Bottlenose

DENMARK: WHAT A

 SHAME, A SAD

SHAME.

 AROUND THE

WORLD. THERE IS

 NO WORSE BEAST

THAN MAN!

This bloody slaughter is just to attend Moz to ’show’ entering adulthood! It’s absolutely incredible that nobody dares to do something to prevent this
barbarism that is committed against Calderon, an intelligent dolphin who has the peculiarity of approaching people out of sheer curiosity.
Forward this to everyone, PLEASE.

Every year around 2,000 whales are driven ashore and cruelly slaughtered in the Faroe Islands, mid-way between the Shetland Islands and Iceland. For centuries the Faroe Islanders have hunted pilot whales, driving entire schools into killing bays, where they are speared or gaffed from boats, dragged ashore and butchered with knives. Although the Islands are a protectorate of Denmark, they have their own Government and regulations governing the pilot whale hunt or “grind” as it is known.

Aside from the fact that the number of North Atlantic long-finned pilot whales is unknown and they are listed as ’strictly protected’ by the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats , this is an act of barbarism and pointlessness. By slaughtering 100 whales at a time, the Faroese are wiping out entire pods and family groups. They are removing building blocks from the gene pool of the species and damaging the web of life in the North Atlantic and the North Sea.

The drive hunt is a practice abandoned elsewhere many decades ago, and now outlawed by other European states. The inhabitants of the Faroe Islands have no subsistence need for whale meat, and much of the flesh is left to rot and be dumped ; it cannot be exported, as it is polluted with heavy metals and other toxins and therefore cannot meet EU heath standards for human food.

I. CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS

• Gather and reuse Christmas decorations from previous years or create new ones from discarded and biodegradable materials.

• If you really have to buy decorations, select reusable items that are local, natural, energy-efficient.

• Aviod decorations and products that create waste and/or uses toxic chemicals such as plastics, painted with color paints with strong smell etc.

• Build the crib (belen) from recycled materials and use the occasion to impart the true Christmas message, which bared itself in the simplicity and poverty of the manger.

• Opt for potted trees or plants or branches or broomsticks in a jar or pot as Christmas trees.

• Avoid stringing too many Christmas lights. If you really want to light up, use bulbs with low wattage to save on energy and only use decorative lights that meet safety standards.

II. CHRISTMAS PARTIES

• Prepare for modest festivities and use party savings to bring Christmas cheer to deprived families and communities.

• If food is catered, request for reusable utensils. If food is bought from restaurants, bring containers to avoid throw-away plastic and Styrofoam containers, which only end up in dumpsites and water bodies.

• Choose low-fat and, if possible, vegetarian dishes.

• Ensure the ecological management of discards: reuse and recycle the non-biodegradables, feed the food leftovers to animals or compost them to make nutrients for healthy soils.

• Choose reusable cloth napkins instead of single use paper napkins. You can make cheap cloth napkins from cheesecloth or flour bags. Simply wash and store for future use.

III. CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

• Prepare your shopping list of Christmas essentials and plan your trip to save on fuel costs and cut carbon dioxide emissions. Walk, cycle or use public transportation whenever possible.

• Say no to plastic bags! Bring a reusable bag, basket or bayong when you shop.

• Avoid excessively and expensively packaged items. Remember that the cost of the packaging is added on to the price of the item.

• When buying gifts, choose eco-friendly products that do not come from old-growth forests, contain no GMOs, are not fossil fuel based, nontoxic, and not made from child or abusive labor practices.

IV. CHRISTMAS GIFTS

• Volunteer your time and talents to projects and services for the community and the environment. Ask your barangay, church, school or organization how you can be of help.

• Collect unused gifts, old clothes, toys, books and other materials and donate them to a charitable institution.

• Personalize gifts by making them yourself. Why not gift friends and family with your specialty dish, plants from your own backyard, scrapbooks, or a CD music selection.

• Give old items that you already have a new look. This not only prevents waste generation, it also allows room for personal creativity. It also gives the receiver the feeling that you took the time and effort to create for her/him.

• Give products, delicacies from your province. Go for fruits, vegetables, plants, sweets, condiments, decorative and functional crafts, etc.

• Give environment-friendly gifts made of recycled materials or products or services that advocate sustainable living. Share items that will teach recycling such as handouts, primers and manuals on the different kinds of recycling.

• Choose gifts that do not need to be wrapped such as potted plants, massage from blind masseurs, gift checks, concert tickets, raffle tickets etc.

• Ensure that gifts especially toys doesn’t contain harmful chemicals such as lead paints, mercury etc.

• If you need to wrap the gift, use old magazines or newspapers (especially the comics section), old bandannas, etc. You can also use craft paper and jazz it up with colored pencils.

• Call or send e-card to family and friends with Internet access. Create your own greeting card to give it a more personal touch or buy cards from groups with a special mission or advocacy.

V. MERRY MAKING AND NEW YEAR

• Refrain from setting off firecrackers. Smooths and particulate matters emitted by firecrackers cause pollutions (land, water, air and noise) and it can trigger asthma attacks and other respiratory illness.

• In lieu of firecrackers, try shaking coins in a container, banging pots and pans, playing musical instruments and gleeful shouts in rejoicing the holidays!

• Never burn tires.

• Don’t bin your waste. Creatively reuse or recycle things that you had planned to throw out after the pre-New Year cleaning. Use nontoxic cleaning agents and solutions.

• Prepare the right amounts of food to avoid spoilage, and avoid plastic, Styrofoam and other single-use food packaging materials.

Source: ecowaste_youth@lists.riseup.net

The 30th session of the International Human Rights Training Program (IHRTP) will take place from June 14 to July 3, 2009 in Montreal, Canada.

Scholarships Available.

Deadline for application: November 21, 2008.

For more information and to download application form, visit:
http://www.equitas.org/eng lish/programs/IHRTP.php

The International Human Rights Training Program (IHRTP) is at the heart of the Equitas’ activities. Since 1980, this annual three-week training session brings together approximately 120 participants from over 60 countries. The IHRTP provides a unique opportunity for human rights workers to deepen their understanding of human rights and of the essential role of human rights education in effecting change.

Ichasing pavements

I’ve made up my mind
Don’t need to think it over
If I’m wrong I am right
Don’t need to look no further
This ain’t lust
I know this is love, but

If I tell the world
I’ll never say enough
‘Cause it was not said to you
And that’s exactly what I need to do
If I’m in love with you

Should I give up
Or should I just keep chasing pavements?
Even if it leads nowhere
Or would it be a waste?
Even if I knew my place
Should I leave it there?
Should I give up
Or should I just keep chasing pavements?
Even if it leads nowhere

I’d build myself up
And fly around in circles
Waitin’ as my heart drops
And my back begins to tingle
Finally could this be it?

Should I give up
Or should I just keep chasing pavements?
Even if it leads nowhere
Or would it be a waste?
Even if I knew my place
Should I leave it there?
Should I give up
Or should I just keep chasing pavements?
Even if it leads nowhere, yeah

Should I give up
Or should I just keep chasing pavements?
Even if it leads nowhere
Or would it be a waste?
Even if I knew my place
Should I leave it there?
Should I give up
Or should I just keep on chasing pavements?
Should I just keep on chasing pavements?

Should I give up
Or should I just keep chasing pavements?
Even if it leads nowhere
Or would it be a waste?
Even if I knew my place
Should I leave it there?
Should I give up
Or should I just keep chasing pavements?
Even if it leads nowhere

GRAB YOUR CAMERA AND START FILMING NOW!

“Vulnerability Exposed: Social Dimensions of Climate Change” is a competition of 2-5 minute documentaries that highlight the social aspects of climate change as experienced and/or observed by film-makers around the world. They hope to receive submissions which creatively showcase the implications of climate change for conflict, migration, urban space, rural institutions, drylands, social policy, indigenous peoples, gender, governance, forests and/or human rights.

WIN A TRIP TO WASHINGTON, D.C.
Competition open to everyone
Submission Deadline: October 24, 2008. 11:59 (US ET)

There are two award categories: 1) Social Dimensions of Climate Change Award (general category) and 2) Young Voices of Climate Change Award (youth category). The general category is open to everyone; the youth category is open to entries submitted by filmmakers who are under 24 years old. Award winners will be chosen through a combination of public voting and a judging panel.

The award winners will be invited to Washington, DC to screen their film and attend a series of networking and learning events organized by the Social Development Department, World Bank. The tentative schedule of events to be organized for the award winners includes: awards ceremony, film showcase event, cocktail reception, career development workshop, and seminar series on the Social Dimensions of Climate Change.

SUBMIT YOUR FILM TODAY!
Post your film on YouTube and fill out the online Registration Form at http://www.worldbank.org/sdccfilmcontest

Can’t post your film on YouTube? Send a compressed .wmv or quicktime file to socialdevelopment@worldban

Global Challenges | HIV Cases Increasing Among Women, MSM in Rural China,
Study Says
[Oct 03, 2008]

      The number of HIV/AIDS cases among men who have sex with men has
increased eightfold during the past few years in areas of China, according
to a study published recently in the journal Nature,
Reutersreports.
The study also found that the proportion of women in their
reproductive years who are HIV-positive has doubled during the past 10
years. According to researchers, this indicates that HIV/AIDS is moving from
high-risk groups to the general population.

The study said that there were about 700,000 HIV/AIDS cases in China as of
October 2007 — an 8% increase compared with 2006. Researchers focused the
study on China’s Yunnan province, which borders Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam
and has a history of opium and heroin trade. HIV/AIDS cases also have been
concentrated among injection drug users in Yunnan, according to Reuters. The
researchers examined 3.2 million blood samples taken between 1989 and 2006
in Yunnan.

According to the study, about 37.5% of cases in 2006 were transmitted
through heterosexual contact. HIV/AIDS cases among MSM increased from 0.4%
in 2005 to 3.3% in 2007, according to the study. The study showed that women
now comprise 35% of HIV/AIDS cases in Yunnan, compared with 7.1% in 1996.
According to the researchers, the fact that 90% of women living with HIV are
of child-bearing age makes it “likely to translate into more vertical
transmission from mother to child.”

Cases involving IDUs decreased to 40% in 2006 from 100% in 1989. “HIV/AIDS
is spreading beyond the high-risk populations, largely due to increased
transmission through sexual contact,” researcher Zhang Linqi, director of
the AIDS Research Center in Beijing, said, adding, “It implies that HIV/AIDS
is not only a disease that affects high-risk populations but the general
population alike.”

Zhang said that the changing demography of people living with HIV “makes
treatment and vaccine development even more challenging” because there are
different strains of the virus circulating in the region. He added that
prevention strategies that have been proven successful should be increased
(Tan, Reuters, 10/1).

–
Rachel M Jacobson
Program Director
Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS
www.iAIDS.org | www.youthaidscoalition.org

Project 10100 (pronounced “Project 10 to the 100th”) is a call for ideas by Google to change the world by helping as many people as possible. Only individuals (not organizations) can submit ideas from anywhere in the world.

For more information: Project10tothe100
Submission Deadline: October 20, 2008

Categories:
Community: How can we help connect people, build communities and protect unique cultures?
Opportunity: How can we help people better provide for themselves and their families?
Energy: How can we help move the world toward safe, clean, inexpensive energy?
Environment: How can we help promote a cleaner and more sustainable global ecosystem?
Health: How can we help individuals lead longer, healthier lives?
Education: How can we help more people get more access to better education?
Shelter: How can we help ensure that everyone has a safe place to live?
Everything else: Sometimes the best ideas don’t fit into any category at all.

Criteria:
Reach: How many people would this idea affect?
Depth: How deeply are people impacted? How urgent is the need?
Attainability: Can this idea be implemented within a year or two?
Efficiency: How simple and cost-effective is your idea?
Longevity: How long will the idea’s impact last?

Google has committed $10 million to fund up to five ideas selected by their advisory board. Once ideas are selected, Google will use an RFP process to identify the organization(s) that are in the best position to implement the selected ideas and will be providing funding to these organizations to implement the ideas.

About the Project

Q: What is Project 10¹⁰⁰? A: Project 10¹⁰⁰ (pronounced “Project 10 to the 100th”) is a call for ideas to change the world, in the hope of helping as many people as possible.

Q: Why is Google doing this? A: The short answer is that we think helping people is a good thing, and empowering people to help others is an even better thing. Here’s the long answer.

Q: How many ideas are you funding? A: We have committed $10 million to fund up to five ideas selected by our advisory board.

Q. Why the name 10^100? A: 10¹⁰⁰ is another way of expressing the number “googol,” a one followed by one hundred zeroes. Our company’s very name expresses our goal of achieving great results through smart technology that starts small and scales dramatically over time to have a tremendous long-term impact. Project 10¹⁰⁰ is a similar attempt to produce those kinds of scalable results by harnessing our users’ insights and creativity. We don’t know what ideas would help the most people. This project’s premise is that maybe you do.

Submitting Entries

Q: How do I submit an idea? A: Submit your idea by filling out the submission form.

Q: Can I submit more than one idea? A: Yes!

Q: Can an organization submit an idea for this project? A: All ideas must be submitted by individuals. You may submit an idea on behalf of an organization you’re affiliated with, but please note that we cannot guarantee your organization will be selected to implement the idea if it is chosen. Once we’ve selected up to five ideas for funding, we will use an RFP process to identify the organization(s) that are in the best position to implement the selected ideas. We will be providing funding to these organizations to implement the ideas.

Q: What if another person submits an idea that is similar to my entry? A: The purpose of Project 10¹⁰⁰ is to identify great ideas and bring them to life. If an idea is selected that is similar to yours, and it succeeds, everybody wins. That’s the spirit of this program and we hope all entrants will embrace it.

Q: What do I get if my idea is chosen? A: You get good karma and the satisfaction of knowing that your idea might truly help a lot of people.

Q: What if I forgot to include something on my submission form? A: The form will prompt you to complete all necessary information, but once you’ve submitted your idea, you won’t be able to revise it. Please make sure to review your work carefully before you submit it.

Idea Selection

Q: How will you decide which ideas to fund? A: A selection of Google employees will review all the ideas submitted and select 100 for public consideration. The 100 top ideas will be announced on January 27, 2009, at which point we will invite the public to select twenty semi-finalists. An advisory board will then choose up to five final ideas for funding and implementation. We plan to announce these winners in early February.

Q: Who is on the advisory board? The advisory board will be composed of five to seven individuals known for their expertise in the submission categories.

Q: What criteria will be used to select the winning ideas? The following five criteria will be considered by the advisory panel in evaluating and selecting the winning ideas:

Reach: How many people would this idea affect?
Depth: How deeply are people impacted? How urgent is the need?
Attainability: Can this idea be implemented within a year or two?
Efficiency: How simple and cost-effective is your idea?
Longevity: How long will the idea’s impact last?

Implementing the ideas

Q. How will Google implement these ideas? Once we’ve selected up to five ideas for funding, we will begin an RFP process to identify the organization(s) and proposals that are in the best position to help implement the selected ideas.

Q: I know an organization that I believe can implement my idea if it is selected. What should I do? The submission form includes a field where you can recommend an organization to implement your idea. If your idea is selected for funding, we will contact this organization when we begin the selection process for the implementation phase. Please note that this does not guarantee that they will be chosen to implement the idea.

Video submission guidelines

Q: What can I include in the video portion of my submission? A: You may include a video of no longer than thirty seconds to further explain or illustrate your idea. Please note that the video will be treated as supplementary material– you still need to explain your idea in the text part of the submission.

In addition, your video must meet the following criteria:

(a) It must be uploaded on YouTube and available for public viewing.
(b) It must not be derogatory, offensive, threatening, defamatory, disparaging, libelous or contain any content that is in appropriate, indecent, sexual, profane, indecent, tortuous, slanderous, discriminatory in any way, or that promotes hatred or harm against any group or person, or otherwise does not comply with the theme and spirit of the call for submissions.
(c) It must not contain content, material or any element that is unlawful, or otherwise in violation of or contrary to all applicable federal, state, provincial or local laws and regulations the laws or regulations in any state where video is created.
(d) It must not contain any content, material or element that displays any third party advertising, slogan, logo, trademark or otherwise indicates a sponsorship or endorsement by a third party, commercial entity.
(e) It must be an original, unpublished work that does not contain, incorporate or otherwise use any content, material or element that is owned by a third party or entity.
(f) It cannot contain any content, element, or material that violates a third party’s publicity, privacy or intellectual property rights.
(g) It cannot be longer than thirty seconds If it is longer than this, only the first thirty seconds will be evaluated.
(h) Any text or speech in the video must be in one of the following languages: English, German, French, Portuguese (Brazil), Turkish, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Spanish, Japanese, Italian, Polish, Dutch, Korean, Russian, Swahili, Norwegian, Finnish, Swedish, Arabic, Hindi, Greek, Czech, Hebrew, Danish, or Thai

More Questions

Q: I’ve got more questions. Who should I ask? A: If you have more questions, please email us.

ISFiT - The International Student Festival in Trondheim, Norway is the world student festival with 2009’s thematic focus on “peacebuilding”. It will be held in Norway from 20 February to 1 March 2009. About 450 students from all over the world attend the festival.

Deadline for application: 30 September, 2008

You need to be above 18 years of age and a student at the time of the festival.

There is no participation-fee for ISFiT 2009 and both food and lodging is provided by the organizers. All you have to pay for as a participant is your travel to and from Trondheim, Norway, as well as travel-insurance and possibly visa-costs, according to the Norwegian embassy’s policy. If you cannot afford the travel to Trondheim, you can apply for travel support on the bottom of the application-form.

For more information, check:
http://www.isfit.org/

Dear PLONING friends and supporters,

As part of our Oscar bid for Best Foreign Language Film…
Please visit our IMDB account / site at : Internet Movie Database

Your user votes will help increase awareness and ratings on the film as IMDB

(the Internet Movie Database) is a commonly used tool in the US

and the world over for information and feedback regarding films.

As little Digo would always say, “Amblig”! (That’s “Take care” in Cuyonon!)

All the best,

PANORAMANILA PICTURES CO.

Manila, Philippines

PLONING THE MOVIE