Gabon's state-run media regulatory agency, the National Communications Council, suspended three newspapers on May 29, 2013, according to news reports.

The Council suspended private weekly Ezombolo for six months because of an April 22 column that criticized President Ali Bongo's record in office, according to news reports.

The Council also suspended for six months the satirical supplement of La Griffe newspaper, Le Gri-Gri de la Griffe, on broad accusations of "indulging in indecency and vulgarity in most of its publications," according to news reports. La Griffe Managing Editor Olivier Konaté told CPJ that prior to the suspension, the Council had warned the newspaper to tone down its content after receiving a complaint over a caricature of a former official.

Cats and Craziness
The New York Times
August 11th, 1872


It is a curious fact that lunatics especially those whose lunacy is of a mild and comparatively innocuous type, frequently evince a remarkable fondness for cats. The insane man or woman who lives in a garret, in the intimate society of three or four score cats, is perpetually coming to the knowledge of the public. The crazy lover of cats usually regards his attachment as a guilty one, or, at all events, one which is to be kept, if possible, from the knowledge of his human neighbors. With the proverbial cunning of the lunatic, he generally succeeds in attaining this object, and it is only when his corpse is
discovered surrounded by riotous cats, evidently bent upon "waking" him after the most approved feline fashion, that his curious infatuation becomes known.

This sort of lunatic is often a person of considerable property. In such cases, he usually bequeaths his money in trust for the benefit of his pets. One of the most careful and thorough of such testamentary follies was that recently committed by a deceased resident of Ohio. This person not only provided for the luxurious lodging and feeding of his beloved associates, but he went still further, and insured, so far as crazy testator could, a constant supply of healthy attractive amusement for them. He instructed his executors to prepare a large quantity of eligible rat-holes in his Feline Retreat, and to stock them with a lavish supply of vigorous rats of the breed best adapted for the pleasures of the chase. He was also careful to secure for his cats abundant opportunity for the cultivation of their musical abilities, and with that view directed that they should at all times have free access to the roofs of an extensive series of outhouses, where they could warble midnight melodies, and, with their tuneful voices, bless the beneficent founder of the Feline Retreat. It is a little remarkable that he omitted to provide them with an unlimited supply of free catnip and gratuitous valerian. It is possible, however, that he looked upon the use of these weeds as a form of feline dissipation which he could not encourage with any proper regard for the morals or health of young and thoughtless cats.

As has been said, this lunatic was by no means exceptional in his excessive fondness for cats. What is the true reason for this infatuation on the part of an unfortunate persons like himself no one has yet thought it worth while to inquire. It is certainly very remarkable that the lunatic never evinces any extravagant attachment to dogs, or to any other respectable and upright animal. The treacherous selfish, and cunning cat alone is able to fascinate him. He places no value upon the honest, faithful affection of the large-hearted dog, and he never pines for the sympathetic wagging of a friendly tale. On the other hand, he delights to watch the luxurious selfishness with which the cat coldly accepts and thanklessly enjoys the fawns which he lavishes upon her, and he never seems to disapprove of the intense egotism with which she devotes her mind wholly to the pleasures of eating and sleeping, and the vain adornment of her person. There is evidently a bond of union between the lunatic and the cat which does not exist between sane persons and that undesirable animal. Possibly this bond consists in the fact that in most cases the lunatic develops a stealthy, torturous cunning which assimilates him in some degree to the cat. At all events, the student of lunacy might well occupy his time in investigating the cause of this curious and frequent feature of insanity.


Published: August 11, 1872
Copyright The New York Times
(Reproduced By Everydaycats.com With Permission From The New York Times)

President Barack Obama arrives in Phoenix tonight and will stay at the Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak.

A reader this morning asked me an excellent question: Where's the outrage?

Protesters dog the Washington Redskins from coast to coast in an ongoing crusade to get the team to give up a nickname they consider offensive to Native Americans.

Is the word "squaw" any less offensive? (Answer: an emphatic "no".)

Twelve years ago, then-Gov. Janet Napolitano called for and won the rebranding of Squaw Peak, erasing a name for Native American women that many find offensive and replacing it with one that will, for all time, stand for honor. Squaw Peak is now Piestewa Peak, named for Lori Piestewa, who died in Iraq in 2003, becoming the first Native American woman to die in combat in the U.S. military.

Yet in 2015, the Hilton retains Squaw Peak as part of its name.

And tonight, the president of the United States will lay down his head in its Squaw Peak resort.

The 2014 holiday season is expected to be the best for retailers in three years. Whether it was lower gas prices, confidence in the job market or egg nog-related, the Main Street consumer decided to splurge.

So if Main Street is spending money again, 2015 just may be the year that Wall Street and the rest of the 1 percent go back to doing what they love — and what the 99 percent loves to hate them for — spending money.

I hit up some of Wall Street's favorite spending haunts and here's what I found.

Sports bars

Sunday Fun Day is a favorite Wall Street event. Popular NYC Sports Bars like Bounce and Ainsworth turn into Sports nightclubs on Sunday afternoons. It combines bottle service, sparklers and attractive waitresses wearing referee outfits while the DJ is spinning Calvin Harris. Football also happens to be on in the background.

Sunday Fun Day has taken a dip in the last few years but I went out last Sunday and it felt like 2007 again. I frequent one place but still had to grease the bouncer to get in. The table minimum they were asking for was twice last year's asking price. The next table had members of my beloved New York Giants celebrating their successful 6-10 season. (Thank god I hit my three-team parlay. The meaningless touchdown in the Seahawks game gave me just enough money to afford the inflated price of that third bottle of Moet Chandon!)

Strip clubs

First, let's get one thing straight: Entertaining at strip clubs is now strictly prohibited on Wall Street. If you try and expense a lap dance at Roberts Steakhouse, you will be fired! However, even FINRA can't tell you not to spend time at a gentleman's club on your own dime.

The 2008 recession hit strip clubs hard initially, but the industry made adjustments to survive and to capitalize when the economy picked up. For example, Sapphire Gentlemen's Club runs a party called SINS every Sunday night.

As vehicles unloaded boxes of equipment wrapped in green-and-black cloth, the Marines formed a line on the tarmac and had their temperatures checked by Liberian health workers.