text:
Notable Quotable: Awarded behind bars
"It is my sincere hope that all political prisoners who remain jailed, including three of today's award recipients, will be unconditionally released".
---President Barack Obama called on the Cuban government to open the doors to democracy by freeing all of the country's political prisoners.
Obama's remarks came as the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) awarded five Cuban dissidents its annual Democracy Award. None of the recipients traveled to Washington to receive their prize since three of them were behind bars while the other two were arrested for trying to organize a protest.
Despite a recent thawing in relations between Cuba and the U.S., one of the awarded dissidents criticized Obama for his "sterile approach" towards the Castro regime.
Image- cbs13.com
Online Sources- Miami Herald, Bloomberg, The Latin Americanist, AP
Posted by Erwin C. at 11:45 AM 1 comment: Links to this post
Labels: Cuba, human rights, jail, Notable Quotables, Obama administration
Defense official warns against Iran in LatAm
Another top U.S. defense official has warned against Iranian influence in Latin America.
Echoing similar concerns as Defense Secretary Robert Gates and other top military brass, the head of U.S. Southern Command Gen. Douglas Fraser had this to say:
"The real concern is not a nation-to-nation interaction, it is the connection that Iran has with extremist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah and the potential risk that that could bring to this region," Fraser told journalists ahead of taking up the post…
Commenting on Iran's ties to extremist groups in the region, Fraser said: "it is a concern, and it is an issue we will continue to monitor for any increasing activity."
Since coming into office in 2005, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has strengthened ties with countries like Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba. It remains to be seen how relations will be affected by the recent turbulence in Iran stemming from possibly fraudulent presidential election results.
Image- AFP
Online Sources- The Latin Americanist, AFP, PRESS TV
Labels: Douglas Fraser, Iran, Latin America, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Legislators advocate for Haitian immigrants
A group of five U.S. lawmakers urged the Obama administration to enact Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian migrants.
The bipartisan delegation of Democratic and Republican Representatives from south Florida traveled to Haiti this week. There, they met with President René Préval and other diplomatic and military officials during the quick one-day visit.
As Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart observed, the White House would do well by revising the State Department travel warning to the Caribbean country as well as granting TPS to an estimated 30,000 Haitians:
"It's a beautiful country, Haiti, with an extraordinary history and one of the ways in which they are going to lift themselves up from poverty is with tourism," the Herald quoted him saying. "I would urge and I will, the Obama administration, the State Department to review that policy because the lack of security that has been at the cause of the warning to U.S. tourists has been improved."
Haitian exile groups, immigrant advocates, and even celebrities have long called for permitting TPS to Haitians. U.S. immigration officials under Obama and his predecessor have continually rejected requests for granting TPS.
Image- LAHT
Online Sources- CBS4.com, The Latin Americanist, UPI, Miami Herald
Labels: Haiti, immigration, Rene Preval
* Brazil: A late Dani Alves strike was just enough for Brazil to make it to the Confederations Cup final and face the U.S. in a rematch.
* Latin America: Should the International Monetary Fund be scrapped and replaced with a region wide body? Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa thinks so.
* Mexico: In the latest outbreak of violence the bodies of four people including two policemen were found abandoned in the state of Guerrero.
* Caribbean: A Dominican boat captain was sentenced to over nine years in jail for participating in a smuggling operation that ended with six deaths.
Image- AP ("Brazil's Daniel Alves reacts after scoring a goal during their Confederations Cup semifinal soccer match against South Africa at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, Thursday, June 25, 2009. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)")
Online Sources- UPI, MSNBC, AFP, BBC Sport
Labels: Brazil, Confederations Cup, Daily Headlines, Dominican Republic, immigration, international economy, International Monetary Fund, Latin America, Mexico, Rafael Correa, soccer, violence
Today's Video: Good bye Mike
It is very rare when one sees a figure so iconic that he not only excels in his profession but catches the attention of the public for both good and bad reasons. Such was the case of pop music legend Michael Jackson who died Thursday at the age of 50.
His talent as a gifted musician led him to transcend his industry and to be placed onto a high pedestal by his admirers. His life was tragic not only in his being exploited by so many sycophants but also due to his own foibles and shortcomings. Tonight his millions of fans and others will take a moment to remember him and mourn his passing.
(Yes, I'm aware that plenty of deaths happen daily and there are lots of unsung heroes who are not recognized for the lives they led. Furthermore, Jackson has nothing to do with Latin America per se. Yet his life, and his subsequent death, surely touched a nerve in even the most casual observer which is why we've briefly discussed his passing.)
Online Sources- CNN, YouTube, MSNBC
Labels: Michael Jackson, music, obituary, video
White House keeps flaking on immigration reform
During last year's U.S. presidential election both Barack Obama and John McCain went out of their way to ignore the topic of immigration. (Except for a few ads, naturally). Once in the Oval Office, Obama has done very little on immigration despite lip service over claims that he backs "comprehensive immigration reform".
Despite calls for something to be done, the possibility of immigration reform being debated (much less voted on) in Congress this year appears to be less and less.
Faced with what could be a backlash over inaction, the White House has started covering their backs:
White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said today that there is not enough support in Congress now to pass a comprehensive immigration bill providing a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, though he would not rule out adoption of such a measure by the 2010 elections.
Speaking at a breakfast meeting with Washington-based reporters, Emanuel said one of the reasons the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and proponents of an immigration overhaul asked for a meeting at the White House later today "is because the votes aren't there."
"If the votes were there, you wouldn't need to have the meeting," Emanuel said. "You'd go to a roll call [vote]."
Actually, Rahm, could it be that the reason that there's going to be yet another meeting with the CHC is because the White House continues to move the goalposts on immigration reform? Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle have admitted that they would be willing to debate the issue as early as this autumn. Will the White House continue to keep delaying reform and pass the blame onto legislators?
In short, how much longer must we wait?
Image-The Independent
Online Sources- Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, The Latin Americanist
Labels: immigration, Obama administration
Honduras: Uproar over armed forces firing (Updated)
Update (10:15pm):
Despite being ordered by the Supreme Court to restore the armed forces chief President Manuel Zelaya vowed to defy the tribunal's orders.
Earlier today we alluded to how the political situation has heated up over President Manuel Zelaya's plans to reform the Honduran constitution. The situation came to a boil today with the firing and possible return of the armed forces head.
Four days before a constitutional referendum is to take place, Zelaya fired the armed forces chief and the Minister of Defense after both officials refused to back Zelaya. "There is a crisis generated by some sectors who have promoted destabilization and chaos with the intent of causing serious problems for democracy in Honduras," Zelaya said last night in a televised speech. In a move of solidarity the heads of the Army, Navy, and Air Force subsequently quit; thus leaving a crisis of power in the Central American country's powerful armed forces.
Moments ago, however, the country's top court intervened and ordered Zelaya to reinstate the armed forces head:
The Supreme Court reinstated Gen. Romeo Vasquez as head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff a day after Zelaya fired him for refusing to support Sunday's referendum, which is meant to measure voter support for possible constitution reforms.
Court President Jorge Rivera warned that if Zelaya does not honor the court ruling, "he will have to face penal consequences."'
The top court, Congress and the attorney general say the vote is illegal because it would violate constitutional clauses barring some reforms.
For his part, Vazquez said that he respected Zelaya's decision though warned that the president is violating Honduran law.
The nonbinding referendum would ask voters if they want to move ahead and permit an assembly to make a new constitution.
Online Sources- Monsters & Critics, AP, CNN, BBC News
Posted by Erwin C. at 4:00 PM 6 comments: Links to this post
Labels: armed forces, Honduras, Manuel Zelaya, military, referendum
Congress to examine Puerto Rican status vote
Puerto Rican politicos traveled to Capitol Hill yesterday and argued for and against a congressionally ordered referendum to decide the island's political status.
The Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2009 was recently introduced to the House of Representatives for debate. If approved, Puerto Ricans on the island would get a two-tiered vote on whether to keep the island as a commonwealth or change the political status to an independent country or the 51st U.S. state. It's vital to note the double-edged nature of the vote since Congress, not the Puerto Rican electorate, would have the final say on the island's future. (Some vote, huh?)
Opponents of the proposal like Puerto Rico's House Minority Speaker Héctor Ferrer and other pro-commonwealth advocates argued that the bill unfairly favors a path to statehood. On the other hand, Puerto Rico Gov. Luis Fortuño (representing the pro-statehood PNP) claimed that a referendum is beneficial:
"The reality is that the island's current status does not enable the people of Puerto Rico to fulfill their potential for social, economic and political development," the island's governor said Wednesday in a hearing of the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Fortuño said that despite the inflow of some $20 billion in U.S. federal assistance each year, Puerto Rico continues to suffer from a chronic problem of low economic performance.
He said the measure presented by Puerto Rico's non-voting representative to Congress, Pedro Pierluisi, provides for a "just and impartial" process, without taking a position in favor of or against the options on the table.
Puerto Rico was established as a commonwealth in 1952 and since then Puerto Ricans have voted in three plebiscites to continue with that status.
Image- LAHT (Puerto Rico Gov. Luis Fortuño favors a congressionally ordered referendum for the island).
Online Sources- LAHT, etaiwannews.com, Miami Herald
Labels: Luis Fortuño, Puerto Rico, referendum
* Paraguay: One of the women involved in a paternity suit against priest-turned-president Fernando Lugo alleged that he started their relationship by raping her.
* Honduras: Thousands of people took to the streets of San Pedro Sula to protest President Manuel Zelaya's desire to reform the Honduran constitution.
* Mexico: "The future of democracy" in Mexico is at stake said President Felipe Calderon in reference to the need to combat rampant violence and crime.
* Bolivia: Police arrested seven members of the country's Mennonite Christian community and accused them of raping sixty women including several minors.
Image- New Zealand Herald ("Paraguay's President Fernando Lugo (L) and Benigna Leguizamon (R), who alleges Lugo is the father of her six-year-old son (not pictured).")
Online Sources- Brisbane Times, Guardian UK, LAHT, BBC News
Labels: Benigna Leguizamon, Bolivia, crime, Daily Headlines, Felipe Calderon, Fernando Lugo, Honduras, justice, Manuel Zelaya, Mennonite Christians, Mexico, Paraguay, paternity, protest, violence, women
Today's Video: Dale gringos!
Alternate title: A funny thing happened on the way to the Confederations Cup final.
In a huge upset, the U.S. won their Confederations Cup semifinals match against Spain by a score of 2-0. The top-ranked team in the world had not lost in a record 35 matches and had not even received a goal against in the run of group play. But that all changed with a gutsy, hard-fought, collective effort by the "stars and stripes" with goals by Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey.
(In a neat twist, Altidore plies his trade for Spanish club Villarreal and spent most of last season sitting on the bench after being loaned to second division side Xerex).
After the game, goalkeeper Tim Howard still couldn't believe what happened in the frigid South African evening:
"I can't explain it any more than you can," Howard said. "Sports is funny sometimes, but when you put your mind to something, you can achieve it."
The following are highlights of the two goals from Mexican TV; note how excited the announcer is despite U.S. and Mexico being such bitter rivals on the pitch:
Online Sources- AP, Houston Chronicle, BBC Sport, YouTube, USA TODAY
Labels: Confederations Cup, soccer, Spain, video
U.S., Venezuela to restore diplomats?
According to Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro the U.S. and Venezuela will restore their respective ambassadors.
While speaking to reporters during the summit of the ALBA trade bloc, Maduro claimed that the move "will take place in the coming days, and as soon as the ambassadors have resumed their functions we will move forward to a more fluid communication." That seemed to be confirmed by source at Venezuela's Foreign Ministry who told Reuters that" Bernardo Alvarez returns to Washington this Friday (and) relations have been reestablished."
The State Department didn't confirm or deny Maduro's claims though spokeswoman Heide Bronke Fulton said that "since Secretary (of State Hillary) Clinton and (Venezuelan President Hugo) Chavez spoke at the Summit of the Americas, both our governments have worked toward the goal of returning ambassadors to our respective capitals."
Both diplomats were sent packing in September after Bolivia's Evo Morales accused U.S. ambassador Philip Goldberg of conspiring against the Andean sate's government. Assuming that Maduro is correct, the restoring of ambassadors would mark an improvement in U.S.-Venezuela relations.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said in April, at a summit of the Americas where he met US President Barack Obama for the first time, that he hoped to send an ambassador back to Washington.
Mr. Chavez was a fierce critic of the US under former President George W Bush, accusing Washington of plotting to assassinate him.
But in a sign of warming ties, Mr. Obama shook hands with Mr. Chavez at the summit, and accepted a book from the Venezuelan leader.
Image- China Daily ("Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez (L) greets new US ambassador to Venezuela, Patrick Duddy, at the Miraflores Palace in Caracas in this October 29, 2007 file photo.")
Online Sources- BBC News, The Latin Americanist, Reuters, AFP
Labels: Bolivia, diplomacy, Nicolas Maduro, Patrick Duddy, Philip Goldberg, Venezuela
Obama to Chile: No apologies
President Barack Obama refused to apologize over the role that U.S. intelligence played in the 1973 coup d'état against Chilean President Salvador Allende.
After receiving current Chilean leader Michelle Bachelet in the White House, Obama was asked about CIA involvement in Latin America such as the coup that brought Augusto Pinochet into power. Despite admitting that errors have been made in the past, Obama emphasized the need to move ahead in U.S.-Latin America relations:
"I'm interested in going forward, not looking backward," said Obama, who has pledged to reinvigorate ties with Latin America, after what his advisors believe was neglect during the previous Bush administration.
"I think that the United States has been an enormous force for good in the world. I think there have been times where we've made mistakes," Obama said in the Oval Office.
"But I think that what is important is looking at what our policies are today, and what my administration intends to do in cooperating with the region.
(Obama's remarks were similar to the ones made during the recent Summit of the Americas after being criticized by Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega).
Obama also praised Chile's improving economy under Bachelet which he described as "a good lesson for the U.S." Obama also commended Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for being "a very practical person" and for promoting democratic ideals.
Online Sources- The Latin Americanist, AFP, Santiago Times, La Plaza, Slate
Labels: Chile, coup d'état, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Michelle Bachelet, Obama administration, salvador allende
Miercoles Musical: Wednesday morning Café
One of the most popular and well-known rock en español groups of the past two decades is Mexico's Café Tacuba. What makes them tick after twenty years in the spotlight? The Los Angeles Times' Deborah Bonello checks out the band during their recent performance in front of a raucous crowd in Mexico City:
Café Tacuba's tour stops in Los Angeles tonight, Chicago on Friday, and New York City on Sunday.
Online Sources- Los Angeles Times, Café Tacuba's website
Labels: Café Tacuba, Mexico, Miercoles Musical, music
* Uruguay: The local press revealed that Uruguay's government quietly paid $42 million in compensation to over 3000 political prisoners who were tortured during that country's military dictatorship between 1973 and 1985.
* Venezuela: Russia and Venezuela signed an agreement yesterday to start a joint bank with an initial capital of $4 billion.
* Honduras: Honduras became the latest country with a swine flu fatality after a 23-year-old woman died.
* Bolivia: The news director of Bolivian TV channel PAT apologized for mistakenly showing images from "Lost" and claiming that they came from the recently-crashed Air France Flight 447.
Image- CBS News (This 2005 photo shows ex-Uruguayan President Juan Maria Bordaberry who ruled the country during the "Dirty War" period.")
Online Sources- CNN, The Latin Americanist, AFP, LAHT, CBC
Labels: accident, Bolivia, Brazil, Daily Headlines, Dirty War, health, Honduras, human rights, international economy, Lost, media, Russia, swine flu, Uruguay, Venezuela
Today's Video: Behind the threads
Aside from the brief interludes of really cheesy Latino-like music, check out this great interview with fashion designer Isabel Toledo:
If the Cuban-American's name sounds familiar it's most likely due to her designs for First Lady Michelle Obama.
Several ensembles designed by Toledo are currently on exhibit at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology museum.
Online Source- YouTube, New York Daily News, Time
Labels: fashion, Isabel Toledo, Michelle Obama, video
Report: Immigrants key to housing recovery
One of the reasons given for the seemingly perpetual delay in the Obama administration's ignoring of immigration reform is that it's more vital for the White House to tackle the terrible state of the economy. Yet such an excuse belies the fact that immigration, legal and otherwise, has a notable impact of the economy.
A report released this week by Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies found that the U.S. housing market "faces an uphill climb" to recovery. The study found that high unemployment and consumer debt have hurt the housing market as "sales of both new and existing homes continued to struggle to find a bottom."
Researchers cited groups such as so-called "echo boomers" as key to maintain a future recovery. Take a guess at who the study also cited:
A perceived strain on government resources has caused some Americans to begrudge the country's immigrant population. But Harvard researchers, in a new white paper released Monday, are saying that a slowdown in immigration could hurt the long-term real estate market…
While the natural ebb and flow of family formations is expected to reinvigorate housing, the unknown variable, future immigration levels, "remain a wild card that could either dampen housing demand or lift production even higher." Fewer people have been moving to the U.S. since job opportunities have slumped, and if this continues "a deep, prolonged recession would likely suppress immigration to levels that are never fully made up.
Furthermore, the report said that "minorities will fuel 73 percent of household growth in 2010-20, with Hispanics leading the way at 36 percent."
But go ahead and keep up the delays, boys. Your short-sightedness has become a sad joke.
Image- MSN Money
Online Sources- Joint Center for Housing Studies, Christian Science Monitor, Bloomberg, Forbes, Politico
Labels: housing, immigration
Peru's Garcia hammered by another protest
Peruvian President Alan Garcia's level of popularity has hit its lowest point since November as most of his countrymen are upset over the weakening economy and his handling of anti-government protests. Another demonstration in Peru could make things worse for the unpopular leader.
Approximately 3000 miners have blocked off one of Peru's main highways for a second day as they are upset with the actions of their U.S.-run employer- Doe Run. The company has repeatedly cut the workforce at its smelter in La Oroya much to the chagrin of workers and union reps.
Further complicating matters is that the troubled company has undergone numerous delays in cleaning up massive environmental damage at La Oroya which was to be completed years ago. As losses mount trying to clean La Oroya, the company keeps shedding jobs thus leading to the blockade.
Despite calls for government intervention the Garcia administration has decided against doing so:
Peru's Government reiterated that it has no plans to intervene in the Doe Run mining company (one of the biggest mineral exporters in the country) in order to save it from financial collapse…
"An intervention would be very complicated in terms of responsibilities and financial consequences, because it is very likely that we would have to face international claims," said Pedro Sanchez (Peru's Minister of Energy and Mining) to a local radio.
Image- Javno.hr
Online Sources- Living in Peru, Washington Post, the Latin Americanist, LAHT, Reuters
Labels: Alan Garcia, mining, Peru, protest
Bachelet and Obama to Meet Today
Chilean President Michelle Bachelet is in Washington today for a meeting with President Barack Obama. President Bachelet is seeking to increase dialogue with with the United States, as well as to deepen her understanding of the its' policies towards Latin America.
"We hope to advance Chile's very promising bilateral relations with the United States," Mariano Fernandez, the Chilean foreign minister, said.
Bachelet is also scheduled to meet with Vice President Joe Biden and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday, as well as Jose Miguel Insulza, general secretary of the Organization of American States. She will also give a talk at the Brookings Institution today.
Online sources: AFP, Brookings Institution
Image: Santiago Times
Posted by Lauren at 11:38 AM No comments: Links to this post
Labels: Barack Obama, Chile, Michelle Bachelet
Coca Cultivation and Cocaine Production Decrease in Colombia
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) announced that coca cultivation and cocaine production in Colombia has sharply decreased. Cultivation dropped by 18% to 81,000 hectares, while production dropped by 28%, from 600 metric tons in 2007 to 430 metric tons in 2008. The UNODC attributes this to a decline in the value of the coca leaf for Colombia farmers, as well as successful manual eradication and fumigation tactics.
"Cocaine supply is shrinking, as is demand in major markets in North America while cocaine use in Western Europe has stopped growing," said Antonio Maria Costa, the executive director of the UNODC. "This may explain why prices are up, and purity is down. This may also explain why cartels are becoming so violent."
A decline was not the case for two other Andean nations: Cultivation increased by 6% in Bolivia and 4.5% in Peru. Their cocaine production levels increased by 9% and 4.1% respectively.
Online sources: UNODC, CNN
Image: International Business Times
Posted by Lauren at 8:50 AM No comments: Links to this post
Labels: Bolivia, coca, Colombia, drugs, Peru, United Nations, war on drugs
* Mexico: Police have arrested seven local officials and charged them with negligent homicide in the deadly day care fire that killed 47 children.
* U.S.: Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa decided that he will not run for California governor in 2010.
* Latin America: Is President Barack Obama's apparent change of heart over free trade pacts with Panama and Colombia a sensible move or an ugly flip-flop?
* Chile: Chilean U.N. ambassador Heraldo Muñoz will head a commission to examine the 2007 assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
Online Sources- UPI, Christian Science Monitor, Bloomberg, MSNBC
Labels: Antonio Villaraigosa, Benazir Bhutto, California, children, Chile, Colombia, Daily Headlines, fire, free trade, justice, Los Angeles, Mexico, Obama administration, Panama
Today's Video: Iran's "Mister Danger"
With the Iranian authorities clamping down on civil liberties, stifling dissent, and turning a blind eye to police abuses, it would be foolhardy and inhumane for any head of state to solidly back Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Sadly, it's a lesson that one Latin American leader has decided to ignore:
Online Sources- BBC News, UPI, Al Jazeera English, Reuters
Labels: election, Hugo Chavez, human rights, Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Venezuela, video, violence
Mexico close to decriminalizing some drug use
According to the Los Angeles Times, Mexico's government is moving to decriminalizing the personal possession of certain narcotics.
The proposal to allow people to carry small amounts of drugs like cocaine and marijuana was debated and approved in April by the Mexican Congress. The bill awaits the approval of President Felipe Calderon who, coincidentally, was the impetus behind the legislation.
Despite the high amount of violence in Mexico stemming from drug gangs, the Calderon administration believes that the decriminalization measure will help combat crime:
(Calderon's) reasoning: It makes sense to distinguish between small-time users and big-time dealers, while re-targeting major crime-fighting resources away from the consumers and toward the dealers and their drug lord bosses.
"The important thing is . . . that consumers are not treated as criminals," said Rafael Ruiz Mena, secretary general of the National Institute of Penal Sciences. "It is a public health problem, not a penal problem."
Though the U.S. and Mexico have vowed greater cooperation in order to stem drug-related violence, it remains to be seen how the White House will react to the decriminalization plan. It was only three years ago that Calderon's predecessor- Vicente Fox- tried to push through his own decriminalization bill but he quickly backtracked after being pressured by the Bush administration.
Image- Guardian UK
Online Sources- Guardian UK, The Latin Americanist, Los Angeles Times
Labels: drugs, Felipe Calderon, Mexico, Vicente Fox
"Time to rethink celibacy" says priest-turned-president
After fathering at least one child during his time as a priest, who better than Paraguayan president Fernando Lugo to give his views on celibacy:
"I believe that it's time to rethink celibacy in Latin America and the world" declared Lugo…
"Celibacy is a value within the Catholic Church that needs to be recognized as a sign of God's realm. (Yet) when that sign is lost then I think we must rethink celibacy in Latin America and the world. I think that the most recent incidents should call us and the Church to have a serene reflection over the value of celibacy" insisted Lugo in an interview with Chilean daily El Mercurio. – [ed. personal translation]
Lugo added that he now "assumed the consequences" of having fathered a child with 26-year-old Viviana Carillo two years ago. Last week, a local judge allowed that child to adopt his dad's name with Lugo's explicit permission.
Two other women have gone to court in paternity suits claiming that Lugo fathered their children. In one of those cases, Lugo has refused to take a court-ordered DNA test.
Image-Milenio
Online Sources- Clarin, La Nacion, BBC Mundo, The Latin Americanist, Washnigton Examiner
Labels: Catholic Church, children, Fernando Lugo, justice, motherhood, Paraguay
Venezuela opposition unveils anti-crime plan
The head of Venezuela's opposition has called on President Hugo Chavez to declare a "national emergency" against crime.
Blaming the Chavez administration for engaging in "ostrich politics", Un Nuevo Tiempo (UNT) leader Omar Barbosa laid out a wide-ranging plan to combat crime. This would include strengthening local law enforcement bodies, promoting cultural activates as an alternative to violence, and forcing the federal government to "renounce using aggressive dialogue".
One pro-Chavez news piece blasted the UNT and Barbosa's anti-crime strategy:
Who do they really want to take weapons away from? Certainly the well-off classes are armed and I'm not afraid (or should I be) to say that their "armed to the teeth." Do they truly believe that these people will yield their right to "defend" themselves so easily? Could it be that the emergency plan it to violently attack the poorest communities of our large cities? – [ed. personal translation]
According to the AP, crime has become the top concern among Venezuelans and that the government "has stopped releasing annual murder figures."
The UNT was formed earlier this month in order to create a "unified platform" against Chavez and his allies. According to Spanish daily ABC, the UNT is made up of ten political parties from different parts of the political spectrum. Though the next elections will be for local offices next year, the UNT aims to become a "permanent movement".
Image- New York Times (2006 photo of "a Venezuelan policeman detaining men in Caracas.")
Online Sources- ABC, Radio Mundial, eTaiwannews, BBC Mundo, El Espectador, El Nacional
Labels: crime, Hugo Chavez, Omar Barbosa, Un Nuevo Tiempo, Venezuela, violence
"Lost" in translation over Flight 447 crash
Bolivian news network PAT recently uncovered what they considered as "exclusive" photos taken from the ill-fated Air France Flight 447 which crashed off the Brazilian coast weeks ago. If the photos appear vaguely familiar to you that's because they are images from the fictional Oceanic Airlines accident on the popular television series "Lost":
Not only was PAT fooled by the photos of Evangeline Lily and co. but so was Dutch radio station BNR who "called the photos reliable."
As the urban rumors research site snopes.com noted, the fake crash photos were first used as a hoax for a 2006 mid-air collision over Brazil which left over 150 dead.
Officials have thus far identified eleven of the fifty bodies recovered from the Flight 447 accident; ten of the deceased were ID'd as Brazilian.
Online Sources- The Latin Americanist, YouTube, Gawker, snopes.com, BBC News
Labels: accident, air travel, Bolivia, Brazil, hoax, Lost, media
* Ecuador: President Rafael Correa said that he would consider allowing Ecuador to throw out foreign oil firms that sue the state in international courts.
* Peru: President Alan Garcia's popularity has hit its lowest point in eight months as people are indignant over his handling of anti-government protests.
* Mexico: Over 1500 additional troops have been sent to the border city of Ciudad Juarez in an attempt to stop drug-related violence.
* U.S.: Portugal could join fellow E.U. members Italy and (possibly) Spain in taking in detainees from the Guantanamo prison camp.
Image- CNBC
Online Sources- The Latin Americanist, LAHT, Washington Post, ABC Online, AHN
Labels: Alan Garcia, Daily Headlines, Ecuador, European Union, Guantanamo, Italy, justice, law enforcement, Mexico, oil, Peru, Portugal, protest, Rafael Correa, Spain, violence
Honduras: Uproar over armed forces firing (Updated...
Coca Cultivation and Cocaine Production Decrease i...
"Time to rethink celibacy" says priest-turned-pres...


In this video I give you tips on what you can do to get motivated and stay motivated in relation to weight loss.
Following a healthy nutritional plan is not complicated. I did this interview with Anne Owens from Anne Owens Nutrition as part of the MIND OVER BODY weight loss programme. Anne gives practical guidelines anyone can follow and which are easily incorporated into your daily routine.
In this video I chat to Anne Owens from Anne Owens Nutrition about the effect sugar has on your body and Anne gives some tips on what to look out for and how you can make changes to eat less sugar.
Top tips summarised by Anne from Anne Owens Nutrition, who gives nutritional guidance to participants on the MIND OVER BODY weight loss programme.
Why do we self-sabotage and how to stop it.
In this video I talk about why we self-sabotage and give you tips on how to overcome it.
A short description what the MIND OVER BODY weight loss programme is all about.


"Things to do to have fun". Definitely amusement parks, plus other ideas.
Email me if you think of something I should add to the list!
About an hour away, on the opposite end of the 275 circle.
On the KY side of Cincinnati.
Fun all year, and beautiful lights at Christmastime.
In Erlanger, KY, about 20 minutes away.
Lots happening in Newport, KY.
Idlewild DiscGolf is in Burlington, KY.
About 20 minutes from Petersburg.


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And now I'm sitting on the plane. Each passenger was deep in thoughts and so was I, I could only think about my health. Then I realised I wasn't only surrounded by businessmen, women and kids, but by people just like me, who wanted to live.
When I arrived in Zurich, I took a deep breath and felt an ease of mind accompanied by hope. I had never thought that it would be possible to feel so self-confident.
Two years passed by and my treatment finds an end. With a big smile the doctor tells me that my future visits will only be controls.
Thanks to MEDIP I'm healthy again. My family and I are endlessly grateful. Your service is at the highest level, as everything else is in Switzerland.
I'd like to thank all staff members of the MEDIP Company for their organisation of a first-class medical treatment in Switzerland. Thanks to their professional work my family and I were treated by the best European doctors within no time. This implied among other services the consultations, examinations and the medical care. All non-medical aspects of our stay in Switzerland had also been organised in every detail by MEDIP. We never had any problems, no matter if it involved translation, visa application, transfer or accommodations. For that reason we could completely focus on our health.


A day after the Yankees clinched a playoff berth, Phil Hughes kept alive New York�s slim hopes in the AL East.
The rookie right-hander allowed four hits in seven innings, and Jose Molina delivered a two-run single last night to lead the Yankees over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, 3-1.
Joba Chamberlain pitched on consecutive days for the first time, striking out B.J. Upton to escape a jam with runners at first and second in the eighth inning. The Yankees have brought the rookie along slowly, but Joba Rules have been eased during the past week, putting him in position where he can be used relatively freely in the postseason.
Chamberlain has allowed just one earned run in 23-2/3 innings since joining the Yankees in early August and has struck out 34.
Jose Veras pitched the ninth, completing a six-hitter for his second career save.
New York, which rested Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and four other regulars, are two games behind first-place Boston. The Yankees finish the regular season with a weekend series at Baltimore before opening the playoffs, likely at Cleveland.
Hughes (5-3) walked two and struck out five. He yielded Carlos Pena�s 44th homer in the fourth, as well as singles to Delmon Young, Josh Wilson and Akinori Iwamura.
Tampa Bay wasted a good performance by Scott Kazmir, who allowed one run and three hits in six innings. The 23-year-old left-hander fanned 10 to pass Johan Santana for the major league strikeouts lead with 239.
With a playoff berth in hand, manager Joe Torre rested Rodriguez, Jeter, Jorge Posada, Bobby Abreu, Melky Cabrera and Doug Mientkiewicz.
Chien-Ming Wang or Andy Pettitte will start the playoff opener next week. The Yankees are hopeful that Roger Clemens, who is rehabbing a strained left hamstring, will be ready to pitch Game 3.


West of Redding along Platina Rd.
Had 5 Monarchs all weekend.
This area is managed by a timber co.; and it is swarming with hundreds of Papilio Swallowtails with large numbers of Cloudless Sulphur, and Gulf Fritillary. It was an amazing day.
Juvenal's Duskywings were a mated pair. The identification was from the female, with its 2 spots on the ventral side of the hindwing. The interesting thing is the male was a light chocolate brown, with little to no mottling dorsal or ventral.
Sunshine and rain, on and off, today but we still had lots of butterflies, Clearwing Moths and bees coming in to the flowers.
Have lots of monarch caterpillars munching on my milkweed plants I started in two flats and on Butterfly Weed in the garden Seen Monarchs the last three days fluttering around.
Female laying eggs on milkweed plant.
Nice variety in 45 mins on a rather hot (91) humid afternoon.
This is the first Giant Swallowtail I've encountered in Essex County (12 miles from Manhattan) and/or in a populated area (an urban/suburban neighborhood). It came to my window flower boxes a few times about 5 feet away from me as I was drinking my morning coffee. Moved on too quickly to get a photo.
Tried to repeat yesterdays sigthings, but got rained out.
A sunny day brought lots of butterflies, Clearwing Moths and bees to the flowers in our garden.
I also saw a skipper, but am not sure of the species.
It was overcast most of the day but that didn't stop the Monarchs from moving through the refuge. They were on Milkweed and Goldenrod flowers.
Many Appalachian Browns were fresh as in the photo. Many were worn.
Personal early date for this species.
I saw my 1st Zebra Heliconian of the year as crossed the hwy.
The Giant Swallowtail was the fourth seen this year in the last three weeks.
Observations from Washington ditch & Jericho ditch trails between 10:40 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Observations made between 8:30 & 9:30 a.m.
Hwy !80 West,Gulf Shores Al.
There was a light rain all morning.
The sun came out this afternoon and brought in the butterflies.
This is the road that leads to the Great Dismal Swamp Headquarters.
One of the Cloudless Sulphurs was a white form female laying eggs on partridge pea.
Observations made between 8:35 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.
Hugh S Branyon Back County Trail,in The Gulf State Park,Orange Beack Al.
Our fall colors are right on the edge of popping. They are not leaves but flowers; mostly goldenrod; it turns fallow fields yellow for several weeks as one species fades another will come into full bloom.
One week and one violent thunderstorm later, Bronze Coppers from last week disappeared (although they sometimes "hide" in the mid-afternoon)… Eastern Tiger & Spicebush Swallowtails also gone, and not a single Monarch.
5 Harvester larvae found. A female Harvester was seen laying eggs higher up in same tree.
Slowing down but lots of Pearl Crescents down in the wetland.
All species recorded as part of the Macaulay Honors College BioBlitz. I took some pains explaining to the student participants on the Lepidoptera team how lucky they were to see Giant Swallowtail and Harvester on the same day. I'm sure I never did so in NYC before yesterday.
Beautiful morning, weather cooling in Houston. Quiet, well maintained park. Found most butterflies at park entrance and north along frontage road.
I also saw 3 skippers.
Oyster Bay Rd,Gulf Shores Al.
I sighted another Funeral Duskwing today; last one was several weeks ago.
The storms last night beat up the flowers in our garden but that didn't stop the butterflies visiting us today.
The Silver-spotted Skipper 5th instar caterpillar that was collected the third week of August have begun to make chrysalises.
Below are 2 of the 3 individuals shown in their nests during preparation, midway through, and a completed chrysalis.
Garden is exploding with activity! A pollinating paradise!
Not much time today; between the thunder storms, The mowing crews have stopped about 1/2 way down Oyster Bay Rd. The equipment is still parked where they stopped for the weekend, so they will probably finish the job this week.
Our Harleysville, PA backyard garden.
There have been very few butterflies coming through for the past two days because of the weather.
The swallowtail was laying eggs on several plants.
Only the 1st 2 miles and back.
Three male and one female Berry's Skipper seen. Female larger, redder, and more skittish than the males. Berry's Skippers and most other skippers nectaring on blue mistflower.
This very worn individual turned up on the butterfly bush in my side yard. I only had my phone with me, so the image quality isn't great, but I'm glad it stayed long enough to get a few shots.
About 5 miles west of Ono on Platina Rd.
Byssus Skipper nectaring on Liatris.
East 10th Street,Gulf Shores Al.
10th Street runs along side,the cities sewer treatment plant, is a good location in the cooler months.lantana and frog fruit are in bloom almost year round; along this out flow ditch.
Dotted Skippers nectaring on Carphephorus and Liatris.
Blazing Star flowers were the draw in the refuge.
We haven't had many butterflies for a couple of days but this afternoon they came in again.
First record of this species for New Jersey!
Eastern Tailed-Blue perched on convenience store wall at 7 a.m., along with moths.
Lots of Bidens and Thalia and a few lucky spiders.
Northern White-Skipper was 3 mi north of Old Station along Hwy 89 and the others were at Cayton Creek along Hwy 89.
Copper seen at 10,300+ feet.
The summer season is over for those of us here along the northern gulf coast; so now I can take some time off. I'll be heading to the Port St Joe area to collect a meal or two of late season Bay Scallops. Last year while in that area I found the Great Southern Whites were common along the roadways.
East Canal and 3rd;also East 10th St.
We went birding at Brigantine today. The thistles and goldenrod were in full bloom with lots of butterflies on the flowers.
The butterfly landed on my son at the playground this afternoon, and stayed there (while my son walked around and even played carefully) for quite some time. Finally, I had my son carefully transfer the butterfly to a nearby tree.
Only one individual seen in the 1 hour we were in the area, flying around and perching on the ground mostly. Plant salvage happening in the area so more water than surrounding area due to dry summer. Mourning Cloak and Dorcas Copper were also seen in the area in the past week.
This female Monarch emerged from it's Chrysalis yesterday in our garden which is a certified Monarch Waystation in Winchester VA.
There were lots of butterflies through the yard today. They were on the goldenrod, buddleia, vitex and zinnias.
Finally got a chance to identify this butterfly today. It's been flitting through my yard for the past four days, but never lighting to give me a chance to get a good look and identify it. Today it decided to stop and enjoy the just-opened asters and give me a chance to get close and collect some pics. You can see from the one attached that it's a bit tattered and scuffed up Giant Swallowtail.
I've been observing and chasing moths and butterflies for over 60 yrs in the Bethesda/Baltimore area and have never seen one of these here. I see its range includes this area, but it must be very rare in these parts.
I'd be curious to hear from others whether there are "hot spots" where these magnificent creatures can be seen more often in Maryland, or whether this is an unusual sighting and lucky photo op.
We've also had more monarch caterpillars on our orange butterfly weed out front than in the past six years, even though the number of adults has been very low again this year (fewer than a dozen sightings in our yard all summer). Attached pic of adult on butterfly weed and mature caterpillar.
This was only the third Mournful Duskywing I've seen this year - all in my garden.
Tarkiln Bayou State Park is just inside Fl.,even in a light rain butterflies were active.
Not as many butterflies today as yesterday but the migrations are not over.
Monarch butterfly emerged last night. This one will be released today.
North Juniper,.Foley Al.and Hwy 161,Orange Beach Al.
Dryer air came with this mornings clear sky. I guess it took a while for the butterflies to shake off the dampness from yesterdays heavy rains, it was show this AM, but picked up very nicely in the afternoon with most of the days sighting.
A sunny but very slow day for butterflies in our garden.
Yesterday we began seeing monarchs drinking from wildflowers during a walk along the coast. We may have seen a dozen. We have seen a couple more today.
Two fresh coppers and one fresh Lady and a few fresh Pearl Crescents say the season here isn't over yet!
Observed in butterfly garden. The Ocola Skipper was the first one of the year here.
Seen by Mary Collier and Valerie Freer. Relatively uncommon for our area but 5 individuals were seen this afternoon. Maybe not so uncommon after all!
returning from Pensacola, I stopped were there was a patch of 6 different kinds of wild flowers in the right of way.
The migrating Gulf Fritillary have reach our coast this week; and passion vines I planted last spring are now getting some attention. Late this morning the skies cleaned after some early AM showers; I found a female hovering over the highest tendril of my purple vine.
highlights of a brief PM stop after the International Beach Cleanup; Sulphurs and Painted Lady have been quite scare this year.
1 Monarch Chrysalis, located only about 1 foot from where we found the cat earlier.
About 90 min. observation. Not much sun to work with. Interesting fields full of Goldenrod, Joe-Pye weed and various aster sp.
Fewer butterflies as the eves and mornings have been in the 40's in SE Michigan. I have one last monarch chrysalis, expected to emerge very soon.
While Working on my son car; there was a steady stream of Cloudless Sulphurs, and Gulf Fritillary flying through the yard.
A quick 1.5 hour stop to check on Leonard's Skipper colony at this location. Great day for all skippers.
Ocola Skipper is the first county record we know of. Observed around 4 pm in the garden next to Montclair Public Library.
I found an area with a good number of White Peacocks this morning, and I found my 1st Byssus Skipper among the Palatka Skipper, all in the same small location.
Lots and lots of Cabbage Whites and Zabulon Skippers today. There was but one elusive Viceroy who refused to have his picture taken…oh well!
migrants seen in 10 hours of observation.
Saw one monarch in the backyard this afternoon. Also, this late comer emerged from its chrysalis this afternoon.
Powerline Rd.off Oyster Bay Rd.,and Plash Island,Gulf Shores Al.
I did a survey of the Oyster Bay Rd ditch to see if there was any color returning from the recent mowing. None.
Very few butterflies went through our yard today but there was one beautiful Black Morph Eastern Tiger Swallowtail.
seen in 3 hours, 1pm - 4 pm: migrants moving southwest.
State Hwy 161,Orange Beach ,Al. and Mobile St ,Gulf Shores Al.
A cold front went through late yesterday,and brought a full migration of dragonflies to the coast, and they are hungry. The smaller butterflies are getting attacked every time they take off.
Today was the invasion of the Orange Sulphurs…very nice!
One Hairstreak, too far away to identify species, probably a Gray.
This is the latest date I've seen a Northern Pearly-eye.
Co.Rd. 20 Foley Al. and Mobile St. Gulf Shores Al.
Cool and windy this morning, suppressed butterfly movement in all but the most protected areas; by late morning the wind had calmed and it warmed, and they returned to their normal movements. I found a couple of Palmetto Skipper visiting Blazing Star flowers on Mobile St. today, I was fooled back in June when I found what turned out to Delaware Skippers.
Searching for moths on the walls of this rest area, I found an Eastern Comma - wings extending vertically from the wall - instead, at about 7 a.m.
Examining the walls of this rest area for moths, I found a Silvery Checkerspot instead!
Also, several sulphurs flying in front of the facility, over the lawn.
Monarchs observed flying south over the interstate in both Indiana and Ohio.
State Hwy 161,Orange Beach Al.
I am checking the areas adjacent to where I have found several White Peacock, but they appear to localized as small group . There are singles being sighted several miles away at this time. The same area has produced another Palmetto Skipper sighting.
Weekly survey with Alan Wells. 68-71 Sunny.
Legacy Trail between Laurel Rd. and Central Sarasota Parkway.
Good butterfly turnout on the trail after much rain. Several Cloudless Sulphurs ovipositing on Partridge Pea. Bidens was the major nectar attractant for all.
Mostly along Gold Dust, Turkey, and River trails. Monarchs all very fresh and apparently of the Mexico-bound generation.
We were birding but the butterflies were all over the goldenrod and asters.
This is the first Milbert's Tortoiseshell on Long Island in 25 to 30 years.
Also saw at least 3 skippers.
Over cast most of the day, but I did find another Palmetto Skipper. The Mobile Street cuts through a back beach area called a trough and ridge system. The ridges are part of an ancient parallel dunes system, and are high and dry; with the troughs being wet. The ridges have what you would expect in tertiary dunes, trees, and bushes; woody plants; but in the troughs, there is whole range of wetlands are found, from salt ,freshwater marsh ,wet/dry marsh ,and some that are only occasionally wet with the corresponding vegetation. If this area was a little warmer the troughs would be filled with mangrove.
Single Monarch moving from Planter to planter filled with Lantana. Observed for about 90 minutes. Restaurant sits on the Little Sugar Creek Greenway at the Metro Center close to downtown Charlotte.
Monarchs are just beginning to come through and the Painted Ladies are also moving south.
over 100 orange sulphurs in fields and in the roads: Some large, some very small; some very orange, some nearly yellow; lots of white females.
Except for a 20 minute break when the sun came out it rained all day. The short break was just long enough for a few butterflies to get out.
Our Harleysville, PA backyard and adjacent fields.
There were sulphurs everywhere today…very nice.
The Sulphurs are still with us…just beautiful.
State Highway 59 in Loxley and Foley Al;also State Highway 161 Orange Beach Al.
Partly to mostly cloudy with enough sun to get us into the mid 80s;a lot of traveling to day with only a very short time in any one place to survey.
Partly to mostly cloudy with enough sun to get us into the mid 80s;a lot of traveling today with only a very short time in any one place to survey.


Michael Long is 'Living the Dream' at Richmond Golf Club after carding an incredible five under par 65 in round two of the Australian Seniors PGA Championship.
Mike Harwood leads a top heavy leaderboard after round one of the Australian PGA Seniors Championship following an impressive 7 under par 63.
Michael Long produced the round of the day, 5-under par 67, to take out the 2018 Lincoln Place NSW Senior Open at Thurgoona Golf and Country Club.
Michael Long has shot one of the rounds of the morning, a five under par 67, to move into the outright second spot at the Lincoln Place NSW Senior Open.
Conditions were perfect all day, but it is still the superb 61 shot by Peter Senior which leads the way after round one of the Lincoln Place NSW Senior Open.
There's plenty of familiar faces but it's an unfamiliar feeling for Western Australian based Kiwi Michael Long at this week's Lincoln Place NSW Senior Open at Thurgoona Country Club.
The Mollymook Golf Club was again the host of the coveted NSW PGA Senior Championship with 67 Professionals including the 2017 Champion Steve Conran vying for this year's title.
Tim Elliott and Brad Burns both fired a first round of 5-under par 65 to lead the Country Club St Georges Basin – Ladbrokes Legends Pro-Am.


With a significantly lower menthol content, spearmint is sweeter and more gentle than peppermint but still has many of the same properties. Spearmint's cool fragrance is clean and refreshing with a floral finish.
Use diluted in a carrier oil to sooth tense back and neck muscles or to dab onto the temples for headache relief. Refreshing spearmint calms the mind and body.
Spearmint graces the lungs with calming cool healing antioxidants. You must try spearmint added to the diffuser or salt inhaler, it is divine!
Our spearmint essential oil is steam distilled from flowering tops of the organically grown herb in the United States. Being milder and gentler than peppermint, spearmint is considered a superior mint for children and those with a sensitive sense of smell.


text:
«Академія Амбрелла» () — американський телевізійний серіал 2019 року, розроблений Стівом Блекманом для Netflix й є адаптацією однойменної серії коміксів видавництва Dark Horse Comics авторства Джерарда Вея.

Прем'єра першого сезону а відбулася на Netflix 15 лютого 2019 року. Прем'єра другого сезону відбулася 31 липня 2020 року. Прем'єра третього сезону відбулася 22 червня 2022 року. У серпні 2022 р. серіал було продовжено на четвертий і останній сезон.

Синопсис
1 жовтня 1989 року на світ одночасно з'являються 43 дитини в жінок, у яких у той самий день не було жодних ознак вагітності. Мільярдер Сер Реджинальд Гарґрівс усиновлює сімох із цих дітей та створює Академію Амбрелла. Гарґрівс називає своїх дітей за номерами від одного до семи, проте пізніше стають відомі їхні справжні імена: Клаус, Лютер, Дієго, Елісон, Бен і Ваня. Номер П'ять так і залишається неназваним. Коли діти стають підлітками, Гарґрівс посилає їх боротися зі злочинністю, тримаючи Ваню окремо від діяльності її братів та сестер, оскільки вона, на перший погляд, не володіє особливими здібностями. Уже дорослими, проживаючи окремо один від одного, брати і сестри дізнаються, що Реджінальд помер, і збираються на його похорон. П'ятий повертається з майбутнього зі звісткою, що глобальний апокаліпсис неминучий. Тим часом, возз'єднані брати і сестри намагаються розкрити таємницю своєї неблагополучної сім'ї.

У ролях

Головні

Український дубляж

Основний акторський склад

 Руслан Драпалюк — П'ятий
 Вячеслав Хостікоєв — Дієґо Гарґрівс
 Павло Лі — Бен Гарґрівс
 Олександр Солодкий — Бен Гарґрівс
 Анна Дончик — Ваня Гарґрівс
 Кирило Сузанський — Ваня Гарґрівс
 Дмитро Сова — Лютер Гарґрівс
 Антоніна Хижняк — Еллісон Гарґрівс
 Андрій Соболєв — Клаус Гарґрівс
 Юрій Гребельник — Пого
 Олег Лепенець — сер Реджинальд Гарґрівз
 Юлія Шаповал — Лайла
 Наталія Денисенко — Слоун
 Євген Шекера — Маркус, Гарлан (27)
 Роман Чорний — Альфонсо, Рекс Мак-Доннелл
 Наталія Романько-Кисельова — Ґрейс
 Світлана Шекера — Фей
 Катерина Трубенок — Джеймі
 Михайло Кришталь — Чет Родо
 Галина Дубок — Стен
 Андрій Твердак — Гарлан
 Максим Кондратюк — Сід, Герб
 Михайло Войчук — Старий П'ятий
 Дмитро Гаврилов — Раймонд

Додатковий акторський склад

Сезон 1

 Олена Узлюк
 Катерина Манузіна
 Юрій Кудрявець
 Максим Чумак
 Наталія Романько-Кисельова
 Дмитро Тварковський
 Роман Молодій
 Аліса Балан
 Софія Лозіна
 Володимир Кокотунов
 Михайло Кришталь
 Арсен Шавлюк
 Олександр Солодкий
 Володимир Канівець
 Катерина Башкіна-Зленко

Сезон 2

 Лідія Муращенко
 Дмитро Гаврилов
 Михайло Кришталь
 Олег Лепенець
 Максим Кондратюк
 Євген Пашин
 Олена Узлюк
 Андрій Альохін
 Юлія Шаповал
 Ірина Ткаленко
 Володимир Терещук
 Олена Борозенець
 Андрій Твердак
 Роман Молодій

Сезон 3

 Оксана Гринько
 Євгеній Сардаров
 Дмитро Тварковський
 Кристина Вижу
 Петро Сова
 Аліна Проценко
 Едуард Кіхтенко
 Юрій Гребельник

Серіал дубльовано студією «Postmodern» на замовлення компанії «Netflix» у 2021—2022 роках.

 Режисер дубляжу — Людмила Петриченко
 Перекладач — Юлія Євсюкова , Катерина Устинова
 Звукооператор — Богдан Клименко , Олександр Притчин , Сергій Александров , Генадій Алексєєв
 Спеціаліст зі зведення звуку — Юрій Антонов , Андрій Желуденко , Олександр Мостовенко
 Менеджер проекту — Олена Плугар
 Асистенти з дубляжу — Анастасія Дишкант , Катерина Трубенок

Список серій

Сезон 1 (2019)
Синопсис сезону: Возз'єднавшись після смерті батька, брат і сестра з надприродними силами дізнаються про приголомшливі сімейні таємниці — і фатальну загрозу для людства.

Сезон 2 (2020)
Синопсис сезону: Повернувшись у Даллас 1960-х років, брати і сестри окремо будують нові життя, поки загроза чергового судного дня не зводить їх разом.

Сезон 3 (2022)
Синопсис сезону: В Академії герої протистоять новим членам родини Гарґрівсів, а в місті таємнича сила спричиняє хаос.

Примітки

Посилання

Телесеріали США, запущені у 2019
Телесеріали США 2010-х років
Оригінальні програми Netflix
Телесеріали англійською мовою
Драматичні телесеріали США
Гостросюжетні телесеріали США
Екранізації коміксів
Телесеріали про подорожі у часі
Телесеріали, дубльовані чи озвучені українською мовою
Оригінальні телесеріали Netflix, дубльовані чи озвучені українською мовою

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Updated: Technip FMC lack of "overlap" should mean no repeat of Halli-Baker call off
Analysts are confident Technip and FMC Technologies will do what larger oil service and equipment providers Halliburton and Baker Hughes ouldn't - close a merger during the market downturn.
20/05/2016, 11:54 am Updated: 20/05/2016, 12:48 pm
Analysts are confident Technip and FMC Technologies will do what larger oil service and equipment providers Halliburton and Baker Hughes ouldn't – close a merger during the market downturn.
The $13 billion combination of US subsea-equipment supplier FMC with Paris-based Technip will deliver at least $400 million in annual pretax savings in 2019.
Industry peers Halliburton and Baker Hughes had also tried to join forces to weather the rout, but called off their planned merger this month amid resistance from regulators in the US and Europe over concerns about reduced competition.
By contrast, Technip's engineering and construction for large offshore projects complements FMC's flow-control subsea equipment, Bill Herbert, an analyst at Simmons & Co., said.
"The Halliburton-Baker transaction was a multifaceted transaction encompassing classic consolidation of several overlapping competitive product service lines," Herbert said.
"Technip and FTI? They're completely different animals. There is no overlap whatsoever."
The companies are combining at a time when tumbling crude prices have led customers to cancel projects and demand lower fees from suppliers, sapping earnings for oil-field drillers, servicers and engineers.
A 55% drop in oil since mid-2014 forced oil explorers to slash over $100 billion in spending last year and has led to more than 350,000 jobs cut globally in the industry.
Technip, Europe's biggest oil-services company, was valued at $6.19 billion as of Wednesday's close, having shrunk by a quarter over the past year. That compares with a $6.49 billion capitalisation for FMC, which declined more than 30 percent in the period. FMC is the world's largest provider of subsea equipment to the oil industry.
"I think this deal has a very high likelihood of being approved," said Sean Boland, an antitrust lawyer at Baker Botts LLP in Washington who represented Halliburton in the Baker Hughes deal. He did not represent anyone in the FMC-Technip deal.
The new entity, TechnipFMC, will be listed in Paris and New York, according to a joint statement. Technip chief executive Thierry Pilenko will be executive chairman while Doug Pferdehirt, president and chief operating officer of FMC, will serve as CEO. Each company's shareholders will own close to 50 percent of the combined group.
"The synergies targeted are significant — and above what we expected" given the lack of "overlap" between the two companies, said James Evans, an analyst at Exane BNP Paribas in London. Since they don't compete directly with each other, the deal is more likely to succeed than the blocked transaction between Halliburton and Baker Hughes, he said in a note.
"We are complementary companies," Pilenko said at a press briefing in the French capital. "If you stay narrow, sooner or later you're going to be commoditised."
It was reported last year that Technip and Houston-based FMC were in negotiations. The companies had already announced a joint venture for offshore fields, called Forsys Subsea, in March 2015 as they sought to cut costs to ride out the market downturn.
Philip Barker, partner and head of industrials at Cavendish Corporate Finance, said: "Given FMC and Technip's different specialisms the tie-up is largely a case of vertical integration and thus a less likely target for regulators.
"That said, Houston-based FMC will have been paying close attention to the recent Allergan/Pfizer breakup in light of the tax inversion motive involved."
Plans for new nuclear power station move forward
Updated: Oil prices fall as OPEC+ extends talks to second day without decision
Updated: Oil advances on Covid-19 vaccine optimism and US stimulus
Tesla slides in first day of trading on the S&P 500 Index

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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The Top 100 Executives Of 2017
Here we present the CRN Top 100 Executives of 2017 list, the fastest-moving executives in a market moving at warp speed.
By CRN Staff August 01, 2017, 10:00 AM EDT
With digital transformation in full swing, the leaders making the grade in the 2017 CRN Top 100 class are adept at making big, bold technology bets and then executing on those gambits in the sales trenches.
That kind of leadership is particularly evident in the choice of Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell, the onetime PC pioneer and technology whiz kid turned industry disrupter, as the No. 1 executive on our Most Influential list.
Dell pulled off the biggest acquisition in the history of the IT business and then distinguished himself this year by expertly managing the integration of storage market leader EMC into Dell and personally leading the sales charge of the combined company.
Partners say Dell's hands-on role driving the channel sales engine has been a critical factor in the success of the $67 billion blockbuster acquisition of EMC. With the one-year anniversary of the deal on the horizon, partners say Dell is delivering big time for customers and the channel.
Douglas Grosfield, CEO of Five Nines IT, a Kitchener, Ontario, strategic service provider that is driving digital transformation with a portfolio of recurring revenue services, says leaders like Michael Dell are thriving in the digital transformation era because of their ability to buck the status quo.
"Michael is a different breed," said Grosfield. "He has that desire to do something different rather than stick to the old ways of thinking and business. He is truly merging together products and services at Dell that makes it a wholly different company than it was a year or two ago. Michael had the foresight to look ahead, go to where the puck is going and then roll up his sleeves and do the hard work to make it happen. I think his shareholders are going to see the benefits of his foresight in the next few years."
Grosfield, who sold his MSP business nearly two years ago to start Five Nines as a new-era strategic service provider, said Dell is the perfect role model for the digital transformation era. "Service providers have had to do the same thing when it comes to reinventing their own business," he said.
It's not just Dell that has exhibited the technology and digital transformation skills that are driving a dramatic shift to the strategic service provider business model in the channel.
Our No. 1 choice in the Disrupter category -- Keerti Melkote, the co-founder of Aruba Networks, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise subsidiary -- is a technology visionary who continues to drive robust double-digit sales growth in the channel trenches. At the same time, Melkote continues to push the software technology envelope with a new core network switch and operating system and an upcoming SD-WAN offering.
Our top Innovator, Hewlett Packard Enterprise President Antonio Neri, a 22-year HPE veteran who remains an engineer at heart, has put HPE at the top of the next-generation infrastructure pyramid with game-changing acquisitions like SimpliVity and Nimble and then backed it up with an all-out HPE channel sales offensive.
In the Sales Leader category, our choice for No. 1 is still Bill Lipsin, the driving force behing a robust increase in NetApp's channel business in the past two years, who is leaving the company effective Aug. 18. Lipsin, a 12-year channel sales eteran, provided the channel and technology leadership at a time when NetApp had fallen behind its peers in both product development and sales.
Grosfield says it is the businesses and customers that embrace digital transformation that will thrive in a market that is moving at an ever faster and faster clip.
"I have been in this industry 25 years and built several companies and I have never seen this business move faster than it is now," he said. "I have never seen the absolute requirement to adapt to change as quickly as I am today in the strategic service provider era"
"Those companies not embracing digital transformation are destined to die a 'death by a thousand cuts,'" said Grosfield, whose sales are up 400 percent this year with profits more than double the traditional solution provider business model.
"You have to lead customers to the promised land in spite of their reluctance to do so," added Grosfield. "Their businesses depend on being able to embrace emerging technologies to gain competitive advantage. The hard reality of business is you have to evolve or you get left behind. The businesses that evolve are going to shape our world for the next several decades. Executives like Michael Dell are on the leading edge of this change."
The 25 Most Influential Executives Of 2017
Here we present this year's class of the 25 Most Influential individuals in the technology industry.
The Top 25 Disrupters Of 2017
As part of the Top 100 Executives Of 2017, CRN looks at 25 execs that are throwing a curveball at the technology world.
The Top 25 Innovators Of 2017
As part of the Top 100 Executives Of 2017, CRN looks at 25 execs that are setting the tone in the technology world.
The Top 25 Channel Sales Leaders Of 2017
As part of the Top 100 Executives of 2017, CRN looks at 25 channel sales executives that really stood out as they worked to bring success to their partners.
Top 100 Executives Of 2017
CRN Top 100
Michael Dell
Meg Whitman
Chuck Robbins
Diane Greene
Dell Program Has Three Problems, All Fixable
Your Big Fat Dell Decision?
Dell Launches Mega-Bundle, But Cuts Out Channel
Slide-shows Channel-programs
OpenWorld: Tech Titans Vie For Virtualization Dominance
Slide Show: The Future Is Now At The Web 2.0 Summit


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Анто́н Олексі́йович Гайтанжи — старший лейтенант Збройних сил України.

Короткий життєпис
Походить з родини військовика. 1992 року переїхали до Мукачевого, там Антон закінчив школу. 2004 року вступив до Харківського танкового училища. Направлений служити в Ужгородський танковий батальйон, 2012-го переведений до піхоти.

Брав участь у боях за Дебальцеве від листопада 2014 до зими 2015 року. 15-й батальйон розташовувався в селі Нікішине з 22 січня по 18 лютого 2015-го. 3 лютого був поранений при черговому обстрілі терористами, його з побратимом викинуло із сторожової вежі вибуховою хвилею.

Нагороди
За особисту мужність і героїзм, виявлені у захисті державного суверенітету та територіальної цілісності України, вірність військовій присязі під час російсько-української війни
 нагороджений орденом «За мужність» III ступеня (26.2.2015).

Джерела

 Воїни Добра — Антон Гайтанжи

Уродженці Приморського краю


In the wake of digitisation, the live entertainment industry has become extremely dynamic. As the market leader, we advance innovations through new business models and processes. This includes, e.g., the business divisions Information Science, New Business and Event Organiser Service.
At CTS EVENTIM we look for creative minds who think outside the box and at the same time can work analytically. For people who are unconventional and yet maintain a sense of reality. And we look for experts who believe that you are never done learning. As you can see, our requirements are as diverse as the job opportunities we offer. No doubt we also have the entry-level option that suits you personally.
Are you ready for the next major challenge? Then take a look at the opportunities at CTS EVENTIM.
In an industry as digitised as ticketing, big data is an indispensable source of know-how and innovation. Big data allows for valuable insights which help us to keep our business profitable and competitive in the future. During recent years we have set up ISI to establish a best-in-class infrastructure that complies with privacy laws, and we have built a competence centre consisting of highly qualified experts. Our central duties are to understand our customers better (customer relationship management), optimise relevant business processes (business intelligence) and offer our partners analytical services (B2B).
An important area of growth with great strategic significance: In the New Business division you independently manage major projects that involve different divisions and countries – from concept development to planning and through to implementation. This may concern the development of new products, participation in major contract proposals or the design of M&A processes. If you show a lot of personal initiative, you will become an "intrapreneur" – an entrepreneur within the enterprise.
The Event Organiser Service department sets up a ticketing system on behalf of event organisers. This includes, for example, choosing the proper hall layout, the pricing, discounts and price categories. In this division you work in close proximity to big as well as small live events. Important requirements of our staff members in the Event Organiser Service division are attention to detail, precision and good communication skills.


After sparkling reviews from his NFR 2017 performance, Wynn Williams is more than ready to take 2018 by storm. He has a goal to become a household name in country music. No doubt about it, Wynn has the focus and determination to make it happen.
Country music has always taken precedence over the other genres that Wynn grew up listening to. His musical in uences include George Strait and Alan Jackson and Frank Sinatra. Wynn grew up in the Church of Christ where the voices were the instruments. During his freshman year in high school he joined the choir and experienced rst-hand the power music has to move you. On a whim he did the school talent show as a sophomore and knew right then that a career in music was his future. There is no question, if you have seen Wynn Williams on stage you know this decision was the correct one.
Wynn's new album, Words Fly, is a refreshing mix of country songs that take listeners back to the roots of real country music. The album is available for download on itunes.


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Show Report: The Comics Summit 2018
This weekend saw the first ever Comics Summit in Cheltenham, the brain child of Big Punch Studios' Jon Lock it was a chance for indie comics creators and newbies alike, to find out more and discuss the wonderful world of indie comics with their peers, without the need to have a table and sell your wears. But could this convention without customers be a success?
When heading to a comic convention in a new town, the usual rule of thumb is follow the cosplayers. However for this first ever Comics Summit in glorious sunny Cheltenham there was were no such tour guides and instead we had to rely on the impeccable welcome pack provided for us by summit organiser supreme, Jon Lock.
Wandering around the glorious leafy campus of Gloucester University felt like we were about to step into either a uni lecture from Indiana Jones or a game of Quidditch, and it certainly felt much more professional and business like compared to the usual pomp and ceremony that you might expect with a convention. But this is no ordinary convention, this is the Comics Summit. More of a networking event than a convention, as there were no punters and so no need to be selling.
It may have been the venue, but it felt like we had graduated to the higher education of comic conventions, and entering the lecture hall, complete with rows of chairs and fold out tables this felt very much like a mix of work and education. Which after all is what we see there for. The reason Jon set this event up in the first was to create a place for creators to talk with their peers and he reiterated that to us when we met him before the start of proceedings. He went on to mention how this was designed to fill a gap in the convention panel experience between the expert big name guests and the beginners panels we are used to and the language we heard throughout the day certainly reflected this intermediate or even semi pro approach which the summit was aiming for.
Due to other commitments we were only able to attend the Sunday, but talk of the previous day was positive with a well attended event and some great discussions. Guests like Chris Imber, Rich Hardiman and Hayley Illman had discussed their journey into comics as well as balancing day jobs and the unique perspectives of those not directly involved in the production of comics but are integral to their success (such as convention organisers, printers and critics). But today we would be in for a different set of panels. It was great to see familiar faces like Steve (Flintlock) Tanner, Sarah (NPC Tea) Millman, Vince (Red Mask From Mars) Hunt and PJ (Trolltooth Wars) Montgomery mixing with lots of new faces we didn't recognise, but soon came to know as the day went on.
The opening panel saw Steve Tanner, and artists Sally Jane Thompson and Ade Brown discuss their journey into comics which set the tone for the kind of day ahead. Moderator Jon Lock posed thoughtful and insightful questions, directing them to discuss their early days that shaped them, such as Sally's formative years reading Archie in Canada through to Ade's love of Transformers, as well as their thoughts on crowd funding and what it is to break into comics. Indeed this subject of 'breaking in' was set to be a recurring theme throughout the day, as would the positive nature of the UK indie community which Steve described as like tapping an oil well only for it gush forth once you have broken in. But also like a cool party you are on the outside of but that you need to brave enough in order to truly embrace the scene (both good and bad)!
The second panel saw Thompson joined by Manga artist Vivian Truong and Improper Books' Matt Gibbs to discuss the pros and cons of being a freelancer. They discussed issues from balancing your time, through to when you should say no, right through to how to get paid on time and how to manage clients expectations. Truong and Thompson offered tips on how to manage your time (such as a pomodoro timer in chrome) as well as ways to fit in admin around creative time and also how to make room for social and other creative endeavours. This was a great talk for those who are thinking of working for themselves in either comics or another field and was packed with great advices on getting the balance right.
Following a quick break for lunch we returned with Vince Hunt and Jenny Gyllblad discussing how to grow an audience for your comic. It was an interesting balance of a webcomic advocate, a print comic advocate ( who is also a podcaster) and a convention advocate. The conversation ranged from the pros and cons of webcomics, Tapastic and Patreon, to tips on convention etiquette, table planning and more. It was a lively discussion which saw the floor opened up for discussion very early on and was a great reminder of how this was more than just a one way convention panel and was more like a seminar where ideas could be shared among the wider group.
The penultimate panel of the day saw Big Punch's Nich Angel, Matt Gibbs and Vivian Truong return to discuss how to get their books out to a wider audience, looking at everything from the value of traditional book stories and comic shops to the merits of Tumblr and beyond.
We'll be honest, at this point we were struggling a bit with panel fatigue, and while the content of the discussions were very insightful and interesting, the samey-ness of them all were beginning to get to us. We wondered what the effect would have been if we had been there all weekend. While Lock was an excellent host, future events might benefit from a variety of questioners in order to get a variety of conversation going as well as giving Lock a break! Along with the microphones, (which were being used for recording the event), and obscured the panellists faces, these were only only negatives for the day.
Before the day was wrapped up though, the final panel grabbed back our attention as it looked at the hot button topic of the weekend – Advocating for Comics and how could things be made better for comics creators around the UK. For this panel, Lock was joined by Sarah Milman, whose online twitter posts after MCM London last year, along with Jon's blog, had helped inspire today, as well as Geek Syndicate podcaster Barry Nugent and the always opinionated Jennie Gyllblad. As you would expect it was another lively conversation touching on a number of the issues which comic creators feel let down by.
But rather than be an hour of grumbling it felt like a really positive discussion with ideas being taken from Scottish Independent comics groups, lessons being learned from the past attempts to bring things together, and also positive words on how things could be brought together. Not necessarily in a union as some had feared would be discussed, but in a collective spirit rather than as a group of individuals. There was no discussion of lighting pitchforks and storming the headquarters of MCM or Showmasters and ended up feeling like a very positive look at how we could come together and make things better for the community. And that was a large part of what this weekend was all about – a chance for comic creators to come together and discuss what is important to them and more importantly if that can be solved and aided by their peers.
The whole weekend was a fantastic reminder of how welcoming and inclusive the uk indie scene is and this meant everyone went home feeling positive about the way the world is, inspired and energised into making comics. We were especially inspired by talking to Raechel aka @tinynoggin who had travelled to the summit to get tips on how to get into conventions and came away with a notebook full of ideas.
A huge thank you to Jon for organising the event and we hope this will become a regular part of the indie comics calendar, as it certainly would benefit the community as a whole, to have an event like this every year. After the success of this year's event we hope that it can grown into something bigger and better with every iteration.
Comic Conventions /
SHOW REPORT: True Believers Comic Festival 2020
Indie Comics News /
ComicScene announces new State of Independents Yearbook 2020 in association with Pipedream Comics
Preview: True Believers Comic Festival 2020
‹ "His world is a hodgepodge, but he looks cool in every neighbourhood" we talk to Andrew Maxwell about The Bawdy Tales of Lazlo Cale	› ComiXology Originals Round-Up: Superfreaks, Elephantmen 2261, Ask For Mercy and Savage Game


Brown Mouse Productions was pleased to develop this site pro bono for the religious movement that has helped to transform so many lives in the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia. WordPress is the perfect platform for a website that needs frequent updates by volunteers. Members of the Cursillo Secretariat log in as needed to update information on upcoming weekend retreats, team lists, and candidate lists.


"Friendship is the most natural and effective way to share the faith with others"- Matthew Kelly, 'The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic,' pg. 98.
One of my favorite subjects of reflection is definitely evangelization, which probably doesn't surprise many of you considering how many posts I've dedicated to the topic over the past few weeks. Evangelization is a key part of my ministry, especially since many of my students (and their parents) are encountering Jesus Christ for the first time in our religious education program. But does it end when I clock out at the end of the day? Not really.
Honestly though, does the call and invitation to evangelize ever end? I'm inclined to think not. From dawn to dusk, from the moment we first open our eyes in the morning (and sometimes even before that) to the moment that our head hits the pillow (and sometimes even after that), there are countless opportunities to evangelize. The world desperately needs to meet Jesus Christ, to encounter Him and really embrace Him. It is one thing to know about Jesus Christ; it is quite another to actually know Him. And as we really come to know Him, there is also an overwhelming desire to tell other people about Him, to help other people to know Him as we do. And that's really the foundation of evangelization.
Evangelization has to be rooted in friendship. It can't be regarded as a task that must be performed, or a duty that must be fullfilled. Yes, Catholics have been charged with the task of proclaiming the Good News to the world, but if evangelization is only viewed as a duty, we will never succeed. As I mentioned in earlier posts, Catholics in general have not been very good at evangelizing in the past. Many Catholics don't even know what the word means, or if they do, it brings to mind images of televangelists or street-corner types. But that's not what evangelization is really about. Why evangelize? Because we have discovered the most incredible truth, and we want to tell the world. Because we have seen the light, and we want to help everyone to escape the darkness. Because we have learned that we are loved intimately by the God of the universe, and we want the rest of the world to know that love. The explanations are endless.
Why we evangelize is just as important as how we evangelize. Evangelization has to be a personal matter; it cannot be a matter of numbers. It can't be about converting the greatest amount of people, but it must be about bringing those that we love closer to Christ precisely because we love them. Sadly, I've seen many passionate Catholics try to evangelize, but with little success. In fact, more often than not, the people that they are trying to evangelize end up farther from the Church and Jesus Christ than before. Why is this? Why are our efforts so often foiled?
While some of our struggles are the result of inadequate catechesis and lack of understanding, often our failure to evangelize can be linked to our intentions. Even the best of intentions can lead to failure if one central component is lacking: love. As Paul wrote in his first letter to the Corinthians, "If I have faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing" (13:2). If we evangelize because we want everyone to accept the truth but we don't love them, we will fail. If we evangelize because we want to bring people into the Church but we don't love them, we will fail. Even if we evangelize because we want to tell people of God's great love but we don't love them ourselves, we will fail. Without love, our efforts at evangelization will come to naught. This reality might be hard to swallow, but I've witnessed enough to firmly believe that it's the truth.
I myself have failed countless times at evangelizing, and in nearly all of those situations, it was because I failed as a friend. I failed to love. I was more concerned with making my friends see the truth, or leading them to believe and act as I did, than with actually loving them. When I become more concerned with converting my friends than actually being with them and loving them, not only do I not convert them, but I am not the best friend that I can be. Though I am in no way a good evangelist, when the Lord has been able to work through me, I have never been overly concerned with evangelizing. I wasn't looking to convert my friends. I was just looking to love them. Because I was united to Christ and my friends desired to be more closely connected to me, they also drew nearer the Lord. Because our friendship was rooted in love, it was by necessity grounded in Christ. I was able to do more evangelization through my actions- through my attention, advice, support, etc.- than through the occasional conversations that we had on faith and Jesus Christ. We did talk about these things, but these conversations did not arise because of my knowledge of the faith, but because of our friendship and the love and respect that we had for one another. When our actions are inspired and fueled by love, and when our friendships are rooted in love, anything is possible.
The same idea can also be applied to evangelization and conversion in general. I have met many people who see every person as someone to be converted, rather than someone to be loved. Our mission to bring people to Christ must be firmly rooted in love. We must all ask ourselves whether this is the case, because if we can't answer affirmatively without hesitation, people will sense our ulterior motives. They will know that our primary goal is their conversion, and more often than not, they will feel slighted. We cannot convert for the sake of converting. People are not longing to be converted; they long to be loved, and when we love them, their hearts are transformed and they are converted. Conversion can never be forced or coerced, but must always be fostered in love and friendship. A very wise priest once told me that the key to evangelization is to view every person that we meet not as a person to be converted, but as a friend to be loved. I really do think that if we take this suggestion seriously, we will all have a lot of more friends, and the Lord will have a lot more disciples.
My other suggestion is this: be joyful. We will draw more souls to Christ with our joy than with our words. It's our joy that makes the faith attractive; it's our joy that inspires souls to be converted. If we live joyful lives, I firmly believe that we can evangelize better than we ever thought possible. I think joy is the key is conversion. It is contagious- if people see our joy, they want to share in it. They want to know why we're so joyful. They want what we have already found. And ultimately, that's why we evangelize- because we have found something incredible, and we want to share it with the world. The deep and intimate love of God is the source of our joy. It is at the core of our most valued friendships. It is what every man desires. God created us to love and be loved- by Himself, and by our fellow-man. This love draws us closer to Christ, and closer to one another. That is how we will convert souls- as we strengthen the bonds of friendship that unite us, we also become more closely united to Christ. When we love others, they can come to know the love of Christ through us. When they see this love and witness our joy, they will want it too. Evangelization is not always about what we say; more often than not, it's about what we do. Do you want to know how to evangelize better? Become a better friend. Love deeper. Be more joyful. That is the key to evangelization. Now go and spread the word.