Randgroep

Did Bin Laden really have secret porn stash?

Fri, 20 May 2011 23:36:00 +0000

Among the material seized by US Navy Seals at Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, was a "sizeable stash" of pornography, US officials have said.

The statement brought instant ridicule from bloggers, many of whom found the claim either risible, or a further example of unsophisticated briefing which was likely to backfire. A report on the American-owned Associated Press said: "The disclosure that US investigators found pornography... fuels the US narrative that Bin Laden was not the respectable or noble figure that his supporters embraced" – words that bear the imprint of a spin doctor.

Roderick T Long, a professor of philosophy at Auburn University, Alabama, and a mainstream blogger, wrote: "I have no problem believing that Bin Laden was a hypocrite. But I also have no problem believing that the US government is a liar. Hence I have no opinion one way or other as to the existence of Bin Laden's alleged porn collection."

Allied Warplanes Patrol Libyan Skies

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:23:00 +0000

French President Nicolas Sarkozy says allied warplanes are flying over Libya to enforce a no-fly zone and protect civilians in the city of Benghazi, where forces loyal to leader Moammar Gadhafi have been bearing down on rebels trying to bring down his government.

U.S. President Barack Obama confirmed a short time later that the United States has joined a coalition with its European and Arab partners to take action in Libya.

Obama spoke to reporters during his visit to Brazil. He said the allied coalition's "resolve is clear," and that all members are "prepared to act with urgency."

Sarkozy announced the military action Saturday in Paris, where representatives of the U.N., European Union, Arab and Western powers gathered for an emergency summit on the Libyan crisis.

President Sarkozy said the leaders agreed to use all necessary means - including military force - to carry out a U.N. Security Council resolution approved on Thursday. The Council declared a no-fly zone over Libya and specifically authorized world powers to use "all measures necessary" to protect civilians.

Sarkozy said world powers were intervening so the Libyan people can "choose their destiny," but he added there is still time for Gadhafi to heed the demands of the international community.

Earlier Saturday, pro-government forces in Libya advanced against rebels on two fronts. Insurgents in their eastern stronghold of Benghazi said government loyalists had been pushing forward in apparent disregard of the cease-fire Gadhafi declared on Friday. The rebels also say military units loyal to Gadhafi shot down one of their planes over the city.

There were also reports of fighting south of Benghazi in Adjabiya as well as in Misrata, a rebel-held city in western Libya near Tripoli.

Gadhafi sent urgent messages to world leaders Saturday, including U.S. President Barack Obama and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. In a letter read to reporters by a government spokesman in Tripoli, Gadhafi noted the rebels had seized control of Benghazi, and asked rhetorically how Obama would "behave" if there was a similar situation in the United States.

Addressing the U.N. secretary-general, Gadhafi said the Security Council's resolution on Libya is "invalid," and predicted that any Western action against Libya would be seen as "clear aggression."

Separately, Libyan Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa held a news conference from Tripoli on Saturday. He said his government is abiding by the cease-fire it announced earlier.

http://www.voanews.com/

Dutch Want to Ban Foreigners from Marijuana Coffee Shops

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 10:40:00 +0000

The newly elected rightist Dutch government said it wants to bar foreigners from the country's famous cannabis coffee shops.

The newly elected rightist Dutch government said Wednesday it wants to bar foreigners from buying marijuana in the Netherlands' famous cannabis coffee shops. The move is part of a national crack down on drug use, a government spokesman said.

For more than 30 years, Holland has allowed the sale of small amounts of marijuana (currently up to five grams) in coffee shops, even though laws against marijuana possession technically remained on the books. In recent years, conservative governments have increasingly signaled their unhappiness with the status quo and have embarked on campaigns to reduce the number of coffee shops.

Dutch coffee shops are a popular tourist destination, especially with visitors from neighboring France, Germany, Belgium, and other countries with more repressive approaches to pot. But some border towns have already moved to bar foreigners, citing traffic, congestion, and public order problems.

On Wednesday, Dutch Security and Justice Minister Ivo Opstelten told NOS radio the governing coalition had agreed to limit marijuana sales to Dutch residents in order to curb crime linked to marijuana production and sales. "No tourist attractions," said Opstelten. "We don't like that."

But it is not "drug tourism" that creates crime around pot cultivation and distribution. Instead, it is Holland's half-baked approach to tolerating marijuana. The Dutch government allows for legal retail marijuana sales, but does not allow for a legal method of growing marijuana to supply the coffee shops. That leaves the door open for criminals to get involved in the trade.

While some border towns have already acted to bar foreigners, there is less enthusiasm for a ban in Amsterdam, home to some 223 coffee shops. The municipal government there said it was studying the government proposal. "We are taking the current practice as a starting point. It is not perfect but in many ways we have a functioning coffee shop system," an Amsterdam city spokesman said.

The "no foreigners" policy has not yet been formally drafted and no firm date for the ban has yet been set. But it looks like foreign pot smokers are about to join Muslims as persona non grata in the brave new Holland.

http://www.alternet.org/

Gregory Isaacs died

Sun, 31 Oct 2010 20:13:00 +0000

Gregory Anthony Isaacs (15 July 1951 – 25 October 2010)[1] was a Jamaican reggae musician. Milo Miles, writing in the New York Times, described Isaacs as "the most exquisite vocalist in reggae".[2] His nicknames include Cool Ruler[3] and Lonely Lover.

In his teens, Isaacs became a veteran of the talent contests that regularly took place in Jamaica. In 1968, he made his recording debut with a duet with Winston Sinclair, "Another Heartache", recorded for producer Byron Lee.[1] The single sold poorly and Isaacs went on to team up with two other vocalists (Penroe and Bramwell) in the short-lived trio The Concords, recording for Rupie Edwards and Prince Buster.[1] The trio split up in 1970 and Isaacs launched his solo career, initially self-producing recordings and also recording further for Edwards.[1] In 1973 he teamed up with another young singer, Errol Dunkley to start the African Museum record label and shop, and soon had a massive hit with "My Only Lover", credited as the first lovers rock record ever made.[1] He recorded for other producers to finance further African Museum recordings, having a string of hits in the three years that followed, ranging from ballads to roots reggae, including "All I Have Is Love", "Lonely Soldier", "Black a Kill Black", "Extra Classic" and his cover version of Dobby Dobson's "Loving Pauper".[1] In 1974 he began working with producer Alvin Ranglin, and that year he had his first Jamaican number one single with "Love Is Overdue".[1] Isaacs recorded for many of Jamaica's top producers during the 1970s, including Winston "Niney" Holness, Gussie Clarke ("My Time"), Lloyd Campbell ("Slavemaster"), Glen Brown ("One One Cocoa Fill Basket"), Harry Mudie, Roy Cousins, Sidney Crooks and Lee "Scratch" Perry ("Mr. Cop").[4] By the late 1970s, Isaacs was one of the biggest reggae performers in the world, regularly touring the US and the UK, and only challenged by Dennis Brown and Bob Marley.[4][5] Between 1977 and 1978, Isaacs again teamed up with Alvin Ranglin, recording a string of hits including "Border" and "Number One" for Ranglin's GG's label.

International stardom seemed assured in 1978 when Isaacs signed to the Virgin Records offshoot Front Line Records, and appeared in the film Rockers, in which he performed "Slavemaster".[4] The Cool Ruler (which became one of his nicknames) and Soon Forward albums, however, failed to sell as well as expected,[4] although they are now considered among his best work.[6] In 1981, he made his first appearance at the Reggae Sunsplash festival (returning annually until 1991), and he moved on to the Charisma Records offshoot Pre, who released his The Lonely Lover (another nickname that stuck) and More Gregory albums along with a string of increasingly successful singles including "Tune In", "Permanent Lover", "Wailing Rudy" and "Tribute to Waddy".[7] He signed to Island Records and released the record that finally saw him break through to a wider audience, "Night Nurse", the title track from his first album for the label (Night Nurse (1982)).[7] Although "Night Nurse" was not a chart hit in either the UK or US, it was hugely popular in clubs and received heavy radio play, and the album reached #32 in the UK.[8] This success for Isaacs coincided with drug problems with cocaine which saw him serve a six-month prison sentence in Kingston in 1982 for possession of unlicensed firearms.[7][9] Isaacs claimed that he had the weapons only for protection, but it emerged that this was his 27th arrest and that Isaacs had become involved in drug dealing and had become addicted to crack cocaine.[9] He celebrated his release from prison with his second album for Island, Out Deh! (1983).[7] Isaacs was featured in the 1982 documentary Land of Look Behind.

When his contract with Island ended, Isaacs returned in 1984 with the "Kool Ruler Come Again" single, and began a period of prolific recording, working with producers including Prince Jammy, Hugh "Redman" James, Bobby Digital, Tad Dawkins and Steely & Clevie, maintaining a consistent standard despite the volume of work produced.[5][7] Isaacs then built a strong relationship with Gussie Clarke of the Music Works label. They began with Isaacs' 1985 album Private Beach Party, and had a massive hit with "Rumours" in 1988, which was followed by further popular singles including "Mind Yu Dis", "Rough Neck", "Too Good To Be True" and "Report to Me".[7] The association with Clarke continued into the early 1990s, teaming up with singers including Freddie McGregor, Ninjaman and JC Lodge.[7] He duetted with Beres Hammond on the 1993 Philip "Fatis" Burrell-produced "One Good Turn", Burrell also producing Isaacs' 1994 album Midnight Confidential.[7]

In the 1990s the African Museum label continued to release all of Isaacs' music, and that of artists he produced. In 1997 Simply Red covered "Night Nurse" and had a hit with it. Isaacs continued to record and perform live in the 2000s. In 2005 Lady Saw produced another version of "Night Nurse" with her toasting over the original lyrics.

Isaacs' drug addiction had a major impact on his voice, with most of his teeth falling out as a result.[9] Isaccs said of his addiction in 2007: "Drugs are a debasing weapon. It was the greatest college ever, but the most expensive school fee ever paid – the Cocaine High School. I learnt everything, and now I've put it on the side."[9]

He also performed at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 Inauguration at Jamaica.

In 2007 he collaborated with the Spanish rap group Flowklorikos album Donde Duele Inspira.

In 2008, after some 40 years as a recording artist, Isaacs released a new studio album Brand New Me. The album received positive reviews from critics, such as this review from Reggae Vibes: "Gregory is back, and how! 'Brand New Me' is a very suitable album title for the cool ruler's new album. He is back in a different style, more or less like we were used to from this great 'lovers & roots' artist"[10] This was followed in 2009 by the album My Kind Of Lady.

Death

After a long battle with lung cancer, Isaacs died on 25 October 2010 at his home in south London.[11]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregory_Isaacs

Angela Merkel says the unsayable

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 10:55:00 +0000

A few years ago, when I visited some of the Turkish neighbourhoods of Berlin, it was obvious that the German experiment with multiculturalism was in trouble. Many of Germany’s four million Turks lived in a parallel society. The kids were doing badly in school and jobless rates were high. Girls were ruled by their patriarchal families. Muslim immigrants had become increasingly religious. A brisk trade in brides and grooms from backward parts of the old country ensured that nothing was likely to change soon. Yet few officials dared to raise these awkward facts in public. And the German political class has gone out of its way to avoid a serious debate on immigration.

But now the tipping point has come. In a speech delivered Saturday, Angela Merkel, the Chancellor, declared that multikulti (as it’s known in Germany) has been an abject failure.

“Immigrants should learn to speak German,” she said. “We kidded ourselves a while, we said: ‘They won’t stay, some time they will be gone,’ but this isn’t reality. And of course, the approach [to build] a multicultural [society] and to live side-by-side and to enjoy each other … has failed, utterly failed.”

Ms. Merkel was careful to say she doesn’t oppose immigration altogether, or that people who don’t speak German when they arrive are not welcome. Even so, plenty of the European media – and plenty of German politicians – have interpreted her remarks as a lurch to the hard right in the face of recent economic woes. In fact, she merely said what most Germans already believe. She said exactly what I had heard in Berlin from social workers, teachers and government officials who had worked with the Turkish community for years.

The belief that multiculturalism has failed is now widespread across Europe, and it crosses party boundaries. In Germany, a recent survey found that 55 per cent of respondents think Muslims are a burden on the economy. Another study found that nearly a third of Germans agreed that “foreigners come to abuse the welfare state” and that immigrants might “overrun” the country.

How fast things change. As recently as August, controversy exploded over a new book published by Thilo Sarrazin, a member of the Germany’s central bank. In Deutschland schafft sich ab (Germany is doing away with itself), he demanded a curb on immigration from Muslim and Arab countries, and claimed that Germany is becoming more stupid because its immigrants are poorly educated. “The failure of integration in Germany is due to the attitude of the Muslim immigrants,” he wrote. The book – along with his inflammatory remark that “all Jews share a certain gene” – caused such an uproar that Mr. Sarrazin quit his bank post.

Like Canadians, Germans have been swamped by official propaganda celebrating the joys of ethnic diversity. In both countries, expressing doubts over immigration policy has been socially verboten. As the German journalist Sabine Beppler-Spahl explains in the online magazine spiked!, “Being ‘pro-immigration’ and ‘pro-multiculturalism’ in Germany today is like a lifestyle choice, a way of proving that you are culturally refined and cosmopolitan, unlike the supposedly uncultured, racist working classes.”

The history and composition of immigration in Canada are sharply different from the situation Germany. But our tipping point is arriving too. And once it does, there’s no turning back.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/opinion/angela-merkel-says-the-unsayable/article1762454/