Secret society groups

Inside the 3,000-square-foot suite on the top floor of the Disneyland Hotel’s Fantasy Tower, Harry Sidhu beamed as he surveyed the small group of Anaheim business leaders, consultants and politicians celebrating their return to power. Results from a bruising election filled the big-screen television behind the future mayor that night as supporters sipped wine and laughed amid red, white and blue balloons and small American flags. “Anaheim’s future is going to be bright going forward from here,” Sidhu told the group in a video of the event reviewed by The Times. “We are open for business!” Cheers filled the Blue Sky Suite, decorated with Midcentury Modern furniture and vintage renderings of Tomorrowland. Optimism flowed through impromptu speeches by Sidhu and two victorious councilmen like the flood of big-business cash that drove their campaigns. Left unspoken amid the applause, however, was that this November 2018 night also heralded the return of a small, secretive group of … [Read more...] about How Disney, a new mayor and a secret ‘cabal’ gained power over Anaheim

Federal prosecutors in the nation’s capital are trying to drag several lawyers representing indicted Oath Keepers before a judge to make them explain how exactly they’re getting paid, citing a concern that conspiracy theorist Sidney Powell is actually covering the legal tab. On Wednesday, the Department of Justice asked a federal judge to intervene to ensure that members of the armed, anti-government paramilitary group have “competent and conflict-free” attorneys. They cited recent reports in Mother Jones and BuzzFeed News that laid out how Powell’s political group, Defending the Republic, has quietly funded several defense lawyers. While the DOJ’s move may seem odd, it behooves prosecutors to have Oath Keepers adequately defended so that any eventual criminal trial is free from accusations of an unfair fight. More than a dozen members of the MAGA-loyal militia face the extremely rare and serious criminal charge of seditious conspiracy for taking part in the … [Read more...] about Is Sidney Powell Secretly Funding the Oath Keepers’ Lawyers? The Feds Want to Know.

America’s most prominent caste equity activist, Thenmozhi Soundararajan, was slated to give a talk at Google in April, for Dalit History Month. She was ready, she said, to explain to one of the world’s largest tech companies that caste oppression is a problem — and that it probably exists under its roof, too. She was armed with years worth of stats gathered through her civil rights organization, Equality Labs, which show that two-thirds of Dalits, those who have been historically oppressed under India’s caste system, have faced discrimination in their U.S. workplace. But as news spread of her impending appearance, not everyone at Google was happy. A handful of Hindu employees said that they felt “targeted” on the basis of religion, a company statement and several anonymous interviews confirmed. They appealed to Google leadership asking that the speech be canceled, and so it was. Soundararajan was informed her talk would not go forward, The Washington Post first reported. … [Read more...] about Big Tech’s big problem is also its ‘best-kept secret’: Caste discrimination

“Why on earth should one remove one’s footwear to enter a museum? Why shouldn’t one take pictures inside a museum? Famous museums the world over don’t have such strange restrictions. It only discourages visitors and museums thrive on footfalls. Museums should welcome people to come and be enchanted and enlightened by what these places showcase and preserve,” says an exasperated Deepthi Sasidharan, talking about museums in Kerala that have such restrictions in place. After having worked with some of the best museums in the world and curating many fascinating ones in India, Deepthi should know what she is talking about. Consultant to the “Expert Committee for the Supreme Court of India, for ongoing documentation of treasures at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram”, Deepthi is also working as a Consultant to the Kerala Government. A native of Thiruvananthapuram, Deepthi, a Fulbright scholar, currently living in Mumbai, is one of the two directors of Delhi-based Eka … [Read more...] about Art of the curator

On most mornings, I line up outside Hong Kong ’s Star Ferry Pier on the dockside of the famous Victoria Harbour, joining daily commuters for what must be one of the most charmed morning commutes anywhere on the planet. As the siren rings to announce the lowering of the ramp, we shuffle on board the Morning Star. Those few steps aboard the wood-panelled interiors of the ferry transport us not just across the waters to Hong Kong Island, but into another era. Remembering Indian martyrs For most Hongkongers, Happy Valley is known for its famous racecourse, around which revolves one of the world’s largest betting industries. For the Indian community, it’s home to Hong Kong’s Hindu temple, which has for more than five decades served as a cultural hub for the community. The temple is more than that: it’s also a living memory of the sacrifices made by the Indians of Hong Kong. On its grounds is a cemetery where lie Indians who lost their lives in World War I as well as in the … [Read more...] about Two States: The Indian Hong Kongers and their unique legacy

Google is paying tribute to Anne Frank, the teen diarist, who died in 1945 during the Holocaust, through a series of animated pictures as a slideshow . Anne Frank “Celebrating 75 years of the publication of Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl, today’s Doodle features real excerpts from her diary, which describes what she and her friends and family experienced in hiding for over two years. This has been displayed through a series of animations. “Although only written between the ages of 13-15, her personal account of the Holocaust and events of the war remains one of the most poignant and widely-read accounts to date,” Google wrote. Dear Kitty, #AnneFrank 's greatest wish came true. #GoogleDoodle marks the day 'The Diary of a Young Girl' was published, which held a first-hand account of Anne about the years she spent in hiding: https://t.co/kNmBipFoUb . pic.twitter.com/je8SkNuqpF — Google India (@GoogleIndia) June 25, 2022 Anne Frank was born on June 12, … [Read more...] about Google Doodle pays tribute to Holocaust victim Anne Frank

The United Nations’ special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan on Thursday expressed concern over the deterioration of rights in the country and called on the ruling Taliban to reverse new restrictions on women. Richard Bennet spoke to journalists at the end of an 11-day visit to Afghanistan, his first since being named last month to his post. His visit came as the Taliban, who seized power when they overran the capital of Kabul in mid-August as the United States and NATO were in the final weeks of their withdrawal from Afghanistan, have started enforcing a sharply tougher line. In recent weeks, they issued edicts requiring women to cover their faces except for their eyes, including women presenters on TV, and banned girls from attending school past the sixth grade. At the same time, Afghanistan has seen persistent bombings and other attacks on civilians, often targeting the mainly Shiite Muslim ethnic Hazara minority. Most of the attacks have been … [Read more...] about UN official expresses concern on rights in Afghanistan

The story so far: In October 2020, Indonesia passed the ‘Job Creation Bill’ intending to boost the country’s Covid-battered economy and improve its investment ecosystem. The ‘omnibus’ law — legislation that includes diverse and unrelated issues — sparked massive protests with thousands taking to the streets in various parts of the country. Protesters complained that the law was pro-business, undermined labour rights and was harmful to the environment. Around two years later, Indonesia’s parliament is set to revisit the contentious law as it opens a fresh debate in compliance with a court order that ruled that the legislation was passed improperly. The latest development comes amid renewed pressure from unions and environmental groups to overturn the legislation. Led by Labour Party, thousands protested outside the House of Representatives in Jakarta on June 15, alleging attempts by the Government to re-introduce the controversial Act. Understanding the Job Creation law Also … [Read more...] about Explained | Indonesia’s controversial jobs law and fresh debate over it

O Thanumalaya, who resides in Suchindram with a woman as one half! The moon shows your compassion, Your third eye your righteous wrath, The Ganga showcases your greatness, The poison your manliness, The lion calls to mind your narrow waist, And the swan displays your graceful walk . Thus runs a verse by Kavimani Desika Vinayakam Pillai. The Suchindram temple with its central sanctums to Sthanumalayan and Then Thiruvenkatanathan is a visual delight in every aspect, beginning with its soaring rajagopuram. Though the smaller shrines of Kailasathu Mahadeva and Konraiadinatha within the complex are much older, it would appear that from the ninth century onwards every dynasty wanted to outshine its predecessor in beautifying this temple. The precinct is full of shrines, mandapams, corridors, pillars and walls that are replete with sculptures. However, it is the 18 ft Anjaneya that draws visitors’ attention. A remarkable aspect is the wealth of endowments the … [Read more...] about A temple beautified by the devadasis

Ever since my move to Goa a few years ago, I have haunted abandoned houses and museums and pored over literature in an attempt to understand my new home. The Museum of Christian Art (MoCA) in Velha, North Goa , with its confluence of cultures, was high on this list. But it was inaccessible — closed for renovation since 2017. So, when it reopened in May, visitors like me were quick to take the ferry from Salim Ali National Park to a jetty in Old Goa to spend an afternoon there. The 17th century Convent of Santa Monica (within which is housed the MoCA) sits neatly in a depression amidst the hills, its large buttresses reaching out like a hand. The few remaining laterite walls of the nearby St Augustine Monastery ruins cast shifting shadows over it. You walk along the austere building to a little door at the far end of the wall, visible only because of the large brass name plate. The collection at MoCA | Photo Credit: Aaron Monteiro The Virgin on a lotus I have always … [Read more...] about View from the choir loft: the Museum of Christian Art reopens in Goa