Category Archives: Fail!

Tons Of Cali Voters Accidentally Registered With An Ultraconservative Fringe Party: LAist – ROTFLMAO – read what you sign folks!

Thousands of Californians intending to register as independent voters accidentally affiliated with the fringe, ultraconservative American Independent Party. An L.A .Times investigation finds that nearly three in four registered AIP voters— likely confused by the use of “Independent” in the name—did not realize they had joined the party.

Source: Tons Of Cali Voters Accidentally Registered With An Ultraconservative Fringe Party: LAist

I Am More Than Just My Trauma: Life As Victims Of War Crime In Croatia. | Rebelle Society

Source: I Am More Than Just My Trauma: Life As Victims Of War Crime In Croatia. | Rebelle Society

In Snježana’s case, her assailants’ criminal court proceedings were delayed by 12 years, and once they were finally incarcerated, they were released from jail awaiting their trial after only 1 week. One of them sold his home and fled to neighboring Serbia. The second one, a policeman, was let go due to a lack of evidence. He was suspended from his job only after she publicly accused him of the rape, but he continued to receive his salary. He, too, eventually fled Croatia. Both rapists were charged with a 6-year prison term, yet neither man served any of his sentence. Snježana is relieved that they fled the country, and thinks that this is better than having to live in fear of their release. Even so, the family of one of the perpetrators still lives in her hometown. In the past, her assailant’s family members would threaten her and her husband when they crossed paths in town.

Bernie Sanders Suspends Jewish Outreach Coordinator After Reports of Her Criticisms of Israel – First Draft. Political News, Now. – The New York Times

Two days after the announcement of her hiring, the Sanders presidential campaign suspended its national Jewish outreach coordinator, Simone Zimmerman, on Thursday after revelations that she had posted vulgarities about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel on Facebook. “She has been suspended while we investigate the matter,” Michael Briggs, a spokesman for Senator Bernie Sanders, wrote in an email. Ms. Zimmerman’s suspension comes after a report on Wednesday in The Washington Free Beacon, which found a Facebook post in which she used a vulgarity and described Mr. Netanyahu as “arrogant, deceptive, cynical” and “manipulative.” She then used more aggressive language and continued that he had “sanctioned the murder of over 2,000 people this summer.” But members of the American Jewish establishment had been attacking her and the Sanders campaign since her appointment for her record of criticizing Israeli settlements and its policies in the West Bank and Gaza. Abe Foxman, the former national director of the Anti-Defamation League, also called for her firing.

Source: Bernie Sanders Suspends Jewish Outreach Coordinator After Reports of Her Criticisms of Israel – First Draft. Political News, Now. – The New York Times

Dilma Rousseff Targeted in Brazil by Lawmakers Facing Graft Cases of Their Own – The New York Times

In the impeachment case, she is not facing charges of graft. Instead, she is accused of using money from giant public banks to cover budget gaps, damaging Brazil’s economic credibility. Ms. Rousseff, then, is something of a rarity among Brazil’s major political figures: She has not been accused of stealing for herself. Eduardo Cunha, the powerful speaker of the lower house who is leading the impeachment effort, is going on trial at the country’s highest court, the Supreme Federal Tribunal, on charges that he pocketed as much as $40 million in bribes. Mr. Cunha, an evangelical Christian radio commentator and economist who regularly issues Twitter messages quoting from the Bible, is accused of laundering the gains through an evangelical megachurch. Vice President Michel Temer, who is expected to take over if Ms. Rousseff is forced to step aside, has been accused of involvement in an illegal ethanol-purchasing scheme. Renan Calheiros, the Senate leader, who is also on the presidential succession chain, is under investigation over claims that he received bribes in the giant scandal surrounding the national oil company, Petrobras. He has also been accused of tax evasion and of allowing a lobbyist to pay child support for a daughter from an extramarital affair. Altogether, 60 percent of the 594 members of Brazil’s Congress face serious charges like bribery, electoral fraud, illegal deforestation, kidnapping and homicide, according to Transparency Brazil, a corruption-monitoring group.

Source: Dilma Rousseff Targeted in Brazil by Lawmakers Facing Graft Cases of Their Own – The New York Times

IRIN | Western Sahara’s moment in the sun

Part of the problem is that it’s an easy place for major powers to ignore. “Looked at from Washington, Morocco and Algeria fighting over the Western Sahara is like two bald men fighting over a comb,” said Ottoway.It’s true that the conflict is usually low in intensity. But there are occasional flare-ups: at least five people were killed in 2010 when Moroccan security forces broke up a Saharawi protest camp.From another perspective, Western Sahara is left on the sidelines not because it is small and remote, but because it has in fact become a pawn in global politics.As Jacob Mundy, an assistant professor at Colgate University and an expert on the conflict pointed out, Morocco has positioned itself as a key ally of Saudi Arabia and the West in North Africa, sharing intelligence with the United States and even playing host to at least one of the CIA’s controversial black sites. This brings the US closely into line with France, already staunchly on Morocco’s in the dispute.“Anytime Morocco is feeling the pressure on Western Sahara, they probably find ways of making themselves very useful to the United States,” Mundy explained.On Algeria’s side, three current UN Security Council members have officially recognised the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, the Polisario Front’s government-in-exile: Angola, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Source: IRIN | Western Sahara’s moment in the sun

CDC analysis concludes Zika causes microcephaly | CIDRAP

Despite urgent pleas from top federal health officials for Congress to approve Obama’s $1.9 billion emergency request to battle Zika virus earlier this week, House Republicans said they’ll probably grant part of it, but perhaps not until September, the Associated Press reported today. Federal health officials have said the money is needed to help states boost mosquito surveillance and control, to assist efforts in Puerto Rico and other US territories where the disease is already spreading, and to follow through on countermeasure development.

Source: CDC analysis concludes Zika causes microcephaly | CIDRAP

Germany to support training of Mexican police and army in repressive techniques.

Following her talks yesterday with Mexico’s President Enrique Peña Nieto in Berlin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced that Germany will strengthen its partnership with Mexico. It will train members of the police and armed forces and enhance economic cooperation with that country. Mexico, traditionally, has been one of the German companies’ two most important trading partners in Latin America. Particularly German automobile companies use Mexico as a low-wage production site for the lucrative US market. Cooperation now will also be strengthened with the military and in the field of domestic repression.

Source: www.german-foreign-policy.com

Can Great Apes Be Vaccinated Against Ebola and Other Diseases? | Smart News | Smithsonian – AKA – Human intervention and hubris destroys their environment and sets stage for vulnerability – so more will…?

“Our research has made it clear that viruses such as Ebola can affect gorillas and chimps, as can human respiratory viruses,” Walsh tells McKie. “Within five years, I would want all gorillas and chimpanzees that come anywhere near humans to be vaccinated against Ebola or respiratory diseases. That is the only way we can go.”

Source: Can Great Apes Be Vaccinated Against Ebola and Other Diseases? | Smart News | Smithsonian

Rousseff decries ′conspiracy′ to replace her | News | DW.COM | 12.04.2016

“The mask of the conspirators has fallen,” Rousseff said. “One of them is the not-so invisible hand that’s leading this impeachment process, through perversion of power and unimaginable abuses,” she added. “The other is rubbing his hands together and is rehearsing the farce of a would-be inauguration speech.” Brazil is facing a deep political crisis, with opposition parties accusing Rousseff of illegally manipulating government accounts. In addition, many allies of the embattled president are suspected of links with the massive Petrobras corruption scandal. Rousseff and her supporters insist that the accusations are bogus.

Source: Rousseff decries ′conspiracy′ to replace her | News | DW.COM | 12.04.2016

حالة التوحد العربي وايمان بلا نظافة – وكالة وطن للأنباء

حالة التوحد العربي وايمان بلا نظافة  61  0 Google +0  0 الثلاثاء | 12-04-2016 – 07:45 صباحاً كتبت نادية حرحش وصلنا اليوم بشعوبنا العربية الى حالة التوحد . وكأن اصل الكلمات تكشف لنا تماما أن ما يجمعنا لم يكن أبدا “وحدة” ,بل حالة توحد تنكرنا لها حتى استفحل المرض بنا وتعدينا حالات الانفصام التي لا تفارقنا . فننظر الى انفسنا ونرى كائنات متوحدة التكوين تنكر لها أهلها فتنكرت لأنفسها . وأصبح التوحد هو وحدة مفهوم الواقع المعاش.

Source: حالة التوحد العربي وايمان بلا نظافة – وكالة وطن للأنباء