Monday, October 11, 2010
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Expo shows illegal pet trade rampant in Indonesia
Expo shows illegal pet trade rampant in Indonesia
July 30, 2010 By NINIEK KARMINI , Associated Press Writer
(AP) -- The most threatened tortoise in the world is being sold openly at a plant and animal exposition in the heart of Indonesia's capital, highlighting concerns about the rampant - and growing - illegal pet trade.
The country has become a major trading hub for endangered tortoises and freshwater turtles, including species from Africa, South America and Asia, said Chris Shepherd of TRAFFIC, a British-based international wildlife monitoring network
He said the government has failed to follow up on repeated promises to crackdown.
Those found Friday at Jakarta's annual flora and fauna expo - held from July 2 until Aug. 2 - included the world's most threatened ploughshare tortoise and the critically endangered radiated tortoises, both from Madagascar and fetching around $150.
Cages also were filled with rare Indian star tortoises, which are protected under the Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species, known as CITES, and the endangered pig-nose tortoise, from Indonesia's easternmost province of Papua, both selling for $1,500.
Vendors told The Associated Press other threatened tortoises and turtles not found on display could easily be obtained for a price.
"Recent surveys, and this expo, have shown that the trade continues and, in fact, now involves more illegally imported species than ever," said Shepherd. "Dealers know full well that it is illegal and are taking advantage of the enforcement agencies lack of action."
Indonesia, one of the most biologically diverse nations in the world, has for years sold everything from eagles and leopard cats to gibbons as pets in the capital, though often less openly. Shady transactions continue to take place in the back alleys of the popular Pramuka Market.
More information: TRAFFIC: http://www.traffic.org/reptiles-amphibians/
July 30, 2010 By NINIEK KARMINI , Associated Press Writer
(AP) -- The most threatened tortoise in the world is being sold openly at a plant and animal exposition in the heart of Indonesia's capital, highlighting concerns about the rampant - and growing - illegal pet trade.
The country has become a major trading hub for endangered tortoises and freshwater turtles, including species from Africa, South America and Asia, said Chris Shepherd of TRAFFIC, a British-based international wildlife monitoring network
He said the government has failed to follow up on repeated promises to crackdown.
Those found Friday at Jakarta's annual flora and fauna expo - held from July 2 until Aug. 2 - included the world's most threatened ploughshare tortoise and the critically endangered radiated tortoises, both from Madagascar and fetching around $150.
Cages also were filled with rare Indian star tortoises, which are protected under the Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species, known as CITES, and the endangered pig-nose tortoise, from Indonesia's easternmost province of Papua, both selling for $1,500.
Vendors told The Associated Press other threatened tortoises and turtles not found on display could easily be obtained for a price.
"Recent surveys, and this expo, have shown that the trade continues and, in fact, now involves more illegally imported species than ever," said Shepherd. "Dealers know full well that it is illegal and are taking advantage of the enforcement agencies lack of action."
Indonesia, one of the most biologically diverse nations in the world, has for years sold everything from eagles and leopard cats to gibbons as pets in the capital, though often less openly. Shady transactions continue to take place in the back alleys of the popular Pramuka Market.
More information: TRAFFIC: http://www.traffic.org/reptiles-amphibians/
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
NASA & the Bible
NASA & the Bible
Thought this was pretty amazing and interesting!
For all the scientists out there, and for all the students who have a hard time convincing these people regarding the truth of the Bible, here's something that shows God's awesome creation, and that He is still in control.
Did you know that the space program is busy proving that what has been called 'myth' in the Bible is true?
Mr. Harold Hill, President of the Curtis Engine Company in Baltimore, Maryland, and a consultant in the space program, relates the following development.
'I think one of the most amazing things that God has done for us today happened recently to our astronauts and space scientists at Green Belt, Maryland ..
They were checking out where the positions of the sun, moon, and planets would be 100 years and 1,000 years from now. We have to know this so we won't send up a satellite and have it bump into something later on in its orbits.
We have to lay out the orbits in terms of the life of the satellite and where the planets will be so the whole thing will not bog down.
They ran the computer measurement back and forth over the centuries, and it came to a halt. The computer stopped and put up a red signal, which meant that there was something wrong with either the information fed into it or with the results as compared to the standards.
They called in the service department to check it out, and they said, 'What's wrong?' Well, they found there is a day missing in space in elapsed time.
They scratched their heads and tore their hair out. There was no answer.
Finally a Christian man on the team said, 'You know, one time I was in Sunday School, and they talked about the sun standing still.' While they didn't believe him, they didn't have an answer either, so they said, 'Show us, '
He got a Bible and went to the book of Joshua where they found a pretty ridiculous statement for any one with 'common sense.'
There they found the Lord saying to Joshua,
'Fear them not, I have delivered them into thy hand; there shall not a man of them stand before Thee.'
Joshua was concerned because he was surrounded by the enemy! And if darkness fell, they would overpower them. So Joshua asked the Lord to make the sun stand still! That's right.... 'The sun stood still and the moon stayed and lasted not to go down about a whole day!'
(Joshua 10:12-13)
The astronauts and scientists said, there is the missing day! They checked the computers going back into the time it was written and found it was close but not close enough. The elapsed time that was missing back in Joshua's day was 23 hours and 20 minutes.. Not a whole day.
They read the Bible, and there it was about [approximately] a day. These little words in the Bible are important, but they were still in trouble because if you cannot account for 40 minutes, you'll still be in trouble 1000 years from now.
Forty minutes had to be found because it can be multiplied many times over in orbits. As the Christian employee thought about it, he remembered somewhere in the Bible where it said the sun went BACKWARDS.
The scientists told him he was out of his mind, but they got out the Book and read these words in 2 Kings that told of the following story: Hezekiah, on his death bed, was visited by the prophet Isaiah who told him that he was not going to die. Hezekiah asked for a sign as proof. Isaiah said 'Do you want the sun to go ahead 10 degrees?'
Hezekiah said, 'It is nothing for the sun to go ahead 10 degrees, but let the shadow return backward 10 degrees.' Isaiah spoke to the Lord, and the Lord brought the shadow ten degrees BACKWARD! Ten degrees is exactly 40 minutes!'
Twenty-three hours and 20 minutes in Joshua, plus 40 minutes in Second Kings make the missing day in the universe! Isn't it amazing?
References: Joshua 10:8, 12-13 and 2 Kings 20:9-11.
Thought this was pretty amazing and interesting!
For all the scientists out there, and for all the students who have a hard time convincing these people regarding the truth of the Bible, here's something that shows God's awesome creation, and that He is still in control.
Did you know that the space program is busy proving that what has been called 'myth' in the Bible is true?
Mr. Harold Hill, President of the Curtis Engine Company in Baltimore, Maryland, and a consultant in the space program, relates the following development.
'I think one of the most amazing things that God has done for us today happened recently to our astronauts and space scientists at Green Belt, Maryland ..
They were checking out where the positions of the sun, moon, and planets would be 100 years and 1,000 years from now. We have to know this so we won't send up a satellite and have it bump into something later on in its orbits.
We have to lay out the orbits in terms of the life of the satellite and where the planets will be so the whole thing will not bog down.
They ran the computer measurement back and forth over the centuries, and it came to a halt. The computer stopped and put up a red signal, which meant that there was something wrong with either the information fed into it or with the results as compared to the standards.
They called in the service department to check it out, and they said, 'What's wrong?' Well, they found there is a day missing in space in elapsed time.
They scratched their heads and tore their hair out. There was no answer.
Finally a Christian man on the team said, 'You know, one time I was in Sunday School, and they talked about the sun standing still.' While they didn't believe him, they didn't have an answer either, so they said, 'Show us, '
He got a Bible and went to the book of Joshua where they found a pretty ridiculous statement for any one with 'common sense.'
There they found the Lord saying to Joshua,
'Fear them not, I have delivered them into thy hand; there shall not a man of them stand before Thee.'
Joshua was concerned because he was surrounded by the enemy! And if darkness fell, they would overpower them. So Joshua asked the Lord to make the sun stand still! That's right.... 'The sun stood still and the moon stayed and lasted not to go down about a whole day!'
(Joshua 10:12-13)
The astronauts and scientists said, there is the missing day! They checked the computers going back into the time it was written and found it was close but not close enough. The elapsed time that was missing back in Joshua's day was 23 hours and 20 minutes.. Not a whole day.
They read the Bible, and there it was about [approximately] a day. These little words in the Bible are important, but they were still in trouble because if you cannot account for 40 minutes, you'll still be in trouble 1000 years from now.
Forty minutes had to be found because it can be multiplied many times over in orbits. As the Christian employee thought about it, he remembered somewhere in the Bible where it said the sun went BACKWARDS.
The scientists told him he was out of his mind, but they got out the Book and read these words in 2 Kings that told of the following story: Hezekiah, on his death bed, was visited by the prophet Isaiah who told him that he was not going to die. Hezekiah asked for a sign as proof. Isaiah said 'Do you want the sun to go ahead 10 degrees?'
Hezekiah said, 'It is nothing for the sun to go ahead 10 degrees, but let the shadow return backward 10 degrees.' Isaiah spoke to the Lord, and the Lord brought the shadow ten degrees BACKWARD! Ten degrees is exactly 40 minutes!'
Twenty-three hours and 20 minutes in Joshua, plus 40 minutes in Second Kings make the missing day in the universe! Isn't it amazing?
References: Joshua 10:8, 12-13 and 2 Kings 20:9-11.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Commonwealth Games set to begin amid security lockdown The biggest ever Commonwealth Games are set to officially start amid heavy security in Delhi.
Commonwealth Games set to begin amid security lockdown The biggest ever Commonwealth Games are set to officially start amid heavy security in Delhi.
The biggest ever Commonwealth Games are set to officially start amid heavy security in Delhi.
Around 100,000 security forces have been deployed in the Indian capital, and shops and businesses are to stay closed for the day.
Prince Charles is to declare the event open during a spectacular opening ceremony in the Nehru Stadium.
The Games have been bogged down by criticism over Indian's preparations for the Games.
Continue reading the main story
Related stories
Monkeys roped in for Delhi Games
'No row' over Delhi Games opening
Sex trafficking fears over Games
Around 80,000 police on duty have been reinforced by 17,000 paramilitary troops to counter the danger of an attack by extremists.
Fighter aircraft and helicopter gunships will be on standby.
Delhi's police commissioner, YS Dadwal, promised security would be "foolproof". Every police officer in Delhi was "on the job 24/7", Mr Dadwal added. "Most are working and sleeping at the police station."
The BBC's Rahul Tandon in Delhi says there are reports that beggars and some slum dwellers have been forced to leave the city for the duration of the event, but officials have denied this.
With almost 7,000 athletes and support staff from 71 countries scheduled to participate, the 19th Commonwealth Games will be the largest sporting event in India's history.
It has also become the most expensive Commonwealth Games so far, with estimates ranging up to more than $10bn (£6.3bn).
In the run-up the competition made headlines because of construction delays, corruption scandals, the collapse of a footbridge and a suspected militant attack on two foreign tourists two weeks ago.
Some competitors pulled out of the games after the accommodation in the athletes' village was described as filthy, uninhabitable and unsafe.
Games officials and thousands of people were working around the clock to ensure that the village was habitable and that the competition could start on time.
Confusion
Last week there were reports that a row had erupted over the roles of Prince Charles and Indian President Pratibha Patil in the opening ceremony.
However, a spokesperson for Prince Charles confirmed that the Prince would read out Queen Elizabeth II's baton message and declare the Games open.
Mrs Patil will the speak and say: "Let the Games begin."
Mrs Patil and the Queen launched the Queen's Baton Relay last October in a ceremony outside Buckingham Palace.
The baton - which has travelled to Commonwealth countries around the world - will arrive in the Nehru Stadium for the opening ceremony.
Singer Hariharan will perform the Games official theme song "Swagatam" at the ceremony.
Oscar winner AR Rahman, who wrote the music for the movie "Slumdog Millionaire" will also perform live.
Other details of the three-hour ceremony in the renovated stadium have been kept secret, but Indian broadcaster CNN-IBN reported that it would showcase Indian cultural traditions and include a yoga performance.
The sports programme will start with swimming events on Monday.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11460568
The biggest ever Commonwealth Games are set to officially start amid heavy security in Delhi.
Around 100,000 security forces have been deployed in the Indian capital, and shops and businesses are to stay closed for the day.
Prince Charles is to declare the event open during a spectacular opening ceremony in the Nehru Stadium.
The Games have been bogged down by criticism over Indian's preparations for the Games.
Continue reading the main story
Related stories
Monkeys roped in for Delhi Games
'No row' over Delhi Games opening
Sex trafficking fears over Games
Around 80,000 police on duty have been reinforced by 17,000 paramilitary troops to counter the danger of an attack by extremists.
Fighter aircraft and helicopter gunships will be on standby.
Delhi's police commissioner, YS Dadwal, promised security would be "foolproof". Every police officer in Delhi was "on the job 24/7", Mr Dadwal added. "Most are working and sleeping at the police station."
The BBC's Rahul Tandon in Delhi says there are reports that beggars and some slum dwellers have been forced to leave the city for the duration of the event, but officials have denied this.
With almost 7,000 athletes and support staff from 71 countries scheduled to participate, the 19th Commonwealth Games will be the largest sporting event in India's history.
It has also become the most expensive Commonwealth Games so far, with estimates ranging up to more than $10bn (£6.3bn).
In the run-up the competition made headlines because of construction delays, corruption scandals, the collapse of a footbridge and a suspected militant attack on two foreign tourists two weeks ago.
Some competitors pulled out of the games after the accommodation in the athletes' village was described as filthy, uninhabitable and unsafe.
Games officials and thousands of people were working around the clock to ensure that the village was habitable and that the competition could start on time.
Confusion
Last week there were reports that a row had erupted over the roles of Prince Charles and Indian President Pratibha Patil in the opening ceremony.
However, a spokesperson for Prince Charles confirmed that the Prince would read out Queen Elizabeth II's baton message and declare the Games open.
Mrs Patil will the speak and say: "Let the Games begin."
Mrs Patil and the Queen launched the Queen's Baton Relay last October in a ceremony outside Buckingham Palace.
The baton - which has travelled to Commonwealth countries around the world - will arrive in the Nehru Stadium for the opening ceremony.
Singer Hariharan will perform the Games official theme song "Swagatam" at the ceremony.
Oscar winner AR Rahman, who wrote the music for the movie "Slumdog Millionaire" will also perform live.
Other details of the three-hour ceremony in the renovated stadium have been kept secret, but Indian broadcaster CNN-IBN reported that it would showcase Indian cultural traditions and include a yoga performance.
The sports programme will start with swimming events on Monday.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11460568
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Top Secret of Amway's Leaders....American's Scam or American Way??
Top Secret of Amway's Leaders....American's Scam or American Way??
Rush Limbaugh and Amway's Richard Devos: The Hypocracy of Professional Sports Team Ownership
Controversial radio talk show host and entertainer Rush Limbaugh should consider becoming the owner of an NBA team now that his name has been removed from a list of investors seeking to buy a National Football league franchise, the St. Louis Rams. Obviously the National Basketball Association would be a better fit for Limbaugh since they obviously do not set very high standards for membership in their club for which I will explain. Consider the Orlando Magic owner, Richard Devos.
Devos and the late Jay Van Andel are the cult initiators of the 'American Way,' now known collectively as 'Amway.' For half a century, 'Amway,' has operated a monopolistic 'closed market swindle' while 'preying' on their own children, the prosperity believing cult adherents in what amounts to a form of 'advanced fee fraud' very similar in nature of one operated by Jim and Tammy Bakker. These 'true believers' now make up what British born author and guide to the Amway Labyrinth David Brear describes as 'the financial holocaust' having been flim-flammed into what pyramid scheme expert Robert Fitzpatrick calls the 'American Scam'.
In a recent blog post on Quixtar Cult Intervention, Brear details how the present Amway world cult evolved from an earlier 'snake-oil' 'Nutrilite' vitamin swindle started by the late Carl Rehnborg and his business partners Mytinger and Casselberry. Devos and Van Andel co-opted Mytinger, Casselberry and Rehnborg's questionable 'Multilevel Marketing Strategy' and have once again made Nutrilite 'Double X' snake oil supplement the flagship product of their assault on the wallets of 'Independent Business Owners' who, in the end, are generally left holding the 'trick bag' once Devos, Van Andel and the Amway 'Kingpins' make off with their cash. Brear rightly describes the 'Double X' vitamins as a 'Double Cross' on those folish enough to believe the Amway 'reality inverting' 'land of will' myths. Cult adherents (IBOs) purchase these 'snake oil-like' tablets at an extortionately high price in the 'pay to play' Amway game of greed. Rehnborg's 'soups' formulated into compressed tablets had once been occulted to be a cure all for nearly all of man's ills and have always been offered up in classic 'huckster' fashion. Rehnborg, Mytinger and Casselberry have since disappeared from their 'confidence game,' but the game they invented continues now under the Devos, Van Andel 'Amway' Banner. In a past blog post, I described how 'Nutrilite' fathered Devos and Van Andel's 'American Way.'
Rush Limbaugh and Rich Devos are remarkably similar personages, both wealthy supporters of conservative right wing Republican ideologies and candidates they believe support their pro-big business conservative view of the world. Rich Devos heads up the Amway cult adherents, while Limbaugh heads up his drone like 'ditto-heads.' Both groups are bombarded with 'mind numbing' 'reality inverting' rhetoric. Many of Limbaugh's group purchase the Limbaugh Letter, while the Amway group is extolled on the virtue of purchasing their rhetoric in the form of 'tools' from the Amway 'Kingpins' who operate a secondary 'closed market swindle' known as the 'tool and function' business.
Significanly enough, both Devos and Limbaugh have criminal histories. Devos was involved in the defrauding of the Canadian government in a import tax evasion case for which Devos and the late Jay Van Andel agreed to pay Canada 25 million dollars to avoid spending time in Canadian jail cells. Limbaugh, an admitted oxycodone pain pill addict was involved in his own 'doctor shopping' scandal and agreed to a plea agreement to keep himself out of a jail cell as well.
Both Devos and Limbaugh can be described as controversial fellows whose right leaning rhetoric borders on the psychotic. Devos espouses a narrow 'dominionistic' view of the world and is an avowed homosexual hater. Limbaugh spews a rabid hatred of anything 'Democrat' and brands anyone supportive of the Democratic platform as a 'liberal kooks.' Devos loves to paint his Amway Scam as 'big business' and uses this as cover for his unjust enrichment. Limbaugh not surprisingly is also a supporter of big business and detests any move by the present administration towards effecting any type of social change like health care reform. Limbaugh has also been known to make what many people considered controversial statements against African Americans.
Devos's Amway, much like Bernie Madoff's former 'investment business' is always represented as 'legitimate business' although it actually is a Ponzi-like scheme which has miraculously been allowed to continue long after the truth of this affair has been revealed to the mainstream population. Devos has managed to keep Amway alive through a half century of scandal by carefully protecting his self interests with cash suckered from those foolish enough to believe in the swindle that began with Rehnborg. Political contributions and support of key Republican politicians, many of which have since been involved in their own scandals, have helped keep Amway operating and off of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission regulator's hit list of scam companies.
I, therefore, to be fair, propose that Rush Limbaugh (a veritable Saint compared to Rich Devos) be allowed to become the owner of whatever professional sports team that comes onto the market to include even Devos's NBA Orlando Magic. The good people of Orlando and NBA fans everywhere deserve better than a known 'criminogenic' swindler owning a team that nearly won the NBA championship last season. Although I am not a big fan of 'entertainer' Limbaugh, I believe his money came to him honestly, not the result of an enormous swindle, and he should indeed be allowed to buy into the NBA owners club!
http://amwayglobalcultintervention.blogspot.com/2009/10/rush-limbaugh-and-amways-richard-devos.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FcjBs+%28Amway+Global+Cult+Intervention%29
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