It’s Communism, but not as we know it
By Richard Seamon

The debacle surrounding the demise of Britain’s last volume car-maker, MG Rover appears also to have signalled the death of communism.

20 years ago, the thought of a white knight in the form of a Chinese car-maker riding to a western company’s aid just wouldn’t have been entertained and not only on ideological levels, either. Chinese corporations just didn’t exist and the thought of one with any financial muscle to flex would have been laughable. How things have changed.

The mere fact that China now has the capability to manufacture quality objects of desire is astonishing to most of us raised reading news of the abuses of the cultural revolution of the 60s. MG Rover aren’t the first to have sought assistance in the orient, either. Since October 2003, BMW have manufactured and sold over 10000 3 and 5 series there and if some of the internet polling companies are to be believed, these will be on sale at a dealership near you soon. Ironically, BMW once owned Rover.

But what is most disturbing about the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) involvement in the MG Rover affair, is that the Chinese appear to have completely lost any sense of social responsibility; surely one of the most appealing aspects of any socio-political system predicated on the needs of the working population.

They’ve sat back, watched the west at work and absorbed some of capitalism’s less desirable practices with no attempt made at all in dressing them up and passing them off as communism with a twist as has been done until now.

By pulling out at the last moment, SAIC made it untenable for MG Rover to continue as a going concern with no option but to slip into administration. With it went the jobs and aspirations of 6000 employees and countless others dependent on the company for survival. What scared them off apart from the fact that the company was shedding £25 million a month? The £400 million pension provision black hole appears to be the favourite; they’d already secured rights to the famous K-Series engine and the functional 25 and high-end 75 series models, and there’s profit potential in those.

But their throwing off of the communist cloak didn’t stop there. There’s now going to be that most deplorable and upsetting of capitalist obsessions: the cherry-pick. As the Rover plant at Longbridge in England’s West Midlands is mothballed, the vultures will circle. And it won’t surprise me if the biggest and most voracious bird will be SAIC, hoping to make some valuable pickings to stick alongside what it’s already got in its corporate crop.

And if that isn’t backdoor asset stripping, something we all believed was the now completely unacceptable face of capitalism after the predatory acquisitional antics of the “Wall Street” era, then I’m a Chinaman.

Former US President Jimmy Carter has publicly condemned his country and several other wealthy countries over their poor contributions to foreign aid.

“We really don’t give a damn”, said Carter on the subject of foreign aid.

Speaking to a human rights conference at the Emory Conference Center in Atlanta on Thursday, Carter explained how important foreign aid is in the battle against certain diseases that are far more likely to occur in the poorest parts of the world.

Carter, who was president of the US between 1977 and 1981 and also won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, criticized the United States for failing to come anywhere near the United Nations target that 22 of the world’s developed nations have agreed to meet by 2015.

While the US tops the foreign aid donor list in terms of dollars and cents, when the nation’s contributions are measured on a per capita basis the results are shamefully low.

According to research, most Americans believe that 15 percent of their country’s gross national income is being spent on foreign aid while in reality it’s just a meager 0.18 percent, a figure 0.52 percent lower than the United Nations minimum target.

A handful of countries have already met the goal while others, including Germany and the United Kingdom, insist they’ll achieve it before the deadline.

Foreign aid means much more than sending bulk aid when headline catastrophes occur. On the whole, tragedies like the recent tsunami affect fewer lives than the overall lack of proper health provisions in the world’s poorest countries.

Failure to meet the minimum of what is needed to help bring health standards up to an acceptable level can only lead to more tragedy. It takes strong, healthy people to work the land, build shelter, care for their children and build a future for themselves.

By denying them the help so urgently needed, these people are being kept in a state of dependence: a state where their futures are controlled by the rich and powerful.

In a surprise move, a Federal judge has overturned the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) ban on ephedra, a weight loss dietary supplement that was purported to be mainly responsible for the death of Baseball pitcher Steve Bechler.
In her ruling, Judge Tena Campbell said federal law “requires the FDA to prove that a dietary supplement is harmful, rather than having the manufacturer prove it is safe,..” as is required with drugs.
A FDA spokesperson said that they were “evaluating the decision.”

Ephedrine,the active substance in ephedra is a stimulant that accelerates the heart rate and constricts blood vessels and is used for dramatic weight loss and also by bodybuilders.It has been associated with numerous deaths including that of Bechler who died after a training workout in Feb. 2003.It was banned a year ago and had already been banned by the International Olympic Committee, the NFL and the NCAA, but not by Major League Baseball.
Related Sites.Theathlete.org

The grocery store is a feeding ground for horny women.
by : Strawberry
I decided to make April Single Men Month at the Strawberry Patch. My articles in the next few weeks will discuss where to go to find single women, what to say once you meet her, determining the relationship scale and how to go about holding on or letting go of her. So, put on some clean clothes, splash that neck with some cologne and grab your credit cards because there is a sale somewhere in your area and we’re ready to go shopping. For starters, you are probably wondering why I keep mentioning the word shopping. For you to find a woman you have to SHOP like a woman. I know that may be a bit hard for you men to do and that’s why I am here to help. Most women enjoy shopping. No shit go figure. So, it’s only logical to assume that your best shot at finding a woman would be at a food store or a mall. Yes, I know you always thought it was a local bar or dance club. This is just not so in reality. If it were, you wouldn’t have gone home alone Friday night. Would you have studdly?
The Food Store

This week, let’s dissect the food store as all women of all walks of life visit this on almost a weekly or biweekly basis. You need to know a few things first; Saturday and Sunday are prime food shopping days preferably earlier in the day between 7 AM and 2 PM. If you are looking for someone under the age of 40 I have found that most of them have an active social life and wake up rather late and would shop between 10 and 2. If they are over 40 years of age I have found they have a basic schedule that they live by and shop earlier in the day between 7 and 10 to make way for the rest of their plans such as gardening or house cleaning.
The College Years

If they are young college students it is safe to say that they would most likely not have the time nor the means to cook 4 course meals so they would buy pre-made foods. This would mean they would be found more in the frozen food isle, the canned good section of the store and the deli department. Let’s not forget the shampoo isle and don’t be hesitant to ask the young blonde beauty next to you what shampoo is better. Most of the time they enjoy rambling on and on about what makes their hair so shinny and silky. Always, respond with a compliment in this case. I would also suggest that finding a girl in this age bracket is more successful if the food store you are shopping at be within a 10-mile radius of a college or at a spring break destination. So get your maps out. Of course having a little spare cash goes along way with some teen girls
The Career Years

If they are passed the college years but under 40 they are statistically still enjoying an active social life. This doesn’t leave them with much time for baking bread from scratch but by this point they enjoy a home cooked meal and have some extra time to make it. This would mean they would be found more in the store’s bakery section, meat section and wandering through the fruits and vegetables area. Also, most women in this age bracket are into maintaining their youth and feeling healthy. So I suggest you move your shopping cart down the health and diet isle and also the beauty isle. You are bound to find a woman determining which anti-aging wrinkle cream would be best for them. Yes, it’s your time to put on that charm and interrupt their thought process by telling them how their flawless skin doesn’t need a wrinkle cream. I suggest getting a visual on her face before making such a comment. Otherwise, you might be in for a bit of a surprise when Rocky Dennis turns around to tell you thank you.
The Mature Years

If they are over 40 they have a little more time on their hands and enjoy baking their own cakes as opposed to eating store made, making their own hot dishes and unfortunately they find themselves having more aches and pains than someone younger than them. For this type of woman you would check the baking isle, the household cleaning isle and the pharmacy department. Don’t forget to check the oil isle then pick up a bottle of oil, check for the wedding band first because many women in this age bracket are married and ask her about it. No, don’t ask her “Can I use this as lube?” instead ask her what’s the difference between all of these oils. Most milfs will enjoy sharing their intellect on when and when not to use olive oil. As I have personally seen this has led to a “I make a fabulous casserole.” that gentlemen is your invitation to dinner at her place. What are you waiting for? Now, clip those coupons and go food shopping! And DON’T forget to come back in a few days to read about the mall. Ahhh yes, a woman’s temple of shopping for clothes and shoes and your gateway to finding HER.

The story of how a suspected al-Qaeda terrorist group leader was arrested in Manchester, England was kept tightly under wraps until yesterday.

Just half a year after the attack on the World Trade Centre in New York, several men, mainly Algerians, were found to be using fraudulent means to gain access to large amounts of money that was being sent abroad to be used to support terrorism. Further investigation suggested that the group were directly involved in terrorism themselves.

During an operation to secure the arrest of a terrorist suspect who cannot as yet be named, police were surprised to find Kamel Bourgass, 31, inside the apartment. The long search for the man they believed to be the leader of an international conspiracy to bring death and destruction to the UK was finally over - the nation’s most wanted man had been found. Had we known, we’d surely have breathed a sigh of relief. Or would we?

Police believe the group had planned attacks on the London Underground system and Paris Metro. There’s no proof that this was the case and it has to be remembered that Bourgass was convicted of conspiracy to commit a public nuisance and not conspiracy to murder.

Having stabbed and killed Detective Constable Stephen Oake during his arrest, there’s absolutely no doubt that Bourgass is a dangerous man but just how dangerous is still uncertain. There’s no evidence to prove whether he was part of a huge plot to systematically destroy our country or whether he was working alone.

The release of this news has come at an appropriate moment during the run up to the UK government election. Michael Howard, leader of the Conservative Party, is blaming Prime Minister Tony Blair for the mess his government has made of the asylum system. Bourgass, a former asylum seeker who was not granted permission to stay, should never have been in the country.

Blair, on the other hand, will undoubtedly use the news to further explain Britain’s involvement in the war on Iraq. However, as no ricin has been found in connection with Bourgass and certainly no link to Saddam Hussein or Iraq, that particular argument isn’t likely to wash with Joe Public.

While it’s not being suggested that Bourgass should walk free, what’s difficult to understand is why this news was kept quiet for more than two years. If the allegations are true, surely this information could have been used to support Tony Blair’s decision regarding Iraq at a time when the nation was against it?

The question that must now be asked is whether this was a simply a matter of frayed nerves following the tragic attack of September 11th, or if there really was a serious threat against Britain and other parts of Europe, where is the proof?

It has just been reported by insider sources that 2 bomb blasts and a major explosion has just gone off in Baghdad just outside the Green Zone.Little other details are available though it seems casualties could be high.Dense smoke surrounds the area and all ponits to the area have been close.
This follows the car bomb that killed 5 Iraqis and injured 4 Americans in the same area just hours earlier.Its now been reported by Iraqi police as 2 suicide car bombs killing at least 11 people and injuring 20.casualties include both Iraqi civilins and Iraqi poleman.