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WASHINGTON – Melting pot or racial divide? The growth of interracial marriages is slowing among U.S.-born Hispanics and Asians. Still, Blacks are substantially more likely than before to marry Whites.
The number of interracial marriages in the U.S. has risen 20 percent since 2000 to about 4.5 million, according to the latest census figures. While still growing, that number is a marked drop-off from the 65 percent increase between 1990 and 2000.
About 8 percent of U.S. marriages are mixed-race, up from 7 percent in 2000.
The latest trend belies notions of the U.S. as a post-racial, assimilated society. Demographers cite a steady flow of recent immigration that has given Hispanics and Asians more ethnically similar partners to choose from while creating some social distance from Whites due to cultural and language differences.
White wariness toward a rapidly growing U.S. minority population also may be contributing to racial divisions, experts said.
"Racial boundaries are not going to disappear anytime soon," said Dr. Daniel Lichter, a professor of sociology and public policy at Cornell University. He noted the increase in anti-immigrant sentiment in the U.S. after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks as well as current tensions in Arizona over its new immigration law.
"With a White backlash toward immigrant groups, some immigrants are more likely to turn inward to each other for support," Lichter said.
Broken down by race, about 40 percent of U.S.-born Asians now marry Whites—a figure unchanged since 1980. Their likelihood of marrying foreign-born Asians, meanwhile, multiplied three times for men and five times for women, to roughly 20 percent.
Among U.S.-born Hispanics, marriages with Whites increased modestly from roughly 30 percent to 38 percent over the past three decades. But when it came to marriages with foreign-born Hispanics, the share doubled—to 12.5 percent for men, and 17.1 percent for women.
In contrast, Blacks are now three times as likely to marry Whites than in 1980. About 14.4 percent of Black men and 6.5 percent of Black women are currently in such mixed marriages, due to higher educational attainment, a more racially integrated military and a rising Black middle class that provides more interaction with other races.
The numbers reflect in part an internal struggle that Asians and Hispanics say they feel navigating two cultural worlds: the U.S. and their parents' homeland.
Hai Nguyen, 37, of Houston recalls the instant connection she felt after meeting her first Vietnamese boyfriend, Greg, in college. Nguyen says that, while she had to explain herself to White boyfriends, with Greg it was a feeling that "he so gets me, because we eat the same food, we like the same things, our families know each other and there is so little that needs to be said."
With the enthusiastic support of her parents, she and Greg married. But their connection soon began to fade, due partly to Nguyen's budding career as a business analyst, which clashed with more traditional expectations for her to "always have fresh food on the table." The two divorced, and Nguyen is now remarried to Jon, who is White.
"My parents have prejudices, but they've accepted it," said Nguyen. She described occasionally feeling different with her parents and other single-race couples. "They know it's inevitable. My native tongue will eventually fade, and history will take its course."
The demographic shifts can complicate conventional notions of racial identity.
Due to increasing interracial marriages, multiracial Americans are a small but fast-growing demographic group, making up about 5 percent of the minority population. Together with Blacks, Hispanics and Asians, the Census Bureau estimates they collectively will represent a majority of the U.S. population by mid-century.
Still, many multiracial people—particularly those who are part Black—shun a "multi" label in favor of identifying as a single race.
By some estimates, two-thirds of those who checked the single box of "Black" on the census form are actually mixed, including President Barack Obama, who identified himself as Black in the 2010 Census even though his mother was White.
Census figures also show:
— Hawaii had the highest share of mixed marriages, about 32 percent. It was followed by Alaska, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Nevada, which ranged from 15 percent to 19 percent. The bottom five states were Pennsylvania, Maine, Kentucky, Mississippi and West Virginia, each ranging from 3 percent to 4 percent.
— Mississippi had the fastest growth in mixed marriages from 2000 to 2008, a sign of closer ties between Blacks and Whites, though it still ranked second to last in overall share of mixed marriages.
— Mixed marriages jumped from 2.25 million to 3.7 million, or 65 percent, from 1990 to 2000, as such unions became more broadly accepted in Southern states.
— Among U.S.-born Whites, about 0.3 percent married Blacks in 1980; that figure rose to about 1 percent in 2008. About 0.3 percent of Whites married Asians in 1980 and about 1 percent in 2008. About 2 percent of Whites married Hispanics in 1980, rising to about 3.6 percent in 2008.
Juan Thurman, 37, a Houston sales account manager, says both family pressure and a strong ethnic identity weighed heavily on him as a Hispanic when he was dating, even as he found himself interacting more with other races in school.
In high school and at Rice University, Thurman said he had fewer opportunities to meet Hispanic women in his honors classes. Ultimately, he married Emily, who is White, based on shared life views of gender equity and a liberal outlook toward religion. He relishes having friends of many different backgrounds.
"Interracial marriage is not a big deal," Thurman said. "Still, from a family standpoint, I did feel culturally different, and I continue to feel so."
The figures come from previous censuses as well as the 2008 American Community Survey, which surveys 3 million households. The figures for "White" refer to those Whites who are not of Hispanic ethnicity. For purposes of defining interracial marriages, Hispanic is counted as a race.


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The discussion of starting a band that would later be called Christmas started in a Polish dive bar. Their first single for , "Namiot" [DBN118], would be the next big pop hit – if people only knew what it meant. A "namiot" is not a lost tribe of people who danced beautifully … but you can dance to this. The playful vocals ("hey!" "oh no!"), Morse code bass, tight drumskins and jangly, lost guitar were recorded in the Dub Narcotic Studios of Olympia, Washington in the Christmas-time of the Pacific Northwest: the summer. If you learned that "namiot" is just a Polish word for "tent" would that make this song an inside joke? Expand your vocabulary. On the B-side, Selector Dub Narcotic (aka Calvin Johnson) dirties not only the carpet, but also the curtains. Slowed down, mud everywhere, "Namiot Version" is the scene after the party: a lamp has been knocked over, someone is muttering in the corner. This Dub Narcotic Disco Plate is a contrast – a true black and white, Valentine.
- Namiot
- Namiot Version

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Oh, no! A hacker (says he) planted a Trojan, (claims he) took over your computer's camera and microphone, (purportedly) filmed you watching porn, (theoretically) has the password to your email account, and is threatening to forward the scandalous video to all your email and social media contacts unless you fork over Bitcoin!
"It must be true," many people have unfortunately thought about this new twist on an established sextortion scam. After all, he's (apparently) sending email from your very own email address!
Good news: thankfully, it's not true. The sextorting phisher has not, in fact, demonstrated that he's hacked your email. All he's done is demonstrate that anyone can send an email claiming to be from someone else.
(Watch directly on YouTube if the video won't play here.)
This is s nothing new – it's just the way email is designed, and plenty of phishers use this fact to send spoofed email that looks like it comes from a trusted party (like you!).
We've seen sextortion emails that have included an intended victim's password – that the attackers actually found in a data breach dump – in order to make their claims to have taken over somebody's computer seem legitimate. Those passwords are typically outdated. But with the latest spin, they're also pretending to have access to their victim's email account, by simply spoofing the sender of the scam email to make it look like the same email as that of the victim.
The new variant of this lucrative scam was first seen targeting people in the Netherlands. RTL Nieuws reported on Thursday that the scammers had thus far bilked people of €40,000 (USD $46,000).
The spoofed mail claims that victims' computers have been hacked and that the targets have been filmed while watching porn. It gives them one day to cough up a €1000 ransom in bitcoin, or else the video will be sent to all of their contacts.
Here's Google's translation of the Dutch scam email:
Hey, I've been watching you for a while because I hacked you through a trojan virus in an ad on a porn website. If you are not familiar with this, I will explain this. A trojan virus gives you full access and control over a computer, or any other device. This means that I can see everything on your screen and switch on your camera and microphone without you being aware of it. That way I also got access to all your contacts. I made a video that shows how you satisfy yourself on the left half of the screen and on the right half you see the video you were watching. With the press of a button I can forward this video to all contacts of your email and social media. If you want to prevent this, transfer an amount of 1000 euros to my bitcoin address (If you do not know, search with Google "Buy Bitcoin".) Bitcoin address: xxxxxxxxxxxx As soon as the payment is received, I will delete the video and you will never hear from me again. I give you 72 hours to make the payment. Then you know what happens. I can see it if you have read the email.
(Watch directly on YouTube if the video won't play here.)
It may be just a slight tweak of an extortion scam, but people are unfortunately falling for it. You can see why: most people who watch online porn would be horrified at the notion that they'd been filmed while doing so and that their reputations could wind up in the gutter if embarrassing video of them were to be disseminated to friends, family and colleagues.
It's not hard to believe that a hacker could take over your microphone and webcam, after all: Crooks can use a piece of malicious software called a remote access trojan (RAT) to take over your computer, record your conversations, and yes, to turn on your webcam and microphone to spy on you.
Victims of sextortionists have included those as famous as Miss Teen USA: Cassidy Wolf was blackmailed by a crook who used a RAT known as "Blackshades" to take nude pictures of her through her webcam.
We've seen plenty of stories about hijacked baby monitor webcams, too, and we've seen one couple who didn't realize that they'd been joined by a peeping Tom who spied on them via their webcam as they snuggled together to watch Netflix.
Couple the too-real threat of RATs and hijacked webcams with an email that looks like it came from within your very own email account, and it's easy to see how people can get strung along.
Like most scam email artists, these criminals are adept at playing on our fears. These "I have your email account" guys are piling fear on top of fear – "we recorded you watching porn!" "we have all your contacts because we have your email account!" – to make a sky-high, multi-layered fear sandwich.


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I'd always thought Parkway Parade desperately lacked a Thai restaurant. Then I realised, oh there is one, in the basement - Parkway Thai. But that's not really Thai. It's really more Thai-wannabe. Oh well, not too many good Thai places in the East (that I know of).
The fried glass noodles are colourful but quite tasteless. Order this only if you like stuff soft and bland. Lots of egg though.
The tom yum doesn't really taste much like tom yum. A rather salty broth with seafood that isn't too fresh. Not enough of a spicy or tangy kick.
The papaya salad was OK. Generously doused with dressing, it was a simple dish with enough flavour.
Since I'm not a regular, I am not too familiar with the dishes that Parkway Thai might be better at (are there any at all?). It seems to have been around for a long time, and features buffets at lunch, tea time and recently dinner as well. There's a branch at Centerpoint as well.


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In Shift, Oren Calls J Street 'A Unique Problem'
Breaking with his previous restraint, Israel's ambassador to the United States delivered an unprecedented blast against J Street, the new dovish Israel lobby that has made waves in Washington and throughout the Jewish community.
Addressing a breakfast session at the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism's biennial convention December 7, Ambassador Michael Oren described J Street as "a unique problem in that it not only opposes one policy of one Israeli government, it opposes all policies of all Israeli governments. It's significantly out of the mainstream."
After a speech that touched on the spiritual basis for and the threats to the state of Israel, Oren issued an unscripted condemnation of J Street.
"This is not a matter of settlements here [or] there. We understand there are differences of opinion," Oren said. "But when it comes to the survival of the Jewish state, there should be no differences of opinion. You are fooling around with the lives of 7 million people. This is no joke."
Oren's blunt comments contrasted with his reaction in October, when J Street invited him to address its first Washington conference. After an extended delay, Oren declined the offer. The embassy issued a statement saying that it would be "privately communicating its concerns over certain policies of the organization that may impair the interests of Israel." Instead, it sent a lower-level diplomat to observe the conference.
Meanwhile, Israeli President Shimon Peres and Tzipi Livni, leader of Israel's parliamentary opposition, sent warm personal greetings to the J Street conference. Several senior members of Livni's Kadima party traveled to Washington to address the gathering, as did Deputy Knesset Speaker Yuli TamIr of the Labor Party.
Shortly after the conference, Oren told a New York City audience that if the organization addressed some of his concerns, "there's no reason why we can't have a constructive dialogue."
But at the USCJ breakfast, Oren criticized J Street after an audience member asked him how synagogues should respond if congregants requested that the group be invited to make a presentation.
"Engage with them," he said. "But I think it's very important that you be up-front with them and say why these policies are outside the mainstream and why they are inimical to Israel's fundamental interests."
Oren cited J Street's criticism of Israel's military campaign in Gaza in December 2008 and last January, and its support for talks with the Islamist militant group Hamas, which has engaged in terrorism, as examples of positions that were outside the Jewish mainstream; however, an opinion poll sponsored by the Israeli daily Haaretz in November found that 57% of Israelis favored talks with Hamas under certain conditions. Oren also accused J Street of failing to reject the UN's Goldstone report, which found Israel had committed war crimes during the Gaza campaign. Finally, he charged that the group opposed sanctions against Iran.
In an October interview with The Atlantic writer Jeffrey Goldberg, J Street's executive director, Jeremy Ben-Ami, endorsed the main Iran sanctions bill sponsored by California Democratic Rep. Howard Berman. In an ironic twist, J Street issued a statement advocating its passage on the day that Oren made his remarks.
"Perhaps if he would meet with us, he could actually find out what we stand for, rather than having to misrepresent our position," Ben-Ami said. "I don't quite understand how it is in the State of Israel's interest to look at J Street as a problem, to write off an organization that represents a large number of American Jews."
Also at the USCJ breakfast, Oren was asked about the November incident at Jerusalem's Western Wall, when police detained Nofrat Frenkel of the prayer group Women of the Wall after she wore a tallit and carried a Torah in the women's section of the main Kotel plaza.
"It is not a perfect situation." Oren said. "We in Israel have to strike a balance between our respect for pluralism and our respect for tradition."
Oren said that original reports stating that Frenkel had been arrested were mistaken, and that she was simply led away from the Kotel area.
This contradicted a first-person account by Frenkel, published in the December 9 issue of the Forward, in which she described being taken to a police station and interrogated.
"As we were exiting, with me carrying the Torah, a policeman met us and began pushing me forcefully toward the nearby police station," Frenkel wrote. "Our pleas and explanations that we were on our way to the alternative site were of no use. I was transferred for questioning to the station at David's Citadel."
Contact Josh Nathan-Kazis at [email protected]
A message from our editor-in-chief Jodi Rudoren
We're building on 127 years of independent journalism to help you develop deeper connections to what it means to be Jewish today.
With so much at stake for the Jewish people right now — war, rising antisemitism, a high-stakes U.S. presidential election — American Jews depend on the Forward's perspective, integrity and courage.
— Jodi Rudoren, Editor-in-Chief


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The Truth About Those Black Tongues
Is this a Chow Mix?
NO. This is an AKC show quality Golden Retriever waiting his turn to go into the show ring to be judged.
Does the black spot on your
Labrador's tongue mean he's really a Chow mix? That mixed breed puppy in the shelter with a partially black tongue - is that a sure sign he's part Chow? The answer to both questions is: No!
The Chow Chow's blue-black tongue is one of the breed's most well known physical characteristics. It's also the most misunderstood.
The Chow is one of the most ancient breeds and is the ancestor of many breeds of today. The orgin of the Chow's black tongue is a mystery; we don't know how or why he came to have it.
We do know that the Chow is not the only breed with a blue-black tongue. The Chinese Shar-Pei shares this trait as well. A few other animals have black tongues, too: the giraffe, polar bear, and several breeds of cattle including the
We also know that blue-black spots on tongues are very common in dogs - more than 30 pure breeds are known to have members with spotted tongues.
Spots on tongues are simply deposits of extra pigment, like birthmarks and freckles on people. Dogs often have spots of dark pigment on their skin, too, hiding under their coats. These spots can be large or small, many or few.
If a Chow's tongue has a pink spot on it, does that mean it's not purebred? No. Chow puppies' tongues are pink at birth. They darken to blue-black by 8-10 weeks of age. Some tongues don't cover completely and they may have small spots or splashes of pink. Elderly Chows and Chows with the dilute coat colors of cinnamon and blue sometimes lose tongue pigment as they age and develop pink spots.
What if the dog looks like a Chow but has a completely pink or mostly pink tongue?
Knowledgeable Chowists agree that such dogs are not purebred Chows and might not have any Chow parentage at all. The Chow is a member of the spitz family, a large group of breeds that includes the Samoyed, Siberian Husky, Malamute, Akita, Shiba Inu, Pomeranian, Norwegian Elkhound, Keeshond, etc. They all share basic physical characteristics: a similar body structure, over-the-back tail carriage, upright triangular ears, and a dense offstanding coat. A Chow-looking dog with a pink tongue is more likely to be a mix of one of the other spitz-type breeds.
Breeds known to have members with spotted tongues:
Australian Cattle Dog
Australian Shepherd
Belgian Sheepdog,
Belgian Tervuren,
Belgian Malinois
Bichon Frise
Bouvier de Flandres
Bull Mastiff
Cairn Terrier
Chinese Shar-Pei
Cocker Spaniel
Doberman Pinscher
English Setter
Fila Brasileiro
Flat-coated Retriever
German Shepherd
Golden Retriever
Gordon Setter
Great Pyrenees
Irish Setter
Kai Ken
Kerry Blue Terrier
Korean Jindo
Labrador Retriever
Mountain Cur
Rhodesian Ridgeback


text:
Watching this video back we imagine that this must be what Lissy does for hours, locked away in her bedroom. Well, not locked in the literal sense, more like a self-imposed privacy. Anyway, we digress. Lissy's selfie game is so…
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text:
Early last week the online auctioneer Paddle 8 filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the Southern District of New York, on the heels of a recent lawsuit demanding payment for works of art sold at a charitable auction last November. While the Paddle 8 bankruptcy seems to have been driven by business conditions long before the complete upheaval of the art and business world due to COVID19, it is all but certain now that the cascading closures of businesses large and small for the foreseeable future will bring a wave of bankruptcies in the months and year to come. As such, taking a closer look at the Paddle 8 situation can be instructive for art market participants of all sorts, particularly with respect to the consignment and sale of art. Put simply, most businesses are going to need to think very soon about their roles as creditors who are owed some good or service, in the hopes of avoiding becoming debtors who need the help of bankruptcy laws to reorganize or stave off liquidation.
Paddle 8 Bankruptcy a Harbinger in the Time of COVID19 and the Coming Art World Crisis
Topics: Bankruptcy, Bankruptcy Code, Bankruptcy Court, consignor, U.C.C.-1 statement, New York Arts & Cultural Affairs Law, Salander O'Reilly, ArtNet, Force majeure, coronavirus, COVID-19, Chapter 11, Paddle 8, Auctionata AG, online auction, Tom Otterness, Valentine Uhovski, Rameshkumar Ganeshan, 11 U.S.C. § 541(b)(1), 11 U.S.C. § 362(a), Penumbra, G.L. c. 104A, § 2, John Ahearn, Kiki Smith, Jonas Mekas, Jim Jarmusch, Walter Robinson, Michael McClellan, security interest, N.Y. Arts & Cult. Affairs Law § 12.01, automatic stay, Acts of God, Paper Chase


text:
The Taxman has wide powers to inspect your business, but he is supposed to give you at least seven days notice to check on your business property, computer or business records. He is permitted to turn up without warning, but only if tax is immediately at risk, such as where fraud is suspected.
In spite of these strict rules, tax inspectors do try to examine business records without a prior appointment, or where an appointment has been arranged, the officers may turn up hours early before the tax adviser has arrived. If the Taxman pitches up at your workplace and demands access to your business records, know your rights:
- Ask to see the inspectors' ID, which they must carry and check this ID is genuine by telephoning the HMRC office they claim to be from
- You don't have to let the tax officers into your building, and their rules say they must not gain entry by force
- You and your staff are not obliged to answer the tax officers' questions
- You are required to provide access at any reasonable time to any computer you use for your business, and help the tax officer extract the computer records, but that's where your responsibility ends
- The tax officers are not supposed to rummage around in your stuff. They can examine materials and records brought to them but they do not have search powers.
If you would like any further information, please do not hesitate to contact Southside Accountants Wimbledon & London.


text:
Good afternoon all!
I'm writing this in the clutches of the latest cold that's going round, which has me coughing for hours on end, so please send cake and medicine to me whilst splutter out this update…
So, I hope you're all up for something a bit different today, as I'm going to tell you a story. Make yourselves comfortable! Once upon a time, after Cosmos & Other Stories came out, and after I finished up pieces for Dirty Rotten Comics #10 and The Broken Frontier Small Press Yearbook 2017, I decided to take a short break from comics. I think, doing this kind of work, it's all too easy to feel like you have to keep churning out work so people don't lose faith or forget you exist. But after a tough personal spell and using work as a crutch to keep me going, it was time to let my mind go and deal with life, and try to regain my health.
The break from comics didn't come naturally, and I still worked on commissions both for private clients and other more illustrative work (the Kickstarter print with Emily B. Owen's Brain Shoodles, and a piece for the Habitat anthology). But, the break from direct comic work was there all the same, and it gave me valuable time to promote the work I've already done and work out where best to move next. And, play with some different materials and techniques. Check it out:
Having time to play around with new processes and materials has been golden, and given me a chance just to draw or create for the sake of drawing again. I've played with creating stamps from soft lino,drawing with Kuretake Zig Brush pens, the Tombow ABT Dual Brush Pen and some Graphitint pencils, as well as other experiments in fabric and dying, clay and wood. Taking that pause really did help to clear my mind and work on new concepts, and it gave me new skills and new challenges to hone in on to keep improving.
And that leads us to my new project! Due to be released in September in time for Thought Bubble Festival, I've been working on a small comic which I've gone thorough the scripting and layouts of already, when the inking coming next. Have a look at some sketches:
One thing I've been taking note of is how my painting accounts for the majority of the atmosphere in my work. So, remove the painting, do I still give that effect? This new project I'm working on is not only vastly different and physical application, but also different from my usual storytelling too, being totally autobiographical rather than based in imagination. It's been challenging, and new, and exciting all at the same time. And I really hope people like it!
I do miss splashing about with gouache and I'll definitely keep evolving the way I paint, but for now, get ready for something new and exciting and totally paint-free! -gulp-
And that's where I leave you for now! I'll be back soon with more news, but until next time have a good week/weekend everyone. I'm off to visit family and get plied with food to mend this illness once and for all. Laters!


text:
2012 Scores
Press Status: Not Free
Press Freedom Score: 81
Legal Environment: 28
Political Environment: 35
Economic Environment: 18
The political and media freedom climate in 2011 dramatically deteriorated as the government started making extensive use of the antiterrorism law, which entered into force in 2009, as an instrument to stifle dissent. Ethiopia is currently the second-leading jailer of journalists in Africa, after Eritrea.
While the constitution guarantees freedom of the press, this right is often restricted in practice. The Freedom of the Mass Media and Access to Information Proclamation was passed into law in December 2008, and has been criticized by the private media and press freedom groups for imposing constraints on the practice of journalism and harsh sanctions for violations. The most controversial provisions are included in the penal code that took effect in May 2005. Of greater concern is the selective approach the government takes in implementing laws and the lack of an independent judiciary. Journalists have few guarantees that they will receive a fair trial, and charges are often filed arbitrarily in response to personal disputes. Court cases can continue for years, and many journalists have multiple charges pending against them.
The antiterrorism law, supposedly designed to face the challenges posed to the government by armed insurgencies, was used to charge 24 politicians and journalists with terrorist offences. The accused were allegedly involved in varied collaborations with groups labeled terrorist organizations by parliament. Most journalists were arrested simply for having published information about these groups or for having interviewed some of their leaders. Among the journalists arrested were independent journalist and blogger Eskinder Nega; Woubshet Taye, deputy editor of the weekly Awramba Times; and Reeyot Alemu, a columnist with the independent weekly Feteh. Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's government also targeted foreign journalists under the antiterrorism law in 2011. In June, two Swedish journalists, Johan Persson and Martin Schibbye, were arrested by Ethiopian forces after having entered the Ogaden region in Ethiopia from Somalia to report on guerrilla activities and human rights conditions in the area, and on the activities of a Swedish organization searching for mineral resources. The two were sentenced to 11 years in prison in December.
Media practitioners were also targeted throughout the year for reasons unrelated to allegations of terrorism. In February 2011, roughly 130 charges were filed against Feteh editor in chief Temesgan Dessalegn, 35 of which were criminal charges that included defaming the government and inciting public violence and protests to boost newspaper sales. A number of journalists fled into exile for fear of arrest. As a result, popular newspapers had to close and resort to online versions managed by editors in exile. Journalist Argaw Ashine fled the country in September because of fears of impending imprisonment after being questioned by the police about the identity of a government source mentioned in WikiLeaks cables. In November, the editor in chief of the Awramba Times, Dawit Kebede, left the country because of continued harassment and intimidation by officials, which effectively closed the newspaper. In the same month, satirist Abebe Tolla of Feteh and Awramba Times also fled due to fear of retaliation for his critical commentary.
Ethiopia has one of the continent's most progressive freedom of information laws, although access to public information is largely restricted in practice, and the government has traditionally limited coverage of official events to state-owned media outlets. Since 2009, with the passage of the Proclamation for the Registration and Regulation of Charities and Societies, the ability of local and international nongovernmental organizations to monitor and advocate on issues of human rights, including media freedom, has become considerably more restricted.
Self-censorship is routinely practiced. Many private newspapers also report that the government attempts to control content through article placement requests and phone calls to editors from officials about articles that are critical of the government. The government's fear of dissenting voices was further fuelled by the popular uprisings that transformed the political landscape of North Africa and the Middle East in 2011. There were no reports of physical attacks on journalists during the year, though harassment, intimidation, and arrest were common.
The number of print outlets covering politics decreased significantly after 2005, while weekly papers and magazines on business and lifestyle catering to the growing urban middle class are proliferating. Approximately 20 private newspapers were published in 2011, with a combined circulation of 150,000 in Addis Ababa, the capital. The state operates the only national television station and owns almost all radio broadcasting in the country, both of which constitute the primary source of information for Ethiopians. Government-controlled media is biased toward the government and the ruling party. Broadcasting law prohibits any political, religious, or foreign entities from owning broadcast stations. In 2007, a new broadcasting authority was created, and the first licenses were awarded to two private FM stations in the capital; they are owned by individuals seen as friendly to the ruling party. The signals of international broadcasters Deutsche Welle and Voice of America have occasionally been jammed, reportedly with the technical support of the Chinese government. This trend continued in 2011, but in contrast to previous years, when the government denied its involvement in blocking the signals, Meles claimed the right of his government to block broadcasting he said was fomenting ethnic violence. Meles has often mentioned the use of radios during the Rwandan genocide to justify his government's repressive measures against national and international broadcasters. The government controls the only newspaper printing press and often raises the cost of printing, the result of which is interrupted or altered publication cycles for newspapers based on how many copies the companies can afford to print.
Owing to an extremely poor telecommunications infrastructure, only 1 percent of Ethiopians had access to the internet in 2011. The government has resisted liberalizing telecommunications, maintaining a monopoly and keeping prices artificially high. In 2011, however, some important changes were introduced for mobile and internet services, including an increase in capacity for mobile services and the introduction of mobile internet – albeit at expensive rates – in major cities. These changes are largely due to a $1.5 billion project financed by the Chinese government and implemented by Chinese company ZTE to overhaul the telecommunications infrastructure in Ethiopia. The government restricted access to numerous websites, including news sites, opposition websites, and the sites of groups designated as terrorist organizations. Controversial political blogs, many of which are based abroad, were blocked, hindering important voices from contributing to the local political debate. At the same time, the government has invested massive resources to use new communication technologies that allow it to communicate with the periphery of the state. It has set up a satellite-based videoconferencing system known as WoredaNet to allow the prime minister, other ministers, and high-level civil servants to regularly communicate with local officials.
Disclaimer: © Freedom House, Inc. · All Rights Reserved
This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.


text: Until they lose their baby to a miscarriage, a young couple were happily settling into their new life in their spacious home. After the tragedy, Thao is inconsolable and won't let her baby's body leave the house. Normal life eludes her as terrifying visions undermine her sanity. Her husband, Thanh, experiences strange phenomena around their home and when his wife turns on him, he must race to uncover the secrets of the house in the alley before they lose their sanity and their lives.


text:
Your default ordination name corresponds to the name you originally entered into your application for ordination. You may contact us and request a name change if your legal name has changed since the time you were first ordained.
Your default ordination date corresponds to the date you originally completed your application for ordination. You may contact us and request a different date under the following circumstance:
If you were ordained prior to your default ordination date (in-person, under a different name, or via a different system) we may be able to renew your ordination. You will need to contact our support staff for a short interview and will likely be asked to provide proof of your prior ordination, like a scan of your old ordination document. Please keep in mind that we are only able to "renew" your ordination. Any documents you order will display both your proven original ordination date and the "renewal" ordination date on which your information was logged in the Universal Life Church databases.
If this wedding is being performed in NYC there are a few more steps to make it legal.
Is this wedding being performed within the five boroughs of New York City?
Weddings in Nevada require additional information, and legally you will need this package.
The state of Minnesota requires all ministers ordained with the Universal Life Church to provide a Letter of Good Standing with the church.
For your convenience we have added the required notarized letter bearing the live signatures of the authorized church officials that will comply with your local laws.


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On the beach there are two different types of connection: the first, named "Bibione Spiaggia Free Easy" it's free and active 24/7 for everybody after logging. For those who need a fast connection, there is the connection "Bibione Spiaggia Premium", a payment service that you can activate by buying the dedicated card in the beach box office.
The rates are on a range from a daily 5€ to a maximum of 110€ for the whole summer season.


text: HydroMassage Table "This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by Dr. James M. Cox I."


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The Masked Singer Season 11
Celebrities compete in a singing competition with one major twist: each singer is shrouded from head to toe in an elaborate costume, complete with full face mask to conceal his or her identity. One singer will be eliminated each week, ultimately revealing his or her true identity.
Genre: Reality
Director: Craig Plestis
Actors: Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg, Ken Jeong, Nick Cannon, Nicole Scherzinger, Rita Ora, Robin Thicke


text: Guitar lovers unite! This officially licensed Axe Heaven Gibson ES-335 faded cherry mini guitar collectible is the perfect gift for any guitar fan. Each mini guitar model is 1:4 scale and is approximately 10" long. Included with your mini guitar collectible is one miniature adjustable A-frame stand, one guitar case gift box stamped with a gold foil Gibson logo, and a real Gibson guitar pick product tag to prove full authenticity of your collectible. Officially licensed by Gibson guitars and produced by Axe Heaven. Although these collectible mini guitars are awesome, they are not playable.