tagged w/ Jennifer Welker
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A Moroccan man jailed for pretending to be the brother of the king on the social networking site Facebook has been given a royal pardon.
Fouad Mourtada's lawyer said his client had left the Casablanca jail where he was serving his three-year sentence.
He had been arrested at the beginning of February for "usurping the identity of Prince Moulay Rachid".
Mr Mourtada had insisted his internet entry was a bit of fun, and a campaign was launched in his support.
In another court case, Ahmed Benchemsi faces up to five years in jail over an article he wrote about a speech made by King Mohammed VI.
Journalists are often in court for such offences despite the fact Morocco has one of the most liberal environments for the press in North Africa. A Moroccan man jailed for pretending to be the brother of the king on the social... more
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More than 100 people have turned themselves in to police following anti-China riots in Tibet's main city, Lhasa, Chinese state media have said.
The authorities had threatened to punish harshly protesters who failed to surrender by a Monday night deadline.
Lhasa police have been searching homes and making arrests, activists say. More than 100 people have turned themselves in to police following anti-China riots in... more
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More than 7 out of 10 Americans think government spending on the war in Iraq is partly responsible for the economic troubles in the United States, according to results of a recent poll.
President Bush meets with his economic team at the White House on Monday.
In the CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll conducted last weekend, 71 percent said they think U.S. spending in Iraq is a reason for the nation's poor economy. Twenty-eight percent said they didn't think so.
The weekend poll, timed to coincide with the Iraq war's fifth anniversary, also showed little U.S. support for the conflict. Fewer than one in three respondents -- 32 percent -- said they support the war, while 66 percent said they oppose it.
Sixty-one percent of those polled said the next president should remove most U.S. troops from Iraq "within a few months of taking office."
Only 36 percent of those polled said the situation in Iraq was worth going to war over -- down from 68 percent in March 2003, when the war began.More than 7 out of 10 Americans think government spending on the war in Iraq is partly... more
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President Bush will mark the fifth anniversary of the Iraq war on Wednesday by calling the debate over the conflict "understandable" but insisting that a continued U.S. presence there is crucial.
art.bush.ap.jpg
President Bush tours the Blount Island Marine Terminal on Tuesday in Jacksonville, Florida.
"The answers are clear to me," Bush will say, according to excerpts of his speech to be delivered at the Pentagon on Wednesday, the day the war began in 2003.
"Removing Saddam Hussein from power was the right decision, and this is a fight America can and must win."
Almost 4,000 American troops have died in the war, a painful toll that Bush will acknowledge.
"No one would argue that this war has not come at a high cost in lives and treasure, but those costs are necessary when we consider the cost of a strategic victory for our enemies in Iraq."
Bush contends the so-called troop surge he ordered in January 2007 has been a success and was necessary at a point when "the fight in Iraq was faltering."
"The surge has done more than turn the situation in Iraq around; it has opened the door to a major strategic victory in the broader war on terror," he will say, according to the excerpts.President Bush will mark the fifth anniversary of the Iraq war on Wednesday by calling... more
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Gov. Eliot Spitzer said he "acted in way that violates his obligation to his family," speaking hours after the New York Times reported he told senior administration officials he had been involved in a prostitution ring.
"The American people are tired of corrupt and hypocritical politicians. The governor of New York is just another in the long list of politicians that have failed their constituents," Nick Ayers, RGA executive Director, said in a statement.
Spitzer's office, the U.S. Attorney's office in New York and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg all declined to comment on Spitzer.
Spitzer, 48, served as New York's attorney general for eight years before being elected governor.
Time magazine named him "Crusader of the Year" during his two terms as New York attorney general.
Tabloids labeled him "Eliot Ness," after the hero in the crime drama "The Untouchables," because of his reputation for rooting out corruption, busting white-collar criminals and tackling organized crime.
He was also known for prosecuting several prostitution rings.Gov. Eliot Spitzer said he "acted in way that violates his obligation to his... more
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NEW YORK - An explosive device caused minor damage to an empty military recruiting station in Times Square early Thursday, shaking guests in hotel rooms high above.
Police blocked off the area to investigate the explosion, which occurred at about 3:45 a.m., shattering the station's glass entryway. No one was injured.
The Department of Homeland Security said it was examining whether there was a terrorism link to the explosion.
UPDATE: No Link Between Notes And NYC Blast
Authorities on Friday were investigating whether an explosion at the Times Square military recruiting office was connected to strikingly similar bombings at two foreign consulates in New York, as they ruled out a link to mysterious letters sent to Capitol Hill offices.
Investigators were also scrutinizing surveillance video and forensic evidence after a bicycle-riding bomber struck the landmark station Thursday, scarring one of the world's most recognizable locations.
Authorities said there was no connection between the blast and a letter sent to as many as 100 members of Congress bearing the words "Happy New Year, We Did It."
The lengthy anti-war letters - which arrived with photos of a man standing in front of the recruiting office before it was damaged - contained no threats, officials said.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/07/national/main3916170.shtml?source=RSSattr=HOME_3916170
NEW YORK - An explosive device caused minor damage to an empty military recruiting... more
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Jennifer Welker talks with Herold Noel on when he came home from his tour in Iraq. He talks of his dedication to the military, while struggling with PTSD finding a home and a support system.
Tracks 1 & 7 Produced by Herold Noel
Directed and
Edited by Jennifer Welker
Programs used:
FCP studio, Apple Soundtrack, MotionJennifer Welker talks with Herold Noel on when he came home from his tour in Iraq. He... more
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Venezuela and Ecuador ordered troops to their borders with Colombia, sharply raising tensions after Colombia killed a top rebel leader on Ecuadorean soil.
President Hugo Chavez on Sunday promised Venezuela would respond militarily if Colombia violates its border, where he ordered tanks as well as thousands of troops. He also ordered closed Venezuela's embassy in Bogota.
Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa said he deployed troops to the border while also withdrawing his government's ambassador from Bogota and expelling Colombia's top diplomat.
"There is no justification," Correa said Sunday night, snubbing an earlier announcement from Colombia that it would apologize for the military incursion.
Chavez called the killing of rebel leader and spokesman Raul Reyes and 16 other guerrillas on Saturday an attack by a "terrorist state," saying it shows Colombian President Alvaro Uribe is a "criminal." Venezuela and Ecuador ordered troops to their borders with Colombia, sharply raising... more
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China is developing the ability to limit or prevent the use of satellites by potential adversaries during times of crisis, the Pentagon said March 3 in a report to Congress.
The report, the latest in a series of annual assessments of China's military power, says Beijing views its efforts in space warfare as not only a practical advance of military power but also a boost to national prestige.
In space and other aspects of China's military modernization, the Pentagon stuck to its oft-repeated view that China's first priority is to build a broad-based capability to prevent Taiwanese independence. It said China's focus on space warfare is an important part of that Taiwan strategy.
"China further views the development of space and counter-space capabilities as bolstering national prestige and, like nuclear weapons, demonstrating the attributes of a world power," the report said.
China typically objects to the Pentagon's depiction of its military programs and policies. The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately return a message seeking comment on the report. China is developing the ability to limit or prevent the use of satellites by potential... more
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Many media groups along with each presidential campaign continually use the tag line "who do you want to run the country"?
Isn't this wrong? The president doesn't really run the country.
By definition President means the highest executive officer appointed or elected to preside over an organized body of persons.
In English, this means the President presides over other officials who preside over many other officers....and so on. Laws have to be passed and signed by all, not just the President. If the President did actually "Run" the country this would be a dictatorship nation, not a FREE nation.
So for the media and politicians to use this term "Running the country" so loosely is in my opinion falsehood. This is why when a President does get into office and we expect them to do what they say they are going to do, very rarely does that always happen, and its because the President doesn't Run the country. The President can push for laws and mandates but it has to be passed by a Congress, this is actually our safety net, this is what makes America a Democracy.
I mean what would happen if say a President was elected and tried to change the Constitution?
-Jennifer WelkerMany media groups along with each presidential campaign continually use the tag line... more
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The US government has begun a project to develop ways to spot terrorists who are using virtual worlds.
Codenamed Reynard it aims to recognise "normal" behaviour in online worlds and home in on anomalous activity.
It is likely to develop tools and techniques for intelligence officers who are hunting terrorists and terror groups on the net or in virtual worlds.
The project was welcomed by experts tracking terror groups using the net to organise or carry out attacks.The US government has begun a project to develop ways to spot terrorists who are using... more
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Lesbians from across Africa have called on African governments to stop treating homosexuals like criminals.
The demand came as about 75 activists gathered at a conference in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique.
Rest of article here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7266646.stm Lesbians from across Africa have called on African governments to stop treating... more
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According to a new poll, only 22 percent of U.S. military officers believe that gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve openly as a fix for recent recruiting shortfalls. The poll, conducted by the Center for a New American Security and by the journal Foreign Policy, was administered in December, 2007 and January, 2008 to 3,437 active duty and retired officers at or above the rank of major or lieutenant commander.
According to Dr. Aaron Belkin, director of the Palm Center, "these new data are consistent with other surveys which show that among the officer corps, there is little support for repeal of 'don't ask, don't tell.'" The Palm Center is a research institute at the University of California, Santa Barbara that has conducted extensive studies on gays and lesbians in the military.
The new poll included a question, "Which of the following steps do you support to increase recruiting numbers in the U.S. military (choose all that apply)." Fifty-eight percent said that the military should "allow a larger percentage of those who have GED but not a high school diploma" and 38 percent said that the draft should be reinstated. Only 7 percent said that the "use of criminal, health, and other 'waivers' for service" should be used. Respondants were not given a "don't know," "maybe" or "unsure"
option.
A more complete analysis of recent polling data of military attitudes towards gays and lesbians may be found in the new study "'Don't Ask, Don't Tell': Does the Gay Ban Undermine the Military's Reputation?" which was published in the latest issue of the journal Armed Forces and Society. Click here for the 2008 military reputation study. According to a new poll, only 22 percent of U.S. military officers believe that gays... more
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What does population have to do with the environment?
Three billion people - nearly half of the world's
population - are under the age of 25. In the next few years, those young people will
make choices about sexuality and childbearing that will have a huge impact on their
lives, their families and their communities. Collectively, their choices will help
determine whether there are eight or nearly 12 billion of us by the middle of the
century.
But too many of those young people have limited sexual and reproductive health
choices. In South Asia, nearly half of young women are married before the age of 18.
"Choice" about childbearing is meaningless to a 14 year-old girl who's married
against her will. And, according to a 2003 study by UNPFA and the Guttmacher
Institute, there are over 200 million women who would like to limit or space their
childbearing but lack access to reproductive health services and information.
Meanwhile, the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has warned us that we
have until 2015 - seven years - to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions, or face
widespread ecological and humanitarian disaster.
These two issues are connected. The number of people on the planet, and our systems
of production and consumption, together determine our
impact on the environment. Stabilizing world population at nine rather than 12
billion would give us a fighting chance to avoid catastrophic climate change and
other environmental crises.
Yet, despite the connections between population and the environment,
there is still little conversation and coordination between the traditional
environmental movement and those working on population and reproductive health.
http://www.unfoundation.org/programs/women_pop/laurie_mazur_interview.aspWhat does population have to do with the environment?
Three billion people -... more
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This is a great idea, It basically takes the Black Out back in 2003 and makes something good of it.This is a great idea, It basically takes the Black Out back in 2003 and makes... more
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Its called Columbite-tantalite - coltan for short - one of the world's most sought-after materials. Refine coltan and you get a highly heat-resistant metal powder called tantalum. It sells for $100 a pound, and it's becoming increasingly vital to modern life.
For the high-tech industry, tantalum is magic dust, a key component in everything from mobile phones made by Nokia (NOK) and Ericsson and computer chips from Intel (INTC) to Sony (SNE) stereos and VCRs.
Selling coltan is not illegal. Most of the worldwide tantalum supply - valued at as much as $6 billion a year - comes from legitimate mining operations in Australia, Canada and Brazil.
But as demand for tantalum took off with the boom of high-tech products in recent years, a new, more sinister market began flourishing in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Child Soldiers, Forced slave labor, these warring rebel groups are exploiting coltan mining to help finance a bloody civil war.
The mining by the rebels is also causing environmental destruction. In particular, endangered gorilla populations are being massacred or driven out of their natural habitat as the miners illegally plunder the ore-rich lands of the Congo's protected national parks.
The market for the metal is based on secretive and convoluted trade links subject to few international regulations, and the ore is not sold on regulated metals exchanges.
The U.N. report does not directly blame computer manufacturers and mobile phone makers for the bloody trade, citing instead the companies trading minerals as "the engine of the conflict in the DRC." But the high-tech industry's demand for tantalum clearly has fueled an increase in coltan mining worldwide - including in the Congo region. After all, the trading companies sell coltan to processing companies, which in turn sell to tantalum capacitor manufacturers - whose clients are none other than high-tech companies such as Ericsson, Intel and Nokia.
These companies deny any knowledge that tantalum originating in the Congo is used in their products. That's not surprising, considering how murky the supply chain out of the Congo is and how complicated the global trade in tantalum gets.
The reality is that there's little way to prove that the tantalum used in our cell phones and laptops is or is not from the Congo.
Guns, Money and Cell Phones
By Kristi EssickIts called Columbite-tantalite - coltan for short - one of the world's most... more
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Private Contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan, 2004–2006
* Unidentified Foreign Entities $20,435,870,190
1 KBR Inc (formerly known as Kellogg Brown and Root) $16,059,282,020
2 DynCorp International (Veritas Capital) $1,838,156,100
3 Washington Group International Inc $1,044,686,850
4 IAP Worldwide Services Inc (Cerberus Capital Management LP) $901,973,910
5 Environmental Chemical Corp $899,701,070
6 L-3 Communications Holdings Inc $853,535,680
7 Fluor Corp $736,853,200
8 Perini Corp $720,859,110
9 Orascom Construction Industries (OCI) $617,089,510
10 Parsons Corp $579,265,450
11 First Kuwaiti General Trading And Contracting Company Wll $495,404,500
12 Blackwater USA $485,149,590
13 Tetra Tech Inc $362,107,010
14 AMEC PLC $317,171,280
15 Laguna Pueblo (Laguna Construction Company Inc) $312,677,530
16 AECOM Technology Corp $293,731,050
17 Toltest Inc $266,595,130
18 Lockheed Martin Corp $244,376,120
19 Weston Solutions Inc $230,982,240
20 Red Star Enterprises Ltd $193,374,320
21 U.S.-Afghanistan Reconstruction Council $182,700,310
22 Triple Canopy Inc $179,308,590
23 The Shaw Group Inc $172,620,540
24 General Dynamics Corp $172,543,070
25 Innovative Technical Solutions Inc $170,377,130
26 USA Environmental Inc $170,050,840
27 Ellis Environmental Group LC $155,806,930
28 Petrol Ofisi A S $147,515,700
29 EOD Technology Inc $133,417,380
30 I and S Acquisition Corporation $118,490,070
31 Refinery Associates of Texas Inc $109,533,680
32 Mac International FZE $102,442,020
33 CH2M HILL Companies Ltd $102,158,710
34 Zafer Taahhut Insaat Ve Ticaret A S $100,443,870
35 Cape Environmental Management Inc $99,128,870
36 Odebrecht-Austin Joint Venture $92,778,820
37 Aegis Defence Services Ltd $92,310,680
38 CACI International Inc $87,760,610
39 Verizon Communications Inc $86,800,120
40 Framaco International Inc $83,301,810
41 Ronco Consulting Corp $82,408,030
42 Emta Insaat Taahhut Ve Ticaret A S $78,674,140
43 Technologists Inc $74,867,950
44 URS Corporation $68,229,300
45 Tyco International Ltd $67,451,230
46 Turcas Petrol A S $59,265,080
47 Prime Projects International General Trading LLC $56,971,380
48 Rizzani de Eccher SpA $56,705,000
49 Trigeant Ltd $48,556,690
50 The Boeing Co $48,359,910
Private Contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan, 2004–2006
* Unidentified Foreign... more
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