There are 4 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. EDUCATION: TEACHING AND TEACHERS : ESPIONAGE AND SURVEILLANCE :
From: David P. Dillard
2. Celtx: A free script writing program for film, video, theatre, or
From: George Lessard
3. PHOTOGRAPHERS BEWARE
From: roadtrash26
4. Blogging Africa
From: George Lessard
Messages
________________________________________________________________________
1. EDUCATION: TEACHING AND TEACHERS : ESPIONAGE AND SURVEILLANCE :
Posted by: "David P. Dillard" [EMAIL PROTECTED] jwneastro
Date: Sat Nov 18, 2006 3:11 pm ((PST))
EDUCATION: TEACHING AND TEACHERS :
ESPIONAGE AND SURVEILLANCE :
COUNTRIES: GREAT BRITAIN:
Teachers Play Spies. Unbelievable!
Teachers Play Spies. Unbelievable!
WRITE HAND AJAZ-UL-HAQUE
Greater Kashmir
<http://www.greaterkashmir.com/full_story.asp?
Date=19_11_2006&ItemID=7&cat=17>
A shorter URL for the above link:
<http://tinyurl.com/ybygcv>
British intelligence agencies have found a new role for academics.
University teachers will have to deliver on two fronts. Besides their
routine teaching work, they will have to spy on their students and whoever
is a suspect is to be handed over to the agencies concerned. A double role
of being a teacher and an informer. The new directives according to the
reports suggest that campus staff should volunteer information to special
branch and not wait to be contacted by detectives. Well this is too spooky
a situation to be called educational in nature.
Hassan Suroors article Academics as spies to combat terror? (The Hindu,
November 3, 2006) is the point of reference. The trend may not have gone
so alarmingly high, but the seeds of suspicion which British government is
trying hard to sow in the academia of the country can not all be without
meaning. A healthy intellectual foundation will be shaken up by mistrust
and dubiousness. As a counter insurgency tactic, the method may pay a
little but if they let it take roots, it can destroy the whole academic
fabric producing agents in place of scholars. Besides vitiating the whole
atmosphere it will prostitute the very concept of higher education. After
being disclosed by The Guardian, the plan invited a furious response from
intelligentia at large. The policy is clearly seen as an anti Muslim ploy
to track down Muslim students in education institutions and keep them
under a constant check.
----------------------------------------
Opinion - News Analysis
Academics as spies to combat terror?
Hasan Suroor
Friday, Nov 03, 2006
The Hindu
<http://www.hinduonnet.com/2006/11/03/stories/2006110303721100.htm>
The British Government has been accused of trying to co-opt university
teachers into "collaborating" with security outfits in combating terror.
ARE BRITISH campuses witnessing a return to the climate of the Cold War
era when Western universities were a happy hunting ground for intelligence
agencies? Well, not quiet. Not yet. But there are fears that they are
getting there amid accusations that the British Government is trying to
use academics as "spies" in its anti-terror campaign. University teachers
are reported to be deeply worried at what they regard as covert attempts
to co-opt them into "collaborating" with M15 and other security outfits in
combating terror.
This follows revelations about two controversial plans (1) a proposal
which, in its original form, effectively amounted to asking universities
to spy on students and report them to the police if they suspected them of
supporting extremist activities; and (2) a Foreign Office-backed research
project shelved following an uproar focussing on countries identified by
intelligence agencies as sources of terror.
The "spying" plan, as it has come to be known, was envisaged in a
consultation document prepared by the Department of Education. It warned
that campuses had become "fertile recruiting grounds" for Islamist groups
and recommended that besides monitoring their activities, university
authorities should keep an eye on students whom they suspected of
associating with such groups. It also suggested that "campus staff should
volunteer information to special branch and not wait to be contacted by
detectives."
The plan, first disclosed by The Guardian, was met with fury. Critics
branded it as "McCarthyist" and said it appeared to target Muslim
students. Although the proposal has since been amended, its thrust remains
unchanged. According to those who have seen the revised draft, it retains
the key recommendation namely that universities should work with the
Special Branch, which deals with anti-terror operations, to "identify"
potential suspects.
----------------------------------------
Long Black Veil: Tony Blair's Deadly Game of Muslim-Bashing
Written by Chris Floyd
Wednesday, 25 October 2006
This is my latest piece for Truthout.org.
Empire Burlesque
<http://www.chris-floyd.com/index.php?option=
com_content&task=view&id=895&Itemid=135>
A shorter URL for the above link:
<http://tinyurl.com/y53fyf>
The plan, uncovered by the Guardian on Oct. 16, has already been sent to
"selected official bodies for consultation" and will be foisted on
Britain's universities in December. It acknowledges the fact that the
program will make academics feel they are "collaborating with the 'secret
police,'" but still urges university staff to be pro-active in their
spying and informing on the activities of "Asian-looking students." (In
British parlance, "Asian" usually denotes someone of Indian, Pakistani or
Bangladeshi descent.)
Far from being abashed by this revelation, the Blair government has openly
embraced the program. To be sure, Education Minister Ruth Kelly -- a
member of the zealous religious order, Opus Dei says it's not really
spying; it's just "monitoring" the activities of certain students in order
to "protect" them from extremists. But for some reason, Kelly's maternal
concern has failed to allay the fears of those captured in the state's
benevolent, all-seeing eye.
The program is "potentially the widest infringement of the rights of
Muslim students that there ever has been in this country," Wakkas Khan,
president of a national Islamic student group, told the Guardian. "It is
clearly targeting Muslim students and treating them to a higher level of
suspicion and scrutiny. It sounds like you're guilty until you're proven
innocent."
----------------------------------------
Universities urged to spy on Muslims
Vikram Dodd
Monday October 16, 2006
The Guardian
<http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/news/story/0,,1923325,00.html>
Lecturers and university staff across Britain are to be asked to spy on
"Asian-looking" and Muslim students they suspect of involvement in Islamic
extremism and supporting terrorist violence, the Guardian has learned.
They will be told to inform on students to special branch because the
government believes campuses have become "fertile recruiting grounds" for
extremists.
The Department for Education has drawn up a series of proposals which are
to be sent to universities and other centres of higher education before
the end of the year. The 18-page document acknowledges that universities
will be anxious about passing information to special branch, for fear it
amounts to "collaborating with the 'secret police'". It says there will be
"concerns about police targeting certain sections of the student
population (eg Muslims)".
The proposals are likely to cause anxiety among academics, and provoke
anger from British Muslim groups at a time when ministers are at the focus
of rows over issues such as the wearing of the veil and forcing Islamic
schools to accept pupils from other faiths.
Wakkas Khan, president of the Federation of Student Islamic Societies,
said: "It sounds to me to be potentially the widest infringement of the
rights of Muslim students that there ever has been in this country. It is
clearly targeting Muslim students and treating them to a higher level of
suspicion and scrutiny. It sounds like you're guilty until you're proven
innocent."
----------------------------------------
The complete articles may be read at the URLs provided for each.
WEBBIB0607
Sincerely,
David Dillard
Temple University
(215) 204 - 4584
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Net-Gold
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/net-gold>
<http://listserv.temple.edu/archives/net-gold.html>
General Internet & Print Resources
<http://library.temple.edu/articles/subject_guides/general.jsp>
<http://www.learningis4everyone.org/>
<http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/ringleaders/davidd.html>
Digital Divide Network
<http://www.digitaldivide.net/profile/jwne>
Educator-Gold
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Educator-Gold/>
Messages in this topic (1)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. Celtx: A free script writing program for film, video, theatre, or
Posted by: "George Lessard" [EMAIL PROTECTED] themediamentor
Date: Sat Nov 18, 2006 7:46 pm ((PST))
http://www.celtx.com/
Celtx is software for making media - film, video, theatre, and
animation for Windows, OSX and Linux.
Writing Tools
Celtx includes two editors - one for writing properly formatted
scripts and another for writing plain text documents. The Plain text
mode can be used for writing any kind of document you want -
Outlines, Treatments, Poems, Song Lyrics, Short Stories, or for the
truly brave, a Complete Novel.
CREATE
Use the Location, Character or Scene development tools to start a
dynamic story line. Augment your detailed descriptions with sound
files, pictures and video clips to help build a media rich Outline.
Celtx has an industry standard screenplay editor with all of the
features writers need to keep their fingers moving, like intuitive
formatting, text auto-complete, pagination, script styles, CAPS
selection, scene management, spellchecker, embedded notes, find and
replace, and PDF generation.
Celtx also supports plain text document editing so you can write a
poem, music lyrics, or your complete Novel.
PLAN
Complete a media rich breakdown of your project, tagging items like
props, wardrobe items or cast members with notes, pictures and sound
files to help give shape to your Media Project. Celtx automatically
creates a database from the information you create in the process.
Use the built in Calendar and Reports features to keep your Project organized.
DOWNLOADS
http://www.celtx.com/download.html
Messages in this topic (1)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. PHOTOGRAPHERS BEWARE
Posted by: "roadtrash26" [EMAIL PROTECTED] glmbuck
Date: Sun Nov 19, 2006 6:51 am ((PST))
PHOTOGRAPHERS BEWARE
I don't know how many here are familiar with Tami Silicio.Tami and her
husband worked for Maytag Aircraft.Maytag Aircraft was contracted by
the government to return the remains of our service men and women who
were killed in Afghanistan.It was a well paying job but not one I
would feel comfortable with but one that must be done.Tami took some
photos that drew national attention.Maytag Aircraft fired both her and
her husband and today they can't buy a job.
THE STORY:
http://tinyurl.com/yw6eg
TAMI'S CURRENT SITE:
http://www.tamisilicio.net/
..
GOOD LUCK
mike buck
Messages in this topic (1)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
4. Blogging Africa
Posted by: "George Lessard" [EMAIL PROTECTED] themediamentor
Date: Sun Nov 19, 2006 7:18 am ((PST))
REVIEW OF AFRICAN BLOGS
Sokari Ekine
**********************************************************************************************
http://Blacklooks.org, run by Sokari Ekine, has won the public choice
for the Best Weblog in English by the Bobs Award
(http://www.thebobs.com/). She is far too modest to mention this
herself. But Pambazuka News is proud of this well deserved
achievement! Congralutions, Sokari.
This is a well deserved award
The Editors
*********************************************************************************************
'African Painters' - African Painters
http://africanpainters.blogspot.com/2006/11/issac-adjetey-sowah-ghana-fantasy.html
has a feature on 'fantasy coffins' made in Ghana which are fast
becoming tourist attractions.
"Coffins crafted as hammers, fish, cars, mobile phones, hens,
roosters, leopards, lions, canoes, cocoa beans and several elephants".
However despite the fanciful wooden carved coffins, the business of
death is still taken seriously at prices ranging up to $400.
'Jewels in the Jungle' - Jewels in Jungle
http://jewelsnthejungle.blogspot.com/2006/11/china-africa-summit-2006-view-from.html
reports on the China Africa summit which he heads as "The Battle for
Africa's Hearts and Minds and Black Gold - Round 2." His report
focuses on the World Bank's reaction to the summit:
"The World Bank on Thursday welcomed China's increased involvement
with Africa but urged the rising Asian power to learn lessons from
past donors when helping the impoverished continent. 'My summary take
on the Chinese engagement in Africa is that it is broadly positive,'
said John Page, the World Bank's Chief Economist for Africa. 'We
witnessed the emergence of one of the most significantly successful
developing countries as a development partner for Africa, and
therefore perhaps a source of ideas and innovation,' he told
reporters in Tokyo after attending China's weekend summit with
delegates from 48 African nations."
Jewels is very much on the pro-China/Africa investment side and
though his report is highly informative and interesting it does not
address issues of how China's investments in Africa will filter down
to the masses. Nor does he address China's possible influence on
national government policies, press freedoms and human rights.
'Kenyan Pundit' - Kenyan Pundit http://www.kenyanpundit.com/?p=247
comments on the growth of the ICT sector in Kenya where, as recently
as 2003, VOIP and Wi-Fi were actually illegal in the country.
"In a case over the issuance of a competing gateway license, the
Communications tribunal ruled that the Communications Commission of
Kenya (CCK) was to ignore any policy guidelines of a specific nature
coming from the Ministry as the [Communications] Act was clear that
CCK was to give 'due regard to policy guidelines of a general
nature'. This means that CCK's independence as a regulator has been
reemphasized and underlined. This is HUGE. Most regulatory bodies in
Africa suffer from a lack of independence due to constant
interference from the government, ICASA is South Africa is a good
case in point."
'Grandiose Parlor' - Grandiose Parlor
http://grandioseparlor.com/2006/11/nigeria-impeaches-the-fifth-governor-in-12-monthsreports
on the fifth Nigerian Governor to be impeached in 12 months. The
latest victim is the Governor of Plateau State, Chief Joshua Dariye:
"Dariye's impeachment saga was a long-drawn battle that started
sometime in January 2004, when he jumped bail following his arrest in
London for money laundering. Since then he has been able to
manipulate and checkmate all impeachment moves by the state
legislature. His capitulation may not have been possible without the
interference of the feds, particularly the EFCC."
Increasing the drama is the Governor of Ekiti who has actually
disappeared and is believed to be in hiding - is this really possible
in a modern day democracy? What kind of leaders do we have in Nigeria?
'Kiuyumoja's Realm' Kiuyumoja's realm shows how to make a water
filter using alternative technology using every day household
products.
"Almost all supermarkets in Kenya sell bottled water, and many also
sell special water filters with about 1-3 filter candles inside.
These filters are available in different sizes, often made out of
stainless steel and will cost about Ksh. 1800/= (~ US-$ 25,- // EUR
20,-). To filter the water, all you have to do is put a litre of it
on the top container and wait for it to percolate through the ceramic
filter element into the container below which of course takes some
time.
"I also wanted to have such a filter system to filter the tap water,
but I wasn't willing to invest so much money. Also, I've seen this
alternative filter system at use in our office - so it became clear
that I had to build my own and see that I don't spend too much money
on this DIY project. Many households all over the country use these
water filter systems these days - which is good!"
Kiuyumoja provides full instructions, plus lots of diagrams, so if
you need a simple cheap water filter I suggest you try this one out.
'This is Zimbabwe' - This is Zimbabwe
http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/451reports that 129
out of 1000 children in Zimbabwe will not live beyond the age of
five. In the US the number is eight out of 1000 and six out of 1000
in the UK.
"Those statistics are for 2004, and things have no doubt got worse
since then. By contrast, in 1985 the rate was only 59 deaths per
1000In human terms, that means that for every 1000 children born in
Zimbabwe, only 871 will make it to their fifth birthday."
'Black Looks' - Black Looks [url]
http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/11/we_always_have_the_right_to_say_no.html
[/ur] reports on a new documentary film called "NO" which highlights
the realities of rape in the African American community and also
focuses on the healing process for victims.
"This is one of the most important films on sexual violence against
women which is endemic in our communities. Silence is no longer an
option on sexual abuse in our communities and this film exposes the
realities of rape but also addresses ways in which healing can take
place. In South Africa the rape statistics are unbelievably high -
where POWA reports that a woman is raped every 26 seconds. Rape in
our communities speaks to how society perceives Black women's bodies.
The policy and system of Apartheid constructed the Black woman as the
lowest of the low, denigrated and despised condoning our bodies to
zones of violence and abuse."
* Sokari Ekine produces the blog Black Looks, http://www.blacklooks.org
* Please send comments to [EMAIL PROTECTED] or comment online at
www.pambazuka.org
/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\/\/\//\
--
--
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Via / By / Excerpted / From / Tip from / Thanks to:
Pambazuka News 278: PAMBAZUKA NEWS IS PRODUCED AND PUBLISHED BY FAHAMU
Fahamu - Networks For Social Justice
UK: 2nd Floor, 51 Cornmarket Street, Oxford OX1 3HA
SOUTH AFRICA: The Studio, 06 Cromer Road, Muizenberg 7945, Cape Town,
South Africa
KENYA: 1st Floor, Shelter Afrique Building, Mamlaka Road, Nairobi, Kenya
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.fahamu.org
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.fahamu.org.za
PAMBAZUKA NEWSFEED
Get Pambazuka News Headlines Displayed On Your Site
Would you like Pambazuka News headlines to be displayed on your website?
Visit: http://www.pambazuka.org/newsfeed.php You can choose headlines
from any or all of the Pambazuka News categories, and there is also a
choice of format and style. Email [EMAIL PROTECTED] for more
information.
Visit http://www.pambazuka.org/ for more than 25,000 news items,
editorials,letters,reviews, etc that have appeared in Pambazuka News
during the last two years.
Editor: Firoze Manji
Online News Editor: Mandisi Majavu
Contributing Editor: Patrick Burnett
Guest Editor for this issue: Robtel Pailey
French Edition Editor/West Africa Correspondent, Senegal: Hawa Ba
Editorial advisor: Rotimi Sankore
Blog reviewer: Sokari Ekine
Links and Resources Researcher: Stella Chege
Online Volunteers:
Rwanda - Elizabeth Onyango
Website technical management: Becky Faith and Mark Rogerson
Website design: Judith Charlton
Pambazuka News currently receives support from Christian Aid, Fahamu
Trust, Ford Foundation, New Field Foundation Fund of Tides
Foundation, HIVOS,, and TrustAfrica and many indidividual donors.
SUBMITTING NEWS: send to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
SUBSCRIBE
The Newsletter comes out weekly and is delivered to subscribers by
e-mail. Subscription is free. To subscribe, send an e-mail to with
only the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. To subscribe
online, visit: http://www.pambazuka.org
FAIR USE
This Newsletter is produced under the principles of 'fair use'. We
strive to attribute sources by providing direct links to authors and
websites. When full text is submitted to us and no website is
provided, we make the text available on our website via a "for more
information" link. Please contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] immediately
regarding copyright issues.
Pambazuka News includes short snippets from, with corresponding web
links to, commercial and other sites in order to bring the attention
of our readers to useful information on these sites. We do this on
the basis of fair use and on a non-commercial basis and in what we
believe to be the public interest. If you object to our inclusion of
the snippets from your website and the associated link, please let us
know and we will desist from using your website as a source. Please
write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
The views expressed in this newsletter, including the signed
editorials, do not necessarily represent those of Fahamu or the
editors of Pambazuka News. While we make every effort to ensure that
all facts and figures quoted by authors are accurate, Fahamu and the
editors of Pambazuka News cannot be held responsible for any
inaccuracies contained in any articles. Please contact
[EMAIL PROTECTED] if you believe that errors are contained in any
article and we will investigate and provide feedback.
(c) Fahamu 2006
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
© info
http://members.tripod.com/~media002/disclaimer.htm
Due to the nature of email & the WWW, check ALL sources.
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Developing Nations license.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/devnations/2.0/
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Messages in this topic (5)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
This e-mail service is voluntarily managed and moderated by
George Lessard http://mediamentor.ca
Public, keyword searchable archives @
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mediamentor
RSS feed for MediaMentor list:
http://rss.groups.yahoo.com/group/mediamentor/rss
FEEDBACK:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
POST: If subscribed, post to the list @ [email protected]
No attachments...... less viruses.... text only please....
No HTML and no RTF from your subscription's e-mail address only.
UNSUBSCRIBE:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Change your subscription to daily digest mode
by sending a blank message to
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Change your subscription to individual emails:
by sending a blank message to
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Put your email message delivery on hold for your vacation:
by sending a blank message to
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
(c)info
http://members.tripod.com/~media002/disclaimer.htm
Due to the nature of email & the WWW,
check ALL sources.
Members who post to this list retain their copyright but grant a non-exclusive
license to others to forward any message posted here. They also grant the list
owner permission to maintain an archive or approve the archiving of list
messages.
Other use of e-mail to this list requires the permission of individual writers..
Also.... Mr. Yahoo! says.....
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mediamentor/
<*> Your email settings:
Digest Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mediamentor/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
------------------------------------------------------------------------
