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Israel signs F-16 order Lockheed Martin received a contract to produce 50 F-16 aircraft for the government of Israel. The contract awarded by the U.S. Department of Defense completes negotiations that began after Israel's July 1999 selection of the advanced F-16 as its new fighter, and follows a letter of acceptance signed between the two countries in September. The total program, including the aircraft, mission equipment and a support package, is worth about $2.5 billion to Lockheed Martin and various suppliers. The agreement provides Israel an option to purchase 60 additional aircraft that would bring the total program value to ...

OLYMPIA — Backers of a proposed tobacco-tax increase are accusing Philip Morris of violating Washington campaign-finance law by ghostwriting a statement for the voters pamphlet opposing the tax initiative. An electronic version of the statement bears an "electronic fingerprint" from company spokesman Brendan McCormick, according to the complaint filed yesterday by Healthcare for Washington's Working Families. But the tobacco giant isn't mentioned as an opponent in the voters pamphlet. I-773 backers contend the company's statement is an "independent expenditure" that should have been disclosed under the campaign-finance law within five days after the Aug. 23 time stamp on the document. ...

Fuzzy creatures, spinners of tales and readers of all ages swarmed over Capitol Hill on Saturday to share their passion for books and reading. At the first National Book Festival, there was storytelling and book signings. Children waited in long lines to pose for pictures with storybook characters like Clifford the Big Red Dog and Arthur the aardvark. Adults got to chat with well-known writers. Christine Harding, 39, of Huntingtown, Md., was at the back of the Elmo line with her son and daughter - 2-year-old Peter and 6-year-old Aris. ``I want to show to them how important reading is,'' ...

It's the largest cash-crop in my State. Besides what is cultivated, the stuff grows wild like weeds everywhere. In fact, a couple years ago, a nice sized, fully developed patch of the best domestic version was spotted growing in the median of the Interstate highway. No one noticed until fall, when the pretty blue flowers developed. Yeah, marijuana. If I were a "toker," I would be in heaven around here. It seems to grow wild in all sorts of strange places -- especially in those not very accessible wooded places down by the river. Alas, I'm rather allergic to the ...

Racism delegates robbed at gunpoint September 08 2001 at 02:47PM The foreign minister of Chad, Mianzogo Thomas Altouzm, and two other delegates from Chad were robbed at gunpoint in Kempton Park on Friday night, police said on Saturday. They were on their way home from the World Conference Against Racism in Durban. Inspector Nomsa Sekele of North Rand police said that the three had booked into a Kempton Park hotel for one night before departing for their home country. They were dropped off at the Villa Pascalia at 8pm on Friday night. As they were offloading their belongings, four men ...

RUSSIAN archeologists working in a remote area of southern Siberia have discovered a golden treasure hoard in the tomb of a warrior prince from a civilisation that died out more than 2,000 years ago. The tomb was found in Tuva, a republic within Russia and bordering Mongolia. Lying beneath thousands of huge rocks and buried in a deep pit covered with logs, it contains the remains of the Scythian prince and his consort, along with more than 45lb of golden treasure. The team's leader, Konstantin Chugunov, 39, a professor from the Hermitage museum in St Petersburg, has described it as ...

Mental decline: Howard Hughes used his wealth to live a playboy's life but he died in squalor HE journeyed into madness in darkened, fetid hotel rooms, naked but for a piece of linen covering his groin. Yet Howard Hughes, the reclusive American billionaire, continued to arrange business deals, court starlets and write detailed memos to his staff on how he expected to be treated. "The man serving HRH [Howard Robard Hughes] first unfolds the tablecloth and spreads it on the eating table with HRH's help," said one memo. "He then hands HRH the sterile knife and fork . . ...

Welcome to FReeoples Bar & Grill This thread began in the summer of 2001 when a core group of aggrieved refugees set sail from their old home and washed ashore here at Free Republic, the Ellis Island of cyberspace for those who truly cherish the Constitution. But what began as a mere port-of-entry has since evolved, thanks to the hands extended by so many veteran FReepers, into a true FRiendship Society. Yet immigrants everywhere must soon find a niche from which to develop as citizens. And so it seemed only natural that we should delve into entrepreneurship by opening ...

Many people have written their federal representatives about problems they have had with the IRS only to recieve extremely apathetic reactions. Typically the federal rep forwards the letter of complaint onto the IRS so that the IRS can investigate itself. Eventually the IRS sends back a very predictable response that is incomplete and very often filled with statements that are very obviously dishonest. Federal reps never question or challenge the IRS on these problems however no matter how self evident they may be. Instead they mail the response back to the taxpayers and consider the matter closed. If the taxpayer ...

w w w . h a a r e t z d a i l y . c o m Israel welcomes Durban declaration Israel welcomed yesterday the final declaration adopted by the United Nations' World Conference Against Racism. Sources in the Foreign Ministry praised the final declaration and called it a major success for Israel.Israel welcomed yesterday the final declaration adopted by the United Nations' World Conference Against Racism. Sources in the Foreign Ministry praised the final declaration and called it a major success for Israel. The sources said that Israel had managed to achieve a complete turnaround; ...

THE contradictions apparent at the United Nations World Conference Against Racism were neatly, if tragically, summed up by the fate of Suhir Mostafa, a Moroccan delegate. Throughout the week the conference echoed with panegyrics about the sufferings of the Palestinians, the wickedness of the Israelis and the grave sin of "Islamophobia". But some delegates from strictly observant Muslim states were tempted by Durban's raunchy night life. Mostafa, staying at the same hotel as Mary Robinson, the UN high commissioner for human rights and conference patron, chatted up an attractive young black woman in the bar and invited her back to ...

That is a question many have asked - and it deserves some straight answers, removing rumor and setting the record straight about moderators, what they do, and why. This is not the expose some might hope the title promises, but it will tell you much you did not know, and much you need to know. Up front, I’ll tell you that I am merely the first moderator to serve. Above that I am the least of the moderators in many ways, as all others serve FreeRepublic in stellar ways I could not hope to match. I serve as their trainer ...

EIGHT western aid workers who face a possible death sentence for preaching Christianity appeared for the first time in a packed Kabul courtroom yesterday to protest their innocence. The accused - two Americans, two Australians and four Germans - looked exhausted as heavily armed soldiers led them before a bank of bearded, white-turbaned judges. One of the six women wore the head-to-toe burqa that Afghan women have to wear in public. The others covered their heads with veils. It was the first time any of the eight, who worked for the German-based Christian relief agency Shelter Now International, had been ...

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01.n1656.a02.html Newshawk: Forfeiture Endangers American Rights http://www.fear.org Pubdate: Thu, 06 Sep 2001 Source: Bergen Record (NJ) Copyright: 2001 Bergen Record Corp. Contact: letterstotheeditor@northjersey.com Website: http://www.bergen.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/44 Author: Josh Gohlke, Staff Writer Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/af.htm (Asset Forfeiture) DRUG MONEY SEIZURE RECORDS DEMANDED Federal authorities have subpoenaed records related to the Passaic County Sheriff's Department unit that seized almost $30 million in drug money in less than three years, acting Sheriff Ronald S. Fava confirmed Wednesday. The subpoena delivered to the department last month seeks documents on all cash seizures of more than $1,000 dating from the beginning of 1997 ...

HOLLYWOOD'S political first couple, Warren Beatty and Annette Bening, had arrived in New York in a mood to savour the coming victory of their Democrat candidate for mayor. "Mark Green is one of the good guys," Beatty crowed. "He's got the experience and he knows the good that government can do for people." The couple were the hosts at a fundraising benefit where ticket prices ranged from $50 to $1,000 (£34 to £684). Jon Bon Jovi, the rock singer, turned in a star performance. Yet a glance round the hall revealed that not every seat was sold. Adding to the ...

The Three Stoogez, 2001/09/02

Treasury's O'Neill: Economy Recovering Home - Yahoo! - My Yahoo! - News Alerts - Help A Sneak Peek at the Season's Best BooksClick here to visit www.getsmart.com Home | Top Stories | Business | Tech | Politics | World | Local | Entertainment | Sports | Science | Health  Top Stories Headlines Sources:  Reuters  |  AP  |  AP U.S.  |  The New York Times  |  ABCNEWS.com   Saturday September 8 8:16 AM ET Treasury's O'Neill: Economy Recovering Treasury's O'Neill: Economy Recovering SUZHOU, China (Reuters) - Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill said on Saturday the U.S. economy was on the road to recovery and he had not been surprised to see the monthly unemployment skip higher in August.``I think the correction process is going on ... and that ...

When Colin Powell emerged as George W Bush's secretary of state, interventionists on both the American right and left groaned. This was the man who opposed the Gulf war, and who opposed even aerial intervention in the Balkans on the grounds that "no American president could defend to the American people the heavy sacrifice of lives it would cost to resolve this baffling conflict". This was the man who opposed the only successful operation in Somalia (the brief initial invasion) but supported the humanitarian nation-building that led to disaster. He was also the man who had come closest of any ...

Carry on.

Budget Surplus ATM, 2001/09/01