 |
| English: Milky way starscape taken from Paranal. Français : Une portion de la Voie Lactée vue depuis l'observatoire du Cerro Paranal. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
 |
| Nonfiction - 900s - May 02 (Photo credit: Pesky Library) |
 |
| Cover via Amazon |
 |
| Cover via Amazon |
So what are we getting for that $3M we've shelled out to defend the indefensible DOMA? Glad you asked!
*Here's a chance for the House GOP "B"LAG phonies (l-r:
Eric, Sunny John, Kevin) to step up and do the right thing.*
*by Ken*
As some readers aware, I have taken an interest in the money authorized by
the Phony-Baloney House "Bipartisan" Legal Advisory Group, which has now
passed $3 million, with who knows how much billing still in the pipeline,
for the defense of DOMA in the courts since the Obama Justice Dept.
announced that it would no longer do so on the ground that key provisions
of the act are unconstitutional.
The legal genius who has been the point man for the "B"LAG boondo... more »
Musical Interlude: 2002, “Sea of Dreams”
2002, “Sea of Dreams”
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JllFeTxxZ_Y
Paul Kriwaczek - Babylon
Paul Kriwaczek was the author of, *"Babylon: Mesopotamia and the Birth of
Civilization,"* *"Yiddish Civilisation: The Rise and Fall of a Forgotten
Nation,"* and, *"In Search of Zarathustra: The First Prophet and the Ideas
That Changed the World."*
For more info, read: * *
*"Paul Kriwaczek: BBC TV producer and author of engaging books on the
ancient world."*
*"Paul Kriwaczek obituary."*
YouTube Video Description - [Channel: BlackwellOnline. Posted on Jul 30,
2010].
Paul Kriwaczek is a writer, director and producer. In 'Babylon', Paul tells
the story of ancient Mesopotamia, the ar... more »
Decision on whether Rob Ford will keep his job will be released 10:30 Friday morning
Toronto will learn the fate of Mayor Rob Ford Friday morning when the
Ontario Divisional Court rules on whether to toss him from office.
The panel of three judges that deliberated over Mr. Ford's appeal hearing
earlier this month announced Wednesday that their decision will be released
at 10:30 a.m. Lawyers for each side will receive a copy an hour earlier,
but have agreed not to disclose it in advance.
Musical Interlude: Yanni, “Until The Last Moment”
Yanni, “Until The Last Moment”
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ilb6k9ZMzg
Frank Herbert - Interview on TV
"Power attracts the corruptible." - Frank Herbert.
Source: YouTube channel 'JulioMoc'
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Large spiral galaxy NGC 4945 is seen edge-on near the center of this
cosmic galaxy portrait. In fact, NGC 4945 is almost the size of our own
Milky Way Galaxy. Its own dusty disk, young blue star clusters, and pink
star forming regions standout in the sharp, colorful telescopic image.
*Click image for larger size. *
About 13 million light-years distant toward the expansive southern
constellation Centaurus, NGC 4945 is only about six times farther away than
Andromeda, the nearest large spiral galaxy to the Milky Way. Though the
galaxy's central region is largely hidden from view f... more »
Chet Raymo, “Out Of The Silence”
*“Out Of The Silence”*
by Chet Raymo
"A few words about Douglas Christe's “The Blue Sapphire of the Mind: Notes
for a Contemplative Ecology”, the title of which is drawn from the
4th-century monastic writer Evagrius of Pontus: "When the mind has put off
the old self and shall put on the one born of grace, then it will see its
own state in the time of prayer resembling sapphire or the color of heaven."
It is a beautiful image, although I am not at all sure what it means. We
are separated from Evagrius by centuries, by a Scientific Revolution, by
the Enlightenment. I am not sugges... more »
Zapatistas Marcos III 'Them and Us. The Foremen'
Ellos y Nosotros. III.- LOS CAPATACES.
ELLOS Y NOSOTROS.
III.- Los Capataces
En algún lugar de México…
El señor golpea la mesa, furioso.
- ¡Aniquílenlos!
– Señor, con todo respeto, llevamos más de 500 años intentándolo.
Los sucesivos imperios encumbrados lo han intentado con todo el poderío
militar de la época -.
– ¿Y por qué siguen ahí?
– Err… todavía lo estamos tratando de
VA Republicans - No Moral Compass - Rigging Elections
*I*n Virginia
In a matter of minutes, the Republicans introduced and approved—on a 20-19
vote—a new map that is designed to concentrate African-American and liberal
white votes in a handful of districts while virtually guaranteeing that
Republicans will win a majority of the new districts and control of the
legislature.
In a matter of minutes
*Virginia Republican deceit doesn't take very long.*
How – when the the VA is even split – 20 R, 20 D
Did a Dem cross over to allow this horrible piece of legislature to pass?
Nope – 20+19 = 39, not 40
The Republicans waited until a Dem went t... more »
It's a life
53 Stations of the Tokaido Road. Hoeido Edition (1831-4). These images were
made available with the permission of John at http://hiroshige.org.uk. For
best results, open in either the large or full-screen viewer.
Music from the Internet Archive: "From a concert recorded on July 27, 1966,
a selection of traditional and contemporary Koto music."
http://archive.org/details/C_1966_07_27.
See also: http://youtu.be/OL0LyLQrfho. I made my video before I saw this
one, but I like mine.
The thoughts which led me to make this slide show are that Hiroshige is a
world treasure who should be... more »
Antibiotic-resistant diseases pose 'apocalyptic' threat, top expert says
Britain's most senior medical adviser has warned MPs that the rise in
drug-resistant diseases could trigger a national emergency comparable to a
catastrophic terrorist attack, pandemic flu or major coastal flooding.
Dame Sally Davies, the chief medical officer, said the threat from
infections that are resistant to frontline antibiotics was so serious that
the issue should be added to the government's national risk register of
civil emergencies.
She described what she called an "apocalyptic scenario" where people going
for simple operations in 20 years' time die of routine infections... more »
Cat killer killed by cat
Yes folks, the cats are striking back against Gareth Bloody Morgan—the
alleged economist who reckons your favourite family pet should be killed
off to satisfy his fondness for fauna.
The man who took a soccer team and killed it off to satisfy his fondness
for megalomaniacal meddling.
The monetary moron who takes on farmers by calling them “retards,” and fans
of his losing team “pathetic.”
The investment non-adviser who took your KiwiSaver dollars, and turned them
rapidly into cents.
Yes folks, it’s clear that Captain Morgan not only lacks any basic human
quality other than self-... more »
Lifting the Combat Ban for Women: why the policy change is the right choice
Today it was announced that the combat ban for women will be fully removed
within the US military. This reverses a long-standing policy that restricts
women from serving below the brigade level in positions specified as
front-line, ground combat. Given that the policy had been recently
reviewed, the change may come as a surprise to
Continue reading
SUMMER SNIPPETS: ‘When Two Cultures Meet: The New Zealand Experience’
*Here are a few more snippets from my summer reading, this time ‘When Two
Cultures Meet: The New Zealand Experience’ by John Robinson. I feared from
the title it would be painfully worthy, but couldn’t have been more wrong.
Calling itself “a direct assault” on today’s revisionist histories of
colonisation, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Email: trosspub@gmail.com for
purchasing info.*
** * * * *
**
**
*Thomas Sowell observes that one reason we originally and voluntarily
choose to associate in a particular cultural group is the hope or
expectation of safety therein. Yet in pre-Europea... more »
They've got form (Part III)
They've got form, but I have a life - so this will be succinct.
Jan 22 Voices from the trans community: 'There will always be prejudice'
Jan 19 Feminism shouldn't be about telling trans women they're not female
enough
Jan 18 Why I'm trans … and a feminist
Jan 13 Julie Burchill has ended up bullying the trans community
And the hits keep coming... more »
Buck McKeon Forced To Hold Public Hearings On Lackland Rapes
Buck McKeon whines that it's "uncomfortable" to talk about rape in the
military. Victims tell him it's far more uncomfortable to be raped!
*-by Mark Archuleta*
“We have indentified 59 victims,” General Edward Rice, USAF Air Education
and Training Command told members of the House Armed Services Committee
Wednesday morning who were conducting a hearing at the Rayburn Office
Building into the Lackland Air Force Base sexual assault scandal.
Following a nine month investigation involving 550 investigators and 7,700
surveys, USAF Chief of Staff, General Mark A. Welsh III, testified that o... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Aberdeen, South Dakota, USA. Thanks for stopping by.
"That's Logic..."
"Contrariwise," continued Tweedledee, "if it was so, it might be;
and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn't, it ain't.
That's logic."
- Lewis Carroll, “Alice's Adventures in Wonderland”, 1865
Conversations with History - Philip Bobbitt
*Terror and Consent: The Wars for the Twenty-first Century*.
Natalie Stites Photos 'Protecting the Sacred' Ihanktonwan, South Dakota
Natalie Stites with Faith Spotted Eagle of the Braveheart Society of the Ihanktonwan Dakota.
Thanks to Natalie Stites for sharing her photos from today with Censored News!
Natalie Stites is an advocate for children and youth. She is enrolled Cheyenne River Lakota/Crow Creek Dakota, UCLA
Juris Doctor '07.
At the Protect the Sacred Gathering, Ihanktonwan Dakota
Natalie Stites with
Last week was a busy week for the Robert D. Skeels for LAUSD School Board campaign
[image: Robert D. Skeels and Anne Zerrien-Lee and NEDC]Monday saw Robert D.
Skeels at the Northeast Democratic Club (NEDC) where he and three other
candidates, including the incumbent, were asked a series of questions in
addition to making an opening statement. The questions were challenging and
policy oriented, allowing each candidate's fundamental principles to show.
The incumbent, who easily thought she'd win the endorsement, lost heartily
with only 70 of the 110 necessary votes to win. We believe that this vote
of open endorsement along with the one earlier this month at the Lo... more »
INTERVIEW / Jonah Raskin : Superstar Cinematographer Tom Hurwitz
Cinematographer
Tom Hurwitz embedded with troops in Afghanistan during filming for the
movie Kansas to Kandahar. Photo courtesy Tom Hurwitz.
An interview with Tom Hurwitz:
Superstar of contemporary
American cinematography
By Jonah Raskin / The Rag Blog / January 23, 2013
“I love going to the movies. Movies are one of the great anachronisms,
where collective craft, design, and technology
RAG RADIO / Thorne Dreyer : Mike McGuire and Lisa Fithian on Occupy Movement and 'We Are Many'
Mike
McGuire, left, co-editor of We Are Many, and activist/writer Lisa
Fithian.
Rag Radio podcast:
Mike McGuire and Lisa Fithian reflect on the Occupy Movement
and the book, We Are Many
By Rag Radio / The Rag Blog / January 23, 2013
Writer/activists Mike McGuire and Lisa Fithian were Thorne Dreyer's
guests Friday, January 18, 2013, on Rag Radio, a syndicated radio show
produced at the
An Exercise… “Playing with Gold (Energy, that is…)”
This was posted at Kauilapele's Blog:
http://kauilapele.wordpress.com/2013/01/22/an-exercise-playing-with-gold-energy-that-is/
*An Exercise… “Playing with Gold (Energy, that is…)”*
Posted on 2013/01/22 by kauilapele
There are occasional OPPT type communications that arrive to my computer.
And occasionally, something is sent/posted which hits my heart, backside,
Innards, Inner Self, whatever. This one definitely did. Now, here’s the
story from my end…
After coffee at Java, I felt moved to go to the Island Naturals food store,
then I felt very STRONGLY drawn to look for something I ... more »
ISRAEL: WHERE THE ‘LEFT’ ARE RIGHT AND THE RIGHT ARE FASCISTS
There should be no misunderstandings about the results of the recent
elections in Israel; the ‘left’ in Israel are only slightly to the left of
the ultra extreme right-wing religious nationalists and racist Greater
Israel Zionists. The political spectrum in Israel is vastly different than
most in the West understand. The real ‘left’ in Israel is virtually
non-existent. The surprise rise of the so-called ‘left-centrist’ party Yesh
Atid led by Yair Lapid in the elections over the ultra right-wing Habayet
Hayehudi (Jewish Home) party led by fascist Naftali Bennett will not make
the sli... more »
Sylvia Stolz, my hero
*"To think what is true, to sense what is beautiful and to want what is
good hereby the spirit finds the purpose of a life in reason."*
*- Johann Gottfried von Herder*
*
*
*"The further a society drifts from truth, the more it will hate those that
speak it." *
*- George Orwell*
Please take the time to listen to the heroic German lawyer Sylvia Stolz's
speech "Banned Speech, Evidence and Legal Defense" in the video below.
Essential viewing in my opinion folks.
United States to lift ban on women in frontline combat: Good or mistake?
Women in all branches of the military soon will have unprecedented
opportunities to serve on the front lines of the nation's wars.
Leon Panetta, in one of his last acts as President Obama's defense
secretary, is preparing to announce the policy change, which would open
hundreds of thousands of front-line positions and potentially elite
commando jobs after more than a decade at war, the Pentagon confirmed
Wednesday.
The groundbreaking move recommended by the Joint Chiefs of Staff overturns
a 1994 rule banning women from being assigned to smaller ground combat
units. Panetta's decisi... more »
Feeding the testing-industrial-complex
Published in Education Week: January 23, 2013,
To the Editor:
"Testing Group Selects Exam to Gauge 'College Readiness'" (Jan. 9, 2013)
announces yet another test to add to the staggering pile of tests our
students must take.
When will this end? Because there is no evidence that adding more tests
helps students, and plenty of evidence that increased testing will be very
profitable for those who sell the tests and supply the infrastructure for
the required online testing, the obvious answer is that testing fever will
end only when the greed of the standardized-testing-industrial comp... more »
"Smart, Dumb..."
"A person is smart. People are dumb."
- "Agent K",
Tommy Lee Jones' character in "Men in Black", 1997
Satire: "Obama Urged to Resign Over Beyoncé Scandal"
*"Obama Urged to Resign Over Beyoncé Scandal"*
by Andy Borowitz
WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report) – "A rising chorus of congressional
Republicans are calling on President Obama to acknowledge that the pop
singer Beyoncé lip-synched during his inaugural festivities on Monday and
resign from office, effective immediately. “By lip-synching the national
anthem, Beyoncé has cast a dark cloud over the President’s second term,”
said Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky). “The only way President Obama can remove
that cloud is by resigning from office at once.”
While many in the media have blamed B... more »
The Full Measure of High-Carbon Bitumen
Bitumen
boosters in the Alberta and Federal governments, Big Oil and the
pipeline hustlers are vigilant in ensuring the public never gets an
overall
picture of the impact of the Tar Sands.
We're shown a snippet here, a glimpse there, all carefully crafted to
give
us false assurances of what Canada is doing with this resource. Which
is
why I invite you to read this informative article from *Scientific
American*that presents the comprehensive picture Edmonton and Ottawa
and Calgary
really don't want you to see.
And then, if you're a Liberal, ask yourself how you can support a party
... more »
NATO/PATO: World Army/Global Tyranny
*Wake up people*!
I usually call this organization, attempting to bring on global tyranny :
NATO World Army
Two reports that demonstrate NATO's evil plot against humankind: NATO, the
military organization is conspiring to grow it's influence. Everywhere.
Excerpts from Pacific NATO?
"With yesterday’s re-election of Shinzo Abe as Japan’s prime minister and
the possibility of renewed tensions with China, a most profound question
was also apparent: what, if any, is NATO’s Pacific role?
*NATO’s role in the Pacific I hear you ask?* Ask many Europeans where
NATO’s responsibility stops and... more »
Thom Hartmann : The Second Amendment Was Ratified to Preserve Slavery
Slave
patrols, under the direction of commissioned militia officers, enforced
discipline on slaves in the antebellum South. Image from America's
Black Holocaust Museum.
The Second Amendment was
ratified to preserve slavery
Every Southerner of the era knew the simple answer: Well-regulated
militias kept the slaves in chains.
By Thom Hartmann / Truthout / January 23, 2013
The real reason the
Climate crimes. Will the school kids be shown?
The Global Warming Policy Foundation, 23 January 2013
Ulli Kulke, Donner und Doria, 22 January 2013
*These days, much is spoken and written about the destruction of our planet
as a result of climate change. In his evocative film *“Climate Crimes”*,
the Austrian filmmaker Ulrich Eichelmann who was an active member of WWF
for 17 years and worked in conservation for decades, now documents that it
is rather the reverse: he shows how many ecosystems, species, habitats and
the cultural heritage too are threatened – but, as he sums up, “not by
climate change, but by climate protection and... more »
LIVESTREAM Protect the Sacred South Dakota
Watch live streaming video from protectthesacred at livestream.com
LIVESTREAM Protect the Sacred. Halt the tarsands.
'Idle No More' Round Dance, Wed., Jan. 23, 2013, 7:30 -- 9:30 pm Central time.
Yankton, South Dakota
Letter from Haiti by Amy Wilentz (Posted by Roger Annis on CHAN)
*Letter From Haiti: Life in the Ruins *
By Amy Wilentz, The Nation, January 9, 2013 (print edition of Jan. 28,
2013)
http://www.thenation.com/article/172101/letter-haiti-life-ruins
Sometimes you can’t help but be sickened by the behavior of certain
international organizations helping Haiti recover from the devastating
January 2010 earthquake—hit, that is, by a wave of real physical nausea.
The other day, I spent an afternoon in the displaced persons camp across
from the ruins of St. Anne’s church in downtown Port-au-Prince. The place
was awful, as awful as you can imagine squalid ... more »
When the Liberals Jettison Liberalism
Thomas Walkom has a point. Why are today's Liberals so detached from
liberalism?
*...it’s not clear what the Liberals represent any more. They would like
voters to think of them as the non-Conservatives — the alternative to
Stephen Harper... But are they?*
***Paul Adams, an astute political observer writing in iPolitics, argues
that the federal Liberals have transformed themselves into the old
Progressive Conservatives, socially progressive but fiscally to the right.*
***I’d go further. I reckon the old PCs of Joe Clark would find federal
Liberal leadership candidate Martha Hall ... more »
Climate Crime Will the school kids be shown?
Share this newsletter:
Email not displaying correctly?
View it in your browser.
* *
HOME WHO WE ARE LATEST POSTINGS GWPF REPORTS PRESS RELEASES VIDEOS CONTACT
CCNet 23/01/13
*"Climate Crimes"* *Green Policies That Are Killing Nature*
*“Climate Crimes” **
**Green Policies That Are Killing Nature*
The Global Warming Policy Foundation, 23 January 2013
Ulli Kulke, Donner und Doria, 22 January 2013
*These days, much is spoken and written about the destruction of our planet
as a result of climate change. In his evocative film *“Climate Crimes”*,
the Aust... more »
America to Open Combat Roles to Women
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta wants to open U.S. combat roles to women.
I've got a better idea. Why not make them female only? There'd be a lot
fewer stupid wars fought if women called the shots.
Climate Crime. Will the school kids be shown?
Share this newsletter: [image: Facebook] [image: Twitter] [image: Digg] [image:
Reddit] [image: StumbleUpon] Email not displaying correctly?
View it in your browser.
HOME WHO WE ARE LATEST POSTINGS GWPF REPORTS PRESS RELEASES VIDEOS CONTACT
CCNet 23/01/13"Climate Crimes"*Green Policies That Are Killing Nature*
* *
*“Climate Crimes”
Green Policies That Are Killing Nature*
The Global Warming Policy Foundation, 23 January 2013
Ulli Kulke, Donner und Doria, 22 January 2013
*These days, much is spoken and written about the destruction of our planet
as a result of climate change. I... more »
Harper Frightened, Seeks Political Cover
When Steve Harper says he wants "consensus" it means only one thing - he's
run out of guts and wants political cover from the opposition.
Harper wants the opposition to back his next step to dragging Canada into
war with al Qaeda in the Sahara. He's already loaned France one C-17 and
now he wants to deploy a second transport. Who knows, he might even want
to fill it with soldiers - although he says he won't. One thing
Afghanistan has taught us is that, when it comes to warfare, you never take
Steve's words at face value.
*The mission could last for months, sources tell the CBC'... more »
"The Spice Must Flow..."
*"The spice must flow." *
- Frank Herbert, "Dune"
“Economic systems are bigger than people. That's why distribution of the
precious mind-expanding spice, mélange, that is the lifeblood of galactic
society in Frank Herbert's "Dune" must continue unimpeded. That's why, when
Paul Atreides- the young nobleman who finds himself hailed as a prophesied
savior- asserts his messianic will over the hitherto-powerless throngs of
poor wretches living amid the spice mines of Arrakis, he causes commerce to
grind to a standstill across a thousand planets, bringing the entire
universe to heel.... more »
DAVOS: Burning Man for Billionaires
http://www.moneynewsnow.com/2013/01/davos-burning-man-billionaires/
Tuesday, January 22nd, 2013
Posted by Johnny Punish
*DAVOS: Burning Man for Billionaires*
World Economic Forum Revealed
What Really Goes on at the Davos Carnival to Celebrate the Global Economic
System
by Johnny Punish
By now everyone in the business and political in-crowd knows about the
annual World Economic Forum meeting held in Davos, Switzerland commonly
known as “Davos”.
This is an invite only event for the worlds movers and shakers. Rumors that
it’s led by the Bilderberg group abound making it really a ... more »
Mohawk Nation News 'Harper Tries Final Solution'
MNN: HARPER TRIES “FINAL SOLUTION”
Mohawk Nation News
http://www.mohawknationnews.com
HARPER TRIES “FINAL SOLUTION”
MNN. Jan. 23, 2013. It’s “Nazism”. [Operation Paperclip]. Harper
and his criminals are trying to get away with genocide and the biggest
theft in banking history, our “Indian Trust Fund”. With the help of his
band councils and provincial and
Climate Crimes. Will the schoolkids be shown it?
Share this newsletter: [image: Facebook] [image: Twitter] [image: Digg] [image:
Reddit] [image: StumbleUpon] Email not displaying correctly?
View it in your browser.
HOME WHO WE ARE LATEST POSTINGS GWPF REPORTS PRESS RELEASES VIDEOS CONTACT
CCNet 23/01/13"Climate Crimes"*Green Policies That Are Killing Nature*
* *
*“Climate Crimes”
Green Policies That Are Killing Nature*
The Global Warming Policy Foundation, 23 January 2013
Ulli Kulke, Donner und Doria, 22 January 2013
*These days, much is spoken and written about the destruction of our planet
as a result of climate change. I... more »
Follow the money!
Where are the cops forensic accountants when we need them?
As a quick-eyed reader points out here, if the privately-held Canadian
companies whose executives accompanied Harper on his Panda-hugging *Tour de
Chine* **photo op last year did reimburse the government (as many claim
they did), where did our money go?
Some of those companies, including gold company Eldorado Gold Corp., said
they insisted on paying their own way throughout the trip and are surprised
to hear they appear on a government expense list.
*“Our CEO Paul Wright paid ALL his expenses (meals, cab fares,
accommodatio... more »
Them or Us
Just been reading about how the usual suspects are pressuring Chief Spence
to end her fast while doing sweet fuck all to pressure stephen harper and
the GG to meet with her. It's the Canadian Way, I suppose. You know; if
there's rampant electoral fraud and the "Contempt of Parliament Party"
squeaks out a bullshit majority based on 6,000 votes, and how do we react?
We sit picking our noses while the captured Elections Canada conducts a
cover-up investigation. No. Keep it as "cover-up."
Elections Canada conducts a cover-up.
Just like Parliament did with the war crimes in Afghanistan.
... more »
Why Senator Morgan Carroll Is Not Running For Congress In Colorado's 6th District
Exactly a week ago, we looked at the congressional primary shaping up for
the pivotal 6th district in Colorado, currently held, though only barely,
by right-wing extremist, Mike Coffman. His radical right ideology no longer
fits a newly drawn moderate suburban district. Last week we looked at the
possible candidates and posited that the new state Senate Majority Leader,
progressive stalwart Morgan Carroll, would be the best candidate to take on
Coffman. But like our friend Chris Larsen in Wisconsin-- the Democrats'
state Senate leader there, she feels she can accomplish more in the... more »
Why We (US) Hear the Truth So Infrequently (You DO NOT Want To Read This One If You Want To Rest Easy This Evening - Thank You For Everything, Daniel Ellsberg!)
I am suggesting that in the national security bureaucracy in the executive
branch (and now, regrettably, the intelligence committees of Congress as
well), the secrecy "oaths" (actually, agreements, conditions of employment
or access) have the same psycho-social meaning for participants as the
Mafia code of omertà, with the difference that the required "silence to
outside authorities"
St. Catherine's Hospital in Cite Soleil
Pediatric Admit Room, St. Catherine's Hospital--Cite Soleil
(Photo by John Carroll--January 23, 2013)
Every dry, hot day brings the crisis closer
A major funder was in town this week for its annual perforance evaluation
of the Honduran non-profit that I work for. So off we all went to the
little town of La Cumbre, where 30 or so people from a dozen neighbouring
villages had gathered to share their stories.
As always, I was struck by how little margin for error there is in the
lives of these people. One misstep, one bad harvest, one unexpected turn of
events can sink a family. Rural Hondurans are exceptionally resilient, but
I do have to wonder how they're going to manage with climate change.
In Canada and the U.S., climate cha... more »
Untitled
*Charles Maldonado on the annual controversy over Mardi Gras ladders ~Gambit
*
Virginia is for takeovers: Three cheers for the Washington Post!
*WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2013*
*The Post denounces a putsch:* As Digby said a bit earlier, “You have
undoubtedly heard about the Virginia legislature's off-year redistricting
scheme which they waited to pass until one of the State Senators was
attending the inaugural.
“Yes, they actually did that. They have taken a tied legislature and
gerrymandered a new one with potentially a seven vote GOP majority. They're
not even pretending to follow the rules anymore.”
Last night, Rachel Maddow described these events quite clearly; Big Ed did
so in murky fashion. But we say, Three cheers for... more »
Sun News Network pleads with anti-choice group to back its quest for ‘right to life’ subsidy
Sun News Network commentator back in the day complaining about how media
outlets want the government to solve everything. This goes for Sun News
Network and its financial problems too, it turns out. Below: Anti-choice
Sun News commentator Michael Coren. As part of its full-court press to get
the CRTC to approve a better spot ... more »
Terrorifico lugar en tinieblas con dragones y brujas
[image: Terrorifico lugar en tinieblas con dragones y brujas]
*Nota:* Click aquí para ver más *imágenes de dragones*
Por favor visite nuestra página oficial: www.fotofrontera.com
"USA 2013: The Existing Social Order Will be Swept Away"
*"USA 2013: *
*The Existing Social Order Will be Swept Away"*
By James Quinn
“The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling
expedients, of delays, is coming to a close. In its place we are entering a
period of consequences…”
- Winston Churchill
"After digesting the opinions of the shills, shysters and scam artists, I
am ready to predict that I have no clue what will happen during 2013. The
weekend weather last week was a perfect analogy for attempting to forecast
the future. The professional highly educated meteorologists predicted sunny
warm weathe... more »
Rosa perfumada de colores con frescas gotas de rocío
[image: Rosa perfumada con frescas gotas de rocío]
*Nota:* Click aquí para ver más *imágenes de rosas*
Por favor visite nuestra página oficial: www.fotofrontera.com
Peligroso dinosaurio entre los grandes jardines
[image: Peligroso dinosaurio entre los grandes jardines]
*Nota:* Click aquí para ver más *imágenes de dinosaurios*
Por favor visite nuestra página oficial: www.fotofrontera.com
Christy Clark Government, Jack Daniels And Jackboots
I read a very telling article in the Vancouver Sun tonight, it was
threatening in tone, it was disrespectful with an all encompassing
authoritative demeanor, a you have no choice, a submit submit submit
message sent from our BC Liberal corporate Government to 170,000 voting
households who have refused smart meter installations
Christy Clark after being anointed premier by several thousand members of
a stench stained BC Liberal party has done absolutely nothing, a bumbling
stumbling wink and wiggle marionette carrying on with Gordon Campbell`s
agenda, a Liberal in name only jackb... more »
Oso saliendo del río despues de haber comido a su presa
[image: Oso saliendo del río despues de haber comido a su presa]
*Nota:* Click aquí para ver más *imágenes de osos*
Por favor visite nuestra página oficial: www.fotofrontera.com
Eduardo Porter gone wild about taxes!
*WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2013*
*The latest discussion which will never occur:* Every Wednesday, Eduardo
Porter does his “Economic Scene” column in the New York Times.
Often, he strays off the reservation. This is one of those days.
In today’s column, Porter engages in heretical musing about the idea of
raising everyone's taxes.
Such musings are almost never offered. They offend the spirit of Serious
culture. But early on, Porter says this:
PORTER (1/23/13): *To make ends meet, both parties agree, spending must be
drastically cut.* Under the White House budget proposal, discretionary... more »
The Work Programme: Still Worse than Useless
The Work Programme is useless. Don't take my word for it, this was the
opinion of the *Daily Telegraph* back in November. Their piece observed
that according to the government's own calculation, around five per cent of
long-term unemployed people (i.e. those out of work for over a year) would
be able to find work if left to their own devices. The government's
flagship Work Programme managed a less than stellar rate of 2.3%.
The Work Programme, for readers fortunate enough not to have sustained
engagement with the social security system, is supposed to help people
who've been out of... more »
“Marginal Steps Toward a Better Life”
*“Marginal Steps Toward a Better Life”*
by Jeffrey Tucker
“I’m at dinner and the hostess serves me pie for dessert. I gobble it up.
Then the hostess says, “Would you like another piece?” I politely decline.
In her head, she is thinking “he hates my pie,” but this is totally wrong.
I love her pie, especially the first piece. But the second piece has
slipped from A to B in my preference ranking, and “no pie” has moved from B
to A. Im are not making a judgment on the whole stock of goods, I’m
choosing based on my perceived value of the incremental unit. This is a
gigantic differenc... more »
Lindas hadas listas para hacer magia - Imágenes de disney
[image: Lindas hadas listas para hacer magia - Imágenes de didney.]
*Nota:* Click aquí para ver más *imágenes de hadas*
Por favor visite nuestra página oficial: www.fotofrontera.com
It's just two minutes
Bored or stressed? Then take a trip to Do Nothing for 2 minutes
Isla bonita montañosa con plantas barcos y casas
[image: Isla bonita montañosa con plantas barcos y casas]
*Nota:* Click aquí para ver más *imágenes de islas*
Por favor visite nuestra página oficial: www.fotofrontera.com
US alarm bells over Cameron's EU speech
The Obama administration has made no bones about it - it wants a strong
Britain within a strong Europe.
The President's press secretary, Jay Carney, has said that he welcomed the
Prime Minister's call for Britain to remain in the European Union, adding
that the US believed the UK was stronger for being in the EU, and the EU
was stronger for having the UK as a member.
In the modern version of the special relationship, what Carney called the
essential relationship, Britain is valued as an ally precisely because it
is one of the leaders of the biggest economy in the world.
Some in Was... more »
Hermosas mariposas recolectando el polen de las flores
[image: Hermosas mariposas recolectando el polen de las flores]
*Nota:* Click aquí para ver más *imágenes de mariposas*
Por favor visite nuestra página oficial: www.fotofrontera.com
Sometimes, the Final Vote Hides the Real Vote
The House today approved the Republicans' debt limit extension. It was a
tough vote...I was going to say for Republicans, but it's probably a tough
vote for a lot of Democrats, too. Not so much because of the junk the GOP
tacked on, but because raising the debt limit is never popular, even when
you call it "suspending" the debt limit.
The vote also demonstrated something important to remember about voting on
the House (and Senate) floor: all sorts of things go into final votes.
So: Dave Weigel tweeted after it, "33 R "nay" votes. Without Obama
endorsement and D votes this would have... more »
Totality
R. v. Buruca, 2013 ONCA 36 sets out the totality principle in sentencing:
[30] The proper approach to applying the principle of totality on
sentencing is to first identify the most serious part of the accusations or
offences made against the person that resulted in the criminal offenses he
or she was charged with. Next, the court is to determine the total
sentence to be imposed, and then to impose sentences with respect to each
offence that they add up to the total sentence. In doing so, the sentence
for each offence must properly reflect the most serious part of the overall... more »
And the Blackmail Begins............. France offers 'red carpet’ to businesses if UK quits EU
European leaders have reacted negatively to Prime Minister David Cameron’s
announcement that he will try to renegotiate the UK’s relationship with
Europe, and then give Britons a straight referendum choice on whether to
stay in the EU or leave.
France will “roll out the red carpet” for British businesses if the UK opts
out of the European Union in an in-out referendum promised by British Prime
Minister David Cameron on Wednesday.
http://www.france24.com/en/20130123-france-cameron-european-union-referendum-fabius-business-uk-eurosceptic
Mario Monti: 'I agree with Prime Minister Cameron' on EU
*Image: Italians Showed their willingness during the Anti EU Protests in
November (2012) when they chanted 'Nazis out' and 'This will not pass'*
Italian prime minister Mario Monti spoke in support of David Cameron's
highly-anticipated Europe speech today.
"I agree with Prime Minister Cameron, as I agree that prosperity and growth
have to be priority number one for Europe," he said.
"I am confident that if there is to be a referendum one day, the UK
citizens will decide to stay in the European Union and contribute to shape
its future."
He added: "The European Union does not need un... more »
Camaleón de colores a orillas del bosque
[image: Camaleon de colores a orillas del bosque]
*Nota:* Click aquí para ver más *imágenes de camaleones*
Por favor visite nuestra página oficial: www.fotofrontera.com
Caballo fantástico entre las olas del mar bajo un cielo estrellado
[image: caballo fantastico entre las olas del mar bajo un cielo estrellado]
*Nota:* Click aquí para ver más *imágenes de caballos*
Por favor visite nuestra página oficial: www.fotofrontera.com
Ed Miliband unnerves colleagues by rejecting in-out EU referendum
Ed Miliband risked alienating some voters, and unnerving sections of his
own shadow cabinet, when he stood firm on Wednesday, saying he was opposed
to an in-out referendum on the terms proposed by David Cameron.
The Tories seized on his statement, claiming he was against an in-out
referendum, but Miliband's aides said the party only opposed a referendum
now.
However, the Conservatives were confident that the Labour leader had made a
disastrous political error for which he would pay a price at the next
election.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/jan/23/ed-miliband-eu-referen... more »
Libya reinforces border, oilfields after Algeria attack
Libya has strengthened its oil protection force in southwestern oilfields
near the Algerian border after the In Amenas attack in its neighbor.
In an interview with Reuters, Colonel Ali Elahrash, head of Libya's
Petroleum Faculty Guard, said men from the Western Mountain town of Zintan
had been sent in as reinforcements to boost border security as well to
oilfields in the area.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/23/us-libya-oil-guard-idUSBRE90M12B20130123
Some lawmakers take guns debate personally
They belong to an exclusive group in the U.S. Congress: survivors of gun
violence.
They number at least seven. A few were nearly killed. Others lost family
members or colleagues before they came to Washington and became players in
the national debate on guns.
Still carrying the emotional and, in some cases, physical scars from those
episodes, most of the legislators believe a string of mass killings -
notably the Newtown, Connecticut school shooting that killed 26 last month
- has put the goal of more stringent gun control laws within tantalizing
reach.
http://www.reuters.com/arti... more »
Suicide bomber kills 22 at Iraqi Shi'ite mosque
A suicide bomber disguised as a mourner killed at least 22 people inside an
Iraqi Shi'ite Muslim mosque on Wednesday when he set off his explosives in
the middle of a crowded funeral.
The latest of four suicide attacks in a week came as Shi'ite Prime Minister
Nuri al-Maliki faces mounting pressure from mass Sunni protests that
threaten to return Iraq to the scale of sectarian violence that killed
thousands in 2006-2007.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/23/us-iraq-violence-idUSBRE90M0RA20130123
U.S., Africa say Mali action counters growing Islamist threat
The United States and African leaders threw their full diplomatic weight on
Wednesday behind a campaign to expel Islamist rebels from Mali, as French
air strikes harried the al Qaeda-allied fighters in their strongholds.
For nearly two weeks, French jets and helicopters have been hitting
carefully selected targets around rebel-held Malian towns such as Gao and
Timbuktu, while African troops gather for a planned ground offensive
against the Islamist forces.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/23/us-mali-rebels-idUSBRE90M16T20130123
Debt limit extension bill moves to vote in House
The House of Representatives on Wednesday began considering a Republican
measure to extend the U.S. debt limit for nearly four months but many
Democrats vowed to oppose the measure, calling it a gimmick that sets up a
new "fiscal cliff."
A test vote to proceed with debate on the measure showed a nearly strict
partisan split, with 234 votes in favor and 190 against. Just six Democrats
supported it.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/23/us-usa-fiscal-idUSBRE90M11F20130123
Clinton angrily defends handling of Benghazi attack
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday angrily defended her
handling of the September 11 attack on the U.S. mission in the Libyan city
of Benghazi and denied any effort to mislead people.
The attack by armed militants that killed U.S. Ambassador Christopher
Stevens and three other Americans threatens to stain Clinton's legacy as
secretary of state. It also may dent any hopes that Clinton, who mounted an
unsuccessful presidential campaign in 2008, may run for the White House
again in 2016.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/23/us-usa-libya-clinton-idUSBRE90M0SM20130123
What Gene Robinson saw at the inauguration!
*WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2013*
*Slouching toward post-racial:* We thought Gene Robinson made an excellent
point about the inauguration.
“The black president no longer,” the headline on his Washington Post column
said. Robinson started like this:
ROBINSON (1/22/13): *President Barack Hussein Obama’s second inauguration
was every bit as historic as his first*—not because it said so much about
the nation’s long, bitter, unfinished struggle with issues of race, as was
the case four years ago, but *because it said so little about the subject.*
Reflect for a moment: A black man stood on t... more »
UK Economy: IMF Cuts Growth Forecast
The International Monetary Fund has cut its forecast for UK growth this
year and the next, in the latest economic blow for Chancellor George
Osborne.
The IMF cut its forecast for Britain's expansion next year by more than any
other major economy apart from Japan, dealing a blow to those hoping for a
quick rebound from the recent double-dip.
http://news.sky.com/story/1041896/uk-economy-imf-cuts-growth-forecast
Now there's more Bad Blue...
*brought to you by Doug Ross - and we thank him. *
From Doug:
By popular demand (or perahps just 'cuz I wanted it for myself), the
BadBlue News Service has added a Gun Channel (*BadBlue.com/Guns*). It's a
Drudge-style news service that monitors the major firearms sites for news
that's poppin'.
A Petri Dish for Climate Change Adaptation
Andean glaciers are quickly melting away. It's reported they're melting
faster than they have in three centuries. Millions of South Americans are
dependent on meltwater from these glaciers. That's about to change.
*"Glacier retreat in the tropical Andes over the last three decades is
unprecedented," said Antoine Rabatel, the lead author of the study and a
scientist with the Laboratory for Glaciology and Environmental Geophysics
in Grenoble, France.*
*The researchers also warned that future warming could totally wipe out the
smaller glaciers found at lower altitudes that stor... more »
The System is Rigged~David Seaman Interview
Enter your email address to subscribe to our newsletter:
Delivered by FeedBurner Be the Change! Share this using the tools below.
Sharing on Reddit and Newsvine will help the most.
MLAs' expense allowance lets almost one-in-four buy second homes in the capital
MLAs’ living expense benefits are likely too rich when 18 of them have been
able to buy second homes in the capital.
It’s reasonable to cover living costs for MLAs from outside the capital
region when they’re here on business.
But when almost 25 per cent of eligible MLAs use the expense allowance to
help buy second homes in one of the province’s most expensive markets, the
payments deserve a tough look. (The information is from disclosure
statements. A few have half-interests in the properties.)
MLAs’ decision to give themselves big pay raises and lavish pension plans
in 2007 attract... more »
“Zero Dark Thirty”: Touchstone Par Exemplar
The film “Zero Dark Thirty” has touched quite a cord in this country, such
as with Peter Henne’s post below that responds to my own post further
below. To his credit, he opens up another strand of the wider debate this
film has touched off. My own reflection delves into the torture
controversy writ large,
Continue reading
What We’re All Missing in the “Zero Dark Thirty” Debate
This is a guest post by Peter S. Henne. Peter is a doctoral candidate at
Georgetown University. He formerly worked as a national security
consultant. His research focuses on terrorism and religious conflict; he
has also written on the role of faith in US foreign policy. During
2012-2013 he is a fellow at the Miller Center at
Continue reading
The Art of Politics, Japanese Style
Japan's newly minted finance minister thinks his country's old people
should hurry up and die. Really, seriously, I didn't make that up.
*Taro Aso, the finance minister, said on Monday that the elderly should be
allowed to "hurry up and die" to relieve pressure on the state to pay for
their medical care.*
*"Heaven forbid if you are forced to live on when you want to die. I would
wake up feeling increasingly bad knowing that [treatment] was all being
paid for by the government," he said during a meeting of the national
council on social security reforms. "The problem won't be sol... more »
Phil Mickelson Got Very Rich Playing Golf... So He Doesn't Think He Should Have To Pay Taxes
What could be more fitting? Mickelson & the tainted HSBC cup
I met Bob Lord when he ran for Congress against freaky Arizona Republican
sex maniac John Shadegg (since driven out of politics, thank God). Bob, an
attorney and still a progressive force inside the Arizona Democratic Party,
blogs on a variety of *DWT*-type topic for BlogForArizona and Monday he
said it would be OK for us to republish the post he ran about... Phil
Mickelson. When you read it, imagine that golf is an actual sport rather
than a hobby for rich white men.
*Pity Poor Phil Mickelson
-by Bob Lord*
It's irritating... more »
5.1 Magnitude Earthquake PAPUA, INDONESIA - 23rd January 2013
Magnitude M 5.1
Region PAPUA, INDONESIA
Date time 2013-01-23 17:05:20.6 UTC
Location 3.45 S ; 136.32 E
Depth 70 km
Distances 92 km E Nabire, Indonesia
Arms Race Update - All the King's Horses and All the King's Men Still At It.
The True Warfare State, undaunted by its high-tech flops in Iraq and
Afghanistan, proceeds apace in the development of the latest and greatest
in institutional mayhem devices.
Here's one of the ideas they're working on*, *the laser tail gunner.
It's a rear aspect, high energy laser defence system for tactical aircraft
(i.e. fighters). The idea is that, when a missile is detected heading for
the aircraft, a belly turret will fire a laser beam to destroy the threat.
Full points if you noticed that the aircraft in the illustration is
Lockheed's F-35. Bonus points if you asked yours... more »
ADHD drugs retard the growth and development of boys
In more ways then one may think, realize or be aware of.* *
*So, let's connect some dots?*
*In 2011 there was a study with rhesus monkeys*
The study was conducted on young rhesus monkeys under 5 years old. The
monkeys were divided into groups with one receiving a low dose of
methylphenidate, similar to the dose a human ADHD patient would receive,
and the other group receiving a high dose, or 10 times what is used in
humans. A separate control group was given only the material that the drug
was dissolved in for the other monkeys but not the drug itself. These doses
were administered ... more »
Paging Snuffleupagus to the SunNews white courtesy petition
The last time Sun News needed help with an online petition, Snuffleupagus
and Homer Simpson were there to help, mysteriously adding their names to
80,000 others on a "Stop Fox News North" Avaaz petition in 2010, along
with a number of real people like Kady and Stephen Maher who didn't sign it.
Sun News mastermind, Kornkob ethanol lobbyist, and Steve's former director
of communications Kory Teneycke 'discovered' the fraudulent names and wrote
it up in his Sun News column on Sept 3 2010 in a bid to discredit the
petition .... only to get busted by Kady who pointed out the names on ... more »
Business 360 3: Fiscal Cliff and Government Irresponsibility
* This is the article that I submitted to B360 late last month, when the
"fiscal cliff" in the US was being discussed worldwide.
-----------
*Fiscal Cliff and Government Irresponsibility*
The US government’s public debt, currently at $16.3+ trillion, has touched
the 100 percent of GDP mark in 2011. This does not include yet debt of
local governments – states, cities and counties – which also have their own
public debt. This huge debt and the huge interest payment to service the
principal that keeps rising each day, is the main cause of its continuing
fiscal and economic uncertaintie... more »
Daniel Hannan
Why can't *we* have courageous and outspoken politicians like MEP Hannan?
Ah, but we do; their names are Rand Paul and Ron Paul and Paul Ryan and a
handful of others. But why do they all have Paul in their name?
Hillary Clinton smirks at questions from Rand Paul...
what the hell is wrong with these libtards? Is everything a joke to them?
Silly question!
USS Guardian damaged at least 1,000 square meters of coral reef
[image: Aerial view of the US Navy ship USS Guardian aground on the
Tubbataha Reef, western Philippines, on 19 January 2013. Photo: Armed
Forces of the Philippines Western Command (AFP-WESCOM)]
MANILA, Philippines, 23 January 2013 (ABS-CBNnews.com) – The US Navy
minesweeper ship *USS Guardian* damaged at least 1,000 square meters of
coral reefs in Tubbataha Reef in Palawan when it ran aground Thursday,
according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
Lt. Cmdr. Armand Balilo, spokesman of the PCG, said the estimated damage
was based on the assessment jointly conducted by the PCG, US ... more »
Greek Tragedy
The Financial Times reports today that three statisticians who worked for
official Greece statistical agency (the Hellenic Statistical Authority or
Elstat) have been charged with crimes for falsely calculating Greek debt in
2009:
Greece has brought criminal charges against the official responsible for
measuring the country’s debt, thereby calling into question the validity of
its €172bn second bailout by the EU and International Monetary Fund.
Andreas Georgiou, head of the independent statistical agency Elstat, and
two senior officials are accused of undermining the country’s “na... more »
Overlooked on the Senate Budget?
I linked earlier today to a good WaPo piece by Rachel Weiner explaining why
Senate Democrats haven't passed a budget resolution -- mainly that there
was no particular reason to do so, and therefore they were happy to duck
tough but meaningless votes on one.
I should add, however, one other point that perhaps really might change
things in the 113th Congress: the leadership of the Budget Committee.
Retired Chair Kent Conrad was a real rarity in Washington. He actually did
care about federal budget deficits. A lot. So much so that he once left the
Senate because he had pledge to do so ... more »
Greed and Corruption in the Medical Device Industry
I have two friends who work in marketing and sales for medical device
makers.
Marketing and sales means organizing conferences in vacation destinations
for surgeons. Guest surgeons willing to speak on behalf of the device maker
are treated like kings and compensated royally
I mean that. The sexism and arrogance of some of these surgeons is matched
only by the greed and arrogance of the medical device makers (especially in
the area of implants).
One of my friends complained that health insurers were becoming cautious
about paying for medical devices. I asked her whether her employe... more »
Humans are a ‘plague on Earth’: Sir David Attenborough warns that negative effects of population growth will come home to roost
[image: Sir David Attenborough. Photo: PA via The Independent]
22 January 2013 (PA) – TV naturalist Sir David Attenborough has warned that
human beings have become a “plague on the Earth”.
The 86-year-old broadcaster said the negative effects of climate change and
population growth would be seen in the next 50 years.
He told the Radio Times: "It's coming home to roost over the next 50 years
or so.
"It's not just climate change. It's sheer space, places to grow food for
this enormous horde.
"Either we limit our population growth or the natural world will do it for
us, and the ... more »
4.7 Magnitude Earthquake VANUATU - 23rd January 2013
Magnitude
4.7
Date-Time
Wednesday, January 23, 2013 at 12:39:41 UTC
Wednesday, January 23, 2013 at 11:39:41 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
14.828°S, 167.849°E
Depth
86.9 km (54.0 miles)
Region
VANUATU
Distances
89 km (55 miles) ENE of Port-Olry, Vanuatu
4.5 Magnitude Earthquake OFFSHORE GUATEMALA - 23rd January 2013
Magnitude
4.5
Date-Time
Wednesday, January 23, 2013 at 12:36:56 UTC
Wednesday, January 23, 2013 at 06:36:56 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
14.220°N, 92.297°W
Depth
35 km (21.7 miles)
Region
OFFSHORE GUATEMALA
Distances
34 km (21 miles) SSW of Ocos, Guatemala
Cameron's EU referendum pledge leaves Labour in turmoil as Miliband refuses to support 2017 vote despite backbench support
The Prime Minister finally delivered his long-awaited Europe speech with
a
warning to other EU countries that Britain is heading for the exit door
unless they hand back key powers. Mr Cameron warned the Lib Dems staging
the first Europe referendum since 1975 was a deal breaker in the event
of
another coalition in 2015. France warned the move was 'dangerous' as
UKIP
claimed victory in its campaign for voters to have a say on severing
ties
with Brussels.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2266720/David-Cameron-Europe-speech-Labour-turmoil-Miliband-refuses-support-2017-vote-despit... more »
When Fact Becomes Opinion:Half-Truths, Non-Truths & the Phony Objectivity of the Associated Press
An
Associated Press report from this past week demonstrates how plain
facts and provable, documented historical events are often described as
subjective perceptions and matters of perspective in the mainstream
media whenever an honest presentation and assessment of those facts
would serve to reduce the fear-mongering propaganda over Iran's nuclear
energy program.
Writing from Tehran on January
Choking up, Hillary Clinton says Benghazi is ‘personal’
Outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, testifying before Congress on
the deadly Sept. 11 2012 attack in Benghazi, choked up Wednesday as she
assured lawmakers that the security of American diplomats was a “personal”
issue for her. (Source)
*Related Articles: *
Was Hillary Clinton Involved in Benghazi Attack to Provoke More Bloodshed? Dead
US Ambassador Documented Creation of Benghazi Terror Emirate State
Department Covers Up Ambassador Stevens’ Death at Rented Villa in Benghazi US-Backed
Terrorists Murder US' Own Ambassador in Libya US Ambassador's Death: Fruits
of US Forei... more »
Beijing's Smog Crisis
Li Feifan discusses his 40-minute documentary Future Armageddon, screened
on Chinese TV via guardian.co.uk
In the news lately has been the extraordinarily bad conditions of Beijing's
air, or as some are calling it, "airpocalypse". The city recently went way,
way, way off the charts for air pollution and officials are now looking at
how to reign in the causes of such incredible pollution.
The Guardian reports, "One week after that chart-busting Saturday, Beijing
proposed new measures to combat pollution, including increased fines for
excessive vehicle emissions and factory shutdo... more »
Climate change melting glaciers in the Andes – ‘They will probably completely disappear within the coming decades’
[image: Central Peru's Pastoruri glacier, in the Cordillera Blanca (White
Range), 18 May 2010. Photo: Edubucher / Wikimedia Commons]
By Jeremy Hance
22 January 2013
(mongabay.com) – Glaciers are melting faster than ever in the tropical
Andes, warns a new study published in *The Cryosphere*, which puts the
blame for vanishing glaciers squarely on climate change. The study — the
most comprehensive to date — found that since the 1970s glacier melt in the
region has been speeding up, threatening freshwater supplies in Peru and
Bolivia.
"The ongoing recession of Andean glaciers will b... more »
The state-owned Bank of North Dakota
James Hall, Contributor
Global Political Awakening
Fiscal conservatives often are blind when it comes to alternatives to the
"so called" commercial banking system. Many conventional Republicans are
ignorant or simply carrying the water for the crony capitalist banking
establishment. The fractional reserve banking monopoly that operates under
the auspices of the privately owned Federal Reserve System, despises any
trace of competition. The bondage from debt created money has doomed Main
Street to the fate of contrite beggars in search of securing loans. Useful
purposes for busine... more »
INAUGURATE THIS: David Brooks doesn’t believe all those things!
*WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2013*
*Part 2—Is David Brooks we the people:* Do “we the people” believe all
those things, the way Obama said?
In his Inaugural Address, the president listed a whole bunch of things “we
the people” were said to believe. But do we really believe all that stuff?
And if we do, why has it been so hard, for so many years, to get
legislation passed, the kind of legislation we like?
Uh-oh! Just that quickly, one alleged person stuck up his head and said he *
doesn’t* believe all those things. He said he *doesn’t* believe all the
things Obama said!
The person is q... more »
Wednesday Short Takes
We’re a bit over a week away from selecting the finalists for the awards.
As of today we are no longer likely to honor new ballot requests. Those of
you have already received a ballot should cast it. I have an
interview up with Ramez Naam about his well-received technothriller, Nexus.
If that’s your kind of thing, the
Continue reading
Be A Good Anti-ALECer: Copy, Paste, Send
This was on the Blog for Iowa site this morning – as they begin the fight a
renewed effort for stronger ALEC “Right to Work for Less” legislation –
brought forth by their ALEC legislators.
What I found interesting about the article was their petition they were
asking Iowans to sign.
Eloquently simple, quick, to the point, and can be used by anyone/everyone.
*Be a good anti-ALECer.*
Just copy and paste this
And then when you see ALEC legislation that is not good for your state
– send the copied and pasted text in an email to your legislators.
“Instead of putting into the constitutio... more »
Read Stuff, You Should
Happy Birthday to Charlie Spikes, 62. If I recall correctly, he was once
featured in a Sam "Mayday" Malone story. Immortality! (wait --
baseball-reference has a page for Sam Malone? Yup).
On to the good stuff:
1. Seth Masket reads Sasha Issenberg, *The Victory Lab*.
2. Five Roe myths, from Scott Lemiuex.
3. Why haven't Senate Democrats passed a budget resolution? Rachel Weiner
has a good summary.
4. What should the press do with conspiracy theories? Brendan Nyhan, of
course, is on it.
5. Thomas Friedman, taken entirely apart by Dan Drezner. Brutal, Juice.
6. And I suppose I shoul... more »
Home Remedies for Gout – 12 Natural Solutions by Mike Barrett
Home Remedies for Gout – 12 Natural Solutions
by Mike Barrett
*There is a good chance that you or someone you know is suffering from an
arthritic health condition known as gout. Gout is a painful type of
arthritis caused by an excess of uric acid in the body. Uric acid in the
bloodstream causes crystals to develop on the cartilage of tendons, joints,
and other tissue. These tissues then get inflamed and often cause serious,
sudden pain. But what are the triggers of this health issue, and how can it
be prevented? Are there home remedies for gout or do you need
doctor-prescribed medi... more »
Membership Renewal Deadline Is Friday In Order To Vote In Sask NDP Leadership Campaign #skndpldr
[image: Leadership 2012]
*The deadline to become a 2013 member and be eligible to vote for the next
Saskatchewan NDP Leader is now just three days away! Memberships (new or
renewals) must be received in Provincial Office before the cutoff date of
Friday, January 25, 2013 at 5:00 PM CST to be eligible to vote in the
leadership race.
All four of our candidates have done a great job in this campaign. There
is so much energy and enthusiasm. I am proud to be a part of this process
and I am proud to be a member of this party.
If you have not already done so, click here right now to rene... more »
Norway goat cheese fire closes tunnel
Bizarre headline of the day, week & maybe year...
I liked:
'About 27 tonnes of caramelised brown goat cheese - a delicacy known as
Brunost - caught light as it was being driven through the Brattli Tunnel at
Tysfjord, northern Norway, last week.
The fire raged for five days and smouldering toxic gases were slowing the
recovery operation, officials said.'
And:
' Kjell Bjoern Vinje, of the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, said it
was the first time he could remember cheese catching fire on Norwegian
roads.
"I didn't know that brown cheese burns so well," he said.'
But was i... more »
Republicans Whine That Obama Is Making Them Look Crazy For Sticking Up To What They Believe In
Did Obama sneak all these people into office when no one was looking?
I was never much on following the blatherings of the *NY Times*' resident
corporate rightist, David Brooks and Ken seems to have been basically
ignoring his this year as well. But I could resist a couple of quick
comments on his nonsensical column from last Thursday. He starts from the
fatally flawed premise that in the best of all worlds, Simpson-Bowles would
be our guiding light. He's sad that's not likely to happen. "Polarization,"
he writes, "is too deep. Special interests are too strong. The negotiators
are to... more »
KIPP's Take from Private Sources Since 2003: $308,999,543.00
The post below is from *Cloaking Inequity* by Julian Vasquez Heilig:
[image: th]
Today I will profile Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) schools on The
Teat. The Teat is an ongoing series on Cloaking Inequity (the protuberance
through which milk is drawn from an udder or breast) that seeks to trace
financial support which various entities receive that are involved in
current educational policy debates.
The Teat Cow Haiku for today:
Every cow comes wrapped
in cowhide, but that does not
serve to hide the cow.
Cloaking Inequity exists because of KIPP. (For the full thread on KIPP go
here... more »
Untitled
*Payton to speak on reinstatement for first time after Senior Bowl arrival*
*Ferry services threatened by funding cuts *
*Developer of riverfront project allegedly gave $100k in illegal payments
to Nagin*
*Project to protect Northshore coastline nears completion*
*New bubble site found southwest of sinkhole*
*Oil industry tainted Professor says lawsuits hinder leak research*
*Heart of Louisiana: Cajun Boat Building*
Anything To Win
Under Stephen Harper, the Prime Minister's Office was given a new prime
directive: character assassination. So, the office produced animations of
puffins pooping on Stephane Dion's shoulder; it trumpeted the message that
Michael Ignatieff entered politics for personal gain, not public service;
it accused Theresa Spence of defrauding the Canadian public. The attacks
were always pre-emptive. They were launched long before election campaigns.
For the Conservatives, the best defense is a strong offense.
But the targets have always been political opponents. Now, Michael Harris
writes,... more »
Top Psychiatrist: Meds Behind School Massacres by Jerome R. Corsi
Top Psychiatrist: Medications Behind School Massacres
by Jerome R. Corsi
WND Education, 23 January 2013
*Society conducting 'vast social experiment' without knowing its end.*
NEW YORK – If lawmakers and authorities are truly concerned about stopping
gun violence in schools, they need to take a close look at the prescription
of psychotropic drugs for children and young people, says a leading
psychiatrist.
In an exclusive in-person interview in New York City with WND, London-based
Dr. David Healy criticized pharmaceutical companies that have made billions
of dollars marketing Selec... more »
ALEC/NRA Legislation - Guns in Dorms - Insanity
This posted yesterday:
Five Days Before Latest College Shooting, TX Legislator* *Introduced
ALEC/NRA Bill to Allow Guns on Campus
by Brendan Fisher
Just days before three people were shot in an altercation on a college
campus in Texas, fourteen Texas state Senators co-sponsored a National
Rifle Association-backed bill to prohibit colleges from restricting
concealed handguns on campuses. The legislation closely resembles a "model"
adopted by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).
Students gathered Tuesday after the shooting at the North Harris campus of
Lone Star College,... more »
Elsewhere: Debt Limit, Obama's Speech
Over at PP yesterday, I argued that regardless of whether it violates the
27th Amendment it's a really, really bad idea for the House to tie specific
Member votes to whether they get paid.
I guess I'm a little late on the Inaugural, but I did two posts on it
Monday. At PP, I was struck by how little Obama gave to Republicans. And at
Greg's place, I remarked on the foreign policy sections -- and while I
agreed that most of it was boilerplate, I thought that flat-out declaring
that war is ending is a fairly big deal (and, yes, I know he's said it
before, but still).
And really late, ... more »
Who says that the BBC has an agenda?
http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21162621
'Labour's Dennis Skinner teased the prime minister about leaving
"austerity-riddled Britain to wine and dine at Davos" with "bankers" and
"tax-avoiding millionaires."
He called David Cameron a "posh boy", but the prime minister reckoned the
veteran MP might agree with his speech to the World Economic Forum, which
would cover tax avoidance and evasion.
The pair have a history of frosty exchanges in the House of Commons.'
The BBC happy to push the Labour agenda at all times.
WotW: Access and Control Your Computer from Anywhere
First-world problem: You get to a public computer or find yourself at a
friend's computer and realize you didn't bring *that* file with you. Oh,
and you forgot your thumb drive too. Sounds really lame when put that way,
but it's a problem we've all faced.
I've discussed many cloud-based solutions before, but today I'm going to
share one of my favorite pieces of software that I've used for a couple
years now to make sure I never forget a file.
It's called TeamViewer. It's a powerful piece of software that allows you
to remotely control your computer, and/or transfer files between ... more »
Mass Immigration means death for America - according to the Jewish Task Force!
It is not often that I find myself in agreement with people who are proudly
Jewish. However, I cannot but agree with the following video by Chaim ben
Pesach of the Jewish Task Force (direct link here)
The Jewish president of the USA, Barack Obama, is to legalise 20 million
criminal immigrants; 20 million people who are known to have have broken
into the United States, with total disregard for the people who already
live there, and in many cases have added to their initial act of
criminality, with further acts of theft from and violence against the
American people. The willingn... more »
How long will this position last?
"My position is no, we don't want an in/out referendum"
That was Labour leader, so long as the Trade Unions approve, Ed Miliband
stating Labour's position on an EU referendum.
Let's see how long that lasts. Also does he speak for every single Labour
MP?
Paul Nuttall: Cameron’s speech was a devious attempt to kick the whole matter into the long grass.
“It is based on him winning the General Election and a referendum would be
five years down the line. In that time the EU will have caused further
untold damage to our economy. We need an in-out referendum and we need it
soon.
“The fact that Cameron made the speech at all is a testament to all the
hard work of UKIP is putting the subject of the European Union high up the
agenda and because we are doing so well in the polls.”
http://manchestergazette.co.uk/?p=11132
Citizen's arrest very circumscribed
*R. v. Boyd*, 2013 BCCA 19 has an interesting aside about citizen’s arrests:
The law has always sought to circumscribe within very narrow limits the
powers of a citizen to effect an arrest. It is a species of self help and
… a fertile source of breaches of the peace.
* *
Nick Clegg: David Cameron is not acting in the national interest over Europe
In a warning to the Prime Minister, Mr Clegg suggested the Liberal
Democrats will not go into Coalition with a party that wants a
re-negotiation with Europe.
"We should always be governed by what’s in the national interest, and my
view is that years and years of uncertainty because of a protracted,
ill-defined renegotiation of our place in Europe is not in the national
interest because it hits growth and jobs," he told Sky News.
The Deputy Prime Minister said there is a "right time and there is a right
place for a referendum" but criticised Mr Cameron's decision to name a date
in a... more »
Hugo Dixon: UK faces five years of limbo-land
The UK faces half a decade of limbo-land. David Cameron’s promise of an
in/out referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union by the
end-2017— provided he wins the next election – means an extremely long
period of uncertainty for business. That will be bad for investment. It
also heightens the risk of an eventual “Brexit” – a British exit from
Europe – which would be even worse for the economy.
An in/out referendum is neither desirable nor necessary. Of course, if the
UK was planning to hand further powers to Brussels, it would be a good idea
to get the people’s consent. B... more »
EU mystified at how Cameron's renegotiation will happen,...they are not the only ones
European officials and diplomats were left scratching their heads after
David Cameron's big speech on Wednesday, expressing confusion about how and
when the prime minister expects to overhaul Britain's ties to the European
Union.
Cameron promised voters an in/out referendum on British membership of the
EU if he is re-elected in 2015, saying the referendum would take place by
the end of 2017, once Britain has re-negotiated its relationship with the
EU.
It may have been what eurosceptics in his Conservative party, and the wider
British public, wanted to hear, but it is anything but a... more »
Lloyds Confirms 940 More Banking Job Cuts
Lloyds Bank has confirmed it is to axe another 940 jobs, taking job loss
announcements at the firm to 1,300 in the past few days.
Sky News has confirmed that the cuts will occur in the group operations,
insurance, retail, wealth and international and commercial divisions.
http://news.sky.com/story/1041809/lloyds-confirms-940-more-banking-job-cuts
Gareth Morgan Wants To Eradicate Cats
A prominent New Zealand businessman has sparked controversy with his plan
to kill off cats to save the country's native birds.
Gareth Morgan said households were harbouring "natural born killers" and
killed at least 13 native birds or animals every year.
http://news.sky.com/story/1041683/new-zealand-man-wants-to-eradicate-cats
*If that's the case, shouldn't he want to eradicate humanity? who are the
cause of Millions of Bird deaths each year*
Ed Miliband Against EU Referendum
Pressed to outline his position during MPQ's by David Cameron, the *Labour
leader* eventually says he does not want a referendum.
4.1 Magnitude Earthquake VIRGIN ISLANDS REGION - 23rd January 2013
Magnitude
4.1 (Preliminary magnitude — update expected within 15 minutes)
Date-Time
Wednesday, January 23, 2013 at 12:21:14 UTC
Wednesday, January 23, 2013 at 08:21:14 AM at epicenter
Location
18.992°N, 64.322°W
Depth
40 km (24.9 miles) set by location program
Region
VIRGIN ISLANDS REGION
Distances
29 km (18 miles) N (360°) from Settlement, Anegada, British Virgin Islands
"Canada Considering Nuclear Reactors in Alberta Tar Sands Fields"??
*by John Kay*
* *
"Like them or hate them, Alberta, Canada’s tar sands deposits of bitumen or
extremely heavy crude oil, are the world’s largest. The province’s
resources include the Athabasca, Peace River and Cold Lake deposits in the
McMurray Formation, which consist of a mixture of crude bitumen, a
semi-solid form of crude oil, admixed with silica sand, clay minerals, and
water.
According to the U.S. government’s Energy Information Administration,
“Canada controls the third-largest amount of proven reserves in the world,
after Saudi Arabia and Venezuela… Canada's proven oil re... more »
Josh Butler - a cricketing answer
England's previous ODI wicketkeepers to Josh Butler since Alec Stewart
retired a decade ago were:
Chris Read
Geraint Jones
Matt Prior
Paul Nixon
Phil Mustard
Tim Ambrose
Steven Davies
Eoin Morgan - who kept in two Champions Trophy games in 2009
Craig Kieswetter.
As a matter of interest Vikram Solanki, James Foster, Jonny Bairstow and
Josh Buttler have all kept in T20 internationals in that time but not ODIs.
European Jewish Leaders Blame Greek Neo-Nazi Golden Dawn for Racist Killing
The head of the European Jewish Congress condemned the “racist” killing of
an immigrant in Athens last week, saying it was a result of Greece’s
tolerance of the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn Party.
“We are witness to an increasing violence against foreigners and minorities
in Greece which is the natural result of inaction by the authorities
against racist and anti-Semitic hate speech and violent attacks,” EJC
President Moshe Kantor said in a statement issued Tuesday.
The victim, a Pakistani immigrant, was pulled off his motorbike and stabbed
to death in downtown Athens by two men in an atta... more »
European leaders hit out at Cameron...That didn't take too Long
France and Germany have told the British prime minister David Cameron that
the European Union could not be treated “à la carte” after he launched an
attempt to renegotiate the UK’s future in the union.
Guido Westerwelle, German foreign minister, said “cherry picking was not an
option”, while Laurent Fabius, French foreign minister, said “if you join a
football club, you can’t say you want to play rugby”.
Mr Cameron vowed to hold a straight “in-out” referendum on Britain’s future
in the EU by 2017, in a long-awaited speech in London on Wednesday morning.
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s... more »
Top Al Qaeda commander killed for the THIRD time: U.S air strike 'finally' gets terror boss in Yemen....Allegedly!
A senior jihadist believed to be behind a deadly bombing at the U.S.
embassy in Yemen has been reported killed, the third time his death has
been announced.
Said al-Shihri, the second in command of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
(AQAP), was reportedly killed in an airstrike in Yemen in December,
according to a news report by Arabic television network Al Arabiya.
According to the report, the Saudi-born militant died after sustaining
severe injuries from a joint U.S.-Yemeni airstrike that targeted his convoy.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2266869/Said-al-Shihri-killed-TH... more »
France and Germany plan closer eurozone
France and Germany will present joint proposals in May for closer economic
and monetary union in Europe, to stabilise and deepen integration in the
eurozone, Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, announced in Berlin on
Tuesday.
Speaking beside François Holland, French president, on the 50th anniversary
of the Elysée treaty which cemented Franco-German relations in Europe, Ms
Merkel said both governments would also ask employers and trade unions in
their respective countries to come up with joint plans to boost
competitiveness and growth.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/aa9bbcba-649f-11e... more »
Thai Journalist Jailed for 10 Years For Royal Family Insults
A prominent Thai magazine editor has been jailed for 10 years for insulting
the country's royal family.
Somyot Pruksakasemsuk was convicted of publishing two articles in his
anti-establishment magazine that were said to be critical of the monarchy.
Judges found both pieces defamed the royal family and contravened
Thailand’s harsh lese majeste laws, which critics say are frequently abused
by politicians to silence rivals.
http://news.sky.com/story/1041659/thai-journalist-jailed-for-royal-family-insults
Thomas Mayer, Europe editor at Austrian daily Der Standard
"After Cameron speech and Elysee celebrations it is clear that Europe needs
German-French axis more than ever, UK cannot be relied upon, Tories have
drifted off."
Pekke Huhtaniemi, Finnish ambassador to the UK on Cameron's Speech
"We all need to reflect on this speech. It could create anxiety and
uncertainty around the EU. Other members will now need to think how to
react. There will be tough negotiations ahead. Finland would never want
Britain to leave the EU. Finland and Britain have been like-minded on trade
so we'd lose an important ally."
(We need a Ally's within Europe? what happened to the Nobel Peace Prize?)
Martin Schulz, speaker of the European Parliament Reaction on Cameron's Speech
"We need a UK as a fully fledged member not harbouring in the port of
Dover. UK can shape EU by working with its partners.
"Cameron's Europe a la carte not an option. We have to focus on jobs &
growth rather than getting lost in treaties discussions." (Guess that's
another No then)
Guido Westerwelle, German foreign minister on Cameron's Speech
"Germany wants the United Kingdom to remain an active and constructive part
of the European Union...
"Cherry-picking is not an option." (that is a No then!)
Medical literature: do wrong results prevail?
*A remotely related link:* *Scientific American* surprisingly ran a story
on the Liberals' War on Science. The content isn't quite accurate but it's
impressive that this troubled magazine could have challenged the
politically correct myth that the leftists are inherently pro-science. Hat
tip: B Chimp Yen.
The Physics arXiv Blog wrote a comprehensible review of a new paper,
Empirical estimates suggest most published medical research is true,
which studies the same question as the 2005 paper by John Ioannidis that
claimed that most published biomedical results are wrong – false posi... more »
EU Group Says Brussels Should Control Press Regulation, Attacks Cameron For Rejecting Leveson
A "high level" committee set up by the European Commission to produce
proposals for EU-wide regulation of the press has attacked David Cameron
for rejecting the Leveson Report.
The High Level Group on Media Freedom and Pluralism, established in October
2011 and chaired by the former president of Latvia, Professor Vaira
Vīķe-Freiberga, reported back on Monday.
Among the recommendations likely to outrage eurosceptic Tory MPs is that
press regulation bodies in *individual countries should ultimately answer
to Brussels.*
*
**
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/01/22/eu-group-says-brus... more »
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment