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HONOLULU - An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.3 struck Hawaii early Sunday morning, waking up residents and knocking out power across the island of Oahu.

The U.S. Geological Survey also reported several aftershocks. No damage reports were immediately available.

No tsunami warnings have been issued "based on magnitude and historic tsunami information."

"Magnitude 6.3 Earthquake Strikes Hawaii"

"We Need A Fence, NOT A Farce"

Fiction

• Mark Z. Danielewski, Only Revolutions

• Ken Kalfus, A Disorder Peculiar to the Country

• Richard Powers, The Echo Maker

• Dana Spiotta, Eat the Document

• Jess Walter, The Zero
  

Non-Fiction

• Taylor Branch, At Canaan’s Edge: America in the King Years, 1965-68

• Rajiv Chandrasekaran, Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq’s Green Zone

• Timothy Egan, The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl

• Peter Hessler, Oracle Bones: A Journey Between China’s Past and Present

• Lawrence Wright, The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11
  

The Looming Tower is my early favorite with At Canaan’s Edge on its heels. If Imperial Life in the Emerald City wins I'll chalk it up to judges' anti-Bush sentiment. There aren't any prominent conservatives as non-fiction judges.

Results from an initial air sampling after North Korea's announced nuclear test showed no evidence of radioactive particles that would be expected from a successful nuclear detonation, a U.S. government intelligence official said Friday.

The test results do not necessarily mean the North Korean blast was not a nuclear explosion, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to disclose the sampling results.

Nonetheless, the readings reinforce uncertainty about the size and success of Monday's underground explosion, which North Korea has trumpeted as a nuclear test. It also keeps alive lingering questions about whether it was in fact a nuclear blast. Data from seismic sensors has already indicated the explosion was smaller than expected, but that is not a conclusive finding on the question of whether the explosion was nuclear.

1. It was a very small explosion used only as a "proof of concept."

2. The North Koreans failed.

3. The North Koreans faked the test.
   

The lack of evidence emboldens China and Russia from voting for a tough resolution on the U.N. Security Council. Their thinking has to be if there's not that much of a threat no need for such drastic measures.

"N. Korea Air Sample has No Radioactivity"

"Did North Korea Fake It?"

Air America Radio, a liberal talk and news radio network that features the comedian Al Franken, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, a network official told The AP.

The network had denied rumors just a month ago that it would file for bankruptcy. On Friday, Air America spokeswoman Jaime Horn told The Associated Press that the filing became necessary only recently after negotiations with a creditor from the company's early days broke down.

The network will stay on the air while it resolves issues with its creditors, Horn said. In addition to Franken, the network also features shows from liberal talk show host Randi Rhodes and Jerry Springer.

The Smoking Gun has the bankruptcy filing. Al Franken is owed over $350,000 (even half of that would be nice to start bankrolling a future U.S. Senate campaign), and Chuck D of Public Enemy fame is owed over $10,000.

Brian Maloney reports the network was supposed to be bought by a Democratic moneyman, but those plans fell apart. Maloney wonder how Air America will continue to operate "because there simply isn't enough cash coming in to cover basic expenses, beyond payroll and perhaps a few utility bills."

Lefty weblogger Shakespeare's Sister writes,

Predictably, conservative bloggers are touting this as evidence that there’s simply no market for progressive ideas. I don’t actually think this is true. I’m ostensibly the perfect target audience for Air America, and I can’t frigging stand it.

...

And many of the criticisms of Air America being poorly run are valid. Even when I was trying to give Air America a good chance, they were completely screwing up in Chicago. On the air, not on the air, a different station, filled with static, off the air, what the f***? In one of the bluest cities in the country, and hence presumably one of the best audiences, they should have sorted that shit out long ago.

"Air America Radio files for Chapter 11"

"Air America Files Chapter 11"

"Air America Deflates"

[Brown County Sheriff's Capt. Randy] Schultz said he plans to ask the state Legislature to allow the escorts much as funeral processions now are permitted. And he also said he has asked two hotels in the Green Bay area if they would house visiting teams and "both are substantially interested."

This is no solution to Jay Schumerth, manager of the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel, who notes all NFL teams contract to stay at the hotel and have done so since it opened in 1982.

"We've spent a lot of years building up our reputation, and then you hear something like this and it's like a kick in the teeth," Schumerth said.

Peterson-Bekx said Tuesday she was unaware of the stir caused by an opinion she has aired several times over her career as a police trainer. "The problem is the law is very clear on what an authorized emergency vehicle can do," she said. "And escorting a bus for an NFL team is not one of those circumstances.

"The potential problem, of course, is that if someone is going with the green light and plows into them, that caravan is entirely in the wrong from a legal point of view. The civil liability would be incredible."

Law enforcement officers may violate traffic laws only in an emergency situation, according to state law.

I'd like to think that since the escort has been occurring since 1982 that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," but we live in a litigious society with people suing for much less than a car accident from an improper police escort.

"Forget the Police Escort"

"Suffering Fools"

Reports of an elephant crossing the river or people trying to smuggle an elephant across were rampant Tuesday while an elaborate political stunt was taking shape near the mouth of the Rio Grande.

It was a while later that the stunt, which was a photo shoot, was abruptly met by federal agents.

“The elephant never made landfall into Mexico, but I tell you something, he could have made 15 laps back and forth, but no one showed up,” said Raj Peter Bhakta, a former star on the NBC show “The Apprentice,” who also is a Republican candidate for the 13th District U.S. House of Representatives seat in Eastern Pennsylvania.

Three elephants, two African and an Asian, were taken out to a ranch near Boca Chica beach to perform, the 31-year-old Bhakta said.

He was in Brownsville to raise funds with friends and decided to get a first-hand look at border security while he was here, he said.

In Brownsville, he witnessed half a dozen men swim under one of the international bridges “with complete immunity” which in turn prompted him to take the immigration issue to the next level.

Bhakta decided to see if he could get an elephant accompanied by a six-piece mariachi band across the river.

According to his Web site, he is in favor of “sensible immigration reform” and supports a border fence, local law enforcement assistance with immigration laws and the use of the National Guard troops to help the U.S. Border Patrol.

“To my surprise, the band played on, the elephants splashed away, and nobody showed up,” Bhakta said of the stunt. “I’m astounded.”

...

He said he was “staggered” by what happened on Tuesday and was planning on sharing the story with his potential constituents.

“If I can get an elephant led by a mariachi band into this country, I think Osama bin Laden could get across with all the weapons of mass destruction he could get into this country,” Bhakta said.

The mariachi band was not immediately available for comment.

Too bad Bhakta is getting trounced in the money race. He's certainly creative.

"Running of the Elephants" [via Raj Blog]

[Added to OTB's Beltway Traffic Jam.]

[via digg]

I firmly believe this was a terrorist attack. Planes don't just fly into buildings. Since it's become more difficult to hijack airliners--mostly due to passengers who will fight back like United 93--small planes would become easier, though less powerful tools for attacks.

"Plane Crashes into Manhattan Building"

UPDATE: NYC police and firemen now agree it was a helicopter instead of a small aircraft. ABC Radio reports traffic helicopters have crashed around the city. Usually pilots crash them into the East River.

UPDATE II: ABC Radio reports the staff of the Bellaire Tower say no one was hurt in the crash and fire.

Kim Priestap at Wizbang is also covering the story.

UPDATE III: Again from ABC Radio: The FAA says the aircraft was fixed wing and not a helicopter, didn't file a flight plan, and didn't talk to air traffic controllers.

UPDATE IV: The NYC fire department reports two people have died.

WTMJ radio reports an FBI spokesman has said there's no indication of terrorism.

ABC Radio reports people in the area say they saw a helicopter in distress.

UPDATE V: From ABC Radio: The Justice Department doesn't see this as a terrorist attack.

Here's the location of the building on Google Maps. It's almost touching the East River.

An apartment in the building is (was) going for $455,000.

ABC Radio now reports NORAD has scrambled fighters over cities as a precautionary measure.

UPDATE VI: Via Allahpundit here's the web page of the Belaire Apartments.

There's more coverage with video at Stop the ACLU.

UPDATE VII: After an initial fall the Dow Jones fought back to only being 15 points down for the day.

The market's concerns about this being a terrorist attack were eased. From reports from people in NYC seeing a plane looping strangely I'm thinking it wasn't terrorism.

UPDATE VIII: WNBC reports the plane was a Cirrus SR20.

UPDATE IX: ESPN reports New York Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle was killed when his plane crashed into the apartment building. Thanks, DJ, for the link.