Saturday, June 25, 2022
Republican 40-year Political Project Achieves Goal with Supreme Court Ending Roe v Wade
Droit à l’avortement : en France, le Haut Conseil à l’Egalité appelle à « inscrire le droit à l’avortement dans la Charte des droits fondamentaux de l’Union européenne »
LE MONDE – LIVE EN COURS : La Cour suprême a annulé, vendredi 24 juin, l’arrêt Roe vs Wade qui reconnaissait depuis 1973 le droit à l’avortement au niveau fédéral. « La décision d’aujourd’hui éloigne les Etats-Unis d’une tendance progressiste », a regretté la haut-commissaire des Nations unies aux droits de l’homme, Michelle Bachelet.
Le gouvernement français s’était opposé à la constitutionalisation de l’IVG lors du précédent mandat
Au début du premier quinquennat d’Emmanuel Macron, des élus de gauche (Parti socialiste, Insoumis, Communistes) avaient porté au Sénat et à l’Assemblée nationale une proposition de loi constitutionnelle « visant à protéger le droit fondamental à l’interruption volontaire de grossesse ».
Le gouvernement s’y était opposé, par la voix de la ministre de la santé d’alors, Agnès Buzyn. « Je ne pense pas qu’il soit nécessaire de constitutionaliser l’IVG : la Constitution nous protège déjà, avait-elle affirmé en avril 2018 devant les sénateurs. Rien ne sert, nous le savons, d’ajouter des espèces, des faits particuliers à la Loi fondamentale, qui, par définition, se doit d’être la plus générale possible. L’inflation législative est à éviter à tout prix, a fortiori en matière constitutionnelle. Qui plus est, dès 2001, l’interruption volontaire de grossesse a été reconnue par les sages de la rue de Montpensier comme composante de “la liberté de la femme qui découle de l’article II de la Déclaration des droits de l’homme et du citoyen”, laquelle est garantie constitutionnellement au titre des libertés fondamentales ». » | LIVE EN COURS | Live animé par Pierrick Leurent | samedi 25 juin 2022
AVAAZ : World Reproductive Rights Petition
An open letter to you, our friends, in the US has been written. The world is showing you all its support. Everyone can show support, too. To do so, please sign this petition. Together, we can make this the biggest call for reproductive rights the world has ever seen. The world is showing its solidarity.
People are signing this incredibly important petition from all across the world. Please sign it too. Add your name here.
In the hope of restoring a modicum of sanity,
Mark Alexander
Pro Life - Abtreibungsgegner auf dem Vormarsch | Doku HD Reupload | ARTE
Jun 25, 2022 • Das Recht auf Abtreibung galt in vielen westlichen Ländern als unumstößlich. Doch in den letzten Jahren wird es zunehmend infrage gestellt. Der Dokumentarfilm legt offen, mit welchen Methoden die Abtreibungsgegner kämpfen. Das Recht auf Abtreibung wird auf unterschiedlichste Art angegriffen: offen oder versteckt, über die Gesetzgebung oder mittels öffentlicher Meinungsmache.
Sie hieß Valentina und sie starb, weil ihr Ärzte die lebensrettende Abtreibung verweigerten: Was sich wie ein Drama aus vergangenen Zeiten anhört, spielte sich erst 2016 in Italien ab. Dort ist Abtreibung zwar seit 40 Jahren gesetzlich zulässig, wird aber aus ethischen Gründen von den meisten Gynäkologen nicht vorgenommen. Wie in Italien versucht eine neue Generation von Aktivisten fast überall in Europa, die Gesetze über den legalen beziehungsweise straffreien Schwangerschaftsabbruch rückgängig zu machen oder zu umgehen. In Ungarn wurde sogar die Verfassung zugunsten dieser selbst ernannten „Lebensschützer“ geändert.
In Frankreich gehören die Abtreibungsgegner der jungen Generation an. Sie kämpfen in den Medien, auf Twitter und Facebook, und ihre Zielgruppe sind die 15- bis 35-Jährigen. Bei ihrer Überzeugungsarbeit nutzen sie das volle Potenzial der sozialen Netzwerke mit ihren Kurznachrichten und Schockbildern zur Verbreitung von verzerrten Informationen. All diese Kämpfe laufen auf EU-Ebene zusammen. Die Abtreibungsgegner haben zum Angriff auf die Festung Brüssel geblasen, wo sie intensives Lobbying betreiben – mit ebenso effizienten wie empörenden Methoden. Zur Finanzierung ihrer breit angelegten Kampagnen können die Abtreibungsgegner auf einflussreiche ausländische Sponsoren zählen, vor allem aus Russland und den Vereinigten Staaten.
Vor 70 Jahren sagte Simone de Beauvoir, man dürfe nie vergessen, dass eine politische, wirtschaftliche oder religiöse Krise genüge, um die Rechte der Frauen wieder infrage zu stellen, denn diese Rechte seien nie sicher, und die Frauen müssten ihr Leben lang wachsam bleiben. Heute bestätigt sich diese prophetische Warnung.
Dokumentarfilm von A. Jousset und A. Rawlins-Gaston (F 2017, 90 Min)
Video auf YouTube verfügbar bis zum 23/08/2022
Allmählich und mit der Zeit komme ich ungern zur wahren Realität und zum Schluß, daß es vielleicht doch besser wäre, wenn alle Religionen abgeschafft würden. Tatsächlich scheinen sie der Welt mehr Probleme zu bereiten als sie in Wirklichkeit lösen können. – © Mark Alexander
Sie hieß Valentina und sie starb, weil ihr Ärzte die lebensrettende Abtreibung verweigerten: Was sich wie ein Drama aus vergangenen Zeiten anhört, spielte sich erst 2016 in Italien ab. Dort ist Abtreibung zwar seit 40 Jahren gesetzlich zulässig, wird aber aus ethischen Gründen von den meisten Gynäkologen nicht vorgenommen. Wie in Italien versucht eine neue Generation von Aktivisten fast überall in Europa, die Gesetze über den legalen beziehungsweise straffreien Schwangerschaftsabbruch rückgängig zu machen oder zu umgehen. In Ungarn wurde sogar die Verfassung zugunsten dieser selbst ernannten „Lebensschützer“ geändert.
In Frankreich gehören die Abtreibungsgegner der jungen Generation an. Sie kämpfen in den Medien, auf Twitter und Facebook, und ihre Zielgruppe sind die 15- bis 35-Jährigen. Bei ihrer Überzeugungsarbeit nutzen sie das volle Potenzial der sozialen Netzwerke mit ihren Kurznachrichten und Schockbildern zur Verbreitung von verzerrten Informationen. All diese Kämpfe laufen auf EU-Ebene zusammen. Die Abtreibungsgegner haben zum Angriff auf die Festung Brüssel geblasen, wo sie intensives Lobbying betreiben – mit ebenso effizienten wie empörenden Methoden. Zur Finanzierung ihrer breit angelegten Kampagnen können die Abtreibungsgegner auf einflussreiche ausländische Sponsoren zählen, vor allem aus Russland und den Vereinigten Staaten.
Vor 70 Jahren sagte Simone de Beauvoir, man dürfe nie vergessen, dass eine politische, wirtschaftliche oder religiöse Krise genüge, um die Rechte der Frauen wieder infrage zu stellen, denn diese Rechte seien nie sicher, und die Frauen müssten ihr Leben lang wachsam bleiben. Heute bestätigt sich diese prophetische Warnung.
Dokumentarfilm von A. Jousset und A. Rawlins-Gaston (F 2017, 90 Min)
Video auf YouTube verfügbar bis zum 23/08/2022
Allmählich und mit der Zeit komme ich ungern zur wahren Realität und zum Schluß, daß es vielleicht doch besser wäre, wenn alle Religionen abgeschafft würden. Tatsächlich scheinen sie der Welt mehr Probleme zu bereiten als sie in Wirklichkeit lösen können. – © Mark Alexander
Friday, June 24, 2022
Donald Trump Makes Lewd Remarks about Women on Video | NBC News
Officials React to Supreme Court Decision to Overturn Roe v. Wade
Jun 24, 2022 • The U.S. Supreme Court overturned a landmark ruling on abortion rights, removing the constitutional right in the U.S. to terminate a pregnancy.
According to the Guttmacher Institute, a pro-choice research group, 26 of America’s 50 states are expected to move immediately to crack down on clinics providing abortions.
I cannot write here what I really think of this Supreme Court ruling or the people that have made these judgments. Backward is too mild a word for this. This is truly ante-Diluvian. This will take America back decades – totally into darkness.
It will not stop abortions, it will merely push women, especially poor women, to go to backstreet operators, or even revert to the age-old ‘cure’ of hot baths, lots of gin, and knitting needles.
This ruling won’t save lives; rather, it will cause misery, depression, hardship, grief and, dare I say it, many deaths and/or suicides. Stupid is as stupid does. – © Mark Alexander
According to the Guttmacher Institute, a pro-choice research group, 26 of America’s 50 states are expected to move immediately to crack down on clinics providing abortions.
I cannot write here what I really think of this Supreme Court ruling or the people that have made these judgments. Backward is too mild a word for this. This is truly ante-Diluvian. This will take America back decades – totally into darkness.
It will not stop abortions, it will merely push women, especially poor women, to go to backstreet operators, or even revert to the age-old ‘cure’ of hot baths, lots of gin, and knitting needles.
This ruling won’t save lives; rather, it will cause misery, depression, hardship, grief and, dare I say it, many deaths and/or suicides. Stupid is as stupid does. – © Mark Alexander
‘The Country Would Be Better Off’: Senior Tories Urge Boris Johnson to Quit
THE GUARDIAN: Ex-leader Michael Howard among Conservatives to call for resignation after byelection catastrophes
Boris Johnson: ‘I genuinely, genuinely don’t think the way forward in British politics is to focus on issues of personalities.’ Photograph: Reuters
Conservative grandees are urging Boris Johnson to quit after a historic double byelection defeat, as rebellious MPs began plotting new ways to oust him.
The former Conservative leader Michael Howard was among those who demanded the prime minister stand down after the losses in Tiverton and Honiton and Wakefield which prompted the immediate resignation of the party’s co-chair, Oliver Dowden.
In his pointed resignation letter, widely regarded as a call to others to act, Dowden told the prime minister: “We cannot carry on with business as usual. Someone must take responsibility.”
Johnson’s critics are hoping to secure a majority on the executive of the influential 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers, in the hope they can change the party’s rules to allow a fresh confidence vote without waiting for a year.
As the scale of the twin defeats sunk in – both with worse-than-expected swings against the Conservatives – a string of senior Tories added their voices to those calling for Johnson to go. Asked whether the prime minister should quit, Howard said: “I do”. » | Heather Stewart, Rowena Mason and Rajeev Syal | Friday, June 24, 2022
Conservative grandees are urging Boris Johnson to quit after a historic double byelection defeat, as rebellious MPs began plotting new ways to oust him.
The former Conservative leader Michael Howard was among those who demanded the prime minister stand down after the losses in Tiverton and Honiton and Wakefield which prompted the immediate resignation of the party’s co-chair, Oliver Dowden.
In his pointed resignation letter, widely regarded as a call to others to act, Dowden told the prime minister: “We cannot carry on with business as usual. Someone must take responsibility.”
Johnson’s critics are hoping to secure a majority on the executive of the influential 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers, in the hope they can change the party’s rules to allow a fresh confidence vote without waiting for a year.
As the scale of the twin defeats sunk in – both with worse-than-expected swings against the Conservatives – a string of senior Tories added their voices to those calling for Johnson to go. Asked whether the prime minister should quit, Howard said: “I do”. » | Heather Stewart, Rowena Mason and Rajeev Syal | Friday, June 24, 2022
Contraception, Gay Marriage: Clarence Thomas Signals New Targets for Supreme Court
THE GUARDIAN: Rightwing justice appears to offer preview of the court’s potential future rulings after decision to remove US abortion rights
Donald Trump with Clarence Thomas as Amy Coney Barrett is confirmed to the supreme court in October 2020. Photograph: Alex Brandon/AP
Many Americans reacted to the supreme court’s decision to reverse Roe v Wade and remove federal abortion rights in the US with shock, but many also asked a terrified question: what might be next?
The conservative justice Clarence Thomas appeared to offer a preview of the court’s potential future rulings, suggesting the rightwing-controlled court may return to the issues of contraception access and marriage equality, threatening LGBTQ rights.
“In future cases, we should reconsider all of this court’s substantive due process precedents, including Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell,” Thomas wrote in his concurring opinion to the ruling on Roe.
Griswold v Connecticut established a married couple’s right to use contraception without government interference in 1965. The court ruled in the 2003 case of Lawrence v Texas that states could not criminalize sodomy, and Obergefell v Hodges established the right for same-sex couples to marry in 2015.
Thomas’s words confirmed what many progressive lawmakers and reproductive rights advocates have feared for years. The end of Roe marks the beginning, not the end, of judicial overreach by the court’s conservative majority, they say.
“It is important that Americans understand that this supreme court and Republicans in Congress will not stop here,” said Pramila Jayapal, the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. “It is clear [Thomas] and the court’s majority have no respect for other precedents that have been won in recent decades.” » | Joan E Greve in Washington | Friday, June 24, 2022
Clarence Thomas Ready to Strike Down Marriage Equality Following Dobbs: The reasoning in today's decision overruling Roe v. Wade shows that rulings on marriage equality, consensual sex, and contraception were erroneous, he says. »
Related video
Many Americans reacted to the supreme court’s decision to reverse Roe v Wade and remove federal abortion rights in the US with shock, but many also asked a terrified question: what might be next?
The conservative justice Clarence Thomas appeared to offer a preview of the court’s potential future rulings, suggesting the rightwing-controlled court may return to the issues of contraception access and marriage equality, threatening LGBTQ rights.
“In future cases, we should reconsider all of this court’s substantive due process precedents, including Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell,” Thomas wrote in his concurring opinion to the ruling on Roe.
Griswold v Connecticut established a married couple’s right to use contraception without government interference in 1965. The court ruled in the 2003 case of Lawrence v Texas that states could not criminalize sodomy, and Obergefell v Hodges established the right for same-sex couples to marry in 2015.
Thomas’s words confirmed what many progressive lawmakers and reproductive rights advocates have feared for years. The end of Roe marks the beginning, not the end, of judicial overreach by the court’s conservative majority, they say.
“It is important that Americans understand that this supreme court and Republicans in Congress will not stop here,” said Pramila Jayapal, the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. “It is clear [Thomas] and the court’s majority have no respect for other precedents that have been won in recent decades.” » | Joan E Greve in Washington | Friday, June 24, 2022
Clarence Thomas Ready to Strike Down Marriage Equality Following Dobbs: The reasoning in today's decision overruling Roe v. Wade shows that rulings on marriage equality, consensual sex, and contraception were erroneous, he says. »
Related video
Droit à l’avortement : « En supprimant Roe vs Wade, la droite religieuse américaine triomphe, et sans doute pour longtemps »
LE MONDE : La Cour suprême est revenue, vendredi, sur l’arrêt Roe vs Wade reconnaissant le droit à l’avortement aux Etats-Unis. Gilles Paris, ancien correspondant du « Monde » à Washington, a répondu à vos questions.
La Cour suprême des Etats-Unis a décidé, vendredi 24 juin, de revenir sur l’arrêt historique Roe vs Wade, qui reconnaît depuis près d’un demi-siècle le droit à l’avortement aux Etats-Unis. Un retour à la situation d’avant 1973, quand chaque Etat était libre d’interdire ou d’autoriser l’avortement.
Le ministre de la justice du Missouri a annoncé, dès vendredi, que son Etat devenait le premier à interdire la pratique de l’interruption volontaire de grossesse sur son territoire. Une douzaine d’Etats ont déjà adopté des législations de cette nature, qui n’attendaient qu’une décision finale de la Cour suprême en ce sens. Gilles Paris, éditorialiste et ancien correspondant du Monde à Washington, a répondu à vos questions lors d’un tchat en direct. » | Le Monde | vendredi 24 juin 2022
LIRE AUSSI :
En remettant en cause le droit à l’avortement, les Etats-Unis cessent d’incarner la liberté : La menace qui pèse outre-atlantique sur le droit d’avorter est le fruit d’une longue croisade réactionnaire engagée depuis les années 1970 et pourrait marquer la fin d’une période historique. »
Related.
La Cour suprême des Etats-Unis a décidé, vendredi 24 juin, de revenir sur l’arrêt historique Roe vs Wade, qui reconnaît depuis près d’un demi-siècle le droit à l’avortement aux Etats-Unis. Un retour à la situation d’avant 1973, quand chaque Etat était libre d’interdire ou d’autoriser l’avortement.
Le ministre de la justice du Missouri a annoncé, dès vendredi, que son Etat devenait le premier à interdire la pratique de l’interruption volontaire de grossesse sur son territoire. Une douzaine d’Etats ont déjà adopté des législations de cette nature, qui n’attendaient qu’une décision finale de la Cour suprême en ce sens. Gilles Paris, éditorialiste et ancien correspondant du Monde à Washington, a répondu à vos questions lors d’un tchat en direct. » | Le Monde | vendredi 24 juin 2022
LIRE AUSSI :
En remettant en cause le droit à l’avortement, les Etats-Unis cessent d’incarner la liberté : La menace qui pèse outre-atlantique sur le droit d’avorter est le fruit d’une longue croisade réactionnaire engagée depuis les années 1970 et pourrait marquer la fin d’une période historique. »
Related.
All Our Kids Are Gay | Part 1 – Before We Knew | Part 2 – Coming Out | Part 3 – The After Effects | 2016
US Supreme Court Overturns Roe v. Wade in Blow to Abortion Rights | DW News
Jun 24, 2022 • In a highly-anticipated move, the US Supreme Court moved to overturn protections on abortion rights in the US.
The ruling comes after a draft opinion of the court was leaked to US media in early May. The report showed the US Supreme Court was ready to reverse Roe v. Wade, a landmark decision in 1973 that established a federal right to terminate a pregnancy.
Tens of millions of women across the US are expected to lose their right to abortion as mainly southern and midwestern states introduce bans.
Related here, here, here and here.
The ruling comes after a draft opinion of the court was leaked to US media in early May. The report showed the US Supreme Court was ready to reverse Roe v. Wade, a landmark decision in 1973 that established a federal right to terminate a pregnancy.
Tens of millions of women across the US are expected to lose their right to abortion as mainly southern and midwestern states introduce bans.
Related here, here, here and here.
They Aren't Stopping with Roe v. Wade | Robert Reich
Jun 24, 2022 • What rights will be stripped away next? Contraception? Same-sex marriage? Consensual same-sex sexual activity?
Clarence Thomas said it himself: the Supreme Court is coming for your right to privacy.
Clarence Thomas said it himself: the Supreme Court is coming for your right to privacy.
Abtreibungsverbote in den USA: Die Hoffnungen der Konservativen werden zerplatzen
NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Das Oberste Gericht der USA verfügt in der Frage des Schwangerschaftsabbruchs eine Rückkehr in die Vergangenheit. Diese brachte nicht weniger Abtreibungen, aber mehr Leid für die Frauen.
Eine Überraschung ist das Ende des liberalen Abtreibungsrechts in den USA nicht mehr. Im Mai war bereits ein erster Urteilsentwurf durchgesickert, und es war vorhersehbar, dass dieser präzedenzlose Eklat die Ansichten am Supreme Court eher verfestigen würde. Alles andere hätte die Richter dem Vorwurf des Einknickens ausgesetzt und damit die ohnehin verbreitete Sicht eines politisierten Gremiums noch verstärkt.
Auch wenn die erste Schockwelle das Land schon vor Wochen erfasste, ist der definitive Entscheid ein Erdbeben. Zunächst ist es bemerkenswert, dass das Oberste Gericht ein fast fünfzig Jahre altes und mehrfach bestätigtes Leiturteil ohne klar ersichtlichen Grund aufhebt. Im angelsächsischen Raum kommt Präjudizien eine hohe, quasi rechtsetzende Bedeutung zu – Anpassungen bedürfen üblicherweise massgeblich veränderter Verhältnisse. » | Meret Baumann | Freitag, 24. Juni 2022
Related article in English here; related video in English here.
Abortion Rights Protests Part 1
Americans are suckers for myths, fairy stories and conspiracy theories. It seems pretty clear to me that they are falling inexorably into darkness and ignorance. Its decline from here on in is likely to be rapid; so it won't be long now before the centre of gravity will shift to the Orient. Fundamentalists of any stripe are ignorant people. There are plenty of fundamentalists in the US. Alas, Americans have seen their better days. – © Mark Alexander
Live Updates: Supreme Court Overturns Roe v. Wade
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The decision, eliminating the constitutional right to an abortion after almost 50 years, will lead to all but total bans on the procedure in about half of the states.
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Friday overruled Roe v. Wade, eliminating the constitutional right to abortion after almost 50 years in a decision that will transform American life, reshape the nation’s politics and lead to all but total bans on the procedure in about half of the states.
The ruling will test the legitimacy of the court and vindicate a decades-long Republican project of installing conservative justices prepared to reject the precedent, which had been repeatedly reaffirmed by earlier courts. It will also be one of the signal legacies of President Donald J. Trump, who vowed to name justices who would overrule Roe. All three of his appointees were in the majority in the 6-to-3 ruling.
The decision, which echoed a leaked draft opinion published by Politico in early May, will result in a starkly divided country in which abortion is severely restricted or forbidden in many red states but remains freely available in most blue ones.
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. voted with the majority but said he would have taken “a more measured course,” stopping short of overruling Roe outright. The court’s three liberal members dissented. After a leak, the Supreme Court details its final decision on abortion. » | Alan Liptak | Friday, June 24, 2022
America's apparent inexorable fall into darkness and backwardness. A mother may not 'kill' a foetus, but a child may be killed in school by a dangerous gunslinger! It's guns that need to be banned, not abortions! – © Mark Alexander
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Friday overruled Roe v. Wade, eliminating the constitutional right to abortion after almost 50 years in a decision that will transform American life, reshape the nation’s politics and lead to all but total bans on the procedure in about half of the states.
The ruling will test the legitimacy of the court and vindicate a decades-long Republican project of installing conservative justices prepared to reject the precedent, which had been repeatedly reaffirmed by earlier courts. It will also be one of the signal legacies of President Donald J. Trump, who vowed to name justices who would overrule Roe. All three of his appointees were in the majority in the 6-to-3 ruling.
The decision, which echoed a leaked draft opinion published by Politico in early May, will result in a starkly divided country in which abortion is severely restricted or forbidden in many red states but remains freely available in most blue ones.
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. voted with the majority but said he would have taken “a more measured course,” stopping short of overruling Roe outright. The court’s three liberal members dissented. After a leak, the Supreme Court details its final decision on abortion. » | Alan Liptak | Friday, June 24, 2022
America's apparent inexorable fall into darkness and backwardness. A mother may not 'kill' a foetus, but a child may be killed in school by a dangerous gunslinger! It's guns that need to be banned, not abortions! – © Mark Alexander
European Antisemitism from Its Origins to the Holocaust
Jan 10, 2022 • This 13-minute film introduces the history of antisemitism. The term was coined in the 19th century and refers to prejudice against or hatred of Jews. But as this film shows, anti-Jewish hostility goes back many centuries—to the era of early Christianity and the Middle Ages. As a religious minority, Jews in Christian-dominant Europe were consistently persecuted as “outsiders.” They became scapegoats and victims of targeted violence in times of severe hardship and economic and political change.
Anti-Jewish prejudices endured and took on new forms as western societies became more secular in the 19th century, and Jews gained more rights and opportunities. Some politicians used “the Jews” as scapegoats in their attempts to gain support from people left behind by economic change. Ultra-nationalists, seeking ethnically homogeneous nations, saw Jews as biologically “foreign”—a different “race.” Antisemites also hatched conspiracy theories about “Jewish power” and that, after World War I and the Russian Revolution, linked Jews to Communism.
These radical strands of racial antisemitism, tied to ethnic nationalism and conspiracy myths, became core elements of Nazi ideology as the party was forming in the aftermath of World War I. After the Nazis took power in 1933, these ideas became state policy and underpinned anti-Jewish laws and decrees. Nazi propaganda portrayed Germany’s Jews as an “alien,” biological threat to the survival of the German people. During World War II, this racial antisemitism motivated Nazi policy that evolved into mass murder and genocide. Nazi officials also exploited longstanding traditional prejudices towards Jews in the countries they conquered to gain help from non-Germans to locate, round up, deport, and kill Jews.
A Man Smoking a Cigarette Has That Indescribable Something about Him, That Certain je ne sais quoi
A Thing of Beauty Is a Joy Forever.
US Bans All Products from Leading Vaping Company Juul - BBC News
Jun 24, 2022 • The US is banning the sale of all products sold by Juul, one of the country's top e-cigarette companies.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it did not have enough data to be sure that marketing the firm's products was "appropriate for the protection of public health".
Juul said it would challenge the move, which comes after other recent anti-smoking efforts by the FDA, including plans to reduce the amount of addictive nicotine allowed in cigarettes.
Bring the price of real cigarettes down. Most of the price is tax anyway. Make sure the quality of the cigarettes is much improved (especially by banning dangerous chemicals put in them unnecessarily) and let people smoke in moderation. Stop being so meddlesome.
I am very much against the war on smoking, and I am also against my government promoting vaping when they don't know the long-term consequences of the new habit.
Everything is bad for health when done to excess: eating, drinking, smoking, etc. But it is ironic that at the very time the authorities are turning the screws on smokers, they are relaxing laws on soft drugs like marijuana and cannabis.
Let people have a little fun and pleasure. They will anyway, whether the authorities like it or not. If smoking were banned tomorrow, people would find other ways of getting their kicks; and those ways might well turn out to be more injurious to health than smoking ever has been. We shall never live in Utopia; Utopia is unachievable.
Please note that I write this as an ex-smoker. – © Mark Alexander
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it did not have enough data to be sure that marketing the firm's products was "appropriate for the protection of public health".
Juul said it would challenge the move, which comes after other recent anti-smoking efforts by the FDA, including plans to reduce the amount of addictive nicotine allowed in cigarettes.
Bring the price of real cigarettes down. Most of the price is tax anyway. Make sure the quality of the cigarettes is much improved (especially by banning dangerous chemicals put in them unnecessarily) and let people smoke in moderation. Stop being so meddlesome.
I am very much against the war on smoking, and I am also against my government promoting vaping when they don't know the long-term consequences of the new habit.
Everything is bad for health when done to excess: eating, drinking, smoking, etc. But it is ironic that at the very time the authorities are turning the screws on smokers, they are relaxing laws on soft drugs like marijuana and cannabis.
Let people have a little fun and pleasure. They will anyway, whether the authorities like it or not. If smoking were banned tomorrow, people would find other ways of getting their kicks; and those ways might well turn out to be more injurious to health than smoking ever has been. We shall never live in Utopia; Utopia is unachievable.
Please note that I write this as an ex-smoker. – © Mark Alexander
Conservative Co-chairman Oliver Dowden Quits after By-election Losses
BBC: Conservative co-chair Oliver Dowden has resigned following two by-election losses for the party to Labour and the Liberal Democrats.
The Lib Dems overturned a huge Tory majority in Tiverton and Honiton, Devon, their third by-election victory over Boris Johnson's party in a year.
And Labour retook the seat of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, which it lost at the 2019 general election.
The prime minister said he would "keep going" and address people's concerns.
In a letter to Mr Johnson, Mr Dowden said Tory supporters were "distressed and disappointed".
He wrote: "We cannot carry on with business as usual. Somebody must take responsibility and I have concluded that, in these circumstances, it would not be right for me to remain in office."
Mr Dowden also called his resignation "a deeply personal decision that I have taken alone" following a "run of very poor results for our party". With video » | Justin Parkinson, Political reporter, BBC News | Friday, June 24, 2022
A kick up the arse is what you needed and a kick up the arse is what you’ve been given. And deserved! Now it’s time to dust down the bike in your shed and get on it!
Just to get you into Number 10, I, and millions of others, have had to relinquish all our rights as a European citizens. And what a mess you’re making of the job!
You have written about Churchill a lot and you have identified with him; but I can assure you of one thing: you are no Winnie!
In these election results, you have got what you deserve: defeat. – © Mark Alexander
Lib Dem byelection win was spectacular – but Labour’s may hurt Tories most »
What do the byelection results mean for the Conservatives? Our panel’s verdict »
Royaume-Uni : le président du Parti conservateur de Boris Johnson démissionne après de «très mauvais résultats» électoraux : Le premier ministre britannique Boris Johnson et son Parti conservateur ont subi vendredi deux importantes défaites lors d'élections parlementaires partielles. »
Doppelte Niederlage für Johnsons Tories: Boris Johnsons Tories haben bei Nachwahlen zwei Sitze und damit den Stimmungstest verloren. Der Premierminister will auf die Wähler hören. »
Conservatives Lose 2 Races in U.K., Adding to Pressure on Boris Johnson: The double defeat exposed the party’s vulnerabilities and was likely to revive talk of another no-confidence vote against the prime minister. »
Doppelte Ohrfeige für Boris Johnson – Tories verlieren zwei wichtige Nachwahlen an Labour und die Liberaldemokraten: Die britischen Konservativen haben bei zwei Unterhausnachwahlen im postindustriellen Norden sowie in ihren Stammlanden im Südwesten Englands krachende Niederlagen erlitten. Der Parteivorsitzende Oliver Dowden tritt zurück, doch das Fiasko ist vor allem ein weiterer Schlag für Boris Johnsons Autorität. »
The Guardian view on the byelections: PM’s end draws nigh: Boris Johnson should resign and take responsibility for failing his party – and the country »
Chopin: Nocturne No.1 In B Flat Minor, Op.9 No.1
Thursday, June 23, 2022
‘Absolutely Shocking’: New York Governor Reacts to Supreme Court Ruling on Guns
These judges have taken leave of their senses! They must be crackers! Wacko! – @ Mark Alexander
Supreme Court ruling expands US gun rights: The US Supreme Court has struck down a New York law restricting gun-carrying rights, in its most important judgement on guns in over a decade. »
Verwandt.
Des policiers espagnols se marient et se montrent leur amour et leur attachement.
All Is Forgiven? Saudi Leader on First Turkey Visit since Khashoggi Murder • FRANCE 24 English
Oberstes Gericht stuft öffentliches Tragen von Waffen als Grundrecht ein
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Nach einer rassistischen Gewalttat hatte der amerikanische Bundesstaat New York kürzlich den Zugang zu Schusswaffen eingeschränkt. Nun kippt der Supreme Court die Bestimmung.
Das Oberste Gericht der USA hat das Tragen von Schusswaffen in der Öffentlichkeit als Grundrecht der Bürger eingestuft. Mit den Stimmen von sechs gegen drei Richtern annullierte der Supreme Court am Donnerstag eine Gesetzesregelung im Bundesstaat New York, wonach für eine Waffenlizenz der Nachweis eines besonderen Bedarfs an Selbstverteidigung erforderlich ist.
Diese Regelung verletze zwei Zusatzartikel zur Verfassung, befand das Gericht. Die einflussreiche Waffenlobbyorganisation National Rifle Association (NRA) begrüßte umgehend auf Twitter die Entscheidung und feierte einen „Sieg“. » | Quelle: AFP | Donnerstag, 23. Juni 2022
A Fetching Hat for a Discerning and Stylish Lady.
Gay Twins Come Out to Each Other, Then to Mom
Tsunami of Apostasy | #ExMuslim
If you wish to do so, you can help EXMNA by donating here.
Ex-Muslim Soran "I Had Bacon Today. It's good. You Should Try [It]."
Sep 6, 2019 • Ex-Muslims of North America:
"I live with a Muslim wife, I have no problem with it. Love and respect should be bigger than any religion!"
Soran has his priorities straight - Love and reality (and sometimes bacon) will always win over hate and superstition. Thank you for your submission! #AwesomeWithoutAllah / #ExMuslim
"I live with a Muslim wife, I have no problem with it. Love and respect should be bigger than any religion!"
Soran has his priorities straight - Love and reality (and sometimes bacon) will always win over hate and superstition. Thank you for your submission! #AwesomeWithoutAllah / #ExMuslim
The Apostate Report: Leaving Islam in North America (with Sarah Haider)
Ex -Muslims dot org here.
Apostate Report here.
Returning to Judaism as a Gay Man | Documentary Clip
Aug 13, 2018 • This is a clip from the feature documentary Not a Still Life: In this documentary portrait, a spirited, older, gay, Jewish man undergoes an evolution of awareness amid his joys and sorrows.
In revealing the truth of his life, he offers us an opportunity for reflection about the complexity of human identity.
Should you wish to support this project and obtain the full version of Not a Still Life, either as a rental or purchase, please click here.
In revealing the truth of his life, he offers us an opportunity for reflection about the complexity of human identity.
Should you wish to support this project and obtain the full version of Not a Still Life, either as a rental or purchase, please click here.
Eine neue Struktur für Europa? | ARTE Info Plus
Related article.
Ancient Inca Tomb Found during House Renovations in Lima
A Gay Man Tells His Story
Jan 2, 2019 • This man’s name was Arthur Evans. He died in 2011. I, David Hoffman, interviewed him in 1989 for my television series on the Sixties.
He was a wonderful speaker and a very kind person who did his best to tell his story in a way that I could use in my series. What he relates about Greenwich Village and San Francisco in those days gives us a good understanding of what his life and times were like.
If you wish to do so, you can support David Hoffman on Patreon here.
He was a wonderful speaker and a very kind person who did his best to tell his story in a way that I could use in my series. What he relates about Greenwich Village and San Francisco in those days gives us a good understanding of what his life and times were like.
If you wish to do so, you can support David Hoffman on Patreon here.
What's It Like Living in Norway 🇳🇴?
Apr 29, 2022 • The reality in 🇳🇴:
- Health care is a right
- College is tuition-free
- Guaranteed 28 days of paid vacation
- One year of fully-paid parental leave
A government that looks out for the needs of its people — not such a radical idea.
- Health care is a right
- College is tuition-free
- Guaranteed 28 days of paid vacation
- One year of fully-paid parental leave
A government that looks out for the needs of its people — not such a radical idea.
EU Leaders to Grant Ukraine Candidate Status in Blow to Putin
THE GUARDIAN: Brussels has dramatically accelerated the process, amid outrage over the brutality of the unprovoked Russian attack
Ursula von der Leyen and Volodymyr Zelenskiy as seen on 11 June. Zelenskiy said: ‘This is like going into the light from the darkness.’ Photograph: Natacha Pisarenko/AP
European leaders are poised to grant Ukraine candidate status, in a historic decision that opens the door to EU membership for the war-torn country and deals a blow to Vladimir Putin.
EU leaders meeting in Brussels are expected to approve Ukraine’s candidate status later on Thursday, nearly four months after President Volodymyr Zelenskiy launched his country’s bid to join the bloc in the early days of the Russian invasion.
The move from applicant to candidate usually takes years, but the EU has dramatically accelerated the process, amid outrage over the brutality of the unprovoked Russian attack, and to show solidarity with Ukraine’s defenders.
“Ukraine is going through hell for a simple reason: its desire to join the EU,” tweeted the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, on the eve of the summit. The commission last week called on EU leaders to grant Ukraine’s candidate status. “Our opinion acknowledges the immense progress that [Ukrainian] democracy has achieved since the Maidan protests of 2014,” Von der Leyen said.
Welcoming the expected positive decision, Zelenskiy said: “This is like going into the light from the darkness.” » | Jennifer Rankin | in Brussels | Thursday, June 23, 2022
European leaders are poised to grant Ukraine candidate status, in a historic decision that opens the door to EU membership for the war-torn country and deals a blow to Vladimir Putin.
EU leaders meeting in Brussels are expected to approve Ukraine’s candidate status later on Thursday, nearly four months after President Volodymyr Zelenskiy launched his country’s bid to join the bloc in the early days of the Russian invasion.
The move from applicant to candidate usually takes years, but the EU has dramatically accelerated the process, amid outrage over the brutality of the unprovoked Russian attack, and to show solidarity with Ukraine’s defenders.
“Ukraine is going through hell for a simple reason: its desire to join the EU,” tweeted the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, on the eve of the summit. The commission last week called on EU leaders to grant Ukraine’s candidate status. “Our opinion acknowledges the immense progress that [Ukrainian] democracy has achieved since the Maidan protests of 2014,” Von der Leyen said.
Welcoming the expected positive decision, Zelenskiy said: “This is like going into the light from the darkness.” » | Jennifer Rankin | in Brussels | Thursday, June 23, 2022
Audrey Hepburn by Her Son | Parts 1, 2, 3 & 4
Wednesday, June 22, 2022
Ein eleganter Hut für einen besonderen Anlass
Finns Are Ready to Fight Any Russian Attack, Says Armed Forces Chief
THE GUARDIAN: Gen Timo Kivinen says Nato applicant is prepared and motivated to defend against neighbour and would be ‘tough bite’ to chew
Timo Kivinen, Finland's chief of defence forces, says: ‘The most important line of defence is between one’s ears, as the war in Ukraine proves.’ Photograph: Anne Kauranen/Reuters
Finland has prepared for decades for a Russian attack and would put up stiff resistance should one occur, its armed forces chief has said.
The Nordic country has built up a substantial arsenal. But aside from the military hardware, Gen Timo Kivinen said, a crucial factor is that Finns would be motivated to fight.
“The most important line of defence is between one’s ears, as the war in Ukraine proves at the moment,” Kivinen said in an interview.
Finland fought two wars in the 1940s against its eastern neighbour, with which it shares a 1,300-km (810-mile) border.
Once a non-aligned country, it is now applying to join the Nato military alliance over concerns that Russia could invade like it did Ukraine on 24 February. Since the second world war, Helsinki has kept up a high level of military preparedness. » | Reuters in Helsinki | Wednesday, June 22, 2022
Finland has prepared for decades for a Russian attack and would put up stiff resistance should one occur, its armed forces chief has said.
The Nordic country has built up a substantial arsenal. But aside from the military hardware, Gen Timo Kivinen said, a crucial factor is that Finns would be motivated to fight.
“The most important line of defence is between one’s ears, as the war in Ukraine proves at the moment,” Kivinen said in an interview.
Finland fought two wars in the 1940s against its eastern neighbour, with which it shares a 1,300-km (810-mile) border.
Once a non-aligned country, it is now applying to join the Nato military alliance over concerns that Russia could invade like it did Ukraine on 24 February. Since the second world war, Helsinki has kept up a high level of military preparedness. » | Reuters in Helsinki | Wednesday, June 22, 2022
«Putin wird so weit gehen, wie ihm Europa zu gehen erlaubt. Und mein Eindruck ist nicht, dass Europa ein wahnsinniges Problem hätte, wenn er sich weitere Länder holt»
NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Der weissrussische Schriftsteller Sasha Filipenko ist sehr pessimistisch, was die Rolle des Westens betrifft im Ukraine-Krieg. Nach einem russischen Sieg, so sagt er im Interview, würde es aber nicht nur einen Ort wie Butscha geben, sondern Hunderte.
Nach einem russischen Bombenangriff auf Mikolajiw löscht die ukrainische Feuerwehr die ausgebrochenen Brände (Aufnahme vom 18. Juni 2022). | George Ivanchenko / AP
INTERVIEW
Herr Filipenko, Sie arbeiteten mehrere Jahre für den unabhängigen russischen TV-Sender Doschd. Bereits vor dem Einmarsch russischer Truppen in die Ukraine sagten Sie, Russland wahre bloss noch den Anschein einer freien Presse. Wie und wann kippte die verhältnismässig liberale Praxis in die Repression?
Herr Filipenko, Sie arbeiteten mehrere Jahre für den unabhängigen russischen TV-Sender Doschd. Bereits vor dem Einmarsch russischer Truppen in die Ukraine sagten Sie, Russland wahre bloss noch den Anschein einer freien Presse. Wie und wann kippte die verhältnismässig liberale Praxis in die Repression?
Wir haben beobachtet, wie das Regime schrittweise repressiver wurde. Als der Sender Doschd 2012 vom Kabel genommen wurde und danach nur noch als Online-Angebot bestand, gehörte meine Satiresendung zu einer der ersten, die gestrichen wurden. Es hiess, man habe jetzt einfach kein Geld mehr für so etwas.War das eine Massnahme der Behörden, oder versuchte der Sender der Zensur zuvorzukommen?
Alle unsere Sponsoren haben ab diesem Zeitpunkt ihre Unterstützung beendet. Da musste entschieden werden, ob wir Satire und Kultur machen oder die Nachrichtensendungen. Die Entscheidung fiel dann auf die Nachrichten.» | Roman Bucheli | Mittwoch, 22. Juni 2022
Hélène Grimaud – Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 23: II. Adagio
On a Rooftop in Tilburg, a Romantic Wedding
Ina Garten's penne arrabbiata | Barefoot Contessa | Food Network
Ingredients:
2/3 cup good olive oil
1 cup whole peeled garlic cloves (24 cloves)
2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
2 teaspoons whole fennel seeds, chopped
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/3 cup dry red wine, such as Chianti
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup julienned fresh basil leaves, plus extra for serving
1 pound dry penne rigate, such as DeCecco
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Directions:
In a medium (10-inch) pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, warm the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the garlic has softened and is lightly browned.
Meanwhile, drain the tomatoes, place them in a food processor fitted with the steel blade, and pulse until they're roughly chopped. With a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic to the food processor and pulse again to chop the garlic. Pour the tomato mixture into the pot with the olive oil, add the fennel, red pepper flakes, red wine, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in the basil, taste for seasonings (it will be very spicy!), and keep warm over very low heat. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a full boil. Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt and the penne and cook according to the directions of the package.
Two minutes before the pasta is al dente, using a wire or spider strainer, lift the pasta out of the boiling water and add it to the sauce, along with 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until the pasta is al dente. Spoon the pasta into low shallow bowls, sprinkle with extra basil and Parmesan cheese, and serve hot
WIKIPEDIA:
Check out the info on Arrabbiata sauce, also known as sugo all’arrabbiata, here.
Polio May Be Spreading in Britain for First Time in 40 Years…
MAIL ONLINE: Officials have found traces of a vaccine-derived poliovirus in sewage samples in North and East London / Thought that someone vaccinated with live vaccine shed part of virus and spread it to unvaccinated people / Parents are being urged to ensure their children's vaccinations are up to date, particularly after the pandemic / Officials said risk to public 'extremely low' with one in 100 chance of paralysis and high vaccine uptake
Polio may be spreading in the UK for the first time in nearly 40 years, health chiefs warned today as they declared a 'national incident'.
Officials have found traces of a vaccine-derived version of the virus in sewage samples in parts of London and say it is 'likely' transmitting within the community.
Parents are being urged to ensure their children are up to date with their polio vaccinations, particularly after the pandemic when school immunisation schemes were disrupted.
Polio spreads through coughs and sneezes or contact with objects contaminated with faeces, causing permanent paralysis in around one in 100 cases. Children are at a higher risk. » | Connor Boyd, deputy health editor for MailOnline | Wednesday, June 22, 2022
Polio may be spreading in the UK for the first time in nearly 40 years, health chiefs warned today as they declared a 'national incident'.
Officials have found traces of a vaccine-derived version of the virus in sewage samples in parts of London and say it is 'likely' transmitting within the community.
Parents are being urged to ensure their children are up to date with their polio vaccinations, particularly after the pandemic when school immunisation schemes were disrupted.
Polio spreads through coughs and sneezes or contact with objects contaminated with faeces, causing permanent paralysis in around one in 100 cases. Children are at a higher risk. » | Connor Boyd, deputy health editor for MailOnline | Wednesday, June 22, 2022
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