US democracy in danger

It was Olavo de Carvalho that told my about this project of law on his radio show.
Now I found it on now public.

An
outfit called GrassRootsFreedom.com is reporting that the U.S. Senate
is considering legislation that would require political bloggers with
readership over 500 to register as lobbyists. If they fail to register,
they could face criminal penalties up to one year in jail.

Source: nowpublic.com

I went to GrassrootsFreedom and found more:

In the first few days of the new session of Congress, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and big Washington insiders such as Public Citizen and Common Cause will try to silence critics by regulating us through quarterly reports to Congress. Failure to report would result in civil and potential criminal penalties.

Source: grassrootsfreedom.com

But - thanks God - it seems that this menace is over. Read here.

“The 55 – 43 vote in the United States Senate to approve the Bennett Amendment to strip the grassroots provisions from the lobbying reform bill, S. 1, which also passed, is a critical first victory in the battle to protect the rights of citizens to petition their government.



“Citizens, small nonprofit organizations, and the First Amendment itself were the victors, thanks to conservative-liberal efforts. Special credit, however, must be given to conservative citizens, grassroots organizations, and bloggers who were the first ones to point out that the grassroots provisions in Section 220 of S. 1 were being misrepresented by a few large, wealthy, liberal Washington-based special interest groups.

Source: grassrootsfreedom.com

Yes, but all policital blogger, specially the conservative ones have to take care, because it will not be the last resort. There´ll be another attempt to crush the freedom od speech.

Why? Because with internet citizens are scrutinizing the news they were used to swallow without blink. All the majors news outlets are liberal. They always had the monopoly of the news.. But then, conservatives appeared. Radio, books, newspapers (of course) but mainly on the internet.
Remember who impeded Kerry to win on 2004 elections? Who un-masked Dan Rather??
Bloggers.
That´s why they will try it again and again.
It seems that democracy in the US is starting to dance to the same rythm from Latin America and other totalitarian countries.
That´s why I signed the petition at Grassroots page. Do the same

NowPublic

Tags: silence | report | regulating | lobbying | Washington | Politics | PELOSI | nancy | Congress | Citizen | Amendment

Um verdadeiro herói cubano / A True Cuban Hero: Ramón Velásquez & Family

Aviso: Este artigo é em três línguas: português, inglês e espanhol.

Warning: This article is in three languages: portuguese, english and spanish.

//////////PORTUGUÊS/////////

A mensagem é importante demais. Enquanto toda a mídia está preocupada com a saúde de Castro (Kasstro), com reportagens que transpiram uma simpatia quase criminosa para com o ditador (chamado de "presidente"), um verdadeiro herói cubano e sua história e sua história são quase esquecidos.

O herói chama-se Ramón Velásquez Toranso e sua família.

Que, nadando contra a maré vermelha, começaram uma caminhada em protesto contra as violações dos direitos humanos em Cuba. Mas não foi em Miami ou em outro lugar civilizado. Ele e sua família estão realizando a façanha em Cuba mesmo. Bem diante do nariz morimbundo de Castro.

Isso sim é peito! E coragem. A caminhada de Ramon já iniciou várias vezes (impedidos várias vezes desde dezembro/06) parte de Santiago de Cuba até Havana.

Reiniciou novamente no dia 14/01 como mostrado nesta reportagem de Cubanet.

Ah, se as centenas de esquerdistas brasileiros tão corajosos quanto um, digamos, José Genoíno, chegassem aos pés deste cidadão - este sim um verdadeiro cidadão - e sua família. Se houvessem mais, não haveria tantos ditadores neste mundo.

Peço aos bloggers nacionais e estrangeiros que apoiem esta causa!

Eis a notícia.

//////////ENGLISH//////////

This message is important too much to get unnoticed. While all MSM
is worried about Castro´s (Kasstro) health, with a mix of sympathy and
respect to a bloody dictator (is always good to remember that Castro
killed more than 20.000 people and is called "president" while some
other dictators that killed less than 400 is labelled as "dictator"), a
true Cuban hero and his story are almost forgot.

The hero is Ramón Velásquez Toranso and his family.

Them, that are really "swimming against the red tide", started a
journey protesting against the human rights violations in Cuba. But it
was not in Miami or another civilized place. They are doing it in Cuba,
well under Castro´s (dead) nose.

This is courage! Ramon´s journey has started many times due to the
impedings acts from police. They re-started again in 01/14. They are
going from Santiago de Cuba to La Habana.

I ask all bloggers, english /&/amp; spanish speakers to support them.
Castrianism has gave me some banners to put on our weblogs. Use them
and spread this news!

Here´s the news in spanish and a link to google with all references to the journey

//////////ESPAÑOL//////////

Desde Cuba - Disidencia Por Félix Reyes Gutiérrez (*)



Cubanet/Noticuba Internacional



Ranchuelo, 17 de enero del 2007



El periodista independiente Ramón Velásquez, su esposa e hija,reanudaron la Marcha por la Unidad Nacional el 14 de enero en la ciudad de Camagüey. La marcha se realiza para reclamar la libertad de

los presos políticos.

Según Roberto Marrero, miembro del Partido Demócrata de Camagüey, yFidel Palacio Torres, del Movimiento 24 de Febrero, recién incorporados a la marcha, la actividad contestataria se reinició en

el kilómetro 440 de la carretera central.

La marcha, que comenzó el pasado 10 de diciembre en el santuario delCobre, Santiago de Cuba, con el propósito de llegar hasta la capitaldel país, ha sido obstaculizada en varias ocasiones por la policía

política. Velázquez declaró que el recorrido también tiene como objetivo cohesionar a la oposición cubana a través de toda la nación.

La joven de 18 años, Rufina Velázquez, que participa en la marcha junto a sus padres, declaró: "Nuestra familia se ha preparado para afrontar las dificultades que se presenten durante la caminata,

porque se trata de un acto pacífico".



(*) Miembro de la Agencia Cubanacán Press

NowPublic

Tags: kasstro | human rights | direitos humanos | castro | Politics | Cuba

Smoke Curtain: While liberals attack Christians, Muslims are free to kill!!

I´ve just received a story that´s worth to link: A Rabbi called Daniel Lupin penned an article entitled " A Rabbi's Call to America's Christians - Wake Up! You're Under Attack!" that is very instructive. Here´s an excerpt:

"Heaven knows there was enough warning during the 1980s about the intention in parts of the Islamic world to take yet another crack at world domination. Yet instead of seeing each deadly assault on our interests around the world as a test of our resolve we ignored it. We failed the test and lost three thousand Americans in two unforgettable hours.

I am not going to argue that what is happening now is on the same scale as the examples I cite above, but a serious war is being waged against a group of Americans. I am certain that if we lose this war, the consequences for American civilization will be dire.

Phase one of this war I describe is a propaganda blitzkrieg that is eerily reminiscent of how effectively the Goebbels propaganda machine softened up the German people for what was to come.

There is no better term than propaganda blitzkrieg to describe what has been unleashed against Christian conservatives recently".

Heritage X Sao Paulo Forum

Sao Paulo forum is news! Finally!

Everywhere, but Brazil... Brazilian people are being blinded by the media that :

a) Such organization does not exist (during last 10 years they shouted it)

b) Yes, it exists, but is just a debate forum (since 2005 and the XI edtion in Brazil that was kicked-off by Lula himself)

Here's another proof:

China's newspaper covering decisions on the 4th day of the forum. Yes, it was predictable that Foro Boys will endorse One-China policy, but what call my attention was this excerpt

At the four-day forum, the representatives discussed the integration of the Latin American and Caribbean region and maintained that the "primary goal" of the new integration pattern was to "seek well-being and dignity for Latin American countries and people."

source

It's a fallacy! I just commented that Foro Index of Economic Freedom, based on Heritage "Index of Economic Freedom" showed what drives LA and other leftist regimes to fail: the lack of economic freedom!
Here's the customized Foro de Sao Paulo Economic Freedom Index.

1. Uruguai (33)
2. Nicarágua (61)
   
3. Brazil (70)
4. Argentina (95)
5. Equador (108)
6. Bolívia (111)
7. Venezuela (144)
8. Cuba (156)

Are they interested in "seek well-being and dignity"?
Give freedom the their people! It is simple.

China, for example, is a puzzle. They achieved the world's largest development rate in the recent years. What can China teach to her Foro friends? Economic Freedom, of course, maintaining her communism intact.
But not.
China came to Foro to "talk" on one-China policy...
Strange.
It is obvious that China came here to see the recent developments of Latin America revolution...

Thanks to new zeal

NowPublic

Tags: Foro de Sao Paulo | economic freedom | communism | Politics | China

Heritage top ten most economically free countries

Here's the list of the last edition of "Index of Economic Freedom". Top ten countries are:

1. Honk Kong
2. Cingapura
3. Austrália
4. United States
5. New Zealand
6. United Kingdom
7. Ireland
8. Luxembourg
9. Switzerland
10. Canada

Brazil is the 70th most "free" economic and her friends from Foro de Sao Paulo are even worst.

While they shrink the economic freedom day by day, increasing unemployment, subsidies, welfare politics, they do it blaming on the "new-liberalism" and the "imperialism of USA"...
That's ridiculous...

PS.: I mantained some of countries´ name in portuguese. Sorry. No2 country is Singapore not "Cingapura" (portuguese name) and "Austrália" means - of course - Australia. Sometimes is hard to blog (or try to) on more than one single language... You english readers and speakers are in advantage over "latino hablantes". English is a standard language in the world (thank ourselves and the Brits)!

NowPublic

Tags: Politics

People Vs Cicarelli

Brazilian Top (?) model Daniela Cicarelli and her boyfriend were caught on video making love on a beach in Spain.
The video was spread by the brazilians users of you tube.
Cicarelli drew a lawsuit against all media outlets that published the video -- alleging protection for her "privacy" (de-privacy?).
A brainless judge ordered to block you tube in all Brazilian territory until that polemic video were withdrawn.
Some internet providers effectivelly blocked you tube signal to all their users.

This kind of lunacy only could happen here. A country that lost any sign of common sense in all senses.
But the response came quickly: many internet users and you tube addicted created various websites promoting a boycott on Cicarelli.

For those who does not know, Daniela Cicarelli was the former wife of Ronaldo Nazario - the "phenomena" - the brazilian soccer player.

After two days, another judicial stance withdrew the ban, but the anger from the public towards Cicarelli continued.

My points
If Cicarelli and her boyfriend wanted privacy they must not engaged in sex in a public place. If the place was empty or not it is another question. If they got caught by Google Earth, would they try to banish the application from all computers in Brazil???
After all, the brainless/horny couple could do whatever strike their fancies, but to censor a whole site is ridiculous. Ridiculous and "banana republic" fashion was the judicial system to accept it: they shredded the constitutional rights of information just to satisfy the naughty couple.
In deep, they created a excuse for censorship in Brazil.
But they act just like many high ranked politicians here, that pay for sex in expensive orgies fueled by public money but don´t want that these stories to emerge.
It is a short sample of how deep is the cut from reality in Brazil.

People could win this time, but it will be a short victory. When the government starts its Federal "popular control of the means of the communication" will not be the Cicarelli´s videos that will be banned but the content that makes you tube so amazing: videos from Cuba, Venezuela, China, Russia showing the real terror of what they call "socialism".
What will be left for us? Sex, Carnival and Soccer, of course. And maybe more "Cicarellis"

NowPublic

Tags: You Tube | sex | Cicarelli | BOYFRIEND | People

Carlos Alberto Montaner on Cuba

ForeignPolicy is a magazine and website dedicated to what its name stands for: Foreing Politics.
I've jus received this article from Montaner on Cuba.
Enjoy!

Was Fidel Good for Cuba? A Debate Between Carlos Alberto Montaner & Ignacio Ramonet

Communism Has Failed Cuba

By Carlos Alberto Montaner

After nearly 50 years of suffering under Fidel Castro’s regime, Cubans can now realistically prepare for life after El Comandante. As of this writing, the 80yearold Castro is very ill, if not completely incapacitated. When he dies, will the communist regime he created back in 1959 survive? Or will the country be transformed into a pluralist democracy, equipped with a marketbased economic system and the existence of private property, as was the case with almost all of the communist Eastern Bloc dictatorships after the fall of the Soviet Union?

I predict the latter. In the Americas, at the turn of the 21st century, a dictatorship where human rights are not respected, which has more than 300 political prisoners—including 48 young people for collecting signatures for a referendum, 23 journalists for writing articles about the regime, and 18 librarians for loaning forbidden books—cannot be sustained. Fidel Castro’s death will be the starting point for a series of political and economic changes similar to those that occurred in Europe

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Photo Gallery from City of Porto, Portugal

Un regalo, recuerdo.
A gift from City of Porto, Portugal.
These photos were taken in the last two weeks. This city is beautiful, check it out!
The photo below show exactly as I feel: a (lonely) stranger looking towards the city!

Cidade do Porto