Fiona McCann
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My Weather Pixie - maybe!
Trying this again. This is a cute little weather pixie you can design for your area and put on your web page. I have seen them before but never knew you could make one yourself. I must have 'set my pixie' about a dozen times for Belfast, but when I clicked on the icon, I got London ffs! Then it said it was a browser problem with javascript, so I'm trying it with IE (ugh!). Okay, here's my pixie. Being a staunch Irish republican, I naturally tried to get them to show the Tricolour, but the answer was 'nyet'! If you click on her, it should display more weather details as well as show you how to get one. Woo hoo! Try not to get too excited :p |
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1.7.05 21:44 |
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Tales from the confessional: Julian Barnes on 'Ireland's Chekhov' Frank O'Connor
Guardian  Frank O'Connor - photo from here Frank O'Connor's imaginative sympathy and gift for eavesdropping prompted Yeats to describe him as Ireland's Chekhov. But, writes Julian Barnes, O'Connor was also an obsessive rewriter Saturday July 2, 2005 The Observer 'I first came to Frank O'Connor by way of a possessive pronoun. The fiction shelves of a secondhand bookshop in Dublin proposed an antique orange Penguin: author's name in white, title in black, no strident capitals on the spine, and the cover taken up with what was in those days a come-on - a blurry author photo. It was not this, or the distinctly familiar name that made me buy it (the original 3/5d now having become six euros), but the title. My Oedipus Complex and Other Stories. It was the slyly inviting "My" that did it. A lesser writer might have settled for "The", and the book would have stayed on its shelf.' >>>Read article Read Frank O'Connor's short story My Oedipus Complex -------------------- |
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2.7.05 16:48 |
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200,000 form Edinburgh human chain
Guardian Simon Jeffery and Matthew Tempest in Edinburgh Saturday July 2, 2005  The Make Poverty History march on Princes Street in Edinburgh. Photograph: Chris Radburn/PA Around 200,000 protesters today formed a human chain around Edinburgh city centre in a show of solidarity with the world's poorest people. People came from around the world to attend the Make Poverty History rally and march, which is aimed at putting pressure on the G8 leaders meeting at Gleaneagles next week. Organisers, police and Edinburgh city council agreed that 200,000 people had been at the event, making it one of Scotland's biggest ever demonstrations. Most on the march wore white T-shirts, tennis shirts or jumpers and held hands in a human chain - a white band, the symbol of Make Poverty History - during a minute's silence , when the event reached its climax at 3pm. At 4pm, people were still queueing to join the march, but had to wait because of the sheer number of people. "It's like the welly queue at Glastonbury, times a hundred," explained Billy Bragg. The singer, who performed at the rally, said: "In a year's time, if the G8 haven't delivered on aid, on trade, on debt, no one's going to blame Bob Geldof. No one's going to blame Mariah Carey. They're going to blame Blair and Brown and Bush. "So give the government credit and support - they're talking the talk, we're all standing behind them, and we're going to judge them if they fail. "They're standing up to Bush. And they're also standing up to Bush on behalf of the millions of Americans who disagree with their administration but can't do anything about it." The demonstrators massed in Edinburgh's Meadows for a rally of music, video footage from Live 8 and speeches from celebrities and campaigners. Many were first-time or infrequent demonstrators. Graham Reeve, who travelled from London, last marched on the million-plus February 2003 protest against the Iraq war. Although he will be returning south tonight, he insisted his 24 hours in Edinburgh was the right thing to do. "I feel pretty strongly about the issues and it's an easy way to make your voice heard," he said. His companion, Ruth Pegler, agreed. "It's got to have some effect, do some good and make a difference," she said. Speakers at the rally included Cardinal Keith O'Brien, the leader of Scotland's Roman Catholics, his English counterpart, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, and the Rev David Lacy, the moderator of the general assembly of the Church of Scotland. A message from Pope Benedict XVI was read out. "People from the world's richest countries should be prepared to accept the burden of debt reduction for heavily indebted poor countries and should urge their leaders to fulfil the pledges made to reduce world poverty, especially in Africa by the year 2015," said the pontiff. Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor said: "I'm showing solidarity with those people who feel so strongly about this that they have come up here. My main hope is that the leaders of governments will listen to the people." Cardinal O'Brien said: "I think it will make a difference. It will bring to the attention of world leaders the voice of the people." Kumi Naidoo, from South Africa, who chairs the global Make Poverty History campaign, said the white wristband had been chosen as a symbol available for everyone to adopt. He said that rural women in poor countries were using napkins as their symbol, and added: "We've got to keep the pressure going, because at the moment a bureaucrat in the World Bank has more power than a finance minister in a developing country." The Senegalese musician Baaba Maal, a UN ambassador and Aids campaigner, said: "It is very important for me, as a black African musician travelling the world, that there is this energy." The chancellor, Gordon Brown, spoke at a Christian Aid rally in Edinburgh tonight. He said the anti-poverty campaign had achieved more in the last months than "politicians working alone could have achieved in 100 years". "First hundreds, then hundreds of thousands - from Edinburgh to Philadelphia, to Tokyo, Johannesburg, to Rome, Berlin, Paris and Moscow - marching today for justice for people without the strength to march on their own." Earlier, trumpets and whistles competed with the sound of African drums as the noisy march made its way past Edinburgh's historic university. Bystanders waved rainbow flags of peace as the head of the procession made its way through the Old Town. Scotland's first minister, Jack McConnell, watched the march as it passed on to Princes Street. He said: "This is fantastic - it is a great carnival atmosphere and it is a message of hope". Mr McConnell, who had earlier chaired a meeting of international parliamentarians discussing debt, aid and trade, added: "We hope that the leaders of G8 countries are listening. I hope they will make decisions next week in Scotland of which we can be very proud." Socialists with red flags chanted: "Murder, war, poverty, hate! We say shut down G8!" Police helicopters flew overhead to observe the protest, while shopkeepers and cafe workers the momentous day using mobile camera phones. A heavy police presence was in place at the Scottish parliament and the palace of Holyrood House, both of which were protected by steel fencing. Among those at the head of the march was the Zimbabwean campaigner Amadou Kanoute. "We are at the front here today, and that is the right place because Africa has to be put at the front," he said. "It makes me feel so good to see the solidarity in the people here today." As the marchers trooped through the city centre, the rally continued with its mix of public demonstration, political event and summer rock festival. Edinburgh had prepared for months for today's march and events in the run-up to the G8 summit. Despite assurances from authorities that today's event would pass off peacefully, many shops were boarded up. Others displayed Make Poverty History posters in their windows. Lothian and Borders police mounted a huge security operation, but fears of violence proved unfounded and officers said the day was largely trouble-free. The comedian and actor Eddie Izzard, one of the comperes, said: "I'm appealing to politicians' egos. I'm saying to them: 'Leave a legacy'. We made slavery history - we can make poverty history". Hilary Benn, the secretary of state for international development, joined the march. "A month ago, we met with EU development ministers in Brussels and agreed to double aid to Africa by 2010," he said. "Two weeks ago, Gordon Brown negotiated a new debt cancellation that will deliver $55bn [£31bn] worth of debt relief to the poorest countries in the world. On Wednesday, Nigeria got the biggest single debt write-off that Africa has ever seen. "I don't think any of this would have happened if it hadn't been for Britain putting Africa at the centre of the G8 and for the fact there is a growing body of people who want this changed." Steve Tibbett, the head of policy at the charity ActionAid, said: "Perhaps 200,000 people are here to demand justice for the world's poor people. "The strong feeling coming across is that people are not just here to have fun. They are actually angry and they want something done. They won't accept any more spin from the G8 leaders." Filipino activist Walden Bello, director of the thinktank Focus on the Global South, said: "When the leaders talk of wiping out $25bn of debt, remember they found $30bn for the Iraq war at the drop of a hat." |
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2.7.05 21:42 |
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ON THIS DAY: Doors' singer Jim Morrison found dead
BBC 3 JULY 1971  Jim Morrison, the lead singer of American rock group The Doors has died in Paris aged 27. He was found in a bathtub at his apartment at 17 Rue Beautraillis by his girlfriend, Pamela Courson. A doctor's report stated the cause of death was heart failure aggravated by heavy drinking. The rest of the band - keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robbie Krieger and drummer John Densmore - are currently in the United States. Morrison, also known as the Lizard King, was born in Florida in 1943, the son of a US Navy admiral. He formed The Doors with Ray Manzarek in 1965 in Los Angeles. Morrison had come up with the name after reading Aldous Huxley's account of drug experiences, The Doors Of Perception. The group became the first popular "new wave" band. Their first album, The Doors, released by Elektra Records in 1967, was a number one hit in the US, though only just scraped into the British charts. Their following albums, Strange Days and Waiting For The Sun, provided further American hits and, in Hello I love You, a British number 15. Arrested for lewd behaviour But with its ever growing fame, the band lost some of its credibility in the rock underground. Morrison's behaviour, fuelled by drink and drugs, became more outrageous and in 1969 he was arrested for "indecent exposure, lewd conduct and public intoxication" after a concert in Miami's Dinner Key auditorium. Though some of the charges were later dropped, the scandal made it hard for the band to perform live for some time. Morrison used the crisis as a spur to creativity and produced one of the group's most critically acclaimed albums, Morrison Hotel, in 1970. Over the past year he has made clear he wanted to drop music altogether to become a writer. He has already published two volumes of poetry, The Lords and The New Creatures, and planned to begin a literary career once his contractual obligations to Elektra were fulfilled. Morrison interview clip (Real Player, audio) In Context  click to view - photo from here Jim Morrison is buried at Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris, where his grave has become a shrine for successive generations of fans. In 1991, the 20th anniversary of his death, the cemetery had to hire extra security after police used tear gas to disperse rowdy fans. Since Morrison's death his records have never been out of print and Hollywood, too, has found The Doors music attractive. The End was used in Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now, and in 1991 Oliver Stone helped cement the Morrison legend with his film biography The Doors, starring Val Kilmer. The film created a whole new generation of fans. The three surviving members of the group released a new album, Doors Box Set, in 1997. It included three CDs of previously unreleased songs. |
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3.7.05 04:19 |
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Bono's Unforgettable Ire
Sunday Independent I'm still laughing...For those of you who followed Bono's case, this will give you a giggle. Let me know if you want to download this lovely Bono pic as wallpaper ;-)  click to view IT'S stupid when you think about it. You go to all that effort down the years to make yourself look taller. And then in one fell swoop, you make yourself look really, really small. And petty. Not that you wouldn't sympathise with Bono about his hat. I have this image in my head of this small little fellah in a hat, and then someone grabs it off his head from behind and the big boys start throwing it around between each other and the little fellah is there, jumping up and down trying to grab it back, with tears of frustration burning his eyes as he begs them to give back his hat. Except, of course, this kind of thing doesn't normally end up in the Four Courts. You had to sympathise too with Bono's weight problem. He himself likes to compare himself to Elvis in this respect. In fact, he's just like the rest of us. But whereas we have to keep squeezing into the same clothes, Bono gets different sized pairs of the same trousers made, so that he doesn't get depressed about his weight. "No, no Bono. You haven't put on weight. These are exactly the same trousers you wore last week. You're still fitting them perfectly. And my, aren't you so tall?" In fact, we know way too much about Bono's pants now. For example, we know that his pants for The Joshua Tree tour were three-quarter lengths because he liked to tuck them into his boots and sometimes when he did, and then got sweaty, he chafed his legs. The idea of Bono suffering from chafing, and maybe a bit of ire between his butt cheeks while performing, is not something we needed to know. Do you think he was using the wrong washing powder? Do you think Lola put a bit of Vaseline into his underpants before a gig as well? Or some talcum powder? Is this chafing where he got the idea for The Unforgettable Fire? Was Drop the Debt originally Drop the Dettol (down my pants)? We've also learned that Bono doesn't apparently have the biggest dick in U2. And yes, I know, I know, he may not have the biggest dick in U2 but... The pettiness only seemed to get worse as the case dragged on. With the former stylist apparently trying to take credit for putting Bono into Stetsons, U2's lawyers produced a 20-second video clip of Bono out shopping with Barry Devlin from Horslips, in which they bought - you guessed it - a Stetson. If U2 looked a bit like a large corporation run by middle-aged men in Croke Park last weekend, they cemented that image by bringing their might down on this woman over a hat and some pants. And if it seemed at times in Croke Park last weekend as if Bono has finally lost his sense of humour, then that was confirmed in the Four Courts with Bono seeming to be the only one not finding the whole thing ridiculous. |
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3.7.05 07:25 |
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Journalist Killed After Investigating US-Backed Death Squads In Iraq
Indymedia Ireland by James Cogan Sunday, Jul 3 2005, 10:26am international / anti-war / news report On June 24, Yasser Salihee, an Iraqi special correspondent for the news agency Knight Ridder, was killed by a single bullet to the head as he approached a checkpoint that had been thrown up near his home in western Baghdad by US and Iraqi troops. It is believed that the shot was fired by an American sniper. According to eyewitnesses, no warning shots were fired. The US military has announced it is conducting an investigation into Salihee's killing. Knight Ridder has already declared, however, that "there's no reason to think that the shooting had anything to do with his reporting work". In fact, his last assignment gives reason to suspect that it was. >>Read on ----------------- |
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3.7.05 14:36 |
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Torture and Death in Iran: Interview with Elaheh Azimfar
Daily Ireland BIG INTERVIEW: Dedication to democracy BY Anne Cadwallader 3 JULY 2005 You could, at first sight, mistake her for a nun. A slight, very slight, shy figure dressed in grey polyester with a headscarf wrapped around her neck. In a way, you would be right because, although Elaheh Azimfar is Muslim, she has dedicated her entire life to a cause she clearly believes in with a religious zeal. It shows in her eyes, in her self-containment, in her bewilderment when you ask why she decided to give up a career, marriage and motherhood for the cause of women in Iran. It is easy, of course, to dismiss those with a political allegiance to an unfamiliar cause as somehow slightly odd. In Azimfar's case, however, when you consider what and who she is up against, it would seem almost insane not to take the path she has taken. Since the ayatollahs took over, 120,000 political prisoners have been executed in Iran, some publicly. Hanging by a rope from a building crane is the preferred method. In one month alone in 1988, 30,000 were executed. In the last week, there have been ten public hangings. Pregnant women and children have been stoned to death. >>>Read On ------------------ |
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3.7.05 15:46 |
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Geldof's Live Shame Show
Indymedia Ireland by Henk Ruyssenaars - Foreign Press Foundation Sunday, Jul 3 2005, 6:27pm fpf@chello.nl They are the problem, not a part of the solution. Urging the G8 leaders to do more to help Africa, is like begging the same people for mercy who represent the inhuman systems. And nothing was said aloud about the origins of poverty, stopping the illegal wars or the taking of the African oil: again cheating Africa out of trillions. >>READ |
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3.7.05 21:14 |
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Mum makes plea for six year-old with 49 bone fractures
Belfast Telegraph £10,000 wheelchair 'will help Ryan's life' By Linda McKee newsdesk@belfasttelegraph.co.uk 04 July 2005 RYAN Shannon's mum describes him as an outspoken child who never stops talking. Even at the age of six, he seems destined to grow into an independent sort of person. "Everybody's been telling me how much of an inspiration he is to other kids - he's like the boss of his class," Teresa Shannon says. The six-year-old from Dunmurry was born with brittle bone disease and his doctors believe he will never be able to walk. The condition was diagnosed 48 hours after he was born but the major operations were all carried out within the past year. Ryan has suffered 49 fractures in his short life. "He's been through all his major operations, to get rods into his arms and legs to stop them from fracturing," Teresa says. She explains that Ryan has been in pain for much of his life, but remains a cheerful child. "It used to break your heart," she says. "But even if he has his arms and legs in plaster, he always has a smile on his face at the end of the day." Now Ryan's family want to get him a specialised wheelchair that will allow him more independence. The chair that is most suitable would allow him to rise or drop to different levels and to get into bed or onto the settee without help. This type of wheelchair is not funded by the NHS and costs £10,000. It's only under warranty for two years and the call-out charge to repair any damage is £80, Teresa says. Teresa has a bad back and is bed-ridden at times, so she will increasingly be unable to lift Ryan as he grows older. Not only will the wheelchair make her life easier, it will offer Ryan much more independence. "It would help him down the line," she says. Since they learned what kind of wheelchair Ryan needs, his family have been dreaming up ideas to raise the money, including running a pub quiz or a family fun day featuring bouncy castle and face painting. Teresa is keen to hear from anyone who thinks they can help and can be contacted at 07767 428915. "He's been through an awful lot in his life and he deserves something good to come out of it," she says. |
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4.7.05 13:53 |
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This is a shock eh?
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6.7.05 05:36 |
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Hot pics
These severe weather photos are so cool! Got this from J-Walk. Lotsa tornadoes too.  Go to Lightningsmiths.com |
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6.7.05 19:36 |
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Net to help catch human traffickers
BBC By Kylie Morris BBC News, Bangkok The world wide web has become the latest frontier in the fight to combat human trafficking. Anti-trafficking campaigners are counting on the launch of a new web portal to connect agencies trying to protect and support victims, and prosecute traffickers.  In China alone 9,000 women and children were kidnapped last year Tipinasia.info explains trafficking laws in different Asian countries. The multilingual site, currently in Thai, Khmer and English, lists a directory of people working in the field in different parts of Asia, and describes what it is like to be caught up in trafficking. It highlights the case of men taken onto fishing boats in Thailand who live in appalling conditions, and receive no pay. They live under threat of execution - anyone who complains risks being shot, or thrown overboard. They work 24 hours a day and rarely come ashore. The website relates the story of two brothers who were sold into virtual slavery for $150 each. While young women forced into prostitution are often the focus for anti-trafficking campaigners, the crime applies to any use of labour where people are coerced by threats or the use of force. Net's Asian popularity James Klein from the organisation which set up the website, the Asia Foundation, said is designed to raise awareness of trafficking and allow for information to be shared about the problem. "Ten years ago, this wouldn't have been the answer. But now, throughout Asia, the internet is big - even in countries like Cambodia. "Therefore, if you're really trying to communicate across borders, the easiest and the least expensive way for this to happen is over the internet," he said.  The site harnesses the web's network power to fight trafficking Mr Klein said there were plans to split the site into public and private fields. In this way, fieldworkers can share sensitive information over the web, without it falling into the hands of traffickers. For example, he said, "a raid might happen here in Bangkok, and a group of Cambodian girls found. Those names could be transferred to the appropriate people, whether they be officials or non-government agencies in Cambodia, and plans made to transport them back, and return them to the general population." In many cases, however, it is clear that officials become complicit in trafficking. Dr Klein said the website could help to combat that with its directory, which lists tested and trusted officials in countries which have a record of helping victims. Finally, officials in Cambodia and Thailand are starting to recognise victims of trafficking as such, rather than as illegal migrants, says the Asia Foundation. According to Dr Klein, "the number one issue remains changing attitudes of people, so they know what trafficking is, and apply procedures accordingly." The hope is that Tipinasia.info might encourage more people with power to do that. |
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6.7.05 22:12 |
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Worried
I wish that any of you who normally chit chat on this blog or who know me a little would check in with a post or a comment so I will know you are all right. I'm really worried. |
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7.7.05 16:36 |
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'I'll play in heaven': Ex Ulster soccer ace's dying son in charity pleas
Sunday Life **First off, I would like to ask you to pray for little Oakley, who is only 6, because even though the doctors don't give him a chance, I know that prayer can make a difference, and no kid should have to go through this. Secondly, as one who has had family ill in hospital for long periods of time, I can tell you that having somewhere for family to stay at a location far from home in order to be near is a godsend. Anyway, I know the 20sixers to be a caring group of people, so I know you will keep Oakley in your thoughts, and thanks. By Stephen Breen 10 July 2005  THIS is the former Ulster footballer, who has just launched a special appeal for his dying son. Dave Waterman, who starred for Northern Ireland's under-21 team, is hoping to buy a £32,000 respite caravan for families affected by cancer. And, the soccer player, whose son Oakley (6), has only six weeks to live, hopes the province's fans will dig deep into their pockets for his appeal. The former Portsmouth and Oxford United defender, now playing for Weymouth, lives near Portsmouth, and has been staying in the caravan during his son's treatment. But, he now wants to buy it for other families, and name it after his son. Brave Oakley contracted rhabdomyosarcoma, which caused a tumour in his pelvis, in 2002, and has since undergone a series of operations in his battle with the disease. But, doctors now say his condition cannot be cured, and with time running out, the Ulster man wants to help other families. Said the footballer: "We hope to raise as much money as possible, and we would welcome support from the people of Northern Ireland. "In the past few weeks we've spent time with Oakley living in a holiday caravan near Bognor, in Sussex, and the new surroundings have given him a tremendous boost and really pepped him up. "Oakley has told us his wish is for us to buy the caravan to bring some joy to other children and families in similar situations. "We want to name the caravan after Oakley, and set it up as a charity, but the problem we've got, is that it can take up to three months to go through the proper procedure, and we've only got a matter of weeks. "Instead, we plan to raise as much money as possible in Oakley's name, and transfer the cash to the charity once we get the go ahead." He added that he and his wife, Lorraine, are drawing strength through the way brave Oakley is coping. "Oakley has been brilliant. He gets pain now and again, but he has been really brave. "He thinks he'll get the chance to play football every day in Heaven, and meet some of his friends again, who he got to know in hospital, before they died. Anyone who wants to support the appeal can send cheques, payable to Oakley Waterman, to Church Farm Holiday Village, Pagham, Chichester, Sussex, PO21 4NR, or call the Echo on 01305 830995. sbreen@belfasttelegraph.co.uk |
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10.7.05 23:49 |
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Minister to host 'exorcism' summit
Guardian Staff and agencies Monday July 11, 2005 The children's minister, Beverley Hughes, is holding a summit with child protection experts and African church leaders next week in a bid to combat the abuse of children through ritual exorcisms, it emerged today. The summit, which will also involve Home Office ministers, immigration officials and the police, could result in religious leaders from certain African states being barred from entering the UK, said Ms Hughes. >>READ ON --------------------- |
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11.7.05 17:43 |
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How do you handle anxiety?
 'Anxiety' - click to view - opens on artist's website I wanted to ask you 20sixers how YOU handled anxiety, or if you even had a problem with it. I found this painting by Regina Lafay titled, appropriately enough, 'Anxiety', so I thought you might like to see her other work too since she depicts inner feelings so well. |
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19.7.05 05:36 |
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Bombers Can Be Defeated Through Justice
Danny Morrison From Daily Ireland, 13 July 2005 Three years ago Tony Blair told the House of Commons and a bewildered, part-terrified, part-sceptical British public that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction that could be launched against Britain within 45 minutes. In under a 45-minute period last Thursday four bombs wreaked murder, suffering, havoc and misery on innocent civilians in London. However, British government spokespersons in various radio and television debates were quick to deny that the bombings had anything to do with the war in Iraq and the Anglo-American occupation of that country. To prove their case they pointed out that the attack on the World Trade Centre in New York on 9/11 preceded the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq. But what that analogy omitted is that before 9/11 the US and its close ally, Britain, were long perceived as and accused of interfering in the affairs of other countries. They were seen as being hypocrites with double standards. Indeed, they are seen as the key leaders of a prosperous First World against the Third World, justifying and perpetuating economic injustice and huge disparities in wealth. They have supported dictatorships (like Saddam Hussein’s) provided such puppet governments were pro-West, and they have excused torture if it led to stability – which was good for trade and the stock market. They have abused their veto on the UN Security Council, particularly the USA on the issue of Israeli state terrorism, whilst being fulsome in their condemnation of Palestinian violence. During what has been called the first Iraqi war (but not the first time that Britain had been militarily involved there) US and British forces killed thousands of young Iraqi conscripts who didn’t know how to fight. The US bombed Baghdad, killing civilians, including at least 400 children, women and men, crouched in what they thought was the safety of a bomb shelter. The US used Saudi Arabia as a base in both the first and second war – outraging Muslims across the world over what they saw as a desecration of Mecca and Medina, the two holiest cities of Islam. The ten-year long UN embargo against Hussein’s regime also led to immense suffering and the deaths of thousands of infants. Then there was the invasion, more deaths of innocent civilians, followed by the Abu Ghraib torture scandal, and now an incipient civil war. So, if you, your family or your community had been on the receiving end of Bush and Blair’s ‘noble objectives’, even if your own unelected government had brought this down on your head, would you feel alienated, angry or vengeful? Would it make you despair or turn you into a suicide bomber? The answer has to be, quite possibly. Particularly if one interpretation of your religion glorifies such action. But instead of dealing with legitimate grievances as a possible cause of a major proportion of the terrorism Tony Blair’s spokespersons have been telling the people of Britain that the bombings in London had nothing to do with his decision to fraudulently go to war in Iraq. The priority was to disconnect or minimise any link between Blair’s actions and the mass murder of British citizens. We are supposed to believe that capital cities just get bombed out of the blue by evil people. We are told that terrorism is part of the modern condition and British people just have to learn to live with it - but die accepting the government’s explanations for its existence. Indeed it is viewed as the height of disloyalty (especially when death and suffering is so fresh and to the fore in the public’s mind) for anyone to explain what happened in the context of British foreign policy. Again, such censorship is aimed at stifling the frank discussion of awkward truths in order to preserve the putative moral high ground of the British and US governments when the only people with a right to the moral high ground are the innocent victims in London and in Iraq and elsewhere. Six days before the London bombings seventeen civilians were blown up in a remote village in Afghanistan by US forces attacking a ‘suspected militant hideout’. Among the suspected militants were several two-year-olds and three-year-olds and their mothers. Villagers who came to their rescue were again bombed from the air, resulting in more fatalities. Surely, this – the slaughter of innocents - has to be defined as terrorism? To defeat non-state terrorism one has to understand its motivation and origin. Neither Blair nor Bush wants a rational debate on the causes of Islamic terrorism. They want the public to believe that terrorists are mindless and evil and operate in a vacuum with no historical context. Yet, the terrorists can be stopped – though not in the short-term. In the short-term, though, Britain has the right to protect itself through surveillance and intelligence and the judicious use of the law. The bombers may well be British nationals with some experience of racial abuse and demonisation or they might be foreigners. Regardless, they are still the product of much persecution and humiliation of Arabs by Western governments. It is hard to defeat those who do not value this life and who believe that pure terrorism will lead to victory and will compensate for the disparity between the overwhelming might of the West and their own meagre but dedicated numbers. But they can be defeated – through justice. Justice for the poor, the occupied, the oppressed, the persecuted. Justice. |
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19.7.05 21:56 |
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Animal rights activists in plea for lifestyle change
BreakingNews.ie 20/07/2005 - 19:17:11 Animal rights activists from around the world were in Dublin tonight to encourage Irish people to change their lifestyles and end cruelty to animals. Speakers from Ireland, the UK and the US addressed a gathering organised by the Dublin Animal Rights Collective with the aim of raising public awareness of animal rights issues. Robin Webb, press officer for the UK’s Animal Liberation Front, said there were a number of areas which needed to be addressed in Ireland. “Animal rights is beginning to take off as a concern in Ireland, and it was felt that this kind of gathering or conference would help the seeds to germinate. “Irish people are generally a kind, caring people, and once the facts are put before them, once they become aware of how animals are treated, I feel sure there will be both a change in their lifestyles and an increase in campaigns,” he said. Mr Webb said there were concerns that with the ban on hunting with hounds in the UK, both hunters and hunt saboteurs would come over to Ireland and campaigners wanted to nip the problem in the bud in this country. “Apart from the hunting issue, the case for vegetarianism and veganism needs to be put, as it doesn’t appear to be something that is very high on the agenda here,” he said. “Although there are not many commercial research stations, there are of course animal testing facilities in various universities, and customers and suppliers of places like Huntingdon Life Sciences. Mr Webb said that aside from the moral argument against abusing animals there were practical reasons not to exploit other species, for example the irrelevance to humans of medical tests performed on animals. Emeritus Professor at North Carolina State University Tom Regan said people in businesses such as the food industry and the fur industry who claimed they were being humane weren’t telling people the truth. He said there were examples of keeping animals in cages where they couldn’t turn round or spread their wings, and of subjecting them to medical or military research, where they were subjected to bio-chemical experiments, burned or had their bones broken. “Animal rights advocates have a bad public image, and are looked at like they’re either slightly crazy, or extremists, or terrorists, but the people who paint that picture are those in the business of abusing animals,” he said. Prof Regan, who was inspired by Gandhi to become involved with animal rights philosophy, said he believed the most important thing he could do was educate people. “I hope that people will understand advocates are just ordinary people who do one small thing differently than most people. “They take their compassion and they go past their families, past their neighbours, past their associates, past their nations and extend it to animals. “I think there’s a growing responsiveness to it in Ireland, but it all comes in increments,” he added. |
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21.7.05 02:27 |
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Timebomb in the hearts of 28,000 patients
Scotsman.com EBEN HARRELL Key points • 28,000 pacemakers worldwide suffering quality control problem • Seals can degrade, causing moisture to build up and the pacemaker to fail • Many fitted with device face difficult decision on how best to proceed Key quote "The health and safety of patients is paramount. Our innovative technologies have saved and improved millions of lives. Guidant works diligently to create the most reliable products and services, enhance patient outcomes and limit adverse events to patients." - RONALD W DOLLENS, GUIDANT Story in full SCOTTISH heart patients are at the centre of a new alert over life-saving cardiac devices after a US company said nine of its pacemaker models are prone to failing. Many patients may now need to have the units surgically replaced. The alert from the Guidant Corporation follows a six-week barrage of recalls and product alerts that have now seen health warnings on around 20 different Guidant models, affecting more than 100,000 patients worldwide. Guidant patients in the UK are already having surgery to replace devices. Thousands more face a difficult decision on how to proceed. Aberdeen cardiologist Dr Paul Broadhurst said: "At our hospital, we've already surgically replaced two [devices] based on previous alerts. Now we'll go through it again with pacemaker patients and make the decision on how to proceed." The current alert covers 28,000 pacemakers made from November 1997 to October 2000. Guidant said the pacemakers' seals could degrade, causing moisture to build up and the devices to fail. The company said this may have contributed to several patients' deaths. Guidant said doctors should consider replacing the affected pacemakers in patients who are "pacemaker dependent". While some patients use a pacemaker only in times of abnormal heart rhythm, around 20 per cent of patients have no underlying heart rhythm at all and so depend on the device for life. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) - the UK government body that regulates the industry - confirmed it is evaluating the problem. "We are in contact with Guidant," a spokeswoman said. The MHRA could not confirm how many UK patients are fitted with the pacemakers, but Guidant said 10,000 devices are fitted in patients outside the US, many of whom are in Scotland. The pacemaker alert follows recalls in recent weeks of tens of thousands of implantable heart defibrillators. A Scotsman investigation revealed a delay of three years before the company told British doctors and health watchdogs about problems with one of those models. Around 2,200 UK patients with internal defibrillators were told by MHRA to see their doctor and consider what to do. One option, already taken by many patients, was to have the device surgically replaced. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently escalated its recall of four Guidant device models to class 1 - its most urgent alert - saying flaws in 42,000 defibrillators could be deadly. Both pacemakers and defibrillators are implanted under the skin. A pacemaker, about the size of two 50p pieces held together, regulates a heart that is beating too fast or too slowly. A defibrillator, three times the size of a pacemaker, emits an electrical shock to jolt a stopped or abnormally beating heart back to rhythm. Nine older pacemaker models are involved in the current alert. They are the Pulsar Max, the Pulsar, the Discovery, the Meridian, the Pulsar Max II, the Discovery II, the Virtus Plus II, the Intellis II and the Contak TR. The company said the units have not been implanted for the last four years. Guidant said it had identified 69 devices that may have had the seal problem, out of some 78,000 devices manufactured. In 20 known cases, the problem caused pacemakers to fail, and in five such instances, patients lost consciousness. The flaw may have also caused a pacemaker to keep pacing at a high rate, putting a potentially fatal strain on a weak heart. Because pacemakers need replacing every seven to ten years, many of the pacemakers at issue will need to be replaced soon anyway, since their batteries are nearly drained. The company will reimburse the NHS for any replacements and also reimburse patients up to £1,438 for medical expenses. In June, The Scotsman revealed that Guidant did not notify British doctors for three years about a defect in one defibrillator model, the Ventak Prizm 2 Dr. The device tended to short-circuit when needed to save a patient's life. Two US patients died when Ventak Prizms failed during cardiac arrest. Dr Broadhurst said: "What you really want is not to rely on what the company tells you. But then again, you don't want to know about every little problem that isn't significant. I think the Guidant recalls have shown that something needs to change." The MHRA is investigating how Guidant handled reporting its products' performance rates. Since the Ventak Prizm recall in June and under scrutiny by The Scotsman, the company has issued alerts or recalled 11 models of defibrillators. The deluge of Guidant recalls have led many cardiologists to question when and how device makers alert physicians, patients and regulatory agencies to product flaws. Although medical devices must initially pass testing by agencies such as the FDA and MHRA, neither body tests devices after approval. Ronald W Dollens, CEO of Guidant, said in a statement: "The health and safety of patients is paramount. Our innovative technologies have saved and improved millions of lives. Guidant works diligently to create the most reliable products and services, enhance patient outcomes and limit adverse events to patients." |
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21.7.05 06:27 |
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Jean Charles de Menezes
Guardian  Here is the face of the innocent young man, Jean Charles de Menezes, shot dead by the London police. The officer shot him 5 times in the head at point blank range with an automatic pistol because he thought Jean Charles was a bomber. He was not. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
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24.7.05 16:17 |
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