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Monday, March 11, 2013

Run-in with China cops sparks online outrage

nandu.com

Law enforcement officers tackle fruit seller Li Shengyan in Guangzhou, China, in an incident that turned into a public relations nightmare for the authorities.

By Le Li, Producer, NBC News

Cops in China charged with fighting petty crime have become so notorious for their abuse of power that their official name, Chengguan, has become slang for thuggishness. ?Don?t be too chengguan,? one might admonish another, meaning ?don?t be such a bully.?

That reputation was given more fuel Wednesday when a newspaper ran pictures of an officer tackling a diminutive fruit vendor in the southern boomtown of Guangzhou as her 16-month-old daughter looked on. During the incident, he grabbed Li Shengyan's?neck and wrestled her to the ground after a dispute over a fruit knife.

Once such incidents would have provoked little comment and the authorities did not need to fear the court of public opinion.

nandu.com

After Li Shengyan was arrested, her 18-month-old daughter gave her a hug.

But the popularity of social media websites has changed all that. Users of China?s two most popular Twitter-like services had commented on the pictures some 7 million times by Friday, many expressing their disgust at the police.

There are now signs that those in power are being forced to take people power seriously, even if the eventual outcome is much the same.

One expert on Chinese social media said that while officials? first instincts were ?to cover up and distract attention? from controversial events, they now faced losing their jobs if they handled them badly.

Wednesday?s incident ? as described by the report in the Southern Metropolitan newspaper -- started after officials confiscated her fruit knife. One officer, Ao Dating, then threatend to take away her fruit and the cart.

Pomegranate thrown
Li then yelled at Ao and hurled a pomegranate at him. This enraged Ao and he grabbed her by the neck. ?The officer then forced her to the ground. His colleagues eventually dragged him off Li.

One picture showed Li with her hands tied -- unable to comfort her daughter as the young girl hugged her.

After the confrontation, Li was arrested and taken to a police station along with her daughter. Her cart was confiscated.

By Thursday, the story had become an internet sensation.?

?Brute!? one blogger posted.

?Can?t you be a little more civilized? Do you know how much it will traumatize the girl,? another said.

The traditional response given by officials to international press enquiries about events like this is: ?I do not know.??

However, this time, a spokeswoman for Guangzhou?s City Urban Administrative and Law Enforcement Bureau was surprisingly forthcoming.

?Our bosses are investigating the incident and will inform the public once we find out,? she said. ?We are waiting for the results too.?

Jeremy Goldkorn, an expert on Chinese media and Internet culture, said local governments were increasingly held to account by higher authorities for issues raised on the blogosphere.

?If they do not react, these lower level officials like city urban management police could lose their jobs,? he said.

?The first reaction of these types of officials is just to try to cover up and distract attention from the case. Because of the speed and growth of the social media, it becomes more and more difficult for that kind of distraction happen,? he added.

Investigation blames Li
After its investigation, the law enforcement bureau said an officer had been suspended and there was a report Li had been given an apology as she was released from custody.

However, the investigation blamed it on Li, accusing her of attacking officials, injuring one. A picture of Li throwing the pomegranate was also released.

The original report in the Southern Metropolitan was taken down and other websites commenting on the incident also disappeared.

Li's cart was returned, but she was left unhappy.

?They (the officials) said ?The girl, and her parents were well taken care of by the police,? she posted on a Tencent Weibo account which was registered to her. ?It was just a show. My girl?s diaper was not changed in 24 hours ? the police should face what they have done instead of writing a nice article to make themselves look good."

Huang Pei, of?NBC News, contributed to this report.

Related:

Chinese ex-police detained while trying to stamp out corruption

Communist Party honcho's airport rage caught on camera

Chinese official booted after account of lurid affair emerges

Source: http://behindthewall.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/03/10/17237642-online-outrage-over-fruit-sellers-run-in-with-china-cops-shows-power-of-social-media?lite

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Sunday, March 10, 2013

Yankees closer Rivera says this is final season

New York Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera, who holds baseball's all-time saves record, announces his plans to retire at the end of the 2013 season during a news conference at Steinbrenner Field, Saturday, March 9, 2013, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

New York Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera, who holds baseball's all-time saves record, announces his plans to retire at the end of the 2013 season during a news conference at Steinbrenner Field Saturday, March 9, 2013 in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, lower left, and pitcher Andy Pettitte, sit with coaches behind them as they watch Mariano Rivera, who holds baseball's all-time saves record, announce his plans to retire at the end of the 2013 season at a news conference at Steinbrenner Field Saturday, March 9, 2013 in Tampa, Fla. The entire Yankees team showed up to hear the announcement. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson, far left, snaps a photo as he sits beside New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, center, and pitcher Andy Pettitte, right, as they watch Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera, who holds baseball's all-time saves record, announce his plans to retire at the end of the 2013 season during a news conference at Steinbrenner Field Saturday, March 9, 2013 in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

New York Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera, who holds baseball's all-time saves record, walks with his wife Clara, far left, and his son Jaziel, followed by Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, before announcing his plans to retire at the end of the 2013 season at a news conference at Steinbrenner Field Saturday, March 9, 2013 in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) ? Saying he made the decision before arriving at spring training, Mariano Rivera announced Saturday that he will retire at the end of the season and hopes to cap his record-setting career by winning another World Series with the New York Yankees.

Rivera was surrounded by family and teammates when he made the announcement during a news conference at the team's complex.

The 43-year-old has a clear vision of how he wants his career to end.

"The last game I hope will be throwing the last pitch in the World Series," he said. "Winning the World Series, that would be my ambition."

With the entire Yankees' team looking on ? including longtime teammates Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte ? Rivera said he knew the time was right for his decision.

"I have just a few bullets left," he said.

Rivera holds the career saves record with 608 and has helped the Yankees win five World Series titles. He is regarded as the greatest closer of all time, whether he's throwing his cut fastball in the regular season or postseason.

"We just have a special relationship," Pettitte said. "I don't know how to explain it. Obviously, when you spent as much time together after as many years as we've been together, you just kind of grow a little closer to one another than you would with other teammates. He's always been there for me."

Rivera missed most of last year after tearing his right knee while shagging flyballs during batting practice in early May. Rivera said he would have retired at the end of last season if he had not gotten hurt.

"I didn't want to leave like that," he said. "I felt like I wanted to give everything."

He also said he wanted to give Yankees fans around the major leagues a chance to see him one more time, knowing this will be the end.

"I'm actually appreciative that we get to enjoy him for one more year," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "I think he's prepared to go 100 percent. I think he'll have a good year. It's been a real treat for me. I was relaxed when he came into the game as a catcher, and I'm relaxed when he comes into the game as a manager, so that's probably about the highest compliment you can pay a closer."

Rivera's wife and two children were by his side for the news conference. He began by playfully thanking the Yankees for giving him a new contract for two additional years through 2015 ? which would break a team policy of not negotiating new deals before the old ones expire.

"It's not too easy when you come to a decision like this," Rivera said, turning serious. "After this year, I will be retired. ... Now you're hearing it from me. It's official now."

While others have proclaimed him the best closer in baseball history, Rivera wouldn't put that label on himself.

"I don't feel myself, the greatest of all time. I'm a team player," he said. "I would love to be remembered as a player who was always there for others."

Yankees general Brian Cashman said he knew Rivera's intention was to retire last season.

"He's irreplaceable," Cashman said. "He is the greatest of all-time. I've known him since he was in the minor leagues, and he's never changed once. You see a lot of players that get a lot of money, become famous and change over time. He hasn't changed a bit. I've got more respect for him as a player and person because of that."

Hall of Fame reliever Goose Gossage, a Yankees' guest instructor, called Rivera "not only a great pitcher, but as great a person." Gossage noted that the role of closer has gone from multiple innings to basically a one-inning job.

"Mo is as good as anybody that's ever done it," Gossage said. "The last thing I want to do is take anything away from this guy, he is great. But I would throw out the challenge that, do what we did and we'll compare apples to apples. We didn't get to pitch just one inning, but I believe today is the way they should be used."

Former Yankees catcher Jorge Posada said there is only one Mariano Rivera.

"There won't be another person who will come along and do what he did," Posada said in a statement. "I'm so happy he is going out on his terms. Now every time he steps into a ballpark this year, teams and fans can celebrate and appreciate what he has meant to this great game we play."

Rivera said he will miss being on the field but not the long travel and many nights in hotels. He will be the last player to wear No. 42 ? retired for Jackie Robinson by Major League Baseball in 1997 but allowed to remain for players using it at the time.

"Being the last player to wear No. 42 is a privilege," he said.

Rivera has not pitched in an exhibition game this spring training. He usually goes at his own pace in camp, working in the bullpen and throwing in simulated games ? while avoiding bus trips to opponents' spring ballparks.

The 12-time All-Star has earned a record 42 saves in the postseason while putting up an 0.70 ERA. He began his major league career in 1995 and has spent his entire time with the Yankees.

Rivera made just nine appearances last season before he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee on May 3, and he had surgery on June 12. Rivera returned to his native Panama earlier this week on a personal matter.

As for the future, Rivera wants to take time off after this season to spend with his family. He envisions himself working in baseball, perhaps with minor leaguers.

"I definitely will be involved in the game some way, some aspect of the game," he said.

Rivera said there is no sadness, but it's a celebration, in announcing his retirement.

"There's nothing to be sad (about)," Rivera said. "I did everything within my power to enjoy the game, to do it well, to respect the game of baseball. Have so much joy, and no one can take that joy away from me."

"Thank God I was able to play the game of baseball for so many years," Rivera added. "I want no fans, no one member of my family to be sad."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-03-09-BBA-Yankees-Rivera/id-444813f5b2f642b4b36c3456e3db2e6c

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Falkland Islanders vote with an eye on Argentina

People drive their vehicles bearing British flags and stickers in favor of keeping the Falkland Islands as an overseas territory of the United Kingdom in Port Stanley, Falkland Islands, Saturday, March 9, 2013. The local Falkland Islands Government has mobilized a major effort to get registered voters to answer a yes-or-no to the referendum; "Do you wish the Falkland Islands to retain their current political status as an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom?", scheduled for March 10-11, 2013. (AP Photo/Paul Byrne)

FILE - In this March 6, 2012 file photo, Daisy Rowlands crosses a street in Stanley, Falkland Islands. The local Falkland Islands Government has mobilized a major effort to get registered voters to answer a yes-or-no to the referendum; "Do you wish the Falkland Islands to retain their current political status as an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom?", scheduled for March 10-11, 2013. (AP Photo/Michael Warren, File)

STANLEY, Falkland Islands (AP) ? Britain is hoping this weekend's referendum on the political status of the Falkland Islands will push the United States and other neutral governments off the fence in its territorial dispute with Argentina over the remote South Atlantic archipelago.

The local Falkland Islands Government has mobilized a major effort to get as many of its 1,650 registered voters as possible to cast their secret ballots Sunday and Monday, preparing to send off-road vehicles, boats and seaplanes to remote sheep farms across the lightly populated islands.

Elections observers from Canada, Mexico, the U.S., Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile and New Zealand also will be watching as islanders answer a simple yes-or-no question: "Do you wish the Falkland Islands to retain their current political status as an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom?"

Islanders expect the answer to be overwhelmingly in favor of British governance and protection, a result they hope will put their own self-determination at the center of any debate about their future in the face of Argentine claims to the islands. Britain wants the U.S. in particular to recognize the islanders' rights, but Secretary of State John Kerry refused to budge during his recent visit to London.

"I'm not going to comment, nor is the president, on a referendum that has yet to take place," Kerry said, punting the question until after the results are announced Monday night. "Our position on the Falklands has not changed. The United States recognizes de facto U.K. administration of the islands, but takes no position on the question of the parties' sovereignty claims."

"Sovereignty" is a term that focuses on a territory more than its people, and it's the word Argentina often invokes while asserting its claim to the islands. Late Friday, Argentina's foreign ministry repeated its assertion that the islanders are an "implanted" people and that U.N. resolutions require Britain to resolve the dispute bilaterally, "taking into account the 'interests' (not the 'desires') of the inhabitants of the islands."

Britain prefers to refer to "self-determination," which focuses more on the people than the land they live on.

The U.S. strongly endorsed self-determination for the people of South Sudan ahead of their 2011 referendum, which showed 99 percent wanted independence from their northern neighbor. President Barack Obama said during the Arab Spring uprisings that "the United States of America welcomes change that advances self-determination" for people in Egypt and Tunisia. The Palestinians and the Puerto Ricans have gained similar support for self-determination rights, and Obama even came out in favor of a UN declaration supporting self-determination for Native Americans.

The Obama administration also has expressed support for letting Puerto Ricans, who are U.S. citizens, determine their territory's relationship to the U.S., though the result of a referendum on the question last year was ambiguous.

But when it comes to the Falklands, which Argentines claim Britain stole from them nearly two centuries ago, and which the two nations fought a war over in 1982, Washington has always tried to take no side. US policy casts it more as a dispute over a territory than a population. This is why the referendum poses a potential dilemma for the U.S., diplomats and political scientists say.

"What we hope is that an act of self-determination in a free society, where people are able to vote as they did in Puerto Rico, is not something that anybody can dismiss or ignore," Britain's ambassador to Chile, Jon Benjamin, told The Associated Press. "It's a self-evident reflection of the will of the people. And that will be the case shortly in the Falkland Islands too. The people there have the right to choose how they are governed and under whose sovereignty."

Mark Jones, a Latin American politics expert at Rice University in Texas, called the U.S. position "tortured" and difficult to maintain.

"It's hypocritical for the U.S. to deny the right of the Falkland Islanders to self-determination, while at the same time supporting that same right for a host of other groups throughout the globe. The referendum's clear-cut outcome makes the U.S. position increasingly untenable and difficult to justify," Jones said.

The Falkland Islands Government is a direct democracy and largely self-governing, although Britain handles its defense and foreign affairs, and the queen's representative has veto power over its decisions. So far, islanders have decided to keep their permanent population very small, making it very hard to obtain formal "islander status."

Excluding the British military and civilian contractors, the islands' population was 2,563 in last year's census, and only 1,973 of them had islander status. The referendum rules exclude anyone who lacks a British passport and hasn't lived in the islands for the last 12 months.

It boils down to 1,650 voting adults, a tiny electorate and one in which the voters all know each other ? and their parents and grandparents, some going back nine generations ? very well. There were no polls before the vote, but islanders interviewed by the AP predicted that nearly everyone would vote to keep things as they are.

Immediately following the vote, Falkland Islands lawmakers Sharon Halford and Mike Summers planned to arrive in Washington to lobby administration officials and members of Congress.

___

Associated Press writers Michael Warren in Buenos Aires and Luis Alonso Lugo in Washington contributed to this report.

___

Michael Warren on Twitter: (at)mwarrenap

Luis Alonso Lugo on Twitter: (at)luisalonsolugo

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-03-09-Falklands%20Referendum/id-89674becd0704c84a7820fffa0491bd7

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Man reunited with dog a decade later | MNN - Mother Nature Network

Jamie Carpentier, of Nashua, N.H., told himself ?no more dogs? after his boxer died on Christmas Eve. But in January he found himself browsing the Humane Society of Greater Nashua?s website, where he was shocked to find a listing for a 13-year-old basset hound named Ginger.

There were no photos of the dog, but her description read, "I have the longest ears and the biggest heart of any dog you will ever meet! I am an older girl, but I still have a lot of spunk left."

Carpentier lost his 3-year-old dog Ginger in 2003 when he and his wife divorced. Then, without his knowledge, his wife gave the basset hound to the Nashua shelter, where an older couple adopted her.

But in October ? almost 10 years later ? the couple returned Ginger to the shelter because they were unable to care for her any longer.

Curious if the dog could actually be his Ginger, Carpentier emailed the Humane Society to ask for a photo of the dog. He compared the shelter?s photo with the puppy pictures he?d saved, and saw that the markings were the same. Ginger was his dog.

Carpentier visited the shelter on Jan. 21 and Ginger immediately recognized him.

"She heard my voice. I walked up to her and she kind of gave me a couple of licks or kisses. And I was like, ?She knows who I am. She remembers my voice,'" he said.

After that, Carpentier changed his mind about the no-more-dogs policy, and he and his fianc?e and daughter adopted Ginger on the spot.

"She's going to live with me 'til the end," Carpentier told ABC affiliate WMUR-TV. "I just want her to be happy and live a good dog life."

Watch a video of Ginger's and Carpentier's reunion below.

More pet stories on MNN:

Source: http://www.mnn.com/family/pets/stories/man-reunited-with-dog-a-decade-later

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Thursday, March 7, 2013

Razer enlists Rahul Sood of VoodooPC fame as advisor to its board of directors

Rahul Sood is still keeping busy at Microsoft, but he's adding yet another role to his resume: advisor to Razer's board of directors. The VoodooPC founder says he views the gaming-focused firm as the spiritual successor to his PC outfit's previous work, and Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan effectively considers the feeling mutual. "In fact, it was his work at VoodooPC that inspired us to enter the systems business, and I believe his advice will be invaluable to us here at Razer," says Tan. In his new capacity, Sood will help guide the company with everything from product development to sales. We can only hope the collaboration leads to more Ferrari tie-ins and good advice when it comes to gaming hardware like the Razer Blade and Razer Edge.

Filed under: Gaming

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/RT-qzbPFAR0/

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Gun manufacturers won?t fight background checks

Bob Pfefferkorn sells handguns at the Gun, Knife and Outdoorsmen Show in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on Feb. 9, 2013.??

The nation's leading lobby for gun manufacturers said in an interview with The Washington Post that it will not oppose legislation to expand background checks for gun purchases.

"That?s more the NRA?s issue,? Steve Sanetti, president of the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), told The Washington Post. ?From the commercial side, we?re already there, and we?ve been there, and we were the ones that have been the strongest proponents of an effective, complete background check.?

The group's position puts it at odds with the powerful National Rifle Association and is also a potential boon for a bipartisan group of senators working on legislation to expand background checks. Currently, gun buyers must pass a background check to prove they do not have a serious criminal record or have been declared mentally ill by a judge before they can purchase a weapon. But those who buy firearms from individuals who are not licensed gun dealers can avoid this check.

The NRA has taken a strong stance against expanding background checks to private firearms sales, arguing that closing the loophole will still not stop criminals from getting guns.

"When it comes to the issue of background checks, let?s be honest?background checks will never be 'universal' because criminals will never submit to them," NRA Executive Vice President and CEO Wayne LaPierre said at a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting in January. The group also argues that the background check database is error ridden.

Expanding background checks has attracted more bipartisan support than some of the other laws sought by President Barack Obama and other Democrats, including renewing a ban on some semi-automatic weapons and banning high-capacity magazines that carry more than 10 rounds of ammunition.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/gun-advocates-part-ways-nra-background-check-issue-170211612--election.html

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Russian police arrest 3 suspects in Bolshoi attack

MOSCOW (AP) ? Russian police said Tuesday they arrested three men in the acid attack that nearly blinded the artistic director of the Bolshoi ballet, including a star dancer suspected of masterminding the plot.

Sergei Filin was left with severe burns to his eyes and face when a masked attacker threw a jar of sulfuric acid in his face as he returned home late on Jan. 17. The 42-year-old former dancer is now undergoing treatment in Germany.

Interior Ministry spokesman Anatoly Lastovetsky said Bolshoi soloist Pavel Dmitrichenko is suspected of planning the attack.

Police also arrested the suspected perpetrator of the attack and the man believed to have driven him to and from the scene, the spokesman said.

It was unclear whether either man had any connection to the famed ballet company.

Dmitrichenko, who joined the Bolshoi in 2002, has danced several major parts in recent years, including Ivan the Terrible in the ballet of the same name.

Bolshoi Theater spokeswoman Katerina Novikova said management was not aware of a conflict between him and Filin. Channel One state television reported that Dmitrichenko's girlfriend, however, also a Bolshoi soloist, was known to have been at odds with Filin.

The Bolshoi Theater is one of Russia's premier cultural institutions, best known for "Swan Lake" and the other grand classical ballets that grace its stage. But backstage, the ballet company has been troubled by deep intrigue and infighting that have led to the departure of several artistic directors over the past few years.

Filin's colleagues have said the attack could be in retaliation for his selection of certain dancers over others for prized roles. Filin told state television before he checked out of a Moscow hospital that he knew who ordered the attack but would not name the person.

The Interior Ministry said the alleged perpetrator, 35-year-old Yury Zarutsky, was arrested in the Tver region north of Moscow. Earlier in the day, police had detained and questioned the suspected accomplice, whom the spokesman identified as Andrei Lipatov. No other details were provided.

Russian news agencies reported that Lipatov had been detained in the town of Stupino, a sprawling Moscow suburb that has summer houses owned by the Bolshoi Theater and used by its dancers and management. Dmitrichenko said in a recent interview that he was managing the dachas in his spare time.

In a February interview with Snob magazine, the Bolshoi's general director, Anatoly Iksanov, said the attack on Filin was inspired by longtime principal dancer Nikolai Tsiskaridze.

"I don't blame that particular crime on him, but I'm accusing Nikolai of escalating the situation at the theater, of putting psychological pressure on the theater's staff and management, on Filin, on myself and teachers," he said.

Tsiskaridze, a long-time critic of the theater's management, has denied the allegation and accused Iksanov and his allies of fueling the dispute.

Dmitrichenko's girlfriend, Anzhelina Vorontsova, was coached by Tsiskaridze.

Many ballet stars, including Anastasia Volochkova, have sided with Tsiskaridze. Alexei Ratmansky, the Bolshoi ballet's artistic director from 2004 until 2008, has likened the atmosphere at the theater to "a disgusting cesspool" and said that the attack stems from "the lack of any ethics at the theater."

Ratmansky is now an artist-in-residence at the American Ballet Theater in New York.

____

Nataliya Vasilyeva, Varya Kudryavtseva, Yelena Yegorova and Laura Mills contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/russian-police-arrest-3-suspects-bolshoi-attack-171559526.html

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