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Tuesday, July 26, 2016
Monday, December 16, 2013
Friday, November 29, 2013
Monday, October 28, 2013
See The Man Who Won Zimbabwe's Mr. Ugly Contest
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William Masvinhu once again received the title of the ugliest man in Harare on Friday night at the City Sports Bar.
Speaking to journalists about the preparation process he went for the contests, Masvinu said no preparation was needed because it all came naturally for him.
“My ugliness comes naturally to me and although I did a bit to prepare for the show, I let them do the rest,” the winner said.
“A bit of choreography together with his funny clothing helped him on
stage but it was all minimum effort,” his manager, Michael Gundo, said.
Monday, October 7, 2013
Islam at its worst: SHOCKING Pictures Of The Westgate Mall Terrorist Attack
SHOCKING Pictures Of The Westgate Mall Terrorist Attack
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Soccer, primier league latest news
Redknapp plays down Ferdinand rumours
ESPNsoccernet staff | October, 15 2011Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp has played down suggestions he could make a move for Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand.Article | Conversation
Dalglish: Suarez the key to victory over Utd
ESPNsoccernet staff | October, 15 2011Kenny Dalglish believes Luis Suarez could be Liverpool's key to victory when they take on Manchester United on Saturday.Article | Conversation
Chelsea risk losing strikers for free
ESPNsoccernet staff | October, 15 2011Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas says he is prepared to risk writing off millions of pounds in potential transfer fees by not selling strikers Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka and Salomon Kalou before their contracts expire next summer.Article | Conversation
Redknapp plays down rift with van der Vaart
ESPNsoccernet staff | October, 15 2011Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp insists there are no problems between he and Rafael van der Vaart after the forward branded claims he had criticised his manager as "rubbish".Article | Conversation
Buck: Abramovich will not profit from stadium
October, 15 2011Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck has insisted owner Roman Abramovich does not stand to gain financially from any possible stadium move.Article | Conversation
Ayre rules out Liverpool TV breakaway
October, 14 2011 Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre has defended his stance on overseas television revenue but stressed the club has no intention of "damaging the league''.Article | Conversation
Giggs considers another season at United
October, 14 2011 Ryan Giggs has not ruled out the possibility of extending his Manchester United career by another season.Article | Conversation
Agent denies talk of Balotelli-Lavezzi swap
ESPNsoccernet staff | October, 14 2011Mario Balotelli's agent has dismissed talk of the Manchester City striker returning to Italy to join Napoli.Article | Conversation
Redknapp: Modric could have forced Spurs exit
October, 14 2011Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp admits he would have sold Luka Modric to Chelsea this summer had the Croatian become a disruptive influence within the Spurs squad.Article | Conversation
Oxlade tipped for Euro 2012
ESPN staff | October, 14 2011Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has hailed the impact made by summer signing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and is expecting the 18-year-old forward to push for a place in England's Euro 2012 squad.Article | Conversation
Hernandez denies Gerrard
It may not have lived up to Sir Alex Ferguson's billing as the
greatest match-up in English football but Liverpool's 1-1 draw at home
to Manchester United was typically not without incident.
• Jolly: Ferguson shuffles his pack at Anfield Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard was denied a dream return to the starting line-up when his free-kick midway through the second half was cancelled out by substitute Javier Hernandez's late header.The England international put seven months of rehabilitation behind him after a groin operation in March by capping an assured performance in midfield with the goal which looked like extending his side's home dominance over their arch-rivals.
However, Hernandez prevented a fourth successive United defeat at Anfield - which has not happened since 1979 - to maintain his team's unbeaten record this season.
It also denied Liverpool a happier anniversary than the one they were enjoying after marking the 12 months to the day since they were bought by Americans Fenway Sports Group.
Wayne Rooney's demotion to the bench summed up his miserable week after his England sending-off and subsequent three-match ban for Euro 2012, which was the talking point before kick-off.
Once the match kicked off there were plenty of others - mainly in the second half - with Rio Ferdinand's disputed foul on Charlie Adam which could have resulted in the defender seeing red and United goalkeeper David de Gea's impressive performance just two.
The first half was essentially about trying to establish a grip on the game and although Liverpool had the better of that scrap early on United had done enough to restore the balance by the interval.
Both sides had chances to open the scoring with Phil Jones, playing in midfield, heading Patrice Evra's deep left-wing cross into the side-netting when he should have done better.
A similar accusation could have been levelled at Luis Suarez, who looked like he would give Rio Ferdinand a torrid time after their opening exchanges but found the United defender a worthy opponent as the half drew on.
The Uruguay international found himself with only David de Gea to beat when Charlie Adam's 34th-minute shot kindly rebounded off Jonny Evans but the striker shot straight at the goalkeeper who parried the ball to safety.
Gerrard found the midfield a little too crowded for his liking and rarely got the space or opportunity to have much impact.
Early in the second half Ashley Young's 25-yard free-kick briefly had Jose Reina scrambling to claim at the second attempt but the tide was gradually turning in favour of the hosts.
They felt they should have had a penalty when Dirk Kuyt's header struck the arm of Evans. And when Ferdinand, who had been booked for an earlier foul on Suarez, tripped a charging Adam with the slightest of touches as he threatened to break into the penalty area, the Liverpool fans were convinced he should have been sent off.
Gerrard, however, exacted a greater punishment when he curled home a low shot from the resulting 25-yard free-kick after Ryan Giggs left a space in the wall.
Rooney and Nani were immediately sent on, with the latter blazing a shot well over, before fellow substitute Hernandez was introduced for the final 15 minutes.
And he made his mark within six minutes of coming on as Danny Welbeck flicked on a left-wing cross and the youngster headed home unmarked at the far post.
But United were indebted to De Gea, who has come in for a fair amount of criticism in his maiden season, as the Spaniard threw himself to his left to deny Dirk Kuyt.
He was in action again in injury time when he acrobatically tipped over a shot from Henderson, with the Liverpool midfielder also having a chance to win it even later only his header from Stewart Downing's cross dropping onto the roof of the net.
• Jolly: Ferguson shuffles his pack at Anfield Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard was denied a dream return to the starting line-up when his free-kick midway through the second half was cancelled out by substitute Javier Hernandez's late header.The England international put seven months of rehabilitation behind him after a groin operation in March by capping an assured performance in midfield with the goal which looked like extending his side's home dominance over their arch-rivals.
However, Hernandez prevented a fourth successive United defeat at Anfield - which has not happened since 1979 - to maintain his team's unbeaten record this season.
It also denied Liverpool a happier anniversary than the one they were enjoying after marking the 12 months to the day since they were bought by Americans Fenway Sports Group.
Wayne Rooney's demotion to the bench summed up his miserable week after his England sending-off and subsequent three-match ban for Euro 2012, which was the talking point before kick-off.
Once the match kicked off there were plenty of others - mainly in the second half - with Rio Ferdinand's disputed foul on Charlie Adam which could have resulted in the defender seeing red and United goalkeeper David de Gea's impressive performance just two.
The first half was essentially about trying to establish a grip on the game and although Liverpool had the better of that scrap early on United had done enough to restore the balance by the interval.
Both sides had chances to open the scoring with Phil Jones, playing in midfield, heading Patrice Evra's deep left-wing cross into the side-netting when he should have done better.
A similar accusation could have been levelled at Luis Suarez, who looked like he would give Rio Ferdinand a torrid time after their opening exchanges but found the United defender a worthy opponent as the half drew on.
The Uruguay international found himself with only David de Gea to beat when Charlie Adam's 34th-minute shot kindly rebounded off Jonny Evans but the striker shot straight at the goalkeeper who parried the ball to safety.
Gerrard found the midfield a little too crowded for his liking and rarely got the space or opportunity to have much impact.
Early in the second half Ashley Young's 25-yard free-kick briefly had Jose Reina scrambling to claim at the second attempt but the tide was gradually turning in favour of the hosts.
They felt they should have had a penalty when Dirk Kuyt's header struck the arm of Evans. And when Ferdinand, who had been booked for an earlier foul on Suarez, tripped a charging Adam with the slightest of touches as he threatened to break into the penalty area, the Liverpool fans were convinced he should have been sent off.
Gerrard, however, exacted a greater punishment when he curled home a low shot from the resulting 25-yard free-kick after Ryan Giggs left a space in the wall.
Rooney and Nani were immediately sent on, with the latter blazing a shot well over, before fellow substitute Hernandez was introduced for the final 15 minutes.
And he made his mark within six minutes of coming on as Danny Welbeck flicked on a left-wing cross and the youngster headed home unmarked at the far post.
But United were indebted to De Gea, who has come in for a fair amount of criticism in his maiden season, as the Spaniard threw himself to his left to deny Dirk Kuyt.
He was in action again in injury time when he acrobatically tipped over a shot from Henderson, with the Liverpool midfielder also having a chance to win it even later only his header from Stewart Downing's cross dropping onto the roof of the net.
Friday, October 14, 2011
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Thursday, August 25, 2011
Arsenal victory draws 6m peak
WEDNESDAY: ITV1 scored a peak audience of nearly 6m viewers as Arsenal scraped through to the Champions League group stage.
The London team took a 1-0 aggregate lead to Italy where they faced a nervy second leg against Udinese to qualify for the next round.The total coverage was watched by an average audience of 4.28m (19.5%) from 7.30pm to 10pm on ITV1 and ITV1 HD, while a further 79,800 (0.37%) watched on ITV1+1.
Udinese took the lead on the stroke of half time to level the tie, but Arsenal forged ahead in the second half through goals from Robin van Persie and Theo Walcott. The victory peaked with 5.87m (23.55%) viewers at 9.15pm, according to overnight Barb figures supplied by Attentional.
The football was beaten in the 9pm slot by Who Do You Think You Are?, which shed light on Sebastian Coe’s family history for an audience of 4.87m (20.4%) on BBC1 and BBC1 HD.
Next in line was Channel 5 documentary Losing One of My Giant Legs: Extraordinary People, which pulled in an audience of 1.84m (7.7%) over the 9pm hour.
Wallis Simpson: the Secret Letters enlightened 1.65m (6.9%) viewers about the private thoughts of the US socialite on Channel 4. An additional 362,100 (2%) watched on C4+1.
BBC2’s Seven Wonders of the Buddhist World lured an audience of 1.16m (5%) from 9pm to 10.15pm, while another 79,800 (0.34%) watched on BBC HD.
Big Brother continues march
The reality contest was watched by an average audience of 2.52m (13.8%) over the 10pm hour, which was an increase of 150,000 viewers on Tuesday’s 2.37m (12.76%). It has now grown its audience three nights on the trot.
Big Brother was followed by new singing and dancing gameshow The Beat Goes On, which entertained an audience of 450,000 (4.4%) over the 11pm hour. The Dave Berry-fronted vehicle was below C5’s slot average of 677,300 (7.06%) for the year so far.
Arsenal signs KAKA from Madrid
The Rumour Mill can't help but feel how much easier it's job would be if more footballers used the medium of Twitter to keep us apprised of imminent moves, while tacitly pleading with other clubs to make them a better offer before they put pen to paper. While on his way to conduct transfer talks with QPR yesterday, Joey Barton used the popular social networking forum to keep his followers, current employers and – most importantly – any more glamourous prospective bosses to let us know that he was "Going for a medical now, still no contract offer from NUFC......think that just about makes my mind up."
Short of tweeting "Help me, please! I don't wanna go to QPR!", it's difficult to imagine how Joey could have made his feelings about his imminent move more clear, although he went some way towards trying to do exactly that soon afterwards, presumably after his initial plea for either the offer of a new deal from Newcastle or overtures from alternative suitors fell on deaf ears.
"Don't want to leave Newcastle....I've made that clear but my hands are tied," he tweeted, the 140-character limit presumably precluding him from adding that he still has a year left on his deal with the Magpies and could quite easily stay there till season's end, even if the offer of a three-year deal from QPR offers him more financial security.
At the time of writing, Barton had conducted his medical and agreed terms with Neil Warnock's side, but has yet to put pen to paper, presumably in the forlorn hope that his Direct Message inbox will be flooded with better offers from some of Europe's biggest clubs offering a last-minute reprieve when he wakes up this morning. We await developments with interest.
Having shown up selected members of football writing's finest for the know-nothing buffoons they are last night, Arsène Wenger will continue to go about the private business of strengthening his Arsenal squad ahead of the Champions League campaign quite a few two-faced hacks hoped his team wouldn't qualify for, if only because it would make for a better story.
Despite having spent 15 years in England, Wenger still hasn't learned or – one would hope – doesn't care that the best way for football managers working in north London to get the press on side is to offer them garrulous cheeky-chappy soundbites while feeding them a steady drip-feed of information of questionable veracity. That way, you can spend money hand over fist (while simultaneously turning your nose up at signing Luis Suárez) only to see your team slump to extraordinary levels of goal-shy mediocrity without fear of media criticism of any kind.
Anyway, according to the Daily Mail, Wenger has had a loan deal for Real Madrid striker Ricky Kaká rejected, and must now bide his time to see if the Spanish side change their minds or agree to sell the Brazilian who they continue to sublet from Jesus. Arsenal also remain interested in taking centre-back Raúl Albiol from Real, playmaker Eden Hazard from Lille and striker Mauro Zárate from Lazio.
Bobby Zamora won't have a monopoly on having his name incorporated into terrace chants adapted from Dean Martin classics featuring the moon hitting your eye like a big pizza pie if Martin Jol is successful in his attempts to bring Brazilian-born Italy and Juventus striker Amauri to Craven Cottage. Elsewhere in Italy, a queue of unmarked vans containing sinister, besuited representatives from Newcastle, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City are parked outside Inter full-back Davide Santon's house ... listening, while Parma midfielder Danilo Pereira is attracting come-hither glances from Liverpool and Arsenal, while his Roma counterpart Daniele De Rossi could be the next high-profile superstar to suffer the excruciating embarrassment of being ushered into Manchester City suit Garry Cook's office, to be greeted with a ghetto-tastic handshake and the words: "How are you brother?"
And having failed to pull up any trees during a resolutely unsuccessful spell at Tottenham Hotspur, Ajax's Moroccan striker Mounir El Hamdaoui, could be off to Blackburn, where early-season performances suggest a similar lack of application could earn him plenty of votes as the fans' player of the season.
Short of tweeting "Help me, please! I don't wanna go to QPR!", it's difficult to imagine how Joey could have made his feelings about his imminent move more clear, although he went some way towards trying to do exactly that soon afterwards, presumably after his initial plea for either the offer of a new deal from Newcastle or overtures from alternative suitors fell on deaf ears.
"Don't want to leave Newcastle....I've made that clear but my hands are tied," he tweeted, the 140-character limit presumably precluding him from adding that he still has a year left on his deal with the Magpies and could quite easily stay there till season's end, even if the offer of a three-year deal from QPR offers him more financial security.
At the time of writing, Barton had conducted his medical and agreed terms with Neil Warnock's side, but has yet to put pen to paper, presumably in the forlorn hope that his Direct Message inbox will be flooded with better offers from some of Europe's biggest clubs offering a last-minute reprieve when he wakes up this morning. We await developments with interest.
Having shown up selected members of football writing's finest for the know-nothing buffoons they are last night, Arsène Wenger will continue to go about the private business of strengthening his Arsenal squad ahead of the Champions League campaign quite a few two-faced hacks hoped his team wouldn't qualify for, if only because it would make for a better story.
Despite having spent 15 years in England, Wenger still hasn't learned or – one would hope – doesn't care that the best way for football managers working in north London to get the press on side is to offer them garrulous cheeky-chappy soundbites while feeding them a steady drip-feed of information of questionable veracity. That way, you can spend money hand over fist (while simultaneously turning your nose up at signing Luis Suárez) only to see your team slump to extraordinary levels of goal-shy mediocrity without fear of media criticism of any kind.
Anyway, according to the Daily Mail, Wenger has had a loan deal for Real Madrid striker Ricky Kaká rejected, and must now bide his time to see if the Spanish side change their minds or agree to sell the Brazilian who they continue to sublet from Jesus. Arsenal also remain interested in taking centre-back Raúl Albiol from Real, playmaker Eden Hazard from Lille and striker Mauro Zárate from Lazio.
Bobby Zamora won't have a monopoly on having his name incorporated into terrace chants adapted from Dean Martin classics featuring the moon hitting your eye like a big pizza pie if Martin Jol is successful in his attempts to bring Brazilian-born Italy and Juventus striker Amauri to Craven Cottage. Elsewhere in Italy, a queue of unmarked vans containing sinister, besuited representatives from Newcastle, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City are parked outside Inter full-back Davide Santon's house ... listening, while Parma midfielder Danilo Pereira is attracting come-hither glances from Liverpool and Arsenal, while his Roma counterpart Daniele De Rossi could be the next high-profile superstar to suffer the excruciating embarrassment of being ushered into Manchester City suit Garry Cook's office, to be greeted with a ghetto-tastic handshake and the words: "How are you brother?"
And having failed to pull up any trees during a resolutely unsuccessful spell at Tottenham Hotspur, Ajax's Moroccan striker Mounir El Hamdaoui, could be off to Blackburn, where early-season performances suggest a similar lack of application could earn him plenty of votes as the fans' player of the season.
Arsenal's tough start continues with Man United
LONDON: Arsenal follows its most important match of the season with what could be its toughest match of the season -- a visit to defending Premier League champion Manchester United.
The Gunners improved on their poor start to the domestic campaign to qualify for the Champions League with Wednesday's 2-1 win at Udinese, but Sunday's game at Old Trafford will require yet another improvement in quality.
Criticism of Arsenal and manager Arsene Wenger by fans and commentators started over the off-season with the sale of Cesc Fabregas and failure to strengthen the squad.
It intensified with a start to the season that featured a 0-0 draw with Newcastle, a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool and two red cards, but reaching the lucrative Champions League should have at least bought a little breathing space.
"Some people questioned our mental strength, but if you look at the game that's what we showed," Arsenal captain Robin van Persie said. "Now it's up to us to show that every three or four days. We have to do that over and over again, that's just football.
"We can't live off this night for the rest of the month or the rest of the year. Now I'm looking forward to Manchester United."
But Arsenal has lost seven and drawn one of its last eight visits to United, which is in form and shares the early season lead after Monday's 3-0 dismantling of Tottenham.
Co-leader Manchester City is at Tottenham in another of Sunday's four games, while Saturday's program includes Chelsea vs. Norwich and Liverpool vs. Bolton.
Arsenal's poor start threatened to become truly calamitous when Antonio Di Natale's first-half header pulled Udinese level on aggregate in the Champions League playoff. But Van Persie and Theo Walcott scored and Wojciech Szczesny saved a penalty to take Arsenal through.
"We have been a little bit under pressure and for us not to play the Champions League and with the players who left, that pressure would've increased, understandably," Wenger said. "Since the beginning of the season, I feel a very strong, determined attitude within the team."
That attitude will be needed against United. Arsenal has regularly dominated the teams' meetings in recent seasons before failing to take advantage of possession and opportunities against the older, more experienced United side.
But with Paul Scholes retired and other players injured, United has relied on youth so far this season.
Striker Danny Welbeck, midfielder Tom Cleverley and defender Phil Jones all played against Spurs. The trio has an average age of 20 and could keep their places against the Gunners.
Arsenal will be without Samir Nasri after selling him to City, and the France midfielder could make his debut against Tottenham.
"It was a long negotiation and discussion between the two clubs," Nasri said. "I was a little bit frustrated. I said to the manager I wanted to leave. I wanted to do the preseason with Manchester so I could know a little bit more about my teammates.
"It was frustrating but it is a new start and I am looking forward to doing it."
Nasri scored 15 goals last season, including four in three games against Tottenham.
Spurs face losing their opening two matches for the first time since 2008, when Juande Ramos was fired as coach and replaced by current manager Harry Redknapp.
Also Sunday, West Brom hosts Stoke and Fulham is at Newcastle.
On Saturday, it's Aston Villa vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers, Blackburn vs. Everton, Chelsea vs. Norwich, Liverpool vs. Bolton, Swansea vs. Sunderland and Wigan vs. Queens Park Rangers.
Wolves are tied on six points with United and City after winning their opening two matches. Steve Bull was still leading Wolves' attack when the club last won its opening two league fixtures -- and that was in the second tier.
In the second-tier League Championship, co-leaders Southampton and Derby play Leicester and Burnley respectively.
The Gunners improved on their poor start to the domestic campaign to qualify for the Champions League with Wednesday's 2-1 win at Udinese, but Sunday's game at Old Trafford will require yet another improvement in quality.
Criticism of Arsenal and manager Arsene Wenger by fans and commentators started over the off-season with the sale of Cesc Fabregas and failure to strengthen the squad.
It intensified with a start to the season that featured a 0-0 draw with Newcastle, a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool and two red cards, but reaching the lucrative Champions League should have at least bought a little breathing space.
"Some people questioned our mental strength, but if you look at the game that's what we showed," Arsenal captain Robin van Persie said. "Now it's up to us to show that every three or four days. We have to do that over and over again, that's just football.
"We can't live off this night for the rest of the month or the rest of the year. Now I'm looking forward to Manchester United."
But Arsenal has lost seven and drawn one of its last eight visits to United, which is in form and shares the early season lead after Monday's 3-0 dismantling of Tottenham.
Co-leader Manchester City is at Tottenham in another of Sunday's four games, while Saturday's program includes Chelsea vs. Norwich and Liverpool vs. Bolton.
Arsenal's poor start threatened to become truly calamitous when Antonio Di Natale's first-half header pulled Udinese level on aggregate in the Champions League playoff. But Van Persie and Theo Walcott scored and Wojciech Szczesny saved a penalty to take Arsenal through.
"We have been a little bit under pressure and for us not to play the Champions League and with the players who left, that pressure would've increased, understandably," Wenger said. "Since the beginning of the season, I feel a very strong, determined attitude within the team."
That attitude will be needed against United. Arsenal has regularly dominated the teams' meetings in recent seasons before failing to take advantage of possession and opportunities against the older, more experienced United side.
But with Paul Scholes retired and other players injured, United has relied on youth so far this season.
Striker Danny Welbeck, midfielder Tom Cleverley and defender Phil Jones all played against Spurs. The trio has an average age of 20 and could keep their places against the Gunners.
Arsenal will be without Samir Nasri after selling him to City, and the France midfielder could make his debut against Tottenham.
"It was a long negotiation and discussion between the two clubs," Nasri said. "I was a little bit frustrated. I said to the manager I wanted to leave. I wanted to do the preseason with Manchester so I could know a little bit more about my teammates.
"It was frustrating but it is a new start and I am looking forward to doing it."
Nasri scored 15 goals last season, including four in three games against Tottenham.
Spurs face losing their opening two matches for the first time since 2008, when Juande Ramos was fired as coach and replaced by current manager Harry Redknapp.
Also Sunday, West Brom hosts Stoke and Fulham is at Newcastle.
On Saturday, it's Aston Villa vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers, Blackburn vs. Everton, Chelsea vs. Norwich, Liverpool vs. Bolton, Swansea vs. Sunderland and Wigan vs. Queens Park Rangers.
Wolves are tied on six points with United and City after winning their opening two matches. Steve Bull was still leading Wolves' attack when the club last won its opening two league fixtures -- and that was in the second tier.
In the second-tier League Championship, co-leaders Southampton and Derby play Leicester and Burnley respectively.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Obama Urges Voters to Scold Republicans
White House Memo
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/12/us/politics/12obama.html
Doug Mills/The New York Times
President Obama toured a battery-maker in Holland, Mich., where he expressed exasperation with Congressional Republicans.
By HELENE COOPER
Published: August 11, 2011
HOLLAND, Mich. — In the seven days since Standard & Poor’s downgraded the country’s credit rating, political observers and frustrated Americans alike have asked this same question: Why doesn’t President Obama haul lawmakers back to Washington to deal with the worsening economic woes?
Blogs
Rather, the president said, echoing what his aides have been saying privately for days, “What I figure is, they need to spend more time out here, listening to you, and hearing how fed up you are.”
It is a sign, perhaps, of the White House’s desperate search for a way forward that Mr. Obama is hoping that American voters — who are deeply disgusted with Congress, but not exactly thrilled with him either, according to recent polls — will somehow rise en masse and make their representatives see the error of their ways.
“If they’re listening hard enough,” he said, “maybe they’ll come back ready to compromise, ready to do what you sent them there to do.”
That may be a tall order. Even before Air Force One had left the Washington area on Thursday morning to ferry Mr. Obama here to talk about better fuel efficiency and how his auto bailout had saved the country’s car and truck industry, House Republicans were criticizing his trip.
The office of the House majority leader, Eric Cantor of Virginia, put out this statement:
“While the goal of promoting more fuel-efficient vehicles is laudable, such costly new regulations will only create more obstacles to growth and make it harder for working families and small businesses. With 10.5 percent unemployment in the Great Lakes State, the president should explain to people of Michigan how his calls for tax increases and new regulations will create jobs or spur economic growth.”
And, lest anyone think that Republicans were having any second thoughts after Mr. Obama spoke, Speaker John A. Boehner, Republican of Ohio, lobbed this statement: “President Obama likes to talk about being ‘the adult in the room’—but there’s nothing ‘adult’ about political grandstanding. If the president wants to do something productive, he can start by delivering on his promise to outline his own recommendations to rein in the massive deficits and debt that are undermining job creation in our country.”
For Mr. Obama, Thursday’s trip, coming at perhaps the lowest point in his presidency, was a chance to try to regain his footing and present himself as an assured leader with programs and proposals that will help put the American economy back on track and make the country more competitive globally.
But Mr. Obama spent most of his remarks assailing the Congressional Republicans who have knocked down most of his proposals. At times, the president sounded angry, noteworthy since he is famous for rarely losing his cool. He called the credit downgrade “a self-inflicted wound,” and added: “That’s why people are frustrated. You can hear it in my voice; that’s why I’m frustrated.”
“There’s nothing wrong with our country,” Mr. Obama said, speaking at Johnson Controls, a maker of battery systems. “There’s something wrong with our politics.”
Mr. Obama characterized the last few months in Washington as the “worst kind of partisanship, the worst kind of gridlock,” which he said had “made things worse instead of better.”
He reiterated his calls for an extension of the payroll tax cut, and for a road construction bill, intended to get workers back on the job on infrastructure projects. Of course, those ideas would need Congressional approval.
After Michigan, Mr. Obama headed to New York to attend two Democratic fund-raisers to bring in money for the 2012 elections. That leg of his trip coincided with the Republican presidential debate in Iowa on Thursday night.
The White House press secretary, Jay Carney, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Michigan, said he was curious “whether anyone participating in the debate tonight will have any concrete proposals.”
White House officials seemed visibly happy to get out of Washington on Thursday; and they can look forward to the president’s two-day bus tour in the Midwest next week, and another chance to listen to people who do not work on Capitol Hill.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
It is the Mating Season in Kakamega and Muliro Garden is one Focal Point
Guys, we are getting more and more damning pics on Muliro Gardens.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Museveni declares war on al Shabaab
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has vowed to crush the militant Somali group al Shabaab groups, which has claimed responsibility for last Sunday’s twin bomb attacks, which killed 74 people in Kampala.
“We are going to go on the offensive and go for all who did this in all areas, starting here,” he said on Wednesday evening.
“We were just in Mogadishu to guard the airport and the presidential palace – that was all. Now they have mobilised us to look for them. We were just doing our small mandate…now we are taking interest. It was a very big mistake on their side,” Mr Museveni told journalists at a news conference at his Ntungamo country home in western Uganda.
The attacks at the Ethiopian Village Restaurant and Kyadondo rugby grounds also injured over 50 people, who had gathered at the venue to watch the World Cup final between Spain and the Netherlands.
Mr Museveni, speaking for the first time since investigations into the attacks got underway, also blamed intelligence failure.
“We are going to go on the offensive and go for all who did this in all areas, starting here,” he said on Wednesday evening.
“We were just in Mogadishu to guard the airport and the presidential palace – that was all. Now they have mobilised us to look for them. We were just doing our small mandate…now we are taking interest. It was a very big mistake on their side,” Mr Museveni told journalists at a news conference at his Ntungamo country home in western Uganda.
The attacks at the Ethiopian Village Restaurant and Kyadondo rugby grounds also injured over 50 people, who had gathered at the venue to watch the World Cup final between Spain and the Netherlands.
Mr Museveni, speaking for the first time since investigations into the attacks got underway, also blamed intelligence failure.
Kenya arrests over 100 illegal Somalis
(AFP) – 3 hours ago
NAIROBI — Kenyan police arrested more than 100 Somalis in an overnight crackdown in the capital Nairobi on illegal immigrants, an official said Friday.
The operation was conducted in the wake of bombings in neighbouring Uganda that killed at least 73 people and were claimed by Somalia's Al Qaeda-linked Shebab rebels but police refused to link the raid to the Kampala blasts.
"We have intensified a crackdown on all aliens. We arrested 102 Somalis last night and the crackdown is going on," Nairobi province police officer Anthony Kibuchi said.
"This crackdown will be carried out in all the estates and it will continue. It is not something we are going to stop any time soon," he said, adding the individuals would appear in court on Friday.
Two Nairobi districts, one of which is dominated by Kenyans of Somali origin and Somali refugees, were targeted in Thursday night's operation.
At least 30 Ethiopians were also rounded up during a similar police swoop in Nairobi on Wednesday night.
Earlier this week, the army said it had intensified security along the country's porous border with Somalia, with truckloads of troops deployed there following Sunday's explosions in Kampala.
The blasts that tore through a crowd watching the World Cup final were the deadliest in the region since the Al Qaeda-claimed bombings of US embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam in 1998.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Iran scientist Shahram Amiri free to leave, US insists
The US insists that an Iranian nuclear scientist who has turned up in the country is there voluntarily and is free to leave. 
The state department rejected claims by Tehran that Shahram Amiri, who surfaced at a Pakistani embassy building, had been abducted by US agents.
Mr Amiri vanished more than a year ago.
In June, three videos apparently showing him - and containing contradictory information on his whereabouts - emerged.
Continue reading the main story
PJ Crowley State department spokesman Profile: Shahram Amiri Timeline: Shahram Amiri mysteryHe has been in the United States of his own free will and obviously he is free to go
He said in the first that he had been kidnapped by US and Saudi agents, in the second that he was living freely in Arizona, and in the third that he had escaped from his captors.
On Monday evening, he arrived at the Iranian Interests Section of the Pakistani embassy in Washington, which handles Iranian affairs in the US capital.
Iranian media say Mr Amiri had worked as a researcher at a university in Tehran, but some reports say he worked for the country's atomic energy organisation and had in-depth knowledge of its controversial nuclear programme.
Analysis
Continue reading the main story There is very little to suggest that 2209 Wisconsin Avenue in Washington is home to employees of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The Iranian Interests Section is on the ground floor of an anonymous office block and displays no flags or symbols.
A crowd of journalists is near the front door. A man tells me he's Iranian and asks what's going on. I tell him that a controversial Iranian scientist is inside - and may be heading back to Iran. "He's crazy," the bystander concludes.
At the time of his disappearance, he was thought to be on a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.
US TV network ABC reported in March that he had defected and was helping the CIA by revealing valuable information about the Iranian nuclear programme.
But earlier this month, Tehran said it had proof that Mr Amiri was being held in the US.
'His alone'State department spokesman PJ Crowley said: "He has been in the United States of his own free will and obviously he is free to go.
"In fact, he was scheduled to travel to Iran yesterday, but was unable to make all of the necessary arrangements to reach Iran through transit countries."
There are no direct flights from the US to Iran and the two countries have no diplomatic ties.
Mr Crowley added that Mr Amiri had informed American authorities that he wished to leave the US - which seems to confirm that American officials have been in touch with him.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told reporters at a news conference that Mr Amiri had been kidnapped during the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and taken to the US against his will.
He said Mr Amiri should be allowed to return home "without any obstacle".
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Mr Amiri was free to go, and highlighted the case of three young Americans held by Iran since July 2009 and accused of illegally entering the country.
Hillary Clinton: "He is free to go, in fact he was scheduled to return to Iran yesterday"
"These are decisions that are his alone to make," she said.
"In contrast, Iran continues to hold three young Americans against their will, and we reiterate our request that they be released and allowed to return to their families on a humanitarian basis."
Mrs Clinton also mentioned the case of Robert Levinson, a former FBI agent who disappeared in Iran in 2007.
Adopted from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/middle_east/10617656.stm
US trade deficit at 18-month high
The US trade deficit widened to its highest level in 18 months in May, driven by demand for imported cars, computers and clothing.
The deficit increased by 4.8% to $42.3bn - the largest since November 2008, Commerce Department data showed.
The 2.9% rise in imports outpaced the 2.4% climb in exports.
US manufacturing has benefited from the global economic recovery, but some fear that problems in Europe will hurt sales in the future.
Debt troubles in the eurozone have also caused the value of the euro to weaken against the dollar this year - making US-made goods less competitive in the 16 nations using the euro.
Adopted from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/10614531.stm
Microsoft announces Windows tablet PC plans
Tablet devices which run the Windows 7 operating system will launch in the coming months, according to Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer.
Asus, Dell, Samsung, Toshiba, and Sony are among the manufacturers working on Windows slate PCs, he told delegates at a company conference.
Mr Ballmer said the area was "terribly important" to Microsoft, but did not mention any specific release dates.
Apple's iPad touch-screen device sold 3 million units within 80 days of launch.
"This year, one of the most important things that we will do in the smart device category is really push forward with Windows 7-based slates," Mr Ballmer said at the firm's annual World Partner Conference.
The devices will come in various forms, some dockable and some with keyboards, he added.
Adopted from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/10611568.stm
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