ROCKET MAN
Yves Rossy (born 27 August 1959 in Neuchâtel) is a Swiss pilot, inventor and aviation enthusiast. He is the first person to achieve sustained human flight using a jet-powered fixed wing strapped to his back. This jet pack has led to his being nicknamed Jet Man, Rocket Man and Fusion Man.
Rossy developed and built a system comprising a back pack with semi-rigid aeroplane-type carbon-fiber wings with a span of about 2.4 metres (7.9 ft), powered by four attached Jet-Cat P200 jet engines modified from large-model, kerosene fueled, aircraft engines. His first flight occurred in November 2006 in Bex,[2] lasting nearly six minutes and nine seconds. Yves later successfully flew across the English Channel on 26 September 2008 in 9 minutes 7 seconds, reaching a speed of 299 km/h (186 mph) during the crossing. Later in 2008, he made a flight over the Alps, reaching a top descent speed of 304 km/h (189 mph) and an average speed of 124 mph.
In November 2009, Rossy attempted a crossing of the Strait of Gibraltar, hoping to be the first person to fly between two continents using a jetpack. He leapt from a small plane about 1,950 m (6,500 ft) above Tangier in Morocco in the direction of Atlanterra in Spain. The flight was expected to take about a quarter of an hour but, due to strong winds and banks of cloud, Rossy ditched into the sea, to be picked up ten minutes later by his support helicopter 3 miles from the Spanish coast. He was flown to a hospital in Jerez, and later released unhurt. The Spanish Coast Guard later retrieved the jetpack (which had a parachute and a float).
On 5 November 2010, he flew a new version of his jet-powered flight system and successfully performed 2 aerial loops before landing via parachute. He launched from a hot air balloon piloted by Brian Jones at 2,400 meters (7,900 feet) and flew a total of 18 minutes before landing. The wingspan of Rossy's latest craft has been reduced to 2m.
On 7 May 2011, Rossy flew across the Grand Canyon in Arizona, after the United States Federal Aviation Administration classified his flight system as an aircraft, waived the normal 25 to 40 hours of flight testing time, and granted him permission to perform the flight.
Yves served as a fighter pilot in the Swiss Air Force, flying Dassault Mirage IIIs, Northrop F-5 Tiger IIs and Hawker Hunters. He flew Boeing 747s for Swissair. As of 2008, he was flying for Swiss International Air Lines.
He was recently featured on an episode of Stan Lee's Superhumans.
► http://jetman.ch/?page_id=24
Jetman » HOME
Nov 28 2011
► http://www.20min.ch/ro/news/vaud/story/>Le-nouvel-exploit-de--Jetman--en-vid-os--26443113
20 Minutes Online - Découvrez les vidéos de l exploit de «Jetman»! - Vaud
www.20min.ch
Vendredi à 10h03, Yves Rossy est entré dans l histoire de l aéronautique. Le Suisse est devenu le premier homme au monde a réalisé un looping équipé d une aile à réaction.
► http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2066692/Jetman-flies-Swiss-Alps-Yves-Rossy-flies-formation-planes.html
Jetman flies over Swiss Alps: Yves Rossy flies in formation with planes
Yves Rossy, also known as "Jetman", took to the skies for the latest remarkable solo flight where he flanked two L-39C Albatros planes.
► http://edition.cnn.com/2011/12/04/opinion/rossy-ted-jetman-flying/index.html?hpt=hp_mid
'Jetman' lives the dream of flying - CNN.com
Yves Rossy calls it "the dream" -- the ancient human yearning to fly like a bird. He's done it, as "Jetman"
*****
Indeed, this discovery helps me to state that between me and him have the same desire: to be able to fly! At that point they said, "It is easy. You just get on a plane."
"Oh, no. That's not what I want. Sitting in the plane does not mean you can fly. I want to fly in an aircraft though. Why? 'Cause I can fly. Where have I'll fly, fly ... why? Because I can fly!"
Of course, my opinion was not taken because of the limitation that humans can not fly. Now he is proving that we can, can! Yes, we can fly, yes! although it does not last long.(Jetman, could some day we can also use your discovery? I guess this is still limited to "find the dream" project on "limited dream", too. Yeah. Can you design it to be empowered to use for all the users? For the young and old, men women, yes all of us! Can you also help me to bring a lot of paper airplanes which I have prepared for my beloved people in Switzerland and Paris? Thanks for your consideration of this matter. It is a collection of letters that I fold them into the paper airplanes. Everytime I throw them to the sky, I always hope they will never go back to my lap anymore. Shanana nana .... whatever which has gone, can not go back... shanana nana, but it could be, shanana nana whatever will come back again ...nanananana )
Yves Rossy (born 27 August 1959 in Neuchâtel) is a Swiss pilot, inventor and aviation enthusiast. He is the first person to achieve sustained human flight using a jet-powered fixed wing strapped to his back. This jet pack has led to his being nicknamed Jet Man, Rocket Man and Fusion Man.
Rossy developed and built a system comprising a back pack with semi-rigid aeroplane-type carbon-fiber wings with a span of about 2.4 metres (7.9 ft), powered by four attached Jet-Cat P200 jet engines modified from large-model, kerosene fueled, aircraft engines. His first flight occurred in November 2006 in Bex,[2] lasting nearly six minutes and nine seconds. Yves later successfully flew across the English Channel on 26 September 2008 in 9 minutes 7 seconds, reaching a speed of 299 km/h (186 mph) during the crossing. Later in 2008, he made a flight over the Alps, reaching a top descent speed of 304 km/h (189 mph) and an average speed of 124 mph.
In November 2009, Rossy attempted a crossing of the Strait of Gibraltar, hoping to be the first person to fly between two continents using a jetpack. He leapt from a small plane about 1,950 m (6,500 ft) above Tangier in Morocco in the direction of Atlanterra in Spain. The flight was expected to take about a quarter of an hour but, due to strong winds and banks of cloud, Rossy ditched into the sea, to be picked up ten minutes later by his support helicopter 3 miles from the Spanish coast. He was flown to a hospital in Jerez, and later released unhurt. The Spanish Coast Guard later retrieved the jetpack (which had a parachute and a float).
On 5 November 2010, he flew a new version of his jet-powered flight system and successfully performed 2 aerial loops before landing via parachute. He launched from a hot air balloon piloted by Brian Jones at 2,400 meters (7,900 feet) and flew a total of 18 minutes before landing. The wingspan of Rossy's latest craft has been reduced to 2m.
On 7 May 2011, Rossy flew across the Grand Canyon in Arizona, after the United States Federal Aviation Administration classified his flight system as an aircraft, waived the normal 25 to 40 hours of flight testing time, and granted him permission to perform the flight.
Yves served as a fighter pilot in the Swiss Air Force, flying Dassault Mirage IIIs, Northrop F-5 Tiger IIs and Hawker Hunters. He flew Boeing 747s for Swissair. As of 2008, he was flying for Swiss International Air Lines.
He was recently featured on an episode of Stan Lee's Superhumans.
► http://jetman.ch/?page_id=24
Jetman » HOME
Nov 28 2011
► http://www.20min.ch/ro/news/vaud/story/>Le-nouvel-exploit-de--Jetman--en-vid-os--26443113
20 Minutes Online - Découvrez les vidéos de l exploit de «Jetman»! - Vaud
www.20min.ch
Vendredi à 10h03, Yves Rossy est entré dans l histoire de l aéronautique. Le Suisse est devenu le premier homme au monde a réalisé un looping équipé d une aile à réaction.
► http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2066692/Jetman-flies-Swiss-Alps-Yves-Rossy-flies-formation-planes.html
Jetman flies over Swiss Alps: Yves Rossy flies in formation with planes
Yves Rossy, also known as "Jetman", took to the skies for the latest remarkable solo flight where he flanked two L-39C Albatros planes.
► http://edition.cnn.com/2011/12/04/opinion/rossy-ted-jetman-flying/index.html?hpt=hp_mid
'Jetman' lives the dream of flying - CNN.com
Yves Rossy calls it "the dream" -- the ancient human yearning to fly like a bird. He's done it, as "Jetman"
*****
Indeed, this discovery helps me to state that between me and him have the same desire: to be able to fly! At that point they said, "It is easy. You just get on a plane."
"Oh, no. That's not what I want. Sitting in the plane does not mean you can fly. I want to fly in an aircraft though. Why? 'Cause I can fly. Where have I'll fly, fly ... why? Because I can fly!"
Of course, my opinion was not taken because of the limitation that humans can not fly. Now he is proving that we can, can! Yes, we can fly, yes! although it does not last long.(Jetman, could some day we can also use your discovery? I guess this is still limited to "find the dream" project on "limited dream", too. Yeah. Can you design it to be empowered to use for all the users? For the young and old, men women, yes all of us! Can you also help me to bring a lot of paper airplanes which I have prepared for my beloved people in Switzerland and Paris? Thanks for your consideration of this matter. It is a collection of letters that I fold them into the paper airplanes. Everytime I throw them to the sky, I always hope they will never go back to my lap anymore. Shanana nana .... whatever which has gone, can not go back... shanana nana, but it could be, shanana nana whatever will come back again ...nanananana )
GERMAN BOMB
P A N D A
U.S.A - AFGHANISTAN - PAKISTAN
► http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16024332
Afghan conference to open in Bonn
Germany hosts an international conference to plan Afghanistan's future as Nato troops prepare to leave, but key player Pakistan is boycotting the talks.
► http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,801115,00.html
International Conference in Bonn: What Afghanistan Really Needs - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - Internatio
The international conference on Afghanistan, which begins on Monday in Bonn, is supposed to convince Kabul that the West will not abandon it after foreign troops leave in 2014.
► http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,801253,00.html
Preparing for Withdrawal: German Military Fears Civil War in Afghanistan - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - I
Officially, NATO troops in Afghanistan are making progress in the fight against the Taliban and will be able to hand over security responsibilities to Kabul as planned in 2014.
American ambassador to Afghanistan, Ryan Crocker deplored the absence of Pakistan in international conference related to Afghanistan, Monday. But according to him, it would not impede the progress of Afghanistan or change the outcome of the meeting.
If Pakistan boycotted the talks on the future of Afghanistan, it would be detrimental to Pakistan. Pakistani officials have repeatedly said they would not participate in the conference in Bonn, as a protest against the NATO air attack at the end of last month that killed 24 government soldiers near the Afghan border.
Hillary Clinton has offered condolences to the families of the soldiers and Pakistan people through the Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. A brief statement of the U.S. Department of State also reaffirmed the respect of America's commitment to the Pakistan's sovereignty and commitment to cooperate in the pursuit of common goals based on mutual respect and interest. (That's the language of diplomacy! Of course, it must be said for the sake of self-respect. Can you imagine the same thing happens to Israeli soldiers, for example? Let alone 24 people, ehhehe. One person only means,... boom!)
Bonn conference, which started on Monday (Dec. 5), carried on a decade after the first Bonn conference on Afghanistan. President Hamid Karzai said that Afghanistan would require a decade of financial and military support after the foreign troops leave the country in 2014.
"Afghanistan will surely need help for 10 years - until about 2024 ... we will need training to our own troops. We will need the equipment for the army and police as well as helping to establish the state institutions. If we lose this fight, we will be threatened with a return to the situation prior to 11 September 2001," Karzai told the German magazine Der Spiegel.
According to a World Bank study released last month, Afghanistan will require about $ 7 billion in each year to fill its length requirement after the foreign troops leave the country.
Meanwhile, members of the Afghan parliament said that the conference would not produce the results without participation from Pakistan. (Duh, Afghan, do not you know that the Pakistan still sulking? Let it alone, just calm the mind for a while. Uh, but I'm a bit confused by your character, Afghan. You were upset with Pakistan caused by the Taliban. Then you are closer to India, whereas you know that India and Pakistan, well .... they are not close friends with each other. Well, you seemed really upset on Pakistan, and you expressed your frustration at Pakistan by playing the eye with India. So far, I think the relation between India and America is just fine. So, between you, India and America, you are all fine.
But strangely, when Pakistan was troubled by the U.S, you say that you will remain on Pakistan's side and ready to help it. What do yo mean? Do you hate, but you also love Pakistan as well, hmm? Now America wants to say goodbye to you. What now? How? Do you also want to sing this song? Uh, but get ready! Tokyo was also mentioned in that song. Haiya ... but I'm sure Japan was no business at all with the intent of this song... ahahaa... bonjour, monsieur. J'aime les fleurs de cerisier de vous. Je vous remercie de tout coeur. Mwah!)
► http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16024332
Afghan conference to open in Bonn
Germany hosts an international conference to plan Afghanistan's future as Nato troops prepare to leave, but key player Pakistan is boycotting the talks.
► http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,801115,00.html
International Conference in Bonn: What Afghanistan Really Needs - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - Internatio
The international conference on Afghanistan, which begins on Monday in Bonn, is supposed to convince Kabul that the West will not abandon it after foreign troops leave in 2014.
► http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,801253,00.html
Preparing for Withdrawal: German Military Fears Civil War in Afghanistan - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - I
Officially, NATO troops in Afghanistan are making progress in the fight against the Taliban and will be able to hand over security responsibilities to Kabul as planned in 2014.
American ambassador to Afghanistan, Ryan Crocker deplored the absence of Pakistan in international conference related to Afghanistan, Monday. But according to him, it would not impede the progress of Afghanistan or change the outcome of the meeting.
If Pakistan boycotted the talks on the future of Afghanistan, it would be detrimental to Pakistan. Pakistani officials have repeatedly said they would not participate in the conference in Bonn, as a protest against the NATO air attack at the end of last month that killed 24 government soldiers near the Afghan border.
Hillary Clinton has offered condolences to the families of the soldiers and Pakistan people through the Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. A brief statement of the U.S. Department of State also reaffirmed the respect of America's commitment to the Pakistan's sovereignty and commitment to cooperate in the pursuit of common goals based on mutual respect and interest. (That's the language of diplomacy! Of course, it must be said for the sake of self-respect. Can you imagine the same thing happens to Israeli soldiers, for example? Let alone 24 people, ehhehe. One person only means,... boom!)
Bonn conference, which started on Monday (Dec. 5), carried on a decade after the first Bonn conference on Afghanistan. President Hamid Karzai said that Afghanistan would require a decade of financial and military support after the foreign troops leave the country in 2014.
"Afghanistan will surely need help for 10 years - until about 2024 ... we will need training to our own troops. We will need the equipment for the army and police as well as helping to establish the state institutions. If we lose this fight, we will be threatened with a return to the situation prior to 11 September 2001," Karzai told the German magazine Der Spiegel.
According to a World Bank study released last month, Afghanistan will require about $ 7 billion in each year to fill its length requirement after the foreign troops leave the country.
Meanwhile, members of the Afghan parliament said that the conference would not produce the results without participation from Pakistan. (Duh, Afghan, do not you know that the Pakistan still sulking? Let it alone, just calm the mind for a while. Uh, but I'm a bit confused by your character, Afghan. You were upset with Pakistan caused by the Taliban. Then you are closer to India, whereas you know that India and Pakistan, well .... they are not close friends with each other. Well, you seemed really upset on Pakistan, and you expressed your frustration at Pakistan by playing the eye with India. So far, I think the relation between India and America is just fine. So, between you, India and America, you are all fine.
But strangely, when Pakistan was troubled by the U.S, you say that you will remain on Pakistan's side and ready to help it. What do yo mean? Do you hate, but you also love Pakistan as well, hmm? Now America wants to say goodbye to you. What now? How? Do you also want to sing this song? Uh, but get ready! Tokyo was also mentioned in that song. Haiya ... but I'm sure Japan was no business at all with the intent of this song... ahahaa... bonjour, monsieur. J'aime les fleurs de cerisier de vous. Je vous remercie de tout coeur. Mwah!)
Civilians on horse-drawn carts scurry past burning fuel tankers along the Khyber Pass, an important border crossing connecting Afghanistan and Pakistan and a major supply route for NATO forces. Ten years ago, the US began dropping bombs on targets in Afghanistan in a bid to oust the Taliban for harboring al-Qaida terrorists.
A Canadian soldier shakes hands with an Afghan boy near Kandahar in the summer of 2007. The anniversary of the war in Afghanistan comes amid growing concerns that the Taliban could regain control of the country once US and NATO troops withdraw. US President Barack Obama has said responsibility for Afghanistan's security should be handed over to Afghan forces in 2014.
Mere weeks after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, residents of Kabul, seen here on Nov. 13, 2001, made their way to greet incoming fighters of the Northern Alliance. When the Afghan war began, it didn't take long for US forces to topple the Taliban government. But the deposed Islamist fighters have been waging increasingly aggressive attacks against NATO and Afghan security forces in recent months as responsibility for the country's security slowly changes hands.
Afghan women donning all-covering burqas wait for humanitarian aid in Kabul on Dec. 14, 2001, while a soldier uses a wooden stick to maintain order.
Soldiers from the German Bundeswehr have been stationed on the Hindu Kush since 2001. Seen here on July 1, 2008, a Quick Reaction Force takes part in a drill near the northern city of Masar-i-Sharif.
German Bundeswehr soldiers return fire after coming under mortar attack from insurgents on Dec. 14, 2009, while rebuilding a bridge that was destroyed on the outskirts of Kunduz.
Fighters from the Northern Alliance are seen returning from their front line positions after a battle in northern Afghanistan. The NATO-backed forces have played a crucial role in undercutting the Taliban's stranglehold on the country.
A skirmish in Helmand province. A US marine shouts as he tries to protect an Afghan man and his child during a skirmish with Taliban fighters near the town of Marjah in Helmand province on Feb. 13, 2010.
Close call for Sgt. William Bee, a US Marine taking fire from Taliban fighters near Garmsir in Helmand province on May 18, 2008. As of Oct. 4, 2011, the number of US military deaths in Afghanistan stood at 1,682, according to an Associated Press count.
An Afghan man is detained by US forces in Helmand province after a battle with Taliban insurgents. During the US' tenure in Afghanistan, America's image abroad has been tainted by the maintenance of so-called "black sites" -- secret interrogation centers scattered across the country, run by the CIA.
A man cleans a portrait of the popular mujahedeen leader Ahmad Shah Massoud on the ninth anniversary of the fighter's assassination on Sept. 8, 2010.
At Arlington National Cemetary near Washington D.C., a woman cries as she hugs a US Marine on May 27, 2010, near the grave of her 19-year-old son.
A woman covered in a burqa walks past riot police outside a stadium in Kabul on Feb. 23, 2007.
From their clifftop perch, Afghan soldiers keep an eye out for the enemy in the valley below on Sept. 22, 2005. In the background are the sandstone cliffs that once housed the Buddhas of Bamiyan -- monumental statues destroyed by the Taliban in March 2001.
An Afghan police officer stands guard in front of the destroyed King's Palace in Kabul on Aug. 29, 2005.
Northern Alliance fighters watch bombs rain down on Tora Bora on Dec. 16, 2001. The mountains housed a labyrinthine network of caves and it was long speculated that Osama bin Laden used the caves to evade capture.
Afghan children peek out the window of their shelter in the former Soviet Embassy in western Kabul on Nov. 27, 2001. In the 1980s, US-backed mujahedeen fighters in Afghanistan pushed out their Soviet occupiers in a bloody conflict that left rival militias vying for power. The civil war that ensued would eventually pave the way for the Taliban's rise to power.
As US Marines fill sand bags around their light mortar position on Dec. 1, 2001, a flimsy cardboard sign warns of nearby enemies.
Former US President George W. Bush and his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai wave from a golf cart at the American presidential retreat, Camp David on Aug. 5, 2007. Months after the US invasion began, Karzai was sworn in as the head of the interim government in a power-sharing agreement.
Even in times of war, life goes on. In this photo taken June 1, 2010, Afghan soccer players gather in front of the destroyed Darulaman Palace in Kabul.
Opium oozes from poppy plants in a field in Farah province on May 5, 2009. A major source of revenue for the Taliban, the American military has set its sights on reducing the trafficking of the drug. But many poor farmers rely on the profits it generates for survival.
Opium oozes from poppy plants in a field in Farah province on May 5, 2009. A major source of revenue for the Taliban, the American military has set its sights on reducing the trafficking of the drug. But many poor farmers rely on the profits it generates for survival.
The late al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden (left) sits next to Ayman al-Zawahri in this undated file photo. The US invasion of Afghanistan was retaliation against the country's Taliban rulers for harboring the terrorists responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.
Taliban insurgents read the Koran in a military jail in Kabul on Nov. 26, 2001.
A curious crowd watches a helicopter belonging to the Afghan National Army Air Corps as it carries President Hamid Karzai during an election rally in Gardez, south of Kabul, on Aug. 4, 2009.
A US soldier takes a knee during a memorial ceremony for a fallen comerade on Feb. 8, 2010.
Taliban militants carry their weapons through the snow in an undisclosed location on Jan. 16, 2009.
Karzai admitted, "Sadly we have not been able to provide security and stability to all the people of Afghanistan. This is our biggest failure".
Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmai Rasoul on Saturday appealed for international aid for his country after the withdrawal of NATO troops. "After 2014, we will continue to require long-term help from our friends in the international community," said Rasoul on the forum discussion at Bonn. German Foreign Minister, Guido Westerwelle promised in the forum that the world would not let go of Afghanistan, while he also stressed the importance of the women's role in that country, where they are currently facing the great discrimination.
In an interview in the daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagzeitung, Westerwelle re-expressed his regret over Pakistan to boycott the conference in Bonn, which was attended by delegates from 100 countries. "Pakistan will get more benefit from a stable and peaceful Afghanistan than the other neighbors," he said.
In Bonn, Saturday (3 Decembre 2011), thousands of people have rallied to protest the conference and the German military role in Afghanistan.
*****
A Canadian soldier shakes hands with an Afghan boy near Kandahar in the summer of 2007. The anniversary of the war in Afghanistan comes amid growing concerns that the Taliban could regain control of the country once US and NATO troops withdraw. US President Barack Obama has said responsibility for Afghanistan's security should be handed over to Afghan forces in 2014.
Mere weeks after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, residents of Kabul, seen here on Nov. 13, 2001, made their way to greet incoming fighters of the Northern Alliance. When the Afghan war began, it didn't take long for US forces to topple the Taliban government. But the deposed Islamist fighters have been waging increasingly aggressive attacks against NATO and Afghan security forces in recent months as responsibility for the country's security slowly changes hands.
Afghan women donning all-covering burqas wait for humanitarian aid in Kabul on Dec. 14, 2001, while a soldier uses a wooden stick to maintain order.
Soldiers from the German Bundeswehr have been stationed on the Hindu Kush since 2001. Seen here on July 1, 2008, a Quick Reaction Force takes part in a drill near the northern city of Masar-i-Sharif.
German Bundeswehr soldiers return fire after coming under mortar attack from insurgents on Dec. 14, 2009, while rebuilding a bridge that was destroyed on the outskirts of Kunduz.
Fighters from the Northern Alliance are seen returning from their front line positions after a battle in northern Afghanistan. The NATO-backed forces have played a crucial role in undercutting the Taliban's stranglehold on the country.
A skirmish in Helmand province. A US marine shouts as he tries to protect an Afghan man and his child during a skirmish with Taliban fighters near the town of Marjah in Helmand province on Feb. 13, 2010.
Close call for Sgt. William Bee, a US Marine taking fire from Taliban fighters near Garmsir in Helmand province on May 18, 2008. As of Oct. 4, 2011, the number of US military deaths in Afghanistan stood at 1,682, according to an Associated Press count.
An Afghan man is detained by US forces in Helmand province after a battle with Taliban insurgents. During the US' tenure in Afghanistan, America's image abroad has been tainted by the maintenance of so-called "black sites" -- secret interrogation centers scattered across the country, run by the CIA.
A man cleans a portrait of the popular mujahedeen leader Ahmad Shah Massoud on the ninth anniversary of the fighter's assassination on Sept. 8, 2010.
At Arlington National Cemetary near Washington D.C., a woman cries as she hugs a US Marine on May 27, 2010, near the grave of her 19-year-old son.
A woman covered in a burqa walks past riot police outside a stadium in Kabul on Feb. 23, 2007.
From their clifftop perch, Afghan soldiers keep an eye out for the enemy in the valley below on Sept. 22, 2005. In the background are the sandstone cliffs that once housed the Buddhas of Bamiyan -- monumental statues destroyed by the Taliban in March 2001.
An Afghan police officer stands guard in front of the destroyed King's Palace in Kabul on Aug. 29, 2005.
Northern Alliance fighters watch bombs rain down on Tora Bora on Dec. 16, 2001. The mountains housed a labyrinthine network of caves and it was long speculated that Osama bin Laden used the caves to evade capture.
Afghan children peek out the window of their shelter in the former Soviet Embassy in western Kabul on Nov. 27, 2001. In the 1980s, US-backed mujahedeen fighters in Afghanistan pushed out their Soviet occupiers in a bloody conflict that left rival militias vying for power. The civil war that ensued would eventually pave the way for the Taliban's rise to power.
As US Marines fill sand bags around their light mortar position on Dec. 1, 2001, a flimsy cardboard sign warns of nearby enemies.
Former US President George W. Bush and his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai wave from a golf cart at the American presidential retreat, Camp David on Aug. 5, 2007. Months after the US invasion began, Karzai was sworn in as the head of the interim government in a power-sharing agreement.
Even in times of war, life goes on. In this photo taken June 1, 2010, Afghan soccer players gather in front of the destroyed Darulaman Palace in Kabul.
Opium oozes from poppy plants in a field in Farah province on May 5, 2009. A major source of revenue for the Taliban, the American military has set its sights on reducing the trafficking of the drug. But many poor farmers rely on the profits it generates for survival.
Opium oozes from poppy plants in a field in Farah province on May 5, 2009. A major source of revenue for the Taliban, the American military has set its sights on reducing the trafficking of the drug. But many poor farmers rely on the profits it generates for survival.
The late al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden (left) sits next to Ayman al-Zawahri in this undated file photo. The US invasion of Afghanistan was retaliation against the country's Taliban rulers for harboring the terrorists responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.
Taliban insurgents read the Koran in a military jail in Kabul on Nov. 26, 2001.
A curious crowd watches a helicopter belonging to the Afghan National Army Air Corps as it carries President Hamid Karzai during an election rally in Gardez, south of Kabul, on Aug. 4, 2009.
A US soldier takes a knee during a memorial ceremony for a fallen comerade on Feb. 8, 2010.
Taliban militants carry their weapons through the snow in an undisclosed location on Jan. 16, 2009.
Karzai admitted, "Sadly we have not been able to provide security and stability to all the people of Afghanistan. This is our biggest failure".
Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmai Rasoul on Saturday appealed for international aid for his country after the withdrawal of NATO troops. "After 2014, we will continue to require long-term help from our friends in the international community," said Rasoul on the forum discussion at Bonn. German Foreign Minister, Guido Westerwelle promised in the forum that the world would not let go of Afghanistan, while he also stressed the importance of the women's role in that country, where they are currently facing the great discrimination.
In an interview in the daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagzeitung, Westerwelle re-expressed his regret over Pakistan to boycott the conference in Bonn, which was attended by delegates from 100 countries. "Pakistan will get more benefit from a stable and peaceful Afghanistan than the other neighbors," he said.
In Bonn, Saturday (3 Decembre 2011), thousands of people have rallied to protest the conference and the German military role in Afghanistan.
*****
R U S S I A
► http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/world-europe-16020632
Russians begin heading to polls
Russians head to the polls for parliamentary elections amid allegations of violations of election law ahead of the vote.
► http://rt.com/trends/russia-parliament-elections-2011/
Parliamentary Elections 2011 — RT
Recent articles on "Parliamentary Elections 2011"
► http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15061098
No end in sight to era of Putin
Russia's political future, and election results, are already decided and will see Vladimir Putin maintain his tight control, says the BBC's Steve Rosenberg.
The vote to elect members of the Russian parliament started on 4 Decembre. Russia's far eastern region held an election process earlier than other regions because of differences in time was far enough. To illustrate just how vast the territory of Russia, when Moscow was awake, then resident in Russia's far east(eg Valdivostok) was still falling asleep.
A number of reports mentioned this election took place amid the allegations of rules violations of the election. Russia's independent election monitoring agency, Golos said they received and compiled the 5300 complaints related to the election process. The report mentioned many allegations of election violations committed by United Russia Party led by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
The Golos report was rewarded with a number of pressures and one of them happened to the leaders of institutions funded by the U.S. and the European Union, Lilya Shibanova.
Moscow's main airport security officer arrested Lilya for a few hours after she refused to hand over her laptop. Moscow airport officials accused Lilya was using illegal software on her laptop. Earlier, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin accused the foreign countries had intervened in the electoral process in Russia.
Some lawmakers in the country were also questioning the legitimacy of institutions of foreign election observers, such as Golos, to oversee the Russian elections. Moscow court on Friday (12/2) imposed a fine on Golos of U.S. $ 1,000 because it violated the rules by publishing the poll results five days before the election.
In the elections this time there are seven parties are allowed to nominate their candidates. The amount is less when compared to previous elections, 11 parties. Parliamentary elections will compete for 450 seats and involve the citizens of Russia in various areas that are divided into nine time zones.
► http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,801665,00.html
A Disappointing Landslide: Poor Election Showing Weakens Putin - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - Internation
It may have won by a huge margin, but the results of Sunday's Duma election in Russia are still disappointing for Vladimir Putin's United Russia. The party won just under half of the vote, a massive decline compared to the 2007 election.
► http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16042797
Moscow protest after Russia vote
Several thousand people take to the streets of Moscow shouting "Down with Putin" after international observers criticise the election
► http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/85769/
McCain to Putin: Arab Spring is coming to a neighborhood near you
Known for his sharp anti-Russian views, McCain has repeatedly called on the U.S. administration to treat Russia with caution.
I am not anti-Russian. I like Putin and I do not like the dirty ways of invisible hands that always work with a very distinctive way. Mr. Putin, be careful with the current situation in your country, that's all.
*****
► http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/world-europe-16020632
Russians begin heading to polls
Russians head to the polls for parliamentary elections amid allegations of violations of election law ahead of the vote.
► http://rt.com/trends/russia-parliament-elections-2011/
Parliamentary Elections 2011 — RT
Recent articles on "Parliamentary Elections 2011"
► http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15061098
No end in sight to era of Putin
Russia's political future, and election results, are already decided and will see Vladimir Putin maintain his tight control, says the BBC's Steve Rosenberg.
The vote to elect members of the Russian parliament started on 4 Decembre. Russia's far eastern region held an election process earlier than other regions because of differences in time was far enough. To illustrate just how vast the territory of Russia, when Moscow was awake, then resident in Russia's far east(eg Valdivostok) was still falling asleep.
A number of reports mentioned this election took place amid the allegations of rules violations of the election. Russia's independent election monitoring agency, Golos said they received and compiled the 5300 complaints related to the election process. The report mentioned many allegations of election violations committed by United Russia Party led by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
The Golos report was rewarded with a number of pressures and one of them happened to the leaders of institutions funded by the U.S. and the European Union, Lilya Shibanova.
Moscow's main airport security officer arrested Lilya for a few hours after she refused to hand over her laptop. Moscow airport officials accused Lilya was using illegal software on her laptop. Earlier, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin accused the foreign countries had intervened in the electoral process in Russia.
Some lawmakers in the country were also questioning the legitimacy of institutions of foreign election observers, such as Golos, to oversee the Russian elections. Moscow court on Friday (12/2) imposed a fine on Golos of U.S. $ 1,000 because it violated the rules by publishing the poll results five days before the election.
In the elections this time there are seven parties are allowed to nominate their candidates. The amount is less when compared to previous elections, 11 parties. Parliamentary elections will compete for 450 seats and involve the citizens of Russia in various areas that are divided into nine time zones.
► http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,801665,00.html
A Disappointing Landslide: Poor Election Showing Weakens Putin - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - Internation
It may have won by a huge margin, but the results of Sunday's Duma election in Russia are still disappointing for Vladimir Putin's United Russia. The party won just under half of the vote, a massive decline compared to the 2007 election.
► http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16042797
Moscow protest after Russia vote
Several thousand people take to the streets of Moscow shouting "Down with Putin" after international observers criticise the election
► http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/85769/
McCain to Putin: Arab Spring is coming to a neighborhood near you
Known for his sharp anti-Russian views, McCain has repeatedly called on the U.S. administration to treat Russia with caution.
I am not anti-Russian. I like Putin and I do not like the dirty ways of invisible hands that always work with a very distinctive way. Mr. Putin, be careful with the current situation in your country, that's all.
*****
HUGO CHAVEZ
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was asked as "leader" of new alliance of regional body in Latin America which was founded as a rival to U.S. dominance in the region.
Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) which consists of 33 countries without the U.S. and Canada which was unveiled on Friday (12/2) was the Chavez's first international appearance since he underwent cancer surgery in June.
Chavez looked warmly welcomed the other leaders, including Dilma Rousseff of Brazil, Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez and Cuban leader Raul Castro.
"As the years have passed, CELAC will leave OAS which is old and outdated, "said Chavez, referring to the organization of American States formed by Washington. Chavez called CELAC as a basis for the 200 years of the revolutionary ideals of independence hero Simon Bolivar which are being delayed. "Only unity will make us free," said Chavez, who was greeted with loud applause. "This is the path, unity, unity, unity."
Many observers predict the formation of CELAC however is a clear message to U.S. that the leaders of Latin America and the Caribbean will no longer simply regarded as a "backyard" to Washington. Some countries have the sentiment of anti-Americanism, but for many other leaders, CELAC formation however is a very important step in their regional togetherness.
Without involving the U.S. and Canada, CELAC aims to encourage regional integration and encourage the formation of a regional reserve fund for the economic crisis and human rights monitoring bodies. But among other observers, the skeptics argue that the formation of CELAC is nothing more than reproduce the joint venture's acronym which has been highly overlapping in the region.
However, the CELAC's countries still can not be ignored. They have a population of nearly 600 million people and become the number one exporter of food in the world. If their GDP were combined, the number would reach 6 trillion U.S. dollars, which means it is one-third of the combined output of the U.S. and Canada. Cuba was suspended from the OAS (which is based in Washington) since 1962.
"This has been aided by weakening of progressive intervention by the U.S. in some areas since the easing of Cold War. It allows other countries - notably China - to enhance their role not only in economics but also politics, "said Robert Munks from think tanks.
Meanwhile, for President of Nicaragua Daniel Ortega, CELAC formation is considered as the end of the Monroe doctrine. Monroe Doctrine was a relic of the 19th century set on December 2, 1823. The doctrine considers the European colonization efforts in America as the aggression, so the U.S. is justified to intervene.
Shared the happiness with the formation of CELAC, many times Chavez spoke at length and occasionally even made satirical jokes about his health which has been a sensitive issue in Venezuela. "Whose baldhead is the most elegant? Lula's or mine?" Chavez joked, comparing himself with the former Brazilian leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
*****
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was asked as "leader" of new alliance of regional body in Latin America which was founded as a rival to U.S. dominance in the region.
Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) which consists of 33 countries without the U.S. and Canada which was unveiled on Friday (12/2) was the Chavez's first international appearance since he underwent cancer surgery in June.
Chavez looked warmly welcomed the other leaders, including Dilma Rousseff of Brazil, Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez and Cuban leader Raul Castro.
"As the years have passed, CELAC will leave OAS which is old and outdated, "said Chavez, referring to the organization of American States formed by Washington. Chavez called CELAC as a basis for the 200 years of the revolutionary ideals of independence hero Simon Bolivar which are being delayed. "Only unity will make us free," said Chavez, who was greeted with loud applause. "This is the path, unity, unity, unity."
Many observers predict the formation of CELAC however is a clear message to U.S. that the leaders of Latin America and the Caribbean will no longer simply regarded as a "backyard" to Washington. Some countries have the sentiment of anti-Americanism, but for many other leaders, CELAC formation however is a very important step in their regional togetherness.
Without involving the U.S. and Canada, CELAC aims to encourage regional integration and encourage the formation of a regional reserve fund for the economic crisis and human rights monitoring bodies. But among other observers, the skeptics argue that the formation of CELAC is nothing more than reproduce the joint venture's acronym which has been highly overlapping in the region.
However, the CELAC's countries still can not be ignored. They have a population of nearly 600 million people and become the number one exporter of food in the world. If their GDP were combined, the number would reach 6 trillion U.S. dollars, which means it is one-third of the combined output of the U.S. and Canada. Cuba was suspended from the OAS (which is based in Washington) since 1962.
"This has been aided by weakening of progressive intervention by the U.S. in some areas since the easing of Cold War. It allows other countries - notably China - to enhance their role not only in economics but also politics, "said Robert Munks from think tanks.
Meanwhile, for President of Nicaragua Daniel Ortega, CELAC formation is considered as the end of the Monroe doctrine. Monroe Doctrine was a relic of the 19th century set on December 2, 1823. The doctrine considers the European colonization efforts in America as the aggression, so the U.S. is justified to intervene.
Shared the happiness with the formation of CELAC, many times Chavez spoke at length and occasionally even made satirical jokes about his health which has been a sensitive issue in Venezuela. "Whose baldhead is the most elegant? Lula's or mine?" Chavez joked, comparing himself with the former Brazilian leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
*****
M Y A N M A R
Clinton met Suu Kyi at the opposition leader's lakeside residence in Yangon
Clinton is the most senior US official to visit Myanmar in 50 years
The secretary of state hit a bell for good luck as she toured Shwedegon Pagoda in Yangon
Clinton met Myanmar President Thein Sein in the capital, Naypyidaw
Clinton said the US is ready to improve ties with Myanmar, if the country continues to implement reforms
Myanmar was ruled by the military for decades until elections last year brought a nominally civilian government to power
Myanmar was ruled by the military for decades until elections last year brought a nominally civilian government to power
Myanmar was once a symbol of resistance against the dictatorship of the ruling. However, now the stretching of democracy in that country begins to show the positive developments. After more than two decades the military show stubbornness over the protests against human rights violations, Myanmar's military leaders are now starting to brag to reform their institutions.
However, it's not just enough to reform the military. Other policies such as the free guarantee voice for unions, the reduction of restrictions on press to report the information, and the release of some political prisoners have become one of the Myanmar government's agenda.
According to former officials of the United Nations (UN) and the observer Mynamar, Thant Myint-U, one year period to be a critical time for President Thein Sein. Can he prove to the international public that the liberalization in the country can go smoothly? However, the issue of poverty, economic disruption, and turmoil in some areas are still 'haunts' of Myanmar. Ethnic groups with large weapons often do battle with government forces along the border of China and Thailand. The border region is also known as a major producer of illegal drugs of heroin and methamphetamine which sold to various parts of Asia.
"Basically, it's very easy to increase the sense of optimism at this point, imagine the release of political prisoners, Aung San Suu Kyi enters the parliament, and the elections are honest and fair," said Thant Myint-U, as quoted by the New York Times. "But it's hard to find a sense of optimism in the economic sector. There is no clear legislation. The banking system is inadequate, and no system that can help economic growth so that the business is not growing because there is no loan capital," he added.
President of Myanmar Thein Sein is a central figure in the reform agenda. In general, the people of Myanmar in Yangon to assess the president is good. They assess Sein as someone who can compromise and relatively honest for the sake of building a modern Myanmar.
Founder of National League for Democracy (NLD), U Win Tin, said there were two powers in Myanmar: the government under the control of Thein Sein, and the military.
"Thein Sein promises a clean government and makes peace with armed ethnic groups, while the military want to continue to fight the rebels, "he said. "We need a new friend," said economist Myanmar, Khin Maung Nyo as quoted by the Guardian. "We have two problems, lack of budget and also the government must manage the budget effectively and wisely."
Myanmar's debt continues to rise and the currency is unstable. "Officially, a U.S. $ is equivalent to 6 kyat, but in fact it reaches 800 or 900 kyat per dollar," said Khin Maung Nyo. The government spends about 23% of gross domestic product (GDP) for the military, but only 1% for education and 1% for health so that health crisis is threatening the country.
Dramatic events are still emerging from the grassroots movement. One of them is the opposition to the development of Myitsone dam assisted by China in the Irrawaddy region. Construction of dams has flooded an area of Singapore and damaging a number of ponds and infrastructure in river's downstream.
The electrical energy generated by the dam is about 90% flowed to China, while profiting from the sale of electricity is scooped by the ruling military junta.
Not surprisingly if the local residents were finally held a rebellion with bomb attacks and the message "Save the Irrawaddy" was tacked on a number of city walls, even up to Yangon.
Barack Obama predicts that the U.S. can embrace Myanmar, as long as it is able to carry out political reforms. The move is expected to improve the diplomatic relations and create economic benefits after more than 50 years of strained relations between the two countries.
Obama's decision to send Hillary Clinton to come to Myanmar in early December marked the stages of a new covenant with the civilian government which is serious to run a series of reform processes after the power's takeover from military junta through the election last year.
For the U.S., the approach with Myanmar can open new markets and offset the power of China which has been the biggest political and economic partner for Myanmar. "This is an important advance that we can see since the military take over and destroy one of the most prosperous countries in Southeast Asia, "said David Steinberg, Burma observer studies from Georgetown University, as quoted by Reuters. "There are concrete steps to reform the institutions of government and the U.S. should make every effort that can increase the possibilities that continue to occur," added Steinberg.
The Obama administration has commenced exploration on Myanmar in 2009 ago. In recent months Washington began to aggressively approach, since the military finally supporting the civil administration reform and other measures.
The U.S. dropped the economic sanctions against Myanmar since 1988. The U.S. trail was followed the European Union, Australia, and Canada by pressing the military junta.
Ernest Bower said that the U.S. entrepreneurs were keen to invest in a country which has a population of approximately 54 million people and rich in natural resources such as natural gas, mining, and wood. "This is an incredible opportunity. We find a rich country in Asia that has not been touched by any other country for 40 years," said Bower. (Oh, I'm imagining a wealthy spinster. Hmmm ... maybe she'll be the belle/target for struggle between the men, both male virgin or widower. And the unpretty women but rich will always look good in comparison with pretty women but poor. Hmm...)
*****
D O G
C H I N A
H O R S E
T A L I B A N
PARIS-SWITZERLAND/LOVELY PEOPLE, PLACE& MEMORY
J'ai regardé devant moi
Dans la foule je t'ai vue
Parmi les blés je t'ai vue
Sous un arbre je t'ai vue
Au bout de tous mes voyages
Au fond de tous mes tourments
Au tournant de tous les rires
Sortant de l'eau et du feu
L'été l'hiver je t'ai vue
Dans ma maison je t'ai vue
Entre mes bras je t'ai vue
Dans mes rêves je t'ai vue
Je ne te quitterai plus.
Derniers poèmes d'amour - PAUL ELUARD
J'ai regardé devant moi
Dans la foule je t'ai vue
Parmi les blés je t'ai vue
Sous un arbre je t'ai vue
Au bout de tous mes voyages
Au fond de tous mes tourments
Au tournant de tous les rires
Sortant de l'eau et du feu
L'été l'hiver je t'ai vue
Dans ma maison je t'ai vue
Entre mes bras je t'ai vue
Dans mes rêves je t'ai vue
Je ne te quitterai plus.
Derniers poèmes d'amour - PAUL ELUARD
(un poème pour une mémoire durable avec vous)
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