Fw: WikiLeaks: Stop the crackdown - incredible response!

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From: "Ricken Patel - Avaaz.org" <avaaz@avaaz.org>

Date: Fri, 10 Dec 2010 09:30:23 -0500

To: madjwoodcock@mobility.blackberry.net<madjwoodcock@mobility.blackberry.net>

Subject: WikiLeaks: Stop the crackdown - incredible response!

Incredible - nearly 400,000 signatures in one day for press freedom! Join the massive outcry and forward the email below -

Dear friends,

The chilling intimidation campaign against WikiLeaks (when they have broken no laws) is an attack on freedom of the press and democracy. We urgently need a massive public outcry to stop the crackdown -- let's get to 1 million voices and take out full page ads in US newspapers this week!

The massive campaign of intimidation against WikiLeaks is sending a chill through free press advocates everywhere.

Legal experts say WikiLeaks has likely broken no laws. Yet top US politicians have called it a terrorist group and commentators have urged assassination of its staff. The organization has come under massive government and corporate attack, but WikiLeaks is only publishing information provided by a whistleblower. And it has partnered with the world's leading newspapers (NYT, Guardian, Spiegel etc) to carefully vet the information it publishes.

The massive extra-judicial intimidation of WikiLeaks is an attack on democracy. We urgently need a public outcry for freedom of the press and expression. Sign the petition to stop the crackdown and forward this email to everyone -- let's get to 1 million voices and take out full page ads in US newspapers this week!

http://www.avaaz.org/en/wikileaks_petition/?vl

WikiLeaks isn't acting alone -- it's partnered with the top newspapers in the world (New York Times, The Guardian, Der Spiegel, etc) to carefully review 250,000 US diplomatic cables and remove any information that it is irresponsible to publish. Only 800 cables have been published so far. Past WikiLeaks publications have exposed government-backed torture, the murder of innocent civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan, and corporate corruption.

The US government is currently pursuing all legal avenues to stop WikiLeaks from publishing more cables, but the laws of democracies protect freedom of the press. The US and other governments may not like the laws that protect our freedom of expression, but that's exactly why it's so important that we have them, and why only a democratic process can change them.

Reasonable people can disagree on whether WikiLeaks and the leading newspapers it's partnered with are releasing more information than the public should see. Whether the releases undermine diplomatic confidentiality and whether that's a good thing. Whether WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has the personal character of a hero or a villain. But none of this justifies a vicious campaign of intimidation to silence a legal media outlet by governments and corporations. Click below to join the call to stop the crackdown:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/wikileaks_petition/?vl

Ever wonder why the media so rarely gives the full story of what happens behind the scenes? This is why - because when they do, governments can be vicious in their response. And when that happens, it's up to the public to stand up for our democratic rights to a free press and freedom of expression. Never has there been a more vital time for us to do so.

With hope,
Ricken, Emma, Alex, Alice, Maria Paz and the rest of the Avaaz team.

SOURCES:

Law experts say WikiLeaks in the clear (ABC)
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2010/s3086781.htm

WikiLeaks are a bunch of terrorists, says leading U.S. congressman (Mail Online)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1333879/WikiLeaks-terrorists-says-leading-US-congressman-Peter-King.html

Cyber guerrillas can help US (Financial Times)
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d3dd7c40-ff15-11df-956b-00144feab49a.html#axzz17QvQ4Ht5

Amazon drops WikiLeaks under political pressure (Yahoo)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20101201/tc_afp/usdiplomacyinternetwikileakscongressamazon

Wikileaks: Brazil President Lula backs Julian Assange (BBC):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11966193

US Gov shows true control over Internet with WikiLeaks containment (Tippett.org)
http://www.tippett.org/2010/12/us-gov-shows-true-control-over-internet-with-wikileaks-containment/

US embassy cables culprit should be executed, says Mike Huckabee (The Guardian)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/01/us-embassy-cables-executed-mike-huckabee

WikiLeaks ditched by MasterCard, Visa. Who's next? (The Christian Science Monitor)
http://www.csmonitor.com/Innovation/Horizons/2010/1207/WikiLeaks-ditched-by-MasterCard-Visa.-Who-s-next

Assange's Interpol Warrant Is for Having Sex Without a Condom (The Slatest)
http://slatest.slate.com/id/2276690/




Support the Avaaz community! We're entirely funded by donations and receive no money from governments or corporations. Our dedicated team ensures even the smallest contributions go a long way -- donate here.

---

Avaaz.org is a 6.4-million-person global campaign network that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people shape global decision-making. ("Avaaz" means "voice" or "song" in many languages.) Avaaz members live in every nation of the world; our team is spread across 13 countries on 4 continents and operates in 14 languages. Learn about some of Avaaz's biggest campaigns here, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

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Not a girl!

I was reading to Danika some bedtime books. The last one I read was "Thumper finds a friend". Before commencing to read, I asked Danika: "can I be your friend?" And she replied with a mischievous grin and a giggle: "no". I then asked why and she said, with the same grin and giggle: "cause you're not a girl!" I asked if mommy's your friend. She replied: "yeah, she's a girl silly!"
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Last Dance Class

Today is Danika's last dance class until mid January. She's going to dearly miss it!
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Howdy Partner

Danika just loves wearing her yellow dress and Great Grandpa Art's cowboy hat! (and it almost fits too!). When wearing both, she calls herself "Cowgirl Princess Danika".
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The Heart of Dark Book Readers!

Have you read more than 6 of these books? The BBC believes most people will have read only 6 of the 100 books listed here. (if you're on FaceBook): Instructions: Copy this into your NOTES. Bold those books you've read in their entirety. Italicize (or underline) the ones you started but didn't finish or read only an excerpt.
Tag other book nerds. Tag me as well so I can see your responses!

If you're reading this blog: Reply to this blog entry then delete the formating I did. Bold those books you've read in their entirety. Italicize (or underline) the ones you started but didn't finish or read only an excerpt.

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling  
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6 The Bible
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulk
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19 The Time Traveler’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34 Emma -Jane Austen
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe - CS Lewis (If you read #33, you read this, no?)
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh - A.A. Milne
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Divine Comedy- Dante
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web - E.B. White
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

14 books I have read
12 books started but haven't yet finished. (some I'll probably never finish lol).

Check out Could parasites control human beings?.

You can find the Podcast at http://rimpodcast.quickplay.ca/content/rimpodcast/HowStuffWorks/large_H264/2010-05-07-conspiracy-pod-people.3gp?EventId_v4_4_0_26=1041117193&AppId=4550.

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How do you explain Remembrance Day to a 5 year old child?

I found this at: http://www.firstaidquiz.com/viewnews.php?blog=4137

 

    That is the question that I've had to face as a parent. I believe Remembrance day is an important event in the annual calendar and have for many years joined a local Remembrance Sunday parade as a member of St John Ambulance. My daughter was aged 4 last year and whilst she had been told about Remembrance Sunday both from school and from me I don't think she really understood quite what it was about. She's a little older now and we've discussed it a bit further, but it's hard to know what to talk about without over simplifying the explanation.

    I found the book Remembrance Day (Great Events) at our local library and have used this to help explain about the reason and significance of Remembrance Sunday.

    The book explains about the reason for Remembrance Sunday as well as the history behind the First World War (The Great War). I've learned some more about the First World War from this book as well as it being useful to help explain it to my daughter. The book was a bit too long and detailed for a 5 year old but by summarizing some of the details I managed to shorten it a little whilst reading it out loud.

    I find that the second world war tends to take prominence whenever the world wars are talked about and so it's good to have a book that concentrates more on the first world war. I don't think it's quite so easy for a 5 year old to distinguish between the two wars especially as we remember those from all the wars from the first world war onwards at remembrance Sunday. At this age I think it's enough that she is at least aware of why the day is so important and she will hopefully learn more each subsequent year.

The book is written as a traditional non-fiction book rather than the tendency of some books to make it more "interesting" by focusing on the gory bits (eg. Horrible Histories). This is in no-way criticism though. I think that each style has its appropriate place and whilst I haven't read the horrible history books on the world wars they are probably more suitable for older children and are probably less appropriate for discussing around armistice day than this book.

Hopefully I've provided the first steps in ensuring that my children will come to appreciate the importance of the sacrifice that so many people have made to protect our freedom.

Wear your poppy and remember those that have given their lives that we may be free.

 

As always, please post replies on my blog - (the original text is my blog, not Facebook or Email).  http://madjwoodcock.blogspot.com/

Fw: What Sakineh needs now

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From: "Emma Ruby-Sachs - Avaaz.org" <avaaz@avaaz.org>

Date: Wed, 10 Nov 2010 09:41:28 -0500

To: madjwoodcock@mobility.blackberry.net<madjwoodcock@mobility.blackberry.net>

Subject: What Sakineh needs now

Dear friends,

Our global outcry worked and Sakineh is still alive! The next step is to fund international experts to strengthen Sakineh's legal defense and work with officials in Iran to resolve this shameful situation. Let's build on our 900,000-strong outcry and fund the next steps to win her freedom once and for all. Click below to help:

Sakineh is still alive! We stopped her stoning sentence, postponed an attempt to hang her quietly and let the Iranian government know that the world is watching and outraged. Now is the time to save Sakineh for good.

Last week over 900,000 of us sent messages and made calls to key government officials. But now we're at an impasse and have to give Iran a way out of this dilemma. The next step towards freeing Sakineh is to fund international experts to strengthen her legal defense and work with officials in Iran to resolve this shameful situation. If thousands of us donate in the next three days we can hire an elite team of advocates, keep campaigning to free Sakineh and work on behalf of others facing brutal injustice. Click on the link below to support Sakineh:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/whats_next_for_sakineh/?vl

Iran has tried everything to keep Sakineh in jail. They accused her of adultery and sentenced her to stoning despite the fact that the alleged adultery took place after her husband's death. They sentenced her to death for the murder of her husband even though she had already been acquitted, and another man convicted and sentenced for the murder. They even arrested her son and lawyer and forced the rest of the legal team into exile. After massive international pressure, Iranian officials must be desperate for a face-saving way out of this mess..

And now, for the first time, there is dissent within Iran from Conservative forces about the treatment of Sakineh and the way her case has been handled by the Iranian government. Some are calling for her acquittal of all charges.

A team of diplomatic and legal experts could build on this dissent and work within Iran to secure Sakineh's release. Our call, 900,000 voices strong, in combination with pressure from inside Iran for Sakineh's release is the best chance we have to save Sakineh. Now is the moment to give whatever we can to end her brutal persecution:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/whats_next_for_sakineh/?vl

In the campaign against the death penalty worldwide, Sakineh's survival is an important beacon of hope. We have shown unprecedented support for her through an explosive petition, strategic ads in Iranian-allied countries and a flood of messages to world leaders generating an international outcry. Join us in this next step towards freeing Sakineh, ending stoning, and eliminating the death penalty across the globe.

With hope and determination,

Emma, Alice, Stephanie, Ricken, David, Graziela, Iain and the rest of the Avaaz team.

Tehran regime starts to split over Ashtiani death by stoning verdict
http://www.polijam.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=37191:tehran-regime-starts-to-split-over-ashtiani-death-by-stoning-verdict&catid=54:world&Itemid=53

Brazil President Elect speaks against Iran stoning
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/03/AR2010110305762.html

Sarkozy threatens to suspend dialogue if Sakineh was executed.
http://www.lefigaro.fr/international/2010/11/03/01003-20101103ARTFIG00419-sakineh-sarkozy-aurait-directement-menace-l-iran.php

Canada condemns possible execution:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/canada-calls-planned-execution-of-iranian-woman-completely-out-of-line/article1783290/

UK calls for halt of execution
http://ukiniran.fco.gov.uk/en/news/?view=News&id=23139672

US demands no execution:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hXcWTNyR_NntWQMCKG3d9XxYBISw?docId=CNG.8a2d12eae1177874ba5a4a061cec5e53.231

Letter of thanks: Stop Stoning International
http://stopstonningnow.com/wpress/4242

Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani: A life in the Balance (Amnesty International)
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/MDE13/089/2010/en/589bd56b-49ac-4028-8dc6-abd903ac9bac/mde130892010en.pdf


Support the Avaaz community! We're entirely funded by donations and receive no money from governments or corporations. Our dedicated team ensures even the smallest contributions go a long way -- donate here.

---

Avaaz.org is a 5.5-million-person global campaign network that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people shape global decision-making. ("Avaaz" means "voice" or "song" in many languages.) Avaaz members live in every nation of the world; our team is spread across 13 countries on 4 continents and operates in 14 languages. Learn about some of Avaaz's biggest campaigns here, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

This message was sent to madjwoodcock@mobility.blackberry.net. To change your email address, language, or other information, click here. Want to leave this list? Click here to unsubscribe.

To contact Avaaz, please do not reply to this email. Instead, write to us at www.avaaz.org/en/contact or call us at +1-888-922-8229 (US).

In Flanders Fields

by John McCrae, May 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Inspiration for the poem — In Flanders Fields

During the Second Battle of Ypres a Canadian artillery officer, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, was killed on 2 May, 1915 by an exploding shell. He was a friend of the Canadian military doctor Major John McCrae.
John was asked to conduct the burial service owing to the chaplain being called away on duty elsewhere. It is believed that later that evening John began the draft for his famous poem 'In Flanders Fields'.
Inspiration for In Flanders Fields

In Flanders Fields

by John McCrae, May 1915
Poppies (©greatwar.co.uk)

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Inspiration for the poem — In Flanders Fields

During the Second Battle of Ypres a Canadian artillery officer, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, was killed on 2 May, 1915 by an exploding shell. He was a friend of the Canadian military doctor Major John McCrae.

John was asked to conduct the burial service owing to the chaplain being called away on duty elsewhere. It is believed that later that evening John began the draft for his famous poem 'In Flanders Fields'.
Inspiration for In Flanders Fields

Junk Mail - How to Stop Receiving Junk Mail

http://environment.about.com/od/greenlivingdesign/a/junkmail.htm?nl=1

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Fw: 24 hours to save Sakineh

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From: "Alice Jay - Avaaz.org" <avaaz@avaaz.org>

Date: Tue, 02 Nov 2010 21:24:10 -0400

To: madjwoodcock@mobility.blackberry.net<madjwoodcock@mobility.blackberry.net>

Subject: 24 hours to save Sakineh

Dear Friends,

Iran could execute Sakineh Ashtiani tomorrow. We saved her from stoning, now we have 24 hours to get key powers to take emergency action to stop this shameful killing.

Tomorrow, Iran could execute Sakineh Ashtiani.

Our global outcry stopped her unjust stoning sentence in July. Now we have 24 hours to save her life.

Iran's allies and key UN powers are our best hope -- they could persuade Iran of the serious political cost of this high-profile killing. Click below to send them an urgent call to action and send this to everyone -- it only takes three minutes and we are her last chance:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/24h_to_save_sakineh/?vl

Sakineh's adultery case is a tragic sham stacked with human rights violations. First, she was to be stoned to death. But the Iranian government had to revoke the sentence after her children generated a worldwide outcry against the farcical trial -- she could not speak the language used in court, and the alleged incidents of adultery took place after her husband's death.

Then her lawyer was forced into exile, and the prosecution conjured up a new trumped-up charge for which she would be executed -- the murder of her husband. Despite this being double jeopardy, as she is already serving time for alleged complicity in this crime, Sakineh was tortured and paraded on national television to 'confess', and was found guilty. Since then the regime has arrested two German journalists, her lawyer and her son, who has bravely led the international campaign to save his mother. All remain in prison and Sakineh's son and lawyer have been also tortured and have no access to lawyers.

Now Iranian human rights activists state an order has just been issued from Tehran to implement her killing immediately. She is on the list and tomorrow is execution day.

Our persistent campaigning led Iran to drop Sakineh's stoning sentence and captured the attention of leaders in countries with influence on Iran, like Turkey and Brazil. Now let's urgently raise our voices to stop her killing and inhumane treatment and free her, her lawyer, her son and the jailed German journalists. Send a message and share this emergency call with friends and family:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/24h_to_save_sakineh/?vl

A massive public outcry has the moral authority to stop heinous crimes. Let's use these 24 hours to send a clear message -- the world is watching and we all stand together today to save Sakineh's life and against injustice everywhere.

With hope and determination,

Alice, Stephanie, Pascal, Giulia, Benjamin and the whole of the Avaaz team

Sources:

The Islamic regime of Iran plans to execute Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani immediately
http://stopstonningnow.com/wpress/4194

Sakineh hanging imminent
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/fears-that-alleged-adulterers-execution-by-hanging-is-imminent/story-e6frg6so-1225946610965

Iranian woman could be stoned Wednesday
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hipKgm5UqJOxciOi1f07BwbfRgFg?docId=CNG.6ef6de7af5f33847d19e690e61087c73.811

Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani: A life in the Balance (Amnesty International)
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/MDE13/089/2010/en/589bd56b-49ac-4028-8dc6-abd903ac9bac/mde130892010en.pdf


Support the Avaaz community! We're entirely funded by donations and receive no money from governments or corporations. Our dedicated team ensures even the smallest contributions go a long way -- donate here.

---

Avaaz.org is a 5.5-million-person global campaign network that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people shape global decision-making. ("Avaaz" means "voice" or "song" in many languages.) Avaaz members live in every nation of the world; our team is spread across 13 countries on 4 continents and operates in 14 languages. Learn about some of Avaaz's biggest campaigns here, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

This message was sent to madjwoodcock@mobility.blackberry.net. To change your email address, language, or other information, click here. Want to leave this list? Click here to unsubscribe.

To contact Avaaz, please do not reply to this email. Instead, write to us at www.avaaz.org/en/contact or call us at +1-888-922-8229 (US).

Hot Water On Demand

    Today, we are getting an estimate on replacing our hot water tank with a new, high efficacy hot water on demand unit. Our old tank is starting to go, and are replacing it with a waterless unit. over the phone, Sterling estimated $3700.00CAD. That seems a bit rich, thus more quotes will be coming within the next few days.

Well, it's time to shovel the rest of the snow!

Dentest and Shopping

Yesterday I took Aislyn to the dentest after school to find she has a cavity in one of her back molars. (she needs to brush back there better) She's getting it filled on the 3rd. Whilst in the mall, I bought meself a new leather coat for only $60.00 (60 USD = 61.8 CAD) (60 USD (60 USD = 61.8 CAD) = 61.8 CAD)CAD. The zipper on my old one doesn't work. When I took it to a Taylor to have it fixed, she quoted me $85.00 (85 USD = 87.5 CAD) (85 USD (85 USD = 87.5 CAD) = 87.5 CAD)CAD! I bought the coat instead! I also bought mittens for Danika since I couldn't find hid nor hair of a pair of mitts for her that fit.

Frightful whether!

Good morning all. I'm Taking a break from shoveling the deep, wet snow from our walks and ways, n' will continue after Aislyn catches her school buss. Our snow blower broke down at the end of last winter, so I'm hand balming the 10 cm of snow. It (the weather)is nice and warm this morning, and by Tuesday, should reach a high of +13 °C. I sure hope this is not a sign of what Mother Nature has in store for us.

Fw: foursquare :: You just unlocked the Super Mayor badge! Hooray!

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---

From: foursquare <noreply@foursquare.com>

Date: Mon, 25 Oct 2010 19:13:04 -0500 (CDT)

To: <madjwoodcock@mobility.blackberry.net>

Subject: foursquare :: You just unlocked the Super Mayor badge! Hooray!

Congrats! Your recent check in to Dance Plus just unlocked the Super Mayor badge A special shoutout for holding down 10 mayorships at once! To see all the badges you've unlocked so far, click here: http://foursquare.com/user/2071218/badges/4cc61d0fbde8f04df028b54b Great work. Keep it up! - Your friends @ foursquare © 2010 foursquare labs, 36 Cooper Square, New York, NY 10003 Please remember you can always go to your User Settings page to adjust your account and contact info, privacy controls, email preferences and options linking to Twitter and Facebook.

Samain Dancing

It's Halloween @ Dance Plus, n' Aislyn is Baby Jaguar's sister.
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Point and step

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IMG00287-20101023-0914.jpg

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Dancing Danika

Danika's dance teachers are letting patents watch and take pictures today.
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Omar Khadr 'innocent' in death of U.S. soldier

STAR EXCLUSIVE: Classified photos show Toronto-born Omar Khadr lying buried and hurt in a trench during a firefight in Afghanistan that killed a U.S. commando. His lawyers say that proves he couldn't have thrown the lethal grenade

2009/10/28 23:59:00

An exclusive photo, right, taken at Guantanamo prison shows what Omar Khadr looks like today (October, 2009), seven years after his capture at 15, left.

In the left photo (1), Omar Khadr is hidden under rubble from a collapsed roof. In the upper corner is an unnamed combatant killed by U.S. forces. In the right photo (2), Khadr is lying face down (body is highlighted), with his head pointing toward the combatant’s body and two bullet wounds in his back.

Related

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• Case cost Ottawa $1.3 million

More about

Omar Khadr & Guantanamo Bay»

FIGHT BREAKDOWN

Here's how the July 2002 firefight in Afghanistan unfolded:
1. U.S. Special Forces carry out a ground and aerial assault of a suspected Al Qaeda compound. The occupants are armed.
2. A small group of soldiers enter the compound, believing the occupants are dead. Then firing begins and a grenade is thrown, fatally wounding U.S. Sgt. Christopher Speer.
3. A U.S. soldier, identified as OC-1, reportedly ran toward the firing and saw an adult male lying on his side, moving, with an AK-47 beside him. OC-1 shoots him in the head, killing him.
4. A soldier identified as Soldier #2 walks into the alcove where the body is lying and feels the ground shift beneath his feet.
5. When the debris is pulled back they find Omar Khadr lying face down, semi-conscious.
Michelle Shephard

By Michelle Shephard National Security Reporter

Guantanamo detainee Omar Khadr was buried face down under rubble, blinded by shrapnel and crippled, at the time the Pentagon alleges he threw a grenade that fatally wounded a U.S. soldier, according to classified photographs and defence documents obtained by the Star. The pictures, which were taken following a 2002 firefight in Afghanistan and have never been made public, show the then 15-year-old Canadian covered in bricks and mud from the roof of a bombed compound. The body of an adult fighter – the unnamed man Khadr's lawyers contend could have thrown the grenade that killed U.S. Sgt. Christopher Speer – lies beside him. The photographs were part of an 18-page submission presented earlier this year by Khadr's former military defence team to an Obama administration task force investigating Guantanamo. While the defence's argument that it was physically impossible for Khadr to have thrown the grenade first surfaced at a Guantanamo hearing last year, the military judge would not release the photos or declassify the written submissions. The Pentagon is expected to announce in the next three weeks whether Khadr's case will be transferred to a Washington, D.C., criminal court, or go before a military commission. The Toronto-born captive had been charged with five war crimes, including murder for Speer's death, under the Bush administration's Military Commissions Act. His case was suspended when U.S. President Barack Obama took over the White House and vowed to shut Guantanamo. But the evidence contained in the defence document raises doubts as to whether Obama's multi-agency task force would proceed with murder charges against Khadr. "Omar is actually innocent of the allegation," write Khadr's military-appointed lawyers, Cmdr. Walter Ruiz and Michel Paradis, along with his Canadian lawyers, Nathan Whitling and Dennis Edney. "Omar suffered blinding shrapnel wounds and severe injuries to the legs during the course of a U.S. bombardment that crippled him before the attack." The documents note that a soldier stood on top of Khadr's body before realizing someone was buried. Layne Morris, one of the soldiers injured in the 2002 firefight, is frustrated at the time it has taken to decide Khadr's fate. In a telephone interview from Utah on Wednesday, he said he doesn't personally need a trial – "I've had closure, if that's what you can call it." But he added he would be disappointed if Khadr isn't held accountable for Speer's death. "Whether he pulled the trigger or threw the grenade or not, I think he was part of it. "I think there needs to be a trial so people can say, `Here's what happened and here's how it turned out,' instead of just going on in limbo forever, which it seems to be doing now." Morris was airlifted from the scene because of an eye wound before Khadr was captured. His injury forced him to retire from the army. Guantanamo's chief prosecutor, U.S. Navy Capt. John Murphy, said in an interview with the Star on Wednesday that Obama's task force is privy to all the classified evidence and interrogators' notes and he remains confident Khadr will be charged with murder. Murphy, along with prosecutor Jeff Groharing, also briefed the task force this spring. "There is a substantial likelihood of conviction based on the evidence," Murphy said, declining to address questions about the photographs or information that had not yet been made public. Murphy noted that two prosecution witnesses – a female interrogator identified only as Interrogator 11 and FBI agent Robert Fuller – had already testified that Khadr confessed to throwing the grenade. But one of the greatest challenges facing Obama's task force in deciding these cases is whether statements made during interrogations will be discounted in court as the product of torture. U.S. Special Forces shot Khadr twice in the back during his capture, and he was brought to the American-operated prison in Bagram, Afghanistan, in critical condition. During the three months before his transfer to Guantanamo, he was interrogated more than 40 times for up to eight hours a day. His chief interrogator, Joshua Claus, was later court-martialled in connection with the death of an Afghan taxi driver at Bagram. Khadr claims that during his questioning he was threatened with dogs, hung by his wrists or put in stress positions, despite his injuries. He also alleges he had a hood placed over his head and then soaked with water until he began to suffocate, and had LED lights shone into his eyes, injured by shrapnel. "Though critics of the Bush administration have at times been too quick to use the word, this can only be described as torture," his lawyers argue in their submission. Aside from Khadr's statements, the prosecution's case also includes an 18-minute video that briefly shows Khadr taping together wires for what look like improvised explosive devices, which have accounted for the deaths and maiming of hundreds of NATO fighters in Afghanistan. The Pentagon also claims he planted land mines (which the defence documents contend Khadr helped U.S. forces "recover without incident"). Khadr's family has also been a major factor in his case. His father, Egyptian-born Canadian Ahmed Said Khadr, was a reputed financier for Al Qaeda and was associated with Osama bin Laden and his second in command, Ayman al Zawahiri. He allegedly "loaned" Omar, his second youngest son, as a translator to associates within the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group in the summer of 2002. The Pentagon claims Omar trained with the group for a month before his capture. Pakistani forces killed Omar's father in October 2003. Prosecutors claim this evidence supports terrorism charges. But to try Omar Khadr, the Pentagon will have to overcome issues of the Canadian's age at the time of the alleged crimes – a concern that Radhika Coomaraswamy, the United Nations' Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, has reportedly stressed during recent meetings on Khadr's case with White House officials. While juveniles are often charged in criminal proceedings, Khadr was captured during an armed conflict, and international law stipulates that minors should be rehabilitated rather than prosecuted. (The last prosecution of a child soldier was in the 1940s, following World War II.) Khadr's lawyers argued to the task force that Khadr is a perfect candidate for rehabilitation, and they note that an Ottawa parliamentary committee has already approved a plan for him that would integrate mental, spiritual and social programs – and place legal restrictions on his freedom and access to family members. Retired U.S. Army Brig.-Gen. and psychiatrist Stephen Xenakis is likely one of the people who now knows Khadr most intimately, having spent hours talking with him at Guantanamo in the past two years as part of a court-ordered assessment. "He's a very decent young man, very, very decent," Xenakis told the Star. "Kind-hearted, thoughtful, sensitive, and you look at him and you see this kid has had a tragic experience.
"Right now we don't talk about politics or ideological stuff. My sense is that he disavows all of that.
"Those are early childhood experiences, (and) they've been edited in his head so many different ways."

Is this October?

Weather forecast for Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Friday, October 8, 2010

Mild with sun and some clouds



High: 23C

RealFeel®: 23C

Winds: W 13 kph

Gusts: 31 kph

Rain: 0 mm

Snow: 0 mm

Ice: 0 mm

UV Index: Low 

Sunrise: 7:07 AM

Overnight

Partly cloudy and mild



Low: 8C

RealFeel®: 5C

Winds: W 14 kph

Gusts: 26 kph

Rain: 0 mm

Snow: 0 mm

Ice: 0 mm

Sunset: 6:19 PM
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Tweet from @envirodefence

@envirodefence: RT @BCAMontreal: #deToxTipTues: KEEP PLASTIC OUT OF THE MICROWAVE, it leaches chemicals into your food when heated. Choose glass or ceramic.


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Britain formally recognizes Druidry as a religion

HomeNewsCommentaryBusinessInvestingSportsLifeArtsTechnology

Ancient pagan tradition best known for gatherings at Stonehenge every summer solstice will now get tax breaks

Sylvia Hui London— The Associated Press
Saturday, Oct. 02, 2010 03:43PM EDT

A picture taken on October 17, 2006 shows druids perfoming a pagan Samhain blessing ceremony at Stonehenge, in Avebury, Wiltshire, in southern England.

Druids have been worshipping the sun and earth for thousands of years in Europe, but now they can say they're practicing an officially recognized religion.

The ancient pagan tradition best known for gatherings at Stonehenge every summer solstice has been formally classed as a religion under charity law for the first time in Britain, the national charity regulator said Saturday. That means Druids can receive exemptions from taxes on donations — and now have the same status as such mainstream religions as the Church of England.

The move gives an old practice new validity, said Phil Ryder, the chairman of the 350-member Druid Network.

“It will go a long way to make Druidry a lot more accessible," he said.

Druids have practiced for thousands of years in Britain and in Celtic societies elsewhere in Europe. They worship natural forces such as thunder and the sun, and spirits they believe arise from places such as mountains and rivers. They do not worship a single god or creator, but seek to cultivate a sacred relationship with the natural world.

Although many see them as robed, mysterious people who gather every summer solstice at Stonehenge — which predates the Druids — believers say modern Druidry is chiefly concerned with helping practitioners connect with nature and themselves through rituals, dancing and singing at stone circles and other sites throughout the country believed to be “sacred."

Ancient Druids were known to be religious leaders, judges and sages among the Celts during pre-Christian times, although little evidence about their lives survived. There are now various Druid orders and about 10,000 practitioners in Britain — and believers said the numbers are growing because more people are becoming aware of the importance to preserve the environment.

The Druid Network fought for nearly five years to be recognized under the semi-governmental Charity Commission, which requires proof of cohesive and serious belief in a supreme entity and a moral framework.

After initially rejecting the Druid Network's application, the Charity Commission decided this week that Druidry fit the bill.

“There is sufficient belief in a supreme being or entity to constitute a religion for the purposes of charity law," the commission said.

Adrian Rooke, a Druid who works as a counsellor, said Druidry appeals to people who are turning away from monotheistic religions but still long for an aspect of spirituality in their lives.

“It uplifts the spirit," he said. “The world is running out of resources, and in that context it's more important to people now to formulate a relationship with nature."

Druids have been worshipping the sun and earth for thousands of years in Europe, but now they can say they're practicing an officially recognized religion.

The ancient pagan tradition best known for gatherings at Stonehenge every summer solstice has been formally classed as a religion under charity law for the first time in Britain, the national charity regulator said Saturday. That means Druids can receive exemptions from taxes on donations — and now have the same status as such mainstream religions as the Church of England.

The move gives an old practice new validity, said Phil Ryder, the chairman of the 350-member Druid Network.

“It will go a long way to make Druidry a lot more accessible," he said.

Druids have practiced for thousands of years in Britain and in Celtic societies elsewhere in Europe. They worship natural forces such as thunder and the sun, and spirits they believe arise from places such as mountains and rivers. They do not worship a single god or creator, but seek to cultivate a sacred relationship with the natural world.

Although many see them as robed, mysterious people who gather every summer solstice at Stonehenge — which predates the Druids — believers say modern Druidry is chiefly concerned with helping practitioners connect with nature and themselves through rituals, dancing and singing at stone circles and other sites throughout the country believed to be “sacred."

Ancient Druids were known to be religious leaders, judges and sages among the Celts during pre-Christian times, although little evidence about their lives survived. There are now various Druid orders and about 10,000 practitioners in Britain — and believers said the numbers are growing because more people are becoming aware of the importance to preserve the environment.

The Druid Network fought for nearly five years to be recognized under the semi-governmental Charity Commission, which requires proof of cohesive and serious belief in a supreme entity and a moral framework.

After initially rejecting the Druid Network's application, the Charity Commission decided this week that Druidry fit the bill.

“There is sufficient belief in a supreme being or entity to constitute a religion for the purposes of charity law," the commission said.

Adrian Rooke, a Druid who works as a counsellor, said Druidry appeals to people who are turning away from monotheistic religions but still long for an aspect of spirituality in their lives.

“It uplifts the spirit," he said. “The world is running out of resources, and in that context it's more important to people now to formulate a relationship with nature."

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@RosieBarton: Three Prime Ministers. Ya don't see that every day. #hw http://plixi.com/p/48129436


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Getting fit

If you are trying to get healthy, I wish you all the luck in the world. If you know someone who is trying to regain his or her health, I encourage you to encourage your friend. They need it more than you think, and maybe even more than they will admit. Even if it is just an attaboy/attagirl, or you can do it, goes a long way. Let them know you are there for them, even if it is just in spirit. The more people they know are behind them, the more likely they are to succeed. Remember this though: never, never, never x3, say anything negative, like: “you are looking much better, but you still have a long way to go”! The first part is golden, but the last part is poison!

In ether case, I wish you luck.

 

As always, if you are not reading this from my blog, please go to my blog to comment. Link to my families blog: http://madjwoodcock.blogspot.com/

Just a walkin in the leaves

A late summer walk is never complete without walking through the fallen crunchy leaves.
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Danika @ the playground

Out for a nice play date in a very lovely Summer day. +11 currently with +27 for the high! Summer is here! Better late than never!

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LGR ineffective in Teen Drive by shooting

Drive-by shooting misses targets, RCMP say

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2010/09/25/mb-st-georges-drive-by-shooting.html?ref=rss

The Long Gun Registry was totally useless in preventing a teenager from doing a drive by shooting in Manitoba. It was a good thing the kid was a pies poor shot, or the outcome would have been deadly!
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Princess @ Cultural days

Danika wanted to be a dancing princess, so I proudly present to you Dancing Princess Danika!
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Jaguar @ Culture Days

We're @ cultural days. The first thing we did was face painting and Aislyn wanted to be a Jaguar.
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First day @ dance

We are at Danika's first day of dancing! She LOVES IT!
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Danika in Wonderland

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You can't find me!

Playing hide and seek, waiting for Aislyn to come home from school.
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Mall Horse ride

Janice n' I took Danika to DQ, then to Zellers. (we bought new dance outfits for the girls as well as a cute lil' outfit for Danika). On our way out we let Danika ride on the mall horse, which she just loved!

Probably more to come today. We'll see.
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First school desk!

This is Aislyn's very first desk! Pamela and Afia are in the same room, but on the other side of the room! (which might be a good thing lol)
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Already for Grade One's First Day!

Clad in a new purple dress, purple shoos, her rain coat and brand new princess backpack, Aislyn is all set and awaiting her first buss ride to GRADE ONE!
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Gaming kitten

Sapphire, our 6 month kitten, decided to have a rest in Aislyn's Dora game.
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Gimme that old time Rock n' Roll

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wedding

We're @ my friend's wedding supper/reception/dance and Danika and Janice are doing the twist.
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True Grit Liberal!

    The Tories bumble through politics, creating there own versions of things. They are very good at it too. Listen to Mr. Day and his rants on unreported events, crime in particular. He says, unreported (meaning no one has ever reported it, thus cannot be proven one way or the other in a factual way), crime is on the rise! Now, how can any one know that for sure? It's not reported, thus no one knows about it, save for the participants! These supposed  "unreported crimes" are not on any record so, How can ANYONE know anything about these unreported events? (Without making it up that is). Mr. Day has obviously conjured this out of thin air, for how else could he come to know this information?

    For you non-Canadians, Tories refers to ether: the Progressive  Conservative Party of Canada or the Conservative Party of Canada. (And this depends upon which small c conservative party is in power, or in official opposition at the time. It's a bit complicated, but in a tiny nutshell: There was the Conservative party of Canada, which changed it's name to include Progressive, so we got the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. Then another right winged party came in not that long ago, with varying names. I won't go into them right now. They merged withthe Progressive Conservatives, dropping the Progressive in the name, goingback to just plain old Conservative. (Please note the capitol "C" in the name, for it is a proper name of a political party). There still is the Progressive Conservative party of Canada, but they are much weaker and not much of a presence upon Political Canada anymore. The "old" Progressive Conservative Party of Canada are the "leftovers" of the "new" - merged, Conservative Party of Canada. They are less radical, thus kind of boring in direct comparison to "our" ruling party of the Conservative Party of Canada. I could (and probably should) go on about the evils of the Conservative (both with and without the Progressive within the name) party of Canada, but I will save that rant for another day.

    The Liberal Party merged with the True Grit Party, but retained the Liberal name. Because of the merging of these two parties, the Liberals are sometimes known as Grits.

    Suffice it to say, I am a card carrying Federal Liberal member, and proud of it! (Personally, I like the name of Grits better than Liberals. But that's just me). We show more "grit" at the table than do those snooty, high-nosed Conservatives.

    They (The Conservatives) are the upper-crust of society, looking down upon us gritty, workers, working to make them, the rich man richer, whilst we the poor Grit, get nare a penny! We are the people's party!

Marty R. Woodcock, signing off. A Proud Canadian, and a Proud Grit!

Makeup queen

Aislyn started putting makeup on Danika then Danika finished the job on herself! For 2 and 5 year olds, that's not bad eh?

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Family Fun in the Sun!

Aislyn and Danika are having fun running through the sprinkler, awaiting Pamela's arrival.

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dressup queen

I think this is self explanatory!

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I AM CANADIAN!

I know this place is where I am,
No other place is better then.
No matter where I go I am,
Proud to be Canadian!
I am, you know I am,
I am Canadian!
I am, you know I am,
I am Canadian!
(COMON`)
I love this country where I am,
This land is where I make my stand.
No other heart is truer then,
The one we call Canadian,
(Sing it!),
I am, you know
(you know I am),
I am Canadian
(you know I am)
I am, you know I am
(you know I am),
I am Canadian.
I AM CANADIAN!
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New Bike!

Last summer I got my third bike stolen! (Right in front of the house too!). Well, I just got a new one the other day! This time no one will steal it! Muhahahahahahaha! (Why? - that's for mr to know and no one to find out! Muhahahahahahaha!)

Cool bike though eh?

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It's raining, it's hailing!

The power's out due to the heavy rain, hail and lightning! Until 45 minutes ago, today has been a gorges day!

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A wee walk

Danika and I wend for a walk whilst Aislyn's in school. It's a beautiful day for a walk!

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