Just picked up this story you may or may not have read. Thought you might be interested:
'White House 'gagged' Surgeon General'
For generations of Americans, the Surgeon General has been the "nation's doctor," the person they turned to for unbiased advice on everything from smoking to obesity and the HIV Aids pandemic. And United States presidents have generally defended the Surgeon General's right to speak out on public health matters. But under President George W. Bush, the independence of the Surgeon General has been placed below industry lobbying and the demands of the religious right. Damning testimony by Dr Richard Carmona, the Surgeon General from 2002 until 2006, has revealed that the Bush Administration frequently censored him and tried to mould his public statements to fit political goals. He was even ordered to mention Bush three times on every page of his speeches. The Bush White House banned Carmona from speaking or issuing reports on stem cells, emergency contraception, sex education, prison, mental health and international health issues. For years the White House tried to "water down" a report on the dangers of secondhand smoke. When he tried to address the subject of embryonic stem cell research: "I was told to stand down and not speak about it. It was removed from my speeches. Much of the discussion was being driven by theology, ideology, [and] preconceived beliefs that were scientifically incorrect." Even the Special Olympics were deemed politically suspect, because they receive support from the Kennedy family. "I was specifically told by a senior person: 'Why would you want to help those people?"' Just as it seemed that you couldn’t get angrier at the sick joke of democracy that George W Bush has become, suddenly we find out that he gagged the Surgeon General of all people, and he seems to have done so based on his redundant ‘the Earth is only 6500 years old’ bullshit theology. The man is a mentally insane clown and the sooner America gets a new President, the better for the planet.
Will be interested in your comments?
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Friday, July 13, 2007
How to Change the World"
Ten Questions with Jeffrey Pfeffer
Jeffrey Pfeffer is the Thomas D. Dee II Professor of Organizational Behavior at the Graduate School of Business, Stanford University. He is the author or co-author of twelve books.Dr. Pfeffer received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from Carnegie-Mellon University and his Ph.D. from Stanford.
He began his career at the business school at the University of Illinois and then taught at the University of California, Berkeley, and he has been a visiting professor at the Harvard Business School, Singapore Management University, London Business School, and IESE in Barcelona.
Pfeffer currently serves on the board of directors of Audible Magic and SonoSite (SONO) and writes a monthly column on management issues entitled “The Human Factor” for the 650,000 circulation Time-Warner business magazine, Business 2.0
This interview is based on his latest book:What Were They Thinking?: Unconventional Wisdom About Management.
Question: What do companies do stupid things?
Answer: First, they ignore feedback effects. There has recently been a lot of interest, and apparent surprise, that programmers in India now cost a lot and their wages have been rising rapidly. Did people forget supply and demand? If everyone moves work to India, what did companies think would happen? Or, to take another example, when companies cut their retirement benefits, and people can not afford to retire, guess what, they won’t.
Second, companies often ignore the interdependence or connections between actions in one part and those in another. So, even as some departments are trying to cut the costs of benefits, others are worried about recruiting and retaining enough qualified people. Maybe the parts should work together.
Third, many companies presume that incentives are the answer to everything, and have a very mechanistic model of human behavior. That is also incorrect.
Question: What can companies do to get smarter?
Answer: Companies learn just like people learn—by trying new things and seeing what happens. That requires, first, a tolerance for failure, since by definition, learning means doing things you aren’t very good at.
Second, it requires structured self-reflection—after-action or after-event reviews so that instead of having one year of experience repeated 20 times, people and companies actually accumulate learning over time.
Question: How do you stop the misdeeds (for example, Enron) in organizations?
Answer: What is interesting is that there are few social sanctions—as contrasted with legal or financial ones—for bad behavior. Executives who have served jail time are back on TV and are still celebreties. More to the point, they aren’t shunned by their colleagues.
The prevailing mood seems to be, as long as people retain enough wealth, they can buy their way back by donating time and money. If we are serious about enforcing norms, then there have to be real sanctions. In the military academies, violations of important norms are met with expulsion or social ostracism—eating alone, for instance. Not so, not yet, for the most part in the corporate world.
Question: How do you get a company to behave in a truthful manner?
Answer: You start by having leaders tell the truth—which includes admitting what they don’t know and what they have done wrong. It is impossible to manage successfully if you don’t know what is actually going on. But a lie takes two people: the person who tells the lie and the individual who signals that s/he wants to hear it. So, you don’t want to punish people for surfacing problems or telling you bad news. You don’t want to “shoot the messenger,” but thank them for bringing issues and concerns to light.
Question: What’s the best way to improve customer relations?
Answer: This is almost too simple—actually take care of customers! I am sure we have all heard the recorded message, “you’re call is very important to us.” Well, if the call were important to the company who has recorded the message, maybe they would answer it in some reasonable time instead of either playing music or bombarding the caller with advertising messages. When you make a mistake, fix it and admit responsibility. Tell the truth. By the way, the airlines seem to be the worst at all of this, with a few exceptions.
Question: I think I know what you will say, but what’s more important: CRM software or recruiting and training?
Answer: Before you can manage customer relationships through some software product, you first need to build those relationships. And relationships are still largely built through people. That’s why the most important three feet of real estate in retail—or in many industries—is the distance between the customer and the sales associate or individual who is serving that customer. Hiring the best people who are likely to stay, and investing in their training, will build relationships that CRM can manage. Without taking the first steps, there is nothing there.
Question: What is the key to global competitiveness?
Answer: The data on this are clear—companies choose to locate their R & D facilities on the basis of the availability of talent. This is more important than tax abatements and certainly much more important than rates of pay. If location was determined by cost, Silicon Valley would be empty. The best way to build human capital is through education—both elementary and secondary as well as higher education that is truly world class. This costs money, but it is worth it.
Question: What is the proper role for a CEO?
Answer: To develop others and their talents and to create an environment in which people can do their best and want to. It is not to make all the decisions or, like some kind of “sun king,” absorb all the light and the attention.
In fact, sometimes, as the Grammy-award winning Orpheus Chamber orchestra shows, the best leadership is less leadership. No seed can grow if it is dug up and examined every week, and for people to innovate and get things done, sometimes they need some time and space and resources.
Question: How do you turnaround a company?
Answer: As the late Peter Drucker said, there is no business without a customer. Turning around a company is mostly about providing people a great value proposition—giving them more than they expect. Better products, services, more attention, than the competition. It is hard to do any of this if you lay people off. People—the best people—will head for the exits. And you can’t cut your way to success, because it’s a strategy that’s too easily duplicated. Look at Singapore Airlines—they are able to charge more for the same flights because they provide such a superior product and experience. I wish more companies would figure this out.
Question: But what if it’s no fault of the company and people just aren’t buy, flying, etc…then what do you do?
If you are going to lay people off, do it once, tell the specific people who will be let go, do it with compassion and generosity, and get on with it. But often organizations can find ways of avoiding layoffs, such as reducing everyone’s work hours a little, reducing variable components of pay, or finding ways to capture market share from competitors.
If Southwest Airlines could come out of 9/11 without doing layoffs in an industry, airlines, that was devastated, then I am not sure they are ever necessary. But the typical way they are done—announcement of a number so that everyone is worried and distracted, and often doing the layoffs by escorting people out the door so they can’t say good-by, leaves “survivor guilt” and demotivated people.
Question: What are the characteristics of a good work week and vacation policy?
Answer: We live in a world where ideas and innovation are paramount. But people can’t be creative if they are exhausted. And when people work when they are tired, they make mistakes. If we have learned anything from the quality movement, it is that the cost of finding and fixing mistakes is greater than the cost of preventing them. So, give people time off. And, by the way, the younger generations want a life as well as work. Work-life balance is a great way to attract—and retain—great people.
Question: What are the characteristics of a good incentive plan?
Answer: Incentives should be large enough to provide an occasion for celebrating success but not so large as to distort behavior. And incentives can include recognition and things other than money. Companies get themselves into trouble all the time by being too clever with their incentives.
Stock options did reward leaders for getting the price of the stock up—it’s just that it was often for a short period, and was accomplished by distorting earnings. Be careful what you pay for—you might just get it.
Question: What does it say about a company if it asks a candidate with twenty years of experience to submit school transcripts?
Answer: To tell you the truth, neither hiring on the basis of a resume—the positions people have held and the credentials they have acquired—nor hiring on the basis of a transcript makes much sense. In the first case of the 20 years of experience, you need to ascertain not just what the person has done but also how well s/he has done it—something that is difficult to do in a world in which lawyers will tell previous employers not to say much—and more importantly, what they are capable of doing in the future.
Every CEO was CEO for the first time, which meant that some company had to decide that “previous experience”—in this instance, in the CEO role—was not a requirement, and similarly for every other position. In the second case, transcripts mostly reveal whether people can succeed in school. There is little evidence in the one area I know best, business schools and MBAs, that grades in school predict subsequent career success, and to the extent there are positive correlations found in some studies, they are incredibly small.
The answer, in terms of hiring, is to first of all be clear about the relevant behaviors and then test for those behaviors, either using work samples or else interview questions that probe how people have handled or would handle relevant situations.
Question: What role should budgets play in the management of an organization?
Answer: Budgets should be general guidelines. As hard and fast rules, they become subject to “gaming.” People delay doing sensible things, push expenses around, hide sales, etc. And also, budgets often just reward the best forecasters and negotiators. It is possible to make “budget” as you lose market share and go broke, as long as the targets are set low enough.
Question: How should people judge a company’s results?
Answer: By comparison to its peers and by comparison to what its own aspirations are. Companies, as the balanced scorecard notes, depend on customers, employees, investors, suppliers, and others in the ecosystem. It is wrong to give one of those groups priority over the others. Brand loyalty and employee loyalty are both real assets, even if not reflected on balance sheets and income statements.
Just look at Apple Computer with respect to products and DaVita, the kidney dialysis company, which has few open nursing positions because it is a great place to work. As Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines recognized long ago, if you take care of your people, they will take care of the customers, who will keep coming back, which will make the shareholders happy. It is all interrelated.
Question: What role should strategic planning play in the management of an organization?
Answer: Doing the right thing is important, which is where strategy comes in. But doing that thing well—execution—is what sets companies apart. After all, every football play is designed to go for a huge gain. The reason it doesn’t is because of execution—people drop balls, miss blocks, go to the wrong place, and so forth. So, success depends on execution—on the ability to get things done.
Ten Questions with Jeffrey Pfeffer
Jeffrey Pfeffer is the Thomas D. Dee II Professor of Organizational Behavior at the Graduate School of Business, Stanford University. He is the author or co-author of twelve books.Dr. Pfeffer received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from Carnegie-Mellon University and his Ph.D. from Stanford.
He began his career at the business school at the University of Illinois and then taught at the University of California, Berkeley, and he has been a visiting professor at the Harvard Business School, Singapore Management University, London Business School, and IESE in Barcelona.
Pfeffer currently serves on the board of directors of Audible Magic and SonoSite (SONO) and writes a monthly column on management issues entitled “The Human Factor” for the 650,000 circulation Time-Warner business magazine, Business 2.0
This interview is based on his latest book:What Were They Thinking?: Unconventional Wisdom About Management.
Question: What do companies do stupid things?
Answer: First, they ignore feedback effects. There has recently been a lot of interest, and apparent surprise, that programmers in India now cost a lot and their wages have been rising rapidly. Did people forget supply and demand? If everyone moves work to India, what did companies think would happen? Or, to take another example, when companies cut their retirement benefits, and people can not afford to retire, guess what, they won’t.
Second, companies often ignore the interdependence or connections between actions in one part and those in another. So, even as some departments are trying to cut the costs of benefits, others are worried about recruiting and retaining enough qualified people. Maybe the parts should work together.
Third, many companies presume that incentives are the answer to everything, and have a very mechanistic model of human behavior. That is also incorrect.
Question: What can companies do to get smarter?
Answer: Companies learn just like people learn—by trying new things and seeing what happens. That requires, first, a tolerance for failure, since by definition, learning means doing things you aren’t very good at.
Second, it requires structured self-reflection—after-action or after-event reviews so that instead of having one year of experience repeated 20 times, people and companies actually accumulate learning over time.
Question: How do you stop the misdeeds (for example, Enron) in organizations?
Answer: What is interesting is that there are few social sanctions—as contrasted with legal or financial ones—for bad behavior. Executives who have served jail time are back on TV and are still celebreties. More to the point, they aren’t shunned by their colleagues.
The prevailing mood seems to be, as long as people retain enough wealth, they can buy their way back by donating time and money. If we are serious about enforcing norms, then there have to be real sanctions. In the military academies, violations of important norms are met with expulsion or social ostracism—eating alone, for instance. Not so, not yet, for the most part in the corporate world.
Question: How do you get a company to behave in a truthful manner?
Answer: You start by having leaders tell the truth—which includes admitting what they don’t know and what they have done wrong. It is impossible to manage successfully if you don’t know what is actually going on. But a lie takes two people: the person who tells the lie and the individual who signals that s/he wants to hear it. So, you don’t want to punish people for surfacing problems or telling you bad news. You don’t want to “shoot the messenger,” but thank them for bringing issues and concerns to light.
Question: What’s the best way to improve customer relations?
Answer: This is almost too simple—actually take care of customers! I am sure we have all heard the recorded message, “you’re call is very important to us.” Well, if the call were important to the company who has recorded the message, maybe they would answer it in some reasonable time instead of either playing music or bombarding the caller with advertising messages. When you make a mistake, fix it and admit responsibility. Tell the truth. By the way, the airlines seem to be the worst at all of this, with a few exceptions.
Question: I think I know what you will say, but what’s more important: CRM software or recruiting and training?
Answer: Before you can manage customer relationships through some software product, you first need to build those relationships. And relationships are still largely built through people. That’s why the most important three feet of real estate in retail—or in many industries—is the distance between the customer and the sales associate or individual who is serving that customer. Hiring the best people who are likely to stay, and investing in their training, will build relationships that CRM can manage. Without taking the first steps, there is nothing there.
Question: What is the key to global competitiveness?
Answer: The data on this are clear—companies choose to locate their R & D facilities on the basis of the availability of talent. This is more important than tax abatements and certainly much more important than rates of pay. If location was determined by cost, Silicon Valley would be empty. The best way to build human capital is through education—both elementary and secondary as well as higher education that is truly world class. This costs money, but it is worth it.
Question: What is the proper role for a CEO?
Answer: To develop others and their talents and to create an environment in which people can do their best and want to. It is not to make all the decisions or, like some kind of “sun king,” absorb all the light and the attention.
In fact, sometimes, as the Grammy-award winning Orpheus Chamber orchestra shows, the best leadership is less leadership. No seed can grow if it is dug up and examined every week, and for people to innovate and get things done, sometimes they need some time and space and resources.
Question: How do you turnaround a company?
Answer: As the late Peter Drucker said, there is no business without a customer. Turning around a company is mostly about providing people a great value proposition—giving them more than they expect. Better products, services, more attention, than the competition. It is hard to do any of this if you lay people off. People—the best people—will head for the exits. And you can’t cut your way to success, because it’s a strategy that’s too easily duplicated. Look at Singapore Airlines—they are able to charge more for the same flights because they provide such a superior product and experience. I wish more companies would figure this out.
Question: But what if it’s no fault of the company and people just aren’t buy, flying, etc…then what do you do?
If you are going to lay people off, do it once, tell the specific people who will be let go, do it with compassion and generosity, and get on with it. But often organizations can find ways of avoiding layoffs, such as reducing everyone’s work hours a little, reducing variable components of pay, or finding ways to capture market share from competitors.
If Southwest Airlines could come out of 9/11 without doing layoffs in an industry, airlines, that was devastated, then I am not sure they are ever necessary. But the typical way they are done—announcement of a number so that everyone is worried and distracted, and often doing the layoffs by escorting people out the door so they can’t say good-by, leaves “survivor guilt” and demotivated people.
Question: What are the characteristics of a good work week and vacation policy?
Answer: We live in a world where ideas and innovation are paramount. But people can’t be creative if they are exhausted. And when people work when they are tired, they make mistakes. If we have learned anything from the quality movement, it is that the cost of finding and fixing mistakes is greater than the cost of preventing them. So, give people time off. And, by the way, the younger generations want a life as well as work. Work-life balance is a great way to attract—and retain—great people.
Question: What are the characteristics of a good incentive plan?
Answer: Incentives should be large enough to provide an occasion for celebrating success but not so large as to distort behavior. And incentives can include recognition and things other than money. Companies get themselves into trouble all the time by being too clever with their incentives.
Stock options did reward leaders for getting the price of the stock up—it’s just that it was often for a short period, and was accomplished by distorting earnings. Be careful what you pay for—you might just get it.
Question: What does it say about a company if it asks a candidate with twenty years of experience to submit school transcripts?
Answer: To tell you the truth, neither hiring on the basis of a resume—the positions people have held and the credentials they have acquired—nor hiring on the basis of a transcript makes much sense. In the first case of the 20 years of experience, you need to ascertain not just what the person has done but also how well s/he has done it—something that is difficult to do in a world in which lawyers will tell previous employers not to say much—and more importantly, what they are capable of doing in the future.
Every CEO was CEO for the first time, which meant that some company had to decide that “previous experience”—in this instance, in the CEO role—was not a requirement, and similarly for every other position. In the second case, transcripts mostly reveal whether people can succeed in school. There is little evidence in the one area I know best, business schools and MBAs, that grades in school predict subsequent career success, and to the extent there are positive correlations found in some studies, they are incredibly small.
The answer, in terms of hiring, is to first of all be clear about the relevant behaviors and then test for those behaviors, either using work samples or else interview questions that probe how people have handled or would handle relevant situations.
Question: What role should budgets play in the management of an organization?
Answer: Budgets should be general guidelines. As hard and fast rules, they become subject to “gaming.” People delay doing sensible things, push expenses around, hide sales, etc. And also, budgets often just reward the best forecasters and negotiators. It is possible to make “budget” as you lose market share and go broke, as long as the targets are set low enough.
Question: How should people judge a company’s results?
Answer: By comparison to its peers and by comparison to what its own aspirations are. Companies, as the balanced scorecard notes, depend on customers, employees, investors, suppliers, and others in the ecosystem. It is wrong to give one of those groups priority over the others. Brand loyalty and employee loyalty are both real assets, even if not reflected on balance sheets and income statements.
Just look at Apple Computer with respect to products and DaVita, the kidney dialysis company, which has few open nursing positions because it is a great place to work. As Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines recognized long ago, if you take care of your people, they will take care of the customers, who will keep coming back, which will make the shareholders happy. It is all interrelated.
Question: What role should strategic planning play in the management of an organization?
Answer: Doing the right thing is important, which is where strategy comes in. But doing that thing well—execution—is what sets companies apart. After all, every football play is designed to go for a huge gain. The reason it doesn’t is because of execution—people drop balls, miss blocks, go to the wrong place, and so forth. So, success depends on execution—on the ability to get things done.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
A SPECIAL GIFT TO THE ALL BLACKS FROM THEIR MAIN SPONSORS - ADIDAS
A special gift from Adidas and the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) will make sure the All Blacks stay connected to their homeland at a purely grass roots level for the World Cup in France this year.
The NZRU and Adidas are in the process of cutting a piece of turf from dozens of grounds around the country.
Soil from the turf will help to make up the gift that the team will take to France in August.
Adidas NZ marketing manager Craig Waugh said the idea behind the campaign was that the 1072 All Blacks to date were "Of This Earth".
"The turf we are collecting from clubs around the country will cover the rugby grounds on which every All Black has played," Craig said.
"We'll then be creating a very special gift to send along to France with the All Blacks when they contest the World Cup."
NZRU marketing manager Fraser Holland said turf would be collected from major stadiums like Eden Park, Waikato Stadium and Carisbrook, as well as small provincial grounds like Southbridge, the home ground to first five-eighths Dan Carter, and Opunake Beach, home to prop Carl Hayman.
A special gift from Adidas and the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) will make sure the All Blacks stay connected to their homeland at a purely grass roots level for the World Cup in France this year.
The NZRU and Adidas are in the process of cutting a piece of turf from dozens of grounds around the country.
Soil from the turf will help to make up the gift that the team will take to France in August.
Adidas NZ marketing manager Craig Waugh said the idea behind the campaign was that the 1072 All Blacks to date were "Of This Earth".
"The turf we are collecting from clubs around the country will cover the rugby grounds on which every All Black has played," Craig said.
"We'll then be creating a very special gift to send along to France with the All Blacks when they contest the World Cup."
NZRU marketing manager Fraser Holland said turf would be collected from major stadiums like Eden Park, Waikato Stadium and Carisbrook, as well as small provincial grounds like Southbridge, the home ground to first five-eighths Dan Carter, and Opunake Beach, home to prop Carl Hayman.
WELL THE AMERICA'S CUP IS OVER FOR ANOTHER FEW YEARS.
Alinghi has beaten Emirates Team New Zealand by 5-2. NZ had a good boat compared to four years ago - the last one literally fell to pieces.
It was a mixture of a slight speed advantage, greater experience and superior sailing skills from the Alinghi syndicate; some bad luck, a few vital errors at the wrong times and some gear failure from Team NZ. Dean Barker continues to grow as a skipper and will improve even more by the next challenge, whenever it might be.
The New Zealand public continues to support Team New Zealand as a national icon, albeit a few levels below the All Blacks. The current New Zealand Government is prepared to financially support them once again, with an advance of $10 milion to get the next challenge under way. The team managemet can then retain those members it wishes to or needs.
There was a lot of emotional out-pouring at Valencia, not all of it was positive, but as they say - thats all history now!
Congratulations on a great team effort, not a success, but not something to be ashamed of either. Come on the All Blacks and the Silver Ferns!!
Alinghi has beaten Emirates Team New Zealand by 5-2. NZ had a good boat compared to four years ago - the last one literally fell to pieces.
It was a mixture of a slight speed advantage, greater experience and superior sailing skills from the Alinghi syndicate; some bad luck, a few vital errors at the wrong times and some gear failure from Team NZ. Dean Barker continues to grow as a skipper and will improve even more by the next challenge, whenever it might be.
The New Zealand public continues to support Team New Zealand as a national icon, albeit a few levels below the All Blacks. The current New Zealand Government is prepared to financially support them once again, with an advance of $10 milion to get the next challenge under way. The team managemet can then retain those members it wishes to or needs.
There was a lot of emotional out-pouring at Valencia, not all of it was positive, but as they say - thats all history now!
Congratulations on a great team effort, not a success, but not something to be ashamed of either. Come on the All Blacks and the Silver Ferns!!
Sunday, July 01, 2007
NZ soldier Willy Apiata to be awarded Victoria Cross for bravery in Afghanistan where he carried wounded colleague to safety
"I was just doing my job boss"
Those were the words of SAS Corporal Willy Apiata when told by his commanding officer he was in line to receive New Zealand's highest military honour for his service in Afghanistan, the Victoria Cross. The last time the nation's highest military decoration was awarded in New Zealand was in 1946.
Corporal Apiata, 35, carried a wounded colleague for 70 metres under heavy fire in 2004. The soldier would have died from the loss of blood.
Prime Minister Helen Clark says awarding a Victoria Cross for the first time since the Second World War, was not taken lightly. "A huge amount of work has been done, to document what happened and to research the precedence for the award of the Victoria Cross, before taking the decision to proceed."
Corporal Apiata becomes one of only 13 living recipients of the VC worldwide. A member of the British Army received the VC for gallantry in Iraq in 2004 and is the only other VC recipient still serving in the military. He will be invested with the Victoria Cross for New Zealand by the Governor-General at a special ceremony to be held at Government House later this month.
Waikato born, Corporal Apiata joined the territorials in 1989 and served in East Timor before making the SAS is 2002. He is father to a four-year-old son.
Three of Corporal Apiata's colleagues are also receiving gallantry awards, but because of the secrecy surrounding the SAS they are not being named.
Defence Minister Phil Goff says New Zealanders can be proud of the extraordinary heroism and outstanding performance of their duties by members of the NZSAS.
"The VC honours a man who put his own life at risk to save the life of a comrade. All of the honours reflect exceptional courage and leadership, and the commitment members of the NZSAS have to each other and to the tasks they are sent to do on behalf of New Zealand.
"They are modest about their achievements but they have contributed to an already proud tradition of military service by the NZSAS and a reputation for being ordinary people doing extraordinary jobs."
"I was just doing my job boss"
Those were the words of SAS Corporal Willy Apiata when told by his commanding officer he was in line to receive New Zealand's highest military honour for his service in Afghanistan, the Victoria Cross. The last time the nation's highest military decoration was awarded in New Zealand was in 1946.
Corporal Apiata, 35, carried a wounded colleague for 70 metres under heavy fire in 2004. The soldier would have died from the loss of blood.
Prime Minister Helen Clark says awarding a Victoria Cross for the first time since the Second World War, was not taken lightly. "A huge amount of work has been done, to document what happened and to research the precedence for the award of the Victoria Cross, before taking the decision to proceed."
Corporal Apiata becomes one of only 13 living recipients of the VC worldwide. A member of the British Army received the VC for gallantry in Iraq in 2004 and is the only other VC recipient still serving in the military. He will be invested with the Victoria Cross for New Zealand by the Governor-General at a special ceremony to be held at Government House later this month.
Waikato born, Corporal Apiata joined the territorials in 1989 and served in East Timor before making the SAS is 2002. He is father to a four-year-old son.
Three of Corporal Apiata's colleagues are also receiving gallantry awards, but because of the secrecy surrounding the SAS they are not being named.
Defence Minister Phil Goff says New Zealanders can be proud of the extraordinary heroism and outstanding performance of their duties by members of the NZSAS.
"The VC honours a man who put his own life at risk to save the life of a comrade. All of the honours reflect exceptional courage and leadership, and the commitment members of the NZSAS have to each other and to the tasks they are sent to do on behalf of New Zealand.
"They are modest about their achievements but they have contributed to an already proud tradition of military service by the NZSAS and a reputation for being ordinary people doing extraordinary jobs."
A DISGUSTING PRACTICE THAT HAS TO BE CONDEMNED BY ANY HUMANE PERSON. THIS IS BARBARIC AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ISLAM...
The reported death of a 12 year old Egyptian girl at the hands of a doctor performing that revolting practice of female circumcision has apparently sparked a public outcry there, and so it should, and has prompted health and religious authorities to ban the practice. It is, after all, a cultural practice that has nothing to do with Islam.
The poor little girl who was named Badour Shaker, died last month while undergoing the procedure in an illegal clinic in the southern town of Maghagh. Her mother, Zeniab Abdel Ghani, said she paid about 50 Egyptian pounds($NZ11.85) to a female physician to perform the disgusting procedure.
The mother also said the doctor tried to bribe her to withdraw a lawsuit accusing the physician of murdering her daughter, in return for 15,000 ponds, but she refused.
A forensic inquiry into the case indicated the girl’s death was caused by an anaethesia overdose.
The reported death of a 12 year old Egyptian girl at the hands of a doctor performing that revolting practice of female circumcision has apparently sparked a public outcry there, and so it should, and has prompted health and religious authorities to ban the practice. It is, after all, a cultural practice that has nothing to do with Islam.
The poor little girl who was named Badour Shaker, died last month while undergoing the procedure in an illegal clinic in the southern town of Maghagh. Her mother, Zeniab Abdel Ghani, said she paid about 50 Egyptian pounds($NZ11.85) to a female physician to perform the disgusting procedure.
The mother also said the doctor tried to bribe her to withdraw a lawsuit accusing the physician of murdering her daughter, in return for 15,000 ponds, but she refused.
A forensic inquiry into the case indicated the girl’s death was caused by an anaethesia overdose.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Claims made that Party Pills are as addictive as P and magnify the effect of methamphetamine.
Those are the shock early findings of university and Environmental Science and Research studies into the health effects of BZP, the active ingredient in most party pills.
Last Thursday,the New Zealand Government announced it would ban the pills within six months.
BZP will be classified as a Class 1 drug, the same as cannabis / marijuana. The NZ Associate Health Minister, Jim Anderton, said before these new revelations, "Once you are told by clinical experts that what is being sold virtually at the corner dairy or convenience store could kill people...if you don't take action,and a 14 year old or a 16 year year old or an 18 year old dies in hospital from BZP, what do you think the headlines will be about government inaction?"
And just last night, top New Zealand scientist Dr Paul Fitzmaurice told the NZ Sunday Times how BZP had frightenly similar qualities to the highly addictive methamphetamine drug P.
The leading Environmental Science and Research(ESR) neurotoxologist said a series of tests at the University of Auckland, ESR and Victoria University have produced alarming results.
The tests showed BZP party pills:
1/ Get users hooked through the same brainwave patterns as highly addictive drugs including speed(P) and cocaine.
2/ Enhance the euphoric effect of P.
3/ Carry an overdose risk.
Scientists conducted a series of tests on lab rats - administering controlled doses of BZP and studying the effect on the brain. These animal tests showed these drugs mimic other drugs that are known to be addictive.
The rats were also given dose of methamphetamine. The tests showed that if you were given methamphetamine after being on BZP for several hours, you'd end up with a much greater effect from the methamphetamine, the researcher claimed.
Scientists are followng up their preliminary animal tests by studying the effects on humans.
Dr Paul Fitzmaurice said another study had shown a severe risk of overdose." What our preliminary data says it is taking two or three hours for an average dose of 200 milligrams to reach its maximum concentation in the body," he said. "The more you take, the longer it takes to react. People who think they can take four or five tablets to get a much quicker response actually don't. It actualy takes longer for the drug to reach its maximum effect and once it does they find they've taken too many tablets.'' he said.
Those are the shock early findings of university and Environmental Science and Research studies into the health effects of BZP, the active ingredient in most party pills.
Last Thursday,the New Zealand Government announced it would ban the pills within six months.
BZP will be classified as a Class 1 drug, the same as cannabis / marijuana. The NZ Associate Health Minister, Jim Anderton, said before these new revelations, "Once you are told by clinical experts that what is being sold virtually at the corner dairy or convenience store could kill people...if you don't take action,and a 14 year old or a 16 year year old or an 18 year old dies in hospital from BZP, what do you think the headlines will be about government inaction?"
And just last night, top New Zealand scientist Dr Paul Fitzmaurice told the NZ Sunday Times how BZP had frightenly similar qualities to the highly addictive methamphetamine drug P.
The leading Environmental Science and Research(ESR) neurotoxologist said a series of tests at the University of Auckland, ESR and Victoria University have produced alarming results.
The tests showed BZP party pills:
1/ Get users hooked through the same brainwave patterns as highly addictive drugs including speed(P) and cocaine.
2/ Enhance the euphoric effect of P.
3/ Carry an overdose risk.
Scientists conducted a series of tests on lab rats - administering controlled doses of BZP and studying the effect on the brain. These animal tests showed these drugs mimic other drugs that are known to be addictive.
The rats were also given dose of methamphetamine. The tests showed that if you were given methamphetamine after being on BZP for several hours, you'd end up with a much greater effect from the methamphetamine, the researcher claimed.
Scientists are followng up their preliminary animal tests by studying the effects on humans.
Dr Paul Fitzmaurice said another study had shown a severe risk of overdose." What our preliminary data says it is taking two or three hours for an average dose of 200 milligrams to reach its maximum concentation in the body," he said. "The more you take, the longer it takes to react. People who think they can take four or five tablets to get a much quicker response actually don't. It actualy takes longer for the drug to reach its maximum effect and once it does they find they've taken too many tablets.'' he said.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
International Muslim protest at Salman Rushdie knighthood award:
As some British Muslims protested at the awarding of writer Salmam Rushdie’s coming knighthood, reports are coming through about concerted mass strikes and demonstrations in India, Iran and Pakistan; others distanced themselves from the effigy burning and reprisals.
There was about 20 demonstrations at Regents Park mosque in London after prayers, with men with covered faces waving placards, one of which allegedly read “God save the Queen”, and shouting slogans.
Mosque staff distanced themselves from the demonstration. A woman from the director- general’s office stating ” We do not sanction this protest or the views they are expressing.”
Why is it many Muslims cover their faces when protesting? Haven’t they the courage of their convictions, or is they just lack old fashioned intestinal fortitude?
As some British Muslims protested at the awarding of writer Salmam Rushdie’s coming knighthood, reports are coming through about concerted mass strikes and demonstrations in India, Iran and Pakistan; others distanced themselves from the effigy burning and reprisals.
There was about 20 demonstrations at Regents Park mosque in London after prayers, with men with covered faces waving placards, one of which allegedly read “God save the Queen”, and shouting slogans.
Mosque staff distanced themselves from the demonstration. A woman from the director- general’s office stating ” We do not sanction this protest or the views they are expressing.”
Why is it many Muslims cover their faces when protesting? Haven’t they the courage of their convictions, or is they just lack old fashioned intestinal fortitude?
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Muslim Bridges an interesting site. Read on. A link below:
MB Your first time? See First Bridge MB Muslim visitors, join NOW our campaign - Share Islam with Family and Friends MB Christian Visitors, see Christian Bridge, and the Weekly Bridge Publication. You will discover we have more in common than you think MB Would you like to watch live Presentation about Islam at your Church or School? Now you can MB Have you listened to our 24/7 live Quran Radio Channel? MB Say No to Islamophobia & Racism, see campagin and take Actions MB Read from our 650 articles and books, 50 more added Monthly MB Read about Jimmy Carter Palestine, Peace not Apartheid MB Free Registeration and get "Palestine" Book FREE & Live Broadcast & Video on Demand & The Weekly Review FREE Thursday, 21 June 2007
Home About Us Press Site Map Learning Bridge Youth Af. Americans Latinos Contact Us Get Involved Login-register Choosing Friends
Human beings are by nature social beings who interact, are interdependent, and thus, in need of friends and companions. Much of our lives are spent in such social associations, and friendship is indeed an essential component in human relationships. Since early childhood, friends help us through changes we may face as we go through the different stages in life. Through friends we share our ultimate fears, sorrows, happiness, and goals. Such friends can help heal certain wounds and memories of the past and help us meet the challenges of the future.
For Muslims in all conditions; and specifically when living in a society where we are clearly a minority, the issue of choosing good friends is essential for preserving our beliefs and life-style.
Influence of Friends
Prophet Muhammad advised that a person is influenced by the lifestyle of friends; so, be cautious whom you befriend. If one is negatively influenced by those we associate, with then the consequence could be disastrous. [Qur'an 43:67] Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: "The example of a good companion and a bad companion is like that of the seller of musk compared to the one who blows the blacksmith's bellows. As for the seller of musk; either he will grant you some, or you buy some from him, or at least you enjoy a pleasant smell from his perfumes. As for the one who blows the blacksmith's bellows; either your clothes could burn or you will get an offensive smell from the smoke of his fire."
Friends & Friendship
Friends are people, who spontaneously seek the company of one another; who like and wish to do well for the other, believing that the other party reciprocates these feelings with good intentions.
Friendship is a voluntary, informal, reciprocal and interpersonal relationship that is mutually productive and characterized by mutual positive regard. Friendship is intended to facilitate social-emotional goals of the participants, and may involve varying types and degrees of companionship, closeness, affection, and mutual assistance. Friendship is manifested through honesty, sincerity; trust; openness; loyalty; reliability and the durability of the relationship over time.
In Islamic literature, the root meaning of the terms used for friend indicate some of the essential qualities necessary for friendship ... Siddiq (truthful/honest), Khalil (associate/link), Wali (protector/overseer), Rafiq (kind/caring).
"A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be." [Author, Douglas Pagels]
Who do You Choose as Friends & Why?
Researchers conclude that an individual's opportunity to make and maintain friends over their life course is influenced by various factors such as age, gender, physical status, ability/disability level, living environment, cultural/religious background, socio-economic status and psychological characteristics [Johnson and Troll, 1994].
When you choose your friends, which qualities are most important ...
Social status / Popularity
Income level / Wealth
Looks / Appearance
Race/Ethnicity
Faith and/or Character
Political Affiliation
Intelligence / Education
Interest / Hobbies / Skills
Compassion / Care
Loyalty / Reliability
Different Kinds of Friendship :
for pleasure {could be positive or negative}
for usefulness/utility {could be positive or negative}
for virtue = friendship of character. {must be positive}
natural friendships = between father/son, siblings ... {ought to be positive}
Sayedna 'Ali advised:
"Befriend the righteous, flee from the transgressors, avoid the hypocrites and do not associate with deceivers."
To form a healthy and long-lasting friendship, people must be productive in that relationship, and they cannot be causing harm to themselves or the other person involved. "Once destructiveness enters into a relationship, it can no longer be characterized as a friendship." [Joseph A. Devito: The Interpersonal Communication Book.] This is not only true in friendship relationships but also in marriage relationships and parent-to-child relationships.
Best of Friends
Wise ones have said ...
"The best friend; according to the estimation of Allah, is the one best to his/her friend." [Prophet Muhammad]
Best friends aren't born, they're made, one great memory at a time
"Complete friendship is the friendship of good people similar in virtue; for they wish good in the same way to each other in so far as they are good, and they are good themselves. Such friendships last as long as they are good; and virtue is enduring." [Aristotle]
Many people will walk in and out of your life; but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.
Are you the kind of person that meets the standards of a good friend?
By: Br. Sadullah Khan
Islam en Espanol
Islam en Espanol
El Sagrado CORAN - Espanol
Islamic Basics
Islam at a Glance
Islam and Modern Science
Understanding Islam & Muslims
Many Prophets, One Message
Spread of Islam
Content for New Muslims
Women In Islam
Gender Equity in Islam
Women Rights
Marriage and Divorce
Islam in America
History and Organizations
Contemporary Issues
Addressing Islamophobia
Jihad
Terrorism
Spread by the Sword
Radical interpretation of Quran
Shariaa Law - Religious rulings
Manipulation of Phobia
Defaming the Prophet
Suicide Bombing
Live – One Click View
Weekly Bridge Publication
Features & Commentary
Reflections
Book in a Spoon
Film in a Spoon
Stories should NOT be told
Letters to Editor
YouTube Basket
Main Menu
Downloads - Free Books
New Muslims
Take Shahada
Find Islamic Center
Recommended Links
Appreciation & Credits
Interns
For Islamic Centers
Click on Banner to view
Subscribe To MB Newsletter
Receive HTML?
Top 50 - Most Viewed
Jesus (P) speaks of Mohammed (P) in the Bible
(12)YUSUF (Prophet Joseph)
Thomas Jefferson's Qur'an
TOMB OF JESUS?
Marriage to non Muslims
Jihad - A Legitimate Struggle for Human Rights
Masters of torture - Dwarfing Abu Ghraib
Palestine, Peace Not Apartheid
US Muslim Marine did 360
Polygamy
WAITING FOR JESUS
Women in Christianity and Islam
By The SWORD or FAITH !
Theory of Evolution
The Life of Prophet Mohammed
God's Mercy Toward Women
Arts & Culture
NOTES ON ISLAMIC JIHAD
Brief Introduction - Four Differences
The Story of Adam & Creation
American innocence - Killed by Bulldozer
Divorce: A Man's Right
Love in Islam
Jesus in Islam
Relations with non-Muslims
Hijaab
Abortion & Contraception
Is Islam hostile to Jews?
Islam is Not the Source of Terrorism, But its Solution
Allah Is One
Terrorism
Stem Cell Research
The Big Bang
Violence in Marriage
Drugs & Alcohol epidemic: Religious influence
Divorce: Easy
Aliens
Reel Bad Arab
Six Articles of Faith
Islam at a Glance
Understanding Islam & Muslims
Rulings on Divorce and connected matters in the Qur'an
Selected Verses from the Holy Quran
The Islamic Origins of Modern Science
Brief History - The spread of Islam
Source, Deeds, Original Sin, and Crucifixion
Examples of the Prophet's Sayings
Fear, Phobia, Islamophobia - Part 1
Apartheid: Policy of blaming victims
SUICIDE BOMBINGS
Pearls of Wisdom
"None of you will enter paradise unless you believe and none of you truly believe unless you love one another"
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
Do not indulge in any act unless it is beneficial,
and do not say anything except what is good
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
Terms of Use
The Muslim Bridges site
MB Your first time? See First Bridge MB Muslim visitors, join NOW our campaign - Share Islam with Family and Friends MB Christian Visitors, see Christian Bridge, and the Weekly Bridge Publication. You will discover we have more in common than you think MB Would you like to watch live Presentation about Islam at your Church or School? Now you can MB Have you listened to our 24/7 live Quran Radio Channel? MB Say No to Islamophobia & Racism, see campagin and take Actions MB Read from our 650 articles and books, 50 more added Monthly MB Read about Jimmy Carter Palestine, Peace not Apartheid MB Free Registeration and get "Palestine" Book FREE & Live Broadcast & Video on Demand & The Weekly Review FREE Thursday, 21 June 2007
Home About Us Press Site Map Learning Bridge Youth Af. Americans Latinos Contact Us Get Involved Login-register Choosing Friends
Human beings are by nature social beings who interact, are interdependent, and thus, in need of friends and companions. Much of our lives are spent in such social associations, and friendship is indeed an essential component in human relationships. Since early childhood, friends help us through changes we may face as we go through the different stages in life. Through friends we share our ultimate fears, sorrows, happiness, and goals. Such friends can help heal certain wounds and memories of the past and help us meet the challenges of the future.
For Muslims in all conditions; and specifically when living in a society where we are clearly a minority, the issue of choosing good friends is essential for preserving our beliefs and life-style.
Influence of Friends
Prophet Muhammad advised that a person is influenced by the lifestyle of friends; so, be cautious whom you befriend. If one is negatively influenced by those we associate, with then the consequence could be disastrous. [Qur'an 43:67] Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: "The example of a good companion and a bad companion is like that of the seller of musk compared to the one who blows the blacksmith's bellows. As for the seller of musk; either he will grant you some, or you buy some from him, or at least you enjoy a pleasant smell from his perfumes. As for the one who blows the blacksmith's bellows; either your clothes could burn or you will get an offensive smell from the smoke of his fire."
Friends & Friendship
Friends are people, who spontaneously seek the company of one another; who like and wish to do well for the other, believing that the other party reciprocates these feelings with good intentions.
Friendship is a voluntary, informal, reciprocal and interpersonal relationship that is mutually productive and characterized by mutual positive regard. Friendship is intended to facilitate social-emotional goals of the participants, and may involve varying types and degrees of companionship, closeness, affection, and mutual assistance. Friendship is manifested through honesty, sincerity; trust; openness; loyalty; reliability and the durability of the relationship over time.
In Islamic literature, the root meaning of the terms used for friend indicate some of the essential qualities necessary for friendship ... Siddiq (truthful/honest), Khalil (associate/link), Wali (protector/overseer), Rafiq (kind/caring).
"A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be." [Author, Douglas Pagels]
Who do You Choose as Friends & Why?
Researchers conclude that an individual's opportunity to make and maintain friends over their life course is influenced by various factors such as age, gender, physical status, ability/disability level, living environment, cultural/religious background, socio-economic status and psychological characteristics [Johnson and Troll, 1994].
When you choose your friends, which qualities are most important ...
Social status / Popularity
Income level / Wealth
Looks / Appearance
Race/Ethnicity
Faith and/or Character
Political Affiliation
Intelligence / Education
Interest / Hobbies / Skills
Compassion / Care
Loyalty / Reliability
Different Kinds of Friendship :
for pleasure {could be positive or negative}
for usefulness/utility {could be positive or negative}
for virtue = friendship of character. {must be positive}
natural friendships = between father/son, siblings ... {ought to be positive}
Sayedna 'Ali advised:
"Befriend the righteous, flee from the transgressors, avoid the hypocrites and do not associate with deceivers."
To form a healthy and long-lasting friendship, people must be productive in that relationship, and they cannot be causing harm to themselves or the other person involved. "Once destructiveness enters into a relationship, it can no longer be characterized as a friendship." [Joseph A. Devito: The Interpersonal Communication Book.] This is not only true in friendship relationships but also in marriage relationships and parent-to-child relationships.
Best of Friends
Wise ones have said ...
"The best friend; according to the estimation of Allah, is the one best to his/her friend." [Prophet Muhammad]
Best friends aren't born, they're made, one great memory at a time
"Complete friendship is the friendship of good people similar in virtue; for they wish good in the same way to each other in so far as they are good, and they are good themselves. Such friendships last as long as they are good; and virtue is enduring." [Aristotle]
Many people will walk in and out of your life; but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.
Are you the kind of person that meets the standards of a good friend?
By: Br. Sadullah Khan
Islam en Espanol
Islam en Espanol
El Sagrado CORAN - Espanol
Islamic Basics
Islam at a Glance
Islam and Modern Science
Understanding Islam & Muslims
Many Prophets, One Message
Spread of Islam
Content for New Muslims
Women In Islam
Gender Equity in Islam
Women Rights
Marriage and Divorce
Islam in America
History and Organizations
Contemporary Issues
Addressing Islamophobia
Jihad
Terrorism
Spread by the Sword
Radical interpretation of Quran
Shariaa Law - Religious rulings
Manipulation of Phobia
Defaming the Prophet
Suicide Bombing
Live – One Click View
Weekly Bridge Publication
Features & Commentary
Reflections
Book in a Spoon
Film in a Spoon
Stories should NOT be told
Letters to Editor
YouTube Basket
Main Menu
Downloads - Free Books
New Muslims
Take Shahada
Find Islamic Center
Recommended Links
Appreciation & Credits
Interns
For Islamic Centers
Click on Banner to view
Subscribe To MB Newsletter
Receive HTML?
Top 50 - Most Viewed
Jesus (P) speaks of Mohammed (P) in the Bible
(12)YUSUF (Prophet Joseph)
Thomas Jefferson's Qur'an
TOMB OF JESUS?
Marriage to non Muslims
Jihad - A Legitimate Struggle for Human Rights
Masters of torture - Dwarfing Abu Ghraib
Palestine, Peace Not Apartheid
US Muslim Marine did 360
Polygamy
WAITING FOR JESUS
Women in Christianity and Islam
By The SWORD or FAITH !
Theory of Evolution
The Life of Prophet Mohammed
God's Mercy Toward Women
Arts & Culture
NOTES ON ISLAMIC JIHAD
Brief Introduction - Four Differences
The Story of Adam & Creation
American innocence - Killed by Bulldozer
Divorce: A Man's Right
Love in Islam
Jesus in Islam
Relations with non-Muslims
Hijaab
Abortion & Contraception
Is Islam hostile to Jews?
Islam is Not the Source of Terrorism, But its Solution
Allah Is One
Terrorism
Stem Cell Research
The Big Bang
Violence in Marriage
Drugs & Alcohol epidemic: Religious influence
Divorce: Easy
Aliens
Reel Bad Arab
Six Articles of Faith
Islam at a Glance
Understanding Islam & Muslims
Rulings on Divorce and connected matters in the Qur'an
Selected Verses from the Holy Quran
The Islamic Origins of Modern Science
Brief History - The spread of Islam
Source, Deeds, Original Sin, and Crucifixion
Examples of the Prophet's Sayings
Fear, Phobia, Islamophobia - Part 1
Apartheid: Policy of blaming victims
SUICIDE BOMBINGS
Pearls of Wisdom
"None of you will enter paradise unless you believe and none of you truly believe unless you love one another"
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
Do not indulge in any act unless it is beneficial,
and do not say anything except what is good
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
Terms of Use
The Muslim Bridges site
Monday, June 18, 2007
Is there a connection between Islam and the Church of Satan? If not what is causing the violence in Muslim religions? Islam claims to be a peaceful religious movement...
Recently I visited an Islamic website and found evidence of an official Church of Satan.Who are they and how are they connected with Islam?
I'll just discuss what I read, how I see any connection and leave it up to you to decide for yourselves.
There is an official Church of Satan.Followers of Satan, the fallen angel,existed long before Christ.Modern Satanists bear more resemblance to pagans and atheists than the baby mutilating goblins of popular yore.
Satanists did not exist as a modern religion before 1966 when Anton La Vey and associates organised a religion based on the principles expressed in the many stories of Satan,God's nemesis. In 1967 LaVey produced a book that has become known as th Satanic Bible, and the Church of Satan was born!
Modern Satanism is a broad term to describe all the sects of Satanism - many churches and philosophies all at odds with
themselves - The Church of Satan and The Temple of Set are apparently
the largest two of the main branches.
Their main beliefs are outlined in the Nine Satanic Statements from the Satanic Bible and the Eleven Rules of the Earth!
So much for the Satanists themselves.The combined teachings of Jesus Christ and the prophet Muhammed dispel these Satanic rules!
Lets look at a few comments from Islam to get some idea of where they come from?
Holy Qur'ran 16:126
" And if you take your turn, retaliate with the like of that with which you were afflicted:But if you endure patiently, verily itis better for the patient."
However, this supercedes the code of Satan which promotes a merciless vengeance, while Islam teaches to only attack with the same amount you were attacked with, for example, you don't kill somebody for scratching your hand.
Kindness and Vengeance do not mix,only if you are kind to yourself; because everyone who intentially or unintentionally wrongs you, so Satan is advocating revenge on everybody while Islam completed the teachings of Jesus by clarifying that when you are being attacked,it is best to have patience and forgiveness against the attack, but then if the attack continues, then you're given permission to retaliate only with the equal amount of force that was used.
It may be a little difficult to understand but I believe it says if you are attacked, have a little patience because the attack may stop; if it doesn't you can defend yourself to the degree suffered.
Of course we all know that Jesus said,turn the other cheek!
It is the Satanists who advocate and demand vengeance, and that is the attitude and policies of the fundamentalist Muslims, who are responsible for the call to Jihad and the encouragement of suicide bombings in recent times! Just what credibility can Islam maintain if they do no publicly rebuke these fundamentalists who defile the teachings of the prophet,Muhammed and Islam! Islam's jihad with Islam!
Well there we are and now it's up to you to make up your own minds about the contents of this posting? Have a happy day! Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life!
Visit Pete's Kiwi Forum: http://peteskiwiforum.blogspot.com
Recently I visited an Islamic website and found evidence of an official Church of Satan.Who are they and how are they connected with Islam?
I'll just discuss what I read, how I see any connection and leave it up to you to decide for yourselves.
There is an official Church of Satan.Followers of Satan, the fallen angel,existed long before Christ.Modern Satanists bear more resemblance to pagans and atheists than the baby mutilating goblins of popular yore.
Satanists did not exist as a modern religion before 1966 when Anton La Vey and associates organised a religion based on the principles expressed in the many stories of Satan,God's nemesis. In 1967 LaVey produced a book that has become known as th Satanic Bible, and the Church of Satan was born!
Modern Satanism is a broad term to describe all the sects of Satanism - many churches and philosophies all at odds with
themselves - The Church of Satan and The Temple of Set are apparently
the largest two of the main branches.
Their main beliefs are outlined in the Nine Satanic Statements from the Satanic Bible and the Eleven Rules of the Earth!
So much for the Satanists themselves.The combined teachings of Jesus Christ and the prophet Muhammed dispel these Satanic rules!
Lets look at a few comments from Islam to get some idea of where they come from?
Holy Qur'ran 16:126
" And if you take your turn, retaliate with the like of that with which you were afflicted:But if you endure patiently, verily itis better for the patient."
However, this supercedes the code of Satan which promotes a merciless vengeance, while Islam teaches to only attack with the same amount you were attacked with, for example, you don't kill somebody for scratching your hand.
Kindness and Vengeance do not mix,only if you are kind to yourself; because everyone who intentially or unintentionally wrongs you, so Satan is advocating revenge on everybody while Islam completed the teachings of Jesus by clarifying that when you are being attacked,it is best to have patience and forgiveness against the attack, but then if the attack continues, then you're given permission to retaliate only with the equal amount of force that was used.
It may be a little difficult to understand but I believe it says if you are attacked, have a little patience because the attack may stop; if it doesn't you can defend yourself to the degree suffered.
Of course we all know that Jesus said,turn the other cheek!
It is the Satanists who advocate and demand vengeance, and that is the attitude and policies of the fundamentalist Muslims, who are responsible for the call to Jihad and the encouragement of suicide bombings in recent times! Just what credibility can Islam maintain if they do no publicly rebuke these fundamentalists who defile the teachings of the prophet,Muhammed and Islam! Islam's jihad with Islam!
Well there we are and now it's up to you to make up your own minds about the contents of this posting? Have a happy day! Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life!
Visit Pete's Kiwi Forum: http://peteskiwiforum.blogspot.com
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Remember the old tourist line - " Fiji the way the world should be". Yeah right! The military coup continues and democracy is becoming a distant memory.
The coup continues in Fiji and centres on New Zealand at present. The guns are still out and opposition to the military regime is not tolerated - people are regularly invited for a "chat" at the QE Army barracks in Suva, the capital. A number of men are still missing. Many others have described the beatings they have received at the hands of soldiers, including members of the Fijian media. While the military are not evident in other islands,the tentacles of fear reaches out to all of them, reminding them to keep their opinions to themselves.
Fiji is slowly sliding towards being a banana republic along the lines of Mugabes's Zimbabwe - economically ruined and treated like an international pariah. The miltary regime has no regard for its people. What is their secret agenda?
Commodore Voreque Bainimarama set his sights on New Zealand in recent days, by declaring its high commissioner, Michael Green, persona non grata and expelling him from Fiji, giving him only four days to do so, and also refusing to allow two members of the diplomatic protection police force to enter the country and ensure that the diplomat is able to leave safely without harassment from Fijian soldiers. New Zealanders living and holidaying in Fiji have been warned that they could be more at risk now. Green's expulsion was claimed to be because he sat in a seat reserved for Commodore Bainimarama at a recent rugby game between Fiji and a New Zealand Junior All Blacks side, won in a canter by New Zealand. As a representative of the New Zealand Government, Mr Green expressed New Zealand's opposition to the illegal military regime.
New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister, Winston Peters, revealed that Fiji tried to strong-arm New Zealand into withdrawing Mr Green or dumping a travel ban New Zealand has on coup leaders, before it finally expelled him. Mr Peters said it was a type of diplomacy that a civilised country like New Zealand did not understand. It is totally unacceptable and speaks volumes about those currently in control in Fiji. Mr Peters and Commodore Bainimarama were personal friends of longstanding until the coup. No doubt Bainimarama is very angry about travel bans and damage to tourist trade from NZ travel warnings.
The New Zealand prime minister, Helen Clark said Fiji's actions were delusional and its behaviour was absolutely disgraceful. She expected Australian prime minister, John Howard to support moves to strengthen sanctions against the illegal military regime in Fiji which could include moves to block the United Nations from using Fijian troops in peacekeeping missions and ensuring that all payments by-pass the regime. New Zealand was reassessing all aspects of the bilateral relationship between the two countries. So far Fiji has been suspended from the Commonwealth and this year's World Netball Championship has been transfered to New Zealand. Claims that New Zealand has bullied Fiji should be treated with contempt; all coups were started within Fiji and had no New Zealand involvement. New Zealand has always assisted Fiji. Claims that Fiji's armed forces were too large in comparison to its population are correct.
The coup continues in Fiji and centres on New Zealand at present. The guns are still out and opposition to the military regime is not tolerated - people are regularly invited for a "chat" at the QE Army barracks in Suva, the capital. A number of men are still missing. Many others have described the beatings they have received at the hands of soldiers, including members of the Fijian media. While the military are not evident in other islands,the tentacles of fear reaches out to all of them, reminding them to keep their opinions to themselves.
Fiji is slowly sliding towards being a banana republic along the lines of Mugabes's Zimbabwe - economically ruined and treated like an international pariah. The miltary regime has no regard for its people. What is their secret agenda?
Commodore Voreque Bainimarama set his sights on New Zealand in recent days, by declaring its high commissioner, Michael Green, persona non grata and expelling him from Fiji, giving him only four days to do so, and also refusing to allow two members of the diplomatic protection police force to enter the country and ensure that the diplomat is able to leave safely without harassment from Fijian soldiers. New Zealanders living and holidaying in Fiji have been warned that they could be more at risk now. Green's expulsion was claimed to be because he sat in a seat reserved for Commodore Bainimarama at a recent rugby game between Fiji and a New Zealand Junior All Blacks side, won in a canter by New Zealand. As a representative of the New Zealand Government, Mr Green expressed New Zealand's opposition to the illegal military regime.
New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister, Winston Peters, revealed that Fiji tried to strong-arm New Zealand into withdrawing Mr Green or dumping a travel ban New Zealand has on coup leaders, before it finally expelled him. Mr Peters said it was a type of diplomacy that a civilised country like New Zealand did not understand. It is totally unacceptable and speaks volumes about those currently in control in Fiji. Mr Peters and Commodore Bainimarama were personal friends of longstanding until the coup. No doubt Bainimarama is very angry about travel bans and damage to tourist trade from NZ travel warnings.
The New Zealand prime minister, Helen Clark said Fiji's actions were delusional and its behaviour was absolutely disgraceful. She expected Australian prime minister, John Howard to support moves to strengthen sanctions against the illegal military regime in Fiji which could include moves to block the United Nations from using Fijian troops in peacekeeping missions and ensuring that all payments by-pass the regime. New Zealand was reassessing all aspects of the bilateral relationship between the two countries. So far Fiji has been suspended from the Commonwealth and this year's World Netball Championship has been transfered to New Zealand. Claims that New Zealand has bullied Fiji should be treated with contempt; all coups were started within Fiji and had no New Zealand involvement. New Zealand has always assisted Fiji. Claims that Fiji's armed forces were too large in comparison to its population are correct.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
The Rainbow Warrior Affair: The Aftermath.
What are old DGSE intelligence officers up to these days? Whatever it is Greenpeace are not happy campers.They claim that a former French intelligence officer who led that despicable attack and bombing of the Greenpeace research ship RAINBOW WARRIOR, in Auckland Harbour, New Zealand, over twenty years ago, now resides in the US where he heads an arms company selling weapons to the FBI, Pentagon, and the department of homeland security.
Greenpeace have come out with both guns blazing and called for the deportation of the former intelligence officer, Louis - Pierre Dillais, who now has an extremely sensitive nature to his relationship with the US Government.
The despicable attack on the Greenpeace research vessel, engineered by the French intelligence services brought widespread criticism of the French Government of the time and rightly so! It created an international incident with the small Pacific nation of New Zealand - one of France's allies. A Portuguese crew member of the RAINBOW WARRIOR was trapped below deck and killed by the explosions that sank the vessel in peace time - in point of fact he was murdered.
Two of the French agents responsible for actually setting the explosive charges - limpet mines, in an act of terrorism - the actual saboteurs, were captured, imprisoned waiting for trial, sentenced firstly in a New Zealand prison, and after negotiations with the New Zealand Government, transferred to a French Polynesian territory prison. France compensated the NZ Government, but renegued on their agreement that the two agents would serve out their terms, instead the agents were brought back to France within a very short period of time.
However, Dillais, an operative or the French intelligence service, the DGSE, while being identified by French media reports as the man who commanded the mission to attack the RAINBOW WARRIOR, was never brought to trial. Why? The two agents were the scapegoats!
Dillais was reportedly a Lieutenant Colonel in the French military and a former director of their underwater combat training based on the island of Corsica; he reportedly led the team of divers who placed limpet mines on the ship's hull. He is now employed as an executive in the US subsidiary of a Belgian arme manufacturer, FN Herstal.
According to reports in the company's website and industry publications, FN Herstal and its US subsidiary supply combat assault rifles to the Pentagon, handguns to the secret service, and sniper rifles to the FBI. The company also produces an underwater machinegun, and provides equipment to various police departments across the US.
It has been alleged that the subsidiary alone turned over nearly US$2.5 million of business in federal contacts in 2005, according to the FedSpending.org website - but only $93,000 was fully competitive. You might say that they are very serious in their business transactions.
But, however, Greenpeace have tracked Dillais to Virginia, where the CIA headquarters is based, and has launched a campaign demanding that the US authorities explain why he, Dillais, was permitted to enter the US. The New Zealand Government will undoubtably be maintaining a watching brief on the proceedings.
Greenpeace allegedly wrote to to the US department of homeland security last year(2006) and demanded Dillais's deportation - it obviously didn't happen because there are undoubtably other aliens resident in the US with dubious backgrounds.
The US Immigration Regulations usually bar people who have been convicted of violent crime, or are clearly linked to acts of terrorism.
New Zealand may have officially forgiven that despicable attack on The Greenpeace vessel, RAINBOW WARRIOR, in New Zealand waters on July 11,1985, but we have never forgotten it. Perhaps it is silently remembered when New Zealand's champion rugby team take the field to do battle with its French counterparts. Who knows?
Surely the US Government should be setting much higher standards on the people it wishes to do business with, especially in matters of defence. They should fully research the backgrounds of aliens who will be conducting business within the confines of the US - what other dubious characters are involved in the arms business in the US. Some with distinct Serbian or South African accents, maybe?
What are old DGSE intelligence officers up to these days? Whatever it is Greenpeace are not happy campers.They claim that a former French intelligence officer who led that despicable attack and bombing of the Greenpeace research ship RAINBOW WARRIOR, in Auckland Harbour, New Zealand, over twenty years ago, now resides in the US where he heads an arms company selling weapons to the FBI, Pentagon, and the department of homeland security.
Greenpeace have come out with both guns blazing and called for the deportation of the former intelligence officer, Louis - Pierre Dillais, who now has an extremely sensitive nature to his relationship with the US Government.
The despicable attack on the Greenpeace research vessel, engineered by the French intelligence services brought widespread criticism of the French Government of the time and rightly so! It created an international incident with the small Pacific nation of New Zealand - one of France's allies. A Portuguese crew member of the RAINBOW WARRIOR was trapped below deck and killed by the explosions that sank the vessel in peace time - in point of fact he was murdered.
Two of the French agents responsible for actually setting the explosive charges - limpet mines, in an act of terrorism - the actual saboteurs, were captured, imprisoned waiting for trial, sentenced firstly in a New Zealand prison, and after negotiations with the New Zealand Government, transferred to a French Polynesian territory prison. France compensated the NZ Government, but renegued on their agreement that the two agents would serve out their terms, instead the agents were brought back to France within a very short period of time.
However, Dillais, an operative or the French intelligence service, the DGSE, while being identified by French media reports as the man who commanded the mission to attack the RAINBOW WARRIOR, was never brought to trial. Why? The two agents were the scapegoats!
Dillais was reportedly a Lieutenant Colonel in the French military and a former director of their underwater combat training based on the island of Corsica; he reportedly led the team of divers who placed limpet mines on the ship's hull. He is now employed as an executive in the US subsidiary of a Belgian arme manufacturer, FN Herstal.
According to reports in the company's website and industry publications, FN Herstal and its US subsidiary supply combat assault rifles to the Pentagon, handguns to the secret service, and sniper rifles to the FBI. The company also produces an underwater machinegun, and provides equipment to various police departments across the US.
It has been alleged that the subsidiary alone turned over nearly US$2.5 million of business in federal contacts in 2005, according to the FedSpending.org website - but only $93,000 was fully competitive. You might say that they are very serious in their business transactions.
But, however, Greenpeace have tracked Dillais to Virginia, where the CIA headquarters is based, and has launched a campaign demanding that the US authorities explain why he, Dillais, was permitted to enter the US. The New Zealand Government will undoubtably be maintaining a watching brief on the proceedings.
Greenpeace allegedly wrote to to the US department of homeland security last year(2006) and demanded Dillais's deportation - it obviously didn't happen because there are undoubtably other aliens resident in the US with dubious backgrounds.
The US Immigration Regulations usually bar people who have been convicted of violent crime, or are clearly linked to acts of terrorism.
New Zealand may have officially forgiven that despicable attack on The Greenpeace vessel, RAINBOW WARRIOR, in New Zealand waters on July 11,1985, but we have never forgotten it. Perhaps it is silently remembered when New Zealand's champion rugby team take the field to do battle with its French counterparts. Who knows?
Surely the US Government should be setting much higher standards on the people it wishes to do business with, especially in matters of defence. They should fully research the backgrounds of aliens who will be conducting business within the confines of the US - what other dubious characters are involved in the arms business in the US. Some with distinct Serbian or South African accents, maybe?
Thursday, May 31, 2007
New Zealand family's power turned off by contractor - mother is tragically dead three hours later. What a mean spirited decision...her life is worth only a lousy NZ$168.40.
The following story is all the news here, and maybe in other parts of the world too.
A Pacific Island woman had her power cut off by a contractor working for an Auckland power company - three hours later she was tragically dead. She relied on the power to operate her oxygen breathing machine.
Mother of four Folole Muliaga, aged 44 years, died last Tuesday , three hours after a Mercury Energy contractor cut power to her home in
Mangere, South Auckland - and her electrically operated oxygen machine - because she was late paying a NZ$168.40 bill.
The family of the Samoan pre-school teacher allegedly pleaded with the contractor not to turn off the power because it was necessary to operate the oxygen machine.
The family is so angry they have already sought legal advice. However, others say to give the bereaved family space to grieve and bury their wife, mother, and aunt.
There have also been anomalies in the stories the media have received from both parties to the tragedy.
Because the power company involved is a state owned enterprise the prime minister, Helen Clark, has become involved, and is demanding answers. The Minister of Energy has been in contact with the power company and their contractor.
The police have been investigating the matter from the beginning, and their report will be forthcoming and will decide the legalities of the situation.
There have already been protests outside the energy company's building. There have even been questions raised about the family's slow response to ring an ambulance; but everything is pure speculation until the facts are made available.
Her life is worth a lousy NZ$168.40...what an indictment of the market economy friends!
The following story is all the news here, and maybe in other parts of the world too.
A Pacific Island woman had her power cut off by a contractor working for an Auckland power company - three hours later she was tragically dead. She relied on the power to operate her oxygen breathing machine.
Mother of four Folole Muliaga, aged 44 years, died last Tuesday , three hours after a Mercury Energy contractor cut power to her home in
Mangere, South Auckland - and her electrically operated oxygen machine - because she was late paying a NZ$168.40 bill.
The family of the Samoan pre-school teacher allegedly pleaded with the contractor not to turn off the power because it was necessary to operate the oxygen machine.
The family is so angry they have already sought legal advice. However, others say to give the bereaved family space to grieve and bury their wife, mother, and aunt.
There have also been anomalies in the stories the media have received from both parties to the tragedy.
Because the power company involved is a state owned enterprise the prime minister, Helen Clark, has become involved, and is demanding answers. The Minister of Energy has been in contact with the power company and their contractor.
The police have been investigating the matter from the beginning, and their report will be forthcoming and will decide the legalities of the situation.
There have already been protests outside the energy company's building. There have even been questions raised about the family's slow response to ring an ambulance; but everything is pure speculation until the facts are made available.
Her life is worth a lousy NZ$168.40...what an indictment of the market economy friends!
Monday, May 14, 2007
Australia considers banning the Australian cricket tour to Zimbabwe.
Australia considers banning cricket tour to Zimbabwe...
The following is very interesting from a legal point of view. In recent years New Zealand stopped the Zimbabwe cricket team from touring this country. However, the Australian prime minister, John Howard, wants to go one step further and stop the Australian cricket team from actually touring Zimbabwe. Does Howard have the legal right to enforce a ban on an Australian team touring overseas?
Australia may have to bear the odium of international cricket by enforcing a ban New Zealand has never been prepared to enforce on a national sporting team.
Zimbabwe has quite predictably reacted angrily to the proposed ban, accusing the Howard government of being desperate and rascist. A case of Mugabwe calling the kettle black, no rascist pun intended!
Howard believes he has the overwhelming support of Australians, but if they sat down and considered the implications of such a ban, they may not actually support it in principle.Morally Howard is right, but legally he may have a problem in the State interfering in a sporting team touring overseas. Is he actually forcing them to make a political decision?
John Howard claims it would be a great propoganda victory for Mugabe if the tour goes ahead. He also said he wouldn't try and stop the Australian team from competing in the Olympics in Beijing, China - he will give their team all the support he could give. Some people would accuse him of double standards, considering China's reputation and widespread criticism for human rights abuses.
Australia would have to oppose the Mugabe regime in other ways, such as foreign aid to counter the 'disasterous rule' and support for those Zimbaweans working to promote human rights, media freedom and democracy in their country.
Australia considers banning cricket tour to Zimbabwe...
The following is very interesting from a legal point of view. In recent years New Zealand stopped the Zimbabwe cricket team from touring this country. However, the Australian prime minister, John Howard, wants to go one step further and stop the Australian cricket team from actually touring Zimbabwe. Does Howard have the legal right to enforce a ban on an Australian team touring overseas?
Australia may have to bear the odium of international cricket by enforcing a ban New Zealand has never been prepared to enforce on a national sporting team.
Zimbabwe has quite predictably reacted angrily to the proposed ban, accusing the Howard government of being desperate and rascist. A case of Mugabwe calling the kettle black, no rascist pun intended!
Howard believes he has the overwhelming support of Australians, but if they sat down and considered the implications of such a ban, they may not actually support it in principle.Morally Howard is right, but legally he may have a problem in the State interfering in a sporting team touring overseas. Is he actually forcing them to make a political decision?
John Howard claims it would be a great propoganda victory for Mugabe if the tour goes ahead. He also said he wouldn't try and stop the Australian team from competing in the Olympics in Beijing, China - he will give their team all the support he could give. Some people would accuse him of double standards, considering China's reputation and widespread criticism for human rights abuses.
Australia would have to oppose the Mugabe regime in other ways, such as foreign aid to counter the 'disasterous rule' and support for those Zimbaweans working to promote human rights, media freedom and democracy in their country.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Seed NewsvineThe following can be regarded as a follow up to my previous post here about the Privy Council's decision to quash...
The following can be regarded as a follow up to my previous post here about the Privy Council's decision to quash David Blain's conviction for murdering his family in 1994 at Dunedin, New Zealand.
Why the Privy Council decided the way it did
By KEVIN NORQUAY - NZPA | Friday, 11 May 2007
A combination of nine key factors persuaded the Privy Council convicted murderer David Bain was the victim of a "substantial miscarriage of justice".
MORE INDEPENDENCE IN NZ JUSTICE SYSTEM NEEDED - LAWYER
STRONG DUNEDIN SUPPORT FOR BAIN DECISION
While none alone would have compelled their decision that Bain's convictions should be quashed, the nine taken together were compelling, the five Law Lords said.
That was a slap for the New Zealand Court of Appeal, with the Privy Council decision clear in its opinion that the court erred in its judgments.
A miscarriage of justice occurs if credible new evidence is admitted that might have persuaded a jury to reach a different conclusion.
While the Crown challenged the detail and significance of the nine points, the issue of guilt "is one for a properly informed and directed jury, not for an appellate court," the Law Lords said.
"Even a guilty defendant is entitled to such a trial," they said.
The issue was whether there was new evidence upon which a jury might reasonably decline to convict, they said.
No blame could be attached to the jury or judge in the initial Bain trial, in 1995, the Law Lords said.
"It is, however, the duty of the criminal appellate courts to seek to identify and rectify convictions which may be unjust," the Privy Council said.
"In the opinion of the board, the fresh evidence adduced in relation to the nine points ... compels the conclusion that a substantial miscarriage of justice has actually occurred in this case."
The nine points were: 1. Robin Bain's mental state: At the jury trial Robin Bain was characterised as a "balanced, devout" school principal, with David Bain painted as more likely to carry out a frenzy of killing.
PRIVY COUNCIL: New evidence indicated Robin Bain's mental state was such that he may have lost touch with reality.
2. Motive: At the trial no plausible motive for either Robin or David Bain was established. Evidence from Dean Cottle that Robin Bain had been having sex with his daughter Laniet, who was working as a prostitute, was rejected as unreliable. Subsequently three new witnesses independently gave similar evidence.
PRIVY COUNCIL: Had the jury found Robin Bain to be deeply depressed, and facing public revelation of having sex with his teenage daughter, the jury might have concluded he had a motive for the killings.
3. Sock prints: At the trial a 280mm-long bloodied sock print found outside the murdered mother's bedroom was regarded as that of David Bain, as it was too big to be that of his father.
PRIVY COUNCIL: Fresh evidence throws "real doubt" over who made the print. Had the jury known that it could "reasonably infer ... it was about the length of print Robin would have made".
4. Computer switch on time: Trial evidence was that the family's computer was switched on at 6.44am, after David Bain returned home from his early morning paper run.
PRIVY COUNCIL: The jury should not have been given a precise computer switch-on time, as new evidence showed it could have been earlier, or later. While the Court of Appeal said that did not show David Bain could not have committed the murders, there was no onus on David Bain to prove that anyway. A jury might have considered "David's argument ... to be strengthened, had they known the full facts".
5. Time David Bain came home: The jury were told to treat an eyewitness account by Denise Laney of seeing a man resembling David Bain near the family home at 6.45am, as "at best approximate".
PRIVY COUNCIL: Fresh evidence might have led a jury to infer her identification was not in doubt and her estimate of time reliable. Instead the jury never heard her full evidence, nor was Mrs Laney cross-examined.
6. Glasses: An optometrist at the trial said glasses found in David Bain's room, minus a lens found in his murdered brother Stephen's bedroom, belonged to David Bain. David Bain said in court they were his mother's. After the jury trial the optometrist saw a photo of Mrs Bain wearing the glasses, and accepted he was mistaken.
PRIVY COUNCIL: David Bain was cross-examined on the glasses in a way that questioned his credibility. As the jury could not know the optometrist would revise his evidence they may have reasonably drawn "an inference unfairly adverse to David".
7. Left-hand lens: one lens from the glasses was found in Stephen's room, covered in dust and under other articles on the floor. Evidence presented to the jury placed the lens in the clear, in a visible and exposed position, consistent with the Crown case that it was dislodged in a struggle.
PRIVY COUNCIL: While the third Court of Appeal accepted the jury had been misled about the location of the lens, it said it did not matter as the misleading was not deliberate. This was not the case, the Law Lords said. "What mattered was what the trial jury made of the incorrect evidence ... and, even more importantly, what they would have made of the correct evidence".
8. Bloodied fingerprints on rifle: The jury trial assumed that David Bain's fingerprints on the rifle forearm were in human blood.
PRIVY COUNCIL: While there was human blood on the rifle, fingerprint material gave no positive test for human DNA, and the blood might have been from a possum or rabbit shooting, months earlier. The jury did not get to consider this, or other "highly contentious" related issues. Nor could the Court of Appeal resolve such matters, without hearing cross-examination of witnesses who gave contradictory evidence.
9. Laniet Bain gurgling: The trial jury was encouraged to regard David Bain hearing his sister gurgling as an indication of his guilt, as only the murderer could have heard her death throes. Court of Appeal hearings examined the phenomenon of post mortem gurglings, being told they can take place without the body being moved.
PRIVY COUNCIL: The Court of Appeal dismissed evidence supporting David Bain "without hearing any of these witnesses, and without giving any reason for discounting the evidence of the witnesses relied on by David, the court found it possible to regard the issue as concluded in the Crown's favour...
"The court assumed a decision-making role well outside its function as a reviewing body concerned to assess the impact which fresh evidence might reasonably have made on the mind of the trial jury.
The Privy Council in London has quashed the conviction of New Zealander, David Bain. for the murder of his family...
The Privy Council in London has quashed the conviction of New Zealander, David Bain, for the murder of his family in 1994. The lawlords claim a substantial miscarriage of justice has actually occurred.
David Bain has served 13 years for the murder of his parents, sisters and brother in Dunedin, New Zealand in 1994, at his trial in 1995. New Zealand's Court of Appeal was rebuked for not accepting new evidence in 2003. They claimed there was not enough to outweigh the "overwhelming" evidence of guilt.David Bain has always maintained his innocence, blaming his late father of murder and suicide.
The Crown in New Zealand would face significant problems holding a retrial because some witnesses were now dead.They would also have to put all of the evidence before a new jury - not just the evidence they wanted in the first trial.
Bain's lawyer said that David Bain should not be put through another trial because of the cost to the country; he should be released and pardoned.
The New Zealand Government has already abolished the right for future applications to the Privy Council - they have already created a new Supreme Court of New Zealand. But the question is now asked if they actually acted hastily, and has NZ enough experienced judges to act on their behalf. Questions are now asked about the quality of justice in New Zealand, considering the impact of previous trials and the actions of the NZ Police Force in recent times.
Or is this all part of a political attack against the ruling left of centre government?
Read story here
The Privy Council in London has quashed the conviction of New Zealander, David Bain, for the murder of his family in 1994. The lawlords claim a substantial miscarriage of justice has actually occurred.
David Bain has served 13 years for the murder of his parents, sisters and brother in Dunedin, New Zealand in 1994, at his trial in 1995. New Zealand's Court of Appeal was rebuked for not accepting new evidence in 2003. They claimed there was not enough to outweigh the "overwhelming" evidence of guilt.David Bain has always maintained his innocence, blaming his late father of murder and suicide.
The Crown in New Zealand would face significant problems holding a retrial because some witnesses were now dead.They would also have to put all of the evidence before a new jury - not just the evidence they wanted in the first trial.
Bain's lawyer said that David Bain should not be put through another trial because of the cost to the country; he should be released and pardoned.
The New Zealand Government has already abolished the right for future applications to the Privy Council - they have already created a new Supreme Court of New Zealand. But the question is now asked if they actually acted hastily, and has NZ enough experienced judges to act on their behalf. Questions are now asked about the quality of justice in New Zealand, considering the impact of previous trials and the actions of the NZ Police Force in recent times.
Or is this all part of a political attack against the ruling left of centre government?
Read story here
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Clean green image under fire. The Global Warming Debate:
May 4, 2007
After years of stark warnings about the pace of global warming, the world's top scientists have now agreed that saving the planet is possible.
But the meeting of climate change experts in Bangkok coincides with new figures released by the government that show gas emissions in New Zealand are still heavily on the rise.
Latest figures show that in 2005 NZ's total greenhouse gas emissions exceeded 77 million tonnes - two million more than previous years.
"It just makes a farce of the government's commitment to this notion of carbon neutrality...they're going up and they're going up faster than they ever have in New Zealand's history and they're going up faster than any of the countries in which we would want to be compared," says National MP Nick Smith.
But the government says '05 was a particularly dry year and more coal and gas was used to generate power because of empty hydro lakes.
"Since 1990 the main increases have been divided between energy and agriculture and that's why the government says every sector should do their bit to reduce emissions," says Climate Change Minister David Parker.
New Zealand contributes 0.2 of the world's greenhouse gas emissions.
Scientists gathering at the summit in Thailand say if something is not done now, the planet is in strife. But they say it can be done through more renewable energy, more energy efficiency and greener transport - all of which are available and affordable now.
The leading experts from around the world have put together a master plan that they say will limit global warming to 2 degrees this century - a key threshold.
Source: One News
Headlines
May 4, 2007
After years of stark warnings about the pace of global warming, the world's top scientists have now agreed that saving the planet is possible.
But the meeting of climate change experts in Bangkok coincides with new figures released by the government that show gas emissions in New Zealand are still heavily on the rise.
Latest figures show that in 2005 NZ's total greenhouse gas emissions exceeded 77 million tonnes - two million more than previous years.
"It just makes a farce of the government's commitment to this notion of carbon neutrality...they're going up and they're going up faster than they ever have in New Zealand's history and they're going up faster than any of the countries in which we would want to be compared," says National MP Nick Smith.
But the government says '05 was a particularly dry year and more coal and gas was used to generate power because of empty hydro lakes.
"Since 1990 the main increases have been divided between energy and agriculture and that's why the government says every sector should do their bit to reduce emissions," says Climate Change Minister David Parker.
New Zealand contributes 0.2 of the world's greenhouse gas emissions.
Scientists gathering at the summit in Thailand say if something is not done now, the planet is in strife. But they say it can be done through more renewable energy, more energy efficiency and greener transport - all of which are available and affordable now.
The leading experts from around the world have put together a master plan that they say will limit global warming to 2 degrees this century - a key threshold.
Source: One News
Headlines
Saturday, May 05, 2007
More parents may be charged according to Helen Clark.
May 3, 2007
More parents may be charged with assault for hitting their children when the new anti-smacking law is passed.
Police admit there may be more prosecutions but say a last minute amendment to the bill means parents who only lightly smack their child will not be pursued.
A Canterbury woman was in court this week facing charges of assaulting a teenager, and two years ago she was prosecuted two years ago for hitting a child with a horsewhip.
"Parents should be allowed to physically discipline their children where and when is appropriate," the woman says.
She was acquitted after arguing she had simply used reasonable force.
But the bill removing that defence will be passed in two weeks. Police will have the power to prosecute, but under a new amendment can decide against doing that if the offence is inconsequential.
"I think now they'll be able to prosecute those cases with good confidence they'll get a result," says Prime Minister Helen Clark.
Deputy Police Commissioner Rob Pope says the bar has been lowered. "And I think there is public acceptance around the fact that family, domestic violence will not be tolerated."
Police admit that may see more parents in court for hitting their children. But as a guide, they will only be pursuing those who hit a child hard enough to bruise or use wooden spoons or jug cords, not those who give a light smack.
Pope says there won't be a witchhunt. "And secondly people can have some confidence they won't be prosecuted for trivial or inconsequential uses of force."
The inclusion of that description in the bill was part of an unprecedented deal between two political enemies, both initially giving each other credit, although hours later their MPs were fighting over who had caved in.
National admits they didn't get exactly what they wanted. "I'd be the first to admit I don't think the law is perfect . It was a compromise," says Key.
But it's a compromise that will take the troublesome issue off the political agenda at least for now. And even the final vote in two weeks time should go smoothly with almost every MP now promising to support it.
Source: One News
Headlines
May 3, 2007
More parents may be charged with assault for hitting their children when the new anti-smacking law is passed.
Police admit there may be more prosecutions but say a last minute amendment to the bill means parents who only lightly smack their child will not be pursued.
A Canterbury woman was in court this week facing charges of assaulting a teenager, and two years ago she was prosecuted two years ago for hitting a child with a horsewhip.
"Parents should be allowed to physically discipline their children where and when is appropriate," the woman says.
She was acquitted after arguing she had simply used reasonable force.
But the bill removing that defence will be passed in two weeks. Police will have the power to prosecute, but under a new amendment can decide against doing that if the offence is inconsequential.
"I think now they'll be able to prosecute those cases with good confidence they'll get a result," says Prime Minister Helen Clark.
Deputy Police Commissioner Rob Pope says the bar has been lowered. "And I think there is public acceptance around the fact that family, domestic violence will not be tolerated."
Police admit that may see more parents in court for hitting their children. But as a guide, they will only be pursuing those who hit a child hard enough to bruise or use wooden spoons or jug cords, not those who give a light smack.
Pope says there won't be a witchhunt. "And secondly people can have some confidence they won't be prosecuted for trivial or inconsequential uses of force."
The inclusion of that description in the bill was part of an unprecedented deal between two political enemies, both initially giving each other credit, although hours later their MPs were fighting over who had caved in.
National admits they didn't get exactly what they wanted. "I'd be the first to admit I don't think the law is perfect . It was a compromise," says Key.
But it's a compromise that will take the troublesome issue off the political agenda at least for now. And even the final vote in two weeks time should go smoothly with almost every MP now promising to support it.
Source: One News
Headlines
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Today is Anzac Day in Australia and New Zealand. This is the day we honour and remember our fallen heroes from all wars, and especially recall how the legend of Anzac began on April 25 1915 when members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps were dropped off on the beachs of Gallipoli on the Turkish coast as part of the British campaign to invade Turkey. The place is known as Anzac Cove today.
From the ships thousands of Australian and New Zealanders disembarked into the shallow waters under heavy gunfire, machine gun and rifle fire. Many were killed instantly,others made it to the beaches and were killed, others fought in the campaign during many months before being repatriated. Thousands were killed and wounded on both sides, Anzacs and Turks. Thousands were left behind to be buried in military cemetries. The campaign was a disaster; the Anzacs were landed on the wrong beach. The British High Command had failed dismally. The campaign involved British and other Empire troop, including Indians.
The Gallipoli campaign was to create not only the legend, but begin the journey of nationhood for Australians and New Zealanders, from British dominions to the self governing nations within the Commonwealth of today.
Today from Darwin to Perth to Brisbane to Melbourne and Sydney and the bush; from Auckland to Napier to New Plymouth to Wellington to Christchurch to Greymouth and to Invercargill,and scores of other towns and even at Gallipoli itself, will hold dawn parades to remember the fallen, and to retire later to RSL's and RSA's for a meal, a quiet drink and a chat with former comrades, friends and families and continue the spirit of Anzac which actually grows stronger with every passing year.
Lest we forget; we will remember them. The spirit and legend wll never die!
From the ships thousands of Australian and New Zealanders disembarked into the shallow waters under heavy gunfire, machine gun and rifle fire. Many were killed instantly,others made it to the beaches and were killed, others fought in the campaign during many months before being repatriated. Thousands were killed and wounded on both sides, Anzacs and Turks. Thousands were left behind to be buried in military cemetries. The campaign was a disaster; the Anzacs were landed on the wrong beach. The British High Command had failed dismally. The campaign involved British and other Empire troop, including Indians.
The Gallipoli campaign was to create not only the legend, but begin the journey of nationhood for Australians and New Zealanders, from British dominions to the self governing nations within the Commonwealth of today.
Today from Darwin to Perth to Brisbane to Melbourne and Sydney and the bush; from Auckland to Napier to New Plymouth to Wellington to Christchurch to Greymouth and to Invercargill,and scores of other towns and even at Gallipoli itself, will hold dawn parades to remember the fallen, and to retire later to RSL's and RSA's for a meal, a quiet drink and a chat with former comrades, friends and families and continue the spirit of Anzac which actually grows stronger with every passing year.
Lest we forget; we will remember them. The spirit and legend wll never die!
Saturday, April 14, 2007
From the latest New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development newsletter:
Overwhelming acceptance climate change is happening and action needed
The case for cap and trade
Special Sustainability Learning Group workshops
Welcome to a special edition of Sustain.
We thought you would appreciate an immediate update on the latest ShapeNZ polling on what New Zealanders think about climate change and policy options.
The Business Council has also published its submissions to Government on climate change policy options.
Overwhelming acceptance climate change is happening and action needed
While the International Panel on Climate Change's report at the weekend reignited the debate over whether or not it is happening, the latest ShapeNZ poll, taken April 4-7 shows new Zealanders have moved on. Seventy seven percent think climate change is a problem to be dealt with now or urgently.
Being published in The National Business Review today, the survey shows New Zealanders strongly support making emitters buy carbon credits, and rewarding those who cut their emissions with carbon credits.
They overwhelmingly back managing climate change with policies to insulate homes, fund research into alternative energy sources and cutting animal emissions. However, support starts to weaken for policies to impose new taxes, like putting up registration fees for cars with the largest engines. Read the media release on the poll and the more complete report.
The case for cap and trade
In its submissions to the Government on climate change policies, the Business Council says the most important message relating to climate change is that there'll be a price on carbon, and multi party support is needed on it. The Government is advised to introduce a scheme to cap and trade emissions - and make sure it does not keep any revenue it might raise from climate change policies but rather use it to support climate friendly changes or reduce taxation.
The Business Council for Sustainable also says:
Stable long term policy is needed to manage climate change and this should be achieved through cross-party agreement
A price needs to be placed on carbon and it should eventually apply to all sectors
Moves are needed to stop the emission problem expanding, and major emitters should face the full cost of the additional carbon they emit above 2006 levels
Emitters like the dairy industry, which does not yet have an emissions solution for methane, could be provided with credits for their 2007 level of emissions (produced at world's best practice levels) for say 10 years. This would expose the dairy sector, for example, to a price on carbon on additional output, but give it time to develop a solution for its methane problem (the largest emissions source in New Zealand)
Confer both carbon liabilities and credits on forest owners. This will be the most effective way decisions are made on future land use at the margin
Do not use any increased revenue from climate change to increase the overall tax burden. The introduction of GST in the 1980s came with major tax cuts, and climate change can be managed so any revenue is recycled into emission reduction research and incentives to take up low-emission technology.
The full submissions are available on our website.
Special Sustainability Learning Group workshops
A reminder that the first of 14 special workshops on implementing sustainable practices and benefiting your business is about to start next week. This special series is FREE to Business Council member companies as we have provided financial support for the programme as in past years.
The workshops are the best introductory course for organisations wanting to become more sustainable. They are practically focused and help share best practice across New Zealand organisations.
The half-day workshops will cover most aspects of sustainability including reporting, supply chain, stakeholder engagement, new market opportunities, risk assessment, ethics and assurance. Anyone may attend. A discount is available for individuals attending more than seven workshops and for organisations participating in the full learning group programme. For more information contact Whit ian.whitehouse@xtra.co.nz, phone 027 433 6092; Lyn Mayes lynmayes@madworld.co.nz 021 471 261 or visit our website .
Please feel free to forward Sustain to your friends or colleagues.If you do not wish to receive Sustain, simply email us back and ask to be removed from the list. If you have received this from someone else, click here to subscribe.
Inbox
Get the latest updates from MSN
MSN Home
Hotmail
Web Search
People & Groups
Shopping
Feedback Help
© 2007 Microsoft TERMS OF USE Privacy Statement Anti-Spam Policy
Overwhelming acceptance climate change is happening and action needed
The case for cap and trade
Special Sustainability Learning Group workshops
Welcome to a special edition of Sustain.
We thought you would appreciate an immediate update on the latest ShapeNZ polling on what New Zealanders think about climate change and policy options.
The Business Council has also published its submissions to Government on climate change policy options.
Overwhelming acceptance climate change is happening and action needed
While the International Panel on Climate Change's report at the weekend reignited the debate over whether or not it is happening, the latest ShapeNZ poll, taken April 4-7 shows new Zealanders have moved on. Seventy seven percent think climate change is a problem to be dealt with now or urgently.
Being published in The National Business Review today, the survey shows New Zealanders strongly support making emitters buy carbon credits, and rewarding those who cut their emissions with carbon credits.
They overwhelmingly back managing climate change with policies to insulate homes, fund research into alternative energy sources and cutting animal emissions. However, support starts to weaken for policies to impose new taxes, like putting up registration fees for cars with the largest engines. Read the media release on the poll and the more complete report.
The case for cap and trade
In its submissions to the Government on climate change policies, the Business Council says the most important message relating to climate change is that there'll be a price on carbon, and multi party support is needed on it. The Government is advised to introduce a scheme to cap and trade emissions - and make sure it does not keep any revenue it might raise from climate change policies but rather use it to support climate friendly changes or reduce taxation.
The Business Council for Sustainable also says:
Stable long term policy is needed to manage climate change and this should be achieved through cross-party agreement
A price needs to be placed on carbon and it should eventually apply to all sectors
Moves are needed to stop the emission problem expanding, and major emitters should face the full cost of the additional carbon they emit above 2006 levels
Emitters like the dairy industry, which does not yet have an emissions solution for methane, could be provided with credits for their 2007 level of emissions (produced at world's best practice levels) for say 10 years. This would expose the dairy sector, for example, to a price on carbon on additional output, but give it time to develop a solution for its methane problem (the largest emissions source in New Zealand)
Confer both carbon liabilities and credits on forest owners. This will be the most effective way decisions are made on future land use at the margin
Do not use any increased revenue from climate change to increase the overall tax burden. The introduction of GST in the 1980s came with major tax cuts, and climate change can be managed so any revenue is recycled into emission reduction research and incentives to take up low-emission technology.
The full submissions are available on our website.
Special Sustainability Learning Group workshops
A reminder that the first of 14 special workshops on implementing sustainable practices and benefiting your business is about to start next week. This special series is FREE to Business Council member companies as we have provided financial support for the programme as in past years.
The workshops are the best introductory course for organisations wanting to become more sustainable. They are practically focused and help share best practice across New Zealand organisations.
The half-day workshops will cover most aspects of sustainability including reporting, supply chain, stakeholder engagement, new market opportunities, risk assessment, ethics and assurance. Anyone may attend. A discount is available for individuals attending more than seven workshops and for organisations participating in the full learning group programme. For more information contact Whit ian.whitehouse@xtra.co.nz, phone 027 433 6092; Lyn Mayes lynmayes@madworld.co.nz 021 471 261 or visit our website .
Please feel free to forward Sustain to your friends or colleagues.If you do not wish to receive Sustain, simply email us back and ask to be removed from the list. If you have received this from someone else, click here to subscribe.
Inbox
Get the latest updates from MSN
MSN Home
Hotmail
Web Search
People & Groups
Shopping
Feedback Help
© 2007 Microsoft TERMS OF USE Privacy Statement Anti-Spam Policy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)