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1. ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
5th May 1980: The SAS storms the Iranian Embassy in London
The Iranian Embassy siege took place from 30 April to 5 May 1980, after a group of six armed men stormed the Iranian embassy in South Kensington, London. The gunmen took 26 people hostage—mostly embassy staff, but several visitors and a police officer, who had been guarding the embassy, were also held. The hostage-takers, members of an Iranian Arab group campaigning for Arab national sovereignty in the southern region of Khūzestān Province, demanded the release of Arab prisoners from jails in Khūzestān and their own safe passage out of the United Kingdom. The British government quickly resolved that safe passage would not be granted, and a siege ensued. Over the following days, police negotiators secured the release of five hostages in exchange for minor concessions, such as the broadcasting of the hostage-takers' demands on British television.
By the sixth day of the siege the gunmen had become increasingly frustrated at the lack of progress in meeting their demands. That evening, they killed one of the hostages and threw his body out of the embassy. As a result, the British government ordered the Special Air Service (SAS), a special forces regiment of the British Army, to conduct an assault to rescue the remaining hostages. Shortly afterwards, soldiers abseiled from the roof of the building and forced entry through the windows. During the 17-minute raid, the SAS rescued all but one of the remaining hostages, and killed five of the six terrorists. The soldiers subsequently faced accusations that they unnecessarily killed two of the terrorists, but an inquest into the deaths eventually cleared the SAS of any wrongdoing. The remaining terrorist was prosecuted and served 27 years in British prisons.
The hostage-takers and their cause were largely forgotten after the Iran–Iraq War broke out later that year and the hostage crisis in Tehran continued until January 1981. Nonetheless, the operation brought the SAS to the public eye for the first time and bolstered the reputation of Margaret Thatcher, the Prime Minister. The SAS was quickly overwhelmed by the number of applications it received from people inspired by the operation and, at the same time, experienced greater demand for its expertise from foreign governments. The building, having suffered major damage from a fire that broke out during the assault, was not reopened as the Iranian embassy until 1993.
2. TODAY IN MY LIFE
Blogging
Ironing/laundry
Minor gardening
Business promotional work
Meditation
Me Time
Supper
Quality Missus Time
Twitter Followers = 2,223 (up 3)
Never-followed unfollowers eliminated = 0
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Followed unfollowers eliminated = 0
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New Followers followed back = 2
@killitband, @liuhongmei3
Spammers not followed back = 1
@dragyou77yqn
3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION
Yesterday I encountered two ladies from the Weekend Job who were clearly being treated badly. BUT IT WAS THEIR OWN FAULT!! They were fully co-operating in their own oppression. Why? FEAR. I was reminded how awful life is when dominated by fear.
Despite myself being a shining example of how liberating a little courage is, they simply decided that they weren't me. But I have spent most of my life just like them! Liberation is available to everyone who has courage. My experience has thus taught me that it's pointless attempting to defend the rights of those co-operating in their own suffering. The only path I need concern myself with is my own. To those who reach out to me, to them only I will impart my wisdom.
So where did my own courage emerge from after being as fearful as the rest? EDUCATION!! Not in the academic subjects, but studying the nature of being and existence itself. I actively sought truth and techniques. And what spurred the education? CURIOSITY! I wanted to KNOW things! This is what sets apart the fulfilled from the rest. I consider this avatar of the universe to be most fortunate indeed to have this inbuilt quality of curiosity - it has led to Enlightenment.
4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
Have you had enough of being ruled by fear yet?
5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
In brief
Warm, dry and sunny - hooray!
Details
Moon
Weathertrack
Air Pressure
1021 millibars and falling
6. TODAY'S ONELINER
I keep a second pair of shoes at work. I don't want people to recognize me when I'm in the toilet cubicles. :D
7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY
Jimmy Carr on annoying things
8. TRIVIA
If you keep a goldfish in permanent darkness, it will turn pale
9. ZEN WISDOM
The energy of creativity is like a fire that transforms all kinds of obstacles into opportunities for dynamic new growth and advancement.
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