Late Venezuelan president Chavez remembered worldwide
Prime Minister Stephen Harper hopes for ‘a better, brighter future’ for Venezuelans
The Associated Press Posted: Mar 6, 2013 5:50 AM ET Last Updated: Mar 6, 2013 5:45 AM ET Read 0 comments0
Supporters of Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez, who died Tuesday after a battle with an undisclosed type of cancer, react to the announcement of his death. (Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters)
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Some marked Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s death with tears; others with cheers. There was deep mourning in Latin America, condolences from Europe and Asia, and from Iran’s president, predictions of great works in the afterlife.

‘Chavez is more alive than ever.’
—Bolivian President Evo Morales
U.S. President Barack Obama, meanwhile, focused on “a new chapter” for Venezuela, following 14 years in which Chavez cast himself as bulwark against American domination.

Chavez, who died Tuesday, was seen as a hero by some for his socialist programs, his anti-U.S. rhetoric and gifts of cut-rate oil. Others considered him a bully who repressed his opponents.

Condolences come from Chavez’s allies
A teary-eyed Bolivian President Evo Morales, one of Chavez’s closest allies and most loyal disciples, declared that “Chavez is more alive than ever.”

“Chavez will continue to be an inspiration for all peoples who fight for their liberation,” Morales said Tuesday in a televised speech. “Chavez will always be present in all the regions of the world and all social sectors. Hugo Chavez will always be with us, accompanying us.”

Bolivia’s President Evo Morales said “Chavez is more alive than ever,” following an announcement of the Venezuelan president’s death on Tuesday. (David Mercado/Reuters)
Chinese President Hu Jintao, who steps down this month, and his replacement, Xi Jinping, sent condolence letters to Vice-President Nicolas Maduro, the interim president ahead of new elections.

“President Chavez was a great leader of Venezuela and a good friend to the Chinese people,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a daily media briefing. “He made significant contributions to the friendly co-operative relationship between China and Venezuela.”

In its quest to secure resources for its fast-growing economy over the past decade, China has forged a useful friendship with Chavez centred on oil. Tens of billions of dollars in Chinese loans, repayable in oil, helped fund social programs and consumer goods giveaways that made Chavez popular. His anti-American policies and posturing was also looked upon positively by some in Beijing, though Chinese leaders were careful not to show public support.

In Cuba, President Raul Castro’s government declared two days of national mourning and ordered the flag to fly at half-staff.

“It is with deep and excruciating sorrow that our people and the revolutionary government have learned of President Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias’ decease,” it said in a statement read on the nightly state TV newscast. “The Cuban people view him as one of their most outstanding sons.”

Some islanders worried that the loss of the country’s No. 1 ally, who has sent billions of dollars of oil to Cuba at preferential terms, could have a negative ripple effect there.

“It’s a very tough blow. … Now I wonder, what is to become of us?” said Maite Sierra, a 72-year-old Havana resident.

“It’s troubling what could come now, first for Venezuela but also for Cuba,” said Sergio Duran, a Havana resident. “Everything will depend on what happens in Venezuela, but in any case it will never be the same as with Chavez, even if Chavez’s party wins” in upcoming elections.

A wistful Rafael Correa, president of Ecuador and another of Chavez’s closest allies, predicted Chavez would have a lasting influence. “We have lost a revolutionary, but millions of us remain inspired.”

American-Venezuelans hope for change
In the United States, where relations with Venezuela were strained under Chavez, President Barack Obama issued a statement reaffirming Washington’s support for the “Venezuelan people and its interest in developing a constructive relationship with the Venezuelan government.”

“As Venezuela begins a new chapter in its history, the United States remains committed to policies that promote democratic principles, the rule of law, and respect for human rights,” the statement read.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter released a statement saying Chavez “will be remembered for his bold assertion of autonomy and independence for Latin American governments.”

“We came to know a man who expressed a vision to bring profound changes to his country to benefit especially those people who had felt neglected and marginalized,” Carter wrote. “Although we have not agreed with all of the methods followed by his government, we have never doubted Hugo Chavez’s commitment to improving the lives of millions of his fellow countrymen.”

Republican U.S. Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida called Chavez’s death “an opportunity for democracy in Venezuela.”

Some of the estimated 189,219 Venezuelan immigrants living in the United States — about half of them in Florida — turned out cheering and waving their country’s flag and expressed hope Tuesday that change would come to their homeland.

“We are not celebrating death,” Ana San Jorge, 37, said amid a jubilant crowd in the Miami suburb of Doral. “We are celebrating the opening of a new door, of hope and change.”

Wearing caps and T-shirts in the Venezuelan colours of yellow, blue and red, many expressed cautious optimism and concern.

“Although we might all be united here celebrating today, we don’t know what the future holds,” said Francisco Gamez, 18, at El Arepazo, a popular Venezuelan restaurant in Doral.

U.S. adversaries praise Chavez
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, like Chavez a frequent U.S. adversary, announced a day of mourning and compared Chavez to a saint, saying he will “return on resurrection day.”

Supporters of Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez react to the announcement of his death Tuesday outside the hospital where he was being treated, in Caracas, Venezuela. (Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters)
Ahmadinejad said he has “no doubt Chavez will return to Earth together with Jesus and the perfect” Imam Mahdi, the most revered figure of Shia’s Muslims, and help the two “establish peace, justice and kindness” in the world. He said he believes something “suspicious” caused the cancer that killed Chavez.

In Asia, people felt a sense of loss in countries including Vietnam. “Chavez had a very strong character,” civil servant Nguyen Van Ngoc said in Hanoi. “The United States tried to exert influence in Latin America, but it couldn’t do anything to countries like Venezuela and Cuba.”

China’s Internet, its freest court of public opinion, crackled with praise for Chavez for standing up to the U.S. and for his socialist policies.

“Chavez and the ’21st century socialism’ he advocated was a big bright spot after drastic changes in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe sunk the world socialist movement in a low ebb, and he was known as an ‘anti-American standard-bearer,” Zhu Jidong of the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ World Socialism Research Center wrote on his feed on Sina Corporation’s Twitter-like microblog service. “Mourn this great fighter.”

Canada looks to the future
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper offered condolences to Venezuela’s people and said he hopes Chavez’s death brings hope of a better future.

“At this key juncture, I hope the people of Venezuela can now build for themselves a better, brighter future based on the principles of freedom, democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights,” Harper said in a statement.

Former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien remembered him fondly on CBC-TV’s Power and Politics.

“He was a very colourful politician who had very different policies than many of us, but I had the privilege to meet him many times,” Chrétien said.

“He did his best, even if we did not agree many times on the issues.”

With files from CBC News
© The Associated Press, 2013

A 38-year-old Nigerian housewife, Mrs Mariam Adunni of Omoda Area, Ilorin, Kwara state has been granted her wish by the town’s Area Court to dissolve her six-year-old marriage.
Her ground for dissolution: her husband has been an untamed chatterbox.
Adunni told the court that her husband, Garba Ajani not only talked too much, but also did not keep family secrets.
“My husband is fond of sharing our family affairs with his relatives and friends,” she told the court, adding that the defendant has had no time for fun with her and their children.
She said: “My husband has no trust in me, instead he shares his problems with friends and relatives who will mislead him.”
The plaintiff informed the court that the marriage was contracted in 2006 and had produced two children.
“I am tired of him because I have tried my best to change him and he is not ready to cooperate,” she said.
The defendant agreed to her request for divorce, saying, “nobody can turn my back against my parents.”
“I am ready to concede to her wish”, he said and urged the court to grant the prayer of the plaintiff.
The presiding Judge, Mr Quadri Ibrahim, in his judgment, dissolved the marriage and issued a certificate of divorce to the plaintiff.

Title: nipples up yonder

Message Body:
my girl, all when u ave a baby, a stand up di baby affi go stand up fi reach dem deh nipple deh?

was di surgeon standing on a soapbox when him a do u bress?

—

DRAW FI DI COMMENTS

Get in the Game
By David Hanson

Printer Friendly Version

When I was young, I was one of those LLBW’s (Little League Bench Warmers). Sure, I was on the team, but I played so rarely that even my baseball glove would atrophy. It was the same in church; I was in the building, but as a spectator rather than an active participant. Now I am honored and humbled to know that God loves us and wants us to be active players on His team.

God’s game plan for Christians begins with our spiritual resume:

Ephesians 2:1
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,

Now there’s something to write home about; we were dead. Not even on the roster, let alone in the game. Thankfully, the plan didn’t end there.

Ephesians 2:4 and 5
(4) But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,
(5) made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

God loved us and saved us by grace, but not to sit on the bench.

Ephesians 2:10
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

We are His workmanship, created with a grand purpose: to do good works. Now admittedly, when I first heard this, I thought, “We are saved so we can WORK? Send me back to the bench!” Thankfully, I’ve matured since then.

For many years of my Christian walk, I had this sense that these good works were somewhat optional. They would be nice, but only when my own desires were met. But the verse says that God “prepared for us to do” them. There are many other verses in the Bible that tell each of us to do various good works to and for “one another.” [1] It is not just the job of full-time ministers.

Ephesians 4:11 and 12
(11) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,
(12) to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up

These ministers are not to do all of the work themselves. Rather, they are to prepare, or equip, all of us “for works of service,” so we can each help build the Body of Christ. Jesus Christ needs all of us in the game.

Ephesians 4:16
From him (Christ) the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Jesus Christ is the Head of the Body, of which we are all vital members. We all get to be directly involved with him to build up the Body. What a privilege to work with the greatest coach of all time! And, as if the myriad of commands in the Bible were not enough evidence that God wants us to do good works, look at how He has equipped us to do them:

Hebrews 13:20a and 21a
(20a) May the God of peace…
(21a) equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ…

God equips us to do His will. If He didn’t, we would be out in left field without a glove.

God also equips us through each other.

Hebrews 10:24 and 25a (KJV)
(24) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
(25a) Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another…

Again, it’s not just the minister’s job to encourage us to love and good works, but we are to help each other to do the same. God wants us to work together as a team.

To further equip us, God inspired His Word, which is “useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16 and 17). We should learn and study God’s Word so that we can be equipped to do what God wants us to do: good works.

God has also “clothed us with power from on high” (Luke 24:49) through His gift of holy spirit. He equipped us with spiritual power to love people like our Lord Jesus did.

God has gone to great lengths to call us and to equip us for good works. Notice that God says “good works,” not vexing labor What are they? Let’s start with the foundation of all that we do for God.

Matthew 22:36-39
(36) “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
(37) Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
(38) This is the first and greatest commandment.
(39) And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

What is important and pleasing to God is not always going to be the “works” themselves, but rather the heart of love behind the works. The Bible addresses doing works without love:

1 Corinthians 13:1-3
(1) If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
(2) If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
(3) If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

The works mentioned in the passage above are good, but they are only pleasing to God if they’re done in love. And love, in this context, is pretty simple: love is thinking and doing what the other needs. God needs His people loved; that’s where we get to play. Matthew 22:37 says to love “with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” And really, doesn’t God deserve this response of love, after the love He has bestowed on us?

1 John 4:9-11
(9) This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.
(10) This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
(11) Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

God deserves our whole allegiance and response of love toward Him and others. God so loved the world that He gave His Son (John 3:16); if He loves people that much, so should we.

Ephesians 5:1 and 2a
(1) Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children
(2a) and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us…

We are to imitate God and love our neighbors, which is exactly what Jesus did when he gave himself for us. Love is the hallmark of all that Jesus did toward both God (John 8:28 and 29) and people. Jesus’ good works were varied (teaching, preaching, reproving, healing, etc.), but his love for God and for people was his motivation.

Similarly, our good works will vary, but love should be behind all that we say and do. The Apostle Paul’s love for the Thessalonian believers was displayed through many different works.

1 Thessalonians 2:8a and 9, 11 and 12a
(8a) We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well…
(9) Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.
(11) For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children,
(12a) encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God…

Paul’s love is clear; it is shown by:

• sharing not only the good news, but also his life
• working “night and day” not to be a burden to them financially
• working with “each” of them as a father, with specific, personal attention to each believer
• “encouraging, comforting, or urging” them to be their best for God.

Paul’s good works varied according to the person and situation, but his love was the motivation throughout. In Acts 16, Paul heals a woman with a demon, and he gets beaten and thrown in jail for his efforts. I’m guessing that Paul scratched Philippi off his “Coolest Vacation Spots” list.

God delivers him through an earthquake, and the jailer is going to kill himself, thinking that the prisoners have escaped. Had Paul simply shut his mouth and left, the jailer would have died that night. But Paul loved even the jailer who had put him in stocks; he loved him enough to stay at the prison and shout to him not to kill himself. The jailer and his whole family got saved and have eternal life because Paul was in the game, and not just keeping the bench warm.

Now it’s our turn to play. God has called us and fully equipped us unto love and good works. The Bible commands us to do many good works, but our motivation for them all should be our love for God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

God has saved us by giving us eternal life with Him and Jesus Christ. And if that isn’t great enough, He will also reward us for all the good works we do for Him.

Hebrews 6:10
God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

God has called us to be intimately involved with Him, but He doesn’t need bench warmers. He has lovingly equipped us to love and help others, and then He’ll reward us for all we do for Him. So let’s get in the game!

Let me state a few things because this is really getting out of hand. When there is a post on JMG and you write in for a removal, please make sure of the following:-
1. Please ensure that the post you are asking to be removed is not in the regular news.
2. You have not commented on the topic, meaning that you have not been in a back and fourth verbal confrontation on the site. It would not make sense to curse the sender for hours then request a removal. If the article is disturbing enough, your first thought should be a request.
3. If you are requesting a removal of your charges, that are true but have not made it to other media houses. Please be aware that this is up to my discretion .
4. The post you want removed, was not submitted by you
5. Posts on Facebook will not be removed

HOWEVER If there is an offensive comment its removal will be taken into consideration

I will also include this in the rules….
Last week I received one of the most disturbing emails ever. I was disturbed because the person who sent in the email said I had disgraced her and her mother. The name she sent with the email was unknown to me so I told her it was not true, there was no story. She kept on accusing me until I asked her to submit the url of the post. This she did,but there was no photo of her in the post, nor was her name included. I checked the comments and found that someone had indeed mentioned the name she had provided before. The person who commented suggested that to confirm the information in the post and to see who the post was talking about, the person could be located by google.
I did the as the person suggested that day only to come upon many articles including pictures of the individual confirming the post and detailing her arrest. I mentioned this and that her name was not mentioned by me nor was her picture posted on JMG but many media houses posted details of her arrest, not only that, but she has been arrested for the same crime before. Quite disturbing to say the least because this person was all over the internet many times and JMG was the only place she sought for a removal.

Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez dead at 58

James Robbins looks back at the life of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez
Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez has died, his vice-president has announced.

Mr Chavez had not appeared in public since he returned to Venezuela last month after cancer treatment in Cuba.

An emotional Nicolas Maduro made the announcement on Tuesday evening, flanked by leading Venezuelan political and military leaders.

Earlier, he said the 58-year-old Venezuelan leader had a new, severe respiratory infection and had entered “his most difficult hours”.

Former U.S. Consulate Guard Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Attempting to Communicate National Defense Information to China
Bryan Underwood, a former civilian guard at a U.S. Consulate compound under construction in China, was sentenced today to nine years in prison in connection with his efforts to sell for personal financial gain classified photographs, information and access related to the U.S. Consulate to China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS), announced Lisa Monaco, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Ronald C. Machen Jr., U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia; Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; and Gregory B. Starr, Director of the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service.

Underwood pleaded guilty Aug. 30, 2012, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of attempting to communicate national defense information to a foreign government with intent or reason to believe that the documents, photographs or information in question were to be used to the injury of the United States or to the advantage of a foreign nation. He was sentenced by the Honorable Ellen S. Huvelle. Upon completion of his prison term, Underwood will be placed on two years of supervised release.

Underwood, 32, a former resident of Indiana, was first charged in an indictment on Aug. 31, 2011, with two counts of making false statements and was arrested on Sept. 1, 2011. On Sept. 21, 2011, he failed to appear at a scheduled status hearing in federal court in the District of Columbia. The FBI later located Underwood in a hotel in Los Angeles and arrested him there on Sept. 24, 2011. On Sept. 28, 2011, Underwood was charged in a superseding indictment with one count of attempting to communicate national defense information to a foreign government, two counts of making false statements and one count of failing to appear in court pursuant to his conditions of release.

“Bryan Underwood betrayed America’s trust by attempting to sell access to secure areas of the very U.S. Consulate compound he was charged to protect,” said Assistant Attorney General Monaco. “Today, he is being held accountable for his actions. As this case demonstrates, we remain vigilant in protecting America’s secrets and in bringing to justice those who seek to compromise them.”

“Access to classified information is a special responsibility to be honored, not a financial opportunity to be exploited,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “Bryan Underwood is going to prison because he tried to make millions by selling secret photos of a U.S. Consulate to a foreign government. His sentence demonstrates our dedication to jealously guarding our nation’s secrets. We all owe a great debt of gratitude to the agents who detected and stopped Underwood before he succeeded in betraying our country.”

“Bryan Underwood attempted to betray his country by using his access to sensitive information for his own benefit. Fortunately, he was stopped before classified information fell into the wrong hands,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Parlave. “Together with our partner agencies, the FBI will continue to diligently work to combat potential acts of espionage that threaten our national security.”

“The close working relationship between the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office resulted in the conviction of Bryan Underwood before he could potentially harm the security of our country,” said Director Starr of the Diplomatic Security Service. “This was a great success by all of the agencies involved.”

According to court documents, from November 2009 to August 2011, Underwood worked as a cleared American guard (CAG) at the site of a new U.S. consulate compound that was under construction in Guangzhou, China. During this time, the compound was not yet operational. CAGs are American civilian security guards with top secret clearances who serve to prevent foreign governments from improperly obtaining sensitive or classified information from the construction site. Underwood received briefings on how to handle and protect classified information as well as briefings and instructions on security protocols for the U.S. Consulate, including the prohibition on photography in certain areas of the consulate.

In February 2011, Underwood was asked by U.S. law enforcement to assist in a project at the consulate and he agreed. In March and April of 2011, Underwood lost a substantial amount of money in the stock market. According to court documents, Underwood then devised a plan to use his assistance to U.S. law enforcement as a “cover” for making contact with the Chinese government. According to his subsequent statements to U.S. law enforcement, Underwood intended to sell his information about and access to the U.S. Consulate to the Chinese MSS for $3 million to $5 million. If any U.S. personnel caught him, he planned to falsely claim he was assisting U.S. law enforcement.

As part of his plan, Underwood wrote a letter to the Chinese MSS, expressing his “interest in initiating a business arrangement with your offices” and stating, “I know I have information and skills that would be beneficial to your offices [sic] goals. And I know your office can assist me in my financial endeavors.” According to court documents, Underwood attempted to deliver this letter to the offices of the Chinese MSS in Guangzhou, but was turned away by a guard who declined to accept the letter. Underwood then left the letter in the open in his apartment hoping that the Chinese MSS would find it, as he believed the MSS routinely conducted searches of apartments occupied by Americans.

In May 2011, Underwood secreted a camera into the new U.S. consulate compound and took photographs of a restricted building and its contents. Several of these photographs depict areas or information classified at the Secret level. Underwood also created a schematic that listed all security upgrades to the U.S. consulate and drew a diagram of the surveillance camera locations at the consulate. In addition, according to his subsequent statements to U.S. law enforcement, Underwood “mentally” constructed a plan in which the MSS could gain undetected access to a building at the U.S. consulate to install listening devices or other technical penetrations.

According to court documents, the photographs Underwood took were reviewed by an expert at the State Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security who had original classification authority for facilities, security and countermeasures at the U.S. Consulate. The expert determined that several of the photographs contained images classified at the Secret level and that disclosure of such material could potentially cause serious damage to the United States.

In early August 2011, Underwood was interviewed several times by FBI and Diplomatic Security agents, during which he admitted making efforts to contact the Chinese MSS, but falsely claimed that he took these actions to assist U.S. law enforcement. On Aug. 19, 2011, Underwood was again interviewed by law enforcement agents and he admitted that he planned to sell photos, information and access to the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou to the Chinese MSS for his personal financial gain.

After initially being arraigned in this case on Sept. 1, 2011, Underwood was released on his personal recognizance, with certain conditions, including staying within the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and returning to court for a status hearing on Sept. 21, 2011. Instead of returning to court as promised, Underwood purchased a bicycle, racks, panniers, helmet and multiple energy snack bars. He left a fake suicide note at his hotel room in Springfield, Va. Then, alive and well, he pedaled west out of Springfield and eventually boarded a bus in Wytheville, Va., under a false name. He was arrested on Sept. 24, 2011 in a hotel room in Los Angeles, with over $10,000 in cash and 80,000 Japanese yen. He has been in custody ever since.

The U.S. government has found no evidence that Underwood succeeded in passing classified information concerning the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou to anyone at the Chinese MSS.

This investigation was conducted jointly by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the State Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security. The prosecution was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Brandon L. Van Grack from the Counterespionage Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.