A video featuring young cancer patients, their nurses, doctors and parents lip-synching to Kelly Clarkson’s hit “Stronger” has gone viral!

The awesomely uplifting video was filmed via Seattle Children’s Hospital art program, the idea of which came from 22 year old Chris Rumble, a leukemia patient who wanted to share something with his hockey team in his hometown of Wenatchee, Washington.

“I’m everyone’s big brother and I have a lot of friends here at Seattle Children’s,” Rumble said on the Seattle hospital’s blog.

According to Dr. Douglas Hawkins, the patients and staff at Seattle Children’s have been thrilled by the video’s response.

“When a child or young adult is treated for cancer, it puts their whole life on hold in a way that doesn’t seem fair at all,” Hawkins said. “It’s a fight for their life. But there are all these other normal things they want to be doing too, or things they want to focus on other than the medicine or the illness or their time in the hospital.”

In further response, singer Kelly Clarkson posted a message to the children at Seattle Children’s Hospital, saying the video was “amazing.”

“It made my day. I know it’s making everybody else’s day online,” Clarkson said. “I just can’t wait to meet you.”

Check out the awesome video below:

A drunken British tourist was in the midst of an attempted rape on a Chinese woman when he got the sh*t beaten out of him in the streets of Beijing on Tuesday night.

The brutal incident that was captured on film by one of the men who put a stop to the attack has gone viral throughout much of Britain and China.

The man is currently being held by Chinese authorities.

GRAPHIC VIDEO:

It appears that a number of Pakistani women are embracing the use of acid as weapon against men. In Pakistan, these heinous acts have typically been perpetrated on women as revenge for “dishonoring” their husbands or fathers, but recent reports indicate a significant surge in the reversal of violence.

The UK’s DailyMail is reporting that “The rise in attacks on men emerge following the [recent] high-profile suicide of a Pakistani woman who was horrifically scarred in an acid attack more than a decade ago.”

The Pakistani government finally introduced new legislation in 2011, criminalizing acid attacks and issuing minimum penalties of 14 years in prison. It was apparently legal to melt a woman’s face off for “dishonoring” her husband prior to these laws taking effect.

According to Aurat Foundation for women’s rights, more than 8,500 acid attacks, forced marriages and other forms of violence against women were reported in Pakistan in 2011.

Read more: DailyMail

Image grab from CNN: Watch video below

According to an overwhelmingly controversial ruling from the New York Court Of Appeals, the viewing of online child pornography is not a crime.

“The purposeful viewing of child pornography on the internet is now legal in New York,” Senior Judge Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick stated in a majority decision for the court.

The ruling came in relation to the case regarding James Kent, a Marist College professor sentenced in 2009 after authorities discovered over 100 images of child porn had been viewed on his computer, the remnants of which were stored in his cache files.

According to MSNBC, the ruling makes an effort to distinguish between those who see an image of child pornography online and those who download and store such images.

“[S]ome affirmative act is required (printing, saving, downloading, etc.) to show that defendant in fact exercised dominion and control over the images that were on his screen,” Ciparick wrote. “To hold otherwise, would extend the reach of (state law) to conduct — viewing — that our Legislature has not deemed criminal.”

Click here to view a full copy of the court’s ruling

Read More: Huffpo

North Carolina voters approved a disgraceful constitutional amendment on Tuesday, defining marriage as a union exclusive to man and woman. Amendment 1 effectively eliminates not only same-sex marriage, but also denies any form of legal recognition for same-sex couples.

At a celebration on Tuesday night, Tami Fitzgerald, leader of the pro-amendment group Vote FOR Marriage NC, stated “The whole point is simply that you don’t rewrite the nature of God’s design based on the demands of a group of adults.”

Following the passing of the amendment, Obama’s campaign spokesman cameron French said the President was “disappointed” and further called bans on same-sex unions “divisive and discriminatory.”

While many equal rights supporters appreciate Obama’s sentiment, they’re also left to wonder when their president is going to stop playing politics and start implementing the “change” that he flaunted in his election campaign.

Read More: Huffington Post

The Humane Society Of The U.S. just released some incredibly horrifying footage of one of Tyson Foods’ pork suppliers in Wyoming. The undercover investigation revealed workers “kicking piglets like soccer balls, swinging sick piglets in circles, and ruthlessly beating mother pigs.”

Along with the individual acts of cruelty and abuse, the investigation also highlights the horrific suffering endured from the use of “gestation crates” where the animals will remain in the same position for nearly their entire lives. Please check out the footage below and go to the following link to tell Tyson Foods to end the abuse: HumaneSociety.org

WARNING – GRAPHIC AND HORRIFYING

South Korea has seized thousands of black market pills filled with powdered flesh from dead Chinese babies. According to the Korea Customs Service, the pills were manufactured somewhere in northeastern China from “babies whose bodies were chopped into small pieces and dried on stoves before being turned into powder and smuggled into Seoul.”

“Customs officials refused to say where the dead babies came from or who made the capsules, citing possible diplomatic friction with Beijing. Chinese officials ordered an investigation into the production of drugs made from dead fetuses or newborns last year” said Hyung-Jin Kim of The Associated Press

According to the AP, Korean customs has discovered 35 smuggling attempts since August of last year containing roughly 17,450 of the capsules disguised and intended for use as stamina boosters.

Read more at statesman.com

In effort to dispel any rumors that Palestinians have rights under Israeli occupation, the Israeli Supreme Court turned down an appeal by two Palestinian hunger strikers to free them from detention without trial.

Thaer Halahla and Bilal Diab are two of at least 1,550 Palestinian detainees currently on hunger strike after being held without charge under Israel’s so-called “administrative detention.” The strikes have become somewhat of a p.r. nightmare for Israel, drawing attention to its ongoing abuses and sparking international outrage from human rights groups.

The Israeli group Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) condemned the Supreme Court’s decision as “a death sentence” for the men.

“Their lives are in danger and their families are still banned from seeing them,” PHR spokeswoman Amani Daif told AFP. “They could die any moment now.”

While presiding Judge Elyakim Rubinstein said that the administrative detentions caused him “great discontent”, it was “necessary when the material regarding the petitioner is intelligence material, the exposure of which would harm its conveyor or the methods in which it was obtained”.

In other words, the Israeli Supreme Court operates under the final word of Israeli intelligence services. Sound familiar?

Read More At: BBC

What do real Republican women want from their government? They dont want government in their banks. They dont want government in their classrooms. They want government in their vaginas! Well, at least according to this hilarious Funny Or Die PSA from Kate Beckinsale.

Watch it now:

Image screen-grab from Funny Or Die

The UK’s most popular form of IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) used by 20,000 British couples a year, doubles the risk of serious birth abnormalities, according to a recent study. Approximately 10 in every 100 births from the treatment known as ICSI have shown significant defects, a fact which many health care experts find incredibly alarming.

According to the UK’s DailyMail, “The treatment was designed to help infertile men become fathers, but has become the dominant IVF process, accounting for 52 per cent of all such treatments carried out in this country. More than 23,000 women were treated using the technique in 2010, when 6,500 babies were born as a result.”

Previous studies raised significant concerns over abnormalities in all types of IVF, but the new research published by the New England Journal of Medicine provides conclusive evidence that these types of abnormalities come specifically from the use of ICSI, treatment in which a single sperm is injected into an egg.

The types of defects seen from ICSI include cerebral palsy, cleft palate, and heart and lung conditions.

Read more: DailyMail

On Friday, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed into law a bill to eliminate Planned Parenthood’s access
to taxpayer money for “non-abortion” services. While Arizona already bars the use of public funds for
abortions, the new legislation means broader prohibition.

“We are most concerned about the women and men who could be forced to go without health care as a result of this bill,” Bryan Howard, Planned Parenthood Arizona’s president and CEO, said on Friday.

In all, roughly 20,000 women will be affected by the ban which eliminates funding for not only health care programs but for family planning services as well.

“By signing this measure into law I stand with the majority of Americans who oppose the use of taxpayer funds for abortion.” Brewer said in a statement.

Fortunately, Mrs. Brewer has the financial means to cover her own personal health care and will therefor not be affected by her new law. Amazing how that works.

Family, friends, fans and activists are mourning the loss of Beastie Boys’ Adam Yauch. Yauch passed away today after a several year battle with cancer. He is remembered both as a hip hop pioneer and as a preeminent activist for the Tibetan liberation movement.

Youch, aka “MCA”, was propelled to hip hop stardom in 1984 with the release of the Beastie Boys hit record, License To Ill. The Beastie Boys went on to sell over 22 million albums in the U.S. and over 40 million worldwide in a career that spanned three decades.

In 1994, Youch established the Milarepa Fund to help raise awareness and generate funds for the liberation of Tibetan monks under Chinese oppression. Milarepa set off a series of “Free Tibet” concerts that became a worldwide call to action.

“We’re able to help the Tibetans to gain their freedom,” Yauch said in a”Frontline” interview. “But I think the really significant part of it for us for the western world is we have a lot to gain from the Tibetans — there are certain lessons that are within Tibetan culture. I mean understandings of compassion and of nonviolence that are things that we really lack in our society.”

Yauch is survived by his wife Dechen and his daughter Tenzin Losel, as well as his parents Frances and Noel Yauch.

Two teenagers are being charged with sodomizing a 10 year old deaf boy on a school bus in Atlanta. But it gets worse… According to the child’s attorney Tommy Maddox, the molestation and sodomy took place repeatedly over the course of the school year and evidence suggests that the bus driver was aware of it.

“He was just violated in every way you can imagine,” Maddox said. “Back in January the 14-year-old was on top of him and he screamed and that’s when it stopped. He didn’t know he could scream.”

According to the Atlanta Journal, “The Atlanta Area School for the Deaf declined to comment. The Fulton County Board of Education also declined to comment except to say the bus driver is no longer employed by the district.”

The suspects, ages 16 and 14, are set to appear in court today and are being charged as adults.

Read More At AJC.com

An EPA report linking fracking to groundwater contamination in Wyoming was delayed after Governor Matt Mead persuaded EPA director Lisa Jackson to hold back the report, giving him time to coordinate an all out PR offensive for his oil and gas industry buddies. Well that’s really fracked up, Matt!

According to an AP investigation, the data was held up for Mead by the EPA for a month before it was finally released this passed December, sending shockwaves through the oil and gas industry that’s already under fire from environmentalists.

“When I talked to Lisa Jackson they were going to release the findings regardless. That wasn’t even the question. The question was on the timing of it. We wanted a chance to see what are they basing this on,” Mead told the AP.

Something tells us Wyoming residents might be pretty pissed off when they wake up today and find out their Governor undermined serious potential health risks in effort to protect big oil and gas money. Ooops, you’re busted!

Read more about Frackin Matt at the AP

If you drink tea, you may want to pay attention. Greenpeace East Asia has recently had samples of Chinese tea tested for pesticides and it found that, of the 18 samples sent, 12 came back as having at least one pesticide globally banned for use on tea.

The pesticides found include, among others, methomyl, banned by WHO for “its high acute toxicity,” and endosulfan, banned by the Stockholm Convention, “due to its toxic properties.” 11 of the 12 offending samples contained these poisons.

While it is no surprise that China is the world’s largest manufacturer of tea, it is also the world’s largest user of pesticides. Actually, that isn’t a surprise at all.

While much of your standard, supermarket teas are safe, if you’re a connoisseur of tea, you’ve done your Asian market browsing. For the time being, you may just want to read the back of the box.

And for those of you who see this as another round of China’s secret war against America–like the toxic baby formula and toys–remember that these companies are selling these goods to their own people as well.

Read more at Greenpeace and read the results in a newly available 20 page reporthere.

Maryland has become the first state to ban the use of arsenic in chicken feed after John Hopkins Center for a Livable Future and Arizona State University found that some chicken feed contains a pretty toxic list of additives including caffeine, acetaminophen, fluoxetine, antibiotics, and arsenic. While the claim is that the arsenic is a way to boost chicken growth, thus cutting down on production costs, you have to wonder what affects the additives have on people who consume chicken on a regular basis.

Thanks to the work of delegate Tom Hucker and Sen. Paul Pinsky, House Bill 754 was passed “prohibiting a person from using, selling, or distributing commercial feed intended for use as poultry feed that contains roxarsone [a popular arsenic-based additive] or any other additive that contains arsenic.”

Although some companies like Perdue and McDonalds do not allow its suppliers to use Roxarsone, according to the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy nearly 70% of broiler chickens raised in the U.S. are fed arsenic additives.

It’s now up to states, and consumers, to call for a change and tell the government they’re food should not be laced with arsenic.

To read more visit Grist.

With goals that extend far beyond its planned May launch to the International Space Station, privately owned space flight company SpaceX is expecting to not only change the way we go to space but save us all in the process.

The idea is simple enough: Spreading humanity out across the galaxy will work as a ‘safeguard’ against extinction. If one planet gets blown to bits or cooked by its own greenhouse gases, we’ll at least survive on another. (Sounds a bit too much like Parable of the Talents if you ask me.)

In an interview with 60 Minutes, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk explained that “most people would agree that a future where we are a spacefaring civilization is inspiring and exciting compared with one where we are forever confined to Earth until some eventual extinction event.”

Considering the course we’ve been going, a contingency plan seems sensible enough. And while one could lobby a complaint with the space program itself for adding to the consumption and destruction we’ve wrought upon the world, SpaceX is hoping to curtail much of the environmental damage of space travel by developing a “fully reusable rocket.”

And it is this re-usability idea that might just get us into our Star Trek future. Or see the next hundred years of green earth, at least. Or we could, you know, stop raping the earth.

Read more at Space.com.

May 17th is International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO), and companies around the world will be flying the rainbow flag in recognition. Developed by Homotopia, a Liverpool, England based arts and social justice organization, IDAHO 50 hopes to “create a high-impact stand against homophobia and transphobia.”

Homotopia, the queer arts and culture festival, which normally runs November 1-30 in Liverpool, will play a significant role this year for IDAHO’s chosen theme of education. Artistic director of Homotopia, Gary Everett said:

“‘IDAHO 50′ is very much a part of Liverpool’s DNA, and its commitment to social justice and equality. The day will raise awareness of our year long social justice programme helping to create a more cohesive and healthier city. Since 2005 our inter-generational and youth engagement programme has reached over 80,000 people and is growing.”

In order to bring awareness to discrimination issues around the world, many events are being planned in Asian or developing countries such as Taiwan, Haiti, and Sri Lanka where homosexuality is somewhat or largely frowned upon. There are also a plethora of activities in larger, developed countries like Italy, Canada, and Australia. Activities include, but are not limited to, marches, rallies, rainbow flags at half mast, and other forms of pro-gay significance.

In recognition of this year’s theme, many universities, including “Liverpool John Moores University, University Of Liverpool, Voodou, Liverpool Community College, Knowsley College, Merseytravel, and Jackson Canter Solicitors” will be distributing leaflets and some will even be holding conferences.

Read more at here, here, here, here, and here.

As the debate about women’s rights rages on in the U.S., one only has to look across the ocean to see where policies in America are heading. Because of China’s “One Child Policy,” many pregnant women are dragged from their homes, strapped to tables, and are forced to have abortions, sometimes in the ninth month of pregnancy.

The One Child policy is systematically eliminating women, not only because many women and their full term babies die during forced abortions, but also because “baby girls are being selected for termination.”

According to one UN estimate, “up to 200 million women are missing in the world today due to gendercide, the sex-selective abortion of baby girls, mostly in China and India. “

No matter what side of the debate you fall on, forced abortions are not a choice, and they are nothing short of “official government rape.” China’s One Child Policy, “is systematic, institutionalized violence against women.”

Read more at A Safe World For Women.

Blind activist Chen Guangcheng told The AP that a U.S. official notified him of China’s intention to “beat his wife to death” if he didn’t pack his bags and get out of the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, ASAP!

While U.S. officials are denying knowledge of the threat, it was apparently serious enough that Chen split the embassy for a local Beijing hospital where he’s currently receiving medical care and was reunited with his family.

Chen became quite a PR nightmare for China after exposing the government’s forced, late term abortion program. In recent days he skipped out on Chinese house arrest and caused quite an international incident when he strolled into the U.S. Embassy.

Under a deal made while still U.S. custody, Chen will apparently be able to receive medical treatment, be reunited with his family, and attend a university in a safe place. Ya… that’s gonna last.

The Israeli military has officially closed its investigation into the killing of 21 members of a Palestinian family, ruling out any chance of criminal prosecution for the soldiers involved in the incident.

The case goes back to Israel’s 2009 Gaza war-crimes-extravaganza which left over 1,400 Palestinians dead, roughly half of which were civilians. In this particular incident, 100 members of the extended al Samouni family were ordered into a house by Israeli soldiers… who subsequently bombed the shit out of it, killing men, women, and children. Surprise!

What’s incredibly unsurprising however is that Israeli investigators determined there was no evidence to indicate that the military “knowingly” murdered the family or that they were killed as a result of “haste or negligence.”

“It cannot be that in a well managed system no person will be found guilty of the army operation that led to the killing of 21 people who were not involved in combat,” said Yael Stein, attorney for Israeli Human Rights group, B’Tselem.

Apparently Stein wasn’t aware that “human rights” in Gaza only apply to those that Israel considers “human.” Duh!

Read more at RT.com or check out a video:

Human Rights Watch members in Mali are reporting stories of Mali women being raped by armed Taureg rebels representing the newly formed National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) rebellion. The assaults are among a number of movements against the freedoms of local women and foretell a possibly bleak future.

MNLA spokesman Moussa ag Assarid replied to HRW’s accusations, denying that the incidents involved men of the MNLA: “These men are not MNLA, but are other men around…We cannot control all the people in Azawad.”

The Taureg rebels are unified under the MNLA banner, seeking the succession of Azawad, a region in northern Mali once ruled by the French.

The contested area is under the influence of not only the MNLA but the increasing presence of Islamist groups, native and foreign, are causing Mali women to fear not just the present, but the future. Mali women have previously experienced “freedom and relative equality compared to women in other countries in the region” and with the imposition of Sharia law in the region, that looks likely to fade away quickly, unless the situation is recognized and addressed by global forces capable of influence in an area typically ignored.

Read more at A Safe World for Women.

Unless you have tyrannical boss, deciding when and where to use the bathroom isn’t exactly rocket science. For women in India though, their “Right To Pee” has actually become a movement in an effort to get better public bathroom facilities and to not have to pay to use them.

“Though the civic body rules state that no one should be charged for using public toilets, women are asked to pay,” Rahul Gaekwad, head of the Committee of Resources Organization, told Daily News and Analysis (DNA) India.

According to a 2009 study by the Center for Civil Society there are only 132 public bathrooms available to women in Mumbai, India’s capital. Supposedly there are 1,534 toilets for men. Unfortunately many of the bathrooms for women are barely functioning forcing them to use what they call the “flying toilet.”

Women will defecate in a bag and then dispose of it. When you gotta go, you gotta go… not to mention the various health issues associated with holding it.

Run by 35 non-governmental organizations, the “Right to Pee” campaign is collecting as many signatures as possible to present to Mumbai’s Civic Authority. Last year the same campaign was launched but according to the BBC, the civic authority didn’t respond.

Gaekwad also told DNA India that there are 3 basic requirements they are requesting. First is to be allowed to pee for free (sounds like a good motto), second, that changing rooms be provided, and lastly that sanitary towels be provided just as condoms are supplied to men.

Read more here, here, and here.

The U.S. House of Representatives has given the green light for the “Sportsmen’s Heritage Act,” a bill that will widen hunting allowances across national parks.

The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (which certainly sounds like a for-the-good-of-all group) stated that the bill is “essential to recognizing the importance of, and facilitating the expansion and enhancement of, hunting and recreational fishing and shooting.” Essential. E-ssen-tial.

Of course, this is not the case according to conservation groups, many of which are in support of hunting. Rather, the bill is seen as one that will “rollback…wildlife protections.” One protection that conservation groups see as threatened is the ban on lead. Lead bullets and fishing weights are used by cheap-ass or definitely ignorant hunters and fishermen, despite the proven toxicity the metal holds. The remnants of lead in a natural environment can have significant health effects on those animals that are not directly pursued in hunts, much like how plastic left in environments can choke a variety of animal life.

It seems the bill is more an example of rhetorical twisting and tweaking than any legitimate “recognition” of hunting’s history or value. While hunting, when done sensibly and respectfully, can provide meat significantly more humanely than the factory farm approach, this bill should not be seen as any kind of love letter to the value of hunting but rather an affront to the very idea of conservation.

The bill is expected to see “cooler” reception when it hits the Senate.

Read a much more in depth overview of the situation and the bill’s contents at Mother Nature Network.

Tennessee State Representative Jeremy Faison, an amazingly inept, rather incompetent Representative, had the audacity to say that the bully-related teen suicides recently plaguing the United States were not the result of bullying, but the result of poor parenting where the children “were not instilled the proper principles of where their self-esteem came from at home.”

WTF?

But wait. It gets better.

Instead of addressing the parenting skills involved in creating the bully, he went on to say that the problem with all of this is the penalty system for the bullies. Instead of sending the bullies to the Principal’s Office, we are sending them to criminal court. Compounding this, he has apparently decided that some of his constituents were bullies at one point, and they aren’t bad people, implying that the bullies leading to these horrific suicides are also not bad people. Of course State Reps are not bad people. They are State Representatives. State Representatives are good people and have never harmed anyone. Ever.

To fix this problem we should just have a bully “get [their] heinie busted… That’s what we should do. Allow corporal punishment.”

Mr. Faison decided that teens (of any sexual identity) are committing suicide because their bullies are being held accountable for their actions as adults, and not as students being spanked with a paddle.

Continuing his thought, it would seem that he is now passing the blame for Jacob Rogers’ or Phillip Parker’s recent tragic suicides past the bullies, past the victims’ parents, past the bullies’ parents, past the school system, and right back into the hands of the state legislature that he helps to refine & reform.

Kind of, in a way, in a very logically drawn out way, he seems to be saying that he himself (and his other State Representative “bullies”) are responsible for Tennessee’s LGBT suicides.

So yeah, let me recap… Shithead. This guy is a SHITHEAD.

Read more at the Huffington Post.

David Pilgrim, founder and curator of The Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia in Michigan, began collecting disturbing relics of racism as a teen. After acquiring a large collection of artifacts, he donated them to Ferris State University where he taught sociology. For the next 15 years Pilgrim continued to collect, and with financial support from the university and donors, the now 9,000 piece collection is being relocated to its own exhibit hall at Ferris State.

Pilgrim says the museum “is all about teaching, not a shrine to racism.” He also told Yahoo! that the goal of the gallery is to “get people to think deeply.’

The artifacts being used range from the segregation era, to the reconstruction period, to the civil rights movement, and the present. To many, the images and artifacts are shocking, especially the full size replica “lynching tree” which adorns the entrance. Some have left angry and offended while others feel a “reflective sadness’ according to Pilgrim.

At the end of the tour is a “room of dialogue” where visitors are encouraged to engage each other about how these artifacts might be used to promote tolerance and justice.
In the end Pilgrim stands by his collection even though he knows they represent a dark and cruel past.

To read more, visit Yahoo! News.

Move over Hannibal Lecter you have some competition. Nothing leaves your mouth hanging open in disgust quite like that of a cannibalism story, which is what three people were arrested for in Guaranhuns, Pernambuco, Brazil.

Jorge Beltrao Negromonte da Silveira, his wife, Elizabeth Cristina Pires da Silveira, and his mistress, Bruna Cristina Oliveira da Silva were taken into custody by Brazilian police for “killing at least two women, eating parts of their bodies and using their flesh to make stuffed pastries known as empanadas,” says the Huffington Post. The empanadas, a traditional pastry dish, similar to a turnover, were then sold to neighbors.

The remains of the 2 women that had not been eaten were found buried in the backyard. They are thought to be Gisele da Silva and Alexandra Falcao who had recently been reported missing. Both women, 30 and 20 respectively, were lured to the trios home through advertisements for high paying nanny positions.

De Silveira and Co. are part of a sect called Cartel which preaches, “the purification of the world and the reduction of its population.” The London-based Telegraph also comments that, “The three ate the flesh of their victims to purify their souls.”

Recently, Fox news brought to light that da Silveira and his wife made a movie of their crimes titled ‘Espirito.’ Police are still stumped though as to whether the cannibal scenes in the movie are fictional or not.

Read more at Huffington Post, the Telegraph, and Fox News.

Human rights activists are outraged over the 2010 death of Anastasio Hernandez-Rojas, a 42-year-old immigrant, after a new shocking video has been released of him begging and pleading with the border agents who tasered and beat him.

“This shocking new footage of the death of Anastasio Hernandez-Rojas raises serious questions about the disturbing pattern of violence, death and, possibly, murder at the hands of the Border Patrol,” said Arturo Carmona, executive director of Presente.org.

More than a dozen border agents can be seen hovering over Hernandez-Rojas as he screams, “No! No! Dejenme! [Leave me alone!] No! Senores!”

Activists are claiming that the border patrol used excessive violence in dealing with Hernandez-Rojas, and they are demanding an investigation into the case.

“Anastasio’s death, and the deaths of 7 others held by the U.S. Border Patrol, make clear that the largest law-enforcement agency in the country is abusing and even killing citizens and non-citizens with virtual impunity,” said Christian Ramirez, Executive Director of Equality San Diego.

Sign a petition asking that Attorney General Eric Holder launch an investigation into the case here.

Read more at Color Lines.

What started as a mere Facebook group has turned into a petition-winning, corporation-convincing movement. Back in December, a page entitled Beautiful and Bald Barbie! Let’s see if we can get it made appeared on the omnipresent social networking site. Just more than three months later, co-founders Beckie Sypin and Jane Bingham garnered more than 150,000 page-likes and 34,000 petition signatures that ultimately convinced the Mattel Company to create a bald Barbie doll for girls who have lost their hair through medical procedures.

According to ABC, Mattel Company spokesman Alan Hilowitz wrote in a statement: “These dolls, which will be a friend of Barbie, will be distributed exclusively to children’s hospitals and other hospitals treating children with cancer throughout the U.S. and Canada, directly reaching girls who are most affected by hair loss.”

The Facebook group moderators added on March 27 that the dolls will also come with wigs, scarves, and other fashion accessories. Additionally, they specified that Mattel will partner with the Children’s Hospital Association, CureSearch, and the National Alopecia Areata Association in order donate and distribute the Barbies to children’s hospitals across the U.S.

Other companies have also taken notice: In June, MGA Entertainment will release its line of “True Hope” Bratz and Moxie Girlz Dolls through Toys “R” Us with the same premise. For every doll purchased, MGA will donate $1 to City of Hope’s cancer research projects.

Even GI Joe is in the works to go hairless for the cause, as another group is petitioning Hasbro to release bald GI Joe action figures in conjunction with the upcoming film release later this year.

Read more at GOOD.

Veganism sparks enough controversy on its own, but now, one driven mom, author, and vegan is promoting the lifestyle choice in a new way. Ruby Roth’s second children’s book Vegan is Love will be released this Tuesday.

The 29-year-old author/illustrator published her first kids’ book, That’s Why We Don’t Eat Animals, in 2009 to rave reviews from a number of veggie-focused blogs, to PETA, to the revered animal researcher Jane Goodall. Continuing the mission established in Roth’s first book, Vegan is Love explores clothing choices, animal testing, and entertainment, as well as eating habits in a way that’s accessible and understandable to seven-year-olds.

As Roth told ABC, “Instead of worrying or ‘occupying,’ I decided to write a book for a new generation who will need to think, eat, and treat the environment differently if we are to solve the most looming health and environmental issues. With vegan choices, we can affect every major industry and reach every corner of the world.”

Although critics claim that exposing kids to veganism in such a form simply brainwashes them and oversimplifies a controversial subject, Roth counters that the books are educational and self-empowering. Additionally, many nutritionists agree that when properly addressed, childhood veganism is not necessarily detrimental to their health.

Check it out when Vegan is Love comes out Tuesday via North Atlantic Books.

Read more at One Green Planet.

Independent video game distributor Humble Bundle has been pretty progressive since its inception in 2010. The website has always used a pay-what-you-want model in selling 100% DRM free indie game packages and they’ve supported a number of different charities including Child’s Play, the Electric Frontier Foundation, and the American Red Cross.

For its latest deal that launched April 19, Humble Bundle is selling a group of three games from Amanita Design: Botanicula, Machinarium, and Samorost 2 with their respective soundtracks. According to Humble Bundle, the brand new release, Botanicula, “has players adventuring as a motley band of tree creatures trying to save their home from parasitic invaders.”

It’s fitting, then, that the World Land Trust is this deal’s beneficiary organization. The English-based conversation charity was founded in 1989 and has since helped protect the earth’s most threatened habitat, acre by acre.

When gamers purchase the bundle, they can choose how much they want to pay, as well as how the funds are divided between the developers, World Land Trust, and Humble Bundle. According to their tracking widgets on Humble Bundle’s site, more than 56,000 people have bought the deal, therefore preserving almost 900 acres of land.

The Botanicula bundle is available across all platforms (Windows, Mac, and Linux) and fans who pay more than the current average for the games will also receive a download of Kooky, a feature-length film by Jan Svěrák and an additional click puzzle game called Windosill created by Vector Park.

This Humble Bundle deal expires May 2 at 7 p.m. EST. Check out the video below for more details.

Read more at Develop and the World Land Trust.

Tags: environment, environmental issues, video games, amanita design, botanicula, world land trust, forest

Federal officials are throwing out their first bone to blood thirsty environmentalists (like you and I) who seek justice for BP’s 2010 oil spill. Kurt Mix, a 50 year old BP engineer is being charged with obstruction of justice for deleting hundreds of text messages sent to his superiors describing the shit tons of oil leaking out of BP’s Horizon well.

According to the Huffington Post, the criminal charges against Mix may “validate concerns raised by scientists, elected officials and environmental groups that BP officials deliberately misled the government and the public about how much oil was leaking from the ruptured well.”

In the early months of the spill, BP reportedly supplied the government with daily estimates of leakage ranging from 1,000 to 5,000 barrels a day. It sounds horrific but when stacked up against the real numbers which the government is now estimating at roughly 50,000 barrels per day, it becomes a nightmare of epic f*cking proportions, one which many believe spawned a massive disinformation campaign and coverup. Shocking, I know.

Unfortunately for Kurt, he may or may not have played a role in the coverup, however, as in most major catastrophes, someone has to hang so that “we the people” can get forget about it and go back to focusing on really horrifying stuff like Keeping Up With The Kardashians. Kurt will be the first in probably a series of insignificant BP employees tossed to the wolves in the coming months. Top brass at BP on the other hand can rest well knowing that they’ve spent enough money on Washington lobbyists to ever have to see the end of that rope.

PETA has released horrific new under-cover video evidence, allegedly taken at a Virginia Beach, Virginia Coast Guard Training course, that shows goats being mutilated — while alive. Although the people depicted in the video are blurred and are not wearing uniforms, PETA states that the video does “show military instructors contracted by the Coast Guard cutting off an anesthetized goat’s legs in Virginia Beach.”

According to PETA, Tier 1 Group, a company reported to be hired by the military, can be seen “breaking and cutting off the limbs of live goats with tree trimmers, stabbing the animals, and pulling out their internal organs. Goats moan and kick during the mutilations—signs that they had not received adequate anesthesia.” The person who leaked the video to PETA claims that later in the day some goats were “shot in the face with pistols and hacked apart with an ax while still alive.”

Lt. Cmdr. Jamie C. Frederick, spokesman for the Atlantic Area, in response to PETA’s call to the Pentagon to stop the practice, stated in an email, “Live anesthetized goats have been used in Coast Guard training to treat combat wounds, but the agency could not verify if the video involved its personnel. The courses do involve ‘live tissue training using live animals.’”

“Animals used in trauma training are supported and monitored by well-trained, experienced veterinary staff to ensure that appropriate anesthesia and analgesia prevent them from experiencing pain or distress,” added Frederick.

Military training exercises that use live animals are supposed to simulate the types of injuries a soldier can receive on the battlefield. It is also supposed to allow the soldiers to practice saving the lives of their comrades. Although the Department of Defense requires that “alternatives to animals be used when available,” the policy is “not being enforced,” and thousands of animals continue to die each year in military training exercises.

While the identity of the group in the video is questionable, the fact remains that the acts are heinous, and animals are suffering.

Click here to send a letter to stop this cruel practice.

WARNING: VIDEO IS NSFW. This video contains horrific footage that will turn your stomach. Please watch at your own risk and preferably not right after eating. Really. If you have a weak stomach, don’t click play.

Read more at PETA and at Huffington Post.

Survival International, with support from the likes of Colin Firth, will this week launch a campaign to protect Brazil’s indigenous Awa tribe. With just 355 members, illegal logging in the Amazon is threatening this population with extinction, leading Brazilian judge Jose Carlos do Vale Medeira to proclaim the situation “a real genocide.”

Demands for iron ore extraction have led to an influx of settlers into the area, causing both a destruction of Awa land and the introduction of numerous diseases to which the Awa have no immunity. The violence with which Awa resistance is met is the subject of huge concern, with reports of murder and massacre of the Awa by land-grabbers. Survival International’s research director, Fiona Watson, has pointed to the urgency of the threat: “It is not just the destruction of the land; it is the violence. I have talked to Awa people who have survived massacres. I have interviewed Awa who have seen their families shot in front of them. There are immensely powerful people against them. The land-grabbers use pistoleros to clear the land. If this is not stopped now, these people could be wiped out. This is extinction taking place before our eyes.”

Behind support for programmes that threaten indigenous tribes is a narrative of progress; the belief that mineral extraction or deforestation will help tribes to adapt and modernise. As is the case with the Awa, however, these post-colonial presumptions amount to little more than systematic extinction of a population.

International concern for indigenous survival is growing. While the cause of many tribes continues to go unrepresented, Survival International’s new campaign may make it possible to save the Awa from annihilation.

Read more at the Guardian and Survival International.

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While most of us are fawning over the Avengers premiere at the Tribeca film festival, another film’s debut has been stained by criticism for illegally hunting deer during filming.

First Winter’s Ben Dickson had an actor shoot and kill a deer for his movie which follows a group whose relaxing trip to the country turns into a fight for survival.

On a private farm in upstate New York, actor Paul Manza shot one deer and injured another who ended up having to put down to end its suffering. The actor has neither a hunting license nor hunting experience; who’d a thunk he’d miss right?! Both deer were killed outside of legal hunting season as well.

According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) all hunters need a permit for hunting which is earned through an extensive 10 hour class. Currently, the DEC is looking into the matter which could lead to a $2,000 fine or jail time.

“We are idiots … We didn’t know how to do this [hunting] stuff. There were so many deer weak from the winter and getting eaten by local dogs we didn’t even think about it,” Dickson told DNAinfo.com. He also admitted in an interview at the film festival that he wanted the scene to be authentic but now realizes it could have been faked. At least he’s honest?

To read more visit Ecorazzi, Huffington Post, and the Department of Environmental Conservation.

Reports of virginity testing performed on young Zimbabwean schoolgirls have been met with criticism from women’s and children’s rights groups who are decrying the practice as a violation of dignity and respect. The tests were carried out on Grade 7 girls at Tsetse primary school without parental consent; parents have claimed that “the Child Protection Committee and the teachers threatened to beat up the pupils if they did not reveal whom they have slept with.”

Linda Valerie Guzha, the Zimbabwe Programme Director for Days for Girls, has termed the process of virginity testing on girls as “taking 10 steps back in empowering women.” Guzha has also expressed concern regarding the consequences of carrying out such tests: “taunting, stigmatisation, and bullying are to come into effect which may lead to serious incidences such as suicide amongst young girls.”

While the Minister for Education, Sports, Arts, and Culture, David Coltart, has stated that such practices run against official government policy, this fails to answer the question of why such actions would have been sanctioned by school officials. With women’s rights subject to an uphill battle in Zimbabwe, the decision to invoke virginity testing as an attempt to “curb immoral behaviour before marriage” is one aspect of a much broader narrative.

To truly eliminate the belief that rights violations such as these are prohibited, the government must take concrete steps in altering the underlying narrative. They must affirm, through both policy and practice, the equality of women and girls; until this is accepted as fact, practices that demean the position of females will continue to find a place in Zimbabwean society. The process of change will be a slow one but there is no denying that the results would be well worth the effort.

Read more at A Safe World for Women.

In a win for the LGBT community, the Schechter Rabbinical Seminary, which is affiliated with the Conservative Jewish seminary in Israel, has said that it will allow gay and lesbian students to study to become rabbis.

This decision will bring the seminary up to par with its U.S. branch, which has ‘allowed gay and lesbian rabbinical students since 2007.” The U.S. branch also ordained its first “openly lesbian rabbi last year.”

All in all, it’s a step in the right direction.

Read more at SFGN.

BP’s oil spill drama continues two years later as biologists keep gathering unsettling news about wildlife in the gulf. Mutated and deformed species, fish populations diminishing, and the possibility of harm to children and pregnant women that consume contaminated seafood are just few of the issues that have come to light recently.

Deformed shrimp that grow up with no eyes isn’t the latest direct-to-video flick, but the reality of shrimp in the area. Gulf Restoration Network’s Scott Eust explains that this happens due to a grandmother shrimp being exposed to oil while the mother was in development, ergo, passing down the deformity to her offspring.

While the government and BP have consistently said that Gulf seafood is safe, reports from the Environmental Health Perspectives journal found that the FDA allowed “up to 10,000 times too much contamination.” They also neglected to look into the risks children and pregnant women may be exposed to when they consume contaminated seafood.

Al Jeezera attempted to contact several agencies about the various findings but were only lead to another source which also stayed mum.

To find out more visit the Huffington Post, Gulf Restoration Network, Environmental Health Perspectives, or watch the video below.

PETMAN, the Department of Defense Advanced Research Project Agency’s (DARPA) struttin’ robot, has seen an upgrade of sorts. DARPA has modified it to tackle the once robot-proof human security system of stairs. Plus, it can do push-ups!

This suggests not only a future where toy robots no longer fall forward like planks of wood when striking the slightest step, but a step toward greater human/robot interaction.

Like most DARPA robotics projects, the goal is safety, and PETMAN’s purpose is “testing chemical protection clothing.” And you’re saying, “Ok, whatever. That’s nothing unique.” Well sir or madame, you are mistaken. PETMAN does so by “simulating human physiology… by controlling temperature, humidity, and sweating when necessary.” Sweating.

Add that to the talking robot heads with increasingly realistic skin and we’re in for trouble.

Will we require some manner of Voight-Kampff empathy test to separate the humans from the androids?

Or will we end up in another Dickian nightmare, obeying the words of our Talbot Yancy? A simulacrum reciting made up news for a long since done robot war while we unknowingly live meaningless lives in ant-tanks below ground, producing and producing to support the fictitious conflict above us?

Are we already?

Ho-ho!

Watch the video below and more at the Huffington Post.

Related Video:

Saudi Arabia – A Sri Lankan woman is facing decapitation by sword following accusations of witchcraft from the father of a 13 year old girl. The woman came into brief contact with the girl at a local shopping mall and allegedly cast a spell on her. But how does the dad know this?

According to reports in the daily Okaz, the man told authorities that his daughter “suddenly started acting in an abnormal way” which apparently was enough to determine that the Sri Lankan was in fact a witch, and for the Jeddah police to arrest her.

The penalty of death by decapitation is of course derived from the principles of Wahhabism, “a strict form of Sunni Islam”. Because Saudi Arabia doesn’t really have a standard criminal code, penalties are typically based on Islamic Sharia law and interpreted by whatever criminally insane judge is presiding over case on any given day.

Think it can’t really happen? Just ask the family of the 60 year old woman who was beheaded for sorcery last year.

Of course these rules don’t apply to the wealthy ruling class of Saudi Arabia. They’re protected by a convenient clause in Sharia law that allows them to pay Diyya or “blood Money” in event they commit a small crime like, oh say, murder for instance.

Read More: RT.com

The Day of Silence approaches quickly, coming this year on the 20th of this month. The Day of Silence, if you’re unfamiliar, is a day long vow of silence by students to protest the harassment of LGBT students. The harassment, of course, can comes out in spades when people dare to speak (or not-speak) out, and it is expected that this year will be no different.

The Family Research Council (Remember, watch out for buzzwords like family and values) a Conservative Christian organization established by Conservative Christian Supreme James Dobson, (the guy who gave us the effervescent Focus on the Family) has made the dubious claim that GLSEN the group currently sponsoring the Day of Silence has been caught distributing “pamphlets that promote everything from child sex to pornography.” Clearly they haven’t actually done their capital-R Research.

This is not the first time the FRC has come after GLSEN, as just last year it posted a video claiming more of less the same thing it is claiming this year, a video which was altered after it was legally challenged by GLSEN lawyers.

Established in 1996 by University of Virginia students, The Day of Silence has been held every year since.

Remember, the 20th. That’s this Friday, kids. Show your support.

Read more at LGBTQ Nation and visit the Day of Silence site.

Aspen, CO – During a snow storm this past fall, several cows apparently froze to death after wandering into an abandoned ranger’s station in search of shelter. Now the problem has become how to get rid of the carcasses before they thaw, and three options have been proposed: blowing the cows up, burning down the cabin, or hauling them out by helicopter or truck.

Because helicopters would be too expensive and trucks would harm the natural wilderness in the area, it appears that the only viable options are burning down the cabin or blowing the cows up with explosives.

“Obviously, time is of the essence because we don’t want them defrosting,” said Steve Segin, U.S. Forest Service spokesman. Officials are concerned that if the cows thaw and start decomposing, the rotting flesh may contaminate the hot springs in the area.

This is, however, not the first time the Forest Service has been faced with this decision. Apparently they use explosives to blow up any animal carcass they find and can’t retrieve.

“We’ve used them [explosives] as a means of disposal to remove dead horses, elk and other animals in areas where it’s impossible to get them out,” he said.

Michael Carroll, spokesman for the Wilderness Society in Colorado, has praised the efforts of the Forest Service for trying to remove the animals with the least amount of damage to the surrounding area.

“They need to use the minimal tool to get the job done. They don’t want to leave the land scarred,” he said.

There is no word on how explosives would be less damaging to the land then using a truck. Then again, we’re no backcountry experts.

Read more at the Associated Press and Grist.

Chevron is apparently trying to get out of paying an $18 billion judgment to 30,000 Ecuadoran rainforest residents, for creating “one of the world’s largest oil-related environmental disasters,” aka Chevron’s Chernobyl in the Amazon. Yes, this is bigger than the BP f*@k up, only it happened 19-years ago and they’ve been trying to keep it on the down-low ever since.

Chevron attorney, Doak Bishop of King & Spalding, said, “The plaintiffs are really irrelevant. They always were irrelevant. There were never any real parties in interest in this case… There will be no prejudice to [the rainforest communities] or any individual by holding up enforcement of the judgment.”

If Chevron decides to pay up, the money will go towards clean-up of the contamination, (something that Chevron has been promising to do and hasn’t) and will help to provide “clean drinking water and health care services for people living in Chevron’s former concession area.”

From 1964 to 1992, Chevron, then Texaco, drilled for oil in the area, deliberately dumping “billions of gallons of toxic wastewater into the rivers and streams, spilled millions of gallons of crude oil, and abandoned hazardous waste in hundreds of unlined open-air pits littered throughout the region.” All of which has resulted in the “widespread devastation of the rainforest ecosystem and local indigenous communities.” Not to mention the hundreds of people who have died of cancer, and the thousands of people who suffer from “respiratory illnesses, deformities, skin disease, spontaneous abortions, and other ailments,” due to the contamination.

Chevron apparently has no remorse for the disaster it caused and has no problem letting the world know that the people they harm with their toxic waste are irrelevant. Something that buyers of Chevron gas should keep in mind.

Find out more about what you can do to help at ChevronToxico.

Read more at TDA, Amazon Watch here and here, and the Huffington Post.

U.S. soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division had quite the Kodak moment after orders led them to investigate and document the remains of three Afghan suicide bombers. Upon completing their mission, the paratroopers made the prudent decision to pose with body parts (heads, legs etc) and take pictures as if they were at a celebrity meet and greet.

The LA Times broke the story earlier today, noting that they’d received the photos from a soldier who wanted to “draw attention to the safety risk of a breakdown in leadership and discipline” [within the U.S. Military].

The U.S. Army launched an immediate, “criminal investigation” into the incident while high ranking officials took to the press to do some damage control with their usual round of condemnations.

Obviously, the photos could not have come at a worse time for U.S.-Afghan relations, as the Obama administration is still dealing with the political fallout of the March massacre of innocent civilians by an American soldier and another incident involving Marines peeing on dead Afghan corpses back in January.

Read more: LA Times

The water supply of an all-girls high school in northern Afghanistan was poisoned in what educators believe to be a heinous attack aimed at deterring female education. Approximately 150 schoolgirls were affected by the poison, many experiencing symptoms including severe vomiting and headaches. Several of the girls remain in critical condition at a local hospital in the Takhar province.

According to the education department spokesman, Jan Mohammad Nabizada, “We are 100 percent sure that the water they drunk inside their classes was poisoned. This is either the work of those who are against girls’ education or irresponsible armed individuals.”

Officials are not pointing fingers toward any particular group (out of fear of losing said fingers, of course) though with the Taliban’s history of throwing acid in the faces of girls on their way to school, it shouldn’t be too difficult to solve this mystery.

Read more at: Huffington Post

Similar attacks have occurred in the past. Watch this video from an incident in 2010:

Too many tales of addiction and substance abuse pervade rock and roll lore. Fortunately, the Grammy’s charitable arm, MusiCares, has developed its MAP Fund to help members of the musical community gain access to addiction treatments and recovery programs, regardless of their financial situations.

This year, Heart’s Ann and Nancy Wilson, Billy Idol, Screaming Trees’ Mark Lanegan, original Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan, and Alice in Chains frontman Jerry Cantrell will all perform at the eighth annual MusiCares MAP Fund benefit concert. The event, scheduled to take place at the Los Angeles Club Nokia on May 31, will also bestow Cantrell with the Stevie Ray Vaughan Award for his continued support of the MAP Fund, as well as Neil Lasher with the From the Heart Award for his dedication to the mission and goals of the organization.

While TV personality Steve-O will host the concert portion of the event, Grammy-nominated musician, Moby, will DJ during the special dinner portion. Tickets for the exclusive dinner and concert package—the 10-person Living Room Set—cost $12,500.

However, other pricing options exist, as individual floor seats cost $1,250, VIP balcony seats are $100, and general admission balcony seats are available for $55 on Ticketmaster. Of course, all proceeds will benefit the MusiCares MAP Fund.

Read more at Look to the Stars.

Oldies but goodies:

Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth, Sweden’s Minister of Culture, was the subject of outrage after photos of her cutting into a cake depicting the genital mutilation of a stereotyped African woman circulated around the internet. Ummm Ya. Bad Idea.

The cake was apparently an art installation for a tax payer funded event in celebration of World Art Day. According to The Local, the installation “was reportedly meant to highlight the issue of female circumcision,” and that it did!

The most atrocious part of the exhibit, and yes, it does get worse, was the combination of screams coming from the head of the cake (a live performance artist) and the laughs and smiles from surrounding spectators.

Kitimbwa Sabuni, spokesperson for the National Afro-Swedish Association, said “[The minister's] participation, as she laughs, drinks, and eats cake, merely adds to the insult against people who suffer from racist taunts and against women affected by circumcision.”

And of course, we have the video, but really, be warned… it’s pretty f*cking disturbing.

Orangutans, already critically endangered, are falling prey to traps being set by hunters in Indonesia. Recently, an orphaned orangutan was trapped in a snare for ten days before being rescued by the International Animal Rescue (IAR). The orangutan’s right hand will have to be amputated not only because of the damage of the metal trap, but also because it tried to gnaw its own hand off to rid itself of the pain caused by the trap.

“The great ape is thought to have suffered a week and a half of unimaginable torture in the trap with no food. He survived on rainwater alone before rescuers found him,” said The Metro.

The orangutan, named Pelangsi after the “area of forest in the Ketapang region where it was found,” was sedated and given IV fluids while rescuers worked to free him. He was taken to IAR’s clinic in Ketapang, West Kalimantan, Indonesia where he was placed in intensive care.

“Rescuers think he is going to survive, but he has to get strong enough before they can amputate his destroyed hand,” said Chris Skone-Roberts, a photographer that words with IAR.

Pelangsi is just the latest victim of the palm oil industry. Palm oil companies routinely clear out the natural habitat of the orangutan in order to make room for plantations to grow the crops.

“Pelangsi’s story is a graphic illustration of the fate of countless orangutans that are left homeless and hungry when the forest is cut down,” IAR’s Karmele Llano Sanchez said in a press release.

Used in many products including “cosmetics and processed food,” palm oil poses a severe threat not only to the critically endangered orangutan population, but also to the rainforest in Malaysia and Indonesia.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first report of inhumane traps involving an orangutan, and surely won’t be the last tragic story told about the endangered animal. PT KAL (Kayung Agro Lestari), a palm oil company from Austindo Nusantrara Jaya Agri (ANJ Agri) group, has cleared out land in the area where Pelangsi was found, to make way for new plantations; an action that has left a large number of orangutans without their homes.

This from a company that claims that it “is embarking on a journey to become a Premier Plantation company and in doing so, ‘Sustainability’ and ‘Environment-friendly’ are the main driving forces of our operations.”

Destroying habitats to make room for profits and then setting traps to rid the area of homeless animals seems to be an increasing trend. One, that if we aren’t careful, will lead to the end of the orangutans, especially since there are fewer than 9,000 left in the world.

Donate to the International Animal Rescue.

Read more at IAR, The Metro, and the Huffington Post.

RELATED VIDEO

Thailand and Cambodia have begun a unified front to halt illegal logging that has caused a surprising amount of violence. Much of the conflict has come between Thai rangers and encroaching Cambodian loggers seeking rosewood.

In 1989, Thailand suffered severe floods that led the Thai government to ban commercial logging. In the time since, 400 Cambodians have been caught in Thai forests logging illegally. It is a situation that has erupted into violence in the past, resulting in a total of 13 Cambodian loggers having been killed.

In addition to the violence, the Thai rosewood has been recommended for placement on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species list, by the Environmental Investigation Agency to assist Thai officials in the protection of their forests.

Like many poached goods (be they plant or animal) in Southeast Asia, the demand comes largely from nearby China.

Read more at Mongabay.

Check out this video from 2009 when a Cambodian logger was apparently burned alive by Thai forces:

Mayor of London Boris Johnson has stepped in to prohibit a controversial Christian advertising campaign from running on the side of London buses. The ads, booked on behalf of two conservative Anglican groups, suggested that therapy can help convert homosexuals to heterosexuality.

The proposed advert was to run with the line “Not gay! Post-gay, ex-gay, and proud. Get over it!,” and was partially intended as a response to the recent bus ads run by gay rights group Stonewall which proclaimed “Some people are gay. Get over it!” (See ad below) The Anglican ads were set to appear in a matter of days but were prohibited by Johnson through his position as Chairperson of Transport for London.

Johnson backed his decision by stating that, “London is one of the most tolerant cities in the world and intolerant of intolerance. It is clearly offensive to suggest that being gay is an illness that someone recovers from and I am not prepared to have that suggestion driven around London on our buses.” Despite coming from the UK’s Conservative party, Johnson, along with other key figures from the party, has spoken fervently in favour of gay rights. One resounding example is the recent legislative reform making it illegal to incite hatred on the grounds of sexuality.

While representatives of the two groups behind the ad campaign have decried Johnson’s action as censorship, politicians, and citizens have voiced strong support for his decision. London is a city with a vast and progressive history; allowing these ads to run would have been a major back-step. With the eyes of the world turned to the UK this summer, we all hope that the message of London as “intolerant of intolerance” will encourage other cities to take up the cause of equality.

Read more at the Guardian

Not only has the population of emperor penguins in Antartica nearly doubled since 1992, but this finding was also made possible via satellite imagery. New technology in satellite imagery called “pansharpening” has allowed scientists to use a focusing technique to actually count the population of penguins from space.

Tracking these four foot tall penguins is difficult due to their remote habitats found only in Antarctica. The last time an emperor penguin census was conducted was in 1992, and at that time the population was close to 300,000. With the new satellite census, tracking the population has become more accurate, allowing the scientists to also find 7 more (new) colonies of them.

Unfortunately, even though the populations have doubled, scientists are still concerned about the colonies near the northern edges of Antarctica. With rising temperatures & melting ice comes the loss of habitat for the penguins that thrive on the coasts. The colonies found in the more centralized areas of Antarctica are far more safe than the coastal colonies. That is, they are safe until more cracks and breaks like “the little piggy” begin to fragment the continent even more.

However, there is hope that with pansharpening, scientists will be able to track populations. “For example, ‘if we saw a population crash in one location, we could see if it’s unique to that location’ and whether the crash is related to climate change.”

Read more at National Geographic.

The Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) is fighting back against the proposed “Ag-Gag” laws by launching a website to highlight its own “workable proposed law;” the Protect Your Food‘, also known as the “Safeguarding the Public from Food-Borne Illnesses Act.”

ALDF’s proposed legislation attempts to ensure that “your state government and counties will stop purchasing potentially unsafe food products from any jurisdiction with an ag gag law.” For the skeptics out there, ALDF has also created a “microsite” that seeks to “inform legislators that their constituents are watching their actions.”

Whether you’re a journalist or Joe the plumber working with an animal welfare group, these ‘ag gag’ laws could mean jail time for anyone working undercover and taking photos or video without permissions. Not only does the law threaten public health and safety and environmental laws, it also obstructs law enforcement and undermines freedom of the press and freedom of speech.

It seems to us, that if factory farms have nothing to hide, (and we know they do), then there should be no problem with “undercover” video. Here’s a thought, stop abusing factory farm animals, and people will stop trying to film it.

ALDF currently has a petition available and is working to engage others via social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.

To read more visit Protect Your Food, and watch the video below.

Web-based television and movie streaming service Netflix has found itself in a nice little flip-flopping situation.

On April 5, the digital upstart filed paperwork with the Federal Elections Committee to create a new super-PAC dubbed FLIXPAC. Last week, RT reported that Netflix could use the funds relegated to that political action committee to support politicians who would in turn, help fund controversial bills like Stop Online Piracy Act and the Protect IP Act (SOPA and PIPA, respectively).

Soon thereafter, Netflix emailed RT with a response to the article that argued that FLIXPAC was not set up to financially support such bills. Joris Evers, the director of corporate communications for Netflix clarified, “PACs are commonplace for companies that lead a big, growing market and Netflix is no exception. Our PAC is a way for our employees to support candidates that understand our business and technology. It was not set up for the purpose of supporting SOPA or PIPA. Instead, Netflix has engaged on other issues including network neutrality, bandwidth caps, usage based billing and reforming the Video Privacy Protection Act.”

While Evers’ response is very straightforward, the company’s history supporting SOPA/PIPA support is actually quite conflicted. Back in January, the New York Post quoted David Hirschmann, the CEO of the Global IP Center at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, who stated that “Netflix sent a letter which was supportive of legislation that accomplished those [SOPA] goals. As dissent against SOPA and PIPA grew, however, the company retracted all previous statements, claiming it was neutral to both bills.”

Although not much is known about the less-than-two-week-old FLIXPAC, RT raised an important point regarding the timing of the decision: FLIXPAC was created around the same time as other as other government-proposed SOPA/PIPA replacement bills like the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, which would allow Congress to censor the Internet and stop any online communication it deems threatening under the guise of preventing cyber-terrorism. Unfortunately for Netflix, such coincidental timing reinforces the notion that FLIXPAC may or may not be what they say it is.

Read more at RT.

Anonymous is reportedly on a DDoS rampage today, downing the CIA, Department of Justice, and two Mi6 websites. Members of the group claimed responsibility throughout Facebook and Twitter. Brazilian hacktivist Havittaja reportedly launched the initial offensive on the DoJ and CIA for “lulz” while other members jumped on board a short time later.

According to an Anonymous Facebook page, “its [sic] all of us together. We are the “little people”, the hungry, the poor, the “manipulated”, and yet for all their power and might, these “little people” brought their pride down.”

This is reportedly the third successful attack on CIA.gov since June of 2011.

More to come…

New Delhi – Neha Afreen, a three-month-old baby girl was brought into a state-run hospital in Bangalore with bite marks, head injuries, and abrasions all over her body. The baby was brutalized by her own father, simply because she was a girl and not the son he wanted. She died of her wounds.

“My husband was enraged with me for delivering a girl,” said Afreen’s mother Reshma Banu. “He hated her. He wanted me to get rid of the child or abandon her as he wanted a son.”

This is only the latest incident involving the abuse, neglect, abandonment, and torture of baby girls in India; a newborn in western Jodhpur “was abandoned as her parents fought for the custody of a baby boy handed to them by mistake”‘ and in March an “abandoned two-year-old girl died at a New Delhi hospital after suffering horrific injuries, including broken arms and a smashed skull.”

In a society that values the birth of a son who is seen as a breadwinner and caregiver, over a daughter that is a burden and an expense, it is surprising that we do not hear more stories like these. Yet, it is still shocking to know that the practice of “aborting female fetuses’ is rampant throughout the country.

“The cruelty against girls is crossing all limits,” Ranjana Kumari, director of the non-profit Centre for Social Research, told AFP.

“We need to do a lot more to sensitize the society towards the worth of girls and severely punish people guilty of such crimes,” he added.

Read more at Dawn.

“Superbugs” have been popping up in conversations, hospitals, and people around the world. They are strands of bacteria that are immune, or resistant, to current natural and synthetic antibiotics. After studying samples of non-pathogenic bacteria from one of the world’s most pristine cave networks, scientists are beginning to form a new thesis on the creation of “superbugs.”

It’s inevitable for bacteria to have a resistance to a newly introduced antibiotic (zithromax, amoxicillin, or penicillin) grow over time, but scientists have found bacteria in a cave in New Mexico, untouched by humankind, that are already resistant to our current antibiotics.

Growing a resistance like this should normally take thousands of years, but within our civilization it happens in months, or sometimes years. The discovery of pristine bacteria already resistant to antibiotics, and the addition of the speedy timeline to resistance, has created clues as to how some of our “bugs” can so quickly become antibiotic-resistant strains of “superbugs.”

“The U.S. National Park Service strictly limits entry to the cave, but since 2008 the agency has allowed Geo-microbiologist Hazel Barton of Northern Kentucky University and her team into the cavern to sample its microbial life.” From these samples, a new thesis has been created: Instead of looking at our bugs adapting a resistance themselves, there is a possibility that non-pathogenic bacteria which naturally contain these resistant genes are passing these traits to the pathogenic bacteria we are trying to fight.

Maybe think of it like this: Instead of developing thicker skin to protect yourself from a bully, you just adopt some older brothers to box out that bully completely.

The trick here is, we need the bully, and the addition of older brothers are possibly lethal to the human race.

Read more: National Geographic

Children’s rights activists in Egypt have united in their call for the government to act against the increase in child abductions since the revolution. A coalition consisting of 100 child advocacy groups has expressed serious concern at the negligible attention paid to the crisis by the new administration.

Reports suggest that child abductions have risen threefold since the popular uprising and the Coalition on Children’s Rights has indicated a 300 percent increase in the number of abduction-related calls it receives from parents. Hani Helal, secretary-general of the Egyptian Coalition on Children’s Rights, has suggested that there is an unwillingness on the part of the government to take up the cause of Egypt’s children: “We have major difficulties dealing with the government, which does not view children as first-rate citizens like everybody else.”

Evidence suggests that the increase in child abductions is motivated by ransom-collection or the theft of body organs. One woman, Hayam Rabie, experienced the terror first-hand after her one-year old daughter was abducted by a neighbour. She described how, upon breaking into the neighbour’s house with relatives and friends, they discovered empty blood bags, syringes, and other medical supplies. Her daughter has not been found.

Following the popular uprising, the abduction of children has become an effective avenue for criminal enterprise. With little protection offered by the police force, Egypt’s children are being targeted as an easy means to accrue vast sums of money in a short period. The Coalition is calling on the government to fulfill its obligations as the protector of all citizens.

Representing the most vulnerable group in times of crisis and transition, children must be afforded the protection they deserve.

Read more at IRIN.

One hundred years ago tonight (11:40pm), the Royal Mail Steamer (R.M.S.) Titanic, on her maiden voyage slicing through the dead-calm waters of the North Atlantic at approximately 21.5 knots, under a moonless sky, scraped her starboard bow against a huge iceberg, popping rivets and allowing thousands of tons of icy water into at least the first four of her much-touted watertight compartments.

The ship that had inspired almost unprecedented fanfare – that was so big her wake had almost stripped the S.S. City of New York from its moorings as she left Southampton – that had incorporated into her design and operation many safety features (like sixteen watertight bulkheads and a wireless apparatus with the broadest range in existence at the time) – that carried approximately 2,227 passengers and crew – and that had been branded by newspapers as “unsinkable” – sank 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland 2 hours and 20 minutes after the collision, carrying at least 1,500 of those passengers and crew to their deaths.

Since oceanographer Bob Ballard found Titanic’s wreckage in 1985, we have learned more of the fascinating hows and whys of Titanic’s loss, but starting at 2:20am tomorrow morning, we will have known the following things for 100 years:

When you have received at least 3 and possibly as many as 7 ice warnings from other ships, and when moonlight, crashing waves, and binoculars are your only methods of spotting icebergs in the distance at night and you have none of those things, you do not maintain course and push your steam engines to within 4-5 knots of top speed.

When you build a ship with the capacity to carry over 3,000 passengers, no matter how strong and invincible you think that ship is, you are then obligated to:

1. carry enough lifeboats to save every soul on board;
2. train your crew in how to load and lower those lifeboats safely with every seat full;
3. within the first 24 hours after setting sail, schedule, execute, and require attendance at a lifeboat drill for all passengers and crew.

Wireless technology is useful, not just a luxury, and therefore your wireless apparatus should be:

1. powered up 24/7;
2. manned by an experienced operator 24/7;
3. used primarily for ship-to-ship transmissions, not for passenger communication with either family and friends or stock brokers.

Metaphors are also useful. Airlines and airport security could learn from Titanic. So could bankers, hedge-fund managers, and mortgage lenders. So could doctors, insurance companies, and hospitals; law enforcement and neighborhood militias. So could parents and children. No ship is unsinkable, and nothing and no one is too big to fail.

Once again Marcus Bachmann, husband to Rep. Michelle Bachmann, finds himself in a little bit of hot water for “reparative therapy,” aka attempting to pray away the gay. In the past, the operators of the Bachmann & Associates clinics have sworn that their agenda is not to change anyone with regards to sexual preference or orientation, but to make them “see the light.” However, a new undercover investigation reportedly says different.

Kristina Lapinsky, recently went undercover to a Bachmann & Associates therapy session with a camera pen to obtain footage for her upcoming documentary, Gay U.S.A.. Reportedly what she discovered is the quintessential definition of reparative therapy. In her meeting with counselor Sheila Marker, Lapinksy was asked to read scripture, told to “follow God’s road” and told that “the Bible says one man, one woman.”

The session ended in a prayer wherein Marker made a request to Jesus that Lapinksy’s urges cease. Sounds bulletproof. Lapinksy also told her counselor that she had romantic feelings for a woman and was not sexually attracted to her hypothetical husband to-be, whom she never slept with. The counselor’s sage advice was “How can you know how it will be until you try?”

This isn’t the first time that the Bachmann clinics have been probed. Last July, Truth Wins Out sent activist John Becker undercover with a hidden camera. At that time, Becker was told by a counselor that “some of his patients had been able to get rid of their homosexuality.”

While the Bachmanns have sworn that their goal is only to help and not alter people, the evidence presented by Lapinsky and Becker, seems to paint an entirely different picture. One that shows homosexuality as an exercisable affliction. Somebody call Father Merrin.

Read more at the Advocate.

Watch the Promo for the Gay U.S.A. Documentary.

Read the complete account by Lapinski.

As sources of renewable and clean energy become more and more crucial to the survival of our way of life, researchers are looking in unexpected places to find it. This time the new source of power has manifested itself in the form of algae. That’s right…algae. No longer is algae just that gross, skuzzy, and often odoriferous substance that accompanies stagnant water as NASA is conducting research that hopes to harness the power of algae being grown in plastic bags off-shore.

Apparently the farms take in waste-water from sewage plants. For algae, the impurities in the contaminated water, namely phosphates and ammonia, are like steroids. In addition to “cleaning” the sewer water, eventually the algae grows saturated with lipids (fatty oils), and are ready for harvest. Post “crop yield,” the farmers would recycle the plastic and start over.

As with any potential source of energy the environmental ramifications must be considered. NASA estimates that as much as two square miles of plastic would be needed to produce 2.4 million gallons of algae oil per year. While the logistics of the endeavor are still being discussed, a lot of grimy plastic has got to be the favored option when compared to say, millions of gallons of oil spilling into the Gulf of Mexico, here’s looking at you BP.

Read more at Grist.

Holy F*cking Sh*T! This is probably one of the most disturbing videos we’ve ever witnessed. Special needs student Andre McCollins was restrained and tortured with 31 electric shocks in one day at the Judge Rotenberg Center for the disabled. To make matters even more horrific, this video was sealed by a Massachusetts judge for EIGHT YEARS!

According to their website:

“The JUDGE ROTENBERG CENTER (JRC) is a special needs school in Canton, Massachusetts serving ages 3-adult. For 39 years JRC has provided very effective education and treatment to both emotionally disturbed students with conduct, behavior, emotional, and/or psychiatric problems and developmentally delayed students with autistic-like behaviors.”

Graphic video of teen being restrained, shocked played in court: MyFoxBOSTON.com

As most of the world looks for newer, greener technologies to create electricity, more than one billion people around the world are still unable to get reliable access to electricity, green or not. Eight19, a company in Cambrigde, U.K., hopes to change that with IndiGo, its pay-as-you-go solar power system. The cost-effective solar system does not rely on fossil fuels or the lengthy construction of wind farms or hydroelectric dams. This is good because many of those without power – especially in sub-Saharan Africa, do not live near enough to the infrastructure that would connect them to new sources of green energy.

The initial system has a 3-watt solar panel and battery. It simply involves an organic solar cell printed onto a plastic sheet, which harnesses electricity for lighting, cooking, and other things many of us take for granted. Users can buy $10 worth of power via a scratch card and a code is sent to the customers through their mobile phones. Since the program’s inception in 2011, the system is working in Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, and South Sudan.

IndiGo is also saving consumers money, and since it will eliminate kerosene-usage, it benefits their health. Financially, instead of spending roughly $2 a week to charge mobile phones via energy supplied through kerosene they are spending half that much. If three watts becomes too little there are upgrades available through the “IndiGo Energy Escalator” allowing customers up to 80 watts of energy to power TVs and sewing machines.

There is no word on how customers without reliable access to electricity, nor the funds to pay for it, are able to pay for cellular service. You would think they would have taken into consideration.

Read More at Earthtechling.

Mark Wood might be most recognized as the former violinist of the epic Trans Siberian Orchestra, however his more impressive contribution to the musical world actually comes in the form of his organization.

Nearly 10 years ago, the violinist and Emmy award-winning composer began Electrify Your Strings (EYS), a program that works with students, teachers, and local communities to revitalize school orchestras. As founder and president of the organization, Wood has traveled all over the country to bring a rock and roll experience to classical student orchestras, raising morale and dollars for education along the way.

According to EYS, “Wood works with a school’s music director to design a tailor-made one-to-two day rock orchestra makeover culminating in a live performance at the end of the experience. Profits from tickets sold to the event directly benefit the school’s music programs.”

Not only does EYS serves as an educational tool to help teach kids about music, it also raises awareness and funds for music programs in schools. So far, Wood’s organization has reached more than 200,000 students from 100 schools and raised more than $1 million for music education.

The EYS shows represent a unique integration between playing pop music (examples include Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train,” Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway To Heaven,” and the Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”), using classical instrumentation, and performing in modern arena settings.

On the most personal level, however, EYS affects the personal wellbeing of its young participants. As the organization says, “EYS builds self-esteem, improvisation, create leadership opportunities, cultivate a supportive community of peers and mentors as well as encourages social change and offer life skills.”

Check out the video below for a taste of Electrify Your Strings’ live events.

Read more at Electrify Your Strings.

The EU has, once again, positioned itself as a champion of gay rights after issuing an ultimatum to potential member countries demanding that they show progress in the area or face rejection. With the likes of Turkey, Serbia, Montenegro, and Kosovo hopeful of achieving membership within the next few years, EU institutions are monitoring the protection and advancement of LGBT rights as a significant factor in whether member status will be granted.

A new survey, to be conducted through 2012, aims to collect “data on levels of discrimination, hate crimes, and legal protection experienced by LGBT people” before concluding whether adequate progress is being made in meeting EU standards.

The 2012 Accession Report, published periodically as a means of laying out the reforms required to achieve membership, recognises that substantial obstacles remain. The continued classification of homosexuality as a ‘psychosexual illness’ in the Turkish Army, and the Serbian government’s inadequate protection of activists at last year’s Pride Parade are among the specific concerns expressed by the report.

The EU has been a consistent advocate of gay rights. The requirement that new members meet standards of rights protection, implemented through the law, is vital. However, rhetoric and reality often fail to mirror one another. To insist that potential members introduce gay rights as law is a significant step but no guarantee of progress in practice.

The EU continues to be a champion for the gay community but it must make efforts to monitor the protection offered by its current, as well as its potential, members. Only then will the EU truly represent a community premised on the principle of rights and equality for all.

Read more at Queerty.

The use of fattening steroids among teenage prostitutes is becoming the norm in Bangladesh. Approximately 90% of sex workers in Bangladesh’s legal brothels use cow-fattening steroids to improve their appearance. Prostitution in the South Asian country is legal for those who over 18. However, some sex workers in brothels are as young as 12 and the girls younger than the legal age are made to take steroids in order to look older than they are.

Forced to take the drugs by their madams, the drugs work to increase the young girls’ appetites, which adds curves and makes them appear healthy and older. The steroids also make them stronger which allows them to take in more men and make more money. Often the young girls are forced to pay off debts like housing, food, or debts and loans previously owed. Even if they can get out of the business, they fear the social exclusion they’ll face.

These steroids are known to have several side effects like diabetes, high blood pressure, skin rashes, and headaches. Another side effect is a weakened immune system and addiction; there have already been reported deaths from the use of the drug.

Activists, such as ActionAid Bangladesh, are hoping to promote awareness of the drug as well as hoping to persuade brothels to stop using it and authorities to regulate it.

“Steroids are life-saving as well as life-destroying drugs which are used by sex workers in poor countries,” Shipra Gowshami, a lawyer and human rights activist who works with sex workers in brothels told Reuters.

To read more visit Reuters.

If you own feather or down pillows, comforters, or coats, you may be inadvertently contributing to the cruel practice of live-plucking, which can result in the death of geese and ducks. Generally, feathers and down are removed from the animals after slaughter, however, recent undercover video shows factory geese being restrained between employees’ knees and plucked while alive.

Many factory farms that raise and breed the birds for meat and foie gras, pluck birds repeatedly for extra profits. According to reports, “Plucking may begin when the animals are just 10 weeks old and be repeated in six-week intervals until the birds are slaughtered for meat long before they would naturally die.”

Methods such as sitting on the bird’s head or squeezing it upside-down between knees are employed to keep the geese under control as the animals are ruthlessly plucked by workers. Many of the birds suffer severe wounds and die during the process. Those that don’t die are carelessly sewn up by workers without anesthetics.

There is no way to tell if the down and feathers found in your household or clothing products come from animals that are alive or dead. The only way to be sure that you are not contributing this inhumane practice is by buying cruelty-free materials.

Pledge to go down free here.

Warning, video contains material that will not only make you sign the pledge, but will also make you want to throw away any down comforters or clothing you may own. It also may make you leak from your eyes uncontrollably. In addition, the video contains material that you may find disturbing and will turn your stomach. You have been sufficiently warned. Click play at your own risk.

Read more at PETA.

The Florida-based conservative group, Family Research Council (FRC), is targeting EA games for the proposed inclusion of LGBT content in its media. The recent surge of complaints is largely a response to EA’s “Star Wars: The Old Republic” and the potential ability for players to select same-sex romance options in the game. Framed as an issue of child protection, this new campaign against homosexuality it part of a larger political debate.

The Florida Family Association (FFA) has asserted that EA’s stance means “children and teens, who choose non-social agenda characters, would be forced to deal with lesbian, gay, bi-sexual or transgender characters chosen by other players.” Skipping over the blatant mischaracterisation of LGBT character choices as a ‘social agenda,’ the FFA’s argument is part of a narrative that hopes to reduce the visibility of LGBT individuals and issues.

EA has defended its position, with the VP of Corporate Communications, Jeff Brown, stating that “this isn’t about protecting children, it’s about political harassment.” While EA is not the staunchest of defenders when it comes to LGBT rights, its response to the conservative campaign, action to remove anti-LGBT speech from its forums, and meetings with LGBT activists, demonstrate that it is on a determined path of progress.

EA’s decision to characterise the FRC’s action as “political harassment” is accurate. With debate about LGBT rights and equality raging in the U.S., this newest anti-LGBT campaign undoubtedly has motivations beyond child protection. The ability of individuals to reflect themselves in media, especially through the creation of gaming avatars, is an integral part of equality in the digital age. To campaign against such progress is an obvious attempt to render minority groups invisible.

Read more at the Guardian.

The illegal poaching and sale of rhino horn, which is used as a folk remedy and aphrodisiac, has been on the rise on the African continent for the past several years, as it can fetch well over $60,000 a kilogram. In order to curtail the poaching and slaughter of the rhinoceros, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia, Angola, and Namibia have decided to legalize the sale of rhino horn powder in pharmacies and clinics in the region. While it is hoped this will reduce the poaching, conservationists fear it could cause backlash.

Francis Nhema, Zimbabwe’s environment and tourism minister, said that they hope that this move will “reduce profitability of the illegal trade,” as well as save the lives of the poachers and animals.

“We agreed that we will demystify the rhino issue by selling horn powder in clinics as well as pharmacies in all the Kaza [Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area] member states. We hope this will shift the attention of the poachers,” Nhema said.

It seems to us that having stricter poaching laws and ACTUALLY enforcing them will also work, without having to legalize the sale of the horn powder. And for that matter, there is no word on how legalizing the sale of the horn in Southern Africa will reduce the demands for the horn in Asia. But, we digress.

Conservationists believe the poachers will still hunt the rhino despite the fact that the rhino horn powder can be obtained legally.

“Poachers will simply decide to push volumes with lower prices for the horn as they try to beat the middleman. Besides, there is nothing that can beat the original raw material, and the underground dealers will always prefer the horn as raw as it comes,” said Johnny Rodrigues of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force.

Still, some people feel that legalizing the sale is the only way forward as it will reduce the price people can get for the horns.

It is believed that nearly 90 percent of the world’s endangered rhinos live in South Africa, and due to the increase in demand for their horns, it is being predicted that nearly 600 more of the endangered black and white rhinos will be poached and slaughtered by 2013.

Read More at Irish Times.

The European Court of Human Rights has removed the final significant obstacle to the extradition of five terrorism suspects from the UK to the U.S.. In ruling that extradition would not place the men at risk of human rights violations, the Court has effectively brought this contentious debate to an end.

The suspects’ relatives have argued that the men should face trial in the UK, with the sister of one describing the decision to extradite as “a serious abuse of process.” The debate centres on the decision of British authorities to hand evidence over to the U.S., without examining it or deciding whether trial in the UK would be the most appropriate form of proceedings. The argument has also been made that potential imprisonment in U.S. ‘supermax’ prisons would place the suspects at significant risk of rights violations under the European Convention of Human Rights. The Court has rejected these contentions.

Perhaps the most notorious of the five men is Abu Hamza, convicted under British legislation in 2006 of inciting racial hatred. He has subsequently become a symbol of Islamic extremism in the UK. The U.S. wishes to prosecute Hamza under charges of running a website that raised funds for the conduct of extremist activities.

The European Court’s decision is undoubtedly the right one. While the UK government celebrates, however, it must recognise that these men – innocent until proven guilty – have not been afforded their full rights to due process under the law. Politicians have been quick to support extradition; undeniably the result of wanting to see these five men outside of the UK. To prosecute and potentially imprison them in Britain would come at significant political cost. To support universal human rights is to recognise that even the guilty deserve justice.

Read more at the Guardian.

The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) is the first non-LGBT civil rights group to support an executive order that would bar federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

MALDEF made the announcement recently with a letter from its president, Thomas Saenz, calling on President Obama to take administration action on the matter. Saenz points out in his letter that the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) has stalled in Congress for years.

“MALDEF believes the time is now right to promote workplace fairness for LGBT individuals by taking strong executive action,” Saenz writes.

DynCorp LLC first implemented the non-discrimination policy after it came under scrutiny for anti-gay harassment on the job. Companies such as Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Boeing already have similar policies in place.

According to a Human Rights Campaign poll, 73% of Latinos strongly support the executive order.

Pressure for the executive order has been building. Last year United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers of America endorsed the executive order and last month a group on 72 U.S. House members sent a letter to Obama addressing the importance of the issue.

To read more visit the Washington Blade.

Photo Credit to Olga Besnard / Shutterstock.com

South Korea has strict laws banning the “unauthorized” capture of whales and dolphins, and the Jeju District Court recently imposed heavy fines on a company reportedly using “illegally captured” dolphins in a show.

The South Korean court has ordered the company, which stages shows on holiday island of Jeju, to release five dolphins, in addition to imposing a $9,000 fine and issuing suspended jail sentences for an employee and the company’s president.

“The defendants operated a for-profit company with illegally captured dolphins… it’s expected they would continue to take advantage if the dolphins are not confiscated,” said a Jeju District Court spokesman.

According to the Dong-A Ilbo newspaper, the company purchased 11 dolphins without informing the fisheries ministry. Of the 11 purchased, “five died and one was exchanged for two sea lions from a zoo.”

Sadly, despite the capture of dolphins being illegal, this isn’t the only case reported recently. Last month the Seoul Grand Park Zoo, agreed to suspend its dolphin show after activists claimed that Jedol, a 13-year-old dolphin in its show, was captured illegally.

Jedol will be reintroduced to the wild by March 2014, “after gradual adjustment training;” however, two other dolphins from the zoo must remain in captivity because they are too “old and weak.”

Not all are in agreement about the release of the dolphins though, with some claiming that dolphins may not be able to adjust to living in the wild. Ahn Doo-Hae, director of the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute, claims that “it’s wrong to say releasing dolphins is good and holding them is bad.”

“Illegal seizures should be eradicated, but visiting exhibitions and going to shows can offer research opportunities for a species with a huge number. This will create social value,” he added.

It seems that with every victory, there is some idiot claiming that keeping animals in captivity is a good thing. Here’s a thought, why don’t we close down businesses that illegally capture dolphins instead of slapping them on the wrist with a “suspended sentence” and a meager fine. That way we won’t be faced with having to keep the mammals in captivity because they won’t survive in the wild.

Read more at Yahoo! News.

Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton is attempting to revamp the city’s outdated human-rights protection laws by drafting an ordinance to outlaw discrimination against the LGBT community.

The gap in the current anti-discrimination laws was brought to light in February after a lesbian couple was told they had no “grounds for a lawsuit” against the manager of District American Kitchen & Wine Bar who had them removed from the premises after customers “saw them kiss.”

Currently, LGBT citizens in Phoenix are unable to file complaints with the Equal Opportunity Department for things such as housing, public accommodations, and employment. If the new ordinance is passed, it will remedy these shortcomings.

Of course, some resistance to the new law is expected, as City Councilman Tom Simplot anticipates some council members “may be reluctant to even discuss the issues at a public meeting.”

This is not Stanton’s first attempt to bring equality to Phoenix. Last month he appointed an openly gay Arizona teenager as a “youth and diversity liaison,” and he is a member of Mayors for the Freedom to Marry, “a bipartisan coalition of more than 200 mayors from across the U.S. who have publicly stated their support for marriage equality for LGBT citizens, and their intention to work toward that goal.”

Read more at LGBTQ Nation.

The peace agreement Syria agreed to seems to have been nothing more than hot air as the attacks increase and the death toll continues to rise. Nearly 130 people were killed on Saturday alone and another 26 reportedly died as of this morning.

Syria’s government is now demanding that its opponents provide “‘written guarantees’ to lay down their weapons before the regime forces withdraw from cities.”

According to Kofi Annan, U.N. and Arab League envoy, Syrian President Bashar Assad and Riad al-Assad, commander of the rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA), both agreed to the plan, however as of today, Jihad Makdessi, Syria’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, placed the new condition on the agreement.

“To say that Syria will pull back its forces from towns on April 10 is inaccurate, Kofi Annan having not yet presented written guarantees on the acceptance by armed terrorist groups of a halt to all violence,” the foreign ministry said.

It comes as no surprise that the FSA swiftly rejected “the government’s new unilateral demand.”

The peace agreement that Annan helped broker was due to take effect on Tuesday, with a “complete halt to violence by all sides 48 hours later,” however with the latest surge in violence, this seems unlikely. Annan has condemned the recent surge in violence, saying that it is “unacceptable.”

“I am shocked by recent reports of a surge in violence and atrocities in several towns and villages in Syria, resulting in alarming levels of casualties, refugees and displaced persons, in violation of assurances given to me,” Annan said in a statement.

The death toll in the war torn country has now been estimated at close to 9,000, and there is no apparent end in sight despite the empty promises by the government.

Read more at the Associated Press, the Daily News here and here.

With Easter upon us, the fear that many animal rights activists have is that there will be a rush to buy brightly colored chicks, ducks, and bunnies, followed by the subsequent disposal of said animals when the color fades. Not to mention the on-going debate of whether the dye is actually harmful to the animals.

Recently, the Florida State Legislature passed a bill that overturned the law making it illegal to dye animals for the past 45 years. Ellyn Bogdanof, Florida Senator, caving to the whims of a dog groomer who wants the ability to dye poodles, slipped Amendment 303390 onto “HB Bill 1197 which revises certain agriculture codes in the state.” Rick Scott, governor, signed it into law. Sadly, the amendment doesn’t just lift the dyeing ban, it also allows “chicks to be sold before they are 4 weeks old.”

Animal rights organizations such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the Animal Rights Foundation in Florida (ARFF), have been fighting against this practice, and until Florida’s sneaky bill passed, 14 states banned the practice.

“Humane societies are overflowing with these animals after Easter every year. This law has protected thousands of animals from neglect and abuse, and it shouldn’t be lifted on the whim of one dog groomer who wants to dye poodles purple,” remarked Don Anthony, Communications Director at ARFF in reference to the reason the law was brought under debate.

Peter R. Theer, a retired poultry rancher just outside Lampasas, TX claims as long as the dye is non-toxic, a chicken’s health is not affected. The dye only lasts a few weeks since the chicks shed their fluff, much like a human child sheds baby fat or teeth.

Many other ranchers, including Andrew Malone in Melbourne, FL think spraying or injecting is wrong and, “it should not be allowed in the pet business.”

Michael E. Kjelland, a research scientist and professor thinks it wrong to spray the chicks, but has no qualms about injecting eggs in the name of science. “I’m careful when I do this — I’m not doing it to sell them,” he said.

Regardless of what side of the debate you fall on, there is no doubt that the practice “results in discarded pets and undue stress for the fowl.”

Oh, and just in case you are on the fence about the topic, keep in mind that most chicks carry salmonella, which is found in their feces. The same feces that the chicks walk through and gets stuck to their feet. And then of course, you buy the brightly colored chick and hand it to your young child.

Read more at the NY Times, ARFF, PETA, and Huffington Post.

A new discovery in the bacteria world may solve the problem of the increasing amount of plastic found in the oceans. Yet, it may not all be good news.

After studying some of the plastic debris from the Sargasso Sea, an area in the North Atlantic, researchers found that the tiny organisms burrow into the plastic and “live in pits.” They appear to be feeding on the plastic items as well.

“They look like you took a hot barbecue briquette and threw it into the snow,” said Tracy Mincer, a marine microbiologist of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts.

“You see this melting bit all around the outside of the cells, and they’re just burrowing into the plastic,” she added.

The bacteria has only been found on the plastic debris, and not in the water or seaweed surrounding the garbage, which may mean that discovery will become increasingly important in the battle for clean oceans and clean beaches.

The problem, (and there always is one), is that plastics generally contain toxic material, and it is possible that the bacteria are ingesting the toxins and passing it on to any other marine life that preys on it. In other words, the bacteria may be more trouble than it’s worth.

Here’s a thought, don’t toss shit into the ocean and we won’t need to place all of our hope on a bacteria that may, in fact, just be spreading the toxins to fish that we eat.

Read more at RT News.

Agricultural giant Monsanto has another bug up its ass, and this time it’s picking on a whole state. The bully corporation has threatened to sue the State of Vermont if it passes a bill requiring all manufacturers to label their products if they contain GMOs.

In an attempt to allow consumers to know what is in their food, Vermont lawmakers drafted the H-722 bill, aka “VT Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act,” which would require companies to “label products that are created either partially or in full from a genetically modified organism, or GMO.” Monsanto’s problem with this bill is that it would no longer be able to claim that its products are “all natural,” “naturally made,” or “naturally grown,” if they aren’t.

Of course, the corporate giant and its legal team are not happy about the bill, as it will likely mean a dip in an already absurd amount of profits, which, apparently, are more important than fully disclosing to consumers exactly what they are eating.

Monsanto is no stranger to a courtroom, as they have consistently brought lawsuits against small farmers because its “patented GMO-seeds had somehow managed to be carried into unlicensed farms.” Even if we turn a blind eye to the fact that the last thing organic farmers would want is to have pesticides or GMOs turn up in their crops, we can’t ignore the fact that Monsanto uses bully tactics to ensure that its seed literally takes over the world.

Vermont, caving to Monsanto’s threat, has put its tail between its legs, and “put a hold on any future voting regarding the bill.” This isn’t, however, the first time that Monsanto has bullied Vermont into submission. In 1994, the State had tried to “keep dairy corporations from marketing milk made from cows injected with the Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH),” however Monsanto quickly squashed any hopes of that happening.

So for now, it looks as if Vermont consumers will continue eat GMO food products that are “all-natural,” or “naturally” grown. It makes you wonder where the world is going when a corporation can bully an entire state into submission. We guess you can say that this is a classic case of a corporation that is too big to fail?

Read more at RT.

Strange traditions that supposedly bring luck and prosperity run rampant throughout history. There are tales of sacrificing virgins to a volcano, sacrificing animals for a good harvest, and, of course, the all-important baby tossing? As part of a religious ritual in Karnataka, India, locals throw their children off a temple roof that is approximately 30 feet off the ground. We’re not kidding.

Ironically, locals in the village of Nagrala believe the ritual brings health and good luck to the children, many of whom are less than two years old. Although, when you think about it, is there really any right age to be thrown off of a roof, temple or not?

The terrified children are taken up to the roof and are put into the arms of a man. The children try to clutch the man’s clothes to keep from being tossed, but he removes their hands, even if he must bite them to release their grip. He then tosses them the 30 feet into blankets below.

As one might imagine, officials in India are trying to erase the practice, and as a result, the custom did not take place last year. However, as the reporter said in the video below, it is hard to change customs when it comes to faith and religion.

Read More at A Safe World for Women.

Planned Parenthood Texas has been forced to scramble for funds following the Texas state legislature’s decision to cut off Medicaid funds to the organization for providing services that could *clearly* be just as easily be facilitated in a dark alley. Yet, even in its darkest hour the organization refused to accept $500,000 from “I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell” author Tucker Max.

It is not surprising the Planned Parenthood has decided to turn down Max’s offer. The controversial “author” has, within the past calendar year, made heinous comments about Planned Parenthood and the women who receive health care there on his Twitter account.

He tweeted in July 2011 that “Planned Parenthood would be cooler if it were a giant flight of stairs, w/someone pushing girls down, like a water park slide. #FF @PPact.”

Max continued with his controversial comments in a March 14 tweet:

Max’s publicist, Ryan Holiday, said that Planned Parenthood declined the donation over qualms about his client’s reputation as a misogynist who regularly degrades women under the guise of “men writing about men in an honest and authentic way.”

All is not lost for Max though as PETA, which also at times exploits women for its various causes, doesn’t mind taking his money and using his name.

Ingrid E. Newrik, PETA president, had this to say: “We would like to purchase a brand-new mobile spay-and-neuter truck and name it ‘Fix Your Bitches! The Tucker Max No-Cost to Low Cost Spay and Neuter Clinic.’”

Newkirk added that “the truck would cost just under $400,000 and Max could donate another $100,000 for veterinary fees if he’s willing to donate the same amount he offered Planned Parenthood.” (See PETA’s full letter to Max below).

According to Holiday, they are “going to seriously consider their [PETA's] offer,” which is probably a wise decision, considering many people think Max’s offer to Planned Parenthood was a “contrived ploy for publicity.”

Max has since responded to recent criticism on his website saying, “In short: I tried to donate $500,000 to Planned Parenthood, and they turned me down because they were worried more about other people’s perceptions of the donation than helping women.”

I was very serious about this donation: Lots of people have tried to call this a “publicity stunt.” That’s funny, I didn’t know that a 500k check is a joke to them. I offered real money that PP could really use, there was no ruse or stunt involved. I’ve been pro-choice my whole life, I went to PP many times with girls when I was poor and got help, I believe in their mission and in universal access to family planning services. I’ve ALWAYS believed in those principles, and this was a sincere attempt to cut Planned Parenthood real check. A “publicity stunt” would be doing something designed only to get me attention without actually doing anything, like a prank or, I don’t know, something that didn’t involve giving HALF A MILLION DOLLARS to them. Its ridiculous how people think what you do doesn’t matter, it’s only their perception of your action that defines you.

In short, though Max may have a reputation of being a chauvinistic pig because of his books, his gesture proves you can’t always judge a book by its cover.

Let’s hope that Max takes PETA up on its offer.

PETA’S ENTIRE LETTER TO TUCKER MAX:

Dear Mr. Max,

I am writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and our more than 3 million members and supporters with a proposition we hope you’ll like. Having heard about Planned Parenthood’s rejection of your offer, we’d like to propose an alternative way that you can help prevent unwanted pregnancies, receive a tax break, and put your name proudly on a clinic—perhaps along with a picture of you and your dog! We would like to purchase a brand-new mobile spay-and-neuter truck and name it “Fix Your Bitches! The Tucker Max No-Cost to Low-Cost Spay and Neuter Clinic.” The truck would cost just shy of $400,000 (delivered fully equipped) and give us $100,000 in leftover funds to spend on veterinary fees—if you are willing to spend the same amount you were offering Planned Parenthood. Since 2001, our mobile clinics have helped prevent the births of hundreds of thousands of unwanted cats and dogs. In fact, PETA spays and neuters more than 800 dogs and cats every month in some of the most impoverished areas of North Carolina and lower Virginia. We assist owners who have a hard time paying their utility bills, are without transportation of any kind, and often live in trailer parks. One of our mobile clinics is on its last legs (it’s in the repair shop more than it’s on the road), so this would be a huge help. Two of our clinics currently display images of Simon Cowell and Ron Artest. Please see this mock-up of what the Tucker Max clinic could look like, complete with the “Fix Your Bitches!” slogan and an image of you hugging a dog. Millions of dogs and cats must be euthanized every year because people continue to let them breed when there are not enough homes to go around. Most end up in shelters—others are left to fend for themselves on the streets, where they are often subjected to cruelty, suffer from starvation or diseases, or are hit by cars. Dogs and cats may “sleep” with more mates “than is safe or reasonable” —but unlike us, they can’t unwrap a condom. Will you help us provide this essential form of birth control? Thank you for considering this.

Very truly yours,

Ingrid E. Newkirk

President

Read more at Huffington Post here and here.

Africa – In an open letter to President Macky Sall, Senegal’s new leader, Human Rights Watch (HRW) both congratulated his election and called on the Senegalese government to put a stop to “arbitrary arrests,” stop police violence, and better the lives and treatment of the LGBT community in the country.

Senegal, like many former British colonies, can incarcerate people found guilty of gay acts and HRW is asking Sall to do away with Article 319.3, which criminalizes “indecent acts” or “acts against nature.”

In light of evidence that the criminalization of homosexuality is an impediment to HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, as well as a violation of the rights to privacy and non-discrimination that are guaranteed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the new government should review with a view to repealing Article 319.3 of the Penal Code, and should consider passing anti-discrimination legislation that protects individuals from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

HRW’s letter also cited an incident in February of 2008 wherein 19 men in Dakar were arrested “solely on the basis of photos that appeared in a magazine alleging they had attended a ‘gay marriage.” A December 2008 incident was also cited as proof of acts of discrimination; nine men in Mbao were arrested for attending a “training on HIV/AIDS prevention.” In both cases, the men were jailed, threatened, beaten and in some cases tortured, all because of the “mere suspicion of being gay.”

Read More at Pink News.

In a world where men’s only clubs are still common (we’re looking at you Augusta National Golf Club), Kenya’s Umoja village is putting their own spin on it. For the last two decades, this women’s only village has been a refuge for many, and a place for women to learn, grow, and find happiness.

Umoja is home to women from all over the country. Women are fleeing forced marriages, rape, sexual abuse, tribal violence, and even widows exiled by their previous communities have found a home in this Kenyan village.

“In a traditional village, women may not have had the opportunity to exercise leadership, to be in control of their wealth or resources, and they would more likely experience domestic violence, female genital cutting, child marriage and other traditional practices that discriminate against and physically harm women and children.” Celena Green whose organization “Vital Voices” work with the women of Umoja, told Safe World for Women.

“Ideally, no woman or girl should ever have to flee her home to come to Umoja in the first place,” she added. “But ultimately, the aim of Umoja is to provide an emergency safe haven for those women who are in distress, and more importantly to contribute toward building communities where everyone is valued and can succeed,” Green added.

The women of the village sell beadwork and use the profits collectively to provide food and basic necessities to its villagers. Profits are also used for medical fees and operating a school serving the village’s children and adult learners. Women from nearby communities come to the village for workshops that educate them about human rights, gender equality, and violence prevention.

While most may think of the village as a female man haters club, that it definitely is not. Males are allowed to sleep in the village, as long they are children being raised. Many younger residents of Umoja also still plan on marrying and raising families, the only difference is they plan to do it at their own will and terms.

To read more about Umoja visit A Safe World for Women.

Social Issues – Bad news for brothels…and the poor! As the Olympic games near, London has begun ridding the city of its pesky prostitution and homeless problems.

Anti-poverty charity Toynbee Hall notes that the number of sex workers arrested in Tower Hamlets, one of five Olympic boroughs, has already exceeded the numbers from 2011. Approximately 80 brothels from all five Olympic boroughs have been shutdown as well.

“This increased activity has happened disproportionately in the Olympic boroughs.” Andrew Boff, a London Assembly member and spokesman for the Conservative group on the 2012 Games, told The Sun.

A metropolitan police team was set up in 2010 to address vice-related crimes in the boroughs, and indeed this task force has conducted 127 brothel raids since it was formed two years ago. An entire clean-up of the city has strip clubs, canal boats, and the homeless being cleared away.

Many cities that have previously hosted the Olympics, such as Beijing and Los Angeles, did the same. However you have to question if all they’re merely doing is sweeping the problem under the rug. Canal boats, which for some are their homes, are being removed while the homeless are being harassed according to Richard Burdett, editor-in-chief of The Pavement, a magazine for the homeless.

The situation is difficult as the boroughs are in need of economic revival, but at what cost?

To read more visit Bloomberg and The Sun.

Human Rights – Human rights activists are typically despondent when it comes to the Chinese regime, however reports of growing debate about the use of the death penalty may be an encouraging sign. While capital punishment has been traditionally accepted as an appropriate form of justice in Chinese society, the recent decision by the Supreme People’s Court to uphold the death penalty in the case of 31-year old Wu Ying has sparked a long-overdue conversation.

Wu Ying, a businesswoman whose rise from poverty to one of the richest women in China inspired millions, was found guilty in 2009 of illegal fundraising. She was sentenced to death. While the Chinese regime has progressively narrowed the scope of crimes that may incur capital punishment, the continued inclusion of “financial crime” is a major concern. While the sums at issue in Wu Ying’s case were certainly not negligible, questions are now being asked as to the application of the death penalty for a crime that involves no direct harm of another individual.

The fact that the use of the death penalty in China takes place within a context of inadequate transparency and general corruption creates even greater concern for activists. The regime’s reliance on intimidation as a tool of control, however, makes the situation thoroughly unsurprising.

While it is encouraging that a substantive debate on the death penalty is emerging among the Chinese population, it would be naive to expect any real short-term impact. With the society still subject to widespread censorship, it is extremely difficult to achieve change on the basis of popular opinion. The Wu Ying case offers a platform from which the international community can unite with the Chinese people in asking for reform. How receptive the leadership will be remains to be seen.

Read more at the Guardian.

Women’s Rights – The Moroccan administration is coming under increasing pressure from women’s rights activists following the suicide of 16-year old Amina Filali, after she was forced to marry her alleged rapist. Her death has thrown the status of Moroccan women into the spotlight, with particular focus on Clause 475 of the criminal code that allows for a prosecution to be dropped if a minor agrees to marry her abductor.

Official statistics indicate that, in 2010 alone, 41,000 female minors were married, a 25% increase on the previous year. Hanane Jazouani, a journalist at the Casablanca website Yabiladi, has suggested that these incidents are part of a wider disregard for women’s rights in Morocco: “There is no law on domestic violence, there is penalisation of sex outside marriage, which means that a rape victim risks prosecution if her rapist convinces the court the sex was consensual, there is the infamous article 475, which this case drew attention to, and there is the law authorising judges to marry minors.”

Morocco experiences a huge regional disparity with regards to female equality; women in cities such as Casablanca enjoy a European take on women’s rights, while rural areas continue to advocate a much more conservative view. With the Moroccan government choosing to support the judge’s decision in Amina’s case, there is undoubtedly concern that the country is sliding backwards on the path to equality.

With activists protesting outside of parliament and 750,000 signatures on an e-petition, Moroccan women are clearly determined to see that the country’s direction is towards progress. Amina has given a face to state-sanctioned gender inequality in Morocco; that she gave her life in the process has spurred a generation to action.

Read more at the Guardian.

Human Rights – Last week, the bodies of a 15-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl were found in the Ghanzi province of South Central Afghanistan. According to the witnesses who found the bodies, the children may have been killed because of their friendship as it is not something that is allowed in conservative Afghanistan.

The provincial police chief, Zorawar Zahid, said that the children’s faces were burned with acid and the bodies were abandoned in a “wasteland in the Esfandi area of Ghazni province.” Sadly, the bodies still lay unclaimed in a hospital; a sign that the stigma of shame, even in dealing with children, is strong.

Unfortunately, this is not a singular occurrence in the all too conservative country. Last December, a young girl and her family were attacked in their home and sprayed down with acid by a group of masked individuals. Reportedly, the 17-year-old Afghan girl had rejected a marriage proposal and the attack was a retaliation.

This latest case reveals the “dangers still faced by many young men and women” in a country that still upholds “oppressive polices against women,” and holds to conservative traditional ideals about relationships between men and women.

Read more at Al Arabiya News.

Human Rights – Sex sells, especially on the internet, and unfortunately it can lead to underage prostitution and child sex trafficking. In a cutting-edge move, Washington State has become the first state in the nation to “criminalize human trafficking,” by signing into law 12 anti-trafficking bills, including a bill that requires age verification for online ads proffering escorts or sex-related services such as those found in Backpage.com.

Washington’s bills are garnering praise from child sexual abuse organizations, especially since it’s not just the companies advertising being punished; the minimum fines for those found guilty of procuring the services of someone underage will also be raised, with some of the funds collected going to help the victims.

“This groundbreaking, bipartisan bill responds to the public’s outrage over the exploitation of vulnerable kids — including runaways and addicts — by certain businesses. Just weeks after Sen. Kohl-Welles’ legislation received national attention, legislators in Connecticut introduced a similar proposal. We expect that other states will soon follow Washington’s lead,” Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna stated.

The Seattle Police Department has linked over 20 cases of child sexual prostitution to Backpage.com, a company that “operates a robust online clearing house for sex escorts. According to reports, Village Voice Media, which owns Backpage.com, makes “more than $22 million per year from sex-related ads.”

“I am ecstatic this anti-trafficking legislation is now law, the first of its kind in the country. This makes the strongest possible statement that there should be no selling of minors online – or anywhere!” said Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles.

Read more at First Coast News.

Environment – Whole Foods Market is taking its contribution to Earth Day to a new level by doing away with unsustainable seafood. As of April 22nd, the grocer will no longer carry wild-caught seafood that may be considered over-fished or caught in a way that harms other species.

The “red-rated” seafood, as determined by Blue Ocean Institute and Monterey Bay Aquarium, that Whole Foods will discontinue includes octopus, gray sole, skate, Atlantic halibut, and Atlantic cod caught by trawls. However, they will begin to stock sustainable Atlantic halibut and cod that are caught on lines or in the Pacific.

“In the long term, what we’re really looking to do is help reverse trends of overfishing and bi-catch, so that really we can move the industry as a whole toward greater sustainability,” Carrie Brownstein, seafood quality standards coordinator at Whole Foods, told the Associated Press.

Whole Foods is just another retailer who has jumped on board to bring their customers food from better sources. BJ’s Wholesale club plans to meet sustainability standards by 2014. Supervalu, which owns Albertsons, Shop n’ Save, and 7 other retailers, also stopped selling some wild-caught meats and seafood due to sustainability concerns.

These changes came swiftly after Greenpeace published its 2008 seafood sustainability scorecards, which failed 20 major supermarket chains; only 20 were tested. Three years later 15 out of 20 had passing scorecards. Greenpeace is making strides with the tuna industry as well; six of the tuna brands rated this year passed the sustainability test, compared to two last year. Let’s hope the trend continues.

Last year, a petition at Change.org was also making its rounds asking Whole Foods to stop selling endangered seafood; it seems like those who signed the petition have won the battle despite not reaching the 5,000 signature goal.

See where your supermarket falls here.

Watch the video below. Warning. May be NSFW.

To read more visit the Associated Press.

LGBT Issues- Ohio inched closer to marriage equality on Tuesday when Mike DeWine, Ohio Attorney General, approved a petition for an amendment that would “redefine marriage in Ohio as ‘a union of two consenting adults, regardless of gender.’” The state’s 2004 constitutional amendment currently restricts marriage as being between “one man and one woman.”

In order to put the amendment on the ballot, the Freedom to Marry Coalition (FTMC) must now gather “385,253 valid signatures of registered Ohio voters.” Something the coalition’s co-founder Ian James hopes to do by November 2013 according to Huffington Post.

Although Ohio’s 2004 amendment banning gay marriage “passed by 62 percent,” James feels that the new amendment will pass, largely due to the fact that public approval of gay marriage is rising, and due to an exemption he plans to add to the amendment outlining that religious facilities will not be required to perform the marriages.

“This is important because people who are moderately opposed [to gay marriage] say they are moderately opposed because they don’t want their religious institutions to be forced to perform marriages,” James told Huffington Post. “With voters it’s always important to be clear. Ambiguity in ballot issues can be deadly. When it comes to intellectualism vs. emotion in campaigns, emotions always win out,” he added.

Freedom to Marry (FTM), a national marriage quality nonprofit, which is not affiliated with Ohio’s FTMC, worked to pass New York’s law using similar language. Although Evan Wolfson, founder of FTM, feels that the language “is redundant,” he agrees that the “religious exemption has become an effective tool for passing gay rights legislation,” and said he supports its use “if it helps reassure some people that this right wing scare tactic is phony.”

Read more at Huffington Post.

Environment – New studies into the impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill suggest that the damage done to dolphins and other marine life may be higher than initially predicted.

The report, commissioned by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) studied 32 dolphins, many of which were “underweight, anemic and suffering from lung and liver disease.” Further, roughly half of the dolphins had “low levels of a hormone that helps the mammals deal with stress as well as regulating their metabolism and immune systems.”

Zooplankton studied was found to be contaminated oil. As these organisms compromise the the lowest level of the marine food chain, it is unlikely that any species in the area will escape unaffected by the oil spill that is still the subject of significant “legal wrangling” between the U.S. and BP.

Not that I have anything near a science background, but I can’t say I’m surprised that these animals are as fucked messed up as they are, what with the 200 million gallons of toxins spilled into their environment.

Read more at the Guardian.

Animal Rights – A new law carrying felony charges for animal and livestock mistreatment has passed Idaho’s state legislature. If it is signed in by Republican Governor “Butch” Otter, it would bring Idaho up to speed with nearly all of the rest of the country in demanding tough legal penalties for animal abuse.

The penalties are by no means heavy for some animal rights believers, but they are a step forward for the hesitant state. The law would make “a third animal cruelty conviction in 15 years a felony” and also make a felony of “organizing cockfighting events accompanied by drugs and gambling.” Again, not monumental steps, but steps.

Some animal rights advocates in the state are petitioning for those stronger penalties, seeking, in some cases, first-offense felonies, while others are so far satisfied with the current steps taken.

While the bill covers the treatment of livestock, it largely exempts “normal practices” of the livestock industry, such as “branding, castration, and dehorning.”

Should the law pass, the two states that will remain without such laws are North and South Dakota.

Read more at the Huffington Post.

Human Rights – Protests and conflict have marked the passing of a controversial education bill in Turkey. The new law overturns provisions made by the military in 1997 by allowing for middle-school education in religious institutions.

Turkey is built on secular foundations, despite being populated by a strong Muslim majority. The new bill has met with heated opposition from secularists who claim that it affords too much influence to Islamic schools and detracts from the country’s secular stance. Opponents claim that Islamic schools serve as a breeding ground for militant Islamism and remove the opportunity for middle-school students to receive broad-based education.

The government has stated that the bill responds to popular demand, with Prime Minister Erdogan, himself a graduate of an Islamic institution, calling this a victory for democracy. He has also expressed the government’s desire to raise a “pious generation.” Not all in government share this view, however, and fights between legislators have inflamed the debate.

To frame this as a fight over militant Islamism is to misunderstand the conflict. Rather, it is a question of the steady erosion of secularism in Turkey. The country has long been a beacon of the secular tradition, demonstrating how a country with a dominant religious majority can effectively conduct its politics without deference to religious principles. The conflict over the new education bill symbolises the broader concern that Turkey is on a slide from secularism, throwing its very foundations into question.

With its campaign to join the EU plagued by European concerns over Turkey’s Muslim identity, these new debates will weigh heavily on its prospects for membership. More fundamentally, this newest conflict may have placed Turkey on a slippery slope to a fully-fledged identity crisis.

Read more at the Associated Press.

Human Rights – The Syrian regime has apparently committed itself to a withdrawal of its troops and heavy weaponry from Syrian cities by April 10th. The announcement follows negotiations between the Assad government and the UN’s international envoy Kofi Annan, which resulted in the production of a six-point plan for peace in Syria.

While the Syrian regime has suggested that it is willing to commit itself to the UN’s plan, leaders are understandably skeptical. As U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice has stated, “we have seen commitments to end the violence followed by massive intensifications of violence…yet again, the proof is the actions, not in the words.” The hope is that the Assad regime will see through its pledge and open the door for political negotiations between the government and its opposition.

The recent surge of peace commitments made by the government makes further escalation unlikely, although not impossible. It does not, however, mean that the government is ready to relinquish its hold on power. Rather, Assad’s action must be read as an attempt to ensure his continued leadership over the country. The international focus is on stopping the violence in Syria without the need to commit itself to intervention; if peace can be achieved only through the acceptance of Assad’s continued reign, it seems likely that the international community will accept this price.

The question is one of priorities. With an urgent need to stop the violence, it is right that we should be looking for a quick road to peace. But if Assad uses pledges for peace as a means to retain power, the deaths of so many Syrians will have been in vain. The international community is motivated by a desire to escape intervention; let this not be at the expense of Syrian liberty.

Read more at the Associated Press.

Environment – General Motors Foundation (GM) has announced that it will be ending its support of the Heartland Institute, which is known for its skepticism toward global warming. GM has supported the thinktank for 20 years, and the move to cut ties with it has been cheered by groups such as Greenpeace.

GM’s move is seen as an effort to reconfigure the image of the company as it invests in environmentally-forward technologies and its hybrid, the Chevy Volt. GM’s support to Heartland was not particularly substantial ($15,000) but the removal not only signifies a commitment to the future by the company, but it is also another step toward the auto industry’s gradual realization that the world is changing around it, and that there is now greater accountability for who and what a company invests in.

“It is a further indication that the Heartland Institute’s misinformation about climate change is not something that corporations want to have anything to do with. It has become toxic,” said Kert Davies, head of research for Greenpeace U.S..

The Heartland Institute indicated that it regrets GM’s decision and in its response to Greenpeace’s comments, criticized the advocacy group and others like it, claiming they “[attack] scientists who question the theory of man-made global warming and corporations and foundations that are willing to fund open debate on this important public policy issue.” Ah the old the other side is against free speech and discussion argument.

Global warming denial is becoming increasingly uncool.

Read more at the Guardian.

LGBT Issues – Sudan, North Africa is a place where homosexuality is illegal and punishable by death. However, a new online LGBT magazine, Rainbow Sudan, is offering an outlet and hope to the LGBT community by giving them a way to read about and discuss their situations.

“Sudanese society considers homosexuality as a ‘phenomenon,’ not a reality. It is considered a sin and psychological behaviour which is sick, and this view is often shared by LGBT people themselves here,” said the magazine’s editor, Mohammad.

“We need to discuss what does it mean to us to be gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender in Sudan? We need to debate and discuss Islamic religious judgments and punishment, which threatens us. We can aim to educate about these issues and encourage dialogue,” he added.

For many members of the LGBT community in Sudan the internet is often their only option to talk about their lives, trials, and fears. Rainbow Sudan will give them an opportunity to learn about issues such as low self-esteem and social rejection that many deal with on a daily basis. Education will also play a key role in the magazine to give people the opportunity to learn about safer sex practices, something that is also taboo in Sudan.

All in all, the magazine will offer hope to many who cannot openly speak about their trials and tribulations for fear that they will be ostracized, jailed, or worse. It’s a big task but it is one that Mohammad says, “We will take it one step at a time.”

Read more at Pink News.

Social Issues – Today is World Autism Awareness Day, and it is not just about being “aware” that autism exists, it’s also about being aware of what has been done, what still needs to be done, and what you can do to help.

Autism is a lifelong disability that impacts “children, their families, communities, and societies,” all over the world. “Autism is not limited to a single region or a country, it is a worldwide challenge that requires global action,” said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “one in 88 U.S. children has an autism spectrum disorder,” which is an increase of nearly “25 percent since the last analysis in 2006 and a near-doubling of the rate reported in 2002.”

There is no known cure and “no known cause of autism” and because it is a “spectrum disorder,” “one person with the condition may have milder symptoms, while another person may have more serious symptoms.”

Many children are not usually screened for the condition until they reach age 4 1/2, though signs of the disorder can be seen in children as young as 14 months; according to the Associated Press, minority children are diagnosed approximately a year and a half later.

“Autism is a global public health crisis,” Bob Wright, co-founder of Autism Speaks, said in a statement. “We know that early diagnosis and treatment are critical, so it is imperative that the U.S. and governments around the world step up their commitment to helping people living with autism today. The investment we make now is essential to reducing the long-term costs of autism.”

It is abundantly clear that more funding and research is needed in this area, and there are ways you can help. You can start by learning the early signs of autism, after that, help raise awareness of the condition by joing a walk or a run, mail a letter with an Autism Awareness stamp, and sign a petition asking for the government to help raise awareness about the condition.

Sign the Petition Here.

Donate to Autism Speaks.

Learn the Signs. Act Early.

Read more here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Animal Rights – The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) recently released a new PSA campaign featuring Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback Michael Vick. Though this pairing seems unlikely, and has, of course, been met with skepticism on some fronts, many feel that Vick’s support is genuine and he has changed his dog-fighting ways.

Wayne Pacelle, president of HSUS, feels that, “There is a utility for the animal protection cause in having him out there speaking, especially in communities where we have not had a very strong voice.”

In one PSA Vick encourages people to “Make the Call” if they see animal cruelty, and in another he is seen telling a group of young children that “Pets have feelings, they have emotions, we gotta give them the same type of lifestyle that we wanna have.”

Regardless of the controversy surrounding the use of Vick, the message is a good one and Vick has vowed to help more animals than he has hurt. We can only hope that he has, indeed, had a change of heart.

Watch the PSAs below.

Read more at Ecorazzi.

Animal Issues – Reports of whales being entangled in fishing traps and lines are becoming more common, and sadly, if not freed, the beautiful mammals often die. One migrating gray whale in Southern California was saved from this fate after rescue workers freed it from debris wrapped around its tail this week.

The whale was found near Redondo Beach and the “disentanglement team would speed up, position its boat directly behind the whale, and then try to catch the tangle with a long rod with a blade on top.”

“As soon as he got the blade in and cut through it, the net and the drag from the buoy, everything popped off and the whale dove. Everybody cheered,” Kelli Lewis, education director of the Pacific Marine Mammal Center, said.

Unfortunately, this was not the only whale with tangled masses attached to its tail. Another gray whale was spotted last weekend and although rescuers were able to cut “mounds of gill nets off the tail,” sightings of a dead whale were reported and “rescue workers fear it may have been the weekend whale.”

“That’s something that happens with animals that get tangled in gear,” Lewis said. “Their movements and ability to see are so inhibited they get malnourished, and the netting chaffs their skin, and they get infections. By the time we find them, they have been suffering for some time. It’s not uncommon for them to die as a result of entanglement.”

Sometimes, however, they can survive as whales with “entanglement” scars have been found. Rescuers have high hopes for the most recent whale found as it was much “healthier in its behavior than the weekend whale.”

“The one over the weekend was more lethargic and was not using its tail to move through the water,” Lewis said. “Today’s was showing quick movements and using its body properly. It didn’t look too emaciated. We are hoping for the best on this one.”

Read more at the Associated Press.

Just Weird – There are abandoned houses, abandoned factories, abandoned churches . . . but an abandoned erotic art museum? Yup, despite the mantra that “sex sells,” it appears the Mansion of Hidden Treasure in the Kansai Region of Japan couldn’t sell tickets. According to a blog about abandoned structures in the region, the museum opened in the swinging 70s and closed in 1997.

Within the building lie phalluses and vaginas aplenty, neglected . . . and celibate in the dust. Though some of the “art” has since been vandalized and/or removed for “safe” keeping, some of the pieces that are too big and bulky to carry, remain.

There was no pornography found in the abandoned Japanese Sex Museum – only a couple of paintings (some of them in a special room with black light lamps), softcore photos (e.g. Playboy Centerfolds), a couple of mannequins as well as lots and lots of wooden and stone sculptures; dozens of them, to be accurate. Sculptures of penises, vaginas, combinations of both, couples in the act, buttocks, masturbating animals, priests, deities, demons and whatever you can imagine. In one room there was a forest scene with penis shaped mushrooms. Or mushroom shaped penises. Your guess is as good as mine. It was almost impossible to open your eyes without looking at a phallic symbol

The more Western depictions of erotic art have not held up so well. Plastic mannequins are missing limbs and clothing. While you may not be able to get to Japan to see the abandoned treasure trove of “naughty bits,” you can watch the video below that one urban explorer shot.

Pornography in Japan carries heavy fines and penalties, and yet there are national holidays celebrating the penis and the vagina. Go figure.

Read more at io9 and at the Japanese haikyo blog Abandoned Kansai.

WARNING: Video may be NSFW.

Social Issues – Despite the sustained efforts of those who benefit the most from steps forward, normally we only hear the occasional bit of news about the efforts and accomplishments of progressive Muslims seeking to reform and modernize the faith’s image and its treatment of women and homosexuals. One group is seeking to make these kinds of changes across the country; Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV) has launched gay-friendly and women led mosques, in an attempt to reform American Islam.

Ani Zonneveld, the president of MPV, explained how his group’s progressiveness was for the betterment of the religion itself: “We can’t move forward as a society, as a faith system, if we subscribe to these old draconian ways of practicing Islam.” The same, certainly, could be said for most any religion that more often chooses to control rather than to free.

According to Jaweed Kaleem at the Huffington Post, MPV sets itself apart from the mainstream of the faith in a number of ways, but two are especially clear: female and gay imams, in addition to co-sex prayer. The stance many progressive Muslims take is that there is no clear argument against gay or female imams.

“We are gender equal, queer-friendly and religiously nondiscriminatory,” Zonneveld declared. “In other words, all are welcome.”

To read much more about how this group challenges trends, visit the Huffington Post.

Social Issues – When it comes to age old question about which came first, the chicken or the egg, the answer is always arguable. According to Personhood USA this question now needs to also be asked amongst humans and fertilized eggs.

In Oklahoma, a ballot initiative has been filed with the Oklahoma secretary of state which would put a constitutional amendment on ballots in November addressing the issue. According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) the imitative would “redefine a ‘person’ to exist from the moment of ‘fusion of a female egg with a human male sperm to form a new cell.’”

Oklahoma Attorney General E. Scott Pruitt explained that the measure would prohibit abortion, contraceptive methods like birth control, and medical treatments disposing of fertilized eggs such as in vitro fertilization.

In laymen’s terms. this proposal would essentially ban IVF and birth control. It would also force women to carry to term their pregnancies which may include ectopic pregnancy and pregnancy due to rape or incest. Oh and you’d also have to carry to term a baby with fetal anomalies that could harm the mother or unborn child, even if there is a chance of a miscarriage. In essence what they’re telling women in Oklahoma is “congratulations you’re having a baby whether you like it or not, even if your life is in danger!”

Sadly, Oklahoma is not the first state to introduce such a preposterous proposal; a round of idiotic applause can also be given to Colorado, Arkansas, Oregon, Montana, Ohio, Kansas, and Nevada.

The ACLU and the ACLU of Oklahoma, along with the Center for Reproductive Rights, have already taken steps challenge the ballot initiative in the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

To read more visit the ACLU.

LGBT Issues – Chile – Following the murder of Daniel Zamudio, who was beaten and tortured by a group of neo-Nazis because of his sexual orientation, the UN is urging Chile to pass stricter hate crime laws.

In addition to calling for new anti-discrimination laws in the South American country, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Rupert Colville, has said that “Chilean lawmakers should make violence based on sexual orientation or gender identity ‘an aggravating factor’ in prosecutions.”

Although Chile passed an anti-discrimination law in November of 2011 that included “measures against discrimination of sexual orientation and gender identity,” the clause specifically dealing with sexual diversity, (Article 2), was revoked in January of 2012 by the “Constitutional Tribunal.” Understandably, many are now calling for the law to be fully reinstated.

Zamudio, a 24-year-old clothing store salesman, was “viciously beaten and had swastikas carved into his chest in Chile’s capital city, Santiago on 3 March.” After spending more than three weeks in a coma, Zamudio lost the battle this past week and was pronounced dead on Tuesday, March 27.

Four of Zamudio’s attackers, “some of whom already have criminal records for attacks on gays,” have been arrested for attempted murder. The prosecutor in the case, Ernesto Vazquez, indicated that the “attack was clearly motivated by homophobia,” and has called for the “charges to be upped to premeditated murder.”

Read more at Gay Star News.