Wenn Geld knapp wird ist man für jedes Stückchen Luxus dankbar. Auch dann, wenn man sich diesen nur auf  Raten leisten kann. In der TV-Serie “Arme Millionäre” wirds ja vorgezeigt. Denn so schlimm die Situation auch ist, nach außen hin immer den guten Anzug tragen und zeigen, dass man sich selbst niemals aufgibt. Das scheint die Devise zu sein!

Beim Stöbern auf Facebook fällt eine Anzeige auf. “Luxus Bags – hier könnt ihr sie in Raten kaufen.” Fein, das wollte ich schon immer, endlich eine Prada besitzen. Und jetzt wird es möglich. Mit 9 Euro monatlich bin ich mit dabei. In der Welt der Schönen und Reichen. Schließlich las ich ein paar Tage zuvor, dass die Sicherheitsdienste in Hollywood bei den ganz Großen nun gute Umsätze machen. Bedarf gestiegen. Nun, Hollywood und “ganz groß” bin ich wohl nicht. Dafür muss es “Prada” sein. Wer sich jetzt mit Luxus umgibt, fühlt sich reich, und hält der Krise stand.

Es scheint wirklich einen Krisenindikator zu geben. Leisteten sich Frauen in den 20er und 30er Jahren vermehrt knallroten Lippenstift – wird von Estée-Lauder behauptet -, so ist es jetzt vielleicht auch Prada und Co?  Die zitierte Herstellerfirma von Kosmetika behauptet jedenfalls, dass ihr Lippenstiftabsatz schon seit Anfang 2000 auffällig steigt. Nun ja, statt Börsenprognosen zu lesen könnte man sich einmal auf die Verkaufszahlen von Lippenstift und Luxus Bags konzentrieren. Dann gelten keine Ausreden mehr wie: “Man konnte diese Finanzkrise nicht vorhersehen!”

AMW

A major scandal broke this week. You wouldn’t know it of course what with the Maori party once again selling their soul to National and the new “let’s bail out the polluters over the backs of the taxpayers ETS law” but with the leaking of emails from Climate Change scientists which show clearly that they have been engaging in unsound science to say the least it has become clear that the debate on climate change is not over.

What is more the emails show a clear disregard for the truth and they show that several high profile climate change scientists have engaged in fraud and smear campaign with regards to their more sceptic colleagues. In fact a programmer who helped program the computer program which was used to test weather models has in the code expressed his concern for the dubious results the program would generate.

In fact it seems even NIWA is engaged in massaging the scientific data to match the required result.

tsmithfield who made a comment on The Standard blog gives a succinct list of the behaviour that is emerging:

What is emerging is an orchestrated effort to:

1. Manipulate and distort data that the authors consider poor or conflicting with their hypothesis.
2. Wilfully conceal or destroy data to prevent it being analysed by other researchers.
3. Manipulate computer code by including arbitrary factors to force the programs to produce the desired results.
4. Attempt to force out editors of journals considered to be too accomodating to scientists with opposing points of view; as one of the articles points out, a number of the editors referred to have subsequently resigned from their positions. As pointed out, the scientists who have been trying to manipulate the freedom of journals to publish what they see fit are the very same scientists who have criticised their opponents for not producing enough published work!

But while this might not reflect well on the scientists professional behaviour we would do well to remember what this “Science” is used for.

Just this weekend a law was passed which will see New Zealanders (and citizens world wide) forced to pay for their carbon emissions since it is the carbon emissions which are widely blamed for the “climate changes”.

Not only that, we will be forced to subsidise big companies so they can continue their carbon emissions while we pay for the Carbon credits and to top it all of we will pay for these carbon credits to rich banks and in fact you could say that we are paying tax because we have the audacity to breath CO2 out.

I don’t know about you but if scientists have been lying about climate change and people like Al Gore have been making hundreds of millions of dollars out of the faux science of Climate change doesn’t that make you fell like you have been had and shouldn’t we reinvestigate what these scientists have been telling us and should we not at least have a discussion between the pro and contra climate change scientists?

Ik ben dit blog begonnen om meer te weten te komen over hoe het staat in Nederland met de “empirically supported treatments”. Dus het eerst wat ik doe is een blog aanmaken bij wordpress.com, zodat ik makkelijk alle informatie bij kan houden, die ik kan vinden, alleen hoe moet ik de site noemen?

Tegenwoordig gaat vertalen eigenljk vrij makkelijk: Kom ik er niet uit kijk ik even op Google of vraag ik het aan een paar contacten uit de messenger. Dat deed ik ook in dit geval, alleen niemand wist goed hoe je dat moet benoemen. Na wat zoeken blijk “evidence based werken” en bekende term. Nou ja – dan gebruik ik die wel. Wel raar, dat het zo onbekend is.

“Românii sunt printre cei mai pesimişti est europeni în această direcţie”, se arată într-un comunicat al institutului de cercetare.

În Cehia, 34% din populaţie apreciază că situaţia financiară proprie s-a înrăutăţit, iar în Bulgaria ponderea acestora ajunge la 52%.

Doar 9% din respondenţii la studiu spun că starea materială este mai bună comparativ cu anul trecut, procent în scădere de la aproximativ o treime în octombrie 2008.

În ceea ce priveşte perspectivele financiare pentru următorul an, 15% dintre români se declară optimişti, procent în coborâre de la 29%.

Peste 83% din populaţie resimte o înrăutăţire privind situaţia economică generală a României, iar 56% se aşteaptă la o agravare a acesteia anul viitor.

Aproape două treimi din participanţii la studiu apreciază că preţurile produselor au crescut faţă de anul trecut, iar o treime consideră acestea se vor majora în anul următor cu un ritm mult mai alert.

Dacă anul trecut 34% dintre români se temeau că şomajul va creşte în următoarele 12 luni, în prezent ponderea acestora a crescut la peste 82%. În Bulgaria, procentul este ceva mai scăzut, de 74%, în Cehia – 70%, iar în Polonia de 64%.

În ceea ce priveşte investiţiile în bunuri de folosinţă îndelungată, 63% dintre respondenţi spun că nu este o perioadă potrivită pentru a investi, iar circa 80% cred că nu este un moment propice pentru a economisi, tot atâţia declarând că este puţin probabil să economisească bani în următoarele 12 luni.

“Rezultatele de anul acesta în privinţa economisirii sau a intenţiei de economisire sunt comparabile cu cele înregistrate în 2008, ceea ce arată, cel puţin la nivel declarativ, un apetit scăzut al românilor pentru economisire şi înainte de criză şi în timpul crizei”, se mai arată în comunicat.

Barometrul de Încredere a Consumatorului este un studiu cofinanţat de Comisia Europeană şi realizat lunar de GfK România, pe un eşantion de 1.000 de persoane, cu vârste de peste 15 ani.

Veselība- -tā ir visas sabiedrības bagātiba, kuru nav iespējams pārvērtēt. Mēs novēlam viens otram labu veselību, kad mēs satiekamies vai atvadāmies, jo tas ir pamats laimīgai un pilvērtīgai dzīvei. Laba veselība nodrošina mūs ar ilgu un
aktīvu dzīvi,  palīdz īstenot mūsu plānus, pārvarēt grūtības,ļauj veiksmīgi risināt dzīves problēmas.

Taču pieredze rāda, ka parasti rūpēties par savu
veselību cilvēki sāk tikai tad, kad slimība liek sevi sajust. Bet jūs varat no tā izsargāties, ir nepieciešams tikai veselīgs dzīvesveids.

Ir skaidrs, ka
veselība ir atkarīga ne tikai no terapeitiskajiem un profilaktiskajiem pasākumiem, bet arī no paša cilvēka. Tā nav nejaušība,ka arvien vairāk cilvēku sāk veltīt savu brīvo laiku 
sportam, tūrismam.Bet līdztekus ir vieta arī bezatbildīgai attieksmei pret savu
veselību: pašārstēšanās, higiēnas pamatprasību neievērošana, smēķēšana, alkohola lietošana. Pie mazkustīga dzīvesveida noved komfortabli apstākļi mājās, mehanizācija un automatizācija rūpniecībā, transporta attīstība, uztura uzlabošanās noved pie pārēšanās.

Fiziskā aktivitāte veicina daudzas svarīgas organisma funkcijas, bet tās pazemināšana izsauc bīstamas novirzes. Tādēļ jums nevajadzētu aizmirst rīta vingrinājumus, jums vajadzētu mēģināt kāpt vismaz lejā pa kāpnēm, nevis izmantot liftu, un doties ārpus pilsētas brīvdienās. Bet pats galvenais – vairāk staigāt.

Eksistē 10 padomu, ko izstrādājusi starptautiskā komanda,kura sastāv no ārstiem, dietologiem un psihologiem, kuri veido veselīga dzīvesveida pamatu. Sekojot tiem, jūs varat padarīt savu
dzīvi garāku un patīkamāku.

1.Padoms: risinot krustvārdu mīklas,apgūstot svešvalodas , veicot aprēķinus prātā, mēs trenējam galvas smadzenes. Tādējādi palēninot garīgo spēju vecuma degradācijas procesu, aktivizējas sirdsdarbība, asinsrites sistēma un vielmaiņa.

2, Padoms: darbs – svarīgs
veselīga dzīvesveida elements. Atrodiet piemērotu darbu sev, kas jums gādā prieku. Kā apgalvo zinātnieki,tas palīdzēs izskatīties jaunākam.

3.Padoms: neēdiett pārāk daudz. Ierasto 2.500 kaloriju vietā iztieciet ar 1,500. Tas palīdz saglabāt šūnu aktivitāti ,palīdz atslogot tās. Tāpat arī nevajadzētu aiziet līdz galējībai, un ēst pārāk maz.

4, Padoms: ēdienkartei ir jābūt piemērotai vecumam. Aknas un rieksti palīdzēs 30 gadīgām sievietēm piebremzēt pirmo grumbiņu parādīšanos.Selēns,kuru satur nieres un siers, ir noderīgs vīriešiem pēc 40 gadiem, viņš palīdz pret stresu. Pēc 50 gadiem, nepieciešams magnijs, kurš uztur labā formā sirdi un kauliem noderīgais kalcijs, savukārt zivs palīdzēs aizsargāt sirdi un asinsvadus.

5, Padoms: saglabājiet par visu savu viedokli. Apzināta dzīve palīdzēt pēc iespējas mazāk krist depresijās un būt nomāktam.

6, Padoms:
ilgāk saglabāt jaunību palīdzēs mīlestība un maigums, tādēļ atrodiet sev pāri. imūnās sistēmas stiprināšanu veicina laimes hormons (endorfīns), kuru ir izstrādā organisms, ja cilvēks ir iemīlējies.

7, Padoms: gulēt labāk vēsā telpā (temperatūra 17-18 grādi), tas palīdz saglabāt jaunību. No apkārtējās temperatūras ir atkarīga vielmaiņa un vecuma īpatnību attīstība.

8.Padoms: biežāk kustieties. Zinātnieki ir pierādījuši, ka pat astoņas minūtes sporta nodarbību dienā
pagarina dzīvi.

9.Padoms: periodiski lutiniet sevi. Neskatoties uz ieteikumiem par veselīgu dzīvesveidu,dažkārt atļaujiet sevi kaut ko garšīgu.

10 padomu: Ne vienmēr apspiediet savas dusmas. Dažādām slimībām, arī ļaundabīgiem audzējiem, ir vairāk pakļauti cilvēki, kuri pastāvīgi rāj paši sevi,tā vietā lai viekārši pastāstītu kas viņus sarūgtina,dažreiz arī pastrīdēties.

Optimāls darbs un pietiekami daudz atpūtas arī ietekmē mūsu veselību. Aktīva darbība, ne tikai fiziska, bet arī garīga, labi iedarbojas uz nervu sistēmu, nostiprina sirdi, asinsvadus un organismu kopumā.Eksistē darba tiesības, kuras ir zināmas daudziem. Cilvēkiem, kuri nodarbojas ar fizisku darbu, vajadzīga atpūta, kura nebūtu saistītia ar fizisko aktivitāti, un labāk, ja atpūtas laikā būs garīgā darba slodze. Cilvēkiem, kuru darbs ir saistīts ar intelektuālo darbību, ir lietderīgi brīvdienās veikt fizisku darbu.

Tāds jēdziens kā dienas kārtība ir arvien mazāk izplatīts mūsdienu cilvēka dzīvē, bet šim faktoram ir arī svarīga nozīme veselības saglabāšanā. Cilvēka dzīves ritmam ir obligāti jāiekļauj laiks gan darbam,gan atpūtai, miegam un ēdienreizēm. Cilvēks, kurš neievēro dienas režīmu, galu galā kļūst aizkaitināms, viņam uzkrājas nogurums,tādi cilvēki bieži vien ir tendēti uz stresu un slimībām. Diemžēl mūsdienu cilvēkam ir grūti saglabāt labu ikdienas kārtību, pienākas ziedot laiku, kurš atvēlēts miegam, ēst tikai tad, kad ir laiks, utt. Pareiza dienas kārtība ne tikai palīdzēs saglabāt veselību, bet arī labāk organizēt savu laiku.

Tāpat mūsu
veselība ir atkarīga no laba miega. Pietiekams miegs ir nepieciešams normālai nervu sistēms funkcionēšanai. Miega nepieciesamība dažādiem cilvēkiem var būt atšķirīga, bet vidēji tas ir ieteicams gulēt vismaz 8 stundas.Regulāra neizgulēšanās rada zemāku efektivitāti un smagu nogurumu. Lai jums nebūtu jācieš no bezmiega 1 stundu pirms gulētiešanas ir jāpartrauc fizisku vai garīgu darbu. Pēdējai ēšanas reizei vajadzētu būt ne vēlāk kā 2 stundas pirms miega. Gulēt labāk labi ventilētā telpā, un ir vēlams iet gulēt vienā un tajā pašā laikā.

Fiziska slodze ir viens no svarīgākajiem līdzekļiem
veselības veicināšanai. Pat nelieli ikdienas 20 minūšu vingrinājumi dod milzīgu labumu. Vingrošana, vieglatlētika, sporta spēļes ir ļoti noderīgas sirds un asinsvadu sistēmai, plaušām, stiprina muskuļus un skeleta sistēmu. Nodarbībām ar skriešanu ir pozitīva ietekme uz nervu sistēmu un endokrīno sistēmu. Soļošana palīdz atbrīvoties no liekā svara. Tiek lēsts, ka 1 stundu strauji soļojot tiek sadedzināti līdz 35 gramiem taukaudu.

Nevajadzētu arī vecāka gadagājuma cilvēkiem aizmirst par veselīgu dzīves veidu. Pat vecākam cilvēkam ir nepieciešama fiziska slodze,kura ir samērota ar viņa vecumu. Pie fizisko aktivitāšu trūkuma vecākiem cilvēkiem attīstītās aptaukošanās, vielmaiņas slimības, paaugstinās risks saslimt ar <a href=”http://resveratroltev.wordpress.com/2009/11/20/resveratrols-pret-diabetu/diabētu, traucēta kuņģa un zarnu trakta darbība. Ir vērts atcerēties, ka fiziskas slodzes šai vecumā drīkst būt atbilstīgas gadu skaitam un slimībām(ja tādas ir).

Waters Says He’ll Perform if Israel Tears Down Wall

Waters Says He’ll Perform if Israel Tears Down Wall

Pink Floyd’s former frontman Roger Waters said Tuesday he’ll take to the stage the minute Israel tears down its West Bank separation wall, just as he did in Berlin two decades ago when another wall came down.

Visiting a Palestinian refugee camp in the shadows of the towering concrete structure, the British rocker who co-wrote the iconic 1970s album “The Wall” said he hopes “this awful thing is destroyed soon.”

Waters, 65, said the West Bank wall has been on his mind since he first saw it up close in what he described as an eye-opening visit in 2006, following a concert in Israel.

“People who haven’t actually seen this, what’s going on here, can’t actually imagine the impression that it has on you, the sick, kind of churning feeling that you get in your very heart when you see this, how depressing it is,” Waters told The Associated Press in an interview.

Water’s comments didn’t sit very well with Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev, who, quoting The Wall’s most famous lyric, said “we don’t need no education” from Waters.

Israel began building the barrier — a concrete wall in urban areas and fence with sensors and barbed wire along rural stretches — in 2002 following Palestinian bombings and shooting attacks on Israeli civilians. Israel insists it’s a temporary security measure.

Palestinians says it’s a land grab because, once the final third is built, it will slice off 10 percent of the West Bank, part of the lands they want for their state.

The stretch of barrier between Jerusalem and the biblical West Bank town of Bethlehem consists of graffiti-covered gray slabs, with army watchtowers rising up at intervals. At an Israeli-run wall crossing, large crowds of Palestinians wait in long lines, particularly during morning rush hour, to reach jobs in Israel.

On the northern outskirts of Bethlehem, the Aida refugee camp, home to about 5,000 Palestinians, abuts the wall. Palestinian officials often escort foreign dignitaries to the camp — among them Pope Benedict XVI during his Holy Land pilgrimage last month — to illustrate the disruption of daily life by the barrier.

Waters dismissed Israel’s security argument, saying he believes the wall “is not here to stop Israelis being blown up on buses.” He said if that was the sole reason, “what’s it doing in the occupied territories, surrounding settlements and cutting (Palestinian) farmers off from their olive trees and so on and so forth?”

“This is an exercise of colonialism,” said Waters.

Regev said the barrier has sharply reduced Palestinian attacks, which have killed hundreds of Israelis since the outbreak of Israeli-Palestinian fighting in 2000.

“We don’t need no education about suicide bombers coming into Israel and murdering innocent people, and how the security barrier has prevented that by more than 95 percent.”

But Waters said he believes the barrier is indefensible.

“When you stand in front of an edifice like this, whether it’s here or outside a township in South Africa, or in the Warsaw Ghetto during the Second World War, or in Berlin in the 60s and 70s, it’s something you know instinctively that this is wrong. It’s a bad thing,” he said. “It cannot survive forever.”

If it does come down one day, he said, he’ll perform at the site, just like he did in 1990, at a spot where the Berlin Wall had fallen just a year earlier. “In fact, I would insist on it,” he said.

In the meantime, he’s considering performing elsewhere in the West Bank, perhaps in the town of Ramallah, but has not made firm plans. On Monday, Waters visited a refugee camp in the northern town of Jenin to support efforts to reopen a local movie house that closed in 1987.

When he played in Israel in 2006, he was criticized by Palestinian activists trying to organize a cultural boycott of Israel. Waters said he now feels ambivalent about having performed in Israel.

Waters, who left Pink Floyd in 1985, ruled out a reunion with his former band mates; their last joint performance was in 2005, for a Live 8 concert. “We had a great career as Pink Floyd. We all enjoyed it. We all worked together and enjoyed everything and it was brilliant. I think it’s over,” he said.

Last Wednesday, the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety awarded 27 vehicles for receiving the highest ratings for “safest vehicles for 2010”. All 27 vehicles received an award recognizing them for doing the best job against protecting motorists in front, rear, side and rollover crash. All vehicles feature, Electronic stability control (EST), which is a new state of the art anti-rollover technology.

With a new criterion, the numbers were cut in more than half. 94 were tested and approved in 2009, in comparison to the 24 this year.

Ford Motor Co. and its Volvo unit received the most awards with six, followed by five awards apiece for Japanese automaker Subaru and German automaker Volkswagen AG and its Audi unit. However, Subaru was the only manufacturer with an IIHS in all four vehicles classifications in which it completes.

“With the addition of our new roof strength evaluation, our crash test results now cover all four of the most common kinds of crashes,” said IIHS president Adrian Lund in a statement. “Consumers can use this list to zero in on the vehicles that are on the top rung for safety.”

Below is the IIHS list of vehicles given a top safety pick.

LARGE CARS: Buick LaCrosse, Ford Taurus, Lincoln MKS, Volvo S80

MIDSIZE CARS: Audi A3, Chevrolet Malibu (built after October. 2009), Chrysler Sebring (4-door with optional ESC), Dodge Avenger, Mercedes C Class, Subaru Legacy, Subaru Outback, Volkswagen Jetta (4-door), Volkswagen Passat (4-door), Volvo C30.

SMALL CARS: Honda Civic (4-door with optional ESC, except Si), Kia Soul, Nissan Cube, Subaru Impreza (except WRX), Volkswagen Golf (4-door)

MIDSIZE SUVs: Dodge Journey, Subaru Tribeca, Volvo XC60, Volvo XC90

COMPACT SUVs: Honda Element, Jeep Patriot (with optional side thorax airbags), Subaru Forester, Volkswagen Tiguan

L.A. Car Connection, Inc. has the ability to get almost any make or model vehicle you choose. From Fords to Ferraris, to Hummer and Hybrids, L.A. Car Connection has the connection to get them all!

Feel free to check out our NEW WEBSITE and use our “Vehicle Finder”, to build your dream vehicle!

ROMA (Reuters) – Il Programma Alimentare Mondiale ha detto oggi che ha bisogno di circa 1 miliardo di dollari per i prossimi sei mesi per combattere la fame in Africa orientale, che minaccia oltre 20 milioni di persone.

“Per i prossimi sei mesi, abbiamo bisogno di meno di un miliardo di dollari, la metà dei quali per l’Etiopia”, ha detto il direttore delle emergenze del Pam Ramiro Lopes da Silva nel corso di una conferenza stampa nell’ambito del Vertice Mondiale sull’Alimentazione che si chiude oggi a Roma.

Oltre a eventi climatici disastrosi come la siccità, dicono le agenzie, altre due cause stanno aggravando il problema dell’insicurezza alimentare nella regione: l’aumento dei prezzi dei generi alimentari – che in Africa orientale sono rimasti a livelli doppi rispetto a quelli di inizio 2007 – e la crisi economica globale che ha compresso anche le rimesse degli emigranti africani, le quali, in certi paesi, rappresentano un quarto dell’economia.

Secondo i dati Fao, quest’anno l’Africa orientale – che comprende anche il Corno – produrrà 30 milioni di tonnellate di cereali, con una riduzione del 6,3% sul 2008, a causa, tra l’altro, della siccità e degli spostamenti di sfollati per i conflitti locali.

Fonte:
http://it.reuters.com/article/topNews/idITMIE5AH0DN20091118

I really should have found out about Etsy years ago.  It’s amazing how this ‘community’ (it isn’t really that, but I couldn’t think of another description) has already changed my life.

It started with finding out about the European Street Team. A group of Etsy people from Europe who joined each other. I thought it would be a nice idea to ‘meet’ other crafters from Europe and see what they’re up to. So I clicked around and stumbled upon their blog (http://www.europeanst.blogspot.com/). And I couldn’t help myself, I just had to click on the link that said ‘Weekly Challenge’…

The most beautiful felt I’ve ever seen smiled at me.

It was made by Ingermaaike in last week’s challenge ‘Under the Sea’.

This week’s challenge, however, turned out to be ‘Mythology’.

Pling!

There it was, the small lightbulb hanging over my head that started to shine brightly. I instantly thought about the fabric I must have lying about somewhere… Where was it? I completely emptied out my closet (of course I didn’t, everything’s needly organised, but overdramatizing makes my story a bit better, don’t you think;)). And there it was: Olympus, Paris.

The fabric was inspired by the House of Gods (Homerus’ interpretation of the Olympus Mountain) and shows a pattern in Toile de Jouy style in beige and off-white.

Thinking it would make a nice messenger bag.

Neeeeh, not elegant enough.

Thinking it would make a nice purse.

Neeeeh, too elegant.

It had to be something both tough and feminin. Hey: let’s try and make an elegant bag with an extra long strap so it can be worn messenger-bag-style.

Bingo!

I put it into my Etsy store (http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=34867185) and asked Inger what I had to do to enter the challenge. Within half an hour she Convo’d me (yeah, that’s ‘Etsies’ for sending private messages) that she liked the bag and added it to her challenge. You can see it here:

http://www.ingermaaike.nl/index.php?/archives/386-Mythology.html

I’m so really proud and happy, happy, happy!

Since I’m leaving to Amboise tomorrow (speaking of which… got a nice fabric with that name lying somewhere…), I think I’m gonna go and have to pack my bag now (and not go and look for that fabric, Sacha…).

Have a nice weekend! I’ll be back Thursday next week!

Sacha.

Bueno esta vez, algo diferente, no imágenes chuscas, ni videos graciosos, si no videos interesantes, cortometrajes, documentales, etc.

Como un país que es potencia mundial,  su misma gente no sabe preguntas tan básicas? idiotas en todos lados hay, millones en mi México, pero caray, son preguntas tan básicas, pero por algo en nuestra belleza auque no ganemos nuestras candidatas no dicen  pendejadas.

Una niñita de poco mas de 2 años, dando el ejemplo que no todos los americanos son idiotas, chequen en el segundo 58 cuando su papá le pregunta donde esta México claro con la pronunciación gringa, “Mecxico”, y como la niña le corrige no una, sino 2 veces, a el y a su mamá, veamos pues a esta asombrosa niña dando un ejemplo a sus paisanos que no saben ni un país que empieza con U, que a sus 2 añitos ya sabe que aquí y en cualquier parte del mundo México se pronuncia… MÉXICO !!!!

Un video muy interesante, que refleja mi pensamiento de lo que paso ese terrible día, que no hace mucho puse videos relacionados con dicho atentado, aquí una explicación corta de mas mentiras del gobierno.

Noï ha vent’anni e una farfalla nera sulla scapola sinistra. Lavora la sera in un bar di Bangkok. Scrive male in inglese e allora, per mantenere la corrispondenza virtuale con i suoi cinque clienti regolari (e reali) che vivono lontano dalla Thailandia, si fa aiutare da un’anziana signora. «Mi manchi darling, quando torni a vedermi?» è il messaggio-tipo. All’aeroporto aspetta uno di questi clienti, un inglese assai robusto con dei dragoni tatuati sull’avambraccio. Trascorrerà due settimane in Thailandia. Una con Noï e un’altra «per esplorare, questa è la libertà».

Irina è esile e slanciata. È moldava. È stata sequestrata per un mese e mezzo in un bordello turco, venduta e rivenduta, trattata «come una bestia selvaggia». Poi è riuscita a scappare. Christophe è un avvocato di 42 anni, è sposato e ha tre figli. Viaggia spesso per lavoro e a volte non trascorre che quattro-cinque ore nella stessa città. Bastano però per fare anche sesso, visto che Christophe si informa via internet prima di partire. «Le straniere sono più affettuose delle francesi e poi c’è il gusto della trasgressione…». Christophe, Irina e Noï. Volti e storie di un fenomeno che si espande a dismisura, quello del traffico sessuale, al quale Le Nouvel Observateurdedica un ampio reportage.

Solo nel 2008, secondo le stime dell’Organizzazione Mondiale del Turismo, novanta milioni di viaggiatori (il 10 per cento del totale) hanno scelto la loro meta turistica in funzione dell’offerta sessuale. Pochi gli arresti e le condanne, se si guarda al numero dei soggetti coinvolti e in generale alle dimensioni del fenomeno. La prostituzione e il traffico di essere esseri umani contano tra i 2,5 e i 4 milioni di vittime, e l’80% sono donne e bambini.

La miseria dei luoghi preferiti dai turisti sessuali, Sud-Est asiatico e Paesi Baltici in primis, è una inesauribile scusa, scrive Le Nouvel Observateur. «Donando qualche dollaro, permetterete alle ragazzine di far vivere tre persone della loro famiglia» si legge su un sito dedicato alla Thailandia.

Nel Paese dove il sesso resta una locomotiva economica, ma dove la legge dal 1960 vieta la prostituzione, ci sono almeno 2,5-3 milioni di persone che più o meno occasionalmente vendono il loro corpo e le vittime di traffico sessuale sono ogni anno almeno 80 mila, 10 mila i minori. Quel milione di turisti del sesso che ogni anno sceglie la Thailandia lo fa perché si tratta di una «meta facile, anonima, senza rischi e poca cara» spiega poi un esperto.

Ma il reportage del magazine francese non si limita al «supermercato thailandese», esplorando anche la «filiera moldava» e più in generale il ruolo di crocevia del traffico sessuale che svolge l’Europa. «Il mercato del sesso lo controllano soprattutto bulgari, nigeriani e camerunensi, i sudamericani si fanno valere in Spagna e i turchi in Germania» spiega Jean-Marc Souvira, direttore dell’Ufficio centrale di repressione della tratta degli esseri umani (Ocrteh).

«Esistono – prosegue Souvira – tre tipi di prostituzione: quella, visibile, della strada, quella degli hotel, più discreta, e poi quella della pseudo-agenzie di modelle che reclutano giovani donne attraverso falsi concorsi di bellezza». Nel Vecchio Continente, sottolinea Nouvel Observateur, si fa sempre più impellente la necessità di adottare politiche comuni contro la tratta di essere umani. «Gli strumenti di cooperazione tra le polizie dei vari Paesi, come il mandato di arresto europeo, esistono, ma inciampano sulle diverse legislazioni nazionali» è l’amara considerazione di Souvira.

Fonte: www.corriere.it

We have been given some exclusive coverage on the recent developments in special purpose acquisition companies and blank check companies from SPACupdate.com this morning.  Stream Global Services (AMEX: SGS), the business outsourcer brought public through SPAC Global BPO Services Co., has launched an offer to buy back its warrants from its blank check merger. As more than a dozen SPAC targets have leaped past their blank check’s IPO value, it is expected that investors will clamor to buy up warrants that offer big discounts on rising stock and that the companies affiliated with those blank checks will set out to curb dilution through buybacks.

Friday, China Holdings Acquisition Co. (AMEX: HOL) will have its deal vote to bring ceramic tile maker Jinjiang Hengda Ceramics Co., Ltd. The SPAC, earlier this week, entered into an agreement with forward contract champ Victory Park Capital Advisors to buy back 4 million shares at a small premium. The $150 million SPAC joins a long list of successful blank checks from this fall—among them, REIT-targeting vehicles Enterprise Acquisition Co. (AMEX: EST)—that used forward contracts to get their deals done.

New SPACs are headed to the market: 57th St. General Acquisition Co., using Morgan Joseph as its bookrunner, filed paperwork this week with regulators stating the intent to bring a $57 million blank check public. The SPAC, like GSME Acquisition Co., has a redemption threshold above the 80% mark. Warrant buyers should take note of the improved odds for a deal’s completion when making investment decisions, when both of these SPACs price. Both SPACs will trade OTC on the Bulletin Board.

Last week, it was revealed that Asia Special Situation Acquisition Co. (AMEX: CIO) lost not just its deal to buy an energy company, but its CEO as well, who resigned. The SPAC still has a few months to complete its deal, but the exit of its leadership and its one-time target spurning its offer to instead accept a $100 million investment elsewhere certainly does not bode well for the blank check.

Prospect Acquisition Co. (AMEX: PAX) completed its deal to buy California REIT Kennedy-Wilson Inc. last week. The SPAC’s merger was helped along, once again, by Victory Park Capital Advisors. China MediaExpress (AMEX: TMI) bought back almost $2 million in warrants, the SPAC revealed, in an effort to curb dilution. And China Fundamental Acquisition Co. (OTC: CFQCF) found a merger partner and might try to extend its deal deadline.

For more on these mergers and other deal votes, please visit www.SPACupdate.com.

We have been given some exclusive data from SPACupdate.com on the progress of many blank check and special purpose acquisition companies which their targets and relevant trading data. Prospect Acquisition Co. (AMEX: PAX), Hicks Acquisition Co. (AMEX: TOH), Enterprise Acquisition Co. (AMEX: EST), Triplecrown Acquisition Co. (AMEX: TCW), China Fundamental Acquisition Co. (OTC: CFQCF), Global Brands Acquisition Co. (AMEX: GQN), North Shore Acquisition Co. (OTC: NSAQ), and Asia Special Situation Acquisition Co. (AMEX: CIO) all have very recent or pending data important for SPAC and special situations investing.

Prospect Acquisition Co. (AMEX: PAX) has entered into forward sale or buyback contracts to get more than 3 million of its shares voting in favor of its deal, the SPAC announced. Prospect Acquisition’s deal vote to bring public Kennedy-Wilson Inc. is set for today—the SPAC’s deal deadline is tomorrow. Sources have indicated that with its latest agreements, set up with Victory Park Capital Advisors, Credit Suisse, Malibu Partner and other investors, the merger will have enough votes to pass.

Lately, Victory Park has helped several SPACs make it across the finish line, including Hicks Acquisition Co. (AMEX: TOH), Enterprise Acquisition Co. (AMEX: EST) and Triplecrown Acquisition Co. (AMEX: TCW). Earlier this week, Guardian Life Insurance Co., a lender to Kennedy-Wilson, bought into the blank check and was allowed to appoint one of its board members.

China Fundamental Acquisition Co. (OTC: CFQCF) has a deal. The SPAC has not revealed its merger target, so there’s not much more to report than that. The blank check’s warrants, at around $0.95, were trading higher than any other SPAC that had not declared a merger, prior to its announcement. China Fundamental told its shareholders it could look to extend its deal deadline by up to a year, to May 2011.

Global Brands Acquisition Co. (AMEX: GQN) has less than a month to complete a merger, but there is no time to get started like the present. As several SPACs have already done this fall, Global Brands will look to take Gerrity International, a West Coast REIT, public.

North Shore Acquisition Co. (OTC: NSAQ), which was working to get its merger with a Korean offshore drilling company completed by early December, announced that it is now attempting to push its deal deadline back to March 2010.

Asia Special Situation Acquisition Co. (AMEX: CIO) saw its deal with White Energy collapse when its target took a $100 million investment from another bidder. The SPAC now has until Jan. 10, 2010 to identify a new target and get a merger completed.

For more on these mergers and other deal votes, please visit www.SPACupdate.com.

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«Oggi qui a Berlino c’è un gran caos, ed è anche normale viste le celebrazioni ma nella realtà di tutti i giorni Berlino è una città tranquilla, quasi vuota. In questi giorni è piena di turisti che vogliono rivivere quell’evento, perchè lo sentono molto. Ci sono molti italiani, tempo fa era raro vederli qui, ma si vede che c’è qualcosa di nuovo». La conosce bene Berlino, Angelo Bolaffi, filosofo della politica e germanista, attualmente Direttore dell’Istituto di Cultura Italiana di Berlino. Ne è entusiasta, anche perchè sente che l’attenzione internazionale sulla città sta cambiando, e forse l’ennesimo appuntamento con la Storia può essere un alibi: «Parlare del muro è la scusa per parlare della Berlino che sarà, una New York del futuro. Oggi c’è una generazione di ventenni tedeschi che non hanno mai visto il Muro. Il decennale non aveva avuto questa intensità nelle celebrazioni. Oggi Berlino è una città nuova e la capitale. E i festeggiamenti di oggi coincidono con la metamorfosi di Berlino. A Berlino si respira atmosfera. Passato e futuro».

Ma il passato è solo quello del Muro? «No, Berlino oggi si vede ritornare agli anni 20 e 30, ai suoi massimi apici, quando era capitale d’Europa e una città moderna per eccellenza». Eppure la città che oggi agli occhi di tutti appare come un elogio del work in progress, con cantieri aperti ovunque in pieno centro che restituiscono un senso di progettualità e non di speculazione, non ha avuto vita facile nell’immaginario di più di una generazione impegnata. «Berlino ci son stato con Bonetti, era un po` triste, molto grande» cantava nel 1977 Lucio Dalla in Disperato Erotico Stomp. Oggi molte personalità della cultura corrono a reinventarsi testimoni di quell’89: «Adesso c’è un opportunismo turistico, “tutti a Berlino!”. Ma Berlino non si scopre ora. Comunque meglio tardi che mai. L’italia è anche questa». Per molti under 40, Berlino significa invece musica elettronica: «La musica elettronica è stata fondamentale, ha attirato moltissimi giovani. Ma mettiamo in conto la lingua, che non viene insegnata come l’inglese o il francese, e poi Berlino geograficamente è molto lontana. Inoltre era divisa. E ancora, rispetto a Colonia o Francoforte, non era una delle città della classica immigrazione italiana. E anche come meta turistica non è propriamente una città da andare a vedere, non è Parigi, con il classico turismo. Oggi certamente è una città dei musei, ma non museale, a differenza di molte altre. Perchè Berlino è una città che si traforma continuamente».

Una città che nutre ambizioni, oltre la ricostruzione? «Sì, Berlino ha qualcosa in più, ricorda New York in versione Europa ma più economica, e infatti è diventata la capitale di chi ricerca, e si muove verso una esperienza nuova, d’avanguardia. A Berlino non si vende l’arte, ma si inventa l’arte. La città è piena di atelier e buchi attrezzati come laboratori. Intorno a Berlino c’è stato un passaparola, particolarmente in Italia. Perchè c’è una forte delusione per la nostra realtà nazionale. Per la difficoltà di lavorare, dei costi, del trovare atelier. Come fa un giovane a Milano o a Roma? Qui ottiene spazio con pochi soldi e soprattutto trova degli interlocutori. È un fatto». Berlino anche economicamente è così forte? «No, anzi. Si mantiene povera, per gravi problemi sociali. Düsseldorf, Colonia, sono citta diverse da questa città bohémien dove le case costano poco ma ci sono grandi problemi di integrazioni, forti tensioni giovanili. La situazione qui non è riappacificata ma vale per tutti, giovani e non. È una città dura proprio come come New York, mentre la ricchezza sta nella cintura del sole: Monaco, Colonia, Stoccarda».

Chi investe a Berlino? «Molti stranieri, ma ovviamente per gli effetti ci vuole del tempo. Quando l’aeroporto di Schönefeld verrà terminato nel 2012, sarà il più grande d’Europa. È stata a lungo sovvenzionata da tutte e due le parti, est e ovest, ma è rimasta improduttiva. Però si continua a costruire. Se c’è un paragone è con Shangai, perchè anche lì nascono palazzi in due mesi. A Berlino si lavora 24h, è una città frenetica, che vuole recuperare il tempo perduto. Non è stata saccheggiata col dopo Muro, come Roma con i palazzinari del dopoguerra. Il saccheggio è avvenuto con le ricostruzioni ideologiche, più che dai bombardamenti. È stata spianata per dire “noi non c’entriamo più nulla”. Ma quale città d’Europa offre degli spazi così in pieno centro? Berlino è un labiratorio». Anche per

Eraldo Affinati, insegnante alla Città dei Ragazzi, scrittore e autore di una guida personale alla città, Berlin (Rizzoli), molto legato alla capitale tedesca, «i giovani vanno a Berlino come un tempo si andava a Roma e Parigi. È una nuova Europa, piena di energia, che può insegnare. Molti italiani comprano case a Berlino perchè percepiscono una praticabilità rapidità dello scambio, senza lungaggini burocratiche, insomma la sensazione emotiva che possano essere superati». Quanto è cambiata? «Molto, quando ci andai prima del crollo del Muro, sembrava esserci una divisione tra un mondo a colori e uno in bianco e nero. Oggi continua a cambiare giorno dopo giorno, è un laboratorio antropologico, e anche una fortissima risposta al delirio di Adolf Hitler».

È possibile dire che è stata una città nascosta alle generazioni più politicizzate? «Forse. Di sicuro è stata una città a rischio di ideologia, destra e sinistra, rossi e neri, tutte categorie inadeguate per comprendere la realtà di Berlino. Vecchi schemi del 900 che hanno rappresentato una zavorra per molti. La nostra versione di Berlino era vederla crescere come una pianta fuori dal fusto, imprevedibile. Così ci siamo accorti che per sentirne il fascino anche dovevi superarne gli schemi. I giovani sono al di là di questi schemi. Andare a Berlino è come andare in Nuova Guinea. Qui da noi abbiamo molte paure da abbattere. Lì si stanno superando questi ostacoli. Lavorando alla Città dei Ragazzi, tutti nati nell’ 89, e di altre nazionalità e continenti, ho capito che questi ragazzi hanno superato tutti i muri venendo a Roma. Dobbiamo superare i muri della nostra identità.». È d’accordo con chi dice che queste celebrazioni sono quasi un pretesto? «Sì, Berlino è la città del futuro, qui buttano giù i palazzi e li rifanno subito».