[Guardian] Terry Anderson, a US journalist who was held captive by Islamist militants for almost seven years in Lebanon and came to symbolise the plight of western hostages during the country’s 1975-90 civil war, has died aged 76, his daughter said.
The former chief Middle East correspondent for the Associated Press, who was the longest-held hostage of the scores of westerners abducted in Lebanon, died on Sunday at his home in Greenwood Lake, New York, said Sulome Anderson, who was born three months after her father was seized. No cause of death was given.
Kept in barely lit cells by mostly Shia Muslim groups in what was known as the hostage crisis, and chained by his hands and feet and blindfolded much of the time, the former marine later recalled that he "almost went insane" and that only his Catholic faith prevented him from killing himself before he was freed in December 1991.
"Though my father’s life was marked by extreme suffering during his time as a hostage in captivity, he found a quiet, comfortable peace in recent years. I know he would choose to be remembered not by his very worst experience, but through his humanitarian work with the Vietnam Children’s Fund, the Committee to Protect Journalists, homeless veterans and many other incredible causes," Anderson said.
The family would take some time to organise a memorial, she said.
[Gateway] Wild and disgusting scenes were widespread during spring break at a popular island near Savannah, Georgia, with hordes of college-aged youths acting up.
As the Daily Mail reported, celebrations devolved into total mayhem at the annual Orange Crush gathering Saturday on Tybee Island, which is a barrier island and small city located 20 minutes from Savannah, as stunning videos show topless brawls and piles of garbage washing into the Atlantic Ocean.
The Orange Crush is an annual college spring break party on Tybee Island, which is held every April. It is popular with HBCU students, especially from nearby Savannah State University.
This year, more than 6,000 individuals, mostly HBCU students, flocked to the popular island to have fun, according to WSAV. There was also an increased police presence compared to recent years.
One video captured on X shows a huge fight erupting on the beach’s boardwalk as several young women violently slug and scratch each other while their tops fly off. Both men and women cheer on the combatants, with curse words flying. "OW! My weave!"
Some young females stopped fighting at points and tried to put their tops back on. A lady in a green swimsuit continues to brawl even after her breasts are exposed.
#3
I am going to guess that, mentions of bare breasts aside, I'm a happier man if I don't see the video...
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
04/23/2024 7:20 Comments ||
Top||
#4
OK, so for college students this one is called BLACK spring break. Daytona ant Myrtle Beach close the beaches and hotels for for black spring break because of the violence and they tear up the community. This is not bigotry, its fact...
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
04/23/2024 10:52 Comments ||
Top||
#5
It was long enough ago that I forget the name, but there used to be a black fraternity weekend in Galveston, TX. Normally, a large influx of tourists makes shopkeepers giddy with delight, but for some reason a lot of shops and restaurants would close for this event.
Used to get pretty creeped out reading comments on ol' Colin's YouTube channel, but I can't lie... years later, the weave guy pops up in me stream of consciousness more often than most people I'm related to. Really seemed to enjoy his work.
#7
It was obliterated from YouTube and I have never found it anywhere else, but there was a hilarious sketch on In Living Color where a guy at poetry slam night rwad his latest piece, "Your hair weave is causing me problems."
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
04/23/2024 13:56 Comments ||
Top||
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Viktor Lavrinenko
[REGNUM] Sweden passed a law allowing teenagers to change their “legal gender”. In accordance with the norms of the prevailing ideology in the Scandinavian countries, the sexualization of a child is normal. Already in kindergartens, children begin to have it drummed into their heads that a change of sexual orientation, a change of gender, is completely acceptable and even welcomed.
In the case of Sweden, which is suffering from a demographic crisis and the prevalence of ethnic crime, such a policy looks especially suicidal. But Stockholm does not intend to give it up.
"LEGAL GENDER REASSIGNMENT"
Sweden once became the first country to legalize gender reassignment - this happened in 1972. Swedish liberals like to refer to this example, arguing that it is impossible to stand still, that it is necessary to move further towards maximum “emancipation”.
Indeed, even now, if a Swede wants to change his gender, he must undergo a thorough examination and obtain a medical diagnosis of “gender dysphoria”.
And there are also individuals who want to change their gender “legally”, without medical intervention. And they demand that not only adults, but also teenagers be allowed to do this. Teenagers, they say, should also have the right to experiment with their gender self-identification.
And just the other day, the Swedish Riksdag, after a six-hour debate, voted for a new “Law on Gender Equality.” During the discussion, many harsh words and objections were heard from the parliamentary rostrum, since this law seemed, to put it mildly, controversial to many people's representatives.
And yet it was adopted: 234 votes for and 94 against. The adoption of the bill was not hindered by the fact that, according to a recent public opinion poll, the majority of Swedes (59%) disapprove of it to one degree or another.
The new law, which comes into force on July 1 next year, makes it easier for people who “feel like they belong to the wrong gender or are experiencing gender dysphoria” to “legally change their gender.” This means changing personal data in official documents, but does not imply the physical transformation operation itself.
Now in Sweden, anyone wishing to “legally” change their gender must be an adult (at least 18 years old), undergo a serious medical examination and obtain permission from the state National Board of Health and Welfare. Soon, it will be enough only for the doctor’s conclusion that he considers the person’s desire to “change his gender” and “live in a new capacity for a long time” to be confirmed.
The age limit has also been shifted: a person who wants to change his “legal gender” will be able to do this upon reaching sixteen years of age. He must also be registered in Sweden or be a Swedish citizen and have a Swedish social security number. Those youth who are under eighteen years of age and wish to “change” their gender must obtain the approval of their parents or guardians.
Also, changing one’s “legal gender” will no longer require a diagnosis of “gender dysphoria.” To do this, a certificate from a doctor or psychologist stating that “the legal gender does not correspond to the real one” will be sufficient. By the way, permission from the National Health Council will no longer be required for surgical gender reassignment.
Supporters of the bill say its approval brings Sweden closer to other EU countries that already have systems for people to determine their “legal gender.”
Indeed, similar laws have already been passed in Denmark, Norway, Finland and Spain. However, the law adopted in Sweden turned out to be not as radical as initially expected - the very first version of the bill, developed in 2021, provided for the possibility of “legal gender change” from the age of twelve!
To push through the bill, the Moderate Coalition Party and the Liberals had to ally with the center-left opposition and ignore the opinions of the coalition Christian Democrats and the right-wing Sweden Democrats.
Critics of the new law argue that women will be extremely uncomfortable if they have to share changing rooms with those who have undergone “legal transition”. MP Karita Bulven of the Sweden Democrats said: "We believe that this is a reprehensible proposal that could have unforeseen and serious consequences - not only for the individual, but also for society as a whole."
50,000 PER HOUR
The processing of the consciousness of Swedish children in the spirit of “anarchist liberalism” has been going on for a long time. The local press reports that Swedish municipalities and preschools are hiring transvestites to read “special fairy tales” to children aged two to seven. There are examples of men in women's clothing showing children what they call "positive queer role models" in gay lingo.
The nicknames given for two of these drag queens are "Busty Lady" and "Miss Shameless." Sweden's new “storytellers” (we must assume Astrid Lindgren and Selma Lagerlöf are spinning in their graves) say: “We give children positive queer role models who challenge gender norms. There are no standards or boundaries in the transvestite story."
For their “works” on the “progressive” education of the younger Swedish generation, the “storytellers” take a good reward: for two thirty-minute performances they are paid the amount of 7,000 kroner (approximately 50,000 rubles). In addition, they demand that their real names on pay slips not be made public.
However, journalist Joakim Lamott extracted the real names of “Busty Lady” and “Miss Shameless” from the employees of the children’s library in the city of Olofström. But before Lamott could do anything with the information received, city authorities contacted the police with a complaint against the journalist. Joachim Lamott was afraid and did not publish the names of the “enlighteners.”
And in order to somehow save face, he said: “The municipality of Olofström seems to be very interested in me hiding from the public public documents where the names of these people appear. But I will act in the interests of society, and will make a decision when I study their activities in more detail."
Sweden actively brings the “ideals” of LGBT (an extremist movement banned in the Russian Federation) to other countries. Sometimes this turns into misunderstanding and even scandals. Thus, on May 17, the “International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia” was celebrated. In this regard, last year the Swedish Embassy in Kyiv hoisted a rainbow flag over its building.
At the same time, the Swedish Ambassador to Ukraine, Tobias Tyberg, demanded on social networks that Ukrainian homosexuals “be immediately allowed to enter into partnerships.”
This caused a strong negative reaction among many Ukrainians—and not only among them. Swedish mercenary Mikael Skillt said that now even Ukrainian gays have something to worry about other than raising rainbow flags. “Sweden, as always, knows how to stand out! The only rainbow flag in Kyiv hangs at the Swedish embassy,” he said.
Lately, Swedish gays have expressed concern that Sweden, in their opinion, has left the ranks of the “front-line” LGBT* people. Therefore, they put forward seven demands to the country's government: among other things, gays want a new, more “progressive” law on gender identity, the introduction of a “third legal gender”, “improved care for transgender people” and a ban on conversion therapy (a set of practices aimed at treating homosexuality).
Here it must be said that until 2022, Sweden was ruled by left-liberals, under whose power the corruption of children was presented as “an achievement of Western civilization.” However, most Swedes seem to be tired of their dominance. According to the results of the 2022 parliamentary elections, the previous left-liberal ruling coalition was replaced by a new, liberal-conservative one.
The new rulers promised to toughen the fight against organized crime, expand electronic surveillance, and intensify the fight against illegal migration.
However, the government is not very diligent in fulfilling these promises. But, as the example of the new law shows, the insane policy of imposing “gender transitions” continues.
STATE MADNESS
Recently, a book “How to become a transvestite” was published in Sweden, intended for children aged three to six years. It tells the story of a Swedish boy, Liam, who goes to school, plays with friends and dreams of becoming... a transvestite.
Since his “retarded” parents were unable to inform him on this issue, Liam has to independently search the library for the information he is interested in.
Each of the stages of these searches is described in detail and provided with pictures so that young readers can easily follow the “guide” and independently complete “tasks” at home. The 28-year-old owner of Cookies'n Dragons, Remi Livang, who wrote this “wonderful” book, says that the idea came to her after she learned about the “Busty Lady” and “Miss Shameless” reading “fairy tales” to Swedish children.
Livang was sincerely outraged by the fact that, it turns out, some parents are unhappy with these “fairy tales” - and she decided to make her contribution to introduce “tolerance” into children’s brains.
In fairness, it should be mentioned that Swedish parents are increasingly showing their indignation in such cases. One of the relatively recent examples of this kind is the fathers and mothers of students at a school in the Ekensberg district of Stockholm who demanded that the administration of this educational institution remove the rainbow flags hung throughout its classrooms and corridors.
Parents irritably told teachers that the presence of these flags promotes things that are not very suitable for young children. “What happened to children's rights and what messages are we sending to students?” - one of them gets angry.
However, school director Christina Bergström insists that the school “should be a welcoming place for everyone” - and, of course, especially for homosexuals. If she satisfies her parents’ request, she will instantly be pecked by the advocates of “tolerance,” who are now extremely influential in Sweden. As if in this case we wouldn’t have to part with the director’s chair.
Sweden is currently suffering from a demographic crisis. According to the government Statistics Office for 2023, the number of newborns in the past year was the lowest in the last twenty years.
The number of children born per woman has become the lowest in the entire history of Sweden. At the same time, the population increased in 95 municipalities and decreased in 193.
Swedish patriots are worried that the decline in the country's population will be made up by migrants. Actually, this process has been going on for many years - 10.5 million people live in the country, of which over a million come from Asia and Africa.
Many of the migrants join the ranks of organized and street crime, which is increasingly interfering in the daily lives of Swedes.
Against this background, the internal policy of the state, which destroys a normal family, must be recognized as nothing less than insane.
[Daily Caller] Congress’ new $60 billion aid package is unlikely to move the needle in Ukraine’s war against Russia, experts told the Daily Caller News Foundation. The inevitable Nurmagoedov take-down and cage pounding.
The House overwhelmingly voted to pass the $60.8 billion package on Saturday that aims to bolster Ukraine’s war effort and replenish U.S. stockpiles, and the Pentagon is reportedly quickly sketching up a plan to deliver Kyiv tactical vehicles, armored personnel carriers and missiles if the bill is ultimately signed off on by President Joe Biden, according to Politico. But given the lack of an endgame strategy to end the war and Ukraine’s failed counteroffensive in the face of a growing Russian military, the aid could help bolster Kyiv’s defenses for a while, but is unlikely to push it closer to a military victory, former U.S. officials and defense experts told the DCNF. (RELATED: House Bursts Into Pro-Ukraine Chant During Foreign Aid Vote)
"By itself, the latest tranche of U.S. aid is not zero-sum and it’s hard to imagine it will prompt a turning point in the war. However, if used properly the funds should be helpful for a period of time," Michael Bars, former White House senior communications advisor and National Security Council official, told the DCNF. "It’s disappointing that another $60 billion went out the door without a penny for U.S. border enforcement, on which the Speaker long-conditioned additional Ukraine aid."
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, who helped spearhead the bill’s creation and passing, previously insisted that any future Ukraine aid needed to be tied to border security. Johnson ultimately discarded that idea and helped pass the Ukraine bill separately, provoking ire from several GOP lawmakers.
This is the U.S. House of Representatives under the direction of Speaker Mike Johnson. Democrats are celebrating his total capitulation with no victory for securing our border. #MTV pic.twitter.com/TtaIgnX9eg
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
04/23/2024 11:08 Comments ||
Top||
#8
Sometimes Trump is really dumb. This is one of those cases. I am STILL voting for him though. FJB.
Posted by: Whiskey Mike ||
04/23/2024 12:04 Comments ||
Top||
#9
Trump has to cover this base. If the election should by extreme narrow chance get tipped to the house, it would be important to have the Pubs in the majority.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
04/23/2024 12:08 Comments ||
Top||
#10
Sounds like it won’t do any good. Let’s keep the money.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
04/23/2024 12:56 Comments ||
Top||
#11
Ref #7: I suspect the Orange Man is still backing Speaker Johnson for fear of a Hakim Jeffries (Obama-Lite) takeover. Neither one worth a flying chaw of tired Beachnut or a soggy fart.
[HERSH] The Ukraine government, headed by Volodymyr Zelensky, has been using American taxpayers’ funds to pay dearly for the vitally needed diesel fuel that is keeping the Ukrainian army on the move in its war with Russia. It is unknown how much the Zelensky government is paying per gallon for the fuel, but the Pentagon was paying as much as $400 per gallon to transport gasoline from a port in Pakistan, via truck or parachute, into Afghanistan during the decades-long American war there.
What also is unknown is that Zelensky has been buying the fuel from Russia, the country with which it, and Washington, are at war, and the Ukrainian president and many in his entourage have been skimming untold millions from the American dollars earmarked for diesel fuel payments. One estimate by analysts from the Central Intelligence Agency put the embezzled funds at $400 million last year, at least; another expert compared the level of corruption in Kiev as approaching that of the Afghan war, "although there will be no professional audit reports emerging from the Ukraine."
"Zelensky’s been buying discount diesel from the Russians," one knowledgeable American intelligence official told me. "And who’s paying for the gas and oil? We are. Putin and his oligarchs are making millions" on it.
Many government ministries in Kiev have been literally "competing," I was told, to set up front companies for export contracts for weapons and ammunition with private arms dealers around the world, all of which provide kickbacks. Many of those companies are in Poland and Czechia, but others are thought to exist in the Persian Gulf and Israel. "I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that there are others in places like the Cayman Islands and Panama, and there are lots of Americans involved," an American expert on international trade told me.
The issue of corruption was directly raised with Zelensky in a meeting last January in Kiev with CIA Director William Burns. His message to the Ukrainian president, I was told by an intelligence official with direct knowledge of the meeting, was out of a 1950s mob movie. The senior generals and government officials in Kiev were angry at what they saw as Zelensky’s greed, so Burns told the Ukrainian president, because "he was taking a larger share of the skim money than was going to the generals."
[WIRE] Here’s a statistic that, if you have a job in corporate America, may be the single least surprising piece of information you’ll hear all year.
It turns out that every single one of the Fortune 100 companies — 100% of them — has made a public commitment to DEI on their website. There isn’t a single outlier in the top 100 companies in this country. Chris Rufo looked into this, and he found that they all have a stock DEI page. Whether you go to Amazon or Target or Dell or Verizon or Home Depot, or banks or insurance companies or anywhere else, you’ll find the same platitudes — boilerplate about the importance of the alphabet people, parental leave for birthing folks, outreach to historically black colleges, and so on.
This total uniformity took hold relatively quickly, within just the last few years. Publicly, the explanation for this change is that all of these companies are suddenly very concerned about racial justice. They’re upset about George Floyd and so on. But privately, there’s another very clear reason for it. The leadership of all of these companies understand very well that if they stop practicing DEI — if they, say, start hiring all of their employees based on merit instead of skin color — then the federal government will try to destroy them.
#2
So end the FBI background checks for firearms. It racist...
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
04/23/2024 10:49 Comments ||
Top||
#3
If all these folks in the Biden Administration passed background checks, I’m for shutting the system down. It’s not working and Joe is exhibit A of my argument.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
04/23/2024 12:54 Comments ||
Top||
#4
If you see the video from the post below this of the topless beach brawl... you will understand why the Biden administration is fighting background checks.
[Yahoo] A flame-throwing robotic dog has been invented by a company in the United States that is capable of delivering "on-demand fire anywhere".
Called the Thermonator, the remote-controlled device is for sale online priced $9,420 (£7,600).
Designed by Ohio-based firm Throwflame, the robot is not advertised as a weapon, with the manufacturer suggesting possible uses include wildlife control, snow and ice removal and general entertainment.
It has the power to shoot 30ft jets of fire and also uses its laser sight, flashlight and light-sensitive mapping capabilities to operate at night.
Footage of the canine posted on the company’s website shows it scurrying and leaping across a variety of terrain, from woodland to snow, while shooting out streams of fire.
Weighing in at 2st 9lb, and under one square foot in diameter, the robot can be controlled remotely via Wi-Fi or bluetooth and has a battery life of up to one hour.
Similar to drones used on the battlefield in Ukraine, the first-person viewrobot provides a video feed, which enables users to control it from their phone. There is no way I can see this going completely wrong.
#6
Weighing in at 2st 9lb,
Sheesh. Who measures weight in stone anymore?
Of course, when I get weighed at my doctor's, I wish the scale were calibrated in stone rather than pounds, or even kilograms. 20 stone sounds better than 280.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia ||
04/23/2024 21:19 Comments ||
Top||
#7
I bought a bathroom scale not long ago, and I was surprised it had an setting option for stone.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
[Gateway] Wild and disgusting scenes were widespread during spring break at a popular island near Savannah, Georgia, with hordes of college-aged youths acting up.
[Yahoo] A flame-throwing robotic dog has been invented by a company in the United States that is capable of delivering "on-demand fire anywhere".
