Good morning!

Well…I knew chocolate was good for me personally. But I have to say that I am delighted that my almost daily bite of chocolate brings me more than just a smile to my face.

Unfortunately my post this morning doesn’t do the same.

Climate change affects our shores

Coastal erosion, wild fire, hazardous material accidents, high wind, hazardous surf and rip currents, transportation problems, disease, drought, earthquake, flood, landslide, lightning, tsunami and typhoon — these are all risks we have on Guam due to our geography and climate.

Climate changes have been elevating these risks, making events more severe and possibly more frequent. Many of you remember the storms of 2002: Typhoon Chataan, causing landslide, flooding and 55 deaths between Chuuk and Guam in July; followed by Supertyphoon Pongsona, igniting fire in the Apra Harbor tank yard in December. Just five years prior to these storms, the Pacific islands were hit by Typhoon Paka in December of 1997. The islands had varying damage due to fluctuations in the storm, including drought, wildfires, flooding, sea level variation and erosion.

Climate change

Globally, people have been contributing to the greenhouse effect through everyday activities such as: burning fossil fuels for electricity, gasoline and natural gas; agricultural practices; and clearing vegetation, especially for development. The natural greenhouse effect is a warming process of atmospheric gases, such as carbon dioxide, that allows us to survive on earth — if we had no greenhouse effect, the world would be too cold for human survival.

Humans have increased the amount of greenhouse gases released into the environment, intensifying the greenhouse effect relatively quickly. Within the past three centuries, the structure of the earth’s atmosphere has changed, which is causing global climate change.

The effects of greenhouse gasses are being studied extensively on and off island. There is evidence of global climate change such as glaciers retreating, plants blooming earlier or in a different season and the rising sea level.

According to the Climate Impact Group’s publication, “Preparing for Climate Change: a Guidebook for Local, State, and Regional Governments,” the sea level is projected to rise seven to 23 inches this century from melting snow and ice and the thermal expansion of ocean waters. The Climate Impact Group also emphasizes the increased risk of drought and stronger heat waves lasting longer and happening more often, along with more extreme precipitation and the disasters caused by excessive precipitation.

The climate change can significantly impact our water supply — droughts, flooding, contaminants — causing competition for safe water and difficult living conditions. Many plant and animal species will not be able to withstand the warming temperatures and may go extinct, reducing food sources.

Guam impact

According to the National Weather Service, during the first quarter of 2011, Guam had rainfall at 166 percent of the average, islandwide. From 2009 to 2010, equatorial Pacific water temperature was above normal, creating an El Niño effect.

Warmer water temperatures cause coral to lose their symbiotic algae, zooxanthellae, which are essential to the corals survival. Consequently, the coral is bleached and will eventually die if not rehabitated. Sustained bleaching events will significantly impact Guam’s fish populations.

These temperatures started to fall and led almost directly into significantly below normal temperature water, known as La Niña. These climate patterns are known as El Niño Southern Oscillation, or ENSO. ENSO events are created by the warming (El Niño) and cooling (La Niña) of the tropical Pacific waters along with air surface pressure change. Many regions of the world have been significantly affected by extreme weather due to ENSO. Predictions from the National Weather Service and UOG Water and Environmental Research Institute continue around 110 percent to 120 percent of average rainfall through March 2012.

People have observed and described changes in shorelines and water availability on Guam, as well as many other Pacific Islands. There was significant shoreline change during and shortly after World War II due to purposeful alterations made to the island.

According to a 2008 assessment conducted for Guam Coastal Management Program, images and studies show significant shoreline change on the northern and western-facing shorelines over the last 60 years of 150 to 250 feet. Many of the island’s beaches and parks have experienced coastal erosion and increased sea level due to human alterations, natural disasters and overall climate change.

More severe weather, especially during ENSO, will continue to threaten the island with numerous natural disasters endangering our people, economy and island sustainability. There will inevitably be climate change, but increased shoreline development, coastal management and increased population in limited space creates vulnerability for severe impact from weather-related events.

Superior coastal management practices and community consciousness can help protect and improve the sustainability of our island community.

Kim O’Connor is the communicator for the University of Guam’s Sea Grant Program.

~Guampdn

**********

Christine: Since you are a newbie to my blog, I wanted to let you know that it is best to make a comment on the most current day regardless of what write you are referring to from a previous day, and/or person you are conversing with. This ensures that the person you are conversing with will see your comments. Most of my regular readers know to keep their comments contemporaneous by posting on the most current day. Hence I am not sure your comment to Ursla was seen by her.

There’s enough issue just seeing and posting on my blog, so regard this heads-up as just a gentle notice to you and any other newbies, so that you get the most pleasure and ease in your experience here. For more about posting comments please refer to the left-hand column under the heading “Blog Rules of Conduct”. Thank you.

AH: I just wanted to say hello. And that I had no idea “B the K”, was such a stud who died so young. As always…wishing you, Bita and Adam my best.

Hugs and Love to all.

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

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Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2011

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

I have said here several times that I am an “eye for an eye” kind of girl. If someone does something horrible to you that affects your health and livelihood, that person should be punished by having to endure the same horrible act. It’s so easy for some to dish it out, but they are left begging for their life and forgiveness when they are faced with same horrific act administered upon themselves by others.

I think of the Arab women who are thrown in sacks and tossed into a pool of piranha, or dipped head first in a vat of boiling oil, and left to die a slow painful death. While the men stand by and laugh and threaten other women with the same, should they disrespect their family, etc. My first thought is, “These kind of men deserve this exact treatment and more so.”

People have agreed with me and people have said that I am barbaric. The ones that have called me barbaric are men. No surprise that it is the men in this world that are the majority of the perpetrators, murderers, serial killers, etc., and yet they are the ones calling me barbaric, for saying that it is okay to perform a brutal act in retribution for the same brutal act that was initially administered to innocent victims.

The story today is about a man who threw a bucket of acid over a girl’s head because she rejected his marriage proposal. If you ask me I say, “Do the same thing to him.” Evidently, it is allowed under Sharia law if the victim requests it. The victim did. However there are those that oppose and his punishment was postponed.

Here’s the write:

Fury at Iran’s ‘eye-for-an-eye’ acid punishment as sentence is branded ‘cruel and inhumane’

A punishment in which an Iranian man was to be blinded by having acid dropped into his eyes has been postponed after international condemnation.

Majid Movahedi was convicted and sentenced for pouring a bucket of acid over Ameneh Bahrami after she rejected his marriage proposals.

The attack left her blind and severely disfigured.

The court-ordered retribution was due to have been carried out yesterday in Tehran.

Irene: That’s an excellent question to ask. I think the majority of this planet would be happy for aliens to take over even if that meant a percentage of humans would go to feeding the aliens. Hey, they’re dining on us anyway. The ones screaming would be the men because they would no longer be in control of their toys, and they would have a predator themselves to fear for once.  The women would be happy to be free from the abuse, and hey perhaps the chance of some alien dick might put a smile on their faces too. :)

I’d love to say more but I’m already posting late. Done. Your turn.

Peace out.

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2011

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Good morning!

I HOPE that everyone had a wonderful day celebrating Father’s Day with their father yesterday!  I certainly did! I was so excited to spend time with my father that I completely forgot to blog it in my rush to post yesterday.

You see my father is NEVER around for Father’s Day. He travels quite a bit, and this was the first year in I don’t know how long, that he was actually going to be around so that we could celebrate his day. So, I have to admit, I was pretty much in my own little world.

I HOPE that my male readers will forgive me.  So let me say it now….”Happy Belated Father’s Day to all the fathers out there!”

Speaking of travel…this one is for my friends and fans in Guam, and especially Anna, Peter, and Lea. Hafa Adai:

Travel to Guam: The South Pacific’s Secret Vacation Destination

I’m embarrassed to admit that before traveling to Guam I knew very little of the destination. My limited knowledge: Guam is a U.S. Territory, a tropical island in the Pacific and closer to Asia than North America.

But wooed by my taste buds and the lure of the island’s annual Maila Ta Fan Boka Festival, (Come, Let’s Eat) I visited, I learned and I fell in love. For the delicious details of my voyage, keep reading.

Let me set the stage: Picture Hawaii, then subtract 30 years from your vision, for Guam is lush and tropical but heralds the simplicity of an off-the-beaten-path getaway. Here life is beautifully uncomplicated – 35 miles per hours is the standard speed limit, cha-cha is the adopted dance and country is its favorite music. It’s also a land of turquoise waters, palm silhouettes, Kodak-moment views and a contagiously welcoming spirit where the local Chamorro greeting “Håfa Adai!” is warmly and widely offered.

Discovered by Magellan, its history is impressive. Guam and its sister Mariana Islands were formally claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1565 and its role in World War II’s Pacific Theater was critical. The island is proud of its multi-generational investments and no where is its pride and love more evident than in its food and fun.

Come, Let’s Eat!

Maila Ta Fan Boka Competition – Attended by foodie fans and fanatics this festival spurred my visit, and disappointed I was not. Showcasing the island’s Asian and Spanish influences, amateur and professional teams competed with three dishes: chicken, eggplant and banana. Favorite food: eggplant in coconut milk, flavored with red peppers.

Outdoor barbeque – Ever wondered how to throw a fiesta? Ask the Muñas. Entertaining is the lifeblood of the family of Guam senator, Tina Muña Barnes. Required ingredients: outdoor grill, multiple pounds of meat and hardy appetites. And the generous invitation from the Muña’s family is not unusual – this is life on Guam. Favorite food: Chamorro barbeque ribs.

Chamorro Village – Start with a Spanish setting. Add an energetic guest list. Throw in some live music, island dancers and fresh food from local vendors and this gregarious gathering is a happening, an every Wednesday night happening. Favorite food: shrimp kélaguen (made with fresh island coconut and lemon juice).

Hit the Road

The best way to see Guam is to rent a car, cruise along Marine Drive and let the island unfold before you like a Polaroid picture. Stops can be as frequent or infrequent as your desires dictate.

Latte of Freedom – As early as 500 A.D. ancient Chamorros built their houses on stone pillars known as lattes. These stones are symbolic of Guam and the 80-foot-high Latte of Freedom on a point overlooking the bay was constructed to be for the West what the Statue of Liberty is to the East: a welcome to the United States.

Asan Beach – On July 21, 1944 the Americans landed on Asan to recapture the island from occupying Japanese forces; it has since represented Guam’s role in World War II.

Lina’la’ Chamorro Cultural Park – Offering a back-in-time visit into Guam’s rich cultural background, the island’s newest sight (all phases completed January 2012) features animal encounters, ziplining and an authentic peek into long-ago island life.

Two Lovers’ Point – Legend holds that a pair of star-crossed Chamorro lovers, whose parents would not allow them to marry, jumped to their deaths from this 378-foot cliff. Today it’s an open-to-the-public lookout over the Philippine Sea.

Memo to Luxe Lovers

Being no stranger to five-star luxury, Guam is where a day at your hotel is as simple as deciding which umbrella-topped drink to order and what strength of sunscreen to apply. Situated on the island’s favorite playground, Tumon Bay, the brand names Westin, Nikko, Outrigger and Marriott are only a sampling. Westin was my temporary home, where a day at the waterfall pool competed with more active options – outrigger canoeing, windsurfing and scuba diving (with shipwrecks from WWI and WWII, experts consider Guam among the world’s best diving spots).

Guam’s aisle action includes topnotch namedropping: Gucci, Prada, Versace and more. Found at DFS Galleria, shopping this impressive collection of high-end boutiques is sweetened with the tidbit that Guam’s goods sell duty free.

Leo Palace Golf Resort (four nine-hole courses with one designed by Jack Nicklaus and two by Arnold Palmer) runs through the hills, valleys and wetlands of Manenggon Hills. And for a made-in-Guam treat, play a round at Mangilao Golf Club where the hilltop clubhouse provides a panoramic ocean view, and holes #12 and #13 demand daring tee shots stretching across the Pacific.

Spa Bali, Guam’s only authentic Balinese Spa, is found in the Holiday Resort Hotel. With “natural” as the guiding principle, my treat was the Island Paradise Massage – a hypnotic blend of Balinese and Lomi Lomi techniques.

Tips Only a Local Would Know

Readers: It is a beautiful day here in the Bay Area. And so tempting to don my bikini and head to the beach. Whether you’re here or Guam, or basking on some other beautiful beach, just remember to eat plenty of watermelon. It is rich with lycopene. Eating 2½ cups of watermelon provides a dose of lycopene sufficient to increase sun protection by 33%. So sometimes when I don’t feel like eating the watermelon, I stick a few slices in the blender, and make my fave drink – lately that’s been a watermelon sparkler – my own little concoction of freshly blended watermelon juice and a shot of my favorite sparkling juice. Sparkling Peach Izze usually does the trick for me.

And for you Joel: I read that studies also indicate that lycopene may enhance male fertility, while another watermelon compound—the amino acid citrulline, found mostly in the rind—may function as a natural alternative to Viagra.

As with all health advice give here, don’t take my word for it, make sure you do your own research.

That’s it for me today. The forum is open. Blog me.

PEACE OUT.

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2011

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Good morning!

Well the women in Saudi took to the road yesterday, and defied the rules banning women from driving…the only country that has such a ridiculous rule.

Women2Drive is a Facebook page that is in support of the Saudi Women. I gave it my thumbs up in support. Those that oppose had their own FaceBook too, only they weren’t exactly just stating that women shouldn’t drive, which is absurd to begin with. No, they were promoting violence…calling on people to beat up anyone woman they see driving. Can you imagine…a call to beat up women just because they are getting behind the wheel?(!)

So…Girls: How did it go? From what I have read, pretty smoothly. A few of you were followed by police but there were no arrests. If you can blog me, I’d love to hear about your experiences. I HOPE that this will inspire more women to drive and the ban will end. You know that you have my support.

Saudi women defy ban to take driver’s seat

A number of Saudi women have defied a ban on driving by getting behind the wheel in the conservative kingdom.

Friday’s show of defiance came in response to calls on social networking sites to defy the ban that prohibits women from driving in the kingdom.

“We’ve just returned from the supermarket. My wife decided to start the day by driving to the store and back,” said columnist Tawfiq Alsaif on his Twitter page on Friday.

“I took King Fahd Road [Riyadh artery] and then Olaya Street, along with my husband, I decided that the car for today is mine,” local resident Maha al-Qahtani tweeted.

She also told the AFP news agency that driving is “a right for women that no law or religion bans … I went out to get my right, so that it would be up to me to drive or not”.

Her husband Mohammed al-Qahtani tweeted that she carried her necessary belongings “ready to go to prison without fear”.

The en masse action was the first since November 1990, when a group of 47 Saudi women stunned men by driving around Riyadh in 15 cars before being arrested.

‘Mutiny against male-only rules’

Activists had not appealed for mass protests in any specific sites, but had urged Saudi women to begin a mutiny against the male-only driving rules.

Women who had driving licences obtained abroad were urged to run their errands themselves without relying on male drivers.

She had posted internet clips of herself driving in 2008.”We want women from today to begin exercising their rights,” Wajeha al-Huwaidar, a Saudi women’s rights activist, said.

“Today on the roads is just the opening in a long campaign,” she said. “We will not go back.”

Friday is the climax of a two-month online campaign riding the winds of the so-called Arab spring, which has spread mass revolts across the region and toppled two regimes.

The main Facebook page campaign, dubbed Women2Drive, says the action will keep going “until a royal decree allowing women to drive is issued”.

Women in Saudi Arabia face an array of constraints, ranging from having to cover from head to toe in public and needing authorisation from a male guardian to travel, to having restricted access to jobs due to strict rules of segregation.

The driving campaign follows the 10-day detention last month of 32-year-old Manal al-Sherif, after she posted video of herself driving.

She was released after reportedly signing a pledge that she would not drive again or speak publicly.

Her case, however, sparked an outcry from international rights groups and brought direct appeals to Saudi’s rulers to lift the driving ban on women – the only such countrywide rule in the world.

Earlier this week, a group of women drove around the Saudi embassy in Washington to protest the kingdom’s ban on female drivers. Similar convoys converged on Saudi diplomatic missions in other cities around the world.

Difficult choices

Calls for an ongoing road rebellion could push Western-backed Saudi authorities into difficult choices: either launching a crackdown and facing international pressure or giving way to the demands and angering traditional-minded clerics and other groups opposing reforms.

The men-only driving system is supported by clerics backing austere interpretations of Islam and enforced by powerful morality squads.

The last en masse protest against the ban on female drivers was held in November 1990 when a group of women stunned Saudi men by driving around Riyadh in 15 cars before being arrested.

There is no written Saudi law barring women from driving - only fatwas, or religious edicts, by senior clerics following a strict brand of Islam known as Wahhabism.

They claim the driving ban protects against the spread of vice and temptation because women drivers would be free to leave home alone and interact with male strangers. The prohibition forces families to hire live-in drivers or rely on male relatives to drive.

Saudi King Abdullah has promised some social reforms, but he depends on the clerics to support his ruling family and is unlikely to take steps that would bring backlash from the religious establishment.

*************

Howie: You’re welcome. Yes, pure food and water should be a given. It used to be before greed started growing, and the love of money grew stronger than the love of people.

Carol: Because the words, “responsibility” and “accountability”, aren’t in their vocabulary, nor do they care to learn them.

Doug: Great video. A must watch. We stated off with perfect pure food. The gods created earth perfectly. We are fucking it up badly.

Readers: It’s Friday…you know what to do. Blog me.

Peace & Love & Pure Food: “Live it, Give it, Eat it”

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2011

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Good morning.

It’s been awhile since I have written about Sudan and the latest news has not been good.

To summarize, Sudan has been at war with itself for almost its entire post-colonial history, starting in 1956. This past May, a mostly peaceful process that would split north and south into separate countries was imperiled by fighting over a border region claimed by both.

The struggle played out against a backdrop of increased oil production and a politics dominated by distrust. Nearly all of its major ethnic and religious groups have fought one another, and there are dozens of armed groups across the country.

Sudan has been ruled since 1989 by Omar Hassan al-Bashir, who seized power in a bloodless coup backed by Islamists. He assumed the presidency in 1993. Bashir has been vilified in the West and blamed over the years for cozying up to Osama bin laden, abusing human rights and unleashing death squads in Darfur, the war-racked region of western Sudan that I have blogged about in the past. In 2010, Bashir was charged by the International Criminal Court with crimes against humanity.

The southern Sudanese have been fighting for independence for decades. In January, nearly 99 percent of the region’s voters approved a split from northern Sudan in an internationally backed referendum. The referendum marked the end to the nearly one-million-square-mile experiment called Sudan, which for many troubled decades served as a bridge between the Arab and African world. Southern Sudan will be named the Republic of South Sudan upon independence.

But it’s not there yet. The struggle for independence is still going on strong. There are still a number of delicate and potentially combustible issues that need to be resolved before Sudan can peacefully break in two. Conflicts remained over how the two sides would share the south’s sizable reserves of crude oil and what to do about the Abyei region. This is the border region I spoke of above – it straddles the north-south border and is claimed by both.

In May, the Sudanese Army invaded Abyei, alarming Western and United Nations diplomats who warned that it was a provocative act that risked all-out war with the southern Sudanese. The U.N. warned that the North was bringing thousands of nomadic Arab people into the area in what it said could be a prelude to ethnic cleansing.

And now with the latest news, it is once again a horrible situation for innocent civilians. Anonz and his men are out there doing their best. This is what you can do to help.

Here is an e-mail I received from Save Darfur:

We watched in horror last week as the Sudanese Army attacked the disputed border state of Abyei, forcing over 60,000 innocent civilians to flee.

Northern allied militias then looted and burned the villagers’ homes and businesses along with the offices of humanitarian organizations many rely on to survive. U.N. officials have already warned that the Sudanese government may be attempting to “ethnically cleanse” the area.

The violence directed from Khartoum has not only reignited the possibility of a civil war but has also created a new humanitarian crisis in Sudan.

There must be consequences for the violence orchestrated by the Sudanese Government – the international community must demonstrate that actions endangering peace will not be tolerated.

Tell U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice to call for an investigation into the violence in Abyei and hold the perpetrators responsible.

An investigation led by the United Nations is essential to determine who is responsible for the violence and widespread looting of humanitarian aid.

If the investigation finds evidence of war crimes or crimes against humanity, the U.N. Security Council must immediately refer those responsible to International Criminal Court. Alarmingly, the Sudanese Army is threatening even more large-scale military assaults in neighboring Blue Nile and South Kordofan State. These are clear violations of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and threaten the peaceful separation of South Sudan, scheduled for July 9th. The United Nations must respond to Khartoum’s provocations with meaningful penalties.

Demand justice for civilians now. Tell Ambassador Rice to lead the call for a U.N. investigation and additional sanctions against Sudan’s government.

Thank you for taking action today – we’ll keep you updated as this volatile situation progresses.

Sincerely,

Angela Deane
Save Darfur Coalition

And this from the Enough Project:

Dear Friend,

Recent reports from our Satellite Sentinel Project (SSP) provide visual evidence that the Government of Sudan has committed war crimes in the disputed border region of Abyei. The totality of evidence from satellites and ground sources points to state-sponsored ethnic cleansing, and may represent crimes against humanity.

More than 60,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in terror, and are now suffering without access to food, water and shelter. It’s Darfur all over again.

Take action now by signing our letter to President Obama and adding your own message.

Sincerely,

John Bradshaw
Enough Project Executive Director

P.S. Read our SSP report, “Burned to the Ground: Evidence of Potential War Crimes and the Intentional Destruction of Abyei Town by the Government of Sudan” and check out this SSP press release with a statement from our friend George Clooney, who continues to shed light on violence in Sudan.

Readers: First, please take a moment to click over and write your letters. And if you can do more, I’m sure Anonz and the people of Sudan would appreciate it.

Peace & Love: “Live it, Give it”

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

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michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

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