The 10 Most Corrupt Countries In The World

 

The world responded to corruption like never before in 2011 as regimes throughout the Mid-East fell and citizens demanded greater rights.

But the response did little to change the number of corrupt countries occupying the map.

This year's gold-standard of corruption studies, the Corrupt Perceptions Index, has just been released.

It assesses the level of corruption in the countries of the world on a scale of 1 to 10 from most corrupt — to the least.

The following slides show the 10 most corrupt countries and what allows them the dark distinction.

#10 Venezuela's corruption began with the discovery of oil

Venezuela ranks 172 out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1.9 out of 10.

The discovery of mass amounts of oil in Venezuela hastened its slide into corruption and by the 1970s the petroleum sucked from the ground was called "the Devil's excrement" by Venezuelans.

Hugo Chavez's election to president in 1999 did nothing to slow the corruption. His Fifth Republic Movement is accused of cronyism, political patronage, and corruption just like the movement his party promised to replace.

Even the Venezuelan police force is recognized for its drastic levels of corruption.

#9 Haiti is plagued by impenetrable bureaucracy

Haiti ranks 175 out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1.8 out of 10.

The immobilizing amount of "red tape" in the Haitian legal system enables local politicians and bureaucrats to gain influence and and direct public outcomes for financial gain.

The result has debilitated Haitian society and placed the country consistently at the top of the corruption list.

The $2 billion that came into the country following the 2010 earthquake did little to alleviate corruption and meandering bureaucracy.

#8 Iraq goes out of its way to silence whistleblowers

Iraq ranks 175 out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1.8 out of 10.

The Iraq government is so entrenched in its rampant pattern of corruption since the fall of Saddam Hussein that it removes officials who try to prosecute racketeers.

Members of the government also intimidate politicians and journalists who support whistleblowers.

As recently as September 2011 a renown Iraqi journalist was murdered in his home for leading anti-government protests.

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Iran threatens 150,000 missile response to Israeli Jerichos

 

Jericho ballistic missiles

Saber-rattling rhetoric in the Middle East is reaching new heights. Israel is reportedly deploying its long-range Jericho missiles around Jerusalem, while the Iranian defense minister threatened massive missile retaliation against Israel.

The threat to launch “150,000 or more” missiles was voiced by Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi on Sunday as he was delivering a speech before army volunteers. Earlier Iranian officials threatened retaliation against both Israel and NATO, should an attack on Iran be carried out.

Meanwhile Israel is reportedly deploying its own missiles around Jerusalem and in the West Bank. The missiles carried into position by military tracks resemble the Jericho missiles, says Aaron Klein, head of the Jerusalem bureau for WorldNetDaily, citing several eyewitness accounts.

The reporter speculates that this may be a military drill, possibly linked to the earlier rocket test fire. The missile launched from the Palmachim test center was reportedly meant to test a new engine for the long-range Jericho III design. Its specifications are classified, but military experts believe the Israeli missile to be capable of carrying a nuclear warhead to any destination in the Middle East, most of Europe, North America and Africa.

Klein believes such a drill may be carried out either as a step in the escalating conflict over Iranian nuclear program or due to the unstable situation in Syria.

Israel’s ongoing row with Iran came back to the fore in the wake of a critical UN nuclear watchdog report, which alleged that Tehran may be working on creating a nuclear weapon and, as some commentators said, gave Israel the grounds for a pre-emptive strike on Iran’s nuclear sites.

Syria’s civil unrest and governmental crackdown on the opposition has led to several rounds of sanctions imposed on the country and speculations that an intervention similar to that in Libya may follow. President Assad warned that such a move would result in a major regional conflict. Israel would then become a natural target for Syrian allies like Hamas and Hezbollah in such a scenario.

The Israeli Defense Force would not comment on the alleged missile deployment.

Source

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheEuropeanUnionTimes/~3/GGP-iO4lPNE/

Friday, November 18, 2011

 

Friday, November 18, 2011:
Jesus said: “My people, you remember in the Scriptures how man boasted about building a Tower of Babel that reached into the heavens. Because this was a boasting of man’s building, I brought a confusion among the people with many different languages so they could not understand each other. In today’s world man has built many skyscrapers and he prides himself in all the manipulations of DNA in the plants and animals. Many of these changes in nature have been an abomination to My perfection in My creation. Because of these prideful things of man, you have upset the balance of nature, and more people are having cancers and other diseases as a result. When I return, I will set My creation back to its original perfection, and My faithful will live in My Era of Peace. After I defeat the Antichrist and his demons, you will live on the earth as Adam and Eve once enjoyed life. You will rejoice to see the earth restored to its original beauty. Give glory and praise to Me for My creation because you will soon visit My perfect creation in My Era of Peace.”

Jesus said: “My people, you are seeing in the Gospel how zeal for My Church drove Me to putting the money changers out of My place of holy ground. There is another danger lurking in My Church that will soon lead to a division in My Church. I am speaking of the New Age threat that is coming into My Church. Those, who promote Reiki, crystal worship calling on cosmic forces of the devil, and any other worship of things and idols, should also be removed from My Church. Do not allow workshops of enigrams and various New Age practices to come into My Church. These Eastern meditations are bringing the devil into your churches. Avoid any New Age teachings, and if you cannot rid them from your church, then go to another proper church. This is the devil’s way to bring division among My faithful. So be on guard to rid it from your churches, just as I drove the money changers out of the Temple. I am protecting your souls from an evil idol worship. So heed My words of warning.”

http://www.johnleary.com/index.php/2011/11/28/friday-november-18-2011/

Thursday, November 17, 2011

 

Thursday, November 17, 2011: (St. Elizabeth of Hungary)
Jesus said: “My people, this vision is very ominous in showing a large wave of evil that will be attacking everyone by demons. You have an expression about slowly boiling a frog in water, and he does not realize the water is getting warmer until it is too late. This wave of evil will not come all at once, but evil is gradually getting more power in high places that will test your faith. Little by little the atheists in your society are removing all words of God from your people. You started with removing prayer from the schools with your church and state separation which is not in your Constitution. You removed My Ten Commandments from your public buildings as people do not want to be reminded how they are sinning. Christmas has been attacked for years to remove My Nativity Scene, and replace it with Season’s Greetings, reindeer, and snowmen. Even in your churches many have stopped coming to Sunday Mass, and many do not want to hear about sin and the Church’s teaching against abortion, birth control, adultery, fornication in living together, nor homosexual sins. My laws have not changed, but it is your increasing immoral society that will start challenging your religious beliefs. In today’s reading (1 Maccabees 2:15-30) Matathias did not want to have the king dictate what religion to follow. He refused to worship the king’s idols and he fled to the mountains for safety and left his possessions behind. Even in today’s coming tribulation of the Antichrist, My faithful will also have to leave their possessions behind in their homes so you can come to My refuges of safety. You will not have to take up weapons because My angels will defend you by making you invisible on your way to My refuges. Those, who remain in their homes, will face persecution and martyrdom in the death camps for not taking chips in the body or not following the new world order’s laws. I am providing protection at My refuges. So when you see the Warning followed by famine, division in My Church, martial law, and mandatory chips in the body, then you can call on Me and I will have My angels lead you to My nearest refuge. Have no fear of this evil because My power is greater than the demons. Call on My help to guard your souls from the demons and the evil that will be growing worse. Wake up to the evil all around you, and do not let laziness allow you to lose your soul to the evil one.”

Prayer Group:
Jesus said: “My people, you have had a few good size earthquakes in Canada and in Maryland where earthquakes of this size are unusual. I have given you messages about the coming earthquakes on the New Madrid fault and the San Andrea fault in California. This rumbling feeling is a sign that earthquakes in these areas will start small and get larger. The HAARP machine has been used to cause previous large earthquakes, and it is being planned to cause a large incident that could trigger a martial law declaration. This would fit into the one world people’s plans for taking over America. Be prepared to go to My refuges if a national martial law is declared.”

Jesus said: “My people, there are many banks that have a poor loan portfolio, and some are on the brink of bankruptcy. Many loans with your government loan agencies are being supported and bailed out by the U.S. taxpayers. The general banking system has stabilized, but the housing industry is in a shambles, and it could bring down parts of your economy. Even as European countries are in danger of default, so your U.S. National Debt is increasing at a fast rate as well. If your deficits and budgets are not brought under control soon, America could face a dollar crash when these debts can no longer be supported.”

Jesus said: “My people, many weather related disasters have stretched local state budgets to the bone in order to try and repair destroyed roads, bridges, and power lines. Even your recent snowstorm put millions of people out of power in the Northeast. If these disasters continue, there will be some budget shortfalls that may not find Federal funding. If there is not more aid forthcoming, you could see local and state governments defaulting on their debts. Pray for less disasters and more funding of your needed infrastructure repairs.”

Jesus said: “My people, you are seeing some serious sex scandals at some college football programs, and some discrimination attacks against some boy scout troops. Sexual misconduct with young boys has come under investigation with some football teams. It is becoming difficult to have enough oversight on an industry that tries to hide its problems. Pray that these young men will be more protected from any more scandals.”

Jesus said: “My people, a new translation of the Latin Mass will soon be introduced into My Church. Some are wondering why this is being done after so many years, but others want a better translation that what you have now. It is to be seen how this change will be accepted. There is an attempt being made to add more reverence and meaning to the Mass by this change. Other countries have made some changes even before America. Pray that the faithful will find this new translation an improvement in their worship experience.”

Jesus said: “My people, you soon will be starting another Advent Season in preparation for My coming at Christmas. Putting out your Nativity scenes can remind people of the real reason to celebrate My birth. You have just visited Bethlehem at the place where I was born in a cave, so you are already seeing the beauty of My Incarnation as a man. You also are aware of the novenas to the Christ child that will be said. As you make your preparations for another Christmas, remember to be closer to Me in prayer as you bring your gifts before My crib.”

Jesus said: “My people, just before Advent you are seeing many readings of the end times brought before you. I have given you a mission to prepare the people for the coming end times when the Antichrist will come to power. This is not an easy message because some people are uncomfortable with the thought of leaving their homes for My refuges. There will be a major battle of good and evil that will come to a head when I will bring My victory over the evil ones. Rejoice that you are living in these times when you will be entering into My Era of Peace.”

http://www.johnleary.com/index.php/2011/11/28/thursday-november-17-2011/

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

 

Wednesday, November 16, 2011: (St. Margaret of Scotland)
Jesus said: “My people, as you see signs of winter coming with cold and snow, you start preparing your homes and your cars for winter weather. Even so, as you also start seeing the signs of the end times coming, I am inspiring My faithful to set up refuges for the rest of My people to come. I have told you in the Scriptures how I go to prepare a place in heaven for all of My faithful souls. Even in this world, I am also preparing a place for My faithful at My refuges all over the world. I know it is difficult to face the evil of the Antichrist, so I am enabling your angels to lead you to My nearest refuge. In the vision you see a protected refuge inside this enclosure. Have no fear because you will be made invisible at My refuges, and I will provide for your food and shelter. When you see My Warning and the events leading up to the Antichrist’s coming, then call on Me and you will be led to My places of protection.”

Jesus said: “My people, it is not easy for people to build a refuge and finance it. I know that people have limited funds for any refuge building. There are some people who have money and the right inspiration to build a refuge, but these are rare situations. I am preparing people to set up refuges with whatever they have available. A refuge building only needs to be functional in providing shelter, and some kitchens to feed the people. At My refuges My angels will multiply your dormitories, the food, and the supplies needed for hygiene and bedding. I will protect My faithful, but you will have faith communities where everyone will have a job to help support each other. You will have perpetual Adoration and prayer times for your spiritual support. My angels will bring you daily Communion if you do not have a Mass. Priests are going to be difficult to find for every refuge. Trust in My help during the tribulation, and do not fear the evil ones because My angels will defend you.”

Jesus said: “My people, your government is trying to control its citizens through mandatory smart cards and soon mandatory chips in the body. Already you have chips in your passports, driver’s licenses, and Easy passes. These chips are not necessary for transactions, but their only true purpose is control of your people. You use these chips in government entry passes, grocery discount chips, and gasoline buying chips. You have chips in the products that you buy, and soon you will need chips in your body for your health insurance and other government programs. Food stamps and some welfare recipients are required to have finger prints, retina scans, facial recognition, or other biometric means to get money cards. The next requirement will be mandatory chips in the body that will soon be demanded of anyone getting money from the government. I have warned My people not to take any chips in the body for any reason. If and when chips in the body are required for Social Security money, welfare, or health insurance, then you will need to survive without these chips. This mandatory chip in the body is all about mind control over your free will, and when this happens, it will be a sign to leave for your refuges. Do not let the one world people control your body like a robot with chips in the body because your soul will be in danger from these evil ones. Remove all of these chips so you cannot be tracked. Call on Me to lead you to My refuges when mandatory chips in the body are forced on you.”

http://www.johnleary.com/index.php/2011/11/28/wednesday-november-16-2011/

Fire, walk with me.

 

When I was a horrible little child we lived in a council house. In those days, council houses were for working people who didn't yet earn enough to buy their own and my father worked at the coal face. He took home fourteen pounds a week in the sixties and that was a seriously good wage at the time. So we weren't poor but we weren't rich either. I was at school with the dentist's kid and a sleepover at his house was an eye-opener.
I remember the little house. It was semi-detached with a long garden, and was heated by two fireplaces. One in the living room and one in the kitchen. The kitchen fireplace was built in to some kind of cast-iron monster that had an oven attached to it. My mother never used it for cooking, she had a proper electric cooker. The house is still there, I've seen it on Google Streetview. It looks much the same but it has a satellite dish now. The old frog pond and the woodland of my youth is now beneath another housing estate. Those children who live there now will not come home covered in stinking mud. They won't bring home jars of wild lizards or shiny beetles or tadpoles with the back legs grown in. I wonder what they do for fun these days?
Having a coal fire was not a sign of affluence. Neither was the cast-iron cooking and heating monster. That thing would have been disposed of if it hadn't been built in to the wall, and if we had owned the house I have no doubt my father would have chiselled it out himself. I have seen him do much worse to houses we did own. If he had such a monstrosity now he'd sell it to some Hooray Henry as an original Aga because that's pretty much what it was. Old-fashioned and ugly.
Heating with a coal fire is not something to be aspired to. Now that it's getting cold here, I can set the central heating to come on half an hour before I need to get up and the house will be de-chilled before I roll back the sheets. I recall those mornings when the windows had frost on the inside until someone dragged themselves through the freezing house to light the fire.
It wasn't a matter of turning a switch. First, yesterday's ashes had to be scraped out and the hearth and grate cleaned. Not just cleaned 'a bit'. Cleaned to Mother's specifications which meant practically sterilised. Then place the kindling, paper and sticks, with a few bits of coal.
Then light it, let the coal catch and gradually add more. It took time to get the fire going and it took a long time for it to heat the house. In really cold weather you'd notice a big difference in temperature between the side of you that was facing the fire and the side that wasn't. One good thing about that house was that the chimney was in the middle so it heated all of the house. Chimneys in a side wall are silly.
The idea that heating your home with a coal fire is all romantic and sweet is bollocks. It's messy, you have to look after it all day and you have to start it in the freezing cold. I am delighted to have central heating.
On the other hand, a fireplace is cheap to run. One of the Smoky-Drinkers recently had central heating installed and since his bungalow is small, he opted to have the fireplace removed and the chimney closed off. It gives him a lot more space but I think he was mistaken to do that. The minor niggle is that you can't throw your fag-ends into a radiator but the bigger issue is cost.
Last winter there was a week in which I left the heating on continuously. That was expensive but it was the coldest winter week I can remember in the last fifty years. I remember deeper snow, but never so cold. Tonight is positively balmy by comparison.
It would have been good to have a chimney then because I could have saved on heating by burning some of the old palettes my neighbour gives me for my chimenea. If I could have used the central heating to start warming the house each morning and then turned it off when I had a good fire going I'd have saved a lot of money and still been continuously warm.
So I have often toyed with the idea of fitting one of the new wood-burning stoves. A friend in Wales has now installed a coal/wood burner that runs his central heating, provides hot water and looks very nice. Apparently his heating bill for all of last winter was £60, the bastard. Mine was more than that per month. He is tougher than me, cold mornings are easy when you're built like an orang-utan and he's five hundred miles further south. However, a daytime cheap-heating stove would mesh well with the timer on the central heating.
There was, until recently, nothing but praise for the wood-burning stove. It reduced gas and electricity use, it burned renewable wood and it was Green and trendy. People who had never experienced the sole dependence on a fireplace for heating thought they were wonderful. Very New Age, very back-to-the-roots, very working class, very socialist credential. Not for them the rooms coated with coal dust and soot, not for them the coal scuttle and the shovelling snow aside to get to the coal bunker. They used bought-in reconstructed logs with not so much as a flake of bark to sully the carpet. If you pick up a log and your hand doesn't get dirty, it's not real.
Unfortunately, the plebs took a shine to these things too, and saved a good bit of cash using them for heat rather than decoration. This is, of course, sinful under the New Socialist Utopia which is only for the rich.
I suspect that the reversal in the wood-burner's fortunes is partly due to that reduction in gas and electricity use (with the resultant reduction in socialist shareholder profit), but it's definitely very much linked to the new antismoking Puritanism sweeping the country.
Take a look at the comments on this one:
The government needs to ban these. This is the 21st century!-
Thomas Roll, London, 26/11/2011 15:18
yuo don't need a scientist to tell us that our neighbours stinky wood stove is poisoning the air.....- BrummyDoug, Birmingham, 26/11/2011


You wood burning folk only care about yourself. You stink the whole street out without any care in the world.- Dave, Uk, 27/11/2011 5:26
And the fumes stink!- Ray Smith, Nottingham, 26/11/2011 17:22
Straight out of the antismoker handbook. Every one of them.
It's smoke, you see, and smoke is bad for you. Candles have been implicated already. All smoke is bad. Didn't the Puritans realise what they did by telling the drones that a tiny whiff of smoke from a bit of a leaf will kill them? It seems not.
If it wasn't for Man's control of fire we would still be huddled in caves over the winter, being picked off by pumas and lions. We grew up, as a species, swathed in smoke. It made us what we are.
The drones argue that we don't need that smoke any more, that we have outgrown it but it is part of us. Our bodies have become used to it being there. Thousands of years of development and all the while surrounded by the smoke from something burning. Leaves, wood, coal, oil, always something burning. It is unnatural to be without it.
I have no fireplace in this house. It's about twelve years old and was built without one. Yet I have to have fire. When I'm at the computer there is a big white candle burning. It's not for heat or light, it's for fire. I have an array of anglepoise and spot-lamps (you young ones will need them when you get older so buy them while you can) all around this little office and there's a radiator right next to me. I have heat and light in plenty.
The candle provides flame. Fire is part of my life and as a human being it is part of my heritage. I was brought up understanding its use and its dangers. So was, not only my family, not only my countrymen, but my entire species. This goes beyond race and beyond nationalism. Every human being on the planet is linked to fire and to its smoke. It made us what we are.
The drones can deny their humanity all they like. I'm going to continue to burn something every day even if it's just a candle or a bit of leaf wrapped in paper. I'm not going to deny my existence to suit some ridiculous fantasy that refutes the heritage common to every human on the planet. Let the drones wither and fade in their imaginary worlds.
Fire, walk with me.

http://underdogsbiteupwards.blogspot.com/2011/11/fire-walk-with-me.html