Human Rights
Before Fox News, there was the Daily Mail. If Fox News is a howling Tea Partier, the Daily Mail is his even more insane great uncle, the old master, the one who invented the game. For over a century they have printed stories to support their fantasy dreamland of ordinary white Britain being besieged by homosexuality, immigration, socialism, and, damn and blast, wind farms. Their incendiary covers, each a screaming declaration of impending doom for British society as we know it, are infamous. But for the last fortnight the senile, deluded grandpa of classic British misanthropy has kicked up an almighty fuss, just to remind us that he's still in the game, and that he's still got teeth.
Conference season has just passed, and Ed Miliband, leader of the Labour party, announced that if he was elected Prime Minister in 2015 he would freeze all energy prices for 20 months. This essentially 'won' the conference season for him; it shored up the left of his party after a difficult summer, overshadowed would-be damaging headlines about old party skulduggery in which Miliband was partly involved, and trumped the Conservatives' own offerings, which were either tawdry or bizarre.
Conference season has just passed, and Ed Miliband, leader of the Labour party, announced that if he was elected Prime Minister in 2015 he would freeze all energy prices for 20 months. This essentially 'won' the conference season for him; it shored up the left of his party after a difficult summer, overshadowed would-be damaging headlines about old party skulduggery in which Miliband was partly involved, and trumped the Conservatives' own offerings, which were either tawdry or bizarre.
BANGKOK, Thailand -- A Saudi Arabian court sentenced four men to
prison for up to 10 years, plus up to 2,000 lashes with a whip, after
they were convicted in what the local media dubbed as the "naked
dancing" case, Al-Sharq newspaper reported.
The four were charged with "dancing on a vehicle in public and posting a video online, encouraging vice, defying norms of the society, and violating public morals," Arabic-language Al-Sharq reported on Oct. 3, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
"In a video posted on YouTube, several men appear dancing atop a vehicle in the ultra-conservative province of Qassim. None seemed naked," AFP said.
According to a Google translation of Al-Sharq's website, the men's performance included "dancing and striptease".
The court in Buraydah, Qassim's provincial capital, sentenced one defendant to 10 years in prison and 2,000 lashes, and another man to seven years in prison plus 1,200 lashes.
Each of the other two men were jailed for three years and 500 lashes.
The four were charged with "dancing on a vehicle in public and posting a video online, encouraging vice, defying norms of the society, and violating public morals," Arabic-language Al-Sharq reported on Oct. 3, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
"In a video posted on YouTube, several men appear dancing atop a vehicle in the ultra-conservative province of Qassim. None seemed naked," AFP said.
According to a Google translation of Al-Sharq's website, the men's performance included "dancing and striptease".
The court in Buraydah, Qassim's provincial capital, sentenced one defendant to 10 years in prison and 2,000 lashes, and another man to seven years in prison plus 1,200 lashes.
Each of the other two men were jailed for three years and 500 lashes.
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Saudi Arabian women scored a hilarious boost to
their campaign for the right to drive when an Islamist cleric became
an international laughingstock for insisting ovaries suffer damage if
women hold a steering wheel because it "pushes the pelvis upwards."
Saudi cleric Sheikh Saleh bin Saad al-Lohaidan's remarks in an interview published on the Arabic-language news site sabq.org on September 27, were quickly translated into English and went viral across Internet, attracting mockery, insults and dismay.
His rant was highlighted further when "Reuters earlier wrongly identified him as Sheikh Saleh bin Mohammed al-Lohaidan, a member of the Senior Council of Scholars, one of the top religious bodies in the birthplace of Islam," Reuters news agency said on September 29 correcting its initial report.
"By contrast, Sheikh Saleh bin Saad al-Lohaidan, the person quoted in the sabq.org report, is a judicial adviser to an association of Gulf psychologists," Reuters said in its newer update headlined: "Top Saudi cleric says women who drive risk damaging their ovaries."
Saudi cleric Sheikh Saleh bin Saad al-Lohaidan's remarks in an interview published on the Arabic-language news site sabq.org on September 27, were quickly translated into English and went viral across Internet, attracting mockery, insults and dismay.
His rant was highlighted further when "Reuters earlier wrongly identified him as Sheikh Saleh bin Mohammed al-Lohaidan, a member of the Senior Council of Scholars, one of the top religious bodies in the birthplace of Islam," Reuters news agency said on September 29 correcting its initial report.
"By contrast, Sheikh Saleh bin Saad al-Lohaidan, the person quoted in the sabq.org report, is a judicial adviser to an association of Gulf psychologists," Reuters said in its newer update headlined: "Top Saudi cleric says women who drive risk damaging their ovaries."
The community was out of control — the children, oh my God, the children, were sniffing gasoline and pretty much abandoning any pretense of a future — and the social and criminal-justice systems were just adding to the problem. Nothing was working.
“Our children slammed us against a brick wall,” Burma Bushie said.
This is the story of a culture in shambles. It was the early ’80s. Bushie’s community is called the Hollow Water First Nation Reserve, a village of about 900 people in eastern Manitoba, more or less at the end of the highway. There was one road in and one road out.
They may have felt utterly isolated in their troubles, but what a few of them started to do — in synchronicity with people in other indigenous communities — has spread hope and awareness across the planet. They began reaching beyond the known (i.e., Western) world, deep into their souls and into the roots of a lost way of life, to save their children and the future. Without intending to, they started a movement. And the slow reverberation of change continues to spread.
BANGKOK, Thailand -- If you have an itchy trigger finger in Thailand,
you need to be relatively wealthy to buy some of the best quality guns
which are made in America and avidly collected.
Tourists meanwhile can buy custom-made leather holsters and other accessories at the estimated 80 weapons stores along Burapha Road, just east of the Sala Chalerm Krung Royal Theatre, where 90 percent of Bangkok's gun shops are located.
Most of the shops have been in business for more than 40 years, and welcome walk-in customers, but may discourage photographs of their deadly arsenals.
"Not many foreigners buy guns in Thailand because the price is really expensive, compared to the U.S. and other countries, because of our importing quota and taxes," says the Firearms Association of Thailand's Director of International Relations, Polpatr Tanomsup.
"Guns are really expensive, so it is considered a sport for the rich. Like cars, and stuff like that. It is like a Louis Vuitton for guys, or a Hermes bag for guys," Polpatr says.
Tourists meanwhile can buy custom-made leather holsters and other accessories at the estimated 80 weapons stores along Burapha Road, just east of the Sala Chalerm Krung Royal Theatre, where 90 percent of Bangkok's gun shops are located.
Most of the shops have been in business for more than 40 years, and welcome walk-in customers, but may discourage photographs of their deadly arsenals.
"Not many foreigners buy guns in Thailand because the price is really expensive, compared to the U.S. and other countries, because of our importing quota and taxes," says the Firearms Association of Thailand's Director of International Relations, Polpatr Tanomsup.
"Guns are really expensive, so it is considered a sport for the rich. Like cars, and stuff like that. It is like a Louis Vuitton for guys, or a Hermes bag for guys," Polpatr says.
The Inuit people are alleged to have dozens of words for snow. While the abuse of the English language continues unchecked in government, journalists covering national security issues need dozens of words to describe the different forms of absurd. Claiming the tail is wagging the dog when you might be viewing a pack of gray wolves against an overcast sky is a fitting metaphor. Regardless of what is the tail, what is the dog, or what is the wolf, two things are clear: German Prime Minister Angela Merkle is willing to accept any absurd justification for American spying on her citizens from NSA head Keith Alexander and ignore any evidence to contrary even if it comes from within her own government.
David Miranda was traveling from Berlin to Brazil on business. He is Glen Greenwald's partner and also an employee of the Guardian. He was carrying a laptop, USB drives, a camera and gaming consoles. He was traveling between meetings with Greenwald and his co-lead journalist on the Snowden project, Laura Poitras. At his stopover in London, he was detained, allegedly at the behest of United States, based on the special relationship between the two nations and their secret police forces.
Two months earlier, at the beginning of the Guardian's revelations of Edward Snowden's leaks, Britain's Tory government began pressuring the newspaper to give up or destroy its files. According to Guardian Editor-in-Chief Alan Rusbridger, “A little over two months ago I was contacted by a very senior government official claiming to represent the views of the prime minister. There followed two meetings in which he demanded the return or destruction of all the material we were working on. The tone was steely, if cordial, but there was an implicit threat that others within government and Whitehall favored a far more draconian approach.”
Two months earlier, at the beginning of the Guardian's revelations of Edward Snowden's leaks, Britain's Tory government began pressuring the newspaper to give up or destroy its files. According to Guardian Editor-in-Chief Alan Rusbridger, “A little over two months ago I was contacted by a very senior government official claiming to represent the views of the prime minister. There followed two meetings in which he demanded the return or destruction of all the material we were working on. The tone was steely, if cordial, but there was an implicit threat that others within government and Whitehall favored a far more draconian approach.”
After a hard fought four month campaign, the Columbus, Ohio Catholic Diocese has been forced to reach agreement with discharged 19 year gay teacher, Carla Hale. She had been fired by the Diocese when she returned to work after burying her mother, because her mother’s obituary stated that she “was survived by Carla and her partner!”
The undisclosed settlement is believed to include substantial backpay and an official clearing of Ms. Hale’s record.
“We are happy to announce a settlement to this long dispute,” stated Tom Tootle, Carla's attorney. “Carla has been overwhelmed by the massive outpouring of support she received, especially from the students and alumni of Watterson, who have been so important in her life. Carla is just happy that she’ll be getting back to the classroom, which is where she always wanted to be. She appreciates the support given her by HaleStorm Ohio, Pride@Work and the AFL-CIO, without whose help this settlement would not have been possible.”
Hale is planning to work as a substitute teacher in the Columbus area and is expected to receive numerous job offers, now that her long fight with the Diocese is over.
The undisclosed settlement is believed to include substantial backpay and an official clearing of Ms. Hale’s record.
“We are happy to announce a settlement to this long dispute,” stated Tom Tootle, Carla's attorney. “Carla has been overwhelmed by the massive outpouring of support she received, especially from the students and alumni of Watterson, who have been so important in her life. Carla is just happy that she’ll be getting back to the classroom, which is where she always wanted to be. She appreciates the support given her by HaleStorm Ohio, Pride@Work and the AFL-CIO, without whose help this settlement would not have been possible.”
Hale is planning to work as a substitute teacher in the Columbus area and is expected to receive numerous job offers, now that her long fight with the Diocese is over.
Bradley Manning, whistleblower, leaker of "classified" information, who was held for about 3 years in pre-trial detention by the Obama government, over a year of which was spent in torturous conditions, has been sentenced to 35 years in prison. It is a travesty of justice.
Daniel Ellsberg of "Pentagon Papers" fame contends that "the Manning Conviction is the Beginning of a Police State" (Link to article).
Norman Solomon, whose article is also on commondreams.org writes that the government's incarceration of Manning is to break the spirit of Bradley Manning and submits "an open leader to President Obama."
Bradley Manning himself wrote an open letter describing his intentions in releasing hundreds of thousands of classified files. He did it knowing the possible penalties and personal costs, but acted anyway for the public good and against misbegotten government policies. You can find the letter on the internet at Common Dreams today (8-22-13).
Daniel Ellsberg of "Pentagon Papers" fame contends that "the Manning Conviction is the Beginning of a Police State" (Link to article).
Norman Solomon, whose article is also on commondreams.org writes that the government's incarceration of Manning is to break the spirit of Bradley Manning and submits "an open leader to President Obama."
Bradley Manning himself wrote an open letter describing his intentions in releasing hundreds of thousands of classified files. He did it knowing the possible penalties and personal costs, but acted anyway for the public good and against misbegotten government policies. You can find the letter on the internet at Common Dreams today (8-22-13).
In an August 15 Rolling Stone interview, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) made what appeared to be an inadvertent disclosure of some of the contents a classified intelligence committee document. Buried at the back of the article was a question about the role of contractors. The question was open ended and seemed refer to wiretapping of the American public. But Wyden decided to talk about torture. “One that is going to be part of an upcoming debate, I hope, which is something Senator Udall and I and others are pushing, is to declassify that report on torture. I think it will give us new momentum for drawing a sharp line on the contractor issue . . . and I think when Americans get to read about the role of contractors in some of those interrogations, they're going to share our view,” he said.