Sara C Nelson2013-05-20T08:22:53-04:00Sara C Nelsonhttp://www.quebec.huffingtonpost.ca/author/index.php?author=sara-c-nelsonCopyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc.HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Sara C NelsonGood old fashioned elbow grease.Twitter Will Damn Your Soul, Warns Saudi Religious Police Bosstag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/thenewswire//2.33054222013-05-20T06:10:34-04:002013-05-20T07:18:18-04:00Sara C Nelsonhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/sara-c-nelson/Saudi Arabia’s religious police has condemned Twitter and all those who use it.
Sheikh Abdul Latif Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh said a Saudi who uses social media sites – specifically Twitter - “has lost this world and his afterlife”, the BBC reports.
He added Twitter was “the platform for those who did not have any platform”.
It comes as the country ranks second among the world’s fastest growing countries on Twitter.
Saudi Arabia boasted a 42 per cent increase in the number of account holders after Indonesia, which rose to 44 per cent, according to figures released by GlobalWebIndex’s Stream Social: Quarterly Social Platforms Update.
Social business strategist Bilal Hallab told Arab News: “Twitter appeals to the Saudi user. He just wants to say what is on his mind, float an idea, debate and discuss it and jump onto a new subject.”
In April Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti described Twitter users as “fools” and “clowns”, the Riyadh Bureau reports.
It also claims the Imam of the Grand Mosque in Mecca dedicated a recent sermon to warn against the “riffraff” who use the social media platform in the name of reform and free speech.
In an address broadcast live on TV, Sheikh Abdulrham al-Sudais said: “What is known as ‘tweeting’ has become a threat to national security.”
According to Al Jazeera, the Saudi government is looking for ways to end anonymity on Twitter and human rights activists who use the site as a platform have been arrested.
]]>Amina Tyler: Topless Tunisian Protester 'Arrested For Daubing Femen On Cemetery Wall' (PICTURES, VIDEO)tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/thenewswire//2.33051382013-05-20T05:23:07-04:002013-05-20T06:04:52-04:00Sara C Nelsonhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/sara-c-nelson/Amina Tyler has been arrested after daubing the word ‘Femen’ on a cemetery wall in Tunisia.
Tyler, who was threatened with death by stoning for baring her breasts online, was pictured being led away after police and Salafists clashed in Kairouan this weekend.
One protester was killed and 15 policemen were wounded after fighting erupted between hardline Islamists and security forces in response to the ban on Salafists from staging their annual congress.
Amina Tyler is led away following clashes in Kairouan, Tunisia, on Sunday
It claims the student is continuing the group’s “anti-Islamist campaign” and refers to Sharia law as a “medieval, bloodthirsty cult,” with “naive dogmas of second-class women and manic lust for blood.”
It adds the whereabouts of Tyler are currently unknown.
While Tyler, who was sporting a spikey new blonde hairstlye remained covered up during the clashes, a further source claims she “tried to get topless in front of salafists” and that police protected her “from the infuriated mob”.
Tyler was reportedly arrested for daubing the word 'Femen' on a cemetery wall
Tyler revealed she had been beaten, kidnapped and drugged by her family after posting topless images of herself with the words “Fuck your morals” on the Femen Tunisia page.
The 19-year-old also claimed she’d been forced to endure a humiliating “virginity test” but vowed she would continue her fight for women’s rights in the Muslim country.
But she insisted she was not afraid: “No, nothing they could do would be worse than what already happens here to women, the way women are forced to live every day.
"Ever since we are small they tell us to be calm, to behave well, to dress a certain way, everything to find a husband. We must also study to be able to marry, because young guys today want a woman who works.”
Shevchenko told the Huffington Post UK: "Amina has became a symbol of liberation of women in the Arab world. We will not stop, now together with Amina, who is in danger, but still free."
]]>Husband Catches Wife Cheating - As Her Half-Naked Lover Climbs Out Of Window (VIDEO)tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/thenewswire//2.33049682013-05-20T03:53:52-04:002013-05-20T07:37:11-04:00Sara C Nelsonhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/sara-c-nelson/
The unfolding drama was filmed by a baying crowd in Brazil and captures the nail-biting moments the lover - clad only in boxer shorts - dangles precariously from a window, clinging to a rope sheet.
A swift escape: A half-naked man dangles precariously
Meanwhile, as a fire crew deposits an inflatable landing mat, the married couple are seen arguing on the balcony.
The half-naked man drops from the building, landing safely, before angrily striding off, shaking his fist at the audience.
Awkward.
]]>The Wingjing Streaker: Chinese Artist Li Binyuan Says He Is Beijing's Naked Man With A Crucifix (PICTURES)tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//2013-05-19T10:03:48-04:002013-05-19T11:54:23-04:00Sara C Nelsonhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/sara-c-nelson/
Li Binyuan says he is the somewhat chilly-looking chap whose nude exploits have gone viral online.
Artist Li Binyuan says he is the Wingjing Streaker
"So far, only six times have been recorded and put online by spectators. The internet creates such a wonderful way to interact, and I really want to see what others think of this thing I'm doing. It makes conversation online."
According to Kotaku, Binyuan is a graduate of the prestigious China Central Academy of Fine Arts, and in 2010 made a video of himself brushing his teeth, shaving and washing his face – on the subway.
In this incidence, a sex doll is substituted for a crucifix
But Binyuan, who has also been pictured riding a moped (naked of course and carrying his ever-present cross) and wresting an inflatable sex doll through Beijing’s Wingjing area, says there will be no more nude stunts.
Having announced he was hanging up his crucifix and presumably putting on some clothes, he signed off with: “I’m done. Bye-bye.”
Here's hoping Binyuan’s next project is as fun as this one was.
Now the mystery is solved, Binyuan says he's quitting his nightly flits
]]>Boa Constrictor And Iguana Locked In Fatal Embrace (PICTURE)tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//2013-05-17T06:07:47-04:002013-05-17T06:51:54-04:00Sara C Nelsonhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/sara-c-nelson/ Posted to Reddit via Imgur, the image is accompanied by hundreds of comments speculating as to how the battle played out and which beast died first.
Not much else is know about the image, although user horrorfetish writes: "The lizard being constricted is definitely a species of iguana.
An epic battle: Snake vs lizard
"I am not sure which but I am willing to bet on Ctenosaura similis, the spiny-tailed iguana, which is a close relative of the green iguana that is prevalent in the pet trade."
Ctenosaura similis is found throughout Mexico, large areas in Central America, and islands adjacent to Panama. According to Animal Diversity Web, adult males can reach up to 18 inches in length, with a 18-inch tail.
Boa constrictors are non poisonous and slowly squeeze their prey to death. They are found in Central and South America and can grow up to 13 feet (4 metres) in length, National Geographic notes.
ANIMALS IN THE NEWS: ]]>'Brave' Merida's Sexy Makeover 'Has Not Been Pulled By Disney'tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//2013-05-15T14:26:14-04:002013-05-17T06:04:40-04:00Sara C Nelsonhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/sara-c-nelson/CORRECTION: This story has been updated to reflect Disney's comments.
Disney has dismissed claims that it pulled a controversial redesign of one of its characters, according to reports.
The petition, which protested against the “tremendous disservice” of Merida’s redesign, was filed by female empowerment website A Mighty Girl and addressed Disney chairman Bob Iger directly.
The new-look Merida, left. Original Merida, right
It stated:
"By making her skinnier, sexier and more mature in appearance, you are sending a message to girls that the original, realistic, teenage-appearing version of Merida is inferior; that for girls and women to have value - to be recognised as true princesses - they must conform to a narrow definition of beauty."
Merida's creator Brenda Chapman concurred in the strongest possible terms, informing her local newspaper she had given Iger “a piece of my mind”.
It was subsequently reported that the new version had been taken off sale, but this appears to have been wide of the mark.
Several outlets, including Jezebel, Parade and Yahoo! Movies, had reported that Disney had removed the redesigned Merida from its Princesses website and replaced it with the original Pixar version.
However, a spokesperson for Disney Consumer Products told The Huffington Post that the made-over Merida never appeared on Disney's Princesses site at all.
The rep also pointed to controversial images of the Pixar character that were circulating, and said they were intended for limited use in conjunction with Merida's coronation as a Disney princess on May 11th, and in some instances (including here on HuffPost) appeared to have been digitally manipulated in a way that made the character appear stretched.
The spokesperson states that these images have only appeared officially on an invitation to the coronation (embedded below) and as part of Target's National Princess Celebration, but we have also seen her in this group shot. The company did confirm that the new image will appear on product packaging in a limited context, though it was never intended to replace the original in a broader forum.
]]>Penguins Named After Kate Middleton & Prince William Expecting First Chicks (PICTURE)tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/thenewswire//2.32795232013-05-15T10:55:10-04:002013-05-15T11:16:31-04:00Sara C Nelsonhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/sara-c-nelson/penguins named after the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expecting their first chicks.
The Gentoo birds, who live in the London Aquarium, have two eggs which are set to hatch in June.
Their two eggs are being carefully incubated by the first-time parents and are expected to hatch slightly ahead of the Duchess's July due date.
William, er, or is it Kate, perch atop one of eggs, which is due to hatch in June
Aquarist Lucy Buckley said staff would be keeping a "close eye" on both penguins over the 40-day incubation period.
She said: "We were delighted to discover that Kate had delivered an egg last week, followed three days later by another.
"The group only took up residence here two years ago and this is their second mating season so we are very lucky and naturally extremely excited. It's now a waiting game to see if the eggs are viable.
"There is a 35 to 40-day incubation period before any chicks are born and we'll be keeping a close eye on the couple, who are doing a wonderful job keeping the eggs warm and protected."
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are the adoptive parents of a baby penguin called Acorn at Chester Zoo
Four-year-old William and six-year-old Kate are taking it in turns to nurture their eggs in the nest which they created during their courtship.
They coupled up during the mating season last April and came together again this year to successfully mate, the aquarium said.
The birds are famous for their courting rituals, which involve males collecting pebbles to nest build and declaring their interest in a female by presenting the stones as "love tokens".
William and Kate are part of a 10-strong group of Gentoo penguins who live in a special Antarctic-themed area at the aquarium.
The Duke and Duchess have already proven to be penguin fans when they adopted a baby penguin called Acorn at Chester Zoo just days after the royal wedding.
In honour of the stress-sensitive creatures, here are 20 cute pictures of penguins teaching you how to relieve tension and be positive:
]]>Disabled Student & Service Dog Hero Attend Graduation In Matching Caps & Gowns (PICTURES)tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//2013-05-15T10:20:15-04:002013-05-16T06:52:57-04:00Sara C Nelsonhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/sara-c-nelson/
The image was apparently taken during a ceremony on Saturday at the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois and was posted to Reddit by user tcjones54, with the comment: “The girl and the dog received the loudest applause hands down. Very adorable.”
The heart-warming snap received a huge response with a stream of comments along the lines of: “This picture is everything that is right in the world.”
Though the young woman’s identity is not known, a day after the first picture went viral, she posted another of her and her pooch in matching caps and gowns, also taken on the big day.
"This is my service dog, Hero, after we graduated with our Master's degrees at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign," she wrote in a caption accompanying this Imgur photo.
On Reddit, when asked how Hero fared during the day, she explained: “He loved it! He loved all the attention too! When we were walking outside to reunite with my family, we were stopped every 10 feet for pictures by random people that loved his cap and gown! He was like a celebrity, I think he realised it was a special day!”
Posting as user f3b14, she added: “Hero knows over forty commands to assist me! He loves to retrieve objects for me like envelopes, pens, my crutches etc. He also turns off the lights, opens doors, and he pulls me in my wheelchair up ramps! I couldn’t have gone to college without him!”
]]>Nazi Convention: America's National Socialist Movement In Atlanta Photographed By Johnny Milano (PICTURES)tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//2013-05-15T09:01:28-04:002013-05-15T09:55:09-04:00Sara C Nelsonhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/sara-c-nelson/swastika armbands, drinking beers, getting tattoos and tasering each other.
This is how neo-Nazis from America’s National Socialist Movement relaxed as they geared up for a national convention in Atlanta.
The jarring, yet strangely intimate images were shot – after months of negotiation – by photographer Johnny Milano, who battled hard for access to the NSM.
A woman presses a Swastika armband ahead of the annual NSM rally in Atlanta, Georgia
The group, which fights for white civil rights, held its annual meeting and rally in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 19 and 20.
Its website claims it is “the political party for every patriotic white American.”
Reform of illegal immigration policies, withdrawal of troops from Middle Eastern occupation and the promotion of white separation are listed among its policies.
It adds: “In keeping with our family-friendly policies, membership is open to non-Semitic heterosexuals of European descent.”
Of his experience with the NSM and the resultant pictures, Milano writes in a blog post on Petapixel: “The images that I walked away with aren’t home runs, but they’re definitely a step above the generic rally and swastika pictures that are rampant among projects like this.
“Although I know my project is not where I want it to be in the least, I know that I’m making progress.”
]]>Roona Begum, Indian Girl With Severe Hydrocephalus, Has Life-Saving Surgery (PICTURES)tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//2013-05-15T06:35:53-04:002013-05-15T07:34:41-04:00Sara C Nelsonhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/sara-c-nelson/suffering from a severe case of Hydrocephalus has had free lifesaving surgery.
Roona Begum's condition – also known as “water on the brain” – caused her head to swell to three times its normal size.
On Wednesday surgeon Sandeep Vaishya told AFP: “The surgery went perfectly, much better than expected.”
Scroll down for more pictures of Roona Begum and her surgery
Roona Begum is pictured following the surgery at Fortis Memorial Research Institute
Roona’s surgery was courtesy of medics at India’s largest private hospital in Gurgoan, near Delhi.
The procedure was only possible after Roona and her poverty-stricken family, from the rural village of Agartala, were flown free of charge to the hospital by the Fortis Foundation.
Now that excess fluid has been drained from her skull, the pressure on her brain will be reduced and doctors will decide on further treatment.
Before she was operated on, Dr Sandeep Vaishya, Director of Neurosurgery at Fortis Memorial Research Institute, where Roona was treated, said: "I was surprised when I saw the baby for the first time. Even though I had seen her pictures, I wasn’t expecting the head to be so big.
Roona's mother Fatima plants a kiss on her daughter's head before surgery
"Her head measures 94 cm, in similar cases the average measurement is around 50-60 cm.
"Her head is swollen to an extent that she is not able to close her eyes completely. We have an opthamologist looking at her eyes, so that there are no complications there.
"We are hopeful that she will make a complete recovery. The challenge is to drain her brain fluid in a gradual manner, so as the brain gets used to it."
Ahead of her surgery the little girl was allowed to rest in a state-of-the-art hotel room, being paid for by the foundation, as she received round-the-clock care.
Roona's head was swollen to the extent she was unable to close her eyes properly
Roona's mother Fatima, 24, told Barcroft Media from her daughter's bedside: "When she was born, I wondered why do children of poor people like us suffer this fate.
"Why is fate cruel to us? Why do rich people who can afford to cure their kids never get diseases like this?
"Before she was born, I went to a doctor twice. Once when I was one month pregnant and than when I was six months pregnant. We did not have money to go more often.
"She was born through a caesarian operation and the doctor told us we had to take her out of Agartala to get her treated. But we did not have any money at all."
But the devastated mother revealed some family members had been less than supportive.
Fatima added: "When she is better, I hope my in-laws accept her. And she can have the love she deserves from her grandparents."
Roona's father Abdul, 19, said: "Even though our neighbours come and play with her, my parents have refused to acknowledge her existence, since she was born."
Abdul, who works as a labourer thanked those who had helped Roona, saying: "I cannot find work every day. Its hard enough to earn for food, so her treatment would have been impossible had it not been for the press and hospital people who have helped us.”
]]>Woolly Mammoth Could Be Resurrected But Should It Be? Asks Dr Alice Robertstag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//2013-05-15T05:15:03-04:002013-05-15T06:33:08-04:00Sara C Nelsonhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/sara-c-nelson/
Citing recent advances in the field, Dr Alice Roberts warned that while resurrecting the woolly mammoth may be a possibility, the moral consequences must be examined.
She told the Radio Times magazine: “Scientists have already extracted the bone marrow from woolly mammoth remains found in Siberia to look at the DNA with a view to resurrecting a mammoth.
Dr Alice Roberts warns the moral consequences of resurrecting a woolly mammoth must be examined
“It is within our grasp, which is such an extraordinary thing to think about.”
But Dr Roberts, who is a professor of public engagement in science at the University of Birmingham, described the prospect of bringing back a single mammoth as “really questionable”.
She added: “Mammoths are herd animals and their environment no longer exists, so what are you bringing the animal back for? You’re bringing it back to live in a zoo? I think the ethics are very questionable.”
The ambitious project will try to create a living specimen using the DNA-storing nucleus of a mammoth cell and an Asian elephant egg. To date, no one has ever been able to harvest eggs from an elephant.
But Stuart Pimm of Duke University argues in an opinion piece in National Geographic that these efforts would be a “colossal waste”; if scientists don't know where to put revived species that had been driven off the planet because their habitats became unsafe.
"A resurrected Pyrenean ibex will need a safe home,” Pimm wrote. “Those of us who attempt to reintroduce zoo-bred species that have gone extinct in the wild have one question at the top of our list: Where do we put them? Hunters ate this wild goat to extinction. Reintroduce a resurrected ibex to the area where it belongs and it will become the most expensive cabrito ever eaten.”
Pimm also worries that de-extinction could create a false impression that science can save endangered species, turning the focus away from conservation.
What do you think? ]]>Syrian Rebel Abu Sakkar Filmed Eating Soldier's Lung Has No Regrets & Promises More Slaughter (GRAPHIC VIDEO, PICTURES)tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/thenewswire//2.32772392013-05-15T04:30:24-04:002013-05-15T05:13:42-04:00Sara C Nelsonhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/sara-c-nelson/filmed biting into a dead soldier’s lung has insisted he has no regrets.
The clip, which was verified by Human Rights Watch (HRW), showed Khalid al-Hamad (who is also known as Abu Sakkar) hacking into the man’s body and removing organs before raising the lung to his lips.
He is heard saying: “I swear to God we will eat your hearts and your livers, you soldiers of Bashar the dog,” to offscreen cheering.
Scroll down to see pixellated video (WARNING, GRAPHIC CONTENT)
Rebel leader Abu Sakkar takes a bite out of the soldier's lung
HRW described the act as a “war crime” but al-Hamad is unrepentant – and has promised more slaughter.
In an exclusive Skype interview with TIME magazine, he explains his actions: “We opened his cell phone, and I found a clip of a woman and her two daughters fully naked and he was humiliating them, and sticking a stick here and there.”
The magazine also claims al-Hamad was biting into a lung and not, as initially reported, a heart. It says a surgeon has confirmed this.
Sunni al-Hamad revealed he has a further grisly video of himself killing a soldier from the Alawaite faith (which President Bashar Assad follows).
'I swear to God we will eat your hearts and your livers, you soldiers of Bashar the dog'
He said: “Hopefully we will slaughter all of them [Alawites]. I have another video clip that I will send to them. In the clip, I am sawing another shabiha [pro-government militiaman] with a saw. The saw we use to cut trees. I sawed him into small pieces and large ones.”
The video comes to light as David Cameron announced Britain is to double military support for Syrian rebels to help them withstand the “onslaught” from Bashar Assad’s regime.
He also suggested Russia could be ready to participate in a peace process, saying there was "real political will" to find a solution.
Cameron was speaking at a White House press conference with Barack Obama on Monday.
The British Prime Minister earlier confirmed nerve agent Sarin appeared to have been used during the two-year civil war.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights recorded March as the bloodiest month of the conflict so far, with more than 6,000 people killed, including more than 500 women and children.
So far the Observatory has recorded more than 80,000 deaths but believes the real number of those killed to be much higher. The UN says more than 70,000 people have died since the uprising began in March 2011.
]]>World Press Photo Of The Year 2013: Paul Hansen's 'Gaza Burial' Was NOT Faked (PICTURES)tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//2013-05-15T03:54:47-04:002013-05-15T04:36:53-04:00Sara C Nelsonhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/sara-c-nelson/not faked, it has been confirmed.
The claims, published by Extremetech.com, also alleged various limbs had been spliced together from each of the pictures, along with further manipulation of the mourner’s faces.
Paul Hansen's winning image 'Gaza Burial'
Hansen, who reportedly did not submit the RAW file of the photo in the first instance, vehemently denied the allegations and World Press Photo has since investigated the matter and confirmed the integrity of the image.
On Tuesday the organisation released a statement detailing the findings of a panel of experts.
It said:
“We have reviewed the RAW image, as supplied by the World Press Photo, and the resulting published JPEG image. It is clear that the published photo was retouched with respect to both global and local colour and tone. Beyond this, however, we find no evidence of significant photo manipulation or compositing. Furthermore, the analysis purporting photo manipulation is deeply flawed, as described… [click here for the full analysis]."
On Monday Extremetech.com wrote: “Basically, Hansen took a series of photos – and then later, realizing that his most dramatically situated photo was too dark and shadowy, decided to splice a bunch of images together and apply a liberal amount of dodging (brightening) to the shadowy regions.”
Hansen responded via News.com.au, asserting the “photograph is certainly not a composite or a fake.”
He added: “I have never had a photograph more thoroughly examined, by four experts and photo-juries all over the world.”
Contest rules regarding photo manipulation state: “The content of the image must not be altered. Only retouching which conforms to the currently accepted standards in the industry is allowed.”
Hansen continued: "In the post-process toning and balancing of the uneven light in the alleyway, I developed the raw file with different density to use the natural light instead of dodging and burning. In effect to recreate what the eye sees and get a larger dynamic range.
"To put it simply, it's the same file - developed over itself - the same thing you did with negatives when you scanned them."
]]>Ebay Auction Winner Medal Will Show Off Your Online Prowess To Friends (PICTURES)tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//2013-05-14T10:55:17-04:002013-05-14T11:44:11-04:00Sara C Nelsonhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/sara-c-nelson/eBay Auction Winner's Medal.
"Wear it alongside other items you won with grit and tenacity on the online auction site or have it mounted in your hallway inside a teak case (also available on eBay)."
As the modest depiction suggests, this is the hot item to win on eBay.
Could it be you? Competition looks fierce for this luxurious hand-painted disc
Of his current offering, Cullen told the Huffington Post UK: “I am trying to make eBay eat itself.”
With five days to go, the winning bid for the medal is at a majestic £6.50, which just leaves the question, could you be the one to romp home with the coveted prize?
Cullen added: “There’s quite a few people watching it. I’m not sure if that’s because they’re planning a sprint bid battle towards the end or just out of blind curiosity.”
]]>Nohmul Mayan Pyramid In Belize Bulldozed For Gravel (PICTURES)tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/thenewswire//2.32722572013-05-14T09:52:34-04:002013-05-14T10:29:52-04:00Sara C Nelsonhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/sara-c-nelson/
The 2,300 year-old Nohmul (or Noh Mul, which translates as "great mound" in Maya) pyramid and temple platform was destroyed with backhoes and bulldozers, it was announced on Monday.
Just a small centre of the pyramid mound was left standing after contractors used the gravel and limestone content to fill roads in a nearby village.
A bulldozer at the site of 2,300-year-old Nohmul pyramid and temple platform
Jaime Awe, the head of the Belize Institute of Archaeology, told the Associated Press: “It’s a feeling of incredible disbelief because of the ignorance and the insensitivity… they were using this for road fill.
“It’s like being punched in the stomach, it’s just so horrendous.”
Dr John Morris, an archaeologist with the Institute of Archaeology told Belize’s Channel 7: “This is one of the worst I have seen in my entire 25 years of Archaeology in Belize. We can’t salvage what has happened out here. It is an incredible display of ignorance.
Police are said to be investigating the incident and criminal charges are possible
“I am appalled and don’t know what to say at this particular moment.”
The 12 square mile Nohmul complex is located on a privately owned sugarcane plantation in the north of the country, but Belize law states any pre-Hispanic ruins are under government protection.
Police are investigating the matter and criminal charges are possible, CBS News says.
The Belize group Citizens Organized for Liberty Through Action called the destruction of the pyramid "obscene."
Group president Giovanni Brackett told Channel 5: "We see it as obscene. You can’t use no other term to better describe it. This is obscene that someone could destroy a national monument; to do something like this is appalling and you are lost for words."
The channel adds that in June 1998 "similar destructive activity" was reported by the Archaeology Department on one of the smaller plazas of the same site.
"Fortunately, the damage was not as extensive as it is tonight to the main ceremonial plaza. But the motive is the same; the material is sought for road construction due to the scarcity of quarries in the north."
]]>
