"A year ago today, the most important person in my life went missing," said Sierra's sister, Danielle LaMar.
Danielle says she's been living a bad dream ever since her little sister Sierra vanished on her way to catch the school bus one year ago. And she's not alone.
Karissa Pugh can't stop thinking about March 16th, 2012, when she texted Sierra before school but never heard back.
"Like at school, walking around, just walking around school thinking about her and hanging out with her, I think about her every day," Pugh said.
Every Saturday, about 40 volunteers continue searching for the missing teen who would be 16 now.
Hundreds of family members, friends, and neighbors gathered to pay a special tribute on this heartbreaking anniversary. Balloons were launched into the air as the group yelled, "Find Sierra." And though they let the balloons go, the group is not letting go of hope that Sierra will be found.
"It's very hard, we think about her all the time," Morgan Hill resident Lynn Will said. "We live out in the country too, so it's just very difficult. We checked our property, constantly. It's just a horrible thing to think, I don't know how that mom does it."
And through the sorrow of 365 days without her daughter, Sierra's mom Marlene LaMar remains steadfast, maintaining focus, resolving not to stop until her daughter is found.
"I would also like to remind to the public that we still have the $35,000 reward and hopefully that will encourage tips to come forward, to give us some of the answers that we're looking for during this long waiting period," Marlene said.
Search groups will continue to meet at Burnett Elementary School, the "Sierra Search Center," every Saturday at 8 a.m. They do need more volunteers to help in their search.
In the meantime, 21-year-old Antolin Garcia-Torres, who is charged with kidnapping and murdering Sierra LaMar, is scheduled to enter a plea on April 4.


text:
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From News Sources / KanoOnline Forum donates food items to IDPs in Borno State
http://www.yerwaexpress.news/news/yen5/index.php/news/540-social-media-platform-persuaded-to-take-a-new-step-go-humanitarian-by-a-comment
Social media platforms almost wholly serve, or are used for social purposes with mostly 'entertainment undertones'. But this time, one of these platforms was in the news for a different reason—a relatively rare one.
Kano Online Forum, a social media discussion group, was persuaded by (a) comment(s) from its member(s) to trace a new path in its usage of internet-based platforms.
Kano Online, well before the entrenchment of bigtechs like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, has been a popular online hub in Nigeria for robust intellectual engagements—going back to over a decade and half. Several articles and papers were published on its website, www.kanoonline.com.
This time, the group went 'humanitarian'—and it was all inspired by a comment on its Whatsapp group—a comment calling on members to help internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the war-ravaged North East (Nigeria).
Members complied—and eighty (80) households among the IDPs, drawn from host communities and orphanages in Maiduguri on Wednesday took home food and housekeep items.
According to a member of the forum who spoke to YERWA EXPRESS NEWS, and who was entrusted with the responsibility to do the distribution, Barr. Mustapha Ali Busuguma, 'it all started with a chat'!
He said the forum is supposed to be an internet-based social group, but it nonetheless saw the need, following suggestions, to help the needy especially during the fasting period.
A total of 40 bags of rice (25kg), soaps, detergents, Vaseline and Maggie cubes, among other things, were mobilized since the comments and subsequently distributed.
Mr. Busuguma said the intervention, though little, is a clear example of good use of social media platforms, emphasizing that 'everything was motivated by a single, genuine chat; and we did it'!
He called on other social groups to take cue.
The beneficiaries who said they do not use social media and hardly know what it is, added that they are 'nonetheless, grateful'.
General Board / Re-Introducing "Traditional Court Systems" in Nigeria
My attention is drawn to the pronouncement by the President of
South Africa, Jacob Zuma, at first I thought its the Mugabe's way
then I realised that despite the existence of the white man's court
system in Nigeria, our people are yet to understand how it works
and so many innocent people are jailed or found guilty simply
because of "technicalities".
I will agree with you if you say the traditional court system is full
of injustice and you will have to agree with me either that the
present "English System" is full of injustice either - thats why
there is the need to revive, re-write and refine our traditional form
of court system throwing away the dirty side which gives the Qadis
too much power to be abused.
In those days, bulama's within an identified community resolved
issues amicably, it is the absence of these reforms that is now engulfing
the north by fire.
You can check the full story of the Jacob Zuma traditional courts system
here http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/southafrica/9653920/Jacob-Zuma-backs-traditional-courts-instead-of-white-mans-way.html
General Board / The Thieves They Couldn't Arrest
Long time no saw....common English you don't spoke lol this is grammer.
Hi friends, its been long, I read this article on the Leadership newspaper
online edition, its content is hotter than the heading and is highly recommended
to my old friends to read and digest. The writer has identified so many problems
and proffer solutions. A huta gajiya.
Whenever it's time to debate the annual budget, some foreigners come in handy with their prescriptions. Lynda Chalker, former British minister for overseas development, used to be one of the frequent guests during the military era. In recent years, however, only a few foreigners have bothered to intervene, probably because they've discovered that budgets are not taken seriously in Nigeria.
Not even governors and presidents believe in the annual ritual. So, the IMF's resident representative in Nigeria, Scott Rogers, was simply wasting his time on Thursday when he was advising us to avoid excessive spending and save more. He opposed raising the crude oil benchmark price – a source of orchestrated friction between the executive and the legislature.
Mr Rogers obviously means well. But he is ignorant of how the economy works here and the nature of people who run Nigeria.
I've not bothered to look at the 2013 "budget" because I know it's all politics. No budget has been implemented here since 1960.
What has changed a little is the manner of sharing the nation's wealth. I can't be fooled by those quarrelling over the implementation level of the 2012 budget or whether the benchmark price for a barrel of crude oil (which contributes 90 per cent of government's revenue) should be $75 or $80. As far as I know, N4.9trillion or whatever will be spent next year is what will be shared among thieves and civil servants that receive salaries and award contracts to themselves.
The lot for educating Rogers and co on how our economy is run fell on Nuhu Ribadu on Friday. While submitting the report of the Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force that he headed to President Jonathan, Ribadu repeated the words in a campaign ad being run on radio and TV by government itself: "Nigeria is the only country in the world where people steal crude oil."
In the government's advertorial, the narrator (a child) continues: "More than $7bilion is stolen annually in Nigeria. My dad said it's a whole lot of money." And on Friday Ribadu added: "Mr President, increasing crude oil theft is a national tragedy and of grave consequence, and there is need for urgent government action."
The Ribadu report, which I've not read and won't bother to read, must have ended up telling us what we already know. A highlight, I'm told, is the "discovery" that at least N16trillion has been stolen by oil thieves in the past decade. So much for oil theft. The question to ask is why the thieves have remained untouchable over the years. Answer: all thieves are above Nigerian law. It reminds me of the title of a book I read in secondary school, which is also the title of a 1931 British film: "The Man They Couldn't Arrest".
We have all read about Halliburton, Siemens and scores of other scandals unveiled by one panel after another. And when I heard there was a split in the Ribadu-led task force, I remembered one of the revelations made in WikiLeaks: oil companies always have their way in Nigeria because they know the right buttons to press and how to sabotage government programmes using Nigerians.
Someone rightly christened President Jonathan's administration "government by committees". While receiving each committee's report, he would threaten fire and brimstone (as he did on Friday) but nothing would happen. His table is now full of heaps of reports that might never be implemented. Already, Nigeria is a failed state. That's why there is complete lawlessness – and impunity.
A few years ago, a minister I know awarded a N150million contract to his girlfriend in Abuja for a job that one could complete with N5million. A current minister measures his achievements by the number of houses he has demolished, not the ones he has built.
Ours is a nation – does it even qualify as a nation? – ravaged by all manner of thieves. And the thieves have become so sophisticated and strong that they could seize power at any level anytime. Since 1999, a few of them have emerged as governors, senators, ministers, godfathers and big-time contractors while others have handed over to their children.
Things can't work in a country where crime is not punished. In spite of all that's going on, no Nigerian thief – except a chicken or goat thief – is in jail today. James Ibori was unfortunate because he was caught abroad and jailed in London. Hundreds of fuel subsidy thieves and bank wreckers have been identified, but none of them has lost his freedom. Instead, they keep buying private jets.
A recent report puts Nigeria second on the list of countries with the highest number of private jets: there are over 250 of them here and each costs N5-10billion. Yet, this is Nigeria where more than 90 per cent of the citizens are poor – many are unable to eat once in two days, many can't go to school, most are unemployed. I wonder why someone would sit comfortably as president, governor or minister in a place full of such social injustice. Does any of them desire to leave a legacy? Is accumulation of illicit wealth the only motivation for being in power or office?
I still believe that money doesn't solve many human problems. Hospitals in India, Egypt, Dubai, South Africa and Ghana are brimming with Nigerian patients, just as schools in Europe, America and now Asia are thriving with Nigerian students. Rather than fix the education system, the thieves prefer to take the money abroad and pay school fees.
The amount of money Nigerians have spent on generators made in nations like China, South Korea and India could stabilise power supply in the country. Security vote now consumes more than N1.5trillion each year, yet the situation keeps worsening. Who is making us insecure so that security votes would be taking so much?
Every day, those who claim to be experts in government create the conditions that will ultimately sink Nigeria. There is no original thinker in any government I've seen in this country. Or why would our schools turn out 700, 000 youngsters each year while job creators are vanishing? Worse, our schools (public and private) are simply producing unemployable people without skills, not even the ability to read and write.
The number of JAMB exam candidates next year may hit two million; available tertiary institutions (useless as they are) cannot accommodate 15 per cent of them. Yet, somebody sits comfortably as president, education minister or national planning minister without losing sleep. Wife of Oyo State governor Florence Ajimobi gleefully announced last week that she was not arrested by the London police for money laundering.
"I only travelled last Sunday to London to accompany my child who returned to a secondary school there," she said. "I went on an official visit to Taiwan with my husband and we did not go to London from Lagos as reported. We went to Dubai, Hong Kong, Taipei and back to Lagos." If I may ask Mrs Ajimobi, how many British children are in Nigerian schools? When last did a governor's wife from the UAE or China come on an "official" visit to Ibadan?
The nation's security is also undermined in this way: the few jobs available in government institutions like the Police, Immigration, Civil Defence, FRSC and some ministries now go to either those with godfathers (legislators, governors, directors, etc) or who can pay N300-500, 000 bribe to a syndicate.
Little wonder many policemen are not dedicated to duty! They have to get the bribe money back before listening to any appeal for patriotism. Hungry and ill-equipped, they can't confront robbers. Our hospitals have become glorified mortuaries because everything has been stolen and medical workers also want to "make it". Luckily for them, government officials and rich thieves have their hospitals abroad.
Would things continue like this for the next 10 years? My guess is that, by 2020, this country won't be habitable for any sane person. The rich would live abroad and visit Nigeria only occasionally to plunder its resources. The poor would be left behind to kill one another. I've said it before: money doesn't solve many problems.
http://www.leadership.ng/nga/columns/39127/2012/11/03/thieves_they_couldnt_arrest.html
From News Sources / Trailer kills 10 in Gombe - the need for our Ulamas to intervene
http://dailytrust.com.ng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=28912
:trailer-kills-10-in-gombe-12-corpses-dumped-in-rivers&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8
Two years ago, twenty five kilometer from the outsketch of Maiduguri, same type
of trailer loaded with cement bulldozed it way into a village known as Ngamdu.
He succeeded in murdering five households including children while destroying about
six - seven houses before it could come to a halt.
Whoever is plying our roads, one wisdom he will never forget is that he should be very
careful with our long truck drivers, because, it is on record that they are not only
reckless in driving but they have total absence of faith in them, that is why I am
calling on our ulamas to intervene, may be, this barbarism will stop.
In both instances, this avoidable accidents occured in broad-day light and inside the town
where the drivers are supposed to maintain the minimum speed.
May Allah have mercy on the souls of those lost their lives.
General Board / Nikah Misyar
http://busuguma.blogspot.com/2010/10/nikah-misyar.html
READ, DIGEST & LETS SEE YOUR COMMENT
Announcements / MTN Nigeri is recruiting in kano
MTN Nigeria, a leading telecommunication company in Nigeria is recruiting for Dealer Accounts Executive
Job Title: Dealer Accounts Executive
Department: Sales and Distribution
Location: Kano
Evaluate potential and existent dealers business indicators as per TSP grading criteria within the regions
Determines number of sales points required to achieve sales targets
Monitor Sales performance trends for all accounts
Develop a short term action plan/ strategy to assist distributors in achieving desired indicators
Develop and grow relations with distributors account
Identify and attend to specific distributor needs and resolve problems
Evaluate customer complaints and drive corrective actions
Provide information to the customer regarding appropriate policies, procedures and operating practices; as well as competitor activities
Build and maintain relationships with the customer
Participate in organizing dealer forums
Liaise with other relevant departments (Marketing, Financial Operations, Channels) to ensure the sales process is uninterrupted and sales targets are achieved
Job Conditions:
Tool of trade vehicle provided Work is carried out mostly in the field A valid drivers license (Extensive local travel) May be required to work weekends
Reporting To: Regional Sales Manager
At least 4 years marketing experience in a fast moving consumer goods (FCMG) environment
1 to 2 years experience in account management
Employment Status : Permanent
A tertiary Qualification- preferably in the social sciences
Application Deadline is 23rd August 2010
APPLY ONLINE AT MTN CAREERS SITE.
Islam / Sokoto State's Sunni v Shiite Clash
the recurrent clashes between the sunni and shiite followers
in sokoto state has matured into a monster capable of underming
the state developmentally and will very soon loos the test of been
a former seat of usmaniyya.
the inability of the state government, traditional institution and
members of ulamas to come to terms with their followers, shows that
neither the government of sokoto state, their traditional rulers and
including members of ulama (his highness, sarkin musulmai inclusive)
has upper hand in this matter which translates into portraying sokoto
state as ungovernable.
the report by daily trust reporter, which i read this morning in its online
version http://www.dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content
&view=article&id=297:shiite-sunni-clash-leaves-4-injured-in-sokoto&catid=1:
news&Itemid=2 tells you that very soon sokoto state will be thrown into
a deep crisis because of the actions of its citizens.
it is time, instead of the 19 nothern governors to be meeting on how and who
will cling to power come 2011, concentrate on bringin peace to the former
state so as to avoid this disastrous monster from spreading to other parts
of the nothern states.
sokoto state house of assembly should also wake up from their slumber and
come up with stringent practicable laws that will bring an end to this lawless
killings of ourselves.
General Board / Genesis and consequences of Boko Haram crisis
This article was written by Ahmad Salkida, he was formerly with
the Daily Trust, I am not sure if he is still with them. However,
during the Boko Haram Crisis, he was declared wanted and was
seen as an accomplice of the Boko Haram. He miraculously
disappeared and came back after fully exonerating himself of all
As an eye witness and a journalist who have been to the enclave
of the Boko Haram members and known them very well, his side of
the story as a professional will further give light to what happened
in Maiduguri.
DAN - BORNO
By Ahmad Salkida
As the only journalist who dispatched the first ever report on late Muhammad Yusuf's activities in Maiduguri, on the 23rd of July 2006, at a time when the sect was relatively unknown to many Nigerians, I should be able to give an insight into the Boko Haram saga.
I have closely followed the activities of the Bokoa Haram sect. In fact, I was invited by the late Yusuf at that period to establish and head an Al-mizzan styled newspaper for him. However, in the course of our deliberations, I tabled the following issues that set us apart: I wanted to be partner in the project, I wanted editorial freedom to edit out anything I may find to incite the public in the publication and I wanted to introduce a regular column that totally disagrees with his ideology.
I think, my conditions, at a time when I hadn't any gainful employment, shocked the prospective investor who thought any budding journalist would rush at the opportunity to become an editor-in-chief especially of a promising paper, on account of the large follower ship and the group's loyalty to their Imam.
However my relationship with late Mohammed Yusuf continued as he visited me when I lost my 8 months old son that died of malaria. Perhaps, he saw me partially as one of his students and partially as a dissenter due to my independent disposition. But, to be fair to him, I admire his depth of knowledge, oratorical prowess and apparent willingness to emulate Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
In early 2002, Yusuf was seen by many as a likely heir to the renowned late Sheik Ja'afar Mahmud Adam in Maiduguri on account of his brilliance and closeness to the late renowned scholar. But all that changed shortly when one late Mohammed Alli approached late Yusuf with reasons to boycott democracy, civil service and western oriented schools. Late Yusuf then disengaged his service with the Yobe state government.
Then, in a 2006 press release signed by the sect's Shura (Consultative) Council, they stated that, Islam permits them to subsist under a modern government like Nigeria but has explicitly prohibited them from joining or supporting such governments in so far as their systems, structures and institutions contain elements contradictory to core Islamic principles and beliefs.
However, the late Alli argued that the sect must embark on Hijra (migration), but late Yusuf declined and Alli proceeded to Kanamma in Yobe with his faction, and one thing led to another, the group launched an insurgent attack on the Police that resulted in the loss of many lives and property in Kanamma and later in Gwoza in Borno state. Although the insurgents, a renegade group that called itself "Taliban," led by Alli, fiercely disagreed with late Yusuf and many of the escapees later returned to Yusuf.
Unlike Alli, Yusuf went on undeterred, though he was prevented from preaching in several mosques and was denied TV/Radio appearances in the state. But he setup a preaching outlet in the front of his house at the railway quarters and at Angwan Doki, millionaires' quarters among others. The demand for his tapes increased by the day all over the north and the proceeds there from increased tremendously. He, then asked his landlord and in-law, late Baba Fugu Mohammed to allow him to build a mosque whom he named Ibn Taimiyya Masjid.
It was in Ibn Taimiyya Masjid that late Yusuf together with his hard-line top lieutenant Abubakar Shekau alias 'Darul Tauhid,' began to build an imaginary state within a state. Together they setup Laginas (departments), they had a cabinet, the Shura, the Hisbah, the brigade of guards, a military wing, a large farm, an effective micro finance scheme, and late Yusuf played the role of a judge in settling disputes, each State had an Amir (leader) including amirs in Chad and Niger that gave accounts of their stewardship to Yusuf directly.
The sect, led by Yusuf took advantage of the poor quality of our educational system, the incessant strikes, cult activities, widespread malpractices and prostitutions that is made worse with no offer of jobs after graduation to wheedle many youth to abandon school and embrace Yusuf's new and emerging state that promises to offer them a better alternative.
Late Yusuf also took advantage of the irresponsible leadership at all levels of governmentas unemployment, poverty, corruption and insecurity become the order of the day. And, as he points out such failures, citing verses of the Qur'an and the sayings of the Prophet, the youth see him as the leader that will indeed deliver them from malevolence to the promised land.
In my write-up of February 28, 2009 in the Sunday Trust I wrote about the sect, where I alerted the general public about the sect's total disregard for civil obedience. The report in question warned that to disregard the simmering cauldron "smells like rebellion...and it will be irresponsible of any authority to wait for the occurrence of violence before it acts in the face of impending threat to law and order," in subsequent reports and during my interactions with senior security agents, I did not only predict the crisis but hinted on the strategy of the sect. But, typical of investigative journalism, instead of these revelations to catch the attention of the relevant agencies, their attention was shifted on how to frame me. Apparently, the plan was never to prevent a crisis but to allow it to occur.
However, in fairness to the government of Borno state that is living witnesses to the unruly behaviour of the sect and its extreme dislike for government institutions, the state government like other governments in northern Nigeria saw the need to halt this nuisance in their states; they were alarmed that the sect that started with a handful of people is hitting the 7-digit mark and one day (if not very soon) the likelihood that the sect may determine the politics of the land cannot be dismissed.
According to Isa Yuguda, the Governor of Bauch state in a recent interview with a weekly newspaper, "When the Boko Haram issue came, I sat down and scientifically organised a Commando raid on their stronghold. We identified them over a period of time and made sure the Ulamas came and preached against them for two weeks and they in return issued fatwa against the Imams that are preaching against them. We had to attach policemen to the Imams because the Boko Haram people threatened to slaughter them. We planned for them.
"We cordoned off their area around 3a.m. in the morning and phoned my neighbours in Borno and Yobe states about the operation I was going to carry out because their leader was there at that time. After exchanging gunshots for some time, we smoked them out of their houses. They were fully armed with grenades, machine guns and rocket launchers," said Yuguda.
Having kept track of political activities in the state, I knew very well that Ali Sheriff, unlike Yuguda, could not afford to strike first, Borno could take anything from him but not an attack on Muslims. However, the government in Borno setup a joint security patrol nicknamed, 'operation flush' in order to serve as a constant check on the sect.
As the crisis started in Maiduguri, reporters did the obvious; 'live and tell the story' and they stayed mostly in the Government House (GH) and most of them contacted me directly or indirectly to get briefed because I chose to do the 'unexpected', which is to 'risk my life to tell the story.' Indeed, I took undue risk which exposed me to the unimaginable that would form the subject of a book I am now writing.
On Tuesday 29th July 2009 when I made a stop at the Borno state Government House, a staff of the GH, one Yusuf dragged me into the office of the Chief Security Officer to the Governor, insisting that the governor's aide wanted to see my face for the first time. The aide wanted to know from me why I did not shave my beards and lower my trousers below the ankle to avoid the wrath (Alas! bullets) of the security agents.
I, then, told him that it is wrong for security agents to brand innocent people that wear beards as Boko Haram and even killed them based on that. In fact, to keep beards, to wear turbans and nisfusaak (trousers above the ankle) are part of the prophet's Sirah, which is recommended to every Muslim over 1400 years ago, and it is seen as a deeply spiritual task by many Muslims all over the world.
He, also, asked me whether or not I was abducted by the sect members for a while and released. I put the record straight that, I only ran into a mob and thereafter I was left off the hook when they were convinced that the brown apron I was wearing carried an inscription of Daily Trust had nothing to show that I was a government official.
Sadly for me, the CSO did not like my guts and the fact that I reported the two sides that clearly exposed the Achilles' heel of his boss, he ordered for my arrest, calling my crime 'counter intelligence.' At the GH I was assaulted by the mobile police (at the quarter guard post). There, a Police Constable Sani Abubakar, held my beards and pulled me to the ground, he kicked my legs to forcefully remove my loafers.
I was made to lie down with my face down instantly I urinated in my pants when two mobile police men contemplated who was going to pull the trigger, whether that was a joke or an attempt to scare me. Thank God I am alive as yet, maybe the powers that be are aware of the event that would follow the execution of a media man within the GH or as the government claimed, I was held in protective custody for my safety.
I was then driven to the police headquarters in the state where I was kept in a cell with 58 others. After spending 30 hours in the cell and about 48 hours without food or water (because, I couldn't break the fast I was observing upon my arrest), I was then allowed to wash up the urine that had dried up on my pants and relieved myself of the running stomach that became the audible music in our cell as everyone witnessed how cell mates were being called out and executed, everyone was waiting for his turn.
Surprisingly, none of my colleagues investigated and reported the assault meted against me, even when some of them searched for me in the crowded cell as I sat without shoes on the floor. Instead, speculations were rife amongst them that indeed I was a Boko Haram member, on account of the following baseless talk: That I wear beards and trousers above my ankle and yet I came from a Christian background and this to many of them makes me an extremist.
That I was doing fairly well as a journalist in the last ten years with a mere primary school certificate and that makes me a Boko Haram too. That, my fair complexioned spouse was a Shuwa Arab and given out to me in marriage by late Yusuf and finally, they said late Yusuf had contacted some members of the media on two occasions through me in the past.
Now that I no longer carry my youthful goatee and halfway trousers to avoid being branded a terrorist meets your requirements however I want to state here that I am proud of my Christian background as a Muslim because it has afforded me a unique sense of tolerance and impartial view for the need for dialogue that many born Christians and Muslims lack, leading to the kind of mistrusts we see today.
My wife is a very proud Tarok, from Langtang LGA in Plateau state, I met and married her in Abuja in 2002 and never saw Yusuf in her life. Yes, I was perhaps the only journalist known to late Yusuf on account of what I mentioned earlier on. But, when has it become illegal to know a public figure who later became a criminal?
I started a career in journalism as a staff reporter with Insider Weekly Magazine, from 2001 to 2002. Thereafter, I had a stint with Crystal Magazine as a Special Projects Editor and later a founding staff with New Sentinel and freelanced for several mediums. Currently, I work as a reporter with the Media Trust Limited. I do not posses any formal educational qualification beyond primary school; however I was self educated through years of extensive reading of books.
As a primary school pupil in the early 80's, when late Yusuf was a little kid himself, I would choose to climb a tree and read a story book while my mates were in school. Somehow I managed to complete my primary school but my disdain to learn under the four square walls of a classroom continued during my Secondary School and my father decided to discontinue funding my education. Although, I was visible in the University of Maiduguri, not as a student but sadly, as a commercial final year project writer to nearly a hundred undergraduates and a handful of master's degree thesis as well, anyway this is a story for another day.
Although there was a extraordinary effort by the correspondents chapel and the Nigerian Union of Journalist in the area to secure my release but as my wife who is yet to recover from the trauma of that crisis argued, the NUJ should have demanded for my release and out rightly condemn my arrest but instead, they pleaded and pleaded until I was released; this is an admittance that indeed one of their own is guilty as alleged and as my wife always said, this allegation will hang over my head for the rest of my life.
Recently, when Al-jazeera showed video footage of extra-judicial killings the world became aware of some of our experiences in Maiduguri, and typical of Nigerians, we heard calls for probe. The most disturbing call for probe is the one by the very government that ordered the summary executions in the first place. Can a military or police officer go to town and harvest corpses without an order from above? If this is possible, then it should not be a probe of extra-judicial killings instead, government should probe insubordination and total breakdown of law and order amongst security agents leading to numerous deaths. And, let us not forget, what happened to the previous probes setup by the federal government? I have a disturbing video that confirmed what security agents told me during my arrest. "No prison for Boko Haram members, we want them all death." Is it the governor of Borno state that gave such an order or Mr President that has absolute control over the police and military under the constitution? Oh, ours is a country where the constitution is always disregarded.
Why did they execute Yusuf together with Baba Fugu Mohammed and Bugi Foi before any trial? Was it to cover the dirty tracks of under cover agents that worked for years with late Yusuf, leaving the impression that these two (that are the richest people close to late Yusuf) funded the uprising? Why are the sophisticated guns of Boko Haram that was used to keep Nigeria's defence forces away from their enclave for three days not displayed to the public along side corpses? What we saw was mostly bow and arrows.
Where is Abubakar Shekau? The police said he died from injuries he sustained during the crisis. Can we believe them after all? They said late Yusuf died in a shootout when in fact over 50 mobile police men shot him behind my detention room, at the armoury right inside the police headquarters. In my opinion, Abubakar Shekau, the second in command of late Yusuf may be alive.
Over the years, the failure of security agents to prevent crisis that often times leads to loss of lives and property worth billions of naira goes unpunished. We never hear any apology or resignation from political leaders or heads of security agents. The only punishment is, erring commissioners of Police are transferred to an obscure department of special duties at the Force Headquarters' in Abuja, as was the case with the commissioners during Boko Haram and the recent Jos crisis.
Were it not for a country like Nigeria, where government have failed to provide basic life support for its citizens, late Yusuf may have never thrived. A functional environment with opportunities for all, equal justice for all, fairness to all and governed by leaders that are responsible for their people, the rude and retrogressive teachings of late Yusuf would have not received the attention of about a million followers all over the north. Indeed, late Yusuf's teaching was an abuse to Algebra, reproductive health and the science of astronomy that has its roots in Islam, if indeed it is true that he said boko is haram.
From my interaction with him, he never said boko is haram plainly; in fact the name Boko Haram came to being during the crisis. What he always said was, as long as anything that contradicts the teachings of Islam (in his own view) exists in the educational system then it is haram to go to that school unless such things ceased to exist. As members of the sect realised, they cannot ensure such change, especially in a secular state like ours; they withdrew from schools completely. But I am aware that late Yusuf had plans to set up a school, a hospital and a market in the future to complement the sect's micro finance scheme and other Laginas.
Unfortunately, late Yusuf's teachings that caused crisis and death of hundreds of our gallant security agents and made it inhuman for people like Yusuf to survive, contradicts not only Islam which he claims to be preaching to his followers but his very existence. I saw when members of the sect slaughtered a police sergeant, L. Adamu. He pleaded with them that he was never against them and said he was a fellow Muslim but yet they slaughtered him like a goat. Was this the reason why the police and military summarily executed the suspected sect members in the same manner the sect did to their colleagues?
Suffice it to say here that government should investigate why the sect took up arms against it. What were the issues that led to the armed struggle? And what are the chances of recurrence of violence. Government must as a matter of urgency police our porous border because Shekau may be living close by. Government through religious and traditional leaders must dialogue with the displaced family members of Boko Haram and ensure that their children all go back to school.
Government must begin to locate them and assure them of a fair trial at home in order not for them to easily fall as fodders to any al-Qaeda advances. Religious institutions like the one headed by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa'ad Abubakar III should be empowered to independent and be able to effectively regulate and censor religious activities in the country.
Salkida is an Abuja based journalist and can be reached at salkida@gmail.com
Health Matters / Scientists invent first male contraceptive pill
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7857262/Scientists-invent-first-male-contraceptive-pill.html
Until now all attempts to develop a male pill have failed with scientists working on a contraceptive jab for men given by doctors.
But researchers in Israel have finally been able to create a oral pill that deactivates sperm before they reach the womb.
And theyhave developed a version that means it only needs to be to be taken once every three months.
The breakthrough pill could be available in as little as three years, according to the scientist behind the discovery.
Unlike the jab form of the male pill it doesnt use a combination of the male hormone testosterone and the female hormone progesterone to block pregnancy.
The scientist behind the male pill discovery has developed a tablet that removes a vital protein in sperm that is required for a woman to conceive.
So while sperm still get through to the uterus they are unable to fertilise an egg.
Using this approach, researchers believe they have a pill that is 100 pc effective at stopping pregnancy.
Not only is it long lasting but it also has other pluses. There are no side effects as suffered by women who take the contraceptive pill.
Men on the male equivalent hormone jabs, which are still undergoing trials report feelings of moodiness, depression and loss of sex drive.
Professor of Haim Breitbart of Israel's Bar-Ilan University, who has helped develop the pill said: Men dont cope well with side effects and having side effects would probably put many off wanting to take a pill. Weve had none of those problems with our pill.
What we found is that by treating the mice with our molecule we can get sterility for a long period of time -in the lower dose, about one month, and in the higher dose we found three months of sterility.
The mice behaved nicely, They ate and had sex. All I can say is that we couldn't see any behavioural side-effects - all their sex behaviour was retained, which is a very important consideration for men. Human trials of the pill are due to start next year.
A big drawback against men being in control of fertility is the fear they would forget to take a pill.
Polls have repeatedly shown wives and partners do not trust their men to remember to pop a pill every day.
But now that problem has been solved. The new pill can be taken either once a month or once every three months.
Professor Breitbart said: "I think most women would trust their man to remember once a month or once a quarter.
Breitbarts pill jams the sperm's chemical machinery that allows it to create a pregnancy. So while the sperm reaches the womb it dies away unable to fertilise the egg.
He said: We looked at a number of compounds that have no effect on male sex drive, but succeed in impairing the reproductive ability of the sperm.
Because there are no hormonal side effect we believe that it will be fairly easy to get approval for this pill.
Professor Breitbat stunned the world of fertility science four years ago by revealing the commonly held belief that conception was immediate once sperm entered the womb.
The research showed that sperm could surive for up to three days before fertilisation took place.
Professor Breitbart said: I then decided to turn my interest to see how to stop that process. I wanted to develop a form of male contraception that would be free of an intervention using hormpones.
this is really a breakthrough, at least the women can go
rest from taking pills all the time - its men's turn now.
Announcements / NYSC IS RECRUITING
Federal Government Parastatal (NYSC) with emphasis on youth mobilization requires the services of performance-focused individuals to occupy the following positions.
1 Public Relation Officer II GL 08
2 Accountants II GL 08
3 Procurement Officers GL 07/08
4 Inspectors/Calligraphers GL 07/08/09
5 Inspectors (Agric) GL 08/09
6 Confidential Secretary GL 07
7 Inspectors (Computer) GL 08/09
8 Inspectors (Admin) GL 08/09
9 Inpectors GL 08/09
10 EO/HEO Inpectors GL 07/08
Location: Kebbi, Sokoto, Katsina, Jigawa, Borno, Yobe, Taraba, Adamawa, Ebonyi, Bayelsa, Bauchi, Plateau. Opening Date: 2010-06-13 Closing Date: 2010-07-26
check this website for online application: www.vacancy.dizconsulting.com/vacancyPositionList.php]http://www.facebook.com/l/54a19p_Lcw0P8VU2t6_AO5P8KBQ;[url=http://www.vacancy.dizconsulting.com/vacancyPositionList.php]www.vacancy.dizconsulting.com/vacancyPositionList.php[/url]
General Board / A COMMENTARY FROM ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA
Jibo Nura,
African Climate Change Research Centre (ACCREC)
Village Development Office, Investment House, Dutse,
Jigawa State, Nigeria
E-mail: africanclimatecentre@yahoo.com
A visit to Addis Ababa, Addis as it is popularly said by Ethiopians, made one curious about the history of the Place that is generally believed by Historians, as the oldest human inhabited areas in the world. Addis Ababa, meaning "New Flower", is one of the high altitude cities of Africa that houses the continental organization, African Union (AU), formerly known as Organization of African Unity (OAU), founded by Emperor Haile Selassie. It is as high as from 2,200-3,200 metres above sea level.
One of the most beautiful things about the City is its very good climate and weather. Coming out of the Addis Airport, the coolness and serene nature of the environment are indeed remarkable. The Place is quite cool year-in-year out. The nature of the types of buildings the Ehiopians have, reminded one of ancient Ethiopia, because the old designs represent traditional Ethiopian architecture compared to modern ones, which depict modern Ethiopia as one of the fastest growing cities in Africa. Because of the coolness of Ethiopia, the residential, institutional and commercial buildings here are devoid of any cooling system. This is to say that they do not simply require any cooling effect by air conditioners or fans. Hence, marketability of building cooling systems in Ethiopia, especially at Addis Ababa, is just near zero.
Ethiopia has never been colonized by any European power until 1936, but nonetheless, several colonial powers had interests and designs on Ethiopia, especially in the context of the Nineteenth Century "Scramble for Africa".
However, the most remarkable thing about the people's culture here, is their overwhelming hospitality and cuisine they offer to visitors. Even though the country is not well endowed with natural resources such as petroleum, gold or diamonds, but the Ethiopians have already consolidated on their Airports and Hotels. Ethiopian Airlines, popularly known as the Ethiopian, is one of the bests in the world, and the very best in Africa. And one means it, the best in Africa with all sense of seriousness. People here are generally socially fabulous to the extent that they run their country using the money they get from the airport and tourism. In fact, Ethiopians have gone far by throwing lots of challenges to countries such as Nigeria that cannot even maintain or secure a befitting Airliner for itself not to talk of getting a competent one for over fourty (40) years now. What one saw, particularly the Airport's architectural design, aesthetism and maintainability at Addis, can never be compared with the child's play that we have at Ikeja in Lagos. (Please see below the pictures of Addis Airport Foyer and internal decorations that were taken for your own viewing).
Jibo Nura standing close to the Foyer of Addis Airport
Front view of Addis Airport
Jibo Nura right inside the Addis Airport
Interior décor of the Addis Airport
It has never occurred to one's wildest imagination that a country such as Ethiopia can survive and thrive on airport and tourism alone! It indeed beats one's imagination that upon all the vast resources that we have in Nigeria, we cannot possess a national airliner as the so-called African giant. All we are good at is political manipulation of figures by politicians who problematize the Nigerian leadership from beginning to end, conering public funds from left, right and centre by stashing them in foreign banks for their kith and kin, leaving the entire citizenry hopeless in terms of development planning of rural and urban infrastructure such as airports. All what our Airlines management and operators so-called know is nothing other than specializing in changing names from "Nigeria Airways", to "Virgin Nigeria", which is yet to prove its virginity and recently to "Air Nigeria and/or Nigerian air?" and all that.
Remarkably, the Ethiopian Airlines (Ethiopian) is now working towards a greener Ethiopia. It has already launched a campaign on environmental protection and sustainability. This campaign is one of the multitudes of social responsibilities very close to the hearts of Ethiopian Airlines.
For instance, in 2008 Ethiopian Airlines in collaboration with Greener Ethiopia has unveiled joint plans to plant 2.5 million trees throughout Ethiopia during the Ethiopian Millennium year, launching a long term environmental campaign known as FLY GREENER, said Grima Wake, Chief Executive Officer of the Ethiopian Airlines. Another planting of a further 5 million trees was followed in 2009. And the Ethiopian has pledged to plant a tree for every passenger flown. What a vision!
It may interest the reader to know that most of the trees planted here so far are trees that greatly contribute to sustaining the environment by preventing soil erosion. According to Grima, the Moringa trees for example, are believed to be of immense help and benefit towards combating food shortages.
The Ethiopian after landing us at Bamako, Mali
Nonetheless, Ethiopian Airlines provides material support to Greener Ethiopia's international campaign to mobilize funds from international and local sources as well as Ethiopians living abroad in order to support the expansion of farmers' activities from backyard planting to large scale reforestation of degraded lands, community woodlots and primary forest protection ( Please see SELAMTA, the In-Flight Magazine of Ethiopian Airlines, Volume 27, Number 2, April-June 2nd Ed., Page 1 for detailed role on the Ethiopian going greener).
With a friend, Remi Hemeryck, DG., SOSSAHEL
With Engr. Nasir at Addis Airport, discussing International, France, aboard Bamako the future of Nigeria
after discussing the agronomy and Climate of Sahel Region of Africa
Sadly, one wonders what the "Nigerian Airlines" are "planting" for their citizens. One also wonders what kind of public service(s) the "Nigerian Airlines" are offering towards sustainable life for the citizenry?
The way things are going at our Airports both domestic and international, is quite unfortunate. The African Climate Change Research Centre (ACCREC) has no choice than to collaborate with the Ethiopian and rescue Nigerian Airlines by showing them how to contribute their quota to nation building. Our Airports need to be shown the importance of going green in order to counter the effect of bad weather and climate that affect safe take-off and landing. And very soon ACCREC will join the international collaborative campaign with Greener Ethiopia in order to drive home some wave of change to our environmental sustainability. May God save Nigeria!
Again, one thing that caught attention was ample tourism destinations-the repository of an assortment of archeological and cultural artifacts of the country are quite interesting to hear about. Here one can view the Lucy (Dinknesh), discovered in the Awash Valley of Ethiopia's Afar region. It is believed to be the world's second oldest, but most complete, and best preserved adult Australopithecine fossil. Lucy's species is named Australopithecus afarensis, which means "Southern ape of Afar", after the Ethiopian region where the discovery was made. Lucy is estimated to have lived in Ethiopia 3.2 million years ago. Of course, there have been many other notable fossil findings in the country, but the recently found potential early hominin Ardipithicus ramidus, Ardi, is another historical edifice.
An original Lucy (Dinknesh) fossil that existed 3.2 million years ago
So also the Mount Entoto- the highest peak in Addis with an altitude of 3200m really captured and generated attention like a lady's Skirt(long enough to cover its historic subject matter, but close enough from Beshale and M.N International Hotel rooms to make one retain interest and curiosity). Entoto is the site for the first Palace of Emperor Menelik II. Here you see Saint Mary Church, where Emperor Menelik crowned as Emperor in it. From its top, you will also admire the panoramic view of the city with its surrounding forests.
Original orthodox Christians in veil on their way to Saint Mary Church up Mount Entoto.
The picture was taken by this writer on the way to their place of worship.
Indeed, it's an interesting encounter and experience(s) with orthodox Christians on their way to their trinity cathedral – a very big Church with a baroque style of European Architecture, which is important to Ethiopian orthodoxy and their imperial families. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church was founded in the fourth century by Syrian monks. In the Old Testament, it was asserted elsewhere that the state of Sheba where Queen of Sheba existed is sometimes believed to be in Ethiopia, but more often is placed in Yemen. According to the Ethiopian legend, the Queen of Sheba was tricked by King Solomon into sleeping with him, resulting in a child, named Ebn Malek( Emperor Manelik I). In fact, the tradition that the biblical Queen of Sheba was a ruler of Ethiopia who visited King Solomon in Jerusalem in ancient Israel is supported by the 1st century AD Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, who identified Solomon's visitor as a queen of Egypt and Ethiopia. (Please see Encyclopedia Wikipedia, 2010 updated version).
Even though, majority of the approximately 83, 000,000 Ethiopian populations are Christians, but the latest 2007 national census record indicated Islam as the second most widely practiced religion in Ethiopia after Christianity, with over 25 million (33.9%) of Ethiopians adhering to Islam. Indeed, Islam is the overwhelming religion of majority of people in Somali, Afar, Argobba, and Harari and more so among the largest group of Oromo people of Ethiopia.
The Ethiopian Bilal, was one of the foremost companions of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and the first Muazzim (caller to prayers) that is well known in Islam. When the Prophet Mohammed saw that the persecution of Muslims was becoming unprecedented, and Muslims were subjected to all sorts of torture in Mecca, he told them to find safe haven in northern Ethiopia, Abyssinia, where they would "find a king there who does not wrong anyone." And this was contained therein the Holy Koran as the first hijra (migration) in Islamic history.
Today, Ethiopia is home to Harar, which according to UNESCO, is "considered 'the fourth holy city' of Islam," with 82 mosques, three of which date from the 10th century, and 102 shrines.
However, early history indicated that Ethiopia has seen human habitation for longer than almost anywhere else in the world, possibly being the location where human civilization began. The first record of Ethiopia came from rock art writing. The other records of Ethiopia proper came from Egyptian traders from about 3000 BC, who referred to lands south of Nubia or Cush as Punt and Yam. Trade between the two countries existed from the beginning of Ancient Egypt's time overland down the Nile and its old kingdom of Ethiopia, i.e. between the 30th and 25th centuries B.C. The river-routes were kept in order, and Egyptian ships sailed the Red Sea as far as the Myrrh-country.
The first known voyage to Punt therefore occurred in the 25th century B.C under the reign of Pharaoh Sahure. The most famous expedition to Punt, however, was during the reign of Queen Hatshepsut probably around 1495 BC, as the expedition was recorded in detailed reliefs on the temple that she built at Deir el- Bahri at Thebes. Even though, detailed information about these two nations (Ethiopia and Egypt) is sparse in modern history, and there are many theories concerning their locations and ethnic relationship of their people, the Egyptians sometimes called Punt land as Ta-Netjeru, meaning "Land of the Gods", and considered it their place of origin.
Nonetheless, there is some confusion over usage of the word Ethiopia in ancient times and the modern country. The ancient Greeks used the word (Αιθιοπία) to refer to the people's living immediately to the South of ancient Egypt, specifically the area now known as the ancient Kingdom of Kush, now a part of modern Nubia. But modern usage has transferred this name further South to the land and peoples known in the late 19th and early 20th century as Abyssinia. The relationship between Egypt and Ethiopia is as old as the Twenty-second dynasty of Egypt, beginning with Piye, a ruler of the Twenty-fifth dynasty. Though occasionally the two countries were under the same ruler, but their capital was initially in the north of modern Sudan at Napata. In the ancient times, however, the name Ethiopia was used to refer to the nation based in the upper Nile Valley South of Egypt, also called Kush, which in the 4th Century CE was invaded by the Axum from the highlands close to the Red sea. The Kingdom of Aksum, which sometimes was designated as Ethiopia dates as far back as the first half of 4th century since th inscription of Ezana Habashat( the source of Abyssinia), is mostly translated in Greek as "Aethiopia".
Below is King Ezana's Stele pictorial view at Axum for your own looking.
King Ezana's Stele in Axum
According to Encyclopedia Wikipedia, the first verifiable kingdom of Great Power to rise in Ethiopia was that of Axum in the first century AD. It was one of many successor kingdoms to Dʿmt and was able to unite the northern Ethiopian plateau beginning around the first century BC. They established bases on the northern highlands of the Ethiopian Plateau and from there expanded southward. The Persian religious figure Mani listed Axum with Rome, Persia, and China as one of the four great powers of his time. The origins of the Axumite Kingdom are unclear, although experts have offered their speculations about it.
Modern historians are still contesting over the earlier known kings, empires and dynasties that existed in Ethiopia and most of their assertions and findings are contestable, because they remain to be substantiated.
General Board / Happy Children's Day
Such a treasure your precious child is,
Who will thrive on every hug and kiss.
Hold them close and sing them songs;
they will only be a child for so long.
By: Amit Sana (http://mobiles.maxabout.com/sms/children-day-sms/153)
to my beautiful daughters, fatima, yagana, kaltum gana
and malam abdullahi - i wish you all
Happy Children Day.....
From News Sources / Husband stabs wife's lover to death on his matrimonial bed
A man in Ogun State, has applied the Mosaic law of "an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth," by stabbing to death, his wife's lover, after he caught them in the act of making love in their matrimonial bed. The tragic incident occurred at Iyana Ilogbo, Sango Ota, Ogun State.
The suspect, Abdul Adekile (not real name) 25, was said to have come back home that fateful day, to behold the victim, Musibau Olapade, on top of his wife, Bunmi (not real name) and decided to bring the amourous relationship to a tragic end.
"I left home for work at about 7.00 am and came back home to give my wife some money to prepare food, only to find the door securely locked. I knocked on the door several times and called her many times but there was no response. I had to break the door, only to find my wife and Olapade stark naked on the bed," he said.
According to him, his wife quickly ran away, while a fight ensued between him and the "lover boy." "I stabbed him when he attempted to escape. I didn't know he was going to die," Adekile was quoted as telling the detectives investigating him.
The suspect, from Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, explained that they had been married for the past four years, with a child who is now late. Ironically, the suspect described his wife as a loyal housewife, adding that he never suspected her to be unfaithful to him.
He said: "Since we got married four years ago, I never suspected her to be cheating on me. I was provoked. I'm an orphan, I still love her, I had never raised my hand against her before," he bemoaned.
Bunmi, 24, who spoke to Daily Sun described the victim as her lover. According to her, her deceased lover gave her N500 that day before she agreed to make love with him in their matrimonial home.
"My husband knocked on the door and we didn't open it, and when he gained entry into the room, I was tying my wrapper without underwear. They started fighting while I ran out of the house. When Olopade tried to escape, my husband stabbed him on the back." Bunmi, who claimed to be a Togolese, said she was three years old when her elder sister brought her to Nigeria.
After the murder, it was members of the Odua Peoples Congress (OPC), who arrested and handed Adekile to the police. The state Police Commissioner, Mr. Musa Daura, said the suspect would be prosecuted after investigation.
Source: http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/may/21/national-21-05-2010-003.htm
this one is horrible, despite the banging of the door he still met the guy
on top of his wife, this is serious, may be the bobo is trying hard to
justify his N500.00, little did he know that after enjoyment he is going
to die uselessly.
possibly, if the guy can afford a good lawyer that can argue for defence
of provocation.
Allah ya karemu gaba daya.
General Board / Obasanjo Vs Bishops
this is not the first time the former president is having
problem with religion leaders. the last time, he declared
CAN my foot and now instead of him to come forward
to be delivered from demons he is saying that it is the
Bishops that require deliverance.
though i dont fault obasanjo, in each case, it is either
the CAN or the Bishops that are crossing the lines, they
are curious of what obasanjo says in public forgeting that
apart from been an older soldier, he has been a Nigerian
president for too long - at his age, his comments shouldnt
bother anyone.
obasanjo should watch his mouth anyway, men of God are
men of God.
General Board / Hakurin Aure - Miji ko Mata
ko dashike bazance wannan ba muhawaraba, amma tana da
dimbin fadakarwa da sanin inda aka dosa ga ma'aurata.
lokacin auren mutum, ko miji ko mata, magani mafi yawa shine
"...to, sai fa hakuri da juna" wannan itace maganar da ke fitowa
a bakin babba da yaro, malami ko jahili, ya zama ruwan dare
gama duniya.
tambayan dan-borno a nan shine, wai shin tsakanin mace da
na miji ma'aurata wanene yafi chanchantar yin hakuri kuma
wa yafi yin hakuri.
an gaisheku, kuma a huta lafiya.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The winter winds blow in from the north, and with them come a purifying blanket of snow. It's a welcome change from the cold, dark, and rainy end of the fall season.
2018 was a whirlwind of a year, with so many extreme ups and downs. I was lucky enough to spend a lot of time outdoors, capturing the beautiful landscapes, and sharing some special moments with old and new friends alike.
I made another short trip to the Bruce Peninsula National Park for some hiking, and photography. With scenery like this it's hard to take a bad photo up here!
I had the need and desire to escape everyday life. I needed some nature therapy. So I did what any self respecting nature enthusiast would do. I packed up some gear and headed north to the beautiful Bruce Peninsula National Park, where I hiked out to Stormhaven backcountry camping area. With camera in tow my aim was to relax, and create some landscape photographs to share.


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Home Entertain Us Thin-skinned CNN threatens to dox Redditor
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Thin-skinned CNN threatens to dox Redditor
by Stephen Z. Nemo Jul 6, 2017
written by Stephen Z. Nemo Jul 6, 2017
WASHINGTON, July 6, 2017 — Megan LeBoeuf of the University of Rhode Island published a 2007 study, "The Power of Ridicule: An Analysis of Satire," which says that satire
"… has the ability to point out the deficiencies in certain human behaviors and the social issues which result from them in such a way that they become absurd, even hilarious, which is therefore entertaining and reaches a wide audience. Satire also has the ability to protect its creator from culpability for criticism, because it is implied rather than overtly stated; in this way, it becomes a powerful tool for dissenters in difficult or oppressive political and social periods."
Cable's leader in fake news, CNN, is certainly aware of this point: The satirist is protected from "culpability" and "criticism."
The network has been the subject of conservative scrutiny since it made the post-election decision to dedicate much of its air time broadcasting conspiracy theories about the Russians, Donald Trump, and Trump campaign officials colluding to steal the presidency from Hillary Clinton.
But a CNN on-air personality and producer admitted to hidden cameras that the collusion story is a "nothing burger."
President Trump wages war against the mainstream media.
President Trump has had a field day ridiculing CNN via Twitter, which inspired one Reddit user to cobble together a short video meme showing the combative U.S. president body-slamming a representation of CNN.
That meme went viral.
CNN and others in the news business accused Trump of inciting violence against reporters by tweeting out the meme.
Conservatives responded by intensifying their ridicule of CNN. The all-news network did not appreciate the ridicule.
CNN's KFile investigative team discovered the identity of the meme's creator and threatened to reveal his identity if he ever created another successful viral condemnation of CNN.
The intimidation worked.
"He [the Reddit meme creator] said he is not going to repeat this ugly behavior on social media again. In addition, he said his statement could serve as an example to others not to do the same," CNN reported.
The New York Times asked Andrew Seaman, ethics chair at the Society of Professional Journalists, to assure its readers that CNN's intimidation of a private citizen, threatening to dox him like an Obama administration hack going after a Republican opponent, is "odd, but not unethical."
The irony of all this certainly escapes CNN and the New York Times. Their reporters have either been fired or required to retract stories regarding the "nothing burger" Russia-Trump story—stories based on anonymous, inaccurate sources.
We have yet to learn the identities of these sources, despite the clear falsehoods they planted in the press, burning the news organizations so willing to repeat them in print and in broadcasts.
Instead, they prefer to believe the lie that millions of Americans were influenced by Russia to reject another corrupt Clinton's bid to serve as President of the United States.
Now that is certainly worthy of ridicule.
CNNDonald TrumpDoxingReddit
Stephen Z. Nemo
Originally from Los Angeles, Stephen Z. Nemo has been in the news business for more than thirty years. He made his way around the country: Arizona, the Bay Area and now resides in South Florida.
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