It's expensive to be transgender. It takes a court order to obtain a driver's license picture.

September 5, 2014

By James Queally

...The agency argued that Culpepper was, (click here) in effect, attempting to disguise his appearance by not appearing as a male.  

The New York-based Transgender Legal Defence and Education Fund called on the DMV to allow Chase to retake the picture in June, but the agency has not responded to multiple requests to quash the issue, according to the lawsuit.  

The suit, which was filed by the teenager’s mother on his behalf in federal court on Tuesday, contends the DMV’s policies are unconstitutional and calls for a court order to allow Chase to dress how he wants for a future photo.  

‘‘Chase is entitled to be himself and to express his gender non-conformity without interference from the South Carolina DMV,’’ Transgender Legal Defence and Education Fund Executive Director Michael Silverman said in a statement released on Tuesday. ‘‘It is not the role of the DMV or any government agency or employee to decide how men and women should look.’’...

Enemy Number One, Hunger. It can lead to instability.

September 5, 2014
By Matt Wade

Mingkaman, South Sudan: (click here) The scene at the food distribution centre at Mingkaman is all too common in villages and towns across South Sudan. Scores of women sit in the mud sorting food rations in searing heat. Once the portions have been allocated according to family size, the women heave sacks of sorghum and lentils onto their heads and carry them to the makeshift humpies that have been their homes since they fled fighting last December.

"The biggest challenge is malnutrition," said Peter Biar Deng, an aid worker based at the feeding centre. "It's very common here."...

If the people weren't hungry and struggling day to day it would provide the opportunity to think about other things besides survival. 

September 4, 2014
By Jonathan Fisher

...The recent shooting down of a UN helicopter (click here) briefly restored the country to the international headlines—but this isolated incident is just the latest outrage in the short history of the world’s youngest country, which still faces a deeply uncertain future.

Journalistic accounts of the conflict’s origins, where they exist, usually highlight historical rivalries between the president, Salva Kiir, and his former vice president—now rebel leader—Riek Machar, and ethnic warfare between the Dinka and Nuer people.

This narrative is a highly simplistic way of explaining what’s been happening in South Sudan. But it does at least point to the ultimate source of the problems: the interplay of complex historical identity politics and shameless, short-term elite politicking. This toxic blend is what makes South Sudan’s current crisis so difficult to explain....

People need land to live and food to eat and water to drink. If the basics aren't available it leads to unrest, hopelessness and ultimately violence. And that is exactly the problem in South Sudan.

September 4, 2014
By Peter Snyder

[JURIST] A group of East African (click here) and South Sudanese rights group submitted a petition Wednesday to the Intergovernmental Authority on Development(IGAD) [official website] calling for an immediate comprehensive arms embargo on South Sudan. IGAD, which is made up of eight East African nations including Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda, has been mediating peace talks to end nine months of civil conflict in South Sudan. The petition calls for an arms embargo [AI backgrounder] that...:

The North Carolina Legislature prides itself on preventing frivolous lawsuits, however, not frivolous government.

August 12, 2012

A News21 analysis 9 (click here) of 2,068 alleged election-fraud cases since 2000 shows that while fraud has occurred, the rate is infinitesimal, and in-person voter impersonation on Election Day, which prompted 37 state legislatures to enact or consider tough voter ID laws, is virtually non-existent.

In an exhaustive public records search, News21 reporters sent thousands of requests to elections officers in all 50 states, asking for every case of fraudulent activity including registration fraud, absentee ballot fraud, vote buying, false election counts, campaign fraud, casting an ineligible vote, voting twice, voter impersonation fraud and intimidation....

There is that old saying, "If it's not broke, don't fix it." That is exactly why the Republicans don't listen to the public. $3.6 million is a lot of money. Money that could have been used better throughout the state.

The $3.6 million is to IMPLEMENT the law. That means as soon as the first round of voter IDs are printed and used in an election they become obsolete. No one ages? No one changes their hair color? No one puts on weight or takes it off? No one has plastic surgery in North Carolina? That is a joke, there are more plastic surgery offices in NC than anywhere else along the east coast of the USA. 

Will people stave off any aging, hair color changes, weight reduction of plastic surgery because they have to look the same as the voter ID picture? Of course not. I'll tell you a true story.

I obtained a USA passport and used it. The airlines required it and when it came to picking up tickets there was never a problem. I had the passport for eight years. I was taking a flight and was in the line for security. The TSA person looked at my boarding pass, my ticket and my passport and then looked at me. Now, mind you I just was at the ticket counter. He said this isn't you, it looks nothing like you. I was devastated. Here was a TSA person stating I was committing fraud and I hadn't. 

A supervisor was called over and asked for my driver's license and of course I had one of those. He compared the two documents and the pictures and looked at the issue date. He told me I could proceed through. Now, you tell me what if some volunteer at the voter sign in book decides I look nothing like my picture on my Voter ID. There is only one Voter ID. The reason people have a Voter ID is because they don't have a driver's license. They had to make a special trip to the licensing agency to obtain a picture ID. Now, what happens? 

What if I am an African American believed to be voting Democratic in Florida and both the volunteer or paid electioneer decides I don't look like the Voter ID picture. Fraud? Charges are pressed and quite frankly I will have gone through expense and time to obtain a card that has just excluded me from voting and caused me a legal problem when I am innocent.

PROPER Governance always takes into account any and all circumstances citizens face when such laws are passed. Why when there is absolutely NO FRAUD anywhere in the USA are these monies beings frivolously spent when Voter ID will create a new barrier for a voter to confront? Money that never needed to be spent occurred because of FRAUD. The fraudulence begins with the propagandized idea that voting for elections isn't safe. THAT IS A LIE AND WE KNOW IT IS A LIE. Somehow voting for elections is the same as driving or cashing a check or getting on an airplane. It isn't. 

The last thing that should happen in this country is for Voter ID laws to be enacted, they waste money, cause all kinds of problems for citizens and are very expensive. While states are seeing reasons to spend $3.6 million to implement these unnecessary and frivolous laws they never tell the citizens of any state what it is going to cost to MAINTAIN the integrity of the law. It is going to cost plenty, including false accusations and court time, court and lawyer fee costs, as well as monies to be spent every year to insure voters look like their pictures so no one can be falsely accused as committing fraud.

One other thing. In the future since these laws are invoked this November, don't discuss the rate of fraud in elections because it will go up. ONLY discuss CONVICTIONS because there still won't be any.

In North Carolina the licensing agencies are PRIVATELY owned. Now, who is it exactly that is having their palms greased with state money for an unnecessary service. It is no different than the handicap hang tag and it's drastic change in appearance that requires more than $5.00 each time it is issued. Now, it costs $10. $5 for the handicap tag and another $5.00 for the plastic sleeve it has to go in. Amazing. Republicans come up with absolutely hideous ways of spending hard earned taxpayer dollars. It is time to remove those from office that simply use government for profit rather than efficiency and protection of the citizens and most importantly protection for their RIGHTS!


April 18, 2013

RALEIGH — The proposed new (click here) voter photo ID law could cost North Carolina as much as $3.6 million to implement – the price of providing free photos to those without driver’s licenses, and voter education efforts, state officials said.

The voter ID bill cleared another hurdle Thursday when it was approved by the House Finance Committee 18-10 in a vote that followed party lines with Republicans in favor and Democrats against. It is scheduled for a full House vote next week.

The legislative staff prepared an analysis of how much it would likely cost to implement the law which requires voters to provide a photo ID by the 2016 election. It would also require a trial run for the 2014 election.

One of the biggest costs will be providing free photo IDs to persons who do not hold driver’s licenses or other government-approved photos such as student IDs for state-supported campuses....

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/04/18/2834107/new-voter-id-law-could-cost-as.html#storylink=cpy

Looks like god wasn't on their side after all.

September 4, 2014
By Larry O'Dell

Former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, left, is swarmed by the media as he leaves Federal Court for the third day of jury deliberations in his corruption trial in Richmond, Va., Thursday, Sept. 4, 2014. McDonnell and his wife Maureen are charged in a 14-count indictment with doing special favors for Jonnie Williams, the CEO of dietary supplements maker Star Scientific Inc., in exchange for $165,000 in gifts and loans. Photo: Steve Helber, AP

Ex-Virginia gov., wife guilty of public corruption (click here)

The current Russia leadership aren't all that.

The current leadership continues to believe propaganda will work before actions. They actually believe the entire world is as gullible as the Russian people.

The current Russia leadership engaged Ukraine and Europe in energy deals for natural gas and extended huge amounts of money to ensnare the people of Ukraine for future exploitation. Some, as in Crimea, fell for the idea, others and a majority of Ukraines want to steer their own path to independence, yet the money into Ukraine and to pay off Yanukovych to bow to Russia and deny any interest with Europe. There was a treaty to insure Ukraine would be safe when it disarmed. Russia in all it's arrogance believed it could oppress the entire world when it sought to control the demonstrators in the Maidan. They learned differently. 

September 3, 2014
By Dan Lamothe

French officials (click here) said Wednesday that they will not deliver the first Mistral-class amphibious warship that Russia had ordered from Paris as part of a $1.7 billion weapons sale, a strong rebuke after months of aggressive actions by Russia in eastern Ukraine.

French officials said in statement that they assess the situation in Ukraine to be “serious,” and believe Russia’s actions undermine security in Europe. The statement did not say whether France will deliver the ship in the future, but said the conditions for it to do so at this time “have so far not been met,” despite the possibility of a cease-fire in Ukraine.

“The recent actions by Russia in eastern Ukraine are contrary to the basic notions of security in Europe,” the statement said.

Now, here again the Russian arrogance to it's POWER is proven to be grossly mistaken while wasting it's money on warships it never needed. Can you imagine the arrogance in Putin's office to expect delivery of warships now that it has declared war on Ukraine. "I could be in Kiev in two weeks." 

Putin and Medvedev just blew $1.7 billion US. Today the exchange rate of US to Rubles is 1:37.0583. That is a lot of rubles to simply throw away because a neighbor wanted to find it's neutrality intact to simple trade with Russia as well as Europe. Sure the Russia people aren't so much sheep to realize their own best interests are not served by the current regime. Sorry, current political party.

This is no surprise. The Taliban has been expanding its influence in Pakistan since the 2001 invasion in Afghanistan.

September 4, 2014
By Ellen Barry

NEW DELHI — Al Qaeda (click here) has released a video announcing the establishment of a new branch on the Indian subcontinent, saying it is meant to revive jihadist activity in a region “which was once part of the land of Muslims, until the infidel enemy occupied it and fragmented it and split it.”

In the 55-minute video, which was posted on jihadist forums, Al Qaeda’s leader, Ayman al-Zawahri, addresses listeners in parts of the region with large Muslim populations, assuring Muslims “in Burma, Bangladesh, Assam, Gujarat, Ahmedabad and Kashmir that your brothers” in the militant organization “did not forget you and that they are doing what they can to rescue you.”

Mr. Zawahri said that the new branch had been two years in the making. The SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors extremist activity online, said the video was posted Wednesday....

The al Qaeda figure head is attempting to expand influence in the region. Americans believe they have a reason to stay in the region. The entire episode is another example of American arrogance.

The hostility between India and Pakistan, ongoing for more than 60 years, lies at the heart of the current war in Afghanistan. Most observers in the west view the conflict as a battle between Nato on one hand, and al-Qaida and the Taliban on the other. In reality this has long since ceased to be the case – we think this is about us, but it's not. Instead our troops are now caught up in a complex war shaped by two pre-existing conflicts: one internal, the other regional....

The USA, The West and its media always ASSUMES the history of any region on Earth begins when they become aware of it and jumps in to add military hardware that only serves to increase escalation of hostilities.

...After the Taliban were ousted by the US, a major strategic shift occurred: the government of Afghanistan became an ally of India, thus fulfilling the Pakistanis' worst fears. Karzai hated Pakistan with a passion, in part because he believed that the ISI – Pakistan's intelligence service – had helped to have his father assassinated in 1999. At the same time he felt a strong emotional bond with India, where he had gone to university. When I interviewed Karzai in early March, he spoke warmly of his days in Simla as some of the happiest of his life. With Karzai in office, India seized the opportunity to increase its political and economic influence in Afghanistan, re–opening its embassy in Kabul, opening four regional consulates, and providing reconstruction assistance totalling $1.5bn....

With the Taliban firmly entrenched in Pakistan, Afghanistan has to have a national military loyal to the people within it's borders. The United Nations is attempting to resolve the recent elections into a COOPERATIVE government between the two contesting parties. That "Unity Government" is nothing short of brilliant by the UN. The Afghanistan Unity Government brings the expertise of two men that carry a long history with the people and two separate expertise.

The greatest asset to the Unity Government is that of the addition of Dr. Abdullah Abdullah. He has the loyalty of the fighters of the Northern Alliance. Their culture can be the leading force to end hostilities within the country and break the strangle hold al Qaeda and the Taliban is looking for in the region. 

The map to the right is that of the Kashmiris. They similiar to the Kurds live throughout a large geographical area. Kindly note they straddle Pakistan, India, Afghanistan and CHINA. If a subverse effect takes over this area of the world, such as al Qaeda, there would be problems for many nations and not just India. The communication and trade between this region and all the nations they touch are vital otherwise one is looking at extremists causing significant problems for decades.

The Kashmiris also have a large DIASPORA that entends across the globe. To win the Kashmiris over spiritually could drive the diaspora as well as the people in this region as well.

Americans like to swat at flies thinking their wars will be the complete end to any danger to the country. The huge American military industrial complex provides that naive view of the world. The fact of the matter is while the USA is swatting flies in the former Iraq, there are movement taking place at the grassroots level to increase hate of The West. The more people that die at the hands of The West, the more hatred grows generation after generation in other regions of the world. 

While ranting war is a popular political paradigm in the USA and Great Britain, the fact of the matter is President Obama absolutely correct in bring regions of the world to understand their own importance in their national defense. The President is more correct in seeking 'governments of the people' in regions of the world that cooperate to provide national security to it's people. For the USA to be The World's Police is about as stupid as a nation of people can become. 

"AHHhhhh, but, it feels so right."

It feels right for every other nation on Earth for their own reasons and if the USA continues to 'kill, kill and kill some more' it will find region after region of Earth will turn against them and the national security of the USA and it's influence will dwindle while it's lack of fiscal integrity will dictate a collapse of the nation itself. The USA military machine runs on money and plenty of it. Americans are arrogant to the reality of the world. Sure any nation of the world will accept The West's military when it SIDES with one of the hostile parties, that doesn't mean a damn thing and let the former Iraq be a very good lesson to that arrogance.

Like I said, "The USA needs to apologize and continue apologizing until the Islamic world has forgotten it."

Ethnic group, (click here) in the opinion of Jordon is a group of people possessing a common ancestry and cultural tradition with a feeling of belonging and cohesiveness, living as a minority in a larger society. Each social group is the keeper of distinctive cultural traditions and the nucleus of various kinds of social interactions. An ethnic group provides not only group identity, but also friendship, marriage patterns, business success, and the political power base.

No more bombs, no more killing. Trade and economic cooperation is the only way the USA should be conducting it's relationships with any other country in the world.

Kashmir is among the most harshest areas on Earth, both geographically and climate. For the last 13 years the USA military has been unable to master the mountains of Afghanistan, yet with the right spiritual words and stroking al Qaeda has success in spreading it's poison. 

Now, you tell me who is winning the war, the military machines or the propagandists without dropping one bomb or firing one bullet?

The people of the USA are just waiting for their politicians and media to catch up with them.

The rally won't last long, Putin is already threatening Ukraine regarding NATO membership.

September 4, 2014
By Vladimir Kuznetsov and Andras Gergley

Russia’s support (click here) for a cease-fire in Ukraine, which sparked the biggest plunge in bond yields in four months, is aimed at dodging deeper sanctions and the rally is at risk of evaporating, Aberdeen Asset Management Plc said....

The Fund invests in equities (click here) and equity-related securities of companies registered in or conducting the bulk of their business activities in Russia. The Fund may also invest directly in securities listed on the Russian Trading Sytems or the Moscow Interbank Currency Exchange issued by companies meeting the above criteria and may invest up to 10% of its assets in non-regulated markets in Russia and countries of the Commonwealth of Indepdendent States (CIS). The Fund may invest a third of its assets in the CIS and Eastern Europe or in companies which conduct a large marjority of their business activities there....

September 4, 2014
By Howard Amos Moscow

Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov (click here) says moves to include Ukraine in Nato would “derail” any peace negotiations between Kiev and separatists...