Caterpillar - International Day of Action June 14th Chicago

Wednesday June 14th,2006, Chicago, shareholders of Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation (Cat Financial)will be rejoicing in the Q1 2006 results announced on 12th April 2006. The company reported record revenues of $657 million for the first quarter of 2006, an increase of $114 million or 21 % compared with the same period in 2005. Profit after tax was a record $118 million, a $35 million or 42 % increase over the first quarter of 2005.

Caterpillar Vice President and Cat Financial President Kent M. Adams said, "We are off to a great start in 2006 with a record quarter for revenues and net income, and the continued growth and strong performance of our portfolio."

However, this year again as in the last 2 years CAT shareholders have profounder problems than how to spend their dividends net profits and costs of production.

Worldwide a massive and mounting corporate accountability campaign is on the move, this year, CAT shareholders will be challenged with the question of how it can reconcile its bulldozer sales to Israel, to be used in contravention of international humanitarian and human rights law with its own code of corporate conduct (Caterpillar Inc., Code of Worldwide Business Conduct, October 1, 2000) which declares "as a company, we strive to contribute toward a global environment in which all people can work safely and live healthy, productive lives, now and in the future."

Last year April 13th, 2005 a shareholder resolution calling for Caterpillar to investigate whether their sale of bulldozers to Israel violates the CAT "good global citizen" code of conduct received a 3% vote at the annual shareholder. The resolution was backed by investors with holdings estimated to be well over $600 million, including CalPERS, the largest pension in the world.

February 7 2006, the Synod of the Church of England overwhelmingly decided to divest itself of approximately USD$2.2 million in Caterpillar Inc. shares, property of the Church of England.


To participate in the National Day of Action you can visit the site here :

Go to Chicago and join the day-time vigil: Outside the shareholder meeting, activists will be participating in a vigil and a press conference. If you live in the Midwest, organize a bus load of like-minded people to drive into Chicago on the 14th.

For more information on how to participate in Chicago, write to matt@stopcat.org

To launch your own CAT Campaign, click here and contact: organizing@endtheoccupation.org.

Get the Fact Sheet on the 64 ton CAT D9 armored bulldozer which is produced by Caterpillar Inc. and sold through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales Program, whereby the U.S. Department of Defense purchases goods from U.S. manufacturers and resells them to foreign governments. e-mail Lord Patel if you support the campaign

Lori "the Wire" Mody and her first husband Roger

Veridian. The Arlington, Va.-based company announced Aug. 13 2002 (advised by Credit Suisse First Boston and lawyers Andrews & Kurth ) signed an agreement to acquire privately owned Signal Corp. for $227 million (advised by Banc of America Securities and the law firm Shaw Pittman LLP ) in a combination of cash and notes.

See detailed documents recording sale here his first wife Lori Mody owned 45% of Signal. Pic is of Roger Mody, Lori's first husband. Loris is of course the lady who wore the wire to trap Petersen.

“We went to Veridian, we approached them,” said Roger Mody, the founder, president, chief executive officer and majority shareholder of Fairfax, Va.-based Signal. “We chose not to go through the auction process.”

Mody regarded defense and intelligence specialist Veridian as the right company to capitalize on Signal’s expertise and reputation in the government services sector. Signal would bring its own capabilities and customer base to Veridian while benefiting from the larger company’s skills and assets, he said.

One of Signal’s big high-profile programs is a $100 million contract it won in May2002 to provide a range of information technology services to Senate offices in Washington and to 450 Senate offices nationwide. Other Signal customers include the Army, Navy, Environment.

Signal’s annual sales last year reached $252 million, the company said. In May, Signal officials estimated that fiscal 2002 revenue would top $300 million.

Roger Mody has signed a three-year non-compete agreement. He said he intends to establish the Mody Foundation, which will help underprivileged minority children with their education.

Veridian. The Arlington, Va.-based company announced Aug. 13 2002 (advised by Credit Suisse First Boston) it has signed an agreement to acquire privately owned Signal for $227 million (advised by Banc of America Securities and the law firm Shaw Pittman LLP ) in a combination of cash and notes.

“We went to Veridian, we approached them,” said Roger Mody, the founder, president, chief executive officer and majority shareholder of Fairfax, Va.-based Signal. “We chose not to go through the auction process.”

Mody regarded defense and intelligence specialist Veridian as the right company to capitalize on Signal’s expertise and reputation in the government services sector. Signal would bring its own capabilities and customer base to Veridian while benefiting from the larger company’s skills and assets, he said.

One of Signal’s big high-profile programs is a $100 million contract it won in May2002 to provide a range of information technology services to Senate offices in Washington and to 450 Senate offices nationwide. Other Signal customers include the Army, Navy, Environment.

Signal’s annual sales last year reached $252 million, the company said. In May, Signal officials estimated that fiscal 2002 revenue would top $300 million.

Roger Mody signed a three-year non-compete agreement established the Mody Foundation, which will help underprivileged minority children with their education.

Mega defence company General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) on 6th September 2003 announcing acquring Veridian in a transaction estimated at $1.5 billion. General Dynamics will offered $35 in cash for each outstanding Veridian share and assumed $270 million of debt.

On October 22nd 2004 – The Potomac Officers Club, the region's leading business organization for senior executives, announced that Roger Mody has joined the organization's board of directors.The Potomac Officers Club is a non-profit membership organization that fosters peer-to-peer collaboration among prominent C-level business executives in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Northern Virginia.

Roger Mody is actively engaged in philanthropy across the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Mody is founder and chairman of the Mody Foundation, an organization which provides higher education funding for underprivileged children. He also works with Make-A-Wish Foundation, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Fight for Children, Washington Redskins Leadership Council and serves on the Board of Visitors of George Mason University.

Read a fascinating interview with the son of Indian immigrants here and more biographical information here.Mody divorced his first wife Lori in 2002 , after the sale to Veridian and is now married to Kyle.

Lori Mody is a seriously rich (and savvy) lady .... 

Katrina, what happened and why - PR MP3 download

Louisiana Storm Protection: Past, Present and Future by Living on Earth Radio
The Gulf Coast is preparing for another hurricane season, an army of scientists, engineers storm forecasters are racing to fix the levees that failed Louisiana.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently accepted responsibility for the largest civil engineering disaster in American history - the collapse of the weak and outdated levee system meant to protect New Orleans.

The 125-mile man-made system was built on poor soil, with inconsistent materials and design, leaving a disjointed defense that Hurricane Katrina ultimately breached.

As the Corps and a number of other engineering teams work on the levees and the land, Living on Earth looks at the past, present and future of storm protection for Louisiana.

Superb, detailed and authoritative view of what happened and why in this Public Service Radio Living on Earth.MP3 download available here

Islamic militants take Mogadishu

Islamic militias who have declared they will turn Somalia into a religious state have taken the lawless capital of Mogadishu after a 3 month battle against "coalition" groups of self-styled anti-terrorism warlords widely that are believed to have covert US support. The US has refused to discuss persistent reports it is covertly funnelling $100,000 a month or more to the warlords but has said "it will work with anyone combating terrorism."

A US diplomat based in Nairobi, Michael Zorick , was transferred in April to another posting in Chad after internally criticizing such payments,

On Monday, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said, ''We do have real concerns about the presence of foreign terrorists in Somalia, and that informs an important aspect of our policy with regard to Somalia.''

Countrywide Sharia law is the goal

"Until we get the Islamic state, we will continue with the Islamic struggle in Somalia," Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, chairman of Mogadishu Islamic courts, told a rally of hundreds of people many of them supporters of Al Itihad Al Islamiya .

"This is a long Islamic struggle and it will continue until the whole country comes under sharia law," Fuad Ahmed, a militiaman loyal to the Islamic side, told Reuters. "We are ready to shed our blood in order for that struggle to succeed."

But thousands of Mogadishu residents protested against the takeover and defeated warlords said they would fight back. Clan elders warned the Islamic side against more advances.

Meanwhile the push North continues with advances towards the warlord stronghold of Jowhar, about 90 km (56 miles) north of Mogadishu.

Turning point in the history of Somalia

Omar Jamal, director of the Somali Justice Advocacy Center in St. Paul, Minn., is widely reported to be calling called the Islamic militia's victory in Mogadishu a turning point in the country's history.

"It is exactly the same thing that happened with the rise to power of the Taliban" in Afghanistan, he said, adding that the extremists are "using the people's weariness of violence, rape and civil war" to gain support for a government based on Islamic law.

``The Islamist takeover means that the policy and the strategy of the United States has gone terribly wrong," said Suliman Baldo , director of the Africa program for the International Crisis Group, a nonprofit that works to resolve conflicts around the world. ``The US will need to think very quickly [what are] the alternatives to that strategy" that had depended upon Mogadishu's ousted warlords.

US Djibouti base not involved says Task Force

US intelligence officials have either denied involvement in Somalia, or declined to comment. Major David Westover , spokesman for Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa , said yesterday his Djibouti-based operation ``does not and has had no operations in Somalia."

Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) began moving all headquarters personnel and equipment from its flagship, USS Mount Whitney, in the Gulf of Aden, into facilities at Camp Le Monier on May 6, 2003.

More info on Djibouti base here on previous post in February 2006.

7/7 Met AC asshole Brown claims response "First class"

Poor communications, a lack of basic medical supplies ....Police, fire brigades and paramedics unable to talk to each other because there was no shared radio network - although recommended 18 years ago by the inquiry into the King's Cross fire disaster.

Ben Thwaites, victim of the Edgware Road blast, said it took up to an hour before paramedics got to the injured because they had to wait for their equipment to arrive.

He added:

"The people who helped - the medics and the police, everyone - did a fantastic job, but I fear that they did it despite the process, rather than because of it. There didn't seem to be a coherent plan in place and there certainly didn't seem to be communications."

However, assistant commissioner Alan Brown of Scotland Yard, who was in charge of co-ordinating the emergency response, said that, whatever the shortcomings, "the response was first class".

He added: "Individuals showed such acts of courage, determination - not only from the emergency services and London Underground but members of the public. This was London coming together."

Same old, same old fucking story ... total fuck up and the Met claim they were fucking heroes.... but no says Tony we won't have an enquiry .. perish the thought... show the Mat foir a bunch of stumblebums terrorists shooting on sight ?

Alan Brown joined the Metropolitan Police in 1974, has served in Territorial Policing, Specialist Operations and also the Specialist Crime Directorate. His career has been mainly within CID, he was also OCU Commander at Kensington and Chelsea. Following appointment as commander, he has had responsibility for the MPS response to Gun Crime and within that remit Operation Trident and the Serious & Organised Crime Group.

Holding the Gun Crime portfolio he has been instrumental in changing work practices which have led to reductions in offending, particularly in relation to commercial robbery, and an increased murder clear-up rate achieved by Operation Trident.

He is Chair of the National Firearms Forensic Intelligence Database Working Group and has influenced changes in government policy in relation to the possession of firearms and imitation firearms.

His career within specialist investigations has involved him in a number of high profile investigations, most notable of these being the attempted robbery of the Millennium diamond from the Dome.

He is regarded as the national expert on the investigation of ‘Crime in Action’ (Kidnap) and leads for ACPO on hostage negotiation.

When appointed 11th June 2003 in Met Police Authority Chair Toby Harris, who led the promotion panel, said:

“Playing a major role policing the capital is a challenge that exacts the highest degree of professionalism and expertise from all serving officers and I know that the candidates ... blah blah ... first class response .. fucking lousy result."

Interestingly in the Observer report May 19th Assistant Commissioner Alan Brown, who was co-ordinating work by several Yard departments on the shooting, (he chaired 4 "Gold" meetings as chairman during the day of Menezes shooting) met Deputy Assistant Commissioner Alan Given,(who retired in March 2006) one of the officers in command of the Met's firearms unit,shortly before he went home at 11pm on the Friday... and neither of them knew they had shot

The wrong man
An inoccent man
An unarmed, unexplodable man

another "first class result" no doubt.

CIS states discuss defence and the UAE takes a look

Baku Defence MInisters meet from CIS

Meanwhile the CIS Defence ministers have meeting in Baku as the oil flows to Ceyhan - The CIS, a loose association of former Soviet republics, comprises Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. Turkmenistan discontinued permanent membership on August 26, 2005 and is now an associate member.

The Armenian delegation has refused to attend the meeting in Baku, citing security reasons in an ongoing dispute with Azerbaijan over Nagorny-Karabakh, a region in Azerbaijan that has a largely Armenian population.

On the sidelines Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov arrived in Baku on May 30 to discuss the Black Sea Fleet with his Ukrainian counterpart Anatoliy Hrytsenko. A source in the Russian delegation said Russia had prepared a draft agreement on joint inspection of Russia's Black Sea Fleet bases in Ukraine that will be signed during the meeting. There has been widespread speculation denied by Russia that a base was to be opened in the Syrian Mediterranean port of Tartre for the Russian Black Sea fleet to operate from - which has been heavily denied by Moscow.

UAE discuss joint projects in Turkmenistan

In an intriguing visit a UAE delegation included chairman of financial control of Ras Al-Khaima, Faisal bin Sakr Al-Kasimi, chairman of the council of oil control of Ras Al-Khaima, acting chairman of Al-Mashriq Bank, Abul Aziz Al-Gharir, executive chairman of the office of finance and development of Ras Al-Khaima, Izzat Al-Jani, chairman of the board of directors of Dragon Oil, Hussein Sultan have been visiting President Niyazov of Turkmenistanm to discuss joint ventures.

Prince Kasimi conveyed the message of greetings from President Shaikh Khalifa of UAE and said that his delegation was interested in examining the full range of investment opportunities in Turkmenistan.

“We have extensive experience in the hydrocarbon sector . . . Our desire to cooperate is not limited to the hydrocarbon sector only. We are ready to participate in any field offered by you,” said Prince Kasimi.

Prince K (as he prefers) said “Peter Watson here has earlier worked in the USA as head of our office for development. He has studied the project for gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to Pakistan.”

President Saparmurat Niyazov traced on the map the likely routes for export of energy resources from Turkmenistan to the world markets. Of particular interest are the fields at the right bank of the Amudarya River. These fields have been earmarked for export of natural gas to China to Shanghai through Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.” “This issue was negotiated with Hu Jintao in Moscow, during the celebration of the Victory Day [May 9 2005]," Niyazov is reported saying..

Turkmenistan is constantly increasing gas production. According to the country's statistics and information institute, in the first 10 months of 2005 natural gas production grew by 7 % on the same period last year, to 50.3 bn cm. The export of gas increased accordingly. By the end of this year the country plans to produce 60.5 bn cm, more than 46 bn of which is meant for export to Ukraine, Russia, and Iran.

The Amu Darya is (was) one of the largest rivers in Central Asia. The drainage basin includes territories of Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The river rises in Northern Afghanistan and Southern Tajikistan, it demarks the border between Afghanistan and Tajikistan, then flows through Turkmenistan, into Uzbekistan, and finally into the Aral Sea ... but not since the late 1980's.

The region is rich in hydrocarbons and large investments have been made to develop energy sources to turn the territories into a vast gas-and-oil producing region with the highly developed pipeline infrastructure with the outlets to world energy markets.

BTC pipeline ships first oil from Ceyhan - historic moment

The Oil&Gas of Caspian Sea-2006 exhibition runs from June 6 to 8,in Baku, Azerbaijan and high powered delegations are expected Russia - LUKoils’ president Vagit Alekperov, Ukraine headed by Alexander Todeichuk, chairman of board of state enterprise Ukrtransnafta, Georgia by deputy minister of energy Isaak Novruzov., Kazakhstan, Iran, Poland by Polish National Oil and Gas Company representatives with two Vice-Presidents, Zenon Kukhchak and Stanislav Netbalech, Israel by Binyamin ben-Eliezer ,and the UK by Joann Knucknought, Director General, International energy security board, UK Trade and Industrial Department.

This happily coincides with (a surprisingly low key) BP loading the first Caspian crude on a tanker the British Hawthorn, (which sailed from the terminal today) in Turkey from the 1.100mile Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan crude oil pipeline. Filling the line, which transits Azerbaijan from the Sangachal terminal on the Caspian coast near Baku and then Georgia before crossing Turkey, began more than a year ago and required more than 10 million barrels of crude oil Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG) fields in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea and began in May 2005..

The pipeline is planned to move 1 million barrels per day of crude oil. The pipeline uses 46/42/34-inch diameter pipe, and has eight pump stations and 98 valve stations across the three transit countries. It crosses more than 1,500 rivers and climbs to a high point of 2,700 metres before returning to sea level at Ceyhan. A remarkable engineering acheivement which will transform the economic prospects of a very large region... and consolidate US insterest in the region denying exit of oil North top Russia or South through Iran. Pic shows a far seeing President Clinton with President Nursultan Nazarbaev of Kazakhstan at the White House in 1994.

The BTC Co. shareholders are: BP (30.1 per cent, operator); AzBTC (25 per cent); Chevron (8.9 per cent); Statoil (8.71 per cent); Turkey’s TPAO (6.53 per cent); ENI (5 per cent); Total (5 per cent); Itochu (3.4 per cent); INPEX (2.5 per cent); ConocoPhillips (2.5 per cent) and Amerada Hess (2.36 per cent).

Very useful background here (2003)to BTC pipeline which was described as a "pipe dream" here from Ambassador Richard Morningstar, a former special advisor to President Clinton on Caspian energy issues who is currently a lecturer at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

Terrorist Outrage in Canada - Mounties sell Ammonium nitrate to Toronto 17

It seems if you have a flashlight or two, some duct tape and meet a guy with a beard anxious to play paintball. DON'T.

Evidently the season for terrists to keep low and avoid police / secret services.

I can't take any more.

Terrorist Outrage in London - Met shoot another inoccent man

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Peter Clarke, the dumb head of the Met's anti-terror branch, said Friday's operation 4 am search of a terraced house in Lansdown Road, Forest Gate, E.London, in which a man,Mohammed Abdul Kahar, 23, was shot, was planned in response to "specific intelligence".

The go-ahead for the raid, which appears increasingly like a cock up, came after discussions between MI5, the anti-terrorist branch, and bio-chemical experts from the Health Protection Agency which advises on the potential health risks. "Security sources" told the BBC they had had intelligence there was a "viable" chemical device in the house. They claim the raid took place after weeks of surveillance.The raid on the Victorian terraced house involved more than 300 officers and was the largest anti-terrorist operation of the year. (Luvvly jubbly overtime Sarge !)

Intelligence had suggested it was a potentially fatal device that could produce casualty figures in double or even triple figures. (Wow!!!)

Mohammed Abdul Kahar, 23, and his brother Abul Koyair, 20, were arrested after Friday's raid on a terraced house in Forest Gate, east London.

The men, held in police custody, have denied any involvement in terrorism. The Metropolitan Police have never said a warning was given - an official statement said only that a 23-year-old man had received a gunshot wound. (Surprisingly leak not unadjacent to men in Met uniforms have said one brother shot the other !!- Police sources told Sky’s Crime correspondent Martin Brunt detectives expect to find a chemical bomb of some kind in the house.)

Mr Hayman, head of the Met's Specialist Operations, said police had not yet found what they were looking for, but documents and computers had been taken away for analysis.Met detectives have permission to hold both men until Wednesday.

Abul Koyair's solicitor, Julian Young, said his client had already been questioned three times, but no specific allegation had been put to him. He accused police of organising a "cover-up" and said that more information appeared to have been given to the media than to the brothers' legal team.

He said: "My client denies any involvement in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism or anything to do with explosives or firearms.

Kate Roxburgh, for Kahar, claimed (in what appears to be a depressingl;y familiar scene) that police failed to give a warning before opening fire on her client.

She said: "He was woken up about four in the morning by screams from downstairs, got out of bed in his pyjamas obviously unarmed, nothing in his hands and hurrying down the stairs.

"As he came toward a bend in the stairway, not knowing what was going on downstairs, the police turned the bend up towards him and shot him - and that was without any warning."

She added: "He wasn't asked to freeze, given any warning and didn't know the people in his house were police officers until after he was shot. He is lucky still to be alive."

Meanwhile the Daily Torygraph says the "Terrorists" were planning a chemical attack in London similar to the outrage on the Tokyo underground, according to police and the security services - possibly in commemeration of the 7/7 bombings- MI5 / Police / Gypsy fortune tellers / Mystic Meg suspect that al-Qa’eda sympathisers intended to produce a nerve agent - probably sarin - and release it in a confined space, such as a tube carriage, to maximise the number of casualties.

More about how Rupe's rags are spreading total bullshit about this at Lenin's Tomb.

Apparently, "One line of inquiry was that the gas was to be released in a busy and enclosed shopping centre, which mirrors the current plotline in the Sky hit drama 24 starring Kiefer Sutherland." So, let's get this straight: one the chief revelations of this story is that "one line of inquiry" happens to coincide with the exact current plotline on show aired by Sky which happens to be owned by Rupert Murdoch who happens to own the Scum of the World?

Honestly you couldn't make this fucking stuff up. Full fictional account from the paper of record News of the World here.

BAA falls to Ferrovial

British Airports Authority has finally agreed to the agreed 950p a share offer from Spanish building group Ferrovial, valuing the company at £10bn.

This ends the lengthy and bitter saga since February 2006 when Ferrovial (advised by Citigroup) said it was considering an approach for the Heathrow Airport operator.Goldman Sachs , never ones to miss a chance to line their pockets, caused trouble by attempteding to buy the business rather than acting in its more customary role as an adviser.

BAA - owns and operates 7 UK airports (9,,00 staff) , with 100Mn passengers travelling through London Heathrow and Gatwick a year and 17Mn through Glasgow and Edinburgh - 66% of UK air passenger traffic. For the financial year ending in March 2006, BAA’s UK airports handled 144.6 million passengers, a 2.0% increase over 2004/05. (20% is with "Budget" airlines)

UK traffic growth long term, has been impressive .. 94/95: 87 million 2000/01: 117 million 2003/04: 133 million

Last year BAA’s total revenues were £1,970 million.
Of these revenues:

* Retail revenues were £802m
* Revenues from airport and other traffic charges were £734m
* Revenues from BAA’s property and operational facilities were £305 million
* Other revenues (including rail) were £129 million.
Subsidiary World Duty Free operates 65 stores across BAA's seven UK airports, with 15,000 square metres of retail space offering over 12,500 products. BAA claim it is WDF is the world’s largest and most successful travel retailer.

Since October 1, 1995, BAA Indianapolis LLC has had full operating responsibility for the six airports owned by the Indianapolis Airport Authority under a unique, performance-based, management contract. Indianapolis International is now the largest privately managed airport in the United States. HR staff there are not happy ...

They also have interests in the Italy and Hungary -

The European Commission have already decided that the "proposed transaction would not significantly impede effective competition".

Ferrovial's roots lie in Franco dictatorship

Ferrovial was started in 1952, under the times of Fascist Dictaor Franco, and it grew to prominence under Franco’s dictatorial government.The founder, Rafael del Pino, became one of the richest men in the world, with an estimated fortune of $5bn. He was very close to the regime and benefited from the state corporatist nature of the Spanish economy during the Franco years, is inconceivable that he could have achieved that wealth without the closest collaboration with the projects of the regime.

The company has undertaken work in Libya and reputedly a great deal in Chile under Pinochet.

The company owns 95% of UK construction group Amey and has a 50% stake in Bristol airport and owns Belfast City airport.

Nowadays Ferrovial is headed by del Pino’s son and namesake Rafael del Pino y Calvo-Sotelo (Born 1958)

The Guradian reported Sat April 8th 2006

Ferrovial is controlled by a wealthy family which funds a charitable foundation (Rafael Del Pino Foundation) dedicated to spreading the Spanish language and free market philosophy - an aim which has prompted tensions with the socialist government of José Luis Rodíguez Zapatero. The company negotiates with unions only where it is forced by law to do so.

BAA Shares

Dixie Chicks cock of the coop - storm Billboard No 1 Week 1.

Nationwide USA , "Taking the Long Way," by the Dixie Chicks has sold an awesome 526,000 copies its first week of release says Billboard. (one of thoise is mine) That's the third-biggest opening of the year, behind country group Rascal Flatts and veteran hard rock act Tool. The band's previous hit album, 2002's "Home," sold 780,000 copies its first week.1998's "Wide Open Spaces." sold 12 million.

Time cover, new online talk show "Amazon Fishbowl with Bill Maher," on "Larry King Live," "60 Minutes" and "Good Morning America." Target, have partenered a big promotion giving fans who bought their new album in Target stores early access to concert tickets for the band's upcoming North American tour

"I apologized for disrespecting the office of the president," Maines is quoted by Time in its May 29 cover story about what she said on an English tour about the President in 2003 "But I don't feel that way any more. I don't feel he is owed any respect whatsoever."

Since March 2003, though, the assholes who run most of the US country radio stations have dropped the Chicks from their playlists.... go out and buy ...buy !!!

65/70% of the US voters — the polls say — now have reservations about the leadership of George W. Bush. Natalie Maines’ rough, ready and raw desription of this profoundly despicable and mediocre little man seems today , well almost... charitable. Indeed, in a recent Rolling Stone cover story, Princeton history professor Sean Wilentz declares Bush a contender for the uncoveted title of worst president, ever.

Now...you want disrespect ? You want disrespect for this Texas ball scratching dumb, and fast disappearing President ? Hear / see Pink sing her "Dear Mr President"

Amazon Fishbowl - the wave of the future

Amazon has launched Fishbowl presented by UPS and Cingular starring Bill Maher. This is the wave of the future, inter-active on line - basically in this format a step - up (but not a big one) from QVC - TV, a half-hour talk show format featuring wisecracking interviews of guests who shamelessly plug their products. (Just like they do on the MSM but you cannot order their products by the button).

The weekly program featuring the brightest stars (?) in film, music, literature, and television. New episodes will premiere each Thursday this summer at 8 p.m. Pacific Time and can be seen anytime here

On this week's show, Bill (who for some unaccountable reason some Americans find funny) interviewed Dean Koontz, author of the new thriller The Husband, and Ward Serrill and Darnellia Russell, the director and one of the subjects of the upcoming documentary The Heart of the Game. He also talked to the Dixie Chicks, who performed two songs from their latest album, Taking the Long Way. In addition, Sopranos star Steve Schirripa surprised an Amazon customer in New York with a UPS Special Delivery of his new book, The Goomba Diet.

The show in Shockwave Flash Video represents the marketing skill and technical savvy to create a watcheable program. You bet that Rupert Murdoch, Turner, Microsoft, Google, and eBay are closely watching to see if Maher's show can convert sales or at least increase Amazon's formidable audience.

It will maybe take 2 years to settle down but I am convinced this is the way forward for low cost easily delivered consumer products.... and the Dixie C's are fantastic but "Fly" is still the best.

How did sales go on Amazon after the first show on June 1st? Jeff Bezoz knows but he won't be telling anyone.

See the show here

Get tickets for the show recording in Hollywood here

Rupe's Rag NY Post Editor on DUI charges

Richard Johnson Editor (since 1985) of the infamous New York Post's Page Six notorious, no-holds-barred daily gossip column in the New York Post was charged on Friday with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and operating a motor vehicle while impaired.

Police (Officer Gluck) said they spotted him talking on his cell phone just after midnight while driving a 2005 black Ford Escape A Manhattan cop had spotted Johnson chatting on his cell phone without an earpiece at 12:23 a.m., as he drove his black 2005 Ford Escape down Ninth Ave. and turned onto W. 14th St.two blocks from celebrity watering hole SoHo House, where he had been drinking with his wife, Sessa.When stopped he slurred his speach and was ewvidently under the influence although Johnson decided to save the arresting officer time by declining to take a breath test.

The Post (is owned by slime ball Murdoch who thinks so highly of this blog), and is in financial trouble, existing only to satisfy Rupe's undernourished ego.

Poor guy ... remember it was his former part (very) time writer, the likeably honest, Jared Paul Stern, was accused of trying to bite on billionaire Ron Burkle for US$220,000. To ensure that Stern and the Post portrayed the California businessman in a favourable light in the well-read Page Six column... or as the wits now have it Paid Six, Page Fix ...etc

Manhattan prosecutors have now charged Johnson with driving under the influence, a misdemeanor. Johnson had a prior violation in 1997.

If found guilty he could cop for 12 months ... although that is unlikely.

US car makers in deep trouble on sales, margins ...

The market share of the Big Three US carmakers - GM, Ford and DaimlerChrysler - sank to 52.9% in May compared with 57.6% a year ago. Asian carmakers now account for 40.2% of US sales. THis refelecte the overall market drop According to Autodata Corp, who say seasonally adjusted sales totalled 16.1 million units for the year to May, compared with 17.2 million at the same time in 2005.

Sales drops in May were General Motors (GM) 16% Ford 6% and Chrysler Group 11%.
Sales rises in May were for Japanese manufacturers Toyota 12.3% (nearly 20% for passenger sedans) and Honda 11.4%, S. Korean carmaker Hyundai rose 5%.

Nissan however announced sales slipped 7% in May with sales of both cars and SUVs falling.

On Thursday, Ford, in yet another costly sales incentive, announced it would be giving $1,000-worth of fuel to new buyers across the US, GM is currently trialling a similar scheme in California.

The Ford "Drive On Us" Sales Event: offers 0% finance interest and $0 for gas, E-85 or Diesel (Excluding residents of Texas & Oklahoma) Ford will pay for fuel until 2007, "no matter if it's gas, E-85 or diesel, you can drive on us!"

How does it work ? Ford offer a pre-paid Master Card debit card that can be used to purchase up to $1,000 of gas, E-85 or diesel enough to drive 6,000 miles ($1,100 on select trucks and SUVs) ... or simply choose a "bonus cash giveaway" of $1,000 which can be taken in cash or applied to the purchase agreement.

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Time to harvest mulberries

The American Red Mulberry (Morus rubra L.) is native to eastern United States from Massachusetts to Kansas and down to the Gulf coast and is now starting to fruit. It is a small tree, usually 20 to 30 feet tall but in the South on rich soils the red mulberry can reach 70 ft. in height.With large alternate, deciduous, toothed and often variously lobed leaves. It is by no means unusual for a Mulberry tree to produce leaves of several different shapes, or differing considerably in outline. M. alba L. Rhe White Mulberry is the Asian species that the silk worm grows on Black Mulberry M nigra L. the European species.

The bark is dark brown with a reddish tinge. It is scaly, with the tips of the scales curling and peeling off. The dark brown wood is light and soft and, although it is not strong, it is quite durable.

Mulberry trees are either dioecious or monoecious, and sometimes will change from one sex to another. The flowers are held on short, green, pendulous, nondescript catkins that appear in the axils of the current season's growth and on spurs on older wood. They are wind pollinated and some cultivars will set fruit without any pollination.

The fruit is not a berry but a collective fruit, in appearance like a swollen loganberry. When the flowers are pollinated, they and their fleshy bases begin to swell. Ultimately they become completely altered in texture and color, becoming succulent, fat and full of juice. In appearance, each tiny swollen flower roughly resembles the individual drupe of a blackberry.

The berry is a favorite food for gray squirrels, wild turkeys and many songbirds and is widely used in pies and jellies with it's refreshing, subacid, saccharine taste,

Horace's Satires (SAt ii) tells us of feast with mulberries. and that they should be gathered before sunset.Ovid, tells the tale in the Metamorphoses of the legend of Pyramus and Thisbe, who were slain beneath its shade, the fruit being fabled to have thereby changed from white to deep red through absorbing their blood.

Virgil called the tree sanguinea morus and Pliny reported it's medicinal uses in Egypt and Cyprus. He also told the now well lnown habit .. 'Of all the cultivated trees, the Mulberry is the last that buds, which it never does until the cold weather is past, and it is therefore called the wisest of trees. But when it begins to put forth buds, it dispatches the business in one night, and that with so much force, that their breaking forth may be evidently heard.'

It has been suggested that the generic name of the Mulberry, Morus, has been derived from the Latin word mora (delay), from this tardy expansion of the buds, and as the wisest of its fellows, the tree was dedicated by the Ancients to Minerva.

Mulberry leaves are also to be found in a mosaic from the 'House of the Faun.' Schouw, who wrote about the plants of Pompeii in 1854, considered that M. alba was unknown to the Pompeians. When Virgil died in 19 B.C. silk was held to be a product of the Mulberry leaves, the work of the silkworms not being understood. Silkworm culture was first introduced by Justinian from Constantinople - he ruled from A.D. 527-65. In Italy the Black Mulberry was employed for feeding the silkworm until about 1434, when M. alba was introduced from the Levant and has ever since been commonly preferred.

References in various old Chronicles show that the Mulberry was far more esteemed in ancient times than at present. It was included among the large number of useful plants ordered by Charlemagne (A.D. 812) to be cultivated on the imperial farm. The cultivation of the Mulberry in Spain is implied by a reference to the preparation of Syrup of Mulberries in the Calendar of Cordova of the year 961.

James 1 1608 James I, being anxious to further the silk industry by introducing the culture of the silkworm into Britain, issued an edict encouraging the cultivation of Mulberry trees, but the attempt to rear silkworms in England proved unsuccessful, apparently because the Black Mulberry was cultivated in error.

To eat

Using basic oatmeal plain cookie mixture use mulberries instead of blueberries or use a mixture.

Plenty of recipes for all sorts of sweet dishes etc here at Garden Forum

US murderers in Iraq to take on "core warrior values"

In apparent response to the Haditha Massacre, US troops in Iraq are to be given what some in the press are calling “ethics training,” although the military calls it “core warrior values.” Gen. Peter Chiarelli: “Of the nearly 150,000 coalition forces presently in Iraq, 99.9 percent of them perform their jobs magnificently every day. ...

Which is like the old one that it's just one or two lawyers in the US who are damaging the reputation of the rest.

Chiarelli said: “As military professionals, it is important that we take time to reflect on the values that separate us from our enemies.”

Powerpoint presentations maybe ? ... " This is a child ...DO NOT SHOOT", "This is a pregnant woman on the way to give birth DO NOT SHOOT DEAD or AT ALL"

Next week "Mom and Apple Pie - a 12 point strategy for urban pacification in a post conflict ongoing military situation - the paradigm of a benevolent army and it's role in modern peacekeeping " plus short film "TLC - try some today".

IDF go hospital visiting the PFLP

Israeli troops have raided a hospital in the West Bank city of Nablus today , and arrested an injured Palestinian militant, 20 year old Jawad al-Kaabi, a member of the armed wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, who was said to be seriously ill.

He had been shot in the stomach during clashes with Israeli forces in during an Israeli operation in the Balata refugee camp the area earlier this week.

His condition was serious when he was moved from the church-run Saint Luke Hospital. Accompanied by an army medic, the Israeli soldiers disconnected Kaabi from machines assisting his care before carting him off with his medical files.

An IDF spokeswoman confirmed the arrest, " Kaabi had been transferred to a hospital in Israel," she said and that, " he will be transferred for interrogation by the Shin Bet security service at a later date”.

Southern Sudan fund and feed LRA - Interpol tries to arrest Kony and murderous cronies

Human Rights Watch reports today that the new regional government of Southern Sudan has ignored the International Criminal Court's warrants for the arrest of four top Ugandan rebel leaders. The regional government, which acknowledges that the rebel Lord s Resistance Army (LRA) has committed grave abuses, has an obligation to help bring its leaders to justice.

On May 2, representatives of the Southern Sudan government met in southern Sudan with LRA leader Joseph Kony (see pic)and his second-in-command, Vincent Otti, ( said to be the first meeting Kony has held with outsiders for a decade)
who are subjects of arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court. In a digital video recording of the meeting made by the Sudanese participants, Dr. Riek Machar Teny Dhurgon, vice-president of the regional government, can be seen handing over bundles of cash to Kony. On the recording, the vice-president is heard cautioning Kony not to use the money for ammunition.

Musaveni sought ICC help

In December 2003, Ugandan Prime MInister Museveni invited the International Criminal Court to investigate the LRA. On October 14, 2005 the court issued warrants for the arrest of the top five LRA leaders: Kony and Otti, who attended the May 2 meeting; and Okot Odhiambo, Raska Lukwiya and Dominic Ongwen ( now dead). They are accused of crimes against humanity and war crimes.

The former Sudanese SPLM rebels now heading the southern regional government who until January 2005 waged a 21-year war against the National Congress government of Sudan, said that the meeting with Kony was meant to stop LRA attacks in southern Sudan. If the LRA agreed to this, the Southern Sudanese government stated that it would mediate peace talks between the LRA and the Ugandan government.

The regional Sudanese government defended its actions of May 2 in the media and to the Sudanese public by saying that it gave the LRA food, reportedly five tons, and some cash, reportedly US$20,000, to purchase more food supplies. The LRA has claimed that it attacked Sudanese civilians to feed its troops.

Kony also apparently listed several demands to be put to the Ugandan government, including amnesty from prosecution by Uganda and the ICC.

Musaveni offers amnesty

Museveni has said publicly that if the talks were successful, he would give the LRA leaders amnesty and protect them against ICC prosecution. The ICC then reminded the Ugandan government of its obligations as a party to the ICC to arrest Kony and the other men who are the subject of arrest warrants.

ICC / Western justice different from paying criminals with food and money

Riek Machar (who handed the US$20,000 over to Kony) told Human Rights Watch that the ICC represented European justice, ignoring the fact that Museveni had invited the ICC to Uganda. The vice-president, citing Southern Sudan s multiple challenges of establishing a new democracy in a long-neglected and war-torn area, said his fledgling government could not be the police of the world.

At a celebration of SPLM/A Day on May 16 in Juba, Southern Sudan s capital, President Salva Kiir said that he met with European diplomats while in Kampala about this Uganda peace initiative. He claimed that the diplomats signaled that peace between the LRA and the Ugandan government was a higher priority than the arrest of the persons wanted by the ICC.

In 2001, the U.S. State Department designated the LRA a terrorist organization.

Interpol Move to arrest Kony and cronies using ICCC warrant.

Interpol has issued wanted persons "red" notices to 184 countries for Lord's Resistance Army leader Joseph Kony and four of his commanders, despite a recent call by the rebel chief for peace talks with the Government of Uganda.

These notices were based on arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the five men last year, who are all commanders of the rebel outfit.

The notices are the first to be issued by the International police agency on behalf of the ICC, which has no police of its own, according to Interpol.

"The Interpol Red Notice system is part of its global network of law enforcement agencies, created to assist in tracing and arresting internationally wanted fugitives," the ICC said in a statement on the LRA warrants late on Thursday.

Don't hold your breath and don't expect Mr Kony to have his peace disturbed any time soon.

Haditha - the last of a long line of crimes

" ....the following acts are criminal violations of the law not just because they are really horrid inhumanities, but because Congress, the U.S. Constitution, and international law (yes, there are international laws binding on the U.S.) explicitly prohibit the very kinds of atrocities now rotting at the feet of George W. Bush. Each section below begins with the relevant law or treaty violated in Iraq or Afghanistan. Every one of them, and more, are documented at the Veterans For Peace website."

Human Rights Watch report (PDF Alert) Hearts and Minds - Post-war Civilian Deaths in Baghdad Caused by U.S. Forces

As Coalition troops with Iraq experience leave the armed forces, the tales of murder, rapine, mindless slaughter of women and children, damage, humiliation, torture, mindless violence are circulating in graphic detail so the world's media are taking notice.

Read these article with Chapter and Verse of the violation to moral and temporal law, in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Of course the US Attorney General, Mr Alberto Gonzalez might not agree ... but he's a fucking lawyer.

Paradoxically in Indianapolis IN, today a man, still on the run is wanted for the killing of 7 people, a crime of unimagineable proportions to Middle America. .. the same number of victims as the Maryland sniper..... in what has become now, an almost everyday occurrence in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Cadbury Scweppes increases world share of chewing gum market.

Cadbury Schweppes, the world’s largest confectionery company with 60,000 employees has completed the purchase of Dan Products (Botswana) (Pty) Ltd. who make the Stimorol and Dirol brands of chewing gum in Botswana for sale in South Africa for £33m ($62m) in cash.In 2005, Dan Products' revenue is forecast to be £9m, and earnings before interest and tax of £3m.

In late 2002 Cadbury Schweppes bought Adams confectionery in the UK , acquiring chewing gum brands Dentyne, Chiclets and Trident, as well as bubble gum brands Bubblicious and Bubbaloo.

In June 2002 Cadbury Schweppes plc acquired 100% of the branded chewing gum business of Dandy A/S ("Dandy") from the Bagger-Sørensen family in Denmark for £201 million (€310 million). Dandy was the fourth largest chewing gum manufacturer in the world.

Combined with Cadbury Schweppes' existing chewing gum businesses, this acquisition makes Cadbury Schweppes the second largest player in the European chewing gum market, with No 1 positions in France, Denmark, Belgium and Switzerland and No 2 positions in Russia, Sweden, and the Netherlands. Cadbury Schweppes also has leading positions in several other markets, most notably Turkey, Argentina and China.

Additionally, for £23 million (€36 million), Cadbury Schweppes acquired a 25% interest in Dandy's contract manufacturing facilities based in Vejle, Denmark.

Dandy's branded business had a reported turnover of £164 million (€253 million) in 2001.

Big tits if you chew gum

In a squalid justification of this saucy picture, Japanese confectionary company Good One Ltd. claims that their B2 UP when chewed three or four times a day, can increase breast size, improve circulation, reduce stress and fight aging. The powerful ingredient is the Pueraria Mirifica root extract also known as Gwao Krua, and is indigenous to Thailand and Burma. The plant’s underground tubers contain a number of chemicals called Phytoestrogens, natural compounds which are said to mimic the effects of the female sex hormone Oestrogen.

The company said tests carried out by Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University found Pueraria mirifica therapy was able to enhance breast size up to 80%.... the report failed to say if this applied to both sexes.

You can if you wish extend your interest in Stimorol and nudity by viewing their very funny "Kiss off" Euro ad for this summer here Not safe for office ...or another that is.. here or their VERY controversial poster campaign at the top.