Nigeria: Rioting Kills At Least 300

Contested election results and religion-based hatred were the cause of rioting that has killed more than 300 so far. Fighting erupted over the results of a local election in the city of Jos in central Nigeria. This is not the first time this has happened in Nigeria. CNN notes that "More than 10,000 Nigerians have died in sectarian violence since civilian leaders took over from a former military junta in 1999. Political strife over local issues is common in Nigeria, where government offices control massive budgets stemming from the country's oil industry." Nigeria's religious demographics are Muslim 50%, Christian 40% and indigenous beliefs 10%. (CIA Word Factbook) BBC on the current mayhem in Nigeria: Police have imposed a 24-hour curfew and the army is patrolling the streets. They have been given orders to shoot on sight in an effort to quell the bloodshed, some of the most serious in Nigeria in recent years. The Nigerian Red Cross says at least 10,000 people have fled their homes. More at BBC News... A report from AFP: "I was at the central mosque this afternoon and I counted 378 dead bodies but just as I was about to leave, three more bodies were brought in," a correspondent for Radio France Internationale in Jos, Aminu Manu, told AFP, adding that families were coming forward to claim their dead relatives. "Hundreds of people have been killed in the last two days since the riots started. Remains of burned bodies litter some parts of the town; it is so terrible," Christian clergyman Yakumu Pam said. Full Story at AFP... It should be noted that more people have died in the current Nigerian situation than in Mumbai and all Wal-Marts combined this week. RELATED: Troops Deployed to Stop Fighting in Central Nigeria - VOA 28 Nov 2008 ZIMBABWE: Soldiers riot over cash shortage - IRIN 28 Nov 2008 Islam in Nigeria: Simmering tensions BBC, 2003 Christians Killed And Churches Burned In Nigerian Riots (2002) RTÉ News: 175 killed in Nigerian riots over beauty contest (2002) Religious hatred sparks Nigerian riots... (2001) BBC News AFRICA Murder charges after Nigerian riots (2000) Nigeria, Crime Timeline, 21st Century Nigeria Christian / Muslim Conflict

CHICAGO: RIOT SURVIVAL TIPS

What if there is a riot at Grant Park tonight? Here are some survival tips just in case you find a bunch of loopy Obama supporters surrounding your car as you drive near Grant Park tonight. There probably won't be any trouble at Chicago's Grant Park tonight, where Barack Obama expects to celebrate a victory. But what if there is trouble in or near the crowd, expected to be well over half a million people? Gang bangers have caused trouble, even murder, in and near Grant Park recently, and you can bet there will be ne'er do wells there tonight, too. Suppose, however, the worst case scenario: McCain barely wins. There is no decision tonight (think Election 2000) and pissed off, stoned, drunk Obama fans get, you know, ornery. Suppose...suppose it turns into Million Man Mayhem. Like, a riot? Popular Mechanics magazine, of all things, has a great article called "Worst-Case Scenarios: How To Survive A Riot." Some of the advice seems good. Some not so good. For example: Do Not Run: Unless your life is in imminent danger, walk. A person walking is harder for the eye to detect--the human eye can quickly sight someone running. Running also can generate excitement--people may chase you. If you must travel by car, be prepared for evasive maneuvers. I dunno. A bunch of crazed Obamaniacs coming at me, eyes all glazed over? I'm gonna run like hell, man. I might keep running until I get to Canada. God help us all. North by Northwestern has a piece with the slightly shorter title of "How To Survive A Riot." Their advice seems a bit more level-headed. For example: Trust your instincts. “If you think it’s okay to stand in the crowd and wait for a riot to pass,” McAleer says, “you’d be making a mistake. You need to trust your instincts and get out of the situation.” With the majority of the police controlling rioters, it will be up to you to direct yourself to safety. Put complete trust in that almost-Ivy-League brain that your parents gave you.

In other words, run like hell. You'll be on your own. ALSO SEE: Chicago Prepares for a Million Election Partiers at officer.com.

Effort to Levitate Denver Mint Fails

DENVER - Democrats took to the streets of the Mile High City, apparently all a mile high, and marched to the U.S. Mint where they attempted to levitate it. The effort failed. The effort was reminiscent of the attempt to levitate the Pentagon on Saturday, October 21, 1967, which also failed. For more on this breaking story, we will turn to Michelle Malkin: I’m happy to report that the anti-capitalists failed in their effort to defy gravity and levitate the U.S. Mint. The wizard hat and magic wands weren’t working. FULL AMUSING POST... ALSO SEE: Marxists Unite! and Fighting back against Obama’s thugs

Morse Avenue Rumble

A Homecoming Dance at Sullivan High School in Chicago's northern Rogers Park neighborhood breeds fighting, bottle throwing and major police action. For a brief time on Friday night, Morse Avenue looked like a battle zone. Crime is down in Rogers Park, people. Unfortunately, this message has not gotten through to the kids at Sullivan High School in Chicago's 49th Ward. On Friday, September 21, a Homecoming Dance at Sullivan ended at 10:00 p.m. The kids were ready to rumble even before they got outside. Perhaps the entertainment was terrible. Perhaps there was too much Remy Martin consumed before and during the dance. Neighbors who live on N. Bosworth, across the street from Sullivan High, told me that the kids came out of the southern exit into the parking lot, and they were cussing and screaming at each other as the doors opened. "You mean, like 'bitch' and 'ho'?" I asked one neighbor. "No, much worse." He added that about 20 CPD units responded to neighbors' calls shortly past 10:00 p.m., and the crowd was quickly dispersed. They scattered, only to recongeal a few blocks north on the 1400 block of Morse Avenue. I was walking west along Morse just past 11:00 p.m. last night. As I passed Morse Fruit & Vegetable grocery, I noticed about 12 young Latino guys standing across the street, in front of the apartment building on the southeast corner of Morse and N. Greenview. They were throwing beer bottles at passing automobiles. One car stopped, then thought better of it and drove off. As this happened, from east of us, a group of about 12 black guys approached. I recognized one of them as a young man I've spoken to many times in the past. His friends did not take to me. "Shit, man, get the fuck outa here. When you gonna pay me my reparations?" As soon as the Egyptians pay reparations to my people. Been waiting 3,000 years, pal, I thought to myself. I rounded the corner and called 911 at 11:35 p .m. Remember that the police were already well aware that Sullivan students were causing trouble; CPD just broke up a big incident an hour before my 911 call. At 11:45 p.m., I locked my bike on N. Glenwood, just off of Morse, and walked toward Morse. It was not until Midnight that the police moved onto Morse en masse. People ran to and fro, confusion ensuing. I did not see anybody get injured, and at this point I am not aware of any arrests. Some of the police pulled a now-classic stunt: Harass the cameraman. This is getting tired. Even while a near-riot was going on all around, several squads decided I was more important. Shining their spotlights at me, they hoped to intimidate me. One cop actually stopped and engaged me in conversation. He "offered" to give me a "police report" but would not specify what the report would be about. I ask you: How the hell can a cop write out a comprehensive report about a major incident, even as it's still happening? Note to our local Commander: Your public relations sucks.