Saturday 14 July 2012

The Murder of Farida Afridi - Not Safe, After All By Chris Crowstaff, founder of Safe World for Women.

http://www.asafeworldforwomen.org/about/safe-world-blogs/chris-crowstaff/2773-murder-of-farida.html

 

Farida2

Farida Afridi

The Murder of Farida Afridi - Not Safe, After All

By Chris Crowstaff, founder of Safe World for Women.

Assassination of Farida Afridi

On Friday 6th July, we learnt that Farida Afridi, co-founder of SAWERA, Safeworld Field Partner in Pakistan, had been brutally murdered.

According to news sources, Farida was shot by militants while on her way to work.

Discovering SAWERA

SAWERA-in-actionIn September last year, our Field Partners Manager, Jennifer Timmons, wrote me an email about an article she had come across called: 'Positive Pakistanis: Sister Act'.

The sisters, Noorzia and Farida Afridi, had set up an NGO in one of the most conservative and patriarchal regions of Pakistan, in an isolated, mountainous, tribal area less than 50 miles from the border with Afghanistan.

We were so impressed with the two young women and their work, that we took the unusual step of writing to them to ask if they would be interested in becoming a Field Partner of Safeworld.

What struck us was their youth and sense of hope, energy and optimism, their sensitivity to local cultural issues, and the obvious respect and admiration shown to them by many in the local community.

By December, we were able to profile SAWERA (Society for Appraisal & Women Empowerment in Rural Areas) on the new Field Partners section of our website, with the information they had sent us.

Silence

Our agreement with our Field Partners is that they send us quarterly updates for publication, to highlight their work.

When the April updates were due, we had no word from SAWERA. By May, I began to grow alarmed.

I knew there had been some brutal incidents and murders around Peshawar, in recent months. Moreover, FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Area) is not bound by Pakistani laws, those working there do not have the rights guaranteed to Pakistani citizens by the Constitution.

Noorzia's words, from that first article Jen had found, echoed in my mind and haunted me.

“We told our parents that we would work in accordance with our religious and cultural traditions, assuring them that we would never let the family honour suffer because of our line of work. Finally, they agreed,”

The sisters were undaunted by concerns for their safety. Their determination to empower the women in their region overcame any doubts.

“The government is oblivious of the general attitude of tribesmen towards women and the extent of inequality in our patriarchal society. This pushed us to start a struggle for their empowerment,” Farida told the Express Tribune.

Working for Peace

At the end of May, I asked a contact in Pakistan to phone them and check on their safety.  He was reassured that they were absolutely fine and safe, working with SAWERA.

They subsequently submitted their first update to us a couple of days later.  When we read their update, we were even more in awe of their work.

Women Promote Peace and Security in Khyber Province and Khyber Agency FATA' was published on 13th June.

SAWERA had received funding to train women in conflict resolution and peace building, providing women with awareness on political and social rights in the light of Islam and the Constitution of Pakistan. They were getting a good response and large attendance. In addition, SAWERA had partnered with CARE International to provide humanitarian assistance so that flood-affected families could start to restore their lives.

The organisation was growing and flourishing.

Unfounded Concerns?

I began to think, and hope, that my own concerns were unfounded. That the region was indeed moving forwards and perhaps the situation was over-dramatised by the media.

What I didn't know, was that at around the time we published their update, Farida had started to receive threats relating to her work, telling a journalist from the Pakistan Times, 'I could even be killed in Peshwar'.

Farida's Name Lives On

News of Farida's death has shaken us to the core.

We feel close to our Field Partners. Strong bonds grow via the internet, across oceans, deserts and mountains. We feel a responsibility towards them. They are like family.

It is hard to grasp the challenges that women such as Farida face every day, and their tremendous courage. When they say they are 'OK and fine', it is not the same as when I say it.

But for sure their courage motivates and inspires us continuously. And, tragedies like this even more so.

We send our deepest condolences to Farida's family, and we are looking for ways in which we can honour Farida's name and work.

Declaration on Human Rights Defenders Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

http://www.asafeworldforwomen.org/rights-defenders/your-rights/rights-defenders.html

 

United Nations General Assembly

Declaration on Human Rights Defenders

Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

General Assembly resolution 53/144 (A/RES/53/144), 8 March 1999

Article 1

Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels.

Article 2

  1. Each State has a prime responsibility and duty to protect, promote and implement all human rights and fundamental freedoms, inter alia, by adopting such steps as may be necessary to create all conditions necessary in the social, economic, political and other fields, as well as the legal guarantees required to ensure that all persons under its jurisdiction, individually and in association with others, are able to enjoy all those rights and freedoms in practice.
  2. Each State shall adopt such legislative, administrative and other steps as may be necessary to ensure that the rights and freedoms referred to in the present Declaration are effectively guaranteed.

Article 3

Domestic law consistent with the Charter of the United Nations and other international obligations of the State in the field of human rights and fundamental freedoms is the juridical framework within which human rights and fundamental freedoms should be implemented and enjoyed and within which all activities referred to in the present Declaration for the promotion, protection and effective realization of those rights and freedoms should be conducted.

Article 4

Nothing in the present Declaration shall be construed as impairing or contradicting the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations or as restricting or derogating from the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,2 the International Covenants on Human Rights3 and other international instruments and commitments applicable in this field.

Article 5

For the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, at the national and international levels: (a) To meet or assemble peacefully; (b) To form, join and participate in non-governmental organizations, associations or groups; (c) To communicate with non-governmental or intergovernmental organizations.

Article 6

Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others:

  • (a) To know, seek, obtain, receive and hold information about all human rights and fundamental freedoms, including having access to information as to how those rights and freedoms are given effect in domestic legislative, judicial or administrative systems;
  • (b) As provided for in human rights and other applicable international instruments, freely to publish, impart or disseminate to others views, information and knowledge on all human rights and fundamental freedoms;
  • (c) To study, discuss, form and hold opinions on the observance, both in law and in practice, of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and, through these and other appropriate means, to draw public attention to those matters.

Article 7

Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to develop and discuss new human rights ideas and principles and to advocate their acceptance.

Article 8

  1. Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to have effective access, on a non-discriminatory basis, to participation in the government of his or her country and in the conduct of public affairs.
  2. This includes, inter alia, the right, individually and in association with others, to submit to governmental bodies and agencies and organizations concerned with public affairs criticism and proposals for improving their functioning and to draw attention to any aspect of their work that may hinder or impede the promotion, protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Article 9

  1. In the exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the promotion and protection of human rights as referred to in the present Declaration, everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to benefit from an effective remedy and to be protected in the event of the violation of those rights.
  2. To this end, everyone whose rights or freedoms are allegedly violated has the right, either in person or through legally authorized representation, to complain to and have that complaint promptly reviewed in a public hearing before an independent, impartial and competent judicial or other authority established by law and to obtain from such an authority a decision, in accordance with law, providing redress, including any compensation due, where there has been a violation of that person's rights or freedoms, as well as enforcement of the eventual decision and award, all without undue delay.
  3. To the same end, everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, inter alia:
    (a) To complain about the policies and actions of individual officials and governmental bodies with regard to violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms, by petition or other appropriate means, to competent domestic judicial, administrative or legislative authorities or any other competent authority provided for by the legal system of the State, which should render their decision on the complaint without undue delay;
    (b) To attend public hearings, proceedings and trials so as to form an opinion on their compliance with national law and applicable international obligations and commitments;
    (c) To offer and provide professionally qualified legal assistance or other relevant advice and assistance in defending human rights and fundamental freedoms.
  4. To the same end, and in accordance with applicable international instruments and procedures, everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to unhindered access to and communication with international bodies with general or special competence to receive and consider communications on matters of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
  5. The State shall conduct a prompt and impartial investigation or ensure that an inquiry takes place whenever there is reasonable ground to believe that a violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms has occurred in any territory under its jurisdiction.

Article 10

No one shall participate, by act or by failure to act where required, in violating human rights and fundamental freedoms and no one shall be subjected to punishment or adverse action of any kind for refusing to do so.

Article 11

Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to the lawful exercise of his or her occupation or profession. Everyone who, as a result of his or her profession, can affect the human dignity, human rights and fundamental freedoms of others should respect those rights and freedoms and comply with relevant national and international standards of occupational and professional conduct or ethics.

Article 12

  1. Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to participate in peaceful activities against violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
  2. The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration.
  3. In this connection, everyone is entitled, individually and in association with others, to be protected effectively under national law in reacting against or opposing, through peaceful means, activities and acts, including those by omission, attributable to States that result in violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as acts of violence perpetrated by groups or individuals that affect the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Article 13

Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to solicit, receive and utilize resources for the express purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms through peaceful means, in accordance with article 3 of the present Declaration.

Article 14

  1. The State has the responsibility to take legislative, judicial, administrative or other appropriate measures to promote the understanding by all persons under its jurisdiction of their civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.
  2. Such measures shall include, inter alia:
    (a) The publication and widespread availability of national laws and regulations and of applicable basic international human rights instruments;
    (b) Full and equal access to international documents in the field of human rights, including the periodic reports by the State to the bodies established by the international human rights treaties to which it is a party, as well as the summary records of discussions and the official reports of these bodies.
  3. The State shall ensure and support, where appropriate, the creation and development of further independent national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in all territory under its jurisdiction, whether they be ombudsmen, human rights commissions or any other form of national institution.

Article 15

The State has the responsibility to promote and facilitate the teaching of human rights and fundamental freedoms at all levels of education and to ensure that all those responsible for training lawyers, law enforcement officers, the personnel of the armed forces and public officials include appropriate elements of human rights teaching in their training programme.

Article 16

Individuals, non-governmental organizations and relevant institutions have an important role to play in contributing to making the public more aware of questions relating to all human rights and fundamental freedoms through activities such as education, training and research in these areas to strengthen further, inter alia, understanding, tolerance, peace and friendly relations among nations and among all racial and religious groups, bearing in mind the various backgrounds of the societies and communities in which they carry out their activities.

Article 17

In the exercise of the rights and freedoms referred to in the present Declaration, everyone, acting individually and in association with others, shall be subject only to such limitations as are in accordance with applicable international obligations and are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society.

Article 18

  1. Everyone has duties towards and within the community, in which alone the free and full development of his or her personality is possible.
  2. Individuals, groups, institutions and non-governmental organizations have an important role to play and a responsibility in safeguarding democracy, promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms and contributing to the promotion and advancement of democratic societies, institutions and processes.
  3. Individuals, groups, institutions and non-governmental organizations also have an important role and a responsibility in contributing, as appropriate, to the promotion of the right of everyone to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other human rights instruments can be fully realized.

Article 19

Nothing in the present Declaration shall be interpreted as implying for any individual, group or organ of society or any State the right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of the rights and freedoms referred to in the present Declaration.

Article 20

Nothing in the present Declaration shall be interpreted as permitting States to support and promote activities of individuals, groups of individuals, institutions or non-governmental organizations contrary to the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.


Read the full declaration.

See also UN Fact Sheet no. 9 - 'Human Rights Defenders: Protecting the Right to Protect Human Rights'

And: 'Global Repport on the Situation of Women Human Rights Defenders' - by the Women Human Rights Defenders Coalition, 2012

How to Report a Human Rights Violation Guidelines for submitting allegations of violations of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders to the UN Special Representative

http://www.asafeworldforwomen.org/rights-defenders/your-rights/reporting-violations.html

 

United Nations General Assembly

How to Report a Human Rights Violation

Guidelines for submitting allegations of violations of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders to the UN Special Representative

Selecting the right information — Presenting it clearly

Before sending a complaint, ensure that all the details listed in points 1 to 7 of A - 'Essential information' - are included in your submission. In cases of extreme urgency, it may be possible to submit a case without some of these details, but their absence makes examining the matter more difficult.

If you have additional information, it could be helpful. Examples of useful additional information are provided in B) - 'Useful information'. These details are not essential but can be important in some cases.

Information may be sent in list form (as in column A), or it may be provided in a letter. Column C provides an example of case information and how it can be included in a letter. Providing the correct kind of details and expressing them clearly make a quick response easier.

Confidentiality

The identity of a victim will always be included in any contact between the Special Representative and State authorities. The Special Representative cannot intervene without revealing the victim’s identity.

If the victim is a minor (below 18 years of age) the Special Representative will include his or her name in contact with the State but will not include the name in any subsequent public report.

The source of the information provided or the victim may also request that the victim’s name not be included in public reports.

The identity of the source of information on the alleged violation is always kept confidential, unless the source agrees that it may be revealed. When submitting information you may indicate whether there are any other details which you would like to remain confidential.

Contact details for sending submissions & for further correspondence

The Special Representative’s staff will acknowledge the receipt of a submission if this is requested. They can be contacted at any time for further discussion.

  • E-mail contact details: urgent-action@ohchr.org
    The text of the e-mail should refer to the human rights defenders mandate.
  • Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (Geneva, Switzerland)
  • Telephone: +41 22 917 1234.
    This is the number for the United Nations telephone operator in Geneva, Switzerland.
    Callers should ask to speak with staff at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights dealing with the special procedures of the Commission on Human Rights, and specifically with staff supporting the mandate of the Special Representative on human rights defenders.

A) Essential information

  1. Name of alleged victim/s
    Take care to give first and family names and to spell names correctly.
    Victims can be individuals, groups or organizations.
  2. Status of the victim as a human rights defender
    In what human rights activity is the victim (person/s, organization) engaged?
  3. Alleged violation/s committed against the victim
    What happened? Where? When? What is the current situation?
  4. Perpetrators
    Give any available information on who allegedly committed the violation:
    e.g. two men (in uniform?);
    rank, unit or other identification or title.
  5. Action by authorities
    Has the matter been reported to the relevant authorities?
    What action has been taken?
  6. Link between the violation and human rights work
    Why do you think the alleged violation is a response to the human rights work of the victim?
  7. Who is submitting this information?
    (Confidential)
    Give name and contact details. Give also professional role, if relevant.

 

B) Useful information

  • If the victim is an individual, please provide information on gender, age, nationality and profession.
  • If the victim is an individual or an organization, please provide contact details. Contact details are treated as confidential.
  • Where relevant, please also indicate the city and country in which the victim (person/s, organization) conducts this human rights work.
  • Where an initial violation has led to a series of other acts, please describe them in chronological order. For example, if the initial concern is that a human rights defender has been arrested, details should be provided. But if he or she is subsequently detained, other useful information would include: the place of detention; whether the person has access to a lawyer; the conditions of detention; the charges; etc.
  • Witnesses
    Were there any witnesses to the alleged violation?
    Were there any other victims?
  • Action taken by the victim or by human rights organizations
    Has the alleged violation been made public?
    Has this information been sent to other human rights groups?
  • Previous incidents
    If there have been previous incidents which are relevant, please give details.

Submissions may be made by organizations or individuals.


C) Example of letter to the Special Representative

Ms. Aabb Ddee, a lawyer, lives in [name of city/town and country].
Aabb Ddee takes up legal cases supporting the right to adequate housing on behalf of ethnic minorities.
She is also a member of the National Commission for Human Rights.
Aabb Ddee received an anonymous threat to her safety. According to our information, on [day/month/year] Ms. Ddee received a letter at her office in [name of city/town]. The letter was addressed to her and contained only the words “Be careful”. In addition, the following day Ms. Ddee was followed closely while driving home from her office by two men in a white car.
Aabb Ddee was unable to identify the two men following her or their vehicle. A friend accompanying Ms. Ddee in her car also saw the vehicle following them.
Aabb Ddee reported both incidents to the local police office [name/ address of office] the same days they occurred. The police have opened an investigation. She also reported the incidents to a local newspaper [name].
A year ago [date], another lawyer representing the same ethnic group as Aabb Ddee received a threatening letter similar to Ms. Ddee’s and was later [date] killed by unknown persons.
This letter is submitted by the National Commission for Human Rights, with which Aabb Ddee works.
[two months later]  We learned today [date] that the police investigation was closed yesterday. Two men have been arrested and detained on charges of sending a threatening letter to Aabb Ddee on [date] and of following her in their car when she left work the next day. The men are due to appear in court in two weeks. While pleased with the arrests, Ms. Ddee believes that the person who ordered these acts to be committed remains at liberty. She has asked that the police investigation be continued.

Updates

Please send any updated information you have as soon as possible. It is especially important to know if there has been any change in the situation of the victim.

Updates might be given where:

  • additional information becomes known (e.g. the identity of the perpetrator of the violation);
  • new events occur (e.g. the victim’s release from detention).

 


Read more:

UN Fact Sheet No. 29, 'Human Rights Defenders: Protecting the Right to Defend Human Rights'

Declaration on Human Rights Defenders

 

 

HEMP OIL - What It Does & How It Works - Rick Simpson May 23, 2010

Rick Simpson
May 23, 2010

HEMP OIL - What It Does & How It Works - Rick Simpson May 23, 2010

I am not going to talk about the corruption that is holding this plant´s medicinal use back. I am here today to simply speak about the healing power of the hemp plant that I have personally witnessed and what I think causes it.

From my experience all forms of disease and conditions are treatable and often curable with the use of high grade hemp oil as a treatment.

Due to its harmless nature as a medicine, hemp oil is in a class all by itself. Even something like aspirin tablets that is looked upon as being harmless by the public causes thousands of deaths worldwide each year.

If you are looking for a safe medication, look no further than what the hemp plant can provide. On top of all that it’s a medicine we can all grow and produce ourselves. Also there is no need for a doctor’s supervision with its use.

When the hemp plant is grown for medicinal use, you now have your own medical system that is much safer and effective than anything our current medical system provides. You still may require a doctor to set your broken leg, but you will no longer need the chemicals they have been pushing upon us.

Hemp is medicine for the masses and no one has the right to control its use. We are all different and we all have different tolerances for practically everything. So it is up to each and every one of us to determine for ourselves how much oil we require to maintain good health.

Over the years people have come to me who after years of treatment by the medical system did not even have a diagnosis for their conditions. But the oil exercised its amazing healing power and their medical problems were solved.

Another aspect of the use of hemp as medicine is its anti-aging properties. As we age, our vital organs deteriorate and of course this impairs the function of these organs.

Hemp oil rejuvenates vital organs even in small doses it is very common for people to report to me that they feel 20 to 30 years younger after only ingesting the oil for a short time.

Now let’s take it to the next level. What about people who ingest larger quantities of oil over a longer period of time like myself? After 9 years on the oil my body does not appear to be that of a 60 year old man. Instead, my body has the appearance of someone who is a great deal younger. When I have the oil at my disposal I like to take about a quarter of a gram a day. Of course, due to short supply, quite often I must go without so my own treatment has been erratic to say the least.

From my own experience with the oil I cannot help but wonder what would happen if a person was to ingest larger quantities of oil over a longer period of time. If a person were to do this, can they actually reverse the aging process and grow younger instead of aging.

From the oils effect on my own body by all appearances this seems to be the case. Someday soon when I have enough oil I intend to start taking a gram a day for a year to see what effect it has on my body.

Many people who have taken the oil have stated that they thought it to be the fountain of youth. From my own experiences with the oil I believe this to be true.

Throughout our lives the system has told us they want preventative medicine. Now what greater preventative medicine could there possibly be than hemp oil? Judging from what I have seen, if children were given tiny doses of oil each day like a supplement, diseases like cancer diabetes MS and many other conditions could be eliminated entirely.

Now I am not talking about getting the kiddies high for once a person gets accustomed to this medication, they do not even feel or exhibit effects from the oil they are ingesting.

Hemp oil is a safe and harmless medication that all age groups can benefit from by ingesting it and that goes for our children too. So if the system truly wants preventative medicine, here it is now why are they refusing to use it.

I know the words cure all is a hard pill to swallow. When I worked in the medical system, such terms were thought of as a joke. But when you see for yourself what this oil can do like I did, what else could it be called?

What other medicine works on everything and in many cases can cure thought-to-be incurable conditions. What else can heal diabetic ulcers, skin cancers or heal third degree burns in no time leaving no scars?

I will tell you what other medicine – no other medicine. So why on god’s green earth is it not being used? As a medication to ease our suffering and to heal us. For there is nothing better.

Myself and many others have gone through realms of so-called scientific studies which I found to be mostly double-talk and most of these studies were about synthetic THC which bears little resemblance to natural THC and its associated cannabinoids found in the hemp plant.

After studying all this scientific jargon, I had learned what amounted to nothing. But the oil continued to work the miracles so who was I to question it.

I had just about given up hope that we would ever find out why the oil worked so well for all these different medical conditions. But recently a lady named Batya Stark has provided me with what I think is all the missing pieces to the puzzle.

She has sent me a great deal of information about melatonin and the pineal gland which produces it. It seems that the pineal gland is in the driver’s seat when it comes to healing our bodies.

The melatonin it produces is an essential part of healing. When the function of the pineal gland is impaired, it produces much less melatonin and therefore we become sick and diseased.

Studies have been released that show people suffering from cancer have low levels of melatonin in their bodies. Also studies have shown that just smoking hemp can raise the melatonin levels in our bodies. So one can only imagine what the oil that is in a concentrated state can do to increase melatonin levels.

As we age we acidify and cancer thrives in an acidic environment. So bringing the body´s PH level up is very important when you are suffering from cancer and many other conditions. The oil works to do this but also other things can be of great benefit. Simple things like baking soda and lemon juice can raise the body´s PH very rapidly.

Tumors are simply the symptom of an underlying condition that is present in the bodies of people who are suffering from cancer. Indeed this underlying condition must be treated to cure the cancer and prevent it from returning.

Melatonin travels to every cell in our bodies and is the key to good health. And I am not just talking about treating cancer, it seems that melatonin levels are important to treat all conditions. Now all you have to do is connect the dots like Batya and I have; it all adds up.

Hemp oil promotes full body healing and raises melatonin levels thousands of times higher than normal. When the pineal gland produces vast amounts of melatonin, it causes no harm to the body but it is very hard on the condition you are suffering from and indeed can eliminate it. From what I can gather, all this along with your PH being raised while the oil is detoxifying your body we think causes the healing effect of this medication.

Now myself and those around me are not doctors or scientists and I like you can only wonder at why it is not them bringing this to the public. But after years of research on our part, this is the only thing we have found that connects all the dots and explains in a simple way why this medicine can do what it does.

Now we must look at what could be causing the function of our pineal gland to become impaired. Much of the time it is caused by our own lifestyles and things like cell phones that we come in contact with everyday.

Companies that produce cell phones do not like to talk about it and would prefer that we did the same. But our bodies run on electrical impulses. Now do you think it’s a good idea to put something against your head that produces an electromagnetic field which can interfere with the electrical impulses in our bodies that keep us healthy?

Cell phones are just one of the culprits. Look at studies of cancer rates of people who live near and around high tension power lines. I myself did not understand the importance of all this until a friend of mine cured his heart condition by having two electrical problems in his home repaired.

It´s frightening that so many things we come into contact with frequently can harm our health. But still there are a number of other things that do the same.

Can someone out there give me a rational explanation as to why fluoride seems to be in everything these days and please do not call me and try to tell me it’s to prevent tooth decay? Did Hitler not use fluoride in his death camps to keep the inmates calm so they would not try to escape or revolt?

I wonder what possible purpose it serves our system to be giving us so much fluoride. Does what´s going on currently not smell a little like a death camp to you? I can only wonder what effect all this fluoride is having on our brains and our pineal glands.

What about the effects of all those chemicals the doctors have been feeding to us? Would these chemicals interfere with the function of our pineal glands and could they also acidify our bodies more quickly?

I will leave that one for all you medical experts out there to figure out.

Now what about our food supply. The meat that is sold to the public in Canada and some other countries cannot even be sold in Europe. It seems that Canadian beef is looked down upon by Europeans because it has too many contaminates like antibiotics and growth hormones. Do you not find it strange that our meat is deemed unhealthy in Europe? Yet it is freely sold to anyone that is dumb enough to eat it back in Canada.

Now what about fruits and vegetables and all the other fare we find in supermarkets in North America. Pesticides, additives, preservatives, genetic modification – does this not all sound just yummy and possibly somewhat deadly?

But of course no one in authority has stood up to do something about this situation, so I guess the food they are selling the public must be good for us. Trust your government because they would never allow anyone to sell us something that was not good for us would they.

So as you can plainly see, practically everything that we come into contact with can have an effect on our health and wellbeing. And of course many things I have just mentioned could have a devastating effect on the pineal gland´s ability to function properly.

It’s almost as if they knew that by interfering with the function of the pineal gland, they could cause us to become unhealthy and in need of their wonderful chemical medications. But of course only someone who is a conspiracy nut could think in such a way. Do you think the same as I do about all this? If so, then welcome to the asylum.

Rick Simpson
May 23, 2010

Thursday 12 July 2012

SOS – Save Our Skipper Call to Action! = Sea Shepard

http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/2012/07/09/sos-save-our-skipper-call-to-action-1404

 

SOS – SAVE OUR SKIPPER CALL TO ACTION!

July 9, 2012

SOS – Save Our Skipper Call to Action!

Online Visual Petition Begins July 9; Day of Action To Be Held July 20

Sea Shepherds around the world, unite!  We need your help!  It is now Day 58 of Captain Watson’s detainment in Germany. To protest Captain Watson’s pending extradition and urge his release, Sea Shepherd is calling upon its supporters the world over to participate in an Online Visual Petition and Day of Action.  We want you to visually answer one of the following questions:  “Why is Captain Paul Watson important to our planet?” or “Why does Sea Shepherd matter to you?” Please submit a photo, illustration, artwork or any other image in response to one of these questions.  You may include a caption on your image, if you like. You may upload your images to Sea Shepherd’s Flickr account group starting on July 9.  Or you can send them tomedia@seashepherd.org with the subject line:  “Free  Captain Watson Image” and we will upload them for you. One entry per person. Deadline for receipt of all entries is July 20. All images will become the property of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. First and second place winners will be chosen by Captain Paul Watson and two celebrity judges.  Winners will be announced July 27th.   Winners will receive a T-shirt and hat featuring the insignia for Sea Shepherd’s new shark protection campaign, “Operation Requiem.”

In connection with this Online Visual Petition, supporters will be encouraged to gather in a Day of Action on Friday, July 20th to share their images at German consulates and embassies around the world as well as other gathering places such as parks and private homes while holding a vigil or rally for Captain Watson’s release.  Captain Watson needs our help!  Please help us fight these extradition proceedings and bring him home.

In the meantime, please continue to call, write and fax the German Ministry of Justice and politely demand Captain Watson’s release. Show your support for Captain Watson by contacting Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, the Federal Minister of Justice in Berlin, Germany.  She has the power to set him free!  Tell her the warrant for Captain Watson's arrest is politically motivated and should be dismissed.  With continued international pressure, we can free Captain Watson and keep him from the possibility of facing an unfair trial — or worse — in Costa Rica.

 

Please contact: (Please be respectful in your communications)

Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger
Federal Minister of Justice
Deutscher Bundestag
Platz der Republik
11011 Berlin
Telephone 030 - 227 751 62
Fax 030 - 227 764 02
E-Mail: sabine.leutheusser-schnarrenberger@bundestag.de

 

Federal Ministry of Justice
Mohrenstrasse 37
10117 Berlin, Germany
Telephone: +49 (030) 18 580-0
Telefax: +49 (030) 18 580-9525

 

Dr. Guido Westerwelle
Minister of Foreign Affairs
FDP-Bundestagsfraktion
Platz der Republik 1
11011 Berlin
Tel.: 030 / 22771636
Fax: 030 / 22776562
E-Mail: guido.westerwelle@bundestag.de

Why is Captain Watson Being Held in Germany Awaiting Extradition?

Captain Paul Watson was arrested in Frankfurt on May 13th on a 10-year-old warrant from Costa Rica while en route to Cannes, France.  He is being detained in Germany for extradition to Costa Rica for an alleged “violation of ships’ traffic,” which occurred during the 2002 filming of the award-winning documentary, “Sharkwater.”  The specific incident took place on the high seas in Guatemalan waters, when Sea Shepherd encountered an illegal shark-finning operation run by Costa Rican vessel, the Varadero.  On order of Guatemalan authorities, Sea Shepherd instructed the crew of the Varadero to cease their shark-finning activities and head back to port to be prosecuted.  While escorting the Varadero back to port, the tables were turned and a Guatemalan gunboat was dispatched to intercept the Sea Shepherd crew.  To avoid the Guatemalan gunboat, Sea Shepherd then set sail for Costa Rica, where we uncovered even more illegal shark-finning activities in the form of dried shark fins by the thousands on the roofs of industrial buildings.

Hurricane Mitch - WEBAID 1998 Micro generators - New industry Proposed Microgenerators Micro Generators Another name for a DC Micromotor with a modified specification

 

 

 

 WEBAID@bigfoot.com

New industry Proposed

Microgenerators

Micro Generators

Another name for a DC Micromotor

with a modified specification

(high emf at low revs - add a comutator)

 

Mvc-001f

Try for a toy car that uses one motor to run the car and another that is a generator for when the kid pushes it on the floor

savonius rotor or hand wound or hydraulicly driven or.....

Mabuchi makes millions upon millions of these micro motors each year.

If no one out there is able to think of a hundred different applications for a little generator that gathers waste energy....

Chinese style hanging lanterns that hang in a garden and glow when a breeze blows them round... seeing a breeze.

on a windy road at night?

lots of little ones strung together like wind fences, gathering the blow of the wind and lighting the area- stockpiling warmth, filling batteries, powering radios.

Eventually each individual rain drop can add a pulse of electricity to a mesh of other pulsing micro motors.

These motors I am talking about are in every toy car and shaver.

Now

and every electrical engineer knows that "A DC Motor IS a DC Generator"

 

There is excess capacity worldwide.

It doesn't take a genius to make money from this.

Use it if it can help.

 

I need forward thinking international level companies to start building this structure.

Some of you have been emailed for this reason

Others because you have shown other talents.

 

Or giving me the wherewithal to start doing it myself.

"you need the proper tools to do a proper job"

 

Mark Aldiss


Wales

United Kingdom

 

webaid is in the proccess of aquiring its own server status to control the myriad of connections that will be needed for this system to work effectively.

ANY HELP WOULD BE GRATEFULLY RECEIVED

WEB PROMOTION

MARKETING

Main Email

webaid@bigfoot.com

also

webaid@webaid.hn.nu

webaid@Honduras.com

webaid@cwmcon.force9.co.uk

Mirror Sites


http://www.members.tripod.com/~webaid

http://homepages.infoseek.com/~webaid

http://cwmcon.force9.co.uk/webaid

http://www.webaid.hn.nu

Projects

Honduras

Nicaragua

 

 

EU to Banks: Assume All PCs Are Infected

EU to Banks: Assume All PCs Are Infected

Brian Krebs

http://krebsonsecurity.com/2012/07/eu-to-banks-assume-all-pcs-are-infected/

 

An agency of the European Union created to improve network and data security is offering some blunt, timely and refreshing advice for financial institutions as they try to secure the online banking channel: “Assume all PCs are infected.”

Source: zeustracker.abuse.ch

The unusually frank perspective comes from the European Network and Information Security Agency, in response to a recent “High Roller” report(PDF) by McAfee and Guardian Analytics on sophisticated, automated malicious software strains that are increasingly targeting high-balance bank accounts. The report detailed how thieves using custom versions of the ZeuS and SpyEye Trojans have built automated, cloud-based systems capable of defeating multiple layers of security, including hardware tokens, one-time transaction codes, even smartcard readers. These malware variants can be set up to automatically initiate transfers to vetted money mule or prepaid accounts, just as soon as the victim logs in to his account.

“Many online banking systems….work based on the assumption that the customer’s PC is not infected,” ENISA wrote in an advisory issued on Thursday. “Given the current state of PC security, this assumption is dangerous. Banks should instead assume that PCs are infected, and still take steps to protect customers from fraudulent transactions.”

 

ENISA cited as an example the heavy reliance on passwords + basic two-factor authentication — such as tokens. Check the Target: Small Businesses category for a number of stories in which thieves bypassed these schemes.

“A basic two factor authentication does not prevent man-in-the-middle or man-in-the-browser attacks on transactions,” the alert stated. “Therefore, it is important to cross-check with the user the value and destination of certain transactions, via a trusted channel, on a trusted device (e.g., an SMS, a telephone call, a standalone smartcard reader with screen). Even smartphones could be used here, provided smartphone security holds up.”

ENISA further admonishes banks not to take smartphone security for granted, and that additional security measures will be needed to shore up security in the mobile space (for example, in a veiled reference to Google’s Android platform, they call for more “vetted appstores”).

No doubt security is a constantly moving target; it is necessarily reactive and therefore lags behind new methods adopted by cybercriminals. But from my perspective, the advisory highlights a fundamental reality gap between threat perception and security practice in the banking sector today.

My experience on this matter is limited mostly to the situation in the United States, where many financial institutions seem to pay lip service to security. Many simply urge customers to follow security advice that is increasingly quaint and irrelevant: Use firewall and antivirus software; don’t respond to phishing emails; pick complex passwords and change your password often.

What is almost never mentioned is that all of these security procedures amount to nothing if the customer’s system is already compromised by a powerful banking Trojan like ZeuS or SpyEye. ENISA’s advisory is accompanied by a graphic showing that only about 38 percent of ZeuS malware is detected by antivirus software; that data, taken from ZeuSTracker, is slightly higher than the average I found in a similar analysis over nearly the exact same time period as the ZueSTracker sample. As I told a reader recently, I’m not saying antivirus software is completely useless, just that users should behave as though it is.

Perhaps some banks here in the U.S. already operate under the assumption that all customer PCs are compromised. But if so, I have yet to see a financial institution willing to communicate that to their customers. Larger financial institutions realize huge cost savings from having customers bank online, and are wary of doing anything to spook customers away from this medium. Smaller institutions may not  realize such savings, but offer ebanking because their customers have come to expect it.

In any case, ENISA’s advisory resonated with me because I have long urged online banking customers to assume that their PCs are compromised, and to use a Live CD approach when banking online. This is more of a “must” for small businesses banking online, since — unlike consumers, who enjoy legal protection from financial losses due to cybercrime — U.S. companies of all sizes have no such guarantee when cyberheists strike.

It is true that many U.S. banks are starting to adopt promising technologies and approaches that seek to more accurately identify activity that typically precedes a cyberheist. Other banks are turning to solutions that try to create more trusted and exclusive modes of communication between financial institutions and their customers.

But this adoption process is spotty at best. In a number of upcoming stories, I’ll show showcase a series of recent cyberheists in which small businesses victims banked at institutions that continue to allow the transfer of hundreds of thousands of dollars of their customers’ money, while requiring nothing besides a simple username and password.

ENISA’s advice is all the more relevant because it is frequently difficult for customers to “shop around” for banks with the best security, beyond inquiring about customer-facing security precautions such as tokens or dual authorization: For better or worse, most financial institutions are reluctant to talk about what they may be doing to protect customers.

The “High Roller” report from McAfee and Guardian Analytics highlights a sophisticated threat that has mainly targeted European customers, but which has recently been spotted being used against high-dollar targets at U.S. banks. Perhaps one reason these particular automated attacks have been slow to target U.S. customers is the relative uniformity and low number of financial institutions in Europe, South America and other regions, in comparison to the United States. For example, the United Kingdom has only a handful of financial institutions servicing commercial and retail customers, whereas in the United States, there are more than 7,000 financial institutions.

Of course, it is not enough to fight this problem by constantly reacting to the latest malware tactics. I have long believed that although the cybercrime underground is expanding each day, much of it is run by a fairly small, loose-knit, and innovative group of hackers. That’s why I was gratified to see ENISA calling for a more coordinated response to fighting cybercriminals and their infrastructure.

Many skeptics counter that cybercrime is a whac-a-mole problem, and that as soon as you take out one prominent cybercriminal mastermind, another will rise up to take his place. This belief seems to stem from an understandable but misguided belief that the underground is a highly structured organization akin to the traditional mafia. To my mind, nothing could be further from the truth: Most of these guys can be best described as taking part in disorganized cybercrime. That is to say, they are a confederation of independent contractors who work together because it is of mutual financial benefit. The key here is that there is no loyalty in these alliances, and when one party gets arrested or disappears, it has an immediate and measurable impact on his peers.

Having spent an untold number of hours on countless underground forums, it seems to me that many of the same characters run the same sections on multiple fraud forms. As a result, targeting just a few dozen individuals — as opposed to going after a group of people engaged in a specific forum or cyberattack or crime — could have a disproportionate effect on overall cybercrime levels and losses. This was largely the conclusion of a study released last month in the U.K., called Measuring the Costs of Cybercrime (PDF).

If you run a small or mid-sized business, consider doing your banking from a Live CD. I’ve published some instructions at this link that can have you running Puppy Linux from a CD within minutes. Puppy is extremely lightweight (it fits on a regular CD), boots very quickly, and supports most hardware.

Robert Lenzner - Forbes - Thomas Jefferson Warned The Nation To Beware The Power Of The Banks

Robert Lenzner

 

 

 

 

Robert Lenzner, Forbes Staff

http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertlenzner/2011/11/06/thomas-jefferson-warned-the-nation-about-the-power-of-the-banks/

INVESTING 
 
|
 
11/06/2011 @ 9:19PM |5,416 views

Thomas Jefferson Warned The Nation To Beware The Power Of The Banks

Before there was  John Kenneth Galbraith or Joe Stiglitz or Nouriel Roubini, or Simon Johnson or Niall Ferguson or Occupy Wall Street– there was one of the  Founding Fathers, Thomas Jefferson giving an advance warning of 2008   some  200 years  ago. An awesome foreboding it was, too.

“I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies,”  Jefferson wrote. ” If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around(these banks) will deprive the people of all property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.”

“ The issuing power of currency shall be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs.”

We  should  all meditate on that amazing prediction of things to come that are not necessarily beneficial to the 99%– but only to the 1%.

Wednesday 11 July 2012

Death of Hamza Ali Al-Khateeb From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Death of Hamza Ali Al-Khateeb

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hamza Ali Al-Khateeb
Born حمزة علي الخطيب
October 24, 1997
Daraa
Died May 2011 (aged 13)
Unknown
Cause of death Claimed torture and mutilation
Residence Daraa
Nationality Syrian
Known for Alleged detainment and torture during the 2011 Syrian protests

Hamza Ali Al-Khateeb (حمزة علي الخطيب :Arabic) (October 24, 1997 – May 2011) was a 13-year-old Syrian boy who died allegedly while in the custody of the Syrian government[1] in Daraa during the 2011 Syrian uprising. On April 29, 2011, he was detained during a protest. On May 25, 2011, his body was delivered to his family, having been badly bruised, along with burn marks, three gunshot wounds, and severed genitals. Hamza's family distributed photos and video of his body to journalists and activists. Shocked by what those depicted, thousands of people showed their support for Hamza online and in street protests.

Contents

  [hide

[edit]Background

Hamza lived with his parents in a village called al-Jeezah or al-Giza in Daraa Governorate.[2] and had enjoyed watching his homing pigeons fly above his house since drought had left him unable to enjoy swimming. He had a reputation for being generous. "He would often ask his parents for money to give to the poor. I remember once he wanted to give someone 100 Syrian Pounds ($2), and his family said it was too much. But Hamza said, 'I have a bed and food while that guy has nothing.' And so he persuaded his parents to give the poor man the 100," his cousin told Al Jazeera.[3]

[edit]Alleged torture

Hamza's family reported that he was not interested in politics, but on April 29, 2011, he joined his family in a rally to break the siege of the city of Daraa. "Everybody seemed to be going to the protest, so he went along as well," said his cousin. Hamza walked with friends and family 12 km along the road from his al-Jeezah north-west to Saida. Firing began almost as the protesters reached Saida. Hamza's cousin reported: "People were killed and wounded, some were arrested. It was chaotic we didn't know at that point what had happened to Hamza. He just disappeared." One source says that Hamza had been among 51 protesters detained by Air Force Intelligence, which detainees allegedly described as having a reputation for brutal torture.[3]

[edit]Mutilation

A still image from the video Hamza's relatives made chronicling his various wounds, following the return of his body to them by the Syrian government, one month after Hamza was detained

A video of his body filmed several days after his death showed numerous injuries, including broken bones, gunshot wounds, burn marks, and mutilated genitals.[4]The Globe and Mail summarized: "His jaw and both kneecaps had been smashed. His flesh was covered with cigarette burns. His penis had been cut off. Other injuries appeared to be consistent with the use of electroshock devices and being whipped with a cable."[2]

Following the broadcast, by Al-Jazeera, of a video showing Hamz'a body there was widespread outrage, both online and amongst the protesters in Syria. [2]

In response to Al Jazeera's story, the chief of Syria's medical examiners association, Dr. Akram El-Shaar, denied that Hamza was tortured. El-Shaar said that he supervised the autopsy in Damascus and that the boy did not have any sign of torture. He also claimed that Hamza had been shot in the Daraa riot and that all signs of disfigurement were due to decay.[5][6][7][8]

[edit]Backlash and impact

Hamza Ali Al-Khateeb huntingBashar Al-Assad by Carlos Latuff.

Hamza's name has become a rallying cry for protesters. A Facebook page honouring him had more than 105,000 followers by May 2011.[9] Following the pattern of demonstrators calling Fridays a "day of rage", Saturdays in Syria are being called the "day of Hamza".[2]

On May 31, 2011, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton marked his death as a turning point in the Syrian uprising, indicating that it "symbolises for many Syrians ... the total collapse of any effort by the Syrian government's to work with and listen to their own people".[10]

On March 14, 2012 the Guardian released 3,000 leaked emails from Asma's al assad and her father's email accounts. Fawas Akhras, Asma's al Assad's father and Bashar al Assad's father in law, had emailed Bashar al Assad instructing him to respond to allegations that children are tortured in Syria by dismissing it as "British propaganda".[11]

[edit]See also

Portal icon Biography portal
Portal icon Syria portal

[edit]References

  1. ^ Londo, Ernesto (2011-05-29). "Apparent torture of boy reinvigorates Syria’s protest movement". Washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2011-06-02.
  2. a b c d Sonia Verma. "How a 13-year-old became a symbol of Syrian revolution". Toronto: The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2011-06-02.[dead link]
  3. a b Hugh Macleod and Annasofie Flamand. "Tortured and killed: Hamza al-Khateeb, age 13 - Features". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 2011-06-02.
  4. ^ Sundby, Alex. "Syrian boy's brutal death rouses protesters". Cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2011-06-02.
  5. ^ "حريات وحقوق - أخبار - تعذيب حتى الموت في سوريا". Aljazeera.net. 2011-05-27. Retrieved 2011-06-02.
  6. ^ "The story of Hamza a 13-year-old boy - CNN iReport". Ireport.cnn.com. 2011-05-27. Retrieved 2011-06-02.
  7. ^ Londo, Ernesto (2011-05-29). "Torture of boy reinvigorates Syria’s protest movement". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2011-06-02.
  8. ^ "The True Story of Hamza al-Khateeb's Death Belies Media Fabrications". Syrian Arab News Agency: SANA, Damascus Syria - syria news. Retrieved 2011-06-02.
  9. ^ "كلنا الشهيد الطفل حمزة علي الخطيب" (in Arabic). Facebook. May 2011. Retrieved 2 June 2011.
  10. ^ "API report, "Clinton says death, alleged tortured of boy shows 'total collapse' of Syria’s reform effort"". Reuters via Dawn.com. Retrieved 2011-06-02.
  11. ^ Booth, Robert (2012-03-15). "Assad emails: father-in-law gave advice from UK during crackdown". The Guardian (London).

[edit]External links

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