Amnesty International’s Campaign against Torture

Having earned a four-year degree in psychiatry from McGill University, Dr. Milton Marcilio went on to complete a two-year program in child psychiatry at the McGill-affiliated Montreal Children’s Hospital. Dr. Marcilio currently operates a private psychiatry practice in Toronto. In addition, Dr. Marcilio supports Amnesty International.

For more than 50 years, Amnesty International has worked to end torture worldwide. Its years of advocacy for the Convention against Torture contributed to its adoption by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in 1984. Though 155 UN member states have signed the convention, over the last five years, Amnesty International has documented the continuing use of torture in at least 141 countries around the world.

Those who practice torture often use national security or public safety as a pretext. Offending governments may resort to stress positions, electrocution, sleep deprivation, rape, and other forms of torture to coerce, intimidate, punish, and silence their citizens. The people most vulnerable to such treatment include those who are already marginalized, for instance ethnic minorities, women and children, the economically deprived, members of the LGBTI community, and members of armed groups accused of opposing the establishment. In many countries, those who attempt to defend the rights of marginalized groups also risk being subjected to torture.

Over the next two years, the Stop Torture campaign will focus on five countries where torture is prevalent: the Philippines, Mexico, Nigeria, Morocco, and Uzbekistan. The campaign will put pressure on the governments of these countries to reveal the locations of torture sites, investigate torture claims, prosecute torturers, and enact measures that guarantee access to lawyers and justice for victims.

Some Basics of Brazilian Cuisine

Dr. Marcilio is an experienced psychiatrist who has treated clients for nearly 50 years at his private practice in Toronto, Canada. Dr. Milton Marcilio is also passionate about many subjects, including food; he even worked in Brazil as a restaurant critic for a time.

Brazilian cuisine is characterized by remarkable diversity. Approaches to food vary wildly, depending on the region, and each has its own distinct personality. Some common ingredients include cassava, peanuts, white rice, and black beans. The food culture might be most easily seen as a fusion of native, African, and Portuguese influences. The multicultural integration continues to this day, and more recently there are influences of immigrants from many corners of the globe.

Some of northern Brazil’s trademark dishes include tacaca, a soup containing the herb paracress and coconut milk, and caruru, a condiment that includes shrimp, palm oil, okra, onions, and nuts. Southern Brazil’s signature dishes include arroz de carreteiro, a dish somewhere between risotto and fried rice, and churrasco, traditional Brazilian barbeque. Feijoada, a dense stew made from black beans and many kinds of meat, is considered the country’s national dish.

Some Bird-Watching Basics

Dr. Marcilio is a psychiatrist with nearly four decades of professional experience. He currently sees clients in his private practice in Toronto, and he serves as a consultant psychiatrist for Frontenac Youth Services of Oshawa, Ontario. Dr. Milton Marcilio has many outside interests, including ornithology.

Ornithology, the study of birds, involves watching them. A functional set of binoculars is an important basic tool for bird watching. When trying to identify birds, many factors come into play. Color is a major factor, but it can be misleading, as light and shadow impact color perception. Each species of bird also has its own distinct patterns of behavior. Characteristic traits, once understood by the observer, can help to distinguish birds much more quickly. This is useful when light conditions are less than ideal, or when one is observing from afar.

Understanding habitat is also fundamental. One is likely to observe different kinds of birds in a city park than at the seashore. A bird’s particular flight pattern is also revealing; for instance, finches have a distinctive fluttering, bouncing pattern that differs from other small birds, such as sparrows, which tend to move in a straight formation. Above all else, a novice birdwatcher should start by accompanying someone with significant experience.

The Beginner’s Freshwater Aquarium Guide

A psychiatrist with more than 50 years of clinical experience, Dr. Milton Marcilio practices in Toronto, Ontario, and consults with Frontenac Youth Services. Outside the office, Dr. Marcilio enjoys a broad range of recreational activities, including ornithology and keeping tropical fish.

The most essential piece of equipment for the amateur freshwater fish hobbyist is an aquarium, the size of which will determine the size and quantity of fish to be kept in it. Among other pieces of equipment, the necessary aquarium stand should be strong enough to support the aquarium when it is full of water, and an optional aquarium hood can prevent fish from inadvertently jumping out of the aquarium as well as protect them from inquisitive cats or other household pets.

The water in an aquarium is kept clean by means of a filter, as the pump sends water through the media inside the filter to remove small particles. The media also hosts colonies of bacteria that process toxic substances in the water, like ammonia and nitrites. Aquarium hobbyists must also keep water testing kits to monitor water quality.

It is advisable to put a layer of gravel or some similar material on the aquarium floor. Sand is popular with some types of fish. Note that some colored substrates that might be interesting to humans produce stress in fish; therefore, aquarium experts recommend natural colors. Aquarium keepers should thoroughly clean substrate material before adding it to an aquarium.

Live and artificial plants add to an aquarium’s visual appeal but again should be selected with the fish in mind, as some fish eat plants. Choose further decorations with an eye toward accommodating the fish. They appreciate places where they can hide, for example. Pet stores sell rocks in a variety of sizes and shapes.

Other essentials include cleaning equipment, buckets, and a good collection of towels and wipes.