# Conversation and Fun > Just Conversation >  "Real Men of Genius"

## rinselberg

> The truth is - let me say this clearly - we didnt even expect (this) response ... that (Israel) would exploit this operation for this big war against us ...


From MSNBC: Mahmoud Koumate, Hezbollah's deputy political chief, said (AP) that he was "surprised" by the scale and severity of Israel's military response to the incident of July 12, when Hezbollah militants crossed from the Lebanese border into Israel proper and captured two IDF soldiers whose status is still unknown. The incursion, which was described in the Washington Post as "brazen", left a total of eight other IDF soldiers dead: Three were killed in the initial Hezbollah attack, and within 24 hours, five more IDF soldiers were killed inside Lebanon during pursuit operations.

Koumate went on to say that Hezbollah was expecting only a "limited" Israeli response (Editorial comment: A few shells lobbed more or less aimlessly in retaliation? Water pistols?) possibly leading to a "standard" prisoner exchange. He concluded his remarks by categorizing the massive Israeli military response that is still underway as "unjustified".

Well, duh ...

Ever had CrackerJacks, Mahmoud? There's a *surprise* in every box.

Or dare I say it: "This Scud's for you ..."

_OptiBoard member rinselberg has posted extensively on the Bush administration, and particularly, its rationale for invading Iraq. For his latest OpEd on this topic, see Quicksand!_

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## Pete Hanlin

Historically, it would appear Israeli and Hezbollah forces _have_ engaged in minor skirmishes & kidnappings.  So, perhaps the Hezbollah leadership is at least genuine in their surprise regarding the extent of Israel's response to this incident.

As much as the media has tried to spin Hezbollah as a benign political movement, the fact is it has directly engaged in terrorism (aka "acts of war") with Israel for some time.  Israeli leadership has probably been planning for the current actions for some time- just waiting for proper provocation.  

Although the situations are somewhat different, the US has engaged in similar behavior in the past- Mexico was virtually goaded into the war which resulted in the addition of Texas and other territories to the US.  Sanctions on Japan in the late 30's and early 40's virtually assured that country's leadership would eventually decide to act aggressively as well.

All that said, I don't see how Hezbollah's leadership can be all that surprised- Israel has a very clear history of not taking crap from their adversaries (for good cause- its a tiny country surrounded by nations bent on its destruction).  Personally, I'm just hoping no one sets a nuke loose over there (& hoping that Iran doesn't decide to attend the dance).

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## rinselberg

Updated: 7:25 a.m. PT Aug 6, 2006
BEIRUT, Lebanon - Syria’s foreign minister offered on Sunday to join Hezbollah and said his country’s army had standing orders to respond immediately to any Israeli attacks.

“If you wish, I’m ready to be a soldier at the disposal of (Hezbollah chief) Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah,” Walid Mouallem told reporters on arrival in Lebanon in a symbolic gesture.

Asked about concerns that the war in Lebanon could spill over into a regional war, Mouallem said: “Most welcome ...”

_For more:_
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13165161/

_OptiBoard member rinselberg has posted extensively on the Bush administration, and particularly, its rationale for invading Iraq. For his latest OpEd on this topic, see Quicksand!_

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## rinselberg

Updated: 4:22 p.m. PT Aug 27, 2006
BEIRUT, Lebanon - Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah said in a TV interview aired Sunday that he would not have ordered the capture of two Israeli soldiers if he had known it would lead to such a war.

Hezbollah guerrillas killed three Israeli soldiers and seized two more in a cross-border raid July 12, which sparked 34 days of fighting that ended Aug. 14. Five other Israeli soldiers were killed as they pursued the militants back into Lebanon.

“We did not think - not even _one percent_ - that the capture would lead to a war at this time and of this magnitude. You ask me, if I had known on July 11 ... that the operation would lead to such a war, would I do it? I say no, absolutely not,” he said in an interview with Lebanon’s New TV station ...


To HEAR more of the Hezbollah leader's remarks, CLICK on the audio download icon (above). If a new icon appears on your desktop, you may have to CLICK on that to start the audio playback.


Urban renewal, Hezbollah style ...

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14543465/


_A seemingly conservative "media" blitz worthy of today's Karl Rove helps transform ancient Rome from a floundering republic into a burgeoning world empire in Political Correctness 101._

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## chip anderson

I seems that if Israel had let it's enemies know it was "a bad tempered sleeping giant" it's neighbors would behave.  If one has a "big stick" one appearently must let one's enemies know that if you "p*** me off, I'll use my stick."
Also very, very clearly illustrates that appeasment doesn't work.

So what you liberals got to say to this?

Chip

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## chm2023

> I seems that if Israel had let it's enemies know it was "a bad tempered sleeping giant" it's neighbors would behave. If one has a "big stick" one appearently must let one's enemies know that if you "p*** me off, I'll use my stick."
> Also very, very clearly illustrates that appeasment doesn't work.
> 
> So what you liberals got to say to this?
> 
> Chip


I think Israel has every right, indeed obligation, to defend herself.  That said, this could have been handled better from a PR standpoint--they allowed it to be positioned as "we are attacking your entire nation Lebanon because H kidnapped 2 of our troops" which of course is way off base.  Also, kinda gives the lie to Bush's mantra about democracy being the antidote for terrorism, what with Hezbollah being elected in the democracy of Lebanon.

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## chm2023

> Historically, it would appear Israeli and Hezbollah forces _have_ engaged in minor skirmishes & kidnappings. So, perhaps the Hezbollah leadership is at least genuine in their surprise regarding the extent of Israel's response to this incident.
> 
> *As much as the media has tried to spin Hezbollah as a benign political movement*, the fact is it has directly engaged in terrorism (aka "acts of war") with Israel for some time. Israeli leadership has probably been planning for the current actions for some time- just waiting for proper provocation. 
> 
> Although the situations are somewhat different, the US has engaged in similar behavior in the past- Mexico was virtually goaded into the war which resulted in the addition of Texas and other territories to the US. Sanctions on Japan in the late 30's and early 40's virtually assured that country's leadership would eventually decide to act aggressively as well.
> 
> All that said, I don't see how Hezbollah's leadership can be all that surprised- Israel has a very clear history of not taking crap from their adversaries (for good cause- its a tiny country surrounded by nations bent on its destruction). Personally, I'm just hoping no one sets a nuke loose over there (& hoping that Iran doesn't decide to attend the dance).


I'm not aware the media is doing this???  They have covered H's (very shrewd) moves at offering community services but clearly designate them as a terrorist organization.

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## rinselberg

> I think Israel has every right, indeed obligation, to defend herself. That said, this could have been handled better from a PR standpoint - they allowed it to be positioned as "we [Israel] are attacking your entire nation of Lebanon because Hezbollah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers" - which of course is way off base.  Also, kinda gives the lie to Bush's mantra about democracy being the antidote for terrorism, what with Hezbollah being elected in the democracy of Lebanon.


I don't see that Israel "allowed" any such thing. The Israeli representatives - ambassadors and Foreign Ministry spokespersons - hammered their point again and again, that Israel's objective was to focus on Hezbollah and NOT to disrupt or damage the entire nation of Lebanon. But as you (chm2023) have said yourself, Hezbollah has carefully intertwined its military installations with the neighboring civilian population, so as to make severe "collateral damages" impossible for the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) to avoid.

I don't think that it would have been possible for the IDF to have confined their military attacks to just south of the Litani River. All of Lebanon had to be "in play", because all of Lebanon's infrastructure was being used to transport weapons and supplies to the Hezbollah forces south of the Litani River.

I think that the IDF could have shortened the duration of the war by unleashing a more massive, widespread attack on Lebanon from the very outset - but I don't think that would have changed the outcome in any significant way from the international PR standpoint.

And as far as "giving the lie to W's mantra about democracy being the antidote to terrorism", I think that you are getting ahead of yourself. This from the Council on Foreign Relations:


> After the 2005 elections, Hezbollah won fourteen seats in the 128-member Lebanese Parliament. In addition, Hezbollah has two ministers in the government, and a third is endorsed by the group.


I wouldn't say that Hezbollah had a mandate or concensus from the Lebanese government to carry out such a provocative attack on Israel as the cross-border attacks and kidnappings of July 12. It's also apparent that Hezbollah is starting to feel more politically constrained, or we wouldn't see Nasrallah making apologetic statements like the one that I just reported on (above).

One of the psy-ops leaflets dropped over Lebanon by the IDF put the question to the Lebanese: "Can you afford to pay this price again?"

I think that we will get a clearer picture of democracy in Lebanon - how much there actually is and how well it actually works - in the coming months, as the expanded UN peacekeeping mission takes shape. I think that Hezbollah is going to have to reign in its military activities and tend more to its political fronts within Lebanon. And that should be good news for everyone.

Reference: http://www.cfr.org/publication/9155/

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## chm2023

> I think that we will get a clearer picture of democracy in Lebanon - how much there actually is and how well it actually works - in the coming months, as the expanded UN peacekeeping mission takes shape. I think that Hezbollah is going to have to reign in its military activities and tend more to its political fronts within Lebanon. And that should be good news for everyone.
> 
> Reference: http://www.cfr.org/publication/9155/


[/QUOTE]

from your mouth to God's ear.

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## rinselberg

"Jihad" car commercial upsets U.S. Muslims
Proposed radio spot draws reaction even before it airs

CINCINNATI - A car commercial proclaiming a *jihad* on the U.S. auto market and offering *"Fatwa Fridays"* with free swords for the kids is offensive and should not be aired, Muslim leaders said on Sunday.

The radio advertisement for the *Dennis* Mitsubishi car dealership in Columbus, Ohio, has "a whole jihad theme," said Adnan Mirza, director of the Columbus office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

"They are planning on launching a jihad on the automotive market and their representatives would be wearing *burqas* ... ," Mirza said. "They mentioned the *pope* in there and also about giving *rubber swords* out to the kiddies -- really just reprehensible-type comments."


_I've got EIGHT of these new '06 cream puffs on the lot, and let me tell you, they're LOADED ..._

Details of the radio ad, which has *not* yet been broadcast, have been reported in the local media ... [A spokesperson for the auto retailer] would not say whether the dealership had changed its mind about airing the commercial ...

_For the complete MSNBC report:_
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14990383/



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## GOS_Queen

I tend to think that political correctness has gotten out of hand but OH MY GOD !!!  :drop: 










> "Jihad" car commercial upsets U.S. Muslims
> Proposed radio spot draws reaction even before it airs
> 
> CINCINNATI - A car commercial proclaiming a *jihad* on the U.S. auto market and offering *"Fatwa Fridays"* with free swords for the kids is offensive and should not be aired, Muslim leaders said on Sunday.
> 
> The radio advertisement for the *Dennis* Mitsubishi car dealership in Columbus, Ohio, has "a whole jihad theme," said Adnan Mirza, director of the Columbus office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
> 
> "They are planning on launching a jihad on the automotive market and their representatives would be wearing *burqas* ... ," Mirza said. "They mentioned the *pope* in there and also about giving *rubber swords* out to the kiddies -- really just reprehensible-type comments."
> 
> ...

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## rinselberg

_"It is very difficult for a commander ... when he is not able to move forces around and to have them go where they're needed, when they're needed, to do the things that needed to be done," Rumsfeld said ..._

Bud Light salutes you, Mr. "Read the fine print about when and how you can employ our NATO contingent" policy maker ... 

By Jim Michaels, USA TODAY
PORTOROZ, Slovenia — Countries sending their troops to Afghanistan have placed a web of restrictions on how they can be used, creating headaches for combat commanders and hurting the coalition's ability to fight a resurgent Taliban.

The restrictions, also called caveats, vary and are imposed by governments who fear casualties or don't agree with all parts of the mission. Other caveats are due to a lack of training or equipment.

The result is some forces can't fight at night or in the most dangerous parts of Afghanistan.

At a NATO meeting here Thursday, U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said it's understandable that nations don't want their troops to perform specific missions, but when numerous countries impose restrictions it creates a "situation that really is not acceptable." Rumsfeld and NATO authorities are working to get countries to lift the restrictions ...

"If you sign on to the mission, you should sign on to the whole package," said Canadian Lt. Col. Rejean Duchesneau, a spokesman for NATO's military arm.

Caveats have long been part of multinational military operations. Concerns about them have become more acute, however, as NATO expands its command over coalition forces. Ousted in 2001, the fundamentalist Islamic Taliban militia has regained strength, particularly in the south.

On Thursday, ministers agreed to ... expand NATO command over the remaining eastern part of the country, bringing about 30,000 troops under the alliance, including 12,500 Americans ... There are about 20,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, and some will remain independent of the NATO mission.

Of NATO's 26 countries, only six, including the United States, place no restrictions on the forces they contribute to NATO operations ...

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2...-caveats_x.htm


_OptiBoard member rinselberg has posted extensively on the Bush administration, and particularly, its rationale for invading Iraq. For his latest OpEd on this topic, see Quicksand!_

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## rinselberg

Today we salute you, Mr. Economic Genius ...



_Greece's Minister of Economy & Finance, George Alogoskoufis_.


Prostitutes, smugglers boost Greek economy
Official: Illicit businesses to be added into country's gross domestic product

Updated: 4:55 p.m. PT Sept 29, 2006
ATHENS - Prostitutes and smugglers will give the Greek economy an unexpected boost as their illicit activities will now be counted in the country's official ecomomic output, a senior official said this week.

Under pressure from the European Union to cut its deficits, Greece is revising its gross domestic product to include part of the booming black economy, boosting its output by at least 10 percent in 2006, the country's chief statistician told Reuters.

"The revised GDP will include some money from illegal activities, such as money from cigarette and drinks smuggling, prostitution and money laundering," National Statistics Service (NSS) chief Manolis Kontopyrakis said in an interview.

Greeces economic output was 180 billion euros ($228 billion) in 2005 and is estimated at 194 billion euros this year, while the black economy is estimated at about 40-60 billion euros a year.

_Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15060785/_


Set your Mac or PC speaker loudness for audio and strike up the band!

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## rinselberg

_Bean (1997)__: Rowan Atkinson's "Mr. Bean", a hopeless museum caretaker at the Royal National Gallery in London, is assigned the job of transporting the priceless painting Whistler's Mother to an art gallery in Los Angeles._

*Picasso dream painting in nightmare scenario
Vegas casino magnate accidentally pokes hole in artist's 'Le Reve' work*

Updated: 9:02 a.m. PT Oct 18, 2006
LOS ANGELES - Picasso's famed "Dream" painting turned into a nightmare for Las Vegas casino magnate Steve Wynn when he accidentally gave the multimillion dollar canvas an elbow.

Wynn had just finalized a $139 million sale to another collector of his painting, called "Le Reve" (The Dream), when he poked a finger-sized hole in the artwork while showing it to friends at his Las Vegas office a couple of weeks ago.

Director and screenwriter Nora Ephron, who witnessed and related the incident in her blog on the Huffington Post Web site (www.huffingtonpost.com), said Wynn had raised his hand to show the group something about Picasso’s 1932 portrait of his mistress Marie-Therese Walter.

"At that moment, his elbow crashed backward right through the canvas. There was a terrible noise," Ephron wrote, noting that Wynn has retinitis pigmentosa, an eye disease that damages peripheral vision. "Smack in the middle ... was a black hole the size of a silver dollar. _'Oh s---,'_ he said. _'Look what I’ve done. Thank goodness it was me.'_ ..."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15310601/


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## rinselberg

1770: American patriot and lawyer John Adams voluntarily serves as defense counsel for the "redcoats" - the King's soldiers - British soldiers - on trial for murder in the Colony of Massachusetts after the Boston Massacre.




> "The Part I took in Defence of Cptn. Preston and the Soldiers, procured me Anxiety, and Obloquy enough. It was, however, one of the most gallant, generous, manly and disinterested Actions of my whole Life, and one of the best Pieces of Service I ever rendered my Country. Judgment of Death against those Soldiers would have been as foul a Stain upon this Country as the Executions of the Quakers or Witches, anciently. As the Evidence was, the Verdict of the Jury was exactly right."
> -- John Adams (1773)



Vs. January 12, 2007.
Editorial page of the Washington Post

MOST AMERICANS understand that legal representation for the accused is one of the core principles of the American way. Not, it seems, Cully Stimson, deputy assistant secretary of defense for detainee affairs. In a repellent interview yesterday with Federal News Radio, Mr. Stimson brought up, unprompted, the number of major U.S. law firms that have helped represent detainees at Guantanamo Bay.

"Actually you know I think the news story that you're really going to start seeing in the next couple of weeks is this: As a result of a FOIA [Freedom of Information Act] request through a major news organization, somebody asked, 'Who are the lawyers around this country representing detainees down there,' and you know what, it's shocking," he said.

Mr. Stimson proceeded to reel off the names of these firms, adding, "I think, quite honestly, when corporate CEOs see that those firms are representing the very terrorists who hit their bottom line back in 2001, those CEOs are going to make those law firms choose between representing terrorists or representing reputable firms, and I think that is going to have major play in the next few weeks. And we want to watch that play out."

Asked who was paying the firms, Mr. Stimson hinted of dark doings. "It's not clear, is it?" he said. "Some will maintain that they are doing it out of the goodness of their heart, that they're doing it pro bono, and I suspect they are; others are receiving monies from who knows where, and I'd be curious to have them explain that."

It might be only laughable that Mr. Stimson, during the interview, called Guantanamo "certainly, probably, the most transparent and open location in the world."

But it's offensive -- shocking, to use his word -- that Mr. Stimson, a lawyer, would argue that law firms are doing anything other than upholding the highest ethical traditions of the bar by taking on the most unpopular of defendants. It's shocking that he would seemingly encourage the firms' corporate clients to pressure them to drop this work. And it's shocking -- though perhaps not surprising -- that this is the person the administration has chosen to oversee detainee policy at Guantanamo.


The only reaction from the administration, to date:


> A Pentagon spokesman, Lt. Col. Brian Maka, said Stimson was not speaking for the Bush administration. Stimson's comments "do not represent the views of the Department of Defense or the thinking of its leadership," Maka told The Associated Press on Saturday ...



_Cully Stimson - the latest addition to rinselberg's "Real Men of Genius"._



OptiBoard member rinselberg updates the veridical paradox known as the "Monty Hall problem" under the post title Three Card Rinsel.

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## rinselberg

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick just drew a penalty flag for an "illegal substance in transit" - at the Miami International Airport.



During his preflight check-in, Vick reluctantly surrendered a plastic water bottle of the kind that can be purchased over the counter or by mail order - the kind that has a hidden compartment. Airport security staff thought that the bottle smelled of marijuana. Upon inspection, it was found that the bottle contained an unknown but suspicious looking substance in the hidden compartment.

Vick was not arrested and was allowed to board an AirTran flight that landed in Atlanta. That would be the same AirTran that has been using Michael Vick as a celebrity "prop" in its TV, print and billboard advertisements.

Miami police said it could be weeks before a decision is made on whether to file charges against the three-time Pro Bowler, who this season became the first quarterback in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards.

Sources:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16682616/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16124590/
http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/s...4/daily40.html


_When is a forum post more than just a forum post? See OptiBoard's Word of the Day!_

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## rinselberg

_"Aqua Teen Hunger Force" movie publicity devices, seen around Boston on Wednesday, caused a security scare that shut down bridges and subways._


A publicity campaign to promote a new, "cartoon cult" movie called "Aqua Teen Hunger Force", triggered a general security scare and widespread police activity in ten major cities, starting yesterday in Boston.

Legal proceedings against the movie promoters are already beginning.

Officials found 38 blinking electronic signs promoting the Cartoon Network TV show "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" on bridges and other high-profile spots across Boston on Wednesday, prompting the closing of a highway and the deployment of bomb squads. The surreal cartoon series is about a talking milkshake and his pals - a box of french fries and a meatball. The network is a division of Turner Broadcasting Systems Inc.

The 12-inch tall signs resembled a circuit board, with protruding wires and batteries. Most depicted a boxy cartoon character giving passersby the "finger"  a more obvious sight when darkness fell.

"Aqua Teen Hunger Force" is a cartoon with a cultish following that airs as part of a block of programs for adults on the Cartoon Network. A feature length film based on the show is slated for release March 23.

_For the complete MSNBC report and video:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16921137/_


When is a forum post *more* than just a forum post? See OptiBoard's Word of the Day!

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## rinselberg

Updated: 1:34 p.m. AKT March 2, 2007 - Associated Press.
NORCO, Calif. - More than 1 million rounds of ammunition, a cache of weapons and a tunnel were found inside a man's home after an explosive fire that forced a neighborhood evacuation, authorities said Friday ... The fire caused some of the ammunition to explode, forcing evacuation of the neighborhood and keeping firefighters at a distance. The blaze, which caused the roof to collapse, was eventually extinguished ...

For the complete MSNBC report:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17422580/





Colt Super 38: The perfect desktop accessory. Shoots real bullets.

_DragonLensmanWV is just the latest OptiBoard member to relive the zany years of the Reagan presidency by visiting Theirs is a scandal that deserves to be told ... Is it your turn?_

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## rinselberg

Updated: 10:31 a.m. PT March 12, 2007
JERUSALEM - Israel has recalled its ambassador to El Salvador after he was found naked, bound and drunk, according to Israeli media reports confirmed Monday by a government spokeswoman.

The longtime diplomat, Tsuriel Raphael, has been removed from his post and the Foreign Ministry has begun searching for a replacement, said ministry spokeswoman Zehavit Ben-Hillel.

Two weeks ago, El Salvador police found Raphael in the yard of his residence, tied up, gagged with a ball and drunk, Israeli media reported. He was wearing sex bondage equipment. After he was untied, Raphael told police he was the ambassador of Israel.

Ben-Hillel said the reports were accurate and that Raphael has been recalled, although he did not break any laws ...

The embarrassing affair was one of several involving Israeli diplomats in recent years. In 2000, Israels ambassador to France died of cardiac arrest in a Paris hotel under circumstances the Foreign Ministry refused to publicize. Media reports said he was with a woman who was not his wife at the time.

Last year, Israel replaced its ambassador to Australia, Naftali Tamir, after he said Israel and Australia are like sisters because both are located in Asia and their peoples dont have the Asian characteristics of yellow skin and slanted eyes.

In 2005, Israel canceled the appointment of a diplomat to Australia after it was discovered that he published pictures of nude Brazilian women on the Internet while on a mission in Brazil.

*Video at ten ... dream on!*

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17577691/




_Exchange rate: How many U.S. HAWK missiles were sought by Iran's mullahs in exchange for the release of "quantity one" of the international hostages abducted by terrorists in Beirut? Find the answer at Theirs is a scandal that deserves to be told  ... your one-stop post for the finest in Oliver North lore and other 20-year anniversary Iran-Contra memorabilia._

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## chip anderson

For what it's worth, when pistol and rifle cartridges go off as a result of fire, the casing is what is propeled, the business end of the bullet doesn't travel very far at all and has such low velosity, it is highly unlikely to do any damage.  Bullets need to be contained and pass through the tube to be very effective.

Chip :Eek:

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## rinselberg

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11497287/

The name of today's "Real Men of Genius" nominee is (as yet) unknown, but what we have (above) is a continuation of the "blue" or "off-color" theme from my previous post on this topic, Israel's foreign envoys: "Wild and Crazy Guys!"




_St. Patrick's Day: Bet you didn't know THIS about Guinness Draught_

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## rinselberg

_Ohio fireman, wearing blonde wig and bikini, is arrested in a public park after complaints about his "odd" behavior._

And the grunge parade (see my two most recent posts; above) continues ...

_Steven S. Cole, a 46-year-old volunteer firefighter, told an officer he was on his way to a Dayton bar to perform as a woman in a contest offering a $10,000 prize, the arrest report said. He pleaded "not guilty" to charges of drunken driving, public indecency and disorderly conduct ..._

MSNBC report with video
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17965919/


Rinsel's Werewolf Test ... so terrifying, you may not want to _think_ about it!

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## Johns

> _Ohio fireman, wearing blonde wig and bikini, is arrested in a public park after complaints about his "odd" behavior._
> 
> And the grunge parade (see my two most recent posts; above) continues ...
> 
> _Steven S. Cole, a 46-year-old volunteer firefighter, told an officer he was on his way to a Dayton bar to perform as a woman in a contest offering a $10,000 prize, the arrest report said. He pleaded "not guilty" to charges of drunken driving, public indecency and disorderly conduct ..._
> _._


 
Could you imagine being trapped in a burning building, you call 9-1-1, and THIS GUY breaks down the door !?!?  

I'd jump out the window!

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## rinselberg

_North Korean soldiers file past the USS Pueblo, which the U.S. contends was unlawfully seized in international waters by the North Korean navy in 1968. An American delegation led by New Mexico governor Bill Richardson and Anthony Principi, former Veteran Affairs Secretary, endured an unwelcome tour of the U.S. spy ship._


Associated Press
Updated: 5:17 p.m. PT April 9, 2007
PYONGYANG, North Korea - New Mexico governor and 2008 presidential candidate Bill Richardson toured a U.S. warship once captured by North Korea that is still used to inspire anti-American sentiment in the reclusive communist-led country.

The North Korean colonel who served as Richardson's tour guide smiled as he told the governor the ship was an example of continued U.S. aggression toward his country. Richardson and former Veteran Affairs Secretary Anthony Principi, who are visiting North Korea as a diplomatic gesture and to expedite the return of remains of U.S. servicemen who died in the Korean War, were then shown bullet holes circled in red paint and a video describing the maneuvering of "brazen-faced U.S. imperialists."

The USS Pueblo was captured by North Korea on Jan. 23, 1968, after being sent on an intelligence gathering mission near the Korean coast. It was the first U.S. warship captured since 1807, and remains the only active-duty U.S. warship in foreign hands ...

*The chairman of North Korea's "International Unwelcoming Committee" - todays nominee for the coveted "Real Men of Genius" award.*

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18028751


_How do you commemorate two million years of hominid evolution? What beer would be perfect for Halloween? See the latest posts on Beer Of The Day, an off-forum blog dedicated to the celebration of beer and ale (good or otherwise) as an Objet d'art ..._

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## rinselberg

Organizers of a classical music festival heard a distinctly off-key chord when an $88,000 concert piano fell off the back of a delivery truck.

Fundraisers saved for two years to raise the cash needed to buy the Bosendorfer concert grand piano - considered the _Rolls-Royce_ of the piano world.

The festival’s artistic director Penny Adie was so excited as the instrument was being delivered that she ran out to snap pictures. But she was left "numb" as she photographed it crashing to the ground. "It's a tragedy to see something of such beauty lying upside-down on the ground. It was like seeing a priceless painting torn to shreds."



*Select the photo to view the eight pictures of the accident in sequence. Credit: NBC 5 Dallas.*


The United Kingdom's October Two Moors Festival was set up in 2001 to attract tourists to Dartmoor and Exmoor.

Mrs Adie does not know the full extent of the damage but fears it may be a write-off.

NBC 10 Philadelphia reported that the piano was insured for $50,000.


_Source: The Sun Online. Story by Sebastian Lander._



 On tap at Beer Of The Day.

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## rinselberg

By Marc Fisher, Metro columnist to the Washington Post
Thursday, April 26, 2007


> 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 baseball roster?
> 
> Pearson 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.
> 
> I'm telling you, they need to start selling tickets down at the courthouse.





> How does he get to $65 million? The District's consumer protection law provides for damages of $1,500 per violation per day. Pearson started multiplying: 12 violations over 1,200 days, times three defendants. A pant leg here, a pant leg there, and soon, you're talking $65 million.


Fisher concludes with:


> In a closet of a lawyer's office in downtown Washington, there is a pair of gray wool pants, waiting to be picked up by Roy Pearson. "We believe the pants are his ... the tag matches his receipt."


_View the column in the Washington Post_




... to Beer Of The Day

----------


## rinselberg

Applicant for driver's license fails road test but gets a DUI - blood alcohol level was three times the legal limit.

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Quirks/...nse_road_test/


Could that next step up the career ladder get you in "over your head"? Explore this topic under the new post title An Inconvenient Promotion.

----------


## rinselberg

The minor league Chattanooga Lookouts beat the visiting Mississippi Braves 7-6 on Friday, but the fans (4240 in attendance) will remember Braves manager Phil Wellman's Vaudeville act long after they've forgotten anything else they saw that night.

Wellman was ejected in the bottom of the third after getting into it with the home plate umpire over some strike calls against Braves batters.

His tempermental stage exit was dramatic by any standard - a true "major league" performance.

YouTube has the video.

The Chattanoogan and the Chattanooga Times Free Press offer written accounts of Wellman's highly imaginative floorshow.

"This Bud's for you ..."



Who is this man? Find out at OptiBoard's Word Of The Day!

----------


## rinselberg

The newly opened Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky features a library of video clips to illustrate the Biblical story of creation, but there's one video that isn't being shown to visitors anymore - until or unless the museum's "powers that be" change their minds about it.

_Records show that Eric Linden, who portrays Adam taking his first breath [in the Garden of Eden] in a [brief video clip] at the newly opened Creation Museum ... owned a website called "Bedroom Acrobat" [where he was pictured] ... alongside a drag queen, in a T-shirt brandishing [a] sexually suggestive logo.

Linden, a graphic designer, model and actor, also sells clothing for SFX International, whose mascot promotes "free love, pleasure and Thrillz".

The museum's operators, informed ... by The Associated Press of Linden's online [history], acted swiftly to suspend airing of the 40-second video in which he appears.

The [segment] is one of 55 [such video clips] featured on tours of the museum, which tells the Bible's version of [Genesis], that the [Earth and all of its creatures] were created [by God] in [a span of seven days that occurred] just a few thousand years ago.

"We are currently investigating the veracity of these ... claims of ... projects that don't align with the biblical standards and moral code upon which the ministry was founded," Answers for Genesis spokesman Mark Looy said in an e-mail ..._

There are those who are casting a jaundiced eye on this new educational venue that's a short highway drive from the Cincinnati area.

Although the grizzled ghost of Charles Darwin casts no shadow on the grounds of Kentucky's Creation Museum, you can still find Darwin at the Laramy-K online forum under the new post title "Irreducible Complexity" is reduced by one.

_Join the debate about Darwinian Evolution and Intelligent Design at one of these reputable venues ..._

OptiBoard: Intelligent Design vs. EvolutionLaramy-K Optical: Was Charles Darwin "right" ..?


The banal awfulness of the Reliable Sources ...

MSNBC Countdown 
Signs and Blunders 
Louisville Courier-Journal online

----------


## rinselberg

Updated: 3:43 p.m. PT June 22, 2007

FORT BRAGG, N.C. - Two Army paratroopers are in jail, accused of selling drugs and body armor to an undercover FBI agent who also was offered a military Humvee and a 105 mm howitzer ...

_A 105 millimeter howitzer? Sounds kind of suspicious to me. Is that how you "pimp your ride" in North Carolina ..?
_
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19374544/



Could that next step up the career ladder get you in "over your head"? Explore this topic under the new post title An Inconvenient Promotion.

----------


## chip anderson

Strange fact: 
 Charles Darwin believed in God (Yeah the one Moses believed in) he also believed in creationism, just thought the bibical account too simplified.  Wrote that he deeply regreted publishing his findings as it might cause some not to believe in God.
Chip;)

----------


## rinselberg

[youtube]PLjUlVoVWNI[/youtube]

Kent Couch lifts off from his Stop'N'Go gas station in Bend, Oregon on July 7 in a lawn chair tied to 105 helium balloons. He traveled at altitudes reaching 15,400 feet, covering 193 miles, before landing 9 hours later in a field outside of Union, Oregon.

Video runs 04 min 30 sec and includes sound and footage shot from nearby passenger plane.





> Brandon Wilcox, owner of Professional Air, which charters and maintains planes at the Bend airport, said Thursday that Couch definitely did it. Wilcox said he flew a plane nearby while Couch traveled, and a passenger videotaped the flying lawn chair.



Credit: TV.com ...




> Whether Couch will take a third trip is up to his wife, and Susan Couch said she’s thinking about saying no. But she said she was willing to go along with last weekend’s trip. “I know he’d be thinking about it more and more, it would always be on his mind,” she said. “This way, at least he’s fulfilled his dream.”


Complete report online at MSNBC, CNN and LiveScience.

The Official Kent Couch Cluster Balloon Web Site




OptiBoard's panel of experts tries thinking "outside of the box" about the threat of international terrorism. Join the discussion at It's a start and Wrong route to stop terrorism?

----------


## rinselberg

Talk about "needing a smoke" ... a high speed police chase ended in Phoenix on Tuesday after the suspect stopped at a gas station, ran inside, waved a $20 bill at the clerk saying "keep the change" and emerged with a pack of cigarettes. The police, being cautious, were not close enough to end the chase at that point. The suspect got back into his pickup and sped away. After a few more minutes the suspect pulled over and surrendered without further incident.

It's clear from the video that the suspect wasn't smoking as he emerged from the vehicle to surrender.

The report doesn't say if he tried to smoke during the chase.

_News story with video:
http://www.kpho.com/news/13747193/detail.html_

----------


## rinselberg

*Attempted exorcism ends in mans death*
Police use stun guns on grandfather seen choking 3-year-old girl

Updated: 4:32 p.m. PT July 29, 2007
PHOENIX - Officers responding to a report of an exorcism on a young girl found her grandfather choking her and used stun guns to subdue the man, who later died, authorities said Sunday.

The 3-year-old girl and her mother, who was also in the room during the struggle between [the 49-year-old grandfather] and officers, were hospitalized, police said. Their condition was unavailable.

*For the complete MSNBC report with video:*
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20027027/


Phoenix again? See the post just one back from this one ... Another Darwin Award winner here, for sure ... I never saw The Exorcist (Can you believe that? OK, it *is* Rinsel, afterall ...) but I wonder if there isn't some lingering influence from that movie(?)

[MOVEL]Are you reading more posts and enjoying it less?[/MOVEL] Mission .  Soundtrack .  RealMenOfGenius .  RadioFreeRinsel

----------


## DragonLensmanWV

> Strange fact: 
>  Charles Darwin believed in God (Yeah the one Moses believed in) he also believed in creationism, just thought the bibical account too simplified.  Wrote that he deeply regreted publishing his findings as it might cause some not to believe in God.
> Chip;)


Even more curious:
http://www.christiananswers.net/q-aig/darwin.html

----------


## DragonLensmanWV

> [youtube]PLjUlVoVWNI[/youtube]
> 
> Kent Couch lifts off from his Stop'N'Go gas station in Bend, Oregon on July 7 in a lawn chair tied to 105 helium balloons. He traveled at altitudes reaching 15,400 feet, covering 193 miles, before landing 9 hours later in a field outside of Union, Oregon.
> 
> Video runs 04 min 30 sec and includes sound and footage shot from nearby passenger plane.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


They confirmed it was really possible on Mythbusters also, even though it was really known that it had occurred.

----------


## rinselberg

REUTERS
Updated: 2:54 a.m. PT Aug 8, 2007
MOSCOW - A crocodile survived a fall from the 12th floor of a Russian apartment block after making an escape bid from a window, emergency services said on Wednesday.

Diving out of the window has become a habit for the crocodile, called Khenar, with concerned neighbors saying it was the third time it had used that method to escape ...


_Yo' Ivan! Time to lose that walking leather factory ... or find a ground floor apartment._


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20172999/

----------


## rinselberg

"Snakes On A Plane" - it's not just a movie!

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/...n3159296.shtml


Must be "reptiles month" ... see the post right before this one.



Who's your prehistoric Daddy? See the latest rinselberg T. rex production ...
http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...8&postcount=12

----------


## rinselberg

Max: Well, how do you like this, 99? The Craw, one of the great master criminals of all time, working in a Chinese laundry.

The Craw: No, Mr. Smart. Operating a chain of Chinese laundries across the nation where KAOS agents receive and pass on stolen information.

Max: A spy network.

Bobo: The spy network is just a front. The real money is in the laundry.

_CONTROL's alluring female Agent 99 and doofus Agent 86 (Maxwell Smart) confront The Craw and his criminal sidekick Bobo in an episode of "Get Smart", TV's celebrated comedy spy series, that aired from 1965 to 1970.

Fast forward to this:_

"Hezbollah-branded" tee-shirts, key rings, coffee mugs, cigarette lighters and pencil cases (just some of the recent offerings) for sale at Hezbollah "gift shops" in Lebanon, like the one in Baalbek. And oh yes - items may be paid for with U.S. currency.

Just two days ago, Hezbollah's Internet Division rolled out its new flagship retail product, "Special Force 2", a first-person video game based on the Genesis 3D video game engine. The object of the game, which can be played in Arabic, English, French or Farsi (Iranian), is to use simulations of the weapons that Hezbollah militiamen used in the 2006 conflict to "target and destroy" simulated Israeli tanks, aircraft, helicopters and warships. Points are accumulated by "neutralizing" Israeli Defense Force personnel. Uh, make that _simulated_ Israeli Defense Force personnel



The new video game was revealed at a swag party for journalists in one of south Beirut's solidly Shiite neighborhoods. And what was the swag? According to MSNBC, journalists received free "Sheik Nasrallah" scent tags. Hang one from the rearview mirror for that "new car smell".

_Personally, I find these reports rather encouraging. Maybe they'll get taken with the idea of selling merchandise for a profit to the point where they would be loathe to see good business disrupted by the inconveniences of yet another war ..._


Sources:
http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archi...16/320076.aspx
http://www.reuters.com/article/techn...070816?sp=true
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4ktvNztwsY

----------


## rinselberg

And today's nominee is Colonel-General Alexander Rukshin, a deputy chief of the Russian militarys General Staff - or an unidentified someone at Russia's Channel One television station, who came up with this gem:

Commenting on a recent test by the Russian military, which claims to have developed the world's most powerful non-nuclear bomb, Russia's Channel One TV said the new weapon, nicknamed the "dad of all bombs," is four times more powerful than the U.S. "mother of all bombs." "The tests have shown that the new air-delivered ordnance is comparable to a nuclear weapon in its efficiency and capability," said Colonel-General Rukshin.



Say how'dya'do to "Dad" ... Channel One / AP.





> Unlike a nuclear weapon, the bomb doesnt hurt the environment, [Rukshin] added.



Doesn't hurt *whose* environment ... I think I'm taking the NIMBY attitude on this, if you know what I mean ...


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20730691

----------


## chip anderson

Mon Sep 10, 5:35 PM ET 


ERIE, Pa. - An Erie cancer researcher has found a way to burn salt water, a novel invention that is being touted by one chemist as the "most remarkable" water science discovery in a century. 
ADVERTISEMENT

John Kanzius happened upon the discovery accidentally when he tried to desalinate seawater with a radio-frequency generator he developed to treat cancer. He discovered that as long as the salt water was exposed to the radio frequencies, it would burn.
The discovery has scientists excited by the prospect of using salt water, the most abundant resource on earth, as a fuel.
Rustum Roy, a Penn State University chemist, has held demonstrations at his State College lab to confirm his own observations.
The radio frequencies act to weaken the bonds between the elements that make up salt water, releasing the hydrogen, Roy said. Once ignited, the hydrogen will burn as long as it is exposed to the frequencies, he said.
The discovery is "the most remarkable in water science in 100 years," Roy said.

----------


## rinselberg

[youtube]4kKtKSEQBeI[/youtube]

*John Kanzius demonstrates his innovative "salt water burning technology".*

For more:
http://green.yahoo.com/index.php?q=node/1570


Thanks to OptiBoard's Chip Anderson for the "scoop".

----------


## rinselberg

The Darwin Awards "salute the improvement of the human gene pool by honoring those who accidentally remove themselves from it ..."

What do you get when you combine a rattlesnake "enthusiast", a few friends, a few beers, nothing better to do and a pet rattlesnake?

A Darwin Award!

Not quite. "Close, but no cigar", as the saying goes. Prompt medical intervention saved this Oregon man's life - better for him, not so good for the ever-evolving human genome.

The Portland resident put his pet rattlesnake inside his mouth to demonstrate how "safe" he felt in the snake's company. The snake bit his tongue. Doctors say he received enough rattlesnake venom to kill him 10 times over.

Tucson's Fox 11 News has the story - and the video! If you'd like to go straight to the video, try Philadelphia's NBC 10, which played more smoothly on my rig (Mac, Safari, DSL ...)

You can also play the video via MSNBC. 

*Caution: It's not pretty*.

----------


## rinselberg

My OptiBoard "Real Men of Genius" posts owe their inspiration (needless to say) to the celebrated Bud Light "Real Men of Genius" radio spots.

Today's selection speaks for itself!

----------


## gemstone

> Doesn't hurt *whose* environment ... I think I'm taking the NIMBY attitude on this, if you know what I mean ...
> 
> 
> http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20730691


A GREEN bomb.  But Not Norman http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUBfw...related&search=

----------


## rinselberg

Al Qaeda's Number Two ready to "Meet The Press" ...




> Like me, I'm sure you're filled with questions for Al Qaeda deputy dog Ayman al-Zahwahiri: Why are you so p*ssed off?  What's your next diabolical plot?  Where can a Predator deliver a little present to you right now?  And what's up with that big ol' splotch on your forehead?
> 
> Well, now here's your chance to ask 'em all.  The public, "have been asked to send in their questions for the terror network's second in command, which he will then answer in an online interview next month," Australia's News.com informs us ...


December 17, 2007
Noah Shachtman; Wired.com




"Ask Ayman" is the latest Internet venture from Al Qaeda.

I couldn't find the website where, according to the reports, anyone could submit a question to what Al Qaeda is calling an "open meeting with individuals, organizations and media outlets". But if you post your question Wired.com states (in truth or in jest, I know not) that they will try to forward it. You can see what readers have already posted after the story.


What's more fun than a barrel of fatwas? How about OptiBoarders weighing in on the CIA waterboardings of terror suspects . . . "Git" some here.

----------


## rinselberg

Remember the _Blue Man Group_..? They were in vogue several years ago. Like a revved-up mime troupe. Stage performances. TV spots for Intel and some of the other big names in consumer products.

Meet the _real_ Blue Man: Paul Karason (left).



About 14 years ago, Karason started treating his various ailments by drinking colloidal silver--silver, in a liquid suspension--after reading about it in a magazine ad. When he put it on his face to treat a severe case of dermatitis, his skin turned blue. The condition, called "argyria", is a result of the silver concentration in his skin. The silver has reacted with light, much like the silver compounds used in various photographic films.

The FDA banned the sale of over-the-counter silver cures in 1999. Karason, however, is still drinking a cocktail of silver suspended in distilled water, which he makes at home using electrolysis and metallic silver. He figures he can live with his blue looking skin longer--or at least, better--than with the ailments that he believes his silver remedy is curing him of.

For more, including additional photos and _video_, see the MSNBC _Today Show_ on line; also Baltimore's WMAR ABC2 NETCAST.

----------


## rinselberg

Jazz pianist Yosuke Yamas(h)ita--there's supposed to be an "h" in that last name, but OptiBoard's naughty word censor doesn't like it--plays a "hot" keyboard arrangement at a beach setting in Japan. He was showing his appreciation for an old grand piano that he no longer uses. Yamas(h)ita did the same thing as a stunt for a movie in 1973.

Select ("click") the photo for video and soundtrack of what is (understandably) a fairly brief performance.


Credits: Japan Today; BBC News.

----------


## chip anderson

It's not a new trick Jerry Lee Lewis did this in 1956.  Made him an instant rock star.

Chip

----------


## jediron1

> Jazz pianist Yosuke Yamas(h)ita--there's supposed to be an "h" in that last name, but OptiBoard's naughty word censor doesn't like it--plays a "hot" keyboard arrangement at a beach setting in Japan. He was showing his appreciation for an old grand piano that he no longer uses. Yamas(h)ita did the same thing as a stunt for a movie in 1973.
> 
> Select ("click") the photo for video and soundtrack of what is (understandably) a fairly brief performance.
> 
> 
> Credits: Japan Today; BBC News.




I like one Jimi H. did at Monterey Pop when he lite his guitar on fire! I believe it was Monterey.   :Cool:

----------


## rinselberg

How NOT to rob a muffler shop.. more evidence that cell phones could be linked to brain damage..
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23817753/

----------


## rinselberg

A salute to the last (known) Jewish resident of Afghanistan--a man who personifies the adjective "curmudgeonly"..

Recent Interview with Martin Fletcher, NBC News Correspondent

Background from Washington Post (2005)

----------


## rinselberg

> The 41-year-old priest took off from the southern port city of Paranagua [Brazil] on April 20, strapped to 1,000 helium-filled balloons in an attempt to raise money to build a rest stop and worship center for truckers.


Here's a priest with an imaginative scheme to raise money for one of the church's intended good works.

_A little too imaginative._

You might say that his imagination was the key that unlocked the door to the Twilight Zone ...


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25534256/

----------


## rinselberg

_Nov. 9: Israeli police scuffle with an Armenian monk next to the site traditionally believed to be the tomb of Jesus Christ._


Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulcher is revered as the site of Jesus' crucifixion, burial and resurrection. 

Yesterday Israeli police arrested two monks after a fist fight broke out inside the church over conflicting religious protocols.

Before the police arrived, an Armenian monk _sucker punched_ a Greek Orthodox monk, breaking his spectacles and gashing his forehead.

Does this open the possibility of weekly worldwide TV broadcasts.. to attract some of the same audience as the UFC and similar mixed martial arts competitions? Or would this appeal more to fans of Worldwide Wrestling Entertainment and the like? The possibilities are intriguing.

For all the juicy details: 
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,449150,00.html

----------


## rinselberg

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia   Malaysia's top Islamic body on Saturday banned Muslims from practicing yoga, saying the Indian physical exercise contains elements of Hinduism and could corrupt Muslims.

For the complete report:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,456367,00.html

----------


## rinselberg

KABUL, Afghanistan   U.S.-led coalition troops killed a Taliban commander dressed as a women during a raid in southern Afghanistan, officials said Saturday.

Soldiers killed four Taliban fighters in Friday's operation, including the Taliban commander named Haji Yakub who was dressed as a woman to evade capture, the U.S. military said in a statement . . .

In the Ghazni raid, the U.S. said coalition forces discovered Yakub as they questioned a group of women and children inside a compound. The Taliban commander was dressed in a burqa, a traditional robe that covers the entire body. He was killed when he "attempted to engage the force," the statement said.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,459025,00.html

_The Darwin Awards salute the improvement of the human genome by honoring those who accidentally remove themselves from it..._

----------


## rinselberg

A Swedish man's attempt to impress his date went horribly awry Friday, as he ended up lighting himself on fire and going into shock.

The 33-year-old man also faces allegations of endangering the public as he recovers from serious burn injuries in a hospital in Vastervik, The Local reported.

The unidentified man's girlfriend said he was attempting a stunt when he poured gasoline over his arm and set the fuel on fire.

"It obviously didnt go well. He burned his arm and other parts of his body and was in a state of shock," Kalmar police spokesperson Reine Johansson told the TT news agency. "Dont ask me what the point of the trick was supposed to be."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,473324,00.html

----------


## rinselberg

MOGADISHU, Somalia  Five of the pirates who hijacked a Saudi supertanker drowned with their share of a $3 million ransom, a relative said Saturday, the day after the bundle of cash was apparently dropped by parachute onto the deck of the ship . . .

Abukar Haji, uncle of one of the dead men, blamed the naval surveillance for the accident that killed his pirate nephew Saturday.

"The boat the pirates were traveling in capsized because it was running at high speed because the pirates were afraid of an attack from the warships patrolling around," he said . . .

_For the complete AP report:_
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090110/ap_on_bi_ge/piracy

----------


## rinselberg

German firemen may have burned down their own fire station--for the second time.



The Austrian Times reports the story under the heading "World's worst firemen burn down their own station". They could have added the word "again".

All six fire engines were destroyed and it took 250 firemen from nearby towns to finally bring the blaze under control.

The same fire station was rebuilt in 1994 after catching fire.

_For the complete report:_
http://www.austriantimes.at/index.php?id=10519

----------


## rinselberg

CAPE HAZE, Fla. - Authorities said they arrested a man who apparently forgot to fill up when he was robbing a gas station.

The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office said a 23-year-old man used a Bowie knife to rob a Cape Haze gas station early Sunday. Deputies said the man pulled the 12-inch blade and demanded money. But when he left, a customer followed him and called 911.

While deputies were looking for signs of the robber, a newspaper carrier told them that a man in a car matching the one from the robbery had run out of gas nearby.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29148944/

----------


## rinselberg

*Swedish Train Trashed as Part of Art Thesis*
Monday, February 16, 2009 

STOCKHOLM   Maybe it was abstract impressionism.

Passengers in Stockholm were terrified when a masked man spray-painted graffiti inside a train, then smashed a window and threw himself onto the platform.

Officials were flabbergasted to learn the rampage was part of an art thesis. And they didn't seem to appreciate the artistic merit.

Chairman Christer Wennerholm said the transit authority filed a complaint against the student Monday, demanding 100,000 kronor ($12,000) in damages.

The unidentified student included video of the vandalism in his thesis at the University College of Arts, Crafts and Design. The school said it doesn't allow students to break the law, but added it wasn't clear whether the student participated in the vandalism or merely recorded it..

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,493807,00.html



The irony is worthy of Hitchcock, but it isn't fiction. It's the intersection of "macabre" and "reality". Are you "in"..?

----------


## rinselberg

Ohio Man Charged With DUI After Crashing Motorized Bar Stool

----------


## rinselberg

A recent photo of Hezbollah leader Sheikh Nasrallah (above) and an old photo of Johnny Carson impersonating "The Great Karnak" (below). The resemblance is striking.

----------


## k12311997

I should have had a V8

----------


## rinselberg

Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi "cutting up" at an EU meeting in 2002..



Portuguese Economy Minister Manuel Pinho gives the "cuckold" signal..


For the whole story:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8133615.stm

----------


## DragonLensmanWV

> Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi "cutting up" at an EU meeting in 2002..
> 
> 
> 
> Portuguese Economy Minister Manuel Pinho gives the "cuckold" signal..
> 
> 
> For the whole story:
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8133615.stm


Heh, reminds me of a joke told to me by a friend that now lives in Milan.

The Pope, a Boy Scout and Berlusconi were on a plane when the engines started to fail. There were however, only two parachutes. So Berlusconi, grabs one and bails out. The Scout told the Pope to take the remaining parachute because of who he was. Of course the Pope told the Scout, "Son there's still two parachutes left, that dumb Italian took your knapsack."
Meanwhile on a lake below two men are fishing in a boat when they hear a descending scream and a huge splash nearby. Rowing over, they found Berlusconi rising feebly to the surface. So the fishermen haul him into their boat. Berlusconi is so relieved he promised the men anything they wanted. The first fisherman said, "I'd like a large Tuscan villa complete with my own winery and I'd be happy for the rest of my life!" Berlusconi agreed. The second fisherman said, "I'd like a wheelchair."  Berlusconi said, "Agreed, but why do you want only the one small thing?"  "Because," said the fisherman,"When my father finds out I saved your life, he'll break both of my legs!"

----------


## rinselberg

MIAMI - It's not clear how or when it was killed, but police were called to a downtown Miami street when a five-to-six-foot shark was found lying in the middle of it.

News footage Tuesday night showed the dead animal in the street with police officers and cruisers nearby. Two TV stations reported that a pair of men had tried to sell the animal to at least three fish markets for around $10.


_It was a nurse shark._

The men apparently carried the five or six-foot-long fish around on the city's Metromover downtown train, prompting calls to police.

Rob Orta, an employee at Casablanca Fish Market, told WSVN that the men offered his business the shark. "But we don't buy sharks off the street," Orta said.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32084827...ws-weird_news/

----------


## rinselberg

From 2005: 


> A man [who's] turned a crime into a business opportunity is getting some attention in western Wisconsin -- both positive and negative.
> 
> Dan Gabel designs magnets for cars and refrigerators. Upon the suggestion of his nephew who lives on French Island, Gabel designed a line of car magnets that poke fun at a well-known local criminal case.
> 
> Philip Schuth is accused of hiding his mother's body in his freezer at their French Island home for years. He's not accused of killing her, but is charged with hiding a corpse and other counts. He has a competency hearing next week.
> 
> Now hundreds of bumper magnets have been sold that read "What's in Your Freezer?" or "My Mom is Cooler Than Yours!" The bumper magnets are in the shape of a freezer and imprinted with French Island, Wisconsin.
> 
> Local police sergeant Terry Malzycki says it's kind of depressing that people want to make money off something unfortunate.
> ...


http://www.blythe-systems.com/piperm...11/020017.html


Flash forward to 2009:


> Police ... discovered Schuth's dead mother in a basement chest freezer, frozen into a 200-to-300 pound block of ice. Schuth told investigators she died in 2000 of natural causes. He kept her hidden because he feared police might charge him with homicide and he needed her Social Security payments. . . .
> 
> A judge sentenced Schuth in November 2005 to seven years in prison and 10 years extended supervision for hiding a corpse, attempted homicide and recklessly endangering safety. The next summer a federal judge gave him four months, to be served simultaneously with his state sentence, for Social Security fraud. Schuth gave a bizarre speech in court laced with Latin, demanding more roles for actress Jennifer Garner and fewer for her husband, Ben Affleck. . . .


http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,...est=latestnews

----------


## Jacqui

I was living about 20 minutes from French Island when this happened. Sad.

----------


## rinselberg

Today we have a "real woman of genius"..

Wife of Japan's New Prime Minister Says She Traveled to Venus in UFO

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,546240,00.html

----------


## rinselberg

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,...est=latestnews

----------


## rinselberg

DULUTH, Minn. - A Minnesota man has pleaded guilty to driving his motorized La-Z-Boy chair while drunk. . . .

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive...91lazboy1.html

----------


## rinselberg

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worl...s-scratch.html

----------


## rinselberg

Remember the Iraqi who threw his shoes at George Bush?

Muntadar al-Zaidi just got a taste of his own medicine.

It was "shoe time" again in Paris!

Link includes video..

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8389764.stm

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## k12311997

Do they give the shoe back? do they just walk around with one shoe? Do they bring extra shoes for throwing?

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## rinselberg

_Qatari diplomat Mohammed Al-Madadi_

The 27-year-old Qatari diplomat who caused a full-blown, midair security scare when he tried to sneak a cigarette and then joked about it should be recalled or expelled for doing just about "everything wrong" on board the United Airlines flight to Denver, some officials said Thursday.

Qatari diplomat Mohammed Al-Madadi caused a full-blown, midair security incident--including the scrambling of Air Force F-16s--when he tried to smoke a cigarette in the airliner's bathroom. An air marshal, alerted by the smell of smoke, confronted Al-Madadi, who stupidly joked that he was trying to set his shoes on fire--an all too unfortunate reference to the infamous airline "shoe bomber" Richard Reid. Now there are calls for Al-Madadi to be expelled from his post in the U.S.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010...d-critics-say/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36243847...iner_security/

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## Uncle Fester

Unfiltered Camels?

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## k12311997

> Unfiltered Camels?


Thanks I have to go wash my mind out with soap now.

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## Uncle Fester

It was Camels or the L+M brand and now discontinued Fatima.

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## rinselberg

Group of ghost hunters looking for ghosts on anniversary of 1891 train wreck. Caught on 300-foot long railroad trestle when real Norfolk-Southern train appears. One man struck by train and killed.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/08/27/nor...ex.html?hpt=T2

Another *Darwin award* ...

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## PhotonicGuy

It's a shame that one man died. About the "ghost hunt" I really don't want to comment anything, because each has the right to believe in what he want.

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## rinselberg

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A 46-year-old man, who rooted the New York Jets to victory,  took a celebratory sled ride down his driveway in Great Kills that turned deadly last night, when he veered into the path of a car driving down his block, police said. 

Police say Raymond Larsen was sledding down his driveway at 286 Cleveland Ave., which is steeply inclined toward the street, and went careening into the roadway as a 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe drove past, at about 8:52 p.m. . . .



Neighbors said they heard a loud sound, similar to a car hitting a pothole, and then minutes later heard ambulances and saw Larsen, clad in a New York Jets Mark Sanchez jersey, bleeding from the head, lifeless. Larsen reportedly took the disc-like sled out for a celebratory joyride after the Jets upset the New England Patriots in a playoff game last night. The game ended about an hour before the accident occurred. 

One witness, who declined to give his name, said the sled looked light blue, kind of like a frisbee turned upside down, only really big.

http://www.silive.com/southshore/ind...y_in_grea.html


_I guess you can file this under "Top Ten Things Not To Do After Your Football Team Wins".
_

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## ksquared

As is usually the case when Walmart announces the intention to build a new store, community supporters (pushing for jobs, an enlarged tax base and shopper convenience) battle community opponents (trying to save mom-and-pop retailers), and when plans were announced for a northeast Washington, D.C., location, it was the local Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner, Brenda Speaks, who produced a brand-new reason for opposing such a store. 

"_Young people_", she told an anti-Walmart rally (according to a February Washington Post report), "_would be more likely to get criminal records because, with a big corporation around, they could less resist the temptation to steal_."

Washington Post, 2-10-2011]

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## WFruit

> As is usually the case when Walmart announces the intention to build a new store, community supporters (pushing for jobs, an enlarged tax base and shopper convenience) battle community opponents (trying to save mom-and-pop retailers), and when plans were announced for a northeast Washington, D.C., location, it was the local Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner, Brenda Speaks, who produced a brand-new reason for opposing such a store. 
> 
> "_Young people_", she told an anti-Walmart rally (according to a February Washington Post report), "_would be more likely to get criminal records because, with a big corporation around, they could less resist the temptation to steal_."
> 
> Washington Post, 2-10-2011]


Well, that and the fact that mom-n-pop stores in D.C. tend to be heavily armed.....

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## chip anderson

How dast you say Texas was aquired from de Mexicans from Mexico?   Texas was an independent country wrested from de Mexicans by mostly Texas home residents.  Texas chose to be aquired by the US under it's own conditions, which included the right of secession, and the right to split into five smaller states should it so chose.
You wanna know how Sam Houston was able to defeat Santa Anna at Juancinto?    A dear lady who is revered at the Yellow Rose of Texas (won't say why _yellow_ rose because I don't want to upset Steve) entertained Santa Anna in his tent during the battle.  (Odd they never mentioned this when I took Texas history.)

Chip

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## opticianbart

http://www.snopes.com/history/american/texas.asp

Urban legend, Texas has no more right to leave the union than any other state. :)

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## chip anderson

Not Urban Legend: 

See Articles of Incorporation where Texas joined the Union. In every 9th grade Texas History book as well as many other places where Texas records are stored.

Of course there is some debate today about whether the War of Northern Agression changed all this or not.    There is especially currently a movement within the State of Texas to concider seceeding and becoming independent once again, somewhat because Texans are highly anti-Socialist and they want to drill thier own oil.

Chip

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## Spexvet

> See Articles of Incorporation where Texas joined the Union. In every 9th grade Texas History book as well as many other places where Texas records are stored.


Like the Dallas School Book Depository?





> Of course there is some debate today about whether the War of Northern Agression 
> Chip


Chip, I believe it's time that you stopped referring the The War To Stop Slavery as the War of Northern Agression. It makes you sound like you are in favor of slavery.

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## DragonLensmanWV

I don't think all Texans are antisocial.

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## finefocus

> I don't think all Texans are antisocial.


That's correct; only California is 100% contrarian.

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## opticianbart

> Chip, I believe it's time that you stopped referring the The War To Stop Slavery as the War of Northern Agression. It makes you sound like you are in favor of slavery.


Ha, there's a war that had both sides fighting for different reasons - both right, and both wrong if you ask me.  Worst kind of war out there.

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## chip anderson

Wonder what the devil (other than wasting a *lot* of high priced fuel) the F-16's thought they could do about either a fire or a bomb on board?

Chip

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## shanbaum

As usual, Chip, your memory requires refreshing.  Here is the relevant document which had the effect of annexing the Republic of Texas to the United States:

http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ref/about...4july1845.html

and a little further elaboration:

http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ref/about...ion/index.html

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## ksquared

Britain's Ben Wilson is one artist with the entire field to himself -- the only painter who creates finely detailed masterpieces on flattened pieces of chewing gum found on London sidewalks.

Frequently spotted lying nearly inert on the ground, working, Wilson estimates he has painted "many thousands" of such "canvases," ranging from portraits and landscapes to specialized messages (such as listing the names of all employees at a soon-to- be-closed Woolworth's store).
According to a June New York Times dispatch, Wilson initially heats each piece with a blowtorch, applies lacquer and acrylic enamel before painting -- and sealing with more lacquer. And of course he works only with tiny, tiny brushes. [New York Times, 6-14-2011] 

800px-Ben_Wilson_chewing_gum_artist_at_work.jpg

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## Uncle Fester

Glad to read he softens it with a blowtorch. ;)

Some pictures:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/14/wo...14muswell.html

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## Uncle Fester

> Today we salute you, Mr. Economic Genius ...
> 
> 
> 
> _Greece's Minister of Economy & Finance, George Alogoskoufis_.
> 
> 
> Prostitutes, smugglers boost Greek economy
> Official: Illicit businesses to be added into country's gross domestic product
> ...


It bought Greece 5 years. I say we GO FOR IT!!!!

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## chip anderson

Ghost Hunters:\
The real tragedy here is appearently mature adults will sit and watch these people in bad black and white trapse around with flashlights in the dark, making remarks like: "Did you hear that?"  or I felt a breeze here, it must be ectoplasm.   Jeeze, ghost movies and stories might have been entertaining in during childhood, but to spend time watching this is really weird.

Apple:
Anyone here that Apple has more cash reserve than the U.S. government?

Chip

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## Spexvet

> Ghost Hunters:\
> The real tragedy here is appearently mature adults will sit and watch these people in bad black and white trapse around with flashlights in the dark, making remarks like: "Did you hear that?" or I felt a breeze here, it must be ectoplasm. Jeeze, ghost movies and stories might have been entertaining in during childhood, but to spend time watching this is really weird.
> 
> ...
> Chip


Are you talking about church service?

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## rinselberg

(Hey Spexvet.. "long time, no see"..?)


Y'all remember that Stone Age automobile that cartoon immortal Fred Flintstone used to drive--instead of brakes, he stuck his feet out through the bottom onto the "road" and skidded to a stop.

That's just what a 24-year old Detroit area man tried to do on a busy highway.

He knew that the brakes in his pickup truck were inoperable, but thought that he could just make it home by sticking his feet out the open door of the vehicle and using them as brakes.

It worked about as well as you'd expect.. he went about two miles and hit four other vehicles before the police stopped him.

News report and video:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44195725.../#.Tk897HOp0nk

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## rinselberg

ATHENS -- A Bulgarian baker was arrested after serving cocaine-sprinkled cookies to guests at a Greek funeral, news website Novinite reported Wednesday.


Mourners phoned for help after the traditional Greek cookies caused them to act strangely, and police discovered the cookies were sprinkled with cocaine instead of powdered sugar.


The baker, who is a Bulgarian national, was involved in drug trafficking and sent the cookies to the funeral service by mistake, police said.


Police later raided the gang running the cookie operation, and seized 60 kilograms of cocaine.




Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/08...#ixzz1WfwDVpjN

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## rinselberg

Denver Men Accused of Taking Friend's Corpse on Boys' Night Out

Denver   Two Colorado men stand accused of multiple offenses after driving their dead friend's corpse to a pair of Denver nightspots and using his ATM card to buy themselves drinks, the Denver Post reported Thursday.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/09/16/denver-men-accused-taking-friends-corpse-on-boys-night-out/#ixzz1Y9eEHTrN



WEEKEND AT BERNIE'S
"He may be dead, but he's still the life of the party!"

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## Uncle Fester

> Denver Men Accused of Taking Friend's Corpse on Boys' Night Out
> 
> Denver –  Two Colorado men stand accused of multiple offenses after driving their dead friend's corpse to a pair of Denver nightspots and using his ATM card to buy themselves drinks, the Denver Post reported Thursday.
> 
> Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/09/16/denver-men-accused-taking-friends-corpse-on-boys-night-out/#ixzz1Y9eEHTrN
> 
> 
> 
> WEEKEND AT BERNIE'S
> "He may be dead, but he's still the life of the party!"


Ummm- Please so do this with me!

How do I codify it in my will?!

To Hell with the stink- I'm buyin!!!

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## rinselberg

Video: Men lugging heart in cooler for transplant patient let it spill out onto the pavement..

Your next question: They "installed" the heart and so far, so good..

http://video.msnbc.msn.com/msnbc.com/45987285/

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## finefocus

> Video: They "installed" the heart and so far, so good..
> 
> http://video.msnbc.msn.com/msnbc.com/45987285/


Much better than saying they "instilled" the heart.

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