Troops out NOW. Song to Stop the War

Racist allegations at SOAS? SU will NOT be crossing the picket lines...

"In my role as Chair I was being asked to conclude whether two long serving and trusted managers were telling the truth, or whether Pablo Grisales had changed his recollection of events. On the balance of probabilities I concluded that I believed the two managers. I was satisfied that the evidence by (the complainant) and the SOAS managers was on balance far more credible than that of Jose Bermudez and Pablo Grisales."

Email from Students' Union

Dear students,

This Thursday 28th May SOAS UNISON will hold a 1 day strike in solidarity with Jose Stalin Bermudez, the SOAS Postroom worker who was sacked earlier this term. Your Students' Union thinks you will find the following information useful:

Why are UNISON going on strike?
UNISON believe that one of their members was sacked unfairly. The formal school disciplinary procedure has run its course and members are now showing their solidarity with Stalin by staging a one day strike calling for his re-instatement. We have included below a joint UNISON/UCU statement that we first sent to all students on 1st May explaining the reasons behind the strike.


How will this affect me and my exams?
The SU have been in dialogue with both UNISON and the School in order to minimise disruption to students during this critical exam time. Whilst we cannot say for sure, it is highly likely the library will remain open but with reduced staffing. It is likely the computer rooms will be open, but with minimal or no IT support. UNISON are aware of the exams taking place over this period. If you have any questions or concerns about the impact of the strike on your studies you can email suwelfare@soas.ac.uk

What is the position of the Students' Union?
The Union is mandated to support the UNISON campaign to re-instate Stalin. We circulated information from UNISON earlier in the month. We will be providing an empowering lunch to those on the picket lines on Thursday and the sabbaticals will not cross the picket. We encourage students who intend to come in on Thursday to engage with the issue and act accordingly.

Ben, NIzam, Marya
Here's the full statement from UCU and UNISON

Dear Colleagues

As we predicted, the School's hand-picked Star Chamber has rejected
Stalin's appeal against dismissal. Graham Furniss, Ian Brown and Matt
Craven, advised by Peter Mitchell the HR Director, would appear to
share the same perverted sense of justice as Sharon Page who sacked
Stalin in February.

SOAS UNISON, UCU, and the Student Union, along with several voices on Academic board, had called for a genuinely independent panel to hear the appeal. The School rejected that. Presumably they had no confidence in an independent panel to produce the result they wanted.

Stalin was absurdly accused by Sharon Page of a perceived "threat to kill" a colleague in September 2008. In fact, the original complaintcontains no such allegation. The perception explicitly relates to alleged "death threats" in 2007.

Those allegations had been found to be "unfounded and unsubstantiated" in an earlier grievance hearing. Never mind. The investigating managers and Sharon Page fell over themselves to use those unfounded and unsubstantiated allegations to support the complainant's perception. Sharon Page made her decision to dismiss Stalin on her perception of the complainant's perception. A more unsafe conclusion could not be imagined.

Read more HERE

Press release: Students in Solidarity with Gaza

Contact: Kat Sullivan

Mobile Cairo: 019.264.1283

On Monday May 25th, a group of students from Cairo attempted to enter the Gaza border to deliver aid. Thus far, all efforts to enter have been stopped by Egyptian authorities.

The student delegation from Cairo is planning to meet with numerous other delegations from around the globe. Each group has medical aid and supplies, sports equipment for children and monetary donations. The Egyptian authorities have been completely aware of everyone attending and everything that we are carrying. All members attending were told that they were given full clearance to enter Gaza. However, now at the border, they suddenly refuse. We are being either blocked from entering or even turned back at checkpoints before the border

itself.

Knowing that our efforts are supported worldwide, we are compelled to reach out to all media outlets within and without Cairo, Egypt.

For more information

twitter.com/studentsforgaza

I so wish this song was more political...

Croatian occupation-Money for Education not for the army

Cross posted from infinite thØught blog. Thanks for the great report.

Invited to give a paper at the occupied Philosophy faculty, we arrived on day 31 of the protest. The first striking thing about the occupation, to protest against the introduction of tuition fees, is its sheer size. Unlike Philosophy departments in the UK, often small addenda to larger Humanities or Social Science schools, here Philosophy is truly the Queen of the Sciences. As such, Philosophy at Zagreb includes all humanities and most social science subjects, and the faculty is made up of somewhere between 6000-7000 students. The occupation is not only huge in terms of the size of the buildings, but also in terms of the number of students still there, even after a month. The protests started after the government proposal was discussed and an occupation was proposed by a Capital reading group (although there is some dispute as to whether this is where the original idea came from - no matter, it happened). The occupation has received widespread media coverage.

Read more HERE

Facebook and Twitter blocked in Iran over Hossein Derakshan's case

Some of you have tried recently to open some pages of our campaign site for the release of Hossein Derakhshan http://www.freetheblogfather.com

The company wich hosts our sites has reported last tuesday that the server where our site where located has been hacked and shut down and the place where the pages of our site where recorded has been also errased during this major attempt.

We are trying to recover situation. 

This morning some facebook users in Iran reported also that they are no longer able to access this site. You'll find this CNN report even tough we need more information on this. 

- http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/05/23/iran.elections.facebook/index.

Twitterers in Tehran reported early Saturday that Facebook wasn’t the only social network banned. Twitter was apparently down as well, though it has since returned.

Hossein Derakhshan is still detained in an unknown place in Iran, without a due process and the charges against him are not clear. 

More than ever, he needs our support. 

SOAS director Paul Webley's pathetic and disgraceful response to UNISON's vote to strike

IMPORTANT: please read Richard Seymours excellent overview of the sheer shabbyness of this case, if you haven't done so already, before you go on-he puts it much better than me...Read it HERE

INTERNAL MESSAGE FOR STAFF REGARDING INDUSTRIAL ACTION BEING TAKEN BY UNISON MEMBERS ON THURSDAY 28TH MAY 2009

Members of UNISON have voted to enter into a one-day strike following a failed appeal to reinstate a former member of staff  (unfairly SACKED) for gross misconduct. UNISON have informed the School that this strike will take place on Thursday 28th May 2009.

At a recent ballot, 31 members out of 110 voted in favour of going on strike – that’s a third of UNISON members (what a disgusting reponse-45 people were at this meeting. This is well over quoracy and is 2/3rds of the meeting. And a higher percentage than most uni's union turnouts)

The decision to take industrial action is regrettable particularly at such a crucial time of year for our students as they prepare for exams, and in light of all the correct processes being followed. We will do all we can to ensure students are not inconvenienced by this action (How dare he try to play students off the staff-we have policy after policy supporting this campaign and we stand in solidarity with Jose Stalin)

The School takes seriously any complaints made by our colleagues (erm, how come they refused the ONLY witness statement then? And how about the racist and derogatory comments made by the complainant to Stalin-witnessed by a student whose statement was also not allowed ).

We have strict procedures and guidelines in place to investigate such allegations in a fair and reasonable manner which have been agreed in consultation with both UNISON and UCU.

Throughout the process, these guidelines and processes were followed to ensure this particular case was not prejudiced in any way (is this why they sneaked Stalin out to a change of venue for his last hearing. If I hadn't seen them leaving no-one would have known. When i then proceeded to follow them Charles Perry, Human Resources tried to take back routes and trips to the toilet to lose me. When I kept on their heels he told me he didn't want my sort at the meeting. He told me to go away. All i wanted to do was know where they were taking him without telling the Union reps-I didn't even say anything. Rude, vile man).

The welfare of our staff is of utmost importance and we have a duty of care to provide a safe and secure workplace for all employees (Why, then, did they place Stalin back in a tiny broom cupboard of an office with someone who had already been through an employment process with Stalin? that, my friends, is un-acceptable). 

A (warped) questions and answers sheet about this strike is attached.

Professor Paul Webley

Director and Principal

Thursday 21st May 2009

Questions and answers about UNISON one day strike to be held on Thursday 28th May 2009

Why are UNISON members going on strike?

Members of UNISON are taking strike action following the dismissal of a member of staff for gross misconduct. The decision to strike was taken after a disciplinary hearing and a failed appeal.

Who voted for strike action?

A ballot was held of the 110 members of UNISON who work at SOAS. 45 ballot papers were returned - 14 voted against strike action and 31 voted in favour. SOAS employs just under 1,000 people so this is around three per cent of the staff population and just 28 per cent of UNISON members. 

Is the School able to disclose details of the case?

The School believes that internal disciplinary and grievance complaints should remain confidential and not be made available. That is why the School is deeply disappointed that individuals participating in the disciplinary process, including the complainant, have been named by union representatives.

Was the disciplinary process carried out in a fair manner?

SOAS’s disciplinary and grievance processes have been agreed with UNISON and UCU. The disciplinary procedures were fully complied with and UNISON regional officers were involved throughout the process.

Was the appeal carried out in a similar way?

The appeal against dismissal was conducted according to the process agreed with UNISON. The same UNISON regional officer represented the member of staff at this hearing. The representative confirmed from the outset that she was happy with the hearing panel.

How will a strike affect staff and students?

The School will do all it can to minimise disruption. Some library and IT services may be affected which will inevitably impact on staff and students. 

Can anyone take strike action?

No. Only members of UNISON who voted for action will be protected by law. Staff who take ‘sympathy’ action (not in unions and in unions other than UNISON) will be in breach of their contract.

Do I have to take strike action if I’m a UNISON member?

No. UNISON members are entitled to take strike action but are not obliged to do so.

What are the consequences of going on strike?

UNISON members who go on strike will be in breach of their contract and as a result, the School will deduct a day’s pay.

Does the School have a policy on pay deduction?

Yes and it can be found on the SOAS website http://www.soas.ac.uk/hr/procedures/ 

Will there be a picket line?

UNISON is organising pickets at the main entrance to SOAS premises. There will be no more than six official pickets at the entrance to the building and they will be identified by armbands. Pickets will be respectful and not in any way threatening. Members of staff are not obliged to speak to those taking part. 

What if I am on leave on the day of the strike?

Staff who have already booked annual leave will not be affected. However we have advised managers that any further annual leave requested on the day of the strike will not be agreed to ensure adequate staffing levels.

What if I am working from home or away from the office on SOAS business?

Staff who normally work from home on this day or those away on School business should confirm their arrangement with their line manager to ensure pay is not deducted.

What are the consequences of strike action?

Taking strike action will inevitably lead to students not being able to access all the services they need and staff may have to cover for colleagues who are on strike. It will also lead to UNISON members losing a day’s pay. 

What next?

SOAS is disappointed that strike action is going ahead despite all the proper processes being followed. It does not wish to suspend its internal processes, which were agreed with unions, on the basis of one case. The School remains committed to working with unions to ensure that all policies and procedures are implemented effectively and that similar action is avoided in the future.

Human Resources Department

May 2009

SOAS staff to strike in support of Jose Stalin Bermudez

See Stalin speak at Birkbeck campaign meeting HERE

Joseph Stalin Bermudez, the SOAS UNISON Branch Chair was sacked by SOAS management following what UNISON believes was a deeply flawed and unfair disciplinary process.

Stalin an Ecuadorian migrant worker, is a respected member of staff who had worked at the School of Oriental and African Studies for ten years with a previously unblemished record

SOAS UNISON together with colleagues in SOAS UCU and SOAS Students’ Union had called for a genuinely independent appeal to review the School’s decision but this was refused. SOAS UNISON has been forced to conclude that SOAS management had decided in advance to dismiss Stalin and issues such as evidence and fairness were not going to be allowed to get in the way.

The School dismissed the signed statement and personal testimony of the only independent witness to the alleged events that formed the basis for the disciplinary investigation. It is disgraceful that in SOAS of all places that this evidence provided by a black member of staff can, be dismissed as being “not credible.” In order construct a case sufficiently strong to dismiss Stalin the School referred back to a previous allegation that it had found at the time to be “unfounded and unsubstantiated”. It dismissed numerous character references provided by staff across the School in support of Stalin.

Stalin has been an outstanding SOAS UNISON Branch Chair and has consistently stood up for UNISON members’ rights. His work with the SOAS Living Wage Campaign was central to ensuring that SOAS cleaning staff can now work with a degree of dignity.

It is time to return that solidarity and show full support for Stalin. We urge SOAS staff and students to show whatever support they can.

***In support of Stalin, SOAS UNISON members have voted to conduct a 24 hour Strike Action, which will take place on Thursday 28th May.**

Join the facebook group HERE for updates

Read Lenin's comments HERE

Anti-BNP? Cartoon explanation of how your vote counts.

I'm not sure who i'm voting for yet, possibly Greens. This is add is not because i am endorsing them-if socialist party stand then of course i will vote for them...

But either way, this brilliant video explains the voting process.

80% of Egyptians don't like Palestinians apparently

...according to our waiter at the Windsor Hotel. 

'they come here and take all our money and land' he said...sound familiar?

Of course this is not true...as i've just been reminded by Egyptian comrades that Egypt has the biggest pro-Palestinian demos that happen in the Arab World. Sorry ya camaradeen Masreyeen.

Just managed to quickly catch a photo of this SAVE GAZA road sign miles from nowhere

I will post more from Egypt soon.x

Check out Egpytian socialists blog

http://www.e-socialists.net/

Assed Baig is with Aid workers who are to go on hunger strike at Rafah-Gaza border

18/05/2009

British, Belgian and Greek doctors, nurses and aid workers will go on hunger strike tomorrow over the Egyptian Authorities’ refusal to allow entry into Gaza.

After constant attempts aid workers, doctors and nurses, have been refused entry in to the Gaza strip by the Egyptian authorities. Some doctors have been waiting for forty days. Out of utter desperation and witnessing the treatment of Palestinians by the Egyptian authorities, aid workers and activists have been left with no choice except to go into hunger strike and stay at the Rafah crossing until they are allowed through into Gaza.

Although the Egyptian authorities had said the border was open for two days the fact is that non-Palestinians were not allowed to enter, even though some were Palestinian but held different nationalities.

Contact Dr Omar Mangoush
Tel: 0020193764783

Assed Baig
0020178126819

Protect the pigs...

British student activist Assed Baig is ok for now...

Assed texted. He's ok. He's not held separately from the rest of group anymore. The group includes Brits, Belgians and at least 1 Italian.

More on mine and hossams twitter.

http://twitter.com/solomonsmfield or arabawy

Will email more once known.

Other International activists are camping out in Rafah and will start a hungerstrike till Egyptian authorities allow them entry to Gaza

UK activist Assed Baig is held alone by the police in Rafah, away from the 19 other activists. Only two Irish activists were allowed in. More news soon

Photos from Cairo

On steps, originally uploaded by solomonsmfield.

See more here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/solomonsmfield/

Reports soon...

London Met University in occupation-photos and blog here

http://www.thelondonmetcrisis.blogspot.com/

This is the fight back that Wes Streeting and the NUS leadership are too scared to take. I wonder what they are making out of this million pound swindle?

Well done to London Met in the face of adversity.

solidarity from SOAS

Spivak speaks

Part 2 HERE

Part 3 HERE

Part 4 HERE

Part 5 HERE

Part 6 HERE

Part 7 HERE

Desperate recruiting tactics from the HM Forces

HMForces’ Top 11 Reasons to Date a Soldier

16,017 Views

28 CommentsShareFlag as inappropriate

Queen's Guard, Buckingham Palace

- HMForces Staff

A woman will always feel secure with a soldier around them. Find out why a soldier leads the charge for a woman’s heart!

1) They always wear the right protection 
2) They can fire hundreds of rounds before getting tired 
3) They nearly always follow orders from their superiors 
4) They know how to wash, iron and mend their own clothes 
5) Keeping fit gives them real staying power – and the muscles to match! 
6) They’re not afraid of deep insertion ops 
7) Impeccable marksmanship 
8) They don’t get lost in the dark 
9) Always ready for action 
10) They like it rough and tough 
11) The uniform! 

Don't believe me? See it HERE

Protest tmrw against Israel's racist foreign minister

STOP THE WAR COALITION

NEWSLETTER

No. 1095  12 May 2009

Email office@stopwar.org.uk

Tel: 020 7801 2768

Web: http://www.stopwar.org.uk

Twitter: http://twitter.com/STWuk

AVIGDOR LIEBERMAN, ISRAEL'S OPENLY RACIST FOREIGN MINISTER, IS COMING TO LONDON

to meet the British Foreign Secretary, David Miliband and the Shadow Foreign

Secretary, William Hague, as part of his bid to strengthen ties between Europe

and Israel.

PROTEST AGAINST ISRAEL'S RACIST FOREIGN MINISTER

WEDNESDAY 13 MAY 10.30AM - 12.00 NOON

FOREIGN OFFICE, WHITEHALL, LONDON

Protest called by Stop the War Coalition, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Jews

for Justice for Palestinians, British Muslim Initiative, CND, Palestinian Forum

in Britain.

JOIN US to show our disgust at the government's willingness to meet with

Israeli warmongers. During Israel's bombing and invasion of Gaza, Avigdor

Lieberman threatened action 'just like the United States did with the Japanese

in World War II', when the US used nuclear bombs to obliterate two cities.

He has called for the execution of elected Arab members of Israel's parliament

if they have any contact with Hamas, and threatened the expulsion of

Palestinian citizens of Israel. In February this year he said: "If you want

peace, you must prepare for war."

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON LIEBERMAN: http://bit.ly/2UH2QX

SATURDAY 16 MAY IN LONDON:

WHY WE WILL REMEMBER GAZA: http://bit.ly/10TBS6

FOLLOW STOP THE WAR ON TWITTER: http://twitter.com/stwuk

Statebook-beware, they're after you...

http://www.statebook.co.uk/index.html

Clare's going to Cairo

Yey, me and friends will be in Cairo for a few weeks from the 13th May.

To my non-SOAS friends-wanna meet for a coffee?

SOAS students: i am doing some podcasts for SOAS BLE site and I would like to meet with SOAS students to talk about life at SOAS and in London for new students.

Let me know if you want to meet up to help with this...

BUT, to all of you-let me know if there is anything interesting going on that I would like...events, parties etc etc!!

And also if there's anything you want from London-but i will not be bringing any strange packages that your friend packed!

Hope to see you soon.

in solidarity

Anti-BP not anti-BM

Protest outside the British Museum against BP.

Which, of course, given that I am doing my fieldwork on the British Museum I could not possibly comment on. Boohoo

Although Booooo and BOO to BP-these protestors were pretty scary.

Event this Wednesday. What happened to postmodernism and what replaced it?

Title: What happened to postmodernism and what replaced it? 

ALL welcome

Venue: KLT, SOAS main building. 

Date: Wed 13 May

Time: 1pm

Speaker: Johnathon Maunder

Listen to the MP3 of the meeting from Marxism 2009 HERE.

SOAS UGM makes Indian news

Can Spivak speak? Radical philosophy conference this Saturday

Power to the People?

Saturday 9 May 2009, 10.00am–6.00pm

Birkbeck College, Malet Street, London WC1

‘Power to the people!’ was once a revolutionary slogan, but reference to government by the people and for the people has long been an empty cliché of the post-revolutionary status quo. Numerous alternatives have been proposed: the proletariat, the workers, the masses, the soviets, the the nation, the community, the multitude, the commons... And now? How might we assess the different conceptions of political change embodied in these often conflicting ideas? What is the political and philosophical significance of ‘the people’ and related terms today?

Programme

9.30–10.00 Registration

10.00–10.15 Introduction (Peter Hallward, RP)

10.15–11.30 The General Will (chair: Peter Hallward, RP)

'The General Will on the Street: Parisian Activism, Sovereignty and Power, 1789–93'

David Andress (Portsmouth)

'How Do the People Make Themselves Heard?’

Sophie Wahnich (CNRS, Paris)

11.45–1.00 Class, Commons & Multitude (chair: Esther Leslie, RP)

‘Can We (Still) Break the Vicious Circle of Domination?'

Daniel Bensaïd (University of Paris-VIII)

'Crisis, Tragedies and the Commons'

Massimo De Angelis (University of East London)

1.00–2.00

Lunch break

2.00–3.15

Urban Collectivities (chair: David Cunningham, RP)

'Urban Intersections and the Politics of Anticipation'

AbdouMaliq Simone (Goldsmiths)

‘Reflections on the Post-Political City: Reclaiming the Polis?’

Erik Swyngedouw (Manchester)

3.45–5.00 Population & Biopolitics (chair: Stuart Elden, Durham)

'Biopolitics, Diasporas and (Neo)Liberal Political Economy'

Couze Venn (Nottingham Trent)

'Feminist Strategies Revisited – Sexopolitics, Multitude and Biopolitics'

Encarnacion Gutierrez Rodriguez (Manchester)

5.00–6.00 ‘They, the People’ (chair: Peter Osborne, RP)

Gayatri Spivak (Columbia University, NY)

Tickets £10 students £25 waged

Advance registration from: RP conference, Peter Osborne, School of Arts and Education, Middlesex University, Trent Park campus, Bramley Road, London N14 4YZ.

Cheques payable to ‘Radical Philosophy Ltd’. Inquiries: matt.charles@blueyonder.co.uk

So, the 'war-efforts' of BME are not recognised after all-SOAS occupation justified

In January, SOAS students occupied the Brunei gallery over the MoD's disgraceful exhibition which was supposed to be celebrating the 'war efforts of Black and Minority Ethnic' soldiers in the First World War. Claiming that the first Britons were those who fought in their wars, the military  were using SOAS space for free in an attempt to attract SOAS students into joining. The exhibition spoke about a few high ranking officers from India and various places in africa who chose to join the armed forces but did not at all, which is whhat we feared, talk about the many who were forced to join and subsequently used as human shields and worse...check out somee of the racist imagery that was used at the time. 

So, now it comes as no surprise that the MoD have issued a series of Action Man dolls in another attempt to recruit even younger kids. (And Hackney Stop the War anti-recruitment campaign fights on...new photos of action HERE)

Stop the War Statement on MOD dolls.

The MOD has sponsored a set of "HM Armed Forces" dolls. All are male, all are white, none have missing limbs or bear the psychological scars of warfare.

Since the ‘war on terror’, the government has been struggling to make the army something to be respected and emulated and to make war seem acceptable and justifiable. These toys are a part of that drive as are the resurgence of military parades and recruitment campaigns aimed at teenagers.

The reality is that the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan are disasters and the last three soldiers to die in Iraq committed suicide because they found their lives unbearable. These toys attempt to make acceptable a completely unacceptable situation. Children have no natural predilection to violence nor do they have any need to play with toys that normalise war. This glamorisation of war and today’s rising levels of unemployment are a dangerous combination. Children should not be targeted for military recruitment.

Christian soldiers marching onward to liberate Afghani's from 'Fundamentalists'-oh, the irony

Hippy burfday Karl Marx

hope the recession is giving you the bumps :-)

Student occupations spread to Croatia. Plus support from Judith Butler-woohoo http://ping.fm/B32q1

Student Occupations spread to Croatia

Read about it here

On Monday (20/04/2009) an independent student initiative for the right to free education started a peaceful occupation of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Zagreb, Croatia. They organized this action demanding the right to free education for all and the elimination of all tuition fees, at all levels of higher education: undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate. During the occupation, everyone is free to enter and leave the Faculty building, but regular classes will not be held. Instead, students have organized an alternative educational program, which consists of lectures, public discussions, workshops, movie screenings and other happenings. Everyone is free to attend these happenings, whether they are students or not.

Every evening, a plenary session will be held, at which students will decide whether they will continue with the occupation the next day. Everyone is free to attend these sessions, participate in discussions and vote, whether they are students or ordinary citizens. The issue of the right to free education is not one that concerns only the students, it is an issue of relevance for the future of the entire society, therefore every member of the society has the right to participate in decision making at the plenary sessions.

On this page you will find information about the initiative for the right to free education, as well as translations of some of our important documents into several languages.

For more information about the reasons for the protest and why the students chose to carry it out in this manner, see frequently asked questions.

So far, we have received numerous letters of support from individuals and organizations, both at home and from abroad. Among those who have expressed support for our cause are Noam Chomsky, Judith Butler and Slavoj Žižek. Full list of who supports us can be accessed here.

Liberating Women in Iraq American Military Style

A Briefing Paper

OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Prepared by Kristen McNutt, Researcher,

Association of Humanitarian Lawyers

Presented to The United Nations Commission on Human Rights 2005 March Session

Geneva

Iraqi female detainees have been illegally detained, raped and sexually violated by United States military personnel. Women who stay at home in traditional roles are more likely to be imprisoned as bargaining chips by US troops seeking to pressurize male relatives, according to the New Statesmen (UK) . In December 2003, a woman prisoner, “Noor”, smuggled out a note stating that US guards at Abu Ghraib had been raping women detainees and forcing them to strip naked. Several of the women were now pregnant. The classified enquiry launched by the US military, headed by Major General Antonio Taguba, has confirmed the note by “Noor” and that sexual violence against women at Abu Ghraib took place. Among the 1,800 digital photographs taken by US guards inside Abu Ghraib there were, according to Taguba's report, images of naked male and female detainees; a male Military Police guard “having sex” with a female detainee; detainees (of unspecified gender) forcibly arranged in various sexually explicit positions for photographing; and naked female detainees. The Bush administration has refused to release photographs of Iraqi women prisoners at Abu Ghraib, including those of women forced at gunpoint to bare their breasts (although these have been shown to Congress). UK Member of Parliament Ann Clwyd (L) has confirmed a report of an Iraqi woman in her 70s who had been harnessed and ridden like a donkey at Abu Ghraib and another coalition detention centre after being arrested last July. Clwyd said: "She was held for about six weeks without charge. During that time she was insulted and told she was a donkey."

Read more HERE

MET CHIEF WARNED "RIOT COPS WILL KILL" BEFORE TOMLINSON

MET CHIEF WARNED "RIOT COPS WILL KILL" BEFORE TOMLINSON

EXCLUSIVE on The Sauce

BRITAIN'S most senior policeman, Sir Paul Stephenson, was warned in writing that police violence would lead to “serious injuries or even deaths” just three weeks before Ian Tomlinson was pushed to the ground and killed by an officer.

The Met Police commissioner was warned by senior organisers from the Stop the War Coalition that riot officers were so out of hand they were putting the lives of "at serious risk" in a formal letter - backed up by a dossier of evidence.

Read more from Brendan HERE

Heteronormativity for normal people...

(ie not in academese)

Families are like fudge...mostly sweet, with a few nuts!! Count me in!!

Summary of Life

GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED:

1) No matter how hard you try, you can't baptise cats.
2) When your Mum is mad at your Dad, don't let her brush your hair.
3) If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the second person.
4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato. (Dont get this one?)
5) You can't trust dogs to watch your food.
6) Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.
7) Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time.
8) You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
9) Don't wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.

GREAT TRUTHS THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED:

1) Raising teenagers is like nailing jelly to a tree.
2) Wrinkles don't hurt.
3) Families are like fudge...mostly sweet, with a few nuts.
4) Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.
5) Laughing is good exercise. It's like jogging on the inside.
6) Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fibre, not the toy.

GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD

1) Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.
2) Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.
3) When you fall down, you wonder what else you can do while you're down there.
4) You're getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking chair that you once got from a roller coaster.
5) It's frustrating when you know all the answers but nobody bothers to ask you the questions.
6) Time may be a great healer, but it's a lousy beautician.
7) Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone.

THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE:

1) You believe in Santa Claus.
2) You don't believe in Santa Claus.
3) You are Santa Claus.
4) You look like Santa Claus.


SUCCESS:

At age 4 success is . . . not piddling in your pants.
At age 12 success is . . . having friends.
At age 17 success is . . having a drivers licence.
At age 35 success is having money.
At age 50 success is . . . having money.
At age 70 success is . .. . having a drivers licence.
At age 75 success is . . . having friends.
At age 80 success is . . . not piddling in your pants.