Society's ChildS


Propaganda

'We hate you!': Kiev bans accredited Russian journalists from Eurovision contest because of their visits to Crimea

Eurovision
Oh the awesome power of the Eurovision song contest!
Russian journalists going to the Eurovision song contest will be turned away at the border if they are found to have visited Crimea without Kiev's authorization, including those with valid accreditation, an aide to Ukraine's Interior Minister has warned.

Ukrainian MP Anton Gerashchenko, who is also an aide to the country's interior minister, wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday that Russian journalists that "had breached the Ukrainian state border" would not be allowed into the country to cover the song competition, which kicks off on Sunday.

The Ukrainian government does not recognize Crimea's reunification with Russia, which took place in 2014 following a referendum in which Crimean residents overwhelmingly approved the move.

Comment: Pathetic Kiev can to do little more to "punish" Russia for allowing Crimea back into its historic fold, than to bar Russian journos and artists from a singing contest!


Family

Refugees returning, freed villages being restored as Aleppo slowly returns to life

Aleppo citizens
© George Ourfalian/Agence France-Presse
Aleppo is incrementally returning to life as the time of terrorist occupation has been left behind.

Authorities in the northern Syrian province of Aleppo started a large-scale operation aimed at returning of thousands of refugees to the settlements liberated from the militants' control as well as at restoration of the villages, Hamid Kenno, Aleppo's deputy governor said Saturday.

"Here is a bakery, which has been robbed and partially destroyed by terrorists... It is obvious that this entity is essential for the local residents and we will restore it in the first place. We are also planning to restore the medical facility," Kenno told reporters.

Cross

Irish police investigate Stephen Fry for calling God 'mean-minded' & 'stupid'

Actor Stephen Fry
© Hannah Mckay / Reuters Actor Stephen Fry
Police in Ireland have launched an investigation into allegedly blasphemous statements made by Stephen Fry in a 2015 interview. Under Irish law, the comedian and actor could face a fine of up to €25,000 for sharing his controversial opinions.

Fry made the remarks in question in an interview on the TV program The Meaning of Life, which was aired by Ireland's RTE public service broadcaster. When asked what he would say to God if he had the chance, the self-described atheist and outspoken opponent of organized religion said:

USA

Arson, Murder & Chaos: Photographs of Venezuela's 'Peaceful' Opposition

Maduro protest Venezuela violence riot
Violent anti-Maduro riot in Venezuela
The past week has seen yet another round of violence, as the opposition continues to demand the overthrow of the government. While the protesters have been largely depicted in the international media as victims of police repression, the reality is a little more complicated. A picture says a thousand words, so here's some photos of those 'peaceful' protesters being repressed.

Comment: Venezuela's 'opposition' and their Western backers have declared war. Their goal is to eradicate every last bit of Chavez's Bolivarian Revolution.

Further reading:


Handcuffs

Over 50% of Germans support idea of introducing a 'dominant culture'

Brandenburg Gate Berlin Germany
© Fabrizio Bensch / ReutersBrandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany
A new poll shows that more than half of Germans support the idea of introducing a "dominant culture" as recently presented by the country's Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere. His proposals ignited debate in political circles and on social media.

The survey, conducted by the INSA research institute for the German Focus magazine, revealed that 52.5 percent of Germans believe that their country needs a "dominant culture" while 25.3 percent oppose the idea of ushering in any such values.

Almost 53 percent of respondents said they associate themselves with German culture while only 30.6 percent consider themselves members of a European culture.

No Entry

150 high school students suspended in dress code crackdown

Allyanna
© NY Daily NewsAllyanna Jones, honor student, Wilby High School
A one-day sweep in which over 150 high school students were suspended for dress code violations is bringing new criticism to a Connecticut district of predominantly Hispanic and black students that was already under scrutiny for having low numbers of minority teachers.

The students, summoned dozens at a time, were called out of class by loudspeakers and ordered to sit out the next school day for wearing hoodies, forbidden colors or other violations. Among those caught up in the sweep at Wilby High School two weeks ago were first-time offenders like Allyanna Jones, a 16-year-old honors student.

"I said, 'I'd rather be cold than suspended,'" Allyanna said of her offer to remove a sweat shirt. "They said, 'It's only a day. You'll get over it.'"

Comment: There are more important things than the wrong color of a shirt. Is it worth insisting on the 'correct' attire with the penalty of suspension? Of course it is. School isn't about learning something useful; it is about learning your 'place,' your 'limitations,' and how this 'prepares' (programs) you for the rest of your adult life. Unfortunately.


Bullseye

Well done!: After false arrest man gives cop a righteous earful, predicts cop will be fired — he was

false arrest
Chattanooga officer David Campbell was fired in February for unlawful arrest and driving recklessly while on duty. The Times Free Press took an in-depth look into Campbell's driving habits, documenting several cases where Campbell chose to dangerously exceed the speed limits in order to arrive on the scene of calls for backup and other matters. But it's the video of Campbell's arrest of Hanson Melvin which caught our attention and serves as a sort of prophetic word for police officers who abuse their power to harass, intimidate, and arrest citizens unlawfully.

Melvin was reportedly walking outside of the Northgate Crossing Apartments when Campbell approached him and seemingly sarcastically inquired about whether or not Melvin had gotten his driver's license back or not. The tone and the comment provoked Melvin, who responded by telling Campbell it was "none of your business" and "you harass me every time you see me." Campbell admitted to a fellow officer he was just "messing with him."

Oscar

Hillary becomes the sorest loser in US history

Killary
© CNN/YouTubePersonae non gratae
It has been six months since the political world was rocked to its core with the upset election of Donald Trump as President. One person who has not gotten over Trump's victory was his opponent, Hillary Clinton.

Of course, in the days before the election, almost every pollster and commentator predicted a Clinton victory. She was overconfident and believed the media spin. Incredibly, she was outperformed by a political novice, who won 306 electoral votes in 31 states, an unexpected landslide. This week, in an interview with Christiane Amanpour of CNN, Clinton blamed the loss on "the combination of Jim Comey's letter on October 28 and Russian WikiLeaks."

Obviously, Hillary Clinton prefers fantasy to the harsh political reality of her disastrous campaign. She said, "I was on the way to winning" until these supposedly disastrous circumstances united to derail her candidacy. It is quite convenient for Hillary to blame everyone else but herself.

Hillary claimed that Comey's letter and WikiLeaks disclosures were critical factors that "raised doubts in the minds of people who were inclined to vote for me but got scared off," For good measure, she also blamed misogyny, using the sexism card once again.

Comment: She overestimated herself, underestimated the country and its people. There was supposed to be just one winner...and there was. It just wasn't her. No excuses.


Question

Egyptair crash: No trace of explosives on victims, says French newspaper

Egyptair crash 2016
Le Figaro says French investigators have ruled out theory that bomb was responsible for disaster last May that killed 66 people

French investigators have found no traces of explosives on the bodies of French victims of Egyptair flight MS804 that crashed into the Mediterranean last year en route from Paris to Cairo, a newspaper has reported.

Le Figaro's report, which a source with knowledge of the matter confirmed to Reuters, contradicts Egyptian investigators who said in December that traces of explosives were found in the remains of victims of the flight.

Comment: Chances are this was yet another commercial plane 'taken out' by the increasingly extreme weather on our planet, or, as a result of one of the many exploding space rocks that have been seen in our skies.


Handcuffs

Malaysian police arrest Turkish academic linked by Ankara to failed Turkey coup

Malaysian Security Forces
© REUTERS/ Lai Seng SinMalaysian Security Forces
Malaysia's police chief confirmed Friday the arrest of a former vice chair of a Turkish university who Ankara accuses of links to a group blamed for last year's coup attempt, Turkish media reported.

"He was not involved in terror activities throughout his 12-year stay here before this. But when he began to get involved, we acted," Inspector-General Khalid Abu Bakar told reporters, as quoted by the Anadolu news agency.

Bakar said the suspect, Ismet Ozcelik, was detained Thursday for posing a threat to national security. He denied that police had acted at Ankara's request. Earlier this week, Malaysian authorities captured two other Turkish men suspected by Turkey of being part of the banned FETO movement.