Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Halloween!


Flying Future

Just finished watching a propaganda movie about life in the future. It was made in 1950 and is about life in 2000. Am I the only one who still hasn't received their nuclear-powered flying car? I know the waiting list was long, but 17 years?


Monday, October 30, 2017

Irkutsk Memorial

From the MT:
"Irkutsk Memorial Dismantled Ahead of October Revolution Centennial"

Authorities in the city of Irkutsk have begun dismantling a memorial to the 1917 revolution a week before Russia marks 100 years since the historic event, citing fears of the statue’s collapse.  The monument, “Fighters of the Revolution,” features an elderly soldier, a Bolshevik and a young peasant boy holding up a banner. For the past year, wooden scaffolding protected the monument, which is being sent for restoration after it is fully dismantled. City officials said the memorial’s decrepit condition posed a safety hazard for residents, Radio Svoboda reported. Editor-in-chief of the local news outlet “Baikal Siberia” Sergei Korolev told Radio Svoboda that dismantling the monument is a deliberate provocation against Irkutsk residents and the Irkutsk Region Communist Party governor Sergei Levchenko. The revolution memorial complex, which includes two nearby mass graves, was established in the 1940s to commemorate Red Army soldiers who died during the Civil War.  Other pre-Revolutionary statues across the city have not been subject to neglect, Radio Svoboda notes, referencing a relatively new Alexander III monument that was restored to prime condition last year.


^ I am surprised, yet glad, that Irkutsk is doing this. Hopefully the memorial will be restored and not put back in place afterwards, but sent to a museum. Russians need to separate from their Communist past and move forward. By removing this memorial it will help that separation only if it is then placed in a museum to show that it is a historical artifact rather than a current-day belief. 

German Train Name

From the BBC:
"Row over German high-speed train called Anne Frank"

The German rail operator Deutsche Bahn (DB) has defended its decision to name a high-speed train after the world-famous Holocaust victim Anne Frank.  Anne Frank's name is among those of 25 famous Germans chosen by a jury after a public consultation. A German conservative MP, Iris Eberl, tweeted that it was a "tasteless" choice, as Anne Frank and other Jews had been sent by train to their deaths. But DB spokesperson Antje Neubauer said the girl was a symbol of tolerance. Anne Frank also represented "peaceful co-existence of different cultures, which is more important than ever in times such as this", she said.  The Diary of Anne Frank is a global bestseller, describing the Jewish girl's life in hiding with her family in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam in World War Two. The Frank family were deported to Auschwitz death camp in 1944, and Anne died later in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp at the age of 15.  DB is state-owned and the successor of the Deutsche Reichsbahn, which deported millions of Jews and other victims of the Nazis.  Julian Reichelt, a journalist at the popular German daily Bild, tweeted: "Now DB is naming trains after victims of deportation by train, starting with Anne Frank."  The names will adorn a new generation of DB's ICE high-speed trains, set to go into service in the next two years.  Jury member Prof Gisela Mettele said there was "impressive diversity" in the many famous names suggested by the public. The ones selected, she said, "have one thing in common: they were curious about the world".  The 25 include some wartime dissidents who died resisting the Nazis: Hans and Sophie Scholl and the theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer. There are also former German chancellors Konrad Adenauer, Ludwig Erhard and Willy Brandt, as well as philosophers Hannah Arendt and Karl Marx.  ICE trains will also be named after novelist Thomas Mann, music maestro Ludwig van Beethoven and actress and singer Marlene Dietrich.


^ I think the fact that it is Germany doing this makes it very tasteless. If any other country (like her adopted Holland) wanted to name a train after Anne Frank or any Holocaust victim then it would be an honor, but not for Germany doing it. It may be over 70 years since the war and the Holocaust ended and while Germany has done a lot to overcome the horrors they committed back then there are still just some things that shouldn't be done and naming a German train after a Holocaust victim is one of those. ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41803131

Tunnel Raid

From the BBC:
"Gaza: Palestinian militants killed as Israel hits tunnel"

Eight Palestinian militants were killed and several others injured when Israel destroyed a tunnel running from Gaza into Israel, Palestinian officials say. It is understood that six of those who died were members of Islamic Jihad. The Hamas military wing said two of its members were killed in a rescue effort. The Israeli military said the "terror tunnel" was still under construction when it was "neutralised". Israel is using sophisticated measures to thwart tunnels dug by militants. It destroyed more than 30 tunnels during a 50-day war with militants in Gaza in the summer of 2014, and has found three since then.  During that conflict, fighters from Hamas used tunnels to infiltrate Israeli territory on four occasions, killing 12 soldiers. The conflict left at least 2,251 Palestinians dead - including more than 1,462 civilians, according to the UN - and 11,231 injured. On the Israeli side, 67 soldiers and six civilians were killed, and up to 1,600 injured.  The Israeli military said the tunnel it destroyed on Monday ran from Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, into Israeli territory, about 2km (1.2 miles) from the town of Kissufim. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had used "breakthrough technology" to find and destroy the tunnel. Israel is building a huge barrier along its border with Gaza aimed at preventing militants tunnelling underneath it. The 64km-long (40-mile) construction, which should be completed in 2019, will extend 40m (131ft) below ground and 6m above ground. The latest tunnel was detected in an area where the barrier was not yet completed, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported. An Islamic Jihad statement said the tunnels were "part of the policy of deterrence to defend the Palestinian people" and accused Israel of a "dangerous escalation", according to AFP news agency.  The incident comes just days before Hamas is due to hand over control of Gaza's border crossings with Israel to the Palestinian Authority as part of a reconciliation deal with the rival Fatah movement.



^  The Palestinians in Gaza are reuniting (since a week ago) with the Palestinians in the West Bank (which was broken up in 2006 because Gaza elected the Hama terrorist group into office) and that with these tunnels show that the threat of more missiles and suicide bombers on Israel is still there. All the talk when I was in the West Bank about peace is just that - talk. Luckily, Israel has these tunnel operations, protective walls and the Iron Dome missile-defense system. You would think that after 70 years (next year is the 70th anniversary of Israel's founding) the Palestinians (and all the other Muslim and Arab countries who officially call for the complete destruction of Israel) would learn their old tactics have never worked and will never work. ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-41809105

Storm

We had a bad storm last night. It was a very rough and long night. We got several inches of rain (that's on top of the 4 inches of rain we got a few days ago) and 65 mph winds. There's a 12 foot tree on my property that still has most of its leaves on it - which is unusual for this time of year - that I am worried will break and fall and if it does it will destroy the electric and phone line. I called a local tree guy who will try to come and look at it tomorrow if he can make it up my mountain. Many of my town's roads are closed because they were washed-away or had power lines and downed trees on them. Most places (like my mountain) only have one way in/out so when that way is closed it is a major issue. 
I don't plan on going anyplace today (not even driving down to the mailbox) but hopefully I will be able to tomorrow and, as I already said, hopefully the tree guy will be able to come here. The leaning tree can fall at any time and then the landline phone and regular electricity would be cut off. Cell phones have never worked around here and even if my generator kicks in I wouldn't be able to call anyone if I needed something. I am as prepared as I can be for any storm (rain, wind, ice, snow, etc.) and know that it could have been much worse on my mountain like it was in the rest of my town. 

Repression Memory

From Russian Events and Holidays:
"Day of memory of victims of political repression"


October 30 of each year in Russia celebrates the Day of memory of victims of political repression, which, according to the human Rights centre memorial, suffered about eight hundred thousand people. Media lists repressed began in 1988-1989, and in some areas even prepared a special "memory Books» where were placed the names and a little biographical information about the victims. 30 October in Russian schools there are special memorable lessons are invited witnesses of those terrible events and rehabilitated. And cities are mourning promotions, meetings, laying flowers and wreaths to the monuments of the repressed. That is, we do everything to preserve our historical memory, to honor the people who died for their ideas. In particular, in Moscow annually at the Solovetsky stone hold memorial service. Interestingly, the Solovetsky stone (large granite boulder) brought the Solovetsky Islands, where it was posted by one of the camps "special forces". In St. Petersburg a place of remembrance of the victims have Lechaschau memorial cemetery, as well as the Solovetsky stone on Trinity square. A memorial in the Park to them.Gagarin gathers people around him in Samara, and Yekaterinburg opened the memorial to the victims of political repression on the Moscow road. To list these kind of places commemorating our history for a long time, but the main thing is that no there is no history of the nation, and the Russian people are well aware of. We can't afford to sink into oblivion and unconsciousness events of our past.

^ It's important to remember both the good and the bad in your past. ^


Праздники России
"День памяти жертв политических репрессий"

30 октября каждого года в России отмечается День памяти жертв политических репрессий, от которых, по подсчетам Правозащитного центра Мемориал, пострадали около восьмисот тысяч людей. Публикации в СМИ списков репрессированных начались еще в 1988-1989 годах, а в некоторых районах даже подготовили специальные «Книги памяти», где были помещены имена и небольшие биографические справки о пострадавших. 30 октября в школах России проводятся специальные памятные уроки, на которые приглашаются свидетели тех ужасных событий и реабилитированные. А в городах проходят траурные акции, митинги, возложение цветов и венков к памятникам репрессированным. То есть, мы все делаем для того, чтобы сохранить нашу историческую память, отдать честь людям, которые погибли за свои идеи. В частности, в Москве ежегодно у Соловецкого камня проводят траурный митинг. Интересно, что Соловецкий камень (большой гранитный валун) привезли с Соловецких островов, где был размещен один из лагерей «особого назначения». В Санкт-Петербурге местом памяти о пострадавших есть Лешавское мемориальное кладбище, а также Соловецкий камень на Троицкой площади. Знак памяти в парке им.Гагарина ежегодно собирает людей вокруг себя в Самаре, а в Екатеринбурге открыт мемориал жертв политических репрессий на Московском тракте. Перечислять такие своеобразные места чествования исторической памяти можно еще очень долго, но главным остается то, что без истории не существует нации, и русский народ это хорошо понимает. Мы не можем позволить погрузиться в небытие и беспамятство событий нашего прошлого.


Repression Day


Saturday, October 28, 2017

PC Halloween

From the BBC:
"Have Halloween costume bans in Canada gone too far?"

Canadian schools are wrestling with how to guide students and parents towards Halloween costumes that aren't considered offensive or culturally insensitive. In early October, a Canadian school board emailed a checklist "Is my costume appropriate?" to parents planning their children's Halloween costumes.  Fuschia Martians, mythical creatures, and animals got the all clear.  On the what not to wear list for 31 October - cowboy and Indian costumes, slaves, terrorist, gypsy, Rastafarian and "urban ghetto resident". The checklist from the Conseil scolaire Viamonde, which oversees 51 schools in Ontario, was criticised as an example of political correctness gone haywire.   But school board spokeswoman Claire Francoeur said the guidelines, first sent out in 2016, has generally garnered positive reactions from parents.  She says complaints mostly stemmed from stressed parents frustrated at "having another thing to think about" or who had hoped to recycle old costumes that failed the checklist.   The board believes strongly in its values of "respect for each other" and that includes Halloween, Francoeur says.  "We live in a society that has changed a lot in the past 10, 15 years," she says. "So this is another change."  Educators are trying to navigate the holiday where costumes must be neither too gory nor too scary, as well as age-appropriate and culturally sensitive.  In Winnipeg, a primary school became so bogged down in debate it scrapped Halloween altogether.  The date 31 October is now being celebrated as "tie and scarf" day, one of four themed costume days the school settled on instead of celebrating Halloween.  In 2011, Ohio University launched the "We're a Culture Not a Costume" campaign.  Similar campaigns have subsequently been adopted across North America, including by Canadian universities and primary and secondary schools.  Costumes have become a fraught issue on Canadian university campuses too.   Student unions have taken steps to avoid controversies like the 2014 one at Ontario's Brock University, where white students dressed in blackface as a Jamaican bobsleigh team and won a prize for a get-up decried as racist.  Brock University's student union now vets the costumes of people attending their annual Halloween party and refuses entry to participants who don't to comply with costume rules.  The no-no list includes: black face, traditional or religious head dresses, geisha costumes, and Day of the Dead makeup. Last November, Queen's University said it would investigate after photos of students at a party dressed as Buddhist monks, Middle East sheiks and Vietcong was published online, sparking controversy.  At Waterloo University, the student union has launched an "I am not your costume" social media campaign. "Making someone else's culture and/or identity a caricature for you to wear for one night is a terrible costume idea," the group says on its website.   But not everyone thinks dressing up as someone not of your culture or race is automatically problematic.   Ottawa writer Kate Jaimet wrote an op-ed for the Toronto Star - provocatively titled "The Halloween ethno-police frighten me" - after her four-year-old daughter was told she couldn't dress as a "Native princess".  "The message my daughter got was that she could not pretend - could not even imagine herself - to be a Native person," Jaimet wrote.  Jaimet says she heard from some indigenous readers who explained to her why they felt the costume was inappropriate,  "I've realised that a child's Halloween costume is not a hill to die on and that if agreeing that non-indigenous people shouldn't dress up as indigenous people for Halloween is part of what it takes to have better race relations in this country, then I can accept that," she told the BBC.  "But I don't think that we should generalise that to saying that no child should wear a costume from any different culture, or that no artist should represent different cultures in their work, or that no one should incorporate the traditions or wisdom of other cultures into their lives." Jaimet's daughter eventually dressed as an angel.  At Conseil scolaire Viamonde, students who show up in costumes that are "subject of discussion" aren't sent home. Instead, they're used to start in-class conversations.  Schools and boards across Canada have since reached out to Viamonde asking for copies of the checklist.  "For people who say we're alone in this - I don't think so," says Francoeur.

^ Places around the world are obsessively becoming too PC and this is another example of going to the wrong extreme. These are the same kind of people who would rather live in a sterile bubble rather than experience life and having fun. I bet they hand-out pennies rather than candy (or they would but Canada stopped minting pennies years ago.) There are a handful of costumes that should be banned (ie blackface, Holocaust-related, etc.) but all the rest should be fair-game.  ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41768859

Scotland Apology

From the BBC:
"Gay men to receive Scottish government apology"

The first minister is to apologise on behalf of the Scottish government to gay men convicted of now-abolished sexual offences. Nicola Sturgeon will make the apology at Holyrood on 7 November to coincide with new legislation giving an automatic pardon to those affected. The legislation was promised by Ms Sturgeon when she presented her programme for government in September. The law will also allow the removal of such crimes from criminal records.  A Scottish government spokesman said that Ms Sturgeon would apologise to those convicted prior to 2001 under discriminatory laws against same-sex sexual activity that is now legal.  He added: "The apology will be made on behalf of the Scottish government for the treatment of homosexual men under previous governments and will coincide with the introduction of legislation to provide people convicted under these laws an automatic pardon. "The bill will right a historic wrong and give justice to those who found themselves unjustly criminalised simply because of who they loved." The legislation was first confirmed by Justice Secretary Michael Matheson in October last year. He announced plans for automatic pardons just days after similar legislation was scuppered at Westminster.  That happened after a private member's bill by the SNP's John Nicolson, which would have pardoned all men living with UK convictions, was "talked out" of the Commons. The UK government failed to support that private members bill in favour of bringing forward its own plans.  Under its Policing and Crime Act, gay and bisexual men convicted of now-abolished sexual offences in England and Wales received posthumous pardons. Those who are living can be pardoned after the secretary of state agrees the conduct is no longer criminal. Tim Hopkins, director of the Equality Network, said: "The apology is important because it shows that it was the discriminatory laws that were wrong, and not the consensual relationships that were made criminal by those laws.  "We look forward to seeing the detail of the bill. "If it implements the policy announced by the Scottish government, it will be a hugely important statement that Scotland regrets the discrimination of the past, and now considers its LGBTI people to be fully equal citizens who deserve equal respect. "It will also be of direct practical importance to people who currently have one of these convictions show up on criminal record checks for jobs or volunteer posts."

^ It is important to admit the mistakes of the past and an official is a major step in doing that. ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-41788247

Friday, October 27, 2017

JFK Points

From the BBC:
"JFK files: The key points about the 1963 assassination"

Thousands of previously classified documents relating to the assassination of President John F Kennedy in 1963 have been released by the US government.  As people examine all 2,800 files, here are the most interesting points so far. NB many files contain unverified raw intelligence.

FBI concerned about conspiracy theories

In a memo written the day Oswald was killed, FBI director J Edgar Hoover expressed concern about the spread of conspiracy theories. "The thing I am concerned about is having something issued so that we can convince the public that Oswald is the real assassin," he said.

Oswald spoke to a KGB officer

A memo from the CIA, based on an intercepted phone call, suggests Oswald spoke with a KGB officer at the Russian embassy in Mexico City.  It says that on 28 September 1963 he spoke with Valeriy Vladimirovich Kostikov, an "identified KGB officer" who worked for a department "responsible for sabotage and assassination". Oswald later called the embassy and, in "broken Russian", asked if there was "anything new concerning the telegram to Washington".

FBI warned police to protect the killer

Lee Harvey Oswald, who shot and killed President Kennedy, was quickly arrested and charged. But two days later Oswald was shot dead in the basement of the Dallas police department by Jack Ruby, a local nightclub owner. But could more have been done to protect him? One memo reveals the FBI had warned Dallas police of a death threat made against Oswald. FBI director J Edgar Hoover said: "We at once notified the chief of police and he assured us Oswald would be given sufficient protection. However, this was not done."

Kennedy's death worried the USSR

The idea of a leaderless United States did not appeal to some Soviet officials. They "were fearful that without leadership, some irresponsible general in the United States might launch a missile at the Soviet Union", according to one memo. It also says the Soviets were "convinced the assassination was not the deed of one man" but rather a "carefully planned campaign in which several people played a part".

Private detectives tried to spy on Kennedy

An FBI memo from before Kennedy was elected president describes attempts by a private detective to spy on the then senator. It says a "high priced Hollywood call girl" told FBI agents that private detective Fred Otash had contacted her to ask about Senator Kennedy's involvement in "sex parties". The private detective also suggested equipping the woman with "a recording device" to take down any "indiscreet statements" from Senator Kennedy.  She refused, and said she was unaware of any "indiscretions".

British paper received an anonymous call

One memo describes how a British local newspaper, the Cambridge News, received an anonymous call about "some big news" in the US, just 25 minutes before the assassination. "The caller said only that the Cambridge News reporter should call the American embassy in London for some big news and then hung up", it says. A copy of the memo was released by the National Archives in the US in July, but had gone unreported.

Was a US president in the Ku Klux Klan?

An FBI report alleges that President Lyndon B Johnson, who took office after President Kennedy was killed, may have been a member of the KKK. An informant said the white supremacist group had "documented proof that President Johnson was formerly a member of the Klan in Texas during the early days of his political career". However, no proof was provided.


^ It may be 54 years since JFK was assassinated, but people (within the US and around the world) are still so interested in everything related to it. I have to admit I am one of those people. ^


http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41774066

Helmy Honored

From the BBC:
"Israel honours first recognised Arab Holocaust savior"

The only Arab to be awarded Israel's highest honour for saving Jews during the Nazi Holocaust has posthumously received his award. Egyptian doctor Mohamed Helmy hid a young Jewish woman and helped her family in Berlin, where he lived and had worked before World War Two. A descendant of Dr Helmy, who died in 1982, was presented with the award at a ceremony in the city. Some 70 Muslims are among 26,500 non-Jews recognised by Israel as saviours.  Mohamed Helmy had settled in Berlin in 1922, where he studied medicine and worked at a hospital. He himself suffered racial discrimination under the Nazis, lost his job and was twice arrested.  As persecution of Germany's Jews intensified, Dr Helmy provided a hiding place for one of his patients, 21-year-old Anna Boros, at a property he owned in the city.  He managed to shelter her from the Gestapo and provide assistance to her mother, stepfather and grandmother until the end of the war in 1945. Later on, Anna Boros, wrote: "Dr Helmy did everything for me out of the generosity of his heart, and I will be grateful to him for all eternity." Dr Helmy was recognised by Yad Vashem - Israel's national Holocaust Memorial institution - as Righteous Among the Nations in 2013. His award was presented to his great-nephew, Nasser Kotby - also a doctor - at the Israeli embassy in Berlin. Anna Boros's daughter also came from New York to honour him at the event.


^ It's important to remember every non-Jew who helped Jews during the Holocaust just as it's important to remember every Jew who was either murdered or survived. ^


Thursday, October 26, 2017

New Snow

From TWC:
"New Type of Snow Warning Will Be Issued by the National Weather Service This Winter"

A new type of snow warning will be issued by the National Weather Service (NWS) this winter to convey the danger travelers face from an extreme reduction in visibility during short-term bursts of heavy snow. A snow squall warning will be issued when conditions warrant by seven NWS offices in the Lower 48 starting in early January. Snow squalls have historically been a contributor to major highway pileups due to their brief but intense snowfall rates, which drop visibility at moments notice while slickening roads. Snow squalls can occur in situations where there is no major large-scale winter storm in progress and may only produce minor accumulations. "Annual highway fatalities from these events can exceed fatalities due to tornadoes in many years," the NWS said in its product description for the new snow squall warning.   The seven NWS offices that can issue the snow squall warnings starting on or about Jan. 3 are State College, Pennsylvania; Buffalo, New York; Binghamton, New York; Burlington, Vermont; Detroit; Pittsburgh and Cheyenne, Wyoming. Some of the above-mentioned locations near the Great Lakes are prone to lake-effect snow squalls. In general, these snow squall warnings will be of short duration and specify a localized area similar to what you would see with a tornado, severe thunderstorm or flash flooding warning. As with all other warnings the NWS issues, they are targeted at state and local officials, media, the general public and others.

If snow squall warning is issued for your area, the NWS has this advice:
  • Consider avoiding or delaying travel until the snow squall passes your location.
  • If you must travel, use extra caution and allow extra time.
  • Rapid changes in visibility and slick road conditions may lead to accidents.

^ It's important to know the different types of weather hazards (including the different types of snow.) I live in a place that gets snow squalls and could really use these new alerts since it will help me decide whether to drive to my mailbox or not. Of course when I look out the window and see heavy snow that also tells me. ^

EU Record

From the DW:
"EU to implement border fingerprint checks similar to United States"

The EU will soon establish a database of fingerprints and other biometric data for visitors from the US and other countries outside the bloc. The move aims to improve security, but some see an attack on human rights.  Non-Americans traveling to the United States will be familiar with the procedure: once you arrive, you have to go through immigration where you'll be finger-printed and a picture of your face is taken. Now the European Union wants to introduce similar security measures for all travelers from non-member states who enter the EU for business or pleasure. On Wednesday, lawmakers in the EU Parliament voted in favor of a new Entry-Exit System (EES) that calls for third-country nationals entering the EU to be fingerprinted and photographed at the border. This biometric data, along with the personal information on their travel documents as well as entry, exit or refusal of entry information, will be stored for up to four years and will be accessible to law enforcement, border control and visa authorities. In addition to EU nationals, citizens of countries in the Schengen Zone of visa-free travel will be exempt from the new system.   Supporters of the regulation say the EES will make immigration more efficient for travelers and help authorities detect if someone is overstaying their visa in the EU. Monika Hohlmeier, a German member of the European People's Party (EPP), said she was in favor of adopting the EES because it would make it easier to determine who is in the EU legally at any given time — and who needed to leave. Dimitris Avramopoulos, the European commissioner for migration, said EU authorities "need to know exactly who is entering the EU." The system is also supposed to increase security in the EU, since the passenger data would be available to EUROPOL, where it would serve "to prevent, detect and investigate terrorist offenses or other serious crimes on certain specified conditions," an explanatory text on the EU Parliament's website states.  In his 2017 State of the Union Letter of Intent, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker had called upon the European Parliament and the Council to pass the EES by the end of 2018. Now the system is set to start operations in 2020 after receiving approval from EU member state leaders. While the EU's estimate said the project will cost €480 million ($567 million), critics have said the final costs could be more than twice as high. "We are in dire need of more funding in the EU to surveil actually suspicious people, not irrelevant, innocent ones," Jan Philipp Albrecht, a member of the Greens in the European Parliament, told DW. Cost is only one issue critics have with the new system. In September 2016, the office of the European Data Protection Supervisor warned that the EES data storage could be intrusive and not in accordance with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. A study commissioned by the Greens/ European Free Alliance group in the EU Parliament and conducted by the University of Luxembourg went one step further. Its authors found the EES would violate fundamental EU rights by indiscriminately gathering travelers' information regardless of whether they were suspected of a crime and by storing the data long after a visitor's stay in the EU had come to an end. Albrecht said adopting these regulations for non-EU travelers is a clear act of hypocrisy. In July, the European Court of Justice had clarified that Canada would not be allowed to store data of EU travelers that was gathered at immigration. Personal and biometric information has to be deleted as soon as the traveler's stay in Canada is over, unless there's objective evidence of criminal activity or reasonable suspicion of terrorism, according to the European court. "I can't believe that EU law restricts what Canadian authorities can do with EU citizens' data more than what EU authorities can do with Canadians' data," Albrecht said. Fundamental rights in the European Union, including the right to privacy and the right to protection of one's personal data, are granted to all people independent of their citizenship — not just EU citizens.   Albrecht said instead of introducing a new, expensive and potentially illegal system, the EU should improve one that is already in place. "We do have the Schengen Information System, which covers the data of suspicious and risky persons," he said. "Whenever someone crosses into the Schengen area, their passport is checked against this database. We need to improve this so that more member states exchange more relevant data about suspects and criminals. But instead we're investing in a new system." The EU parliamentarian also criticized the double-standard that he said is developing in the EU.   "Many people over the last years told me they were very upset about the fact that they were subject to blanket suspicion when traveling to the United States, for example, or about the wide-spread NSA surveillance," Albrecht said. "When we are subject to an unproportionate invasion of our privacy, that's absolutely wrong. But if it's us doing the same thing to other people in the world, then we don't care."


^ I don't like any of these systems (regardless of what country has them) but they are there and so countries can use them if they want. I do think it is hypocritical that the EU "cries" about Canada's system when they are going to create the same thing, but that's the sort of thing the EU does. They "cry" about border walls and yet allow their member-states to build border walls of their own. ^

http://www.dw.com/en/eu-to-implement-border-fingerprint-checks-similar-to-united-states/a-41111621

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Powerful Passport

From USA Today:
"Want the most powerful passport in the world? It's time to become a citizen of Singapore"

The tiny nation of Singapore now has the most powerful passport in the world. According to the Passport Index, which tabulates the number of countries that holders of passports can enter either visa-free or by gaining a visa on arrival, holders of the Asian city-state’s travel documents can cross borders most smoothly. The No. 1 spot comes after a recent decision by Paraguay to remove visa requirements for those carrying Singapore’s passport, meaning 159 countries can now be easily visited. The index, which is an online tool that ranks the world's passports by their cross-border ease of access, was developed by Canada-based international residence and citizenship advisory firm Arton Capital. In a statement, Philippe May, managing director of Arton Capital’s Singapore office, said the ranking “is a testament of Singapore’s inclusive diplomatic relations and effective foreign policy.” Until Paraguay’s decision, Singapore, which is the first Asian nation to head the rankings, was tied with Germany with a score of 158. Germany is now in second place, followed by Sweden and South Korea at 157. Meanwhile, the index brought bad news for American passport holders. According to Arton Capital, since President Trump took office, Americans have become less welcome across the globe, with Turkey and the Central African Republic being the most recent nations to revoke visa-free status, leaving the U.S. with a score of 154 and behind 18 other nations. At the bottom of the list? Afghanistan, with a score of 22.

New Top 10 Passport Power Ranking:
1. 159 – Singapore
2. 158 – Germany
3. 157 – Sweden, South Korea
4. 156 – Denmark, Finland, Italy, France, Spain, Norway, Japan, United Kingdom
5. 155 – Luxemburg, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Portugal
6. 154 – Malaysia, Ireland, Canada, United States of America
7. 153 – Austria, Greece, New Zealand
8. 152 – Malta, Czech Republic, Iceland
9. 150 – Hungary
10. 149 – Slovenia, Slovakia, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia


^ I am always interested to see this list and which major countries fall on it. ^


Honoring Filipino Soldiers

From USA Today:
"Fought and forgotten: Filipino World War II veterans honored with medal 75 years later"

Filipino veterans of World War II will be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal on Wednesday, after a lengthy battle for national recognition of their U.S. military service and sacrifices nearly 75 years ago. The medal is the highest civilian award and will be presented at a ceremony in the U.S. Capitol to honor the 260,000 Filipinos who fought alongside American forces during the war and more than 57,000 Filipino troops who died. Their service began in 1941, when President Franklin Roosevelt created the U.S. Army Forces of the Far East, offering full veterans’ benefits to Filipinos who enlisted. The Philippines at that time was a U.S. commonwealth, and Filipinos were U.S. nationals. But once the war ended, the benefits were quickly rescinded by President Harry Truman in 1946, and the Filipinos who served were stripped of their status as U.S. veterans. The Philippines was singled out from the 66 nations allied with the U.S. during the war. Many relatives and supporters of the veterans say not nearly enough has been done to recognize their sacrifices.   “If you look at what they did, why? The services that were rendered by the Filipinos was nothing,” said World War II veteran Remigio Cabacar, 90, a native of the Philippines who lives in Fort Washington, Md. Celestino Almeda, 100, is a Filipino World War II veteran who immigrated to the U.S. in 1996 and lives in Gaithersburg, Md. During a protest about a decade ago, he said he chained himself to the White House fence because the U.S. was not providing the benefits promised to veterans like him. "Why was America turning their back away from the veterans?” Almeda recalled.  Now, Almeda plans to be at Wednesday's ceremony and is scheduled to give remarks.  “This is not only my triumph to receive the medal, but the triumph of my colleagues who were with me, but unluckily some of them passed away." Almeda said.  The Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project, established in 2014, pushed for legislation to bestow the medal to the veterans, and President Barack Obama signed it into law on Dec. 14, 2016. "It was historical. It was a phenomenal achievement, not just for our group but for our entire country and also for the Philippines,” said Antonio Taguba, chairman of the recognition project and a retired U.S. Army major general.  The group plans to place the gold medal in a museum and will create an educational program to preserve the history of the Filipino veterans. “We ought to have this as a great celebration," Taguba said. “And we say to our veterans, thank you, thank you, thank you, for your service to this country."


^ It's a disgrace that the US would promise something when they were desperate and then rescind the offer. The Philippines was a US Commonwealth until 1946 and the Filipinos fought both alongside regular US soldiers and later (after the US surrendered the Philippines) fought in the jungles and cities against the Japanese. Their service should be praised and honored (as should the original agreement.) Many of the Filipino soldiers are dead now, but hopefully the US Government can do something to make up for their past mistake to the families. ^


US Interviews

From USA Today:
"New 'security interviews' to begin for fliers on U.S.-bound flights"

Travelers on international flights to the United States may face longer check-in and boarding queues this week as new U.S. security requirements kick in.  A set of new security measures for U.S.-bound flights takes effect Thursday, part of an effort by the Department of Homeland Security to scrutinize electronics brought onboard commercial airliners. Ahead of that deadline, at least four large global carriers said they have started new "security interviews" for all passengers on U.S.-bound flights. Those airlines said that has come at the request of the U.S. Other global airlines that fly to the U.S. will likely do the same.  The changes come after a previous ban the U.S. imposed on carry-on laptops and other electronics from certain airports in Turkey, the Middle East and Africa. The ban was instituted in March but was unwound by July following new U.S. security requirements.  Vaughn Jennings, a spokesman for Airlines for America, a trade group representing most of the largest carriers, said airlines are working with the Department of Homeland Security to achieve the shared goals of enhancing security while minimizing the impact on travelers. “While these are complex security measures, the flexibility provided by DHS has helped to ensure that carriers remain compliant,” Jennings said. “As always, the safety and security of passengers and crew is the highest priority for U.S. airlines and we remain committed to ensuring the highest levels of security are in place throughout the industry.”  A spokesman for the International Air Transport Association, a trade group that represents airlines worldwide, said:  “The new measures raise the bar on aviation security. They have required a significant amount of work on the part of airlines and airports. TSA has demonstrated flexibility and a willingness to work with industry to achieve the goals of the new measures.  Over the longer term  there needs to be a greater focus on mutual recognition of states’ measures and more of a risk-based approach when choosing locations for enhanced security measures.” Among global airlines, Dubai-based Emirates said passengers flying to the U.S. on its flights would now face "pre-screening interviews" at its check-in counters for passengers. Also affected would be fliers connecting to the U.S. via its hub in Dubai. The carrier has advised customers to allow extra time for both check-in and boarding. "These measures will work in complement with the current additional screening measures conducted at the boarding gate," Emirates said in a statement. Lufthansa, which has one of the biggest U.S. presences among European airlines, offered similar guidance.  "In addition to the controls of electronic devices already introduced, travelers to the U.S.A. might now also face short interviews at check-in, document check or gate," Lufthansa said in a statement. Cathay Pacific of Hong Kong offered a similar advisory, adding fliers checking in without bags may face similar interviews at the gate.  EgyptAir also issued an advisory to its fliers ahead of the Thursday deadline, with other airlines likely to do the same. Homeland Security, which includes the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), announced the measures on June 28 to better detect explosives hidden in electronics and to thwart airport workers from smuggling bombs onto planes. At the time, the agency described the measures a new baseline for worldwide aviation security. Steps included enhanced screening of passengers and electronic devices, as well as heightened security standards for aircraft and airports.   “As we move forward, TSA will continue to work closely with our aviation partners and verify that all security enhancements are accurately implemented,” said TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein. “As threats continue to evolve, we and our partners around the world, will continue to work together to improve intelligence sharing and standardize best practices, while also pursuing technological advancements that will make flying more secure for everyone.” The measures apply to 180 airlines flying to the USA from 280 airports in 105 countries. About 325,000 people fly to the USA on 2,000 flights daily. DHS said in June that if airlines don’t meet the standards, they could face a laptop ban for carry-on and checked bags on flights to the U.S.   Domestically, Homeland Security’s TSA also has been ramping up security screening. Travelers in standard TSA checkpoint lines at airports will have to remove all electronics larger than cellphones from carry-on bags and place them in a separate bin with nothing else above or below for X-ray screening. Travelers in Precheck lanes will be able to leave electronics in their bags as they now do with laptops. TSA’s goal is to get a clearer view of belongings in the jumble of carry-on bags after intelligence suggested terrorists have found better ways to hide explosives in electronics.

^  There was a "Passport Check" at the gate done by Swiss Airlines when I going from Zurich to Boston a few weeks ago. We weren't asked any questions, but did see several people go behind a curtain and didn't wait to see if they ever came out. Not sure how effective these new "interviews" will be (they are being done by regular airline employees after all) but hopefully they don't drastically affect passengers. ^


Kurds' Offer

From the BBC:
"Iraqi Kurds offer to 'freeze' independence referendum result"



Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan Region has offered to "freeze" the result of September's referendum on independence and begin dialogue with Baghdad. A statement also proposed a ceasefire "in order to prevent further violence and clashes" triggered by the launch of a Iraqi military operation last week. It saw troops and police retake control of disputed areas controlled by the Kurds since 2014, including Kirkuk. The Arab-led central government has yet to respond to the Kurdish offer. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has said the referendum, which saw people living in Kurdish-held areas overwhelmingly back secession, was illegal and has previously demanded that the result be annulled.
Meanwhile, Iran has re-opened a crossing on its frontier with the Kurdistan Region that it closed after the referendum - something it also opposed.  The Iraqi military's operation to retake the disputed areas, which were seized by Kurdish Peshmerga forces during the battle against so-called Islamic State, sparked clashes that left dozens dead and many more injured - including civilians. On Tuesday night, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) said both sides were "obliged to act responsibly" in order to prevent further bloodshed.  "Continued fighting does not lead any side to victory, but it will drive the country towards disarray and chaos, affecting all aspects of life," it warned.  The KRG called for an immediate ceasefire and halt to all military operations. It said it was also prepared to "freeze the result of the referendum" and "start an open dialogue" with the government in Baghdad "on the basis of the constitution". There was no immediate comment from Prime Minister Abadi, but an MP close to him told the BBC that the Kurds should annul the result.  Ali al-Alaq said that freezing the result would create a "time bomb" that the Kurdistan Region "could throw at the central government whenever it wishes". The Popular Mobilisation (Hashd al-Shaabi), a powerful paramilitary force dominated by Iranian-backed Shia Arab militias, also demanded an annulment. On Tuesday, Amnesty International said it had been told by displaced residents of the town of Tuz Khurmatu, south of Kirkuk, that members of the Popular Mobilisation and ethnic Turkmen fighters had looted, set on fire and destroyed hundreds of properties in predominantly Kurdish areas. The residents also reported that at least 11 civilians were killed in indiscriminate attacks involving mortars, rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine-guns. Amnesty said it was unable to determine which parties were responsible. The UN has said almost 35,000 civilians have fled Tuz Khurmatu since 16 October.


^ This continues to show the Iraqi Kurds'  patience and gives them an even better standing around the world (to those of us who know just how much they have sacrificed and worked for over the decades.) ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-41744376

Opening Amazon

From the BBC:
"Amazon service will let couriers open front doors"

Amazon is launching a service that will let couriers open people's front doors and put deliveries inside. Users of Amazon Key will need a smart lock and Cloud Cam camera.  Couriers will scan a package barcode and once the delivery has been verified online, the camera will start recording and the delivery person will be able to unlock the door using an app. One analyst said consumers would have to be convinced the system was secure if they were to use it. Users will be able to choose to watch the delivery live or receive a short video after the drop-off.   Compatible smart locks include models made by Yale and Kwikset. The system can also be used to give access to dog walkers, cleaners or visiting guests. The online shopping giant has long sought ways of improving delivery convenience for customers - including a trial with Audi in 2015 in which packages were deposited in car boots.  "Amazon seems to be on an unstoppable mission to own every aspect of the home," said CCS Insight analyst Ben Wood. Mr Wood said he used a video doorbell and smart lock to give couriers access to his garage. He said asking customers to make their front doors accessible might be more difficult. "My understanding is there's an awful lot of work being done to make connected locks secure," he said, in order to address security concerns. "But it would only take a few incidents to stop this dead in the water - people wouldn't want to have something on their front door if they felt it wasn't secure."  Last month, Amazon rival Nest launched new smart home products, including an internet-connected intruder alarm and a video-streaming doorbell that could be paired with a Yale smart lock. This too allows doors to be unlocked remotely, giving access to friends or couriers. Amazon Key will initially be available in 37 US cities where the firm's own courier, Amazon Logistics, will handle deliveries. "These individuals are thoroughly vetted, with comprehensive background checks and motor vehicle records reviews," Amazon says. Users with home security systems will need to disarm them on delivery day in order to allow couriers access. Amazon also recommends not using in-home delivery if a pet can reach the front door. The Amazon-made Cloud Cam camera costs $120 (£90) and a bundle with a smart lock and free installation will be available for $249.99.


^ This is beyond creepy and I would never use it. ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-41747074

Moderate Crown

From the BBC:
"Crown prince says Saudis want return to moderate Islam"

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said the return of "moderate Islam" is key to his plans to modernise the Gulf kingdom. He told reporters that 70% of the Saudi population was under 30 and that they wanted a "life in which our religion translates to tolerance". The prince vowed to "eradicate the remnants of extremism very soon".  He made the comments after announcing the investment of $500bn (£381bn) in a new city and business zone. Dubbed NEOM, it will be situated on 26,500 sq km (10,230 sq miles) of Saudi Arabia's north-western Red Sea coast, near Egypt and Jordan.  Saudi Arabia's royal family and religious establishment adhere to an austere form of Sunni Islam known as Wahhabism, and the king styles himself as the guardian of Islam's two holiest sites.
Islamic codes of behaviour and dress are strictly enforced in the kingdom. Last year, Prince Mohammed unveiled a wide-ranging plan to bring social and economic change to the oil-dependent kingdom known as Vision 2030. As part of those reforms, the 32-year-old has proposed the partial privatisation of the state oil company, Saudi Aramco, and the creation of the world's largest sovereign wealth fund.  And in September his father, King Salman, announced that a ban on women drivers would end next year, despite long-standing opposition from religious conservatives. The government also wants to invest in the entertainment sector. Concerts are once again being held and cinemas are expected to return soon. Prince Mohammed defended the reforms at an economic conference in Riyadh on Tuesday that drew foreign investors and dignitaries. "We are returning to what we were before - a country of moderate Islam that is open to all religions, traditions and people around the globe," he said. "We want to live a normal life. A life in which our religion translates to tolerance, to our traditions of kindness," he added. "Seventy percent of the Saudi population is under 30, and honestly we will not spend the next 30 years of our lives dealing with destructive ideas. We will destroy them today and at once." The prince stressed that Saudi Arabia "was not like this before 1979", when there was an Islamic revolution in Iran and militants occupied Mecca's Grand Mosque.  Afterwards, public entertainment in Saudi Arabia was banned and clerics were given more control over public life.


^ Hopefully these reforms will translate from words to laws and actions. Saudi Arabia has been pretty repressive over the decades and needs to move into the second decade of the 21st Century. ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-41747476

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Sobchak On Crimea

From UNIAN:
"Putin's rival Ksenia Sobchak: Crimea belongs to Ukraine under law"

Russian journalist Ksenia Sobchak, the daughter of Vladimir Putin's political mentor and the late St. Petersburg Mayor Anatoly Sobchak, says that Crimea belongs to Ukraine under international law. "Let me be clear about what I really think of it – I won't dodge or evade an answer. Crimea belongs to Ukraine from the point of view of international law. Period," Sobchak, who has recently announced plans to run for president in Russia next March, said at a press conference in Moscow on Tuesday, October 24, answering a question from an UNIAN correspondent in Russia. "We [Russia] did not keep our promise, we breached the Budapest Memorandum of 1994. We gave our word but we were not true to it," she added. In her words, this is "a big problem," and this subject will be actively discussed during her presidential campaign to "look for some ways out." Sobchak says she sees Ukraine as the most important partner of Russia, and seeking an improvement in bilateral relations "is the most important task." "As an average person, a woman named Ksenia Sobchak, I can tell you the most important thing that Russia and Ukraine should do now is to restore our friendship at any cost," she said.


^  She not only hosted "Dom 2" ("House 2") from 2004 - 2012, but also went to Moscow State Institute of International Relations (the Harvard of Russia.) It would be great if she won (for Russia, for the Ukraine, for the Crimea, for the US and for the world), but I don't see that happening. ^

https://www.unian.info/politics/2204939-putins-rival-ksenia-sobchak-crimea-belongs-to-ukraine-under-law.html

9 Weeks


Monday, October 23, 2017

Service Tightening

From Disability Scoop:
"States Tightening The Leash On Fake Service Dogs"

Chris Slavin was in an elevator a couple years ago with Earle, her yellow lab service dog, sitting calmly beside her wheelchair. The elevator doors opened and in walked a woman holding a purse. In the purse was a teacup poodle the color of apricots. The doors closed just as the poodle spotted Earle. That’s when the trouble started. In an instant, the poodle leaped from the purse, flung himself at Earle, and clamped his teeth into the bigger dog’s snout, leaving Earle bleeding onto the elevator floor. “As soon as this occurred the woman said the poodle was a service dog,” said Slavin, who has a severe spinal injury that requires use of the wheelchair. “She then said he wasn’t a service dog but an emotional support dog. Finally, she admitted he was a pet she just wanted to bring in the building with her.”  Incidents like that one in Reading, Mass., not far from where Slavin lives in Danvers, have spurred 19 states to enact laws cracking down on people who try to pass off their pets as service animals. The push has been gathering steam in recent years: Virginia implemented its new law in 2016, and Colorado followed suit this year. Massachusetts is now considering a similar proposal. “Today, any pet owner can go online and buy a vest for a dog to pass it off as a service animal to gain access to restaurants, hotels and places of business,” said Republican state Rep. Kimberly Ferguson, who introduced the Massachusetts bill. “Their animals aren’t trained and end up misbehaving in these public places, which gives real service dogs a bad name.” Service dogs, which are trained to perform tasks for a person with a disability, were first used by people with vision and hearing impairments. They are now also used by those who use wheelchairs or have other impairment in mobility, people who are prone to seizures or need to be alerted to medical conditions, like low blood sugar, and people with autism or mental illness. The American Humane Association, which promotes the welfare and safety of animals, says there are 20,000 service dogs working in the U.S. Supporters of the new laws compare those misbehaving dog owners to people who acquire handicap signs so they can park in spaces intended for people with disabilities. The laws make it a misdemeanor to represent an untrained dog as a service animal, and usually come with fines of no more than $500 for an incident. But because there is no certification or official national registry of legitimate service dogs, there is no way to verify whether a dog has undergone rigorous training to become a service animal. That makes it hard to enforce the laws, said David Favre, a law professor at Michigan State University College of Law and editor of its Animal Legal and Historical Center website, which follows public policy issues related to animals. He said he’s not aware of anyone who has been prosecuted anywhere for violating them. Rather, he said, the laws are largely symbolic, and meant to educate dog owners as well as people who let pets into spaces where they don’t belong. “Maybe you can scare some people into being honest.” People who pass off their dogs as service animals in order to take them into stores, restaurants, libraries, sporting events and offices are a real problem, he said, for the proprietors of those establishments, their customers and people with disabilities who genuinely rely on the help of their service dogs. “A service animal is trained to be in public and to be under control and non-intrusive and not bark,” Favre said. “They are trained not to be a nuisance in any way. You should hardly even know they are there.” Because of Earle’s training as a service dog, Slavin said, when the poodle attacked him, “My dog never moved, never retaliated, never barked. He did nothing. That is the way a service dog is trained. They are not going to ever be aggressive. Ever.”  Earle performs many functions for Slavin. He picks up items she drops, retrieves keys, opens doors, puts objects like library books on counters that Slavin can’t reach, and returns change or credit cards to her after purchases. She credits Earle with “enabling me to truly become part of my community.” Service dogs receive up to two years of training, which can cost more than $40,000. Before they are placed, their new owners are often required to live at the training center for a week or two to learn about caring and interacting with their dogs. Many training centers provide the dogs free of charge to clients with disabilities, defraying their costs through fundraising. The waiting time for a service dog is often two years or longer. But for people who want to pass off their pet as a service dog, it’s easy enough to be convincing. Anyone can go online and purchase for about $20 the types of vests that legitimate service dogs usually wear. The vests may help the fake service dogs gain entry, but their behavior, and that of their owners, often gives them away. Trained service dogs don’t go off-leash, bark, knock things off shelves, jump on people, play or fight with other dogs or grab food off tables, trainers say. And owners of real service dogs don’t carry them in shopping carts or purses. “The rule is four on the floor,” with all four feet on the ground except when a dog is performing a task, said Katelynne Steinke of Cape Cod, Mass. who is paraplegic and has her own yellow lab service dog. The problem is that the proprietors of establishments where people bring their dogs have no way of determining whether a dog is a real service animal. The Americans with Disabilities Act requires all places open to the public, such as businesses, government agencies and entertainment venues, to give access to service dogs and their owners. And it permits them to ask only two questions: whether the dog is required because of a disability and what tasks the dog is trained to perform. It is illegal to request documentation for the dog or to ask the nature of the owner’s disability. There’s another complication: the growing use of “emotional support dogs,” which are intended to provide comfort to those with anxiety or other emotional problems. Some of them may have received special training, although nothing as rigorous as the training for service dogs. (Emotional support dogs are not covered under the ADA and can legally be denied access.) Some service dog owners say many businesses, unable to tell fake service dogs from real ones, allow all of them in. Many owners of service dogs avoid those places for fear of exposing their animals to danger from untrained dogs. Other businesses, they say, simply bar all dogs from the premises, even if it violates the ADA. The National Disability Rights Network, which advocates on behalf of people with disabilities, is sympathetic to those who want to crack down on pet owners who misrepresent their dogs as service animals. But Ken Shiotani, a senior staff attorney with the organization, said the laws should aim to educate, rather than punish, and the penalties for violations should be minimal. “We want to have a positive impact on people to help them realize that what they’ve done has this very negative effect.”
Advocates for the laws agree. Cathy Zemaitis, who helped draft the Massachusetts bill and is director of development for National Education for Assistance Dog Services, a Massachusetts group that says it has trained over 1,700 dogs since 1976, said the laws should launch a national effort to teach people not to put dogs in situations they are not trained for — and to educate the public on the need for legitimately trained dogs. The long-term goal, Zemaitis said, is the creation of a national certification program and registry for legitimately trained service dogs. “This is the beginning of a much larger conversation we need to have.”


^ This is becoming an issue in every part of the country and places many different groups, officials, organizations, businesses, etc. in a very difficult position. If a business owner questions a pet owner if their animal is a service animal they have to then take the word of the pet owner because if they don't then they will be seen as discriminating against the disabled. These fake service animals also place a greater strain on those that are disabled and have real service animals because people may not believe they are real service animals. There needs to be either a Federal or State (in all 50 States) program to certify service animals and some sort of proof that the animal is a certified service animal that can be carried around and shown when questioned - and that is hard to counterfeit. There also needs to be very strong punishments on people who lie about having a service animal. That is the only real way to discourage people. ^

https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2017/10/23/states-leash-fake-service-dogs/24328/

Boxes of Soap

I wish they still sold soap in boxes. It's so hard to find a good one to stand on.

Dr. Martin Stern

From the BBC:
"Holocaust survivor: 'I was arrested when I was five'"

 Hundreds of Londonderry children have been hearing a Holocaust survivor describe the horrors of life as a child in the Nazi concentration camps. Dr Martin Stern told pupils at St Patrick's and St Brigid's College, Claudy, of his arrest by the Gestapo at the age of five. He is on a week-long tour of schools across the north west. He said he hoped to give the children a "better understanding of ourselves as human beings". Pupils heard how his mother and father had fled Germany because it was illegal in 1938 for a German woman to marry a Jewish man.  They settled in Amsterdam, where Dr Stern fondly recalls feeding the ducks in Vondelpark with his mother.  Such idyllic childhood memories would soon be violently interrupted. "The Nazis invaded in May 1940 and I remember German soldiers on the street, the Dutch Nazi party marching in a brass band and I was told they were not nice people, but told in a very guarded way," he recalled. "If I had blurted that out outside of the home, I knew even then there were very serious consequences." At the age of five, the father- of-three was detained by the Gestapo while at school. His architect father had already "disappeared from the family home" and had been caught up in a gun battle where he shot two German soldiers.  He was subsequently sent to Auschwitz.  Dr Stern's mother had died while giving birth to his sister. The five-year-old boy was transported first to the interrogation centre in Westerbrok before being sent to Theresienstadt, a concentration camp in what is now the Czech Republic. "At that age you are not able to fully process the seriousness - it was terrible, miserable, but as a child you know nothing else." For children going to Theresienstadt, survival was very unlikely. About 15,000 children were sent there - only 2,600, at the most, are thought to have survived.  Now aged 78 and a retired immunologist, he said he hoped his own personal story would resonate with the young people he now educates about life in 1940s Europe. He said his work in schools has importance because "human violence is not confined to the holocaust, and exists all over the world". Dr Stern said: "Civilisation is such a thin shield and can be easily broken by frightening, chaotic circumstances.  "There is the tendency in all of us to blame others when things go wrong.  "I love talking to groups of kids, when they ask questions they come with fewer prejudices or preconceived ideas.  "That is essential in gaining understanding. He called for a "a revolution in education".  "Education that helps us understand the psychological and brain origins of violent behaviour needs to be part of the education of every child, everywhere and forever, not only here but all over the world," he said. "The reason we don't understand inter-communal violence is that we don't understand it, in that we don't truly understand ourselves. "It is very frustrating that this understanding does not exist," he added  Mrs Colleen O'Kane, head of history at the Claudy school, said the visit was "an enriching, unique and rewarding experience". "Our pupils have found what he has to say very emotive. "They are just in awe of what he is able to tell them and his level of detail." Dr Stern is visiting nine schools this week during his first visit to Northern Ireland, as well as addressing inmates at Magilligan Prison.


^ It is important to hear the Holocaust survivors now before there are none left to tell their important stories. ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-foyle-west-41721185

Returning Fighters

From the BBC:
"How real is the threat of returning IS fighters?"

Driven out of their de facto capital of Raqqa after three brutal years, IS fighters have lost much of the territory they once held. How real is the danger they will now travel to other countries to carry out attacks, asks Dr Lorenzo Vidino. As the self-declared Islamic State steadily crumbles in Iraq and Syria, security officials throughout the world are asking themselves a crucial question: what will happen to its fighters?  Roughly 30,000 foreign fighters joined IS and there is concern that these battle-hardened individuals will return home, or move elsewhere, carrying out terrorist attacks to avenge the demise of the "caliphate". While difficult to forecast, the changing fortunes of IS will undoubtedly have major implications for global security.   There are indications, including an assessment by US counter-terrorism officials, that some foreign fighters will stay in Syria and Iraq.  The head of the UK security service MI5 said this week that fewer than expected of the 800 Britons who joined IS had returned recently and that at least 130 had been killed.  Those foreign fighters who do remain are likely to continue with IS as the group morphs into what it was in its early days, some 10 years ago: a lethal insurgent force using tactics ranging from terrorist attacks to guerrilla warfare.  Foreign fighters have been over-represented among militants making last, desperate stands in the battles of Mosul and Raqqa. And many of them are now being tried in Iraqi courts, creating legal and moral dilemmas for many of their countries of origin, as some may face the death penalty. However, many other fighters have been leaving the "caliphate", mostly through the 822km (510 mile) long border between Turkey and Syria.   While Turkish authorities have been patrolling with significantly more zeal than in the past, mountainous terrain and the presence of sophisticated smuggling networks mean the border is quite permeable.  IS has a long-established support network throughout Turkey, which is playing a key role in extracting foreign fighters from Syria.  Given the scores of attacks that have bloodied the country over the last three years, Turkish authorities are understandably concerned about this influx.  Neighbouring countries, such as Jordan and Lebanon, have similar fears.   The potential end destinations for foreign fighters leaving Syria and Iraq are plentiful.  There is evidence that some have joined the official wilayat, or "provinces", IS has established in Yemen, the Sinai Peninsula, the North Caucasus and East Asia. The group also has a strong presence in Libya, where the US suggested last year that it had up to 6,500 fighters, and several hundred in Afghanistan, where the US reported killing at least 94 fighters in an attack on underground tunnels.   There are also anecdotal indications of militants travelling to conflicts in far flung places such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar and the Philippines.  The arrival of foreign fighters to these regions could strengthen the capabilities of local jihadist groups and change the course of sometimes devastating conflicts.  Many other foreign fighters are choosing to return to their countries of origin.  While some returnees may no longer engage in militant activities, others are establishing clandestine networks seeking to carry out attacks and, according to local circumstances, destabilise the country's political situation.  North African countries are particularly vulnerable to the risk - nowhere more so than Tunisia, as about 6,000 of its citizens left to join IS - the highest per capita rate in the world. Arab Gulf countries may also suffer from this type of blowback.  Russia, the Caucasus, and a number of Central Asian countries are also areas of concern, having seen large numbers join IS - many of whom went on to play a prominent role on the battlefield.  European authorities consider the return of some of the estimated 6,000 European foreign fighters a major security concern. To date, fewer than one in five individuals involved in attacks on the West since the "caliphate" was declared in 2014 had experience as foreign fighters, according to research by the Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI) and the George Washington University's Program on Extremism.  But this might change as the number of returnees - now estimated at roughly 1,000 - increases.  Many may show no sign of wishing to engage in further violent activities, but there is a valid concern that some may make use of their combat skills. It is plausible that they could use their network of contacts and "celebrity status" among unaffiliated jihad enthusiasts to plan terrorist attacks.  The territorial losses suffered by IS are not likely to affect the operational ability of these largely independent militants.  While significant problems still exist, European authorities have improved intelligence sharing to better detect returning fighters. And thanks to improved co-operation with Turkey, many militants have been arrested before they get any further. A few do manage to reach Europe illegally, or by posing as refugees - as some of the November 2015 Paris attackers did. But most foreign fighters will come to Europe legally, often using their genuine European passports.  If detecting them is a problem, working out what to do with them is equally fraught. Arresting them may be the obvious answer, but the reality is significantly more complicated.  The UK Home Office, for example, disclosed last year that of the 400 British foreign fighters who had returned from Syria and Iraq, only 54 were convicted. Similar dynamics can be observed throughout the continent.  What is preventing authorities from arresting, prosecuting and convicting returning foreign fighters?  It is mostly a legal matter, with lawmakers struggling to keep up with a constantly shifting threat environment.  While legislations vary from country to country, they share some common problems.  In some countries, joining a terrorist organisation or fighting in a foreign conflict were not criminal offences at the time when most individuals travelled to Syria.  Several countries have since introduced new laws which, however, cannot be applied retrospectively.  Even in countries where such actions have long constituted criminal offences, authorities struggle to gather the evidence needed to build a strong criminal case.  Knowing that somebody joined IS or committed atrocities in Syria from an intelligence perspective is one thing.  Being able to prove that beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law is another.  Even more complicated is the issue of children either born or raised in the "caliphate" by their foreign fighter parents.  The result is that authorities are overwhelmed, having to monitor hundreds of battle-hardened fighters, on top of the burgeoning number of home-grown IS sympathisers, in an attempt to determine which pose an immediate security threat.  Instead, authorities throughout Europe have increasingly invested in programmes seeking to deradicalise returning foreign fighters.  While it might be premature to definitively assess them, there are indications that some, like the one established in the Danish city of Aarhus - offering rehabilitation and inclusion in society, are effective.  Others, like the French plan to set up 12 deradicalisation centres, have been shelved.  


^ If a government willingly knows an ISIS terrorist returned to their country and does nothing to stop them - arresting them, putting them on trial and keeping them locked-up -  and that returning terrorist then commits a terrorist attack then those in that government who knew and did nothing are just as guilty as the terrorist. I don't see the programs of "re-integrating" returning terrorists as effective or smart. They should be kept out of the general population so they can't use a bomb, a car, a plane, a knife or a gun to kill. It is a very big issue that every country in the world needs to be concerned about. ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-41679377

Madrid Orders

From the BBC:
"Catalonia Spain: Officials 'won't follow orders from Madrid'"

Catalan authorities will not follow orders from the Spanish government if Madrid moves to reassert control over the region, a senior official says.  A regional government spokesman told the BBC that the central government was acting against the will of Catalans. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has announced plans to sack the region's government and curtail some of the powers of its parliament. The Catalan parliament will meet on Thursday to decide on its response. The pro-independence leaders could decide to formalise a unilateral declaration of independence, the BBC's Bethany Bell in Barcelona reports.  The Spanish Senate is expected to approve the government's measures on Friday along with a proposal for fresh regional elections. The Catalan government, led by President Carles Puigdemont, has refused to halt an independence drive following an outlawed referendum held earlier this month.  On Saturday, Mr Rajoy said he was triggering Article 155 of the constitution - an unprecedented move - which allows for direct rule to be imposed in a crisis on any of the country's autonomous regions. But Catalan leaders say they will not accept the plan. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, foreign affairs spokesman Raul Romeva said: "How can the European Union live with that situation [if this happens]? "Because what I can tell you is that the people and the institutions in Catalonia will not let this happen." He said the Spanish government needed to recognise that the people of the region had voted for independence.  The Catalan government said that of the 43% who took part in the 1 October referendum, 90% were in favour of independence. Apart from stripping Mr Puigdemont of all his powers, the central government will also seek to take control of Catalonia's police force and its public broadcaster, TV3, reports suggest.  Mr Rajoy insisted the measures would not mean Catalan self-government itself was being suspended and that they were intended to remove the people who had taken illegal action. Once the Senate approves Article 155, Mr Puigdemont will stop receiving a salary and will not be able to carry out his functions, she added.  Catalonia's far-left CUP party - a key support for Mr Puigdemont's minority government in the regional parliament - has warned of a campaign of "massive civil disobedience" if Madrid imposes direct rule on the region. Spanish media report that the Catalan leader is planning to present his arguments to a commission of the Spanish Senate on Wednesday, but this has yet to be confirmed. There have been calls by Mr Puigdemont's supporters to declare a snap election before direct rule becomes effective. The EU has refused to back the drive for Catalan independence and said the crisis was for Spain to resolve.

^ The EU continues to show how ineffective it really is.  They refuse to intervene when 800 innocent men, women and children are injured by the government of an EU-member state (yet they go on and on when it happens in a non-EU member state.) They see the EU crumbling (Brexit, refugee division, Catalonia, etc.) and just sit there watching.  Only more bad things will continue to happen in Catlonia and Spain if left-unchecked. ^



http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41719081

1st Post Card

Here's a quick update on something I wrote about in an earlier post. The first person wrote me that they got my post card from Israel!!! It was so hard to get stamps for them - you had to find an open Post Office (because of the holiday there) and then the mailbox I put them in looked old and sketchy - but those were hard to find too. I also couldn't send a post card to my Dad in Iraq (because Iraq - except Kurdish Iraq - is one of many Muslim/Arab countries where it's a crime there to have any evidence of Israel (post cards, passport stamps, etc.)


Sunday, October 22, 2017

Open Files

From the BBC:
"Trump says he will allow scheduled release of JFK files"

Donald Trump has said he plans to allow the opening of a trove of long-classified files on the assassination of former president John F Kennedy. The president tweeted to say he would allow the release "subject to receipt of further information". The files are scheduled to be opened by the US National Archives on 26 October, but the president is entitled to extend their classified status.  Kennedy was shot dead by a sniper on 22 November 1963 in Dallas, Texas. The National Archives has already released most documents related to the assassination but a final batch remains under lock and key.  "Subject to the receipt of further information, I will be allowing, as President, the long blocked and classified JFK FILES to be opened," Trump said in a tweet. Congress ruled in 1992 that all JFK documents should be released within 25 years, unless the president decided the release would harm national security. The archive contains more than 3,000 previously unreleased documents, and more than 30,000 that have been released before but with redactions.  It is unclear whether Mr Trump intends to allow the release in full or with redactions.  Kennedy assassination experts do not think the last batch of papers contains any bombshells, according to a Washington Post report. But the files may shed more light on Lee Harvey Oswald's activities in Mexico City just months before the assassination. Oswald was arrested in Dallas on the day of the shooting and charged with the president's murder. He denied the charges, claiming he was a "just a patsy". He was gunned down by nightclub owner Jack Ruby while in police custody two days later, and the plot to kill Kennedy became the most powerful conspiracy theory in American history. "The American public deserves to know the facts, or at least they deserve to know what the government has kept hidden from them for all these years," Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics and author of a book about Kennedy, told the Associated Press news agency.  "It's long past the time to be forthcoming with this information."


^ JFK is one of my favorite Presidents and it will be interesting to see what new details come out. It has been over 50 years since he was killed and so seems right that everything on his murder be released. ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41708854