Fugumble

Vacation

2010-11-22T12:09:39Z

I'm still on vacation after a year straight of operating this website. I will be back in operation next week to give my mind some time to recuperate from coming up with things to write about everyday heh.

Have a good one.

CBC: Alta. Oilsands Pond Sludge Oozes Into Bush

2010-11-15T14:56:40Z

A northern Alberta tailings pond appears to have toxic sludge flowing into the muskeg from an uncontained western edge, a situation uncovered by a CBC News investigation.

The pond, located in a remote area about 70 kilometres northwest of Fort McMurray, contains toxic waste from the Horizon oilsands project operated by Calgary-based Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. (CNRL). It has been in operation for about a year.

Read the entire article here.

Watch: Halloween 2 Trailer

2010-11-15T13:26:16Z

Rob Zombie is back in the director's chair to finish his vision of the Michael Myers story with a sequel to his first offering. As with the original series, the second film picks up where the first left off, to what end, I don't know. Fans of the original movies were none to happy with Zombie's less than supernatural take on the the giant killing machine, but it may well be worth a look.

Watch the trailer below:

NYT: Putting Money On Lawsuits, Investors Share In The Payouts

2010-11-15T13:18:59Z

Large banks, hedge funds and private investors hungry for new and lucrative opportunities are bankrolling other people's lawsuits, pumping hundreds of millions of dollars into medical malpractice claims, divorce battles and class actions against corporations -- all in the hope of sharing in the potential winnings.

The loans are propelling large and prominent cases. Lenders including Counsel Financial, a Buffalo company financed by Citigroup, provided $35 million for the lawsuits brought by ground zero workers that were settled tentatively in June for $712.5 million. The lenders earned about $11 million.

Read the entire New York Times article here.

NYT: Rangel's Hearing Set To Begin, But Details Are Few

2010-11-15T13:14:57Z

Representative Charles B. Rangel's day in the court of public opinion has finally arrived.

After two years of investigations and political recriminations, Mr. Rangel is scheduled to appear before a hearing of the House ethics committee on Monday to formally rebut charges that his fund-raising and personal finances violated Congressional rules.

Read the entire New York Times article here.

NYT: U.S. Plan Envisions Path To Ending Afghan Combat

2010-11-15T12:59:16Z

The Obama administration has developed a plan to begin transferring security duties in select areas of Afghanistan to that country's forces over the next 18 to 24 months, with an eye toward ending the American combat mission there by 2014, officials said Sunday.

The phased four-year plan to wind down American and allied fighting in Afghanistan will be presented at a NATO summit meeting in Lisbon later this week, the officials said. It will reflect the most concrete vision for transition in Afghanistan assembled by civilian and military officials since President Obama took office last year.

Read the entire New York Times article here.

G&M: Ottawa To Spend $20-Million On Nova Scotia Tidal Energy Project

2010-11-15T12:50:50Z

The federal government has committed to spending $20-million on tidal energy projects in the Bay of Fundy, a move that will help Canada become a "clean energy superpower," Defence Minister Peter MacKay said Sunday.

Mr. MacKay, Nova Scotia's representative in the federal cabinet, said the money will be used by the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy, whose partners include utility Nova Scotia Power Inc., Minas Basin Pulp and Power of Hantsport, N.S., and Alstom, a energy and transportation giant based in France.

Read the entire Globe and Mail article here.

G&M: Liberals Hire Pros To Compete With Tory Fundraising Juggernaut

2010-11-15T12:42:10Z

The federal Liberal party has hired a team of professional fundraisers in a bid to catch up with the Conservative money machine.

So far this year, the Tories have raised almost three times as much money as the Liberals - $12.1-million versus $4.4-million, according to quarterly financial statements filed with Elections Canada.

Read the entire Globe and Mail article here.

TS: BHP Scraps $39 Billion Potash Bid

2010-11-15T12:36:46Z

Anglo-Australian mining giant BHP Billiton officially conceded defeat Sunday, withdrawing its hostile takeover bid for Saskatchewan-based PotashCorp.

The withdrawal comes less than two weeks after Ottawa rejected the $38.6 billion (U.S.) offer as not having enough net benefit for Canada.

Read the entire Toronto Star article here.

Reuters: Myanmar People Overjoyed But Worry About Suu Kyi

2010-11-15T12:33:41Z

The release of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi is still being celebrated in Myanmar but fears about her safety or re-arrest are running high among her adoring supporters.

The Nobel laureate and daughter of the country's independence hero was released on Saturday after seven years in detention but many are concerned her freedom could be short-lived if the country's oppressive army rulers decide to wield their power.

Read the entire article here.

Reuters: Volatile Mix Of Politics And Crime Plagues Karachi

2010-11-15T12:28:00Z

If you want to measure the level of political strife in Pakistan's financial capital Karachi, take the body count at the morgue.

"There are 30 to 40 bodies some weeks," said morgue worker Miraj Mohsin. "When just one member of a party is killed, I know the other will respond and there could be many more deaths."

Read the entire article here.

Reuters: Israeli Government Seen Accepting New Settlement Freeze

2010-11-15T12:24:13Z

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will probably win narrow approval from his coalition government for a U.S. proposal to extend a freeze on West Bank settlement building, Israeli political sources said Sunday.

The Palestinians halted peace talks after Israel's 10-month partial construction moratorium expired in September. The Obama administration has offered Israel diplomatic and defense perks to renew the freeze for 90 days, giving negotiations a chance.

Read the entire article here.

Reuters: South Sudanese Register For Independence Vote

2010-11-15T12:15:33Z

Thousands of south Sudanese started registering for their long-awaited independence referendum on Monday, their first concrete step toward a vote that could split Africa's largest country in two.

The launch came after northern and southern leaders agreed they would form a "soft border" allowing the free movement of trade and nomads between their territories in the event of separation, as part of a framework agreement to resolve a list of disputes between the two sides.

Read the entire article here.

Watch: Stewart On The Decider's Return

2010-11-12T15:02:32Z

Jon Stewart, despite being sick went ahead with the Daily Show last night to make fun of former President George W. Bush now trying to sell his memoir. When asked by the Today's Show Matt Lauer about the "Mission Accomplished" sign on the aircraft carrier he landed on to announce the end of combat operations in Iraq, Bush said that it was a mistake and that could he do it over again he would have said something like, "good going men and women, great mission, or something, I don't know."

Heart warming.

Watch the clip below:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

The Decider Returns

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show Full Episodes

Political Humor

Rally to Restore Sanity

Watch: Stewart On Maddow

2010-11-12T13:47:49Z

Since both Congress in the United States and Parliament in Canada are on holidays and nothing but speculation and supposition are in the air, I'd like to offer Rachel Maddow's interview with Jon Stewart as the opinion piece of the day.

You might be surprised at how Stewart views the state of politics and debate in the nation, but however you feel about his opinions and Rachel Maddow's point of view, I think it's worth a look.

Watch the interview in several parts below: