Reviews Category
We don’t just report off-beat news, breaking news and digest the best and worst of the news media analysis and commentary. We give an original take on what happened and why. We add lols, satire, news photos and original content.
Daily Express describes itself as a salty ‘fascist’
YOU’RE eating too much salt. You’re not eating too much salt. The Daily Express has both angles covered:
July 6 2011: the “health fascists” are undone:
Salt is safe to eat – and cutting our daily intake does nothing to lower the risk of suffering from heart disease, research shows. For years, doctors have been telling us that too much salt is bad and official NHS guidance aims to speed up new measures to control how much we eat. But now a study, using more data than ever before, shows although blood pressure reduced when salt intake was cut, this had no long-term health benefits.
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Posted: 18th, February 2013 | In: Reviews | Comment (1)
Huey P. Newton and the Black Panther Party: a picture story
HUEY P. Newton was the co-founder of the Black Panther Party co-founder and Minister of Defense. He was born on February 17, 1942. He was murdered by a member of the Black Guerilla Family on August 22, 1989. On the way, one policeman was shot dead – Newton’s conviction for the murder of John Frey was overturned. When he was accused of killing Kathleen Smith, Newton fled to Cuba. He returned. Two trails failed to deliver a verdict. The case was dropped. So much for the violence. What about the message?
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Posted: 18th, February 2013 | In: Flashback, Key Posts | Comment
CPS gets this report from police dog PC Peach
THE report from PC Peach was signed off with a paw print. The statement reads:
I chase him. I bite him. Bad man. He tasty. Good boy. Good boy Peach.
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Madeleine McCann: Gerry McCann says ‘Madeleine and her safety is often treated with complete contempt’
MADELEINE McCANN: Kate and Gerry McCann want Lord Leveson proposals on media regulation be implemented in full.
They should not get their way. Press Freedom means what it says. No buts. Why should journalists be held to ethical and moral standards imposed by others? You only need a access to the internet and an opinion to be a journalist. You might not be a good one, but the public will be the judges.
Why should a human being not need a license to express a view? True, writers must be held to account for what they /we say. But freedom of expression cannot be ring-fenced. You cannot cause offence to no-one.
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Posted: 17th, February 2013 | In: Key Posts, Madeleine McCann, Reviews | Comment
The worst thing you will be read this year: Cardinal Roger Mahony forgives the priests’ rape victims
CARDINAL Roger Mahony, 76, headed the Los Angeles archdiocese for 25 years. The place was riddled with sex abuse. Children were raped. In 2007, Los Angeles paid $660m to alleged victims of abuse. His successor, the Most Reverend José H. Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles, apologised:
My brothers and sisters in Christ,
This week we are releasing the files of priests who sexually abused children while they were serving in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. These files document abuses that happened decades ago. But that does not make them less serious. I find these files to be brutal and painful reading. The behavior described in these files is terribly sad and evil. There is no excuse, no explaining away what happened to these children. The priests involved had the duty to be their spiritual fathers and they failed…
My predecessor, retired Cardinal Roger Mahony, has expressed his sorrow for his failure to fully protect young people entrusted to his care. Effective immediately, I have informed Cardinal Mahony that he will no longer have any administrative or public duties…
Cardinal Mahony shielded accused priests from investigation in the 1980s. When he had power, he abused it. That power has been removed. He protected Msgr. Peter Garcia, who raped illegal immigrant children in Spanish-speaking parishes. He threatened to have them deported if they told the authorities. Mahony ordered him to keep out of California: “I believe that if Monsignor Garcia were to reappear here within the archdiocese we might very well have some type of legal action filed in both the criminal and civil sectors”. In 1987, Garcia did return to LA. He remained a priest until 1989. He died in 2009. He was never prosecuted.
Mahony takes to his blog. His post is entitled: “CALLED to HUMILIATION”:
From our earliest catechism days we learn about the virtue of humility. We study it, we think about it; but we don’t embrace it.
And why? Because humility is all about self-effacing, about seeing ourselves as far more diminished than we had hoped. As a result, few of us set out to embrace humility for Lent or as a pattern for our lives. Most us us accept a few affronts and neglects as humility, and then move on.
But as disciples of Jesus Christ, we are actually called to the fullness of humility: humiliation, and publicly.
Today’s Gospel gives us the stark reality and immediate challenge: “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” {Luke 9:23] Daily means each and every day, not now and then on our faith journeys, and on our terms.
That desire flows from our lips so easily, but we seldom mean it fully and internally. It’s almost a spiritual throw-away for us. But Jesus means it so deeply.
Given all of the storms that have surrounded me and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles recently, God’s grace finally helped me to understand: I am not being called to serve Jesus in humility. Rather, I am being called to something deeper–to be humiliated, disgraced, and rebuffed by many.
It wasn’t about kids being raped. It wasn’t about secular law being ignored. It was about him being tested.
I was not ready for this challenge. Ash Wednesday changed all of that, and I see Lent 2013 as a special time to reflect deeply upon this special call by Jesus.
To be honest with you, I have not reached the point where I can actually pray for more humiliation. I’m only at the stage of asking for the grace to endure the level of humiliation at the moment.
It gets even better:
In the past several days, I have experienced many examples of being humiliated. In recent days, I have been confronted in various places by very unhappy people. I could understand the depth of their anger and outrage–at me, at the Church, at about injustices that swirl around us.
Thanks to God’s special grace, I simply stood there, asking God to bless and forgive them.
He forgives the victims.
Over the coming days of our Lenten journey I hope to explore with all of you some deeper spiritual insights into what it really means to take up our cross daily and to follow Jesus–in rejection, in humiliation, and in personal attack.
Strangely, the more I allow all of this to unfold without protest and objection, the greater the inner peace I feel.
Kyrie, eleison!
And you still wonder how rapists can get away with it..?
Photo: Msgr. Roger Michael Mahony, Archbishop of Los Angeles, receives from Pope John Paul II the biretta, symbol of cardinal rank, during a Consistory at the Vatican in Vatican City, Friday, June 28, 1991. The Pope elevated 23 new Cardinals.
Posted: 17th, February 2013 | In: Key Posts, Reviews | Comment (1)
Lake Annecy Murders: the Swiss connection and the State protects the children
LAKE Annecy Murders: The deaths of Saad al-Hilli, 50, Ikbal al-Hilli, 47, her mother Suhaila al-Allaf, 74, and Sylvain Mollier, 45, have moved well down the news cycle.
The Daily Star has news:
Iqbal’s sister, Fadwa al-Saffar, wants to become the legal guardian for the dead couple’s children, Zeena, four, and Zainab, seven.
It came as the family slammed the care provided by Surrey County Council. They claim they have been refused access to the girls since they went into care. Fadwa has now lodged a legal bid in the Family Court to take responsibility for them…
Their great-uncle Ahmed al-Saffar said: “Social services are depriving the girls of their culture, religion, language and family environment.”
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August 1970 – A Smuggler’s Guide to Importing Pot from Mexico (Scanlan’s magazine)
AUGUST, 1970 – A Smuggler’s Guide to Importing Pot from Mexico, as featured in Scanlan’s Magazine.
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Posted: 17th, February 2013 | In: Flashback, Key Posts, The Consumer | Comment
Mother strips at school assembly: mug shot of the day
AYDREA Meaders, 24, performed a striptease at the North Albany Academy.
Says Albany School District Spokesman Ron Lesko:
“We encouraged parents to participate at the events at school. We want more parents to be engaged at school and obviously this is something that goes without saying that crossed a line and it was shocking to everyone who was there today.”
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Posted: 17th, February 2013 | In: Reviews | Comment (1)
Heraldry goes mad in Deal
DEAL Town Council and Deal Town FC, both in Kent, have been told that their official crests have to go. The Borough of Deal no longer exits, and the council and football club have been using its crest. The badge that does not exist features a Roman Centurion and a Royal Marine.
Facts: Julius Caesar landed in Walmer near Deal. The Royal Marines first base was in Deal.
Deal mayor Marlene Burnham says it is ““.
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The 1960s Narcotics & Dangerous Drugs Identification Kit
CHECK out this 1960s Narcotics & Dangerous Drugs Identification Kit. Created not by cool art students looking to id the good stuff, but by Winston Products for Education. This was used in schools to teach students about drugs and their many dangers. How many children go their first look at these drugs in class? “So,” they nodded. “That’s whar the blueys do…”
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April 1978: Diamond Lil challenges Tampa’s nude dancing ban
CATHI Schutzler, owner of Diamond Lil’s Saloon, operates cassette film for dancer Kim Thompson, 24. On screen, dancer strips nude: On stage, the dancer does the same routine at the same time live, but strips only as far as a skimpy bikini-type outfit. Miss Schutzler says she believes this does not violate Tampa’s law banning nude dancing in bars on April 22, 1978, where alcohol is sold.
Posted: 16th, February 2013 | In: Flashback, The Consumer | Comment
Gay sex thief banned from every toilet in Westminster and Camden
VILLAIN of the week is Charles Omishore, 32. He’s been banned from the West End, central Camden Town, every public toilet in Westminster or Camden for the next five years.
Omishore, 32, pick-pocketed men while engaging in sexual activity in public toilets and Hyde Park’s rose garden.
Westminster Council’s cabinet member for community protection, Cllr Nickie Aiken, tells the Standard:
“We suspect Omishore has been getting away with this for so long because his victims have been reluctant to come forward and report attacks and thefts. A crime is a crime, and victims should feel they are able to report it, whatever the circumstances.”
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Oscar Pistorius murder: no tears in court, Trish Taylor’s bitterness and taking sides
OSCAR Pistorius is front-page news. The double-amputee, “the fastest man on no legs” who became a Paralympic and Olympic robo-legend, is accused to murdering his lover, 30-year-old Reeva Steenkamp, at their South African home. He’s been in court.
The Indy: “Pistorius Weeps”
Daily Express: “Blade Runner sobs in court”
The Times: “The anguish of Oscar”
Like the Express, the Sun opts to lead with the alleged killer’s nickname, focusing on the unfortunate “Blade” angle – although the murder weapon is said to have been a gun:
“Blade Runner suicide watch”
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Posted: 16th, February 2013 | In: Key Posts, Reviews, Sports | Comments (2)
1954: Woody Guthrie pictured in New York City’s Washington Square Park
1954: Arthur Dubinsky captures Woody Guthrie in New York City’s Washington Square Park. He’s accompanied by Ramblin’ Jack Elliot.
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Posted: 15th, February 2013 | In: Flashback, Music | Comment
Asteroid 2012 DA14: footage of a meteor smacking into Earth
LOOK out! This is a video of a meteor smacking into the Urals. The impact injured 200 people. The meteor could be linked to asteroid 2012 DA14. That’s just passing by us. Phil Plait notes:
[E]xcluding actual impacts, 2012 DA14 will be still only be the eighth-closest approach by a known asteroid on record. The closest on record without actually hitting us was 2011 CQ1, which, in 2011, passed us by about 5500 km (3300 miles)—less than Earth’s radius! It was only about a meter across, so even if it had hit us we would’ve gotten a spectacular fireball, but probably no actual damage.
However, this is the largest asteroid we’ve seen come this close. Even then, it’s only 50 meters across, which is small as asteroids go.
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Posted: 15th, February 2013 | In: Reviews | Comment (1)
Pope resigns to escape prosecution: what the butler saw
THE Pope is retiring. Why? The Pope has resigned shortly after he pardons the butler who burgled his home. Coincidence? The Pope said:
In today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me.
The scandals have affected the strength of will.
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Is Madeleine McCann in Ukraine? No – but her posters are
MADELEINE McCann was not in New Zealand. The DNA taken from an innocent child in New Zealand proved that she was not stolen by her parents. Kiwi police then told media:
“Given that there is conclusive evidence that their daughter is not Madeleine McCann and has no connection to Madeleine McCann, it is only right that she and her family are entitled to a level of privacy that most of us enjoy.”
Blimey! They needed to prove their child was theirs. Nice.
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Posted: 15th, February 2013 | In: Madeleine McCann, Reviews | Comments (3)
A tour of Salvador Dali’s Spanish home
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Posted: 15th, February 2013 | In: Celebrities, Flashback | Comment
Horse meat: Would Peter Boddy please feed a burger to Cordelia Gummer?
THE horse meat story has resulted in arrests. Peter Boddy, 63, of Peter Boddy Slaughterhouse in Todmorden, West Yorkshire, has been arrested on suspicion of fraud. The man whose factory takes in horses fatally injured at Aintree racecourse – venue of the Grand National – is accused by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) of providing horse meat for British kebabs and burgers.
A racecourse spokesman has gone on the record:
“We are as confident as we possibly can be that no unfit meat ever reaches human food.”
So. Not confident at all, then.
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Posted: 15th, February 2013 | In: Reviews, The Consumer | Comments (4)
Man tried to have sex with ambulance in Barnstaple, Devon
TO Barnstaple, Devon, where old hippies got to die. Calum Ward, 25, is in the dock at North Devon Magistrates’ Court. It’s put to him that whilst drunk he set fire to a packet of peanuts – which he then punched – and tried to have sex with an ambulance parked at Barnstable bus station.
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Horse meat scandal: Yorkshire Abattoir took Grand National fallers
SOME HORSES fatally hurt in the Aintree Grand National might have been taken to Peter Boddy Slaughterhouse, Todmorden, West Yorkshire. That place has been shut down. The fear is that meat from it has been used in beefburgers and kebabs. (Yeah. That kebab might be made from actual meat!)
An Aintree spokesman states:
“By the time these carcasses are returned to the disposal organisation’s premises they are totally unsuitable for consumption. They are likely to contain chemicals such as Bute and are fully signed off as unsuitable. Indeed it is illegal for horses humanely put down by injection on the racecourse to enter the food chain. We are as confident as we possibly can be that no unfit meat ever reaches the human food chain.”
Fears abound that drugs used to treat horses have entered the food chain. In 1990, Roll-A-Joint died at the National. How you feeling..? Peckish?
Pope Benedict XVI was a Catholic: Daily Mirror shocker!
SHOCKING news in the Daily Mirror on Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, aka Pope Benedict XVI:
He despised rock music, liberals, abortion and contraception: Controversial pope who never wanted the job
As Brendan writes: “Eh? I think you’ll find that *not* despising those things would have made him a ‘controversial pope’.”
Next week: Bears comes out of woods without flushing.
Pssst! Want to see what Jon Venables looks like now?
WHAT utter fool published a photo of one of James Bulger’s killers, Jon Venables, online?
There is a worldwide ban on publishing anything revealing Venables’ current identity.
Of course, the powers that be can’t say for certain that it is Venables. But the photo is of somebody. If it’s not him, that who would want to be that person? And if it isn’t him, Venables will need yet another new identity and possibly a new face should he ever be released from prison. That will cost.
A selection of reactions on Twitter:
Zac @Zaka_No_7 – Hope this picture of Jon Venables is real & he gets done in. Deserves a slow & painful death. Not £100,000 a year of tax to keep him alive!
“The vast majority of Liverpool children probably had a worse upbringing than Venables. Thompson was the Pied Piper. Venables was transfixed by him. On the day they took James, Venables had been planning to go into school and pick up the class gerbils to look after during half-term. Thompson told him ‘Sod the gerbils, let’s go robbing’.
“They committed the most evil of acts but I said to Venables ‘If you were born in Las Vegas you would probably have ended up in the film industry’. I think it depends on circumstances as well as make-up. It’s about nature and nurture. Venables was brought up well, but he must have had a mental quirk. And it must also have been about the chemistry of the two of them together.”
As for himself, Mr Lee says: “Twenty years on I find it more difficult to believe I could have taken on the case – now that I’ve got three children.
“Once the case was over I had nightmares that I was being run over by a train. No case could tempt me back into court – until the bank manager phoned up and said ‘You’d better do some work’.”
Posted: 14th, February 2013 | In: Reviews | Comments (4)
Christopher Dorner’s online manifesto in full
CHRISTOPHER Droner’s online manifesto in full.
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