- Seven-month mission to be financed by reality show on Earth
- By 2033, there will be 20 people living on Mars
- Mission backed by co-creator of Big Brother and Nobel-winning physicists
- Reality show on Earth will finance mission
By Rob Waugh
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An independent space launch company aims to put four people on Mars by April 2023 - and the team will not be coming back.
Mars One claims that a new crew of four will join every two years as the explorers build their settlement, and that by 2033 there will be 20 people living on Mars.
The company has been in talks with independent space suppliers such as Space X, which recently launched the first privately owned rocket to the Space Station.
Mars One claims that a new crew of four will join every two years as the explorers build their settlement, and that by 2033 there will be 20 people living on Mars
The Dutch company is backed by a Nobel prize winning physicist, Gerard 't Hooft (pictured) - and also by Paul Romer, co-creator of Big Brother
The Dutch company is backed by a Nobel prize winning physicist, Gerard 't Hooft - and also by Paul Romer, co-creator of Big Brother.
The company aims to start training astronauts next year - and will turn the selection and training programme into a 'media event' similar to a reality show.
'We see this as a journey that belongs to us all, and it is for this reason that we will make every step one that we take together,' says the company.
'This will also be our way to finance the mission: the mission to Mars will be the biggest media event ever!
'The entire world will be able to watch and help with decisions as the teams of settlers are selected, follow their extensive training and preparation for the mission and of course observe their settling on Mars once arrived. The emigrated astronauts will share their experiences with us as they build their new home, conduct experiments and explore Mars.'
Mars One's plan has been in development since 2011.
The journey to Mars will take seven months, says the Dutch company, and the entire process will be televised in a Big Brother-style reality show
Skylights in Mars: These two holes from a 2007 NASA survey that there are caves on the red planet - potentially our new homes?
Big Brother creator Rmer says, 'When the Mars One founders first approached me, asking whether they could speak to me about a mission to Mars, my first response was 'these people are crazy. What can they do that NASA’s can’t?'
'That conversation made it clear to me, however. They think so creatively, and outside of the box and the concept of a ‘one-way’ mission is both outrageous and exciting. These aspects are what brought me to the idea of making the mission the biggest media event in the world. Reality meets talent show with no ending and the whole world watching. Now there’s a pitch!'
George Zimmerman back in jail after turning himself into Florida police six weeks after being freed - Daily Mail
- Prosecutors claim Zimmerman had $135,000 available that had been raised by a website he set up
- Defense attorney Mark O'Mara said Zimmerman and his wife never used the money for anything
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In custody, again: Zimmerman posed for yet another mugshot after returning to Sanford after a judge in the case revoked his bail
George Zimmerman turned himself into authorities and returned to jail this afternoon, six weeks after being released on bond.
Looking slightly heavier and with his hair grown out, Zimmerman arrived at the Sanford County jail in Sanford, Florida, shortly after 1:40pm traveling in a white mini-van accompanied by sheriff's deputies and his attorney, Mark O'Mara.
On Friday a judge revoked Zimmerman's $150,000 bond, posted in April while he was awaiting trial, after prosecutors accused him of withholding one of two valid passports and said his wife did not tell the court about money donated for his legal defense.
Circuit Court Judge Kenneth Lester Jr gave 28-year-old Zimmerman 48 hours to surrender to the Seminole County Sheriff.
After he arrived, Zimmerman was to be booked again and placed into isolation in administrative confinement for his own protection, a law enforcement official told ABC.
His attorney Mr O' Mara said: 'The defense team hopes that Mr Zimmerman's voluntary surrender to Sanford police will help demonstrate to the court that he is not a flight risk.'
He returned to Central Florida from an undisclosed location, arriving late on Saturday evening.
His imminent return to jail was the latest twist in a murder case that has riveted the United States and sparked widespread debate over guns, self-defense laws and U.S. race relations.
It was just six weeks ago that Zimmerman was freed on bail before he waived his right to a speedy trial.
Surrender: George Zimmerman arrives at the John E. Polk Correctional Facility after his bond was revoked by a Florida judge in Sanford, Florida, on June 3, 2012
Back to jail: Zimmerman has been charged with second degree murder in the February 26 shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Sanford
Had he not had this revoked, he would have spent the next year or even two in hiding at a secure location while awaiting trial. Now, he could spend that time in isolation.
Zimmerman's credibility could become an issue at trial, legal experts said, noting the case hinges on jurors believing Zimmerman's account of what happened the night in February that Martin was killed.
The neighborhood watchman wasn't charged in the case until more than a month after the shooting.
Protests were held across the nation, and the case spurred debate about whether race was a factor in Zimmerman's actions and in the initial police handling of the case. Martin was black; Zimmerman's father is white and his mother is from Peru.
Custody: George Zimmerman is handcuffed and escorted into jail just before his 48-hour deadline expired
Police in Sanford did not immediately arrest Zimmerman, citing the Florida law that gives wide latitude to use deadly force rather than retreat in a fight if people believe they are in danger of being killed or seriously injured.
The questioning of Zimmerman's truthfulness by the judge on Friday could undermine the defendant's credibility if it is brought up at trial.
It also may complicate how his defense presents him as a witness, said Orlando-area attorney Randy McClean, a former prosecutor.
The other key witness, unfortunately, is deceased, McClean said. Basically, Zimmerman is going to be asking the jury to believe his version of the facts.
As the case stands now, his credibility is absolutely critical to the case.
Revoked: George Zimmerman testifies from the stand during a bond hearing on second degree murder charges at the Seminole County Courthouse in Sanford, Florida in this file photo taken April 20, 2012
George Zimmerman, charged with killing 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, right, stands next to a Seminole County Deputy during a court hearing in Sanford
Jail authorities in central Florida, where the case arose, said Zimmerman had not turned himself in there by early Sunday. He must do so by Sunday afternoon.
Zimmerman went into hiding in the weeks after the shooting and his exact whereabouts since he bonded out of jail remain unclear.
It was not immediately clear exactly where Zimmerman would surrender.
Zimmerman's credibility would be important if his attorney, Mark O'Mara, tries to get a judge without the jury to dismiss the charges based on the law, said Orlando defense attorney David Hill.
'If he was in on something that was not truthfully revealed to the judge, when there is a 'stand your ground' hearing, of course you're going to second-guess him,' said Hill.
The revocation of Zimmerman's bond also puts pressure on O'Mara not to delay the trial, McClean said.
'When your client is out on bond, the pressure is much lighter to rush to trial ... because your client is sitting at home," he said.
'When your client is sitting at the Seminole County Jail, your client is going to want this resolved.'
As he revoked Zimmerman's bail on Friday, the judge said Mr Zimmerman had responsibilities to stop his wife, who testified at one hearing, and his lawyer from making false statements.
'Mr Zimmerman can't sit back a potted palm and let his wife testify falsely before the court when he knew well in advance of the hearing the amounts of money in controversy,' said Judge Kenneth Lester.
Case: Zimmerman, right, shot Martin, left, in February during a confrontation at a gated community of townhouses in Sanford, Florida, where Zimmerman lived and where Martin was visiting his father's fiancee
'He can't sit back and obtain the benefit of a lower bond based upon those material falsehoods.'
Under Florida's Rules of Criminal Procedure, a judge has discretion to revoke a defendant's bail if he finds there's 'good cause' to do so.
Lying to a court about one's finances apparently fits the bill.
In arguing for George Zimmerman's bail to be revoked, prosecutors asserted his wife Shelly 'flat-out lied' to get a lower bail.
'This court was led to believe that [George Zimmerman and his wife] didn't have a single penny,' one prosecutor argued.
A Seminole County Sheriff's Deputy waits for George Zimmerman in front of the Seminole County Jail after Zimmerman's bond was revoked in Sanford, Florida
But it turns out the Zimmermans had collected about $200,000 in online donations via a website -- a fact Zimmerman's attorney Mark O'Mara has acknowledged.
In addition, Zimmerman and his wife 'spoke in code to hide what they were doing' during jail telephone calls, prosecutors alleged.
Prosecutors also used phone conversations recorded between Zimmerman and his wife Shelly, to show that the pair intentionally deceived the court by talking in code that designates multiples of thousands to much lower sums.
George Zimmerman asks: 'in my account do I have at least $100?
Shelly Zimmerman responds: '$8. $8.60'
Bailed: Neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman (L) leaves the Seminole County Jail in April after posting bail in Sanford, Florida
Defense attorney Mark O'Mara said the fact that Zimmerman and his wife never used the money for anything indicated 'there was no deceit.'
Since his release in late April, Zimmerman has been staying at an undisclosed location for his safety.
Prosecutor Bernie De la Rionda described the Zimmermans' testimony as 'misleading'.
'This court was led to believe they didn't have a single penny,' said De la Rionda. 'It was misleading and I don't know what words to use other than it was a blatant lie.'
The judge said he would schedule a hearing after Zimmerman is back in custody so the neighborhood watch leader could explain himself.
It was also revealed that Zimmerman kept a second passport at his home and he and his wife can be heard to discuss it.
'I have one for you in the safety deposit box,' said Shellie.
'Okay, you hold onto that,' replied Zimmerman.
Shot dead: In this undated photo provided by the Martin family, Trayvon Martin holds an unidentified baby. Martin was killed by a neighborhood watchman following an altercation in Sanford, Fla. as he walked from a convenience store in February, 2012
Zimmerman is pleading not guilty to second-degree murder and claims self-defense. Zimmerman shot Martin in February during a confrontation at a gated community of townhouses in Sanford, Fla., where Zimmerman lived and where the 17-year-old Martin was visiting his father's fiancee.
Benjamin Crump, an attorney for Trayvon Martin's parents, Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton, said his clients have always said Zimmerman should remain in jail until trial, which O'Mara said he believed wouldn't be until next year.
Crump was asked if he thought that if Zimmerman would be willing to lie about his finances that he would be willing to lie about what happen the night Martin was killed.
'We fully expect that the special prosecutor will make George Zimmerman's credibility be front and center in this entire case,' Crump said. 'And whatever dishonesty that comes forth by George Zimmerman that they can prove, you can best believe it will be the issue of this case and rightfully so.
Prosecutors also said Zimmerman had failed to surrender a second passport, but the judge dismissed that concern as the equivalent of someone who has lost a driver's license, applies for a new one and then finds the old driver's license.
Killed: Zimmerman is pleading not guilty to second-degree murder and claims self-defense in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin
The delay in an arrest for 44 days prompted protests nationwide and led to Sanford's police chief stepping aside so emotions could cool down.
At Friday's court hearing, De la Rionda and O'Mara also asked a judge to stop the public release of witness names and statements made by Zimmerman to police officers. Those documents normally are part of the public record under Florida law.
BACKGROUND
George Zimmerman started a website to raise funds for his legal defence under the URL www.therealgeorgezimmerman.com in April.
‘I have created a Paypal account solely linked on this website as I would like to provide an avenue to thank my supporters personally and ensure that any funds provided are used only for living expenses and legal defence,’ he posted on the website in April
According to prosecutors, he allegedly raised $135,000 but the website was shut down on April 24 so his attorney could regain control of the fundraising drive.
The 28-year-old's bond hearing was on April 20, where the amount of money the website had raised was not disclosed.
Zimmerman was released from jail on April 23 on a $150,000 bond after paying 10 per cent upfront.
Later that week, his lawyer told CNN that the website had raised more than $200,000 in donations.
'What's occurring, unfortunately, are cases are being tried in the public sector as opposed to in the courtroom,' De La Rionda said. 'We are in a new age with Twitter, Facebook, and all these things I've never heard of before in my career. Everybody gets to find out intimate details about witnesses that never occurred before. Witnesses are going to be reluctant to get involved.'
A consortium of more than a dozen media groups, including The Associated Press, asked the judge to ignore the request, saying such records are presumed to be publicly available under Florida law.
Rachel Fugate, an attorney for the Orlando Sentinel, cited the Casey Anthony trial as an example of a highly publicized case in which a jury was able to be seated despite intense media coverage. The Florida mother was acquitted last year of killing her 2-year-old daughter.
'Discovery in Florida has traditionally been open ... and Florida hasn't encountered problems seating juries and giving defendants fair trials,' Fugate said.
O'Mara said Friday on a website that he doesn't expect the case to be ready for trial until next year.
O'Mara said he expects to call on 50 witnesses who need to be deposed before he decides whether to file a "stand your ground" motion which would ask for a hearing before a judge without a jury. At the hearing, Zimmerman would argue self-defense under the Florida law which gives wide latitude to use deadly force rather than retreat in a fight if people believe they are in danger of being killed or seriously injured.
The outside of Seminole County Jail, the John E. Polk Correctional Facility prior to the return of George Zimmerman
Money talk led to a broken marriage - Jamaica Observer
Dear Mrs Macaulay,
My husband is on his second marriage, while this my first. He came to the USA and we got married in 1997, after which he returned to Jamaica while I remained in the USA. In 2000 I migrated to Jamaica. We were OK until we started discussing finances. I had sent a sum of money for him to invest. He had not disclosed to me that he had banked the money in his and his adopted son's name. He did not invest the money, neither has he returned it to me up to this day.
Our relationship became very strained as he thinks he is never wrong. In 2001, he moved out of the house and I could not say that ended the strain. I was ridiculed. I went through hell. He even involved his helper in our dispute. In 2009, he returned to the house, along with his helper and her boyfriend, and his son and the son's girlfriend. Things went from bad to worse. Once while I was away he removed some of my furniture from the house and called his friends who took my grocery and my crockery. He abused me to the point where I had to get a lawyer to stop his actions. I was left in one of the three bedrooms without gaining access to the rest of the house. I finally had to find other accommodation for which I am paying rent.
Incidentally, he gets social security from the US government because of my past job. The house was built by him and his first wife who died 16 years ago. They have four biological children, we have none together. My husband said that they both made a will leaving the house and the entire property, including the farm, for the children. I have actually seen the will which states just what he says. He says I cannot claim anything although I have maintained the house, invested in projects and have received no return from such investments.
Can you advise me of my rights? We are separated but not divorced. I am also a US citizen.
Thank you for your letter. How unfortunate your marriage was. I must ask this, why did you not take out court proceedings against him for all his wrongful acts? Surely a letter from a lawyer is not enough to deal with his abusive conduct.
You say the money you sent to him to invest for you was not invested, but that you discovered that he instead put it in a bank account which he holds with his adopted son. This was a fraudulent conversion of your money and he should be made to account to you for it and pay it back with interest, and you could have had him criminally charged because he clearly intended from his receipt and paying it into his account to permanently deprive you of your money and keep it for himself.
He knew very well what he had done with your money and this is why when you started discussing finances your relationship deteriorated and his treatment of you became awful.
You could have applied for protection orders and an occupation order from the court pursuant to the Domestic Violence Act after he returned to the home in 2009 with his helper and others.
Regarding the furniture and other things he took, you can make a claim against him for either the return of these or for their value.
Additionally, I gleaned from what you have written that whilst you were residing in the home, between 2001 and 2009, that your expended monies on improving the premises. These you can also make a claim for, and you may be awarded the value of such works or the increase in value they caused to the premises. I do not say you will for certain, but that you might. It would depend on the full facts surrounding your circumstances then and your actions.
You have been forced out again. You have the option of applying for an occupation order so you can go back home, and protection orders as I said under the Domestic Violence Act, and also an application for maintenance. Or you may choose to only apply for maintenance. He is obliged in law to contribute to your maintenance, especially as he is receiving social security payments based on your sole work in the US, and the fact that he is, in law, your husband.
As to the house, if he and his first wife owned the properties jointly, you cannot get any interest therein. If, however, the properties were owned as tenants-in-common, you could claim an interest in his one-half share. If fact, if the properties are registered in his sole name then you can certainly make a claim for a one-half interest. You can ask for 50 per cent in the farm and any other property. But I cannot predict what percentage of interest the court will award you as this will depend on the view the judge takes about the length and the circumstances of your marriage.
You ought to add in your Fixed Date Claim Form seeking an interest in the properties (if not jointly held by him and his first wife) the claims for your money which he and his son fraudulently converted to their own use, and for the return or the value of your furniture, crockery and grocery, and also for his contribution for your maintenance.
The fact that you are a citizen of the US is neither here nor there. You will be claiming as his wife. I cannot be more specific about your claims of interest in the properties because you have not given even a hint about the legal proprietorship. The fact that he and his first wife built the premises does not necessarily mean that they are both the legal proprietors. The fact that he showed you their wills also does not conclusively mean that they are both the legal proprietors. So a search ought to be made at the Titles Office for the titles so you can ascertain who in fact legally owns the properties.
After this, you will be in a clearer position to decide exactly what claims you can make of those which I have suggested to you. Please, whatever you do, get good legal representation. Do not let your husband take away both your dignity as a human being and also your material entitlements. Good luck and best wishes.
Margarette May Macaulay is an attorney-at-law, Supreme Court mediator, notary public and women's and children's rights advocate. Send questions via e-mail to allwoman@jamaicaobserver.com; or write to All Woman, 40-42 1/2 Beechwood Avenue, Kingston 5. Mrs Macaulay cannot give advice via e-mail.
DISCLAIMER:
The contents of this article are for informational purposes only and must not be relied upon as an alternative to legal advice from your own attorney.
Romney gets more money, Obama more donors in East Tennessee - Knoxville News Sentinel
Photo by Photo courtesy Bill Pittman
Bill Pittman is seen here in this photo circa 1995 according to Pittman. (BILL PITTMAN / SPECIAL TO THE NEWS SENTINEL)
WASHINGTON — Bill Pittman may not be one of President Barack Obama's big-money donors, but he is a firm believer that Obama deserves another four years in office.
"I think he's doing a good job, as best of a job as he can do given the circumstances with the national budget," said Pittman, a retiree who lives in Alcoa.
Pittman has given $701 to Obama's re-election campaign, mostly in small increments of $10 to $25. In that sense, he is similar to many other Obama supporters who are opening up their wallets a few dollars at a time.
When it comes to overall campaign contributions, Republican Mitt Romney holds a huge advantage over Obama in East Tennessee. Romney has collected some $341,000, while Obama has raised $128,000.
But in terms of individual donors, it's Obama who is far out front: He has nearly twice as many donors in East Tennessee as Romney does.
Obama has received contributions from 401 individuals in East Tennessee, according to records on file with the Federal Election Commission. Romney has 226 donors. The records reflect donations made through the end of April.
Obama's donors in East Tennessee tend to give much smaller contributions than Romney's supporters do. The average donation to the Obama campaign is $108. Romney's average is 10 times that — $1,085.
Statewide, the story is much the same: Obama has raised $1 million from 2,527 individuals. Romney has raised $1.5 million from 1,028 donors. The average donation for Obama in Tennessee is $164. For Romney, it's $952.
The numbers indicate Obama is following the same fundraising strategy that he used during his first presidential campaign four years ago, said Bruce Oppenheimer, a political science professor at Vanderbilt University.
"The Obama campaign four years ago, and I assume this year as well, relied heavily on raising money from smaller contributions through Internet donations," Oppenheimer said. "The reason they can do that is because a lot of the fixed costs that go into getting small donations are near zero on the Internet. You don't have stamps. You don't have postage. You don't have direct mail costs. You can put in the credit card, charge it, and you get the money right away."
Romney, on the other hand, has concentrated on big-ticket, fundraising events in which the goal is "to get people to max out their individual contributions," Oppenheimer said. "That means going to those more affluent zip codes."
The Romney team has focused on big-money events mostly out of necessity, said former Knoxville Vice Mayor Joe Bailey, the campaign's regional chairman for East Tennessee.
"We've talked about the desire by people who have $500 and less that would like to have an opportunity to give," Bailey said. "Not everybody can afford a $1,000 event. But with the political pace that he traveled with the primary, I think that was the model they had to use — just to do the larger, bigger ticketed events,"
Regardless of how the money is raised, neither campaign is likely to spend much of it in Tennessee.
Romney is expected to easily carry Tennessee — a recent Vanderbilt poll gave him a seven-point lead among registered voters — so money raised locally will almost certainly be spent elsewhere, probably in battleground states such as Ohio and Virginia, Oppenheimer said.
"If you looked at where is the money raised and where is it going, it would look like an airline map," he said.
Despite the state's reputation as solid red territory, Tennesseans are pretty moderate, so it's no surprise that Obama would have a large donor base in the state, said Gloria Johnson, chairwoman of the Knox County Democratic Party.
"More people get involved when it's somebody they feel is of the people," said Johnson, who didn't become politically active until she gave money to Obama and volunteered for his campaign in 2008.
"I can't tell you how many people I've talked to who have said, 'I've never given, but I'm giving,'" Johnson said. "Of course, nobody agrees with everything he does. But there's no question he has helped the economy. He has gotten us back on track, and most people see that."
Pittman said that, when he decided to give to Obama, he went to the campaign website and made his donation. Since then, the emails from the campaign haven't stopped coming. Political guru James Carville and First Lady Michelle Obama both sent pleas for more money. Yet another appeal came with an enticing offer: For $3, Pittman and other donors would be entered into a raffle to dine with Obama and former President Bill Clinton.
"It just doesn't end," Pittman said. "They must use some sort of process to direct what they are saying to you based upon your zip code and who you are, or maybe the demographics about your age."
Portugal props up banks with €6.6bn - Daily Telegraph
"We met our quantitative objectives," the minister added, noting a rapid reduction in its external imbalances despite a global economy showing clear signs of slowing down.
"Our budget roll-out remains in line with our 2012 targets and the government should be able to bring the deficit down to 4.5pc of GDP (gross domestic product) as planned," he said.
Last year, Portugal became the third eurozone country after Greece and Ireland to be bailed out by the EU, IMF and European Central Bank.
In a statement, auditors from the so-called troika said Portugal "remains on track despite continued challenges," while stressing that "rising unemployment has emerged as a pressing concern."
The troika added that growth in 2012 "may hold up better than expected" with GDP in 2012 "now expected to decline by 3pc as opposed to 3.25pc before and "subdued growth" expected in 2013.
The muted optimism was came after stark warning last week by Portugal's central bank that the country's banking sector was vulnerable to a "very major risk of contagion of adverse developments on an international level".
"These risks are still at very high levels and were exacerbated ... by the reinforcement of the connections between the banking system and sovereign risk in a growing number of countries in the euro area," the central bank said.
The central bank also warned that three of Portugal's four biggest banks would require state intervention in order to meet the EBA targets, preparing the ground for Monday's announcement.
Pushed deeper into recession by austerity measures, the government has issued a new outlook for unemployment for 2012 of 15.5pc, expected to reach 16pc in 2013.
Mr Gaspar said the deterioration in the jobless numbers required a response that facilitated work.
Work code reforms launched to make hiring more flexible must be pursued, the minister said adding that results would be seen in the "medium term".
The troika audit statement agreed with the analysis: "Recent approval of the revised labour code should attenuate job losses," it said.
"Nevertheless, further action to improve the functioning of the labour market is urgent," the statement added.
Can we send Davina McCall?
- John Slowey, Glasgow UK, 04/6/2012 13:39
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