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Pantomime, Pasties and Election failures, some observations and a moan
This has been one of the weirdest 10 days or so in politics for some time, and pretty much all of the bad stuff has happened to the Tory led coalition government.
Pretty much.
The Budget was always going to be a toughie for George Osborne – but because everyone knew that, to an extent the disharmony arising from it was likely to have been discounted by the spin doctors in advance. So the Tory press were at the ready, ready to tell us what a good job he'd done, protecting the most vulnerable in a time when nothing he did was going to please many people, but he'd done his best – blah blah …
It didn't happen though.
He made a public relations catastrophe out of cutting the 50p tax rate (even though it's deferred a year, even though it's almost an article of faith for Tory rank & file, and even though it's quite obviously been a hand grenade with a long fuse lobbed by Gordon Brown in the dying days of the Labour Government, designed to cause maximum embarrassment to the Tories).
Catastrophe number two – the Granny tax – minor adjustment leaving old people worse off – Most people didn't really understand it – but the perception that the Tories value millionaires over poor pensioners (some pensioners are millionaires too by the way) did not go down well.
And of course Pasty-gate. A relatively minor alignment of an anomaly in VAT – should have been able to have been broken in gently, should have gained fairly little attention, but no – it again emphasises the crass prioritisation of the needs of people who lunch at the Savoy Grill, over those who grab a snack from Greggs in their 30 minute lunch break, and then goes viral – helped in no small part by the laughably pathetic attempts to justify all their moves by the Tory spokespeople who were wheeled out. The arguments about who ate which pasty where, only serving to make the whole thing – and the whole government look more and more ridiculous, and by inference totally incompetent and unable to manage their own public image. The fact that probably the biggest losers as well will not be pasty-munchers, but the entrepreneurial owners of fast food sellers such as Greggs, was again not lost on the Tory press.
Then there's the Dosh for Dinner with Dave debacle. There we are with the Tory treasurer caught in the act, pretty much with his metaphorical pants down. He knows the jig is up, and he walks, but it doesn't stop the rest of the senior Tories (minus the PM of course who's too scared to show his face) frantically trying to defend an undefendable position by doing what ? Well by blaming Labour of course !
Oh yeah, this isn't about selling your policies to the highest bidder, it's about Labour getting all that money from the unions. Those big bad unions ruled by unaccountable despots who pay the Labour party to do what they want.
Well actually no it's not, and the public for once aren't falling for it, and to their credit neither are the normally sycophantic Tory press – Labour was formed by the Unions, donations to Labour are effectively the aggregation of the many thousands of large donations from working people which are passed to the party – and they still add up to only a fraction of the sums handed to the Tories by their wide boy spiv friends.
Then comes the biggest own goal – Francis Maude, who uses a strike ballot and an up-coming bank holiday as an excuse to panic the whole country into hoarding petrol. Despite the fact that there's been no strike called, nothing to suggest an imminent strike, and it being very unlikely that one can be called before the holiday weekend.
Throw into that the fact that Unite are quietly and methodically inviting the employers to get in touch with Acas in order to mediate a settlement, and have published their ballot details – which are absolutely overwhelming and on a huge turn out, and the Government starts to look very foolish in deed.
So when in a hole, what do they do ?
Naturally they do what they've been trained to do : Blame the mess that Labour left.
Except this time it's not being swallowed by anyone – even The Mail and The Telegraph are now openly criticising David Cameron and his chaotic management of what isn't really any kind of crisis, but has turned into something that looks very much like one. The pantomime that's ensued is reminiscent of the sleazy comic chaos of the worst parts of John Major's government. A state of affairs that led in no small part to Labour's landslide 1997 General Election victory under Tony Blair.
So a by-election in a safe North of England seat should be signed sealed and delivered at the end of all this stuff shouldn't it ?
Well no.
It was George Galloway that won it – the same creepy egotist that sucked up to Saddam Hussein and Rula Lenska's outstretched hand.
So how did that happen then ?
A shift in the Muslim vote? a misunderstanding of the depth of feeling over Afghanistan ? George's brilliant oratory skills (please – it's just not true)
Well I don't really know – but what I do know is that it could only happen if Labour hadn't royally messed up.
What we have is a Government that is as unpopular as Thatcher's ever was, as chaotic and sleazy as John Major's government ever were. More than that though – where Margaret Thatcher's unpopularity in some quarters was unbounded. It was matched by hero worhip in others. There's no such mandate for David Cameron – he didn't even manage an overall majority. Even the Tories don't like him.
In contrast to Thatcher, The Cameron government sneaks in right wing ideological change in the guise of sorting out a fictitious "mess" left behind by Labour, or on a pretext of austerity. Margaret Thatcher didn't do that – she said what she was going to do, and she went ahead and did it – to applause and boos in roughly equal measure.
In Dave Cameron's pantomime though there are only boos – even his loyal Tory Press are now rounding on the Government incompetence.
Which makes it all the more worrying that Labour can't hold on to a safe seat.
So at the end of this almost unprecedented period of British politics, I have unfortunately got to conclude that our leadership in the Labour Party is not delivering.
Ed Miliband – I will always be loyal to the party leader, and wish that the rest of the party would be too; but the Bradford West by election is one which Labour should and could have won. The conditions for victory could scarcely have been more favourable for the party.
So Ed, I think you really need to do something very dramatic now to inject momentum into the party's fortunes. I don't know what form that should take – but if we approach the General Election with the same kind of leadership that we approached the Bradford West by election , then we will probably lose it.
There are probably lots of lessons from the Bradford by-election – but one that is clear is this : However badly the Tories and Lib Dems mess up, and however un popular they are, it's still no guarantee that Labour will benefit.
Please Ed. Get it sorted.
Related articles
- Why conventional Westminster wisdom is wrong about Bradford (liberalconspiracy.org)
- Bradford West By-election (wmmbb.wordpress.com)
- Bradford West by-election: 5 initial thoughts on an astonishing result (libdemvoice.org)
- How Labour lost Bradford West (newstatesman.com)
- +++ Labour crashes to sensational Bradford West by-election defeat to George Galloway (libdemvoice.org)
- Pasties and a 250 G Sting (hopisen.com)
- We don't need George: we have hope (burdzeyeview.wordpress.com)
- Why the odds are against a Tory majority (newstatesman.com)
- Galloway stuns Labour in Bradford West (newstatesman.com)
- George Galloway – The Bradford Spring (olivermeredithcox.wordpress.com)


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Tag: education
Bunny its cold outside!
Keep Your Outdoor Rabbits Safe and Warm
Its been a hot year and so far Autumn has been mild – but that is likely to change. It's important that you get your rabbits outdoor enclosures ready for winter before the weather turns really nasty. They need to be well sheltered from draughts, rain, flooding and of course kept snugly warm. It is still vital however, that they have permanent access to their exercise area so they can choose when they want to stretch their legs and explore. Remember that the MINIMUM enclosure guidelines for a bonded pair of rabbits is 10ft x 6ft x 3ft tall.
This is where a shed style 'hutch' with an attached aviary style walk in run attached can often be the best set up for bunnies. See the I Heart Rabbits – Housing Facebook group for more enclosure examples.
Keeping Warm.
- Make sure the hutch / shed is as insulated as possible. You can use pre made hutch huggers or use off cuts of carpets with a layer of duvet over the top (in a waterproof duvet cover) and finished off with tarpaulin over the top. This can be used on the top and sides of hutches but NOT over the front as its important they still have ventilation, light and can see out. You can use a clear shower curtain over the front part of the hutch or shed windows to stop the rain but still allow light and visibility.
- Use a max/min recording thermometer in both the sleeping area and the exercise area of the rabbits enclosures. Then you will know exactly how cold it gets and can see if your heating methods are helping. Be sure to keep thermometers and wires away from nibbling teeth!
- Line the sleeping area with cardboard (as long as your rabbits are not chewers!), newspaper, SOFT straw and then a layer of bedding hay. This creates a nice cosy bed. You can also use fleece blankets and towels if your rabbit is well litter trained (and again, not a chewer!) but often the straw / hay bed is warmer. A bonded pair of bunnies will be much warmer as they can snuggle with each other. You can use a Snugglesafe microwave heat pad to add in last thing at night too. Make sure to use a lovely fleece cover on these – check out the Snugglebunnies page on Facebook as all the profits from their items go to the Rabbit Welfare Association.
- Check the water! Often water bottles can freezer and the rabbit is unable to drink. You can use pre made bottle covers or you can make your own with bubble wrap and an old woolly sock. Bowls are often better than bottles but these can freeze too. You can place these on top of a Snugglesafe head pad overnight to reduce the risk of freezing.
- Access to their exercise area is vital – so this needs to be weather proofed too. Make sure the area cannot flood and that they have areas off of the floor to perch on. Use clear shower curtains or plastic sheeting to cover 3 sides of the run. You can also use thick, clear corrugated plastic over the roof . Never enclose the whole run as this will cut own the ventilation too much.
- Lastly – YOU need to go and feed, check and play with your bunnies just as much as you do in the summer. Often, many rabbits get left to fend for themselves in winter as their owners do not want to go out in the cold and wet to see them. If you have a large shed enclosure with a walk in aviary, this makes it much easier for you to spend time with them in the nasty weather.
Be on the lookout for any change in eating habits or behavior that can show that a rabbit is unwell. Seek immediate advice from your vets if you are concerned. Very young or elderly rabbits and those with health problems will often need more care in the winter months. Make sure you are already registered with a good rabbit savvy vet.
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Easter Exploitation – the plight of the bunny rabbit UPDATED
UPDATE: 5pm 28.3.18
I am VERY pleased to see that Heathrow Airport have decided to cancel their event! Hooray – thanks to everyone that contacted them and well done Heathrow for seeing sense!
PLEASE sign this important petition!
Yet again its that magical time of year when the Easter Bunny comes to visit and shares all his lovely chocolate eggs. Isnt it wonderful? No…not if you are a rabbit.
Easter is the time of year when the majority of companies believe animal exploitation is perfectly acceptable. Throughout the world, live rabbits (and chicks) will be taken to busy shopping centres, schools and even airports and forced to interact with excitable children. Not a care is given to the welfare of the live animals because a 'wonderful experience for the children' is often deemed far more important than the animals care.
It is vital to understand a rabbits behaviour in order to see why this thinking is wrong.
1) Rabbits are prey species. As such, they do not like loud noises, busy areas and lots of people. They do not like being hovered over (this is like a bird of prey waiting to cach them) and they do not like being picked up, held or pinned to the floor for a 'lovely cuddle'.
2) Rabbits have specific dietary and housing needs. Their diet should be strictly controlled any many of these live animal encounters feed muesli type mix to their animals regardless of what species they are. Often, large amounts of carrots are also used at these events so that the children can feed the rabbits – a very bad thing as carrots are high in sugars and not suitable for feeding in large quantities or every day.
3) Rabbits should only live with rabbits. Many of these pop up events will have rabbits housed with other species such as guinea pigs, chicks, ducks, goats and mini horses. This is NOT acceptable and creates a hugh risk of injury and stress to all the animals involved.
For more information on caring for rabbits, please see the Rabbit Welfare Association and Funds guide.
So why do companies such as Heathrow Airport and The Sun newspaper happily tout 'live rabbits at Easter' as a good thing?
Lets look at Heathrow Airport first…
In their wisdom they have created a 'Bunny Cuddle Corner' in every terminal for over the Easter period. They are very excited about this venture and have created a video to highlight how fabulous it is that they are providing a space for over excited children to get in with live rabbits before boarding their flight. They even have Dr Elizabeth Kilbey (a clinical child psychologist) in the video stating that animals have a soothing effect on children. Well, yes…but what about the effect that excitable children have on rabbits? Apparently, that does not seem to matter…She even states that "rabbits are the perfect pets to calm children". This is an outrageous thing to promote and she clearly has NO clue about a rabbits needs.
My questions that are not currently being answered are:
- Where these rabbits are being kept overnight?
- How long do they spend in the 'activity' enclosure at a time and per day?
- What is the current vaccination status of each rabbit?
- How long is their journey to and from the airport?
Heathrow have stated that the rabbits are "trained for this environment" (I never knew you could get airport training for rabbits…) and they are provided by a company called Amazing Animals. I wonder if they are this company that was highlighted in the Daily Mail in 2016?
Heathrow have responded to the public outcry on their Facebook page with a couple of pretty standard cut and paste responses that frankly, are not acceptable. They claim that "The activity is being run to give people the chance to have a relaxing moment before travelling". What on earth??? Since when did humans desperately need to stroke a rabbit before boarding a plane as the only way to calm themselves? I'm feeling anything but calm right now! Please sign this urgent petition to get this event shut down!
Moving on to The Sun newspaper.
They decided to print an Easter feature and use a Shutterstock image of a child dangling a rabbit pretty much by its neck! The Sun responded to a few comments (not all and not to any of mine) with a paltry excuse that they did not know the handling was innapropriate and they are sure the child did not mean to cause any deliberate harm to the rabbit. Well thats ok then…NOT! I would like to know how Morrisons, Smiggle, Superdrug, Poundland and Ocado feel about being promoted alongside animal cruelty?
We need to wise up about animal exploitation – as parents, as companies, as HUMANS! and treat animals with the respect they deserve. These promotions are meerly a circus by another name and should not be socially acceptable. If you are a parent, be responisble for the messages you are giving your kids and avoid anywhere that exploits animals.
These are just 2 example of the horrors that have been unveiled so far for Easter 2018. If like me, you feel that these events are cruel and should be stopped, please politely contact the companies involved by email, letter, Facebook or Twitter and share your responses. You can encourage others to share their thoughts on these, and other Easter events with live animals.
And PLEASE make sure you sign and share this urgent petition!
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Too Hot To Handle!
A hot cross bun is not a happy one!
Most of us humans cant wait for the weather to brighten up and bask in the glow of Mr Sunshine. However, imagine doing that whilst wearing a fur coat and not being able to cool down via sweating…doesn't sound like much fun does it?
Rabbits can easily suffer from heatstroke and this can be fatal. Ideally they need to be kept in an area with a constant temperature of between 10 – 20 degrees celcius (50 – 68 degrees Fahrenheit). They do not cope well with sudden temperature changes and anything above 22 degrees celcius can cause heatstroke.
It is highly recommended that all owners purchase a thermometer that records the maximum and minimum temperatures. Place this in the rabbits main living / sleeping area (make sure its up high safely away from inquisitive bunny teeth!) and check it throughout the day. You will soon see that hutches and closed in areas become significantly hotter than the outside air.
Hutch temperatures can become dangerously high and one recent study shows that they can easily reach highs of 40 degrees celcius within just a few hours – this is like cooking your rabbit 🙁 It can even become far too hot for them when they are in the shade or on a cloudy day.
Its vital that you understand the signs of distress and heatstroke in rabbits as this is an emergency condition that needs veterinary attention. If your rabbit seems lethargic, off food, is panting, wobbly when moving, dribbling or generally acting weird then CALL THE VETS! Warmer weather also brings a higher risk of Flystrike so make sure you are extra vigilant about checking your bunnies bottoms and cleaning out the enclosure more than usual.
There are quite a few ways of making sure your rabbits (and guinea pigs) stay nice and cool in warmer weather (see the poster for some top tips). The MOST important is that their whole area is in complete shade and that they have constant access to their run from their hutch / shed / cage etc. This allows them to move around and seek out cooler areas. It also allows much better ventilation of their living space.
Icepods made by Scratch and Newton are fab and provide a nice, safe way of keeping small furries cool. Simply pop them in the freezer overnight and then wrap in a tea towel. Place inside the bunnies area and it will release cold air around it. The bunnies dont tend to lay on it directly, but it helps keep the temperature a little lower in that area. You can achieve the same effect by 3/4 filling a large bottle with water and freezing. This still needs wrapping in a tea towel (to prevent any frost burns) but will defrost a lot quicker than the icepods. It is also more of a chew risk once thawed.
You can also get specialist cage fans that are battery operated and can really help keep the air flowing through the enclosure. They can be used indoors and outdoors and just need something to hang on. Never point these directly at the rabbit if it has no way of getting away from it. many rabbits will choose to come and sit in front of it for some time if they feel hot. Never place cooling items in front of, or pointing at their food, hay or water as this could prevent them wanting to eat and drink.
It is not recommended to freeze fruit or veg and feed as it is thought that the very cold temperatures of this can upset the gut by causing a mild tummy ache that in turn, can lead to stasis.
Marble / granite & Glass ceramic tiles can be placed inside the rabbits enclosures (make sure there are no sharp edges) as these stay cool for some time and the bunnies can lay on them. These can also be popped in the freezer for a couple of hours before use for an extra blast of coldness (no longer though as they may crack). And an old towel can be misted with water and frozen for another chill out mat.
Be sure to offer more water sources than usual and try to offer a water bowl as well as a bottle. Rabbits often prefer to drink from a bowl and bottles can leak / break / get stuck and then the rabbit is denied access to vital water. Always offer more than one water source as a back up and refresh twice a day.
A covered pop up tent filled with children's play sand or untreated top soil makes a great cool area for them to dig in. make sure they are fully supervised at all times when using this & do not give them any chew toys or scattered food to avoid the risk of ingesting the sand / soil. Also make sure you check the bunny thoroughly once the playtime is over and remove all traces of sand / soil from the underside of the rabbit including genitals.
For more tips on keeping bunnies cool, check out the following website links:
Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund
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Rabbit Awareness Week 2017
17th – 25th June 2017
This is the 11th year for Rabbit Awareness Week and the 2017 campaign is focusing on the importance of hay! #HoptoHay
RAW is run by a collaboration of organisations: The Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund, The Blue Cross, PDSA, RSPCA, Wood Green, Burgess Pet Care and Agria Pet Insurance. This team pick a new theme each year and aim to provide information to both veterinary professionals and the general public about key aspects of rabbit care.
Many veterinary clinics sign up to RAW and offer a range of events and promotions – you can visit the RAW website to see who has signed up and whats on offer.
But I feel that raising rabbit awareness should continue all year long and throughout many countries, so I urge you all to embrace RAW and continue it longer than just the suggested week.
- Veterinary practices can continue to improve their offerings for rabbits and can apply to be on the RWAF rabbit friendly vet list.
- Owners, rescues and companies can help share welfare posters from reputable organisations via social media and hold awareness events.
- and everyone can take a few minutes to report any potential welfare problems to pet stores, zoo's, farms and shops that they may come across (by informing the companies manager, head office, via their social media or if more serious, by reporting to the RSPCA, Trading Standards and the Local Council).
So lets come together to make this the best RAW yet AND continue to share good, factual rabbit advice all year long.
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Storm Damage – The Aftermath & Prevention.
Bad weather can cause serious problems for outdoor pets. High winds can easily fell trees, damage hutches, blow over fences and if severe, can even knock over sheds! Heavy rain and snow can cause flooding and all of these things are highly stressful for rabbits to endure.
This shed was blown over by the severe winds caused by #stormdoris which reached up to 94mph in parts of the UK. Its a dramatic reminder that we can never take it for granted that an outdoor enclosure is going to be safe.
Storm Doris also caused this huge conifer to crash down on top of 3 rabbit hutches at the Hopper Haven Rabbit & Guinea Pig Sanctuary – causing significant damage to the hutches and a storage shed. Luckily no animals or staff were injured but the clean up effort and repairs are going to cost over £900! (see here if you would like to make a donation).
Even if your enclosures survive intact, your garden may be severely damaged. This fallen wall could have easily caused harm to people or pets and will mean the garden is not predator proof or rabbit safe until all the repairs have been undertaken. It's vital that you check your garden after any bad weather, to look for breaches in security and damaged or weakened areas.
Less serious damage can happen at any time from our normal winter weather. This hutch has had its felt ripped off of the roof meaning it is no longer waterproof. Hutch covers can also become torn over time and its important to check the integrity of all enclosures and their covers on a regular basis.
Many 'off the shelf' enclosures do not withstand bad weather well. For example, the above photo shows a hutch that is flush with the floor so has no protection against flooding. It also has owner reports of "leaking so badly that bathroom sealant had to be applied to all the joints". Conversely, hutches on tall legs are not at risk from flooding BUT they can easily topple over in high winds. Tunnels (either man made or dug by rabbits) can easily flood and trap a rabbit to one part of its enclosure. Many cheap, pet store hutches and runs are badly made, easily damaged and are false economy as rarely last more than a year without needing some repairs.
Lastly, there is a huge problem with bad weather that is often over looked – STRESS! Even rabbits in secure enclosures that do not get damaged are often spooked by high winds and heavy rain. As they are a prey species, they suffer easily from stress and this often leads to Gastro Intestinal stasis. They can stop eating, stop passing faeces and become very unwell in just a few hours. It is vital that you closely monitor your rabbits both during and for a few days after bad weather. You may decide to move them into a more secure location such as a garage (not safe if a car uses it too) or utility room when there is a storm on the way. If so, make sure the temperature of the room is as close as possible to that of their normal enclosure and try to keep to their normal routine. As always, seek veterinary advice if you are concerned about your rabbits health.
So what CAN Be Done?
Prevention is always better than cure so it is important to really think long and hard about your rabbits outdoor set up before the adverse weather arrives. Take the time to think about how the enclosure will cope with extreme weather – both hot and cold, dry, wet and windy. Remember that the RWAF enclosure guidelines state that a pair of average sized rabbits need permanent access to a minimum space of 10ft x 6ft which comprises of a sleeping area and an exercising area.
The photo above has been chosen as it represents an ideal rabbit enclosure. It is made of good quality materials and is seated on a level, concrete base. It meets the RWAF minimum size guidelines and has permanent access to secure sleeping and exercising areas. The base is slightly raised off of the floor and the run has low level boarding – both of which help prevent flooding. The roof is slanted and has a wide overhang which helps prevent the rain from running down the sides of the enclosure. It also has plenty of ventilation as well as having cozy areas in the sleeping compartment. Multiple levels allow the rabbits to exhibit natural behaviors and increase their area by making use of the vertical space.
Now, this style may not be a viable option for all owners, however the principles are still valid. Make sure your enclosures follow the same points as above even if you are using a mix and match set up. Here are some more tips:
- Anchor / screw down hutches and runs to the floor and also fix them back to a fence, wall or shed to reduce the chance of them toppling over.
- Make sure your enclosures are raised off of the ground and attach clear perspex sheeting to the lower quarter to help prevent flooding (do not cover the whole enclosure as good ventilation is vital).
- If you use tunnels, raise them off the ground during bad weather to reduce the risk of flooding.
- Make sure the enclosure has a slanted roof and add some guttering to allow drainage to a safe place away from the hutch.
Lastly – buy the best you can afford as quality items really do make a difference. Don't be fooled by price or marketing blurb, check out owner reviews that are NOT on the manufacturers website (try rabbit forums instead) to ensure you get an all round, non biased view of the product.
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LagoLearn – Rabbit Specific Training for Veterinary Professionals
I have previously written about the fact that good, rabbit savvy vets can be very hard to find (see here) So now I'm going to focus on a new company that has been formed to bridge the knowledge gap.
LagoLearn Ltd is unique because it is currently the only company that focuses on rabbit only training. They provide a range of teaching events that are suitable for all student and qualified veterinary professionals including animal support staff (ANA's and VCA's) who often get overlooked and are not allowed to attend some training because they are not a vet or a nurse. LagoLearn know how important it is for all practice staff to be aware of rabbits welfare and care needs so are happy to welcome them to their training days.
All of the teaching is carried out by experts in their field. Dr Ivan Crotaz BVetMed is one of the company directors and teachers. He has a special interest in anaesthesia, airway management and surgery and is an accomplished teacher having provided lectures throughout the UK, Europe and the USA. A selection of well known rabbit specialist vets and nurses will also be lecturing at some of the events along with other expert individuals.
The day course format consists of main lectures and small group teaching where delegates are split into vet and nurse groups to work through case studies, problem solving and practical skills that are most relevant to their job. Topics covered will include anaesthesia, surgery, dentistry, husbandry, nurse clinics and making your practice more rabbit friendly and much more!
These events will be running throughout the UK and also Internationally too. The next event is on the 13th Oct 2016 at the beautiful Easthampstead Park. It is one of the 'Rabbit Roundup' events that provide a useful overview of the most common issued faced by general practice vets and how to treat them. This day also has a special lecture that highlights the current RVHD2 crisis. See here for more information about this course.
LagoLearn are sponsored by Supreme Petfoods and are proud to be working with them as they both share a passion for improving rabbit welfare. They are the only company to currently provide a range of ethically sourced extruded and monoforage rabbit feeds that have the highest percentage of crude fibre available (Science Selective Adult contains 25%, Fibafirst contains <30% and the VetCare Plus products range from 28% to 34%) and no added sugar.
So make sure to mention LagoLearn to your vets and get them to sign up to their mailing list by emailing [email protected] as well as following them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and even YouTube! Feel free to also send them photos of your happy healthy bunnies and use the hashtags #lagolearn and #rabbitcpd
RVHD1 & RVHD2 – An Overview
Updated Dec 2016.
RVHD1 and RVHD2
This article will provide a concise overview of Rabbit Hemorrhagic Viral Disease, its characteristics, locations, testing methods and some of the preventative steps that can be taken.
Rabbit Viral Haemorrhagic Disease 1 is a type of Calicivirus, has been in Europe for many decades or even centuries and affects both wild and domestic rabbits. There are a few different pathogenic strains of the virus but until recently, RVHD1 was thought to be the only type in the UK.
RVHD2 differs in a few key ways as it is unaffected by age and has a longer illness phase with different clinical symptoms. It is also thought to have a lower mortality rate. Little research has been done on RVHD2 and it is highly likely that cases are under reported.
Disease Spread
Both viruses are potentially very easily spread and can live in the environment for a long time (RVHD2 up to 200 days in laboratory conditions) Insects, wildlife and scavengers can spread it as well as direct contact with an infected rabbit. Fomites such as bedding, wild plants, shoes and clothing can also carry the virus to new areas. It is currently unknown if biting insects can spread RVHD2.
Due to it being so easily transported, the spread of RVHD can be very quick and strict biosecurity is recommended as well as vaccination.
The current UK vaccine, Nobivac Myxo-RHD offers protection against RVHD1 but is unlikely to offer any for RVHD2 as this virus is antigenically and genetically different from RVHD1. It is recommended that a second vaccination be given to cover RVHD2 and there are a few options:
- Eravac has been licensed in the UK for use in 'fattening' rabbits. This is an oil based drug with no research showing the possible long term effects and there is currently no recommended vaccination schedule.
- Cunivak RHD is currently out of stock and Cunipravac can be ordered via a special import certificate however it is only available in large multi dose bottles.
- Filavac RHD K C+V is available to order from most UK wholesalers and is administered annually or 6 monthly (if considered to be a high risk patient or area). It is vital that the rabbits are still vaccinated with the Nobivac Myxo-RHD as the Filavac vaccine does not give any protection against myxomatosis, however standard immunology advice is to leave at least a 2 week gap between the different vaccinations.
It is important to research all options and discuss with your vet / client. The safety and efficacy of using any other vaccine alongside the Nobivac Myxo RHD has not been studied.
It is not recommended to carry out en-mass vaccination clinics as this could potentially increase the risk of disease spread due to the way RVHD is transmitted.
Testing and Reporting
Its important to consider RVHD2 as a differential diagnosis when dealing with a sick rabbit that doesnt seem to respond to treatment and no obvious reason for the illness is found. PCR testing is now available for live rabbits via the Batt Laboratories in Coventry. For sudden deaths, post mortem liver samples can also be sent here or to the Moredun Research Institute.
Wherever possible, please send samples to either laboratory via the methods outlined on their websites. Please also consider reporting all suspicious deaths to the Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund as their Veterinary Advisor is monitoring the spread of this disease.
Good husbandry is paramount and sick rabbits should be barrier nursed. Enhanced cleaning, disinfection and quarantine protocols can be implemented in practice and with owners. Anigene HLD4V is a veterinary grade product that is believed to be effective against RVHD when used at a concentration of 1:50 for soiled conditions.
It is vital to be aware of the risks associated with attending events such as rabbit shows, petting zoos and even rescues. Environmental insect controls should also be in place as it is still unknown if RVHD2 can be spread via insects. Care should also be taken when considering feeding handpicked wild plants.
Keeping Up To Date
You can also visit the Rabbit Welfare Association's website as they will always have the most up to date and factually correct info.
Lastly, Rabbit Specialist Vet Francis Harcourt Brown (retired) has information about the disease on her website.
Be wary of other reports and anecdotal stories doing the rounds as they may not be factually accurate. Also, please contact your own vet asap so they are fully aware of the new RVHD2 strain and that they are stocking and advertising the new vaccine to help fight this. We need owners to insist all their vets order in the vaccine to get as many rabbits as possible protected against this fatal disease.
Please know how to keep your rabbits safe and spread the word!
Keeping Outdoor Pets Safe
Sadly our gardens may not be as safe as we think they are. Many owners of small pets will be aware of potential problems from predators such as foxes, cats and dogs but are unaware of the threat from other humans.
There has been a sharp rise in incidents over the past few years where rabbits (and other small furries) have been stolen from gardens. The reasons behind this are varied and vile. Many are stolen to use as bait for dog fights, or for their fur coats. Sometimes children have been deliberately taking pets to 'play' with and others have been stolen out of malice.
So I urge ALL pet owners to ensure their gardens are as safe as possible, not only from the threat of natural predators, but from humans too. There are a range of things you can do:
- Secure Enclosures.
It may sound obvious, but if you have a small furry then make sure it is always INSIDE a secure environment that is fully enclosed. Its vital they have room to exercise so make sure it meets the RWAF minimum size guidelines (for rabbits). If you let your rabbits free range then please ONLY do so whilst you are also in the garden to supervise them.
- Padlocks.
Make sure that both the pets enclosures AND the garden gates are secured using heavy duty padlocks. Also make sure you have a spare set of these keys in a safe but easily accessible place in the house in case of emergency.
- Garden Fencing.
Its important that your fencing is secure and at least 6ft tall. You can add trellis on to the top of fencing to make it even higher. Then, grow thorny plants like roses or blackberries up the fence to make it more uncomfortable for people to climb over. You can also use prikka strips, which are hard rubber spikes that attach to the tops of fences. This is mainly to stop cats entering your garden but it can also help deter humans.
Although it will not physically stop anyone from entering your garden, it can be a good visual deterrent. Also, it can be useful in capturing evidence if someone does manage to get in. You can also use posters / stickers on the outside of the fence to show that CCTV is in operation.
- Lighting.
Movement activated flood lights can be a good deterrent. have them pointed at the garden gate / back door rather than directly at the rabbits enclosure otherwise the bunnies will keep setting the light off!
- Neighborhood Watch Schemes.
Anyone can sign up to start a scheme and these can be very beneficial to the whole street. Posters and stickers can be obtained that clearly show that the houses are part of a scheme. This can act as a good deterrent for people looking for mischief.
- Rubbish Bins.
Don't store your bins outside your garden fence as this makes it easier for someone to climb over the fence!
So make sure you are doing everything you can to keep your pets safe. Never leave them in the garden free range if they are unsupervised and take as many steps as possible to keep your garden and all its contents secure.
Disclaimer: http://wp.me/P4zx44-3m

subset: commoncrawl


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The Widex Wired RIC S is part of the Widex Easywear range and should fit Widex receiver in the canal hearing aids.
What is it?
The length of the receiver wire is usually printed as a tiny number near the top of the receiver where it attaches to the hearing aid. Blue printing for the left ear, red for the right ear. To check that you need to order an 'S' type receiver, a small red or blue 'S' will be printed onto the white casing of the receiver component itself (you may have to remove the dome to see it).
If you see a 'M' printed onto the receiver, please click here for the 'M' receivers. If you see a 'P', click here.
If you are unsure as to which size you need, please contact us and we will do our best to help you.
Widex manufacturers a number of different styles of sizes of domes for their receiver tubes. Please note that the domes are NOT included with the receiver tube and must be ordered separately. The range of compatible domes can be viewed in the 'related items' section on this webpage.
Whilst it is a fairly straight-forward process to change the S receiver tube, please ensure you are able to remove and replace your receiver tubing yourself before purchase. Hearing Direct cannot be held responsible for any damage to hearing aids during the replacement process.
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Home ›
Figma Guyver III Action Figure Unboxing - Pete's Basement Extras!
Submitted by Pete on Sun, 12/24/2017 - 08:56
Vampire Hunter D Interview with Stranger Comics' Josh Cozine - Pete's Basement @ NYCC 2016!
Pete's in the Stranger Comics booth talking with Josh Cozine about one of his favorite anime and manga characters, Vampire Hunter D!
After an enormously successful Kickstarter campaign, D is poised to star in his very first western comic book adventure, A Message From Mars!
Submitted by Pete on Fri, 11/11/2016 - 16:26


text:
Commission Privacy Policy.docx
1......... Introduction
2......... Collection And Storage Of Your Personal Information
2.1...... Personal Information that we collect and store
2.2...... Why your Personal Information is collected
2.3...... How your Personal Information is collected
2.4...... Indirect collection
2.5...... Collecting through our websites
2.6...... Collecting sensitive information
2.7...... Third Party Providers
2.8...... Social Networking Services
2.9...... Email lists
2.10... Terms and conditions of competitions that we run
3......... Use And Disclosure Of Your Personal Information
3.1...... How we use your Personal Information
3.2...... Who we may disclose your Personal Information to
(a) Disclosure to service providers
3.3...... Disclosure of Sensitive Information
3.4...... Disclosure of personal information overseas
4......... Quality And Security Of Data
4.1...... Quality of personal information
4.2...... Storage and security of personal information
5......... Access To Your Personal Information
5.1...... Accessing and correcting your personal information
6......... Your Anonymity
7......... How We Deal With Complaints about Privacy issues
8......... Our Contact Details
1. Introduction
- This Privacy Policy applies to the collection and use of personal information by or on behalf of the Australian Human Rights Commission (ACN 47 996 232 602).
- From time to time we collect, hold, use and disclose information acquired in the course of performing functions or activities under the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (AHRC Act), Australian Human Rights Commission Regulations 1989, Age Discrimination Act 2004, the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 , the Racial Discrimination Act 1975, the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 and the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act)(activities). These functions and activities include:
- inquiring into, and attempting to conciliate, complaints of unlawful discrimination and breaches of human rights;
- inquiring into any act or practice that may be inconsistent with or contrary to any human right;
- promoting an understanding and acceptance, and the public discussion, of human rights in Australia;
- undertaking research and educational programs and other programs, on behalf of the Commonwealth, for the purpose of promoting human rights, and to co-ordinate any such programs undertaken by any other persons or authorities on behalf of the Commonwealth;
- reporting to the Minister as to the laws that should be made by the Parliament, or action that should be taken by the Commonwealth, on matters relating to human rights;
- preparing guidelines on human rights and discrimination;
- intervening in court proceedings that involve discrimination and human rights issues;
- processing applications for temporary exemptions under the Discrimination Acts above;
- conducting competitions, promotions, or activities (competition/s) that are open to the public; and
- conducting questionnaires and surveys (survey/s).
- Protecting your personal information is important to us and we are committed to meeting the standards set out in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (the Act), and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). This Privacy Policy sets out our obligations to you with respect to personal information that we collect, store, and use.
- This Privacy Policy explains how we will use and manage personal information that we hold about you. The Commission will review and update this Privacy Policy from time to time to ensure that it remains appropriate and complies with all relevant laws and regulations. We reserve the right to notify you of such updates by posting an amended version of the Privacy Policy on our website. For the avoidance of doubt, any information that we collect and hold will be governed by the most current version of this Privacy Policy. The only exception to this will be where we conduct a competition or other activity that has its own privacy policy. In such instances, notice of that policy will be provided to you at the time your personal information is sought and that policy will override this Privacy Policy to the extent of any inconsistency.
2. Collection And Storage Of Your Personal Information
- At all times we try to only collect the information we need for the particular function or activity we are carrying out.
2.1 Personal Information that we collect and store
- We may collect and store personal information that you give to us. Examples of such personal information include (but are not limited to): your name; address; email; phone number; age; gender; interests; or other information relevant to the functions of the Commission under the AHRC Act and other activities that we conduct.
- The Commission will usually only collect your personal information when you give it to us. Your personal information is generally collected directly from you.
2.2 Why your Personal Information is collected
- We generally collect and use your personal information so that we can perform the functions delegated to us under legislation. In addition, we may contact you in the event that you have subscribed to one of our publications or, are nominated by us, or an entity with which we jointly run a competition, (competition partner) as the winner in a competition that you have entered. We may also collect personal information so that we can provide you with information about an event, other competition, activity, or publication we organise, sponsor or are otherwise affiliated with that may be of interest to you.
- Occasionally we may collect your personal information when you participate in surveys run by us or run in conjunction with any entity that we may partner with (survey partner). Where you participate in surveys we will always inform you of your rights and our obligations in respect of any personal information that you provide in response to survey questions. Where we arrange for surveys to be conducted on our behalf by a survey partner, we will require our survey partner to comply with the privacy requirements in this Privacy Policy in respect of any personal information that you provide to them.
2.3 How your Personal Information is collected
- Your personal information is collected directly from you when you interact with us, for example when you:
- provide us with your details as part of a discrimination complaint that we conciliate;
- subscribe to one of our publications (online or otherwise);
- engage us to provide you with products or services relating to our activities;
- assist us to manage a product or service provided to you (eg attending to a request or enquiry that you may make in relation to a product or service that we provide you with or when you request that changes are made to that product or service);
- apply to us for a temporary exemption to anti-discrimination legislation which affects your organisation or business;
- submit an entry into a competition run by us or run in conjunction with a competition partner;
- participate in surveys run by us or run in conjunction with a survey partner;
- disclose your personal information an email to us or post an entry that contains your personal information on any of our websites (including social media sites and platforms);
- contact us; or
- attend an event or activity we organise, sponsor or are otherwise affiliated with.
2.4 Indirect collection
- The Commission will only collect your personal information from third parties in limited circumstances. In the course of handling and resolving a complaint, review or an investigation, we may collect personal information (including sensitive information) about you indirectly from publicly available sources or from third parties such as:
- your authorised representative, if you have one; or
- applicants, complainants, respondents to a complaint or application or the third parties' employees and witnesses.
- We also collect personal information from publicly available sources to enable us to contact stakeholders who may be interested in our work or in participating in our consultations.
- We may also collect your personal information from a third party where one of our partners or service providers notifies us that you have entered a competition or participated in a survey conducted by them. If we do collect personal information in this manner, we will ensure that you have been notified of: who we are; why your personal information has been collected; our obligations under any applicable Australian privacy laws; and how to access this Privacy Policy. When we deal with third parties, we will ask the third party to tell you that they have provided us with your personal information and direct you to this Privacy Policy.
2.5 Collecting through our websites
- The Commission has its own public website www.humanrights.gov.au which has a number of sub sites. We also have a separate web blog where we allow comments. Where our websites allow you to make comments or give feedback we collect your email address and sometimes other contact details. We may use your email address to respond to your feedback. We store this personal information on servers located in Australia.
- We use a range of tools provided by third parties, including Google, Bing and our web hosting company, to collect or view website traffic information. These sites have their own privacy policies. We also use cookies and session tools to improve your experience when accessing our websites. The information collected by these tools may include the IP address of the device you are using and information about sites that IP address has come from, the pages accessed on our site and the next site visited. We use the information to maintain, secure and improve our websites and to enhance your experience when using them.
- We sometimes collect anonymous information using cookies on our website. Cookies are pieces of information that a website transfers to your computer's hard disk. Cookies in and of themselves do not identify users personally but they do allow the tracking of an individual's use of a website. The use of cookies to tack traffic patterns through websites is now commonplace. Most web-browsers are set to accept cookies however; you can configure your web browser to reject cookies. If you reject cookies, you may not be able to use all of our online services.
2.6 Collecting sensitive information
- Sometimes we may need to collect sensitive information about you, for example, to handle a complaint or as part of a survey (this will only be done where sensitive information is reasonably necessary for or directly related to one or more of our functions or activities). This might include information about your health, racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, association memberships, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, criminal history, genetic or biometric information.
- You will not be asked to provide sensitive information unless:
- the information is reasonably necessary for, or directly related to, one or more of our functions or activities; and
- you have consented to providing us with sensitive information (your consent will be deemed when you voluntarily submit sensitive information to us); or
- collection of sensitive information is authorised or required by law.
- We will comply with all requirements under Australian privacy laws in respect of the collection, storage, and use of sensitive information.
2.7 Third Party Providers
- We use third party providers for some web-based services, with information stored in the United States and Europe. These include MailChimp for email subscriptions, SurveyMonkey for online surveys and Event Brite for registration at events. Please follow the hyperlinks for details on their privacy policies.
2.8 Social Networking Services
- We use social networking services such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to communicate with the public about our work. When you communicate with us using these services we may collect your personal information, but we only use it to help us to communicate with you and the public. The social networking service will also handle your personal information for its own purposes. These sites have their own privacy policies.
2.9 Email lists
- We collect your email and, if you provide it, other contact details when you subscribe to our email lists. We only use this information for the purpose of sending you regular updates on the activities of the Commission, and to administer the email lists.
2.10 Terms and conditions of competitions that we run
- From time to time, we also run competitions, promotions, or activities (competition/s) that are open to the public and conduct questionnaires or surveys (survey/s). If you contact us, subscribe to our publications, participate in our competitions and surveys, or elect to participate in any activities that we conduct you may choose to disclose personal information to us that we may collect and record.
- These activities may have their own privacy policy. In such instances, notice of that policy will be provided to you at the time your personal information is sought and that policy will override this Privacy Policy to the extent of any inconsistency. In all other instances, the terms of this Privacy Policy prevail and by interacting with us, you agree to be bound by these terms.
- You will be deemed to have given your consent by calling or emailing us, accessing our websites, registering on any of our websites, interacting with us and providing your personal information directly to us (eg by participating in a competition or survey run by us or in conjunction with any entity that we may partner with).
3. Use And Disclosure Of Your Personal Information
3.1 How we use your Personal Information
- When you submit your personal information to us you consent to the Commission using your personal information to (among other things):
- administer our relationship with you in accordance with the activities that we participate in;
- facilitate the running of our competitions and surveys;
- monitor activity on our website;
- inform you about an event, other competition, activity, or publication we organise, sponsor or are otherwise affiliated with that may be of interest to you;
- assist us in implementing internal administrative purposes (eg carrying out, monitoring and analysing procedural assessments, risk management, staff training, and internal reviews);
- improve our website and our other publications;
- enforce our legal rights, including claim recovery activities and legal proceedings;
- where possible, protect the rights, property, or personal safety of another person;
- notify relevant authorities where there is a serious threat to an individual's life or to public health or safety;
- notify relevant authorities where there is reason to suspect unlawful activity has been engaged in;
- notify relevant authorities where required or authorised by law; or
- notify relevant authorities where required by an enforcement body.
- We will generally only use or disclose your personal information when it relates to the primary purpose for which it was collected. If you do not wish to receive other communications from us, please contact us on the details below so that we can update your preferences.
- If you provide us with your personal information via your mobile telephone number, email address, text message or instant message address or other methods of communication, you authorise us to send you information using that same method of communication.
3.2 Who we may disclose your Personal Information to
- We may disclose your personal information to persons within the Commission (in accordance with this Privacy Policy and the APPs). We may also provide your personal information to:
- any third parties we engage to provide certain functions on our behalf (such functions include: storing and managing databases; compiling raw data for analysis and research purposes; and providing professional services to us such as accounting or legal services); and
- any third parties that you authorise us to give your personal information to.
- We will never permit third parties to use, sell, or transfer your personal information for commercial purposes in any way.
- Occasionally, the Commission may disclose your personal information to unrelated third parties (for example, our legal or professional advisers and other government authorities or agencies). This will only occur where such disclosure is reasonably required to: obtain advice; prepare legal proceedings; investigate suspected improper conduct or wrongdoing; assist a lawful authority in the discharge of its duties; and by law.
- Where we hold competitions or surveys in conjunction with competition partners or survey partners, you may be contacted by those partners. We will not provide your personal information to such partners unless you have given your consent for your personal information to be provided to them.
- We impose strict requirements of security and confidentiality on all third parties that we deal with to ensure your personal information is handled appropriately. However, we cannot be held responsible for any misuse or unauthorised disclosure of your personal information by such third parties.
(a)Disclosure to service providers
- The Commission uses a number of service providers to whom we disclose personal information. These include providers that host our website servers, manage our IT and manage our human resources information. To protect the personal information we disclose we:
- enter into a contract or MOU which requires the service provider to only use or disclose the information for the purposes of the contract or MOU; and
- include special privacy requirements in the contract or MOU, where necessary.
3.3 Disclosure of Sensitive Information
- We only disclose your sensitive information for the purposes:
- for which you gave it to us;
- for directly related purposes you would reasonably expect:
- or if you agree to such disclosure.
3.4 Disclosure of personal information overseas
- Generally we only disclose personal information overseas so that we can properly handle complaints that we conciliate or consider under the AHRC Act. For example, if:
- the respondent to a complaint is based overseas;
- an Australian-based respondent is a related body corporate to an overseas company; or
- you have complained to an overseas entity and the Commission about the same or a related matter.
- Web traffic information is disclosed to Google Analytics when you visit our websites. Google stores information across multiple countries. For further information see Google Data Centres and Google Locations.
- When you communicate with us through a social network service such as Facebook or Twitter, the social network provider and its partners may collect and hold your personal information overseas.
4. Quality And Security Of Data
4.1 Quality of personal information
- To ensure that the personal information we collect is accurate, up-to-date and complete we:
- record information in a consistent format;
- where necessary, confirm the accuracy of information we collect from a third party or a public source;
- promptly add updated or new personal information to existing records; and
- regularly audit our contact lists to check their accuracy.
- We also review the quality of personal information before we use or disclose it.
4.2 Storage and security of personal information
- The Commission is committed to keeping secure data that you provide to us and we will take all reasonable precautions to protect your personal information from loss, misuse, or alteration. Personal information held by us is protected by a number of physical and electronic safeguards including restricted access to storage areas and computer databases. We will take all reasonable steps to keep your personal information secure and confidential once it is no longer in use. We do this by:
- regularly assessing the risk of misuse, interference, loss, and unauthorised access, modification or disclosure that information; and
- conducting regular internal and external audits to assess whether we have adequately complied with or implemented these measures.
- For further information on the way we manage security risks in relation to personal information we hold see our supplementary material on information technology security practices, below.
- We will also take reasonable steps to de-identify your personal information before it is passed on to third parties (eg in situations where you have agreed the use of your personal information to compile raw data for research purposes).
5. Access To Your Personal Information
5.1 Accessing and correcting your personal information
- Under the Privacy Act (Australian Privacy Principles 12 and 13) you have the right to ask for access to personal information that we hold about you, and ask that we correct that personal information. You can ask for access or correction by contacting us and we must respond within 30 days. If you ask, we must give you access to your personal information, and take reasonable steps to correct it if we consider it is incorrect, unless there is a law that allows or requires us not to.
- We will ask you to verify your identity before we give you access to your information or correct it, and we will try to make the process as simple as possible. If we refuse to give you access to, or correct, your personal information, we must notify you in writing setting out the reasons.
- If we make a correction and we have disclosed the incorrect information to others, you can ask us to tell them about the correction. We must do so unless there is a valid reason not to.
- If we refuse to correct your personal information, you can ask us to associate with it (for example, attach or link) a statement that you believe the information is incorrect and why.
- You also have the right under the FOI Act to request access to documents that we hold and ask for information that we hold about you to be changed or annotated if it is incomplete, incorrect, out-of-date or misleading.
6. Your Anonymity
- Where possible, we will allow you to interact with us anonymously or using a pseudonym. For example, if you contact our Enquiries line with a general question we will not ask for your name unless we need it to adequately handle your question. However, for most of our functions and activities we usually need your name and contact information and enough information about the particular matter to enable us to fairly and efficiently handle your inquiry, request, complaint or application.
7. How We Deal With Complaints about Privacy issues
- If you wish to complain to us about how we have handled your personal information you should complain in writing. If you need help lodging a complaint, you can contact us.
- If we receive a complaint from you about how we have handled your personal information we will determine what (if any) action we should take to resolve the complaint.
- If we decide that a complaint should be investigated further, the complaint will usually be handled by a more senior officer than the officer whose actions you are complaining about.
- We will assess and handle complaints about the conduct of an Commission officer using the APS Values and Code of Conduct and the guidelines issued by the Australian Public Service Commission.
- We will tell you promptly that we have received your complaint and then respond to the complaint within 30 days.
- If you are not satisfied with our response you may ask for a review by a more senior officer within the Commission (if that has not already happened) or you can complain to the Commonwealth Ombudsman.
8. Our Contact Details
- You can contact us by: Email: firstname.lastname@example.com Telephone: (02) 9284 9600
Complaints Infoline: 1300 656 419
General enquiries and publications: 1300 369 711
Fax: (02) 9284 9611
Post: GPO Box 5218 Sydney NSW 2001.


text:
Press Releases
HootSuite Labs Launches to Accelerate Digital Innovation
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – March 6, 2014 - To drive innovation in the social space,HootSuite, the world's most widely used social relationship platform, announces the launch of HootSuite Labs, a team focused on developing the next generation of social technologies. With origins as a 'startup within a startup,' Labs explores emerging digital technologies and engages with HootSuite's early adopters and select customers to shape the future of social media and digital marketing. As part of Connect via HootSuite in San Francisco, HootSuite Labs hosted an Innovator's Breakfast where enterprise clients were invited to help shape the product roadmap and provide feedback on the latest developments.
"HootSuite has established itself as the leading social relationship platform because of its ability to innovate," says Matt Switzer, HootSuite's vice president of partnerships and corporate development. "HootSuite Labs aims to extend our customers an unfair business advantage through accelerated innovation and customer-centric development."
Key areas of focus for HootSuite Labs include:
- Developing disruptive products that provide customers with the tools and edge to win against the competition;
- Experimenting with emerging technologies for future innovation;
- Promoting lean innovation through events such as hackathons, design sprints and workshops.
The Hootlet is first in a series of new products to be developed by HootSuite Labs. The free Chrome Extension allows users to easily share and schedule content to multiple social networks from anywhere on the web. A key Hootlet feature is a Google Maps integration that shows localized Tweets from any place in the world.
"We're bringing together world-class designers, developers and product people to make the future of social media a reality," says Michael Tippett, HootSuite's director of new products. "We're lean, agile, disruptive and world-changing. It's going to be a lot of fun."
HootSuite Labs is hiring innovators to join its growing team of designers, developers and product leaders. To join the Lab or to view other opportunities at HootSuite, visit http://www.hootsuite.com/careers.
More information:
- Media Kit: http://media.hootsuite.com/media-kit
- HootSuite Careers: http://www.hootsuite.com/careers


text:
Interview of Majod Tavakoli's mother with VOA:
"Please, do ANYTHING in your power" , anywhere you are, " To save my Majid, he is on Dry Hungerstrike ..I don't Know what may happne" .." I am ill and can't travel and move to go and see him..Please help him"...
"Please, do ANYTHING in your power" , anywhere you are, " To save my Majid, he is on Dry Hungerstrike ..I don't Know what may happne" .." I am ill and can't travel and move to go and see him..Please help him"...
Letter from Majid Tavakoli About the Executed (11 May)
They announced that Ali was being sent to ward 209. The phones in
the halls were disconnected. I tried to call from the phone in my hall, but that
too was disconnected.
When we went upstairs, Farzad said that they had
announced that he too will be moved to ward 209, but it turned out to be a lie,
as they ended up moving him to ward 240.
The announcement on Saturday
afternoon had worried all of us. They usually announce the executions for
political prisoners on Saturdays. An intense sadness took over my body, but
Farzad kept saying that nothing was going to happen. He said they were only
going to ask him a few questions. He knew what was awaiting him, but as always,
he had a positive attitude and tried to make the best of the situation.
It was hard to believe. Until moments before, we were in the library
together. Ali had stopped playing volleyball. He had washed his face and was
getting ready. It was very difficult and painful. It was around this time every
day, after Ali had worked out, that he would come over so we could study physics
together. He intended to take the last two exams left so he could receive his
diploma in June.
He had such high spirits that no one could ever believe
that he was on death row. If you had a hard time believing Ali's predicament,
then it was impossible to fathom Farzad's. He too was preparing for the
university exams. The story of his engagement and wedding were also so
heartfelt. It broke my heart when I thought about the courage of the young girl
who was so taken by Farzad's attitude and spirit that she married a person on
death row.
It wasn't the first time that I was witnessing my friends in
this state. It was the summer of 2008 and I had met with friends in Evin
prison's ward 209. The first person I saw after my days in solitary confinement
was Farhad. He was sharing the drawings of his young child. His incredible
determination was a great inspiration to all of us. After a while, I also met
Ali and Farzad. Ali always exuded calmness and Farzad was a solid pillar amongst
us. He represented an entire nation alone and he stood proud and tall. He was
always happy. he laughed and was hopeful, despite the hardships, the
humiliation, the physically-grueling interrogations, and the unjust sentences by
the Revolutionary Court. I was once again witnessing him in that similar
It was during the Sanandaj arrests that Farzad was
transferred to Evin prison for the second time. He was wearing a neck brace, his
shoulder was dislocated, and his teeth were broken, but his determination was
stronger than ever.
When they transferred Ali and Farzad from Rajai
Shahr prison to Evin's ward 240 for execution, their presence in section 7 was
excuse enough for those of us who were in section 8 to try and visit them
As they sat in solitary confinement waiting for the arrival
of 4:00am, I was weak and on hunger strike. I was fully aware of why they had
been transferred and I was unable to do a thing. Farzad kept encouraging me. He
would say that everything is going to be okay and Ali continued to be calm,
despite all the hardships.
During all the days when I was free, the
uplifting meetings with Farzad and listening to his warm voice were a source of
strength for my mother. It made me realize that a human being can achieve
anything, even in the worst circumstances. But they killed my older brother, a
Kurdish brother whom I loved with all my heart. He was my brother and my
teacher- a teacher who represented resistance. He was someone who represented
all of Iran's children. I learned from him the ABC's of resistance against the
worst form of torture, deceit, and false accusations against people. I learned
the role that faith plays in a person's life when they face such hardships. I
came to the realization that continuous visits to interrogation rooms and the
narrow halls of solitary confinement may defeat your body, but they will never
make you surrender or take away your soul, your thoughts, and your opinions. He
was my teacher. He was a teacher who taught me to always smile and said that
regardless of our differences, we can treat everyone humanely with the respect
they deserve.
Now he is gone. He was unwilling to say goodbye and kept
repeating, "I will see you tomorrow." He didn't let me embrace him and kept
repeating, "I will see you tomorrow." I know that he took those courageous steps
together with his friends as he approached his final destination. He promised
repeatedly to never allow the hatred of tyranny to break his spirits and remove
the stool from underneath his feet. He promised to remove the stool from
underneath his feet by himself. He never allowed the long reaching arms of
tyranny to take his life. I am certain that he kept his promise. I am certain
that he also smiled in the face of death – a heroic smile that has left us, but
will remain eternal.
He and his innocent friends are gone, but their
memories will live on forever. He left knowing that he was a good person and
became an eternal teacher- a teacher who now represents resistance in the
history books. He is a pillar of hope. He is an ever-lasting encouragement and
beacon of light for all those who seek freedom. He is no longer with us, but we
can still remember his memory. We will remember the time when the Ministry of
Information was forced to kneel in front of the spirit of an entire generation;
a Ministry of Information that will finally be forced to confess to its crimes
so that when there are arrests after Farzad's, the summer of 2008 is never
repeated in Evin's ward 209.
They had removed the airway passages and
taken away our mail box. They believed that they could silence our spirits, but
Farzad kept smiling in protest, demonstrating that we will stand strong and tall
They took the hostages in order to demonstrate that they are
tired of our resolve. But our friends showed that the power of tyranny is
nothing in comparison to the strength and resolve of the brave children of
Kurdistan. Farzad always stated that his interrogator said, "You are laughing in
our faces when you continue to study and plan to marry."
Farzad, Ali,
and Farhad's fighting spirit was incredible. I sit today in the memory of a few
friends who were more than just a few. Farzad was a nation to himself, Ali was a
great friend to all, and Farhad was a mountain of strength. Farzad was such an
inspiration that when we were feeling depressed and down, even though he was
ordered to stay away from other political prisoners, knowing that he was present
brought hope to all those in section 7. I would use any excuse to go to the
library, even for a few hours, just to be next to Farzad.
Even though
Farzad left us hopeful for the future, he was nevertheless disappointed about a
few things. He regretted the fact that a group of people want to confiscate
everything and arrest everyone. He was writing a letter entitled, "I am an
Iranian. I am an Iranian from Kurdistan." His goal was to express the fact that
even though being a Kurd meant being subjected to oppression and deprivation,
the plight of the Kurdish people with regards to their ethnicity was an
important one. He tried very hard to bring attention to the challenges in
Kurdistan and the issues associated with ethnicity and minority rights. He was
worried and sad until the last moments, that because of differences in opinion,
attention would not be paid to the ethnic and human rights of the Kurdish
He was an offspring of the people of Kurdistan and worried about
their fate. When he left us, he would have wanted someone to assure him that his
ideals and lessons will bear fruit one day. He wanted everyone to know that if
the violence, deprivation, and oppression in Kurdistan does not end, many more
innocent people will become hostages and be arrested under false accusations,
just like he was.
Oh, how evil is tyranny when it is fearful that it
will no longer be able to commit crimes- The crimes that lead Farzad to teach us
to resist? They feared his smile and perseverance and that is why they
disconnected the phones.
It was this fear that led them to cancel any
gatherings and distribute sweets and dates. It was this fear that led them to
insist that we not talk of him, even though nothing they said stopped us from
keeping his memory alive and strong. It was this fear that led them to resort to
martial law. It was this fear that led them to shout that they had executed
terrorists, when everyone was fully aware that those executed were not
terrorists. They are fully aware that there were no bombs involved. They know
how they lied to incriminate Farzad. They also know why they sentenced him. Even
though they killed him, they were unable to destroy his spirit. Because his
death allowed us to realize that tyranny can never take away the children of our
nation without paying a price.
Today I went to the library once again.
Farzad and Ali were not there. Farzad was not there to tell me about past
memories and our friends. He was not there to bring back hope, to sit with me
and discuss ways to end this suffering and tyranny. He was no longer there so we
could talk about the possibility of a bright future and sing a song of freedom.
Ali was not there to bring calm and serenity to the library as we sat
leafing through the books. Even though they were not there, the memories of
Farzad, Ali, and Farhad remained strong. I promised Farzad I would not cry as it
would only glorify oppression and tyranny. But I want my brother Farzad to know,
that like all the other children of this nation, I have made a vow to never
forget him and continue his cause for freedom.
Majid Tavakoli
May 11,2009


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Detroit reliever Phil Coke put up pedestrian pitching numbers this year; a 4.00 ERA and 1.65 WHIP while averaging less than a strikeout an inning won't get the ladies into much of a sweat—especially in the AL Central, where the only decent hitting could be found on Coke's own team.
Yet in the postseason, it seems the Tigers have decided to Catch The Wave; this is a New Coke, one that in the three games of the ALCS has pitched 3.2 innings, striking out four, walking none, and not allowing any earned runs. A hold and two saves become part of his postseason tally, but the real question is why New York is struggling with the Cokeman?


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As it turns out, "The Thrashing Machine" might have just needed a little oil change.
Eight months after Tim Hague (12-5) was released from the UFC for a second time, the Canadian heavyweight says he's undergone a total overhaul and is looking to make his way back into the octagon.
Personal problems have been dealt with and training reinvigorated. Hague embarks on a journey at Friday night's Aggression MMA VIII event that he says should take five fights and less than a year to earn his spot back in the world's biggest MMA promotion.
"My last fight was in January, so I've had eight months off," Hague told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). "I've gone through kind of a drastic life change. My wife and I split up, and I just kind of feel rejuvenated in my MMA career.
"I'm ready to go and put some wins together, keep my nose to the grindstone and hopefully the UFC will take notice once again and see that I mean business, and I want to come back."
Hague, of course, has been down this road before. He made a successful UFC debut in May 2009, submitting Pat Barry at UFC 98. But consecutive losses to Todd Duffee, Chris Tuchscherer and Joey Beltran meant Hague was back on the regional scene. Hague was up to the challenge, and first-round knockout wins over Travis Wiuff and Zak Jensen earned him another call-up. A TKO loss to Matt Mitrione earned him another pink slip.
But since that time, Hague has revamped his support system and believes he's now ready to perform at peak level.
"I'm not going to throw anybody under the bus, but my personal life wasn't where it should have been for the last few years," Hague said. "My head might have been somewhere else. But I'm free and clear of all that now, and I just feel rejuvenated.
"I'm excited about going to the gym again. I'm more excited than ever about this fight, and I'm sure it's going to show on Friday night."
Hague credits recent UFC signee Mitch Clarke and former Muay Thai world champion Shane Campbell for his newfound focus and improving skills. But as he begins a quest for a rare third opportunity in the UFC, he knows two knockouts won't be enough this time around.
"After I was cut the last time there, I came back and put together two solid knockout victories in the first round, and they brought me back," Hague said. "But it's not going to be an easy task to get back there. I'd say I'm probably going to have to string together five impressive victories – maybe get my record to 17-5 or something like that. How could they not have me back if that's the case, right?"
Hague meets 11-year veteran Tim Lucero (20-21-1) in his first effort at a UFC return. Lucero's career mark hovers just under .500, but he's tangled with the likes of Devin Cole, Justin Eilers, Travis Fulton, Brad Imes, Roy Nelson, Soa Palelei, Ron Sparks, Tim Sylvia and Christian Wellisch, among others. Hague respects his opponent's abilities but believes he's more than prepared to control the action.
"He's had a lot of big fights," Hague said. "I've seen a bit of video on him, and I kind of have an idea of what he's going to do. He likes to try and rush guys, put them against the cage and work for the takedown, so I've prepared accordingly. I think I'm bigger and stronger and just as good of shape as I've ever been. He's going to be hard-pressed to work his gameplan against me if he wants to match power with power."
At just 28 years old, Hague is currently in the prime athletic years of his career. And while the past few attempts to get "The Thrashing Machine" on track in the UFC have failed, Hague believes his personal and professional reinvention will ultimately lead him back to the octagon, where fans can see his new-and-improved look.
"You don't want to miss this fight," Hague said. "It's going to be exciting, and my haircut is pretty savage, as well."
Aggression MMA VIII takes place Friday at Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
MMAjunkie.com Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) live from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino's Race & Sports Book. The show is hosted by Gorgeous George, MMAjunkie.com lead staff reporter John Morgan and producer Goze. For more information or to download past episodes, go to www.mmajunkie.com/radio.


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SUNBRELLA LINEN COLLECTION – ELEMENTS COLLECTION. Find the entire collection of Sunbrella Outdoor Linen Fabrics in this category. Sunbrella is founded on the belief that outdoor patio furniture fabrics should be both beautiful and functional. Sunbrella outdoor fabric has become widely adopted for shade structures, marine canvas and upholstery fabric for both outdoor and indoor applications. Sunbrella textiles are made with close attention to design detail, and engineered with robust performance characteristics that provide resistance to fading and degradation from sunlight and chemical exposure. Sunbrella Outdoor fabric is tactile yet durable, has industry-leading environmental characteristics, is easy to care for and offers long life – wherever it's used. We offer the entire collection of Sunbrella Outdoor Fabrics for Outdoor Patio Furniture Replacement Cushions as well as outdoor pillows, outdoor poufs and ottomans, outdoor patio drapes, outdoor placemats and table runners and many other custom design projects for your outdoor living space. Order FREE samples of Sunbrella outdoor fabric by clicking on your Sunbrella fabric of choice and add to your card. FREE samples are sent via USPS.
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Woman who allegedly smashed into Globe truck threatened trooper with voodoo, report says
A woman whose car allegedly struck a Boston Globe delivery truck and sent it plummeting off Interstate 93 on Monday swore at a trooper, threatened him with a voodoo curse, and said she didn't care about the seriously injured driver, a State Police report on the crash said.
Vivencia Bellegarde, 25, of Everett told a trooper that she did not care about hitting Paul J. Healy Jr.'s truck because he wasn't dead, saying all she cared about was smoking a cigarette, according to the report.
When Trooper William Kokocinski told her she would not be able to smoke, Bellegarde called Kokocinski racist, told him that she was from Haiti, and said she planned to "voodoo'' him, the report said.
Healy was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital where he was being treated for multiple injuries, including fractured ribs, fractured vertebrae, a bruised kidney, and several lacerations, according to his mother. His truck was allegedly hit by Bellegarde's car on Interstate 93 North at about 3:20 a.m. Monday before the truck hurtled off the roadway and fell 40 feet to a ramp below.
When Kokocinski approached Bellegarde's Cadillac in the breakdown lane on I-93 a short distance from the crash, she told him she had left a party and only consumed two beverages, the report said.
When Kokocinski asked if the alcohol had impaired her driving ability, she replied, "[Expletive] that, no way,'' according to the report.
Three electronic benefit transfer cards were discovered on Bellegarde, only one of which was hers. She could not offer a reasonable explanation why she had cards not issued to her, but called Kokocinski a "dumb [expletive]'' for paying for food she gets free of charge, the report said.
Bellegarde told Kokocinski that her name translated meant "give life, take life.'' The report said that Bellegarde emphasized "take life.''
She followed that statement by shouting at Kokocinski that she was "coming for all you white [expletives].''
A not-guilty plea was entered on Bellegarde's behalf Monday in Boston Municipal Court. She is ordered held on $10,000 cash bail and is barred from driving or consuming alcohol. She was charged with negligent operation of a motor vehicle, operating under the influence of alcohol, and operating under the influence of alcohol causing serious bodily injury, according to the office of Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley.
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Wallpaper calculator
Estimate of required number of rolls to wallpaper your room.
Roll dimensions
6 m
48.5 cm
300 cm
* The vertical repeat indicates the pattern height which allows you to match up the designs across each length of wallpaper.
Room Dimensions
Our calculator includes a 10 cm allowance for each wallpaper length for precision trimming with a cutter – up to 5 cm at the top and 5 cm at the bottom.
Please note : our calculator doesn't take into account openings such as doors and windows.
If you have any doubts or questions, please contact us on +33 (0)1 74 13 29 86 to speak to a member of our dedicated team. We are always happy to help.
Length 6 m x width 48.5 cm - Pattern repeat: 3m
Possibility of ordering a panel of 3 m x 48.5 cm
Printed in The Netherlands
High quality non-woven wallpaper.
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