WITH WHAT AMOUNTS TO A SNAIL'S PACE APPROACH ENSUING IN THE OVERALL COUNT OF ELECTION RESULTS from Zimbabwe @ the weekend--as I write this, an estimated two-thirds of the vote has been officially counted--it appears likely that incumbent President Robert Mugabe may be waiting until the last minute to pull a fast one (as in ensuring that the vote is rigged and manipulate).

As for the results, the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has 67 Parliamentary seats (including five from a dissident faction) against ZANU-PF's 62; 79 constitutencies have yet to confirm final results, hence the suspicions that ZANU-PF may try pulling a "boner" as final numbers come in.

The closeness of the tally has some wondering if a Presidential runoff between incumbent Robert Mugabe and the MDC's Morgan Tsvangirai is likely within measurable distance ... or if Mugabe will realise the folly of his ways and step down, seeking exile in some Third World regime known to be friendly to the weird and unwholesome before extreme ultraviolence ensues.

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IT'S NOT JUST THE "MORALLY SUPERIOR" UNITED STATES AS IS SEEING BANKERS facing serious losses from investments in "sub-prime" and "Alt-A" mortgage lending, let alone syndication and factoring thereof:

UBS, one of the banking giants along Zurich's Bahnhofstrasse, has announced a loss on its balance sheets to the tune of US$37 billion from "sub-prime" mortgage loan investments and syndication.

Nedt thing you know, let's just hope it turns out that a few of the super-secretive "brassplate banks" in offshore financial centres catering to the weird and unwholesome in particular were themselves major investors in "sub-prime" and "Alt-A" mortgage loan syndication and factoring as much as investments.

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STAYING WITH THE BANKING AND FINANCE INDUSTRY FOR A MOMENT, FOLKSIES, YOUR CORRESPONDENT took note of some rather animated conversation @ the motel in Winona where he works this morning suggesting that theft of credit-card information was more than likely to be the work of "insiders" within credit-card issuers having connexions to criminal syndicates, terrorist organisations and others weird and unwholesome seeking cheap and cheerful ways to raise money by dishonest means.

Making things all the easier for these "insiders" are the emergence of cell-phone cameras which can take "screen grabs" of the issuers' intranet termini @ their Cardholder Services Centres which contain sensitive information, especially so cardholders' account numbers; said "grabs" being sent along as e-mails to their contacts who, after purchasing such information, can then use same for:

• creating "cloned" credit cards which can be used to make fraudulent charges on legitimate accounts, without the knowledge of the true accountholders; and/or
• "phishing" and "spoofing" scams designed primarily for blackmailing purposes in the guise of "account verification," among other common patsies in the circumstances.

Especially if these "insiders" are expected to act incognito and avoid attracting "unnecessary attention" which could "raise suspicions" of espionage or sale of industry secrets on the part of supervisors @ the major credit-card issuers.

In any case, such is something which the likes of credit-card issuers may want to watch as much as the FBI and the Secret Service--the former in particular, inasmuch as Cardholder Service Centres are likely to be the, shall we say, "front lines" for such information theft. And especially so if employees with corporate intranet access have camera cell phones which could serve nefarious purposes.

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AND STAYING WITH THE SUBJECT OF CELL PHONES BEING USED FOR NEFARIOUS ENDS, it's emerged that Finnish Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva of the ruling Conservative Party has been asked to step down after it emerged that he sent sexually-suggestive text messages on his mobile phone to an exotic dancer.

But then again, it's rather ironic that the world's preeminent manufacturer of mobile telephones, Nokia, happens to be Finnish-based.

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SOMETHING FOR THE GOP AND THEIR DROOGS ON THE RELIGIOPOLITICAL RIGHT TO PONDER, even if I mention this for the sake of insight:

Turkey's ruling AK (Justice and Development) Party is facing a legal challenge from the Constitutional Court which could be the current government's downfall: The State Prosecutors' Office has prepared an indictment running to 162 pages which claims that the AK Party's agenda and articles of faith are really (and secretly) Islamist, contrary to the Secular-Progressive intent of the Turkish Constitution.

Among the issues raised was the recent ruling reversing a constitutional ban on Muslim women wearing traditional headscarves in university campuses.

(It may be interesting to note that the AK Party is itself the reincarnation of another banned political movement--by name, the Welfare Party, itself banned in 2001 for promoting an Islamist agenda.)

Could it be that Machiavelli on steroids and amphetamines is drooling in envy when he sees the news?    

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MAY I CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO A RECENT RULING BY THE BRITISH BROADCASTING REGULATOR OFCOM as dismissed complaints against a recent documentary by British freecaster Channel 4 entitled "Dispatches: Undercover Mosques" which were seen to be inciting Islamophobic feelings and tendencies.

(Details of which can be found right here; you may have to scroll down the page a ways to read the full report.)

In dismissing the complaints as Not Upheld, Ofcom had this rather worthwhile point to make about investigative journalism, perversions thereof in service to an agenda (WorldNetDaily, e.g.) notwithstanding:

Investigative journalism plays an essential role in public service broadcasting and is clearly in the public interest. Ofcom considers it of paramount importance that broadcasters...continue to explore controversial subject matter. While such programmes can make for uncomfortable viewing, they are essential to our understanding of the world around us.

A point which we "morally superior" Americans somehow being made mentally numb by Fox Prolefeed in particular may want to take heed of.

IF THERE'S A GOOD REASON FOR FOX PROLEFEED TO BE DESERVING OF THE UNEXPECTED PRESENCE OF THE SHADOW (HEARD, BUT NOT SEEN, REMEMBER?), it would have to be the fact of Fox Prolefeed host Sean Hannity having weird and unwholesome associations himself that he doesn't want his loyal droogs in Podunk Center and Doo Wah Diddy to know about, just as The Shadow's true identity being that of wealthy playboy Lamont Cranston is known only to his close girlfriend and confidant Margot Lane.

Or, for that matter, the fact that The Green Hornet and Daily Sentinel publisher Britt Reid are one and the same is known only to Mr. Reid's faithful Japanese/Filipino valet Kato.

In any case, NewsHounds had an interesting item recently (mit Video) as reveals the extent of doublethink Sean Hannity seeks to resort to to avoid "attracting suspicions" of past associations with far-right radio basket case Hal Turner (heard currently only on shortwave and online radio):

Another night, another high tech lynching of Barack Obama on Hannity & Colmes. It was the usual attacks on Obama over those with whom he associates. But last night (3/19/08), Sean Hannity was confronted about his own past association with white supremacist Hal Turner. First Hannity denied knowing Turner, then he said he had long ago banned Turner from his show. While it's probably true that Hannity banned Turner, what Hannity didn't mention is that before Turner got banned, he was regularly welcomed on Hannity's show, even after saying on the air that if it weren't for the graciousness of white people, "black people would still be swinging on trees in Africa." Updated with video.

Malik Shabazz, of the New Black Panther Party, was the guest. FOX News frequently hosts members of that organization, usually as objects of derision. Last night, Shabazz was there because his organization had endorsed Barack Obama. It was an endorsement that Obama specifically rejected but FOX News deliberately trumped up the endorsement by inviting Shabazz on the program (See, look what kind of extremists Obama associates with), playing a clip from one of Shabazz' more incendiary confrontations with Hannity (Jews knew about 9/11 and got out of the way), and repeatedly running the "news" on the crawl that the Obama campaign had rejected the endorsement because the New Black Panther Party is considered to be an organization that advocates violence.

But last night, Shabazz wisely toned down his rhetoric and confronted Hannity on his own bias against Obama. "Why won't you acknowledge the brilliance of Barack Obama's speech? Why won't you accept his call to come out of the divisive throngs of racism?" Shabazz asked.

Hannity praised Obama as a very effective politician. Then Hannity added, "What I don't think you're understanding here, Malik, is that when you hear the minister of him for 20 years, when you hear the associations with Louis Farrakhan, one of the biggest racists and anti-Semites in the country, what you're not understanding is, America hears extremism at its worst."

Shabazz responded, "Let me ask you this. Are you to be judged by your promotion and association with Hal Turner?"

Hannity waved his arm around. "I don't know anybody named – this is nonsense. I don't…" Then Hannity changed his tune. "Sir, sir… That was a man that was banned from my radio show ten years ago, that ran a Senate campaign in New Jersey."

Then, as Shabazz refused to stop talking or back down, Hannity, in a tacit admission, said, "I'm not running for president."

"A neo Nazi, you backed his career," Shabazz said.

Hannity answered, "That is an absolute, positive, lie and you've been reading the wrong websites (presumably, he meant ours), my friend. Good try."

In fact, the information about Hannity's association with Turner comes from an article by Max Blumenthal in the online version of The Nation magazine, dated June 3, 2005. And while it may be a stretch to say that Hannity "backed Turner's career," there's little doubt that Hannity promoted Turner's views. To quote from the article:

Turner was once a prominent activist in New Jersey's Republican Party. To area conservatives, he was best known by his moniker for call-ins to the Sean Hannity Show, "Hal from North Bergen." For years, Hannity offered his top-rated radio show as a regular forum for Turner's occasionally racist, always over-the-top rants. Hannity also chatted with him off-air, allegedly offering encouragement to Turner as he struggled to overcome a cocaine habit and homosexual leanings. Turner has boasted that Hannity once invited Turner and his son on to the set of Fox News's Hannity and Colmes. Today, Turner lurks on the fringes of the far right, spouting hate-laced tirades on his webcast radio show. Hannity, meanwhile, remains mum about his former alliance with the neo-Nazi, homing in instead on the supposed racism of black and Latino Democrats.

…On WABC Hannity inherited (Bob) Grant's fan base of angry white males, who listened to his show in the New York City area. Hannity recognized his audience's thirst for red meat, racist rhetoric. However, he knew that if he wanted to avoid Grant's fate, he needed an air of deniability. When "Hal from North Bergen" began calling his show, Hannity found he could avoid the dangers of direct race-baiting by simply outsourcing it to Turner.

During an August 1998 episode of the show, Turner reminded Hannity that were it not for the graciousness of the white man, "black people would still be swinging on trees in Africa," according to Daryle Jenkins, co-founder of the New Jersey-based antiracism group One People's Project. Instead of rebuking Turner or cutting him off, Hannity continued to welcome his calls. On December 10 of the following year, Turner called Hannity's show to announce his campaign to run for a seat in the US House of Representatives from New Jersey, and to attack his presumptive opponent, Democratic Representative Robert Menendez, as a "left-wing nut."

By this time, according to Jenkins, Turner and Hannity had bonded off-air. In 1998 Hannity received an anonymous e-mail linking to an AOL discussion board on which Turner had allegedly confessed to a cocaine problem and alluded to past homosexual trysts. Turner (or someone claiming to be Turner) wrote in an August 4, 1998, Google discussion forum that Hannity called him to clear the air: "Just last week, Sean phoned me at home from his job at FOX News to continue a conversation we'd begun earlier while he was at WABC," Turner wrote. "Sean advised that one of you sensitive souls sent him an e-mail about 'revelations I had made' here on the internet. He told me it was obviously and [sic] attempt to 'poison the water.' " Turner continued, "I told him that I've done things I'm not proud of, and had dark times in my life; and those experiences helped shape the way I live today...the right way. He [Hannity] laughed and commented that he knew the feeling." Turner added that such chats with Hannity were "not unusual," often occurring while Hannity held his calls during commercial breaks.

But Turner and Hannity's relationship collapsed in 2000 after the Hudson County Republican Party endorsed Turner's primary challenger, Theresa De Leon, an accomplished businesswoman and dark-skinned Latina. "I had never judged people on their race, not prior to that point," Turner recalled in a February 23, 2003, article in the Bergen County Record. "And there I was, on the receiving end--in America--of a decision that I wasn't good enough because I was a white male." Turner finished last in the primary, just as Hannity was hitting his stride as a major Fox News personality. When WABC's screeners began blocking Turner's calls, he realized he was no longer of use to Hannity.

Co-host Kirsten Powers jumped into the fray for a fraction of the time with Shabazz that Hannity got. But, as we have come to expect from her, her advocacy on behalf of Obama (or any Democrat) took a back seat to cozying up to conservatives. It was her third day subbing for Alan Colmes, every day has been a full-out attack against Obama and, by extension, the Democrats' chances to win in November. Surely, Powers was politically savvy enough to understand why Shabazz had been invited. But instead of thinking of some way to advocate for her own side (She could have, for example, pointed out that while she rejects Shabazz' organization, that Obama's message that we have to work together to solve the serious problems facing the country is an important one they can both agree on, that it's more important to have a real dialogue about issues such as the war in Iraq, the economy and health care than to dwell on what Obama's pastor says and whether or not Obama denounced it soundly enough.) Instead, she used her portion of the interview to further fan the flames of divisiveness. "First of all, the Obama campaign says it doesn't want your endorsement… You were just saying to Sean how Barack Obama wants to move past all this racial divisiveness." Smiling scornfully, she continued, "I mean, I've read some of the stuff that you've said about white people and about Jews. Do you think that that's moving past racial division?"

At the end, she read the following teaser in a chirpy, upbeat voice (please forgive the video splicing): "Coming up, Barack Obama is starting to feel the political heat over the fall out of Jeremiah Wright. Wait until you see how the polls have moved since last week!" 

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WITH THE COAL INDUSTRY'S CONTINUED INSISTENCE, THROUGH "WINNING OF HEARTS AND MINDS" CAMPAIGNS, ON PUSHING AMERICAN COAL as one with energy self-reliance being one with National Cohesion and Identity, it may be worth recalling that there was a time when gas service in the United States involved coal.

Until natural gas gained widespread acceptance starting in the mid-1950's thanks to the development of pipeline systems ensuring more efficent transport and distribution thereof, virtually all the cooking and heating gas used in the United States was derived from coal.

As in the 1920's catchphrase "now you're cooking with gas," for one.

That's right--for a generation of Americans as used gas for cooking, lighting and heating, their gas was manufactured from coal. And quite often, it was rather smelly and unpredictable in terms of heat quality.

Not to mention whole neighbourhoods around the local gas works being rather smelly and decrepit, as well as the gas works being major producers of air pollution in less-environmentally-sensitive times.

(No doubt inspiring the famous moniker "the Gas House Gang" for the 1934 St. Louis Cardinals, although the source of the stench in question was more than likely the effects of perspiration--St. Louis summers can get to be rather humid--upon the heavy wool uniforms then fashionable in Major League Baseball. That, and the Great Depression's effects precluding regular laundering of team uniforms.)

As if that weren't enough, evidence of illictly-procured natural gas being used by the schools board in New London, Texas contributing to the 18 March 1937 school explosion there, killing 296 outright (subsequent discoveries of bodies would bring the final death toll to 311) was enough in the minds of some to question the safety of natural gas over manufactured such until laws were passed requiring the addition of an odouring agent to help detect leaks.

In any case, by the mid-1950's, natural gas gained such wide acceptance that manufactured gas became only a memory, requiring wholesale replacement of gas-powered appliances (especially stoves, ovens and furnaces) to properly use natural gas, doubtless inspiring plenty of episodes like the following Monty Python sketch (via YouTube):

THANKS TO ROCKETBOOM (AND, FOR THE HAT TIP, BRAVE NEW FILMS) for the following "must-watch" video showing just how hard-wired the Religiopolitical Right is electorally by way of typical rural Bible Belt mentalities epitomised by two women in Lynchburg, Tennessee (of all places) whose delivery seems to suggest deliberately-nuanced overacting pro Deo et patria (or so they seem to think):

Just because Mike Huckabee has dropped out of the presidential race doesn't mean Janet Folger is done campaigning for him, penning an open letter to John McCain urging him to tap Huckabee as his VP:

I'm not telling you whom to pick, but if you want the vice presidential candidate who in addition to winning the "must win" states in the primary, who has the best cost/vote ratio, who has proven he can energize the base of the party, who defended (not attacked) you even before you won the nomination, who is honest, consistent and according to Rasmussen, has the least opposition among American voters, Mike Huckabee is your guy.

Ask him, I'm sure he would be honored to be your vice president, and I'm sure millions more would be honored to vote for you if you do.

While Folger has already made peace with her principles by deciding to throw her support behind McCain, her one-time comrade-in-arms Gordon Klingenschmitt is having none of it, taking to the pages of WorldNetDaily to chastise Folger for selling out:

In a recent WND column, Janet Folger begs social conservatives to vote for John McCain. She believes McCain will rescue "most everyone" from our political "burning building" – when in fact McCain has already locked arms with the Kennedys, Feingolds and liberal Democrats to keep social conservatives "out" of politics while they burn our constitutional republic to the ground.

…

McCain not only refused to participate in Janet Folger's Values Voter Presidential Debate, he has repeatedly distanced himself from religious groups. He won the Republican nomination without faith-based voters. So, if he wins the White House, will he suddenly listen to our pleas? No chance! Only by treating ourselves with respect can we demand respect from others. Have we no dignity?

Klingenschmitt and Folger have a long history together, as she was one of his staunchest defenders when he was fighting to keep his job as a Chaplain in the Navy, with Folger regularly citing Klingenschmitt's legal fight as evidence of the on-going "criminalization of Christianity."

After being discharged from the Navy, Klingenschmitt linked up with Vision America's Rick Scarborough and Alan Keyes for their "70 Weeks To Save America Crusade" and then quickly lined up to support Keyes' own vanity run for President (he's currently listed at the top of the "Honor Roll" on Keyes' website for his efforts to secure 104 pledges to support his campaign.)  

But it looks as if now Klingenschmitt and Folger are on the outs.  In fact, it looks like Klingenschmitt is on the outs with the Republican Party altogether, announcing that Keyes is reportedly leaving the GOP and that he intends to follow suit so that he may "continue to support Dr. Keyes wherever he leads our Exodus":

Abandon McCain's sinking ship! Man your lifeboats! I cannot violate my conscience in November. I'll make a statement with my vote, instead of wasting it on Clinton, Obama or McCain. Faith-minded people cannot tolerate evil, whatever its degree, since Christ taught us, "Be ye perfect even as your heavenly Father is perfect." Show some self-respect and have faith in God. America needs principled leaders who have borne the battle for liberty and are unashamed of the wounds received in doing so. I'll vote for Alan Keyes, writing in his name if necessary. Join us, and someday you'll stand before God with your head held high, blameless and unashamed of your vote.

(Personally, though, Your Correspondent has to wonder if those on the Religiopolitical Right are really closet admirers of the sadisto "law-and-order" types from the ranks of "privileged" Afrikanerdom as dominated apartheid South Africa, especially so Prime Minister Hendrik Verword and head of police John Vorster ... and resort to all manner of means to keep the whole secret from "meddling bloggers" generally.

(But then again: What exactly would preclude the Religiopolitical Right from calling for a voter boycott of Indecision 2008, let alone all manner of pathetic excesses for fasting, sackcloth and ashes?) 

YOUR CORRESPONDENT ISN'T EXACTLY SURE HOW DEEP THE FROST STILL IS IN THE GROUND in and around the Minnwissippi where he resideth ... but as he prepares this, it's rather rainy to the most intense. And rainy enough to help accelerate the melting of the last piles of snow as are still around in parking lots from the winter's plowing operations.

(In support of the fact that there may be still be some frost in ground, I see a few instances of ponding rainwater on grassy surfaces, thus precluding the ground's taking up the rainwater and allowing such to percolate through the topsoil. That, and the usual highway weight restrictions for the time of year.

(Meanwhile, some slushy snow could be possible towards evening and the overnight up this way, sure to be molten quickly as the week progresses--and then some--with the onset of milder temperatures as herald April's arrival. Let's just hope some calm and clement days may be forthcoming to allow farmers and planters to get the spring fieldwork done without serious interference.)

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WITH HYPERCONSERVATIVE MOUTHPIECE AND "HERO" OLIVER NORTH OF IRAN-CONTRA INFAMY AN OCCASIONAL SHILL ON FOX PROLEFEED, Your Correspondent got to thinking the other day about whether this sorry excuse for a sunshine soldier may have been the bad seed of Peggy and Jerry North (as in the radio comedic mystery series Mr. and Mrs. North, which readers of a certain age are certain to recall, and then some.

(But then again, Mr. and Mrs. North originated in the pages of The New Yorker magazine back in 1936 or thereabouts, making the transition to radio between 1942 and 1957. The couple, in any case, were the kind to be "caught in the wrong place @ the wrong time" long enough to play detective and crimestopper.)

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IF LONGTIME ZIMBABWEAN PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE HASN'T ALREADY SUFFERED A HEART ATTACK, expect him to within measurable distance.

I say this in light of early election returns from Zimbabwe suggesting that Mugabe's ZANU-PF party is losing seats in the Parliament to the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), with the returns to the moment being about even between the two.

Offically, of course: Critics are suggesting that the slow pace of reporting election returns (as in announcing such on a precinct-by-precinct basis) is really nothing but a back-door ruse by which the ZANU-PF party can maintain power through trick, fraud and deceit--means which the GOP would certainly love to use come November, having studied such vote-rigging techniques thoroughly and comprehensively, howbeit incognito lest suspicions be attracted in certain circles of the Harare government.

Tricks and techniques which ought be challenged @ every opportunity lest democracy be compromised by elements weird and unwholesome as claim to be defending democracy, yet are really serving its perversion in the same brand of Maschienpolitik as was epitomised by the likes of Boss Tweed ... Ed Crump ... Richard Daley peré ... Tom Penderganst ... James Patrick Curley ... Frank Hague ... Huey "Kingfish" Long ... Jimmy Walker ... not to mention the O'Connor System which made the Twin Cities outright "safe harbour" for the nation's most notorious criminals of the early 1930's so long as they toed the line and avoided attracting attention.

"Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely," as Lord Acton reminds us from history.

Which can be well reinforced by George Santayana's reminder of "those who do not reminder the past are condemned to repeat it."

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"For your conveinence, we recommend courteous, efficent self-service."

THUS PROCLAIMS A SIGN IN A HONG KONG SUPERMARKET from one of those collections of minced English as are widely circulated online and otherwise.

Which has Your Correspondent thinking about something he read somewhere about Japanese "love hotels" offering self-service check-in @ the reception desk, allowing intending guests (usually couples wanting a quickie) to choose the room they want, select same, and pay for it with a credit or debit card.

And if Japanese "love hotels" can offer self-service check-in and check-out, then what would prevent smaller motels and resorts from offering DIY check-in, saving considerable time and helping deal with shortages of adequate staff to handle check-in details under normal circumstances?

No doubt sure to be welcome in "shoobie trap" resorts where staffing @ reception can sometimes be a problem, especially so in the smaller motels wanting something cost-efficent, yet affording them plenty of opportunity to take care of More Pressing Issues.

Provided such was affordable, cost-efficent and yet more than pay for itself within measurable distance.

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YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED IN YOUR "JUNK MAIL" OR "SPAM" E-MAIL FOLDERS OF LATE from time to time rather glowing-sounding e-mails claiming one could earn as much as $225/diem by simply processing rebate requests from home for and on behalf of leading companies, linking to websites featuring rather glowing-sounding "testimonials" as are probably fabricated or otherwise structured to discourage independent review of the claims.

You may want to reconsider such a notion, particularly when you hear that the Better Business Bureau out of Colton, California (serving the Los Angeles Basin) doesn't consider Penbrook Productions, the company behind this "work-from-home" scheme, too highly.

For starters, they insist on a $197 fee for what turns out being an "informational report" urging you to essentially perpetuate the scam on the Information Stuporbahn; as the BBB's report on Penbrook Productions explains:

On-line users need to be careful when browsing the Internet and responding to unsolicited offers. If an ad seems too good to be true, it probably is. Talented individuals can use a Web Page to create a company that looks very legitimate, but just because an ad looks legitimate on the computer screen, is no reason to assume it is.

Many questionable work-at-home offers are perpetuated through classified advertising. No matter where you find classified ads online, you are likely to find some false and misleading claims. For example, some classified ads promote quick and easy get rich ventures, traditional pyramid schemes, or the basic chain letter scenario. Traditional work-at-home systems, such as making handicrafts or stuffing envelopes, have been replaced by offers to use your home PC to make money fast in your spare time. Con artists who previously touted scams through newspapers, U.S. mail and telemarketing are using computers to reach potential victims. They can sit at their keyboard and reach hundreds of thousands of people, pretty much for free, in a short period of time. Getting a phony ad or message out is now cheap and easy. To evaluate tempting, on-line solicitations which offer a chance to earn money by working at home, follow the same signals that tip you off to potential frauds in print and other media.

Watch out for warning signs to questionable online advertising, such as overstated claims of product effectiveness; use of hype titles; exaggerated claims of earnings, profits or part-time earnings; or claims of "inside" information. Also, be leery of offers which require money for instructions or merchandise before telling you how the plan operates, or if they tell you that no experience is necessary. Anyone victimised by work-at-home offers over the Internet can file a complaint online or off-line with their Better Business Bureau. Customers who remain silent only allow others to be swindled by these fraudulent operators.

And of especial importance here is the likelihood of such scams seeking to exploit (howbeit subtly) the real or imminent likelihood of serious socioeconomic dislocation, mass unemployment and limited job openings for especially such with limited or no realistic job skills, but badly need extra income or otherwise "make wise use of their hands and time."

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NOT A VERY GOOD DAY FOR THE CONSPIRACIST ELEMENT, AND ESPECIALLY SO MUHAMMAD AL-FAYED, owner of the London department store Harrods:

The Coroners' Inquest in London enquiring into the tragic circumstances behind the 1997 death of Diana, Princess of Wales has rejected claims from Mr. al-Fayed that HRH The Duke of Edinburgh and MI6 set up the tragic chain of events for political or other reasons; in the words of Lord Baker, as quoted by the BBC:

They are not being pursued because there is not a shred of evidence to support them.

Foremost among them is the proposition that Diana was assassinated by the secret intelligence service (MI6) on the orders of the Duke of Edinburgh.

There is no evidence that the Duke of Edinburgh ordered Diana's execution, and there is no evidence that the secret intelligence service or any other Government agency organised it.

[***]

There are no doubt those who genuinely believe this to be the case and will continue to do so regardless of any verdict you return.

You have heard the evidence and it is your decision that matters and not anyone else's.

You will have been reassured to have heard that Mohamed Al Fayed told you on oath that he will accept your verdict; no doubt the other interested persons will do likewise.

But then again, the same coroners' jury may have unwittingly been taken in by weird and unwholesome elements offering incredible testimony; again, citing the BBC:

Lord Baker said it was regrettable that there had been some witnesses "who it appears have told lies in the witness box or elsewhere", naming former butler Paul Burrell as one of those who were "liars by their own admission".

Mr Burrell appeared at the inquest for three days in January, but in a video recording obtained by the Sun newspaper he apparently claimed he introduced "red herrings" during his evidence and held back facts.

He then refused to re-appear at the inquest to explain discrepancies between his evidence and comments reported in the newspaper.

At the time, the coroner said he could not compel him to give evidence because Mr Burrell lives outside the court's jurisdiction in the US.

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CRITICS OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM WHO EXCUSE SUCH ATTACKS ON "PATRIOTIC" GROUNDS TO COVER ANTI-SEMITIC INTENTIONS are probably going to turn ballisto with Treasury Secretary Paulson's announcement that the Federal Reserve will be given greater powers of regulatory oversight over banking, insurance, equities markets, consumer loan and finance companies, etc., in the biggest single major regulatory overhaul since the New Deal.

Which such specimens of hatemongering will likely see as nothing less than subtle nationalisation, yet lacking credible evidence all the more. 

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Bratz
CITV, 15 March 2006, 16:30
ITV, 28 April 2006, 16:00

Introduction

Two viewers complained about the use of the word "spaz" in these episodes of the children's series Bratz.

Both complainants felt that the word is a 'deeply offensive' and 'derogatory' term referring to a disability. They were particularly concerned that it was used as an insult in a programme made specifically for a child audience.

Response

ITV said that it had reviewed the tapes prior to transmission. In the programme of 15 March 2006, it had considered the term to be borderline but within the bounds of acceptability because it was used as a derogatory term by one of the 'bad' characters in the series. In addition, it was not a reference to an actual disability. Later in the same scene the insulted character demanded an apology and was given one a few seconds later. The broadcaster therefore initially felt that, on balance, the use of the term was acceptable because it was not used by a 'role model' and was seen to merit an apology and was therefore clearly 'wrong'.

However, after being made aware of viewer concern about the term, ITV had since undertaken a review of all episodes of Bratz and removed any terminology which might be considered unacceptable.

ITV had also taken steps to remind colleagues handling similar material to take particular care with language in this area, especially in relation to US acquired material that on occasion contained terms that had more scope for offence in this country [Great Britain] than the US.

Decision

Ofcom's research (Language and Sexual Imagery in Broadcasting: A Contextual Investigation - 2005) indicated that respondents considered the word 'spastic' to be very offensive to most people, although a few thought that it was permissible to use the word 'spas' or 'spaz'.

Rule 1.16 of the Broadcasting Code states that:

"Offensive language must not be broadcast before the watershed, or when children are particularly likely to be listening, unless it is justified by the context. In any event, frequent use of such language must be avoided before the watershed'.

The word 'spaz' does not necessarily cause the same level of offence in America and therefore its use in acquired programmes such as this series presents UK broadcasters with editing and scheduling judgements.

In this instance ITV had considered the first of the two instances borderline but justified by the fact that the character who used the term was known to be a 'bad' character, had been made to apologise and the word was not used as a reference to a specific disability.

Judgements about the inclusion of such words are particularly complex when used within a programme for younger children who will not necessarily have the maturity to understand the associated context. The fact that the word "spaz" was not used in reference to a specific disability may not negate its potential for causing offence.

We note the action taken by ITV to try to avoid similar future occurrences, and consider the matter resolved.

Resolved