News for today's 2018

THE BALKANS – ORGANIZED CRIME AND POLITICAL CORRUPTION PART 2

4:16 AM Tukiyooo 0

<br /> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><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; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></b></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_kdzxslYuS0KZ01bpIY6XnxtkPV_EpeBtQEjWVNXvAZUaC7lw-kHLRuYxZ1aseVmr9RI-PNLUFIcow3xLBz2l260VcMD-AR_p5VNeT1L7p7Xvr3rDtMFDGa3XOg56r7o5Fv-_jXJicjnC/s1600/600px-Causesworldwar1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_kdzxslYuS0KZ01bpIY6XnxtkPV_EpeBtQEjWVNXvAZUaC7lw-kHLRuYxZ1aseVmr9RI-PNLUFIcow3xLBz2l260VcMD-AR_p5VNeT1L7p7Xvr3rDtMFDGa3XOg56r7o5Fv-_jXJicjnC/s320/600px-Causesworldwar1.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><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; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></b></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><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; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></b></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">NEGLECTING GEOPOLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN THE BALKANS COULD HAVE SERIOUS REPERCUSSIONS FOR EUROPE</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Adapted by Geopolitical Analysis and Monitoring from Ioannis Michaletos </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">A 2006 article in Balkanalysis revealed interesting facts on the interrelation between USA domestic politics, the role of the TURKISH lobby and the AMERICAN foreign policy. Even though it is extremely delicate to draw conclusive explanations about the real roots of organized crime activities; it is beyond any reasonable doubt that in the case of the BALKANS the WEST has dramatically failed to monitor narcotics flow and political developments. Despite the fact that thousands of troops, intelligence officers and police are based in the BALKANS, assigned by the International Community (IC), there has been no real confrontation with the realities of criminal syndicate pervasion in the BALKANS. On the contrary in the areas where the Western presence is most powerful, like in Pristina, KOSOVO, it is the stronghold areas of the mafias and their collaborators.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">It is more than certain that if WESTERN societies along with their partners in the BALKANS; cannot control the narcotics trade their incompetence will certainly spill over to the overall antiterrorist security framework that they are trying to enforce. The Hybrid forms that modern crime is currently experiencing will most certainly ensure the continuous flow of capital to terrorist enterprises along with the recruitment of loyal assistants and the corruption of public officials in sensitive sectors of the public sectors. The initiatives by the heads of state of the BALKANS to curb in organized crime should give the opportunity for further decisive measures. BALKANS have already being developed as EUROPE’S soft underbelly-Not quite as Churchill imagined- and one of the top priorities of the EU has to be the unquestionable joint effort to “close down” the BALKAN route, achieving thus a real advance against terrorism in a worldwide level.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Since the end of the Communist era in the BALKANS in the early 90’s, organized crime activities have soared, by expanding their activities in fields such as narcotics, human trafficking, racketeering and goods smuggling. The civil wars in former YUGOSLAVIA and the continuous strife in ALBANIA provided an excellent framework for crime syndicates becoming stronger and gaining political and societal clout.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The first and foremost criminal group that can be to an extent classified as a “Mafia” is the ALBANIAN organized crime. Its geographical spread is in and between the triangle Pristina (KOSOVO) – Tetovo (FYROM) and Tirana (ALBANIA). During the 1999 and the NATO campaign against Serbia, it was a common secret amongst the members of the IC that the KLA (Kosovo Liberation Army) was financed and assisted by the organized crime that hoped to achieve a safe haven in the KOSOVO area. The importance of Pristina is mainly associated with its use as a transit point in the infamous BALKAN drugs route. Moreover the capital of KOSOVO is a massive hideout for heads of crime syndicates across the BALKANS and beyond.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">VAST AMOUNT OF KOSOVO-ALBANIANS HAVE MANAGED UNDER NOT-SO-LEGAL WAYS, TO IMMIGRATE TO USA AND ACT AS “LIAISON” WITH THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY.</span></b></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Furthermore the high unemployment rate in the region along with the chronic industrial decay, have forced masses of the population to remain tolerant –at beast- in the practices of illegal activity. The capital flowing from heroin trade mostly, have helped towards the revitalization of the local economies. To that point it is interesting to note that 4/5 of the heroin flowing to EUROPE from ASIA (AFGHANISTAN) is being transferred by ALBANIANS that have established bases all across EUROPE from Oslo to Barcelona and from Budapest to Rome. The ALBANIAN organized crime as Xavier Raufer has pointed out operates on a dual basis. That means it has also the function of a strong societal force that virtually governs peripheral areas of ALBANIA, mostly in the North, as well as, KOSOVO currently. The ALBANIAN crime syndicates work in close contacts with their AMERICAN-ALBANIAN counterparts that are mainly located in New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia. Since 1991 quite a few KOSOVO-ALBANIANS have managed under not-so-legal ways, to immigrate to USA and act as liaison with the EUROPEAN community.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“GREY ECONOMY” IS BOOMING IN THE BALKANS </span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span></b></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">This highly sophisticated criminal network has been able to control much of the drugs trade in Europe and also the trafficking of women and children from the BALKANS to WESTERN EUROPE. Both of these activities are complementary to each other and frequently criminal groups switch from one activity to the other.</span></span> </div><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The ethnic conflicts in Former YUGOSLAVIA, provided ample opportunities for weapons smuggling that reached unprecedented proportions in 1997. The same year a civil unrest in ALBANIA, led to the overthrow of the government and the lack of the rule of law for almost 6 months. During this period 700,000 Kalashnikov and about 200,000 ALBANIAN passports were stolen. Consequently a large portion of the above was sold to criminal groups in the BALKANS and in EUROPE, whilst there are many allegations of terrorist connection whereby Al Qaeda members were able to obtain ALBANIAN passports and an easier access to the EUROPEAN Continent. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">See:  </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“<span style="color: blue;"><b>KEEPING THE BALKANS FREE OF AL-QAEDA</b></span>”. Website:<a href="http://www.cfr.org/publication/4344/rule_of_law.html?breadcrumb=%2Fregion%2F385%2Fbalkans">http://www.cfr.org/publication/4344/rule_of_law.html?breadcrumb=%2Fregion%2F385%2Fbalkans</a>and </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">“<span style="color: blue;"><b>THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EU-CENTRAL ASIA ACTION PLAN ON DRUGS</b></span>”. Website: <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/drugs/hero.htm">http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/drugs/hero.htm</a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The KOSOVO experience has been up to date, a great disappointment for the IC. The UN administered territory has not been able to withstand the all-pervading influence of the organized crime. Despite numerous acts of violence and a very high homicide rate; very few convictions have been handed out to culprits, none of those was a member of the organized crime either. Nowadays the existence of regular heroin supply from AFGHANISTAN, and the control by the “ALBANIAN Mafia” of the BALKAN route, has enabled it to obtain a large capital base that is laundered money mainly though the construction centres in ALBANIA and the use of offshore financial centers. Actually the largest enterprise in terms of sales and profits in SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE is the ALBANIAN organized crime.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In the case of GREECE, there is not a national organized crime network that can be classified as a national mafia one, although that does not mean that criminal networks are not influential. Nevertheless, the perils of BALKAN crime have surely affected the country in numerous ways. Apart form the current crime statistics –that show a stronger pervasion of organized crime related activities- money laundering is a present and clear danger. The spread of the Greek banking system in S.E EUROPE will certainly address in the near future the issue of capital transfer of criminal activities through those financial institutions.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Also the interstate relations between GREECE and the other BALKAN states should always take into consideration the influence of organized crime groups that are the 21st century non state actors. For that reason it is of outermost importance to construct in the GREEK territory “An observatory of organized crime” that will act as a counselor for the Greek government-Perhaps for the EU as well- and will be compromised by experienced analysts, law enforcement agents, criminologists and international relations experts. The use of this foundation or institute would be to detect, collect, analyze relevant Balkan crime information and produce consultation. In essence an intelligence unit that will be able to predict future trends in organized activities.</span></span></div>

THE BALKANS – ORGANIZED CRIME AND POLITICAL CORRUPTION PART 2

NEGLECTING GEOPOLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN THE BALKANS COULD HAVE SERIOUS REPERCUSSIONS FOR EUROPE Adapted by Geopolitical Analysis and Monito...

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12:01 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYU3jRiBohzle0lwXnrXoCAqQguYl5HetKu_GnrD2yNZEIE0Ha7mb68fOrHiBJill3cLJ33tRZ4h_KdcIeYd6ot4YOrTrmZVBhsbBz5HkF0KGb1zs9JQaDG19M6K_LN4lgZwZJo9hdSWg/s1600-h/image%25255B15%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDPQ5WDnPFfqM899NJadQQrFWD0tci-4svoHvfsGrupdc3Vqi5HxYQGc_5dF5CSX7w2Y6QdkW7rkHm8YWppCxDbjJH95wjXIUiObR1x_clshehTYxhfhuSH6CBz0SiJhrJecKh5Koa_w4/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></div><br /><h1 class="entry-title" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; clear: both; color: #333333; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival Competition</span></h1><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">New York, NY (January 23, 2013)-- The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations ( <a href="http://e2ma.net/go/13002481105/214248360/239448635/1407883/goto:http:/www.unaoc.org/">UNAOC</a>) and the International Organization for Migration (<a href="http://e2ma.net/go/13002481105/214248360/239448636/1407883/goto:http:/www.iom.int/cms/en/sites/iom/home.html">IOM</a>) again invite the world’s youth to submit original and creative videos focusing on PLURAL+ themes: <strong>migration, diversity and social inclusion.</strong></span> <br /><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What is PLURAL+?</span></strong> <br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PrA10LOEDjs" width="420"></iframe> <br /><u></u><u></u> <br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recognizing youth as powerful agents of social change in a world often characterized by intolerance, and cultural and religious divisions, PLURAL+ invites youth to address key challenges related to migrant integration, inclusiveness, identity, diversity, human rights and social cohesiveness, both at local and global levels.  Young people up to 25 years old are invited to submit short videos of<b> five minutes maximum in length.</b></span><u></u><u></u> <br /><br /><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/AVvXsEhYGaO9UNu5iOJ8Mg1S1P6tXfgLKKb8dgKfmw6ipl-YkYmur6GLdVDwkOJoLzPEyCULo3pWEqlnqzvpWVUtR_XQkOc8HAvjrkwSnZ3gYdGrX40A8239o3Bzc7qv-__LtJbQdheQoMFB_mg/s1600-h/image%25255B6%25255D.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUCobKHsfDsnOpNxg5jkKI-DKU9PMICa_dMsQYVT5qsAuqZM2Gn8umiwG-XZFsXVE0f6OpyFZjryJPu-TthG9wP_3kqL-VKDTdv3nHFIwG0WWeOechWrsfMLdtfxmltZat9b_K2FAptDI/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">From </span><a href="http://pluralplus.unaoc.org/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: left;" title="http://pluralplus.unaoc.org/">http://pluralplus.unaoc.org/</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; text-align: left;">.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Michele Klein-Solomon, IOM Permanent Observer to the United Nations, said, “PLURAL+ videos touch very sensitive issues in a very real way.  They look at the realities that people are facing.  We like to see young people expressing their profound ideas in a manner that allows the opening of a dialogue.”</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u></u><u></u> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jordi Torrent, UNAOC Project Manager, Media and Information Literacy, added: “PLURAL+ videos fit very well in this very relevant conversation: how to build more inclusive societies where we can all live together in harmony.”<u></u><u></u> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u></u><u></u> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">PLURAL+ supports young people’s expression of their opinions by providing them with a variety of media platforms and distribution networks, including broadcasts, video festivals, conferences and events around the world.  PLURAL+ also reinforces the firm belief of IOM and UNAOC that youth are powerful and creative agents of social change. </span><br /><br /><strong>PLURAL+ 30 Second Spot: SHARE YOUR VISION!</strong><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lSWJLDf_Ays" width="420"></iframe><br /><u></u><u></u> <br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This video was created with the YouTube Video Editor (</span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/editor"><span style="font-size: small;">http://www.youtube.com/editor</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">)</span></span> <br /><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><br /></strong></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Competition information</strong></span> <br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A prestigious international jury will select three winners in each age categories (9-12, 13-17, and 18-25).  All the winners will be invited to New York, all travel expenses paid, to present their work at the PLURAL + 2013 Awards Ceremony at the Paley Center for Media in December 2013.<u></u><u></u> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u></u><u></u> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mariana Araujo, a member of the PLURAL+ 2012 international jury commented<strong>,  </strong>“For me PLURAL+ is the best link between intercultural dialogue and intergenerational justice.  I can't imagine a better way to understand the other but through their own eyes and listen with their ears.   With these videos I can internalize their emotions and realities through their stories.”<u></u><u></u> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u></u><u></u> </span><br /><strong><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">PLURAL+ 2013 deadline for video submission is 30 June, 2013</span>. </span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Early submissions are encouraged.   Further information, including guidelines, regulations, awards, and the entry form can be found at the PLURAL+ website at: <a href="http://www.unaoc.org/pluralplus">www.unaoc.org/pluralplus</a></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><br /></strong></span><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2012 winners</span><u></u></strong></span><u></u> <br /><u></u><u></u> <br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can watch PLURAL+ 2012 winners <a href="http://e2ma.net/go/13002481105/214248360/239448638/1407883/goto:http:/pluralplus.unaoc.org/winning-videos/plural-2012/">here</a><u></u><u></u> </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u></u><u></u> </span><br /><strong style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Plural website</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Plural website is worth a visit. It can be found at </span><a href="http://pluralplus.unaoc.org/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" title="http://pluralplus.unaoc.org/">http://pluralplus.unaoc.org/</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> On the website they give some resources that you can use for creating a video.</span><br /><br /><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/AVvXsEhnSHZsB51p2Iza8TFwSeG7JujoPb2aMZp4tvte8lODrpDq62cLnYomNIGal_TarCisq8kzAhX9daqBCztPjRoWHiCdTuWFBL62Us6R6Ur6lB78zLnpIohGVucJZzOg8pcjdMnWf-_IazQ/s1600-h/image%25255B12%25255D.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuuDH7xs6OSj_VHbJ6VXQ3ICXAhLyAVMlF0-niBSOQtGoeL1T5n9ItxA8HS7MTbMFxTXPH_FjFVgIJjkU3khSiYIFivGFjx13_elxX1Re5YNJJgS2mbWH6oIqrcnR5dGiYpFUPc_mNBvw/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">From <a href="http://pluralplus.unaoc.org/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;" title="http://pluralplus.unaoc.org/">http://pluralplus.unaoc.org/</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;">.</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><strong style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">PLURAL+</strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> is organized by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and the International Organization for Migration with the collaboration of many </span><a href="http://e2ma.net/go/13002481105/214248360/239448639/1407883/goto:http:/pluralplus.unaoc.org/partners/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">international partners,</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><em style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>For more information, please contact</b></em><em style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">:</em><a href="mailto:plural@unaoc.org" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>plural@unaoc.org</em></a><br /><a href="mailto:plural@unaoc.org" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em><br /></em></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why not give this competition a try! Your students will LOVE it! SchoolNet encourages South African teachers to enter this competition.</span></div>

Competitions Interested in creating media with your students? Why not enter this amazing competition

PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival Competition New York, NY (January 23, 2013)-- The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations ( UNAOC ) and the In...

People Jayman Can't Get Enough Of

9:00 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />Hola y’all! So, on Monday of this week, Matt-Man did his “<a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2013/01/people-i-cant-get-enough-of.html" target="_blank">People I Can’t Get Enough Of</a>” post. I was going to follow that up on Tuesday with one of my own, but I just wasn’t in the right place emotionally to do it. So, I waited until today.<br /><br />Also, being a loner means that my list isn’t really that long. Okay, actually there is a very long list of people I can’t get enough of, but I’m not very good at keeping up with people. Even people I very much want in my life and want to be part of their lives. It’s probably my shyness and lack of social skills that causes this. Anyway, here is a list of people that I’m extremely happy they do play a big role in my life and I can’t get enough of on any level.<br /><br /><b><i>First is obviously my family</i></b>. The JayMom, JaySis, JayBro-in-Law. Without them I would probably be either the guy digging through Matt-Man’s dumpster for cans or the guy who keeps setting the Beer Mine’s dumpster on fire. Or both.<br /><br /><b><i>Matt-Man and Schmoopalicious</i></b>. My partners in crime are caring, funny, supportive and all-around decent people. I know you’re surprised by that, but it’s true. They just don’t like to admit it publicly. They both love to talk about being "assholes" and are sarcastic as hell. But, the truth is they both have a heart of gold.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMb6Z8Lnnzk5kDT8vay7IgxVrr66a6MxRs5gB6hIuOC-axix1Y46QA2trnNMwJXNUkWt05aOm0RT1mKteBRQm7fn75uN1IwGli5bqRebDr7tqBPPeJfMqOq_k_YN-3zX6HPlgTafXbK2c/s1600/angie+iws.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMb6Z8Lnnzk5kDT8vay7IgxVrr66a6MxRs5gB6hIuOC-axix1Y46QA2trnNMwJXNUkWt05aOm0RT1mKteBRQm7fn75uN1IwGli5bqRebDr7tqBPPeJfMqOq_k_YN-3zX6HPlgTafXbK2c/s320/angie+iws.jpg" width="254" /></a><b><i>My friends who live inside my computer.</i></b> I love Twitter. Facebook has its moments, Tumblr is full of very shallow, self-centered people, but I’ve found a couple of cool folks there too and Blogs are dying. But, Twitter still rules social media. I follow so many clever and funny people who make me laugh, think and even scream in anger. It’s great!<br /><br />Also, did you see what <a href="http://nomoreemptyfortunecookies.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Angie AKA: Fortune Cookie</a> did? Did you see the IWS pic she made for us? See, that’s what I’m talking about. People on social media can be irritating, stupid, silly, and rude sometimes, but they can also be amazingly cool and thoughtful and supportive. And Angie definitely falls into the amazing, cool and thoughtful category and is one of those people I’m so glad to know even though I don’t know them as well as I should. Thanks babe!<br /><br /><b><i><a href="http://www.artmustdie.me/" target="_blank">Jo Sequist:</a></i></b> Jo is wayyyyyyyyy smarter than me, but doesn’t make a big deal about it. Jo is also wayyyyyyyyyyyy more talented than I am, but doesn’t make a big deal about that either. In fact, she actually acts as if she isn’t a super-talented, magical being. Crazy huh? And, even though sometimes the whole social media thing gets to be a bit too much and she kind of disappears, when she goes *poof* and reappears we just pick up right where we left off having deep discussions about things like building Gingerbread Shanty Towns.<br /><br /><b><i><a href="https://twitter.com/Sweet_PeaNeeee" target="_blank">Sweet Pea:</a></i></b> Let me tell you guys something. Sweet Pea is crazy. I mean down right “you don’t know what she’s gonna say or do next” crazy. And I love her for it. She’s hilarious, even when she doesn’t mean to be. She is endlessly entertaining and will cheer you up instantly if you talk to her or are around her. Sweet Pea is equal parts an open book for all to read and a total freaking mystery.<br /><br /><b><i><a href="https://twitter.com/warrior_kat" target="_blank">Warrior Kat:</a></i></b> If you listen to the IWS Podcast, you have heard Kat introduced as my BFF many times. Well, it’s true. She’s not my fake internet girlfriend like Manti Te’o had or still has (it’s all very confusing) she’s a real person and a real friend. She’s loud (Cajun), spicy (Latina), beautiful, smart and funny and has an endless supply of love and compassion and support.<br /><br />You might notice that my list is full of people who are smarter, funnier, more talented and better looking than me. It’s amazing that they allow me to hang around.<br /><br /><b>Honorable Mention:</b> The NBA, cheeseburgers, “The Wire,” Rihanna, pizza, college football, air conditioning, tequila, Jennifer Lawrence, “Justified,” podcasts, dice with buddies, sports gambling, Drew Barrymore, Chris Rock, The Rolling Stones, New Orleans Jazz, New Orleans, the beach, Ireland, Dave Attell, 50’s-60’s-70’s-80’s Rock ‘n Roll, Politics, Gangster Movies, trashy reality stars (but not the shows), great legs, and of course, every single one of you guys.<br /><br />Jayman<br /><a href="mailto:Jayman3768@gmail.com">Jayman3768@gmail.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.twitter.com/jayman_iws" target="_blank">@Jayman_IWS </a><br /><br />Also, we rocked the house during our “Nothing and Everything” show on IWS. The lovely Dianne (who I’ll never get enough of) called in to hang out with us. It was a good time and you should totally check it out!<br /><br /><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.adobe.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0" height="105" id="143577" name="143577" width="210"><param name="movie" value="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/btrplayer.swf?file=http://www.blogtalkradio.com%2Fplaylist.aspx%3Fshow_id%3D4305505&autostart=false&bufferlength=5&volume=80&corner=rounded&callback=http://www.blogtalkradio.com/flashplayercallback.aspx" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/btrplayer.swf" flashvars="file=http://www.blogtalkradio.com%2Fplaylist.aspx%3Fshow_id%3D4305505&autostart=false&shuffle=false&callback=http://www.blogtalkradio.com/FlashPlayerCallback.aspx&width=210&height=105&volume=80&corner=rounded" width="210" height="105" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" quality="high" wmode="transparent" menu="false" name="143577" id="143577" allowScriptAccess="always"></embed></object><br /><div style="font-size: 10px; text-align: center; width: 220px;">Listen to <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/">internet radio</a> with <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/im-with-stupid">Im With Stupid</a> on Blog Talk Radio<br /><br /><br /></div></div>

People Jayman Can't Get Enough Of

Hola y’all! So, on Monday of this week, Matt-Man did his “ People I Can’t Get Enough Of ” post. I was going to follow that up on Tuesday wit...

Sloane Stephens: The Teenage Star Who Beat Serena Williams

8:29 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><iframe height="360" id="kaltura_player_1359001422" src="http://cdnapi.kaltura.com/index.php/kwidget/wid/1_utr00pz2/uiconf_id/3775332/st_cache/23218?referer=http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/sloane-stephens-19-beats-serena-williams-18297379&autoPlay=false&addThis.playerSize=392x221&freeWheel.siteSectionId=nws_offsite&closedCaptionActive=true&addThis.playerSize=640x360&closedCaptionsOverPlayer.fontsize=18" style="border: 0px solid #ffffff;" width="640">Unfortunately your browser does not support IFrames.</iframe> <div style="margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">Sloane Stephens, 19, Beats Serena Williams</span></div><div style="font-size: x-small;"></div><div id="date_partner" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; height: 32px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 150px; min-height: 30px; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 490px;"></div><div class="byline_date" style="float: left; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 490px;"><div class="byline_date_inner" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 485px;"><div class="byline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">By JENNIFER ABBEY and <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/author/ron_claiborne" rel="author" style="color: #336699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">RON CLAIBORNE</a></div><div class="date" style="margin: 0px; padding: 4px 0px 0px;">Jan. 23, 2013</div></div></div><div style="font-size: x-small;"></div><div id="sponsoredByAd" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; left: 430px; line-height: 23px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: 0px; text-align: right; top: 404px;"><span id="sponsoredbylogo1" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span id="_fw_container_sponsoredbylogo1" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;">Some may call it the shock heard around the tennis world.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Sloane Stephens defeated one of the greatest players to lace up tennis shoes, Serena Williams, a tennis player whose poster once adorned Stephens' bedroom wall.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The 19-year-old can now say she is the only American younger than Williams to beat the 31-year-old. Stephens, with a giant white smile from ear to ear, won 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 against Williams in the Australian Open quarterfinals Wednesday.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The match was the farthest Stephens has ever gotten in a Grand Slam tournament. Williams, on the other hand, is a 15-time major winner, a five-time Australian Open champion and was on a 20-match winning streak.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Unfortunately for Williams, she suffered injuries in her ankle and back during the game. She called a trainer onto the court and had a three-minute medical timeout.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">When asked about the win, all 29th-seeded Stephens could manage to say was, "I don't even know. Oh, my goodness."</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"While it's not good for Serena, it's a great development for U.S. tennis. They've been waiting for a long time for someone to come to the forefront," said Christine Brennan, a sports columnist for USA Today and sports consultant for ABC News. "It's too early to know what this will all mean, but it's possible that they may have found the next up-and-coming female star."</span></div><div class="rel_container g_4" id="rel_image_feature" style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; float: left; line-height: 23px; margin: 20px 50px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 200px;"><div class="rel_content" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="rel_thumb" style="line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8896966065785019252" name="lpos=widget[Left_Rail_Image]&lid=view[Image]" style="color: #336699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="PHOTO: Sloane Stephens of the US hits a forehand return to compatriot Serena Williams during their quarterfinal match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia on Jan. 23, 2013." border="0" height="112" src="http://a.abcnews.com/images/US/ap_sloane_stephens_kb_130123_wg.jpg" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.5px; padding: 0px;" title="" width="199" /><span class="image_icon" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://a.abcnews.com/assets/images/icons/image_icon_35x35.png); background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; height: 35px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: 5px; top: 73px; width: 35px;"></span></span></a></div><div class="rel_headline" style="line-height: 15px; margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="photo_credit" style="color: #aaaaaa; line-height: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Andy Wong/AP Photo</span></div><div class="photo_caption" style="margin: 5px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Sloane Stephens of the United States hits a... <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8896966065785019252" name="lpos=widget[Left_Rail_Image]&lid=view[Image]" style="color: #336699; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">View Full Size</a></span></div></div></div></div><div class="rel_container g_4" id="rel_1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; float: left; line-height: 23px; margin: 20px 50px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 200px;"><div class="rel_content" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="rel_thumb" style="line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8896966065785019252" name="lpos=widget[Left_Rail_Video_1]&lid=view[Video]" style="color: #336699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="112" src="http://a.abcnews.com/images/WNT/abc_wn_index1_130123_wl.jpg" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="200" /><span class="image_icon" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://a.abcnews.com/assets/images/icons/play_icon_35x35.png); background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; height: 35px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: 5px; top: 73px; width: 35px;"></span></span></a></div><div class="rel_headline" style="line-height: 15px; margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Instant Index: Divers Save Dolphin; Orangutans Play With iPads Watch Video</span></div></div></div><div class="rel_container g_4" id="rel_2" style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; float: left; line-height: 23px; margin: 20px 50px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 200px;"><div class="rel_content" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="rel_thumb" style="line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8896966065785019252" name="lpos=widget[Left_Rail_Video_2]&lid=view[Video]" style="color: #336699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="112" src="http://a.abcnews.com/images/WNT/abc_wn_couric_130123_wl.jpg" style="margin: 0px; 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margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="112" src="http://a.abcnews.com/images/WNT/abc_wn_hasan_130123_wl.jpg" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="200" /><span class="image_icon" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://a.abcnews.com/assets/images/icons/play_icon_35x35.png); background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; height: 35px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: 5px; top: 73px; width: 35px;"></span></span></a></div><div class="rel_headline" style="line-height: 15px; margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Prince Harry Returns Home to Storm of Controversy Watch Video</span></div></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Even before Stephens started playing tennis, she had posters of both Williams sisters -- Serena and Venus -- up in her bedroom, her mother, Sybil Smith, told ABC News. When she began playing tennis at age 9, she began looking up to their game.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"The funny thing about it is we kind of have a joke with Team Sloane, with my family," Smith said. "We say, 'We think you can beat everyone but Serena because she's the best.' And that's a little bit of a joke, because she is the best. Sloane said she's arguably the greatest of all time. So Sloane always had in her mind that Serena would be extremely tough to beat."</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Stephens played against Williams before in Brisbane, but this time around she was ready for the match-up.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"She wasn't so paranoid about playing Serena. She was excited to play Serena," Smith said. "She wasn't so concerned about the hype and playing the greatest of all time. She just changed her mind-set and said, 'You know, it's just another tennis match. I've got to go compete, no matter who I'm playing against.'"</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Off the court, Stephens, originally of Plantation, Fla., but now living in Bel Air, Calif., is a typical teenager. She texts, she tweets, she loves spending time with friends, and she has a serious shopping addiction.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"I said I was going to buy one thing but now I'm going to buy two," she said in an interview just after the big win. "I was begging my mom for these pair of shoes, but I'm sure she'll have them waiting when I get home -- so I have to think of something quick so I can tell her, so she can have it when I get home."</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Stephens told ESPN she had 145 text messages after her win. She added she hoped the win would get her more Twitter followers. Her followers shot from 17,000 before the competition to 46,300 and counting.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Stephens is also getting attention from Hollywood and other sports greats after her win.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"Just found out her dad is John Stephens from the Pats. (that's my real name) I had his football card when I was a kid. I was so proud, ha ha," John Legend tweeted. Stephens' father is a former New England Patriots player who died in a car accident in 2009.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"@sloanetweets congrats on a great match. Excellent focus n poise. Keep it goin. When u defeat a legend you become a legend. Keep it going," Shaquille O'Neal tweeted.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"Wow. What a win for Sloane. Some amazing defense. She gets every ball back," Dallas Mavericks player Dirk Nowitzki tweeted.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The real test now is to see how Stephens can handle the pressure of the main stage of tennis and if she can keep rising.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"Could Sloane put back-to-back matches together? How's she going to react?" Brennan wondered. "There are a lot of unknowns. Sloane is now going to enter a new phase of her career."</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Stephens' mother said her daughter has a good head on her shoulders. She's determined to play her game the best that she can but she also schedules valuable time with friends and family.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"She called home last night right after the match. She was getting ready to go into press, and she goes, 'What are you guys doing?'" Smith said. "It was three minutes of what's going on at home right now. It wasn't even about tennis."</span></div><div class="story_pagination" style="clear: both; color: black; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px 0px; text-align: right; text-transform: uppercase;"><ul style="display: inline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;"><li style="background-image: url(http://a.abcnews.com/assets/images/icons/bullet-999.gif); background-position: -5px 5px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: inline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;"><a class="previous" href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/sloane-stephens-teenage-star-beat-serena-williams/story?id=18296642" name="lpos=widget[Story_Pagination_Previous]&lid=view[Link]" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://a.abcnews.com/assets/images/story/pagination_arrows.png); background-position: 0px -50px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #336699; display: inline-block; height: 20px; margin: 0px 8px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; top: -5px; width: 103px;"><span style="font-size: 10px; line-height: 10px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; right: 8px; top: 5px;">PREVIOUS PAGE</span></a> </li><li class="pager" style="background-image: url(http://a.abcnews.com/assets/images/icons/bullet-999.gif); background-position: -5px 5px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: inline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;"><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/sloane-stephens-teenage-star-beat-serena-williams/story?id=18296642" style="color: #336699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">1</a> </li><li style="background-image: url(http://a.abcnews.com/assets/images/icons/bullet-999.gif); background-position: -5px 5px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: inline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;"><span class="pipe" style="color: #cccccc; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 5px; position: relative; top: -1px;">|</span></li></ul></div><div class="story_pagination" style="clear: both; color: black; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px 0px; text-align: right; text-transform: uppercase;"><ul style="display: inline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;"><li style="background-image: url(http://a.abcnews.com/assets/images/icons/bullet-999.gif); background-position: -5px 5px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: inline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;"><span class="pipe" style="color: #cccccc; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 5px; position: relative; top: -1px;"><br /></span></li></ul></div><div style="font-size: x-small;"></div><div style="font-size: x-small;"></div></div></div>

SPORT tennis Sloane Stephens: The Teenage Star Who Beat Serena Williams

Unfortunately your browser does not support IFrames. Sloane Stephens, 19, Beats Serena Williams By JENNIFER ABBEY and RON CLAIBORNE Jan. 2...

Lone Star College officials grateful that shooting did not escalate

8:20 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">From: <a href="http://www.latimes.com/">http://www.latimes.com</a><br /><table cellspacing="0" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px auto; text-align: left; width: 1px;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="Lone Star College shooting" border="0" height="386" src="http://www.trbimg.com/img-51004452/turbine/la-na-nn-houston-college-shooting-20130123-001/600" style="border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px auto;" title="Lone Star College shooting" width="580" /><div class="small" style="font-size: 11px; margin-top: 6px; padding: 0px;">Lone Star College freshman Sheketa Taylor hugs her father Judson Gimblin after they found each other on the Lone Star Campus following Tuesday's shooting. <span class="credit">(<span class="photographer">Thomas B. Shea / Getty Images</span> /<span class="dateMonth">January </span><span class="dateDay">22</span><span class="dateYear">, 2013</span>)</span></div><div class="small" style="font-size: 11px; margin-top: 6px; padding: 0px;"><span class="credit"><br /></span></div><div class="small" style="font-size: 11px; margin-top: 6px; padding: 0px;"><span class="credit"><span class="byline bordered" style="background-color: white; color: #292727; display: block; font-size: 13px;">By Matt Pearce </span><span class="titleline" style="background-color: white; color: #292727; display: block; font-size: 13px;"><i>This post has been corrected, as indicated below.</i></span></span></div><div class="date" style="background-color: white; color: #930000; font-size: 11px; font-style: italic; margin-top: 3px; padding: 0px;"><span class="dateString" style="display: inline;">January 23, 2013</span><span class="dateTimeSeparator" style="border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; color: white; display: inline; font-size: 10px; letter-spacing: -1px; margin-left: 6px;">, </span><span class="timeString" style="display: inline; text-transform: lowercase;">12:09 p.m.</span></div><div class="date" style="background-color: white; color: #930000; font-size: 11px; font-style: italic; margin-top: 3px; padding: 0px;"><span class="timeString" style="display: inline; text-transform: lowercase;"></span></div><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;">As normality returned to a Houston-area community college Wednesday the day after a campus shooting that injured three, officials expressed relief that the violence did not escalate into the kind of mass-casualty rampage that has horrified the nation in past months.</div><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;">The initial shock that gripped the campus during a lockdown and concern over the injured in the immediate aftermath of the shooting gave way to an almost palpable sense of gratitude Wednesday that the Lone Star College's North Harris campus did not become another "active shooter" scenario. Officials have determined that the shooting started because of an argument.</div><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;">"<span class="userContent">A shooting on a campus, in which three people were hit by gunfire, is bad enough," the Harris County Sheriff's Office said in a Tuesday post on its Facebook account. "But we are grateful that this worrisome incident at Lone Star College today (North Harris campus) did not escalate into the kind of shocking event we saw at Newtown, CT."</span></div><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;">Officials so far have charged Carlton Berry, 22, with aggravated assault. He and the other man involved in the argument remained in the hospital Wednesday, officials said.</div><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;">It remained unclear exactly how the shooting transpired and how both men came to be shot; a spokeswoman for the Harris County Sheriff's Office declined to provide further details Wednesday morning as the investigation continued.</div><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;">A maintenance man in his mid-50s was shot in his leg, and a fourth victim, woman with a student ID, was hospitalized due to an undisclosed medical condition following the shooting. Their names and medical conditions have not been released.</div><span class="userContent" style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; text-transform: none;">The public debate over Newtown, in which public officials have debated how to prevent violence at schools, has resonated with Lone Star officials.</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; text-transform: none;"></span><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;">"We know there is significant national dialog regarding the unfortunate frequency of shootings on public school or college campuses," Jed T. Young, a Lone Star college spokesman, said in a statement Tuesday evening. "Though we never expected to be a part of that discussion, we hope that there are always things that can be learned and our protocols will be evaluated regarding the best way to protect students and employees."</div><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;">Guns are not allowed on the 19,000-student North Harris campus of the Lone Star college system, which has which has 90,000 students and six campuses.</div><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;">The sheriff's office said it would release more information at 3:30 p.m. CST Wednesday.</div><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;"><strong>[For the record, 12:58 p.m. Jan. 23:</strong> An earlier version of this post said <span class="userContent">the Harris County Sheriff's Office and the Lone Star college system made their statements on Wednesday;</span> actually, those statements were issued Tuesday.]</div><div><br /></div><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div>

gun shot school Lone Star College officials grateful that shooting did not escalate

From: http://www.latimes.com Lone Star College freshman Sheketa Taylor hugs her father Judson Gimblin after they found each other on the Lo...

Aretha, J-Lo defend Beyonce's inaugural http://hotnewsof.blogspot.com/backing tracks

8:07 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="thumbnail" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; float: left; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 18px; padding: 13px 8px 8px; position: relative; text-align: center; width: 600px; z-index: 1000;"><div class="holder" style="display: inline-block; margin: 0px auto 5px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><img alt="Beyonce" src="http://www.trbimg.com/img-51002790/turbine/la-et-ms-aretha-jlo-defend-beyonces-inaugural--001/600" /><br /><span style="font-size: 12px;">Singer Beyonce performs the national anthem during the ceremonial inauguration of President Obama at the Capitol. </span><span class="credit" style="font-size: 12px;">(<span class="photographer">Mark Wilson/Getty Images</span> / <span class="dateMonth">January </span><span class="dateDay">23</span><span class="dateYear">, 2013</span>)</span></div></div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.43;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.43;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.43;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.43;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.43;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.43;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.43;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.43;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.43;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.43;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.43;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.43;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.43;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.43;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.43;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.43;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.43;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.43;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.43;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.43;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.43;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.43;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.43;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.43;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.43;">The world may never know just what, exactly, was coming through the speakers during </span><a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/entertainment/music/beyonce-PECLB002839.topic" id="PECLB002839" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.43; text-decoration: none;" title="Beyonce">Beyonce</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.43;">'s performance of the national anthem at Obama's second inaugural Monday.</span><br /><div id="story-body-text" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.43; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">Fans and critics applauded her virtuoso take on "The Star-Spangled Banner," but then sources at the U.S. Marine Band confirmed that she had used a pre-recorded version, a common practice for large televised events (especially those held outdoors in cold temperatures). It's still unclear whether or not she used an entire backing track and lip-synced, or used a mix of live and pre-recorded vocals.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">The Marine Band followed up with a cryptic, almost Donald Rumsfeld-ian "unknown unknowns" walkback: "Regarding Ms. Knowles-Carter's vocal performance, no one in the Marine Band is in a position to assess whether it was live or pre-recorded," Capt. Eric Flanagan said in a more recent statement.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">Now other vocalists, including 2009 inaugural singer <a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/entertainment/music/aretha-franklin-PECLB001793.topic" id="PECLB001793" style="color: #666666; text-decoration: none;" title="Aretha Franklin">Aretha Franklin</a>, are coming to Beyonce's defense in the matter. “But, when I heard the news this evening that she was pre-recorded I really laughed. I thought it was funny because the weather down there was about 46 or 44 degrees and for most singers that is just not good singing weather,",” she told ABC News. “When I heard that I just really cracked up. I thought it was really funny, but she did a beautiful job with the pre-record ... next time I'll probably do the same.”</div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">On "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," <a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/entertainment/music/jennifer-lopez-PECLB003044.topic" id="PECLB003044" style="color: #666666; text-decoration: none;" title="Jennifer Lopez">Jennifer Lopez</a> pulled back the curtain on these types of big public performances, saying, "Sometimes it happens when you are in certain stadiums and certain venues and things, they do pre-record stuff because you're going to have that terrible slap-back."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">Of course, leave it to "American Idol's" classiest act,<a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/entertainment/music/aerosmith-%28music-group%29-PECLB0017764436.topic" id="PECLB0017764436" style="color: #666666; text-decoration: none;" title="Aerosmith (music group)">Aerosmith</a>'s <a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/entertainment/music/steven-tyler-PECLB0038794794.topic" id="PECLB0038794794" style="color: #666666; text-decoration: none;" title="Steven Tyler">Steven Tyler</a>, to cut right to the quick of what really matters in the story: "Beyonce's so hot she can do anything,” he told TMZ. “Let's just get real."</div></div></div>

Aretha J-Lo Aretha, J-Lo defend Beyonce's inaugural http://hotnewsof.blogspot.com/backing tracks

Singer Beyonce performs the national anthem during the ceremonial inauguration of President Obama at the Capitol. ( Mark Wilson/Getty Image...