More carmakers caught in headlights of VW engine-rigging scandal

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Volkswagen emissions scandal

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Analsyts say it is irresponsible to link the crash of a Ukraine International Airline Boeing 737-800 to the 737 MAX accidents (AFP Photo/INA FASSBENDER)

Missing MH370 likely to have disintegrated mid-flight: experts

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A Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 commercial jet.

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Leaders see horror of French Alps crash as probe gathers pace

"The Recalibration of Awareness – Apr 20/21, 2012 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Old Energy, Recalibration Lectures, God / Creator, Religions/Spiritual systems (Catholic Church, Priests/Nun’s, Worship, John Paul Pope, Women in the Church otherwise church will go, Current Pope won’t do it), Middle East, Jews, Governments will change (Internet, Media, Democracies, Dictators, North Korea, Nations voted at once), Integrity (Businesses, Tobacco Companies, Bankers/ Financial Institutes, Pharmaceutical company to collapse), Illuminati (Started in Greece, with Shipping, Financial markets, Stock markets, Pharmaceutical money (fund to build Africa, to develop)), Shift of Human Consciousness, (Old) Souls, Women, Masters to/already come back, Global Unity.... etc.) - (Text version)

… The Shift in Human Nature

You're starting to see integrity change. Awareness recalibrates integrity, and the Human Being who would sit there and take advantage of another Human Being in an old energy would never do it in a new energy. The reason? It will become intuitive, so this is a shift in Human Nature as well, for in the past you have assumed that people take advantage of people first and integrity comes later. That's just ordinary Human nature.

In the past, Human nature expressed within governments worked like this: If you were stronger than the other one, you simply conquered them. If you were strong, it was an invitation to conquer. If you were weak, it was an invitation to be conquered. No one even thought about it. It was the way of things. The bigger you could have your armies, the better they would do when you sent them out to conquer. That's not how you think today. Did you notice?

Any country that thinks this way today will not survive, for humanity has discovered that the world goes far better by putting things together instead of tearing them apart. The new energy puts the weak and strong together in ways that make sense and that have integrity. Take a look at what happened to some of the businesses in this great land (USA). Up to 30 years ago, when you started realizing some of them didn't have integrity, you eliminated them. What happened to the tobacco companies when you realized they were knowingly addicting your children? Today, they still sell their products to less-aware countries, but that will also change.

What did you do a few years ago when you realized that your bankers were actually selling you homes that they knew you couldn't pay for later? They were walking away, smiling greedily, not thinking about the heartbreak that was to follow when a life's dream would be lost. Dear American, you are in a recession. However, this is like when you prune a tree and cut back the branches. When the tree grows back, you've got control and the branches will grow bigger and stronger than they were before, without the greed factor. Then, if you don't like the way it grows back, you'll prune it again! I tell you this because awareness is now in control of big money. It's right before your eyes, what you're doing. But fear often rules. …

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Disabled people report on the perils of travel

Bunga Sirait, Contributor The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Ramaditya Adikara, 26, works as a composer for giant video game corporation Nintendo. He does all his work from home, but he goes out a lot and alone for other freelancing jobs. Like many other disabled people who rely on public transportation, Rama, has heart-wrenching stories to tell about being a blind guy cruising the streets of Jakarta.

"I fall from angkot (public minivans) all the time. You would think they would help disabled people. But, even though I use a stick (and it's clear I am disabled), they take no notice of me," Rama said.

Considering the broken sidewalks and pot-hole riddled streets of the city, it is not surprising Rama also said he had tripped countless times.

One time a car actually ran over his stick when he dropped it crossing the street.

"Usually there's someone around to lend a hand, but if it's an empty street, you're on your own," said Rama, who dreams that someday Jakarta will have a guide dog service like the one he used when he lived in Japan for "two wonderful years".

"It's a real dog that goes everywhere with you -- just like a friend. There are certain hand gestures or codes they can understand if we want them to take us to the station, shopping, crossing the street," he said. "The service is provided by the government, free of charge. All you have to do is call and say you need one.

"You should be able to go out alone even if you are blind or confined to a wheelchair. Disabled people need to go to work, to go wherever they want ... It's the government's responsibility to make this city accessible to all," said Ariani Mun'im, the chief of the Indonesian Disabled Women's Association (HWPCI)

Although there are bylaws that regulate accessibility, facilities such as street ramps, rails, audible traffic signals and Braille instructions are extremely limited in Jakarta, moreover in Indonesia.

An accessibility survey in Bandung revealed that only one audible traffic signal was found in the city; and this was possibly the only one in the country.

"So far I would say TransJakarta is the most accessible form of public transportation here. The announcement indicating which stop will be next is quite helpful, and I can tell the officers are trained to handle us, (people with disabilities)," Rama said.

Unlike Rama, Henny Santoso rarely uses public transportation. "I do take buses once in a while. But is was easier back in the days when Jakarta wasn't so crowded," said Henny who is disabled from polio, which she contracted when she was 4.

The champion of the 1995 Paralympic Games in Taiwan for tennis relies on her driver to get around the city.

"I can't imagine going anywhere in Jakarta on one of those buses."

That includes TransJakarta. "It's too much an effort," Henny said.

"People have told me horrible stories about getting on the bus. First, the ramp was too steep and the handrails weren't satisfactory. Even regular people find it hard to get up the ramp, imagine how hard it is for people in wheelchairs," she said.

"The second thing is, you just can't get in. Not every entrance door is wide enough for a wheelchair. That means we need someone to carry us, fold the wheelchair, unfold the wheelchair, and put us back on the seat. Where's the accessibility? We've been told to live independently. Given the circumstances, how can we possibly do that?"

Budi, 29, a former professional swimmer, uses crutches to get around. He remembers his days at art school (IKJ) when he had to take the bus home, but none of the drivers wanted to stop.

"I was lucky I had great friends. If I waited for too long, my friend would stand in the middle of street when the bus was coming so it would stop and I could get in."

Budi believes society has a misperception of disabled people, which breeds discrimination. "People think just because we're disabled, it's difficult for us to find jobs, therefore we don't have money, so we might not be able to pay when we use their service. That's how the chain goes," he said.

"If I wanted to waste my time thinking about how badly people treated us, I'd say we are treated worse than second-class citizens."

Rama echoed what Budi said but expressed hope: "More than the improvement of facilities, what I really hope is that our society can respect and help disabled people, because seeing the condition of our country, it'd be so hard just to depend on the physical facilities.

"Public education is crucial or else the facilities that were made for us will be ineffective."

Henny related her experience in a mall some years ago: "We were looking for a space to park, so we go to where they have this wheelchair sign. It turns out the space is being used by another person who is not disabled, and the parking officer doesn't lift a finger to help. An officer like him is supposed to tell people they have to respect the rules," she said

"Show some sensitivity," Henny added. She remembers the time when she went to see a movie with some friends: "They put us in the very front row. They didn't have any ramps -- hence the front row was our best bet. Nobody ever offered us any assistance on how we could get better seats. So there we go watching the film, heads tilted, with the light streaming onto our faces. "It seems that nobody thinks about how to make things more comfortable for the disabled."

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