The letter was read out to all Catholic church-goers across the US, and although some variations existed as each local bishop sent out a letter, the general message was the same; to pray for the reversal of the bill. The bill was initially introduced last year, and received high praise from abortion supporters, but directly opposes to the tenets of the Catholic faith.

Churches and other houses of worship are exempt from the guidelines but Catholic hospitals, colleges, and social services fall under the umbrella of institutions covered by the decision.

The new bill would require all employers to provide employees with healthcare insurance “which includes subsidized contraception, sterilization and coverage for abortion-inducing drugs”, all of which the Catholic Church condemns.

Below is a copy of the letter written by the Bishop of Marquette:

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

I write to you concerning an alarming and serious matter that negatively impacts the Church in the United States directly, and that strikes at the fundamental right to religious liberty for all citizens of any faith. The federal government, which claims to be “of, by, and for the people,” has just been dealt a heavy blow to almost a quarter of those people — the Catholic population — and to the millions more who are served by the Catholic faithful.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced last week that almost all employers, including Catholic employers, will be forced to offer their employees’ health coverage that includes sterilization, abortion-inducing drugs, and contraception. Almost all health insurers will be forced to include those “services” in the health policies they write. And almost all individuals will be forced to buy that coverage as a part of their policies.

In so ruling, the Obama Administration has cast aside the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, denying to Catholics our Nation’s first and most fundamental freedom, that of religious liberty. And as a result, unless the rule is overturned, we Catholics will be compelled to either violate our consciences, or to drop health coverage for our employees (and suffer the penalties for doing so). The Obama Administration’s sole concession was to give our institutions one year to comply.

 

We cannot—we will not—comply with this unjust law. People of faith cannot be made second class citizens. We are already joined by our brothers and sisters of all faiths and many others of good will in this important effort to regain our religious freedom. Our parents and grandparents did not come to these shores to help build America’s cities and towns, its infrastructure and institutions, its enterprise and culture, only to have their posterity stripped of their God given rights. In generations past, the Church has always been able to count on the faithful to stand up and protect her sacred rights and duties. I hope and trust she can count on this generation of Catholics to do the same. Our children and grandchildren deserve nothing less.

And therefore, I would ask of you two things. First, as a community of faith we must commit ourselves to prayer and fasting that wisdom and justice may prevail, and religious liberty may be restored. Without God, we can do nothing; with God, nothing is impossible. Second, I would also recommend visiting www.usccb.org/conscience, to learn more about this severe assault on religious liberty, and how to contact Congress in support of legislation that would reverse the Obama Administration’s decision.

 

Sincerely yours in Christ,
+Alexander K. Sample
Most Reverend Alexander K. Sample
Bishop of Marquette

[Source: Business Insider, ABC News]

There are high ranking judges and federal officials who are involved in this cover up. The ramifications of this trial will be enormous. This will be 100 times bigger than Watergate!

So rants Orly Taitz, a California-based lawyer, and founder of the “birther” movement in the States, which seeks to prove that the current US President, Barack Obama, was not born inside US borders, and thus cannot be eligible for that nation’s highest office.

In the latest of several bouts to defrock President Obama by proving his citizenship false, a complaint has been laid in a circuit court in the State of Georgia, and Ms. Taitz will be representing the complainant. President Obama has been ordered to appear in court on Thursday, as an appeal to overturn the subpoena by his lawyers was overturned.

In April, Obama went as far as to produce a copy of his long form birth certificate (below) to finally put doubts about his nationality to rest, but even that has not quelled the desire of the “birthers” movement to prove him a fraud.

Not even Obama’s long form birth certificate has satisfied his detractors, who believe it has been faked.

Aides to Obama are confident the case will be thrown out of court for the same reasons the previous attempts were, primarily, the case’s lack of merit.

Taitz disagrees, frothily deciding to act as judge, jury and executioner by adding:

He’s in a catch-22! If he is appealing this decision, then he looks guilty. The whole nation understands this man is a fraud.

What incisive deduction! Not. I hope Ms. Taitz has something a little better than a tired literary reference to hand on Thursday, or else this latest bout of X-Files-esque crazy will land right where its cousins did, in the dismissal bin.

[Source: News 24, Miami Herald]

Shortly after opening a fundraiser at the Apollo last night, Obama paid homage to Rev Al Green when he broke into song. He chose the Rev’s classic number “Let’s Stay Together” and even though he only sang the opening line the crowd exploded with applause.

As much as he was paying tribute to the legendary singer, who was in the crowd, he was also conveying his latest campaign message of continued unity.

His performance albeit brief was actually pretty good, for a president.

[Source: YouTube, NewsNet5]

Here you go:

Of course Obama has had several hits in the past as well, such as Rihanna’s Cheers (Drink To That), and Never gonna give you up by Rick Astley:

[Thanks, Wouter!]

The Nigerian bill also seeks to outlaw gay organisations and public displays of affection between gay couples.  The latter offence would be subject to a 10-year jail sentence.

Barack Obama’s government is trying to wield its power to crack down on anti-homosexual legislation such as this bill, while Britain has threatened to withhold Aids funding if Nigeria enacts the law.

A lawmaker and spokesperson for the House of Representatives, Zakari Mohammed, has stated that same-sex marriage is alien to Nigerian culture and should never be given a chance.

Oh, and “to hell with” the Western super powers nations who are opposed to the new law, he says.

Interestingly, this is all apparently part of Nigeria’s democracy. Information Minister Labaran Maku noted, “We live in a democracy, we live in a free country, we live in an independent country… Some of the things that are considered fundamental rights abroad… can be very offensive to African culture”.

[Source: TimesLive]

[Image: Reuters]

Here is the full translation:

Today, Dimitry Medvedev, became a chairman of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), earlier, this position was taken by an american president, Barack Obama (shows middle finger). During the press conference that took place in the capital of Hawaii, Honolulu, Medvedev spoke on this matter as well as cooperating with Americans on anti-missile defense system.

And now check out this lady in action:

[Thanks Brendon!]

21-year old Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez of Idaho Falls, Idaho, has been formally charged with attempting to assassinate Barack Obama or members of his staff. Parked outside the White House around 21h00, Ortega fired several shots at the residence before speeding off. It was later confirmed that two shots had in fact hit the exterior of the building, one even cracking a window.

Ortega was found and arrested on Wednesday (16/11/2011) in Pittsburgh. A short manhunt lead officials to his black Honda Accord with an Idaho license plate, which contained evidence linking him to the crime. Among the items found was a Romanian Cugir SA semiautomatic assault rifle, which had a large scope attached to the top of it, and is believed to be the weapon used in the shooting. Ortega will be taken back to the District of Columbia to face his assassination charges.

The suspect had been reported missing by his family last month, and witness’ reports revealed insights which point to his motivation for the actions.

Besides the one friend who told investigators that Mr. Ortega-Hernandez had said he believed the president was the “Antichrist” and that he needed to kill him, another friend said he stated “President Obama was the problem with the government,” was “the devil,” and that he “needed to be taken care of.” The second friend also said he appeared to be “preparing for something.

During his court appearance in Pittsburgh, Ortega said little other than “yes ma’am” when asked if he understood why he was being taken back to Columbia for trial. If convicted he could face life in prison. Really doesn’t seem worth it seeing as Obama is currently on a tour of the Asia-Pacific region and therefore wasn’t even home at the time of the shooting.

[Source: NY Times/USA Today]

The list of Republican Party candidates is mostly what you’d expect; former governors, ambassadors and senators, then there’s Cain; former Godfather’s Pizza CEO. Basically a glorified pizza-boy.

His questionable political background is not the only thing he has to compensate for though, he is currently in the midst of several (up to five so far) pending allegations for sexual misconduct, and earlier this week he claimed Cuban was a language (they speak Spanish, Herman).

However nothing, to date at least, was as bad as his brain freeze concerning his stance on Libya during an interview with JS Online. Asked whether he agreed with how Obama handled the situation, Cain responds, “Okay, Libya…” and then stares at nothing for about 10 seconds, hoping a legitimate answer will fabricate in front of him. When he finally does find his words it doesn’t get any better. Cain dances around the question, attempting to sound like he knows what he’s talking about and putting a lot of emphasis on how he would have better assessed the situation. Talking himself into a corner, Cain claims that he’s a “problem/decision-maker” and that he disagrees with how Obama handled the situation only to be told that a large number of Republicans “supported and congratulated” him for his actions. I won’t give anymore away, but watching Cain try to defend himself is as funny as it is painful and cringe-worthy. On a related note, check out Mike Tyson’s take the candidate…

Despite all this, Cain is actually doing quite well and is currently in a dead heat with Mitt Romney for the number one spot. Let’s hope it’s just beginners luck.

[Source: Daily Mail/Youtube]

The insurance company responsible for the policy, Australian firm TIO, has assured everyone who’s interested that their croc package is a “unique product for a unique environment”, and hopes that Barack will consider his new reptile insurance a memento of his time in the country.

Two people are killed in an average year by the man-eating salt-water crocs of Australia, known by locals as “salties”. They can grow up to seven metres in length and weigh upwards of a tonne.

[Source: MG]

The Rev. Al Sharpton, completely unamused about this.

Among those upset is the reverend Al Sharpton, who had the following to say:

It’s insulting, offensive and plays to racial stereotypes. What makes it even worse is that when we deal with this global competition between the US and China, for them to be mocking the leader of the free world, I find it even more appalling.

[Source: NY Post]

Some 51 000 members of the general public in 25 countries voted the former South African president number one on the visibility and perception scale, followed immediately (and somewhat surprisingly) by tennis star Roger Federer. Microsoft’s Bill Gates came in at third place, and investor Warren Buffet, business mogul Richard Branson and Apple’s Steve Jobs took fourth, fifth and sixth place respectively. Oprah Winfrey holds the eighth spot and U2′s Bono also made the top 10 in ninth position.

Other notable rankings were: the Dalai Lama, 13; US president Barack Obama, 14; Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, 20; footballer David Beckham, 24; the Pope, 26; Prince Albert of Monaco, 28; and Madonna, 29.

Meanwhile, our current prez, Jacob Zuma beat Wikileaks founder Julian Assange (who came 37th), Lady Gaga (41), Hugo Chavez, president of Venezuela (49), George W Bush (50) and Cuban leader Fidel Castro (51). A very good showing by the Saffers, then.

While respondents in the survey recognised Mandela as an inspirational character, it’s not mentioned how positive or otherwise the perception of JZ is worldwide.

[Source: Citizen]

Barack Obama and former president George W. Bush will be attending an observance around the World Trade Center on Sunday, and so will thousands of extra police officers who are being deployed by the NYPD especially for the occasion, along with hundreds of surveillance cameras.

Meanwhile, the District of Columbia’s 3 800 police officers have been put on 12 hour shifts for the foreseeable future. Police Chief Cathy Lanier is taking the element of surprise very seriously indeed, saying that scheduling changes are “part of our plan” and that “maintaining a certain sense of unpredictability is essential to the success of any security plan”.

Now that really puts the mind at ease, doesn’t it?

[Source: Washington Post]

After that it’s paintings of orgies, pictures of 4-tittied mermaids, bestiality and men serving cocktails on, well, not their tails.

The main attraction is a mural, painted by artist Vera Donskaya-Khilko, interestingly titled ‘Wrestling’. The painting depicts Obama and Putin battling penis-to-penis. Interesting.

The museum also sports a few gold plated 20^th century English dongs, Soviet condoms and even Soviet-era art deco Vaseline tins. And, for the modern enthusiasts some American blow-up dolls and an Argentinean sculpture of a chick lying on a white carpet while her friend looks on excitedly with a lollipop in her mouth.

Founder, curator and Putin regime critic, Alexander Donskoi, had this to say:

“The clampdown on freedom in Russia is the result of the nation steadily moving away from secular government.”

He emphasises that the museum is not about sex, and that it represents freedom. His main aim seems to be shit stirring, which is always good fun.

Good on you Alex my boy.

[Source: mail&guardian]

I don’t want to spoil anything for you but make sure you have a look at the Duke of Edinburgh next to the Queen. He really enjoys what happens. Follow the link.

[Source: MorningSpice]

Their meeting with the US President and his wife was Will and Kate’s first royal duty as a married couple. Barack reportedly assured them that America had been fascinated by their recent wedding. So that must have put them at ease.

[Source: Sky News]

They’s looking pretty good.

[Source: Flickr]

The White House’s official flickr stream says the following about the photo:

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, along with members of the national security team, receive an update on the mission against Osama bin Laden in the Situation Room of the White House, May 1, 2011. Seated, from left, are: Brigadier General Marshall B. “Brad” Webb, Assistant Commanding General, Joint Special Operations Command; Deputy National Security Advisor Denis McDonough; Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton; and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. Standing, from left, are: Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; National Security Advisor Tom Donilon; Chief of Staff Bill Daley; Tony Binken, National Security Advisor to the Vice President; Audrey Tomason Director for Counterterrorism; John Brennan, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism; and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper. Please note: a classified document seen in this photograph has been obscured.

So what exactly is he being updated on? Well, the natural conclusion that everyone jumped to was that it was live footage of bin Laden’s death. But the official line from the White House is that this is not a photo of the final moments of Osama’s life. But it seems they also don’t really have a single, consistent narrative for what’s actually going on in the photo. I think they should find one, if only to placate the masses.

[Source: Salon]

And we are not talking about small-time stations here. CNN, Fox, ABC and Sky all used the word Obama for Osama at one point or another.

The plague of slip-ups was so bad that one DC news anchor actually said:

…the President, telling the nation President Obama is in fact dead.

Of course some people are now saying that this is a media conspiracy to smear president Obama’s name, whereas the far more likely scenario is that Obama and Osama are two words that look and sound very similar.

Another reason could be that initially reports were simply that Obama was to make a special announcement and when that morphed into “Obama discusses Osama”, things got confusing.

Perhaps the simplest explanation of all was that news anchors and journalists had to add-lib for minutes at a time, having little to say, other than two words that rhyme, but should never be mixed up.

[Source: KTLA]

The image which shows a bloodied bin Laden with a bullet wound to the head, is in fact a composite of a photo of bin Laden taken in 1998 and an unknown corpse.

Apparently this very picture has been doing the rounds on the net for over two years, but that didn’t stop even very big news organisations like the Daily Mail, Times of London, Telegraph, Sun and Daily Mirror from using it. Even the Associated Press had it up on their site for a while.

The Daily Mail was one of the newspaper sites to publish the fake picture of Osama bin Laden’s body.
The US government is still deciding whether or not to release actual images from the scene and there is even speculation that some video footage of the raid may be released.

There are, however, some concerns that the release of the photos might stir anti-American sentiment. Apparently the photos are very gruesome, showing bin Laden with a head and chest wound. The head wound is above his left eye and is particularly grisly.

I personally think they will be made available. People like to see evidence that the bad guy is really dead. In many people’s minds, unless you can see brains leaking out, the monster is not dead.

[Source : abc News, New Zealand Herald, The Gaurdian]

That was all leading up to the 2011 Press Corps dinner at the White House, which took place last night. Donald Trump happened to be in the audience, as Barack Obama completely DESTROYED him from the podium (09:30 mark). He also punished FOX News and Matt Damon (05:40). You gotta see this. Click link for video and transcription.

Click play on the video above.

“…Donald Trump is here tonight,” the comedian in chief said, grinning. “Now, I know that he’s taken some flak lately, but no one is prouder to put this birth certificate to rest than The Donald. Now he can get to focusing on the issues that matter. Like, did we fake the moon landing? What really happened at Roswell? And where are Biggie and Tupac?”
…

“All kidding aside, we all know about your credentials and experience,” Mr. Obama said, as people in the room either chortled or grimaced nervously, all depending on their proximity to Mr. Trump.

In “Celebrity Apprentice,” Mr. Obama told Mr. Trump, teeth flashing, “the men’s cooking team did not impress the judges from Omaha steaks, but you recognized that this was a lack of leadership, so you fired Gary Busey.”

“These,” Mr. Obama said, “are the kinds of decisions that would keep me up at night. Well-handled, sir. Well-handled…”
…

…Painful.

After his official birth certificate was however released earlier this week, Taitz was interviewed on national TV and given the opportunity to apologise. She didn’t. See what happens when the interviewer, Lawrence O’Donnell, finally loses his patience with her, cuts her off, and calls her crazy. Make sure you watch all the way to the end.

[Source: Youtube]

“In a matter of hours, these deadly tornadoes took mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, friends and neighbors, even entire communities,” Obama says.

Barack and first lady Michelle will visit the victims of the south today.

The disaster declaration will make federal funds available for housing repairs, temporary housing and loans to cover un-insured property losses.

[Source: ABCnews]

The country labelled Egypt in the above picture is Iraq.

In other news, the Egyptian government is getting blasted for their censorship of Al Jazeera, the world-renowned news service; when America refuses to broadcast the same network, despite the fact that it’s uniquely placed to offer objective coverage of the Egyptian protests, it’s just business.

[Image via Plixi]

China and the US are at loggerheads about a couple of things – China’s weak currency, nuclear proliferation, trade imbalances. The only thing they really agree upon is that they should sell each other more stuff. Most sensitive of the issues between them is the whole human rights thing. Which is why Obama straight up told his Chinese counterpart they should do something about it. Hu Jintao looked a little bemused but gave a short response.

Later at a press conference he didn’t even respond when a reporter stirred the very sensitive human rights issue again. After an uncomfortable silence he conceded they should probably do something about it.

Meanwhile in China right now they’re closing down zoos in what looks like steps to improve their animal rights record.

President Hu Jintao must have misheard.

The Chinese word for human is rénlèi. Phonetically pretty close to dòngwù, the Chinese word for animal.

[Sources: Washinton Post, Telegraph]

As you can imagine, I had quite a sukkel finding an objective opinion on this one. Being associated and the press, the AP pretty much carpet bombed all my sources. The only credible quote I could find tells us that the AP reckons the case is, “the straightforward question of whether a T-shirt company may use a nearly verbatim copy of a copyrighted image to generate millions in dollars of revenues for itself without securing the permission of the copyright owner”.

The artist had nothing to say.

The other thing we can’t dispute is this.

There is an uncanny similarity. There’s no denying it.

But I say as soon as Shepard Fairey picked up a brush or a pen or whatever and started drawing it, the image became his. Copyright law says something remarkably similar.

Unless, of course, if he just slid the photo under some aftryspapier and traced it. That’s cheating. Everyone knows that.

[SOURCE: ABC News]

“I learned today the president is both a tough competitor and a good sport. I enjoyed playing basketball with him this morning. I’m sure he’ll be back out on the court again soon.”

I’m sure there’s an apology in there somewhere.

Obama was rushed/ushered to the White House where he received 12 presidential stitches to the upper lip. No aides were hurt during the incident.

[Source: msnbc]

South Korea has responded by scrambling jets, and – no doubt – getting uncle Barrack on the phone.

May I remind you, North Korea has nuclear weapons, and they’ve probably never read any Tom Clancy novels – they don’t know how bad that stuff can get.

Get yer’ popcorn!

[Sources: Telegraph, AFP, Business Weekly]

Essentially, with the midterms just behind them, Americans have shown that they are growing increasingly angry that Barack Obama and the Democrats haven’t been able to, in two years, undo almost a decade of mismanagement.

The stigma afforded to anything remotely Obama-ish is so rife that Texans have recently become progressively more vocal about their blinding hatred of free universal healthcare. Because, you know, fuck the poor. Obama could, at this point, offer a million dollars to every American and they would stand up and say, “No! Socialism!”

Recently a story grabbed my attention and made the dismissal of free healthcare seem completely sane. Teapartyers in Fountain Hills, Arizona have objected to a proposition that would ensure curbside recycling because the measure removes their choice over who picks up their trash.

A dramatic flier was circulating around Fountain Hills announcing, “The Hills Will Have Eyes,” and, “Fountain Hills Green Police” checked residents’ garbage and recyclables, and as a result, “you are wanted for questioning.”

Am I the only one that thinks something seems seriously wrong when people are arguing against recycling just because they don’t like the president?

Democrat Ginny Dickey, a supporter of the program, sums it up:

“It seems counterintuitive, but in order for this proposal to pass, I believe I had to downplay the benefits of recycling. When ideology prevents rational discussion of a really pretty mundane topic, trash, there is no perspective. Everything is suspect, which paralyzes us.”

[Source: AZCentral]

[Image: Gallo Images]

ALL THE PHOTOS can be seen one-by-one on the State Department’s flikr page. Or, what you might prefer, and the reason for this post; is you can watch a video of all those pics compressed into 20 seconds.

The result? Barack Obama is pulling the exact same pose in every single photograph.

Freaky? Or cool? Depends which way you look at it, I suppose. Can’t really blame him – I mean, really – 130 pics in a row?

Personally, I wish I could find one set smiley pose that works. I get quite panicky before social pics. What am I going to do? The sexually charged open-mouth smile with slight tongue appearing on bottom lip? Or maybe this time we do the closed-mouth one-sided smirk? Or the old classic mid-talking pose?

Jesus, it’s a mine-field out there..

[source:spiegelman]

“Liberty’s moving..”
(Spoken into shirt cuff,
whilst pressing ear with middle finger)

What I would like to chat about are the number of people that are so passionate about stopping Obama and his healthcare initiative, that they are quite happy to assassinate him. Not only that, it is also legal for these head-jobs to take guns to the various events Barack Obama attends.

It’s true. Check this out:

 

The man is carrying a sign that says, “It Is Time to Water the Tree of Liberty.” That’s a reference to a Thomas Jefferson quote: “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants.” It was a favorite slogan of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, who was wearing a T-shirt when he was arrested with a picture of Lincoln on the front and a tree dripping with blood on the back.

This guy is carrying a legal weapon, says NBC News’ Ron Allen. The local chief of police has no objections. Open carriage of licensed handguns is legal in New Hampshire, and the man is standing on the private property of a nearby church that has no problem with an armed man hanging around.

[source]

Quite a mellow vibe to go for. When asked why he carried a loaded gun to Obama’s town hall meeting on Tuesday, he responded “Who would be silly enough to carry an unloaded firearm?”

Nice – not only is he a psychotic killer, but a comedian as well!

“A man walks into a bar and the barman asks him what he wants to drink. You know what he says?”

“What did he say?”

“Doesn’t matter, ‘cos he shot the barman in the face!”

BLAM! BLAM! HA! HA!

Whether this clown has found a legal loophole or not, surely they should have an overriding law that makes it illegal for a person to be angry and carry a loaded gun at a presidential event? Especially someone holding up a sign which basically reads, “watch me kill the president.”

It just shouldn’t happen, ever!

Madness! Can you imagine?

I mean REALLY, that’s like reading an english book in afrikaans class.

You know why? Oh, they were accused of entering the country illegally and committing “hostile acts.”

That’ll do it.

So Hillary is sending out messages to North Korea, appealing for amnesty. And while she’s doing this, she is hoping to God that Kim Jong Il is not connecting this incident to his nuclear weapons agenda.

Good luck with that, Hillary.

So it’s a delicate vibe Hillary is throwing and the New York Times agrees that the arrested journalists needs to be kept seperate from that of Kim Jong Il‘s nuclear aspirations and The U.S.’s increasing dissent thereof.

Her comments on Friday appear to reflect a changing picture that has been complicated by the North’s test of a nuclear missile in May and its decision to fire seven ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan on the Fourth of July.

Mrs. Clinton’s comments during a town-hall-style meeting at the State Department came in response to an employee who did not identify herself, creating the appearance that the question was planted in an attempt to send a message to North Korea.

Experts said that Mrs. Clinton appeared to be trying to keep the issue of the journalists separate from the conflict over the North’s nuclear ambitions.

“It’s clear to me they don’t want this tail to wag the nuclear dog,” said Michael Green, a top Asia expert for former President George W. Bush. “They are trying to keep it in a separate lane.”

But Mr. Green said the North was unlikely to release the women without getting something in return. Although North Korea does not expect the Obama administration to abandon its effort to impose sanctions on the North for its recent nuclear test, he said, it is likely to want a “high-profile visit” by an administration official to demonstrate that “it’s possible to return to business as usual.”

Well they should go straight to Kim Jon Il‘s online mouthpiece, The Central Koren News Agency (go there – it’s amazing) and they will realise that he sees the arrest of the journo’s and his nuclear shinanigans in EXACTLY the same “lane”!

The quicklinks on the front page say it all.

Kim Jon Il
1 X Amazing

This, a recent news report I found under their “Trial of American journalists” quicklink on their front page (you need to spend some time cruising around that website – trust me) which says it all.

KCNA Detailed Report on Truth about Crimes Committed by American Journalists

Pyongyang, June 16 (KCNA) — The Korean Central News Agency on Tuesday released a detailed report laying bare the facts about the crimes committed by the American journalists who were arrested for having illegally trespassed into the border of the DPRK and committed hostile acts against it for which they were tried.

According to it, at dawn of March 17 unidentified two men and two women covertly crossed the River Tuman to intrude into its bank of the DPRK side in Kangan-ri, Onsong County, North Hamgyong Province. The two women were arrested on the spot.

The arrestees were confirmed to be Chinese-American Laura Ling, 32, correspondent of the Current TV, and south Korean-American Seung-Un Lee, 36, editor of the Current TV.

The investigation proved that the intruders crossed the border and committed the crime for the purpose of making animation files to be used for an anti-DPRK smear campaign over its human rights issue.

The preliminary investigation proved that they had a confab on producing and broadcasting a documentary slandering the DPRK with Mitch Koss, executive producer of programming of the Current TV, David Neuman, president of programming, and David Harleston, head of the Legal Department of Current TV, and other men in Los Angeles, U.S. in January.

A trial of the accused was held at the Pyongyang City Court from June 4 to 8.

At the trial the accused admitted that what they did were criminal acts committed, prompted by the political motive to isolate and stifle the socialist system of the DPRK by faking up moving images aimed at falsifying its human rights performance and hurling slanders and calumnies at it. [I enjoyed "faking up"]

In the name of the DPRK the Central Court determined ten years of hard labor according to Provision 69 of the Criminal Code and four years of hard labor according to Provision 233 of the Criminal Code for the accused Laura Ling and Seung-Un Lee and sentenced them to 12 years of hard labor according to Provision 44 of the Criminal Code.

The prison term is counted from March 22, 2009, when the accused were detained and it was pronounced that the judgment is unappealable.

The criminals admitted and accepted the judgment.

We are following with a high degree of vigilance the attitude of the U.S. which spawned the criminal act against the DPRK.

Did you enjoy the last paragraph!!???

That line is DIRECTLY from Kim Jong Il himself. I swear he talks to the West through The Central Korean News Agency. That’s like Twitter, for him.

He’s saying that this little incident (if there ever really was one) was a direct criminal act by the USA against North Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea).

And by “attitude of the US,” he is referring to the anger they (The US) are expressing as he tests his warheads and plays nuclear-nuclear.

Why do you think the only other Quicklink on their front page (alongside the quicklink going to “Trial of American Journalists“) is “Nuclear Test?”

It’s one of three things. He’s either going to keep the journalists while he completes his nuclear testing. Or he is going to force someone senior from The US to go to North Korea and kiss his ass (he’ll spin this one to seem as though Obama himself came to beg for nuclear mercy). Or he’ll strap the journalists to the end of a nuclear warhead and fire it over to them – thus creating the ripple effect which will, ultimately, lead to the end of the world as we know it.

Click here to read past 2OV articles about the amazingness that is Kim Jon Il.

The Pope takes a break from emulating The TBG
to meet Barack and Mish-kebab

Barack changed his mind about going to confession after Pope Benedict XVI agreed that, even as a holy man, he too wouldn’t have been able to resist the temptation he (Obama) had recently encountered (here).

I just wish the Pope wasn’t so scary looking. Surely you don’t want the Pope to look evil?

Ewan McGregor would have been a far better choice.

By the way, you should watch Angels & Demons if you haven’t seen it already. Easy watching. Great fun.

[source - getty]

Because that’s how he rolls.

He has also just met Jacob Zuma face-to-face as presidents for the first time at the G8 Summit.

Zuma asked for a pic for his Facebook page.

Barack Obama meets Jacob Zuma
Shades on. Amazing vibe.

Apparently Obama hinted on Friday that he’ll be attending next year’s World Cup soccer championship in South Africa.

When asked whether he’ll be attending the matches, his reply was “That’s my goal.”

[no spice]

The White House said Obama has agreed to meet with the head of FIFA, the governing body of the sport, about the World Cup.

Because that’s how he rolls.

But then enjoy this. After answering the question, the U.S. president playfully asked, “Did you get that?”

[The joke. He was asking if they got the joke he made with the play on words "that's my goal." (ie. football goal - for the dof ones out there). Don't you love that vibe about him? He cracks a joke and then isn't shy to check if the journo's got it? Incredible. My god he is wonderful.]

Anyway, back to the Ghana vibe. This is his first trip to sub-Saharan Africa as president and therefore his first solely-focused speech and message to Africa and Africans.

It’s quite a big deal.

So here it is..

The Obama’s cruise into Ghana

Text of President Obama’s speech Saturday in Accra, Ghana, as prepared for delivery and provided by the White House:

Good morning.

It is an honor for me to be in Accra, and to speak to the representatives of the people of Ghana.

I am deeply grateful for the welcome that I’ve received, as are Michelle, Malia and Sasha Obama. Ghana’s history is rich, the ties between our two countries are strong, and I am proud that this is my first visit to sub-Saharan Africa as President of the United States.

I am speaking to you at the end of a long trip. I began in Russia, for a Summit between two great powers. I traveled to Italy, for a meeting of the world’s leading economies. And I have come here, to Ghana, for a simple reason: the 21st century will be shaped by what happens not just in Rome or Moscow or Washington, but by what happens in Accra as well.

This is the simple truth of a time when the boundaries between people are overwhelmed by our connections. Your prosperity can expand America’s. Your health and security can contribute to the world’s. And the strength of your democracy can help advance human rights for people everywhere.

So I do not see the countries and peoples of Africa as a world apart; I see Africa as a fundamental part of our interconnected world — as partners with America on behalf of the future that we want for all our children. That partnership must be grounded in mutual responsibility, and that is what I want to speak with you about today.

We must start from the simple premise that Africa’s future is up to Africans.

I say this knowing full well the tragic past that has sometimes haunted this part of the world. I have the blood of Africa within me, and my family’s own story encompasses both the tragedies and triumphs of the larger African story.

My grandfather was a cook for the British in Kenya, and though he was a respected elder in his village, his employers called him “boy” for much of his life. He was on the periphery of Kenya’s liberation struggles, but he was still imprisoned briefly during repressive times. In his life, colonialism wasn’t simply the creation of unnatural borders or unfair terms of trade — it was something experienced personally, day after day, year after year.

My father grew up herding goats in a tiny village, an impossible distance away from the American universities where he would come to get an education. He came of age at an extraordinary moment of promise for Africa. The struggles of his own father’s generation were giving birth to new nations, beginning right here in Ghana. Africans were educating and asserting themselves in new ways. History was on the move.

But despite the progress that has been made — and there has been considerable progress in parts of Africa — we also know that much of that promise has yet to be fulfilled. Countries like Kenya, which had a per capita economy larger than South Korea’s when I was born, have been badly outpaced. Disease and conflict have ravaged parts of the African continent. In many places, the hope of my father’s generation gave way to cynicism, even despair.

It is easy to point fingers, and to pin the blame for these problems on others. Yes, a colonial map that made little sense bred conflict, and the West has often approached Africa as a patron, rather than a partner. But the West is not responsible for the destruction of the Zimbabwean economy over the last decade, or wars in which children are enlisted as combatants. In my father’s life, it was partly tribalism and patronage in an independent Kenya that for a long stretch derailed his career, and we know that this kind of corruption is a daily fact of life for far too many.

Of course, we also know that is not the whole story. Here in Ghana, you show us a face of Africa that is too often overlooked by a world that sees only tragedy or the need for charity. The people of Ghana have worked hard to put democracy on a firmer footing, with peaceful transfers of power even in the wake of closely contested elections. And with improved governance and an emerging civil society, Ghana’s economy has shown impressive rates of growth.

This progress may lack the drama of the 20th century’s liberation struggles, but make no mistake: it will ultimately be more significant. For just as it is important to emerge from the control of another nation, it is even more important to build one’s own.

So I believe that this moment is just as promising for Ghana — and for Africa — as the moment when my father came of age and new nations were being born. This is a new moment of promise. Only this time, we have learned that it will not be giants like Nkrumah and Kenyatta who will determine Africa’s future. Instead, it will be you — the men and women in Ghana’s Parliament, and the people you represent. Above all, it will be the young people — brimming with talent and energy and hope — who can claim the future that so many in my father’s generation never found.

To realize that promise, we must first recognize a fundamental truth that you have given life to in Ghana: development depends upon good governance. That is the ingredient which has been missing in far too many places, for far too long. That is the change that can unlock Africa’s potential. And that is a responsibility that can only be met by Africans.

As for America and the West, our commitment must be measured by more than just the dollars we spend. I have pledged substantial increases in our foreign assistance, which is in Africa’s interest and America’s. But the true sign of success is not whether we are a source of aid that helps people scrape by — it is whether we are partners in building the capacity for transformational change.

This mutual responsibility must be the foundation of our partnership. And today, I will focus on four areas that are critical to the future of Africa and the entire developing world: democracy; opportunity; health; and the peaceful resolution of conflict.

First, we must support strong and sustainable democratic governments.

As I said in Cairo, each nation gives life to democracy in its own way, and in line with its own traditions. But history offers a clear verdict: governments that respect the will of their own people are more prosperous, more stable and more successful than governments that do not.

This is about more than holding elections — it’s also about what happens between them. Repression takes many forms, and too many nations are plagued by problems that condemn their people to poverty. No country is going to create wealth if its leaders exploit the economy to enrich themselves, or police can be bought off by drug traffickers. No business wants to invest in a place where the government skims 20 percent off the top, or the head of the port authority is corrupt. No person wants to live in a society where the rule of law gives way to the rule of brutality and bribery. That is not democracy, that is tyranny, and now is the time for it to end.

In the 21st century, capable, reliable and transparent institutions are the key to success — strong parliaments and honest police forces; independent judges and journalists; a vibrant private sector and civil society. Those are the things that give life to democracy, because that is what matters in peoples’ lives.

Time and again, Ghanaians have chosen Constitutional rule over autocracy, and shown a democratic spirit that allows the energy of your people to break through. We see that in leaders who accept defeat graciously, and victors who resist calls to wield power against the opposition. We see that spirit in courageous journalists like Anas Aremeyaw Anas, who risked his life to report the truth. We see it in police like Patience Quaye, who helped prosecute the first human trafficker in Ghana. We see it in the young people who are speaking up against patronage and participating in the political process.

Across Africa, we have seen countless examples of people taking control of their destiny and making change from the bottom up. We saw it in Kenya, where civil society and business came together to help stop postelection violence. We saw it in South Africa, where over three quarters of the country voted in the recent election — the fourth since the end of apartheid. We saw it in Zimbabwe, where the Election Support Network braved brutal repression to stand up for the principle that a person’s vote is their sacred right.

Make no mistake: history is on the side of these brave Africans and not with those who use coups or change Constitutions to stay in power. Africa doesn’t need strongmen, it needs strong institutions.

America will not seek to impose any system of government on any other nation — the essential truth of democracy is that each nation determines its own destiny. What we will do is increase assistance for responsible individuals and institutions, with a focus on supporting good governance — on parliaments, which check abuses of power and ensure that opposition voices are heard; on the rule of law, which ensures the equal administration of justice; on civic participation, so that young people get involved; and on concrete solutions to corruption like forensic accounting, automating services, strengthening hot lines and protecting whistle-blowers to advance transparency and accountability.

As we provide this support, I have directed my administration to give greater attention to corruption in our human rights report. People everywhere should have the right to start a business or get an education without paying a bribe. We have a responsibility to support those who act responsibly and to isolate those who don’t, and that is exactly what America will do.

This leads directly to our second area of partnership — supporting development that provides opportunity for more people.

With better governance, I have no doubt that Africa holds the promise of a broader base for prosperity. The continent is rich in natural resources. And from cell phone entrepreneurs to small farmers, Africans have shown the capacity and commitment to create their own opportunities. But old habits must also be broken. Dependence on commodities — or on a single export — concentrates wealth in the hands of the few and leaves people too vulnerable to downturns.

In Ghana, for instance, oil brings great opportunities, and you have been responsible in preparing for new revenue. But as so many Ghanaians know, oil cannot simply become the new cocoa. From South Korea to Singapore, history shows that countries thrive when they invest in their people and infrastructure; when they promote multiple export industries, develop a skilled work force and create space for small and medium-sized businesses that create jobs.

As Africans reach for this promise, America will be more responsible in extending our hand. By cutting costs that go to Western consultants and administration, we will put more resources in the hands of those who need it, while training people to do more for themselves. That is why our $3.5 billion food security initiative is focused on new methods and technologies for farmers — not simply sending American producers or goods to Africa. Aid is not an end in itself. The purpose of foreign assistance must be creating the conditions where it is no longer needed.

America can also do more to promote trade and investment. Wealthy nations must open our doors to goods and services from Africa in a meaningful way. And where there is good governance, we can broaden prosperity through public-private partnerships that invest in better roads and electricity; capacity-building that trains people to grow a business; and financial services that reach poor and rural areas. This is also in our own interest — for if people are lifted out of poverty and wealth is created in Africa, new markets will open for our own goods.

One area that holds out both undeniable peril and extraordinary promise is energy. Africa gives off less greenhouse gas than any other part of the world, but it is the most threatened by climate change. A warming planet will spread disease, shrink water resources and deplete crops, creating conditions that produce more famine and conflict. All of us — particularly the developed world — have a responsibility to slow these trends — through mitigation, and by changing the way that we use energy. But we can also work with Africans to turn this crisis into opportunity.

Together, we can partner on behalf of our planet and prosperity and help countries increase access to power while skipping the dirtier phase of development. Across Africa, there is bountiful wind and solar power; geothermal energy and bio-fuels. From the Rift Valley to the North African deserts; from the Western coast to South Africa’s crops — Africa’s boundless natural gifts can generate its own power, while exporting profitable, clean energy abroad.

These steps are about more than growth numbers on a balance sheet. They’re about whether a young person with an education can get a job that supports a family; a farmer can transfer their goods to the market; or an entrepreneur with a good idea can start a business. It’s about the dignity of work. It
s about the opportunity that must exist for Africans in the 21st century.

Just as governance is vital to opportunity, it is also critical to the third area that I will talk about — strengthening public health.

In recent years, enormous progress has been made in parts of Africa. Far more people are living productively with HIV/AIDS, and getting the drugs they need. But too many still die from diseases that shouldn’t kill them. When children are being killed because of a mosquito bite, and mothers are dying in childbirth, then we know that more progress must be made.

Yet because of incentives — often provided by donor nations — many African doctors and nurses understandably go overseas, or work for programs that focus on a single disease. This creates gaps in primary care and basic prevention. Meanwhile, individual Africans also have to make responsible choices that prevent the spread of disease, while promoting public health in their communities and countries.

Across Africa, we see examples of people tackling these problems. In Nigeria, an interfaith effort of Christians and Muslims has set an example of cooperation to confront malaria. Here in Ghana and across Africa, we see innovative ideas for filling gaps in care — for instance, through E-Health initiatives that allow doctors in big cities to support those in small towns.

America will support these efforts through a comprehensive, global health strategy. Because in the 21st century, we are called to act by our conscience and our common interest. When a child dies of a preventable illness in Accra, that diminishes us everywhere. And when disease goes unchecked in any corner of the world, we know that it can spread across oceans and continents.

That is why my administration has committed $63 billion to meet these challenges. Building on the strong efforts of President Bush, we will carry forward the fight against HIV/AIDS. We will pursue the goal of ending deaths from malaria and tuberculosis, and eradicating polio. We will fight neglected tropical disease. And we won’t confront illnesses in isolation — we will invest in public health systems that promote wellness and focus on the health of mothers and children.

As we partner on behalf of a healthier future, we must also stop the destruction that comes not from illness, but from human beings — and so the final area that I will address is conflict.

Now let me be clear: Africa is not the crude caricature of a continent at war. But for far too many Africans, conflict is a part of life, as constant as the sun. There are wars over land and wars over resources. And it is still far too easy for those without conscience to manipulate whole communities into fighting among faiths and tribes.

These conflicts are a millstone around Africa’s neck. We all have many identities — of tribe and ethnicity; of religion and nationality. But defining oneself in opposition to someone who belongs to a different tribe, or who worships a different prophet, has no place in the 21st century. Africa’s diversity should be a source of strength, not a cause for division. We are all God’s children. We all share common aspirations — to live in peace and security; to access education and opportunity; to love our families, our communities, and our faith. That is our common humanity.

That is why we must stand up to inhumanity in our midst. It is never justifiable to target innocents in the name of ideology. It is the death sentence of a society to force children to kill in wars. It is the ultimate mark of criminality and cowardice to condemn women to relentless and systematic rape. We must bear witness to the value of every child in Darfur and the dignity of every woman in Congo. No faith or culture should condone the outrages against them. All of us must strive for the peace and security necessary for progress.

Africans are standing up for this future. Here, too, Ghana is helping to point the way forward. Ghanaians should take pride in your contributions to peacekeeping from Congo to Liberia to Lebanon, and in your efforts to resist the scourge of the drug trade. We welcome the steps that are being taken by organizations like the African Union and ECOWAS to better resolve conflicts, keep the peace, and support those in need. And we encourage the vision of a strong, regional security architecture that can bring effective, transnational force to bear when needed.

America has a responsibility to advance this vision, not just with words, but with support that strengthens African capacity. When there is genocide in Darfur or terrorists in Somalia, these are not simply African problems — they are global security challenges, and they demand a global response. That is why we stand ready to partner through diplomacy, technical assistance, and logistical support, and will stand behind efforts to hold war criminals accountable. And let me be clear: our Africa Command is focused not on establishing a foothold in the continent, but on confronting these common challenges to advance the security of America, Africa and the world.

In Moscow, I spoke of the need for an international system where the universal rights of human beings are respected, and violations of those rights are opposed. That must include a commitment to support those who resolve conflicts peacefully, to sanction and stop those who don’t, and to help those who have suffered. But ultimately, it will be vibrant democracies like Botswana and Ghana which roll back the causes of conflict, and advance the frontiers of peace and prosperity.

As I said earlier, Africa’s future is up to Africans.
The people of Africa are ready to claim that future. In my country, African-Americans — including so many recent immigrants — have thrived in every sector of society. We have done so despite a difficult past, and we have drawn strength from our African heritage. With strong institutions and a strong will, I know that Africans can live their dreams in Nairobi and Lagos; in Kigali and Kinshasa; in Harare and right here in Accra.

Fifty-two years ago, the eyes of the world were on Ghana. And a young preacher named Martin Luther King traveled here, to Accra, to watch the Union Jack come down and the Ghanaian flag go up. This was before the march on Washington or the success of the civil rights movement in my country. Dr. King was asked how he felt while watching the birth of a nation. And he said: “It renews my conviction in the ultimate triumph of justice.”

Now, that triumph must be won once more, and it must be won by you. And I am particularly speaking to the young people. In places like Ghana, you make up over half of the population. Here is what you must know: the world will be what you make of it.

You have the power to hold your leaders accountable and to build institutions that serve the people. You can serve in your communities and harness your energy and education to create new wealth and build new connections to the world. You can conquer disease, end conflicts and make change from the bottom up. You can do that. Yes you can. Because in this moment, history is on the move.

But these things can only be done if you take responsibility for your future. It won’t be easy. It will take time and effort. There will be suffering and setbacks. But I can promise you this: America will be with you. As a partner. As a friend. Opportunity won’t come from any other place, though — it must come from the decisions that you make, the things that you do, and the hope that you hold in your hearts.

Freedom is your inheritance. Now, it is your responsibility to build upon freedom’s foundation. And if you do, we will look back years from now to places like Accra and say that this was the time when the promise was realized — this was the moment when prosperity was forged; pain was overcome; and a new era of progress began. This can be the time when we witness the triumph of justice once more. Thank you.
is corrupt. No person wants to live in a society where the rule of law gives way to the rule of brutality and bribery. That is not democracy, that is tyranny, and now is the time for it to end.”

He added: “Africa doesn’t need strongmen, it needs strong institutions.”

Obama was on a 21-hour visit to the West African nation to highlight that country’s democratic tradition and engagement with the West. His visit, his first to sub-Saharan Africa as president, was greeted as a “spiritual reunion” Saturday by Ghanian legislators.

[source:AP & CBS] & DallasNews]