Friday, January 1, 2010

Perhaps a Debate?

Soundgarden is Back.............

Soundgarden are back together. It is official. Chris Cornell has announced the news at his Twitter site. “The 12 year break is over & school is back in session. Sign up now. Knights of the Soundtable ride again!,” he posted today (01-01-10) Australia was the last country on Earth to experience Soundgarden. The band broke up after their headlining Australian tour on Big Day Out in 1997. Since then, singer Chris Cornell has kept a high profile, firstly solo, then as frontman for Audioslave, then solo again. In total, he made 5 albums (including Audioslave) outside Soundgarden. It is still early days. We don’t know what is in store for Soundgarden 2010 at this stage. A tour is obvious. Another album expected. More soon...Link

Iraqis outraged as Blackwater case thrown out.

BAGHDAD – Iraqis seeking justice for 17 people shot dead at a Baghdad intersection responded with bitterness and outrage Friday at a U.S. judge's decision to throw out a case against a Blackwater security team accused in the killings. The Iraqi government vowed to pursue the case, which became a source of contention between the U.S. and the Iraqi government. Many Iraqis also held up the judge's decision as proof of what they'd long believed: U.S. security contractors were above the law...Link

John Yoo has a book.

In his new book, former Bush administration attorney and infamous torture memo collaborator John Yoo favorably argues that President Barack Obama is wielding executive powers in the same manner as his White House predecessor...Link

Govt clarifies rules on possession of drugs.

Prague, Dec 14 (CTK) - The Czech government Monday set the drug possession limits under which the possession of up to 1.5 grammes of heroin, up to one gramme of cocaine and up to two grammes of methamphetamine (pervitine) will not be punishable as of New Year. Czechs will also be able to legally possess up to 15 grammes of marijuana, according to the Justice Ministry's proposal approved by the government Monday. Justice Minister Daniela Kovarova drafted the proposal on the basis of the current court practice. Kovarova told CTK that last week the authors of the proposal met experts and agreed that the limits used in the current court practice were acceptable. Initially, the proposal allowed for the legal possession of up to two grammes of hard drugs, she said...Link

Looks promising...........

Judge drops charges against Blackwater.

In a rebuke to government prosecutors, a federal judge dismissed criminal charges against five Blackwater security guards accused of fatally shooting 14 people in Baghdad in September 2007. Judge Ricardo Urbina said on Thursday prosecutors violated the defendants' rights by using incriminating statements they had made under immunity during a State Department probe to build their case.Link