Clementi, 18, of Ridgewood, jumped off the George Washington Bridge days after Ravi viewed the encounters.
Prosecutors say Ravi intimidated Clementi because of his sexual orientation, an allegation they will have to prove to a jury to make the most serious charge of bias intimidation stick. If convicted of that charge, Ravi could face five to 10 years in prison.
By on 28/07/2011
TAIPEI (Reuters) – A senior Taiwanese military officer has been jailed for life for spying for China in a case that underscores persistent mistrust between the two political rivals even as economic ties boom.
Major-General Lo Hsien-che was found guilty of giving information to the Chinese five times in exchange for bribes, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said in a short statement. It did not say what information was given or what bribes received.
Lo had been arrested in February. He can appeal against the sentence, the statement said. He is believed to be one of the highest-ranking Taiwanese military officials accused of espionage for China.
By on 27/07/2011
A recent Laptop magazine poll showed 55 percent of parents admitted to monitoring their children on social network sites like Facebook. The term “spying” was used; are parents overprotective and nosy or are they safeguarding their kids?
Poll results said 41 percent of parents check their children’s status updates, 39 percent check their children’s wall posts and 15 percent have sent friend requests (4 percent were rejected). Another 13 percent say that they have used friends’ accounts to check up on their children.
What does Facebook say about children’s accounts? Thirteen is the minimum user age. Parents who allow underage kids to use Facebook are lying for them. Many kids get Facebook accounts without parental knowledge or permission. Facebook bans 20,000 underage users every day.
Even at 13, a child is vulnerable on social networks. Unless a profile is set to private, anyone can send a friend request to and interact with another Facebook user, regardless of age. Groups can be set to allow only users 18 or older to access, but many don’t use that function. Ultimately, most all Facebook applications and activities are available to kids at age 13.
Does parental monitoring constitute spying, or just common sense? Given that a parent is responsible for a child until age 18, it can’t be called spying to check up on children. By definition, spying (tracking, stalking) would only apply to adults monitoring other adults or children not in their care.
Are parents who monitor their child’s Facebook accounts overprotective or just protective? Most kids love social network sites. They may post things on their profiles that they won’t (but should) tell their parents. Kids don’t necessarily avoid telling parents because they are afraid of parental reaction. Children have an innate sense of what parents would approve of, and what they wouldn’t. This gut instinct may indicate that what the child is doing online isn’t safe or healthy.
A child may say that what he posts is none of his parents’ business, but he can’t know what information his parents need to know to keep him safe. Kids aren’t always the best just of what or who is safe and what or who isn’t.
Several months ago, our daughter was caught chatting with an 19-year-old online. She is 13. She acted embarrassed when we confronted her, but she protested his innocence and repeated how nice he seemed. We explained that it wasn’t appropriate for a 19-year-old to interact with a 13-year-old. It had nothing to do with this particular person, it was about unsafe habits.
The concern I have with the Laptop study responses are the parents who said they’ve used subterfuge to monitor kids. Kids generally understand and appreciate parental concern. They don’t like dishonesty.
Here are parenting guidelines social networks like Facebook. Set clear boundaries and expectations. Mark the account private. Know her friends. Tell her that you will monitor her and why. Idle curiosity is not a good reason. Monitor in a caring, non-threatening way. Don’t expect her to fail. Expect the best but watch for problems.
If you don’t trust your child, ask yourself why not? Has she demonstrated lack of judgment or are you being reactionary? Keep the lines of communication open. If you don’t like her social network behavior, close the account; don’t sneak.
I expect my daughter to list me under “family” on Facebook. She is only allowed to “friend” adults who are relatives and family friends. I don’t read everything she posts, but she knows that I am aware and that I care.
Marilisa Kinney Sachteleben writes from 22 years parenting four children and 25 years teaching K-8,adult and special needs.
By on 23/07/2011
The New Zealand Police and SIS must make public their assessment of whether Mossad agents have been operating in New Zealand, and whether security has been compromised, Green Party Police spokesperson Keith Locke said today.
The normally secretive New Zealand Security Intelligence Service has given details to the media of suspicious activity before and after the Christchurch earthquake involving Israeli citizens.
“We need to know why a young Israeli, Benyamin Mizrahi, killed in the Christchurch earthquake, was carrying five or more passports, and whether he was assessed to be a Mossad agent,” said Mr Locke.
“It is important for us to know if any of the Israelis in Christchurch were travelling on false passports, or had them in their possession. Following the Mossad assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai last year, there is an international police effort to stop Israeli agents obtaining false passports.
“It would be inexcusable, after two Mossad agents were imprisoned for passport fraud in 2004 for Mossad agents to once again be present here with false documentation.
“We also need more information as to why the SIS thought the Police computer may have been compromised,” said Mr Locke.
“The Prime Minister is wrong when he says it is not in the public’s interest to be told.
“As in any public report, the Police and SIS are entitled to withhold operational details, but we need to know what conclusions they have reached.”
By on 23/07/2011
TBILISI – The alleged ringleader of three Georgian photojournalists accused of spying for enemy Russia has confessed to involvement in espionage, both officials and his lawyer said on Tuesday.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, an official at Georgia’s interior ministry said the alleged kingpin of the spy ring, European Pressphoto Agency photographer Zurab Kurtsikidze, had become the third of the trio to admit guilt.
“All three have now confessed,” the official told AFP.
By on 21/07/2011