RAVI PANDYA's rumblings
On Sat, Jun 7, 2008 at 3:05 AM, ravi pandya
Dear Global friends,movers and shakers,
A short email to ask for your prayers,reflections and kind consideration to heal the world,whilst war clouds gather momentum in the Middle East,with no end in sight between wars amongst the Jews of Isreal and the world and Muslims of Palestine and the world.
Where do the Hindus,Sikhs,Rajputs,English,British,Africans,Christians,Buddhists and believers and none fit in scheme of things in Gods and Goddesses Universe?
Indeed,one reflects on the story of Samson and Delilah and the most powerfull man of his times lost his strength,when he was seduced by a beautifull lady from the enemy side,who cut his hair,whilst he was asleep and he lost all his strength and power.As an analogy,Jews and Muslims have gained power,through thier willies being cut.i.e circumcised.Isnt God a mystery,that some loose strength and power whilst other gain strength or fighting spirit.
I saw Aida in Welsh Millenium centre in cardiff and it showed the Egptians priests in times of Pahroas,torturing the percieved enemy of the state,who was the Chief of The Egyptian armed forces but had turned sides as he had fallen in love with a slave girl,who turned out to be the daughter of the Ethopian Kings daughter.
The Military chief was tortured,just as Egypt tortures today and the chief was entombed in concrete.Indeed,Muslim Ruller of India,Jahangir entombed a working class Hindu girl who had fallen in love with the Muslim Prince Salim.
Atleast,the White Christian Princes and rullers of UK/Europe and USA dont do such barbaric things.
I am forwarding the flier from a Buddhist Monk,who I met accidently at Bristol Temple Meads station,wearing a mauve long attireMonks attire and started chatting,whilst waiting to meet a chinese bussiness lady coming from London.I considered it a blessing meeting the Monk but it dawned on me after wards,that the Chinese bussiness lady might not like it ,seeing a Buddhist Monk and put me in a state of slight anxiety as on one hand one believes in God and Goddesses,whoever is upabove,ruller of the universe and creator and ones blood,lineage of pure Brahmin blood,of five removed but at the same time,ones destiny to make a living as in the world we live,money makes the world go around.So,one has to enage in commerce,bussiness,profession etc to make a living and look after ones loved one and also help the less fortunate living beings,be they human,humane and from the animal kingdom and environment.Luckily,the chinese bussiness woman took the wrong train station and came to parkway station and God solved the problem of slight anxiety.Hence,do be enlightened and keep the flame of spirituality alive in England,which has become to some the killing fields of saigon or cambodia,with so many folks being knifed willy nilly.
It was refreshing to see African Reverend and Archbishop Dr.Sentumu did a sky diving jump at the age of sixty eight for charity,God and christianity whilst the poor Indian Commander fainted whilst reviewing the army parade,who is also aged sixty eight.what does it say about indian health and God?
on the otherhand,I am reading a book by Major Genral Julian Thompson,now a visiting professor at Kings college ,london,who cites from English /british commanders in the field,that the Hindu nepali Gurkhas,sikhs,rajpoots and Hindu and Muslim Punjabis and Pathans were the best soldiers and Gurkhas praise above al.Gurkhas won 13 victoria crosses out of twenty seven,highest amongst all british regiment and Bristol Born Birgadier General Slim,who spoke urdu,gorkhali and ofcourse English,was the best commnader,if not better then Duke of Wellington.
The fighting was hand to hand,in harsh terrian,jungles of burma and the forces were only twney five yards apart and kukri,macheta and bayonet and night attack were common against an enemy,which was fighting for God and emperor and surrender wasnt an option and doctors,nurses,orderlies wer bayonetted.But the indians,who were all volunteers thought they were fighting for a noble cause and believed and trusted the English/british rullers of the times.But alas we saw recently,the gurkhas were kicked in the teeth and denied thier rights in uk,so they gave thier medals back ,politely to gordon brown and co.
Recently,Jefferey Archer,Tory Peer,said in India recently,that UK indians are in political terms where the Jews were 30 to 40 years ago and he forsees an Indian UK Prime Minister some time soon .Hope he or she is a Vegan,genuine and spirtually inclined and promotes tolerance,respect for all living beings.
Lieutennant General Tanaka,33rd Japanese Imperial Army Division addressing the troops before the assault on Imphal: Now is the time to capture Imphal.Our death-defying infantry group expects certain victory when it penetrates the main fortress of the enemy.
Indeed,The Gurkhas,Indian and British troops did defy and repulse the Japanese advance at great cost in men and animals.
In the book on Burma campaign,the african soldiers also comes in for praise.i.e he was stoic,brave,hardy and did not read english but was given orders and instrcutions by word of mouth and marched fifteen hundred miles and carried heavy loads on thier heads and some of the poor blighters did not have guns to defend themselves against the Japanese soldiers.
But isnt it sad or strange that the folks who helped us or who were loyal to us are denied entry to uk or respect and appreciation to day.eg Bulgarians,hungarians ,nazis who sided with the enemy are welcomed with open arms,whilst gurkhas,sikhs,punjabis,rajpoots,africans from west africa and east africa are told to bugger off or made to swim or sink in shark infested waters,as they try to slip into uk via spain as asylum seekers and all?why the differentials? how can we differntiate between foe and friend and who will be good for us as a country and people to make us a free and indpendent democratic country respected and appreciates as a new England?
The American Brigadier general,vinegar Joe,Stillwill who commanded Chinese forces,absolutely hated the white british aristrocracy and its officer class,royal minions or henchmen and despised Lord Louise Mountbatten,allied supremo in the far east,who did not get his feet wet.
Yet,the american general was happy to serve under the lower grammar school boy and now a formidable general,with grit, common sense ;Brgadier general Slim,who was respected by whites,browns and black bretherens as he was not racist or arrogant or snigger.Indeed,after the old public school boy lost to the japanese through arrogance or ineptness or incompetence and over hundred and twenty thousand british troops surrendered to only thirty thousand japanese troops in singapore,it took a lot of effort to restore british moral under slim and the indian and african,including sikhs,muslims,hindus etc to eject japanese out of burma.
The burmese,some were good and some were treachorous and not good soldiers.hence,if we had foresight,should have kept burma under control and helped Ku Si to be the PM and under English.Indian and african officers and army with burmese units for the country to flourish for mutual advantage as a grand Co-operative society ,mother and father of Uks CRS co-operative society,with good policing and security.
Hence,the title above or theme.Why cant we invite a million Gurkhas,sikhs,rajpoots,west africans and secure europe,uk etc by chucking out or hunting down nazis,cosa nostra etc.eg.each and every house in Austria to be checked and searched to see if any child has been locked up and abused in cellars and take charge of Austrian,Jipos,commies,facist,cosa nostra thugs who hinder democracy,freedoms and liberty.The words jipos,commie,facist are not mine but expressed by an englishmen who feels for the england which has been ruined by dodgy lot according to his humble opinion.Atleast he has a right to express an opinion in uk unlike other countries.
You can see from Farm USA that the austrian judges has banned animal rights activist from protesting and has also locked up some.pray,why is that the chinese,who dont believe in democracy,human rights and nobler virtues of a human,were allowed free reign and all to parade the olypic torch and were assited with police escorts and were given visas freely and easily,whilst decent law abiding citzens are harassed and locked up?
was the sacrifice by Indians,africans and Englishmen worth it in the 1st and 2nd world war and in Iraq,if one is not allowed the freedoms and democracy at home in uk and europe?
I live you to ponder and reflect on a sunny saturday.
with best wishes,
ravi
p.s animal activist and organisations are not allowed to advertise as political and yet burgher kings,chicken slaughterors are.why the racism,sexism and discrimination.atleast in usa ,if you have money you can advertise and have media slots.
letter from Roger Berry MP that he has signed Early Day motion 783 and gathered 111 signatures to ban commercial seal hunting and seal body parts in uk and EU.in cricket 111 is single nelson and ususally a wicket falls.pray the candians have thier come uppence and are brought to book for thier barbarity.many MPs have sold thier soul to the devil or have compromised,some supect in drug filled orgies dressed in nazi uniforms etc and are fearfull that if they dont toe the line or behave to the tune of cosa nostra,they would be exposed to thier wives,family and friends and loose material comforts.whatever way one looks,what a waste of legacy of vetrans of yester years.thanks be for the legacy and activist of blessed anita roddick of Body shop.
[FHRS_USA] SANSKRIT GURU, JI, FROM CHINA
Mukherjee hands over Padma Bhushan to China's bed ridden 'Sanskrit Guru'
PTI
BEIJING: It was an emotional moment for 97-year-old Ji Xianlin when visiting Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee handed over the coveted Padma Bhushan award to him at the People's Liberation Army Hospital in Beijing.
Popularly known as 'Sanskrit Guru', Ji's claim to fame is that he has translated the entire Ramayana into Chinese. Ji has also translated several other classics like Shakuntalam and Panchatantra. The Ji collection consists of 24 volumes, including articles on ancient Indian languages.
Born in 1911 in Linquing County in eastern China, Professor Ji also worked as a life professor at the prestigious Peking University. He played an instrumental role in promoting India in the hearts and minds of the people of China.
China today has a better understanding of India's cultural heritage and her contribution to Chinese culture and spiritual life.
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It's not too late to make it to these weekend events!
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Sent: 06 June 2008 20:54:17
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Lesson 55
Sloka 55 from Dancing with Siva
Does God Ever Punish Wrongdoers?
God is perfect goodness, love and truth. He is not wrathful or vengeful. He does not condemn or punish wrongdoers. Jealousy, vengefulness and vanity are qualities of man's instinctive nature, not of God. Aum Namah Sivaya.
Bhashya
There is no reason to ever fear God, whose right-hand gesture, abhaya mudra, indicates 'fear not,' and whose left hand invites approach. God is with us always, even when we are unaware of that holy presence. He is His creation. It is an extension of Himself; and God is never apart from it nor limited by it. When we act wrongly, we create negative karma for ourselves and must then live through experiences of suffering to fulfill the law of karma. Such karmas may be painful, but they were generated from our own thoughts and deeds. God never punishes us, even if we do not believe in Him. It is by means of worship of and meditation on God that our self-created sufferings are softened and assuaged. God is the God of all--of the believers within all religions, and of the nonbelievers, too. God does not destroy the wicked and redeem the righteous; but grants the precious gift of liberation to all souls. The Agamas state, 'When the soul gradually reduces and then stops altogether its participation in darkness and inauspicious powers, the Friend of the World, God, reveals to the soul the limitless character of its knowledge and activity.' Aum Namah Sivaya.
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Obama's victory: It's yours too
From: James Rucker, ColorOfChange.org (no-reply@colorofchange.org)
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Sent: 06 June 2008 08:18:40
To: Ravi (ravi_pilgrim3@hotmail.com)
Dear Ravi,
On Tuesday, Barack Obama secured the Democratic nomination for President, becoming this country's first African-American presidential nominee from a major party. It's an historic accomplishment that many of us thought would not come within our lifetime.
This is a moment to celebrate -- not only Barack Obama's victory, but the incredible activism and movement-building that made it possible. Black folks were engaged in this election like never before, turning out in record numbers to vote, organize, and make our voices heard in this process. And our allies were there too--standing with us to make sure it was a fair contest.
ColorOfChange.org members played a unique and influential role at key moments this primary season. We want to make sure you understand some of the powerful ways you helped shape the events of this election.
Standing up for voting rights and stopping race-baiting campaign tactics
With superdelegates playing a significant role in the nomination for the first time in decades, ColorOfChange.org members were an important voice for voting rights and democracy.1 In February, almost 27,000 of us called on members of the Congressional Black Caucus, as superdelegates, to support the will of voters, not undermine it.2 In May, despite Obama's insurmountable lead among voters, Hillary Clinton was arguing that superdelegates should hand her the nomination because white voters would not support Obama.3 Over 33,000 of us signed an open letter asking superdelegates to respect the will of voters and reject Clinton's strategy of stoking race-based fear and division.4
A few weeks later, Senator Clinton told USA Today that 'Sen. Obama's support among working, hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening again.'5 More than 500 ColorOfChange members called Howard Dean (with thousands more of us prepared to call), asking that he tell Clinton to stop race-baiting.6,7 In the following days, party leaders publicly called for an end to the divisive tactics and there was a growing sense that superdelegates would step in to end the nomination process if Clinton's campaign didn't end the race-baiting.8
Claiming a voice in the national conversation
Each time ColorOfChange members raised our collective voice during this nomination campaign, our staff reached out to the media to make sure our message would carry far and wide. It worked -- because of our large numbers, the media was interested in what we had to say, and our efforts were covered by national newspapers, online outlets, and cable news shows. This greatly magnified the impact of each of our actions, and over time it has greatly increased our profile as an organization. Thanks to your engagement, ColorOfChange.org is now a respected and influential voice in national politics.9 We should all be proud of the incredibly powerful movement we're building together.
As Barack Obama often says, this election isn't really about him; it's about all of us and the issues that affect our lives. We'll be working to make sure that the incredible energy and enthusiasm generated by Barack Obama's historic candidacy is channeled into activism that creates real, lasting social and political change, through the general election and beyond. We hope you'll continue to stand with us.
Thanks and Peace,
-- James, Gabriel, Clarissa, Andre, and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team
June 6th, 2008
References:
1. Sampling of ColorOfChange coverage on Superdelegates
http://www.colorofchange.org/superd/coverage/
2. 'ColorOfChange Discusses Superdelegates,' CNN, 02-26-08
http://youtube.com/watch?v=5740rYm-hWw
3. 'Sunday Show Roundup: The Long Goodbye,' TPMtv, 05-12-08
http://www.veracifier.com/episode/TPM_20080512
4. 'Black-Issues Group: Price To Pay If Clinton Wins Through Superdelegates,' Huffington Post, 05-02-08
http://tinyurl.com/5k5fdm
5. 'White dog whistles no more,' Pam Spaulding at Pam's House Blend, 05-08-2008
http://www.pamshouseblend.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=5311
6. 'Group: Tell Clinton to Stop 'Race-Baiting',' New York Times, 05-09-08
http://tinyurl.com/539959
7. 'ColorOfChange Leader Accuses Clinton of 'Race Baiting',' Washington Post, 05-09-08
http://tinyurl.com/4fa254
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World Environment Day
From: I Am An Activist (news@iamanactivist.org)
Sent: 05 June 2008 15:56:22
Reply-to: news@iamanactivist.org
To: ravi_pilgrim3@hotmail.com (ravi_pilgrim3@hotmail.com)
Dear Fellow Activist: Today is World Environment Day. Right now, Alain Robert, known as the French Spiderman, isrisking his life in New York City climbing high into the skylineto raise awareness of the desperate need for real stewardshipfrom world leaders on global warming ahead of next month's G8meeting. He says 'The Solution Is Simple': 1 – Stop Cutting Down Trees. Plant More Trees.2 – Make Everything Energy Efficient.3 – Only Make Clean Energy. The cost of action is a simple matter of math. The cost of actingNOW is far smaller than the cost of acting TOO LATE. But the timefor action is running out, fast. World leaders know this, but are still not acting fast or bravelyenough. Last year in Bali, they failed to agree to ANY emissionsreduction targets, but rather to two more years of more talk.TALK is no longer cheap; but we can't afford any more of itinstead of ACTION. But there is hope in the changing of the guard among worldleaders. America's next President could help lead the way.There's reason for hope. We urgently need a global agreement forat least a 50 percent cut in emissions. World leaders meet again next month at the G8 conference inJapan. YOU can help make sure they get the message. Go tohttp://www.thesolutionissimple.org and join your voice with ours.Together we WILL be heard. Together, millions of us can help make history on the most urgentand important issue of our lifetime. It's that simple. Stay informed, stay inspired, stay active! As always in solidarity, Your friends at AnitaRoddick.com and IAmAnActivist.org
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REUTERS - 06.06.2008 12:44
Officials say Iran attack 'unavoidable'
© REUTERS2008
By Dan Williams
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - An Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear sites looks 'unavoidable' given the apparent failure of sanctions to deny Tehran technology with bomb-making potential, one of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's deputies said on Friday.
'If Iran continues with its programme for developing nuclear weapons, we will attack it. The sanctions are ineffective,' Transport Minister Shaul Mofaz told the mass-circulation Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.
'Attacking Iran, in order to stop its nuclear plans, will be unavoidable,' said the former army chief who has also been defence minister.
It was the most explicit threat yet against Iran from a member of Olmert's government, which, like the Bush administration, has preferred to hint at force as a last resort should U.N. Security Council sanctions be deemed a dead end.
Iran, which denies seeking nuclear weapons, has defied Western pressure to abandon its uranium enrichment projects. The leadership in Tehran has also threatened to retaliate against Israel -- believed to have the Middle East's only atomic arsenal -- and U.S. targets in the Gulf for any attack on Iranian turf.
Mofaz also said in the interview that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has called for Israel to be wiped off the map, 'would disappear before Israel does.'
Mofaz's remarks came as he and several other senior members of Olmert's Kadima Party prepare for a possible run for top office should a corruption scandal force the Israeli prime minister to step down.
Iranian-born Mofaz has been a main party rival of the Israeli prime minister, particularly following the 2006 elections when Olmert was forced to hand the defence portfolio to Labour, his main coalition partner, at Mofaz's expense.
Mofaz, who is also designated as a deputy prime minister, has remained privy to Israel's defence planning. He is a member of Olmert's security cabinet and leads regular strategic coordination talks with the U.S. State Department.
Israel sent warplanes to destroy Iraq's nuclear reactor in 1981.
A similar Israeli sortie over Syria last September razed what the U.S. administration said was a nascent nuclear reactor built with North Korean help. Syria denied having any such facility.
Independent analysts have questioned, however, whether Israel's armed forces can take on Iran alone, as its nuclear sites are numerous, distant and well-fortified.
(Editing by Ori Lewis and Charles Dick)
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National Rally for the Badgers! Cardiff June 28 2008 - click here for more information on how you can get involved. Your wildlife needs you!
Also, find out what else you can do to help the badgers here!
Public enemy No.1?
Badgers are the face of the British countryside – harmless, loved, unique and secretive. It is extraordinary that they have managed to survive at
all in a landscape that is so intensively farmed.
They face illegal trapping, baiting with dogs and 50,000 die on the roads each year. Now they face their biggest threat yet: the dairy industry!
Badgers are accused by farmers of being the main culprits in spreading bovine TB. The real culprits are farming practices so intense that dairy cows face repeated infections from mastitis and laminitis and rarely survive beyond five years old. One-third of TB tests are inaccurate, allowing disease carriers to reinfect their herd or to be transported around the UK, infecting new herds.
A £50 million, 10-year, independent investigation by top scientists (ISG) concluded that:
“Badger culling cannot meaningfully contribute to the control of cattle TB.”
Yet still farmers are calling for their pound of badger flesh. Thousands of animals will be hunted, trapped, caged and shot. It will be a wildlife
massacre and to no purpose - other than mollifying farmers who refuse to change their ways.
Permanent stress
A dairy cow’s babies are taken away after birth so humans can have her milk. Too skinny for beef and the wrong sex to produce milk many male calves are shot shortly after birth! Made pregnant again after two months, she has to feed herself, her growing foetus and produce up to 120 pints of milk a day. Is it any wonder her immune system is in shreds and she is susceptible to many diseases – including TB?
Save badgers... and cows!
First, we have to save badgers from cynical politicking. Then we have to secure their future and the surest way to do this is to stop buying meat and dairy. The bonus is that dairy cows will no longer be subjected to a life of pain, you’re likely to improve your health and you will be doing the single most important thing to protect the environment. Click here to find out more about going vegan.
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Bristol Tibet Group - Working to Raise Awareness.Thursday June 12,2008 at the Pierian Centre.St.Pauls.7.30-9.30Pm.Ven.Geshe Jampel Dakpa,Principal of the college for Higher Tibetan Studies near Dharamsala,India.
More info:www.ibdindia.org
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FOUNDER
Late Ven. Rev Lobsang Gyatso
1928-1997
Lobsang Gyatso was born in 1928 in a small village in eastern Tibet. He became a monk at the age of eleven, and later traveled to central Tibet to study at Drepung Monastery. Fleeing Tibet in 1959, the Dalai Lama and he founded the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics in Dharamsala India. After some difficult early years it established itsellf as one of the success stories of the Tibetan exile community. The founding of the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics and College for Higher Tibetan Studies Sarah is the work for which Lobsang Gyatso will be best remembered.
Unencumbered by past history and unfettered by formal ties, it evolved under the guidance of Lobsang Gyatso into a diverse institution defined only by the wish to properly educate Tibetan youth in exile. He was murdered at his residence in February 1997.
A Tibetan patriot and unswerving follower of the Dalai Lama, Lobsang Gyatso emerges as fearless social critic, and a deeply spiritual man.
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Re: Legacy or Abomination of Second world war? Why was there selective retribution and come uppence for sins of the war?i.e White German Aryan Leaders race were tried for crimes against humanity for the slaughter of six million predominantly white Jews whilst the yellow raced Japanese king Emperor and his henchmen were let off even when they inflicted so much suffering,brutality on white english/british working class ,Brown indians and yellow chinese folks and also women of cambodia.why the differential treatment by the global community?indeed,to rub salt in the wound of the vetrans,the standards and colours of the japanese emperor are flying today at windsor castle?Is it all to do with money as the japanese have money or is there something else?discuss/ponder/reflect.
Comments
6000 wounded & 3000 dead on a front of 40 miles? About 1 dead & 2 wounded every 2.3 yards, if I got my figures right? Not counting the dead & wounded civilians & the German forces. Imagine that the next time you take a journey of 40 miles. 2.3 yards is about 3 paces - 1 dead and 2 wounded - you could have walked on the dead & wounded from one end of the front to the other. Just one battle in a war that could have been avoided. Remember that the next time someone claims another war is necessary/unavoidable, for whatever reason. War is hell & should be or we might come to like it.
Posted by: RAV | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 02:45 AM
I'm sorry Rav - a war that could have been avoided? Easy to say in retrospect. Tell it to the Czechs, the Jews, the Poles and all the brave peoples that suffered Nazi oppression. It took a little time to say enough but please don't dishonour the memories of our troops and civilians with such drivel
Posted by: Jerome | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 05:00 AM
RAV 'Just one battle in a war that could have been avoided.'
Umm, by surrendering to Hitler's demands and ignoring our alliance treaties ?
My Dad survived both Dunkirk and D-Day and made a huge sacrifice in health & longevity so people like RAV can safely spout their revisionist nonsense.
Posted by: Stan | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 05:13 AM
Outstanding article! And a hearty 'Thank You' from this American to all of those of the Commonwealth who served on all fronts during WW2 . . .
Posted by: Mike, St Louis, Missouri USA | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 06:09 AM
The 'Band of Brothers' has always been 'Britain's Own', the phrase first being used in Shakespeare's Henry V and then by Admiral Nelson. It seems that many think it's an American term... obviously getting their history from Hollywood (ditto 'The Red Line')
Posted by: DMC | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 06:50 AM
Rav is absolutely right Jerome, that war could of been avoided and its one of the best kept open secrets why too.
Why is it people assume Hitler popped out of some mystical unheard of place when in reality a secret cabal of businessmen from Britain, America and Germany financed Hitler into power.
Many of those behind the financiering of Hitler shared his anti-semitic views, Henry Ford and Walt Disney are two well known examples of rabid anti-semites. The current President in America's grandfather and great-grandfather were heavily involved also in colluding with Hitler and the Nazis for years, in fact the former Bush forebear was being congressionally investigated in 1945 for trading with the Nazi's but charges were dropped when the war ended.
So the excuse used then 'We didn't know what he was going to do' falls a little short of credibility, of course these people knew what Hitler was going to do, it was precisely that they knew that they willingly bankrolled Hitler into power and it was the same people near enough in 1933 that also tried to overthrow the US govt and install a fascist regime there too.
So Rav is 100% right, the whole thing could of been avoided, yet it was the greedy businessmen and the monied elité that saw Hitler as a means to harness Europe into one cohesive rule, Hitler's vision of Neuropa and indeed world domination was their goal.
But history teaches, Hitler's downfall was oil, if Hitler hadn't decided to steal Russia's oil, angering Stalin through Operation Taifun and forcing a second front, Hitler could may well have won WWII, instead he found to his cost that it was the biggest strategic blunder he could make and thus we won.
And history teaches that another military empire today made that very same mistake, in fact many mistakes, from lying the people into false wars (Reichstag fire) to thinking that stealing the Iraqis oil could be far more achievable than simply paying for it...
So all power to the people of Britain who fought for our defence, remember we blew the whistle in 1939 and our so called friends across the water were quite content in watching our country and our people get blitzed for two years whilst they enjoyed the good life and we in Britain were on our knees starving and pulling our dead kids out of the rubble.
Posted by: Ian Watson | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 08:49 AM
Posted by: RAV | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 02:45 AM
Who are yopu and where are you from?
You're talking out of a hole in your head. Many politicians in both Britian and France desperately wanted to avoid it as many of them had witnessed the horrors of the western front and had no wish to see Europe once again torn apart by what many of them saw as internecine civil war.
Unfortunately Hitler had set Germany on a road from which there was no turning back, no matter what concessions and appeasements were made, he and his ilk in the nazis party believed that Germany should be masters of Europe. whether or not Britain had join thed conflict in 1939 would have made little or no difference, he would eventually have turned on Britain as he could not allow it to become a base for any resistnace that could challenge his supremacy in Europe.
As to the veterens, yes we should do a lot more than we are to care for them and to make sure the sacrifice they made on our behalf is never forgotton.
Posted by: flipped | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 08:57 AM
Posted by: Ian Watson | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 08:49 AM
You forgot to mention the Lizards! Never forget them and the role they played behind the scenes, or was it the Cabal of Jews? I keep forgetting, you must remind me as I never seem to keep up with all these conspiracy theories.
Posted by: flipped | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 09:00 AM
My beloved Uncle lies in Dieppe, and I would love to be there to stand for him in Rememberance. I was sad to learn that the WW2 was brought down to make money for the Elitists! The shameful loss of lives so they could fill their coffers. If there really is a hell, my they live an eternity living and dying over and over.David Rockefeller,Preston Bush, for starters, the rest know who they are and no second birth through Jesus will satisfy me. False Flag wars are the greatest sins a country or leader could ever do. Just ask the Iraqi's.
Posted by: Blacktiger | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 09:46 AM
It's disgusting that the government won't help the remaining veterans. Where would we all be now if they hadn't fought in WWII ?
Compared to the huge amounts of money that they throw away on useless projects etc, this is a tiny amount. In my opinion the Government should support every last one of the veterans until their dying day. For as long as one veteran wants to go to Normandy (or other locations where they fought) the assistance should be provided.
Not only that, we the younger generations (I'm 45) should always remember what these people did for us. God help us if we ever forget.
Posted by: John, Beverley, East Yorkshire | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 09:49 AM
My father survived a number of well-known WWII battles, including D-Day. One of the stories he used tell in later years concerned an incident which he had witnessed during the time he was in Normandy. He always told the story slowly, but not with emotion - as he did all such stories. My father died last year at the age of 91 after another battle far closer to home which lasted over 7 weeks and which he should never have had to fight. This battle was fought on a geriatric hospital ward in a university teaching hospital where some combination of poor management, inappropriate staffing and/or understaffing, inadequate communication, delapidated facilities and ignorance or else complete indifference was the order of the day. My father, a model of fortitude, restraint and decency, and a man who had given so much for people he didn't even know, was slowly reduced to nothing on that ward. For the first time in my life I saw him alarmed, afraid and really sad. He wept on a number of occasions about different things, and one of the things he wept about was the incident he had witnessed in Normandy. To realise that he had been so distressed by what he had seen all those years ago but had never let on as much, or been comforted for this and other wartime experiences, was heartbreaking. To find that next to nobody working on that ward was interested to get to know or really cared about the great and giving man they had in their midst and that the vast majority 'involved' in 'caring' for him dealt with him instead as though he were just another unattractive proposition or inconvenience on their shift was... unspeakabe. I am aware that many experience the sort of 'treatment' he received, e.g. my mother died a long and difficult death on another, really terrible hospital ward about 10 years ago, but what happened to my father 'in his hour of need' was somehow far worse - a shameful betrayal of his trust and of all the values he'd fought for. Anyone reading this who has had the privilege of keeping company with WWII veterans - people like my father - will know what a very special and deserving bunch of people they are. They will also know that many of those still living are already as good as forgotten - for all the same reasons that the elderly in general are usually overlooked. In old age my father lived for the reunions with former comrades and visits to the places he fought in. As his health deteriorated it became increasingly difficult for him to attend these events and eventually he needed someone to accompany and assist him wherever he went. Yes, we should be reaching into our pockets to help others like him to celebrate what they fought for and to remember the friends who didn't make it back. We should also be up in arms about what's going on in so many of our geriatric wards.
Posted by: someone's daughter | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 10:00 AM
I have been to Normandy many times, simply to pay my respects and to show my gratitude to the real 'Great' Britons. At times, us Brits struggle to find reasons to be proud of our nation. These brave men are one reason, and we must support them for the sacrifices they made for this nation and others while they are still with us.
As a 29 year old, seeing the beaches, the cemetaries, the gun batteries, the memorial statues etc. it hit home significantly what an important war this was to fight, for the freedom of our people. I'd strongly suggest field trips for the ASBO's we have in this country and I think they would then take a look at themselves and act accordingly!
Posted by: Matthew Pini | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 10:03 AM
It is interesting to read some of the revisionist drivel that shows up on this site that deals with a slowly dwindling number of veterans who landed on a beach many years ago.
Brave men, who knew they were landing in France, though not sure where, and attacked fortifications that left many dead and wounded. Fortifications that the Germans had time to build and defend. My dad (who is still alive) wasn't part of that attack, but he made two such landing in the South Pacific.
Too many countries today have forgotten about these men who helped free several countries from a despot and a mass murderer. Instead they (and many civilians) see an old man (and in some cases and easy target) and forget that 60+ years ago, that man was young and was in the fight for his life.
Yes, maybe this war could have been avoided. It could have been avoided if countries had taken a stand against Hitler early on. It could have been avoided if countries had not tried to appease Hitler and look were too busy looking for 'Peace in our Time.' Maybe it could have been, but if one has a question about that, read Mein Kampf. Also read Hitler's next book. That will answer the question if this war could have been avoided.
Until the Prince of Peace finally shows up, there will always be those who instead of looking for peace, sees those who want peace as easy pickings and not willing to fight for what they believe. For every person who wants peace (and is willing to sacrifice everything for it) there is that person (like Hitler) waiting in the wings. The WWII Generation (the Greatest Generation) knew that fact. Unfortunately, that has not been passed on to many in the next generation.
Posted by: David | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 10:07 AM
The government should absolutely pay for these heroes (every single one of them ) to visit the beaches of Normandy next year. My late mother was a VAD during the war. She often told me stories of the immense courage of her generation who gave their lives for freedom. She gave to the nation and ended up in a nursing home dying of Alzheimers, robbed of her dignity. Personally I am proud of every single one of these men who gave so much in order that we may live in a democracy to-day. I urge the government to provide so that the survivors can go and pay their respects to their lost comrades.
Posted by: Chris Bruce | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 10:09 AM
It is always the commonmen,women,children and animals suffer in wars and the soldiers,foot soldiers in particular regardless of race,religion,creed or class are roped into do the fighting,be it a just,righteous moral or not wars.It is sad and disappointing that wars are not fought as a last resort to stop bullies,facists,reactionaries,despots etc etc which in short means evil folks in the world who want to dominate,subjugate and harass people for thier own selfish ends or ideologies,be they gentiles,jews,communists,catholics,muslims,hindus,black,brown ,white ,yellow or mixture of hew.eg in todays world,persecution of Buddhists in Tibet and China,Hindus in Malaysia,Muslims in Palestine,Christians in Darfur etc etc so that we could have brought about a regime change in Burma,Got the Isrelais to vacate the occupied territories since the six day war,got the americans out of iraq,iranians out of Iraq ,Sudanese out of darfur etc and fought wars to stop Genocide in Darfur,Burma,Cambodia etc.wars without fear or favour to make the world a civilised place and with allies who are commited to human rights for all,and allies who adhere to Geneva convention and also who dont carry out massacre or abuse of civilians and respect all living beings including animals and the faith of the community and its environment.
There was the golden era of british rule and empire when we had men like Brigadier Genral Slim,a bristol born humble lower grammar schoolboy, History teacher who led the British Indian 14th Army and was ranked the best british Soldier since Duke of Wellington.He led his men of over twenty different nationality,cultures,faiths and all of over a million men and reversed the fortunes of war to roll back the Japanese advance back to Malasia and Singapore,after the Japanese had inflicted the heaviest defeat on the british army since the defeat against the american army in war of independence.Three quarters of the troops under Brigadier General Slim were Indian troops and also some African troops besides Tommies and Jock,and Fusiliers and yorkshire men and welsh men.The fighting was ferocious and hand to hand as the Japanese attacked at night with bayonet fixed and did not believe in prisoners and killed doctors,medicl orderlies and wounded soldiers as they believed that to surrender was cowardice and they were fighting for God and Emperor.There were twenty seven victoria crosses won and thirteen went to Gurkhas,highest number in any British regiments and Gurkhas were considered the best soldiers,brave and ferocious and to tackle the Japanese was no mean task,as they were considered better troops then the Germans,who were formidable troops in thier own way.(Please read book by Major General Julian Thompson of Royal Marines) The Imperial war Museum Book of the War in Burma.1942-1945 for a better grasp of the valour,blood,toiland sacrifice of the men who did not have proper and adequate equipemnt and also had lee Enfield rifles which used to jam and had inferior tanks as all the good stuff in arms and ammo was diverted or sent to Europe for the normandy landings.yet we saw the Gurkhas,who did so much for us were denied proper pensions or right of abode in uk ,whilst riff raffs,terrorists,drug pushers,criminals have been given free reign to trun ragged and harrass ,rape and pilaage fellow citizens in uk.what an abuse of legacy
Posted by: Ravi | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 10:17 AM
I have experience nothing like the pain that these veterans went through, but take time to think about them every year as I know that without them, I may be speaking German right now.
Most of them don't have long left to live and, as a matter of respect and to show our eternal gratitude, we should make sure that they get to attend whatever ceremonies they choose to each and every year, so that they may go and see their comrades, brothers and mates.
Compared to the (potentially ultimate) price that they offered to lay down for King and Country, what's a few thousand pounds each year?
Posted by: Mike Warren | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 10:17 AM
[if countries had not tried to appease Hitler and look were too busy looking for 'Peace in our Time.']
Don't slag off Chamberlain so readily, he may not have been the best prime minster this country's had but he did buy the country time to get the Spitfires and Hurricanes rolling off the production lines and 'Home Chain' up and running, without which we couldn't have won the Battle of Britain. Many in Britian knew it was coming but also knew the country was woefully unprepared for another war so soon after the last one. Unfortunately the country did have some appeasers in government, as did all governments in both Europe and America but fortunately they were all given short shift once the decision to go to war was made.
Posted by: flipped | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 10:25 AM
2.5 million Indians (that's Pakistanis and Indians today) fought in the WW2. A sizeable portion of them fought in the Italy campaign.
Any chance of recognising their contribution? I expect they'd be appalled at all the racist claptrap we hearing about extending detention to 42 days, which is largely targteted at a specific ethnic group.
No! It's only 'our' boys that matter, of course
Posted by: A Brown Brit | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 10:26 AM
Brown Brit
If you know anyone who served in the Indian Army, in WW2 and is in need of help then I recommend that you get in touch with the Royal British Legion. They should be able help and also advise, re: pensions, benefits and help that is available for them.
www.britishlegion.org.uk
Posted by: flipped | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 10:38 AM
another war is coming:
http://www.worldfutures.info/Analysis/Analysis/US-meddling-in-Sabah.html
Posted by: kazimahmood | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 10:46 AM
Both my Dad and my granddad were at Normandy. granddad had fought at the Somme and lied about his age to join up again. He was a veteran of Dunkirk and Normandy. Dad fought his way across Europe to Germany, then suffered a posting to Palestine. After the war he joined the Royal Navy. Both are gone now, and I miss them a great deal. Dad was in the NVA, but only attended one function as his health was deteriorating rapidly. He wanted to go to Normandy, to the graves to say goodbye to some of his friends, but never could. I saw how it blighted the rest of his life, not getting the chance due to poor health.
After spending 12 years in the Royal Navy myself, I am now virulently anti-war. Dad and granddad even discarded their medals from the second world war. It isn't about remembering war, it is about remembering friends. That is what it means to me every November.
The government has not done enough for veterans in this country, but then, it has not done enough for the people of this country that built it. It was our grandparents and even parents that helped us become an industrially rich nation. In factories and in fields. They fought on the streets for a better life, and on foreign fields for the same, for us and for others. The French do a better job of taking care of the British veterans still in France, lying quietly and unremarked.
I will make a point to A Brown Brit to, you are absolutely right. Indians, Africans, Chinese and many other nationalities gave their time, their health and in too many cases their lives for the empire. The Gurkhas are a prime example of how tunnel-visioned our remembrances are. But what is at issue here is how ALL veterans should be treated. Normandy veterans are just the tip of the iceberg, and the government knows it. We also have Malayan veterans, Korean veterans, Aden veterans, Palestine veterans, Kenyan veterans, Falkland veterans, Sierra Leone veterans, Northern Ireland veterans, and now Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. If the government doesn't want to pay for a truly comprehensive veterans support programme, and what we have at the moment is not this by a long shot, as is made clear by A Brown Brit, then it should not make so many of us veterans.
I detest war, but you cannot let these men go without noticing and respecting their lives. And giving them the opportunity to do the same for their fallen brothers. Do we not visit the graves of our lost family members to lay fresh flowers?
Posted by: Jennifer Hynes | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 10:58 AM
Hi Jennifer
Different people have different ways of remembering. Some want to get back to the site where their 'brothers' had fallen. That's fine. But other veterans (who barely get a mention) just want basic respect, acknowledgement, and decency. The point is not about support here; it goes further beyond. It's about being counted, let alone finnacially compensated.
Posted by: A Brown
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The Independent & The Independent on Sunday Home> News> World> Middle East
US issues threat to Iraq's $50bn foreign reserves in military deal
By Patrick Cockburn
Friday, 6 June 2008
AFP/Getty Images
Under the planned pact, reported in The Independent yesterday, US soldiers in Iraq will enjoy legal immunity
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The US is holding hostage some $50bn (£25bn) of Iraq's money in the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to pressure the Iraqi government into signing an agreement seen by many Iraqis as prolonging the US occupation indefinitely, according to information leaked to The Independent.
US negotiators are using the existence of $20bn in outstanding court judgments against Iraq in the US, to pressure their Iraqi counterparts into accepting the terms of the military deal, details of which were reported for the first time in this newspaper yesterday.
Iraq's foreign reserves are currently protected by a presidential order giving them immunity from judicial attachment but the US side in the talks has suggested that if the UN mandate, under which the money is held, lapses and is not replaced by the new agreement, then Iraq's funds would lose this immunity. The cost to Iraq of this happening would be the immediate loss of $20bn. The US is able to threaten Iraq with the loss of 40 per cent of its foreign exchange reserves because Iraq's independence is still limited by the legacy of UN sanctions and restrictions imposed on Iraq since Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in the 1990s. This means that Iraq is still considered a threat to international security and stability under Chapter Seven of the UN charter. The US negotiators say the price of Iraq escaping Chapter Seven is to sign up to a new 'strategic alliance' with the United States.
The threat by the American side underlines the personal commitment of President George Bush to pushing the new pact through by 31 July. Although it is in reality a treaty between Iraq and the US, Mr Bush is describing it as an alliance so he does not have to submit it for approval to the US Senate.
Iraqi critics of the agreement say that it means Iraq will be a client state in which the US will keep more than 50 military bases. American forces will be able to carry out arrests of Iraqi citizens and conduct military campaigns without consultation with the Iraqi government. American soldiers and contractors will enjoy legal immunity.
The US had previously denied it wanted permanent bases in Iraq, but American negotiators argue that so long as there is an Iraqi perimeter fence, even if it is manned by only one Iraqi soldier, around a US installation, then Iraq and not the US is in charge.
The US has security agreements with many countries, but none are occupied by 151,000 US soldiers as is Iraq. The US is not even willing to tell the government in Baghdad what American forces are entering or leaving Iraq, apparently because it fears the government will inform the Iranians, said an Iraqi source.
The fact that Iraq's financial reserves, increasing rapidly because of the high price of oil, continue to be held in the Federal Reserve Bank of New York is another legacy of international sanctions against Saddam Hussein. Under the UN mandate, oil revenues must be placed in the Development Fund for Iraq which is in the bank.
The funds are under the control of the Iraqi government, though the US Treasury has strong influence on the form in which the reserves are held.
Iraqi officials say that, last year, they wanted to diversify their holdings out of the dollar, as it depreciated, into other assets, such as the euro, more likely to hold their value. This was vetoed by the US Treasury because American officials feared it would show lack of confidence in the dollar.
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The Independent & The Independent on Sunday Home> News> UK> Home News
'Rich List' tycoon is jailed for £350m fraud involving 324 bogus companies
By Andy McSmith
Friday, 6 June 2008
PA
Virendra Rastogi, Guatam Majumdar and Anand Jain, set up a raft of bogus metals trading companies to facilitate their elaborate fraud
Three businessmen at the centre of one of the biggest and longest-running frauds in banking history received stiff prison sentences yesterday after their £350m edifice of deceit was brought tumbling down by a fax sent to the wrong office.
Only six years ago, Virendra Rastogi, boss of the London-based metals trading company RBG Resources, was lauded as one of Britain's most successful young entrepreneurs. At the age 34, he was in 209th place in the Sunday Times Rich List, level with the rock star Sting, with a fortune estimated at £150m.
Today, he is beginning a nine-and-a-half-year sentence for conspiracy to defraud. Two directors of his company, Anand Jain and Gautam Majumdar, received prison terms totalling 16 years.
In what a judge described as a 'crime of the utmost gravity', Rastogi, 40, spent six years tricking banks in Britain and the US into funding non-existent deals. The companies they funded, supposedly with multimillion-pound turnovers, were sham operations. One was based in a launderette, another in the home of a woman who sold scrapbooks. A third was based in a cow shed in India.
The trio might still be living off the proceeds of their fraud were it not for the fateful day when a fax machine in the Bucharest office of the accountants PricewaterhouseCoopers began spewing printed paper.
The fax was quickly followed by an anxious telephone call from the head office of RBG Resources to say the documents had been sent in error and should be shredded. The call was taken by an accountant who was in Romania to conduct a routine audit.
He looked through the papers and was surprised to note that six different companies, one in Belgium, one in Switzerland and four in Hong Kong, had sent eight letters – all addressed to RBG in London – from the same fax machine in Hong Kong.
The accountant alerted his superiors and soon afterwards PricewaterhouseCoopers resigned as RBG's auditor, giving its reason as a breakdown of trust. The announcement sent alarm through the banking industry because the company owed at least £400m to European banks alone. It also had a sister company in the US, run by Rastogi's brother, Narendra, which was heavily in debt to US lenders.
RBG was assumed to be a major metals trader with impressive advisers including the former cabinet minister Jack Cunningham, now a Labour peer, and the Liberal Democrat peer Lord Holme. Its head office was at 105 Piccadilly where, on the ground floor, eight or nine traders generated the legitimate business that accounted for about 30 per cent of RBG's income. The other 70 per cent was generated upstairs, where Rastogi, Jain and Majumdar were based. Neither the politicians on the payroll, nor anyone downstairs, knew anything about what went on upstairs.
Worried about what they had heard from the auditors, the banks decided to stop lending. At once, another odd thing happened. About 300 RBG customers around the world, who had all been handing over millions of pounds every month, simultaneously stopped paying. The banks asked Rastogi why, but his explanations did not ring true.
Two German banks, GMAC and West LB, and some of the US banks decided to contact the customers directly. Accountants from Ernst & Young were hired to look for them, and found there was no hard evidence that any of the firms existed. In some cases, when investigators rang what were supposed to be company switchboards, they heard children's voices. They went to Moradabad, India, to the supposed address of a major RBG customer – and found a cow shed.
An investigator from a US bank went to visit another 'customer' and found a building which had been empty for about two years. The 'head office' of another firm turned out to be a house in New Jersey from which an elderly woman sold scrapbooks. A third location had a notice in the window saying it was the headquarters of a metals trading operation – but the investigator soon realised it was actually a laundrette.
During the trial at Southwark Crown Court, jurors heard that the scam went undetected for years because, before a loan was due to be repaid, RBG would borrow a larger amount from another bank and use the new loan to pay off the previous one, pocketing the difference each time.
Using 324 fake companies, RBG produced documents that appeared to show the relevant deals had completed successfully. More than £300m was unaccounted for when it collapsed, none of which has been recovered.
Passing sentence, Judge James Wadsworth, QC, said: 'They created a very impressive front that fooled banks, the metal exchanges in both countries, and well respected accountancy firms.
'They were involved in years of calculated dishonesty. They had shown no shadow of regret or remorse or repentance.'
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pa.press.net - 06.06.2008 07:05
Jailed Briton's mercy plea rejected
A Briton convicted of a double murder will spend the rest of his life in jail after officials in Florida denied his request for clemency.
Former self-made millionaire Krishna Maharaj, who was once the second biggest racehorse owner in the UK, has always protested his innocence over the Florida murders and the British government supports his claims.
He spent 15 years on Death Row before his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in 2002.
Florida governor Charlie Crist and the state clemency board have denied his request for clemency, his last hope of freedom.
The family of the murder victims, Derrick and Duane Moo-Young, pleaded tearfully with the panel to deny 69-year-old Maharaj's request. But hundreds of supporters, including several high-profile UK politicians, are convinced Maharaj is innocent.
Conservative MP Peter Bottomley, a strong supporter of Maharaj, said: 'Everyone knows about Louise Woodward, who was white, female and young. Mr Maharaj is black, British and old and does not have the glamour. But his case is even stronger.'
And former attorney general Sir Nicholas Lyell has said: 'There are real reasons for thinking that he may have been framed, that crucial evidence about the principal prosecution witness may not have been disclosed - indeed, was not disclosed - that he was inadequately represented, that the case was handled by a judge who in the middle of the case was arrested and subsequently disbarred.
'And that there are real reasons for all those reasons to think that this is a grave miscarriage of justice which one would hope can be put right.'
Maharaj was sentenced to 25 years to life for killing Derrick Moo Young and given a death sentence for the murder of his 23-year-old son Duane in a Miami hotel. It was commuted to life imprisonment in 2002.
In a statement, the charity Reprieve said that both Maharaj and his wife Marita, 70, were 'crushed by this decision
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Action Alerts Campaigns Vegetarianism Blog Media Centre About PETA Donate Now Subscribe to E-News 5
Jun
Back of the Net… Adidas Helps Australian Sheep
posted at 4:49 PM Permalink No Comment Breaking news! Stop press! Here’s a piece of news that is sure to brighten up your day, from PETA US’ Assistant Director of Corporate Affairs, Matt Prescott. Way to go Adidas!
“Adidas—the second-largest sporting-goods manufacturer in the world—has just taken steps to reduce the suffering of sheep in its supply chain.
Following nearly four months of discussions with PETA US, Adidas has now decided to boycott all wool from mulesed lambs—including those mulesed using clips.
Frank Henke, Global Director of Social and Environmental Affairs for Adidas, told PETA US: “Adidas has given a clear briefing to its development and sourcing teams to not use merino wool from sources where mulesing practices are applied. Clip-mulesing is also rejected by our internal policy. … [W]e would select another material unless we obtain clear confirmation from the source that mulesing practices were stopped.”
As some readers might know, mulesing is a standard mutilation used by Australian woolgrowers in which lambs have huge chunks of skin and flesh carved from their backsides with big, metal shears (like gardening shears). This gruesome procedure is used in a misguided attempt to protect sheep from maggot infestation, despite the fact that humane methods (e.g., in which animals’ skin isn’t removed) exist.
In an attempt to win back clothing retailers that are boycotting Australian wool over this issue, some farmers have started using clips to mules their animals. Clip mulesing involves clamping clips onto the animals’ skin so tightly that the skin dies and falls off. This method still causes pain, but is not bloody (and therefore less visually shocking), which lead the Australian wool industry to hope that it would be acceptable to clothing retailers. But Adidas—like HUGO BOSS, Perry Ellis, H&M, and many other companies—is not buying this new mutilation … which is great news, since it will help animals today and push the Australian wool industry to stop all forms of mulesing once and for all.
This decision by Adidas comes just one week after Australia’s Federal Minister for Agriculture, Tony Burke, wrote a publicized letter to Adidas thanking it for supporting Australian wool and trying to justify the mulesing mutilation to them. Bad timing, Mr. Burke.
Three cheers for Adidas for refusing to support unnecessary and cruel lamb mutilations down under!
You can help! Take a few seconds to sign our petition urging the Australian Prime Minister to help put an end to mulesing immediately.”
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UPDATED ON:
THURSDAY, JUNE 05, 2008
12:14 MECCA TIME, 9:14 GMT
NEWS AMERICAS
Arabs shocked by Obama speech
Barack Obama said he spoke as a
'true friend' of Israel [EPA]
Arab leaders have reacted with anger and disbelief to an intensely pro-Israeli speech delivered by Barack Obama, the US Democratic presumptive presidential nominee.
Obama told the influential annual policy conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Council (Aipac): 'Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel and it must remain undivided.'
His comments appalled Palestinians who see occupied East Jerusalem as part of a future Palestinian state.
Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, told Al Jazeera on Thursday: 'This is the worst thing to happen to us since 1967 ... he has given ammunition to extremists across the region'.
'What really disppoints me is that someone like Barack Obama, who runs a campaign on the theme of change - when it comes to Aipac and what's needed to be said differently about the Palestinian state, he fails.'
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'I say to Obama ... please stop being more Israeli than the Israelis themselves, leave the Israelis and Palestinians alone to make decisions required for peace.'
Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, rejected the statement, saying: 'We will not accept an independent Palestinian state without having Jerusalem as the capital.
'I believe that case is clear.'
He said: 'Jerusalem is part of the six points that are subjects on the negotiations' agenda.
'And the whole world knows that East Jerusalem, Arab Jerusalem and Holy Jerusalem were occupied in 1967.'
'Hope slashed'
Sami Abu Zuhri, a spokesman for Hamas, the largest Palestinian resistance group, also condemned the speech, saying on Thursday: 'These statements slash any hope of any change in the American foreign policy.
'[They] assure that there is a total agreement between the two parties, the Democratic and the Republican, on support for the Israeli occupation at the expense of the rights of Arabs and Palestinian interests.'
IN DEPTH
Israel and the Nakba
The ancient city of Jerusalem is divided into East and West. Israel captured East Jerusalem in the 1967 war and unilaterally annexed it, in a move condemned by the United Nations as illegal.
Jerusalem's status as part of Israel is not internationally recognised and remains a central issue in peace negotiations.
'Unbreakable bond'
Obama, hours after securing his party's nomination on Wednesday, had gone on to say the US bond with Israel was 'unbreakable today, unbreakable tomorrow, unbreakable for ever' and drew a standing ovation.
He told the gathering of one of US politics' most influential lobbying groups that, as president, he would 'never compromise when it comes to Israel's security.'
Your Views
What do you think the status of Jerusalem should be?
Send us your views
He also said any deal between Israelis and Palestinians should preserve Israel's identity as a Jewish state and that Hamas should be isolated and pledged to approve $30bn in aid to Israel over the next 10 years.
'Impressive speech'
Ehud Olmert, Israel's prime minister, called the Illinois senator's speech 'very impressive'.
'His words on Jerusalem were very moving,' Olmert told reporters after meeting George Bush, the US president, at the White House.
The Illinois senator's comments come a day after US media projected that Obama had enough delegates to win the Democratic nomination and face John McCain, the presumptive Republican candidate, in the November election.
Iranian 'threat'
Obama also had harsh words for Iran, vowing to work to 'eliminate' the threat it posed to security in the Middle East and around the globe.
Obama said an 'undivided Jerusalem should
remain the capital of Israel' [AFP]
'There's no greater threat to Israel or to the peace and stability of the region than Iran,' he told the Aipac assembly.
Calling for 'aggressive, principled diplomacy' with Tehran, he also warned he would never take the military option off the table in guaranteeing US and Israeli security.
Iranians responded cautiously, but optimisticly, with officials expressing hope he can bring about change in Iran-US relations.
Hamidreza Hajibabaee, member of Iranian parliament, said: 'We hope that Obama turns his words into actions, helps the Islamic Republic of Iran believe that the US has given up enmity and paves the way for fair negotiations.'
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Religion is freely exercised in Bulgaria. Christian Orthodox community is predominant. Minorities of Moslems, Catholics and Protestants also have their place. No religious problems have existed. The essential attitude of Bulgarians of any faith can be summarized in the motto: 'Respect God and rely on yourself!' The official language spoken is Bulgarian. Foreign languages spoken include mostly English, German, French, and Russian.
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UPDATED ON:
TUESDAY, JUNE 03, 2008
14:27 MECCA TIME, 11:27 GMT
NEWS MIDDLE EAST
Iran's Khamenei labels Bush 'mad'
Khamenei was speaking the day after a UN request for information on Iran's nuclear programme [AFP]
Iran's supreme leader has reaffirmed his country's commitment to a peaceful nuclear programme, while attacking George Bush, the US president as 'mentally ill'.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told a ceremony honouring the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, founder of the Islamic Republic, that Tehran had no interest in building nuclear weapons.
'Look at behaviour of the US president and members of his team, their words are like those of the mentally ill,' he said on Tuesday.
'Sometimes they threaten … and sometimes they ask for help – it's like mad people staggering to and fro.'
Khamenei said that the erratic behaviour of Bush is rooted in the failures in Afghanistan and Iraq and urged countries to resist bullying.
With regards to accusations by the US and its allies that Iran is attempting to manufacture a nuclear weapon, Khamenei said that possessing such arsenal would be 'useless'.
'No wise nation is interested in making a nuclear weapon,' since it is not
logical and cannot be used.
'Iran is after the peaceful use of nuclear energy and we will strongly pursue and reach it despite the envy of our enemies.'
US nuclear agreements
Khamenei said that the US was leading opposition against Iran's nuclear programme while signing nuclear agreements with 'less advanced countries' which would results in their dependency on the US.
'No wise nation is interested in making a nuclear weapon'
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
He did not elaborate, but the United States has concluded bilateral nuclear co-operation deals with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
Khamenei's remarks came after John McCain, the presumptive Republican candidate for the US presidency, said Washington should impose tougher measures on Iran if it continues with its nuclear programme.
Speaking at the annual conference of the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac) on Monday, he said Iran's 'continued pursuit of nuclear weapons' posed an 'unacceptable risk'.
Mohammed El Baradei, the UN atomic watchdog chief, on Monday asked for greater clarity from Tehran concerning their nuclear programme.
Iran has not provided access to documents and individuals as requested by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
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Tuesday, June 3, 2008
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Home> Edits & Columns> Story
Edits & ColumnsCOLUMNThe way of the tiger
Jaithirth RaoPosted online: Tuesday, June 03, 2008 at 2220 hrs Print EmailShocking, how casually we grounded the Indian vulture
Related Stories How he found & lost India
How to kill a tiger
Arnie to Bobby
Let’s wish them well
One of the most heartrending moments in the Ramayana is the tragic death of Jataayu, the vulture-king, in his vain attempt to defend Sita as she is being abducted by Ravana. “Jataayu-Vadha”, the ceremonial enactment of this event, is part of the repertoire of many genres of classical and folk theatre and dance in different parts of the country. Jataayu was a friend of Rama and a decent person pledged to performing his duty, upholding his sacred dharma.
While Jataayu’s sorrow-laden tale is part of the mythological, literary, pictorial, sculptural and performing heritage of our land, we are assured by biologists that for millions of years the grand bird has been part of our ecological heritage. And true to Jataayu’s promise the Indian vulture has performed its dharma, scavenging and cleaning up our environment. All of a sudden in the last decade of the previous century, our vultures started dying by the hundreds of thousands. When concerned citizens started worrying about the fate of Jataayu’s descendants, our government predictably retreated into its usual pattern of denial. India refused to even participate in the international research seeking the causes for the declining vulture population. Nepal and Pakistan took up a more constructive attitude and finally the Peregrine Foundation (certainly not an Indian entity and almost certainly a sinister imperialist neo-colonialist organisation) established that vultures were dying because the carcasses of cattle and sheep (the natural food of the vultures) were full of a chemical called diclonefac. This chemical is a drug prescribed for animals by veterinarians.
Civic organisations like the Bombay Natural History Society started pleading with the government to ban diclonefac, especially because a substitute drug is available. But our noble government in Delhi (which is so quick to make decisions about how many bodyguards to assign to its inflated pompous leadership) kept dithering. Apparently the ministry of environment was in favour of the ban, but other ministries were not. Given that there are hundreds of ministers and three hundred officers of secretary rank in imperial, imperious Delhi, who knows who objected? Suffice it to say that it took almost a decade for our government to impose a weak ban. Dealers who had inventories on their shelves were allowed to continue to sell diclonefac till they exhausted their stocks. We are speedy in banning books or closing down dance-bars; I wonder why this great concern for the dealers of the killer chemical? The tragedy is that there is another drug appropriate for human prescription which contains diclonefac. Veterinarians and farmers have simply switched to this one and the ban on diclonefac is not working.
At first I thought that the powerful lobby of diclonefac manufacturers must have lobbied and fixed the system against the vultures who have neither votes nor lobbying power. But it turns out that this is not the case as the revenue from this drug is not of material consequence to the industry. The real problem, we are told, is that the substitute drug is more expensive and therefore inimical to the interests of our noble kisaans. When I was informed about this, I could not stop laughing for several minutes. Here is a government that spends Rs 200,000 crore (or is it Rs 300,000 crore?) on subsidies and which writes off Rs 60,000 crore of loans and it does not have a measly few tens of crores to subsidise the environmentally safe substitute for diclonefac.
To love a country means that one loves not just the pursuit of power in its capital city. To love India is to love her hills, valleys, plains, plateaux, estuaries, deltas, marshlands, deserts, rivers, lakes, water-bodies, habitations and wildernesses and of course to love the plants, trees, animals and birds that have been with us mythologically and biologically for ever. It is this love that our clever leaders seem to lack. The finance minister announced funding for a tiger protection force in his recent budget speech. There has been no movement since then. The proposed funding will doubtless be returned at the end of the fiscal year with appropriate deductions for tea, biscuits and airfares for committees (or should we call them commissions or better still “task forces” to suit the linguistic sensibilities of the consultants who are popular with our ministers and secretaries).
And yet there is no excuse at all. We can so easily subsidise diclonefac’s substitute, we can so easily pay decent salaries and provide needed equipment to our forest guards. Leftists will not object; the NDA will not obstruct; WTO will not penalise and it will cost less than the annual ministerial/secretarial travel bills of just one department in Delhi. Are our leaders determined to go down in history as they who presided over the extinction of the tiger and the vulture? Are they not scared of Jataayu’s curse as we poison his descendants?
Our son Raghav is currently engaged in “doing” a project on vultures as part of the compulsory “environmental studies” subject in his syllabus. If only the HRD ministry could set the syllabus and save our wild-life, how wonderful would our country be? I was explaining to him that some thirty odd years ago I was living in the Cumballa Hill area of Bombay (sorry Mumbai) and from our balcony we could see magnificent specimens of these mighty birds hovering around the Parsee Tower of Silence. They are all gone today and that ancient people have to violate their religious precepts and cremate their dead. Being young he is yet to turn cynical. He draws comfort from the fact that voluntary citizens organisations in our country like the Bombay Natural History Society and overseas like the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds are working on “captive breeding” of vultures although they are yet to see much success. He argues that civic action can substitute government apathy.
I just worry that his children will have to rest content with paintings of Jataayu and photographs of the great Indian vulture. The live models will have disappeared for good.
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BATTLE OF DAVID AND GOLIATH :
War criminals must fear punishment. That's why I went for John Bolton
As long as the greatest crime of the 21st century remains unprosecuted, we all have a duty to keep the truth alive
George Monbiot The Guardian, Tuesday June 3 2008 Article historyI realise now that I didn't have a hope. I had almost reached the stage when two of the biggest gorillas I have ever seen swept me up and carried me out of the tent. It was humiliating, but it could have been worse. The guard on the other side of the stage, half hidden in the curtains, had spent the lecture touching something under his left armpit. Perhaps he had bubos.
I had no intention of arresting John Bolton, the former under-secretary of state at the US state department, when I arrived at the Hay festival. But during a panel discussion about the Iraq war, I remarked that the greatest crime of the 21st century had become so normalised that one of its authors was due to visit the festival to promote his book. I proposed that someone should attempt a citizens' arrest, in the hope of instilling a fear of punishment among those who plan illegal wars. After the session I realised that I couldn't call on other people to do something I wasn't prepared to do myself.
I knew that I was more likely to be arrested and charged than Mr Bolton. I had no intention of harming him, or of acting in any way that could be interpreted as aggressive, but had I sought only to steer him gently towards the police I might have faced a range of exotic charges, from false imprisonment to aggravated assault. I was prepared to take this risk. It is not enough to demand that other people act, knowing that they will not. If the police, the courts and the state fail to prosecute what the Nuremberg tribunal described as 'the supreme international crime', I believe we have a duty to seek to advance the process.
The Nuremberg principles, which arose from the prosecution of Nazi war criminals, define as an international crime the 'planning, preparation, initiation or waging of a war of aggression or a war in violation of international treaties, agreements or assurances'. Bolton appears to have 'participated in a common plan' to prepare for the war (also defined by the principles as a crime) by inserting the false claim that Iraq was seeking to procure uranium from Niger into a state department factsheet. He also organised the sacking of José Bustani, the head of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, accusing him of bad management. Bustani had tried to broker a peaceful resolution of the dispute over Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction.
Some of the most pungent criticisms of my feeble attempt to bring this man to justice have come from other writers for the Guardian. Michael White took a position of extraordinary generosity towards the instigators of the war. There are 'arguments on both sides', he contended on the Guardian politics blog. Bustani might have received compensation after his sacking by Bolton, 'but Bolton says that does not mean much'. In fact, Bustani was not only compensated at his tribunal, he was completely exonerated of Bolton's accusations and his employers were obliged to pay special damages.
White suggested that Iraq might indeed have been seeking uranium from Niger, on the grounds of a conversation he once had with an MI6 officer. Alongside the British government's 45-minute claim, this must be the best-documented of all the false justifications for the war with Iraq. In 2002, the United States government sent three senior officials to Niger to investigate the claim. All reported that it was without foundation. The International Atomic Energy Agency discovered that it was based on crude forgeries. This assessment was confirmed by the state department's official Greg Thielmann, who reported directly to John Bolton. No evidence beyond the forged documents has been provided by either the US or the UK governments to support their allegation.
White also gives credence to Bolton's claims that the war in 2003 was justified by two UN resolutions - 678 and 687 - which were approved in 1990 and 1991, and that it was permitted by article 51 of the UN charter. The attempt to revive resolutions 678 and 687 was the last, desperate throw of the dice by the Blair government when all else had failed. When it became clear that it could not obtain a new UN resolution authorising force against Iraq, the government dusted down the old ones, which had been drafted in response to Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait.
This revival formed the basis of Lord Goldsmith's published advice on March 17 2003. It was described as 'risible' and 'scrap[ing] the bottom of the legal barrel' by Lord Alexander, a senior law lord. After the first Gulf war, Colin Powell, General Sir Peter de la Billiere and John Major all stated that the UN's resolutions permitted them only to expel the Iraqi army from Kuwait, and not to overthrow the Iraqi government. Lord Goldsmith himself, in the summer of 2002, advised Tony Blair that resolutions 678 and 687 could not be used to justify a new war with Iraq.
Article 51 of the UN charter is comprehensible to anyone but the lawyers employed by the Bush administration. States have a right to self-defence 'if an armed attack occurs against' them, and then only until the UN security council can intervene. On what occasion did Iraq attack the United States? Is there any claim made by the Blair and Bush governments that Michael White is not prepared to believe?
Conor Foley, writing on Comment is free, suggested that my action 'completely trivialises the serious case' against the Iraq war and claimed that I was seeking to 'imprison ... people because of their political opinions', as if Bolton were simply a commentator on the war, and not an agent. Does he really believe that the former under-secretary did not 'participate in a common plan' to initiate the war with Iraq? What other conceivable purpose might the state department's misleading factsheet have served? And what more serious action can someone who is neither a law lord nor a legislator take? Bolton himself maintains that my attempt to bring him to justice reflects a 'move towards lawlessness and fascism'. This is an interesting commentary on an attempt to uphold a law which arose from the prosecution of fascists.
But there is one charge I do accept: that my chances of success were very slight. Apart from the 300-pound gorillas, the main obstacle I faced was that although the crime of aggression, as defined by the Nuremberg principles, has been incorporated into the legislation of many countries, it has not been assimilated into the laws of England and Wales. This does not lessen the crime but it means that it cannot yet be tried here. This merely highlights another injustice: while the British state is prepared to punish petty misdemeanours with vindictive ferocity, it will not legislate against the greatest crime of all, lest it expose itself to prosecution.
But demonstration has two meanings. Non-violent direct action is both a protest and an exposition. It seeks to demonstrate truths which have been overlooked or forgotten. I sought to remind people that the greatest crime of the 21st century remains unprosecuted, and remains a great crime. If you have read this far, I have succeeded.
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Australian PM slates predecessor over IraqBarbara McMahon in Sydney guardian.co.uk, Tuesday June 3 2008 Article historyAustralia's prime minister, Kevin Rudd, has rounded on his predecessor John Howard, accusing him of misleading the public and abusing intelligence information to justify the invasion of Iraq.
'Have further terrorist attacks been prevented? No, they have not been. Has any evidence of a link between WMD and the former Iraqi regime and terrorists been found? No. Have the actions of rogue states like Iraq been moderated? No. After five years has the humanitarian crisis in Iraq been removed? No, it has not.' Mr Rudd said in parliament.
Howard has denied misleading the Australian public, and Washington today rejected Rudd's charges of abusing intelligence information, which he made as he announced the end of Australian troops' combat role in Iraq.
'We acted on the intelligence we had, and that the entire world had,' said the White House spokeswoman Dana Perino. 'No one else in the world, no other government, had different information and so we acted based on what was the threat that was presented to us. When the intelligence community presents you with their concerns, you'd better take them seriously,' she said.
Perino said she had not seen all of Rudd's comments but added: 'Since then we, of course, learned that there was not WMD in Iraq, and then the president took action to make sure that the intelligence community would be reformed,' she said. 'Intelligence
is not a perfect science but they certainly do their best.'
Rudd also accused Howard of taking the country to war 'without full assessment of the consequences'.
In the run up to the 2003 invasion, Howard argued that Saddam Hussein had to be toppled to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction and terrorism. The weapons were not discovered and no definite links were established between Saddam and al-Qaida or other terror networks.
The withdrawal of Australian combat troops from Iraq, following an election promise made by the new Labor government, has reopened a bitter debate among Australian politicians on the decision to go to war.
The opposition leader Dr Brendan Nelson reminded Rudd that in 2002, when the prime minister was the opposition foreign affairs spokesman, he said there had been 'a significant threat of weapon of mass destruction from Iraq'.
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Tuesday, 3rd June 2008 Change Date
Sign InRegisterRevealed: the Scottish surgeon who ensured voice of freedom would not be silenced
Dr Douglas Guthrie: Refused to accept payment for treatment. Picture: TSPL
« Previous « PreviousNext » Next »View GalleryADVERTISEMENTPublished Date: 03 June 2008
By STEPHEN McGINTY
HE MARSHALLED the English language then marched it off to war. But when Winston Churchill arrived in Scotland to rally the nation, he was struck down by a throat infection and only saved from a croaking silence by the swift intervention of a Scots surgeon.
Hours before the prime minister delivered a major speech in Edinburgh in 1942, he was treated for a throat complaint by Dr Douglas Guthrie, who accepted a signed photograph for his services after refusing payment. Now the memento is to go on sale and is expected to fetch more that £6,000 at auction with Bonhams.
Churchill was returning from visiting Royal Navy vessels at Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands, but had agreed to deliver a speech and accept the freedom of the city of Edinburgh when, on 12 October, 1942, he was felled by a throat complaint.
At this time, Lord Moran, the prime minister's personal physician, was not in attendance and so Dr Guthrie was called to a railway siding at Dalmeny where Churchill's private train had stopped.
A prominent ear, nose and throat specialist as well as president of the Edinburgh branch of the British Medical Association, Dr Guthrie treated the premier successfully; for that evening, at Edinburgh's Usher Hall, Churchill was in eloquent form.
He said: 'I have never before been made a freeman of any city, and though since the war I have been complimented by a number of invitations which I greatly value, your freedom is the only one I have felt myself so far able to receive in the hard press of events.
'It seemed to me that Edinburgh, the ancient capital of Scotland, enshrined in the affection of the Scottish race all over the world, rich in memories and tradition, immortal in its collective personality, stands by itself and therefore I am here today to be refreshed by your great kindness and inspiration.'
A few days after treating Churchill, Dr Guthrie received a letter from the prime minister's private secretary, REK Hill, asking him to submit a bill for his services. However, Dr Guthrie wrote back: 'There is no question of any professional fee. The honour and privilege of attending you amply compensates me for any small services I rendered during your recent visit to Edinburgh. If I may take the liberty of suggesting it, I should highly prize a signed photograph of yourself as a memento of the occasion.'
The picture, among the most famous of Churchill, was taken by Walter Stoneman in the Cabinet Room at 10 Downing Street on 1 April, 1941, and it was accompanied by one of the Prime Minister's many books which he had inscribed to Dr Guthrie 'as a token of my gratitude for your services to me during my visit'.
churchill's visit to Scotland was recorded by The Scotsman on October 13, 1942...
Mr CHURCHILL TO SCOTLAND: BE STEADFAST
A Stern and Sombre Moment Reached in the War
The Prime Minister, speaking in Edinburgh yesterday, when he received the Freedom of the City, said there was one note which rang through the recent speeches of Ribbontrop, Goring, and Hitler — the dull, low, whining note of fear. How different from the tone of 1940!
It was apparent that Hitler saw quite clearly the shadow of approach ing doom. Fear was also the motive which inspired the outrage of the chaining of British prisoners of war. To show weakness to such a man was only to encourage him to further atrocities. No weakness would be shown.
Though the U-boat warfare still remained the greatest problem of the United Nations, August and September had been the least bad months since January.
These months had seen the building of merchant ships which substantially outweighed losses.
We had reached a stern and sombre moment in the war, one calling for firmness of spirit and constancy of soul.
'Be steadfast,' was his message to the people of Scotland.
IN QUOTES
WINSTON Churchill was celebrated for his rhetoric. Here are some of his finest lines:
• 'Battles are won by slaughter and manoeuvre. The greater the general, the more he contributes in manoeuvre, the less he demands in slaughter.'
• 'Do not let spacious plans for a new world divert your energies from saving what is left of the old.'
• 'From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent.'
• 'I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.'
• 'I was only the servant of my country and had I, at any moment, failed to express her unflinching resolve to fight and conquer, I should at once have been rightly cast aside.'
• 'If Hitler invaded Hell I would make at least a favourable reference to the Devil in the House of Commons.'
• 'If you are going through Hell, keep going.'
• 'In wartime, truth is so precious that she should always be attended by a bodyguard of lies.'
• 'Never, never, never give up.'
• 'Russia is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.'
The full article contains 860 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.Page 1 of 1
Last Updated: 03 June 2008 7:53 AM
Source: The Scotsman
Location: Edinburgh
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The Master Course - Lesson 52
From: FeedBlitz (feedblitz@mail.feedblitz.com) on behalf of Kauai's Hindu Monastery (Kauai_Hindu_Monastery@jnanadana.com)
Sent: 03 June 2008 10:46:41
Reply-to: Kauai's Hindu Monastery (Kauai_Hindu_Monastery@jnanadana.com)
To: ravi_pilgrim3 (ravi_pilgrim3@hotmail.com)
The Master Course
The lesson of the day from Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami's trilogy: Dancing with Siva, Living with Siva and Merging with Siva
Lesson 52
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Lesson 52
Sloka 52 from Dancing with Siva
What Is Sin? How Can We Atone for It?
Sin is the intentional transgression of divine law. There is no inherent or 'original' sin. Neither is there mortal sin by which the soul is forever lost. Through sadhana, worship and austerities, sins can be atoned for. Aum.
Bhashya
What men term sin, the wise call ignorance. Man's true nature is not sullied by sin. Sin is related only to the lower, instinctive-intellectual nature as a transgression of dharma. Still, sin is real and to be avoided, for our wrongful actions return to us as sorrow through the law of karma. Sin is terminable, and its effects may be compensated for by penance, or prayashchitta, and good deeds which settle the karmic debt. The young soul, less in tune with his soul nature, is inclined toward sin; the old soul seldom transgresses divine law. Sins are the crippling distortions of intellect bound in emotion. When we sin, we take the energy and distort it to our instinctive favor. When we are unjust and mean, hateful and holding resentments year after year and no one but ourselves knows of our intrigue and corruption, we suffer. As the soul evolves, it eventually feels the great burden of faults and misdeeds and wishes to atone. Penance is performed, and the soul seeks absolution from society and beseeches God's exonerating grace. The Vedas say, 'Loose me from my sin as from a bond that binds me. May my life swell the stream of your river of Right.' Aum Namah Sivaya.
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Lesson 52 from Living with Siva
One Focus Per Lifetime
Life is long; there are apparently many years ahead. But time is short. One never knows when he is going to die. The purpose of sampradaya is to restrict and narrow down, to reach out to an attainable goal. We must not consider our life and expected longevity as giving us the time and permission to do investigative comparisons of one sampradaya to another. This may be done before making up one's mind to follow a traditional verbal lineage. After that, pursuing other paths, even in passing, would be totally unacceptable.
But it is also totally unacceptable to assume the attitude of denigration of other paths, or to assume the attitude that 'our way is the only way.' There are fourteen currents in the sushumna. Each one is a valid way to escalate consciousness into the chakra at the top of the skull and beyond. And at every point in time, there is a living guru, possessing a physical body, ordained to control one or more of these nadis, currents, within the sushumna. All are valid paths. One should not present itself as superseding another. Let here be no mistake about this.
The yamas and niyamas are the core of Hindu disciplines and restraints for individuals, groups, communities and nations. In fact, they outline various stages of the path in the development of the soul, leading out of the marul pada into the arul pada, from confusion into grace, leading to the feet of the satguru, as the last five practices indicate--siddhanta shravana, mati, vrata, japa and tapas.
Since the sampradayas are all based on Hinduism, which is based on the Vedas, any teacher of Indian spirituality who rejects the Vedas is therefore not a Hindu and should not be considered as such. Anybody in his right mind will be able to accept the last section of the Vedas, the Upanishads, and see the truth therein. One at least has to accept that as the basis of siddhanta shravana. If even that is rejected, we must consider the teacher a promulgator of a new Indian religion, neo-American religion, neo-European religion, neo-New-Age religion, nonreligion, neo-sannyasi religion, or some other 'neo-ism' or 'neo-ology.' This is not sampradaya. This is not siddhanta shravana. This is what we speak against. These are not the eternal paths. Why? Because they have not been tried and tested. They are not based on traditional lineages; nor have they survived the ravages of time, changing societies, wars, famine and the infiltration of ignorance.
For sadhakas, yogis, swamis and mendicants who have freed themselves from the world, permanently or for a period of time according to their vows, these yamas and niyamas are not only restraints and practices, but mandatory controls. They are not only practices, but obligatory disciplines, and once performed with this belief and attitude, they will surely lead the mendicant to his chosen goal, which can only be the height that his prarabdha karmas in this life permit, unless those karmas are burned out under extreme tapas under the guidance of a satguru.
Some might still wonder, why limit oneself to listening to scripture of one particular lineage, especially if it has been practically memorized? The answer is that what has been learned must be experienced personally, and experience comes in many depths. This is the purpose of disregarding or rejecting all other sampradayas, -ism's, -ologies and
...
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SHER SINGH AGRAWAL
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posted by SHER SINGH AGRAWAL @ 6:36 AM
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