rickjump1

I got this off of Excite.com. I don't like it; especially the idea of them retaining military and national security agencies pc business. Chinese Computer Firm-IBM Get Security OK Wednesday March 9, 10:20 AM EST By Eric Auchard SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - China's Lenovo Group Ltd. (0992) won clearance from a U.S. national security oversight committee to acquire IBM's (IBM) personal computer business, the companies said on Wednesday, overcoming resistance from some U.S. lawmakers An IBM executive said the high-level U.S. committee had given the deal its unanimous consent -- the final external approval needed -- putting the $1.25 billion PC sale on track to close in the second quarter as originally planned. "We were able to get unanimous agreement from the members of the committee," Stephen Ward, the general manager of IBM's Personal Systems Division, said in a telephone interview. Ward is to become chief executive of Lenovo, once the deal closes. Lenovo is headquartered in Beijing, but will move to an undisclosed site near IBM's headquarters in Armonk, New York. The merger of the IBM PC business with China's biggest PC maker -- the first combination ever of a major U.S. company and a top Chinese one -- will create the world's third largest PC maker with roughly $12 billion in revenue and one strongly positioned in several fast-growing markets. The deal had met unexpected resistance when some U.S. lawmakers began decrying the loss of a U.S.-based PC maker to China. In addition, some government officials, according to media reports, were concerned that Chinese nationals working for Lenovo in the United States might act as industrial spies. Despite the review, approval of the deal had been widely anticipated on Wall Street. IBM shares rose 42 cents to $92.55 in early trading on the New York Stock Exchange. Ward said terms of the approval are confidential, but that no compromises were required over the location of Lenovo facilities in sensitive research areas, nor were limits put on Lenovo's ability to sell PCs to U.S. agencies. "I don't think we made any compromises at all," Ward told Reuters. Rival PC makers such as Dell Inc. (DELL) and Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ) have been seeking to woo corporate PC customers away from IBM by citing the regulatory overhang as well as uncertainty over Lenovo's future PC product strategy. Industry experts say that underlying the cross-border combination of the two companies is a belated recognition of the fact that most PCs -- including IBM's machines -- are already largely manufactured in the greater China region. IBM plans to keep a 19 percent stake in Lenovo after the merger, allow Lenovo to use its PC brands for five years, and retain service, financing and support operations for PCs. FINAL REGULATORY STEP The go-ahead from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) was received on Tuesday, Ward said. CFIUS, which is composed of 11 U.S. agencies and was created in 1998 to conduct security reviews of business deals, includes members of the U.S. departments of Treasury, State, Defense, Justice and Homeland Security. "Everything that CFIUS asked of us was perfectly reasonable and the type of things that would be in a business plan," Ward said. He said IBM PC staff working in the Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, area will be relocated to a single campus that is being sold by IBM to Lenovo and is located in the same industrial park. Separation from the rest of IBM is in line with plans to run Lenovo as a distinct company, Ward said. Asked if IBM could retain U.S. military and other national security agencies as PC customers, Ward said there were no restrictions on the new Lenovo and it would be free to do business with U.S. government agencies. "We can do business with anyone we want to do business with," he said. U.S. antitrust authorities in January cleared the deal, and Lenovo shareholders have also approved it. What is left is largely internal planning and integrating steps to complete the merger. "We are still looking at closing the transaction in the second quarter," IBM spokeswoman Carol Makovich said. "We are on track." ©2005 Reuters Limited. [url] Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

You are one hell of a good father. Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

Quote looked into becoming a pilot but to do it for a living you need to get a commercial pilots licence. And that's a big problem - because it costs about £60,000 for the training. If you are interested in helicopter flying: there have been a lot of Europeans that have come over here to get a commercial license and stayed to work. It's cheaper to get a license here. Most went on to become an instructor to get hours and then went to work flying offshore or ems (there are a lot of foreigners flying offshore Gulf of Mexico). I also saw some guy from Germany working for Southwest (fixed wing) when I jump seated to work Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

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QuoteAssumed, thought, whatever... A long time ago I had a First Sergeant explain to me that "assumptions are the mother of fuck-ups". Obviously, it's still true. Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

This type of hunting is for corporate level. You know, it's for the guy who can't get out of the office or the guy who wants to drive up, shoot, and go home. Eating what he shoots is not part of the picture. He just wants to kill something for amusement. After all, it's a busy world and a mans got to have some fun. I just don't understand it myself. Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

I got this off excite.com New Gadgets Push the Envelope in Hunting Mar 4, 7:46 AM (ET) By JEFF BARNARD GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) - Ever since man picked up a rock to kill dinner, hunters have been technology pioneers. These days, they've got more gadgets than ever to choose from. Heat sensors will spot wounded game in dense brush, remote-controlled cameras can scout game trails. There are motorized duck and deer decoys, electronic duck and coyote calls and even holographic archery sights. But some of the latest in hunting tech pushes the ethical envelope, and some states are outlawing high-tech innovations that game managers feel give hunters an undue advantage. A San Antonio entrepreneur recently created an uproar with a Web site, www.live-shot.com , that aims to allow hunters to shoot exotic game animals or feral pigs on his private hunting ranch by remote control, with the click of a mouse, from anywhere in the world. "The idea of sitting at a computer screen playing a video game and activating a remote controlled firearm to shoot an animal is not hunting," said Kirby Brown, executive director of the Texas Wildlife Association, a hunters' group. "It's off the ethical charts." The Texas game commission appears to agree, and is moving to outlaw remote-control hunting for native game animals. But it will take an act of the legislature to stop it with exotic game animals on private property, and at least one lawmaker says that is just what he will do. Live-Shot owner John Lockwood figured his idea was not much of a stretch from the predominant Texas practice of shooting from a tree stand at deer drawn to mechanical feeders and would allow disabled hunters and servicemen overseas to continue to enjoy the sport. Under his plan, the hunter would aim and fire a .30-06 rifle by remote control from a computer terminal, with a video camera allowing him to sight in on his prey. An attendant in the blind with the rifle could override any unsafe or unethical shots. "It's just like it was if you paid for a guided hunt on my ranch, or any one of a thousand of them here in Texas," said Lockwood. "Ever since we stopped running after our prey and killing it with our hands we have evolved into distancing ourselves farther and farther from the game and making it more and more efficient, for whatever reason we want to take it." For some game regulators, it was mechanical duck decoys with spinning wings - one of them goes under the brand name Robo Duk - that crossed the line when they began showing up at blinds. Following Pennsylvania's lead, Washington state outlawed them in 2001. "The issue for Robo Duk is similar with some of the other technological advances," said Dave Ware, game division manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Because they appear to give hunters an advantage, they presented regulators with a dilemma: should the devices be allowed but the duck season be shortened? "When we asked hunters what their preference was, outlaw equipment or shorten seasons, they were very definite they would rather we outlaw equipment than shorten seasons because time in the field is so important to them." Oregon followed suit in 2002, and included a prohibition against mechanical deer decoys. California restricted mechanical decoys to the latter part of duck season. When Alabama decided last year to begin allowing decoys for turkeys, the state drew the line at motorized decoys. The issue continues to be hotly debated around the country. Finlay Williams created Robo Duk in Santa Maria, Calif., after seeing that a kite with shiny metallic spinners would draw in ducks mistaking the flash for the wings of birds landing on water. He figures the mechanical decoy gives the occasional hunter a chance to have a more satisfying outing. Besides, the ducks that survive one encounter with Robo Duk aren't often fooled again. To justify the longer seasons for archery hunters, Oregon outlaws such innovations as mechanical broadheads, which have blades that expand on impact, allowing the arrows to fly more accurately without the wind resistance of broadheads. Another group that enjoys longer hunting seasons around the country are hunters who use muzzleloader rifles. In Oregon, whether they set off their blackpowder charge by flintlock, side-lock percussion, or the modern inline percussion, the ignition systems must be exposed to the wind and rain. "It's back to the intent of maintaining a primitive weapons hunt," said Tom Thornton, game program manager for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Rather than going more modern, Walt Christensen, past president of the Washington State Muzzleloaders Association, is heading the other way. He plans to hunt next season with a flintlock, joining friends seeking the challenge and romance of the older technology. "No matter what kind of weapon you use, in hunting you still have to come back to that concept: You don't shoot a game animal that is 4,000 yards away just because some advertisement says that's a reasonable thing to do," said Christensen. As hunting innovators develop more reliable ways to take game, more ethical questions are sure to arise. Lockwood, the Web site-hunting entrepreneur, thinks the ultimate innovation is just around the corner and is a technology that won't be very difficult to adopt. "The next one will be lasers," he said. "How far can you shoot a laser in a straight line? As far as the eye can see, basically." [url] Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

One thing: if they were political prisoners, they could be put on display on Mothers Day instead of May Day. What a way to squash any political dissent. Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

It most certainly would not. They're so uptight that they use a different label (Buena Vista, iirc) to release movies that aren't in step with the image they want to protray, for that image gets them a lot of 'family oriented' viewers. I also quite willing to bet you good money that there won't be any fucking on the Christian media sources, nevermind the BYU channel.... Ok, not each and every channel, but I would think a lot more. As for Disney, I think Walt is rolling in his grave even if they release things under a different label today. The reality is that if community standards really don't include shows like Nip/Tuck or the Shield, those shows will lose out to more wholesome ones. But when you look at those ratings, it looks like a heck of a lot more people like Desparate Housewives and Howard Stern. Remove the restraints and let every niche form. Would be a beautiful time to implement a la carte subscriber options...... How are children going to be protected "letting every niche form?" Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

How did they find you? Sounds like they had some information. Sorry it happened. Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

Maybe sex should be on adult content channels period. If there were no restraints they would be fucking and fighting on each and every channel. The Disney channel would be showing Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs doing it. How many of you that oppose any sort of restraint have children or grandchildren? Are you able to watch everything they watch? If you care there is a limit. I know you can lock out certain channels. I did it for my kids. A lot of stuff presented as good familty entertainment can turn into something not suitable for children period, and I'm not talking about some bare ass or tit shot. That's my $.02 after Miller time. Wish I had Shiner Bock. Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

It sounds so simple if Syria would leave. I got the following off Earthlink News: Quick Syrian Pullout Has Substantial Risks March 02, 2005 6:07 PM EST BEIRUT, Lebanon - A speedy Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon may fulfill the dreams of many Lebanese, but lifting the tight lid Syria has kept on its smaller neighbor carries risks: a security vacuum and possible return to sectarian disputes that bedeviled this country throughout its history. The outgoing pro-Syrian premier even warned that the Lebanese military, built up by the Syrians, could again splinter into warring factions - a comment that angered some Lebanese and prompted the army to insist it is capable of maintaining unity. Another question is how Hezbollah, the anti-Israeli guerrilla movement based in southern Lebanon, would react to the withdrawal of Syria, one of its principal backers. The well-armed Shiite militia, which is also supported by Iran, has so far stayed out of the fray in Lebanon's political crisis - but could feel its position is threatened if Damascus pulls out. The assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, a Muslim, has united Lebanese Christians and Muslims in grief and anger at Syria and its allied Lebanese government, which the opposition accuses of involvement in his killing. As the world pressed on with its demands - President Bush on Wednesday pointedly ordered Syria out of Lebanon in the strongest statement yet - the risk remains that such unprecedented unity could evaporate if Syrian forces leave and Lebanese return to their sectarian-based fractious politics. In a sign of Lebanon's volatility, followers of ex-Prime Minister Omar Karami targeted a rival politician's office in his hometown of Tripoli on Monday, leaving one person dead. Syria has entered the fray many times during Lebanon's recent history by quelling clashes, removing Lebanese political opponents and installing government and military allies. In 1976, the first year of a 15-year civil war, Syrian forces crossed into Lebanon to save Christians from possible defeat at the hands of Muslim and Palestinian-backed leftist forces. In 1987, Muslim leaders requested Syrian troops move into Muslim west Beirut to stop militia street fighting. In July, Syria's top general here intervened after Lebanese troops killed six Shiite Muslim rioters to prevent a riot from spreading into Shiite-army fighting. "If Syria leaves Lebanon uncomfortable, will our situation be stable?" warned Interior Minister Suleiman Franjieh, a staunch pro-Syrian. If Syria withdraws, he added last week, "it could say it is not responsible for security in this country, and tomorrow every party begins to do what it wants - and we know the Lebanese if they do what they want in politics. Within a week we will tear each other up." A Syrian official alluded to possible security breaches. Information Minister Mahdi Dakhlallah said after Hariri's assassination that previous Syrian withdrawals from Lebanese areas "resulted in a security vacuum that led to the explosions." Syria has long acted as a buffer, mediating political disputes and sending security forces to back Lebanese troops. They have also curbed Muslim militants as they did in Syria, a nation ruled by a secular Baath party that sees militant Islam as a threat. Last week, Karami enraged many by saying a Syrian withdrawal and implementation of a U.N. resolution to disarm anti-Israeli Hezbollah militants could reflect on Lebanon's army, which broke apart along sectarian lines during the civil war and was rebuilt with Syrian help to a force of 70,000 after the conflict. The army "is from the people and the people are divided," Karami said. "We've tried this before and the army disintegrated. Should we again go through this experience of this magnitude and damage?" Karami also asked who would disarm Shiite Hezbollah guerillas if Syria leaves. Hezbollah has stayed on the sidelines of Lebanon's recent polarization, but - with Syria's support - it has blocked attempts to send the Lebanese army into its territory in southern Lebanon, along the border with Israel, and refused to disarm until the conflict with Israel is resolved. If an anti-Syrian government comes to power in Beirut and resolves to move its military into the south, Hezbollah could be roused to action. Farid El-Khazen, chairman of the American University of Beirut's political studies department, did not predict a return of civil war-era sectarian conflict. "Never before has Lebanon been as united as it is today," he said. "The unprecedented national consciousness on the issue of Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon has never been as strong since that formation of the state of Lebanon in the 1920s." But As'ad AbuKhalil, a Lebanese political science professor at California State University, warned of possible instability. "This won't be Ukraine of 2004, but maybe Lebanon of 1975," AbuKhalil said, referring to Ukraine's "Orange Revolution" that overturned a fraudulent election and circa-1975 Lebanon, which was wracked by political disputes. But Lebanon's military is sounding optimistic. Armed forces Gen. Michel Suleiman, in apparent response to Karami's comments, said the army "faced grave events and emerged more cohesive to the point that it became a model in national unity." Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

QuoteNow is the time for the US to maintain preasure on them to turn over the rest of the Iraqis hiding out there and to stop funding groups like Hammas and Islamic Jihad, not give them aid. I agree. NO aid. Things finally backfired on them. They have been exposed. Can they leave peacefully? I hope so. Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

I had a friend that went to bed drunk. During the night he vomited into the fish bowel. He awakened the next morning to find all his fish dead. Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

I'm in. Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

Hey, I'm on your side. It just rekindles my dislike of the real world where Arkansas minister and republican Governor Mike Huckabee turns em loose for good behavior and a relationship with Jesus. Now, when one of these assbags come up for parole, the victims and families of victims are given airtime to remind the public that they should not be set free and to show our idiot governor that the public is watching his fat sanctimonious ass. Believe me, I would like your hypothetical system. Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

http://www.prodeathpenalty.com/LWOP.htm This (slightly biased to some) website simply shows that there is no sure thing as life without parole. Sentences get commuted. Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

QuoteThe .30-06 was introduced in 1906, and is still in widespread use. The 8mm, invented by the Mauser brothers.... I have read that the Springfield 03 was developed using a Mauser action. The American troops discovered that the Mauser rifle was superior to the 30-40 Kraig they (Americans) were using during the Battle of San Juan Hill/Spanish-American War. Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

Quote Hunters in Iowa and Connecticut also have had to defeat animal cruelty bills that threatened hunting with dogs. Hey, I would like to see these bugger-eating morons in Arkansas stop using dogs. Every year I have to put up with some idiot turning his dogs loose and they run across my property. It's unfair to the deer and it messes up hunting. Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

I heard it tasted similar to a spotted owl or a snowy egret Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

Quoteb]HOW CAN YOU STRANGLE A 7 YEAR OLD BOY???? He killed this woman knowing she was pregnant. He took 3 lives. Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

Do you think we can come to our senses before all our underwear and toilet paper comes from China? Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

i still take 1200 IU every few days... wanna run 5k, compare scars or ask the bartender how old we look relatively (i'm 33 and get carded whenever i shave..) maybe its good gene's and diet.. maybe its something else? i'm not complaining, the chance of me dying of old age is slim to none..... Woody Allen said he wanted an extra pair of underwear packed in his casket just in case there is a "real" heaven. I think I'll just continue with the E, diet, and exercise too. I'm a wee older than you but could do the 5k off the pavement

Add a mere $20 more (pay pal). Heard a lot of good things about the place from friends here in Arkansas. Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

I don't think congress will give him everything he wants to cut. A couple that I would like to see trimmed: farm subsidies (especially corporate farms) and that boondoggle dam building Corps of Engineers. It's very ironic we have to have a war to do this. Watch out. Here comes those crybaby lobbyists Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.