20th August 2015 (jandmayers twitter)
“The South African
Government has put on hold the release of Oscar Pistorius from his prison
sentence”
“Oscar Pistorius was
due to be released this Friday 21st August after serving ten months
behind bars”
“He was convicted of
culpable homicide for the killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp”
“South Africa’s
Justice Minister, Michael Masutha, has referred the matter back to the parole
review board”
“This shows a legal
confusion and doubts over the release date”
“A lawyer, who
attended the trial, praised the minister’s intervention saying, “The minister was acting prudently, acting
responsibly””
““He did what he was entitled to do””
“Masutha had received
a petition from the Progressive Women’s Movement of South Africa”
“They are expressing
opposition to the release of Pistorius during the country’s Women’s Month”
“Masutha stated that
he had been approached by the women’s rights organisation, which requested that
he review the decision”
“A statement from the
Department of Justice and Correctional Services cited a law stating that a
person sentenced to imprisonment…”
“…must serve at least
one-sixth of his/her sentence before being considered for correction
supervision”
“The decision to
release Pistorius on the 21st August 2015 was made prematurely on 5th June
2015”
“The offender was not
eligible to be considered at all”
“One-sixth of a five
year sentence is ten months, at the time the decision was made Pistorius had
only served six months of his sentence”
“The Women’s League of
the governing African National Congress welcomed the ruling”
“The ANC Women’s
League remains convinced that Judge Masipa handed down an erroneous judgement
& an extremely lenient sentence to Pistorius”
“This has sent out a
bad message in cases involving gender-based violence”
“This is especially in
instances where women die at the hands of their partners”
“It is the Women’s
League that wishes that Pistorius remains in custody until November when the
Supreme Court Appeal will hear the appeal”
“The appeal will be
brought on by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) against the judgement of
the sentence handed out to Pistorius”
“Statistics in South
Africa have shown that their society is under continuous attack from criminals
and murderers”
“Incarceration for ten
months for taking a life is simply not enough!”
“Oscar Pistorius, it
would seem, has got away with the brutal killing of his girlfriend, largely
from his infamy and his money”
“Oscar Pistorius was
able to buy the best legal minds available”
“The trial exposed his
character as one who thought he could flaunt the law, because he was famous”
“He thought he could
get away with it, because of who he was and the trial proved he had bouts of
reckless behaviour”
“As with all people
who go over the top, life catches up with them in time”
“Then they realise
they are not as great as they let themselves believe”
“Pistorius was
reportedly so worried that he would be poisoned in prison that he lived on
canned sardines and baked beans”
“Pistorius was the VIP
prisoner, as was fellow inmate Boswell Mhlongo, who was at the maximum security
Kgosi Mampuru II in Pretoria State”
“Mhlongo said
everything was free for Pistorius. He could do whatever he wanted”
“Mhlongo added that
Pistorius had his own gym on his own and his cell was given curtains”
“Everything was
specially prepared for him, because he has money and because he is Oscar
Pistorius”
“As always it is one
rule for one and one rule for another”
“It seems that
Pistorius really can get away with murder or can he?”
20th August 2015 (ladylydialondon twitter)
“The South African
Government has put on hold the release of Oscar Pistorius from his prison
sentence”
“Oscar Pistorius was
due to be released this Friday 21st August after serving ten months
behind bars”
“He was convicted of
culpable homicide for the killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp”
“South Africa’s
Justice Minister, Michael Masutha, has referred the matter back to the parole
review board”
“This shows a legal
confusion and doubts over the release date”
“A lawyer, who
attended the trial, praised the minister’s intervention saying, “The minister was acting prudently, acting
responsibly””
““He did what he was entitled to do””
“Masutha had received
a petition from the Progressive Women’s Movement of South Africa”
“They are expressing
opposition to the release of Pistorius during the country’s Women’s Month”
“Masutha stated that
he had been approached by the women’s rights organisation, which requested that
he review the decision”
“A statement from the
Department of Justice and Correctional Services cited a law stating that a
person sentenced to imprisonment…”
“…must serve at least
one-sixth of his/her sentence before being considered for correction
supervision”
“The decision to
release Pistorius on the 21st August 2015 was made prematurely on 5th June
2015”
“The offender was not
eligible to be considered at all”
“One-sixth of a five
year sentence is ten months, at the time the decision was made Pistorius had
only served six months of his sentence”
“The Women’s League of
the governing African National Congress welcomed the ruling”
“The ANC Women’s
League remains convinced that Judge Masipa handed down an erroneous judgement
& an extremely lenient sentence to Pistorius”
“This has sent out a
bad message in cases involving gender-based violence”
“This is especially in
instances where women die at the hands of their partners”
“It is the Women’s
League that wishes that Pistorius remains in custody until November when the
Supreme Court Appeal will hear the appeal”
“The appeal will be
brought on by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) against the judgement of
the sentence handed out to Pistorius”
“Statistics in South
Africa have shown that their society is under continuous attack from criminals
and murderers”
“Incarceration for ten
months for taking a life is simply not enough!”
“Oscar Pistorius, it
would seem, has got away with the brutal killing of his girlfriend, largely
from his infamy and his money”
“Oscar Pistorius was
able to buy the best legal minds available”
“The trial exposed his
character as one who thought he could flaunt the law, because he was famous”
“He thought he could
get away with it, because of who he was and the trial proved he had bouts of
reckless behaviour”
“As with all people
who go over the top, life catches up with them in time”
“Then they realise
they are not as great as they let themselves believe”
“Pistorius was
reportedly so worried that he would be poisoned in prison that he lived on
canned sardines and baked beans”
“Pistorius was the VIP
prisoner, as was fellow inmate Boswell Mhlongo, who was at the maximum security
Kgosi Mampuru II in Pretoria State”
“Mhlongo said
everything was free for Pistorius. He could do whatever he wanted”
“Mhlongo added that
Pistorius had his own gym on his own and his cell was given curtains”
“Everything was
specially prepared for him, because he has money and because he is Oscar
Pistorius”
“As always it is one
rule for one and one rule for another”
“It seems that
Pistorius really can get away with murder or can he?”
19th August 2015 (jandmayers twitter)
“Sebastian Coe has
been elected President of the International Association of Athletics
Federations (IAAF)”
“He beat Ukraine’s
Sergey Bubka by 115 votes to 92 in a ballot of the governing body’s 50th
Congress”
“There has been a
systematic failing of the IAAF in its duty to address doping despite
allegations that blood doping was rife in athletics”
“Coe has aggressively
defended the IAAF’s record on doping over the last three weeks”
“He has said that the
organisation has led the way on ‘out of competition testing’ and the
laboratories who deal with them”
“He had also
introduced blood passports in 2009 to help weed out the cheats”
“Coe is confident that
under his leadership the sport would be able to move forwards by setting up its
own anti-doping agency”
“This is something
that should have been established decades ago!”
“The US men’s 4x100
relay team on Wednesday was ordered to return its London 2012 silver medals”
“This was because
Tyson Gay, who was part of the medal winning quartet, was suspended for a
doping offence”
“The US team included
Justin Gatlin, an Olympic gold medallist, who served a four year ban in 2006
for doping”
“There is evidence
that 99% of Russian athletes are guilty of doping”
“This has been
investigated by German journalists for a TV documentary”
“The documentary also
states that the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) is
covering up the abuse”
“This is being looked
into and an investigation on these claims is already ongoing”
“It has been stated by
Russian athletes themselves that the majority of Russian athletes representing
their country used banned substances”
“A 25 year old Russian
athlete claimed that anything an athlete wants they can get”
“A Russian currently
serving a 10 year doping ban, which is due to end in 2023, has already been
handed a two year suspension in 2011”
“Liliya Shobukhova,
who won the London Marathon in 2010…”
“…admits paying the
Russian Athletics Federation £350,000 to cover up a positive doping test”
“She is currently
serving a two year ban”
“It has been stated
that leading Russian athletic officials supplied banned substances in exchange
for 5% of the athlete’s earnings”
“The Russian officials
have also colluded with doping control officers to hush up or falsify tests”
“This information has
been passed on to be investigated by the independent body, which works within
the IAAF”
“Russia hosted the
Winter Olympics in Sochi earlier this year and finished top of the medal table”
“Russia has currently
67 of their athletes serving sanctions for doping offences according to the
latest IAAF report”
“There has now been a
call to boycott the World Athletics Championship in Russia because of their
links to doping”
“There have been calls
for offenders to be banned for life in a bid to clamp down on drug-related
offences”
“Usain Bolt, the 100m
and 200m world record holder, called for Tyson Gay to be given a life ban from
the sport”
“With a life ban it is
the only way that these dopers will not be allowed to reoffend”
“It also sends out a
very strong and clear message that cheats are no longer able to take part in
such a privileged sport”
“The message must be
loud and clear if Athletics is to start becoming a clean sport”
“It makes a mockery of
all those who have worked diligently to achieve their medals in a clean and
concise way”
“The Athletic industry
owes it to all those clean athletes, who courageously work towards excellence
in their chosen field of expertise”
19th August 2015 (ladylydialondon twitter)
“Sebastian Coe has
been elected President of the International Association of Athletics
Federations (IAAF)”
“He beat Ukraine’s Sergey
Bubka by 115 votes to 92 in a ballot of the governing body’s 50th Congress”
“There has been a
systematic failing of the IAAF in its duty to address doping despite
allegations that blood doping was rife in athletics”
“Coe has aggressively
defended the IAAF’s record on doping over the last three weeks”
“He has said that the
organisation has led the way on ‘out of competition testing’ and the
laboratories who deal with them”
“He had also
introduced blood passports in 2009 to help weed out the cheats”
“Coe is confident that
under his leadership the sport would be able to move forwards by setting up its
own anti-doping agency”
“This is something
that should have been established decades ago!”
“The US men’s 4x100
relay team on Wednesday was ordered to return its London 2012 silver medals”
“This was because
Tyson Gay, who was part of the medal winning quartet, was suspended for a
doping offence”
“The US team included
Justin Gatlin, an Olympic gold medallist, who served a four year ban in 2006
for doping”
“There is evidence
that 99% of Russian athletes are guilty of doping”
“This has been
investigated by German journalists for a TV documentary”
“The documentary also
states that the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) is
covering up the abuse”
“This is being looked
into and an investigation on these claims is already ongoing”
“It has been stated by
Russian athletes themselves that the majority of Russian athletes representing
their country used banned substances”
“A 25 year old Russian
athlete claimed that anything an athlete wants they can get”
“A Russian currently
serving a 10 year doping ban, which is due to end in 2023, has already been
handed a two year suspension in 2011”
“Liliya Shobukhova,
who won the London Marathon in 2010…”
“…admits paying the
Russian Athletics Federation £350,000 to cover up a positive doping test”
“She is currently
serving a two year ban”
“It has been stated
that leading Russian athletic officials supplied banned substances in exchange
for 5% of the athlete’s earnings”
“The Russian officials
have also colluded with doping control officers to hush up or falsify tests”
“This information has
been passed on to be investigated by the independent body, which works within
the IAAF”
“Russia hosted the
Winter Olympics in Sochi earlier this year and finished top of the medal table”
“Russia has currently
67 of their athletes serving sanctions for doping offences according to the
latest IAAF report”
“There has now been a
call to boycott the World Athletics Championship in Russia because of their
links to doping”
“There have been calls
for offenders to be banned for life in a bid to clamp down on drug-related
offences”
“Usain Bolt, the 100m
and 200m world record holder, called for Tyson Gay to be given a life ban from
the sport”
“With a life ban it is
the only way that these dopers will not be allowed to reoffend”
“It also sends out a
very strong and clear message that cheats are no longer able to take part in
such a privileged sport”
“The message must be
loud and clear if Athletics is to start becoming a clean sport”
“It makes a mockery of
all those who have worked diligently to achieve their medals in a clean and
concise way”
“The Athletic industry
owes it to all those clean athletes, who courageously work towards excellence
in their chosen field of expertise”
18th August 2015 (jandmayers twitter)
“Learn to find the
light and inner peace, which is always within us!”
“There is nothing
worth having in this world without peace”
“With peace in your heart
and your soul, you are rich beyond your imagination”
“The power of positive
thinking has been proven by science”
“It has been proven
that the mind is powerful in ways not always known to man”
“It is still a mystery
that we are unravelling”
“Medically trained
experts cannot deny the power of thought, which will determine how your life
becomes”
“We can all create a
personal hell in our minds, where it becomes so dark we can’t even crawl out of
it”
“Even if we are in a
palace or on a paradise island, we can still put ourselves into dark places
with our thoughts”
“If we do not have
peace in our minds, we have nothing!”
“If we want to be
happy, we first need to be able to live in harmony with ourselves, before we
can be happy with anything or anyone else”
“We are all our own
strength and have our own power, which we can choose to build up or trample all
over it”
“No matter what
happens in one’s life, even if we have hit rock bottom which all
super-successful people have, we can begin again right now!”
“You first need to be
in harmony and peace with yourself before serving the world”
“Cover yourself with
love whenever you breathe and not tension and stress”
“Know we are all worth
it, as insecurities can no longer have a part of our lives. Now we become the
positive mind”
“We must all come out
of the darkness of insecurities and start to believe that we are mightier and
stronger than we actually realise”
“Our paths always lead
us to enlightenment and knowledge. Our futures are great because we believe
them to be so and so they shall be!”
18th August 2015 (ladylydialondon twitter)
“Learn to find the
light and inner peace, which is always within us!”
“There is nothing
worth having in this world without peace”
“With peace in your
heart and your soul, you are rich beyond your imagination”
“The power of positive
thinking has been proven by science”
“It has been proven
that the mind is powerful in ways not always known to man”
“It is still a mystery
that we are unravelling”
“Medically trained experts
cannot deny the power of thought, which will determine how your life becomes”
“We can all create a
personal hell in our minds, where it becomes so dark we can’t even crawl out of
it”
“Even if we are in a
palace or on a paradise island, we can still put ourselves into dark places
with our thoughts”
“If we do not have
peace in our minds, we have nothing!”
“If we want to be
happy, we first need to be able to live in harmony with ourselves, before we
can be happy with anything or anyone else”
“We are all our own
strength and have our own power, which we can choose to build up or trample all
over it”
“No matter what
happens in one’s life, even if we have hit rock bottom which all
super-successful people have, we can begin again right now!”
“You first need to be
in harmony and peace with yourself before serving the world”
“Cover yourself with
love whenever you breathe and not tension and stress”
“Know we are all worth
it, as insecurities can no longer have a part of our lives. Now we become the
positive mind”
“We must all come out
of the darkness of insecurities and start to believe that we are mightier and
stronger than we actually realise”
“Our paths always lead
us to enlightenment and knowledge. Our futures are great because we believe
them to be so and so they shall be!”
17th August 2015 (jandmayers twitter)
“Research and
development for new medicines is costly and time consuming. It is almost always profit driven”
“When disease affects
the poor, this market is neglected and this means no new medicines”
“Kala azar is a
neglected tropical disease”
“It is the world’s
second largest parasite killer after Malaria, killing 40,000 people every year”
“Yet there have been
no new drugs developed for decades to combat this disease”
“The Drugs of Neglected
Diseases Initiative (DNDi) and four pharmaceutical firms have announced the
start of a ground-breaking initiative”
“This is to accelerate
and cut costs at the early stage of drug discovery for Kala azar”
“Kala azar and Chagas
are two of the world’s most neglected diseases”
“For the first time
DNDi are now searching millions of unique medical compounds to hunt for new
treatments of these neglected diseases”
“The innovation of the
DNDi model will avoid the huge costs, which are involved in the developing of
new drugs”
“By rallying the
pharmaceutical companies around the world to share together their vast
resources, it has already proved to be successful”
“Now there is a
portfolio of fifteen new drugs, which will help in the fight to combat this
disease”
“It is the big
pharmaceuticals, which are being mobilised in an unprecedented global
initiative to find & fast track a cure for Kala azar”
“Kala azar is caused
by a parasite that is infected by female sand-flies, and then bites humans”
“The parasite attacks
the immune system and is fatal if not treated”
“There are between
200,000 to 400,000 new cases every year”
“About 90% of which
are in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sudan and Brazil”
“Doctors Without
Borders (MSF) alone have treated over 100,000 people with Kala azar since 1988”
“With this new vital
initiative something positive is coming out of it, which for decades has been
neglected”
“When there is care
and compassion over material gains, a way is always found”
“Through this help the
suffering can finally be eliminated”
17th August 2015 (ladylydialondon twitter)
“Research and
development for new medicines is costly and time consuming. It is almost always profit driven”
“When disease affects
the poor, this market is neglected and this means no new medicines”
“Kala azar is a
neglected tropical disease”
“It is the world’s
second largest parasite killer after Malaria, killing 40,000 people every year”
“Yet there have been
no new drugs developed for decades to combat this disease”
“The Drugs of
Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) and four pharmaceutical firms have
announced the start of a ground-breaking initiative”
“This is to accelerate
and cut costs at the early stage of drug discovery for Kala azar”
“Kala azar and Chagas
are two of the world’s most neglected diseases”
“For the first time
DNDi are now searching millions of unique medical compounds to hunt for new
treatments of these neglected diseases”
“The innovation of the
DNDi model will avoid the huge costs, which are involved in the developing of
new drugs”
“By rallying the
pharmaceutical companies around the world to share together their vast
resources, it has already proved to be successful”
“Now there is a
portfolio of fifteen new drugs, which will help in the fight to combat this
disease”
“It is the big
pharmaceuticals, which are being mobilised in an unprecedented global
initiative to find & fast track a cure for Kala azar”
“Kala azar is caused
by a parasite that is infected by female sand-flies, and then bites humans”
“The parasite attacks
the immune system and is fatal if not treated”
“There are between
200,000 to 400,000 new cases every year”
“About 90% of which
are in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sudan and Brazil”
“Doctors Without
Borders (MSF) alone have treated over 100,000 people with Kala azar since 1988”
“With this new vital
initiative something positive is coming out of it, which for decades has been
neglected”
“When there is care
and compassion over material gains, a way is always found”
“Through this help the
suffering can finally be eliminated”
16th August 2015 (jandmayers twitter)
“In the case of
spirituality, the Church of today is lukewarm. Their spirituality is miserable,
wretched, poor and blind”
“This has happened
because the Church has become institutionalised and the purpose of an
institution is to perpetuate itself”
“This is where the
original objectives of its leaders have become lost in a mire of rules &
regulations, petty politics & power struggles”
“So now they merely
perpetuate the institution rather than being motivated by the fire of
spirituality”
“This is the desire of
Jesus for the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth”
“This is never
mentioned in today’s institutionalised churches”
“This is because
issues such as the ordination of women and homosexuality have become the
important concerns”
“The Church has become
side-tracked in detail, instead of focussing on the Principles of Life as laid
down by Jesus”
“It is the Principles
of Life, which keep souls on Earth on their right path that is the path of
spiritual progress”
“The same has happened
to other institutions of today”
“Government,
education, the National Health Service and the social services have all lost
their way”
“These institutions
and regulations get in the way and cloud their original vision”
“The statement by
Jesus to the Pharisees that the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the
Sabbath is true”
“Because man must
abide by the rules of these institutions, then common-sense and compassion has
no place anymore”
“Compassion is one of
the greatest gifts of the Spirit in humanity”
“We must all look out
for individual cases and situations to decide on their individual merit”
“Otherwise we are
creating a compassionless society, at least in terms of these institutions that
hold dominion over much of our lives”
“Compassion at the
individual personal level is still there and can never be extinguished”
“This is because each
of us is love and compassion cannot be separated from love”
“If more compassion
was brought into institutions, this would be a giant step towards instilling
the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth”
“Imagine a scenario in
which there are two Jesuses travelling around Judea, Samaria and Galilee
teaching and healing”
“The first Jesus,
working with compassion, goes around the multitudes and heals them of every
sickness and disease”
“After a long day, his
disciples want Jesus to send the others away, so that they can eat and rest”
“Jesus says, “No, I will feed them””
“With love and
compassion, Jesus transforms the picnic of two loaves and five fishes and feeds
the five thousand souls”
“The second Jesus
moves among the multitudes healing as many as come forward”
“Hours go by and it is
getting late”
“Jesus is eager to
conclude this tiresome business and tells the people they must now go home”
“He has finished for
the day and since there is only so much one can do in a day!”
“The first is the
Kingdom of Heaven on Earth scenario”
“The second is more of
how it is with society today that we are creating in our institutionalised
world”
“We fail to see the
opportunities that Jesus gives us in our daily lives, because we haven’t the
time, compassion, desire or the will”
“So many claim to be
Jesus’ followers by going to church every week, but not applying the desires of
Jesus’ teachings in their daily lives”
“Many people are in
need of reassurance, encouragement, a friendly smile, a caring word even just
to be noticed!”
“The institutionalised
churches have lost their way & as a result their flocks, due to their own
purpose to promote the Church at all costs!”
16th August 2015 (ladylydialondon twitter)
“In the case of
spirituality, the Church of today is lukewarm. Their spirituality is miserable,
wretched, poor and blind”
“This has happened
because the Church has become institutionalised and the purpose of an
institution is to perpetuate itself”
“This is where the
original objectives of its leaders have become lost in a mire of rules &
regulations, petty politics & power struggles”
“So now they merely
perpetuate the institution rather than being motivated by the fire of
spirituality”
“This is the desire of
Jesus for the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth”
“This is never
mentioned in today’s institutionalised churches”
“This is because
issues such as the ordination of women and homosexuality have become the
important concerns”
“The Church has become
side-tracked in detail, instead of focussing on the Principles of Life as laid
down by Jesus”
“It is the Principles
of Life, which keep souls on Earth on their right path that is the path of
spiritual progress”
“The same has happened
to other institutions of today”
“Government,
education, the National Health Service and the social services have all lost
their way”
“These institutions
and regulations get in the way and cloud their original vision”
“The statement by
Jesus to the Pharisees that the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the
Sabbath is true”
“Because man must
abide by the rules of these institutions, then common-sense and compassion has
no place anymore”
“Compassion is one of
the greatest gifts of the Spirit in humanity”
“We must all look out
for individual cases and situations to decide on their individual merit”
“Otherwise we are
creating a compassionless society, at least in terms of these institutions that
hold dominion over much of our lives”
“Compassion at the
individual personal level is still there and can never be extinguished”
“This is because each
of us is love and compassion cannot be separated from love”
“If more compassion
was brought into institutions, this would be a giant step towards instilling
the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth”
“Imagine a scenario in
which there are two Jesuses travelling around Judea, Samaria and Galilee
teaching and healing”
“The first Jesus,
working with compassion, goes around the multitudes and heals them of every
sickness and disease”
“After a long day, his
disciples want Jesus to send the others away, so that they can eat and rest”
“Jesus says, “No, I will feed them””
“With love and
compassion, Jesus transforms the picnic of two loaves and five fishes and feeds
the five thousand souls”
“The second Jesus
moves among the multitudes healing as many as come forward”
“Hours go by and it is
getting late”
“Jesus is eager to
conclude this tiresome business and tells the people they must now go home”
“He has finished for
the day and since there is only so much one can do in a day!”
“The first is the
Kingdom of Heaven on Earth scenario”
“The second is more of
how it is with society today that we are creating in our institutionalised
world”
“We fail to see the
opportunities that Jesus gives us in our daily lives, because we haven’t the
time, compassion, desire or the will”
“So many claim to be
Jesus’ followers by going to church every week, but not applying the desires of
Jesus’ teachings in their daily lives”
“Many people are in
need of reassurance, encouragement, a friendly smile, a caring word even just
to be noticed!”
“The institutionalised
churches have lost their way & as a result their flocks, due to their own
purpose to promote the Church at all costs!”
15th August 2015 (jandmayers twitter)
“For all those brave
British soldiers, who survived the horrors of Japan’s WWII camps, we salute
you”
“50,000 servicemen
experienced one of the worst episodes in British military history & many
will be leading Saturday’s V-J Day commemorations”
“The POW will attend a
service at St Martin-in-the-Fields in London and they will lay wreaths at the
Cenotaph in Whitehall”
“Never before have
such large numbers in Briton’s Armed Forces been subjected to such extremes of
geography and disease and…”
“…man’s inhumanity to
man as were the prisoners of the Japanese in WWII”
“A quarter died in
captivity, the rest returned home, sick and damaged”
“For three and a half
years they had faced unrelenting lethal conditions”
“They were given less
than a cup of filthy rice to live on a day, which caused malnutrition”
“This led to loss of
vision and excruciating nerve pain”
“Diseases of Malaria
and Dysentery were rife leading to men living as walking skeletons”
“Prisoners who got
scratched by bamboo from working in the jungle had ulcerated legs, some over a
foot long where bone was exposed”
“Beatings and torture
were given out by brutal sadistic Japanese captors”
“One, Lt Bill Drower
an interpreter in the camp, dared to challenge his captors”
“As a result he was
severely beaten and kept in solitary confinement for the final eighty days of
the war”
“When he was rescued
he was close to death from malnutrition and Blackwater Fever, a rare and
dangerous form of Malaria”
“The majority of the
POW worked as slave labourers to keep the Japan’s heavy industry going”
“They worked on the
docks, airfields, in coalmines, shipbuilding yards and in the steel &
copper works”
“It was the extraordinary
spirit of the POW that the Japanese captors could not break”
“Strong bonds, which
were critical for survival, were formed by fellow prisoners”
“This proved to be a
lifeline for all that still survive today”
“Those men were like
brothers to each other fending for each other’s needs, otherwise many more
would have died”
“Doctors, denied tools
or medicine, needed the expertise of others”
“Medical instruments
for examining dysentery were made from old tin cans and surgical forceps made
from pairs of scissors”
“Because of the
traumas suffered by the prisoners, they found they couldn’t talk about it. They
just clambered up, so they didn’t mention it”
“An organisation
called The London Far East Prisoner of War Social Club held its first social night
in 1948”
“The club helped to
organise annual reunions and continue bonds of friendship”
“Many of the soldiers
suffered intermittent bouts of chronic diarrhoea and fever – the consequences
of Malaria and Dysentery”
“In 1950 the POW
demanded compensation to be paid to them by the Japanese”
“The claim was not
about money, but about informing the rest of the world what the Far East POW
had been through”
“That was their
humiliation, the semi-starvation, the cruelty and enforced labour and many
other atrocities”
“As a result each and
every Far East POW or next of kin of those who died received £1,500 in today’s
money”
“Forty years later in
2000, The Far East POW won another campaign”
“This was for
surviving Britons held captive, or their widows, would receive a one off
payment of £10,000 each”
“Today’s service in St
Martin-in-the-Fields in London is for all those who did not survive. May peace
be with them!”
15th August 2015 (ladylydialondon twitter)
“For all those brave
British soldiers, who survived the horrors of Japan’s WWII camps, we salute
you”
“50,000 servicemen
experienced one of the worst episodes in British military history & many
will be leading Saturday’s V-J Day commemorations”
“The POW will attend a
service at St Martin-in-the-Fields in London and they will lay wreaths at the
Cenotaph in Whitehall”
“Never before have
such large numbers in Briton’s Armed Forces been subjected to such extremes of
geography and disease and…”
“…man’s inhumanity to
man as were the prisoners of the Japanese in WWII”
“A quarter died in
captivity, the rest returned home, sick and damaged”
“For three and a half
years they had faced unrelenting lethal conditions”
“They were given less
than a cup of filthy rice to live on a day, which caused malnutrition”
“This led to loss of
vision and excruciating nerve pain”
“Diseases of Malaria
and Dysentery were rife leading to men living as walking skeletons”
“Prisoners who got
scratched by bamboo from working in the jungle had ulcerated legs, some over a
foot long where bone was exposed”
“Beatings and torture
were given out by brutal sadistic Japanese captors”
“One, Lt Bill Drower
an interpreter in the camp, dared to challenge his captors”
“As a result he was
severely beaten and kept in solitary confinement for the final eighty days of
the war”
“When he was rescued
he was close to death from malnutrition and Blackwater Fever, a rare and
dangerous form of Malaria”
“The majority of the
POW worked as slave labourers to keep the Japan’s heavy industry going”
“They worked on the
docks, airfields, in coalmines, shipbuilding yards and in the steel &
copper works”
“It was the
extraordinary spirit of the POW that the Japanese captors could not break”
“Strong bonds, which
were critical for survival, were formed by fellow prisoners”
“This proved to be a
lifeline for all that still survive today”
“Those men were like
brothers to each other fending for each other’s needs, otherwise many more
would have died”
“Doctors, denied tools
or medicine, needed the expertise of others”
“Medical instruments
for examining dysentery were made from old tin cans and surgical forceps made
from pairs of scissors”
“Because of the
traumas suffered by the prisoners, they found they couldn’t talk about it. They
just clambered up, so they didn’t mention it”
“An organisation
called The London Far East Prisoner of War Social Club held its first social
night in 1948”
“The club helped to
organise annual reunions and continue bonds of friendship”
“Many of the soldiers
suffered intermittent bouts of chronic diarrhoea and fever – the consequences
of Malaria and Dysentery”
“In 1950 the POW
demanded compensation to be paid to them by the Japanese”
“The claim was not
about money, but about informing the rest of the world what the Far East POW
had been through”
“That was their
humiliation, the semi-starvation, the cruelty and enforced labour and many
other atrocities”
“As a result each and
every Far East POW or next of kin of those who died received £1,500 in today’s
money”
“Forty years later in 2000,
The Far East POW won another campaign”
“This was for
surviving Britons held captive, or their widows, would receive a one off
payment of £10,000 each”
“Today’s service in St
Martin-in-the-Fields in London is for all those who did not survive. May peace
be with them!”
14th August 2015 (jandmayers twitter)
“A criminal
investigation has begun after Russian-born supermodel Natalia Vodianova
described how a café owner had “kicked out” her sister”
“He kicked her sister
out because of her autistic disability”
“Vodianova grew up in
poverty in the industrial city of Nizhny Novgorod, where her disabled sister
and mother still live”
“Natalia Vodianova
wrote on Facebook how her sister, Oksana 27 years old, has cerebral palsy and
autism”
“She was ordered to
leave the café with her carer”
“The café owner
claimed that Oksana was frightening the customers, as she was banging her head
against the wall”
“The Russian
Investigative Committee opened up a criminal case into violation of human
dignity with the threat of violence”
“This carries a
maximum jail sentence of five years. The café owner has been charged”
“The café owner’s
outburst was to say to Oksana and her carer, “Get out of here””
““You are scaring all our customers, go get treated and treat your
child, then you can go out in public””
“This case has
highlighted in this country, where the rights of people with disabilities to
equal treatment, is not being recognised”
“Vodianova is a
long-time advocate for the rights of disabled people and launched the Naked
Heart Foundation in 2004”
“It is to support the
special needs of the underprivileged children in Russia”
“Her charity Naked
Heart Foundation has set up 150 disabled friendly playgrounds”
“There are now more
than fifty support centres around Russia for the families raising children with
special needs”
“Natalia Vodianova has
also served as an Ambassador in last year’s winter Paralympic Games in the
Russian resort of Sochi”
“The incident around
Oksana is not an isolated case. This is a reality for families raising children
with special needs”
“Russia has 13 million
people with disabilities, about 9% of the population and they are still behind
the times”
“The Russian disabled
are not allowed into expensive establishments or on planes and they are refused
all sorts of services”
“In supermarkets the
deaf and blind are not allowed in and there is no assistance from staff for
them with their shopping”
“Shops are not
equipped with Braille signs and their personnel and shop assistants are not trained
to help”
“Russian policy
towards disabled people is to hide them away in warehouses, special boarding
schools and nursing homes”
“There they are
provided with the minimum to exist”
“Thirty percent of
children with disabilities live in State orphanages”
“Here the staff beat
them, use physical restraints to tie them to the furniture and give them
powerful sedation”
“Two cases were taken
to court concerning the refusal to a disabled person in a wheel chair and the
other was a blind person”
“In both of these
cases they were not allowed on a plane unaccompanied”
“The organisation
taking these cases to court won in both cases. The result being that
discrimination legislation was amended”
“It is only through
the Winter Olympics in 2014 that there has been an improvement for the
disabled”
“This was because of
the work done by Natalie Vodianova, who was a Paralympic Ambassador there”
“If it wasn’t for
Oksana being the sister of a top supermodel, no one would have known about this
incident”
“The stigma against
people with disabilities can only be defeated once there is a cultural
shift. May that come soon!”
14th August 2015 (ladylydialondon twitter)
“A criminal
investigation has begun after Russian-born supermodel Natalia Vodianova
described how a café owner had “kicked out” her sister”
“He kicked her sister
out because of her autistic disability”
“Vodianova grew up in
poverty in the industrial city of Nizhny Novgorod, where her disabled sister
and mother still live”
“Natalia Vodianova
wrote on Facebook how her sister, Oksana 27 years old, has cerebral palsy and
autism”
“She was ordered to
leave the café with her carer”
“The café owner
claimed that Oksana was frightening the customers, as she was banging her head
against the wall”
“The Russian
Investigative Committee opened up a criminal case into violation of human
dignity with the threat of violence”
“This carries a
maximum jail sentence of five years. The café owner has been charged”
“The café owner’s
outburst was to say to Oksana and her carer, “Get out of here””
““You are scaring all our customers, go get treated and treat your
child, then you can go out in public””
“This case has
highlighted in this country, where the rights of people with disabilities to
equal treatment, is not being recognised”
“Vodianova is a
long-time advocate for the rights of disabled people and launched the Naked
Heart Foundation in 2004”
“It is to support the
special needs of the underprivileged children in Russia”
“Her charity Naked
Heart Foundation has set up 150 disabled friendly playgrounds”
“There are now more
than fifty support centres around Russia for the families raising children with
special needs”
“Natalia Vodianova has
also served as an Ambassador in last year’s winter Paralympic Games in the
Russian resort of Sochi”
“The incident around
Oksana is not an isolated case. This is a reality for families raising children
with special needs”
“Russia has 13 million
people with disabilities, about 9% of the population and they are still behind
the times”
“The Russian disabled
are not allowed into expensive establishments or on planes and they are refused
all sorts of services”
“In supermarkets the
deaf and blind are not allowed in and there is no assistance from staff for
them with their shopping”
“Shops are not
equipped with Braille signs and their personnel and shop assistants are not
trained to help”
“Russian policy
towards disabled people is to hide them away in warehouses, special boarding
schools and nursing homes”
“There they are
provided with the minimum to exist”
“Thirty percent of
children with disabilities live in State orphanages”
“Here the staff beat
them, use physical restraints to tie them to the furniture and give them
powerful sedation”
“Two cases were taken
to court concerning the refusal to a disabled person in a wheel chair and the
other was a blind person”
“In both of these
cases they were not allowed on a plane unaccompanied”
“The organisation
taking these cases to court won in both cases. The result being that discrimination
legislation was amended”
“It is only through
the Winter Olympics in 2014 that there has been an improvement for the
disabled”
“This was because of
the work done by Natalie Vodianova, who was a Paralympic Ambassador there”
“If it wasn’t for
Oksana being the sister of a top supermodel, no one would have known about this
incident”
“The stigma against
people with disabilities can only be defeated once there is a cultural
shift. May that come soon!”
13th August 2015 (jandmayers twitter)
“The Chilcot Inquiry
into the findings of the 2003 Iraq War still has continued to delay its
publication”
“Letters, sent by John
Chilcot warning that they might be criticised in their report, have continued
to stall publication”
“Those especially
criticised are Tony Blair, Jack Straw and a host of other Labour politicians,
who have still to reply to these criticisms”
“Army families, who
have waited to hear the outcome, have seen their patience failing and want a
deadline for replies put into action”
“If this is not done
by the end of this year, their lawyers will take it to the High Court”
“The lawyers have
stated that John Chilcot has acted unlawfully by refusing to set a deadline for
publication”
“The five member panel
began work on the Inquiry into Iraq War in 2009. It finished in 2011 and has
cost the tax payer £10m”
“This delay has caused
the families of soldiers, immense grief, pain and suffering”
“The Chilcot report
will show a devastating indictment of the Blair Government and large sections of
the Whitehall establishment”
“Information in thirty
secret letters, notes and conversations between Blair and Bush will reveal
devastating facts”
“Details clearly show
that Blair privately promised Bush he would go to war against Saddam Hussein
without telling MPs and British voters”
“Blair & Bush are
said to have signed in blood an agreement to oust Saddam Hussein in secret
talks in Texas one year before the war started”
“The dispute over the
publishing of this confidential communication between the two leaders is the
main reason for the delay in publishing”
“Tony Blair and George
W Bush are now scared of what will come out”
“Blair exaggerated the
capacity of Saddam Hussein’s supposed weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) where
no evidence was found”
“Tony Blair lied to
Parliament and the British people”
“Blair ignored advice
from his own Attorney General, who said the war was illegal”
“Lord Goldsmith, who
was the Attorney General, consistently warned Blair that the attack on Iraq
would be illegal”
“However the Cabinet
was not told of this advice”
“Blair failed to
consult Cabinet Ministers and falsely accused French President Jacques Chirac
of trying to sabotage a UN vote on the war”
“Tony Blair’s
arrogance on having this war at all costs put him in direct conflict with his
then Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook”
“Cook stood up to
Blair saying the war was wrong and not ethical. He was subsequently replaced”
“Downing Street Chief
of Staff also stated there was no evidence of an imminent threat from Iraq”
“Jonathan Powell
further stated that Iraq didn’t have WMDs”
“The intelligence was
all wrong, the Government was wrong and intelligence was not hard evidence –
that was the point!”
“There is a need for
the truth to finally come out”
“This is not only for
the families, who have lost loved ones in this war, but for the British public
at large”
“Tony Blair and George
W Bush’s arrogance must finally catch up with them”
“They should be
brought up for war crimes against the innocent, who are still suffering
today!””
13th August 2015 (ladylydialondon twitter)
“The Chilcot Inquiry
into the findings of the 2003 Iraq War still has continued to delay its
publication”
“Letters, sent by John
Chilcot warning that they might be criticised in their report, have continued
to stall publication”
“Those especially
criticised are Tony Blair, Jack Straw and a host of other Labour politicians,
who have still to reply to these criticisms”
“Army families, who
have waited to hear the outcome, have seen their patience failing and want a
deadline for replies put into action”
“If this is not done
by the end of this year, their lawyers will take it to the High Court”
“The lawyers have
stated that John Chilcot has acted unlawfully by refusing to set a deadline for
publication”
“The five member panel
began work on the Inquiry into Iraq War in 2009. It finished in 2011 and has
cost the tax payer £10m”
“This delay has caused
the families of soldiers, immense grief, pain and suffering”
“The Chilcot report
will show a devastating indictment of the Blair Government and large sections
of the Whitehall establishment”
“Information in thirty
secret letters, notes and conversations between Blair and Bush will reveal
devastating facts”
“Details clearly show
that Blair privately promised Bush he would go to war against Saddam Hussein
without telling MPs and British voters”
“Blair & Bush are
said to have signed in blood an agreement to oust Saddam Hussein in secret
talks in Texas one year before the war started”
“The dispute over the
publishing of this confidential communication between the two leaders is the
main reason for the delay in publishing”
“Tony Blair and George
W Bush are now scared of what will come out”
“Blair exaggerated the
capacity of Saddam Hussein’s supposed weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) where
no evidence was found”
“Tony Blair lied to
Parliament and the British people”
“Blair ignored advice
from his own Attorney General, who said the war was illegal”
“Lord Goldsmith, who
was the Attorney General, consistently warned Blair that the attack on Iraq
would be illegal”
“However the Cabinet
was not told of this advice”
“Blair failed to
consult Cabinet Ministers and falsely accused French President Jacques Chirac
of trying to sabotage a UN vote on the war”
“Tony Blair’s
arrogance on having this war at all costs put him in direct conflict with his
then Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook”
“Cook stood up to
Blair saying the war was wrong and not ethical. He was subsequently replaced”
“Downing Street Chief
of Staff also stated there was no evidence of an imminent threat from Iraq”
“Jonathan Powell
further stated that Iraq didn’t have WMDs”
“The intelligence was
all wrong, the Government was wrong and intelligence was not hard evidence –
that was the point!”
“There is a need for
the truth to finally come out”
“This is not only for
the families, who have lost loved ones in this war, but for the British public
at large”
“Tony Blair and George
W Bush’s arrogance must finally catch up with them”
“They should be
brought up for war crimes against the innocent, who are still suffering
today!””
12th August 2015 (jandmayers twitter)
“Over the last two
weeks there has been an anti-Government protest in Iraq over corruption in
their Government”
“This has resulted in
electricity cuts and salty tap water”
“Prime Minister
Al-Abadi has been feeling the pressure from protestors that have served to
bring embarrassment to the Government”
“It has been the
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, who have boasted that they are delivering
electricity to the Iraqi city of Mosul”
“At present Iraqis are
suffering 50⁰C heat and there is no
electricity for their air conditioning”
“Haider al-Abadi has
called for an establishment to be set up to combat corruption, which starts at
the top of Government”
“It remains to be seen
whether Prime Minister Al-Abadi can tackle such an insurmountable challenge”
“Reforming this
political system, which is based on rewarding Iraqi politicians due to their
ethnic backgrounds, will not be easy”
“For Al-Abadi to
tackle corruption and to ensure a stable Government, he would need to accept a
whole different way of governing”
“A way must be found
to bring in all the different sectarian factions together, so that they are in
charge of civil service departments”
“There needs to be an
efficient transparency of governing”
“Because Al-Abadi has
no political clout, he has further left the door wide open for IS to overhaul
the Iraqi state”
“It’s Iraq’s
corruption right at the top going all the way down to the military that has led
to Iraq’s failure to deliver essential services”
“Corruption throughout
their politicians, who seek only to satisfy their own sense of greed, has led
to these protests”
“The Iraqi people will
be heard and more outbursts will occur”
“Corruption all over
the Middle East causes despair, anger, frustration & is the main
destructive force over anything good being achieved”
“Even after the Iraq
War, nothing really has changed in this department”
“The lack of right
governing and continued frustration has led to the rise of IS”
“Without combatting
corruption and bringing in discipline to the military and services, nothing
will change”
“The Islamic State
continues to flourish”
“IS tries to obtain
legitimacy amongst Iraqis by ending corruptive policies by delivering services”
“It is the Iraqis
themselves, who have complained against corruption in their Government, hence
the recent street protests”
“These will continue
to grow and become more violent!”
12th August 2015 (ladylydialondon twitter)
“Over the last two
weeks there has been an anti-Government protest in Iraq over corruption in
their Government”
“This has resulted in
electricity cuts and salty tap water”
“Prime Minister
Al-Abadi has been feeling the pressure from protestors that have served to
bring embarrassment to the Government”
“It has been the
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, who have boasted that they are delivering
electricity to the Iraqi city of Mosul”
“At present Iraqis are
suffering 50⁰C heat and there is no
electricity for their air conditioning”
“Haider al-Abadi has
called for an establishment to be set up to combat corruption, which starts at
the top of Government”
“It remains to be seen
whether Prime Minister Al-Abadi can tackle such an insurmountable challenge”
“Reforming this
political system, which is based on rewarding Iraqi politicians due to their
ethnic backgrounds, will not be easy”
“For Al-Abadi to
tackle corruption and to ensure a stable Government, he would need to accept a
whole different way of governing”
“A way must be found
to bring in all the different sectarian factions together, so that they are in
charge of civil service departments”
“There needs to be an
efficient transparency of governing”
“Because Al-Abadi has
no political clout, he has further left the door wide open for IS to overhaul
the Iraqi state”
“It’s Iraq’s
corruption right at the top going all the way down to the military that has led
to Iraq’s failure to deliver essential services”
“Corruption throughout
their politicians, who seek only to satisfy their own sense of greed, has led
to these protests”
“The Iraqi people will
be heard and more outbursts will occur”
“Corruption all over
the Middle East causes despair, anger, frustration & is the main
destructive force over anything good being achieved”
“Even after the Iraq
War, nothing really has changed in this department”
“The lack of right
governing and continued frustration has led to the rise of IS”
“Without combatting
corruption and bringing in discipline to the military and services, nothing
will change”
“The Islamic State
continues to flourish”
“IS tries to obtain
legitimacy amongst Iraqis by ending corruptive policies by delivering services”
“It is the Iraqis
themselves, who have complained against corruption in their Government, hence
the recent street protests”
“These will continue
to grow and become more violent!”
11th August 2015 (jandmayers twitter)
“The first anniversary
of the senseless killing of Michael Brown by white policeman Darren Wilson has
occurred in Ferguson
“Brown’s motionless
body, left lying on the pavement for four and a half hours, shows extraordinary
lack of human dignity for a dead body”
“Michael Brown’s body
was looked on by his loved ones and by bystanders, whose disbelief was written
all over their faces”
“It is this situation
that has been embedded in the minds of millions and highlighted the inhumane
indifference to black lives”
“This killing has
highlighted the racialized police brutality, which has been going on for
decades”
“On 9th August 2014
there was the birth of a movement, which openly challenges this indifference to
brutality”
“The movement
confronts the police and institutions on Ferguson’s streets”
“The “Black Lives
Matter” movement demands not only justice, but the liberation of structured
racism”
“This structured
racism in institutions has endorsed the violent policing, which is rooted in
America’s slavery”
“These enforcers of
the law in largely black areas are overwhelmingly white”
“There is strong
evidence that enforcement of the law in both Ferguson and Baltimore is often
violent and at times fatal”
“The Black Lives
Matter movement has now emerged and is no longer content with justice and fair
prosecutions, which do not exist”
“They are now going
further and striking at the very heart of the problems”
“They are demanding
the dismantling of white supremacy and the erosion of institutionalised racism”
“They also demand an
end to community policing programmes that links blackness to criminality”
“This movement is
growing throughout all of America & community members are joining local
activists who echo the mantra “Black Lives Matter””
“A new generation of
Americans are now galvanised across the racial, social and geographic lines”
“They are all
shouting, tweeting and texting “Black Lives Matter!””
“What is being exposed
is the disproportionate incarceration and brutality of people, who are black or
brown, shot down by police”
“Of the black men and
women killed by police, 45% were unarmed”
“It is the structured
racism within the police departments that is the real culprit here”
“It is hardly
surprising that non-black communities of colour are now campaigning”
“They are demanding an
end to anti-black racism in police departments”
“One year on from the
birth of this movement in Ferguson, it is perpetually expanding”
“The influence that
“Black Lives Matter” is evolving”
“Its statement will go
right to the heart of the matter, which is the Oval Office and cannot be
overlooked”
“Life has to change in
order for peace and sanity to become possible in America”
11th August 2015 (ladylydialondon twitter)
“The first anniversary
of the senseless killing of Michael Brown by white policeman Darren Wilson has
occurred in Ferguson
“Brown’s motionless
body, left lying on the pavement for four and a half hours, shows extraordinary
lack of human dignity for a dead body”
“Michael Brown’s body
was looked on by his loved ones and by bystanders, whose disbelief was written
all over their faces”
“It is this situation
that has been embedded in the minds of millions and highlighted the inhumane
indifference to black lives”
“This killing has
highlighted the racialized police brutality, which has been going on for
decades”
“On 9th August 2014
there was the birth of a movement, which openly challenges this indifference to
brutality”
“The movement
confronts the police and institutions on Ferguson’s streets”
“The “Black Lives
Matter” movement demands not only justice, but the liberation of structured
racism”
“This structured
racism in institutions has endorsed the violent policing, which is rooted in
America’s slavery”
“These enforcers of
the law in largely black areas are overwhelmingly white”
“There is strong
evidence that enforcement of the law in both Ferguson and Baltimore is often
violent and at times fatal”
“The Black Lives
Matter movement has now emerged and is no longer content with justice and fair
prosecutions, which do not exist”
“They are now going
further and striking at the very heart of the problems”
“They are demanding
the dismantling of white supremacy and the erosion of institutionalised racism”
“They also demand an
end to community policing programmes that links blackness to criminality”
“This movement is
growing throughout all of America & community members are joining local
activists who echo the mantra “Black Lives Matter””
“A new generation of
Americans are now galvanised across the racial, social and geographic lines”
“They are all
shouting, tweeting and texting “Black Lives Matter!””
“What is being exposed
is the disproportionate incarceration and brutality of people, who are black or
brown, shot down by police”
“Of the black men and
women killed by police, 45% were unarmed”
“It is the structured racism
within the police departments that is the real culprit here”
“It is hardly
surprising that non-black communities of colour are now campaigning”
“They are demanding an
end to anti-black racism in police departments”
“One year on from the
birth of this movement in Ferguson, it is perpetually expanding”
“The influence that
“Black Lives Matter” is evolving”
“Its statement will go
right to the heart of the matter, which is the Oval Office and cannot be
overlooked”
“Life has to change in
order for peace and sanity to become possible in America”
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