Category Archives: Culture

Actress and model Danielle Lineker spearheads Four Paws campaign

Posted on by

Actress and model Danielle Lineker spearheads Four Paws campaign to ban battery cages for farmed rabbits in the UK

Up to 1 million rabbits are often confined in tiny cages before being slaughtered

Danielle Lineker is spearheading a Four Paws animal charity campaign to ban battery cages for farmed rabbits in the UK.

Many people in Britain are completely unaware that so many rabbits are suffering in terrible conditions before they end up in a pet food tin or on a dinner plate. Farmed rabbits are being kept in barren cages in similar conditions to factory farmed battery hens. Hundreds of rabbits may be housed in rows of tiny wire cages in windowless sheds. They have little room to move, no daylight and usually nothing to chew or gnaw on except the bars of the cage. The boredom and stress can lead to the development of abnormal repetitive behaviours and the wire flooring can cause painful sores on the rabbits’ feet. This is the everyday life for some rabbits kept in battery cages across Britain. Barren cages for hens will be illegal from 2012 but there are currently no such plans to end their use for rabbits.

A FOUR PAWS investigation has exposed the hidden truth behind farmed rabbit battery cages in the UK. Investigators visited several UK farms and were shocked by what they found – cramped, dark, inadequate housing systems where animals are kept hidden away.

It’s estimated that between 250 000 and one million rabbits are reared for meat in the UK each year. However, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) does not publish any statistics on rabbit farming, and there is no commercial body representing the UK rabbit farming industry, so accurate data is currently not available.

Danielle Lineker and Four Paws are calling on the Government to phase out the keeping of farmed rabbits in cages and to lift the veil of secrecy that surrounds the UK rabbit farming industry. Four Paws wants key statistics and information made publicly available. Four Paws is very concerned that rabbit factory farming is continuing to grow in the UK.

Actress and model Danielle Lineker says: “It’s Rabbit Awareness Week so let’s do all we can to help these beautiful and intelligent creatures by supporting a campaign that helps to protect them from suffering. It’s appalling that rabbits on UK farms are imprisoned in these barren wire cages that fail to meet even their most basic welfare needs. Rabbits need freedom of movement and opportunities to express natural behaviours such as foraging for food and digging in the earth. Rabbits are popular companion animals and most people would be horrified to learn that these gentle creatures are being kept in these conditions. I support a call to ban all battery cages for UK farmed rabbits.”

Angelique Davies, Head of Programs at Four Paws, said: “Many people would be shocked to learn that rabbits can legally be kept in tiny barren cages that severely restrict their movement and natural behaviour. Legal protection for farmed rabbits is woefully inadequate. British people feel strongly about animal welfare and we believe the majority of people would agree that keeping rabbits in cramped barren cages can no longer be tolerated. We must join together in calling on the Government to end the keeping of farmed rabbits in cages.”

www.four-paws.org.uk

AUNG SAN SUU KYI RECORDS MESSAGE FOR AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL’S 50TH BIRTHDAY

Posted on by

The world’s best known political prisoner pays tribute to the world’s largest human rights organisation and looks forward to the day Amnesty no longer exists

Amnesty International, the world’s largest human rights organisation, is celebrating 50 years of work on Saturday 28 May 2011. In a message to Amnesty International, Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma’s iconic pro-democracy leader who was released last year after having spent 15 of the last 20 years under house arrest, paid tribute to the work that Amnesty had done over the last half a century and said how happy she will be when there is no longer any need for such an organisation.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, said:

“I wish, on this 50th anniversary of Amnesty International, that its work will continue to be so successful, that there will no longer be any need for such an organisation.

“So I hope that we shall be able to cooperate together to bring about this sad, this happy day when Amnesty International no longer needs to carry on its work. “

Aung San Suu Kyi went on to talk about her early awareness of the organisation, and how she became increasingly aware of its importance when she herself became the focus of Amnesty’s campaigning.

Aung San Suu Kyi, said:

“The work that Amnesty International has done for all those who are suffering as prisoners of conscience is great – all over the world.

“I was quite young when I first learned about Amnesty International and was struck by the fact that it had been founded simply because one thinking man had read about the arrest of two young students in Portugal. One man in the UK decided because of what had happened to two young men in Portugal, that there was a need for such an organisation as Amnesty International.

“From that day I have harboured great respect for the organisation and after I was placed under house arrest and many of my colleagues were imprisoned for their political beliefs, my appreciation for Amnesty International increased by the day.”

Amnesty was started in London, in 1961, when British barrister Peter Benenson read an article about two Portuguese students who had been arrested for raising a “toast to freedom”. In the 1960s, Portugal was one of the remaining European colonial powers in Africa, ruled by the authoritarian Estado Novo regime. Anti-regime conspiracies were vigorously repressed by the Portuguese state police and deemed anti-Portuguese. The simple toast was deemed insurgent and a challenge to the government and the two were sent to prison.

Benenson wrote an article entitled ‘The Forgotten Prisoners’, in which he highlighted the plight of similar prisoners who had been jailed around the world for peacefully expressing their views. In an impassioned plea, he coined the term ‘prisoner of conscience’ and called for like-minded people across the world to unite in an appeal for amnesty on their behalf. The response was immense, and within weeks Amnesty International, a coordinated movement of ordinary people standing up for justice, had been born.

Today Amnesty has more than three million supporters, members and activists working at the forefront of human rights issues in more than 150 countries and territories across the globe. Amnesty’s purpose is to protect people when their human rights are denied, calling for an end to the discrimination, persecution and harassment that individuals face.

Aung San Suu Kyi, said:

“Basic to the strength of Amnesty International is the fact that so many ordinary people from so many countries in the world have been persuaded to take part in its work.

“The letters written by ordinary housewives, by school children, by retired people, by active young businessmen – all over the world – for the rights of those who have been imprisoned, makes a great difference.

“One single postcard means a lot, and it’s this kind of idea; that great things start from small beginnings – that has made Amnesty International such an unusual and such a globally relevant organisation.”

Speaking from Rangoon, wearing her trade-mark huge, bright flower in her hair, the political leader known simply as “The Lady” by her Burmese supporters, looked straight into the camera and smiled as she said what a happy, sad day the end of Amnesty would mark for the world. She acknowledged how vital Amnesty had been in conveying the dire situation of human rights in Burma, and asked that Burma is not neglected after the elections last November.

Aung San Suu Kyi, concluded:

“We should be sorry not to be in touch anymore with all those people who have made this such a very, very valuable organisation, but we should also be very happy when we know that there is no need for Amnesty International any more.”

For more information about Amnesty’s work; past, present and future, and to obtain a copy of the message from Aung San Suu Kyi, contact the press office.

Pacific Shaving Company Asks Drinkers to Skip Beers, Save a Million Gallons of Water

Posted on by

Inspired by Budweiser’s “Grow One, Save a Million” campaign, natural and eco-friendly shaving essentials manufacturer Pacific Shaving Company is asking beer drinkers across America to help save water by drinking a couple less cold ones between now and World Environment Day (June 5).

In 2009, the leading global brewer sold more than 10 billion gallons of beer, of which water is a key ingredient. Pacific Shaving’s just-formed Clean Cut, Clean Living initiative encourages consumers to get involved and save roughly 24 ounces of water each week by simply cutting out two beers.

Customers can visit Pacific Shaving’s Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/PacificShaving) to make the pledge and share the program with Facebook friends. For every pledge made between now and June 5th, the company will plant a tree. So let’s each do our part to minimize the approximately 27 million gallons of water used each day in the brewing process by passing on the casual beer between now and World Environment Day.

When it comes to shaving, you can also do your part in conserving water by shaving at the sink and turning the tap off. When it comes to the environment, Pacific Shaving Company is proud its line of natural, safe and eco-friendly shaving essentials which use minimal packaging. The company also works with Trees for the Future to plant a tree for every purchase. (Learn more: http://www.pacificshaving.com).

London Nights: Delicious Cocktails and Tamarai's Half-Price Mojitos

Posted on by

The weekends now have an unusual twist. Hosting exciting nights out like Vogue-Fridays and Diamond Noir Saturday Nights, Tamarai is living up to its reputation as one of the most happening nightclubs in the city. The elegant, 110-seat restaurant renowned for its Pan Asian cuisine, metamorphoses from a fine dining restaurant to a late night bar and club venue, like the Lotus flower that it is named after. With awards like the ‘Best Late Night Bar in UK’, be sure to sample the best cocktails and an award-winning wine list.

Don’t miss the exciting events that Tamarai hosts and make the most of the latest, irresistible offer – Half-Price Mojitos available from 10.00pm till midnight. And there is also FREE entry for ladies on the guest list before 11.00pm on both nights.

Vogue-Fridays at Tamarai presents “Casablanca”. Based on the 1942 cult film, it is a night of pure romance for couples dressed like their favourite movie stars or otherwise, set against a musical backdrop of commercial, house and RNB by top DJ’s. Add your names to the guest list and enter at £10 from 10.00pm till 11.30pm, and £15 after 11.30pm. £20 without guest list.

Diamond Noir Saturday Nights feature “Cocktail Seduction”, “Miami London”, “Model City Exposure” and “Back to School Party”. Just like the names suggest, every Saturday is going to unlock a new theme, with resident DJ’s playing the finest RNB, garage, oldskool hip hop, funky and club classics. With names on the guest list, ladies can enter free before 11.00pm, £10 thereafter. Gents £10 before 12.00am, £15 thereafter and non guest list is £20.

You can book a drinking table for your party, with minimum drinks spend for a drinking table priced at £40 per person. You and your guests will receive complimentary entry to Tamarai with dedicated waiter service to your table. A combination of dinner and dancing will make for the perfect night, with all diners getting free entry to the club.

For guest list and table booking, email guestlist@tamarai.co.uk or call 020 7831 9399.

Here are some fabulous cocktail recipes.

1. VIOLET MARTIN

GLASS : BUBBLE FRAPEE
METHOD : STIR & DOUBLE STRAIN INTO THE GLASS

INGREDIENTS : 3 DASHES PEYCHAUD BITTERS, 50 ML TANQUERAY 10, 25 ML PARFAIT AMOUR (VIOLETTE LIQUEUR), 25 ML LYCHEE JUICE

GARNISH : EDIBLE FLOWERS IN THE BUBBLE AND LEMON TWIST OVER THE DRINK THEN THROW AWAY.

2. PUNCH ESSENTIAL

GLASS : COLORED HI-BALL

METHOD : SHAKE & STRAIN OVER CRUSHED ICE

INGREDIENTS : 25 ML PASSION FRUIT PUREE, ½ FRESH PASSION FRUIT, 10 ML PASSION FRUIT SYRUP, 10 ML LIQUEUR 43, 50 ML PERNOD, 50 ML GRAPEFRUIT JUICE

GARNISH: PASSION FRUIT SLICE & MINT SPRIG

Next IMF Head – Brown vs Lagarde: Why We Should Stop Feeling Sorry For Brown

Posted on by

As I came home on the train today, I found the Evening Standard filled with articles questioning why Gordon Brown hasn’t been put forward by Britain to be head of the IMF. http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23952636-we-have-muffed-our-chance-to-lead-the-world.do

George Osborne has now backed the French favourite to secure the job, Christine Lagarde.

The paper’s tone suggests we should be being more patriotic. ‘The French know how to look after their own,” it says, referring to Lagarde. I’m disappointed with the paper’s view and the justification for it. Trying to raise nationalist feelings is a low blow, particularly in this time of crisis.

The Eurozone debt crisis is once again rearing its ugly head. We can’t afford such petty nationalist feelings. It is in fact very much in the UK’s interest that a European candidate takes the top job.

Lagarde is now the overwhelming favourite precisely because Europe has united behind her, putting common interest first. Other economic regions have failed to unite behind one candidate.

As the Standard itself even highlights, Brown has a host of failings.

Brown was heavily responsible for the recession (despite his continued efforts to blame world markets). It was he who oversaw the nation’s finances for over a decade as a chancellor. He who oversaw the colossal rise in government spending and it was he who failed to properly regulate the banking industry.

You can blame the global markets all you want, but countries such as Germany, Australia and Canada have coped perfectly well with the crisis. There’s no doubt Britain was not alone in its mistakes and many other countries have suffered as well, but in my mind that does not excuse Brown, who, we should also remember, inherited a budget surplus when he came to power.

When it was convenient, Brown ditched his famous, ‘golden rules’. Why? Because Brown was always a politician. He did it for political reasons. People forget his role in helping take the UK into the European Exchange Rate Mechanism. Is he partly responsible for the previous recession as well?

It’s simple really. Brown would never get the post even if Britain did back him because he has a record of failure. We should take the best and only viable European candidate we have and support her all we can.

 

Budweiser Asks Guys to Help Save a Million Gallons of Water by Not Shaving

Posted on by

‘Grow One. Save a Million.’ Campaign Part of Budweiser’s Annual Celebration of World Environment Day

Budweiser is asking adult men across America to help save one million gallons of water by not shaving in the days and weeks leading up to World Environment Day (June 5). As part of Budweiser’s ongoing commitment to water conservation, the Grow One. Save a Million. program allows consumers to get involved and save roughly 5 gallons of water for each shave they skip.*

Consumers 21 years of age and older can visit Budweiser’s Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/Budweiser) to make a pledge and share the program with Facebook friends. Participants can commit to a range of options, from a few days to multiple weeks. Ladies can get involved by recruiting male friends or family members. The page also features a daily tracker of the gallons saved to date.

“Water is a key ingredient in the brewing of Budweiser and all our beers, which is why water conservation is a priority both inside and outside our breweries,” said Kathy Casso, vice president of Corporate Social Responsibility at Anheuser-Busch. “In the past three years alone, our 12 U.S. breweries have reduced water use by 34 percent. Additionally, our employees and their families take action by volunteering to participate in local river cleanup projects in communities across the country.”

In 2010, more than 1,200 employees from Budweiser brewer Anheuser-Busch skipped shaving for one week prior to World Environment Day, helping to save about 42,000 gallons of water. This year, Budweiser is expanding the effort by inviting suppliers, partners, wholesalers, retailers and consumers to join the effort.

“Every gallon of water that we save makes a difference to our communities, so when thousands of people get together for one common cause, great things can happen,” said Chad Pregracke, founder of Living Lands & Waters and the face of the program on Budweiser’s Facebook page. “By pledging to skip shaving and ‘grow one,’ guys can literally wear their commitment to conserving our most valuable natural resource.”

In 1998, Pregracke founded Living Lands & Waters, a not-for-profit organization based in East Moline, Ill., dedicated to cleaning up and preserving our nation’s rivers. Today, the organization has grown to include 10 full-time employees. Pregracke’s crew travels and works in an average of 9 states a year along the Mississippi, Illinois, Ohio, Missouri and Potomac Rivers, as well as many of their tributaries. Since the organization’s inception, over 60,000 volunteers have helped remove more than 6 million pounds of debris from our nation’s greatest rivers. For his efforts, Pregracke has received numerous national awards. Most recently, he was honored at the Points of Light Institute’s Celebration of Service in Washington, D.C. where all four former presidents were in attendance to celebrate the power of voluntary action.

As part of its annual recognition of World Environment Day, Anheuser-Busch and its Budweiser brand will again donate $150,000 to River Network to help support the organization watershed conservation projects in each of the company’s 12 U.S. brewery cities. These projects will include stream/river cleanups, education programs, tree plantings and various activities that support the environment and provide employees and local wholesalers the opportunity to volunteer in their communities.

World Environment Day is a day set aside by the United Nations to create awareness of the environment and encourage participation in sustainability programs. Anheuser-Busch and its parent company, Anheuser-Busch InBev, annually recognize this day and engage employees around the world to take action and get involved in projects that are beneficial to the environment and their local communities.

Ten Years After 9/11, Widespread Concerns About Terrorist Attacks on Airports, Mass Transit and Public Gatherings Persist

Posted on by

Ten Years After 9/11, Widespread Concerns About Terrorist Attacks on Airports, Mass Transit and Public Gatherings Persist, According to Unisys Research

Overall security concerns at highest levels in many countries, with financial and personal security concerns top of mind

Nearly ten years after 9/11, a majority of citizens surveyed in the U.S., Europe and Latin America report that they are “extremely” or “very” concerned about malicious or terrorist attacks on airports, airplanes, railroads, buses, subways or large gatherings of people at office buildings, sporting events or other locations, according to new research conducted by Unisys Corporation (NYSE: UIS).

The findings are part of the bi-annual Unisys Security Index, conducted in February, which surveyed more than 11,500 people in 12 countries for consumer opinion on four areas of security: financial, national, Internet and personal safety.

“We’ve made significant progress in bolstering security in the decade since the attacks of 9/11, but we still have more work to do to increase the speed with which we adopt and implement technology solutions to secure our air cargo, rail transportation and other critical infrastructure systems as attacks become more sophisticated,” said Steve Vinsik, vice president, enterprise security, Unisys. “However, recent events such as the Yemeni cargo bomb as well as highly publicized attempted terror attacks in public spaces have raised awareness of security vulnerabilities in countries around the world. Governments and businesses worldwide must work together to address ways to protect our supply chains, public spaces and transportation infrastructures.”

When asked about their level of concern about locations they believe are vulnerable to attacks, well over half of respondents in nine of the 11 countries in which that question was asked said airports and airplanes are highly vulnerable.

In general, Europeans surveyed were most concerned, with the highest percentages of those seriously concerned residing in Germany (79 percent), the UK (74 percent) and Belgium (74 percent). High levels of concern were also reported in Mexico (70 percent), Brazil (69 percent) and the Netherlands (67 percent). In the United States, 59 percent of those surveyed said they were seriously concerned.

New Zealand and Australian citizens were the least concerned about attacks on airports and airplanes, at 42 and 48 percent respectively.

Similarly, more than half of respondents in all countries except Australia and New Zealand expressed serious concern about attacks on mass transit locations such as railroads, buses and subways. And in seven of the 11 countries where the question was asked, at least half of respondents said they believe cargo is also vulnerable to attacks.

General increase in concern worldwide

Overall, the latest results of the Unisys Security Index survey found that citizens around the world are significantly more concerned about nearly all aspects of their security compared to six months ago.

Results showed that financial concerns were top of mind in many countries, with bankcard fraud as the top concern worldwide and concern about the ability to meet financial obligations jumping significantly, especially in the United Kingdom, United States and New Zealand. Concern over national security also climbed in nearly all of the countries where financial security concern rose.

On a level from zero to 300, the overall global Unisys Security Index score jumped more than 17 percent in six months, from 125 to 147, to the highest levels since the survey began in 2007. While nearly all countries reported increases in overall concern, countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom reported their highest levels of concern ever.

Measures of financial and personal security rose to a serious level of concern for the first time. The financial security index moved to 159, the highest level yet, with bankcard fraud identified as the top financial concern in every country. Similarly, the personal security index rose to an all time high of 151, with identify theft the second highest overall concern in every country except Mexico.

About the Unisys Security Index

The Unisys Security Index is a bi-annual global study that provides insights into the attitudes of consumers on a wide range of security related issues. Lieberman Research Group conducted the survey in Latin America, Europe and the U.S.; Newspoll conducted the research in Asia-Pacific. The Unisys Security Index surveys more than 11,500 people in 12 countries: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, Germany, Hong Kong, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. The study measures consumer perceptions on a scale of zero to 300, with 300 representing the highest level of perceived concern. For more information, visit www.unisyssecurityindex.com.

Super Injunctions: People Unite to Defend Free Speech: Sunday Herald Names Accused Footballer

Posted on by

The last few weeks have seen the start of the next stage in the most important battle of our lifetimes.  The battle for the free speech of the internet.  Today a well-known British journalist faced jail as the attorney general considered whether to prosecute him, after he named a British footballer on Twitter, who has allegedly had an affair. The footballer had taken out a super injunction preventing his name being published in the press.

Already governments worldwide have been clamping down on free speech. Most notably China, where the great firewall constantly watches and monitors what people can see. Anything which goes against the government line is mercilessly blocked. This article will certainly not make it through. We have also seen in Egypt how the internet was switched off when its people went against the government.

Today saw people and journalists unite against the tyrannical super injunctions which seek to silence us. The day we start locking people up for telling the truth will be the end of our democracy. Thousands of people on Twitter named or re-tweeted the footballer who took out a super injunction to prevent his name being reported in the press.

Today his efforts failed. The Sunday Herald named the footballer and its front page printed his picture with a black bar across his eyes with the words censored.

Twitter users relentlessly used their accounts to put out as much information on the footballer as they could.The Herald hit out at what it called, ‘restrictive privacy laws’. They said this was an ‘issue of freedom of information’ and they expected no legal ramifications. Have these actions left the British judicial system in crisis?

The accused footballer is already seeking to sue reality TV star Imogen Thomas (the women he is accused of having the affair with), accusing her of blackmail. The footballer is also trying to sue the Sun newspaper. How many more can he sue though?

Free speech is the life blood of democracy. Without a free press there is no democracy. It was no surprise to me that the internet was nominated for the Nobel peace prize this year. I hope it wins the award in the future.

The internet allows the world to communicate. Wars happen when we’re afraid of people and things we don’t understand. The internet prevents that.

It is the greatest tool of freedom we have and we must preserve it.