Tensions could be raised by second act of immolation in six months in Sichuan province, south-west China A Tibetan Buddhist monk calling for the return of the Dalai Lama has burned himself to death in south-west China. The 29-year-old monk’s self-immolation at a monastery in Tawu could spark fresh tensions in the heavily ethnic Tibetan parts of Sichuan, which borders Tibet, after protests in March when a Tibetan monk there also burned himself to death. “Tsewang Norbu drank petrol, sprayed petrol on himself and then set himself on fire,” the Free Tibet organisation in London said, citing an unnamed witness. “He was heard calling out ‘we Tibetan people want freedom’, ‘long live the Dalai Lama’ and ‘let the Dalai Lama return to Tibet’. He is believed to have died at the scene,” the group said. China’s official Xinhua news agency also reported the monk’s death, but said “it was unclear why he had burned himself”. Tawu, known as Daofu in Chinese, is in a largely ethnic Tibetan part of western Sichuan that many advocates of self-rule say should form part of a larger homeland under Tibetan control. Tensions over the fate of the exiled Dalai Lama and his calls for Tibetan self-determination sometimes flare into protests in the region. In March 2008, Tibetan protests led by monks in Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, were suppressed by police and turned violent. Rioters torched shops and turned on Han Chinese residents, whom many Tibetans see as intruders threatening their culture. Unrest spilled over into other ethnic Tibetan parts of China, including mountainous western Sichuan. Beijing has repeatedly accused the Dalai Lama of being a separatist who has abetted violence. China rejects accusations that it oppresses Tibetans, saying its rule has bought huge benefits. The Dalai Lama, who was awarded the 1989 Nobel peace prize, denies seeking independence for Tibet, saying he wants a peaceful transition to autonomy for his remote mountain homeland, which the People’s Republic of China has ruled since its troops invaded in 1950. Security forces detained about 300 Tibetan monks in western China for a month amid a crackdown sparked by the previous self-immolation, according to exiled Tibetans and a prominent writer. “Today’s news exposes how desperate some Tibetans feel,” said Stephanie Brigden, the director of Free Tibet. After the self-immolation in March, she said Chinese authorities “deployed troops on to the streets, imposed curfews, undertook house searches and set up military road blocks.” Tibet China Dalai Lama guardian.co.uk
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Heartwarming moments are becoming as common at the ballpark as home runs these days as another U.S. soldier had a surprise reunion with his family at a baseball game. Darla Harlow came out to Trustman Park in Pearl, Miss. because she had won free tickets for her and her daughters for a game between the Mississippi Braves and the visiting Carolina Mucats. At least, that’s what she thought. And, once she arrived, she thought that she was randomly selected to toss out a ceremonial first pitch. How lucky and strange, she must have thought. But after tossing a one-hopper into the catcher’s mitt, the thrill of her night was yet to come. Because the man behind the catcher’s mask, who was wearing a Braves jersey, was none other than her husband: Army Major Mike Harlow. Although it took her a second to even recognize him, her shock was apparent and heartwarming. With help from the M-Braves, Major Harlow orchestrated this poignant on-field moment for his family, Harlow had been in Afganistan since December 2010 and his wife was totally unaware that he’d be at the game. Once reunited, Darla remarked, ” I couldn’t even think! I had no clue what was happening because I was still shocked to be selected to throw the game’s first pitch.” WATCH VIDEO AT THE TOP
Continue reading …Brooke Hogan Nude For PETA, Hulk Hogan’s Daughter Bares It All In A Dog Cage
August 15, 2011 No Comment
Brooke Hogan really loves animals. The reality TV star stripped down and posed inside of a dog cage as a part of Women In Cages, a PETA benefit exhibition being held at Cafeina Lounge in Miami, Florida, according to The Sun. The racy shots obviously brought a blush to her famous father’s face, as the Hulk can be seen blocking out his daughter’s more private parts in a few photos circulating on the web. According to lalate.com, both of Brooke Hogan’s parents found themselves quickly turning away. You can scroll down for links to the photos. Despite the reaction from her parents, Brooke Hogan is, of course, not fully nude in the shots, though they are racy in nature. A representative for Brooke told the Miami Herald, “the photos at the exhibit are very sophisticated and classy and just give the illusion of nude or the perception of nude, but of course to get these shots, the shoot itself is fully nude.” Brooke has been a strong PETA supporter in the past, even going as far as to say she would beat up any animal abusers given the chance. “I’d be happy to have my five minutes with one of those animal abusers in a dark alley …” the PETA Files quotes her as having said. PETA wrote to The Huffington Post, “The photo shoot that Brooke Hogan participated in was not a PETA-sponsored event. However, we’re grateful to Brooke for participating in the photo exhibition in Miami, for which the proceeds of the photos are going toward PETA’s lifesaving programs.” Many celebs have appeared nude in PETA’s “I’d Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur” campaign, recently including George Clooney’s ex-girlfriend, Elisabetta Canalis. In July, PETA picketed the film ‘Zookeeper’ over animal abuse allegations, and also that month, the organization’s undercover video of dogs and cats being tortured resulted in felony charges for lab workers. Most recently, world-renowned astrophysicist Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson suggested in a new ad that “kindness is a virtue,” and more people need to show compassion for the fellow inhabitants of our planet. You can see the Brooke Hogan pics for yourself by clicking either of the links below (WARNING: The Photos Contain Content That May Be NSFW): The Photos, Via The Sun More Photos, From Buzzfeed
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Palestinians accuse Ehud Barak of contempt for peace talks by giving approval for building of 277 homes in Ariel The Israeli government has authorised the construction of 277 homes in the West Bank settlement of Ariel, a move that will diminish the prospects for a resumption of peace talks with the Palestinians. An announcement from the defence ministry said approval for the scheme was given last week. The government also backed the building of 1,600 homes in the East Jerusalem settlement of Ramat Shlomo. Further announcements are expected in the coming days. Ariel, home to almost 20,000 Israelis, extends 12 miles (20km) inside the West Bank. Its future under any agreement on borders with the Palestinians is uncertain. Israel is determined to annex such a large settlement, but the Palestinians and many in the international community argue that it would cut the West Bank nearly in two, making a contiguous Palestinian state almost impossible. The housing units had been in the planning process for several years before being approved by the defence minister, Ehud Barak. One hundred homes will be reserved for settlers evacuated from Gaza in 2005; the remainder will be sold on the open market. The Palestinian Authority said the approval “makes clear to the world Israel’s contempt for a negotiated two-state solution”. Israel, it said in a statement, was “racing against time to make the two-state solution harder and harder by building on the land that is supposed to be the Palestinian state. The international community must ask Israel how it can pretend to be ready to negotiate while expanding Jewish settlements in the West Bank?” Hagit Ofran of the Israeli organisation Peace Now, which monitors settlement activity, described the approval as a cynical move amid the current Israel-wide tent protests about the cost of renting and buying homes. “The government is taking advantage of the housing crisis in Israel to expand its settlement policy,” she said. “Most Israelis are not settlers and don’t want to be settlers, and construction in Ariel is not relevant to them.” A spokesman for the US embassy said unilateral actions by either side were “not helpful to the process to try to get both parties back to the table”. Israel appears to be stepping up approval of settlement construction before the Palestinians’ bid for recognition of their state at the UN next month. The government is opposed to the Palestinians making a unilateral move, saying that only negotiations can bring about a Palestinian state within agreed borders. Attempts by the US and EU to persuade the parties to resume talks have not been successful. The US wants the pre-1967 border between Israel and the West Bank to be the basis of negotiations, with agreed land swaps to compensate for Jewish settlements Israel would retain. The Palestinians have identified continued settlement expansion as the main obstacle to resuming direct talks, which broke down last September after Israel refused to extend a temporary freeze on settlement construction. It emerged this week that Israel’s president, Shimon Peres, held a series of secret meetings with the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, in recent weeks. The talks were brought to an abrupt end when Peres was forced to cancel a meeting at short notice reportedly after the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, refused to allow him room to negotiate. Approximately 300,000 Israeli Jews live in settlements in the West Bank, which are illegal under international law. Another 200,000 live in settlements in East Jerusalem, which was captured by Israel in 1967 and later annexed in a move not recognised by the international community. Israel Palestinian territories Middle East Harriet Sherwood guardian.co.uk
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Zawiya, 30 miles west of Tripoli, is seen as supply lynchpin in Gaddafi’s war machine – but taking capital is another matter Thirty-miles west of Tripoli, the one major asset that Muammar Gaddafi cannot afford to lose is starting to slip from his grasp for the second time. The oil refinery in the town of Zawiya has been a holy grail for Libya’s rebels since the start of the civil war. They took control of the town once in March, but were violently driven out by Gaddafi’s army, which knew that losing it meant probably defeat in the long run. Now, with what seems to be a sizable rebel force again inside Zawiya, a decisive battle in the western-backed Libyan campaign looms. Gaddafi on Monday acknowledged as much, urging his followers to liberate the country “inch by inch”, as what remains of his military makes its way towards the town. The oil from the Zawiya refinery, along with resupplies by road from Tunisia , have kept Gaddafi’s forces moving over the past five months. Few others, including the rebels, have had the same luxury – an oil shortage has kept most of the country at a near standstill since May. With petrol in their tanks, the vital re-supply route to Tunisia cut, and Nato jets overhead presumably able to pick off Gaddafi’s men as they attempt to retake Zawiya, the run east to the capital should theoretically be straightforward. But the winding streets of Tripoli are where the resolve of Gaddafi and his loyalists will truly be tested. And by most assessments he remains popular and in control of much of the capital that he has run like a fiefdom for more than four decades. Regular pleas from the African Union, as well as Russia and Belarus, have failed to shift the autocrat, who has given every indication that he is digging in for a last stand. And so too, apparently, are many thousands of loyalists, convinced by Gaddafi’s angry retorts against months of Nato bombings and an economic siege that is being widely perceived as an unjust collective punishment. Gaddafi’s defiance has resonated on a personal level with many in the capital, who view the continued bombing and rebel assault, in the face of repeated calls for a negotiated ceasefire, as a slight to their dignity – a serious affront in the Arab world, and one which very much drove the early days of the anti-American uprising in Iraq. Those who may be motivated to put right a perceived wrong will also have the means to do so. Since the start of the war any family demonstrating loyalty to the regime has been issued at least one Kalashnikov rifle and ammunition from government armouries in Tripoli. Tens of thousands of the firearm have been handed out, according to locals who have said they would use them to defend both their homes and their dignity. Short of a dramatic backdown by Gaddafi, Tripoli will not be taken without a fight. Strategically there is very little left for Nato to bomb there, so any fighting will probably be street to street – a scenario that raises the prospect of a protracted guerrilla campaign. After months of tentative advances followed by rapid retreats and confusion, the rebels would be unlikely to welcome this. With Zawiya again in play, along with Ghariyan to its immediate south, and finally some movement near the dead-locked eastern oil town of Brega, the situation has grown more delicate for Gaddafi. However, he has been underestimated throughout the campaign, emboldened by withstanding the cream of Europe’s air forces and buoyed by supporters in the capital. It may not be the end game just yet. Libya Middle East Africa Muammar Gaddafi Arab and Middle East unrest Nato Martin Chulov guardian.co.uk
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Dance collective Azari and III talk about their genre defying music, and reveal how they like to make “art late at night.” (Aug.15)
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Now that we have finally fixed the FAA funding problem, another major funding bill is expiring and will need to be reauthorized or readjusted on September 30th. The Federal Gasoline Tax collects 18.4 percent per gallon of gas and 24.4 percent per gallon of diesel and pays for a majority of our transportation and highway projects across the country. But the reality is that it is yet another tax on Americans and we all know that the Tea Party Congress doesn’t like that. This time the public is behind them. In a May survey Rasmussen Reports found that 44 percent of Americans favor eliminating the federal gas tax, but those numbers are actually down from 60 percent in early 2008 when gas prices were through the roof. Interestingly, however, most people (60 percent) believe the gas tax goes up every year according to a 2009 Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research survey, but the reality is it hasn’t moved since 1993. That shouldn’t preclude the tea party from taking another hard stance against taxes and spending. After all our government is hurting and we need to make drastic cuts, right? Sacrifices? Taxes like these prevent businesses from doing business because they pay such a huge amount in transportation each year. I can see the arguments developing as I type. In a surly unrelated story, two tea loving members of Congress are taking their own action on transportation funding. Rep. James Lankford and Sen. Tom Coburn, both from Oklahoma, have authored a bill that would opt states out of all federal highway and mass transit funding. The State Transportation and Flexibility Act would leave the revenue earned from the gas tax to the states to decide how to use it. The Oklahoma leaders aren’t the only gas tax foes, 13 additional Senators and 23 members of Congress have signed onto the bill. This includes seven members of the Tea Party Caucus and Rep. Ron Paul. In a graphic done by ESRI , counties across the country are highlighted if they have “structurally deficient bridges.” In Coburn and Lankford’s state a full third of the counties have over a hundred bridges categorized as deficient. But Senator Coburn believes “Washington’s addiction to spending has bankrupted the Highway Trust Fund.” enlarge Credit: ESRI If states can opt out of the health insurance reform bill – why can’t they opt out of all federal funding and federal programs. Isn’t this the kind of secessionist attitude that Texas Governor Rick Perry has? If the Coburn/Lankford bill passed would it then mean that a renewal of the gas tax is unnecessary and require states to set their own gas taxes? If that happened states with larger populations and higher gas tax revenue could have lower gas taxes and smaller states that are more rural would need to raise enough taxes for their infrastructure programs. Businesses that have a higher need for transporting goods or services might then relocate to states with lower gas prices. The alternative is states that couldn’t afford their programs could opt to allow their roads and bridges to fall into disrepair. Additionally, if Congress doesn’t renew the gas tax the results might be just as gloomy. Thousands of contract and construction workers on existing projects might not get paid, and it’s doubtful they’d stick around working for free assuming the re-authorization will be there down the road. Projects could come to a grinding halt across the country. It is unclear how Lankford or Coburn feel about pot-holes or how they would respond if one of these deficient bridges collapsed in the Oklahoma heat that was blamed for a recent buckling of a steel expansion joint on I-44. A few years ago when a bridge collapsed in Oklahoma it was federal money that came in to help fix it. The problem with this thinking is that our interstate system is so-called because it’s multi-state. It goes across more than one state and connects us all together. Let’s not forget that the highway system was originally built for national defense because we didn’t have the logistics to move equipment where it needed to go. We’re not an island, and the infrastructure problems on the Mississippi might not be in Oklahoma, but it impacts the water flowing into the state that is used by farmers for irrigation. We are one country – one team – and we’re all in it together.
Continue reading …Joy Behar, Steve Janowitz Married: ‘The View’ Host Weds Longtime Boyfriend
August 15, 2011 No Comment
Joy Behar has finally tied the knot. In a move that will surely have shocked her co-hosts on “The View,” Behar married longtime boyfriend Steve Janowitz in New York on Thursday night. The two have been together for 29 years. Behar had previously sworn off marriage, even breaking an engagement to Janowitz in 2009. Her marriage came just two days before co-host Sherri Shepherd got hitched in Chicago. Unlike Behar’s, though, Shepherd’s nuptials were very, very far from secret or sudden. A spokesman for “The View” issued a statement saying that Behar would discuss her wedding when the show returns on Sept. 6.
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A baby’s on the way for Hilary Duff and husband Mike Comrie. The actress announced she’s pregnant on her official website Sunday. In a special first anniversary post, Duff, 23, wrote how she can’t believe how fast time has flown by with Comrie, who plays ice hockey for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and added the happy news. “We also want to share the exciting news that… BABY MAKES THREE!!! We are extremely happy and ready to start this new chapter of our lives,” she wrote. News of her pregnancy comes as a surprise, considering she recently told Access Hollywood that she feels she’s too young to have kids just yet. “We talk about it. Yes, we’re excited to do that, but I think I want to work a little more. I’m tossing around the idea of making another record… We want it, and we’re excited for it but think it can wait a while longer… He is supportive of me. We both are excited to do that, but he knows I’m still young,” she said. Duff, who got her start on the Disney Channel’s “Lizze McGuire” series, married Comrie on August 14, 2010.
Continue reading …It Doesn’t Bleed, But Will It Lead?: Richmond Newspaper Finds Drop in Gun Crimes After Va. Allowed Guns in Bars
August 15, 2011 No CommentHere's a story I don't expect the media to trumpet, partly because it cuts against the MSM's preferred narrative on gun laws. “Virginia's bars and restaurants did not turn into shooting galleries as some had feared during the first year of a new state law that allows patrons with permits to carry concealed guns into alcohol-serving businesses,” Mark Bowes of the Richmond Times-Dispatch noted in an August 14 story :
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