Butterfly Rewards - earn free credits and redeem for good causes - learn more!
my care2
make a difference

community & fun

shares

share your passions, stories, inspirations, and more

MUS!C---please get me this for my birthday;-)
Jun 14, 2008
heya folks,,, I'm in luv with this tiny moving-stereo that Sony just showed, I gotta get one of these---dig the youtube video....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTxdKi77G20
...and this was my original favorite,
BECK's dancing Bots in the "hell yes" music-video......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPqkAYGlynI
rob
=][=
(0) | () | | send green star | flag as inappropriate
Visibility: Everyone
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted: Jun 14, 2008 2:04pm
Swiss anti-MUSLIM attitude used for capitalizing on votes in election...
Jun 1, 2007
well, it seems the usual political vote seekers are using militant vs. terrorist paranoia of our time to fuel their schemes
instead of standing for religious equality---

the Swiss are banning the building of Muslim minarets (small towers that are used for the traditional call to prayer),
and worse, as you'll see in the article from the BBC below:
Swiss religious intolerance is so strong
that almost all Muslims in their country
have to pray in shanty rickety old factory buildings & similar decrepit sites, no kiddin.'
---This will just hasten more extremism
& reactionary hate/distrust on all sides....
and it's interesting
when u think about
the famous SWISS bank accounts that are so profitable to SWISS business/economy,
yet they are well known---if not LEGENDARY--
 to let everyone from
mafia kingpins to dirty politicians
to Nazis hide their money in those famous Swiss bank accounts.....accounts yet no accountability
for helping criminals stash their profits, eh?

 ...the BBC article is pasted below....
Rob
=][=
Swiss Move to Ban Minarets
 By Imogen Foulkes
BBC News,  Berne
May 28, 2007
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6676271.stm

A row is brewing over religious symbolism in Switzerland.

Members of the right-wing Swiss People's Party,

currently the largest party in the Swiss parliament,
have launched a campaign to have the
building of minarets
banned.

They claim the minaret is not necessary for worship, but is rather a symbol of Islamic law, and as such incompatible with Switzerland's legal system.

Signatures are now being collected to force a nationwide referendum on the issue which, under Switzerland's system of direct democracy, would be binding.

The move has shocked Switzerland's 350,000 Muslims, many of whom have been campaigning for decades for more recognition for their faith.

In theory Switzerland is a secular state, whose constitution guarantees freedom of religious expression to all. In practice however mosques in Switzerland tend to be confined to disused warehouses and factories.

Across the country, there are only two small minarets, one in Zurich and one in Geneva, neither of which are permitted to make the call to prayer. In Switzerland's capital Berne, the largest mosque is in a former underground car park.

Plans rejected

In the small town of Langenthal, just outside Berne, plans to build a very modest minaret have been put on ice following thousands of objections.

Many Swiss think minarets have no place on their urban skylines

Langenthal's mosque is housed in a former paint factory on the outskirts of town.

Mutalip Karaademi, an ethnic Albanian who has lived in Switzerland for 26 years, was at first pleased when his proposal for a 5m-high (16.5ft) minaret was approved by the local authority.

But following a vociferous campaign against the plans, including a petition with thousands of signatures, the cantonal government in Berne delayed the project indefinitely.

"We are very disappointed," said Mr Karaademi. "We just wanted to do our mosque up a bit, with this small minaret and a tea room. We actually thought it might promote dialogue."

Mr Karaademi is also bitter at what he sees as unfair discrimination against his faith. "I even gave them a written undertaking that we would never make the call to prayer," he said. "They seem to think we are all criminals or terrorists - that's like saying all Italians are in the mafia."

Islamic law

But supporters of a ban on minarets say they have no intention of preventing anyone from practising their faith.

"We don't have anything against Muslims," said Oskar Freysinger, member of parliament for the Swiss People's Party.

"But we don't want minarets. The minaret is a symbol of a political and aggressive Islam, it's a symbol of Islamic law. The minute you have minarets in Europe it means Islam will have taken over."

Mr Freysinger's words may sound extreme, even paranoid, but this is a general election year in Switzerland, and the campaign against minarets is playing well with voters.

A recent opinion poll for one Swiss newspaper found that 43% of those surveyed were in favour of a ban on minarets.

"We have our civil laws here," insisted Mr Freysinger. "Banning minarets would send a clear signal that our European laws, our Swiss laws, have to be accepted. And if you want to live here, you must accept them. If you don't, then go back."

Growing resentment

It's a harsh message for Swiss Muslims, many of whom were born in Switzerland. There are fears that the campaign against minarets will provoke growing resentment against Swiss society.

"I think Swiss Muslims will be angry and bitter over this," said Reinhard Schulze, professor of Islamic Studies at Berne University. "And we know that anger and bitterness among a community can lead to radicalisation, even to militancy."

The Swiss government is extremely nervous about the prospect of militancy among Swiss Muslims; three cabinet ministers have already spoken out against the campaign to ban minarets.

There is also a growing fear that the debate will damage Switzerland's traditionally good relations with the Arab world.

But the Swiss People's Party is powerful. If the minaret campaign is, as some suspect, a vote-grabbing ploy ahead of October's general election, then it is a successful one; the party is riding high in the opinion polls.

A constitutional amendment forbidding minarets will have to be approved in a nationwide referendum. In the meantime, no minarets are being built anywhere in Switzerland; the controversy has created a situation in which no local planning officer wants to be the first to approve one.

In that respect, the People's Party may have got what it secretly wanted all along, an unofficial ban on minarets.

So for now, Switzerland's Muslims will continue to pray in abandoned buildings, many with the growing feeling that they are tolerated only as long as they remain invisible."

--
Always remember that you are absolutely unique.  
Just like everyone else ::: [ Margaret Mead ]
(0) | () | | send green star | flag as inappropriate
Visibility: Everyone
Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted: Jun 1, 2007 5:26pm
emPOWER urself & friends for Net Freedom of Speech & more
May 7, 2007
hey yall,,

here is some info from messages I just sent to Bill & Agnes that gives some of the BEST websites

to keep up the struggle for FREEDOM &
FREE Speech on the internet

b4 the BIG Media &
their FCC & Political sellout pal$
steal & block the activist &
progressive sites
from us,,,,,,,,

not to mention how closely the issue
is re: $hrubCo's

illegal wiretapping & other abuse$ of power in government that
worm$ it's way around &
under American safetyguards such as
REAL oversight,

as we trade our free Speech
for "SO-CALLED Security"....

that only gives more power to politician$
and helps their campaign
$peeches while
doing little
OR
nothing for
real security & Freedom.

The following are some of the
best places
to
start or join
in learning & stopping
the ways

Big Media & their pal$
rig the rules to
block & deflect common
decent citizens
from using
the web for progressive defense of freedom &
political truth:

This REALLY
worries me;;;

it erodes the promise of the internet as the
most powerful
free speech tool in history

with it's ability to allow REAL, common folks
of ALL lands to
cross political boundaries &
go beyond the old, national hate-alliances
so as to tell
the
truth of the people--

especially in situations where countries are known to
crush
free speech.

One of the big issues I'm
staying abreast of
is
the NET Neutrality issue that
keeps BIG Media &
Internet provider companies
from "oh-so-sly manipulation of the web,"
such as blocking
progressive sites or
making them so slow to connect

that we activists cannot
connect to
dialogue or do politically important work
for free speech,
ECOLOGY,
HUMAN rights
AND
speaking truth to power.

I highly recommend these groups,
--- please check them out &
send them
to
all your activist pals :

1) The EFF @ http://www.eff.org/
...they are the Electronic Frontier Foundation:
a group of FREE Speech and internet rights activists yet are also
TOP level Silicon Valley experts and lawyers
who frequently get on PBS & such---

often making headlines
as they fight
the court$,
politicians & the FCC
on rules that
weaken the internet for common folk
by allowing
ISP's & Big Media to rig
trick-legislation that does
nasty things like
block hot topics in progressive politics
by shutting down
access
to the best blogs & activist sites ;
the EFF also fights for individuals who are screwed by
big Media's grip on the government & FCC...

checkout their site & read their take
on the battle for
Net Equality (NET Neutrality) &
other
progressive, free speech issues.

2) GLOBAL Internet Liberty Campaign: http://www.gilc.org/
...these folks have an EXCELLENT
"mission statement"
for freedom:

"The Global Internet Liberty Campaign
advocates:
  • Prohibiting prior censorship of on-line communication.

  • Requiring that laws restricting the content of on-line speech distinguish between the liability of content providers and the liability of data carriers.

  • Insisting that on-line free expression not be restricted by indirect means such as excessively restrictive governmental or private controls over computer hardware or software, telecommunications infrastructure, or other essential components of the Internet.

  • Including citizens in the Global Information Infrastructure (GII) development process from countries that are currently unstable economically, have insufficient infrastructure, or lack sophisticated technology.

  • Prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

  • Ensuring that personal information generated on the GII for one purpose is not used for an unrelated purpose or disclosed without the person's informed consent and enabling individuals to review personal information on the Internet and to correct inaccurate information.

  • Allowing on-line users to encrypt their communications and information without restriction."

3) Tor : http://tor.eff.org/overview.html.en
..."Tor is a network
of
virtual tunnels that allows people and
groups
to improve their privacy and security
on the Internet.

It also enables software developers
to
create new communication tools
with built-in privacy
features.

Tor provides the foundation for a range of applications that allow organizations and
individuals to
share information
over
public networks
without compromising
their privacy.

Individuals use Tor

to keep websites
from tracking them &
their family members,

or to connect to news sites,
instant messaging
services,
or the like
when these
are blocked
by their
local Internet providers.

Tor's hidden services let users

publish web sites and
other services without
needing to reveal the location of the site.

Individuals also use Tor for
socially sensitive
communication:

chat rooms and web forums for

rape & abuse survivors,
or people with illnesses..."

.....how 'bout that.

---so pass these along
to ALL your activist & progressive

web pals---

especially the info
that relates
to web
free speech protection/
Net Neutrality:

http://www.savetheinternet.com/

...
I've put alot of this info in my blog

here on Care2,

and I'd ask ya

to copy this info
&
do the same

b4
it's too late &
freedom of speech
in the digital age

is set-back to a
scary degree ;-(

Peace &
keep web-slingin'........
Rob
=][=

Imported from external blog

(0) | () | | send green star | flag as inappropriate
Visibility: Everyone
Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted: May 7, 2007 3:12am
Calling Dr. Frankenstein, your TREES are ready
Apr 8, 2007
Focus: Environment
Action Request: Visit - online
Location: United States
hey, remember that sad movie "SILENT Running"? 
It's been reversed,
and our asses are gonna be the ones doing the running.

I thought this little sentence made 1 of the main points
fairly strong :::

" In addition, legal precedents indicate
that if a landowner's trees are contaminated by GE tree pollen,
they may be sued for patent violations
by the corporation that patented the GE tree. "

...Rob here again....
remember, trees are the Earth's filter
for taking
carbon dioxide from the air
& turning it into clean, breathable air.
hhhhmmmm......

so now we're gonna tamper with the ONLY air filter the planet has?
-----just Great.

The website:   http://www.stopgetrees.org/

...their video clip with renowned geneticist Dr. Suzuki :

http://www.customflix.com/Store/Trailer.jsp?id=207574

" Many red flags have been raised
about the
genetic  engineering
of  our
food  supply. 
Few people, however,
realize that trees
are also being genetically engineered.

...We have no control
over the movement of
insects, birds and mammals, wind and rain that carry pollen. 

Genetically engineered trees,
with the potential
to transfer pollen
for hundreds of miles
carrying genes for traits including
insect resistance, herbicide resistance,
sterility
and reduced lignin,
thus have the potential
to wreak ecological havoc
throughout the world's native forests.
GE trees could also impact wildlife
as well as
rural and indigenous communities
that depend on intact forests
for their food,
shelter,
water, livelihood and cultural practices...

Trees are being engineered to kill insects,
resist toxic herbicides, grow faster,
& have
reduced Lignin
(the substance that protects the tree
and makes it strong).

Release of GE trees into the environment
assures
that engineered traits
will escape,
contaminating native forests with these traits.

--Pollen studies by researchers at Duke University
in North Carolina
show that
tree pollen can travel
for over
1,000  miles,
meaning widespread contamination
by GE trees cannot be avoided
or prevented,
---except by not allowing the release
of GE trees
into the environment
in the
first place."

... rob here again... well yall,
ain't it great
when you
can't wash the herbicide
off of the apple
or other fruit
from a tree---
because the herbicides & other traits
will be IN the fruit.

Oi,,,  PLEASE  PASS this ALONG ,,,

Rob
=][=
(1) | () | | send green star | flag as inappropriate
Visibility: Everyone
Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted: Apr 8, 2007 2:24pm
Iranian gov't is planning on brutally killing WOMEN..
Feb 28, 2007
hey yall, go click these 3 links to add international pressure against the blood-thirsty Iranian government who, among other things, actually intends to kill 3 women and one is even death by stoning----how barbaric can they get??

" Please continue to speak out about the injustice to which young Delara has been subjected.

Please sign the petition objecting to her execution and ask your family, friends, co-workers, members of your church, school, and community to do the same.


Please keep young Delara Darabi in your thoughts and prayers. Please keep Delara in your hearts....

Lily Mazahery, Esq.

President

Legal Rights Institute


SAVE DELARA! Express your objection to planned execution of young girl! Sign the petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/DL2222/petition.html

JOIN THE 1 MILLION SIGNATURES CAMPAIGN & STAND UP FOR EQUALITY UNDER THE LAW!
Sign the petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/1milsign/petition.html

SIGN THE PETITION TO SAVE MALAK'S LIFE: http://savemalak.googlepages.com/home

please pass along.....
rob =][=

Imported from external blog

(2) | () | | send green star | flag as inappropriate
Visibility: Everyone
Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted: Feb 28, 2007 3:46pm
homophobia: 0, Star Trek: 1, game Over
Feb 27, 2007
well, i guess the NBA's Tim Hardaway had an unofficial-official turnover & Sulu returned fire, hah,,,
((Sci-Fi takes on mega-rich jock to make space oddity, yet makes a serious social statement--
not exactly what u expect in this galaxy,
and the jock got rocked))...
...includes video...... Beam me up Scotty,
and inform Mr. Bowie that Major Tom
just ran into the
Spiders from Mars.)))
"Star Trek Actor's Satirical Response to Tim "I Hate Gay People" Hardaway [with video]"
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/video/48423/
rob
=][=

Imported from external blog

(3) | () | | send green star | flag as inappropriate
Visibility: Everyone
Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted: Feb 27, 2007 1:09pm
movie on the Murdered WOMEN of Juarez MEXICO
Feb 22, 2007
hey folks,
has anyone read info on the movie "BORDERTOWN" about the Mexican/Latino women

killed in the infamous horrible rapes/murders down

near El Paso, in Juarez, the insane case in which 400 women were killed

in the 1990's who all worked in cheap factory labor sweat-shops at the (pardon any mispelling) Maquiladoras factories?


Well, it turns out that a heroic independent film director: Gregory Nava, who made the Mexican Immigrant film that made him well known in serious film & production realms, a film called

"El Norte"
---which you might be familiar with -
well, he tried for the last 10 years
to make a movie on these mutilated & murdered

women in Juarez Mexico..
but no hollywood studios wanted to risk an "intellectual film" so he couldn't getmoney to make this "social justice" movie;

Since he knew & worked with famous Latino actors/actresses, he talked them into helping him get "star" appeal by acting in it & thus helping gain momentum to raise funds to make the film.

Jennifer Lopez, Antonio Banderas and even movie mega-star Martin Sheen signed on & thus they finally finished production.. but

they can't get it into American theatres yet due to the way American

theatres only want fun, popular films,
so they've released it in Europe---at art-film festivals, & are waiting to see if they can get art-house-theatres to show it here in the U.S.

personally, I think they should

do "viral marketing" via blogs & internet activists by releasing

it now on DVD rather than fight for a year with the movie

distribution companies
((they believe it will take that long for

distribution to reach American theatre audiences)).

Either way, here's the link
at the good ole-online "internet film dataBase," the IMdb:
http://imdb.com/title/tt0445935/

sure...it's 10 years later than we needed it to be made as far

as getting public pressure on the authorities to REALLY investigate
& stop the murders,

400 murders is insane, almost like a whole village or town was killed, but even as activists & netgroups

& blogs talked about it for years,
no one has done any "bigtime"

media to get the wider public aware of it,
and whether the fictional script is good or not,
it's sure to get media folks digging into interviews--
even if it's for greedy reasons like tv ratings
or book sales of "murder mystery" stuff..
just the publicity will at least make the couch potatoes SEE the injustice a bit, eh?

the murders have lessened in recent years,
but it's always the same---if media doesn't get people focused on crimes or abuse, it just goes on unchecked for

years/decades.
Officials in power have turned an all to convenient blind eye to things since they can say "well I have too many problems on my plate right now" or similar unethical excuses;
--and the murdered women of Juarez
are EXACTLY that scenario--- since they are poor factory workers and most Americans are angry with Mexican immigration,
they act as if this is just
sad knews from a place that they don't want to be reminded of.

aPATHETIC... so, go to the link & pass the word on this film;

tho it's fictional--to make a murder-mystery-story for audiences, it's all about a reporter looking into those Juarez murders.

pass this onto blogs & webpals.
peace,
rob
=][=
(0) | () | | send green star | flag as inappropriate
Visibility: Everyone
Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted: Feb 22, 2007 1:45am
Proposal to REMOVE federal protections for Gray Wolves
Jan 30, 2007
Focus: Animal Welfare
Action Request: Visit - online
Location: United States
Well,,,
Yesterday, federal officials announced their proposal to remove federal protections for gray wolves in the Northern Rockies --
a plan that could lead to the slaughter of hundreds of wolves.
Take action now --

Tell Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne
that you’re outraged by
this ill-conceived proposal!

Pass it on yall....
dohiyi,
rob
=][=
(0) | () | | send green star | flag as inappropriate
Visibility: Everyone
Tags: , , , ,
Posted: Jan 30, 2007 9:02pm
Navajo wins military discharge to become medicine man
Jan 27, 2007
Associated Press (hope I'm not reposting)
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0125MarinesNavajo25-ON.html
Jan. 25, 07
WINDOW ROCK - Ronnie Tallman's debate with the U.S. Marines
over the last year has centered on a rare,
spiritual gift bestowed upon him as a Navajo
that teaches him to heal,
not hurt people.."
...rob here...
hey folks, PLEASE forward this
to keep a rare victory in mind for Spiritual minded folks, etc.
dohiyi,
rob
=][=
(0) | () | | send green star | flag as inappropriate
Visibility: Everyone
Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted: Jan 27, 2007 5:53pm
Click to help FRIDAY's vote against BIG OiLy Subsidies
Jan 17, 2007
hey folks, pass it on...Bio-Gems is involved & NRDC....
" The House of Representatives could vote as early as January 18th on a bill that would cut subsidies to the oil industry and help promote clean energy resources. Send a message right away urging your representative to support this important bill.
(((---click the next phrase, it's a link, yep---)))
 Tell your representative to vote Yes for the CLEAN Energy Act "
peace, dohiyi,
rob
=][=

Imported from external blog

(0) | () | | send green star | flag as inappropriate
Visibility: Everyone
Tags: , , ,
Posted: Jan 17, 2007 3:59pm

 
 Next >
 
Content and comments expressed here are the opinions of Care2 users and not necessarily that of Care2.com or its affiliates.

Author

Rob M.
male, age 109, open relationship
Rochester, NY, USA
Shares by Type:
All (195) | Blog (10) | Alert (103) | Message (82)
ads keep care2 free
SHARES FROM ROB'S NETWORK
Nov
25
(0 comments  |  discussions )
Sean Goldman is still in Brazil! Please make sure that you have signed the petition demanding the return of this child to his father. Currently, the petition has over 55,000 signatures but needs as much support as possible. click here Also, please v...
(0 comments  |  discussions )
The author is Professor Robert Watson of Lynn University who was once a writer for the New York Times. Professor Watson writes: Hi friends, I am always being asked to grade Obama's presidency. In place of offering him a grade, I put togethe...
(0 comments  |  discussions )
"Because things are the way they are, things will not stay the way they are."
Nov
24
(0 comments  |  discussions )
"The truth is that many people set rules to keep from making decisions."
Nov
23
(0 comments  |  discussions )
(1 comments  |  discussions )
"About the time we can make the ends meet, somebody moves the ends."
Nov
22
(0 comments  |  discussions )
by Paul B.
(0 comments  |  discussions )
ml PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC -html4
(3 comments  |  discussions )
You probably won't hear anything in the news about this anniversary until the 50th is reached. However, I realized that it is significant in the fact that Kennedy was forty-six years old at the time of his death. For those who were alive and old en...
(0 comments  |  0 discussions )
"Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier."

Copyright © 2009 Care2.com, inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved