong | NY Times
The Chinese military is seeking to project naval power well beyond the Chinese coast, from the oil ports of the Middle East to the shipping lanes of the Pacific, where the United States Navy has long reigned as the dominant force, military officials and analysts say.
China calls the new strategy "far sea defense," and the speed with which it is building long-range capabilities has surprised foreign military officials.
The strategy is a sharp break from the traditional, narrower doctrine of preparing for war over the self-governing island of Taiwan or defending the Chinese coast. Now, Chinese admirals say they want warships to escort commercial vessels that are crucial to the country's economy, from as far as the Persian Gulf to the Strait of Malacca, in Southeast Asia, and to help secure Chinese interests in the resource-rich South and East China Seas.
In late March, two Chinese warships docked in Abu Dhabi, the first time the modern Chinese Navy made a port visit in the Middle East. Read more.
Japanese Leader Backtracks on Revising Base Agreement
Japanese Leader Backtracks on Revising Base Agreement
By Martin Fackler and Hiroko Tabuchi | NY Times | Submitted by Michael Munk | www.MichaelMunk.com
Backtracking on a prominent campaign pledge, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama told angry residents of Okinawa on Tuesday that it was unrealistic to expect the United States to move its entire Marine Corps air base off the island.
Mr. Hatoyama's government could hang in the balance. He has pledged to come up with a plan by the end of this month to relocate the Marine air base and resolve a stubborn problem that has created months of discord with Washington. His delays and apparent flip-flopping on the issue have fed a growing feeling of disappointment in the prime minister's leadership, driving his approval ratings below 30 percent.
Visiting Okinawa for the first time since becoming prime minister, Mr. Hatoyama asked residents to entertain a compromise that would keep some of the functions of the base on the island while the government explored moving some facilities elsewhere.
"Realistically speaking, it is impossible" to move the entire base, called Futenma, off the island, he said. "We're facing a situation that is realistically difficult to move everything out of the prefecture. We must ask the people of Okinawa to share the burden." Read more.
PBS Newshour: Book Examines Vietnam War from Viet Cong's Point of View
On the 35th anniversary of the fall of Saigon, Ray Suarez talks to retired Marine Corps Lt. Col. James Zumwalt about his new book on the Vietnam War, as seen through the eyes of North Vietnamese and Viet Cong veterans.
RAY SUAREZ: So, give us some examples of the kind of techniques and tactics the North Vietnamese used successfully against a much-better-armed, much-better-equipped enemy.
LT. COL. JAMES ZUMWALT: Well, one that stands out in my mind is the -- what they did along the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
The Ho Chi Minh Trail, as you know, was a logistical supply line that brought men and materiel from the north down to the south. Obviously, they had to cross rivers at certain points. And the only way you cross a river is with a bridge. They would build bridges for the specific purpose of having as a target -- having a target that we would go after.
They -- what they would do then is, upstream or downstream of that bridge, they would come up with very clever ways of hiding bridges. Well, how do you hide a bridge? One is a concept known as a submarine bridge, where they actually built a bridge platform underneath the low watermark.
And, for those who served in Vietnam, they know that the -- the water is basically brown, so you cannot see from the air if there was anything under the water. But these submarine bridges were very effectively used.
As convoys would cross them, they would have guides standing on either side of the bridge platform guiding them as to where the edges of the platform were. These existed for the duration of the war, and we never knew about them...
LT. COL. JAMES ZUMWALT: This was a people who, again, going back to their DNA, would not tolerate being invaded.
Could we have won the war? We had the military power, and we never lost a battle in Vietnam. We -- if we committed ground forces in the North, we could have driven them out of the cities, but all that would have done was delayed the inevitable, which was that they would keep eating away and eating away, and drawing the war out for as long as it took for us to get out. Rest of Transcript.
What Did The Military Learn About Media In Vietnam?
Michael Munk shared a telling observation:
A report on a journalists' reunion in Ho Chi Minh City on the 35th anniversary of the US defeat in Vietnam says it all:
"This was the first foreign war the U.S. ever fought where the press challenged government thinking, challenged the decisions of generals, challenged the political decisions the war was based on," said former CNN correspondent Peter Arnett, who won a Pulitzer Prize for his Vietnam coverage in 1966 while working for The Associated Press. Arnett, like many of the globe-trotting journalists, came to Vietnam as a young reporter and grew up covering battles from the trenches where correspondents were permitted to go without restrictions. Many carried their war experience into other conflicts, including Iraq and Afghanistan, but said they were never again given such freedom to tell their stories from the front lines.
"No longer will you ever be able to do wars like Vietnam," said Bob Carroll, a former United Press International photographer. "What did the military learn about press access from Vietnam? Don't give it to them."
Read the entire article: Vietnam War Journalists Reunite For Anniversary.
Vietnam Celebrates 35th Anniversary Of War's End
Vietnam celebrates 35th anniversary of war's end
By Ben Stocking, Associated Press Writer | Yahoo! News | Submitted by Michael Munk | www.MichaelMunk.com
"When I saw those tanks, I felt so happy," said Thuy, who on Friday carried a hammer and a sickle flag. "The South had been liberated, the country was united, and the war was over."
Vietnam marked the 35th anniversary of the Communist victory in the Vietnam War with a grand military parade Friday through the former Saigon, with the government basking more in its economic achievements than its historic military defeat of the United States.
The city is now named for Ho Chi Minh, the father of the revolution, but signs of the burgeoning market economy are everywhere, with Communist banners competing for space with corporate ads and logos.
Some 50,000 invitees, many waving red and gold ruling party flags, crowded the parade route. They marked the day that North Vietnamese tanks smashed through the gates of the former Presidential Palace in Saigon and ousted the U.S.-backed South Vietnam government — the culmination of one of the most seismic military achievements since World War II. Read more.
U.S. Consolidates Military Network In Asia-Pacific Region
U.S. Consolidates Military Network In Asia-Pacific Region
Rick Rozoff | Stop NATO | Blog site | April 28, 2010
The United States has six naval fleets and eleven aircraft carrier strike groups patrolling the world's oceans and seas. The U.S. Navy is as large as the world's next thirteen biggest navies combined [1].
Washington has as many aircraft carriers as all other nations together. Russia has one; China has none. The U.S. and its NATO allies - Britain (2), Italy (2), France (1) and Spain (1) - account for 17 of 22 in service in the world. Ten of the eleven American carriers are Nimitz class nuclear-powered supercarriers, substantially larger than most all non-U.S. ones. The U.S. Navy has all ten supercarriers in the world at the moment. [2]
U.S. aircraft carriers contain 70-80 planes and are available for deployment in all the world's oceans and most of its seas. They are escorted in their carrier groups by anti-air and anti-submarine warfare guided missile destroyers, anti-submarine warfare frigates, missile cruisers with long-range Tomahawks, and nuclear-powered fast-attack submarines. The U.S. also maintains between ten and twelve naval expeditionary strike groups which include amphibious assault ships and AH-1 Super Cobra attack helicopters in addition to destroyers, cruisers, frigates, attack submarines and P-3C Orion long-range anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft.
With the reestablishing of the Navy's Fourth Fleet - its area of responsibility includes Central and South America and the Caribbean Sea - two years ago after a 58-year hiatus, the U.S. has six fleets that can be dispatched to all five oceans.
The Seventh Fleet (there is no First Fleet), based in Japan, is the largest of U.S. forward-deployed fleets and consists of as many as 40–60 ships, 200-350 aircraft and 20,000-60,000 Navy and Marine Corps personnel. Its area of responsibility takes in more than 50 million square miles of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, from Russia's Kuril Islands in the north to the Antarctic in the south, from the South China Sea to the Arabian Sea, South Africa to the Korean Peninsula, the Strait of Malacca to the Taiwan Strait.
When on the occasion of accepting the Nobel Peace Prize last December President Barack Obama referred to himself as the Commander-in-Chief of the world's sole military superpower he was not guilty of hyperbole if he was of hubris. His defense budget for next year is almost half as large as world military spending for 2008, the last year for which the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute has compiled figures.
Direct From Vietnam: Depleted Uranium Continues to Kill - In Iraq & Afghanistan, Too
Geoff Millard, Chair of Iraq Veterans Against the War, National Board Of Directors wrote:
From the 26th of March until the 9th of April I was lucky to be a part of a veterans delegation to Vietnam in order to do research in preparation for an upcoming push for legislation to alleviate the suffering of the people of Vietnam that has plagued them since we first started using agent orange in 1961.
Vietnam may seem an odd place for an Iraq vet whose parents had not even met when the last US forces retreated in defeat hanging from helicopters, but somehow I was the perfect piece to complete a very complicated puzzle. You see there are many connections to be made between the two wars but I was there because both were toxic battlefields that left veteran and civilian alike scared for many generations.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s it was not conservative veterans groups who were talking about the effects of agent orange (more specifically dioxin but for common understanding I will simply use AO as my reference), it was VVAW and CCI. As much as revisionists would love to write antiwar veterans from history or minimize them as a small force (as they are trying today with IVAW) the reality is that while the VFW would not allow Vietnam veterans to join their ranks antiwar vets were creating a new generation of leaders. These brave souls were the ones to first paint the words agent orange kills our soldiers on banners.
One of these young leaders would leave to form VVA but his roots are undeniably with VVAW. It is from the work of antiwar veterans that any compensation for AO has been granted. Thus it must again be antiwar vets that take up their banners and fight for compensation for the now three generations of survivors who have lived 35 years in a toxic battlefield that Americans have long since forgotten.
Japanese Military Joins U.S. And NATO In Horn Of Africa
Japanese Military Joins U.S. And NATO In Horn Of Africa
Rick Rozoff | Stop NATO | Blog site | April 25, 2010
Japanese navy commander Keizo Kitagawa recently spoke with Agence France-Presse and disclosed that his nation was opening its first overseas military base - at any rate since the Second World War - in Djibouti in the Horn of Africa.
Kitagawa is assigned to the Plans and Policy Section of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, as his nation's navy is called, and is in charge of the deployment.
AFP quoted the Japanese officer as stressing the unprecedented nature of the development: "This will be the only Japanese base outside our country and the first in Africa." [1]
The military installation is to cost $40 million and is expected to accommodate Japanese troops early next year.
Djibouti rests at the confluence of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, across from strife-torn Yemen, and borders the northwest corner of equally conflict-ridden Somalia. The narrow span of water separating it from Yemen is the gateway for all maritime traffic passing between the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean via the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea.
Peace Activists Hold Vigil at Honolulu's Japanese Consulate
Kyle Kajihiro sent the following report from Honolulu:
Yesterday, in solidarity with the 90,000+ Okinawans who rallied against U.S. military bases in Okinawa, the Hawai'i-Okinawa Alliance (HOA), the American Friends Service Committee - Hawai'i and DMZ-Hawai'i / Aloha 'Aina organized a vigil in front of the Japanese Consulate in Honolulu.
Approximately 40 people held signs and candles in front of the Japanese Consulate. Ukwanshin Kabudan, Nakem Youth, Fight for Guahan, Veterans for Peace and Urban Babaylan were some of the groups represented.
People spoke about the impacts of U.S. military bases in Hawai'i, Guam, Korea, and the Philippines and the need for our peoples to be in solidarity for the removal of these bases of war. Wearing a "Deji-wajiwaji!" HOA tee-shirt, World War II Veteran Don Matsuda called for the bases to get out of Okinawa. Kisha Borja-Kicho'cho' with a contingent from Fight for Guahan expressed solidarity from the Chamoru community in their struggle to resist the U.S. military base expansion on her home island. Many speakers expressed a desire to remove the oppressive military bases and make the Pacific a zone of peace. Several people came after seeing coverage of the event on the television. For some it was their first demonstration.
Norman Kaneshiro sensei and several young Okinawan musicians sang traditional Okinawan songs. We closed the circle with singing "Hana" (Kina Shoukichi's famous peace anthem).
Then we tied yellow ribbons with messages of peace written on them on the consulate fence.
The event was covered on KITV and KHNL television stations, and there reporters for the Okinawa Times and Ryukyu Shimpo covered the event.
Attached are some photos by Jamie Oshiro. More detailed report and photos to come.
In solidarity
Kyle Kajihiro
Click "Read more" to see more event pictures.
Running Back to India to Feed the Hungry
By Garda Ghista
I was in Hyderabad, India, from May through December, 2009. I returned to the US for January through March, and by April 2nd was again back here in Hyderabad.
I spent the last ten years studying - getting a degree in journalism and following that up with an MA in Integrative Studies. I wrote many articles and essays, wrote two books, and organized a national conference. I came to Hyderabad to organize the second conference.
Okinawa Rally Could Draw 100,000 People
Okinawa rally could draw 100,000 people
By David Allen | Stars and Stripes
The U.S. military on Okinawa is advising Department of Defense personnel and their families to stay away from the village of Yomitan on Sunday, where a large anti-base rally is scheduled.
Organizers said Wednesday they expect 100,000 people to gather at the village sports complex for the 3 p.m. event. Among featured speakers will be elected officials and union leaders.
If the size of the crowd turns out to be as big as predicted, it will be the largest anti-base event on Okinawa since 58,000 people gathered in Ginowan in October 1995 to protest the abduction and gang rape of a 12-year-old schoolgirl by two Marines and a sailor.
The crime sparked an anti-base movement that resulted in the U.S. and Japan agreeing the next year to return about 20 percent of the land used by the U.S. military on Okinawa. That agreement included closing Marine Corps Air Station Futenma if an alternate location on the island could be found. Several relocation plans followed and were scrapped because of opposition by anti-base and environmental-protection groups.
Japan's new left-center government is reviewing a 2006 agreement to close Futenma and move the Marines to a new air facility to be built at Camp Schwab on Okinawa. Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said he will settle on a proposed new location for Futenma operations by the end of May. Read more.
US To Launch Secret 'Space Warplane'
US to launch secret 'space warplane' | IPS
The United States Air Force has announced that it will launch a secret space plane that has sparked speculation about the militarization of space.
The Pentagon has set April 21 as the date for the launch of the robotic space plane known as the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV), which is a reusable unmanned plane capable of long outer space missions at low orbits.
Since the nature of the project is shrouded in mystery, defense analysts allege that the US military is building the first generation of US 'space Predator drones' that will build up the United States' space armada, the Christian Science Monitor wrote in a recent article.
Military experts argue that the US Department of Defense would not have saved NASA's costly X-37B project, which had been scrapped, if it did not have a military application.
They say the US wants to maintain a leading role in space via the development of the new 'space weapon' at a time when other countries like China are expanding their space programs. Read more.
Kucinich Voices Concern Over Futenma Base Relocation
Kucinich Voices Concern Over Futenma Base Relocation
By Robert Naiman | Just Foreign Policy
Representative Dennis Kucinich sent a letter to Norman Dicks, chair of the House subcommittee on defense appropriations, expressing concerns about U.S. plans to relocate the U.S. base at Futenma in Okinawa to Nago, and urging that the concerns of Okinawa residents be taken into account. The letter is here.
Kazakhstan: U.S., NATO Seek Military Outpost Between Russia And China
Kazakhstan: U.S., NATO Seek Military Outpost Between Russia And China
Rick Rozoff | Stop NATO | Blog site | April 14, 2010
On April 11, the day before the two-day Nuclear Security Summit held in Washington, DC, U.S. President Barack Obama met with his Kazakh counterpart Nursultan Nazarbayev and their deliberations resulted in the U.S. obtaining the right to fly troops and military equipment over (and later directly into) the territory of Kazakhstan for the escalating war in Afghanistan.
Michael McFaul, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and senior director of Russian and Eurasian Affairs at the United States National Security Council, "told reporters in a conference call that the agreement will allow troops to fly directly from the United States over the North Pole to the region."
McFaul directly stated, "This will save money; it will save time in terms of moving our troops and supplies needed into the theater." The Washington Post cited other White House officials claiming "Sunday's meeting between Obama and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev was the turning point," [1] an allusion to the advance it signified over the last agreement on military transport for the Afghan war signed between the two countries in January, which permitted the transport of only non-lethal American military supplies and equipment across the country by rail.
The government of Kazakhstan has also allowed limited flights containing non-lethal military cargo over its territory, but that entailed a lengthy and circuitous route from the eastern United States to Europe and over the Caspian Sea to Kazakhstan, ultimately headed to the Manas Transit Center in Kyrgyzstan, which is currently in jeopardy after the overthrow of the government in that nation on April 7.
However, now "Kazakhstan has agreed to let the United States fly troops and weapons over its territory, a deal that opens a direct and faster route over the North Pole for American forces and lethal equipment headed to Afghanistan." [2]
Kyrgyzstan And The Battle For Central Asia
Kyrgyzstan And The Battle For Central Asia
By Rick Rozoff | Stop Nato
Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev was deposed five years after and in the same manner as he came to power, in a bloody uprising.
Elected president two months after the so-called Tulip Revolution of 2005 he helped engineer, he was since then head of state of the main transit nation for the U.S. and NATO war in Afghanistan.
The Pentagon secured the Manas Air Base (as of last year known as the Transit Center at Manas) in Kyrgyzstan shortly after its invasion of Afghanistan in October of 2001 and in the interim, according to a U.S. armed forces publication last June, "More than 170,000 coalition personnel passed through the base on their way in or out of Afghanistan, and Manas was the transit point for 5,000 tons of cargo, including spare parts and equipment, uniforms and various items to support personnel and mission needs.
"Currently, around 1,000 U.S. troops, along with a few hundred from Spain and France, are assigned to the base." [1]
The White House's Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke paid his first visit in his current position to Kyrgyzstan – and the three other former Soviet Central Asian republics which border it, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan – in February and said "35,000 US troops were transiting each month on their way in and out of Afghanistan." [2] At the rate he mentioned, 420,000 troops annually.
Pakistan Reduces Presidential Powers, United States Expands Them Ever Upward
Hmm. Who should be occupying whom?
Pakistan parliament agrees to curb presidential powers
By BBC
The parliament of Pakistan has voted unanimously in favour of measures which limit key presidential powers.
The measures transfer certain powers from the office of the president to the prime minister and take away his power to dismiss elected governments.
Supporters say the legislation will strengthen parliamentary democracy, weakened by periods of military rule.
The bill was approved unanimously by Pakistan's National Assembly. It now needs approval from the upper house.
Veterans' Agent Orange Delegation Meets With Vietnamese Premier
From Veterans for Peace
Hanoi--At a meeting with American veterans here yesterday, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung urged "the United States government to take responsibility for solving the aftermath of its war with Vietnam."
During the war, Mr. Dung emphasized, more than two million Vietnamese were killed, millions more were injured, and more than 300,000 are still missing. Moreover, three million people were exposed to toxic chemicals like Agent Orange sprayed by the U.S. military during the war.
Mr. Dung further urged the U.S. government to "listen to its conscience," and to cooperate with Vietnam's government by giving assistance to Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange to help them overcome the difficulties they face, and to aid in the clean-up of the dioxin contaminated environment.
Kageyama Asako: Marines Go Home: Anti-Base Activism in Okinawa, Japan and Korea
Kageyama Asako: Marines Go Home: Anti-Base Activism in Okinawa, Japan and Korea
By kyle | DMZ Hawaii
The Futenma base relocation issue has been dominating the headlines in Japan ever since the formation of the Hatoyama administration in September 2009. Understandably the focus has been on Okinawa, long the center of anti-base activism. But we should see the Futenma base relocation issue as part of a much broader problem. In this article I want to consider the Futenma issue in the context of other activities within the international anti-bases movement.
I have been involved in the anti-bases movement for many years and serve on the Hokkaido Asia Africa Latin America Solidarity Committee (HAALA). HAALA is an organization that opposes neo-colonialism, respects the rights of people to self-determination and aims for the equality of all peoples. Revocation of the US-Japan Security Treaty and the removal of all American bases from Japan are among its aims. We have links with Vietnam, Nicaragua, Cuba and South Africa among others and are involved in various humanitarian projects there. A representative of the Japan Africa Asia South America Solidarity Committee went to Ecuador to attend the anti-base activities described in Fuse Yūjin's article [add link], and have also visited Venezuela and Bolivia.
The International Network for the Abolition of Foreign Military Bases (INAFMB) took off at the World Social Forum held in Mumbai in January 2004 and was launched officially as a result of its first international conference in Quito and Manta, Ecuador, in March 2007. I attended the Mumbai meeting as the representative of HAALA. It was an unforgettable experience. To have 130,000 people gathering from across the globe under the slogan 'Another world is possible' in a meeting of such diversity and vibrancy was enough to really make one believe it could happen. In particular, the demonstrations by members of India's so-called 'untouchables' caste left a particularly strong impression. Their cries of 'If another world is possible then it must include us' brought it home that only by raising one's voice is there any hope to change things. Read more.
China's Documentation of US Human Rights Abuses
China's Documentation of US Human Rights Abuses
By Stephen Lendman
On March 11, the US State Department issued its "2009 Human Rights Report: China (includes Tibet, Hong Kong, and Macau)," calling the People's Republic of China (PRC) "an authoritarian state in which the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) constitutionally is the paramount source of power," practicing:
- "cultural and religious repression;"
- harassment of human rights activists;
- harassment and disbarment of lawyers who defend them;
- control of free expression, the Internet, and access to it;
- extrajudicial killings;
- torture and coerced confessions of prisoners;
- use of forced labor, including prison labor;
- monitoring, harassing, detaining, arresting, and imprisoning "journalists, writers, dissidents, activists, petitioners, and defense lawyers and their families;"
- denial of due process;
Japan 'May Rethink' US Futenma Air Base After Poll
Japan 'may rethink' US Futenma air base after poll | BBC
Japan's Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has said the result of a weekend mayoral poll could fuel a major rethink about US military bases in Japan.
Residents of the Japanese city of Nago, on Okinawa, chose a candidate opposed to the hosting of an American air base.
The Futenma base was originally scheduled to move to Nago from a more crowded part of Okinawa.
Talk of moving the base out of Japan altogether has threatened the long-standing US-Japan security alliance.
Mr Hatoyama said the results of Sunday's election reflected the will of the people, and that Japan will continue to re-examine its commitment to relocate the air base.
"The country will start from scratch on this issue and take responsibility to reach a conclusion by the end of May," he told reporters. Read more.
TomDispatch: China's Global Shopping Spree: Is the World's Future Resource Map Tilting East?
China's Global Shopping Spree: Is the World's Future Resource Map Tilting East?
By Michael Klare | TomDispatch.com
From TomDispatch this morning: An unprecedented picture of China on one of history's great spending binges in search of access to, and control over, the world's key future energy and other resources -- "China's Global Shopping Spree: Is the World's Future Resource Map Tilting East?"
"Think of it as a tale of two countries," begins energy expert and author of Rising Powers, Shrinking Planet Michael Klare. "When it comes to procuring the resources that make industrial societies run, China is now the shopaholic of planet Earth, while the United States is staying at home. Hard-hit by the global recession, the United States has experienced a marked decline in the consumption of oil and other key industrial materials. Not so China. With the recession's crippling effects expected to linger in the U.S. for many years, analysts foresee a slow recovery when it comes to resource consumption. Not so China."
TomDispatch regular Klare offers a picture of state-owned or state-backed Chinese companies ranging the world gobbling up the key future energy and other resources crucial to an industrial society, and at recession-induced bargain-basement prices. Backed with endless streams of cash, these companies are, in the field of oil alone, making deals from Kazakhistan in Central Asia to Ecuador in Latin America, Iraq to Venezuela, Burma to the African country of Guinea.
It's a remarkable, even shopaholic burst of buying of a sort we haven't seen in our lifetimes. As Klare concludes in this must-read piece: "Perhaps more than any other recent developments, China's global shopping spree reveals how the world's balance of power is shifting from West to East." Read it now.
Statement by Japan Lawyers' International Solidarity Association on Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa
Statement by Japan Lawyers' International Solidarity Association on Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa
According to newspaper reports, the government maintains that Japan must provide a replacement facility for Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa, which is used by the US Marines, that it has given up on finding a candidate site outside of Okinawa, and that the base will very likely be relocated within Okinawa.
From our stance of seeking to implement the spirit of the United Nations Charter and the ideals of Japan's Constitution, we of the Japan Lawyers International Solidarity Association believe that the government's judgment invites criticism on two points, and we strongly urge the government to reconsider.
1) Japan is not obligated to provide the US Marines with bases.
In the first place, US military bases in Okinawa were illegally expanded and built. Even before acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration on August 14, 1945 land was expropriated while Okinawans were detained in prison camps, and by means of "bayonets and bulldozers" with the start of the Cold War. Such acts are not justifiable even by the law of war, and therefore violate international law. And the Japan-US Security Treaty, which is invoked to paper over these illegalities, establishes that bases are provided to US forces under the conditions that provision is based on the will of the Japanese government, and that it contributes to the security of Japan and the Far East, but the US Marines, owing to the nature of the force, does not help to achieve such purposes, and as such their stationing in Japan lacks justification under the treaty. Further, 75% of US military bases and facilities are concentrated in this one prefecture of Okinawa, and all Okinawans want US bases to be downsized and removed. The principles of democracy, which are recognized universally the world over, do not tolerate troop stationing which goes against the will of the people.
2) In Japan the Constitution's Preamble and Articles 9 and 98 provide the right to seek removal of US military bases.
The Japanese Constitution provides that "never again shall we be visited with the horrors of war through the action of government" and recognizes that "all peoples of the world have the right to live in peace, free from fear and want." It says that the Japanese renounce war, do not maintain "land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential," and it pledges to faithfully observe "established laws of nations," which include the law of war and international humanitarian law. From the perspective of this extensive peace design, when at least part of the US forces stationed in Japan are highly problematic to bringing about peace and eliminating "fear and want," it is possible to exercise one's legitimate rights, including appeals to the international community, to resolve the matter which is the cause. In view of the situation with US military bases, which is a never-ending stream of aircraft crashes, traffic accidents, crimes, and pollution, it stands to reason that the people of Okinawa Prefecture seek the return of Futenma Air Station, and, with respect for their will, the Japanese government indeed has the right to take the initiative and ask the US government to immediately remove Futenma Air Station.
March 24, 2010
Japan Lawyers International Solidarity Association, Executive Committee
Osamu Niikura, President. Jun Sasamoto, Secretary-General


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Padres strand 15 in 13-inning loss to Reds, 3-2
The Padres have lost four of their last five games.
"No one is taking it harder than those guys in that room (clubhouse) but going forward we have to get better at advancing runners," Black said.
Sam LeCure (2-1), Cincinnati's seventh pitcher, pitched 1 1-3 innings for the win.
Leake allowed one earned run in seven innings, giving up six hits and two runs with three walks and four strikeouts. He also committed an error, the Reds' sixth in the last two games.
Manny Parra and J.J. Hoover pitched a scoreless eighth before Aroldis Chapman struck out the side in the ninth.
The Reds, who were charged with four errors in their 3-1 loss to San Diego on Saturday, committed another to help the Padres take a 2-0 lead on Rene Rivera's bases-loaded sacrifice fly to center field with one out in the second. As Yonder Alonso scored from third, backup shortstop Cesar Izturis cut off Choo's throw, but Izturis' quick throw to second trying to get Logan Forsythe going back sailed past Brandon Phillips into foul territory down the right-field line, allowing Forsythe to score.
Notes: Cedeno's second-inning single was his first hit in six at-bats since being called up by San Diego on Wednesday. Cedeno now has hits with each of the six major league teams for which he's played since breaking in 2005. ... Votto went 0 for 4, ending his eight-game hitting streak. ... RHP Mat Latos (11-3) is scheduled to start Monday for the Reds at Chicago in the first game of a three-game series and seven-game road trip. ... San Diego's brief five-game road trip is scheduled to continue Monday at Colorado with RHP Edison Volquez (8-9) scheduled to start for the Padres.
The Associated Press

subset: commoncrawl


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Staff Reporter
Complaints have also been raised about road construction.
KOCHI: Members of the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Darshan Society has alleged corruption in the utilisation of funds for landless Scheduled Caste families in Amballur panchayat. The allegation is that out of 62 cents identified for the project, 22 cents are paddy fields and more than half of the land has waterlogging issues. Complaints have also been raised about the road constructed by private parties, they said.


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Book your room at Le Palace D Anfa
Deluxe RoomMax Occupancy: 3 guests (up to 2 children, 1 infant)
Executive SuiteMax Occupancy: 4 guests (up to 3 children, 2 infants)
Suite (Ambassador)Max Occupancy: 4 guests (up to 3 children, 2 infants)
Royal SuiteMax Occupancy: 4 guests (up to 3 children, 2 infants)
Standard Single RoomMax Occupancy: 1 guest
Deluxe Single RoomMax Occupancy: 1 guest
Standard Double RoomMax Occupancy: 2 guests (up to 1 infant)
Luxury Casablanca hotel in Maarif, near Place Mohammed V
Located in Maarif, this luxury hotel is within 2 mi (3 km) of Casablanca Twin Center, Hassan II Mosque, and Place Mohammed V. Stade Mohammed V and Cathedrale Sacre Coeur are also within 1 mi (2 km).
Hotel Features
Along with 3 restaurants, this hotel has a full-service spa and an outdoor pool. Free WiFi in public areas and free valet parking are also provided. Additionally, a fitness center, a bar/lounge, and a swim-up bar are onsite.
Room Amenities
All 156 rooms feature thoughtful touches like bathrobes and slippers, plus free WiFi and LCD TVs with satellite channels. Guests will also find 24-hour room service, hair dryers, and safes.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
In addition to a full-service spa, Le Palace D Anfa features an outdoor pool and a fitness center. Dining is available at one of the hotel's 3 restaurants and guests can grab coffee at the coffee shop/café. Guests can unwind with a drink at one of the hotel's bars, which include a swim-up bar, a poolside bar, and a bar/lounge. High-speed wireless Internet access is complimentary.
A 24-hour business center is on site at this 5-star property. 8 meeting rooms are available. This Art Deco hotel also offers spa services, multilingual staff, and concierge services. For a surcharge, the property provides an area shuttle within 6 km and a roundtrip airport shuttle (available on request). Complimentary valet parking is available on site.
Le Palace D Anfa has designated areas for smoking.
- Outdoor pool
- Bar/lounge
- Airport transportation (surcharge)
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Multilingual staff
- 24-hour front desk
- Number of floors - 9
- Elevator/lift
- Coffee shop or café
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Express check-in
- Express check-out
- Fireplace in lobby
- Fitness facilities
- Full-service spa
- Designated smoking areas
- Free WiFi
- Area shuttle (surcharge)
- Concierge services
- Total number of rooms - 156
- Luggage storage
- Laundry facilities
- Spa treatment room(s)
- Free valet parking
- Poolside bar
- Porter/bellhop
- Number of restaurants - 3
- Year Built 2003
- 24-hour business center
- Number of meeting rooms - 8
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
- Spa services on site
- Swim-up bar
- Wedding services
- Turkish bath/Hammam
Family Friendly Amenities
- Outdoor pool
- Free Wi-Fi
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Laundry facilities
- Cribs/infant beds (complimentary)
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Free valet parking
Room Amenities
- Air conditioning
- Private bathroom
- Bathrobes
- Free toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Slippers
- Shower/tub combination
- Bidet
- Iron/ironing board (on request)
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Satellite TV service
- Free WiFi
- In-room safe
- Room service (24 hours)
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Free cribs/infant beds
Where to Eat
La Brasserie - This restaurant specializes in international cuisine and serves lunch and dinner.
Le Marocain - This restaurant specializes in Moroccan cuisine and serves dinner only.
La Verriere - This buffet restaurant serves breakfast and dinner.
24-hour room service is available.
Nearby Things to Do
Recreational amenities at the hotel include an outdoor pool and a fitness center.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Golfing nearby
Spa Services
Seven spa has 2 treatment rooms. Services include massages, facials, body wraps, and body scrubs. The spa is equipped with Turkish bath/hammam.
Children under 12 years old are not allowed in the spa without adult supervision.
- Body treatments
- Facial treatments
- Number of treatment rooms 2
- Manicures and pedicures
- Body wraps
- Body scrubs
- Massages
To make requests for specific accessibility needs, complete the "Special or Accessibility Requests" section of "Trip Preferences" when you book your hotel.
- Accessible parking
- Accessible bathroom
- Accessible path of travel
- In-room accessibility
Hotel Policies
Check-in time ends at midnight
Check-in time starts at 1 PM
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Rollaway/extra beds are available for MAD 450 per night.
- Free cribs (infant beds)!
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
No pets or service animals allowed
- A tax is imposed by the city: MAD 39.60 per person, per night
- Airport shuttle fee: MAD 550 per vehicle (one way)
- Rollaway bed fee: MAD 450 per night
We should mention
Reservations are required for massage services. Reservations can be made by contacting the hotel prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation. Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms. The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation. No pets and no service animals are allowed at this property.


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Complete Auto Loans Gives Consumers 4 Tips to Help Them Get Their Next Auto Loan in a New Blog Post
Complete Auto Loans helps consumers learn more about raising their credit score through the strategic purchase of a car through a bad credit auto lender.
(PRWEB) January 27, 2013
There's nothing worse then trying to get an Auto Loan from multiple lenders only to find that none of them will accept an application. That's why Complete Auto Loans offers these four tips to help consumers not only get a car loan but raise their credit score.
First, Getting a Used Car Can Be a Good Choice
Statistically it's best to invest into a vehicle that is 2 or 3 years old. The price of a new car is not only significantly greater but decreases in value much faster then a car that is 2-3 years old. A 2-3 year old car is also at the zenith of quality and durability which makes getting a bad credit auto loan much more likely for a consumer.
The other advantage of buying a used car that is only a few years old is the availability of a service contract for that vehicle. A service contract is a great way to avoid unexpected expenses on a vehicle which will ensure repossession does not take place by missing a car payment. Any maintenance that is needed on the car can be taken care of with a service contract that will generally outlast the length of the auto loan.
Second, Having a Good Insurance Plan For One's Car Maintenance is like Having Peace Of Mind.
A Service contract is a smart insurance policy that can get one out of a bad fix. It's kind of like using AAA service for one's vehicle. If their car gets stuck on the side of the road not only will they have their towing needs taken care of but they will also have their mechanic problems taken care of as well.
It is true that cars today are vastly superior and more reliable with their computerized systems that can better manage overall engine efficiency and fuel mileage but that also means a car is much more difficult to repair unless specialized training has been given. This means that most repairs cost much more then in the past. So, having service insurance is an attractive commodity.
Third, Every Car Has a Maintenance Schedule
Whether or not one expects their car to break down or not every car has a maintenance schedule. Proper upkeep can keep a person driving comfortably while not having proper upkeep can land a car owner in the shop at the least opportune moment. Realistically, it's much wiser to spend a few dollars per month then to have to spend a large clump sum when one's vehicle breaks down or needs maintenance. Anything that can ensure that car repossession does not happen again means that a car owner's credit score will significantly increase over the life of their car payments.
Fourth, Overextending One's Budget For a Car Leads To Repossession.
It's important to feel good about a car purchase but don't let that car purchase rule the checkbook for the next six years. Don't make a decision based upon what the future might bring but what the current finances look like now. Consumers can find themselves in an even deeper financial hole if they purchase too much car for their budget. Set aside a monthly expense for a Bad Credit Auto Loan with a car that will be reliable yet affordable with a service contract and then peace of mind is not a problem at all.
About Complete Auto Loans
Complete Auto Loans provides loans to people with good and bad credit history. They provide consumer information to help everyone make the best choice for their next auto loan. Their mission is to help car shoppers find a reliable car at an affordable monthly rate. They offer a unique online lending portal that can get car shoppers approved for an Auto Loan.
For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prwebbad-credit-auto-loans/auto-service-contracts/prweb10365859.htm


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I'm having trouble getting AppleScript to read a list of files from a folder without receiving the error message "Can't get every file from folder XXX"
set targetfolder to ("DICTAPHONE:DSS_FLDA:")
tell application "Finder"
set fileselection to every file in targetfolder
This worked flawlessly before upgrading to Mavericks. Paths are correct. I tried it with a different folder on my startup disk and got the same result.


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Women's Soccer
Women's Soccer Rout Grays HarborDate posted: September 29, 2014
Bellevue College's women's soccer team broke out offensively with a 13-0 win on the road over Grays Harbor College on Saturday September 27. Bellevue scored seven of the goals in the first half and got going quickly at the eight minute mark as Jessica Walters scored on a feed from Amber Reiber. Walters, Sam Mellick, …more about Women's Soccer Rout Grays Harbor
Bulldogs Go Undefeated in First Week of SeasonDate posted: September 3, 2014
BC beats Columbia Basin, tie Pierce & Skagit Valley to open the 2014 season. The Bellevue College women's soccer team opened up the 2014 season at the NWAC Starfire Friendlies. Their first match was against South division Pierce College Raiders. "We had two great weeks of preseason to prepare," said second year head coach Kiko …more about Bulldogs Go Undefeated in First Week of Season
High School Spring ID CampDate posted: February 27, 2014
High School Sr ID CampDate posted: December 3, 2013
Bellevue College Women's Soccer program would like to invite current high school seniors to attend the 2014 Sr. College ID Camp. This event will be instructed by women's head coach Kiko Magana. This is a great opportunity to be recruited and be considered as part of the recruiting class of 2014 for the Bulldogs. Click …more about High School Sr ID Camp
BC Women's Soccer Ends Season in First Round Playoffs LossDate posted: November 6, 2013
On Wednesday, November 6, Bellevue women's soccer traveled to Spokane to take on the East #2 seed (12-1-3 in league) in a loser-out game. The Bulldogs lost to the Sasquatch in NWAACC first round playoffs. Spokane controlled the early tempo of the match testing sophomore Ali Mackey before Spokane's sophomore Tasha Luu scored in the …more about BC Women's Soccer Ends Season in First Round Playoffs Loss
Bellevue Women Enter Soccer Playoffs After Competitive Final Week of League PlayDate posted: November 3, 2013
On Wednesday October 30, Bellevue traveled to top-ranked Peninsula and lost 4-1 before before coming home and tying their regular season finale on Saturday November 2 vs. sixth-ranked Highline by a score of 0-0. In the 4-1 loss to Peninsula, the Bulldogs gave up momentum early as Peninsula's Bri Afoa scored two minutes into the …more about Bellevue Women Enter Soccer Playoffs After Competitive Final Week of League Play
Ross Scores Early as Bellevue Coasts to 4-1 Win Over TacomaDate posted: October 23, 2013
Tatum Ross scored two minutes into the game and gave Bellevue a quick jump start as the Bulldogs won 4-1 over Tacoma on Wednesday October 23 at Starfire Complex. Samantha Mellick's goal in the 19th minute off an assist from Alicia Bowman put the Bulldogs up 2-0. This Saturday, Bellevue hosts Lower Columbia at 5PM …more about Ross Scores Early as Bellevue Coasts to 4-1 Win Over Tacoma
Mellick's Goal Wins it for Bellevue Women's Soccer, 1-0 Over OlympicDate posted: October 20, 2013
Samantha Mellick's goal on an assist from Alyssa Proudfoot was all the Bulldogs needed as the stellar goalkeeping by Ali Mackey (with 10 saves) held Olympic scoreless in the 1-0 win. The road win now puts Bellevue at 6-4-2 in league, one and a half games in front of Tacoma, who Bellevue entertains on Wednesday. …more about Mellick's Goal Wins it for Bellevue Women's Soccer, 1-0 Over Olympic
Highline Jumps Out Early; Tops Bellevue 2-0Date posted: October 15, 2013
Bellevue College's women's soccer team got down early 1-0 5 minutes into the game and could not recover, losing to Highline 2-0 on Wednesday October 15 at Starfire Complex in Tukwila. Sophie Rockow recorded 10 saves in goal for the Bulldogs who play next on Saturday October 18 at Olympic. Bellevue (5-4-2 in league) is …more about Highline Jumps Out Early; Tops Bellevue 2-0
Women's Soccer Loses Heartbreaker in Final Minute vs. PeninsulaDate posted: October 12, 2013
Bellevue College's women's soccer team showed they can contend for the conference championship after taking number two-ranked Peninsula College down to the wire, losing 1-0 in the final minute of the game. Ali Mackey recorded 13 saves in goal; keeping the door open for an upset until the very end. The loss puts Bellevue at …more about Women's Soccer Loses Heartbreaker in Final Minute vs. Peninsula


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Activists allege execution-style killings in Syria
Putin called for both Syrian government and opposition forces to pull out of besieged cities to end the bloodshed, adding that Western refusal to make that demand of Assad's opponents has encouraged them to keep fighting.
"Do they want Assad to pull out his forces so the opposition moves right in?" Putin said at a meeting with editors of top Western newspapers in remarks carried by state television. "Is it a balanced approach?"
Activist groups said protesters took to the streets in towns across Syria Friday, many of them met with tear gas, gunfire and mass arrests by Syrian security forces.
The Observatory said 10 people were killed in the town of Rastan near Homs when a mortar landed near marchers. The LCC said 16 were killed in the same event, among 52 reported dead nationwide.
Protesters dubbed Friday the day of "Arming the Free Syrian Army" - reflecting a widening perception that only military action can stop the crackdown on dissent and hasten Assad's downfall.
Associated Press writers Frank Jordans from Geneva and Albert Aji in Damascus contributed reporting.
The Associated Press


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The politics over Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray's memorial is intensifying.
After the Maharashtra Navanirman Sena (MNS) suggested that it be located on the Indu mill land, which have been earmarked for Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's memorial, Dalit leaders cutting across party lines have threatened to take forcible possession of the land if it was not released for Ambedkar's memorial by December 6.
Prakash Gajbhiye, state chief of the NCP's backward class cell, said they would take possession of the land in Dadar on December 6 (the day Ambedkar died in 1956) if approval for the memorial was not given by then and the 12.5 acre land transferred by the Centre for it.
The land belongs to the National Textile Corporation.
Gajbhiye also demanded that Dadar station be renamed Chaityabhoomi after Ambedkar's resting place.
Saying that he was not opposed to a memorial for Thackeray but only to the MNS's demand to construct it on Indu mill land. He added that they were ready to meet MNS chief Raj Thackeray to "help him change his mind".
"We are even willing to purchase the Indu mill land. If need be, we will tour Maharashtra and raise money for it," said Gajbhiye."If the government does not decide by December 6, we will forcibly take over the Indu mill land," said Avinash Mahatekar, Republican Party of India (RPI-Athavale).


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Skeer taking the long approach to racing
Mission accomplished. Now Skeer is in a waiting game for his next ride while coaching other young drivers.
After finishing second in the MX-5 Cup last year in his second season, Skeer elected not to return to the series this season. "There was nothing more to prove," he said.
So he is campaigning his Spec Miata in the SCCA Majors Series on the West Coast and waiting for more opportunities like his run at Laguna Seca while building for a 2015 campaign.
"I think there will be a couple more chances to run for CJ Wilson later this season and a few other teams are talking to me," said Skeer. "I can drive for other teams this season. My main focus is on next year and 2015 could be interesting."
Skeer, a sophomore at MiraCosta College, started racing karts at the age of five. He entered the Mazda spec Class in 2011 at the age of 16 and earned a $75,000 commitment from the factory for winning the Mazda Shootout after 14 top-three finishes in his 18 races as a rookie.


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WSU seeking cash to expand in Everett
WSU is seeking $1 million to offer bachelor's degrees in software engineering and agriculture through the University Center on the campus of Everett Community College.
University officials are hoping Gov. Jay Inslee will include it in the supplemental budget he'll release later this month.
It's among a pile of requests received by Inslee and his budget writers at the Office of Financial Management, many of which may not be filled since the state's financial situation isn't much different than in June when Inslee signed a new two-year budget.
"There's not going to be a lot of money," said David Schumacher, director of the Office of Financial Management. "There will be very few new items."
The 2013-15 budget signed in June by Inslee spends $33.4 billion out of its general fund. It had $215 million in reserves and $582 million in the rainy day account that cannot be tapped without action by the Legislature.
Since then tax collections have come in pretty much as forecast. However, increases in the number of students and people needing public services are eating up those gains, Schumacher explained.
As a result, the supplemental spending plan Inslee will put out the week of Dec. 16 is expected to make small adjustments in agency budgets and not be laden with expensive initiatives. Lawmakers will consider Inslee's proposal in the 2014 session.
WSU's effort to expand in Everett has enjoyed solid support in the Legislature.
After launching a degree program in mechanical engineering in 2012, it secured $2 million in June to offer courses this fall in electrical engineering, communications and hospitality-business management.
If the Pullman-based research university gets another $1 million next year it will begin classes in software engineering, and agriculture and food systems in January 2015, according to materials accompanying its request.
WSU is also asking Inslee to include $3 million in his budget for salary hikes for all of its classified employees. It would cover a 4 percent hike in January plus a 4 percent increase in the current salary schedule for classified workers.
"Compensation must be set at competitive levels to retain remaining high-quality staff now operating in more demanding environments in the wake of the economic recession and the austerity measures it required," university officials wrote in materials submitted with the request.
Not surprisingly, the single largest request to Inslee is for public schools.
Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn asked for $438.9 million, including $385.6 million for basic education programs for students in kindergarten through 12th grade.
Dorn said it is the minimum needed to keep the state on track to fully fund basic education by 2018 as ordered by the Supreme Court.
The Legislature made a $1 billion downpayment in this current budget. But Dorn said it should have been higher because it will require as much as $6 billion in additional money to comply with the court's demand in its McCleary decision.
Schumacher didn't sound optimistic that Dorn's request can be filled.
"There's not much capacity to do anything at all," he said. "There's just nothing there."
Dorn said lawmakers aren't talking about pushing to make another sizable payment for public schools. Rather, they are talking more about working on a transportation package and getting out of town on time, he said.
"I do not think it bodes well," he said. "I believe I will be teeing up a bill that does a lot and basically I will tell legislators that you took an oath of office, so stand up and uphold your oath."
A new legal marijuana industry has one agency looking for money to beef up its staff.
The Washington State Liquor Control Board wants $6.4 million for 23 new full-time positions. It's expected they'll be needed by the spring when the agency begins issuing hundreds of licenses for businesses to grow, process and sell marijuana.
Most requests are for smaller amounts.
For example, Department of Licensing officials are trying to clear away a backlog of paperwork involving pistol sales. They've asked for $409,000 to hire seven part-timers who can input the records.
Inslee also will submit a supplemental capital budget for lawmakers' consideration. Again, don't expect any big ticket items in it.
There is a request for $700,000 for the continued clean-up of diesel fuel spilled on the grounds of the Monroe Correctional Complex.
And TVW, which provides live coverage of legislative proceedings, is seeking $2.84 million to replace cameras and production equipment, and to upgrade wiring to improve its signal transmission.
In its request, station officials said the money would "ensure continued and uninterrupted public access" to House and Senate committee hearings, news conferences and other public events in the Capitol and legislative buildings.
Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623; email@example.com.
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Richard Raya, Director
As Director of ClimatePlan, Richard sets ClimatePlan's strategic direction and works with network partners on state and regional policy to help California communities become more healthy, equitable, and sustainable. Before joining ClimatePlan, Richard held senior positions at nonprofits including PolicyLink, California Forward, and Youth Radio; helped win a $10.4 billion California education ballot measure; and managed a $100+ million annual budget as Director of Administration at the Alameda County Public Health Department. He earned his BA and a Master's in Public Policy from UC Berkeley.
Email: richard "AT" climateplan "DOT" org
Carey Knecht, Associate Director
As the Associate Director for ClimatePlan, Carey works to increase the size and strength of its statewide network and mobilize coalition partners around key policy debates. Before joining ClimatePlan, Carey served as Policy Director at Greenbelt Alliance, an advocacy group that promotes inclusive, climate-friendly cities and healthy natural areas in the San Francisco Bay Area. There, she led the research for Grow Smart Bay Area. She has researched and/or written six reports on city planning and land use. Carey received a Masters in City Planning from U.C. Berkeley and studied environmental biology at Yale University.
Email: carey "AT" climateplan "DOT" org
Chanell Fletcher, Policy and Engagement Manager
Chanell leads ClimatePlan's state and regional policy efforts while deepening engagement in ClimatePlan activities. In 2012, Chanell was selected to participate in the U.S. Department of Transportation's internship program; she worked in the Office of the Secretary of Transportation analyzing the new transportation bill, MAP-21, and how it connects to states' performance measures and overall funding needs. Chanell received a Master's in Public Administration from San Francisco State University and studied history at the University California, Santa Cruz.
Email: chanell "AT" climateplan "DOT" org


text:
abit is well known for their graphic cards and motherboards, especially to the enthusiast crowd. However, network cards was a new one on us, but that changed now that we've taken a look at their reliable PCI-E WiFi card. The best part : It's currently available for $6 after MIR at one popular e-tailer.
With the card installed in our motherboards x4 PCI-Express slot, Windows XP instantly picked it up and began scanning for local wireless networks. If it works right out of the box, why do we even need to install the included software? Technically you don't have to. You can easily install it and be about your way but should you need the extras features that the SoftAP software makes doing easy, then you're going to want to get the disk out and install the software.
When the disk is first put into the computer, AutoPlay will present you with this charming little guy. Simply click the "Install Driver" button and be about your business. What an awesome shirt.
The entire installation process is pretty much a "next" clicking party. The only snag that came up was the Windows warning, alerting us that the driver is not digitally signed from Microsoft. This happens not only for the software, but the AirPace driver itself. This isn't a big deal and you can click continue through both warnings.
Once installed, there will be a little icon placed on your desktop. When you first open up the SoftAP program, you are asked to pick your country. This isn't a big deal either. Scroll down and choose your county and click OK.
The next few screens are only to show you what options are available. Outside of status indications, the ability to enable/disable power saving options and switch between wireless receiver and access point, there aren't many options to choose from. The one item that we are going to focus on is the access point capabilities of the AirPace.
What this means is this. Say you have a PC that is on a wire network. You are satisfied with your current setup but would like to add the ability to connect wirelessly should the desire ever come across you. You already have a network in place and you don't really want to purchase an entirely new router.
This is where an access point comes in. With the AirPace, you have the ability to still remain connected to your router via the Ethernet cable you are currently using, but also set the AP up to broadcast wireless signals as well. It's a pretty simple concept and quite simple to implement.
There really wasn't a whole lot to testing the AirPace out. We installed it, setup the software and began browsing. Our first step was to hop online and play a few rounds of Counter Strike: Source. CS:S is easily my favorite multiplayer game but unfortunately my enthusiasm to play isn't even close to my ability to actually contribute in team matches. Throughout our session, never once did we experience a dip in performance.
In AP mode, the range of the AirPace wasn't bad… but it wasn't spectacular either. It simply worked. As we moved in and around the building, our connection speeds would fluctuate and sometimes drop altogether. My recommendation on the AP front is that it will work well in a small environment but anything more and you might want to look at a more powerful unit.
The AirPace is an easy, no hassle piece of hardware that is perfect for anyone looking to extend their wireless range or simple get their desktop PC onto an existing wireless network. To make it even better, you don't -have- to even install the software. Like we said earlier, Windows XP recognized the device instantly and before we could get the disk in the tray, our PC had located our internal wireless network.
There really isn't much more that we can say about this device. It's not ground breaking, but it does exactly what it says it will and it does that perfectly. To add to the appeal of the AirPace, it can be found online for $5.99 (US) at Newegg.com. This is after a $20.00 mail in rebate but even if you don't send in the rebate, $26 dollars isn't that hard of a pill to swallow.
With pricing like what we are seeing now, it appears that abit is practically giving the AirPace away. It wouldn't surprise me to see abit steal a page out of Asus' playbook and start bundling the AirPace card with select motherboards. It may or may not happen, but it's not outside the realm of believable ideas. The bottom line is that the abit AirPace delivers as advertised and paired with an unbelievable price, the abit AirPace W-Fi card earns a 9 out of 10 with an editor's choice award thanks to its terrific price.
If you have a comment you wish to make on this review, feel free to head on into our forums! There is no need to register in order to reply to such threads.


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The run will start at 10AM. The run will be a 5-6 mile run along the lake front. Pace will be a 9-12 min/mile. We can go for brunch afterwards, if anybody is interested. The meeting location for the run is at the Starbucks on North and Wells. I will be at the Starbucks at about 9:45AM. If you can't find me, ask the baristas and they will point me out.
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text: New toy [Archive] - Glock Talk Glock Talk > Practical Tactics > Free Fire Zone > New toy PDA View Full Version : New toy ronin.4502-11-2013, 16:59Just ordered a new liberty mystic today. Now the wait begins. It should be awesome on my SBR. vBulletin® v3.8.7, Copyright ©2000-2015, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.


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Monmouth County, N.J., Jan. 28, 2013 -- Boxes containing furniture components are moved into renovated units at Fort Monmouth in preparation for occupancy. Temporary housing units for some of the survivors displaced by Hurricane Sandy in late October 2012 are handled within FEMA's direct housing program. Photo by Sharon Karr/FEMA


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I think I can speak for most of us when I say that my resumé is a complete work of fiction.
I think I can speak for most of us when I say that my resumé is a complete work of fiction.
LinkedIn, you magnificent bastard, you've done it again.
For the most party, LinkedIn profiles are pretty damn boring, even though it's pretty fucking important to have one depending on what industry you're in after college.
Getting a leg up when searching for a new job can mean the difference between finding the perfect fit, or going nowhere fast.
If you're a living, breathing person right now, there is roughly a 278% chance that you use at least one social media site, and probably more than one.
What's Shaq's best asset.
Let's be honest with each other.
LinkedIn's decision to prevent prostitutes from using the site to market themselves has one legal brothel owner feeling, well, screwed.
In today's Guyism Speed Round, Katie Nolan discusses a clause in LinkedIn's new user agreement that bans prostitutes from promoting their prostitute things, a cop stuck in a tree, and more.
If a prostitute works as a prostitute, isn't he or she allowed to note that on LinkedIn.
You'd think that with the popularity of buzzwords in our culture that shoving a few hundred into your resume would only increase your chances of landing a job.
It's that time of year when millions of college students are packing up their sh*tty rooms from their on-campus dens of iniquity and hoping they can somehow, against all odds, land a job.
Boy, it has been a crappy day for LinkedIn, and I'm writing this at 9:30am in the morning, so there's a whole day for it to get even worse.


text: Summer lovers, vintage lovers, charm lovers; an ArteHouse wood sign offers so much for so many. An ArteHouse sign adds a touch of personality to any space. Add a kick to the kid's room, a giggle to game room or garage. Brighten an already vibrant beach abode. It also makes a fabulous gift, or a keepsake of places seen or of time spent, cherished, and remembered.


text:
The sounds of the city grow faint. The air smells of pine, and the wind whispers through the branches. The Alaska Pacific University Trail is rough with rocks, and Marko Cheseto struggles for balance as he runs. Looking for even patches in the dirt, he chooses his steps carefully. Each one is a decision. Once, when he had feet, he flew through these woods. He flew through them faster than anyone ever had.
Cheseto, 30, remembers how things once felt beneath those feet: the light touch of the track, the roll of the trails, the give of the red earth he grew up running on. He remembers how far those feet carried him—from a tiny village in the Kenyan Highlands across the world to Alaska and a new life as a star runner. He remembers how they propelled him to victory. Sometimes, he forgets he doesn't have those feet anymore.
But not today. Today he remembers. Today he's wearing metal feet inside his running shoes, and they are no match for real feet that slide over rocks and roots like water.
Cheseto has run this trail countless times since arriving at the University of Alaska Anchorage in 2008. It was through these woods that he pushed himself and his teammates and helped forge the Seawolves into a national force. And it was here that he took that last run, the one that transformed him from the greatest runner the school had ever known into... someone else.
We stop running and Cheseto searches his memory for the map of that run. He looks into the trees.
"This way," he says, stepping off the trail. We walk along a boggy moose track until coming to an opening in the trees.
"Tumefika," he says. "We have arrived. This is the opening. I remember seeing a light from over there."
We stand and look at the place.
"I knew the route," he says, pointing up a hill. "I was going to go from campus, around this way, then go home."
"What were you thinking when you left campus?" I ask.
He shrugs. "Nothing. Kukimbia tu."
Just to run.
As we make our way back to the car, Cheseto is subdued. This is not his usual manner: Normally, he is quick to joke. He can talk for hours. He can make you laugh so hard your stomach hurts. These are things everyone says: Marko's a goofball. Marko's the best. Marko was the first Kenyan I really got to know. And this: Marko was the one who brought the team together.
And soon enough, he's joking about having more legroom in cars than he used to (which he does). We arrive at his apartment, a yellow stucco building on a street filled with identical apartments. He ascends the stairs to the second floor in a sideways manner, walks down a dark hallway, and opens the unlocked door.
Inside, David Kiplagat, the first Kenyan to come to the University of Alaska in 2004, is making milky Kenyan tea in the kitchen (formerly a professional runner and assistant coach, at press time, Kiplagat had joined the U.S. Army). Cheseto greets him before taking a seat in the living room. He takes off each Vari-Flex XC prosthesis, then leans back and dozes off.
As he naps, I page through his photo album. There are images of Cheseto running races in Kenya, with friends at a Rift Valley overlook, and posing with his family of 13 (he's the third oldest of 11) on their farm in a village called Ptop. In the background, the rolling hills are covered with small fields of crops. They farmed everything from potatoes and onions to corn, and if the crops did well, they had enough to eat.
"This place is a lot different than Kenya," Cheseto had told me. "A lot different. Kenya is on the equator. This is the North Pole. Alaska is the end of the earth."
Ptop, it seems, was also at the end of the earth. No buses traveled through it. Save for the sounds of chickens, cows, and goats, it was quiet. Cheseto's father owned around 30 cows and 100 goats, and before he started school, Cheseto's job was to look after the animals. The goats were very fast, but he was faster.
The village was far from anything. So when Cheseto started school, he would put on his blue school shorts and his white school shirt, shove his notebook into his bag, and run six miles down the dirt road to Ptop Primary School. Sometimes, he'd run home for lunch, which meant by the age of 6 he was logging up to 24 miles a day. Some years he ran barefoot. Other years, he had shoes. Sometimes he raced kids from other villages through the fields. He often won, but it was just a game. Running, for Cheseto, was never something you did apart from the rest of your life. Running was life. If you wanted to get anywhere in this world, you ran.
In 1999, in eighth grade, he represented his school at a district competition against 25 other schools. He finished fourth. It was his first hint that running might be more than just a mode of travel.
It was a time when thousands of other Kenyans were having the same realization. Worldwide, there was an explosion in the number of races offering prize money. With it came the allure of un-imagined riches. Kenya's Commissioner for Sports and 800-meter Olympic bronze medalist Michael Boit openly encouraged his countrymen to seek profit from their talents, and soon foreign coaches and agents began flooding the country searching for the best of the best. Young Kenyan runners flocked to the training hubs of Iten and Eldoret, and in highland towns, hundreds fought on makeshift tracks for a place at the front, all hoping to be noticed by a running camp or a coach and secure a manager or a scholarship at a foreign university. The competition was brutal; they were all, in a sense, running for their lives.
Over the years, Kenyan authorities have voiced concern about foreigners exploiting the country's surplus of talent and desire. But for most athletes, trading family, friends, and home for the dream of a better life is an exchange they're willing to make. Hardship is something most Kenyans know well—a few years of intense pressure and long hours on an American campus can seem a fair price to pay for the opportunities it may create. Indeed, Michael Boit himself moved to New Mexico in 1973 as a student-athlete, went on to get his doctorate, and then returned home in 1987 to help change the face of the running world.
As Kenyans began to dominate distance running in the 1990s, Cheseto occasionally heard the name of his aunt, Tegla Loroupe, on the radio. She won marathons from New York City to Rotterdam and Berlin, setting world records in both the marathon and half-marathon. With her first marathon win—New York in 1994—she took home $35,000.
Cheseto kept running through high school, where he grew tall and his stride grew long. Every year, he ran in the district competition, and every year, he finished third. He traveled with his school team to races, and for the first time he saw the bright lights of Nairobi, the shores of Lake Victoria, the vast blue of the Indian Ocean. With each trip, Cheseto's horizon stretched a little farther from the hilltops of Ptop. Traveling around Kenya—and getting free bread and milk!—made him realize what being a runner could mean.
After high school, he attended teachers college in Egoji, thinking he'd eventually get a job in Ptop near his daughter, whose mother was a high school girlfriend. Over his two years at Egoji, Cheseto became a force on the track. His long, relaxed stride belied an aggressive, front-running racing style and a devastating finishing kick. In 2006, Cheseto traveled to Kigari, a small town east of Mount Kenya, for the Kenyan Teachers College Sports Association Athletics Championships, the last of his events as a student. The races were run on a simple grass track marked out in a field, ringed by spectators and set against the dramatic backdrop of Mount Kenya's lonely silhouette.
One spectator stood out: a mzungu—white man. Word spread that he was a coach from America. Indeed, Jon Murray was from Texas, and it was the coach's fourth trip to Kenya to scout running talent for Abilene Christian University. The small school in a dusty corner of tornado alley didn't typically attract top U.S. runners, but in Kenya, Murray could meet as many as 80 serious recruits for one or two slots. Hard as it was to cull through all those lives—all that hope—it was a good problem for a coach to have. And Murray always had good luck at the KTCA Athletics Championships—the runners had both the book smarts and the speed to excel in the U.S. system.
After watching Cheseto finish second in both the 5-K and 10-K, Murray approached him. He handed over his business card, told Cheseto he was looking for runners to come run for his team, and suggested he look up ACU online. Cheseto nodded, Yes, yes, of course.
But on the long ride back to Ptop, he looked at the card and scratched his head. "There were a lot of things I didn't know—E-mail? Online? Upload? I didn't do anything because I didn't know about online and Web pages," he says.
Electricity hadn't even reached the village, let alone the World Wide Web. And besides, by then he had another daughter with a college girlfriend to support and he needed a job. So at the end of the summer, Cheseto started teaching for about $200 a month. On Murray's advice, he took the TOEFL exam—Test of English as a Foreign Language—and did well. But beyond that, he wasn't sure what to do.
That winter, an envelope arrived from America. Murray was now at Texas Tech University, and the envelope contained an application and magazine articles showing Kenyans at Texas Tech winning the Big 12 Conference Championships. As he paged through it all, Cheseto felt the smallness of his classroom. "Teaching was fun," he says, "but I was hungry for more. So I thought, This is something I need to pursue. It's better if my kids miss me and have something to eat than if I was there in Kenya and they had nothing." He sent his application to Texas.
For months he heard nothing. But he was determined to see how far running could take him, and so that summer of 2007, he left for Eldoret.


text:
Saints rally past Texans
Houston's Andre Johnson had 131 yards receiving before halftime in his first extended work of the preseason Sunday against the New Orleans Saints.
But New Orleans' backups scored two touchdowns in the second half to help the Saints to a 31-23 victory.
Johnson didn't play in the preseason opener and had less than a quarter of work last week. On Sunday, he grabbed seven of the eight passes thrown to him, highlighted by a 39-yard reception.
Matt Schaub was 15 of 26 for 213 yards for Houston (2-1), and Ben Tate ran for 74 yards and a score filling in for Arian Foster.
Drew Brees was four of six for 104 yards and a touchdown for the Saints (3-0) before sitting down after the third possession. With Marques Colston still sitting out with a left foot injury, rookie fifth-round pick Kenny Stills continued to impress with 54 yards receiving and a touchdown.
Backup Luke McCown came in with 8 eight minutes left in the second quarter. He finished with 118 yards and two touchdowns.
Andy Tanner had 33 yards receiving with two touchdown receptions in the second half for New Orleans.
Tate piled up 51 yards on Houston's second drive, with the highlight coming on a 39-yard run when he darted to the outside and cut back in for the big gain. He capped it with a 1-yard run that gave Houston a 7-0 lead.
Schaub was sacked by Cameron Jordan when he manhandled Derek Newton on third down on Houston's next possession and the Texans settled for a 48-yard field goal from Randy Bullock.
Johnson beat his coverage and was wide open for the 39-yard reception in the second quarter. Schaub was sacked after that and Houston's offense stalled before Bullock made it 13-7 with a 55-yard field goal.
The Saints couldn't get much going on offense in their first two drives. Willie Jefferson got his hands on Brees in the end zone on the third play of their first drive. But before he could bring him down, the quarterback got off a pass that fell incomplete.
Keshawn Martin returned the punt for a touchdown, but it was called back because of an illegal block by Brandon Harris.
Brees was sacked by Jared Crick to force a punt and end the next drive. The Saints finally started clicking after that.
Brees found Pierre Thomas on a short pass and linebacker Joe Mays was there to make the tackle, but Thomas wriggled free and dashed for a 51-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 10-7 early in the second quarter.
The Saints got that drive going on another catch and run when Brees finessed a short floater to Mark Ingram which he turned into a 29-yard gain.
McCown's first drive ended with a 51-yard field goal by Garrett Hartley that cut Houston's lead to 13-10.
Stills grabbed a 40-yard pass over Kareem Jackson on third-and-6. Stills finished the drive four plays later when he beat Johnathan Joseph to get wide open on the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown reception to put New Orleans up 17-13.
Harris was called for his second costly penalty of the game on a 40-yard pass interference call on the first play of the second half. New Orleans took advantage of the penalty when McCown found Tanner for an 8-yard touchdown strike to make it 24-16.
WHO SETS THE CURVE?Check out the FOXiest fans from stadiums across the country and tweet us your photo.
T.J. Yates threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Alec Lemon to get Houston to 24-23 late in the third quarter. Tanner's second touchdown grab pushed the Saints' lead to 31-23 in the fourth.
Houston played without defensive end Antonio Smith, who served the first game of a three-game suspension for hitting Miami guard Richie Incognito with the Dolphins player's helmet last week.
Smith ripped the helmet off Incognito's head, then hit Incognito on the shoulder with it Aug. 17. Fellow Houston defensive end and the 2012 defensive player of the year J.J. Watt also sat out for the Texans.
Tate got another start despite Foster returning to practice this week for the first time since May after dealing with calf and back injuries. Coach Gary Kubiak has said that Foster could start in Houston's opener Sept. 9 without getting a preseason snap.
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NFL Headlines
NFL Insiders: Dolphins name Dennis Hickey new general manager
Carroll: Seahawks CB Richard Sherman sorry about postgame rant
Browns to interview Bills' Pettine with Broncos' Gase out of running
NFL talking to 49ers about sideline hit vs Seahawks in NFC title game
Falcons hire former Chiefs GM Pioli as assistant general manager


text:
The Supreme Court has stayed the execution of the death penalty awarded to Md. Jamiluddin Nasir for the terrorist attack on the American Center in Kolkata on January 22, 2002.
The Calcutta High Court in February this year upheld the death sentence given by a lower court to him and the main accused, Aftab Ansari. While three of the other five convicted by the lower court were sentenced to life, the High Court acquitted the remaining two for lack of evidence.
Six policemen were killed and 14 injured in the attack, masterminded by Ansari, stated to be a Dubai-based don. Two motorcycle-borne terrorists opened fire from AK-47 and AK-56 assault rifles on the policemen guarding the American Center. Ansari was arrested in Dubai soon thereafter and deported to India on February 9, 2002.
On Monday, a Bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justices Deepak Verma and B.S. Chauhan, stayed the execution of the death sentence on the appeal filed by Nasir. Ansari is yet to file an appeal.
The Bench, while issuing notice on Nasir's appeal, also admitted an appeal filed by the West Bengal government, challenging the acquittal by the High Court of two accused persons and seeking enhancement of punishment to the other three, who were sentenced to life.
Counsel Nitya Ramakrishnan appeared for Nasir and senior counsel K.T.S. Tulsi, for the government.
Keywords: Jamiluddin Nasir, death penalty, terrorist attack


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Real news. Real funny.
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