| All aboard the monoline Titanic
That's the sine qua non of a so-called commercial rescue of the Rock. But it is literally the worst time in recorded history to buy such insurance. The one or two reinsurers still in business can charge what they like for this service. Would it be in taxpayers interest for the chancellor and prime minister to pay out eye-watering amounts of our money for this bond-wrap or guarantee? Mr Brown and Mr Darling be make a tasty dish for the Public Accounts Committee if they even thought about doing so. Update 09:29: Oh to have been a fly on the wall in the offices of New Star, the fund manager, when its share opened more than 40% lower this morning, knocking more than £130m off the value of the company. The reaction from John Duffield - New Star's strong-willed founder who is probably best known for having made some colourful remarks about the Germans a few years ago - would probably have been great theatre.
Groups push to crack down on immigration
Part of the Oklahoma bill makes it illegal to transport illegal aliens. Under the bill, Aguilar said, he could be in trouble for giving a friend a ride to the store, or even for taking someone to the hospital. "If you're going to do illegal immigration, make sure your interpretation is right," Aguilar said. Some other residents are proposing action on a more localized level, including a group in Hurricane that would like to bring the subject to a public forum. During a city council meeting Oct. 16, members of the Citizens Council on Illegal Immigration suggested the city open a dialog on the issue beginning with a public meeting. Douglas Elfving, Hurricane, said the public should be educated on the issue and strides could be made with a simple language addition to city ordinances.
New restaurant not really a Ludacris idea
In March 2007, Bridges paid $2.7 million for the 5,170-square-foot space at 793 Juniper St. (at Fifth Street) in Midtown that was formerly the restaurant Spice. Two months later at an event for his Ludacris Foundation, Bridges was introduced to San Francisco Bay Area restaurateur Chris Yeo by a mutual friend. Bridges considers Yeo's first name serendipitous and after he visited one of Yeo's restaurants and tasted his chicken lollipops and watermelon martinis, a business relationship was born. "That's my favorite," Bridges said of the chicken dish. He said he fell in love with the menu at Straits. (Three of Yeo's restaurants are in the Straits family; his fourth, Sino, has a completely different menu.) The pair expects to open three restaurants in metro Atlanta.
Sydney police free sex captives
Police said the women were lured to Australia and forced to work up to 20 hours a day in legal Sydney brothels. They had agreed to work in the sex industry, but were deceived about conditions, police said. "My understanding is that they came to Australia to work in the sex industry, but under more reasonable conditions," Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Tim Morris said. 'Vanloads of men' Once the women were in Australia, the syndicate took their passports, officials said. "This is probably the largest alleged syndicate that we have smashed," Immigration Department Assistant Secretary Lyn O'Connell said. The five people arrested include a South Korean woman and a Korean-Australian woman, who police allege is the head of a syndicate that was making $2.8m (1.4m) annually.
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His powder-searching ways continued after college, landing him in Vail for a few years before it eventually became too crowded, too trendy. A move to Aspen ended with the same claustrophobic result. And so it went, Royall's quest for a quiet skiing sanctuary going on for years, taking him to places like Steamboat Springs, Taos, Sun Valley. And it always ended the same: moving out when the crowds moved in. The nomadic journey seemed to come to an end about 20 years ago when he arrived in Jackson, Wyo., a place still oozing that dusty-floor saloon charm of the Old West. But, like all the other ski towns that had lured Royall with their charms, Jackson changed, attracting fuzzy-jacket-wearing out-of-towners to the slopes and trendy shops with pricey paintings and sparkly T-shirts.
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