Tue Aug 27th Todays News

There is international outrage over what is apparently Syria's use of chemical weapons on its' own population. Obama is taking a strong position, dithering over what to do. Syria says if Syria is attacked she will hit Israel. Israel is provocatively giving aid to victims. Europe seems to want Israel gone. The logic of any of it escapes me. 
Domestically, recognising the ALP is losing, their media arm, the ABC have gone on the attack. Media Watch claimed it was outrageous that anyone might criticise the government, and dangerously unbalanced. Tom Watson has come to Australia from the UK to discuss Murdoch's papers. Apparently Murdoch has broken some UK law and Watson wants Australia to vote ALP. He has been given much airtime. Shorten struggles to comprehend that 70% is more than twice the (29%) ownership of papers that Murdoch owns in Australia. 
It is apparent that innocent remarks can be inflated out of context prior to the election, forcing blogs to be more temperate if they wish to have themselves respected. But I don't believe the lies and bluster is helping the ALP. And that is the electoral cycle .. not media .. which is triumphing. 
Meanwhile, Jason Clare, for the ALP has so much power AFL club Essendon has been booted out of the finals. No one has been charged with anything. Apparently it is related to performance enhancing drugs. It looks like a pre election scare campaign assaulting a national code of football. One senior AFL administrator hinted that police are sitting on phone bugs which suggest the club has been culpable .. prove it in court. 
Meanwhile, in California, a very large bushfire is doing lots of damage. Pray for those threatened.
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Happy birthday and many happy returns Geoff Bradley and Sultans Favorite. Born on the same day, across the years. Along with Ashikaga Yoshikazu (1407), Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770), Giuseppe Peano (1858), Charles Rolls (1877), C. S. Forester (1899), Donald Bradman (1908), Barbara Bach (1947), Gerhard Berger (1959) and Sarah Hecken (1993). On your day, 1859 – Edwin Drake successfully drilled for oil in Titusville, Pennsylvania, US, resulting in the Pennsylvania oil rush and the birth of the modern oil industry.
1896 – The United Kingdom and Zanzibar went to war, with Zanzibar surrendering less than an hour after the conflict broke out.
1922 – Turkish forces re-captured Afyon, the first victory of their counterattack during the Greco-Turkish War.
1991 – Dissolution of the Soviet Union: Moldova declared its independence during the aftermath of the failure of the Soviet coup d'état attempt.
2003 – The first round of six-party talks to find a peaceful resolution to the security concerns as a result of the North Korean nuclear weapons program opened. You have oil. Victory is quick. Greece is losing (geddit? Oil and grease?). But the most evil of modern empires has collapsed. Now we discuss peace. And party.
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THE LUDLAM DIRECTIVE

Tim Blair – Tuesday, August 27, 2013 (1:45pm)

Greens senator Scott Ludlam fears Coalition rule, and comes up with a novel voting plan: 

There is an alternative, of course: hang the numbers again. Voters of Australia, why not serve up another minority government where parliament retains its role as a debating and negotiating space? The last time one political formation held all the cards in your parliament, Work Choices and the terror laws happened. Under minority government, we wrote the Clean Energy Act which has begun to turn the ship toward a renewable economy.

Multi-party democracy is noisy, awkward, and occasionally ugly, but given the chance, it kind of works. It’s certainly better than some of the alternatives. 

One small problem with Ludlam’s proposal: how do you actually vote for a minority government?

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THERE GOES THE ROMANIAN VOTE

Tim Blair – Tuesday, August 27, 2013 (1:40pm)

More genius from Labor HQ: 

With Kevin Rudd’s campaign looking dire, the strategists at headquarters are thinking global.

In one of the more far-fetched advertising ideas in election memory, Labor’s advertising agency hired spruikers in Prague, New York, Singapore and Bucharest to sell a fake product called “Abbott’s Internet”. It’s slow, you won’t get it until 2019 and by the time it’s installed it will already be out of date. Get it? 

Take a look.

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MARGO EMBARGO

Tim Blair – Tuesday, August 27, 2013 (5:24am)

It’s day one of Margo Kingston’s campaign for a nationwide boycott of all Murdoch media, so you’re probably not reading this. Nobody is.

All we can do is plead with the retired Fairfax journalist and retired trainee aged-care nurse to rescind her ban. Hear the voiceless, Margo. Listen to our silent screams. Release us from your prison. Margo Kingston, tear down this wall!

Then again, maybe Margo’s embargo will achieve the same success as Saturday’s Starbucks shunning in the US: 

An advocacy group has called for “Skip Starbucks Saturday” this weekend — a nationwide boycott on Aug. 24, to pressure the coffee giant to amend its current policy, which allows customers to carry loaded guns into Starbucks stores where permitted by state law. 

And the result: 

The boycott appeared to have the opposite effect as many people – even those who don’t normally go to Starbucks or who don’t own guns – vowed to go to the coffee giant in support of its policy …

“As a barista at Starbucks this was one of the busiest mornings I have ever experienced! Pretty awesome! One customer came through THREE times all before noon just to show support! I love Starbucks customers!” 

Let’s hope that one or two readers show the same defiant spirit. If you’re somehow able to access this post, please indicate your support in comments. Freedom!

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O’Farrell blows Rudd naval stunt out of the water

Andrew Bolt August 27 2013 (3:40pm)

In one swift move, Barry O’Farrell turns Kevin Rudd’s naval announcement into a PR disaster:

IN a Harbourside showdown, NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell has lashed out at Prime Minister Kevin Rudd over a $6 billion proposal to move Navy ships from Garden Island.
The pair met ‘by chance’ at Mrs Macquarie’s chair as Mr Rudd was leaving a media conference.
”A phone call would have been nice...4000 (Navy) jobs,” Mr O’Farrell said to Mr Rudd.
“Your predecessor knew how to share, her predecessor knew how to share. You should learn to share."…
Mr Rudd [earlier] said if re-elected he would establish a three-person future navy taskforce that would provide advice to government about the reallocation of naval ships from the Garden Island base in Sydney to Brisbane, Darwin and Perth.

The confrontation didn’t just focus attention on how Rudd’s plan (to save Queensland seats) will hurt NSW. It ensured the topic is once again that Rudd is still making huge promises on the run, without consulation or proper costings.
Finance Minister Penny Wong’s agitation on Sky News in defending this mess hints at the damage she reallses has been done.
UPDATE
O’Farrell kicks and kicks again:

An irate Mr O’Farrell said Mr Rudd was using defence infrastructure in a bid to sandbag Labor-held seats in Brisbane for base political reasons.…
“We stand to lose 4000 direct jobs all because we have a federal political leader so spooked by the polls he will do anything, even use defence infrastructure, as a tactic to try and win votes north of the NSW border.”

Was anyone in the navy consulted?

However, it is understood that Defence is opposed to any relocation because of the massive cost involved. Defence sources say it would not be money well spent at a time when military funding is languishing at historically low levels.
The move also represents a U-turn for the government, which said in the May Defence white paper it would not proceed with long-term planning to establish a naval base in Brisbane because of the massive cost.

Is this about saving Australia or saving Labor seats in Queensland?

The Australia Defence Association says Brisbane just isn’t a viable option for the major naval base Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is proposing.
The lobby group’s executive director Neil James said Brisbane was on a flood-prone river which opened on to a large shallow bay.
“You’d have to build the base and then you would have to dredge a whole lot of channels separate to the commercial shipping channels. You’d have to dredge them in perpetuity and the environmental and financial costs would be massive,” he said.
There would also be just one entrance which is always dangerous for a naval base, he said…
Mr James said Garden Island in Sydney Harbour has been Australia’s principal navy base for 175 years for sound reasons based on geography, oceanography, trade routes and industrial support.
Sydney is a deep water harbour with plenty of room for ships to manoeuvre and immediate access to deep ocean waters and nearby exercise areas,” he said.

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Rudd is right and Wong is wrong

Andrew Bolt August 27 2013 (1:29pm)

Kevin Ruudd isn’t backed by his Finance Minister, Penny Wong.
Rudd on Sunday:

I don’t think our actions on the carbon tax were right. That’s why I changed it and moved towards a floating price. To begin with we didn’t have a mandate for it.

Wong yesterday:

CURTIS: Kevin Rudd said yesterday Labor didn’t have a mandate to introduce the carbon tax – has he effectively accepted the premise of the argument Tony Abbott’s been running against Labor for three years?

WONG: Well, look, there’s no doubt a price on carbon has been a pretty hotly contested and bitterly divisive policy area for some time. My view is: I’m very pleased that we have finally got back to the position which is the one that Tony Abbott and Kevin Rudd went to the election with in 2007, which is a floating price through an emissions trading system.

CURTIS: Did you have a mandate for a carbon tax?

WONG: Look, I think we were clear that we wanted to implement a price on carbon but, you know, obviously there’s different versions of history and I think it’s fair to say how the electorate has understood what occurred.

I prefer Rudd’s version of this shabby history to Wong’s. Unless Rudd’s view prevails, Labor will have learned nothing from that disaster. 

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Losing Bill Peach, and a bit of the country

Andrew Bolt August 27 2013 (1:02pm)

Remember when television screened shows about our country - the vast and wonderful parts beyound the urban sprawl?
Remember the Leyland Brothers, Malcolm Douglas, the Bush Tucker Man, Steve Irwin, Troy Dann and Harry Butler? Remember Bill Peach?:

BILL Peach, best known as the presenter of the seminal ABC current affairs show This Day Tonight, has died at the age of 78. Peach was presenter of TDT when it launched in 1967 and continued to host it for the next eight years…
He went on to host a travel series, Peach’s Australia, and founded a travel and tourism company, Bill Peach Journeys.

Rural Australia is now virtually wiped from our television screens. It’s not jus the documentaries that have gone. So have rural-based dramas - Blue Heelers, The Flying Doctors, McLeod’s Daughters, SeaChange, A Town Like Alice, A Country Practice…   

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There are possibly worse embarrassments on campus than a conservative

Andrew Bolt August 27 2013 (12:54pm)

Professor Mike Adams responds to a critic of the Left:

Dear Edward:
I want to take the time to thank you for writing and telling me that I should be fired from my position as a tenured professor because I am “the biggest embarrassment to higher education in America.” I also want to thank you for responding when I asked you exactly how you arrived at that conclusion. Your response, “because you insist that marriage requires one man and one woman,” was both helpful and concise.
While I respect your right to conclude that I am the biggest embarrassment to higher education in America, I think you’re wrong. In fact, I don’t even think I’m the biggest embarrassment to higher education in the state of North Carolina. But since you’re a liberal and you support “choice” – provided we’re talking about dismembering children and not school vouchers for those who weren’t dismembered – I want to give you some options. In fact, I’m going to describe the antics of ten professors, official campus groups, and invited campus speakers in North Carolina and let you decide which constitutes the biggest embarrassment to higher education.
1. In the early spring semester of 2013, a women’s studies professor and a psychology professor at Western Carolina University co-sponsored a panel on bondage and S&M. The purpose of the panel was to teach college students how to inflict pain on themselves and others for sexual pleasure. When you called me the biggest embarrassment in higher education, you must not have known about their bondage panel. Maybe you were tied up that evening and couldn’t make it.
2. At UNC Chapel Hill, there is a feminist professor who believes that women can lead happy lives without men. That’s nothing new. But what’s different is that she thinks women can form lifelong domestic partnerships with dogs and that those relationships will actually be fulfilling enough to replace marital relationships with men. I can’t make this stuff up, Ed. I don’t drop acid. Well, at least not since the late 1980s. But I promise this story is real and not an LSD flashback.
3. At Duke University, feminists hired a “sex worker” (read: prostitute) to speak as part of an event called the Sex Workers Art Show. After his speech, the male prostitute pulled down his pants, got down on his knees, and inserted a burning sparkler into his rectum. While it burned, he sang a verse of “the Star Spangled Banner.” I believe that stripping incident was almost as embarrassing as the other one involving the Duke Lacrosse team.
4. A porn star was once paid to give a speech at UNCG. The topic was “safe sodomy.” After her speech, the feminist pornographer sold autographed butt plugs to students in attendance. I’m not sure whether the ink could contribute to rectal cancer. I’m no health expert. But I do know it was pretty darned embarrassing when the media picked up on the story.

Do read on for Adams’ full list of possible embarrassments to American academia.

(Via Instapundit.)  

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Another election, another fast rail promise

Andrew Bolt August 27 2013 (7:52am)

Labor likes promising fast rail projects it never delivers.
2007:

FEDERAL Labor leader Kevin Rudd has unveiled his vision for Sydney, promising a massive cash injection for the Penrith fast rail link and the M7 to F3 motorway and a new national infrastructure fund for the city.

2010:

The Government says if it is re-elected it will fund a study into a high-speed rail link along Australia’s east coast as well as commit to building an inland rail link between Brisbane and Melbourne. Transport Minister Anthony Albanese ...  says the Government will commit $20 million to study the feasibility of a fast-speed rail link between Sydney and Newcastle…
Labor has also promised voters it will build an inland rail line between Brisbane and Melbourne via the New South Wales central west, including Parkes. 

2013:

LABOR will kick in $52 million to start a multibillion-dollar project to deliver high-speed rail between Sydney and Melbourne by 2035. 

(Thanks to reader Gab.)
UPDATE
Terry McCrann:

Rudd Mark I ‘only’ committed to spend $40 billion - probably going on $60 billion or $80 billion - on a completely uncosted, completely unexamined National Broadband Network.
He did so, on the basis that it ‘looked like a good idea at the time’ - on the back of a VIP serviette, scribbled out by then communications minister Stephen Conroy, on a prime ministerial flight been Canberra and Brisbane…
Now Rudd Mark II has doubled down on fiscal lunacy, by seizing on the idea of spending at least three times that - officially $114 billion, but in the same inevitable NBN-blowout way, probably going on who knows what: $154 billion? $214 billion? - on an even more irrational, more irresponsible, high-speed rail line between Melbourne and Brisbane…
Three things stand out about this high-speed rail idea which makes it eerily, disturbingly, similar to the NBN.
First is the manner in which it’s unveiled. Seemingly on the spur of a moment, without the slightest economic or business justification. And cooked up by Rudd for purely political spin reasons…
The second thing that stands out about both the NBN and the high-speed rail are that they’ll take at least a decade to actually arrive…
That points to the third unifying feature: the bizarre Rudd commitment to very slow building, arguably outdated before you even start and all but certainly by the time you finish, very expensive fixed infrastructure.

UPDATE
A short history of fast rail schemes:

June 1984 

CSIRO officers propose a high speed rail link between Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne

The Chairman of the CSIRO, Dr Paul Wild, and colleagues Dr John Brotchie and Dr John Nicholson propose a high speed rail link between Sydney Canberra and Melbourne via Cooma, Orbost and the Latrobe Valley. The train would run at 350 km/h, and be based on French TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) technology. The initial cost is estimated to be $2.5 billion, and they claim could generate initial revenue of $120 million a year against operating costs of $50 million a year…

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Dial F for fear

Andrew Bolt August 27 2013 (7:45am)

A million calls to scare people about Tony Abbott:

Labor strategists have embarked on an under-the-radar telephone blitz aiming for 1 million personal calls by election day, in the hope of turning around their flagging campaign with under a fortnight to go.
Internal records from the Labor campaign, obtained by Fairfax Media, reveal the party machine has placed its confidence in the direct marketing approach, making 865,241 telephone calls to marginal seat voters since the election race began less than a month ago.
The 1 million-plus call target represents a tenfold increase on the number rung by Labor in the entire 2010 campaign.
Many of the calls are being made by MPs and candidates as well as volunteers, replicating an American campaign technique.

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The video that finished Assange forever

Andrew Bolt August 27 2013 (7:13am)

I’m told some people still admire Julian Assange, even though he’s a reckless ego-maniac who cost supporters lots of money when he skipped bail to dodge facing rape charges. But this video, intended to win Assange votes for his imploding political party, should be too much even for them. 

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Miley Cyrus, inspiration to slanegirls everywhere

Andrew Bolt August 27 2013 (6:56am)

It is hard to avoid that decline-of-civilisation-feeling when a big TV awards night features a widely known former teen star in her underwear simulating rutting as if she were a prostitute or animated sex toy:

Miley Cyrus ... took raunchy performances to a whole new cringe-worthy level at the MTV Video Music Awards…
Surrounded by a gaggle of dancing care bears the star then hip-thrusted and gyrated her way around the stage, provocatively gesturing towards her crotch at regular intervals.
Pulling moves that should only be seen in a really bad porno, the star turned it up a notch when Robin Thicke entered the stage to perform a duet of his single Blurred Lines.

And just when you thought her outfit couldn’t get any skimpier, Cyrus ripped off the garment…
Cyrus then danced around Thicke in her “underwear” before twerking on his crotch and rubbing her “Coles” foam finger across his privates.

And the difference is....?:

A girl has been hospitalized after photos of her giving oral sex at an outdoor concert exploded on the Internet.
The girl, who according to some reports is 17 years old, was photographed at an Eminem concert in Ireland on Saturday. In one photo, she is on her knees giving fellatio, while the man raises his arms in a sign of victory. In another, she is kissing the same man while he reaches under her skirt. In yet another, she appears to be giving oral sex to a second unidentified man.
As the graphic photos quickly went viral, the girl unwittingly became the latest target of brutal cyber-bullying.
The hashtag #slanegirl, used primarily to ridicule her, trended globally for a short period on Monday… Sources told The Irish Independent that the girl is ‘devastated’ and was so distraught she had to be sedated in the hospital Monday afternoon.

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Would they have invited him had he killed an Australian artist?

Andrew Bolt August 27 2013 (6:50am)

Why didn’t these dilettantes consider instead bring over the relatives of Monahan’s victims to discuss dangerous ideas - you know, like playing intellectual footsies with killers?

THE Sydney Opera House has invited a convicted British double killer to speak at a festival of “dangerous ideas.”
Erwin James Monahan, 56, served 20 years in jail for stripping naked and strangling an actor in his London home and killing a solicitor who was dragged into a park and beaten with a brick.

UPDATE
Reader angry loner:

Where’s the 457 visa outrage? Why isn’t Ivan Milat being offered this gig? The Opera House can’t find one murderer in Australia to give us a “unique perspective”?

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Q&A: Jones fair, conservatives triumph, Shorten waffles and the ABC’s anti-Murdoch jihad continues

Andrew Bolt August 27 2013 (6:16am)

About Q&A last night…

- The anti-Murdoch hysteria on the ABC is astonishing. British Labour MP Tom Watson, out here to help demonise Murdoch, was a Q&A guest, having earlier yesterday been a guest on ABC Melbourne radio and on the ABC’s The Drum. Just before Q&A, the ABC’s Media Watch devoted its entire show to attacking Murdoch papers and just after the show the ABC’s Lateline had another session devoted to criticising Murdoch. As I type, Watson is now being interviewed by the ABC’s Fran Kelly on Radio National. He will also be on ABC 24’s Breakfast show with Virginia Trioli. The ABC is campaigning against Murdoch papers just like it says Murdoch papers shouldn’t campaign against our worst government in living memory. And, really, haven’t we outgrown the cultural cringe that has us listening with respect to a visitor of no great stature burbling to us about what a local could say better?
- Perhaps mindful of this ABC witch-huntery, host Tony Jones was this time scrupulously even handed and very skilled at keeping the conversation focused. The audience for once seemed to match the advertised balance.
- Liberal MP Kelly O’Dwyer, in the past sometimes too aggressive, was this time impressively polished and measured.
- Labor’s Bill Shorten seemed inclined to ramble and was sometimes plain snide. For a future Labor leader he desperately needs to have the humility to change. And the humility to actually be just that - more humble.
- The Wheeler Centre’s Sally Warhaft curiously lacked the ability to sustain an argument. I suspect she’s spent too much time lately among the writing class, confusing passion with reason. I thought she was better than that.
- The IPA’s Tim Wilson was denied much speaking time but articulated the liberal (small l) position superbly. Watch out for this guy.

- Watson and Shorten kept referring to pictures of Rudd being photoshopped onto “Nazi” uniforms as evidence of Murdoch horror. That’s a bit desperate, boys. Lighten up. The cultural reference, as I’m sure both men know perfectly well, was not to Nazis but to Hogan’s Heroes - a source not of horror but humor.

Yes, I’m more partial to conservative arguments than those of the Left. But I’m also very prone to fearing the side has been let down.
On this occasion, the two conservatives on a panel of four Leftists (including the host) won hands down on content and on style.

UPDATE
After hearing the Murdoch media over the past 24 hours be denounced on ABC Melbourne radio, Radio National Breakfast, Media Watch, Lateline, Q&A and ABC 24, this corrective:

Headlines on news stories from the Fairfax Media stable are more biased than those of News Corp, a new online tool measuring public perception suggests.
The Headline Worm has been created by technologist Nic Hodges… The Headline Worm also implies that those who have voted see more bias across the board in favour of Labor.
“Fairfax and News are essentially on par with the amount of content but Fairfax’s content has been ranked quite left while News and the ABC are being ranked quite neutral.”

I wonder what in today’s Age might have made readers think Age writers are of the Left?

(Thanks to reader marg of nambour,) 

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Gary Johns: Labor should say sorry for this debt

Andrew Bolt August 27 2013 (6:14am)

Former Labor Minister Gary Johns:

It needs to be appreciated that the level of debt (to gross domestic product) is not as large now as it was in 1996 when the previous federal Coalition government came to power - roughly 30 per cent then and 20 per cent now....
Bob Hawke and Paul Keating overspent, but the productive economy they left did a great deal of the work for Howard-Costello in paying debts. The same could not be said for the Rudd-Gillard governments.
It would be tempting to consider laying charges against Labor ministers Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Wayne Swan, Penny Wong and Stephen Conroy for wasting $250 billion of Australian taxpayers’ money. But, hey, Australia is a liberal democracy and we don’t like to be seen to exact revenge. Perhaps an apology would do it.

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An ABC entitlement is not fit for the little people

Andrew Bolt August 27 2013 (5:43am)

When the ABC’s Fran Kelly told Tony Abbott his parental leave scheme was not fair on the lower paid, she meant a full-pay leave scheme was not fair on poorer workers unless the richer workers getting it were ABC employees:

ABC Radio National Breakfast yesterday:

Kelly: ...  I’d like to be clear on why one woman in Australia will get $75,000 from the government ... whereas possibly the woman next door will get $22,000. Why is that fair?
Abbott: And Fran, if you go on long service leave you get paid at your wage and some people get paid a higher wage and other people get paid at a lower wage.
Kelly: And the employer pays for that ...
Abbott: Now the thing is, Fran, why should someone working for the ABC who goes on paid parental leave get paid at his or her wage and not someone who’s a shop assistant or a factory worker? ...
Kelly: Well, because I think that it’s a very expensive issue, pledge, on the public purse, there’s such inequity ...
Abbott: Well, that’s because people get paid at different rates… This is not an equity argument you’re running ... you cannot make an equity argument against paying people at their wage if this is a workplace entitlement, and surely it is. It is at the ABC. Why shouldn’t it be at the small business as well?
Kelly: Well, I think it’s a matter of where the funding has come from ...

Where Fran’s funding comes from? Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy:

IN 2013-14, government funding to the ABC will total $1.05 billion. 

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Faker PM fakes his audience

Andrew Bolt August 27 2013 (5:28am)

Kevin Rudd is so desperate to fake his popularity that he needs to bring in fake shoppers, fake bowlers, fake battling mothers, fake “not rusted on Labor” supporters and now even fake parents:

IT was Kevin Rudd’s perfect childcare picture opportunity, posing with parents in favour of his paid parental leave scheme and, as they were Chinese, he could chat in Mandarin with them as well.
But neither set of parents had kids who actually attend the childcare centre the Prime Minister was visiting in Sydney’s southern suburbs and one of the dads initially said he was an ALP member.
Both parents said they had been picked the night before for the photo opportunity by “friends” inside the Labor Party.
Bob Wang, 27, initially admitted he was a member of the Labor Party “for about a year” but hours later called News Corp Australia to say he was simply a “supporter”.

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Rudd pay millions to study a rail link to cost billions he doesn’t have

Andrew Bolt August 26 2013 (6:03pm)

Rudd promises to spend another $52 million to study for umpteenth time a rail service he cannot afford to build:

LABOR wants high-speed rail between Sydney and Melbourne by 2035, with Kevin Rudd today promising $52 million to get the multi-billion dollar project started.
The Prime Minister said if Labor won the September election, it would pass legislation to preserve a 1748-kilometre corridor for high-speed rail between Brisbane to Melbourne.
Mr Rudd announced $52m would go towards the establishment of a new high-speed rail authority to finalise station locations and to develop a business case for the massive project with Infrastructure Australia.

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Post by Stephen E Hughes.

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Mandarin Ducks
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I replied .. having watched Media Watch last night I yearned for an unbiased media .. ABC and Fairfax favor ALP while news limited is balanced .. it isn't fair on conservatives. I note it suits conservatives in the electoral cycle as it occasionally works for them .. but as in '07 it is also a cancer which eats at the fabric of society .. ed
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In response to the multi million dollar Federal Government ad campaign aimed at frightening middle class Australians, a group of tax-paying, voting (middle class) Australians installed 3m posters on Sydney's busiest street. The very low budget ad campaign aims to tell a different story and point out the hypocrisy, and mean-spirited asylum seeker policy.

Please tag and share away #auspol Near Commonwealth Bank, George Street Sydney .
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ISRAEL – CENTER OF THIS STORM , From Iran to Syria, Hamas to Hezbollah and more. 
Asymmetrical Rocket Warfare and State sponsors of terrorism. Such states do not have to declare war upon their opponent, fight through a proxy and can strike where, when and how at their own choosing. In the age of Asymmetrical Rocket Warfare, the tiny state of Israel is in the center of this storm. This chapter facilitates a more thorough insight towards understanding the magnitude of the deadly threat of these weapons and CBRN. This is a primer for understanding SCUD missiles, Kassam Rockets, cruise missiles, UAVs, solid-fueled, liquid-fueled, hyper-sonic, subsonic, and stealth capabilities.”
http://iranthreatassessmentcbrn.com/downloads/chapter-6-the-basics-for-understanding-qassams-scud-missiles-to-cruise-missiles-drones-to-uavs-cbrn-warfare/

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Left wing humor. It is offensive. ed
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another cruel blow to leftie hopes of demonising Tony Abbott
, The Age reports he saved lives during the Bali Bombing. I expect a litany of furious letters from Northcote to the editor now about the "right-wing" bias of the Fairfax press.>===
<Dot connections continue amid a whirlwind of confused ethics, gross hypocrisies, who supports whom, ignorance, convoluted and hidden agendas, and of course, egos intent on elevating statuses quite beyond otherwise, well-deserved criticism and exposed scandals...Dots increasingly muffle the the chessboard.>
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If anyone had any doubts about what Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas meant when he met last weekwith members of the Israeli leftist party Meretz, an officialstatement from his Fatah party on Sunday made things clear.

After Thursday’s meeting, members of Meretz said that Abbas had reassured them that if a peace agreement is reached with Israel, it would bring an end to his people’s demands of the Jewish state.

"I know your concerns, but guarantee that at the conclusion of successful negotiations, we undertake to end all the demands. We will not ask to return to Yafo, Akko and Tzfat,” he reportedly said.

Members of Meretz said that Abbas told them a “fair agreement” will end the conflict with Israel and that a “peace agreement with Israel will be final and binding." He did not, however, specify what is meant by a fair peace agreement and did not commit to the fact that the PA would give up its demand for the “right of return”, which would see millions of Arabs who fled Israel in 1948 and their descendants flood Israel.

On Sunday, Abbas chaired a meeting of the Central Committee of the Fatah movement, at the conclusion of which Fatah spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said in a statement that "the main goal of the negotiations with Israel is to establish an independent Palestinian state within the [pre-]1967 borders with its capital Al-Quds (Jerusalem -ed.), and the return of refugees in accordance with resolutions by international legitimate institutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.”

Abu Rudeineh stressed that "all issues related to the permanent status agreement are on the negotiating table, within the time frame of the nine months that was agreed upon with the U.S. government."

He added that the settlement enterprise in Judea and Samaria “is an obstacle to reaching a just peace based on the rights of the Palestinian people that cannot be canceled.”

The meeting between Abbas and the Meretz members took place several days after the latest meeting between Israeli and PA negotiators, as part of the current round of peace talks.

So far, details of the discussions between the sides have not been revealed, apparently consistent with a request from Washington last week for a strict news blackout.

At the same time, the PA’s chief negotiator Saeb Erekat  revealed, in aninterview with the Nazareth-based Arabic language A-Shams radio station on Tuesday, that the PA would not have returned to the negotiating table with Israel had it not received a letter of assurances from the United States, guaranteeing its main negotiating preconditions.

Meanwhile, not all PA factions are on board the peace talks. On Friday, hundreds of people in Gaza protested against Israeli-PA peace talks, in marches organized by the Hamas and Islamic Jihad terror groups.

Marchers set off from mosques across the coastal strip before converging on a square in the middle of Gaza City, with protesters brandishing signs saying "No to negotiations" and slamming Abbas's "political failure."

there are no moderates from Palestinian/Jordanian side? ed
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The Palestinian journalists’ syndicate has decided to boycott coverage of the activities of the Palestinian Authority’s security apparatus in the West Bank to protest the security crackdown on journalists during a recent demonstration.
Way too often journalists participate and don't report ed
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Food for today! #organic #glutenfree #wheatfree#almondspread #vitaminc #organicchocolate#healthy
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Some of the most beautiful of California's back country is under threat from the rim fire as it enters Yosemite and is moving towards the Tioga Pass area.
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New Collection coming along nicely!#textiledesign #fabricdesign #design#surfacedesign #interiordesign #printdesign#pattern #textiledesigner #katzdesignertextiles#kirstenkatz #botanical #floral #australian
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4 her
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Monochromatic Monday Monsoon Madness! (say that ten times really fast). 

I'm kicking off this page with a black and white image of a desert storm just east of Picacho. The monsoon clouds were slowly building and soon there would be a lightning storm overtaking this area. I liked the cactus that covers the ground... very different than a Californian landscape!

Prints can be found at:http://mattgranz.zenfolio.com/p429424258/h635546df#h635546df

#Desert #Storm #Arizona
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Taken on Mount Lemmon, Arizona at sunrise. The stars were still shining brightly in the pre-dawn sky and the hoodoos were starting to catch some ambient glow.

Please feel free to share, and see in a better viewing environment at this location: http://mattgranz.zenfolio.com/p751617211/h6812667b#h6812667b — at Mount Lemmon.
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Do you like getting free stuff? If you like being social, you've got an advantage! Check out the blog to see how you can receive a free 5" x 7" mini album with the images from your portrait session!

Get to sharing peeps!

http://marycagalitanblog.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/perks-for-being-social-end-of-winter.html
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Thanks to Kevin Rudd and Labor everything from electricity, gas, education, and medical services has gone up.

Calculate exactly how much Labor is costing you by clicking the link below:http://apps.facebook.com/costoflabor/
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Holly Sarah Nguyen

• Best Father, Best Friend, Best Counselor, Best Healer, Best Helper, and Best Retirement Planner Ever Unless you got something better, I'm stickin' with the Lord...

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THE Greens continue to be tied in knots by their stance on Israel, with NSW senator-elect Lee Rhiannon forced to admit she marched in protest with Taj Din al-Hilali after initially denying any association with the controversial Islamic cleric.

Photographic evidence shows Ms Rhiannon and her former NSW upper house Greens colleague Sylvia Hale marching with Sheik Hilali at a protest in Sydney on June 5 last year, holding a banner that reads, "End the siege of Gaza -- break ties with Israel".

Press reports of another rally four days earlier, including reports in Green Left Weekly, list Sheik Hilali and Ms Rhiannon among the speakers, with Sheik Hilali denouncing Israel as a "terrorist state" and Ms Rhiannon condemning the Israeli attack on an aid flotilla to Gaza as "a crime against humanity".

Sheik Hilali provoked outrage in 2006 when he compared scantily clad women to "uncovered cat meat".

When asked by The Australian if she had spoken alongside Sheik Hilali at the first rally, Ms Rhiannon said: "I did not appear with Sheik Hilali as you state.

"I did not see him or hear him speak. I was not aware that he was at the rally. I reject The Australian's attempt to associate me with controversial views held by Sheik Hilali. I condemn Sheik Hilali's comment comparing women in casual clothing to cat meat. I oppose all forms of racism, bigotry and sexism."

But shown the media reports, Ms Rhiannon clarified her movements on June 1, saying parliament had been sitting on the evening in question. "We jumped in a taxi to go down there and as soon as we got there, we were put on to speak," Ms Rhiannon said. "I did not see Sheik Hilali."

Shown the photograph taken on June 5, in which she is marching about 2m from the Sheik, Ms Rhiannon did not deny her presence. "I was not alongside Hilali and the photo shows I am not alongside Sheik Hilali," she said. "The rally was about Gaza and that's why I went along."

Ms Rhiannon's difficulties in distancing herself from Sheik Hilali follow criticism of the NSW Greens during the recent state election for their support of a boycott of Israel. The issue contributed to the defeat of the Greens candidate in Marrickville, Fiona Byrne, after Ms Byrne made contrary comments on whether she planned to introduce the boycott into state parliament, if elected.

Ms Rhiannon later claimed the Greens needed to explain the policy more forcefully and was carpeted by federal Greens leader Bob Brown, who called the policy a "mistake".

Ms Rhiannon last night denied there was any conflict between her alleged speaking engagement with Sheik Hilali and her referral of Cardinal George Pell to the NSW parliamentary privileges committee, for contempt, in 2007. The move occurred after Cardinal Pell warned Catholic state MPs who voted in favour of stem-cell research to consider their place in the life of the church. "Cardinal Pell's comments were attempting to influence a vote in parliament," Ms Rhiannon said. "The sheik's comment (on Israel as a terrorist state), which I oppose, was not linked to legislation before the NSW parliament."

Federal opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Julie Bishop last night described Ms Rhiannon's comments regarding Israel as "extreme, highly prejudicial and deeply troubling".

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CANdo - Australia's Voice.

A Seven Network investigation has uncovered details about how Australian aid to PNG is being stolen and laundered. The Australian Federal Police estimate that $200 million is stolen each year, banked in Australia and used to buy property here. None has been recovered. 

The Rudd government proposes to increase aid and reduce controls on how it is spent. Kevin Rudd agreed to this as part of the Manus arrangement concerning illegal immigration from Australia.

As our book Give Us Back Our Country notes, foreign aid was increased significantly to aid in the acquisition of a temporary seat on the UN Security Council. Much aid is used for consultants and even for politicans to attend conferences with politicians of likeminded parties.

A report on the investigation was broadcast on Channel Seven's Today Tonight on Monday 26 August and will continue on Tuesday.
@profdavid flint
http://au.news.yahoo.com/video/national/watch/18663234/claims-png-aid-being-misused/

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By Madu Odiokwu Pastorvin

ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD.
Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible(Matthew 19:26 NIV)
Are you facing something today that seems impossible? With man it may be, but with God, ALL things are possible. If you seem to be in an impossible situation, get “with God!”

Sometimes it’s so easy to focus on our problems and try to solve them in our own strength. But remember, the battle belongs to the Lord. He has a plan for your victory. He has a plan to give you a way out. He is making the things that seem impossible, possible. You can trust Him today. The Bible says that He has plans for your good, not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Start believing and confessing today, “I am with God, and with God all things are possible!” Are your bills piling up? With God, all things are possible. Do your relationships need healing? With God, all things are possible. Is there sickness in your body? With God, all things are possible! As you meditate on God’s Word, His power is activated in your life. He will strengthen you and lead you forward into that place of victory He has in store for you.God bless you.

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By Madu Odiokwu Pastorvin

Daniel 1:17 - As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
PRAY ALONG.
O God,arise and give me divine dreams that will change my story,in Jesus name,Amen.

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J.John

If you remove“Christ” from Christian,you are left with “Ian” and Ian just isn’t going to help you!” I wonder who first said that!
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Daily Videos Click here to watch: Hysterical! Moving to Israel Have a good laugh! Follow us on Facebook for top Israel videoswww.facebook.com/12tribefilms Click here to watch: Awesome Wedding Dance in Israel Another awesome wedding dance in Israel, performed by friends of the groom to make the bride and groom happy. Enjoy! Follow us on Facebook for top Israel videoswww.facebook.com/12tribefilms Click here to watch: Awesome! Cups Song to Jewish A Capella What a great A Capella group and such a cool video! Follow us on Facebook for top Israel videoswww.facebook.com/12tribefilms Click here to watch: The True Plan of the Palestinian Authority! Why is Israel allowing itself to be sucked into following this plan to ultimately destroy Israel? Why can't Israel show the world the true colors of the Palestinian Authority and end this charade of a peace process??? Follow us on Facebook for top Israel videos www.facebook.com/12tribefilms FEATURED VIDEOS Click here to watch: The Middle East Problem This is a fabulous video that simply analyzes the true problem of the Middle East, between the Muslim countries and Israel. Definitely watch it! Click here to watch: Fascinating! The Legal Case for Israel International law is on Israel's side. Watch the video to understand why! This must be one of the best video presentations that clearly explains international law and the legal case for Israel and Israel's presence in Judea and Samaria. Definitely watch this to have a better understanding of international law so you can talk about Israel's situation intelligently with others. Thank you for caring about Israel. Here is a new tool we have developed for people like you to stay up-to-date with important videos with the latest news in Israel. Sign Up Here! Support the Israeli Economy - Weekly Deal One Week Rosh Hashanah Sale - Yair Emanuel Judaica!! Don't miss this best seller! Click here to purchase this special holiday gift. Add a splash of festive color to your Rosh HaShanah this year with this wonderful shofar stand! And not only Rosh HaShanah; it will also look great on your mantel or desk all year long. IsraelVideoNetwork.com, run by 12Tribe Films, is developing the next generation of Israel activists using online video and social networking. Join our mission - Click here to make a tax-deductible donation to help us grow our network to reach hundreds of thousands of people to make a difference for Israel. ©2013 12Tribe Films | Jerusalem, Israel

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Learn Biblical Hebrew through the poetry of King David. Join a Biblical Hebrew course by August 31st, 2013, to receive a beautiful disc of the Book of Psalms, read in Hebrew by Israel's most renowned narrator, Dan Kaner.   Register Now!

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Dear Friends, I hope you've had a great summer!  I am sure you are busy getting your kids back to school, returning to college or ramping up for a busy fall schedule.  Patriot Voices has been busy too, and I wanted to drop you a note with all of the things we are up to in the coming weeks.  UN Disabilities Treaty update We have every expectation that the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, or CRPD, will come up for consideration in the U.S. Senate when they return this fall.  Patriot Voices has been fighting this treaty every step of the way, but our fight must continue until it's defeated for good. We all know why this treaty is so harmful, but just to reiterate our main reasons for opposing this treaty are: CRPD threatens U.S. sovereignty and parental rights. CRPD would effectively put us under international law when it comes to parenting our special needs children. CRPD gives the government the power, with direction from the U.N., to decide what is best for our children. I encourage you to check out a terrific one-pager compiled by the The Heritage Foundation about why CPRD must be defeated.  I also ask you to use our quick and easy digital tool to communicate with your Senators.  By clicking here, you will quickly obtain a draft email that you can personalize to send to your senators. Thanks for all you are doing to help defeat CRPD.  Karen and I are grateful for your commitment to this fight.  Sincerely, Rick Santorum  Patriot Voices Radio Tuesday at noon ET will be our next broadcast of Patriot Voices Radio.  We'll be talking about all the news of the day as well as our Labor Day Hero contest.  Representative Scott Perry of Pennsylvania will join the conversation, too.  Tune in atwww.patriotvoices.com/radio.  Call our "Shout-Out Line" anytime at (512) 827-0033 to tell us about an everyday American worker who has inspired you.  We might play your message on our next show!  From the PAC - Support Ken Paxton for Texas Attorney General Last week, I announced our endorsement of State Senator Ken Paxton for Texas Attorney General.  He has already shown he has what it takes to fight for the rights in our Constitution as Attorney General to make a difference for Texas and for our country. Ken will hold President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder accountable for their assault against the rights of states.  As a State House Member and a State Senator, Ken Paxton has a record of standing up, not only to folks on the other side of the aisle, but even standing up to his own party when they wander off the conservative line. Patriot Voices PAC is pleased to stand up for this strong conservative, and we look forward to helping Ken Paxton become the next Attorney General in the State of Texas.  Watch a video of my endorsement here. ABC News features my recent Iowa trip In case you missed it, Michael Falcone of ABC News recently traveled with me to several events throughout the state of Iowa.  During the course of the 18-hour day, Michael traveled over 430 miles with me in the "Chuck Truck" starting with a morning breakfast with grassroots activists in Council Bluffs, followed by an event at a Sioux City church, and finishing up the day with the Lyon County Republican dinner in the far northwest corner of Iowa.  Here's a quick excerpt from the story: ABC News recently joined Rick Santorum, the once and possibly future White House hopeful, for a morning-to-midnight ride-along around Iowa. It may be more than three years before the 2016 election, but earlier this month Santorum was already back in the state that traditionally kicks off the presidential nominating contest, and the one that gave him a belated victory in the caucuses last year. What became immediately apparent is how much he loves this place: the cornfields, the Pizza Ranch buffets, the Norman Rockwell-esque main streets, the county GOP chairs who treat him like a celebrity, the couple in Oskaloosa who let him stay at their home as if he were a member of the family, and the voters who still recognize him and want to shake his hand. I spent 17 hours embedded with the former Pennsylvania senator traveling more than 430 miles around Iowa, following an itinerary that felt a lot like a typical day here during his 2012 presidential campaign. Is Santorum running for president again in 2016? He won't say - at least not until after the 2014 midterm elections have come and gone. But here's a taste of what it's like to spend a day with him. Decide for yourself.   To read ABC News' piece in its entirety, click  here. The Latest on EchoLight David Brody at the Christian Broadcasting Network did a great piece about EchoLight and our next film, "Seasons of Gray: The Modern Day Story of Joseph."  I encourage you take a look  here.  Labor Day Hero Contest Stay tuned for an email this week with information on how you can nominate a person or group of hardworking people who exemplify the spirit of the American worker! Sign our Petition for a Balanced Budget Amendment As Patriot Voices pushes Congress for passage of a Balanced Budget Amendment this fall, I hope you'll sign our petition to strengthen our efforts. It's long past time for fiscal sanity and accountability in Washington.  Already 14,000 folks have signed.   Will you add your name?  Help Patriot Voices carry out our mission Your financial support is critical to ensuring that we can carry out our mission of fighting for faith, family, freedom and opportunity in America. Help us in our efforts by making a contribution of $25, $50, or $100 so we can keep fighting for our conservative values.

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Tell Obama to Demand an Investigation into Violence & Impunity in Burma Demand an Investigation into Violence & Impunity in Burma today Anti-Muslim violence in Burma continues with impunity - this weekend, a crowd of 1,000 Buddhists burned down the homes and shops of Muslims in a Sagaing Division village while security forces failed to intervene. Those attempting to help victims of anti-Muslim violence are attacked themselves: Buddhist aid workers in Arakan State are being forced to resign as they and their families become targets of threats and intimidation. Last week, a crowd of 200 Buddhists attacked the UN Special Rapporteur for human rights in Burma; the police failed to protect him, and the government immediately denied the attack. In light of these developments, please join us in telling President Obama to urge the UN to establish an international, independent investigation into Burma's ongoing anti-Muslim violence. This spring, we asked you to write President Obama to call for an investigation into attacks against ethnic and religious minorities in Burma. Thanks to your help, the international consensus around an independent investigation has grown exponentially. On June 20th, 12 Nobel Peace laureates wrote in a joint letter that the Burmese government will continue to perpetuate a system of impunity and human rights violations unless the international community establishes an “independent investigation of the anti-Muslim violence in Burma.” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay has also called for an independent investigation into anti-Muslim attacks since June 2012, and this week, Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) called for an independent investigation in its report, Patterns of Anti-Muslim Violence in Burma: A Call for Accountability and Prevention. PHR wrote that anti-Muslim violence, bolstered by hate speech, systems of impunity, and inaction by government and democracy movement leaders, “could lead to mass atrocities on a scale heretofore unseen in Burma” unless the international community addresses it. Please support the call for an independent investigation by demanding that President Obama urge the UN to establish an investigation.  According to the doctrine of Responsibility to Protect and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, the Burmese government has the responsibility to protect its people. But Burma has abdicated this responsibility for decades, wielding its abusive power not only against Muslims, but also against the Kachin, Shan, other ethnic groups, and rural farmers. The Burmese government also continues to fail to provide justice and accountability. Domestic attempts at “justice” have led to the mass arrests of Muslims, many of whom are still being held incommunicado without legal representation, and the continuing sexual violence and extrajudicial killings of unarmed Rohingya opposing forced relocation in Arakan [Rakhine] State. According to UN Special Rapporteur for human rights in Burma, Tomas Ojea Quintana, “The human rights violations being committed against the Rohingya in Rakhine State are widespread and systematic and there continues to be absolutely no accountability for what is occurring there. There is no way of glossing over this state of affairs with the genuine progress that is being made in other areas.” Take action and write to President Obama today – in order to realize genuine peace, the people of Burma need justice and accountability. The international community can no longer tolerate systemic impunity and the use of violence against Burma’s most disenfranchised and stateless people. As the UN General Assembly prepares to convene in September, the U.S. must recognize the threat to the peace in Burma and support a UN independent investigation into grave ongoing human rights violations. In solidarity, Rachel Wagley, USCB Click here to unsubscribe

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Hi everyone! Here's the MichelleMalkin.com newsletter for August 26th. Enjoy! From the Blog Staff Sgt. Ty Carter receives Medal of Honor today A true American hero gets his due today... Please click here to read the rest ‘Recovery’ re-defined A snapshot of a portion of the current “recovery” by way of The Weekly Standard... Please click here to read the rest ‘Obama flag’ reappears at MLK march Spotted at Saturday’s MLK rally, possibly on loan from the Lake County, Florida Democratic Party... Please click here to read the rest More From the Right Side of the Web Mark Steyn: Obamacare a hierarchy of privilege The Daily Caller: Justice Department radicals sue to force poor black kids to attend crappy schools Legal Insurrection: Oberlin admin finds victim of racism hoax exposure: Itself Twitchy: ‘BAHAHA!’ Blameless and hilarious: Dennis Miller scores with Obama, Al-Jazeera snark Twitchy: Don’t ‘tweet while drunk’! @BarackObama touts Obamacare ‘benefits’; Citizens school with truth Michelle's Top Tweets And ... Our Hate Tweet of the Day Civility is awesome.

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August 27

• 1859 – Edwin Drake (pictured) successfully drilled for oil in Titusville, Pennsylvania, US, resulting in the Pennsylvania oil rush and the birth of the modern oil industry.
• 1896 – The United Kingdom and Zanzibar went to war, with Zanzibar surrendering less than an hour after the conflict broke out.
• 1922 – Turkish forces re-captured Afyon, the first victory of their counterattack during the Greco-Turkish War.
• 1991 – Dissolution of the Soviet Union: Moldova declared its independence during the aftermath of the failure of the Soviet coup d'état attempt.
• 2003 – The first round of six-party talks to find a peaceful resolution to the security concerns as a result of the North Korean nuclear weapons program opened.

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Events[edit source | editbeta]

• 410 – The sacking of Rome by the Visigoths ends after three days.
• 1172 – Henry the Young King and Margaret of France are crowned as junior king and queen of England.
• 1232 – The Formulary of Adjudications is promulgated by Regent Hōjō Yasutoki. (Traditional Japanese date: August 10, 1232)
• 1593 – Pierre Barrière fails in his attempt to assassinate King Henry IV of France.
• 1689 – The Treaty of Nerchinsk is signed by Russia and the Qing empire.
• 1776 – The Battle of Long Island: in what is now Brooklyn, New York, British forces under General William Howe defeatAmericans under General George Washington.
• 1793 – French Revolutionary Wars: the city of Toulon revolts against the French Republic and admits the British and Spanish fleets to seize its port, leading to the Siege of Toulon by French Revolutionary forces.
• 1798 – Wolfe Tone's United Irish and French forces clash with the British Army in the Battle of Castlebar, part of the Irish Rebellion of 1798, resulting in the creation of the French puppet Republic of Connacht.
• 1810 – Napoleonic Wars: The French Navy defeats the British Royal Navy, preventing them from taking the harbour of Grand Port on Île de France.
• 1813 – French Emperor Napoleon I defeats a larger force of Austrians, Russians, and Prussians at the Battle of Dresden.
• 1828 – Uruguay is formally proclaimed independent at preliminary peace talks brokered by the United Kingdom between Braziland Argentina during the Cisplatine War.
• 1832 – Black Hawk, leader of the Sauk tribe of Native Americans, surrenders to U.S. authorities, ending the Black Hawk War.
• 1859 – Petroleum is discovered in Titusville, Pennsylvania leading to the world's first commercially successful oil well.
• 1861 – Union forces attack Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.
• 1896 – Anglo-Zanzibar War: the shortest war in world history (09:00 to 09:45) between the United Kingdom and Zanzibar.
• 1916 – Romania declares war against Austria-Hungary, entering World War I as one of the Allied nations.
• 1918 – Battle of Ambos Nogales: U.S. Army forces skirmish against Mexican Carrancistas and their German advisors in the only battle of World War Ifought on American soil.
• 1921 – The British install the son of Sharif Hussein bin Ali (leader of the Arab Revolt of 1916 against the Ottoman Empire) as King Faisal I of Iraq.
• 1922 – The Turkish army takes the Aegean city of Afyonkarahisar from the Greeks.
• 1927 – Five Canadian women file a petition to the Supreme Court of Canada, asking, "Does the word 'Persons' in Section 24 of the British North America Act, 1867, include female persons?"
• 1928 – The Kellogg-Briand Pact outlawing war is signed by the first 15 nations to do so. Ultimately sixty-one nations will sign it.
• 1939 – First flight of the turbojet-powered Heinkel He 178, the world's first jet aircraft.
• 1943 – Japanese forces evacuate New Georgia Island in the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II.
• 1957 – The Constitution of Malaysia comes into force.
• 1962 – The Mariner 2 unmanned space mission is launched to Venus by NASA.
• 1969 – Israeli commando force penetrates deep into Egyptian territory to stage a mortar attack on regional Egyptian Army headquarters in the Nile Valley ofUpper Egypt.
• 1971 – An attempted coup fails in the African nation of Chad. The Government of Chad accuses Egypt of playing a role in the attempt and breaks offdiplomatic relations.
• 1975 – The Governor of Portuguese Timor abandons its capital, Dili, and flees to Atauro Island, leaving control to a rebel group.
• 1979 – A Provisional Irish Republican Army bomb kills British World War II admiral Louis Mountbatten and three others while they are boating on holiday inSligo, Republic of Ireland. Shortly after, 18 British Army soldiers are killed in an ambush near Warrenpoint, Northern Ireland (see Warrenpoint ambush).
• 1982 – Turkish military diplomat Colonel Atilla Altıkat is shot and killed in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's capital. Justice Commandos Against Armenian Genocide claim responsibility, saying they are avenging the massacre of 1.5 million Armenians in the 1915 Armenian Genocide.
• 1985 – The Nigerian government is peacefully overthrown by Army Chief of Staff Major General Ibrahim Babangida.
• 1991 – The European Community recognizes the independence of the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
• 1991 – Moldova declares independence from the USSR.
• 1993 – The Rainbow Bridge, connecting Tokyo's Shibaura and the island of Odaiba, is completed.
• 2000 – 540-metre (1,772 ft)-tall Ostankino Tower in Moscow catches fire, three people are killed.
• 2003 – Mars makes its closest approach to Earth in nearly 60,000 years, passing 34,646,418 miles (55,758,005 km) distant.
• 2003 – The first six-party talks, involving South and North Korea, the United States, China, Japan and Russia, convene to find a peaceful resolution to the security concerns as a result of the North Korean nuclear weapons program.
• 2006 – Comair Flight 5191 crashes on takeoff from Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Kentucky bound for Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport inAtlanta, Georgia. Of the passengers and crew, 49 of 50 are confirmed dead in the hours following the crash.
• 2009 – The Burmese military junta and ethnic armies begin three days of violent clashes in the Kokang Special Region.

Births[edit source | editbeta]

• 1407 – Ashikaga Yoshikazu, Japanese 5th shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate (d. 1425)
• 1471 – George, Duke of Saxony (d. 1539)
• 1487 – Anna of Brandenburg (d. 1514)
• 1637 – Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore, English politician (d. 1715)
• 1665 – John Hervey, 1st Earl of Bristol, English politician (d. 1751)
• 1669 – Anne Marie d'Orléans, French wife of Victor Amadeus II of Sardinia (d. 1728)
• 1677 – Otto Ferdinand von Abensberg und Traun, Austrian field marshal (d. 1748)
• 1724 – John Joachim Zubly, Swiss-American pastor, planter, and statesman (d. 1781)
• 1730 – Johann Georg Hamann, German philosopher (d. 1788)
• 1770 – Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, German philosopher (d. 1831)
• 1803 – Edward Beecher, American theologian (d. 1895)
• 1809 – Hannibal Hamlin, American politician, 15th Vice President of the United States (d. 1891)
• 1812 – Bertalan Szemere, Hungarian politician (d. 1869)
• 1845 – Ödön Lechner, Hungarian architect, designed the Museum of Applied Arts and the Church of St. Elisabeth (d. 1914)
• 1858 – Giuseppe Peano, Italian mathematician (d. 1932)
• 1864 – Hermann Weingärtner, German gymnast (d. 1919)
• 1865 – James Henry Breasted, American archaeologist and historian (d. 1935)
• 1865 – Charles G. Dawes, American general and politician, 30th Vice President of the United States, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1951)
• 1868 – Hong Beom-do, Korean activist (d. 1943)
• 1870 – Amado Nervo, Mexican poet (d. 1919)
• 1871 – Theodore Dreiser, American author (d. 1945
• 1874 – Carl Bosch, German chemist and engineer, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1940)
• 1875 – Katharine McCormick, American biologist, philanthropist, and activist (d. 1967)
• 1877 – Charles Rolls, English engineer and businessman, co-founded Rolls-Royce Limited (d. 1910)
• 1877 – Ernst Wetter, Swiss politician (d. 1963)
• 1884 – Vincent Auriol, French politician, 16th President of the French Republic (d. 1966)
• 1886 – Rebecca Clarke, English composer and violist (d. 1979)
• 1886 – Eric Coates, English composer and viola player (d. 1957)
• 1887 – George, Crown Prince of Serbia (d. 1972)
• 1890 – Man Ray, American photographer and artist (d. 1976)
• 1895 – Andreas Alföldi, Hungarian historian and archaeologist (d. 1981)
• 1896 – Faina Ranevskaya, Russian actress (d. 1984)
• 1898 – Gaspard Fauteux, Canadian politician, 19th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec (d. 1963)
• 1899 – C. S. Forester, British author (d. 1966)
• 1899 – Byron Foulger, American actor (d. 1970)
• 1903 – Ferenc Keserű, Hungarian water polo player (d. 1968)
• 1903 – Xavier Villaurrutia,Mexican poet and playwright (d. 1950)
• 1904 – Norah Lofts, British author (d. 1983)
• 1904 – John Hay Whitney, American businessman, publisher, and diplomat, founded J.H. Whitney & Company (d. 1982)
• 1905 – Aris Velouchiotis, Greek military leader (d. 1945)
• 1906 – Ed Gein, American serial killer (d. 1984)
• 1908 – Donald Bradman, Australian cricketer (d. 2001)
• 1908 – Lyndon B. Johnson, American politician, 36th President of the United States (d. 1973)
• 1908 – Kurt Wegner, German artist (d. 1985)
• 1909 – Sylvère Maes, Belgian cyclist (d. 1966)
• 1909 – Lester Young, American saxophonist (d. 1959)
• 1911 – Kay Walsh, English actress (d. 2005)
• 1912 – Gloria Guinness, Mexican writer and editor (d. 1980)
• 1913 – Nina Schenk Gräfin von Stauffenberg, Russian-German wife of Claus von Stauffenberg (d. 2006)
• 1914 – Heidi Kabel, German actress (d. 2010)
• 1915 – Norman Foster Ramsey, Jr., American physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2011)
• 1916 – Tony Harris, South African cricketer (d. 1993)
• 1916 – Martha Raye, American actress (d. 1994)
• 1917 – Peanuts Lowrey, American baseball player (d. 1986)
• 1918 – Jelle Zijlstra, Dutch politician, Prime Minister of the Netherlands (d. 2001)
• 1919 – Murray Grand, American singer-songwriter and pianist (d. 2007)
• 1921 – Georg Alexander, Duke of Mecklenburg (d. 1996)
• 1921 – Leo Penn, American director (d. 1998)
• 1922 – Roelof Kruisinga, Dutch politician (d. 2012)
• 1924 – David Rowbotham, Australian poet (d. 2010)
• 1925 – Andrea Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo, Italian cardinal
• 1925 – Darry Cowl, French actor (d. 2006)
• 1925 – Nat Lofthouse, English footballer (d. 2011)
• 1925 – Saiichi Maruya, Japanese author and critic (d. 2012)
• 1926 – Pat Coombs, English actress (d. 2002)
• 1926 – Kristen Nygaard, Norwegian computer scientist (d. 2002)
• 1927 – Jimmy C. Newman, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
• 1928 – Péter Boross, Hungarian politician, Prime Minister of Hungary
• 1928 – Mangosuthu Buthelezi, South African politician
• 1928 – Joan Kroc, American philanthropist (d. 2003)
• 1929 – Ira Levin, American author (d. 2007)
• 1930 – Gholamreza Takhti, Iranian wrestler (d. 1968)
• 1931 – Sri Chinmoy, Bengali-American spiritual teacher, poet, and painter (d. 2007)
• 1931 – Joe Cunningham, American baseball player
• 1932 – Cor Brom, Dutch footballer and manager (d. 2008)
• 1932 – Antonia Fraser, English author
• 1933 – Jenő Hámori, Hungarian fencer
• 1933 – Joke Smit, Dutch activist and politician (d. 1981)
• 1935 – Ernie Broglio, American baseball player
• 1935 – Frank Yablans, American screenwriter and producer
• 1936 – Joel Kovel, American politician, scholar, and author
• 1937 – Alice Coltrane, American pianist and composer (d. 2007)
• 1937 – Tommy Sands, American actor and singer
• 1939 – William Least Heat-Moon, American author
• 1939 – Edward Patten, American singer-songwriter and producer (Gladys Knight & the Pips) (d. 2005)
• 1940 – Sonny Sharrock, American guitarist (Last Exit) (d. 1994)
• 1941 – Cesária Évora, Cape Verdean singer (d. 2011)
• 1941 – János Konrád, Hungarian water polo player and swimmer
• 1941 – Harrison Page, American actor
• 1942 – Daryl Dragon, American keyboardist (Captain & Tennille)
• 1942 – Brian Peckford, Canadian politician, 3rd Premier of Newfoundland
• 1943 – Chuck Girard, American singer-songwriter and pianist (Love Song and The Castells)
• 1943 – Bob Kerrey, American politician, 35th Governor of Nebraska
• 1943 – Tuesday Weld, American actress
• 1944 – G. W. Bailey, American actor
• 1944 – Jan Bols, Dutch speed skater
• 1945 – Jan Sloot, Dutch inventor (d. 1999)
• 1946 – Tony Howard, Barbadian cricketer
• 1947 – Barbara Bach, American actress
• 1947 – Peter Krieg, German director, producer, and writer (d. 2009)
• 1947 – John Morrison, New Zealand cricketer
• 1947 – Gavin Pfuhl, South African cricketer (d. 2002)
• 1947 – Harry Reems, American porn actor (d. 2013)
• 1948 – John Mehler, American drummer (Love Song)
• 1948 – Sgt. Slaughter, American wrestler
• 1948 – Philippe Vallois, Fench screenwriter and director
• 1949 – Jeff Cook, American singer-songwriter and musician (Alabama)
• 1950 – Charles Fleischer, American actor
• 1951 – Buddy Bell, American baseball player and manager
• 1951 – Mack Brown, American football coach
• 1951 – Randall Garrison, Canadian politician
• 1952 – Paul Reubens, American actor
• 1953 – Alex Lifeson, Canadian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (Rush and Big Dirty Band)
• 1953 – Peter Stormare, Swedish actor, director, and playwright
• 1954 – John Lloyd, English tennis player
• 1954 – Derek Warwick, British racing car driver
• 1955 – Laura Fygi, Dutch singer
• 1955 – Robert Richardson, American cinematographer
• 1955 – Diana Scarwid, American actress
• 1957 – Jeff Grubb, American game designer and author
• 1957 – Bernhard Langer, German golfer
• 1958 – Normand Brathwaite, Canadian comedian and actor
• 1958 – Stalking Cat, American body modifier (d. 2012)
• 1958 – Sergei Krikalev, Russian astronaut
• 1958 – Tom Lanoye, Belgian author
• 1959 – Gerhard Berger, Austrian race car driver
• 1959 – Downtown Julie Brown, English television host and actress
• 1959 – Juan Fernando Cobo, Colombian painter and sculptor
• 1959 – András Petöcz, Hungarian author
• 1959 – Jeanette Winterson, English novelist
• 1959 – Denice Denton, American professor (d. 2006)
• 1961 – Yolanda Adams, American singer, producer, and actress
• 1961 – Tom Ford, American fashion designer and director
• 1961 – Helmut Winklhofer, German footballer
• 1961 – Mark Curry, British television presenter
• 1962 – Vic Mignogna, American voice actor, singer, and director
• 1962 – Adam Oates, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1964 – Paul Bernardo, Canadian serial killer and rapist
• 1964 – Robert Bogue, American actor
• 1964 – Stephan Elliott,Australian film director and screenwriter.
• 1965 – Wayne James, Zimbabwean cricketer
• 1965 – Ange Postecoglou, Australian footballer
• 1965 – D. Scott Dibble,American politician
• 1966 – Jeroen Duyster, Dutch rower
• 1966 – Juhan Parts, Estonian politician, 14th Prime Minister of Estonia
• 1967 – Ogie Alcasid, Filipino singer-songwriter, producer, and actor
• 1969 – Mark Ealham, English cricketer
• 1969 – Cesar Millan, Mexican-American dog trainer
• 1969 – Reece Shearsmith, English actor, writer, and producer
• 1969 – Chandra Wilson, American actress
• 1970 – Andy Bichel, Australian cricketer
• 1970 – Peter Ebdon, English snooker player
• 1970 – Mark Ilott, English cricketer
• 1970 – Tony Kanal, English-American bass player, songwriter, and producer (No Doubt)
• 1970 – Jeff Kenna, Irish footballer
• 1970 – Park Myeong-su, South Korean comedian and singer
• 1970 – Jim Thome, American baseball player
• 1970 – Karl Unterkircher, Italian mountaineer (d. 2008)
• 1971 – Julian Cheung, Hong Kong actor and singer
• 1971 – Ernest Faber, Dutch footballer and coach
• 1971 – Aygül Özkan, German politician
• 1972 – Jaap-Derk Buma, Dutch field hockey player
• 1972 – Felix da Housecat, American DJ and producer
• 1972 – The Great Khali, Indian wrestler
• 1972 – Denise Lewis, British heptathlete
• 1972 – Jimmy Pop, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (The Bloodhound Gang)
• 1973 – Jazz, American wrestler
• 1973 – Cory Bowles, Canadian actor and choreographer
• 1973 – Danny Coyne, Welsh footballer
• 1973 – Dietmar Hamann, German footballer
• 1973 – Burak Kut, Turkish singer-songwriter
• 1973 – Johan Norberg, Swedish author
• 1974 – Michael Mason, New Zealand cricketer
• 1974 – José Vidro, Puerto Rican baseball player
• 1974 – Mohammad Yousuf, Pakistani cricketer
• 1975 – Blake Adams, American golfer
• 1975 – Björn Gelotte, Swedish guitarist and songwriter (In Flames and All Ends)
• 1975 – Jonny Moseley, American skier
• 1975 – Mark Rudan, Australian footballer
• 1976 – Sarah Chalke, Canadian actress
• 1976 – Milano Collection A.T., Japanese wrestler
• 1976 – Carlos Moyà, Spanish tennis player
• 1976 – Mark Webber, Australian race car driver
• 1977 – Deco, Portuguese footballer
• 1977 – Justin Miller, American baseball player (d. 2013)
• 1979 – Giovanni Capitello, American actor and producer
• 1979 – Tian Liang, Chinese diver
• 1979 – Sarah Neufeld, Canadian violinist (Arcade Fire and Bell Orchestre)
• 1979 – Aaron Paul, American actor
• 1979 – Rusty Smith, American speed skater
• 1980 – Neha Dhupia, Indian model and actress
• 1980 – Kyle Lowder, American actor
• 1981 – Maxwell Cabelino Andrade, Spanish footballer
• 1981 – Alessandro Gamberini, Italian footballer
• 1981 – Demetria McKinney, American actress
• 1982 – Damien Monier, French cyclist
• 1983 – Wilson Chen, Taiwanese actor
• 1984 – David Bentley, English footballer
• 1984 – Sulley Muntari, Ghanaian footballer
• 1985 – Nikica Jelavić, Croatian footballer
• 1985 – Alexandra Nechita, Romanian-American painter
• 1985 – Daniel Küblböck, German pop singer and actor
• 1986 – Mario, American singer-songwriter, dancer, and actor
• 1986 – Nabil El Zhar, Moroccan footballer
• 1987 – Darren McFadden, American football player
• 1988 – Alexa Vega, American actress and singer
• 1989 – Juliana Cannarozzo, American figure skater and actress
• 1989 – Romain Amalfitano, French footballer
• 1990 – Luuk de Jong, Dutch footballer
• 1991 – Rikiya Otaka, Japanese actor
• 1992 – Kim Petras, German singer
• 1993 – Sarah Hecken, German figure skater
• 1995 – Cainan Wiebe, Canadian actor

Deaths[edit source | editbeta]

• 542 – Caesarius of Arles, French bishop and saint (b. 470)
• 749 – Qahtaba ibn Shabib al-Ta'i, Khorasan general
• 827 – Pope Eugene II
• 1312 – Arthur II, Duke of Brittany (b. 1262)
• 1394 – Emperor Chōkei of Japan (b. 1343)
• 1450 – Reginald West, 6th Baron De La Warr, English politician (b. 1395)
• 1521 – Josquin des Prez, Flemish composer (b. 1455)
• 1545 – Piotr Gamrat, Polish archbishop (b. 1487)
• 1577 – Titian, Italian painter (b. 1490)
• 1590 – Pope Sixtus V (b. 1521)
• 1635 – Félix Lope de Vega, Spanish poet and playwright (b. 1562)
• 1664 – Francisco Zurbarán, Spanish painter (b. 1598)
• 1748 – James Thomson, Scottish poet (b. 1700)
• 1773 – Friedrich Wilhelm von Seydlitz, Prussian general (b. 1721)
• 1828 – Eise Eisinga, Dutch astronomer, built the Eisinga Planetarium (b. 1744)
• 1857 – Rufus Wilmot Griswold, American critic and editor (b. 1815)
• 1865 – Thomas Chandler Haliburton, Canadian author (b. 1796)
• 1871 – William Whiting Boardman, American politician (b. 1794)
• 1875 – William Chapman Ralston, American banker, founded the Bank of California (b. 1826)
• 1909 – Emil Christian Hansen, Danish physiologist (b. 1842)
• 1929 – Herman Potočnik, Austrian engineer and scientist (b. 1892)
• 1931 – Frank Harris, Irish author and editor (b. 1856)
• 1931 – Willem Hubert Nolens, Dutch politician and priest (b. 1860)
• 1931 – Francis Marion Smith, American miner and businessman (b. 1846)
• 1934 – Linda Agostini, Australian murder victim (b. 1905)
• 1944 – Georg von Boeselager, German soldier (b. 1915)
• 1945 – Hubert Pál Álgyay, Hungarian engineer, designed the Petőfi Bridge (b. 1894)
• 1948 – Charles Evans Hughes, American lawyer and politician, 11th Chief Justice of the United States (b. 1862)
• 1950 – Cesare Pavese, Italian poet, novelist, critic and translator (b. 1908)
• 1958 – Ernest Lawrence, American physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1901)
• 1961 – Kálmán Rózsahegyi, Hungarian actor and teacher (b. 1873)
• 1963 – W. E. B. Du Bois, American sociologist, historian, and activist (b. 1868)
• 1963 – Allama Mashriqi, Pakistani scholar and politician (b. 1888)
• 1963 – Garrett Morgan, American inventor (b. 1877)
• 1964 – Gracie Allen, American actress (b. 1895)
• 1965 – Le Corbusier, Swiss-French architect, designed the Philips Pavilion (b. 1887)
• 1967 – Brian Epstein, British businessman and discoverer of The Beatles (b. 1934)
• 1968 – Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark (b. 1906)
• 1969 – Ivy Compton-Burnett, English novelist (b. 1884)
• 1969 – Erika Mann, German actress and writer (b. 1905)
• 1971 – Bennett Cerf, American publisher, co-founded Random House (b. 1898)
• 1971 – Margaret Bourke-White, American photographer and journalist (b. 1906)
• 1975 – Haile Selassie I, Ethiopian emperor (b. 1892)
• 1976 – Mukesh, Indian singer (b. 1923)
• 1979 – Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, British admiral and statesman, Governor General of India (b. 1900)
• 1980 – Douglas Kenney, American actor and writer (b. 1947)
• 1981 – Valeri Kharlamov, Soviet ice hockey player (b. 1948)
• 1984 – Bernard Youens, British character actor (b. 1914)
• 1987 – Scott La Rock, American DJ and producer (Boogie Down Productions) (b. 1962)
• 1988 – Mario Montenegro, Filipino actor (b. 1928)
• 1988 – William Sargant, English psychiatrist (b. 1907)
• 1990 – Stevie Ray Vaughan, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (b. 1954)
• 1994 – Frank Jeske, German footballer (b. 1960)
• 1996 – Greg Morris, American actor (b. 1933)
• 1997 – Sotiria Bellou, Greek singer (b. 1921)
• 1998 – Essie Summers, New Zealand author (b. 1912)
• 1999 – Hélder Câmara, Brazilian archbishop (b. 1909)
• 2001 – Abu Ali Mustafa, Palestinian leader of Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (b. 1938)
• 2001 – Michael Dertouzos, Greek academic (b. 1936)
• 2002 – Edwin Louis Cole, American religious leader and author (b. 1922)
• 2003 – Peter-Paul Pigmans, Dutch music producer (b. 1961)
• 2003 – Pierre Poujade, French politician (b. 1920)
• 2004 – Willie Crawford, American baseball player (b. 1946)
• 2005 – Giorgos Mouzakis, Greek composer (b. 1922)
• 2005 – Seán Purcell, Gaelic footballer (b. 1929)
• 2006 – María Capovilla, Ecuadorian super-centenarian (b. 1889)
• 2006 – Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Indian director (b. 1922)
• 2006 – Jesse Pintado, Mexican-American guitarist (Napalm Death, Terrorizer, and Lock Up) (b. 1969)
• 2007 – Emma Penella, Spanish actress (b. 1930)
• 2008 – Mark Priestley, Australian actor (b. 1970)
• 2009 – Sergey Mikhalkov, Russian writer and poet (b. 1913)
• 2010 – Anton Geesink, Dutch judoka (b. 1934)
• 2010 – Luna Vachon, Canadian-American wrestler (b. 1962)
• 2012 – Neville Alexander, South African activist and linguist (b. 1936)
• 2012 – Aurora Bautista, Spanish actress (b. 1925)
• 2012 – Malcolm Browne, American journalist and photographer (b. 1931)
• 2012 – Art Heyman, American basketball player (b. 1941)
• 2012 – Ivica Horvat, Croatian footballer and manager (b. 1926)
• 2012 – Richard Kingsland, Australian pilot (b. 1916)
• 2012 – Gely Korzhev, Russian painter (b. 1925)
• 2012 – Alix de Lannoy, Belgian mother of Stéphanie de Lannoy (b. 1941)
• 2012 – Antoine Redin, French footballer and manager (b. 1934)
• 2012 – Aboud Rogo, Kenyan-Islamic cleric (b. 1968)
• 2012 – Russell Scott, American clown (b. 1921)
• 2012 – Tao Wei, Chinese footballer and sportscaster (b. 1966)

Holidays and observances[edit source | editbeta]

• Christian Feast Day:
  • Baculus of Sorrento
  • Caesarius of Arles
  • Margaret the Barefooted
  • Monica of Hippo, mother of Augustine of Hippo
  • Phanourios of Rhodes
  • Rufus and Carpophorus
  • Thomas Gallaudet and Henry Winter Syle (Episcopal Church (USA))
  • August 27 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

• Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Moldova from the USSR in 1991.
• Lyndon Baines Johnson Day (Texas)
• Volturnalia, held in honor of Volturnus. (Roman Empire)

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“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” Romans 12:4-5 NIV

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Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon

Morning

"He hath commanded his covenant forever."
Psalms 111:9

The Lord's people delight in the covenant itself. It is an unfailing source of consolation to them so often as the Holy Spirit leads them into its banqueting house and waves its banner of love. They delight to contemplate the antiquity of that covenant, remembering that before the day-star knew its place, or planets ran their round, the interests of the saints were made secure in Christ Jesus. It is peculiarly pleasing to them to remember the sureness of the covenant, while meditating upon "the sure mercies of David." They delight to celebrate it as "signed, and sealed, and ratified, in all things ordered well." It often makes their hearts dilate with joy to think of its immutability, as a covenant which neither time nor eternity, life nor death, shall ever be able to violate--a covenant as old as eternity and as everlasting as the Rock of ages. They rejoice also to feast upon the fulness of this covenant, for they see in it all things provided for them. God is their portion, Christ their companion, the Spirit their Comforter, earth their lodge, and heaven their home. They see in it an inheritance reserved and entailed to every soul possessing an interest in its ancient and eternal deed of gift. Their eyes sparkled when they saw it as a treasure-trove in the Bible; but oh! how their souls were gladdened when they saw in the last will and testament of their divine kinsman, that it was bequeathed to them! More especially it is the pleasure of God's people to contemplate the graciousness of this covenant. They see that the law was made void because it was a covenant of works and depended upon merit, but this they perceive to be enduring because grace is the basis, grace the condition, grace the strain, grace the bulwark, grace the foundation, grace the topstone. The covenant is a treasury of wealth, a granary of food, a fountain of life, a store-house of salvation, a charter of peace, and a haven of joy.

Evening

"The people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him."
Mark 9:15

How great the difference between Moses and Jesus! When the prophet of Horeb had been forty days upon the mountain, he underwent a kind of transfiguration, so that his countenance shone with exceeding brightness, and he put a veil over his face, for the people could not endure to look upon his glory. Not so our Saviour. He had been transfigured with a greater glory than that of Moses, and yet, it is not written that the people were blinded by the blaze of his countenance, but rather they were amazed, and running to him they saluted him. The glory of the law repels, but the greater glory of Jesus attracts. Though Jesus is holy and just, yet blended with his purity there is so much of truth and grace, that sinners run to him amazed at his goodness, fascinated by his love; they salute him, become his disciples, and take him to be their Lord and Master. Reader, it may be that just now you are blinded by the dazzling brightness of the law of God. You feel its claims on your conscience, but you cannot keep it in your life. Not that you find fault with the law, on the contrary, it commands your profoundest esteem, still you are in nowise drawn by it to God; you are rather hardened in heart, and are verging towards desperation. Ah, poor heart! turn thine eye from Moses, with all his repelling splendour, and look to Jesus, resplendent with milder glories. Behold his flowing wounds and thorn-crowned head! He is the Son of God, and therein he is greater than Moses, but he is the Lord of love, and therein more tender than the lawgiver. He bore the wrath of God, and in his death revealed more of God's justice than Sinai on a blaze, but that justice is now vindicated, and henceforth it is the guardian of believers in Jesus. Look, sinner, to the bleeding Saviour, and as thou feelest the attraction of his love, fly to his arms, and thou shalt be saved.

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Today's reading: Psalm 119:89-176, 1 Corinthians 8 (NIV)

View today's reading on Bible Gateway

Today's Old Testament reading: Psalm 119:89-176

⁸⁹ Your word, LORD, is eternal;
it stands firm in the heavens.
⁹⁰ Your faithfulness continues through all generations;
you established the earth, and it endures.
⁹¹ Your laws endure to this day,
for all things serve you.
⁹² If your law had not been my delight,
I would have perished in my affliction.
⁹³ I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have preserved my life.
⁹⁴ Save me, for I am yours;
I have sought out your precepts.
⁹⁵ The wicked are waiting to destroy me,
but I will ponder your statutes.
⁹⁶ To all perfection I see a limit,
but your commands are boundless....

...read the rest on Bible Gateway

Today's New Testament reading: 1 Corinthians 8

Concerning Food Sacrificed to Idols

¹ Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that "We all possess knowledge." But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. ²Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. ³ But whoever loves God is known by God.

⁴ So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that "An idol is nothing at all in the world" and that "There is no God but one." ⁵ For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"), ⁶ yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

⁷ But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. ⁸ But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do....

...read the rest on Bible Gateway

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Japheth

[Jā'pheth] - beauty, let him enlarge orhe that persuades. The second son of Noah, born in the patriach's five hundredth year, and founder of those who spread over the north and west regions of the earth (Gen. 5:32; 6:10; 7:13). The Medians, Greeks, Romans, Russian and Gauls are referred to as descendants of Japheth. Most of the nations springing from him reappear in the endtime period under Gog (Ezek. 38; 39). For Greece see Zechariah 9:13.

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August 26, 2011 Masterpiece in the Making Gwen Smith Today's Truth And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you (Philippians 1:6, AMP). Friend To Friend It took four years of fresco painting for the Italian Renaissance sculptor, painter, architect, and poet Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, to finish the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Commonly known as Michelangelo, his time painting was mostly spent alone, on his back, lying on scaffolding. (How painful!) The painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is one of the most remarkable in the history of Western art. One thing is for sure: the process that altered a ceiling from plain to fabulous required a lot of time, great discipline, and the hand of a master artist. The same is true for us. The journey from broken into beautiful is a lifelong transformation that requires both discipline and a Master Artist. As Michelangelo was working, I'm sure that lots of people came through the corridors of the chapel and stood in amazement. As they looked up at the beauty of his work, I bet they said things like, "That is the most fantastic work of art I have ever seen!" or "Extraordinary!" To which he might have said, "It's not done!" But did the unfinished state of the project negate that parts of the ceiling were beautiful? No! The parts that were complete were still extravagant and breathtaking. Maybe this is the way God and others see our lives. It's common for people to notice the work God has done in us and comment on the beauty. And even though compliments are nice to hear, I've been known to resist them. (Admit it, you probably have too.) It's not so much a humility thing as it is an "I-don't-see-myself-as-beautiful" thing. From my limited perspective, I can see only the unfinished work. But in truth, my vantage point doesn't negate the beauty of the work God has done and is doing in my life. Real beauty isn't about a finished or flawless product. It can't be. It's not possible on this side of eternity to have completed beauty. Our restoration will be complete in the presence of God when we see Him face to face. Now, you might be saying, "But Gwen, I can't be beautiful! You don't know what I've done...or what I've been through...or what I'm going through!" Friend, God knows where you have been, what you have been through, and where you are now. He knows what your flaws are and loves you in spite of your imperfections. His tender love is far-reaching and complete. Your past sins do not define you. Your painful scars do not define you. Your present sufferings do not define you. They are just shards of brokenness that God will use to lovingly refine your beauty. The transformation from broken into beautiful is neither easy nor instantaneous. It demands a yielded heart and can be quite painful, but it comes with great reward. God will need your broken pieces-your scars, shame, insecurities, disappointments, betrayals, and failures. Do you have some of those? Are they tucked away in a safe, do-not-enter part of your heart? You might find it hard to hand over hurts. I get that. It's hard for me too. But difficult as it may be, it's time to hand them over and let our masterful Lord create a stunning work of beauty in you. And He's going to need all of your broken pieces to complete the restoration. Let's Pray Holy Father, I am humbled by Your willingness to love and forgive someone like me. Please take the broken pieces of my life and don't allow me to have them back. I surrender to Your healing. Mold me and shape me into a beautiful reflection of Your glory. In Jesus' Name, Amen. Now It's Your Turn Read Isaiah 64:8, "Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand." Meditate on this verse. Read it again and personalize it in a prayerful response to God: "Yet, O LORD, you are MY Father. I AM the clay, you are the potter; I AM the work of your hand." More From The Girlfriends Today's devotion is from Gwen's book, Broken into Beautiful. Gwen's full testimony is featured in her book, along with Scriptural truths and stories of how God has brought restoration the hearts of many other women who had painful life wounds. God delights to transform lives ... including your own. Experience God's healing and hope in your life today as you read Broken Into Beautiful! To order the book, go to Amazonor, for a signed copy, order from Gwen's website:www.gwensmith.net. LOVE MUSIC? Check out Gwen's new CD, Uncluttered. The songs of Uncluttered are purposed to sweep you away from life-noise and to focus your heart and mind on the one thing that matters: your relationship with Jesus Christ. GOT FACEBOOK? Visit Gwen's FACEBOOK PAGE. Thousands of GiGs "meet" there daily to connect and spur one another on in faith. Stop by! Seeking God? Click here to find out more about how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Girlfriends in God P.O. Box 725 Matthews, NC 28106 info@girlfriendsingod.com www.girlfriendsingod.com

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August 26, 2011 What do I Have to be Angry About? Lysa TerKeurst "You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy..." Psalm 30:11(NIV) When my girls were little we had a love-hate relationship with kid's menus. I loved that they had creatures to color and crayons were provided. However, it never failed that someone would color on someone else's sheet and squeals and screams would have all heads turning our way. Then I would sit there in disbelief that my kids had caused such a fuss over colored on menus. Menus that would soon be covered in ketchup and juice and tossed in the trash. I thought about these menus last week. I thought about them at the strangest time. I was standing on Hollywood Boulevard looking at the stars walk of fame when a woman approached my friend, Amanda, looking for money. It took my brain a few seconds to figure out why her face was familiar. So familiar. It was my friend from skid row, Juanita. We'd gotten Juanita off the streets the day before and taken her to the Dream Center. A safe place for her to detox and find healing. But less than 24 hours later she'd walked away. Away from help. Away from hope. Away from restoration. There she was begging for money to buy a bus ticket to get back to skid row. And in a city of 13 million people, somehow our paths crossed again. What are the odds? Surely it was a sign to her of how much God cares. "Oh Juanita, why did you leave the Dream Center? Can I take you back? I can call for a Dream Center bus to come get you right now. Please, please let's go back." I asked Juanita. I begged Juanita. But she just shook her head and quietly whispered, "I have to go back to the streets 'cause I know where to put my blankets there. I don't know where to put my blankets anywhere else." "To skid row?" I asked with tears brimming my eyes. She nodded. I asked if we might pray for her. She agreed. We circled and prayed and then watched her walk off. Up to another to beg for money. And then another. Rejected most of the time. But slowly walking away-away-away. It was in that moment I thought of those stupid kid menus. Menus that were fought over. And then covered in ketchup and juice and tossed in the trash. And my anger burned. Not at my kids. But at myself. And all the many dumb things I can find myself getting all bent out of shape about. I am no more mature than my kids arguing over throw away menus. How dare I get angry over things so inconsequential? God, forgive me. Yes, there are things that should make me angry. Like Juanita not knowing her whole life she could put her blankets somewhere safe. And now the place she keeps returning to is skid row. Heroin alley on skid row to be exact. Where pimps sell women to do unspeakable things in make shift tents right on the street. And where kids play with dirty needles. And where teens are passed out with needles in their toes because they don't have veins good enough to shoot drugs into their arms. Yes, there are things to get angry about today. But not slight inconveniences and little things that bump into my happy. God help me and my kid menu life. If Psalm 30:11 is true in my life, that God has turned my wailing into dancing and removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, might I dare look for a way to help the Juanita's of the world. Yes, might I dare help instead of getting in a huff over the small stuff. If you want to help women like Juanita who are caught in a world of drugs, sex trafficking and destitution, visit Lysa's blog by clicking here for a simple yet profound way you can make a difference today. Instead of being paralyzed by the enormity of the problems of this world, what if we all determined to do something? When we do what only we can do, God will do what only He can do-and the world will be changed. Dear Lord, help me step outside my world and to see people with Your eyes. In Jesus' Name, Amen. Related Resources: Visit Lysa's blog to read more about her "Dare to Dream" Gift Card campaign. You will have the opportunity to write a letter of encouragement and enclose a gift card that will be used to help women in the rescue and rehab programs through the Dream Center. For more information click here. Lysa's book, What Happens When Women Say Yes to God now has a 6 week DVD teaching series that is perfect for women's Bible Study groups. For more informationclick here. Application Steps: Determine to not walk away from embracing a chance to help someone today. Reflections: Yes, there are things to get angry about today. But not slight inconveniences and little things that bump into my happy. Power Verses: Ephesians 4:29-32, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." (NIV) © 2011 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved. Proverbs 31 Ministries 616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road Matthews, NC 28105 www.Proverbs31.org

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