Saturday, August 30, 2008
eye of the hurricane
if you have the weather layer turned on in google earth you can see the eye of the hurricane and watch it as it changes course, increases in intensity.
child soldiers and the LRA
this is from an email from a friend who is in africa (uganda and rwanda) with world vision. she is visiting some of the kids she and her friends sponsor. i saw her huge heart for kids when i met her in el salvador in february.
"today our group had the privilege and unique opportunity to hear from several children were abducted by the LRA and forced to be child soldiers - it was a powerful experience! - the young man who spoke to us painted a vivid picture of what he had gone through and it was easily apparent that both the physical and emotional scars were still visible - it was easy to see scars from old wounds on his body and when he spoke to us he looked away and his eyes were almost closed - a girl also spoke about her experiences and luckily (that word seems inappropriate) she was only 9 at the time so she had not been sexually abused - it was my feeling that the other girls were not so lucky - eventually these kids were a few of the lucky ones and made their way back to their families - they spoke of how WV provided counselling and safety for them - they would be fine during the day but to lessen their fears at night they would gather in a safe haven provided by WV - they continue to receive counselling and school support by WV - when asked what message they wanted us to bring back to canada it was simple .....
THE WORLD NEEDS TO LOVE EACH OTHER AND UNITE IN PEACE
when asked if there was one thing that they could say to Koney (leader of the LRA) what would it be? .....
THAT THEY FORGIVE HIM AND THAT HE NEEDS TO COME BACK HOME TO LIVE IN PEACE
this is a powerful message and if a bunch of young adults can feel this in their hearts then maybe the rest of us could learn a lesson from them"
"today our group had the privilege and unique opportunity to hear from several children were abducted by the LRA and forced to be child soldiers - it was a powerful experience! - the young man who spoke to us painted a vivid picture of what he had gone through and it was easily apparent that both the physical and emotional scars were still visible - it was easy to see scars from old wounds on his body and when he spoke to us he looked away and his eyes were almost closed - a girl also spoke about her experiences and luckily (that word seems inappropriate) she was only 9 at the time so she had not been sexually abused - it was my feeling that the other girls were not so lucky - eventually these kids were a few of the lucky ones and made their way back to their families - they spoke of how WV provided counselling and safety for them - they would be fine during the day but to lessen their fears at night they would gather in a safe haven provided by WV - they continue to receive counselling and school support by WV - when asked what message they wanted us to bring back to canada it was simple .....
THE WORLD NEEDS TO LOVE EACH OTHER AND UNITE IN PEACE
when asked if there was one thing that they could say to Koney (leader of the LRA) what would it be? .....
THAT THEY FORGIVE HIM AND THAT HE NEEDS TO COME BACK HOME TO LIVE IN PEACE
this is a powerful message and if a bunch of young adults can feel this in their hearts then maybe the rest of us could learn a lesson from them"
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
please make your voice heard - stop pornography
Write the CRTC, the Prime Minister, your Member of Parliament, the Minister of Canadian Heritage Josee Verner, your cable or satellite tv provider. Don't let Northern Peaks create a pornography industry in Canada. If enough people write letters voicing their concerns hopefully they won't get a contract and the license will expire.
Teri, thank you for copying me on your email to the Minister. I must tell you that I am also disturbed by this decision. As you probably know, the CRTC acts at arms length from our government, and the Minister typically would be loathe to interfere in the decisions of an independent regulatory body except in the most extraordinary circumstances. I am quite certain that our Minister had no involvement in the decision to grant a license for a porn channel in Canada, but I certainly understand those who state that ultimate responsibility still rests with the government. I will certainly pass your concerns (and my own) to my colleagues in Ottawa.
Teri, thank you for copying me on your email to the Minister. I must tell you that I am also disturbed by this decision. As you probably know, the CRTC acts at arms length from our government, and the Minister typically would be loathe to interfere in the decisions of an independent regulatory body except in the most extraordinary circumstances. I am quite certain that our Minister had no involvement in the decision to grant a license for a porn channel in Canada, but I certainly understand those who state that ultimate responsibility still rests with the government. I will certainly pass your concerns (and my own) to my colleagues in Ottawa.
child porn
pornography - where does it all lead? do you want your children viewing porn magazines or on-line websites? what would have happened to this little 12 year old girl if her mother hadn't been concerned about the time she was spending on-line? would she have been lured into child pornography as a participant?
Former B.C. prosecutor on trial for child porn
Louise Dickson, Victoria Times Colonist
Published: Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Former Victoria prosecutor Roger Denley apologized when his children found pornography on the family computer in 2003, Denley's former wife Dr. Ellen Skinnerland testified in B.C. Supreme Court yesterday.
"I confronted Roger, and he said he was sorry," Skinnerland told Justice Jon Sigurdson. "I asked him to account for what he was doing with pornographic pictures of young girls. He said he wouldn't do it anymore. We left it there."
Denley, who worked as a youth prosecutor, is charged with possession of child pornography and accessing child pornography. He sat calmly in the courthouse, taking notes as the evidence was presented. He appeared to have no contact with his family.
After the couple separated in August 2004, Skinnerland became concerned her youngest daughter, Julia, was spending too much time on the computer. When Skinnerland's sister checked the computer's history, she found the young girl, then 12, had set up a personal website with sexually explicit conversations.
On the advice of her daughter's counsellor, Skinnerland took copies of the website to Victoria police forensic computer expert Const. Paul Brookes, for advice. The meeting was also attended by Francis Graf, president and chief executive officer of Forensic Date Recovery Inc.
In September 2004, Skinnerland brought the family computer to Graf and paid him $2,500 to copy and analyze the hard drive.
Graf told Skinnerland much material had been deleted.
"There were 160,000 images, and he told me he saw some pre-pubescent girls. He said he could show me a few pictures," she said.
Graf, as he is required to, brought the matter to the attention of Victoria police.
Skinnerland also testified that earlier, before the separation, she had found pornographic magazines with names like Barely Legal and College Girls. Although Denley told her he destroyed the magazines, she found others, she told the court.
Defence lawyer Stephen Kelliher asked Skinnerland if she recalled Denley trying to show her "that once you get into the website, it's unpredictable what pops up?"
Skinnerland said she couldn't remember.
ldickson@tc.canwest.com
Former B.C. prosecutor on trial for child porn
Louise Dickson, Victoria Times Colonist
Published: Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Former Victoria prosecutor Roger Denley apologized when his children found pornography on the family computer in 2003, Denley's former wife Dr. Ellen Skinnerland testified in B.C. Supreme Court yesterday.
"I confronted Roger, and he said he was sorry," Skinnerland told Justice Jon Sigurdson. "I asked him to account for what he was doing with pornographic pictures of young girls. He said he wouldn't do it anymore. We left it there."
Denley, who worked as a youth prosecutor, is charged with possession of child pornography and accessing child pornography. He sat calmly in the courthouse, taking notes as the evidence was presented. He appeared to have no contact with his family.
After the couple separated in August 2004, Skinnerland became concerned her youngest daughter, Julia, was spending too much time on the computer. When Skinnerland's sister checked the computer's history, she found the young girl, then 12, had set up a personal website with sexually explicit conversations.
On the advice of her daughter's counsellor, Skinnerland took copies of the website to Victoria police forensic computer expert Const. Paul Brookes, for advice. The meeting was also attended by Francis Graf, president and chief executive officer of Forensic Date Recovery Inc.
In September 2004, Skinnerland brought the family computer to Graf and paid him $2,500 to copy and analyze the hard drive.
Graf told Skinnerland much material had been deleted.
"There were 160,000 images, and he told me he saw some pre-pubescent girls. He said he could show me a few pictures," she said.
Graf, as he is required to, brought the matter to the attention of Victoria police.
Skinnerland also testified that earlier, before the separation, she had found pornographic magazines with names like Barely Legal and College Girls. Although Denley told her he destroyed the magazines, she found others, she told the court.
Defence lawyer Stephen Kelliher asked Skinnerland if she recalled Denley trying to show her "that once you get into the website, it's unpredictable what pops up?"
Skinnerland said she couldn't remember.
ldickson@tc.canwest.com
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
CRTC
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) is an independent agency responsible for regulating Canada's broadcasting and telecommunications systems. They report to Parliament through the Minister of Canadian Heritage
The Minister of Canadian Heritage is also the Minister for the Status of Women. Unbelievably this minister that is head of the CRTC that approved the license to Northern Peaks, the new pornographic channel, is a woman. I am outraged and dumbfounded.
What does she think the Status of Women is that she would allow this application to be approved?
What kind of message does she think this sends to the women and girls of Canada. Does she think that it's ok to show this violence, degradation and indignities perpetrated against women on tv? We should be fighting against it not condoning it.
An animal is treated with more dignity than a woman or girl in a pornographic movie.
Please write to the following and voice your opposition to this obscenity.
CRTC
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada, K1A 0N2
By fax:
819-994-0218
_____
Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women
The Honourable Josée Verner (what is honourable about approving pornography?)
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
_____
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa
K1A 0A2
Fax: 613-941-6900
_____
Your local Member of Parliament.
Your local cable or satellite provider.
Would you want your daughters to watch pornography or worse yet to be drugged or seduced into it as a participant?
What kind of message is this sending to your sons, that it's ok to abuse and debase women?
The Minister of Canadian Heritage is also the Minister for the Status of Women. Unbelievably this minister that is head of the CRTC that approved the license to Northern Peaks, the new pornographic channel, is a woman. I am outraged and dumbfounded.
What does she think the Status of Women is that she would allow this application to be approved?
What kind of message does she think this sends to the women and girls of Canada. Does she think that it's ok to show this violence, degradation and indignities perpetrated against women on tv? We should be fighting against it not condoning it.
An animal is treated with more dignity than a woman or girl in a pornographic movie.
Please write to the following and voice your opposition to this obscenity.
CRTC
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada, K1A 0N2
By fax:
819-994-0218
_____
Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women
The Honourable Josée Verner (what is honourable about approving pornography?)
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
_____
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa
K1A 0A2
Fax: 613-941-6900
_____
Your local Member of Parliament.
Your local cable or satellite provider.
Would you want your daughters to watch pornography or worse yet to be drugged or seduced into it as a participant?
What kind of message is this sending to your sons, that it's ok to abuse and debase women?
porn channel an abomination
i read this on-line today and sent it to everyone in my email address book. i hope each one of them will send it to everyone in their address book and so on and that everyone will write to the crtc voicing their objections. i hope that everyone will also write to their cable or satellite provider so that with enough objections the cable and satellite providers will not add the channel to its service list so they will not get a contract and the licence will expire.
Porn Channel an Abomination
Fred Henry, For The Calgary Herald
Published: Tuesday, August 26, 2008
The CRTC approved a Canadian pay-television pornography channel called Northern Peaks last week on the basis that 50 per cent of its pornographic content would be produced in Canada, which in turn, will also lead to the creation of a pornography industry in Canada.
In justifying its decision, the CRTC argues that it never takes a moral perspective on the contents of the applications it reviews. This explanation is not only ludicrous in itself but simply not credible because the CRTC has been noticeably reluctant over the years to license religious broadcasting.
Without question, pornography has a devastating impact upon all of society, especially women and young children. Pornography teaches that women enjoy "forced" or perverse sexual activity; advocates prostitution, exhibitionism and voyeurism as normal behaviour; and regards women as sex objects to be used for one's self-gratification.
For some men, the regular use of pornography normalizes aggression toward women in sexual and other interpersonal encounters, and increases the tolerance for such aggression against women in the larger culture.
Sadly, the greatest impact may be on the young, especially males 12 through 17 years of age, because pornography portrays sexual activity outside of marriage as acceptable without the dire consequences of AIDS or other venereal diseases, and without the responsibility toward conceiving a human life.
These assertions are supported by criminal evidence. A proven direct correlation exists between crimes of rape, child abuse, and the physical abuse of a spouse, and the proliferation of pornographic materials and the presence of live porn and sexually oriented businesses in a community.
Pornography is not simply linked to a "one time, one action" phenomenon, but may become like a spiritual cancer that corrupts the person.
Dr. Victor Cline has posited four progressive effects of pornography:
(1) addiction, where the need to view pornographic materials leads to a loss of free control over behaviour;
(2) escalation, where the person delves into progressively harder pornography, usually to attain the same level of sensation and arousal;
(3) desensitization, whereby the user is no longer morally sensitive to the shocking, illegal, repulsive, perverted or immoral quality of the material, but instead views it as acceptable and begins to look upon others as objects; and
(4) acting out, where the fantasizing becomes overt behaviour.
Additionally from a moral point of view, there are three reasons why pornography is wrong and sinful behaviour for individuals.
First, pornography offends the dignity of the participants (actors, vendors, the public). Each one is exploited himself or exploits others in some way for personal pleasure or gain. In all cases, the dignity of the human being -- whether the person posing, the person producing, the person distributing, or the person enjoying -- is debased.
Second, those who engage in pornography immerse themselves in a fantasy world, withdrawing from reality. While genuine love always involves a self-giving of oneself for the good of others, pornography entices a person to withdraw into a selfish world of perverted fantasy which may later be acted out to the detriment of oneself and others. This problem has increased dramatically, since the Internet offers "virtual reality" sexual interaction.
Third, pornography offends against the virtue of chastity and constitutes an assault on marriage. Each of us must respect the sanctity of our own human sexuality, which involves the integration of his physical and spiritual being. Furthermore, conjugal love which reflects the union of husband and wife, and the enactment of their vows is sacred. The conjugal act ought to express that faithful, permanent, exclusive, self-giving and life-giving love between husband and wife.
Economic values that are important today must include the enhancement of people, not their exploitation and debasement.
In making its decision on Northern Peaks, the CRTC specified that the channel would only be given its formal licence if at least one cable or satellite provider agrees to add the channel to its service list. The channel has three years to obtain such a contract or else the licence will expire.
Consider writing to your own cable provider (name and address available on your monthly bill) and advise it that if it includes this pornographic channel on its service list, you will immediately switch providers. If the cable provider believes that doing so will harm business -- the company will refuse the pornography channel.
In addition, write to the CRTC, Ottawa, Ont. K1A 0N2, Fax: 819-994-0218, raising your objections to its approval of this channel -- Canadian content or not.
Fred Henry is the Catholic bishop of Calgary.
Keep the porn channel out of Canada
The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Re: Stop porn channel, family group says, Aug. 22.
I think Charles McVety of the Canada Family Action Coalition is right: Canadian content is no compensation for an increase in pornography.
When I read your news article on the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission's (CRTC) decision to licence a pornography channel, my first thought was "What good are they?" (The CRTC, that is).
I object to having my tax dollars run an organization that is either unable or unwilling to protect Canadian women from continued sexual degradation, objectification, and exploitation.
Maybe it's time to get rid of both of them, the CRTC and the pornographers.
Peggy Lynn Kelly, Nepean
© The Ottawa Citizen 2008
Porn Channel an Abomination
Fred Henry, For The Calgary Herald
Published: Tuesday, August 26, 2008
The CRTC approved a Canadian pay-television pornography channel called Northern Peaks last week on the basis that 50 per cent of its pornographic content would be produced in Canada, which in turn, will also lead to the creation of a pornography industry in Canada.
In justifying its decision, the CRTC argues that it never takes a moral perspective on the contents of the applications it reviews. This explanation is not only ludicrous in itself but simply not credible because the CRTC has been noticeably reluctant over the years to license religious broadcasting.
Without question, pornography has a devastating impact upon all of society, especially women and young children. Pornography teaches that women enjoy "forced" or perverse sexual activity; advocates prostitution, exhibitionism and voyeurism as normal behaviour; and regards women as sex objects to be used for one's self-gratification.
For some men, the regular use of pornography normalizes aggression toward women in sexual and other interpersonal encounters, and increases the tolerance for such aggression against women in the larger culture.
Sadly, the greatest impact may be on the young, especially males 12 through 17 years of age, because pornography portrays sexual activity outside of marriage as acceptable without the dire consequences of AIDS or other venereal diseases, and without the responsibility toward conceiving a human life.
These assertions are supported by criminal evidence. A proven direct correlation exists between crimes of rape, child abuse, and the physical abuse of a spouse, and the proliferation of pornographic materials and the presence of live porn and sexually oriented businesses in a community.
Pornography is not simply linked to a "one time, one action" phenomenon, but may become like a spiritual cancer that corrupts the person.
Dr. Victor Cline has posited four progressive effects of pornography:
(1) addiction, where the need to view pornographic materials leads to a loss of free control over behaviour;
(2) escalation, where the person delves into progressively harder pornography, usually to attain the same level of sensation and arousal;
(3) desensitization, whereby the user is no longer morally sensitive to the shocking, illegal, repulsive, perverted or immoral quality of the material, but instead views it as acceptable and begins to look upon others as objects; and
(4) acting out, where the fantasizing becomes overt behaviour.
Additionally from a moral point of view, there are three reasons why pornography is wrong and sinful behaviour for individuals.
First, pornography offends the dignity of the participants (actors, vendors, the public). Each one is exploited himself or exploits others in some way for personal pleasure or gain. In all cases, the dignity of the human being -- whether the person posing, the person producing, the person distributing, or the person enjoying -- is debased.
Second, those who engage in pornography immerse themselves in a fantasy world, withdrawing from reality. While genuine love always involves a self-giving of oneself for the good of others, pornography entices a person to withdraw into a selfish world of perverted fantasy which may later be acted out to the detriment of oneself and others. This problem has increased dramatically, since the Internet offers "virtual reality" sexual interaction.
Third, pornography offends against the virtue of chastity and constitutes an assault on marriage. Each of us must respect the sanctity of our own human sexuality, which involves the integration of his physical and spiritual being. Furthermore, conjugal love which reflects the union of husband and wife, and the enactment of their vows is sacred. The conjugal act ought to express that faithful, permanent, exclusive, self-giving and life-giving love between husband and wife.
Economic values that are important today must include the enhancement of people, not their exploitation and debasement.
In making its decision on Northern Peaks, the CRTC specified that the channel would only be given its formal licence if at least one cable or satellite provider agrees to add the channel to its service list. The channel has three years to obtain such a contract or else the licence will expire.
Consider writing to your own cable provider (name and address available on your monthly bill) and advise it that if it includes this pornographic channel on its service list, you will immediately switch providers. If the cable provider believes that doing so will harm business -- the company will refuse the pornography channel.
In addition, write to the CRTC, Ottawa, Ont. K1A 0N2, Fax: 819-994-0218, raising your objections to its approval of this channel -- Canadian content or not.
Fred Henry is the Catholic bishop of Calgary.
Keep the porn channel out of Canada
The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Re: Stop porn channel, family group says, Aug. 22.
I think Charles McVety of the Canada Family Action Coalition is right: Canadian content is no compensation for an increase in pornography.
When I read your news article on the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission's (CRTC) decision to licence a pornography channel, my first thought was "What good are they?" (The CRTC, that is).
I object to having my tax dollars run an organization that is either unable or unwilling to protect Canadian women from continued sexual degradation, objectification, and exploitation.
Maybe it's time to get rid of both of them, the CRTC and the pornographers.
Peggy Lynn Kelly, Nepean
© The Ottawa Citizen 2008
Saturday, August 09, 2008
outrageous wage increases in bc
the following is taken from the vancouver sun august 9th. i couldn't believe it when i read it.
"On Friday the government gave retroactive raises to deputy and assistant deputy ministers ranging from 22 per cent to 43 per cent, depending upon position. For Campbell's deputy minister, Jessica McDonald, her salary will rise to $348,600 from $243,936.
The increase comes less than two years after the government gave its other political staff, including those appointed by Cabinet, raises of 25 per cent." not mentioned was the 53% increase gordon campbell gave himself.
the same government's website says "The First Job/entry level minimum wage rate is $6 per hour. This only applies to employees with no paid work experience before Nov. 15, 2001. After they have worked for a total of 500 hours with one or more employers, these employees are entitled to the regular minimum wage rate."
the minimum wage rate being $8.00/hour which has not been increased in 7 years.
i am outraged. i'm sure none of these fat cat bureaucrats have ever felt the humiliation of standing in line at the food bank because you live at or below the poverty line and can't afford to feed yourself or your family on the minimum wage income.
make poverty history - well that's sure not happening in this province. the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer.
when i worked people voted to go on strike to get a 2 or 3% wage increase.
don't wait til next year - call the election now and get rid of them.
"On Friday the government gave retroactive raises to deputy and assistant deputy ministers ranging from 22 per cent to 43 per cent, depending upon position. For Campbell's deputy minister, Jessica McDonald, her salary will rise to $348,600 from $243,936.
The increase comes less than two years after the government gave its other political staff, including those appointed by Cabinet, raises of 25 per cent." not mentioned was the 53% increase gordon campbell gave himself.
the same government's website says "The First Job/entry level minimum wage rate is $6 per hour. This only applies to employees with no paid work experience before Nov. 15, 2001. After they have worked for a total of 500 hours with one or more employers, these employees are entitled to the regular minimum wage rate."
the minimum wage rate being $8.00/hour which has not been increased in 7 years.
i am outraged. i'm sure none of these fat cat bureaucrats have ever felt the humiliation of standing in line at the food bank because you live at or below the poverty line and can't afford to feed yourself or your family on the minimum wage income.
make poverty history - well that's sure not happening in this province. the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer.
when i worked people voted to go on strike to get a 2 or 3% wage increase.
don't wait til next year - call the election now and get rid of them.
Sunday, August 03, 2008
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