Wiki-Leaks Revails Another BP Oil Disaster

On a more serious note for this blog post, news has surfaced that world renouned British Petrolum had a "boo-boo" 19 months before their devistating Mexico gulf oil spill. How do we know? Wiki-Leaks.

In waters off the cost of tiny Azerbaijan, BP's oil rig in the Caspian Sea underwent a similar catastrophic explosion and blow up of the oil pipes. The culprit? A faulty cememt job: the same cause of the Deepwater Horizon incident last April.

But why hadn't we heard about this story sooner? Why did no one speak out about this incident eariler?

"Unless you were on the inside you didn't know how serious it was," says Edward Chow, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. "The cables (information), first published in London's Guardian, demonstrate the sharp contrast between the saturation coverage of the Gulf blowout, and the Azerbaijan leak that was barely covered in the local press."


And in even further speculation,"[If you look at the larger picture], BP has had safety problems for more than five years now," Chow says. "It has been well documented, even before the Azerbaijan news."

But it is here when we address how the Caspian Sea blowout even surfaced in the first place. Julian Assange, the world's newest wanted "felon" released earlier this week BP's older, and covered up, incident. Had this information not surfaced, would this change the minds and hearts of those affected by the Gulf oil spill? If this incident was made public sooner, perhaps the Deepwater Horizon catastrophy would never have surfaced? So many questions unanswered...

As TIME Magizine online puts it, not much focus went into how this information was released, rather, what the informantion contained. But shouldn't we be focusing more on how it was made known to the world?

Wiki-Leaks has been the center of major international concern the past few months, all circling around the fact that the information this site has been posting could be used against many dominating countries and world leaders. Another BP oil spill disaster is importat to learn about, however we should be more concerned about how this information came to be more than anything else.

Yet another example of new technology and their catostrophic downfalls.

MY Current Events- LA, California Part 1

This week i'm going to be taking a quick break from all the excitment the world has to offer and narrowing it down to what LA and San Diego bring to the table.

I left to go to the Des Moines International Airport for their 6 A.M. flight to Denver, Colordao in hopes of making it to LA, California last saturday. Now for those of you who have flown with me, namely an sswimming indian and a curly-haired runner, you know that me + planes = MOTION SICKNESS. So as I was distracted in preparing for the worst and praying that my plane wouldn't crash or that I would get pulled over by the TSA fro being Middle Eastern, I didn't take my motion sickness pills. gasp.

So as the capitan announces that we will be having a smooth and fast one hour and 30 min flight,i begin to think, "phew. this won't be so bad! My medicine....s***." Of course I didn't take it. So as the plane prepares to acend -the WORST part of flights in general, hands down- I begin thinking happy thoughts and start humming Bruno Mars's Grenade in hopes of keeping me distracted.

Low and behold, I woke up an hour into the flight, wondering where I was, what had happened, and why I wasn't covered in puke. I DIDN'T GET SICK!!!! I DIDN'T GET SICK WITHOUT TAKING MEDICINE!!!! oh wow was i surprised.

The same occurance occured on my second flight from denver to LAX, and boy was it a blissful two hour flight :)

Putin Shows Off Golden Pipes for Charity

In Soviet Russia, song sings you.



Vladimir Putin. The name sends shivers down spines. Mental images of a cloaked Russian vampire fill the heads of millions world wide. Vladimir Putin. VLADIMIR PUTIN.....singing?

At a recent fundraiser event in St. Petersburg, Russia for children's cancer research, Russia's current prime minister and former president threw caution to the wind and took up the chance to become a real Miley Cyrus for the day. The classic tune "Blueberry Hill" was belted out beautifully by the world renounced Russian leader, first while playing the piano, then going solo at the mic.

Before performing, Putin stated that, "Like the majority of people I cannot sing nor dance, but still love doing it."

And truly, the video has to be seen to be understood... but it just goes to show that anything is possible when you are in Russia.

Much applause has gone out to Putin for singing on national television for a great cause, and has opened many eyes around the world to the multi-talented man behind the Russian Empire.

Jesus Sighted in Australian Pub

ARMAGEDDON!!!!

2.1 billion Christians around the world today would have called this poor paint job a wonderful blessing.

The front door of the Seanchai Irish Tavern in Australia bears the image of what appears to be the Lord, Jesus Christ. A pub's regular pointed out the "miracle" to owner John Keohane -a devout Irish Catholic. Ever since then, an influx of visitors have given the pub new business.

"I would like to think it was because we are an Irish pub and maybe, just maybe, he [Jesus] heard about the divine pints of Guinness!" Keohane told AOL News.

Aside from curious tourists popping in for a peak and a drink, very many under aged citizens have become intrigued in what some people say is a "sign" from the Lord.

"We have even had school groups and Australian bus tours coming to have a look and take photos," Keohane said.

And as for the stripping paint? No intention of repairing it seems imminent in the near future, according to Keohane. As of now, Jesus is covered up with a sheet of Perspex to keep the image from further deteriation.

"We had somebody (a local Australian Parish) ask us what steps we were taking to preserve it until it got checked out properly," Keohane said.

All in all, not exactally the best place for an image of Jesus...

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Toast, a Cheeto, a Kit-Kat bar, a household iron, a rotting banana, a telephone pole, and on Mars. The long list of places where Jesus has been sighted. And now added to the list? On the door into an Irish Pub. On the door into the pub. hahahahahahahahaa ooooooh boy, the irony. But still, a very cool find i must say. Yes the hype over the Jesus sightings are a tad overworked, but I must say, they make for a fun "mystical" sightseeing adventure.

Protesters of Berlin Strip Naked due to High Cost of Rents

Residents of Berlin, be warned!

"Protesters in Germany have been scheduling viewings of apartments they consider overpriced, then stripping naked for impromptu dance parties."

Click here for a pg-13 image of a dance party

Protesters against high living costs in Berlin have decided to demonstrate their anger by requesting to view high-end apartment structures, then striping stark naked and holding a dance party inside. People participating in the "strip protest" claim to be members of the "Hedonist International." (a group with which I could find no major information about other than a website and a blog which had the words "DO WHAT YOU WANT" posted as their title...) 

"What we're doing is not a crime," one of the organizers told The Local. "These are public viewings, and we are not entering the apartments by force." 

But this isn't the first time the Hedonist International has danced around in their birthday suits for a cause. a similar event took place September 26th of this year. Members say that

 "Berliners don't have a lot of purchasing power -- some people have to pay so much rent that they can no longer afford clothes."

Hence, the naked-ness. But what of the dance parties?

"Although the apartment passed our party test, we were pissed about the rent of 11.50 euros per square meter -- that's excluding utilities and heating costs," the group has stated."Trying to find someone stupid enough to pay that price borders on illicit profiteering."

And their claims are right. In past years, the average price of an average home in Berlin was relatively cheap, compared to those in London, Paris, and New York. However, the Hedonists and their official Nudist Offensive Action Committee (Aktionskomitee Nudistische Offensive)say prices in formerly affordable neighborhoods are beginning to soar.

Even though the nude protesters make a big impact socially, politically they are not respected by the real estate industry, which finds the group a nuisance and juvenile.
 

All in all, i just hope it's warm in those apartments....

FIGHTING THE SYSTEM? OH YES

Woman Bites off Husband's Tongue

Think making-out with your significant other is is blissful and eccentric? THINK AGAIN.


Unless you are like the slightly confued fellow ("No Brian, that is NOT your wife....") shown up above, your risk of having your tongue bitten out of your mouth is close to 0.000000000001% However, if you were the unlucky 79 year old male resident of Sheboygan, Wisconsion who was married to a slightly insane 57 year-old, chances are, you lost half your tongue.

Authorities stated today that

"The bitten piece of the husband's tongue was recovered, and [that] he was taken to a hospital following the incident late on Monday.The woman, 57, told emergency workers she had 'bit her husband's tongue off (with blood on her clothing)." 

When aithorities discovered the tongue snacher, she was supposedly "singing Christmas carols and blowing a New Year's horn" when the police did arrest her. She is now being held pending formal charges from Wisconsion's formal Disctict Attorney on the count of Felony Mayhem.

The victim stated (in a written statement I'm assuming....) that while he was kissing her, she bit off more than half of his tongue. Prior to the incidnet she was also acting up, suggesting to authorities that this might have been pre-mediated assult.

Wife got your tongue? *nods*

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Kissing as defined by Dictionary.com , states that to kiss is "to touch or press with the lips slightly pursed, and then often to part them and to emit a smacking sound, in an expression of affection, love, greeting, reverence, etc." NOWHERE IN THAT DEFINITION DOES IT SAY TO "NOW PROCEED WITH BITING OFF HALF OF YOUR HUSBANDS TONGUE." Yuck. could you just imagine that dead piece of muscle just chilling in your mouth? It would be all floppy and lifeless and just swishing around until you spat it out. 

Now unless that is how your make-out sessions usually go (my deepest condolences), then why would you possibly want to bit out our husband's tongue? All the oozing blood would just increase your chances of retracting HIV/AIDS or other blood to blood diseases.....or possibly just staining your shirt for that matter. What's that you say? You were mad at him?? He wasn't listening to you? Didn't want to sit through another one of your emotional breakdonw conversations??? Well for goodness sake don't mutilate the one organ in his body that will allow for him to expalin himself to you!! Yeesh people, let's think before we act here! 

Something that i found peculiar with this article aside from the incredibly creepy and unfortunate story were the ages of the couple. 57 and 79? 32 seems like a big gap....but whatever floats your boat! Also, the fact that the lady was singing Christmas carols and dancing around with noise makers  when the police found her tripped up a wire in my brain leading me to think that she might have been, oh.... i don't know..mentally not quite there?

Well folks, love comes in many different forms and sizes.......however biting off your significant other's tongue? NOT advised.

Policed Called on Kid's Cupcake Sale

Cupcakes for sale?!!?! YOUR GOING TO JAIL.



Less than a month ago, 13 year-olds Kevin Graff and his friend Andrew DeMarchis' usual bake sale in a Chappaqua, New York park had an unexpected customer: local police.

New Castle Councilman Michael Wolfensohn had called the said police upon the boy's bake sale on the counts of them not possessing an official permit to sell goods to local residents. Kevin's mother stated that both are "good kids" and that the police call terrified them.

DeMarchis and Graff have not set up shop since the incident occured.

Local interviews with the New Castle Councilman provide statements that say that Wolfensohn admits he was a bit "extreme" on the boys, however that he still holds firm that "rules are rules."

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Okay. This one is a FAIL. Seriously? Calling the FEDERAL AUTHORITIES on two kids selling brownies? SERIOUSLY?.........sigh. What has our great nation come to. Yes coming from a political figure i can understand how everything would and should be done by the book and how yes, rules are rules. But honestly. ARE YOU KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW? Calling the cops on two kids offering rice-krispies to locals at a park. Please tell me one thing WRONG with that statement. No wait, tell me one thing RIGHT. You say that is an easy task? WELL OF COURSE IT IS BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY NATURAL OCCURRENCE! For goodness sake two young boys are just getting involved in their community, selling cupcakes and goodies. I know if i was at a park with my friends or family that i would  be a generous citizen, approach the (well) strategically located bake sale stand, and proceed to purchase a cookie for a very minimal payment.

Now see Mr. Wolfensohn (or anyone else) Is that such a threat to society? Were there any lives lost or in dangered in this horrid epidemic? No. I think not.

British Knit Sweaters for Needy Chickens

Click here to see another take on this sweater idea

In the midst of all the economic downturn in the United Kingdom, Great Britain prevails in their battle against: cold chickens.

UK – Dozens of bald chickens recently rescued from a factory farm with battery cages are wearing hand-knit sweaters – or jumpers – until their feathers grow back. Their cozy and fashionable winter attire is thanks to a group of local knitters, who sound like, if we may say, great chicks themselves.  – Global Animal

In Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, a small group of knitters have been transfixing mini "jumpers" (British talk for sweaters) for featherless hens that have been rescued from British Chicken farms in their town. The group's founder, Amy Leader, says that

"In the winter, the hens need a little bit of helping keeping warm, and that's what the chicken jumpers are for."

The group has been working since June on these little warm creations, and has dished out a little over 100 new chicken jumpers for needy hens. Because of the harsh living conditions in a poultry factory, most hens shed or lose their feathers. As they try to re-grow their feathers again, some just need a little extra help staying warm.

After being asked by a customer at her shop if she had any outfitted sweaters for chickens to be used by a local charity, Leader became inspired and started asking her customers for volunteer knitters to help the cause. Now adays, Leader and her "chicks" (including one lone male volunteer) donate all the sweaters, each made in about 2.5 hours, to a humane society which then distributes the warm jumpers to families that have adopted the saved chickens.

"What's really lovely about a chicken jacket is it doesn't have to be perfect, because -- come on -- it's for a chicken," Leader tells AOL Online.

As of this last Wednesday, Leader is enthusiastic about crafting red and green Holiday themed jumpers for the hens to don as the season of Christmas comes closer.

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Let me just start by saying how hard it was for me to not burst into random fits of laughter as i progressed through the various articles pertaining to this story. Okay since I've been holding it in, I'll let it out now.  HAHAHAHAHAHAHAA. Alright, done. 

I'm not intentionally dissing the knitters in any way! I truly do thank them for there concern with the well-being of their country's chickens and their openness to accept many different animal rights movements. And besides, it is for a good cause! I know if i was just rescued from a human-like poultry farm that i would want a sweater to keep me warm had all my clothes been taken away. But besides the point, this article brought to my attention the extreme generosity that many average day people undergo, everyday. It helps to shine a light on how people find the little things in life more worthwhile than others; in this particular case, how knitting sweaters with a group of friends for an animal rights cause can really make a difference in today's society. With horrid economic conditions and finical melt downs, it is always heartening to hear/read/see/look/watch a sincerely good deed being done.

Spanish Woman Claims to Own the Sun

The Sun: A massive fiery ball of heat that have kept creatures and living organisms alive for zillions of years.

The Sun: Now (supposedly) owned by a woman in Spain.



See anything wrong with this claim? According to 49 year old Salvaterra do Mino native, Angeles Duran, no. A local resident in Spain, Duran has issued a claim to the 4.5 billion year old ball of gas through the Agence France-Presse reports. But she's not the only one who's tried the lay claim to other celestial bodies. Being influenced by Dennis Hope's claim to owning the Moon in 1980, Duran states that

"I backed my claim legally, I am not stupid, I know the law. I did it, but anyone else could have done it -- it simply occurred to me first."

And her exact claim? She states that she is:

…owner of the Sun, a star of spectral type G2, located in the centre of the solar system, located at an average distance from Earth of about 149,600,000 kilometres.

But with International Space Laws in effect, namely the United Nations Outer Space Treaty issued in 1967, how did Angeles loop her way around to actually (claim to) gain possession of our solar system's most prominent and important feature? Well according to the President of the Netherlands-based International Institute of Space Law, Tanja Masson-Zwaan, you can't.

"They [people like Duran and Hope] argue that the Outer Space Treaty only binds states because it is an intergovernmental treaty -- an agreement between states -- and therefore, individuals can do what they want," she said. "This is not true. A citizen is given its rights as a citizen by the state and should live by the laws of that state, and cannot do things that the state is not allowed to do."

So as this inter-celestial battle unfolds in Western Europe, we can just sit back, relax, and blame Duran for the annoying sun burns you'll be getting this upcoming summer.
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Before I begin let me just say......wow. Seriously? OWNING the sun? Yes i agree that it is in fact a tremendous ego-booster to have -makes for great stories at the office party- however is superfluous. The Sun is the one "magical spectacle" that allows for life on Earth. That burrito you're gorging right now Duran? Yeah, made with everything that has been in some way or form, impacted by the Sun. You can't really own something that every living thing on earth needs and uses. It's just not right, and a tad tacky. You know that thing you learned in Kindergarten? What was it....ohhhh, sharing? I believe that maybe the basic principles of "sharing" could be applied here.

But on the other hand, it is extremely cool to say that "I" own the sun. Lets say it together now, "I OWN THE SUN." Do you feel that powerful surge of awesomness flowing through you as you chant that to your walking neighbors as they look at you funny from your front porch? I own the Sun. Priceless. Well, in theory, probably not, as Duran had to pay to issue her claim with the Agence France-Presse reports. But that being besides the point, what a great -yet tacky- way to show off.

 Step aside Helios, there's a new sun God in town.