text:
Robert Whytt, född den 6 september 1714 i Edinburgh, död där den 15 april 1766, var en skotsk läkare.

Whytt blev 1746 medicine professor i Edinburgh och 1761 livmedikus hos kungen. Han är känd som en av Stahls ivrigaste anhängare samt var för övrigt duglig experimentator och god iakttagare. Hans skrifter utmärks av en klar stil och kritisk skärpa. De utgavs samlade 1768.

Källor

Tryckta källor

Noter

Skotska läkare
Skotska professorer
Brittiska professorer i medicin
Alumner från Edinburghs universitet
Alumner från Saint Andrews-universitetet
Personer verksamma vid Edinburghs universitet
Kungliga livmedici och arkiatrer
Brittiska läkare under 1700-talet
Personer från Edinburgh
Födda 1714
Avlidna 1766
Män
Ugglan
Ledamöter av Royal Society

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
using AspectCore.DynamicProxy;

namespace AspectCore.Extensions.DataValidation
{
    [NonAspect]
    public interface IDataValidator
    {
        void Validate(DataValidationContext context);
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Botany in the 17th century can by characterised by the development of the detailed descriptive method incl. microscopic studies into plant morphology and anatomy, which also resulted in art features. In the 18th century, botanists such as Carl Linnaeus (also known as Carl von Linné) were involved in classifying plants in a well-ordered system. New techniques (e.g., chiaroscuro - mezzotinta etching, dry-point or natural print) substantially contributed towards the huge development of art features in the extensive catalogues of botanical gardens and floristic inventories in various countries.


text:
• Hosted by U-M experts: Led by, and featuring lectures from, U-M experts, faculty, and alumni, each and every trip invites you to learn and live the culture that surrounds you. Every adventure is designed to enlighten, inform, and satisfy...body, mind, and soul.
HERE ARE JUST A FEW OF OUR FEATURED TRIPS IN 2018:
Expedition to Antarctica – January 4-17, 2018
Spend two nights in dynamic Buenos Aires before embarking on a once-in-a-lifetime cruise to Antarctica to experience "The White Continent" in its unspoiled state, while accompanied by an expert team of naturalists. Fantastically shaped icebergs, turquoise glaciers, bustling penguin rookeries, and historic outposts await. This itinerary includes:
Ends of the Earth – Travel to remote Ushuaia, the world's southernmost city.
Cruise the Drake Passage – Watch for breaching fin, humpback, and minke whales.
Zodiac Boat Excursions – View magnificent glaciers and marine wildlife up close.
Starting at $10,690 per person based on double occupancy, airfare not included.
Journey to South Africa – February 20 to March 7, 2018
Experience the culture and beauty of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana. See a wide variety of wild animals, such as elephants, lions, leopards, giraffe, impala and baboons, over multiple safaris. Explore the vibrant city of Cape Town, South Africa's Mother City and the views from nearby Table Mountain. This itinerary includes:
Boulders Beach – Visit the 3,000+ African penguins that live in this protected colony.
Robben Island – Hear poignant stories about the jail that held Nelson Mandela.
Victoria Falls – Take in the largest waterfall in world, which spans over a mile.
Starting at approximately $6,795 per person based on double occupancy, airfare not included.
Toronto to Vancouver by Rail – September 24-30, 2018
Discover the beauty of Canada, from charismatic Toronto and charming Niagara-on-the-Lake, to expansive central prairies and the Canadian Rockies, to the Pacific Northwest. Enjoy the modern comforts of your cabin and the nostalgia of train travel on the first-class, art-deco-style cars of VIA Rail's, The Canadian. This itinerary includes:
Niagara Falls Up Close – Feel the thundering roar for yourself on a thrilling boat ride.
Dine at the Top of Toronto – Delight in a 360° three-course dinner in the iconic CN Tower.
The Canadian Rockies – Admire the rugged peaks and extraordinary panoramic views
Coastal Vignettes: Rome to Rome – October 16-27
Explore the history, culture and cuisine of Italy, France, Monaco, and Spain on this 10-day voyage. Revel in monuments, from the ancient Roman Forum and Coliseum, to the splendor of St. Peter's Basilica. Savor the prosciutto, pecorino cheese and infinite variety of breads, cakes and salami in Tuscany. This itinerary includes:
Monastery of Montserrat – From Barcelona, head to this monastery built into the mountains.
Camí de Cavalls – Hike part of the 116-mile path that encircles the island of Minorca.
Pompeii and Herculaneum – Explore the stunning temples, frescoes and mosaics of these ruins.
Starting at approximately $2,799 per person based on double occupancy, airfare included.
New Zealand Adventure – October 18 to November 2
Venture between New Zealand's two islands, through lively cities and pristine fjords, past lush farmland, geothermal wonders and enchanted forests. Watch sheepdogs hard at work, taste wine in the celebrated Hawke's Bay region, and experience the remarkable serenity of Doubtful Sound. This itinerary includes:
The Auckland Museum – View prized collections of Maori & Pacific Islander art and artifacts.
Rainbow Springs Nature Park – Take in native flora and fauna, including rehabilitated kiwi birds.
Ruakuri Caves – See the unique glowworms that illuminate underground grottoes.
TAKE THE PATH NOT TAKEN
Above and beyond the unexpected, that is precisely where we promise to take you. Come and travel with us. Learn and love new cultures. Immerse yourself in newfound experiences. Explore new places with new faces. And share the experience with fellow travelers who share your true love of Blue.
This is travel like no place else, and it's waiting to take you places you never thought possible.
Begin your journey, and contact us atalumnitravel@umich.edu or 855.764.0064
umalumni.com/travel
This story is provided and presented by our sponsor Alumni Association of the University of Michigan

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The Resurrection of Jesus Christ was celebrated in Protestant churches in different cities of Turkey.
The protestant communities were accompanied by guests who wanted to witness the Easter feast. It was told in the sermons the sacrifice of Lord Jesus Christ of himself for the sins of all mankind.
After the sermons, members of the church celebrated each other's Resurrection Day.


text:
:: Club Info :: Members :: 2003 National Specialty Results :: Information :: Discussion Page :: Picture Pages
Welcome to the web site for the
Bichon Frise Club of Puget Sound
An affiliate of the Bichon Frise Club of America
We are delighted that you have found the Bichon Club of the Puget Sound. It is our hope that you will find our site useful, informative, and an asset in your search for Bichon Frise information. Enjoy your visit and come back often.
The club began as the Bichon Frise Club for the Pacific Northwest in July 1982, and held it's first sanctioned match in October 1982 with 41 entries at the Clark County Fairgrounds in Vancouver Washington. The club served Bichon Fanciers from British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, Northern California, Montana and Idaho. The club hosted its first National Specialty in 1987. On February 14, 1988 at a meeting in Longview, Washington the constitution and bylaws were amended and the name of the club was changed to "The Bichon Frise Club of Puget Sound." The club now serves Washington and Oregon.
The objects of the Club shall be:
(a) to encourage and promote quality in the breeding of pure-bred Bichon Frises and to do all possible to bring their natural qualities to perfection;
(b) to urge members and breeders to accept the standard of the breed as approved by The American Kennel Club as the only standard of excellence by which Bichon Frise shall be judged;
(c) to do all in its power to protect and advance the interests of the breed by encouraging sportsmanlike competition at dog shows;
(d) to conduct sanctioned and licensed specialty shows under the rules of The American Kennel Club.
Annual Bichon Frise Specialty January 9, 2004
BFCA National Specialty in Chicago, May 2004
Annual Bichon Frise Picnic June 13, 2004
Link to Flyer for Picnic
Annual Bichon Frise "B" Match, July 18 2004
Washington All-Breed Dog Shows
Links to Information:
How to Join the BFCPS
Information on Bichons & Puppies
National Bichon Breeders Directory
Local Bichon Breeders Directory
Regional Bichon Frise Rescue
National Bichon Frise Rescue:
Bichon Frise Breed Standard
If you have questions or comments about this web site please send mail to our webmaster.
Copyright © 2002 BFCPS


text:
Q: What popular webservers have support for HTML5 WebSocket? I would like to experiment with HTML5 WebSockets, and I am looking for a mature webserver with support for websockets. Is there a list of webservers that support websockets per default? What popular webservers has support for websockets out of the box? The server programming language doesn't matter, I know Java, PHP, Erlang, Python and more... I just want to do some small experiments.
I have looked at a few that doesn't support websockets (yet), i.e. Nginx, Apache and Mochiweb.

A: You can find a mod_websocket module for lighttpd here. I've tested it with lighttpd 1.4.26.
When building mod_websocket, be sure to specify the correct websocket protocol version you want to use (version -75 or -76). Starting with WebKit nightly build r59903 and Chrome 6.0.414.0 (r47952) only protocol version -76 is supported.

A: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_Sockets#Server_Implementations
I tested netty. It seems to work, but I need to play with it a little more to be sure if it's good solution.

A: Jetty (a Java servletcontainer) supports HTML5 websockets since version 7.0.1. You can find several information and blogs about it here.

A: I just tried out tornado web server and I'm really satisfied. You will easily get up and running in no time.

A: Apache Tomcat 7 and later versions support WebSocket.

A: Nowadays node.js, especially in conjuction with the Socket.IO library, is a popular platform for WebSocket experiments. It's not a traditional "webserver" like Apache/nginx but it certainly offers a "server programming language" that's super easy to set up for small experiments and is possible to deploy in production too.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Futbol Club Santa Clarita's Storm soccer team beat Real San Jose 2-1 in the 91st minute of play Saturday with a penalty kick. As the Fullerton Rangers came away with a tie against Sonoma, the Storm (4-2-1) leapfrogged over the Rangers to take second place.
It was in the end of the first 45 minutes of play when Storm defender Gregory Quintero received a pass from Alex Harlley and gave the team a 1-0 lead going into halftime.
It took just one minute into the second half for San Jose to come back with a goal of their own when midfielder Bronil Koochoie took a pass form Omar Valdez and shot the ball past Storm Keeper Steven Rodriguez.
The score remained tied until the last minute of stoppage time (91st min.) when Storm midfielder Wayne Lampart was fouled in the box and a penalty kick was awarded. Andres Bueno took the kick and gave the Storm the lead and the win.
Storm is now 4-2-1 (international style scoring) with 14 points in second place in the Southwest Conference of the National Premier Soccer League.
Next Up: Storm faces the Bay Area Ambassadors Sat., May 26, at 4 p.m. at Hart High School in Newhall.


text:
Today, a jury got to hear Elizabeth Holmes' lies for themselves – The Verge
Today we heard Elizabeth Holmes speak in court — through recordings made for a Fortune article by Roger Parloff. In those recordings, Holmes claims that Theranos worked with the military, was currently working with pharmaceutical companies, that the company could do more than a thousand tests on its proprietary machines, and that the results were "at the highest level of quality."
None of this was true.
Parloff has about 10 hours of taped conversations with Holmes
Lying to reporters is not illegal, but it's generally a bad idea since we tend to record our conversations. We've heard a lot about Parloff's article in US v Elizabeth Holmes, because it was frequently sent to prospective investors as part of the materials Holmes supplied about the company.
Parloff has about 10 hours of taped conversations with Holmes, the founder and former CEO of Theranos. He profiled Theranos after he noticed fancy celebrity lawyer David Boies had been arguing on behalf of a company Parloff had never heard of — and had won the case.
Parloff interviewed Holmes — as well as a who's who of Theranos notables, including former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, former Stanford professor Channing Robertson, and Mark Laret, the CEO of UCSF Medical Center. He toured the Palo Alto headquarters of Theranos. He did not see the clinical lab. (Or, for that matter, any third-party analyzers.) He also toured the manufacturing facilities in Newark, California, which he said was "not a buzzing factory — no assembly lines or anything." He went to a Walgreens and got his blood drawn with a fingerstick.
During the course of their conversation, Parloff pointed out that Quest Diagnostics did 600 different tests. He asked Holmes if Theranos did all those tests, too. "Our platform can yield — I'm thinking of the best way to say this — we can do all those tests, so we can provide data back to clinicians for all the same tests," she responded. That was a lie — we've heard testimony that Theranos devices couldn't perform more than a handful of tests.
She went on to say that Theranos devices had been used in Afghanistan
Later, Holmes told Parloff that Theranos has "done work overseas for pharmaceutical companies and a little bit with foreign governments in the past, but right now we've got our work cut out for us here."
She went on to say that Theranos devices had been used in Afghanistan, but he was not to ask her board member, Gen. James "Mad Dog" Mattis, about it — it was off the record, and besides, Mattis couldn't talk about it. Earlier in the trial, Mattis testified that to his knowledge, Theranos devices were never used overseas.
In another recording, Holmes said that she thought Theranos could do 1,000 tests on its proprietary machines. But only 200 tests are offered on the website, she claimed, because "we have operationalized certain tasks, expecting a certain set of ordering patterns." The 200 are the most commonly-done ones, she said, "but we are adding to it."
"Before the article comes out, we may have a new batch," she added. This didn't seem true, either — particularly given Theranos' struggles with quality.
She seemed to be playing him
As Parloff's testimony went on, I noticed how well she seemed to be playing him. At one point, she emailed Parloff to tell him, "As you know we want to generally keep the focus off the hardware. A way to do this if you are referring to it/the automation in our lab is to use the word analyzers which is likely the best word to use besides analytical systems (rather than the word device)."
Sources don't get to dictate vocabulary in journalism — at least, not in good journalism. It wasn't the first time she played Parloff, either.
In one recording, she explained that the secrecy was because Theranos hadn't finished filing its patents. "The fact we have a single device that can perform any test is a big deal," she said.
"The next story is that it would be done by this device." And it wasn't just one story, she teased: the story after that would be about the decentralization of the devices. "Hopefully we have the opportunity to tell that story with you," Holmes said.
Parloff did more due diligence than most people who invested in Theranos
What happened here is pretty obvious — Holmes dangled future exclusives in exchange for the opportunity to dictate the terms of the article, even down to the vocabulary that Parloff used. The word "device" appears twice in his story, and neither time is it in reference to Theranos machines.
Parloff wasn't a chump, though; by the time he'd written the article, he'd already done more due diligence than most people who invested in Theranos. He'd heard that Theranos labs were still using venipuncture and asked Holmes about it. She said it was a problem of scaling.
He pressed: it wasn't because her system couldn't run certain tests? She answered by saying it was a matter of volume. "Our biggest point on that is our whole business is about eliminating the need for people to do venipuncture unless they want to, in which case they can, but everything we do is about eliminating that," Holmes told him.
The exchange that defense lawyers are most likely to focus on, however, wasn't recorded. Parloff asked Holmes directly if she kept, for instance, a Siemens analyzer on hand for overflow. "And she said 'unh-unh,' like a nonverbal response that said no," Parloff testified. This was corroborated only by his notes.
"The technology is capable of running all those tests."
Holmes also emailed Parloff the faked Pfizer and Schering-Plough reports that Theranos actually wrote, complete with conclusions that praised Theranos.
When the article was published, Holmes was effusive in her praise. She did not request corrections or complain about its contents — frankly unusual for a profile of any tech company. (Ask me about the time Apple spokespeople called to complain not about my facts but about my tone!)
Parloff continued talking to Holmes, probably because he was excited about getting more stories; he did get one about an Arizona law that made it easier for patients to buy their own lab tests from places such as, well, Theranos. In 2015, she told him that as of that year, Theranos had started using third-party analyzers, because their Arizona lab wasn't certified to perform Theranos' lab-developed tests.
"The technology is capable of running all those tests," she told him, lying. As we found out earlier in the trial, Theranos' devices couldn't perform more than about a dozen tests.
It was remarkable to hear the recordings of Holmes lying in her own voice
Later that year, Parloff went to another demo, this time in the Boies Schiller law offices in New York. Two devices were there to perform tests on him: potassium (which didn't work on Theranos devices, a former lab director testified) and Ebola. "Both machines were taking a long time, so I didn't stay for the results," Parloff said. He got his results that night. In another recording, Holmes instructed him not to say the same machine ran both of his tests.
Then the sky fell. John Carreyrou's Wall Street Journal article published in October 2015. In the article, Carreyrou wrote that the majority of Theranos tests were done on third-party devices and Theranos devices were used for just 15 tests. Parloff immediately contacted Holmes. He asked how many tests Theranos could do as of December 2014. According to Parloff, Holmes lied again, saying, "50, 60, maybe 70, we can get you that number."
It was remarkable to hear the recordings of Holmes lying in her own voice. We've heard now from multiple investors about what she told them, and it's been consistent: the platform could do basically, well, everything; pharma companies had validated it; it had been used in the battlefield. But those investors didn't record like Parloff did.
The defense will argue that Parloff's cooperation with the prosecution in this trial was sour grapes — a journalist trying to get back at a source who duped him, and who's trying to pass his own mistakes off onto Holmes. Today, though, the jury got to hear Holmes' lies in her own voice.
Macys says it is working with AlixPartners to review its business structure – Fox Business
Rupert Murdoch Finally Says Its Time For Trump To Move On — A Year After The Election – HuffPost


Our Bangkok TOEFL tutor has worked as a freelance English teacher since 2014. She focuses on students' area of weakness. Her clients had been mostly Japanese, Vietnamese and Thais. Recently, she taught conversational English to Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS) staff. She holds a degree in B.S. Industrial Pharmacy from University of the Philippines. Currently, she is finishing her masters in Health Technology Assessment in Mahidol University, Bangkok.
I had Erin M. As my TOEFL tutor for a week. Although it was not a long term course, I noted improvements in my skills, particularly in writing. I would recommend Erin to any friend, particularly if what he/she needs is to improve his/her writing and reading scores. Regarding Manhattan Elite Prep, I believe it is one of the best preparation sources for this kind of test. They will provide you with a lot of materials.


My plant-based dye class is today!
I couldn't accurately tell you how much I am looking forward to it. It seems like a year ago I signed up for this and now it is finally here. I am already daydreaming about dying everything I own. As has probably been mentioned here previously, I like to get ahead of myself.
I bought six yards of cotton fabric to experiment with: four yards of plain off-white, two more of a very pale grey with white dots. That's them, pre-soaking in my bathtub before I thoroughly washed them.
Here is a hastily and poorly taken photograph of them in all their white-ness as I am already running late.
I promise another post with the "after" pictures, probably very soon. I am incredibly excited.
Can't wait to see what plants you use....are you planning a dye garden, too???? I'm a wannabe...wishing i was taking that class, too!


make bur : case on moflamii?
world pressure is brought to bear.
ween the lines. Its there.
eyes while we sing a new song.
reds and yellows are the majority.
Reagan will be Shirley Temple Black.
operates camps in Alabama for little racists.
supremacy medallions with their uniforms"
gressive lawyers might want to emulate.
in federal court in Birmingham, Alabama.
Georgia, Decatur, Alabama, and all the rest.
schools would be integrated without it.
not flee and the pattern was reversed.
and programs we too often take for granted.
ing of those rights by an intolerant majority.
what they believe in . "
proposal for a negotiated settlement.
continent and bury perceptions of the U.S.
jority rule through democratic elections.
the leftist Algerians over the Spanish Sahara.
; region, was . granted aid and the U.S.
America depends heavily for oi. And. U.$.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES: 0ne. year $12.00.
j Won... . . .. .


text:
Adult DVD+VoD
New and Offers
2012: Jan-March
Home US select page......... US Index ESRB FCC MPAA US News Film Cuts select page........ BBFC Index BBFC News Guidelines Latest Cuts R18 Cuts Latest Bans UK Ratings US Ratings Genre Cuts James Bond R18 Story Cinema Bans Video Bans Other Bans World Bans NastiesNews Nasties List NastiesSumm
Index World select page......... World Index International World Press Web Blocking Campaigns US News Americas UK News West Europe Middle East Africa News East Europe South Asia Asia Pacific Australia Cutting Edge
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Sex+Shopping select page........ Shopping Index Adult DVDs Online Shops Internet Video Sexy Clothing Site Reviews Offers Latest Reviews Sex Machines Sex Toys News Sex Shop News Sex Shops List List Updates List Your Shop Table Dancing Satellite X
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Latest
Jan-March April-June July-Sept 2012
Update: Politically Motivated and Politically Monitored...
British Shadow Chancellor at the Pussy Riot trial
Full story: Blasphemy in Russia...Offending religious beliefs or desecration of holy objects or symbols
8th August 2012. See article from themoscowtimes.com
The British Shadow Chancellor Kerry McCarthy attended the Pussy Riot trial on Monday to give a bit of extra attention to the three members of the all-female protest group who face up to seven years in prison for a church performance in which they denounced President Vladimir Putin and Patriarch Kirill.
It seems strange to me that they have been charged with this offense, McCarthy told The Moscow Times during a break inside the courtroom at Moscow's Khamovnichesky District Court. In the U.K., they would have been charged with a breach of peace and told off or fined.
When McCarthy started following the trial, she saw that the defendants weren't able to call their witnesses and that other violations of their rights were taking place, she said.
Asked whether she saw the trial as politically motivated, she replied, Everything I've read about it would lead me to think that.
Offsite Report: Inside the Pussy Riot Trial
10th August 2012. See article from huffingtonpost.co.uk by Kerry McCarthy
Pussy Riot's alleged crime was to have performed what they dubbed a punk prayer in the cathedral of Christ the Saviour in February, a 40 second performance of a song calling on the Virgin Mary to join forces with them against Vladimir Putin.
The trial has in large part been about whether the band were demonstrating religious hatred by their actions, or whether - as the women maintain - it was a political protest. The prosecuting lawyer somewhat bizarrely argued in his closing statement that it wasn't a political statement as no politicians were named, although the song is called Virgin Mary, Chase Putin Out.
The band argue, perhaps a little facetiously, that the song isn't anti-religious because they're enlisting the Virgin Mary onto their side. The female lawyer representing the nine victims in court (that is, those who say they were insulted or traumatised by seeing the performance) was outraged by the band's suggestion that Mary was a feminist, and said that feminism is a mortal sin .
There have, however, been many criticisms made of the trial process: the fact the defence weren't allowed to call the witnesses they wanted to, and not allowed to examine the prosecution witnesses/victims properly either. I wasn't there for the victims' testimony but people have reported that the judge was very quick to shut down questions, and simply didn't allow the sort of cross-examination that the defence wanted.
There have also been many concerns raised about the way the women are being treated: they say they are only getting a few hours sleep a night, they aren't being fed during their 12 hour days at court, and Nadya and Masha have not been able to see their two small children. There has also been an order made barring Nadya's husband, Peter, from visiting her, after - I was told - he was seen to be too active in calling for their release.
...Read the full article
Comment: The bit about forgiving those who trespass against them
11th August 2012. Thanks to Alan
Kerry McCarthy's remarks on the trial are interesting, but I don't think she quite sees the point about Pussy Riot's claim that the Virgin Mary would agree with them. It isn't facetious . Whether or not they believe the doctrines of the opening words of their prayer - Bogoroditse Devo ( Virgin Mother of God ) - or even in her historical existence, the fact is that in the longest speech attributed to her in the New Testament Mary talks of God putting down the mighty from their thrones and raising up the humble, filling the hungry with good things and sending the rich away empty . Looks like that's another Madonna they've got on their side.
Furthermore, Patriarch Kirill, his absurd spokesprat Fr Chaplin - can't resist saying he's a right Charlie! - and the allegedly offended lay people in the cathedral ought to be well aware of this, since, like Anglicans and Catholics, they say or sing this text, called the Magnificat, daily in their services. They also say that prayer by Mary's kid, but don't seem to have taken on board the bit about forgiving those who trespass against them.
When it comes to the lawyer calling feminism a sin , words almost fail me. Does this idiot ever look in the robing room mirror? She's (1) a woman and (2) a lawyer. How does she think she manages to be both without the work of feminists?
Extract: Russian Orthodox Church defiant over Pussy Riot trial
11th August 2012. See article from bbc.co.uk
Younger Orthodox Russians I spoke to, many of whom support Pussy Riot, disagree. They feel that their Patriarch is not maintaining the neutrality expected of him and is in fact legitimising the activity of the state.
The Church connects people to God but now these two bodies - the Church and the government - are linked and it should not be like this, says Nikolai Polozov, a committed Orthodox Christian and the lawyer acting for Pussy Riot.
And yet the Church feels someone is out there to get them. As it struggles to boost its low attendances (fewer than 10% of Russians attend church regularly), it talks of a smear campaign being waged against the Patriarch.
...Raad the full Russian Orthodox Church defiant over Pussy Riot trial
Update: TalkTalk BlockBlock...
Now TalkTalk proposes to force all customers to choose between a censored or uncensored internet feed
Full story: Internet Blocking Adult Websites in UK...Government push for ISPs to block porn
See article from dailymail.co.uk
TalkTalk, which provides web access to 4million subscribers, already offers new customers the option of activating blocking for websites with adult themes. Now it has said it will be the first company to ask both new and existing subscribers whether they want to block adult content.
TalkTalk's filter, HomeSafe, blocks sites categorised as unsuitable for under-18s, including those related to pornography, suicide, self harm, gambling, dating, drugs and weapons. But it also blocks websites for strong language, references to sex and any sites that happen to contain a few words that trigger automated classification software.
It has been available to customers since May last year, but only if they requested it. From March this year, new subscribers have been asked to choose whether or not they want the filter.
Now the company wants to force all of its customers to decide whether they want access to adult material, with a view to making them choose their settings once a year.
It is believed other internet providers will introduce a system in October which will be more tailored to devices and individuals.
31st March
Offsite Link: A Scottish license to kill culture...
Bureaucrats north of the border seem to be on a mission to bleed all the spontaneity out of Scotland's thriving cultural scene. By Tiffany Jenkins of Spiked
See article from spiked-online.com
Updated:: Freedom of Expression Awards 2012...
See article from indexoncensorship.org
Freedom of Expression Awards 2012
28th March 2012, London
Journalism nominees
Winner: Idrak Abbasov, journalist, Azerbaijan
Idrak Abbasov is an Azerbaijani journalist whose investigative work has put his life in danger. Abbasov reports for newspaper Ayna-Zerkalo, contributes to the Institute for War & Peace Reporting website, and he is one of the founding members of Azerbaijan's Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS) .
Han Han, blogger, China
The author of China's most widely read blog, 29-year-old Han Han has been called the world's most popular blogger . He is also famed for being a cultural critic, race-car driver, actor and novelist. But despite his rock star status he has long been considered a thorn in the side of the Chinese government.
Lucia Escobar, journalist, Guatemala
Lucia Escobar's story highlights the state of press freedom in Guatemala, where journalists are regularly intimidated by paramilitary groups. Escobar is a freelance columnist for El Perio'dico, a publication based in Guatemala City, and also operates an online radio station, Radio Ati.
Kayvan Samimi, journalist, Iran
Iranian journalist Kayvan Samimi has been instrumental in keeping dissent alive in the Islamic Republic.
Advocacy nominees
Winner: Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, NGO, Bahrain
The Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) has played a crucial role in documenting human rights violations, political repression and torture in the Gulf kingdom. Despite efforts to silence and discredit it, the BCHR has kept international attention on the brutal government crackdown that began last February. It has prevented the Bahrain government from whitewashing its international image, and at times when news media were severely restricted and foreign journalists barred, it acted as a crucial news source.
Alaa Abd El Fattah, blogger, Egypt
Alaa Abd El Fattah is at the forefront of protests against Egypt's current military rule. Over the last 12 months, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) has tried to silence dissent, crushing protests, restricting the media and questioning and imprisoning activists who criticise its actions.
Lord Lester of Herne Hill, QC, UK
Anthony Lester is a British barrister and Liberal Democrat peer whose work in the field of human rights has transformed the legal landscape. His support for the libel reform campaign has led to one of the greatest advances for free speech in recent years in the UK, potentially transforming the most infamous and enduring chill on freedom of expression in the country. Following the introduction of Anthony Lester's private member's defamation bill in May 2010, the government then used it as the basis for its own bill a year later. If it becomes law this year, it will mark the end of London's notorious reputation as a town named sue , the libel capital of the world, and fulfil Anthony Lester's personal aim of providing a catalyst for reform in an historic moment for free speech in the UK.
Inovation nominees
Winner: Freedom Fone by Kubatana, mobile phone technology NGO, Zimbabwe
Kubatana is an NGO based in Harare that uses a variety of new and traditional media to encourage ordinary Zimbabweans to be informed, inspired and active about civic and human rights issues. As an organisation, it continuously seeks innovative fixes to the challenges of sharing independent information in Zimbabwe's restrictive media environment. Freedom Fone is one of Kubatana's solutions. An open-source software, Freedom Fone helps organisations create interactive voice response (IVR) menus to enable them to share pre-recorded audio information in any language via mobile phones and landlines with their members or the general public. The software is aimed at organisations or individuals wishing to set up interactive information services for users where the free flow of information may be denied for economic, political, technological or other reasons. Freedom Fone is one of the many ways Kubatana reaches across the digital divide to inform and inspire the vast majority of Zimbabweans who do not have regular or affordable internet access.
ObscuraCam, smartphone app, USA
ObscuraCam is a free smartphone application that uses facial recognition to blur individual faces automatically. Developed by WITNESS and the Guardian Project, it enables users to protect their personal security, privacy and anonymity. In 2011 and 2012, uprisings throughout the Middle East have shown the power and danger of mobile video footage. ObscuraCam helps protect activists who fear reprisals but want to safely capture evidence of state brutality. Launched in June 2011 and based in the USA, ObscuraCam is the only facial blurring or masking application that has responded to the concerns of human rights groups, citizen activists and journalists. In addition to obscuring faces, the application removes identifying data such as GPS location data and the phone make and model.
Visualising.org, data visualisation resource, international
Visualising.org was created to help make data visualisation more accessible to the general public. It calls itself a community of creative people making sense of complex issues through data and design... and a shared space and free resource to help you achieve this goal .Data analysts and graphic designers have set themselves the challenge of sharing a constantly proliferating body of public data in an accessible form. Raw data on its own might as well be censored; visualisation opens the door to open information that otherwise would be left languishing on hard disks or, if downloaded, unintelligible to the average citizen. The project offers a place to showcase work, discover remarkable visualisations and visually explore some of today's most pressing global issues. Created by GE and Seed Media Group, Visualising.org promotes information literacy. The portal has had a remarkable year.
Telecomix, internet activists, across Europe
Telecomix is the collective name for a decentralised group of internet activists operating in Europe. Their focus is to expose threats to freedom of speech online. During one operation, Telecomix activists published a huge package of data which proved that the Syrian government was carrying out mass surveillance of thousands of its citizens' internet usage. Telecomix's revelation that the technology used was supplied by US firm Blue Coat Systems has prompted serious investigations into the involvement of western technology firms in helping repressive regimes spy on their people. In mid-August 2011, Telecomix's dispersed group of hackers came together to target Syria's internet. Those attempting to access the internet though their normal browsers were confronted with a blank page bearing a warning: This is a deliberate, temporary internet breakdown. Please read carefully and spread the following message. Your internet activity is monitored. Following this, a page flashed up describing how to take precautions to encrypt usage.
Arts nominees
Winner: Ali Ferzat, cartoonist, Syria
Syrian cartoonist Ali Ferzat has been called an icon of freedom in the Arab world . He has spent decades ridiculing dictators in more than 15,000 caricatures. His depictions of President Assad and the police state have helped galvanise revolt in Syria.
Voina, performance artists, Russia
Voina, meaning War , is a collective of radical Russian anarchist artists who combine political protest and performance art.
Ai Weiwei, artist, China
AiWeiwei is a Chinese artist and activist whose work incorporates social and political activism. He has investigated corruption and cover-ups and openly criticised the Chinese government's record on human rights.
Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi, poet, Burma
Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi, a poet, filmmaker and screenwriter, co-founded Burma's inaugural Arts of Freedom Film Festival, which took place in early January 2012.
Index 40th Anniversary award
Winner: Memorial
Index singles out The Research and Information Centre Memorial, which logs the brutal repression suffered by millions in former Soviet countries, for their continued dedication to guaranteeing freedom of information. The centre has demonstrated a fierce commitment to protecting human rights. It not only chronicles the crimes of the Stalinist period, but monitors current threats against those who speak out against injustice. Memorial's remarkable archive includes letters, diaries, transcripts, photographs, and sound files. Individuals with first-hand experience of Stalin's terror and the Soviet gulag have donated documentation they had hidden during this brutal period.
Extract: Lost Souls at the BBFC...
Robin Cooke talks about 100 years of film censorship at the BBFC
See article from bbc.co.uk
As the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) celebrates its 100th year, its director David Cooke reflects on some of the films that have challenged the censor over the decades.
One of the best examples is 1932's Island of Lost Souls, the first non-silent screen adaptation of HG Wells' Island of Dr Moreau, starring Charles Laughton and Bela Lugosi. Scene from Island of Lost Souls Island of Lost Souls was first rejected by the British censor in the 1930s
Originally rejected in 1933 - and again in 1957 - the film was eventually classified with an X certificate with cuts in 1958. In 1996 these cuts were restored and the film gained a 12 certificate.
In 2011, it was resubmitted for a new DVD/Blu-ray release and was passed as a PG - making it viewable by children, though it carries the warning: Contains mild violence and scary scenes .
When we had to classify it again last year, we went for PG on the basis of the comparison with the Doctor Whos and the Harry Potters, explains BBFC director David Cooke.
Extract: A Book Fair Missing a Few Key Pages...
London Book Fair is highlighting Chinese authors, but somehow only those that are state approved
Full story: Supporting Book Censorship in China...Honouring Chinese book censors at book fairs
See article from guardian.co.uk
The London Book Fair is facing claims it has bowed to pressure from Chinese authorities by failing to invite dissident and exiled writers to next month's event and choosing only state-approved authors.
Bei Ling, an exiled poet and essayist, has written to the British Council, the organisers of the cultural programme of the fair, which is one of the biggest international publishing events in the world, expressing his surprise over its plans to host Chinese state-approved writers and organisations.
I was amazed that no independent voice, no exiled or dissident writer from China is being represented at the London Book Fair, he told the Guardian, accusing the fair, which is focusing on China this year, of self-censorship to keep Chinese authorities on board.
It is shocking enough that the book fair has worked with Gapp (General Administration of Press and Publication, the agency responsible for regulating publications in China). In order to ensure that their guest country was happy they exercised self-censorship and didn't push for other, non-state-approved writers, although without them you don't get a full picture of literary China, he said.
A Total Policing State...
Facebook poster of angry rant charged with 'sending a message that was grossly offensive'
Full story: Twitter Twits...Police overreact to trivial insults via Twitter and Facebook
See article from liberalconspiracy.org
Police have dropped charges of racial aggravation against teenager Azhar Ahmed for comments he posted on Facebook last week.
He is now being charged under the Communications Act 2003 with sending a message that was grossly offensive on March 8.
He has denied the charge, according to The Yorkshire Post.
So that means if you say anything the police deem grossly offensive on social media you can be hauled up in court.
Comment: Total Policing State
16th March 2012 See article from guardian.co.uk
Comments about the army on a Yorkshire teenager's Facebook page seem to be too much for the new total policing state. By Richard Seymour.
Update: Court Adjourned
6th July 2012. See article from dailymail.co.uk
Azhar Ahmed appeared in court charged with making offensive comments on Facebook about the deaths of six British soldiers. He has been accused of committing an offence under the Communications Act of sending a grossly offensive message.
The District Judge heard no evidence and adjourned the trial until 14 September due to an unexpected legal problem.
Around 20-30 far right protesters appeared at Huddersfield Magistrates Court for the hearing and packed out the public gallery.
Alton Towers Attraction Rated 12A by the BBFC...
Confusing as to whether it is open to under 12's when accompanied by their parents
See press release from bbfc.co.uk
Following unprecedented feedback from a testing panel during its beta phase, Alton Towers Resort has been compelled to seek advice from esteemed film classification body the BBFC, to help assess its new psychologically terrifying underground attraction, Nemesis Sub-Terra , which opens to the general public on 24th March 2012.
For the first time in history for a theme park attraction, the BBFC agreed to assess Nemesis Sub-Terra, so that Alton Towers Resort could protect its younger visitors from the intense and disturbing effects of the new attraction and consider appropriate restrictions.
Now in its 100th year of operation, until now the BBFC has only rated content in the form of film releases, DVDs/Blu-Ray, digital downloads and video games. The BBFC considered carefully the feedback and unique nature of the attraction (which is neither a ride, performance nor a maze) and agreed to lend their advice.
Murray Perkins, Senior Examiner at the BBFC commented:
The BBFC is seeing a real blur of the old boundaries of visual content and physical experience in both 3D and 4D cinema, and at theme parks. Applying our experience of the public's acceptability of moments of threat on screen, to more physical experiences, is something we have begun to do as cinema and other theatrical experiences evolve.
After experiencing the attraction first-hand, based on 100 years of experience and line with British public opinion, we would recommend that Alton Towers Resort classify the new Nemesis Sub-Terra a '12A'. The BBFC's Guidelines at '12A'/'12 allow moderate physical and psychological threat, provided that the disturbing sequences are not frequent or sustained. Nemesis Sub-Terra contains some intense moments, in some respects comparable with scary scenes which may be experienced in horror or science fiction films at '12A'/'12. But while some people will no doubt find this a frightening experience, the personnel monitoring the site are soon on hand to guide the public to safety.
Katherine Duckworth from Alton Towers Resort commented:
The classification advice from the BBFC is important for the Resort to ensure the wellbeing of our guests. We are aware the enforcements that will now be implemented will mean that many of our younger visitors are unable to experience Nemesis Sub-Terra, which we are obviously concerned about. However, the Alton Towers Resort prides itself on offering a variety of rides for all ages and we hope that those under the age of 12 will continue to enjoy our other attractions.
Update: Diplomatic Gesture...
Iran blocks another UK embassy website
Full story: Iranian Internet Censorship...Extensive internet blocking
Tehran has blocked another UK Foreign Office website in Iran as part of its ever-tightening stranglehold of censorship , the foreign secretary has said.
William Hague said UK for Iranians was launched on March 14 to reach out to its citizens but access from the country was blocked on March 17. Iran had already blocked the main British embassy website in December 2011.
Britain last year closed its embassy in Tehran and expelled Iran's diplomats. It followed an attack on the embassy building, which Iran described unacceptable behaviour by a small number of protesters . However, British diplomats said they believed it was likely the attack had state backing.
In a statement Hague said the UK for Iranians website had been established to explain UK policy and engage with Iranians and that the blocking of the site was only a very small part of what Iranians endure daily . He said Iran's government had jammed international television channels, closed film and theatre productions, rewritten traditional Persian literature and banned the publication of some books and newspapers.
Offsite Article: How can insulting soldiers be 'racially aggravated'?...
Police arrest man for angry Facebook post about soldiers in Afghanistan
See article from blog.indexoncensorship.org
Update: Just Not Cricket...
Libel tourism case as former New Zealand Cricketer sues in the UK over a dispute with an Indian tweeter primarily affecting his reputation in India
Full story: Censorship by Libel...British libel law allows the rich to censor the truth
On the other hand, libel tourism must be good for Britain's balance of payments. Legal costs don't come cheap.
See article from telegraph.co.uk
Ex-New Zealand cricketer Chris Cairns, who is suing a former Indian Premier League boss over a Twitter posting, has his case heard by the UK High Court in the latest example of libel tourism.
Chris Cairns is taking legal action over a January 2010 tweet by Lalit Modi alleging that he was involved in match fixing.
The action is taking place in London despite claims by Modi's lawyers that there were only 35 readers of the tweet in England and Wales. Evidence for Cairns put the figure at around 100.
Padraig Reidy of Index on Censorshop said:
The Cairns case is one of the most clear-cut cases of libel tourism we have seen.
While cricket is an international game, the alleged libel took place in India, concerned conduct in India, and primarily affects Cairns's reputation in India.
Plans to prevent libel tourism were put forward by the Government last year. The proposed new rules would block celebrities and businessman from bringing such actions in this country unless it could be proved that publication caused them substantial harm in England and Wales.
Clash of the Titans...
BBFC provide interesting archive material about their clash with the distributors of the 1981 fantasy film by Desmond Davis
See article from bbfc.co.uk
Clash of the Titans is a 1981 US fantasy by Desmond Davis. With Laurence Olivier, Harry Hamlin and Claire Bloom. See IMDb
Back in 1981 it was passed A (PG) after 9s of BBFC cuts for category for:
UK 1981 cinema release
From cuts details on IMDb :
Removed the close up of Calabos stabbing a man's back with a trident
shortened the scene where Calabos is stabbed in the stomach by Perseus to remove sight of Calabos in agony.
Since then it was passed 15 uncut for:
UK 1987 MGM VHS
And passed 12 uncut for moderate fantasy violence for:
UK 2010 Warner R0 Blu-ray at UK Amazon
UK 2006 Warner R2 DVD at UK Amazon
...Read the full article in which the BBFC publish several letters and documents about how they decided on the 1981 cuts.
Offsite Article: The King of the BBFC's Speech...
BBFC infomercial about consumer advice and the always useful extended classification information. By David Cooke
See article from huffingtonpost.co.uk
Rotten to the Core?...
Ofcom's Project Apple is considering whether News International is fit and proper to hold the broadcasting licence for Sky TV
See article from bloomberg.com
News International's involvement in the U.K. phone-hacking and bribery scandal has drawn attention from regulators, who are examining the company's fitness to hold a broadcasting license through its stake in Sky.
The ramifications of the scandal are being scrutinized by a special team, dubbed Project Apple, at TV censor Ofcom, according to minutes released under a Freedom of Information Act request published on Ofcom's website.
Ofcom, which has the ability to revoke a broadcaster's license, will determine whether the scandal has compromised News Corp.'s ability to manage the U.K.'s biggest pay-TV company.
A Pressing Need for Change...
Press Complaints Commission to undergo a rapid reformation before Leveson makes his report
See article from independent.co.uk
See PCC chairman promises 'robust, independent regulator with teeth' from guardian.co.uk
See Ofcom should oversee new PCC, if newspapers cannot agree own reforms from guardian.co.uk
The Press Complaints Commission is to close itself down in a fast-tracked programme that will kill off the name of the PCC, abandon its current structures and governance, and establish a new regulatory body that will be in place well before Lord Justice Leveson delivers his report on the press at the end of this year.
The accelerated close down was formally discussed at a full meeting of the commission chaired by Lord Hunt in London. Details of the formal close-down date and the potential names of the new body are expected to be revealed in six weeks when the full minutes of the meeting are approved and published shortly afterwards.
Earlier this week Hunt is understood to have told some of his close Westminster colleagues of the imminent demise of the PCC. Hunt discussed the urgent need to have a new authority in place and functioning well ahead of the first draft and any early recommendations from Lord Justice Leveson.
Simply stealing a march on anything Leveson might say was how one MP described the goodbye to the PCC.
Update: Forgotten Secrets...
BBC World News restored in Pakistan
Full story: BBC Censored in Pakistan...BBC news banned after disputed documentary
BBC World News television has been restored in Pakistan after being taken off air in November 2011.
Welcoming the move, the BBC said it hoped there would be no further disruption to its services.
Pakistani cable operators had blocked the channel after it broadcast a documentary called Secret Pakistan . The documentary questioned the country's commitment to tackling Taliban militancy, arguing that some in Pakistan were playing a double game.
Last month, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani told the BBC he wanted to see the channel back on air.
Extract: Fears of Violence and Easy Offence...
BBC boss confirms that christianity is treated with less sensitivity than 'other' religions
See also article from aina.org
BBC director-general Mark Thompson has claimed Christianity is treated with far less sensitivity than other religions because it is pretty broad shouldered .
He suggested other faiths have a very close identity with ethnic minorities , and were therefore covered in a far more careful way by broadcasters.
But he also revealed that producers had to consider the possibilities of violent threats instead of polite complaints if they pushed ahead with certain types of satire.
Offsite Comment: Press TV should have been allowed to keep rolling...
Full story: Press TV...Political censoship merges with TV censorship
Iran's news channel was just part of a broad spectrum of satellite propaganda that ranges from Russia Today to Fox. By Peter Preston
Comment: Riots Without a Cause...
Chinese style censorship of the news comes to Britain
It is fascinating to read the newspaper reports of the riots in Rochdale that so obviously go to great lengths to avoid mentioning a single word of the motivations driving the unrest.
I can understand that newspapers or the authorities don't want to fuel any further tensions between the muslim community and the anti muslim rioters. But readers should be informed about the underlying reasons. This can surely be done in a suitable, even handed way without invoking accusations of being islamophobic or whatever.
But to totally not mention the perceived connection between gang rapes and the muslim community, and then not mention the groupings behind the rioting is exactly the support of reporting bollox that one would expect in China. I bet Chinese authorities try to do the best for their communities by obscuring and propagandarising the news with the best of intentions, just like in Britain.
Offsite Article: Are young cinema audiences ruining The Woman In Black?...
Did a six second cut to The Woman In Black attract an audience that simply wasn't up to the task of watching it in a cinema? By Mark Harrison
See article from denofgeek.com
Update: Here We Go, Here We Go, Here We Go...
Scottish publicans ask government to clarify exactly what songs, chants and banter is banned by the new football and sectarianism law
Full story: Football Sectarianism...Sectarian Rangers football song wind up
See article from heraldscotland.com
See Rangers' historic day is marred by songs of 'hate and ignorance' from heraldscotland.com
Pubs across Scotland could close unless the Government spells out to landlords what constitutes an offence under new laws designed to tackle football-related bigotry, trade lobbyists have warned. inShare2 Custom byline text: GERRY BRAIDEN
With arrest rates for sectarian behaviour expected to accelerate after the Offensive Behaviour Act receives Royal Assent, the country's largest licensed trade group fears hundreds of bar and pub owners could become collateral damage.
The Scottish Beer and Pub Association (SBPA) has joined a long list of other parties asking for clarification on matters such as what songs and slogans are in and out and has asked for ministers and the police to provide real-life scenarios of situations which could unfold in licensed premises.
The Government has said the police's football co-ordination unit was already setting up meetings with licensing authorities to discuss the implementation of the legislation.
In his letter to Community Safety Minister Roseanna Cunningham, SBPA chief executive Patrick Browne said that as long as it was unclear how the laws would impact on the trade there was a high risk a licensed premise could find itself being reported to the local licensing board which could then sanction their premises licence, with implications for the business .
He added: Given the new and very specific nature of the offences under the new Act relating to licensed premises, it would be helpful for my members and licensees more generally to have further guidance from the Government as to which types of behaviour on their premises would be unacceptable under the terms of legislation. This would assist them in fulfilling the expectations of licensing boards and the police more generally.
Unchallenged Eyewitness...
Ofcom censure muslim channel programme for giving a one sided view of US foreign policy in Afghanistan and the Middle East
See complaints Bulletin from stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk
Ahlulbayt TV, 27 September 2011, 18:30
Ahlulbayt TV is a satellite television channel serving the Shia Muslim community in the UK. The licence for Ahlulbayt TV.
Eyewitness is a current affairs programme that contains lengthy interviews about topics of political interest.
A viewer alerted Ofcom to a programme featuring Agha Murtaza Poya, a Pakistani politician and journalist. In this programme, Agha Murtaza Poya talked about various geo-political issues, and his contribution included a critique of US foreign policy in relation to, for example, Afghanistan, Iran and Israel/Palestine. The viewer considered that the programme:
incited hatred towards countries such as the USA; and
presented no alternative point of view to that expressed by Agha Murtaza Poya.
Ofcom noted that the programme featured Agha Murtaza Poya speaking at length about his views on the conflicts in the Middle East, the US presence there, the spread of Islam and the future of Israel. The programme consisted of Agha Murtaza Poya giving answers to a range of questions. The programme did not include the voice of the interviewer. Instead the questions asked in the interview were included in voiceover as part of the programme commentary.
We noted that the programme included a range of statements from Agha Murtaza Poya, including the following, which could be interpreted as being highly critical, in particular, of: the foreign policies of the USA Eg:
I would certainly want all these regimes to start showing a more human face - whether it is an Assad or a Gaddafi or anybody - but the crimes being committed by the so-called international community - that is worse than anything else.
They [the US] didn't fail, they didn't go in for anything else. They didn't fail in Iraq. They beat the daylights out of the Iraqi society, and fractured it, gave it multiple fractures, so therefore... but it's bought Israel ten years, and that was the purpose of going in.
Ofcom considered Rule 5.5 (due impartiality) of the Code, which states that:
Due impartiality on matters of political or industrial controversy and matters relating to current public policy must be preserved on the part of any person providing a service…. This may be achieved within a programme or over a series of programmes taken as a whole.
Ofcom Decision: Breach of Rule 5.5
This programme consisted entirely of an interview with Agha Murtaza Poya. We noted that ATNL argued that any particular view points presented by the guest were challenged through questions included in the voiceover to the programme.
We considered that the questions included in the voiceover did, to some limited extent, clarify or add context to the viewpoints being expressed by Agha Murtaza Poya. In our view however these questions served principally to highlight geo-political issues relating to various nations, such as Palestine, Pakistan and Afghanistan; and served as a means of punctuating the points being made by the interviewee. None of the questions included in the voiceover could reasonably be said to reflect the viewpoint of the US Government in relation to its foreign policy in the Middle East, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
In our view, taken overall this programme contained a range of statements that were highly critical of various aspects of US foreign policy, but did not include any views that could reasonably be said to reflect the viewpoint of the US Government in relation to its foreign policy and that countered the points being made by Agha Murtaza Poya.
The programme gave a one-sided view on this matter of political controversy. Further, the broadcaster did not provide any evidence of views of the US Government on this issue being included in a series of programmes taken as a whole (i.e. more than one programme in the same service, editorially linked, dealing with the same or related issues within an appropriate period and aimed at a like audience). Ofcom therefore considered the programme to be in breach of Rule 5.5 of the Code.
Ofcom is concerned that this breach of Rule 5.5 comes only a few months after a similar breach by the Licensee of the due impartiality requirements of the Code4 . Ofcom is therefore requiring the Licensee to attend a meeting to explain its compliance procedures in this area. The Licensee is put on notice that any further similar contraventions of the Code will be considered for further regulatory action by Ofcom.
Breach of Rule 5.5
Update: TV Channel Told to Wash its Mouth Out with Soap...
Ofcom fine Believe TV over nonsense religious healing claims
Full story: Censors vs Religious Healing...Censors unimpressed by claims of religious healing
See Sanctions Decision [pdf] from stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk
Ofcom have fined Light Academy Ltd £ 25,000 in respect of claims made by its Believe TV channel.
Ofcom decided that the programmes on Believe TV:
Paul Lewis Ministries, December 2010
Pastor Alex Omokudu Healing Ministry Testimonies, December 2010 - February 2011
Bishop Climate Irungu Ministries, January 2011
Breached rules:
Rule 2.1: Generally accepted standards must be applied to the contents of television and radio services so as to provide adequate protection for members of the public from the inclusion in such services of harmful and/or offensive material .
Rule 4.6: Religious programmes must not improperly exploit any susceptibilities of the audience .
Ofcom considered only the breaches of Rules 2.1 and 4.6 to be so serious as to warrant consideration of a statutory sanction. In addition, Ofcom considered the Code Breaches to be repeated because they happened repeatedly over a period of several months.
Ofcom have previously highlighted a number of examples of broadcast material which had the potential for harm in breach of Rule 2.1, because some viewers with serious illnesses, especially more vulnerable ones, may not seek, or abandon existing, conventional medical treatment on the basis of what they have seen on Believe TV.
For example, Ofcom noted examples:
Paul Lewis, in the programmes Paul Lewis Ministries broadcast on 21 December 2010 and 22 December 2010, preaching directly to camera and providing 'healing' direct to individuals through the use of his 'Miracle Olive Oil Soap'; and
Bishop Climate Irungu, in the programmes Bishop Climate Irungu Ministries, broadcast on 4 January 2011, providing testimony of 'healing' direct to camera; and
'testimonies' of congregation members (supported by statements by Pastor Alex Omokudu), which clearly encouraged viewers to believe that the healing or treatment of very serious illnesses, including cancer, diabetes, and heart problems could be achieved exclusively through healing provided by being anointed with a product such as olive oil soap, Ribena or oil.
Ofcom also considered whether to revoke the licence for believe TV but decided that this would not be proportionate.
Miserable Equality...
Easily offended shadow equalities minister 'disturbed' by bunny girl image on beer pump
A beer called Top Totty, by the Stafford-based brewer Slater's, has been banned from a parliamentary bar because its pump plate featured a bikini clad bunny girl.
The easily offended shadow equalities minister, Kate Green, was left disturbed after seeing the ale's advertising in Parliament's Strangers' Bar. Green told the Commons:
I was disturbed last night to learn that the guest beer in the Strangers' Bar is called Top Totty and there is a picture of a nearly naked woman on the tap.
She called for a debate on dignity at work in parliament and asked Young to back her demands for Top Totty to be withdrawn immediately.
Sir George Young, told MPs: Action will be taken. And within 90 minutes, House authorities ordered the beer to be withdrawn.
Top Totty's Stafford-based brewer, Slater's, describes the ale as a stunning blonde beer, full-bodied with a voluptuous hop aroma .
Offsite Article: Is it acceptable to call someone babe?...
Brighton and Hove bus drivers told not to refer to passengers as babe, love or darling
Offsite Article: Lads' Rag Mags...
Students learn the essential modern life skills of how to be miserably politically correct, and how to whinge at bad taste jokes
Searching for Censorship...
Open Rights Group reveal media industry proposals to hobble internet searches that reveal copyright infringing material
See article from openrightsgroup.org
We wrote last year, many times, about the discussions being hosted by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport between rights holders and various intermediaries - which to normal people means companies like Internet Service Providers and search engines. One of the most recent roundtables saw the group of rights holders present search engines with a paper on how they should help tackle copyright infringement.
After two Freedom of Information requests, we have received the proposals [pdf] . Here's the summary of what the rights holders were asking for:
Assign lower rankings to sites that repeatedly make available unlicensed content in breach of copyright.
Prioritise websites that obtain certification as a licensed site under a recognised scheme
Stop indexing websites that are subject to court orders while establishing suitable procedures to de-index substantially infringing sites
Continue to improve the operation of the notice and takedown system and ensure that search engines do not encourage consumers towards illegal sites via suggested searches; related searches and suggested sites
Ensure that they do not support illegal sites by advertising them or placing advertising on them, or profit from infringement by selling key words associated with piracy or selling mobile applications which facilitate infringement.
The minutes from the meeting suggest that the search engines were not impressed, and promised to write their own proposals to be discussed at a future meeting.
Offsite: Google grilled by parliamentary committee
31st January 2012. From blogs.ft.com
Google was dragged over the coals by a British parliamentary committee, as the technology company's approach to removing illegal content from its search results again came under scrutiny.
Several members of the joint committee on privacy and injunctions, chaired by John Whittingdale MP, repeatedly attacked Google's representatives as they set out how the search engine seeks to balance legal challenges with freedom of expression.
Ben Bradshaw, Nadim Zahawi, and Lord Mawhinney, all criticised Google for what they saw as its failure to help victims of invasion of privacy, by removing all links to content which a judge has ruled to be illegal in the UK.
Update: Same as Iran and China...
Tor website blocked by O2 and 3 mobile networks
Open Rights Group and Tor have established that UK mobile networks such as Vodafone, O2 and 3 are blocking UK users' access to Tor's primary website (meaning the Tor Project website, rather than connections to the Tor network) on pre-paid contractless accounts.
Tor helps people stay anonymous online. Some examples of how it has been used include those trying to avoid oppressive state censorship in places such as Iran, through to abuse victims in the UK.
There is a blog post by Jacob Appelbaum with more technical details about the blocking on UK mobile networks over at the Tor blog.
Searching for torproject.org reveals that it is blocked because it falls into the category of anonymiser . (Orange also say that they block content that falls into the anonymiser category - but it does not seem that Tor is blocked on Orange.) It's unlikely that mobile operators are targeting Tor, and more likely that anonymisation tools generally are blocked.
It was initially established that Tor was blocked initially through the new tool blocked.org.uk. openrightsgroup.org are asking for help in monitoring how blocking on mobile networks works by reporting when you come across incorrectly applied blocks.
Open Rights Group will be meeting with mobile operators over the next few weeks to talk about making sure that they can both help parents manage their children's mobile Internet use and avoid clumsy implemented blocking. Some are better at aspects of this than others (Orange provide an overview of the categories they block, for example.) But none implement a transparent and clear policy that puts users in charge.
Offsite: You Can't Read This Book...
Why libel tourists love London
Paperback available at UK Amazon
Kindle Edition available [UK only] at UK Amazon
In an exclusive extract from You Can't Read This Book , the Observer columnist Nick Cohen presents a damning indictment of how the English legal system helps the wealthy and powerful suppress inconvenient truths:
At their best, journalists expose the crimes of the powerful and there were plenty of powerful people worthy of examination in the Britain of the early 2000s. London was awash with money as it competed with Manhattan to be the hub of global finance.
If journalists tried to do what they should do and investigate them, Britain also gave the oligarchs a further privilege: the power to enforce a censorship that the naive supposed had vanished with the repressions of the old establishment. Among the many attractions London offered the oligarchs was a legal profession that served them as attentively as the shop assistants in Harrods food hall.
With an aristocratic prejudice against freedom of speech, the judges imposed costs and sanctions on investigative journalism that would have been hard to endure in the best of times, but were unbearable after the internet had undermined the media's business models. Instead of aiming its guns at the worst of British writing, the law of libel aimed at the bravest.
Violent Threat Silences Debate...
University debate about sharia cancelled after blatant threat of violence from a man who turned up at the event
See article from secularism.org.uk
A talk on sharia and human rights by NSS Council Member Anne Marie Waters' at Queen Mary College, London was cancelled at the last moment because of an Islamist who made serious threats against everyone there.
The talk was due to take place on 16 January but before it started, a man entered the lecture theatre, stood at the front with a camera and filmed the audience. He then said that he knew who everyone was, where they lived and if he heard anything negative about the Prophet, he would track them down.
The man also filmed students in the foyer and threatened to murder them and their families. On leaving the building, he joined a large group of men, apparently there to support him. Students were told by security to stay in the lecture theatre for their own safety.
Jennifer Hardy, President of Queen Mary Atheism Society, who organised the event said:
This event was supposed to be an opportunity for people of different religions and perspectives to debate, at a university that is supposed to be a beacon of free speech and debate.
Only two complaints had been made to the Union prior to the event, and the majority of the Muslim students at the event were incredibly supportive of it going ahead. These threats were an aggressive assault on freedom of speech and the fact that they led to the cancellation of our talk was severely disappointing for all of the religious and non-religious students in the room who wanted to engage in debate.
The police were contacted about the incident.
Update: Pitiful Security
25th January 2012. See article from freethoughtblogs.com by Maryam Namazie
My One Law for All Co-Spokesperson Anne Marie Waters was to speak at a meeting on Sharia Law and Human Rights at the University of London last night.
It was cancelled by the Queen Mary Atheism, Secularism and Humanism Society organisers after police had to be called in due to Islamist threats. One Islamist filmed everyone at the meeting and announced he would hunt down those who said anything negative about Islam's prophet. Outside the hall, he threatened to kill anyone who defamed the prophet. Reference was made to the Jesus and Mo cartoon saga at UCL.
The University's security guard -- a real gem --arrived first only to blame the speaker and organisers rather than those issuing death threats. He said: If you will have these discussions, what do you expect? Err, to speak without being threatened with death maybe?
Update: Democracy Fails in Hull...
Councillor suspended for 20 weeks for trivial insult in tweet
Full story: The R Word...Campaign against the word 'retard'
Perhaps the electors had chosen the councillor as someone not enslaved to the PC cause
A Tory Councillor has been suspended from his job for 20 weeks and will be forced to undertake diversity training, after he called members of the public retards .
Hull City Council received two complaints after Councillor John Fareham used Twitter to insult people who had protested against public spending cuts. He tweeted:
15 hours in Council today very hard hitting day and the usual collection of retards in the public gallery spoiling it for real people.
The council's PC standards committee claimed that his actions breached its code of conduct. Chair of the sub-committee Sheelagh Strawbridge said:
The committee concluded that Councillor Fareham may have caused the authority to breach equality enactments and had brought his office and the Council into disrepute.
Extraditing Turkish Injustice...
Turkey seeks to imprison Fergie over expose of horrific children's homes citing bollox about privacy
See article from edition.cnn.com
The Duchess of York, who faces charges in Turkey for going undercover and secretly filming children at a state-run home for a 2008 documentary, canceled a recent trip to the United States because of the case, a source and her spokesman said.
The United States and Turkey have an extradition treaty and the cancellation raised the question of whether Sarah Ferguson is avoiding the United States because she fears being sent to Turkey.
The duchess was accompanied by one of her two daughters, Princess Eugenie, to film the ITV Tonight program in Turkey. An ITV press statement at the time of the film's broadcast in 2008 said the duchess, as part of a reporting team, had gone undercover in one of Turkey's worst institutions -- capturing images that will shock and horrify. The hard-hitting program was intended to help investigate the treatment of mentally and physically disabled children, ITV said.
Ferguson feels the work she did in Turkey was completely valid and consistent with her ongoing support for humanitarian causes, spokesman James Henderson told CNN. Ferguson is consulting rights lawyers as well as attorneys in Turkey as she decides what to do next, he said.
The Ankara prosecutor's office in Turkey accused the duchess of violating the private lives and rights of five children while filming a program for Britain's ITV network, Turkey's semiofficial Anatolian news agency reported last week. Discussing the case, the Ankara chief prosecutor asked for a prison term of up to 22 years, six months, Turkish state TV reported.
What Ferguson is accused of in Turkey would not constitute a crime in Britain.
The Home Office confirmed that it has received a formal request for mutual legal assistance concerning Sarah, Duchess of York.
Abuse in 140 Characters...
Ceop call for moderation of twitter feeds
Britain's Child Exploitation and Online Protection (Ceop) centre said more can be done to safeguard children who use the Twitter website.
Apparently social networking sites Facebook and Bebo both report far more incidents of illegal activity to Ceop than Twitter does. Perhaps the 140 character tweets are not the most likely communication method for grooming and the like.
Peter Davies, head of Ceop, said:
Providers of online services have a responsibility to safeguard their environment in order to minimise the risk to children and close down opportunities for offenders.
Many companies work closely with us to enhance their ability to do this, including Facebook and Bebo.
The centre does receive reports relating to material on Twitter but it's important to say these amount to a very small proportion of 1,000 reports a month relating to a wide range of online environments.
Twitter have removed illegal images and other content on our request.
We believe more can be done around the moderation of Twitter feeds and the strengthening of Twitter's reporting mechanisms.
It's important that all providers have in place robust and effective reporting mechanisms so that when illegal, offensive or inappropriate material is posted it is quickly removed and reported to law enforcement as necessary.
Offsite: Detained at Her Majesty's Government's Pleasure...
High Court finds that government were unlawful in preventing the BBC from interviewing a man that has been held in detention for 7 years without charge or trial
See article from ukhumanrightsblog.com
The High Court has ruled that the Justice Secretary's refusal to grant the BBC permission to have and to broadcast a face-to-face interview with terrorism suspect Babar Ahmad was unlawful.
The BBC and one of its home affairs correspondents, Dominic Casciani, had applied for permission to conduct the interview with Ahmad, who is currently detained at HMP Long Lartin, and is fighting extradition to the USA. The BBC also wished to broadcast the interview. The Justice Secretary refused the permission, which refusal the BBC challenged in a judicial review claim.
Ahmad, a British Muslim, was first arrested in 2003 but released without charge after six days. In July 2004, the Crown Prosecution Service concluded that there was insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of a conviction again him in the UK under the Terrorism Act 2000. However, he was arrested again in August 2004 following a request by the US for his extradition. The Home Secretary made an extradition order in 2005, which was followed by long running legal proceedings in the domestic courts and in Strasbourg.
In the meantime Ahmad has remained in detention for over seven years without charge or trial.
Dangerous Links...
Man extradited to the US over copyright claims about a website that linked to infringing TV content
Thanks to Nick
See article from belfasttelegraph.co.uk
A British student can be extradited to the United States to face charges of copyright infringement over a website he ran offering links to pirated films online, a court has ruled.
Richard O'Dwyer, whose site TV Shack made more than £ 150,000 in advertising revenues, according to US prosecutors, is thought to be the first person extradited to America on such charges. If convicted in New York, he faces jail.
Speaking after the hearing at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court, the 23-year-old said he felt like a guinea pig for the US justice system. His lawyer argued that his site hosted no illegal content, but merely directed users to where it was held online, and said that his client would appeal the ruling.
Twelve Fucks and Fifteen Cocksuckers...
J. Edgar rated 15 for infrequent strong language
Thanks to goatboy
The BBFC have rated Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar as 17 for infrequent strong language.
The decision is explained in the Extended Classification Information:
J. EDGAR is a biopic of J.Edgar Hoover, the founder and head of the FBI. It was classified 15 for infrequent strong language.
The BBFC's Guidelines at 12A/12 state The use of strong language (for example, 'fuck') must be infrequent. The film contains only one use of 'f***ing', which would have been permissible at 12A. However, it also contains two uses of cruder language (in this case 'c***sucker') that were more appropriately classified at 15 where the Guidelines state There may be frequent use of strong language. None of the language is personally directed or accompanied by violence, but is spoken in a derogatory manner about political opponents who are not present at the time.
The film also contains some moderate violence during shootouts between police and mobsters. However, the violence is almost always bloodless and lacking in injury detail.
The film also contains some mild bad language, such as damn and Jesus Christ . There are a couple of uses of the term negro , although the term is not used in a pejorative sense, simply reflecting the common terminology of the period in which the film is set. The historical nature of the term and the lack of intent to offend is reinforced by sight of Martin Luther King using it himself in a televised speech.
Seems a bit harsh, but the US film censors seemed to agree that J. Edgar went beyond PG-13 and rated the film as R.
Interesting to note the inconsistent use of asterisks in the BBFC piece. It let one 'fuck' through but censored the next. Is this the BBFC keeping the page itself down to a 12 rating?
Update: Muddying the Waters...
Chinese Embassy accuses Jeremy Clarkson of woeful disrespect of decency and moral standards
Full story: Top Gear and the Grand Tour...Top Gear and Jeremy Clarkson wind up whingers
Jeremy Clarkson, the TV presenter, has been ludicrously criticised for making trivial tasteless comments about the Morecambe Bay cockle picking tragedy in which 23 Chinese migrant workers died.
In a column for The Sun newspaper, Clarkson mocked the sport of synchronised swimming as Chinese women in hats, upside down, in a bit of water , adding: You can see that sort of thing on Morecambe Beach. For free.
Hardly worthy of mention but Tracy Brown, a Morecambe town councillor had a little whinge. She said:
I choose to ignore such comments and treat them with the contempt they deserve. In fact, this is beneath contempt. He is just trying to make himself look big at other people's expense. Many people around here were deeply affected by the tragedy.
But then the tiff escalated to international levels: Ms Dai Qingli, a spokeswoman for the Chinese Embassy, went well overboard. She said:
We deplore and oppose Mr Clarkson's comments, which are insulting and show a woeful disrespect of decency and moral standards. We regret that The Sun has publicised such remarks.
Update: The Olympic Sport of Gagging...
Olympics organisers outline extensive internet gagging for volunteers
Olympic organisers have set out internet censorship rules for the 70,000 Games Maker volunteers, including a ban on pictures or posts featuring backstage VIPs.
The rules are set out in a document in the Games Makers' area of Locog's website. The document asks people not to mention details about their role, location or about athletes, celebrities and dignitaries.
It says Games Makers should remember to avoid making any public statement on any subject relating to London 2012 without the prior approval of the Locog Communications team - including agreeing to attend any event to speak about any aspect of London 2012.
It sets out how the public realm of social media could pose a risk to the Games in terms of reputation and safety and security.
In a what to do and what not to do section, it warns volunteers:
not to disclose their location
not to post a picture or video of Locog backstage areas closed to the public
not to disclose breaking news about an athlete
not to tell their social network about a visiting VIP, eg an athlete, celebrity or dignitary.
not to get involved in detailed discussion about the Games online
but they can retweet or pass on official London 2012 postings.
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I lost my temper – again. He's just a little boy, he's just pushing my buttons, he's just testing the waters of independence. Why did I have to yell? Why did I have to slam the door? Why did I have to stomp away, knowing he could hear my footsteps taking me away from him, leaving him alone in his room?
He didn't mean to make the mess. What is the matter with me? I know he's in his room, feeling confused and afraid. I know he's crying. The tiny cherub face that I love so much is probably covered in tears. And he'll need a kleenex soon.
I take my moment of solitude and I use it to calm down, to pray, to regroup, to take my focus off the stresses of my day. There is so much going on! So much to bog me down, discourage me and make me lose sight of the important things in my life. I need to let go of my plans, my expectations, my perfectionism. For his sake and for my sake, I need to release the stranglehold of control I so desperately crave. I need to trust God with all I am and have, not just with bits and pieces of my life.
I know my little boy doesn't deserve the reaction he got from me. I know he doesn't understand my emotions. I know he needs his mommy right now.
I curl up my knees on the couch, lay my head on my hands and try to be still. I try to pray. How do I give it all over? How do I let it all go? I have to choose it. One issue at a time, one moment at time, one day at a time. I sing quietly to myself – a song that speaks of God's majesty and power and love. One by one I give Him everything that comes to mind. One by one I feel Him take them. I want to grab them back from Him, I am so used to carrying the burden myself. I keep singing and releasing and breathing. I feel Him draw near to me and envelope me in an invisible embrace that can carry me through whatever life brings. I am safe. I am loved. I am a child of God.
The petty annoyances fall away, the selfishness melts, the self-pity scurries. I make peace – with my God and with myself. I give all my worries to the One who wants to carry them. I ask Him to forgive me and help me be the mother He wants me to be to this precious boy He's given me to love and raise up.
Now I must make peace with my son. His cries have quieted. God must have touched His heart as He was touching mine. I open the door to his sky-blue room, and my gaze meets his big bright eyes. He knows me so well, this flesh of my flesh. He knows I'm done being mad, that I want to make peace. He knows his mommy is OK, she's safe, she loves him.
I sit on his big-boy bed and hold my arms open wide. He walks into them and I wrap him in my love, just as I am wrapped in God's love. I lay my cheek on his soft, golden hair and I say what I mean with my whole heart.
Just like that all is right in the world again. My son knows his mommy loves him, and I know I am loved by my Heavenly Father. Peace reigns supreme. We walk out of his room, hand in hand, on our way to clean up the mess in our hearts and our home – together.
Lord, may I always be a living example of Your grace, love and peace in my son's life. May he look at me and see You. May I never make him doubt he is a son of God.
– Adapted from an article I wrote for The Link & Visitor, a publication of The Baptist Women of Ontario and Quebec.
Oh, Anna, I can't tell you how many times I've done the same exact thing. I have a tendency to be an ugly, temper-losing, soul-huffing maniac when my oldest loses *her* temper. Not a pretty sight. Isn't it the sweetest thing in the world to be forgiven by your *child*?!?! May the Lord give us the humility to continue to ask for their forgiveness. I don't know about you, but I need it on a daily – usually *more* than daily – basis.
You have such sweet boys!!!!!


A client from Baltimore recently visited Westminster Speed and Sound to inquire about paint protection film and radio upgrade options for his 2008 Porsche 911 Targa 4S. We had a look at the vehicle to determine which surfaces would benefit most from protective film, then talked to the client about what features he felt the radio was missing. With a firm understanding of the client's expectations, we showed him an Android Auto-equipped multimedia receiver that we felt would fit his needs. He liked our plan and agreed to schedule an installation appointment.
Android Auto allows the client to use Android Auto navigation for turn-by-turn directions.
The dash kit makes the integration of the Sony radio seamless.
The backup camera output is displayed on the radio screen when the Porsche is in reverse.
The addition of the backup camera makes backing up safer.
The upgrade project started with the removal of the factory radio from the dash of the Porsche in preparation to receive a Sony XAV-AX200 DVD receiver. We used a head unit replacement kit and integration interface from Nav-TV to allow the new Sony radio to work with the factory Bose amplifier and speakers. As you can see from the photos, the fit and finish of the kit is excellent, and the client can continue to use the radio buttons on the steering wheel with the upgraded receiver.
We added a Nav-TV lip-mount backup camera just above the rear license plate to make maneuvering and parking the Porsche faster and safer. The camera image appears on the screen of the new radio as soon as the transmission is in reverse.
Along with the high-quality Bluetooth audio streaming and hands-free calling features, support for MP3, WMA, AAC and FLAC digital media files and of course CD and DVD playback, the new Sony receiver includes Android Auto smartphone integration. Android Auto allows the client to make phone calls, send text messages, choose music and get navigation instructions using the voice recognition features of his Android-based smartphone. This interface makes communication much safer than having to navigate menus on a radio screen.
Our paint protection installation will keep this paint looking fresh.
With the audio upgrade complete, the next step was to prepare the vehicle for the installation of 3M Scotchgard Pro Series 4.0 on the most vulnerable areas of the vehicle. With the paint surfaces spotless, we applied the computer-cut film to the entirety of the front bumper, the leading edge of the hood and the front fenders of the vehicle.
A high-quality protective film like the Scotchgard Pro Series we use protects the vehicle against stone chips, nicks and scratches from road debris and scuffs. The film can also resist staining from road tar and bird droppings to help keep this immaculate vehicle looking like new.
With the stereo and the paint protection film installed on this 2008 Porsche 911, it was time for the client to return to Westminster Speed and Sound to pick up his vehicle. We reviewed the features of the new Sony radio and helped him set up his smartphone to make phone calls, stream music and use Android Auto. The client loved the clarity of the backup camera and was impressed with how well the paint film blended into the finish of the vehicle. If you are interested in enhancing the features or appearance of your car, drop by our store and speak with a member of our award-winning team. You can also reach us by e-mail using our contact page.


Transition To Winter Decorating! When it comes time to put away the Christmas decor, I find it to be a feeling of cleansing or a fresh start for the new year. This coming week I'll be headed back home (still up at the beach house) and down come the Christmas trees and the hours of work that went into it all will be a mere memory! It's going to be time to clean out the closets as well and donate boxes of what has been accumulated and the decor will be light and simple. Here are 5 ways that I transition from Christmas to winter and they are quick easy tips for you to perhaps pick up in your home.
It's my thing to love white, but I don't like my home to be a cookie cutter of anyone else's and neither should you! The first thing that I do when the Christmas decor items are removed is to give EVERYTHING a thorough cleaning. Slipcovers are washed, pillow slips are cleaned, paint is touched up when necessary and believe it or not this rug was dragged outside and washed with some dish soap and hosed off. I LOVE synthetic rugs like this FAUX FLOKATI at my affiliate for the ease of clean up and with white it's necessary. YES…you CAN live with white!
I always use white sheets on our bed for the bleaching factor and the fact that we have 3 dogs who love to jump up and snuggle when they can get away with it. Some of my favorite duvet covers and coverlets over the years have been white and it's just a clean, lovely look.
A well placed architectural piece in either white or grey can bring a winter feel into your home without saying "Christmas". The white shutter was a curbside find and you can generally source these quite inexpensively at thrift shops. I've used mine (I have a pair) to hide "junque" when doing photo shoots, to hanging dresses on and have made dressing screens in the past by hinging a couple of them together. You wouldn't know that there is an a/c vent hidden behind the shutter in this shot:-).
The vintage window adds a bit of a winter look as well and with the wood panes you can tap in a tiny nail and hang jewelry or other bits for display.
Do you remember when we used to sell these slipcovers in the shop? I may bring them back again at some point, and slipcovering a chair or sofa in white is just perfect for a winter feel. Toss them in the wash when dirty with some bleach and for color infusion add some bright pillows if that is your style.
Just because Christmas is over doesn't mean that you can't use a wreath in your home! Transition to winter decorating with white touches here and there. A white wreath made from natural elements or vintage millinery as mine will bring that snowy look indoors. There are so many ways to create wreaths that it's mind boggling.
"Add some vintage white finds" you have a set of nested florentine wood tables…. I have the same ones, with the same wonky slanted foot! LOL! They are one of my favorite pieces of furniture! Happy New Year to you and your family 2 and 4 footed.
Marguerite, thank you for stopping by and Happy New Year!
I know Debbie….just haven't found anyone as competent and reasonable to make them.
hi I wish you would sell the slipcovers…very hard to find…did not know you sold them before??
I did sell them before Lynda and had them made by a seamstress from my designs. She retired and I just haven't found anyone as competent and reasonable. Perhaps in the future.