News from around the world

[Amicustoall]

Putin: Russia to develop offensive weapons to keep balance with U.S.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/12/29/russia.offensive.weapons/index.html

What are your thoughts? There is a side of me that says, the concept of telling them what you have to defend is odd, considering you are just giving them information as to how to avoid them, hence leaving no defense at all. The other side of me is all for some treaty that will limit arms build ups; however, they are only effective if all sides are in the game and all are playing within the rules.

[Amicustoall]

Somali pirates seize two ships
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/12/29/somalia.pirates.capture/index.html

It is unclear to me why ships that sail through these areas are not heavily armed and just blast potential hijackers.

[Amicustoall]

Man flees in Munich airport explosives alert
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/01/20/germany.security.alert/index.html

[Amicustoall]

London, England (CNN) -- Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber has expressed an interest in buying London's famed Abbey Road Studios after music company EMI reportedly put the building where the Beatles recorded most of their albums up for sale.

Lloyd Webber, the man behind musical hits "Phantom of the Opera" and "Cats," came forward following concerns from fans and music industry figures that the historic building would fall foul of property developers.

"He is very interested in buying the studios," a spokesman for Lloyd Webber, who is one of the UK music industry's richest figures with an estimated worth of £750 million ($1,150 million), told CNN.

EMI has slapped a for sale tag on Abbey Road as it looks to dig itself out of heavy debts following the music company's 2007 leveraged buyout by private equity operation Terra Firma, according to the Financial Times.

The news has generated concerns from music industry figures including former Beatle Paul McCartney, but Lloyd Webber is the first to indicate willingness to open his check book.

His spokesman added: "He first recorded there in 1967 with Tim Rice. Andrew has since recorded most of his musicals there, from 'Jesus Christ Superstar' to his new musical 'Love Never Dies.'

"He thinks it is vital that the studios are saved for the future of the music industry in the UK. Abbey Road has such great facilities, with three major recording studios, and Andrew has probably brought more musicians to record there than anyone else, because it has the capacity to record large orchestral productions."

Lloyd Webber's interest in the building follows an announcement from Britain's National Trust, a charity that safeguards many of the country's historic buildings, that it was considering whether involve itself.

After opening up the issue to the public via the Internet, the charity, which already owns the childhood homes of Paul McCartney and fellow former Beatle John Lennon, received thousands of votes, plus Facebook and Twitter comments, urging it to act.

"If we can help, we will step forward," National Trust director general Fiona Reynolds said, according to its Web site.

Abbey Road Studios, located in the wealthy north west London suburb of St. John's Wood, have been a centerpiece of the UK recording industry since they were established in the 1930s.

Making its name with classical recordings involving composer Edward Elgar, the studios gained worldwide fame through the Beatles, who named one of their albums "Abbey Road," featuring an iconic photo of the band crossing a road outside the building on its cover.

With other bands -- including Pink Floyd, whose 1973 classic "Dark Side of the Moon" was recorded there, and Radiohead -- sustaining interest in the venue, it has become a Mecca for music fans who regularly daub tributes to their icons on its walls.

[garyrulez]

I think that's kind of cool- a giant British musical icon owning the studio where the all-time most giant musical icons recorded.

[Amicustoall]

(CNN) -- Thirty to 40 ships -- including several passenger ships -- were stuck Thursday in ice off the coast of Sweden, said a spokesman for the Maritime Search and Rescue Center in Gothenburg, Sweden.

The area of the Baltic Sea worst hit by the ice were the waters bounded by mainland Sweden, the Stockholm archipelago and the Finnish island of Aland, said Tommy Gardebring, press officer with the Swedish Maritime Administration.

Several passenger vessels from Viking Line were stuck, he said. One of them had been freed.

"It has been a lot colder than normal in the southern parts of the Baltic sea, but in the north all is normal with normal levels of ice," Gardebring said. "However, in the worst-affected areas, the ice breakers that normally operate haven't been able to cope with the ice, which is why we are sending additional ice breakers."

The extra help was expected to arrive around midnight (6 p.m. ET), he said.

"There was never any danger for the safety of the vessels, but we have increased our preparedness, just in case, since the ice puts a lot of pressure on the sides of the ships," Gardebring said.

He predicted that most of the ships would be freed by Friday.

[Philip]

Shit! Freak Wave Hits Cruise Ship (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8550622.stm).

[PolyesterAngel]

Holy fuck! That's terrifying..

[WeedMage]

So, when a ship gets flooded like that, what's the risk of electrocution? Never really thought of that while on the cruises, yanno? That's a lot of water around a lot of electricity.

[Philip]

So, when a ship gets flooded like that, what's the risk of electrocution? Never really thought of that while on the cruises, yanno? That's a lot of water around a lot of electricity.

Hopefully, they design ships for that possibility.

[Philip]

On-line auction in New Zealand sells 'Bottled Ghosts': From the BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8557222.stm)

[Amicustoall]

http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-430533?hpt=T2

They had to use a helicopter to remove this guy from the pyramid. Don't you just have to ask WHY he climbed it and refused to come down?

[garyrulez]

Well, that's a story you don't hear every day. I like the part where he was taking chunks out of the pyramid and throwing them at the cops. Probably a couple of laws against that.

[Amicustoall]

Yep I would suspect so. But why? I mean ok the thrill of climbing the pyramid...........but why refuse to come down? I mean it is not like you can escape or anything. I have to say I was shocked that he was able to get enough time to climb it. I mean he starts up, he refused to stop, smack him with a bean bag gun, that would make him let loose.

[Lacey]

Hahaha. That's pretty impressive actually. Most people don't realize that the pyramid blocks are at least as tall as most people.

[garyrulez]

The Associated Press now has their hands on a letter from the Vatican urging the Oakland, CA Diocese NOT to de-frock a priest who was convicted of child abuse. The conviction was in 1981, at which point Oakland contacted the Vatican requesting his removal from the priesthood. The Vatican’s response, urging caution, but not okaying the removal, wasn’t sent back to Oakland until 1985, and the priest wasn’t removed until 1987- 6 years after he was convicted.

The letter is signed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, currently better known as Pope Benedict.

[Amicustoall]

I am not catholic, but I have never understood how this all got so out of control from the organization's perspective. It is really rather disgusting to think that anyone person would think that sweeping this kind of thing under the rug was a good idea, but a whole organization? And then when the house of cards begins to crumble do they come clean? No they attempt to patch the walls and continue building.

[Michelle in WI]

Not only do they not come clean, they compare the criticism they're facing to Jewish oppression.

Classy.

[garyrulez]

And they hide behind attornies and diplomatic red tape to avoid telling the whole truth (the Vatican actually claimed that the Pope couldn't be compelled to testify because he's a head of state). Like when Jesus lawyered-up before the crucifixion.

[Michelle in WI]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100410/ap_on_re_eu/eu_russia_plane_crash;_ylt=ApIO0QSh2KzJkoCSVVw0Ul. s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNsdTU2YjA4BGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwNDE wL2V1X3J1c3NpYV9wbGFuZV9jcmFzaARjY29kZQNtb3N0cG9wd WxhcgRjcG9zAzEEcG9zAzIEcHQDaG9tZV9jb2tlBHNlYwN5bl9 0b3Bfc3RvcnkEc2xrA3BvbGlzaGxlYWRlcg--

[Michelle in WI]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100414/ap_on_re_as/as_australia_coal_carrier;_ylt=AoAR2HV0vt0l_mk9qgM E7_Os0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTN0a2s3dTdiBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTA wNDE0L2FzX2F1c3RyYWxpYV9jb2FsX2NhcnJpZXIEY2NvZGUDb W9zdHBvcHVsYXIEY3BvcwM5BHBvcwM2BHB0A2hvbWVfY29rZQR zZWMDeW5faGVhZGxpbmVfbGlzdARzbGsDMmFycmVzdGVkZnJv

[WeedMage]

Kudos to Australia!

[garyrulez]

This is kind of bizarre, but the captain's full name? Se Xong Hazelwood.

[Philip]

All flights in UK airspace suspended because of an ash cloud from a volcano in Iceland - sounds like the opening plot line of a bad made-for-TV movie.

[Liam]

All flights in UK airspace suspended because of an ash cloud from a volcano in Iceland - sounds like the opening plot line of a bad made-for-TV movie.

Looks like Kerry Katona got out at just the right time!

[Den of Antiquity]

All flights in UK airspace suspended because of an ash cloud from a volcano in Iceland - sounds like the opening plot line of a bad made-for-TV movie.

Bjork was trying to "move the island" so Charles Widmore couldn't find it.

[Amicustoall]

Too funny DOA

[Amicustoall]

Ousted Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev resigns, leaves country. http://on.cnn.com/bW4It9

[Philip]

Iceland: first bankruptcy and now a big ass fire. Suspicious?

[garyrulez]

The United Nations budget for peacekeeping in Haiti post-earthquake is currently sitting at about $732 million for the 12 months ending June 30 of this year.

Of that dollar amount, a full $500 million will be going to the salaries, benefits, and upkeep of UN employees and their support staff. Only about 30% or so of the total expenditure will go directly to the people of Haiti.

The United States is footing about 27% of the total bill.

[Ellen from Saint Louis]

That 250 million when converted to the Haitian economy will probably be worth much more.