November 29,2011
written by: Sheila Quinn
Source: A New Era
It upsets me when I see good websites on the internet publish articles that support tyrants. A few such websites include: "Intifada Palestine", "Global Research" and "Prison Planet".
Today I read an article which promotes the lies of a tyrant known as Assad. It is the purpose of "Intifada Palestine" to have articles about Palestine. Such articles are excellent. But several times this website has published articles that are nothing more than pro-Assad propaganda. It has described itself as being a website that is about Palestine-yet it publishes articles which has nothing to do with Palestine. The editors of this website are acting contrary to its purpose.
There are a number of different street gangs in the city known as "Earth". The global oligarchy is one of the gangs. Pro Qaddafi people are another gang. Those who are pro-Assad are yet another gang. Why did the global oligarchy get involved in Libya? Well, one of the obvious reasons is because their agenda and Qaddafi's agenda clashed. The global oligarchy's agenda is to rule all of humanity. Qaddafi's agenda was to be emperor of Africa. The agendas of these two gangs clashed, so the global oligarchy went after Qaddafi.
As far as Assad is concerned both he and his father have been terrorizing the people of Syria for decades. Both the Assad gang and the Qaddafi gang are terrorists who have been terrorizing the people of their countries for decades. Both gangs have treated popular dissent the same way- through brutal oppression of the people. When demonstrators come out to the streets they are shot at and murdered by police and military personnel. Both gangs have been some what successful in promoting themselves as Pro-Palestinian activists. They are using the Palestinian issue to promote themselves.
It angers me that some anti-oligarchy groups are so ignorant about what is going on that they support tyrants who are massacring civilians -just because the global oligarchy is being hostile towards such tyrants. The public in general should be aware of the global oligarchy, but they also should be aware that there are others-other than the global oligarchy- who are involved in tyranny.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Canadian activist says he was Tasered by Israeli forces
By Wendy Gillis Staff Reporter
Canadian activist says he was Tasered by Israeli forces
http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1082227--canadian-activist-says-he-was-tasered-by-israeli-forces
Wendy Gillis Staff Reporter
The family of David Heap is “outraged” after the London, Ont. man claimed Sunday he was Tasered and roughed up by Israeli forces that had seized a vessel bound for Gaza.
The 45-year-old was aboard the Tahrir, a Canadian owned vessel, when it was seized along with an Irish ship as both attempted to carry medical aid to Gaza.
Israeli officials said the ships were intercepted peacefully — but Heap said in a statement released by the group “Canadian Boat to Gaza” that he was brutally taken off the ship.
Calling the seizure an “assault,” Heap said he is now bruised and limping after being forcibly removed from the boat, but is “basically ok.”
Danny Heap said the family is outraged, adding his brother’s teenaged sons were “scared and worried.”
“It seems that, since all the people on the Tahrir had sworn to be non-violent, that the Israeli army was just brutal,” he said. “It’s pretty shocking … when what was on the boat turned out to be medical aid for Gaza.”
Israeli officials were not immediately available to respond to Heap's claims. Officials from the country have said the navy took action only after repeatedly ordering the vessels to turn around.
A spokesman for Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird issued a statement Saturday that Canadian diplomats were “liaising with Israeli authorities” to provide consular assistance. There was no reaction from Canadian officials to Heap’s claims of being roughed up by press time Sunday night.
Heap, two other Canadians, and about 20 other activists were arrested by Israel, which has indicated it intends to deport them this week. Danny Heap said his brother will demand he be deported to Gaza.
Heap’s partner spoke with him briefly Sunday morning. Heap told her he has received a visit from a lawyer and from a Canadian consulate official but he is not allowed to speak with others who were arrested Friday.
David and Danny Heap are both sons of Dan Heap, a renowned Toronto activist and retired politician who has been in the news recently as he and his wife struggled to find a spot in a long-term care home.
Shortly before David was born, the senior Heap was protesting discrimination against blacks in Selma, Alabama, alongside Martin Luther King — something Danny said had inspired David.
“He feels like he’s doing the same thing, many years later.”
One of the other Canadians detained, Montrealer Ehab Lotayef, was imprisoned with Heap, his statement suggested. The third Canadian, Karen DeVito, was apparently held separately.
With files from The Canadian Press
Canadian activist says he was Tasered by Israeli forces
http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1082227--canadian-activist-says-he-was-tasered-by-israeli-forces
Wendy Gillis Staff Reporter
The family of David Heap is “outraged” after the London, Ont. man claimed Sunday he was Tasered and roughed up by Israeli forces that had seized a vessel bound for Gaza.
The 45-year-old was aboard the Tahrir, a Canadian owned vessel, when it was seized along with an Irish ship as both attempted to carry medical aid to Gaza.
Israeli officials said the ships were intercepted peacefully — but Heap said in a statement released by the group “Canadian Boat to Gaza” that he was brutally taken off the ship.
Calling the seizure an “assault,” Heap said he is now bruised and limping after being forcibly removed from the boat, but is “basically ok.”
Danny Heap said the family is outraged, adding his brother’s teenaged sons were “scared and worried.”
“It seems that, since all the people on the Tahrir had sworn to be non-violent, that the Israeli army was just brutal,” he said. “It’s pretty shocking … when what was on the boat turned out to be medical aid for Gaza.”
Israeli officials were not immediately available to respond to Heap's claims. Officials from the country have said the navy took action only after repeatedly ordering the vessels to turn around.
A spokesman for Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird issued a statement Saturday that Canadian diplomats were “liaising with Israeli authorities” to provide consular assistance. There was no reaction from Canadian officials to Heap’s claims of being roughed up by press time Sunday night.
Heap, two other Canadians, and about 20 other activists were arrested by Israel, which has indicated it intends to deport them this week. Danny Heap said his brother will demand he be deported to Gaza.
Heap’s partner spoke with him briefly Sunday morning. Heap told her he has received a visit from a lawyer and from a Canadian consulate official but he is not allowed to speak with others who were arrested Friday.
David and Danny Heap are both sons of Dan Heap, a renowned Toronto activist and retired politician who has been in the news recently as he and his wife struggled to find a spot in a long-term care home.
Shortly before David was born, the senior Heap was protesting discrimination against blacks in Selma, Alabama, alongside Martin Luther King — something Danny said had inspired David.
“He feels like he’s doing the same thing, many years later.”
One of the other Canadians detained, Montrealer Ehab Lotayef, was imprisoned with Heap, his statement suggested. The third Canadian, Karen DeVito, was apparently held separately.
With files from The Canadian Press
Freedom Wave riders beaten, denied access to family; organizers demand accountability
November 5, 2011
Source:Canadian Boat to Gaza
Freedom Wave riders beaten, denied access to family; organizers demand accountability
Freedom Waves to Gaza organizers have not yet had any direct communication with the delegates from the ships Tahrir and Saoirse. Organizers are demanding that Israel immediately free the remaining people they have kidnapped and are illegally detaining; that they be able to speak with their families; that they receive immediate medical attention for all injuries inflicted by the Israeli military and that they are not harmed further.
“We have heard indirectly from our governments' ministries of foreign affairs (in Canada and Ireland), but that is simply not good enough. We want to speak with our people directly,” says Wendy Goldsmith, organizer with the Canadian Boat to Gaza. “Why will our governments not demand the delegates be able to speak to their families? We do not trust the Canadian government on this - as they have shown time and time again that they are complicit in Israel's violations of international law and gross human rights abuses.”
The last direct contact that organizers had with any delegate on either boat is this text message, from Trevor Hogan (from aboard the Irish boat Saoirse) at 10:08 PM Nov 3, 2011 Palestinian time: “Kidnapped, being held against our will by Israeli Army in international waters. Boat nearly destroyed. Need government to press for immediate release.” Trevor then called girlfriend moments later and said, “Did you get the text? Send it out.” Then the phone line went dead.
Palestinian Israeli Majd Kayal, delegate aboard the captured Canada Boat to Gaza and recently released from Givon Prison, confirms the IDF’s “peaceful” take-over of the Tahrir was anything but peaceful. An IDF video clearly shows the Israeli military firing a water cannon at the Tahrir on rough seas, endangering the lives of those aboard. Delegates offering non-violent resistance to the takeover of the civilian ship in international waters were threatened and then beaten by soldiers. One delegate, 45-year-old David Heap, professor at the University of Western Ontario, was particularly badly beaten. Israeli prison authorities are continuing to prevent Heap’s family from contacting him by phone.
“As a Palestinian, I was not surprised at how the IDF treated us,” said Kayal, after his release, noting this kind of abuse is a daily reality for the 1.5 million people of Gaza, who are indefinitely detained in an open-air prison. “However, for the Canadians and other Westerners onboard, it was a complete shock.”
As of now, family members are still being prevented from having telephone contact with their loved ones. Lawyers were able to visit briefly with some of the delegates being held at Givon Prison in Israel. But for family members, it is the not knowing that is the hardest. Said the wife of one of the delegates, “We just don’t understand why Israeli officials are acting as they are. My husband’s youngest is putting a brave face on it, but I know that he is very upset and worried about how his father is doing.”
“I am sorry to hear about those that were roughed up which of course is always the way when it comes to the Israeli sentiment towards any human being,” said Kathleen Newton, mother of Jihan Hafiz, a Democracy Now journalist still being illegally held by Israel after her abduction from the Tahrir. “I stand proud to be the mother of a daughter that wanted to stand up and make a difference in this otherwise very unfair world.”
Family members who have been able to speak with Canadian Consular staff have been told that several delegates showed varying degrees of visible bruising when Canadian Officials visited them. Nevertheless, Consular staff said they felt that everyone was “O.K.”
Canadians are urged to contact Foreign Affairs Emergency Hot line in Ottawa at 1-800-387-3124 .
The UN Human Rights Council Inquiry Report of September 2010 concluded that the blockade is illegal and Israeli policies in Gaza are a form of collective punishment. There is no legal justification for stopping or in any way impeding the passage of the totally peaceful Freedom Waves boats from the international solidarity movement with Palestinian people.
This situation is developing. For updates, stay tuned to: Twitter (@CanadaBoatGaza and #freedomwaves), Facebook.com/CanadaBoatGaza, tahrir.ca, ustogaza.org, freegazaoz.org , and irishshiptogaza.org.
Source:Canadian Boat to Gaza
Freedom Wave riders beaten, denied access to family; organizers demand accountability
Freedom Waves to Gaza organizers have not yet had any direct communication with the delegates from the ships Tahrir and Saoirse. Organizers are demanding that Israel immediately free the remaining people they have kidnapped and are illegally detaining; that they be able to speak with their families; that they receive immediate medical attention for all injuries inflicted by the Israeli military and that they are not harmed further.
“We have heard indirectly from our governments' ministries of foreign affairs (in Canada and Ireland), but that is simply not good enough. We want to speak with our people directly,” says Wendy Goldsmith, organizer with the Canadian Boat to Gaza. “Why will our governments not demand the delegates be able to speak to their families? We do not trust the Canadian government on this - as they have shown time and time again that they are complicit in Israel's violations of international law and gross human rights abuses.”
The last direct contact that organizers had with any delegate on either boat is this text message, from Trevor Hogan (from aboard the Irish boat Saoirse) at 10:08 PM Nov 3, 2011 Palestinian time: “Kidnapped, being held against our will by Israeli Army in international waters. Boat nearly destroyed. Need government to press for immediate release.” Trevor then called girlfriend moments later and said, “Did you get the text? Send it out.” Then the phone line went dead.
Palestinian Israeli Majd Kayal, delegate aboard the captured Canada Boat to Gaza and recently released from Givon Prison, confirms the IDF’s “peaceful” take-over of the Tahrir was anything but peaceful. An IDF video clearly shows the Israeli military firing a water cannon at the Tahrir on rough seas, endangering the lives of those aboard. Delegates offering non-violent resistance to the takeover of the civilian ship in international waters were threatened and then beaten by soldiers. One delegate, 45-year-old David Heap, professor at the University of Western Ontario, was particularly badly beaten. Israeli prison authorities are continuing to prevent Heap’s family from contacting him by phone.
“As a Palestinian, I was not surprised at how the IDF treated us,” said Kayal, after his release, noting this kind of abuse is a daily reality for the 1.5 million people of Gaza, who are indefinitely detained in an open-air prison. “However, for the Canadians and other Westerners onboard, it was a complete shock.”
As of now, family members are still being prevented from having telephone contact with their loved ones. Lawyers were able to visit briefly with some of the delegates being held at Givon Prison in Israel. But for family members, it is the not knowing that is the hardest. Said the wife of one of the delegates, “We just don’t understand why Israeli officials are acting as they are. My husband’s youngest is putting a brave face on it, but I know that he is very upset and worried about how his father is doing.”
“I am sorry to hear about those that were roughed up which of course is always the way when it comes to the Israeli sentiment towards any human being,” said Kathleen Newton, mother of Jihan Hafiz, a Democracy Now journalist still being illegally held by Israel after her abduction from the Tahrir. “I stand proud to be the mother of a daughter that wanted to stand up and make a difference in this otherwise very unfair world.”
Family members who have been able to speak with Canadian Consular staff have been told that several delegates showed varying degrees of visible bruising when Canadian Officials visited them. Nevertheless, Consular staff said they felt that everyone was “O.K.”
Canadians are urged to contact Foreign Affairs Emergency Hot line in Ottawa at 1-800-387-3124
The UN Human Rights Council Inquiry Report of September 2010 concluded that the blockade is illegal and Israeli policies in Gaza are a form of collective punishment. There is no legal justification for stopping or in any way impeding the passage of the totally peaceful Freedom Waves boats from the international solidarity movement with Palestinian people.
This situation is developing. For updates, stay tuned to: Twitter (@CanadaBoatGaza and #freedomwaves), Facebook.com/CanadaBoatGaza, tahrir.ca, ustogaza.org, freegazaoz.org , and irishshiptogaza.org.
Canadian Boat to Gaza organizers call for Baird to resign
November 7, 2011
Source:Canadian Boat to Gaza
With several Canadians still languishing in an Israeli prison, organizers of the Canadian Boat to Gaza are demanding Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird step down for failing to do his job.
“Our friends have been assaulted, tasered, beaten, kidnapped, robbed, and imprisoned and we have now learned that the Department Foreign Affairs is telling them they have to pay for their deportation flight,” says Wendy Goldsmith, an organizer with the Canadian Boat to Gaza.
“If Minister Baird wants to put the interests of a far-right Israeli government before Canadians, he should apply for the job of Israel’s ambassador,” adds Goldsmith. “Otherwise he should demand the immediate release of the Canadian political prisoners in Israel and an immediate end to Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza. Unfortunately, when it comes to Israel, Baird is soft on crime.”
The Canadian Boat to Gaza organizers say the Minister has failed to seek the immediate release of the Canadians and internationals who have been political prisoners of Israel since Friday. Instead, they say, the Minister has been spreading misinformation in an attempt to justify Israel’s illegal actions.
“Canadians are still imprisoned by Israel because they refuse to sign documents that falsely claim they entered Israel ‘voluntarily’ and ‘illegally’,” says Dylan Penner, an organizer with the Canadian Boat to Gaza.
“The fact is they were kidnapped and taken there against their will,” says Penner. “But Minister Baird is trying to create the impression that international waters are Israeli waters. He should really look at a map and stop misleading Canadians about international law.”
Two tweets from the Department of Foreign Affairs last week advised Canadians to “"avoid all travel" to regions of #Israel surrounding the #Gaza Strip”. However, there are no Israeli waters “surrounding” Gaza. There are Gaza’s coastal waters beyond which are international waters. The Israeli Navy captured the boat in international waters (approximately 50 nautical miles from the coast of Gaza), not Israeli waters. This is a violation of international law.
Baird has publicly discouraged Canadians from participating in flotillas aimed at breaking the illegal blockade of Gaza. The Canadian Boat to Gaza campaign views Minister Baird’s statement as an attempt to abdicate the Canadian Government's obligation to ensure the safety of the Canadians and to justify any crimes Israel may commit against peaceful unarmed civilians from Canada and all over the world.
Canadian Boat to Gaza organizers say it is also an attempt to enable the Harper government to maintain its complicity in Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza by providing political cover.
-30-
For updates, stay tuned to:
Twitter (@CanadaBoatGaza and #freedomwaves), Facebook.com/CanadaBoatGaza, www.tahrir.ca , www.ustogaza.org , www.freegazaoz.org , and www.irishshiptogaza.org .
Source:Canadian Boat to Gaza
With several Canadians still languishing in an Israeli prison, organizers of the Canadian Boat to Gaza are demanding Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird step down for failing to do his job.
“Our friends have been assaulted, tasered, beaten, kidnapped, robbed, and imprisoned and we have now learned that the Department Foreign Affairs is telling them they have to pay for their deportation flight,” says Wendy Goldsmith, an organizer with the Canadian Boat to Gaza.
“If Minister Baird wants to put the interests of a far-right Israeli government before Canadians, he should apply for the job of Israel’s ambassador,” adds Goldsmith. “Otherwise he should demand the immediate release of the Canadian political prisoners in Israel and an immediate end to Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza. Unfortunately, when it comes to Israel, Baird is soft on crime.”
The Canadian Boat to Gaza organizers say the Minister has failed to seek the immediate release of the Canadians and internationals who have been political prisoners of Israel since Friday. Instead, they say, the Minister has been spreading misinformation in an attempt to justify Israel’s illegal actions.
“Canadians are still imprisoned by Israel because they refuse to sign documents that falsely claim they entered Israel ‘voluntarily’ and ‘illegally’,” says Dylan Penner, an organizer with the Canadian Boat to Gaza.
“The fact is they were kidnapped and taken there against their will,” says Penner. “But Minister Baird is trying to create the impression that international waters are Israeli waters. He should really look at a map and stop misleading Canadians about international law.”
Two tweets from the Department of Foreign Affairs last week advised Canadians to “"avoid all travel" to regions of #Israel surrounding the #Gaza Strip”. However, there are no Israeli waters “surrounding” Gaza. There are Gaza’s coastal waters beyond which are international waters. The Israeli Navy captured the boat in international waters (approximately 50 nautical miles from the coast of Gaza), not Israeli waters. This is a violation of international law.
Baird has publicly discouraged Canadians from participating in flotillas aimed at breaking the illegal blockade of Gaza. The Canadian Boat to Gaza campaign views Minister Baird’s statement as an attempt to abdicate the Canadian Government's obligation to ensure the safety of the Canadians and to justify any crimes Israel may commit against peaceful unarmed civilians from Canada and all over the world.
Canadian Boat to Gaza organizers say it is also an attempt to enable the Harper government to maintain its complicity in Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza by providing political cover.
-30-
For updates, stay tuned to:
Twitter (@CanadaBoatGaza and #freedomwaves), Facebook.com/CanadaBoatGaza, www.tahrir.ca , www.ustogaza.org , www.freegazaoz.org , and www.irishshiptogaza.org .
Are You Eating This All-Time Favorite "Cancer-in-a-Can" Snack?
November 07 2011
By Dr. Mercola
Source:mercola.com
To understand the nature of Pringles and other stackable chips, forget the notion that they come from actual potatoes in any recognizable way.
The Pringles Company (in an effort to avoid taxes levied against "luxury foods" like chips in the UK) once even argued that the potato content of their chips was so low that they are technically not even potato chips.
So if they're not made of potatoes, what are they exactly?
The process begins with a slurry of rice, wheat, corn, and potato flakes that are pressed into shape.
This dough-like substance is then rolled out into an ultra-thin sheet cut into chip-cookies by a machine.
According to io9:
"The chips move forward on a conveyor belt until they're pressed onto molds, which give them the curve that makes them fit into one another.
Those molds move through boiling oil ... Then they're blown dry, sprayed with powdered flavors, and at last, flipped onto a slower-moving conveyor belt in a way that allows them to stack.
From then on, it's into the cans ... and off towards the innocent mouths of the consumers."
I suspect nearly everyone reading this likely enjoys the taste of potato chips. However, they are clearly one of the most toxic processed foods you can eat—whether they're made from actual potato shavings or not.
Potato Chips are Loaded with Cancer-Causing Chemical
One of the most hazardous ingredients in potato chips is not intentionally added, but rather is a byproduct of the processing.
Acrylamide, a cancer-causing and potentially neurotoxic chemical, is created when carbohydrate-rich foods are cooked at high temperatures, whether baked, fried, roasted or toasted. Some of the worst offenders include potato chips and French fries, but many foods cooked or processed at temperatures above 212°F (100°C) may contain acrylamide. As a general rule, the chemical is formed when food is heated enough to produce a fairly dry and brown/yellow surface. Hence, it can be found in:
* Potatoes: chips, French fries and other roasted or fried potato foods
* Grains: bread crust, toast, crisp bread, roasted breakfast cereals and various processed snacks
* Coffee; roasted coffee beans and ground coffee powder. Surprisingly, coffee substitutes based on chicory actually contains 2-3 times MORE acrylamide than real coffee
How Much Acrylamide are You Consuming?
The federal limit for acrylamide in drinking water is 0.5 parts per billion, or about 0.12 micrograms in an eight-ounce glass of water. However, a six-ounce serving of French fries can contain 60 micrograms of acrylamide, or about FIVE HUNDRED times over the allowable limit.
Similarly, potato chips are notoriously high in this dangerous chemical. So high, in fact, that in 2005 the state of California actually sued potato chip makers for failing to warn California consumers about the health risks of acrylamide in their products. A settlement was reached in 2008 when Frito-Lay and several other potato chip makers agreed to reduce the acrylamide levels in their chips to 275 parts per billion (ppb) by 2011, which is low enough to avoid needing a cancer warning label.
The 2005 report "How Potato Chips Stack Up: Levels of Cancer-Causing Acrylamide in Popular Brands of Potato Chips," issued by the California-based Environmental Law Foundation (ELF), spelled out the dangers of this popular snack. Their analysis found that all potato chip products tested exceeded the legal limit of acrylamide by a minimum of 39 times, and as much as 910 times! Some of the worst offenders at that time included:
* Cape Cod Robust Russet: 910 times the legal limit of acrylamide
* Kettle Chips (lightly salted): 505 times
* Kettle Chips (honey dijon): 495 times
Beware: Baked Chips May Be WORSE than Fried!
If you think you can avoid the health risks of potato chips by choosing baked varieties, which are typically advertised as being "healthier," think again. Remember that acrylamide is formed not only when foods are fried or broiled, but also when they are baked. And according to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) data on acrylamide levels in foods, baked chips may contain more than three times the level of acrylamide as regular chips!
Interestingly, the same trend holds true for other foods, too, which suggests that baking processed potatoes at high temperature may be one of the worst ways to cook them. For instance, according to the FDA's data, Ore Ida Golden Fries contained 107 ppb of acrylamide in the regular fried version and 1,098 when baked. So remember, ALL potato chips contain acrylamide, regardless of whether they are natural or not; baked or fried. Likewise, they will ALL influence your insulin levels in a very negative way.
Acrylamide is Not the Only Danger
Acrylamide is not the only dangerous genotoxic compound formed when food is heated to high temperatures.
A three-year long EU project, known as Heat-Generated Food Toxicants (HEATOX), whose findings were published at the end of 2007, found there are more than 800 heat-induced compounds, of which 52 are potential carcinogens. In addition to their finding that acrylamide does pose a public health threat, the HEATOX scientists also discovered that you're far less likely to ingest dangerous levels of the toxin when you eat home-cooked foods compared to industrially or restaurant-prepared foods.
Additionally, the HEATOX findings also suggest that although there are ways to decrease exposure to acrylamide, it cannot be eliminated completely.
According to their calculations, successful application of all presently known methods would reduce the acrylamide intake by 40 percent at the most—which makes me wonder whether chip manufacturers have really succeeded at this point in reducing acrylamide levels to within legal limits... There's no updated data as of yet, so there's no telling whether they've been able to comply with the 2005 settlement.
For more in-depth information about acrylamide, I recommend reading the online report Heat-generated Food Toxicants, Identification, Characterization and Risk Minimization. In general however, just remember that cooking food at high temperatures is ill advised. A few of the most well-known toxins created in high-temperature cooking include:
* Heterocyclic Amines (HCAs): These form when meat is cooked at high temperatures, and they're also linked to cancer. In terms of HCA, the worst part of the meat is the blackened section, which is why you should always avoid charring your meat, and never eat blackened sections.
* Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs): When fat drips onto the heat source, causing excess smoke, and the smoke surrounds your food, it can transfer cancer-causing PAHs to the meat.
* Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs): When food is cooked at high temperatures (including when it is pasteurized or sterilized), it increases the formation of AGEs in your food. When you eat the food, it transfers the AGEs into your body. AGEs build up in your body over time leading to oxidative stress, inflammation and an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and kidney disease.
The Search for a "Healthful" Chip Continues...
Like a modern-day search for the Holy Grail, chip manufacturers keep searching for methods to improve the image of their health-harming but profitable snacks. For example, by the end of 2011, about half of Pepsi's Frito-Lay brand snacks will be reformulated with all-natural ingredients. The switch is part of PepsiCo's master plan to tap into the healthy foods market share. The Wall Street Journal recently reported the company hopes to boost their nutrition business from $10 billion to $30 billion by 2020.
The company will remove dietary hazards like monosodium glutamate (MSG), replacing it with natural seasonings, such as molasses and paprika. Artificial colors will be replaced with beet juice, purple cabbage and carrots. All in all, about different 60 snacks are scheduled to get an all-natural makeover.
This is certainly a good example of how consumer demand can alter the direction of food manufacturers in a positive way.
The reformulated chips may end up being less bad for you than the original formulations. However, chips will never be truly healthful. All-natural chips may be the lesser of two evils, but if consumed regularly, they will still push your health in the wrong direction... There's no getting away from the fact that modern plagues such as cancer, heart disease, obesity, and diabetes have a dietary component, and potato chips and French fries will always be a losing bet if you want to avoid becoming another disease statistic.
How to Avoid Heat-Induced Toxins in Your Diet
Ideally, you should consume foods that are raw or minimally processed to avoid these types of toxic byproducts—the more raw food, the better. My nutrition plan emphasizes the need for at least one-third of your foods to be consumed raw. Personally, I consume about 80 percent of my food raw, and I find it is one of the most important factors that help keep me healthy.
It may take you awhile to switch over to a less processed diet, but throwing out the most obvious culprits would be a great start.
These would include:
* French fries and potato chips
* All sodas (both regular and diet, as artificial sweeteners may be more problematic than fructose)
* Doughnuts
Healthy Eating Made Easy
Aside from creating potentially toxic byproducts, cooking and processing also depletes the food of valuable micronutrients, which is another reason for eating as much raw food as possible. This includes protein sources such as eggs. Raw whole eggs from organic, pastured chickens are an incredible source of high-quality nutrients that many are deficient in. Raw milk is another good example of a food that is beneficial in its raw state but becomes harmful after it is pasteurized.
By opting for foods that will benefit your health, such as raw, preferably organic and/or locally-grown vegetables, organic grass-fed meats, healthy oils, raw dairy, nuts and seeds, you can change your health for the better. These are the foods that are truly natural, and quite easy to prepare once you get the hang of it.
For a step-by-step guide to make the transition to a healthier diet as simple and smooth as possible, simply follow the advice in my optimized nutrition plan.
Remember, eating fresh whole foods is the "secret" to getting healthier, losing weight and really enjoying your food. It's unfortunate that so many are under the mistaken belief that it's "next to impossible" to create a meal without processed foods. Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough tackle this issue head-on in their book Real Food Has Curves, which is a great starting point to "relearn" the basics of how to enjoy and prepare real food.
Once you get used to it, you'll find you can whip up a healthful meal from scratch in the same amount of time it would have taken you to drive down the street to pick up fast food. The main difference will be greater satisfaction, both physically and mentally, and perhaps even financially, as processed foods typically end up being more expensive than cooking from scratch.
By Dr. Mercola
Source:mercola.com
To understand the nature of Pringles and other stackable chips, forget the notion that they come from actual potatoes in any recognizable way.
The Pringles Company (in an effort to avoid taxes levied against "luxury foods" like chips in the UK) once even argued that the potato content of their chips was so low that they are technically not even potato chips.
So if they're not made of potatoes, what are they exactly?
The process begins with a slurry of rice, wheat, corn, and potato flakes that are pressed into shape.
This dough-like substance is then rolled out into an ultra-thin sheet cut into chip-cookies by a machine.
According to io9:
"The chips move forward on a conveyor belt until they're pressed onto molds, which give them the curve that makes them fit into one another.
Those molds move through boiling oil ... Then they're blown dry, sprayed with powdered flavors, and at last, flipped onto a slower-moving conveyor belt in a way that allows them to stack.
From then on, it's into the cans ... and off towards the innocent mouths of the consumers."
I suspect nearly everyone reading this likely enjoys the taste of potato chips. However, they are clearly one of the most toxic processed foods you can eat—whether they're made from actual potato shavings or not.
Potato Chips are Loaded with Cancer-Causing Chemical
One of the most hazardous ingredients in potato chips is not intentionally added, but rather is a byproduct of the processing.
Acrylamide, a cancer-causing and potentially neurotoxic chemical, is created when carbohydrate-rich foods are cooked at high temperatures, whether baked, fried, roasted or toasted. Some of the worst offenders include potato chips and French fries, but many foods cooked or processed at temperatures above 212°F (100°C) may contain acrylamide. As a general rule, the chemical is formed when food is heated enough to produce a fairly dry and brown/yellow surface. Hence, it can be found in:
* Potatoes: chips, French fries and other roasted or fried potato foods
* Grains: bread crust, toast, crisp bread, roasted breakfast cereals and various processed snacks
* Coffee; roasted coffee beans and ground coffee powder. Surprisingly, coffee substitutes based on chicory actually contains 2-3 times MORE acrylamide than real coffee
How Much Acrylamide are You Consuming?
The federal limit for acrylamide in drinking water is 0.5 parts per billion, or about 0.12 micrograms in an eight-ounce glass of water. However, a six-ounce serving of French fries can contain 60 micrograms of acrylamide, or about FIVE HUNDRED times over the allowable limit.
Similarly, potato chips are notoriously high in this dangerous chemical. So high, in fact, that in 2005 the state of California actually sued potato chip makers for failing to warn California consumers about the health risks of acrylamide in their products. A settlement was reached in 2008 when Frito-Lay and several other potato chip makers agreed to reduce the acrylamide levels in their chips to 275 parts per billion (ppb) by 2011, which is low enough to avoid needing a cancer warning label.
The 2005 report "How Potato Chips Stack Up: Levels of Cancer-Causing Acrylamide in Popular Brands of Potato Chips," issued by the California-based Environmental Law Foundation (ELF), spelled out the dangers of this popular snack. Their analysis found that all potato chip products tested exceeded the legal limit of acrylamide by a minimum of 39 times, and as much as 910 times! Some of the worst offenders at that time included:
* Cape Cod Robust Russet: 910 times the legal limit of acrylamide
* Kettle Chips (lightly salted): 505 times
* Kettle Chips (honey dijon): 495 times
Beware: Baked Chips May Be WORSE than Fried!
If you think you can avoid the health risks of potato chips by choosing baked varieties, which are typically advertised as being "healthier," think again. Remember that acrylamide is formed not only when foods are fried or broiled, but also when they are baked. And according to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) data on acrylamide levels in foods, baked chips may contain more than three times the level of acrylamide as regular chips!
Interestingly, the same trend holds true for other foods, too, which suggests that baking processed potatoes at high temperature may be one of the worst ways to cook them. For instance, according to the FDA's data, Ore Ida Golden Fries contained 107 ppb of acrylamide in the regular fried version and 1,098 when baked. So remember, ALL potato chips contain acrylamide, regardless of whether they are natural or not; baked or fried. Likewise, they will ALL influence your insulin levels in a very negative way.
Acrylamide is Not the Only Danger
Acrylamide is not the only dangerous genotoxic compound formed when food is heated to high temperatures.
A three-year long EU project, known as Heat-Generated Food Toxicants (HEATOX), whose findings were published at the end of 2007, found there are more than 800 heat-induced compounds, of which 52 are potential carcinogens. In addition to their finding that acrylamide does pose a public health threat, the HEATOX scientists also discovered that you're far less likely to ingest dangerous levels of the toxin when you eat home-cooked foods compared to industrially or restaurant-prepared foods.
Additionally, the HEATOX findings also suggest that although there are ways to decrease exposure to acrylamide, it cannot be eliminated completely.
According to their calculations, successful application of all presently known methods would reduce the acrylamide intake by 40 percent at the most—which makes me wonder whether chip manufacturers have really succeeded at this point in reducing acrylamide levels to within legal limits... There's no updated data as of yet, so there's no telling whether they've been able to comply with the 2005 settlement.
For more in-depth information about acrylamide, I recommend reading the online report Heat-generated Food Toxicants, Identification, Characterization and Risk Minimization. In general however, just remember that cooking food at high temperatures is ill advised. A few of the most well-known toxins created in high-temperature cooking include:
* Heterocyclic Amines (HCAs): These form when meat is cooked at high temperatures, and they're also linked to cancer. In terms of HCA, the worst part of the meat is the blackened section, which is why you should always avoid charring your meat, and never eat blackened sections.
* Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs): When fat drips onto the heat source, causing excess smoke, and the smoke surrounds your food, it can transfer cancer-causing PAHs to the meat.
* Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs): When food is cooked at high temperatures (including when it is pasteurized or sterilized), it increases the formation of AGEs in your food. When you eat the food, it transfers the AGEs into your body. AGEs build up in your body over time leading to oxidative stress, inflammation and an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and kidney disease.
The Search for a "Healthful" Chip Continues...
Like a modern-day search for the Holy Grail, chip manufacturers keep searching for methods to improve the image of their health-harming but profitable snacks. For example, by the end of 2011, about half of Pepsi's Frito-Lay brand snacks will be reformulated with all-natural ingredients. The switch is part of PepsiCo's master plan to tap into the healthy foods market share. The Wall Street Journal recently reported the company hopes to boost their nutrition business from $10 billion to $30 billion by 2020.
The company will remove dietary hazards like monosodium glutamate (MSG), replacing it with natural seasonings, such as molasses and paprika. Artificial colors will be replaced with beet juice, purple cabbage and carrots. All in all, about different 60 snacks are scheduled to get an all-natural makeover.
This is certainly a good example of how consumer demand can alter the direction of food manufacturers in a positive way.
The reformulated chips may end up being less bad for you than the original formulations. However, chips will never be truly healthful. All-natural chips may be the lesser of two evils, but if consumed regularly, they will still push your health in the wrong direction... There's no getting away from the fact that modern plagues such as cancer, heart disease, obesity, and diabetes have a dietary component, and potato chips and French fries will always be a losing bet if you want to avoid becoming another disease statistic.
How to Avoid Heat-Induced Toxins in Your Diet
Ideally, you should consume foods that are raw or minimally processed to avoid these types of toxic byproducts—the more raw food, the better. My nutrition plan emphasizes the need for at least one-third of your foods to be consumed raw. Personally, I consume about 80 percent of my food raw, and I find it is one of the most important factors that help keep me healthy.
It may take you awhile to switch over to a less processed diet, but throwing out the most obvious culprits would be a great start.
These would include:
* French fries and potato chips
* All sodas (both regular and diet, as artificial sweeteners may be more problematic than fructose)
* Doughnuts
Healthy Eating Made Easy
Aside from creating potentially toxic byproducts, cooking and processing also depletes the food of valuable micronutrients, which is another reason for eating as much raw food as possible. This includes protein sources such as eggs. Raw whole eggs from organic, pastured chickens are an incredible source of high-quality nutrients that many are deficient in. Raw milk is another good example of a food that is beneficial in its raw state but becomes harmful after it is pasteurized.
By opting for foods that will benefit your health, such as raw, preferably organic and/or locally-grown vegetables, organic grass-fed meats, healthy oils, raw dairy, nuts and seeds, you can change your health for the better. These are the foods that are truly natural, and quite easy to prepare once you get the hang of it.
For a step-by-step guide to make the transition to a healthier diet as simple and smooth as possible, simply follow the advice in my optimized nutrition plan.
Remember, eating fresh whole foods is the "secret" to getting healthier, losing weight and really enjoying your food. It's unfortunate that so many are under the mistaken belief that it's "next to impossible" to create a meal without processed foods. Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough tackle this issue head-on in their book Real Food Has Curves, which is a great starting point to "relearn" the basics of how to enjoy and prepare real food.
Once you get used to it, you'll find you can whip up a healthful meal from scratch in the same amount of time it would have taken you to drive down the street to pick up fast food. The main difference will be greater satisfaction, both physically and mentally, and perhaps even financially, as processed foods typically end up being more expensive than cooking from scratch.
Egypt Islamists vow mass protests over ‘declaration of basic principles’
2011-11-02
Source:Middle East Online
CAIRO - Egypt's powerful Muslim Brotherhood threatened on Wednesday to bring its supporters out onto the streets over the military government's plans to set out the basics of a new constitution ahead of an elected People's Assembly.
The Brotherhood and other smaller parties, most of them also Islamist, said that one million people would protest nationwide on November 18 if the plans to pre-empt the promised People's Assembly to be elected early next year were not abandoned.
The Islamists were reacting to comments by Deputy Prime Minister Ali al-Salmi in Wednesday's edition of the state-owned daily Al-Ahram in which he said the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces was "carefully considering" a plan for a "declaration of basic principles."
The Brotherhood's political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party, called for Salmi's resignation.
"We call on Ali al-Salmi to step down and, if the government presses ahead with its plan, for all of its members to quit, because (this proposal) is a threat to Egypt's security," the party's vice chairman Saad al-Ketatni said.
"The national forces will not allow a small minority to impose its will on everyone," he said, reading a statement in the name of the party and its electoral allies.
He said that the government should "remember what happened to the system of the corrupt, all-powerful tyrant," a reference to the mass revolt which overthrew veteran president Hosni Mubarak's regime in February.
According to Al-Ahram, the declaration of principles being considered by the military government would state that "Egypt is a civil, democratic state which unites all of its citizens without distinction under the rule of law."
The clause is intended as a safeguard for Egypt's Coptic Christian minority which makes up between six and eight percent of the 80 million population.
The basic principles would also state that "sharia (Islamic law) is the main source of legislation," but not the sole one.
Source:Middle East Online
CAIRO - Egypt's powerful Muslim Brotherhood threatened on Wednesday to bring its supporters out onto the streets over the military government's plans to set out the basics of a new constitution ahead of an elected People's Assembly.
The Brotherhood and other smaller parties, most of them also Islamist, said that one million people would protest nationwide on November 18 if the plans to pre-empt the promised People's Assembly to be elected early next year were not abandoned.
The Islamists were reacting to comments by Deputy Prime Minister Ali al-Salmi in Wednesday's edition of the state-owned daily Al-Ahram in which he said the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces was "carefully considering" a plan for a "declaration of basic principles."
The Brotherhood's political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party, called for Salmi's resignation.
"We call on Ali al-Salmi to step down and, if the government presses ahead with its plan, for all of its members to quit, because (this proposal) is a threat to Egypt's security," the party's vice chairman Saad al-Ketatni said.
"The national forces will not allow a small minority to impose its will on everyone," he said, reading a statement in the name of the party and its electoral allies.
He said that the government should "remember what happened to the system of the corrupt, all-powerful tyrant," a reference to the mass revolt which overthrew veteran president Hosni Mubarak's regime in February.
According to Al-Ahram, the declaration of principles being considered by the military government would state that "Egypt is a civil, democratic state which unites all of its citizens without distinction under the rule of law."
The clause is intended as a safeguard for Egypt's Coptic Christian minority which makes up between six and eight percent of the 80 million population.
The basic principles would also state that "sharia (Islamic law) is the main source of legislation," but not the sole one.
Islamists step up reform demands
November 6th, 2011
By Taylor Luck
Source:Jordan Times
AMMAN - The Islamist movement rolled out new reform demands on Friday, urging a series of changes to the Kingdom’s political and economic institutions.
In a speech delivered at the Islamists’ first public rally since turning down Cabinet posts last month, Islamic Action Front (IAF) Secretary General Hamzah Mansour unveiled a list of demands to change the “politics” of the Kingdom.
The speech was widely viewed by observers as the Muslim Brotherhood’s response to Prime Minister Awn Khasawneh’s overtures, built upon previous conditions set by the movement for its participation in municipal elections.
Mansour reiterated the movement’s calls for constitutional amendments ensuring “the right of the people to form governments on the basis of a parliamentary majority” and protecting the Lower House against dissolution or early elections.
During the rally, held near the capital’s Interior Ministry Circle, Mansour also called for the release of all “political prisoners” and all citizens being held without charges along with the dissolution of the State Security Court.
The Islamist movement demanded an end to security services’ “intrusion” into public life, reiterating claims that “interference” has marred the political process in the Kingdom.
“We say enough of the security services’ interference in political and public life,” he said.
Mansour also demanded an immediate end to “political thuggery” - referring to the spate of attacks and threats against pro-reform activists that have increased since the beginning of the year and have largely gone unprosecuted.
On the economic front, the Islamist movement called for increased budget oversight and transparency in the use of public funds.
In addition, the IAF secretary general urged authorities to combat poverty and unemployment, linking citizens’ difficult living conditions with the need for tougher anti-corruption measures.
The former MP insisted that the demands are not Islamists’ pre-conditions for future cooperation with authorities, but rather the standards by which the current and future governments will be judged.
“These are not only our demands - these are the demands of the Jordanian people,” Mansour told The Jordan Times.
National unity was a common theme in Friday’s event, attended by some 1,000 independent activists and Islamist supporters, as speakers stressed that Jordanians from cities, camps, villages and the badia would all benefit from greater democratic reforms.
Ghaleb Abu Summaqa of the Tribal Coalition for Reform - a grouping of activists from the Bani Hassan, Bani Sakher, Daaja and Ajarmeh tribes - said calls for political and economic change are not restricted to single segment of Jordanian society.
“Many people say tribes are against reform, but we are here to say that they are wrong: we want change and we want change now,” Abu Summaqa told The Jordan Times.
“We are the foundations of this country, so we believe reform should start with us.”
Abu Summaqa dismissed any ideological or social barriers preventing tribes from partnering with the Islamist movement, claiming that independents, Islamists, leftists and conservatives are united in their pro-reform demands.
“We are all Jordanians and we will gladly work with anyone to improve the situation in our country,” he said.
The two-hour rally, which also featured speeches by Rahi Suleimat of the Bani Hamida tribe and Hamzeh Issa of the Popular Youth Movement, was noticeably devoid of Islamist rhetoric, with speakers choosing to focus on domestic issues rather than regional or moral concerns.
According to observers, the tone of Friday’s rally is in line with a strategic shift within the Islamist movement to distance itself from its traditional focus on the Palestinian cause and concentrate on local social, economic and political issues.
The event ended the Islamists’ three-week absence from the streets, which according to sources was prompted largely by an internal debate within the movement over its stance on the new government.
By Taylor Luck
Source:Jordan Times
AMMAN - The Islamist movement rolled out new reform demands on Friday, urging a series of changes to the Kingdom’s political and economic institutions.
In a speech delivered at the Islamists’ first public rally since turning down Cabinet posts last month, Islamic Action Front (IAF) Secretary General Hamzah Mansour unveiled a list of demands to change the “politics” of the Kingdom.
The speech was widely viewed by observers as the Muslim Brotherhood’s response to Prime Minister Awn Khasawneh’s overtures, built upon previous conditions set by the movement for its participation in municipal elections.
Mansour reiterated the movement’s calls for constitutional amendments ensuring “the right of the people to form governments on the basis of a parliamentary majority” and protecting the Lower House against dissolution or early elections.
During the rally, held near the capital’s Interior Ministry Circle, Mansour also called for the release of all “political prisoners” and all citizens being held without charges along with the dissolution of the State Security Court.
The Islamist movement demanded an end to security services’ “intrusion” into public life, reiterating claims that “interference” has marred the political process in the Kingdom.
“We say enough of the security services’ interference in political and public life,” he said.
Mansour also demanded an immediate end to “political thuggery” - referring to the spate of attacks and threats against pro-reform activists that have increased since the beginning of the year and have largely gone unprosecuted.
On the economic front, the Islamist movement called for increased budget oversight and transparency in the use of public funds.
In addition, the IAF secretary general urged authorities to combat poverty and unemployment, linking citizens’ difficult living conditions with the need for tougher anti-corruption measures.
The former MP insisted that the demands are not Islamists’ pre-conditions for future cooperation with authorities, but rather the standards by which the current and future governments will be judged.
“These are not only our demands - these are the demands of the Jordanian people,” Mansour told The Jordan Times.
National unity was a common theme in Friday’s event, attended by some 1,000 independent activists and Islamist supporters, as speakers stressed that Jordanians from cities, camps, villages and the badia would all benefit from greater democratic reforms.
Ghaleb Abu Summaqa of the Tribal Coalition for Reform - a grouping of activists from the Bani Hassan, Bani Sakher, Daaja and Ajarmeh tribes - said calls for political and economic change are not restricted to single segment of Jordanian society.
“Many people say tribes are against reform, but we are here to say that they are wrong: we want change and we want change now,” Abu Summaqa told The Jordan Times.
“We are the foundations of this country, so we believe reform should start with us.”
Abu Summaqa dismissed any ideological or social barriers preventing tribes from partnering with the Islamist movement, claiming that independents, Islamists, leftists and conservatives are united in their pro-reform demands.
“We are all Jordanians and we will gladly work with anyone to improve the situation in our country,” he said.
The two-hour rally, which also featured speeches by Rahi Suleimat of the Bani Hamida tribe and Hamzeh Issa of the Popular Youth Movement, was noticeably devoid of Islamist rhetoric, with speakers choosing to focus on domestic issues rather than regional or moral concerns.
According to observers, the tone of Friday’s rally is in line with a strategic shift within the Islamist movement to distance itself from its traditional focus on the Palestinian cause and concentrate on local social, economic and political issues.
The event ended the Islamists’ three-week absence from the streets, which according to sources was prompted largely by an internal debate within the movement over its stance on the new government.
Pro-reform protesters single out security services
November 6th, 2011
By Taylor Luck
Source: Jordan Times
AMMAN - As weekly pro-reform protests entered their 11th month on Friday, activists across the country hit the streets to reject what they claimed as security services’ “hold” on public life.
In a demonstration at Al Husseini Mosque in downtown Amman held under the slogan “no reform under the grip of security agencies”, dozens of youths and leftist activists called for an end to “interference” by intelligence agencies in political life.
Fakher Daas, head of the Wihda Party youth branch and protest organiser, said the demonstration aimed to send the message that although the head of the government may have changed, obstacles facing reform efforts remain.
“Prime Minister Awn Khasawneh is just one person, we are here to change the whole system - and that starts with rolling back the influence of security services in all aspects of life,” he said.
“Until security services exit from all aspects of public life, reform in Jordan will be impossible,” Daas added.
Activists insisted that ongoing weekly demands for reform are an indictment of the way the political system operates, not a referendum of a specific government’s performance.
“We never had anything against Marouf Bakhit or Samir Rifai personally, and we are not against Awn Khasawneh,” said Amjad Qasawneh, a member of the Popular Youth Movement Coalition for Change.
“What we are rejecting is the political system itself - it is broken and until we fix it, we cannot tackle corruption or ensure public freedoms,” the Al al Bayt University student added.
Amjad Ouran, a member of the Hay Al Tafaileh Freedom Movement, said activists are driven by frustration over a stalled economy, limited transparency and a lack of progress in tackling corruption.
“Who really profited from the privatisation process? Where are all the public funds going? Why haven’t any senior officials been brought to justice?” he remarked.
“The same questions we had 11 months ago still haven’t been answered, so we are going to keep pressure on decision makers.”
A few metres away from Al Husseini Mosque, some two-dozen so-called government loyalists staged a counter-demonstration, rejecting calls for elected governments and labelling pro-reform activists as “Iranian agents”.
Ibrahim Taher said he was driven by a “patriotic duty” to brave rainy weather and raise banners denouncing the reformists’ demands.
“I have no money, I have nothing to eat - the only people who will look after me is the Hashemite leadership and I will die before anyone threatens them,” he said.
Both the sit-in and the counter-demonstration, which lasted less than a half-hour, ended without incident.
Not all in downtown Amman were impressed with Friday’s civic activism, pro-reform or otherwise.
Saleh Zawahreh, a sweets vendor located across from Al Husseini Mosque, said traders have grown wary of weekly demonstrations which they claim have driven away customers in droves.
“When people think of downtown Amman, now all they think of is two words: marches and protests.”
Traders questioned the wisdom of activists’ selection of the Friday ahead of Eid Al Adha, one of the major shopping days of the year, to make their voices heard.
“Why this Friday? This is the one day that the whole of downtown comes to life,” Zawahreh remarked.
Ibrahim, a garment vendor stationed next to Al Husseini Mosque, which has served as the launching point for weekly demos, claimed sales have plummeted over the past several months, adding that this holiday season’s revenues pale in comparisons to past Eid Al Adhas.
“I can’t afford to make a sacrifice this year and they are stopping traffic to demand economic reform,” the 24-year-old said.
Meanwhile in Karak, three separate pro-reform marches were held across the governorate while tens of activists hit the streets in Jerash and Tafileh, demanding the dismissal of the Lower House and Senate and the formation of elected governments.
Friday’s protests, the second since the selection of Khasawneh as prime minister last month, were marked by a lack of slogans calling for the government’s ouster.
Jordan’s pro-reform movement dates back to a small-scale January protest in the town of Theeban, south of Madaba, calling for economic reforms and the resignation of the Samir Rifai government.
Eleven months and two governments later, the protest movement has branched out across the Kingdom along with the rise of so-called popular movements, adopting various causes ranging from municipal services to an end to privatisation.
With participants often numbering in the hundreds, the demonstrations have been largely peaceful; the vast majority of the some 700-odd protests and marches that have taken place in the Kingdom this year have ended without incident.
By Taylor Luck
Source: Jordan Times
AMMAN - As weekly pro-reform protests entered their 11th month on Friday, activists across the country hit the streets to reject what they claimed as security services’ “hold” on public life.
In a demonstration at Al Husseini Mosque in downtown Amman held under the slogan “no reform under the grip of security agencies”, dozens of youths and leftist activists called for an end to “interference” by intelligence agencies in political life.
Fakher Daas, head of the Wihda Party youth branch and protest organiser, said the demonstration aimed to send the message that although the head of the government may have changed, obstacles facing reform efforts remain.
“Prime Minister Awn Khasawneh is just one person, we are here to change the whole system - and that starts with rolling back the influence of security services in all aspects of life,” he said.
“Until security services exit from all aspects of public life, reform in Jordan will be impossible,” Daas added.
Activists insisted that ongoing weekly demands for reform are an indictment of the way the political system operates, not a referendum of a specific government’s performance.
“We never had anything against Marouf Bakhit or Samir Rifai personally, and we are not against Awn Khasawneh,” said Amjad Qasawneh, a member of the Popular Youth Movement Coalition for Change.
“What we are rejecting is the political system itself - it is broken and until we fix it, we cannot tackle corruption or ensure public freedoms,” the Al al Bayt University student added.
Amjad Ouran, a member of the Hay Al Tafaileh Freedom Movement, said activists are driven by frustration over a stalled economy, limited transparency and a lack of progress in tackling corruption.
“Who really profited from the privatisation process? Where are all the public funds going? Why haven’t any senior officials been brought to justice?” he remarked.
“The same questions we had 11 months ago still haven’t been answered, so we are going to keep pressure on decision makers.”
A few metres away from Al Husseini Mosque, some two-dozen so-called government loyalists staged a counter-demonstration, rejecting calls for elected governments and labelling pro-reform activists as “Iranian agents”.
Ibrahim Taher said he was driven by a “patriotic duty” to brave rainy weather and raise banners denouncing the reformists’ demands.
“I have no money, I have nothing to eat - the only people who will look after me is the Hashemite leadership and I will die before anyone threatens them,” he said.
Both the sit-in and the counter-demonstration, which lasted less than a half-hour, ended without incident.
Not all in downtown Amman were impressed with Friday’s civic activism, pro-reform or otherwise.
Saleh Zawahreh, a sweets vendor located across from Al Husseini Mosque, said traders have grown wary of weekly demonstrations which they claim have driven away customers in droves.
“When people think of downtown Amman, now all they think of is two words: marches and protests.”
Traders questioned the wisdom of activists’ selection of the Friday ahead of Eid Al Adha, one of the major shopping days of the year, to make their voices heard.
“Why this Friday? This is the one day that the whole of downtown comes to life,” Zawahreh remarked.
Ibrahim, a garment vendor stationed next to Al Husseini Mosque, which has served as the launching point for weekly demos, claimed sales have plummeted over the past several months, adding that this holiday season’s revenues pale in comparisons to past Eid Al Adhas.
“I can’t afford to make a sacrifice this year and they are stopping traffic to demand economic reform,” the 24-year-old said.
Meanwhile in Karak, three separate pro-reform marches were held across the governorate while tens of activists hit the streets in Jerash and Tafileh, demanding the dismissal of the Lower House and Senate and the formation of elected governments.
Friday’s protests, the second since the selection of Khasawneh as prime minister last month, were marked by a lack of slogans calling for the government’s ouster.
Jordan’s pro-reform movement dates back to a small-scale January protest in the town of Theeban, south of Madaba, calling for economic reforms and the resignation of the Samir Rifai government.
Eleven months and two governments later, the protest movement has branched out across the Kingdom along with the rise of so-called popular movements, adopting various causes ranging from municipal services to an end to privatisation.
With participants often numbering in the hundreds, the demonstrations have been largely peaceful; the vast majority of the some 700-odd protests and marches that have taken place in the Kingdom this year have ended without incident.
Jailed for Sailing to Gaza, Challenging the Blockade
November 4, 2011
By Medea Benjamin and Robert Naiman
Source:AlterNet
Two boats full of courageous passengers were on their way to Gaza when they were intercepted on Friday, November 4, by the Israeli military in international waters. We call the passengers courageous because they sailed from Turkey on November 2 with the knowledge that at any moment they might be boarded by Israeli commandos intent on stopping them—perhaps violently, as the Israeli military did in 2010 when they killed nine humanitarian aid workers on the Turkish boat named Mavi Marmara.
The boats—one from Canada and one from Ireland—were carrying 27 passengers, including press and peace activists from Ireland, Canada, the United States, Australia and Palestine. They were unarmed, and the Israeli military knew that. They were simply peace activists wanting to connect with civilians in Gaza, and the Israeli military knew that. Yet naked aggression was used against them in international waters—something that is normally considered an act of piracy.
The passengers on the boats were sailing to Gaza to challenge the U.S.-supported Israeli blockade that is crippling the lives of 1.6 million Palestinian civilians in Gaza. They were sailing to stand up against unaccountable power—the power of the Israeli government—that has been violating the basic rights of the 5.5 million Palestinians that live inside Israel’s pre-1967 borders or in the Occupied Territories. They were sailing for us, civil society, who believe in human rights and the rule of law.
The Arab Spring - which has now spread to cities across the United States in the form of the "#occupy" movement, and has been echoed in protests against economic injustice in Europe and Israel as well - has fundamentally been a challenge to unaccountable power. Some countries experiencing this protest wave are dictatorships under military rule or ruled by monarchies; others are generally considered "democracies.” But in all instances the majority feel that they have been shut out of decision-making and have been harmed by policies benefiting a narrow elite with disproportionate power.
The blockade of Gaza's civilians is an extreme example of unaccountable power. Palestinians in Gaza aren’t allowed to vote for Israeli or American politicians. But due to political decisions taken in Israel and the United States, Palestinians in Gaza are prevented from exporting their goods, traveling freely, farming their land, fishing their waters or importing construction materials to build their homes and factories.
We have been to Gaza before, where we have seen the devastation firsthand. We have also been to Israel and the West Bank, where we have seen how the Israeli government is detaining Palestinians at checkpoints, building walls that cut them off from their lands, demolishing their houses, arbitrarily imprisoning their relatives and imposing economic restrictions that prevent them from earning a living. We have seen how Palestinians, like people everywhere, are desperate to live normal and dignified lives.
A UN Report released in September found that “Israel’s oppressive policies [in Gaza] constitute a form of collective punishment of civilians”, that these policies violate both international humanitarian and human rights law, and that the illegal siege of Gaza should be lifted. The International Committee of the Red Cross also called the blockade of Gaza a violation of international law because it constitutes "collective punishment" of a civilian population for actions for which the civilians are not responsible. The Red Cross is a neutral humanitarian organization. It doesn't usually go around making pronouncements on matters of public policy. The fact that it has done so in this case should be a strong signal to the international community that the blockade of Gaza is extreme and must fall.
History has shown us again and again that when political leaders decide it's in their interest, then peace, diplomacy, negotiations are possible. Recently, Israel and Hamas - with the help of the new Egyptian government - successfully negotiated a prisoner exchange that had eluded them for five years. In speeches, the Israeli government "opposes negotiations with Hamas," and in speeches, Hamas "opposes negotiations with Israel.” But when they decided it was in their interest, they had no problem sitting down at the table and hammering out an agreement.
If Israel and Hamas can negotiate an agreement to release prisoners, then surely Israel and Hamas can negotiate an agreement to lift the blockade on Gaza's civilians.
But the people of Gaza can’t wait for political leaders to decide it’s in their interest to negotiate, so it’s up to us—as civil society—to step up the pressure. That’s what these waves of boats are doing. That’s what the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement is doing.
More than a year ago, President Obama called the blockade unsustainable. "It seems to us that there should be ways of focusing narrowly on arms shipments, rather than focusing in a blanket way on stopping everything and then, in a piecemeal way, allowing things into Gaza," he said. That hasn't happened. Why not? Why shouldn't it happen now? What does blocking Palestinian exports from Gaza to Europe or keeping people from getting medical treatment abroad have to do with arms shipments?
The Israeli military stopped these two small ships carrying peace activists to Gaza, but they won’t stop the Palestinians who are demanding freedom, and they won’t stop the solidarity movement. We won't stop challenging the blockade on Gaza's civilians—by land and by sea-- until the blockade falls. And we won't stop challenging the denial of Palestinian democratic aspirations until those aspirations are realized.
Medea Benjamin is cofounder of Global Exchange and CODEPINK:Women for Peace.
Robert Naiman is the Director of Just Foreign Policy.
By Medea Benjamin and Robert Naiman
Source:AlterNet
Two boats full of courageous passengers were on their way to Gaza when they were intercepted on Friday, November 4, by the Israeli military in international waters. We call the passengers courageous because they sailed from Turkey on November 2 with the knowledge that at any moment they might be boarded by Israeli commandos intent on stopping them—perhaps violently, as the Israeli military did in 2010 when they killed nine humanitarian aid workers on the Turkish boat named Mavi Marmara.
The boats—one from Canada and one from Ireland—were carrying 27 passengers, including press and peace activists from Ireland, Canada, the United States, Australia and Palestine. They were unarmed, and the Israeli military knew that. They were simply peace activists wanting to connect with civilians in Gaza, and the Israeli military knew that. Yet naked aggression was used against them in international waters—something that is normally considered an act of piracy.
The passengers on the boats were sailing to Gaza to challenge the U.S.-supported Israeli blockade that is crippling the lives of 1.6 million Palestinian civilians in Gaza. They were sailing to stand up against unaccountable power—the power of the Israeli government—that has been violating the basic rights of the 5.5 million Palestinians that live inside Israel’s pre-1967 borders or in the Occupied Territories. They were sailing for us, civil society, who believe in human rights and the rule of law.
The Arab Spring - which has now spread to cities across the United States in the form of the "#occupy" movement, and has been echoed in protests against economic injustice in Europe and Israel as well - has fundamentally been a challenge to unaccountable power. Some countries experiencing this protest wave are dictatorships under military rule or ruled by monarchies; others are generally considered "democracies.” But in all instances the majority feel that they have been shut out of decision-making and have been harmed by policies benefiting a narrow elite with disproportionate power.
The blockade of Gaza's civilians is an extreme example of unaccountable power. Palestinians in Gaza aren’t allowed to vote for Israeli or American politicians. But due to political decisions taken in Israel and the United States, Palestinians in Gaza are prevented from exporting their goods, traveling freely, farming their land, fishing their waters or importing construction materials to build their homes and factories.
We have been to Gaza before, where we have seen the devastation firsthand. We have also been to Israel and the West Bank, where we have seen how the Israeli government is detaining Palestinians at checkpoints, building walls that cut them off from their lands, demolishing their houses, arbitrarily imprisoning their relatives and imposing economic restrictions that prevent them from earning a living. We have seen how Palestinians, like people everywhere, are desperate to live normal and dignified lives.
A UN Report released in September found that “Israel’s oppressive policies [in Gaza] constitute a form of collective punishment of civilians”, that these policies violate both international humanitarian and human rights law, and that the illegal siege of Gaza should be lifted. The International Committee of the Red Cross also called the blockade of Gaza a violation of international law because it constitutes "collective punishment" of a civilian population for actions for which the civilians are not responsible. The Red Cross is a neutral humanitarian organization. It doesn't usually go around making pronouncements on matters of public policy. The fact that it has done so in this case should be a strong signal to the international community that the blockade of Gaza is extreme and must fall.
History has shown us again and again that when political leaders decide it's in their interest, then peace, diplomacy, negotiations are possible. Recently, Israel and Hamas - with the help of the new Egyptian government - successfully negotiated a prisoner exchange that had eluded them for five years. In speeches, the Israeli government "opposes negotiations with Hamas," and in speeches, Hamas "opposes negotiations with Israel.” But when they decided it was in their interest, they had no problem sitting down at the table and hammering out an agreement.
If Israel and Hamas can negotiate an agreement to release prisoners, then surely Israel and Hamas can negotiate an agreement to lift the blockade on Gaza's civilians.
But the people of Gaza can’t wait for political leaders to decide it’s in their interest to negotiate, so it’s up to us—as civil society—to step up the pressure. That’s what these waves of boats are doing. That’s what the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement is doing.
More than a year ago, President Obama called the blockade unsustainable. "It seems to us that there should be ways of focusing narrowly on arms shipments, rather than focusing in a blanket way on stopping everything and then, in a piecemeal way, allowing things into Gaza," he said. That hasn't happened. Why not? Why shouldn't it happen now? What does blocking Palestinian exports from Gaza to Europe or keeping people from getting medical treatment abroad have to do with arms shipments?
The Israeli military stopped these two small ships carrying peace activists to Gaza, but they won’t stop the Palestinians who are demanding freedom, and they won’t stop the solidarity movement. We won't stop challenging the blockade on Gaza's civilians—by land and by sea-- until the blockade falls. And we won't stop challenging the denial of Palestinian democratic aspirations until those aspirations are realized.
Medea Benjamin is cofounder of Global Exchange and CODEPINK:Women for Peace.
Robert Naiman is the Director of Just Foreign Policy.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)