Pigs Get the Ax In China TV Ads, In Nod to Muslims
SHANGHAI -- Next month, China will ring in the Year of the Pig. Nestlé SA planned to celebrate with TV ads featuring a smiling cartoon pig. "Happy new pig year," the ads said.
This week, China Central Television, the national state-run TV network, banned Nestlé's ad -- and all images and spoken references to the animal in commercials, including those tied to the Lunar New Year, China's biggest holiday.
The intent: to avoid offending Muslims, who consider pigs unclean. "China is a multiethnic country," the network's ad department said in a notice sent to ad agencies late Tuesday. "To show ...
http://users2.wsj.com/lmda/do/checkLogin?mg=wsj-users2&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB116969259069387154.html%3Fmod%3Dhpp_us_pageone
Pois é, multi-étnico, só que a maioria tem de submeter à minoria.
Vamos a ver quando é que isto cá chega. Entretanto uns bons presuntos não escapam, nem mesmo com a cara tapada... desde que tenha um bom presunto...

Mixed-up emotions 'bad for the euro'
By Bruno Waterfield
Last Updated: 2:00am GMT 30/01/2007
European Union officials yesterday blamed "mixed up" people for letting emotions get in the way of a proper appreciation of the euro.
The remark came in response to a new FT-Harris poll which shows that most of the eurozone's citizens would like to have their old, comfortable national currencies back.
Feelings are particularly strong in Germany, the present holder of the EU's rotating presidency and Europe's largest economy.
Two thirds of Germans now prefer the Deutschmark to the euro and more than half believe that the European single currency has damaged their country's economy.
But the European Commission insists that ordinary people are simply failing to grasp the benefits of the single currency.
"The danger we see with these surveys is that they contribute to enforcing what in the end are impressions, gut feelings, rather than facts," said a commission spokesman.
Brussels is particularly exercised by survey results showing that more than two thirds of French, Italian and Spanish people believe that the euro has had a negative economic impact.
"We should always treat surveys with extreme caution because of the tendency of people to mix things up," the spokesman added.
Derek Scott, Tony Blair's economic adviser between 1997 and 2003, said he was unimpressed, if unsurprised, by the EU reaction.
"We saw this with the EU constitution too," he said. "The knee-jerk response of bureaucrats is blame people for not understanding."
Mr Scott argued that evidence against the euro is mounting as the one-size-fits-all currency hampers economic and fiscal policy in countries such as Germany.
"People are quite right," he said. "We are just beginning to see a crisis that will, in two or three years, become absolutely clear."
EU officials are growing increasingly concerned that buoyant European economic growth is failing to translate into popular support.
French and Dutch referendum rejections of the EU constitution in 2005 have reinforced fears in Brussels that Europe's institutions, including the single currency, are a lightning rod for popular discontent.
"We have warned countless times against using the euro as a scapegoat," said the commission spokesman.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/01/30/weuro30.xml

21:25 18 JAN 07 – Expresso - Dinheiro
Indemnizações avultadas

Empresas públicas pagaram mais de cinco milhões de euros a gestores que cessaram funções, revela Tribunal de Contas

Dez empresas públicas pagaram 5,137 milhões de euros de indemnizações a gestores que cessaram funções antes do fim do mandato, entre 2003 e 2006, revela uma auditoria divulgada esta quinta-feira pelo Tribunal de Contas (TC).

Na auditoria "de seguimento de recomendações" feita a 25 empresas públicas, o TC aponta que a empresa que mais dinheiro pagou em indemnizações a administradores foi a Caixa Geral de Depósitos (CGD), que desembolsou 4,202 milhões de euros.

A segunda maior conta cabe à transportadora aérea TAP Portugal, que pagou 456 mil euros em indemnizações, seguindo-se três empresas do sector do transporte ferroviário que, em conjunto, pagaram 313 mil euros.

Individualmente, no transporte ferroviário, a Refer, empresa que gere a rede ferroviária nacional, pagou 134 mil euros; a Rave, responsável pelo projecto da rede ferroviária de alta velocidade, desembolsou 134 mil euros; e, a CP, que gere o negócio dos comboios, pagou 61 mil euros.

A lista feita pelo TC fica completa com a Ferbritas, o Hospital de S. João, o IPO - Porto, o Centro Hospitalar de Setúbal e a EDAB, que, em conjunto, pagaram 166 mil euros.

O TC alerta também para o facto de que o valor global pago em indemnizações poderá aumentar, porque, no caso da Águas de Portugal, existe um contencioso ainda não solucionado.

O tribunal diz que, em geral, não foram explicitados os motivos que justificaram o termo dos mandatos antes do seu final, sendo invocada "a iniciativa do accionista".

A instituição que fiscaliza as contas públicas observa, no entanto, que em muitas situações a cessação dos mandatos coincide com a mudança dos titulares das pastas governamentais que tutelam as empresas onde há mudanças.

O TC considera que as cessações antes do termo previsto deveriam ser evitadas para que não houvesse pagamento de pesadas indemnizações e porque "podem afectar a boa imagem que as empresas do estado devem sempre ostentar".

No relatório divulgado, a instituição presidida por Guilherme de Oliveira Martins recomenda ao Estado accionista que, em caso de cessação antecipada dos mandatos dos gestores públicos por sua iniciativa, "justifique claramente a sua decisão em nome do princípio da transparência".

Tirado do blog da direcção do jornal Expresso

“A morte de um tirano revolta-nos, não por ele ter morrido, mas por ter sido morto.”

EM:http://www.americanfreepress.net/html/huge_spy_scandal.html

A notícia

HUGE SPY SCANDAL GOES UNREPORTED

BIGGEST SECURITY BREACH SINCE ‘POLLARD’ IS IGNORED BY MEDIA

By Mike Blair

Mas o mais engraçado é:
"... While Russia has been mentioned as one of the countries involved in the ring, there have also been reports that top secrets were handed to Israel.
At first, press reports cited Russia as being the only country to receive top-secret files that Weinmann allegedly stole from the nuclear attack submarine, the SSN-706 Albuquerque. However, the Saudi Arabian newspaper, Al- Watah, reported on Aug. 8 that sources close to the investigation said Israel did receive stolen secrets.
Since then, Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) officials have categorically denied reports that Israel was given the computer secrets.
Weinmann’s father, Robert, told Associated Press that Weinmann is not Jewish. He said his family’s heritage is German.
Al-Watah reports that Weinmann’s betrayal is the biggest spy case since Jonathan Pollard, a civilian intelligence analyst caught in 1985 providing secrets to Israel.
Pollard was convicted and is currently in prison for life despite several attempts by the Israeli government to free him. ..."
A inevitável pergunta.
Então porque é que o governo Israelita está tão preocupado para que o homem seja posto em liberdade?

The Sunday Times - Britain

Science told: hands off gay sheep

Isabel Oakeshott and Chris Gourlay

Experiments that claim to ‘cure’ homosexual rams spark anger
SCIENTISTS are conducting experiments to change the sexuality of “gay” sheep in a programme that critics fear could pave the way for breeding out homosexuality in humans.
The technique being developed by American researchers adjusts the hormonal balance in the brains of homosexual rams so that they are more inclined to mate with ewes.
It raises the prospect that pregnant women could one day be offered a treatment to reduce or eliminate the chance that their offspring will be homosexual. Experts say that, in theory, the “straightening” procedure on humans could be as simple as a hormone supplement for mothers-to-be, worn on the skin like an anti-smoking nicotine patch.
The research, at Oregon State University in the city of Corvallis and at the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, has caused an outcry. Martina Navratilova, the lesbian tennis player who won Wimbledon nine times, and scientists and gay rights campaigners in Britain have called for the project to be abandoned.
Navratilova defended the “right” of sheep to be gay. She said: “How can it be that in the year 2006 a major university would host such homophobic and cruel experiments?” She said gay men and lesbians would be “deeply offended” by the social implications of the tests.
But the researchers argue that the work is valid, shedding light on the “broad question” of what determines sexual orientation. They insist the work is not aimed at “curing” homosexuality.
Approximately one ram in 10 prefers to mount other rams rather than mate with ewes, reducing its value to a farmer. Initially, the publicly funded project aimed to improve the productivity of herds.
The scientists have been able to pinpoint the mechanisms influencing the desires of “male-oriented” rams by studying their brains. The animals’ skulls are cut open and electronic sensors are attached to their brains.
By varying the hormone levels, mainly by injecting hormones into the brain, they have had “considerable success” in altering the rams’ sexuality, with some previously gay animals becoming attracted to ewes.
Professor Charles Roselli, the Health and Science University biologist leading the research, defended the project.
He said: “In general, sexuality has been under-studied because of political concerns. People don’t want science looking into what determines sexuality.
“It’s a touchy issue. In fact, several studies have shown that people who believe homosexuality is biologically based are less homophobic than people who think that this orientation is acquired.”
The research is being peer-reviewed by a panel of scientists in America, demonstrating that it is being taken seriously by the academic community.
Potentially, the techniques could one day be adapted for human use, with doctors perhaps being able to offer parents pre-natal tests to determine the likely sexuality of offspring or a hormonal treatment to change the orientation of a child.
Roselli has said he would be “uncomfortable” about parents choosing sexuality, but argues that it is up to policy makers to legislate on questions of ethics.
Michael Bailey, a neurology professor at Northwestern University near Chicago, said: “Allowing parents to select their children’s sexual orientation would further a parent’s freedom to raise the sort of children they want to raise.”
Critics fear the findings could be abused.
Udo Schuklenk, Professor of Bioethics at Glasgow Caledonian University, who has written to the researchers pressing them to stop, said: “I don’t believe the motives of the study are homophobic, but their work brings the terrible possibility of exploitation by homophobic societies. Imagine this technology in the hands of Iran, for example.
“It is typical of the US to ignore the global context in which this is taking place.”
Peter Tatchell, the gay rights campaigner, said: “These experiments echo Nazi research in the early 1940s which aimed at eradicating homosexuality. They stink of eugenics. There is a danger that extreme homophobic regimes may try to use these experimental results to change the orientation of gay people.”
He said that the techniques being developed in sheep could in future allow parents to “play God”.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the pressure group, condemned the study as “a needless slaughter of animals, an affront to human dignity and a colossal waste of precious research funds”.
The tests on gay sheep are the latest in a long line of experiments seeking to alter the sexuality of humans and animals.
Günther Dorner, a scientist in the former East Berlin, carried out hormone-altering tests on rodents in the 1960s in the hope of finding a way to eradicate homosexuality.
In 2002, Simon LeVay, an American neurologist, claimed to have discovered that homosexual and heterosexual men had physically different brains. His tests on the corpses of gay men who had died of Aids were widely criticised.
EM: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2524408_2,00.html

EM:http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/1799 , por Paul Belein
Paris Mayor Opposes Racist Soup
Last week, the Paris police issued a prohibition on the distribution to the homeless of soup containing pork meat or fat. According to the police authorities – the same ones who are incapable of restoring law and order in the Paris suburbs – distributing soup containing pork or lard is a racist offence since some people in need might be Muslim and hence not allowed to eat pork. Yesterday, however, an administrative court of first instance in Paris ruled that distributing pork soup is not racist. Today Bertrand Delanoë, the Mayor of Paris, told the Paris police to appeal the court ruling.
Pork has been on the European menu since time immemorial. In the winter of 2004 Solidarité des Français (SdF), a charity organization running a soup kitchen, began to distribute “soupe au cochon” (pork soup). SdF is a private organization and is said to be closely allied with “islamophobic” groups. According to critics it put pork soup on the menu to exclude Muslims. The organization says that the soup is a traditional French recipe with origins dating back to Gallic times. Even Asterix and Obelix ate pork soup.
On 28 December the Paris police prefecture issued a prohibition on the distribution of the soup, denouncing the “xenophobic character of a charity that excludes people of Jewish and Muslim confessions.” Paris police officers had to enforce the prohibition. This time the policemen did not need to enter certain Paris suburbs because the ruling sharia authorities in those no-go areas ensure that no pork soup is served there.
Yesterday’s court ruling, which again allowed the serving of pork soup, was criticized by Bertrand Delanoë. The Paris mayor said he was “astonished” to learn that the court tolerates an initiative which “knowingly excludes Jews and Muslims.” “Confronted with this xenophobic initiative, I want to express again that the city denounces and opposes every form of discrimination, racism and anti-Semitism,” the mayor said. He asked the police prefecture to appeal the verdict.
Frédéric Pichon, the lawyer of SdF said: “There has never been any discrimination. No-one has been denied the offer of soup on the basis of his clothes, appearance, religion or race.”
Mayor Delanoë is a Socialist and an outspoken homosexual. Religious Muslims oppose homosexuality at least as much as they oppose pork soup. If the mayor considers it a racist hate crime for a private organization to offer the homeless pork soup when some of the homeless might be Muslims, he may ponder the question whether it is not a racist hate crime for a city to have a gay mayor when some of the city’s citizens are Muslims.
As Molière said: “Je vis de bonne soupe et non de beau langage” (I live on good soup, not on fine words).
Será a caridade errada, pôr ter carne de porco nos alimentos ou ajudar os pobres?
Cá para mim é assim; Ó sr Delanoë vai-te catar pá.