Global
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Hours after the prime minister dissolved
parliament on Monday (Dec. 9), a tough-talking "insurrection" leader
strangled Bangkok's streets with more than 100,000 protesters,
rejected a nationwide election scheduled for Feb. 2, and declared a
right-wing "people's revolution".
The anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban told his supporters to lay siege overnight until Tuesday (Dec. 10) around Government House, which is the prime minister's now-vacant office.
In a nationally televised speech on Monday (Dec. 9) delivered outdoors at Government House, Mr. Suthep declared his "prachapiwat" or "people's revolution" will end only with the total surrender of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, her powerful family and their political allies.
Mr. Suthep said his would-be "people's council" tribunal will summon government officials and politicians and demand they confess whether or not they support Mrs. Yingluck or "the people".
He instructed people throughout Thailand to set up volunteer security forces to replace the police, because Mr. Suthep perceives police as biased in favor of Mrs. Yingluck.
The anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban told his supporters to lay siege overnight until Tuesday (Dec. 10) around Government House, which is the prime minister's now-vacant office.
In a nationally televised speech on Monday (Dec. 9) delivered outdoors at Government House, Mr. Suthep declared his "prachapiwat" or "people's revolution" will end only with the total surrender of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, her powerful family and their political allies.
Mr. Suthep said his would-be "people's council" tribunal will summon government officials and politicians and demand they confess whether or not they support Mrs. Yingluck or "the people".
He instructed people throughout Thailand to set up volunteer security forces to replace the police, because Mr. Suthep perceives police as biased in favor of Mrs. Yingluck.
Carl Gibson and Steve Horn have done an important service in writing their article outlining Srdja Popovic’s inexcusable collaboration with the global intelligence company STRATFOR and his disclosure of the activities of movements and activists with whom he has worked. Unfortunately, as will be spelled out below, the article falls into a rather simplistic and reductionist analysis of Popovic’s motivations and, more critically, misrepresents the nature of the popular uprisings in Serbia and other countries. The article also contains a number of factual errors and misleading statements.
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Violence worsened on Monday (Dec. 2) between
anti-government mobs using a hijacked bulldozer, fire engine, garbage
truck and homemade explosives to attack police who responded for the
first time with rubber bullets after the prime minister rejected the
insurrectionists' demands to cancel Thailand's elections and submit to
a dictatorial "people's council".
The Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban on Monday (Dec. 2) on charges of insurrection, punishable by life imprisonment or death under the Criminal Code's Section 113.
Insurrection under Section 113 includes anyone who "threatens to commit an act of violence" to "overthrow" the government or "seize the power."
Mr. Suthep responded on Monday (Dec. 2) night by taunting the police to "catch him" and said they should defect to his side or else his protesters would strip them of their uniforms.
"We will seize Bangkok's police headquarters" on Tuesday (Dec. 3), Mr. Suthep told his protesters occupying offices in a government complex.
The Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban on Monday (Dec. 2) on charges of insurrection, punishable by life imprisonment or death under the Criminal Code's Section 113.
Insurrection under Section 113 includes anyone who "threatens to commit an act of violence" to "overthrow" the government or "seize the power."
Mr. Suthep responded on Monday (Dec. 2) night by taunting the police to "catch him" and said they should defect to his side or else his protesters would strip them of their uniforms.
"We will seize Bangkok's police headquarters" on Tuesday (Dec. 3), Mr. Suthep told his protesters occupying offices in a government complex.
December 10th was Human Rights Day. This day is an opportunity for all of us to reflect on the importance of human rights in our increasingly interconnected world. Human Rights are basic freedoms to which all humans are entitled: the right to life, the freedom of thought and expression, and equality before the law. But are these rights applied equally, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, and other differences?
Last month I traveled on a two-week delegation to Palestine and Israel organized by Interfaith Peace-Builders. During my trip, I spoke with many individuals, both Israeli and Palestinian, and heard their personal stories. With every experience, my eyes were opened to the harsh reality of life in this region. I couldn’t help but feel outraged, knowing that the U.S. government is an ally that provides major funding to the Israeli government.
Last month I traveled on a two-week delegation to Palestine and Israel organized by Interfaith Peace-Builders. During my trip, I spoke with many individuals, both Israeli and Palestinian, and heard their personal stories. With every experience, my eyes were opened to the harsh reality of life in this region. I couldn’t help but feel outraged, knowing that the U.S. government is an ally that provides major funding to the Israeli government.
BANGKOK, Thailand -- In the biggest anti-government street protest in
years, tens of thousands of people crippled Bangkok on Monday (Nov.
25), storming and occupying the Finance Ministry and swarming around
military, police and other buildings, demanding the elected prime
minister resign.
"I invite protesters to stay here overnight at the Finance Ministry," tough-talking protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban told supporters at the multi-story building.
"I urge other protesters to do the same and seize other government buildings and offices around the country," Mr. Suthep said.
"I have no intention to resign or dissolve the House," Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra told reporters in response.
"The cabinet can still function, even though we are facing some difficulties. All sides have shown their political aims, now they must turn to face each other and talk, in order to find a peaceful way out for the country."
Police said the protesters occupying the Finance Ministry's Budget Bureau and Auditor General's Office would face prosecution.
"I invite protesters to stay here overnight at the Finance Ministry," tough-talking protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban told supporters at the multi-story building.
"I urge other protesters to do the same and seize other government buildings and offices around the country," Mr. Suthep said.
"I have no intention to resign or dissolve the House," Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra told reporters in response.
"The cabinet can still function, even though we are facing some difficulties. All sides have shown their political aims, now they must turn to face each other and talk, in order to find a peaceful way out for the country."
Police said the protesters occupying the Finance Ministry's Budget Bureau and Auditor General's Office would face prosecution.
Nelson Mandela's story, if told as a novel, would not be deemed possible in real life. Worse, we don't tell such stories in many of our novels.
A violent young rebel is imprisoned for decades but turns that imprisonment into the training he needs. He turns to negotiation, diplomacy, reconciliation. He negotiates free elections, and then wins them. He forestalls any counter-revolution by including former enemies in his victory. He becomes a symbol of the possibility for the sort of radical, lasting change of which violence has proved incapable. He credits the widespread movement in his country and around the world that changed cultures for the better while he was locked away. But millions of people look to the example of his personal interactions and decisions as having prevented a blood bath.
A violent young rebel is imprisoned for decades but turns that imprisonment into the training he needs. He turns to negotiation, diplomacy, reconciliation. He negotiates free elections, and then wins them. He forestalls any counter-revolution by including former enemies in his victory. He becomes a symbol of the possibility for the sort of radical, lasting change of which violence has proved incapable. He credits the widespread movement in his country and around the world that changed cultures for the better while he was locked away. But millions of people look to the example of his personal interactions and decisions as having prevented a blood bath.
Image
Coach Chris Kouns didn’t have far to look when he was trying to put together the roster for the Capital University women’s soccer team. Nine of the Crusaders’ 35 players came from the team’s backyard in Columbus.
That local contingent has helped the Crusaders make their first run to a NCAA Division III national semifinal. Capital, 19-4-2 overall, faces William Smith College, (21-1) 12 noon Dec. 6 in San Antonio. The winner of that game meets either Trinity University (24-0-2) or Middlebury College (17-1-3) in the national championship game 2:30 p.m. Dec. 7 in San Antonio.
“We’ve been fortunate. There have been some great soccer players who have come through central Ohio who wanted to combine education with a great soccer experience (at Capital),” Kouns says. “What’s kind of cool is our (nine out-of-state) kids learn from the central Ohio kids and the central Ohio kids are learning from them as well.”
Two of the other NCAA soccer tournaments are getting a little taste of central Ohio as well. Also in San Antonio, sophomore midfielder Noah Grumman (Upper Arlington) and Williams College (15-6) will meet Messiah College in a semifinal 8:30 p.m. on Dec.
Image
The path to Pasadena and the BCS National Championship Game on Jan. 6 has been fraught with potholes and pitfalls. No one knows that better than sophomore linebacker Joshua Perry and the Ohio State football team.
After being ranked fourth in the first BCS poll, the Buckeyes have been chasing the heels of Alabama, Florida State and Oregon for most of the year. Ohio State avoided slipping right before the finish line with freshman defensive back Tyvis Powell picking off a Devin Gardner two-point conversion attempt with 32 seconds left to preserve a 42-41 victory over Michigan on Nov. 30. Hours later, the Crimson Tide, the lead thoroughbred in the race, tumbled with a 34-28 loss to rival Auburn.
“The Chase is On. The Chase is Real,” says Perry, quoting one of the many placards hung around the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. “(Being 12-0) really shows the body of work we’ve put in but it also shows that it is never over. We have to keep going.”
On the bus ride home from Ann Arbor, the Buckeyes watched as they went from chasing to being the ones being chased.
Image
Ever wanted to make your own video games? Do you have some great ideas but no idea how to follow through with them? Or do you just want to see what indie game developers are doing right here in Ohio?
This Saturday (December 7), the Ohio Union building will host the Ohio Game Developer Expo, a day-long event where aspiring and established developers can attend lectures and panels on game design and development as well as the marketing, funding and other business aspects of the industry. Speakers include Lise Worthen-Chaudhari, who works with the OSU Medical Center to gamify physical therapy, Stephan Smith, president of Columbus-based FreshGames and Chase Grozdina, a Hilliard-based Kickstarter success story with his upcoming game ForgeQuest. The Speaker Series starts at 11 AM, with tickets for the entire day $15 in advance, $20 at the door, and discounted to $8 for students.
You can also see what others are making at the Game Showcase. This part of the show is free and open to the public, so if you’re more interested in playing games than making them and want to see what our community is up to, there’s no cost to drop in.
Image
It probably should have occurred to me beforehand that late November would be a busy time for Archie Griffin. Being the only two-time Heisman Trophy winner, an Ohio State legend, nay, institution and all around good guy, certainly media inquiries would take up a lot of his time as we near the end of the college football season.
But I hadn't thought that far ahead when I sought an interview with Griffin. I was mildly surprised to find that the president and CEO of the Ohio State Alumni Association had a person designated to handle interview requests for him.
I contacted that person, Jay Hansen, last week in an attempt to set up an interview. “He's pretty busy right now,” Hansen informed me. It suddenly dawned on me that we were approaching Heisman voting time. Certainly Griffin would be up to his eyebrows in interviews. I would need to play the ace up my sleeve.
“Well, if it makes any difference,” I said. “Archie knows me, we went to high school together.”
Hensen wedged me into Griffin's busy schedule the next day.