Do you want the war in Afghanistan to end sooner, rather than later? Listen to Lennon! My Christmas wish is for peace in the world, what is yours? via Bobby Anderson
Video: The Cancun Underwater Museum & C-58 | #ScubaDiving #scuba
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Our third stop on our epic Cancun Scuba Diving adventure was to the Cancun Underwater Museum & C-58 . This was a great photo opportunity for everyone! Half t…
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A Diver’s Guide to Thailand
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Thailand is one of the best places in the world for diving, drawing more divers than anywhere else in Southeast Asia — some 300,000 every year.
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#Scuba Divers Rescue Whale #Shark Caught in Rope | #oceans
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#Montreal’s errant beluga has vanished. Is it good or bad?
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(The beluga seen in Montreal’s Old Port in September and October. Photo: GREMM) The beluga that was living in Montreal’s Old Port this fall hasn’t been seen in three weeks and marine researchers aren’t sure if the animal is still alive.
See on blogs.montrealgazette.com
Did you know? #Montreal is one of top 10 best cities in the world: Lonely Planet
See on Scoop.it - Montreal, QC, Canada“The Lonely Planet has been publishing travel guides since 1973 and according to it’s Best in Travel 2013 guide, Montreal’s “mélange of cultures marries brains and beauty.” “
Read it on Global News: Global Montreal | Montreal one of top 10 best cities in the world: Lonely Planet
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Cancer linked to Fertility Problems
Results of a large study unveiled in Auckland show a link between women with fertility problems and an increased risk of cancer in their children.
Exploring Spiritual Awakening Through Artist Expression
Do you believe that artistic forms (Illustration, Painting, Music, Dance, Literature, etc) are created through transformative, direct spiritual experiences of the artist?
Color is a power that directly influences the soul -Edward KrasinskiSince artistic inspiration is the base of every work of art, the ideal form of art is the direct transmission of the artist’s enlightenment into the mind of the spectator. The two fields of art and spirituality merge to enable the artist to function as both a craftsman and a philosopher, with spirituality infusing every moment of artistic creation. For an artist to achieve the goals set out during the creation of artwork, the viewer of the piece should experience the same passion, inspiration, and spirituality felt by the artist during the creation of the piece. Is this accomplishment the origin and purpose of art?I feel that adding a cross-cultural component (sharing art expression across various cultures and religions) have a potential to unify people based in a spirit of truth and discovery.
A growing number of citizens are asking, “Who will protect us from politicians?”
7 Important Stories You Probably Missed on Drones, Guantanamo and Torture
here’s a quick round up of important news you should know, along with links to take action and make your voice heard. While drones, Guantanamo and torture can seem distant from your regular life, these issues affect all of us, because they undermine the rule of law and the human rights framework, both here at home and around the world, making us all less safe.
1) Debate is swirling about whether drone operators killing people in Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia and elsewhere by remote control from the U.S. should be awarded medals. Mark Mazzetti of the New York Times wrote the initial article and Gabor Rona of Human Rights First added his thoughts. If you want to skip the debate and urge the government to end unlawful killing with drones, take this action.
2) New allegations about the unethical use of mind-altering drugs on Guantanamo detainees have surfaced. The Department of Defense Inspector General claims nothing inappropriate happened, but Guantanamo defense lawyers disagree. The case of Abel al Nusairi indicates that drugs may have been used during interrogations–a possible violation of medical ethics and international law.
3) The Guantanamo detainee population dropped by 1 to 168 after Ibrahim al Qosi was released to Sudan as the result of a plea deal. His release was far from certain since the U.S. government claims the right to continue to hold anyone, regardless of any deals or military commission judgments. That’s right, even if you were to be cleared by your military commission, the government could still decide to keep you locked up forever—a violation of the right to a fair trial and the right to due process (compounding concerns Amnesty International has long raised about the military commissions).
4) Speculation continues about why Guantanamo detainee Omar Khadr—held by the U.S. since he was a child—has not yet been returned to Canada, after having agreed to a plea deal. Some blame Canada, others blame the U.S. Respect for human rights law would have solved the problem long ago. Children are entitled to rehabilitation and other special rights under international law, an obligation the U.S. has ignored at Guantanamo.
5) Charges were dropped against Guantanamo detainee Faiz al Kandari amid reports that the U.S. and Kuwait are in talks about returning al Kandari and the other Kuwaiti at Guantanamo,Fawzi al Odah, home to Kuwait. Amnesty activists have long called for them, and all other Guantanamo detainees, to either be charged and fairly tried or released to countries that will respect their human rights.
6) Former CIA operative Sabrina de Sousa tells the Washington Post her side of the story on the rendition to torture of Abu Omar—a crime for which Italian prosecutors are pursuing her and other U.S. officials. Choice quote: “It was kidnapping…Don’t worry, I’m not a criminal.” Amnesty continues to press for full accountability for U.S. torture and rendition, including declassification and release of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence’s forthcoming report on CIA torture.
7) On July 17th military commission proceedings at Guantanamo resume in the case ofAbd al Rahim al Nashiri, accused of responsibility for bombing the USS Cole, an attack that killed seventeen people. Al Nashiri was threatened with death by a drill to the head during an interrogation. The issue of torture-tainted evidence and the fairness of Guantanamo commissions will be in the minds of court-watchers.
Also the NDAA process will start up again soon in the Senate, where our elected officials may decide to reaffirm last year’s embrace of indefinite detention, roll it back or ignore it. Let your Senators know what you think about the NDAA.






