All posts by nedhamson

Activist, writer, researcher, addicted to sharing information and facts.

Right-wing demonstrators attack police station in Magdeburg | News | DW.COM | 09.10.2016

The incident at the central station in the northeast German town of Magdeburg, 156 kilometers (97 miles) west of Berlin, had started on Saturday late afternoon with the arrest of a 32-year-old man for an attack on a pedestrian. The victim sustained head injuries.Police said they were hindered in making the arrest by several, partially-masked individuals who had taken part in a demonstration of right-wing extremists in Dessau-Rosslau, 60 kilometers to the south east.The suspect had resisted arrest, attempting to take a baton from one of the officers. Magdeburg police said he had only been arrested by using “considerable effort and with the use of pepper spray.”Eleven of the man’s associates tried to get to the arrested man but had been pushed back by police before being expelled from the station.There were also reports that the extremists were calling on a further 50 of their number to recover the man from custody.A total of nine men and two women between the ages of 15 and 33 were arrested.Right wing violence on the riseThe number of violent crimes with a right-wing political motive has been rising substantially in Germany. Figures from the interior ministry for 2015 recorded 1,485 violent far-right crimes, up from 1,029 in 2014.The ministry reported a large increase in the broader category of “hate crimes” such as offences of a racist or antisemitic nature, or targeting people because of their religion. They rose 72 percent in 2015 to 10,373 from 5,858 the previous year.At the time, German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said, “The rise in right-wing politically motivated crime is above all evident in xenophobic incidents.””That is unacceptable and will be met with strong measures by the police and justice system,” the interior minister said.

Source: Right-wing demonstrators attack police station in Magdeburg | News | DW.COM | 09.10.2016

Is There a Silver Lining to Trump’s Vile Comments About Women? | Dame Magazine

Like many survivors, I am enraged beyond reason by Donald Trump’s “hot mic” remarks that “when you’re a star” you can declare hunting season on women; his winking aside to Access Hollywood host Billy Bush that it was aces to “grab [women] by the pussy.” But I’m also grateful. I’m grateful that Donald Trump’s unfathomable uncouthness has taken its teeth to the Republican jugular, exposing the hot, black blood of the GOP’s entrenched misogyny, and its perpetuation of rape culture.Trump may joke about sexual assault with a boys-will-be-boys glibness, but GOP darlings like his running mate, Mike Pence, who many rank-and-file Republicans are ballyhooing for 2020, are deadly serious about forcing women to carry their rapists’ fetuses to term—even going so far as to try and redefine rape in order to effectively end reproductive choice in this country. In Pence’s America, the rapist is the masked marauder in the back-alley—not a teacher or a coach; a father or a friend; and certainly not that nice young man on the swim team or the boy next door—a figure who is mostly mythological, given the actual statistics around sexual assault. Make no mistake: The Republican party’s legislative terrorism on choice is, like sexual abuse, about stripping women and girls of their bodily autonomy.

Source: Is There a Silver Lining to Trump’s Vile Comments About Women? | Dame Magazine

Donald Trump, ‘Access Hollywood’ and ‘The Apprentice’: The Legal Issues Behind the Tapes | Hollywood Reporter  – more coming it seems – roll up pant legs!

Geraldo Rivera also revealed Sunday that he may have more tapes in which Trump is making “embarrassing” comments, but hasn’t yet decided whether he will release them. “I have interviewed Donald Trump many times and been with him many times and I have tapes,” Rivera said on Fox News. “My brother and I have been starting to go through the tapes now and there are statements that, in the context of the current climate, would be embarrassing.” NBC has aired The Apprentice and Celebrity Apprentice since 2004, but the shows are owned by Mark Burnett Productions, which is majority owned by MGM. Burnett has declined to comment on Trump and a representative for MGM and its CEO Gary Barber did not respond to a request for comment. MGM attorneys may fear a contract lawsuit from Trump if they agree to release any audio or visual outtakes. The potential complication may be that Trump, as an executive producer on The Apprentice, could have the right to approve any video or audio that is released publicly.But considering an NBC or Access Hollywood insider likely leaked the Trump-Bush conversation to the Post after becoming frustrated with NBC’s lack of movement on the story, perhaps an Apprentice insider will take matters into his or her own hands.

Source: Donald Trump, ‘Access Hollywood’ and ‘The Apprentice’: The Legal Issues Behind the Tapes | Hollywood Reporter

Kraft Heinz Recalls Ready-To-Eat Lunchables Ham and American Cracker Stackers Product Due to Misbranding and Undeclared Allergens

WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2016 – Kraft Heinz Company, a Fullerton, Calif. establishment, is recalling approximately 959 pounds of ready-to-eat “Lunchables Ham and American Cracker Stackers” packaged lunch products due to misbranding and undeclared allergens, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The product contains wheat and soy, known allergens, which are not declared on the product label.

Source: Kraft Heinz Recalls Ready-To-Eat Lunchables Ham and American Cracker Stackers Product Due to Misbranding and Undeclared Allergens

Donald Trump’s ‘sickening’ Access Hollywood comments spark flood of sexual assault stories – US election 2016 – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Following the release of an off-camera recording of Mr Trump speaking in vulgar terms about trying to have sex with women, US author Kelly Oxford asked women to Tweet their “first assaults”.”Women: tweet me your first assaults. they aren’t just stats,” she posted.Ms Oxford said she received 1,000 replies in the first hour, and later said 1 million women had described their assaults to her.Warning: The following contains descriptions of sexual assault that some readers might find disturbing.Women recounted memories of being abused, groped, fondled and violently attacked by relatives, teachers, friends, boyfriends and strangers.For many, there was not just one account to share, but numerous examples of sexual assault spanning their lifetimes. Some said their memories were triggered by hearing Mr Trump’s comments.

Source: Donald Trump’s ‘sickening’ Access Hollywood comments spark flood of sexual assault stories – US election 2016 – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Golden Bell Awards winner Lee Tien-chu talks to God in acceptance speech, says gays will destroy humanity: Shanghaiist

The reaction to Lee’s anti-gay diatribe came fast and furious. Renowned graphic designer Aaron Nieh wrote on his Facebook page, “You may be a very good actor and win awards, but you’re just acting. You don’t have a part in other people’s reality, their nature, their love and their values in life… Homosexuality will not lead to the destruction of mankind, but ignorance will.””I don’t have much to say except good luck to all the people who think like you. I, for my part, think that the destruction of mankind will have to do with man’s pride and greed,” wrote singer Aaron Yan. “It has always been the fate of gay people to be oppressed by a straight majority and to live on the margins of society. You can disagree with homosexuality, but stop oppressing them in the name of religion and on the media!”A similar uproar erupted five years ago when mainland Chinese actress Lü Liping, winner of the Best Actress Award at the 2010 Golden Horse Awards, lamented the legalisation of same-sex marriage in New York on Weibo.Her remarks led the organisers of the Golden Horse Awards (金马奖) to rescind their invitation to her to the 2011 awards, breaking with a 48-year tradition.National broadcaster CCTV later slammed the actress for her homophobic remarks, and assured members of the LGBT community of their place in society.

Source: Golden Bell Awards winner Lee Tien-chu talks to God in acceptance speech, says gays will destroy humanity: Shanghaiist

Robert DeNiro Announces He’d Like To Punch Donald Trump In The Face: Gothamist

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries

 

There isn’t much to it aside from DeNiro savaging Trump, but he seemed to enjoy every second of it:I mean he’s so blatantly stupid. He’s a punk, he’s a dog. He’s a pig, he’s a con, a bullshit artist, a mutt who doesn’t know what he’s talking about. He doesn’t do his homework, doesn’t care thinks he’s gaming society. Doesn’t pay his taxes. He’s an idiot. Colin Powell said it best: He’s a national disaster. He’s an embarrassment to this country. It makes me so angry this country has gotten to this point that this fool, this bozo, has wound up where he has. He talks how he wants to punch people in the face? Well, I’d like to punch him in the face. This is somebody that we want for president? I don’t think so. What I care about is the direction of this country and what I’m very, very worried about is that it might go in the wrong direction with someone like Donald Trump. If you care about your future, vote for it.

Source: Robert DeNiro Announces He’d Like To Punch Donald Trump In The Face: Gothamist

CNN Contributor Ana Navarro Is A National Hero: Gothamist

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries

 

Of course, while it is very nice that these people recognize that Trump’s a walking, groping pile of dog crap, framing outrage within the parameters of women being “wives and daughters” isn’t exactly helpful. Women, after all, exist regardless of whether or not you’ve ejaculated into them to create new, smaller women, and considering the GOP doesn’t have a super great track record when it comes to supporting women—in the workplace, in healthcare, on maternity leave, to name a few—reducing them to wives, mothers, sisters, third cousins, etc. only further strips them of their personhood.It’s also noteworthy that Trump’s said a million outrageous things throughout his campaign—about Mexicans, about Muslims, about people of color—but somehow when attractive white women are involved, people get real angry. Hm?

Source: CNN Contributor Ana Navarro Is A National Hero: Gothamist