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91
General Discussion / The World's Most Educated Country is????
« on: October 11, 2012, 11:23:53 AM »
http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/09/27/and-the-worlds-most-educated-country-is/

Snagging the number two most-educated spot was Israel, which trailed Canada by 5%. Japan, the U.S., New Zealand and South Korea all ranked with more than 40% of citizens having a higher-education degree. The top 10 most-educated countries are:

1. Canada

2. Israel

3. Japan

4. United States

5. New Zealand

6. South Korea

7. United Kingdom

8. Finland

9. Australia

10. Ireland




92
General Discussion / Presdiential Debate 2012 for anyone interested
« on: October 03, 2012, 11:08:47 AM »

93
I will be doing some research on the Jewish families in Trinidad and Tobago. In that research there was also a synagogue that was operational in T&T before, I am not sure if it is still in operation.

My grandfather was a Jewish businessman from Suriname that migrated to T&T, he had a few Jewish friends that resided in T&T as well, one being Samuel Oslack who also owned and operated a business in T&T.

I have also found out that a lot of the Portugese diaspora in the Caribbean are sephardic in origin, however I will have to do my research.

Anyone with any information, add away. I will be adding to this thread and other topics over the coming months.

94
check on the debut single on www.goldove.com, spread the word..... Debut album "Step Forward" to be released in late 2012....

Also on www.youtube.com/GoldoveEntertainment







95
Goldove Entertainment Ventures into Film, Music & Fashion Corporation

By Lynda McKoy (President & CEO of Goldove Entertainment)

www.goldove.com

www.facebook.com/GoldoveEntertainment

www.twitter.com/GoldoveEnt

www.youtube.com/GoldoveEntertainment

ABOUT GOLDOVE

Goldove Entertainment is a multinational corporation specializing in multimedia. Our areas include, music production (Goldove Records), music publishing (Goldove Publishing), feature film production (Goldove Pictures), special effects, gaming, animation (Goldove Digital), comic book publishing & movies (Goldove Comics) and fashion designing (Lydgio Fashion Group).
 
Goldove Entertainment is devoted to delivering high-quality content and products to mainstream audiences worldwide and building our portfolio of commercial products and marquee media properties.  Additionally, the corporation makes strategic alliances with and investments in multimedia and entertainment related companies and assets.
 
Currently, Goldove Entertainment has ten feature film projects in the developmental stages for proposed worldwide releases over the next five years. In addition, within the next two years, Goldove Records will be releasing two full length music albums and several projects slated for late 2012 in our other specialized divisions.

check out www.goldove.com for more information...

96
http://wegotthiscovered.com/movies/ryan-reynolds-batman-dark-knight-rises/?utm_source=crowdignite.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=crowdignite.com

Ryan Reynolds To Take Over As Batman After The Dark Knight Rises

Posted April 1, 2012 by Matt Joseph in News

Christopher Nolan has always said that The Dark Knight Rises would be the last film in his Batman trilogy, but that doesn’t mean that Warner Bros. wants to stop producing adventures for the caped crusader. The franchise is a surefire box office hit and it wouldn’t make sense for the studio to just drop it after The Dark Knight Rises. They already lost Harry Potter and I’m sure that they’re not eager to lose another huge franchise.

Today, the studio announced that they plan on giving Batman a reboot once Christopher Nolan steps away from the franchise. Being a reboot, none of the original cast will be returning which means that the studio needs to find a new actor to play the caped crusader. Following in the footsteps of Christian Bale is a daunting task for just about anyone but Warner Bros. seems to think that Ryan Reynolds is the man for the job.

Yes, you read that right. Once Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale depart from the Batman universe, Warner Bros. will reboot it with Ryan Reynolds in the lead role. The studio recently worked with him on Green Lantern and though the film flopped, it wasn’t Reynolds’ fault. He showed us that he could craft an effective superhero and Warner Bros. obviously enjoyed his performance. Much of the film’s faults stemmed from the writing and directing, not from Reynolds’ performance.

“We’ve begged Chris [Nolan] to stay on board but he refuses. He feels that he can’t do anything more with the series after this third film. We don’t want to let Batman die though, we know there are tons of fans out there that will want more and that’s why we’re looking into a reboot,” says Barry Meyer, CEO of Warner Bros.

“We loved the work that Ryan did for us on Green Lantern and we feel that he’s the right man to lead the Batman franchise. He’s an extremely talented individual and we hope that fans will embrace him as the new Batman,” continued Meyer.

As for directors, nothing has been announced as of yet but apparently, the studio wants Duncan Jones. Jones, the director of Source Code, was rumored for both The Wolverine and Man Of Steel at one point so it’s clear that studios feel that he can handle big franchises. This is by no means confirmed though but it is what our source close to the studio has told us.

“Duncan impressed a lot of people with his work on Source Code and Moon, he’s very in demand right now and Warner Bros. is hoping to have him take over the Batman franchise,” says a source close to the studio.

So there you have it, Duncan Jones and Ryan Reynolds taking on Batman, what do you think?

I honestly enjoyed Reynolds’ work in Green Lantern and while I am surprised that Warner Bros. has chosen him to lead the franchise, I’m not upset with the choice. I think he has a lot of potential but he hasn’t reached it yet. He still hasn’t had that one huge role that will skyrocket him onto the A-list.  With his recent casting in the Batman reboot, this could be his moment. I feel like he’s been on the cusp of greatness for a long time now and with this role, he’ll be able to solidify his place on the A-list.

That being said, the studio had high hopes for Green Lantern and the film ended up flopping hard. Does that mean there’s a risk of the Batman reboot flopping too if Reynolds is leading it? I don’t think so, like I said above, Green Lantern‘s problems were with its script and direction, I don’t think you can fault Reynolds at all for the movie’s poor reception and box office take.

As for Duncan Jones, I’m sold. I love both Source Code and Moon and I think he’ll bring a very interesting vision to the Batman series. He’ll give us something very different than Nolan did but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I think both him and Reynolds will infuse a new energy into the series and give us an exciting final product.

This is a lot to take in and fanboys will surely be split right down the middle on this decision but as you can tell, I’m on board. I love what Nolan and Bale did with Batman but I’m ready for a fresh new take on the iconic superhero.

What about you? Are you on board with Reynolds and Jones leading the Batman reboot?

i like reynolds and support him as a canadian actor but i don't know if hes good enough for batman, i need to see him in safe house and see him in a serious role, bale is huge shoes to fill and legendary pictures are moving on, the question remains who will produce the film and who are they getting to write it.

not to mention nolan and goyer combo, they brought it back to life, lets hope it doesn't get killed again, btw this article was written on april fools   ;D

97
The following suggestions are an alternative approach to scouting in both Trinidad and Tobago for all levels of football.

- Scouting for football at all levels should be done by county, Trinidad consists of 8 counties and Tobago can be divided into Western and Eastern Tobago, which means 2 counties in Tobago.

- Each county will have scouting for all levels of football ie./ u17, u20, u23 and Senior Level

- Each level will consist of 15 players from each of the 10 counties.

- A database will be made for all players that make the final cut for the team of 15 from their respective county. For example, 150 players will be scouted for the u17 team nationwide, comprising of players from all counties throughout Trinidad & Tobago.

- The database will contain all information on the players, to include training, diet and business training schedules.

- The Scouting Program will take a maximum of 10 months, it is necessary all players get a fair shot that are interested in representing the nation.

- To rule out bias, the national selection committee will ask for all teams in the county, amateur and semi-professional to list players that are playing currently. Minor league teams and fete teams will also be considered for scouting.

- A month will be spent on each county to select the best players and finalize the list of 15 from every level.

- Coaches and management for the scouting program should not include any local coaches to rule out any type of bias in selection of players.

- After all teams are finalized, they will engage in a nationwide tournament over a period of 6 months, maybe a year if needed, to extract the best players locally for the final 15 at every level, regardless of where they come from, religion, colour or race.

- T&T has the time to work on this system for scouting as none of the teams have qualified for any major tournaments.

- A similar scouting program can be implemented in North America and the UK, concentrating on the areas where there is a high concentration of Trinbagonians.

- Players that have already been chosen for the national team will not take part in trials and will be viewed as an entirely separate team to play in the tournament, if they are available.

- Before such a huge endeavor as this one takes place, we need coaches that are screened and qualified by a neutral committee for each county and level. It will breed coaches for the future of our football, we will need them to coach the teams selected at every level.

- The database will track and retain even the players that have been cut and their progress, it will also track players in foreign, similar to the player profiles on sw.net.

- When foreign based players have been scouted and narrowed down to 15, they will also play against their foreign counterparts. Resulting in a final 15 from every level, they will then play the final 15 locally to complete the team of 22 that will go on to represent our twin island republic.

98
General Discussion / T&T carnival to light up Hollywood Boulevard
« on: April 17, 2012, 12:15:01 PM »
http://guardian.co.tt/entertainment/2012-04-16/tt-carnival-light-hollywood-boulevard

someone actually follow through on my idea I posted a few years ago... :beermug:

T&T carnival to light up Hollywood Boulevard
Make it a good one...
Published:
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Cherisse Moe

Trinidad-born, Los Angles-based Keron Adams is the mastermind behind the first ever Trinidad-styled Carnival to take place in Hollywood in June. Photo: Dion Roach

Who would have thought that a T&T-style Carnival, in all its feathers, bikini and beaded splendour, would explode onto Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, California? Keron Adams did. The Trinidad-born, Los Angeles resident, is making it happen on June 30. Adams, the president of the LA based Regularz Entertainment—a Caribbean promotions company— said it took a lot of persistence and a glossy Carnival magazine to seal the history-making deal. “When I sat down with the Hollywood Street Closure Committee, consisting of businessmen, council officials and residents, it took about ten minutes to get their approval. We showed them one of the Carnival magazines from this year and they were very excited.
 
That magazine was definitely the ultimate selling point for us. They said they couldn’t wait to see it in real life,” he said. Adams has hailed the upcoming Carnival, The Los Angeles Culture Festival, and is optimistic it will be a grand affair. He hopes it will also attract some of Hollywood’s biggest names, including some with local connections like Nicki Minaj, Heather Headley, Nia Long and Tatyana Ali. And what’s Carnival without soca? Well Adams has that covered as well. Soca stars Machel Montano, Rikki Jai, Kees, KI, Edwin Yearwood, TC, Benjai, JW and Blaze and Destra, are among those he’s hoping will perform.
 
Estimating that the festival would cost approximately US$750,000, Adams reveals that he’s appealing for government and corporate support to help make the event a success and take T&T culture to the world. “We only get one chance to make a first impression. We need to make it a good one. We must support what we have. We need everybody 150 per cent behind us on this,” he stressed. “At the end of the day, besides pushing our culture, it would also bring business to T&T.” Dubbed Play Ah Mas, Adams said the parade will feature one large band with over 13 sections and aims to  offer both local and foreign masqueraders the ultimate Trini Carnival experience. Prices for the costumes, he said, will range from US$75-US$150.

Adams, who migrated to the US five years ago, said the upcoming festival, currently being promoted via fliers, word of mouth and various social networking sites, is already creating a buzz in Hollywood. Stating that the event will now be an annual affair, the former Tranquility Government Secondary  student also has big plans to make it the “second biggest Carnival in the world after Trinidad.” “Who would have thought that Carnival would be on the streets of the Hollywood Walk of Fame? You can’t get bigger than Hollywood. It’s the entertainment mecca of the world. All Carnival lovers, come out and support.” He continued, “The Carnival will coincide with the International Soca Awards being held in Hollywood  and the BET Awards that same weekend so we are hoping that stars will be attracted to come and see what it’s all about...There are a lot of Caribbean people in LA but there are those who have never left LA and have heard about T&T Carnival and say they want to experience it.”

With such a huge project on his hands, Adams knows that there will be the nay-sayers. To them, he’s paying no mind. Shrugging off the criticism he concluded, “I love soca music. I love my culture. I think by us doing this, it would be a move in the right direction. It doesn’t get any bigger than Hollywood really.”

99
http://beyourownleader.blogspot.ca/2011/12/pretext-for-north-american-homeland_11.html

once again, the writer of this blog has a very limited perspective on what true world progress is, the north american homeland security perimeter is long overdue, globalism is the way of the future, it is time to break the divisive lines that separate us, however it is good to see what the naysayers have to say

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2011

The Pretext for a North American Homeland Security Perimeter
By Dana Gabriel


After months of negotiations, the U.S. and Canada have unveiled new trade, regulatory and security initiatives to speed up the flow of goods and people across the border. The joint action plans provide a framework that goes beyond NAFTA and continues where the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) left off. This will take U.S.-Canada integration to the next level and is the pretext for a North American Homeland Security perimeter.

On December 7, President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the Beyond the Border Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness Action Plan. The new deal focuses on addressing security threats early, facilitating trade, economic growth and jobs, integrating cross-border law enforcement, as well as improving infrastructure and cyber-security. It will act as a roadmap with different parts being phased in over the next several years. This includes the creation of various pilot projects. Many aspects of the agreement will also depend on the availability of funding from both governments. In addition, the two leaders issued a separate Regulatory Cooperation Council Action Plan that sets out initiatives whereby the U.S. and Canada will seek greater regulatory alignment in the areas of agriculture and food, transportation, environment, health, along with consumer products.

At a Joint News Conference, President Obama declared that, “Canada is key to achieving my goal of doubling American exports and putting folks back to work. And the two important initiatives that we agreed to today will help us do just that.” He went on to say, “we’re agreeing to a series of concrete steps to bring our economies even closer and to improve the security of our citizens.” Obama also added, “we’re going to improve our infrastructure, we’re going to introduce new technologies, we’re going to improve cargo security and screening.” Prime Minister Harper proclaimed that, “These agreements create a new, modern order for a new century. Together, they represent the most significant steps forward in Canada-U.S. cooperation since the North American Free Trade Agreement.” He explained that, “The first agreement merges U.S. and Canadian security concerns with our mutual interest in keeping our border as open as possible to legitimate commerce and travel.” Harper described how, “The second joint initiative will reduce regulatory barriers to trade by streamlining and aligning standards.”

Some of the measures found in the Beyond the Border action plan include conducting joint, integrated threat assessments; improving cooperative law enforcement capacity and national intelligence- and information-sharing; cooperating on research and best practices to prevent and counter homegrown violent extremism; working to jointly prepare for and respond to binational disasters and enhancing cross-border critical infrastructure protection and resilience. Other facets of the deal will work towards adopting an integrated cargo security strategy; implementing entry and exit verification; establishing and verifying the identity of foreign travellers to North America; better aligning Canadian and U.S. programs for low-risk travellers and installing radio frequency identification technology at key border crossings.

As part of the agreement, both countries will, “implement two Next-Generation pilot projects to create integrated teams in areas such as intelligence and criminal investigations, and an intelligence-led uniformed presence between ports of entry.” This will build on past joint law enforcement initiatives such as the Shiprider program and the Integrated Border Enforcement Teams. The Next-Generation pilot projects are scheduled to be deployed by the summer of 2012. In September, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder revealed plans that would allow law enforcement officers to operate on both sides of the border. He announced that, “the creation of ‘NextGen’ teams of cross-designated officers would allow us to more effectively identify, assess, and interdict persons and organizations involved in transnational crime.” Holder also commented that, “In conjunction with the other provisions included in the Beyond the Border Initiative, such a move would enhance our cross-border efforts and advance our information-sharing abilities.”

In his article, How the U.S. blackmailed Canada, Gar Pardy stressed that as part of a North American security zone, “Canadian security institutions will be more closely integrated with those of the United States.” While addressing the Beyond the Border declaration and the subsequent action plan, he highlighted the fact that, “these are not formal treaties or even formal agreements, although there could be greater formality in the future.” Pardy also noted, “Nowhere in the documentation resulting from the two meetings are there suggestions the people of Canada will be provided with detailed information on which judgments can be made on the wisdom of this consensual agreement negotiated in the backrooms of both capitals.” Instead he cautioned that, “the troublesome details implicit in the agreement will be hidden behind the wall of national security.” Pardy argued that in the process, “Canada sold its national security independence in exchange for hoped-for minor changes to American border restrictions.” He concluded that, “It is not an overstatement to suggest the United States blackmailed the government of Canada into making this deal. It was the American way or no way.”

The Council of Canadians have also strongly rejected the new border deal. They have challenged the notion that, “proper privacy protections can be achieved between Canada and the U.S. without significantly diluting stronger Canadian laws and norms.” Citing privacy concerns associated with the U.S. Patriot Act, the organization emphasized that, “the proposed new entry-exit system for travellers needs the greatest scrutiny by Canadian parliamentarians, security and privacy experts.” The Council of Canadians also criticized, “the government for hiding behind a sham public consultation and implying that this should clear the way for implementation of the action plan.” In August, the Conservative government released two reports which summarized online public input received concerning regulatory cooperation, as well as perimeter security and economic competitiveness. While improving the movement of trade and travel was the priority for business groups, many individuals expressed concerns over the loss of sovereignty, along with the protection of personal information.

When it comes to regulatory convergence, Maude Barlow, national chairperson of the Council of Canadians agreed that, “Standardization can be a good thing when standards are high,” She conceded, “The problem is standards aren’t higher in the U.S. in many cases.” Barlow also acknowledged that, “Already Health Canada and other agencies consider harmonization with U.S. standards to be a more important consideration than the real safety of our food. This perimeter deal cements that skewed priority list.” There are fears that it could erode any independent Canadian regulatory capacity and weaken existing regulations. Part of the SPP agenda called for improving regulatory cooperation which resulted in Canada raising pesticide limits on fruits and vegetables. Regulatory integration threatens Canadian sovereignty and democracy. Further harmonization with the U.S. could result in Canada losing control over its ability to regulate food safety. This could also lead to a race to the bottom with respect to other regulatory standards.

By all accounts, big business is the winner in the new trade and security perimeter deal. Maude Barlow explained that, “this process has been set up to accommodate one sector of our community and that is big business.” In advance of the action plans being unveiled to the public, business stakeholders were briefed on the specifics. The Canadian Council of Chief Executives, an organization that lobbies the government on behalf of Canada’s largest corporations has given it their stamp of approval. The U.S. and Canadian Chambers of Commerce also applauded the new vision for border and regulatory cooperation. When it comes to negotiations on the border security agreement, Barlow confirmed that, “the big business community was the only sector at the table with government and guided the process from the beginning.” This was also the case with the now defunct SPP. Big business was a driving force behind the initiative which led to the creation of the North American Competitiveness Council to ensure that corporate interests were being addressed.

In her article, Maude Barlow also warned that when it comes to the perimeter deal, “Canada is essentially giving up policy control in the key areas of privacy, security, immigration and surveillance in order to entice the U.S. to loosen controls at the border.” She stated, “it is likely to lead to a wholesale replacement of Canadian privacy and security standards with American ones, set by Homeland Security.” When it comes to information being collected and stored, Barlow questioned whether it will be, “used as a form of social control, to identify not terrorists, but activists and dissenters of government policy.” She insisted that, “We must call on our government to create a full public and Parliamentary debate before this deal becomes operational.” From the beginning, the whole process has lacked transparency with no congressional or parliamentary oversight. This has drawn comparisons to the SPP which was shrouded in secrecy and fueled by fears over the loss of sovereignty that finally led to its downfall. We can only hope that this latest endeavour will meet the same fate. With the 2012 U.S. election cycle about to get into full swing, the new bilateral deal could get lost in the shuffle.

While the perimeter agreement is being sold as vital to the safety and prosperity of Canadians and Americans alike, there is little doubt that it will mean a tradeoff between sovereignty and security. Any deal which gives the Department of Homeland Security more personal information poses a serious risk to privacy rights. As both countries move forward, perimeter security will be further defined and dominated by American interests. This could force Canada to comply with any new U.S. security measures, regardless of the dangers they may pose to civil liberties. A North American Homeland Security perimeter goes well beyond keeping people safe from any perceived threats. It is a means to secure trade, resources, as well as corporate interests and is a pretext for control over the continent. Ultimately, the U.S. wants the final say on who is allowed to enter and who is allowed to leave.



100
Despite what many of the detractors and conspiracy theorists state, the step towards the borders coming down has and will always be a great move by all 3 nations.

I have been a staunch supporter of this for a long time coming. I am indeed a proponent of globalism.

http://www.infowars.com/nafta-partners-take-steps-to-boost-trilateral-relationship/

NAFTA Partners Take Steps to Boost Trilateral Relationship
                    
Dana Gabriel

April 11, 2012

While bilateral initiatives have dominated North American issues over the last couple of years, the trilateral relationship has suffered. With a series of high-level meetings, the U.S., Canada and Mexico are taking steps to boost the NAFTA partnership. First, the defense ministers met to discuss shared continental security threats.

This was followed by a leaders summit which pledged to deepen trade, regulatory, energy and security cooperation. The recent meetings have caused some to once again take notice of the incremental efforts to merge all three countries into a North American Union.

In what was hailed as an historic event, U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, Canadian Defense Minister Peter MacKay, Mexican Secretary of National Defense Guillermo Galvan, and Mexican Secretary of the Navy Mariano Mendoza recently held the Inaugural Meeting of North American Defense Ministers. As part of a framework they agreed to, “Develop a joint trilateral defense threat assessment for North America to deepen our common understanding of the threats and challenges we face. Explore ways to improve our support to the efforts of civilian public security agencies in countering illicit activities in our respective countries and the hemisphere, such as narcotics trafficking. Explore how we can collaborate to increase the speed and efficiency with which our armed forces support civilian-led responses to disasters. Continue to work together to strengthen hemispheric defense forums.”

The ministers also committed to enhancing cooperation in the fight against transnational criminal organizations. The trilateral defense meeting is part of the ongoing efforts to establish a fully integrated North American security perimeter.

On April 2, President Barack Obama hosted Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mexican President Felipe Calderon for the sixth North American Leaders Summit. In a joint statement they reaffirmed their, “commitment to further develop our thriving political and economic partnership with a consistent and strategic long-term vision.” The leaders acknowledged that, “continued North American competitiveness requires secure supply chains and efficient borders. We remain committed to achieving this through co-operative approaches.”

With respect to regulatory initiatives, they agreed to move forward trilaterally in areas such as “vehicle emission standards, railroad safety, the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Workplace Chemicals, and aligning principles of our regulatory approaches to nanomaterials.” They also announced the creation of the North American Plan for Animal and Pandemic Influenza. Following the leaders summit, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk engaged in discussions with Canadian Trade Minister Ed Fast and Mexico’s Secretary of the Economy Bruno Ferrari, as part of the NAFTA Commission Meeting.
In their joint communique, the leaders recognized, “the growing regional and federal cooperation in the area of continental energy, including electricity generation and interconnection and welcome increasing North American energy trade.” They emphasized the need to deepen, “cooperation to enhance our collective energy security, including the safe and efficient exploration and exploitation of resources.” There was no mention of the Keystone XL Pipeline Project which would carry oil from western Canada to the Texas gulf coast. President Obama has blocked the plan pending further environmental review. While speaking at the Woodrow Wilson Center following the leaders summit, Prime Minister Harper made it clear that even if the pipeline is approved, Canadian oil will be heading for Asian markets. Meanwhile, the U.S. has been pushing Mexico to further open up its oil sector to private investment. In February, they signed an agreement regarding, “the development of oil and gas reservoirs that cross the international maritime boundary between the two countries in the Gulf of Mexico.”

The leaders joint statement also noted that, “The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) provides an opportunity to further deepen our trade relationship and create jobs. The United States welcomes Canada’s and Mexico’s interest in joining the TPP.” During a press conference with his NAFTA counterparts, Obama confirmed that, “Consultations with our TPP partners are now underway on how new members can meet the high standards of this trade agreement, which could be a real model for the world.” The U.S. is spearheading TPP negotiations which also include Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. Japan has also expressed interest in being part of the TPP process. The door is also open for other countries to join which is why many consider it to be a building block for an Asia-Pacific free trade zone.

Robert Pastor who has been a leading advocate for deeper North American integration described the TPP as a flawed strategy. He explained Canada and Mexico’s decision to join, “as a defensive measure to ensure that they protect what they gained from NAFTA.” Pastor warned how, “the TPP will divert scarce political capital and attention from North America.”

In contrast, the Council of the Americas are of the opinion that it would boost the integrated North American economy. They view the TPP as a “promising vehicle to support the updating of our bilateral and trilateral trading relationships within North America to the high standards of twenty-first century free-trade agreements.” While on a visit to the U.S. in March, Canadian Trade Minister Ed Fast proclaimed that, “As neighbours and friends, we can and should build the TPP together. As like-minded allies, we can ensure that high standards are included in the TPP on such issues as investment, regulatory cooperation, state-owned enterprises and labour provisions.” If Canada and Mexico are accepted into the TPP fold, it could be used to renegotiate and expand NAFTA.

The U.S., Canada and Mexico have also agreed to launch a consolidated Central America Integration System-North America Security Dialogue to deepen regional coordination and cooperation. This includes working closer together in the fight against transnational organized crime, arms trafficking and money laundering. During the leaders joint news conference, President Obama praised Mexico’s courage in standing up to the drug cartels, and added, “today each of us reaffirmed our commitment to meeting this challenge together — because that’s the only way that we’re going to succeed.”
President Calderon went on to say, “The security of North America is absolutely tied to each of its member states.” The Merida Initiative has expanded the U.S.-Mexico security partnership. It has provided military equipment, training, infrastructure development, along with border security and information technology enhancement. At the 2009 North American Leaders Summit, Prime Minister Harper announced Canadian support for Mexico’s fight against drug trafficking and transnational organized crime.
Mexico’s drug war is increasingly being seen as a continental problem that requires continental solutions which is further pushing the NAFTA partnership into a common security front. This is escalating the militarization of the borders, integration in areas of law enforcement and the military, as well as advancing the development of a North American security perimeter.

101
http://articles.businessinsider.com/2012-04-09/news/31311454_1_russian-defense-ministry-military-action-dmitry-rogozin

Russia Is Massing Troops On Iran's Northern Border And Waiting For A Western Attack

F. Michael Maloof|April 09, 2012

(ap)

WASHINGTON – The Russian military anticipates that an attack will occur on Iran by the summer and has developed an action plan to move Russian troops through neighboring Georgia to stage in Armenia, which borders on the Islamic republic, according to informed Russian sources.

Russian Security Council head Viktor Ozerov said that Russian General Military Headquarters has prepared an action plan in the event of an attack on Iran.

Dmitry Rogozin, who recently was the Russian ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, warned against an attack on Iran.

"Iran is our neighbor," Rogozin said. "If Iran is involved in any military action, it's a direct threat to our security." Rogozin now is the deputy Russian prime minister and is regarded as anti-Western. He oversees Russia's defense sector.

Russian Defense Ministry sources say that the Russian military doesn't believe that Israel has sufficient military assets to defeat Iranian defenses and further believes that U.S. military action will be necessary.

The implication of preparing to move Russian troops not only is to protect its own vital regional interests but possibly to assist Iran in the event of such an attack. Sources add that a Russian military buildup in the region could result in the Russian military potentially engaging Israeli forces, U.S. forces, or both.

Informed sources say that the Russians have warned of "unpredictable consequences" in the event Iran is attacked, with some Russians saying that the Russian military will take part in the possible war because it would threaten its vital interests in the region.

The influential Russian Nezavisimaya Gazeta newspaper has quoted a Russian military source as saying that the situation forming around Syria and Iran "causes Russia to expedite the course of improvement of its military groups in the South Caucasus, the Caspian, Mediterranean and Black Sea regions."

This latest information comes from a series of reports and leaks from official Russian spokesmen and government news agencies who say that an Israeli attack is all but certain by the summer.

Because of the impact on Russian vital interests in the region, sources say that Russian preparations for such an attack began two years ago when Russian Military Base 102 in Gyumri, Armenia, was modernized. It is said to occupy a major geopolitical position in the region.

Families of Russian servicemen from the Russian base at Gyumri in Armenia close to the borders of Georgia and Turkey already have been evacuated, Russian sources say.

"Military Base 102 is a key point, Russia's outpost in the South Caucasus," a Russian military source told the newspaper. "It occupies a very important geopolitical position, but the Kremlin fears lest it should lose this situation."

With Vladimir Putin returning to the Russian presidency, the prospect that he again would order an attack on Georgia as he did in August 2008 also has become a possibility, these informed sources say.

The Russians believe that Georgia would cooperate with the United States in blocking any supplies from reaching Military Base 102, which now is supplied primarily by air. Right now, Georgia blocks the only land transportation route through which Russian military supplies could travel.

Fuel for the Russian base in Armenia comes from Iran. Russian officials believe this border crossing may be closed in the event of a war.

"Possibly, it will be necessary to use military means to breach the Georgian transport blockade and establish transport corridors leading into Armenia," according to Yury Netkachev, former deputy commander of Russian forces in Transcaucasia. Geography of the region suggests that any such supply corridor would have to go through the middle of Georgia approaching Georgia's capital of Tbilisi given the roads and topography of the country.

In September, the Russian military plans to hold its annual military exercises called Kavkaz 2012. However, informed Russian sources say that preparations and deployments of military equipment and personnel already have begun in anticipation of a possible war with Iran.

These sources report that new command and control equipment has been deployed in the region capable of using the Russian GPS system, GLONASS for targeting information.

"The air force in the South Military District is reported to have been rearmed almost 100 percent with new jets and helicopters," according to regional expert Pavel Felgenhauer of the Washington-based Jamestown Foundation.

In 2008, Felgenhauer pointed out, Kavkaz 2008 maneuvers allowed the Russian military to covertly deploy forces that successfully invaded Georgia in August of that year.

Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov already has announced that new Spetznaz, or Special Forces units, will be deployed in Stavropol and Kislovodsk, which are located in the North Caucasian regions.


Read more: http://articles.businessinsider.com/2012-04-09/news/31311454_1_russian-defense-ministry-military-action-dmitry-rogozin#ixzz1sDplxBVG

102
http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/560083.html#ciHomeLogoholder


Brazilians play cricket too

In the football-mad country, cricket has gained a small foothold. And the best thing is, it's not being played only by expats

Toby Chasseaud

April 7, 2012



A club game between Swadisht and Gralha Azul in Curitiba, Brazil © Juliana Silva
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Teams: Brazil
Garrincha, Pelé, Sócrates, Ronaldo, Rudy Hartmann. Haven't heard of the last one? He's the fastest bowler in Brazil. Although better known for its football, Brazil is quietly experiencing a revolution in a sport the country is not normally associated with. In the past decade, its men's and women's sides have achieved ICC affiliation and competed against rivals across the Americas.

The game still has great barriers to overcome, including a struggle for funding and for attention in a country where it is soccer that is hardwired into the national consciousness. Although cricket was first introduced to Brazil in the mid-1800s, long before football, it never caught on in the same way. But while most Brazilians have not grown up with cricket, they have played a game descended from it. Taco, played by children in the streets, is two-a-side, with a bowler and wicketkeeper against two batters, who run between the wickets (there are no boundaries).

The batters use a stick to defend a small wicket. Bowling is underarm, but as in cricket, batters can be bowled, run out and stumped - as Prince Harry recently found out the hard way. The prince was visiting a favela in Rio, called Complexo do Alemão, where members of Cricket Brasil and the fledgling Carioca CC were teaching children the basics of cricket. When the kids played their more familiar taco with Harry, he survived seven balls before being stumped by the keeper. Although standing in his crease, Harry had not grounded his bat, thus falling victim to another difference between the two games.

"It was hilarious to watch," says Matt Featherstone, captain of the Brazil men's side. "Before he knew it, this kid was grabbing the bat from his hands, telling him he was out. There was no deference to the third in line to the British throne."

Featherstone's role in Brazilian cricket epitomises the transition being made as expat players bring on a new generation of homegrown talent. Born in Bromley, he played for the Kent Second XI and England Amateurs before moving to Minas Gerais with his Brazilian wife. His side have just returned triumphant from the Amistad Cup, a three-match Twenty20 series against Peru. After losing their first game, Brazil recovered to win the final two. In his three innings, the captain scored 0, 68 not out, and 68 respectively.

But despite being national captain, Featherstone is essentially an amateur. He works for his wife's family's chain of gift shops, and living in the small town of Poços de Caldas means that even to play his club cricket he has to drive three hours to São Paulo. "I'm lucky my wife lets me spend as much time as I do on the game," he says.

When Featherstone moved to Brazil in 2000, he was unaware cricket even existed in the country. But there it was, and he was soon in the national side. Although the team was not recognised by the ICC, it played unofficial international matches in the South American Championship, and Featherstone was able to use his batting ability and his contacts to take Brazilian cricket forward.

Brazil became an ICC affiliate member in 2002, and in 2006 they qualified to join the ICC Americas Championship, with Featherstone as captain. In recent years they have alternated between Division 3, which includes Peru, Chile, Costa Rica, Mexico and the Falklands, and Division 2, with Argentina, Panama, the Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. They are currently back in Division 3, "which is probably our level to be honest - Div 2 is a big jump up", Featherstone says. But perhaps ten years down the line, "it is not inconceivable that we could find ourselves playing in a Twenty20 World Cup. We're on the up but it's a slow process".

Cricket Brasil is battling to overcome obvious challenges. Money is tight. The ICC pays for entry into tournaments and provides $25,000 a year in direct funding, which goes towards Brazil's only full-time officer, Vincent Bastick, the CEO, and helps pay expenses for three others, including Featherstone in his role as national development officer. "In reality I only get petrol money," he says. "There is not enough cash to do what we do, and it is difficult to gain sponsorship in a country where 99% of the population haven't heard of the game." He is thankful for the sponsors they do have, though, including HSBC and Indian sugar company Renuka.


Prince Harry plays cricket with Brazilian kids © Getty Images
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Featherstone says a major stumbling block to the game's development is that the ICC has not applied for cricket to become an Olympic sport, largely because of opposition from Test-playing nations. "These countries have such a packed international schedule already that they are reluctant to give up a few weeks every four years for the Olympics. But 90% of cricketing nations would benefit from being in the Olympics. If we were in the 2016 Olympics in Rio, we'd be able to secure funding from the government and it would be a showcase for cricket in Brazil. But as things stand, the earliest cricket could be entered as an Olympic sport is 2024. We've missed the boat and it's a big shame. The ICC could do more for Affiliate nations."

At 41, Featherstone is probably one of the oldest captains in international cricket. So how long will he carry on? "Hopefully not much longer. If I could stop playing for Brazil now, I would. But the team still relies on me for runs. I'd rather play a match with a weaker team than with a stronger one totally dominated by expats."

In a recent ICC tournament in Suriname, nine players out of the 14-man squad were born in Brazil. And in an international competition in Nassau, the Bahamas, in 2010, Brazilian players were voted best bowler (Rudy Hartmann), best fielder (the wicketkeeper Guilherme Leferve) and best batsman (Gregor Caisley). Of them, only the last, an Australian, is an expat. "And we didn't even win a game," chuckles Featherstone.

With the game now entering schools, Cricket Brasil is hoping for a homegrown generation of players to represent their country. Junior development programmes have been established in São Paulo, Brasília and Curitiba. And Brazil has joined forces with Peru, Chile and Argentina to establish Cricket South America and host tournaments at the Under-13, 15 and 19 age groups, thus creating opportunities for youngsters to play internationally. "What is great is when you can take successful Brazilian cricketers into schools and show the kids what they can do," says Featherstone. "It's fine for me to go there, speaking Portuguese in an English accent, but to them I'm still a gringo."

While Brazilian men's cricket has claimed its place on the world stage in recent years, the women's side has emerged at breakneck speed. Unlike the men's game, their squad is already made up 100% of players who were born in the country, although again with a helping hand from expats.

Bastick is manager of the Brazil women's national side, based in Brasília. An Australian by birth, he married a Brazilian (a recurring theme here) and moved to her home country in 2004. Having played cricket in Sydney in the 1970s - "I was probably a B-grader" - he, along with Cricket Brasil president Ian Webster, became instrumental in establishing women's cricket in Brazil through his contacts at the University of Brasília. A major breakthrough came when cricket became an accredited PE course and students took to it with enthusiasm.

Bastick says what happened in Brasília was unique. "The nucleus of the women's team was formed in 2007. The women came from sports they were already very successful at. There were several handball players, including two goalies, so we had a readymade wicketkeeper. There were twins who were expert kayakers, and there was a ballerina. There were also futevôlei [foot volley] players - like volleyball but you use any part of your body, except your hands - although unfortunately we lost them when they went on to pursue successful futevôlei careers."

There are two women's teams in Brasília, the Candangos and Brasília CC, and they play each other and against men's teams. The best players can then go on to represent Brazil. In 2007, Brazil played in the first women's international clash in South America, taking on Argentina in a three-match series, which they lost 2-1. It was a promising start and they have never looked back. In last year's South American Championship, played in Brasília, they came second, behind Argentina, but ahead of Chile and Peru.

When I speak to Bastick, his side is preparing to take part in the women's ICC Americas Championship in the Cayman Islands. There, from April 22 to April 29, they will play the likes of the USA, Canada, Bermuda and the hosts. The team trains four times a week in the run-up to the competition, which is difficult considering all have jobs, studies and/or children. Another obstacle is the weather. "It's the rainy season, so we have lots of interruptions," says Bastick.

As well as the Clube Nipo baseball ground in Brasília, the women sometimes play on the main esplanada, flanked by government ministries. For a wicket, they lay out a long carpet over an asphalt pathway. "It makes a pretty good playing surface," says Bastick.

He says the challenge in the next few years is to get U-13 and U-15 girls playing in competitions. As administrator of Cricket Brasil, he draws a modest salary from the ICC but also runs an English language school. Like Featherstone, Bastick says he would be happy to take a step back from the game and hand over responsibility to homegrown coaches.

I ask if it is a problem that Brazilians have no exposure to cricket through television, but he says it isn't. "What you lack in television coverage here, you make up for in technological advances. Want to learn to play the cover drive? Just type it into YouTube.

"We mainly play 20-over matches, but sometimes 40 overs to give the batters a chance to score a hundred, which isn't easy in the shorter game. However, it's difficult to sell the longer format to a nation brought up on 90-minute football matches."

While more homegrown cricketers are getting involved, it is difficult to ignore the influence of expats, particularly at club level. I visit Curitiba, where I meet Norman Baldwin, 52, vice-president of the Brazilian Cricket Association and the backbone of cricket in Paraná state. Baldwin learned his cricket in Vancouver but has lived in Brazil for 17 years. The HSBC ground just outside Curitiba, which has hosted both men's and women's international games, favours batting. It has a reliable artificial wicket, good sightscreens and short boundaries square of the wicket.


The Brazil squad that beat Peru 2-1 in the Amistad Cup
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There are now two teams in Curitiba, who play each other on a regular basis. Swadisht (meaning "tasty" in Hindi) is an Indian XI, and Gralha Azul is a Rest of the World XI. On the day I visit, the team is composed of five Brazilians, three Englishmen, a Pakistani, a South African and a Canadian (Baldwin).

I ask each of the Brazilians whether they prefer cricket or football. All say football. One of them, Marco Johnson, who has represented Brazil at rugby, shows particular promise with the bat. Another, Raphael *Chiappetti, is playing his first match but already seems to have a basic grasp of the game's complexities. In this particular match, Swadisht hit 182 in their 20 overs, while Gralha Azul finish short on 163.

Four states in Brazil play cricket: Paraná, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and the federal district of Brasília. At the moment São Paulo and Brasília have the strongest set-ups. Although a Rio Cricket Club was founded in 1872, the game died out there for 15 years until being revived in September 2011, with the formation of Carioca CC. Baldwin attributes the decline in Rio cricket to economic circumstances. But with Brazil's economy now firmly on the rise, workers from cricketing nations are returning in increasing numbers and Carioca CC are trying to establish a home after the original Rio Cricket Club rented its pitches out to football.

So while soccer continues to dominate sporting life in Brazil, the seeds have been planted for another beautiful game to take hold in the country. Let us hope, for the sake of world cricket, they are given every chance to grow.

*10:40:21 GMT, 8 April 2012: Corrected from "Chiapelli"

Toby Chasseaud is a freelance journalist and cricket enthusiast

© ESPN EMEA Ltd.

103
Cricket Anyone / WI Test Team for 1st test against Aussies announced
« on: April 04, 2012, 12:14:29 PM »
Darren Sammy (Captain)
Kirk Edwards (Vice Captain)
Adrian Barath
Carlton Baugh (Wicket-keeper)
Devendra Bishoo
Kraigg Brathwaite
Darren Bravo
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Narsingh Deonarine
Fidel Edwards
Kieran Powell
Ravi Rampaul
Kemar Roach

104
http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/02/us/ac360-race-study/?hpt=hp_c1

This study should be conducted in T&T...

By Chuck Hadad, CNN
updated 1:55 PM EDT, Mon April 2, 2012

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

AC360° commissioned a groundbreaking study on children and race
White child and black child looked at the same picture of two kids on a playground
Black first graders had more positive interpretations than white first graders
Psychologist says divide often starts with how parents talk to kids about race

Tune in to "Anderson Cooper 360°" all week for the surprising results of a groundbreaking new study on children and race at 8 and 10 p.m. ET.

(CNN) -- A white child and a black child look at the exact same picture of two students on the playground but what they see is often very different and what they say speaks volumes about the racial divide in America.

The pictures, designed to be ambiguous, are at the heart of a groundbreaking new study on children and race commissioned by CNN's Anderson Cooper 360°. White and black kids were asked: "What's happening in this picture?", "Are these two children friends?" and "Would their parents like it if they were friends?" The study found a chasm between the races as young as age 6.
Overall, black first-graders had far more positive interpretations of the images than white first-graders. The majority of black 6-year-olds were much more likely to say things like, "Chris is helping Alex up off the ground" versus "Chris pushed Alex off the swing."
They were also far more likely to think the children pictured are friends and to believe their parents would like them to be friends. In fact, only 38% of black children had a negative interpretation of the pictures, whereas almost double -- a full 70% of white kids -- felt something negative was happening.

But why? CNN hired renowned child psychologist and University of Maryland professor Dr. Melanie Killen as a consultant to design and implement this study. She says the divide often begins with the different ways parents talk to their kids about race.

"African American parents ... are very early on preparing their children for the world of diversity and also for the world of potential discrimination," said Killen, adding, "they're certainly talking about issues of race and what it means to be a different race and when it matters and when it doesn't matter."
In contrast, the negativity for white children could be more of a result of what parents are not saying to their children than what they are saying. Dr. Killen contends that white parents often believe their children are socially colorblind and race is not an issue necessary to address. "They sort of have this view that if you talk about race, you are creating a problem and what we're finding is that children are aware of race very early," said Killen.

That racial void left by parents is filled with all of the overt and subtle messages on race from the rest of society -- what children see and hear from their teachers and friends, TV shows they watch, and what they're exposed to online all have a profound and lasting effect. Killen also points out that parents can send silent subconscious messages about race to their children that have a big impact.
"When ...we're in a situation in public, we're in a room, and we have the opportunity to ask two different people for help ... we might just you know be more likely to ask the person of the same race than somebody's who's in opposite race for help." Killen uses it as an illustration of an everyday interaction that can send an unintended message to children.

The study found that black children's optimism about interracial friendships unfortunately fades by adolescence. Killen and her team also tested 13-year-old children and showed the teens similar pictures designed to be ambiguous.
While black children start out positive, by age 13 they become as pessimistic as white kids. Dr. Killen says experiences of rejection and the harsh realities of race relations most likely explain the trend.

Dante, a black teen, told the heartbreaking story of racial bullying so severe, he had to change schools. "I've been bullied for like the way I look and the way of my skin at my previous school ...and they just kept on bullying me and ... I just asked them to stop over and over again and then I tried not to break, like, but I couldn't hold on anymore," said Dante, adding, "so I asked my mom, 'Can I leave?' "
Jimmy, another black teen, talked of a white friend's mother forbidding her son to play with him because he was black. Jimmy said when his mother questioned the woman, she spelled it out in no uncertain terms, saying, "It's because you're black so we can't hang out."
Are we doing enough to teach kids about race?

Both teens told their stories in an open-ended question session, conducted by Killen and her team, at the request of CNN to fully understand how children's racial views are shaped. Killen says stories like these represent a painful reality check on race for black children. "(If children) have that kind of experience and you have that repeatedly over a number of years, I think it's adaptive to pull back," she said, adding, "I think your optimism is going to decline because you've been told you know you really don't belong here or you're really not part of us ."

The CNN study had a key piece of good news for children of all ages. The racial makeup of a school can play a dramatic role on kids' attitudes on race -- especially with white children. Both white and black students were tested at three types of schools -- majority white, majority black and racially diverse. White students at majority white schools were overwhelmingly the most negative, but there was a seismic decrease in that negativity among white kids at the other two types of schools.
The reason, according to Dr. Killen, is about friendships. "There's almost nothing as powerful as having a friend of a different racial ethnic background to reduce prejudice, to ... have that experience that enables you to challenge stereotypes," she said.

Samantha, a white teen at a majority black school, epitomized that finding. "My grandparents are very racist against African Americans and other races. It's 2012, they have to push that aside ... they say, 'You want to stick with your own race.' And I say, 'No, I'm friends with everyone.' "

105
Football / It is now Official, Trinidad & Tobago Football is DEAD....
« on: March 28, 2012, 04:36:56 PM »
I would define it as a bitter sweet occasion for our football because it not only serves as a slap in the face  for the incompetent governing football board but also "The HERD" aka Pretenders that masquerade on sw.net mamaguying and pretending to know the game and business of football.

It was not that long ago that we saw numerous members of "The HERD" exhibit traits of "Narcissistic Personality Disorder". It was obvious that they had to create a diversion and falsely accuse a contemporary Western Philosopher of misogynistic behavior to divert the masses from their hypocritical statements. Their continuous Delusions of Grandeur have misled many of the football faithful and have contributed to the destruction of what was once a strong football community. In saying so, it is no mystery that many will say that for them, T&T football has died a long time ago.

We have seen the naysayers supporting the Harford regime over true supporters, to be later dismissed and branded as irrelevant to T&T Football. They learned the hard way, they also learned that the players are also to blame for the current state of our football. They have neglected their duty to their nation and their fellow brother. You cannot stand against an enemy divided or you surely will fall.

In referring to the current debacle of T&T football, the phrase "fool's gold" comes to mind. It is borderline madness that the masses entrusted our youths to a coach who has stated previously that his people is afraid of "foreigners" and "rain". Deductive reasoning would tell you that insecure statements as the one mentioned previously can only lead to one thing, "failure".

If we were to compare, a Head Coach in football is similar to that of a Military General who marshals his troops into battle. Which General would you support? It is evident that many on here are indeed clueless and misguided and have chosen to follow, rather than lead.

The writing is on the wall for all of the REAL T&T football lovers to see, the question is, will you open your eyes and see the true leaders of the future, not only for football but every other aspect of T&T society.

It is time for the football revolution to begin, a fresh start is the only answer, the age old question will be, who will lead it and who will stand by and watch silently. 

106
I noticed in the other thread some of the regulars on the bball thread brought up the topic of west indians, specifically trinis playing in the NCAA tournament.

I remember growing up in Toronto and playing with the older guys and they had several scholarship offers from all over the US, the majority was Division 1 schools. I'm talking about 99% of the players I grew up playing with were west indian, the vast majority being from TT and Jamaica.

It is no secret that the dynamic in Toronto and Montreal is different than in the US, the majority of minority players are West Indian, which is the opposite in the US because of the sheer numbers of african americans in US basketball.

The funny thing about this is, our national basketball team in TT can be an olympic team that is strong and can contend with the rest of the world, however, the current locals who run TT basketball are not scouting players from Canada and the US.

If they were scouting, I would have seen TT at the olympics since I entered or even before I entered high school, a very long time ago.

We have coaches throughout North America who are west indian and we are littered with talented TT players throughout north america and still we have failed to make a mark in olympic basketball. It's pitiful, you have all this talent that is eligible to play for TT and the local basketball organization are wasting our chances, just like our football.

For example, I had friends who were offered partial and full scholarships to D1 schools. Yet I have seen none of them ever been scouted to a national team, its a joke.

For example, every year Toronto produces ball talent that is either Trini, Jamaican or of west indian background and none of them are ever called to play national basketball. I am talking about every year, we have ballers go to D1 schools in the US because they are good enough to start or even make the NBA, yet none are recruited for the national team in TT.

If I was the head of ball back home, I would see who is the best ballers locally and then combine them with the best in north america. You have a guy like Kareem abdul jabar that has done clinics in TT but no one has ever asked him to be a coach or put together a team of coaches to build TT basketball.

Like I said, its ridiculous that we have so much talent produced every year in Canada and the US and none of them are called back to play for the TT national basketball team because they are a joke federation with no vision.

107
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/cuba-drills-for-oil-but-us-unprepared-for-spill/2012/02/23/gIQAWTx0jR_story.html

By William Booth, Published: March 1

As energy companies from Spain, Russia and Malaysia line up to drill for oil in Cuban waters 60 miles from the Florida Keys, U.S. agencies are struggling to cobble together emergency plans to protect fragile reefs, sandy beaches and a multibillion-dollar tourism industry in the event of a spill.

Drawing up contingency plans to confront a possible spill is much more difficult because of the economic embargo against Cuba. U.S. law bars most American companies — including oil services and spill containment contractors — from conducting business with the communist island. The embargo, now entering its 50th year, also limits direct government-to-government talks.

In the vacuum, a Coast Guard admiral in Miami and a dozen technocrats from Cuba and the United States have begun to quietly engage in an awkward partnership of necessity to protect their coastlines, separated by politics but united by the mighty Gulf Stream.

“This is a case of Cold War ideology colliding with 21st-century environmental policy, and it is the environment that is at risk,” said Lee Hunt, president of the International Association of Drilling Contractors.

The need to plan a detailed response for a possible spill in Cuban waters — including who pays for what — is driven by memories of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, where close to 5 million barrels of crude flowed unabated for three months off the Louisiana coast.

The Deepwater Horizon accident, the largest maritime spill ever, involved a massive response by the U.S. government to contain what experts concluded was a preventable disaster caused by misjudgments by three major oil drilling companies: BP, Halliburton and Transocean.

“Now imagine something like that happening in the waters between two countries that don’t even talk to each other,” said Jorge Pinon, a former president of Amoco Oil Latin America and now a research fellow at the Center for International Energy and Environmental Policy at the University of Texas.

The Deepwater Horizon liabilities could exceed $43 billion. Containing the oil in Louisiana employed 5,000 vessels. Cuba’s total gross domestic product is $50 billion. Pinon said that Cuba, with a tiny navy and a thin coast guard, has only 5 percent of the resources needed to contain a spill approaching the size of the Deepwater Horizon disaster.

“The U.S. Coast Guard is terrified,” he said.

5 billion barrels

Last month, Repsol, a Spanish oil and gas company, using a state-of-the-art, Norwegian-designed, Chinese-built, semi-submersible rig called Scarabeo 9, began drilling the first in a series of deep-water exploratory wells in the Florida Straits, at a cost of $500,000 a day.

According to a 2004 study by the U.S. Geological Survey, there could be 5 billion barrels of undiscovered oil reserves in the north Cuba basin. While some U.S. lawmakers might not like it, Cuba has every right to drill for oil in its own waters.

Congressional Republicans representing Cuban American communities in Florida say the Obama administration should have imposed sanctions and threatened foreign companies such as Repsol from doing business in Cuba.

108
General Discussion / Caribbean Accounts for 27% of World's Homicides
« on: March 03, 2012, 12:12:31 PM »
http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2012/03/03/caribbean-accounts-for-27-percent-of-world%E2%80%99s-homicides/

Caribbean accounts for 27 percent of world’s homicides

MARCH 3, 2012 | BY KNEWS | FILED UNDER NEWS
 
 
-UN report shows violent crime rising in region

A rising crime rate is threatening economies and livelihoods in Caribbean countries, states a new United Nations report that calls for the right mix of policies and programmes to tackle the problem.
The Caribbean Human Development Report 2012, prepared by the UN Development Programme (UNDP), says that with the exception of Barbados and Suriname, homicide rates – including gang-related killings – have increased substantially in the last 12 years across the Caribbean, while they have been falling or stabilizing in other parts of the world.

Latin America and the Caribbean are home to 8.5 per cent of the world population, yet the region accounts for some 27 per cent of the world’s homicides, according to the report, which was launched today in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
The report – the first UN Human Development Report focusing on the Caribbean – is the result of extensive consultations with 450 experts, practitioners and leaders and reflect a large-scale survey with 11,555 citizens in the seven assessed countries in region: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.

It found that even though the total number of murders in Jamaica dropped after the report’s completion to 1,124 in 2011 – a seven-year low – the country has the highest homicide rate in the Caribbean and the third-highest murder rate worldwide in recent years, with about 60 murders per 100,000 inhabitants.
Only El Salvador and Honduras have higher rates, with 66 and 82.1 murders respectively per 100,000 people, the report notes, citing figures from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). In Trinidad and Tobago, the report notes, murder rates increased five-fold over a decade, to more than 40 per 100,000 in 2008, and then declined to 36 in 2010.

“Violence limits people’s choices, threatens their physical integrity, and disrupts their daily lives,” said UNDP Administrator Helen Clark at the report’s launch.
“This report stresses the need to rethink our approaches to tackling crime and violence and providing security on the ground,” said Miss Clark. “We need to follow approaches that are centered on citizen security and address the causes of this recent increase in violent crime, including social, economic, and political exclusion.”

Although murder rates are exceedingly high by global standards, Caribbean nations can reverse the trend, states the report, which calls for governments to beef up public institutions to tackle crime and violence while boosting preventive measures.
Among its recommendations, the report calls on Caribbean governments to implement youth crime prevention through education, as well as provide job opportunities that target the marginalized urban poor.
Because crime harms social cohesion, Caribbean nations must better address youth violence and street gangs, whose crimes are rarely prosecuted, the report adds.
As for the impact on the region’s economies, estimates by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) show that the cost of gang-related crime is between 2.8 per cent and four per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in the region, through both the cost of policing and as a result of lost income from youth incarceration and reduced tourism.

According to the report, crime costs Jamaica alone over $529 million a year in lost income. In Trinidad and Tobago, a one per cent reduction in youth crime would boost tourism revenue by $35 million per year. For every additional “gang” in a community, homicide rates increased by about 10 per cent, according to research featured in the report.

110
General Discussion / Ashkenazi Jews rank smartest in World
« on: February 09, 2012, 07:31:42 PM »
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4098351,00.html

Ashkenazi Jews rank smartest in world

Studies show descendants of Jews from Medieval Germany, throughout Europe have IQ 20% higher than

Nelly Lalany

Published:    07.23.11, 09:01 / Israel Jewish Scene



Is it possible for your ancestry, religious affiliation, or nationality to determine your intellect?
 
According to a study performed by Cambridge University called, "From Chance to Choice: Genetic and Justice," Ashkenazi Jews have a median IQ of 117.

That’s 10 points higher than the “accepted” IQ of their biggest competition, Northeast Asia, and 20% higher than the global average.
 
The Ashkenazim make up approximately 80% of all Jews with descendants from Medieval Germany and throughout Europe. The other 20% is made up of Sephardic Jews. I bet you’re frantically searching ancestry.com right now.
 
Other researchers state results for the Ashkenazim tests show an IQ score a little bit lower than 117, but one thing they can all agree on- they’re still topping the charts.
 
An interesting observation that the study points out: the scores for “visual-spatial” were particularly low, and ipso-facto the math and language scores are astonishing.
 
Not to brag or anything, but according to USA Today, “Ashkenazi Jews comprise 2.2% of the USA population, but they represent 30% of faculty at elite colleges, 21% of Ivy League students, 25% of the Turing Award winners, 23% of the wealthiest Americans, and 38% of the Oscar-winning film directors.”
 
Wait, that’s not all!
 
According to the Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies, “Since 1950, 29% of the Oslo awards have gone to Ashkenazim, even though they represent only 0.25% of humanity. Ashkenazi achievement in this arena is 117 times greater than their population."

111
General Discussion / Your Oscar predictions for 2012
« on: January 29, 2012, 08:24:45 PM »
Best Actor Leading Role: Clooney, Pitt at #2 and Oldman with an outside chance

Best Actor Supporting Role: Nolte, Branagh with an outside chance

Best Actress Leading Role: Mara is my pick but you have Close at #2 and Streep is always in the running

Best Actress Supporting Role: Between Chastain and Spencer for The Help

Best Director: tough one to call as Scorsese is one of my favs but you have Malick and Allen who may get it

Best Picture: War Horse, #2 The Help and #3 The Descendents

will post the rest closer to the night....

113
General Discussion / Happy Birthday to all the Capricorns....
« on: December 28, 2011, 11:57:23 AM »
Just wanted to wish all the Capricorns on the board a Happy Birthday... And that we Run Things.... ;D

I'm gonna fete like a rock star this week for my birthday, hope you all do it up as well...

Much Blessings and take a drink or ten for me  ;D

114
Derek Rose has impressed me since inception, no doubt he will be a force to be reckoned with

115
Football / Sterling Parris - T&T Footballer has Passed on
« on: December 14, 2011, 07:52:37 PM »
I was speaking to my grandmother and she told me that Sterling Paris my grand uncle had passed on, almost a year now. I was shocked as I didn't know.

Last time I heard he was in the US but I had not asked about him in a while. I know a few posters on here knew him well, just wanted to pass the news on to those who don't know.

Blessings

116
Since the U-23 Olympic Qualifiers are in Carson, California next year.

I believe it is only fitting to organize ah Lime for the TT masses.

I think it is the right thing to do because our Sr team flopped massively and Brazil is a distant memory.

Carson is about 45mins tops from Downtown LA, so it is nice and close to all the action, Carson is right by Redondo and Torrence.

If I have the time I will organize a big fete for the games and a liming spot for all supporters coming down.

Keep you posted on this thread, grouping this thread with the others will be too much clutter, if you want to have a good support base and updated info, mods keep this thread separate, don't merge.

Let me know who is coming down and I will know whether it is worth it or not to organize some events.

Lets see which posters really have the dedication to coming and supporting the team in a united effort, or will we see The HERD ignore this and continue to be anti-unity in regards to our football?

Blessings

117
After reading Jones comments and Birchall's comments about how they didn't want it enough and they were unlucky.

That is a clear indication of them throwing the game, they could care less about the nation's football and qualifying for a world cup. If this was another country like Brazil or Costa Rica or Mexico, them players wouldn't see a national uniform again.

We accepting this mediocrity and everybody in the camp holding hands and signing kumbaya, next time this and 2018 that. The strike squad and the 74' team had heart, when Yorke and Latas reach the twilight of their careers with Shaka, was when they push to reach the world cup for their nation.

That is what you call selfishness, I know some footballers from other countries would kill to represent their nation and make the world cup, money or no money, just to wear those colors and play on the big stage.

These glad men just happy to get caps and go back to their foreign clubs and play their heart out there and come back home and give a half way effort and when we fail, tell the public, next time and we didn't want it enough, because they don't care.

As long as they get their national caps and could ride out, they cool. I have no problem with players doing extremely well in foreign and taking care of their families, but have some pride for your nation and patriotism.

Contemporary T&T players have no patriotism and pride for their nation, if they did, we would be advancing to the next rounds and the players would be fighting to make WC. Jamaica is a team that has pride for their nation, you could tell that when they play and they are not as talented as our footballers.

I think they should cut half or more of this team and start with local based players and only foreign based who show the desire and commitment for nation.

Right now most of these senior players and foreign based not showing that commitment and heart, they need to forget about international football for T&T and concentrate on where their heart is, with their clubs.

You can't be supporting football 1000% and the players are only at 50% and don't give a damn whether another campaign goes by, especially a historic campaign like Brazil and they are telling the fans about 2018.

The TTFF is a waste of time but the players ain't backward themselves, they talking about football but which one of them give their heart and soul on this current team? They use the national team to further themselves and at the end of the day, don't give a damn whether our nation progresses or not, that is the reality.
 

118
The time is now and all parties who are interested in seeing football progress and not die out in T&T, should support a new fed and a new national structure, from a professional league, down to school football.

The time is ripe, I hope for once T&T can come together and stop the infighting and do something for the better for our football.

119
General Discussion / Vatican Calls for New World Economic Order
« on: October 25, 2011, 08:36:20 PM »
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/10/24/vatican-calls-for-new-world-economic-order/?test=latestnews

Vatican Calls for New World Economic Order

Published October 24, 2011

Associated Press

VATICAN CITY –  The Vatican called Monday for radical reform of the world's financial systems, including the creation of a global political authority to manage the economy.
A proposal by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace calls for a new world economic order based on ethics and the "achievement of a universal common good." It follows Pope Benedict XVI's 2009 economic encyclical that denounced a profit-at-all-cost mentality as responsible for the global financial meltdown.

The proposal acknowledges, however, that a "long road still needs to be traveled before arriving at the creation of a public authority with universal jurisdiction" and suggests the reform process begin with the United Nations as a point of reference.

Vatican pronouncements on the economy are meant to guide world leaders as well as the global church. United States Roman Catholic bishops, for example, have released a voter guide for the 2012 election that highlights social concerns such as ending poverty.

"It is an exercise of responsibility not only toward the current but above all toward future generations, so that hope for a better future and confidence in human dignity and capacity for good may never be extinguished," the document said.

It highlights that reforms must assure that financial and monetary policies will not damage the weakest economies while also achieving fair distribution of the world's wealth.
The proposal also called for a "minimum, shared body of rules to manage the global financial market," lamenting the "overall abrogation of controls" on capital movements.
While past Vatican pronouncements have condemned unfettered capitalism, the latest criticized "an economic liberalism that spurns rules and controls."
It also attacked "utilitarian thinking," saying what is useful to the individual does not always favor the common good.




120
From thorough investigation, detailed conversations and in dept inquiries I have stumbled upon a major reason why the TTFF have not secured World Class Friendlies at home for the T&T Men's National Senior Team.

Currently, the TTFF owns the Media Rights (TV,Internet,Radio,etc) to broadcast all T&T Home games within T&T only. Meaning the TTFF can only license homes games to media houses locally for broadcast. In light of this matter, it means that revenue sharing from advertising revenue on games is limited and local media houses will not pay a large sum to broadcast home matches. So the profit is very limited for the TTFF in terms of live matches, hence the reason why matches are shown afterwards with the permission of the TTFF.

For instance, if the TTFF were to secure a World Class friendly with Germany to play in T&T. The international broadcast rights are owned and controlled by Traffic Sports. The TTFF will then try to broker a deal with traffic sports to get a small percentage of the broadcast revenues from Traffic.

From the perspective of Traffic Sports, they have no obligation to make this deal and share revenues from an international broadcast, they can choose to decline this offer because selling international broadcast rights is a main source of their revenues. You cannot blame Traffic Sports, as JW and the TTFF sold our rights to them and now have left us very vulnerable, especially since international broadcast rights is a major source of revenues for any national football federation. International broadcast rights can generate revenues from the hundreds of thousands to the billions in the case of larger nations.

The fact remains that the TTFF cannot make any substantial revenue on home matches and especially friendlies, means they are not interested in attracting world class teams to play against T&T. The guaranteed revenues will be generated from ticket sales of the home matches, licensing the match to a local media house and maybe if they are lucky, a share in the advertising revenue made on that home match from the local media house. However, it will pale in comparison to the revenue generated from licensing the match internationally.

If they somehow manage to broker a deal with Traffic Sports, it will most likely be a small percentage of what Traffic licenses the international broadcast rights for to a carrier, ie./ Sky Sports or Euro Sport (in the case of the Germany match for example).

This explains a lot, as it indicates to the die hard fans from T&T that we have lost our leverage and the TTFF see no profit in bringing top class teams to play us. It leaves our national football in a quandary and also limits our progress because we are getting below par friendlies.

The TTFF do not care about exposing our players to better football or exposing our players to the world because it does not profit them anything from the venture. This was made sure when we sold out and allowed our rights to be sold and future revenues stripped from our shores.

With players not being exposed on an international level, it is hard to attract high profile and well connected scouts to home matches because we are not playing top level teams. We cannot progress as a football nation if we are constantly settling for the short term incentive. Losing the international media rights to our home matches has many debilitating factors associated with it.

The consequences are not only damaging in the present but also the future, having our national football team play world class teams not only prepares us but also allows our players to improve and progress. It also weakens our chances for WCQ because of lack of preparation.

It is a very disheartening situation that we are facing as we are left with very little options. The TTFF are not going to spend the time and effort because they see no cash reward at the ending of it, so our football suffers and so to does our players as well.

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