*The information
that follows is from PETA's website.*
The following product is made from animal:
"Animal
Hair.
In some blankets, mattresses, brushes, furniture, etc. Alternatives:
vegetable and synthetic fibers."
According to PETA, this is an animal-friendly company. "Those marked with a dot (·) meet the Corporate Standard of Compassion for Animals (CSCA). Those marked with an asterisk (*) manufacture strictly vegan products:
"Alexandra de Markoff (Parlux Fragrances), 3725 S.W. 30th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33312; 800-727-5895"
Information is taken directly from the Idealist website, which you should visit, if possible (http://www.idealist.org/).
This Month's:
1736 Family
Crisis Center
3375 S. Hoover Street
Suite K
Los Angeles, California 90007
(310) 372-4674
Fax: (310) 372-5336
"1736 Family Crisis Center is a nonprofit agency in Los Angeles County offering counseling, shelter and intervention programs for youth, battered women, and families in crisis. The agency operates five shelters: one for runaway and homeless teens and four for battered women and their children. Far more than a bed, 1736 Family Crisis Center's wide range of services include professional counseling and support to guide clients to future safety, survival and hapiness - off the streets and away from violence. The agency operates three 24-hour hotlines and an emergency walk-in center, plus two community counseling centers that help individuals, couples and families deal with early signs of stress before more serious problems erupt."
This month's "Update on Tibet" is running long so I decided not to put anything in this article this month.
Information is taken directly from the ICT website, which you should visit, if possible (http://www.savetibet.org).
"Tibetan Government-in-Exile's
Statement of Opposition on Sebei-Lanzhou Pipeline and Increased
Oil & Gas Exploration on the Tibetan Plateau
25 September, 2000
Dharamsala: The Tibetan Government in Exile is very concerned about current projects for major exploitation of oil and gas reserves in Tibet by Petro China, in partnership with western companies such as BP, Enron, and AGIP. These projects, as they are now conceived, will cause harm to the Tibetan people. We therefore call for an immediate halt to the construction of the Sebei-Lanzhou (Amdo) pipeline and the increases in exploration for oil & gas on the Tibetan plateau.
The Tibetan Government-in-Exile position with respect to development and investment in Tibet is clear: it supports projects which benefit the Tibetan people and opposes those which cause harm to them. We have put forward a set of Guidelines for International Development Projects and Sustainable Investment in Tibet to assists potential investors, corporations and donor agencies interested in working in Tibet to determine what projects should be encouraged and which ones should be discouraged and opposed. The main goal of the Guidelines is to foster sustainable development in the Tibetan Plateau that will enhance the ability of the Tibetan people to fully participate in the development of their land and to control their natural resources.
Thus, projects that empower Tibetans, improve their education, provide appropriate employment for Tibetans, protect the natural environment, promote Tibetan culture, national identity and language besides improving the living conditions of Tibetans can be useful. On the other hand, projects that facilitate the transfer of Chinese into Tibetan areas, employ sizeable numbers of Chinese, deplete natural resources in Tibet, transfer ownership of land to non-Tibetans, facilitate erosion of Tibetan culture and identity, and perpetrate the economic marginalization of Tibetans in Tibetan areas are clearly harmful and should be stopped. Clearly, under the present circumstances not all development projects in Tibet are in the best interest of the Tibetans. Hence, we urge all the foreign corporations and investors involved in economic development projects in Tibet to examine their activities carefully in light of these Guidelines. Projects that adversely effect Tibetan society and environment must be immediately stopped and redesigned or canceled.
At this point in time the construction of the Sebei-Lanzhou (Tsaidam, Amdo) oil and gas pipeline, launched on 30 March 2000, backed by western companies such as BP, Enron, and AGIP, is causing alarm among Tibetans. This project represents a significant escalation of China's exploitation of oil and gas on the Tibetan Plateau and will accelerate China's policy of transferring Chinese settlers into Tibetan areas. With the involvement of western companies China receives global support in despoiling Tibet's natural resources for the first time. In the view of the Tibetan Government-In-Exile, this project will be harmful because it will:
Employ a sizeable and disproportionate number of Chinese and other non-Tibetans Deplete natural resources with little or no benefit to the Tibetan people Consolidate the Chinese control and occupation of Tibet as well as increase the Chinese government's reasons for maintaining control Facilitate the erosion of Tibetan culture and traditions Facilitate the transfer of Chinese settlers or workers to Tibetan areas Negatively affect the sustainability of Tibet's ecosystems Employ only a few Tibetans in unskilled labour positions.
Similarly, increases in drilling for oil and gas currently planned for the Tsaidam basin area of Amdo are also problematic. Such projects are being promoted by China as part of Beijing's planned "Western Development" campaign. Foreign corporations participating in this campaign as it affects Tibet are hereby requested to ensure that their projects are in compliance with the Guidelines set forth by the Tibetan Government-In-Exile. If there is any doubt or confusion, it is the Tibetan Government-In-Exile which shall serve as the final arbiter.
Our successful campaign against the World Bank's funding for Dulan Project should not be interpreted to mean that the Tibetan Government In Exile is against any kind of involvement in Tibet. We successfully opposed the Dulan Project because the project, as it was designed, would have been very harmful to Tibetans. The World Bank would effectively have financed China's population transfer policy. The Tibetan Government in Exile does not oppose projects and investments that are beneficial to Tibetans. However, this can only be the case if projects meet the principles set out in the Guidelines.
Given the harmful effects of the gas and oil extraction projects on the Tibetan plateau, BP, AGIP, and Enron are hereby requested to immediately halt the construction of the Sebei to Lanzhou pipeline, and the increases in drilling for oil & gas on the Tibetan plateau. These corporations are further urged to withdraw investments from Chinese entities engaged in these activities, as a way of ensuring that the destruction of the Tibetan environment and the disenfranchisement of the Tibetan people does not proceed with Western support.
These investments are clearly harmful to Tibetans and will be actively opposed.
Kalon T.C. Tethong
Minister
Department of Information and International Relations
Dharamsala - INDIA"
Have any of you ever seen that episode of Blind Date where that dude is all, "Doomed, yet set?" I know Daniel has, but have any of you others? Well, you're missing something big. The dude's all, "It's like, I see this hot girl and I know I can't have her so it's like, Doomed, Yet Set you know? Because I know I can't have her, and that's the doomed, but then it makes me wanna be a better person so that I can have girls like her, and that's the set." And then the chick tells him about like, one of her mottos or something and then this thought bubble pops up under the guy and it says, "That's not bad, but it's no Doomed, Yet Set." I peed, but not really.
Last month's quote was from "Elaine Benice," Seinfeld. First one to guess the source of this month's line wins a prize!
"She couldn't resist the shirt of truth and conviction."
Not this month dude.
Julius Caesar was bisexual.
*This article was taken from http://www.excite.com*
"Afghan Taliban
Bans Sports in Late Afternoon
Updated 10:49 AM ET October 18, 2000ISLAMABAD, Pakistan
(Reuters) - Afghanistan's ruling Taliban Islamic movement Tuesday
ordered a ban on all sports played in late afternoon and early
evening because they could disturb Muslim prayers, the official
Taliban radio said.
Sports events held at stadiums or clubs at these hours could distract people from late afternoon Asar and evening Maghreb prayers, said the Voice of Shariat radio, monitored in Islamabad.
It said Taliban supreme leader Mullah Mohammad Omar had issued an order that no sports should be held from the time of the muezzin's call for Asar prayers until the end of Maghreb prayers.
The radio said teams from the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which acts as religious police for the radically Islamic Taliban, would monitor the observance of the ban and punish violators.
The broadcast did not specify the mode of punishment.
The Taliban, which controls about 95 percent of the war-torn country, has banned music and television, barred women from schools and from leaving home without wearing an all-enveloping Burqa veil, and ordered men to grow long beards."
"Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps," Fashion Nugget by Cake. I'm listening to it as I write this. On the one hand it's like, I like stuff that's all like, "Mebbe so man, mebbe so," because it's like, "So you're saying there's a chance," but then on the other hand I agree with the song because it's like, "If you can't make your mind up, we'll never get started." Plus I love Cake, both the band and the food. Did you know the Cake guys have a new band called Deathray? They're cool.
Visit Blocking the Wall Online: http://www.dhak.net/btwonline
End of Days (1999) *
Directed by someone who does not deserve to be working
Starring Arnold Schwarzennegar, Kevin Pollak, and Gabriel Byrne
As a comedy, this one really works. As a game to spot the references to The Usual Suspects, it works even better. But let's face it, this film is so loathsome it makes Stigmata look like The Ten Commandments. And, mind you, if a movie has Gabriel Byrne I start it off with extra credit. In the end, that's all this movie had going for it. The direction is frenetic and silly, and at one point I realized that, when such fast cutaways occurred ONCE in The Insider, I was still recovering an hour later. I took note of the director's name as the credits rolled, but promptly convinced myself to forget it.
Gabriel Byrne smirks! Gabriel Byrne plays host to Satan AND a smorgasboard of ever-changing accents! Gabriel Byrne smirks some more! What more could you want, right? Unfortunately, a lot. I mean, we'd pause for two seconds to discuss what had just happened (or, had NOT happened, the case often being what it was), and already we've missed the next scene. Apparently there is one guy in the Vatican who does not speak Italian. He ruined everything. Arnold routinely "finds something" while looking around, and that means we've reached a plot point. We see tits on two occassions for no apparent reason but it's obvious that dark forces are at work here because Gabriel Byrne NEVER GETS NAKED! Okay, fine, be that way. Symbolism abounds: Apples, names like 'Jericho,' 'Dr. Abel,' and 'Christine York' (Christ in N.York...get it?!?!). But, like I said, it all works well as a comedy. By the way, did I mention that Kevin Pollak's in this? Well, barely. There is absolutely no reason for him to be there, but to flesh out the whole underlying Usual Suspects vibe, they needed one more clue. About the time a priest pulls the "greatest trick the devil ever pulled..." line out of his butt, I left in disgust to get some Coke. When I came back, Arnold's being crucified. Is nothing sacred? Apparently not, and especially not classy, understated film practices. Even John Woo pauses for a nice conversation scene every now and again. I already saw this movie, to a more believable end and with more easily digestable eye candy, in The Devil's Advocate. Mr. Director, I don't know who's spreading a story about Satan walking among us here, but this movie certainly seems to be the seventh sign of the Apocalypse. --Shadow Omega
Napster rules. I'm real glad that they exist because I'm far too poor to buy all the cds in the world that I want and like, I'll get a notion to hear a song and I don't have money, but with Napster, I can download the song and then listen to it till my heart's content and then like, buy the album later on in life so yeah, Napster rules.
Dude: Ben Stiller. Meet the Parents was real funny yo, and I knew it would be because it had him in it. I mean, I love DeNiro and Blythe Danner is amazing and stuff, but let's be real. This is a Ben Stiller movie. He has a way of making slapstick comedy and toilet humour seem intelligent.
Chick: Lisa Kudrow. As I write this, she's gonna be on Leno tonight because she's got that new Travolta movie coming out and it seems like everywhere I go lately something's being said about Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion and since I had Mira Sorvino on here a couple of months ago, well, you get the picture right? "She knew I could kick her ass."
Yeah,the IPS is all whoriscopeless this month. Ooooh, scarrrry...
email:
We're still trying to get new members so if there's anyone that you've been meaning to invite to join the IPS, then by all means invite them to join now!
Song stuck in your head that deserves the Song of the Month title? Send it in. Avid about a worthy cause? Tell us about it. Your suggestions may not appear immediately because I write these so far in advance, but I promise I'll use it sooner or later. This is your newsletter so let me know what you wanna see in it and I shall do my best to please you. So it is written; so shall it be.
Happy Halloween everyone! It's my favorite holiday and so I know it touches you guys deeply too. So I hope you enjoyed this newsletter in all it's Haloweeny glory. (Huh, huh, I said, "weeny.")
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