Politics

This is just another small corner of the swamp with a hole in the levee. A bit of justice for our South African friends.


https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...sociate-over-south-africa-graft-idUSKBN1WP2DO

U.S. sanctions brothers at center of South African graft scandal

Nqobile Dludla


JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday sanctioned the three Gupta brothers at the center of the South African corruption scandal that contributed to the downfall of former President Jacob Zuma, saying they had misappropriated state assets.

The U.S. decision to impose financial restrictions on the brothers is a public relations victory for Zuma’s successor Cyril Ramaphosa as he tries to clean up politics and attract foreign investment to lift South Africa’s flagging economy.

The relationship between Zuma and the three brothers - Ajay, Atul and Rajesh - is one of the main areas of focus of a judicial corruption inquiry Zuma was pressured into setting up before he was ousted by his own party in February 2018.

Zuma and the Guptas deny the corruption allegations and law enforcement officials have yet to nail down a convincing case against the brothers - fuelling public frustration with government attempts to crack down on graft.

“The Gupta family leveraged its political connections to engage in widespread corruption and bribery, capture government contracts, and misappropriate state assets,” Sigal Mandelker, the U.S. Treasury’s under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in a statement.

The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control restrictions on the brothers and business partner Salim Essa mean U.S. citizens are prohibited from doing financial transactions with them or entities they control.

“We will continue to exclude from the U.S. financial system those who profit from corruption,” Mandelker said.

The corruption inquiry has shocked South Africans with revelations about the brazen way some people close to Zuma allegedly tried to plunder state resources.

This week, Zuma’s son Duduzane, another business partner of the Guptas, appeared at the inquiry and made light of allegations against himself and the Guptas.

South African Justice Minister Ronald Lamola said it was critical that the country confronted corruption.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the restrictions demonstrated Washington’s commitment to promoting transparency, accountability and the rule of law.

Rudi Krause, a South African lawyer for Ajay Gupta, said he was preparing a statement. Atul Gupta, Rajesh Gupta and Salim Essa could not immediately be reached for comment.

The Guptas left South Africa shortly after Zuma’s removal from power and are believed to be living in Dubai.

Ray B said:

I wouldn't say that we have divergent opinions, just a perception of the adversary. No military has lost a battle by over estimating the adversary but many have fallen by underestimation.

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Over the decades we have been filled with hope that has been dashed upon the rocks many times. I certainly understand your position. I waffled between justice and cover-up until December 2018. Things really seem to be different this time.

Bullthrower338 said:

realize that all that all of the “free stuff” that the libs want all of the have nots to have comes out of your paycheck

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I don't make any claim to know the mental process or motivations of others, but my suspicion is that there is no expectation by the "left" to pay for their programs with taxes, either from the "1%" or even by including everyone. I anticipate that they will attempt to do it by the method used by FDR and those that followed- borrow it from the future. There are two groups that continue to be exploited and have no voice- and they are both not yet born, those whose lives are ended before they are born and those who are born and will be the debtor to the deficit caused by the government of their parents. They will be lucky if they can get a monthly payment plan when the default is executed.

Bullthrower338 said:

Once you experience the real world and you realize that all that all of the “free stuff” that the libs want all of the have nots to have comes out of your paycheck each week, your mind will change. Most of us “assholes” here in Texas depend on oil so that we can provide free cell phones and pay for all of the illegitimate babies that are born daily. We don’t much take stock in a emotionally deranged teenager telling us that we are destroying the planet. The girl has been brainwashed by most likely her hippie type parents and is scared what they are telling her is true. She set herself up by going on the international stage and acting like a full blown bat shit crazy little girl. All Props for the leftist agenda! Go scream insanely at China about there detriments to Mother Earth, oh yeah, they would lock her up and forget about her for doing that. If I want advice from a 16 year old, I will call my son, at least he understands that the sky is not falling because daddy drives a Ford power stroke every day.
If you want to come on down here to Texas, there are plenty of jobs and hell, I will even give you one. Bet you will understand where most of us assholes come from after a couple weeks in the oilfield. By the end of it your hide will be thick like an old rhino and the little things people say will not offend you quite so much.

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Not too many "woke" people in the oilpatch. Most of them have been redpilled.

Wheels said:

Not too many "woke" people in the oilpatch. Most of them have been redpilled.

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Indeed, when you realize that you busted your ass in 110 degree heat all week, open that payroll envelope and then realize the delta of gross and net, you are immediately “woke”.
Strangest part is that when it comes to charitable giving, Ive seldom seen one of these guys hide their billfold. I can’t say that about what I’ve seen from the other side that I have interacted with.

I think you missed the point.

My OG post was more about me lamenting about people trying way too hard to be edgy and controversial. However, I wholeheartedly agree that the vilification of others is nothing short of disgusting and counter-intuitive.

For example, even tho I'm really big into nuclear power, I ain't gonna call people who work in the oil industry a bunch of dinosaurs. That's insulting and kills my mission of making nuclear power more accepted.

Also while I'm here, I think a big problem with politics is that everyone takes things way too personally. Actually, the whole "taking things personally" thing is a personality flaw I'm trying to conquer.

tigris115 said:

I think you missed the point.

My OG post was more about me lamenting about people trying way too hard to be edgy and controversial. However, I wholeheartedly agree that the vilification of others is nothing short of disgusting and counter-intuitive.

For example, even tho I'm really big into nuclear power, I ain't gonna call people who work in the oil industry a bunch of dinosaurs. That's insulting and kills my mission of making nuclear power more accepted.

Also while I'm here, I think a big problem with politics is that everyone takes things way too personally. Actually, the whole "taking things personally" thing is a personality flaw I'm trying to conquer.

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Tigris,
Half the problem with this world is people concerned about things being controversial and offending someone. I refer to this as pussification.
I would personally take no offense to anyone calling the oil industry guys dinosaurs, it is quite comical that anyone believes that oil is near its end. Quite progressive thinking and if it ends I guess I will build nuke plants the rest of my life which by the way are hated more than the O&G industry by the woke left. I also agree that it is a much better source of energy than a coal fired plan, at least in an efficiency standpoint. I’m sure California is having great success with all the electric cars with the blackouts. We must remember that regardless of whether you drive an electric car, gas car or pedal a bike, energy comes from a source that just isn’t completely free of emissions. Cow farts and ultra low sulfur diesel aren’t killing the earth.

A few facts that appear to be ignored by several in elected office, their advisors and the media:
The present big deal is sending carbon in the form of CO2 into the atmosphere. CO2 is an essential part of the energy cycle with sunlight being the primary source of energy on Earth. CO2 is the form of spent energy- it's what the AOCs are all a twitter about. The CO2 gets absorbed into a plant, then with sun energy the bond holding the O2 to the C is broken. the O2 is released to the air and the plant holds on to the C, combining it with Hydrogen and Oxygen to turn it into a molecule that is storing energy. Various combinations of CHO are what are known as wood, sugars, vegetables and given time and pressure can turn into coal and oil. The effects of people's use of energy had but little influence on the Earth's energy function until the last few decades when the human population increased and industry generated the means for people to consume large amounts of energy. As a result some people have become paranoid about possible side-effects of the increased level of CO2. The paranoia has struck the policy makers and they see the solution as causing the middle class to reduce their consumption. One hysterical person has gone so far as to consider massive reductions in the human population as a positive and necessary means of reducing CO2.

The atmosphere elements are a ratio. About 3/4 of it is Nitrogen, slightly less than 1/4 is Oxygen, 1- 1 1/2% CO2, 1-2% misc elements. the elements represent a balance. with any balance there are forces that push the balance one way or the other. If the issue is too much CO2, in addition to looking at ways to reduce the conversion of O2 into CO2, another equally important aspect would be to increase the conversion of CO2 into O2 (and stored energy). So instead of logging the hillside to build windmills, they might consider the amount of O2 that the hillside of trees generates and the accompanying reduction in CO2, even when the wind isn't blowing. And as a side product, when the weather cycle on Earth shifts to colder the trees will be there to provide firewood for heat.

Yea I think attacking the middle class over pollution is a moronic move since the US and Europe are super conscious about environmental stuff. This is why I really despise many climate activists for not bashing countries like China, Brazil, and India. This shows that they dont care and just want money.

Also if I can continue, I think there are bigger fish to fry such as plastic pollution and habitat loss. Combatting those aggressively will pay out in dividends.

tigris115 said:

Yea I think attacking the middle class over pollution is a moronic move since the US and Europe are super conscious about environmental stuff. This is why I really despise many climate activists for not bashing countries like China, Brazil, and India. This shows that they dont care and just want money.

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If anyone on the site resides in New Jersey, you have my condolences. I see that your senator Spartacus Booker is claiming that the prophet Micah wrote in favor of LBGTQ rights. I guess he can make the claim because his audience is semi-illiterate, having learned to read from text messages. The context of the book of Micah is a scolding of Israel for the merchants, bankers and those in positions of power taking advantage of the population. He also scolds members of families for having intrafamily squabbles. Micah lists things these people should do and the one that Spartacus latches onto is "Love Tenderly". It has nothing to do with what Micah would likely consider deviant and abhorrent behavior. It has to do with treating other people with respect and having a loving relationship with family members.

90% of plastic polluting our oceans comes from just 10 rivers

Asia is responsible for 8 of the rivers that have the most plastic waste.
Image: REUTERS/Stringer
08 Jun 2018

1. Alex GraySenior Writer, Formative Content

Over the last decade we have become increasingly alarmed at the amount of plastic in our oceans.

More than 8 million tons of it ends up in the ocean every year. If we continue to pollute at this rate, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050.

But where does all this plastic waste come from?

Most of it is washed into the ocean by rivers. And 90% of it comes from just 10 of them, according to a study.

Rivers of plastic

By analyzing the waste found in the rivers and surrounding landscape, researchers were able to estimate that just 10 river systems carry 90% of the plastic that ends up in the ocean.

Eight of them are in Asia: the Yangtze; Indus; Yellow; Hai He; Ganges; Pearl; Amur; Mekong; and two in Africa – the Nile and the Niger.

"We were able to demonstrate that there is a definite correlation in this respect," said Dr. Christian Schmidt, one of the authors of the study from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research. "The more waste there is in a catchment area that is not disposed of properly, the more plastic ultimately ends up in the river and takes this route to the sea."

Schmidt and his team found that the quantity of plastic per cubic metre of water was significantly higher in large rivers than in small ones.

The rivers all had two things in common; a generally high population living in the surrounding region – sometimes into the hundreds of millions – and a less than ideal waste management process.

The Yangtze is Asia’s longest river and also one of world’s most ecologically important rivers. The river basin is home to almost 500 million people (more than one third of China’s population). It is also the biggest carrier of plastic pollution to the ocean.

Recently, however, China has made efforts to curb waste.

For years the country had imported millions of tons of recyclable waste from overseas, but a growing recycling burden at home prompted the government to shift its policy.

Last year, it ended imports of “foreign garbage”. Recently it extended the ban to metals, saying stopping imports of foreign waste was "a symbolic measure for the creation of an ecological civilization in China”.

And this year China has ordered 46 cities to begin sorting waste in order to reach a 35% recycling rate by 2020.

According to the UN Environment Program head Erik Solheim, while China is the biggest producer of plastic waste, it is also making major efforts to curb it.

“If there is one nation changing at the moment more than anyone else, it’s China ... the speed and determination of the government to change is enormous,” said Solheim


The Indian government has vowed to clean up the sacred river Ganges.
Image: REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri
The Indus and the Ganges, which flow through India, carry the second and sixth highest amounts of plastic debris to the ocean.

Several years ago, the Indian government launched the Namami Gange project in a bid to clean the Ganges, but recently the National Green Tribunal, India’s dedicated environmental court, said that “not a single drop of the Ganga has been cleaned so far”.

At the United Nations Environment Assembly in December 2017, India along with 193 other nations, signed a resolution to reduce marine plastic waste.

Last year the National Green Tribunal introduced a ban on disposable plastics in Delhi, while non-biodegradable plastic bags are banned in many states.“Halving the plastic input from the catchment areas of these rivers would already be a major success," says Schmidt. "To achieve this, it will be necessary to improve the waste management and raise public awareness for the issue. We hope that our study will make a contribution to a positive development so that the plastic problem in our oceans can be curbed in the long run."

I was in Bali last summer, a couple of the beaches had so much trash and garbage in the water and shoreline, un-useable.

wesheltonj said:

I was in Bali last summer, a couple of the beaches had so much trash and garbage in the water and shoreline, un-useable.

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My wife still has it on her list.

Evidently it is no longer Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific.

Wheels said:

Evidently it is no longer Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific.

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There are still out of the way islands in the South Pacific that would qualify as R&H material, however some of the facilities that go with them are less than urban Americans expect.

Evidently we need to quit buying mosquito netting for the poor souls in Africa so they can use them for poaching fish in the river that then washes out to sea to kill the ocean fish... No good deed goes unpunished.

O

IdaRam said:

Are you familiar with the old saying, With friends like that, who needs enemies?
Looking back through history, especially European history, America has made for a very good friend and ally. Contrast this history with Russia's history and contemplate carefully who might be the better friend. Is America without fault? Absolutely NOT! We certainly make our share of foolish decisions and stupid mistakes. But as a strategic partner and ally, I'm pretty sure America has expended more blood and treasure to the benefit of her friends than any other nation on the globe.

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Ok. I’m done.
I followed this site because we all shared a common interest. A Non political interest.
No one will miss me, I’m sure. But I will close my account immediately.

John Havard said:

O

Ok. I’m done.
I followed this site because we all shared a common interest. A Non political interest.
No one will miss me, I’m sure. But I will close my account immediately.

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Apparently it was my post you referenced above that pushed you over the edge? Interesting. Did you even take time to read the line of conversation, before and after?
I guess you could message Jerome and ask him to get rid of the Political Forum because you find some of the posts offensive.
Or you could exercise a modicum of adult self control and just not click on “Politics”.
But I like your first reaction the best, so I’d go with that one

IdaRam said:

Apparently it was my post you referenced above that pushed you over the edge? Interesting. Did you even take time to read the line of conversation, before and after?
I guess you could message Jerome and ask him to get rid of the Political Forum because you find some of the posts offensive.
Or you could exercise a modicum of adult self control and just not click on “Politics”.
But I like your first reaction the best, so I’d go with that one

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No it wasn’t your post. Don’t flatter yourself.
I’m not sure what I expected when I clicked on to that forum , but that wasn’t it.
I am after all an American that spent more than half my life in uniform, as many here have.
So again, don’t flatter yourself.