Donny Parenteau and Beverly Mahood showed up at Cosmo Industries on Feb. 25, 2014 in Saskatoon, in advance of Telemiracle.
Photograph by: Richard Marjan, The StarPhoenix [photo]
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Sierra Noble and Donny Parenteau: "Duelling Banjos and the Orange Blossom Special."
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Hubby disguised himself in burka for honour killing
By
Sam Pazzano
,Toronto Sun:
TORONTO - A Muslim man wore a traditional woman’s burka and female shoes before he strangled his estranged wife in the company of their toddler son.
Abdul Malik Rustam admitted he donned the headdress — which disguised his face — and wedge shoes when he killed his wife, Shaher Bano Shahdady, after she asked for a divorce.
Rustam, now 30, pleaded guilty on Valentine’s Day to second-degree murder in the July 22, 2011, slaying. He will be sentenced Thursday by Justice John McMahon...Continue reading.... Related:
weaselzippers.us/84113-crossdressing-terrorider-their-burqas/
TORONTO - A Muslim man wore a traditional woman’s burka and female shoes before he strangled his estranged wife in the company of their toddler son.
Abdul Malik Rustam admitted he donned the headdress — which disguised his face — and wedge shoes when he killed his wife, Shaher Bano Shahdady, after she asked for a divorce.
Rustam, now 30, pleaded guilty on Valentine’s Day to second-degree murder in the July 22, 2011, slaying. He will be sentenced Thursday by Justice John McMahon...Continue reading.... Related:
weaselzippers.us/84113-crossdressing-terrorider-their-burqas/
Ukraine crisis: Russia steps up Ukraine rhetoric - BBC News
BBC News: Russia has stepped up its
rhetoric against Ukraine's new Western-leaning leadership as tensions
rise over the ousting of President Viktor Yanukovych.
Russian PM Dmitry Medvedev said interim authorities in Kiev had conducted an "armed mutiny".And the Russian foreign ministry said dissenters in mainly Russian-speaking regions faced suppression.
Earlier, Ukraine's interim interior minister said an arrest warrant had been issued for Mr Yanukovych...Continue reading...
Kelud, Before and After the Eruption - Wired Science Blogs
By Erik Klemetti
It has now been a few weeks since the dramatic (and unexpected) eruption
of Kelud in Indonesia. Thankfully, it appears that the eruption occurred
with minimal loss of life, impressive considering how close some people
live to the volcano (see the images above to get a sense of that).
There are still many thousands of people living in shelters around the volcano
and may be there for quite some time as they wait for repairs to their
homes and regional infrastructure. The conditions of these shelter camps
has been of some controversy as well, with reports of no drinking water
and poor sanitary conditions. Intense rain in the area of Kediri, near
Kelud, has produced lahars from remobilized ash and debris of
the eruption, adding to the plight of evacuees. In the images above and
below, you can see some of the river drainages that come off the
volcano that, even less than a week after the eruption, were full of
volcanic debris. That material may have gotten there through earlier
lahars or possibly even pyroclastic flows that moved down those
channels. Lahars such as this will likely be a hazard for years to come
(as they were for over a decade at Pinatubo in the Philippines)...
Continue reading, photos...
It has now been a few weeks since the dramatic (and unexpected) eruption
of Kelud in Indonesia. Thankfully, it appears that the eruption occurred
with minimal loss of life, impressive considering how close some people
live to the volcano (see the images above to get a sense of that).
There are still many thousands of people living in shelters around the volcano
and may be there for quite some time as they wait for repairs to their
homes and regional infrastructure. The conditions of these shelter camps
has been of some controversy as well, with reports of no drinking water
and poor sanitary conditions. Intense rain in the area of Kediri, near
Kelud, has produced lahars from remobilized ash and debris of
the eruption, adding to the plight of evacuees. In the images above and
below, you can see some of the river drainages that come off the
volcano that, even less than a week after the eruption, were full of
volcanic debris. That material may have gotten there through earlier
lahars or possibly even pyroclastic flows that moved down those
channels. Lahars such as this will likely be a hazard for years to come
(as they were for over a decade at Pinatubo in the Philippines)...Continue reading, photos...
Monday, February 24, 2014
Israeli jets reportedly strike arms shipment en route to Hezbollah. The Times of Israel
Ilan Ben Zion:
Two ‘house-shaking’ bombing raids reported in stronghold in Bekaa Valley, on Syrian-Lebanese border; Al Arabiya: shipment may have contained ballistic missiles...Read article here...
“Children of the Omo” Steve McCurry
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Tribute to Mormor my pet Ostrich - RIP
camelsandfriendsFebruary 18th
I am deeply saddened to tell you that Mormor the ostrich has passed away. Words cannot describe how devastated I am. Raising ostrich chicks are very difficult, but raising him with his crippling disability was even tougher. I was always concerned he would not survive onto adulthood, but I started becoming more optimistic as he was just over nine months when he passed.
For those that don't know, Mormor developed incorrectly within his egg. He was positioned wrong, causing his spine to twist inward. During the first few weeks of raising him the kinked neck was barely noticeable, but progressed to the point that his normal activities became difficult.
He could not reach to properly groom himself and I assisted him by hand. He also recently became unable to eat directly from the feeding tray, which was replaced successfully with a raised feeder.
I believe he was happy despite his crippling disability and I can only be grateful he was able to experience nine peaceful months of life. I purchased my ostrich chicks from a production ranch that sells for slaughter, so he most certainly would have been immediately culled.
But I am still in shock from the experience of finding him dead out in the pasture at their routine first feeding. When I saw him not moving on the ground I knew at once he was gone. It was a horrible feeling. He was my baby that I raised from a small ten inch chick to a six foot tall massive bird. I watched them closely like my own children and it kills me that he died despite my best efforts.
Upon examining him, he died of a broken neck, which I imagine could have happened with the slightest misstep. It is still difficult for me to write this and it has been a few days since his passing.
Sniper (his ostrich companion) seemed distressed at first, but once I removed Mormor out of sight, he had calmed down and is now flocking closely with the emu. I do believe that Sniper would benefit from a same species companion, but unfortunately it is not hatching time and aside from that a similar age or a few month old chick would be a more ideal match. Regrettably, I know of none, but I'm keeping a close watch. I never agree with keeping social species alone, but the emu surrogates should be helpful for him now.
I am so sorry to tell you all this, I loved him very much. I could cry again just thinking about it, but I know with raising animals there will always be heartbreak. Only 10% of ostrich chicks make it to five months old and with his birth defect I should have prepared myself better emotionally.
I took him to be cremated, so that he can have a proper resting place.
I will continue my search for a suitable mate for Sniper, but because of their high mortality rate, ostriches around Sniper's age are quite expensive. With the fencing paddocks I am currently constructing it may be some time before I can afford to purchase one if I cannot find one for adoption (which is unlikely).
Thank you for joining me on this journey of raising Mormor and Sniper, it's been some of the most challenging yet rewarding experience since I began working with animals. Ostriches are very special and Mormor was no exception.
Rest in peace now, you beautiful soul. I am so sorry there was nothing i could do for you. I would do anything to go back to when he was still in the egg and just maybe tipping it slightly in another direction could have allowed for proper development.
Please keep Sniper in your thoughts, they were very close. I think Fig and Kabul will help to care for him in the mean time.
Goodbye, Mormor, you were loved by many. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6s08DkVa9A0&feature=em-subs_digest
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Canada’s Brad Jacobs takes gold in men’s curling
by Sean Fitz-Gerald 
[Brad Jacobs, Ryan Fry, EJ Harnden and Ryan Harnden]
SOCHI, Russia — Brad Jacobs is a 28-year-old from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., who sold television sets at Future Shop before landinga job as an account
manager at the Royal Bank of Canada and, more recently, a place at the
Sochi Olympics. Asked for his dream dinner guests, he once replied:
“Charlie Sheen and two of his goddesses.”
He has been tagged as the vanguard in a new breed of curlers: cocky bordering on brash, his muscles and temper clashing with a sport layered in etiquette. Some also wonder if he might become the leader of the next great dynasty in Canadian curling, emotions and all.
“Banging your broom now and then, that’s OK,” Swedish men’s coach Eva Lund said. “I mean, it’s tense out there in the field ofplay .
But maybe a little bit too much. I love to watch them play … they are
great, and I think they can be even more if they could control that
emotion and their energy.”
On Friday, on the biggest stage of his life, Jacobs betrayed no hint of emotion until it was clear it was time to show emotion. He decimated an older, more worldly opponent, David Murdoch, to earn a 9-3 win over Great Britain. Murdoch shook hands after eight ends...Continue reading...
[Brad Jacobs, Ryan Fry, EJ Harnden and Ryan Harnden]SOCHI, Russia — Brad Jacobs is a 28-year-old from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., who sold television sets at Future Shop before landing
He has been tagged as the vanguard in a new breed of curlers: cocky bordering on brash, his muscles and temper clashing with a sport layered in etiquette. Some also wonder if he might become the leader of the next great dynasty in Canadian curling, emotions and all.
“Banging your broom now and then, that’s OK,” Swedish men’s coach Eva Lund said. “I mean, it’s tense out there in the field of
On Friday, on the biggest stage of his life, Jacobs betrayed no hint of emotion until it was clear it was time to show emotion. He decimated an older, more worldly opponent, David Murdoch, to earn a 9-3 win over Great Britain. Murdoch shook hands after eight ends...Continue reading...
Clerics Issue Fatwa: Muslims Can't Live On Mars
(Photo via Shutterstock / Esteban De Armas)
Tom Kludt:
A group in the UAE called the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowment have issued a fatwa barring Muslims from living on Mars.
A one-way journey like that "poses a real risk to life, and that can never be justified in Islam," the committee said, according to the UAE-based Khaleej Times.
“Protecting life against all possible dangers and keeping it safe is an issue agreed upon by all religions and is clearly stipulated in verse 4/29 of the Holy Quran: Do not kill yourselves or one another. Indeed, Allah is to you ever Merciful," the committee said.
The ruling was a response to the Dutch company Mars One, which is accepting applications for its mission to colonize the red planet. The company plans to land the first humans on Mars in 2025 and then send additional crews every two years.
More than 200,000 people have already applied for the mission. According to the Khaleej Times, the group ofapplicants includes about 500 Saudis and other Arabs. http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/muslims-living-on-mars-fatwa
Tom Kludt: A group in the UAE called the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowment have issued a fatwa barring Muslims from living on Mars.
A one-way journey like that "poses a real risk to life, and that can never be justified in Islam," the committee said, according to the UAE-based Khaleej Times.
“Protecting life against all possible dangers and keeping it safe is an issue agreed upon by all religions and is clearly stipulated in verse 4/29 of the Holy Quran: Do not kill yourselves or one another. Indeed, Allah is to you ever Merciful," the committee said.
The ruling was a response to the Dutch company Mars One, which is accepting applications for its mission to colonize the red planet. The company plans to land the first humans on Mars in 2025 and then send additional crews every two years.
More than 200,000 people have already applied for the mission. According to the Khaleej Times, the group of
Friday, February 21, 2014
Anne Murray "Snowbird"
This is an old picture Anne Murray autographed for me, back in '71, seems like a lifetime ago. I've been in many places since '71, but I have always hung on to this picture. Thank you, Anne. Thanks for the memories.
http://www.annemurray.com/
http://www.annemurray.com/
White House Wants Ukraine President Yanukovich to Pull Back Forces in Kiev
[photo]
by
Mary Chastain
by
Mary ChastainThe White House told Ukraine’s President Viktor Yanukovich to withdraw security in Kiev as protests worsen and the death toll rises.
"We are outraged by images of Ukrainian security forces firing automatic weapons on their own people," White House spokesman Jay Carney said in a statement. Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich should immediately withdraw his security forces from downtown Kiev an respect the right of peaceful protest, and "we urge protesters to express themselves peacefully," said Carney...Continue reading...Related: Ukrainian president's office says deal to end violence reached.
Jennifer Jones is perfect, beats Sweden to win Olympic gold
This was for them.
It was for her too, of course, and her teammates and family and friends and everyone else who made a decades-long journey to the top of the Olympic podium possible.
But really it was for all of Canada, which was why Jones relished the experience of being an Olympian so richly. And it was for her home province of Manitoba and her hometown of Winnipeg.
“We did it, we did it,” Jones said after her 6-3
“We achieved this moment for so many people in our lives. All of our friends and families, the city of Winnipeg, all of Manitoba and Canada and that is priceless really. There’s no bigger moment or feeling in the world than that.
“I couldn’t believe it. To have all of Canada behind us, not the pressure of it but the excitement of having all those people cheering us on and people in Winnipeg cheering us on, sitting there on the edge of their seats, and we did it for them, too.”...Continue reading...
Canada beats USA in overtime for Olympic women’s hockey gold
PHOTO: Jean Levac/Postmedia NewsSOCHI — Hayley Wickenheiser, who’s played in every Olympic tournament since 1998, stood there with her fourth gold medal around her neck, and tried to process everything that had just happened in the women’s hockey version of War and Peace.
Just moments before, when Canada and the U.S., were in the middle of the damnedest hockey game anyone had ever seen, she’d been the
“It’s not easy,” said the Team Canada institution. “I think people look at it like you just show up. It’s the time and the effort and the hell you go through to get here...Continue reading...
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Paris Cat Cafe Offers Patrons ‘Purr Therapy’ with Their Coffee
Cats are a part of the ambiance at a Paris Cafe. Photo by Gandelon
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Cherokee Nation Awards $3.4 Million to 91 School Districts
TAHLEQUAH, OKLAHOMA — The Cherokee Nation is helping dozens of northeast Oklahoma school districts fill gaps in education funding.
On Friday, checks totaling $3.4 million were distributed to 91 school
districts at the Cherokee Nation’s Public School Appreciation Day, held
at Sequoyah High School.“We are proud to make this record investment to our area schools. Our car tag compact with the state of Oklahoma is important because funds are partially earmarked for education,” said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Bill John Baker. “As education budgets
Monday, February 17, 2014
Radical Islam is on the march in Canada
By
Farzana Hassan
,Toronto Sun:
Two terror trials unfolding on Canadian soil should cause enough concern over the spread of radical Islam in Canada.
Both Chiheb Esseghaier and Dr. Khurram Sher, the pathologist and former Canadian Idol contestant, have openly ranted against Canada.
But there’s also another more insidious form of Islamism atplay in Canadian universities and public institutions that some of us may shrug off as innocuous.
The University of Calgary is hosting a conference Saturday where Memphis imam and one-time Holocaust denier Yasir Qadhi will speak.
Imam Qadhi lectures at Rhodes College in the Department of Religious Studies. In the past, he argued Jews are not “semites” but “European” from “Russia.” He also encouraged his audiences to read The Hoax of the Holocaust and called the Holocaust false propaganda....Continuereading...
Two terror trials unfolding on Canadian soil should cause enough concern over the spread of radical Islam in Canada.
Both Chiheb Esseghaier and Dr. Khurram Sher, the pathologist and former Canadian Idol contestant, have openly ranted against Canada.
But there’s also another more insidious form of Islamism at
The University of Calgary is hosting a conference Saturday where Memphis imam and one-time Holocaust denier Yasir Qadhi will speak.
Imam Qadhi lectures at Rhodes College in the Department of Religious Studies. In the past, he argued Jews are not “semites” but “European” from “Russia.” He also encouraged his audiences to read The Hoax of the Holocaust and called the Holocaust false propaganda....Continuereading...
2014 Olympics cat curling video and a cat collaspsing Sochi Arena ceiling
[image]
Darla Hanger, National Celebrity Headlines Examiner:The Sochi Olympics
have stray dogs outside so why not some cat action on the Olympic
curling ice? It’s not an official sport, nor will anyone miss that the
cats are photoshopped on the ice, but the video has gone viral and
Olympic fans can’t get enough as it has become a pop culture moment. According to Fansided on Saturday, the funny video has some people in arms as it hasn’t been updated for the 2014 Olympics.
While it’s doubtful that’s viewers around the world were thinking when they saw their pet that it should be lounging on a curling stone somewhere, but someone had the brilliant idea of combining cats and curling. Offering an interesting place for a cat to relax, the curling stone seems like the perfect perch as the animal is moved from one side of the ice to another...Continue reading...
Miss Cellania
Darla Hanger, National Celebrity Headlines Examiner:The Sochi Olympics
have stray dogs outside so why not some cat action on the Olympic
curling ice? It’s not an official sport, nor will anyone miss that the
cats are photoshopped on the ice, but the video has gone viral and
Olympic fans can’t get enough as it has become a pop culture moment. According to Fansided on Saturday, the funny video has some people in arms as it hasn’t been updated for the 2014 Olympics.While it’s doubtful that’s viewers around the world were thinking when they saw their pet that it should be lounging on a curling stone somewhere, but someone had the brilliant idea of combining cats and curling. Offering an interesting place for a cat to relax, the curling stone seems like the perfect perch as the animal is moved from one side of the ice to another...Continue reading...
Star Wars-style laser shield aims to protect all of Israel from short-range rockets. The Times of Israel
Rafael
Advanced Defense Systems' surface-to-air missile system is on display
as F-16 fighter jets of the Singapore Air Force aerobatics team Black
Knights perform on the fourth day of the Singapore Airshow in Singapore
Friday, Feb. 14, 2014. Rafael Advanced Defense Systems is developing a
laser-based missile shield that evokes "Star Wars" style technology, and
said its deployment over the country is closer to becoming a reality.
The Israeli state-owned arms company said development of the system was
advanced enough for the company to be comfortable with publicizing it at
the airshow, which is Asia's largest aerospace and defense exhibition.
(photo credit: AP
SINGAPORE (AP) — An Israeli state-owned arms company developing a
laser-based missile shield that evokes “Star Wars” style technology says
its deployment over the country is closer to becoming a reality.
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems said
development of the system was advanced enough for the company to be
comfortable with publicizing it at this week’s Singapore Airshow, which
is Asia’s largest aerospace and defense exhibition.
The laser technology behind the missile shield called Iron Beam is not that far removed from fiction.
“It’s exactly like what you see in Star Wars,”
said company spokesman Amit Zimmer. “You see the lasers go up so
quickly like a flash and the target is finished.”... Continue reading...
Christian persecution continues to rise in China
Looking specifically at government persecution of Christians, persecution in China rose by 38.82% between 2012 and 2013.
The level of persecution was based on the number of persecution cases reported, the number of people persecuted, the number of people detained, the number of people sentenced, the number of abuse cases and the number of people abused.
The most dramatic jump is in the number of people persecuted, which rose from 4,919 in 2012 to 7,424 in 2013, an increase of 50.9%....Continue reading... Related: Pastor killed Church Torched in Nigeria
Fat cat owner guilty of animal abuse. Cat ballooned to 25 lbs.
By
Chris Hofley
,Ottawa Sun:
An Ottawa woman has been found guilty of animal abuse after letting her cat balloon to 25 pounds.
The conviction of Guylene Roy on charges of permitting distress and failing to provide the necessary care for an animal will send a message that this type of behaviour won't be tolerated, the Ottawa Humane Society (OHS) said.
"This wasn't merely a case about a fat cat," said OHS investigator Miriam Smith, who said the 12-year-old feline, Napoleon, was "morbidly obese."...Continue reading...
An Ottawa woman has been found guilty of animal abuse after letting her cat balloon to 25 pounds.
The conviction of Guylene Roy on charges of permitting distress and failing to provide the necessary care for an animal will send a message that this type of behaviour won't be tolerated, the Ottawa Humane Society (OHS) said.
"This wasn't merely a case about a fat cat," said OHS investigator Miriam Smith, who said the 12-year-old feline, Napoleon, was "morbidly obese."...Continue reading...
Friday, February 14, 2014
Manitoba sees first case of pig virus; no risk to humans, other animals
(HANDOUT/THE CANADIAN PRESS) Winnipeg — The Canadian Press:
It appears a deadly and contagious pig virus has hit a Manitoba farm.
The Chief Veterinary Office of Manitoba is reporting positive samples of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus from pigs on a weaned-to-finish farm.
The office doesn’t say where the farm is.
The samples have been sent to the National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease in Winnipeg for confirmation...Continue reading...
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Hunting with drones illegal in Saskatchewan
By Mark Melnychuk, Leader-Post:
Brent Bitter of the Ministry of Environment poses with a drone the ministry uses to collect environmental information in Regina on Tuesday. Photograph by: Troy Fleece, Leader-Post , Leader-Post
Using an unmanned aerial vehicle to stalk wild game in Saskatchewan
isn't just unethical in the eyes of hunters, it's also against the law.
"It's against everything we're taught when we take hunter's safety, and the ethics of hunting," Darrell Crabbe, executive director of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation, said.
By attaching a camera to a drone, hunters can locate their prey from the air. The devices can even be used to move animals from one area to another.
"Of course, with every new technology people try to take advantage and break the rules with it," Crabbe said.
Using drones for hunting has recently become an issue in the United States. Many feel the devices give hunters an unfair advantage, flouting the concept of fair chase.
Section 47 of the province's wildlife regulations states aircraft can't be used to hunt or spot wildlife. To ensure it was staying on top of technology trends, the ministry reviewed its hunting regulations six months ago, after the state of Colorado began examining the use of drones...Continue reading...
"It's against everything we're taught when we take hunter's safety, and the ethics of hunting," Darrell Crabbe, executive director of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation, said.
By attaching a camera to a drone, hunters can locate their prey from the air. The devices can even be used to move animals from one area to another.
"Of course, with every new technology people try to take advantage and break the rules with it," Crabbe said.
Using drones for hunting has recently become an issue in the United States. Many feel the devices give hunters an unfair advantage, flouting the concept of fair chase.
Section 47 of the province's wildlife regulations states aircraft can't be used to hunt or spot wildlife. To ensure it was staying on top of technology trends, the ministry reviewed its hunting regulations six months ago, after the state of Colorado began examining the use of drones...Continue reading...
The Great Canadian Debate: Muslim immigration a threat to Canada – yea or nay.
by Robert Sibley's Ideas & Consequences
The Macdonald-Laurier Institute is to be applauded for including a rather touchy topic in its Great Canadian Debates series. In a country where multiculturalism is holy writ and political correctness keeps many cowed, it takes audacity to ask whether the presence of Muslims in Canada is a threat to Canadian society.
On
“This resolution is a much contested statement with high passions for those who believe, and those who don’t, that Muslim immigration is a demographic and political threat to Western culture,” the Institute says. “Those who see a threat from Islam look to violent incidences in France, the UK, Sweden and the Netherlands. Others argue that immigration levels of Muslim don’t warrant much concern.”...Continue reading...
Sky's the limit: wire fox terrier wins Westminster dog show
(Reuters) - A wire fox terrier named Sky won "best in show" at the 138th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York on Tuesday, besting canines in six other groups at one of the oldest sporting events in the United States.
Betty Regina Leininger of Frisco, Texas, awarded the top prize to the assured terrier at this year's event in Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. The win makes it the 14th time the wire fox terrier has won the competition, more than any other breed since Westminster started awarding the "best in show" prize in 1907...Continue reading...
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Winter Storm Pax Update: Hundreds of Thousands Lose Power Due to Crippling Ice
Winter Storm Pax continued its second wave of wintry weather Wednesday morning, dumping freezing rain and sleet across a wide area that could experience catastrophic conditions for a prolonged period of time.
"Winds are gusting as over 30 miles per hour in some locations, and that combined with the ice on the trees is really ramping up the power outages," said Tom Niziol, winter weather expert for The Weather Channel. "I expect to see them become more and more widespread throughout the day."
(FORECAST: Winter Storm Pax | Live Updates on the Storm). http://www.weather.com/news/weather-winter/winter-storm-pax-latest-news-20140210
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
photo by Drew Kaiser. 
Monday, February 10, 2014
Native American Activists Vow ‘Direct Action’ to Stop The Keystone Pipeline By Any Means Necessary
Article by Mike Ahnigilahi: President Obama has declared that 2014
should be a “year of action,” but the recent pledge by Native American
activists might not be the sort of action he was hoping for. Indigenous
groups all over the United States and Canada have vowed to take part in a
“direct action” campaign to stop the Keystone XL pipeline project if
the President does not.
President Obama has said that he will continue to study the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline
plan, which has come across as indecision, delay and even “studying the
matter to death” according to some critics. The Oglala Sioux nation and
its allies have pledged that they will stop the construction of the
Keystone XL pipeline by any means necessary if it encroaches on their
territory.
Now, members of the Sioux Nation have begun touring the United States and Canada to rally support for their pledge.
Oglala Sioux president Bryan Brewer,
along with organizations Honour the Earth, Owe Aku and Protect the
Sacred, released a statement that calls on Native American activists and
all friends of the Earth to join their direct action campaign should
the President approve the pipeline...Continue reading...
Pride flag will fly at City Hall - according to Mayor Don Atchison.
Days of Noah and Lot 
By Charles Hamilton, The StarPhoenix:
A rainbow flag will soon be flying at Saskatoon’s City Hall, according to Mayor Don Atchison.
“I’m assuming that it will be flying (Tuesday) in Saskatoon,” Atchison said in an interview Monday.
Saskatoon will follow Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Montreal and other Canadian cities in flying the rainbow flag — a symbol of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights and pride — to protest anti-gay laws in Russia, the host country of the 2014 Winter Olympics.
In addition to municipal support, the Saskatchewan Legislative Building and Alberta’s provincial legislature are both flying the pride flag.
Atchison said raising the flag is an important symbol of solidarity.
“This is about human rights ... Here in Saskatoon we are an open and embracing and inclusive community,” Atchison said...Continue reading...
Rainbow flags are being raised in cities across Canada as a show of support during the 2014 Winter Olympics
Photograph by: SERGEI SUPINSKY , AFP/Getty Images
A rainbow flag will soon be flying at Saskatoon’s City Hall, according to Mayor Don Atchison.
“I’m assuming that it will be flying (Tuesday) in Saskatoon,” Atchison said in an interview Monday.
Saskatoon will follow Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Montreal and other Canadian cities in flying the rainbow flag — a symbol of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights and pride — to protest anti-gay laws in Russia, the host country of the 2014 Winter Olympics.
In addition to municipal support, the Saskatchewan Legislative Building and Alberta’s provincial legislature are both flying the pride flag.
Atchison said raising the flag is an important symbol of solidarity.
“This is about human rights ... Here in Saskatoon we are an open and embracing and inclusive community,” Atchison said...Continue reading...
Sunday, February 9, 2014
A Twitter list of Sochi photographers - The Dallas Morning News
The
Swiss women's ice hockey team warms up outside Shayba Arena near the
Olympic torch before their game against Canada at the Winter Olympics in
Sochi, Russia, Saturday, February 8, 2014. (Brian Cassella/Chicago
Tribune/MCT)
If you’re a fan of the Olympics and good
Obviously it’s not everyone, but the list is growing daily, thanks to diligent work by its creator, my amiga Melissa Lyttle at the Tampa Bay Times.
It’s a good place to
With regard to the latter, definitely check out that of this blog post’s lead image, Brian Cassella. I’ve been following his work for a while now, back when he too worked with Lyttle at the Times. He’s at the Chicago Tribune now, and is at Sochi shooting for that publication and the McClatchy-Tribune wire service. He’s definitely worth following on Instagram — see that here.
Anyway, cheers,
- gerry -
1.2 million people to evacuate if Mt Fuji erupts, says local governments’ new plan
A new evacuation plan outlined in preparation for a possible Mt. Fuji eruption would displace an estimated 1.2 million people. Two-thirds of the A UNESCO World Heritage site, 3,776-meter Mt. Fuji is an active volcano that has erupted many times in the past. It is situated between Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures, and also near Kanagawa. A hazard map for the volcano was prepared in 2004 and showed areas which are at high risk of being affected by volcanic ash. Notable areas in the three prefectures are populated with wooden houses, in which locals reside. Should the volcano erupt, these houses are at risk of being crushed under heavy volcanic ash that gets its weight after absorbing rain in the atmosphere. An estimated 406,000 people from Kanagawa, 62,000 in Shizuoka, and 1,000 in Yamanashi would be affected by heavy ash measuring 30 centimeters or more.
A bigger number of around 8.85 million living in other areas of the three prefectures may have their health at risk with at least 2 cm of volcanic ash. While the direct effect of volcanic ash on the population varies on other factors such as wind direction, the Meteorological Agency may still issue a strict warning based on its observations and simulations. Meanwhile, an evacuation plan for when lava flows shows the area within the volcano divided into five parts, and dependent on the time the lava is expected to reach their towns. The current evacuation plan drawn does not include volcanic eruptions, which may happen after a major earthquake comes from the Nankai Trough in the Pacific Ocean. japandailypress.com Mt. Fuji, "Sleeping Giant"
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Future of Central African Republic Muslims imperiled
More than 10,000 people have sought protection in the Don Bosco
Center outside Bangui, Central African Republic, fearing reprisal
attacks from the Muslim ex-rebels. (Jerome Delay/The Associated Press)
[photo]
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) - The mob violence wracking Central African Republic imperils the future of the country's Muslims, with thousands having been slaughtered and many more fleeing the country.
Bangui, the capital, is engulfed in an orgy of bloodshed and looting despite the presence of thousands of French and African peacekeepers.
"We are in a moment where immediate action is needed to stop the killings," Peter Bouckaert of Human Rights Watch told The Associated Press, calling for a full-fledged U.N. peacekeeping mission. "Otherwise the future of the Muslim community of this country will be gone."...The violence against the Muslims is in reaction to abuses perpetrated by the Muslim Seleka rebels during their 10-month rule that began last March. Seleke fighters tied their victims together and threw them off bridges to drown or be eaten by crocodiles, according to witnesses. Now that Seleka's leader Michel Djotodia stepped down from the presidency last month and a precarious civilian interim government is in charge, it is the country's Muslim minority that is now under assault...Read complete article here...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)