LostInSpace

Yeah, I read about that earlier about the aircraft deal. Another Brit company holding too.

Looks like Mrs. Clinton has been blind sided. CNN: In a letter to Sen. Hillary Clinton, obtained exclusively by CNN, Israel's Zim Integrated Shipping Services CEO, Idon Ofer, called DP World a strong business partner, despite the United Arab Emirates' boycott of Israel. "During our long association with DP World, we have not experienced a single security issue in these ports or in any of the terminals operated by DP World," Ofer said in a letter written February 22. "We are proud to be associated with DP World and look forward to working with them into the future." Clinton, a Democrat from New York, is a leading opponent of the proposed deal, and has joined other senators in introducing legislation to ban companies owned by foreign governments from controlling U.S. port operations. ------------------------------------------------------- Compliments of CNN. Read the letter here.

I can't believe they are still at it. CNN: Mohammed cartoons inflame U.S. campus

quote:Andreas Katsulas, actor best known as G'kar on Babylon 5, died February 13 at the age of 59.What!? I didn't even hear about that one.

This is turning very ugly. Between the toll news and now this. I blame people's complacency on allowing the government's smoking tax. I said time and time again they are not going to stop with just that. Smokers were just the experiment. I hope all this tax stuff and increased fees comes to bite everybody you know where.

Wow just wow! This just in: KeySpan Being Sold To British Utility Co. quote: AP) LONDON KeySpan is being sold. National Grid has agreed to a $7.3 billion dollar takeover of the largest natural gas distribution company in the northeastern United States. KeySpan serves 900,000 utility customers in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. National Grid said it was paying $7.3 billion cash and also taking on debts estimated at $4.5 billion. KeySpan shareholders will receive $42.00 in cash for each share held.Where's the anti-foreign ownership rhetoric now? A foreign fime taking over an important east coast energy supply company. Isn't our energy infrastructure as important as the ports to put into the hands of foreigners?

I just came across this blog. It's pretty good. I was just going to bring some of these issues up myself, but this gentleman has done it very nicely for me. Where were these same Democrats when Mr. Clinton was selling us to the chinese not just in ports but other issues as well if you all remember. Only now are they posturing on their holier than thou attitude? Acting all shocked and dumbfounded. What a performance and what actors they are. UAE and American Ports: a Modest Proposal quote: On the Plus Side But there are political perils on the anti-deal side, too... notably that America has allowed foreign companies, including those based in countries with unfriendly populations or even enemy governments (such as Red China), to operate other American ports, just as Dubai Ports wants to do: The White House appeared stunned by the uprising, over a transaction that they considered routine ÔÇö especially since China's biggest state-owned shipper runs major ports in the United States, as do a host of other foreign companies. Mr. Bush's aides defended their decision, saying the company, Dubai Ports World, which is owned by the United Arab Emirates, would have no control over security issues.... But [the] firestorm of opposition to the deal drew a similarly intense expression of befuddlement by shipping industry and port experts. The shipping business, they said, went global more than a decade ago and across the United States, foreign-based companies already control more than 30 percent of the port terminals. That inventory includes APL Limited, which is controlled by the government of Singapore, and which operates terminals in Los Angeles, Oakland, Seattle, and Dutch Harbor, Alaska. Globally, 24 of the top 25 ship terminal operators are foreign-based, meaning most of the containers sent to the United States leave terminals around the world that are operated by foreign government or foreign-based companies. "This kind of reaction is totally illogical," said Philip Damas, research director at Drewry Shipping Consultants of London. "The location of the headquarters of a company in the age of globalism is irrelevant." Singapore, of course, is also a country with a large and radicalized Moslem population that is infiltrated -- inundated is the better word -- by international terrorist organizations like al-Qaeda and their affilliate, Jemaah Islamiah; yet no one is up in arms about APL operating American ports. What is the difference? The danger to the shrillest voices opposing this deal (especially the Democrats) is that they never objected when other dicey foreign countries operated the ports... but when an Arab country, even a friendly one that has been a huge help to us in the war, wants to do the same thing, the Democrats become hysterical. It smacks of racism -- the idea that it doesn't matter what an Arab thinks or even how hard he has fought on our side in the war against jihadism... his ethnicity alone makes him suspect. After flinging such charges at Republicans for so many decades, Democrats are very edgy about such accusations sticking to them. There are other, more tangible arguments in favor of the deal, mostly that the UAE has agreed to dramatically increase their already very high level of cooperation with the United States and our Western allies in the war effort. According to AP: To assuage concerns, the administration disclosed some assurances it had negotiated with Dubai Ports. It required mandatory participation in U.S. security programs to stop smuggling and detect illegal shipments of nuclear materials; roughly 33 other port companies participate in these voluntarily. The Coast Guard also said Tuesday it was nearly finished inspecting Dubai Ports' facilities in the United States. A senior Homeland Security official, Stewart Baker, said this was the first-ever sale involving U.S. port operations to a state-owned government. "In that sense this is a new layer of controls," he said. Baker added that U.S. intelligence agencies were consulted "very early on to actually look at vulnerabilities and threats...." A senior executive from Dubai Ports World pledged the company would agree to whatever security precautions the U.S. government demanded to salvage the deal. Chief operating officer Edward "Ted" H. Bilkey promised Dubai Ports "will fully cooperate in putting into place whatever is necessary to protect the terminals...." Bush, who has never vetoed a bill as president, said on the White House South Lawn: "This is a company that has played by the rules, has been cooperative with the United States, from a country that's an ally on the war on terror, and it would send a terrible signal to friends and allies not to let this transaction go through."

Yup seems the stars are at it again though. Always gotta compete with each other even in death. If you've notice when one dies, it's like three or four follow suit. Darren Mcgavin McGavin, 'A Christmas Story' father, dies at 83 Denis Weaver 'McCloud' star dead at 81

CNN: NEW YORK (AP) -- On the Internet, the traffic cops are blind -- they don't look at the data they're directing, and they don't give preferential treatment. quote: The carriers have stoked those fears with some hard-line rhetoric. John Thorne, Verizon Communications Inc.'s senior vice president and deputy general counsel, was quoted by The Washington Post as telling a conference that Google "is enjoying a free lunch that should, by any rational account, be the lunch of the facilities providers." Ed Whitacre, AT&T's chief executive, has raised eyebrows with similar statements to the effect that Google and Yahoo Inc. are freeloading on the Internet, a remarkable assertion considering both companies pay millions of dollars in Internet access fees, and their visitors pay for Internet access as well. quote: U.S. carriers are careful to point out that they don't intend to block anyone's Internet access or degrade service.Well we shall see. If business history is anything to go by, I don't believe a word of that statement.

Well looky here: Newsmax: Hillary Clinton Rips Bill's Panama Ports Deal

I saw a report on CBS this morning with the usual political crew gathered at the docks here in NY. You know, Chuck Schummer etc. They were there with members of the port workers union. Yup, the very same people that only just last week said they don't see what all the fuss is about. I wonder what political favors these politicians are paying the union to come over to their side.

Yeah, saw a report last night, forget which tv station, they spoke with the dock workers and they said they don't know what all the fuss is about 30% of all the ports are foreign run. We get shippments all day long from all over the world and only a fraction of them actually get physically inspected. If the terrorist are going to export things through our ports, they are not going to use arab run firms to do so. Since they know those shipments inparticular are going to get colonoscopies. Also, that Cheney story was a good distraction so the media didn't have to report about that speech Al Gore made during the same period. Nice smoke screen guys.

The PS3 is going to sell the best in Australia. Just look at that boomerang. Be great though for people that throw the gamepad from dying a lot.

What everyone failed to realize in this thread is that local, state and federal government have already imposed (in some states very high) taxes on cigarette products (except for cigars again funny that) to be put aside to relieve this supposed strain smokers put on the health care industry. Now these companies are coming along with the health insurance companies and telling smokers that they are ignoring this fact and we will charge you even more. I mean come on. What other section of the population do you see being treated like this? Here's the break down: Federal: Taxes collected from tobacco growers passed along to the consumer from the cigarette companies State/Local: Taxes collected on cigarettes to pay for future health care smokers may require. Cigars are exempt from this tax. Do you know what New York State was caught doing with that supposed health tax of cigarettes? I've posted about this before but in one instance they built a posh golf course in upstate NY and yes it was from the taxes collected on cigarettes.

quote:Originally posted by $iLk: I think anyone who engages in activity or behavior that is detrimental to their own personal health they should then have to pay more for their coverage. Where does it end? Who determines what's detrimental to ones health? The health care sector has waffled on so many things. Take for example eggs. First it was eggs are bad for you but now they are condidered good for you again. Suppose for the years that eggs were determined bad for you the company that you worked for upped your insurance payment based on that information because it was a well known fact you loved to have eggs every morning for breakfast but of course they didn't lower your payment with the newer findings. And if this issue is about prevention let me show you something about the dirty little secret of prevention in health care: Listen carefully to this clip. Ny Times: Diabetes BTW: The podiatrist in this clip is the one I work for. He's an excellent specialist in the Diabetic foot as well as the holeistic aspect of it.

This just in: Texas authorities say no charges for Dick cheney. You can hear the media weeping now. I think it's time now for the white house to release comments about Gore's speech in Saudi Arabia.

Yeah, but it's slowly becoming a catch 22 in this respects. I hope those companies are ready for the onslaught of discrimination lawsuits. It would be the first thing I would do if I found out that I was being charged $20-$30 more for my healthcare insurance because I am a smoker while the 275lb guy in the next cubicle shoving a twinkie in his mouth doesn't have to pay more.

That is so cool.

CINCINNATI, Ohio (AP) -- Smokers squeezed by soaring cigarette costs and workplace smoking bans are increasingly being hit with another cost increase -- this time for health insurance. Well most of you know where I stand on this issue. Funny how they left out people that DRINK or EAT too much and other medicaly risk factors people do in their private lives. Funny that. Very funny.

I find nadda anywhere about this Kerry's speech. When did it occur?

quote:Originally posted by Wolferz: quote:Originally posted by Jaguar: As the newest bumper sticker out there says... "I'd rather hunt with Dick Cheney Than ride with Ted Kennedy." Dunno bout that. I know how to swim. Defelecting bird shot however.... Dunno about that one either. As long as you remain in the hunting line, as you are suppose to, your risk of getting shot is slimmer than winding up in ol' Chappaquidick. I'm a bit disapointed. I was expecting far more lawyer jokes.

Okay, I've had enough with the media and democrats on this issue. Going on and on about it. First, it was the Dems. Namely you guessed it, Chuck Schummer whining about being told 24 hrs after the incident. Why I ask should that even be an issue. How many hunting accidents occur every year. Second this was not Chaney's fault no matter how much some want it to be. 1: Whittington downed a bird and went to retrieve it stepping out of the hunting line. I mean come on guys. I don't hunt or own any guns but even I know you are not suppose to leave the hunting line while the hunt is in progress. Total stupidity on Whittington's part. Anyway here's the Accident report compliments of CNN: Accident Report PDF Again the media and Democrats are trying to turn this incident into a major political issue when it is not. Give it a rest.

It might help if you could post who it is you are exactly looking for. You never know someone here might have it.

quote:Originally posted by Eclipse: We didn't even print the cartoons. Yeah, I can't figure why we keep getting blamed when europeans do things. But when we do things, you don't hear them blaming the europeans too.

quote:because they almost had me convinced the Jews were behind the 9/11 attack.What?