Video: Obama 'Why won't McCain bring up Ayers to my face?'

Heh. Obama keeps "The Coward McCain" meme going in this interview with Charlie Gibson...

OBAMA: Well, I am surprised that, you know, we've been seeing some pretty over-the-top attacks coming out of the McCain campaign over the last several days that he wasn't willing to say it to my face.

But I guess we've got one last debate. So presumably, if he ends up feeling that -- that he needs to, he will raise it during the debate.

The notion that people don't know who I am is a little hard to swallow. I've been running for president for the last two years. I've campaigned in 49 states. Millions of people have heard me speak at length on every topic under the sun. I've been involved now in 25 debates, going on my 26th. And I've written two books which any -- everybody who reads them will say are about as honest a set of reflections by, at least, a politician as are out there.

So, you know, I think that, you know, Senator McCain's campaign has been focusing on me primarily because they don't want to focus on the economy. And they've said as much. I mean, you've had their spokespeople over the last couple of days say if we talk about the economic crisis, we lose.

Why does McCain focus on this hoary Ayers story at this point? Well this is the kind of thing you do when folks on your side of the fence are declaring your ticket a disaster. Take conservative columnist David Brooks, who calls Sarah Palin "a fatal cancer to the Republican party."

[Sarah Palin] represents a fatal cancer to the Republican party. When I first started in journalism, I worked at the National Review for Bill Buckley. And Buckley famously said he'd rather be ruled by the first 2,000 names in the Boston phone book than by the Harvard faculty. But he didn't think those were the only two options. He thought it was important to have people on the conservative side who celebrated ideas, who celebrated learning. And his whole life was based on that, and that was also true for a lot of the other conservatives in the Reagan era. Reagan had an immense faith in the power of ideas. But there has been a counter, more populist tradition, which is not only to scorn liberal ideas but to scorn ideas entirely. And I'm afraid that Sarah Palin has those prejudices. I think President Bush has those prejudices.

PHB

Immense Volume Of Money Is Laundered In Dominican Republic, Fannin Warns

Puerto Plata. - United States ambassador Robert Fannin yesterday warned that an immense volume of money originating from drug trafficking is laundered in Dominican Republic and urged industrialists to collabrorate with the government in its war against it.

The diplomat affirmed that drugs pose a danger for the tourism industry and the world, for which the country should seek new ways to attack the problem of the demand, “as demonstrated by the fact that narcotics consumption has fallen 24 percent since 2001.”

Fannin made the request in the conference “Opportunities in Commercial Interchange and Investment between the United States and Dominican Republic,” that dictated in the American Chamber of Commerce’s monthly luncheon here, held in the hotel Gran Ventana, Playa Dorada.

The U.S. ambassador said the around two billion doses of cocaine transported through Dominican territory produced much money that has been brought here, where it’s being laundered. “The private sector is in a very good position to help identify and alert the authorities on these activities in this area.”

Source: Dominican Today

USA And Dominican Republic. EMI Resorts Inc. Prepares Action Against Alpha Media Group, Inc.

Alpha Media Group, Inc. (Owner of "Maxim Magazine"). EMI Resorts preparing to file a multi-million dollar breach of contract lawsuit. Lawsuit against Alpha Media Group, Inc. the publisher of Maxim magazine. EMI Resorts will allege that Alpha Media failed to provide marketing and sales support pursuant to the License Agreement.

New York, NY (PRWEB) - EMI Resorts has announced that it is preparing to file a multi-million dollar breach of contract lawsuit in the State of New York against Alpha Media Group, Inc. (court case # 08-CIV.7944 SAS) against the publisher of Maxim magazine.

EMI Resorts spent millions of dollars in customized construction, development, promotion and licensing costs to create and position the "Maxim Bungalows" brand of resorts as one of the premier resorts in the Dominican Republic, pursuant to a License Agreement with the predecessor to Alpha Media. EMI Resorts will allege that Alpha Media failed to provide the marketing and sales support that they were obligated to provide pursuant to the License Agreement. Further, EMI Resorts will allege that Alpha Media breached the License Agreement by purporting to terminate the Agreement without justifiable cause.

Recently, Alpha Media has brought an application in a New York court for a preliminary injunction requiring EMI Resorts to refrain from any further use of the Maxim mark. EMI Resorts completely denies the allegations contained in Alpha Media's application materials and takes the position that such allegations are completely without merit. In view of Alpha Media's alleged breach of the parties' License Agreement, EMI Resorts has discontinued the use of the Maxim brand.

Source: PrWeb.Com

Trinidad Blank Dominican Republic 9-0 In Friendly International

By Gary Smith

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad: Swansea City in-form striker Jason Scotland sounded his intentions for a starting place against Guatemala on Saturday, after he scored a hat-trick to guide Trinidad and Tobago to a comfortable 9-0 thrashing of Dominican Republic in a friendly international at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on Wednesday night.

Ace striker Cornell Glen also lodged a hat-trick for the home side in their comfortable warm up victory before their two important CONCACAF matches.

Scotland, who was only drafted to replace the injured Colin Samuels at the weekend, got the hosts off the mark in the 28th minute with a grounder from inside the penalty area.

He got his second three-minutes later and then completed his hat-trick in the 35th minute with another low shot past goalkeeper Miguel Lloyd.

Glen, who replaced Scotland in the second half got his goals, with two coming the 72nd minute.

Senior Negotiator Says Caribbean Region Was Not Prepared For EPA Talks

By Kevin Lindon


GEORGETOWN, Guyana: The Caribbean was unready for the negotiations on agriculture under the controversial Economic Partner-ship Agreement (EPA), a senior negotiator said this week at an agriculture conference in Kingstown.

Ambassador Patrick Antoine, a lead negotiator in the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery, said the bloc has lost some opportunities in areas such as transportation.

"Late in the EPA negotiation process, CARICOM (Caribbean Community) was scrambling to respond to the European Union proposals," Antoine said Tuesday morning during a media roundtable workshop at the Caribbean Week of Agriculture conference in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

"We came to the table in agriculture, truth be told, ill-prepared."

Antoine said, for example, matters raised by Belize - such as having the issues of subsidies and domestic support addressed - were ignored in the EPA talks.

TECH:Leaked Pictures Of Amazon Kindle 2 Online

After rumors surfaced on the Web a few months back that a new version of ebook reader Kindle might be on the way, Amazon.com did its best to shoot them down, saying a new Kindle was not coming this year. Well, Boy Genius Report has gotten ahold of some photos that appear to be the Kindle 2, so we’re curious what Amazon has to say now. From the looks of the new device, Amazon has tried to address some of the criticisms of the Kindle, most of which revolve around its somewhat homely design and a few poorly placed buttons. The shape has been modified to make the new Kindle more attractive, but it appears Amazon is sticking with the same off-white color scheme–for better or worse.

The Boy Genius Report’s mole or “ninja,” has some comments about the new Kindle. First, ninja says the device is basically the same size as the older model, but is thinner and has “a slightly heavier feel, and it feels much sturdier.” The source indicates the new model uses the same cellular EV-DO network for downloads (it’s Sprint’s network in the current model) and a metal back is visible in some of the pictures. I particularly appreciated the look of the new leather carrying pouch for the device since I don’t like the existing Kindle’s protective case. There are more photos here. No word on when the next-generation Kindle will arrive, whether there will be a European model, or how much it will cost.

Source: RLSLOG

Caribbean Working Towards More Overseas Trade

By Oscar Ramjeet

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: The Executive Director of the Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export), Phillip Williams, said that his agency, along with the Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce and the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery, were working towards extensive promotion of the region's export services.

Williams said that a 23-member business mission recently returned from an encouraging trip to Europe.

The Barbados Advocate reported the Caribbean Export exposed ICT and home and video producers from the region to business opportunities for them in London and Madrid respectively.

Williams said that there would be a follow-up meeting at an EU CARIFORUM business forum in Barbados on November 23 and 24.

There was also mention of ongoing programmes with Trade Facilitation Office Canada to promote health and wellness tourism and handicraft. These types of activities, although critical to export success were costly, Williams said.

The Executive Director added that he was currently in the process of organising a study tour to Ireland to expose senior trade and investment promotion officials to the Irish miracle, which has resulted in sustained success of the Irish economy over the last two decades.

Source: CNN

VIDEO-DISRESPECT:McCain Refuses To Shake Obama's Hand...Calls Obama That One Instead Of By Name!!

We don't think we've ever seen that level of disrespect in an election EVER!!

[flv:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI0iIOqPGak 480 360]

[flv:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNzA9LfMlmU 480 360]

Source: TalkingPointsMemo.Com - MediaTakeOut.Com

U.S. To Help Rebuild Washed-Out Haitian Bridge

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – The American Embassy in Haiti says the U.S. will help rebuild a key bridge that collapsed during this summer's devastating floods.

Embassy spokeswoman Mari Tolliver says construction is due to begin later this year on the Ennery bridge leading to the hard-hit northern coastal city of Gonaives.

She said Thursday that some traffic is crossing the riverbed, but only because United Nations equipment is there to repeatedly clear away the muck.

The Haitian government and the U.N. also are collaborating on the project, but financing details have not been released.

Four tropical storms that struck the poor Caribbean nation in late August and early September destroyed roads, bridges and homes. At least 793 people were killed.

Source: SignOnSanDiego.Com

Royal Caribbean Cruises Still A 'Buy,' Analyst Says

A Stifel Nicolaus & Co. analyst maintained his ''Buy'' rating on shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL), saying the stock's sell-off is overdone, despite increasing pressures on consumer discretionary spending.

The analyst noted Royal Caribbean's shares have dropped more than 40 percent over the past five weeks. He said the sell-off appears overly dramatic.

The analyst believes a slowdown in bookings is already factored into the share price and estimates. He also said the Miami company has enough inventory booked already to provide ``a sound cushion for the next six months.''

Source: MiamiHerald.Com

Resisting AfriCOM: The U.S. Military’s Imperial Reoccupation Of Africa

On 1D4TW, news about the new “Africa Command” (AfriCOM) and a call for participation in a movement to resist its imposition. Of particular importance to anthropologists will be the fact that U.S. civilian development programs will come under military guidance, as well as the fact that the Human Terrain System is seeking to make inroads through AfriCOM and its funding.

From Resist AFRICOM, an outline of African reactions to this newest U.S. military intrusion:

* On September 14th 2007, Nigerian media reported that the Nigerian government began meetings with West African governments and the leadership of the African Union to oppose AFRICOM — the Pentagon’s Africa command — from establishing itself in the Gulf of Guinea region. This follows a similar decision by the 14 Nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) which recently refused the entrance of U.S. soldiers on Southern African soil. This growing opposition to AFRICOM should be taken into serious consideration as the Bush Administration furthers its plans for military expansion on the African continent.


* To date, the only African government to come out in full public support of AFRICOM is Liberia. Others, such as South Africa and Nigeria, have expressed deep concern over the role of AFRICOM and an expanded U.S. military footprint on African soil.

EMX Discovers High Grade Copper-Silver At The Champagne Prospect And Advances Exploration at La Mine: Champagne Trench Returns 14.0 Meters @ 19.15% Copper And 140 G/T Silver

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA–(Marketwire - Oct. 8, 2008) - Eurasian Minerals Inc. (the “Company” or “EMX”) (TSX VENTURE:EMX - News) is pleased to announce results from its exploration activities in Haiti covered under the Regional Strategic Alliance with Newmont Ventures Limited (Newmont). These results include the discovery of high-grade copper-silver mineralization at the Champagne prospect including: 14 meters at 19.15% copper and 140 g/t silver within a corridor of copper-silver showings extending 1275 meters in length as well as additional exploration results from the La Mine project.

Regional Alliance EMX as manager, is exploring northern Haiti with Newmont as part of its Regional Alliance (see news release dated April 28, 2008), funding for this program is Newmont 75%, EMX 25%.
Treuil License

The Treuil project is covered by a 88 square kilometer mineral exploration license, and is located immediately south of EMX’s La Mine project (see news release dated April 2, 2007) in northwestern Haiti. The Treuil license hosts numerous copper occurrences that were identified by previous United Nations (UN) work. EMX has completed reconnaissance mapping, and rock and trench sampling that has confirmed, and expanded on, the historic UN results. Of the 275 rock chip and trench samples that have been collected within the Treuil license, 21% percent assayed over 0.8% copper.

Champagne Copper-Silver Prospect:

Gov Palin Rallies Crowd To 'KILL OBAMA'!!!

By Dana Milbank


Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin gestures during a campaign speech on Oct. 6, 2008 in Clearwater, Fla. (Chris O'Meara/Associated Press)

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- "Okay, so Florida, you know that you're going to have to hang onto your hats," Sarah Palin told a rally of a few thousand here this morning, "because from now until Election Day it may get kind of rough."

You betcha. And the person dishing out the roughest stuff at the moment is Sarah Palin.

"I was reading my copy of the New York Times the other day," she said.

"Booooo!" replied the crowd.

"I knew you guys would react that way, okay," she continued. "So I was reading the New York Times and I was really interested to read about Barack's friends from Chicago."

TECH:Blackberry Storm Launch Next Month

Network operators Vodafone and Verizon Wireless will sell Research In Motion’s BlackBerry Storm smartphone from next month, the companies said Wednesday. The Storm will be available from Vodafone in the U.K., Ireland, Germany, Romania, Spain, Italy, France (via partner SFR), India, Australia and New Zealand from next month, and from Verizon Wireless in the U.S. With a touchscreen interface, the largest screen size ever on a BlackBerry device and a long list of features, the Storm will be a worthy competitor to Apple’s iPhone all over the world, according to Ben Wood, analyst at CCS Insight. Pricing will be announced in the coming weeks, according to RIM.

The Storm is the first touch-screen BlackBerry device and has what RIM calls a “clickable” screen: The user feels the screen being pressed and released, similar to the feeling of a key on a physical keyboard or a button on a mouse, which should make it easier to type, according to RIM. The touchscreen technology is very impressive, according to Wood, who describes the 3.26-inch, 480 by 360 pixel screen as a big key. “They have reinvented the touchscreen with the Storm. It’s not as good as a qwerty keyboard but it comes close,” he said. The Storm measures 112.5 millimeters x 62.2 mm x 13.95 mm and weighs 155 grams, compared to 115.5 mm x 62.1 mm x 12.3 mm and 133 grams for the iPhone. Users can surf the web and download email using either EV-DO Rev. A or HSPA (High-Speed Packet Access), but there is no Wi-Fi.

Source: PC World - RLSLOG

POEM:Haiti In My Heart

By Cryssa C

Haiti in my Heart

I call myself a diaspora.

for Haiti is in my heart.

I think my heart is half-Haitian

because Haiti’s my heart’s second home.

Haiti…

My eyes take in the view:

Poverty in all her glory…

Burning tires and refuse,

Piled trash along the roads,

Garbage rivers running

Obama Stand-ins Coming to Haitian Convention

Two Surrogates of US Presidential Candidate Barack Obama, Congressman John Conyers, Haiti’s Prime Minister Michele Pierre Louis, Government of Haiti Ministers, Miami Herald Journalist and Others to Address the National Congress and Convention of Haitian-Americans, Newark, New Jersey, October 10-12, 2008

Two Surrogates of US Presidential Candidate Barack Obama, Haiti Prime Minister Michèle Pierre Louis, United States Congressman John Conyers of Michigan, New Jersey Senator Sandra Cunningham, Haiti’s Ministers of Commerce and of Haitians Living Abroad, the chief of Staff of Haiti’s Prime Minister, the current director of Haiti’s Center To Facilitate Investments, former Minister of Social Affairs, Miami Herald’s Jacqueline Charles, New York City Councilman Eugene Mathieu, North Miami Mayor Frantz Pierre will be among dozens of dignitaries and experts attending the First National Congress and Convention of Haitian Americans. This event is to be held from Friday to Sunday, October 10th - 12th at the Sheraton Newark Airport Hotel in Newark, New Jersey.

Friday Deadline For Lawyers For Simpson & Stewart To File Motions

Lawyers for OJ Simpson and Clarence Stewart have until Friday to file motions for a new trial.

Simpson and Stewart were convicted of armed robbery and kidnapping Friday in connection with a rip off last year at Palace Station.

Simpson faces life in prison.

His defense lawyer claims jury members wanted to get even for his acquittal in 1995 on double murder charges.

Keep it tuned to Channel 13 as watch for new developments in this case.

Source: Ktnv.Com

Video: Booba (a French rapper) throws a bottle of Jack Daniels at a fan - WSHH

Corentin reports "watch at the 2:00 mark This weekend in Paris, France was the Urban Peace Show. Rapstar Booba got beef with the public. At 2:00 Booba says "Hold on Turn it off..You want a bottle of Jack in your head or what??! .. Son of a b*tch" then throw the bottle! ahah Shit is funny!"

GMail Goggles: Don’t Send Embarrassing Emails Any More

The forward-thinking folks at Google have implemented a novel solution to prevent regretful drunken digital correspondence to friends, family, co-workers, and loved ones. Gmail engineer Jon Perlow is introducing Mail Googles, a new feature that will tease the bean before ill-conceived late night and weekend emails can be sent out. Mail Goggles are presently available in the Labs tab on Gmail settings. Once activated, users can select the days and times when they’re most likely to be recreating in a fashion unsuitable for CC’ing the entire office.

Default settings are the tender hours between 10 PM and 4 AM on Fridays and Saturday. Before an ill-conceived email is allowed to make its rounds, Mail Goggles offers the constitution a checkup by asking a series of math problems that must be solved in 60 seconds. Several levels of difficulty are available for drunken savants. To activate Mail Goggles, go into Gmail’s settings, and turn on Mail Goggles in the “Labs” tab. Then adjust how and when it works in the “General” tab.

Source: cNet - Register - RLSLOG

Indiana Republicans Making Voting Harder For Blacks

By Zachary Roth

Indiana is one of the key red states that Barack Obama has unexpectedly put in play this year. So it's not surprising that the GOP is pulling out all the stops to keep it in their column -- including, predictably, launching an effort to make it much harder for African-Americans to vote.

In a nutshell, here's what's happened so far. The details get a little intricate, but stay with us here:

To win Indiana, Obama would likely need a big turnout from three low-income, heavily African-American cities, in the northern part of Lake County, near Chicago. Those three cities -- Gary, Hammond, and East Chicago -- together comprise more than 40 percent of the county's population. But under Indiana law, early voting can take place only in the county clerk's main office, which for Lake County is in Crown Point, more than an hour's drive from those cities.

As a result, on September 23, the county board of elections, on a 3-2 party-line vote, approved the opening of satellite early-voting centers in the the three cities. (State law specifically gives elections boards the authority to approve satellite voting centers, and early voting occurred at the centers in advance of the Democratic primary in May.)

But Republicans argue that the decision is unfair to voters in other parts of the state, many of whom would still need to travel to their county seat to vote early. Last week, the county GOP challenged the move, arguing that the centers can only be approved through a unanimous vote of the election board, and asking for a restraining order on early voting. Superior Court Judge Calvin Hawkins -- a recent appointee of the state's GOP governor, Mitch Daniels -- issued the order Friday.

Palin Stretches Truth In Campaign Speeches

By BETH FOUHY

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin tells audiences the election is about the "truthfulness and judgment" needed to be president. But the Alaska governor often stretches the truth herself.

She has exaggerated the nature of Barack Obama's personal ties to a former 1960s radical and falsely claimed the Democratic presidential candidate plans to raise most people's taxes.

On Tuesday, she tried rebutting the Illinois senator's criticisms of Republican presidential candidate John McCain over health care and Social Security. She said Obama was misleading and wrong, but she herself told less than the full story.

To be sure, most of Palin's assertions about Obama echo claims McCain himself has made or lines from Republican TV ads.

At a rally Tuesday, Palin tried to link Obama to the failure of housing giant Fannie Mae by noting that two Obama supporters once led the troubled company. The government seized Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, another housing finance company, last month to prevent their collapse from worsening the global credit crisis.

"What's next, claiming that he didn't know two of his biggest supporters were running Fannie Mae, the subprime mortgage giant?" Palin said. "That has done harm to the American economy.

Villaraigosa Addresses Perceived Tensions Between Blacks And Latinos

At a summit on the issue, the Los Angeles mayor says both groups must 'face up to' the racial strains and address the poverty that causes them. Tense relations are not 'endemic to our DNA,' he said.

By Phil Willon

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on Monday said Latinos and African Americans must "face up to" existing racial strains over jobs, language differences and violent crime by addressing the underlying causes of those tensions, primarily poverty and the lack of opportunity.

At the same time Villaraigosa dismissed those who believe that such tensions define the relationship between blacks and Latinos "as if it's endemic to our DNA to have conflict."

Villaraigosa waded into the volatile issue of race at the National Black Latino Summit, a conference of community leaders and organizers who came to Los Angeles to tighten bonds between the nation's two largest minority groups and counter the "hyperventilating" over perceptions of a racial divide.

Though he acknowledged that recent gang violence and schoolyard brawls between blacks and Latinos in Los Angeles have drawn national attention and must be addressed, Villaraigosa emphasized the long history of blacks and Latinos working and living together. Blacks and Latinos joined together in the fight for civil rights, he said, and today Los Angeles is filled with thriving multiethnic neighborhoods.

Fannie Mae Forgives Loan For Woman Who Shot Herself

(CNN) -- Fannie Mae said it will set aside the loan of a woman who shot herself as sheriff's deputies tried to evict her from her foreclosed home.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="292" caption="Fannie Mae foreclosed on the Akron, Ohio, home of Addie Polk, 90, after acquiring the mortgage in 2007."][/caption]

Addie Polk, 90, of Akron, Ohio, became a symbol of the nation's home mortgage crisis when she was hospitalized after shooting herself at least twice in the upper body Wednesday afternoon.

On Friday, Fannie Mae spokesman Brian Faith said the mortgage association had decided to halt action against Polk and sign the property "outright" to her.

"We're going to forgive whatever outstanding balance she had on the loan and give her the house," Faith said. "Given the circumstances, we think it's appropriate."

Residents of Akron have rallied behind Polk, who is being treated at Akron General Medical Center. She was listed in critical condition Friday afternoon, according to Akron City Council President Marco Sommerville.

U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, mentioned Polk on the House floor Friday during debate over the latest economic rescue proposal.

"This bill does nothing for the Addie Polks of the world," Kucinich said after telling her story. "This bill fails to address the fact that millions of homeowners are facing foreclosure, are facing the loss of their home. This bill will take care of Wall Street, and the market may go up for a few days, but democracy is going downhill."

MUSIC:Rodney Noel Apologize…. REALLY? [FA-ENG Translation]

Don’t believe the hype TRUST ME. According to people close to this latest development, Rodney Noel does not approve the following press release. He is not apologizing for what he said because not only is he a man of his word but he truly believes what he called Djakout to be the truth! This press release was orchestrated by his marketing team in Haiti who was feeling the pressure of what transpired in the past week or so. Until you hear Rodney go on the air like before to apologize then this is all marketing.

FRENCH

Port-au-Prince, le 1er octobre 2008

Communiqué de Presse

Les Productions Noël and Cecibon et Rythm and Harmony présentent des excuses publiques aux musiciens de Djakout Mizik

Les Productions Noël and Cecibon et Rythm and Harmony regrettent les propos mal placés, particulièrement le terme vicieux, tenus à l’endroit de certains musiciens de Djakout Mizik à l’émission Plateforme Magik 9, le lundi 22 septembre écoulé. Noël and Cecibon et Rythm and Harmony présentent des excuses publiques aux musiciens, aux fans du groupe et à tous ceux qui se sont senti blessés par ce mot.

Continue To View English Translation....

PICTURE:Introducing Tempo’s New Female Singer Stacy

Introducing Tempo’s new female singer Stacy. She 22 years old from New Jersey. She’s going to be one of the band’s lead singer along side Roberto Pierre Paul and Val Cantave. Look out for her. According to Tempo’s manager Boogie, she sings just beautifully as she looks. Stacy is the daughter of well known radio host Master P from Orlando Florida.



Continue To View More Pictures Of Stacy...

Israel Criticized Indirectly For Refusing Review Of Atomic Program

VIENNA, Austria (AP) -- A U.N. nuclear conference of 145 nations indirectly criticized Israel on Saturday for refusing to put its atomic program under international purview.

But the Jewish state managed to evade being targeted by Islamic countries pushing for a vote to link it to nuclear proliferation in the Middle East.

Iran, Israel's most outspoken foe, spearheaded the verbal attack on the Jewish state, as it has done at past general conferences of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Israel is widely considered to have nuclear arms, but has a "no tell" policy on the issue.

Chief Iranian delegate Ali Ashgar Soltanieh said Israel's nuclear capabilities represent a "serious and continued threat to the security of neighboring and other states."

He took the United States and other Western backers of Israel to task for their "shameful silence" on what he said was the menace posed by Israel's atomic arsenal.

The meeting voted for a resolution urging all nations to open their nuclear activities to outside inspection and work toward the establishment of a Mideast nuclear weapons free zone. With Israel the only country in the region considered to have atomic arms, passage of the resolution constituted indirect criticism of the Jewish state.

OAS Pleased With Haiti

A senior official of the Organisation of American States (OAS) has hailed Haiti's re-development plans and pledged continued assistance to the hurricane-ravaged country.

At a meeting in Washington last week with Alex Larsen, Haiti's newly-appointed Health Minister, OAS Assistant Secretary General Albert Ramdin welcomed plans by the Haitian government to rebuild medical and other key facilities in areas not prone to disasters.

Nearly 800 people were killed in four recent storms, which also wiped out food crops as well as damaged irrigation systems and major structures.

Mr. Larsen used his visit to Washington to update the OAS official on the government's recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts.

He also spoke about the clean-up efforts that are currently underway in the northern city of Gonaïïves and other heavily impacted areas.

Source: Radio Jamaica

World's 4th Richest Man Loses $28 Billion

Indian steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, 58, the richest man in Europe and the 4th richest man in the world, can now be known as the world's biggest loser after his net worth plummeted by a whopping $28 billion over the last four months due to the global financial crisis. Mittal, a London resident who paid a record $200 million for a Georgian mansion in Kensington Palace Gardens earlier this year, still has $17 billion left, the London Times reports. We don't yet know how Mittal's stunning loss - which equates to $240 million / day or nearly $10 million per hour - re-positions him on the world's rich list as several other plutocrats have also suffered reversals, but it's safe to say he'll end up much further down unless the stock market recovers soon.

Source: Luxist.Com

Man Shot Three Times In Street By Racist Gunman For Wearing Barack Obama T-shirt

A man told today how he was shot three times in a London street for wearing a Barack Obama T-shirt.

Dube Egwuatu was buying a mobile telephone top-up card in an off-licence when the gunman confronted him and glared at the top, which carries an image of the Democrat US presidential candidate underneath the legend 'Believe'.

The man then launched into a tirade of racist slurs, shouting 'I f***ing hate n*****s' and urging 36-year-old Mr Egwuatu to leave the shop with him.

Respect: Dube Egwuatu wearing the Obama T-shirt that provoked a racist attack

The man then left the shop but when Mr Egwuatu re-emerged, the attacker was waiting for him in broad daylight with a threatening-looking dog and holding a gun behind his back.

McCain Faces Questions On Age, Health

By Caleb Hellerman

(CNN) -- Meghan McCain was on the talk-show couch, being grilled by the hosts of "The View." Does it bother her to hear jokes about her father's age? Megan, 23, started chuckling, and allowed, "He IS old!" Tension was replaced by laughter. But that was summer. These days, for Republican Sen. John McCain, age is no laughing matter.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="292" caption="Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain and wife Cindy greet supporters Monday in New Mexico."][/caption]

Age as political issue has become a reality the McCain campaign does indeed have to face. McCain turned 72 in August, which would make him the oldest man to begin a first term as president -- three years older than Ronald Reagan.

Clips of McCain making supposed age-related gaffes circulate on the Internet. Last month, Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Missouri Democrat and a supporter of Democratic candidate Sen. Barack Obama, said McCain's age and skin cancer history were fair game as a campaign issue. "We're talking about a reality here that we have to face." A few days ago, a liberal activist group, Brave New Films, ran a full-page ad in the New York Times, accompanied by a petition signed by more than 2,700 physicians calling on McCain to release his full medical records.

All this skates over the fact that McCain already allowed reporters a peek at eight years worth of health records, dating back to 2000, while Obama has released a one-page summary from his doctor. McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds said it's a double standard. "The arbiters of this election are not demanding the same level of disclosure about Sen. Obama. He's essentially running on a doctor's note. I had a harder time getting out of high school math class."

7 In Palin's Administration Agree To Give Statements In U.S. Probe

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (CNN) -- Seven employees of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's administration have agreed to give statements in the state Legislature's investigation into her firing of the state's public safety commissioner, the attorney general and lawmakers involved in the probe said Sunday.

The seven, including Palin's chief of staff, had tried to fight subpoenas issued by the state Senate Judiciary Committee.

But an Anchorage judge upheld the subpoenas Thursday, and Alaska Attorney General Talis Colberg, whose department challenged the authority of the subpoenas, notified the committee Sunday that the seven would give statements after all.

"Despite my initial concerns about the subpoenas, we respect the court's decision to defer to the legislature," Colberg said in a statement.

Colberg said his department was working with Judiciary Committee Chairman Hollis French to arrange the testimony.

"We're still working out the details," said French.

French said he believes statements could be taken without pushing back the scheduled Friday release of a report by Stephen Branchflower, the former Anchorage prosecutor conducting the investigation into Palin's July firing of Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan.

POEM: Haiti, My Heart Bleeds

By Carmel S. Victor

Two hundred years of your Independence,
Yet I still wonder if this is your sentence.
Many believe that your strength is immense,
But I've yet to see them come to your defense.

You've been facing struggles since you began.
So, giving up on should never be a plan.
Instead, the world should lend a helping hand.
Maybe then you would become a prosperous land.

From many miles away I can feel the distress,
Of a country where freedom is being suppressed.
Since of your demise, I am not yet convinced.
When I pray at night I pray that you be blessed.

Though you are said to be one of the poorest.
Those who have seen you have seen a treasure chest.
I know that right now you are put to the test,
But the day will come when you will finally rest.

International Library of Poetry.

Copyright ©2004 Carmel S. Victor.
All rights reserved.

VIDEO: Dragonball [2009] Teaser

[vodpod id=Groupvideo.1627179&w=425&h=350&fv=]

Release Date: April 3rd, 2009
Director: James Wong
Writer: James Wong
Starring: Justin Chatwin, James Marsters, Jamie Chung, Emmy Rossum, Eriko Tamura, Joon Park, Chow Yun-Fat, Texas Battle, Ernie Hudson
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Dragonball is adapted from the manga created by Akira Toriyama; the work was also turned into a Japanese anime series that played all over the world. It tells the story of an alien sent to destroy Earth, who has a change of heart and decides to join the humans in their fight against various aliens and bad guys. Justin Chatwin is starring as the hero Goku, while James Marsters will play the villain Piccolo in the sci-fi adventure.

VIDEO:Barack,McCain Second 2008 U.S. Presidential Debate

Source: CSPAN - YouTube.Com

Arlington,WA Doctors And Church Pitch In For Haitian Hurricane Victims

By Kirk Boxleitner

The Arlington community has a chance to help out residents of Haiti who have been devastated by recent hurricanes and flooding.

As local physicians Jerry Rusher and Gary Stanley have worked at a hospital in Northern Haiti, the Arlington Free Methodist Church has started a "Pennies From Heaven" fund drive for Haitians.

Jeanne Wessel, missions mobilizer for the Arlington Free Methodist Church, is asking area residents to bring in jars of spare change, or other funds, either to the Arlington Free Methodist Church itself, at 730 E Highland Dr., or to the Skagit State Bank, Mondays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

According to Wessel, donations are tax-deductible, receipts are available and all funds raised will be sent to Haiti and distributed to affected areas through the Free Methodist World Missions Bishops Famine and Relief Fund, to provide much-needed food, clean water and medical care.

While the Arlington Free Methodist Church are hoping to make those pennies rain down, doctors Rusher and Stanley left for Haiti Sept. 12, five days after Hurricane Ike hit. While Stanley returned Oct. 3, Rusher is remaining through the end of the month.

9 More Days To Decide If Djakout’s Is NO MORE?

According to my sources, there’s supposed to be a big meeting that’s going to take place in Haiti on Wednesday October 15, 2008 to decided Djakout Mizik’s faith. This emergency meeting is being called because the head honchos in Haiti right now aren’t too happy with Djakout right now. Before the whole Compas Festival drama took place, Djakout was slowly but surly falling apart but the festival really tore the band that was barely holding on thin thread apart.

The owners are serious right now about the name Djakout Mizik. They are not willing to give it up. If the band should fall apart they can’t use the name Djakout Mizik if the head honchos in Haiti have anything to say about it.

What will the out come be?

Will Djakout Mizik members put their differences aside and continue to work together or will each one of them go where there’s more money?

Will Claude Marcelin return? (this is the HMI )

This is a developing story and I’m all over it.

Source: OpaMizik

Central American Leaders Meet In Honduras On Integration

Leaders and representatives of the Central American Integration System (SICA) member states Saturday met in Honduras's capital Tegucigalpa on regional security and integration, according to reports reaching Managua.

Presidents from Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica, Guatemala and El Salvador, a vice president of Panama as well as representatives from the Dominican Republic and Belize attended the summit meeting.

Top on the agenda of the SICA meeting were security across the Central America, efforts to establish a customs union among the member nations and the U.S. financial crisis's impact on the region.

SICA was founded in December 1991 to push for integration in the Central American region. It now has eight members -- Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and Dominican Republic.

Source:Xinhua

Download: Tony Yayo - S.O.D. (Thisis50 Vol. 4)

Check out Tony Yayo, a Haitian hip-hop artist, mixtape titled 'S.O.D. (Thisis50 Vol. 4)'.

Download Mixtape | Free Mixtapes Powered by DatPiff.com

POEM: Haitian Flag Day Poem

By André F. Dossous
Haitian Poet, Playwright, Engineer, Certified Secondary Math Teacher.

In the blue and red
the flag of my Country
I perceive your picture
I see your smiling face
your soul dancing in the wind
when the flag is waving.

When our flag is waving
on the top of its staff
it proudly shows the world
our Ancestor's courage
our strong roots, brothers.

We must stick together
to celebrate this Flag
the image of Liberty
the symbol of our Freedom.

Come to praise our Ancestors
Sing!
Dance!
“Baila” in this “fiesta” of harmony
our National Anthem.

Refrain

Celebrate, celebrate brothers!
Celebrate, celebrate sisters!
Ooooh Friends of Haiti!
Come to celebrate with us
the blue and red
the Flag of courage
the Flag of respect
the Flag of Liberty
the Flag of Freedom
the Flag of Love
that taught every slave on earth
the road for Human's Dignity.

Tyler Perry Unveils New Studio Complex In Atlanta

By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr.

ATLANTA (AP) — Tyler Perry unveiled a new multimillion-dollar TV and film studio Saturday on 30 acres in southwest Atlanta.



His renewed commitment to the city came after he once flirted with departing. Perry said he had considered leaving Atlanta for good after neighbors complained about noise and traffic at his old studio in a neighborhood close to downtown.

"Even though it was a studio there for 15 years, there was a lot of resistance in everything I was doing," Perry said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press earlier in the week. "I was thinking about leaving at one point, but this is home for me."

His new Tyler Perry Studios contains more than 200,000 square feet of studio and office space in an area that once housed Delta Air Lines' finance, reservation and computer center. It was vacant when Perry found it.

The guest list included Will Smith and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, Oprah Winfrey, Forest Whitaker, Hank Aaron and Whitney Houston. R&B singer Mary J. Blige was to perform.

Dominican Republic Attended Sugar Symposium In Hawaii

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="209" caption="Sugar Museum in Maui, Hawaii."][/caption]

Honolulu.– Representatives from across the United States, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Philippines, Europe and Australia had the opportunity to get a glimpse into Hawaii's sugar production during the recent 25th International Sugar Symposium.

The symposium, conducted in Big Island, Hawaii, was sponsored by the American Sugar Alliance. Hawaii is the only place in the United States that is still harvesting sugarcane during the month of August.

Symposium attendees saw the island's harvest firsthand. Hawaii is the ultimate tourist destination, but agriculture has long been the economic driver of many small communities on the island. The beautiful state has some of the most fertile soil used produce sugar cane, and it was once a dominant force in the industry.

By the mid-1990s, more than 70 percent of the state's sugar industry had vanished. But the sugar industry remains important to the islands, said Alan Kennett with Gay and Robinson, Inc., a sugar company in Hawaii. “Not only are we a top employer in the state, but we could become even more important as the industry looks to get into the energy business,” he said.

Sucrose ethanol was one of the chief topics discussed at this year's symposium. Hawaii's Congressman Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii, was leading speaker on energy issue.

Source: Dominican Today

Couple In Caribbean Drugs Arrest

A British couple have been arrested in the Dominican Republic on suspicion of drugs trafficking.


[caption id="" align="alignright" width="226" caption="The Foreign Office was providing the couple with consular assistance"][/caption]

The Foreign Office said it was providing Kelly Carrigan and Daniel Patterson, who are believed to be from Glasgow, with consular assistance.

The pair were arrested at Punta Cana airport on 2 October.

It is understood Foreign Office staff have visited Ms Carrigan's two young sons who were taken into care following the arrests.

Penalties for drug offences in the Dominican Republic include long prison sentences and hefty fines.

Source: BBC

Caribbean Countries Call On UN To Begin Negotiations On Arms Trade Treaty

By Oscar Ramjeet

ST JOHN’S, Antigua: Representatives from several Caribbean governments, regional NGOs and law enforcement agencies have conducted landmark talks in Antigua on international arms transfers, development and the Arms Trade Treaty.

According to the statement read on behalf of the prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Baldwin Spencer, the prime minister wished to assure “that my government will do all in its power to support the Arms Trade Treaty in the region".

The discussions ended with a call for the United Nations to begin negotiations of an Arms Trade Treaty as soon as possible and before 2010.

The deliberations of the two-day conference centred on the social and economic impacts that armed violence was having on individual countries and on the region as a whole; the challenges to community safety; marginalisation of communities, the emerging culture of violence, and the demise of young males particularly in urban communities.

Central America And Caribbean States Seek To Fend Off US Crisis

TEGUCIGALPA Honduras (Reuters): Central American and Caribbean countries will take out loans, spend more on job creation and boost agricultural activity in a bid to shield their economies from the spread of the US credit crisis.

The US housing downturn triggered one of the worst economic crises in decades, crippling the construction sector that employs thousands of immigrants and curbing the amount of money they send home to their families.

Regional leaders gathering in Tegucigalpa on Saturday said the tough economic situation in the United States would take its toll on remittances, exports and foreign direct investment.

"Central America has to find a way to protect itself," Honduras President Manuel Zelaya said.

Recent data suggest that waning job creation in the United States could prompt immigrants to return to their home countries, posing a problem to Central American governments that must meet increasing demand for jobs locally.

Triton Telecom Taps ECI For 10G Caribbean Undersea Fiber Network

By Khali Henderson

Triton Telecom Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Cobian International, selected 9000 Carrier Ethernet Switch Router (CESR) and the XDMR Multi-Service Provisioning Platform (MSPP) from the ECI Telecom for a fiber network project in the Caribbean, spanning the distance of Florida, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica. The network is the first in the region to use submarine cable based on a native 10 gigabits system, supporting up to 40G per channel.

The 9000 CESR and XDM platforms will provide Triton with an end-to-end transport solution supporting both legacy SONET/SDH capabilities along with new IP traffic requirements with speeds of 10G and greater. This is the first time ECI’s optical and Ethernet gear have been used together.

Cobian estimated a 31 percent per year growth in bandwidth requirements in the region due to demand for more data capacity and video services.

The first leg of the network, called Seahorse-1, will traverse the ocean from Miami to Puerto Rico and is expected to go live in May 2009. It will be the only direct cable between the two points, which reduces potential points of failure, said Cobian CEO Joanne Negron, speaking to xchange from the COMPTEL PLUS Convention + Expo in Orlando this week.

New Jobs Desperately Needed In Hurricane-Ravaged Haiti

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="180" caption="A family outside their home in Leogane, a town in southern Haiti hit by Hurricane Gustav"][/caption]

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) today appealed for funds so it can run projects that would offer jobs to up to 400,000 Haitians whose incomes have disappeared since a series of deadly hurricanes lashed the poor Caribbean country over the past two months.

Generating employment is critical to kick-starting Haiti’s recovery after the tropical storms, UNDP said in a news release issued today, warning that tens of thousands of breadwinners now have no income to support their families.

Joel Boutroue, the head of UNDP in Haiti and the Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative, said it was “an absolute imperative that we act immediately” to create jobs and rehabilitate both infrastructure and the natural environment.

“Without a concerted effort of the international community and financial contributions from donors, we’re going to see more poverty, suffering and social instability,” Mr. Boutroue said.

A team from UNDP in the capital, Port-au-Prince, plans to initiate a policy process to help create a social safety net that is currently absent in Haiti, which is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.

Crist Touts Florida’s $64B In Trade With Caribbean, Latin America

Gov. Charlie Crist discussed Florida’s collaborative efforts on international trade, alternative energy and environmental preservation with officials from Latin America and the Caribbean on Oct. 3.

Crist, who spoke at the business and political forum Miami Herald Americas Conference, called the Sunshine State the “Gateway of the Americas,” and said that his administration is committed to expanding commerce with neighboring countries, according to a prepared statement.

Florida trade with the nations of Latin America and the Caribbean is more than $64 billion annually, representing 56 percent of Florida’s total world trade, according to a news release. Latin American and Caribbean countries have invested more than $3.4 billion in Florida, and they employ more than 21,000 Floridians.

In addition, trade agreements between the United States and Chile and the Dominican Republic have increased Florida trade more than $2.8 billion. Meanwhile, the state has pending agreements with Peru, Panama and Colombia that could bring Florida more market access, lower prices and new jobs.

1,400 years old archaeological evidence of yucca found

Archaeological studies have revealed that the yucca, which is the main ingredient of some Central American dishes, has been parts of crops in El Salvador and the Maya region for more than 1,400 years.

The studies, undertaken at Joya de Ceren, El Salvador revealed archaeological material of a Maya village, including houses, fields, temples, warehouses and sweat lodges.

The "American Pompey", as Joya de Ceren is also known, was near Loma de Caldera Volcano; which erupted towards 600 AD, resulting in a human catastrophe.

Evidence of yucca plantations were found under 14 layers of ashes, declared Fabricio Valdivieso, coordinator of Archaeology Department of the El Salvador National Council for Culture and Art.

Joya de Copan is located near San Juan de Opico, El Salvador. In spite of have being discovered 30 years ago, archaeological excavations began in 1989, leaded by American archaeologist Payson Sheets.

The archaeological site provides crucial information about what Classic period Mayas cultivated and consumed.

"Studies reveal this was a Classic period community, covered with ashes of a volcano located 1.5 km away, which conserved intact the last chapter of human activity in the area, more than 1,400 years ago," informed the researchers.

The El Salvador Archaeology Department officer declared that tests performed in 2007 revealed this people consumed yucca.

Under the 14 layers of ashes, researchers were able to find imprints of vegetables, which cast molds revealed was yucca. Other produce included bean, maize, squash, cacao, guava and chili.

BNN

NYHMI Haiti SOS @ Amazura Results

New York Haitian Music Industry United For Haiti [NYHMI] wishes to express its gratitude to all of you who attended and supported the Haiti SOS benefit concert @ Amazura on Sunday Sept 21, 2007. NYHMI would like to take a moment to thank each and everyone who participated in this humanitarian effort. NYHMI would like to applaud the generosity and time given by many artists, promoters, sound engineers, media, volunteers, professionals, families and friends who helped organize and put on this event as well as those who contributed by attending.

As promised prior to the event to release the official fund raising report within two weeks; with your help, NYHMI raised $ 10,943.00 for Haiti’s hurricane victims. The amount of $ 9,845.00 was delivered to the UNICEF’ s office in Manhattan; an additional $ 1,098 will be sent to UNICEF as well, from checks that came in late and were not cleared when the initial donation was made and an additional $ 53.00 that came from online donation, according to our webmaster on the NYHMI web site. The goods that were donated were delivered to The Brooklyn Armory on Tuesday September 23rd, ready to be shipped to Haiti.

The focus of the event was to help the people of Haiti in this enormous humanitarian crisis. The devastating situation will not be solved overnight and much more contribution is needed. NYHMI’s main goal was to create alliances to continue the work and not just to come together in a moment of emergency. We all need to get in the fight and lend a hand to rebuild a new Haiti.

Thank you,
NYHMI

Source: NYHMI

Crisis Sparks Serious Concern For Caribbean Travel

By David Lewis

ACCRA, Ghana (Reuters): The global financial crisis will hit Caribbean tourism, raising "serious concern" for the industry which is the regional economy's largest earner, the head of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) said on Friday.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="161" caption="Edwin Carrington, Caricom Secretary General"][/caption]

CARICOM Secretary General Edwin Carrington said it was too early to quantify the impact but he said potential visitors from the United States and Europe, the main markets, would be hesitant about travelling with their economies were in turmoil.

Many Caribbean financial houses have spread their risk so have not been hit like some US or European counterparts but there are concerns over currencies in the 15-country bloc as they are linked in varying degrees to the dollar, he said.

The US House of Representatives passed a $700 billion bailout package for US banks on Friday, under heavy pressure from all sides to head off a spreading financial crisis.

In Paris, French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said the world stood on the "edge of the abyss" as European leaders were divided over their own response to the global crisis.

Interview: Tony Yayo (G-Unit) talks MTV’s Busted on Examiner

By Katrina-Kasey Wheeler


Marvin Bernard, the famous Haitian rapper better known as Tony Yayo, is 1/3 of G-Unit, and a lifelong friend of 50 Cent. In 2005, Yayo dropped his debut album, Thoughts of a Predicate Felon, and he has been on the top of the charts ever since. G-Unit continues to dominate the charts and shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon.

On Saturday, October 4 MTV will offer viewers a cell block Saturday with the series premiere of “MTV Ranked” and a live “BUSTED” special. Beginning at 5:30pm ET/6pm C, viewers can tune-in for “Celebrity Busts: Ranked,” the first installment of “MTV Ranked” and a one-hour special devoted many unforgettable moments when celebrities were busted. Later at 6:30 pm ET/6pm C, “BUSTED” fans everywhere for a half-hour “BUSTED” yearbook special followed by “BUSTED: LIVE,” a real time event hosted by G-Unit member, Tony Yayo, in which the “BUSTED” cameras will patrol with law enforcement across the country from 7:00-10:00pm ET as they catch the misdemeanors in real time. Yayo will host from the MTV Times Square studio as comedian Ryan Belleville and Sarah Karges broadcast live from Calvert County, Maryland and the city of Akron, OH.

Katrina-Kasey Wheeler caught up with Tony Yayo to discuss his hosting gig, future projects, how his experiences have shaped his artistry, and the looming presidential election.

Katrina-Kasey Wheeler: Are you excited to host MTV’s “Busted: Live”?

Tony Yayo: I was definitely excited. I think any artist should be excited with anything that MTV brings to the table. As an artist, it is great to be able to market yourself to people who don’t know you, and people who do. It is a good opportunity for me to be on MTV, and I’m happy about it.

KW: Do you think that it is easier for people to get into legal trouble than some may believe?

TY: I think a lot of people get in trouble with the law. I live in Long Island, and I see different types of trouble. I see kids get arrested for stupid things. When you go back to the south side of Jamaica – back to the old neighborhood, you might see a kid get arrested for gun possession, crack possession, or cocaine possession. My having a criminal record is a way for me to talk to the kids about how serious these crimes are – especially the DWIs. Someone could get jail time out of that. It is a way to get back to the kids; they don’t want to be getting into these troubles, because jail is for nobody.

KW: No matter what G-Unit does, it is always a success. All of you have written songs about actual experiences that you have overcome. Is this why the music resonates with so many fans?

TY: Oh, of course. A lot of people relate to us because of our experiences. I have been locked up before, and 50 was shot – nine times. When people learned about 50 and his story, it brought everything to light. People realized that he had really been shot, and was really living that life.

We just came from Africa, and I thought New York City was hard. In Africa, they really struggle. They struggle for things like shoes, clothing, and food.

KW: It definitely puts things in perspective for Americans. What is up next for G-Unit? What projects are you currently working on?

TY: We’re involved in a lot of things. We have a video game coming out in December – Blood in the Sand. Lloyd Banks and I are in a movie called “Before I Self Destruct.” These were the first acting roles for us; it is written, directed, and produced by 50 – I am excited to be a part of it. I recently met Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino at the “Righteous Kill” premiere. 50 is working on his album, “Before I Self Destruct,” in December and mine should drop after that. I have a mixtape out right now called, S.O.D., and G-Unit has T.O.S. (Terminate on Sight). The focus right now for us is the internet, because that is where everything is going, like with Thisis50.com. I am learning new things about computers and how to market yourself, because in the next two or three years, you won’t be seeing CDs in stores. I am in the office everyday, and I am heavily involved with Thisis50.com.

KW: What are your thoughts on the upcoming election?

TY: I think it is incredible. This is the first time we have seen a black man, and a white woman run for president. McCain looks like he could be the president, but Obama and Hillary made it exciting. I think that it is very important for people to get out there to vote – I wish I could. I am for Obama, all the way. I don’t support Obama just because he is a black man; I support him because he is an educated black man. He is making black people proud. Race shouldn’t be a factor in the election, but Obama finally has a chance, and a lot of black people are proud of that.

I heard a reporter say that America isn’t ready for a black president, I just can’t understand that, I mean, why wouldn’t America be ready for that? Hillary was the first female candidate and she would have been a great president, too. I don’t have anything bad to say about McCain either, but I do support Obama.

I am very excited. We haven’t seen anything like this. To just be here and allowed to witness this is amazing. You can go to a hip-hop network like, WorldStarHipHop.com and Thisis50.com and actually find the debate on there; you will never be able to see that again and that is because of this election.

I heard Obama say something about rappers actually taking responsibility for what they do – realizing that we are role models to a lot of these kids. My mom’s crib in Queens was shot at about twenty-two times. My mom is Haitian and believes in Jesus, and she doesn’t want to move, even though I would like her to. It is hard to tell your mother to change her life. That is where she is from. The reason people hear me rhyme about what I rap about, is because I am still experiencing it, and seeing things. I am glad that I am not really a part of it, but things happen.

Be sure to tune - in and watch Tony Yayo host “Busted: Live.” You won’t want to miss a minute! And please be sure to cast your vote this November 4th for the candidate of your choice. Make your presence felt!

“MTV Ranked” is a series that puts a new spin on countdown specials with a ratings system. Hosted by comedian Ryan Stout (“A Shot at Love: The Hangover”), the series will assign point values based on the details involved until one bust takes the top spot and is formally “Ranked.” “Celebrity Busts: Ranked” will be the first installment in the series to be followed by specials that will rank a variety of popular culture’s favorite topics including “Celebrity Meltdowns: Ranked,” “Bromances: Ranked,” and “Crap Tattoos: Ranked.”

“Busted” is a show that will afford viewers an action-packed look at misdemeanors and illegal transgressions through real police footage and not only the perspective of the law enforcers involved in the busts but also that of the young people featured themselves

Examiner

Haiti's Misery Index Rising Daily: Resources Urgently Needed For Food And Infrastructure

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="156" caption="11th Executive Director UN World Food Programme"][/caption]

Executive Director of the World Food Programme, Josette Sheeran, called on donor nations to fully fund urgent hunger needs and infrastructure rehabilitation in Haiti, which has been ravaged by a succession of tropical storms.

"The misery index is rising daily and this will require a massive effort to help people stave off hunger and save lives," said Sheeran.

Sheeran is the first head of a United Nations agency to visit Haiti since the catastrophe struck. She flew straight to Gonaives on Friday where she visited the Lyceé Fabré Greffrard, currently being used as an emergency shelter for families who lost everything in the floods.

Since September 5, WFP has distributed food to 285,000 people in more than 57 shelters across the city. WFP is working with the IOM, UNICEF, Caritas, Care, Yelé Haiti, Amurt and the Haitian Civil Protection Office.

WFP needs US$54 million for food, logistics and emergency telecommunications to meet urgent hunger needs.

"The US, Japan, EC, Switzerland and Canada have stepped up with almost $11 million and we can meet urgent food needs until the end of November. Despite this show of generosity from many nations, we need more help so we can continue with the emergency operation and our other programmes here that will contribute to the longer-term solution President Préval and the people of Haiti so desperately need," she said.

Venezuelan Bribery Stars In Trial Over Suitcase Of Cash

A federal trial concerning a mysterious suitcase full of cash has brought revelations about the financial workings of the Venezuelan government.


BY CASEY WOODS AND GERARDO REYES
cwoods@MiamiHerald.com

As U.S. prosecutors rested their case in the Miami federal trial involving a mysterious suitcase filled with $800,000 sent from Venezuela to Argentina, their witnesses have shed light on the financial operations of the government of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez.

The revelations include descriptions of a complex web of corruption and bribes within Venezuela and a multimillion-dollar slush fund intended for an international ally.

U.S. prosecutors say the $800,000 was intended as a gift from Chávez for the campaign of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who is now president of Argentina. The defendant, Franklin Duran, is accused of participating in a conspiracy to silence a Key Biscayne businessman about the money's origins and destination.

One of the witnesses, a Venezuelan businessman who has already pleaded guilty to participating in the alleged cover-up, testified this week that his country's ambassador to Bolivia had told him he had ``$100 million to spend on Bolivia.''

Haiti: President Rene Preval’s Questionable Record On Democracy, Security And Stability

By Stanley Lucas
Democracy can flourish in Haiti – if given the chance. Despite military coups and the selfish misuse of power by their elected leaders, corruption, and bad governance, Haitian voters have always done their part and shown up at the polls when they felt their votes would count, and organized themselves to stay away when they knew the process was corrupt. Trough a complicated network of rumors and innuendo, they have made a real effort to stay informed and seek out reliable information. However, after the voters have fulfilled their duty, the leaders they elected fail to keep their end of the bargain, and worse, have morphed into the repressive regimes that they fought to oust.

Those elected have had one goal: preserving power at any cost. Whether it’s pilfering Haiti’s meager resources or leading.



Haiti down a dangerous path with the international community (as seen in the above picture of Preval being friendly with Ahmadinejad), it is the Haitian people who always pay the price. Unfortunately, the current President, Rene Preval does not offer much hope of this trend being reversed. President Rene Preval has built an abysmal record of implementing democracy. He directly supported the rigging and manipulation of three elections (April 6, 1997, May 21, 2000 and November 26, 2000) in favor of his mentor and political ally, former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The manipulated results of the April 6, 1997 elections were blocked by Prime Minister Rosny Smarth. Preval dissolved parliament in January 1999, politicized the police and allowed corruption to prosper while drug trafficking was on the rise under the control of Aristide’s foes. Several years later, the electoral crisis of 2000, that Preval helped to create, led to Aristide’s resignation leaving Haiti in chaos. Because of its leaders failure to democratize, Haiti remains in an almost constant state of political chaos.

VIDEO: Diddy "Sarah Palin Scares Me!"

Source: IceDotCom

Barack Obama On Cover Of New Vibe Magazine November Issue

Source: ThisIs50.Com

First Haitian-American Congress And Convention To Honor Wyclef Jean, Oct. 11-12, 2008

By Hugues Sanon



Wyclef Jean is scheduled to be honored at the First Haitian-American Congress And Convention Oct. 11-12 at the Sheraton Hotel in Newark Airport, Obama and McCain are scheduled also to speak.

There will be a delegation coming from Haiti, included President Preval, the Prime Minister, 5 other ministers, mayors, etc.

Basic registration for the 3 day event is $100 plus an optional $250 for those who want to attend the formal Saturday evening gala dinner and fundraiser.

Ticket Contact: Zaida Torres at 973-371-0089



CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE HAITIAN EVENTS

Source: PrevalHaiti

Shocking Video: Kimbo Slice Loses For The First Ever, In 15 Seconds!

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Life as a mixed martial artist will never be the same for Seth Petruzelli. What he accomplished last night at BankAtlantic Center will be remembered for many years.

Petruzelli became the first man to defeat Kimbo Slice in a sanctioned bout. A clipping right hand did the trick.

The victory by Petruzelli and the manner in which it occurred, highlighted a card that was coming apart at the seams hours before its start. But what Petruzelli accomplished made this one of the most exciting nights in MMA history.

And to think it almost did not happen.

Minutes before the doors opened and fans started pouring into the arena, Slice's original opponent, Ken Shamrock, was deemed unfit to fight. He sustained a nasty cut above his left eye during a practice session earlier in the day.

Caribbean Basin Facing Tough War Against Drug Smuggling

By TRENTON DANIEL AND JANE BUSSEY
jbussey@MiamiHerald.com

Trapped between the powerful narcotics cartels and drug-consuming nations, the Caribbean and Central American countries that serve as transit routes are outgunned and underfunded in their efforts to fight the drug scourge and rising violence, regional leaders said Friday.

''Violent crimes, from kidnappings to executions, have become front-page news . . . in the region,'' Panamanian Vice President Samuel Lewis Navarro told participants on the closing day of the 12th Annual Americas Conference, which examined the state of democracy and challenges in the region.

''In Panama, every poll shows that security is among the first causes of concern of the population,'' Lewis Navarro said.

Representatives from Belize, Panama and Mexico described the bleak circumstances governments face by trying to tackle organized crime, violent gangs and drug cartels.

Many countries have rewritten their criminal laws and are trying to boost the effectiveness of their police forces.

Submerged Village In Haiti

French Aid group Doctors Without Borders finds the northern Haitian village of Mamont under water a month after a series of storms swept through the Caribbean island.

The 2008 storm season took a particularly tough toll on the nation's fourth largest city, Gonaives, much of which is also still flooded and without electricity or other basic goods.

In a press release, Doctors Without Borders said "the example of the town of Mamont shows that emergency assistance remains critical for some parts of the country."

Pavithra George reports.

Source: Reuters

McCain: Obama Lead Growing Because 'Life Isn’t Fair'

From CNN Associate Political Editor Rebecca Sinderbrand

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="292" caption="Sen. McCain said Thursday Barack Obama is leading in the polls because 'life isn't fair'."][/caption]

(CNN) – John McCain said Thursday that Barack Obama’s poll numbers are rising as the economy seems to sink "because life isn’t fair.”

“He certainly did nothing for the first few days,” McCain told Fox News Thursday. "I suspended my campaign, took our ads down, came back to Washington, met with the House folks and got on the phone, and also had face-to-face meetings.”

New CNN/Time/Opinion Research Corporation polls of several key battleground states released Wednesday found Obama has made gains across the board – either taking statistically significant leads, or erasing McCain advantages – over the past few weeks. Since the financial crisis began in mid-September, Obama has taken and held a lead over McCain in the national CNN poll of polls.

New Nintendo DSi: Camera, Music Playback

Nintendo’s hit DS portable machine will come with a digital camera that will allow players to mix images, scribble on photos and create new faces, the Japanese game maker said Thursday. The Nintendo DSi will go on sale in Japan on Nov. 1 for 18,900 yen ($180), and

Haiti Storms Left 793 People Dead

Nearly 800 people in Haiti were killed in four major storms which devastated the country in August and September, officials have said.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="226" caption="Successive storms left Gonaives flooded and buried in mud"][/caption]

More than 300 people were missing, the civil protection agency said.

Hurricanes Gustav and Ike and tropical storms Hanna and Fay killed 466 people in Gonaives, the hardest hit city.

Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, is prone to flooding and mudslides after heavy rains, due to widespread deforestation.

The spokeswoman for Haiti's civil protection agency, Alta Jean-Baptiste, said 793 people were killed and 548 people injured in the four storms.

Last month, the UN's special envoy to Haiti said the country had been overwhelmed by the storms and needed more international help.

The envoy, Hedi Annabi, said the western city of Gonaives was all but destroyed and every house had been damaged or swamped by mud.

Source: BBC

Guyana Concerned By New Venezuelan Weaponry

GEORGETOWN, Guyana -- Guyana's opposition party worries about Russian weapons going to neighboring Venezuela and officials say they are monitoring the situation.

The People's National Congress says the sales are reminiscent of a 1966 buildup, when Venezuela occupied half of Ankoko Island that Guyana says is its territory.

Foreign Minister Manzoor Nadir said Saturday that he ''is not ignorant of the situation in Venezuela'' and will monitor it.

Russia recently gave Venezuela a $1 billion credit to buy weapons. It also has signed contracts worth more than $4.4 billion since 2005 to supply arms including fighter jets and 100,000 Kalashnikov assault rifles.

Guyana and Venezuela have a long-standing border dispute.

Source: MiamiHerald.Com

Anti-Haitian Bias Rooted in Dominican History

By Jeffrey Zahka


Haitians are repatriated in a military truck after the Dominican border was closed due to violent demonstrations. (Photo: Ricardo Rojas / AFP-Getty Images)

"Dominicans define themselves in terms of who they are not," said Tamar Thompson, project coordinator of the New York-based National Coalition for Haitian Rights. "Globally speaking, there is no place where you score points for being darker."

Thompson's words are reflected in the way citizens of the Dominican Republic describe their racial identities: "oscuro" for the darkest skinned, "canela" for those of medium hue, and "claro" for those with the lightest complexions. All are referred to as "Indians." None are referred to as "black." That word is only used to describe persons from the nation occupying the western one-third of Hispaniola, their shared Caribbean island.

Much of Dominican self-identity is rooted in the Republic's long-standing rivalry with neighboring Haiti. Although Dominicans most closely identify with their former Spanish colonizers, their Independence Day, Feb. 27, celebrates the country's victory over Haiti in 1844. Antecedently, Haiti had ruled the Dominican Republic for 22 years. Although the two countries have not fought any wars since then, this period of subjugation has remained in Dominicans' collective consciousnesses.

President Préval: Haiti Needs Help, Not U.S. Deportees

Four tropical storms this summer have left Haiti unable to accept U.S. deportees, President René Préval says.

BY JACQUELINE CHARLES AND TRENTON DANIEL
jcharles@MiamiHerald.com



Haitian President René Préval said Friday that his storm-ravaged country will no longer be able to accept U.S. deportees and, for the first time, publicly called on the Bush administration to let undocumented Haitians stay in the United States until their homeland recovers.

''Haiti will no longer be able to receive the deported individuals that the United States sends us on a regular basis,'' Préval said in his closing address at the Americas Conference in Coral Gables.

''This is the occasion for the United States administration to put in place for Haitians the benefit of TPS, the Temporary Protected Status, that has already been granted to other countries in the region, such as El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua,'' he said.

After Hurricane Mitch in 1998, Washington granted the Central American countries TPS and it was recently renewed.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement last month temporarily halted deportations to Haiti but said it would review its decision on a daily basis. The relief is not TPS, a designation approved by Congress in 1990 for foreign nationals fleeing civil war and natural disasters.

Haitian Consul General Speaks Of Nation's Plight In Spring Valley, NY

Felix Augustin, the Haitian consul general in New York

SPRING VALLEY -The Haitian consul general to New York and a Haitian-born member of New York's City Council were among several officials who went to a community service agency in the village yesterday to provide an update about local relief efforts to aid storm-ravaged Haiti.

"I don't know if you understand the magnitude of our situation," Consul General Felix Augustin said. "First of all, in the span of three weeks, four hurricanes have battered a small island of eight and a half million people. We have been so devastated that 80 percent of Haiti is under the water."

The storms passed through Haiti in late August and early September.

Augustin said about 1,000 people were killed, $120 million worth of crops and livestock destroyed and 100,000 people left homeless. Potable water is scarce, he added.

Critical infrastructure, such as bridges, were inundated, preventing prompt delivery of essential aid supplies.

Haiti's Back May Be Broken, But It Still Remembers! Haitians Celebrate Vertieres Day in Berkeley,CA Nov. 15, 2008

Haitians in the Bay Area Celebrate 205 Years of Liberation from Slavery; Afro-Caribbean Band Kalbass Kreyol Headlines Haitian Cultural Extravaganza at Ashkenaz November 15; Concert to Benefit Cyclone Victims in Gonaives, Haiti.

Haiti's Back May Be Broken, But It Still Remembers! Haitians Celebrate Vertieres Day in Berkeley November 15 Berkeley, CA, October 04, 2008. This November 15, Haitians and non-Haitians alike from across the Bay Area are coming together to celebrate two centuries of liberation from slavery and to manifest hope, freedom and peace for Haiti. 205 years ago, Napoléon Bonaparte suffered his first major defeat when he lost to the Haitian revolutionary forces at the battle of Vertieres. That remarkable and decisive victory on November 18, 1803 resulted in the end of slavery in Haiti and marked the conclusion of the only successful slave rebellion in world history.

Kalbass Kreyol, led by Haitian born front man Sophis, is a high energy Afro-Caribbean band known for its irresistible original dance music. For the third year Kalbass Kreyol is organizing a Haitian Cultural Extravaganza to celebrate Vertieres Day at the Ashkenaz Music and Dance Community Center on Saturday, November 15.

Kalbass Kreyol’s repertoire stretches from traditional Haitian styles such as Kompa and Rara to Zouk, Afro-Funk, Reggae, Salsa and Merengue. Since forming in 2005, the group has performed at the Boom Boom Room, Little Baobab, Hunters Point International African Marketplace Festival, Ashkenaz, the Alameda Art Center, and various other venues throughout the Bay Area.

Virgin Islands Debate Ban On Same-Sex Marriages

CHARLOTTE AMALIE, U.S. Virgin Islands -- A local lawmaker is vowing to keep pushing for a same-sex marriage ban that was excluded from a draft of the territory's constitution.

Wilma Marsh Monsanto said Friday she will ask a local church council to help pressure legislators to adopt the language.

But legislator Violet Ann Golden responded that more debate is unnecessary after lawmakers charged with crafting the document rejected the ban Wednesday.

Once the government agrees on a final draft, the constitution must still be approved by the U.S. Congress, President Bush and voters in the territory.

The neighboring U.S. Caribbean territory of Puerto Rico rejected a measure in June to toughen a ban on same-sex marriage.

Source: MiamiHerald.Com

Clinton Global Initiative Members Commit To Rebuild Haiti

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="284" caption="William and David Loiry with President Clinton at CGI."][/caption]

WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwire) - Heeding former President Clinton's request for aid in Haiti following recent natural disasters, William Loiry, President of Equity International, has made a commitment to produce the Haiti Development Resource Bank. This online portal will link the resources of corporations, governments, organizations, and individuals with the reconstruction and development needs of Haiti which President Clinton spoke about during the closing session of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Conference in New York September 26.

Several CGI members have made significant commitments along with Loiry to rebuilding Haiti in light of the recent storms which have destroyed parts of the country, leaving many without a home or supplies needed to live. "There is an immediate need to serve this area with resources which can not only help restore Haiti to pre-hurricane status, but help develop the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere into a safe, sustainable, and livable country," says Loiry. He adds, "Myself and fellow CGI participants believe that Haiti should be rebuilt better than what existed before and hope the efforts and commitments to the area can engage the U.S. and international community to focus on a brighter future for all in a country very near us."

SHOCKING VIDEO:John McCain Doesn't Want You To See!!!

Source: MSNBC - YouTube.Com

U.S. Banking Gap Prevails For Hispanics And Blacks

By Joseph Rosta



Banks are trying, but many American minorities remain "unbanked," according to Synovate's 2008 U.S. diversity markets report. Aegis Group's market research arm found progress has been made, but not enough to bring about parity. "While the percentage of U.S. Hispanics with any type of bank account is up seven percent, from 70 percent in 2004 to 77 percent in 2008, this is quite low when compared to the general market and African-American consumer, both of which are at least 90 percent," according to the Synovate findings.

Even more sobering are the low levels of ownership of other financial services for both groups. Only 54 percent of African-Americans and 32 percent of Hispanics have IRAs or 401k plans, compared with 72 percent of general market users, the survey shows. Just 33 percent of African-Americans and 18 percent of Hispanics own either individuals stocks or bonds, or shares in mutual funds versus 60 percent of general market consumers. Certificates of deposits attract 25 percent of African-Americans, 24 percent of Hispanics, and 36 percent of all customers.

Some of these discrepancies may be difficult to remedy. "A substantial number of multicultural consumers don't have jobs with retirement plans," said Denise Marks, vp of diversity research at Synovate. Almost half of Hispanics are blue-collar workers and "don't have the opportunity to participate in these types of investment accounts."

PICTURE:New Lamborghini Estoque Concep Car

Lamborghini goes German aerodynamics rather than their normal Italian aesthetic with this design of their new Estoque concept car which made it's debut in Pars hier, French for yesterday. Oh vous ne saviez pas?, French for Oh you didn't know? LOL. - ICE

Continue To View More Photos....

America Register To Vote!, Election Date Nov. 04, 2008

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Source: ThisIs50.Com

Palin Has Difficulty Naming Court Case She Disagrees With

From CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="292" caption="Couric interviewed Palin last week."][/caption]

(CNN) — Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin had difficulty naming a specific Supreme Court case she disagreed with besides Roe v. Wade in a long-awaited clip CBS News aired Wednesday night.

The comments, first reported by Politico, came in an interview with CBS News anchor Katie Couric taped last week.

"Well, let's see. There's –of course –in the great history of American rulings there have been rulings, that's never going to be absolute consensus by every American," Palin said. "And there are–those issues, again, like Roe v Wade, where I believe are best held on a state level and addressed there. So you know–going through the history of America, there would be others but–"

"Can you think of any?" Couric interjected.

"Well, I could think of–of any again, that could be best dealt with on a more local level, maybe I would take issue with," Palin responded. "But you know, as mayor, and then as governor and even as a vice president, if I'm so privileged to serve, wouldn't be in a position of changing those things but in supporting the law of the land as it reads today."