Riding that Train

(London) Government prosecutors are advising police in their investigation of British supermodel Kate Moss' cocaine use, the Crown Prosecution Service said Friday.

Scotland Yard sent case papers to prosecutors, asking for advice on whether there was enough evidence or sufficient public interest to charge Moss, said Russell Hayes, a spokesman with the Crown Prosecution Service. He said it was routine for police to ask for advice in such a case.

Without evidence, however, it is unlikely Moss will be charged.

Photos of Moss, 31, apparently snorting cocaine in a London music studio were published in the Daily Mirror tabloid earlier this month. She has since lost contracts with H&M, Burberry and Chanel.

London's police generally investigate drug dealers rather than users, but Ian Blair, commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, earlier said police would consider "the impact of this kind of behavior on impressionable young people."

Moss, who reportedly checked into The Meadows Clinic in Arizona according to British news reports, issued an apology last week, taking "full responsibility for my actions."

Sarah Doukas, head of the Storm modeling agency that represents Moss, said Wednesday that Moss would soon sign a contract to represent a luxury perfume brand. More...

Ever wonder about the life of a super model? Seems like she may have snorted up a storm and the nose bleeds are just about to begin...

Blogger Seeks Help From Blogging Community

The following is a flash from VikkiBables about a missing child from one of our own....
: "IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ THIS AND SPREAD THE WORD IF YOU CAN, PARTICULARLY IF YOU LIVE IN ANY STATE BETWEEN OHIO AND FLORIDA.

Kim is a blogger that I love and respect, and one of her children is missing. The following is the post from her blog in its entirety. You can go to her site here: I wasn’t always like this to show your support. Please do anything you can to help." More...

KIDNAPPER TURNS HERSELF IN !!!! Jordan is now Safe !! (30-SEP-05)

An Islamic Guide on How to Beat Your Wife

(MADRID) -- An imam who wrote a book on how to beat your wife without leaving marks on her body has been ordered by a judge in Spain to study the country's constitution.
The judge told Mohamed Kamal Mustafa, imam of a mosque in the southern resort of Fuengirola, to spend six months studying three articles of the constitution and the universal declaration of human rights.
Mr. Mustafa was sentenced to 15 months in jail and fined about $2,600 last year after being found guilty of inciting violence against women.
A judge released him after 22 days in jail on the condition that he undertake a re-education course. " More...

So does anyone still have doubts about Islam and the subjugation of women? What kind of religious leaders are these that write a book on how to beat women without leaving bodily bruises??

110 Volt Home Network

(TOKYO -AP) - The common electric socket will serve as your home's connection to broadband with a new chip developed by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. - doing away with all the Ethernet cables or the hassle of hooking up to a wireless network device.

Products are still being developed, but gadgets embedded with the chip from the Japanese manufacturer of Panasonic products can hook up to a broadband network by plugging into the common electrical outlet, company officials said Thursday.

That's because the Osaka-based company has come up with technology to use electric wiring in the home to relay not just electricity but also data.

The technology has been around for some time - including in the United States - but Matsushita's system is unique in that it delivers fast-speed broadband information at up to 170 megabits per second, which is faster than Ethernet." More...

One question on my mind is reliability and susceptibility to noise from other appliances in your home. -- thought this would be a change to post as a change from all the politics this week. zz

Hamas Defiant after Israeli Strikes

(Gaza) "Hamas said it would remain defiant after several deadly Israeli attacks on Palestinian targets in Gaza Strip that killed at least two Hamas resistance personnel.

Hamas leaders in the Gaza Strip on Saturday condemned the aerial rocketing, saying it demonstrated that the Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip was not really over.

'These criminal attacks are a clear proof that the Israeli occupation of Gaza is not really over,' said Hamas spokesman Mahmoud al-Zahar.

He told reporters in Gaza that Hamas would not give up the resistance as long as the occupation of the Palestinian homeland didn't end.

'The resistance is the 'effect' and the occupation is the 'cause' and everybody knows that we can't remove the effect until and unless the cause is removed first.'" More...

We predicted that Israel would be launching a full invasion of the recently "liberated" Palestine within one year. Seems like the timetable will be moving up.

New Orleans Mayor Comes to His Senses

NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 19 - Under pressure from President Bush and with a new storm threatening the Gulf of Mexico, Mayor C. Ray Nagin suspended on Monday his controversial plan to allow people to return to this vulnerable city.

As New Orleans struggles to get back on its feet, it could be months before business returns to normal.Roy McGinnis, who fled the hurricane with his family, returned Monday to his home in New Orleans for the first time in three weeks. "I can't take another evacuation," he said. Instead Mr. Nagin called for a "mandatory" evacuation of many of the residents who have returned or never left.

"This is a different type of event," the mayor said of the storm, Rita. "Our levee systems are still in a very weak condition. Our pumping stations are not at full capacity, and any type of storm that heads this way and hits us will put the east bank of Orleans Parish in very significant harm's way. So I'm encouraging everyone to leave."

The mayor reversed himself hours after Mr. Bush had questioned whether it was safe for residents to return. The president reiterated warnings by Vice Adm. Thad W. Allen of the Coast Guard, leader of the federal recovery effort, that the levee system was weakened, that the 911 emergency telephone system was not working, that the hospitals remained closed and that pollutants were in the air and water. More...

Mayor Nagin finally comes to his senses after being pressured by the administration. One does have to wonder about his sense judgement and competence when he approved allowing people back into such a monumental health hazard with a tropical storm bearing down on the south east again. If another levee gave out with those people in the city and it flooded again, I wonder who he would be blaming for those potential casualties?

Palestinian Child Abuse

A Palestinian boy holds a toy gun during a Hamas celebration ceremony in Gaza city September 18, 2005.

Thousands of armed Hamas militants marched through Gaza City on Sunday, defying efforts to remove unauthorised weapons from the streets just days after the Palestinian president vowed not to tolerate armed chaos. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem -- lgf



This really makes us want to vomit. Not only does Hamas seem to be hell bent on destroying the lives of the Palistinian people they claim to represent, but they are perverting their only hope for a peaceful future.

Prediction: Israel will be back in Gaza before Spring 2006 under the Lukud party or otherwise.

New Blog Search Engine Directory

The OpenWeb Links Directory will list your blog for all major search engines to index without having to register! It is open to all bloggers, especially those using the blog surfing sites listed at the bottom of our posts as well as the 165+ Blogs that are already in the ZZ BlogRing site traffic enhancement system. The blog url you submit will be crawled by search engines from Google, Yahoo, MSN, Ask Jeeves, Excite, Lycos and Infoseek without a registration fee.

I Will Rebuild With You, Mr. President

The author of this excerpt found in the Washington Post, Donna Brazile, is a Democratic political consultant, and managed Al Gore's 2000 presidential campaign. (Although obviously not very well.) Those on the far left who have a an axe to constantly grind with this President, take note. A hat tip to Donna Brazile demonstrating some class from moderate Democrats.

By Donna Brazile

On Thursday night President Bush spoke to the nation from my city. I am not a Republican. I did not vote for George W. Bush -- in fact, I worked pretty hard against him in 2000 and 2004. But on Thursday night, after watching him speak from the heart, I could not have been prouder of the president and the plan he outlined to empower those who lost everything and to rebuild the Gulf Coast.

Bush called on every American to stand up and support the rebuilding of the region. He told us that New Orleans and the entire Gulf Coast would rise from the ruins stronger than before. He enunciated something that we all need to remember: This is America. We are not immune to tragedy here, but we are strong because of our industriousness, our ingenuity and, most important, because of our compassion for one another. We are a nation of rebuilders and a nation of givers. We do not give up in the face of tragedy, we stand up, and we reach out to help those who cannot stand up on their own. More...

Contrast the accounting of her personal loss in New Orleans to the rantings of Cindy Sheehan. Note the lack of divisiveness and the call for America to come together. Moderate Democrats are better served to identify with Ms. Brazile than with the divisiveness of Cindy Sheehan.

Cindy Sheehan Demands Troops Leave New Orleans

(Drudge Report --- Breaking news)
Celebrity anti-war protester, fresh off inking a lucrative deal with Speaker's Bureau, has demanded at the HUFFINGTON POST and MICHAEL MOORE'S website that the United States military must immediately leave 'occupied' New Orleans.

'I don't care if a human being is black, brown, white, yellow or pink. I don't care if a human being is Christian, Muslim, Jew, Buddhist, or pagan. I don't care what flag a person salutes: if a human being is hungry, then it is up to another human being to feed him/her. George Bush needs to stop talking, admit the mistakes of his all around failed administration, pull our troops out of occupied New Orleans and Iraq, and excuse his self from power. The only way America will become more secure is if we have a new administration that cares about Americans even if they don't fall into the top two percent of the wealthiest.'

Sheehan is in the middle of a bus trip across America in support of her cause.

Developing... "

No question this woman is on LSD...

Hurricane Katrina and President Bush

There is plenty of stench to go around.

ScrappleFace: Mayor Nagin Blames Bush for Lower Body Count

"Mayor Nagin Blames Bush for Lower Body Count
by Scott Ott

(2005-09-12) -- New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin today blamed President George Bush for the lower-than-expected number of bodies discovered in the receding flood waters, and said it's part of a White House campaign 'to prevent black people from getting what they deserve.'

Last week, Mayor Nagin predicted that as many as 10,000 corpses would be found due to the Bush administration's slow response to the crisis, however, so far the total number of flood-related deaths is closer to 200.

'We were on track to have the most horrifying natural disaster in America's history,' said the mayor, 'but Bush knew that would generate huge compassion and lots of cash flowing to this predominantly-black community.'

The former cable TV executive said that if the death count remains in the hundreds, rather than thousands, the big question will be 'who benefits?'

'Follow the money,' said Mr. Nagin. 'Low body-count means less federal aid and less redistribution of wealth from the rich to the poor black folks of my city. You don't have to be a cable guy to figure out that this benefits George Bush and his rich cronies.'" - SCott Ott / ScrappleFace

Lt. Gen. Russel Honore told CNN's "Late Edition" the death toll in New Orleans is unlikely to reach 10,000, a figure Mayor Ray Nagin had estimated based on how many people appeared to have evacuated and how many had stayed behind.

Freudian Slip?

This picture was captured off a TV screen carrying Sky News Ireland... ROTFL

Priorities Revisted

Democrats Propose Agency to Manage FEMA Disasters

Democrats Propose Agency to Manage FEMA Disasters
by Scott Ott

(2005-09-11) -- Democrats in Congress will introduce a bill this week creating a massive new federal agency to coordinate relief operations for, and provide emergency services to, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The new Federal Emergency Management Management Agency (FEMMA) will have an operating budget of $700 billion annually and employ 55,000 people, most of whom were passed over for jobs with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

'The disastrous mismanagement of relief operations in the wake of Hurricane Katrina made clear the need for federal government coordination of the federal government's coordination of disaster relief,' said Sen. Hillary Clinton, a co-sponsor of the legislation. 'If FEMMA had already existed, we could have sent a helicopter in there and rescued FEMA Director Mike Brown in the first couple of days, before he got in over his head.'" -- Scott Ott / ScrappleFace

So how would you comment on this editorial from Scott? Care to add your persepctives? Voice your opinion below.

Israel Lowers its Flags over Gaza

(Gaza)"Israeli troops have begun pulling out of the Gaza Strip 38 years after they captured the narrow coastal area.

The move followed a decision not to demolish more than 20 synagogues, after rabbis argued against it.

Palestinians had urged Israel to raze the synagogues and an official said on Sunday they would do it themselves.

Only structures such as green houses and a former Israeli army headquarters might be retained, Interior ministry spokesman Tawfiq Abu Khoussa said.

Israel declared a formal end to military rule earlier on Sunday and convoys of military vehicles have now begun moving out" More...

Anyone willing to lay any odds on how long it will be before Israel needs to move back in there?

CNN Petitions to Dig Up Hastily-Buried Flood Victims

"CNN Petitions to Dig Up Hastily-Buried Flood Victims
by Scott Ott

(2005-09-10) -- The Cable News Network (CNN), fresh from a legal triumph allowing it to televise the recovery of dead flood victims, today asked a federal judge to allow it to dig up and videotape any bodies buried in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

'While we were petitioning the court to cover the recovery of corpses, some victims were hastily buried,' said an unnamed CNN spokesman. 'Our viewers have a right to see the decaying flesh of each and every citizen who perished from lack of federal government assistance. That's why the First Amendment exists.'

The network source said news anchors will issue the following warning before each 'CNN Cadaver Closeup' segment:

'Caution: the following report includes disgustingly graphic depictions of rotting human flesh. If you can possibly look away from your TV set, do so now...especially if you have any relatives in the South that you haven't heard from since Hurricane Katrina hit.'" -- Scott Ott / ScrappleFace

CNN is without dignity or respect. The vulture like shadows of their executives are now being cast on their office walls in Atlanta for all of America to see in their true blood thursty glory. God have mercy on your souls.

Did you threaten to go to court to over rule Lt. Gen. Russel Honore's directive against media photographing dead bodies for a buck? Ratings? Or to further a perverted political cause? Oh, yes, of course, it must have been to foster 1st Amemendment rights. What was I thinking? - zzb

Why Can't the Gov't Make My Life Perfect?

Editorial

Do most people live in a fantasy world structured by an illusion that we are somehow entitled to a perfect life supplied by our government and political leadership? This reliance on such a false expectation becomes a slippery slope to tragedy when we find our beliefs are actually misplaced. Did the sense of "entitlement" in this country play any part in the tragedy in the early hours after disaster struck the gulf coast? We expect homeland security, food on the table, a job, shelter, good health, medical care, free attorneys appointed to us, civil protection, a free pass when we are a first time offender for virtually anything, cures to all our ills and countless "benefits" of life in the Great Society. Sure we believe we pay for all this through our taxes, so we are entitled.

...The political posturing and bickering over WHO did a good job or bad job in the early hours of the New Orleans crisis has as an undercurrent this incessant expectation of perfection or near perfection from our leaders and decision makers, and is actually laughable....

But how much of it is realistic vs. a false illusion and promise? Does anyone really believe that ANY agency can protect ANY country from another 9/11 type of terrorist attack given the will of an evil minority to cause great harm? Do we believe that our world health agencies will ALWAYS find a vaccine for the next deadly virus that might threaten all of humanity making the devastations in New Orleans moot?

Are these entitlement expectations realistic when it comes to "natural disasters" that are NOT man made? What IS the yardstick by which someone measures these things? Consider Katrina....or the recent pacific tsunami, surely a "natural disaster" and part of the evolutionary pattern of earth physics, whether you believe that global warming is a root cause or not. The arm chair pundits sitting in the comfort of their own "illusion of protection" [like myself writing this piece] might take a moment and expand their consciousness. Is this idea that collectively we as a species can dominate our environment also extend to ideas that we can prevent asteroids from hitting this planet or other such natural calamities? Do we unconsciously believe that even earth itself is "entitled" to exist in the universe as we know it today? We certainly try to fool ourselves into believing so. After all, won't scientists find a way to save us from such things? Surely our leaders are EXPECTED to save us. Yet man is insignificant in the scheme of things on a cosmic scale. There ARE catastrophies both natural and man made (WMD) that are certainly even more horrific than a category 5 hurricane. It's enough we have to deal with the natural ones, let alone the ones of our own making!

The political posturing and bickering over WHO did a good job or bad job in the early hours of the New Orleans crisis has as an undercurrent this incessant expectation of perfection or near perfection from our leaders and decision makers and is actually laughable. It's self-centered and self-serving to both political parties, and the American people are seeing through the politics. The media contributes and magnifies this problem by the way they "steer" what their viewers hear and see. There was plenty of evidence of this by virtue of the subliminal biases in reporting that have occured this past week. (Note the cover up here) That a Democratic controlled Congress and a Democratic President in the White House would have somehow made the disaster recovery better or worse is a fools game to play and guess what? We are playing it! The issues lie in our "systems of understanding" and adapting to our natural universe and the nature of man himself. Not in politics. IMHO.

Lesson.... maybe we Americans need to swallow some humble pie once in awhile and understand where we, like all life on this fragile planet, stack up in the scheme of things. Tragedies like Katrina need to be a wake up call to learn how to work together just as 9/11 did for a man made disaster. We need to recognize that the one most powerful gift we have is our capacity to LEARN and ADAPT with the understanding that there are NEVER any assurances that "the next time", events and outcomes will somehow be predictable and perfect. Chaos theory is always in effect my friends.... and past performance is no guarantee of future results! - ZZB

Sharia Tribunals in Canada - What Next?

Separation of Church and State... what a concept! Ever wonder why it is being ignored? The Canadian Constitution may or may not have it spelled out as it is in the U.S. Constitution but trust me, these headlines should give lefties and righties alike in the U.S. a reason for stepping back from their constant bickering and refocus on the threat of religious fundamentalism from ANY religion.

(Ottawa) "Islamic law could be used to settle civil and marital disputes under a proposal made by former Ontario Attorney General Marion Boyd.

Roman Catholic and Jewish arbitration tribunals already operate Ontario.

Opponents of Sharia law say allowing Islamic tribunals could lead to discrimination against women.

A protest march is scheduled for Thursday in Toronto, which is the capital of Canada's most populous and multi-cultural province.

Other Canadian marches are due in Ottawa, Waterloo, Montreal and Victoria, while in Europe there will be rallies in Amsterdam, Dusseldorf, Stockholm, Goteborg, London and Paris." More...

Gallup Poll Takes Public's Rectal Temperature On Katrina Blame Game

"The Gallup/CNN/USA Today poll, conducted by phone Sept. 5-6, show that people believe the following on the Aug. 29 disaster. Questions in bold are how they were asked to the population:

Do you think that any of the top officials in the federal agencies responsible for handling emergencies should be fired, or don't you think so?

29% Yes
63% No

Thinking about natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, or fires, do you consider Hurricane Katrina to be the worst natural disaster in the U.S. in your lifetime, or not?

93% Yes
7% No

Do you think New Orleans should -- or should not -- be rebuilt as a major city?

63% Yes, should
34% No, should not

And here it is folks.... the question of the hour!!

Who do you think is MOST responsible for the problems in New Orleans after the hurricane?

13% President Bush
18% Federal agencies (FEMA, DHS)
25% State and local government
38% Nobody

It should be noted that the following were not options in Gallup's poll on who to blame:

* AP Photographers
* The Saints
* Sunspots
* Al Quaeda

Do you think we should run a poll here?

The Last Thing We Need...

Tampabay: New storm gains strength, heads toward Florida: "Much of Florida's east coast was under alert early today as a new tropical weather system formed offshore and threatened to douse parts of the state with up to 10 inches of rain.

Tropical Depression 16 formed Tuesday southeast of Miami and was expected today to become a tropical storm, with sustained winds of at least 39 mph.

While its path is uncertain, forecasters predicted it would take a northwesterly track, skirting the east coast before making landfall early Saturday, just south of the Jacksonville area, with winds of up to 70 mph." More...

This is the last thing the Gulf Coast needs in the coming weeks....

Is Mass Depression Setting In ??

When you read this post in it's entirety it is beginning to capture both the depression, sadness, frustration and feelings of helplessness that are being felt by many Americas over this Labor Day weekend. The following self reflective post is from VikkiBabbles.com posted ONLY IN PART here. Learn why she felt compelled to post this on her blog and read how it ends.

» My Name is Viki, and I'’m an Asshole

So, I'’m sitting here, actually I was sitting outside having a cigarette, and I was thinking about why I haven't really been all that touched by the disaster wreaked by Katrina. Part of it is that I don'’t watch TV anymore, so I'’m not assaulted with constant news stories. But I've actually entertained thoughts in the last few days along the lines of "There was a mandatory evacuation, now those people who stayed are risking the lives of their rescuers. Selfish bastards." Really. I did think that. You know why? Because I'm an asshole.

So I'’m sitting there, smoking, wondering what room to pick up next, thinking about writing my Blog Day 2005 post, staring off into space, trying to make myself remember to pay the mortgage today, when my doorbell rings, and standing there is a woman who lives down the street from me. She's kind of a shy, reserved person, and we don'’t know each other well, although our kids go to the same schools and we live on the same block. She'’s got an envelope in her hand with a big Red Cross symbol on it, and I (I really am ashamed, I swear it) immediately thought, "“Oh, hell, now I've got to shell out money I don't have." See? I told you I was an asshole." -- Must Read More... and see how this ends.

Thanks for sharing and p.s. you are NOT an asshole. It's just that perhaps mass depression is beginning to set in just as it did after 9/11. The images are wearing us all down... while the rescue and recovery operations continue.

Hurricane Bearing Down on D.C.

Lack of Bush Eloquence Imperils Hurricane Victims

Scott Ott once again out does himself in the following snippet where he brings out the best in his satrical reporting skills.

Lack of Bush Eloquence Imperils Hurricane Victims
by Scott Ott

(Biloxi)(2005-09-01) -- Fears increased today among hundreds of thousands of refugees from the hurricane-ravaged gulf coast as they faced a Labor Day weekend with little hope of an eloquent speech from President George Bush.

As today's New York Times editorial indicated, the president 'gave one of the worst speeches of his life yesterday, especially given the level of national distress and the need for words of consolation and wisdom'.

Instead, the president devoted his first major post-Katrina address to laying out what the federal government is actually doing to help with disaster recovery.

One New Orleans man, currently living in the 'Plaza End Zone' section of the Superdome as he awaits news of his missing family members, said, 'I can survive for some time with little water, no food and highly unsanitary conditions...but if I don't hear some poetic words of comfort and stirring verbal imagery from the president pretty soon, I'm a goner.'

A White House spokesman said additional speech writers have been flown in to accelerate completion of 'a magnificent, almost-Clintonesque display of rhetorical compassion.' However, it could take up to a week of pronunciation rehearsal before the president is ready to deliver the speech to the nation." -- Scott Ott / ScrappleFace

Feel free to post your thoughts as we hope some of you still have a sense of humor left after the depressing events of this past week !!

New Orleans in Anarchy With Fights, Rapes

(New Orleans, LA) New Orleans descended into anarchy Thursday as corpses lay abandoned in street medians, fights and fires broke out, cops turned in their badges and the governor declared war on looters who have made the city a menacing landscape of disorder and fear.


'They have M-16s and they're locked and loaded,' Gov. Kathleen Blanco said of 300 National Guard troops who landed in New Orleans fresh from duty in
Iraq. 'These troops know how to shoot and kill, and they are more than willing to do so, and I expect they will.'

Four days after Hurricane Katrina roared in with a devastating blow that inflicted potentially thousands of deaths, the fear, anger and violence mounted Thursday.

'I'm not sure I'm going to get out of here alive,' said Canadian tourist Larry Mitzel, who handed a reporter his business card in case he goes missing. 'I'm scared of riots. I'm scared of the locals. We might get caught in the crossfire.'" More...

This situation will certainly get worse before it gets better. National Guard won't be taking any prisoners. Looters and gangs need to be brought under control quyickly and made example of under martial law. Send them to Gitmo. We are sure the media will have a field day with the visuals.

Offers of Aid to U.S. Victims ??

In the spirit of quasi unbiased reporting, one of our readers, MercutioATC (thanks) provided us this link with the following comment -- "Here's a link to supposedly-offered aid, [in response to our post below] but I believe it's completely bogus." What do you think ??? We are reserving comment but some of this seems plausible. If true, and that's a big if, why is being kept a secret?

WhatDoesItMean.Com: "Being kept from these American people also by their Military Rulers have been the uncounted offers of assistance from Nations all around the world, including: Venezuela has offered their Medical Airlift Command for the evacuation of peoples trapped in these devastated regions; Holland has offered the resources of their Public Works Ministry (and who are the acknowledged World Experts for below sea level water evacuation procedures); Russia has offered over 100,000 temporary living structures, along with Military Personal to assist their American counterparts; Iran has offered 1 Billion US Dollars in immediate assistance and guaranteed 5,000,000 barrels of oil at $35.00 US Dollars; China has offered their Military Rescue Forces (Who are acknowledged as one of the best in the world for rescuing peoples in flood ravaged areas.)

All of these offers, and more, the Military Leaders of the United States have declined, and for the their previously stated reason: “The United States Government and its People Respectfully Decline your offer of assistance and refer you to our previous State Department Bulletin (NCO:13788) in which we had stated that this remains an internal action.” " More...