All the countries, big or small, rich or poor, democracies or the totalitarians, are proud to celebrate the Abolition of Slavery. All the people make new pledges and refresh the old ‘pledges’ to purge the society from the ills of slavery, to ensure the liberties and to safeguard the human rights. It’s a good omen that at least people across the globe are aware of what is a slavery and what is meant by liberty?

Is the mankind free from the shackles of slavery in 21st century in real sense?

the new name of slavery is once more BlackBerry

BlackBerry’s name originates in the times of slavery in America. When there was slavery in the United States, a black iron ball were put the slaves on the feet for to prevent escape. It was not a perfect ball, very irregular and pockmarked, with a chain and shackle at the bottom, so they could not escape running from the cotton fields. This iron ball was called “BlackBerry” (blackberry, black cherry) because it resembled that fruit. That was the ancient symbol of slavery, saying that he would be forced to leave his life to perish without escape of these plantations.

In modern times, new employees can not be tied to an iron ball, however, are given a phone, “BlackBerry” and are wirelessly tethered to the shackle, which like slaves, can not set aside and that is bound to work all the time. It is the modern symbol of slavery.

Currently, most executives and government officials are chained through one of these mobile devices, they are glued to the happy little machine all the time, as addiction, in the bathroom, in the car, at the movies, dinner, falling asleep and there is no escape when the boss call them or when send them emails. There is no way of saying that the message not arrived or not hear the bell, because the gossip phone alerts if they did not answer, if there are messages to read, or if they read the opened emails.

Appointments, schedules, wake up,…. every day more things are controlled and dominated by these electronical decives. Companies invading what used to be their employees private moments with a “play or else mentality”. Nights, mornings, weekends, holidays and vacations are now fair game in an increasing number of companies. A manager who owns a Blackberry is expected to respond to email within the hour, executives sending messages back and forth at 5 am, or 20 hour games of “email ping-pong”. Sending an email entitled “URGENT” has turned into the new way of delivering urgent messages, replacing the telephone. To read emails of phone calls on designated days off is normaly, professionals chain themselves to their smartphones, checking and re-checking their email, just in case they received an urgent email in the last five minutes.

And the best of all: ….  modern executives are proud about their importance because “the boss” gave them their “BlackBerry“, … to prevent escape …

They would not have thought a better name,… is it not so?

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The manatees are family of mermaids, marine mammals that are nearly extinguished. The name of the siren has to do with the legend of the sirens, they say, were beautiful women with  fishtail who lived in the sea. These mammals are gentle animals, which have not developed any defenses and never attack humans or other animals.

Riding on the back of a manatee. - (* Expand the photo with a click.

Bavaro, Dominican Republic.- Yaroslaw Mazur, a Polish photographer and experienced diver got the fright of his life when he was diving on the reefs near the coast, while enjoying the wonderful seascape, encountered a herd of strange animals he knew only in books, videos and documentaries: They were Manatees.

“Oh my God! It Was So exciting, I will never forget That day, That Was something amazing.”

Recreate the encounter with manatees has changed the life of this professional photographer. Mazur lives in New York, but since he watched the aquatic mammals has returned 19 times to Bavaro. He is responsible for water and awesome video footage of tourists interacting with these animals.

Mazur manages the company “Global Divers”, associated with Walter Frischbutter and his company responsible for underwater tours. The German businessman has a diving school and works with seven local resorts. Frischbutter speaks five languages.

Walter, who observed manatees for the first time in 2007, does not hide the excitement when talking about this:

“Swimming with manatees is one of the main aquatic activities that attract tourists in Bavaro. They touch these mammals with their hands, swim and play with them. Have fun under the water like children, without any malice. Tourists will scratch their belly and they fall asleep. That’s worth seeing. It is an experience that no human being can forget.“

Swimming with manatees. - (* Expand the photo with a click.

The diving area is called “Butane” and is located 5 minutes from the Bavaro beach coast. There are corals, caves and grass eaten by manatees. Tourists are transported in three separate boats. If you do not have a diving license, before activity you receive a special training. The entire process is supervised by professional divers. The maximum depth where the manatees are found is twenty feet. The visit of the Mammals in this part of the coast usually occur twice a year and they stay several weeks in the area.

Walter Brandle, tourism entrepreneur, believes that the presence of manatees that interact with tourists “is the best thing what happen to Bavaro. I think we are entering a new stage of sustainable tourism in the Punta Cana/Bavaro area. We never had seen anything like that. It is simply great, exciting, an indescribable look of innocence of these mammals playing with humans in an atmosphere of harmony and cordiality. These are things that you cannot see every day.“

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>>>>> read the original story (spanish): Nadando con Manatíes

Mermaid, Siren or Manatee?

In the ocean near Hispaniola in 1493, Christopher Columbus—probably glimpsing a manatee—reported seeing three mermaids but said they were “not as pretty as they are depicted, for somehow in the face they look like men.“

The mermaid La sirèn is a powerful water spirit popular in the Caribbean Islands and parts of the Americas. Like European mermaids, and the African mermaid water spirit Mami Wata, La sirèn holds a mirror to admire herself and a comb for her long, straight hair. La sirèn’s underwater world is known as “the back of the mirror,” and her mirror is a symbol of the boundary between the two worlds. Followers of La sirèn say she takes them below the water to her world, and they return with new powers. Some women become Vodou priestesses this way.

The story of La sirèn blends African and European mermaid stories with Caribbean culture. When African slaves were brought to the Caribbean, they took their stories with them. In Haiti, La sirèn is part of the Vodou tradition, and her followers appeal to her for help in Vodou ceremonies, where the mermaid’s spirit may enter the body of a female follower and bring good luck with work, health, money and love.

The mermaid La sirèn is one of three powerful female water spirits, sometimes considered sisters, who are honored in shrines like the one pictured here. One sister is cool, calm and seductive. The other is hot, passionate, angry and strong. La sirèn’s personality is a blend of these opposites. Together, they validate a wide range of temperaments for women.

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Just a “day at the beach”, – this is one of the most desired destinations for travelers from all over the world.

For to find peace and entertainment, for to enjoy, relax and feel free from daily stress …….. one of the last refuges for to recreate with friends and family, for to stay in harmony with nature and people and recuperate lost energies ……

Relaxing in nature at beautiful and pristine beaches ……..

People visit a nude beach because they see no reason to wear clothing when taking part in water activities or sunning, or who enjoy being nude or partially nude.

Nude beaches first became popular in the 1950s along the French coastand have since spread around the world, though they are still few and far between. Some nude beaches are part of a larger nude area, such as the Cap d’Agde area. Most beaches in Denmarkand all beaches in Norway are clothing optional.

If you feel the need for a truly naked de-stress, visit for swimming and sunbathing a nude beach. This kind of relaxed beaches you can find all over the world. For example in China the last nude beach that received widespread publicity in the media was actually an invention of forward-thinking Hangzhou tourism officials.

Some samples of the best places where nudism is in:

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  Praia do Pinho Balneario Camboriu, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

  Praia do Pinho Balneario Camboriu, Santa Catarina, Brazil; where the motto is ¨Clothing is not an option¨. Pinho beach is considered the first and prettiest Brazilian naturalist beach and the fifth in the world. Beyond that, it’s also recognized for its natural beauties and the life philosophy of those who frequent the beach. Pinho Beach counts on a Touristy Complex where the norms of conduct for visitors of the beach or guests of the Inns value the ethics, the respect, the harmony, the freedom and the security of those who frequent the beach. In its infrastructure there are: inns, chalets, cabins, restaurants, camping sites with capacity for 200 booths and broad parking for the visitors.

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  Red Sand Beach,Matala, Crete

  Red Sand Beach, Matala, Crete – ¨Fabulous place to swim, relax & get a full tan!¨   The reputation of the Greek island nudist beaches gained momentum when the 60 hippie let it blocks all outside on the South coast of Crete. Beach resorts like Matala, Sougia and Prevali drew the crowd of “free love” which included Cat Stevens and Joni Mitchell. Some only wearing flowers in hair and nothing else, continued fashion flower power and “finding themselves” as became each year to vacation in Crete and Greek Islands.
  Today there are several nudist beaches in the Greek island of Crete, where naturistas still “free textile” naturist beaches prefer. Officially, nudist bathing is not allowed anywhere on Greece and the Greek Islands, but turns blind eye to discreet Nudism.

• Wreck Beach is Vancouver’s famous nudist beach. Protected from prying eyes by a steep cliff and a descent of nearly 500 wooden steps, Vancouverites have been going there for decades to get an all-over tan and just enjoy its unique vibe. In good weather, you may find vendors selling food, drinks, sunscreen, exotic clothing, and more on the beach. In poorer weather, or early in the day, you may find it empty except fo the occasional runner. And save the sexual acts for the privacy of your hotel room or you could be arrested. ¨Just be cool, drop your clothes and you’ll have a great time¨.

Wreck beach Vancouver

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  Cap d'Agde in southern France.

  Cap d’Agde in southern France. The naturist village is certainly one of the strangest places in Europe, with everyday activities in the nude. – ¨The atmosphere is always fun and friendly – you never felt concern or worry¨.

Pool Bar Hedonism II, Negril, Jamaica

• Hedonism II is a vacation resorts in Negril, Jamaica. The resort has areas reserved for naturism/nudism and is known for liberal sexual, drug,and alcohol attitudes; no children are allowed. – ¨… get naked, make some friends … all about discovering yourself and being free¨.

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German pop-star Lena enjoy her vacations ....

Duisburg 2010, in the Tunnel of Death

German officials confirmed on Sunday that 19 people died and 342 were injured during the mass panic that turned Saturday’s Love Parade in Duisburg into a tragedy. Prosecutors have launched an investigation, with initial questions focusing on the organizers’ crowd control strategy.

In 1989, the Love Parade started in Berlin as a peace demonstration. On Saturday, the festival, held in Germany’s industrial Ruhr region since 2007, ended in disaster in Duisburg when a mass panic resulted in the deaths of 19 partygoers. A further 340 were injured in the stampede.

The deaths took place as partygoers were pushing through a highway underpass leading to the festival grounds, the only entrance to the party for the 1.4 million people in attendance. According to some accounts, organizers at one point closed the entrance to the party venue, a former freight train station, for an hour but did not prevent more people from streaming into the tunnel. The resulting crush of people fueled both tempers and the resulting panic.

According to a police spokesman on Sunday, most of the deaths occurred when revellers broke through a barricade and began climbing up a steep staircase near the tunnel entrance in an effort to gain access to the party grounds. Many of them fell off, which triggered a panic in the masses down below.

An eyewitness told the German news channel n-tv that the tunnel had acted like a trap. “There were people lying on the ground everywhere,” he said. “It was how I imagine war would look.” He said that the advancing crowd had run over people lying on the ground and described the situation as “real mass panic.”

The organizer of this year’s party was Rainer Schaller, also the head of the McFit fitness gym chain, which was the event’s primary sponsor. On Saturday, he promised that “we will do everything in our power to ensure a complete and speedy investigation of this tragedy.”

On Sunday, he said that there will be no more Love Parades in the future.

The original Love Parade grew out of a 1989 peace demonstration and eventually became one of Berlin’s calling cards, attracting 1.5 million people in 1999. But the city eventually became disenchanted with the event — a disagreement about who was responsible for paying the security and police bill ultimately spelled the end of the annual event in the German capital.

Revellers enjoy electronic music during the Love Parade "The art of Love" in the western German city of Duisburg July 24, 2010. The biggest party in the world gets started when the loudspeakers on the 16 floats flooded the former freight depot with the beats and bass of the new anthem "The Art of Love". REUTERS/Kirsten Neumann

Some known facts about Dolphins facing a life of captivity and sadness as permanent residents of Marine Parks or Underwater Resorts:

53% of those dolphins who survive the violent capture die within 90 days.

The average life span of a dolphin in the wild is 45 years; yet half of all captured dolphins die within  their first two years of captivity. Every seven years, half of all dolphins in captivity die from capture shock, pneumonia, intestinal disease, ulcers, chlorine poisoning, and other stress-related illnesses. Some may die due to stress while transport. To the captive dolphin industry, these facts are accepted as routine operating expenses.

In many tanks the water is full of chemicals as well as bacteria, causing many health problems in dolphins including blindness.

When a baby dolphin is born in captivity, the news is usually kept secret until the calf shows signs of survival. Although marine mammals do breed in captivity, the birth rate is not nearly as successful as the one in the wild, with high infant mortality rates.

Wild dolphins can swim 40 to 100 miles per day – in pools they go around in circles. Dolphins are predators of fish and spend up to half of their time in the wild hunting for food. Supplying dead fish results in less exercise and lack of mental stimulation, thus causing boredom.

Many marine parks subject their mammals to hunger so they will perform for their food. Jumping through hoops, tailwalking and playing ball are trained behaviors that do not occur in the wild. Confined animals who abuse themselves (banging their heads against the walls) are creating stimuli which their environment cannot supply. Dolphins in captivity tend to develop stereotypical behaviors (swimming in a repetitive circle pattern, with eyes closed and in silence) because of boredom and confinement.

This is equivalent to the swaying and pacing of primates, lions, tigers and bears confined in cages.

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State would receive only US$ 32 Million per year for US$ 1,000 Million exported Gold

Dominican negotiators of the contract for the exploitation of gold from sulfide of ¨Pueblo Viejo¨ never thought gold prices were to reach the levels where they are today.

For this reason the country would receive in the first seven years of operation of the mine only $ 32 million a year for exports worth 1,000 million.

This was recognized by the economist Iván Rodríguez, who helped negotiate the contract with Placer Dome which later was transferred to Barrick Gold. This recalls that when the contract was negotiated the price of gold was between 200 and 250 dollars the troy ounce, while higher prices were expected that gold reached up to US$ 450.

Today gold prices in spot and future market reached record levels, boosted by the sale of 200 tonnes of gold made by the International Monetary Fund.

Yesterday gold was quoted at US$ 1079.40 an ounce from US$ 1059.15 on Monday afternoon in New York. Earlier, the precious metal reached a record of US$ 1080.60.

Although it was for the Dominican negotiators certainly an unexpected dimension where the price levels of gold has reached, it is likely that for Placer Dome and Barrick Gold then was not surprised the behavior of the metal in international markets …..

for more information’s visit this spanish site:  Sancocho con dulce de leche

According to data published by Barrick Gold, the proven reserves in the mine of Pueblo Viejo is 20 million troy ounces of gold, 117 million ounces of silver and 424 million pounds of copper, which at current prices are worth about 24,000 million dollars, which makes the Pueblo Viejo mine in Cotuí, one of the largest mines in the world.

Update 10th of November 2009:

Congressman defends contract between Barrick Gold and Dominican state.

10/11/2009 – El Nuevo Diario

SANTO DOMINGO – The President of the Special Commission of the Chamber of Deputies who studied the lease agreement between the Dominican State and the Canadian company Barrick Gold, defended the work of legislators in approval.

Ramon Cabrera explained that the contract guarantees an investment of 3 billion pesos (84 million dollar) and generate about 5 thousand jobs. The company will pay around 374 million dollar to heal environmental damage.

The contract of the mining rights to mine gold, silver, copper and zinc in Pueblo Viejo, Cotui, signed in 2002 between the Dominican Government and the Canadian company Placer Dome, is being amended by requirement of the mining company Barrick Gold, which in 2006 bought all rights to the Pleasure Dome.

According to Article 8 of the original agreement, Placer Dome will pay the state a tax in base of Net Profit Sharing (PUN) which varies between 5% and 25%, dependent on the selling price of gold, unless a production cost of $ 275 per ounce.

Barrick Gold Results Beat Analyst Estimates on Cost Containment

Oct. 29 (Bloomberg) — Barrick Gold Corp., the world’s largest gold producer, reported third-quarter results that beat most analysts’ estimates because of efforts to contain costs.

Profit excluding a $5.7 billion charge to eliminate fixed- price contracts and a one-time impairment expense was 54 cents a share, Toronto-based Barrick said today in a statement. That topped the 46-cent average estimate of 23 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg.

Gold futures in New York climbed 17 percent to $1,030.50 an ounce this year through yesterday, while the 16-company Philadelphia Stock Exchange Gold & Silver Index rose 25 percent. The precious metal, which reached a record $1,072 on Oct. 14, has risen for eight straight calendar years.

Barrick repeated its forecast for 2009 gold production of 7.2 million to 7.6 million ounces at total cash costs of $450 to $475 an ounce. The company expects gold output to rise to 7.7 million to 8.1 million ounces next year, helped by the scheduled start of new production at the Cortez Hills project in Nevada next year. Barrick produced 7.66 million ounces of gold last year at average total costs of $443 an ounce.

On Oct. 12, Barrick agreed to pay Xstrata Plc $465 million for a 70 percent stake in the El Morro copper and gold mining project in Chile.

Barrick started building its $3 billion Pascua-Lama mine project on the Chile-Argentina border after the two countries resolved a tax dispute. The mine is forecast to yield as much as 800,000 ounces of gold annually after it starts operations in 2012.

The gold miner began production at its Buzwagi mine in Tanzania in May. The Pueblo Viejo project in the Dominican Republic is scheduled to start production in the fourth quarter of 2011.

read the full story: Barrick Gold Results Beat Analyst Estimates on Cost Containment

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August 17, 2010 – EL DIA

Board of Aldermen gives powers to the Mayor Molina Lluberes to fight against Barrick

COTUI .- The Board of Aldermen of the City Council of this town gave powers to the Mayor Rafael Molina Lluberes to act in all legal statuses against the mining company Barrick Gold, in defense of the heritage of the province of Sanchez Ramirez, preservation of resources natural, payment of damages caused by the exploitation of mineral deposits and the revision of the concession contract granted by the state.

The Board of Aldermen of the City Council in its resolution 001 claimed responsibility for environmental protection and the payment of municipal taxes from the mining company.

The council resolution was passed unanimously by the nine magistrates present at the first session of the municipal body.

Madonna (34C-23-33) is one of the greatest singers in history and one of the richest ones as well.

Her full name is Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone Fortin. From an early age she was involved in artistic activities in her school and took courses in piano and ballet. She has been a sexy symbol for almost thirty years now. She’s arguably the most prolific female recording artist ever, and continues to be successful, even though she’s now really weird and has a British accent. Whether it was due to her sexy videos, roles in movies, or that book she put out where she was naked on every page, every man has some dirty memory of her.

A naked photo of Madonna, taken before erotic songs and risque costumes catapulted her to superstardom, is expected to sell in Christie’s auction house.

Madonna’s naked photo go to the block in the auction hall Christie New York since Thursday (12 / 2). Up to now the highest bid of U.S. $ 37,500. Quoted from Yahoo News, Friday (13/2/2009), the black and white photo taken in 1979.

Until now, bidding is still ongoing. Estimated, the image could reach U.S. $ 90 thousand. Wow!

Madonna Says : “I really was not getting up to much. I don’t think I was as naughty as I could have been.

“I was quite straight. I was a geek when I was that age. I did not really do much that was interesting.

“I hope that’s not the only thing that I’m identified with – taking off my clothes. I have done other things ….

Both photos are circulating on the Internet and arrived in born to be free, sent by journalist Arismendy C. Borda .

The photos were taken by one of the passengers at a critical time of the tragedy.

The photos were retrieved from the USB memory of a camera. In the first picture there is a huge hole in the fuselage through which you can see the tailplane and vertical fin of the aircraft. In the second photo one of the passengers is being dragged out of the hole.

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Ethiopian Plane Crashes Into Sea Off Lebanon

BEIRUT (Jan. 25) – An Ethiopian Airlines plane carrying 90 people caught fire and crashed into the sea minutes after taking off from Beirut early this morning, setting off a frantic search as passenger seats, baby sandals and other debris washed ashore. At least 34 bodies were recovered.

Relatives of passengers of the Ethiopian Airlines plane that crashed in the sea off Lebanon react after arriving at Beirut airport Monday.

The cause of the crash was not immediately known. Lebanon has seen stormy weather since Sunday night, with crackling thunder, lightning and pouring rain.

Lebanese President Michel Suleiman said terrorism was not suspected in the crash of Flight 409, which was headed for the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. “Sabotage is ruled out as of now,” he said.

The Boeing 737-800 took off around 2:30 a.m. (7:30 p.m. EST) and went down 2 miles off the coast, said Ghazi Aridi, the public works and transportation minister. The Lebanese army said in a statement the plane was “on fire shortly after takeoff.“

“The weather undoubtedly was very bad,” Aridi told reporters at the airport.

Pieces of the plane and debris were washing ashore in the hours after the crash, including passenger seats, a baby sandal, a fire extinguisher and bottles of medicine.

The plane was carrying 90 people, including 83 passengers and 7 crew, Lebanese officials said. Aridi, the transportation minister, identified the passengers as 54 Lebanese, 22 Ethiopians, one Iraqi, one Syrian, one Canadian of Lebanese origin, one Russian of Lebanese origin, a French woman and two Britons of Lebanese origin.

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Airplane crash-lands into Hudson River and all aboard reported safe

NEW YORK (CNN) — A US Airways plane with 155 people on board ditched into a chilly Hudson River on Thursday, apparently after striking at least one bird upon takeoff from New York’s La Guardia Airport, according to officials and passengers.

Everyone on board was accounted for and alive, officials said. About 15 people were being treated at hospitals and others were being evaluated at triage centers.

Flight 1549, headed to Charlotte, North Carolina, was airborne less than three minutes, according to FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown.

The pilot radioed to air traffic controllers that he had experienced a bird strike and declared an emergency, a New Jersey State Police source said.

“I think a lot of people started praying and just collecting themselves,” said passenger Fred Berretta. “It was quite stunning.”

Air France A330 Crash in the Atlantic Ocean

The Airbus went missing over the Atlantic Ocean on a flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, France. The plane departed from Rio de Janeiro-Galeao International Airport at 19:03 LT bound for Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. The last radio contact with the flight was at 01:33 UTC. The aircraft left CINDACTA III radar coverage at 01:48 UTC, flying normally at FL350. The aircraft reportedly went through a thunderstorm with strong turbulence at 02:00 UTC. At 02:14 UTC an automated message was received indicating a failure of the electrical system. Debris and several bodies have been discovered about 570 miles northeast of Natal, Brazil.

The plane carried 12 crew members and 216 passengers. The plane crashed in the Atlantic Ocean, killing all on board.

Another disaster in air: Yemeni plane crashes with 150 on board

At 30 Jun 2009 a Yemenia Air plane flying between Paris, Yemen and the Comoros islands in the Indian Ocean has crashed into the sea with more than 150 people missing.