Manny For Mayor?!?!

Okay not Mayor, but I like alliteration 🙂

Manny Pacquiao has submitted his candidacy for Congress in the Philipines.  Read BBC’s full coverage here, and stay tuned for updates!

Haiti Is Still Hurting

Up to 95% of existing farmland and livestock was destroyed in 2008 when Haiti was hit by three hurricanes and one tropical storm in a three week period.  A year later, the population is still suffering from severe food shortages and a lack of medical care.  Please take a moment to read the stories of a few survivors who are desperate to provide for their families by clicking here.

Update!!!!

Marwa al-Sherbini is shown with her husband, Elwy Okaz, on their wedding day.

Several weeks ago, SimplyComplex (that’s us), reported on the death of Marwa al-Sherbini, a 31 year old pregnant woman, who was murdered in front of her 3 year old son and husband during a court session in  Dresden, Germany.

Today, Alexander Wiens, who stabbed al-Sherbini at least 16 times and seriously injured her husband as he fought to save his wife, was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of murder and attempted murder.

Read full coverage here.

Say What?!?!?!?!?!?!

BARBOURVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Machete-wielding police officers have hacked their way through billions of dollars worth of marijuana to stave off a bumper crop sprouting in the tough economy. Law enforcement and military personnel have chopped down plants with a combined street value of some $12 billion in the top five marijuana-producing states through the first eight months of this year. Ed Shemelya, head of a marijuana eradication program in Appalachia, theorizes that the ailing national economy may be resulting in more people growing pot. In the mountainous region, officers are typically finding small plots that could be tended by a single grower. Authorities say marijuana profits can have an irresistible pull on people down on their luck.

To Work Or Not To Work?

According to Plan International, children farmers in Malawi are absorbing nicotine levels equal to two packs of cigarettes daily!!!! Scientist report that such large amounts of nicotine will not only cause breathing problems, dizziness, vomiting of blood (which many children have reported) but also at such a young age, the brain’s function and development can be altered.   Read Yahoo’s coverage here and then visit www.philipmorrisinternational.com to help ensure that these claims are investigated.

Estamos recibiendo alto esta noche!!!!

Mexican citizens celebrate the legalization of marijuana and other illicit drugs.

Mexico has decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana, cocaine and heroin.

Prosecutors said the new law sets clear limits that will help keep Mexico’s corruption-prone police from shaking down casual users and offers addicts free treatment to keep growing domestic drug use in check.

The new law sets out maximum “personal use” amounts for drugs, also including LSD and methamphetamine. People detained with those quantities no longer face criminal prosecution.

“Police sometimes hauled in suspects and demanded bribes, threatening long jail sentences if people did not pay” “The bad thing was that it was left up to the discretion of the detective, and it could open the door to corruption or extortion. ”

The maximum amount of marijuana for “personal use” under the new law is 5 grams — the equivalent of about four joints. The limit is a half gram for cocaine, the equivalent of about 4 “lines.” For other drugs, the limits are 50 milligrams of heroin, 40 milligrams for methamphetamine and 0.015 milligrams for LSD.

Anyone caught with drug amounts under the new personal-use limit will be encouraged to seek treatment, and for those caught a third time treatment is mandatory.

Mexico has emphasized the need to differentiate drug addicts and casual users from the violent traffickers whose turf battles have contributed to the deaths of more than 11,000 people since President Felipe Calderon took office in late 2006.

Backed By Gold, Covered In Coke!

Up to 90% of all Amercian money test positive for traces of cocaine.  Guess that means 90% of all American money has also been up at least one person’s nose.  Anywho, read the full story here.

Troy Davis Gets A New Trial!

A June 29th rally for Troy Davis.

In September the Supreme Court granted Troy Davis a stay of execution hours before he was to die by lethal injection. Today comes the ruling that he will get a new trial. Mr. Davis was found guilty of the 1989 shooting death of Georgia police officer, Mark MacPhail.  Since that conviction, seven of nine prosecution witnesses have recanted their story and several witnesses have come forward implicating someone other than Mr. Davis as the shooter.

You Ain’t You!

A current photo of Suaad Mohamud is shown along with her Passport, Medical Card, and Driver's License.

Suaad Mohamud, a 10 year Toronto resident, had been stranded in Kenya for more than three months because officials said she did not resemble her passport photo.

Ms. Mohamud, who concedes that she has lost weight, changed her glasses and may have gotten some sun since the 4 year old photo was taken, had been visiting her ill mother in Nairobi. On May 17, as she prepared to return home, a Kenyan airport official challenged the photo. It is important to note that Kenyan officials never suggested that the passport was fake, only that Ms. Mohamud didn’t look like the picture. Even after providing two other pieces of ID, her OHIP card and Ontario driver’s license, as well as her Canadian citizenship card, bank card and a credit card Kenyan officials arrested Ms. Mohamud, keeping her in jail for eight days before allowing a friend to post her bail. It would not be until a DNA test proved her identity that she was allowed to return to Canada.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has promised a review of the case.

Mad TV

This is like Anchorman gone horribly unclassy…

Police say Wallace Souza, a popular Brazilian television presenter, not only ordered the killings of his drug rivals, yes – he was also a drug dealer,  but then tipped off his news crews to ensure they arrived first to boost ratings. It’s not over yet, next up Souza would lie during the telecast to help conceal facts of the case.   Oh wait – one more thing, this is State Legistlator Wallace Souza – WOW!!!!!