Friday - Dec 31st, 2004
12:14 am
Uncategorized
Well looks like it will be strip tease and reality TV shows in Anna’s future again… shy about $88.5M !
“LOS ANGELES – A federal appeals court Thursday threw out a judge’s ruling that awarded $88.5 million to former Playboy model Anna Nicole Smith from the estate of her late husband, an oil tycoon who died at age 90 just over a year after they wed.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a Texas probate court’s decision that the oilman’s son was his sole heir should stand. The appeals court said the federal judge in California who ruled in Smith’s favor in 2002 should never have even heard the case.
The decision comes after years of wrangling in three courts over the fortune of J. Howard Marshall II.
Smith met him in 1991 when she was working as a stripper. The couple married three years later when she was 26 and he was 89.
‘After nine years of litigation, I’m very pleased by the judgment issued by the 9th Circuit upholding my father’s wishes regarding disposition of his assets,’ E. Pierce Marshall said in a statement.
A call to Smith’s attorney was not immediately returned.”
Thursday - Dec 30th, 2004
12:25 pm
Uncategorized
Fund Raising Update on ScrappleFace:
ScrappleFace: $5,200: ScrappleFace Readers Keep Giving
as Tsunami Death Toll Climbs Past 100,000: “As of 8:45 p.m., December 29, ScrappleFace readers had used a PayPal link to contribute $5,200, up $2,119 from earlier in the day, to disaster relief for the victims of the earthquake/tsunami in South Asia. This total doesn’t count contributions mailed by check, or made by credit card through aid agency sites.”
Thursday - Dec 30th, 2004
2:20 am
Uncategorized
Impovrished countries like Cambodia are giving what they can while the U.S. moves an entire naval carrier group to give immediate aid and support in excess of 35M from emergency funds, with more on the way after assessment. This story was even given a fair but somewhat biased coverage in Al-Jazeera today, (not accounting for % GDP) although they are not highlighting the obvious as we have done except putting the “oil rich nation” remarks in their comments along with disclosure of their contributions! One of our readers commented (thank you Patrick ASD) that as a % of GDP the “Oil Rich Nations” HAVE actually given generous contributions. [We stand corrected from previous post.] So we have included some of his GDP normalization, however we are not sure if it reflected currency normalization, and is shown in bold brackets under the original Al-Jazeera posting. Just to be fair, we are reposting this one…
From Aljazeera (Un-confirmed) just to share their perspective:
“…The US more than doubled its initial aid pledge to $35 million, Canada $33 million and Japan $30 million to lead a string of countries – rich and poor – to roll out the world’s largest international aid operation for decades to devastated coastal areas.
AUSTRALIA: $27 million, five air force transport planes with supplies and medical teams as well as team of police…”
BRAZIL: Sent air force plane with up to 10 tonnes of food and 6-8 tonnes of medicine to Thailand.
BRITAIN: 15 million pounds ($29 million).
[0.00174% GDP]
CAMBODIA: $40,000.
CANADA: Government aid C$40 million ($33 million). Private
donations to non-governmental organisations such as Red Cross exceeds C$8.5 million.
[0.00344% GDP]
CHINA: 21.6 million yuan ($2.6 million).
CZECH REPUBLIC: A plane sent to Sri Lanka with drinking
water. Officials said aid worth $444,400 would be sent.
EUROPEAN UNION: Ready to release up to 30 million euros ($41 million) on top of 3 million euros already allocated to IFRC.
FINLAND: Pledged 500,000 euros to the IFRC. Local
aid organisations have contributed another 75,000 euros. The Finnish Red Cross has sent a field hospital with 15 staff to Sri Lanka.
FRANCE: 15 million euros pledged and 110 tonnes of aid, along with 16 rescuers sent to Thailand.
GERMANY: 2 million euros. Three German planes to be dispatched to Phuket.
INDIA: Has promised over $23 million in monetary aid besides sending warships and aircraft to distribute food, medicines and blankets to Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
JAPAN: $30 million pledged and three navy vessels sent to Thailand.
KUWAIT: Supplies worth $2 million pledged and $100,000 sent.
[0.00500%]
QATAR: $10 million
SAUDI ARABIA: $10 million package pledged, half to be distributed via the Saudi Red Crescent, and half for international aid groups.
[0.00347% GDP]
SLOVAKIA: Sent plane with drinking water, tents and medicine
to Sri Lanka; aid worth 6.6 million Slovak crowns ($231,660).
SLOVENIA: Donating 20 million tolars ($113,500) through International Red Cross and Crescent.
SOUTH KOREA: $2 million.
TAIWAN: $5.1 million.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: $2 million.
[UAE - 0.00347%]
UNITED STATES: $35 million and 12 vessels to region.
[0.00031% GDP]
It’s gratifying to see that the world is finally coming together around this tragedy.
Too bad the U.N. is still floundering except for pointing fingers at aid disparities. This should be their opportunity to shine. Let’s just hope Kofi Annan and his sons stay away from the contributions. It improves the chances of it getting to the people who need it. We wonder who will inspect the U.N inspectors this time around? Can the U.N. be entrusted with administering relief aid amounting to the billions of dollars? This blogger thinks not.
Wednesday - Dec 29th, 2004
2:44 pm
Uncategorized
An update on the fund rasing going on over at ScrappleFace — including unconfirmed reports that the US Fleet off the coast of Japan is moving into the area for assistance.
“JCOC just announced the redirection of two carrier groups from Japan to the Thai Gulf complete with Tomcats and helicopters to do air photo assessments and rescue operations. You gotta love those swabbies and jar heads in the fleet.
Once again the American Military is risking life and limb to help nations in their time of need. I wonder if anyone else see’s that as sacrifice or just as a duty because we’re a rich western nation.
How much do you suppose it costs to redirect two carrier groups and retask a couple of satellites?” – [comment from Scrappleface]
So far we have not heard from the U.N and Koffi Annan except criticism. We will do the right thing regardless. That’s what makes us civilized and sets us apart from the Mujadeen and Al Queda. Anyone check on Al-Jazeera to see what they are reporting today ? – zzb
Tuesday - Dec 28th, 2004
4:09 pm
Uncategorized
Here is a NOAA satellite imaging / computer animation of the tidal wave from the 8.9 earthquake in Sumatra. Interesting what we can do with technology (except warn people) !!
Check this out :
NOAA Animation
Even folks on the eastern shores of Africa have fell victim…. Sri Lanka clearly took the bront of it outside of the epicenter near Sumatra and Thailand.
Given the fact that seismologists were informed almost instantly around the world. (We in fact get eMail updates here on any event greater than a magnitude 4.0) How can it be that a warning system has not yet been worked for aftermath events such as tsunamis which are almost a certainty after a major quake at sea? In fact the entire process could be automated via GPS and the Web given the instant communications today.
Man is certainly a reactive creature. We wait for the disasters then go figure out how to protect against the next one. [sarcasim]
Tuesday - Dec 28th, 2004
3:13 pm
Uncategorized
In this article Dave Gibson speaks to the growing backlash against any form of religous expression. In fact there is a subtle redefinition of social morality afoot which sees traditional religious beliefs of all types as a social obstacle.
No Dogs Or God Allowed! – Dave Gibson: “Before any of us were born, signs which read ‘No Dogs or Indians Allowed’ were displayed on buildings throughout this nation’s western states. A few decades ago, signs which read ‘Whites Only’ hung on the walls of businesses throughout the South. The federal government made that kind of discrimination illegal.
However, there is another type of discrimination on the rise in America. Religious bigotry is alive and well, and it is in large measure directed toward Christians. While the bias now being felt by Christian Americans is unjust and damaging (not only to Christians but to the entire country), don’t look for the federal government to interject their power on behalf of Christians as they did for blacks.” More…
A backlash has begun in this country as a result of 911, and hard left idiology. Years ago a not so well known Vice President, Spiro Agnew, coined the term “silent majority”. Well, as this past U.S. presidential election pointed out, that silent majority is not so silent anymore. The political left is beginning to feel the backlash pressure grow as a result of their traditional agenda. The Democratic Party now finds itself backed into a proverbial corner. Do they begin to move more to the political center, risking alienation of their “Real Democratic” base to coin Howard Dean? Or do they continue to polarize their position even further with that “not so Silent Majority”? Especially before the inter-term elections in 2006? We’ll soon find out in 2005!
The next two years leading up to the mid-term elections will speak volumes in answering these two basic questions and will set the stage for U.S. politicians to regain solidarity (as after 911) and come closer together again or risk the nation becoming even more polarized. – zzb
Tuesday - Dec 28th, 2004
12:12 am
Uncategorized
Bloggers are an interesting lot. We have a lot to say about everything and anything. One noteworthy satirst is doing something about the tsunami disaster off the coast of Sumatra, and not just writing about it. Scott Ott, and ScrappleFace readers have raised over $1,400 dollars in a matter of hours to assist the victims in Southern Asia. ScrappleFace, a primarilly satrical publication which normally satirizes current events, is focusing some of it’s energy and reach of readership to help victims through the Southern Baptist Diaster Relief fund.
ScrappleFace: Asian Disaster Relief Via Evangelical Agency: “I have worked, briefly, side-by-side with crews from Southern Baptist Disaster Relief during a flood in Missouri and after the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. Southern Baptist Disaster Relief crews are organized, energetic and effective. They bring not only food, water, shelter and cleaning supplies to victims quickly, but they bring the kind of comfort that can only come from a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. They do not discriminate on any basis. Their help is freely available to all, without a litmus test or sermon.” More…
Read the comments on his NON-SATIRICAL posting today. You will discover something about the blogosphere that may surprise you ! I am sure there are skeptics out there, but we would prefer donating to a Christian Relief Fund, than to the International Red Cross, which seems to be politically biased of late. You make up your own mind. Just don’t underestimate what happens, when some 24,000+ people loose their lives in a disaster like this. It’s gratifying to see that blogging power and the internet does more than just raise presidential campaign money !
Here are some links to follow that are ligitimate alternatives to the International Red Cross…
North American Mission Board
Save The Children
Other Links at vichaar.org (Thought Provoking Insights on India)
Board of Missions Homepage
You can even contribute through PayPal off Scott’s site if you are so inclined.
As Scott says at the end of his article… “Many people worldwide have a distorted, inaccurate view of Americans and Christians. Let’s show them the truth with our deeds.”
Sunday - Dec 26th, 2004
12:52 pm
Uncategorized
[We are updating the toll, see the original estimates in the early article below. This is human tragedy on a massive scale.]
And while we celebrate our holidays and our somewhat self centered human existence on this planet, the forces of the natural world drives forward to not so gently remind us of our precarious existence. Driving forward relentlessly, and always blind to the events of man!!
Sumatra / Coast of Sri Lanka: “The initial quake, measuring 8.9 in magnitude, struck about 100 miles (160 km) off the coast of Indonesia’s Sumatra island around 7 a.m. Sunday (0000 GMT), according to the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Earthquake Information Center.
It is the fifth largest earthquake in recorded history, according to the NEIC.
Sri Lankan military authorities are reporting over 2,400 people killed, most of them in the eastern district of Batticaloa. Several districts in the country’s south have still not reported casualty figures, and authorities fear the death toll could rise.
Officials, however, said thousands were missing and more than a half million had been displaced.
The huge waves also swept away a high security prison in Matara, in southern Sri Lanka, allowing 200 prisoners to escape. Eyewitnesses in eastern Sri Lankan port city of Trincomalee reported waves as high as 40 feet (12 meters), hitting inland as far as half a mile (1 km).
Sri Lankan officials imposed a curfew as night fell, and tourists were being evacuated from the eastern coasts to the capital, Colombo, unaffected on the west coast.” – [CNN] More…
Thousands of people have perished in one of the most severe earthquakes ever recorded early Sunday morning. Officials are preparing major airlifts of aid to the stricken regions. Can the U.N. step up to the plate and demonstrate leadership in the face of this natural crisis ? We know it has failed miserably in the made made ones in 2004. Kofi Annan.. where are you ?
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