xer-files
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Gentlemen Mujahideen: from heroes to zeroes
"These gentlemen are the moral equivalents of America's founding fathers." (Ronald Regan while introducing the Mujahideen leaders to media on the White house lawns. (1985)
"Americans are asking: why do they hate us? They hate our freedoms-our freedom of religion, our freedom of speech, our freedom to vote and assemble and disagree with each other." George W. Bush, in his speech in US Congress in the aftermath of 9/11. (2001)
By Ram Puniyani at www.countercurrents.org ¶ Wednesday, July 27, 2005 0 Comments
"Americans are asking: why do they hate us? They hate our freedoms-our freedom of religion, our freedom of speech, our freedom to vote and assemble and disagree with each other." George W. Bush, in his speech in US Congress in the aftermath of 9/11. (2001)
By Ram Puniyani at www.countercurrents.org ¶ Wednesday, July 27, 2005 0 Comments
What the Hack!
Holidays in The Netherlands
So i'll be in a tent at What the Hack! : "A hackers guide to camping.
Beware of a chaotic system encountered outside computer labs called weather."
And in that light (or in a real view of shaku maku: the dark!) i translated this remarkable info from Italian:
HACKER
Guantanamo attacked via the Web
The homepage of the US base Guantanamo has been repeatedly attacked by hackers. The first attack at the website happened last Saturday and immediately after, the group of 'Iran Hackers Sabotage' succeeded to introduce themselves in the site and publish a note. The hacker group condemns in this note any type of terrorism underscoring that the recent attacks have also damaged the muslims of the whole world. In the American Marine base at the isle of Cuba are imprisoned, according to the most recent information of the Pentagon, about 510 believed 'fighters from abroad'. At the moment 52 prisoners are on hungerstrike (since more than a week) in a protest against the 'unhuman' conditions in which they are forced to live in the prison.
Original in ITALIAN: Guantanamo attaccato via web La homepage della base statunitense di Guantanamo è stata ripetutamente presa di mira dagli hacker. Il primo attacco alla pagina web è avvenuto nella giornata di sabato scorso, e, subito dopo, il sedicente gruppo «Iran Hackers Sabotage» è riuscito a introdursi nel sito internet e a pubblicare una notarella. Il gruppo di hacker nel comunicato condanna ogni tipo di terrorismo e sottolinea che i recenti attentati hanno danneggiato anche i musulmani di tutto il mondo. Nella base navale americana sull'isola di Cuba sono detenuti, secondo i dati più recenti del Pentagono, circa 510 presunti «combattenti stranieri». Al momento 52 detenuti sono in sciopero della fame per protestare contro le condizioni «inumane» in cui sono costretti a vivere in carcere.
http://www.ilmanifesto.it/Quotidiano-archivio/26-Luglio-2005/art30.html
Sorry, my translation from italian to english is not the most beautiful, but i thought this is tooo nice for a piece of news to keep it from you.
Friends in Iraq, my very, very best bests in such difficult times. Please try not to give up.
Cecile
www.streamtime.org ¶ Wednesday, July 27, 2005 0 Comments
So i'll be in a tent at What the Hack! : "A hackers guide to camping.
Beware of a chaotic system encountered outside computer labs called weather."
And in that light (or in a real view of shaku maku: the dark!) i translated this remarkable info from Italian:
HACKER
Guantanamo attacked via the Web
The homepage of the US base Guantanamo has been repeatedly attacked by hackers. The first attack at the website happened last Saturday and immediately after, the group of 'Iran Hackers Sabotage' succeeded to introduce themselves in the site and publish a note. The hacker group condemns in this note any type of terrorism underscoring that the recent attacks have also damaged the muslims of the whole world. In the American Marine base at the isle of Cuba are imprisoned, according to the most recent information of the Pentagon, about 510 believed 'fighters from abroad'. At the moment 52 prisoners are on hungerstrike (since more than a week) in a protest against the 'unhuman' conditions in which they are forced to live in the prison.
Original in ITALIAN: Guantanamo attaccato via web La homepage della base statunitense di Guantanamo è stata ripetutamente presa di mira dagli hacker. Il primo attacco alla pagina web è avvenuto nella giornata di sabato scorso, e, subito dopo, il sedicente gruppo «Iran Hackers Sabotage» è riuscito a introdursi nel sito internet e a pubblicare una notarella. Il gruppo di hacker nel comunicato condanna ogni tipo di terrorismo e sottolinea che i recenti attentati hanno danneggiato anche i musulmani di tutto il mondo. Nella base navale americana sull'isola di Cuba sono detenuti, secondo i dati più recenti del Pentagono, circa 510 presunti «combattenti stranieri». Al momento 52 detenuti sono in sciopero della fame per protestare contro le condizioni «inumane» in cui sono costretti a vivere in carcere.
http://www.ilmanifesto.it/Quotidiano-archivio/26-Luglio-2005/art30.html
Sorry, my translation from italian to english is not the most beautiful, but i thought this is tooo nice for a piece of news to keep it from you.
Friends in Iraq, my very, very best bests in such difficult times. Please try not to give up.
Cecile
www.streamtime.org ¶ Wednesday, July 27, 2005 0 Comments
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Ridding the-world-of-evil-farce
In May 2003, following protests from human rights groups regarding the British army's use of cluster bombs in and around the Iraqi city of Basra, British officials had nothing but unabashed rationalization as a response.
Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram justified the use of cluster bombs, in an interview with BBC radio, on military grounds, arguing: "Cluster bombs are not illegal. They are effective weapons. They are used in specific circumstances where there is a threat to our troops."
Those "specific circumstances", according to British media, compelled the dropping of 2,000 Israeli-made cluster bombs on Basra and its surroundings in April 2003 alone. Richard Lloyd, Director of Landmine Action, asserted that he had seen maps - provided to the UN by the US military - showing cities that were almost completely masked by a heap of symbols indicating where cluster bombs had been used. "These weapons were used in and around virtually every built-up area where there was major fighting," Lloyd said.
London Bombings Barbaric, But Not Unexpected - by RAMZY BAROUD - on Counterpunch ¶ Tuesday, July 26, 2005 0 Comments
Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram justified the use of cluster bombs, in an interview with BBC radio, on military grounds, arguing: "Cluster bombs are not illegal. They are effective weapons. They are used in specific circumstances where there is a threat to our troops."
Those "specific circumstances", according to British media, compelled the dropping of 2,000 Israeli-made cluster bombs on Basra and its surroundings in April 2003 alone. Richard Lloyd, Director of Landmine Action, asserted that he had seen maps - provided to the UN by the US military - showing cities that were almost completely masked by a heap of symbols indicating where cluster bombs had been used. "These weapons were used in and around virtually every built-up area where there was major fighting," Lloyd said.
London Bombings Barbaric, But Not Unexpected - by RAMZY BAROUD - on Counterpunch ¶ Tuesday, July 26, 2005 0 Comments
Lies and Crimes in High Places and their Cheering Squad in the US Press
- Karl Rove deserves a prize -
Almost two hundred years ago, in an encyclopedia article about the "Freedom of the Press, James Mill, the father of John Stuart Mill, explained that without a press exposing the corruption and misrule in government, government officials will not be able to resist the temptation to be corrupt.[2]
This past week the WSJ published an editorial demonstrating how the White House uses reporters for its political retaliation. This helps to show in a graphic way how the corruption of the US press occurs. An article about this appears in Telepolis. I suggest also that those interested look at the WSJ editorial itself, if you hadn't seen it.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
by Ronda Hauben ¶ Tuesday, July 26, 2005 0 Comments
Almost two hundred years ago, in an encyclopedia article about the "Freedom of the Press, James Mill, the father of John Stuart Mill, explained that without a press exposing the corruption and misrule in government, government officials will not be able to resist the temptation to be corrupt.[2]
This past week the WSJ published an editorial demonstrating how the White House uses reporters for its political retaliation. This helps to show in a graphic way how the corruption of the US press occurs. An article about this appears in Telepolis. I suggest also that those interested look at the WSJ editorial itself, if you hadn't seen it.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
by Ronda Hauben ¶ Tuesday, July 26, 2005 0 Comments
Saturday, July 23, 2005
Helping Africa
Ahh, but the image tool in here is a nice new tool that i can certainly use. ¶ Saturday, July 23, 2005 0 Comments
Ahh, but the image tool in here is a nice new tool that i can certainly use. ¶ Saturday, July 23, 2005 0 Comments
... another DoS attack ongoing ...
... it started today at approx. 18:00 (CET) which is when Streamtime became unreachable.
Since i am the one posting posts and reposts and circleposts, special stuff and other info again on the Streamtime site i start to take this personal.
I struggle with an open face, an open mind. Come forward you digit-hider! You bits-obstaculizer! You cockroach of artificial intelligence - if that would even be a name for it.
Enough, no more words for machine-scum. ¶ Saturday, July 23, 2005 0 Comments
Since i am the one posting posts and reposts and circleposts, special stuff and other info again on the Streamtime site i start to take this personal.
I struggle with an open face, an open mind. Come forward you digit-hider! You bits-obstaculizer! You cockroach of artificial intelligence - if that would even be a name for it.
Enough, no more words for machine-scum. ¶ Saturday, July 23, 2005 0 Comments
Operation Kratos
Shoot to kill - Seconds to decide if suspect is suicide threat
Special armed squad first to use tactics developed with Israeli aid
Vikram Dodd
Saturday July 23, 2005 The Guardian
"The shooting yesterday at Stockwell tube station was the first time police used special tactics developed to tackle the threat of suicide bombers.
Under Operation Kratos a senior officer is on standby 24 hours a day to authorise the deployment of special armed squads, who will track and if needs be, shoot dead suspected suicide bombers." ¶ Saturday, July 23, 2005 0 Comments
Special armed squad first to use tactics developed with Israeli aid
Vikram Dodd
Saturday July 23, 2005 The Guardian
"The shooting yesterday at Stockwell tube station was the first time police used special tactics developed to tackle the threat of suicide bombers.
Under Operation Kratos a senior officer is on standby 24 hours a day to authorise the deployment of special armed squads, who will track and if needs be, shoot dead suspected suicide bombers." ¶ Saturday, July 23, 2005 0 Comments
Friday, July 22, 2005
Streamtime up - Basker down ...
This is my point.
Basker Vashee, a fine friend has gone.
I am sad. ¶ Friday, July 22, 2005 0 Comments
Basker Vashee, a fine friend has gone.
I am sad. ¶ Friday, July 22, 2005 0 Comments
Thursday, July 21, 2005
Digital warries
Streamtime is down.
What???!!
I strongly recommend (myself) to listen to the Viking Spam Song straight from Monty Python's seventies to not loose temper over bad weather 'nd spam
or send me a postcard ¶ Thursday, July 21, 2005 0 Comments
What???!!
I strongly recommend (myself) to listen to the Viking Spam Song straight from Monty Python's seventies to not loose temper over bad weather 'nd spam
or send me a postcard ¶ Thursday, July 21, 2005 0 Comments
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Summer, science and sex
Orgasms: a real ‘turn-off’ for women
NewScientist.com news service - Michael Le Page, Copenhagen
For women, it seems, sex is a big turn-off, reveals a brain scanning study. It shows that many areas of the brain switch off during the female orgasm - including those involved with emotion.
“At the moment of orgasm, women do not have any emotional feelings,” says Gert Holstege of the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. [..]
The results of the study are striking. As the women were stimulated, activity rose in one sensory part of the brain, called the primary somatosensory cortex, but fell in the amygdala and hippocampus, areas involved in alertness and anxiety. During orgasm, activity fell in many more areas of the brain, including the prefrontal cortex, compared with the resting state, Holstege told a meeting of the European Society for Human Reproduction and Development in Copenhagen on Monday.
In one sense the findings appear to confirm what is already known, that women cannot enjoy sex unless they are relaxed and free from worries and distractions. "Fear and anxiety levels have to go down for orgasm. Everyone knows this but we can see it happening in the brain," he explains.
Related Articles
Genes blamed for fickle female orgasm
11 June 2005
The Case of the Female Orgasm: Bias in the science of evolution by Elisabeth A Lloyd
14 May 2005
Wanted: people to test orgasmatron
29 November 2003
Search New Scientist
Contact us
Web Links
Gert Holstege, University of Groningen
European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology ¶ Tuesday, July 19, 2005 0 Comments
NewScientist.com news service - Michael Le Page, Copenhagen
For women, it seems, sex is a big turn-off, reveals a brain scanning study. It shows that many areas of the brain switch off during the female orgasm - including those involved with emotion.
“At the moment of orgasm, women do not have any emotional feelings,” says Gert Holstege of the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. [..]
The results of the study are striking. As the women were stimulated, activity rose in one sensory part of the brain, called the primary somatosensory cortex, but fell in the amygdala and hippocampus, areas involved in alertness and anxiety. During orgasm, activity fell in many more areas of the brain, including the prefrontal cortex, compared with the resting state, Holstege told a meeting of the European Society for Human Reproduction and Development in Copenhagen on Monday.
In one sense the findings appear to confirm what is already known, that women cannot enjoy sex unless they are relaxed and free from worries and distractions. "Fear and anxiety levels have to go down for orgasm. Everyone knows this but we can see it happening in the brain," he explains.
Related Articles
Genes blamed for fickle female orgasm
11 June 2005
The Case of the Female Orgasm: Bias in the science of evolution by Elisabeth A Lloyd
14 May 2005
Wanted: people to test orgasmatron
29 November 2003
Search New Scientist
Contact us
Web Links
Gert Holstege, University of Groningen
European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology ¶ Tuesday, July 19, 2005 0 Comments
Saturday, July 16, 2005
Physical construct - artificially linked
We are implicit, here, all of us,
in a vast physical construct of
artificially linked nervous systems.
Invisible. We cannot touch it.
-- William Gibson, In the visegrips of Dr. Satan
1. A libidinal geology of media spaces /../
2. The becoming-net of space
Utopias and religious sagas have often been based on the evocation of spaces radically other. Religion, as an intimate semiotic device, works on the projection of an after-life or a Promise Land (and the idea itself of a Soul points to a non-directly reachable interior space). Modern political utopias, indeed, have often been linked by direct genealogy to the ultra-mundane spaces of religion. /../ The United States, far from European idealism, based their political engine onto the myth of the Far West. In modern times the mythical spaces of power and religion have been followed by the psychic spaces of discipline and biopower.
3. Neurospace as an immanent plane of desire
Utopias and religious sagas have often been based on the evocation of spaces radically other. Religion, as an intimate semiotic device, works on the projection of an after-life or a Promise Land (and the idea itself of a Soul points to a non-directly reachable interior space). Modern political utopias, indeed, have often been linked by direct genealogy to the ultra-mundane spaces of religion.
The link to this all (article written by Matteo Pasquinelli) is at Rekombinant ¶ Saturday, July 16, 2005 0 Comments
in a vast physical construct of
artificially linked nervous systems.
Invisible. We cannot touch it.
-- William Gibson, In the visegrips of Dr. Satan
1. A libidinal geology of media spaces /../
2. The becoming-net of space
Utopias and religious sagas have often been based on the evocation of spaces radically other. Religion, as an intimate semiotic device, works on the projection of an after-life or a Promise Land (and the idea itself of a Soul points to a non-directly reachable interior space). Modern political utopias, indeed, have often been linked by direct genealogy to the ultra-mundane spaces of religion. /../ The United States, far from European idealism, based their political engine onto the myth of the Far West. In modern times the mythical spaces of power and religion have been followed by the psychic spaces of discipline and biopower.
3. Neurospace as an immanent plane of desire
Utopias and religious sagas have often been based on the evocation of spaces radically other. Religion, as an intimate semiotic device, works on the projection of an after-life or a Promise Land (and the idea itself of a Soul points to a non-directly reachable interior space). Modern political utopias, indeed, have often been linked by direct genealogy to the ultra-mundane spaces of religion.
The link to this all (article written by Matteo Pasquinelli) is at Rekombinant ¶ Saturday, July 16, 2005 0 Comments
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Bob, Bono and Media cyclone
Live Aid apparently saved the Ethiopian famine’s poster child in 1985, and 20 years later the UK media claims it ‘found’ her looking beautiful. Nice story - shame about the facts.
'She had 10 minutes to live 20 years ago. Because of Live Aid 20 years ago, because we did a concert in this city and in Philadelphia, last week she did her agricultural exams in the school she goes to in the northern Ethiopian highlands. She is here. Don't let them tell you that this doesn't work. Look at this beautiful woman.' (1)
So Sir Bob Geldof introduced the audience of last weekend's London Live 8 concert to Birhan Woldu, the 24-year-old agricultural student from Ethiopia, better known as the 'poster child' for the Ethiopian famine of 1984.
[...]
What Birhan Woldu's story really symbolises, distorted as it has been by the 'media cyclone' that Brian Stewart describes, is that this Live 8 circus has nothing to do with starving children, and is really All About Us. [...]
The whole article can be read at www.Spiked-online.com ¶ Tuesday, July 12, 2005 0 Comments
'She had 10 minutes to live 20 years ago. Because of Live Aid 20 years ago, because we did a concert in this city and in Philadelphia, last week she did her agricultural exams in the school she goes to in the northern Ethiopian highlands. She is here. Don't let them tell you that this doesn't work. Look at this beautiful woman.' (1)
So Sir Bob Geldof introduced the audience of last weekend's London Live 8 concert to Birhan Woldu, the 24-year-old agricultural student from Ethiopia, better known as the 'poster child' for the Ethiopian famine of 1984.
[...]
What Birhan Woldu's story really symbolises, distorted as it has been by the 'media cyclone' that Brian Stewart describes, is that this Live 8 circus has nothing to do with starving children, and is really All About Us. [...]
The whole article can be read at www.Spiked-online.com ¶ Tuesday, July 12, 2005 0 Comments
Sunday, July 10, 2005
Legal terror
Oh, and today was the twentieth anniversary of the bombing of the Greenpeace ship the Rainbow Warrior in New Zealand.
The ship sunk, a photographer died. The French secret service was behind the bombing.
That of course was in no way comparable with anything like terror. According to news today it was ordered by the French Francois Mitterand. So that must be legal - in some way.
Original skipper Pete Willcox and Marelle, the photographers daughter 'sunk off' a memorial sculpture onto the wreck of the Rainbow Warrior in that sea today. The Greenpeace ship was 20 years ago in the area to protest against the nuclear testings in that zone. ¶ Sunday, July 10, 2005 0 Comments
The ship sunk, a photographer died. The French secret service was behind the bombing.
That of course was in no way comparable with anything like terror. According to news today it was ordered by the French Francois Mitterand. So that must be legal - in some way.
Original skipper Pete Willcox and Marelle, the photographers daughter 'sunk off' a memorial sculpture onto the wreck of the Rainbow Warrior in that sea today. The Greenpeace ship was 20 years ago in the area to protest against the nuclear testings in that zone. ¶ Sunday, July 10, 2005 0 Comments
Thursday, July 07, 2005
Citizen Lab
... "While awareness-building and advocacy are important components of a strategy to elucidate the legal and practical consequences of censorship practices, these avenues are not always possible or effective in regions most affected. Consequently, building awareness of technologies that make it possible to circumvent censorship and thus enhance the individual's right to communicate and access information are also an important means for challenging these practices.
To this end, the Citizen Lab has established an on-line clearinghouse of tools for assessing, archiving and testing anti-censorship, privacy/anonymity, security and encryption software, called the Circumvention Technologies Clearinghouse.
The mission of the OpenNet Initiative is to investigate and challenge state-directed Internet filtering and surveillance practices. Our approach applies methodological rigor to the study of filtration and surveillance blending empirical case studies with sophisticated means for technical verification. Our aim is to generate a credible picture of these practices at a national, regional and corporate level, and to excavate their impact on state sovereignty, security, human rights, international law, and global governance.
The Information Warfare Monitor is an advanced research project examining how states and non-state actors seek to exploit information and information systems to pursue political objectives through non-political means.
The Internet Censorship Explorer (ICE) is a blog maintained by the Citizen Lab's technical research director, Nart Villeneuve. ICE is an incubator where Nart explores the politics of technology (hacktivism, infowar/cyberterrorism and Internet filtering), develops ideas for future Citizen Lab projects, posts proof of concept code and any other snippets of raw data that don't really have a place anywhere else. ICE also contains bleeding edge Internet filtering and censorship research related to the work of the Citizen Lab and the OpenNet Initiative including the development of censorship circumvention technology ... ¶ Thursday, July 07, 2005 0 Comments
To this end, the Citizen Lab has established an on-line clearinghouse of tools for assessing, archiving and testing anti-censorship, privacy/anonymity, security and encryption software, called the Circumvention Technologies Clearinghouse.
The mission of the OpenNet Initiative is to investigate and challenge state-directed Internet filtering and surveillance practices. Our approach applies methodological rigor to the study of filtration and surveillance blending empirical case studies with sophisticated means for technical verification. Our aim is to generate a credible picture of these practices at a national, regional and corporate level, and to excavate their impact on state sovereignty, security, human rights, international law, and global governance.
The Information Warfare Monitor is an advanced research project examining how states and non-state actors seek to exploit information and information systems to pursue political objectives through non-political means.
The Internet Censorship Explorer (ICE) is a blog maintained by the Citizen Lab's technical research director, Nart Villeneuve. ICE is an incubator where Nart explores the politics of technology (hacktivism, infowar/cyberterrorism and Internet filtering), develops ideas for future Citizen Lab projects, posts proof of concept code and any other snippets of raw data that don't really have a place anywhere else. ICE also contains bleeding edge Internet filtering and censorship research related to the work of the Citizen Lab and the OpenNet Initiative including the development of censorship circumvention technology ... ¶ Thursday, July 07, 2005 0 Comments
Monday, July 04, 2005
A sweeping tide of superstitious, retrogressive, vengeful, dimwitted anti-intellectual goat-spanking
..."Anybody that reads 'Candide', which contains some crackerjack descriptions of why war is not as much fun as Donald Rumsfeld makes it out to be, will emerge from that slender volume much the wiser, possibly even sporting a long gray beard and a wizard's hat with stars and moons on it.
Why, in these times that call for snappy, up-to-date commentary, would I be trolling around in the mossy glades of French Lit? Here's why: "As long as people believe in absurdities they will continue to commit atrocities". Voltaire said that.
There is only a slim consolation in all this, again voiced by the grizzled Sage of old Paree: "I have always made one prayer to God, a very short one. Here it is: "My God, make our enemies very ridiculous!" God has granted it to me." ... [Ben Tripp at Counterpunch]
Guardabassi : Pink Floyd at Live8 ¶ Monday, July 04, 2005 2 Comments
Why, in these times that call for snappy, up-to-date commentary, would I be trolling around in the mossy glades of French Lit? Here's why: "As long as people believe in absurdities they will continue to commit atrocities". Voltaire said that.
There is only a slim consolation in all this, again voiced by the grizzled Sage of old Paree: "I have always made one prayer to God, a very short one. Here it is: "My God, make our enemies very ridiculous!" God has granted it to me." ... [Ben Tripp at Counterpunch]
Guardabassi : Pink Floyd at Live8 ¶ Monday, July 04, 2005 2 Comments
Sunday, July 03, 2005
Us and them
Mapping Human Violence - state - collective - individual- from mega-death to individual victims - collecting disparative data about reactions - horrified - rejoicing - ambivalent - making the incomparable understood - creating visual language tools to sober our views - go beyond our fears - for what now-a-days is mashed together in one term - terrorism
*** If you require innocent victims to have a certain
nationality to be worthy of your empathy, there is
something wrong with your humanity ***
I cry in passion
I yell to the void
To people devoid
Of all compassion
I holler in vain
A plea to reason
It is not treason
To be humane
It is not insane
Or out of season
You need no reason
To be humane
A letter from Baghdad, sento to me in October '04 ¶ Sunday, July 03, 2005 0 Comments
*** If you require innocent victims to have a certain
nationality to be worthy of your empathy, there is
something wrong with your humanity ***
I cry in passion
I yell to the void
To people devoid
Of all compassion
I holler in vain
A plea to reason
It is not treason
To be humane
It is not insane
Or out of season
You need no reason
To be humane
A letter from Baghdad, sento to me in October '04 ¶ Sunday, July 03, 2005 0 Comments
I'll see you on the dark side of the moon
The Observer can reveal:
British and American aid intended for Iraq's hard-pressed police service is being diverted to paramilitary commando units accused of widespread human rights abuses, including torture and extra-judicial killings, Iraqi Police Service officers said that ammunition, weapons and vehicles earmarked for the IPS are being taken by shock troops at the forefront of Iraq's new dirty counter-insurgency war.
The investigation revealed:
· A 'ghost' network of secret detention centres across the country, inaccessible to human rights organisations, where torture is taking place.
· Compelling evidence of widespread use of violent interrogation methods including hanging by the arms, burnings, beatings, the use of electric shocks and sexual abuse.
· Claims that serious abuse has taken place within the walls of the Iraqi government's own Ministry of the Interior.
· Apparent co-operation between unofficial and official detention facilities, and evidence of extra-judicial executions by the police.
In the meantime in the Jesuslands:
Meet with the AA, probably the world's smallest minority. They definitely exist:
"Monday’s U.S. Supreme Court rulings in two key cases involving public display of the Ten Commandments amounts to a 'backdoor' excuse allowing government promotion of religion. [...] Today’s decision is an unfortunate set-back especially for millions of Atheists and other Americans who profess no religious beliefs, and now have their government elevating religion above our constitution.” [...]
"...the court’s decision does not prevent future appeals on the issue of religious displays in the public square. It took more than half-a-century of appeals and other legal action to finally overturn the odious practice of segregation,” said Dave Silverman, Communications Director for American Atheists. “The effort to end government sponsorship of religion is just entering another phase.” ¶ Sunday, July 03, 2005 0 Comments
British and American aid intended for Iraq's hard-pressed police service is being diverted to paramilitary commando units accused of widespread human rights abuses, including torture and extra-judicial killings, Iraqi Police Service officers said that ammunition, weapons and vehicles earmarked for the IPS are being taken by shock troops at the forefront of Iraq's new dirty counter-insurgency war.
The investigation revealed:
· A 'ghost' network of secret detention centres across the country, inaccessible to human rights organisations, where torture is taking place.
· Compelling evidence of widespread use of violent interrogation methods including hanging by the arms, burnings, beatings, the use of electric shocks and sexual abuse.
· Claims that serious abuse has taken place within the walls of the Iraqi government's own Ministry of the Interior.
· Apparent co-operation between unofficial and official detention facilities, and evidence of extra-judicial executions by the police.
In the meantime in the Jesuslands:
Meet with the AA, probably the world's smallest minority. They definitely exist:
"Monday’s U.S. Supreme Court rulings in two key cases involving public display of the Ten Commandments amounts to a 'backdoor' excuse allowing government promotion of religion. [...] Today’s decision is an unfortunate set-back especially for millions of Atheists and other Americans who profess no religious beliefs, and now have their government elevating religion above our constitution.” [...]
"...the court’s decision does not prevent future appeals on the issue of religious displays in the public square. It took more than half-a-century of appeals and other legal action to finally overturn the odious practice of segregation,” said Dave Silverman, Communications Director for American Atheists. “The effort to end government sponsorship of religion is just entering another phase.” ¶ Sunday, July 03, 2005 0 Comments
Friday, July 01, 2005
Mille papaveri rossi
A British, an American and an Iraqi minister died. They all went to hell.
The Brit said: 'I miss England, I wanna call England and see how everybody is doing there...'
He called and talked for about 5 minutes.
Then he said: 'Well, devil how much do I owe you for the phone call ???
The devil: 'Five million dollars.'
'Five million dollars!!!'
He paid him a check and went to sit back on his chair...
The American was soo jealous, he started screaming: 'Me too! I wanna call the United States, I wanna see how everybody is doing too.'
He called and talked for about 2 minutes, then he said: 'Well, devil how much do I owe you for the phone call ???
The devil goes: 'Ten million dollars.'
'Ten million dollars!!!!!'
But he made him a check and went to sit back on his chair...
The Iraqi was soooo extremely jealous too...
He started screaming and screaming: 'I wanna call Iraq too! I wanna see how everybody is doing there too! I wanna talk to the ministers, to the deputies! I wanna talk to everybody...'
He called Iraq and he talked for about twenty hours, he was talking and talking and talking... then he said: 'Well, devil how much do I owe you for the phone call????'
The devil goes: 'One dollar.'
'Huhh??!!?! Only one dollar??!!?!!?'
The devil: 'Yes, well, from hell to hell, it's local!!'
(tnx B for the laugh :) ¶ Friday, July 01, 2005 0 Comments
The Brit said: 'I miss England, I wanna call England and see how everybody is doing there...'
He called and talked for about 5 minutes.
Then he said: 'Well, devil how much do I owe you for the phone call ???
The devil: 'Five million dollars.'
'Five million dollars!!!'
He paid him a check and went to sit back on his chair...
The American was soo jealous, he started screaming: 'Me too! I wanna call the United States, I wanna see how everybody is doing too.'
He called and talked for about 2 minutes, then he said: 'Well, devil how much do I owe you for the phone call ???
The devil goes: 'Ten million dollars.'
'Ten million dollars!!!!!'
But he made him a check and went to sit back on his chair...
The Iraqi was soooo extremely jealous too...
He started screaming and screaming: 'I wanna call Iraq too! I wanna see how everybody is doing there too! I wanna talk to the ministers, to the deputies! I wanna talk to everybody...'
He called Iraq and he talked for about twenty hours, he was talking and talking and talking... then he said: 'Well, devil how much do I owe you for the phone call????'
The devil goes: 'One dollar.'
'Huhh??!!?! Only one dollar??!!?!!?'
The devil: 'Yes, well, from hell to hell, it's local!!'
(tnx B for the laugh :) ¶ Friday, July 01, 2005 0 Comments
Streamtime is cracked and down :(
Last week i noticed throughout the Streamtime archives some huge poker and other nasties being spammed in the commentsectors of the site. In fact the site cracked last night, the server has been blown up.
Yesterday Streamtime existed exactly since one year on the web. I wanted to enjoy that day.
-c- ¶ Friday, July 01, 2005 1 Comments
Yesterday Streamtime existed exactly since one year on the web. I wanted to enjoy that day.
-c- ¶ Friday, July 01, 2005 1 Comments
