Sunday 28 April 2019

Sunday Supplement at Howie's Corner

Another anti-Semitic attack in America

The Twin Peaks above Poway in August 2004.
Poway, USA

The breaking news this morning was yet another attack on a Synagogue by a far right bigot which has seen the death and injury of more innocents simply because they were Jews. The attacker had published a "manifesto" on-line which promoted his attention seeking hate.

The Jewish Post  reports

The manifesto contained common far-right catchphrases, including descriptions of an "international Jewry" which is responsible for countless age-old blood libels, including the murder of Christ and alleged control over the media and the economy. This is similar to a trope in the antisemitic book The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.

Earnest wrote that: "Every Jew young and old has contributed to these. For these crimes they deserve nothing but hell. I will send them there."

He also stated that he hoped to inspire others to commit similar crimes and that he expected to be freed from prison and would "continue the fight." ....


Throughout the manifesto, he also referred to other minorities with racist terms, blaming them for a wide variety of personal complaints as well.

This comes not long after the attacks in Sri Lanka and shows that violent extremist groups are a big danger to every community regardless of religion or none. 

All these terrorists have one thing in common, sheer hate. 

Islamists, Neo-Nazi's and others may say different things but they all lack a respect not just for others but for human life itself.

They say they are fighting for "god" or "race" but all they they achieve is death and misery because most of their adherents are twisted individuals with problems that are exploited by ideologues who are too cowardly to act themselves.

Islamism, Fascism and Communism are all threats to life and liberty wherever these ideologies raise their ugly heads.

Stand against extremism for a pluralist and secular future.

New Tibetan Social Security Cards Prompt Surveillance Fears

Tibet Watch

Privacy fears as Chinese authorities roll out personal social security cards in Tibet

In recent years the Tibetan Autonomous Region’s Human Resources and Social Security Department has introduced a social security card to make access to welfare easier for residents. While the card has been introduced across the People’s Republic of China there are concerns amongst Tibetans because the chip embedded on the card contains the holder’s name, citizenship number, profile photo, social insurance contributions amongst other personal details.

Similar fears have been raised in the past. Between 2012 and 2013, authorities in the TAR rolled out free health services in both rural and urban areas. The scheme involved obtaining DNA samples, facial scans, fingerprints, iris scans, and information about blood types. Free Tibet's research partner Tibet Watch has raised concerns that these records could be used by the ruiling Chinese Communist Party and local authorities in their efforts to monitor Tibetans.

The initial launch of social security cards took place in Nyinchi Prefecture in August 2017 with 450,000 issued in Lhasa shortly after. Residents in areas in eastern Tibet, not covered by the TAR, like Chengdu and Golmud were also given cards between mid-June 2017 and April 2018.

Last year, from 9 September to 4 October officials in the TAR prefecture Lhoka gathered 263,440 pieces of information on social security cards which were issued, of which 73,722 came from online and 189,718 from mobile apps.

This April, authorities of Ngari Prefecture plan to issue 79,000 social security cards.

While these cards are practical for day to day life, for example access to health facilities, fears still remain that they could be used for the purposes of tracking and easily used to cut off social benefits and access to services as a punishment for behaviour that the Chinese Communist Party objects to.

And finally: Music from Nazareth

This week saw the re-release of Nazareth's 1974 album Rampant. Available in the usual multiple formats I chose the grey vinyl version as this was one of the records long gone from my collection. I remember enjoying this as I prepared to leave school that year.

There's some great songs on this album and is the one to own from this band as far as I'm concerned but that may be pure nostalgia on my part.

This song, Silver Dollar Forger is in two parts on the album but here is the single "radio" version that most people from my generation will remember.


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