Category Archives: Freedom

DETROIT -

Freedom Institute will host a career conference on Sept. 6 and Sept. 7, designed to help get Detroiters back to work.

The career conference will take place at Fellowship Chapel Campus located at 7707 W. Outer Drive in Detroit, and will include Career Boot Camp, a Job Expo and a Senior Wellness Law Day.

"Freedom Institute continues to be dedicated to providing the community with quality events," says Rev. Dr. Wendell Anthony, Founder and Chairman, Freedom Institute. "Detroit cannot move forward until Detroiters get back to work. This career conference will serve as a resource to all who attend."

The Freedom Institute for Economic, Social Justice and People Empowerment is 501c3 organization created to impact and enhance the quality of life for individuals with a particular emphasis on people of color.

Over a decade ago, Freedom Institute began Freedom Weekend as a vehicle to help uplift the local Detroit community with hopes of making an impact statewide and nationally.

"We are excited to have our first career boot camp," says Monica Anthony, Executive Director, Freedom Institute. "The boot camp will guide those who are looking for work and/or who have been unemployed for a long time onto path of success. We are also pleased to have the return of several of our core activities with the Senior Wellness Law Day and the Career Expo."

All activities are free and open to the public. For more information call (313) 347-2834.

Thursday, September 6. 2012

Career Boot Camp -- "Getting Detroit Back to Work"

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Freedom Institute launches 'Getting Detroit Back to Work'

The cost of freedom under austerity is weighing more than ever on prisoners who struggle with financial instability on release and are more likely to re-offend than ever, continuing a vicious circle of crime and punishment just as prisons approach full capacity across Britain and the rest of Europe, charities say.

According to reports from nationwide prison organizations, the majority of ex-offenders struggle to cope with debt, housing costs, unemployment and austerity upon release from prison.

They say that the financial factor is borne out by the the rate of recidivism -- or relapse into crime -- which has reached record highs in 2012, with 90 percent of prisoners having previous convictions, according to the Ministry of Justice.

Chris Bath, executive director of Unlock, the National Association of Reformed Offenders, told CNBC that prisoners face "enormous financial barriers" on release from prison, and he warned that the cycle of crime, punishment and re-offending -- which costs the British economy 95 billion pounds ($150 billion) a year -- is set to continue if the financial hardship faced by prisoners on release is not addressed.

[ More From CNBC: 10 White Collar Criminals Wanted by the FBI ]

"If I had a pound for every person I've met who said to me 1I thought prison was going to be the hard bit,'" he told CNBC.

"At least in prison you have a roof over your head and food in your stomach. The moment you walk out of prison you become a social leper, a low-skilled ex-con -- you are completely lost and you become nothing."

With 75 percent of employers saying they would reject someone with a conviction, Bath told CNBC that it was extremely hard for ex-offenders to return to the "straight and narrow" and find a job in a society where even the most skilled and experienced workers cannot find employment.

Indeed, with most prisoners reported to be "financially excluded" even before they enter prison, and a third having no bank account, according to research by the Civil and Social Justice Survey, the chances of going straight and returning to a decent and law-abiding way of life when no-one will employ them is slim, Bath told CNBC.

However, with 230,000 people going through the criminal justice system every year and 9.2 million of Britons of working age having criminal records, according to the Police Crime Database, Bath told CNBC that there is an urgent problem of millions of people exiting the prison system to a "society that doesn't want them back."

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Prisoners Fear Freedom in Crisis-Hit Europe

4 September 2012 Last updated at 21:59 ET

Olympians Sir Chris Hoy and Jessica Ennis are set to be given the freedom of their home cities. So what does it mean to be a freeman or freewoman?

Will Britain's most successful Olympian be able to graze his cattle on The Mound in Edinburgh?

Or if the gold medal-winning cyclist decides to ditch his bike and attempt to park his car for free on George Street, will he be "exempt for tolls and charges in the city", as freemen of the past would have been?

Similarly, if Ennis wants to use her freedom of Sheffield - expected to be approved on 5 September - to drive sheep through the centre of the city, will she be allowed?

The answer is no. The award is symbolic and grazing rights are not part of the modern freeman's privileges.

Hoy, who will get his freeman status on 16 September, would still expect a parking ticket from the Scottish capital's blue meanies.

So what use is being given the freedom of the city?

Philip Whiteman, from the Institute of Local Government Studies at the University of Birmingham, says it is "not dissimilar" to the Honours list awarded on behalf of the Queen.

"It is effectively the only way that a local authority can confer honours," he explains.

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Does freedom of the city allow you to graze sheep?

Freedom 7, NASA's first spacecraft to launch an astronaut into space, has landed in Boston for display at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.

The space capsule, which on May 5, 1961 lifted off with astronaut Alan Shepard for a 15 minute suborbital mission, arrived at the JFK Library on Aug. 29. On loan from the Smithsonian, Freedom 7 had previously been on exhibit for 14 years at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.

"Freedom 7 has arrived!" the library announced on its Facebook page. "Thanks to a generous loan from the (National) Air and Space Museum, Freedom 7 will be here until December 2015."

The 7.8-foot (2.4 meter) tall spacecraft, which weighs about 2,300 pounds (1,040 kilograms), will go on display at the JFK Library on Sept. 12. The capsule's public debut coincides with the 50 year anniversary of Kennedy's speech at Rice University in Houston, where he famously championed a manned moon mission. [America's First Spaceship (Infographic)]

Space news from NBCNews.com

Science editor Alan Boyle's blog: Scientists are giving students the chance to name an asteroid that's the target of a future NASA mission and just might hit us in the 22nd century.

"We choose to go to the moon," Kennedy said on Sept. 12, 1962. "We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard."

Less than seven years later, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin achieved JFK's goal of landing on the moon. Armstrong, who died on Aug. 25, will be remembered at a national service in Washington, D.C., to be held on Sept. 12 also.

The JFK Library has not yet announced the details for the opening of its Freedom 7 exhibit. The display marks only the second time that a Mercury spacecraft has visited Massachusetts. Liberty Bell 7, which followed Freedom 7 into space, was displayed at the Museum of Science in Boston in 2002.

The JFK Library hosts a permanent exhibit devoted to the space program, which includes a moon rock returned to Earth in 1971 by the Apollo 15 crew.

Originally posted here:
Freedom 7 capsule touches down

Democrats have included Internet freedom and cybersecurity as important issues in the 2012 Democratic National Platform.

As expected, the Democrats have included Internet freedom as one of the partys many primary provisions in the 2012 Democratic National Platform. Cybersecurity is also included in the platform, released late Monday ahead of the 2012 Democratic National Convention, which kicks off in Charlotte, North Carolina, today.

Inclusion of Internet freedom in the Democrats platform was first revealed by President Barack Obama during his Ask Me Anything public interview on Reddit last week. Obamas revelation came soon after the GOP released its own stance on Internet freedom in the 2012 Republican Party Platform.

While the Republicans focused on how they plan to address open Internet issues in the future through opposition to the Federal Communications Commissions Net neutrality rules, opposition to changes in the Internet governance model through the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), and support for civil liberties and personal privacy on the Web the Democrats instead vaguely outline what the Obama administration has already done to preserve the open Internet, along with further promises to oppose the extension of intergovernmental controls of the Internet through the ITU.

Here is the Democrats Internet freedom position, in full:

The Obama administration has led the world to recognize and defend Internet freedom the freedom of expression, assembly, and association online for people everywhere through coalitions of countries and by empowering individuals with innovative technologies. The administration has built partnerships to support an Internet that is secure and reliable and that is respectful of U.S. intellectual property, free flow of information, and privacy. To preserve the Internet as a platform for commerce, debate, learning, and innovation in the 21st century, we successfully negotiated international Internet policymaking principles, support the current multi-stakeholder approach to Internet governance, and oppose the extension of intergovernmental controls over the Internet.

In another part of the Democrats platform, entitled Out-innovating the Rest of the World, the party makes these key assertions:

President Obama has committed to ensuring that 98 percent of the country has access to high-speed wireless broadband Internet access. We are finding innovative ways to free up wireless spectrum and are building a state-of-the-art nationwide, interoperable, public safety network. President Obama is strongly committed to protecting an open Internet that fosters investment, innovation, creativity, consumer choice, and free speech, unfettered by censorship or undue violations of privacy.

The administration is vigorously protecting U.S. intellectual property our technology and creativity at home and abroad through better enforcement and innovative approaches such as voluntary efforts by all parties to minimize infringement while supporting the free flow of information. As technology advances, we will continue to work with all stakeholders to protect the security of the nation and its knowledge assets, U.S. intellectual property, the functioning of fair and competitive markets, and the privacy, free expression, and due process rights of Americans.

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Internet freedom, cybersecurity land in 2012 Democratic National Platform

Chuck Norris loves freedom more than you.

He loves it so much, in fact, that hes appearing in his own political ad, alongside his wife, Gena. The commercial features the couple calling on their evangelical brothers and sisters to get to the voting booths this November. The couple name-check Edmund Burke and Ronald Reagan, and urge freedom-loving Americans to get to the polls to thwart socialism or something much worse. Dun dun duuuun.

The ad doesnt specifically endorse Mitt Romney by name (and Norris himself threw his support behind Newt Gingrich in February), but its obvious what Norris wants anyone not wanting a roundhouse kick to the face to do. Gena tells viewers, It is estimated that in the 2008 election, 30 million evangelical Christians stayed home on voting day and Obama won the election by 10 million votes.

Check out their plea below:

Read more:The Un-Expendable Files Chuck NorrisExpendables 2 Comic-Con panel: Arnold Schwarzenegger comes to Hall H! Also: Explosions! 23 Guys Who Rage Past Middle Age

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Chuck Norris: ‘Our great country and freedom are under attack’ — VIDEO

KYIV, Ukraine, September 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Creating favorable conditions for the development of the freedom of press in Ukraine is the main task of the state government as far as national media is concerned. This was stated by the President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych in his speech at the 64thWorld Newspaper Congress and 19thWorld Forum of Editors in Kyiv (September 2-5, 2012). "The development of free press should be efficient, independent of any kinds of control," said Yanukovych.

The buildup of free media space and market in Ukraine is one of the key priorities of the state policy, emphasized Yanukovych. Political forces in Ukraine, even the opposing ones, agree that the only possible way of the country's development is democratic, with the freedom of speech as its core value. Ukraine managed to demonstrate a significant progress in acquiring the freedom of speech despite the heavy Soviet heritage. In the years of its independence the country has gone from total censorship to an open society.

The development of freedom of speech, however, can be achieved by the efforts of both - the government and the journalists. It should be noted that denationalization of printed media in the country is being conducted in accordance with Ukraine's commitments to PACE.

Ukrainian government will also work on securing favorable economic conditions for the printed media market, for only economically independent media can be free of any kind of control. Among other steps, the government will preserve the VAT relief for the mass media, stated Ukraine's President at the opening ceremony.

To reiterate the point of the freedom of speech in Ukraine, there was a group of people holding up placards aimed at Yanukovych during his speech. "They were not discredited and thrown out of the room, they were allowed to stay there throughout the speech of the head of state," commented the expert on media Garbis Kesisoglu, Hrriyet Gazetecilik ve Matbaacilik, participant of the Congress.

World Newspapers Congress in Kyiv will host the speakers, working for Dow Jones, Forbes, Guardian, Mail, New Delhi, The New York Times, Schibsted, Singapore Press Holdings, The Sunday Times, The Times, The Wall Street Journal, Die Zeit, and numerous others.

In October 2011, Kyiv hosted another journalist event - the 7th Global Investigative Journalism Conference.

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Ukrainian Government Will Secure The Freedom of Press - President Yanukovych

Nurse Shirley Chaplin, from Exeter, was moved to a paperwork role by the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Trust in Devon after refusing to remove a necklace bearing a crucifix.

Their case has been supported by Lord Carey, former Archbishop of Canterbury, who accused the Prime Minister of "turning the value of 'tolerance' on its head".

Writing in the Daily Mail, he said: "Only two months ago he championed the right of Christians to wear crosses in Parliament in response to a question by one of his own MPs, David Davis, on these European cases.

"Yet at the same time he was making that statement, his lawyers were drafting a legal submission to Strasbourg which opposes the rights of all these Christians.

"These lawyers are expected to speak against the right to wear the cross at court today, saying that the Christian faith doesn't demand it, and that it is up to the individual concerned.

"Likewise, Government lawyers will also say that it is not necessary for Christians to demonstrate disapproval of gay relationships in order to maintain their faith."

He added Christians had acted like "doormats" and were facing "new heresy trials".

The case also includes a Relate therapist sacked for saying he might not be comfortable giving sex counselling to homosexual couples, and a Christian registrar who wishes not to conduct civil partnership ceremonies.

Gary McFarlane, a Bristol marriage counsellor, was sacked for refusing to give sex therapy to homosexuals and registrar Lillian Ladele was disciplined after she refused to conduct same-sex civil partnership ceremonies in north London.

The four argue that the actions of their employers contravened articles nine and 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which prohibit religious discrimination and allow "freedom of thought, conscience and religion".

The rest is here:
Religious freedom showdown in European Court

September 3, 2012 - Frontier League (FL) Florence Freedom Evansville,IN - The Florence Freedom(57-39) dominated the Evansville Otters(45-50) on the final day of the regular season with a 10-1 victory, as the team gears up for its first every playoff game at the Gateway Grizzlies on Wednesday. The game was called in the top of the eighth due to heavy rain.

The Freedom offense hit three homeruns on the night. Jim Jacquot's solo shot to left field in the second inning gave the Freedom a 1-0 lead. It was Jacquot's tenth of the season as he became the fifth player this year to hit ten or more homeruns for the Freedom.

Eddie Rodriguez hit his fifteenth of the season, a two run shot in the fourth giving the Freedom a 7-0 lead.

Ryan Skellie then went deep in the eighth. It was a two run homerun for his second of the year. Skellie finished the game 3-5 with 2 RBI. Stephen Cardullo also went 2-3 with 2 RBI.

Alec Lewis(5-7) picked up the win out of the Freedom bullpen after pitching two innings allowing just one hit and striking out one. Ian Durham started the game pitching four innings giving up two hits with one walk and a strikeout.

The Freedom closed out the regular season on a six game winning streak and winners of thirteen out of their last fourteen.

The Freedom will now have days off Monday and Tuesday before their divisional series opens on Wednesday night in Sauget, Illinois.

RHP Brandon Mathes(4-0, 3.61) will make the start as the Freedom will play their first postseason game in franchise history. The game time is TBA as the game can be heard with Steve Jarnicki on Real Talk 1160 AM and realtalk1160.com For the time of the game stay tuned to http://www.florencefreedom.com.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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Freedom End Regular Season with Dominating Win

September 3, 2012 - Frontier League (FL) Florence Freedom FLORENCE, KY - The Florence Freedom are back in town Monday and Tuesday preparing for game one of the Frontier League Playoffs, which begin Wednesday night in Sauget, Illinois against the Gateway Grizzlies.

To celebrate the Freedom's first playoff appearance in franchise history and to give the community the chance to send their best wishes to the team before they head out on the road, the Freedom are having a post-season rally at Shakey's Pub & Grub on Route 42 in Florence, beginning at 6:30 pm.

Dinner, autographs, photo opportunities and more can be had Tuesday night at Shakey's.

The Freedom will hold a workout open to the media at the ballpark beginning at 4:30 pm on Tuesday night. Media are encouraged to show up by 4:15pm.

After games one and two on the road against the Grizzlies, game three of the best of five series is scheduled for 6:05pm Saturday night at the Home of the Freedom. If necessary, game four will be played in Florence on Sunday night at 6:05pm.

Promotions Saturday night will include a double intense fireworks show detonated by Elite Pyrotechnics.

Tickets for the post-season are available now at florencefreedom.com or by calling (859) 594-HITS.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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Freedom Workout Tuesday, Dinner Rally After