Over 100 German soldiers arrived in Israel earlier this month to participate in the largest joint military exercise ever held between the two countries, Ha'aretzreported on Wednesday.
The Israeli and German armies have conducted joint exercises in urban combat in recent weeks — the largest joint training ever between the two countries.
Over a hundred German soldiers arrived in Israel three weeks ago to train at the Tze'elim army base in the south. In addition to infantry and logistics troops, Germany sent five heavy military vehicles. …
The 110 German soldiers from the 1st Panzer Division were joined by the deputy divisional commander, Brig. Gen. Ernst-Peter Horn. During his stay he visited Yad Vashem; he said he felt a duty to visit the Holocaust research center and memorial on his first visit to the country.
The German soldiers arrived three weeks ago and are scheduled to return home on Friday.
During her visit to Israel this past May, German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen talked about the close security relationship between her country and the Jewish state. Israel has purchased five Dolphin class submarines from Germany and is looking to purchase a sixth.
In June, 100 German business leaders visited Israel to mark 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. That same month, a German computer institute announced plans to open a cyber-security center in Israel.
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great mates..
“During her visit to Israel this past May, German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen talked about the close security relationship between her country and the Jewish state. Israel has purchased five Dolphin class submarines from Germany and is looking to purchase a sixth.”
Ukraine's Western allies are preparing to accelerate planned changes to the International Monetary Fund's lending policies to prevent Russia from stymieing the country's $25 billion financial rescue package.
Ukraine's economy has suffered drastically over the past year or so, in large part due to a still-simmering conflict with Russia-backed separatists in the east.
The Kremlin has rejected Ukraine's invitation to participate in a debt restructuring, and Kiev has said it won't be able to pay all of the $3 billion due to Moscow by the end of the year. That could jeopardize Ukraine's $17 billion IMF bailout and other Western aid that is tied to it, because IMF policy prohibits it from lending to countries that are in arrears to other governments.
But the U.S. and other Western shareholders are preparing next month to change the policy so that the IMF could move ahead with its bailout for Ukraine even if Kiev defaults on some loans to Russia, according to people familiar with the matter.
Ukraine Finance Minister Natalie Jaresko told The Wall Street Journal that Russia's participation in the debt restructuring is an opportunity to "depoliticize the issue, as it offers the same treatment as our other bondholders."
In comments after meetings with international officials, Ms. Jaresko signaled the IMF likely wouldn't let the Russian bond "interfere with the program."
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similar to what the world bank did for greece recently..if you are a “special” country you get special rules..you dont default for one..even though you are broke..
“But the U.S. and other Western shareholders are preparing next month to change the policy so that the IMF could move ahead with its bailout for Ukraine even if Kiev defaults on some loans to Russia, according to people familiar with the matter.”
An international team of Earth scientists has used eight Earth system model simulations of climate under the Geoengineering Model Intercomparison Project to predict the change in the number of hurricanes and other types of tropical storms that would occur over the next fifty years if sulfate aerosols were injected into the atmosphere to mitigate the impact of global warming. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers describe the models and what they showed and suggest that such injections if done on a massive scale, might prove moderately effective—though they note that a different type of aerosol would have to be used to prevent harm to the ozone layer.
As the planet keeps warming and efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions enough to make a difference fail, scientist have begun turning to other ways to mitigate problems in the future related to warmer temperatures and higher ocean levels, such as an increase in the number and intensity of hurricanes. One such technique that has been discussed in public forums, is injecting aerosols into the atmosphere in areas where tropical storms form—the shadowing effect would cool the air above the ocean preventing such storms from forming. In this new effort, the researchers used standard oceanographic models to attempt to learn whether such a technique might be viable.
After inputting data meant to model an injection of sulfate aerosols over the next 50 years, in two different ways, the researchers found that the idea would likely work, but not as well as might be expected. The first modeled the impact of a volcano eruption-sized amount of aerosol injection while the second sought to mimic an increase in injection amounts to match the projected increase of greenhouse gas emissions. Because the second approach appeared to be the more likely outcome in real life, the researchers used that model to make their predictions. They found that if approximately 10 billion tons of such aerosols were pumped into the atmosphere annually, the result would be a halving of Katrina-sized hurricanes over the next half century. They equate it to mimicking a Pinatubo-sized eruption every two years—something they describe as very expensive, but doable.
Of course, they note, there is no chance that such injections will begin anytime soon, because injecting that much sulfate aerosols into the atmosphere would destroy the ozone layer. But, their findings do suggest that if another, safer aerosol could be found, such a technique might prove viable.
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do you really think if they know they can do this that they havent done it already?
“An international team of Earth scientists has used eight Earth system model simulations of climate under the Geoengineering Model Intercomparison Project to predict the change in the number of hurricanes and other types of tropical storms that would occur over the next fifty years if sulfate aerosols were injected into the atmosphere to mitigate the impact of global warming.”
firstly..what exactly are “earth scientists”?
oh the models said it would work..it must be legit then!
“They found that if approximately 10 billion tons of such aerosols were pumped into the atmosphere annually, the result would be a halving of Katrina-sized hurricanes over the next half century.”
Stefanie Tompkins, a geologist and director of DARPA's Defense Sciences Office, envisions building substances from the atomic or molecular level up to create "impossible" materials with previously unattainable capabilities.
Pam Melroy, an aerospace engineer, former astronaut and current deputy director of DARPA's Tactical Technologies Office, foresees technologies that would enable machines to collaborate with humans as partners on tasks far more complex than those we can tackle today.
Justin Sanchez, a neuroscientist and program manager in DARPA's Biological Technologies Office, imagines a world where neurotechnologies could enable users to interact with their environment and other people by thought alone.
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freaks..
“imagines a world where neurotechnologies could enable users to interact with their environment and other people by thought alone.”
Muslims in Egypt snuck inside of a Christian family’s home. They entered a room where they saw a nine year old boy sleeping. They stole the boy and left a cell phone in his place. The father entered the room only to find his son missing. His twelve year old daughter told him that the phone had been ringing. The phone rang again. The father answered. A Muslim man told him that they had his son and wanted 200,000 Egyptian pounds (EGP). The father, utterly heartbroken, eventually paid the money and received his son. According to the report:
A group kidnapped a five-year-old boy, Kastor Amir Bushra, from Dafash village in Upper Egypt on the morning of 21 October. They scaled the rear wall of the home owned by his father, Amir Bushra, and broke into the apartment on the second floor. They then went to the child’s bedroom where he, his 12-year-old sister and 9-year-old brother slept.
Taking the boy, they left a mobile phone on his bed and fled the house.
The kidnappers later contacted the child’s father through the mobile phone demanding a ransom of 200,000 EGP (over £16,000) in exchange for his son.
“At 4:00 am, I woke up from my sleep when my daughter Nada knocked on the door of my room, she told me that she found a mobile ringing on the bed of her brothers. I took the mobile from her and answered the call. Someone told me that he kidnapped Kastor from his room and asked me to pay 200,000 EGP to return the child,” Bushra told ICC.
“I rushed to Kastor’s room and I was shocked when I didn’t find him on his bed. I then headed to the police station of Samatout first thing in the morning and filed a formal report with the Samalout Administrative Court.”
Despite Bushra contacting the police, they did nothing.
“Although I gave the police all the details of the call, the cellphone number which called me, but they still didn’t help us, they didn’t even follow up the phone call, try to identify the caller or arrest the kidnappers,” he said.
The family decided to pool resources and paid the kidnappers a negotiated fee of 45,000 EGP for the return of Bushra’s son. The exchange was successful and Kastor was returned to his father.
Fr. Estafanous Shehata, lead priest in Samalout Diocese, told International Christian Concern that cases of abduction are not uncommon in Egypt, particularly in the Christian community, and blamed government failure to hold perpetrators to account.
“Most of the kidnapping Christian cases occurring in Minya indicate the weakness and inaction of the security which is the arm of the state to impose its prestige, in light of the perpetrators’s impunity which leads to repetition of these kidnapping cases,” he said.
In some kidnapping cases, ransoms have been paid but the abductee has not been returned, either having been killed or sold.
The last statement in the report, written by Florence Taylor, is very true. Many times in these cases, the parents will pay the money and they will murder the son anyway. There are so many Christians to help in this dark world. We are right now helping Christians who are being murdered and raped in Pakistan and Iraq, and Christians in Mexico who are being slaughtered by the demonic cartels in Mexico. Please help these Christians and make a donation today that will save Christian lives.
A Muslim woman in Egypt concluded that Islam is a false religion and decided to become Christian. She entered a church to be baptized, but before the baptism could commence, a mob of Muslims charged inside and kidnapped her. They then attacked a Christian man named Mina and stabbed him in the stomach. According to the report:
Mina is afraid of being attacked again by a religious extremist. He will never forget the horrible experience he had seven years ago: The Coptic community in Port Said was about to baptize an adult Muslim woman who wanted to become Christian. A screaming mob stormed the church. The young woman was kidnapped. They stabbed Mina in the abdomen. He pulls up his t-shirt with difficulty to show the scar: It is as long as his forearm. “Not all Muslims are bad people,” he says, “just the religious fanatics.”
In Mina’s home town, it became impossible to go to church during Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting. Women could no longer go out with a headscarf. “They mistreated us every day.” Mina had graduated from high school and worked as a photographer and in restaurants. Two years ago, he decided to flee. “I couldn’t take it anymore,” he says. Mina spent a year living in Libya. When the situation got difficult there, too, he returned to Egypt. An airplane took him to Georgia. On the return flight, he applied for asylum during a stopover in Munich. That was in June 2013. He has been in Bonn for about two years and his parents are waiting in Egypt. He keeps in touch with them via Skype and telephone.
By BI: How do you do background checks on 25,000 people, coming from a terrorist wasteland, in 7 weeks? Google their names? Ask for a resume? If you're Justin Trudeau, you do nothing…just send out the 'halal' welcome wagons, drop to your knees, and praise Allah.
Newly elected prime minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, in a halal sandwich
The Rebel Remember: These are the so-called "moderates." For liberals, if gay rights is your thing, you're pretty much importing 25,000 homophobes. Syria is also the country that was clocking 200 honour killings a year before the civil war — which has surely skyrocketed as Muslim men kill any sisters or wives who have been raped in the course of war.
Justin Trudeau (4th from left) praying at a mosque
What about Syrians and other refugees who've never been violent, but who, in their regular lives, hate the West, hate women, hate minorities, hate gays, hate Jews, hate liberal democracy?
This is what you can expect by Christmas:
31% of Syrian refugees disagree with the objective of defeating the Islamic State terrorist group. So out of 25,000 refugees, 7,500 will be ISIS lovers.
By BI: Jordanian cleric advises against killing Jews. "If the Jews were killing every Muslim they came across, there would be no Muslims left in the Palestinian territories."
Jordanian cleric Ali Hassan Al-Halabi said, in response to a question, that it is not permissible to kill Jews in Palestine as “there are shari’a agreements that protect people’s rights and lives.” “Our brothers in Palestine tell us that the Jews do not attack anyone who does not attack them,” he said.
By BI: Primary schools and kindergartens in Germany have decided to do away with a Christian celebration and are replacing it with a generic "festival of lights" so as not to offend Muslims…the soon to be millions of mostly male Muslim freeloaders and jihadists pouring into the country from all over the Middle East and North Africa, posing as Syrian 'refugees.'
Infowars According to a translated report out ofthe Epoch Times, schools are re-naming the Christian-themed St. Martin's Day, an annual celebration that takes place in numerous European countries on November 11. Several daycare centers in Düsseldorf have abolished the festival altogether out of "consideration for the refugees," a decision that has prompted fierce criticism from head teachers at other schools in the region.
Others have re-named the event the "Festival of Lights" in order to "facilitate the integration" of the Muslim migrants, said Nanette Weidelt, head of the Düsseldorf Don Bosco-Montessori School.
Leftist politicians have been attempting to amend the celebration for a number of years, with Rüdiger Sagel insisting the change was a necessary response to the "high proportion of Muslim children in the day care centers."
"You should not impose the Christian tradition," Sagel asserted.(Muslims in Germany have already started a petition to have the popular Oktoberfest banned)
However, some see the change as yet another example of how Germans are being forced to integrate with Muslim culture and not the other way around as it should be.
As we have exhaustively documented, this is not the first example of European nations sacrificing aspects of their own culture in order to please the wave of incoming "refugees".
A Protestant church in Oberhausen, Germany recently announced that it would remove Christian crosses, altars and pulpits in order to accommodate 50 Muslim migrants who were invited to stay in the building.
Just like ISIS is doing in the Middle East
Back in September, a school in Bavaria also sent a letter to parents asking them to ensure girls didn't wear shorts or mini-skirts so as to prevent "attacks" from Muslims housed in a nearby gym who might be offended by such attire.
Last month, the world's first lesbian Bishop Eva Brunne (below) also suggested removing Christian crosses and symbols from a church in Stockholm in order to make the building "more inviting" for Muslims.
Last week highlighted how German security experts are warning that the middle class in Germany is becoming "radicalized" in response to the migrant influx and that domestic unrest may occur as a result.
Leading a high ranking government delegation, Chinese Vice-President Li Yuanchao arrived for an official visit in Kabul on Tuesday.
The delegation signed three important agreements–Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)–with Afghanistan in the areas of security and education.
China had already promised delivering four security scanners and building 10,000 apartments in Kabul, but the formal MoUs were signed during today's press conference.
President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani who appeared in front of reporters with Li Yuanchao in Presidential Palace said that the security scanners would be used by police and NDS personnel to scan people and vehicles in Kabul.
President Ghani added that the apartments China is building would be distributed to the families of martyrs and government officials.
China had promised 3,000 scholarships last year, they pledged 50 more scholarships for every year, President Ghani said.
Chinese delegation is coming to Kabul on the eve of the 60th anniversary of China-Afghanistan friendship.
"Today we are celebrating 60th Anniversary of China-Afghanistan Friendship in Kabul. We welcome Chinese Vice-President’s participation," Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Abdullah Abdullah said in a post on his official twitter account soon after the Chinese delegation landed in Kabul on Tuesday.
The Pentagon has wasted $43 million of the American taxpayers on a useless gas station in northern Afghanistan, according to a report published by the Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction (SIGAR).
The humble facility in Sheberghan, capital of northern Jawzjan province, which was supposed to provide cheap natural gas to local Afghan drivers, cost $43 million to build — and the US Department of Defense (DoD) footed the bill.
“The Department of Defense charged the American taxpayer $43 million for what is likely the world’s most expensive gas station,” head of SIGAR John Sopko said.
The station was conceived of and paid for by DoD's Task Force for Business and Stability Operations (TFBSO) that has since been disbanded. “We do capitalism,” said Paul Brinkley, the program’s former head. “We’re about helping companies make money.”
An equivalent facility in neighboring country 'Pakistan' would cost only $500,000.
“It’s hard to imagine a more outrageous waste of money than building an alternative fuel station in a war-torn country that costs 8,000% more than it should, and is too dangerous for a watchdog to verify whether it is even operational,” Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., said in a statement. “Perhaps equally outrageous however, is that the Pentagon has apparently shirked its responsibility to fully account for the taxpayer money that’s been wasted — an unacceptable lack of transparency that I’ll be thoroughly investigating.”
The Pentagon has told SIGAR that it is finding officials of the shuttered task force, that was provided $800 million to help promote private sector in Afghanistan, to answer questions.
China has unveiled its first commercial passenger jet developed by the state-run Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, or Comac to compete with Boeing and Airbus, the lucrative commercial aircraft business dominators.
The single-aisle, twin-engine C919 'Made in China' which can seat up to 168 passengers was shown to a large crowd of government dignitaries and other guests, about 4,000 in numbers, in a hangar at an assembly plant outside Shanghai, near Pudong International Airport on Monday.
“China’s air transport industry cannot completely rely on imports,” China’s civil aviation chief, Li Jiaxiang told the crowd.
“A great nation must have its own large commercial aircraft,” he is quoted by BBC as saying.
The passenger jet will undergo testing over the next year or so and won’t be ready for delivery until 2018.
China is one of the biggest aviation markets in the world but relies on Boeing and Airbus aircraft.
The manufacture of C919 is aimed at prevent some of the country's commercial benefits going to other countries.
The first customers of C919 are expected to be Chinese airlines with the manufacturing company Comac saying it has received orders from 21 customers for a total of 517 aircraft, mostly from Chinese carriers but also from GE Capital Aviation Services.
Manpreet Vohra (Indian Foreign Service Officer batch-1988) has been appointed as India's new Ambassador to Afghanistan, succeeding Amar Sinha.
Manpreet Vohra (IFS: 1988), presently Joint Secretary in the Ministry, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, India's Minister of External Affairs announced in a statement on Monday. "He is expected to take up his assignment shortly," the statement states. Vohra is the 6th Indian Ambassador to Afghanistan after the fall of Taliban regime in 2001.
Vohra has served as the Deputy High Commissioner at Indian High Commission in Pakistan besides having worked in Disarmament and International Security Affairs Division of the External Affairs Ministry.
Prior to this, he served as India’s Ambassador to Peru. Afghanistan and India have friendly relations and are strategic partners.
India has played a crucial role by participating in the rebuilding of Afghanistan following the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001.
Since 2002, the Government of India has committed USD 2 billion dollars to the socio-economic rebuilding of the Afghan state and society in accordance with the development priorities of the Government and the people of Afghanistan.
India is also building the Salma dam in western Herat province which will incur a cost of around $300 million by the time of its completion.
Afghan government recently renamed the dam to "Afghan-India Friendship Dam".
Pakistani authorities say they have a plan to begin a phased repatriation of 1.5 million Afghan refugees within the next two years reports Voice of America (VOA).
Tariq Hayat who is cited as a Pakistani spokesman by the news agency says that the repatriation plan is Okayed by all stakeholders and will go to cabinet for approval this week.
Hayat has told VOA that the proposed plan does not seek "extension or settlement” of the Afghan population in Pakistan beyond the December 31 deadline.
"There is no decision to extend their stay. However, we cannot send them overnight and we will be sending them in a phased program, which is likely to take something under two years. But at the end of that period they will all be out of here (Pakistan)," he said, adding that the plan ensures Afghan refugees return to country with "dignity" in an organized manner.
However, the news agency quotes a senior U.N. official who has talked on condition of anonymity that the expiration of the December 31st deadline will not change the refugee status of Afghans under international laws and obligations Pakistan adheres to.
Indrika Ratwatte, Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said in September that Pakistan has agreed to extend the validity of Proof of Registration (PoR) cards till Dec 31, 2017.
"For all physicists know, dragons could have come flying out of the singularity," said Niayesh Afshordi, an astrophysicist at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo, Canada. Big Bang was a mirage from collapsing higher-dimensional star, theorists propose. While the recent Planck results "prove that inflation is correct", they leave open the question of how inflation happened. A new The study could help to show how inflation was triggered by the motion of the Universe through a higher-dimensional reality.
The event horizon of a black hole — the point of no return for anything that falls in — is a spherical surface. In a higher-dimensional universe, a black hole could have a three-dimensional event horizon, which could spawn a whole new universe as it forms.
It could be time to bid the Big Bang bye-bye. Cosmologists have speculated that the Universe formed from the debris ejected when a four-dimensional star collapsed into a black hole — a scenario that would help to explain why the cosmos seems to be so uniform in all directions.
The standard Big Bang model tells us that the Universe exploded out of an infinitely dense point, or singularity. But nobody knows what would have triggered this outburst: the known laws of physics cannot tell us what happened at that moment.
It is also difficult to explain how a violent Big Bang would have left behind a Universe that has an almost completely uniform temperature, because there does not seem to have been enough time since the birth of the cosmos for it to have reached temperature equilibrium.
To most cosmologists, the most plausible explanation for that uniformity is that, soon after the beginning of time, some unknown form of energy made the young Universe inflate at a rate that was faster than the speed of light. That way, a small patch with roughly uniform temperature would have stretched into the vast cosmos we see today. But Afshordi notes that "the Big Bang was so chaotic, it's not clear there would have been even a small homogenous patch for inflation to start working on".
In a paper posted last week on the arXiv preprint server1, Afshordi and his colleagues turn their attention to a proposal made in 2000 by a team including Gia Dvali, a physicist now at the Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich, Germany. In that model, our three-dimensional (3D) Universe is a membrane, or brane, that floats through a 'bulk universe' that has four spatial dimensions.
Ashfordi's team realized that if the bulk universe contained its own four-dimensional (4D) stars, some of them could collapse, forming 4D black holes in the same way that massive stars in our Universe do: they explode as supernovae, violently ejecting their outer layers, while their inner layers collapse into a black hole.
In our Universe, a black hole is bounded by a spherical surface called an event horizon. Whereas in ordinary three-dimensional space it takes a two-dimensional object (a surface) to create a boundary inside a black hole, in the bulk universe the event horizon of a 4D black hole would be a 3D object — a shape called a hypersphere. When Afshordi's team modelled the death of a 4D star, they found that the ejected material would form a 3D brane surrounding that 3D event horizon, and slowly expand.
The authors postulate that the 3D Universe we live in might be just such a brane — and that we detect the brane's growth as cosmic expansion. "Astronomers measured that expansion and extrapolated back that the Universe must have begun with a Big Bang — but that is just a mirage," says Afshordi.
The model also naturally explains our Universe's uniformity. Because the 4D bulk universe could have existed for an infinitely long time in the past, there would have been ample opportunity for different parts of the 4D bulk to reach an equilibrium, which our 3D Universe would have inherited.
The picture has some problems, however. Earlier this year, the European Space Agency's Planck space observatory released data that mapped the slight temperature fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background — the relic radiation that carries imprints of the Universe's early moments. The observed patterns matched predictions made by the standard Big Bang model and inflation, but the black-hole model deviates from Planck's observations by about 4%. Hoping to resolve the discrepancy, Afshordi says that his is now refining its model.
Despite the mismatch, Dvali praises the ingenious way in which the team threw out the Big Bang model. "The singularity is the most fundamental problem in cosmology and they have rewritten history so that we never encountered it," he says. Whereas the Planck results "prove that inflation is correct", they leave open the question of how inflation happened, Dvali adds. The study could help to show how inflation is triggered by the motion of the Universe through a higher-dimensional reality, he says.
Nature doi:10.1038/nature.2013.13743
The Daily Galaxy via Zeeya Merali/nature.com and The Perimeter Institute
Major international collaboration has seen its first neutrinos – so-called 'ghost particles,' subatomic, almost massless high-energy particles that only interact via gravity or nuclear decay, generated in cosmic accelerators: black holes, massive exploding stars and the energetic cores of galaxies.Because they don't interact with light, they can't be seen. Neutrinos carry no electric charge and travel through the universe almost entirely unaffected by natural forces. They are considered a fundamental building block of matter. The 2015 Nobel Prize in physics was awarded for neutrino oscillations, a phenomenon that is of great important to the field of elementary particle physics.
An international team of scientists at the MicroBooNE physics experiment in the US, including researchers from the University of Cambridge, detected their first neutrino candidates. It represents a milestone for the project, involving years of hard work and a 40-foot-long particle detector that is filled with 170 tons of liquid argon.
"It's nine years since we proposed, designed, built, assembled and commissioned this experiment," said Bonnie Fleming, MicroBooNE co-spokesperson and a professor of physics at Yale University. "That kind of investment makes seeing first neutrinos incredible."
Following a 13-week shutdown for maintenance, Fermilab's accelerator complex near Chicago delivered a proton beam on Thursday, which is used to make the neutrinos, to the laboratory's experiments. After the beam was turned on, scientists analysed the data recorded by MicroBooNE's particle detector to find evidence of its first neutrino interactions.
Scientists at the University of Cambridge have been working on advanced image reconstruction techniques that contributed to the ability to identify the rare neutrino interactions in the MicroBooNE data.
The MicroBooNE experiment aims to study how neutrinos interact and change within a distance of 500 meters. The detector will help scientists reconstruct the results of neutrino collisions as finely detailed, three-dimensional images. MicroBooNE findings also will be relevant for the forthcoming Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), which will examine neutrino transitions over longer distances.
"Future neutrino experiments will use this technology," said Sam Zeller, Fermilab physicist and MicroBooNE co-spokesperson. "We're learning a lot from this detector. It's important not just for us, but for the whole physics community."
"This is an important step towards the much larger Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE)", said Professor Mark Thomson of Cambridge's Cavendish Laboratory, co-spokesperson of the DUNE collaboration and member of MicroBooNE. "It is the first time that fully automated pattern recognition software has been used to identify neutrino interactions from the complex images in a detector such as MicroBooNE and the proposed DUNE detector."
Weather patterns in a mysterious world beyond our solar system have been revealed for the first time, a new study suggests. Layers of clouds, made up of hot dust and droplets of molten iron, have been detected on a planet-like object found 75 light years from Earth, researchers say. Findings from the study could improve scientists' ability to find out if conditions in far-off planets are capable of sustaining life, the team of astronomers suggests.
A team led by the University of Edinburgh used a telescope in Chile to study the weather systems in the distant world - known as PSO J318.5-22 - which is estimated to be around 20 million-years-old.
Researchers captured hundreds of infra-red images of the object as it rotated over a 5-hour period. By comparing the brightness of PSO J318.5-22 with neighbouring bodies, the team discovered that it is covered in multiple layers of thick and thin cloud. These cause changes to the brightness of the distant world as it rotates, the team says.
The far-off world is around the same size as Jupiter - the largest planet in our solar system - but is roughly eight times more massive, the team says. Temperatures inside clouds on PSO J318.5-22 exceed 800°C, researchers say.
The team were able to accurately measure changes in brightness on PSO J318.5-22 because it does not orbit a star. Stars like our sun emit huge amounts of light, which can complicate measurements made of the brightness of objects orbiting them, researchers say.
The team hopes to adapt the technique so they can study planets that do orbit stars. Such techniques may eventually be applicable to cooler, lower mass planets, which are more likely to be capable of supporting life, researchers say.
The study, published in The Astrophysical Journal, was funded by the Science and Technology Facilities Council. The work was carried out in collaboration with researchers based in the US, Germany, France and Spain.
"This discovery shows just how ubiquitous clouds are in planets and planet-like objects. We're working on extending this technique to giant planets around young stars, and eventually we hope to detect weather in Earth-like exoplanets that may harbour life," said Dr Beth Biller, of the University of Edinburgh's School of Physics and Astronomy.
The image at the top of the page shows extreme brightness changes on a nearby brown dwarf that may indicate a storm grander than any seen yet on a planet. This finding could new shed light on the atmospheres and weather on extra-solar planets.
The Daily Galaxy via University of Edinburgh
Image Credit: University of Toronto, Art by Jon Lomberg
Days of Our Lives celebrates its 50th anniversary in the real world this Sunday, November 8. Meanwhile, onscreen, Hope is preparing to marry Aiden (she thought she’d figured out what his horrible secret was, but it turned out he was hiding something even more horrible). Meanwhile, Hope’s ex-husband (and love of her life forever and ever, amen), Bo, is trying to make it back to Salem in time to stop the wedding (and he’d have gotten away with it, too, if it weren’t for that pesky airplane crash and a stingy farmer who doesn’t like strangers making long-distance phone-calls on his landline.).
The scenario is reminiscent of 1984 (the year, not the George Orwell novel), when Bo swept in on his motorcycle to rescue Hope from marrying the hateful Larry in one of soaps’ most iconic Interrupted Weddings. It prompted a commentator named Sarcastic Bimbo to write (presumably in all non-sarcastic seriousness):
Oh, the Larry/Hope wedding and Bo riding in on his Harley was one of my favorite soap moments EVER.
It also came up when I queried fans for my book, Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama’s Greatest Moments. A reader wrote: “Bo kidnapping Hope from her wedding to Larry Welch with Howie standing in for her was great. Back then, [soaps] made you laugh, cry, and get angry, but you still kept coming back for more.” (Watch the beloved sequences here.)
Bo and Hope also figured in another favorite DOOL moment, as a viewer recalled:
When Chelsea ran over Zack on New Year’s Eve. The acting Kristian (Alfonso) and Peter (Reckell) did was so awesome. And when they had to remove the life-support machine, OMG, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house for a week! This is when soaps were great and had stories and your favorite families that you followed … Kristian Alfonso’s performance was powerful—her reaction to the news that Zack passed away still makes me cry! … You can’t have a soap without the heartache, and my heart never ached as much as it did when I watched Hope grieve for her son.
A runner-up for favorite DOOL moment was Marlena’s 1991 return from the dead. According to one fan:
John and Marlena were reunited at the pier one dark night. Marlena had been kidnapped by Stefano and held captive for a long time; then she escaped and found her way back to Salem and went down to the pier, only to run into John, who was standing there, missing her, until he turned around. When he turned around and they saw each other and he cried as he touched her face, it just brought cheers and tears to the whole house. That is when soaps were great.
Though a more nitpicky aficionado did feel the need to point out:
The first thing that came to my mind about Marlena’s return from the dead in 1991 was I remember she wore the same outfit for an extended period of time. Back in the free-spending days of high soap-opera budgets, it was unusual for an actress to wear the same clothing day after day. Of course, if the script called for a party or holiday that stretched out over several episodes, everyone would be wearing the same clothes for two or three days. In this instance, the storyline played out over several weeks of real time as Marlena was being held captive on an island somewhere away from Salem, and had escaped her captors and then made her way back to the Midwest. The other funny thing I remember about that outfit was that she had to steal it out of someone’s suitcase. (Since she had been kidnapped and kept in a drug-induced coma, her captors had not left clothes scattered around in case she tried to escape.) I thought it was quite fortunate that she managed to steal an outfit that fit her perfectly and looked so good on her!
Meanwhile, a poster called Guy416 couldn’t pick just one moment, gushing:
WOW! So many great memories of Days… I will forever love a Horton Christmas: the family, the sense of tradition, the flashbacks and memories shared. It gave me a family Christmas when sometimes there wasn’t one for me. The weddings: My campus dorm all stayed in the common room and we dressed up, had food/drinks, and watched Bo and Hope’s wedding. Kim/Shane’s and Kayla/Steve’s weddings were so magical and romantic. The legacy babies Sami and Eric, Hope, Shawn Douglas, Ciara, Will, Phillip—I remember all their births. The loss of Tom and Alice Horton still resonates through the canvas, since they truly were the heart of the show … I watch a lot of daytime shows, but for me, Days of Our Lives was the show where you didn’t just talk about family, but you saw and felt it in every character, even the villains. Stefano was ruthless, but when it came to his kids (Tony, Megan, Renee, Benji, Peter, Kristen, Andre, Chad, and Elvis), you knew he would walk through fire for them … DOOL was the show where family came to be a part of you as a fan.
Read what actress Eileen Davidson, who once played Kristen (and Susan, and Sister Mary Moira, and Penelope, and Thomas, yes, Thomas) had to say about her own favorite moment(s) here. Then tell us which one from the last 50 years stands out for you, below!
Director Duncan Jones was 100 percent right. I didn’t expect a Warcraft teaser trailer, but now that one exists, my World of Warcraft–loving fangirl heart is exploding with joy.
Stormwind looks amazing. The shot of the Horde over a burning village already has me wondering if that’s the Barrens, or could it be Westfall? Gryphon riders in Arathi Highlands? There are 15 seconds of footage, and all I want is MORE. Will we get Elves? I want Elves!
Between the trailer and the teaser, I may just make it to Friday, when the official Warcraft movie trailer is set to drop. But if you read this, Mr. Jones, I’d be totally okay with you dropping more goodies before then.
What I like best is that, of all the people who are excited about this, Duncan Jones is definitely the number-one person, and his tweets this morning prove it.
I know it’s easy for me to be excited as a World of Warcraft fan, but this glimpse makes me think non-Warcraft players will still have lots to be excited about.
You tell me! Are you interested in seeing more from the Warcraft movie after seeing the teaser?
Season 1 | Episode 4 | “Only Sin Deep” | Aired June 14, 1989
This week’s Tales from the Crypt welcomes Howard Deutch, of ’80s teen fame (Pretty in Pink, Some Kind of Wonderful), to the director’s chair, as he guides us through a tale of narcissism, hookers, and murder.
Originating in Haunt of Fear issue #24 and penned by Fred Dekker (“And All Through the House,”), this story stars Lea Thompson (Back to the Future, also Some Kind of Wonderful) as our detestable lead: a self-absorbed hooker who wants nothing but riches and beauty.
Let’s see how that works out for her …
After the Crypt Keeper gives us one hell of an opening (“Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the fearest of them all?”), we’re on scene in L.A. with lady of the night Sylvia Vane (Thompson). Along with Raven (Pamella D’Pella), a colleague, Sylvia ogles the wealthy as they exit their limousines to attend fancy parties at posh hotels.
Sylvia may be a freelance call girl, but she wants more—well, she wants money. So she feigns interest in Raven’s pimp and leads him down a dark alley. Though she only intended to rob him, Sylvia winds up killing the guy.
With handfuls of the pimp’s gold jewelry, Sylvia heads to the pawn store to make some quick cash. The shopkeep (character actor Britt Leach, The Great Outdoors) recognizes the items as being “hot” and refuses to buy them off of her. At this point, an elderly woman in a black veil comes into the shop and curses out the pawnbroker.
Overwhelmed with emotion, the lady leaves. Just as a disgruntled Sylvia is about to follow, the man makes a different kind of offer. He’ll give Sylvia $10,000 in cash if he allows her to make a mold of her beauty—not her face, mind you. The catch: She has four months to the day to “redeem her beauty.”
Obviously, Sylvia accepts this easy-peasy deal. The work is done, and she leaves with fistfuls of glorious money. Back in the shop, our pawnbroker does a bit of mysterious voodoo while speaking to a rotting corpse in a coffin. “Almost time, my love … Pretty soon you’ll be back with me.”
With her newfound riches, Sylvia goes on a spending spree, starting with a massage and ending with a delightful ’80s trying-on-clothes montage. All dolled up—but still kind of looking like a hooker—she heads back to the ritzy hotel from the opening.
Sylvia easily gets into the hotel party and catches the eye of rich guy Ronnie (Brett Cullen, Devious Maids). The two share a slightly awkward encounter. She slaps him, he chases after her, and they leave the party hot and heavy. You know, how every storybook fantasy starts.
Four months later, Sylvia is living it up with Ronnie. She’s got the guy—but more important, she’s got status of her money and fancy possessions. She’s on top of the materialistic world until, uh-oh, she looks in the mirror and begins to see faint wrinkles on her perfectly porcelain face. In truth, she’s looking less like Sylvia Vane and more like Lorraine McFly (circa 1985, of course).
Adorned in black, veiled funeral attire (mourning her decaying beauty, no doubt), Sylvia goes to see a doctor. No cancer. No internal issues. Her skin is just aging at an accelerated rate. Twenty-one-year-old Sylvia looks 50 (or 60). At this moment, Sylvia remembers what the shopkeep told her about redeeming her looks, and rushes to the pawnshop.
Alas, our pawnbroker tells Sylvia that she’s one day over the four-month limit—their contract is void. But Sylvia pulls a gun on him and demands a price. And $100,000 is the magic number to buy back her beauty. A cop walks in, and Sylvia scuttles away.
Back at her and Ronnie’s home, Sylvia scours every drawer and shelf for expensive items to sell—while at the same time breaking mirrors and destroying the place. Ronnie arrives on the scene and doesn’t recognize her. But the only love and affection Sylvia feels is for herself, not Ronnie. So she shoots him—many, many times. The poor rich guy didn’t see that one coming.
After murdering her boyfriend and swiping as much jewelry as she can find, Sylvia heads back to the pawnshop to make her trade. The place is closed, but she breaks in, adding another crime to her laundry list of lawbreaking.
Sylvia snoops around the shop and locates the mold of her perfect face. She also finds the body of the pawnbroker’s wife—appearing young and lovely in the coffin. The shopkeep appears and confesses that taking the beauty of other women is what keeps his dead wife looking beautiful.
Unbothered by this creepy news, Sylvia offers up the stolen swag in exchange for her physical restoration. But the shopkeep shows her the front page of the newspaper—Sylvia’s young face is wanted for murder!
It’s a tough decision for Sylvia—and to make matters worse, a police officer walks in and starts blabbing about Ronnie’s murder. The cop pokes fun at the killer’s stupidity (aka Sylvia’s stupidity)—leaving the gun and fingerprints all over the crime scene. But upon looking at the newspaper’s picture of Sylvia, the cop quips, “With a face like that, who needs brains?” Ouch!
Confused and heartbroken in all the wrong ways, Sylvia leaves the shop clutching her beauty mold. She rushes through the city streets, and even bumps into her former friend (and prostitute) Raven, who snaps at old Sylvia and calls her ugly. Ouch, part two!
Sylvia drops the face mold and it breaks into tiny bits. Everything she once had—the looks, the money, the man—it’s all gone. If anyone is going to lose it all, it might as well be the girl with wonky priorities and zero remorse. Here’s to you, Sylvia Vane.
Crypt Keeper Final Thought: “If looks could kill … so she did! Just goes to show you, if you want to sell yourself, take a look in the mirror first!”
Fun Fact: Shortly after this episode’s airing, Lea Thompson married director Howard Deutch. The two actually met (and fell in love) while filming Some Kind of Wonderful.
Notable Quote:“Don’t you recognize me, lover? I’m the girl of your dreams.” —Sylvia (right before killing Ronnie)
Season 2 | Episode 7 | “Rise of the Villains: Mommy’s Little Monster” | Aired Nov 2, 2015
A little revenge goes a long way on Fox’s Gotham. These villains have been toying with each other the last few weeks, shifting power back and forth until only one stands on top. It’s a cat-and-mouse game. Gotham City is left waiting in the wings while a bloodbath ensues on the streets. But for us Gotham fans, it isn’t a bad thing; it means more drama, more action, and more highlights from the dastardly villains.
One day these villains will go toe-to-toe with Batman, but until then, Gotham City is their playground. While established villains like Theo and Oswald dominate the city, emerging baddies like Harvey Dent (Two-Face) and Edward (the Riddler) have more ground to make up. Gotham‘s second season has barely started and it’s not a race, but a marathon. Anyone could rule the roost by season’s end—just ask Oswald!
On this week’s edition of Gotham‘s rankings, the standout Gotham (and Batman) villains from this week’s episode will be ranked for their villainous ways in Gotham City and their rise to power.
Let’s start at the bottom:
FUMBLING FOES
9. Harvey Dent (aka Two-Face)
The future coin-flipping Batman villain has kept a low profile in Gotham’s second season. He hasn’t made his presence known or explored his dark side yet. And while his transformation into Two-Face won’t be complete until the distant future, his villainous side is currently nonexistent. He only appears for a few minutes at the Gotham City Police Department to deliver an arrest warrant. That’s not very menacing compared to the other villains.
8. Selina Kyle (aka Catwoman)
Selina has met her match in the likes of Silver St. Cloud. Bruce has found a new crush and friend in the mysterious blond socialite, but Selina can see through her lies. She tries to tell Bruce of the evil girl, but he dismisses her words as jealously. Silver has manipulated Bruce well! Catwoman needs to improve her game, or she could be losing her “friend” to a more manipulative foe.
7. Butch Gilzean
Butch has broken free from Oswald’s mind control and makes a name for himself in the crime world. Unfortunately for him, it means nothing. His group of thugs abandons him at the first sight of danger, and he’s quickly caught by James Gordon in his new hideout. While he does escape with his life from Victor Zsasz’s attack, Butch ran away like a chicken in fear for his life.
6. Victor Zsasz
Victor didn’t kill Butch. His only mission for the night, along with his group of assassins, is to kill Butch. Even with several guns and a large group of trained assassins, they all miss firing one lucky bullet. Victor missed his opportunity to score an easy kill, especially since Butch was handcuffed to a pole!
5. Oswald Cobblepot (aka the Penguin)
This is not Oswald’s week! He starts the episode determined to save his mother and kill Theo; however, it all goes downhill for him. He loses his best ally in Butch, his mother is murdered by Tabitha, and he fails to kill Theo. Oswald sends in an army of Penguins (not literally, of course) to kill his greatest enemy, yet he fails to get the job done. Oswald is starting back at the bottom, and he needs a miracle to regain his control.
PLENTY OF POTENTIAL
4. Edward Nygma (aka the Riddler)
The Riddler has shown his face! After Edward accidentally kills the love of his life, his darker side is tired of waiting in the wings. The “Riddler” kidnaps Kringle’s body and leaves a set of riddles for Edward to solve to find the corpse. His evil side wants to show him the fun of living dangerously. And the plan works! Edward loves the thrill of being bad.
THE BIG BADDIES
3. Tabitha Galavan (aka Tigress)
Unlike Victor Zsasz this episode, Tabitha is an efficient assassin. She gets the job done and quickly eliminates her target without any fuss. She tortures Butch into removing his mind control, she kills Oswald’s mother with a knife to the back, and she assassinates a strike-force team member … with her heel! Tabitha knows how to kill, and if her last bullet didn’t miss, she would have ranked higher on this week’s Gotham list.
2. Theo Galavan
The new Gotham City mayor is getting everything he’s always wanted. He’s now in the most powerful position in the city, and he can control the inner workings of his master plan from his comfy chair. The only flaw he can’t control is Penguin. His persistent enemy wants to kill him and get revenge for the death of his mother. And while Theo almost gets it done, he couldn’t convince James Gordon to kill his enemy. Theo is a great manipulator, but he’s not as masterful as he thinks he is.
1. Silver St. Cloud
The newest face on the block is also the top villain this week. Silver is a Galavan, and while her real side was unknown during last week’s episode, she’s proven to be just as powerful a manipulator as her uncle. She manipulates Bruce into trusting her wholeheartedly, and easily makes Selina look like a jealous fool. Silver is helping her uncle with his plan to take down Bruce Wayne, and for the most part, her plan is working. Even with Selina showing up, her plan has no setbacks, and she scores a kiss with the future Batman. Silver had the easiest week and got everything she wanted with the least amount of blood. From the looks of it, she could teach her uncle a thing or two about manipulation.
Which villains do you think are rising to the occasion? Share your thoughts below!
Season 1 | Episode 7 | “Sent on Tour” | Aired Nov 2, 2015
For a moment after the end of this week’s Blindspot, I wanted to throw the remote at my TV. But then I got ahold of myself and realized just how genius the abrupt ending of “Sent on Tour” might actually be. Maybe sometimes, the best card is the one you don’t play.
It was immensely gratifying to see Kurt Weller (Sullivan Stapleton) finally demand an answer from his boss and mentor, Bethany Mayfair (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), about the case file audiences know is connected to the joint FBI-CIA Operation Daylight. Even one-third of the way into the season, we know that Weller is not a guy who takes crap from anybody, even if it’s his superior. And it was a relief that Mayfair decided to confide in Weller, because he deserved a straight answer—and so did we. But then the episode went to blackout, and everybody was left hanging until next Monday, when stuff apparently will hit the fan.
So why wait? Why not end this week’s episode with Mayfair telling Weller exactly what Daylight is? That ending practically writes itself, what with the obvious final frame being Weller’s expression of total disbelief as he tries to process that his boss was once in cahoots with the CIA.
Because “Sent on Tour” wasn’t about Mayfair (unless you count that she busted Patterson and Patterson’s boyfriend, David, for their unsanctioned research operation). It was telling us more about the two men in her life—Saul Guerrero (Lou Diamond Phillips), the big bad at the heart of Daylight whose face first appeared in “Eight Slim Grins,” and Weller, her most loyal soldier. It was about their reactions to the reveal of this big secret, and not really about her role in it or what it means for the team under her command. We’re not there yet; with this episode, we took the long way around.
There’s a really interesting compare-and-contrast here between Guerrero and Weller. Not literally, of course; the show isn’t saying that they’re anything alike. But if you consider them as pieces of Mayfair’s puzzle, you gain a certain perspective. Guerrero, the man with the lengthy criminal rap sheet and no shortage of typical bad-guy things to say, represents her past, where we know she did bad things for what we can only hope were good reasons. Weller, the decorated FBI agent who’s confided in her and led her team to its current successes, represents her present, where she’s still an assistant director in charge of this major federal unit with a job to do. What her future looks like obviously depends on what both these men do, as well as CIA Assistant Director Tom Carter (Michael Gaston).
Also present is a bit of a thematic hint in the person of local sheriff Paul Bolton (Dan Butler, who’s come a long way from Bulldog on Frasier). Bolton tips off Guerrero at the start of the episode, but is last seen saving Zapata’s life. He’s another civil servant who somehow wound up on the wrong side and is now trying to right himself, not unlike Mayfair might be doing soon.
When you look at it that way, buttoning the episode with Mayfair confessing all to Weller doesn’t pack the punch that you’d have thought it would. We as an audience need to process who Guerrero is and learn the situation behind the code name, just like Weller is doing. Plus, that’s an even bigger moment for Blindspot than introducing Guerrero—possibly the biggest one of this whole subplot (unless something crazy happens between Mayfair and Carter). You don’t cram that into the last few moments, especially when you’re working with actors the caliber of Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Sullivan Stapleton.
Having said that, next week’s “Persecute Envoys” had better include that scene. Mayfair needs to face it, Weller deserves it, and the audience absolutely must see that confrontation happen. That’s what we’ve all been waiting for, and it should be one of the key beats we look back on for the rest of the season.
But the entire storyline benefits from not playing into the instant gratification that we’ve come to expect from TV. While it might have been rewarding to have all the cards on the table this week, it will be more so in the future, now that we’ve met the person at the heart of Operation Daylight and he’s not just a name people keep saying. We’re going into this big reveal armed with our thoughts and opinions about him, as well as some insight about the stakes for Mayfair beyond just the peril for her job.
This isn’t your typical conspiracy or your typical TV drama, so why go about it the typical way? Besides, six days gives us all time to warm up our remote-throwing arms. We might need them.
Season 4 | Episode 1 | “Playtime’s Over” | Aired Nov 2, 2015
“Learn to control your anger; you’re in your thirties, bro.” –Kristen
There’s been horrible stuff in the news, bills that need to be paid, traffic to sit in, life slogging on, but tonight I realized it was all worth it—because Vanderpump Rules is back in our lives. Once a week, we can dive into a world where there’s nothing but stock aerial footage of Los Angeles and the random luck of being born with arbitrarily favored genetics.
After the doozy of events at the end of season 3, I never thought our precious Vanderpumpers would survive it. But wouldn’t you know, they are still at it, living their lives with a joie de vivre none of us will ever come close to. Let’s catch up with our motley crew of part-time waiters/part-time models:
Jax At first I thought I was watching a preview of Goodnight Mommy, but no, our favorite thirtysomething party boy is recovering from his third nose surgery. And this time, they’ve taken some skin from his ear, which I assume is medically approved. In fact, for some reason, he looks much better with the bandages. It gives him a vulnerability that no type of vapid affair can. His mother is in town, and in Lisa’s words, not mine, it’s surprising that she is not a cold, distant witch who turned Jax into a sociopath. Lucky for Mrs. Jax, she gets to have lunch with Scheana and her mother (who is turning 50, and is about one step away from appearing in the open credits whilst throwing champagne in slow motion). Mrs. Jax delights the table with a story of how Jax, at age 12, inappropriately touched his bus driver. Laughs all around.
Katie Katie’s hombre hair extensions are back with a vengeance, and they are still kvetching about that ring on a string, and warning us all that Tom Schwartz has six months left to propose. I wonder if he ever will? Just kidding, they show it in the season previews.
Scheana Scheana has gone from 4 inches of makeup and fake lashes down to 2 inches. I guess because she’s a married woman now. She’s also turning 30, and so she decides that only a few months after her wedding, it’s time to rent out the ballroom of the Marriott Glendale to have her “decades” party. She goes as “Like A Virgin” era Madonna and looks pretty adorable. Her husband continues to shrink away from the cameras and, oh, I wonder if that is going to be an issue. (It is. The season previews are not at all withholding.)
James James got a lot of the airtime this episode and a major boost because he’s now been promoted to the main credits, throwing a liquid in slow motion. He’s still with Kristen, mostly because he is terrified of her and she keeps leaving severed horse heads on his bed. She keeps showing up at Pump bar when he is DJing, and it’s distracting!. See, DJing is his life’s passion. “Girls may come and go, but dreams are forever,” he says, while pulling a piece of metal out of his car that he will hook up to a laptop and then slide buttons up and down.
He dresses as a “modern-day ’60s Woodstock rock star” because that makes complete logical sense. He wears a bob wig which makes him look more like Snow White than rock star, but he is not going to let Kristen crashing the party harsh his vibe. His vibe apparently involves pouring some brown alcohol on his face and the front of his shirt and then hit on someone while Kristen is right there. Speaking of …
Kristen She has a new apartment, which looks conveniently like her old one. She has her own t-shirt line now, so she’s over SUR. Except that she keeps showing up there. She’s not thrilled with James, who does horrible things like express his desire not to fight with her nor allow her to purposely get him fired from his job. The monster! Kristen crashes the decades party by going as a “consumer of double-sided tape” for her top.
The Toms I think that we as a society overuse the word “literally.” However, I mean it in every sense of the world when I say that I literally screamed when I saw Tom Schwartz’s mutton-chop sideburns. This precious, sensitive, delicate angel of a boy has decided to also get a perm, because he is fully committed to his ’70s costume for Scheana’s decades party. In the end, his hair isn’t really permed, but no one has the heart to break his beautiful sensitive soul. He and Tom Sandoval go dressed as ’70s mustachioed roller-skating gay boyfriends and are the life of the party.
Ariana Ariana may still be the one who is likable, and not in an ironic way. She attends the decades party as, I think, someone from Andy Warhol’s Factory, but ends up looking like Velma from Scooby Doo. Still, she looks smokin’. Although she tells Tom Sandoval she feels like Scheana’s being a fake friend, because how can she be friends with Kristen when Kristen has expressed the desire to literally murder her? She has a point. Tom tells her that he is behind her 100 percent and that she deserves to be treated like the amazing person she is. I actually like Tom and Ariana together because they express actual emotions to each other and I don’t know … enjoy being together? It’s amazing how low my standards for humanity have become. She’s also supportive of Tom jumping into the pool in nothing but his skates and tiny briefs.
I’m so glad that this show is back that if it were a person, I would kiss it as awkwardly as Lisa kisses Ken.
Season 2 | Episode 4 | “Chapter Twenty-Six” | Aired Nov 2, 2015
Let’s get right to it, Jane fans. “Chapter Twenty-Six” was full of surprises, and I’m not just talking about the last-minute surprise party that Jane tries to plan for Lina after realizing she’s forgotten the promise she hastily made to her bestie three months ago. No, I’m talking about things like new partners and custody bombs and Jane finally making a decision between Rafael and Michael (although, I’m not gonna lie folks, her decision wasn’t that much of a surprise to me … happily).
Here are five of the most OMG moments from “Chapter Twenty-Six.”
Oh! Susanna Michael’s not happy to discover he has a new partner—bubbly, catfish-wranglin’ Susanna Barnett—especially when he finds her interrogation techniques annoying. However, when she makes a smart connection between Luisa’s kidnappers (more on that later) and a former Miami drug lord who may help them locate Sin Rosetro, Michael warms up. But just when we’re supposed to be wondering if perhaps ‘Bama-bred Barnett is there to make our little love triangle a square (NOOO!), we discover she’s working for the Chief and has been hired to find out what Michael is hiding, which we all know is the stupid decision to let Nadine go even after she admitted to working for Sin Rosetro. Uh-oh.
Luisa returns to the garden After being released from her kidnappers and interrogated by Michael and Southern Susanna, Luisa receives an email invitation from a site called “Garden of Eden,” which she is sure is from Rose. After hesitating for a hot second, she hits “accept.” I don’t think any of us are surprised she wants back in that garden, are we? Conversely, how many of you are surprised that she ever graduated from med school?
Rogelio’s confession Step aside, Leah Remini, Rogelio De La Vega just stole your Scientology thunder. That’s right, it appears our Ro used to hobnob with the Cruises and Travoltas of the world when he first arrived in Los Angeles by joining a “certain church for actors” where people believe they are “aliens who are dropped on planet Earth and must find their true selves through self-exploration through a carefully crafted monetized system of levels on the bridge to total freedom in hopes of uncovering your godlike secret powers.” I mean, after hearing that, can you blame him?
With ex-wife Luciana blackmailing him with his embarrassing audit tapes (a sort of Scientology confession) in order to stay on Passions, Xo and Rogelio take matters into their own hands and turn the tables on her by holding her beloved bunnies hostage until she hands over the tapes. When she gives them the binders of recordings (fingers crossed we’ll get to find out #WhatsOnDisk142PartC one day) they hand over the keys … to the house where they boiled her bunnies. Kidding. I think.
Jane’s new babysitter (Relax, I know fathers aren’t babysitters. Usually.) After Rafael tells Jane that their relationship status isn’t really doing it for him (not even a grid-teeth emoji can soften him) and that he wants to be more than a drop-in dad (awwww!), he drops the bomb that he thinks it’s time they work out a custody arrangement. Harsh! But Jane insists they can solve everything without lawyers and writes Raf a 2,000 word, single-spaced instruction sheet on how to take care of Mateo. The fact that the babysitter guide doesn’t go over well with Rafael isn’t much of a surprise, is it?
Regardless, by the end of the episode Jane and Rafael appear to be back on track to working things out, until …
The Best. Kiss. Ever. Clearly bothered by the discovery of Jane and Rafael’s kiss (thanks, Petra), Michael makes his move … in two parts.
Part 1: After helping Jane zip up her dress, Michael can’t resist leaving his hands on Jane’s waist. And after Jane tells him her kiss with Rafael didn’t change everything, he can’t resist unloading the big, gigantic secret that he let Nadine go even after discovering she was working for Sin Rosetro. Oh, Michael, Michael, Michael. Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to think with your—cough—smaller brain? When they discover Mateo’s baby monitor caught Michael’s confession, they panic, especially after realizing Rafael is in the living room with the other part of the monitor, which thankfully is turned off. Or is it?
Part 2: Drunk after a night out celebrating Lina’s birthday (and getting funky on the dance floor—seriously, who else will be rewatching until you learn that awesome dance?), Jane runs into Michael at The Marbella. There’s tension—hot, muy caliente tension—and they kiss. And there’s snow (as usual). And it’s hot (the snow was fake). Much, much hotter than her kiss with Rafael (sorry-not-sorry #TeamRafael), and she floats home, where she ecstatically tells Xo that it was the best kiss of her life, and that “suddenly it’s so clear. It’s Michael!” (Pause while #TeamMichael takes a victory lap.) The fact that Rafael heard the entire declaration on the baby monitor? Big surprise. To him, sure, but an even bigger future surprise for Jane, who thinks he was sleeping … and that the baby monitor was off. Uh oh. Does this mean he heard Michael’s secret? Well, well, well. Looks like the ball just got lobbed back into Rafael’s court.
Other notable moments and surprises:
The arrival of Heidi Von Ocher, professional yodeler jodeler, who has a past with Rose. The fact that Luisa already bedded her isn’t a surprise, though, is it?
The return of Petra’s ex, Milos, who is blackmailing Petra with secrets from her past so she’ll marry him.
Hands down the best moment of the episode for me (other than that insane kiss in the softly falling snow)? The nod to The Sound of Music where Scott introduces Heidi—twice—complete with camera turn and she doesn’t show. Standing, slow-clap O, writers! Brilliant!
The fact that Rafael has never seen The Sound of Music. Somebody hold me.
Season 2 | Episode 20| “School’s Out” | Aired Nov 2, 2015
I have to say, the season 2 finale of Faking It was not what I expected. I expected a loud crash and for everything to metaphorically (or, you know, maybe literally) catch fire and burn to the ground. But that didn’t happen. The season finale of Faking It was emotional, yes, but not gut-wrenching in the way I was expecting. This is coming from a show that ended its first season by having Amy sleep with Liam, after all. I thought things were going to be big, epic, and earth-shattering.
But Faking It has done the big OMG cliffhanger before. What the season 2 finale did was something much more nuanced and, in some ways, more devastating.
The big event of the episode, ostensibly, was the potential end of Hester High as we know it. At the end of his rope after his son, Felix (who, we learn, is a recovering alcoholic and must now go back to rehab, effectively writing him off the show, at least for the summer—if we even pick up at the beginning of summer next season, which we might not), crashes his car after attending Lauren and Amy’s accidental house party, Principal Turner calls for Hester’s end. He brings the issue to the school board, which is evenly split with one swing vote. He pleads his case and the students plan an hours-long roster of peaceful protests to plead theirs. When they learn they have just five minutes to make their case, however, everything seems to fall apart—until Lauren steps up to save the day.
If you just did a double take, you read that correctly: Lauren steps up to save Hester.
Let me explain: Earlier in the episode, Amy and Lauren’s parents return from their trip with a decision about their marriage. They’re going to divorce and Lauren’s dad plans to move back to Dallas. Lauren is excited at first, even though Amy and her mother tell her she’s welcome to stay with them through graduation if she wants to finish school in Austin. But Lauren has just been burned by Tommy, and she’s eager to return to a place where no one knows that she’s intersex. She calls two of her most vapid, Lauren-y friends from home to tell them the good news and they excitedly catch her up on the school gossip, like who’s pregnant and the transgender teacher they’re trying to get fired. Lauren doesn’t think the transgender teacher should be fired, and in that moment, she realizes that she’s changed and she doesn’t actually want to go back to a judgmental, “typical” high school at all.
Which brings us to her epic speech in defense of Hester. She proclaims her intersex status and explains that it was something about herself that she kept secret until she went to Hester. She explains that Hester is not like any school she’s ever been to and that they celebrate what’s different and make it okay to be different and totally yourself, something that she’s, apparently, grown to really appreciate. She implores the school board to keep Hester open, and she succeeds. She’s the school hero and invited to celebrate with everyone. In typical Lauren fashion, she blows the whole thing off to go home and unpack because she’s unrelentingly herself, even when that means being abrasive and a little mean. For the record: I love Lauren.
The episode might dedicate a lot of attention to Hester’s impending doom, but the real emotional arc of the episode is, as always, with Amy and Karma. Karma doesn’t remember the kiss at first, and when she does, she regrets it immediately. She apologizes to Amy for being a bad friend and expects that will make things okay, which only shows how little she really understands about the situation and the depth of Amy’s feelings for her. Amy skips the “Save Hester” rally to talk to Reagan because when she was with Reagan, she was really happy and as soon as they broke up, her feelings for Amy started to resurface. Reagan has moved on and is living with her new girlfriend at this point, but she’s not petty and she welcomes Amy in to talk about what’s bothering her. She gives her amazing advice, too. She tells Amy that she needs to move on and get over Karma, and Amy insists that she’s tried. Then, in the kindest way possible, Reagan points out that, in her experience, the only way to really get over someone is with space and time, and Amy hasn’t taken either from Karma. School is out, and Amy decides to take Reagan’s advice. She takes the opportunity to get away and take both time and space from Karma by accepting a gig on the tour Reagan talked about earlier in the season. (It’s worth noting that Reagan is now skipping the tour to stay with her new girlfriend, so it’s not about rekindling that romance; it’s really about what’s best for Amy.)
When Karma finds out that Amy’s leaving town (from Amy’s mom, when she tries to stop by to see her friend), she freaks out. She rides her bike to the tour bus and insists on talking to Amy to change her mind. It’s like the last scene in a romantic comedy, when one of the leads makes a grand gesture to prove their love for the other. Except, in this case, Amy asks if it’s about that kind of love, if the kiss meant anything, and Karma says that it didn’t and it’s just about their friendship. With that being the case, Amy knows she has to get away, to give herself a chance to get over Karma if they’re ever really going to be friends like they used to be. Karma is heartbroken, but as a viewer, I can’t be heartbroken with her. It’s painful to watch, but feels necessary, like the pain that comes with ripping off a Band-Aid that you’ve left on way too long. For the first time, Faking It hasn’t left me feeling panicked about how things will be when the show returns. This time, I think that the pain the characters are experiencing is really for the best.
On Quantico, Alex is fond of saying that secrets have a way of coming out. The mistitled “God,” proves that theory in spades. I’m calling this the episode of “Ouch!” as the NATs learn painful secrets about their love interests. No couple is safe—all hearts are broken.
Let’s take a look at the disclosed secrets and their impact on our favorite couples.
Shelby & Caleb Secret: Poor Caleb gets a double dose of whammy from Shelby. For starters, she dares to give him hot sex with no emotional commitment. How dare she treat him like nothing more than a piece of ass, whether or not he started it! When he calls her out on using him she reveals that she could easily fall for him, but the FBI must come first. Ouch. Fast forward a few months, and surveillance tape exposes her affair with his father, the deputy director. Double ouch. So … not only does she reject Caleb’s heart, she accepts his dad’s and crushes his mom’s. How Mata Hari of you, Shelby. Are you a double agent, as well? Keep in mind that things didn’t turn out so well for that seductive spy.
Impact: Caleb is devastated, as she was the one person who made him feel that he wasn’t inferior to his father.
Hope or nope: Nope. I don’t see a future for these two, and I suspect Shelby and Clayton won’t last long—at least not if Caleb has anything to do with it.
Raina & Simon Secret: Simon let Raina (who he knows as Nimah) see the real him last night (we think) when he confessed he wasn’t gay. His honesty was rewarded when she took down her hair and they shared a tender, sweet kiss. But his happiness was short-lived because he later burst into her room and found a set of twins.
Impact: The impact was literal in this case. As he tried to bolt, the twins scuffled with him, causing him to bump his head and pass out.
Hope or nope: Hope. Once he learns that Miranda ordered them to keep mum and that he really did fall in love with only one twin, they may be able to pick things up where they started. Either that or he’s got Twinesia after that TKO.
Alex & Ryan Secret: Alex learns that Agent Booth has been spying on her since day one. Ryan admits she was an assignment to start, but his feelings got in the way, even costing him a position in the bureau.
Impact: Alex kicks him to the proverbial curb and switches rooms with Natalie.
Hope or nope: More hope on this ‘ship than any other! It’s obvious he still has feelings for Alex, despite his current involvement with Natalie.
Natalie & Ryan Secret: She figures out all those calls from Liam were actually from Alex. It’s bad enough taking calls from your hella-hot ex; it’s even worse when she’s America’s most wanted terrorist. Do you really think Natalie’s going to protect you Ryan?
Impact: She tattles to Liam, putting both Ryan and Alex in further jeopardy.
Hope or nope: Nope. And Ryan should make note of the fact that it’s a bad idea to get involved with every girl he shares a bathroom with. Then again … excuse me, can I please be assigned to that suite?
Additional intel of the non-romantic kind: – What will Alex’s spying on Liam reveal? I have a feeling the intel she acquires ultimately leads him to fall for her. She can say and do all the right things with that kind of inside knowledge.
– Miranda turning in her son for his planned mass shooting saved a lot of lives, including Liam’s daughter. (Whom he is estranged from.) You’d think that would make him an ally for life, but apparently not.
– Is Charlie getting IMs from the extremists who recruited him to bomb the school, or is it someone else? And wouldn’t the FBI have caught him communicating with recruiting radicals? Hello, DITU?
What are your thoughts on this week’s exposed secrets? Did any of them shed light on who the true terrorist is? And which couple do you want to see survive? Let us know in the poll below!
‘Til next week, check your copy of War and Peace for a camera and your smoke detector for a bug.
Remember all the studies showing police pull over more blacks than whites - Well the red light cameras must be just as racist as cops.... Blacks are caught on red light cameras blowing red lights more than whites.... Hmmm so maybe BLACKS ARE PULLED OVER MORE BECAUSE THEY COMMIT MORE VIOLATIONS AND NOT BECAUSE OF THEIR SKIN COLOR???
ecent red light camera study published in Police Quarterly is utterly fascinating and at first blush may seem counterintuitive, bumping up against what our brains have been hard wired to think about race. You might not readily understand the results — I certainly didn't — but I dare you to try.
The study comes from Robert Eger III, an associate professor of public policy at the Naval Postgraduate School, and a group of researchers who had the brilliant idea to look at police traffic stops and racial profiling via red light cameras.
Racial profiling is a subject we've been talking about for years. We know that drivers of color are stopped more often than white drivers. But it's unclear how much of this is because of factors such as the way folks drive or the racial makeup of the neighborhoods officers patrol.
So, Eger, et al., decided to look at the findings of red light cameras to see what they reveal about people who run red lights. Cameras are ideal because they don't come with baggage. They're nonhuman, unbiased entities that have the advantage of being colorblind and yet capable of seeing what police officers see.
Eger said the team examined a countywide area in the United States — as a part of the study he couldn't say where it was located — that was about 75 percent white and 15 percent black. (The other 10 percent were people of other races.) The study area was surrounded by other counties that were 71 percent white, 20 percent black and 9 percent "other."
Researchers found that 62 percent of the red light violators were white, which was less than the population numbers, and 30 percent of the violators were black, a percentage far higher than the population numbers.
LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT – Six passengers kicked off a Spirit Airlines plane at Los Angeles International Airport Monday night accused a flight attendant of discrimination.
The travelers said they were singled out and booted off the aircraft because they are black.
"I'm really humiliated just for the simple fact that you hear about this type of stuff happening in America, discrimination issues and stuff like that, but to actually experience it first-hand," said passenger Alexandria Wright.
Witnesses told CBS2/KCAL9's Tom Wait the passengers were removed from Flight 868 after a white flight attendant accused a member in the group of being a threat.
It started with confusion over a seat, which the travelers claimed was double-booked. Then police came and escorted the three couples, all black, off the plane.
"It was more than just us having the conversation. Why is that six black people got kicked off the plane?" Wright asked.
Following a recent report documenting the surge in empty malls littering China, many suggested that this is indicative of a shift to online shopping and migration to platforms such as Alibaba. That may well be the case, but unlike in the US where one is assured at least some quality control and has a rational expectation that what was ordered online is what will be delivered, in China the reality is far different.
According to China's official news agency, Xingua, more than 40% of goods sold online in China last year were either counterfeits or of bad quality, illustrating the extent of a problem that has bogged down the fast-growing online sector.
Throughout his career his hair – thick, curly and (once) black – and his baritone voice have led some to believe he is black.
Now Sir Tom Jones has revealed that he wants to have his DNA tested to discover if he does really have black ancestry.
The singer, who has transformed himself from penniless miner's son from the Valleys into a £190million music star through records including Delilah and It's Not Unusual, stopped dyeing his hair several years ago but is still mistaken for being black because of its texture.
In an interview at the weekend Sir Tom, now 75, said he is often told he is 'just passing as white' and as a result he has decided to 'get my DNA tested. I want to find out'.
He added: 'A lot of people still think I'm black. When I first came to America, people who had heard me sing on the radio would be surprised that I was white when they saw me. Because of my hair a lot of black people still tell me I'm just passing as white.'
Sir Tom was born Thomas Jones Woodward in Pontypridd, South Wales, to a traditional coal-mining family – his mother Freda was of Welsh and English ancestry and his father was of English descent.
BREAKING NEWS: The Moron Brothers - Bluegrass have an announcement for all senior citizens!Watch more Moron Brothers for free here: http://bit.ly/1fxwZIb
COOK COUNTY, Ill. -- The new Cook County Homeland Security director has taken his post heading up security for the second largest county in the nation.
62-year-old Ernest Brown has been on the job as Cook County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management less than two weeks. Brown answers directly to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle who appointed him.
He is no stranger to safety in the greater Chicago area. Brown was a Chicago police officer for almost 30 years. He retired as a deputy superintendent.
CHICAGO -- A 20-year-old woman who recently won a Mario Tricoci model competition was shot and killed Monday night.
Kaylyn Pryor of Evanston was shot along with a 15-year-old boy in the 7300 block of South May Street in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood.
Pryor was shot in the right armpit and was later pronounced dead at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Trainor said. The boy, who is a documented gang member, was shot in the right buttock and was in critical condition at Advocate Christ. CLICK FOR MORE
So even though this cross dressing cock sucking faggot still has his penis and balls, IT should be allowed to USE THE WOMEN'S SHOWER AND USE THE WOMEN'S RESTROOM AS YOUNG FEMALE STUDENTS are also showering and using the bathroom.... THIS COUNTRY IS FUCKED!
Picture of the cross dressing cock sucking faggot Catherine Lhamon
The U.S. Department of Education found a Chicago-area school district discriminated against a transgender student by failing to provide her full access to girls' locker rooms.
"All students deserve the opportunity to participate equally in school programs and activities -- this is a basic civil right," Assistant U.S. Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine Lhamon said in a statement Monday.
The student who hasn't been publicly identified participates on a girls' sports team, but has been required to change and shower separately from her teammates and classmates.
The case out of Illinois is the latest controversy since the Obama administration's Department of Justice and Department of Education have ruled that anatomically male teenagers who think they're girls have the right to shower and change clothes in girls' locker rooms.
In September, 150 students in Missouri walked out of their high school to protest the school's policy on transgender rights. As David French of National Review wrote at the time: "The controversy exploded after a girl at the school reported encountering an 'intact male' in the locker room. Exposing a penis to girls in a public high school is generally considered an act of sexual harassment, not part of the sexual revolution." "It's a violation of my daughters' rights to privacy," one father in the Missouri school district told the New York Times.
ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- Search warrants released Saturday reveal more details in the case of two missing Buncombe County women.
Warrants state 22-year-old Alexandra King and 20-year-old Tatianna Diz traveled with Pierre Griffin II to conduct a drug deal.
Documents state it was about 10:00 p.m. Tuesday when the women left their apartment at Canterbury Heights to take Griffin to Deaverview.
Friday Asheville Police said a shooting occurred in or around King's vehicle that was found abandoned Wednesday morning off Craven Street.
The search warrants indicate there was blood inside King's 1988 Volkswagen Jetta, a bullet hole in the passenger seat headrest, and windows were broken.
Police continued to search the French Broad River by boat Saturday, something they have been doing since Thursday.
According to the warrants, records from King's cellphone reveal that King and Diz were traveling with Griffin to an unknown location for a drug transaction, also the warrants state that Griffin and his girlfriend were house-sitting at another apartment in Canterbury Heights Tuesday.
Documents go on to state Griffin's girlfriend told police she was with Griffin Tuesday, that he left around the middle of the day, but that she spoke with Griffin later that evening and he told her he was at an apartment in Deaverview.
Warrants state sometime later Tuesday night after 9 p.m., Griffin came back to the apartment in Canterbury Heights where his girlfriend was staying and told her "he had done something bad and they needed to go."
Griffin's girlfriend says she noticed a white Ford Expedition running outside and she didn't go.
The next day Griffin was charged with first-degree murder in the death of 31-year-old Uhon Johnson.
Police say the shooting happened around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Items collected from King and Diz's apartment at 30-U Beri Drive in Asheville include a note taken from the door of the bedroom, a note from a table in the bedroom, a pink flash-drive, an HTC blue smartphone, a bag of sim-cards and flash-drives and a plastic drawer with a green leafy substance and packing materials.
Items taken from where Griffin was house-sitting with his girlfriend at 41 Beri Drive, Building-W in Asheville include an e-reader, a Kindle, a laptop, silver foil wrappers with burn marks and one white pill.
Family members are circulating flyers to help in the search.
Memphis — A police-issued shotgun, two handguns, at least three police radios and a long list of evidence are unaccounted for at a small Michigan police department, according to a report from an outside agency.
The missing items were just some of the observations in a report prepared by the Macomb County Sheriff's Office while it oversaw the Memphis department from mid-June to mid-August, the Times Herald of Port Huron reported.
The review, obtained by the newspaper through a Freedom of Information Act request, recommended that the city about 40 miles northeast of Detroit report the guns as stolen, locate or terminate service to missing radios and give priority attention to the department's evidence room.
The department of nine part-time officers and one full-time officer has had four chiefs in five years, the most recent chief starting in September.
A 9-year-old boy was fatally shot Monday afternoon in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood on the South Side.
Tyshawn Lee was shot in an alley in the 8000 block of South Damen at 4:15 p.m., authorities said.
At a news conference at Chicago Police headquarters Monday night, Dean Andrews, the chief of detectives, said the boy had multiple gunshot wounds in his upper body.
In his pitch Monday to recruit a diverse pool of applicants for an upcoming police entrance exam — the first since 2013 — Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy's approach was equal parts practical and idealogical.
"At the end of the day, it's a pretty good-paying job with great benefits," McCarthy said at a news conference held at police headquarters.
"Officers will start with a salary of $47,000, and after 18 months that will go to $72,000, and there's not a lot of places where you can get that in this environment right now, in this economy," he said, adding that health care for the whole family was included.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton waves to supporter as she arrives at a town hall meeting, Nov. 3, 2015, in Coralville, Iowa. (Photo: Charlie Neibergall, AP)
OK, the presidential election is still a year away, but according to a new poll we have another long night of watching results in Florida and Ohio to look forward to.
A NBC/Wall Street Journal poll shows Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton would tie Republican Ben Carson, 47% to 47%, in a hypothetical matchup with the man leading the most recent GOP presidential poll.
Clinton would defeat any other of the Republican candidates in the election, the NBC/WSJ poll shows, including the bombastic business man himself, Donald Trump, by eight points.
Here is how Clinton stacks up against the leading GOP candidates:
Clinton 47%, Carson 47%
Clinton 50%, Trump 42%
Clinton 47%, Rubio 44%
Clinton 47%, Bush 43%
Bernie Sanders, whom polls have consistently shown in second place in the Democratic race, would defeat Trump by an even wider margin, according to the poll, getting 50% of the vote to Trump’s 41%.
The poll was conducted Oct. 25-29, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points.
Today marked our 10th edition of USA TODAY’s GOP Power Rankings, a weekly survey of around 30 political experts gauging the strength of the Republican field. Check out the video above to see how each candidate has moved up and down in the rankings since Sept. 1.
For earlier editions, here’s our Power Rankings index:
Donald Trump makes a point during the CNBC Republican debate on Oct. 28, 2015, in Boulder, Colo. (Mark J. Terrill, AP)
Having taken on Jeb Bush and Ben Carson, Donald Trump has a new object of political attack: Marco Rubio.
Given Rubio’s rise in many GOP polls, Trump repeatedly hit the Florida senator during a news conference Tuesday, citing immigration, personal finances and missed Senate votes.
“Marco is overrated,” Trump said.
Trump said that Rubio is soft on illegal immigration, has made questionable decisions on his personal finances, and has missed too many votes in the U.S. Senate. “He doesn’t show up for the people of Florida,” Trump said during the news conference designed to hawk his latest book, Crippled America.
Throughout his presidential campaign, the New York businessman has attacked the opponent seen as his biggest challenger, first Bush and then Carson, both of whom Trump said lack the “energy” needed to conduct the presidency.
Rubio has defended himself against attacks that he said result from his improved standing in the race.
The United States needs to confront problems in the immigration system, Rubio has said, and many senators running for president miss many votes. As for finances, Rubio said he has faced the same kinds of challenges that all middle-class families do.
Also during his news conference, Trump brushed aside Republican criticism of last week’s debate in Boulder, Colo.
A group of other Republican candidates are compiling a list of demands for future debates, though Trump said he would negotiate directly with the networks. Trump did say that Republicans should be treated as fairly as Democrats are in their debates.
“I like the debates,” Trump said. “I think they’re good for me. But we have to be treated a little bit fairly.”
Charles Koch is chairman and CEO of Koch Industries. (Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY)
Republican presidential contenders hoping to win one of the most coveted endorsements of the 2016 contest got a bit of bad news Tuesday morning.
Billionaire industrialist Charles Koch still isn’t endorsing a presidential candidate and doesn’t seem that excited about his choices.
In an interview on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, the publicity-shy industrialist said he’s long “been discouraged” by politicians who have failed to curb government spending once elected. Asked whether he sees a candidate in the 2016 Republican field who could advance his limited-government, free-market agenda, Koch said: “Not in great measure.”
“I’m trying to be diplomatic,” he added, laughing.
Koch said he’s “not going to publicly comment on any candidate.”
Charles Koch and his brother, David Koch, sit at the center of a vast policy and political network with enormous influence in Republican Party circles. Earlier this year, Charles Koch told USA TODAY that the network was taking a close look at five contenders— former Florida governor Jeb Bush, former Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio. At the time, Koch said the group could back several or none of those contenders.
The Republican presidential race has proved unpredictable. Two political outsiders — billionaire developer Donald Tump and Ben Carson — now lead the polls. Paul is struggling to get attention, and Walker dropped out after lackluster debate performances and money struggles.
Koch’s reluctance to endorse doesn’t mean he won’t have a say in politics. He said he now expects his organization to spend about $250 million in elections in 2016.
“I expect something in return,” he said. “I would love to have the government stop this corporate welfare. That’s what I want.”
Koch, who also appeared on the show with his brother, is in the midst of a publicity blitz to promote his new book, Good Profit.
Hillary Clinton has regained the lead over Bernie Sanders in New Hampshire, site of next year’s first Democratic primary, according to a new poll released Tuesday.
Clinton leads Sanders 48% to 45%, according to the Monmouth University Poll. Sanders, a Vermont senator, held a 7-point lead in the same poll in September when Vice President Biden, Lincoln Chafee and Jim Webb were included. Biden has since announced he would not run, while Webb and Chafee ended their bids.
Clinton’s gains follow last month’s string of positive developments for the former secretary of State’s campaign, including her widely praised debate performance and Biden’s decision.
Sanders, who hails from New Hampshire’s neighboring state, “retains his sizable advantage among registered independents and new voters, men, and younger voters,” according to release from Monmouth about the results. “However, Clinton has made significant gains in the past two months with registered Democrats, women, and older voters.”
Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute in West Long Branch, N.J., cited the women’s vote in particular.
"The Clinton team has recently taken to charging Sanders with sexism over some of his remarks,” he said. “This may be one reason why she has been able to win back women voters in her base.”
Week 10 results for USA TODAY's GOP Power Rankings (Photos via AP)
A good night on the debate stage has put Marco Rubio on top of our GOP Power Rankings for the first time, and it gave Chris Christie his first taste of the top tier.
“Rubio is clearly on the rise after a strong debate performance,” said Kristen Soltis Anderson, one of the 30 political experts we survey each week for their view of who is the strongest Republican candidate. “Cruz and Christie also did themselves favors in the debates,” she said, but it’s “still unclear how much the polls move as a result.”
Rubio jumped from third to first place in our survey, and Christie moved up from eighth place to fifth.
Marco Rubio speaks at the Iowa GOP’s Growth and Opportunity Party at the Iowa state fairgrounds in Des Moines on Oct. 31, 2015. (Nati Harnik, AP)
“Rubio and Cruz are widely regarded to be the ‘winners’ of the Oct. 28 GOP presidential candidate debate and Kasich and Christie also scored some attention for their debate performances,” said Iowa State University’s Dianne Bystrom.
Republican digital consultant Phil Musser said “the beginning of the ‘second look’ for Christie stage kicked off in earnest this week on the back of a great debate and solid follow on early state endorsements and appearances. Watch his numbers start to move.”
And Donald Trump is no longer the center of every political conversation. Trump got only eight first-place votes from our panelists, while Rubio got 16. The Florida senator had never had more than eight first-place votes in the prior nine weeks of our survey. Ben Carson remains near the top with four first-place votes, and Ted Cruz received two.
“The Twitter conversation about these candidates diversified in the CNBC debate, with less of a solo spotlight on Mr. Trump,” said Twitter’s Adam Sharp. “In past debates, we’ve seen him clearly lead in mentions on Twitter, followed by a clear ‘anti-Trump’ candidate and a significant drop-off to the rest of the pack. On Wednesday, Trump was mentioned in 22% of the debate-related Tweets — a drop from 37% in the previous debate. Cruz, Carson, Rubio and Bush were all in a tight grouping next, with Cruz the biggest mover, making for the most evenly-distributed Twitter conversation of the debates so far.”
Meanwhile, Jeb Bush continues to fade. “Bush may technically have time and money, but he needs to do something now to prove to his donors and supporters that he is still a top contender in this race,” said non-partisan political analyst Nathan Gonzales.
Bush’s “last name and correlated war chest keep him in the top-tier, especially since no other mid-pack candidate, like Kasich, Fiorina, or Paul, can consistently attract positive attention,” said Democratic pollster Margie Omero.
Kristen Soltis Anderson, Republican pollster and author of The Selfie Vote Henry Barbour, Republican strategist, Mississippi Paul Brathwaite, principal, Podesta Group Dianne Bystrom, director, Center for Women and Politics, Iowa State University Herman Cain, talk show host and former GOP presidential candidate Maria Cardona, Democratic strategist and CNN Commentator, The Dewey Square Group Frank Donatelli, former RNC deputy chairman and Reagan advisor Sara Fagen, partner, DDC Advocacy Peter Fenn, Democratic political strategist, Fenn Communications Denise Feriozzi, deputy executive director, EMILY's List Karen Floyd, CEO, The Palladian Group and former South Carolina GOP chair Aaron Ghitelman, communications manager, HeadCount Andra Gillespie, polling analyst and political science professor, Emory University Nathan L. Gonzales, editor, The Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report Lilly J. Goren, political science and global studies professor, Carroll University Doug Gross, Iowa attorney and previous Republican gubernatorial nominee O. Kay Henderson, news director, Radio Iowa Ken Khachigian, senior partner, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck Carl Leubsdorf, Washington columnist, The Dallas Morning News Deb Lucia, Topeka 912 – the Capital City Tea Party Matt Mackowiak, Republican consultant and president, Potomac Strategy Group, LLC Dan Maffei, former Democratic congressman, New York Phil Musser, chairman, IMGE digital media agency Margie Omero, Democratic pollster, Purple Insights Jon Ralston, host, “Ralston Live” on PBS affiliates in Nevada Craig Robinson, founder and editor, TheIowaRepublican.com Alan Rosenblatt, Ph.D., Sr. VP of digital strategy, turner4D Dante Scala, political science professor, University of New Hampshire Adam Sharp, head of news, government and elections, Twitter Alex Smith, national chairman, College Republicans Todd Spangler, Washington correspondent, Detroit Free Press Kathy Sullivan, DNC committeewoman and former Democratic Party chair, New Hampshire
Special thanks to the Palladian Group for building our survey platform.
Republican protests over debates proved too tempting a target for President Obama.
Obama mocked GOP presidential candidates Monday night for their criticism of last week’s debate in Colorado, telling a group of Democratic donors it couldn’t be any harder than dealing with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
The Republicans candidates “say, ‘when I talk to Putin, he's going to straighten out’ — and then it turns out they can't handle a bunch of CNBC moderators,” Obama said during a Democratic fundraiser at the Richard Rodgers Theater in New York City.
Some Republicans said the moderators at last week’s CNBC debate asked biased questions and generally failed to control the event that featured numerous interruptions and arguments. They are seeking format changes to future debates.
Obama is unimpressed: "If you can't handle those guys, I don't think the Chinese and the Russians are going to be too worried about you.”
In an interview with NBC’s Lester Holt, Obama reiterated his critique of GOP complaints about the recent debate.
“You’ve got to be able to field difficult questions, and that’s what citizens should expect.”
Happy Election Day, everyone! (No, not THAT Election Day, but definitely AN Election Day.) Voters in various states and municipalities are heading to the polls today to vote on everything from legalizing marijuana in Ohio to limiting Airbnb rentals in San Francisco. It's also a good day to figure out if you're registered to vote, because primary season is right around the corner and nothing turns on the hotties quite like a voter registration card. In the meantime, if there's an election in your area and you spot someone wearing an "I Voted" sticker, be sure to show your deepest appreciation. The future of the Republic depends on it. Not anything super lewd, necessarily, but maybe an obscene handshake at minimum.
Your new, statistically significant front-runner. (Leonard Ortiz/The Orange County Register via AP)
Of all the outsiders in the Republican race, who's the outsideriest? Right now it's Ben Carson, who can now claim to be outside the margin of error in the latest national poll. After months of Donald Trump leading the GOP field, the neurosurgeon has taken the lead in the latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, 29% to 23%. It's not the first time Carson has been in the lead in a national GOP poll, but it's the first time his lead has been larger than the margin of error (in this poll, it's 4.9%) and 29% is the largest percentage for a Republican in this particular poll so far. Did Carson use the latest GOP debate to take a bite out of Trump? No, because this poll was conducted before the debate; and also, gross, Trump meat.USA TODAY OnPolitics' William Cummings has the latest numbers.
BUMMED ABOUT CARSON'S SURGE: 1) TRUMP, 2) CLINTON
Thanks, Donald! (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Among the now three-person Democratic field, Hillary Clinton has been the most successful in attracting support among minority voters, which is easier than it sounds when you can delegate your Hispanic mobilization efforts to Donald Trump. Whenever the real estate mogul refers to undocumented immigrants as "rapists," it forms a barrier – like some kind of wall, maybe – between Hispanics and GOP candidates. "'Don't get mad, register,' that's the rallying cry," says Clinton organizer Federico Peña. All this frustrates Hispanic Republicans including Mario Lopez (not that one, this one) who has been warning GOP candidates to avoid anti-Hispanic rhetoric. If Trump gets more Hispanic voters off the sidelines (the group had a 48% turnout rate in 2012), he might singlehandedly turn the GOP into a buncha losers in 2016. Irony! USA TODAY's Heidi M. Przybyla has more.
TRUMP WANTS TO NEGOTIATE TERMS FOR UPCOMING DEBATE APPEARANCES. THIS SHOULD BE FUN!
If Trump’s demands aren’t met, he’s not bringing the eye candy next week. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Welp, all three of these paragraphs are going to involve Trump one way or another. Donald Trump's team says they'll continue to negotiate directly with the networks on the ground rules for Trump's participation … seemingly implying that if his demands aren't met, he's going to take his hair and go home. (Just curious: When you say "negotiate directly with the networks,"does that mean "tweet at them"?) This may sound outrageous, but both parties have been attempting to gain the upper hand against the media in debates – one of the few areas where campaigns are forced to go off-script on the national stage. Former DNC communications director Mo Elleithee thinks this time, the parties will gain control of the system. (On another note, we're fully expecting to hear from Trump's people later today to discuss the terms of future For the Record coverage.) USA TODAY OnPolitics' David Jackson has more.
And the implosion begins. The “Division leading” Indianapolis Colts have just fired their offensive coordinator, Pep Hamilton, according to Ian Rapoport. That’s one of many many more firings to go… Next will be Chuck Pagano, who is clinging to life and is most likely gone after the Denver loss that will come this weekend (Colts have a bye week following this week, generally a time for firings…) If things continue to go the way they are, Andrew Luck certainly needs to be looked at… Afterall Colin Kaepernick just lost his starting job too…
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Things can change quickly in the NFL and safety Dewey McDonald detailed how it did for him last Wednesday.
McDonald had been waived by the Colts the day before, and was at the team facility ready to return to the practice squad.
“I was basically going in to sign paperwork and then [general manager Ryan] Grigson walked in and said, ‘Hold on a second, you just got claimed.’ I was like, ‘By who?’ And he said the Patriots,” McDonald recalled.
At that point, McDonald received a call from Nancy Meier, the New England Patriots’ director of scouting administration.
“Nancy called me at 4:30 and my flight was at 6, so it was just like that,” McDonald said.
So now he’s on the other side of the heated rivalry between the teams, something he knows well from having played in last year’s AFC Championship Game.
"It was a long game, especially the second half,” he said. “They definitely pounded us."
As it turns out, this isn’t the first time the 6-foot, 220-pound McDonald has been eyed by the Patriots. Leading up to the 2014 draft, he said New England assistant coach Steve Belichick put him through a workout.
“It was definitely an intense workout, probably one of the hardest workouts I actually had,” he said, noting he had seven overall.
McDonald’s primary impact with the Colts has come on special teams, including work as a gunner on the punt coverage team. On defense, he’s practiced at safety.
“[He’s a] young player [25] who has some ability and has a little bit of experience in the league, so we'll see what happens,” coach Bill Belichick said. “We've never worked with him before, so we'll have to see how it all fits in.”
Photo: Dewey McDonald says he was signing a practice squad contract w/ Colts when informed Patriots had claimed him. pic.twitter.com/nHfCdRSHIb
This isn’t just a regular misunderstanding story, this is an all time classic FU to the Colts at the hands of the Patriots. I wouldn’t be surprised if BB waited until the very last possible second to make this move and swipe Dewey right away. Come on over to a winning team. It’ll be a little bit more fun than going 6-10, winning your division then getting blown out of the water in the first round. Welcome Dewey! The next karma bitch slap in the face of the Colts. Any other team this happens between this story goes unpublished, but the Patriots and Colts makes this oh so much sweeter!
Gronk just being Gronk early on in his career. One of my favorite Gronk plays of all time. There is plenty of more where this came from Washington. Get yourself ready. This pure protein oaf is coming for you. On a side note, it is very weird to see Gronk without the Robo Arm…
Gronks last game Vs. Washington 6 receptions 160 yards and 2 TD’s…BOOM
2 in the top 10 and 3 in the top 15, I’ll take it! These guys are very quietly having a great year. Not much is being said about the Patriots defense because of how potent the offense is… A great stat though here is that 40% of the Patriots points allowed have come when the team has a 99% win probability in the game… Meaning almost half the points scored on New England have come in garbage time, incredible.. Way to go D
Steve Williams, who has been just a bitter soul since the break up with Tiger Woods just released a tell all book where he slams Tiger Wood and other various golfers on the tour.
Williams claims that “Tiger would throw his club in the general direction of the bag and expect me to pick it up, I was treated like a slave.”
Hello?? Steve, you are a caddie! In the history of golf the caddie has been a gopher for golfers. This is nothing new! And for goodness sakes, you get paid, very well might I add to be this “slave”. Newsflash, slaves do not get paid. You were compensated very well as Tiger’s caddie.
Tiger took good care of you and you had a great thing going, to out him years later is a sleazy move I must say.
Be bitter and be thankful you are where you are in life… because of Tiger. The reason you can race cars and live the lifestyle you do, is because of Tiger. Shut up you fool..
Where is Mortensen reporting 11 of 12 ribs are broken?
Now I would love to know what this “looking into” entails from the NFL? Are they bringing in Ted Wells? Are they conducting a massive investigation and interrogations of team personnel? I haven’t heard one word about this since it broke on Sunday. It would be so stupid for the NFL to completely blow up this story because it is nothing right? Oh wait… nevermind
The reason you lie on the injury report is so teams do not go for that injury… But from the clip above, it is quite evident that Andrew Luck has some problems with his ribs… RibGate is closed in my book..
Lets fly a blimp over Lucas Oil Stadium, lets petition the NFL to vacate the Colts wins, or lack thereof, lets get an asterisk on that AFC Finalist Banner!!! Oh wait, Patriots fans are too classy for that!
After Monday night’s loss, head coach Chuck Pagano was asked whether Luck was playing injured, and he didn’t confirm nor deny it. “Our guys have issued a statement,” Pagano said, referring to Grigson’s statement released a day earlier. Luck himself was also asked about a potential rib injury, but said, “I’m not going to get into that right now.”
Uhhhhh you kind of have to release that information bud. It’s part of the rules, you aren’t the exception chief.
Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts fell to the undefeated Carolina Panthers last night in a rain soaked Monday Night Football.. The Colts, who did trail 23-6 in the 4th quarter did come back to tie the game and force OT, but fell in overtime.
The Indianapolis Colts are also the first team in NFL history to take a lead in overtime and lose the game since the overtime rule changed.
Andrew Luck has been a complete horror show this year for the Colts. Luck leads the league in interceptions with 12, and he MISSED 2 games! (Peyton Manning is 2nd with 11 interceptions). Luck and Manning are also both respectively 32nd and 31st in the NFL in total QB rating. Luck is beating only 1 starting QB in the league in completion percentage (54.9%), the QB he lost to last night, Cam Newton (54.2%).
Luck is now 1-5 on the season and just to put into perspective, backup Matt Hasselbeck has twice as many wins this year as luck (2-0). To think that 21 ESPN analysts picked Andrew Luck as the league MVP before the season started. Is Luck really the most overhyped QB in NFL history? We think so… Here is the ESPN prediction of SB winners, Conference winners and MVP’s. Most here high on Luck… 21 of 48 “Experts” picked Luck to win MVP. Good call. How bout Mort with the Ravens going all the way? Another swift call! Clearly ESPN told Tedy Bruschi he had to pick against the Patriots, there is no other reasoning I can think of!That takes me to this weekends game for the Colts. The 3-5 Colts (division leaders) take on the 7-0 Denver Broncos and I unfortunately have to do the unthinkable and root for the home team Colts in this game. The Colts have zero chance in this game, and Chuck Pagano has zero chance of lasting the next week as head coach even though he is winning his mediocre-at-best division. Tennessee is the worst team in football and they are still in the playoff hunt. To think this Indy team is going to get a home playoff game is a total joke, the NFL needs to change that going forward…
Peyton Manning is 1-1 in his career against his former team. In an ideal world, these two teams tie. But for now I’ll take a Denver loss over a Colts loss. I suppose it is a win-win either way.
Suck for Luck has turned into Suck WITH Luck… RIP COLTS
This Thursday 5th November, GAME Westfield Stratford is giving gamers the opportunity to battle their way to glory on the new Call of Duty: Black Ops III game, hours before its official midnight launch. From 5pm, GAME's flagship store will play host to an epic Call of Duty tournament, with six lucky winners earning the chance to test their nerve and skill against a team of celebrities and experts in a live-streamed game.
Gamers are encouraged to get down to GAME Stratford before 5pm, where a limited number will be selected from the queue to battle it out in an exclusive tournament area. Six winners will then be given special transport to the official launch party in London, where they will play the new Call of Duty game against a host of special guests. All games will be streamed back on big screens at Stratford for everyone to enjoy, before the six lucky contestants return to join in with other planned midnight fun, including guest appearances, raffles and goody bags.
Over 300 GAME stores will be opening their doors for midnight launches of the game, giving gamers up and down the country the chance to enter the fray and be amongst the first to experience the exciting new features. Three flagship GAME stores, Stratford, Birmingham Bullring and Gateshead Metrocentre, will also be going Call of Duty crazy, theming the store to offer the ultimate midnight experience.
Before getting involved in the midnight action, gamers are encouraged to pre-order their copy of Call of Duty: Black Ops III to receive the bonus NUK3TOWN Multiplayer Map and Personalisation Pack, only at GAME. Set in the year 2065, the exclusive map offers players an adrenaline-filled multiplayer map to enjoy with friends after the launch.
A Call of Duty: Black Ops III Season Pass will also be available to customers in-store and online, which gives gamers access to DLC packs and map packs, as well as a wide selection of exciting Call of Duty merchandise.
For more information on midnight launches and to pre-order your copy of the game, visit:www.game.co.uk /events or follow @GAMEdigital.
On Thursday 5th November at 8pm BST, Call of Duty will host a star-studded Twitch.tv livestream showcasing exhilarating new gameplay from the highly anticipated Black Ops III.
Hosted by world famous YouTuber 'Syndicate', and co-hosted by YouTuber 'Wizzite', the pair will be joined by a selection of special guests including; Arsenal fullback, Hector Bellerin, Crystal Palace striker, Patrick Bamford and Team Vitality's Callum 'Swanny' Swan. Viewers will see these, along with a host of other players battle it out across a number of different maps and modes including; multi-player, campaign co-op and fan favourite Zombies.
The third instalment in the Black Ops trilogy is a dark, gritty future where a new breed of Black Ops soldier emerges and the lines are blurred between our own humanity and the cutting-edge military robotics that define the future of combat.
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) today announced its brand new In-ear Stereo Headset for PlayStation(R)4 (PS4(TM)) will be arriving on 4thDecember in the UK. The headset is available at a recommended retail price of GBP 77.99 and is compatible with a range of devices, including PS4, PS Vita, smartphones and tablets – allowing players to enjoy immersive connected gaming, and entertainment on-the-go.
This wired In-ear Stereo headset features noise reducing AudioShield technology, which restricts unwanted sound from the environment around you – meaning every journey, from epic gaming adventures to your daily commute, becomes free from unwanted noise and distraction. Simply power up the AudioShield to experience increased immersion as you go deeper into the game-world, and enjoy flawless, uninterrupted audio every time you listen to music. The headset also has approximately 15 hours of rechargeable battery for the noise reducing feature, which can be charged via the USB cable included within the box.
The In-ear Stereo Headset includes a built-in microphone for chatting with friends on PS4 and can also be used for taking calls on smartphones and tablets. In addition, the headset includes an In-line call button and +/- volume buttons for easy control of your audio.
With small, medium and large interchangeable ear-tips included and 13mm speakers producing deep bass audio; the In-ear Stereo Headset plugs directly into the DUALSHOCK(R)4 Wireless Controller, as well as other standard headphone jacks, making it the ideal companion for all of your audio needs on any device, including PS4, PlayStation(R)Vita, smartphone or tablet. Lightweight and portable with a blue woven fabric cable the In-ear Stereo Headset is well designed and perfect for use in and out of the home. A pouch is also included within the box, to store and carry the headset when not in use.
With social functionality and a vibrant community at the heart of PlayStation(R), the In-ear Stereo Headset provides an easy way for you to connect with friends, game online and become part of the PlayStation community.
The In-ear Stereo Headset will be available on 4th December 2015. For more information please visit http://blog.eu.playstation.com/.
Groupon on Tuesday announced that Rich Williams will take the position of chief executive officer, effectively immediately.
Williams succeeds Eric Lefkofsky, who was Groupon’s co-founder and who became the CEO in February of 2013 after the company fired Andrew Mason as CEO. Lefkofsky will become chairman of the board.
Williams was appointed Groupon's chief operating officer earlier this year and prior to that was president of Groupon North America.
"As CEO, my top priority is to unlock the long-term growth potential in the business by demonstrating everything the new Groupon has to offer," Williams said in a statement.
He said he had three priorities. They were to bring in more new customers, create a leaner operation and "shift our Shopping category away from lower margin 'empty calorie’ products to grow a sustainable, healthy Goods business with stronger margins,” he said in a statement.
The Chicago-based daily deal company also released its third quarter financial report Tuesday. Groupon reported a loss of $27.6 million, or four cents a share. Shares in the company have lost more than half their value this year.
Groupon (GRPN) shares were down $25.56%, to $3.00 in after hours trading Tuesday.
“Rich is the right and natural choice for Groupon’s future, and he has the unanimous support of the Board of Directors," said Ted Leonsis, outgoing chairman of the board, said in a statement.
Twenty-First Century Fox, the media company controlled by billionaire Rupert Murdoch, is expanding its theme park business.
In a partnership with Dubai conglomerate Al Ahli Holding Group, Fox plans to build a Fox-branded theme park in the United Arab Emirates’ largest city that will feature rides, theme lands and attractions featuring Fox’s films, such as Ice Age, Aliens and Predator. The plan was revealed Tuesday by 20th Century Fox Consumer Products, a unit of 21st Century that will operate the park.
Scheduled to open in 2018, 20th Century Fox World Dubai will cost $850 million. The 75-acre park also will include shops and a resort hotel.
The park "marks an important step forward in our global theme park strategy,” Jeffrey Godsick, president of 20th Century Fox Consumer Products.
Shares of Fox rose 1.2% to $31.48.
In 2013, Fox announced its plans to enter the theme park business by unveiling its plans in Malaysia. 20th Century Fox World, Malaysia is scheduled to open in 2017.
Al Ahli may develop more Fox-branded resorts under the partnership, Al Ahli CEO Mohammed Khammas said in a statement.
Shares of Teladoc fell nearly 10% Tuesday after the telehealth service provider reported a wider net loss for the third quarter.
Its quarterly net loss widened to $11.1 million from a loss $3.2 million a year ago as expenses rose. Its loss per share totaled 35 cents, meeting analysts' consensus estimate compiled by Zacks Investment Research.
Revenue rose 83% to $19.97 million as subscription and visit fees rose.
Shares of the company, based in Purchase, New York, were down $1.77 to $17.82 as of Tuesday afternoon.
The company anticipates a net loss between $2.95 and $3 per share for 2015.
The Fitbit Tracker is an ultra-compact wireless wearable device that automatically tracks and wirelessly uploads data about a person’s activities, such as exercise intensity levels, calories burned, sleep quality, steps and distance.
Activity tracker maker, Fitbit (FIT) dropped nearly 7% Tuesday after the company told investors it plans to sell additional shares.
Shares were weak despite the company reporting better-than-expected quarterly profit. The company reported an adjusted profit of 24 cents a share during the quarter, beating expectations by 140%.
But investors were more focused on the flood of new shares. The company is selling 7 million new shares – a big deal considering the company only has 8.4 million shares outstanding currently. Current Fitbit investors also plan to sell an additional 14 million shares, which adds to the supply of stock investors need to digest.
Zynga co-founder Mark Pincus, far right, walks off stage following an event in 2012. (Paul Sakuma, AP)
It appears fellow mobile gaming companies are enjoying a bump in shares after video game publisher Activision announced it will acquire Candy Crush Saga maker King Digital for $5.9 billion.
Shares of Glu Mobile, creators of the hit mobile title Kim Kardashian: Hollywood, are up more than 5% in pre-market trading Tuesday.
Meanwhile, shares of FarmVille creators Zynga jumped 5.4% ahead of the market open.
The following are important messages from the Sasquatch given to SunBow TrueBrother of British Columbia. In these messages, the history and universal connection between sasquatch, humans, and some star species are outlined as well as the why/where/who/what questions that everyone is asking! They offer so much wisdom and sound advice on how we can all evolve spiritually and connect with our Elder Brothers. The Spirit of God and our Sasquatch guided us to find this gentleman and his messages on 9/28/15 as they told us for months now that we would continue to meet more of our "soul tribe" and others like us to help share the message of love and peace and responsibility that we have here on Earth. They have also been telling us for over 3 months that a great shift would occur near the end of September that would alter consciousness and open up new dimensions, and that many truths would be revealed. SunBow received the first 7 messages before we connected, and he had never even heard of Kewaunee's research or books before that so you know they are truly authentic! These messages are in complete alignment with everything that Kewaunee and I know as well as the hundreds of other contactees that have and still receive messages from our loving big brothers. The sasquatch are very excited that we have connected now so that we may work together to save humanity and Mother Earth by raising our vibration to be in a state of spiritual consciousness. These messages are transcribed by SunBow as they are channeled through Sasquatch Consciousness, so this is word for word what they want us to know now so that we may advance spiritually by knowing our truth. It is the request of the Sasquatch and Council of Elders to share this information with those who are ready for it at this time. You may also see these messages and others, add your own, and connect with kindred spirits on the new facebook page we started called "Wisdom and Messages from our Elders" found here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1501460963502283/
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Conversations with Sasquatch (part 1)
. Although some call him Bigfoot, Yeti, Yowie, Babaloo, Misabe, and a variety of other names, I call him Sasquatch, one of his most famous names, coming from the Coast Salish language of so-called BC. I say him, although this specie of two-leggeds also has genders and families, but the ones who choose to show themselves and interact with us Humans are most often wise older males, protectors of their tribe. Two previous encounters and lots of research in different sources, including many accounts from Native traditions, had awaken my interest in this mysterious being. Two close encounters this spring with direct communications brought me many clear answers and teachings.
Establishing a Permaculture Garden – Planting Seedlings
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Taking you through the process to grow heirloom seedlings. Eventually filling in the surrounding area with sunflowers, mint, corn and radish as these are companion plants for melons and pumpkins.
PIXELATED STARS AND MOTION STOP FRAMING … Turn into cube ships and energy force beams … THE US AND THEM DIALECTIC … FITS IN WITH THE BI- POLAR CONSTRUCT (of GODS and DEMONS) … NASAS OFFICIAL LOVE AND HATE DIATRIBE.
When you pull back the curtain on all of the illusions, what you find is quite preposterous. It is so absurd, so far removed from what we perceive as reality, that not many people would ever believe it. It is beyond science fiction.
"The truth is paradoxical to the extent of being exactly contrary to the usual perception."–Georges Bataille Consider what actually lies behind that curtain. Behind the facades we perceive, are truths that are contrary to the perceived realities. It is not what we think it is. We have been trapped, enslaved for thousands of years, without us even realizing it
actovating DNA by Michelle Walling, Staff writer, In5D.com
Many New Age methods are becoming transparent or simply not working at all for lightworkers, energy workers, and starseeds. Methods that use the white light to heal or to transmute energy within your body are beginning to uncover hidden problems. Because of the new energies bathing the planet, I have been drawn to share the most effective method of transmuting energies using the Golden Source Floodlight.
The true zombie apocalypse
We are now living in the real zombie apocalypse. As you look around in your reality, you may notice the glassy eyed stoic emotional human that looks like a wandering lost soul. Perhaps there isn't even a soul in that body after all, but many of these people are simply lost in a mind controlled stupor.
There is a frequency fence that is sending out a low vibrational frequency that is designed to keep people from realizing that they are being mind controlled. There are frequencies that work with the nanobots or AI technology that have been ingested through chemtrails and GMO food. Tap water has fluoride as well as other controlling substances in order to keep people "doped up". The small group of hidden controllers of this planet simply had an advantage over the humans through the use of advanced E.T. technology, DNA manipulation, deceit, esoteric knowledge that has been kept from humanity, and the advantage of being hidden in a different dimension.
Reiki and false light tricksters
As this third dimensional reality's matrix overlay continues to dissolve, a person may have the realization that something is wrong. Through desperation, intention for change, and soul awakening triggers, they begin to become more immune to the frequency fence vibration. They may begin to question everything and they learn that they may be carrying low vibrational energies and "hitchhikers" within them that need to be cleared.
Many beginners turn to Reiki as a method of healing, as well as other methods which rely on the "white light" and someone else to facilitate the energetic transformation. When an attunement is not done right the receiver will take on part of the Reiki master's energy field, thus they pick up even more energies that are not theirs. On top of that, some people who do not realize what they are doing bring in the "white light" instead of pure Source light to do the attunement.
White light may be of a higher vibration but the "source" of the energy is not always known.
There are negative beings in the fourth dimensional astral realms that have a higher vibration than us, and this is why we can't see them. That doesn't mean that they have our best interest in mind. Remember to be discerning with who works with your energy field and body, understand the source of their practices, and rest assured that everything you may have done in the past can be corrected with pure Source energy and higher consciousness.
Any time you agree to receive energy you are opening your body up to receiving anything that matches your request. You should be specific in the origin of the energy, because there are many beings patiently waiting for the next awakened person to generically ask for "white light", Jesus, Archangel Michael, ascended masters, gurus, and angels to help them in this lifetime. These trickster beings are simply looking for a way to access energy and are getting more and more desperate for an energy source. These beings are not able to get what they need through a direct connection with Source/Creator.
These beings can shapeshift or manifest a body and come to you in any form that will be familiar or appealing to you such as: yellow reptilians posing as One and Eve, Ascension Masters, Sananda, St. Germain, basically entities that are making YOU their official voice). Their goal is to receive a cord connection to you, like plugging in an electrical appliance to an outlet. If there is a true archangel or ascended master that is helping people, they must be really busy with the number of people praying to them. The chances of another being slipping in depends upon many variables. The best bet is to connect with an energy source that is not able to be manipulated or hijacked.
Just because these white light trickster beings share your energy field does not always mean that they will harm you right away. In fact, if you give them enough energy, they may very well be able to transmute other lower vibrational energies you may have. After all, they don't want to have to compete with any other being for your energy! They may also be able to use their advanced technologies to help you "channel" other beings or activate your pineal gland so that you can have a career as a psychic or healer. It may even be to their advantage to help you heal so that they can receive even more energy.
The point is that some people are operating as psychic, channelers, and healers because of the shared energies they are carrying that are not their own or of their oversoul. The more beings you allow in, the more energy gets sucked, and eventually fatigue, illness, and burnout may envelope you. The highest and best "channel" you can have is one that is tied to your oversoul and/or your star family, and when the earth shifts, she will not be taking these energy vampires with her. You do not want to be caught with one of them hanging onto you when you are trying to shift with the planet.
Superwave energies
The planet has been bathed with a variety of new energies over the last several decades. The most recent waves included activation energies and information energies. Wave X energies have been helping to break the mind control frequency fence and to uncover darkness within so that it can be transmuted. An advanced "superwave" of energies from the center of the Cosmos is available right now from Source. This is the highest vibrational energy you can receive in this dimension, and the astrological alignment of the planets in this space and time is the reason it is now more abundant to you. The ultimate goal is for this energy to be expanded within the body and for the original DNA template to be re-activated.
Getting rid of unwanted energy vampires and hitchhikers
It is time to thank the "middlemen" for their assistance until we were able to wake up and establish our true connection with Source. We can now cut all energetic cords and return them to sender with love. The only reasons I can think of to allow beings to continue to share your energetic field at this time would be if you have some beneficial contractual obligations with your star family that are in your highest and best interest, as well as if you are allowing parts of your oversoul from parallel lives to join you. When parts of your oversoul or star family join you they may be here to bring you wisdom, witness the events occurring on the planet at this time, help balance your energy, or to be healed themselves. These situations require your own discernment.
The Golden Source Floodlight
Ultimately, the best way to "receive" energy is to directly connect to Source. You may have imagined the white light energy in the past to come form Source, as I have often shared with you. That's o.k. as long as you defined where the source of the energy was that you were drawing in. But in order to teach others how to expand their internal energy column and to insure you are connecting to Source, it is a good idea to change your visualization the "Source Floodlight" which is a golden, sparkly, brilliant, alive energy. You can bring it in anyway you prefer, through your crown chakra, heart chakra, or sacral chakra, or even through the back of your neck.
The Golden Source Floodlight
The point is to allow it to eventually completely flood you inside and out. As you practice this visualization, you can gradually grow your inner "hara line" of golden energy to expand to your neighborhood, city, state, country, planet, galaxy, solar system, Universe, mulitverse, and beyond.
Implants
Hitchhikers aren't the only energy vampires. Etheric and physical implants may have been inserted into your etheric or physical bodies to steal your energy and as a mechanism through which you can be mind controlled. There is nothing that the Golden Source Floodlight energy cannot transmute, and the area where the implant was removed from will need to be filled in with this Source energy.
Most implants are of a low vibrational frequency and will be neutralized as you raise your vibrational level above its level of vibration through connecting with Source. However, sometimes getting pulled back into third dimensional thinking can lower your vibration just enough to be affected. When you are centered and grounded in a neutral zone, the implants do not have an energy source and the hitchhikers usually leave on their own because they are really desperate right now to attach to a consistent negative energy source.
Many people are so implanted that they will have a hard time removing or neutralizing implants on their own. This is when a trusted implant removal worker or a high level energy healer will help to get a person back on the right track. Once you get your implants removed, they can certainly return if you do not keep up your clearing and high vibration. A counseling session by a spiritual & metaphysical expert, similar to what I offer as a holistic life coach, is a good way to get help in identifying where your blocks in life are as well as identifying your next steps toward the highest path and outcome.
White light is vampirism
The white light used by lightworkers are from the old school thinking. White light energy is not really "free". It becomes vampiric light when it has to be stolen from one place and moved around through exchange inside of this creation in order for certain beings to survive. It is either being siphoned from a planet or star, or directly stolen from a human body energy battery.
Source light energy is abundant. In order to manifest matrices and physical realities, the Creator light is split into a range of rainbow of frequencies at different vibrations. The conglomerate of the refracted source light is the white light. We are moving our consciousness back toward Source, and eventually our consciousness will break the prism plane of refraction back to wholeness again through integration with our oversoul.
In my opinion, it is fine to connect with your guardian angel, trusted spirit guides, higher vibrational beings. After all, they can see more than we can. But we have to learn discernment with tricksters and freeloaders, and we have to learned to have domain over our energy field. Why not just go to the top for your connection?. If you haven't been able to "channel" other beings, in a way it could have been a blessing for you. Like me, it may have been a way of protection from your guardian angel because you may not have had the capability of discerning when enough is enough.
The white light tunnel in between lives
The white light at the end of the tunnel has been used in the afterlife karma cycle to draw souls back intoreincarnation. We have many articles on In5d about this topic, and the main thing everyone wants to know is where do you go if you choose not to go into the white light tunnel?
Although this part of the false light matrix creation will eventually be dissolved (it could already be dissolved), if you find yourself facing the white light tunnel, look for the golden light instead. Intend to go to Source. This is why it is so important to re-establish your connection with Source while in this incarnation, because everything you have awareness of now is still there when you sever the tie to your body. Not to worry though, because many of us came here to make this transition to higher consciousness while still existing in the body. By making this transition, we remember that we are the consciousness connected to Source and not just the body. We will learn to manipulate the energy in the body to allow it to live much longer than bodies have lasted in the recent past, and some of us won't be "dying" any time soon.
Emotions and the new consciousness
Joyful and heart based emotions, unconditional love, compassion, and empathy create more channeled golden Source Floodlight energy in the heart. The human body is capable of generating this Source energy out of nothingness, which is what makes it a very desirable commodity.
Your crown chakra and soul chakra connects you to Source and is open all of the time. Even of you are not deliberately growing your "hara line" internal energy, you still have a connection to Source energy that makes your heart beat and your lungs contract. You are always open to the creator of all, the new consciousness, and the new thought that is coming. The opportunity to shift your consciousness to a higher level of understanding and vibration is happening right now.
Connect to the Golden Source Floodlight of truth, mercy, compassion, empathy, wisdom, and understanding. You have the right to this golden light because you realize that you ARE this light. This is how we are going to exit the low vibrational matrix overlay and help restore the original template for physical creation on this planet. As your cells take in the golden Source light, the DNA that lies within them will eventually be activated and the perfected template you once carried will be restored. When the critical mass of people connected to Source is reached, the planet will shift into a new reality and the old reality will fall far away.
PAUL if your campaigning agaisnt seals your arguing against the laws of source which are only there to protect others negative actions from infringing on anothers experience murder being an example you could argue its a way to trap epople and it was being used for that purpose but source had to create a system of checks and balances
look up the word sovergien
freedom to do what you want at the cost of anothers freedom is really what total freedom is
Yes exactly my and roses point
To argue differently is your double pushing an agenda that is seriously quite sinister even if at face value its seems okay
i dont want total freedom or sovergienty
service to others means to help others service to self is to only care about your your own self being totally sovergien means you only care about yourself as your freedoms are what matters
i dont want freedom for all i want love and happiness for all 2 very different things
love isnt freedom
to be totally soveriegn and free is literally do what you want with no regard to others
TANN
(LAWS OF SOURCE NOW ???? SOURCE makes up the laws) … that’s changed again To be sovereign and free … Is to be mindful of your own thoughts and actions …to not harm another … FREEDOM is ‘BEING’ FREE from false realities and concepts … FREEDOM IS LOVE FROM WITHIN … You are sovereign of your own life and bow down to no one … No one should be sovereign or lay claim over another SOCIOPATHS are not free … They have an agenda … Any agenda is an idea created … A fact that always gets overlooked
STAY FREE BE IN LOVE BE UNIQUE AND UNTAINTED There is no choice … But love … When you INNERSTAND KNOWLEDGE IS A CONCEPT REPEATED AD FINITUM OVER TIME BASED REALITIES … PERCEPTION IS NOT TIME BASED … IT IS INSTANT … IT IS LOVE
EN.LIGHTEN is PERCEPTION
TO EN.LIGHTEN IS TO UNVEIL
TO UNVEIL IS LOVE IN ACTION
AT LEAST I AM NOT A PARROT … REPEATIING WHAT ROSE SAYS
PAUL TO ENLIGHTEN IS TO ILLUMINATE SOUND FAMILIAR
ALEXANDRA To respect is LOVE, Paul Just stay within and listen to your inner voice, your heart, your intuition….it is never wrong. Paul, use your discernment, not word-picking….how many Mays have passed, Paul ?
PAUL The only dick heads that talk about light are the followers of the light bringer as in lucifer are you guys serious with this light stuff THE WHOLE Illumnati religon is what you guys are posting
ALEXANDRA No way, read my comment above. Light is information, but not acc to Rose, who DOES NOT have a monopoly on any information, sorry This is a different take, Paul, from Rose;s stuff
PAUL im not defending rose only pointing out what is illuminati/bible talk
TANN Are we to be afraid of using certain words cos we’ll be called EF … I don’t follow anyone let alone BIBBLE stuff
ALEXANDRA Your take, Paul, there is lots in Rose talk that sounds very similar……about to go, no September again, fried Ed, re-appeared Ed, vahs destroyed, then got their own planet…..Paul ?
CHERYL then how does Rose know anything is she a luciferian are her gifts of sight/light evil?
ALEXANDRA Rose said a few mos. ago she was cut off from One…
CHERYL Because she sees, well what is that ? Mysticism is good depending on where its coming from?
ALEXANDRA She gets her info from her RS friends, I presume….
TANN RS means … REVERSE SPEECH
CHERYL isnt that evil too ? LOL
ALEXANDRA If it’s not Rose, it;s evil, LOL
TANN To question is PURE LOVE IN ACTION … Like s child questions
ALEXANDRA To ahve an opinion different to Rose’s does not make one an EF.
PAUL Tann stop using that word at the end of every sentence your ruining it meaning
CHERYL right thats how to learn and feret out truth Tann
ALEXANDRA To question and not blindly follow anyone
TANN LOL PAUL … We are free to debate and question without ridicule or name calling
PAUL whose name calling i called lucifer a dickhead sorry if that insulted you
TANN BAD MEMORY PAUL QUOTE from above The only dick heads that talk about light are the followers of the light bringer as in lucifer are you guys serious with this light stuff
PAUL GOOD MEMORY PEOPLE WHO TALK ABOUT LIGHT ARE LUCIFER KIN
ALEXANDRA Dear me, Paul, since when have lost your discernment hat ? We exchange opinions, that is all, and they are not in sync w/Rose’s info….
PAUL IM NOT TELLING ANYONE TO STOP TALKING ALEX
ALEXANDRA No, you are shouting at me for having a diff opinion to you and Rose.
TANN What were the rules again ?
ALEXANDRA
respect respect respect !!! Paul, we are voicing our opinions here, in public, not be berated for them.
JIM Tann is so full of shit
TANN Sofia posted this..
DIS-CER-NING: There is a spiritual coach that I like very much. He is Cameron Day. I am taking a phrase of his, from his web, which has a special meaning in relation to the point we are dealing with lately about “the need of a seal” and/or the threats to those whom may have questions about this or any other point of Rose’s communications: “…Another major difference between false light beings within the demiurge and beings of True Divine Light who are aligned with Infinite Source is that the Divine Light is not controlling, manipulative, bossy or judgmental in any way. Infinite Source will NOT impose an agenda upon you, although it will support you in your chosen mission to help dismantle the corrupt demiurge. You won't be given "marching orders" by Infinite Source or beings of True Divine Light who operate outside of the demiurge.”
ROSE Well, Tann, enjoy the bs. Thats all it is.
TANN In old soul Rose … You said … we are soverein, King of your own castle.
ROSE We are Tann, but you’re using a word with two senses, and the definition you’re giving people is straight from the legal terms on financial debt notes
TANN No … I know nothing of legal terms … I’m using it … The same as old soul … Yourself said it
ROSE No, you are not.
TANN I’m sovereign king of my own castle … I agree
ROSE Tann…define ‘of’
TANN OF … The relationship between a part and the whole
ROSE No..”of” is a word with two senses. “of” in legal terms is “possessed by”. I wanted to point that out, because you’re using a form of language that carries a legal meaning you are not aware of. It used to be taught.
TANN It was your word ”of’ that I quoted in the sentence from old soul … Which you wrote ROSE
ALEXANDRA OK. Who is above One, Infinity, then the Source / Creator / ?? Just wondering here.
ROSE they say its the tree of life, the ‘all’
ALEXANDRA But it’s One and Eve’s Tree of Life, they birthed it, all of its Branches, Rose ….who is above it ? Put differently, whom does One answer to or look up to ?
Guess Rose is gone for now….
TANN Hope not … I have a q all religions have their form of tree of life I thought religion was EF
ALEXANDRA Acc to Rose, all religions were thought up by either Set or An…. as a spectrum to entrap humans here
@Rose, another q if I may, you do realise that sinCe the Oldsoul texts, which you now say are invalid, there has been no new information coming from you, apart from the secchi cams interpretations that usually leave me bewildered anyway as to how much is apparently seen in them…I take your word for it ….Is there no new information that you could share with us now, that we could learn from and know more ? I personally would love to know more and more, pls. TY. EF secchi cams are no match for the truth to be uncovered….
@Rose, and another one, on the hot subject of the seals….if One and Eve birthed the Family Branches of their Tree of Life, then those sealing themselves with the Creator of their soul and spirit are effectively sealing themselves with the One, aren’t they ? Pls advise, TY.
TANN Ask PAUL … He’s now changed it all … Saying Source made the Laws not One Seems to change … Slip and slide … As we question WHO are we sealing to And has made a sovereign being from Source an ENEMY OF MANKIND
This video report, shows and discusses the code contained in the 11-02-15 Google Doodle, celebrating, The Day of the Dead-2015.
The detailed elements contained in this image are plentiful, and intelligently presented. It is a Google Doodle worthy of proper consideration, for the code contained in this video, clearly supports the direction we have been headed, every since the dates of 9-23 and 9-24, when everyone says, nothing happened.
The future dates of 12-21, 12-23 and 12-25 are shown and discussed along with a clear and compelling 9-11 finding for the overall image.
Lance H. asks: Who currently receives the royalties for Mein Kampf?
Mein Kampf, the autobiographical, anti-Semitic hate-manifesto written by Adolf Hitler in the 1920s is one of the most controversial and infamous books of all time. As you might imagine, this has resulted in millions of copies of the book being sold since Hitler did the world a major favour and heroically (and with no regard for his own personal safety) managed to infiltrate the Führerbunker and take out one of the most hated individuals of all time- himself- in 1945. So, ever since Hitler fired a Walther PPK at his own head, who’s been collecting the royalties from sales of the book, how much did Hitler make off it before that, and why’d he write it in the first place?
Hitler initially began dictating and drafting the outline to Mein Kampf while imprisoned in 1923 after a failed attempt to seize power in Bavaria in a coup d’état which eventually became known as the “Beer Hall Putsch“. Conceived by Hitler as a way of simultaneously spreading Nazi ideals and paying off the massive debts he had racked up, the future-Fuhrer realistically expected that his book would only primarily appeal to those who were either in or sympathetic to the National Socialist Party. For the most part, Hitler was right (a sentence this author sincerely hopes is never taken out of context in the future) and upon its release in 1925, it sold a modest 9000 copies, nevertheless earning him a nice little income.
Over the next few years, as Hitler’s star rose in German politics, sales of his book similarly increased. Legitimate sales of the book peaked in 1933 (the year Hitler became Chancellor of Germany) with a reported 850,000 copies being sold that year. (In total, it’s estimated that around 10 million copies of the book were sold during Hitler’s lifetime.)
Padding these totals significantly, when Hitler became Führer (“leader/guide”), millions of copies of the book were purchased by the German government and were distributed for “free” to German soldiers and newly married couples. In doing this, Hitler ensured that he earned royalties for every one of the “free” books handed out by the government by declaring that local authorities had to pay to cover the book’s cost before giving them away.
It’s difficult to determine exactly how much Hitler earned from all these sales, but according to the documentary, Hitler’s Money, the total rang in at just under eight million Reichsmarks. Equally difficult, for a variety of reasons, is converting that amount to modern day dollars or pounds. But, as an extremely rough estimate, eight million Reichsmarks in the early 1940s would be equivalent to around $30 million at that time or about $430 million (£279 million) today. Whatever the case, given Hitler’s fairly lavish lifestyle in the immediate years leading up to (and then later including) his time as leader of Germany, and with most of his personal income coming from the book sales in the early going, it would seem his bank account was doing alright. Of course, we should note that this doesn’t take into account all of the money Hitler later acquired through various other means such as a licensing his image to the German government (earning him money every time they sold a stamp or other item with his face on it).
Hitler also maximized his personal income by simply not bothering to pay his taxes. This created something of a problem for him initially, but he managed to string along the German tax office for years, at one point brashly claiming that he only owned “one desk and two bookshelves“, while simultaneously driving around in a brand new Mercedes. At other times he kept the tax officials at bay by insisting he’d pay off his tax bill in installments over time. This all culminated in Hitler receiving a tax bill of 405,500 Reichsmarks shortly after he became Chancellor in 1933. (For reference, the average annual teacher’s salary in Germany at the time was a little under 5,000 Riechsmarks.) Still not wanting to pay his taxes and now being in charge, he promptly had a representative of the ministry of finance declare that the Führer was “free of tax obligations” and the massive tax debt he’d accumulated was waived, along with future taxes he’d have otherwise owed.
While sales of Mein Kampf internationally were decidedly more modest, Hitler still made considerable amounts of money from them before the start of WW2, with it being noted that he made somewhere in the region of “$500,000 inflation adjusted dollars” from sales of the book in the UK alone.
As Hitler was officially a resident of Munich upon his death, the Bavarian government seized all of his property, including the rights to the book and immediately outlawed its publication in Germany. Despite this, the book is still published and sold with some success in other European countries and beyond today where it is not banned. As the legal copyright holder, Bavaria is entitled to any royalties from such sales and they do accept them, albeit begrudgingly before giving them to charity.
That said, when Hitler died his will instructed that any objects of “sentimental value or necessary for the maintenance of a modest simple life” be split amongst his living relatives and friends, while his art collection and remaining assets be split between an art gallery in his hometown of Linz and the National Socialist German Workers Party respectively. However, the Bavarian government decided to ignore this will as part of what we like to dub their commendable “screw Hitler initiative”, taking full ownership of his entire estate. While legally some of Hitler’s distant heirs could lay claim to what remains of Hitler’s estate (which is still estimated to be worth millions), none of them are willing to do so. (In fact, apart from not wanting anything to do with Hitler’s estate, the sons of Hitler’s nephew have even gone so far as to agree to never have children to end his bloodline.)
While rights to Mein Kampf belong to the Bavarian government throughout most of the world, in the UK and the US, things are a little different. In the UK, rights to the book belonged to Hurst & Blackett, who purchased rights to publish a translated version of the book from Hitler’s publisher in 1933. When Hitler died, Hurst & Blackett retained the rights and continue to sell copies of it to this day, though now under the name Random House (a publisher which bought them out in 1998).
However, the company, unwilling to profit from a work of Hitler’s, has for some time gifted all royalties made from the book to an anonymous charity. In 2001, it was revealed that the charity in question was The German Welfare Council. That council then stated that they were planning to return £250,000 of the £500,000 they’d received over the years via book royalty donations. This came as a response to the controversy that erupted to their ever having accepted such funds and being confronted by various prominent individuals, including the chairman of the Holocaust Educational Trust, who felt that profiting in any way from such book was inherently wrong, even if the money was being used for good. The £250,000 they’d already used from the sales of the book had been given to aid Holocaust survivors. The Welfare Council stated of all this,
When we agreed [in 1976] to the arrangement the generally accepted view was that there was a moral obligation to pass the money to Holocaust victims – but no Jewish charity would take it. The current board of trustees, however, has decided the funding is no longer appropriate – not least because we no longer deal exclusively with Holocaust victims.
This charity was chosen because of its work with Jewish refugees from Germany, but their number has diminished greatly over the years; most have died of old age. The problem now is that no one wants anything to do with the money.
Upon learning that the Welfare Council would be returning the money, Random House decided that they would distribute the unwanted funds and any subsequent royalties to “another appropriate charity“.
As to why the German Welfare Council had so much remaining from the donated book royalties, it was explained that, “We kept it in a separate bank account from other donations and used it only in emergencies. Holocaust victims who were helped by the charity may not have known about the donation and I fear that some might be offended.”
In America, royalties to Mein Kampf are collected by Houghton Mifflin, who bought the rights to the book from Hitler’s publisher in 1933. Interestingly, at least two other publishers (Stackpole and Reynal & Hitchcock) are known to have published unlicensed translations of the book in the 1930s by arguing that because Hitler self-identified as a “Stateless German” his book wasn’t copyrightable. Neither of these publishers paid any royalties to Hitler; in fact, Stackpole advertised the book by explicitly stating Hitler wasn’t getting anything from the sales of their version.
At the start of WW2, the American government seized all profits and rights to the book within the country. The government then held the rights to Mein Kampf until 1979. During this span, they made about $139,000 in royalties, with this money placed into the War Claims Fund before being paid out to victims of the war.
In 1979, Houghton Mifflin paid the US government $37,254 to quietly buy back the rights earning them an estimated $700,000 in royalties over the next two decades. However, when it emerged that the company had been making hundreds of thousands of dollars from sales of the book, they issued a statement stating that the royalties the book earned would be distributed to charities that promoted “diversity and cross-cultural understanding” and a host of other things Hitler would have hated. The Red Cross (founded by Henry Dunant with the intent to prevent and alleviate human suffering, without discrimination, see: A Memory of Solferino – The Fascinating Life of Henry Dunant) was one candidate for receiving royalties from the U.S. sales, but, like so many more before them, the organization reportedly declined the money.
Thanks to German Copyright law, Mein Kampf is scheduled to enter the public domain on the 1st of January, 2016 meaning there will likely be even more arguments and controversy about who, if anyone, should profit from Hitler’s hymnal of hate.
Hitler wrote a sequel to Mein Kampf in 1928, further expanding on the ideas of the original work, particularly in the area of the Nazi party’s approach to foreign policy. However, the 200 page manuscript, today known as Zweites Buch (Second Book), was not published in Hitler’s lifetime. It was discovered in a German air raid shelter by American soldiers in 1945, with its origins and the authenticity of the contents later verified by a former employee (Josef Berg) of the Eher Verlag publishing house, which originally published Mein Kampf and had reviewed the manuscript.
One of the grandsons of the woman who helped design Hitler's bunker, Karl Bernd Esser, was the chief designer of Saddam Hussein's bunker. According to Esser, Hussein's bunker could have "survive[d] anything short of a direct hit from a Hiroshima-style nuclear weapon." And, indeed, the U.S. fired several specially designed GBU-28 bunker-busting bombs (nicknamed, "The Saddamizer") at it, along with nearly two dozen cruise missiles, with no major effect on the bunker itself (though the building above it was demolished and there was some minor damage.) The bunker was also designed to be able to withstand chemical and biological weapon attacks, could house about 250 people, and cost about $66 million (about $183 million today) to design and build (built by the German firm Boswau and Knauer). Despite the cost, Saddam only used the bunker about eight times before being removed from power.
Adolf Hitler's surname is thought by many etymologists to derive from "Huettler" or "one who lives in a hut".
"Nazi" isn't just the name of a one-time prominent political party, but also the Swahili word for "coconut".
Hitler was named Man of the Year by Time magazine in 1938. They stated, "Lesser men of the year seemed small indeed beside the Führer”. That said, their reasoning for picking him was not to honor his actions up to that point. They noted, among other knocks against him, "Germany's 700,000 Jews have been tortured physically, robbed of homes and properties, denied a chance to earn a living, chased off the streets. Now they are being held for 'ransom,' a gangster trick through the ages." They ended their article on their decision to name Hitler the Man of the Yearon the ominous note, "To those who watched the closing events of the year it seemed more than probable that the Man of 1938 may make 1939 a year to be remembered."Time certainly nailed that one.
We recently posted that the prime minister of Hungary Viktor Orban, was holding George Soros responsible for playing a significant role in engineering the "migrant" crisis. Soros has apparently responded and substantiated Orbans claim. His reply stated the following in…
Natalie was too afraid of drowning after a Gypsy have foreseen her destiny to his mother and said "for her to be afraid of dark water" [citation needed]. She said in interviews that loved to be surrounded by water, but not within it. Ironically, his greatest fear was the cause of his death in unclear circumstances.
The American actress and second husband, Robert Wagner, were spending the weekend of Thanksgiving aboard the yacht Splendour, in the company of a guest, the actor Christopher Walken.
The three ate in a restaurant on the island and returned to the yacht for a drink, when a violent discussion have begun between Wagner and Walken.
Wood left so the deck and headed to the main cabin, but when, a little later, Wagner went down I saw. The actress will have gone up on deck for release to water a tyre and was at that location that was found drowned.
Natalie didn't know how to swim, she left her husband's yacht, on a rainy night, pick up a small rubber dinghy and if put in the darkness of the night, after a violent argument with Bob and the actor Christopher Walken, who was filming Brainstorm. Strangely Bob invited him to spend a weekend with the couple in their yacht "Splendour". On the night of his death they had consumed copious amounts of alcohol. She was found dead, floating and the fact out classified as drowning.
In 2011 new data about the case appeared and it was announced that investigators from the Los Angeles County would reopen the investigation into the death of the actress. Dennis Davern, captain of the yacht in which Natalie Wood was before he died, admitted in sworn statement by Los Angeles Police Department have given sedatives to the actress, her husband Robert Wagner and Christopher Walken.
Due to this new research, in June 2012 the authorities decided to change the cause of death on the death certificate of the actress for "Undetermined". In January 2013, according to a report issued by the Forensic Medicine Institute of Los Angeles, the actress Natalie Wood had bruises on his arms and wrists and bruises on her neck when her body was taken from the Pacific Ocean in 1981, suggesting that she was injured before falling in the water, however, the Sheriff refuses to discuss any new evidence is discovered.
Victor Salva (Martinez, California, March 29, 1958) is an American film director. Usually directing horror movies.
Clownhouse is a horror film of 1989, written and directed by Victor Salva.
◾ Months after the premiere of the film, it was discovered that the Director Saves sexually molested teens in the film, filming acts of harassment against one of them. Denounced, was convicted and served sentences only alternatives coming back shooting in 2001 "hungry eyes".
So, where is a transgender person to take a leak; no going to airports, ball games, concerts, parks, malls, or churches – either stay home or hold it in, which is the point. Full Article & Video
Iowa GOP chairman Jeff Kaufmann refused to let Comedy Central cover their Growth and Opportunity event because he was afraid they would make fun of Iowa. Full Article & Video
Republicans, gosh, it’s like they all have KICK ME signs taped to the back of their blue suits, Jeff Kaufmann, that’s with two Ns. Full Article & Video
6000 low level non violent drug offenders were released from federal prisons this weekend pouring out into our communities to once again sell pot in Colorado, Oregon, both Washingtons and not Ohio. Full Article & Video
Police are making a point, that people are treating them unfairly about who they are and how they look and what they wear, following them around with cameras, recording everything they do, suspicion that they are about to break the law, leaving police afraid to even get out of their cars for fear that someone may whoop out a phone and brutally film them.
President Obama masterfully trolled Republican candidates, whose courage knows no bounds in dealing with Vladimir Putin — from afar, comparing themselves to the “weak” President, claiming they would “make Putin listen.” Those same sensitive candidates are in a bitter dispute with TV news outlets over perceived mistreatment, hurt feelings and other abuses cited in previous debates. Full Article & Video
On @Midnight, Chris Hardwick gives comedians Max Silvestri, Eliza Coupe and Dave Hill the job of creating comedic cliff notes for Donald Trump’s new book – (truly) called “Crippled America How to Get Great Again.” Because Trump somehow found the time to write a new book ( ’tis the season for ghost writers), Chris Hardwick Charges his panel with giving us some idea of the chapter titles and content, because there is as little chance of us reading it, as there is that Trump actually wrote it. Full Article & Video
After more than 20 years of planning and execution and 45 million euros spent, the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo (the Museum of the Works of the Cathedral) in Florence reopened to the public on Thursday. More than 750 artworks — paintings, textiles, architectural models, sculptures — are on display in a completely redesigned space that finally allows the museum to exhibit monumental pieces from the exterior and interior of the Duomo, the Baptistery of San Giovanni and Giotto’s Campanile (bell tower). The Museum of the Works now houses the largest collection of Florentine sculptures from the Middle Ages and Renaissance in the world, statues and reliefs in marble, bronze and precious metals by such towering figures as Lorenzo Ghiberti, Donatello, Luca della Robbia, Antonio Pollaiolo, Andrea del Verrocchio, Antonio del Pollaiolo and Michelangelo Buonarotti.
More than 200 of these works have never before been on public display before because exhibition space was so limited. The acquisition in 1998 of the Theater of the Intrepids, an 18th century playhouse built on the site of Renaissance artists’ workshops that had once belonged to the Opera, allowed the museum to more than double its space. Because the theater had long since been gutted and was being used as a parking lot, there was nothing of historical or architectural interest to preserve. This allowed the architects to restructure the old museum and the theater, fusing them together into a single logical space. There are now more than 6,000 square meters (64,600 square feet) of room for the masterpieces from the history of the construction of this great church to spread out and breathe in 25 rooms over three floors. To accommodate monumental pieces that were made to be viewed from afar, several large halls were created ranging in size from sixty to a hundred feet long with ceilings twenty to fifty feet high.
The flexibility afforded by the theater large, empty theater building solved the museum’s thorniest problem: how to properly exhibit the elements of the Duomo’s original facade designed by Arnolfo di Cambio in the late 13th, early 14th century. Arnolfo’s facade was incomplete at the time of his death (sometime between 1302 and 1310), covering only the bottom third of the church. Standing next to the multicolored marble facades of the Baptistery and Campanile, its whiteness where finished and roughness where unfinished were much criticized. Over the years various contests were launched to find a solution but they came to naught. Finally in 1587, the Medici Grand Duke ordered the court architect to demolish the facade and replace it with a brick veneer painted in Mannerist style. In 1688 that was repainted with fake columns and architectural details on the occasion of the wedding of Grand Duke Ferdinand to Violante Beatrice of Bavaria. That paint job was faded to all but nothingness by the mid-19th century. The white, green and red marble facade we know today is shockingly recent, designed by Emilio de Fabris to coordinate with the other striped structures in the complex and constructed between 1876 and 1886.
The Opera managed to keep most of the facade, despite the inexplicable lack of care taken to preserve the works during demolition, in its store rooms. It also kept in its archives the only surviving drawing of Arnolfo’s original facade: a 17th century copy of a sketch drawn by Bernardino Poccetti in 1587 just before demolition. When the Museo dell’Opera opened in 1891, the monumental figures from the facade couldn’t possibly fit. The best it could do was exhibit a little wooden maquette of the facade while more than 100 original pieces — 40 statues, 60+ architectural features — stagnated in storage.
The lofty spaces of the theater gave the museum the opportunity to do something extremely cool about the facade: reconstruct the whole damn thing indoors. Using the Poccetti sketch as a guide, architects recreated the 14th century facade along one wall of the 1,500-square-foot great hall. The sculptures and reliefs were positioned in their original locations, with a few select pieces of particular importance being brought down to the museum floor so visitors can actually see them while plaster copies were put in their original places.
Across from the reconstructed Arnolfo facade is another monumental installation: the Baptistery facade. The famous Gates of Paradise, Ghiberti’s gilded bronze panels depicting scenes from the Old Testament in high relief that once graced the east wall of the Baptistery, the north door, an earlier work by Ghiberti made to match the first doors by Andrea Pisano, and said Pisano doors, all extensively restored, are installed in the facade, topped by the monumental sculptures that topped them in the 16th century. (Copies of the doors now take the brunt of the weather and pollution in the Baptistery itself.)
Other rooms are dedicated to important works and history, like Donatello’s Penitent Magdalene (1455), Michelangelo’s unfinished and all the more beautiful for it Bandini Pietà (ca. 1547–1553), and the two intricately carved choir lofts that once stood above the doors of the sacristies inside the Duomo, one by Luca della Robbia (completed in 1438), the other by Donatello (completed in 1439). These masterpieces of early Renaissance sculpture were removed by order of groomzilla Grand Duke Ferdinand because he considered them too passe’ for his fashionable wedding. He replaced them with massive Baroque choir lofts.
The great dome of the cathedral designed and built by architect, artist, goldsmith and inventor Filippo Brunelleschi also get its own hall. It houses original wooden models of the cupola and lantern and, incredibly, some of the pulleys and gear Brunelleschi devised to get construction materials 170 feet off the ground. I haven’t been able to determine if the 9-foot scale model of the dome discovered under the floor of the theater during construction in 2012 has been integrated into the museum as was discussed at the time.
(Speaking of Brunelleschi’s dome, you have to watch this documentary about its construction. Master masons from the United States go to Florence and join in a project to build a scale model of the dome to see if they can figure out how he did it. It is absolutely riveting viewing. It’s fascinating to see Brunelleschi’s genius brought to life by masters who clearly feel the noble history of their craft with every brick they lay.)
Basically, this is a whole new museum. If you’ve been to the Museo dell’Opera before, you have all the reason you need to get back there stat because its previous incarnation bears no resemblance to its current splendor.
(Malay Mail Online) – Chaos erupted in the Dewan Rakyat today after Opposition MPs demanded a federal minister explain the controversial removal of former Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, purportedly over health reasons.
Puchong MP Gobind Singh asked de facto law minister Nancy Shukri to explain the reason for Abdul Gani’s removal in July.
“On Gani Patail, he was removed from office on grounds that he was ill, but he claimed that he was not aware of such a thing, " Nancy said in reply.
“Secondly, Malaysians all witnessed how he attended a forum in the Bar Council where he said he was fine.
Gobind countered that it appeared like there was interference and abuse of power if it was the prime minister who decided to remove the AG.
In reply, Nancy said Abdul Gani was indeed ill when he was removed from office as he had to undergo dialysis treatments frequently.
“Now he is fine but at that time he goes for dialysis up to three times in a week… what’s important is that his removal was done in accordance with the law,” Nancy said.
Her reply prompted other Opposition MPs to stand up and demand for more answers on Abdul Gani’s removal as well as transfer issues involving other officers.
Gobind stormed out of the Dewan Rakyat after Nancy ignored the uproar.
Later during a press conference in the lobby of Parliament, Gobind expressed disappointment over Nancy’s reply, saying the issue surrounding Abdul Gani’s removal was of public concern.
Last night, at the Bar Council public forum on the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA), Abdul Gani confirmed that he has been enjoying good health despite the need to under dialysis.
It was his first public appearance since his abrupt removal as the AG in July, ahead of his compulsory retirement that was only due on his 60th birthday on October 6.
Apart from telling Malay Mail Online on July 28 that he was unaware of the reason, Gani had not spoken publicly on his removal from the post he had held for 13 years.
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Lembaga Pengarah MBI bagaimanapun menolak kertas cadangan DEIG dan permohonan pinjaman tidak diteruskan
(Free Malaysia Today) – Syarikat sarat dengan kontroversi, Darul Ehsan Investment Group (DEIG) mengaku membuat permohonan pinjaman dengan beberapa bank berjumlah RM500 juta.
Ketua Pegawai Operasinya, Soffan Affendi Aminudin berkata, kertas cadangan tersebut bagaimanapun telah ditolak oleh Lembaga Pengarah Pemerbadanan Menteri Besar (MBI).
"Memang betul salah satu kaedah kita guna pakai adalah cuba dapatkan pinjaman tapi kita sudah bentangkan kepada Pengarah MBI dan mereka tolak kertas cadangan," katanya.
Beliau berkata demikian ketika ditemui pemberita selepas penggulungan Bajet Negeri Selangor di Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Selangor pada Rabu.
Dalam pada itu, Soffan turut menafikan bahawa pinjaman yang dibuat oleh DEIG adalah untuk melangsaikan hutang syarikat Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Berhad (KDEB) yang berjumlah RM413.2 juta seperti yang didakwa.
"Kami masuk untuk buat rancangan strategik untuk lihat apa yang kita ada. Salah satu isu kita lihat adalah isu legasi iaitu hutang kepada negeri.
"Kaedah nak selesai macam-macam. Contohnya ambil pinjaman, majukan pembangunan dan sebagainya..itu situasinya. Kaedah yang kita cadangkan kepada Lembaga Pengarah tidak diterima pakai," jelasnya.
Ong Kian Ming asks whether the subsidy benefited Bernas directly
(Free Malaysia Today) – Serdang MP Ong Kian Ming has told the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industries to release details of the abuse of a rice subsidy that has prompted its withdrawal.
In a statement today, Ong noted that the ministry's recent announcement of the withdrawal of the subsidy for ST15 (Super Tempatan 15% broken rice) had been foreshadowed in the budget estimates, in which rice subsidies, which amounted to RM528 million in 2015, were reduced to zero in 2016.
He also noted that the ministry said the subsidy programme had been abolished because there were "too many leakages" in various ways, including the purchase of rice by non-Malaysians and restaurant owners.
However, Ong indicated that too many questions remained unanswered.
"Since this subsidy was introduced in 2008," he said, "an estimated RM3.4 billion has been spent. If there were leakages in this subsidy, how much of this subsidy was wasted? How much did this subsidy benefit restaurant owners who would gain additional profit from using this subsidised low grade rice? How much of this subsidy went to unscrupulous middlemen who bought ST15 subsidised rice and repackaged them to set it at a higher grade and sell it a higher price?"
It is one year after the largest amount in damages ever awarded in Malaysian judicial history – against current PKR ADUN and PKR Sabah Deputy Chairperson Christina Liew.
She was found guilty cheating 819 poor families out of their only valuable asset (their land) by using her staff to pretend to be the buyer while she convinces the poor landowners to sell cheaply so that they can make hundreds of millions!
One year until today, this news remains buried in FMT (mine is the only comment) and never featured in MalaysiaKini and Malaysian Inciter or their friendly FB pages and blogs.
It’s only the largest damages ever officially awarded by a court in Malaysia’s history – nothing special. No need for them to report!
Pakatan leaders keep asking people not to read mainstream media – a case of “Don’t listen to their bullshit and lies, listen to our bullshit and lies instead”.
And once you listen ONLY to their bullshit and lies, they continually manipulate and use you.
Thus the majority of Pakatan supporters are totally unaware and shocked at this news of the largest court-case awarded damages – against a Pakatan YB for cheating 819 poor families.
If this was a BN MP or ADUN, this news would probably still been headlines on MalaysiaKini and Malaysian Insider.
Largest court-awarded damages ever and never reported by so-called “independent portals. You must be kidding!
—————————————– The High Court of Sabah and Sarawak has awarded RM557, 641,716.29 in damages against three individuals: Api Api ADUN and lawyer Christina Liew Chin Jin Hadhikusumo, the 3rd Defendant in a land case; the 1st Defendant Siti Rahfizah Mihaldin who is Liew's clerk; and the 2nd Defendant Samsuri Baharudin, the purported attorney of a group of 819 smallholders.
The High Court found that the three Defendants had unlawfully induced the Bahagak Smallholders Scheme participants to breach their JVA on 12,000 acres with the company, Borneo Samudera Sdn Bhd (BSSB).
This is what the judge Chew Soo Ho said:
“it is abundantly clear that the 1st and 2nd Defendants (Christina’s staff) are going for the smallholders lots which the 3rd Defendant (Christina) had been directly involved with the 1st and 2nd Defendant to buy up the smallholders' lots”
The benefit that the Defendants will obtain and enjoy in purchasing and acquiring the smallholders' lots which had been developed into oil palm plantation is easily inferred as such developed land is insurmountable in value or land price when they are resold, said the Judge.
The YB was also shocked by the news report stating that most of the smallholders had lodged a police report against her and the other two defendants, when it was not part of the reason for the decision and the finding of the Judge.
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Yes, I have been watching MACC for some years now, ever since the Ramli and Rosly cases and the exposés that Malaysia Today did on Selangor. And I have noticed that MACC practices selective prosecution. MACC is not the trustee of good governance, as they claim. They have an agenda and their agenda is to play politics.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
It looks like my latest article (Why should I support Pakatan Harapan?) has attracted mixed reactions. Of course, the Pakatuns are whacking me and are calling me all sorts of nasty names but then that is to be expected from those with closed minds and tunnel visions.
Actually, in spite of me being a PAS supporter for the last 40 years, I have not spared that party from criticism either. In fact, some of my articles criticising PAS have even been published in the party newspaper, Harakah. That makes PAS a more democratic party than many of the other political parties in Malaysia, DAP and PKR included.
There was one article back in November 2000, soon after the Sanggang by-election, where I whacked PAS real hard. Surprisingly, they published that article in Harakah and when I met the newspaper's Managing Director he told me that he published that article because he felt that what I wrote was true and he wanted the party leaders to read it.
I have even taken an anti-Hudud stand and wrote many uncomplimentary articles on the matter. No doubt some in PAS were not too happy about that but they never whacked me or called me names like what the DAP or PKR people would have done. They accepted the fact that that was my stand and they respected it. And that is why I love PAS so much — they are true believers in freedom of opinion.
Anyway, in my latest article I have openly stated my stand and make no bones about why I take that stand. Of course, I really did not need to do that because if by now you do not know my stand then you are downright dumb. But then there are many dumb Malaysians out there so I suppose sometimes you need to state the obvious because the obvious is not obvious to some people.
Well, if you think you cannot accept my stand then do not read what I write. I am not forcing you to read Malaysia Today and I do not regard your boycott of Malaysia Today a great loss. Malaysia Today still gets the same number of hits but only that the type and quality of readers has changed. In the past we got hard-core Pakatun readers and now that has been replaced with thinking readers.
In a way you can say that Malaysia Today's market has shifted. And that does not worry me one bit because we still have a market but a different type of market. And those in this new market read and think and sometimes send me private messages. But they do not bother to post senseless and meaningless comments in the Blog (like the Pakatuns do), which just contaminates Malaysia Today and brings down the quality of the discussion.
Nevertheless, at least I am being open about the whole thing unlike some of the other news agencies and portals. For example, The Star is owned by MCA but serves DAP. So The Star receives money from one paymaster but serves another master. They masquerade as pro-government while in truth they are anti-government. Is this being honest? And you can see the number of anti-Islam and anti-PAS items that they publish. (Malaysia Today picks up these items and publishes them in the spirit of freedom of opinion).
Then we have Malaysiakini, Malaysia Chronicle and The Malaysian Insider that pretends to be propagators of truth but in reality are 100% pro-opposition and their only agenda is to run down the government. Why don't they declare their stand and say that they are pro-opposition and anti-government? Why try to create the perception that they are neutral when they are the opposite of neutral?
In fact, you can read many anti-Malay and anti-Islam articles in Malaysiakini, Malaysia Chronicle and The Malaysian Insider. Of course, they disguise their anti-Malay and anti-Islam stand by whacking PAS and Umno but the slant is more towards whacking the Malays and Islam.
You may have noticed how the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) uses Malaysiakini and The Malaysian Insider in the game they are playing. They leak information to these two portals when according to the law that is a crime. MACC is acting more like the fourth member of Pakatan Harapan and they are no longer interested in combating corruption as they are in trying to help Pakatan Harapan in hitting the government.
There is nothing wrong in hitting the government. But then if MACC acts as the fourth member of Pakatan Harapan then everything they do becomes suspect. When they do something is it for the good of the country or to help the opposition? And if those in MACC feel that helping the opposition can be equated to doing something good for the country then they, too, should openly state their pro-opposition stand like I have done.
The opposition alleges that the Election Commission (SPR) is biased and is pro-government. But MACC is also biased and is pro-opposition. Have we heard one word from the opposition about this? In fact, the opposition leaders even made a visit to the MACC office to openly pledge support for the Commission.
So now MACC and Pakatan Harapan are good friends. MACC and Pakatan Harapan are collaborating in trying to bring down the government. That is now no longer a secret. Is that why the deaths of Teoh Beng Hock and Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed are no longer an issue?
In the past the opposition wanted MACC to explain whether Teoh Beng Hock and Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed accidentally fell to their deaths while they were standing on the window ledge or whether they were intentionally thrown out the window. Until today it is an 'open verdict'. Everyone claims ignorance so it still remains a mystery.
The majority of the people think that Teoh Beng Hock and Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed were murdered. The opposition strongly believes and alleges that it was murder. But now the opposition is not concerned about the matter any longer because MACC is now their friend.
The Commercial Crime Investigation Division (CCID) investigated the MAS scandal involving RM8 billion, the links between an IGP and the Chinese underworld (the prostitution, gambling, drugs and loan shark syndicate), and many other crimes. All this involved corruption. Did MACC pursue all these cases?
No, MACC did not pursue these cases. Instead, they arrested the Director of the CCID, Ramli Yusoff, and alleged that he had hidden assets of RM27 million. Then when Ramli engaged a lawyer, Rosli Dahlan, to fight his case, MACC arrested him as well and alleged that he was Ramli's accomplice.
In the end all these cases were thrown out of court and MACC was proven a liar who fixed up Ramli and Rosli because they were exposing corruption when it should have been the job of MACC to do that.
So now MACC is operating as the fourth member of Pakatan Harapan. And that is why they refuse to pursue the investigation into the Darul Ehsan Investment Group (DEIG) and closed the file the same day they opened it and stamped it NFA (no further action). MACC does not want to hurt the Pakatan Selangor government. They want to help Pakatan.
There are many things wrong in Selangor. Five years ago Malaysia Today published documents that came from the MACC files about many investigations that were launched regarding shenanigans in Selangor. All the files are still open. They have never been officially closed. But in five years nothing has been done because if they pursue these cases then they will hurt Pakatan.
These cases involve hundreds of millions and are perpetuated by the DAP and PKR people. You will be surprised if I were to list down all those cases. Even people like Ronnie Liu, Teresa Kok, Nurul Izzah Anwar, and so on, are involved. And MACC has all the details. But so far no action has been taken.
Do you remember one DAP leader coming out to say that there are many shenanigans in Selangor? This DAP leader even mentioned what they are. And what this DAP leader said confirmed what Malaysia Today had written five years ago.
Yes, I have been watching MACC for some years now, ever since the Ramli and Rosly cases and the exposés that Malaysia Today did on Selangor. And I have noticed that MACC practices selective prosecution. MACC is not the trustee of good governance, as they claim. They have an agenda and their agenda is to play politics.
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(Malay Mail Online) – Former Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail has insisted he will not comment on the court court case against 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) critic Datuk Seri Khairuddin Abu Hassan and his lawyer Matthias Chang, both who have been charged with attempted economic sabotage against the country.
Addressing the issue head on for the first time since his abrupt removal from office three months ago, the former prosecutor said he had to maintain his professionalism and would not speak about ongoing court matters and when he lacked the full facts of a case.
"As a professional, I will not discuss that because it will be a subject matter that has been brought in court and that will have to be settled in court. As to the legality and so on, we will wait for the court's decision, let's see what happens," he said in his presentation at a forum last night.
Abdul Gani was asked several times to comment on the prosecution of Chang, who has said that he was charged for merely acting as a lawyer for Khairuddin in the latter's visits to authorities abroad to lodge reports on 1MDB.
Abdul Gani again reiterated that he could not say if Chang was charged properly or if there was a case against him, as he does not know the facts apart from him being a lawyer representing Khairuddin and detained under the Special Offences (Security Measures) Act (SOSMA) 2012.
"I do not know what the prosecution have, you have to be fair to them, that has not been disclosed as yet. We have to look at the trial, if at the trial, there was no evidence, then that is bad prosecution.
"But if they have something else to prove, yes, a lawyer is not exempt, even the Attorney-General is not exempt, even an ex-Attorney-General is not exempt from the law, that's what it is," the recently retired government lawyer said.
During his presentation, Abdul Gani raised several points for the audience to consider, including the common objections that SOSMA was intended for suspected terrorists and how the act of lodging reports on alleged mismanagement and misappropriation of funds could amount to "sabotage" when such reports are meant to initiate probes.
He also raised the status of protections to whistleblowers under the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010, further pointing out that foreign authorities only have power to conduct investigations on offences in their own countries.
"Another point of contention is how any foreign investigation initiated pursuant to these disclosures will affect Malaysia's banking and financial services when no foreign law enforcement agencies has jurisdiction to investigate an offence in Malaysia.
"If any foreign law enforcement agencies were to initiate their own domestic investigation, it would necessarily be in relation to breaches of their own respective laws and misuse or undermining of their own banking and financial services. That is their business, as far as I am concerned," he said, leaving it to the audience to consider these points.
On October 12, Khairuddin and Chang were charged with attempting to sabotage the country's banking and financial services through visits to authorities in five locations, namely France, UK, Switzerland, Hong Kong Singapore, with the offence under Section 124L of the Penal Code read together with Section 34 of the same law carrying a penalty of a maximum 15-year jail term.
Khairuddin and Chang were detained on September 23 and October 8 under SOSMA, which allows detention without trial for 28 days, and have remained in detention since then.
During the question and answer session, Abdul Gani said he had always prided himself in neither being a politician or diplomat and would call a spade a spade, clarifying that he did not say there were abuses in the use of SOSMA.
"Remember what I said, until I know the facts and details, only then will I comment. That has been my job all this while.
"To prove abuse, you all know it has to go beyond reasonable doubt. As a professional, no matter whether you are a lawyer or in the prosecution, you hold by that principle alone, otherwise you are of no use," he said.
When asked if bringing a charge against a prime minister amounts to activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy — an offence under the Penal Code — and if SOSMA applies to such a situation, Abdul Gani said the 2012 law applies to offences against the state.
"You have to read Chapter VI and Chapter VI A carefully. If you look at the part, it's only against the state, not individual, so we can see what it's for," he said referring to the two categories of offences under the Penal Code that SOSMA is applicable to.
The Bar Council forum "SOSMA: Wolf in sheep's clothing" last night is Abdul Gani's first public appearance since his retirement and since his services as Attorney-General was discontinued on July 27 due to health reasons.
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(FMT) – DAP has long faced a perception problem. For all its efforts to reach out to the Malay community, it is still widely regarded as a "Chinese" party, given that most of its members and the public figures representing it are Chinese. Furthermore, voting trends have shown that most of its supporters are Chinese.
For DAP to ascend to a new level as a political party, it needs to change this perception. Unfortunately, it failed to do so in the recent election of its Selangor executive committee. None of the Malay candidates who contested were elected, not even the famous expert in constitutional law, Aziz Bari, who was hailed as a major catch for the party. Aziz had to be appointed to the committee, along with Syefura Othman and Edry Faizal Eddy Yusof, who did not stand for election.
Tony Pua, who was reappointed state chairman despite being beaten by Gobind Singh Deo in terms of number of votes, has claimed that the Malay members were new and thus unknown to the DAP rank and file. The voting was not done along racial lines, or so he says.
Frankly, it is unthinkable that the DAP rank and file do not know who Aziz Bari is, and what it is that he brings to the table in terms of legitimising DAP as a truly Malaysian party.
If it is true that the voting did not occur along racial lines, then DAP ought to be even more disappointed as that would indicate ignorance on the part of the voters.
(Malay Mail Online) – The proposed debate between DAP's Tony Pua and 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) president Arul Kanda Kandasamy is inappropriate as it jeopardises the function and integrity of the Public Accounts Committee, said the Centre for a Better Tomorrow (CENBET).
The pro-moderation and good governance group said that going ahead with the debate would result in a "political sideshow", which will detract from the current efforts to uncover the details on 1MDB.
"Having a Public Accounts Committee member to publicly debate with the group executive director of 1MDB, a company which PAC is probing, would only undermine the proper functioning of PAC and compromise its integrity as an institution," CENBET co-President Gan Ping Sieu said in a statement.
He also said that Pua's challenge to publicly debate Arul Kanda as well as Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak's endorsement to host a live telecast of the event were both flawed in principle.
"Any challenge by a legislator/politician for public debate over matters of public affairs or matters regarding a government incorporated company should not be directed to a bureaucrat or the CEO of that company.
"Instead, it should be directed to the minister charged with ministerial oversight over the matters or fellow politicians who defend the matter," Gan added.
The MCA leader also said that a head of a government-owned company had no business agreeing to a public debate against a politician over the affairs of his own company.
"His duty is to report to the government in respect of the affairs of that company, to provide clarification in such manners as directed by the government and to answer to any inquiry or investigation conducted by bodies charged with lawful authority (MACC, PAC, Bank Negara etc).
"It is a ministerial duty to answer all queries on 1MDB satisfactorily. The minister, having ministerial oversight of the affairs of 1MDB, must not be seen to relinquish or delegate his political accountability to Arul Kanda, nor permitting him to accept the challenge by YB Tony Pua for a public debate," Gan said.
Yesterday, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia had said that Pua, who is the Petaling Jaya Utara MP, should either resign from the PAC or abstain from the committee's probe on 1MDB if he wants to debate the issue with the firm's president, Arul Kanda.
Pandikar also ruled that Arul Kanda himself can no longer be a witness in the probe if the debate goes on.
Pandikar's ruling came shortly after Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said said national broadcaster RTM had suggested a Friday slot for a live telecast of the debate.
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(Bernama) – Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat Pandikar Amin Mulia yesterday explained that the ruling concerning the public debate between Tony Pua and Arul Kandasamy on the issue of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) was made after seeing the seriousness of both parties, as well as the government, to make it happen.
"I see that the government has made a statement that they are willing to facilitate the debate, which means that it is imminent that the debate will happen," he said at the Speaker-meets-media editors event here last night.
Pandikar Amin said if he allowed the debate to go ahead, then it would be unnecessary for any committees, particularly the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), to convene meetings and investigate the allegations concerning the government's strategic investment company.
He also stressed that the 1MDB issue should not be debated in public, but be solved using the right channels and via the PAC investigation, which was ongoing.
"Why should there be a debate while the matter was being investigated? I'm not against any debate, but wouldn't it (debate) affect the results of the PAC investigation?
"If the statements are made by the PAC, then go ahead and debate. But the question now is whether the debate will solve the problems? The answer is no…then why not go through the (investigation) process first," he asked.
Pua, who is Petaling Jaya Utara MP, had previously challenged Arul, President and Executive Director of 1MDB, to an open debate, to which the latter agreed.
Subsequently, Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak conveyed the willingness of Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) to broadcast the debate live on Friday.
However, in the Dewan Rakyat sitting yesterday, Pandikar Amin ruled that Pua should resign as a member of the PAC first or refrain from being involved in the investigation of 1MDB if he planned to go ahead with the debate.
At the same time, he said Arul, who was the main witness, should also not be involved in the PAC investigation.
When asked about DAP's plan to replace Pua with another representative so the public debate could go ahead as planned, the Speaker said he had no power to stop it.
"I cannot control anything that is not within my power…the reason why I got involved in this was because it is within my power. PAC is subject to the Dewan Rakyat's Standing Order 77, which says that in whatever activities, PAC must follow the existing Standing Order.
"Whatever rules applicable to the Dewan Rakyat are also applicable to the PAC committee," he added.
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(Reuters) – Datuk Seri Nazir Razak, the chairman of Malaysian bank CIMB said political uncertainty facing the government led by his elder brother is the biggest concern for foreign investors looking at the once-stable Southeast Asian country.
Speaking to Reuters on Saturday at a country club on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, where his bank was hosting a golf tournament, 48-year-old Nazir said the "central issue for Malaysia" was restoring its reputation for political stability.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, 62, is embroiled in a scandal surrounding 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), the state fund that has racked up debts of US$11 billion (RM46.8 billion) since he established it soon after taking power in 2009.
Najib's denial of any wrongdoing has failed to dispel suspicions of mismanagement and corruption, which led to a mass protest in Kuala Lumpur in August and more recently moves to bring a confidence vote in parliament.
Nazir did not discuss his brother's political problems, but said investigations into 1MDB should be concluded quickly, and the findings made public if the government is going to restore confidence in the way Malaysia is being run.
"The sooner we deal with the 1MDB overhang, the better," said Nazir, the chairman of Southeast Asia's fifth-largest bank, and Malaysia's second-largest by assets.
The scandal has taken its toll on the energy-exporting country, already hit by a slump in global oil prices.
The ringgit currency has fallen 18.5 per cent this year against the dollar, plumbing levels unseen since the depths of the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s.
Political stability has been a selling point for Malaysia in a region whose young democracies have gone through troubled times, but the 1MDB scandal has damaged that reputation.
"Traditionally, Malaysia has had this posture in terms of political stability, self-sufficient economy, well-managed banking systems and robust institutions," said Nazir.
"That image is affected by some of the recent events. That is the central issue for Malaysia."
The brothers' father, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, was Malaysia's second prime minister, earning a reputation for frugality and integrity as he led the new country in the austere post-colonial years.
With 1MDB's transactions under investigation in Switzerland and also, according to media reports, in the United States, Najib has tightened his grip on the ruling United Malays National Organisation.
But there are uncertainties over what might happen if he finally became regarded as unelectable in a party that has led every multi-ethnic coalition since Malaysia emerged from British colonial rule in 1958.
Nazir's disquiet over the fallout from 1MDB, whose advisory board is chaired by Najib, is no secret, as he has used social media to flag his worries for months.
In early September, Nazir used his Instagram account to raise concerns over the resignation of a 1MDB advisory board member who had quit after complaining that he had been denied scrutiny of the fund's financial affairs.
Helping change Malaysia
Beyond what went wrong at 1MDB, people also want to know how the mess will be cleared up, Nazir said.
"Investors are concerned as to whether anyone else will have to take the burden, and whether there will be a negative impact on anyone else, including the government balance sheet," he said.
Doubts over 1MDB had brewed for years, but a storm broke in July after the Wall Street Journal, in an article on 1MDB, reported that investigators had traced deposits totalling around US$700 million into accounts held in Najib's name.
Najib has denied taking any money for personal gain, and the state's anti-corruption agency says those funds came from an unnamed Middle East benefactor.
Local news networks and social media, sensing some split between the brothers, have been abuzz with reports that Nazir will enter politics, even launch his own political party. But he has no such plans.
Indeed, Najib turned to Nazir after the ringgit's fall became alarming, recruiting him for a new special economic committee to help steer Malaysia away from economic danger.
"I don't aspire to be a politician," he said. "All I am hoping to do is to be helpful. When you feel strongly that your country needs positive changes then one ought to be open to be helpful in that process."
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(The Star) – A live telecast of the debate would disrupt the PAC proceedings and create prejudice among the public towards those involved in the 1MDB probe.
After all the brouhaha over the debate on 1Malaysia Development Bhd between one of its most vocal critics Tony Pua and its CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy, the event might not take place at all.
The anticipation of the showdown between the two, which has been hogging the limelight the past few days, fizzled out after Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia poured cold water on the proposed debate.
"If they wish to continue with the debate, I will not involve myself in the matter and will step down as Speaker," Pandikar told the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
He said the live debate between the Petaling Jaya Utara MP and Arul was a breach of Parliamentary Standing Orders and could only proceed if the two were to excuse themselves from the ongoing Public Accounts Committee (PAC) investigations into 1MDB.
Pua is a member of the PAC while Arul is slated to appear before the committee to answer queries over the strategic fund's business ethics.
In an immediate reaction, Pua said he would rather forgo the debate than not have Arul appear before the PAC.
He had earlier prepared 10 questions that he had planned to ask Arul.
The stage was set for the debate after Arul agreed to the debate on Sunday, withdrawing his initial condition that Pua should first resign from PAC.
Pua had challenged Arul for the debate, after accusing him of giving "recycled" answers during a live interview over Bernama TV last week.
Earlier, Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak has said that the live debate would be aired live over RTM on Friday, saying that it needed to be expedited as the issue was the talk of the people.
Pandikar, in responding to a question from DAP Seremban MP Anthony Loke on whether he had discussed with the Government before reaching his decision, said he was merely fulfilling his role as Speaker, which was to ensure that Parliamentary rules were followed.
"If the Government has a different agenda, then it is its own agenda," he said in the House.
Parliamentary Standing Order 85 specifically prohibits the publication and dissemination of statements which are uttered before a select committee, he added.
He said the questions and answers from both sides during the debate would also contravene Parliamentary Standing Order 23(1)(e), which specifies that an inquiry cannot touch on committee proceedings, which have not yet been presented to Parliament.
"Considering that the issues which Pua and Arul wish to debate are still the subject of PAC’s investigations, any statements or remarks they make during the debate can be considered premature," he said, adding that a live telecast of the debate would disrupt the PAC proceedings and create prejudice among the public towards those involved in the 1MDB probe.
Legal expert Datuk Jahaberdeen Mohammed Yunos said Pandikar's decision was appropriate in order to safeguard PAC's integrity.
Jahaberdeen said that Pua, as a PAC member, should have known the terms of reference and should have been able to anticipate the Speaker's decision.
Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal however disagreed, saying that no conditions should be imposed on both Pua and Arul to proceed with the debate.
"What is important is that the public at large should also be able to hear the truth so I think it is not wise for us to impose the conditions," said the former Rural and Regional Development Minister.
Shafie, who is also the Semporna MP, said it is vital that the public know what was happening in 1MDB.
Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the debate would not solve the 1MDB problems.
The Umno Youth chief said he was more interested in the outcome of the PAC investigations than the live debate.
"Perhaps the debate will enlighten the public, but it cannot resolve the outstanding problems. The more important solution is through the PAC proceedings," he said.
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(Malay Mail Online) – Selangor DAP assemblyman Yeo Bee Yin lashed out at the state Pakatan Harapan government, accusing it of being "unreasonable" in refusing her request to know the remuneration of directors in state-owned subsidiaries, adding that it was against the freedom of information policy practised by the previous administration.
Local daily New Straits Times reported today the Damansara Utama representative saying her request had been declined despite similar information being readily available when Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim was Selangor mentri besar.
"The answer given to me was that the information of salary, bonus and benefits are considered private and confidential.
"For me, an answer like that is unreasonable," she was quoted as saying at the state 2016 Budget debate at the state assembly yesterday.
She said she hoped to be able to get an answer from Selangor Mentri Besar Azmin Ali during the next state assembly sitting.
According to local news portal The Rakyat Post, Selangor civil servants can expect to see a 15 month bonus next year along with a 3 per cent salary increment which will be implemented come January, Azmin said when tabling the state's 2016 budget last Friday,
Azmin also revealed that Selangor turned its RM452.5-million deficit budget for this year into a current surplus of RM 552.58 million due to reduced government spending.
While projected revenue rose to RM2.05 billion against the projected RM1.97 billion, public expenditure was sharply lower, with the government having spent just RM1.5 billion up to September 30 2015, the MB added.
Khalid was sacked from PKR and eventually resigned as Selangor Mentri Besar following a protracted crisis in the party and the state.
Azmin, a known rival and vocal critic of Khalid, was then appointed as the chief executive of Selangor by the state ruler despite PKR's attempts to make Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail the MB.
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(The Star) – The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will seek clarification from the Dewan Rakyat Speaker whether Petaling Jaya Utara Member of Parliament Tony Pua and 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) president Arul Kanda Kandasamy are now barred from making public statements.
PAC chairman Datuk Seri Hasan Arifin said he was unsure if the ruling made by Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia prohibiting a debate between Pua and Arul Kanda also applied to their public statements.
"I will need to seek clarification from the Speaker's office.
"I'm not too clear on this, but it appears that yes, they (Pua and Arul Kanda) are not allowed to speak publicly on the matter.
"Based on the Speaker's ruling, it looks like Pua can no longer speak publicly about 1MDB," he said at the Parliament lobby yesterday.
Hasan was asked if the Speaker's ruling meant that Arul Kanda could no longer speak to the media or give television interviews about 1MDB until PAC's investigation was complete.
He was also queried if the ruling prohibited Pua from issuing statements and campaigning publicly against 1MDB.
Pandikar had said that the proposed live debate between Pua and Arul Kanda would be a breach of Parliament's Standing Orders as PAC members and witnesses were not allowed to publicly disseminate information gathered from the committee's meetings until its findings were presented in Parliament.
Hasan also urged MPs from both sides of the political divide to respect the ruling made by Pandikar and not to press for the debate to take place.
On suggestions that the Opposition could consider someone to take Pua's place in the debate, Hasan replied: "That is beyond the PAC's control. We are talking about Pua as he is a PAC member."
DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang however has called Hassan's interpretation on the Speaker's ruling as absurd.
"Isn't it taking absurdity to new heights trying to institute a ban on all discussions and reports on 1MDB?" he said in a statement.
He said Pandikar's ruling was already shocking enough without Hassan trying to interpret it as a total ban on Pua from discussing anything on 1MDB.
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Prior to the judicial crisis in 1988, we heard serious rumblings from the executive about court interpretations, which went against the intent of the authorities. Checks and balances and the concept of separation of powers were obviously deemed nuisances.
Lee Yew Meng, The Malay Mail Online
On Oct 27, 1987, The Star managing director Datuk Steven Tan told his top management that the newspaper's publishing permit had been withdrawn with immediate effect. The letter was hand-delivered earlier during a downpour.
The front page on that day read: "DETAINED — 19 picked up in swoop". The masthead was in black, dramatising the events of the previous day.
I have no recollection of what was discussed during that meeting. Stuck in my head was: "Hey, this is ridiculous. Our chairman is Tunku Abdul Rahman (our first prime minister) and we are owned by MCA, a senior coalition partner in the government.”
All employees were on a quarter-month's pay henceforth. It was a double whammy for couples on The Star's payroll.
As the commercial head, my task was to negotiate bulk purchase deals with food and beverage manufacturers. Those assigned specific duties received an additional RM12.50 each working day.
Operation Lalang
The backdrop and build-up scenario to the suspension were like an epic Hollywood movie.
At Umno's annual general meeting (AGM) in April 1987, the challenger Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah secured 718 votes against Datuk Seri (now Tun) Dr Mahathir Mohamad's 761 for the president's post. The 43-vote margin wasn't good, considering that Mahathir had the advantage of incumbency for six years and had received several times more nominations than Tengku Razaleigh.
Datuk (now Tun) Musa Hitam had teamed up with Tengku Razaleigh to contest the deputy president post he resigned from abruptly together with his deputy prime ministership just a year earlier. Musa, touted as "the best PM Malaysia never had", retired for good after this colossal battle.
In early September, about 100 non-Chinese educated headmasters and senior assistants were assigned to SJKCs, causing a major uproar among the Chinese community. Dong Jiao Zong organised a protest rally supported by MCA, Gerakan, DAP and major Chinese NGOs at the Hainanese Association Hall in Thean Hou Temple. Angry words were thrown about, including a proposal for a three-day school closure. Umno Youth countered with the infamous TPCA stadium (now known as Stadium Raja Muda) rally where real ugly threats were reported.
MCA deputy president and labour minister Lee Kim Sai was persuaded to go overseas "for a rest" after famously retorting that all communities were "pendatang" at one time. He was stripped of his Selangor Datukship.
In the midst of all these events, a soldier went on a shooting spree in Chow Kit on Oct 20, killing one and injuring two others. It caused serious panic for some hours.
Private Adam Jaafar surrendered shortly after to his commanding general.
On Oct 26, arrests under Operation Lallang started. Eventually, around 110 people were detained, some for up to two years. I believe Lim Kit Siang obtained his LLB during his detention.
Meanwhile, the Umno AGM results were disputed. Twelve (one withdrew later) party members filed a lawsuit to void the election results and called for fresh ones because they claimed 78 voting delegates came from branches not registered with the Registrar of Societies (ROS).
The High Court dismissed the suit of the Umno 11, invoking Article 41 of the Societies Act, which stated that a society automatically becomes unlawful if any of its branches was not registered with the ROS. Their subsequent appeal was rejected.
Mahathir sought and obtained the registration of Umno Baru and transferred all the assets from the unlawful Umno to the new vehicle.
Mahathir shakes hands with Umno member Tan Sri Abdullah Ahmad while Tengku Razaleigh looks on during an event in Kota Baru in 2007. — Bernama pic
Then, the judicial crisis of 1988 followed. The Lord President lost his job and five Supreme Court judges were suspended. Eventually, two were removed and three reinstated.
The immediate aftermath and the questions
The Star reappeared on March 26, 1988. By 1991, its average daily copy sales were on par with New Straits Times (NST), when it was only hovering at 60 per cent of NST's before Operation Lallang. It continued to surge and has been way ahead of the competition for over 20 years.
Sin Chew Daily, which was one of the half dozen supporting acts in the Chinese newspaper category, also became a runaway leader. The Bahasa Malaysia weekly,Watan, which made up the trio of newspapers suspended, either never reopened or folded up shortly after.
I can still vividly recall looking out my window at the gardener watering the plants and asked "what did he do wrong"? Why did the publishing permit have to be withdrawn and cause so much misery to so many? Ninety nine per cent of the employees had nothing to do with the editorial direction. The word, "kejam" or cruel, was the only description appropriate for the revocation of the permit.
Kami yang menandatangani dokumen ini berjanji dan berikrar untuk menegakkan dan mempertahankan Perlembagaan kami sepenuhnya, tanpa rasa takut atau pilih kasih.
Tariq Ismail
(scroll down for English translation)
Petisyen Kepada:
Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Ampun Tuanku.
Majlis Raja Raja Melayu.
Yang Amat Berhormat Dato’ Sri Haji Mohammad Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak, Perdana Menteri Malaysia.
Yang Berhormat Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah, Ketua Pembangkang
KAMI MENYERU ANDA UNTUK MENEGAKKAN DAN MEMPERTAHANKAN PERLEMBAGAAN PERSEKUTUAN MALAYSIA.
Negara ini telah dibina berlandaskan keteguhan dan keluhuran Perlembagaan kita, Perlembagaan Persekutuan Malaysia. Kedaulatan negara ini bergantung sepenuhnya kepada integriti Perlembagaan kita.
Dengan dukacitanya, kami memerhatikan kebelakangan ini, telah berlaku beberapa insiden yang mencabar dan menggugat hak-hak yang dijamin oleh Perlembagaan kita; khususnya hak-hak seperti hak asasi manusia, hak keadilan dan penghakiman, hak kebudayaan dan juga hak keagamaan.
Ada beberapa peruntukan Perlembagaan yang telah digunapakai diluar konteks, maksud dan niat asalnya diputarbelitkan. Malah ada juga beberapa kes dimana ayat-ayat dalam Perlembagaan diabaikan, dan sebaliknya pemahaman yang salah dipopularkan oleh sesetengah pihak yang tidak bertanggungjawab. Ini telah mencetuskan permintaan-permintaan yang bercanggah dengan prinsip Perlembagaan kita.
Ada juga desas-desus tentang sesetengah pihak yang mahu menghapuskan beberapa peruntukan Perlembagaan, yang akan menggoncang asas pembinaan negara ini.
This is called payback. You work with your enemies to fight another enemy. And to me DAP, PKR and Pakatan Harapan are worse enemies than Umno. So I support and work with Umno just so that DAP, PKR and Pakatan Harapan fail. That is what politics is all about. And if you do not understand this then stay out of politics because politics is not for the weak heart and the feeble minds.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
Hello RPK, I have a lingering doubt. Since the 1MDB saga becomes a hot topic, almost its scripts are in sharp contrast of your usual writing style? Why is it so? (Daniel Lim)
That was the question Daniel Lim posted in my article Arul should just tell his critics to fook off. I am not too sure what 'lingering doubt' Daniel is talking about but I assume he meant doubts about me. And what exactly does he doubt about me he did not say but I can sort of guess he meant doubts about which side of the fence I am on.
He also said 'its scripts', which I do not know what that means, is in 'sharp contrast' to my 'usual writing'. Again, what Daniel means by my 'usual writing' is not clear because there is nothing usual about what and how I write and if it were then I would be extremely disappointed because I try very hard not to be usual and to be as unusual as I can.
I mean I try very hard to be the Salvador Dali of Malaysian Bloggers although I do not claim to be at par with that eccentric-cum-genius (take your pick as to how you would like to describe him) because Salvador Dali is way above my league. Suffice to say that by mentioning Salvador Dali what I mean is that I like to shock and stun my readers as much as possible.
Anyway, Daniel, if you still need to ask such questions then I would be wasting my time in attempting to reply to you. I mean after more than 20 years since 1995 and more than 2,000 articles (or could even be more) if I still need to explain myself then another 2,000 articles over the next 20 years is not going to do the trick.
In short, if you do not understand me by now then you will never understand me in 100 years. So why waste my time trying to throw pearls to swine, not that I am calling you a swine or that my articles are pearls of wisdom (it is just a metaphor if you understand what metaphors are)?
As you may be aware by now, I write about politics and, of course, in Malaysia, politics goes hand-in-hand with social, racial and religious issues. You cannot separate one from the other as they come in a package so when you touch on one you invariably need to touch on all.
While you may think I am always changing my position in truth it is the position that keeps changing so even if you just stand still you will never be on what many call the right side of history. And herein lies the problem. What exactly is the right side of history because history is constantly evolving and what is right one day may be wrong the next?
For example, during World War 2, it was right to join or support the MPAJA that was fighting against the Japanese occupation of Malaya. Even the British supported them and supplied them with arms and ammunition. However, when the Japanese surrendered, the position suddenly changed so do you still maintain your same position or do you change positions?
After the Japanese surrendered and over two weeks before the British came back to take control of Malaya the MPAJA went on a killing spree and murdered many whom they considered collaborators. Of course, some took advantage of the chaos by murdering their enemies whom they called collaborators but in truth were not.
Then some of those in the MPAJA who were actually members of the CPM formed a terrorist army and continued to fight the British, resulting in many deaths involving innocent civilians. So, yes, you might have been with the MPAJA when the Japanese occupied Malaya but that does not mean you cannot change your position when the MPAJA became the CPM and instead of killing Japanese soldiers they started killing innocent non-combatant government servants, policemen and civilians.
The position changed so you, too, change your position. And I have changed my position many times over the last 40 years since the 1970s when I have first became a political activist.
When the Shah of Iran was ousted and the Islamic Republic of Iran was created I was a supporter of the Iranian Revolution and, as I have written many times before, I even joined the Iranians in Mekah to demonstrate against Saudi Arabia. But then, over time, as what happens in most revolutions (the French and Bolshevik Revolutions as just two such examples), the revolution turned on its own people and became more brutal than even during the time of the Shah.
So, yes, again I changed my position and was no longer a fanatical supporter of the Iranian Revolution because I saw that the Islamic Republic of Iran was worse than during the time of the Shah. It was not that the Shah was good (I admit he was bad) but that the Islamic Republic was worse.
And that is the problem with revolutions, as 2,000 years of history has proven. So I would caution all those who aspire to see a revolution in Malaysia as a means to change the government because you might be jumping out of the frying pan into the fire, unless you feel that death by burning is far better than death by frying. Either way, however, you die, so it all boils down to what type of death you prefer.
I never supported DAP back in the 1970s when I first became politically conscious. I did not support Umno either. I supported PAS although I never signed up as a member. In fact, more than half the PAS supporters are not card-carrying members anyway since many were working for the government (so obviously they want to remain 'closet' members).
In fact, in the mid-1970s I was a member of the Malay Chamber of Commerce (and became a committee member in the 1980s) and was very active in 'fighting' for the lot of the Malay businessmen and entrepreneurs.
You may remember the recession of the 1980s when many Malaysians of all ethnicities went under and the government had to cancel many projects. About 52 Chinese cooperatives were on the verge of bankruptcy and MCA told the Prime Minister that unless the government bails them out then the Chinese were going to abandon Barisan Nasional and vote DAP.
So can you see how Chinese also change positions when it suits them?
To make sure that the Chinese continued to support the government Tun Dr Mahathir instructed the banks to set aside RM2 billion to bail out the Chinese cooperatives. That was 30 years ago. Today that RM2 billion is worth almost RM6 billion.
Why should the government only bail out the Chinese and not the Malays? In fact, BBMB was suing many Malay businessmen and were getting them declared bankrupt. We even called BBMB 'Bank Buat Melayu Bankrup'. We then went to meet the Prime Minister and told him that if the government does not bail out the Malays like they bailed out the Chinese then the Malays might abandon Umno and support PAS and Semangat 46.
So Dr Mahathir told Bank Negara to set aside RM500 million to help the Malays as well. Yes, RM2 billion for the Chinese and only RM500 million for the Malays. But then those Malays who do not support Umno but support PAS or Semangat 46 were to be excluded from the scheme.
This got us very angry. When it comes to the Chinese they do not ask whether you support DAP, MCA or Gerakan. When it comes to the Malays they will first check whether you support Umno, PAS or Semangat 46. Why are the Malays facing discrimination while the Chinese are not?
Anyway, I was forced to work with Umno and as a committee member I was involved in interviewing and vetting those who applied for financial aid. And I made sure that many PAS and Semangat 46 applicants got approval for aid. I even approved RM1 million for one Semangat 46 applicant.
By the way, in case you want to know, it was Anwar Ibrahim who instructed Bank Negara to make sure that no opposition member or supporter obtained approval and in one meeting I slammed the table and shouted at the Chairman that if you don't care about the political leanings of those Chinese you give financial aid to why do they do this for the Malays?
The majority of the committee members were Umno people so in the next election they made sure I was ousted and that ended my involvement with the Malay Chamber of Commerce — but not until we managed to dish out RM560 million to those Malays who needed financial help, many of them opposition supporters.
So sometimes we need to work with the enemy for the greater good of the cause. It just depends on what that cause is. And causes change from time to time. The Americans worked with the Taliban to fight the Russians in Afghanistan. They worked with Saddam Hussein to fight against the anti-American Islamic Republic of Iran. And the list goes on and on. That is how causes and alignments are chosen and defined.
Anyway, to cut a long story short, in 1998 Anwar was ousted and jailed and the following year Barisan Alternatif was formed so, of course, we supported DAP. Soon after that DAP left Barisan Alternatif so there was no longer any reason to support DAP.
Then in 2008 they formed Pakatan Rakyat with DAP once again as our partners. Now DAP and PKR have stabbed PAS in the back and have formed Pakatan Harapan with PAS excluded. So why should I want to support DAP, PKR or Pakatan Harapan? And what is wrong if I oppose the opposition that is trying to kill off PAS?
Now they want to oust Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak. That is what DAP, PKR and Pakatan Harapan want. So why should I also want what DAP, PKR and Pakatan Harapan want? I want the opposite of what they want. If they want to go left then I go right. And I must go all out to frustrate their plans and make sure they do not achieve their desires.
This is called payback. You work with your enemies to fight another enemy. And to me DAP, PKR and Pakatan Harapan are worse enemies than Umno. So I support and work with Umno just so that DAP, PKR and Pakatan Harapan fail. That is what politics is all about. And if you do not understand this then stay out of politics because politics is not for the weak heart and the feeble minds.
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On a recent visit to Palestine, Betty Purcell witnessed the terrible conditions locals are forced to endure, with so many aspects of their daily lives under Israeli control
IT'S 8am near Bethlehem and the field of olive trees is suffused with dappled sunlight.
It should be an idyllic scene. But we are with the farmer who owns the field, and his story is tragic. Coming down the hill towards him is a massive Israeli settlement (illegal under international law, and condemned by the International Court of Justice in 2004).
It has already led to the confiscation of half of his land. Sewage water is polluting his remaining fields. He points to the shrunken, dehydrated olives with tears in his eyes. He has no water for irrigating the fields, and his whole village exists in a threatened zone. Houses can be demolished for "security reasons" at any time.
His freedom of movement is curtailed by roadblocks and the Israeli-built Separation Wall, which snakes across the land, and divides him from his neighbours and friends. Then he smiles the warmest smile.
"Thank you for coming here to talk to us," he says. "We won't ever give up, while there are good people in the world supporting us."
We are a group of international visitors from 13 countries around the globe who have come on a fact finding trip with the Bethlehem YMCA. (Our group includes a Presbyterian minister from the US who has brought a church group, a solidarity organiser from Munich, a group of young workers with the homeless from Birmingham, two lapsed Catholics from Ireland, a lovely vicar's wife from Oxford, and a chatty group of Austrian Methodists.)
My interest is in the human rights area, as a member of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. What we are all sharing is a profound sense of shock at the effect of the Israeli military occupation on ordinary Palestinian's lives.
From the moment they wake up, until they close their eyes at night, every man, woman and child in the West Bank of Palestine is under the control of the Israeli army and government.
Staying with Palestinian families, the first thing you notice is the rationing of water.
Palestinian houses only have their water supplied for three days a month, and they try to fill water cannisters on their roofs for the other days.
Water is at a premium, although we are told to shower as often as we need to. We try to splash quickly and dry off. I am therefore amazed, when we are taken to an Israeli settlement, to discover water in abundance there.
There are sprinklers on the gardens, and even an aqua park. Water is available 24/7. International organisations state that one Israeli uses as much water as eight Palestinians.
Freedom of movement is seriously compromised for Palestinians. None of the family I stayed with were free to travel to Jerusalem, just 10km down the road. (Given that they were Palestinian Christians, they would have really enjoyed seeing the historic sites of old Jerusalem, including the Via Dolorosa and the Garden of Gethsemene.)
The only West Bank Palestinians who have permission to go there, are people with work permits which allow them access, like South African black people under apartheid, who similarly were allowed permits for work, but not to live in certain parts of the city.
A friend of our family worked as a labourer in Jerusalem. He left at 3.30 in the morning to get to the checkpoint, leaving himself three hours waiting time.
Sometimes he got through more quickly, but he had to be sure, or he would lose his job if he arrived later than 7.30am.
Every day he is searched, stopped, has guns pointed at him, waits again, and finally if he's lucky makes it to his workplace on time to start work.
By contrast, the settlers have their own roads and distinctive yellow number plates, which allow them to zip quickly into Jerusalem in 15 minutes.
The Palestinians, with their white number plates are restricted to circuitous, road blocked roads, which can be closed off at any time by the military for "security reasons".
As we travelled around the West Bank area, which is supposedly the "half" of Palestine under Palestinian Authority control, it seemed the Israeli military was everywhere.
We went to Hebron, a Palestinian town of 45,000 people, which has become a ghost town since the "settling" of 500 Israelis there.
Under the guise of "security considerations", many streets have been emptied of Palestinian families, and in the Old Town, the Palestinian shopkeepers have had their market stalls closed.
Meanwhile, the settlements, which Israel has been repeatedly asked to dismantle by the UN, are growing apace. On every piece of high land, initially a few mobile homes appear. This is a settlement outpost.
Then the army moves in to support house-building.
Next nearby houses and farms are cleared for "security reasons". And then the settlement grows, and is linked by special road to the settlement on the next hill.
There are now 700,000 Israeli settlers in the Palestinian West Bank and East Jerusalem.
They become "facts on the ground", making a two-state solution a practical impossibility.
These settlers are aggressive and heavily armed. In Hebron, they throw rubbish down on the Palestinian street sellers who have managed to remain open.
Near Bethlehem, they have quick and easy access to the modern hospitals of Jerusalem, while Palestinian women are limited to the Bethlehem maternity hospital, lacking in doctors and equipment.
The Separation Wall has gobbled up further Palestinian land, and one farmer we met had to walk 6km each day to his olive trees on the other side of the Wall.
Some days the checkpoint is closed for no apparent reason. The Wall is built in the West Bank, and when it is completed will annex a further 47% of West Bank territory.
This is not the action of a state which genuinely wishes to live in peace with its neighbours.
In a short visit, I saw so much hardship and oppression, that even a week after returning home, I find it hard not to be depressed.
But that would not do justice to the brave and kind Palestinian families we were honoured to meet on our trip. They deserve nothing less than equal treatment in a fair democratic society.
Only the international community can deliver that for them, by supporting their call for the isolation and boycott of Israel, until it agrees to a settlement that is fair and just for all.
RIYADH, (PIC)– Saudi Arabia has called on the international community to move swiftly to provide protection for the Palestinian people against Israel’s systematic terrorism and remove the injustice inflicted upon them.
This came in a press release issued on Monday by the Saudi council of ministers following its weekly meeting, which was chaired by King Salman Al Saud at al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh.
The cabinet council denounced the Israeli government and its settlers for their persistence in committing crimes against the Palestinians and the Islamic holy sites in the occupied territories.
Its statement also deplored the recent extrajudicial killings of Palestinian citizens, which had been carried out by Israeli security and military forces.
About 74 Palestinians were killed and more than 2,000 others were wounded by the Israeli military and security forces since al-Quds intifada started in early October.
RAMALLAH, (PIC)– Israeli Special Forces violently stormed and searched at dawn Tuesday section 3 in Negev prison that mainly groups administrative detainees, a Palestinian rights group said.
Palestine Center for Prisoners Studies said that dozens of Israeli Special Forces forced 120 Palestinian prisoners to leave section 10 without taking their personal belongings.
Israeli prisons have recently witnessed nearly-daily raids and search campaigns especially in Negev, Raymond, and Eshel prisons, the center added.
The center pointed out that the Israeli Prison Service decided to open a new section for prisoners serving high sentences in Negev jail due to overcrowding in the other prisons as a result of the Israeli recent arrest campaigns.
The center called on international human rights groups to visit Israeli prisons and detention centers and to check on the Palestinian prisoners' detention conditions.
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)– Israeli occupation forces (IOF) rounded up two Jerusalemite children, 7 and 8 years old, in Silwan town on Tuesday.
Amjad Abu Asab, the head of the committee of relatives of Jerusalemite detainees, said that the IOF troops arrested 7-year-old Mohammed Shuweiki and 8-year-old Amir Abbasi.
He said that both were detained in front of their homes and taken to Oz police station near Jaabel Mukaber for interrogation.
Women work in a factory that makes men’s suits in 10th of Ramadan City, Egypt, Feb. 22, 2006
CAIRO — On the occasion of the World Day for Decent Work on Oct. 7, the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics issued a media statement exposing the working conditions and general situation in Egypt based on a study it conducted of the labor force in 2014. The data revealed that the participation of men is three times higher than that of women in the workforce.
Mona Ezzat, the director of the Women and Work Program at the New Woman Foundation, told Al-Monitor, "Women should have an adequate representation at the Supreme Council for Wages, which should be given the power to handle complaints from women workers in case they were subjected to any form of discrimination."
Ezzat confirmed that there is a gender wage gap and attributed it to a lack of adequate measures designed to achieve equal working opportunities such as the provision of nurseries and safe transportation. These factors, she said, make it difficult for women to work during specific hours, push them to work extra hours and prevent them from going to work in locations that are far from their places of residence. All this obstructs their promotion and training.
The unemployment rate for women in Egypt is more than double that for men. According to a report by CAPMAS issued in February 2014, women’s unemployment reached 24% in 2013, compared with 9.8% for men.
According to a study on women and work by the Social Research Center at the American University in Cairo in 2009, women’s low participation in the labor market is a costly burden, particularly for developing countries like Egypt, cutting down on opportunities for economic growth.
The study noted that the main obstacles to women’s participation in the labor market are the social conditions that still hinder the advancement of women at work. Amirah El-Haddad, a professor of economics at Cairo University, noted in the same study that Egyptian women in the official labor market made up only 19% of the total labor force in Egypt from 2001 to 2007. This rate is lower in the private sector in particular, where it reached only 16% compared with 26% in the public sector during the same period.
Haddad told Al-Monitor that these rates have undoubtedly declined in light of the economic conditions in the private sector following the January 25 Revolution, which resulted in businesses dismissing some workers to reduce costs. She added, "The dismissals certainly came at the expense of women."
Haddad indicated that the reason behind women's low participation in economic activities is gender discrimination, a structural problem in the Egyptian labor market in the form of occupational segregation or wage discrepancies.
Haddad stressed that to encourage the private sector (the largest source of employment in Egypt) to provide women with more job opportunities, business owners should be given incentives such as tax breaks to hire a larger number of women.
The Egyptian government is working on a new labor law to offer workers, especially women, more rights, and its provisions are being finalized.
Haddad added, "If employers are subject to specific obligations regarding the rights and responsibilities granted to women they employ, this will limit work opportunities for women."
Egyptian women suffer from high illiteracy rates, which reached 37% compared with 22% for men, according to a 2006 CAPMAS study. Only 52% of women hold a school degree (elementary or beyond) compared with 63% of men in 2004, the most recent statistics available indicate.
Haddad concluded, "The higher the education level is, the higher women's ability to hold a good job with a good salary in the public sector and to overcome occupational discrimination against them.”
BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israeli forces injured dozens of Palestinians during clashes across the occupied West Bank and Gaza on Tuesday, including several national faction leaders, Palestinian sources told Ma’an.In Tulkarem, clashes erupted during a peaceful march called for by national faction leaders in solidarity with Palestinians whose land had been confiscated by Israel.During the clashes, Israeli forces injured several of the leaders, including the secretary-general of the Fatah movement, Muayyad Shaaban, who suffered from severe tear-gas inhalation and was taken to the Thabet Thabet Hospital for treatment.In addition, the secretary-general of the Palestinian Democratic Union in Tulkarem, Mirvat Abu Shanab, was hit with a rubber-coated steel bullet in her leg, and a member of the Palestinian Peoples’ Party, Khalid Mansour, was also injured.Israeli forces fired tear-gas and stun grenades at protesters and prevented journalists from covering the march and clashes, sources said.
Clashes in Tulkarem on Nov. 3,2015
In Ramallah, a 61-year-old Palestinian woman with asthma was hospitalized after being exposed to tear gas during clashes near Ofer in western Ramallah on Tuesday.The woman was taken to the Ramallah Medical Center in a moderate condition.In Ramallah’s Beituniya city, Israeli forces shot and injured two Palestinians with live bullets and four more with rubber-coated steel bullets, locals said.In central Gaza, Israeli forces shot and injured a young Palestinian protester with live fire during clashes just east of al-Breij refugee camp along Israel’s border fence.Spokesperson of the Gaza Ministry of Health, Ashraf al-Qidra, told Ma’an that the injured protester was taken to Shuhada al-Aqsa Hospital in moderate condition.Near-daily clashes have broken out across occupied Palestinian Territory since the beginning of October.The UN Secretary-General said late last month that while Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and the Palestinian Authority have pledged to curb violence, "this crisis would not have erupted….if the Palestinians did not still live under a stifling and humiliating occupation that has lasted almost half a century."
Geforceerde registratie van Palestijnse inwoners van de wijk Tel Rumeida in Hebron. Het doel is drieledig: het fysiek afscheiden van een groep mensen van de rest van de samenleving; nog meer controle over de levens van de inwoners; het verwijderen van mensen die iets naar buiten kunnen brengen over wat zich daar afspeelt.
Al decennia wordt het leven voor de Palestijnen in Hebron ondraaglijk gemaakt, maar ze blijven koppig zitten. De segregatie, de discriminatie, het geweld en het racisme ten spijt blijven ze vasthouden aan hun eigen plek, in de hoop op een toekomst waarin de mensheid weer bij zinnen komt.
Hebron ligt in bezet Palestijns gebied en niet in Israël zoals nog wel eens in krantenartikelen staat vermeld. De wijk Tel Rumeida wordt momenteel helemaal afgesloten en iedereen wordt geregistreerd. Dat betekent dat een grote groep mensen uit de wijk zal verdwijnen, waaronder internationale activisten. Er wordt al bericht dat die activisten momenteel gearresteerd worden, waarna ze worden uitgewezen. De mensen die kunnen blijven, zitten dan letterlijk gevangen.
Zoals een Palestijnse activist het beschrijft: Zionistische, fascistische bezettingstroepen vielen vanmorgen het kantoor van de radiozender Alhureyyah in Hebron binnen, vernietigden informatie, stalen zenders en apparatuur en kwamen met een militair bevel om de zender gedurende zes maanden te sluiten. Indien men hier geen gehoor aan geeft wordt het hele gebouw vernietigd door de fascisten. 3 november 2015.
Vanmorgen werd een populair Palestijns radiostation in Hebron het slachtoffer van een Israëlische inval. De zender werd uit de lucht gehaald en de apparatuur werd gestolen of vernield. Het compleet isoleren van deze wijk en het verwijderen van communicatiemiddelen, journalisten en activisten doet het ergste vrezen. Toen in 1994 Palestijnen daar het slachtoffer werden van een joodse massamoordenaar probeerde Israël ook gebruik te maken van de onrust door alle Palestijnen te registreren. Die weigerden echter hun medewerking, waarna er een uitgaansverbod kwam dat zes maanden duurde. Palestijnen kregen slechts enkele uren per week de gelegenheid om boodschappen te doen. En dit blijf ik tot vervelens toe herhalen: niet vanwege een aanslag dóór Palestijnen, maar vanwege een aanslag óp Palestijnen!
Zelfs al worden de Palestijnen in hun getto verder met rust gelaten, dan is nog steeds elk normaal leven onmogelijk geworden. De talloze roadblocks en checkpoints belemmeren medische zorg, onderwijs en bewegingsvrijheid. Maar aangezien we soortgelijke gettovorming ook in Oost-Jeruzalem zien lijkt ook dit onderdeel te zijn van een groter plan. Kennelijk heeft men in Israël genoeg van die Palestijnen die hun eigen vernedering en bezetting weigeren toe te juichen.
Bezettingen kun je vergelijken en als we luisteren naar wat Radio Oranje in 1941 liet horen, wordt duidelijk dat alle elementen ook in Palestina aanwezig zijn:
De nazi's nemen er geen genoegen mee Nederland leeg te plunderen. Ze willen de geest van ons volk doden en zijn ziel roven. Zij vernietigen onze vrije organisaties. Onze vrije pers is opgeheven. Onze vrije radio is geketend. Ons ambtenarencorps wordt genazificeerd.
Elke zin is van toepassing op wat er met de Palestijnse samenleving gebeurt. En hier hebben we het niet over vijf maar over bijna vijftig jaar van bezetting, zelfs als we ons beperken tot de situatie van na 1967.
Een beeld uit Hebron dat alles zegt. De 19-jarige Farouk Sidr werd met kogels doorzeefd. Een kolonist geniet duidelijk van het schouwspel en maakt wat kiekjes om thuis te laten zien.
De geschiedenis herhaalt zich niet, de tweede helft van 1948 zal er anders uitzien dan de eerste. Creëert Israël steeds meer mini-Gaza'tjes, wordt de etnische zuivering vooral met administratieve middelen verder doorgevoerd, of gokken ze erop dat de Palestijnen zullen bezwijken aan totale psychische en fysieke uitputting? Dat ze moeten verdwijnen staat vast. Dat de wereld machteloos blijft toekijken eveneens.
As Students for Justice in Palestine continue their efforts to draw attention to the devastating effects of Israeli occupation, attacks on activists are increasing nationwide.
The Minnesota chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, along with other pro-peace groups, demonstrate on the University of Minnesota campus
MINNEAPOLIS — As tensions increase in the West Bank and Gaza, activists for Palestine on American college campuses are also facing threats of violence and oppression.
Students for Justice in Palestine, a group with chapters on college campuses throughout North America, opposes the oppression of Palestinians. Last month, as Muslims throughout the Midwest faced increasing violence, three chapters received disturbing threats after publicly expressing their support for the cause.
Before the post on the SSI page was deleted, it was shared on some national pro-Israel pages, and SJP members found themselves flooded with abusive messages. (Video evidence released since the killing has cast doubt on police claims about Alon.)
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)– The Israeli Occupation Authority (IOA) placed a 13-year-old Palestinian girl under house arrest until next Sunday and on a bail of three thousand shekels.
The order of release on bail and house arrest was issued at a late hour on Monday evening by the magistrate court of Jerusalem against Reem Mohammad Qanbar from Mount Scopus southeast of Occupied Jerusalem.
Israeli forces arrested Qanbar Monday evening while she was in a health center in the city and transferred her to a police station to be questioned before being trialed at court.
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: The Israeli military says it raided a Palestinian radio station and confiscated equipment used to broadcast calls to attack Israelis.
The military says it shut down the Al Hurria radio station in Hebron overnight Tuesday. It says the station had been inciting violence in the volatile West Bank city.
Israel says the current spate of violence has been set off by a Palestinian campaign of lies and incitement surrounding a sensitive Jerusalem holy site. The Palestinians counter it is a result of frustration from nearly a half-century of occupation.
Eleven Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks, mostly stabbings. Sixty-nine Palestinians have died by Israeli fire, including 43 who Israel says were involved in attacks or attempted attacks.
The military says Al Hurria has encouraged stabbings and glorified the attackers.
Good Wednesday morning! It’s the day that all politicos have been waiting for: the swearing-in of the new Liberal government.
After weeks of speculation on who’s in or who’s out of Prime Minister-designate Justin Trudeau’s Cabinet, how regional balance would be achieved, and how the make up of the executive would be equal parts male and female, Governor General David Johnston will preside over the transfer of power from the former Conservative government of Stephen Harper.
In case you missed it, here is some Cabinet coverage from this week’s Hill Times:
This step could be precisely what Canada needs to get the ball rolling on breaking our institutional glass ceiling, and finally normalizing women's equal access to opportunity in government and beyond, says Jenn Jefferys.
Jenn Jefferys
Tue, 2015-11-03 20:17
You know what breaks my heart? Nay – you know what makes my blood boil? When otherwise completely rational, well-educated, critical-thinking men spontaneously devolve into Victorian patriarchs whenever a woman might actually be afforded equal access to power.
Sound the alarm! Assemble the pundits! Women might miraculously occupy a few more front benches than usual in our notoriously male-dominated political discourse!
Industry participants had learned of rumours that, although Stephen Harper's (Calgary Heritage, Alta.) full Cabinet may not have yet approved any contracts to begin acquiring F-35 planes in 2020, following an initial plan to begin acquiring the aircraft in 2017, the Treasury Board Committee of Cabinet had approved an acquisition plan.
Tim Naumetz
Tue, 2015-11-03 18:04
The Conservative government quietly disbanded a high-level and key Public Works department secretariat in charge of reviewing the proposed $45.8-billion plan for Canada to acquire a fleet of 65 F-35 stealth warplanes, The Hill Times has learned.
Sometimes there is a sense that the white male is still the norm and anybody outside that description is affirmative action. But Cabinets need to reflect society, says Andrew Cardozo.
Andrew Cardozo
Tue, 2015-11-03 15:16
Forty-seven years ago, Liberal prime minister Pierre Trudeau’s first Cabinet had no women. Here we are in 2015, and the current Liberal leader back in June promised he would have a Cabinet of an equal number of men and women if elected. It hardly got reported. Justin Trudeau formed government, and suddenly there’s all this chatter about Cabinet quotas, based on gender.
That takes me to this weekends game for the Colts. The 3-5 Colts (division leaders) take on the 7-0 Denver Broncos and I unfortunately have to do the unthinkable and root for the home team Colts in this game. The Colts have zero chance in this game, and Chuck Pagano has zero chance of lasting the next week as head coach even though he is winning his mediocre-at-best division. Tennessee is the worst team in football and they are still in the playoff hunt. To think this Indy team is going to get a home playoff game is a total joke, the NFL needs to change that going forward…
Groupon on Tuesday announced that Rich Williams will take the position of chief executive officer, effectively immediately.
