- Verrrrry compassionate, Angola. When refugees from a
fellow Third World nation flood your borders to escape deadly violence at home,
you stop them, turn their impoverished asses around and send them right back
home. That’s exactly what Angola did, according to a new United Nations report
in which the organization claims Angola has expelled more than 8,000 Congolese
who entered the southern African country while fleeing violence in their
country. The humanitarian report also claims that more than 30,000 Congolese
have fled to Angola during months of violence in Congo's central Kasai regions
that began in August and cites reports from Catholic officials in Congo who
estimate that more than 3,300 people have been killed in the unrest. In light
of these revelations, the U.N. Human Rights Council voted to send experts to
the region to investigate alleged abuses that include beheadings and to probe
the story behind how more than 1 million Congolese have been displaced inside
the country by the fighting blamed on militias and government forces and those
militias are accused of using an estimated 500 girls and boys as fighters or
human shields. At least someone is helping the refugees, as Italian Foreign
Minister Angelino Alfano said his country is contributing 300,000 euros
($335,000) for U.N. refugee agency efforts to "respond to the dramatic
humanitarian emergency" in the Kasai regions to help Congolese refugees in
Angola. Your turn, Angola…….
- Never forget that professional athletes are just like the
rest of us. Yes, they can do things on the field the rest of us can’t possibly
replicate and they make a lot of money as a result, but the major issues in
life hit them just like they hit the average man or woman. Take Toronto Blue
Jays closer Roberto Osuna as the latest example; Osuna revealed this week that
he’s dealing with an anxiety issue and is unsure when he will be available to
pitch again. He spoke about the issue less than 24 hours after not pitching in
a save situation for the Blue Jays, raising the question of why. "I really
don't know how to explain it. I just feel anxious. I feel like I'm lost a
little bit right now," Osuna, who is from Mexico, said through a
translator before the game. "I'm just a little bit lost right now. This
has nothing to do with me being on the field. I feel great out there. It's just
when I'm out of baseball, when I'm not on the field, that I feel just weird and
a little bit lost." As one of a whole lot of people in these here United
States dealing with mental health issues, Osuna is fighting the same battle as
millions of people and if he can get the help he needs and bring more awareness
to the issue, then his situation could have a positive result. It was curious
when Toronto manager John Gibbons said that Osuna wasn't feeling well when
asked why his closer was absent as Kansas City scored four runs in the bottom
of the ninth inning for a 5-4 victory the previous night, but hearing Osuna
speak, it was a bit scary. "I wish I knew how to get out of this, but
we're working on it, trying to find ways to see what can make me feel
better," he said. "But, to be honest, I just don't know." Here’s
hoping he can find the help he needs…….
- Normally, it’s difficult to get the family together for a
shopping trip to Target. However, a gun is rarely necessary - except in the
case of Rollin Anthony Owens Jr., a North Carolina man who was arrested for
allegedly kidnapping a family and forcing them to take him shopping at Target. According
to police, Owens came to the Durham home about 7 a.m. and demanded the family
hand over money, at which point the family -- a man, woman and two children --
gave him cash, which should have ended the horror for them. Instead, Owens
decided cash wasn’t enough and that he needed to go to the nearest superstore
for a (kidnapped) family outing. He held the family at gunpoint and forced them
to drive him around, with their first stop at an ATM to withdraw money. Next,
they made a quick stop at a convenience store before their ultimate
destination, the local Target, where Owens forced the family to shop for him
inside the store, purchasing several bags of clothes and gift cards. Unfortunately
for this brilliant criminal, one of the family members was able to break free
and alert a Target employee who then called 911. Hearing a report that a
"man with a gun" was holding people outside in the parking lot,
police rushed in, arrested Owens and charged him with second-degree kidnapping
and robbery with a dangerous weapon. No word on whether he got to keep the
shiny new toaster from the home appliance section……..
- It’s been on its way for a while, valid criticisms of its
predecessor be damned, but we now have a name, tag line and poster for the
sequel to “Jurassic World.” The new film, “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,”
will hit theaters next June and its first poster carries the caption, “In one
year, life finds a way.” Filming for the project began back in February and it
will once again star Chris Pratt, who could use a rebound performance after his
critically panned turn in the “Guardians of the Galaxy” sequel. Speaking about
the second movie in the revival of the dinosaur-centric action franchise, Pratt
said the new film is set to be “darker” and “scarier” than its predecessor.
Director JA Bayona backed those comments, although he didn’t say whether the
comically awesome sight of the film’s heroine running through a muddy jungle in
heels for much of the movie will be scared out of the sequel. What we do know
is that Jeff Goldblum is also set to return to the series, picking up his role
as Dr. Ian Malcolm, and that photos leaked from the set have fanboys
speculating that the sequel could include the return of two familiar dinosaurs
which both featured in the original Jurassic Park film in 1993. What that would
mean for Pratt’s Velociraptor trainer Owen Grady character is unclear, but the
magic of CGI can do wonders for a film and if there is any way to push this
project firmly over the top when it comes to believability, more fake dinosaurs
should do the trick…….
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