2008's Worst Soundbytes

The 2008 TOGY Awards

As a three-month-old column dedicated to communicating better in life, Ms.Com meets the yearend by launching the 2008 TOGY Awards (The Outstanding Gaffes of the Year Awards). This is the communications version of the late Richard Blackwell's notorious "10 Worst Dressed List."
Choosing the nastiest, most insensitive, patently untruthful, idiotic public declarations and sound bytes turned out to be a very tough job.
You see, determining the year's 10 worst statements was the ironic counterpart of Diogenes's search for one honest man. He didn't find any, while Ms.Com found too many.
So, instead of the T in TOGY standing for "ten," it now stands for definite article "the."

Read on: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?ArticleId=423923&publicationSubCategoryId=82

The universal declaration of human rights

On 10 December, we are commemorating the 60th birthday of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) on Human Rights Day 2008. The United Nations will launch a year-long campaign around the globe to focus on helping people everywhere to learn about their human rights. The UDHR was the first international recognition that all human beings have fundamental rights and freedoms and it continues to be a living and relevant document today. The theme of the campaign, “Dignity and justice for all of us,” reinforces the vision of the Declaration as a commitment to universal dignity and justice and not something that should be viewed as a luxury or a wish-list.

Click here to learn more about the UDHR: http://www.un.org/events/humanrights/udhr60/declaration.shtml

Burma Bulletin-November 2008 issue

The Burma Bulletin is a short month in review of events in Burma, particularly those of interest to the democracy movement and human rights activists.

In the November 2008 issue you will find:
* SPDC jails 186 dissidents
* Landmines casualties rising
* Forced labor increases
* CEDAW conclusions
* UNGA condemn s SPDC
* SPDC-Bangladesh face-off
* Other Burma news
* List of Reports
* Much more...

Click to here to read the November 2008 Burma Bulletin: http://www.altsean.org/Reports/Burma%20Bulletin/BBNovember08.php