Paul E Ester
Paul E Ester's JournalBerlin Jewish Museum’s ‘Jew in the Box’ Exhibit - Some people are not happy about this
“A lot of our visitors don’t know any Jews and have questions they want to ask,” museum official Tina Luedecke said. “With this exhibition we offer an opportunity for those people to know more about Jews and Jewish life.”
But not everybody thinks putting a Jew on display is the best way to build understanding and mutual respect.
Since the exhibit — “The Whole Truth, everything you wanted to know about Jews” — opened this month, the “Jew in the Box,” as it is popularly known, has drawn sharp criticism within the Jewish community — especially in the city where the Nazis orchestrated the slaughter of 6 million Jews until Adolf Hitler’s defeat in 1945.
http://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/128317/berlin-jewish-museums-jew-in-the-box-exhibit
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2301268/Outrage-Jew-box-exhibition-Berlin-museum-participant-sits-glass-cage-hours-answering-questions.html
Meet Ahmed, 8-year-old Free Syrian Army soldier from Aleppo
It is one of the most shocking images from the Syrian war. An eight-year-old boy draws deeply on a cigarette, the small fingers of his other hand clutching a an AK-47 rifle that balances awkwardly against his chest.
His parents killed, he's adopted by the FSA who hand him an AK and put him on the front lines. The framed shot at the end was incredible, a thousand-yard stare from an 8 year old.
Can you hear me now? Feds admit FBI warrantless cellphone tracking ‘very common’
Source: Washington Times.
FBI investigators for at least five years have routinely used a sophisticated cellphone tracking tool that can pinpoint callers’ locations and listen to their conversations — all without getting a warrant for it, a federal court was told this week.
The use of the “Stingray,” as the tool is called, “is a very common practice” by federal investigators, Justice Department attorneys told the U.S. District Court for Arizona Thursday, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.
Installed in an unmarked van, Stingray mimics a cellphone tower, so it can pinpoint the precise location of any mobile device in range and intercept conversations and data, said Linda Lye, staff attorney at the ACLU of Northern California in a blog post about the case.
In a rare public discussion of federal electronic surveillance capabilities and authorities, Justice Department lawyers told the court hearing that, instead of a warrant, the FBI operates Stingray and other cellphone-mimicking technology under the authority of “pen register” orders. These court orders, also known as “tap and trace” orders, are generally issued to allow investigators to collect only so-called “metadata” — like all phone numbers calling to or called from a particular number.
Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/mar/29/feds-fbi-warrantless-cell-tracking-very-common/
Iowa Newspaper Criticized For Publishing Map Showing Schools With No Security
The interactive map, which has since been pulled down from the website, showed red dots indicating which schools did not have guards and green dots to show which schools did.
Security experts were shocked that a major newspaper would publish such a map.
“It is difficult to understand why the Des Moines Register would publish an interactive map that identifies names and locations of schools in which our children are most vulnerable to potential attack,” Charles Segars, a safety and security expert with OPSEC Alliance Partners, said in a press release.
http://foxnewsinsider.com/2013/03/28/fiery-interview-megyn-kelly-presses-des-moines-register-editor-rick-green-to-take-responsibility-for-school-security-map/
Thousands of armed vigilantes takeover Mexican town, arrest police
The self described 'community police' and arrested 12 officers and the town's former director of public security, who they accuse of taking part in the killing of Guadalupe Quinones Carbajal, 28, on behalf of a local organised crime group.
The 1,500-strong force has also set up improvised checkpoints on the major road running through Tierra Colorado, which connects the capital Mexico City to Acapulco, a coastal city popular with tourists less than 40 miles away.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2300381/Vigilantes-seize-town-Mexico-shoot-tourists-commander-killed.html
Standing up for themselves against a corrupt system.
Israel sets up 'field hospital' to treat injured Syrians
Israeli officials confirmed that the hospital was set up to treat injured Syrians near the border fence and avoid having to evacuate them to hospitals inside the country.
In the past month, several Syrians who were injured in the fighting between rebels and forces loyal to President Bashar Assad have been treated in northern Israel hospitals. According to AFP, eight of them were repatriated and three have remained in Israel for further treatment.
SAC hedge fund executive Michael Steinberg charged over insider trading
Source: Guardian UK
US authorities have arrested Michael Steinberg, a portfolio manager at SAC Capital and the most senior executive to date to be questioned in the investigation into the hedge fund giant.
Steinberg, 40, was led out of his Park Avenue apartment early Friday morning in handcuffs after returning from a family vacation in Florida. He has been charged with conspiracy and securities fraud.
Steinberg pleaded not guilty in federal district court in Manhattan on Friday and was freed on $3m bail.
The arrest comes amid a widening investigation into SAC, the Connecticut-based hedge fund founded by multi-billionaire investor Steven Cohen. At least nine current or former SAC employees have now been tied to allegations of insider trading. Four have pleaded guilty to federal charges.
Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/mar/29/us-authorities-hedge-fund-sac
Conservatives Offer Jim Carrey Memorabilia for Gun Money on eBay
According to The Hollywood Reporter, eBay user astrobuzz listed an item titled "Jim Carrey Autographed 8X10 Photo So I Can Afford a Gun!" in response to Carrey's video. The black-and-white autographed reprint of Carrey also had the inscription, "Spank you very much!" The Hollywood Reporter notes that while identical items sell for only $8 and attract few bids, astrobuzz's listing generated 103 bidders, raising the price up to $860 by Wednesday afternoon.
Late Wednesday night, all references to guns were purged from the item's description and the bids disappeared. "I'm selling this Jim Carrey autographed B&W photo (mint condition) for purposes I cannot explain because it might be against eBay's Terms & Conditions," the new description read.
Astrobuzz's original post spawned copycats, including eBayers who said that they would use the money to join the NRA or pursue classes and apply for a concealed-carry permit. But as of late Wednesday, the word "gun" was removed from all Carrey memorabilia on eBay.
Read more: http://www.seattlepi.com/entertainment/tv/tvguide/article/Conservatives-Offer-Jim-Carrey-Memorabilia-for-4394660.php
Ex-Nev. assemblyman Steven Brooks arrested hours after expulsion (watch video)
Source: AP
Former Nevada Assemblyman Steven Brooks has been arrested in California on charges including resisting arrest and throwing objects, just hours after he became the first lawmaker ever expelled from the Nevada Legislature.
Jail records show Barstow police arrested Brooks, 41, at about 7 p.m. Thursday on Interstate 15 at Stoddard Wells.
“We had started to discuss possible next steps,” Mitchell Posin, Brooks’ attorney, told The Associated Press Friday. “Next thing I know, I heard about this.”
Read more: http://www.rgj.com/viewint/article/20130329/NEWS07/303290040/Ex-Nev-assemblyman-Steven-Brooks-arrested-hours-after-expulsion-watch-video-
The coming homeless die-off
Social scientists say the median age has been steadily increasing for many years, supporting the “big bang” theory that many of today’s street people hit the gutter back in the 1980s era of recession and slashings of social programs.
Life expectancy on the street is about 64, and the new study, led by University of Pennsylvania social policy Professor Dennis Culhane, projects that without special attention, most of that “big bang” group of homeless people will die in the next 15 years.
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