Daily Archives: August 30, 2013

Terminally-ill Simpsons creator who has vowed to GIVE AWAY his fortune to charity before he dies tells how he has been inundated with time wasters

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Sam Simon1The producer of The Simpsons who revealed in July that he is dying of colon cancer has received countless offers from people interesting in his money.

Since word got out about Sam Simon’s cancer and his desire to give away his vast fortune he has heard from countless people online asking to help rid him of his sizable wealth.

‘Some people just want a million dollars. Or help with college tuition. And the rest have business propositions,’ he laughed. ‘Like that should be my legacy: to lose money on your movie or your moisturizer line.’

Simon created the hit cartoon alongside Matt Groening in 1991. He technically retired from The Simpsons in 1993, but still receives tens of millions in royalties every season.

In November Simon was diagnosed with advanced colon cancer after a year of inconclusive tests and mysterious discomfort.

Having defied that diagnosis’ original death sentence – he was given three to six months to live – Simon continues to push ahead with no whiff of ‘Why me?’

The 58-year-old fervent philanthropist is spending his final months funding projects that feed homeless people and save animals from being killed in animal shelters.

‘I’m supporting the charities that I supported during my lifetime,’ he states, ‘and I want to continue to do that.’

Although Simon remained the least-known of the three creators, by many accounts he was the most hands-on.

Among his charitable efforts, he established the Sam Simon Foundation, which rescues dogs from animal shelters and trains them to assist disabled veterans and the hard-of-hearing.

Simon’s largesse carries over to humans, too, including a Los Angeles food bank feeding 200 families each day in Simon style: with a vegan menu.

Portugal Asks for 2 More Planes to Fight Wildfires

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Wildfires are scorching large areas of forest in Portugal and the country has asked other European nations to send two more water-dropping aircraft to help battle the blazes.

Jorge Dias, spokesman for Portugal’s National Civil Protection Authority, said Friday that France and Spain have each sent three Canadair planes designed for dropping water on wildfires, but more are needed.

Some 1,300 firefighters were fighting six major blazes in the north of Portugal amid continuing hot weather and high winds.

The two biggest wildfires were in dense, hilly woodland near Viseu, about 200 kilometers (120 miles) north of Lisbon, the capital.

More than 900 firefighters and 288 vehicles were deployed at those blazes.

“Peace in the region is one of the key issues of the young generation”, as was mentioned by Atom Mkhitaryan

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kobuleti

The youth camp “Let’s Try!” collected 50 youngsters from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia on 25-30 August in Kobuleti, Georgia. The Project participants have been selected by the three coordinating organizations taking into account their motivation.

“If in Europe the international youth cooperation is developed enough, in the Caucasus countries we still have problems. The youth NGOs and clubs do not have relevant information about opportunities of youth projects or about the regional cooperation. Still public diplomacy mechanisms should be developed. Peace in the region is one of the key

issues of the young generation”, as was mentioned by Atom Mkhitaryan, the President of the Federation of Youth Clubs of Armenia (FYCA).

With the financial assistance of the US Embassy of Armenia and with the collaboration with Droni youth organization (Georgia) and Free Youth Association (Azerbaijan) FYCA supports active youth groups and initiatives, in particular the youngsters of the region who are considered to be public diplomats, with the aim of youth dialogue development and strengthening the trust in the region.

Youth has an important role in the peacebuilding process. The aim of the Project is to promote the development of youth projects and youth NGOs of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia through non formal education and to involve them in the process of public diplomacy of the region.

According to Atom Mkhitaryan the Project “Let’s Try” has put forward the idea of ensuring an atmosphere of dialogue in the Caucasus through youth non formal meetings. In three countries youth initiative groups will be created where active youngsters of 18-25 will be involved. In the meantime the Project organizers will promote the youngsters be more active using all the opportunities of the mass media, as well as it is anticipated that a regional youth network will be created.

During the youth summer camp “Let’s Try” the youngsters got acquainted with mechanisms of human rights, communication, the role of the mass media and the development of the public opinion. The Project participants watched the movie “Youth – A Step Forward” produced by FYCA during the camp. Also they took photos with the topic of peace in Batumi and Kobuleti which at the end of the Project were exhibited near one of the seashores of Kobuleti where a number of people were found. The camp was concluded with a flashmob with the theme “Youth for Peace” organized by joint efforts of youngsters.

 

Astghik Avetisyan, Kobuleti

 

President Serzh Sargsyan will conduct a working visit to the Russian Federation

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In the framework of his working visit to the Russian Federation, President Serzh Sargsyan on September 3, in Moscow will meet with the RF President Vladimir Putin.

During the negotiations, the two Presidents will exchange views on the main topics of the bilateral agenda, including those related to the cooperation in the political, trade, economic, energy, and humanitarian areas.

The parties are also to discuss issues pertinent to the integration process on the CIS territory and preservation of security and stability in the South Caucasus.

 

World’s loneliest man looking for love: Desperate bachelor wanders the streets for 12 years wearing a sandwich board asking wealthy women to marry him

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Robert DarlingLonely bachelors looking for love often turn to dating websites in the search for a partner.

But Robert Darling has taken things that little bit further – by wandering the streets of New York for twelve years with a sandwich board asking women to marry him.

The unemployed 58-year-old – who admits he is a ‘great conversationalist’  – says he wants a wealthy lady to take care of him.

The New Jersey,resident  spends two hours traveling to Manhattan twice a week on his quest for a soulmate.

His billboard declares he is open to offers and includes his phone number and email address.

Plagued with an unsuccessful love life for forty years, he resorted to extreme measures to find a suitor.

Mr Darling said he has never had a serious relationship and his dating history is sparse.

He said: ‘Give up? Never! I’m just warming up. It’s just a matter of time. I’m very patient and I know great success is just around the corner.’

 

Hong Kong phooey! Region’s smog is so bad, desperate tourism chiefs set up posters of sunny skyline so holidaymakers can take some nice photos

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Hong Kong 7The air pollution in Hong Kong has gotten so bad that tourism officials have put up a banner displaying what the skyline looks like on a clear day.

This week, Hong Kong’s Air Pollution Index’ reached ‘Very High’ in Central and Western District, Causeway Bay and Mongkok, with ‘very high’ levels of toxic ozone and nitrogen dioxide recorded at roadside monitoring stations.

Smog is a big problem in China were it was recently reported life expectancy has been by five-and-a-half years for those living in its polluted north.
Researchers estimate that the half-billion people who lived there in the 1990s will live an average of 5 and a half years less than their southern counterparts because they breathed dirtier air from coal burning.

China itself made the comparison possible: for decades, a now-discontinued government policy provided free coal for heating, but only in the colder north.

Earlier this year, air quality in Beijing reached ‘worst on record’ following a sand storm which led to pollution in the city rising to 30 to 45 times above recommended safety levels.

Mugabe orders 300 giraffes, zebras and other animals to be shipped to national zoo to impress visitors during UN tourism summit

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elandHundreds of safari animals have been transported across Zimbabwe to a poaching-prone nature reserve ahead of a UN meeting to make the area appear populated.

The decision to move the animals from a private conservancy in southeastern Zimbabwe to Victoria falls is to ‘repopulate’ the preserve before the United Nations world tourism body’s meeting for the benefit of visiting delegates.

151 wildebeests, 100 impalas, 60 zebras, 25 eland and ten giraffes have been transported for over 400 miles, the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force of independent environmentalists said.

The animals have been released in the five sq mile ZambeziNational Park overlooking the ZambeziRiver and the Victoria Falls.

The decision to hold the six-day summit at Victoria Falls, on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia, was met with raised eyebrows, as President Mugabe’s recent election victory was marred with accusations of vote rigging.

The UN World Tourism Organization announced on Sunday that it has chosen Zimbabwe to lead its Commission for Africa, the continent-wide group for tourism development for the next two years.

The U.N. World Tourism Organization, meanwhile, advised participants at Victoria Falls that no conference documentation will be distributed on paper to save trees ‘in compliance with the United Nations system’s environmental protection policy.’

The six-day general assembly was formally opened by the two countries’ presidents, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe and Michael Sata of Zambia.

The two host nations automatically take over the presidency of the U.N. tourism organization during the summit, which is expected to be attended by about 1,200 delegates from governments and tourism enterprises worldwide.