February 26, 2011

Quddafi Loses His Air Force

http://debka.com/article/20708/
US military advisers in Cyrenaica. Qaddafi's loses his air force
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report February 25, 2011, 1:46 PM (GMT+02:00)


British HMS Cumberland puts into Benghazi port
Hundreds of US, British and French military advisers have arrived in Cyrenaica, Libya's eastern breakaway province, debkafile's military sources report exclusively. This is the first time America and Europe have intervened militarily in any of the popular upheavals rolling through the Middle East since Tunisia's Jasmine Revolution in early January.  The advisers, including intelligence officers, were dropped from warships and missile boats at the coastal towns of Benghazi and Tobruk Thursday Feb. 24, for a threefold mission:
1. To help the revolutionary committees controlling eastern Libyan establish government frameworks for supplying two million inhabitants with basic services and commodities;
2. To organize them into paramilitary units, teach them how to use the weapons they captured from Libyan army facilities, help them restore law and order on the streets and train them to fight Muammar Qaddafi's combat units coming to retake Cyrenaica.
3. The prepare infrastructure for the intake of additional foreign troops. Egyptian units are among those under consideration.
Click here for first debkafile report of Feb. 21 on the Cyrenaica insurgency.
Qaddafi was shaken up badly Friday, Feb. 25, when many of his air force commanders decided to no longer obey his orders or those of his commanders, debkafile's exclusive military sources report.  This loss deprived him at one stroke of one of the key pillars sustaining his fight for survival against the opposition since Sunday, Feb. 20. It means he is short of an essential resource for recapturing the eastern half of the country where half of Libya's oil wealth and its main oil export terminals are situated.
Friday, NATO Council and the UN Security Council meet in separate emergency sessions to consider ways to halt the bloodletting in Libya and punish its ruler Qaddafi for his violent crackdown of protesters.
debkafile reported on Feb. 22: The 22,000-strong Libyan Air Force with its 13 bases is Muammar Qaddafi's mainstay for survival against massive popular and international dissent. The 44 air transports and a like number of helicopters swiftly lifted loyal tribal militiamen fully armed from the Sahara and dropped them in the streets of Tripoli Monday Feb. 21.
Thursday Qaddafi launched an offensive to wrest the coastal towns around Tripoli from rebel hands. Our military sources report that tanks pounded opposition positions in the towns of Misrata, 25 km to the east of Tripoli and Zawiya, 30 km west of the capital, under the command of Gen. Khweldi Hamidi, a Qaddafi kinsman.
In a bloody battle, the insurgents ousted Qaddafi's forces from Misrata, but his troops broke through to Zawiya and captured the town at great loss of life. There are no reliable casualty figures but hundreds are believed to have been killed Thursday on both sides.
Later that day, the insurgents of Cyrenaica announced they were firmly in control of the region including Libya's main export oil terminal in Benghazi, the country's second largest town.  Whether or not they decide to block the fuel supplies coming from Qaddafi-ruled areas, their seizure of the facility alone was enough to send oil prices shooting up again on world markets.
Thursday night, Brent crude went for $117 the barrel in London and $103 in New York.
In a 30-minute telephone interview Thursday night, Qaddafi again charged that Al Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood had instigated the protest uprising in Libya. He warned that the fall of Cyrenaica would open Libya to the establishment of a Muslim jihadi and radical rear base for attacks on Europe and incursions into Egypt.

February 24, 2011

UPDATE:What Happened To The 3-11-11 Facebook "Day Of Rage"(Saudi Arabia)?

I'll tell you what happened to it. Mine and many others prayers were answered. For one day, NOBODY was focussed on the Middle East and Africa and their defiant ways of uprising and killing Christians and Jews. They foolishly planned March 11 as the "Day of Uprising", in Saudi Arabia. You'll see in my blog just under this update, that God had another plan, and part of His judgement is to alow them to plan un-wisely, for further foolishness, where they will be ensnared in their own traps. The key is in the last sentence of my prayer. Though the devastation was horrendous in Japan, it is wonderful that the rest of the world will be loving and helping Japan, after an inevitable earth catastrophe that God did not do, but ironically, had these Muslims in the Middle East and Africa known they would be ignored, they would have been inclined to choose a different day. Following is my blog from Feb. 24, and my prayer that I believe God very intricately looked into, and in His wisdom, answered it, and without a certain sense of awareness, I would not have seen, that He worked it out to where the whole world shifted their focus away from defiance, and toward love for another nation, Japan.


What Is The Significance Of 3-11-11?by: Michael D. Tobin

      March 2004 Madrid Train Bombings

There are two reasons why March 11 is a very significant day for me: One is that March 11 is my birthday. But #2 is that that day will never be the same for me after March 11, 2004, concerning terrorist attacks in Spain. And Spain being the homeland of my ancestors on my Mom's Grandmother's side of my family.
So because of that infamous day in Spain, my birthday will never be the same. Although I am not mentally or emotionally affected by those events, I will, however, share Spains solemn rememberance of that day as a day that periodically throughout the rest of my life, will think about it many times; much the same as we remember past friends, loved-ones, and even our 9-11 day in our history,  during our every day waking moments.
The Madrid train bombings consisted of a series of coordinated bombings against the Cercanías (commuter train) system of Madrid, Spain on the morning of 11 March 2004 (three days before Spain's general elections), killing 191 people and wounding 1,800 people. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Madrid_train_bombings )
Statements have been made comparing March 11, 2004 terrorist attack in Spain, to their version of the U.S.A.'s 9-11 attacks on Sep. 11, 2001. It's been said this 3-11 date will be in the minds of Spaniards forwever. Here in the U.S., already, Hollywood blockbuster hopefuls are already plastering the internet social and news sites, as well as billboards and tv adds with large, bold lettering, filling much of the screens and billboards with 3-11-11.

Some of the movies include, "Black Death", "Mars Needs Moms", and, "Battle: Los Angeles".
And now, for some reason March 11, 2011 (3-11-11) is set aside for this "Day of Rage" in Saudi Arabia, through Facebook; a day of protests.
Many would say that numbers have nothing to do with event planning, as I, myself, am not any kind of numerologist either. But most of us have already discovered how those of Middle Eastern decent and education, actually remember dates and events, and literally plan events based in rememberance of past key historical events, such as our 9-11-01.
In thinking somewhat strategically, if a group of persons, factions, or terrorists were to make something a surprise, logically, a certain day to pursue an event would not be publicized. But if one wants to use a reverse strategy type of tactic, perhaps they may in fact have a double action planned for that day as well.
It's better to err on the side of caution. ( Verb to err on the side of caution
1.(idiomatic) To act in the least risky manner in a situation where one is uncertain about the consequences.) http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/err_on_the_side_of_caution.
I will be praying and watching from now until the day after March 11, 2011, that anything significant that may be planned by our enemies will be unsuccessful. And if anything does succeed, God's will of justice will ultimately have it's say. And finally, may I have a happy birthday that day as well.
Michael D. Tobin




Hundreds back Facebook call for Saudi protest
Wed Feb 23, 2011 9:28am GMT (Reporting by Dominic Evans; Editing by David Stamp)


Print | Single Page[-] Text [+] * Demands for ruler and shura council to be elected * Campaign seeks minimum wage, more rights for women
* Not clear whether protests will materialise


DUBAI, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Hundreds of people have backed a Facebook campaign calling for a "day of rage" across Saudi Arabia next month to demand an elected ruler, greater freedom for women and release of political prisoners.

The page called for a "revolution of yearning" on March 11 in the kingdom, the world's biggest oil exporter and which is ruled by an absolute monarchy.

More than 460 people had endorsed the page by Wednesday morning, but it was impossible to verify how many of them were inside Saudi Arabia or whether any protest would materialise.

Arab uprisings which overthrew leaders in Tunisia and Egypt were mobilised by youths using social media, but activists in Saudi Arabia say a recent Internet call for a demonstration in Riyadh failed to bring anyone onto the streets.

A protest last month in Jeddah after floods swept through Saudi Arabia's second-biggest city was quickly broken up.

The demands included "that the ruler and members of the Shura (Consultative) Council be elected by the people" as well as calls for an independent judiciary, release of political prisoners and the right of freedom of expression and assembly.

They also sought a minimum wage of 10,000 riyals ($2,700), greater employment opportunities, establishing a watchdog to eliminate corruption and cancellation of "unjustified taxes and fees".
Other requests included rebuilding the armed forces, reforming Saudi Arabia's powerful and conservative Sunni Muslim clerics, and "the abolition of all illegal restrictions on women" in the kingdom.

Despite its oil wealth, Saudi Arabia is grappling with unemployment that hit 10.5 percent in 2009. It offers its 18 million nationals social benefits but they are considered less generous than those provided by other Gulf Arab oil producers.

Saudi state television said King Abdullah, returning home on Wednesday after months of absence for medical treatment, would grant benefits to Saudis worth billions of riyals.

The measures did not include political reforms in the absolute monarchy such as fresh municipal elections demanded by liberals or opposition groups. The kingdom has no elected parliament and does not tolerate public dissent. (Reporting by Dominic Evans; Editing by David Stamp)

© Thomson Reuters 2011 All rights reserved

February 16, 2011

***UPDATE/ALERT FEB. 24,2011 *** IRANIAN MISSILES HIT ISRAEL By: Michael D. Tobin

Under international treaty, the Suez Canal may be used "in time of war as in time of peace, by every vessel of commerce or of war, without distinction of flag." This law is not anywhere in the news. Not even my most trusted middle east news source. You got it from me first.
Iran is not at war with Israel, but they are antagonists. Their pattern thus far is to do whatever legally thay can, until they ultimately cause war with Israel, and as noted below, they already have permission from Saudi Arabia to travel through their waterways toward Egypt. It doesn't take rocket science to figure out what is going on, but one important thing is to know the right source of news, which our MSM (main stream media), is not telling you.
Iranian warship heading for Mediterranean port





SUEZ CANAL
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SuezCanal-EO.JPG

According to the article/link below, Iran has gained permission from Saudi Arabia to use their waterways to travel through the Suez Canal, with EGYPTS permission, the first time Egypt has allowed Iranian warships passage, to go through to the Mediterranaian Sea, as part of Iran's siege against Israel.
Michael D. Tobin


***UPDATE/ALERT FEB. 24,2011 ***
Hamas Iran-made missiles hit Beersheba as Iranian warships dock in Syria
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report February 24, 2011, 11:26 AM (GMT+02:00) Tags: Beersheba Hamas missiles Iranian warships Israel Iranian warship heading for Mediterranean portIsrael's security leaders ought not to have been surprised when Hamas fired two long-range Iranian-made Grad missiles Wednesday night, Feb. 23 at the Negev cities of Beersheba and Netivot. The attack occurred exactly when Iranian Navy commander Adm. Habibollah Sayyari was due in Syria's Latakia port to attend the welcoming party for the two Iranian warships which made it through the Suez Canal without US or Israeli interference. It also marked a fresh, redoubled Hamas offensive against Israel.

The occupants of the Beersheba home, hit by the first long-range Grad surface missile to reach the Negev city from the Gaza Strip (30 km away) since Israel's Cast Led campaign of 2009, saved themselves by using the seconds between the warning siren and the explosion to take shelter in a bomb-proof room. That was the only part of their home to survive the blast. Eleven shock victims were hospitalized along the battered street.

The town of Netivot was spared by the Grad falling outside the built-up area.
Earlier that day, a shoot-out flared at the Karni crossing when a Palestinian gang laid explosives at the border fence and followed up with mortar fire. IDF border patrols and tanks crews returned the fire, injuring 11 Palestinians. A second round of Palestinian mortar fire followed against a Shaar Hanegev kibbutz.

No Israelis were hurt in this round of incidents.

Wednesday night, Israel put the communities within range of the Gaza Strip, including the cities of Beersheba, Netivot, Ofakim, Sderot, Ashkelon and Ashdod, on heightened alert status for further Palestinian attacks. That night, Israeli air strikes hit a Jihad Islami missile team and then spread out to bomb Hamas command centers, which had meanwhile been hurriedly evacuated in expectation of Israel's routine aerial reprisal.

debkafile's military sources report that more aggression from the Gaza Strip is inevitable given the Netanyahu government's feeble or non-response despite the urgent need to shore up Israel's security situation continuously eroded by the turbulence in Arab capitals.

Even though it was obvious that Hamas had been strengthened by Hosni Mubarak's fall in Egypt, Israel stood by as Hamas rampaged out of Gaza and into Sinai and the Egyptian-Israeli border areas – even when a Hamas special team on Feb. 5 blew up the Egyptian pipeline which conveyed 43 percent of Israel's gas needs. Replacement sources have added close to $400 million a month to Israel's energy bill.
All Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu did was to permit an additional Egyptian troop brigade and a half to enter Sinai, some of them to guard the pipeline, which Cairo shows no sign of repairing.
Western military sources report that the Iran-backed Palestinian Hamas is further exploiting the shaky situation in Cairo and Israeli inaction to double or even triple the quantities of weapons smuggled via the Suez Canal and Sinai into the Gaza Strip. One Israeli officer said he had never before seen surface-to-surface missiles, anti-aircraft missiles and anti-tank missiles secreted into Gaza in such bulk.

The free passage afforded the two Iranian warships for transiting the Suez Canal Tuesday, Feb. 22 – without Egypt or US and Israeli warships even inspecting their cargoes - has encouraged Tehran to press on with its expansionist ambitions. Hamas understood that its redoubled offensive against Israel would be most welcome. The Palestinian extremists held their fire until Tehran announced the warships had put into Latakia Wednesday and the arrival of Iran's navy chief that night. And then they went into action – first against an IDF border patrol, then to fire Grads at Beersheba and Netivot.

Israel's policy-makers have chosen to ignore the role of those two vessels as the thin edge of a wedge: They are to set up a permanent base on the Mediterranean with more Iranian naval vessels continuing to pass through the Suez Canal and joining them at Latakia.

Hamas is counting on Iran building up its military presence and on Israel to stand by helplessly – just as it did when its request to the new military rulers of Egypt to stop the Iranian flotilla's passage through Suez went unanswered.
The Palestinians ruling Gaza are sending Grad missiles as messengers to Israel that they now enjoy Iranian support close by in the Mediterranean. debkafile's military sources wonder if this message will not finally act as a wakeup call for Jerusalem.




Middle East
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Middle_east_graphic_2003.jpg

http://debka.com/article/20675/

Two Iranian warships transit Suez for Syria, tighten siege on Israel

DEBKAfile Exclusive Report February 16, 2011, 8:20 PM (GMT+02:00) Tags: Egypt Iranian Navy Israel Mediterranean Saudi Arabia Suez Canal Iranian warships dock at JeddahTwenty-four hours after Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said the Egyptian upheaval had no military connotations for Israel, the Iranian frigate Alvand and cruiser Kharg transited the Suez Canal on their way to Syria Wednesday night, Feb. 16. Their passage was termed "a provocation" by Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman. In Beirut, Hizballah leader Hassan Nasrallah said he was looking forward to Israel going to war on Lebanon because then his men would capture Galilee.
Israel was closely monitoring the Iranian flotilla, whose visit to the Saudi Red Sea port of Jeddah on Feb. 6 was first revealed exclusively by DEBKA-Net-Weekly 481 on February 10.

Up until now, Saudi Arabia, in close conjunction with Egypt and its President Hosni Mubarak, led the Sunni Arab thrust to contain Iranian expansion – especially in the Persian Gulf. However, the opening of a Saudi port to war ships of the Islamic Republic of Iran for the first time in the history of their relations points to a fundamental shift in Middle East trends in consequence of the Egyptian uprising. It was also the first time Cairo has permitted Iranian warships to transit Suez from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, although Israeli traffic in the opposite direction had been allowed.
Iran made no secret of its plants to expand its naval and military presence beyond the Persian Gulf and Red Sea to the Mediterranean via Suez: On February 2, Iran's Deputy Navy Commander Rear Admiral Gholam-Reza Khadem Biqam announced the flotilla's mission was to "enter the waters of the Red Sea and then be dispatched to the Mediterranean Sea."

However, Israeli military intelligence which failed to foresee the Egyptian upheaval and its policy-makers ignored the Iranian admiral's announcement and its strategic import, just as they failed to heed the significance of the Iranian flotilla's docking in Jeddah.
debkafile's military sources report that Iran is rapidly seizing the fall of the Mubarak regime in Cairo and the Saudi King Abdullah's falling-out with President Barack Obama (see debkafile of Feb. 10, 2011) as an opportunity not to be missed for establishing a foothold along the Suez Canal and access to the Mediterranean for six gains:

1. To cut off, even partially, the US military and naval Persian Gulf forces from their main route for supplies and reinforcements;
2. To establish an Iranian military-naval grip on the Suez Canal, through which 40 percent of the world's maritime freights pass every day:
3. To bring an Iranian military presence close enough to menace the Egyptian heartland of Cairo and the Nile Delta and squeeze it into joining the radical Iranian-Syrian-Iraqi-Turkish alliance;
4. To thread a contiguous Iranian military-naval line from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea through the Suez Canal and the Gaza Strip and up to the ports of Lebanon, where Hizballah has already seized power and toppled the pro-West government.
5. To eventually sever the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, annex it to the Gaza Strip and establish a large Hamas-ruled Palestinian state athwart the Mediterranean, the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea.
By comparison, a Fatah-led Palestinian state on the West Bank within the American orbit be politically and strategically inferior.
6. To tighten the naval and military siege on Israel.
http://debka.com/article/20675/

February 10, 2011

Charlie Sheen and Brook Mueller The Facts by: Michael D. Tobin

Never have I seen a man with such constant crooked directions, except for one of my own brothers, and for that, I can empathize with Mr. Sheen, and I applaud Mrs. Mueller, for her obvious graciousness, in this day and age of ruthless greed and unforgiveness. Notwithstanding, we all remain responsible for our own actions, in the long-run. Charlie Sheen and Brook Mueller have filed for divorce, and under California law, 6 months following the filing date is the day the divorce is final, which will be May 2, 2011.
  
Photo by, Michael D. Tobin
As ordered, "Under no circumstances shall the child support paid by Charlie for Bob and Max be less than the child support" paid by Charlie to earlier exe wife, Denise Richards, for Sam and Lola.
Here is the tally:
$55,000 per month, amounting to a combined $110K in child support toward Richards and Mueller. Mueller waived her right to spousal support, but is awarded $757,698.70 in addition to a $1 million share of the family home, valued at $6.4 million, that Sheen is keeping. Brook Mueller gets the Mercedes, their home in the Los Angeles neighborhood Los Feliz and $45,000 in moving expenses. Sheen gets their Four Seasons Club timeshare, which Brook and Charlie agreed may be used by Brook one week out of each year.

February 4, 2011

Am I Supposed To Be A Glutton For Punnishment?

Am I Supposed To Be A Glutton For Punnishment?
By: Michael D. Tobin


My Two Cents
Ya know, I'm going to go on a limb and give an emotional subject. I haven't told hardly 2 people this (I actually posted on a friends site but to none of my personal friends/fellowship) Three months ago at the homeless mission in Downtown San Diego, where I've been giving the Gospel every 3rd Tuesday evening for the past 7 years, God spoke to me in somewhat of an audible voice. The last 2 1/2 yrs I've lived farther up north 40 miles, 1 hr drive. And mind you, Tuesdays are my first work day of the week and I get pounded with work every Tuesday upon returning. I'm an apartment maintenance supervisor always repairing and fixing 72 units. So I have to drive rush hour traffic to get to the shelter and it's brutal every time. And I've prayed for better situations, thinking maybe it's "the devil" hindering me. So it's not "the devil" it's just the way it is. Long story short, I just had to decline the opportunity to continue at that ministry do to  time, distance and phyisical and mental ability to continue with that particular opportunity. But the good part is that no matter what it is, like Job, I know with honesty that I give and gave an honest attempt for as long as I can, to do the right thing, above and beyond, whatever the door of opportunity. So what God said to me: He said as I was sitting down during worship, "Thank you Michael." I said, "For what, Lord?" He said, "For helping my people who are homeless. It really is a blessing to them and to me." Now when I think of that, I am humbled, but also, I begin to wish other ministers will at least do 1/2 of what they are able to do. Mostly, I am refering to all of us as we are all ministers, priesthood, called and chosen. I think of myself as a "glutton for punnishment." But I also believe we all should be a glutton for punnishment. You may know this, but finding believer friends to cover for you or to verbally minister the Gospel or a testimony is like pulling teeth out of an aligator. So all I can do is wish and pray. And I thank God literally for letting me know He truly does care and is blessed by our feeblest attempts to reach the called and chosen.

30 Egyptian Prison Guards Killed By Foreign Hizbollah/Hamas Unit, 22 Terrorists Freed

Hizballah team breaks 22 members out of Egyptian jail DEBKAfile Exclusive Report February 4, 2011, 12:32 PM (GMT+02:00)
 
 
Hizballah terrorists hear sentencing by Egyptian court
A joint Hizballah-Hamas unit used the havoc in Egypt to storm the Wadi Natrun prison north of Cairo Sunday, Jan. 30, and break out 22 members of the Hizballah's spy-cum-terror network, tried and convicted in Egypt for plotting terrorist attacks in Cairo, the Suez Canal and Suez cities and on Israeli vacationers in Sinai in 2007-2008. This is reported by debkafile's counter-terror sources.
The second object of the break-in was to release Muslim Brotherhood inmates to boost the anti-Mubarak street protests now in their second week across Egypt.
In April 2009, Hizballah's leader Hassan Nasrallah admitted he had sent Sami Shehab to Egypt to establish the network. It soon became one of the most dangerous terrorist cells ever to be exposed in the region in recent years. Among its members were also combatants of the radical Palestinian Hamas.
Thursday, Feb. 3, Mahmoud Qmati, Hizballah member of the Lebanese parliament, was glad to announce that all 22 members of the network, including its leader Sami Shehab, had been freed from jail and returned home safely. He provided no information on how this happened.
debkafile rounds out the picture.
The unit assigned by Nasrallah for the jail-break consisted of 25 trained Hizballah and Hamas gunmen. When the riots erupted in Egypt, they started making their way from Gaza to Egypt via smuggling tunnels. On the way, they picked up weapons and explosives in El Arish, northern Sinai, under cover of an onslaught armed Palestinians and Bedouin had launched against Egyptian security forces - partly for this purpose.
The break-out team was met at the Suez Canal by Muslim Brotherhood activists who ferried them across to Ismailia on the western bank by Egyptian smuggling boats. From there, they were driven to the Wadi Natrun prison, one of the largest in Egypt, to be briefed outside by former MB inmates on the guard and security arrangements in the jail and the locations of the cells holding the Hizballah, Hamas and Brotherhood convicts.
After days of surveillance, the team struck.
Explosives and missile-launched grenades flattened the outer gates killing at least 30 Egyptian prison guards who tried to fight them off. Small explosive devices were used to smash internal gates and clear the way to the cells. To expedite the escape of a large number of prisoners, they also blew big holes in the prison's outer walls.
Outside, they were collected by a large convoy of trucks and buses brought in by the Muslim Brotherhood which distributed its freed members around the disturbance hubs in Cairo.
A smaller convoy of minivans carrying the 22 Hizballah and Hamas convicts and their liberators made its way by various routes past Egyptian security forces, who were fully engaged with the protest riots, to Sinai and onto the Gaza Strip. As soon as the escape was discovered, Egyptian forces in Sinai and Israeli forces on the Egyptian border deployed in an effort to stop them entering Gaza, but were too late.
This audacious Hizballah-Hamas attack on the Egyptian prison was the first major quasi-military operation they had ever carried out deep inside Egypt.
http://debka.com/article/20631/

February 3, 2011

Antonio Banderas , The Skin I Live In , and "What's So Great About Antonio Banderas?"


ANTONIO BANDERAS' LATEST, "THE SKIN I LIVE IN"
By: Michael D. Tobin


   Far be it from me being a star-struck Antonio Banderas fan as we know fans to be, but when it comes to Antonio Banderas, he rates in my book of favorite actors/actresses such as "The Rat Pack", John Travolta, Gene Wilder, Bill Cosby, Dorris Day, Lucille Ball and many others who's acting careers have included nothing but shere brilliance in the roles they have played throughout the age of cinema. Yes, Antonio Banderas is nothing short of a brilliant man, seemingly self-made, and a genious in every sense of the word when it comes to theatre and film. (BTW, anybody notice the Sean Connery-ish grey coat style in the pic?) I think it's cool.
   Which brings me to Banderas' latest movie, low budget at that, "The Skin I Live In," due out in Spain in September of this year, according to "El Deseo" film production company. The film co-stars Spanish actress Elena Anaya, who starred in, "Room in Rome".
   "The Skin I Inhabit" is described as being intense,with a mix of elements typical of Oscar winning director, Pedro Almodovar. (Oscar for Best Writing, Original Screenplay for 2002's "Talk to Her" and an Oscar for  best foreign language film with 1999's "All About My Mother.")
   Now what's so great about Antonio Banderas? Well, as I mentioned above, he's an expert at acting, right? And another thing, about the "self-made" statement, he has his own brand of men's cologne, "Blue Seduction," among sveral other lines of cologne, and even womens perfumes. (When was his 1st product distributed? Do the research). But here's a cool informative youtube video pro-quality, and from there you can refresh yoursefl on his many movie clips like I did recently:


 So, it's actually pretty cool to have a whole line of men's cologne with your name on it, and even a line of womens perfumes. But what's noteworthy in my list of praiseworthy attributes of someone who doesn't have to worry about money, is Banderas has embarked on a venture that will contribute to whatever he darned well pleases.

   With all that said, I guess many notable actors and actresses aren't without their share of controversy, though. And not to stray away from Banderas' acting and entrepreneurial aspects, this is also recent activity in his personal/public life, whichever one would like to attribute it to. Here's a link concerning an actual lawsuit that Banderas, actress Roberta Flack, and others have filed against the board of directors of the NYC building which John Lennon was assassinated in front of in 1980, the Dakota building. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1352944/Antonio-Banderas-Roberta-Flack-named-racism-lawsuit-Dakota-Building-New-York.html?ITO=1490 
Dakota Building
   Finally, any and all who actually have taken note of Antonio Banderas' style and skill of acting, keep a look-out for "The Skin I Live In" on DVD soon. Suffice-it-to say, many a low budget films have become blockbusters without all the fanfare, such as being off the top of my head without even pausing from my keyboard, "The Breakfast Club", or, "Lords Of Flatbush". Yes, those are American films, but some of you may be a little more astute than myself, on foreign films, and I know from reading past reviews and various tv mentions, the foreign film industry have also contributed many classic films that we all would at least love, enjoy, and even know of.
   And my prediction, beings you've read this far into my article, is that "The Skin I Live In," will be a classic blockbuster, among the fame of the director and stars credits in their film careers, and the psychies of all who watch and enjoy the film from here on, in the history of film.

February 2, 2011

Egypt/Lebanon/Jordan Videos and Articles Frequent Updates. This Blog Will Grow

Following are a few recent videos and articles for reference. Source-links listed below each article.
Michael D. Tobin

Fox Video Stuart Shepherd and Live Correspondent http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/24048517#video=24056861 Between 10-11PM Cairo Time 2-2-11 Military/Pro and Anti-Mubarak Supporters. 8:02min. video

"Extraordinary And Deeply Saddening" 10:57 PM Cairo Time 2-2-11 More Anarchy On The Streets http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/24048517#video=24056857  3:59min. Video

Lebanon Keeps An Eye On Egypt  http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/24048517#video=24053725  2:14min video From Beirut, Lebanon


The Washington Post
Jordan's King Abdullah II ousts prime minister, cabinet in wake of mass protests

Tuesday, February 1, 2011; 9:10 AM
AMMAN, JORDAN - Jordan's King Abdullah II on Tuesday dismissed Prime Minister Samir Rifai and his cabinet after widespread protests by crowds of people inspired by demonstrations in Egypt, Tunisia and elsewhere.
The monarch asked Marouf Bakhit - a well-regarded ex-general who is not tainted by allegations of corruption that plagued the former government - to form a new cabinet.
Abdullah, a key U.S. ally, has come under pressure in recent weeks from protests by a coalition of Islamists, secular opposition groups and a group of retired army generals who have called for sweeping political and economic reforms.
The weekly demonstrations, which have drawn momentum from the unrest in the region and were joined Friday by thousands across Jordan, reflect growing discontent stoked by the most serious domestic economic crisis in years and accusations of rampant government corruption.
Demonstrators protested rising prices and demanded the dismissal of Rifai and his government. But they have not directly challenged the king, criticism of whom is banned in Jordan. The demonstrators have been peaceful and have not been confronted by the police.
It was not immediately clear whether the opposition would be satisfied with Tuesday's ouster of Rifai and members of his cabinet, who had been lightning rods for criticism. Opposition critics say they personally profited from the sale of state companies as part of the king's policy of privatization and free-market reforms to attract foreign capital.
"It's a club of businessmen serving their financial interests," said Nahedh Hattar, a veteran opposition activist. "The king is a member of the club."
In an attempt to defuse tensions, Rifai earlier announced a package of new subsidies for fuel and basic goods, as well as pay raises for civil servants, an increase in pensions and a job-creation initiative.
The king met with members of parliament and the appointed Senate, urging reforms. Officials say he has talked to representatives of various groups, including unionists and Islamists, to hear their grievances, and even visited poor areas of the country to get a firsthand look at people's needs.
In his meeting with parliament members last week, Abdullah said that more should be done to address the concerns of ordinary Jordanians, and that "openness, frankness and dialogue on all issues is the way to strengthen trust between citizens and their national institutions," according to a palace statement.
But leaders of the protests said Sunday that the king had failed, so far, to take substantial steps to address mounting public resentment. They warned that unless genuine changes were made, the unrest could worsen.
Zaki Bani Irsheid, head of the political department of the Islamic Action Front, an arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, Jordan's largest opposition group, said its main demands were dismissal of the government by the king, the dissolution of parliament - elected in November in a vote widely criticized as fraudulent - and new elections.
The opposition also is demanding that the prime minister, who currently is appointed by the king, instead be elected. And protesters want to amend of the election law, which critics say is designed to underrepresent opposition elements in the legislature.
Abdullah's response so far has been "just a public relations campaign that doesn't solve the crisis," Bani Irsheid said in an interview Sunday, two days before Rifai's dismissal. "The regime wants a solution without paying the price, and it is offering cosmetic changes. We told them that what was acceptable yesterday is not acceptable today, and what could resolve the problem today may not be a solution tomorrow. Delaying and hesitation will only complicate matters."
Critics such as Hattar say the king's policies, and accompanying corruption, have only widened the gap between rich and poor and exacerbated Jordan's economic ills, which include a rising national debt and high levels of unemployment and poverty.
Ali Habashnah, one of the retired generals advocating reforms, said that public resentment has spread to rural areas dominated by Bedouin tribes that have been the traditional backbone of the monarchy and its security forces. It was the first time, he said, that members of that segment of Jordanian society had joined with other groups in demands for change.
But the generals, who published a manifesto with other retired officers last year outlining their positions, have asserted their loyalty to King Abdullah and say they are seeking reforms under the monarchy. The ruling Hashemite family, Habashnah said, is the only force able to unite a nation made up of disparate tribes and other groups.
"The Hashemites are the symbol of the unity of the state," he said Sunday, before adding words of caution. "If things go on like this," he said, "there's no telling what can happen."
Ordinary Jordanians, too, seem loyal to the king. Tarek alMasri, a Jordanian lawyer who studied in Egypt, said he has followed the upheaval there with mixed emotions: happy that the Egyptians finally have risen up against an oppressive ruler but worried about a power vacuum in the streets.
But regarding protests in his own country, where the authority of the monarchy is an article of faith, there is one line that he will not cross.
"I'm upset by the social problems, the economic problems, the political problems, and the parliament doesn't represent the people," Masri said. At the same time, he added, "I cannot imagine the country without the royal family. They strike a balance between the people and the government. I trust them."
Greenberg is a special correspondent.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/31/AR2011013103692_2.html?wprss=rss_world/mideast



Jordan's Islamists say new PM must step down


Jordanian youths join protestors calling for the newly appointed prime minister Marouf al-Bakhit to step down, during a protest near the Prime Ministe AP – Jordanian youths join protestors calling for the newly appointed prime minister Marouf al-Bakhit to step …
AMMAN, Jordan – Jordan's powerful Muslim opposition on Wednesday urged the country's newly appointed prime minister to step down, calling him the wrong person to introduce democratic reforms and tackle deepening poverty and unemployment.
Also, Jordan's King Abdullah II made a surprise visit to an impoverished northern village. It was his first such trip since the unrest broke out in neighboring Egypt, and appeared to be an attempt to defuse popular anger over the country's troubles and portray himself as a caring leader.
On Tuesday, Abdullah named Marouf al-Bakhit prime minister, bowing to public pressure from protests inspired by those in Egypt against President Hosni Mubarak.
Hamza Mansour, a leader of the opposition Muslim Brotherhood's political wing, rejected al-Bakhit's nomination, saying he "is not the right person for the job."
"Al-Bakhit is a security man, a former army general and ex-intelligence official. He doesn't believe in democracy," Mansour told The Associated Press. Instead, he said the country needs "a national figure who can tackle Jordan's serious economic and political crisis."
Jordan is grappling with a soaring foreign debt estimated at $15 billion, an inflation rate which has swelled by 1.5 percent to 6.1 percent in December and high unemployment and poverty rates — set at 12 and 25 percent respectively.
Mansour also criticized al-Bakhit for signing off on Jordan's first casino, which the Brotherhood strongly opposed on the grounds that it violated Islamic principles and encouraged vice. The project was later canceled.
On Tuesday, King Abdullah, facing public pressure inspired by the revolt in Tunisia and Egypt, sacked his government and named al-Bakhit as prime minister, ordering him to move quickly to boost economic opportunities and give Jordanians a greater say in politics.
Al-Bakhit, 63, is a former ambassador to Israel who supports strong ties with the U.S. and Jordan's peace treaty with Israel — policies which the Brotherhood and the leftists oppose. The fundamentalist Brotherhood advocates the introduction of strict Islamic sharia law, close relations with Muslim nations and Israel's destruction.
Many Jordanians see al-Bakhit as a tough enforcer of security, which goes against their calls for greater democratic freedoms. Al-Bakhit is an ex-army major general who also served as the chief of Jordan's National Security Agency in the last decade. He is credited with maintaining Jordan's stability following the 2005 triple attacks on hotels in Amman, claimed by al-Qaida in Iraq.
At a small protest Wednesday near al-Bakhit's office, leftist activist Hadi Khitan said al-Bakhit was no different from deposed Prime Minister Samir Rifai.
"We want to change government policies, not change prime ministers," he said. "We want a real political change and this message should reach the king."
King Abdullah made his surprise visit to the northern village of Ghoret Qassim near Mafraq, 120 kilometers (75 miles) away from Amman.
State television showed Abdullah shaking hands with jubilant men and children as women ululated. Mobs surrounded the monarch as he walked through the village unescorted. In one clip, Abdullah was shown sitting on a floor mattress, taking notes of people's grievances, which included improved sewage and roads.
"I promise you I will do my best to help improve the infrastructure in this village," he said to loud applause.
____
Associated Press writers Jamal Halaby and Sameer N. Yacoub in Amman contributed reporting.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110202/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_jordan

Our Desert Storm/Gulf War/ Bush Erra Allies Are Disapearing. What's Next?



The Yemeni president told parliament Wednesday that he would not seek another term in office or hand power to his son — an apparent reaction to protests in this impoverished nation that have been inspired by Tunisia's revolt and the turmoil in Egypt.
The U.S.-allied Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has been in power for nearly 32 years, spoke to lawmakers in both houses of the assembly on the eve of mass rallies that the opposition has called for Thursday in all Yemeni provinces.
Activists and opposition supporters have staged several protests in the capital Sanaa , boldly asking for Saleh's removal and decrying reports he plans to install his son in power.
"I won't seek to extend my presidency for another term or have my son inherit it," Saleh told the parliament. "No extension, no inheritance, no resetting the clock," he added.
Saleh has earlier tried to defuse simmering tensions in Yemen by raising salaries for the army and by denying opponents' claims he plans to install his son as his successor.
But that hasn't stopped critics of his rule from taking to the streets of Sanaa. In January, tens of thousands gathered in days of protests boldly calling for Saleh to step down — a red line that few dissenters had previously dared to cross here.
Saleh's current term in office expires in 2013 but proposed amendments to the constitution could let him remain in power for two additional terms of ten years.
Video: Arab leaders fear Egypt protest's domino effect (on this page)
After the Tunisian revolt, which forced that country's president to flee into exile, and the mass protests in Egypt calling for the end of President Hosni Mubarak's 30 year-long rule, Saleh ordered income taxes slashed in half and instructed his government to control prices.
He deployed anti-riot police and soldiers to several key areas in Sanaa and its surroundings to prevent riots.
But the street protests, led by opposition members and youth activists, continued, adding to the threats to Yemen's stability.
In the parliament Wednesday, Saleh called upon the opposition to meet for a dialogue on political reforms and their demands.
Opposition spokesman Mohammed al-Sabri rejected the call for dialogue and expressed doubts about Saleh's pledge not to seek re-election.
'Tranquilizers' Al-Sabri said Saleh made a similar promise in 2006, but then failed to fulfill it, ran again and was re-elected.
"The calls for dialogue are not serious and are merely meant to be tranquilizers," al-Sabri said. He added that the opposition parties would meet Wednesday to prepare an official response to Saleh's announcement.
Another opposition figure, Mohammed al-Saadi, undersecretary of the Islamist Islah party, gave a cautious welcome to the announcement but said Thursday's opposition rally would go on as planned.
"We consider this initiative positive and we await the next concrete steps. As for our plan for a rally tomorrow, the plan stands and it will be organized and orderly," he said.
"This is a peaceful struggle through which the people can make their voices heard and express their aspirations," he added.
Yemen is the Arab world's most impoverished nation and has become a haven for al-Qaida militants.
Saleh's government is riddled with corruption, has little control outside the capital, and its main source of income — oil — could run dry in a decade.
Nearly half of Yemen's population lives below the poverty line of $2 a day and doesn't have access to proper sanitation. Less than a tenth of the roads are paved.
Tens of thousands have been displaced from their homes by conflict, flooding the cities. The country is enduring a rebellion in the north and a secessionist movement in the south.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.




The point of this article is to show the pattern of events and the timing, and the amazing solidarity of many nations to make this happen. The CIA in it's wildest dreams could not do this. A whole section of the world is in concert concerning these events. This is what it takes for the middle east and African nations to battle yet again, against Israel. That is my claim. The power of the people is a great thing. But when will, and who will be the clumsy one to begin the campaign against Israel?

note: websearch the nation of Jordan and their restructuring of their government as a result of Egypts "uprising". Who's next?
Michael D. Tobin

 

Yemen's president: I won't extend term or pass power to son

U.S.-allied Saleh says he'll stand down in 2013; 'day of rage' protest looms

February 1, 2011

Israel Questioning Obama's "Wisdom" And President Mubarak Defied It

Mubarak: My role is over, I will die in Egypt. Obama, army chiefs: Go now

DEBKAfile Special Report February 1, 2011, 11:41 PM (GMT+02:00)
In a speech to the nation Tuesday night, Feb. 1, President Hosni Mubarak defied the demands of President Barack Obama and his army generals to quit at once and leave Egypt and said he would serve out his term until September and not run again. He also swore to die in Egypt – meaning no exile for him.  Mubarak said he would devote his remaining months to managing a peaceful transition of power and called on parliament to amend the constitution so as to open up the ballot to presidential candidates and limit the president's term in office.
A cheer went up in Cairo's Tahrir Square where protesters watched the speech on a huge TV screen, when Mubarak said his role was finished - although some continued to chant demands for him to go right now. 

The big question is whether the army and people will let Mubarak have his last months in office.
Earlier Monday, debkafile reported:
In a final ultimatum, Washington Tuesday, Feb. 1, told Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak bluntly that his time was up. He must quit now and leave Egypt without further delay. As four million protesters marched across Egypt in a relentless drive to be rid of him, Mubarak got the same message from the heads of the Egyptian army, who may or not have been acting in tune with Washington.
Barack Obama's message reached Mubarak's desk by a special messenger, Ambassador Frank Wisner.
He is expected to announce in a speech to the nation Tuesday night that he will not run for a fifth term as president but serve full term. This will be seen as more foot-dragging and further infuriate the people.
Our Cairo sources report that the army chiefs were horrified to see hundreds of Cairo protesters taking part in the March of Millions Tuesday hoisting Mubarak effigies on a cardboard gallows or paraded in coffins over Tahrir Square - an unprecedentedly brutal expression of rage and hate. Army leaders have begun to fear that the protesters' next step may be to haul him out of Abdeen Palace and lynch him if he stands by his refusal to step down.
The Egyptian army chiefs have made plans to fill Mubarak's shoes and rule the country of 85 million as soon as he is gone. Before them are three optional procedures for bridging the transitional period up until general and presidential elections.
1.  A council of officers consisting of 3-5 generals will assume presidential powers and govern the country for the interim, or;
2.  The new Vice President, the former Intelligence Minister Gen. Omar Suleiman, will be appointed president; or;
3.  Chief of Staff Gen. Sami Enan will take his place in the presidential office.
It is not known if the generals have put their plan before the president or that he learned about from officers loyal to him.
In parallel consultations at the US embassy in Cairo, the three options were put before Ambassador Margaret Scobey by Mohammed ElBaradei, the former International Atomic Energy Director who was chosen by opposition organizations for liaison missions. He was also in touch with the British ambassador in Cairo during the day.  By undertaking these tasks, ElBaradei, who was hardly known in Egypt, has advanced his chances of a prominent role in the post-Mubarak government.
debkafile's Washington sources report that the Obama administration has in fact put a gun on Mubarak's desk and are willing to discuss nothing more than the conditions of his departure in the next couple of days. So far, the Egyptian president has not informed the Americans or the army what is plans are and no one can tell what turn the crisis will take next.
http://debka.com/article/20619/

Censored Files Series ep1 "New Indie Music, Words Without Knowledge, and Ukraine": 1st aired, Feb 12, 2022. Censored on Feb 16, 2024

 Censored Files Series ep1 "New Indie Music, Words Without Knowledge, and Ukraine": 1st aired, Feb 12, 2022. Censored on Feb 16, 2...