5 Sept 2010

By Guy Adams

She tells lies. She's a lousy tipper. She billed the Republican Party more than $3,000 for the underwear she bought during the last Presidential election, including dozens of Spanx girdles. Oh, and for all the cutesy charm that Sarah Palin projects in public, she's got a nasty habit of bullying staff, losing her temper with friends and family, and, when particularly upset, throwing tin cans at her husband, Todd.

Fresh from a week that seemed to cement her status as the most valuable brand in American conservatism, and saw her both receive top billing at a vast "tea party" rally in Washington, and almost single-handedly alter the direction of a Senate race in her native Alaska, Palin is on the receiving end of a brace of vintage journalistic hatchet jobs from the left and right sides of the political spectrum.

The first, a vast profile of the self-proclaimed "Mamma Grizzly," which covers 18 pages of next month's Vanity Fair, devotes more than 10,000 words to a mixture of revelation, allegation and innuendo regarding both her public and private persona, detailing what it calls her "erratic behaviour," her "pattern of lying," and what the magazine's reporter Michael Gross describes as the "sad, mouldering strangeness" of her everyday existence.

The second comes courtesy of Meghan McCain, the daughter of Palin's former running mate John, whose new book Dirty, Sexy Politics, describes the former Governor of Alaska as a "a time bomb" who is addicted to attention and whose eccentric behaviour brought "drama, stress, complications, panic, and loads of uncertainty," to the 2008 campaign trail.

Like almost everything else that involves Palin – who, despite her habit of avoiding interviews in what she calls the "lamestream media," has still not ruled out a run for the 2012 Presidency – the broadsides are receiving endless attention. As befits an increasingly polarised nation, they are sparking outrage in conservative circles and a mixture of mirth and disbelief in liberal ones. Palin takes issue with the allegation and has responded with an attack on Vanity Fair, calling into question its facts and reporting standards.

In truth, Vanity Fair's article is a curious mixture of un-sourced innuendo and minor revelation which was mostly staggering for its sheer scale. The magazine spent four months trailing the former Alaska governor on the various speaking engagements that have helped her earn $13m since quitting last year.

It alleges she is "warm and effusive in public, and angry in private," that she is paranoid and vindictive towards former friends, and it revels the details of the occasional sense-of-humour failures which inspired the headline: "The Sound and the Fury."

The piece quotes a "friend" of Palin and her husband Todd, who once witnessed a domestic dispute. "They took all the canned goods out of the pantry, then proceeded to throw them at each other," recalls the friend. "As soon as she enters her property and the door closes, even the insects in that house cringe. She has a horrible temper, but she has gotten away with it because she is a pretty woman."

During the campaign, an un-named "aide" is quoted as claiming that Palin "lashed out" at the slightest provocation, sometimes screaming at staff and throwing objects. Asked about her temper, Todd told a staffer: "You just got to let her go through it... Half the stuff that comes out of her mouth she doesn't even mean."

Vanity Fair also claims that Palin signs the autographs in her books with an autopen, requires three hairstylists and make-up artists before public appearances, and despite her principled opposition to immigration, employs an Hispanic housekeeper.

She is also a bad tipper, the article claims. During a recent stay at the Hyatt in Wichita, she gave the bellboy just $5 for seven bags, making her the "all time worst tipper" of the famous people who have stayed there. She also failed to leave money for the maids who cleaned her room.

As suggested by Levi Johnston, the estranged father of her teenage daughter Bristol's child, the magazine also claims that Palin is a lousy and only occasional angler, who exaggerates her interest in fieldsports to win support in conservative circles.

"This whole hunter thing, for Sarah? That is the biggest fallacy," a friend of the family was quoted as saying. "That woman has never hunted. She never helps with the fishing either. It's all a joke." Bristol, by the by, has made several hundred thousand dollars from media appearances, and was this week unveiled as a contestant on the popular US television programme Dancing With the Stars.

The Vanity Fair article wasn't all tittle tattle. It also explored Palin's links to extremist Christians – the "prayer warriors" she often cites in speeches – and explored her somewhat opaque finances. It revealed that Timothy Crawford, treasurer of Sarah-PAC, her political action committee, is being investigated in Ohio for alleged campaign finance misdemeanours, and has refused to respond to a subpoena issued by the state's investigators.

Meanwhile, Palin's famously scant general knowledge may be even more flaky than originally thought. When McCain aides prepared her for television interviews in 2008, they allegedly found that – besides thinking Africa was a country rather than a continent – she had never heard of Margaret Thatcher. Palin now cites Thatcher as one of her all-time heroines.

Responding yesterday, Douglas McMarlin, a spokesman for Sarah-PAC, said: "The article is a collection of lies cobbled together by an outlet without standards. As the message continues to succeed, the messenger will continue to be attacked by yellow journalists seeking to increase sales."

Miss McCain, for her part, has attempted to put a marginally more sympathetic gloss on things. Her book reveals that the Republican inner circle was "waiting for her [Palin] to explode" during the 2008 campaign. She adds: "There was a fine line between genius and insanity, they say, and choosing her as the running mate was starting to seem like a definition of that line."


The policeman who found the body of MI6 codebreaker Gareth Williams said it was submerged in ‘fluid’, The Mail on Sunday has learned.An inquest heard last week that the 31-year-old spy was padlocked in a sports hold-all and left in the bath of his two-bedroom flat in Pimlico, Central London.But the disclosure that he was also covered by liquid – not thought to be blood or water – has raised fears that a substance was used to accelerate decay and complicate toxicology tests.

The revelation came as new details emerged of the highly sensitive nature of Mr Williams’s work.A source said he had the highest security clearance available to an intelligence officer and was part of a secretive ‘cell’ that created devices that can steal data from mobiles and laptops.

Now, nearly two weeks after cycling enthusiast Mr Williams was found in his flat, police are apparently no nearer to learning how or when he died.This is despite a post-mortem, a second examination and toxicology tests, the results of which might not be available for weeks.

Sources close to the inquiry say the PC who found the body described it as being in ‘fluid’ when he radioed for assistance. Detectives at the scene are understood to have used the same word in their reports.Immediately after making the discovery at the flat, the PC said: ‘This is a murder scene.’

Mr Williams, from Anglesey, North Wales, worked as a cipher and codes expert for the Government’s eavesdropping centre GCHQ in Cheltenham.He was on a year-long secondment to MI6 which was due to end days after he was found dead.Police and security sources have indicated that the explanation for his death is more likely to be found in his personal life rather than his work.

But speculation that he was the victim of a professional ‘hit’ was given credence last night after further details of his work were disclosed.‘He was involved in some very sensitive projects, known as codeword protected,’ said a security expert.‘This meant that only the people in his cell would know what he was working on, and nobody else in his organisation.

‘You are signed in to these projects and once you finish one you are signed out and you no longer have access to any data or news about what is happening in the project.’Mr Williams – a child prodigy who had a degree in maths at 17 and then a PhD in the subject – was part of a team that created devices which ‘hook’ on to mobiles and laptops. ‘It is an aggressive form of Bluetooth or similar wireless technology,’ said the security expert.

He said such devices would be used by spies on the ground to steal data from the handsets of unsuspecting terrorists, organised criminals or officers from rival intelligence agencies.‘Traditionally, there has been a separation of MI6 and GCHQ,’ said the expert. ‘MI6 has been full of the James Bond types working on the ground and GCHQ is filled with boffins with beards who are doing their scientific stuff. ‘But recently there has been a merger of these agencies’ work and Williams was at the forefront of that. This was why he was on secondment to MI6.’

He added that Mr Williams did similar work when he had stints at the National Security Agency in America.The NSA is the equivalent of GCHQ and has been leading the West’s attempts to intercept communication between Al Qaeda cells. Mr Williams worked for the Special Delivery Team, a unit set up in the NSA to create advanced bugging and intercepting devices.

‘If you just look at Williams’s CV, you know he has worked in some of the most important data-mining centres in the UK and US. His salary is no indication of his rank,’ said the expert.

It has also emerged that before his secondment to MI6, Mr Williams worked briefly for MI5, the domestic security agency. As part of that work, he was sent to Bulgaria on a secret mission.A source close to the investigation said that on August 23 police were asked to check on Mr Williams’s flat as he had not shown up for work. Just before 6pm, a PC went to the Georgian townhouse in Alderney Street, which has been converted into four flats on four floors. Mr Williams had the top one.

The PC could not get into the house so the letting agent, W.  A. Ellis, was called and a woman employee arrived with keys.She hovered at Mr Williams’s door as the PC went inside. Within minutes he emerged quickly from the en suite bathroom and escorted the woman back downstairs. He then told her: ‘You stay here. This is now a murder scene.’

This weekend, staff at W. A. Ellis, of Knightsbridge, refused to confirm details.A spokeswoman said: ‘36 Alderney Street is owned by a private company, New Rodina.‘There has been speculation that it is linked to MI6 or that it is a front for MI6. Our clients do not have any links to MI6 whatsoever and are distressed by the death of Mr Williams.’

SOURCE: Daily Mail


Inaudhi na kukasirisha kuona gazeti la serikali,Habari Leo,likijipachika jukumu la kumuua kisiasa mgombea wa Chadema Dokta Wilbroad Slaa kama ambavyo imekuwa ikifanywa na magazeti ya Habari Corporation na Changamoto,na mengineyo yanayofadhiliwa na mafisadi.

Gazeti hilo limeandika kwa kirefu kuhusu anayedaiwa kuwa mume wa mwenza wa sasa wa Dkt Slaa,Josephine Mushumbusi.Ungetegemea gazeti hilo linaloendeshwa kwa fedha za walipa kodi wa Kitanzania pasipo kujali itikadi zao za kisiasa,lingetafakari kwa makini madhara ya habari hiyo.Wanajua sana wanachofanya,na yayumkinika kuamini kuwa serikali inayoongozwa na mgombea wa CCM,Jakaya Kikwete,imeridhia uchapishaji wa habari za aina hiyo.

Kuna msemo wa busara unaoasa "WANAOISHI KWENYE NYUMBA ZA VIOO WASIRUSHE MAWE".Mantiki ya msemo huo ni kwamba kama una wasifu wenye mawaa ya aina moja au nyingine then si wazo jema kuwachafua watu wengine.Wengi wetu tunafahamu "ishu binafsi" za viongozi wa CCM ikiwa ni pamoja na Kikwete mwenyewe.Hazizungumzwi hadharani kwa kuwatunzia heshima viongozi hao lakini inaelekea katika kutapatapa kwao baada ya kugundua hawamwezi Dokta Slaa kwa hoja,wameamua kuhamia kwenye character assassination.

Majukwaani,Kikwete na CCM yake wanajifanya kuhubiri umuhimu wa kampeni za kistaarabu lakini pembeni wanaruhusu raslimali za umma zitumike kumchafua Dokta Slaa.Kikwete alichukua hatua za haraka pale mtandao maarufu wa Ze Utamu ulipochapisha picha zinazomhusu lakini anaruhusu gazeti la serikali litumike kumwandama Dkt Slaa.

Na kwa kuonyesha unazi,kuna mahala katika habari hiyo ambapo pasi aibu wameandika (nanukuu) "Na wakati Mahimbo akiwa njia panda akishindwa kujua hatima ya ndoa yake, Dk. Slaa, Padri msomi `amelitangazia’ taifa mbele ya mikutano ya kampeni ya chama chake cha Chadema kuwa Josephine ndiye mke wake mtarajiwa..." 

Hivi Mhariri wa Habari Leo hafahamu kuwa Dkt Slaa sio Padri bali aliwahi kushika nafasi hiyo na kuiacha?

Blogu hii inamshauri Kikwete akemee mkakati huu mufilisi wa character assassination.Wengi wanafahamu kwa undani maisha ya Kikwete tangu akiwa Waziri,na wanajua vema maisha yake binafsi ndani na nje ya nchi.Asijivunie vyombo vya dola kumlinda pindi kibao kitapogeuzwa upande wake.Ni bora Dokta Slaa anayetangaza hadharani kuhusu uhusiano wake na Josephine kuliko kashfa lukuki zinazohifadhiwa kuhusu viongozi wa CCM kwa vile tu tunawaheshimu na tuna mambo muhimu zaidi ya kuzungumzia kuliko maisha binafsi ya viongozi wetu.

I repeat: Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones!!!





Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

4 Sept 2010

Dr_Slaa

TAFADHALI UKISHASOMA SAMBAZA KWA MWENZIO.BONYEZA HAPO JUU KULIA PALIPOANDIKWA "<>SHARE" KISHA CHAGUA NJIA YA KUSAMBAZA.

Kibonzo kwa hisani ya FEDE

Tunafahamu kuwa mgombea wa CCM,Jakaya Kikwete,ni mahiri sana katika kutoa ahadi.Wakati wa kampeni zake za kuwania urais kwa mara ya kwanza mwaka 2005 alitoa rundo la ahadi ambazo hata angekuwa na uwezo wa kutekeleza basi ingebidi awe rais wa milele.Kwa makusudi,badala ya kufanya marejeo ya ahadi zake lukuki za 2005,Kikwete ameendelea kutoa ahadi zaidi akijaribu kuwaghilibu Watanzania kuwa safari hii akipewa madaraka atazitekeleza.Swali la msingi ni kipi kilichomzuia kuzitekeleza katika kipindi hiki (2005-2010) na kipi kitamwezesha kutekeleza ahadi hizo katika awamu ijayo (2010-2015).

Alipokuwa kwenye kampeni zake huko mikoani aliahidi (bila aibu) kuwa tatizo la umeme sasa litakuwa historia.Last time aliposema hayo,walikuja matapeli wa Richmond.Sijui safari hii watakuja wasanii gani "kuvuna wasichopanda".Angekuwa na busara,angewaeleza Watanzania kwanini umeme umeendelea kuwa tatizo sugu nchini.Ufumbuzi wa tatizo hilo hauwezi kupatikana kwa ahadi zaidi ya zilizokwishatolewa.Kikwazo kikubwa katika upatikanaji wa ufumbuzi wa tatizo la umeme ni maslahi binafsi na ufisadi.Kuna watu wanaoombea Tanzania iwe kizani kila siku ili wauze jenereta zao.Kuna wengine wanaotaka umeme uendelee kuwa tatizo ili wapate fursa ya kutengeneza dili za kifisadi kama za IPTL,Richmond na Dowans.Na Kikwete anawajua sana watu hao lakini hana nia wa kuwachukulia hatua.Ikumbukwe kabla ya kuukwaa urais,Kikwete alishawahi kuwa Waziri wa Nishati!!!

Kadhalika,katika mwendelezo wa ahadi,Kikwete ameahidi kuleta ufumbuzi wa kudumu wa tatizo la maji jijini Dar es Salaam.Utadhani kwamba tatizo hilo halikuwepo wakati wa utawala wake,au limeanza majuzi.Na kama hiyo haijatosha,akaahidi tena kuwa daraja la Kigamboni litajengwa kwa vile zabuni ya kumpata mkandarasi imeshakamilika.Kwanini iwe baada ya kumchangua tena na sio alipochaguliwa 2005?Haihitaji hata elimu ya chekechea kutambua kuwa ahadi hizi ni hewa.ZITAENDELEA KUWA AHADI TU.

Ukimsikiliza kwa makini utagundua kuwa Kikwete hayuko serious na anachoongea.Pengine ni kwa vile anafahamu kuwa hahitaji kuwa serious kupata tena nafasi ya urais.Pengine ni tatixo la upeo tu.Hata hivyo,kumlaumu JK ni kumwonea kwa vile kama ilivyokuwa Desemba 2005,come Oktoba this year HATAJICHAGUA MWENYEWE KUWA RAIS BALI ATATEGEMEA KURA ZA WATANZANIA.Mwaka 2005 waliompigia kura na kumpa ushindi wa kishindo wanaweza kuwa na excuse kwa kudai walikuwa HAWAMJUI VEMA.Five years later,naamini kila Mtanzania anafahamu udhaifu wa kiongozi huyu.Kumrejesha tena Ikulu kwa miaka mingine mitano ni kosa ambalo litawagharimu sana Watanzania.

Ikumbukwe kuwa kama atarejea tena madarakani,kuna uwezekano mkubwa wa kuendesha nchi kwa mtindo wa BORA LIENDE kwa vile hiyo itakuwa awamu yake ya mwisho kwa mujibu wa Katiba.Kama ameweza kuwapuuza Watanzania katika kipindi hiki cha miaka mitano inayoisha huku akielewa fika kuwa itambidi awabembeleze tena wampigie kura mwaka huu,kwanini basi asiwapuuze zaidi kwa vile hatagombea tena urais hapo 2015?

Ni muhimu kwa Watanzania kutambua kuwa tusipoziba ufa tutajenga ukuta.Ufa wetu kwa sasa ni Kikwete na CCM yake.Tukiwarejesha tena madarakani hapo Oktoba tutakuwa tumejichimbia kaburi refu.Tuweke kando ushabiki wa vyama vya siasa na tuangalie maisha yetu na hatma ya taifa letu.Tusifanye mzaha kwa kuendekeza kauli "JINI LIKUJUALO HALIKULI LIKAKWISHA" (i.e. Bora Kikwete na CCM kwa vile tunawajua kuliko hao akina Dkt Slaa na Chadema tusiowajua).Problem is,jini hili safari hii litatumaliza na kutukomba kila kitu.Wameiba mabilioni ya EPA,wametutapeli na Richmond,Dowans,IPTL,Kiwira,Meremeta,Tangold,nk na hawajatosheka.Tukiwarejesha tena madarakani watatukomba kila kitu.

Bahati nzuri Mungu si Athumani.Ametuonea huruma na kumwibua mkombozi Dokta Wilbroad Slaa.Hii ni nafasi adimu,na ndio maana nguvu za giza zimekuwa zikimwandama.CCM wanajua bayana kuwa Dkt Slaa ana dhamira ya dhati kuwatumikia Watanzania.Hawampingi kwa vile ni mwanasiasa wa upinzani bali wanahofia atawafungua macho waliolala,na pia atawapora mtaji wao- yaani masikini wanaonunuliwa kwa pishi za mchele na sukari huku wakiahidi maisha bora "hewa".

Kama wewe si fisadi basi unapaswa kuwa na NIA,SABABU na UWEZO wa kumtosa JK na CCM yake hapo Oktoba.Maisha Bora ya Kweli (na sio ya kuzugana) Yanawezeka,Ila tu sio kwa wazushi hawa waliopo madarakani bali kupitia kwa Dokta Slaa na CHADEMA.

Kwa mujibu wa blogu ya Utakapojua Hujui Ndipo Utakapojua (mwanahabari mahiri Ansbert Ngurumo),Msajili wa Vyama vya Siasa John Tendwa alionekana Ikulu siku ya Alhamisi majira ya saa 9 alasiri ambapo inaelezwa alikutana na Rais Jakaya Kikwete,mgombea wa CCM ambaye amelalamikiwa na Chadema kwa kukiuka Sheria y Gharama za Uchaguzi.Awali,Tendwa alisema kuwa angetoa "hukumu" keshokutwa (Jumatatu).

Kwa hakika,haihitaji utaalam wowote kuhusisha tukio hilo (la Tendwa kukutana na Kikwete) na pingamiz la Chadema.Na haihitaji ujuzi wa sheria kubashiri matokeo ya "hakimu kukutana faragha na mshtakiwa" siku chache kabla ya hukumu.

Wengi wetu tunafahamu Tendwa atasema nini hiyo Jumatatu.Most likely,ameshafanya maamuzi ila kinachoshughulikiwa sasa ni usanii wa lugha ya utoaji wa maamuzi hayo.Na ni katika hilo ndio maana inamlazimu awasiliane na JK ili "ajenge mazingira ya hukumu ya haki".Katika mazingira tuliyonayo ambapo Msajili wa vyama vya siasa ni kama kibaraka wa CCM,haiwezekani kabisa kiongozi huyo kutoa maamuzi ya haki yatakayokiathiri chama hicho.

Na dalili za "usanii" zimeonekana tangu Chadema wawasilishe malalamiko yao.Hivi Tendwa anaweza kuwaambia Watanzania kwanini imchukue takriban wiki nzima kutoa maamuzi kuhusu malalamiko ya Chadema?Je hiyo pekee sio dalili ya uzembe na kutowajibika ipasavyo?Awali aliwaeleza waandishi wa habari kuwa angetoa maamuzi Jumatatu lakini hakueleza kwanini itachukua muda wote huo kutoa maamuzi hayo muhimu kwa mustakabali wa demokrasia nchini mwetu.Jibu jepesi ni kwamba hana ubavu wa kutoa maamuzi kabla ya kupata ridhaa ya CCM.Na kwa vile CCM ndio watuhumiwa,ni dhahiri maamuzi ya Tendwa yataelemea kuipendelea CCM.

Nafahamu kuna wataosema "aah,sasa kelele za nini wakati maamuzi hayajatolewa?" Wana haki ya kusema hivyo lakini wanapaswa pia kutambua vema mapungufu ya Katiba yetu yanayomfanya mgombea wa chama tawala kuwa na advantage kubwa dhidi ya wagombea wengine kutokana na ukweli kwamba Katiba inampa rais nguvu kubwa mno.

Kikwete ameendelea kupuuza malalamiko ya Chadema kwa kuzidi kutoa rushwa ya ahadi katika mikutano yake ya kampeni.Sote tumemsikia akiwazuga wapigakura huko Mbagala kuhusu daraja la Kigamboni na ahadi nyingine hewa ya huduma ya uhakika kwa maji jijini Dar es Salaam.Huyu mtu hana aibu kwa sababu ahadi anazotoa sasa zinatoa picha ya mgombea anayeomba idhini ya kuingia madarakani kwa mara ya kwanza na sio aliyekuwa rais wetu kwa miaka mitano iliyopita.Kama tangu 2005 hadi leo ameshindwa kuwezesha ujenzi wa daraja hilo la Kigamboni,kwanini tumwamini kuwa ataweza katika mhula wake wa mwisho (2010-2015) hasa ikizingatiwa kuwa kipindi hicho cha pili kitatumika zaidi kwa yeye kujitengenezea mazingira ya "kustaafu kwa amani"?

Jeuri ya Kikwete inasababishwa na ufahamu kuwa Chadema,na vyama vingine vya upinzani,havina mahala pa kukimbilia pindi wasiporidhishwa na mwenendo wa kampeni za Kikwete na CCM kwa ujumla.Anafahamu kuwa Tume ya Taifa ya Uchaguzi,Ofisi ya Msajili wa Vyama vya Siasa,Mahakama na taasisi nyingine za kusimamia uchaguzi na sheria nza nchi kwa ujumla,ziko mikononi mwa CCM.Hata hivyo,wapinzani hawapaswi kukata tamaa kwa vile nchi yetu kama masikini wa kutupwa inategemea sana misaada ya wafadhili.Japo kuwapigia magoti wafadhili kunaweza kutafsiriwa kama "kuegemea kwenye ukoloni" lakini tufanyeje kama nchi yetu inaendeshwa kiholela.Binafsi,nina matumaini makubwa kuwa nchi wafadhili zinafuatilia kwa karibu mwenendo wa kampeni za vyama vya siasa nchini na hazitasita kuchukua hatua mwafaka pale CCM itakapotumia ubabe wake kulazimisha ushindi.

Hata hivyo,wakati we keep on hoping for the best and expecting the worst,Tendwa afahamu kuwa he wont get away with this issue as easily as he might think.Blogu hii inaamini kuwa Chadema ni chama makini na chenye rekodi nzuri ya ufuatiliaji mambo.Ni katika mantiki hiyo basi blogu hii inatarajia kuwa Chadema hawatamruhusu Tendwa kufanya uhuni wa aina yoyote ile katika maamuzi yake.Ni heri uchaguzi uvurugike lakini haki ipatikane.Kutoa fursa ya sheria za nchi kupindishwa kwa namna watawala wanavyotaka ni hatari sana hasa tukizingatia ulevi wa madaraka unaowakabili viongozi wengi wa "dunia ya tatu".

Kama alivyoandika Ngurumo katika blogu yake,nami narejea kumkumbusha Tendwa kuwa HATUDANGANYIKI!




Brought to you by Urban Pulse Creative

3 Sept 2010

Jasusi ChatBot

Categories

Blog Archive

© Evarist Chahali 2006-2022

Search Engine Optimization SEO

Powered by Blogger.