Monday, August 27, 2012

London, England — As Paralympians ready for the Games which are set to open later this week, they have access to a world class fitness center inside the Paralympic Village which is designed to maximise their pre-Game preparations.

According to volunteers staffing the center, instead of being a single large room, as in Beijing, the building has numerous rooms. It, along with the adjacent Village Services Centre, is designed to be converted into a school after the games conclude. Rooms have been structured as a gym, an auditorium, and science laboratories.

Gym equipment is supplied by Technogym, an Italian firm that has supplied gym equipment for the Olympics since 2000. Equipment has been provided not just for for the Fitness Centre, but for gyms at all the Olympic venues. The newest equipment is oriented toward maximum flexibility, allowing athletes to exercise the particular muscles that they most require for their sport.

In addition to the equipment, the Fitness Centre also provides instructors trained in the use of the equipment, the likes of which athletes from many countries have never seen before. There are also a number of instructors available to provide motivational training.

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Sunday, June 29, 2008

While nearly all coverage of the 2008 Presidential election has focused on the Democratic and Republican candidates, the race for the White House also includes independents and third-party candidates. These prospects represent a variety of views that may not be acknowledged by the major party platforms.

Wikinews has reached out to these candidates throughout the campaign. We now interview Green Party Presidential candidate Dr. Kent Mesplay.

Why do you want to be President?

I run for president to help improve society, pointing out that we are more secure when we live in a sustainable manner. As of this writing our culture is based on the consumption of limited materials such as petroleum, coal and uranium with great emphasis placed on the consumption of “goods” that are produced and purchased with little regard for the well-being of future generations. Government, ideally, provides an independent, objective forum through which solutions to the needs and wants of our time can be raised, discussed and implemented in a thoughtful, respectful manner. In contrast to this ideal, our current central, national government exists largely to protect and preserve the status quo of relatively few stake-holders, having undue political influence and acting in a manner not in the best interest of the majority of people. We cannot blindly consume our way to peace and stability.
A Green presidential administration would put the needs of current and future generations above the rude demands and expectations of the well-heeled political donor class. It is not important that we have a new president bearing the face of change. We need vital, core change to our political institutions to decentralize control, empower rational science-based decision-making and cut the damaging influence of corporate money on public policy. This change is unlikely to arise from within the current two political parties that are intrinsically corrupted by the ubiquitous “greased-palm” bribing handshake with corporate entities. We need to only ask how many corporate media conglomerates regularly advertize the question, “Should a corporation have the legal status of a super-person?” to realize the extent of the current dilemma. A corporation should never have been considered to have the legal rights of an individual. The Green Party is independent from business interests. This political arm of the environmental, peace and justice movements represents meaningful change to public policy and to our fragile, centralized, short-sighted way of life.
Green solutions are largely local solutions: more community gardens and small farms, reasonable use of fresh water, grey-water and waste-water, including more water storage and community responsibility for the entire water stream, energy-efficient housing and transportation, health care for all, protecting besieged ecosystems. Practically, what this means is a higher base-line of essential services with the costs shared and supported broadly. To be clear, our basic physical security deserves support, not gaming at the hands of profiteers. A common wealth for all citizens is possible, with local regional flavors in commerce and culture atop this “baseline” of security. To be danced out of the way, one finds the current heavy-handed players of agribusiness, pharmaceuticals, energy, insurance and the congressional-military-industrial complex all dependent upon “corporate socialism” for subsidies and protection from real, meaningful, positive change and shielded from probing questions as to why, for example, we so frequently go to war.
Mottos include “sustainability is security” and “freedom to debate.” I run to help define, popularize and grow the Green Party, to be an advocate for: single-payer health-care, renewable energy, increased energy efficiency, rail transport, organic local agriculture, indigenous rights, wise water use, banning lobbying/bribery, over-turning the legal fiction that a corporation is a person, and equal media exposure for all political candidates, having open debates between all political parties and beating those “swords into plowshares” by focusing on improving diplomacy, communication and basic physical security in water, food and energy in particular to mitigate the negative effects of global climate change and to provide emergency readiness. Also, I get bored easily and this keeps me busy.

Have you ever run for political office before? (President, senate, congress, city councillor, school trustee… etc.) Have you ever been a member of a political party, other than the one you’re currently in?

I ran for president in 2004 and 2008, being one of the four “finalists” at the nominating conventions. Also, I ran for U.S. Senate in California as part of a contested race in the Green Party Primary Election in 2006. I plan to run for U.S. Congress in 2010 and I am now taking the steps to begin running for the 2012 presidential race. I have been a member of both main U.S. parties and I cannot adequately express my disgust for them both. I encourage people everywhere to register Green, vote Green and support Green Party efforts at achieving and maintaining ballot access within the current hostile political environment. Ideally, we can together displace one of the two major parties; such is the near-majority level of disapproval of the antiquated mainstream parties and the desire for a true alternative.

Have you ever campaigned for another political candidate?

In 1996 I helped organize a press conference for then-presidential candidate Ralph Nader, after having helped support efforts to draft him as a candidate.

What skills or ideas do you bring from this position, or previous positions, that will benefit the Oval Office?

I believe in the separation of power within government, including economic power. Due to the influence of money in politics and within government we do not have a political system that works well to advance the needs and concerns of “we the people.” There are few, muted voices within our government supporting the dispossessed, the disenfranchised, the “left out,” the lower echelon within our socio-economic strata. Especially now, with high energy costs, questionable food supplies, shredded social safety nets, job loss due to outsourcing and other losses, loss of civil liberties and rights, the consolidation and concealment of governmental power, the “fascist” confluence of military-industrial business with governmental power, threats of unstable weather, retaliation by terrorists and opportunistic foreign governments following our model it is a good time to not be silent. I have lived with and among many different cultures, religions and peoples, I have a multi-cultural background and a mixed ancestry, I value art, music and science, I am both intuitive and analytical and I enjoy solving problems. Our nation would benefit greatly from my services. Plus, I am not “on the take.”

Campaigning for the American presidency is one of the most expensive exercises in the world. How do you deal with the cost and fundraising?

Small contributions from many people not expecting a return of favors approximates public funding of campaigns. In order to “get the word out” about my existence as a candidate it is necessary to adapt and adopt alternative, low-cost strategies. With my campaign team steadily growing I anticipate utilizing modern low-cost communication methods to help “spread the word.” Fund-raising is among the least palatable activities that I have to endure as a candidate and I will be the first to admit that I have done very little fundraising. The reader who is a U.S. Citizen of voting age is encouraged to support my candidacy by visiting my web site, www.mesplay.org, and making a small donation in accordance with Federal Election Commission guidelines. Also, simply e-mailing friends helps tremendously with these small campaigns.

What are you/were you looking for in a running mate?

My running mate would likely represent a demographic that I do not, such as being female and non-white, since I am a white male. As to character and experience, I would want to be supported by someone with great practical public experience who has remained in integrity with the original idealistic hopes and dreams that once drew them into the public eye or political arena.

Can you win the 2008 Presidential election?

I can win the 2008 presidential election by becoming the Green nominee, by inspiring otherwise non-voters to register Green and to grow Green Parties in those states where they are not yet granted ballot access and to subsequently vote in some creative, time-urgent manner circumventing the severe limitations put on candidates and parties by the secretaries of state through the country. I would have to win many of the states where the Green Party is on the ballot and I would have to find a manner allowing erstwhile green voters to legally vote in those states where we are not on the ballot.

If you can’t make it into the Oval Office, who would you prefer seeing taking the presidency?

I cannot support candidates who foolishly support nuclear power and weapons, who do not recognize the need for peace and who do not offer real, meaningful, substantive systemic change.

What should the American people keep in mind, when heading to the polls this November?

When heading for the polls this November U.S. citizens should support Green Party candidates, policies and values. Thank you.
This article features first-hand journalism by Wikinews members. See the collaboration page for more details.
This article features first-hand journalism by Wikinews members. See the collaboration page for more details.

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First off, you need to know what kind of metal do scrap yards buy?

Scrap yards usually buy metals that are used in industries like automobiles, steel, and other mechanical works. It includes copper, aluminum, zinc, nickel, lead, iron, steel, stainless steel, and brass. Still, all junkyards won’t buy everything that comes in their way. They all have certain limitations and areas of business.

There are also scrap yards that buy almost every broken thing that is past its functional lifespan like home appliances, electronic equipment, old cars, trucks, motorbikes, boats & yachts, airplanes, etc. If something can be sold, they’ll be ready to buy it, at their own price.

If you are wondering what they would do with those ‘useless’ things, they tear apart larger appliances and sell useful parts to brokers. Scrap vehicles and their parts may be sold to brokers or to the mechanics in need of spare parts.

This industry is much bigger than what most people think it is. That’s the reason those who deal in it earn lucrative profits over selling broken and malfunctioning goods and articles.

Below are some practical tips that will enable you to get more money off your old car if you decide to sell it to your nearby junkyard for quick cash:

Know The Value Of Your “Old Car”

There is simply no way you can earn top dollar for your scrap car if you don’t have any idea what it’s worth. What seems to you a heap of old rusted metal can be a gold mine to others. So, it’s important to do a bit of study and research and arrive at an educated guess about how much money you can get from your old car. It’s perfectly fine not to know the exact amount. But if you reach the neighborhood of the actual value, you will have enough knowledge to haggle your way to the best deal. Now, the scrap yard dealers are no kids but knowledge will give your power, and knowing the real value of your stuff will prevent you from settling for less.

The best way to find the value of your old car is to browse through the internet and see what people are demanding and offering. For instance, you can search “old sedan car value” or “old car scrap value” and there will be several results for you to sample.

Make sure you go through at least ten search results so that you can end up with consistent information. It won’t take much time but you will be armed with a weapon that will come in handy at the negotiation table.

Check Local Prices

In an area where there are many dealers under a small radius, it’s best to make calls around to check metal prices before taking all the metal (in this case, your old car) to a junkyard. If you don’t know the exact location of a scrap yard, find them by searching online for “metal scrap yard near me” or doing other relevant queries.

Scrap dealers don’t spit out the exact quote for the merchandise but they surely will give you a minimal figure on how much they pay per pound for which kind of metal. When you make calls to several dealers, it will be enough for you to know which one offers the best money.

Here is a pro tip: the size of a scrap yard does not necessarily mean it will give the best value for your old car. Bigger yards are not supposed to be better all the time. You may find a small-time dealer to earn top dollar.

More Scrap Means More Negotiating Power

If it’s possible logistically, try to haul all your scrap to the scrap yard in one trip. Most places do not have any limit of intake per day or month. It means they can take as much as they like until the deal is sweet for them.

Hauling your old car to a junkyard will put you in an advantageous position where you can hustle and make the dealer give up to your demands. If you have some more back at home, let the dealer know. This little trick will get you even more money. Scrap dealers love large volumes because it reduces logistical costs and they could yield more metal in less time. The bottom line is, the more you bring in, the more power you will have to get the best value.

Split Your Metal

It’s best to split your metal according to their value and nature before hauling it all to the scrap yard. If you have metal with some type of casing on it, you should remove it before trying to sell it. It’s important on two fronts.

The first and foremost is that if the dealer had to separate the metals, he’d use this extra work as an excuse to pay you less for your scrap. It’s the general rule of thumb.

The second and more important thing is the variation in the value of different metals. In bulk, a slight difference can yield significant money. Split the metal and negotiate for the price of each kind. That’s the trick.

Get A Truck Or Rent One

Hauling a lot of metal is not an easy task. It surely does not go into little cardboard boxes. If you don’t have a truck to take your old car to a scrap dealer, here is what you can do without sweating much.

Number one is to check around your circle of friends and family and see if someone has a truck and he or she is willing to loan it to you for a day. In return, as a token of goodwill, you can offer to wash it or get the interior vacuumed on your way back to them.

If this does not work out for some reason, you can always look around and rent a truck. Many movers offer regular trucks for hauling goods and articles and the rentals run as low as 20 bucks a day for in-town use.

Beware Of Suspicious Moves

This scrap yard business is not like a modern enterprise procuring articles or raw material and demands a market-oriented price for their goods. There are not many odds to find an honest and trustworthy scrap yard dealer who would be upfront with you and offer you the real value for your old car. Maybe, you already know that. The world we live in, we need to constantly look out for our potential interests in order to materialize them.

No License

Laws and regulations to conduct business in the scrap industry vary from state to state. At the very least, they are obligated by law to secure a license before starting their shop. This is regular permission granted by competent authorities to all kinds of businesses which allows them to operate in an area after fulfilling certain criteria. Usually, there is a fee to be paid to acquire such a license and get registered with the state.

Depending on your state laws and locality, there is a chance that a special scrap metal license had to be issued in order to transact business legally.

To avoid any inconvenience, it’s best to contact your state and find out if any special permit is needed or you can ask the scrap yard dealers to show you all the legal paperwork.

Dealing with illegal business can land you in serious trouble. So, be sure before taking your old car to a scrap yard.

Misdirection

Dishonest and shady scrap dealers will do everything in their power to confuse you. The main motive behind this misdirection is to pay you as little as possible for your metal (or in this case, your old car). If you are having a hard time determining what’s best for you, a scrap dealer is not the right person to ask for guidance, because it will be the surest way to get ripped off.

Another trick that almost all scrap dealers have up their sleeves is to scam you of your precious metal by rushing through the deal. They will try to close the deal without answering any question you might have in your mind. They come off as “take it or leave it” guys and offer an upfront price without telling you why.

A fair dealer will ask you if you have any doubts or second thoughts about your scrap and give all the information you need. He won’t try to rush through the deal and show eagerness of ripping you off. He will offer you a price after discussing the properties of your scrap and explain why he is doing so.

Towing Cost & Quotes

When a scrap dealer provides you a quote for your old car you need to sell, make sure to ask whether the cost of towing is included in the quote or not. A standard practice in the market involves no hidden charges or fees, which means the scrap dealer needs to be upfront and covers the towing fee in the quote. In your own interest, be sure to ask specifically about the inclusion of the towing fee in the quote.

The best way to get a fair deal for your car from a scrap dealer is to call multiple shops and compare prices before hauling your car to a dealer. Honest dealers are mostly fair in their dealings and cover all the expenses in their quotes. You will find many scrap dealers in your area when you search online for “scrap yards near me”. Call a couple of dealers that are at the top of the search results to get the best price for your car.

Shady Tow Truck Drivers

Many big scrap dealers have their own fleet of trucks and other trailers for hassle-free transportation. It helps them in cutting logistical costs. But, not all own their own trucks, and some work in partnership with local independent truckers and pay them a fee for each vehicle they pick up.

A potential scam bell rings when a scrap dealer agrees to pay you a certain amount and you agree to progress the deal. When the tow truck operator shows up at your door, he’d say that your car is pure junk and does not yield what the scrap dealer is offering you. The tow truck dealer may have his eyes set on the difference if you succumb to his coercion.

The other potential way to scam you is when the scrap dealer agrees to get the towing costs from the deal but the tow truck operator asks you to pay him upfront. He might want to get a double-dip or he could be working with the scrap dealer to rip you off.

If you suspect any activity that does not correspond with what you have agreed to do with the scrap dealer, call him right away and clear things out before paying the tow truck operator or handing him your old car.

Title Transfer

Even when a vehicle cannot be driven, you need to transfer the title from your name to the scrap dealer. In addition to this, you need to contact immediately your local department of motor vehicles and cancel the registration. If you carry on with your idea of selling your old vehicle for cash, still, you will be liable for it.

Before the tow truck operator loads up your old car on the flatbed, make sure to remove all your personal effects. It includes registration and tags of your vehicle and other paperwork.

When a scrap dealer offers you that he’ll take care of all the paperwork, steer clear of such claims. Potentially, it could be a setup for a scam where they take your car and then charge for storing your vehicle on their lot. If you resist and try to fight your case, they will send your old car to a collections agency, which will hurt your credit score.

It’s not worth it to take unnecessary risks while selling scrap to a dealer. Before closing the deal, make sure you double-check all the points. To avoid surprises in the future, everything should be done 100% correctly.

Negotiate

Last but not least, don’t take a bow when you are negotiating to sell your old car (or scrap). This is the surest way to get the best price. Never accept what dealers offer you upfront, even if it exceeds your expectations. They are professional hustlers and do bidding for their own interest all day long. Ask for more whenever you think that you are underpaid. This is truer when you have a lot of metal to sell.

There is no guarantee if you will be offered a better price, but it does not cost much to ask for more.

While negotiating, dealers will set traps in your way. To get the best value for your old car, you need to best those traps and get to the top.

Following are certain ways a dealer lure you into accepting an inferior deal:

Read more aboutScrap Yards



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Monday, June 25, 2018

On Saturday, the plastic ban in the Indian state of Maharashtra came into force. In an attempt to minimise pollution, the state government has introduced a ban on single-use plastics.

The leader of the Yuya Sena political party, Aaditya Thackeray, said on Twitter, “The ban on single use disposable plastic cups, plastic bags, plastic straws, plastic plates and cutlery, styrofoam cutlery and non woven bags”. He added, “these are global issues now and we have taken a step to combat it”.

Plastic pollution has led to the choking of drains, marine pollution and a risk of animals consuming plastics. This year, India’s motto for World Environment Day — June 5 — was “Beat Plastic Pollution”. People violating the plastic ban are to face a fine of 5,000 Indian Rupees (INR) for the first offence. For the second offence, the fine is INR 10,000 and the third time offence is INR 25,000 and a three-month prison term. Deputy municipal commissioner Nidhi Choudhary said, “To weed out corruption, we plan to give inspectors payment gadgets for electronic receipts of the fines”.

The Maharashtra government has given a 90-day period for manufacturers to dispose of existing polyethylene terephthalate (PET/PETE) plastic spoons and plates, while shopkeepers and citizens in general have six months to dispose of plastics. However, the ban does not prohibit plastic usage for wrapping medicines or milk cartons thicker than 50 microns.

The state government had announced the decision for the plastic ban on March 23. According to NDTV’s report, Maharashtra is the eighteenth Indian state to enforce a state-wide plastic ban. Aaditya Thackeray also said, “I congratulate the citizens for making this into a movement, even before the ban was enforceable, giving up single use disposable plastic.”

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Sunday, December 2, 2007

American heavy metal performer Ozzy Osbourne, who became famous as the lead vocalist for Black Sabbath and later as a solo act, has raised more than US$800,000 for The Sharon Osbourne Colon Cancer Program, founded by his spouse Sharon Osbourne at the Cedars Sinai Hospital, by auctioning off personal items.

A number of the items that he auctioned off over the two day period have been seen on his reality TV show The Osbournes, which featured home life with Sharon, Ozzy and their two children. Amongst some of the higher-priced items were a carved walnut Victorian-style custom built pool table which raised $11,250, a painting from Edourad Drouot which fetched $10,500, a pair of Ozzy’s famous round glasses which raised $5,250 and a dog bed given to Sharon by Elton John which sold for $2,375.

Some more famous items were also amongst the 500 lots offered. Ozzy’s black satin coat, complete with bat-wing cape, raised $3,300 and a hand-painted floral cup used regularly on The Osbournes made $1,625. A bronze plaque of a demon’s head that was regularly seen in its position adorning the front door of their house had been expected to go for $800 to $1,200instead raised $8,750. A wire model of the Eiffel Tower from on the kitchen table sold for $10,000, while skull-covered trainers Ozzy had worn reached $2,625. Bidders came from as far away as Germany to buy what they could from his mansion in Beverly Hills, California.

However, three cars included in the auction failed to attract bidders and did not sell. They were a 2006 Bentley Continental Flying Spur, estimated at $160,000 to $180,000, a 2005 Cadillac CTS-V sedan estimated at $30,000 to $40,000 and a 1950 Oldsmobile Futuramic 88 Club Coupe previously owned by author Danielle Steel estimated at $40,000 to $50,000. Sharon had earlier said of the cars “We’re not great car people. They really don’t do a lot for us.

Darren Julien, president of Julien’s Auctions, which organised the two-day sale, said “It did very well. It raised some good money for a very worthy cause.”

“For a celebrity garage sale, it was pretty spectacular.,” he went on. He also commented on the fact that there was fierce competition for the many artworks included. “We had Ozzy fans bidding against these sophisticated fine art buyers, which you don’t see every day. For the most part the metalheads were outbidding the art crowd.”

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By Cynthia

A very useful item you should incorporate into your swinging lifestyle is what I like to call an “Essentials Kit”. You never know what type of adventure you will encounter. So, let’s be prepared.

If you’re new to the swinging lifestyle, this article should be helpful in planning what to take with you to your first party, convention or club. Even if you’re an experienced swinger, you surely find some new ideas or suggestions I suggest in a “Essentials Kit”.

First, you’ll need a specail “bag” to carry your essential items in.It shoudln’t be a suit case – just big enough to hold your essentials. It should be somewhat inconspicuous.

Most swinger clubs and parties are bring your own booze (BYOB), we like to drink wine so, we always bring our favorite wine and two wine glasses.

We also recommend a good quality combination padlock, this way you won’t need to worry about keeping track of a key while you’re trying to have a good time, changing into club wear , etc.

We have found the pocket on the bag is very useful for keeping the padlock seperate from anything breakable – wine glasses for example – in the kit.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZJssy9weoU[/youtube]

A picnic bag could work great for carrying bottles of wine, lingerie, club wear and other assorted items.

Assorted Items

Some things we have found to be VERY handy in our kit include:

–Tylenol – someone always seems to have a headache, sore back, or other ache pain or gripe, and typically at the worst moment, a small stash of pain relievers can really help to keep the party going.

–Breath Mints – Better safe than sorry.

–Condoms – Not only is it wise to play safely, but in some clubs and parties it is required! Be prepared with some non-latex condoms as well.

–Maybe you’ll want to carry some Dental Dams as well to protect ourselves and our partners during oral encounters.

–Female Condoms are another great item to have handy in case of size issues for standard condoms.

–Toys – Naturally everyone has their favorites, here are a couple that we keep in our kit. 1. Silver bullet, 2. Vibrating cock-ring (I REALLY like to ride him me when he’s wearing this). 3. A standard vibrator of some sort.

–Extra batteries – all that toy goodness just goes to waste without the juice to run them!

–Anti-Gas Medicine – Feeling bloated and gassy can take the fun right out of an evening, so we always keep some of this in our kit.

–Your favorite lube – Even if you don’t normally need it, sometimes situations or environmental factors can lead to dryness, not to mention that you may decide to try to make that “double penetration” fantasy come true!

–The little blue pill – viagra may come in handy as well.

This is by no means a complete list, but by being prepared, you can increase the chances of an evening without unpleasant surprises! Don’t forget some sexy lingerie if you wish.

I hope you enjoyed my article. The Best “Essentials Kit”

About the Author: I’m Cynthia and I’m inviting you to visit my sexy website and grab a subscription to my FREE special “online” swingers “weekly” newsletter. I’ll keep you up-dated on anything new within the swinging community. You’ll love it. Visit me right now:

SwingersWeekly.com

Source:

isnare.com

Permanent Link:

isnare.com/?aid=451464&ca=Relationships



Sunday, August 10, 2008

Authorities say that “violent terrorists” attempted to blow up sites in the Xinjiang province of the country. Police say at least 11 people were killed, all except one were reported to be the attackers responsible for the blasts. Police say three more were arrested and another three are “still at large.”

Monsters and Critics.com quote Deutsche Presse-Agentur as saying witnesses on scene reported a plane flying over the town of Kuqa which was followed by 20 large “flashes”, but “no fire or smoke” which was then followed by “sporadic” gunfire. According to Xinhua the explosions occurred at about 3:20 local time (19:20 GMT) and 4:00 (20:00 GMT).

Despite the claims by police, Xinhua stated that authorities sealed off the town where the attacks have occurred and exchanged gunfire with the terrorists killing at least one while another, strapped with explosives, detonated himself. One other terrorist was injured and one was arrested. Military personnel were also reported to have been dispatched to the area. One early report stated that the government offices in Kuqa are unaware of any bombings.

The explosions, which witnesses report as home-made, were directed toward shopping centers, government buildings, hotels and military offices. At least two police cars were also destroyed by the blasts. Xinhua reports that the bombs were “bent pipes, gas canisters and liquid gas tanks.” One attacker drove a three-wheeled bike packed with explosives into the public safety building in Kuqa, which killed one security official and injured two civilians. Hours later, while police were hunting for more suspects, several terrorists began to throw bombs at them. Police killed two, while three others who were strapped with explosives detonated themselves.

Police and government officials refuse to confirm or deny the reports by Xinhua.

The Xinjiang region has a strong independence movement, largely in the form of 8 million Muslim Uyghurs. The East Turkestan Islamic Movement wishes to create an independent Islamic state out of part of what is currently Xinjiang. China has stated that the Uyghur separatists are the biggest potential terrorist threat to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

No one has claimed to be responsible for the blasts.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Several_large_explosions_reported_in_Xinjiang,_China&oldid=773027”


Monday, October 11, 2010

Wikinews interviewed author Amy Scobee about her book Scientology – Abuse at the Top, and asked her about her experiences working as an executive within the organization. Scobee joined the organization at age 14, and worked at Scientology’s international management headquarters for several years before leaving in 2005. She served as a Scientology executive in multiple high-ranking positions, working out of the international headquarters of Scientology known as “Gold Base”, located in Gilman Hot Springs near Hemet, California.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Author_Amy_Scobee_recounts_abuse_as_Scientology_executive&oldid=4579695”


Saturday, August 14, 2010

Former US Representative Dan Rostenkowski died of lung cancer Wednesday at his vacation home in Genoa City, Wisconsin. Rostenkowski, whose political career ended in the early 1990s after he was convicted on fraud charges, was 82.

Rostenkowski’s death was confirmed by his spokesperson, Jim Jaffe, who said that the former congressman had been receiving treatment for lung cancer for a while. Rostenkowski had previously been treated for prostate cancer in the 1990s.

Rostenkowski was born on January 2, 1928 in Chicago, Illinois. He was an athlete and declined an invitation to try out for the Philadelphia Athletics (now the Oakland Athletics) in order to pursue a career in politics. Rostenkowski attended St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy in Wisconsin, served with the US Army in Korea, and graduated from Loyola University in 1951.

Rostenkowski’s political career was supported by the Cook County political machine, and he became a member of the Illinois state legislature in 1952, one year after graduating from college. In 1958, when he was 30, Rostenkowski was elected to the US House of Representatives. In 1961, he began serving on the United States House Committee on Ways and Means, the chief committee of the House for writing taxes. From 1981–1994, he served as the committee’s chairman. Rostenkowski was involved in the creation of Medicare in 1966 and he helped make amendments to the Social Security system in 1983.

In 1992, a federal jury began an inquiry into the House post office, and Rostenkowski was accused of buying US$22,000 in stamps with government funds and then turning them into cash. The investigation, which lasted two years, led to Republican allegations of corruption within the Democratic party. In 1994, Rostenkowski was charged with 17 felony counts, including the use of federal money to purchase furniture, and obstruction of justice. In order to avoid a trial, Rostenkowski made a deal with prosecutors, pleading guilty to two counts of mail fraud in exchange for fifteen months in prison, two months in a halfway house, and a US$100,000 fine.

Rostenkowski, who was not reelected for a nineteenth term in Congress in 1994, continued to maintain his innocence, and was pardoned by US President Bill Clinton in 2000.

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