10:05am MDST
A Canadian Muslim Speaks Out
Straight from enduring *TorStar* Rosie DiManno's stomach-churning screen on the terrorists in our midst, I came upon Toronto Muslim, Murtaza Hussain's insightful comments in *The Guardian.* *It is a curious experience to feel that the benign normality of your life is constantly held hostage to forces outside your ability to control. That effort of cultivating a positive image – building relationships, respecting the law, living honestly, giving charity, contributing to civil society – could potentially be degraded or wiped out by forces far beyond your scope of influence as an indiv... more »
Massive Steam: Is it Coming from Area of Common Spent Fuel Pool?
Majia's Blog - 14 minutes ago
<img alt="" src="data:image/png;base64,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...more »
Gathering Evidence from Unknown Entity in Puerto Rico
Members of José Pérez's research team retrieving samples of blood and hair left behind by the unknown entity that killed a goat on the property of Rafael ("Tigre") Flores. Inexplicata Podcasts covering items from UFO / paranormal history in Spain, Latin America and the Caribbean
The glories of untrammeled income transfer!
*TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013* *And our plans for the upcoming year:* At this time of the year, we ask you to consider supporting our site. For the record, this is our fourth or fifth “annual” fund-raising drive in what is now fifteen years! We pledge to be less unpleasant this year, especially about our own tribe’s leaders. That said, we see four basic areas we plan to explore this year. This is the first of the four: *The ongoing growth of liberal media:* The liberal world was asleep in the woods when we started this web site during the Clinton/Gore years. No matter how much bullshit ... more »
Just What is a Weapon of Mass Destruction Anyway?
If a jury-rigged, pressure cooker bomb is a "weapon of mass destruction" what does that mean for our own, far more generous use of force against others? This is no longer a moot question. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has been charged with using a weapon of mass destruction, a capital offence. Isn't just murder, four counts, and another couple of hundred counts of attempt, charge enough? Weapon of Mass Destruction is an interesting term. In just a decade past the mere allegation of possessing such things was deemed a *casus belli, *a case or justification for pre-emptive war. But if we h... more »
Puerto Rico: Chupacabras - The Night Siege
[Chupacabras activity in Puerto Rico is reaching levels not seen for well over a decade. As occurred in the mid-1990s, a number of different "entities" appear to be at work in the situation -- large avian beings, winged vulpine predators and shadowy indefinite creatures, a situation that replayed itself in Chile during the 2000-2001 mutilation wave. INEXPLICATA thanks José Pérez and his team for providing us this information firsthand -- SC] *Puerto Rico: Chupacabras – The Night Siege* *By José Pérez, PRMUFON* Video at: *http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ManQmp928Uc&feature=youtu.be... more »
ALEC - A Crock of Corporate Manipulation
This story pissed me off when it first appeared on ALEC blog site - but I refuse to link to their blog. But here is a snip from WashPo *Gas Drop Prompts Move by U.S. States Against Renewables:Energy* Christopher MartinApr 23, 2013 9:59 am ET April 23 (Bloomberg) -- More than half the U.S. states with laws requiring utilities to buy renewable energy are considering ways to pare back those mandates after a plunge in natural gas prices brought on by technology that boosted supply. Sixteen of the 29 states with renewable portfolio standards are considering legislation that would reduc... more »
Did ALEC Legislators Re-district Your State? STOP ALEC!
*There is a very interesting article on PR Watch today* - having to do with the disastrous gerrymandering that Republicans coordinated in Wisconsin. I strongly recommend that you read it *>>>>HERE<<<<* It may explain what happened in your state - without your knowledge. It will help you better understand that what the right is doing - is WRONG. But what I want readers to know is ALEC's role. This image is enough to make me sick - knowing that ALEC state legislators have the ability to do things in secret at ALEC meetings - out of the eye of the general public and then after the ALEC... more »
Were four Republican senators brave?
*TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013* *Courage and the gun vote:* Shortly after last week’s gun vote, Dana Milbank helped us see who had, and hadn’t, been courageous. We think this sort of thing is usually fairly dumb. Your results may differ: MILBANK (4/18/13): Courage was in short supply at the Capitol on Wednesday. The overwhelming majority of Americans favor the sort of background checks that Manchin and Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) had proposed to keep weapons from the felonious and the insane. A majority of senators supported it, too. But too many cowered in the face of fierce opposition from ... more »
An Unusually Naive Slip From Wonkblog
Today's Wonkbook (from Evan Soltas and Ezra Klein) tells the story of the Republican reluctance to go to conference on the budget, and concludes: And Senate Democrats aren’t having it. After years of Republicans complaining about secret deals and hammering Senate Democrats for betraying regular order, they’re calling the GOP’s bluff. That’s why Reid intends to move towards conference this morning. Either Republicans will agree, and regular order will proceed — which will likely mean no deal, and which will then give House Democrats a chance to throw their bombs — or Senate Republica... more »
Graph of the Day: Mortality and temperature during the 2009 Melbourne heatwave
[image: Mortality and temperature during the 2009 melbourne heatwave. This graph shows the relationship between prolonged periods of higher temperatures and death rates over the same period. Graphic: Climate Commission / DHS, 2009] (Climate Commission) – Very hot days and heatwaves have a significant impact on human health, infrastructure, agriculture and natural ecosystems. Research at the Natural Hazards Research Centre (NRHC) has shown that heatwaves are the most significant natural hazard in Australia in terms of loss of life. There have been 4287 fatalities directly attribut... more »
"Terrorist Plot" In Canada? I Don't Think So!
With the news still inundated with constant updates about the two men that were set up to be the fall guys for the Boston Marathon bombing operation, came news just yesterday of a new "terrorist plot", this time in Canada. When I first heard the reports about this "terrorist plot" last night on the Jewish controlled Canadian news outlets, I immediately called "bullshit" on the whole thing... And once the announcers started saying they received "support and guidance from Al Qaeda units based in Iran", I knew that the Canadian people were being set up just like the American public t... more »
A peculiar encounter: Allevi vs. Gottardo - piano vs. guitar - must-hear music: As you really are...
link: https://www.youtube.com/tv?vq=medium#/watch?v=ugGSrir_V8w&mode=transport link: https://www.youtube.com/tv?vq=small#/watch?v=7uPwcbSaUms What is *Giovanni Allevi*? Is he a new (Italian) "Mozart"? A new philosopher perhaps! Or the result of clever marketing? The experts aren't sure for now. Listen to his music and the interpretation by guitarist Daniele Gottardo of the same "Come sei veramente" ('As you really are'). Enjoy both musicians. Giovanni, I mean: John
It's Time to Reinstate the Cucking Stool
Canada, for reasons obscure and probably troubled, has not just a tolerance but a positive fondness for professional scolds. There is a gaggle of these haughty merchants of sanctimony and rebuke who inexplicably flourish at our major newspapers. They have names like Wente, Blatchford and, in the case of the *Toronto Star,* Rosie DiManno. The common scold, or *communis rixatrix,* who vexes me today is the venerable DiManno who, from her bunker, has penned a screed about Muslim terror in our midst in which she castigates dim-witted Canadians for "whistling past the graveyard" as ou... more »
Free Planet - the ULTIMATE CONSPIRACY THEORY - it's not yours, it's all ours
this post is inspired by the 'valiant efforts' of the Lone Star State to take back their land and run it how they wish, free from Government influence/intrusion as exemplified in this recent documentary that just aired on RT (that I watched the back of but didn't catch the title of)... ...did you watch that? Right, then we shall begin. IT'S NOT YOURS You can look applaud the efforts of these Lone Star pioneers to 'take back what's theirs' from a co-opted government gone rogue, driven insane by the LUST FOR *PROFIT*/ASSET over the 'needs of the people', but remember, the USA was ... more »
FBI Fail
FBI guilty of photoshop evidence. If they can do this here, they can plant evidence everywhere. Where does this lead to? Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere ~~~ Martin Luther King.
Cities and tribes in Washington State: No coal port, no coal trains here
[image: A yard sign has 'Coal Train' crossed out with a red X. A coalition of Washington state cities and tribes opposes shipping large volumes of coal through the state to a 'superport' for export to China. Photo: seattlemet.com] By Joel Connelly 22 April 2013 Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, oft-faulted for a go-it-alone governing style, became a coalition builder Monday, joining with other city officials and Indian tribes in a new organization designed to build opposition to location of big coal export terminals in Northwest waters. In an interview, McGinn suggested that the newly ... more »
ALL RISE-Liberate Tate
ALL RISE
Are You a Believer Or Do you Think?
Indisputable Photo Evidence That the Boston Marathon Bombing Was Staged http://educate-yourself.org/cn/bostonbombingdidyouthink20apr13.shtml [Editor's Note: Update *April 22, 2013*. The individual shown in the photos below, who you are suppose to believe has just lost his right leg and the lower part of his left leg in the Boston Marathon explosion which occurred about 4 PM on April 15, 2013, is identified as* Jeff Bauman. *You will also see photos further below of a 2010 Army West Point graduate named* Lt. Nick Vogt* who had lost both of his legs in Kandahar, Afghanistan in 2011. Yo... more »
Did The League of the Righteous Take Part In Iraq’s 2013 Elections?
Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq (AAH), The League of the Righteous, is an Iranian-backed militant group in Iraq that has tried to change its image in recent years. After the U.S. withdrawal in 2011, the League claimed that it was going to join the political process, but would not participate in the April 2013 provincial elections, which just took place. However, a former high-level member of the group created his own party National al-Amal Party, the National Hope Party, which ran candidates as part of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s State of Law in this year’s balloting. This could have been a... more »
RED AND BLUE WITH RACE ALL OVER: We’re all the same, Obama said!
*TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013* *Part 1—Fred Hiatt begs to differ:* Is American becoming a nation of tribes? With a red tribe opposing a blue tribe? Fred Hiatt says we *are* becoming a nation of tribes. And he thinks that’s a lousy development. At the start of his recent column, Hiatt recalls what Obama said on the evening he became famous. Obama’s claims are less and less true, the columnist glumly declares: HIATT (4/22/13): *A red state/blue state chasm* In the week since modest gun control died in the Senate, those of us who don’t think guns make the country safer have been inclined... more »
NON-VIOLENT STREET FIGHTER FOR PEACE
One of America's most dedicated activists is Max Obuszewski, from the “Pledge of Resistance-Baltimore,” who shares his views on Earth Day/Endless War. I've known Max for a long time and when ever there is a call for action he is near the front of the line. For many years he worked for the Quaker-funded American Friends Service Committee until they began downsizing some years ago. But Max has created a life for himself that allows him to remain steadfast in his work. He is a true defender of peace, life on Mother Earth, and the sacred.
EPA releases harsh review of U.S. State Department’s Keystone XL environmental report
[image: Signs are attached to a fence on the property of Jim Tarnick, a Nebraska farmer opposed to the Keystone XL pipeline project, 17 April 2013. Photo: Guillaume Meyer / AFP / Getty Images] By Neela Banerjee 22 April 2013 WASHINGTON (The New York Times) – The Environmental Protection Agency issued a sharply critical assessment of the State Department’s recent environmental impact review of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, certain to complicate efforts to win approval for the $7-billion project. In a letter to top State Department officials overseeing the permit process ... more »
Flood-drought-flood: Is this the new normal?
[image: Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, right, walks away from floodwaters after meeting with members of the Missouri National Guard as they make flood preparations on 20 April 2013 in Clarksville. Communities along the Mississippi River and other rain-engorged waterways are waging feverish bids to hold back floodwaters that may soon approach record levels. Photo: Jeff Roberson / The Associated Press] By John Upton 22 April 2013 (Grist) – The good news: Heavy rainfall across the Midwest has helped ease a widespread drought. The bad news: Rainfall has been so heavy that drought has been... more »
Former Nestle CEO Said: Water Is Not A Human Right And Should Be Privatized by Anthony Gucciardi
Former Nestle CEO: Water Is Not A Human Right, Should Be Privatized by Anthony Gucciardi Natural Society, 23 April 2013 Is water a free and basic human right, or should all the water on the planet belong to major corporations and be treated as a product? Should the poor who cannot afford to pay these said corporations suffer from starvation due to their lack of financial wealth? According to the former CEO and now Chairman of the largest food product manufacturer in the world, corporations should own every drop of water on the planet — and you’re not getting any unless you ... more »
Just a short Rift Valley Biking Note
*West side of the Rift Valley, Jhuofu Industry Rd. Didn't have any decent cameras with me, just the cellphone. * Did another three day bike vacation this weekend. We started in Hualien, rode down the sweet 193 on the east side of the Rift Valley to Yuli, then on day 2 we rode down the west side of the Rift Valley out of Yuli on what I've come to believe is one of the most enjoyable stretches of road on the island, the Zhuofu Industry Road between Yuli and the 20A. Here is a map: The road runs down the west side of the Rift Valley, the higher end is at the south, where it becomes N... more »
Fisheries Agreement
*A spider checks on lunch amid drops of dew.* Some interesting comments on the recent Japan-Taiwan fisheries agreement in the TT today: "Sovereignty", which as Heinlein once wittily noted, is a word between * sober* and *sozzled* in the dictionary.... Given that the parties to the accord are defined as Taiwan and Japan in sub-paragraph (b) of paragraph 3 of Article 2, it is unnecessary to use “competent authorities” in lieu of “both Parties (viz, Taiwan and Japan)” as stated in Article 4, Hu said. Hu said he thought the substitution was made because “competent authorities are not ... more »
Untitled
*N.O. to explore three options for future of World Trade Center ~Danny Monteverde* *Hotels want new tax on guests to promote expected riverfront development ~Tyler Bridges* *Xavier Prep to remain open; alumni group to purchase school ~Nicandra Norwood* *Port of New Orleans Expects Normal Operations During High Water Levels ~Eileen Fleming* *Spill fines may be allocated by year’s end ~Nikki Buskey* *Movies to Geaux Outdoor Screenings: Always for Pleasure ~Music at the Mint * *All you need to know before hitting the Fair Grounds ~Gambit Jazz Fest Guide*
Happy Saint George's Day
Today is the National Day of England. England has two Saints - Edmund and George - however, only Saint George is widely known. Saint George was a Greek of pure European blood, who may have dwelt in Palestine and what is now Turkey, but was absolutely not of mixed blood; no matter what the multi-cultist rewriters of history would say. His religious significance lies in his absolute refusal to accept the orthodoxy of the Establishment; for which he was tortured. When he steadfastly held on to his convictions, in the face of unspeakable brutality, he was beheaded. For this moral s... more »
What Can We Learn From What The GOP Is Doing To North Carolina's Education System?
Last year, one of our favorite Blue America candidates was North Carolina state Rep. Patsy Keever, who was running against reactionary Republican closet case Patrick McHenry. Although Patsy kicked his ass where she was best known, Buncombe County-- where she rolled up a 46,240 (66%) to 23,740 (34%) victory-- the DCCC, angry that Patsy beat some conservative shill of theirs in the primary, refused to help her run in the general. In the end, the huge disparity in spending-- McHenry spent $1,127,555 and Patsy spent $419,465-- helped McHenry win big enough margins in Gaston, Cleveland ... more »
Mistakes
Several people have asked me to comment on the coding error found in one of the Reinhart-Rogoff papers. I have avoided the topic, since I don't think I have a lot to add to the discussion. But because so many people have asked, here are a few observations: 1. Everybody makes mistakes. I once made an analytic error in one of my published papers and, after it was pointed out to me, subsequently wrote a correction (published version). Finding and correcting errors is a part of the research process. Sure, errors are embarrassing, but there is nothing dishonorable about making them. ... more »
Read Stuff, You Should
Happy Birthday to Valerie Bertinelli, 53. Yes, of course I watch her retread show on TVLand, although I watch it the old fashioned way -- when I happen to see it when I'm flipping around the dial. If you haven't seen it...it's exactly what it should be, no better but no worse. Excellent idea, though. Some good stuff: 1. Jay Ulfelder's guide for social scientists on twitter. 2. Dan Amira on the (un)reliability of Rand Paul on civil liberties issues. 3. 2016 (Republican) rules update, from Josh Putnam. 4. More on studies of the health care cost slow-down, from Sarah Kliff. 5. Nice S... more »
Is Bachmann (MN-Nutjob) Toast????
From MinnPost to god's ears My emphasis No one is saying it for quotation yet, but it is increasingly likely that Michele Bachmann will decide not to seek another term in the U.S. House when her seat comes up in 2014. *Lots of Republicans say off the record that they are hearing a growing chorus of rumors that Bachmann may retir*e. And they are downright expansive about the fact that* the party will be thrilled if she does*. But absolutely no one to whom I have spoken claims to have heard it from her or from members of her innermost circle. So if you are willing to take this as i... more »
US-Canada Claim Iran-Al Qaeda Ties Despite US Funding Al Qaeda in Iran for Years
*April 23, 2013* (LD) - As the FBI reels from what now appears to be revelations it was directly involved in the Boston Marathon bombings, a deluge of FBI "success" stories have been "serendipitously" splashed across Western headlines. Among them was an allegedly "foiled" terror attack in Canada, reported to be the work of terrorists supported by "Al-Qaeda operatives in Iran." The Globe and Mail, in its report, "Canada joins U.S. in alleging al-Qaeda has operatives based in Iran," states: "To many, it came as a surprise that the RCMP is alleging that two terror suspects arrested i... more »
Gum On Their Noses
The international community knows by now that the Harper Government -- remember, the moniker is now on official documents -- is full of navel gazers. And navel gazers aren't concerned with facts. The ramifications for Canadian foreign policy are deeply disturbing. Natalie Brender writes in *The Toronto Star* that: The Harper government’s tendency toward dismissing the salience of worldly conditions is particularly marked when complex realities outside Canada’s borders are at issue. Globalization means that most policy choices facing us fall into this category of complex internati... more »
A speedy response from BBC albeit to tell me that their full response will not be speedy
Further to my earlier post, the BBC have speedily replied: Dear Audience Member The Committee's decisions of 11 April are written up as minutes and are then ratified at the following month's meeting before being distributed – so you should receive the Trustees' decision around mid-May. Yours faithfully Leanne Buckle So. Another 3 weeks to wait...
The ALEC Destructive ProCorporate TeleCom Agenda
If you don't watch "Revolution" on NBC Monday nights - you should at least one night - to see what happens when there is no power available to the 99% for daily living. Along with the issue of lack of power the show also demonstrates what happens in a world without available communication lines. Think about being totally cutoff for a week, a month, a year, a decade because electricity is not available to run the internet and cell phones don't work. Wouldn't it be nice to have an optional communication technology available - such as landline phones, which don't depend on electric... more »
How long does it take the BBC to report on a BBC Trust meeting decision?
Further to this post, I am still awaiting a report on what was decided at the BBC Trust meeting of 11 April. How long should this process take? I have emailed thus: Nota Sheep 12:06 (0 minutes ago) to Leanne I have not heard from the BBC re the 11 April meeting decision, do you know when I will? Kind regards NotaSheep MaybeaGoat
A Reading for the Pigou Club
Europe's Cap-and-Trade Scheme Failing Spectacularly
Boston PD Commisioner Slips Up, Calls Tsarnaev Bros. Actors (Video)
(Before It's News) Boston PD Commisioner Ed Davis slips up and calls the Tsarnaev brothers actors. Why? Why would he call them actors? They werent even close to being actors, they were a boxer and a student. They didnt take acting classes, the werent hollywood or bollywood stars so what was in his head for him to call them… actors? See original video Here
Hate crimes in USA - is Islam under attack?
Jihadwatchs Robert Spencer: "Muslims as victims... In reality, as David J. Rusin noted in National Review last January, "a detailed analysis of FBI statistics covering ten full calendar years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks reveals that, on a per capita basis, American Muslims, contrary to spin, have been subjected to hate crimes less often than other prominent minorities. From 2002 to 2011, Muslims are estimated to have suffered hate crimes at a frequency of 6.0 incidents per 100,000 per year – 10 percent lower than blacks (6.7), 48 percent lower than homosexuals and bisexuals... more »
GELDOFS
*Peaches Geldof and Jonny Makeup* * * Peaches Geldof is the daughter of Sir *Bob Geldof* and Paula Yates. *Bob Geldof's paternal grandmother, Amelia Falk, was Jewish [13] * Bob Geldof's *Live 8* was a string of benefit concerts supposed to help the poor of the Third World. The money raised by Gelof's Live 8 "was instead used to pay off the corporate creditors of indebted countries. "In effect, the ENTIRE focus of the money generated by Live 8 was to provide direct assistance to corporations owed money by these impoverished nations." *Bob Geldof has ALWAYS been a c**t*. *Blair ... more »
Minds and machines
Let me say a few words on the fourth chapter of Scott Aaronson's book, *Minds and Machines*. It's about complexity of problems as well as the differences (or equivalence) between human brains and artificial thinking machines. When one reads this fun stuff, he may see how these complexity folks are thinking and – even if he knows the principles – he realizes which of them are considered important (and, in many cases, more important than they deserve) by the complexity theorists. I would say that not even Aaronson would claim that this chapter has anything to do with physics but I h... more »
"THATCHER HAD ROYAL BLOOD"
"Margaret Thatcher may have had a royal lineage older than the Queen's." * **Royal biographer Michael Thornton asks Did True Blue blood run in Lady Thatcher's veins?* Diana Cooper, Viscountess Norwich (née Lady Diana Manners 1892 – 1986), was officially the youngest daughter of the 8th Duke of Rutland and his wife, the former Violet Lindsay. In reality, Lady Diana's real father was the writer Henry Cust.[1] The Cust-Brownlow family trace their lineage back to Gauthier d’Aincourt who was of royal blood and who fought alongside William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings. Har... more »
BOSTON BOMBS - IT'S ALL FAKE
*Zubeidat Tsarnaev, sexy mother of the 'Boston Bombers'* Zubeidat Tsarnaev does not look like the strict Moslem being portrayed by the lying mainstream media. In 2012, Zubeidat was arrested for stealing $1,600 of lingerie from a department store. dailymail. *Uncle Ruslan Tsarnaev, who worked for the CIA-front organisation USAID.* Uncle Ruslan Tsarnaev, who allegedly worked for the CIA, says that Tamerlan Tsarnaev was influenced by an American Armenian called Misha. Misha, a 'fake' convert to Islam, may have been a CIA agent trying to mind-control Tamerlan? According to Ruslan... more »
Shrinking Proton Conforms to New Theory
This is an expected result once you understand the role of the neutral neutrino that I discussed in my paper posted here on March 7. This is actually good news because it is an excellent test of my model and my understanding of its implications. What has happened is that the combined Muon Proton combination has taken on the implied curvature of the combination and that causes shrinkage against a simpler electron proton combination. Recall that I am able to understand curvature in light of my new metric that can deal with a large number of neutral neutrino masses and t... more »
Hobbits Likely Island Dwarfs of Homo Erectus
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This discovery is slowly been better understood and it appears we have a dwarfed version of homo erectus. This pretty well captures the picture presented. I have also seen some evidence to suggests small bands of homo erectus remain extant throughout the world. They have been glimpsed and are quite able to work around us. There was really no good reason for them to go extinct so long as they stayed out of our way and that is easily provided if they stay in the forests. Most likely they follow the deer herds rather well and any rabbit would be a handy meal for two or ... more »
The Arab Spring Began in Iraq
War is about bundling and unintended consequence. Do not think otherwise. At the end of the day, when a hurt America wanted to strike out most, George Bush offered up the unfinished business of Iraq. What all went into that decision is meaningless because the intent was to kick over the sand box to discover if something better came out of it. The surprise was that it meant a long insurgency situation and that was the real consequence. That taught the Arabs that an angered population can make life miserable for any despot and even the USA. It is not decisive but it slowly ... more »
Cannabis Treats Cancer and Epilepsy
This is more on the cannabis wars in which we are slowly learning that there are multiple benefits associated with the drug. Better yet, the benefits generally are not associated with the narcotic. Thus there is no excuse for not concentrating these components or fabricating them. Cannabidol turns out to be positively indicated for both cancer and epilepsy. It is also clear that the alternatives are worse, in fact far worse. Every cancer patient needs to be on a CBD regimen simply because it slows the progress of the disease through obvious biological pathways. In the m... more »
Joshua Lipana, Filipino Objectivist and Free Marketer
A sad day for the free market movement in the Philippines. One of the youngest, most articulate, most promising leader among different shades of free marketers in the Philippines, Joshua Lipana, died today at age 21 or 22. He fought cancer for several months now. His last postings in his facebook wall were: *154,000 WBC down to 13,970 WBC. Chemo is working. (April 13, 2013) * *Operations done. No more 2 litres in my right lung. I feel much better. No more drowning sensation. I want to live. (April 4, 2013)* I heard of him first sometime in 2010 then I started visiting his blog, htt... more »
Why Russell ‘Maroon’ Shoatz Must Be Released From Solitary Confinement --An interview with Theresa Shoatz and Matt Meyer
*Take action by telling Secretary Wetzel that you want Russell 'Maroon' Shoatz to be immediately removed from solitary confinement!* *Why Russell ‘Maroon’ Shoatz Must Be Released From Solitary Confinement* *--An interview with Theresa Shoatz and Matt Meyer* *By Angola 3 News* This month, a 30-day action campaignwas launched demanding the release of Russell ‘Maroon’ Shoatz from solitary confinement, where he has been held for over 23 consecutive years, and 28 of the last 30 years, in Pennsylvania prisons. On April 8, when the campaign began, Maroon’s legal team sent a letter to the... more »
Premier League title - Manchester United vs Aston Villa - Van Persie hat-trick, superb second goal.
Free Planet doesn't generally to report on FOOTBALL GAMES and there's no team favouritism here but this amazing goal (from Robin Van Persie for Manchester United) was the second of his hat trick against Aston Villa that won United the Premier League title last night. Superb accuracy, at pace.
10 Ten Books I thought I would Like More/Less
*Have you entered the MyMemories Giveaway yet?* This was a hard topic for me. I always feel bad when I don't like a book. An author poured all of their heart and soul into a book and I just don't like it? I know I can't love every book I read, but I geniuely don't think I have ever completely hated anything, I always judge my feelings of a book off of whether or not I want to buy it and read it again. Here are five books that I will never read again and five books that I was surprised to find I like. Linking up at The Broke and Bookish. 5 books I thought I would like more: Wicked:... more »
April 20, 1973
The fallout of the last round of revelations continues, while John Dean and the prosecutors continue their stalemate. It's still not entirely clear which way Dean will wind up going. The president, after meeting with Haldeman in the morning, leaves for the weekend for Florida, taking Ron Ziegler and Pat Buchanan with him but sending Haldeman and Ehrlichman to Camp David. Nixon continues to work closely, now, with Henry Petersen. Nixon is walking a fine line; Petersen, at this point, doesn't have any realization at all about Nixon's role in the cover-up; the president pumps him for i... more »
The Realist Report with John Friend
On this edition of *The Realist Report*, we'll be joined by Keith from *Truth Militia Radio*. Keith and I will be discussing a variety of different topics, including how he "woke up" to what is going on in our world today, American culture and society, his thoughts on the American Nationalist Association, and related matters. Tune in for what will surely be a lively conversation! You can download the entire program *here*, or subscribe to the American Nationalist Network via iTunes *here*. Thanks for listening everyone!
Kierkegaard - God Is Love
Related: * * *Kierkegaard On Socratic Ignorance*. *Kierkegaard On "Man."** * *Kierkegaard On Socrates And The Immortality of The Soul.* *Kierkegaard On God's Love.* *Kierkegaard On Passion.* * Kierkegaard On Martyrs of Truth.* *Kierkegaard On Truth*. *Kierkegaard On The Difference Between "Popular" And "Philosophical."* *Kierkegaard On Religion And Doubt.* * Kierkegaard On Imagination.* *Kierkegaard On Objectivity And Subjectivity.* Below is an excerpt from, *"The Soul of Kierkegaard: Selections from His Journals."* Edited by Alexander Dru. Dover Publications, Inc: Min... more »
Online and collaborative TeX: ShareLaTeX
*A handy tool for people who write papers in \(\rm\TeX\)* This blog entry is just a very short reference to ShareLaTeX.com (click) You must register (ten seconds, no confirmations) but once you do, you will have the opportunity to start with \(\rm\LaTeX\) in the most pedagogical way possible, to edit your \(\rm\LaTeX\) sources from any place in the world, to collaborate on the files with other people in the world, and to instantly see the resulting document in PDF. A sophisticated Javascript does the job. No need to install complicated \(\rm\TeX\) compilers on your PC. No locking... more »
Review - TAKEYA® Classic Glass Beverage Bottle
Believe it or not, I wasn't always as "green" as I am today. I know ... shocking (but true). There was a time when we stopped at a local convenience store to buy a bottle of water whenever we left the house. The longer the trip, the more we bought. Not only was it expensive, it created a lot of waste! According to treehugger 40 billion water bottles end up in landfills each year. When reusable bottles first hit the shelves, there weren't a lot of options. In fact, the majority of them were made of plastic. Yes, they were BPA free but still there were concerns about recycling them a... more »
Can The Koch Brothers Turn The L.A. Times Into The Volkischer Beobachter?
Whenever I go shopping for paper products I bring this handy list along: *Angel Soft® toilet paper Brawny® paper towels Quilted Northern® toilet paper Soft n' Gentle® toilet paper Dixie® plates, bowls, napkins, & cups Mardi Gras® napkins and towels Sparkle® napkins Vanity Fair® napkins Zee® Napkins Georgia-Pacific® paper products, lumber and building products INVISTA® products Lycra® products Stainmaster® Carpet* I stopped buying Quilted Northern and Brawny brands. They're part of the fascist Koch Bros Empire, which has been seeking to overturn democracy in America and sp... more »
Anonymous: Solidarity with Guantanamo Hunger Strike
Good day my friends. Close to half of the population at Guantanamo Bay are now hunger striking. It is time to stand in solidarity with them by demanding the Obama Administration to live up to it's promises to shut the center down. Some relevant facts: There are 166 detainees currently housed in Guantanamo Bay. 86 have been approved for release. 30 Yemenis are being "
Sirius World Premiere Red Carpet Coverage
Be warned the internet trolls are hitting the chat room on this site pretty hard with spam. I hope you have better luck streaming this than I have had tonight. This stream is being seriously messed with. -AK
Peabody Coal seized 1 million Navajo and Hopi artifacts from Black Mesa
By Brenda Norrell Censored News www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com BLACK MESA, Ariz. -- While Peabody Coal was raping Black Mesa's coal, and forcing more than 14,000 Navajos into relocation and sorrow, Peabody seized 1 million Navajo and Hopi artifacts from Black Mesa. Those artifacts are are now at the University of Southern Illinois at Carbondale. Peabody Coal, with the aid of attorneys and
If You Want to go to Heaven, You had Better get Busy Overthrowing Syria (Nonsense Takes Day At Top U.S. Defense Levels)
In Libya, Washington used its corrupt NATO puppets and CIA-recruited bandits to overthrow another stable government, that of Muammar Gaddafi, leaving Libya mired in sectarian violence. A stable prosperous country has simply been destroyed by western governments that profess human rights values and condemn China and Russia for not having any. Washington has also been killing civilians with
"A Look to the Heavens"
“While drifting through the cosmos, a magnificent interstellar dust cloud became sculpted by stellar winds and radiation to assume a recognizable shape. Fittingly named the Horsehead Nebula, it is embedded in the vast and complex Orion Nebula (M42). A potentially rewarding but difficult object to view personally with a small telescope, the above gorgeously detailed image was recently taken in infrared light by the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope in honor of the 23rd anniversary of Hubble's launch. * Click image for larger size.* The dark molecular cloud, roughly 1,500 light ye... more »
Bob Feldman : African-Americans and Institutional Racism in Texas, 1954-1973
Barbara Jordan was elected to the Texas State Legislature in 1966. The hidden history of Texas Part 13: 1954-1973/3 -- African-Americans elected to office but institutional racism continues By Bob Feldman / The Rag Blog / April 17, 2013 [This is the third section of Part 13 of Bob Feldman's Rag Blog series on the hidden history of Texas.] In 1966 an African-American, Barbara Jordan, was
Paulo Coelho, "Defeat"
* * *"Defeat"* by Paulo Coelho "Does a leaf, when it falls from the tree in winter, feel defeated by the cold? The tree says to the leaf: ‘That’s the cycle of life. You may think you’re going to die, but you live on in me. It’s thanks to you that I’m alive, because I can breathe. It’s also thanks to you that I have felt loved, because I was able to give shade to the weary traveller. Your sap is in my sap, we are one thing.’ Does a man who spent years preparing to climb the highest mountain in the world feel defeated on reaching that mountain and discovering that nature has cloa... more »
Chet Raymo, “Gnomes At Home”
*“Gnomes At Home”* by Chet Raymo “When I wrote “The Path: A One-mile Walk Through the Universe," I had walked the path between my home and college almost daily for 37 years. In the Introduction to the book, I wrote: "For all of its familiarity, there has never been a day I have walked the path without seeing something noteworthy." Well, yesterday I came across something unprecedented, which I record here for the sake of historical record, and because those of you with a sense of whimsy might enjoy it. Along the path in the deep woods there is a tree with a hollow cavity at its bas... more »
Protect sacred Mount Taylor from uranium mining 2013
Protect Holy Mount Taylor: MASE Urges Opposition to Roca Honda Uranium Mine Indigenous Action Media www.indigenousactionmedia.org Contact: www.masecoalition.org masecoalition2008@gmail.com Hello friends and allies, Many of you are aware of MASE and the work we are doing in northwestern New Mexico to stop proposed new uranium mines in and around our communities. The Forest Service
Protect sacred Mount Taylor from uranium mining 2013
Protect Holy Mount Taylor: MASE Urges Opposition to Roca Honda Uranium Mine Indigenous Action Media www.indigenousactionmedia.org Contact: www.masecoalition.org masecoalition2008@gmail.com Hello friends and allies, Many of you are aware of MASE and the work we are doing in northwestern New Mexico to stop proposed new uranium mines in and around our communities. The Forest Service has
Lamar W. Hankins : Politicians Refuse to Protect the Public
Explosion at fertilizer plant in West, Texas, April 17, 2013. Photo by Andy Bartee / KVUE.com. Texas explosion, guns, and fracking: Politicians refuse to protect the public Only a dramatic revolution of values focused on respect for people, creatures great and small, and the natural world can make life worth living for our descendants. By Lamar W. Hankins / The Rag Blog / April 22, 2013
Earth Day Manifestation
And what does it mean to Love? For Love is not what we’ve been told. There are not amounts or kinds or degrees. *Love is what we are and what we do.* Love is the great equalizer, unifier and pacifier. We have been restricted in our expressions so much that we’ve fallen into judgment. A ridiculous thing. Today is Earth Day. On our minds are all things green. Do any of us stand in judgment of a flower as it grows? Do we say – this one should not grow so close to that one or those two should not cross pollinate. No, yet we do so of ourselves. A flower grows. A huma... more »
MISSILE DEFENSE DEBATE
I was invited this evening to participate in a debate on "missile defense" that was held live on Huffington Post. Two right-wing pro-MD advocates against me and a representative from the Union of Concerned Scientists. I had to restrain myself a few times when the folks from pro-MD groups made outlandish statements. You judge who won the debate.
Boston, Sandy Hook, Economy, Cyprus
Below is a guest blog from a friend, Banner Conanan. I chose this guest blog than posting my own ideas as I have ambivalent opinion about the lockdown after the bombing of the Boston Marathon. I thought that the heavy police lockdown was eerie and Martial Law-like, but a Filipino friend in Boston suburb supported it even if she and her family were also affected by the police action. This will be the second time that I feature Banner's ideas and quotes. The first was in Pol. Ideology 31: Quotes on Liberty and Government,May 29, 2012. Enjoy. *Boston, Sandy Hook, Economy, Cyprus an... more »
Monday Bits-- Colbert's Sister Going To Congress? Will Nestlé And Wall Street Ever Be Held To Account?
PPP shows Elizabeth Colbert Busch opening a more significant lead (16% as of this afternoon) over disgraced ex-Governor Mark Sanford in the first district congressional special election. Voting is on May 7th in the carefully gerrymandered red district, who's voters gave Obama 40.2% in November, while right next door in the 6th district-- into which the state's racist legislature dumped every African-American voter they could find-- Obama won 70.9%. Although John Boehner endorsed Sanford on April 9, less than a week later the NRCC, which he controls, announced that due to Sanford's ... more »
Keystone Tarsands 'Red River Showdown' on Earth Day!
Activist Locks Himself to Keystone XL Heavy Machinery Launching a “Red River Showdown” Over KXL South April 22, 2013 In celebration of Earth Day and the final day in the State Department’s KXL North comment period activists with the Great Plains Tar Sands Resistance submit their own “environmental impact statement. UPDATE 10:
Federal Judge orders release of names of School of Americas graduates
Federal Judge Orders Release of Names of SOA/ WHINSEC Graduates Contact: Hendrik Voss, SOA Watch, hvoss@soaw.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Michael Bass, SOA Watch, mbass@soaw.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it OAKLAND, Calif. – On April 22, 2013, United States
The Daily "Near You?"
San Luis Obispo, California, USA. Thanks for stopping by.
Wild Bill: We're not through with Benghazi yet...
*not at all.* *Go to: * *Special Operations Speaks*
Christy Clark Lies Her Face Off On CKNW Again
Christy Clark is truly an unmitigated provincial embarrassment, I`m not sure where to begin .... We know what political spin is, this is when a politician says something like...*the economy is booming *when in fact the economy is stalled, stagnant or retrenching..Spin is saying, *we have the lowest taxes *when in fact if you factor in user fees, MSP premiums and other hidden taxes we are not a low tax jurisdiction.. Spin versus reality, and then there is lying, false facts, when a person goes on radio or TV and proclaims certain facts that are completely false...Those are lies, a... more »
FBI v. CIA Failure To Communicate? (Again?)
It's hardly the last word. But it is a telling one. I've had a lot of respect in the past for Chris Floyd's reporting and none more so than now. Without wishing to indulge in deep-fried conspiracy gobbling at this point, I will say that the revelations about the FBI's prior involvement with one of the suspected Boston attackers, apparently going on for years, are of great interest. Even
DRONE PROTEST THIS WEEKEND AT HANCOCK FIELD IN NEW YORK
On Friday morning I drive a rental car from Maine to Syracuse, New York to participate in the Resisting Drones, Global War and Empire: A Convergence for Action! on April 26-28 at Hancock Field.* *Hundreds of antiwar activists are expected to attend from all over New York and around the country for a weekend of workshops, music, networking and action. I will speak on a plenary panel during the conference. * *The Air National Guard base at Hancock Field near Syracuse has remotely flown the MQ-9 Reaper drones over Afghanistan since late 2009. The National Defense Authorization Act ... more »
Daoud Kuttab on Obama's Visit to Bethlehem
At first, Obama and his staff planned to enter the city with a *helicopter in order to avoid the Palestinian protesters* (because they are cowards) but a sudden sandstorm disrupted that plan so they took a car. Daoud Kuttab on Obama's Visit to Bethlehem. Source: Al Monitor. Published on April 2, 2013.
Henry Corbin On Alamut And The Order of The Assassins
Related: *Henry Corbin: "To be a philosopher is to take to the road. . . "* *Henry Corbin On "The Trilogy of the Soul."* *Henry Corbin On "The Heavenly Twin."* *Henry Corbin: The Biblical Flood As A Spiritual Event. * *Henry Corbin On A Major Philosophical Difference Between Shiites And Sunnis*. *Wikipedia:* Under the leadership of Hasan-i Sabbah, Alamut became the site of intense activity for the Shi'a Nizari Ismai'li, along with a smaller subgroup known as the Assassins, between 1090 and 1256 AD. During the medieval period, the castle functioned as the major stronghold of... more »
"Truth..."
"Truth is like the town whore. Everybody knows her, but nonetheless, it's embarrassing to meet her on the street." - Wolfgang Borchert, “The Outsider”
Monday Cranky Blogging 3
It's been a while since the New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle made me cranky, at least politically cranky...but, yup, yesterday's did the trick. It was 24 Across: "Tammany Hall corruption, e.g.?" The answer: "Evil from New York" (The question mark in the clue is pegged to the theme, which had to do with "flipped front" so that the answer was a riff on "Live from New York"). "Evil"? Really? I suppose that to some extent it's justified, since it asks about Tammany Hall corruption, as opposed to Tammany Hall or machine politics in general. But, really, the crossword writer and edi... more »
"The Truth Will Not Set You Free"
*"The Truth Will Not Set You Free"* “We do not see the world as it is. We see the world as we are.” by William Berry “We do not see the world as it is. We see the world as we are.” This quote has been attributed to both the Talmud and Anaïs Nin (although an actual citation for neither quote can be found). This quote summarizes the idea that truth, the truth that one perceives, is subjective and can be wrong. We have long been taught that the truth will set us free, and that seeking the truth is a worthy goal. What if there is no absolute truth? What if there are just degrees... more »
Canadian Police "thwart" major terror attack: How convenient is this?
*Bogus. * *Bogus* Not Canadians.* Both from Tunisia.* Tunisia. The same nation from where many, many NATO backed mercs flooded into Syria on behalf of the NATO destabilizers. Tunisia- from whence the bogus NATO backed 'Arab spring' originated. The RCMP said at an afternoon news conference that Chiheb Esseghaier, 30, of Montreal, and Raed Jaser, 35, of Toronto, had received support and*"guidance" from al-Qaeda "elements" in Iran *, but there is no indication they were "state sponsored." Neither is a Canadian citizen. The RCMP would not identify their nationalities or say how long they ...more »
We Have Moved!
NOTICE: On April 22, 2013, *SM* merged with @the chalkface. Find us at our new home: atthechalkface.com. All *Schools Matter* previous posts are archived there, but we will leave this site up, too, as a searchable archive. All new posts will appear at @thechalkface. Thank you for your support over the past 8 years. We look forward to another 8 years of looking lifting up the "reform" rocks to see what's underneath.--Jim Horn
Today's Terrorist Arrests Do Not Justify New Laws
Today’s announcement that the RCMP have broken an apparent terrorist ring set to derail a VIA passenger train is good news. It shows that Canada’s existing terrorism laws work. What the announcement does not show is the need for draconian new laws. Public Safety Minister Vic Toews says Canada needs tougher anti-terrorism laws -- laws which his government has put before Parliament. He suggests the Boston bombings prove that; and it is a cinch that he will say today's announcement is further evidence of the need for more police powers. For example, in Canada now everyone is free t... more »
The Economy: "A Case of the Mondays"
*"A Case of the Mondays"* by Dave Gonigam “In the first quarter of 2012,” read the statement issued before this morning’s open, “Caterpillar dealers added machine inventory of about $875 million, and this year, they reduced machine inventory by about $700 million.” By all rights, the market should be having — as the annoying receptionist in Office Space said — “a case of the Mondays.” We count at least six items that should be dragging the market down. For starters, Caterpillar delivered a whopper of an earnings miss. Or to be more accurate, CAT failed to guide analysts suff... more »
Monday Cranky Blogging 2
Yes, yes, Maureen Dowd, but everyone already got there before me, pointing out that presidents cannot, in fact, wave a magic wand or say magic words or whatever and get Members of Congress to do anything they want. I'm not sure if have all of them, but: Seth Masket is excellent. Kevin Drum made some good points (I'd quibble with him about party leaders vs. backbenchers, but he's right about the presidency). Jamelle Bouie is always very good on this issue. From a reporting point of view, Robert Costa makes the useful observation that Obama was already doing the best thing he could hav... more »
Congresswoman Colbert from South Carolina
Yes I know I keep breaking my ignore the damnable polls rule, but the latest results showing Elizabeth Colbert Busch leading Mark Sanford by 9 points evokes visions of a liberal Democratic Congresscreature from South Carolina in my head. There's something I find deliciously weird and amusing about that. Sure it's early and anything could change, but the other breakout numbers here that are worth noticing are these: Although Sanford's unpopularity is clearly the main reason Democrats have a chance to win in this district, it's interesting to note that there is some backlash agains... more »
The State and Anti-Racism
One of the first things imbibed at far left school is that the state is essentially and irreducibly racist at an institutional level. But is that * really* the case? Well, officially, yes, it was. According to the 1999 Macpherson Report into the police handling of the Stephen Lawrence case, whose appalling murder took place 20 years ago today, institutional racism was “the collective failure of an organisation to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their colour, culture, or ethnic origin”. I am sure large numbers of socialists would accept the Macpher... more »
Will Grassroots Democrats Rise Up And Throw The Bums Out? Progressives In Alabama!
Russ Feingold's PAC, Progressives United, fired a shot across the bow of corrupt Beltway ConservaDems, directly putting Steve Israel and the DCCC on notice that out in America, grassroots Democrats are fed up with supporting fake Dems who vote with the GOP... and even more fed up with Machiavellian characters-- or, as Pelosi put it, operatives with reptilian tendencies-- who instruct vulnerable and naive freshmen to vote with Boehner and Cantor on key issues. Recall that strategy devastated the Democrats in the 2010 midterms-- in which they lost an historic 62 seats, the Great Blue... more »
Attention scum!
Childcare minister Elizabeth Truss reckons too many nurseries are chaotic, with "children running around with no sense of purpose". Honestly, what sense of purpose does a two-year-old need? You heard the minister, attention freeloading toddler scum, grab a broom, get up that chimney and find a sense of purpose! It occurs though, it is standard neo-liberal statecraft, for both Tory and Labour ministers, to decry public service. That's what executive power seems to mean. Make someone a minster the first thing they do is slag off the people they are responsible for administering and tr... more »
Al-Qaeda Terror Is Very Good For Israel
"For most countries last week’s Boston Marathon bombing was a grim reminder that violence can break out anywhere, at any time. For a select few it became a huge inconvenience, as with the Czech Republic, whose ambassador has had to explain to Americans that Czechs and Chechens aren’t the same thing at all. And then there’s Israel, who, if you listen to top Netanyahu aide Ron Dermer, may as well have just hit the lottery with this bombing. Dermer is seeing it as a “big boost” that is going to make the average American more pro-Israel and even more eager to increase aid to them." -... more »
You can’t buy votes with earmarks now!
*MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013* *The Post’s prebuttal to Dowd:* Even after all these years, the Washington Post’s Juliet Eilperin doesn’t “get” Maureen Dowd. On Friday, Eilperin joined Sean Sullivan to offer these thoughts about Obama’s inability to pass gun legislation. According to Eilperin, no one could accuse Obama of something Maureen Dowd would soon be accusing him of: EILPERIN AND SULLIVAN (4/19/13): *No one can accuse President Obama or Vice President Biden—whose office oversaw the White House strategy on gun legislation—of sitting on the sidelines when it came to the compromise b... more »
Syria cuts the arms of the beast; but its head remains.
It is not often that good news comes out of areas devastated by the Zionist war for total global control. However, today, Damascus is a little safer with the victory of Syrian forces over the international terrorist rats which have been plaguing the nation for the past two years. The news that the Zionist-sponsored terrorists have received some of the treatment they have been meting out to the people of Syria, is of course good news. Every death of a footsoldier of Zion leaves the world a better place. However, the fact remains that without dealing with the forces behind the terr... more »
Paisajes fascinantes de nuestro planeta (18 fotos)
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Click sobre las imágenes para ampliar su tamaño Por favor visite nuestra página oficial: www.fotofrontera.com
I Do Not Recognize The Chair
Patton Oswalt delivered a citizen filibuster on the latest *Parks and Recreations*. For material he drew upon his proposal for Episode VII of the *Star Wars* saga.
DOWN TO THE DOCTOR’S:
*This week **Libertarianz** leader Dr Richard McGrath tears strips from Peter Dunne and Russel Norman. Surgically.* 1. *Watermelon Coalition’s Plans For Electricity Monopoly are 'Economic Dyslexia'* Leaders of the Red and Green parties Russel Norman and David Shearer have a not-so-cunning plan to further nationalise the electricity sector. The suggestion by the Watermelon Coalition to set up an electricity wholesaler run by politicians smacks of economic dyslexia. The current electricity “market” is already almost entirely government-run, with three of the big four retailers a... more »
Tim DeChristopher, a genuine Hero
Tim DeChristopher, free after 21 months, appeared on Democracy Now! for Earth Day. Compared to when I saw his fiery speech at Wesleyan University, before his incarceration, he appeared subdued and somber. Anyone who still harbors fantasies that our president will do anything about climate change (meaning challenge the corporate despots who run the country) needs to ponder the persecution - yes, persecution not prosecution - of Bidder 70 under the Obama administration. Get Active, was Tim's message. Interestingly, when asked about the current climate movement, he responded that it'... more »
DEFENDING THOSE STICKY CIVIL LIBERTIES
Glenn Greenwald, columnist for *The Guardian* and author of the book, *With Liberty and Justice for Some: How the Law Is Used to Destroy Equality and Protect the Powerful*.
Why Are Trudeau's Liberals Supporting Two BIG Conservative Bills - 'New Anti-terrorism Measures' & 'FIPPA' (China-Canada Trade Deal) .... I'm not surprised
*Liberal / Tory ... same old story...* *The Liberal Party of Canada has a well documented historical habit of pretending to be 'progressive' while supporting or advancing Right Wing interests. Any progressive who supports the Liberal Party of Canada must live in what can only be called 'cognitive dissonance'.* *"Meanwhile, the Chamber will devote the day to discussing the aforementioned S-7, which would restore certain provisions related to investigative hearings, security certificates and other procedural issues, as well as make 'technical amendments' related to future parliament... more »
GOP Hero, Saint Thomas More, was a Communist
*by Len Hart, The Existentialist Cowboy* Thomas More --now 'Saint Thomas More' --was surely the most prominent “secular humanist” in England during the reign of Henry VIII. What makes More a “humanist”, like his friend Erasmus, is his belief in the perfectibility of humankind. What makes More a “secularist” was his insistence, unto his own death, in the separation of “God’s law” and “man’s law”, a principle that we refer to as the separation of Church and State. Lest we forget, More died at the hand of an all powerful "state". Though it was not Henry VIII who said l'etat, c'est moi ... more »
Pt 2- Boston Bombing: NATO, Oil and the Battle for Chechnya
*Continuing on with the theme I started yesterday....* *Boston Bombing: NATO- Taking the fight to Russia via Georgia/Chechnya ??* *Destabilizing Russia. Critical Oil Hub. * *Some background on the geo-politcal importance of Chechnya. And NATO/Israeli/Turkish involvements in the area in the past* *A Caucasian Republic On An Oil Transit Corridor Between The Caspian And Black Seas* *Above, A Devastated Grozny In Chechnya During The Country's Post Soviet Civil War Following The Fall Of The Berlin Wall* "Delivering one of his most scathing attacks on the US, Mr Gorbachev told The Dail... more »
The Wrath of the Conquest of the Planet of the Bride of the Son of the Return of Cranky Blogging
It's not exactly about any one thing in particular, but just thinking about the horrific mistake that GOP governors made in 1999 to put some guy who had no real interest in government or public affairs into the Oval Office...well, it sure makes me cranky every time I think about it. Fine, I suppose there's more; there's a news peg to it. George W. Bush's presidential library is about to open, and so we're getting Bush stuff all over the press, such as this National Journal piece on Bush's "Reluctant Re-Emergence on the Political Scene" with a subheadline that "these days he's more i... more »
Admission of prior consistent statements
R. v. Kailayapillai, 2013 ONCA 248 holds: [57] In *Edgar*, this court extended the principled approach to the admissibility of hearsay evidence to prior consistent statements made by an accused: see Benjamin L. Berger, "*Reasoning with Inferences: Themes from Prior Consistent Statements and Trace Evidence*" (2012) 92 CR (6th) 254. Instead of determining the admissibility of prior consistent statements by reference to a series of specific exceptions, *e.g.* to rebut an allegation of recent fabrication, Sharpe J.A., at para. 72, described a broader basis for the potential a... more »
How the NRA Helped Create a Culture of Guns, Death and Violence
*by Len Hart, The Existentialist Cowboy* A culture of guns and violence may be traced to the many myths and lies told about the Second Amendment by one lobby organization specifically: the NRA. The NRA has worked assiduously to create a culture of guns, lies and violence in the United States. Sadly for our country, they have largely succeeded. Their efforts have borne fruit. Almost anyone can get a gun; lies about the Second Amendment are unquestioned by intimidated politicians who should know better; fatal shooting rampages will eventually cease to shock an inured public. The BBC ...more »
Untitled
*Veteran LB Scott Fujita signs one-day contract with Saints, then retires from NFL!*
Amy's been a very bad girl
Amy's been a very bad girl and so must be spanked!
Capitalizing On Tragedy
Chuck'n'Steve, Iowa statesmen/immigration experts The other day we saw how fringe right-wing talk show hosts like Glenn Beck and Bryan Fischer are using the Boston Marathon tragedy to boost their ad revenues and insert themselves and their bizarre agendas into the conversation. Ever so-slightly more mainstream conservatives-- Congressman Steve King and Senator Chuck Grassley, both of Iowa, come right to mind-- have been trying to fundraise for themselves and push their anti-immigrant hatredby pointing to the Tsarnaev brothers (legal immigrants). Dzhokhar is an American citizen. We a... more »
Perspective
Some time last week, when it looked as if Mrs. JP and I weren't able to make the rent (we're still not out of the woods, thanks to certain parties), I was forced to BCC out letters to several people who'd generously helped us out in the past. Because of Yahoo's policy of not letting people send out too many copies of a mass email through either carbon copies or blind carbon copies, I was forced to send the emails through my Google account. I typically go for months without checking that email account. I use it mainly to divert spammers to it so they don't bother me at my main ... more »
Earth Day...
*an aberration of a day dreamed up by losers who wouldn't know a tree from a blade of grass. * Oh wait - they get the grass part. And how did the pot smoking greenies celebrate pot smoking day last Saturday? By trashing the environment they claim to care so much about. Golden Gate Park in San Fransisco after "420." Way to go pigs! (no offense to pigs intended.) *Look at the tax-payer funded workers cleaning up the debris from these low-life POS.* The man who claims to be the founder of Earth Day (there is some dispute about this) *Ira Einhorn* , was so devoted to saving t... more »
When Big Money Flows from Taps
"*If you can find ways to invest in water,* * you will be extremely rich* * because we do have a serious water problem* * in many parts of the world* * like India, China, the southwestern part of the U.S.,* * and west of the Red Sea.*" Jim Rogers, 18 April, 2013 Jim Rogers knows what he's talking about. India's economy and its people are fast running out of water and much of what does remain is too contaminated, not just for human consumption but for agriculture and even industry. India has 18 per cent of the world's population b... more »
Breaking: The happiest time of the year is upon us!
*MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013* *The time when you rush to take part:* With the immediate miseries of Boston behind us, we have decided to proceed with the happiest time of the year. People will suffer in Boston for years. Others will suffer around the world. None of us ever do enough. But in the next two weeks, we’re going to give you the glorious chance to contribute to our efforts. Each day this week, we will lay out our plans for the coming year. We will define four large interests we plan to pursue. And we’ll make our annual promise to be a bit less unpleasant! By now, you know that... more »
BOSTON BOMBERS' CIA CONNECTION; AND PRINCE ANDREW CONNECTION
*Uncle Ruslan 'of the CIA'.* The uncle of Boston's two Tsarnaev brothers worked for the CIA-front organisation called USAID. *Was Boston Bombers 'Uncle Ruslan' with the CIA?* Obama's mother also worked for USAID, while being in the CIA, reportedly. Uncle Ruslan Tsarni (Tsarnaev), of Montgomery Maryland, graduated from Duke Law School in 1998 and is now a 'well-connected' oil executive and lawyer. Uncle Ruslan appears to have links to a group of oil executives who, according to The London Telegraph, comprise “a network of personal and business relationships” allegedly used for “i... more »
“Congress Exploits Our Fears to Take Our Liberty”
*“Congress Exploits Our Fears to Take Our Liberty”* by Ron Paul "This week, as Americans were horrified by the attacks in Boston, both houses of Congress considered legislation undermining our liberty in the name of “safety.” Gun control continued to be the focus of the Senate, where an amendment expanding federal “background checks” to gun show sales and other private transfers dominated the debate. While the background check amendment failed to pass, proponents of gun control have made it clear they will continue their efforts to enact new restrictions on gun ownership into ... more »
Any American who wants to understand the trajectory of the American economy (ever more downward), why this is happening, and what will ultimately be required to reverse the relentless lowering of American salaries and offshoring of American jobs should listen to economist Richard Wolff passionately lay it out in easily understandable terms. It's not pretty.
------------------------------ * the**REALnews Permalink* *Obama Preaches Stimulus to Europe and Practices Austerity at Home* Richard Wolff: Low wages, cheap money, and cheap equipment are driving higher profits and the politics of austerity - April 21, 13 More at The Real News *Bio* Richard D. Wolff is a Professor of Economics Emeritus at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. And he is currently a Visiting Professor of the Graduate Program in International Affairs at the New School University in N... more »
Puerto Rico: Chupacabras - Sudden Impact
*Chupacabras: Sudden Impact* *By José Pérez – PRMUFON* On Saturday, 20 April 2013, a team of researchers consisting of this author, José Pérez, his wife Ilbis Dominguez, Mr. Luissepi Quiñones, Mr. José A. Martinez, Mr. Anibal Martínez and Mr. Richard Flores reported to the residence of Mr. Fernando Díaz to interview him about the impressive and highly important case which we will endeavor to narrate briefly in this article as follows… In the early hours of 30 March 2013 at around 6:15 a.m., Mr. Fernando Díaz, a resident of the town of Guayama, Puerto Rico, was headed to work as ... more »
"We got him!": Boston bombing suspect captured alive
*American Scofflaw* Now, just stop and think for a second. If you had just bombed the marathon, and needed to hijack a car and plan to let the driver live, why would you announce you were the bombers and that you had killed a cop, knowing that the driver would them immediately report that to police? The answer is that you would not. So, my theory: Operatives shot and killed the police officer in his car to scare the Boston police into thinking the two kids they were chasing were cop-killers, so that the police would shoot first and ask questions later. Then these operatives hij... more »
How do we know that humans are responsible for global warming?
[image: Observed Global Temperatures (black curve) compared with the spread among model simulations that include only natural factors (blue band) and that include both natural and human factors (red bad). Only the model simulations that include human factors are able to reproduce the observed warming Graphic: Second Assessment of the U.S. Global Change Research Program, 2009] By Michael E. Mann, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor, Pennsylvania State University [Text excerpted from chapter 2 of *The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars*, by Michael E. Mann, Columbia University Press, New ... more »
“The Latest From ‘DHS Insider’"
*“The Latest From ‘DHS Insider’" * By Douglas J. Hagmann *"Introduction:* 23 December 2012: After a lengthy, self-imposed informational black-out, my high-level DHS contact known as "Rosebud" emerged with new, non-public information about plans being discussed and prepared for implementation by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the near future. It is important to note that this black-out was directly related to the aggressive federal initiative of identifying and prosecuting "leakers," at least those leaks and leakers not sanctioned by the executive office - the lat... more »
Why can’t Obama be more like President Douglas?
*MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2013* *Maureen Dowd's mind want to know:* Maureen Dowd may be the most influential print journalist of the past thirty years. As early as 1992, the highly prescient Katherine Boo was warning about the trend she described as “Creeping Dowdism.” But Dowd was already a very important player at our most influential newspaper. Career players wanted to work for the Times, or at least to attend their galas. In part for that reason, people like Dowd are rarely criticized in the mainstream press or in the career liberal world. We’ve told you these things for years by now... more »
Did Joe Oliver Just Declare War on British Columbia?
A solid and steadily growing majority of British Columbians want nothing to do with Alberta's bitumen pipelines crossing our province to our coast. Fewer of us still want bitumen-laden supertankers plying our pristine northern coastal waters or Vancouver's inner harbour. According to our federal government's reptilian industry minister, Joe Oliver, our firmly held opposition to this bitumen trafficking makes us, the great majority of British Columbians, "*inimical to Canadian national interests." * Now "inimical" is a loaded word. It connotes hostility, and a willingness to harm,... more »
Setting aside default judgment
Traditionally setting aside a default judgment has required fulfilling a three-part test. The Defendant must establish: (1) there was a reasonable explanation for the failure to file the Statement of Defence; (2) there is a prima facie defence on the merits of the claim and (3) the Defendant promptly moved to set aside the Default Judgment. Recent caselaw has made the test somewhat less rigid and more equity based. So the decision in *B2B Trust v. Pearce,* 2013 ONSC 2305 holds: [2] The defendant, as co-mortgagor with her husband and co-defendant, gave a mortgage to the plaintiff t... more »
Comparing Iraq’s Provincial Elections 2005-2013
There were many reports before Iraq’s April 2013 provincial elections that the Iraqi public was disillusionedand not interested in them. The early word out of the country’s Election Commission however showed that the same percentage of people showed up as the last vote in 2009, 51%. The total number of voters is lower this year at 6.4 million, compared to 7.5 million during the last round of balloting. That’s because two provinces, Anbar and Ninewa have had their balloting postponed. When they finally vote, the numbers will likely be very similar. The make-up of voters changed dram... more »
“‘Boston Strong’: Marching in Lockstep with the Police State”
*“‘Boston Strong’: * *Marching in Lockstep with the Police State”* By John W. Whitehead “Of all the tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive.” - C.S. Lewis “Caught up in the televised drama of a military-style manhunt for the suspects in the Boston Marathon explosion, most Americans fail to realize that the world around them has been suddenly and jarringly shifted off its axis, that axis being the U.S. Constitution. For those like myself who have studied emerging police states, the sight of a city placed under martial la... more »
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