13 June - Blogs I'm Following

English: Ecotourism in Svalbard. Français : Écotourisme à Svalbard. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Stylish building in Kiruna centrum, Lappland, Norrland, Sweden. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

English: Church of Kiruna Deutsch: Kirche von Kiruna (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Richmond Hill (Photo credit: @Doug88888)

1:56pm MDST

The New York Times explains cherry-picking!

bob somerby at the daily howler - 9 minutes ago

*THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013* *Too hard for the regular paper:* Tuesday morning, three of our analysts came right out of their chairs. The youngsters are assigned to the science beat. As such, they were scanning that day’s Science Times, the New York Times’ weekly science section. What brought the young analysts out of their seats? In a report about climate change, Justin Gillis explained the practice of cherry-picking. “The rise in the surface temperature of earth has been markedly slower over the last 15 years than in the 20 years before that,” Gillis wrote. And then, out of nowhere... more »

NEWS FLASHBACK!!! Conservative MP blows by Hill security check

leftdog at Buckdog - 17 minutes ago

*A little retro story for our Conservative friends ... especially those with conveniently short term memory ....* *Conservative MP blows by Hill security check** **Tory MP Pierre Poilievre is in hot water again, this time for bypassing a security check at Parliament Hill because he didn’t want to wait in line.* *The Star*

The Challenges of Dissent: A Dissenter’s View

Jon Western at Duck of Minerva - 29 minutes ago

The commentary on Edward Snowden over the past several days and the various discussions on dissent, resignations, and whistleblowing have given me a lot to think about. I’ll leave discussion of the merits of Snowden’s actions to Dan’s thread below. Here I want to think about the process and pitfalls of whistleblowing and dissent. Twenty Continue reading

Does Snowden Pass the Test?

Daniel Nexon at Duck of Minerva - 29 minutes ago

As you’ve probably noticed, I’m working through two competing concerns: (1) the legal and ethical obligations that come with holding a security clearance and (2) the ethical and moral obligation to bring deeply problematic government action to light. In comments elsewhere, I’ve put forth two examples of what I think are relatively straightforward kinds of Continue reading

Does lying matter?...

Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 34 minutes ago

*Why yes. Yes it does.* Powerful! This whiteboard animation shows what happened when Hitler lied to get elected and people don't care or pay attention to the lies of their leaders, until they do care...and at that point, it is too late. Parts of this video are narrated by a man who served as a German soldier and a German woman who lived right by the railroad tracks the cattle trains ran on that carried the Jews to their deaths. Based on Andy Andrews' book, How Do You Kill 11 Million People? Produced by www.thedrawshop.com This is real, don't be fooled. This is happening.

Random Photos

Southern Man at Southern Man - 1 hour ago

A few random photos from the past week... Teen Daughter self portrait. Southern Man driving, by Teen Daughter. Southern Man took this one. Southern Cousin in the pool. Southern Father. Two turtles rescued from a nearby road and released at The Land. They have been (tentatively) identified as a red-eared slider (top) and an eastern river cooter (bottom).

NEWS RELEASE: INT'L SPACE CONFERENCE IN SWEDEN'S 'HIGH NORTH'

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 1 hour ago

*Svalbard Satellite Station in **Norway which helps serve US war fighting operations thus violating the * *Treaty of Svalbard ** ** * ** *For Immediate Release*** *Contact:* Bruce Gagnon (GN Coordinator) globalnet@mindspring.com (207) 443-9502 and Agneta Norberg (Stockholm) lappland.norberg@gmail.com Concerned activists and writers from around the world will gather in *Kiruna, Sweden* on *June 27-29* to discuss how the ‘High North’ of Sweden has become one of the largest training places (called NEAT) for NATO war exercises and advanced weapons testing. The High North also... more »

'HEADLEY PROTECTED BY NSA'; SIX AMERICANS DIED

Anon at aangirfan - 1 hour ago

*Alan Scherr, daughter Naomi, 13,and wife Kia - three of the six Americans killed in Mumbai in 2008, during the attacks planned by David Headley. The USA's NSA spy agency failed over a number of years to have Headley arrested. * America's NSA only took action on David Headley AFTER the USA had been tipped off by British intelligence. *US defence of snooping with David Headley case found flawed* / *Defenders of NSA Surveillance Omit Most of Mumbai Plotter’s Story* *General Alexander lied?* The director of the *National Security Agency* *General Keith Alexander*told a Senate heari... more »

Thomas Mulcair Feels Wrath Of Rookie Gate Attendant On Parliament Hill ....

leftdog at Buckdog - 1 hour ago

** [image: Progressive Bloggers] *It's sort of comical watching the Conservatives go through contortions trying to equate difficulties the Leader of the Official Opposition experienced this morning with a new employee (working the gate on Parliament Hill) with their numerous ethical, legal and moral sins. * *To hear the Conservatives tell it, Mulcair's traffic difficulty is equal to Conservative sins such as: * *-the missing $3.1Billion tax dollars * *-the $90,000 mystery cheque to Senator Mike Duffy * *-the mysterious resignation of Nigel Wright from the PMO * *-Speaker Scheer's b... more »

Syria- Lavrov Interview "Our priority is to stop violence"

Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 1 hour ago

Excerpted for length: I like info such as this where pertinent persons speak for themselves Sergey Lavrov says the US and Russia must do “everything possible” to stop violence in Syria, warning that people who fight the Syrian army are “very well armed,” among them *“the terrorist organization created by the United States - Al-Nusra Front.”* *“This is a tragedy. What must be done and that's where the US and Russia see eye to eye is to do everything to stop it. You know that alongside with the opposition which is called Free Syrian Army terrorist organizations fight. And one of th... more »

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New Orleans Ladder at New Orleans Ladder - 1 hour ago

*UPDATE- Video: Injuries at explosion, fire at Geismar plant ~The Advocate*

The Unbearable Rightness of Being Certain

Karen Garcia at Sardonicky - 2 hours ago

Giving lie to the conventional wisdom that bipartisanship is dead, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi today heaved her well-maintained self upon an increasingly crowded luxury bandwagon of Washington insiders, bull-horning to anyone who will listen: *Bring Me the Head of Edward Snowden!* ** The more that the Democratic and Republican elites are joining hands in public to celebrate the death of the Constitution via massive domestic spying by the United States military, the more obvious it becomes that not only is the pseudoleft completely dead, it has been utterly replaced by the Big ... more »

A quiet time

risa bear at A Way to Live - 2 hours ago

The neighbors have all rushed to get in their hay before the next rain, and most of them have succeeded. The local grass seed farmer, though, whose acreage seems to comprise half the valley, had to wait a bit longer to begin cutting for seed, and is caught out; the windrowing machines will be busy for days. Our new cherry trees, which made an effort last year, are sleeping on the job, like most of the apples and pears. The pie cherry down by the mailbox is more reliable. I picked it yesterday as neighbors drove past, waving, and stored the small crop, lightly blanched, in the f... more »

A nice little retro song - She & Him "I've Got Your Number, Son"

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 2 hours ago

She and Him being Zooey Deschanel & M. Ward. Zooey Deschanel was Trillian in the woeful 2005 Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy film and now stars in the very average US comedy New Girl, but she sure can sing... What a lovely voice and a nice 60's girl group feel to the song.

Confirming: Bamford’s report was completely ignored!

bob somerby at the daily howler - 2 hours ago

*THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013* *We had dumber things to discuss:* Yesterday, we cited Walter Pincus’ reaction to the current NSA revelations. To read that post, click here. This isn’t real new, Pincus seemed to say. He recalled an article from March of last year by James Bamford, a well-known expert on the NSA: PINCUS (6/11/13): On March 15, 2012, Wired magazine published a long article by James Bamford, who has written books about the NSA. *Bamford described the agency’s new $2 billion Utah Data Center and its ability to “intercept, decipher, analyze, and store vast swaths of the world’... more »

Former Republican Congressman Rick Renzi Is Finally Headed To Prison On Corruption Charges

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 2 hours ago

You may have noticed that *DWT* spends a lot of time going after a few especially bad Members of Congress. If you're a regular reader, you see a * lot* of mentions of shady characters like Darrell Issa, Paul Ryan, Ted Cruz, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Buck McKeon, Michele Bachmann, John Barrow, Steve Israel, Louie Gohmert, Steve King, John Boehner, Miss McConnell, Joe Crowley... the worst of the worst from both sides of the aisle. When the blog got started in 2005, our focus was on people we rarely mention these days: Duke Cunningham, Tom DeLay, Mark Foley, John Doolittle, Dick Pombo ... more »

Mad Libs

jurassicpork at Welcome Back to Pottersville - 2 hours ago

I've long held that listening to the self-censoring corporate mainstream media and Obama's smiling fascist government is like trying to follow a novel with all the consonants and half the punctuation missing. Or, perhaps more accurately, it's like trying to grope one's way toward the denouement of an espionage thriller using a Mad Libs book. Insert any noun, verb, adverb or adjective of your choice and your story is as good and as accurate as the next guy's. And libs are indeed going slowly mad over this NSA wiretapping scandal that should come as no surprise to anyone tha... more »

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New Orleans Ladder at New Orleans Ladder - 3 hours ago

*At least 30 victims hospitalized after Geismar plant explosion~WWLTV*

INCONVENIENT INTERRUPTION

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 3 hours ago

Protesters in solidarity with whistleblower Private Bradley Manning interrupted President Obama as he stumped for Ed Markey's senate campaign June 12 in Roxbury (Boston) Massachusetts. They chanted 'Whistleblowing's not a crime! Free Bradley Manning!' and blew whistles. One protester was arrested. The loyal liberal base, who hated when George W. Bush waged wars and prosecuted whistleblowers, were not pleased that anyone would interrupt their Democratic Party love fest with such inconvenient issues. Our Maine friend Ridgely Fuller (top right of screen in black shirt chanting) mad... more »

Recent Offerings from the Tweet of God

The Mound of Sound at The Disaffected Lib - 3 hours ago

Imagine if God had a Twitter account. Apparently He does! From it he dispenses divine observations and wisdom to we mere mortals. Here are a few of His latest offerings: * **I support marijuana. I created it for you. In fact the Garden of Eden was full of it. That was Eve's downfall. She got the munchies. * *John 3:16. Matthew 3:17. Luke 3:18. It was a very close race.* *Once you go black hole, you never go back. That is literally true.* *Even on the first day of Creation I remember thinking to Myself, "I hate Mondays".* *The NSA knows more about you than I do.* *Every time y... more »

Test for discrimination

James C Morton at Morton's Musings - 3 hours ago

Peel Law Association v. Pieters, 2013 ONCA 396 holds: [53] The Divisional Court set out the following test for discrimination. The Court said: In order to prove a *prima facie* case of discrimination, there must be evidence to support the following findings: a. a distinction or differential treatment; b. arbitrariness based on a prohibited ground; c. a disadvantage; and d. a causal nexus between the arbitrary distinction based on a prohibited ground and the disadvantage suffered. [54] The Court did not indicate from where it de... more »

115 Gigawatts!

Jay Allbritton at Jay Allbritton - 3 hours ago

That's how much global energy-generating capacity from renewable sources rose by in 2012, according to a report by the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century. Capacity rose by 105 gigawatts in 2011. Apparently that's good. All I know is you need 1.21 gigawatts to fuel a flux capacitor. The jump is attributed to a large drop in the price of solar power technology last year. For a better understanding, let's go to the relevant TED Talk, a short one from Dave Follette, Director of Engineering at Aztera. *Time* takes a look at California’s Ivanpah solar thermal plant, w... more »

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New Orleans Ladder at New Orleans Ladder - 3 hours ago

*Explosion, fire at the Williams Olefins plant ~Advocate* *Olefins plant explosion, fire in Geismar ~WVUE*

An All-Harvard CEA

Greg Mankiw at Greg Mankiw's Blog - 3 hours ago

With the news that Betsey Stevenson is joining the CEA, the three-member board will now have two Harvard PhDs and a Harvard professor. Just saying.... more »

Thoughts on a teacher in a Catholic school fired for being a domestic abuse victim?

Chalk Face, PhD at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 3 hours ago

I’m torn on this issue. Unfair, dispassionate, and further stigmatizes domestic abuse survivors/victims. However, this could definitely be a safety issue for students at the school. Perhaps she could be put on paid leave until this blows over, maternity leave, some kind of leave. Sick leave? But outright termination seems unreasonable.

Amazon: 3D printers below $1,200

Luboš Motl at The Reference Frame - 3 hours ago

When Howard Wolowitz bought a 3D printer to print figures of himself, Rajesh Koothrappali, Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz, and other heroes of The Big Bang Theory, he had to be chastised by Bernadette because it was her money and it was $5,000 of them. (Incidentally, I made some research of the 1200 XT 3D modeler PRO device that appeared in the CBS sitcom and I am pretty confident that it's a renamed 3D Systems InVision XT 3D Printer.) But an ex-president of the Harvard Funds and the famous Pirate of Prague, Viktor Kožený, a technological enthusiast who has just gotten access to $... more »

"It has been public information for a decade that the US government secretly, illegally, and unconstitutionally spies on its citizens. Congress and the federal courts have done nothing about this extreme violation of the US Constitution and statutory law, and the insouciant US public seems unperturbed." ... "Germans in the Third Reich and Soviet citizens in the Stalin era had a better idea of their government’s agendas than do 'freedom and democracy' Americans today. The American people are the most uninformed people in modern history." -- Paul Craig Roberts

David L Griscom at Cherchez la Verite - 4 hours ago

------------------------------ *What is the Government’s Agenda? -- Paul Craig Roberts* ------------------------------ June 11, 2013 | Original Here Go here to sign up to receive email notice of this news letter What is the Government’s Agenda? Paul Craig Roberts It has been public information for a decade that the US government secretly, illegally, and unconstitutionally spies on its citizens. Congress and the federal courts have done nothing about this extreme violation of the US Constitution and statutory law, and the insoucia... more »

How Soon Tax Reform?

Jonathan Bernstein at A plain blog about politics - 4 hours ago

Earlier this week, Stan Collender wrote a longish piece about the prospects for tax reform. His bottom line? Don't expect anything until 2017. He makes several points, most of which I agree with. But I'm not sure I agree with the conclusion. In particular, Collender argues, essentially, that tax reform will happen only when Republicans give in to the Democratic position that reform should be revenue-positive this time around, as opposed to the revenue-neutral 1986 effort. I strongly disagree with that -- as I've argued in the past, I think tax reform is really only plausible when it... more »

Gene Patents: Told You So!

noreply@blogger.com (Christian Munthe) at Philosophical Comment - 4 hours ago

Just this minute, I was reached by the terrific news that the US supreme court has finally ruled against patenting of human genes: here, here, here, here, here, here. The ruling itself can be downloaded here. With respect to my interest in this matter from the point of view of promoting science, health and the interests of patients and the general public, expressed in former posts here and here, this is mainly to rub it in: told you so!!! *Philosophical Comment Blog: Christian Munthe, Professor of Practical Philosophy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden. Chief interests are ethics/... more »

Ask and receive: #Commoncore cereal!

Chalk Face, PhD at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 4 hours ago

Never too early to get college and career ready! Gotta have my jobs!

Your moment of Zen

Libby Spencer at The Impolitic - 4 hours ago

Go ask Alice, when she was just small...

CCSS, the Corporate Profit Black Hole

plthomasedd at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 4 hours ago

Unleash the Power!!!!! The power of corporate education reform to generate profit for textbook, program, and testing corporations while childhood poverty in the US skyrockets and children continue to be cheated out of rich educational experiences… Sounds about right: —– I think Education Week accidentally published the cover from an upcoming new young adult science […]

Abenomics is Not more Dangerous than the North Korean Missile Program

Robert Kelly at Duck of Minerva - 4 hours ago

I continue to be amazed at how the Korean government won’t admit that Japan’s revival is really good for democracy in Asia and the prevention of Chinese regional primacy. No less than the SK finance minister (pic) actually said Abenomics is more dangerous to SK than the NK missile program. Wait, what?? The worst totalitarianism Continue reading

LISTEN First Voices Indigenous Radio, Arvol Looking Horse, Debra White Plume

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 4 hours ago

First Voices Indigenous Radio Host Tiokasin Ghosthorse, Lakota  http://firstvoicesindigenousradio.org/program_archives June 13, 2013 . ARVOL LOOKING HORSE (Itazipcola Lakota Nation) www.worldpeaceandprayerday.com Following the birth of a White Buffalo Calf in 1994, the Keeper of the White Buffalo Calf Pipe for the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota Nations

Coming Together for Solutions for Creating Respectful Learning Cultures

John Thompson at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 4 hours ago

I began this series of posts in response to the Los Angeles schools banning of suspensions for willful defiance of authority. I oppose punitive disciplinary systems and recognize that suspensions are a flawed response to nonviolent behavior. We teachers must take risks in order to better serve our students, so I would support restrictions on […]

Coming Together for Solutions for Creating Respectful Learning Cultures

John Thompson at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 4 hours ago

I began this series of posts in response to the Los Angeles schools banning of suspensions for willful defiance of authority. I oppose punitive disciplinary systems and recognize that suspensions are a flawed response to nonviolent behavior. We teachers must take risks in order to better serve our students, so I would support restrictions on […]

Mother Earth/Mother Tongue Trail Race South Dakota June 22, 2013

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 4 hours ago

This country is becoming surreal...

Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 4 hours ago

*to the point where I feel like I am down the rabbit hole with Alice. * First stop this am (after spending 10 hours yesterday outside working) is Drudge, where I learn that: "The Obama Administration “strongly objects” to a proposed amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act on Wednesday that would have protected the religious rights of soldiers – including evangelical Christian service members who are facing growing hostility towards their religion. [...]The Obama Administration said the amendment would have a “significant adverse effect on good order, discipline, morale... more »

Will Sweden Withstand the Planned EU Tobacco Directive Rules on Cigarette Packet Warning Labels?

noreply@blogger.com (Christian Munthe) at Philosophical Comment - 4 hours ago

News just broke that the current Swedish government is planning to try to resist the planned implementation of a new EU tobacco directive application according to which cigarette packets must have warning labels covering 75% of the packet's surface space. Why on earth would the government of one of the world's top non- and anti-smoking and pro public health countries in this way want to do the tobacco industry's dirty business for them, one might ask. But according to the government, this matter is nothing of the sort. The reason given for why the government plans to resist the propo... more »

Even the Canucks are profiting from our #commoncore obsession

Chalk Face, PhD at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 5 hours ago

From School Specialty of Canada, each grade level classroom can own one of their own Common Core State Standards kits. For Canada, wouldn’t they be called CC Province Standards, right? Thankfully, they are Title I funding approved. By the way, does Canada have Title I? Not sure about that one. Apparently, every kit comes […]

BREAKING! NO link between breast cancer and abortion

noreply@blogger.com (fern hill) at DAMMIT JANET! - 5 hours ago

So, inquiring minds want to know -- how much (non) evidence will be enough? Probably no amount will ever satisfy the nutters, but here's yet another study that finds NO evidence of an association between induced abortion and breast cancer risk. In 2004 the Collaborative Group on Hormonal Factors in Breast Cancer evaluated the worldwide epidemiological evidence on the possible relation between breast cancer and previous spontaneous and induced abortion ad found no link. The results, drawn from 53 studies, were published in the Lancet. A new study confirms this data, that *there is n... more »

21st century… dance skills? YES!! #commoncore

Chalk Face, PhD at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 5 hours ago

The CASD has been released. Oh, you haven’t heard. Yes, it’s the Colorado Academic Standards for Dance. This seven page document just covers the Kindergarten.Dance.Standards. Standards have indeed jumped the shark. I have nothing further to say about this, maybe you can help me. Tagged: 21st century, dance, kindergarten, skills, standards

Where Do Iraqis Get Their Information And News From?

Joel Wing at MUSINGS ON IRAQ - 5 hours ago

In 2009 D3 Systems contracted a Turkish company to survey Iraqis on what were their main sources of information. The results showed that the vast majority of Iraqis watched television more than any other media source, but that the Internet was growing in importance. While the individual stations and papers people read today might be slightly different four years later, the general findings still likely hold true. The most important of which was that Iraqis were widely skeptical of what they heard, read, and saw from their media, both foreign and domestic. In November 2009, the Tu... more »

KRG GENERAL BOARD OF TOURISM VIDEO: Iraq Kurdistan 2013

Joel Wing at MUSINGS ON IRAQ - 5 hours ago

Epidemic of Birth Defects and Cancer in Iraq: America's Toxic Legacy

Mark Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 5 hours ago

image source Stephen Lendman America's Gulf War, intermittent bombings in the 1990s, the 2003 war, and aftermath left a toxic legacy. Children born with two heads reflect it. Some had only one eye. Missing sockets look like the inside of an oyster. They're milky and shapeless. Some children had tails like a skinned lamb. One or more had a monkey's face. Girls had their legs grown together. They were half fish, half human. Miscarriages are frequent. Hundreds of newborns have cleft pallets, elongated heads, overgrown or short limbs, and other malformed body parts. Some are too gr... more »

VIDEO: Italian Business Trip To Iraq May 2013

Joel Wing at MUSINGS ON IRAQ - 5 hours ago

Trouble in Paradise: Belize Destroys Unauthorized GMO Soybean Crop

Mark Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 5 hours ago

Daisy Luther There’s been trouble in the tropical paradise of Belize. Despite the fact that the federal government of Belize has banned all GMO seeds from the country’s borders, a field of GMO soybeans was found growing in the northern portion of the country. (Two weeks ago, an errant field of unapproved GMO wheat was discovered in Oregon – these examples make it clear that Monsanto and the rest of the biotech industry have no regard for the regulations that disallowed these crops to be planted.) This discovery in Belize comes, rather ironically, just months after a very successf... more »

Adventures in Grocery Shopping: When Food Isn’t Food (Part 2)

Mark Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 5 hours ago

*More examples in the (ever-growing) ‘Food Not Fit to Eat’ category.*Aaron Dykes and Melissa Melton In an endless array of hidden ingredients lurking in grocery stores and restaurants across the land, Truthstream Media embarked on another minor adventure in trying to sift through the confusion in search of real food. Previously, we encountered artificial honey that is marketed towards diabetics (yet has almost as high a glycemic index as regular sugar), secret sauces loaded with high fructose corn syrup, as well as price incentives to encourage consumers to buy bleached products ov... more »

Hydrofracking Boom or Bust

Mark Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 5 hours ago

James Hall The economics of oil or natural gas hydrofracking are seldom analyzed from the perspective of the American consumer. Most discussions focus upon the investment opportunities of specific companies, royalties to leaseholders, windfall tax revenues that state governments will benefit from and the bonanza that local communities will enjoy from the added business activity. Missing is a clear understanding of the pricing points and factors that will determine the actual selling charge and total all inclusive retrieval costs in the domestic market. Will the price of energy drop... more »

TWO KINDS OF FACTS: Some basic facts which are always withheld!

bob somerby at the daily howler - 5 hours ago

*THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013* *Part 4—Including some horrible facts:* We’ve been asking the question all week: How many readers were able to discern the main point of the piece by Hacker and Dreifus in Sunday’s New York Times? We raised that question at the start of the week, noting the rather jumbled writing the Times didn’t bother to edit. Because their piece was a bit opaque, we wondered how many readers had actually discerned the authors’ (apparent) main point. Yesterday, one set of results came in. The Times published five letters about the piece. None of the letters addressed ... more »

Climate Talks Collapse

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 6 hours ago

The climate regime is quietly turning into farce. These events are supposed to be window dressing after everything has been hammered out. No such luck this time around. In fact it has become embarrassing. What this really tells us that is that no one thinks it matters anymore and the players are all playing the game for damage control, yet they simply give it all up and go home and perhaps rethink their positions. In the meantime, Russia has administered a spanking and is angling to somehow come out of the whole scheme without looking like a prize sucker. Beyond all tha... more »

ET Communique?

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 6 hours ago

This is one more clear statement of intention that mirrors our expression of universal humanity. It also cleanly expresses the personal position that I have arrived at vis a vis the UFO phenomena. It explains their current semi passive state as well as the aspect of individual contact. With or without direct demonstration in the skies, we are rapidly approaching what can be described as the human singularity. What this notice informs us of is that we are now mature enough to come in from the cold and accept assistance. Sometime in the next forty years, this will all become... more »

Mach 20 Scramjet

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 6 hours ago

What this means, and precisely why China is concerned is that we are looking at the enabling technology able to take out any form of ballistic missile, let alone a mere aircraft. Better yet they can become space torpedoes loitering out above the earth's atmosphere looking for threats and operating in pods centered on a support module. All this is remotely controlled. Thus, the moment a launch is detected, the torpedo is chosen and it breaks free and begins to spool up. It can then penetrate the atmosphere to mach 20 and intercept the incoming missile while still just br... more »

Haast's Eagle Revisited

arclein at Terra Forming Terra - 6 hours ago

Everyone keeps missing the obvious here. This eagle killed. Forty pounds at forty miles per hour delivered through powerful claws is a killing stroke. You do not have to lift the body at all. This means that it could swoop in and kill, then glide around to make sure that the coast remained clear before settling onto the body to feed. It still fed like a vulture and was equipped accordingly. This was one scary predator that we may be thankful is no longer out hunting us. We would be terribly vulnerable because from a height we appear much smaller and suitable as a meal. ... more »

Anonymous: #OpAwakeTheMasses Has Begun

Mark Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 6 hours ago

*Before It's News* America is quickly awakening to the Police State Dictatorship that is attempting to ‘take over’ our country. Will we stop it before it’s too late? “Every time they look over their shoulder, we want them to see us.” ‘Operation Awake The Masses’ has begun; together we rise up. Here’s what you can do to help awaken the masses. Enter your email address to subscribe to our newsletter: Delivered by FeedBurner Be the Change! Share this using the tools below.

Glenn Beck again

Capt. Fogg at The Impolitic - 6 hours ago

By Capt. Fogg "We are going to be greatly divided as a nation in the next ten days and you are going to witness things in American history that have never been witnessed before" Said Glenn Beck yesterday despite his recent claim that his vocal cords no longer worked. I was hoping that might have been the one true thing ever to escape his mouth. It's true -- you're going to witness the last half of June, 2013 -- a historical first. I'm pretty sure you're going to witness another spell of embarrassment for Glenn Beck too, not that he'll necessarily notice or acknowledge it. There's... more »

New Journal: Political Science Research and Methods

Daniel Nexon at Duck of Minerva - 6 hours ago

Cambridge University Press has un-gated the inaugural issue of Political Science Research and Methods, edited by Cameron G. Thies and Vera E. Troeger. Thies and Troeger have implemented a textbook journal launch, complete with major names in the field and strong articles.Go take a look.

Jarrod Hayes on “Bridging the Gap”

Daniel Nexon at Duck of Minerva - 6 hours ago

Editor’s Note: This is a guest blog by Jarrod Hayes, who is is an assistant professor of International Relations at the Georgia Institute of Technology. His research broadly focuses on the social construction of foreign and security policy. It deals with the International Policy Summer Institute, which has also received coverage at The Monkey Cage. I Continue reading

Canadian Media Provide Comfort to the Enemy

noreply@blogger.com (fern hill) at DAMMIT JANET! - 6 hours ago

In the media coverage of the tenth anniversary of equal marriage in Ontario, I noticed an odd thing. Not one anti-gay spokesperson was polled on his or her 'take' on the situation. That's odd considering how strident opponents are and how readily they will spout their hate and lies. No. In fact the coverage was rather self-congratulatory. Golly gee, aren't we enlightened and aren't we pleased to have moved on? Look at this CBC piece for example. And we have come a long way pretty damn quickly. In 2002, an Ekos poll found that 47 per cent of Canadians had an unfavourable opinion of... more »

The Constitution Doesn't Guarantee Safety, It Guarantees Privacy

Mark Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 6 hours ago

*Activist Post* Obama says Americans can't have "100 percent security and 100 percent privacy". This is obviously a false choice and an admission that he knowingly violates the rights of U.S. citizens. Obama, like Bush before him, claims his most important job is to keep the American people safe. Not true. His job is to uphold and defend the Constitution which guarantees the privacy of all citizens but makes no mention of "safety" or "security". In fact, if war must be waged to defend America, that power rests with the Congress. The president then directs that war. Okay, en... more »

A Dictator's Toolkit: Unlimited Toys for Tyrants

Mark Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 6 hours ago

*Youtube* Subscribe to Lee Camp's Channel LeeCamp.net Enter your email address to subscribe to our newsletter: Delivered by FeedBurner Be the Change! Share this using the tools below.

Read Stuff, You Should

Jonathan Bernstein at A plain blog about politics - 6 hours ago

Happy Birthday to Ally Sheedy, 51. Good stuff: 1. Political Bubbles, from McCarty, Poole, and Rosenthal. 2. Chris Bowers on civil liberties polling. 3. And Ta-Nehisi Coates on not being stupid.

Private "Blackwater-type" Spy Agencies: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

Mark Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 6 hours ago

*Youtube* Could the sprawling surveillance state enable government or its legion of private contractors to abuse their technology and spy upon domestic political targets or judges? This is not a far off possibility. Two years ago, a batch of stolen e-mails revealed a plot by a set of three defense contractors (Palantir Technologies, Berico Technologies and HBGary Federal) to target activists, reporters, labor unions and political organizations. The plans— one concocted in concert with lawyers for the US Chamber of Commerce to sabotage left-leaning critics, like the Center for Ameri... more »

DHS Admits Backpack Explosive Drill Planned Before Marathon

Mark Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 6 hours ago

*Anthony Gucciardi* The Boston Globe is now reporting on a DHS admission that a "frighteningly similar" drill was planned by DHS before the Boston Marathon that turned reality during the event. Storyleak article: http://www.storyleak.com/dhs-boston-training-drill-backpack-explosives/ Boston Globe report: http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/06/07/before-police-could-plan-for-terrorist-attack-real-thing-happened/ufxjb9O0RXyzVZNPFyGkiI/story.html Enter your email address to subscribe to our newsletter: Delivered by FeedBurner Be the Change! Share this using the tools below.

Fuel Leaks Prompt Store Chain Audit

Rachel Rindfleisch at Contaminated Nation - Water Contamination, Land Pollution & Hazardous Waste locations - 6 hours ago

By: Nathan Lamb A pair of fuel leaks has proved costly for a Maryland-based convenience store chain, according to this story in the Baltimore Sun. Royal Farms, which owns 70 stores across the region, recently reached a settlement with environmental officials that includes a $600,000 penalty and a comprehensive audit of the company’s underground fuel tanks and piping. The settlement came after the Maryland Department of the Environment made it clear they were pursuing enforcement actions over two leaks that impacted residential homes. The first was discovered in 2009, after a Rosed... more »

Yes, There Are Still NRA Shills Among Congressional Democrats

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 6 hours ago

Few are as blatant and tone deaf as John Barrow (New Dem/Blue Dog-GA), but there are Democrats firmly allied with the NRA in both the House and Senate. In fact, four of them in the Senate-- Mark Pryor (AR), Heidi Heitkamp (ND), Mark Begich (AK), and Max Baucus (MT)-- just got unpleasant wakeup calls on the issue from Michael Bloomberg. He sent the letter belowto hundreds of top Democratic donors urging them to stop writing campaign checks to NRA shills-- particularly *these* NRA shills. Heitkamp doesn't face the voters for another 5 years and Baucus is finally retiring. But Begich... more »

I have to take a shot at Justin Trudeau over his earlier interpretation of Lib Senator Marc Harb's troubles ...

leftdog at Buckdog - 6 hours ago

** [image: Progressive Bloggers] * * *Last weekend, in an interview with Global News, Trudeau suggested that Harb's troubles were "an honest mistake or a misunderstanding of the rules." * ***"For me, there’s a real difference between what Mac Harb is going through and what Senators Duffy and Wallin seem to have on their plate," he said adding that Harb could be allowed back into the Liberal fold once the matter is cleared.* *Unfortunately for taxpayers AND for the Liberal Party Leader, Senator Harb's situation is far, far worse than poor old Justin anticipated .....* Senator Mac ... more »

Economics As A Morality Play

Owen Gray at Northern Reflections - 6 hours ago

Stephen Harper and David Cameron live in a bubble of mutual admiration. That bubble is on display this morning in London. They are congratulating each other on their economic prowess. But the IMF has acknowledged that the policies which Harper and Cameron espouse -- and which the IMF used to officially endorse -- have been catastrophic failures. Carol Goar writes in *The Toronto Star*: Late last Wednesday, the powerful International Monetary Fund (IMF), which led the Greek bailout three years ago, issued an extraordinary mea culpa, admitting it had underestimated the severity of ... more »

CIA deputy director resigns, says it is just because he wants to spend more time with his family

Mark Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 6 hours ago

Michael Morell, left image credit: Secretary of Defense/Flickr Madison Ruppert Today Michael Morell, Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), resigned. According to Morell, it is only because he wants to spend more time with his family. This resignation comes soon after a leak by a former CIA and National Security Agency (NSA) employee uncovered a massive Internet surveillance program, the gathering of millions of U.S. phone records from Verizon, a major intelligence official apparently lying under oath and much, much more. Yet, according to Morell, his resignatio... more »

No More Left-Right, It's Now Establishment vs. Rebels

Mark Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 6 hours ago

*Youtube* Subscribe to The Young Turks Channel Enter your email address to subscribe to our newsletter: Delivered by FeedBurner Be the Change! Share this using the tools below.

TED Global: Future vaccines could be delivered via piece

Megaan at Current news updates, World current news - 7 hours ago

A skin piece that can bring vaccines cheaply and effectively has been shown off at the TED Global conference in Edinburgh. With a patch rather than a spine could alter disease prevention around the world. Prof Mark Kendall supposed the new method offered hope of practical vaccines for diseases such as malaria. Other medical experts welcomed the news, but warned it might be inappropriate for several patients. It was fitting that Prof Kendall delivered his talk in Edinburgh where, 160 years before, Alexander Wood had lodged the first rights for the needle and syringe.The rights lo... more »

22 Nauseating Quotes From Hypocritical Establishment Politicians About The NSA Spying Scandal

Mark Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 7 hours ago

Michael Snyder Establishment politicians from both major political parties are rushing to defend the NSA and condemn whistleblower Edward Snowden. They are attempting to portray Edward Snowden as a "traitor" and the spooks over at the NSA that are snooping on all of us as "heroes". In fact, many of the exact same politicians that once railed against government spying during the Bush years are now staunchly defending it now that Obama is in the White House. But it isn't just Democrats that are acting shamefully. Large numbers of Republican politicians that love to give speeches... more »

Untitled

New Orleans Ladder at New Orleans Ladder - 7 hours ago

*Stacy Head: Tap tourism marketing fund for NOPD consent decree costs ~WVUE* *Study paints grim employment picture forblack men in N.O. ~Andrew Vanacour* *State-by-state look at Iowa to Mid-Atlantic storm* *USDA releases disaster recovery funding for Isaac, floods ~Mississippi Business Journal* *Good Eggs is coming to New Orleans!* ~Order food from your local farmers and foodmakers for pickup or delivery, with new tastes added each week. *WWNO Presents A Prairie Home Companion, Live From The Saenger Theatre!* *Southern Fried Swamp Fest!* ** *New Orleans All The Way Live: Wednesdays... more »

Overnight sentiment - Japan leading Asia equities downward , Europe struggling with its own issues follows downward , US pulled downward as well ?

fredw at Catharsis Ours - 7 hours ago

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-06-13/sea-red Sea Of Red [image: Tyler Durden's picture] Submitted by Tyler Durden on 06/13/2013 07:01 -0400 - Across the Curve - Bear Market - Ben Bernanke - Bond - Brazil - CDS - China - Crude - European Central Bank - fixed - Fund Flows - Greece - India - Initial Jobless Claims - Italy - Japan - Jim Reid - Monetary Policy - New Zealand - Nikkei - RANSquawk - Reuters - Sovereign CDS - Volatility - World Bank - Yen In the brief but ... more »

Excuse me, is there a movie on this flight??

James C Morton at Morton's Musings - 7 hours ago

America's National Security State

Mark Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 7 hours ago

image source Stephen Lendman Post-WW II, Washington's 1947 National Security Act became law. It streamlined the nation's military, established the National Security Council, created the CIA, and instituted what became America's military-industrial complex and police state apparatus. Post-9/11, they've accelerated exponentially. Washington's long arm is merciless. It's been that way for decades. Go along or else became policy. The CIA's first major foreign operation ousted Iran's democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadeq. A generation of repressive Shah Mohammad Rez... more »

Bradley Manning Trial Takes Turn Toward "Tactics, Techniques and Procedures"

Mark Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 7 hours ago

image source *Activist Post* We have spoken to Nathan Fuller at Bradleymanning.org who has given us gracious permission to reprint his daily firsthand reports, which you can find below with additional updates, commentary, and video. *Summary * Day 6 was a government witness-packed day, which included cross examination, and focused on the computer forensics behind Manning's logs and communications. Also included was an examination by an Apache helicopter pilot of the "Collateral Murder" video; he stated that much could be gleaned from that video by the enemy about the operational... more »

Greece jobless rate hits 27.4 in the first quarter of 2013 - as the knock on effects from the ERT snap closure trickle through the economy , Greece can expect more pain ....... ERT closure news and views and related job actions detailed.....

fredw at Catharsis Ours - 7 hours ago

Today's Greek General Strike Will Not Be Televized [image: Tyler Durden's picture] Submitted by Tyler Durden on 06/13/2013 08:14 -0400 - Germany The Greek national broadcaster ERT situation is nowhere near a resolution, and the nation's political stability remains in the balance with Antonis Samaras’s coalition partners, Evangelos Venizelos of PASOK and Fotis Kouvelis of Democratic Left, appealing to him Wednesday for talks on the future of the TV and radio station, but the premier has so far stood by his decision to close and later reopen ERT, leaving the government’s future... more »

Cake in a Cup- A Mugging Mix Giveaway from Shirley J

Debra Hawkins at Housewife Eclectic - 7 hours ago

Sometimes I just want a slice of chocolate cake. Without the work of baking it, without the waiting and without the huge amount of leftovers I will inevitability eat later. Sometimes I just want a little chocolate cake, enough to satisfy my craving. Enter Shirley J Mugging Mixes. A cake mix that you mix up and then bake in a mug, right in the microwave. I love how easy it is to make and clean up and my 4-year-old is obsessed with what she calls "cake in a cup." These mixes come in 8 great flavors including : Chocolate Brownie Cake, Old-Fashioned Yellow Cake and Cobbler, Country St... more »

Did the CIA give the NSA documents to Ed Snowden?

Mark Daniels at GLOBAL POLITICAL AWAKENING - 7 hours ago

Jon Rappoport Current press reports focus on PRISM, the NSA’s relationships with the biggest tech companies in the world, and the spilled leaks of Ed Snowden. I’ve already laid out serious questions about Snowden’s work history and whether he’s told the truth about it. Is it likely he could have accessed and snatched thousands of highly classified NSA documents? “Let’s see. Who’s coming to work for us here at NSA today? Oh, new whiz kid. Ed Snowden. Outside contractor. He’s not really a full-time employee of the NSA. Twenty-nine years old. No high school diploma. Has a GED. He wo... more »

Prepping listeners for Prem

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 9 hours ago

A few posts at *Is the BBC biased? *[all to be found here] have dwelt on the perplexing failure of the BBC to present Professor Prem Sikka as being a senior figure from the left-wing campaign group, the Tax Justice Network. No, whether it's on his many appearances on *Today *or, say, on* Broadcasting House*, the BBC repeatedly introduce him as being merely a "professor of accounting at Essex Business School", thus risking misleading listeners into taking him to be that most trustworthy of interviewees - an independent expert. He is, in fact, no such thing. He was on *Today* yet ag... more »

Public Reaction To Closing Of Greek TV & Radio Stations

Stranger in a Strange Land at Stranger in a Strange Land - 9 hours ago

Add caption Greece witnesses 24-hour strike over state TV closure Greece is witnessing a nationwide general strike in protest at the government's surprise decision to shut down state broadcaster ERT. Trade unions and all media are participating in the 24-hour work stoppage, which began at midnight on Thursday (2100 GMT Wednesday), and protests are planned later in the day. The strike comes after the broadcaster's television and radio stations were abruptly taken off air late on June 11. The move, which is part of the Greek government's unpopular austerity measures, left ERT’s n... more »

Islam and disciplining women as shown on TV targeted at Europe, including the UK

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 9 hours ago

The above are excerpts from an Iqra TV show, aired on April 6, 2013, featuring Saudi scholar Jassem Al-Mutawa, who hosts Professor Muhammad Al-Hajj from the Jordanian University as a guest on the show. Since 2002, when the program was originally broadcast, Jassem Al-Mutawa has become the president of Iqra TV. The program was rerun on Iqra's channel targeting European audiences and broadcasting in French, English and Arabic. Do watch the whole piece, it's an eye-opener and I wonder how many British Muslims follow such advice? If you can't watch it all, here's the transcript to pe... more »

From Creekside to Cyveillance to PRISM-ID

Alison at Creekside - 9 hours ago

Creekside is a really tiny insignificant Canadian blog, as I'm sure both of you know. I rarely venture into covering anything about the US unless it has a direct and immediate bearing on Canadian interests and hasn't been mentioned anywhere else. Consequently I don't get much US traffic unless I happen to blog something like State Dept. hires TransCanada consultant to approve Keystone pipeline, and it goes up some magical link chain via Think Progress to the New York Times. Then I get a wee spike in US traffic, some of which consists of the downloading of hundreds of pages over th... more »

A difference of opinion between Paul Mason and Robert Peston

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 9 hours ago

The departure of Stephen Hester as CEO of the largely taxpayer-owned Royal Bank of Scotland was the lead story on both Radio 4's *The World Tonight *and BBC Two's *Newsnight *last night. A comparison of their respective treatments of the story might prove interesting. (Well, it interests me anyway!) Both programmes structured the way they reported the story in a strikingly similar fashion. They each included two interviews - one with a senior BBC reporter (*The World Tonight *talking to Robert Peston, *Newsnight *to Paul Mason), the other with a senior Labour Party figure from th... more »

International Linear Collider: Technical Design Report out

Luboš Motl at The Reference Frame - 11 hours ago

Yesterday, as I learned from the CERN website and a CERN press release, the Linear Collider Collaboration (obtained by merging the officials behind ILC and CLIC) has released the ILC Technical Design Report, including a free and colorful 60-page PDF booklet. It may be meaningful to mention Table 2.1 of that PDF file that describes the planned experiments with their center-of-mass energy. At \(91 \GeV\), the plan is to study \(e^+e^-\to Z\), ultraprecision electroweak, and at \(160 \GeV\), one may study ultra-precision \(W\) mass via \(e^+e^-\to WW\). A big part of the early exp... more »

It's only Dunkin' Donuts, it was only a missing receipt

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 11 hours ago

The full story is at The Smoking Gun. The guy serving this woman keeps his cool really well in the face of some rather extreme langauge and "attitude" from someone who just didn't give her a receipt?! This woman, apparently a Taylor Chapman, seems very proud of her posting this on Facebook, most peculiar. The part from 7:09 onwards is really scary, isn't calling someone a "sand-nigger" somewhat offensive or worse? '"...So I hope you’re happy with your little fucking sand nigger self. Cause I’m about to nuke your whole fucking planet from Mars. You think ya’ll are tough big fa... more »

Hamas are to execute two Palestinians convicted of collaborating with Israel

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 13 hours ago

I read that Hamas are going to execute two Palestinians who are accused of collaborating with Israel. In a sane world, people who claim to stand up for the Palestinian people would be protesting against these death sentences imposed upon Palestinians. But most Pro-Palestinians are in reality just anti-Israel or anti-Semitic, so this story will not raise their attention. Come on ex-MP Lynne Jones, prove me wrong. Similarly the BBC who report every story that in any way can portray Israel in a bad light, seem completely uninterested in this story that might cause people to question ... more »

MENGELE, LOCKERBIE, CHILD ABUSE, TURKEY, NSA, HEADLEY

Anon at aangirfan - 13 hours ago

*T-SHIRTS FOR SALE* huffandpuffpost.blogspot.com... * *They controlled Mengele, it is alleged, through their Marionnette Programming. "That may be known to others as Imperial Conditioning as was used to control rulers and Potentates. "Mengele later resurrected both control systems for military or civilian leaders as Monarch Programming for ordinary civilians." *Weltanschauungskrieg leaks - Tumblr* * * MENGELE, MOSSAD AND THE CIA * * *Who did it? The CIA?* * * Chief Supt Thomson said: "I have my own personal view of the people who did this dreadful thing." *'We could see the fl... more »

Thursday Morning Linkage

Josh Busby at Duck of Minerva - 13 hours ago

There has been plenty of commentary on Edward Snowden (Nexon, Toobin, Roger Simon, interesting counterpoint from Jack Shafer here), but I’m a little bit amazed that important government secrets are entrusted to a 29 year old high school dropout who unilaterally gets the chance to decide what’s in the national interest. I respect the idea of Continue reading

Drug Innovation 13: Why Expensive Cancer Drugs is Cost-Saving After All

Nonoy Oplas at Government and Taxes - 14 hours ago

When I read this article, I thought this is like a home run hit, all three bases covered and back to the home base. Well written, data well-provided, and arguments well-organized. A heretic but truthful argument. Published in Forbes.com last Monday, June 10. Enjoy. --------- *Why We Should be Spending More on Pricey Cancer Drugs* By Scott Gottlieb, M.D.**** Here’s a heretical statement: We don’t spend enough on high-priced cancer drugs.**** In recent months, there have been provocative editorials by leading academic cancer doctorsarguing that the price of many new cancer drugs is ... more »

What Hamas celebrates

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 14 hours ago

Read this it's a translation of a story on the Al Qassam Brigades (Hamas) webpage on Tuesday and is a celebration of the tenth anniversary of the bombing of bus 14A in Jerusalem. Hamas doesn't pretend that they were targeting the army, as they sometimes pretend to nowadays. They say explicitly that they targeted a passenger bus. This is a pure celebration of terrorism. They even include photos that show dead bodies. Six of the dead were over 65 years old. Hamas is also proud that some 100 people were wounded in the attack. Here's that translation: '*Ten years ago, in the days lik... more »

Recent White House appointments - White House cronies and incompetent lightweights - working the female vote for 2014 ?

fredw at Catharsis Ours - 14 hours ago

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/cias-deputy-director-to-be-replaced-with-white-house-lawyer/2013/06/12/8fc2118e-d383-11e2-8cbe-1bcbee06f8f8_story.html?hpid=z2 The CIA’s deputy director plans to retire and will be replaced by White House lawyer and agency outsider Avril D. Haines, Director John O. Brennan said Wednesday. Haines, who will succeed career officer Michael Morell on Aug. 9, has served for three years as President Obama’s deputy counsel in charge of national security issues and as legal adviser to the National Security Council. Although she has never w... more »

Musical Interlude: Vangelis, “Voices Come To Me”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 14 hours ago

Vangelis, “Voices Come To Me” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67mquJZmgkI

"A Look to the Heavens"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 14 hours ago

“The Eagle Nebula and the Swan Nebula span this broad starscape, a telescopic view of the Sagittarius spiral arm toward the center of our Milky Way galaxy. The Eagle, also known as M16, is left, above center, and the Swan, or M17 at the lower right. *Click image for larger size.* The deep, wide-field image shows the cosmic clouds as brighter regions of active star-formation. They lie along the spiral arm suffused with reddish emission charactistic of atomic hydrogen gas, and dusty dark nebulae. In fact, the center of both nebulae are locations of well-known close-up images of s... more »

Republican Anti-Immigration Filibuster Is Defeated 82-15. What's Next?

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 15 hours ago

Will the immigration reform battle sink any of these ships? Yesterday just over a dozen motley racists-- all Republicans-- voted against shutting down Jefferson Beauregard Session III's filibuster of the comprehensive immigration bill. These were the 15 bigots: *•* John Barrasso (R-WY) *•* John Boozman (R-AR) *•* Mike Crapo (R-ID) *•* Ted Cruz (R-TX) *•* Mike Enzi (R-WY) *•* Chuck Grassley (R-IA) *•* Jim Inhofe (R-OK) *•* Mark Kirk (R-IL) *•* Mike Lee (R-UT) *•* Jim Risch (R-ID) *•* Pat Roberts (R-KS) *•* Tim Scott (R-SC) *•* Jefferson B. Sessions III (KKK-AL) *•* Richard Shelby (R-AL) ... more »

Review - thinksport body care products & reusable bottle

Small Footprints at Reduce Footprints - 15 hours ago

I like taking surveys ... go figure. A question which often comes up is whether or not I believe a brand is "fun". I never quite understood that concept until I was introduced to thinksport. The email I received, inviting me to collaborate with thinksport, was signed by their "Chief Thinker" ... that made me smile. I checked out the company and, deciding that their philosophy fit with mine, agreed to try some of their products. I ALWAYS read labels. Thinksport labels list ingredients and even show the Environmental Working Group's (EWG) rating for each element along with a link to... more »

Risk off Wednesday / Thursday ? Japan and Asian a sea of red.....

fredw at Catharsis Ours - 16 hours ago

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-06-12/monkeyhammered-nikkei-plummets-6-risk-exodus Monkeyhammered Nikkei Plummets 6% On Risk Exodus [image: Tyler Durden's picture] Submitted by Tyler Durden on 06/12/2013 22:10 -0400 - China - Japan - Nikkei There's blood in the streets - Where's Warren? Levered carry traders are rapidly realizing large crowds and small doors don't mix, even though if they liked the Nikkei at 16,000 *they should love it at 12,700*. It appears only physical gold traders are those who actually dollar cost average lower, when assets are more affordabl... more »

Las mejores fotos del mundo - 33 imágenes impresionantes

José Luis Ávila Herrera at FotoFrontera - 16 hours ago

Haga usted click aquí o sobre el collage para ver todas las fotos Click sobre las imágenes para ampliarlas y/o descargarlas Click sobre las imágenes para ampliarlas y/o descargarlas Ver más *imágenes bonitas* ¿Busca usted paisajes, animales, playas, lagos, ríos, flores y amaneceres? Visite: www.bancodeimagenesgratis.com ¡Gracias!

BREAKING: Phils Investigators hold Phils Coast Guard Criminally Liable

Michael Turton at The View from Taiwan - 16 hours ago

Phils Investigators fault Phils Coast Guard.... The National Bureau of Investigation has recommended the filing of criminal charges against the Filipino coast guards involved in the shooting death of a Taiwanese fisherman in northern Philippine waters last month, the Inquirer learned on Tuesday. _______________________ [Taiwan] Don't miss the comments below! And check out my blog and its sidebars for events, links to previous posts and picture posts, and scores of links to other Taiwan blogs and forums!

Michael James : California or Bust in a Hot Rod Ford

thorne dreyer at The Rag Blog - 16 hours ago

California AND bust: Michael's 1940 hot rod Ford, San Jose, California, 1960. Photo by Michael James from his forthcoming book, Michael Gaylord James' Pictures from the Long Haul. Pictures from the Long Haul: California or bust I went to the junkyard and sadly looked over the remains of my beloved Ford. By Michael James / The Rag Blog / June 12, 2013 [In this series, Michael James is

Toronto Talk Radio 640 AM Host Calls Ontario NDP Leader Horwath A 'Whore' On Morning Talk Show

leftdog at Buckdog - 16 hours ago

[image: Progressive Bloggers] Here’s the transcript, via this blog: *Lou Schizas: Just to get back to our previous quick quotes on Andrea Horwath. I think whore is the operative syllable there. John Oakley: Well, well let’s not take it that far. Schizas: What do you mean? She was bought. Oakley: Alright, bought and paid for. Alright, it’s a pejorative. Schizas: Alright, Sorry, I’ll take the hit. Oakley: That’s alright. Schizas: I’ll take the hit.* *The exchange took place on the The John Oakley Show during a panel with Buzz Hargrove and Catherine Swift, who apparently did no... more »

SECRET COURT NOT REALLY A COURT

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 17 hours ago

A series of bombshell NSA leaks has renewed the call for more oversight of our nation's spying agencies. But, the best the White House and Congress can offer is a secret court that issues secret warrants and writes secret legal opinions. RT Political Commentator Sam Sacks reports on what exactly is going down in the secret FISA court. Authoritarian governments use secrecy and fear to control their citizens. That is what we have in the US today - all nicely wrapped up in a flag. You can dress fascism up all you want but in the end you have to call it what it is.....fascism - the ... more »

What Exactly is Rational Choice?

Phil Arena at Duck of Minerva - 17 hours ago

I sometimes surprise people when I say that I have no idea what rational choice is.1 How can a game theorist say such a thing? Especially one who spends so much time on the internet arguing about rational choice? Well, of course I have some idea what it is. The point is that there is no coherent Continue reading

Caroline Alexander: The Iliad's Lessons of War

Saman Mohammadi at The Excavator - 17 hours ago

*"The War That Killed Achilles: The True Story of Homer's Iliad and the Trojan War"* by Caroline Alexander. Caroline Alexander: The Iliad's Lessons of War. Source: Carnegie Council. Date Uploaded: November 19, 2009. Description: The opening scene of Homer's the Iliad, according to Alexander, sheds light on how certain battles are lost. This event took place at the Carnegie Council on October 30, 2009. For complete video, audio, and transcript, go to http://www.cceia.org Read a good critique of her book's main arguments *here*.

Newtown Parents Head Back To Washington DC New Gun Control Push ROUND 2

John Friend at John Friend's Blog - 17 hours ago

Video found at the excellent YouTube channel *MOXNEWSd0tC0M*: *"...we are committed, completely committed, to seeing this through - for all the changes that help eliminate the causes of gun violence."* - *Nicole Hockley*, family member of a Sandy Hook "shooting" victim *"And we're not going away, we're not going away. This mother's heartbreak that I carry, this life sentence that I have... no one should ever bear this burden."* - another family member of a Sandy Hook "shooting" victim in the video above This is a perfect example of scripted actors being presented in the media as "g... more »

Darrell Issa's reckless and dangerous transcripts

Libby Spencer at The Impolitic - 18 hours ago

Shorter Darrell Issa: I couldn't possibly release the full transcripts because (a) NSA scandal is sucking up all of the news cycles and (b) they would prove my IRS scandal is a partisan scam. WASHINGTON -- One week after he released partial transcripts of interviews with IRS officials involved in the scandal surrounding the targeting of conservative groups, the chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee said releasing the full transcripts would be "reckless" and "irresponsible." Get that? Releasing hand picked excerpts to media is fine. The full transcripts to pu... more »

Is he a hero or not a hero? No, not the NSA guy! I mean the Tiffany's bandit, of course!

KenInNY at DownWithTyranny! - 18 hours ago

*The flagship Tiffany & Co. store on Fifth Avenue* *by Ken* There's something about this heist story which has the odd effect of making a person smile. Of course it has entirely to do with the identity of the victim: Tiffany & Co. But that doesn't entirely explain the smile-producing effect. Sure, there may be no business in the country which serves as a more perfect emblem of upper-class privilege and excess, and you know its insurance will cover the loss, but that doesn't by itself make the story amusing, or at any rate titillating, does it? The event actually took place at Tiff... more »

"I Alone..."

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 19 hours ago

“I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do." - Robert A. Heinlein

Conspiracy Theorists Who Lead Governments: Two Current Examples

Saman Mohammadi at The Excavator - 19 hours ago

"If you gather 200,000 people, I can gather a million," Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told protesters. *Source of photo: REUTERS/Umit Bektas*. Governments are led by conspiracy theorists. Most successful political leaders, no matter what political system they represent, have a conspiratorial bent of mind. It doesn't matter if it is a democracy or not. And this is only natural because politics is a ring of conspiracy. You don't last long as an ambitious politician in Washington, Moscow, Beijing, or any capital in the world if you are not constantly thinking about wh... more »

Is “Austerity” Responsible for the Crisis in Europe?

Peter Cresswell at Not PC - 19 hours ago

[image: Photo of Martin Masse] *European austerity? What European austerity? As this Guest post by Martin Masse makes plain,* some* Euro-govt deficits have decreased, but govt spending is up all across Europe, and so are European tax revenues. Can someone tell **Bernard Hickey**, **Idiot/Savant** and **the wankers at The Double Standard**.* Most European economies have been in recession, or close to it, since [at least] the beginning of 2012. Unemployment rates are reaching record highs. Meanwhile, a debate has been raging about the deleterious effects of “austerity” measures. Va... more »

The Daily "Near You?"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 19 hours ago

Tioga, North Dakota, USA. Thanks for stopping by.

"The Wisdom of Fear"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 19 hours ago

* * *"The Wisdom of Fear"* by The DailyOM "Anything worth doing will always have some fear attached to it. For example, having a baby, getting married, changing careers-all of these life changes can bring up deep fears. It helps to remember that this type of fear is good. It is your way of questioning whether you really want the new life these changes will bring. It is also a potent reminder that releasing and grieving the past is a necessary part of moving into the new. Fear has a way of throwing us off balance, making us feel uncertain and insecure, but it is not meant to dis... more »

"Thoughts on Evil, Human Nature"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 19 hours ago

* * *"Thoughts on Evil, Human Nature"* by W. Christopher Epler "Carl Sagan, author and astrophysicist from Cornell, used to wonder if atomic weaponry would be the nemesis of most "advanced species". A flight of fancy of sorts since whales and elephants are certainly advanced species but don't feel the need for technology (and should we patronize them for this since they aren't rapidly destroying the planet?). Is it possible that much of science and technology are actually synonyms of self destructive stupidity? A kind of short sighted greed, perhaps. In any event, what has now TO... more »

"Courage..."

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 19 hours ago

"Courage, it would seem, is nothing less than the power to overcome danger, misfortune, fear, injustice, while continuing to affirm inwardly that life with all its sorrows is good; that everything is meaningful even if in a sense beyond our understanding; and that there is always tomorrow." - Dorothy Parker

Marriage Debate in France Strikes at the Heart of the Republican Consensus

Laura Sjoberg at Duck of Minerva - 19 hours ago

A Guest Post by Michael Bosia, Associate Professor of Political Science, Saint Michael’s College In a startling juxtaposition, neofascists killed young leftist activist Clément Méric in the first days when city halls across France opened for lesbian and gay couples to marry. And perhaps the debate on marriage weakened President François Hollande despite his victory. Continue reading

"What is the Government’s Real Agenda?"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 20 hours ago

* * *"What is the Government’s Real Agenda?"* by Paul Craig Roberts It has been public information for a decade that the US government secretly, illegally, and unconstitutionally spies on its citizens. Congress and the federal courts have done nothing about this extreme violation of the US Constitution and statutory law, and the insouciant US public seems unperturbed. In 2004 a whistleblower informed the New York Times that the National Security Agency (NSA) was violating the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) by ignoring the FISA court and spying on Americans without ... more »

Australia: Join the dots

Peter Cresswell at Not PC - 20 hours ago

Australian cricket is in a black hole, beaten out of the ICC Champions trophy by bad weather, a bad attitude and even a vastly improved NZ side. Like Australian culture, Australian cricketers have transformed themselves from winners to whiners: everybody’s whinging, and wants someone to care. An Australian school has banned kids kicking footies around because some other kids might cop one in the head, about which a few parents have complained. Another school has banned kids trading footy cards “to spare younger students the distress of bad trades.” And because a few parents have ... more »

One Small Point for a Plain Blog Theory

Jonathan Bernstein at A plain blog about politics - 20 hours ago

A "townhall" meeting in Maryland about the Affordable Care Act (my emphasis): But politics — so entwined with the health law in Washington — barely came up in the 90-minute discussion. *The term Obamacare was not uttered*. Neither was Democrat nor Republican. The only mention of the president was during a brief history of the law’s passage. The only political comment came from a senior citizen who said that he likes some pieces of the law — the age 26 provision and pre-existing condition coverage — but demanded to know if people realize that it also raises taxes. Hey, it's one mee... more »

Walter Pincus describes the way our world works!

bob somerby at the daily howler - 22 hours ago

*WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 2013* *There was no discussion, he says:* Walter Pincus is one of the country’s most respected reporters. Check that! Walter Pincus is one of the country’s *only* respected reporters. As a veteran of the intelligence beat, Pincus offered his thoughts about the Edward Snowden/NSA revelations in yesterday’s Washington Post. Pincus’ piece was stuck on page A13, as his reports often were in the run-up to war in Iraq. In his reaction to Snowden’s disclosures, Pincus offers an intriguing portrait of our discussion-free world. We are *not* expert on these matters, no... more »

Iraq Prime Minister Maliki’s State Of Law Being Shut Out Of New Provincial Governments

Joel Wing at MUSINGS ON IRAQ - 22 hours ago

Iraq’s Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was hoping that the 2013 provincial elections would pave the way towards him forming a majority government after next year’s parliamentary balloting. Instead, his State of Law list not only lost seats, but its plan to maintain control of southern Iraq and Baghdad is falling apart. At first, State of Law had an agreement with the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (ISCI) to create ruling coalitions in seven of the twelve provinces that voted in April, but that alliance quickly fell apart. Now ISCI has found a new partner with the Sadrists and they a... more »

Does The DCCC Actually Care About Immigration Policy?

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 22 hours ago

I was invited to the White House yesterday for a briefing. I passed on the hassle and the opportunity. I suppose I would have heard President Obama reiterating his strong support for commonsense reform legislation to fix our broken immigration system, and the economic and national security benefits that reform will deliver. Tom Donohue of the US Chamber of Commerce, always pumping for cheap labor, was there-- as were labor leaders Mary Kay Henry and Richard Trumka. The President also invited two DREAMers, Gabriela Pacheco and Tolu Olubunmi. Later in the day, despite opposition fr... more »

Gaia Portal: Key Gateways for Transformation of humanity (small ‘h’) to Hue-manity have been Opened and Stabilized

Obi-Wan Kabuki at AMERICAN KABUKI - 23 hours ago

* * *Key Gateways for Transformation of humanity (small ‘h’) to Hue-manity have been Opened and Stabilized* by ÉirePort Key gateways for transformation of humanity (small 'h') to Hue-manity have been opened and stabilized. These have been prepared, as a step stone, for final step of Gaia to Higher Gaia. Purification followed by clarification occurs via these gateways for transformation, and those ready for such purification and clarification will experience such. Concomitant narrowing of Ascension pathways may also be anticipated. ÉirePort | June 12, 2013 at 20:38 | Categories: U... more »

SURVEILLANCE STATE: This is, hands down, the scariest part of the NSA revelations

Peter Cresswell at Not PC - 23 hours ago

*Apologists for the US government’s NSA surveillance program, PRISM, (the system set up to collect every piece of data you and I generate) normally fall back on the same talking points when trying to rationalize the situation. Normally, they'll point out that no one involved actually broke the law, or that the information and "metadata" gathered won't affect American citizens. Pardon us if we have a tough time believing them. Or forgetting the implications for *non*-American citizens. Sure, they can make the claim that no one broke the law--the same way no US government officials... more »

Post-Hiatus Killer Robot Blogging and Other Related Questions

Charli Carpenter at Duck of Minerva - 23 hours ago

Many of you know that I’ve been traveling (and blogging) much less this past year while completing my book manuscript on neglected advocacy campaigns (and steering a daughter through a tough junior year). However one trip I managed to make recently was the April 22 NGO Conference for the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, which preceded Continue reading

Syria and the Politics of Prudence

Daniel Nexon at Duck of Minerva - 23 hours ago

According to the Washington Post, the Obama Administration is meeting to “reassess” US policy toward the Syrian conflict. Hezbollah’s intervention appears to have tilted the balance in favor of the Assad regime. Sectarian violence is on the rise. This has, naturally enough, led to hand-wringing about growing Iranian influence throughout the region. Defenders of the Obama Administration’s foreign Continue reading

Catch of the Day

Jonathan Bernstein at A plain blog about politics - 23 hours ago

The Catch goes to John Sides for pointing out some interesting research from last year. As John sums it up, Jeffery Mondak and Jon Hurwitz found: For civil libertarians dismayed at many (most?) Americans’ willingness to accept an expanded “national security state,” the problem may lie not so much with the threat of terrorism, but with a general failure to defend civil liberties. That's worth knowing; terrorism isn't a special case, but part of a more general lack of commitment to civil liberties. That's generally a pretty big problem for the small group (and I'm in that group) who ... more »

JOHHNNY GOSCH, BEN FELLOWS, MAX CLIFFORD, DOLPHIN SQUARE...

Anon at aangirfan - 23 hours ago

*Johnny Gosch* Does the UK's Ben Fellows make one think of the USA's Johnny Gosch and Paul Bonacci? Paul Bonacci claims that he and Johnny Gosch were used by a government controlled child abuse ring. The sex ring allegations were the subject of newspaper coverage in the Washington Times and the New York Times.[9][10] Ben Fellows says that at the age of 13 he was sent, by publicist Max Clifford, to a night club called Stringfellows, along with other children. *Dolphin Square in Pimlico in London.* Ben Fellows also talks about private parties in hotel rooms and about being sent t... more »

Edward Snowden's new South China Morning Post revelations - network backbone hacking - diplomatic bullying

Mike Philbin at FREE PLANET - 23 hours ago

29-year-old Edward Snowden was a former technical assistant for the Central Intelligence Agency and had worked for the NSA in the past four years for contractors including Booz Allen, his most recent employer, who said yesterday Snowden has been fired. In further revelations this morning, this time to the South China Morning Post (where it is already Thursday), Snowden additionally reveals that: - *US National Security Agency’s controversial Prism programme extends to people and institutions in Hong Kong and mainland China;** - The US is exerting “bullying’’ diplomatic pres... more »

Preface for those who get their news from the US mainstream media: The US, Israel, NATO, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia are supporting the Syrian rebels (including an Al Qaeda contingent) with the object destroying the secular government in Syria, thus converting it to the third secular middle-eastern state after Iraq and Libya to be destroyed by inter-sectarian violence to the profit the aforementioned polities. Note the hypocrisy of blaming Al Qaeda for the 9/11 attacks and now arming them to help out with the US's latest attempt to subvert another country.

David L Griscom at Cherchez la Verite - 23 hours ago

------------------------------ *Aleppo, Istanbul, and London* By Michael Collins, on June 11th, 2013 Original Here The war in Syria went from a seeming quagmire to a conflict that may reach a dramatic climax with the coming battle for Aleppo, a city of nearly three million people that was once the commercial center of the nation. Political leaders and events in two other cities, Istanbul and London, will play a central role in the outcome of the battle. (Image) The Syrian Army finished off final rebel resistance in th... more »

US Army Origami Helicopter

Abraham Ben Judea at Abraham says - 23 hours ago

This helicopter can be folded and shipped in a small truck.... Has several side winder missiles a head's up display with an automatic machine gun turret that points to where the pilot is looking at...WP jet engine... Seed Newsvine

Wal-Mart Gets Rich Off Government Subsidies

Manifesto Joe at Manifesto Joe's Texas Blues - 1 day ago

By Manifesto Joe Bashing welfare is a very easy thing to do, and with some reason. I just saw my hometown not long ago, and it looked like a scene from *The Last Picture Show.* Storefronts that used to thrive were boarded up. Half the town, probably more, is on government assistance of some sort. Agriculture is moribund because of Texas' drought, and there's no industry nearby to speak of. The tax base pretty much consists of the substandard school district, which is heavily subsidized by the federal government, and the local supermarket, which gets much of its money through the foo... more »

"How It Really Is"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago

"None But Ourselves Can Free Our Minds"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago

* * *"None But Ourselves Can Free Our Minds"* By David DeGraw "Seventeen years ago, I read a book called "The Evolving Self." Though I didn’t realize it at the time, it profoundly affected the direction of my life. Here’s the section of the book that became a splinter in my mind and resonated the most with me: “In order to gain control of consciousness, we must learn how to moderate the biases built into the machinery of the brain. We allow a whole series of illusions to stand between ourselves and reality…. These distortions are comforting, yet they need to be seen through for t... more »

Precrime in Central London

Roobin at THROUGH THE SCARY DOOR - 1 day ago

58 people were arrested during a police raid on a squat in Soho yesterday . The people inside had intended to protest the G8 summit due to convene shortly in Northern Ireland. You hadn’t heard of it, I hadn’t heard of it, maybe we’re just out of touch (and all solidarity must be given to those arrested for what amounts to precrime) but doesn’t this just sum up the slump in radical politics in Britain today? I saw them going home on the bus yesterday, an anarchist assembly, parked on the statue of Eros, going nowhere, vastly outnumbered by the police with just tourists (and commuter... more »

Wheelchair Fees For Seniors and Pay-Raises For Friends, Christy Clark`s Agenda

Grant G at The Straight Goods - 1 day ago

Well, it`s official, Christy Clark has announced July 10th as the date for the byelection in westside Kelowna..The NDP candidate is Carole Gordon.. I don`t have much hope for the dippers to win the riding, especially since Adrian Dix hasn`t stepped down and a new interim leader been put in place..However.. Christy Clark has already enraged all voters by gifting massive pay-raises for political friends and insiders, a $50 thousand dollar raise for her new chief of staff, a raise that is more money than your average single worker makes in a year, Clark`s chief of staff will be maki... more »

For Egyptians, The Nile Is Sacred - But What Is Sacred In War?

Saman Mohammadi at The Excavator - 1 day ago

*"The African Rises"* by Claude M. Beauregard (2002). Related: * * *Morsi Defends Position In Looming Fight Over The Nile.* * * *War Over Water? Dispute Between Egypt and Ethiopia Over Nile Grows After Violent Threats Made On Egyptian TV*. Description of the novel, "The African Rises" (Amazon.com): *The African Rises* is a fictional story drawing on past and present historic material. It takes a unique approach to examining how power is used by a minority to maintain their control over the vast resources of Africa in the post modern world. It does so using a modern interpret... more »

The Real News - Israel has More Poverty than Any Developed Country

Saman Mohammadi at The Excavator - 1 day ago

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. This is not a way of life at all in any true sense. Under the clouds of war, it is humanity hanging on a cross of iron." - President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Israel has More Poverty than Any Developed Country. Source: The Real News. (June 12).

Corrupt New Jersey Machine Dems Gravitate To Christie... Of Course

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 1 day ago

New Jersey corruption personified: Christie and DiVincenzo New Jersey politics is a cesspool of corruption-- bipartisan corruption. The New Jersey Republican Party is hopelessly corrupt and the New Jersey Democratic Party is hopelessly corrupt. That's why I've been so awed by Barbara Buono's nomination as the Democratic candidate for governor. She isn't corrupt. In fact... she's been fighting the corrupt Machine Democratsinside her own party for years. In 2010, Buono’s Democratic colleagues made her the first woman majority leader of the state Senate. But her tenure was short-lived. B... more »

Issa and Christie don't care about Drum!

bob somerby at the daily howler - 1 day ago

*WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 2013* *Public statements don’t have to make sense:* In a new post, Kevin Drum marvels at a recent statement by Darrell Issa. The statement in question was especially absurd. “It takes a special kind of mind to think you can get away with that,” the Drumster remarks. Here on our sprawling campus, we’re puzzled by *Drum’s* statement. To state the obvious, Issa *will* “get away with that.” Issa and all others know this. The tribalists to whom Issa is appealing won’t care about the absurdity of his statement. And at this point, there is no action or statement so a... more »

Improved School Safety Requires a Balanced Approach

John Thompson at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 1 day ago

It speaks well of the UCLA Civil Rights Project that in addition to their own research they commissioned scholars from the Consortium of Chicago School Research and equally great institutions to analyze what schools can do to better support students. The Consortium has a long history of placing quantitative and qualitative evidence in a longitudinal […]

"Give Clapper The Clanger"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago

* "Give Clapper The Clanger"* by Karl Denninger "What drove Edward Snowden to go on-the-record with allegedly-classified information about the scope and breadth of what is quite-clearly illegal spying on US Citizens? Is it really that hard to figure out? It was his boss, James Clapper, who quite-clearly perjured himself by blatantly lying in an open session of Congress: "Director of National Intelligence James Clapper is really struggling to explain why he told Congress in March (see video above) that the National Security Agency does not intentionally collect any kind of data... more »

Sierra Club sues US for access to Keystone pipeline files

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 1 day ago

Green group sues State Department for access to Keystone pipeline files Obama promoting southern Keystone in Cushing, Okla. By Zack Colman - 06/11/13 11:45 AM ET The Sierra Club announced Tuesday that it is suing the State Department for documents related to a draft environmental review of the

Greg Hunter, “We’re a Long Way From The 1970’s”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago

Greg Hunter, “We’re a Long Way From The 1970’s” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=DvE9E2swkpk

"What the Papers Aren't Reporting About the NSA Scandal"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 1 day ago

* "What the Papers Aren't Reporting About the NSA Scandal"* by Bill Bonner "Behind every great fortune is a great crime, said French novelist Honoré de Balzac. What crime lies behind Booz Allen Hamilton? Fraud, mostly. More on that in a moment... The Dow fell -116 points yesterday. Gold fell $9 an ounce. Still no clarity in the markets. Still no resolution. The unstoppable force of more and more credit is still bearing down on the immoveable object of excess debt. Ben Bernanke is pushing for higher stock prices... higher consumer prices... and higher bond prices. Mr. Market ... more »

Quebec's End-of-Life Care Act Online

The Mound of Sound at The Disaffected Lib - 1 day ago

*CBC's* web site has the English-language version of Quebec's *End-of-Life Care Act*. The Quebec approach differs from that of Vermont, Oregon, Washington and Montana where the terminally ill patient can obtain a prescription for a life-ending drug. The Quebec approach would have a physician administer the lethal drug following completion of a series of safeguards. Having delved at some length into the Oregon *Death with Dignity Act* and the state's experience of it over many years, I think the American approach is far superior. In Oregon, the terminally ill resident has to go thr... more »

Mohawk Nation News 'Bilderbergers'

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 1 day ago

Bilderbergers Posted on June 11, 2013 MNN. JUNE 11, 2013. The Bilderberg Group that secretly met in Watford UK is a private international policy summit of the wealthiest people in the world. Bilderberg Association is a registered UK charity that takes “donations” from BP, Goldman Sachs and other multinational corporations. They plan to control the world, i.e. (the

Mohawk Nation News 'Might is not right!'

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 1 day ago

MIGHT IS NOT RIGHT! Posted on June 10, 2013 MNN. May 31, 2013. We don’t want genocide for anyone or ecocide for our environment. The rule of law is supposed to protect the weak from the strong. “Might makes right” by a few self appointed rulers must end. We can only beat them with our mind. To be free all people must be both guides and servants of the law.  Rule of law is

Better than Bouef Bourguignon

Debra Hawkins at Housewife Eclectic - 1 day ago

[image: Bouef Bourguignon without Wine] Bouef Bourguignon is a favorite in our household. I have modified the original recipe from Julia Child to fit our tastes and the fact that we never have wine lying around the house. I have switch my recipe to use juice instead and it is delicious. My favorite part of this whole recipe is the mushrooms. Even my dad, who hates mushrooms loves these. Just proof that butter fixes anything You need: 1.5 -2 pounds of stew meat a package of bacon a carrot a piece of celery 1/8 cup of green onion Pasta Mushrooms Better than Bouillon Water 3 Cups of... more »

Israeli female soldiers just want to have fun, semi-naked fun... Slightly NSFW

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 1 day ago

There's been a lot of fuss in the media about some young female Israeli army conscripts playing around and showing off a little more flesh than you might expect from soldiers. Personally I'm not that disgusted... It seems that young female Israeli soldiers have a history of this sort of stuff...

Wherein Lee Valley Tries to Help You Get Your Freak On

The Mound of Sound at The Disaffected Lib - 1 day ago

This was just too good not to share. Head shaving or tattoos not included.

How We Once Distinguished Democracy from Totalitarianism

The Mound of Sound at The Disaffected Lib - 1 day ago

One of the great themes of the Cold War was individual freedom from state prying and oppression. Unlike the Communist world, democracy ensured we were free to go about our affairs, to speak our minds, even dissent, openly and freely. On the other side of the Iron Curtain, however, there was no such freedom. The state monitored its citizens, spied on them, forced people to speak to each other covertly in hushed tones if at all. We were free *from* our government, they were not. That critical distinction of the past is fading fast now. Even in Canada our government harvests wh... more »

Passing of a legend

James C Morton at Morton's Musings - 1 day ago

JUDGE MAURICE ALEXANDER CHARLES August 6, 1920 - June 8, 2013 The family of Judge Maurice Alexander Charles wishes to notify his friends and members of the legal fraternity of his passing at the Toronto East General Hospital on Saturday, June 8, 2013. Visitation will be held at the Ogden Funeral Home, 4164 Sheppard Ave. E., Scarborough (east of Kennedy Rd.), on Wednesday from 5 - 9 p.m. and on Thursday from 9 - 10 a.m. followed by a funeral service in the Ogden Chapel Thursday at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to SickKids Foundation or Ronald MCDonald House.

Play Misty Watercolored Memories For Me

Karen Garcia at Sardonicky - 1 day ago

No wonder half the American people are just fine with their government stalking them. The same number now hold a favorable view of George W. Bush. If you look at the data (not mined, but gathered politely over the telephone with the consent of the questioned), you'll notice that almost a quarter of the Democrats polled now like Bush. His approval ratings have been creeping up at about the same pace at which Obama has been revealing himself to be more like Bush than not. It could just be a melding of personas. Then again, as Gallup notes, Americans have always treated ex-presidents ... more »

It's Wednesday...

Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 1 day ago

*what's going on.* For me it's unrelenting outside work every. single. day. Close to being caught up (except for weeding, which never, ever goes away.) There's so much going on in the news it's impossible to latch on to any one thing. So I don't try. I've come to the conclusion that I can't do one darn thing about any of this crap anyway. How about this "hump day" ad? I agree with *Mr. Always On Watch *that's is just too cute for words. Okay, he didn't use the word "cute." After all, he's a real manly-man type. He does think the voice is perfect. So do I. Here's som... more »

Congress Gags Itself

Jonathan Bernstein at A plain blog about politics - 1 day ago

I like this Kevin Drum item on NSA and oversight, but it repeats something which I think shouldn't be accepted so easily by everyone: The traditional method of oversight is via congressional committees and the court system. But even if you assume that intelligence organizations are reporting their activities honestly, those don't really work anymore. Once a program is in place, courts end up rubber stamping virtually every application and congressional committees do pretty much the same. They simply become too accustomed to what's going on to truly pay attention. And in the case of ... more »

Poverty, isolation, hopelessness and Gladue

James C Morton at Morton's Musings - 1 day ago

R. v. Attutuvaa, 2013 NUCJ 10 shows that poverty has a significant Gladue implication: [27] The Supreme Court of Canada requires the sentencing judge to take judicial notice of systemic factors that have impacted, and are now impacting, the aboriginal communities of Canada. This Court has done so. The Nunavut Court of Justice travels to all the communities of Nunavut. The Court is acutely aware of prevailing social and economic conditions in Nunavut. [28] Citizens growing up in Nunavut's communities are all affected, some more, some less, by conditions of extreme isolation. Employme... more »

Hassan Hassan: Rebels carry out sectarian cleansing in eastern Syria

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 1 day ago

Ethnic cleansing in Syria, where are the 'human rights' activists or are they only bothered if they can blame Israel? News here http://www.hhassan.com/2013/06/rebels-carry-out-setarian-cleansing-in.html?spref=tw&m=1

Wednesday Addams Linkage

PM at Duck of Minerva - 1 day ago

Phil Schrodt’s very smart thoughts about the NSA and surveillance. [A Second Mouse] Anton Strezhnev analyzes the prospects for Snowden’s extradition. Strezhnev’s take is very smart, but I wonder if he overestimates the degree to which this will be a normal case in which Beijing would not choose to intervene. After all, Snowden fled to Continue reading

Moose

BAL at WPB/NYC and Anything Else; A Curated Green Rights Collection - 1 day ago

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