Wolfie

CHICAGO (WBBM Newsradio 780) -- Street gangs born in Chicago are making their presence known 6,000 miles away. The Sun-Times reports Chicago gang graffiti is showing up in Iraq, the handiwork of gang members now in the military. http://www.wbbm780.com/pages/30651.php Word! :D

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Supreme Court ruled Monday that one-time stripper and Playboy Playmate Anna Nicole Smith could pursue part of her late husband's oil fortune. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/SCO...EMPLATE=DEFAULT

True, but consider that half of our opposition in Iraq are foreign muslim fighters. That's why I said that this war is partly ideologic and does not have borders. Which means anyone can join regardless of how thier parent country feels about us. And depending his/her location and position they can be used as an asset. You can't honestly say every single person who lives in UAE or Bahrain loves us and can't be recruited. Lot of them might be rich cunts but someone over here is washing the dishes and might not be very happy about it. :)

Very true. It would not have mattered to anyone if there was not a shooting/bombing war going on like in 90's. Except for Bush Sr.' several day war.

Must not be easy with Bush just sitting over there. I guess if you work with theWhite House a certain degree of sucking up (even if its on the surface) is required.

http://www.beatking.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=20330 You were saying?

Not all investments. I was referring to the ones that only benefit the rich and influential in those countries. Traditionally it mostly has been the oil companies up to now. Investments can have the opposite effect if people of the lower rung of the economy feel as well as understand the benefits. All I am saying that its a touchy subject and we do have a historical reputation for taking advantage of the region. If we want to truly want to enrich the middle east and improve our stock down there we have change a lot of old perceptions about our traditional roles. For example, if the ceo a company that we are interested in is the cousin of the brother of the king, it comes across to the people as the same old pandering to the royals and rich. I have nothing against these guys personally. Maybe they are a good investment. I am sure they do not have bad intentions. However, the Bush family has had a reputation of friendship with royals, princes and oil barons of that region for more than 20 odd years. Bush himself backing this does not improve the perception of this deal in the eyes of the little guy over there. So no I am not saying all investments (or not even this on in particular) creates terrorists. I can't say the same about some of our older style economic and political activities over there. Two things: 1) Defence contracts are not just regular business. Not in middle of a war ( that the US got themselves stuck in all by themselves) anyway. 2) Greece is not the subject of 'Jihad' by every fanatic group on that side of the world. Having the status of 'The Great Satan' has its drawbacks. :D You are right. I normally don't. I did not even have too much of a problem with the port deal. Like or not (I personally hate it) we got dragged (some of us are still kicking and screaming) in a stupid war (dubbed ideologic by our opposition which means no countries or borders are involved) by some very stupid people. I don't know how valuable these particular defence plants are. Maybe they are not and if so then I take back everything I said. But if they are vital plants, in a state of war its important to defend your military support structure from potential infiltration as much as possible. I do agree with MI on the London incident because terrorism sometimes comes from within (like Tim McVeigh in our case) and there is not much that can be done. No defense is 100% on any front nowadays. Its also true that infliltration can come from western based as well middle eastern base companies. However, honestly, which one would you guys think would be an easier avenue though? PS. If offeneded anyone I am sorry. :)

Some people are too stupid to keep thier mouths shut.

I agree if they were supplying Nikki or Walmart but defense contracts? Regardless of how well intentioned (I am sure that they are since the ceo's would like to turn a profit) the actual company might be, it does provide an opportunity for infiltration. Its not like our security has improved significantly anyway. I guess the 9/11 association might have been bit harsh. However, there is a good section of the populution on that side of the world which don't really like us (granted some have good reasons and others have bad ones) too much. Also some might see giving these contracts as making nice with muslim countries which is not a bad idea in theory. However, this does not translate into making nice with poor masses of these countries. When Exxon-Moblie makes a profit, regular Joe Blow does not see a dime. Same thing applies to the other side of the world. Terrorists don't recruit westernized rich CEO's in the middle east. They recruit the poor starving bastards that are taken advantage of by the rich of thier country who have contracts with the west. So I am sorry if I don't see this as a viable solution to improving our image in the middle east among the common man. The comman man in the middle east will not benefit from this and it provides additional support to radical elements accusing arab governments as being sellouts. Additionally it does provide an avenue of access regardless of official company policy. I have lived that side of the world so I have a pretty good idea of how the west is viewed by the princes and the paupers. And believe me they do not see things the same way.

I think its called a solar storm. http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k..._Space_K-4.html

I would have guess something along the lines of this. :P

Ah Keith, you rascal!

Scarey thought. No congress and the Great Idiot completely in charge!

Sig Heil!

For 1.7 million, they can spank me any day. :P

I smell a lawsuit.

AFLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAK!!!!!

ABU DHABI — Qatar plans to invest $5 billion through 2010 in an attempt to increase the production of crude oil. Qatari Energy Minister Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Attiyah said the price of oil would drop by $15 should politicians end their expressions of concern over a halt in supplies. http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/0...3097222224.html

JAKARTA, Indonesia - Indonesia's rumbling Mount Merapi is spewing volcanic ash, magma has fully covered its crater, and a powerful eruption could come any day, a scientist said Thursday. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060427/ap_on_...donesia_volcano :rolleyes:

There's nothing quite like the sound of a hacking cat. Nothing so distinctive, so dissonant, so, well, disgusting. Because if you're a cat owner, you know what comes next. http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/14446459.htm

A crocodile agitated by a chainsaw's noise has chased the man operating it and snatched the machinery from him. Freddy Buckland was at a Northern Territory roadhouse on Friday cutting a dead tree that had fallen against a saltwater crocodile pen during Cyclone Monica when the 4.4-metre reptile struck. http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=97773

Chunks of a comet currently splitting into pieces in the night sky will not strike the Earth next month, nor will it spawn killer tsunamis and mass extinctions, NASA officials said Thursday. http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/space...-27-comet_x.htm

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Floridians will get a 12-day break from sales tax on many items they may need to get ready for hurricane season under a bill Gov. Jeb Bush signed into law Thursday. http://www.nbc6.net/weather/9049145/detail.html