Array the gift of freedom, democracy and human rights.Donald Payne and the Struggle for Human Rights and Democracy in EthiopiaWhy did Donald Payne toil so much for democracy and human rights in Ethiopia? 2003 marked a great day in the history of America and Ethiopia?Payne’s concern for human rights is nothing new, and certainly, his commitment to human rights in Ethiopia is above and beyond the call of duty. For the past two years, he toiled relentlessly to pass a bill that sought to improve the human rights situation in Ethiopia. 2003, did not get involved in Ethiopia human rights to get recognition, credit or applause. Payne is no stranger to human rights advocacy or promotion of democratic institution-building in Africa. As the U.S. State Department Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor aptly put it:The protection of fundamental human rights was a foundation stone in the establishment of the United States over 200 years ago. Since then, a central goal of U.S. foreign policy has been the promotion of respect for human rights, as embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The United States understands that the existence of human rights helps secure the peace, deter aggression, promote the rule of law, combat crime and corruption, strengthen democracies, and prevent humanitarian crises. The pursuit of human rights in U.S. foreign policy remains paramount. For three decades, the U.S. Congress has legislatively mandated human rights certification for recipients of U.S. aid. It is an effective tool to promote and institutionalize freedom, democracy, human rights, accountability and transparency in Ethiopia. 2003 helps Ethiopia live up to the true meaning of its own constitutional guarantees and international human rights obligations.Passion of Don Payne, Chris Smith, Dana Rorabacher and…: Is it “Vendetta” Zenawi said, “If this man [Payne] is really concerned about human rights issues, he should talk about human rights violations in Eritrea, not Ethiopia.” The point is that there are massive human rights violations in Ethiopia, not that more massive or severe violations of human rights are not occurring in neighboring countries or elsewhere in the world. The fact that other countries violate the human rights of their citizens at a greater level offers neither moral absolution nor legal immunity for human rights violations or other criminal acts by the regime in Ethiopia. Or…The PassionWhy are House democrats and republicans familiar with the human rights situation in Ethiopia so passionate about doing something to improve it? Surely, anyone who has viewed the video stream of the mark-up proceedings will attest to the passionate and bipartisan advocacy on behalf of human rights and democracy in Ethiopia.Why should any of them care about Ethiopia? Talk to any member of Congress who is familiar with the human rights situation in Ethiopia and you will understand what I mean. A central goal of U.S. foreign policy has been the promotion of respect for human rights, as embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” If members of Congress can be so passionate about human rights in Ethiopia, why can’t we? When these members of Congress and other supporters advocate on behalf of the cause of democracy and human rights in Ethiopia they do not hide their emotions or hide behind cute pseudonyms and fearsome-sounding pen names. Even the brash young man, Gregory Johnson, could feel wholly confident in his right to freedom of speech that he burned Old Glory, the American flag, with impunity in a public place as thousands of patriots looked on heartsick.Let us use our right to free speech to hold government accountable, to demand answers from public officials, to challenge them and to keep them honest. When our homeland is filled with despair, resentment, violence, repression and there is no place for moral indifference that paralyzes us from taking affirmative action to help.Commitment to Democracy, Human Rights Principles and AdvocacyAdvocates of human rights are driven by an unshakeable belief in the fundamental dignity of the individual. a rule that binds the naughty hands of government tightly enough so that the people can sleep in peace, talk to each other without fear, walk the streets without looking over their shoulders and live in their homes without dread of the midnight knock.Every Man, Every Woman A Human Rights LeaderHuman rights advocacy is one area of human struggle where anyone, whether educated or uneducated, rich or poor, man or woman, can play a decisive role. The key to effective Ethiopian human rights advocacy is to make every Ethiopian man and woman a a human rights leader in his/her own right. No power on earth can defeat a human rights movement built on these simple principles.Improving American Foreign Policy While Improving Human Rights in EthiopiaFrom time to time, some people ask how H.R. In advocating for human rights in Ethiopia and in passing H.R. 2003 helps America reconnect to its founding principles, and reaffirm a basic tenet that human rights define the core of American foreign policy. 2003 does: Spread freedom to the arid political landscape of Ethiopia.One Giant Leap for Ethiopian Human Rights, And Many Bold StrokesIn less than a generation, it is possible to bring about dramatic transformations in Ethiopia. The old political culture of ethnic antagonism and fragmentation and distrust must be replaced by a new one that emphasizes respect for the rule of law, observance of human rights and acceptance of democratic principles.II. The time has come for the ideas of freedom, democracy, human rights and accountability in Ethiopia. Human rights advocacy and activism means just that: We should actively advocate for the cause of human rights because as human beings it is our moral duty to do so. We all have a moral duty to take reasonable steps to prevent human rights violations, and to use all available means to speak out against such violations, to identify those responsible whenever we can and to seek justice for victims of human rights abuses.VII. The enemies of freedom threw a party and wrote the epitaph to an Ethiopia human rights bill in the U.S. Congress. We should always work to spread our spirit of confidence in the democratic process and conviction in our cause of freedom, democracy, human rights and accountability. Let’s Finish the JobAbe Lincoln in his Second Inaugural Address said: “With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.” Ethiopia has ratified, is a signatory to or has adopted the following major human rights conventions, among others: Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1977), International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1992), Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1994) Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1980) Convention on the Rights of the Child (1995).
link
Prior to this trip, we had no mountain biking experience at all - we bought new bikes for this trip, and started riding the local fire roads a month or two before we started the GDR.Good luck, we hope you decide to ride the GDR and if you do, have a great trip.Amy Lauterbach &
link
-ne 2223 SIENA WAY, Woodstock, MD 21163Price Reduced: 05/21/07 — 15,000 to 00,000 Price Reduced: 06/18/07 — 00,000 to 95,000 Price Reduced: 07/20/07 — 95,000 to 85,000 Price Reduced: 08/08/07 — 85,000 to 75,000 Price Reduced: 09/10/07 — 75,000 to 00,00016.1% decline from the topDays on market: 179Prior Sales: 05/26/2004 31,010I think its in foreclosure and probably has a few mortgage equity withdrawals.15039 JARRETTSVILLE PIKE, Monkton, MD 21111Price Reduced: 05/18/07 — 27,617 to 19,900 Price Reduced: 08/09/07 — 19,900 to 50,000 Price Reduced: 10/02/07 — 50,000 to 99,00017.1% decline from the topDays on market: 2155312 MYERS ORCHARD WAY, Perry Hall, MD 21128Price Reduced: 10/15/07 — 49,329 to 69,99014.4% decline from the top8735 GERST AVE, Perry Hall, MD 21128Price Reduced: 04/18/06 — 49,900 to 24,900 Price Reduced: 10/06/06 — 24,900 to 99,900 Price Reduced: 10/07/07 — 39,900 to 34,90025.6% decline from the topDays on market: 636 a little fuzzy math here…but still a decline from the top11627 VIXENS PATH RD, Ellicott City, MD 21042Price Reduced: 07/10/07 — ,560,936 to ,915,682 Price Reduced: 08/13/07 — ,915,682 to ,604,115 Price Increased: 09/19/07 — ,604,115 to ,915,68225.2% decline from the topDays on market: 1084621 BONNIE BRANCH RD, Ellicott City, MD 21043Price Reduced: 10/04/07 — ,399,000 to ,150,000 Price Reduced: 10/12/07 — ,150,000 to ,050,00024.9% decline from the topDays on market: 58Any naysayers?
link
-ne Gold, with its price denominated in U.S. dollars, can be considered a sentiment measure for the dollar. During 2007, however, that correlation has been .32.I decided to take a look at dollar sentiment and its effect on large cap tech by examining five-day changes in GLD and what happens over the next five trading days in XLK.When gold has been up on a five-day basis (bearish dollar sentiment;
link
-ne I am tardy in pointing out that the Copyright Board has updated its website since my September 6, 2007 posting about architectural plans. This is because the Board has concluded that such licenses are not necessary.The Board provides two rationales for its newly stated policy.The first rationale is this: First, in most cases, the contemplated uses either constitute fair dealing for the purpose of research or would be covered by an implied licence.Naturally, I am a big fan of the “large and liberal interpretation” I would think that the implied license doctrine would cover virtually all cases involving architectural plans where the owner of copyright, if any, can’t be found.The second basis given by the Board is this: Second, subsection 32.1(1) of the Copyright Act provides that a municipality that supplies copies of plans pursuant to an access to information request does not violate copyright. The Board has issued licences until now so as to afford applicants access to plans to which they are legally entitled until the Board had finalized its policy on this issue. The plans submitted in support of a building permit application are the property of the designer and are not transferred to the property owner upon purchase.If the City of Ottawa doesn’t come around, the Board may need to issue an even more explicit policy with more detailed reasons or a reasoned decision in a particular case, as it has done before.
link
(more…)
Oh and Dad I thought of you today when I accidentally got soap in my mouth- flashbacks of my childhood came rushing back.The picture above is of Katie and I.