A Diving Final that Deserved its Primetime Spot

<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Main Blurb</b><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Diving is Chinese. The Chinese are diving. When you watch diving, you hear about the latest Chinese phenom. And more than likely, that Chinese phenom takes the gold medal. There are eight diving events. In Beijing, the Chinese delegation won seven of those golds. The only non-Chinese gold was won by Australian Matt Mitcham in the men’s 10m platform, the Olympics’ final diving event. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">This Olympics was slightly different. The Chinese dominated in the golds again, but before the 10m platform, another non-Chinese Olympian took gold. Ilya Zakharov of Russia won the men’s 3m springboard with a huge amount of difficult dives.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">And – finally! – in the diving Olympics, the divers to watch in the 10m platform were not Chinese. Well, there was one Chinese diver in contention – Qin Bo. But the other two divers in the spotlight – Great Britain’s Tom Daley and USA’s David Boudia – were able to step up and make this final the most exciting final in diving that I’d seen.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">As I mentioned yesterday, diving was usually the opening hour of NBC’s primetime coverage. I don’t really know why; it usually had the same result: we’d watch the Americans do decent dives, miss the final or place low in the rankings, and see a Chinese person take the gold. I felt that there were so many other events that they could have shown in that first hour instead of diving. Do that many people in America care that much about diving? Is it like the gymnastics of water events that I just don’t know about? </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I was glad to see that tonight’s diving event actually was interesting. Entering the final round of dives, the top three divers (who I’ve already mentioned) were only separated by less than two tenths of a point. Scoring in diving almost seems as confusing as scoring in the decathlon, but I trusted the judges tonight that they knew how to do it.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Tom Daley came first. Tom Daley, Team GB’s sweetheart. He was in the lead entering the sixth round. But because his dive had a lesser degree of difficulty, his score would total less than Qin’s or Boudia’s dive totals. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Boudia came next. He was favored to be the States’ greatest bet for a medal in diving (before the Americans took silver in women’s synchro springboard and bronze in men’s synchro springboard), and the fact that he was diving so well this evening was just Boudia living up to the expectations. His final dive was superb. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Qin Bo was last, with a lot to live up to. He needed to have the perfect dive in order to win the gold. Unfortunately for him, his dive came up just short. He passed Daley but couldn’t beat Boudia, who took the first diving gold for the States since 2000 and the first in the men’s platform since 1988! The top three divers were separated by three tenths of a point. Incredible.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I’m really hoping that American diving can improve just as much as in all the diving events and challenge the Chinese in every event. We did pretty well this time around (especially tonight), and hopefully we can carry the success onward to 2016.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Speaking of improvements…</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><u><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Blurb’s Presentations of American Athletes that Need to Step Up Next Time Around (TBPAANSUNTA, for short)</b></u><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">          </span></span></span>All men’s team events. This includes water polo, volleyball, beach volleyball, and why don’t we throw in handball and field hockey, too. Hopefully the basketball team will deliver tomorrow.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">          </span></span></span>Men’s gymnastics, which could technically be included as a team event. But they do compete individually too. I’m especially looking for improvements in the rings and parallel bars (which no American male qualified in their event finals) and the POMMEL HORSE. Never have I seen such shoddy pommeling before! </div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">          </span></span></span>Women’s volleyball. Now, I know that they got a medal, but it was another silver after letting a one-set lead slip away tonight against Brazil. It’s going to be even tougher next time, because the Olympics are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">in </i>Brazil. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">          </span></span></span>Boxing. One gold medal? Really?</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">          </span></span></span>Men’s 400 meter running. I’ve explained this one already.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">          </span></span></span>All distance running – especially the ladies. (They’ve got the sprinting thing down.)</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">          </span></span></span>Chevy Malibu commercials (not athletes, but “That’s hippy talk!” is really getting on my nerves)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">          </span></span></span>Lesser-Known-In-America events, like table tennis and badminton. And I really think we can train them really well here!</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">          </span></span></span>Throwing field events, like javelin and hammer throw and discus and shot put. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">          </span></span></span>Synchronized Swimming and Rhythmic Gymnastics…maybe we’ll just concede those.</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">          </span></span></span>BMX! For a country that hosts the X Games and seems to have lots of teenagers on tiny bikes, we should really make a better appearance at this than what we did.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Mini Blurbs</b><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Where was Kobe Bryant today? Well, first he was being interviewed by Ryan Seacrest – apparently there were others besides me that realized how many events he had attended as a spectator. And he gave a great interview about it. He was curious about how other athletes prepare for their events, and he was honored to be present at so many American victories, because he knew they were all a team together as Team USA and they were all bringing their best forward to honor their country. (Well said, sir. Please tell that to Mark Cuban.) Then he was watching the US ladies beat France in basketball. (They made it close at the half, but pulled away to win by 36.)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Alyson Felix is incredible. One DAY after winning gold in the women’s 4x100m relay, she ran in the 4x400m relay and helped them win gold! Outstanding!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I watched mountain cycling today and assumed it was new to the Olympics, because I hadn’t heard of it before. But apparently it’s been contested since 1996! Biking on stones? Too much for me.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">This was the first night I really noticed the Olympic mascot out on the track. Apparently he’s been pretty visible, but I saw him cheering on the 5000m runners near the long jump pit.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Czech Republic Gold Medal Watch: </b>Another one today! David Svoboda took gold in the modern pentathlon, which consists of fencing, swimming, showjumping, running, and shooting. (It’s celebrating its 100^th anniversary in the Olympic games, created by the founder of the modern Olympics, Pierre de Coubertin.) </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Today’s roundup is a little wonky, since I was catching up on a few events from yesterday as well: synchronized swimming, rhythmic gymnastics, wrestling, canoe, kayak, running events, javelin, high jump, hammer throw, BMX, mountain cycling, diving, volleyball, basketball, open water swimming.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Tomorrow is the last day of the Olympics. I have to admit that I am exhausted, and I only have one person to blame: me, for making myself watch so many sports in so little time. But it's been awesome, and I thank you in advance for making this Blurb series so successful!  </div>

A Diving Final that Deserved its Primetime Spot

The Main BlurbDiving is Chinese. The Chinese are diving. When you watch diving, you hear about the latest Chinese phenom. And more than likely, that Chinese phenom takes the gold medal. There are eight diving events. In Beijing, the Chinese delegatio…

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THE DANGEROUS GLOBAL CONSEQUENCES OF A SYRIA INTERVENTION

<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="266" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ns-wuZhCZ2Q?feature=player_embedded" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />To view the entire series see:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33&Itemid=74&jumival=904">http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33&Itemid=74&jumival=904</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>

THE DANGEROUS GLOBAL CONSEQUENCES OF A SYRIA INTERVENTION

To view the entire series see:http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33&Itemid=74&jumival=904…

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SAUDI ARABIA - ORIGIN OF WAHHABISM

<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC6R36hdRjp2UBHV0ZyRA0_APmIsTcYHFRGQdJp2S6ID-rVRq4w3w6-PZQnTF4hLIxNFuCSaqYR_OFLoGTi2paQvfxI7ZCaOeRgQedCE8m-l7O-31Hx39zWqRfP0moZEv3rJNJEijYaq-P/s1600/ikhwan_4-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC6R36hdRjp2UBHV0ZyRA0_APmIsTcYHFRGQdJp2S6ID-rVRq4w3w6-PZQnTF4hLIxNFuCSaqYR_OFLoGTi2paQvfxI7ZCaOeRgQedCE8m-l7O-31Hx39zWqRfP0moZEv3rJNJEijYaq-P/s400/ikhwan_4-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="color: red;"><br /></div><div style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>"NEW MOVEMENT"</b></span></div><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">Al-Qaeda represents Wahhabism in its purest form – a violent fundamentalist doctrine that rejects all non-Wahhabi Islam, especially the spiritual forms of Islam. Wahhabism is an expansionist sect intolerant of Shi‘ite Islam, Judaism, Christianity, and Hinduism; in fact, Wahhabists seek to challenge and destroy these faiths. The SAUDI-Wahhabi threat must not be underestimated; it requires our grave attention.</span><br /><br /> <div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE</strong></span></div><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">Contrary to prevalent Western beliefs, Wahhabism is not an old Islamic tradition and the House of SAUD does not enjoy a credible historic claim to rule over Arabia. Indeed, Wahhabism emerged only 250 years ago under the guidance of an obscure fanatic known as Muhammad Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab who later formed an alliance with a group of desert bandits, the SAUDS. From the time they established their covenant to the creation of the modern SAUDI state, the SAUDI-Wahhabi movement spread across the peninsula brutally defeating and enslaving non-Wahhabi elements.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">A substantial body of nineteenth century scholarship does exist to confirm the bloody rise of the SAUDI-Wahhabi state. Thomas Hope, a BRITISH author, wrote extensively about the Wahhabi spread from his travels throughout the MIDDLE EAST. In his novel <em>Anastasius</em>, he described Wahhabi agents in words that will be strikingly familiar to modern readers: as extremist puritans bent on dominating the Muslim world by adopting tactics reminiscent of Al-Qaeda’s calculated savagery.</span><br /><br /> <div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>THE THEOLOGICAL AND POLITICAL PACT BETWEEN THE SAUD CLAN AND THE WAHHABISTS,</b></span> </div><span style="font-size: large;">resulted in the fall of Mecca for the second and last time in 1924, solidifying their grip on power. After the conquest of Mecca, the vast oil wealth of the kingdom would be used to export a radical Wahhabist ideology across the globe.</span><br /><br /> <div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>SAUDI ARABIA - NERVE CENTER OF ISLAMIC EXTREMISM</strong></span></div><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">Even after September 11, the Wahhabi bureaucracy in SAUDI ARABIA continues to foster religious extremism. When bombs go off in ISRAEL, KENYA, INDONESIA, and elsewhere, SAUDI ARABIA is still the main source of the terrorist money. The kingdom is an unwavering nerve center of ideological indoctrination, incitement, and terrorist financing.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">From time to time, the SAUDI elite attempts to confuse WESTERN opinion by claiming that it too is the target of Islamic terror, a rather hollow gesture to hide its complicity in terrorism. SAUDI ARABIA, being a police state, the monarchy long ago could have ridded itself of extremist elements. But the sobering reality is that international terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda are directly impelled by SAUDI clerics. To recover their credibility in the eyes of more reactionary factions after years of excess, the SAUDI family has embarked on an ambitious global campaign to support incubators of violence and extremism from ALGERIA to the PHILIPPINEs. In sum, Al-Qaeda would not exist absent SAUDI money and membership.</span><br /><br /> <div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>FALSE ARGUMENTS</strong><b>: ISLAMIC TERROR IS THE CONSEQUENCE OF ISLAM ENDURING WESTERN HUMILIATION</b></span></div><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">Washington needs to end its delusion that the SAUDI royal family is a moderating force within SAUDI politics when the reality is that it has produced a well-funded launch pad for a fascist ideology. Unfortunately, there is no shortage of SAUDI apologists. The so-called specialists and academics continue to argue that Islamic terror is the consequence of Islam enduring WESTERN humiliation. But in fact, SAUDI ARABIA has never been subjugated by the WEST, instead it has only been cuddled and bribed to ridiculous extremes. And in turn the WEST has received a torrent of violence and hateful venom.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">Equally as erroneous is the contention that an accommodation of non-Wahhabi religions is somehow a break with traditional Islam. This absurd notion is blatantly untrue. QATAR, another Wahhabi state, has actually authorized the establishment of churches. Even, neighboring BAHRAIN seems to be “open” towards accommodating non Islamic faiths .</span><br /><br /> <div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>SUPPRESSED YOUTH: THE KEY TO MODERN SOCIETY IN SAUDI ARABIA</strong></span></div><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">After decades of theocratic oppression, the vast majority of the SAUDI people are restive for the following reasons: </span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">1.) The Shiite minority, in the southern and eastern provinces are tired of the violent persecution they have suffered at the hands of the Wahhabist clergy. </span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">2.) The youth of SAUDI ARABIA want to live in a modern society where they can utilize their enterprising talents and energies to build a prosperous future. </span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">3.) Allegedly, non-Wahhabi scholars are already calling on the royal family to reject the officially sanctioned intolerant state religion and replace it with pluralistic Ottoman-Islamic traditions. Remarkably, thousands of young people are turning to Sufism as an expression of protest against the entrenched religious establishment.</span><br /> <br /><span style="font-size: large;">The transition to a reasonably open MALAYSIAN parliamentary model from its current medieval state need not be catastrophic. The SAUDI monarchy could remain as a symbolic body with power concentrated in a representative legislature. Indeed, the position that a more strict Islamic system might emerge if the House of SAUD is brushed aside is ludicrous. Proponents of this view often cite the emergence of an IRANIAN-style regime as a possible consequence. However, this is a specious historical analogy since the IRANIAN people never experienced the harsh strictures of Islamic law prior to the ascension of the Islamic Republic. </span><br /> <em><span style="font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">by Zachary Constantino</span></em><br />

SAUDI ARABIA - ORIGIN OF WAHHABISM

"NEW MOVEMENT" Al-Qaeda represents Wahhabism in its purest form – a violent fundamentalist doctrine that rejects all non-Wahhabi Islam, especially the spiritual forms of Islam. Wahhabism is an expansionist sect intolerant of Shi‘ite Islam, Judaism…

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What a difference an hour made

I went to spinning class and stayed for the entire hour. . I was sure I was going to have a heart attack and die on the spot!<br /><br />It was really hard, but the instructor was awesome. She kept saying things like "if you don't challenge yourself, you won't make a difference in your body". Almost every song she played is on my current iPod playlist, so the music was great.<br /><br />I love my new cycling shoes with the SPD cleats. I got to class early and the instructor showed me how to attach my shoes to the pedals. The first few tries was a lot harder than it looked in the video, but it's really easy once you do it a few times. I think it really does make a difference in how I worked my leg muscles. When I got home, a six-minute drive, I could barely get out of the car. <br /><br />My attitude did a 180 after the class. It's true about the endorphins. I walked out of the gym and into the warm sunshine, with a slight breeze, and thought...LIFE IS GOOD!<br /><br />There's sadness all around me right now, but that's life. Into every life a little rain must fall, right?  I've certainly had my share of sadness this past year, but we all do. No one has a perfect life. It just makes me appreciate the good things even more.<br /><br />Regarding my weight, I don't even know what it is right now. I haven't weighed in a week, but I'm sure I'm up several pounds. This past week was harder than most. I didn't exercise or eat right last week, but starting this morning I'm back on track.<br /><br />Life is hard sometimes, no doubt about it.

What a difference an hour made

I went to spinning class and stayed for the entire hour. . I was sure I was going to have a heart attack and die on the spot!It was really hard, but the instructor was awesome. She kept saying things like "if you don't challenge yourself, you won't m…

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WAHHABISM IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA - Part 5

<br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: red; line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto auto;"></span></b></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">WAHHABISM AT THE DOORSTEPS OF EUROPE</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: red; line-height: normal;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCq5yMu2MPTRe3TUfPBfI1qyWuKdFATOBA9X0N6B_8EsqHGMotpIykbOUZc41_-hmomCFhEEK4Tem8QimbA2DHoaDmkrFcnOl9iGuAvm08gd75M9VypSJf7rrxjfwLnCrjsI5iMquyqOL0/s1600/26sep06-saff_ba.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCq5yMu2MPTRe3TUfPBfI1qyWuKdFATOBA9X0N6B_8EsqHGMotpIykbOUZc41_-hmomCFhEEK4Tem8QimbA2DHoaDmkrFcnOl9iGuAvm08gd75M9VypSJf7rrxjfwLnCrjsI5iMquyqOL0/s400/26sep06-saff_ba.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Aktivna Islamnka Omladina (Active Islamic Youth, or AIO) </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">weekly print and on line publication SAFF Magazine</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: red; line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">WAHHABI LINKS TO INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. </span></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">By Juan Carlos Antúnez</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The potential threat of terrorism in BIH is totally linked to the spread of extremist religious ideas in the country. Despite the fact that Wahhabism and Terrorism must not be merged, most people detained in BIH because of suspected terrorist activities have also been linked to Wahhabi groups. Wahhabi communities are used by terrorist networks to recruit new members, to provide logistic bases for transient terrorists and as a front to cover their activities.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Different articles appearing in local and international mass media have commented about the role of BIH in different issues related with international terrorist networks. Most of this information is unconfirmed. The substance of follow-on media coverage is variously both true and false. Terrorist cells are no less likely to be present in BIH than in any other state. BOSNIAN Serb and Serbian media outlets regularly misappropriate such reporting, and the information is generalized to the point of suggesting that BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA  (BIH) is a significant threat to ethno-national security because it allegedly harbours foreign Islamic terrorists. This is nationalist propaganda that deliberately obscures the facts in two areas: first, the symptoms of global security threats are confused with the causes of BOSNIAN state weakness; and second, deliberate state-level support to terrorism rather than the weak state’s inability to police itself. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">POTENTIAL FOR INSTABILITY EXISTS IN BIH, FOSTER BY CERTAIN NGOS, RADICAL COMMUNITIES AND THE CITIZENSHIP ISSUE.</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQOJ2ZE6vS9zG6yjY9qjTmZs45yaTlZPawcDbvlBIobGzPfFnxD4uo0OD2Kqgj8yoor8s01N5r7iobcCCfj78FD5ub-87_s9hYHduQYGDz0xTNB-w8jXldUGZIv2QKYj_4YdiFyzeHr5r/s1600/3sector.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQOJ2ZE6vS9zG6yjY9qjTmZs45yaTlZPawcDbvlBIobGzPfFnxD4uo0OD2Kqgj8yoor8s01N5r7iobcCCfj78FD5ub-87_s9hYHduQYGDz0xTNB-w8jXldUGZIv2QKYj_4YdiFyzeHr5r/s400/3sector.gif" width="308" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The terrorist phenomenon in BIH is no more developed, and the risk of a terrorist attack is not higher than in other parts of the world. It is possible to assess that the international presence in BIH, the growing interest of local and foreign police agencies in this issue, especially after September 11th, and the special characteristics of the Muslim population have reduced the possibility of the establishment of a Jihadi base in BIH. But it is necessary to remark that the potential for instability exists in BIH, for example, the presence of some NGOs, some radical communities, the citizenship issue, the historical links between BIH and some suspicious countries and the problem of a weak border control, may provide an environment suitable for such establishment to occur, in a significant and widespread way.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Though Islamic terrorist acts cannot be excluded from BIH, it is assessed that they are very unlikely. Until now there has never been a direct threat against the International Community (IC) in BIH. Taking into account the reported long-term goal of the major ‘Islamic players’ to turn BIH into an Islamic society, it is considered that a terrorist attack in BIH could have a negative impact on achieving this goal. The predicted reaction of the IC might change the now favorable environment significantly.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">According to different sources BIH is used by international terrorist organizations mainly for the following purposes:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">- Islamic bridgehead in to Europe,</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">- Logistic base,</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">- Recruiting base,</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">- Rest and recuperation area</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">- Transit country.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">REPORTS IN LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL MEDIA KEEP PERSISTENTLY EMERGING OF ALLEGED PRESENCE OF TERRORIST TRAINING CAMPS IN BIH.</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Various analysts and commentators have offered wildly differing opinions on the implications of individual foreign terrorists being present in BIH, while local authorities have denied that there are any terrorist training facilities operating in BIH. Because extremely limited international and domestic collection assets and capabilities, there is insufficient information available to confirm or deny the presence of paramilitary training camps in BIH. The focus on ‘training camps’ however is, in part, a red herring. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">RUGGED TERRAIN OF BIH NOT NECESSARILY THE GATEWAY FOR CLANDESTINE TRAINING CAMPS.</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Although BOSNIAN terrain is extremely rugged and suitable to clandestine insurgent-style operations, known extremists have also conducted training in classrooms, prison cells, sporting clubs, and via the Internet. Such approaches to training do not require open-air facilities, cleared fields, firing ranges, tented camps, or sites otherwise identifiable in military terms. Summer youth camps are often reported as terrorist training camps. Although the potential for indoctrination exists at such locations, they are not the same as paramilitary facilities used for training in terrorist methods and equipment.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">According to 2006 Country Reports on Terrorism, released by the Office of the US Coordinator for Counterterrorism:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">‘BIH’s Law enforcements organizations cooperated with the UNITED STATES on international counterterrorism. BIH remained a weak state, however, with multiple semi-autonomous centres of power, vulnerable to exploitation as a terrorist safe haven or a potential staging ground for terrorist operations in EUROPE. Nevertheless, there were notable signs of increased local operational capability to combat terrorism and terrorism finance’.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The reports also states that</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">- ‘BOSNIAN authorities continued to strengthen existing counterterrorism mechanisms and develop new ones. The Inter-Ministerial Counterterrorism Task Force (IMCTF), formed in December 2004, and currently responsible for coordinating all State level institutions with counterterrorism responsibilities, directed two successful terrorism-related deportations in 2006. Despite these successes the Task Force’s operational effectiveness was generally hampered by insufficient coordination, such as infrequent communication and a lack of clear divisions of labour among the agencies’.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">- Is also reported the work of the Citizenship Review Commission (CRC).</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">- The only reported terrorist activity in BIH during 2006 is ‘the trial against the three individuals that were arrested in October 2005 and charged with terrorism, and two others charged with illegal possession of explosives. The charged people were supposedly preparing to attack unspecified European targets’.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">- ‘The BOSNIAN organization <b>Aktivna Islamnka Omladina (Active Islamic Youth, or AIO)</b> spread extremist and anti-American rhetoric through its weekly print and on line publication SAFF Magazine.There were indications that AIO conducted youth outreach in BIH during the year and maintained a presence in Western Europe’.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">According to this report, it is possible to assess that:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">- BIH’s Law enforcements organizations cooperate on international counterterrorism. There are notable signs of increased local operational capability to combat terrorism.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">- BOSNIAN authorities continue to strengthen existing counterterrorism mechanisms and develop new ones, although coordination among the different agencies has to be increased.</span></span></div>

WAHHABISM IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA - Part 5

WAHHABISM AT THE DOORSTEPS OF EUROPEAktivna Islamnka Omladina (Active Islamic Youth, or AIO) weekly print and on line publication SAFF MagazineWAHHABI LINKS TO INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM.  By Juan Carlos AntúnezThe potential threat of terrorism in BIH i…

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Ticket(s) Giveaway: "Singin' in the Rain" on the Big Screen

<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw9pkmeFR1-XZyfl3Q1tZ_5F1i8W8Wk5I1JCDTpk2lylw109vXFA2dxU9dkJbSyQxi61e-RXs3EV60CFgwLxNABXsdw23Iv9IKykcqcwmA_HbCTL5CQnHGW7qM1F9KZPlhOY_MN2nZ0ys1/s1600/singin'_in_the_rain_1952.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw9pkmeFR1-XZyfl3Q1tZ_5F1i8W8Wk5I1JCDTpk2lylw109vXFA2dxU9dkJbSyQxi61e-RXs3EV60CFgwLxNABXsdw23Iv9IKykcqcwmA_HbCTL5CQnHGW7qM1F9KZPlhOY_MN2nZ0ys1/s400/singin'_in_the_rain_1952.jpg" width="310" /></a></div><br /><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Singin' in the Rain </i>returns to theaters nationwide on Wednesday, August 22, for an encore presentation of a stunning new print of the film.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><a name='more'></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'll be giving away <i>three pairs of tickets</i> for the event. <a href="http://www.fathomevents.com/upcoming/alllocations.aspx?eventid=1107" style="color: #cc0000;" target="_blank">Click here</a> for a listing of all participating theaters.  Please send your entry, including your <b>name</b>,  <b>mailing address</b> and <b><i>theater selection</i></b> (I need <i>all three</i>), to: <a href="mailto:ladyevesidwich@gmail.com"><span style="color: #cc0000;">l</span><span style="color: #cc0000;">adyevesidwich@gmail.com</span></a>. </span><span style="font-size: small;">A random drawing will be held on August 13 and winners will be contacted immediately. Tickets will be sent directly from the the event coordinator.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Update: Congratulations to winners Lindsay, Barry and Dawn - and thanks to Melanie of Pure Brand Communications for providing tickets for this drawing.</span></b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;">This event, a celebration of the film's 60th anniversary, is sponsored by Turner Classic Movies, NCM Fathom Events and Warner Home Video. Along with the film, a special TCM original production hosted by Robert Osborne will screen. This featurette includes </span><span style="font-size: small;">behind-the-scenes footage and an interview with Debbie Reynolds, who starred in the film with Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Don't miss your chance to see Stanley Donen's iconic musical, the film that ranks #1 on the American Film Institute’s list of the “<a href="http://www.afi.com/100years/musicals.aspx" style="color: #cc0000;" target="_blank">25 Greatest Movie Musicals</a>,” on the big screen. Enter now!</span></div></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">~ </span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.npr.org/2012/08/09/158489285/60-years-later-still-singin-in-the-rain" style="color: #cc0000;" target="_blank">Click here</a> for Pulitzer Prize winning critic Lloyd Schwartz's August 9 review of <i>Singin' in the Rain </i>on NPR's <i>Fresh Air</i>.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ec2beAQ3W6U" width="560"></iframe>  </div>

Debbie Reynolds Donald O'Connor Gene Kelly Singin' in the Rain TCM The Lady Eve (author) Turner Classic Movies Ticket(s) Giveaway: "Singin' in the Rain" on the Big Screen

Singin' in the Rain returns to theaters nationwide on Wednesday, August 22, for an encore presentation of a stunning new print of the film.I'll be giving away three pairs of tickets for the event. Click here for a listing of all participating theater…

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