‘He has lost his soul’
Osbourne reacts to killing of Cecil the Lion by Palmer:
I hope that #WalterPalmer loses his home, his practice & his money. He has already lost his soul…
— Sharon Osbourne (@MrsSOsbourne) July 28, 2015
Deeply regrets ‘taking’ lion
Palmer issues a statement saying his hunt was legal and that he will assist authorities:
In early July, I was in Zimbabwe on a bow hunting trip for big game. I hired several professional guides and they secured all proper permits. To my knowledge, everything about this trip was legal and properly handled and conducted. I had no idea that the lion I took was a known, local favorite, was collared and part of a study until the end of the hunt. I relied on the expertise of my local professional guides to ensure a legal hunt. I have not been contacted by authorities in Zimbabwe or in the U.S. about this situation, but will assist them in any inquiries they may have. Again, I deeply regret that my pursuit of an activity I love and practice responsibly and legally resulted in the taking of this lion.
PETA wants hunter hanged
PETA releases a statement about the killing of Cecil the lion. Newkirk:
Hunting is a coward’s pastime. If, as has been reported, this dentist and his guides lured Cecil out of the park with food so as to shoot him on private property, because shooting him in the park would have been illegal, he needs to be extradited, charged, and, preferably, hanged. To get a thrill at the cost of a life, this man gunned down a beloved lion, Cecil with a high-powered weapon. All wild animals are beloved by their own mates and infants, but to hunters like this overblown, over-privileged little man, who lack empathy, understanding, and respect for living creatures, they are merely targets to kill, decapitate, and hang up on a wall as a trophy. The photograph of this dentist, smiling over the corpse of another animal, who, like Cecil, wanted only to be left in peace, will disgust every caring soul in the world.
Cecil the Lion monologue
Kimmell chokes up near the end of a monologue on the killing of Cecil the Lion. After explaining the events surrounding the lion’s death to the audience he says:
The big question is: Why are you shooting a lion in the first place? I mean, I’m honestly curious to know why a human being would feel compelled to do that. How is that fun? Is it that difficult for you to get an erection that you need to kill things that are stronger than you? If that’s the case, they have a pill for that. It works great. Just stay home and swallow it, and you save yourself a lifetime of being the most hated man in America who never advertised JELL-O Pudding on television.
And, by the way, I’m not against hunting. If you’re hunting to eat, or to help keep the animal population healthy, or it’s part of your culture or something, that’s one thing. But if you’re some a-hole dentist who wants a lion’s head over the fireplace in his man cave so his douchebag buddies can gather around it and drink scotch and tell him how awesome he is, that’s just vomitous.
He also encourages viewers to donate to Wild Cru (http://www.wildcru.org/) the organization that was tracking Cecil.
‘I would give her a D’
In her Salon interview, Paglia criticizes Sulkowicz:
I’d give her a D! I call it “mattress feminism.” Perpetually lugging around your bad memories–never evolving or moving on! It’s like a parody of the worst aspects of that kind of grievance-oriented feminism. I called my feminism “Amazon feminism” or “street-smart feminism,” where you remain vigilant, learn how to defend yourself, and take responsibility for the choices you make. If something bad happens, you learn from it. You become stronger and move on. But hauling a mattress around on campus? Columbia, one of the great Ivy League schools with a tremendous history of scholarship, utterly disgraced itself in how it handled that case. It enabled this protracted masochistic exercise where a young woman trapped herself in her own bad memories and publicly labeled herself as a victim, which will now be her identity forever. This isn’t feminism–which should empower women, not cripple them.
Parole date set
Pollard is granted parole after serving 30 years of a life sentence for spying for Israel. He is due to be released Nov. 21. Lawyer:
Mr. Pollard is looking forward to being reunited with his beloved wife Esther. Mr. Pollard would like to thank the many thousands of well-wishers in the United States, in Israel, and throughout the world, who provided grass roots support by attending rallies, sending letters, making phone calls to elected officials, and saying prayers for his welfare. He is deeply appreciative of every gesture, large or small. We look forward to seeing our client on the outside in less than four months.
Nearly detained in Thailand
Wilson tells Kimmel that he is nearly detained in Thailand while on his way back to the U.S. from filming an action thriller No Escape.
The day that I was leaving, somebody asked for a picture and gave me something to put around my neck… I guess this thing that I put on identified me with the rebels – I’m not kidding. All of a sudden, they (authorities) were calling the prime minister’s office saying that I was going to be detained from leaving (sic) because these colors and that whistle meant that I was siding with the protesters.
Companies deny ties, donations
Some corporations on a list of Planned Parenthood ‘sponsors’ claim they have not made donations to the organization. A page with a list of corporate sponsors on the Washington, DC chapter’s website is removed after demands by Coca-Cola, Xerox and Ford Motor Company. A Ford Motor Company spokeswoman denies that the corporation is a donor and claims that Ford has not matched employee contributions since 2005.
NASA anticipates greater discoveries
Speaking before the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, Stern says scientific information gleaned from the New Horizons mission to Pluto is “revolutionizing” what they know about the icy dwarf planet, predicting that even greater discoveries lay ahead.
With only 5% of data on the ground, we all feel we need to fasten our seat belts for the next 95%.
It will take 16 months for all the collected data from New Horizons to be transmitted to Earth. Scientists say the mission demonstrates this need for further planetary exploration.
Now is the time to accelerate, not curtail, the pace and scope of our nation’s solar system exploration program.
Details relationship with inmates
Mitchell details her increasing sexual contact with Matt and her deepening involvement in the plot over time. She tells her dreams of running off into the sunset with the men, only to have the fantasy unravel when she panicked on the night of the escape.
I enjoyed the attention, the feeling both of them gave me, and the thought of a different life.
Her relationship with Matt began with seemingly innocent requests for help, but soon escalated into sexual contact, including sending him nude photos to give to Sweat. Mitchell explains she had sexual contact with Matt.
I originally brought in two blades, by bending them in half and putting them in some hamburger, which I then put in the freezer. Inmate Matt asked me for hacksaw blades, he also asked for two chisels and a punch.
Seeks Boehner removal
Meadows files a motion to remove Boehner as Speaker, saying that Boehner has caused the power of Congress to atrophy, “thereby making Congress subservient to the Executive and Judicial branches, diminishing the voice of the American People.” The motion also claims that Boehner has:
[used the power of his office to] punish Members who vote according to their conscience instead of the will of the Speaker.
Jail releases video
Texas authorities release several hours of video footage of Bland during her three days in jail to address conspiracy theories that she was dead before arriving there, and threats to personnel. Judge Duhon says the FBI is investigating the most serious threats. The first portions of footage show Bland being taken out of a patrol car at the jail and questioned by a jailer. She’s then briefly placed in a holding cell before her mugshot is taken and she makes a phone call. Duhon:
Sandra Bland was alive and well [until she was found hanging in her cell]…Because of some of the things that’s gone out on social media, this county has been literally attacked.
Opposes legalized marijuana
Osbourne opposes legal marijuana, having seen her husband and children battle drug addictions. She believes it will end in disaster for society in the long term:
I have big resentments that this is happening (sic). Anything that alters your mental state I don’t think should be allowed. … You can say prescribed medication can alter your mental state but I don’t agree with it all. The next thing I am waiting for is when someone is working heavy machinery, when they are driving a car. It is all going to end in tears.
Police stations on high alert
Members of India’s security forces are on high alert across the country after the fatal shootings at a police station in New Delhi in the western state of Punjab. In addition to the fatalities reported it is now being reported that eight injured being treated in area hospitals. Security establishments around the country are concerned that the gunman was able to gain access to the police station and hold off security and military personnel for over 11 hours before the siege could be brought to a close. A junior minister expresses the government’s concern based not only on this event but also in response to intelligence received from across India’s borders.
There have been earlier reports of Pakistan infiltration and cross-border mischief in this area.
Obama ‘blocks’ Mugabe
President Obama blocks President Mugabe from attending his special meeting at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Press secretary Charamba says Mugabe is unmoved by Obama’s visit to the AU headquarters, describing the event as just “a visit by any other visitor”.
Obama has come to Ethiopia for an official visit and to address the staff there…If you are afraid of him, we are not because he is just a Head of State who visits Africa and the AU headquarters by virtue of his ancestry. There will be a report on the summit in January where we will get a briefing on the visitor who is called Barack Obama ‘who we received and went back home happy’. . . He did not come to visit Mugabe. He went to Ethiopia and asked to visit the HQ. I did not see you writing that Mugabe snubs Obama when he went for the Ebola summit (in New York)
Israel criticizes Huckabee
Israel admonishes Huckabee over his Holocaust remark. Representatives say that while Huckabee showed real concern about the safety and future of Israel and its people, he should not have referred to the gas chambers and ovens in the Nazi death camps used to murder millions of Jews and others when expressing his concern about the Iran agreement. Cabinet member Katz:
Dear Mr Huckabee, no one is marching Jews to the ovens anymore. That is why we established the State of Israel and the Israel Defense Forces, and if necessary, we will know how to defend ourselves by ourselves.
OHCHR: Fails to meet international standards
The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights says it is ‘deeply disturbed’ by the verdicts and sentences on Gadhafi’s case, asserting that the trial failed to meet international standards for fair trials:
Among the key shortcomings are the failure to establish individual criminal responsibility in relation to specific crimes. There were also serious issues relating to access to lawyers, claims of ill-treatment, and trials conducted in absentia. It is crucial to ensure accountability for serious human rights violations. However this needs to be done with scrupulous adherence to international fair trial standards and with full respect for the rights of the defendants. Failing this, injustice is only compounded.
Thailand human trafficking criticized
Thailand continues to be blacklisted in the U.S. State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons report for consecutive second time for not combatting modern-day slavery. This comes after the country presses charges against more than 100 people, including an army general, on counts of human trafficking after dozens of bodies were found in a jungle prison camp earlier this year.
Thailand investigated and prosecuted some cases against corrupt officials involved in trafficking, but trafficking-related corruption continued to impede progress. Relevant agencies have intensified their efforts, which led to the crackdowns of trafficking syndicates as well as many arrests and punishments of high-ranking officials complicit in human trafficking.
Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
[The report] does not accurately reflect the significant efforts undertaken by the government.
Human rights status boosted
The State Department elevates Malaysia in its latest human trafficking report. The Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report gives Malaysia a boost to the Tier 2 Watch List from Tier 3. State Department:
The Government of Malaysia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, however, it is making significant efforts to do so.
Purges phone records
The Obama administration announces that the NSA will purge phone records by the beginning of next year. However, there is a possibility that some data may not be completely erased from all records. Source:
The decision comes as a victory for privacy advocates, who worried that the winding down of the mass surveillance program under a reform law enacted earlier this year could have allowed the NSA to continue to access phone records it already had collected