Month: April 2013

Cheryl Kelley’s Photo-Realistic Paintings of Classic Muscle Cars Will Blow Your Mind


Cheryl Kelley’s paintings are sharper than any photo.

RIP Maggie


Margaret Thatcher, Britains first female prime minister has died today, aged 87.

In my opinion she was the best PM that this country has had since Churchill. Her role in reshaping this country, her contribution to the collapse of the USSR, and her  anti-union position are just some of the highlights of her career, not forgetting the Falklands Campaign.

We have not had a decent leader since. She was dubbed the “Iron Lady” by a Russian journalist. Shame we haven’t seen any “Iron Men” since she was ousted from power.

Perhaps if she had still had a hand in our government we wouldn’t have been in the economic trouble that we are. Do you think she would have stood for any nonsense from the banks and their money grabbing self serving bosses ?

The Dark Side Of Paradise


A Maldives court just sentenced a 15-year-old rape survivor to 100 whip lashings.

It is hard to believe that, in this century, mediaeval barbarism still exists in our world. However, time and time again we are reminded that not all nations practice the same levels of tolerance and morality that we enjoy in the west.

Many times we have considered going to the Maldives for a holiday. This is certainly making me think again, but this time I am thinking about striking them off my wish list.

I received this in an email.

Dear friends,

It’s horrific! A Maldives court just sentenced a 15-year-old rape survivor to 100 whip lashings. By threatening Maldives politicians’ precious tourist income we can save this child and stop these outrageous public floggings. Let’s quickly build a one million strong call, then place ads in travel magazines and websites:

Sign the petition
It’s hard to believe, but a 15-year-old rape survivor has been sentenced to be whipped 100 times in public! Let’s put an end to this lunacy by hitting the Maldives government where it hurts: the tourism industry.

The girl’s stepfather is accused of raping her for years and murdering the baby she bore. Now the court says she must be flogged for “sex outside marriage”! President Waheed of the Maldives is already feeling global pressure on this, and we can force him to save this girl and change the law to spare other victims this cruel fate. This is how we can end the War on Women – by standing up every time an outrage like this happens.

Tourism is the big earner for the Maldives elite, including government ministers. Let’s build a million-strong petition to President Waheed this week, then threaten the islands’ reputation through hard-hitting ads in travel magazines and online until he steps in to save her and abolish this outrageous law. Sign and forward this email now to get us to a million:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/maldives_global/?brpgHdb&v=23290

The Maldives is a paradise for tourists. But for women there, it can be hell. Under harsh interpretations of sharia law, women and children are routinely punished with flogging and house arrest if found guilty of extramarital sex or adultery. It’s nearly always the women who get punished, not the perpetrators. A staggering one in three women between ages 15 and 49 have suffered physical or sexual abuse — yet zero rapists were convicted in the past three years.

Winning this battle can help women everywhere, as the Maldives government is right now running for a top UN human rights position – on a platform of women’s rights! Global outrage has already forced President Waheed to appeal the sentence in the 15-year-old’s case. But that’s not enough. Extremists inside the country will force him to abandon further reforms if international attention fades. Let’s tell the Maldives that it stands to lose its reputation as a romantic tourist hot spot unless it changes its attitudes to and laws about women.

If enough of us raise our voices, we can get President Waheed and his MPs to face down the extremists. The president is already on the back foot over this shameful, tragic story – let’s seize this moment to prevent more horrifying injustices against girls and women. Sign the petition, then send this email widely:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/maldives_global/?brpgHdb&v=23290

Avaaz members have fought many battles in the global war on women. In Afghanistan, we helped protect a young woman who bravely spoke out about her horrific rape; in Honduras, we fought alongside local women against a law that would jail women using the morning-after pill. Let’s now protect the women of the Maldives.

With hope and determination,

Jeremy, Mary, Nick, Alex, Ricken, Laura, Michelle and the whole Avaaz team

MORE INFORMATION

Maldives girl to get 100 lashes for pre-marital sex (BBC)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21595814

Maldives government to appeal flogging of rape victim (Dawn, Pakistan)
http://dawn.com/2013/03/01/maldives-government-to-appeal-flogging-of-rape-victim/

Rape victims punished, failed by Maldives justice system (Minivan news, Maldives)
http://minivannews.com/society/raped-victims-punished-failed-by-law-in-the-maldives-53760

Judicial statistics show 90 percent of those convicted for fornication are female (Minivan news, Maldives)
http://minivannews.com/politics/judicial-statistics-show-90-percent-of-those-convicted-for-fornication-are-female-44605