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Yes, Virginia, Portland is continuing to slide further and further into 3rd world status. If you can believe it, the situation is actually getting worse, as we bring you the latest in Portland s***hole news.

The "most-recent" proposals cut anywhere from nothing in actual spending (Democrat proposal) for 2012 to $90 billion (Republican.) And neither contains any actual cuts on a forward basis - the Republicans are at least honest about it and say they just "hold discretionary non-defense spending at 2011 levels." That's not a cut in spending.

It is now getting dark in Paris and in all of France(appx. 6:40 PM Paris Time), and if there are any French FR lurkers(lurquers), this may be the thread to post your reports about any further violence. It seems the French govt. is impotent in it's response to what seems are jihadist thugs and it seems the American media has put a news blackout filter to what is really happening, so as not to embarass their heroes, Chirac et al. So any news reports or personal reports from what happens tonight are welcome, and don't worry about broken English, reports...

PARIS RIOTS SPREADING 4.11.2005. 18:34:50 Rioting around Paris has worsened with gangs attacking police and firefighters in defiance of a government vow to crackdown on the violence, which has plagued the capital for over a week. Fresh rioting broke out on the outskirts of Paris — in the city's poorest and mainly immigrant suburbs — for the eighth straight night on Thursday. Around 1,300 police officers were mobilised in the north-eastern suburb of Seine-Saint-Denis, while more than 30 people were arrested in the area. Buses, fire engines and police were stoned and five policemen were reported injured. Police said more...

More cars and shops have been set alight in Paris' suburbs, as youths rioted for an eight consecutive night. Most of the attacks are again taking place in the largely immigrant area of Seine-Saint-Denis, where about 1,000 police have been deployed.

PARIS (AFX) - Some 400 cars were set on fire in the outskirts of Paris last night, as serious riots in the city's outskirts continued for an eighth consecutive night, the police said. Police also reported that 27 buses were set on fire at a depot, and that fires were started at a primary school in the district of Stains and at a warehouse in Aulnay-Sous-Bois. The police also said that for the first time since the riots broke out over a week ago, similar disturbances, although on a smaller scale, took place in other French towns, with several cars...

c Mayor in Suburb of Paris Says Worst Violence Is Over, but Arson Attacks Shatter Night of Calm By JAMEY KEATEN The Associated Press LE BLANC MESNIL, France - A wave of arson attacks in Paris' restive suburbs punctured what authorities said Friday was otherwise the first night of relative calm after a week of clashes between riot police and angry youths. Officials said at least 400 cars were torched in the Paris region, an increase from previous nights. But there were fewer direct clashes with riot police who were deployed in force across the suburbs north of Paris following...

When firefighters negotiate for higher pay and better benefits, they routinely argue that they deserve them because they "put their lives on the line" for public safety. Yet a behind-the-scenes story from the Capitol last week shows the degree to which California's unionized firefighters are willing to put union issues above everything else, even above the public's safety. In the last week of the legislative session, a seemingly innocuous bill, AB 823, was brought to the Assembly floor and received nearly unanimous support - quite a feat in a legislative body as divided as the California Assembly. As the water...