Strollerderby : Egypt

Morning News: Minivan Maker Goes Bankrupt

Amy Kuras — Fri, 01 May 2009 13:00:00 GMT

If you build a better mousetrap, the saying goes, the world will beat a path to your door. If you invent the minivan, though, you eventually end up in bankruptcy, apparently. Chrysler LLC, after narrowly avoiding bankruptcy in the last deep recession in 1980 and paying back the government loan that saved them three years later, filed for Chapter 11 yesterday.

Look, I’m from Detroit and thus incapable of driving a foreign car, and would only drive a Chrysler if even a Toyota were not available. They’re not so good, although Jeep retains a good reputation and the Chrysler 300 was a nice ride. But when you can invent the vehicle that has become shorthand for boring sexless parenting and still be on the brink of going out of business? Something’s messed up.

Thinking about following Chrysler into bankruptcy court? Forget about getting foreclosure relief that way, after a bill to let judges fix mortgages through bankruptcy proceedings failed in the Senate yesterday. Good news, though, is that the House passed a bill that would limit credit card companies’ ability to screw with you, basically. Under the bill, they couldn’t use double-cycle billing to squeeze more interest out of you and would have to give you notice before raising your rates or closing your accounts.

Still with me? You’re just waiting for the swine flu update, aren’t you? As of late yesterday the death toll in the US remained at one, but the confirmed cases rose to 109. One of those is a security aide to the president who accompained him on his recent trip to Mexico. Nearly 300 schools were closed across the United States. Although right now there’s no evidence you can get the disease from eating pork products, that’s no comfort to pork producers, who have seen their business drop. Nor is it to any friends of Olivia in Egypt, where the government is taking the drastic step of killing all the country’s pigs.

And then there’s good old Joe Biden, who felt it necessary to inform us he’s asked his family to stay out of confined spaces like airplanes and subways. Way to stay calm, Mr. Vice President.

Egyptian woman gives birth to septuplets because she wanted a boy

Brett Singer — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 18:51:00 GMT

Ghazala Khamis (which I think is a really cool name) just gave birth to FOUR BOYS AND THREE GIRLS via c-section. She has three daughters and had undergone fertility treatments because she wanted a boy. Well, now she has four of them.

The septuplets – my heart skips a beat whenever I look at that word – appear to be healthy, as is the mother. Doctors did the c-section in her eighth month because of "pressure on her kidneys." Seven kids? Yeah, I can see how that might cause a little pressure.

The most pregnant woman I've ever seen in person was a woman who was overdue at 9+ months, with triplets. She looked like she was going to give birth to a Buick. I can't even imagine what seven kids looks like.

According to the article, "Egypt's health minister said the babies will get free milk and diapers for two years," which is a nice gesture. Diaper and food bills for seven kids, plus the three they already have? Oy vey. Good luck to all.

Source/photo: Boston.com (thanks to the reader who sent in the tip!)

Kidnap dad caught

Depressed Mother. Nothing To See. Move Along.

Protesters and journalists arrested in China (video)

Birth inspires lottery ticket purchase

No dinero for Dina

S&M Barbie

Baby Penis Album only five bucks

Bored games

Like father like son

Oy vey, Miley showed her tuchas again

Sins of the father: bin Laden's son can't live in UK

Brett Singer — Fri, 16 May 2008 12:30:00 GMT

Omar Osama bin Laden, the son of, yes, the Osama bin Laden, has been denied a visa to live in the United Kingdom. He currently lives in Cairo, Egypt with his wife, Zaina Alsabah, who is British. Alsabah -- who used to be called Jane Felix-Browne -- wanted to return home. Omar is 27, his wife is 52. (Um, you go girl?)

British authorities told Omar that they found "evidence of continuing loyalty to your father who is ultimately held responsible for the London bombing" which took place on July 7, 2005, killing 52 people. Omar has also allegedly said that his father's guilt in the World Trade Center attacks "could not be proved."

Alsabah says that the couple will appeal the ruling, because, "The decision can't be based on media reports." In other words, she believes that the British government denied the visa based partly on what they read in the newspaper about her husband. According to CNN, "Omar has not renounced his father, but says he wants to be an 'ambassador for peace' between Muslims and the West. The couple plan a 3,000-mile horse race across North Africa to draw attention to the cause of peace." Ooookay.

Look, if it were anyone else, it would be fairly easy to say that you shouldn't blame the son for his father's actions. In this case, I can kind of see the British government's point. When they say, "Your presence in the UK could...cause considerable public concern," that might be the understatement of the year. You also have to wonder about the mental state of someone who wants to move to a place where it is unlikely that he'll be able to move around freely. I mean, not only is he the son of the most notorious terrorist on the planet, he has the same name. Not just the same last name. THE SAME NAME. So maybe the Brits are actually doing him a favor.

image: CNN.com

American Exchange Student Starved By Host Family

Amy S.F. Lutz — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 14:03:00 GMT

You expect your kid to come back from an exchange program more culturally enlightened, more proficient in a foreign language, perhaps more informed about the critical issues facing different countries around the world.

You don't expect him to come back an emaciated skeleton.

Jonathan McCullum, a 17-year-old from Maine, left for a year in Egypt weighing a healthy 155 lbs. In just four months, he dropped 60 lbs.

McCullum was hosted by a family of Coptic Christians, who fast more than 200 days a year - something (duh!) McCullum's parents should have been told before his placement. When the host family did provide food, it amounted to little more than a cucumber and cheese sandwich or a bowl of beans and vegetables.

McCullum wanted to stay the full year, but his parents were alerted to the problem by a teacher, who emailed that their son was "in bad shape" and "really, really NEEDS to go home." Which turned out to be something of an understatement. McCullum, at risk of a heart attack, had to be hospitalized for nearly two weeks. He is now recovering at home.

The father of the host family denied accusations he starved McCullum, claiming the boy made it up so his parents would be refunded the money they paid the organization American Field Service (AFS) to participate in the exchange program. He added that the boy was so active, "The amount of food he ate at each meal was equal to six people."

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and I suspect this picture might be worth many thousands to the McCullum family, should they decide to sue the AFS. I mean, come on. Is there any doubt which side is telling the truth?