English: US airstrike during the battle of Tora Bora. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Change The World Wednesday - Widening The Circle
Welcome to Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)!
Wondering how to live greener? You've come to the right place. Each week we
challenge ourselves to try a new task ... or "amp up" something we're
already doing. We raise our awareness, learn from each other and develop
Eco-friendly skills which will improve our lives and protect our planet.
Doing so together gives us power ... the power to Change The World!
If this is your first visit, please click HERE for information and a
complete list of all the challenges we've taken on so far.
This post contains great information and I encourage ... more »
Inequality Grows In Sweden-- And So Do Social Tensions... And The Potential For A Backlash
Sunday evening, almost at the same moment I published a "How Safe Is
Sweden?" post on my travel blog, Robert Reich tweeted a *Wall Street Journal
* story about how growing economic inequality is fueling the social
tensions between white Swedes and immigrants and the children of immigrants
born in Sweden. The *Journal*, unlike European publication has pointed
right to racism as a root cause of the 6 days of violent rioting and arson.
One young man rioting near Husby last week told The Wall Street Journal:
"If I had a job I wouldn't be here." The man, who declined to give his name
... more »
Ready For A Good Laugh: New Article States Osama Bin Laden "Blew Himself Up With Suicide Belt After Navy SEAL Shot Him In The Thigh"Claims Terror Leader's Former Bodyguard! (You Cannot Make This Stuff Up!)
It has now been well over 11 years since CIA agent, Osama Bin Laden, aka
"Tim Osman" died due to complications from his failed kidneys..... He died
in the Tora Bora region of northeastern Afghanistan and his death was
announced in major world news reports, but of course... NOT in the United
States (other than Fox News).....
It is therefore so sad that there are still those gullible suckers out
there that actually believe the laughable lie that Osama Bin Laden died in
a Navy SEAL assault on a "compound" in Pakistan over two years ago on May
2nd, 2011. It is so sickening to see the ... more »
Leaks and the limits of the First Amendment
Walter Pincus gets to the heart of what's wrong with the media freakout
about DoJ's leak investigations. Do read it all, it's short but here's the
main point. The media may "just be doing their job" but the leaker is in
breach of their contract. The leaker is breaking the law to give them the
information. So why is it so damn scandalous for the DoJ to seek to enforce
the law? That *is* their job.
As Pincus points out:
Applying labels such as co-conspirator provides a probable cause for the
judge to grant the warrant, as in the Rosen case. If Rosen offered money or
some other rewa... more »
Why the “peaceful majority” is irrelevant
*"While it's true that jihadists don't represent most Muslims, they *do*represent Islam."
*
- Bosch Fawstin
History lessons are often incredibly simple. As an Op-Ed once more doing
the rounds makes clear, when the “silent majority” ignore atrocities
carried out in their name, they share all the guilt of the perpetrators.
I used to know a man whose family were German aristocracy prior to World
War II. They owned a number of large industries and estates. I asked him
how many German people were true Nazis, and the answer he gave has stuck
with me and guided my attitude toward fanatic... more »
Everest!
What was once a mountain has now become the world’s tallest metaphor.* And
today, sixty years ago, was the day it was finally conquered.
My favourite story of its conquering is possibly apocryphal, but still
delightful.
It’s said that when Hillary and Tenzing reached the top of Everest for the
first time, Tenzing fell to his knees and gave thanks to the spirits that
had helped their journey; he prayed to the gods and to each of the four
winds, and he carefully placed in the ground a small stake on which prayer
ribbons were attached.
While he was doing this, Hillary stuck a flag ... more »
The Truth Was Still Putting on its Shoes - How Pseudoscience Came to Dominate the Concept of Healthy Eating
Imagine you could restore health and lose weight by eating fats and
protein and consuming fewer carbohydrates, i.e. sugar and grains. This was
standard medical advice up until the late 1970s. Then the advice changed to
“eat more grains and limit saturated fats”. The new “healthy eating” advice
was never subjected to rigorous testing before the old advice, which had
served society well, was ignominiously dumped. Are we, as a nation, now
fitter, better nourished, and less disease prone as a result?
The Kiwi ANZACs, widely considered to be the fittest troops in the Allied
armies i... more »
Saluting the president's "star litigatrix"
*White House counsel Kathryn Ruemmler* --
*Sorry, no shoe shots*
*"When you take a woman who has risen to a remarkable position, serving as
the lawyer to the President of the United States of America, and you call
her a “litigatrix” in “stunning 4-inch bright pink stiletto spikes,” you
diminish her, her accomplishments, and all women."*
*-- John Aravosis, in an Americablog post,* "Wash Post runs sexist
story about White House counsel Kathryn Ruemmler’s shoes"
*by Ken*
"Would the Washington Post," Americablog's John Aravosis asks, "write a
story about Dan Pfeiffer’s “fabulous shoes”?... more »
German Fin Min Schauble warns of revolution ......Are we one year from Mad Max Time.........Geopolitics of Gold and just note the premium on gold coins at the US Mint - 40 percent ? Get yourselves ready folks............
http://www.blacklistednews.com/German_Finance_Minister_Schaeuble_Warns_of_Revolution/26289/0/38/38/Y/M.html
German Finance Minister Schaeuble Warns of RevolutionMay 28, 2013
Print Version
*Source:* StratRisks
Let the austerity backlash begin. Who knew that an excel error could cause
so much social strife. Granted common sense would have got you there, but
this is politics. German Finance Minister Schaeuble warned on Tuesday that
unless Europe wins the battle against youth unemployment, revolution is a
distinct possibility.
The dreaded r-word came about as some corners push to reform ... more »
Liberty Reserve shutdown by DOJ , Bitcoin next in the sights of Big Government ?
http://www.ticotimes.net/More-news/News-Briefs/Liberty-Reserve-A-cyberweb-of-intrigue_Tuesday-May-28-2013
Liberty Reserve: A cyberweb of intrigue
Posted: Tuesday, May 28, 2013 - By David Boddiger and L. Arias
A closer look at Arthur Budovsky and his digital currency site Liberty
Reserve, closed last Thursday in conjunction with Budovsky’s arrest in
Spain.
[image: Prosecutor José Pablo González]
Tico Times
Costa Rican prosecutor José Pablo González announces Arthur Budovsky's
arrest in Spain on Friday. *Screenshots from Telenoticias Channel 7*
Flashy cars, lavish gifts, multiple identit... more »
Fixing the IRS in a three quick steps ! In three years , you could change the IRS.......
By now , most have followed the travails of the IRS - Gate scandals. The
purpose of this post is not to pile on the IRS , but rather , consider a
few possible steps forward. If I was POTUS what would I do ?
1) RESTORE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN THE IRS
A) Revamping the IRS - Key words ... Fresh Blood in the Organization
B) From Wikipedia , set forth below is a concise review of two areas for
reform....
Current organization [edit]
The 1980s saw a reorganization of the IRS. A bipartisan commission was
created with several mandates, among them to increase customer service and
improve coll... more »
Addendum to Schools Abducted: Despoliation of Community
I wrote the above article while navigating a vessel in a heavy wind. I made
an egregious error. I AM not for the closing of public schools, especially
those in large, urban areas. NOR would I encourage “urban blight.” What I
intended to say was: If it comes to this, then let them take out […]
Schools Abducted: Despoliation of Community
Clearly, there are more and more parents educating themselves regarding
testing in schools and how they can pull their kids out of testing. Not
all parents can put their children under a homeschooling overseen by
credentialed personnel. While we strive to keep our public schools public
and free of the new reform movement that brings […]
NRA losing its firepower
Alec MacGillis takes a long look at the battle over gun safety reform and
finds NRA is losing its might in the fight. It's a longish read but this is
the big takeaway.
The narrow defeat of the background-check bill, it turns out, was not the
end of hopes for gun reform, but the beginning.
Newtown really did change everything and the the conventional wisdom is
outdated. The NRA's power to swing elections is waning.
Senator Chris Murphy, a rookie Connecticut Democrat who has taken a lead on
the issue since the Newtown massacre, points out that, of the 16 Senate
races the NRA partic... more »
Is your job worthwhile?
We spend a whopping 90,000 hours working over our lifetime. That is alotta
hours people. So, the question that begs to be asked *and* answered is: is
your job worthwhile? Or, does your job bring you meaning? Does it offer you
joy? If the answers are no, no *and* no, know that you are in great company.
*I hate my job:*
Nearly 80 percent of Americans are dissatisfied with their jobs. We are
living among a lot of unhappy folks.
And its understandable. Many of us are living the lives that others planned
or imagined for us--culture, society, family, community, and of course, we
need t... more »
Breakfast in bed. Almost.
We used to say that New Zealanders imbibed statism with their mother’s
milk. Prime Minister John Key confirmed yesterday that the state will now
become the nation’s mother.
Key has signed off on a programme in which the state, in the guise of
provider, will hand out milk and cereal provided by others. Breakfast on
the taxpayer, with Uncle John as host.
Key dismisses criticism saying,
"...if the child is not fed ... we know they don't learn...
Really? We *know*? But as Lindsay Mitchell writes,
“an Auckland University study undertaken across 14 low socio-economic
schools where c... more »
Bello lugar para descansar a orilla del mar
[image: Bello lugar para descansar a orillas del mar azul]
*Nota:* Click aquí para ver más *imágenes de lugares hermosos*
Por favor visite nuestra página oficial: www.fotofrontera.com
Chica hermosa cortando hojas de colores
[image: Chica hermosa cortando las hojas de colores]
*Nota:* Click aquí para ver más *imágenes de mujeres*
Por favor visite nuestra página oficial: www.fotofrontera.com
Satire: “Syrian Rebels Urge McCain to Get Over Losing to Obama”
* *
*“Syrian Rebels Urge McCain to Get Over Losing to Obama”*
by Andy Borowitz
SYRIA (The Borowitz Report)— “During a meeting yesterday with Sen. John
McCain (R-Arizona), Syrian rebels told the senator that he still seemed
“really bitter” about losing the 2008 election to President Obama and
advised him to “get over it.” After meeting with the Arizona senator in the
border region near Turkey, a spokesman for the Syrian rebels told reporters
that while they appreciated Sen. McCain’s support, “We were kind of
uncomfortable with the place it was coming from. It was pretty obvious to ... more »
Flor amarilla embelleciendo la cerca
[image: Flor amarilla embelleciendo la cerca]
*Nota:* Click aquí para ver más *imágenes de flores*
Por favor visite nuestra página oficial: www.fotofrontera.com
Japan's Disposable Population
Majia here: This series of articles illustrates how the Japanese people
have been cast as disposable by elements of the Japanese government and
elements within the UN.
A. Grover is an exception and as special rapporteur he has traveled to
Japan on more than one occasion to advocate on the behalf of exposed
Japanese citizens.
Unfortunately, the broken, corrupt UN in general has sabotaged his work
with their own useless report.
*
*
The first article describes Grover's work. The second article, an analysis
by the Asahi Shimbun, illustrates how the outrageous protective action
g... more »
PM Stephen Harper May Have Met His Waterloo In Question Period .....
*(Please forgive and endure the brief commercial prior to QP ...)*
*Watch Harper's body language and especially watch Finance Minister Jim
Flaherty's reaction to the grilling of the Prime Minister in Question
Period today. *
*CBC -Harper Faces Sharp Questions Over Duffy-Wright / Senate Scandal *
[image: Progressive Bloggers]
Untitled
*Veteran reporter Jaquetta White joins The Advocate’s New Orleans staff*
Hermoso campo de lavanda con un cielo majestuoso
[image: Hermoso campo de lavanda con un cielo majestuoso]
*Nota:* Click aquí para ver más *imágenes de lavanda*
Por favor visite nuestra página oficial: www.fotofrontera.com
Fun with OECD indicators
Hours of fun to be had with this cool graphic from the Organization for
Economic Development. The OECD has put together a comparison of 36
countries based on 11 indicators associated with a better life, and a
person could pass a lot of time clicking around the site and watching all
the pretty flowers move up and down the scale of liveability.
The indicators used by the OECD include housing, income, jobs, civic
engagement, health, security and such - standard fare when talking about a
country's liveability, but much easier to grasp in this highly visual
presentation as opposed to the ... more »
Rio de agua clara junto a los árboles y montañas
[image: Río de agua clara junto a los árboles y montañas]
*Nota:* Click aquí para ver más *imágenes de rios*
Por favor visite nuestra página oficial: www.fotofrontera.com
Siluetas de delfines saltando en el oceano
[image: Siluetas de delfines saltando en el oceano]
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Vívora enorme en espera de su presa
[image: Vívora enorme en espera de su presa]
*Nota:* Click aquí para ver más *imágenes de vívoras*
Por favor visite nuestra página oficial: www.fotofrontera.com
"Apple Is a Tax Dodger… You Should Be, Too"
* *
*"Apple Is a Tax Dodger… You Should Be, Too" *
by Alexander Green
“There was a collective gasp in some quarters last week when it was
revealed that technology giant Apple avoided taxes on billions of dollars
in offshore profits. CEO Tim Cook will almost certainly catch plenty of
flak in the weeks ahead. But shareholders can breathe easy. Apple is
unlikely to pay an extra cent in taxes. And you would be well advised to
follow its example. Here’s why…
Apple did nothing illegal. It is simply playing the game that Congress
created with the near-incomprehensible tax code. Hundreds... more »
The Science of Teacher Evaluation Manipulation
Hopefully, another semester has come to a close for you and you’re catching
up on some much needed research/sleep. After I’ve doled out grades for my
students, I usually get a nice big stack of evaluations of my teaching
abilities, filled out by those very same students who squeaked by with a
“C-“in my class.
Continue reading
Frank Lloyd Wright: “The present education system is the trampling of the herd”
A neat new book that’s perfect for your pocket compiles over 200 of
architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s pithiest ponderings on different topics. Maria
Popova has posted a few of her favourites on the topic of education, with
links to related presentations from Ken Robinson, Richard Feynman, William
Gibson et al, including some of these gems:
“The present education system is the trampling of the herd.” (1956)
“Cultivate the poet. The poet is the unacknowledged legislator of this
universe and the sooner we knock under to that the better. Get Emerson’s essay
on the American scholar and r... more »
Politico throws pity party for Boehner
No need to read the Politico piece, it only states the obvious. Everybody
knows the crackpot cons have taken control of the House and Boehner is
powerless to stop them. Charlie's takedown of Tiger Beat on the Potomacgets to heart of the dysfunction.
This remains the only story worth covering about how our government is
operating — or, more accurately, failing to operate — in Washington, and it
remains a story that TBOTP, among others, have failed dismally to cover. It
is not an unfair summation of that passage to conclude that "most young
conservatives" who have been elected to serv... more »
Are Harry Reid's Threats Working?
Item: Sri Srinivasan was confirmed for the DC Circuit Court, the first
Obama pick to reach that important bench.
Item: District Judge nominee William Orrick was confirmed 56-41 on May 15
(with two Democrats and one Republican missing the vote); no cloture vote
was taken. There was also a minor executive branch confirmation a week
before that with a 53-45 vote, also without a cloture vote.
Item: Rob Portman is apparently trying to cut a deal on the Cordray
nomination for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, one of the
"nullification" blockade filibusters. In the Roll Call articl... more »
LNG Premium Price Downward Spiral, The Perfect Storm For Buyers
*Written by Grant G*
Christy Clark and the BC Liberals entire 2013 platform was based on
unrealistic LNG future revenues, the debt to be eliminated, sales tax to be
shelved, bridge tolls removed, BC Ferries and BC Hydro debts eliminated as
well as a promised prosperity fund worth $hundreds of billions of dollars
for future generations.
It`s time for the media, the mainstream media to do a little bit of the
heavy lifting and start actually reporting the new reality of LNG pricing,
why is this task left to a handful of online writers and bloggers, it`s not
that I mind breaking vir... more »
It Wouldn't Be Hard For The NRCC To Defeat A Pack Of ConservaDems-- But They Can't Get Past Their Own Idiocy
GOP idiots wasting their money
John Barrow (Blue Dog-GA), Collin Peterson (Blue Dog-MN), Ron Barber (New
Dem-AZ) and Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ) are 4 of the House Democrats who vote most
frequently and most consistently with Republicans on key matters of policy.
Defeating all four would be a boon for progressives because they would no
longer be acting as a toxin within the party caucus and inside committees.
Defeating them in primaries would be the best-- but defeating each of them
is the goal.
The NRCC is working towards realizing that already-- with a year and a half
to go before electi... more »
Smoking Crack with DRUG DEALERS
OK, so Ford Nation is apparently standing by their asshat guy.
Mostly they're in denial that the video exists.
On Twitter today Ezra LeRant aired a different theory.
It's not just class. It's race. Rob Ford is the 1st black mayor. At least
brown. Ask any cabbie or corner store owner maisonneuve.org/post/2013/05/2…
— Ezra Levant (@ezralevant) May 28, 2013
Leaving aside the incredible racism of that, I decided to take the
challenge (and I needed cigarettes).
My local convenience store is owned by a bunch of brown guys. Not related
as far as I can tell. Some, judging by accent, born ... more »
Why Obama's "Leadership" Is Bunkum
Short but sweet. Just another way of saying those with the gold intend on
keeping the gold. Grow the fuck up. And figure it out. Or you die.
Powerless and poor. From BTC News. Which rocks. This Is Why Democrats Can’t
Have Nice ThingsBy Weldon Berger, on April 17th, 2013I’ve now read two
opinion pieces, one by Charlie Pierce at Esquire last week and another by
Jamelle Bouie at The
Oh, before I forget to mention it…
I found all these great reports that basically prove without a doubt the
major contentions of the education reform movement. I’m serious. Here they
are, linked below based on each issue. Socioeconomic status does not
predict educational outcomes. Competition for per-pupil expenditures
improves student and parent satisfaction. Psychic Sylvia Brown predicts:
“The Common Core will […]
Rod Liddle and the Economics of the Commentariat
Apologies for the gratuitous Liddle shot. His latest piece in *The Spectator
* is mercifully brief, although its short paragraphs condense the
"iconoclastic" racism and anti-Islam bile we've come to expect. It's
pointless trying to take down the piece through reasoned argument because
Rod is now well and truly hitched himself to the bandwagon of professional
controversialists. So let's take a scalpel - a figurative one, sadly - to
Liddle and the company of metropolitan misanthropes he keeps.
Rod, alongside his contemporaries Dan Hodges, Mel Phillips, and Brendan
O'Neill all hail fro... more »
A Pig With Lipstick is Still a Pig, Not a Greyhound.
Stephen Harper is still intent on saddling the RCAF with the F-35 light
attack bomber. The so-called "reset button" that his government
supposedly pushed to launch a full-blown fighter competition is being
dismissed by some of Lockheed's competitors as a farce.
Here's the thing. There won't be a valid competition without a fly-off
that involves getting all the competitors up to Cold Lake to see how they
each perform in various mission scenarios and against each other. That's
not about to happen - mainly because the F-35 probably wouldn't do terribly
well. That's mainly beca... more »
Woolwich aftermath: Increased support to terrorists in Syria; More funding for Police State; Total crackdown on Freedom
As the dust settles following the State-ordained Woolwich incident, the
reasons for this Zionist psychological operation are becoming ever
clearer. The enemies of freedom needed an excuse to crush opposition to
their evil plans, and when one did not present itself, the
highly-publicised Woolwich event was created.
There are those who argue that the man alleged to have been decapitated is
still alive, and that Lee Rigby was just another actor. This is possible,
but considering that the enemies of humanity were quite happy to murder
thousands in New York City on the 11th September 2... more »
“The ‘Social Contract’ Is a Fraud”
* *
*“The ‘Social Contract’ Is a Fraud”*
by Bill Bonner
“There are many theories to explain government. Most are nothing but scams,
justifications and puffery. One tries to put something over on the common
man... the other claims it was for his own good... and the third pretends
that he'd be lost without it. Most are not really "theories" at all... but
prescriptions, blueprints for creating the kind of government the
"theorist" would like to have. Not surprisingly, the blueprints flatter his
intellect and engage his imagination.
The "social contract," for example, is a fraud. You... more »
Untitled
*Corps of Engineers concludes $10.3 billion, 98-mile-long Morganza to the
Gulf levee is 'economically justified' ~Mark Schleifstein*
*Peeling the onion ~American Zombie*
*State Supreme Court ruling against vouchers means more money for Orleans
Parish schools ~Jessica Williams, The Lens*
*French Quarter Landmark Tujague’s Restaurant Will Remain In Family!*
René Guénon On The Illusion of Democracy
Related: *René Guénon On The Need For Creating An Understanding Between
The East And The West*.
Below is an excerpt from René Guénon's 1927 book called, *"The Crisis of
the Modern World."* Translated by Marco Pallis, Arthur Osborne, and Richard
C. Nicholson. Sophia Perennis: Hillsdale, New York. 2004. Pg. 73-75.
"The most decisive argument against democracy can be summed up in a few
words: the higher cannot proceed from the lower, because the greater cannot
proceed from the lesser; this is an absolute mathematical certainty that
nothing can gainsay. And it should be remarked ... more »
Why Defining Terrorism Matters
This is a guest post by Karolina Lula, a PhD student at Rutgers-Newark.
---------------
The terrorism industry has grown exponentially since 9/11. Whenever a
terrorist attack occurs, a plethora of terrorism scholars eagerly spoon out
their collective wisdom. The chance to be included in the over-caffeinated
media spotlight justifies decades cooped up in small offices pouring over
data. In a certain respect, terrorism scholars mirror their subject. They
both love an audience.
Despite their growing presence in the media, academics fail to persuade
others about w... more »
The Real News - Corruption in Palestinian Government is Connected to Occupation
The Real News - Corruption in Palestinian Government is Connected to
Occupation. Description:
Aman: the main reason for malpractices in the Palestinian government is the
Israeli occupation, but reforms should be pursued nevertheless, as public
demand for transparency and fair government is strong.
Huh?
I was just watching *North West Tonight *on BBC One. Its political
editor Arif Ansari presented the first of a three-part series on the
history of the Militant Tendency, especially its role in Liverpool. There
was an intriguing moment, however, when Arif said,
"the Labour Party, which was pretty right-wing in the 60s and 70s."
Right-wing compared to Militant maybe - and that's certainly how Militant
themselves saw it - but actually "right-wing"? Really? When Labour had an
83% top rate tax and the commanding heights of the economy were in state
hands?
Shouldn't Arif have said, ... more »
John McCain visits NATO mercs in Syria via Turkey; Whitehouse aware
Of course the White House was aware! Would anyone believe otherwise?
I have heard it said that John McCain is insane? He isn't really, though.
A psycopath, sure. Completely, evil/vile, yes. But ruthlessly, calculating
and rational.
The psychopathy and evil would be necessary attributes to consort with
NATO's butchers, organ eaters, rapists and mass murdering killers. .
Unfortunately your browser does not support IFrames.
White House Was Aware Of Republican's Plans But, his own daughter found out
on twitter ?! Oh, my! They must be quite estranged?
McCain, R-Ariz., a member of t... more »
Calling the Healers
This is not a battle for conquest and defeat. The mindset for supremacy
is what has led us into this time of revolution. The force propelling this
movement now springs from our very essence. It is oneness. It is unity. It
is love. Once balance is achieved, the ferocity of each engagement will
change.
Not today. Today our fiercest and most unwavering warriors are engaged
around the clock. We are multi-dimensional and as such cannot be separated
from every aspect of ourselves. You may have whispers of memory in your
daily life – of negotiations, meetings, battles, c... more »
Your moment of Zen
Welded shovel pinecones by Floyd Elzinga.
[click to embiggen.]
Tiwesdæg: the Left-hand of Linkage
The Hong Kong Duck is back! Not much point in having the “best” military
R&D in the world if a potential rival can steal your most important
designs. A Law of the Sea symposium (and also) at Opinio Juris on “search
and rescue operations.” LFC on Kennan’s opposition to the Vietnam War.
Making the most out of Google dirigibles
Continue reading
Real-time reports from the Washington Times!
*TUESDAY, MAY 28, 2013*
*It happened in Benghazi:* Scripted within an inch of her life, Sharyl
Attkisson was deeply confused in a recent C-Span appearance.
Attkisson just didn’t get it! She couldn’t *imagine* where people ever got
the idea that a spontaneous demonstration had occurred in connection with
the deadly Benghazi attack. Nor could she see how that stupid YouTube video
ever got into the story.
It must have been a giant deception! Cooked up by Hillary Clinton! Right
from the very first night!
Attkisson was either lying or she’s just crazy—you can take your pick. Her
C-Span... more »
No Available Fix for Politician Paranoia
I highly recommend a post by Ezra Klein today about money in politics. He's
following up on an earlier item he did about money in the 2012 election
cycle being overhyped; today he's taking on criticisms of that one. It's
excellent: he doesn't back down on the basic point that the "campaign
finance community" (as he puts it) overstates, and often dramatically
overstates, the importance of campaign finance.
One topic he covers, however, is one where I've become increasingly
pessimistic over time: the way that raising money eats into the lives of
elected officials. It's something that ... more »
Blue America Welcomes Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN)
You may have noticed that lately, the noisy right-wing Hate Machine has
decided to take a little energy out of their stream of hatred and calumny
usually reserved for Nancy Pelosi, to focus it on Keith Ellison (D-MN).
After all, Keith, a very outspoken and articulate co-chair of the
Congressional Progressive Caucus and only 49, will be in Congress long
after Pelosi, 73, retires. Sean Hannity has declared a right-wing crusade
against Ellison and spends an inordinate amount of energy smearing him.
We've tried to have Keith's back. And today at 1pm (Central Time), 11am on
the West C... more »
CEA Chair
Rumor has it that my friend and former student Jason Furman will be the
next chair of the Council of Economic Advisers. If true, that is great
news. Jason is smart, knowledgeable, and sensible. He does not come to
the job with as long an academic track record as other recent picks, but he
has far more policy-relevant experience and expertise.
Israel threatens to strike Russian missile shipments to Syria
*Link *
*Israel’s* defence minister on Tuesday signalled that his military is
prepared to strike shipments of advanced Russian weapons to Syria, in a
rare implied threat to Moscow.
Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon issued his warning shortly after a top
Russian official said his government reserves the right to provide Syria
with state-of-the-art S-300 air defence missiles.
Israel has been lobbying Moscow to drop the sale, fearing the missiles
would upset the balance of power in the region and could slip into the
hands of hostile groups, including the Lebanese militant Hezbollah, a clo... more »
Another taste of test abstention data
As we continue to sift through the data from the survey, I wanted to offer
the reader another taste. Here’s the list of tests refused this year. Now,
I’ve learned two things from this. One, a great variety of assessments. And
two, are you kidding me? How many products do we need and how much […]
Let's Talk Bodychecking
This
post is written by someone that has never played organized ice hockey. I
barely watch the sport anymore. So if that kind of person talking about
changing hockey pisses you off, I suggest you leave now.
Hockey Canada has banned the practice of bodychecking in peewee hockey.
If the numbers in this Ottawa Citizen article are to be believed (only
because they are so striking) every year 12% of
El mono aquatico y su hermano perdido
Tiene sentido?
La hipotesis de que la raza humana una vez estuvo la mayoria de su tiempo
en la orilla del mar y que por eso nosotros perdimos el exceso de pelo y
aprendimos a caminar recto tiene su validez. La otra razon por la cual
tiene su es la conveniencia que tiene el agua en lo del aseo personal, no
es lo mismo limpiar el fondillo con una hoja y arena que agua aunque esa
agua sea agua salada...
El hecho de que aprendimos a caminar erecto y los gluteos maximus frotan al
caminar...Que hicieron los primeros homoerectus cuando defecaban y las
bacterias digestivas enpezaban a irr... more »
Jabberwocky
'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"
He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.
And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! and through and through
The vorpal blade... more »
Justin Trudeau Steps Into A Pile Of Stinky 'Senate' Crap ......
**
[image: Progressive Bloggers]
*"We have 24 senators from Quebec and there are just six from Alberta and
British Columbia. It's to our advantage. To want to abolish it is
demagoguery ... We'll have to improve it."*
*Justin Trudeau, Leader*
*Liberal Party of Canada*
*As more and more Canadians come around to the position of Canada's New
Democrats on the unelected Senate ... guess what Justin Trudeau decides to
spring on his party faithful?*
*The political columnist with the Regina Leader-Post is bang on with
today's offering:*
*Trudeau lets PM off Senate hook*
*"It must be reass... more »
Taking Liberalism on Intervention Seriously: a 12-Step Program
Editor’s Note: This is a guest post by Tim Dunne. He is Research Director
of the Asia-Pacific Centre for the Responsibility to
Protect at the University of Queensland and the past editor of the European
Journal of International Relations. tl;dr warning: ~2400 words. In a recent
lively and provocative post, Stephen Walt argues that liberal imperialists
are like ‘neocons’ only more human rights-friendly. They
Continue reading
In Defence of the Indefensible?
The website of the English Defence League is an ugly sight. The graphics
are decidedly Nazi-like, with the red cross of St. George looking
disturbingly like the Iron-cross.
For an outfit that claims to be fighting religiously-inspired intolerance,
including but not limited to: *“**the denigration and oppression of women,
the molestation of young children, the committing of so-called honour
killings, homophobia, anti-Semitism” *you’d probably think they’d make an
effort to sanitise their symbols and liberate their logo.
Unsurprisingly, from their inception, the EDL have been writt... more »
Five Teens Reveal Debilitating Stories After Getting HPV The Vaccine by Rachel Porter
Five teens reveal their debilitating stories after getting HPV vaccine
by Rachel Porter, Daily Mail
Food Freedom, 28 May, 2013
It has been hailed as the wonder jab that will prevent thousands of young
women suffering the same terrible fate as Jade Goody. But as parents across
Britain rush to have their daughters vaccinated, others are adamant that it
has triggered alarming side-effects…
*Below are the pictures and names of the six dears sacrificed for Corporate
profits and under the pictures will be the link to their story from my
source:*
**
**
*Jade Goody supported calls to lo... more »
America Is Finished: 40 Statistics About The Fall Of The US Economy That Are Almost Too Crazy To Believe!
I am indeed worried about where the economy here in Canada is going these
days... Here in central Canada, there are less and less people purchasing
big ticket items, and although most of the local shopping malls are full of
people, few are actually buying anything! It does seem that there are
indeed fewer Canadian dollars to go around, and the result is a severely
weakening economic outlook here.....They call it a "recession" but I am
leaning now on it being more of a full scale DEPRESSION!
But what is happening in Canada right now is NOTHING compared to the
complete mess that the ... more »
My 10 Favorite Picture Books
My little girl loves to read. We read every day and if she had her way, we
would read these 10 books over and over again. We have read these books so
often that I have most of them memorized, my husband has some of them
memorized and even my 4-year-old has a few of them memorized too. Here are
our favorite picture books to read as a family with links to help you find
them. Linking up to The Broke and the Bookish.
Pinkalicious- My little girl is obsessed with this book, about a little
girl who loves pink so much that she eats too many pink cupcakes and turns
pink. We love this boo... more »
To those who deny that the Nazis killed millions in Concentration Camps and/or who say the Israelis keep the Palestinians in concentration camps
This is a short Pathe news piece about the opening up of some of the
concentration camps at the end of the Second World War. If you watch
nothing else, watch from 4:02 onwards to see what real concentration camp
inmates look like.
Here's two stills that I have posted before of dead Jews in concentration
camps
By way of contrast, here's the food available in Gaza
THE TURKEY-SYRIA CONNECTION
The Global Network was represented at a peace conference in Turkey at the
end of April. GN leaders Dave Webb (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament in
the UK) and Agneta Norberg (Swedish Peace Council) are featured in this
short video from that conference.
Black Comedy for Terror Tuesday
From the Department of the Unintentionally Hilarious comes this observation
from Senator Lindsey Graham on President Obama's ballyhooed Pivot to Peace:
*At the end of the day,this is the most tone-deaf president I ever could
imagine, making such a speech at a time when our homeland is trying to be
attacked literally every day.*
So here we have the top Congressional proponent of endless war on the
global battlefield admitting that there is such a thing as blowback. And he
actually wants it! By raining down drones from the skies, America
is recklessly making itself a target for more ... more »
A War Without Name Is A War Without Meaning - Bacevich
Retired U.S. Army colonel turned professor, Andrew Bacevich, says, when it
comes to warfare, "*a rose by any other name*" just doesn't cut it. Bacevich
tries on several names for the war of the past decade, looking for a proper
fit. Here are his options - *The Long War; The War Against Al-Qaeda; The
War For/Against/About Israel; The War For the Greater Middle East; the War
Against Islam; and, perhaps by default, The Eternal War*.
*Names bestow meaning. When it comes to war, a name attached to a date can
shape our understanding of what the conflict was all about. To specify
whe... more »
Rumours - NOT by Fleetwood Mac
Oh dear, it looks as if certain sections of the media - old and new - never
learn.
Rumours that the violent attack on a prison officer at HMP Full Sutton had
been led by Parviz Khan - a Muslim extremist found guilty of plotting to
behead a British soldier - have been splashed by several newspapers and,
inevitably, many on Twitter and, unfortunately, also on blogs followed suit.
The Ministry of Justice press office, however, then put out this
categorical statement on Twitter:
*MoJ Press Office @MoJPress 4hr*
*Individual named by media in connection with incident at HMP Full Sutton... more »
A lesson in reform from, of all places, The Princess Bride
Yesterday evening, I was thinking. Not too hard. But I was reminded of this
classic scene from The Princess Bride. It’s a longer excerpt, but a good
one. Read it, I’ll meet you at the bottom. “Pour the wine,” said the man in
black. Vizzini filled the two goblets with deep-red liquid. The man in […]
Teachers College Convocation Turns into Protest Against Corporate Enablers,Tisch and Fuhrman
I am just back from a weekend off and delighted to see a forwarded email on
the Teachers College Convocation/Student Protest May 21. As you can see,
the protest was quiet but very powerful, as these photos indicate (click to
enlarge). This is the proudest I have been in a long time to be associated
[…]
Why Not Buy the Chinese Version Just Like Wal-Mart Does?
A confidential Pentagon report leaked to the *Washington Post* accuses
hackers of stealing the designs of many of America's most advanced weapons
systems.
*Experts warn that the electronic intrusions gave China access to advanced
technology that could accelerate the development of its weapons systems and
weaken the U.S. military advantage in a future conflict.*
* *
*Some of the weapons form the backbone of the Pentagon’s regional **missile
defense for Asia, Europe and the Persian Gulf. The designs included those
for the advanced Patriot missile system, known as PAC-3; an Army syste... more »
Iraq’s Protest Movement Splits Over Federalism
Since December 2012 there have been demonstrations throughout Anbar,
Ninewa, Diyala, Tamim, and Salahaddin provinces over the perceived
marginalization of Sunnis by the central government. Since that time the
protesters have faced many divisions over leadership and tactics. That
continues to the present day with the issue of federalism, being the newest
point of contention within the movement.
Raising the issue of federalism at Friday prayers in Fallujah has led to
two clashes in May 2013 (*AP*)
The issue of whether to make Sunni provinces of Iraq their own federal
regions has bec... more »
PBS NEWSHOUR VIDEO: Iraq Attacks Are Worst Insurgent Violence In Years
Watch Iraq Attacks are Worst Insurgent Violence in Years on PBS. See more
from PBS NewsHour.
The Highs on Wall Street are Hocus Pocus
Hocus Pocus
Slight of Hand
Prestidigitation
Flim Flam
Remember hearing or reading something like this?
The subprime mess has triggered the most destructivefinancial crisis since
the stock market crash of 1929. It’s not surprising, then, that the hunt is
on for culprits. And for many, there’s no reason to look beyond financial
derivatives in general, and credit derivatives in particular.
Or something like this?
600,000,000,000,000?
*Oct 17, 2008 8:00 PM EDT*
If some banks are too big to fail, $600 trillion has become the number too
big to question. That's $600,000,000,000,000—the ... more »
Who will inspect the inspectors general?
*TUESDAY, MAY 28, 2013*
*We believe Abraham Lincoln said that:* Yesterday morning, we did a spit
take at the bagel joint.
The cause of our lapse was a front-page report in the New York Times.
Confessore and Luo reported on the way conservative groups (and others)
seeking tax-exempt status were spindled and mutilated by the IRS.
We aren’t experts on this matter, but we thought the reporters began to get
inside some of the paradoxes involved in this issue. We were especially
struck by this pushback against Inspector General George, who has been cast
in the hero role in this heavily n... more »
WHO IS SHARYL ATTKISSON: She may want your millions, mister!
*TUESDAY, MAY 28, 2013*
*Part 2—In search of employment from Fox:* At this point, is CBS TV star
Sharyl Attkisson pursuing employment at Fox?
We’d give at least even money. The story began on April 12, when Politico’s
Dylan Byers reported that Attkisson was “in talks to leave CBS News ahead
of contract.”
Sources were citing “disputes between Attkisson and network executives,
including CBS Evening News executive producer Patricia Shevlin,” Byers
reported. He said specifics about the dispute were not available.
On May 8, the Washington Post offered a full-length profile of Attkisson,... more »
Progress Map of Marijuana Laws
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Adventures in Grocery Shopping: When Food Isn’t Food
*Here are just a few examples in the (ever-growing) ‘Food Not Fit to Eat’
category.*
Aaron Dykes and Melissa Melton
In what is sure to be a continuing series,TruthstreamMedia.com documented
just a few stand out items while browsing through the grocery store. There
were lots of healthy, organic choices, as well as lots of other … stuff.
Let’s face it! It’s a target rich environment: food just isn’t food
anymore. That is, the stuff being marketed to us all under an endless array
of recognizable brand names and beneficial-sounding buzz terms. We could
probably choose an item at random... more »
Obama at Annapolis
Stephen Lendman
Obama represents the worst of rogue leadership. He's a war criminal
multiple times over. He's guilty of numerous other crimes. He belongs in
prison, not high office.
On May 24, he addressed Naval Academy graduates. Why any showed up they'll
have to explain. So does why those doing so didn't diss him.
The 2013 graduates include 1,047 men and women. Nearly three-fourths are
navy ensigns. The others are marine lieutenants, three air force ones, and
16 foreign exchange students.
Midshipmen are required to take an Oath of Office, stating:
Having been appointed a midsh... more »
In The Internet Age, Do We Need Representative Government? Is Congress Out of Date?
Don't people already vote electronically? Brandon Pierce
From when we are small children in Social Studies class, we are conditioned
to understand the system of government that oversees the spending of our
paychecks, the creation and enforcement of our laws, and the actions that
the military takes on our behalf. Representation is the concept behind it
that is touted as the greatest sign of a democratic and free society. You
know the old war cries. Taxation without Representation! Well, our system
of government works on a system of representation.
How many of us think about what th... more »
Where are Your Fed Tax $$ Being Spent?
A *new web site on WhiteHouse.gov* let's you calculate where your personal
tax dollars will be spent. It gives you a dollar by dollar report by
category of where your Federal taxes will be spent.
It is located *here*:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/2012-taxreceipt
Look at each one of the catergories listed.
The categories listed add up to 100%.
EVERY single one of them is being CUT by the RepubliCONS- except national
defense.
EVERY single one of them is being decimated by the RepubliCONS - yet you
and I keep paying in our taxes.
It is interesting to me that one half of a one percent is ... more »
‘See Something, Say Something’: DHS Pushes Fear on Indy 500
Melissa Melton
Homeland Security is quickly taking over all our major sporting events.
What’s next? Shopping malls? Hospitals? Grocery stores? (Terrorists gotta
eat, after all). Your porch? The TSA has caught a lot of terrorists you
know (or none ever).
*MELISSA MELTON is a co-founder of TruthstreamMedia.com where this video
first appeared. She is an experienced researcher, graphic artist and
investigative journalist with a passion for liberty and a dedication to
truth. Her aim is to expose the New World Order for what it is — a prison
for the human soul from which we must break... more »
Lindsey Graham's Homosexuality And... Syria
Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is, in essence, one thing above all else-- a
self-loathing, closeted homosexual whose fear of exposure motivates
everything else in his miserable life. Lindsey Graham should not be in the
Senate or in government service at all. He is obsessed with his own
homosexuality. His life in the dark, dank closet, trembling with fear that
"the rednecks" will find out, has made him a practiced liar and has stoked
a severe mental illness. He doesn't know the truth from the lies any
longer. Last week we saw the tremendous damage this gay person is doing to
the LGBT commun... more »
‘Common Core’ Nationalizes and Dumbs Down Public School Curriculum
Dees Illustration Dr. Ron Paul
In addition to shredding civil liberties, launching a utopian global war
for democracy, and going on a spending spree that would make LBJ blush, the
so-called “conservative” Bush administration dramatically increased federal
control over education via the “No Child Left Behind” act. During my time
in Congress I heard nothing but complaints about this law from teachers,
administrators, and, most importantly, students and parents. Most of the
complaints concerned No Child Left Behind’s testing requirements, which
encouraged educators to “teach to the t... more »
Trumped charges against Cyprus revealed ! Will the Bank of Cyprus emerge from Administration by the end of July or is this a pipe dream ?
http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2013/05/more-on-the-trumped-up-charges-against-cyprus.html
TUESDAY, MAY 28, 2013
More on the Trumped-Up Charges Against Cyprus
As readers may recall, the Eurozone decided to make an example of Cyprus by
using it to set the precedent of raiding deposits to fund a bailout (query: is
a self-bailout even properly called a bailout?). Admittedly, if you are
going to let your banking sector get to be 800% to 900% of GDP, you had
better be sure your banks have really good assets and lots of equity, and
the authorities look to have been remiss in that regard. An... more »
Read Stuff, You Should
Happy Birthday to Gordon Willis, 82.
And some good stuff, which certainly isn't what I would have called that
new Star Trek movie. Wow, what a clunker...
1. Correlation, or causation? Close call -- from Chris Blattman.
2. I think Paul Krugman is essentially correct on differences right now
between liberals and conservatives -- and that it's not an inherent
difference, but one that happens to be the case now, essentially through
(in my view) historical accident.
3. On the Monkey Cage: David Schleicher on the direct election of US
Senators. Interesting.
4. And Monica Gray brings us ... more »
How the Shadow Government Took Over
*Youtube*
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OKINAWA SAME STORY
Video on Okinawa visit by Peace Nomad. Last February, some South Korean
people, including Peace Nomad, led by Fr. Mun Jeong-Hyeon visited the
fields of struggle opposing US bases in Okinawa. It included Futenma AFB,
Henoko, and Takae. “In that fields struggling for peace, we met another
Gangjeong and people of Okinawa who have same mind with us.”
Ford Nation and Obamabots
"Ford Nation" (the amorphous group of ignorant yahoos who believe that
taxation is evil and that public services they like should be free and who
therefore like ignorant yahoo Rob Ford) stands fairly firm at 25% of the
Toronto electorate. This is even after their hero is accused of having been
video recorded smoking crack with the gangsters that Ford Nation and its
daily gospel the *Toronto Sun* refer to as the scum of the earth for the
violence and mayhem and human suffering they cause.
If they were paying attention, they'd know that the Toronto Star, the Globe
& Mail and the Natio... more »
The attempt to destroy the individual
Jon Rappoport
“What is finished is the idea that this great country is dedicated to the
freedom and flourishing of every individual in it. It’s the individual
that’s finished. It’s the single, solitary human being that’s finished.
It’s every single one of you out there that’s finished. Because this is no
longer a nation of independent individuals. It’s a nation of some two
hundred odd million transistorized, deodorized, whiter-than-white,
steel-belted bodies, totally unnecessary as human beings and as replaceable
as piston rods.” — Howard Beale, in Paddy Chayefsky’s 1976 film, *Ne... more »
ALEC Legislators - Mercenaries in the War on Public Good
There’s an excellent read on *Common Dreams* this morning by John Atcheson:
*In Memoriam: Putting American Democracy on Sale*
There’s an all-out assault on the public sector. Unions are being busted;
public programs are being starved into incompetence and that incompetence
is being used as justification for further assaults on the credibility and
effectiveness of the pubic sector.
This two step has been used against the post-office, teachers,
firefighters, transportation workers—anyone in the public sector. And
under the guise of “necessary” austerity (in a time of rapidly shrin... more »
Israeli Government in trouble and facing collapse over Ultra - Orthodox conscription issue
http://www.juancole.com/2013/05/orthodox-conscription-government.html
Could Ulra-Orthodox Conscription issue bring down the Israeli Government?
Posted on 05/28/2013 by Juan Cole
Israeli Finance Minister Yair Lapid, leader of the centrist, secular Yesh
Atid party, has threatened to withdraw from the government of Prime
Minister Binyamin Netanyahu unless a proposed bill is passed into law that
would conscript most young men from the Haredi or Ultra-Orthodox community
into the Israeli army. Many in the far right wing Likud Party are reluctant
to takes this step.
In parliamentary systems... more »
Now Is The Time
From the day he took power, Stephen Harper -- like Rob Ford -- has viewed
the parliamentary press corps as maggots. Edward Greenspon writes in the*Toronto Star
*:
When he came into office, Harper threw out long-held rules of
government-press engagement. He sowed fear and showed favouritism. Access
was severely restricted and doled out based on perceived friendliness of
given journalists. Public servants were forbidden from providing background
on serious policy matters. A system was introduced by which the PMO, rather
than the gallery, decided who could ask questions at press conf... more »
Hey Monsanto, Did You Hear That?
Dylan Charles
This past Saturday, May 25th, 2013, millions of people worldwide publicly protested
against Monsanto, the corporation that has become the driving force and the
figure head behind the effort to monopolize control of food and to
genetically modify staple crops to become dependent on toxic chemicals.
This may have been the largest ever unified protest against a single
company, which is a monumental achievement for the movement against GMO’s,
against seed patents and for the labeling of foods and products made with
genetically modified ingredients.
Protesting against Mo... more »
Thought you'd get free care if you fell sick in Spain?
Apparently
not, as 'Britons held hostage by foreign hospitals', EHIC or
not.
http://www.th-eu-nit.com/index.php/articles/2346-thought-youd-get-free-care-if-you-fell-sick-in-spain-britons-held-hostage-by-foreign-hospitals
Untitled
*Have You Followed Sean Payton’s New Twitter Account Yet? ~Saints Tailgate*
*Large eyesores wearing on Algiers neighbors ~Allen Powell, The Advocate *
*Lakefront visitors anxious for end to construction projects, detours ~WWLTV
*
*No increase in New Orleans area rents seen, despite insurance worries *
*The Louisiana Coast: Last Call — Budgeting The River ~Bob Marshall, WWNO*
*NOLA Gets Behind Miss Louisiana Kristen Girault ~NOLA DEFENDER*
*jewel bush: Adventures in local eating*
*Sweet Dreams Popup Menu ~Nola Smokehouse*
*Jimmy’s Music Club may be on its way back to presenting live ... more »
The Humanoid Conspiracy
*The Humanoid Conspiracy* is the latest addition to the
*INEXPLICATA*library at Scribd.com - a compilation of all the humanoid /
CE3K writings
we have published over the years in a more readily accessible format -
and
a conmemoration of the 40-year gulf which separates us from 1973, "The
Year
of the Humanoids".
*Available at:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/144137452/The-Humanoid-Conspiracy*
Inexplicata Podcasts covering items from UFO / paranormal history in
Spain,
Latin America and the Caribbean
Heuristic ideas about bounded prime gaps
*Why Yitang Zhang's proof is probably far less fundamental than the claim*
Yitang Zhang worked at Subway before he would land a mathematics job. And
when he did, he wasn't publishing almost anything for years before he would
offer a proof of something rather important weeks ago. That turned the name
of the popular math instructor in New Hampshire into one of the most
well-known names of number theorists in the world.
Some increasingly popular links are:
Bounded gaps between primes (Zhang's technical paper)
------------------------------
Philosophy behind the proof (Math Overflow)
... more »
Why does Israel shoot at members of the Press?
The answer, at least according to this video, is quite simple - Palestinian
terrorists use the Press as cover.
It is inconceivable that the British and American Media don't know that
this goes on, so I can only assume that they don't report it because they
are anti-Israel.
Stephen Walt on Israel, Palestine and the Need for Open Debate in U.S. Media
Video Title: Stephen Walt on Israel, Palestine and the Need for Open Debate
in U.S. Media. YouTube Video Description - [Channel: Middle East Policy
Council. Published on May 1, 2013]:
Dr. Stephen Walt (Professor of International Affairs, John F. Kennedy
School of Government, Harvard University) blames the "illegitimate" actions
of the Israel lobby for stifling debate on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict
by repeatedly labeling critics of Israel as anti-Semitic and isolating them
in the realm of politics, academia and the media. Despite the continued
effectiveness of this strategy,... more »
Phils/Taiwan Take 7: Linkfest and Pocket Analysis edition
*A road warrior weaves through rush hour traffic on a narrow Taipei street.
Lovin' the new Sigma 17-70mm lens.*
The Taiwan/Phils mess, some recent stuff....
- Ritual slaughter: David Lin, Minister of Foreign Affairs, "grilled" by
the legislature. Lawmakers -- especially the DPP's emptyheaded support of
the gov't -- helped feed Taipei's botched response. Hinting that Lin, who
probably had no hand in the real decision making, should resign, is
unconscionable.
- Manila, Taipei, will reach consensus after the probe. Which will
naturally be what Taipei wants it to... more »
Gobekli Tepi and the Library of the Sphinx
What is extremely important here is that Gobekli Tepe confirms that there
existed stone working skill able to build the Sphinx over 10,000 years ago
as indicated by weathering studies. This was the core objection to the
conjecture.
What is also clear is that there is no sign of a high civilization. These
two sites could have been centers of knowledge acting independent of any
such non existent civilization. It certainly has been suggested before for
Giza, or I have at least suggested just that.
Yet this does conform to our knowledge of the ending of the Ice Age with ... more »
Chung ho Kim, Freedom Factory Ltd.
Seoul, S. Korea -- While waiting for an available room in my hotel at
Somerset Palace Seoul, I visited a good friend that I have met for the
first time in 2005, Dr. Chung ho Kim. Chung ho used to be the President of
the Center for Free Enterprise (CFE), a free market think tank in Seoul. He
resigned last year from CFE and concentrated teaching Law and Economics at
Yonsei University, a big and hilly private university in this city.
After an Atlas and Economic Freedom Network (EFN) Asia conference in
Phuket, Thailand in 2005, I met him again in 2006 when I attended the Asia
Pacific Ta... more »
Is this an example of the BBC's inability to meet a self-imposed deadline?
Leanne Buckle 23 Apr to me
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
Today is 28 May, somewhat later than mid-May but response I have had not.
I will email Ms Buckle and see what the latest excuse is.
UPDATE:
It seems that Ms Buckle is taking a long weekend:
I am out of the office until Wednesday, 29 May and will respond to your
email on my return. Best wishes... more »
THE TERRORISTS BEHIND WOOLWICH...
*Yasmin, the pole dancer, and daughter of Omar Bakri Mohammed.*
*The Woolwich 'terrorist' Michael Adebolajo* was taught about Islamic
militancy by the preacher *Omar Bakri Mohammed.*
Woolwich Attack and the Changing Nature of Terrorism | Chatham House.
*Bakri*
Omar Bakri Mohammed's busty blonde daughter, Yasmin, is a topless
pole-dancer.
Yasmin, a single mother, performs in London clubs.
*A pole dancer. Starrgrrrl *
*She told The Sun: I'm willing to go topless if the venue is right.' *
Reportedly, 'she has been leading a wild double life thrashing about on
stage in pole dancin... more »
The Trouble With the Enlightenment
All of our civilization is a child of the enlightenment. What is not
properly understood is that it was actually a moment in which critical mass
was achieved in terms of the intellectual endeavor and that critical mass
was facilitated by the steady rise of the printing press and far more
critically the rise of a general education which naturally liberated the
gifted few.
It did not matter that a million children learned just enough to read the
bible, it was way more important that the one in a thousand was identified
and brought forward. General education was a sieve to... more »
Learning to Like the Lady
As outsiders, we quickly forget and about that other time warp country of
Burma. So a little interpretation is welcome and a reminder that the
future there is optimistic as least as it has broken stasis. It can
degenerate into lawlessness if the military were to disintegrate, but that
looks unlikely.
The foolish usually fail to understand that the military in a backward
country is the only real organizing force available. Thus it becomes the
natural partner for major modernizing investment. It enemy is corruption,
but that is usually far worse at the political and p... more »
John Mack and Alien Abduction
I have always been uncomfortable with the alien abduction phenomena. This
is mostly because of the possibility of applying the Luminous Dream
conjecture which is a way of eliminating the sheer lack of physical
evidence of almost any kind but merely begs understanding human auto
imagination. The continuing stream of abductee reports and a couple of
specific independent eyewitness reports makes this increasingly difficult.
Without question the experience all wraps around the collection of
physical data from the victims, while occasionally becoming a short
conversation, muc... more »
FSA's Terrorist Attacks Against Christians And Kurds In Syria
*Story #1*: *"Armed rebels attacked a village in Syria's Western province
of Homs and slaughtered all its Christian residents on Monday*." (Ahlul
Bayt News Agency). Excerpt:
The armed rebels affiliated to the Free Syrian Army (FSA) raided the
Christian-populated al-Duvair village in Reef (outskirts of) Homs near the
border with Lebanon today and massacred all its civilian residents,
including women and children.
*Story #2*: *"Jihadist groups of FSA kidnapped 700 civilian Kurds between
Aleppo & Efrin. They hijacked vehicles too."* ( Amed News Agency via
Twitter).
Meanwhile, John "... more »
"Libertarian" Koch Brothers Have Taken Tens of Millions in Subsidies UPDATED
The Cato Institute, originally the Charles Koch Foundation, is one of the
most influential libertarian think tanks in the country. With both Charles
and David Koch on its board of directors, Cato has produced numerous
studies on the evils of corporate subsidies (which it calls "corporate
welfare"), dating back at least to the 1990s. Supposedly, Charles Koch
himself (via Wikipedia) is opposed to "corporate welfare," and plans to
oppose it this year.
I guess I'll believe it when I see it. As previously discussed in Dirt
Diggers Digest, Koch Industries has received many subsidies over ... more »
To defeat Islamic terror, we must first acknowledge what it is | Melanie Phillips (part 2)
'Now the Prime Minister says he will crack down on such extremism. Yet
after the Woolwich atrocity, he claimed it was 'a betrayal of Islam' and
that 'there is nothing in Islam that justifies this truly dreadful act'.
The London Mayor Boris Johnson went even further, claiming: 'It is
completely wrong to blame this killing on the religion of Islam' and that
the cause was simply the killers' 'warped and deluded mindset'.
Yet the video footage of the killers — who had shouted 'Allahu Akhbar' when
butchering Drummer Rigby — records one of them citing verses in the Koran
exhorting the f... more »
To defeat Islamic terror, we must first acknowledge what it is | Melanie Phillips
'The Government has been extraordinarily reluctant to do this — because it
refuses to face the blindingly obvious fact that this extremism is
religious in nature.
It arises from an interpretation of Islam which takes the words of the
Koran literally as a command to kill unbelievers in a jihad, or holy war,
in order to impose strict Islamic tenets on the rest of the world.'
More here
http://melaniephillips.com/to-defeat-islamic-terror-we-must-first-acknowledge-what-it-is
Smoluchowski, Milanković: birthdays
Two Slavic, Austrian-Hungarian physicists were introduced to the sunlight
on May 28th.
Marian Smoluchowski was born as a Pole in Austria in 1872; Milutin
Milanković was born as a Serb in (then) Croatia, Kingdom of Hungary, in
1879. Smoluchowski was a statistical physicist; Milanković was a
climatologist, astronomer, geophysicist – and also a construction engineer.
Marian Smoluchowski was born to an upper-class family near Vienna. He
studied physics in Vienna; Exner and Stefan were among his teachers. His
research followed the tradition of Ludwig Boltzmann from the beginning.
When ... more »
Asghar Khan: India An Imagined Enemy - YouTube
Pakistani General admits that Pakistan started every war with India and
that the threat to Pakistan of. India is imaginary.
'**Asghar Khan - former Chief of the Pakistan Air Force, Chairman of the
Tehrik-e-Istaqlaal political party, and a man renowned for his integrity
and clarity - argues against the official anti-India ideology of Pakistan.
He explains how: (a) India does not constitute a national threat and has no
interest in swallowing Pakistan; (b) all wars between the two countries
were started by Pakistan; (c) the Maharaja of Kashmir may not have acceded
to India had Pa... more »
31 charts that will destroy your faith in humanity
You might recall a series of 31 charts I linked to last week showing the
optimists are right: human activity is making the world a better place in
which to live.
As you’d expect, however, the pessimists were out in force.
So if these 31 charts will restore your faith in humanity, then these 31
charts will destroy it.
Buahahaha.
Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Please contact author for permission
to republish: (organon at ihug.co.nz)
The Realist Report with John Friend
On this edition of *The Realist Report*, we'll be joined by two special
guests: Eli James of *Anglo-SaxonIsrael.com* and Dana Antiochus from *Renegade
Broadcasting*. Eli and Dana will be having a friendly discussion about
Christianity and other spiritual issues, European history, and related
matters. Tune in for what will surely be an interesting conversation! Calls
will be taken towards the end of the program.
You can download the entire program *here*, or subscribe to the American
Nationalist Network via iTunes *here*. Thanks for listening everyone!
Do you know the way to Timbuktu?
[image: image]
You wouldn’t know it now, but Islam was once a historically moderate and
intellectual religion. Yes, true story. The seat of science and
civilisation a thousand years ago was in the Muslim world—largely because
the Muslim world had become the repository of Greek manuscripts that would
otherwise have been destroyed by Europe’s barbarians.
Aristotle and his works are important leading players in this historical
drama. In a parallel to the story of how Aristotle’s own manuscripts were
rescued from destruction by savages, scholars at Timbuktu’s Ahmed Baba
Institute r... more »
Chen Shui-bian back to the DPP?
*Snack time in the alleys across from NTU.*
Several months ago I asked foreigners who were wasting their time appealing
for the medical parole of Chen Shui-bian to stop and think about what they
are doing. I then observed:
Were Chen ever to get out, he would go back to seeking the limelight,
encouraging splits within the DPP in order to aggrandize his own faction
and friends, and so on. Both the China Post and Taipei Times pieces
essentially say the same thing even though they disagree. When Chen gets
out he is going to re-enter pan-Green politics, sucking up time, effort,
resourc... more »
The Woolwich murderer, says Ian Welsh, is "a bad man," but "not as bad as the men we put in office"
*"When Tony Blair and George W. Bush are put in front of war crimes trials,
along with Rumsfeld and many others, we can talk. Till then, our 'justice'
isn’t, it’s just tribalism dressed up in the name of justice, because it
picks and chooses amongst murderers, letting the greatest of them, the ones
with the most blood on their hands, walk free."*
*-- Ian Welsh, in a new post,*
"The Moral Calculus of the Woolwich Murder"
*by Ken*
I don't say that our friend Ian Welsh doesn't mean exactly what he says,
that "on the scale of bad, immoral things," the murder of that soldier in
London ... more »
Growing Food - A Different Take
Our last survey asked "Which green-living practice has been the toughest
for you?" The results show that growing food ranks as the hardest activity:
[image: Toughest Green Living Activity Survey Results]
The "other" category, which tied for first place, included these comments:
- Buying eco friendly furniture!
- I don't have the space to grow my own food but I do support my farmers
market each weekend! :)
- Purchasing goods that are local and affordable (clothing for example)-
I compromise by purchasing a lot from goodwill, but the new stuff...it's
hard to stomach p... more »
Chas Freeman — U.S. Grand Strategy
Read: *"Israel’s Fraying Image and Its Implications"* by Chas W. Freeman,
Jr., retired American diplomat and author.
"He most notably worked as the main interpreter for Richard Nixon in his
1972 China visit and as the United States Ambassador to Saudi Arabia from
1989 to 1992, where he dealt with issues related to the Persian Gulf War.
He is a past president of the Middle East Policy Council, co-chair of the
U.S. China Policy Foundation and a Lifetime Director of the Atlantic
Council" (*Wikipedia*).
Video Title: Chas Freeman — U.S. Grand Strategy. YouTube Video Description
- [Chann... more »
Spanish debt explosion and pension promises which can't be met = 22 - 45 drop in pension benefits ..........US threatens UK that EU might nix US - EU trade deal as to the UK .....German thoughts regarding the Financial Transaction Tax - Germany not warming up to the idea on the table....
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/2013/05/evolution-of-spanish-public-debt-and.html
Monday, May 27, 2013 8:24 PM
Evolution of Spanish Public Debt and Pension Promises
Inquiring minds may be interested in a chart of Spanish public debt over
time to see how the policies of Spain and the Troika are working out in
practice.
*Evolution of Spanish Public Debt Over Time *
I picked that chart up from estrategiastendencias.
My stab at a translation of text regarding public debt reads "Spanish banks
are deluded. They must think we are going to save them from the assets that
they... more »
Japanese markets open with another wild ride - rumors of even more QE set off the fireworks at the open , let's see where it ends.....
[image: NIKKEI 225 (^N225)]
another wild ride.......
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-05-28/japan-central-bank-admits-sending-schizoprenic-signals-market-jgb-liquidity-evaporat
Japan Central Bank Admits Sending Schizophrenic Signals To Market As JGB
Liquidity "Evaporates"
[image: Tyler Durden's picture]
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 05/28/2013 07:45 -0400
- Bank of America
- Bank of America
- Bond
- Federal Reserve
- Gross Domestic Product
- Japan
- Merrill
- Merrill Lynch
- Monetary Base
- Nomura
- POMO
- POMO
- Region... more »
Stevie's Tar Baby . . .
THE
BEAVER LAKE CREE JUDGMENT: The Most Important Tar Sands Case You’ve
Never Heard Of. That's what Carol Linnitt at DESMOG CANADA contends. Do
click on the link for more.
Sure they’re bad for the environment, for human health, and for
wildlife, but we rarely stop to wonder if the Alberta tar sands are in
fact unconstitutional.
But the constitutional standing of the tar sands – one of
CCSS + iPad + Kindergarten = ?
= tablet time instead of : play time discovery time creative time nap time
sharing time outside time … Follow the author on twitter @stoptesting15
Filed under: CHRIS CERRONE: The "Parentucator"
'Research fishery' for Queen conch and the tragedy of the commons
Sometimes news stories just set off all kinds of alarm bells.
Honduras has apparently learned from Japan’s bogus scientific whaling
program, which lets that country’s operators kill 900 whales a year - and
sell the meat - in the name of science.
The Honduran government has announced a Queen conch fishery, justified as
“a research and evaluation project for monitoring giant snail populations.”
It looks more like a way around restrictions on the fishery.
A lot of people have seen golden Queen conch shells, with their pink-tinged
centres and classic spiral shape. They were a popular souven... more »
cantabria to gernika and bilbao, part 2
In the Guggenheim, we took audioguides as a substitute for a tour of the
building, which in this season are only in Spanish. The audioguide is
included with admission, and available in a huge range of languages,
including Catalan - clearly a political statement from Basque Bilbao.
We joined many other people standing in the atrium, the focal point of the
interior, listening to the audioguide and looking around at the dizzying
curves and cubes and ramps. The atrium is strange and wonderful. Outside on
the patio, you are suddenly on the prow of a ship, a theme that is echoed
many time... more »
cantabria to gernika and bilbao, part 1
I almost forgot to mention, we had some interesting news from home.
Everything is fine now, but Essie had her hands full for a while!
I warned Essie about the danger of skunks in our backyard after dark:
absolutely never, *ever* let the dogs run out into the backyard after
dark!! I've lost track of how many times our dogs have been skunked, and
I'm determined to make sure it never happens again.
But there's no accounting for early-morning skunks!
Maybe this skunk was an early riser or maybe he was staggering home from an
all-nighter, but either way, a skunk and our dogs greeted eac... more »
Greens: Reciting the rail mantra while reality passes them by
The Greens constantly push public transport as the ideal transport system
for every city, every passenger, every transport case.
See what I mean:
Motorists' petrol taxes should go to increasing public transport, they say.
Hang everything else and get the Auckland City Rail Link built, they say.
Scrap the Kapiti Expressway plan and build more public transport, they say.
Scrap the Puhoi-Wellsford highway, they say, and build more public transport.
Scrap Transmission Gully, they say, and build more public transport.
Their mantra, a never-ending refrain, is more rail, fewer roads—an... more »
RESOLUTION TO THE PALESTINE-ISRAEL CONUNDRUM: FOUR OPTIONS – ONLY ONE VIABLE
For decades the resolution to the Palestine-Israel conundrum has proved
elusive and the reason for that has been staring us in the face for years.
The fact is; the elitists of both sides want all of the lands that were
once Palestine and that are now Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip,
for their respective selves. The Zionists want all of the lands – and then
some – in order to realise their dream of creating a Greater Israel while
on the other side of the coin there are some elitist Palestinians who want
a nation free of all Jews. These are both ‘one state for one people’
opt... more »
Harper Pal Busted in Panama
Arthur Porter has been nabbed by authorities in Panama. The Montreal
hospital administrator has been on the run for some time. Three years ago
Porter was appointed by Stephen Harper to serve as chairman of SIRC, the
watchdog panel overseeing CSIS, Canada's spy agency.
Porter was subsequently accused to taking kickbacks from SNC-Lavelin Group
(is that all they do?) on a 1.3-billion dollar hospital construction and
maintenance contract.
Porter and his wife split for the Bahamas where he claimed to be too sick
with stage four cancer to return to Canada to face the music. Apparen... more »
Joe Crowley-- Making The Republican Party Look Less Singularly Horrible
Dangerous douche bags Huckabee and Crowley... with guitars
Earlier today, we mentioned in passing, that Joe Crowley is one of the most
corrupt Members of Congress... in *history*, and that he's been
facilitating corrupt relationships between freshmen New Dems-- he's the
ex-Chairman of the Big Business-owned coalition of anti-working family
Democrats. Then I realized it's been *months* since we've covered Crowley.
Since the Juniper Park Civic Association first published the piece below in
March 2012, Queens Democratic boss, Crowley, has been given a formal
position inside the House De... more »
Greens: Reciting the rail mantra while reality passes them by
The Greens constantly push public transport as the ideal transport system
for every city, every passenger, every transport case.
See what I mean:
Motorists' petrol taxes should go to increasing public transport, they say.
Hang everything else and get the Auckland City Rail Link built, they say.
Scrap the Kapiti Expressway plan and build more public transport, they say.
Scrap the Puhoi-Wellsford highway, they say, and build more public transport.
Scrap Transmission Gully, they say, and build more public transport.
Their mantra, a never-ending refrain, is more rail, fewer roads—an... more »
The Rise of Global Civilization: A Conversation with Kishore Mahbubani (The National Interest)
*"The Great Convergence: Asia, the West, and the Logic of One World"* By
Kishore Mahbubani.
An excerpt from the review of the book by Tom Nagorski in The Wall Street
Journal on March 19, 2013, called, *"A New Concert of Nations"*:
The Indian scholar Brahma Challaney recently gave a talk at the Asia
Society in New York about the coming global water-supply crisis. It was a
dispiriting forecast: drought and pollution, even wars over water. That
same morning brought dreary news from other fronts: a fresh threat from
North Korea, another atrocity in Syria, a frightening smog alert fr... more »
One Step Closer……
Every time a child takes a high stakes test we are one step closer to the
end of public education. Keep that in mind next year – especially if you
are a student and/or have a child that doesn’t mind the test – know that
the action of taking the test in fact is assisting […]
PM Stephen Harper's Hand Picked Former Head Of The Security Intelligence Review Committee (SIRC) Arrested For Fraud & Gov't Fraud
**
[image: Progressive Bloggers]
*Issues management for the Harper Conservatives just keeps moving from
'bad' to 'worse':*
*
*
*"Arthur Porter, the well-connected oncologist and hospital administer whom
Prime Minister Stephen Harper appointed three years ago to oversee Canada’s
spy agency, was arrested with his wife in Panama on charges of fraud
against the Quebec government.*
***The charges relate to his alleged role in the handling of a $1.3-billion
Montreal hospital construction and maintenance contract, awarded to
troubled engineering giant SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. in 2010.*
***T... more »
Europe end Arms embargo for Syrian rebels as the war to control of Europe's natural gas supply ses another chess move ....Europe check to Russia
Martin Chulov explains that the US has put its faith in *Salam Idriss*, the
commander of the Free Syrian Army, as someone who can be trusted to be
supplied with weapons via Saudi Arabia:
A reluctant US administration has lately settled on Salam Idriss, the
commander of the umbrella guerilla group, the Free Syria Army, as a leader
in whom it is prepared to take a risk. Dealings between Idriss and the US
military have stepped up in recent months, both in Jordan and Turkey, where
small groups of Syrian rebels are being trained.
An influx of Saudi supplied weapons that crossed the Jorda... more »
Medea Benjamin : Why I spoke Out at Obama's Foreign Policy Speech
Medea Benjamin, co-founder of the political activist group
CodePink, is removed by security after speaking out against President
Barack Obama during his foreign policy speech Thursday. Photo by Kevin
Dietsch / UPI. Image from Common Dreams.
Why I spoke out at
Obama's foreign policy speech
Or, Why Obama's policies themselves, not those who speak out against them, are rude.
By Medea
Catarinas refrescandose sobre el agua cristalina
[image: Catarinas refrescandose sobre el agua cristalina]
*Nota:* Click aquí para ver más *imágenes de catarinas*
Por favor visite nuestra página oficial: www.fotofrontera.com
Muñequitos de cartón recolectando frutos
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