How Kennedy bought 1,200 hand rolled Cuban cigars just hours before ordered blockade of Communist state 50 years ago -

How Kennedy bought 1,200 hand rolled Cuban cigars just hours before ordered blockade of Communist state 50 years ago - 




President John F Kennedy ordered an aide to buy him as many Cuban cigars as he could just hours before he authorised the U.S. trade embargo - which subsequently made them illegal.
Kennedy asked his head of press and fellow cigar smoker Pierre Salinger to obtain '1,000 Petit Upmanns' on February 6, 1962, so he could have them in his hands before they were deemed contraband.
Then, seconds after he was told the next morning that 1,200 of Cuba's finest export had been bought for him, he signed the decree to ban all of the communist state's products from the U.S.

The re-surfacing of the story, initially recounted by Salinger to Cigar Aficionado magazine in 1992, comes with the passing of the 50th anniversary of the embargo yesterday.
JFK, he said, called him into his office and said he needed 'some help' to find 'a lot of cigars'. He wanted '1,000 Petit Upmanns' and needed them by 'tomorrow morning'.
Salinger added: 'I walked out of the office wondering if I would succeed. But since I was a solid Cuban cigar smoker, I knew a lot of stores. I worked on the problem into the evening.




Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2098064/John-F-Kennedy-bought-1-200-Cuban-cigars-hours-ordered-US-trade-embargo.html

Three Indian politicians from a morally conservative party quit after caught watching porn in parliament -

Three Indian politicians from a morally conservative party quit after caught watching porn in parliament - 




Three Indian politicians from a morally conservative party, including a women’s affairs minister, resigned on Wednesday after being caught watching pornography on a mobile phone during a session of state parliament.


News channels broadcast footage showing Karnataka state Minister for Cooperation Laxman Savadi sharing a porn clip with his colleague C.C. Patil, the minister for women and child development, while sitting in the state assembly.


The owner of the phone, state Minister for Ports, Science and Technology Krishna Palemar, also quit.



“We are requesting the honorable Speaker of the House to conduct an inquiry and we’ll come out with a clean chit,” Patil said, denying that they were deliberately looking at porn.


The three men said they did not want to cause any embarrassment for their party, the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which rules the state and is in opposition at a national level.


There has been outrage over the incident not just from rights activists and right-wing Hindu groups in conservative India, but also from the riling Congress party which called for the assembly to be dissolved.


Read more -
http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/02/08/india-ministers-quit-after-caught-watching-porn-in-parliament/

24 Signs That We Are Getting Dangerously Close To A Major War In The Middle East -

24 Signs That We Are Getting Dangerously Close To A Major War In The Middle East - 




Is 2012 the year when we will see a major war in the Middle East?  For years we have heard about rising tensions in the Middle East, and for years we have heard politicians express concerns about Iran’s nuclear program, but now things really do seem to be reaching a boiling point.  In just the past few days, the U.S. government has imposed tough new sanctions on Iran and has totally shut down the U.S. embassy in Syria.  The truth is that we are getting dangerously close to a major war in the Middle East. So will Israel strike Iran at some point in the next few months?  Will the U.S. military intervene in the rapidly escalating conflict inside of Syria?  If a major war does erupt, it could send the price of oil skyrocketing and there is the potential that the war could broaden very quickly.  Hezbollah has already indicated that it will side with Syria, and there is always the potential that Hamas could as well.  Russia and China have both stated that they are completely opposed to military action by the United States against Iran and Syria, and they have even hinted that they would possibly even help defend those countries.  As the nations of the world take sides, there is even the potential that we could see World War III develop.  Let us hope that it never comes to that, but with the world as unstable as it is right now, you never know what may happen.


What makes war so much more likely now is that nobody has shown any signs of backing down.


Syrian President Bashar Assad has sworn that he will never step down.


U.S. President Barack Obama says that it is only a matter of time until he is forced to step down and that no other outcome is acceptable.


Iran has sworn that it will never end its nuclear program.


The United States believes that if Iran is allowed to develop a nuclear weapon it would be a fundamental threat to world security.


Israel believes that if Iran is allowed to develop a nuclear weapon it would be a fundamental threat to the very existence of the nation of Israel.


So if nobody backs down, what is going to happen?


I think we all know what is going to happen.


The following are 25 signs that we are getting dangerously close to a major war in the Middle East….


#1 The United States has just imposed tough new sanctions on Iran.  Some of the new sanctions are specifically targeted at the central bank of Iran.  Stronger sanctions have been a prelude to war in the past, and the Obama administration surely wants to argue that “all other alternatives have been exhausted” before going to war.


#2 The EU has announced that all imports of crude oil from Iran will be bannedstarting in July.


#3 The U.S. embassy in Syria has been shut down and the Obama administration has once again called for Syrian President Bashar Assad to resign.


#4 The U.S. has also removed all diplomats from Syria.


#5 In speaking of the removal of Syrian President Bashar Assad, Barack Obamais making it very clear what he believes the final result will be….


“This is not going to be a matter of if, it’s going to be a matter of when.”


This is very reminiscent of the language that Obama used to describe the removal of Gadhafi before the U.S. launched airstrikes in Libya.


#6 U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is calling for “an international coalition” to support the opposition fighters in Syria.


#7 Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak says that Iran is moving their uranium enrichment facilities into recently constructed underground bunkers and that the point of no return is rapidly approaching….


“The world has no doubt that Iran’s nuclear program is steadily nearing readiness and is about to enter an immunity zone”


#8 There are indications that Israel may consider launching an attack against Iran without even notifying the United States.  Aaron David Miller, a Mideast peace negotiator during the Clinton administration, recently made the following statement….


“There’s a growing concern — more than a concern — that the Israelis, in order to protect themselves, might launch a strike without approval, warning or even foreknowledge”


#9 The Washington Post is reporting that U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta believes that Israel will strike Iran at some point during the months of April, May or June.


#10 Former IDF chief of staff Moshe Yaalon insists that an attack on Iran could be successful….


“It’s possible to strike all Iran’s facilities, and I say that out of my experience as IDF chief of staff”


#11 U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner says that the Obama administration “is absolutely committed to preventing Iran from getting nuclear weapons“.


#12 Barack Obama underscored his policy toward Iran in a speech just the other day….


“I’ve been very clear — we’re going to do everything we can to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon and creating a nuclear arms race in a volatile region”


#13 According to Debka, thousands of U.S. troops have been heading to “two strategic islands within reach of Iran”.


#14 Iranian leader Ayatollah Khamenei is speaking as if the coming war is a foregone conclusion….


“The war itself will be 10 times as detrimental to the U.S.”


#15 Khamenei also seems to think that the outcome of the coming war is a foregone conclusion as well….


“In light of the realization of the divine promise by almighty God, the Zionists and the Great Satan (America) will soon be defeated”


#16 Khamenei also has declared that Israel is a “cancerous tumor that should be cut and will be cut“.


#17 According to one estimate, there are currently 200,000 missiles aimed at the nation of Israel.


#18 Some Israeli officials claim that Iran is trying to develop a long-range missile capable of reaching the United States.


#19 The death toll from the conflict inside of Syria continues to rise.  Accordingto Debka, “a continuous Syrian bombardment beginning early Saturday, Feb. 4, is estimated to have left a record 350 dead and up to 1,300 wounded in the Homs district of Khaldiyeh.”


#20 According to the United Nations, a total of approximately 6,000 peoplehave been killed since the conflict in Syria began.


#21 The city of Homs is one giant war zone at this point.  The following comes from a recent article in the Telegraph….


“We can’t count all the bodies from the streets and the collapsed buildings. Anyone who tries to go on the street might be killed – there are snipers,” said Abu Abdu al-Homsi, spokesman for the Syrian Revolutionary Council, an opposition group, in Homs. “An old woman – her son was shot and killed in the street, she went to get his body and was shot dead too.”


#22 The Russians appear to be very serious about supporting the Assad regime in Syria.  According to Debka, “the Russians backed their hard line against the West by putting Rapid Reaction Force (aka Spetsnaz) units in Black Sea bases on the ready to set out for Syria and defend Damascus.”


#23 It is being reported that a Hezbollah official has indicated that Hezbollah will attack Israel if Syria is attacked.


#24 There are even signs that Saudi Arabia is busy preparing for a coming war.  The following comes from a recent Debka article….


“Our military sources report that the Saudis this week wound up their own intensive preparations for war. Large forces are now deployed around Saudi oil fields, pipelines and export facilities in the eastern provinces opposite the Persian Gulf, backed by anti-missile Patriot PAC-3 batteries. American, British and French fighter-bombers have been landing at Saudi air bases to safeguard the capital, Riyadh.”


If a major war does erupt in the Middle East, what is that going to do to the global economy and the price of oil?


It is being projected that the price of gasoline in the United States could go above 4 dollars a gallon this spring even if there isn’t a war in the Middle East.
So how much higher would it go if there is a conflict with Iran?


Today, Iran is the third largest exporter of oil in the entire world.  If those shipments are cut off that would have a huge impact.


But Iran could have an even greater impact by closing the Strait of Hormuz.


Approximately 20 percent of all oil sold in the world goes through the Strait of Hormuz each year.  If Iran started raining missiles down on oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz, that would change the global economy overnight.


We live in very unusual times, and it should be apparent to everyone that there is not going to be lasting peace in the Middle East any time soon.


Right now, the world is on a road that is inevitably going to lead to a major war in the Middle East and nobody is showing any signs of backing down.


When the next major war does erupt in the Middle East, it is going to change the world forever.


But what kind of change will that be?


Read more -
http://www.blacklistednews.com/24_Signs_That_We_Are_Getting_Dangerously_Close_To_A_Major_War_In_The_Middle_East_/17815/0/0/0/Y/M.html

“Bored” Clerk Caught Watching Porn During Rape Trial - “He said that he watched a lot of internet porn," -

“Bored” Clerk Caught Watching Porn During Rape Trial - “He said that he watched a lot of internet porn," - 


A veteran London court clerk caught surfing porn sites during a rape trial said he did so “because he was bored.”


Debasish Majumder, 54, pleaded guilty to a charge of misconduct in public office and five counts of possession of indecent images, the U.K. Daily Mail newspaper reported.


The prosecution alleged Majumder viewed about 30 images between Dec. 9 and 10 during a rape trial. The judge sitting behind him said he noticed the filthy photos as the victim in the case was testifying.


“He said that he watched a lot of internet porn, he said that at work there were moments in his day that were boring and he would surf the net not to get access to sites but to get the titles of sites to use on his home computer and normally sites were blocked,” the paper quoted prosecutor Annabel Darlow as saying.


Read more -
http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/weird/Bored-Clerk-Caught-Watching-Porn-During-Rape-Trial-138928634.html

'Woolly mammoth' spotted in Siberia - thought to have mostly died out roughly 4,000 years ago -

'Woolly mammoth' spotted in Siberia - thought to have mostly died out roughly 4,000 years ago - 






A BEAST lurches through icy waters in a sighting a paranormal investigator thinks could prove woolly mammoths are not extinct after all.


The animal – thought to have mostly died out roughly 4,000 years ago – was apparently filmed wading through a river in the freezing wilds of Siberia.


The jaw-dropping footage was caught by a government-employed engineer last summer in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug region of Siberia, it is claimed.



He filmed the elephant-sized creature as it struggled against the racing water.


Its hair matches samples recovered from mammoth remains regularly dug up from the permafrost in frozen Russia.


The official was reportedly in the area surveying for a planned road.


Paranormal writer Michael Cohen said: "Rumours of a handful of mammoths still kicking around in the vast wilderness of Siberia have been circulating for decades and occasionally sightings by locals have occurred.


"Siberia is an enormous territory and much of it remains completely unexplored and untouched by humans. "


Woolly mammoths roamed the Earth 10,000 years ago during the last Ice Age.


A small pocket remained on and around Wrangel Island, off the coast of Siberia, and these did not die out until 3,500 years ago.


Mr Cohen, 41, added: "It is highly possible that a number of species, extinct elsewhere, survive in the area.


Read more - 
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4116326/Woolly-mammoth-spotted-in-Siberia.html

10,000 Students To Be Bused In For First Lady Exercise Event - her Let’s Move initiative -

10,000 Students To Be Bused In For First Lady Exercise Event - her Let’s Move initiative - 


Thousands of students, several well-known athletes and a number of politicians are expected to join Michelle Obama for an event in Des Moines that will promote exercise and healthy eating.


Besides the first lady, participants at the Thursday event include Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, gymnast Shawn Johnson, figure skater Michelle Kwan and NASCAR champion Carl Edwards.


About 10,000 children will be bused to the event from 45 schools in the Des Moines area.


It will be Obama’s first stop on a three-day national tour marking her Let’s Move initiative, which promotes physical fitness and healthy eating for children. She’s been drawn to Des Moines by Iowa’s Healthiest State initiative. 


Read more - 
http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/02/08/10000-students-to-be-bused-in-for-first-lady-exercise-event/

Judge Orders Florida Man To Take His Wife on a Date - and stipulates flowers, bowling, and Red Lobster -

Judge Orders Florida Man To Take His Wife on a Date - and stipulates flowers, bowling, and Red Lobster - 


Just in time for Valentine's Day, a Florida judge ruled on Tuesday that a man involved in a scuffle with his wife treat her to an evening at a local bowling alley and a romantic meal at Red Lobster. 


Judge John Hurley ordered that Joseph Bray, 47 and his wife Sonja, 39, also visit a marriage counselor.


Hurley handed down this ruling instead of setting bond or slapping Bray with a prison sentence after he deemed domestic violence charges leveled by Bray's wife to be "very, very minor."


According to Bray's arrest affidavit, Bray and his wife got embroiled in a spat after he failed to wish her a happy birthday. Bray's wife claims that her husband shoved her against a sofa and grabbed her neck.


The judge, citing Bray's otherwise clean record and the incident's apparent lack of serious violence, did not consider Bray's behavior a major offense. However, Bray must follow the stipulations of Hurley's ruling very closely if he wants to avoid potential jail time.



"He's going to stop by somewhere and he's going to get some flowers," Hurley said at a hearing, according to Florida newspaper Sun Sentinel. "And then he's going to go home, pick up his wife, get dressed, take her to Red Lobster. And then after they have Red Lobster, they're going to go bowling."


Hurley noted that he would not typically treat a domestic violence charge in a similarly jocular or light-hearted manner.


"The court would not normally [make this ruling] if the court felt there was some violence but this is very, very minor and the court felt that that was a better resolution than the other alternatives," Hurley said.


Read more - 
http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/weird/Judge-Orders-Florida-Man-To-Take-His-Wife-on-a-Date-138920574.html

Texas boy, 6, reportedly snatched by mountain lion - from a paved walkway in between a restaurant and a hotel -

Texas boy, 6, reportedly snatched by mountain lion - from a paved walkway in between a restaurant and a hotel - 


A 6-year-old Texas boy is reportedly recovering after being snatched by a mountain lion from his mother's hand at Big Bend National Park.
Rivers Hobbs was dragged into a bush next to a walkway near a restaurant at Chisos Mountains Lodge by the animal at about 8 p.m. Sunday as the boy's family returned to their room, the Austin Statesman reports.
The boy's father, Jason Hobbs, jumped on top of the lion and struck it while his wife, Kristi Harris, gripped its hind legs. Jason Hobbs eventually stabbed the lion chest with his pocketknife, Harris said.
The lion then dropped the boy and ran away, Harris said.
"This attack did not happen on a trail. We were not hiking," Harris told the newspaper. "We were on a paved walkway in between a restaurant and a hotel, and this cat grabbed my child from me."
Rivers was hospitalized overnight with puncture wounds and cuts. The family had planned to return to Leander, Texas, on Tuesday. Harris said her son is doing well despite the scare.




Read more: http://www.statesman.com/news/williamson/mountain-lion-snatches-leander-boy-in-big-bend-2157840.html