Surely nothing that President Bush has done in his two wretched terms of office—not the invasion and destruction of Iraq, not the overturning of the five-centuries-old tradition of habeas corpus, not his authorization and encouragement of torture, not his campaign of domestic spying—nothing, can compare in its ugliness as his approval, as commander in chief, of the imprisoning of over 2500 children.
According to the US government’s own figures, that is how many kids 17 years and younger have been held since 2001 as “enemy combatants”—often for over a year, and sometimes for over five years. At least eight of those children, some reportedly as young as 10, were held at Guantanamo. They even had a special camp for them there: Camp Iguana. One of those kids committed suicide at the age of 21, after spending five years in confinement at Guantanamo. (Ironically and tragically, that particular victim of the president’s criminal policy, had been determined by the Pentagon to have been innocent only two weeks before he took his own life, but nobody bothered to tell him he was slated for release and a return home to Afghanistan.) More...
See also: The Children of Iraq...
And this: Iraqi woman and her son
Monday, May 26, 2008
Big Brother: are they about to violate the privacy of our minds?
Imagine a world of streets lined with video cameras that alert authorities to any suspicious activity. A world where police officers can read the minds of potential criminals and arrest them before they commit any crimes. A world in which a suspect who lies under questioning gets caught immediately because his brain has given him away.
Though that may sound a lot like the plot of the 2002 Tom Cruise movie "Minority Report," it's not science fiction: We're not so far away from that world. But does it sound like a very safe place, or a very scary one? It's a question we should be asking as the federal government invests millions of dollars in emerging technology aimed at detecting and decoding brain activity. Though government funding focuses on military uses for these new technologies, they can and do end up in the hands of civilian law enforcement and in commercial applications.
As spending continues and neurotechnology advances, that imagined world is no longer the stuff of science fiction or futuristic movies, and we postpone at our peril confronting the ethical and legal dilemmas it poses for a society that values not just personal safety but civil liberty. More...
See also: ‘Big Brother’ database for phones and e-mails...
And this: Microchips Everywhere: a Future Vision...
Though that may sound a lot like the plot of the 2002 Tom Cruise movie "Minority Report," it's not science fiction: We're not so far away from that world. But does it sound like a very safe place, or a very scary one? It's a question we should be asking as the federal government invests millions of dollars in emerging technology aimed at detecting and decoding brain activity. Though government funding focuses on military uses for these new technologies, they can and do end up in the hands of civilian law enforcement and in commercial applications.
As spending continues and neurotechnology advances, that imagined world is no longer the stuff of science fiction or futuristic movies, and we postpone at our peril confronting the ethical and legal dilemmas it poses for a society that values not just personal safety but civil liberty. More...
See also: ‘Big Brother’ database for phones and e-mails...
And this: Microchips Everywhere: a Future Vision...
Sunday, May 25, 2008
OMG! Man has sex with taxi-cab!!!
A naked man was arrested Saturday on suspicion of trying to have sex with a taxi cab in Avila Beach, authorities said.
Cody Eugene Williams, 27, of El Dorado Hills, was found about 6:15 p.m. on First Street wearing only his birthday suit and simulating intercourse on the windshield of the cab, according to San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s officials.
The cabbie was still inside the taxi, investigators said.
Williams, reportedly intoxicated, also jumped on at least three other cars and broke a windshield, sheriff's officials said.
Williams was booked at County Jail on suspicion of vandalism, indecent exposure and committing a lewd act.
Source: SanLuisObispo.com
See also: Edward Smith,the man who has had sex with more than 1000 cars!!!
And this: Man who had sex with bike...
Cody Eugene Williams, 27, of El Dorado Hills, was found about 6:15 p.m. on First Street wearing only his birthday suit and simulating intercourse on the windshield of the cab, according to San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s officials.
The cabbie was still inside the taxi, investigators said.
Williams, reportedly intoxicated, also jumped on at least three other cars and broke a windshield, sheriff's officials said.
Williams was booked at County Jail on suspicion of vandalism, indecent exposure and committing a lewd act.
Source: SanLuisObispo.com
See also: Edward Smith,the man who has had sex with more than 1000 cars!!!
And this: Man who had sex with bike...
Thousands march against South Africa's racial violence...
housands of people marched through South Africa's biggest city on Saturday, calling for an end to the violence that has killed at least 50 African migrants and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes.
Demonstrators carrying placards saying "Xenophobia hurts like apartheid" and "We stand against xenophobia" brought traffic to a standstill in Johannesburg's city centre.
People in the Hillbrow district, home to many African immigrants, cheered the march, which was organized by churches and labor unions.
Police said townships around Johannesburg were quiet but shops were looted and burnt outside Cape Town late on Friday.
The South African government has been criticized for its slow reaction to the violence, the worst since apartheid ended 14 years ago, and for not addressing the poverty that is widely blamed for the bloodshed. More...
See also: What's going on in South Africa?
And this: Racist violence escalates in South Africa...
Demonstrators carrying placards saying "Xenophobia hurts like apartheid" and "We stand against xenophobia" brought traffic to a standstill in Johannesburg's city centre.
People in the Hillbrow district, home to many African immigrants, cheered the march, which was organized by churches and labor unions.
Police said townships around Johannesburg were quiet but shops were looted and burnt outside Cape Town late on Friday.
The South African government has been criticized for its slow reaction to the violence, the worst since apartheid ended 14 years ago, and for not addressing the poverty that is widely blamed for the bloodshed. More...
See also: What's going on in South Africa?
And this: Racist violence escalates in South Africa...
Abby & Brittany Hensel, the twins with one body...
Abby & Brittany Hensel, deux personnes mais un seul corps!!! (A voir absolument!)
Unasur: Union of South American Nations...
The leaders of 12 South American nations have formed a regional body aimed at boosting economic and political integration in the region.
At a summit in Brazil, they signed a treaty which created the Union of South American Nations (Unasur).
Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said the move showed that South America was becoming a "global player".
But tensions between several members will make it difficult for the group to achieve its goals, observers say.
Mr Lula said at the summit in Brasilia that the differences between some Unasur governments were a sign of vitality in the region. More...
See also: Organisations without borders, a step towards World Government?
And this: A rice cartel of five Asian nations?
At a summit in Brazil, they signed a treaty which created the Union of South American Nations (Unasur).
Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said the move showed that South America was becoming a "global player".
But tensions between several members will make it difficult for the group to achieve its goals, observers say.
Mr Lula said at the summit in Brasilia that the differences between some Unasur governments were a sign of vitality in the region. More...
See also: Organisations without borders, a step towards World Government?
And this: A rice cartel of five Asian nations?
Sarkozy partie civile dans une affaire de tee-shirts...
Après Lacoste et Heineken, Nicolas Sarkozy s'est constitué partie civile dans une affaire instruite à Alberville (Savoie) et portant sur des tee-shirts parodiques dont certains utilisaient son patronyme suivi du slogan «tolérance zéro».
Elle vise en particulier un tee-shirt dont le logo transforme le «o» du patronyme présidentiel en cible avec en dessous un slogan «tolérance zéro...50 points». Au dessus du nom, la devise républicaine «liberté, égalité, fraternité» est maculée d'une tâche de sang, révèle samedi le Dauphiné Libéré.
La majorité des tee-shirts concernés, dont certains ont été saisis sur un marché d'Albertville, ont été commercialisés par des sociétés lyonnaise et avignonnaise dont les gérants ont été mis en examen courant avril pour «contrefaçon, détournement de marque sans autorisation», a précisé leur avocat, Me Roland Marmillot.
«J'ai été désagréablement surpris lorsque j'ai appris vendredi que le Président de la République se constituait partie civile, en se plaignant à la justice de caricature le représentant. On est dans l'humour», a-t-il ajouté.
L'un de ses clients installé en Bretagne a été mis en examen notamment pour «incitation au terrorisme» après avoir transformé sur le tee-shirt qu'il vendait un oeuf de la marque «Kinder» en grenade renommée «Killer», a-t-il conclu.
Source: leparisien.fr
Voir aussi: Le Top 10 de Nicolas Sarkozy...
Et ceci: Serrer la main de Sarkozy? Non, merci!!
Elle vise en particulier un tee-shirt dont le logo transforme le «o» du patronyme présidentiel en cible avec en dessous un slogan «tolérance zéro...50 points». Au dessus du nom, la devise républicaine «liberté, égalité, fraternité» est maculée d'une tâche de sang, révèle samedi le Dauphiné Libéré.
La majorité des tee-shirts concernés, dont certains ont été saisis sur un marché d'Albertville, ont été commercialisés par des sociétés lyonnaise et avignonnaise dont les gérants ont été mis en examen courant avril pour «contrefaçon, détournement de marque sans autorisation», a précisé leur avocat, Me Roland Marmillot.
«J'ai été désagréablement surpris lorsque j'ai appris vendredi que le Président de la République se constituait partie civile, en se plaignant à la justice de caricature le représentant. On est dans l'humour», a-t-il ajouté.
L'un de ses clients installé en Bretagne a été mis en examen notamment pour «incitation au terrorisme» après avoir transformé sur le tee-shirt qu'il vendait un oeuf de la marque «Kinder» en grenade renommée «Killer», a-t-il conclu.
Source: leparisien.fr
Voir aussi: Le Top 10 de Nicolas Sarkozy...
Et ceci: Serrer la main de Sarkozy? Non, merci!!
Organisations without borders, a step towards World Government?
Doctors without borders. Journalists without borders. Educators without borders. Librarians without borders. Rivers without borders. Potters without borders. Hydrogeologists without borders. Facilitators without borders. Builders without borders. Life without borders. Students without borders. Veterinarians without borders. Friends without borders. MBAs without borders. Words without borders. Dogs without borders (see here). Mexicans without borders. Slavery without borders. Dumping without borders (see here).
These are only some of the quickly burgeoning groups that share the same last (two) name(s), "without borders."
What is going on here? What accounts for this new "without borders" initiative? What do all these groups have in common? Do they resemble each other in any way apart from choice of appellation? And, where are the "libertarians without borders?"
At first glance, these groups are as dissimilar as they can be. What, after all, do doctors, reporters and Mexicans share apart from their humanity, of course? But, by digging a little deeper we are able, at least, to hazard an informed guess as to what is going on. More..
See also: World food crisis: a conspiracy to reduce world population?
These are only some of the quickly burgeoning groups that share the same last (two) name(s), "without borders."
What is going on here? What accounts for this new "without borders" initiative? What do all these groups have in common? Do they resemble each other in any way apart from choice of appellation? And, where are the "libertarians without borders?"
At first glance, these groups are as dissimilar as they can be. What, after all, do doctors, reporters and Mexicans share apart from their humanity, of course? But, by digging a little deeper we are able, at least, to hazard an informed guess as to what is going on. More..
See also: World food crisis: a conspiracy to reduce world population?
Yosuke, le perroquet avisé...
Yosuke, le perroquet égaré, a retrouvé le chemin de chez lui – en donnant son nom et son adresse. Recueilli par un policier de Nagareyama, dans la banlieue de Tokyo, le volatile a passé la nuit au poste avant d'être confié à une clinique vétérinaire, rapporte le Mainichi Daily News. Le perroquet gris d'Afrique n'a pas ouvert le bec au commissariat, mais a répété inlassablement "je suis M. Yosuke Nakamura" au vétérinaire, en indiquant son domicile, comme le lui avait appris son propriétaire, Yoshio Nakamura.
Source: Courrier international
Tanzania's missing girls...
For five months last year Kim Kitchen, a Canadian expert on sexual violence and community development, lived in a crowded shantytown on the outskirts of the Tanzanian capital of Dar es Salaam while she set up a women's safety program. She began to notice that nightfall was an anxious time for mothers.
"One of the startling realities for me was as the sun started to set I observed the women would start calling in their daughters," said Kitchen. "As the sun set more and more, and daughters hadn't come, the urgency in their calls grew. It was just a matter of fact that every girl has to be in their home after dark."
Across East Africa--once a corridor for merchants trading slaves from the continent's interior for fine cloth, frankincense and spices from the Middle East--conditions are in place for a boom market in the traffic of human beings. Poverty and instability in the region mean many are desperate enough to trade themselves or their children for a ticket out. Tanzania is no exception.
More...
See also: Underage girls and the modelling/porn industry...
And this: Genocide: India's missing daughters...
"One of the startling realities for me was as the sun started to set I observed the women would start calling in their daughters," said Kitchen. "As the sun set more and more, and daughters hadn't come, the urgency in their calls grew. It was just a matter of fact that every girl has to be in their home after dark."
Across East Africa--once a corridor for merchants trading slaves from the continent's interior for fine cloth, frankincense and spices from the Middle East--conditions are in place for a boom market in the traffic of human beings. Poverty and instability in the region mean many are desperate enough to trade themselves or their children for a ticket out. Tanzania is no exception.
More...
See also: Underage girls and the modelling/porn industry...
And this: Genocide: India's missing daughters...
Charges dropped against teen who called Scientology a cult..
Today the City of London Police have dropped the charges against a 16-year-old anti-Scientology protestor for using the word “cult” in a move the human rights group Liberty called a “free speech victory.”
Liberty’s Legal Director James Welch, who is advising the young man, said:
“At last an outbreak of common sense; but pretty worrying for free speech that the police even threatened this young man with prosecution. They may have ended their inquiries into this tawdry incident but rest assured that Liberty’s inquiry will continue.”
“Democracy is all about clashing ideas and the police should protect peaceful protest, not stifle it.”
The anti-Scientology protester, who as a minor cannot be named, was issued a summons by the City of London Police on 10 May for refusing to remove his sign reading: “Scientology is not a religion, it is a dangerous cult.”
The police said that his use of the word “cult” violated Section 5 of the Public Order Act (1986), which makes it an offence to display a sign which is threatening, insulting or abusive, within the hearing or sight of someone likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress by it. The boy was taking part in a group demonstration outside the Church of Scientology’s central London headquarters.
City of London Police today told the youth that they would not be pursuing the prosecution. Liberty is exploring the possibilities of action against the police amid concerns of police policy in this area.
Source: Liberty
See also: Teenager facing prosecution for calling Scientology 'cult'...
And this: Why I fled the Church of Scientology...
Liberty’s Legal Director James Welch, who is advising the young man, said:
“At last an outbreak of common sense; but pretty worrying for free speech that the police even threatened this young man with prosecution. They may have ended their inquiries into this tawdry incident but rest assured that Liberty’s inquiry will continue.”
“Democracy is all about clashing ideas and the police should protect peaceful protest, not stifle it.”
The anti-Scientology protester, who as a minor cannot be named, was issued a summons by the City of London Police on 10 May for refusing to remove his sign reading: “Scientology is not a religion, it is a dangerous cult.”
The police said that his use of the word “cult” violated Section 5 of the Public Order Act (1986), which makes it an offence to display a sign which is threatening, insulting or abusive, within the hearing or sight of someone likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress by it. The boy was taking part in a group demonstration outside the Church of Scientology’s central London headquarters.
City of London Police today told the youth that they would not be pursuing the prosecution. Liberty is exploring the possibilities of action against the police amid concerns of police policy in this area.
Source: Liberty
See also: Teenager facing prosecution for calling Scientology 'cult'...
And this: Why I fled the Church of Scientology...
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Cat turns into a woman!!!
WHAT could be described as a fairy tale turned real on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, as a cat allegedly turned into a middle-aged woman after being hit by a commercial motorcycle (Okada) on Aba/Port Harcourt Expressway.
Nigerian Tribune learnt that three cats were crossing the busy road when the okada ran over one of them which immediately turned into a woman. This strange occurrence quickly attracted people around who descended on the animals. One of them, it was learnt, was able to escape while the third one was beaten to death, still as a cat though.
According to a source who witnessed what happened, the cat-woman said she and the two other cat-fellows had travelled from Abuja to Port Harcourt to kill three people. “The woman said they came to Port Harcourt from Abuja and that they came to kill three people. She said they had succeeded in killing two people, but the third person, whom I guess might be a pastor, was difficult for them and that they were preparing to go back to Abuja,” said the source. More...
See also: Kenya mob burns 15 women to death over witchcraft...
And this: India: 3 young men beat mother to death in exorcism ritual...
Friday, May 23, 2008
At 203 in doggie years, is Bella the mongrel the world's oldest dog ever?
The joy of gnawing on a bone is a distant memory and these days the only walkies she can manage is a potter around the garden.
But that's not bad going considering Bella the Labrador cross is around 29 years old.
That's 203 if every year of a dog's life equals seven human years.
The faithful pet is believed to be the world's oldest living dog and could even be the oldest dog ever.
Unfortunately her owner David Richardson, 76, has no documentation to prove her precise date of birth and so Bella's extraordinary longevity will never enter the record books.
Mr Richardson bought Bella for £70 from an RSPCA rescue centre on June 21, 1982, when she was "about three years old".
They have been companions ever since.
But only this week the pensioner thought he was finally going to lose his faithful old friend.
Bella suddenly fell ill and was unable to walk. More...
See also: Zeeke the dog to receive Bachelor's Degree!!!
And this: The dog and the motherless kittens...
Afrique du Sud: les violences xénophobes se propagent au Cap...
Les violences xénophobes, qui ravagent des townships sud-africains depuis douze jours, se sont pour la première fois propagées à la région du Cap (sud-ouest), a annoncé vendredi la police.
Une réunion publique dans le bidonville de Du Noon, situé à 20 kilomètres au nord de la ville du Cap, a dégénéré en violences, selon un porte-parole de la police locale, Billy Jones.
«Des bandes dans la foule ont commencé à piller des boutiques appartenant à des Zimbabwéens et d'autres étrangers», a-t-il déclaré par téléphone à l'AFP, précisant qu'il s'agissait du premier incident du genre dans les environs du Cap.
«Certaines personnes ont été attaquées, mais ce sont surtout des boutiques qui ont été pillées.»
Quelque 500 immigrés ont fui le bidonville pour se réfugier dans des centres sociaux où ils ont été pris en charge«, a-t-il précisé.
Les incidents ont débuté jeudi vers 18h00 (16h00 GMT) et la police n'a réussi à reprendre le contrôle de la situation que vers 02H00 (00H00 GMT) vendredi, arrêtant 12 personnes pour violence publique.
»La situation s'est stabilisée, mais reste tendue«, a-t-il ajouté, précisant que la police patrouille la zone à pied.
Au moins 42 personnes ont été tuées, des centaines blessées, 16.000 déplacées et plus de 500 arrêtées par la police depuis le début de ces violences le 11 mai à Johannesburg.
Source: leparisien.fr
Voir aussi: Racist violence escalates in South Africa...
Une réunion publique dans le bidonville de Du Noon, situé à 20 kilomètres au nord de la ville du Cap, a dégénéré en violences, selon un porte-parole de la police locale, Billy Jones.
«Des bandes dans la foule ont commencé à piller des boutiques appartenant à des Zimbabwéens et d'autres étrangers», a-t-il déclaré par téléphone à l'AFP, précisant qu'il s'agissait du premier incident du genre dans les environs du Cap.
«Certaines personnes ont été attaquées, mais ce sont surtout des boutiques qui ont été pillées.»
Quelque 500 immigrés ont fui le bidonville pour se réfugier dans des centres sociaux où ils ont été pris en charge«, a-t-il précisé.
Les incidents ont débuté jeudi vers 18h00 (16h00 GMT) et la police n'a réussi à reprendre le contrôle de la situation que vers 02H00 (00H00 GMT) vendredi, arrêtant 12 personnes pour violence publique.
»La situation s'est stabilisée, mais reste tendue«, a-t-il ajouté, précisant que la police patrouille la zone à pied.
Au moins 42 personnes ont été tuées, des centaines blessées, 16.000 déplacées et plus de 500 arrêtées par la police depuis le début de ces violences le 11 mai à Johannesburg.
Source: leparisien.fr
Voir aussi: Racist violence escalates in South Africa...
Australian police shut down a Bill Henson naked child photo exhibit..
A photographic exhibition in Sydney of naked 12 and 13-year-old children, closed by police only hours before its opening night, has sparked a heated debate over whether adolescent nudity is art or pornography.
Police on Thursday night closed the exhibition by Australian photographer Bill Henson which features photographs of naked children, saying they were investigating its legality.
The show includes large photographic prints of topless girls.
"I think they're revolting. Kids deserve to have the innocence of their childhood protected," Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd told local television on Friday.
"I have a very deep view of this. For God sake let's just allow kids to be kids, whatever the artistic view or the merits of that sort of stuff. Frankly I don't think there are any."
Child protection advocate Hetty Johnston said the photographer and exhibitor should both be prosecuted.
"You can call it anything you want, but at the end of the day, these are images of naked adolescents," Johnston said.
"We all have a responsibility to look after children. Putting naked photos up there on public display in a gallery ... and even on the internet is just totally betraying our duty of care to children," Johnston said.
In media interviews ahead of the exhibition, Henson said he left interpretation of the images to audiences.
"You can't control the way individuals respond to the work," he said, saying he photographed adolescents because they reflected a humanity and vulnerability.
Artists and gallery patrons, some of whom were turned away from the gallery on Thursday night, said the shutdown of the photographic exhibition was censorship of art.
Art market analyst Michael Reid said the images had not been "sexualised" and were not pornographic, adding Henson frequently used young adolescent models as part of his range of work.
"I think the sexualisation of children is an extremely important (issue). The naked body, whatever age, has been a subject for thousands of years," Reid told local radio.
"The question is was there consent, which I can't answer, and has the image been sexualised? In my opinion, it wasn't."
Senior curator of photography at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, which has exhibited Henson's work, defended his images.
"I think it is unfortunate if people confuse it with pornography. I think the question then goes back to these people, these rabble rousers, what do they think is pornographic about this work?," said Judy Annear.
Source: Swissinfo.ch
See also: WTF! Five year-old kids kick-boxing Thai style...
And this: Different strokes, or how paedophiles lure kids...
Police on Thursday night closed the exhibition by Australian photographer Bill Henson which features photographs of naked children, saying they were investigating its legality.
The show includes large photographic prints of topless girls.
"I think they're revolting. Kids deserve to have the innocence of their childhood protected," Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd told local television on Friday.
"I have a very deep view of this. For God sake let's just allow kids to be kids, whatever the artistic view or the merits of that sort of stuff. Frankly I don't think there are any."
Child protection advocate Hetty Johnston said the photographer and exhibitor should both be prosecuted.
"You can call it anything you want, but at the end of the day, these are images of naked adolescents," Johnston said.
"We all have a responsibility to look after children. Putting naked photos up there on public display in a gallery ... and even on the internet is just totally betraying our duty of care to children," Johnston said.
In media interviews ahead of the exhibition, Henson said he left interpretation of the images to audiences.
"You can't control the way individuals respond to the work," he said, saying he photographed adolescents because they reflected a humanity and vulnerability.
Artists and gallery patrons, some of whom were turned away from the gallery on Thursday night, said the shutdown of the photographic exhibition was censorship of art.
Art market analyst Michael Reid said the images had not been "sexualised" and were not pornographic, adding Henson frequently used young adolescent models as part of his range of work.
"I think the sexualisation of children is an extremely important (issue). The naked body, whatever age, has been a subject for thousands of years," Reid told local radio.
"The question is was there consent, which I can't answer, and has the image been sexualised? In my opinion, it wasn't."
Senior curator of photography at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, which has exhibited Henson's work, defended his images.
"I think it is unfortunate if people confuse it with pornography. I think the question then goes back to these people, these rabble rousers, what do they think is pornographic about this work?," said Judy Annear.
Source: Swissinfo.ch
See also: WTF! Five year-old kids kick-boxing Thai style...
And this: Different strokes, or how paedophiles lure kids...
Is Israel on the road to oblivion?
When Amnon Rubinstein speaks, many people in Israel listen. As an intellectual who has held the posts of minister of education and of justice, Rubinstein commands the respect of the Israeli elite regardless of their intellectual and political leanings. And yet Rubinstein surprised Israelis when in interview with Hebrew Radio in mid-April he anticipated that the Israeli state would not survive. Rubinstein is not the only person to have reached this conclusion. On the eve of the 60th anniversary of Israel's establishment, Israeli intellectuals teemed with pessimistic predictions about the future. An increasing number of politicians and Zionists have begun to openly express the belief that the entity of Israel is on a path to oblivion.
Since these predictions were made public, the Israeli press has dubbed them "visions of the end of time". They have gained weight because they undermine the appearance of confidence that Israel's leaders are keen to convey at any opportunity, but also because their proponents have played important decision-making roles or have long been connected to the establishment and are not merely members of elite intellectual circles on the margins of society. These intellectuals explain that their conclusion results from three basic factors: external threat; lack of confidence in the state's future; and severe polarisation among society's components. Rubinstein holds that Israel has failed counter Arab threats, in particular failing to extinguish the desire of Palestinians to obtain their rights in struggle against Israel. More...
See also: British Jews: "We're not celebrating Israel's anniversary"
And this: Gaza, a human and Palestinian tragedy...
Since these predictions were made public, the Israeli press has dubbed them "visions of the end of time". They have gained weight because they undermine the appearance of confidence that Israel's leaders are keen to convey at any opportunity, but also because their proponents have played important decision-making roles or have long been connected to the establishment and are not merely members of elite intellectual circles on the margins of society. These intellectuals explain that their conclusion results from three basic factors: external threat; lack of confidence in the state's future; and severe polarisation among society's components. Rubinstein holds that Israel has failed counter Arab threats, in particular failing to extinguish the desire of Palestinians to obtain their rights in struggle against Israel. More...
See also: British Jews: "We're not celebrating Israel's anniversary"
And this: Gaza, a human and Palestinian tragedy...
Boys 'enjoyed' killing two-year-old...
TWO brothers, aged seven and nine, told psychiatrists they slowly, coldly tortured a two-year-old girl to death - a revelation that has Argentines debating whether to do away with a law prohibiting the prosecution of minors for heinous crimes.
Judge Marta Pascual said the children confessed to slaying little neighbour Milagros Belizan in a shantytown south of the capital.
"They understood her pain but it did not move them," Judge Pascualsaid after meeting with psychiatrists who examined the boys. "In some form it gave them pleasure."
Little Milagros disappeared from her home in the poverty-stricken Almirante Brown neighbourhood on Sunday. Her family found her body in a vacant lot 10 blocks away.
She had been stripped naked, beaten and strangled with telephone cord that was found wrapped around her neck. More...
See also: Boys, aged 11, rape (sister) and record it on cell-phone...
Judge Marta Pascual said the children confessed to slaying little neighbour Milagros Belizan in a shantytown south of the capital.
"They understood her pain but it did not move them," Judge Pascualsaid after meeting with psychiatrists who examined the boys. "In some form it gave them pleasure."
Little Milagros disappeared from her home in the poverty-stricken Almirante Brown neighbourhood on Sunday. Her family found her body in a vacant lot 10 blocks away.
She had been stripped naked, beaten and strangled with telephone cord that was found wrapped around her neck. More...
See also: Boys, aged 11, rape (sister) and record it on cell-phone...
WTF! Severed feet keep turning up on B.C.coast...
Another severed foot has washed ashore on the British Columbia coast.
It's the fourth foot that's been found in less than a year, and police don't know if there are any links between them. Const. Nycki Basra of the Richmond RCMP says a passerby contacted police around noon on Thursday after spotting the shoe on Kirkland Island, south of Vancouver.
Like the three other feet, it was firmly nestled in a shoe.
In February, the remains of a right foot was found on the east side of Valdez Island.
Last August, a foot was found inside a man's Reebok sneaker on a heavily-used trail on Gabriola Island, just a few days after another foot was discovered by beachcombers on Jedidiah Island.
Source: The Canadian Press
It's the fourth foot that's been found in less than a year, and police don't know if there are any links between them. Const. Nycki Basra of the Richmond RCMP says a passerby contacted police around noon on Thursday after spotting the shoe on Kirkland Island, south of Vancouver.
Like the three other feet, it was firmly nestled in a shoe.
In February, the remains of a right foot was found on the east side of Valdez Island.
Last August, a foot was found inside a man's Reebok sneaker on a heavily-used trail on Gabriola Island, just a few days after another foot was discovered by beachcombers on Jedidiah Island.
Source: The Canadian Press
What's going on in South Africa?
Feneck Mgawa, a 39-year-old mechanic from Malawi, came to South Africa 18 months ago. He owned a box of tools and got work right away, living modestly in a hovel in a squatter camp and sending cash home each month to his wife and two children.
He was exactly the kind of foreigner the hateful mob wanted to kill.
Last weekend, the marauders came to his shack and looked him over. Just to be sure they were not misdirecting their rage, they asked, "Are you a foreigner?" He spoke enough Zulu to lie, but what was the use? His accent would have given him away. He escaped with his life only after being beaten with sticks and pelted with rocks, he said.
Mgawa is now one of 6,000 immigrants displaced in recent days by xenophobic violence in Reiger Park, just east of Johannesburg. Like many of the others, he is afraid to return to his shack or go to his job. He sleeps on the floor of a church and eats sandwiches and porridge donated by South Africans who are appalled at the murderous behavior of their countrymen. More...
See also: Racist violence escalates in South Africa...
And this: The Coltan War
Western Shugden members protest during Dalai Lama's speech in Germany...
Against the chilling backdrop of the Zeppelin Field, where Hitler addressed the vast Nazi rallies in the 30’s, the Dalai Lama gave a talk at the Arena Versicherung in Nürnberg, Germany on Sunday May 18.
While he lectured his audience on human rights and the importance of religious tolerance, outside hundreds of victims of his own human rights abuses and religious intolerance demonstrated to bring his duplicity to the attention of the world.
In then persecuting those who refuse to follow him in his betrayal, threatening to “knock on their doors” if they do not comply, and condemning those who retain the practice to the status of “untouchables” within the exiled Tibetan community, he has shown himself to be a tyrant who is prepared to create schisms among his own people and use fear and intimidation to retain his grip on political power. More...
See also: The Dalai Lama and Dorje Shugden...
And this: The Western Shugden Society attacks the Dalai Lama...
While he lectured his audience on human rights and the importance of religious tolerance, outside hundreds of victims of his own human rights abuses and religious intolerance demonstrated to bring his duplicity to the attention of the world.
In then persecuting those who refuse to follow him in his betrayal, threatening to “knock on their doors” if they do not comply, and condemning those who retain the practice to the status of “untouchables” within the exiled Tibetan community, he has shown himself to be a tyrant who is prepared to create schisms among his own people and use fear and intimidation to retain his grip on political power. More...
See also: The Dalai Lama and Dorje Shugden...
And this: The Western Shugden Society attacks the Dalai Lama...
Thursday, May 22, 2008
‘Big Brother’ database for phones and e-mails...
A massive government database holding details of every phone call, e-mail and time spent on the internet by the public is being planned as part of the fight against crime and terrorism. Internet service providers (ISPs) and telecoms companies would hand over the records to the Home Office under plans put forward by officials.
The information would be held for at least 12 months and the police and security services would be able to access it if given permission from the courts.
The proposal will raise further alarm about a “Big Brother” society, as it follows plans for vast databases for the ID cards scheme and NHS patients. There will also be concern about the ability of the Government to manage a system holding billions of records. About 57 billion text messages were sent in Britain last year, while an estimated 3 billion e-mails are sent every day. More...
See also: Microchips Everywhere: a Future Vision...
And this: Big Brother is Here, There and Everywhere...
The information would be held for at least 12 months and the police and security services would be able to access it if given permission from the courts.
The proposal will raise further alarm about a “Big Brother” society, as it follows plans for vast databases for the ID cards scheme and NHS patients. There will also be concern about the ability of the Government to manage a system holding billions of records. About 57 billion text messages were sent in Britain last year, while an estimated 3 billion e-mails are sent every day. More...
See also: Microchips Everywhere: a Future Vision...
And this: Big Brother is Here, There and Everywhere...
" Le silence des autres", le livre de Lydia Gouardo, sort aujourd'hui...
Violée par son père dont elle a eu six enfants, Lydia Gouardo témoigne dans « le Silence des autres » . Un livre dont nous publions des extraits.
INCROYABLE. Ce mot, Lydia Gouardo, 45 ans, l'a tellement entendu qu'elle n'a pas cherché à le combattre. Jusque-là.
Car à lire son livre qui paraît aujourd'hui* et dont nous publions des extraits, on ne peut que croire à l'histoire. Et trembler. Trente-sept années de sévices, de coups, de viols, infligés par un père qui lui fit six enfants. Trente-sept années de conditionnement mental dans la terreur des autres, de l'abandon, droguée à l'éther quand elle se rebellait, séquestrée quand elle fuguait. Une vie sans école, sans ami, sans un frère et une soeur qui étaient, eux, parvenus à s'échapper, sans autre repère que ce père monstrueux. Si bien que Lydia écrit ces mots terribles : « A l'époque, je pensais vraiment que mon père avait tous les droits parce que j'étais sa fille. Je pensais surtout que la vie c'était comme ça et qu'il ne fallait compter sur personne, à part sur sa famille. »
Dans ce livre, fidèle à elle-même, Lydia dit tout, sans faux-semblant ni calcul. Au travers de ce récit, tricoté - avec peine - par Jean-Michel Caradec'h, on comprend l'incroyable enchaînement qui a permis à Raymond Gouardo, « le Vieux », de terroriser et de museler famille, proches et voisins. On comprend moins l'absence de réponse des institutions, le nouveau cheval de bataille de Lydia et de son compagnon Sylvain.
Source...
Voir aussi: Lydia Gouardo: Les services sociaux se mobilisent enfin...
Et ceci: Comme Elisabeth Fritzl à Amstetten, voici Lydia Gouardo en France...
INCROYABLE. Ce mot, Lydia Gouardo, 45 ans, l'a tellement entendu qu'elle n'a pas cherché à le combattre. Jusque-là.
Car à lire son livre qui paraît aujourd'hui* et dont nous publions des extraits, on ne peut que croire à l'histoire. Et trembler. Trente-sept années de sévices, de coups, de viols, infligés par un père qui lui fit six enfants. Trente-sept années de conditionnement mental dans la terreur des autres, de l'abandon, droguée à l'éther quand elle se rebellait, séquestrée quand elle fuguait. Une vie sans école, sans ami, sans un frère et une soeur qui étaient, eux, parvenus à s'échapper, sans autre repère que ce père monstrueux. Si bien que Lydia écrit ces mots terribles : « A l'époque, je pensais vraiment que mon père avait tous les droits parce que j'étais sa fille. Je pensais surtout que la vie c'était comme ça et qu'il ne fallait compter sur personne, à part sur sa famille. »
Dans ce livre, fidèle à elle-même, Lydia dit tout, sans faux-semblant ni calcul. Au travers de ce récit, tricoté - avec peine - par Jean-Michel Caradec'h, on comprend l'incroyable enchaînement qui a permis à Raymond Gouardo, « le Vieux », de terroriser et de museler famille, proches et voisins. On comprend moins l'absence de réponse des institutions, le nouveau cheval de bataille de Lydia et de son compagnon Sylvain.
Source...
Voir aussi: Lydia Gouardo: Les services sociaux se mobilisent enfin...
Et ceci: Comme Elisabeth Fritzl à Amstetten, voici Lydia Gouardo en France...
Kenya mob burns 15 women to death over witchcraft...
A rampaging mob in western Kenya burnt 15 women accused of witchcraft to death, a local official and villagers told AFP Wednesday.
"This is unacceptable. People must not take the law into their own hands simply because they suspected someone," said Mwangi Ngunyi, the head of Nyamaiya district. "We will hunt the suspects down," he added.
The gang of about 100 people moved from house to house late Tuesday, tied up their victims and set them ablaze, the official said.
Ngunyi added that the mob also torched 50 houses in Nyakeo village, located some 300 kilometres (180 miles) northwest of the capital Nairobi.
"I can't believe my wife of many years would be killed so brutally by people who cannot prove their case even before God," said Enoch Obiero, a pastor.
"My mother has always been a role model to the entire village and why the mob had to kill her will remain a mystery to me forever," lamented 32-year-old Emily Monari.
The region, populated mainly by the Kisii tribe, has been dubbed Kenya's "sorcery belt" due to mob attacks on women suspected of witchcraft.
Efforts by the authorities to clamp down on vigilante and mob justice have been unsuccessful.
Dozens of suspected people were killed in western Kenya in the 1990s, amid allegations of sorcery.
Several cases were also reported in recent months in neighbouring Tanzania, forcing President Jakaya Kikwete to order special protection for albino, who were being murdered and mutilated for good luck by with-doctors.
Source: Breitbart.com
See also: Wasn't the Inquisition bad enough?
And this: India: 3 young men beat mother to death in exorcism ritual...
"This is unacceptable. People must not take the law into their own hands simply because they suspected someone," said Mwangi Ngunyi, the head of Nyamaiya district. "We will hunt the suspects down," he added.
The gang of about 100 people moved from house to house late Tuesday, tied up their victims and set them ablaze, the official said.
Ngunyi added that the mob also torched 50 houses in Nyakeo village, located some 300 kilometres (180 miles) northwest of the capital Nairobi.
"I can't believe my wife of many years would be killed so brutally by people who cannot prove their case even before God," said Enoch Obiero, a pastor.
"My mother has always been a role model to the entire village and why the mob had to kill her will remain a mystery to me forever," lamented 32-year-old Emily Monari.
The region, populated mainly by the Kisii tribe, has been dubbed Kenya's "sorcery belt" due to mob attacks on women suspected of witchcraft.
Efforts by the authorities to clamp down on vigilante and mob justice have been unsuccessful.
Dozens of suspected people were killed in western Kenya in the 1990s, amid allegations of sorcery.
Several cases were also reported in recent months in neighbouring Tanzania, forcing President Jakaya Kikwete to order special protection for albino, who were being murdered and mutilated for good luck by with-doctors.
Source: Breitbart.com
See also: Wasn't the Inquisition bad enough?
And this: India: 3 young men beat mother to death in exorcism ritual...
Man.Utd: Kings of England, Kings of Europe!!!
Manchester United's victorious players are returning to England with the Champions League trophy after their thrilling win over Chelsea in Moscow.
The United squad celebrated the penalty shoot-out win well into the early hours at a party in their hotel.
BBC sports news correspondent James Pearce said the party had gone on until 1000 local time, and the team's return has been put back by at least an hour.
Meanwhile, Chelsea have already begun their trip back to Gatwick airport.
In a dramatic final, Manchester United took the lead through Ronaldo before Frank Lampard equalised for Chelsea. More...
See also: Manchester United: the greatest team ever?
And this: Manchester United clinch 17th. English League title...
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Amstetten:Elisabeth Fritzl taught maths and grammar to her dungeon kids...
Elisabeth Fritzl taught her children maths and grammar while she was incarcerated in her father's dungeon, her lawyer said.
Christoph Herbst told a Channel 4 documentary that Elisabeth has not decided whether to seek compensation from her father for his years of abuse.
The family are also undecided about changing their identity.
In his first British TV interview, the lawyer told how Elisabeth's five-year-old son, Felix, recently saw a thunderstorm for the first time.
He said the family live a "more or less regular life" in the Austrian hospital they have lived in since the authorities discovered that Josef Fritzl had locked up his secret family in the cellar.
He said: "They rise at about six or seven in the morning. Then they have breakfast together.
"They get the breakfast from the hospital... Then they sit together at a large table and talk, discuss and make jokes.
"Then everybody does their own thing. They play on the computer, they read books, do some drawings, whatever they want ... It's very amazing to watch the family because they behave like a normal family."
He said of the children: "Elisabeth tried to educate the children in the dungeon. They had lessons, they learned grammar, they learned the language, mathematics.
"So they have been raised very well, they are very well behaved....I think Elisabeth tried to give them a structure and a good life under the circumstances in the dungeon."
He told The Secrets of the Austrian Cellar that Elisabeth gets on "very well" with the three children who were taken away from her to live upstairs with their father.
But it was "difficult" for the children whose normal lives have been disrupted by the media attention.
Source:Mailonline
See also: The Fritzl victims in Amstetten: the future looks bleak...
And this: Amstetten: police involved in the Fritzl case traumatised and in need of counselling...
Christoph Herbst told a Channel 4 documentary that Elisabeth has not decided whether to seek compensation from her father for his years of abuse.
The family are also undecided about changing their identity.
In his first British TV interview, the lawyer told how Elisabeth's five-year-old son, Felix, recently saw a thunderstorm for the first time.
He said the family live a "more or less regular life" in the Austrian hospital they have lived in since the authorities discovered that Josef Fritzl had locked up his secret family in the cellar.
He said: "They rise at about six or seven in the morning. Then they have breakfast together.
"They get the breakfast from the hospital... Then they sit together at a large table and talk, discuss and make jokes.
"Then everybody does their own thing. They play on the computer, they read books, do some drawings, whatever they want ... It's very amazing to watch the family because they behave like a normal family."
He said of the children: "Elisabeth tried to educate the children in the dungeon. They had lessons, they learned grammar, they learned the language, mathematics.
"So they have been raised very well, they are very well behaved....I think Elisabeth tried to give them a structure and a good life under the circumstances in the dungeon."
He told The Secrets of the Austrian Cellar that Elisabeth gets on "very well" with the three children who were taken away from her to live upstairs with their father.
But it was "difficult" for the children whose normal lives have been disrupted by the media attention.
Source:Mailonline
See also: The Fritzl victims in Amstetten: the future looks bleak...
And this: Amstetten: police involved in the Fritzl case traumatised and in need of counselling...
Edward Smith,the man who has had sex with more than 1000 cars!!!
Edward Smith, who lives with his current "girlfriend" – a white Volkswagen Beetle named Vanilla, insisted that he was not "sick" and had no desire to change his ways.
"I appreciate beauty and I go a little bit beyond appreciating the beauty of a car only to the point of what I feel is an expression of love," he said.
"Maybe I'm a little bit off the wall but when I see movies like Herbie and Knight Rider, where cars become loveable, huggable characters it's just wonderful. More...
See also: Man who had sex with a table is free!!!
And this: WTF! Man caught screwing vacuum cleaner!!!
One country's waste,another country's feast...
Grocery bills are rising through the roof. Food banks are running short of donations. And food shortages are causing sporadic riots in poor countries through the world.
You’d never know it if you saw what was ending up in your landfill. As it turns out, Americans waste an astounding amount of food — an estimated 27 percent of the food available for consumption, according to a government study — and it happens at the supermarket, in restaurants and cafeterias and in your very own kitchen. It works out to about a pound of food every day for every American.
After President Bush said recently that India’s burgeoning middle class was helping to push up food prices by demanding better food, officials in India complained that not only do Americans eat too much — if they slimmed down to the weight of middle-class Indians, said one, “many people in sub-Saharan Africa would find food on their plate” — but they also throw out too much food. Full story...
See also: What a waste... my family is throwing away £1,800 worth of food a year...
And this: How much food do you throw away?
You’d never know it if you saw what was ending up in your landfill. As it turns out, Americans waste an astounding amount of food — an estimated 27 percent of the food available for consumption, according to a government study — and it happens at the supermarket, in restaurants and cafeterias and in your very own kitchen. It works out to about a pound of food every day for every American.
After President Bush said recently that India’s burgeoning middle class was helping to push up food prices by demanding better food, officials in India complained that not only do Americans eat too much — if they slimmed down to the weight of middle-class Indians, said one, “many people in sub-Saharan Africa would find food on their plate” — but they also throw out too much food. Full story...
See also: What a waste... my family is throwing away £1,800 worth of food a year...
And this: How much food do you throw away?
Are Led Zeppelin rip-off artists?
A short compilation of just a few songs that Led Zeppelin didn't write but originally credited themselves with doing so. Among those are "Whole Lotta Love", "Dazed and Confused", "I Can't Quit You, Baby" and more. Since the release of these songs, many artists have settled in our or out of court to receive credit for the songs Led Zeppelin ripped off.
Yosuke,the lost parrot that told the vet his address...
When Yosuke the parrot flew out of his cage and got lost, he did exactly what he had been taught — recite his name and address to a stranger willing to help.
Police rescued the African grey parrot two weeks ago from a neighbor's roof in the city of Nagareyama, near Tokyo. After spending a night at the station, he was transferred to a nearby veterinary hospital while police searched for clues, local policeman Shinjiro Uemura said.
He kept mum with the cops, but began chatting after a few days with the vet.
"I'm Mr. Yosuke Nakamura," the bird told the veterinarian, according to Uemura. The parrot also provided his full home address, down to the street number, and even entertained the hospital staff by singing songs.
"We checked the address, and what do you know, a Nakamura family really lived there. So we told them we've found Yosuke," Uemura said.
The Nakamura family told police they had been teaching the bird its name and address for about two years.
But Yosuke apparently wasn't keen on opening up to police officials.
"I tried to be friendly and talked to him, but he completely ignored me," Uemura said.
Source: Yahoo!News
Police rescued the African grey parrot two weeks ago from a neighbor's roof in the city of Nagareyama, near Tokyo. After spending a night at the station, he was transferred to a nearby veterinary hospital while police searched for clues, local policeman Shinjiro Uemura said.
He kept mum with the cops, but began chatting after a few days with the vet.
"I'm Mr. Yosuke Nakamura," the bird told the veterinarian, according to Uemura. The parrot also provided his full home address, down to the street number, and even entertained the hospital staff by singing songs.
"We checked the address, and what do you know, a Nakamura family really lived there. So we told them we've found Yosuke," Uemura said.
The Nakamura family told police they had been teaching the bird its name and address for about two years.
But Yosuke apparently wasn't keen on opening up to police officials.
"I tried to be friendly and talked to him, but he completely ignored me," Uemura said.
Source: Yahoo!News
Giving up milk and dairy products results in better health...
Mike Adams: I gave up milk years ago, and after doing so, my sinuses cleared up, digestion was much easier, I had more energy, less fatigue. It was an amazing transformation.
Robert Cohen: Well, it's something you noticed, and it's something anybody will notice right away. You can read the propaganda from the dairy industry, and you can go to my website, http://www.notmilk.com, and read. I've written a column every day for the last 5 years. But when it comes down to it, you are your best doctor. Try seven days -- don't eat any dairy products -- no milk or cheese -- 7 days. And on day 8, go treat yourself to pizza, and have ice cream for dessert, see what happens on day 9.
Mike Adams: If you dare, right?
Robert Cohen: Well, during the first 7 days, the mucus, the phlegm -- you're going to lose three to four quarts of mucus that are clogging your kidney, spleen, pancreas -- all your internal organs. You don't even know it's there! Because it's what the average American eats every day. When you cleanse yourself, it's like a fog lifts out of your body. More...
Robert Cohen: Well, it's something you noticed, and it's something anybody will notice right away. You can read the propaganda from the dairy industry, and you can go to my website, http://www.notmilk.com, and read. I've written a column every day for the last 5 years. But when it comes down to it, you are your best doctor. Try seven days -- don't eat any dairy products -- no milk or cheese -- 7 days. And on day 8, go treat yourself to pizza, and have ice cream for dessert, see what happens on day 9.
Mike Adams: If you dare, right?
Robert Cohen: Well, during the first 7 days, the mucus, the phlegm -- you're going to lose three to four quarts of mucus that are clogging your kidney, spleen, pancreas -- all your internal organs. You don't even know it's there! Because it's what the average American eats every day. When you cleanse yourself, it's like a fog lifts out of your body. More...
See also:
World food crisis: a conspiracy to reduce world population?
Food protests and riots have swept more than 20 countries in the past few months, including Egypt.
On 2 April, World Bank President Robert Zoellick told a meeting in Washington that there are 33 countries where price hikes could cause widespread social unrest. The UN World Food Programme called the crisis the silent tsunami, with wheat prices almost doubling in the past year alone, and stocks falling to the lowest level since the perilous post-WWII days. One billion people live on less than $1 a day. Some 850 million are starving. Meanwhile, world food production increased a mere 1 per cent in 2006, and, with increasing amounts of output going to biofuels, per capita consumption is declining.
The most commonly stated reasons include rising fuel costs, global warming, deterioration of soils, and increased demand in China and India. So is it all just a case of hard luck and poor planning?
There is just too much of a pattern, and too many elements all pointing in the same direction. Anyone following the news will have heard of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), which first met in 1921, and the group that represents the inner circle within the inner circle, the Bilderberg Group, which first met in 1954. The latter, once a highly secretive organisation bringing together select world political and business leaders, was exposed to the media spotlight in 1990s and since then has had to endure increasing criticism for its, to say the least, undemocratic role in shaping political leaders’ thinking and actions in accordance with the desires of the world business elite.
The US has never been shy about flaunting world opinion. A case in point is its sole “nay” to multiple UN General Assembly and conference resolutions which declare that “health care and proper nourishment are human rights.” The resolution was approved by a vote of 135-1 in 1981 under president Ronald Reagan, and at UN-sponsored food summits by similar margins in 1996 under president Bill Clinton and in 2002 under President George W. Bush, dismissing any “right to food.” More...
See also: The poor suffer, the multinationals make record profits...
And this: The food crisis in photos...
On 2 April, World Bank President Robert Zoellick told a meeting in Washington that there are 33 countries where price hikes could cause widespread social unrest. The UN World Food Programme called the crisis the silent tsunami, with wheat prices almost doubling in the past year alone, and stocks falling to the lowest level since the perilous post-WWII days. One billion people live on less than $1 a day. Some 850 million are starving. Meanwhile, world food production increased a mere 1 per cent in 2006, and, with increasing amounts of output going to biofuels, per capita consumption is declining.
The most commonly stated reasons include rising fuel costs, global warming, deterioration of soils, and increased demand in China and India. So is it all just a case of hard luck and poor planning?
There is just too much of a pattern, and too many elements all pointing in the same direction. Anyone following the news will have heard of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), which first met in 1921, and the group that represents the inner circle within the inner circle, the Bilderberg Group, which first met in 1954. The latter, once a highly secretive organisation bringing together select world political and business leaders, was exposed to the media spotlight in 1990s and since then has had to endure increasing criticism for its, to say the least, undemocratic role in shaping political leaders’ thinking and actions in accordance with the desires of the world business elite.
The US has never been shy about flaunting world opinion. A case in point is its sole “nay” to multiple UN General Assembly and conference resolutions which declare that “health care and proper nourishment are human rights.” The resolution was approved by a vote of 135-1 in 1981 under president Ronald Reagan, and at UN-sponsored food summits by similar margins in 1996 under president Bill Clinton and in 2002 under President George W. Bush, dismissing any “right to food.” More...
See also: The poor suffer, the multinationals make record profits...
And this: The food crisis in photos...
30 mins before the 2008 Sichuan earthquake in China...
D'étranges lueurs dans le ciel de Sichuan 30 minutes avant le tremblement de terre...
Looking for a new kind of pet? How about a mini pig?
A Devon fun farm is reaping the rewards of a nine-year breeding programme for miniature pigs.
The pigs, which are about a fifth of the size of ordinary pigs, have been a hit with visitors at Pennywell Farm.
TV celebrity Jonathan Ross bought two of the pint-sized porkers as pets at £150 each and there have even been offers from as far away as Australia.
The pocket pigs are a variant of the rare kune kune breed, which are found in New Zealand.
Chris Murray, co-owner of the farm near Buckfastleigh, began cross-breeding the pigs nine years ago and believes he has the perfect pet pig. More...
See also: WTF! Pets being abandoned for stupid reasons...
And this: Teacup dogs, the latest Japanese trend?
Tanya Andersen, the new Superhero in town...
I always used to get p!ssed when they added girl superheroes just because the male version sold so well, it was the companie’s way of trying to get girls interested in comics and action figures too, for example after Superman came Supergirl, Batman -> Batgirl (like Catwoman wasn’t enough, the only good thing about batgirl was… we got to see Alicia Silverstone in leather), even the Hulk got She Hulk (Fer F*cks sake!) but it’s with pleasure I introduce you to the newest superhero in town: Tanya Andersen.
At first glance one might wonder what makes her a superhero… after all she is in her 40’s, single mother, has a small preteen daughter and is physically disabled, a highly unlikely candidate BUT appearances can be deceptive (if you have seen enough cartoons you should know that by now), it’s not so much the appearance of the superhero but the powers they have and the enemies they face that makes one a superhero. More...
See also: Bad Day For The RIAA:Tanya Andersen and Jammie Thomas...
And this: Tanya Andersen wins her battle against the RIAA!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Thomas Beatie, the world's first pregnant "man..."
Thomas Beatie, 34, was born a woman then began the process of changing sex, before halting the procedure to allow himself to be artificially inseminated using an anonymous donor’s sperm.
Mr Beatie is officially male and lives with his wife Nancy, 45, in Oregon, USA, but is carrying a baby and is due to give birth to it in six weeks.
He said: “We’re a happy couple deeply in love. My belly is growing with a new life inside me. I am stable and confident being the man I am.”
However, he added: “I always feel so bloated. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as man-ternity clothes.”
Mr Beatie, who was born Tracey Lagondino, began the sex change 10 years ago, with injections of the male hormone testosterone, which prompted the growth of thicker facial hair, and had a double mastectomy.
His pregnancy became public in March, when he was interviewed by Oprah Winfrey on her US television programme.
The couple have tried for children before but failed.
In 2006, he became pregnant with triplets but miscarried under intense criticism from his family, including his brother who said: “Who knows what kind of monster it would have been?”
Source: Telegraph.co.uk
See also: Thomas Beatie, the pregnant man!!!
And this: 10-year old gives birth!!!
US cop jailed for 102 years for faking robberies as raids...
A former Los Angeles police officer who took part in home robberies staged to look like police raids has been sentenced to 102 years in prison.
William Ferguson was convicted of participating in more than 40 phoney raids from early 1999 to June 2001 at homes in working-class neighbourhoods while he worked at the department's scandal-ridden Rampart Division.
In January, a federal jury convicted him of conspiracy to deprive people of their civil rights, conspiracy to possess marijuana and cocaine, violating the civil rights of others and using a firearm during a violent crime.
Ferguson's sentence was so severe because he was convicted of four firearms charges which carry a mandatory sentence of 82 years in prison.
US District Judge Gary Allen Feess said that US Congress passed such sentencing laws "because they don't trust people like me".
"It's not a reasonable sentence," he said.
After the hearing, Assistant US Attorney Douglas Miller said prosecutors were pleased.
Ferguson's lawyer, Philip Deitch, said it was unfair and violated the Eighth Amendment of the US Constitution which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment.
"He's going to be 147 years old when he gets out," Deitch said.
"He's probably not going to see his children again."
Deitch said Ferguson was unfairly punished because prosecutors would not give him a plea agreement unless he testified against his brother Joseph Ferguson, an ex-Long Beach officer.
Otherwise, his client would have pleaded guilty long ago, he said.
Joseph Ferguson, 33, was convicted of charges that included conspiring to violate civil rights and conspiring to possess drugs with the intent to distribute them. He was sentenced earlier this month to more than eight years in prison.
Besides the Ferguson brothers, 15 other people have pleaded guilty or were convicted in the case, including lawmen from other departments.
Two others who have been indicted are fugitives.
Source: ninemsn
See also: Philadelphia cops involved in taped beatings to be fired...
And this: Rate my cop...
William Ferguson was convicted of participating in more than 40 phoney raids from early 1999 to June 2001 at homes in working-class neighbourhoods while he worked at the department's scandal-ridden Rampart Division.
In January, a federal jury convicted him of conspiracy to deprive people of their civil rights, conspiracy to possess marijuana and cocaine, violating the civil rights of others and using a firearm during a violent crime.
Ferguson's sentence was so severe because he was convicted of four firearms charges which carry a mandatory sentence of 82 years in prison.
US District Judge Gary Allen Feess said that US Congress passed such sentencing laws "because they don't trust people like me".
"It's not a reasonable sentence," he said.
After the hearing, Assistant US Attorney Douglas Miller said prosecutors were pleased.
Ferguson's lawyer, Philip Deitch, said it was unfair and violated the Eighth Amendment of the US Constitution which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment.
"He's going to be 147 years old when he gets out," Deitch said.
"He's probably not going to see his children again."
Deitch said Ferguson was unfairly punished because prosecutors would not give him a plea agreement unless he testified against his brother Joseph Ferguson, an ex-Long Beach officer.
Otherwise, his client would have pleaded guilty long ago, he said.
Joseph Ferguson, 33, was convicted of charges that included conspiring to violate civil rights and conspiring to possess drugs with the intent to distribute them. He was sentenced earlier this month to more than eight years in prison.
Besides the Ferguson brothers, 15 other people have pleaded guilty or were convicted in the case, including lawmen from other departments.
Two others who have been indicted are fugitives.
Source: ninemsn
See also: Philadelphia cops involved in taped beatings to be fired...
And this: Rate my cop...
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