Investigation: Twitter and Facebook ‘allowing Islamophobia’

By: Oliver Wright

Source: independent.co.uk

Twitter and Facebook are refusing to take down hundreds of inflammatory Islamophobic postings from across their sites despite being alerted to the content by anti-racism groups, an investigation by The Independent has established.

The number of postings, some of which accuse Muslims of being rapists, paedophiles and comparable to cancer, has increased significantly in recent months in the aftermath of the Rotherham sex-abuse scandal and the murder of British hostages held by Isis.

The most extreme call for the execution of British Muslims – but in most cases those behind the abuse have not had their accounts suspended or the posts removed.

Myanmar: Villagers Vs. Foreign Investors (Video)

 Villagers in Myanmar have protested against major Chinese oil and mining corporations for two years, claiming they are stealing their land and ruining the environment. China’s investment in Myanmar has recently declined, but U.S. trade with the country is on the upswing. Will American companies treat local people any better?

10 Corporations Create Almost All Your Stuff

(Click to Enlarge)

Source: exposingtruth.com

By: Katharine J. Tobal

You probably knew some of these connections already, but the size and scope of these Russian-doll like corporations is hard to imagine.

Although many have heard of Nestle, fewer have heard of Unilever, which sells to two billion people around the world and can attribute the majority of its success to its ownership of Q-tips and Skippy peanut butter.

The confusion lays in companies like Yum! Brands, which owns KFC and Taco Bell. The company itself was actually a spin-off of Pepsi. All Yum! Brands restaurants sell only Pepsi soft drinks because of this special partnership with the soda-maker.

Following the Money: Who’s in Control?

By: Arjun Walia

Source: http://www.collective-evolution.com

Human beings are beginning to question the environment around them more so than ever before. Our capability to step outside of the box and observe events taking place on planet Earth from a neutral standpoint continues to increase at an exponential rate. Observing the entire Earth experience from an open mind has cleared the way for a change in perception, which has the potential to change our planet and the way we operate on it forever. Political, media, food, education, health, energy and financial industries are now under intense scrutiny as people continue to let go of fear, speak up and ask more questions. Can we really separate these industries if they are all operated by the same people? How can we separate the medical, food and pharmaceutical industries when they are all funded and headed by the same families and multinational organizations?  How can we disregard comments and research conducted from insiders that have turned to the side of truth? If cancer cures, clean energy technologies, and other information is being suppressed, who are the ones doing the suppressing and why?

Join the BDS movement and make an impact!

Source: http://www.bdsmovement.net

Why should I join the boycott of Israel?

World governments have failed to end their support for Israel’s crimes or put pressure on Israel to comply with international law and human rights.

By working together on focused consumer boycotts and campaigns against the companies and institutions that help Israel to commit its crimes, the Palestinian-led boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement is a powerful and strategic tool for isolating Israel.

Check out our timeline to see BDS-related achievements to date. Boycotts and sanctions helped end apartheid in South Africa!

9 ways to get involved in the BDS movement

Source: http://www.bdsmovement.net/get-involved

Initiated by an overwhelming majority of Palestinian grassroots organisations in 2005 and inspired by the South African anti-apartheid movement, the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement is now a widespread international movement.

BDS is proving capable of winning mass support and persuading companies, cultural institutions, artists and governments to join or observe the boycott of Israel.

The successes and growth of the global BDS movement has only been possible because of the creative and determined action by conscientious people and organizations and unions across the world.

The BDS movement is supported and led by the Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC), and we’ve put together this set of ideas on how to support in the BDS movement.

Get involved today and help to build the international BDS movement against Israel’s regime of occupation, colonialism and apartheid.

1. Boycott goods of Israeli companies as well as international companies involved in Israel’s human rights violations

The most basic step is to stop buying products and services of Israeli companies and, whenever feasible, of international companies involved in Israel’s human rights violations. Try to encourage your friends, family and community to join you in doing so.

It differs from country to country, but the most common Israeli exports include:

– fresh fruit and vegetables such as Jaffa citrus fruits and Israeli Medjoul Dates
– Ahava cosmetics
– SodaStream drinks machines
– Eden Springs bottled water
– Golan Heights Wineries and other Israeli wines

There are many international companies that are complicit in Israeli violations of international law. Examples include HP, Caterpillar, Volvo, Hyundai, among many others.

Trying to boycott the products of every single company that participates in Israeli apartheid is a daunting task that has a slim change of having a concrete impact.

It makes more sense to focus on optimal targets that are being targeted as part of national or international campaigns. Consumer boycotts are most effective when part of a broader campaign against a particular product or aiming to pressure a retailer to stop selling a particular Israeli product.

Get in contact with a BDS organisation in your area to find out what companies and products are being targeted and how to support local campaigns. If no such organization exists, start your own campaign, in coordination with well-recognized BDS organizations.

2. Follow us on social media and help spread the word

There are new BDS successes and developments nearly every day. Help to magnify the impact of the BDS movement by following us on Twitter and Facebook and sharing news of BDS successes on social media.

You can also sign up for our regular newsletter and email updates.

3. Learn more and share information about the BDS movement
   

Check out and consider sharing the pages in the Learn section of this website, including theIntroduction to BDS, and the list of successes of the BDS movement since 2005.

You can Tweet about the BDS movement and follow developments using the hashtag #BDS.

4. Get involved in your area

There are vibrant organisations and campaigns in towns and cities all over the world that make an enormous contribution to boycott campaigns and the BDS movement as a whole.

Enter your details into our Get involved with a local BDS campaign form to be put in touch with a nearby group and start getting involved in local campaigning today.

5. Take action online
   

Online petitions and letter writing actions can be an important part of building pressure, especially when they are part of vibrant local campaigning too.

Check out bdsmovement.net/takeaction to find out about on-going online actions. If you have your own suggestions for BDS campaigns, please share them with us through email.

6. Campaign against your own community’s complicity in Israel’s violations of international law
   

Israel is only able to maintain its occupation and apartheid system because of the massive, unconditional support it receives from international governments, companies and institutions, such as universities.

Get in touch for ideas on how to research and campaign against links between your local community and the companies and institutions that enable Israel’s occupation and apartheid policies. Divesting pension or investment funds from companies involved in Israel’s human rights violations is a major component in many such campaigns.

7. Encourage an organisation you are a member of to endorse BDS

All across the world, trade unions, student unions, NGOs, faith groups and other organisations are getting behind the BDS movement, launching their own BDS campaigns and divesting any shares they hold in Israeli companies or international companies such as Veolia, G4S and HP that are implicated in Israeli occupation and apartheid.

Persuading a union or association that you are a member of to endorse the Palestinian civil society’s BDS call can be a long-term project but is a particularly effective way to reach large numbers of people and build mainstream support for the boycott movement.

8. Organise a boycott action at a retailer that sells Israeli goods

Boycott actions such as a protest or creative flashmob can be a great way to build awareness and support for the boycott of Israel and to pressure a retailer to stop stocking a particular product or Israeli goods in general.

Check out CODEPINK’s guide to organising a creative boycott action targeting Israeli cosmetics company Ahava. The guide works well for actions targeting other complicit products and companies too.

9. Share this list
   

Help to inspire others to take action by sharing this list via social media.

These 6 Corporations Control 90% Of The Media In America

By: Ashley Lutz

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/

This infographic created by Jason at Frugal Dad shows that almost all media comes from the same six sources.

How Student Loan Scammers Are Exploiting The Debt Crisis (Video)

 Americans are now holding $1.2 trillion in outstanding student loan debt, and college graduates are becoming an increasingly attractive target for financial scams. AJ+ explains how companies are trying to exploit the crisis and those struggling borrowers looking for debt forgiveness.
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