February 5, 2012

Posts Comments

You are here: Home / Archives for September 2010

Heavy security for India Ayodhya site ruling

September 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
5164be8054650b7b48f6e846e556ba45

The BBC's Sanjoy Majumder on the security situation in Ayodhya Nearly 200,000 security personnel are being deployed in northern India ahead of a court ruling on the long-running Ayodhya religious dispute. Helicopters are keeping watch overhead and authorities have urged calm amid fears the ruling could spark unrest. The Allahabad High Court will decide who owns land where Hindu mobs tore down a 16th Century mosque in 1992. Hindus claim the site of the Babri Masjid is the birthplace of their God, Rama, and want to build a temple there. Related stories * Has India's flashpoint moved on? * Q&A: The Ayodhya dispute * Plea for calm over mosque verdict The destruction of the mosque led to widespread rioting between Hindus and Muslims in which some 2,000 people died. It was some of the worst religious violence since the partition of India in 1947. Peace appeal The high court ruling in the Ayodhya case is due to be announced in the city of Lucknow, in Uttar Pradesh state, on Thursday at 1530 local time (1000 GMT). Of the three judges who will give the verdict, two are Hindu and one is Muslim. The BBC's Soutik Biswas in Delhi says whichever way the ruling goes, it will be a test for India's secular identity. Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram said on Wednesday that there would be 190,000 security personnel on duty in the state for the ruling. Group mobile phone text messages have been blocked in an attempt to prevent anyone from inciting violence, and a media watchdog has appealed to broadcasters to avoid showing inflammatory images. "The central government has taken adequate measures and has deployed adequate forces to assist state governments in maintaining peace," Mr Chidambaram told a press conference in Delhi. "I once again appeal to the people to maintain peace." INDIA'S LONG-RUNNING DISPUTE The Babri mosque * Ayodhya dispute centres around land 130ft (40m) x 90ft (27m) where the mosque stood * Court cases over the issue date back to 1949 - so far 18 judges have heard the case * A 1992 report blamed top Hindu nationalist politicians for a role in the demolition * A key issue is whether the temple was demolished on the orders of Mughal emperor Babar in 1528 * Other questions are whether the mosque was built according to Islamic law and whether idols were put inside it by Hindus in 1949 * Timeline: Ayodhya holy site crisis Mr Chidambaram said all state governments had been "advised to be firm and maintain public peace and order and I'm sure they will do it". Correspondents say the authorities are anxious as the legal decision could have potentially explosive consequences. An appeal for peace, signed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, has appeared in several Indian newspapers urging people to respect the rule of law and abide by the court order. Correspondents say the Ayodhya ruling could not have come at a worse time for the authorities - they already have their hands full … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Adult, Featured, Politics, World Tagged With: , , , ,

Nato raid ‘kills Pakistan troops’

September 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
db929107550186063131447deedecd56

Three Pakistani soldiers were killed in a Nato helicopter attack near the Afghan border, Pakistani officials say. Security officials said Nato helicopters entered Pakistani airspace and targeted a paramilitary checkpoint. Pakistani officials have now stopped Nato supply trucks from crossing the border at Torkham. A Nato official confirmed there was an attack, but said that it believed it was in Afghan airspace. She added that the incident was under investigation. Pakistani officials say they stopped the Nato trucks because of "security considerations". New pattern The BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad says that this is is the second attack by Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) helicopters on suspected fleeing militants in the country's Kurram area since last weekend. Map of northern Pakistan On 28 September a similar strike took place in Kurram, witnesses say. A day earlier, Isaf helicopters reportedly chased militants into the neighbouring region of North Waziristan, killing more than 30 of them. Our correspondent says that the latest strikes have set a new pattern in the US-led "war on terror" in Pakistani tribal areas. Until now, unmanned drone aircraft have been carrying out strikes against al-Qaeda and Taliban targets in the area. But it seems that coalition forces have now decided to start using the "hot-pursuit" option as well. The strikes come after months of pressure from the western coalition urging Pakistan to launch a clean-up operation against militant groups in its North Waziristan tribal area. Pakistan has argued that this would be difficult because troops are already spread too thinly to open a new front against the militants, especially when many soldiers have been helping out with recent flood relief operations. Last week Pakistan protested after Nato forces crossed the border and killed about 50 alleged militants. A Pakistani official told AFP news agency that Thursday's attack was "unprovoked". "Nato helicopters entered our airspace and targeted a paramilitary checkpost killing three soldiers and wounding three others," the official said. 'Response options' Officials say the checkpost came under fire for about half an hour and three soldiers were wounded in addition to those killed. Pakistani soldier handing out flood supplies Pakistan says that its forces have been over-stretched because of recent floods Another official told the Reuters news agency that Pakistan would consider "response options" if Nato continued to violate its sovereignty. In a statement, Nato said it had carried out an attack on suspected insurgents near a coalition base in the border area of Dand Patan district, in Afghanistan's Paktiya province. However, it said that the helicopter did not cross into Pakistani airspace, and that it was working with Pakistan "to ascertain if the two events are linked". Isaf spokeswoman Maj Sunset Belinsky said the helicopters … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Adult Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Michigan attorney general defends employee’s right to blog

September 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
39b98f801350e2e37fa475904584098f

Cox: Shirvell offensive, but job is safe STORY HIGHLIGHTS * Cox calls Shirvell a 'bully,' but defends his right to free speech * Blog criticizes openly gay student assembly president * Assistant attorney general says he posts on his blog during off-work hours (CNN) -- Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox defended an assistant's constitutional right to wage an Internet campaign against an openly gay college student, even though he considers that employee a "bully." "Here in America, we have this thing called the First Amendment, which allows people to express what they think and engage in political and social speech," Cox told Anderson Cooper on CNN's "AC 360" on Wednesday night. "He's clearly a bully ... but is that protected under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution? Yes." "Mr. [Andrew] Shirvell is sort of a frontline grunt assistant prosecutor in my office," Cox said. "He does satisfactory work and off-hours, he's free to engage under both our civil service rules, Michigan Supreme Court rulings and the United States Supreme Court rule." For nearly six months, Shirvell, an assistant attorney general for the state of Michigan, has blogged about college student Chris Armstrong, an openly gay student assembly president at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. RELATED TOPICS * Mike Cox * Michigan * LGBT Issues * First Amendment Rights Shirvell launched his blog in late April using the online moniker "Concerned Michigan Alumnus." "Welcome to 'Chris Armstrong Watch,'" Shirvell wrote in his inaugural blog post. "This is a site for concerned University of Michigan alumni, students and others who oppose the recent election of Chris Armstrong -- a RADICAL HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVIST, RACIST, ELITIST, & LIAR -- as the new head of student government." Among other things, Shirvell has published blog posts that accuse Armstrong of going back on a campaign promise he made to minority students; engaging in "flagrant sexual promiscuity" with another male member of the student government; sexually seducing and influencing "a previously conservative [male] student" so much so that the student, according to Shirvell, "morphed into a proponent of the radical homosexual agenda;" hosting a gay orgy in his dorm room in October 2009; and trying to recruit incoming first-year students "to join the homosexual 'lifestyle.'" In a written statement from his office on Tuesday, Cox distanced his office from Shirvell's comments. "Mr. Shirvell's personal opinions are his and his alone, and do not reflect the views of the Michigan Department of Attorney General," Cox said in the written statement provided by his office Tuesday night. "But his immaturity and lack of judgment outside the office are clear." Shirvell said he works on the blog during his off-hours. On "AC 360" on Tuesday, Shirvell made no apologies for his blog postings, which include a picture of Armstrong with "Resign" written over his face. The same picture … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Adult, Featured, Politics, Technology Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Health And Marriage: Benefits For Men

September 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Sexy on Couch

If you find the prospect of “tying the knot” stressful, you may want to consider very real evidence that married or partnered men are healthier and live longer than their single counterparts. Contrary to conventional wisdom, men in committed relationships experience less stress, reducing the chances of chronic disease and sudden illness. Health and marriage and the benefits for men are undoubtedly closely related. The health benefits of marriage seem to come from lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, but it’s a combination of factors that makes walking down the aisle toward a committed relationship healthier than going it alone. Certainly, there are advantages to maintaining a perpetual string of one-night stands, but the concept of health and marriage may trump the idea for some men. The complex link between health and marriage A 1996 Rand Study, titled Marital Status and Mortality: The Role of Health, states men in their 50s, 60s and 70s have lower mortality rates compared to never-married, divorced or widowed men, but the reasons are complex. One suggestion is that marriage encourages healthy behaviors that include not smoking, avoidance of excessive alcohol intake, better nutrition, and care in times of illness. Men who are married are less likely to engage in risky behaviors like substance abuse or drinking and driving. Parenting within a marriage further promotes healthy behavior. Stress hormones lower for married men Researchers from the University of Chicago found that marriages and romantic commitments lower stress hormones. Dario Maestripieri, Professor in Comparative Human Development at the University of Chicago, and lead author of Between- and Within-sex Variations in Hormonal Responses to Psychological Stress in a Large Sample of College Students, says that "although marriage can be pretty stressful, it should make it easier for people to handle other stressors in their lives. What we found is that marriage has a dampening effect on cortisol responses to psychological stress, and that is very new." The study was conducted on 500 masters degree students who were given a series of stressful computer games. Among the group, 40% of the men and 53% of the women were married or in a relationship. The researchers collected saliva samples to measure cortisol and testosterone levels, before and after the games. The surprising finding at the start of the study was that single men and women had higher levels of the stress hormone than married participants. Men in a committed relationship had lower testosterone levels -- findings that the scientists say happens in primates and birds when males engage in fatherly behavior. Single students in the study had higher testosterone levels that “can potentially influence many aspects of an individual’s response to environmental challenges including tendency to take risks, psychomotor function and coordination, and cognitive performance.” Our look at health and marriage … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Adult, Featured, Living Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Chemicals That Fuel Your Sex Life

September 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
74b9a577809fd7bb7b62b588acd8635d

Ever wonder why you fall dead asleep or get a rush of self-confidence right after you have an orgasm? It's because of endorphins, oxytocin and other substances that are released into your bloodstream upon "liftoff." There are a host of sexual chemicals that affect your mind and body during and after sex. Check 'em out. Prolactin What it does: Prolactin relieves sexual arousal after orgasm and takes your mind off sex. It rises sharply immediately after orgasm in almost everyone. It's one of the few moments of the day when we men aren't preoccupied with sex. How it makes you feel: Prolactin disengages you from sex after an orgasm, allowing you to think of other things besides the naked woman right in front of you. If after sex your mind is flooded with activities and chores you need to accomplish that day, that is prolactin at work. Just imagine how much more progress we could all make in our lives if they pumped this stuff into the water supply. Oxytocin What it does: Secreted by the pituitary gland, oxytocin stimulates the prostate, causes muscle contractions and sensitizes nerves. Research has shown that increased oxytocin produces more intense orgasms. How it makes you feel: Oxytocin is known as the "cuddling hormone" because it causes you to feel a connection and bond with your lover. It's also found in women's breast milk, helping to create a bond between baby and mother. If you enjoy cuddling with your girl after sex, chances are you know the effects of oxytocin well. Endorphins What they do: Endorphins are a group of neurotransmitters formed within the body that bind to opiate receptor sites in your brain to naturally relieve pain. The bio-chemicals acetylcholine and dopamine are known as endorphins, and have a similar chemical structure to morphine. They are also known to lower stress and boost confidence. How they make you feel: Endorphins produce feelings of euphoria and pleasure, and they have a calming effect. They fill you with a sense of well-being and relaxation. They may also make you feel dizzy and drowsy, and you might even drift off to sleep. Doctors have suggested that over-stimulation of the opiate receptors, as with heroin use, causes a depressed sex drive. So next time your woman hassles you over passing out post-sex, you know it's the endorphins at work. In fact, you can even argue that the faster you fall asleep, the better the sex was. Of note, endorphins are released by your brain during sex, sporting activities, skydiving, fights, grievous injuries, and almost any other exhilarating activity you partake in. Get your adrenaline, among other things, pumping.. Adrenaline (also known as epinephrine) What it does: Adrenaline activates the sympathetic nervous system, which increases your heart rate and dilates arteries to increase blood flow to your muscles during sex. It also causes a refractory period in which another orgasm is impossible for up to 20 minutes after sex. During intercourse, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Adult Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Is Mark Zuckerberg A Genius?

September 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
41845e6f7ba5d6c2a27208563484c862

We all know about Facebook. We probably all know someone who is on it constantly, or have at least dabbled with it ourselves. The fact it now has over 500 million members is a testament to its popularity. Publications as varied as GQ magazine and newspapers in Rwanda have started to call Mark Zuckerberg a genius, and certainly Facebook has had a huge impact in changing the way human beings interact, to a degree not seen since the invention of the telephone. But is it right to call him a genius? “Genius” is a word that is thrown around in a cavalier fashion these days. Often what it is describing is something that is quite good, rather than the more traditional meaning of describing someone who is actually quite extraordinary. With this in mind, we have decided to delve a little deeper into what being a true genius really is, what it should mean to be a genius, and whether or not Mark Zuckerberg has earned that right. Or if, in fact, he is ”only” very, very good at something. Difficult to define A working definition for what makes someone a genius is elusive. Great minds struggled with this for centuries, and there appears to be little overall consensus. Among others, Immanuel Kant, one of the great philosophers and keenest minds of the 18th century (or perhaps any century), contended that originality was the cornerstone of genius. Geniuses had the ability to think in a way that could transform the world or create something that no one had ever conceived of before. But Kant is just one example, and there are countless others who would each define the term slightly differently. Whatever definition you think is accurate, there are a number of traits that seem to appear regularly in people’s attempts at reaching a definition. These traits are originality, vision, hard work, and creative output. We will examine each of these in turn, why they are so important to the definition of a genius, and whether or not these criteria can be fairly applied to Zuckerberg. The importance of originality One of the most fundamental aspects of genius appears to be the ability to create something extraordinary. From innovative technological inventions to great works of art, the creation is always something that is unique from anything that has gone before it. Examples throughout history are plentiful -- be it the art of renaissance man Leonardo Da Vinci or the scientific advances of Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein. All these men saw the world differently from their peers, producing something original and influential as a result. Can this be said of Zuckerberg and Facebook? Certainly, it has original elements, but it is really not much more than a variation on the social networking theme, and certainly was not the first. On that basis, Zuckerberg cannot be said to have created something original. It should also be noted that from the very beginning, more than one brain was used to create Facebook, and with 1,400 employees there now, it becomes … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Adult Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Adult Adolescence: You’re 35 And Recently Divorced

September 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
54f2e467965e0616e211eca5dd27b13a

Just when you thought adolescence was gone for good and that you were now and forever an adult who gets to enjoy all the benefits of adulthood, something tough and hard to handle might happen that throws you right back into adolescence. Adult adolescence refers to the constant process of maturing that can happen at any time in your life -- whether you're an 18-year-old entering the world on your own for the first time, a 25-year-old starting to map out the rest of your life, or a divorced 40-year-old who finds himself living the single life again. For over 11 years, I’ve been giving sex and relationship advice to men all over the country to help them lead more successful lives. I’ve experienced the same stages of adult adolescence that you have. Whether it’s looking forward, backward or at what’s happening in your life right now, I can offer some guidance by examining the difficult times of transition in our lives. Single... again You're 35 and recently divorced. Welcome to one of the most challenging times of adult adolescence. I was about that age when I got divorced myself. Right after my divorce, I remember my buddy Rich and I went out to a bar. I was standing in the bar drinking a margarita, and all of a sudden I realized I was "him.” I was that older guy in a bar full of 20-somethings, nursing a drink and looking at women. At that moment, I realized that those days of picking up 20-year-old women in bars were over for me. Do you want to be ”that guy”? I know I didn’t want to be that guy again, standing there in the bar. There wasn't any joy or excitement in it for me anymore. I wanted to meet real women. I didn't want to get involved in idle chitchat about nothing, meet somebody when they’re drunk, call them the next day and have to remind them of the conversation we’d had. I was past that point in my life. I wanted to meet someone I could connect with in a meaningful way. Time to yourself So let's talk about what to do after you get divorced. The first thing you need to do is make sure you clear your mind. Don't go out and start trying to meet women just because your wife has left you (or because you left your wife). Spend some time with yourself. Get to know yourself again. Start to think about what you really want. What are you looking for in life? With what type of woman do you want to spend your time? What did you learn from your last relationship? Adult Adolescence: You're 35 & recently divorced -- tips for meeting women when you're ready.. Spend time by yourself. Take some time to hang out with friends and get to know them again. Spend some time doing "guy things." Enjoy yourself and don't even think about women. Once you've done this, then the next step is to actually go out there and start meeting women doing things that you enjoy. You don't want to be that guy standing in the corner of a bar or nightclub, wondering if you're going to randomly meet the right person. Instead, think about … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Adult Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

3 Arrested in Vietnam for Running Porn Sites

September 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
96d23a2d1e90bfd9461e257ce6cd5163

HANOI, Vietnam — State police have arrested three people for running pornographic websites, which attracted millions of page views a day, reports said. The three people who operated the sites were arrested in southern Ho Chi Minh City. According to reports, one of the sites was first launched in 2008 to offer free downloads of mainstream films. Sex clips and videos were included the following year when the website's administrators decided they wanted to attract more visitors. The three accused earned up to 30 million dong ($2,026.90) a month for running the sites — the equivalent of around 18 months' average salary in Vietnam. The two websites have reportedly been closed. Communist Vietnam, a one-party state, allows no independent media and controls all print, broadcast and online publications. Authorities have expressed concern about pornographic content online. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Adult, Technology Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Amy Fisher to Appear on Maury Povich TV Show

September 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
9cd6ca6f60d44185180141c349704ece

NEW YORK — Adult star and infamous “Long Island Lolita” Amy Fisher will appear on the NBC broadcast network Maury Povich TV show Sept. 30 to discuss her new film, “Deep Inside Amy Fisher.” According to her spokesperson, Fisher will discuss everything that went into the making of her first professional adult film that also stars Dale DaBone, Lisa Ann, Marcus London and Tommy Gunn (fresh off of his cameo role in the HBO series "Entourage"). “Maury has always treated me with class, and this was a great opportunity to show the world my first professional adult film, and give Maury the opportunity to ask all of the tough questions,” Fisher said. Fisher will reportedly explain why she decided to pursue a career in adult after promising Povich in a 2007 show that she was not going to be a porn star after a sex tape she made with her husband went public. Visit The Maury Povich Show for local listings, channel and times. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Adult Tagged With: , , , ,

Media Copyright Group’s John Steele: Pirate Slayer

September 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
bbe4c08ea8e12e3da5984cf3c3833db4

CHICAGO—John Steele is a Chicago-based attorney whose main practice focuses on the conventional areas of family law, divorce and consumer bankruptcy. But like a caped-crusader, he has extended his legal aspirations into the relatively new and aggressive arena of copyright infringement lawsuits targeting anonymous infringers who obtain their content from Torrents. While certainly not the only attorney to stake a claim in this area, his Media Copyright Group has seen a lot of action lately on behalf of clients that might not necessarily utilize the services of his “daytime” firm: adult production studios. Steele is already well into three lawsuits on behalf of adult studios—Hard Drive Productions, Lightspeed Media, and Millennium TGA—and he told AVN that several more are being prepared. The litigious floodgates are wide open, his legal guns are locked and loaded, and as the following interview makes clear, the crosshairs are now centered squarely on the illegal downloader. You have three lawsuits filed already. Are there more coming down the pike? Yes, we have about ten lawsuits in various stages of readiness, including three more we will be filing tomorrow morning on behalf of new clients, with larger numbers of John Does, probably closer to a thousand. Your approach is to file suit, enter discovery and obtain the identifying information of the alleged infringers and then try to negotiate a settlement with them. Could you subpoena ISPs for that information before filing a lawsuit? No, you have to have an underlying cause of action in order to issue discovery and a subpoena is just one part of discovery. What happens after you get the identifying information from the ISP? Do you attempt to negotiate with each and every one of the alleged infringers? Yes, we attempt to reach out to everybody. We get a certain small percentage of people who say, ‘Hell no, we’re going to hire an attorney and fight it,’ and we say, okay, that’s fine, and just proceed along. Of course, statutory figures are in the six figures, so usually that’s just bravado on their part. Other people want to work something out or begin a process of verifying the information that we have, and we understand that, too. People want to make sure about their chances of winning (or losing) before entering into a settlement. We’ll always work with people. Just the other day, a guy said, ‘Okay you got me, but I don’t have the money to pay you off in one lump sum, can I pay it off in three payments?’ We said, sure. We want to minimize the effect of this on everyone. Even if they brought it upon themselves, there’s no reason to make a mountain out of a molehill. You mentioned six figures? Are most of the targeted people multiple offenders or are some of them people who downloaded once or twice? First, I would bet—though I don’t have any proof—that everyone we’ve gone after is a multiple offender, but we only go after people for one violation … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Adult Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
« Older Posts