Category Archives: Rock on-Peace Out

Glamorous M5S candidate tops Rome mayor race – The Local

A glamorous 37-year-old lawyer, Virginia Raggi of the populist Five Star Movement (M5S), is leading polls to become mayor of the capital, which has been run by a special commissioner since last November after the previous centre-left mayor resigned amid an expenses scandal.

Source: Glamorous M5S candidate tops Rome mayor race – The Local

Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino: Poster AO

The Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino strives to create a museum in our nation’s capital to educate, inspire and encourage respect and understanding of the richness and diversity of the American Latino experience within the U.S. and its territories by highlighting the contributions made by Latino leaders, pioneers and communities to the American way of life.

Source: Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino: Poster AO

Why this fearless woman is the talk of Sweden – The Local

National Photo: David Lagerlöf/Expo/TT

Why this fearless woman is the talk of Sweden Published: 03 May 2016 14:12 GMT+02:00 A woman who blocked the path of a group of neo-Nazis marching through a town in central Sweden has earned huge praise on social media after a picture of the incident went viral. Sweden Democrat steps down over church-burning posts (28 Apr 16) Nazi flag sparks anger in Sweden on Hitler’s birthday (20 Apr 16) Stockholm special squad to stop far-right mobs (02 Feb 16) Tess Asplund, an anti-racism activist from Stockholm, was in Borlänge to protest against a march by hundreds of neo-Nazis through the centre of the town on May 1st.  Traditionally a left-wing stronghold, where big Labour Day rallies are the norm, Borlänge has recently seen many voters lurch to the far-right.  The uniformed neo-Nazis were however far outnumbered by counter demonstrators like Asplund, who described the moment captured on camera to local radio station P4 Dalarna.   “I don’t think I even thought about it really, I just jumped out,” she said.  “I just thought: you shouldn’t be here. Then one of them stared at me and I stared back. He didn’t say anything and neither did I. Then the police came fairly quickly and took me away.”  Asplund said she often raised her fist at anti-fascist rallies in a gesture borrowed from Nelson Mandela. The picture spread rapidly on social media on Tuesday as Swedes hailed the iconography of a lone woman bravely standing up to dark forces.

Source: Why this fearless woman is the talk of Sweden – The Local

This All-Female, All Pakistani, Superb Cover of “Love Me Again” Will Be Your New Jam – The Ladies FingerThe Ladies Finger

This All-Female, All Pakistani, Superb Cover of “Love Me Again” Will Be Your New Jam May 3, 2016 By Tanvi Kanchan   Have you heard the amazing new cover of British singer John Newman’s chart-topping “Love Me Again” by an all-woman ensemble in Pakistan? It’s presented by Nescafe Basement – not unlike the Coke Studio music series that brought musicians together for some cool music – an attempt to discover and present upcoming talent in the music industry, spearheaded by Pakistani musician and producer Xulfi. Episode 3 of Season 4 features these ten young female musicians presenting their own cover of the dance-pop hit which extends the original four minute song to a seven-minute jam. The thing about this cover that catches your ear instantly is the genre-bending that it undertakes. When pianist Maham Riaz begins with her first few sweeps over the keys, you’re convinced you’re in for a slow ballad. But when the powerful, controlled vocals of Anna Salman and Kristin Kanaria come in and build the tempo, and Maria Fatima’s rough, emotive cry brings in the chorus, the vibe changes completely. We see an effortless inclusion of folksy undertones from Jannat Sohail’s ukulele, soaring strings from violinist Amal Nadeem and classical melodies from Arfa Chaudary’s sitar and Sumaira Waris’ tabla (my personal favourite). It’s a giant glucose dose to see ten female musicians, all with breathtaking command over their instruments. Plus: not one cracks a smile for the camera.

Source: This All-Female, All Pakistani, Superb Cover of “Love Me Again” Will Be Your New Jam – The Ladies FingerThe Ladies Finger

OrganizeFor

BE PART OF THE ONLINE MOVEMENT!OrganizeFor is a petition platform and training resource that helps people like you challenge the injustices affecting Black lives in your community.OrganizeFor someone you love who is a victim of police brutality.OrganizeFor the conservation of your community and end illegal dumping.OrganizeFor equitable employment practices by a local corporation!OrganizeFor a cause that matters to YOU!

Source: OrganizeFor

First Impressions… a proud moment | nadiaharhash

After living for nine months in Jerusalem, myself, I believe that my meetings with Nadia have definitely made the most impact on me. Touring and learning matured my knowledge but speaking freely with Nadia, an Arab woman, has broadened my horizons. As she constantly repeats, “We don’t know what will happen…what will be the end.”We can only start here.

Source: First Impressions… a proud moment | nadiaharhash

Effectiveness of aerobic exercise for adults living with HIV: systematic review and meta-analysis using the Cochrane Collaboration protocol | BMC Infectious Diseases | Full Text

People with HIV are living longer with the health-related consequences of HIV, multi-morbidity, and aging. Exercise is a key strategy that may improve or sustain health for people living with HIV. Our aim was to examine the safety and effectiveness of aerobic exercise interventions on immunological, virological, cardiorespiratory, strength, weight, body composition, and psychological outcomes in adults living with HIV.

Source: Effectiveness of aerobic exercise for adults living with HIV: systematic review and meta-analysis using the Cochrane Collaboration protocol | BMC Infectious Diseases | Full Text

23 young Jews arrested in anti-occupation protests across U.S. | +972 Magazine

Hundreds hold ‘Liberation Seders’ outside (and inside) major Jewish American institutions in five major cities, demanding that the Jewish community take a stand against Israel’s occupation. ‘The history of Jewish oppression is not an excuse…

Source: 23 young Jews arrested in anti-occupation protests across U.S. | +972 Magazine

Palestinians create seed bank to save their farming heritage in the Holy Land’s hills | World news | The Guardian

In the rocky hills of the Palestinian West Bank, farmers learned long ago how to adapt to extremes of climate that make spring the shortest season. In a part of the world where agriculture was first practised, they found crops that could survive even if watered only by the occasional rain storm. But a form of farming that informed both Palestinian culture and identity – seeping into the language, songs and sayings – has increasingly come under threat from a combination of factors, including manmade climate change, the incursion onto Palestinian land by Israeli settlement, and agricultural companies’ marketing of hybrid varieties to farmers. Now, however, an initiative is being launched to save Palestine’s agricultural plant heritage, with the first seed bank dedicated to preserving traditional varieties used by farmers for generations – before they vanish for ever. The Palestine Heirloom Seed Library – to be formally launched in June – is part of an effort both to educate Palestinians about traditional forms of agriculture in the Holy Land, which are in danger of being forgotten, and about the culture associated with them. The seed library will preserve “heirloom” varieties particularly adapted to the West Bank. Supported by the Qattan Foundation, the project is the brainchild of Vivien Sansour, who studied and worked abroad before returning to the West Bank city of Beit Jala.

Source: Palestinians create seed bank to save their farming heritage in the Holy Land’s hills | World news | The Guardian

Edward Snowden releases song with French legend – The Local

Fugitive US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, who in 2013 revealed widespread US foreign surveillance, has released a song with French electronic artist Jean-Michel Jarre, the Columbia record company announced on Friday.

The track, titled “Exit”, features Snowden discussing digital surveillance to the backdrop of a lively electronic soundscape created by Jarre.

The song is available to stream online and will appear on Jarre’s forthcoming album “Electronica Vol. 2: The Heart of Noise” which will be released on May 6th.

The pair were brought together by Britain’s Guardian newspaper after Jarre gave an interview and asked to be put in touch with the former National Security Agency contractor, according to the title.

“Edward is an absolute hero of our times. When I first read about him, it made me think of my mother,” Jarre told the Guardian.

“She joined the French resistance in 1941, when people in France still thought they were just troublemakers, and she always told me that when society is generating things you can’t stand, you have to stand up against it.”

After being put in touch, Jarre, 67, travelled to Moscow to meet Snowden, 32, who lives in Russia in exile, and record the samples that feature on the track.

Other guest contributors on the album will include Gary Numan and the Pet Shop Boys.

Source: Edward Snowden releases song with French legend – The Local