Off Beat News

That's erm... crazy. :?

Allah has now begun to humiliate the Americans.

They deserve to lose the war in Iraq as they did in Vietnam.

CNN

Senate leader says 'war is lost' in Iraq

POSTED: 1146 GMT (1946 HKT), April 20, 2007

Story Highlights

• Reid says he told Bush war can not be won militarily
• Republicans say Reid abandoning troops
• House endorses legislation to bring troops home in 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday the war in Iraq is "lost," triggering an angry backlash by Republicans, who said the top Democrat had turned his back on the troops.

The bleak assessment -- the most pointed yet from Reid -- came as the House voted 215-199 to uphold legislation ordering troops out of Iraq next year.

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/04/20/reid.iraq.ap/

Mr Honey's Day Out

FASHION KITTY ARRESTS

YOUR UGLY NEW GLASSES

We can publish your stories, Iran tells British sailors

Monday April 23, 2007 6:02 AM ET

Iran is ready to "support" the 15 British sailors it captured to publish their stories after London reversed a decision allowing them to receive payments for their accounts, a top presidential advisor said.

"Once we get assurances that the young British naval personnel will not get into trouble with their government and their military, then Iran is prepared to support them in writing and publishing their memoirs," Ali Akbar Javanfekr was quoted as saying by state media.

We will "provide them with photos as well as cassette tapes and video cassettes on their cheerful life during their time in Iran," said Javanfekr, the top media advisor to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

On March 23, 15 British navy and marines were detained by Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards on an accusation of crossing into Iranian territorial waters.

Ahmadinejad subsequently pardoned and released them as a "gift" for the British people. While in Iran, the sailors said they were looked after well but made allegations of maltreatment on their return.

Britain's Defence Secretary Des Browne was then forced to apologise in parliament for a decision to allow sailors to sell their stories which was rapidly replaced by a wholesale ban.

Faye Turney, the only female detainee, reportedly received around 100,000 pounds (147,000 euros, 196,000 dollars) for interviews with The Sun tabloid, and commercial broadcaster ITV.

The youngest detainee, Operator Maintainer Arthur Batchelor, sold his story to the Daily Mirror and caused embarrassment in military ranks by complaining the Iranians never returned his MP3 player.

😂

So, Iran agrees with me?

On the grand scale of things I'd say human culture is right now in fifth grade.

American military officers caught lying to their own people:

The poor fools were trying to inspire some courage into chickens.

It was a morale boosting attempt.

US military accused of lying to create war heroes

24 April 2007

A pair of high-profile US army figures accused the military of spreading outright lies and manipulating their stories for a hero-starved public, during testimony before Congress Tuesday.

One was Kevin Tillman, the brother of a US football star killed by "friendly fire" in Afghanistan three years ago, who said the military lied about the circumstances of his death.

The other was Jessica Lynch, a female soldier who decried her inaccurate portrayal as a "little girl Rambo," firing her weapon down to the last bullet before being captured by Iraqis in early 2003, and then daringly saved by US forces nine days later.

The Pentagon last month called for action against a three-star general and eight other Army officers for their handling of Tillman's death.

House Democrat and panel member Henry Waxman accused the government of making up "sensational details and stories" and said he hoped the hearing could "begin to right those wrongs."

"The least we owe to our courageous men and women who are fighting for our freedom is the truth," he said.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,2064721,00.html

How to bust Illegal immigrants - Arizona style!

Ok, I counted 14 guys running away.

The border patrol were outnumbered, they must have caught a guy or two. The background music goes with the clip.

Maybe the guy was a rookie!

Two months for girl whose rape lie ruined cabbie's life

A teenage girl destroyed a taxi driver's life by crying rape at the end of a drunken night out and then refusing to withdraw the claim out of embarrassment.

Married father-of-two Aftab Ahmed, 44, lost his house, livelihood and good name after a 16-year-old passenger accused him of attacking her when she was senseless through drink.

After learning that his accuser could be out of jail in two months, he said: "I'm completely shattered by the news." And he revealed how his family had been ostracised by the local Muslim community because he was wrongly suspected of the sex attack.

"To be accused of rape is the most serious crime in my religion of Islam, it is seen as worse than murder, because we are told to honour women and that they are sacrosanct," he said.

The teenager dialled 999 after being dropped off at home, believing the discomfort she was suffering indicated she had been sexually assaulted by the cabbie.

The court heard she realised Mr Ahmed had not touched her before police arrived to take her statement, but she was too scared to change her story.

Once sober she continued the pretence and took police to the remote moorland spot where she claimed the rape took place and officers carried out a full forensic examination in search of evidence.

Mr Ahmed, who was worried about the girl's health and made sure she got home safely, was immediately arrested in front of his family and locked up as a suspected rapist.

He was released on bail after spending 15 hours in police cells, but his taxi licence was revoked and he was shunned by members of the Muslim community in Bradford where he lived.

It took six weeks and an investigation costing £6,000 before police were satisfied he was innocent.

Although the girl, now 17, was charged with perverting the course of justice, she did not admit her guilt until last month - 14 months after the original incident.

Mr Wilcock said: "These allegations have had a profound effect on Mr Ahmed and his family. He is no longer prepared to work as a taxi driver in the evenings for fear of other allegations against him.

"His wife is taking tablets for depression and it has effected his position within the community."

"She has made my life Hell. Nobody wants to talk to me and I no longer have a social life. I don't know who believes me, but I am full of fear. It's very hard to move forward.

"As an Asian taxi driver you are subjected to racial attitudes from drunken people on a daily basis. They kick out at you cab, swear, call you names, throw up in the back and run off without paying.

This Is London

Slander can ruin people's lives.

Is it just me or did the girl get off lightly? Also, she's 17 - not a minor. So how comes she wasnt named and shamed, so she doesnt do this to anyone ever again?

American forces are running from Iraq. Retreat from Iraq is ordered by Congress.

April 2007 was the month when Great Satan threw in the towel:
What President Bush feared the most has come true:

CNN

US Senate passes Iraq withdrawal bill

Troops withdrawal to begin in October 2007 and completed by March 2008

• Senator Harry Reid: We have lost the war in Iraq.
• Showdown over funding war could come to head by end of week
• Reid says he told Bush war cannot be won militarily
• Republicans say Reid abandoning troops
• House endorses legislation to bring troops home in 2008
• Sen. Reid says war spending bill will include a withdrawal timetable
• Senate majority leader says the president in "a state of denial" about war
• President Bush vows to veto any bill with a withdrawal timetable for Iraq war
• President Bush, top Congressional Democrats discuss Iraq war funding
• Despite "polite" meeting, leaders failed to bridge divide over Iraq policy
• Current war funding bills call for troop withdrawals from Iraq
• President Bush vows to veto any bill with a withdrawal deadline
• Reid says he told Bush war cannot be won militarily
• Republicans say Reid abandoning troops
• House endorses legislation to bring troops home in 2008
• Sen. Harry Reid asks Bush to present alternative if he vetoes timetable
• Bush reiterates veto vow, says politicians shouldn't dictate how to run war
• General Petraeus says Iraq, like Northern Ireland, must learn to live with some violence
• Reid, D-Nevada, says Bush's Iraq policy "leads to endless war"
• U.S. strategy working, Gen. David Petraeus tells members of Congress
• Democrats say solution must be political, not military
• Briefings come hours before House vote on funding bill
• Bill includes timetable for withdrawal; Bush promises veto
• General: Security better in Baghdad, Anbar; attacks increase elsewhere in Iraq
• Military leaders say Iraqi politicians must make compromises to ensure stability
• Commanders: Sectarian killings down in Baghdad, markets open, refugees return
• Top general says, "I don't think you're ever going to get rid of all the car bombs"
• Congress expected send a war spending bill to Bush with a withdrawal deadline
• President Bush has vowed to veto the bill, saying it hurts the troops
• Democratic leaders say they will not cut funding for the troops
• Senate Majority Leader Reid calls on the president to listen to other voices
• Bush says troops in Iraq shouldn't be caught in middle of partisan fight
• Vice president thinks Congress will end up passing a bill without timetables
• House and Senate expected to negotiate war spending legislation this week
• VP Cheney accuses Democrats of calling for a withdrawal to win votes
• Sen. Reid he will not respond to administration's "attack dog"
• President Bush charges that war spending bill is a "political" statement
• Dem leaders OK bill that pulls first combat troops from Iraq by October 1
• White House criticizes "surrender date," renews veto promise
• House passes bill setting Iraq withdrawal deadline
• Bill would require first combat troops begin to pull out of Iraq October 1
• Bill expected to reach President Bush's desk next week

http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/archive/

MuslimSisterIs it just me or did the girl get off lightly? Also, she's 17 - not a minor. So how comes she wasnt named and shamed, so she doesnt do this to anyone ever again?

The girl did get charged, so what did she receive?

She was 16 at the time of the incident. Anyone under 18 is considered to be a minor so she wouldn't be named, unless the judge decides otherwise.

There are also other situations where children can be named, if they have been given an ASBO for example.

malikAmerican forces are running from Iraq. Retreat from Iraq is ordered by Congress.

Not yet, the Democrats want gradual withdrawal and not the Republicans.

malikWhat President Bush feared the most has come true

It might not happen, President Bush has vowed to use his Presidential Veto.

Student writes essay, arrested by police

High school senior Allen Lee sat down with his creative writing class on Monday and penned an essay that so disturbed his teacher, school administrators and police that he was charged with disorderly conduct.

"I understand what happened recently at Virginia Tech," said the teen's father, Albert Lee, referring to last week's massacre of 32 students by gunman Seung-Hui Cho. "I understand the situation."

But he added: "I don't see how somebody can get charged by writing in their homework. The teacher asked them to express themselves, and he followed instructions."

Allen Lee, an 18-year-old straight-A student at Cary-Grove High School, was arrested Tuesday near his home and charged with disorderly conduct for an essay police described as violently disturbing but not directed toward any specific person or location.

The youth's father said his son was not suspended or expelled but was forced to attend classes elsewhere for now.

Today, Cary-Grove students rallied behind the arrested teen by organizing a petition drive to let him back in their school. They posted on walls quotes from the English teacher in which she had encouraged students to express their emotions through writing.

"I'm not going to lie. I signed the petition," said senior James Gitzinger. "But I can understand where the administration is coming from. I think I would react the same way if I was a teacher."

Cary Police Chief Ron Delelio said the charge was appropriate even though the essay was not published or posted for public viewing.

Disorderly conduct, which carries a penalty of 30 days in jail and a $1,500 fine, is filed for pranks such as pulling a fire alarm or dialing 911. But it can also apply when someone's writings can disturb an individual, Delelio said.

"The teacher was alarmed and disturbed by the content," he said.

But a civil rights advocate said the teacher's reaction to an essay shouldn't make it a crime.

"One of the elements is that some sort of disorder or disruption is created," said Ed Yohnka, a spokesman for the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois. "When something is done in private—when a paper is handed in to a teacher—there isn't a disruption."

The "key outcomes" this month for the Creative English class was for students to identify and utilize poetic conventions to communicate ideas and emotions. With that in mind, teachers reminded students that if they read something that posed a threat to self or others, the school could take action, said High School District 155 Supt. Jill Hawk.

The English teacher read the essay and reported it to a supervisor and the principal. A round-table discussion with district officials conveyed, with lively debate, and they decided to report it to the police.

"Our staff is very familiar with adolescent behavior. We're very well versed with types of creativity put into writing. We know the standards of adolescent behavior that are acceptable and that there is a range," Hawk said.

"There can certainly be writing that conveys concern for us even though it does not name names location or date," he said.

The charge against Lee comes as schools across the country wrestle with how to react in the wake of the shootings at the Virginia Tech campus at Blacksburg, Va.

Bomb threats at high schools in Schaumburg and Country Club Hills have caused evacuations, and extra police were on duty at a Palos Hills high school this week because of a threatening note found in the bathroom of a McDonald's restaurant a half-mile away.

Experts say the charge against Lee is troubling because it was over an essay that even police say contained no direct threats against anyone at the school. However, Virginia Tech's actions toward Cho came under heavy scrutiny after the killings because of the "disturbing" plays and essays teachers say he had written for classes.

Simmie Baer, an attorney with the Children and Family Justice Center at Northwestern University, called the Cary incident an example of zero-tolerance policies gone awry. Children, she said, are not as sophisticated as adults and often show emotion through writing or pictures, which is what teachers should want because it is a safe outlet.

Chicago Tribune

PS MS - I have corrected the html tag in your post - only problem is if you edit the post, it will revert the tag back to the character instead of the code, stretching the page. Please do not edit that post.

Is that teacher stupid or what, what makes him/her even more stupid is that they were teaching English; a subject where we are taught to use our imagination and write creatively.

The violence in the essay wasn't directed at anyone or anything.

some girls are so stupid :evil:

and why the hell werent dna checks made on him to confirm whether of not the stupid kid was telling the truth :roll:

[url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/25/AR20070… Post[/url]
[list]Lawyer's Price For Missing Pants: $65 Million

When the neighborhood dry cleaner misplaced Roy Pearson's pants, he took action. He complained. He demanded compensation. And then he sued. Man, did he sue.

Two years, thousands of pages of legal documents and many hundreds of hours of investigative work later, Pearson is seeking to make Custom Cleaners pay -- would you believe more than the payroll of the entire Washington Nationals roster?

He says he deserves millions for the damages he suffered by not getting his pants back, for his litigation costs, for "mental suffering, inconvenience and discomfort," for the value of the time he has spent on the lawsuit, for leasing a car every weekend for 10 years and for a replacement suit, according to court papers.

Pearson is demanding $65,462,500. The original alteration work on the pants cost $10.50.

By the way, Pearson is a lawyer. Okay, you probably figured that. But get this: He's a judge, too -- an administrative law judge for the District of Columbia.[/list:u]

You would think that a person of his status would know better. It's scary to think that people like him are judges.

How can he suffer from 'mental suffering', imagine what would have happened if they had misplaced his trousers, he would have had a nervous breakdown.

Eviction threat over razor wire

A family has been threatened with eviction after they put up razor wire to stop vandals breaking into their property.

Judith Partridge, of West Bromwich, said she took the measure following weeks of harassment.

She said intruders had destroyed plants and pots and a bench had been dumped in a pond.

But Sandwell Council, which owns the house, has said the wire is dangerous and has to be taken down.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/6603851.stm

Is the world going mad!

The woman lives with her disabled mother, and I would say that the razor wire isn't enough. It would be dangerous.... if you were deciding to climb into their property. Prisons have layers upon layer of (very sharp) razor wire, yes it is dangerous but it is there to prevent inmates from escaping.

Hell I would have put up an electric fence if I was in their position, fry those bas***** alive!

MuslimBroYou would think that a person of his status would know better.

His attitude is quite amazing. I think most of us would forgive and forget something like that.

[list]

[url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070427/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_soccer_italy_dida…][list]Angry Milan fan puts Dida up for auction

An angry AC Milan fan put Brazil goalkeeper Dida up for sale on the internet ahead of next week's Champions League semi-final return with Manchester United.

The 33-year-old, who joined Milan in 2000, was a hero after the shootout win over Juventus in the 2003 Champions League final but his popularity has slumped after a series of errors.

He was criticised following last week's 3-2 first-leg defeat to United at Old Trafford, when he flapped a Cristiano Ronaldo header into his own net and then left his near post exposed for Wayne Rooney to blast home a stoppage-time winner.

Dida failed to attract great interest on eBay. The price, before the Brazilian international was removed from the auction site on Friday, had reached 71 euros (48 pounds) after 25 bids.[/list:u]

[/list:u]
_________________

[list]

They [url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070426/od_nm/cheese_odd_dc]also[/url][list]Maturing cheese becomes Internet star

A large English cheddar cheese has become a star of the Internet, attracting more than 1 million viewers to sit and stare at it as it slowly ripens.

First placed in front of a webcam in late December, the Westcombe cheddar from West Country Farmhouse Cheesemakers leaped to public attention in early February and has since attracted viewers from 119 countries.

"The hits went over 1 million this morning. It has been a real challenge keeping the cheese up and running with all the interest it has generated," a spokesman for the company running the website, www.cheddarvision.tv, said Wednesday.

Watchers have tuned in from as far afield as Albania and New Zealand, although most are from the United States where a school has even sent in pictures of two crocodiles to guard the cheese.[/list:u]

[/list:u]_________________

[list]

[url=http://kob.com/article/stories/S64877.shtml?cat=516]KOB.com[/url][list]A toilet painted bright green and a pirate flag adorned the clock tower over Joseph Skeen Library at New Mexico Tech in Socorro until crews took it down Monday.

Crews noticed the commode Sunday morning and taped off the area so nobody would get hit if the lime porcelain fell.

A prankster had apparently placed the commode on the top of the vertical tower, but crews are still trying to figure out how – and who.

“I’m assuming someone from the rock climbing club or something like that,” said Timmy Silva of the college’s maintenance crew.

Officials suspect it might have had to do something with Earth Day, which was Sunday.

[/list:u]

[/list:u]

There's a video of it, quite weird.

University student sumo wrestlers attempt to make babies cry
during the "Baby-cry Sumo," an annual contest which is supposed
to bring good health, at Tokyo's Sensoji temple in Tokyo.

Click here for pic.

ßeastUniversity student sumo wrestlers attempt to make babies cry
during the "Baby-cry Sumo," an annual contest which is supposed
to bring good health, at Tokyo's Sensoji temple in Tokyo.

Click here for pic.

😂

Five get life over UK bomb plot

Five men have been jailed for life for a UK bomb plot linked to al-Qaeda that could have killed hundreds of people.
Jurors in the year-long Old Bailey trial heard of plans to target a shopping centre, nightclub and the gas network with a giant fertiliser bomb.

The judge, Sir Michael Astill, said the men, all British citizens, had "betrayed their country".

It has also been revealed some of the plotters met two of the 7 July London suicide bombers.

Mohammad Sidique Khan was spotted on four occasions in 2004 with at least one of the fertiliser bomb conspirators. At one point MI5 officers followed Khan back to his home in Leeds but no further action was taken.

BBC

What place exactly did these guys target? Was it London?

More heavyweight cry-off pics here
http://www.news.com.au/gallery/0,23607,5022758-5007150,00.html

MuslimSisterWhat place exactly did these guys target? Was it London?

They talked about several possible targets, but had no one agreed target.

In a statement released through their lawyer they said they did not intend to bomb any British targets.

MuslimSisterBBC

What place exactly did these guys target? Was it London?

[list]

Back in Britain, they discussed various schemes, including targeting the Bluewater shopping centre in Kent on a busy Saturday or the Ministry of Sound nightclub in central London.

They also talked of attacking the gas or electricity network and Prime Minister's Questions in Parliament.

Tip-off

The group had bought 600kg of ammonium nitrate from an agricultural merchants and kept it at a storage unit in Hanwell, west London.

This fertiliser was to be the key component in the massive bomb - similar to those used in other terrorism attacks around the world.

But unbeknown to the men, some of them were already on MI5's radar while, at the same time, staff at the storage unit tipped off police.

They replaced the ammonium nitrate with a harmless substance and kept the group under surveillance before swooping in a series of raids.

Key witness

The Old Bailey heard the defendants had at least two fellow conspirators.

One of them, an American called Mohammed Junaid Babar, admitted his role in the plot after being arrested by the FBI and became a vital prosecution witness.

[/list:u]

Does it seem to anybody else that n'sync is way better now that they have split? JC Chasez has a pretty decent song called "Something Special" and Justin Timberlake is a hell of a lot better on his own.

Weird...

N'sync were alrite, but yeah Justin Timberlake seems to be very popular at the moment.... it's only a matter of time.

Just like Spice Girls who split up and did their own thing, don't hear about them anymore.

Btw Backstreet Boys were good while they lasted, are they dead now?

[list][list][list][list][/list:u][/list:u][/list:u][/list:u]