Karla López - Spices up the Flag on Veterans Day

Left & Right: The beautiful Venezuelan model, Karla López, aka., (Karla Spice), despite working for RCTV was not well known until her blow out on the Internet where she has a few sites dedicated to her pictures and movies. Karla López has gained fame and popularity over the Internet because of her beautifully sexy, sensual and provocative poses. Although she has tens of thousands of photographs that are normally, judged as revealing, and arguably considered by most more sexy nevertheless, these two particular pictures of her are my favorites out of so many admittedly, great position shots.

Karla López recently, visited our troops at sea in the spirit of Veterans Day.



Ms. Karla López (Karla Spice), decided to visit US army troops at sea side, in order to show her patriotism and exercise support to keep the troops motivated and ready to carry out their duties. She was wearing a smoking hot tiny bikini in the navy's colors. One can clearly see the gifts she possessed and adorns underneath that sweet suit -- availing glimpses of a well kept and manicured body. Ms. López celebrated an early Veterans Day with our brave troops. Karla López brought a level of excitement to the troops as she smiled and waved to their cheers. She also took a brief swim around the ship and got all wet - it's the least she could do for her country in a time of war. Morevoer, feel free to enjoy her pictures below!



Born in Venezuela, Karla López moved to the US at the age of 6 - she has since become a full pledged American and is as sweet as apple pie when she salutes the stars and stripes. On this solemn Veterans Day, it's humbling and comforting to know great citizen patriots like Ms. Karla López are always ready to stand up and be counted doing their best to uphold our freedoms. God bless Ms. Karla López, God bless America!

Catch & Release: Pakistani Political Theater

Left: Roadblocks and barbed wire fencing were set up around Ms Bhutto's Islamabad home.

Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto has been released from house arrest in the capital, Islamabad, officials say. The order had blocked Ms Bhutto's bid to lead a rally against the emergency rule declared by President Musharraf.

"It has been withdrawn," interior secretary Kamal Shah told AFP, referring to the house arrest order. "The order was given in view of a specific security situation and now that situation has passed," Shah said.

The United States had criticized the house arrest, saying that she had to be "permitted freedom of movement." Ms Bhutto has vowed to wage a campaign aimed at forcing Gen Musharraf to stand down as head of the army. Last week, Ms Bhutto called for a "long march" starting on November 13, from Lahore to Islamabad, if her key demands were not met.

A three-day detention order was served on the former prime minister after she tried to cross the heavy police cordon set up outside her home on Friday.
Police had surrounded the house early in the morning with roadblocks and coils of barbed wire to prevent her from addressing a rally in the neighboring city of Rawalpindi.

Left: Pakistan People's Party (PPP) supporters were rounded up by police in Islamabad on Friday.

Under emergency rule announced last week, such public gatherings have been banned. Pakistani officials were later
quoted as saying the detention order had been withdrawn. A spokeswoman for Ms Bhutto's party said she had no information about the move.

Officials said that it was a temporary measure because of a fear of suicide bombers attacking the planned rally, and that it would be lifted by Saturday. Last month a suicide bomber killed nearly 140 people at a mass gathering as Ms Bhutto returned home from exile.

On Friday Ms Bhutto made several attempts to leave her home but was turned back. She finally emerged to address the media through a megaphone from behind the barricades. She repeated opposition demands that General Musharraf should lift the state of emergency, resign as army chief and hold elections by mid-January.

"We are calling for the revival of our constitution and respect for our judiciary. We are calling for General Musharraf to keep his commitment and retire as chief of army staff on 15 November."

The quick withdrawal of the arrest order will continue to fuel the burning flames of ire set against Ms. Bhutto. Many are judging her actions as mere pretenses and staged photo opportunities to garner legitimacy. In that respect, it has been a good day for Ms Bhutto -- bolstering her "democratic" credentials at a time when other opposition parties still believe she plans to do a deal with General Musharraf. Moreover, the US is backing such a plan and all the pronouncements emanating from Washington have indicated the Bhutto-Musharraf ticket in lieu of opposing sectors with nationalist sentiments in Pakistan.

She is apparently, putting Musharraf under pressure at home while his western allies are voicing public opposition that seem to put the general under pressure abroad. However, it is clear Musharraf's allies are not ready to ask for him to step down and continue to back him in the background while making these stately statements that show discontent.

The United States, which has been the principal backer of General Musharraf in his so-called fight against pro-Taliban militants, was quick to criticize the restrictions on Ms Bhutto.

Left: PPP says 5,000 of its activists have been arrested in recent days.

"Former Prime Minister Bhutto and other political party members must be permitted freedom of movement and all protesters released. We remain concerned about the continued state of emergency and curtailment of basic freedoms, and urge Pakistan's authorities to quickly return to constitutional order and democratic norms." US National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.

On Thursday General Musharraf pledged to hold parliamentary elections by February 15, 2008 - a month later than they were due. He also renewed a promise to quit as head of the army, if and when the Supreme Court validated his recent re-election as president.

However, Ms Bhutto dismissed his words as "vague" and "generalized." General Musharraf announced his decision to hold elections after coming under pressure from US President George W. Bush. The general imposed a state of emergency on Saturday, blaming militant violence and an unruly judiciary, while making references to economic stability.

A media blackout is still in force. International channels like the BBC and CNN were allowed back on air on Thursday but have since been blocked. All the better to pull the wool over the eyes over a Paskitani public well aware of the decades-old political theater, which has stained political life in the Islamic Republic. Nevertheless, many in the country and elsewhere are able to peer through the curtain of distortion and read the script from backstage.

Senator Hagel (R-NE), Slams Bush Policy Against Iran

The United States and Iran:
At a Dangerous Crossroads

Left: Senator Chuck Hagel delivered a speech about U.S.-Iran relations at a CSIS event, November 8, 2007.

VIEW VIDEO (wmv 42:45)

"Is the U.S. pursuing a policy that could very well produce a self-fulfilling prophecy of the President’s warning of World War III?" Hagel asks in the speech.

Excerpts:

"Over the last few weeks, the world has witnessed a disturbing series of events.

Martial law declared in Pakistan; state of emergency in Georgia; Turkey threatens to invade Iraq; six members of the Afghan parliament along with scores of others killed in one of Afghanistan's largest ever suicide attacks; an escalating drumbeat of U.S.-Iran tensions; seventy six U.S. Senators supported a resolution urging the President to designate an entire branch of Iran's military as a terrorist organization -- and the President announced unprecedented unilateral sanctions against Iran's forces; and, finally, President Bush warned of World War III unless Iran acts to stop its efforts to develop a nuclear weapons capability.

These events are one frame of a broad confluence of events occurring in the world today. In the Middle East, Iraq is mired in a deep and dangerous civil war, with dim prospects for national political reconciliation. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict festers and worsens, and intra-Palestinian divisions present a pivotal obstacle, creating uncertain prospects for a U.S.-hosted peace conference. Syria is ostracized and insecure. Lebanon is paralyzed by a devastating political deadlock; Iran casts an unpredictable and ominous shadow over the region; and Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia are trapped in this dangerous net.

Globally, our relations with Russia have sunk to a new post-Cold War low. U.S.-Turkey relations are in tatters over our inability to translate Turkey's 21st Century Government and objectives into a relationship of mutual interests that has been the case since World War II. The U.S.-India civil nuclear assistance deal has been set back and is now in a state of uncertainty. Afghanistan continues to lose ground -- including record-breaking opium production -- and Al Qaeda has re-emerged stronger than at any time since it was ousted from Afghanistan six years ago. The border between Afghanistan and Pakistan represents the most dangerous zone in the world -- and we have little control and limited influence over it. Nuclear armed India casts a wary eye on its nuclear armed neighbor to the west.

And, the price of oil edges close to $100 per barrel. Record-breaking energy prices and surging demand are reshaping the global geopolitical economic power landscape -- from Russia, China and India -- to Angola, Nigeria, Venezuela, Norway -- and the United States. The world is witnessing a diffusion of power never seen before that will increasingly be the norm for the 21st century.

Events are overtaking governments as they swirl in wild gyrations around us. All too often, we mistakenly try to compartmentalize and isolate events and issues, and do not stop to consider how a series of events are interconnected and impact the world. No nation can affect these events acting alone. Unless nations work to shape, influence and guide the course of global events, events will shape themselves -- and the world, leading to an ever more dangerous planet.

The uncontrollable and combustible developments of the past few weeks present the reality of a world at an historic crossroads. This reality has forced some hopeful and positive recent events that can guide us to a new consensus in world affairs. Progress in North Korea as a result of the Group of Six working through a difficult and frustrating diplomatic-economic process appears to be bearing results -- Secretary Rice's recent meetings in Turkey to address the future of Iraq with its neighbors -- her meetings in the Middle East to establish a bold, breakthrough framework for a Middle East peace conference in the United States -- strong and encouraging comments by Israeli Prime Minister Olmert and Palestinian President Abbas about the prospect for peace -- and the leaders of Turkey, France, and Germany here to confer with President Bush on the great challenges of our time. The world is moving toward a consensus of common interests.

We must not squander this moment."

Musharraf Arrests Bhutto

Left: Police officers in riot-gears line up outside the residence of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, not in the photo, in Islamabad, Pakistan on Friday, Nov. 9, 2007. Pakistani police backed by armored vehicles detained opposition leader Benazir Bhutto at her Islamabad residence Friday and reportedly rounded up 5,000 of her supporters to block her mass protest against emergency rule.

Pakistani police placed opposition leader Benazir Bhutto under house arrest Friday, uncoiled barbed wire in front of her Islamabad home and reportedly rounded up 5,000 of her supporters to halt a mass protest against emergency rule scheduled for today.

Benazir Bhutto tried to leave by car but was blocked by police after a scuffle with her supporters who tried to remove a barricade. The former prime minister had planned to address a rally in nearby Rawalpindi, defying a ban on public gatherings. However, speaking by phone from inside her residence, Bhutto said that no arrest papers had been served on her.

"If I'm arrested the People's Party of Pakistan workers will continue to fight for democracy and the rule of law," she told reporters who heard the call via speakerphone. She said that 5,000 members of her Pakistan People's Party had already been detained.

Bhutto, flanked by the top leadership of her Pakistan People's Party (PPP), was prevented by police from leaving Islamabad, supposedly to safeguard her against possible attempts on her life during a planned protest in the capital's twin city Rawalpindi.

Ms. Bhutto and supporters were able to drive up to a barbed-wire barricade but could not proceed further when police parked buses and an armored jeep across the mouth of the street. About 200 Bhutto supporters were arrested near her residence including parliamentarians and PPP party leaders.

"She's not going anywhere today," said an officer.

Across the normally bustling Rawalpindi, where the headquarters of Pakistan's army and Musharraf's residence is located, streets stood empty, shops were closed. The road to Islamabad had been blocked by two tractor trailers and a metal gate. Friday is also a public holiday in Pakistan.

In Rawalpindi, about 200 of her supporters were dispersed by police using tear gas and batons. Dozens were arrested, an AP Television News cameraman reported.

Left: Former Pakistani premier Benazir Bhutto presides over a meeting of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy at her party office in Islamabad, Nov. 7, 2007.

Former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto said on Wednesday, November 7, 2007, Pakistani opposition supporters will begin a long march from Lahore on Nov. 13 unless President Pervez Musharraf quits the army.

"If demands are not met by November 9, we'll start a long march from Lahore on November 13 and then we will stage a sit-in in Islamabad," Ms. Bhutto told a news conference.

Afzal Khan, an Islamabad police official, confirmed that Bhutto had been blocked from leaving her house, saying officers were following a government order under which she could not hold the rally.

The Rawalpindi mayor said there was a "credible report" that six or seven suicide bombers were preparing to attack the rally.

Left: Police use tear gas to disperse supporters of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Benzair Bhutto during an anti-Musharraf protest in Peshawar, Pakistan Friday, Nov 9, 2007. Pakistani police backed by armored vehicles detained opposition leader Bhutto at her Islamabad residence Friday and reportedly rounded up 5,000 of her supporters to block a mass protest against emergency rule.

The crackdown showed that a week after suspending the constitution and assuming emergency powers, Musharraf was not letting up on his political rivals despite saying Thursday that parliamentary elections would go ahead by mid-February, just a month later than originally planned. His announcement came after intense pressure from the United States, his chief international supporter. President Bush phoned Pakistan's military ruler on Wednesday to urge him to call elections and step down as army chief, but judging by the immediate outcome, it is general Musharraf who has the US number.

Friday's moves will further sour relations with Bhutto and hurt the prospects of the two pro-Western leaders forming a post-election alliance against religious extremism.

"We condemn this government move. It shows that the government is scared of Benazir Bhutto's popularity and it does not want her to be among masses," said Sen. Babar Awan, Bhutto's lawyer.

Bhutto's decision to join in anti-government protests against Musharraf is another blow to the military leader whose popularity has plummeted this year amid growing resentment of military rule and failure by his government to curb increasing violence by Islamic militants.

Critics say that Musharraf — who seized power in a 1999 coup — declared the emergency and ousted independent-minded judges to maintain his own grip on power. The moves came days before the Supreme Court was expected to rule on whether his recent re-election as president was legal.

Musharraf said the declaration of emergency last Saturday was needed to put an end to political instability and to fight Taliban and al-Qu'aida-linked militants.

But most of the thousands of people rounded up countrywide have been moderates — lawyers and activists from secular opposition parties. Police have used batons and tear gas to squash attempts by lawyers to protest. Hundreds of students have also staged demonstrations on university campuses.

In the northwestern city of Peshawar, police used batons and tear gas to disperse about 300 Bhutto supporters as they gathered to depart for Rawalpindi. About 25 were arrested.

"We were peaceful, and this police action was totally without any reason," said Arbab Alimgir, a local leader of Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party.

Outside Bhutto's home in an upscale Islamabad neighborhood on Friday, dozens of police, some in riot gear, had taken up positions, laying barbed wire and erecting steel and concrete barriers. At least 12 Bhutto supporters were arrested, including a woman who showed up with flowers.

Information Minister Tariq Aziz said Bhutto was not formally under house arrest — but would not be allowed to leave home. This, of course, is no more than new speak for yes, she's under arrest. Minister Azis, has been doing his utmost to paint a rosy picture of the political repression in Pakistan by remaining available to the western press corps nevertheless, he faces an uphill battle in trying to hue the beatings and mass arrests as anything other than stark aspects of a brutal dictatorship.

Rawalpindi's police chief Saud Aziz told The Associated Press that "since the government has not given permission for the protest, due to security reasons, we will not allow any one to gather here for the rally."

Police were also on the lookout for potential suicide bombers, who Aziz warned Thursday were preparing a repeat of last month's bombing of Bhutto's jubilant homecoming procession in the southern city of Karachi after eight years of exile. She escaped unharmed, but more than 145 people died in the attack, blamed on Islamic militants.

Recently, Rawalpindi has also been hit by a series of suicide attacks, targeting the military. But Ms Bhutto has shown no fear of terror attacks and has shown a willingness to carry on besides the threat. Bhutto supporters said they would only be further emboldened if their protest was blocked.

"We are going to besiege" Islamabad, said Abida Hussain, a former ambassador to the United States. "We will not go away. Our party activists have been mobilized to move out and take to the streets."

Authorities appeared determined to stop them. Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party, or PPP, claimed Friday that 5,000 of its supporters had been arrested in the last three days across the eastern province of Punjab.

"It is a massive crackdown on our party," said Raja Javed Ashraf, a PPP lawmaker.

The government offered no immediate public comment. But the security official said only 1,000 Bhutto supporters had been detained. However, the government of Pakistan has continually, depressed the number of people it has detained and beaten since the imposition of emergency rule.

Musharraf, who had previously pledged to relinquish his military status before being sworn in for a further term, said this week that resistance to his government would not be tolerated.

"All means will be used to control the protests," Musharraf said.

The international community has called upon his government to restore the constitution, hold elections as soon as possible and release all political prisoners.

The Bush administration, which has been pressing Musharraf to return Pakistan to civilian government, said in a statement: "We think it is a good thing that President Musharraf has clarified the election date for the Pakistani people." A pledge, which was rejected by opposition leader Benazir Bhutto and others as insufficient and striking of previous promises by Musharraf that were not honored.

The Germans, British and French have all indicated that they are reviewing aid packages to the Paskitani government that are not earmarked for civilian infrastructure. The Netherlands has already suspended financial aid to Pakistan.

But President Pervez Musharraf, on Thursday shrugged off the objections, saying "the international community should not exert pressure on Pakistan."

Vanessa Anne Hudgens

Vanessa Anne Hudgens, If she ever had fans, I have becoming the greatest of them. I adore the iconization she represents--the multi-cultural aspect of her being. I also, admire the manner in which she handled the scandal centering the nude picture promulgated by apparently sinister characters on the world wide web.

Vanessa Anne Hudgens was able to overcome that adversity and is now more popular than before the unfortunate incident. We all should buy all her CDs and DvDs to show support as well as, satisfy our thirst for everything she produces. Ms. Hudgens has set a bar that few can meet. She has set an example for all of us: her fortitude, perseverance and great inner character--from which she certainly drew strength--to serve as a guiding beacon, when we too, are faced with less than advantageous occurrences in our lives.

Thank you Vanessa Anne Hudgens for bringing joy into the lives of millions around the world by sharing your artistic talent with us, your fans. Ms. Hudgens has made all of us a little happier -- as we struggle in our daily affairs -- enmenshed in a world marred with negativity and selfishness-- Vanessa Anne Hudges brings us hope and a refreshing and innovative source of positivity. We all thank you, Nessa for sharing--we love you and hope the best for you and yours.







Vanessa Anne Hudgens (born December 14, 1988), also known as simply, Vanessa or, just Nessa, is an American actress and singer. She made her screen debut in 2003 and appeared in the Hollywood films Thirteen and Thunderbirds, before reaching fame in the 2006 hit Disney Channel film, High School Musical. Ms. Hudgens also began a music career and released her debut album, entitled V, in 2006. In 2007, Vanessa Hudgens became the spokesperson for the beauty product company, Neutrogena.



Above: Vanessa Hudgens performing. It is interesting to not that the nude picture of Vanessa Anne Hudgens circulated on the Internet backfired if it was meant to hurt her career. Ostensibly, she had no fore-knowledge of the dissemination of the photograph. Nevertheless, the picture has catapulted her into the limelight therefore situating her and her management in a position to acquire more roles and accessibility to varied contracts including but not limited to representing sexy and adult oriented products. Good for Vanessa -- because God don't like ugly and will smite evil and celebrate love.

Moreover, Ms. Hudgens had such a benign personality and unblemished reputation in the industry prior to the release of that nude picture that it wasn't too difficult to rehabilitate her name subsequent to an apology and damage control by her management team. Moreover, I have never heard of Vanessa Anne Hudgens before coming across the nudity on the web while looking for a picture of Benazir Bhutto, the twice Prime Minister of Pakistan--and now because of the encounter with that picture and the controversy surrounding it, I am now one of her greatest fans. It is noteworty to also, note that even the nude picture of Ms Hudgens looks like an angel. She is such a sweet person, and exhibits innocence, happyness and trust. If indeed that picture was meant to hurt her career and romatic life those who attempted this horrendous act of cowardice failed miserably.

Vanessa Hudgens was born in Salinas, California; her younger sister, Stella Hudgens, is also an actress. Vanessa Hudgens has been home-schooled since after her seventh-grade at the Orange County High School of the Arts. Her parents are Greg Hudgens and Gina Guangco. In regards to her ethnic background, Vanessa has remarked:

"Pretty much I'm Filipino-Chinese and Caucasian-Native American, but within that description, I'm also human and a woman, haha, just kidding, also Irish through my
dad."

Starting at the age of eight, Vanessa Hudgens performed in musical theater as a singer, and appeared in local productions of Carousel, The Wizard of Oz, The King and I, The Music Man, and Cinderella, among others. Vanessa Hudgens successfully auditioned for a commercial and subsequently moved to Los Angeles with her family, with whom she is still close.

The biggest challenge of being a young actress is all the pressure, "says Ms. Hudgens, the red-hot star of "High School Musical." "It's almost like being a child star. You're doing the thing you love, but all eyes are on you -- all the time, and it can get to you."

If so, Hudgens seems to be handling her rapidly increasing workload just fine, despite the hurdles of being the center of attention. With Disney behind her, she's now in talks to star in a third "HSM."

Ms. Hudgens has always loved to sing and act; she sang in her local nativity play at age 3. "My dad's a musician, but we'res not a showbiz family, and they were taken aback, so I don't know where it came from," she says. "But ever since, I loved dancing around the house, dressing up in costumes and acting like Cat-woman and singing."

And a great singer and actress she is; since her movie debut in "Thirteen" opposite Holly Hunter and Evan Rachel Wood, the home-schooled Hudgens has worked nonstop in both film, TV and music.