British government billions for banks, nothing for anti discrimination help

This video says about itself:

“Rroma, Gypsies and Traveller Communities in the UK”. Guests: – Brian Foster (Educationlist) – Florina Zoltan (Rroma community representative) – FR. Joe Browne (Chair – Irish travellers Movement).

From British daily The Morning Star:

Labour told to reconsider helpline closure

Sunday 15 March 2009

by Adrian Roberts

CIVIL service union PCS attacked the planned closure of a helpline for people facing discrimination on Sunday, warning that government initiatives to boost employment rights could be hit by staffing cuts.

The PCS urged the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to reverse plans to close the helpline in Manchester and restructure others in Cardiff, Birmingham and Glasgow.

The union said that 50 posts would be lost at a time when calls to the helpline were increasing because of the recession.

Despite repeated representations from the union, the EHRC plans to close the Manchester helpline, which handled over 50,000 enquiries last year from members of the public facing discrimination.

The planned cuts come at the same time as an initiative launched by Women’s Minister Harriet Harman urging women to seek advice on their employment rights, as well as assessments requested by Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell looking at whether minority groups are suffering disproportionately in the recession.

PCS vice-president Sue Bond explained that the helpline provides support and advice for people who face discrimination in all its forms in every walk of life.

“It makes no sense to cut helpline posts at a time when call volumes are increasing,” she said.

“The EHRC needs to think again and recognise that the service skilled and professional staff deliver is too valuable to downsize.”

See also here.

Thatcher’s death on stage

This satirical video about Britain says about itself ‘UK Labour (supposedly socialist) PM Gordon Brown praises Conservative world Icon Margaret Thatcher.’

From British daily The Morning Star:

When Maggie‘s gone

Sunday 15 March 2009

by Brigitte Istim

Interview: The miners’ strike will be marked on the stage next month. Playwright Ed Waugh chose Thatcher’s death as a starting point.

AS A sometime journalist and public relations man, Ed Waugh decided to mark the silver anniversary of the year-long 1984-5 miners’ strike by indulging his true passion – writing plays.

A Tynesider from South Shields, he is in London to promote Maggie’s End, which will open at the Shaw Theatre in April.

Maggie’s End starts with Margaret Thatcher’s death and looks at the repercussions of a Labour government deciding to honour her with a state funeral.

2009 Conservatives and civil liberties: here.

Refugees in Britain, exhibition

This video says about itself:

Watch documentary maker Nick Broomfield’s short film, made for Amnesty International, about destitute refused asylum seekers in the UK.

From British daily The Morning Star:

Exhibition to highlight plight of Britain’s failed asylum-seekers

Sunday 15 March 2009

THE hidden lives of failed asylum-seekers living in destitution in Britian are revealed on Monday in an exhibition of photographs and personal testimonies.

Photographer Abbie Trayler-Smith has taken pictures of men and women from the Congo, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Zimbabwe and other troubled countries for the Still Human, Still Here exhibition in central London.

The exhibition was launched by a coalition of human rights organisations including Amnesty International and the Refugee Council. …

The exhibition includes the testimony of a woman named only as Anne – not her real name – from the Congo, who has spent three years living in destitution after being refused asylum.

She said she fled the Congo after being raped, beaten and tortured for condemning the forced recruitment of child soldiers.

She alleged that she had been forced to sleep rough in Britain and was set upon by a gang while she slept on a park bench. Two of the assailants raped her, she said, adding that she was too terrified to report the attack. …

Still Human, Still Here coalition spokesman Mike Kaye said: “Government policy towards refused asylum-seekers is forcing people into complete destitution. This policy is inhumane and it is failing – driving people underground, into a world of poverty and hunger.”

Still Human, Still Here will run until April 4 at the Host Gallery, 1 Honduras Street, London EC1.

REFUGEE campaigners stormed the constituency office of Immigration Minister Phil Woolas on Saturday night to demand the closure of all “immigration prisons”: here.

Kenya condemned on Somali exiles: here.

Ruined: Congo is setting for prize-winning play on wartime violence against women: here.

Sculptor Shinkichi Tajiri dies

This video is about Tajiri sculptures in Venlo, the Netherlands.

From Artfact.com, about Shinkichi Tajiri:

(b Los Angeles, 7 Dec 1923). American sculptor, photographer and film maker. Born of Japanese parents, he received his first training in sculpture from the American sculptor Donal Hord (b 1902) in 1941. After demobilization from the US army in 1946 he worked as an antiques restorer and from 1947 to 1948 studied at the Art Institute of Chicago. He moved to Paris in 1948 where he studied under Ossip Zadkine and in 1949 under Léger.

In the latter year he came into contact with the Cobra group and exhibited with them at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. In 1950 he was one of the co-founders of the Galerie 8 in Paris and also studied at the Académie de la Grand Chaumière. Also in 1950 he began producing ‘Junk’ sculptures made from bronze foundry droppings and ‘One day sculptures’. In 1951 he again exhibited with the Cobra group, at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Liège, showing a number of angular, spiked sculptures (see 1971 exh. cat.).

Until the mid-1960s he produced iron and bronze sculptures on recurrent subjects, such as Warrior, Seed, Germination, using roughly textured metal in aggressive organic forms, as in Warrior (1956; Amsterdam, Stedel. Mus.).

According to the Dutch edition of Wikipedia, in 1942, just for being Japanese-American, Tajiri had been locked up in the stables of Santa Anita Racetrack, and later in concentration camp Poston “3″ in Arizona.

According to Dutch NOS TV, Tajiri died last night.

See also here. And here.

This video is a Dutch TV interview in English with Tajiri.

Another Dutch TV video on Tajiri is here.

California apologizes for WWII ‘enemy alien’ declaration against Italian residents: here.

Japanese Anime’s Roots in Historic Ukiyo-e Prints: here.

Kingfisher killed by economic crisis

This is a video from Germany about a European kingfisher.

From Wildlife Extra:

Kingfisher killed by credit crunch!

15/03/2009 09:43:00

A Kingfisher, one of Britain’s most colourful birds, has become the first avian victim of the credit crunch, reports the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO).

March 2009. Kingfisher SB35872 was fitted with a BTO ring in December 2007, at Higham Marshes in Kent. For the next year it regularly flew through a local factory, using it to roost at night. Conveniently, the factory was open seven days a week, and the factory workers enjoyed the frequent flashes of cobalt blue as the bird flew through on its regular fishing trips. The credit crunch has now forced the factory to close for three days every week, and whilst closed recently SB35872 became trapped inside. It was found dead when the factory reopened – a sad demise for such a stunning bird.

Mark Grantham, Research Ecologist in the BTO Ringing Scheme, said “We receive around 500 reports of ringed birds every month from members of the public but this is the first one we have received of a bird hit by the credit crunch. Had this bird not been carrying a BTO ring we would be none the wiser.” He added, “If anyone does find a dead bird with a ring on its leg, by reporting it to us here at the BTO, not only will they be contributing to scientific research, they will be making a real difference to our understanding of the lives of birds.”

Anyone finding a ringed bird should report it online at http://www.ring.ac or by calling the BTO on 01842 750050.

Dabchick and tufted ducks

This video says about itself:

In a stream near Huize Schaffelaar in Barneveld, Netherlands, a great egret (Ardea alba) caught a little fish. A grey heron (Ardea cinerea) was also interested

Today, again to the nature bridge.

On our way: sounds of nuthatch, chaffinch, and robin.

A female reed bunting.

A buzzard overhead, calling.

In the southern lake, a grey lag goose sitting on its nest. This species breeds early in the year.

A little grebe sound. Coots. Mallards.

A grey heron flying over.

In the northern lake, mute swans. Two tufted duck couples.

The tower near the nature bridge turned out to be closed. It had originally been built for a flower show in 2002. From there, it had been moved to Zanderij Crailo after the show. By now, it is no longer in a good condition.