Billie Ray Martin
Thursday, 28 July 2011
Pole – dublab dj session (10.13.00)
Listen & download
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The Narrative of Victor Karloch
'The Narrative of Victor Karloch' - A Victorian Ghost Story Puppet Play. Created by Kevin McTurk. Presented by The Jim Henson Foundation (Recipient of 2010 Seed Grant, 2011 Project Grant).
Via
Lebanese musician arrested over song
Lebanese musician Zeid Hamdan was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly defaming President Michel Suleiman in a song. If convicted, he could be jailed for up to two years.
Most Arab countries have laws against insulting – or, in some cases, merely criticising – the head of state. In Egypt, for example, an amateur poet was jailed two years ago for writing verses which were said to have insulted President Mubarak but such cases have generally been rare in Lebanon. In the region's new political climate Hamdan's arrest is being widely viewed as an attack on freedom of speech, and a worrying sign.
Last year, three people were detained in Lebanon for using allegedly slandering the president on Facebook, AFP says, though they were released without charge after 11 days.
According to AFP, Lebanese law requires the general prosecutor to take action over any case of defamation against the president or any "sister state" regardless of whether anyone complains.
Writing in the Daily Star, Emma Gatten says the case was instigated by interior minister Marwan Charbel "after Lebanon's General Security viewed the video of the song ... and determined that it caused offence to the president".
Hamdan was reported to have been released on Wednesday evening and it is unclear if the case will be pursued through the courts.
The song itself (see video above), which has been on YouTube for about 18 months, complains about militias, warlords and corruption but does not appear to insult President Suleiman. It thanks him for his efforts but ends by telling him to "go home".
in an interview last year, Handan said:
in an interview last year, Handan said:
"I'm not attacking General Sleiman in particular, on the contrary, at the time I wrote the song, he represented real political neutrality. The only sarcastic thing I suggested in my song is about his effective role, a way of saying 'thank you, you did the job, you can go home now'. He was praised by all when they needed him and today he is attacked, like in the song."
Hamdan, described as the godfather of Lebanese trip-hop, performed at Shubbak, the Arab cultural festival in London, earlier this month.
Brian Whitaker @'al-bab'
New Study Links Penis Size to Economic Growth
I asked a friend of mine a few months ago how I would know when I had crossed the line with my economic analysis of sex and love to which she responded “Oh, honey...you crossed that line a long time ago.” Maybe she was right. But if she wasn’t, today is probably the day. Today we ask the question: Does penis length contribute to economic growth?
First of all, did you know there was a global penile length distribution map? I certainly didn’t, nor did I realize the enormous variation in average, erect penis size between nations. The Koreas, both South and North, have the dubious pleasure of having the smallest penis size in the world with an average length of 3.8 inches (9.66 cms). On the other end of the spectrum, the average penis size in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is 7.1 inches (17.6 cms). [One note here before anyone starts checking out flights to Kinshasa--the guys in the Congo are self-reporting their penis size so there could be a significant level of mismeasurement there]
Economists love it when there are big variations between countries in pretty much anything that can be measured. So you can hardly blame the doctoral student at the University of Helsinki who, upon discovering the global penile length data, started looking around for a model to stick it into. He chose a common variation on the Solow model of economic growth and finds that penis size can explain 15% of the global variation in national incomes.*
It appears that there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between penis length and economic growth: slow growing countries (i.e. less developed today) have on average both the smallest and the largest penis sizes while fast growing countries are centered in the penis length distribution. The results are driven largely by the fact that the two poorest regions of the world, Asia and Africa, dominate the tails of the distribution of penis size.
The author determines that the size of men’s penises has the same magnitude of influence on economic growth as a country’s political regime and makes the following assessment of the welfare effects:
What does this tell us about economic growth? Well it tells what we already know; you can stick pretty much anything into the Solow model and get a decent result regardless of whether or not the factor contributes to economic growth in any way, shape or form.
Finally proving, for once and for all, that it isn’t size that matters...it’s how you use it.
* Westling, Tatu (July 2011). “Male Organ and Economic Growth: Does Size Matter?” Helsinki Center of Economic Research Discussion Paper No. 335.
Marina Adshade @'big think'
First of all, did you know there was a global penile length distribution map? I certainly didn’t, nor did I realize the enormous variation in average, erect penis size between nations. The Koreas, both South and North, have the dubious pleasure of having the smallest penis size in the world with an average length of 3.8 inches (9.66 cms). On the other end of the spectrum, the average penis size in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is 7.1 inches (17.6 cms). [One note here before anyone starts checking out flights to Kinshasa--the guys in the Congo are self-reporting their penis size so there could be a significant level of mismeasurement there]
Economists love it when there are big variations between countries in pretty much anything that can be measured. So you can hardly blame the doctoral student at the University of Helsinki who, upon discovering the global penile length data, started looking around for a model to stick it into. He chose a common variation on the Solow model of economic growth and finds that penis size can explain 15% of the global variation in national incomes.*
It appears that there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between penis length and economic growth: slow growing countries (i.e. less developed today) have on average both the smallest and the largest penis sizes while fast growing countries are centered in the penis length distribution. The results are driven largely by the fact that the two poorest regions of the world, Asia and Africa, dominate the tails of the distribution of penis size.
The author determines that the size of men’s penises has the same magnitude of influence on economic growth as a country’s political regime and makes the following assessment of the welfare effects:
To illustrate the significance, if France with its average size of 16.1 centimetres [6.3 inches] had male organs on par with United Kingdom's 13.9 centimetres [5.5 inches], French GDP would have ceteris paribus expanded by around 15% more between 1960 and 1985 – a significant welfare effect by any standards.You know, I have to say that I doubt the French would agree that a reduction in average penis size is welfare improvement by any standard.
What does this tell us about economic growth? Well it tells what we already know; you can stick pretty much anything into the Solow model and get a decent result regardless of whether or not the factor contributes to economic growth in any way, shape or form.
Finally proving, for once and for all, that it isn’t size that matters...it’s how you use it.
* Westling, Tatu (July 2011). “Male Organ and Economic Growth: Does Size Matter?” Helsinki Center of Economic Research Discussion Paper No. 335.
Marina Adshade @'big think'
Anti-gay heavy metal preacher files lawsuit against Rachel Maddow
Attorney Larry Klayman, the founder of Judicial Watch and Freedom Watch, has filed a lawsuit against NBC, MSNBC, Rachel Maddow and The Minnesota Independent on behalf of Bradlee Dean, head of the religious ministry You Can Run But You Cannot Hide International.
"This case is filed as a matter of principle," Klayman said. "We need more Bradlee Deans in the world and hateful left wing television commentators must be made to respect not only his mission but the law."
The lawsuit seeks in excess of $50 million in damages for false accusations and defamation. It claims that Maddow falsely accused Dean on her MSNBC show of supporting the killing of homosexuals, which harmed the "fine reputation" of himself and his ministry. The lawsuit also seeks damages from The Minnesota Independent for reporting on Dean's statements.
Dean's ministry is based in Annandale, Minnesota and centered around the Christian heavy metal band Junkyard Prophet. He had hosted a show on AM 1280 The Patriot, but the station later fired him after he aired in a six-minute song mocking African Americans and then likened President Obama to Osama bin Laden.
MSNBC and Maddow attacked Dean, according to the lawsuit, because they were trying to "destroy" Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-MN), "a Christian conservative presidential candidate who they despise and hate for her religious and political beliefs."
Bachmann has helped raise money for Dean’s youth ministry and Dean, in turn, has helped Bachmann's campaign fundraising efforts.
"Defendents NBC and MSNBC pride themselves on their marketing of anti-religious beliefs and their disparagement of people of faith, as they have sought to woo secular, atheist, leftist oriented viewer markets, given Fox News' domination of the politically conservative/libertarian/religious markets which they have had difficulty cultivating," the lawsuit states.
On her show in August 2010, Maddow played a clip of Dean saying Muslim nations that execute gays are more moral than American Christians.
"Muslims are calling for the executions of homosexuals in America," he said on AM 1280 the Patriot. "This just shows you they themselves are upholding the laws that are even in the Bible of the Judeo-Christian God, but they seem to be more moral than even the American Christians do, because these people are livid about enforcing their laws. They know homosexuality is an abomination."
After playing the clip Maddow noted that Dean "later clarified that he didn't really mean to sanction murder of gay people, he said, quote, 'We have never and will never call for the execution of homosexuals."
The lawsuit against Maddow claims she "begrudgingly mentioned" the disclaimer in a way that suggested it was disingenuous and insincere.
She also played a clip of Dean saying on the radio that, "On average, they [homosexuals] molest 117 people before they’re found out."
Eric W. Dolan @'Raw Story'
Via
"This case is filed as a matter of principle," Klayman said. "We need more Bradlee Deans in the world and hateful left wing television commentators must be made to respect not only his mission but the law."
The lawsuit seeks in excess of $50 million in damages for false accusations and defamation. It claims that Maddow falsely accused Dean on her MSNBC show of supporting the killing of homosexuals, which harmed the "fine reputation" of himself and his ministry. The lawsuit also seeks damages from The Minnesota Independent for reporting on Dean's statements.
Dean's ministry is based in Annandale, Minnesota and centered around the Christian heavy metal band Junkyard Prophet. He had hosted a show on AM 1280 The Patriot, but the station later fired him after he aired in a six-minute song mocking African Americans and then likened President Obama to Osama bin Laden.
MSNBC and Maddow attacked Dean, according to the lawsuit, because they were trying to "destroy" Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-MN), "a Christian conservative presidential candidate who they despise and hate for her religious and political beliefs."
Bachmann has helped raise money for Dean’s youth ministry and Dean, in turn, has helped Bachmann's campaign fundraising efforts.
"Defendents NBC and MSNBC pride themselves on their marketing of anti-religious beliefs and their disparagement of people of faith, as they have sought to woo secular, atheist, leftist oriented viewer markets, given Fox News' domination of the politically conservative/libertarian/religious markets which they have had difficulty cultivating," the lawsuit states.
On her show in August 2010, Maddow played a clip of Dean saying Muslim nations that execute gays are more moral than American Christians.
"Muslims are calling for the executions of homosexuals in America," he said on AM 1280 the Patriot. "This just shows you they themselves are upholding the laws that are even in the Bible of the Judeo-Christian God, but they seem to be more moral than even the American Christians do, because these people are livid about enforcing their laws. They know homosexuality is an abomination."
After playing the clip Maddow noted that Dean "later clarified that he didn't really mean to sanction murder of gay people, he said, quote, 'We have never and will never call for the execution of homosexuals."
The lawsuit against Maddow claims she "begrudgingly mentioned" the disclaimer in a way that suggested it was disingenuous and insincere.
She also played a clip of Dean saying on the radio that, "On average, they [homosexuals] molest 117 people before they’re found out."
Eric W. Dolan @'Raw Story'
Via
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