Monday, September 10, 2012
Protesting Indian farmers stand neck-deep in water for 15 days
It's the 15th day of the Jal Satyagraha at Khandwa, 90 protesting farmers are not ready to call off what they call as their 'final struggle.' Farmers from Ghogal Aawan, Bilawa, Bada Kailawa, Sukaya, Kamankheda and other villages are protesting the state government's move to increase water-level in dams in the region that is resulting in gradual submergence of their farm land.
They claim that over 1,000 acres of land is already submerged and 60 villages are on the verge of submergence if water-level in Omkareshwar dam is increased further. One of the farmers, 60-year-old Girjabai shivers as she stands neck-deep in water. Her wrinkly palms and feet are narrating the tale of her deteriorating health. The old woman from Kamankheda village in the district, gasps for breath as she voices the angst of her fellow protesters. "The government better shoot us than giving us this watery grave," she says.
"The government does not want to see our woes. If the government officials do not visit the place, how will they understand our plight? Our very existence depends upon our farms. We live with our farms and we will die with our farms," says Girjabai. Five acres of her total nine-acre land is submerged in water. "Despite the Supreme Court instructions, the state government is not paying heed and is trying to undermine our struggle. All that we are seeking is compensation as per laws," she said.
YouTube link.
Another protester in her sixties, Leelabai accused the government of raising the water-level despite knowing that they are standing neck-deep protesting in water. She said, "I have three children and all of them are illiterate and depend on farming. Where will they go if our land is grabbed?" Another protester, Sukhlabai is facing threat of submergence of every inch of her land. "The government fooled us. For a land worth in lakhs of rupees, it offered us a paltry sum," she said. Meanwhile, Khandwa district collector Neeraj Dubey visited the protesters and promised to look into the issue.
They claim that over 1,000 acres of land is already submerged and 60 villages are on the verge of submergence if water-level in Omkareshwar dam is increased further. One of the farmers, 60-year-old Girjabai shivers as she stands neck-deep in water. Her wrinkly palms and feet are narrating the tale of her deteriorating health. The old woman from Kamankheda village in the district, gasps for breath as she voices the angst of her fellow protesters. "The government better shoot us than giving us this watery grave," she says.
"The government does not want to see our woes. If the government officials do not visit the place, how will they understand our plight? Our very existence depends upon our farms. We live with our farms and we will die with our farms," says Girjabai. Five acres of her total nine-acre land is submerged in water. "Despite the Supreme Court instructions, the state government is not paying heed and is trying to undermine our struggle. All that we are seeking is compensation as per laws," she said.
YouTube link.
Another protester in her sixties, Leelabai accused the government of raising the water-level despite knowing that they are standing neck-deep protesting in water. She said, "I have three children and all of them are illiterate and depend on farming. Where will they go if our land is grabbed?" Another protester, Sukhlabai is facing threat of submergence of every inch of her land. "The government fooled us. For a land worth in lakhs of rupees, it offered us a paltry sum," she said. Meanwhile, Khandwa district collector Neeraj Dubey visited the protesters and promised to look into the issue.
Giant catfish turn cannibal after eating all the fish in German rivers
Giant catfish are becoming an increasing problem in German rivers and lakes. Some are even becoming cannibals, with one monstrous 2.5-metre specimen even said to be eating swans in a river it has emptied of all other fish.
Ducks and swans on the Isen River in Upper Bavaria have to fear for their lives because they are being targeted by the giant fish.
Fishermen have been alarmed by the increasing number – and size – of the catfish, which have no natural predators and grow their entire lives.
“The fish are not actually known to eat members of their own species, but by now they are also doing this,” Manfred Holzner, head of the local fisherman’s association said. Controlling their population is difficult - the fish themselves are notoriously tricky to catch, and nets are generally outlawed in the affected waters.
Ducks and swans on the Isen River in Upper Bavaria have to fear for their lives because they are being targeted by the giant fish.
Fishermen have been alarmed by the increasing number – and size – of the catfish, which have no natural predators and grow their entire lives.
“The fish are not actually known to eat members of their own species, but by now they are also doing this,” Manfred Holzner, head of the local fisherman’s association said. Controlling their population is difficult - the fish themselves are notoriously tricky to catch, and nets are generally outlawed in the affected waters.
Man jailed for assaulting mother during bacon spat
A Pittsfield man who police said attacked his mother last December after she yelled at him for eating too much bacon pleaded guilty to two charges on Thursday and was sentenced to four months in jail.
In Central Berkshire District Court, 19-year-old Christopher Rougeau of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault and battery and felony witness intimidation, for pushing his mother, grabbing her by the throat and knocking her to the ground, and disabling a phone she was trying to use to call for help.
The incident began, according to a Pittsfield Police report, when Rougeau’s mother came home and found him eating a large plate of bacon. She said she had been saving the meat for a special breakfast later in the week.
Rougeau is already serving a six-month jail sentence for violating probation and his other sentence will run concurrently to that stint. The underlying charge was another assault and battery against his mother in June 2011. Attorney Joseph P. Colonna, one of two lawyers representing Rougeau said his client was getting on the right track and had repaired his relationship with his mother.
In Central Berkshire District Court, 19-year-old Christopher Rougeau of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault and battery and felony witness intimidation, for pushing his mother, grabbing her by the throat and knocking her to the ground, and disabling a phone she was trying to use to call for help.
The incident began, according to a Pittsfield Police report, when Rougeau’s mother came home and found him eating a large plate of bacon. She said she had been saving the meat for a special breakfast later in the week.
Rougeau is already serving a six-month jail sentence for violating probation and his other sentence will run concurrently to that stint. The underlying charge was another assault and battery against his mother in June 2011. Attorney Joseph P. Colonna, one of two lawyers representing Rougeau said his client was getting on the right track and had repaired his relationship with his mother.
Chinese man bought 2,000 family buckets from KFC to protest at unhygienic handling of food
Wealthy businessman Yang Lin fought dirty when a KFC branch ignored his complaint about hygiene while on business trip from Beijing to Wuhan. Angry Yang spent 140,000 yuan, (£14,000), buying 2,000 family buckets at the branch in central China after staff did nothing when he complained about a chef preparing food without gloves or face mask.
He then began lining them up outside the shop entrance with signs warning people not to eat them because they were a health risk. But the store refused to give him any more food to him after 22 buckets. He said he has been to many KFC's in other countries and found them to be very strict in sanitation standards.
"I wanted to buy all their food so they couldn't poison anyone else and I wanted to warn people what sort of food they were eating," said 30-year-old Yang. "I'm lucky to have made money in business so I can afford this protest. At first KFC wanted my money, but soon they were begging me to take it back," he added.
LiveLeak link.
Yang only agreed to end the bucket blockade after KFC managers in Wuhan, Hubei province, publicly apologised for their behaviour and agreed to improve staff hygiene. "If they'd done that at the start they would have saved themselves a lot of trouble," said Yang.
He then began lining them up outside the shop entrance with signs warning people not to eat them because they were a health risk. But the store refused to give him any more food to him after 22 buckets. He said he has been to many KFC's in other countries and found them to be very strict in sanitation standards.
"I wanted to buy all their food so they couldn't poison anyone else and I wanted to warn people what sort of food they were eating," said 30-year-old Yang. "I'm lucky to have made money in business so I can afford this protest. At first KFC wanted my money, but soon they were begging me to take it back," he added.
LiveLeak link.
Yang only agreed to end the bucket blockade after KFC managers in Wuhan, Hubei province, publicly apologised for their behaviour and agreed to improve staff hygiene. "If they'd done that at the start they would have saved themselves a lot of trouble," said Yang.
Teenager attacked mother in dispute over 'short shorts'
A 15-year-old Florida girl faces charges after she and her mother got into an argument, which turned physical, over "short shorts." On Aug. 30 an Okaloosa County Sheriff's deputy was summoned to a Destin residence to investigate a disturbance.
Once there the deputy was told by the girl's mother that she and her daughter had become embroiled in an argument over shorts that were too short for school. The woman said her daughter became "verbally combative," so as punishment she decided to remove some electronics from the girl's room.
The girl started throwing items around the room and told her mother to "Shut up f----up bitch!" the deputy wrote in his report. The girl's mother admitted she "smacked" the girl in the mouth for cursing her, at which point the girl knocked her mother's glasses off, kicked and bit her several times, and tried to choke her before fleeing the house.
The deputy saw bite marks and bruises on the woman's arm. Another sheriff's deputy found the girl at her bus stop and asked her what had happened. The girl recounted a similar to story to her mother's, but said she bit her mother so she could escape. She was charged with misdemeanor battery and has an Oct. 10 court date.
Once there the deputy was told by the girl's mother that she and her daughter had become embroiled in an argument over shorts that were too short for school. The woman said her daughter became "verbally combative," so as punishment she decided to remove some electronics from the girl's room.
The girl started throwing items around the room and told her mother to "Shut up f----up bitch!" the deputy wrote in his report. The girl's mother admitted she "smacked" the girl in the mouth for cursing her, at which point the girl knocked her mother's glasses off, kicked and bit her several times, and tried to choke her before fleeing the house.
The deputy saw bite marks and bruises on the woman's arm. Another sheriff's deputy found the girl at her bus stop and asked her what had happened. The girl recounted a similar to story to her mother's, but said she bit her mother so she could escape. She was charged with misdemeanor battery and has an Oct. 10 court date.
Russian teenage girl attempted to rob bank in order to finance suicide bid
A teenage girl tried to rob a bank in the Urals Republic of Udmurtia so she could afford to leave her home city and commit suicide, the Russian Investigation Department said on Thursday.
Investigators believe that on August 28, 14-year-old, Lima Lavrova, masked and armed with a knife, tried to rob a bank in the regional capital of Izhevsk. However, she was detained by bank guards.
“The detainee explained that she committed the robbery in an attempt to free herself from her overbearing parents. She wanted to use those money to leave the city and commit suicide,” the Investigation Department said.
The girl faces up to 15 years in prison if found guilty.
Investigators believe that on August 28, 14-year-old, Lima Lavrova, masked and armed with a knife, tried to rob a bank in the regional capital of Izhevsk. However, she was detained by bank guards.
“The detainee explained that she committed the robbery in an attempt to free herself from her overbearing parents. She wanted to use those money to leave the city and commit suicide,” the Investigation Department said.
The girl faces up to 15 years in prison if found guilty.
Elvis Presley's soiled underpants fail to find buyer - Update
A pair of Elvis Presley's unwashed underpants on sale at Omega Auctions in Stockport were not sold as bids failed to reach the reserve price.
Bids for the stained underwear reached £5,000 but the reserve price was £7,000.
Previously.
Bids for the stained underwear reached £5,000 but the reserve price was £7,000.
Previously.
New health secretary, Jeremy Hunt personally intervened to encourage takeover of NHS hospitals in his constituency by private company, Virgin Care
No surprise there, then.
Interestingly, for once Richard Branson has nothing to say for himself.
YouTube link.
Pupils told to use 'tinkle cards' if they need the toilet - and then only once a week
Pupils at a Birmingham school have been issued with ‘‘tinkle cards’’ – which they must hold up in class if they want to use the toilet. And students at Castle Vale Performing Arts College have also been banned from talking in the classroom and warned they can only communicate with teachers via a series of bizarre hand-signals. Every pupil has been issued with a “tinkle card”. It states: “I am missing a super important learning opportunity because I need to tinkle.”
Another card given to pupils explains how they will have to “track” the teacher rather than talk to them, through a series of hand gestures which have specific meanings. The signals read: Holding up three fingers – I need to go to the toilet. Holding your nose with one hand and raising the other hand – I need a tissue. Raising one finger in the air – I need a pencil. Clasping your hands over your chest – I need paper or a book. Putting two fingers to your eyes and then pointing – Telling the teacher the pupil cannot see them.
One mother, Teresa Doyle, whose children Ellie, 13, and Connor, 15, both go to the school, said: “My kids are saying to me, ‘Mum, we’re not at school, we’re at a prison’. It’s a secondary school but they’re treating it more like a nursery with all these hand signals and ‘tinkle cards’. They’re not allowed to talk in class at all and must do everything by these bizarre hand signals.”
Mrs Doyle said pupils were only given one tinkle pass a week which is taken off them if they go to the toilet or collected back on Fridays. They are then issued with a new one on Monday. Another parent said: “It’s ridiculous because what happens if the child needs to use the toilet during class more than once a week? What are they supposed to do – wet themselves?” Headmistress, Charlotte Blencowe, who reportedly once dated the son of Chuckle Brother, Barry Elliot, has refused to comment.
Another card given to pupils explains how they will have to “track” the teacher rather than talk to them, through a series of hand gestures which have specific meanings. The signals read: Holding up three fingers – I need to go to the toilet. Holding your nose with one hand and raising the other hand – I need a tissue. Raising one finger in the air – I need a pencil. Clasping your hands over your chest – I need paper or a book. Putting two fingers to your eyes and then pointing – Telling the teacher the pupil cannot see them.
One mother, Teresa Doyle, whose children Ellie, 13, and Connor, 15, both go to the school, said: “My kids are saying to me, ‘Mum, we’re not at school, we’re at a prison’. It’s a secondary school but they’re treating it more like a nursery with all these hand signals and ‘tinkle cards’. They’re not allowed to talk in class at all and must do everything by these bizarre hand signals.”
Mrs Doyle said pupils were only given one tinkle pass a week which is taken off them if they go to the toilet or collected back on Fridays. They are then issued with a new one on Monday. Another parent said: “It’s ridiculous because what happens if the child needs to use the toilet during class more than once a week? What are they supposed to do – wet themselves?” Headmistress, Charlotte Blencowe, who reportedly once dated the son of Chuckle Brother, Barry Elliot, has refused to comment.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)