🇺🇸Blondie “Parallel Lines”

Blondie is an American rock band co-founded by singer Debbie Harry, and guitarist Chris Stein.
The band were pioneers in the American punk and then the new wave scene of the mid-1970s in New York. Its first two albums contained strong elements of these genres, and although highly successful in the United Kingdom and Australia, Blondie was regarded as an underground band in the United States until the release of Parallel Lines in 1978. Over the next three years, the band achieved several hit singles including “Heart of Glass”, “Call Me”, “Rapture” and “The Tide Is High”. The band became noted for its eclectic mix of musical styles incorporating elements of disco, pop, reggae, and early rap music.

Blondie disbanded after the release of its sixth studio album, The Hunter, in 1982. Debbie Harry continued to pursue a solo career with varied results after taking a few years off to care for partner Chris Stein, who was diagnosed with pemphigus, a rare autoimmune disease of the skin. The band re-formed in 1997, achieving renewed success and a number one single in the United Kingdom with “Maria” in 1999, exactly 20 years after their first UK No. 1 single (“Heart of Glass”).

Blondie Heart of glass HD – Aug 27, 2011

BlondieMusicOfficial – Blondie – Maria (Official Video) – Apr 15, 2016

Blondie’s third album, Parallel Lines (UK No. 1, US No. 6, Australia No. 2), was released in September 1978. Produced by Mike Chapman, it finally broke the band into the American market on the strength of the worldwide hit single “Heart of Glass”. Parallel Lines became the group’s most successful album, selling 20 million copies worldwide. The album’s first two singles were “Picture This” (UK No. 12) and “Hanging on the Telephone” (UK No. 5). Because the biggest hit from Blondie’s previous album Plastic Letters was “Denis”, a cover of Randy & The Rainbows’ 1963 song “Denise”, Chrysalis Records chose Buddy Holly’s “I’m Gonna Love You Too” as the lead single from Parallel Lines in the United States. This turned out to be a miscalculation as the single failed to chart. The song was eventually released as a single in a few other countries in 1979.

The group toured and performed throughout the world during the following years, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. Blondie has sold around 40 million records worldwide and is still active. The band’s tenth studio album, Ghosts of Download, was released in 2014 and their eleventh studio album, Pollinator, was released on May 5, 2017.

BlondieMusicOfficial – Blondie – Fun (Official Video) – Feb 15, 2017 

Blondie – Long Time (Official Video) – Apr 19, 2017

The New Bullying Prevention © 2015

Scotland Offers Asylum to Accept Ugandans Persecuted by anti-gay law.

Humza Yousaf: ‘Scotland will play her part

Scotland’s Minister for External Affairs and International Development has told UK Foreign Secretary William Hague that Scotland will welcome Ugandans facing homophobic persecution.
Humza Yousaf was asked by fellow Scottish National Party MSP James Dornan to ensure that the UK Home Office offers asylum to Ugandans outed on Tuesday by the Ugandan Red Pepper newspaper.
Mr Dornan condemned President Yoweri Musevni the day before for signing Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill into law.
He said: “I believe that people in Scotland will be outraged at this legislation, and at the horrific reaction of a tabloid newspaper which seeks to promote lynch mob tactics against gay and lesbian people. I’m confident that Scotland will make it clear to the UK Home Office that we are ready and willing to welcome anyone who requires refuge from this nightmare.”
The Herald reports on Friday in his letter to UK Foreign Secretary William Hague, Mr Yousaf called on the UK “to offer asylum to any Ugandans who feels threatened or persecuted by the legislation”, adding that “Scotland will play her part in providing asylum for those seeking refuge from this draconian legislation”.
Mentioning how Scotland will be hosting this summer’s Commonwealth Games, Mr Yousaf said during the event “no one from any part of the Commonwealth who visits Scotland will be under any doubt about our values as a welcoming, open and tolerant society”.
Mr Yousaf continued: “The Anti-Homosexuality Bill in Uganda is a huge step back for equality and I have written to the UK Government asking it to make the strongest possible representations to the Government of Uganda.
“I have also urged the UK Foreign Secretary to offer asylum to any Ugandans who suffer threat or persecution as a result of the legislation.
“Ugandan legislation flies in the face of Scotland’s values as a welcoming, open and tolerant society and we will continue to monitor the situation closely.”
In response to the letter, MSP James Dornan told PinkNews.co.uk: “I welcome this move from the Scottish Government. It is now vital that Mr Hague acts fast to make sure that Ugandans who are living in fear know that we will provide protection and asylum, as I believe that people in Scotland would expect us to.”
The Foreign Office said it had not yet received Mr Yousaf’s correspondence. On Monday William Hague said he was “deeply saddened and disappointed that the Anti-Homosexuality Bill” had been signed into law.

Related Articles:
– Archives: Human Rights Watch

United Nations to launch legal challenge against Malawi anti-gay laws.

Now it’s back to business, more great news, depending on which side your on, it’s not a fight for money and power, it’s a fight for “Love” and “Human Rights” two commodities that are free for everyone, Right? then why do we have to fight for them?

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon waves as he arrives at the Kamuzu International Airport in the Malawi capital Lilongwe May 29, 2010, on his mission to pursuade Malawi’s president to take a stand on Malawi homosexuals who were imprisoned for 14 years. REUTERS/Eldson Chagara.

The United Nations‘ AIDS taskforce and human rights groups will launch a court battle against Malawi’s laws criminalizing homosexuality, in a rare challenge to rising anti-gay legislation in Africa. The legislation has strained relations between President Joyce Banda’s government and international donors, whose aid is desperately needed in the impoverished country. UNAIDS, the Malawi Law Society and local rights groups will ask the high court on March 17 to overturn as unconstitutional laws banning same-sex relationships. They will also challenge the convictions of three men jailed in 2011. Homosexuality carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years in the southern African country. “Our argument is that as long as same-sex relationships are consensual and done in private no one has business to get bothered,” law society spokeswoman Felicia Kilembe said. Anti-gay sentiment and the persecution of homosexuals is rife in much of sub-Saharan Africa. Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan this month provoked ire from the United States and the U.N. after signing a bill criminalizing same-sex relationships. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said the Nigerian law could fuel prejudice and violence and risks obstructing an effective HIV/AIDS response. In Malawi homosexuality became a contentious issue in 2009 when two men were arrested and charged with public indecency for getting married in a traditional ceremony. They were later pardoned by the late President Bingu wa Mutharika after pressure from donors and the United Nations.
Tue Jan 21, 2014 1:38pm EST Reporting by Mabvuto Banda; Editing by David Dolan and Elizabeth Piper (REUTERS).

Related Articles:
– Archives: Human Rights Watch

The Spice Girls (Friendship Never Ends)

#SpiceGirls Reunited Again Stronger Than Ever
#FriendshipNeverEnds

On the lighter side, after twenty years, I have rediscovered “The Spice Girls” and here’s why…..In 1996, Top of the Pops magazine gave each member of the group aliases, which were adopted by the group and media. According to Rolling Stone journalist and biographer David Sinclair, “Scary, Baby, Ginger, Posh and Sporty were the most widely recognised group of individuals since John, Paul, George, and Ringo”. With the “girl power” phenomenon, the Spice Girls were popular cultural icons of the 1990s. They are cited as part of the ‘second wave’ 1990s British Invasion. I have been given permission to offer you a closer look at the Girls, keep reading and listening… 🙂
GIRL POWER The Spice Girls are a British pop girl group formed in 1994. The group consisted of five members, who each later adopted nicknames initially ascribed to them: Melanie Brown (“Scary Spice”), Melanie Chisholm (“Sporty Spice”), Emma Bunton (“Baby Spice”), Geri Halliwell (“Ginger Spice”), and Victoria Beckham, née Adams (“Posh Spice”). They were signed to Virgin Records and released their debut single, “Wannabe Remix” 🙂 in 1996, which hit number one in more than 30 countries and helped establish the group as a global phenomenon. Credited for being the pioneers that paved the way for the commercial breakthrough of teen pop in the late 1990s, their debut album, “Spice”, sold more than 28 million copies worldwide, becoming the best-selling album by a female group in music history., and the biggest British pop phenomenon since Beatlemania.
Measures of their success include record breaking international record sales, 2007–2008, reunion tour, record-breaking achievements, Halliwell’s Union Jack dress, representing “girl power”, a little girl power never hurt anyone 🙂 a box-office film, Spice World, and their internationally recognized nicknames. The group became one of the most successful marketing engines, with their record global success between 1996 and 1998, their mentor and manager Simon Fuller, the group embraced merchandising and became a regular feature of the British and global press.

“Headlines Friendship Never Ends” was first released in the UK. The song debuted at number twenty on November 17, 2007. The song later peaked at number eleven on the UK Singles Chart, I really can’t relate to why this excellent tune never made it number one, I love it “Bravo”. On November 19, 2007, the song debuted at number three on the Swedish Singles Chart, the group’s highest single since 1996’s Goodbye the song charted on for five weeks, peaking at number two in Italy, charted for seven weeks, debuted at number twenty-four in New Zealand, peaking at number six, Then there was my favorite, a song that has a total different meaning to me today, then it did in 1997. In March 1997, a single was released, the A-side was “Mama“/”Who Do You Think You Are” was released in Europe. The Spice Girls are the first group in history since the Jackson 5 to have four consecutive number one hits. Girl Power!, The Spice Girls’ first book and manifesto was launched later that month at the Virgin Megastore. It sold 200,000 copies within a day, and was eventually translated into more than 20 languages. In April, Spice was released, and sold half a million copies, then in May, Spice World was announced by the Spice Girls at the Cannes Film Festival. The group also performed their first live British show, for the Royalty of Great Britain. At the Ivor Novello Awards, the group won International Hit of the Year and Best selling British Single awards for “Wannabe”.

Spice released 1997

In June 1997, Spice World began filming and wrapped in August. In September, the Spice Girls performed “Say You’ll Be There” at the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards and won Best Dance Video for “Wannabe”. At the 1997 Billboard Music Awards the group won four awards; New Artist of the Year, Hot 100 Singles Group of the Year, and Album of the Year for Spice. This is just a fraction of their accomplishments to date, no disrespect but I wasn’t what you would call a devoted fan, but I knew all the lyrics to Wannabe and could sing along, word for word, was it because my nieces played the song twenty times a day, not to mention all the radio stations, but I now have really discovered who the Spice Girls really are…to continue reading, click the links provided, much success and lotsa luv for sure…. 🙂 You can also buy their greatest hits collection, click here.
Photo’s and music courtesy of The Spice Girls.

Related Articles:

• My Thoughts

Pink Shirt Day

Bullying is a major problem in our schools, workplaces, homes, and over the Internet.

Over the next few weeks on CKNW we will be helping raise awareness on these issues and the guests will hopefully give us all the tools needed to stand up against bullies and step in when we see it happening. Then on February 26, 2014 we encourage all of you to wear something pink to symbolize “Pink Shirt Day” that we as a society will not tolerate bullying anywhere. We wish we could take credit for this idea but it comes from two incredible Nova Scotia high school students. Here is a snippet of the Globe & Mail article which inspired us: Two Canadians who should be honoured world wide,  David Shepherd and Travis Price and their teenage friends organized a high-school protest to wear pink in sympathy with a Grade 9 boy who was being bullied for wearing a pink shirt. They took a stand against bullying when they protested against the harassment of a new Grade 9 student by distributing pink T-shirts to all the boys in their school. ‘I learned that two people can come up with an idea, run with it, and it can do wonders,’ says Mr. Price, 17, who organized the pink protest. ‘Finally, someone stood up for a weaker kid.’ So Mr. Shepherd and some other headed off to a discount store and bought 50 pink tank tops. They sent out message to schoolmates that night, and the next morning they hauled the shirts to school in a plastic bag. As they stood in the foyer handing out the shirts, the bullied boy walked in. His face spoke volumes.   ‘It looked like a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders,’ Mr. Price recalled. 

The bullies were never heard from again

Originally posted Feb 27, 2013

Summerland Bully Free

The courage to end bullying

Pink Shirt Day.ca

---

Best. Boot Camp. Ever.

2016 Wake Up Profitable Boot Camp for Business Owners

Farmington Hills, Michigan

Monday-Tuesday, April 25-26,2016

http://www.kickstartcart.com/app/?Clk=5462521

Bashir Faces ICC Charges of Genocide, War Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity

Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir waves to supporters at the NCP Headquarters in Khartoum on April 26, 2010.
© 2010 Reuters

President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan arrived in the Democratic Republic of Congo today for a conference of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Congolese media reported. Bashir faces charges by the International Criminal Court (ICC) of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in Darfur, in Sudan. “Congo as an ICC member has an obligation to arrest and transfer President al-Bashir to The Hague, where he is wanted for crimes against humanity and war crimes,” said Georges Kapiamba, president of the Congolese Association for Access to Justice, based in Kinshasa.
Under the ICC’s Rome Statute, all member countries, including Congo, have an obligation to cooperate with Bashir’s arrest. Past calls by the African Union for non-cooperation with his arrest do not negate that legal obligation.
Other African ICC member countries have avoided visits by al-Bashir by cancelling proposed trips, inviting other Sudanese officials to travel to their countries, or relocating conferences. This includes South Africa, Malawi, Zambia, and Kenya.
“Having long worked closely with the ICC, Congo should demonstrate that it stands on the side of Darfuri victims, and arrest al-Bashir,” said Descartes Mpongo, executive secretary of Christian Activists Actions for Human Rights in Shabunda of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Impending visits by al-Bashir have prompted an outcry by human rights organizations across Africa. Most recently, in July 2013, al-Bashir abruptly left Nigeria less than 24 hours after he arrived to attend an African Union conference there, and without making his scheduled presentation, in the face of public protests by Nigerian rights groups and court action to compel al-Bashir’s arrest.
“Al-Bashir is a fugitive from justice who belongs in one place only: The Hague,” said Elise Keppler, associate international justice director at Human Rights Watch. “Since Congo didn’t prevent al-Bashir’s visit, they should take the next step and arrest him.”
Courtesy of Human Rights Watch Febuary 25, 2014.

Related Articles:
– Archives: Human Rights Watch

Eight Suicide Attempts in Uganda in last two weeks over Anti-Gay law

While some have remained resolute and will continue to fight against homophobia, others have fled the country and have attempted suicide

President Museveni- Closet Case, My Definition: If one has no issues with his own sexuality, then he has no issues with the sexuality of others!

Eight people have attempted suicide in the last two weeks over the anti-gay law, gay rights activists have told GSN.
President Yoweri Museveni has signed the anti-gay bill into law today (24 February), one of the most draconic legislations in the world. Since the law was passed on 20 December, underground LGBT groups have reported that several have attempted suicide and others have left the country. And with an increase in mob violence, gay groups warn that because of a lack of education, the law will lead to gay people being ‘hunted down’. Pepe Julian Onziema, a LGBTI rights activist in Uganda, said people were feeling ‘really scared’ over the legislation. ‘There’s been many suicide attempts over the last two weeks, at least eight.’ he told Gay Star News. ‘Like on Thursday, a man swallowed a bottle of pills and had to be taken to hospital. ‘He’s still in hospital. He’s disappointed that he did not die.’
Out of the eight attempts, three succeeded in killing themselves.
He explained that generally, in Uganda, reaction the new law is mixed with the majority wanting politicians to focus on the real issues.
‘Those who are on the extreme anti-gay side, they are going to say good riddance if a homosexual is dead,’ he said.
Onziema said his biggest fear now are the mob attacks, as homophobes will be able to use gays as a scapegoat for their violence.
‘They call their bill “theirs”. It is not. They don’t understand it. The law doesn’t allow you to go attack people. It’s a badge of violent ignorance,’ he said.
‘I am afraid of a hunt. Some of us, my face particularly, is well known everywhere.
‘They will attack anyone who they suspect is gay. This was happening before it was made law, and it will only increase. They’re probably on the hunt now.’
Onziema called on Ugandan LGBTIs to keep safe and to seek help on social media if needed.
‘It makes me sad that my community is unsafe. It’s intentionally put at risk,’ he said.
‘It’s like standing by the roadside and being pushed in front of a speeding car. That is what the president has done to us.

Related Articles:
– Archives: Human Rights Watch

THE POWER OF WORDS

Change your words and change your world

This is truly a fine example of how just changing your words and how you say them, can have a profound effect or change to any situation that you would never expect. 🙂

Toronto Rejects Rob Ford’s Objections to flying “Pride flag” during “Olympics”

The rainbow flag flies at Toronto city hall. Mayor Rob Ford had ordered the flag taken down but later reversed his position.

In another pointed jab at the gay community, Doug Ford accused the mother of a gay son of “bullying” for accusing Rob Ford of homophobia. Rob Ford has begun his mayoral campaign by saying that he deliberately avoids the Pride festival and vocally opposing the city’s decision to fly a rainbow flag during the Olympics in solidarity with the gay community in Russia. Doug Ford, his brother’s campaign manager, has complained that Pride involves “buck naked men.” On the second episode of their YouTube campaign show, released on Tuesday, Rob Ford read aloud a letter from a Scarborough mother who said she is hurt by his actions and called him “homophobic.” “This is about being patriotic to our country,” Ford said to the camera. “I am not homophobic. I will go to anyone’s house, anyone’s place, to help them out. I take offence when people say that to me.” Doug Ford said: “You know how many gay friends that we have? People that have worked on our campaign. So you may want to try to bully us into things, but — that’s how I feel sometimes, Rob. I feel like I’ve been bullied into something.” He added: “Don’t try to put a gun to anyone’s head that disagrees with you. It doesn’t mean that they hate gays. It’s just a bunch of bullying, a bunch of bullies coming after you.”He added: “Don’t try to put a gun to anyone’s head that disagrees with you. It doesn’t mean that they hate gays. It’s just a bunch of bullying, a bunch of bullies coming after you.”
The frequency with which the Fords have criticized the gay community early in the campaign suggests a strategy to appeal to social conservatives. The comments have coincided with several visits by Rob Ford to conservative churches and come soon after he began making religious references in speeches and interviews.
Since he was stripped of most of his mayoral powers in November, Ford has returned to the rhetoric of the outsider he once was. In the YouTube episode, he calmly said he wants 39 of the 44 current city councillors defeated in the election.

Related Articles:
– Archives: Human Rights Watch

North Korea: UN Should Act on Atrocities Report

A North Korean prison policewoman stands guard behind fences at a jail on the banks of Yalu River near the Chongsong county of North Korea, opposite the Chinese border city of Dandong on May 8, 2011. © 2011 Reuters

(Geneva) – A new United Nations report has found that crimes against humanity are occurring in North Korea and calls for an international tribunal to investigate and hold perpetrators to account, Human Rights Watch said today. The report, by a UN Commission of Inquiry appointed by the UN Human Rights Council in March 2013, recommends that the UN Security Council refer the situation in North Korea to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights carry out investigations. The three person commission, which was chaired by Australian jurist Michael Kirby, will formally present its findings to the Human Rights Council on or around March 17, 2014. The council will then consider a resolution to act on the commission’s recommendations. “This shocking report should open the eyes of the UN Security Council to the atrocities that plague the people of North Korea and threaten stability in the region,” said Kenneth Roth, executive director at Human Rights Watch. “By focusing only on the nuclear threat in North Korea, the Security Council is overlooking the crimes of North Korean leaders who have overseen a brutal system of gulags, public executions, disappearances, and mass starvation.” The commission’s report finds that crimes against humanity were committed in North Korea over a multi-decade period “pursuant to policies established at the highest level of the State,” and included “extermination, murder, enslavement, torture, imprisonment, rape, forced abortions and other sexual violence, persecution on political, religious, racial and gender grounds, forcible transfer of persons, enforced disappearance of persons and the inhumane act of knowingly causing prolonged starvation.” The report notes in particular “a systematic and widespread attack against all populations that are considered to pose a threat to the political system and leadership.

Human Rights Watch

To coincide with the release of the commission’s report, Human Rights Watch today released a video, “North Korea: Tales from Camp Survivors,” with interviews of North Koreans who survived years of abuse while incarcerated in political prison camps (kwanliso), including systematic use of beatings, food deprivation and starvation, and public executions, to control those held there. The film includes interviews with former camp guards detailing camp administration and atrocities. Regarding these types of camps, the commission found: “The unspeakable atrocities that are being committed against inmates of the kwanliso political prison camps resemble the horrors of camps that totalitarian states established during the 20th century.”

The commission’s report also finds that crimes against humanity were committed “against starving populations” in the context of mass famines in the 1990s, through “decisions and policies taken for the purposes of sustaining the present political system, in full awareness that such decisions would exacerbate starvation and related deaths amongst much of the population.” In addition, the report finds that a widespread campaign of abductions of South Korean and Japanese citizens by North Korean agents, primarily during the 1970s and early 1980s, constitutes crimes against humanity, to continue reading click here.

Related Articles:
– Archives: Human Rights Watch