24 Nov 2010

Workfare

The failure of workfare in several countries and US states is documented in research published by the Department for Work and Pensions at http://campaigns.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2007-2008/rrep533.pdf

On 22 November 2010 DWP Minister for Employment Chris Grayling said that the DWP would 'not be proceeding' with the Work for Your Benefit pilot scheme.

21 Nov 2010

Jesus and conflict

Dealing with conflict

If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
Matthew 18, v15-17(NIV)

19 Nov 2010

Genocide and mass murder in the twentieth century

Genocides of the twentieth century as recorded by Peace Pledge Union, the oldest secular pacifist organisation in Britain:

near-starvation in Gaza

In 2006 Israel's policy towards Gaza was summed up by Dov Weisglass, an adviser to Ehud Olmert, the Israeli Prime Minister. 'The idea is to put the Palestinians on a diet, but not to make them die of hunger,' he said

On Thursday 21 October 2010, after a legal battle led by Israeli human rights group, Gisha, Israel released three documents that outline its policy for permitting transfer of goods into the Gaza Strip. The documents reveal a deliberate policy by the Israeli government to allow only just enough food in to keep the population alive at a near-starvation level. 

According to Medialens the revelations about the policy to keep the Gaza population alive at a near-starvation level have not been reported in any mainstream news.