text:
2,700 U.S. Law Enforcement Agencies Haven't Filed a Hate Crime Report with FBI in 6 Years, Skewing National Tally
By Christina A. Cassidy, Associated Press
BOGALUSA, La. (AP) — The knock on the door, strong and quick, jolted Barbara Hicks Collins awake. It was the middle of the night. Someone must be in trouble, she thought. She flung open her front door to the shocking sight of her car engulfed in flames.
Investigators later determined someone had deliberately set fire to her Mercedes and also tried to burn down the one-story brick house she shared with her mother in this eastern Louisiana town, once known as a hotbed of Ku Klux Klan activity. Hicks Collins, a black woman, had no doubt the fire — set on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 2012 — was racially motivated. Her father had been a prominent civil rights leader who filed lawsuits that desegregated local schools and forced police to protect protesters, and her family remained active in the community.
Despite the circumstances, the case was never counted in the nation's annual tally of hate crimes. In fact, neither the police department nor the local sheriff has filed a hate crime report with the FBI since at least 2009.
And that's not unusual, an investigation by The Associated Press found. The AP identified more than 2,700 city police and county sheriff's departments across the country that have not submitted a single hate crime report for the FBI's annual crime tally during the past six years — about 17 percent of all city and county law enforcement agencies nationwide.
Advocates worry that the lack of a comprehensive, annual accounting disguises the extent of bias crimes at a time of heightened racial, religious and ethnic tensions. The nation was stunned last June when nine black parishioners were shot dead at a Charleston, South Carolina, church, in an attack labeled a hate crime, and community groups have reported a notable increase in violence against Muslims and mosques in the wake of last year's terror acts in Paris and San Bernardino, California. Gay and transgender people also are regular targets.
A better accounting of hate crimes, the FBI and other proponents say, would not only increase awareness but also boost efforts to combat such crimes with more resources for law enforcement training and community outreach.
"We need the reporting to happen," said the Rev. Raphael Warnock, pastor of Atlanta's historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, where King preached. "Without a diagnosis, we don't know how serious the illness is. And without a diagnosis, there is no prescription. And without a prescription, there is no healing."
The FBI defines a hate crime as a "criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender's bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity." Filing reports for the federal count is voluntary and guidelines call for reports to be submitted even if they list zero hate crimes, a signal to both the FBI and the community that local departments are taking such crimes seriously.
FBI Director James Comey has called on all agencies to do a more aggressive job tracking hate crimes, and also has initiated training sessions on bias attacks for hundreds of law enforcement officers nationwide.
In response to an inquiry about Hicks Collins' case, officials with both the Bogalusa Police and the Washington Parish Sheriff's Department said they did not know hate crime information was not being reported and blamed clerical errors.
Four years later, no arrests have been made in the attack on her house and the state fire marshal's office, which ultimately conducted the investigation, said it was unable to determine whether the setting of the fires constituted a hate crime or not.
Under FBI guidelines, an incident should be reported as a suspected hate crime if a "reasonable and prudent" person would conclude a crime was motivated by bias. Among the criteria for evaluation is whether an incident coincided with a significant holiday or date, specifically citing the King holiday. A suspect need not be identified to meet the threshold for reporting.
For Hicks Collins, the failure to count the 2012 attack as a hate crime is a painful reminder of the continuing struggle for racial progress.
"The more things change," she said, "the more they remain the same."
Between 5,000 and 7,000 hate crime incidents are catalogued each year in the FBI report, with nearly half of all victims in recent years targeted because of their race.
"It is the most important data collection initiative, but it is far from complete," Michael Lieberman, the Washington counsel for the Anti-Defamation League, said of the FBI's survey.
The ADL has launched a "50 States Against Hate" campaign that includes improved data collection by law enforcement as a top priority, and also is seeking passage of hate crime laws in the five states that do not have them: Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, South Carolina and Wyoming.
Lieberman, who worked with the FBI and others on updating the agency's hate crimes training manual published last year, said law enforcement agencies must neutralize the issues that can lead to non-reporting, such as departments fearing negative publicity and victims who may not trust the police.
"If these crimes are never really counted, it's a way of saying they are not important," said Mark Potok with the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups in the U.S. "For many black people, it's another form of being victimized. It's a way of saying your life doesn't matter."
The AP examined FBI hate crime reports for the years 2009 through 2014 and matched those against lists of every city and county law enforcement agency in each state, obtained separately from all 50 states.
An analysis revealed that law enforcement reporting is spotty even beyond the more than 2,700 agencies that never filed even a single hate crime report. For example, thousands of city police and county sheriff's departments — which handle the vast majority of local law enforcement responses and investigations — reported in some years but not others. And, in some cases, departments reported for, say, only one quarter of a year without submitting reports covering the rest of that span.
Some agencies said they thought they were reporting, even though they were not, and some thought they didn't have to file reports because they hadn't investigated any hate crimes. Others that oversee jails might have assumed they were exempt because they don't patrol the streets, but the FBI encourages reporting by all law enforcement agencies whose officers are empowered to make arrests.
The vast majority of the departments that did not file any reports during the six-year period represented small towns, often consisting of just a few thousand residents or less. But the list also included the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, which handles law enforcement in a heavily populated and sprawling region around Portland, Oregon.
A number of larger cities with a history of racial troubles also were missing, including Birmingham, Alabama; Jackson, Mississippi; and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Jackson Police did not file any hate crimes information to the FBI between 2009 and 2012, followed by only spotty reporting the next two years. And yet, during that time, state and federal charges were filed in connection with the June 2011 death of James Craig Anderson, a black man who was beaten and run over by a truck containing a group of white teenagers, some of whom yelled racial epithets during the assault.
Jackson Police spokeswoman Colendula D. Green insisted the FBI investigates potential hate crimes in the city and thus would be the reporting agency, even though that is not what the guidelines specify. A Birmingham Police spokesman said his agency had submitted the reports to the state, and it was unclear why they didn't make it to the FBI.
The statistics analyzed by the AP also revealed wide disparities in how seriously states take the reporting. Nationwide, there were 16 states in which more than 25 percent of local law enforcement agencies did not appear at all in the FBI hate crime database between 2009 and 2014. That included 64 percent of agencies in Mississippi and 59 percent in Louisiana.
In March 2009 in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, nine inmates were charged with hate crimes following three attacks at the Lafourche Parish Detention Center, but the sheriff's office is among the agencies submitting no information in the six-year span the AP studied.
Sheriff's Sgt. Brennan Matherne said his agency had been directed to report crimes through the state crime reporting system based on the most significant charge, and that hate crimes are considered a secondary offense. He said the sheriff's office would review the process going forward.
He noted that the department had recorded 17 hate crimes locally in 2009, three in 2010, three in 2011, six in 2012 and three in 2013.
According to officials in Hawaii, nine hate crimes were recorded in the state in the years 2009 through 2014, but they were not reflected in the national statistics because the state's police agencies did not send such information to the FBI, despite submitting data on violent crimes such as homicide and rape. State officials have been compiling their own hate crimes report with information collected from local prosecutors rather than police, but the state will be switching to a new police filing system with hate crimes reporting built into it.
The AP's analysis determined that some states clearly make reporting a priority. In Nevada, not a single police or sheriff's department failed to report for all six years. In two of the nation's most populous and diverse states, California and Florida, compliance also is nearly universal.
Nearly all the roughly 350 local law enforcement agencies in Tennessee routinely file. State officials there point to a robust state system for reporting crimes, along with regular training and audits of crime reports. Also helping with compliance is a state law under which law enforcement agencies can lose funds for failing to file.
Nationwide, the AP's analysis found signs that the FBI's efforts to step up reporting could be starting to pay off. In 2014, about 200 local law enforcement agencies that had not reported in the previous five-year period submitted information to the FBI.
"We must continue to impress upon our state and local colleagues in every jurisdiction the need to track and report hate crime," Comey, the agency's director, said in a speech that year. "It is not something we can ignore or sweep under the rug."
It's not just law enforcement departments that fail to report hate crimes. Many victims do not report them either.
The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics projected that just 40 percent of the "hate crime victimizations" it recorded in 2012 were reported to authorities. Among the top reasons given for staying silent, the agency said: fears of reprisals, a feeling that "police could not or would not help," or the incident being considered a personal or private matter.
In recent years, members of the Sikh community have been targeted by attackers who, in some cases, confused them with Muslims because of their turbans or other head coverings. But S. Gulbarg Singh Basi, chairman of the American Sikh Council, said that some in his community fear that reporting those incidents might invite even more hate crimes.
"'Keep your eyes closed and the problem will go away,'" said Basi. "I'm not saying that is right, but quite a few people think that."
In Atlanta, authorities are trying to give officers an increased understanding of hate crimes and emphasizing more community outreach and a greater response to complaints in hopes that more victims speak up.
The department's two-person LGBT Liaison Unit has been working to build relationships within the city's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community, as well as increasing awareness, training and knowledge of LGBT issues within the department itself.
"One of the biggest challenges that I think will take many years to resolve is the general mistrust the police have with the LGBT community, especially in terms of LGBT people of color," said Officer Eric King, who is assigned to the unit. "The community has to feel confident that if they experience something, that we will be there to not only listen but take action and help them toward some sort of resolution, whatever that might be."
Another challenge for law enforcement is that investigators looking into hate crimes must gather evidence not only of what happened, but why. And that's not always easy to determine.
Serious injuries might indicate an assault. But without clear evidence that the infliction of the injuries was motivated by bias, it can be difficult to say whether the assault qualifies as a hate crime.
The FBI standard is that a reasonable person would conclude the perpetrator was motivated by bias. The agency's guidelines suggest investigators take into account whether victims are members of a minority group where the incidents took place and whether a substantial portion of the community believes bias was the motive.
"In the course of any investigation, there is not always a bright line saying, 'OK, it's a hate crime,'" said Brian Edgell, a supervisor with the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. "It's really up to their discretion, and we give them the mechanism to report that to us."
David Beltier and his boyfriend were on an afternoon walk with their standard poodle, Beauty, in the Portland suburb of Hillsboro in March 2013. Beauty's fur had been dyed a light pink color, and a few passers-by already had made derogatory remarks.
Then a man yelling gay slurs out the window of an SUV made a U-turn, headed straight for Beltier and his boyfriend. Beltier said he seemed determined to fight, so he told his boyfriend to take Beauty and get away.
"I knew something bad was going to happen," he said.
Beltier, who had martial arts training, was able to block most of the man's punches, but the assailant then grabbed a metal tool from his SUV and hit Beltier in the head.
The man was arrested and ultimately faced a federal hate crime charge, in addition to state charges. After a federal jury deadlocked, he pleaded guilty to an assault charge in state court and the federal case was dismissed.
Yet what happened to Beltier was never included in the FBI's national hate crimes report because the Hillsboro Police Department was among those found to be not reporting to the FBI during the six-year period.
Hillsboro Police Lt. Michael Rouches blamed the lapse on a technical problem between his department and the state, and said the problem was discovered last year when the department was in the process of applying for a grant and noticed the data was missing.
The lack of reporting should not suggest the department didn't aggressively investigate what happened to Beltier and his boyfriend, Rouches said.
"We ran with it as soon as we got it, and we got to the bottom of it," he said.
To this day, however, Beltier avoids walking in the dark and hates to be alone, although he takes comfort from the bystanders who stopped to help him and tracked down his assailant.
He feels grateful to the police — but also he wants to know that future hate crimes will be reported.
"The community needs to be aware that this is happening in their own town," he said. "It will give everyone the chance to help fix it and bring a better future."
Associated Press data journalist Michelle Minkoff in Washington, D.C., Jennifer Sinco Kelleher in Honolulu and researcher Jennifer Farrar in New York contributed to this report.
To Learn More:
Federal Hate Crime Conviction Rate: 11% (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)
FBI Begins Tracking Hate Crimes against Arabs, Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims (by Noel Brinkerhoff and Steve Straehley, AllGov)
Education Dept. Proposes Requiring Colleges to Release Statistics on Sexual Assaults and Hate Crimes (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)
- Top Stories
- Unusual News
- Where is the Money Going?
- Controversies
- U.S. and the World
- Appointments and Resignations
- Latest News
- Can Biden Murder Trump and Get Away With it?
- Electoral Advice for the Democratic and Republican Parties
- U.S. Ambassador to Greece: Who is George Tsunis?
- Henry Kissinger: A Pre-Obituary
- U.S. Ambassador to Belize: Who is Michelle Kwan?


text:
Rescued article requiring attention |
This article was rescued from The Annex, a repository of pages deleted from Wikipedia for lack of notability. Please edit it to conform to this wiki's style guidelines before removing this notice. |
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the Rhek is an extraplanar monstrous humanoid. Resembling a human crossed with a rhinoceros, they dwell on the plane of Arcadia and strive to achieve peace, harmony and perfection throughout the multiverse.
Physical Description[]
Rheks are hulking, muscular humanoids which combine the features of a human and a rhinoceros. Gleaming armor covers their leathery, pale-gray hides, and a great black horn juts from the middle of their foreheads. Rheks stand 7 feet tall and weigh 350 pounds.
Although they reside on Arcadia, Rheks are not native to that plane. They originally hail from somewhere on the Material Plane and were brought willingly to Arcadia by powerful members of a planar faction called the Harmonium. The Rheks first appeared on Arcadia shortly after Menausus, formerly the third layer of Arcadia, dissolved and became one with the plane of Mechanus. The Rheks helped to restore order in the wake of this cataclysmic event.
Rheks strive for harmony and perfection. They try to impose order upon a chaotic multiverse, doing their best to crush evil wherever they find it. They are meticulous in seeing that everything is kept in its proper place, and they have a low tolerance for unpredictable beings. They enforce order through violence, but they are not brutal or bloodthirsty.
Highly organized and well-coordinated, Rheks charge into battle with their horns lowered. Once in melee, they wade through the enemy, swinging their halberds and using their Power Attack and Resounding Blow feats.
A Rhek typically begins a battle by charging at an opponent, lowering its head to bring its mighty horn into play. In addition to the normal benefits and hazards of a charge, this allows the Rhek to make a single gore attack that deals double damage.
Three times per day, a Rhek can deal out a special attack that does additional damage against a chaotic foe. Also, three times a day a Rhek can detect chaos.
Rhek Chaosgrinders[]
The Rhek Chaosgrinder is a highly focused Rhek soldier trained in hand-to-hand combat. It uses its Improved Overrun feat to wade into combat, then unloads with a flurry of blows. Its gore attack deals additional holy damage against evil outsiders and evil undead.
Chaosgrinders move faster than normal Rheks, are immune to all non-magical diseases, fall slower than normal creatures fall, and can cure their own wounds.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
About UnCommon Sense TV Media
UnCommon Sense TV Media was created as a forum for presenting information and perspectives concerning pressing political issues of our times. It is committed to working to renew a truly democratic republic through the use of independent and citizen-supported media in order to help fulfill the promise and ideals inherent in the timelessly progressive principles of the American Revolution.
UnCommon Sense TV was conceived in the spring of 2003 and launched that summer with its television premiere and corresponding website activation in July.
The program was created by Andy Valeri, a long-time veteran of access television and community media, who has also spent years in the music and arts world through involvement with music and film production via his own company, Big Beef Records. He had spent years producing and promoting not only music, but literally hundreds of television programs as well, many of them live, which were aired on cable television outlets around the country and later via the internet.
Unfortunately, the growing dangers to the future health and sustainability of the American republic necessitated a realignment of focus towards pursuing a course of action directed at re-engaging the pressing political issues facing our nation. Amongst these issues have been the ever-increasing threats to the very existence of an independent and publicly responsive media system, through regulatory changes and corporate consolidation of ownership of America's information infrastructure.
In developing USTV, Valeri was joined by long time friend and creative colleague Ed Lacy, also with a long history of involvement in music and the arts, as well as a veteran of a number of efforts of political activism over the decades.
Valeri and Lacy put the call out to friends and associates asking for help in undertaking this venture, and an all-volunteer crew and support staff of USTV quickly and enthusiastically came together. All were united in the belief and desire to participate and contribute with their own unique skills and experiences in contributing to the citizen's media effort that is UnCommon Sense TV Media.
The program continued to develop and evolve, going from a live on-air discussion format to more of a video journalism presentation. A major focus of USTV has been to bring focus and attention to topics overly neglected in the corporate media, with a particular emphasis on deconstructing the media system in our nation and how it works and who it serves. Another point of increased emphasis has been on the role of the modern corporation in our state, and its unrivaled position as the dominant institution of our age and the ramifications of that reality on our society.
UnCommon Sense has developed its web presence from its original role as a reference library for content from the television show, to being an active extension and supplement to the program itself. The launching of a blog version of the site in 2006 served as an enhancement to the dialogue and discussion which would regularly take place within the program itself. It has allowed for better sharing of ongoing, timely information by not only the USTV producers and program guests, but also for contributed commentary from colleagues, associates, viewers and readers.
USTV Media has often been actively involved in the production and promotion of live civic events as well. One such event was the 2005 gathering in Dayton, Ohio with television production pioneer Phil Donahue and Amy Goodman. producer and host of "Democracy Now!", and their public dissertation on the role of media in today's society. We were also involved in helping to organize and promote the screening of the Phil Donahue-produced film "Body of War" in the Dayton, region, which included personal appearances by Donahue himself. USTV was also involved in the production and promotion of speaking engagements and radio and television interviews with author and radio journalist David Barsamian in 2012.
Ongoing local organizing efforts on behalf of keeping local community media alive and well has been a mission of those involved with USTV Media. This includes civic participation with Keep WYSO Local, a citizen-participatory group dedicated towards keeping the public in public radio in the Miami Valley region of Ohio.
We also continue to take the lead in sponsoring and distributing programs such as Democracy Now! and Free Speech TV in the Miami Valley region, as well work to bring other like-minded and engaging programs to as many community television outlets as possible. These have included amongst others such programs as Liberty News TV and The Last Televangelist by Reverend Billy & The Church of Life After Shopping.
Expansion and evolution of the focus of the efforts of the creators of USTV Media from television into additional venues of communication, both in their local region as well as nationally, has become an ongoing objective.
In light of these efforts, Andy Valeri has been a long-time member of the Alliance for Community Media (ACM), serving for a number of years on the editorial board of the Community Media Review (including as chair). He was managing editor for their 2010 issue on Community Media and Human Rights, which focused on some of the international dimensions of this issue, and is also interested in further developing an artist's collaborative in support of communication rights.
Valeri has also completed an originally-designed Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies program at the University of Dayton, home to the first accredited undergraduate program in Human Rights studies in America. The program is focused on expanding the framework of how we understand mediated communication in the realms of social policy, academic theory, and most importantly as an indespensible factor in the fulfillment of democratic rights and accountability. The program's goal is to create educational opportunities for emphasizing communication and access to the means to engage in it in a technological society as a fundamental human right. The main thesis of this effort is explained rather well in this short video, commissioned by Global Partners & Associates.
Valeri was invited by the India Media Centre at the University of Westminster in London, to participate in an international gathering on The Changing Face of Journalism In India, where he presented on the role that media plays in supporting social justice and human rights in India.
Valeri has since had academic works on WikiLeaks published in Policy Futures In Education out of Oxford, England, , as well as an analysis on the propaganda characteristics of the Pentagon's Military Analysts Program. He presented a piece on Communication, Human Rights, and The Threat of Weapons of Mass Surveillance: Why Communication Rights Are Essential To the Protection and Advancement of Human Rights in the 21st Century, at the conference on The Social Practice of Human Rights: Charting the Frontiers of Research and Advocacy, sponsored by the University of Dayton in October of 2013. You can read many of these works, along with some of Valeri's other writings, on his Academia.edu web page.
This is all part of the ongoing endeavor to transform our work from that which is based upon defensive reaction, to one more of creative response to the challenges and opportunities of the coming days ahead.
Join The USTV Mailing List and receive regular updates regarding the activities of UnCommon Sense TV Media and the latest developments with the program. You will also receive bulletins on the latest postings to the site, timely action alerts on issues of pressing concern, as well as our ever popular 'Quotes of the Day'.
Find out more about the program and where it has been seen around the country Here
Go here for a complete list of episodes of UnCommon Sense TV.
Connect on Twitter @ustvmedia
Thank you for your time and your interest in the work of USTV Media.
"I am firmly convinced that the passionate will for justice and truth has done more to improve [the human condition] than calculating political shrewdness, which in the long run only breeds general distrust." - Albert Einstein
The year 2013 marked ten years of UnCommon Sense TV Media, and of our continuing effort to inform, educate, and activate a more conscious civic engagement in our society.
As readers and supporters of USTV Media have likely noticed, our video media activities have decreased since the days of the ongoing production of our regularly scheduled nationally distributed television program "UnCommon Sense." The program was originally created as a direct response to the launch of the factually unsupportable, legally illicit, and morally degrading invasion of Iraq by the Bush administration in 2003. However, USTV Media has continued to serve as a vehicle for ongoing efforts to redress social and political injustices, and for sustaining a democratically accountable constitutional republic.
The continuing need to apply these efforts is more apparent than ever, particularly considering the lack of any meaningful attention to core systemic issues which are at the root cause of many problems currently afflicting our nation, and the world. The corporate corruption of our politics, out-of-control growth of an unaccountable surveillance state, ever increasing restrictions of constitutional rights of our citizens (particularly the abrogation of the First and Fourth Amendments), degradation of our shared environment and public common spaces in the name of private profit, ever-increasing centralization of our media systems into fewer and fewer hands, the dismantling of our society's capacity to sustain independent and honest journalism, and on and on… These are just a few examples of the key problems that urgently require redress. USTV Media remains committed to providing a platform for focusing on these problems, and for helping to develop and implement informed and principled solutions them.
The means that we can use to pursue our efforts most effectively will likely take new forms in the future. Some of these will be found under the banner of USTV Media, others through different configurations. These efforts may manifest in print or in video, or often times through the radio, where our presence may possibly increase in the coming days. Of course there is our ongoing work here on the internet, though again our presence has been somewhat lessened of late, due largely to our respective academic endeavors and local civic organizing work.
Regardless of how and where we direct our creative efforts, we will continue to provide information and updates about those ongoing efforts via USTV Media. We hope that you share our passionate interest in making for a more just and peaceful world, and that you will continue to connect with us in these efforts here through the platform of USTV Media.
Pass it on…
Andy Valeri and Ed Lacy
UnCommon Sense TV Media


text:
The Campaign: Stop FGM in Iraqi-Kurdistan
In the few years since it has been launched, the campaign Stop FGM in Kurdistan has created the conditions for an effective struggle against female genital mutilation (FGM) in Kurdish northern Iraq.
Today, people discuss FGM openly in the newspapers, in radio and TV shows and on the streets. It has not always been this way. Through awareness and advocacy initiatives, the campaign Stop FGM in Kurdistan succeeded in breaking a taboo, making FGM a widely discussed issue. Information is now available to everyone in northern Iraq about the consequences of FGM: pain and suffering, physical and psychological harms, life-long anxiety and loss of ability to feel sexual sensations. FGM is now a recognized problem among the Kurdish public and the local authorities.
A broad network
Stop FGM in Kurdistan is a network of local and international organizations, human rights activists, artists and journalists. They are all committed to making FGM history – better today than tomorrow.
For this reason, the network organizes public and prevention work, engages in political lobbying and works on the ground. For instance, the aid association WADI is running several mobile teams, providing assistance to women across the region.
International awareness
On an international level, the existence of FGM in Iraq has been ignored for many years. Female genital mutilation has been commonly described as an 'African disease'. Thanks to Stop FGM in Kurdistan, this approach is now changing.
In 2009, the UNAMI (United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq) reported about FGM in Kurdistan for the first time. UNICEF Arbil followed. Shortly before, WADI had published the first findings from a comprehensive study it was about to conduct, indicating that FGM is prevalent in almost all parts of Iraqi Kurdistan. The study, published in 2010, showed that FGM is as widespread in urban areas as it is in the countryside. Human Rights Watch subsequently published a report titled "They took me and told me nothing", which confirmed the results found by WADI.
Today, the problem of FGM in Kurdistan is internationally recognized beyond dispute. All future reports on the worldwide problem FGM will have to address FGM in Kurdistan. FGM prevalence maps are currently revised. All those who today still claim FGM to be an African problem can learn the truth now. For this achievement the campaign definitely deserves credit.
In 2011 the KRG parliament adopted a comprehensive law against FGM and many other forms of violence against women and children. However, still there is a huge gap between aspirations and reality. The campaign is now focusing on the implementation of this great law which is unique in the whole region. In cooperation with the government, WADI is conducting awareness seminars for traditional midwives (professional cutters), offering seminars for leading police officers, teachers and nursery school staff, in addition to their usual awareness activities in the villages. The campaign is counseling the government and supporting all their steps in the right direction.
Your donation will make a difference
To hold to the successes achieved by this campaign so far, and to advance further, we need your support: Any donation will make a difference.
Open discussions are very important, but do not necessarily bring people to quit their "tradition", especially in the rural areas. More awareness and education is needed, while the government, too, needs to take more action. The campaign Stop FGM in Kurdistan supports the public movement lobbying the government to act.


text:
11 di lawas sarawak - Google Blog Search |
Petro Teguh Blog: Stesen PCS <b>Di Lawas Sarawak</b>. Posted: 28 Aug 2012 03:38 AM PDT |
You are subscribed to email updates from di lawas sarawak - Google Blog Search To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 |


text:
Hi everyone! I wanted to talk a little bit about my brand new single-author western romance anthology, WINTER MAGIC.
This is a collection of three stories that appeared in some of Prairie Rose Publications' anthologies over the last year. Sometimes, it's hard to tie stories together with a logline, but I love this one we came up with: Three criminals who've lost everything…three women who have nothing to lose…is it love or magic that bring them together in these three romantic tales of the old west?
The first story, HEARTS AND DIAMONDS, was a part of the Cowboy Cravings anthology (June 2014). Hired gun Nick Diamond is determined to ruin the life of his nemesis, Carlton Ridgeway, by claiming Ridgeway's bride at the altar with a damning lie. He never gives a thought as to how his actions might affect the bride, Liberty Blankenship, who is ready to sacrifice herself for respectability—though she longs for love with all her heart. When Ridgeway comes looking for a fight, Nick obliges—and all hell breaks loose—but will Liberty get her heart's desire in the end?
Since I had brought the subject of brothers up in Nick and Libby's conversation, and since Jake, the youngest brother, made a short appearance in HEARTS AND DIAMONDS, I decided to introduce the middle brother, Brett, in SPELLBOUND, my contribution to the Cowboys, Creatures and Calico II (Oct. 2014) anthology. We had so many wonderful submissions for our Halloween anthologies in 2014 we had to make a second volume! My story appeared in this anthology because of the element of magic—and the fact that the heroine, Angie Colton, is a witch—but it actually takes place closer to Christmas. In fact, the Christmas tree is the entire reason the showdown happens like it does between safecracker Brett Diamond and the villain, Teller Magdon. Without a bit of magic, things might not have turned out as they do!
Finally, in LUCK OF THE DRAW, the youngest brother, gambler Jake Diamond gets his own story. This tale appeared in WILD TEXAS CHRISTMAS (Nov. 2014) and I love the fact that "family" is the theme—with it being so close to Christmas. Jake has a bit of a history with the heroine, Lainie Barrett. She's been held hostage with him for several days in Brett's story, SPELLBOUND. They've said some things to one another under duress that maybe shouldn't have been said. But when Jake accompanies Lainie back to visit her mother to let her know she's all right, they make an incredible "find" that shows them Lainie's odd "gift" and solidifies their relationship. Can a gambling man and a novice witch risk everything on each other?
Here's an excerpt from the first story in the collection, HEARTS AND DIAMONDS. Nick has just forced Libby to marry him. They're in the honeymoon suite having their first "heart to heart" talk…
"Be honest, Libby," Nick said softly. "You weren't any more in love with Carlton Ridgeway than you are with me. So what difference does it make you which one of us you marry?"
Libby was surprised at how quickly her little ladylike hand uncoiled from her proper stance and unerringly slapped his handsome face, only inches from hers. The noise it made was like a gunshot, and he flinched as he stepped back, his own hand going automatically to his cheek.
"You're right, Mr. Diamond. I'm not in love with Carlton Ridgeway. The most I had to look forward to was a scrap of respectability—if not for myself, then for my parents. Now, that, too, is gone. So, the only choice is to go forward from this point and—and make the best of things between us. But I will not be used, any more than I have been already, Mr. Diamond."
"Nick," he corrected unthinkingly. "And we—can get an annulment, if that's what you want."
Libby's smile held all the promise and danger that was stored in the reckless wildness of her spirit.
"I wouldn't dream of disappointing you so, Nick," she said sweetly. "No, we'll make our dreams come true together," she continued. "A home of our own, filled with children and, of course, true love."
His lips quirked at her words. "That sounds pretty damn good to me, Libby. Uh…you do know what makes babies, don't you?"
Though she only had a vague idea of how it was done, she wouldn't give him the upper hand. She nodded sagely. "Oh, yes. And I'm looking forward to it."
As if he knew her secret, Nick Diamond had the audacity to laugh aloud at that. Her face burned.
"I believe you'll enjoy it more with me than you would have with Ridgeway."
She moistened her lips and tried to settle the frantic pounding her heart had begun. "Well, then. Perhaps we should—start—immediately. With our family. Our baby."
Nick stood silent as she floundered. Finally, he said, "Let's have some dinner first, shall we? I'll have the bellboy lay a fire for us so we'll be comfortable when we come back from eating. You'll need your strength for tonight…when the 'baby making' begins. I have a hell of an appetite—for good food and…good sex," he added wickedly.
The Diamond brothers are cast out into the world by a crooked business deal at a young age. They've lost everything—including their father. Although they are forced to make their own way, brotherly bonds remain unbreakable: It's all for one and one for all.
HEARTS AND DIAMONDS—Revenge sets hired gun Nick Diamond after a bride, and nothing will stand in his way. But when that bride happens to be outspoken firebrand Liberty Blankenship, all bets are off. Anything can happen when HEARTS AND DIAMONDS collide!
SPELLBOUND—Safecracker Brett Diamond and witch Angie Colton take on a border gang leader who is pure evil. Can Angie's supernatural powers save them? No matter what, Brett and Angie are hopelessly SPELLBOUND.
LUCK OF THE DRAW—Handsome gambler Jake Diamond and beautiful fledgling sorceress Lainie Barrett make a last-ditch effort to reunite Lainie and her mother for Christmas. Along the way, Jake and Lainie realize there's no escape from the powerful attraction they feel toward one another. But do they know each other well enough to become a family when they rescue an abandoned infant? With their own particular talents, they discover life is one big poker table—and love can be had if they are willing to risk it all!
Thanks to everyone for stopping by today! I will be giving away a digital copy of WINTER MAGIC to one lucky commenter, so be sure to leave your contact info in case you win!
BUY LINKS Barnes and Noble Nook(coming) Smashwords Kobo


text:
Terms and Conditions
This document should be read in conjunction with our Security Statement and Privacy Policy.
The following terms ("the Terms") govern the provision and your use of any Depositit or third party provided service (called the "Service"). Please read the Terms carefully before registering for the Service. You accept the Terms by clicking the "YES, I HAVE READ AND AGREE TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS" button at time of software installation.
Please note that the process for third party provided services may differ slightly. Furthermore, in the case of third party provided services, you agree that Depositit are not the provider of these services/products. Depositit are a reseller only and any terms and conditions applicable for the use of the services or products are agreed between you and the third party provider.
If you have been provided the Service as a benefit of your Insurance, additional Terms and Conditions may apply to your use of the Service. These will be set out in your insurance policy documents. Your use of the Service runs in parallel with your insurance policy and for the avoidance of doubt the Service will be terminated upon the cancellation of your insurance policy.
Access to the Service will be provided to you, once you have accepted the Terms and completed the registration process. On registration you will select a Username & Password. Your use of the service account in any manner, which is prohibited by these Terms, may result in termination or suspension of the Service.
You are responsible for the security of your password. We reserve the absolute right to suspend, terminate, or modify, for any or no reason, any User ID and/password provided to you for use with the Service.
If you have any queries concerning the Service or your account, you should contact customer care by emailing [email protected]
You are granted a non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable licence with effect from your acceptance of the Terms to use the Service and any software incorporated therein ("the Software").
Save for the limited licence provided for above, you shall have no proprietary or other interest or rights in the Service.
You shall not without our prior written consent (other than to the strict extent that such act cannot be restricted by law):
- copy the whole or any part of the Software (save for one copy for back-up purposes only);
- modify, merge or combine the whole or any part of the Software with any other software;
- assign, transfer, distribute, sell, lease, rent, sub-licence, charge or otherwise deal in or encumber the Software;
- adapt, translate, reverse engineer, decompile or disassemble the whole or any part of the Software.
The Terms may be changed (including any reasonable change to the charges for use of the Service) at any time provided that any change to charges will only take effect 30 days after being posted on the website from time to time.
Depositit reserves the right to change, revise or modify the terms at any time posting the amended terms on the website. Any amended terms shall automatically be effective upon posting. Your continued use of the service will signify your acceptance of the revised terms. If you do not accept the revised terms, your sole and exclusive remedy is to discontinue using the Service. The latest terms will be viewable on the website and you should always review them prior to using the Service and website.
You will be charged in line with the subscription charges applicable for the level of service required. This will be payable annually in advance or monthly in arrears depending on the service subscribed to. Such sums are expressed to be exclusive of VAT. All amounts owed will be invoiced to you on an annual or monthly basis depending on the contract type subscribed to.
When paying by credit or debit card, you must provide your card information for initial usage. Ongoing fee payments will be collected automatically from your credit or debit card. All charges you incur for use of the Service will be charged to your account in accordance with the credit or debit card information you provide. If we do not receive payment from the card issuer, you agree to pay us all amounts due upon demand.
The service will automatically upgrade the level of storage according to your individual requirements. This means that should you use more storage than you have paid for, your account will be upgraded to accommodate this increased storage requirement. Additional storage will be invoiced for and payment will be made as per your selected payment method and/or automatically debited from the credit or debit card provided at the time of subscription (if paying by this method). These upgrade payments are in accordance with the payment table on the Depositit website and are charged pro-rata to the amount of time remaining on the annual contract or in the case of monthly payments will correspond to the monthly charges applicable for the storage used in that month.
Commercially reasonable actions to validate your credit or debit card details may be taken. If for any reason your credit or debit card cannot be validated or the transaction is prevented from occurring or we do not receive payment by any other method Depositit will make all reasonable endeavours to make you aware of this. If, following these endeavours no effort is made to remedy the situation by the subscriber and the transaction remains outstanding for longer than 30 days Depositit reserve the right to suspend or even terminate the account at this time.
We accept no responsibility if your business, data, servers or workstations are put at risk as a result of any data loss or digital threat if we have not received payment and terminated your account.Please note that even if your account is suspended or shut down you will still be liable for all outstanding payments. In addition, a minimum GBP50 + VAT administrative fee will be added to your outstanding invoice.
Please also note that if you pay monthly for the service and we are unable to collect payment after 30 days, the monthly payment option may be revoked and full payment may be requested for the entire balance of the remaining contract term. This will be calculated by taking the monthly premium owed multiplied by the number of months left unpaid until the renewal date. In addition a GBP40 + vat administrative fee for late payment will be added.
We reserve the right to change the monthly / annual amount payable by you by providing you with 14 days written notice prior to collection of any payment including that by credit or debit card.
Please be aware that card payments are collected via WorldPay secure payment services and the Depositit transaction will appear on your statement as "WP - Automated Backup".
We understand and will exercise our statutory right to claim interest and compensation for debt recovery costs under the late payment legislation if we are not paid according to agreed credit terms.
In the event that you elect to take out any third party services marketed by Depositit such as the 'Phone Redirect', 'Office Relocation' 'C360' or any other third party Services then you acknowledge that Depositit acts as an introducer to the independent companies providing these Services and that you msy also be bound separately by the Payment Terms offered by those companies for their Services.
You unconditionally agree:
- to notify us promptly by e-mail if you suspect unauthorised use of the Service. Until you notify us, you remain responsible for such unauthorised use;
- to provide accurate and complete registration information (including, but not limited to, your name, postal or e-mail address, phone number, credit or debit card information) and to promptly report any changes in such information to us;
- that you are responsible for providing and maintaining all computer equipment and software necessary for you to access the Service;
- not to resell, remarket, or otherwise redistribute any portion of the Service;
- to comply with all applicable laws, regulations, or conventions, including, but not limited to, those related to child pornography, gambling or gaming, obscenity, securities, intellectual property rights, data privacy, import/export of data and taxes, or misleading or deceptive conduct.
You warrant that by registering for and continuing to use the Service that you are of legal age and capacity.
Unless otherwise stated you agree that the Service shall be provided for a minimum period of one year ("the Initial Term") commencing on the date on which you confirm acceptance of the Terms and shall continue thereafter for successive 12 month terms ("Renewal Terms") unless and until you notify us in writing at least thirty (30) days prior to the end of the Initial Term or any of the Renewal Terms.
If you require that we cease to provide The Service by notifying us of that fact in writing at any time prior to the expiry of the Initial Term or Renewal Terms (other than for our default), no refund will be offered irrespective of whether or not you actually use the Service. In addition, if you pay monthly for the Service and cancel part way through the contract full payment will be requested for the entire balance of the remaining contract term. This will be calculated according to the monthly premium owed or most recently paid multiplied by the amount of months left unpaid until the renewal date.
We confirm every cancellation request within 5 days. For the avoidance of doubt no request for cancellation of the Service shall be valid unless confirmed by us. If you do not hear from us within this time you should assume we did not receive your request and you should contact us again.
Furthermore, we may withdraw the Service or you may require that we cease to provide the Service if:-
- either of us commits any material breach of the Terms and fails to remedy such breach within thirty (30) days after receipt of written notice of the same except in the case of failure to pay in which case the period is five (5) days;
- any party becomes or is deemed insolvent, ceases to trade or has a liquidator, receiver, manager, administrator or administrative receiver or similar office appointed in respect of the whole or part of its business or enters into any arrangement or composition with its creditors or is wound up otherwise than for the purpose of a solvent amalgamation or reconstruction where the resulting entity assumed all of its obligations, or is unable to pay its debts as they fall due within the meaning of Section 123 of the Insolvency Act 1986, or is made bankrupt, or undergoes a similar or analogous event in any jurisdiction.
Termination Consequences
In the event of termination of these Terms in accordance with this Clause 6, your account will be closed and you data will be immediately removed from our servers and destroyed.
If you wish to cancel your account without being charged you are required to notify us within any trial period of your chosen subscription package, or prior to the date of your account renewing in accordance with this Clause 6. For the avoidance of doubt, Depositit contract terms are rolling and you are therefore responsible for notifying us of your intent to cancel the service. If we do not receive this notification from you prior to the date of your account renewing then your account will be deemed to have renewed and full payment for the service will be due as per these Terms.
In the event that you elect to take out any third party services marketed by Depositit then you will be bound separately by the Terms and Conditions of use of those Services - specifically if the period of termination notice differs from Depositis proprietary Services.
Please note for those subcribing to use the C360 solution the termination notice period is 90 days from the 1st day of the month following the notice of termination
Whilst we agree to use all reasonable endeavours to maintain the Service we give no warranties whatsoever in this regard and your sole remedy in the event that we do not maintain a reasonable service shall be to terminate the provision of the Service.
Except as set out expressly in these Terms, we do not make or give any condition, warranty or representation, whether express or implied, arising by statute, common law or otherwise, including but not limited to any implied terms, warranties or conditions of completeness, accuracy, satisfactory quality, merchantable quality or fitness for a particular purpose or the exercise of reasonable skill and care in relation to the Service, hereunder and all such conditions, warranties or terms are hereby expressly excluded.
Your sole right and exclusive remedy and our exclusive liability in the event of any breach of the Terms, or if you are dissatisfied for any reason with the Service or any guidelines or policies, is to require the cessation of the Service as provided in Clause 6 (Termination) and to recover your direct damages up to a maximum of the amount you have paid for the Service during the period from the date of commencement of the Term to the date of termination.
This includes any third party services marketed by Depositit such as the 'Phone Redirect or 'Office Relocation' Services whereby Depositit has acted in good faith as an introducer between you and the independent companies providing these Services - if these companies are unable to provide the Services for whatsoever reason our exclusive liability to you is to recover a pro rata apportionment of any funds already paid to Depositit for the relevant Service at issue.
We shall not have any other liability whatsoever to you and shall not be liable for any misrepresentation (save where fraudulent) or be liable in contract tort or otherwise for any indirect or consequential loss, loss of revenue, loss of profits, loss of business or goodwill, loss or damage due to corruption of data, loss of opportunity, howsoever caused, which arises out of or in relation to these terms and conditions and/or the provision of the Service.
Nothing in the Terms shall exclude or limit either party's liability for death or personal injury arising from its negligence or that of its servants, agents or employees.
You agree to defend, indemnify and hold us, our affiliates, contractors, service providers, employees, agents harmless, from and against any and all liabilities, cost and expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees related to or arising from, any breach by you of the Terms, failure by you to perform your obligations, your use of the Service.
These Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and us, superseding any prior oral or other agreements about the Service.
Your use of the Service after the effective date of a change of the Terms constitutes your continued acceptance of the Terms and the Service, as amended.
If any provision of these Terms is determined to be invalid, all other provisions remain in force
You should send all written notices relating to the Service to: Depositit, 78 York Street, London W1H 1DP, United Kingdom.
These Terms will be governed by English Law and disputes relating to them will be submitted to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.
'Your customer care is a big reason I recommend you guys to everyone I know'
- J Collins.
View more testimonials


text:
The history of Emelec shirts dates back to the early days of the club, founded on April 28, 1929 in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Over the years, Club Sport Emelec's shirts have been a symbol of pride and passion for fans, undergoing significant evolution in terms of design and style.
The traditional colours of Emelec are blue and white, representing greatness and purity respectively. From its inception, these colours have been an integral part of the club's identity and have remained consistent in the shirts over the years.
In its early years, Emelec shirts used to have a simple design, with vertical blue and white stripes. These designs reflected the simplicity and tradition of the club in its early years of history.
As Ecuadorian football evolved and Emelec consolidated itself as one of the country's most important teams, the club's shirts began to undergo changes in their design and style. New technologies and materials were incorporated into the manufacture of the shirts, allowing for greater comfort and performance for the players.
In addition, Emelec has had several sportswear brands that have manufactured its shirts over the years. Brands like Adidas, Nike, Puma, and Marathon have left their mark on the design of the club's shirts, each bringing their own style and vision to the team's uniform.
Over time, Emelec shirts have evolved in terms of design and technology, incorporating details such as V-necks, geometric patterns, and breathable materials to improve the players' performance on the field.
One of the distinctive features of Emelec shirts is the inclusion of the club's crest on the chest, accompanied by the main sponsor. This shield represents the history and legacy of the club and is a symbol of identity for fans.
During their participation in international tournaments such as the Copa Libertadores, Emelec has worn special shirts with unique designs and exclusive details, specially designed to represent the club on the international stage.
In summary, Emelec shirts have witnessed the evolution and growth of the club over the years. From its humble beginnings to becoming one of Ecuador's most important teams, Emelec shirts have been a symbol of identity and passion for fans, reflecting the greatness and history of the club.
The history of names on football shirts is a fascinating narrative reflecting the evolution of the world's most popular sport over time. From its humble beginnings to becoming a global phenomenon, football has undergone significant changes in how players are identified on the field.
In the early days of organised football, shirts did not bear names. Players were identified solely by their numbers, which were usually assigned based on their position on the field. This practice remained for decades, but over time, the inclusion of names on shirts became an integral part of football culture.
The shift towards including names on football shirts occurred gradually throughout the 20th century. As the sport gained popularity and television began broadcasting matches to an increasingly larger audience, there arose a need to identify players more clearly and accessibly for viewers.
One of the key moments in the history of names on football shirts occurred during the 1954 World Cup when the Brazilian national team decided to include players' names on their uniforms. This move was pioneering and marked the beginning of a trend that would spread throughout the football world in the following years.
In the 1960s and 1970s, the practice of including names on shirts became more common in leagues and tournaments worldwide. However, there was resistance in some quarters, especially in Europe, where football traditions were more deeply rooted and conservative.
In England, for example, the widespread adoption of names on shirts did not occur until the 1990s. Premier League clubs were some of the last to make the change, but eventually, it became a standard feature across all teams.
The introduction of names on shirts was not without controversy. Some football purists argued that this practice went against the essence of the game, which was based on the idea that players were part of a team and not standout individuals. However, the reality was that football was becoming a global business, and the commercialisation of the sport played an increasingly important role in its development.
Names on shirts not only facilitated player identification for spectators but also became a marketing tool for clubs and sponsors. Fans could purchase shirts with the names of their favourite players, generating additional revenue for the teams.
Over time, names on shirts became an integral part of football culture. Players were identified by their names both on and off the field, and shirts with names and numbers became a recognisable symbol of the sport.
In the modern era of football, names on shirts are a standard across almost all levels of the game, from local teams to professional leagues and international tournaments. Technology has allowed names to be printed with greater accuracy and durability, and uniform designers have experimented with different styles and fonts to create unique and distinctive shirts.
In summary, the history of names on football shirts is a reflection of the sport's evolution over time. What began as an innovative practice in the 1950s became a standard feature in the football world, both for practical and commercial reasons. Names on shirts not only facilitate player identification but also symbolise the culture and passion surrounding the world's most popular sport.
The history of numbers on football shirts is fascinating and filled with evolution, tradition, and meaning. From the early days of organised football to the modern era of the world's most popular sport, the numbers on shirts have undergone a series of changes and have acquired significance beyond simply identifying players on the field.
The use of numbers on football shirts dates back to the early 20th century when the sport began to be organised more formally, and a way to identify players uniquely during matches was sought. Although early teams did not use numbers, this practice was soon adopted as a means to facilitate player identification for both spectators and referees.
One of the earliest records of the use of numbers on football shirts dates back to 1928 when England's Arsenal FC became one of the first teams to use permanent numbers on the backs of their players. This innovation quickly spread to other teams and leagues worldwide, becoming a standard feature of the game.
In the early decades, numbers on shirts were usually assigned sequentially, starting from the goalkeeper with number 1 and continuing to the last outfield player. However, over time, teams began to assign specific numbers to key players or particular positions on the field.
One of the most significant milestones in the history of football shirt numbers was the 1954 FIFA World Cup held in Switzerland. In this tournament, FIFA introduced for the first time the requirement that all players wear numbers from 1 to 22 on the back of their shirts, facilitating player identification on the field and adding an additional element of excitement and recognition for spectators.
As football continued to grow in popularity and became a global phenomenon, the numbers on shirts acquired greater symbolic and commercial importance. Numbers began to be associated with iconic players and specific positions on the field, and fans started to identify their favourite players by the number they wore on their backs.
In the 1970s, sponsorship in football began to play an important role in shirt number allocation. Teams began to sell advertising space on shirts, which often affected the arrangement and design of the numbers. Some teams even replaced traditional numbers with sponsor logos, sparking controversy among purist fans.
Another significant aspect in the evolution of football shirt numbers was the introduction of three-digit numbers. As teams expanded their squads and participated in multiple competitions, it became necessary to have a greater number of available numbers. Three-digit numbers allowed teams to assign unique numbers to each player without worrying about duplication.
In the 1990s and early 2000s, with the rise of commercialisation and globalisation of football, shirt numbers became a fundamental element of team and player identity. Numbers began to be designed more creatively, with different fonts, colours, and styles reflecting the personality and character of each team.
Furthermore, with the growing influence of social media and celebrity culture, shirt numbers became a personal brand for players, often used as part of their personal brand off the field. Shirt numbers also became a significant element in merchandise sales, with fans purchasing replicas of their favourite players' shirts.
In the modern era of football, shirt numbers remain an integral part of the game, though they have evolved considerably since the sport's early days. With the introduction of new technologies and materials in shirt manufacturing, numbers are now printed using advanced techniques that ensure durability and visibility during matches.
In summary, the history of numbers on football shirts reflects the evolution of the sport itself. From humble beginnings to becoming a global phenomenon, shirt numbers have evolved from simply identifying players on the field to becoming a symbol of identity, tradition, and passion for players and fans worldwide.