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| English: Canadian soldiers rise above the valley as they search for Al Qaeda and Taliban fighters. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
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| 3PPCLI during Operation Cherokee Sky north of Qalat, July 2002. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
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| The Inspector General (film) (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
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| English: United States Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General Seal. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
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| English: Federal Communications Commission Inspector General badge (USA). (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
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| Cassie Burke, Gina Sartri, Camille McCarthy, Jeff Shannon (Photo credit: dreamsjung) |
Age of conspiracies
Who is this man (and how do we know it’s a man)? This picture has been buzzing round the internet immediately after the Boston bombings. The Bostonbombings are compelling firstly because they are awful to contemplate but secondly because they are, as of yet, motiveless. The President initially did not even call the bombings and act of terrorism, then he did, but he still upset some people. For the time being there is room for myth-making and pareidolia (if it was Al-Qaeda we would have been told straight away). What was that man doing on the roof? What would anyone do on a roof? T... more »
White Girl Bleed a Lot: The Return of Racial Violence and How the Media Ignore It
You can order Colin Flaherty's book *"White Girl Bleed a Lot": The Return of Racial Violence to America* from Amazon.com *here*.
Gina McCarthy and the Failed Radnet System
Gina McCarthy is the new nominee to run the EPA. I'm wondering how she could have been nominated given the EPA Inspector General report that found Radnet to have been operating very poorly during the Fukushima events in March-April 2011. She failed in her responsibility for overseeing the private contractor that runs Radnet. Here are the recommendations for reform found in the EPA Inspector General report: http://www.epa.gov/oig/reports/2012/20120419-12-P-0417.pdf We recommend that the Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation establish and enforce expectations for RadNet ope... more »
Remember Afghanistan? It Was In All the Newspapers?
I wouldn't begrudge Canada's paying over one-billion dollars a year to free a country of 30 million people from tyranny. Seriously. But I do kinda resent Canada's having spent almost $20 billion since 2001 in Afghanistan to impose one brutal tyranny on that country, rather than another one. So how's Canada's largest foreign policy investment since WWII working out? Check it out! Faced with an impending withdrawal deadline and tightening budgets, U.S. planners created another security entity, the Afghan Local Police (ALP), which they have pitched as an affordable short-term fix to ... more »
Can Republican Closet Case Lindsey Graham Survive A Primary?
*"I am running to replace Senator Lindsey Graham because I believe that after 20 years in Washington he is out of touch with South Carolina values and voters. Although Senator Graham might be hard-working and sincere, I cannot distinguish his core principles and can no longer trust his judgment. It is time for a new voice in Washington. We need a voice that represents Christian, conservative, and Republican principles instead of the latest bi-partisan 'deal' that simply makes matters worse."* -Richard Cash Cash is running against Lindsey Graham for the Republican nomination for t... more »
BEFORE THE BOSTON BOMBS
*Triple Canopy, founded in Chicago in 2003 by U.S. Army Special Forces veterans.* * * Before Boston, there was Mumbai. US trained mercenaries may have been used in both attacks. Some of the Mumbai gunmen appear to have been beer-drinking white men, according to a BBC report. According to the BBC, 27 November 2008: (BBC NEWS Mumbai attackers create 'killing zone'): "The 'fair skinned' men, as Mr Mishra remembers them, simply carried on killing..."* * *Triple Canopy* have recent experience managing cases in India, Nigeria and Somalia. (Experience Triple Canopy ) In the Mumbai a... more »
How did a minority of senators kill an important bill?
*THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013* *The Washington Post and the New York Times can’t or won’t explain:* In this morning’s New York Times, the editors thundered about the gun vote. As they did, they created a bit of a puzzle. Since the senate has 100 members in all, how the heck did 45 senators manage to kill the bill? NEW YORK TIMES EDITORIAL (4/18/13): *For 45 senators, the carnage at Sandy Hook Elementary School is a forgotten tragedy.* The toll of 270 Americans who are shot every day is not a problem requiring action. The easy access to guns on the Internet, and the inevitability of the ... more »
INTERVIEW / Jonah Raskin : Documentary Filmmakers Doug Hecker and Christopher Oscar Dish on 'Junk Food News'
Documentary filmmakers Christopher Oscar, left, and Doug Hecker. Doug Hecker and Christopher Oscar: Documentary filmmakers on media, civil liberties, and 'Project Censored' “The corporate rules are simple: tell the news the way you're told to tell the news or ratings will decline and you'll be out of a job.” -- Doug Hecker, Co-Producer, Co-Director, Co-Writer, 'Project Censored: The Movie'
the greatest instrument for mass persuasion
Experiments conducted by researcher Herbert Krugman reveal that when a person watches television, brain activity switches from the left to the right hemisphere. The left hemisphere is the seat of logical thought. Here, information is broken down into its component parts and critically analyzed. The right brain, however, treats incoming data uncritically, processing information in wholes, leading to emotional, rather than logical responses. The shift from left to right brain activity also causes the release of endorphins, the body's own natural opiates--thus, it is possible to bec... more »
Revolutionary Thought
You have come now to a knowing. The things you are aware of today in this world would seem impossible or insane to some with eyes still shut. Seeing life as it is actually happening requires a willingness to change your perspective and in many things your entire belief system. It demands an examination of everything your eyes see and most of what this society has told you was real. Realize that all of life does not operate in this way. The earth has been part of what some would call an evil plot yet evil is not a concept I adhere to or consider. Life proceeds along its... more »
Thatcher on Society
*Of course, Thatcher's supporters have been right all along concerning her 'no such thing as society' declaration. "It's been taken out of context", they bleat. Be that as it may, it got traction that still resonates because it fit with the times she brought about. It was a more accurate summation of the dog-eat-dog economic her policies were generating than the standard Tory view of what society was about she actually subscribed to. Well, for the benefit of those who's never read the *Woman's Own* interview from which it was lifted, here is 'no such thing as society' *in context*... more »
Why US Fights? Tales of Reagan's Guatemala Genocide (Psychopaths Explained In Girl With Dragon Tattoo)
Democracy? Freedom? Hardly in the top ten. Tales of Reagan's Guatemala Genocide By Robert Parry, Consortium News 17 April 13 he first month of the genocide trial of former Guatemalan dictator Efrain Rios Montt has elicited chilling testimony from Mayan survivors who - as children - watched their families slaughtered by a right-wing military that was supported and supplied by U.S.
The Still Islamophic States of America
The the greater scheme of things the Boston Marathon bombing was a fart in a hurricane. Except, of course, it happened in Boston during a notable footrace run mainly by white people. But the bombing was all it took to get America's Islamophobia stoked for all to see. *The New Yorker's* Amy Davidson wrote a telling account, "The Saudi Marathon Man." *A twenty-year-old man who had been watching the Boston Marathon had his body torn into by the force of a bomb. He wasn’t alone; a hundred and seventy-six people were injured and three were killed. But he was the only one who, while i... more »
Sentencing for criminal negligence causing death in alcohol-related circumstances
R v Smith 2013 BCCA 173 is a tragic case of death resulting from impaired driving. The trial judge gave a sentence of one day because of the circumstances and rehabilitation of the offender. The Court of Appeal imposed a much longer sentence holding: [34] The fundamental principle is proportionality: the punishment must be broadly commensurate with the gravity of the offence and the moral blameworthiness of the offender (*R. v. M. (C.A.) *at para. 40); s. 718.1. [35] In 1992, this Court, with a five-justice division, took the opportunity to review the range of sente... more »
The BBC's Baroness Thatcher funeral coverage: Who did they interview?
For those of you who are interested, here is a complete list of all the interviewees (excluding vox pops) featured on the BBC News Channel's coverage of Lady Thatcher's funeral between 6.45am and 10.00pm yesterday. I believe the list speaks for itself. 6.50 Andrew Pierce (*Daily Mail*) & Kevin Maguire (*Daily Mirror*) 7.15 Charles Moore, *Daily Telegraph, *biographer of Lady Thatcher 7.45 John Sergeant (ex BBC political correspondent) & Beatrix Campbell, writer (feminist & left-winger) 8.05 John Sergeant (ex BBC political correspondent) 8.14 Bob Broadhurst, former Met Police C... more »
New Orleans Shows the Limitations of "No Excuses" Schools
The debate over "No Excuses" schools has focused on their attrition rate and their potential for being scaled up. Schools such as New Orleans Sci Academy have produced great college acceptance rates for students who are dedicated enough to meet their goal of "100% of cultural expectations 100% of the time." It is too soon to tell, however, whether their culture prepares their graduates for life beyond the classroom. An important subtheme of Sarah Carr's *Hope Against Hope,* a narrative of a year in three New Orleans schools, includes a preliminary exploration of whether the "No Excu... more »
Dirac's 1975 lectures
Spiros found this remarkable 1-hour talk by Paul Dirac in New Zealand in 1975: Recall that Dirac was born in 1902 and died 1984; so he was 73 in the video above. He is a serious man but there's a lot of room for his memories as well as some jokes. There are actually four talks. The first one above is on quantum mechanics; the second one is on quantum electrodynamics; the third is on the magnetic monopoles; and the fourth one is on his largely incorrect large number hypothesis (variation of universal constants). Even if you focus on the first lecture on quantum mechanics, th... more »
Korean Unification
This does need to be considered. It is impossible to understand why this state is still standing. Present extreme noise could well be the sound of desperation as the regime attempts to extort a band-aid to last a little while longer. We all understand that the South Korean military is not going to be surprised. The risk is that the North sets of a nuclear device were it could cause real military damage. Yet that would barely slow the South down. From that starting point, there are a wide range of strategic options all of which lead to collapse and reunification. Let me ... more »
Dark Lightning
This is a continuation of work that uncovered the real complexity of the activity going on in a thunderstorm. That dark lightning produces a sharp dose of ionizing radiation is surprising. I also suspect that this dark lightning could even be in the form of positively charged ions. We have already understood ball lightning to be just that and it follows that the more uncommon dark lightning is just that also. This provides a much richer understanding of our oldest physical phenomena that long inspired human curiosity. This also suggests that passing through a storm will g... more »
Deep Photosynthesis
This is a long way from our usual facile understanding of photosynthesis. It turns out to be way more complicated than all that. This could lead to better strategies for even photovoltaic systems if only by the power of suggestion. Read the last paragraph to capture the sense of all this. We are now tuning our investigations in such a way as to establish high resolution and sort out the real high points. A lot of new data will flow from all this. *Study provides new insight into photosynthesis* * by Staff Writers* * Toronto, Canada (SPX) Apr 09, 2013* ... more »
David versus Monsanto
In the long term, I do not thing agribusiness as constituted is sustainable at all. The only problem is that it is creating a legacy cost base that we will end up paying for. This is continuing although this item is an example of the increasing push back. What are they thinking if they align their business with the large operators who are then encouraged to buy out the small operators? This problem has been going on for a long time and no one is particularly happy with the results. It all removes boots from the ground and that is exactly what needs to be properly re... more »
MEDIOCRITY ALL THE WAY UP: Slick disinformation about public schools!
*THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013* *Part 4—King of the cherry-pickers:* Like all public schools which ever existed, American public schools could do a better job. On the elementary level, they could do a better job transmitting the basic skills of reading and math. They could do a better job conveying the spirit and the enjoyment of inquiry—that so-called “love of learning.” With kids who are struggling to meet conventional norms, our schools could do a better job helping children “catch up.” They could do a better job challenging kids who may be especially “talented.” That said, how good... more »
Touching Tribute At Bruins Game
Last night the Boston Bruins hosted the Buffalo Sabers. After a video tribute, singer Rene Rancourt began singing the National Anthem, but he quickly yielded to the passionate crowd. Incidentally, the 73 year old Rancourt has been performing the anthem at Bruins games for 35 years.
#46Cowards
It hasn't been a good week for the United States. By Wednesday, twin bombs exploded near and at the finish line of the Boston Marathon, killing three innocents and wounding nearly 180. A lightning bolt struck a fertilizer plant in West, Texas last night, killing at least one police officer and five firefighters and destroying 80 or more homes. And then just hours before the West, Texas disaster, the United States Senate, the higher chamber of our legislative branch, voted 54-46 for the Manchin-Toomey bill that would've strengthened background checks for wouldbe gun owners. ... more »
new zealand joins the world of marriage equality and their parliament breaks out in celebratory song
This is so beautiful! New Zealand, we thank you! We love you!
Trifecta: Perfectly sums up news and White House coverage of the Boston bombing...
*and we thank them.*
Coverage of Opt Out's Occupy DOE 2.0
From Education Opportunity Network: _______________________ Occupy The Department Of Education Ushers In America’s Angry Spring No offense, but the Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education building in Washington, DC is not a pretty sight. Crossing the National Mall on 4th street, you pass between the glisteningly modern National Air and Space Museum and the sculpted brown stone of the National Museum of the American Indian to come face to face with what can only be described as a monument to bland austerity. It was at the base of this concrete and glass slab that a band of public ... more »
Running Shoes
This appeared in yesterday afternoon's university email: Southern Man understands the need to respond to an atrocity like this even if in an entirely symbolic manner so he is wearing running shoes today. Asics, of course. But for a born-again Bible-thumping evangelical, that's not enough. In James Chapter 2:14-16 we read that What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not gi... more »
Another Hollow Promise By Iraq’s Electricity Ministry, End To Power Shortages By October 2013
Iraq’s Electricity Ministry recently said that it would solve Iraq’s power problems later this year. This was not the first time that it had much such a bold announcement. That was also the reason why the remarks were met with widespread skepticism within the country. Questioning the Ministry’s statement is justified, because it has failed to reach its benchmarks before, and lacks the institutional capacity and support to deal with the daunting task it faces. In April 2013, the Electricity Ministry promised that Iraq’s electricity shortages would be ended by October. The Ministry ... more »
In a voluntariness analysis the fact the statement was made by the accused must be demonstrated albeit to a minimal degree
*Montgomery,* 2011 ONSC 5331 (at para. 9): On a voir dire to determine whether a statement made to a person in authority is admissible, a trial judge is required to decide: (i) whether the statement was made; and (ii) if made, whether it was voluntary. To satisfy the first requirement, it is sufficient that the Crown introduce some evidence that the statement attributed to the accused was, in fact, made by the accused. The standard of proof is minimal. The Crown's onus with respect to voluntariness is proof beyond a reasonable doubt. (See *R. v. Gauthier,* [1977] 1 S.C.R. 441).
Twitter links
Readers may recall I once looked at who was followed by the PMO's Office -- you do have to at least try to avoid inappropriate links but I don't see that's a reason to quit twitter: Story Newfoundland and Labrador’s premier has shut down her Twitter account after it implied associations that her office says were inappropriate or vulgar. Kathy Dunderdale says she was upset when she found out her account was associated with the websites. How politicians use social media became an issue this week when a New Democrat was temporarily suspended from the legislature after the Progressive C... more »
A New Book on Science Advice
Good news: A new book is out today on science advice for government. Even better news: The book is rich with content. It gets even more better: It is free! The book has been put together by Robert Doubleday of Cambridge University and James Wilsdon of the University of Sussex on the occasion of Mark Walport taking over as the UK government's chief scientific adviser. The book has a UK focus but covers issues of much broader relevance. Here is the table of contents: 1. The science and art of effective advice - John Beddington 2. Experts and experimental government - Geoff Mulg... more »
Bachmann Top Fundraiser - PLS Donate to Jim Graves
From HuffPo Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) was one of the top fundraisers in the House during the first three months of the year, USA Today reports. According to filings, Bachmann raised nearly $675,000. Only three congressman ranked ahead of her -- House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) with $1.4 million; House Majority Leader Eric Cantor with nearly $961,00 and Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), who raised nearly $844,000. From MinnPost *Jim Graves will challenge Bachmann again in 2014* By Devin Henry | 04/11/13 WASHINGTON — Democrat Jim Graves will challenge Rep. Michele Bachmann ... more »
Who Are We Here to Represent?
In the wake of the Senate's inability to break the Republican filibuster of the already quite watery Manchin/Toomey bill that would have expanded background checks for purchases at gun shows and over the internet, the President summed it up quite well when he characterized this as a clear victory for the NRA and no one else. All that happened today was the preservation of the loophole that lets dangerous criminals buy guns without a background check. That didn't make our kids safer. Victory for not doing something that 90% of Americans, 80% of Republicans, the vast majority of your... more »
No "There" There
Taking his cue from Andrew Coyne's recent column on the utter vacuity of Canada's three major political parties, Zack Paikin writes that the Conservative Party has replaced values with venom. Whether or not you agreed with them, the Reform Party -- which gave birth to the Harper Party -- was a party of principle: If any party on the national scene could claim to be known as the party of principle, it was Reform. One could agree or disagree with those principles, but one could not deny that the party *had* them. Brian Mulroney being unable to balance the books, Reform advocated c... more »
Report Highlights Impacts of Urban Air Pollution
Rachel Rindfleisch at Contaminated Nation - Water Contamination, Land Pollution & Hazardous Waste locations - 5 hours ago
By: Nathan Lamb A recent Sierra Club report indicates that disadvantaged communities in Michigan face greater health risks due to pollution, according to this story in the Detroit Free Press. Impacted by activity from automobile plants, steel mills and other industry, Detroit and nearby River Rouge and Ecorse, are among the most polluted Midwest cities. The report cites a University of Michigan study suggesting that 81.5 percent of Detroit’s African American students attend schools in high air pollution areas, compared to 62.1 percent for Hispanics and 44 percent for whites. Com... more »
104 Republican Congressmen Voted To Reduce Benefits For Seniors And Vets
Looks like somebody stepped in it The GOP is trying to decide how to best use Obama's screw up on Chained CPI for their own purposes. It's a Republican Party policy that he foolishly adopted for his dead-in-the-water budget at the urging of Boehner and McConnell. When will he ever learn that their ideas are toxic? (That's a rhetorical question; he'll never learn.) But while some Republicans praise the idea or say it doesn't go far enough, the chairman of the NRCC, Greg Walden (R-OR) has decided to use it in an attack against Democrats aimed at seniors and people who expect to be seni... more »
NRA Owns the US Senate, Among Other Corporations
The inability of the US Senate to pass legislation on background checks. This is not about the filibuster. This is not about Harry Reid It is not about RWNJ's It is not about liberals This is not about the super-majority needed This is not about conflicting amendments This is about the voice of the people being totally ignored. Think about it - When was the last time elected government officials - listened to the people. We use to be a representative government, of, for, by the people. That has changed folks It doesn't matter if you are a Democrat, Independent or a Republican. It's ti... more »
Crooked Trails and Pastoral Valleys
*"Benedicto: May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. May your rivers flow without end, meandering through pastoral valleys tinkling with bells, past temples and castles and poets' towers into a dark primeval forest where tigers belch and monkeys howl, through miasmal and mysterious swamps and down into a desert of red rock, blue mesas, domes and pinnacles and grottos of endless stone, and down again into a deep vast ancient unknown chasm where bars of sunlight blaze on profiled cl... more »
Read Stuff, You Should
Happy Birthday to Melissa Joan Hart, 37. I wonder if I'll wind up eventually watching her current show (she has one -- third season about to start, apparently). We've been watching Clarissa recently; still holds up extremely well. Some good stuff: 1. An approach to studying legislation as it moves through Congress, from Scott Adler and John Wilkerson, that looks very promising to me -- plus a great illustration of just how many separate bills wound up on the ACA. ViaJohn. 2. Alison Dagnes seems to be having a ton of fun writing about and teaching the invisible primary. 3. Recogni... more »
Health Transparency 14: IMS-CHAT Meeting
The Coalition for Health Advocacy and Transparency (CHAT) is the umbrella organization of health and research NGOs and think tanks that gathered during the Medicines Transparency Alliance (MeTA)-sponsored CSOs Mapping in January 2009. Many of the health NGOs there are coalition themselves of other community and sectoral organizations. CHAT is affiliated with MeTA Philippines and is considered the civil society arm or partner of the latter. Last week, April 12, 2013, the International MeTA Secretariat (IMS) had a half day meeting with NGO leaders that composed CHAT. About one-half of... more »
Recalling America's Lost "Progressive Era"
*by Len Hart, The Existentialist Cowboy* Neither Edith Wharton nor E. M. Forster admired it, but Louis Auchincloss calls "The Wings of the Dove" the greatest of Henry James's novels. Published in 1902, the novel represented something of a “comeback for James”, whose only bestseller, Daisy Miller, had appeared more than two decades earlier. Set amid fashionable London drawing rooms and gilded Venetian palazzos, the story concerns a pair of lovers who conspire to obtain the fortune of a doomed American heiress. This version is said to be “the definitive New York Edition” appearing in ... more »
JOGGING NEWS - ten miles in two hours
ten miles in two hours, it's a rubbish time but it's the distance i.e. my increased stamina, that counts. Botley, Oxford, Headington shops, Orthopaedic Hospital and back. I was hoping to do a TEN KILOMETER race when I first started this late-life jogging lark; reckon I could do one, right now.
Jeremy Clarkson on the BBC and Lady Thatcher’s funeral
"Hymns … than a beardy man in a frock gave a broadcast for the Labour Party" – Jeremy Clarkson in today's Sun. I can't find it online but it's worth paying 40p for the paper just to read it … "I was abroad when Baroness Thatcher died. But the BBC's impartial website kept me abreast of the mood back in Britain. They told me that people were pouring out of their homes to rejoice at the news. There were street parties and spontaneous outpouring of joy. … I only met Mrs Thatcher once and all she could talk about was the hopeless left-wing bias of the BBC. … On the morning of the event, I... more »
Biased bbc comment...
Did anyone see the BBC News Chanel at just before 6pm on Wednesday evening. Charles Moore was being interviewed, and started to tell the Beeboid how biased the coverage of Mrs Thattcer was. It was a pleasure to watch the Beeboid squirming. Eventually they cut him off. I do hope that someone can post it on the web so that we can all enjoy it. (About 5.50 pm BBC news 17/4/13)
Untitled
*Sewage and Water Board pension plan for retiring director questioned* *N.O., BR above average for downtown jobs * *Pete Tortorich Eats, Breathes and Lives Louisiana Seafood* *Aussie firm plans ammonia plant near New Orleans ~Bloomberg* *Odd Words from Toulouse Street* *New Orleans Good Good!* * Seven Tips for the Seven Days of Jazzfest* *Festival International de Louisiane!*
My Memories Software Review and Giveaway ($40 Value)
I have never been big into paper scrapbooks. They take a lot of time and room and honestly the ones I have from my childhood have started to yellow. I love digital scrapbooking and while I have done scrapbooking with lots of different design software, I love the ease of My Memories, so when they asked me to review their latest Software, I had to give it a chance. What I love about My Memories is it lets you be as creative as you want to be. If you want to create all of you layouts from scratch using their embellishments and digital papers, you can do that. If you want to be able ... more »
Replace Trident with HILDA
'Obviously this new, smart, fearsome combined all-British defence system would be a Highly Independent, Lethal Defence Arsenal – HILDA. She would go on and on defending Britain for the rest of the century…' Guido has the details http://order-order.com/2013/04/18/trident-costs-a-bomb/
Saudi ‘person of interest’ being rushed back to Saudi Arabia on national security grounds | BARE NAKED ISLAM
http://www.barenakedislam.com/2013/04/17/saudi-person-of-interest-being-rushed-back-to-saudi-arabia-on-national-security-grounds/ Will the conspiracy theory nuts who called for investigations into George W. Bush's links to Saudi Arabia post 9/11 be as interested in Barack Hussein Obama post Boston bombing?
Abstinence is no excuse for not having sex
Not for Family Guy's Peter Griffin anyway.
Study: Apple Extract Kills Cancer Cells, Outperforms Common Chemo Drugs by Mike Barret
Study: Apple Extract Kills Cancer Cells, Outperforms Common Chemo Drugs by Mike Barret Natural Society, 16 April 2013 Are you a believer in using foods to prevent and treat illnesses like diabetes, high blood pressure, and even cancer? There are countless foods and substances available for preventing and treating cancer, and in case you still aren’t convinced, maybe this new and exciting research will seal the deal. In recent research, compounds in apples known as *oligosaccharides * were found to *kill up to 46% of human colon cancer cells*. Further, the compound outperformed c... more »
UPDATE: Nin Tonantzin Non Centeotl
Back from a hiaitus by Roberto Dr. Cintli Rodriguez It feels like we have entered an era of turbulence. On a personal level, my thoughts are about life-long LA educator, Sal Castro. He passed away a few days ago. How do you explain who he was to someone who never knew him? In a way, he was like LA Times journalist Ruben Salazar - the journalist that was killed in 1970 in ELA. Castro had a similar impact, but he did not die. He inspired a generation. Most people know of him through the movie Walkout! But if that's how they know him, then in a sense they only know about six months... more »
Explosion in the Kolache Capital of Texas
I am not sure whether the U.S. media dare to discuss such things at all but the town of West where the fertilizer plant explosion – a horror destroying a whole street and detected as a magnitude 2.1 earthquake – took place is an intrinsically ethnic Czech town (Google Maps). In fact, Wikipedia shows this picture of "Czech Stop" and "Little Czech Bakery" as the official image of the city with 2,700 inhabitants (there's also "the Czech Inn" and the "Czech Best Western Hotel" over there) and reminds us that it's nicknamed the "Kolache Capital of Texas". However, Caldwell, Texas claim... more »
Surreal: US Troops Stage in Jordan to Defend Al Qaeda in Syria
Massive US arms/aid deliveries prop up Al Qaeda in Syria, while US troops stage in Jordan to defend terrorists they spent last decade fighting. *April 18, 2013* (LD) - CNN reports that some 200 US troops are staging along Syria's border, this as reports reveal huge amounts of US-provided flour smuggled into Syria have formed the foundation of Al Qaeda's public relations strategy. Together with huge amounts of US-provided weapons, the aid is fueling Al Qaeda's continued operations and atrocities inside Syria. The addition of US troops along Syria's border appears to be a response t... more »
Mining 14: Teddy Casino's Environmentalism
Yesterday, Teddy Casino, Senatorial candidate of Bayan Muna/Makabayan Coalition, posted this in his facebook page, *We recently challenged provisions of the Mining Act of 1995 in court.* * Ang pagmimina ay dapat bahagi ng isang National Industrialization Policy para matiyak na napapakinabangan ng mga Pilipino ang ating yamang mineral, at minimal ang negatibong epekto nito sa kapaligiran at mga komunidad. Read the full statement: http://ow.ly/k6Ibm * http://www.teddycasino.org/casino-supreme-court-should-strike-down-flawed-1995-mining-law/ I commented on it, I wrote that “Government col... more »
Ra Rising - Solar Revolution - Full Movie
Does the sun have the power to transform humankind? *In SOLAR REVOLUTION, German renowned biophysicist, Dieter Broers, makes a compelling case, pointing to a wealth of scientific evidence that shows a remarkable correlation between increases in solar activity and advances in our creative, mental, and spiritual abilities.*
A CELESTIAL MYSTERY SOLVED : The Secret to an Unknown Human Power by GW Hardin
*A CELESTIAL MYSTERY SOLVED :* * The Secret to an Unknown Human Power ** by GW Hardin * When American Kabuki said that he would post this mystery of a picture, that had shown up out of nowhere, on his blog and let the “crowd source” (his blog members) bring forth the answer, I had my doubts. But no longer. I will present three revelations that showed up around this picture: What is this picture? And where did it come from? Why the celestials want humanity to know about it’s secret. What is the DNA tesseract? And why is it so important? This isn’t the first time a picture has... more »
Israeli police head to US to aid in Boston Marathon bombing investigation
The head of the Israel Police, Major General Yohanan Danino (AFP Photo / Jack Guez) http://rt.com/usa/police-israel-investigation-boston-009/ *Israeli police head to US to aid in Boston Marathon bombing investigation* Published: Apr 17, 2013, 08:11 PM The investigation into Mondays deadly bombing at the Boston Marathon has officially gone international: *[why? what's wrong with our FBI?]* *law enforcement officials from Israel have been sent to the United States to assist in the probe.* *Israel Police Chief Yohanan Danino says he has dispatched officials to Boston, Massachusetts... more »
Mohawk Nation News 'Boston False Flag'
BOSTON “FALSE FLAG” Posted on April 17, 2013 1 MNN. Apr 17, 2013. “False flag” is a covert military operation designed to impose extreme fear amongst the population so it appears they are being attacked by other entities, groups or nations. In naval warfare a flag was put upon the ship, hence the name false flag operation. In the recent past all major
'SPECIAL FORCES' IN BOSTON
*4chan ThinkTank - Imgur. * These two men, seen at the Boston marathon finishing line just prior to the blasts, are wearing military desert-boots (top picture). *One wears a cap with a logo used by US special forces or former special forces (bottom picture).* *Is this the Bomber? / BOSTON BOMBERS IDENTIFIED? * *The cap reportedly is from "Craft International, a mercenary training company set up by former Navy SEAL Chris Kyle.* "At least one of them is wearing an earpiece, the type the Secret Service use to communicate on site during operations." *Boston Bombing: Craft Internati... more »
Supreme Court's disappointing ruling in Nigerian human rights case against Shell Oil
Kiobel v. Shell: Supreme Court Limits Courts’ Ability to Hear Claims of Human Rights Abuses Committed Abroad Courthouse Doors Remain Open to Cases with a Sufficient Link to the United States The suit against Shell was brought by Nigerian citizens who allege the corporation aided and abetted the military dictatorship in the torture, rape, and extrajudicial
April 15, 1973 (part two)
We're now in the evening of Sunday, April 15. Nixon finishes up on the presidential yacht, and heads back: "I dreaded having to go to the White House and face the bleak choices I knew were waiting..." Also, that afternoon, John Dean was again meeting with the prosecutors, Silbert and Glanzer. Before that meeting, however, Dean showed his own lawyer something new: Dean had a copy of the "Huston plan," the secret plan to have the government spy on, bug, and break-and-enter again domestic opponents. That's the plan that J. Edgar Hoover spiked -- which in turn was why, after the Pentago... more »
John McAfee dragged into the Ricin Letters scandal via the Mexican Drug Cartels - plot to bring down America - January 2013.
"John McAfee dragged into the Ricin Letters scandal via the Mexican Drug Cartels." that's quite a headline, don't you think? Well, in January 2013 the original developer of MacAfee Anti-virus Software (should it now be subtitled: *is any machine safe?*) went on the Alex Jones show and dropped his RICIN bomb, which he hasn't even told the Police yet. * Topics:* ricin manufacture in Nicaragua, mean mass density three microns i.e. weaponised ricin, and Al Qaeda/Hezbollah/Iran involved somewhere. Now, this Al Qaeda/Hezbollah/Iran inclusion in John's report sends up a propaganda RED FLAG... more »
Lakotas Elders Truth Tour: Genocide Complaint to US Government
LAKOTA SIOUX FIRST NATION DELIVERS GENOCIDE COMPLAINT and ‘RED CRY’ EVIDENCE TO U.S. GOVERNMENT Charmaine White Face, Lakota By Naomi Archer lakotasolidarity@gmail.com Censored News Thursday Press Conference Highlights Movement to End Genocide WHO: Representatives of the Indigenous Lakota Sioux Nation from Pine Ridge Reservation, members of the Lakota Truth Tour, and DC supporters. WHAT
Shirley Youxjeste : Mexican Feds Crack Down on Teachers Protesting Educational 'Reform'
Mexican federal police confront protesting teachers in Chilpancingo, Guerrero, on April 4, 2013. Photo by EFE / STR. Image from La Prensa (San Antonio). Mexican teachers take the streets against standardized tests Teachers in Guerrero, tired of the hostility of the business class, shut down two department stores in Chilpancingo for eight hours, using shopping carts as barricades. By
Photos from the public in Boston may show bombers .... WITH PHOTOS
*(Click on image to enlarge) * * **(Click on image to enlarge) * *(Click on image to enlarge) * *(Click on image to enlarge) * *Did “Anonymous” find the Boston Bombers?* [image: Progressive Bloggers]
"Three Things..."
“To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. And number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that’s a full day. That’s a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you’re going to have something special. I just got one last thing... I urge all of you, all of you, to enjoy your life, the precious moments you have.”... more »
Musical Interlude: “Homeless Boy Steals The Talent Show”
“Homeless Boy Steals The Talent Show” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ46Ot4_lLo
Thursday Morning Linkage
On this awful news week, I’m feeling like some Thursday Morning Linkage needs a little opening joy before launching into the useful reads of the week: Here are some useful Africa-centric readings on this awful, awful news week: Cullen Hendrix examines the links between food price rises, regime type, and subsidy policies in Africa Jennifer Continue reading
"A Look to the Heavens"
“Sculpted by stellar winds and radiation, the star factory known as Messier 17 lies some 5,500 light-years away in the nebula-rich constellation Sagittarius. At that distance, this degree wide field of view spans almost 100 light-years. The sharp, composite, color image utilizing data from space and ground based telescopes, follows faint details of the region's gas and dust clouds against a backdrop of central Milky Way stars. *Click image for larger size.* Stellar winds and energetic light from hot, massive stars formed from M17's stock of cosmic gas and dust have slowly carved ... more »
Chet Raymo, “Cultivating Amazement”
*“Cultivating Amazement”* by Chet Raymo “There is only one question, says the poet Mary Oliver: "How to love this world." So here I am scanning a recent copy of the journal “Nature”, with articles titled "Parvalbumin neurons and gamma rhythms enhance cortical circuit performance" and "F-box protein FBX031 mediates cyclin D1 degradation to induce G1 arrest after DNA damage." What is this stuff to me, and how does it help me love the world? In her poetry, Oliver brilliantly evokes the sensate stimuli of love: the "lapped light" of pond lilies in the black pond, the goldfinch ... more »
Paulo Coelho, "The Cry Of The Desert"
*"The Cry Of The Desert"* by Paulo Coelho "As soon as he arrived in Marrakesh, Morocco, a missionary decided he would stroll through the desert at the city’s boundary every morning. On his first stroll he noticed a man lying on the sand, caressing the ground with his hands and leaning his ears towards the earth. “He is mad,” the missionary said to himself. But he saw the man every morning during his walks and after a month, intrigued by that strange behavior, he decided to approach the stranger. He knelt beside him and asked, in broken Arabic, “What are you doing?” “I keep ... more »
Welcome To The Ron Paul Institute... No, Really
We won't have to argue about Ron Paul's anti-Choice fanaticism or his weird religious beliefs or his sympathy for militant fringe right-wing groups. His new eponymous institute is something any red-blooded American can get behind. Here's the media advisory he sent out last week (and posted on his Facebook page): Ron Paul to Launch New Policy Institute The neo-conservative era is dead. Former Congressman Ron Paul will hold a press conference this Wednesday to launch his next big project: the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity. After decades in and out of the US House of ... more »
GOP dances on the graves of the dead children of Sandy Hook
By now you've heard Senate Republicans killed the gun safety bill by filibuster today. Within minutes of the vote, even as the victims of gun violence were weeping in the gallery, Mitch McConnell posted this gloat on his facebook page: The 90% of America who wanted better protection against allowing lethal weapons to fall into the hands of homicidal maniacs responded: I'm too disgusted to say anything tonight and really I can't put it better than this: "Today, the U.S. Senate decided to do the unthinkable about gun violence --- nothing at all," - Gabby Giffords And to add i... more »
BOOKS / Ron Jacobs : 'Love Goes to Buildings on Fire'
Love Goes to Buildings on Fire: New York City, just like I pictured it From the steamy streets of the South Bronx and the future that would become hip-hop to the steamier bathhouses and clubs in lower Manhattan that became world-famous dens of disco, Hermes relates his tale. By Ron Jacobs / The Rag Blog / April 17, 2013 Love Goes to Buildings On Fire: Five Years in New York That Changed
ANZAC AFL
Anzac Day next week in Wellington represents a significant milestone in Australia-New Zealand sporting relations: the first time AFL teams play for points outside Australia. The world’s most libertarian sport is “a fast paced, high scoring contact sport requiring a blend of speed, power, strength and skill, which will certainly appeal to all New Zealanders. It is the most watched sport on Australian television … it can be a difficult game to explain to those new to it, far better to show you!” AFL is best seen live, and this is every NZer’s chance. Saint Kilda reckons they’ll h... more »
Johan Huizinga On The Need For A Spiritual Regeneration of The Individual And A Rebirth of Humanity
** "A new culture can only grow up in the soil of a purged humanity." - Johan Huizinga. *Wikipedia:* Johan Huizinga (December 7, 1872 – February 1, 1945), was a Dutch historian and one of the founders of modern cultural history. In 1942, he spoke critically of his country's German occupiers, comments that were consistent with his writings about Fascism in the 1930s. From then until his death in 1945, he was held in detention by the Nazis. He died in De Steeg in Gelderland, near Arnhem, just a few weeks before Nazi rule ended, and he lies buried in the graveyard of the Reformed Ch... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Magdalena, New Mexico, USA. Thanks for stopping by.
2013 Yale Ferguson Award: Call for Nominations
The Yale H. Ferguson Book Award The Yale H. Ferguson award, presented by International Studies Association-Northeast, recognizes the book that most advances the vibrancy of international studies as a pluralist discipline. Any book or edited volume published within the field of international studies in the previous calendar year is eligible for consideration. The award winner Continue reading
FILM / Dave Zirin : '42' is Jackie Robinson's Bitter Pill
A Review of '42': Jackie Robinson's bitter pill This was a man tortured by the fact that his own experience was used as a cudgel against building a public, fighting movement against racial injustice. By Dave Zirin / The Rag Blog / April 17, 2013 See "Dave Zirin Writes from the Busy Intersection of Sports and Politics" by Thorne Dreyer at Truthout, and listen to Dreyer's March 22, 2013,
U.S.A.-- A Country Of Economic Refugees
Not my housekeeper, Juana My housekeeper, Juana, is from El Salvador. The only way I know she's an American citizen is that we talk about who she's voting for every time elections roll around. Unlike Mitt Romney, I'm not running for office so I have no idea who's on the gardening crew. I know Roberto, the main guy, is American because he was born in L.A. But I'm not sure what the status of his employees are. I suspect the Gang of 8 proposals aren't really meant to make their lives any easier. As Joshua Holland explained in The Fifteen Biggest Lies About The Economy, "the idea that im... more »
Satire: “No Information Found On CNN”
*“No Information Found On CNN”* by Andy Borowitz BOSTON (The Borowitz Report)— “Authorities who have spent the past forty-eight hours combing CNN in the hopes of finding any information whatsoever have called off their search, they confirmed today. “After monitoring every minute of CNN’s broadcast since Monday, we have found hearsay, rumors, falsehoods, and a steady stream of inane commentary,” one authority said. “Everything but information.” The announcement was the second black eye today for CNN, which earlier in the afternoon recanted all of its reporting dating back to ... more »
HEATING UP IN VENEZUELA
Venezuela's post-election crisis is growing deeper, with at least seven people killed during clashes between the opposition and police. President-elect Nicolas Maduro says he has proof that the US embassy is financing the ongoing protests. The deaths occurred on Monday, when hundreds of protesters took to the streets in various parts of Caracas and other cities. The demonstrators blocked streets, burned tires, and fought with security forces. The fatalities include two people shot by opposition sympathizers while celebrating Maduro's victory, state media reported. One person di... more »
The Fukushima Nuclear Disaster: Dangerous Levels Of Radio-Nucleotides Appearing In Drinking Water - US Government Solution: Raise The Permissable Level Of Nuclear Radiation In Drinking Water!
With all of the news the last few days around the world focused in on the Boston Marathon false flag attack, it is important to realize again that there is some very important news happening elsewhere in the world. One news story that has been ongoing now for over 2 years is the nuclear disaster at Fukushima Japan. It is surprising that there have been few reports anywhere in the Jewish controlled media about this horrific situation that has no solution in sight, and it does fall on us in the alternative media to bring any new reports to light... I came across a most disturbing ne... more »
Arrested Developments
Wolf Blitzer is not in custody. John King is apprehensive but not apprehended. As a matter of fact, he made a significant breakthrough in a dramatic shift, falsely alerting the public to a dark-skinned man in a hoodie and backwards baseball cap. Homeland Security maven Fran Townsend is still at large after getting out ahead of herself with her trusted sources. Chris Cuomo is conflicted, simultaneously applying the brakes and "accelerating incredibly quickly". An arrest has been made, no arrest has been made, an arrest has been made. In case you missed the afternoon's adventures in... more »
Reality imitates art
After the bill was passed last night legalising gay marriage, this was posted at satire site The Civilian: *[image: image]**Marriage Destroyed Forever* The institution of marriage was destroyed forever this evening after Parliament voted overwhelmingly to make it more widely available and redefine it as a consensual, loving relationship between any two people. The Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill, written by Labour MP Louisa Wall, aimed to destroy marriage by making it more common and allowing it to be partaken in by two members of the same sex. It passed its ... more »
Own your own Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece
[image: Own a Piece of Architectural History:] If you have a lazy US$4.5 million burning a hole in your portfolio (maybe you made some paper money shorting gold last week?), you could do worse than buy this Pasadena, California, textile block beauty built by Wright all the way back in 1923. [image: 021009lloydwrightfloorplans01.jpg] La Miniatura, built in 1923 for Alice Millard, was the first of Wright's 'textile block' houses. Seeking a departure from the Prairie style for which he was best known, Wright created a series of homes from simple concrete blocks, patterned with motif... more »
Help a Student!
A student I know (specifically, my older son) is trying to collect some survey data. Click here if you are willing to participate. The survey will take about 15 minutes.
The Economy: “The Lies That Will Bring Down America”
*“The Lies That Will Bring Down America”* By Terry Weiss "Despite the current stock market rally, legendary investor Jim Rogers say the U.S economy is poised for a major crash and is warning investors to protect themselves immediately. In a riveting interview on Fox Business, Rogers warned Americans not to trust any of the positive economic news coming from world governments. "I don't trust the data from any government, including the U.S., Rogers said. "We know that governments lie to us. Everybody's printing money, but it cannot go on. This is all artificial." Rogers, who ... more »
Thank-you . . .
RIP, RITA. Thank-you for this incredible song, and a host of others.
"Force Majeur"
“Force majeure (French for "greater force") is a common clause in contracts which essentially frees both parties from liability or obligation when an extraordinary event or circumstance beyond the control of the parties, such as war, strike, riot, crime, act of God (e.g., flooding, earthquake, volcano), prevents one or both parties from fulfilling their obligations under the contract. Under international law it refers to an irresistible force or unforeseen event beyond the control of a State making it materially impossible to fulfill an international obligation. Force majeure pre... more »
Karl Denninger, “Wake Up!”
*“Wake Up!”* by Karl Denninger “I've been warning people that all is not well in the world. This morning I'm *standing* on the red button. *Click image for larger size.* We are, right here and now, sitting on key support for copper. If it fails, and given the pattern I believe it will, we're going under $3 and could see an all-on crash in copper prices. Why is this important? Because it's a measure of industrial demand - that is, industrial production on a global basis. Europe is a damned basket case. That their markets haven't collapsed are testament to the litany of l... more »
Pt.2:Cristiano Tinazzi: A spook that ties Libya to Syria and arms from Italy via Croatia
*First, a brief digression.* Another individual who plays a role similar to that of Cristiano Tinazzi & Marie Colvin is *Wisam Tariff, *who reappeared in this post US leads world in “humanitarian” assistance to Syria after first portraying himself as a* 'humanitarian activist*', 18 months ago. Though he was and is still obviously involved in moving guns and mercs from Libya into Syria via Turkey. As is Cristiano. As was Marie Colvin. It looks as if we have individuals operating under the umbrella of NATO war machine who pass themselves off, on the surface, as journalists and h... more »
Pt.2: Dr Colin Ross: Mind control and more
If you did not listen to Part 1 it is linked below. Give it a listen. An Interview with Dr. Colin A. Ross, pt. 1 – “What is Mind Control?” Then feel free to enjoy Part 2 on video: *Audio Version: * Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:48:24 — 62.1MB) The discussion begins with R. Gordon Wasson, mushrooms etc. Then moves on to psychiatry, meds and more. Ewan Cameron and his atrocious human experiments in Montreal, Canada are discussed. This being psychic driving, massive electroshock and drugging. There will be a Part 3
Old Story that Casts Insight Into How Government 'Accidentally' Colludes With Industry
Majia here: I was searching my files and I happened to see this article I had saved from 2008. The article illustrates the corruption that occurs with our regulatory agency through outsourcing. NIH Drops Contractor For Conflict of Interest By Lyndsey Layton Washington Post Staff Writer Saturday, April 14, 2007; A08 [Excerpted] The federal government yesterday fired a contractor it had hired to review the safety of chemicals after discovering the company has been simultaneously working for the chemical industry. Alexandria-based Sciences International was in the fourth year of a... more »
ACTION: Boycott Regal Cinemas
Boycott Regal Movie Theaters aka Regal Cinemas Regal Entertainment Group, which operates more than 500 theaters in 38 states, last month rolled back shifts for non-salaried workers to 30 hours per week, putting them under the threshold at which employers are required to provide health insurance. The Nashville-based company said in a letter to managers that the move was a direct result of ObamaCare. If they go out business – they won’t have to worry about providing healthcare and their employees can get low-paying, non-benefit jobs somewhere else - or - if they are lucky, they ... more »
Fascovereign Weltanschauung - a new blog fighting the international menace.
On a day when the UK has been the site of a ludicrous tribute to the dead puppet, Thatcher, and on which the aftermath of the stage-managed bombing of the Boston Marathon is looking ever-more like it was contrived to facilitate a crackdown on freedom-loving Americans, it would seem that the doom-mongers who argue that all is lost, have been given some credibility by the tragic turn of events. Those who would use these set-backs as an excuse for giving up the struggle, may feel justified in abandoning us all to the enemy, but they are very, very wrong. It is precisely when the ene... more »
Testing now, instruction next year!
*WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2013* *The Empire State’s new tests:* In Tuesday’s New York Times, Kyle Spencer described the tension surrounding New York’s new statewide tests. Quick rule of thumb: If you have to prepare for testing this way, something is wrong with your tests: SPENCER (4/16/13): At Public School 10 on the edge of Park Slope, Brooklyn, parents begged the principal to postpone the lower school science fair, insisting it was going to add too much pressure while they were preparing their children for the coming state tests. *On Staten Island, a community meeting devolved into... more »
Untitled
*Corps of Engineers awards $614.8 million contract for permanent pump stations at mouths of New Orleans canals*
More Bits, More Pieces Than I Actually Intended: Rubio And The Know Nothing Caucus
*Bob Perry ist tot* What do you say when the poisonous snake who financed swiftboating drops dead? It never seems good form to cheer that anyone dies. It's possible that right-wing Texas billionaire Bob Perry was kind to a grandchild or a pet, although, publicly he'll always be associated with the money-- a minimum of $65 million-- that went into financing a neo-fascist resurgence within the Republican Party. He gave tens of millions to right-wing causes and candidates and the one Democrat he seems to have liked enough to contribute to is extreme right-wing Blue Dog, Henry Cuellar... more »
FBI to media: STFU you idiots
The New York Post made a mockery of the concept of responsible journalism on Monday, splashing one inaccurate report after another on their front page. Today CNN led the media fail of the century, erroneously reporting a suspect in the Boston bombing had been IDed and arrested. The FBI is not amused: Contrary to widespread reporting, no arrest has been made in connection with the Boston Marathon attack. Over the past day and a half, there have been a number of press reports based on information from unofficial sources that has been inaccurate. Since these stories often have uninten... more »
I Don't Know, Man. I Lose My Touch, Man.
Did CNN ever have a touch to lose? CNN wasn't the only one to get this completely wrong. The AP and Fox News also reported "the arrest".
The Secret of Every Successful Empire
*Wikipedia*: Paul Anthony Cartledge is the first A. G. Leventis Professor of Greek Culture at Cambridge University, having previously held a personal chair in Greek History at Cambridge. Below is an excerpt from Paul Cartledge's book, *"Alexander the Great."*Vintage: 2005. Pg. 192-93. It seems that, like most of the Achaemenids, Alexander sought in general to act on the principle of invisibility. This secret of empire (as Tacitus might have called it) was most succinctly expressed by a British Viceroy of India in 1879: 'It may not be flattering to our *amour propre* but I feel su... more »
boston, pakistan, terrorism, and perspective
From "A Tale of Two Terrorisms"In the midst of tragedy, it's hard to talk about perspective. My niece lives in Boston, a short walking distance from where the bombs went off. She was on the spot less than an hour before the explosions. And, having lived in New York City before, during, and after September 11, 2001, I know something of what the people of Boston are experiencing. What happened in Boston is a horror and a tragedy and a crime. For families and friends of the three people who were killed, there is no perspective. There is only loss. For people who lost limbs, life is f... more »
Charles Moore v the BBC
Charles Moore of *The Daily Telegraph*, talking on the BBC News Channel just before *News at Six, *launched another strong attack on the BBC's reporting following the death of Lady Thatcher. Here's a transcript of that interview: *Jane Hill (BBC)*: Let's reflect on today and how it has gone and whether it was appropriate. I'm joined by Charles Moore, who I'm sure you know is writing the authorised biography of Margaret Thatcher. He joins us from the studios at *The Daily Telegraph*. Charles Moore, hello to you. I know you were at the ceremony here at St. Paul's Cathedral at lun... more »
BOXING IN SYRIA
The first US Patriot missiles are operational outside the town of Gaziantep in Turkey, 43 kilometres from the Syrian border. Three NATO countries - the United States, Germany and the Netherlands - are involved in the operation. This is one more example how US-NATO are now sticking themselves into every conflict on the globe as they attempt to justify an ever expanding military role for the capitalist-serving alliance. The Global Network will be sending two of our board members (from the UK and Sweden) to Turkey for a peace conference at the end of April. Because these so-called ... more »
More supernature
There’s a book review in the Guardian that gives a spotlight to a fascinating idea – shadow ecology, a stealth biosphere based on an alternative organic chemistry, undetected, right here on Earth, not even imagined until now. This idea is perfectly congruent with natural selection. At the point when life was formed on Earth there was a lot of biochemistry, energy and time. Most of the history of life on Earth is dominated by single-cell life. By many measures bacteria are still the dominant mode of existence. Multi-cellular life is the comparative exception. There would be no curr... more »
Puerto Rico: A New Spree of Chupacabras Attacks in Guayama
*Puerto Rico: A New Spree of Chupacabras Attacks in Guayama* *By José Pérez, PRMUFON* José Pérez is a field researcher with a wide range of unpublished experiences in Puerto Rican ufology. He collaborated with the defunct ENIGMAS magazine for many years with researcher/journalist Jorge Martin. During the first week of April 2013, Mr. Rey D. Rodríguez – better known as “Chaka” to his friends – was rounding up cattle to bring them back to their barn, assisted by his nephew in this operation. They were driving along in a pickup truck, lighting up the sections where they tended to l... more »
BBC News - Biofuels: 'Irrational' and 'worse than fossil fuels'
' The UK's "irrational" use of biofuels will cost motorists around £460 million over the next 12 months, a think tank says. A report by Chatham House says the growing reliance on sustainable liquid fuels will also increase food prices.' Green policy failure... http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22127123
The Syria Endgame: A Way Forward
With the increased likelihood that Assad will fall, even were he to hang on until a Gaddafi-style bitter end, pressure is mounting on the U.S., Europe, and Turkey inter alia to come up with a game plan for the post-endgame. The good news is progress is rapidly being made: stepped up aid from the Continue reading
Greens Outpolling Liberals on Vancouver Island
If the polls hold for the next four weeks, the governing B.C. Liberals will be handed a third place, as in last place, finish on Vancouver Island when voters get their say. The NDP has a commanding lead in island ridings with the Greens in second place two to three points ahead of the incumbent Libs. Vancouver Island has always been a comfortable place for the New Democrats but the Right is failing badly so far in this campaign.
Even the IMF Thinks Tory Austerity Has Gone Too Far
Britain's Tory Cameron government has been nothing if not resolute in rejecting criticism of its austerity fetish. To Cameron and his chancellor, George Osborne, it doesn't matter a whit that their slash and burn budgeting is harming the country. It is irrelevant that their policies are failing to generate the miracles they had promised. When rating agencies lower Britain's credit rating, it is of no matter. Now it's the International Monetary Fund adding its voice to the choir. IMF chief economist, Olivier Blanchard, has accused chancellor Osborne of "*playing with fire.*" *In... more »
The Only Hope Is to Depose the King
And the King is still coal. The head of the International Energy Agency warns that the drive to renewables and alternative energy has stalled. *"The drive to clean up the world's energy system has stalled," said Maria van der Hoeven, the IEA's executive director, at the launch of the agency's report on clean energy progress.* *"Despite much talk by world leaders, and a boom in renewable energy over the past decade, the average unit of energy produced today is basically as dirty as it was 20 years ago."* *Global clean energy investment in the first quarter fell to its lowest leve... more »
Peru: The "Ribbon of Holes"
Contributing Editor *Guillermo D. Gimenez* has posted a photo of one of the most unusual formation in Latin America: The "Banda de Agujeros" (literally, the "ribbon of holes") near the Peruvian valley of Pisco, on the plain of Cajarmarquilla. Thousands of man-sized holes were drilled into rock at some unknown period in the past, covering over a mile of terrain. Archaeologists have speculated that these structures functioned as granaries - an unlikely possibility - as some of them are shallow while others plunge to depths of seventy-five feet. -- SC. Inexplicata Podcasts covering i... more »
The end is where we start from
As I'm recording the day's coverage on the BBC News Channel for later scrutiny, this post will merely provide a few initial impressions of the big event - the funeral of Baroness Thatcher - or, more accurately, the reactions of others to the BBC's coverage. As it's my favourite blog (except for *Is..? *of course), I always keep up with the comments at *Biased BBC*. I was amused today to see these two comments come in within a minute of each other: *Submitted on 2013/04/17 at 3:35 pm - *BBC coverage of state occasions used to set the benchmark. something somewhere went wrong. I ... more »
Living Through Financial Collapse: David Nghiem on The Robert Wenzel Show
SUNDAY, APRIL 14, 2013 *Living Through Financial Collapse: David Nghiem on The Robert Wenzel Show* This Week's Guest Is: David Nghiem When the airlines wouldn't take his return flight tickets because his ticket agency went bankrupt, American born adventurer David Nghiem, made other plans. With the funds he had left over, he bought a ticket to Panama City, then biked 2000 miles across Central America. David discusses his first hand experience in Latin America as he witnessed the economic collapse in Argentina in 2001. His book Jackfruit: A Bicycle Quest Through Latin Amer... more »
Excerpts from the column below: "Save a handful of corrupt banks, screw the American public – that is the Fed’s policy. Like almost every other American institution, the Fed represents the mega-rich." "The attack on gold is a desperate attempt to protect the US dollar from the Fed’s policy of quantitative easing. But the attack on bullion has apparently failed. The price was driven down, but the demand for physical possession has hit new highs." "What we are witnessing is the failure of a policy of financial corruption."
------------------------------ *Update to the Update: The Attack on Gold — Paul Craig Roberts* ------------------------------ April 16, 2013 | Find Original Here Tuesday, April 16. The orchestrated attack on bullion in the paper gold market took the spot prices of gold and silver down on Friday and Monday, but actual physical purchases rose during this period. The sales were of paper claims, not of real metal. The demand for physical possession of bullion rose so strongly that large wholesalers such as www.tulving.com and large retailers such as Gainesville Coins reported sold out ... more »
Common core: An attempt to solve a problem that doesn't exist
No decline in reading Sent to the Cincinnati Enquirer The first line of “Common Core a ‘monumental shift’”(April 16, 2013) is not supported by any real data. There is no evidence that “reading has been declining in the nation’s schools for more than two decades.” Students are reading as much as ever. According to my analysis, teenagers today are reading as much as teenagers did in 1999 and in 1946. In addition, reading scores on our national test, the NAEP, have been increasing modestly since 1992. The Common Core appears to be an attempt to solve a problem that doesn’t exist. Stephe... more »
Now a Blogger-Columnist at US News and World Reports
I now have a column at the US News and World Reports "Economic Intelligence" blog. I will be covering issues of interest to the middle class every Wednesday. Here are the links to my first two articles: "Want Jobs Back? Axe Tax Subsidies" "The Tide is Turning Against Tax Havens" Enjoy!
Egyptian Salafi Cleric Murgan Salem: Boston Bombing Was Meant to Deliver a Message; Similar Attacks Expected in France
http://www.memri.org/clip/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/3807.htm
Boston Marathon
Back in his graduate school days - that would be thirty years and about eighty pounds ago - Southern Man was an avid long-distance runner. We would run just about every day, on the indoor track or on the outdoor quarter-mile track or in long loops around the city. And we got pretty good; there's a fair collection of trophies back there where we ran as a team in the name of our department, and Southern Man has dozens of personal awards and *hundreds* of race shirts. He's going to make a quilt out of them someday. So it was with particular sorrow that he read of the bombing at the fi... more »
AND YOUR ACT TOO.....
- Helen Caldicott reports: The Obama administration has given final approval for dramatically raising permissible radioactive levels in drinking water and soil following “radiological incidents,” such as nuclear power-plant accidents and dirty bombs. The final version is a win for the nuclear industry which seeks what its proponents call a “new normal” for radiation exposure among the U.S population. Issued by the Environmental Protection Agency, the radiation guides (called Protective Action Guides or PAGs) allow cleanup many times more lax than anything ... more »
Manchin-Toomey and the Filibuster
The background checks portion of the bill will be defeated today. It was being added as an amendment to the bill, and under a consent agreement all amendments needed 60 votes; it's not going to get there. Some notes: 1. The correct thing to say about this is that the amendment was defeated by filibuster. It's a little tricky, but that's the essence of it. The UC agreement under which the amendment (and all amendments to this bill) is considered requires 60 votes; that's agreed to in order to avoid a cloture vote, which is necessary because of the standing GOP plan to filibuster eve... more »
Crown burden on appealing an acquittal
R. v. Berbeck, 2013 ONCA 241 reminds us of the heavy burden the Crown faces on appealing an acquittal: [14] In *R. v. Graveline*, 2006 SCC 16, [2006] 1 S.C.R. 609, the majority of the Supreme Court of Canada set out the Crown's burden when it appeals the acquittal of an accused. At para. 14 of his reasons, Fish J. for the majority stated: It has been long established, however, that an appeal by the Attorney General cannot succeed on an abstract or purely hypothetical possibility that the accused would have been convicted but for the error of law. Something more must be s... more »
La Reforma Integral De La Inmigración
Gang of Eight Early this morning, 1:30 this morning, the Gang of 8 formally filed their immigration reform bill. The Senate's Know Nothing caucus of unreconstructed bigots and anti-Latino hatemongers, led by Ted Cruz (R-TX), David "Diapers" Vitter (R-LA), Jefferson Beauregard Sessions (KKK-AL), John Cornyn (R-TX) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) is coordinating with Steve King's House Bigotry Caucus and Kris Kobach, the Mitt Romney advisor who came up with the "self-deportation" strategy that helped the GOP lose last year's elections. Their strategy is to use delays and parliamentary maneuv... more »
The Taxpayers Once Again Pay for the Screwing Up of US: Shining A Bright Light On the Poverty-Creation Industry
Paying off the banksters for the bailouts needed for their inept financial screwing of the populace was just the start. We're now told that the taxpayers (not the corporations who pay very little if any taxes already) are going to pay for all cleanups needed for the environmental damages of privatization. Brought to us by and large by the banksters who finance it. Time for another round of
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