Cuban ex-President Fidel Castro launches memoirs

4 February 2012

"I have to take advantage now, because memory fades," Fidel Castro said at the launch of his memoirs

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Former Cuban President Fidel Castro has made a rare public appearance to launch his memoirs.

The book, Guerrilla of Time, is almost 1,000 pages long and relates his childhood and rise to power in the Cuban Revolution.

Fidel Castro, 85, said it was every Cuban's duty to fight until the last moment, for Cuba, the planet, and humanity.

He had not been seen in public since April last year.

Communist Party newspaper Granma said the launch at the Havana Convention Centre lasted more than six hours.

Jean Dujardin Oscar 'under threat' over film posters

Members of the public had complained saying they found the posters offensive

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• Dujardin wins best actor award
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3 February 2012

Movie billboards in Paris featuring The Artist actor Jean Dujardin might affect his chances of winning an Academy Award, according to French press.

The country's advertising standards authority ARPP said the posters, promoting Les Infideles (The Players), "present a degrading image of women".

One of the adverts features Dujardin holding the bare legs of a woman, with his head between her high-heeled feet.

Le Parisien said the US would not find the "salacious photos" amusing.

But L'Express magazine questioned whether any row over the posters would actually affect the actors chances of taking home the best actor Oscar.

The publication asked whether removing the posters was "logical, given their openly misogynistic character, or a disgraceful censorship that reveals the strength of political correctness in our society?"

'Flamboyant idiots'

Clinton denies any U.S. role in killing Iranian scientist

Clinton denies any U.S. role in killing Iranian scientist (1:32)

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Wednesday that Iran's threats to close the Strait of Hormuz were provocative and dangerous. She also denied the U.S. had any role in the killing of an Iranian scientist. (Jan. 11) (CBS News)




http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/clinton-denies-any-us-role-in-killing-iranian-scientist-132/2012/01/11/gIQAWSrWrP_video.html

Iran launches new military exercises after threat to close strategic Strait of Hormuz

( Office of the Supreme Leader / Associated Press ) - In this photo released by an official website of the Iranian supreme leader’s office, Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, delivers Friday prayers sermon, at the Tehran University campus, Iran, Friday, Feb. 3, 2012. Iran will help any nation or group that confronts the “cancer” Israel, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Friday. He also said in remarks delivered to worshippers at Friday prayers in Tehran and broadcast on state TV that the country would continue its controversial nuclear program, and warned that any military strike by the U.S. would only make Iran stronger.

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By Associated Press, Published: February 4 | Updated: Sunday, February 5, 10:39 AM

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran began ground military exercises Saturday and defiantly warned that it could cut off oil exports to “hostile” European nations as tensions rise over suggestions that military strikes are an increasing possibility if sanctions fail to rein in the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.

Tehran has stepped up its rhetoric as international pressure mounts over allegations that it is seeking to develop atomic weapons, a charge it denies.

Abduction of Chinese workers in Sudan stirs criticism of Beijing

By Andrew Higgins, Published: February 2

Hong Kong — When China evacuated some 30,000 of its citizens from Libya early last year, official media fell into patriotic rapture. Television screens and newspaper front pages filled with pictures of flag-waving returnees. Xinhua, the state-run news agency, issued a commemorative DVD. The People’s Liberation Army Daily vowed that “no Chinese will ever be left behind.”

A year later, patriotic pride has turned to anger amid growing frustration over the fate of 29 Chinese nationals abducted by rebels in Sudan on Saturday. The Chinese, employees of a huge state-controlled engineering and construction company, Sinohydro, are being held by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North, a ragtag militant outfit.

The drama in Sudan’s remote, oil-rich South Kordofan region — the latest in a string of attacks on Chinese working overseas — poses a delicate problem for the ruling Communist Party: how to manage the growing nationalism that it has done so much to promote. Party propaganda, pride at China’s recent achievements and a deep sense of grievance over China’s mistreatment at the hands of foreigners in the past have combined to stir demands for robust action.

Report says 3 more people set themselves on fire in China to protest its Tibet policies

By Associated Press, Updated: Sunday, February 5, 10:51 AM

BEIJING — A report says three more people have set themselves on fire to protest China’s policies toward Tibetans in a remote area in southwest China.

U.S.-funded broadcaster Radio Free Asia said Sunday the three set themselves on fire Friday in Seda county in Sichuan province. It says one person died and the others are in serious condition. A woman who answered the phone at the county government office Sunday denies the incidents happened.

Romney, the Rich and the Rest

OP-ED COLUMNIST

By CHARLES M. BLOW

Published: February 3, 2012

No one should be surprised that the Tin Man has a tin ear.

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Damon Winter/The New York Times

Charles M. Blow

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Graphic

More Poor. A Cause for Concern.

Related News

• ‘Poor’ Quote by Romney Joins a List Critics Love (February 2, 2012)

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Paul Krugman: Romney Isn’t Concerned (February 3, 2012)

Gail Collins: Mitt Speaks. Oh, No! (February 2, 2012)

Readers’ Comments

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• Read All Comments (324) »

After all, Mitt Romney is the same multimillionaire who joked that he was “unemployed” while he was “earning” more in one day than most Americans earn in a year and paying a lower rate on those earnings than most Americans do.

This is the same man who bragged last month that he liked to fire people at a time when nearly 13 million people are out of work and who accepted the endorsement this week of Donald Trump, who has made “You’re Fired!” his television catchphrase.

This is the same man who in November claimed that federal employees are making “a lot more money than we are.” What?! We? What we? Please direct me to the federal employees with the $20 million paychecks. In fact, The Washington Post pointed out in November that federal employees on average “are underpaid by 26.3 percent when compared with similar nonfederal jobs, a ‘pay gap’ that increased by about 2 percentage points over the last year while federal salary rates were frozen.”

And who could forget his remark that “corporations are people.” Classic.

But this week when Romney said that he wasn’t concerned about the very poor in this country, he jumped in the pickle barrel and went over the waterfall.

First, his statement:

“I’m not concerned about the very poor. We have a safety net there. If it needs repair, I’ll fix it. I’m not concerned about the very rich. They’re doing just fine. I’m concerned about the very heart of America — the 90-95 percent of Americans who right now are struggling.”

Romney went on to say that his campaign was focused on “middle-income Americans” and that “we have a very ample safety net” for the poor.

He later tried to clarify, saying that his comments needed context. Then he said that the comments were a “misstatement” and that he had “misspoke.” Yeah, right.

Where to begin?

First, a report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities last month pointed out that Romney’s budget proposals would take a chainsaw to that safety net. The report points out that cuts proposed by Romney would be even more draconian than a plan from Representative Paul Ryan: “Governor Romney’s budget proposals would require far deeper cuts in nondefense programs than the House-passed budget resolution authored by Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan: $94 billion to $219 billion deeper in 2016 and $303 billion to $819 billion deeper in 2021.”

What does this mean for specific programs? Let’s take the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, since “food stamps” have been such a talking point in the Republican debates. The report says the Romney plan “would throw 10 million low-income people off the benefit rolls, cut benefits by thousands of dollars a year, or some combination of the two.  These cuts would primarily affect very-low-income families with children, seniors and people with disabilities.”

Does that sound like a man trying to “fix” our social safety nets? Absolutely not. Romney is so far up the beanstalk that he can no longer see the ground.

Can Egypt Avoid Pakistan’s Fate?

By MICHELE DUNNE and SHUJA NAWAZ

Published: February 3, 2012

Washington

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ONE year after the revolution that ousted President Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian military is closing down civil society organizations and trying to manipulate the constitution-writing process to serve its narrow interests. Meanwhile, in Pakistan, where the military has also held sway for more than half the country’s existence — for much of that time, with America’s blessing — a new civil-military crisis is brewing.

For the United States, the parallels are clear and painful. Egypt and Pakistan are populous Muslim-majority nations in conflict-ridden regions, and both have long been allies and recipients of extensive military and economic aid.

Juliane von Mittelstaedt, Volkhard Windfuhr – Mùa xuân Ả Rập – Cuộc thử nghiệm Ai Cập

February 4, 2012  

Phan Ba dịch

Người biểu tình tuần vừa rồi ở Cairo: Hãy ăn mừng cuộc Cách mạng và để chính trị lại cho chúng tôi

Một năm sau cuộc Cách mạng, đất nước này đã có một đại diện cho nhân dân, nhưng vẫn còn lâu mới có được dân chủ. Những người Hồi giáo và Hội đồng Quân đội có chống lại những người nổi dậy trẻ tuổi hay không?

Vào ngày đầu tiên là đại biểu, Siad al-Elaimi đứng ở nơi bắt đầu tất cả, quảng trường Tahrir. Ông ấy mặc một chiếc áo khoác nhung đã phồng ra với huy hiệu đại biểu trên ve áo và một cái túi nhựa trong tay. Ông đã ngủ gần ba tuần trên quảng trường này trong lúc cuộc cách mạng diễn ra.

Trí thức

Tiến sĩ Nguyễn Đình Đăng, Japan

Hồi còn là sinh viên năm thứ nhất (1976 – 1977) tại Đại học Tổng hợp Quốc gia Maxcơva [1], một lần ngay trong giảng đường vào giờ nghỉ, chúng tôi được yêu cầu khai lý lịch để nộp cho giáo vụ trường. Đến mục thành phần giai cấp của gia đình, tôi viết "trí thức" (интеллигенция), lại còn "trầm trọng" ghi chú "cha: thầy giáo, mẹ: bác sĩ" (отец – учителъ, мать – врач). Petya, cậu bạn Nga của tôi, thấy vậy bảo: "Ê, tiểu tư sản! Xoá đi mày! Ghi như tất cả chúng tao đây này: рабочий (lao động, công nhân)." Thấy tôi có vẻ băn khoăn, cậu ta giải thích: "Chúng tao gọi thầy giáo và bác sĩ là những người lao động trí óc (работники умственного труда)."

Tin vui cho xứ dừa = A MUST READ

From: Dzung T
Sent: Friday, February 3, 2012 1:48 PM

Subject: [Exryu-ww-Forum] Tin vui cho xứ dừa = A MUST READ

 

Nhân chứng sống (1 bác sỹ)

Chờ xem giới Y Khoa lên tiếng chính thức ?

D~

http://www.cbn.com/media/player/index.aspx?s=/mp4/LJO190v1_WS

Subject: COCONUT OIL>>COCONUT OIL> >

Very interesting video about insulin resistance and Alzheimer's.  

Please watch and pass along to anyone who has loved ones struggling with Alzheimer's, neurological or diabetes related diseases.

>A must READ

> Coconut oil watch to the end - A Real Eye Opener!

Giới thiệu thi sỹ Bích Xuân: thơ gợi Tình

From: Dzung T 

 

Các Exryus Nhật bên Pháp hay lên chùa Khánh Anh lễ, có duyên gặp nàng ... Cho tui gửi lời ái mộ và giới thiệu thi sỹ Bích Xuân (đặc biệt cho anh Đỗ Hưng).

Ai "hồi nhỏ", thường bắt chước Thạnh, lấy tay che mắt, mà nay còn sợ, xin đừng đến đọc tại

http://bichxuanparis.over-blog.fr/20-categorie-10027485.html

Ước gì em hóa thành mèo
Ðể em cào cấu leo trèo lên anh
 (thơ Bích Xuân)

Tìm Người Giữa Hội Lim

From: cuong tran <cqtr2005@yahoo.com>

Sent: Saturday, February 4, 2012 3:03 AM
Subject: [Exryu-ww-Forum] Fw: NNS = Tim Nguoi Giua Hoi Lim [1 Attachment]

From: Tony Son Nguyen

Lá Thư Úc Châu

Chúc Thân hữu luôn Thân Tâm An Lạc

Trang Thơ Nhạc ngày 13 tháng Giêng:
Ngày hội Lim, Bắc Ninh.

Nhạc:

Tìm Người Giữa Hội Lim

Nhạc: Nguyễn Tiến

Thơ: Đoàn Thị Lam Luyến
Giọng hát: Thu Hiền

Phương pháp “duy-lý tưởng” qua câu chuyện “trí thức là gì”

11:19-04/02/2012 

HOÀNG Hồng-Minh

Tượng "Thinker" (Người suy tưởng) của Rodin
Ảnh: AFP

Những ngày qua chúng ta đã được chứng kiến nhiều bài báo bàn về “trí thức là gì”. Nhiều bài trong số này rất tâm huyết và có chất lượng cao, mang tiếng gọi về trách nhiệm và sự đóng góp xã hội.

Không bàn về các nội dung của câu chuyện “trí thức là gì”, ở đây tôi muốn nhận dạng về phương pháp, phương thức tiếp cận vấn đề.

Phương pháp duy-lý tưởng

Phương pháp duy-lý tưởng là một cách thức tư duy phổ biến từ ngàn xưa về nhận thức xã hội cùng con người. Đây là một lựa chọn. Và nó vẫn có giá trị trong những phóng tưởng trực giác, gợi mở.

Lưu ý là ở xứ Việt người ta cũng dùng cả chữ “phương pháp duy tâm” cho trường hợp này. Tôi muốn dùng chữ “phương pháp duy-lý tưởng” vì nó rõ nghĩa hơn, và tránh bị rơi vào cái bẫy việt vị của thói quen vội quy kết ý thức hệ.