Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Stunning Hostage Rescue in Colombia
Betancourt, U.S. contractors rescued from FARC
In a secret operation a U.S. official called "brilliant," the Colombian military infiltrated rebel group FARC and deceived its members into giving up 15 hostages including former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt. The Colombian military had infiltrated the 
FARC leadership and arranged for the hostages to be taken to the south of the country, where they were to be picked up by helicopters that the rebels believed were controlled by another group.
The Colombian military helicopters flew the 15 away without violence. Betancourt says she had a strange feeling because the helicopters were painted white and the hostages were not expecting the rebels to mobilize in helicopters. The Colombian military members were dressed as FARC rebels wearing T-shirts and FARC uniforms. Betancourt described being frightened as she and the other hostages' feet and hands were bound. When they were secured, she said, the military officers yelled, "This is the Army. You are free."
more...
19:42 Posted in Politics | Permalink | Comments (2) | Email this | Tags: Colombia, FARC, Rescues, news, blog, web, USA
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Oklahoma freshman named town's mayor!
A 19-year-old freshman at the University of Oklahoma was elected mayor Tuesday of Muskogee, a city of 38,000 in the northeastern part of the state. With all precincts reporting, John Tyler Hammons won with 70 percent of the vote over former Mayor Hershel Ray McBride, said Muskogee County Election Board Secretary Bill Bull.
"The public placing their trust in me is the greatest, humbling and most awesome experience I've ever had in my life," said Hammons, who is from Muskogee but attends the university in Norman.
The two candidates squared off in a runoff election for the nonpartisan post after neither secured 50 percent of the vote in a six-person election April 1.
Hammons, who will be sworn in next week, said he plans to continue his college education but expects to transfer to a school closer to Muskogee.
The mayor leads the nine-member city council and serves as a voting member. Hammons said a key to his platform that resonated with voters was openness of government and keeping citizens better informed of city operations.
"I think that's been a detriment to the trust of the citizens of Muskogee," he said. "Once we have that trust, we can solve any other problem."
10:40 Posted in Politics | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: Mayor.Oklahoma, USA, Politics, web, news, journal, blog
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Plan for border fence puts U.S. business on Mexico side
Well, you can't say the feds aren't getting serious about border enforcement. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, is about to "deport" an entire U.S. business. Plans for the fence the feds are building along the Texas/Mexican border will slice the Fort Brown Memorial Golf Course in Brownsville off from the rest of the U.S., locating it onto the Mexican side.
The course is owned by the University of Texas, and will be joined in exile by a Brownsville city park and bird sanctuary that are also located in a tricky bend of the Rio Grande riverbed. 
These Google Maps images suggest how the rights and property of American citizens ended up getting subordinated to the Department of Homeland Security's desire to build a more or less straight wall.
22:00 Posted in Politics | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: USA, Mexico, Border, politics, Homeland security, World, blog
Monday, May 05, 2008
Calif. brewer ordered to stop using 'Legal Weed' bottle caps
Vaune Dillmann thought the wording on his bottle caps was just a clever play on the name of the Northern California town where he brews his beer — Weed.
Federal alcohol regulators thought differently. They have ordered Dillmann to stop selling beer bottles with caps that read "Try Legal Weed."
The dispute started in February when Dillmann sent the proposed label for his latest beer, Lemurian Lager, to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau for approval. The agency, which regulates the industry, asked for some changes to the label, along with a sample bottle cap.
Dillmann obliged, sending the caps he has been using for his five current beers.
The agency responded that the message on the caps amounted to a drug reference. In a letter explaining its decision, the agency said the wording could "mislead consumers about the characteristics of the alcoholic beverage."
Dillmann scoffs at the notion that his label has anything to do with smoking pot.
more...
11:06 Posted in Politics | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: Weed, beer, Calfornia, USA, world, web, blog
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
History Lesson: Past Debates
Although they were established just 40 years ago, presidential debates are now a major feature of the election season.
The two remaining Democratic candidates took the stage for one final debate before the March 4th primaries. People everywhere are talking about this race. Take a look back at the highlights (and lowlights) of every presidential and vice-presidential debate since 1960,here.
Last week’s Austin debate drew roughly 7.7 million viewers, while last month’s showdown in Hollywood was seen by 8.3 million. the largest debate audience came in 1980, when 80.6 million people watched Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter. Here’s the top ten:
1. Reagan-Carter, October 28, 1980 (80.6 million)
2. Clinton-Bush-Perot, October 15, 1992 (69.9 million)
3. Carter-Ford, September 23, 1976 (69.7 million)
4. Reagan-Mondale, October 21, 1984 (67.3 million)
(tie) Bush-Dukakis, October 13, 1988 (67.3 million)
6. Clinton-Bush-Perot, October 19, 1992 (66.9 million)
7. Kennedy-Nixon, September 26, 1960 (66.4 million*)
8. Reagan-Mondale, October 7, 1984 (65.1 million)
(tie) Bush-Dukakis, September 25, 1988 (65.1 million**)
10. Carter-Ford, October 6, 1976 (63.9 million)
19:15 Posted in Politics | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: USA, politics, debates, news, Obama, Clinton, 2008 primaries