On 4 August 2008, two men attacked a police post near the eastern city of Kashgar, in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China, killing 16 policemen. Two attackers drove up in a refuse vehicle to a police post near the eastern city of Kashgar and threw two grenades, before moving in to attack the policemen with knives. Xinhua said the attack happened at about 08:00 (00:00 GMT), as the policemen were jogging outside the compound. Fourteen policemen died at the scene and two on the way to hospital.
Another 16 policemen were hurt. Both attackers were captured during the raid, Xinhua state news agency reported.[1] The attackers were later identified as members of the Uyghur ethnic group, and it was suspected that the attack was a terrorist action by "Eastern Turkistan" separatists.[2] Xinjiang's regional public security department also stated that it had received intelligence that the "East Turkistan Islamic Movement" planned to make terrorist attacks during the week before the opening ceremonies of the Olympic games.This Rat Year of 2008 is going to be quite special particularly for the Chinese people because the Olympics are going to be held in China. The Olympic Games open on the 8th of August 2008 at 8:08 pm, and that's considered an auspicious date because of all the 8's in the date. In the lunar calendar, it's also the eighth day of the seventh month.
The Rat is the leader of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac, so the Year of the Rat begins a new cycle of twelve. The Rat is renowned in Chinese astrology for being very clever and quite astute when managing finances. Rats are also very sociable, they enjoy the company of other people and they like to enjoy themselves and have a good time. Rats also generally have good taste and are quite elegant.
I know that if my brother George Payne was living he would be attending these Games. I can never forget the morning of December 14, 1986, the day our father died. Early on that Sunday morning I was unable to get hold of anyone and through the State Department Command Center, the first member of my family, other than my mother, to learn of his death was my brother Eddie, who was on TDY at the American Beijing Embassy and was in the office early that morning, from a felling that something may be wrong. On the previous Sunday morning we had talked to him and he said, "I am standing here, looking out over the Embassy wall at Tian'anmen Square", which at that time was off limits to foreign visitors. He would have loved, I know, to have been there.
An American athlete joins the Russians Mon, 06/16/2008
- 3:25pm FOREIGN POLICY PASSPORT
Is Becky Hammon a traitor or a savvy capitalist?
The story in a nutshell: Hammon, 31 and from South Dakota, plays basketball for the San Antonio Silver Stars, where she earns the maximum WNBA salary, about $95,000, and was last season's runner-up for the league's MVP. Last year, she signed a four-year contract worth more than $2 million to play with a professional Russian team in the off-season. Russia then fast-tracked her to citizenship, and she became a dual U.S.-Russian citizen early this year. Two weeks later, she became a member of Russia's national team and will now be representing Russia at the Olympics.
Hammon, who has no Russian heritage, says it was simply a smart business decision. Dual citizenship makes her more valuable because her Russian league requires two Russians on the court at all times and each club permits only two American players. "There's nothing more American than taking advantage of an opportunity," she told ESPN.
Hammon insists she never had a serious chance of making the U.S. Olympic team. She wasn't on USA Basketball's original short list of 23 candidates last year and, given that she's 31, this Olympics is probably her last shot. (Why an MVP runner-up didn't even make the short list is another subject altogether.)
Some may criticize Hammon for being unpatriotic, but she is embracing two things Americans love dearly -- capitalism and the freedom to pursue happiness. In a world of athletes without borders, such as Lukas Podolski, expect more talented sports players to go to the highest bidder.
Still, I'm curious to see if her eyes tear up to Russia's national anthem if she gets to mount the medals podium this August.
Wikipedia - In 1997, there were 70 stars, 29 of which had names. There were 79 stars in 2002, 83 in 2004, 90 in 2009, and 102 in 2010. 62 of the 102 entries in the book contain names, while the other employees are represented only by a gold star followed by a blank space.
Memoriam
CIA Wall of 
- 
Stars & OSS Memorial
"In honor of those members of the Central Intelligence Agency who gave their lives in the service of their country …” This wall of 90 stars stands as a silent, simple memorial to those CIA officers who made the ultimate sacrifice. The glass-encased Book of Honor below the stars lists the 48 names of officers who can be revealed, while the names of the remaining 35 officers must remain secret, even in death.
John 8:31-32 "Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
Tonight I heard on the NBC nightly news about an event I remember well. The invitation of China extended to the US Olympic Ping-Pong team to come to China in 1971. I was one of the best Ping-Pong players around, although there were some that may say different. Upon my arrival and beginning work for the U.S. State Department in February 1972 I took up residence at the 5700 block of Connecticut Ave., NW. Then in April of that year two other BEARS took residence at Smithsonian's National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave, NW, Washington, D.C. Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing were neighbors that were welcome to all of the D.C. area.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
NPR News - Weekend Edition Saturday, April 1, 2006 · Nine U.S. table tennis players made history in 1971, becoming the first Americans to visit China in more than two decades. It was a step toward U.S.-Chinese diplomatic ties. Five members of the original team recently went back for exhibition matches.
"Back in the ’70s, the communist Chinese were evil people and it was a very dark country that we knew very little about," said Steve Bull, director of government relations for the US Olympic Committee and a former Nixon aide. "No one was envisioning that this dramatic trip to China would be a precursor to re-establishing diplomatic relations."
VW Managers Defer Decision on Plant Location
How well I remember sitting in front of this landmark in 1969 on a tour bus, wishing we could get out or take pictures. Although during his four years in Bonn as the Regional Security Officer for most of West German Embassies, something my brother was never able to do was travel in the Eastern Block, unless he traveled there "incognito" or in 1950 while he was stationed there. Everything on the Eastern side of the Wall which you see in this picture was dark and drab and just across the Wall, West Berlin, was the influence of the West. Advertisement was not allowed in the Eastern block, no window advertising, etc.
Of all the tragedy that came from the 1972 Olympics the greatest of all things happened, an American swimmer, Mark Sptiz won Seven Gold Medals. This was an inspiration to all of us who were working for the U.S. State Department, Passport Office, at the time. My best friend at the time was a 7'4" fellow named Edward Armstrong who looked very similar to Mark Sptiz and he and I were often called "Mutt and Jeff" by those in the Passport Office because we were always seen together. Both us and our girl friends were fans of Earl Hamner, originator of the television series "The Waltons". We attended a performance in Winchester, Virginia that was producted by Hamner and were honored to meet Mr. Hamner. So, when I remember 1972 I remember Mark Spitz, Earl Hamner and Mr. Edward Armstrong and wish I could still swim like I used to.
Then came our East German heroine. Yes, I think everyone old enough will remember the figure skater that won the American hearts. The East German born Witt was called "the most beautiful face of socialism" by Time Magazine after her gold medal Olympic performance in war torn Sarajevo in 1984. 1984 was a great year during the Cold War years, Olympic Wise that is!
