10:40am MDST
Already, those conventions are a thing of the past!
Already, those conventions are a thing of the past!
*WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2013* *Kevin Drum, the IRS and Super Safety Dog:* Did the IRS blow a lot of bucks on an Anaheim conference? Kevin Drum says the price of the gathering wasn’t all that bad. We have our own two cents to throw in. But first: The caterwauling has been general about this very bad conduct. In this morning’s New York Times, Jonathan Weisman notes an intriguing fact—these deeply disturbing events are already a thing of the past: WEISMAN (6/5/13): The Internal Revenue Service spent $4.1 million on a single conference in Southern California in 2010, paying top dollar for... more »
Michelle Obama acts in her usual ladylike manner...
*MOTUS captures the entire event perfectly - and we thank her.* *Bi-the way, did you hear what Lady M didn’t say yesterday?*
A Colorado sheriff speaks out about gun rights...
*and how you're being mislead by the Obama administration - and we thank him. * President Obama visited Denver on April 3, 2013 to push his excessive gun legislation. Not one sheriff in the state of Colorado was included in the event. The sheriffs of Colorado representing 62 counties were kept out of the event because their legislative needs were not useful to the president. Obama's purposeful shunning of the state sheriffs could not silence them. Listen as Sheriff Shayne Heap from Elbert County Colorado responds to the president's comments. H/T *Storm'n Norman*
JB Campbell: Anti- American!
I have recently been asked for my take on JB Campbell and his writings.... For years now, I have periodically looked at his articles, and I found them to be very informative and absolutely truthful.... Many may not like what he has to say, but he is spot on in calling out the Jewish criminals and their horrible actions against humanity.... For this article ... I want to concentrate on a very important piece that was first brought forward by Darryl Bradford Smith, through his "French Connection" website, at www.iamthewitness.com. It was written by JB Campbell over 2 years ago,for t... more »
Syria: Syrian Army takes al-Qusayr, Sarin & UN and Condoleeza is back.....
Getting back to Syria. A news round up of sorts *Qusay(i)r has been taken back from NATO’s mercs.* [image: http://www.jpost.com/HttpHandlers/ShowImage.ashx?ID=219977] Syria for Syrians Of course, the western media is engaging in spin. When NATO’s mercs laid siege to Qusay(i)r the western media said nothing. No condemnation at all When the NATO mercs laid seige to the town and forced the majority of it’s residents to flee. The western media was probably cheering the subsequent cleansing. Now that Syr... more »
150 Tea Party members arrested in protest against Democrats...
*bet that got your attention.* Actually... 150 People Arrested In NAACP Protest Against NC Republicans Who would of thought?
Dark Money, Dirty Money
There's been a lot written about dark money being funneled into politics lately. On HuffPo today - a lesson in dirty money. I couldn't help thinking about the video of Adelson being protected by his family at the Republican national convention. There to get his a$$ ki$$ed by the politicians that dark, dirty money funds. *The legal headaches besetting billionaire Sheldon Adelson’s Las Vegas SandsCorp.* now include a grand jury in Los Angeles, part of a federal money-laundering probe of his Nevada-based casinos, The Huffington Post has learned. The involvement of a federal grand j... more »
An Open Letter to the Reluctant Prepper
Gaye Levy Becoming prepared can be a lonely journey. Family members scoff and friends roll their eyes and shy away, thinking you have joined the tin foil hat society. You want to share and you want to talk, but say too much to the wrong people and you may be setting yourself up for future free-loading, looting, or worse. This is a dilemma faced by almost every prepper I know. Most want to join up with other like-minded people but who do they trust? The issue of trust is one reason why most of us want family members and close friends to come on board the prepping wagon; but, alas,... more »
Rumors Spread Of Militias At Work In Iraq
Iraq is facing a worsening security situation, but the country is not yet in a civil war. What could change that is if Shiites decide they can no longer rely upon the government to protect them, and begin taking matters into their own hands as they did during the civil war period from 2005-2008. Rumors play a large role in Iraq, and currently what is spreading amongst Sunnis are stories of fake checkpoints manned by militiamen who kidnap and murder people. Political parties and the protest movement are magnifying these rumors, and have now incorporated them into their weekly discou... more »
You Create Your Own Reality
*Youtube* See David Icke's new project here. Enter your email address to subscribe to our newsletter: Delivered by FeedBurner Be the Change! Share this using the tools below.
Be A Victim: When Your Kid Is Being Attacked, Teachers Are Just Minutes Away
Mac Slavo Should your child go to school and make a gesture with his hands resembling a gun, under zero-tolerance policies you can be 100% assured that he or she will be promptly suspended or expelled. However, if a student bully or random attacker should throw a desk at your child’s head, leaving a hole in his skull, that sense of urgency turns to apathy and indifference. A mother is outraged after she says no one called 911 when her teenage son suffered a skull fracture at the hands of another student. The alleged incident happened on campus during school hours. (…) Victor... more »
Keeping It In the Family: Senator Feinstein’s Husband Stands to Make Millions from USPS Contract
Daniel Jackson Senator Dianne Feinstein has long been accused of corruption and unethical behavior in Congress. From going after the Second Amendment to making tens of millions of dollars through her husband’s companies, Feinstein seems to take unbridled glee in being one of the most corrupt members of Congress today. Recently, a new wave of accusations has been levied at Feinstein, this time focusing on a deal that started in 2011 when the Post Office awarded the CBRE Group Inc. a contract to be the sole marketer of USPS properties. Feinstein’s husband, Richard Blum, just so hap... more »
It’s time for Glenn Kessler to fact-check O’Reilly!
*WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2013* *O’Reilly keeps pouring it on:* Last night, Bill O’Reilly just kept pouring it on. With the apparent help of Jon Stewart! On a typical evening, roughly 5 million people watch one of O’Reilly’s three broadcasts on Fox. (His program airs at 8 PM, 11 PM and 4 AM Eastern.) Last night, in O’Reilly’s opening monologue, those five million people saw Jon Stewart used to advance a bogus claim about the IRS. O’Reilly just kept pouring it on, helped along by edited tape of Stewart! Here’s how this gong-show came down: On Monday evening’s Daily Show, Stewart opened ... more »
So what exactly is a "free range" chicken...
*and other info you can use.* Since I began working in a grocery store, I've been really reading up on claims made on food packages. My personal favorite is "gluten free." It seems everyone is suddenly unable to tolerate gluten. Makes me wonder what the hell they've been eating for the past 50 or 60 years. While we try to stick to a wheat free diet around here (which naturally eliminates gluten), most "gluten free" packaged food is chock full of crappy alternatives. "All natural" is another one that makes me chuckle. Arsenic is "all natural", but I'm not planning on having a ... more »
BREAK FROM BLOGING
*First, here is my meta-index for my more substantial posts:* * * *META-INDEX FOR MAJIA'S BLOG * AWARE AND PRIVATIZATION OF RISK http://majiasblog.blogspot.com/2013/06/links-aware-and-privatization-of-risk.html PLUTONOMY AND DISPOSSESSION http://majiasblog.blogspot.com/2013/06/links-plutonmy-despotism-dispossession.html FINANCIAL FRAUD, AUSTERITY, AND WAGE COLLAPSE http://majiasblog.blogspot.com/2013/06/links-financial-fraud-austerity-and.html BP OIL SPILL http://majiasblog.blogspot.com/2013/06/links-bp-oil-spill.html FUKUSHIMA DISASTER, CONTAMINATION, AND POTENTIAL EFFECTS http... more »
Does China Plan To Back The Yuan With Gold And Make It The Primary Global Reserve Currency?
Michael Snyder What in the world is China up to? Why are the Chinese hoarding so much gold? Does China plan to back the yuan with gold and turn it into a global reserve currency? Could it be possible that China actually intends for the yuan to eventually replace the U.S. dollar as *the* primary reserve currency of the planet? Most people in the Western world assume that China just wants a "seat at the table" and is content to let the United States run the show. But that isn't the case at all. The truth is that China doesn't just want to compete with the United States. Rather... more »
Monsanto sued by Kansas wheat farmer over release of unapproved GMO wheat in Oregon
Wheat field in Coburg, Oregon image credit: elias_daniel/Flickr Madison Ruppert A wheat farmer in Kansas has filed a lawsuit against Monsanto alleging that the infamous agricultural giant is guilty of gross negligence for not containing unapproved genetically modified wheat which was recently discovered in Oregon. The farmer, Ernest Barnes, said that Monsanto’s GMO wheat has put all of the United States’ wheat export sales at risk. Meanwhile, Monsanto claims they have no clue how the “Roundup Ready” strain of wheat ended up in an Oregon field since they say they abandoned their re... more »
FBI pushes for wiretap-friendly Internet
*Youtube* A new wiretap bill backed by the FBI has many Internet companies concerned that this new proposed legislation will open the floodgates to all Internet communication. The new motion will expand wiretapping designs significantly and includes the ability for law enforcement to gain access to emails and features like video chats. Enter your email address to subscribe to our newsletter: Delivered by FeedBurner Be the Change! Share this using the tools below.
Will Colorado Senator Who Backed Strict Gun Control Law Face State's First Ever Recall Election?
Daniel Jackson A Colorado lawmaker who championed some of the strictest gun laws in the country is now facing a possible recall after concerned citizens turned in twice the needed petition signatures to initiate the state's first ever recall election. Democratic Senate President John Morse sponsored the new gun laws in Colorado and originally backed an even stricter law that would have made gun owners liable for damage caused by their weapons. Because of this, citizens within the state have risen up and are set to possibly remove him from office. The Washington Post reported: ... more »
An Obituary for the Left
*CounterPunch* recently carried a lament for *The Silent Death of the American Left. *It offers useful insights for the gristled remnant of Canada's once proud political Left that has now fallen happy victim to the black hole of political compression, the flaccid centrism that afflicts us today. The question stands for us as well - is there really a Left movement in Canada any longer? *There is, of course, a Left ideology, a Left of the mind, a Left of theory and critique. But is there a Left movement?* ** *Does the Left exist as an oppositional political, cultural or economic f... more »
New: Blogger contact form gadget
Blogger has recently added a third party CONTACT FORM gadget to its lists of gadgets. The contact form is fluid with width conforming to the width of the section to which it had been added so you don't need to worry over how wide your contact form should be: [image: blogger contact form gadget] There are only 3 fields (boxes) - Name, Email and Message. To add a contact form, sign into Blogger (Dashboard), click the down arrow of the drop down menu on the extreme right side, select LAYOUT as shown in the screenshot below: [image: Blogger dashboard drop down menu to layout] At the p... more »
Trial Continues For Military Whistleblower Bradley Manning (Day 2)
*Activist Post* We have spoken to Nathan Fuller at Bradleymanning.org who has given us gracious permission to reprint his daily firsthand reports. Day 2 is posted below. We also will be adding commentary, as well as analyses from other sources to provide a constant update to what is happening in this essential trial for whistleblowers and their mission to reveal the truth. As a part of today's update, we are also including this new trailer released that includes various celebrities and well-respected media such as Chris Hedges and Matt Taibbi. "I am Bradley Manning." *Nathan Ful... more »
ACTION ITEM: No More Excuses
This is stunning. My personal opinion is that the destruction is not just limited to mountaintop mining - but probably linked to most every activity that destroys the earth - to expand fossil fuel production. Cause - corporations care about profits, corporation do not care about people. I found it on Crooks and Liars this morning. *One thing leads to another.* It is up to us to stop *each and every* thing. Please sign the petition to Obama to stop mountaintop removal. Remember - someday you may have a petition, that you need signatures for. Help others now - so they will help you i... more »
WotW: Preserve Your Child's Masterpiece and Decrease Clutter with Artkive
I have a weird confession to make: I hate paper. I know, I know, that's weird, but I really hate paper. I don't like how paper stacks up around the house. I don't like how it gets crumpled and messy. I don't like the way it feels. So, for my bizarre mind, I love anything electronic that simplifies and removes the paper from my life. Hence my love for email, ebooks and so many useful apps. My daughter, on the other hand, has a pathological love for paper. She loves the stuff. She steals all sorts of paper – receipts, mail, envelopes – so she can draw on it later. I'd like to think ... more »
New U.N. Chemical Weapons Report on Syria Blames Assad
*New UN report contradicts the last UN report.* image source Brandon Turbeville After having some time to regroup, Western-backed propaganda against the Assad government of Syria regarding the alleged (and erroneous) claims of the use of chemical weapons against rebels death squads and civilians has apparently resumed. As Reuters reports, “United Nations human rights investigators said on Tuesday they had “reasonable grounds” to believe that limited amounts of chemical weapons had been used by government forces in Syria.”Reuters also states that “In their latest report, based on... more »
The Common Core: Food Edition
Here’s a picture of a letter sent out by a local school working group on common core. Now, on the whole, I completely support healthier eating habits for children. I would encourage more physical activity and better food choices, especially given how predatory fast food marketing is towards children and their families. It takes a […]
US economy recovery bloom off the rose ?
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-06-05/worst-month-mortgage-apps-2009-driving-mass-layoffs Worst Month For Mortgage Apps Since 2009 Driving Mass Layoffs [image: Tyler Durden's picture] Submitted by Tyler Durden on 06/05/2013 09:07 -0400 - Housing Bubble - New Home Sales This morning's 11.5% week-over-week plunge in mortgage applications is the fourth week of fading demand in a row as it appears the bloom is very much off the rose of the second-coming of the housing bubble. This makes it the *worst plunge in mortgage applications since June 2009* and the lowest level of ... more »
Reasonable inferences are not necessarily likely or probable inferences
*R. v. Dwyer,* 2013 ONCA 368 holds: [4] Reasonable inferences are not necessarily likely or probable inferences. The inference that is most favourable to the Crown must be drawn at the preliminary inquiry stage. Difficult inferences to draw may still nonetheless be reasonable.
Conservatives Can't Keep Up WIth Technological Developments
I wish I could remember his exact quote, but a high school history teacher impressed me by explaining how technological achievements galloped way ahead of society's ability to evolve spiritually, intellectually and morally to deal with those achievements. He said it so elegantly though. In her book, Murder in the Name of Honor, journalist/activist Rana Husseini makes a similar point about backward, morally-primitive conservatives and how they relate to women. Last weekend we looked at how horribly conservatives deal with women... and suddenly the Republican War Against Women was ... more »
WHAT’S WRONG WITH MSNBC: Pareene speaks!
*WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2013 * *Part 3—Would liberals respond to a fight:* MSNBC’s ratings are down from last year. At Fox, ratings are up. Ratings are *not* a measure of quality, as Fox proves night after night. But people have started to wonder why MSNBC is losing viewers. Last week, Alex Pareene examined the question under this headline: “What’s Wrong with MSNBC?” Pareene is one of the last sane observers left at Salon. We were struck by some of the things the sardonic gentleman said. In our view, some of Pareene’s observations aren’t entirely on point, which doesn't mean that the... more »
Susan Rice reaps her reward...
*for lying to the American people.* *Susan Rice to replace Donilon as national security adviser* Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador who drew criticism for her initial account of the Benghazi terror attack, has been promoted to national security adviser, a senior White House official confirmed to Fox News. [...] Rice went on five Sunday shows after the attack and claimed it was triggered by protests over an anti-Islam film, an explanation many lawmakers said at the time was inaccurate. The administration later acknowledged there were no protests on the ground in Benghazi, though they ... more »
"You know those Conservatives burnt a few bridges"
Overhead at the drug store: "You know those Conservatives burnt a few bridges. I think the Liberals are back in next time." "Well I didn't want to hear it but seems Harper is just as bad as that last one the Libs had. But I like the boy Trudeau. He seems honest. Young though but we need that" "Yup. Look at the old crooks in the Senate. Time for young people. And time to get rid of that Senate" "Did you get in any fishing last week ,,,"
Saving DC Schools with Catastrophe Innovation!
Emma Brown in The Washington Post offers an important window into schools reform occurring (ad infinitum) in Washington DC: D.C. Council member David A. Catania plans to announce wide-ranging legislation Tuesday that could substantially reshape the city’s public education system, as he seeks to increase funding to educate poor children, give more power to principals, […]
Read Stuff, You Should
Happy Birthday to Russ Ortiz, 39. Not a bad pitcher in his prime, although his Wins/quality seems fairly high. And then two years after the Giants gave him a way for two guys who never worked out, he went from Atlanta to Arizona...and fell off a cliff. And yet he managed to hang around for at least parts of five more seasons, and more than 50 more starts, despite never again doing better than an 82 ERA+. Anyway, he was fun to root for. Oh, the good stuff: 1. Ross Douthat takes on conservative libertarians. Interesting. 2. While Conor Friedersdorf really doesn't like elite-bashing b... more »
Why “Reform” Failed: Part Two of James Paul Gee and The Anti-Education Era
James Paul Gee’s The Anti-Education Era uses cognitive science to explain in a nuanced manner why test-driven reform has failed. This second post on Gee’s subtle analysis will help explain why “reformers” and others have failed to improve public schools. A third post will present Gee’s thoughts on improving education. Gee explains that “formal education […]
A Junk Decision on Warrantless DNA Collection
Hanni Fakhoury & Jennifer Lynch *EFF* You lost some important Fourth Amendment protection when the Supreme Court ruled yesterday in Maryland v. King that the police can take a DNA sample from an arrestee without a search warrant for purposes of general law enforcement rummaging. The court was reviewing the constitutionality of Maryland's practice of collecting DNA from all arrestees -- without a search warrant or any individualized suspicion that the DNA will lead to evidence of a crime. Maryland is not alone in this practice; 28 states and the federal government all do the same ... more »
The Racist War on Weed
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Ed Steer's Gold and silver Report - June 5 , 2013 .... Data from June 4th , News and Views...
http://www.caseyresearch.com/gsd/edition/reserve-bank-of-india-nears-panic-in-its-war-against-gold Reserve Bank of India Nears Panic in Its War Against Gold Jun *5* - Yesterday in Gold and Silver - Critical Reads - The Funnies - The Wrap RetweetShare& quot;Another day...and another sell-off back below the $1,400 spot price mark in gold." ¤ YESTERDAY IN GOLD & SILVER The gold price traded sideways until shortly after 1:00 p.m. Hong Kong time...and then began to sell off...with the low of the day [$1,387.90 spot] coming shortly before the London close at 4:00 p.m. BST...or 11:0... more »
Bill Clinton vents on Obama ! White House Insiders tell New York Times they wish Eric Holder would get lost ! White house scandals will remain in the forefront as GOP will continue chinese water torture of multiple Hearings - especially as the Hearings are hurting Poll numbers for Obama , Hillary so far .....
Catharsis Ours - 4 hours ago
Bill Clinton vents on Obama..... http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/gets_hill_bullied_EjhPAdD8Ati7RRkMlNqHbM Obama was pushed by Clintons into endorsement of Hillary in 2016: book - By EDWARD KLEIN - Last Updated: 9:12 AM, June 2, 2013 - Posted: 11:07 PM, June 1, 2013 EXCLUSIVE President Obama made a secret deal to support Hillary Clinton when she runs for president in 2016, campaign sources say, payback for the support her husband gave him in 2012. Bill Clinton’s animosity toward Obama is legendary. A year before the last election, he was urging Hillary to challenge ... more »
John Kerry taks cr*p
'Now, some are wary because of Israel’s experience following the withdrawal of Gaza and Lebanon. You have no idea how many times I hear people say, “We withdrew from Lebanon, we withdrew from Gaza, and what did we get? We got rockets.” Well, folks, it’s worth remembering these withdrawals were unilateral. They were not part of a negotiated peace treaty that included strong guarantees for Israel’s security, and they certainly weren’t part of a peace agreement that agrees to be a demilitarized state or entity.' That's from a speech made by US Secretary of State John Kerry and quoted ... more »
California Senate Approves Industrial Hemp Bill
VoteHemp.org image Phillip Smith A bill that would set up provisions for growing industrial hemp in the Golden State passed the state Senate Tuesday on a unanimous vote. It now heads to the state Assembly. The current bill, Senate Bill 566, was written to assuage the concerns Brown expressed in his 2011 veto message. It will not take effect until hemp production is authorized under federal law. Hemp bills have passed out of the legislature in 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2011, only to fall prey to gubernatorial vetoes. Vetoes have come under both Democratic and Republican governor... more »
It's All About Money
The standard narrative on Nigel Wright seems to be that he is a straight arrow who took one for the boss. But Linda McQuaig suggests that narrative is what the Harperites would like you to believe. The truth is more complicated: Less attention has been paid to Wright’s role as one of the Harper Conservatives’ top bagmen. In addition to being a key player in Stephen Harper’s rise to power and the push to “unite the right” a decade ago, Wright, a Bay Street insider who served as managing director of the powerful private equity firm Onex, has been deeply involved in the money side o... more »
Rep. Jim McDermott's...
*outrageous behavior.* *Rep. Jim McDermott: Making the same argument for tyranny that was made 244 years ago…*
Computex: Windows-Android Hybrids and phablets Instigate
A laptop running both Windows 8 and Android; a 6in smartphone and a hybrid mouse-touchpad are some of the devices to have been unveiled ahead of the launch of Computex. Other launches incorporated the first PCs to feature Intel's new processor, codenamed Haswell. It added that it believed tablet shipments would grow by 58.7% over the same period, putting them on course to overtake PCs by 2015. The incident comes a week after researchers recommended PC sales were declining faster than had been thought. IDC predicted that shipments of personal computers including both desktops an... more »
Nader - "American fascism" - A Real Problem
From an interview with Nader on Democracy Now So we’ve got a real problem here. It’s not too extreme to call *our system of government now "American fascism."* It’s the control of government by big business, which Franklin Delano Roosevelt defined in 1938 as fascism. And they control the government and turn the government to their favor—subsidies, handouts, giveaways, deferred prosecutions, non-prosecutions—and against the American people. And minimum wage is just one. You have full Medicare for all, which a majority of doctors and the American people want, with free choice of doc... more »
A note about BZ Riger donations
Please send BZ Riger donations directly to her account at Paypal bz@in-spiros.com. I will be gone for a few days.
Seek Self - A Poem by M.N. Hopkins
Seek Self *Seek Self* ** *Seek the wisdom* ** *Seek the strength* ** *Seek the knowledge* ** *That is already within yourSelf* ** *Seek not the words of others* ** *Listen in the silence* ** *Hear that which forms the words* ** *Feel that which gives life to all living things * ** *Trust in your own innate abilities* ** *Trust in your Self* ** *As you would trust in God* ** *For God has sanctioned Self to act on It's Behalf* ** *Self is the link to All There Is* ** *As well as the link to your human heart* ** *Self links you to God* ** *Self links you to your humanity* ** *Self links to ... more »
Missouri Sends ALEC to Congress
It's evident people aren't listening to the messages Jason Smith Wins Missouri 8th Congressional District Special Election Posted on June 4, 2013 by Julian Stolz Republican Missouri State House Speaker Pro Tempore Jason Smith has defeated his Democrat opponent, State Representative Steve Hodges in the special election to replace former Congresswoman Jo Ann Emmerson. Ms. Emmerson resigned from Congress in February in order to take a position as President of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. SNIP In addition to being one of the youngest members of Congress (he’s 32... more »
BRIAR MacLEAN
Briar MacLean, 13, saved a kid from a knife attack. He was then reprimanded. *13yr old Reprimanded By School For Saving Kid From Knife Attack *
SLIME LOSING THE WAR
*Gen Slime Idriss of the F*** Syrian Army* General Slime Idriss, the military chief of the F*ck Syria Army, says his men are ready to fight Hezbollah militants inside neighbouring Lebanon. Gen Slime told the BBC-MI6 that his forces were not losing the war, despite recent setbacks showing that they were losing the war. Early on Wednesday Syrian state TV claimed that government forces had gained full control of Qusair. There was no way of immediately verifying the claim, which was also reported by Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV channel.
Turkey Shaking It Up
This is obviously useful as I expect just about no one cares much for the Turkish political scene. I have been uncomfortable regarding the shift in emphasis under Erdogan away from secularism, which I consider dangerous in any country that operates under democratic principles. It becomes an easily trod path to violent repression as we have seen repeated over and over again. I want to see governments specifically avoid the whole story line. Failure to do so as we have now seen in Turkey is toying for chaos. What has happened here is that a large number of the electors have ... more »
Farming the Seafloor Successfully
Let us make life simple. The bottom trawlers have effectively mined the seafloor and destroyed their fishing stacks pretty where everywhere. I suspect that we are now coming up to the end game in which there is simply no where for them to go at all. This item does tell us that repeated dragging has nicely leveled a huge amount of sea floor. This opens the door to planned exploitation. That actually great news because the interests vested in the failing solution are going elsewhere anyway. This allows a new sustainable solution to be established. Better, modern te... more »
Straw Bale Gardening Surprises
This is actually huge news and a direct commercial solution to a major problem. Grain production produces an awful lot of straw for which there has ever been a scant market. How we have a natural home for all of it. This will put it squarely into the private garden. It is just too easy and too useful. You have to manage the watering and that is the definition of private gardening. Better yet it is a natural way to produce robust yields without fighting an unending weed problem. I particularly like potatoes here. The roots spread downward and fill up the bale with p... more »
Household Bank and Ditch
This is an artificial bank and ditch system modeled after its Indian ancestors. It is highly productive particularly if it can be kept warm somehow. Rather obviously, such a system can rack growing trays on top of the tank itself. The ongoing biological activity would easily preserve the integrity of the system. I would go further and ensure that the growing medium held one percent in biochar to ensure a stable nutrient balance. Any soil losses into the tank can be ultimately recycled back into the beds easily. At least no one is having to stand in a ditch and shovel w... more »
Untitled
*Lawmakers approve bill, opening door for RTA to run ferries ~Meg Gatto, WVUE**~Bag of Donuts + Algiers Brass Band today at Wednesdays on the Point!* *~Tonight: a rally to save the ferries* *50-50 chance Gulf system will develop ~WWL* *Landrieu challenges Senate on flood insurance increases ~Jordan Bloom, The Advocate* *Clara Gerica: Proprietor and market vendor,Pete & Clara's Seafood ~Ian McNulty, Gambit* *Judge: Feds must redo red snapper seasons* *STORMPROOF: Open International Design Competition for Building Resilient Cities* *HA! HA! BP can't handle da'twoof of Caveat emptor... more »
An Interview with Diane Klein, Author of "In The Name Of Health"
*The Side Effects Radio Host interviews Diane Klein author of "In the Name of Help".* Is it possible that a stranger could step into another person’s life and take it over completely? Could a stranger gain the legal right to dictate where another person will live and what medical treatment he will be given? Could they then cause that person to be lost for years, or even a lifetime, in an abyss of mental hospitals and board and care facilities? Author, educator and activist Diane Klein is our guest today on "Side Effects Radio" talking about her book "In the Name of Help" which... more »
Maldacena, Susskind: any entanglement is a wormhole of a sort
*...more precisely, EPR is equivalent to ER...* Juan Maldacena and Leonard Susskind wrote a cool paper attacking the horizons of our current understanding of quantum gravity which may look convoluted if not entangled to many readers, which may swallow your attention like a black hole, and which is called Cool horizons for entangled black holes. I suppose that the paper was created after Juan Maldacena explained to Lenny Susskind why his recent pro-firewall paper was wrong. Both Maldacena and Susskind have thought about similar things for quite some time but there are many reasons –... more »
Michael Adebolajo speaks
That's one of the Woolwich terror suspects, Michael Adebolajo, filmed in 2009 at a demonstration against the English Defence League in Harrow. A demonstration held on the eighth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist atrocity. If you can't catch the words, here they are: 'Allahu akbar. There is no god but Allah, Mohammed is the Messenger of Allah. We are not scared of kuffar. My brothers, remain in your ranks and do not be scared of these filthy kuffar. They are pigs. They are worse than cattle. Allahu akbar. There is no god but Allah, Mohammed is the Messenger of Allah.' Ah pigs and ... more »
Mining 22: Philippines as EITI Candidate
A friend, Stephen Cutlet, caught my attention to this press statement by US Ambassador to the Philippines, Harry Thomas, Jr. In a message , *Congratulations, Philippines: Raising the Bar on ExtractiveResources Transparency and Accountability*, the Ambassador said, *… On May 22, I was pleased to see the Philippines became a candidate member at the latest Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) Global Conference held in Sydney, Australia. EITI is a voluntary international system through which governments reaffirm their commitment to accountability and transparency for... more »
Just Let Them Play!
Tonight the Bands at our little school will give their final concert performance “The Concert in the Park”, which is actually a concert held on the front lawn of the school. Along with a chicken barbecue dinner, this event is one of the best attended in the community. It occurs to me that the top […]
PROTESTS IN IRAN
Iran's presidential elections are due to take place in June 2013. On 4 June 2013, tens of thousands of Iranians took part in the funeral of a senior *dissident* cleric in Isfahan. This turned into the biggest anti-government protest for years, the BBC reports. *Iran dissident's funeral turns into anti-government protest* * * The protesters chanted against the government and the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling for the "death to the dictator." They chanted "The political prisoners must freed" and "Mousavi and Karroubi must be freed." Mousavi and Karroubi are the le... more »
"A Look to the Heavens"
"Have you ever hiked the Queen's Garden trail in Bryce Canyon, Utah, USA, planet Earth? Walking along that path in this dark night skyscape, you can almost imagine your journey continues along the pale, luminous Milky Way. Of course, the name for our galaxy, the Milky Way (in Latin, Via Lactea), does refer to its appearance as a milky band or path in the sky. In fact, the word galaxy itself derives from the Greek for milk. *Click image for larger size.* Visible on moonless nights from dark sky areas, though not so bright or quite so colorful as in this image, the glowing cel... more »
The Daily "Near You?"
Tours, Centre, France. Thanks for stopping by.
Chet Raymo, “In The Sweet By And By”
* * *“In The Sweet By And By”* by Chet Raymo “In the Bahamas there's a saying: Everbody wanna go to hebben, but nobody wanna die. I suppose you could find the same expression anywhere in the world. It's one of those universal axioms, a cognitive dissonance the human species has learned to live with. We want to live forever, but there's always that nagging fear that death is final. When someone comes along promising eternal life, we are quick to jump on board, to buy into the program, to make our Pascal's Wager with a generous tithe. The Keys of the Kingdom have always been the ul... more »
Paulo Coelho, “The Chess Game”
* * *“The Chess Game”* by Paulo Coelho “A young man said to the abbot from the monastery of Melk: "I’d actually like to be a monk, but I haven’t learned anything in life. All my father taught me was to play chess, which does not lead to enlightenment. Apart from that, I learned that all games are a sin." "They may be a sin but they can also be a diversion, and who knows, this monastery needs a little of both," was the reply. The abbot asked for a chess board, sent for a monk and told him to play the young man. But before the game began, he added: "Although we need diversion, we ... more »
UP Alumni Among New Senators
Someone posted in Taga UP Diliman Ka Kung (TUPDKK) facebook group that there will be a mini UP alumni reunion at the CCP, aka induction of the new Senators of the Philippines. I got curious, how many of the 12 new senators are from the University of the Philippines (UP)? I checked Wikipedia, went through the brief bio of all the new Senators, especially their university education, and here’s what I got, arranged alphabetically among UP alumni first, then the non-UP alumni. 2013 Elections 1. Sonny Angara, UPD, Law 2. Nancy Binay, UPD, tourism 3. Alan Cayetano, UPD, Pol Sci 4. Chiz E... more »
Censoring history lessons to stop Muslim children being offended
To the schools who hold back on the teaching about the holocaust in case learning of the deaths of millions of Jews offends Muslim pupils or their parents, we can now add this news: 'Out of consideration for immigrants of Turkish background teachers in a Vienna elementary school have been advised to no longer cover the topic in their teaching. Whoever does not comply is threatened with being transferred, reports the newspaper Krone. After all the Turks could feel insulted when they are reminded of their defeats. The Turkish wars are of major significance for Austrian history, howeve... more »
Today's Audience Just Got Google Glass!
The ex-Taking Heads musician, David Byrne now opens his shows encouraging folk to take pictures, film and record and share on YouTube, but to only post the good recordings. In his book ‘How Music Works’ he describe that cathartic moment when he stopped trying to fight concert recording and embraced them as a way of marketing the show and his music. The guardian reports this week on concert pianists, Krystian Zimerman’s reaction to being filmed during a performance. He was so annoyed over seeing a member of the audience filming him perform he asked the audience member, "Would you pl... more »
Photos
[image: 19990301-vachon-mw02-001-910] John Vachon[image: Nikos Economopoulos View profile GREECE. Macedonia region. Near the town of Thessalonica. Gypsy camp. 1994.] Nikos Economopoulos, Gypsy camp in Greece 1994. [image: Rubbish Collectors Jakarta] Jakarta [image: Port-au-Prince, 1994. © Alex Webb] Port-au-Prince, 1994. © Alex Webb
David Gross on youth, revolutions, conservatives, QM, QFT, QCD, ST, multiverse etc.
Wired has reprinted an interview of Simons Science News with David Gross: Nobel Laureate Says Physics Is in Need of a Revolution Well, I don't think that the title accurately summarizes what Gross said. He mentioned that he was attracted to physics as a kid, partly by Einstein's and Infeld's book when he was 13. He gives some clues to the interviewer about the meaning of quantum mechanics, fields, quantum fields, asymptotic freedom, and so on. His adviser Geoffrey Chew has ordered Gross to spark a new revolution by showing that quantum field theory is fundamentally wrong and one nee... more »
Pol. Ideology 41: Engage Government or Not; Minarchy or Anarchy
A friend in facebook, David Shellenberger, is among the advocates of anarchy or "zero authority" or "no ruler" or simply zero government. He maintains a blog, http://www.daveshellenberger.com/. The libertarian or classical liberal philosophy is mainly divided between the advocates of anarchy and minarchy. The latter advocates "limited/minimal government". I belong to the latter philosophy. I believe there is one important function for government, and that is to promulgate the rule of law when non-government and civil society form of arbitration fails. Today, David posted a news art... more »
Freedom of the Press Foundation - Bradley Manning trial transcripts online
Bradley Manning is the US Army private who released tonnes of cables and other documentation to Wikileaks, and the Collateral Murder video of a helicopter gunship (computer game-like) shooting civilians, journalists and children in cold blood. For this he's facing the treason charge of AIDING THE ENEMY. *The US military has refused to release transcripts of Bradley Manning's trial. In addition, they've denied press passes to 270 out of the 350 media organizations that applied. * * * *In response, Freedom of the Press Foundation has crowd-sourced funding to place a professional sten... more »
June 4, 1973
The Senate Watergate hearings resumed after a long recess. There are plenty of important witnesses, but it's clear both inside the White House and outside that John Dean, scheduled soon, will be the star witness -- and will implicate the president in the cover-up. So today Richard Nixon starts a more serious preparation: for the next week, he listens to hours and hours of the White House tapes. More people are learning of the tapes; in the new White House, it's not restricted to just the chief of staff, but in addition to Al Haig, Ron Zeigler now learns of the tapes, as does WH coun... more »
Father's Day Giveaway (3 Massage Giftcards)
The last little while and with Father's Day being this month, I have been reflecting on my relationship with my Dad. A little while ago I was struggling with a problem, one that wasn't important in the grand scheme of things, but I was still really frustrated. My dad who wasn't even in the same country as me at the time, kept calling to see what he could do on his end and what progress I had made. I couldn't help but think of how lucky I am. How lucky we are for the Dads in our lives, care about our problems big and small. My husband often says he thinks it is silly to celebrate... more »
Your moment of Zen
In recognition of the current Game of Thrones angst. Awesome photoshop via Joseph Werner.
INDEX: SOME BLOGS I FOLLOW
Bobby's Blog: Optimal Prediction http://optimalprediction.com/wp/ Documenting Ian Blog http://ianthomasash.blogspot.jp/ Enenews http://enenews.com/ Enformable Nuclear News http://enformable.com/ Enviro-Reporter reporting on Southern Ca http://www.enviroreporter.com/ Ex-SKF http://ex-skf.blogspot.com/ Fukushima Dairy http://fukushima-diary.com/ Fukushima Faq http://www.fukushimafaq.info/ Fukushima Voice http://fukushimavoice-eng.blogspot.com/?m=1 Global Research http://www.globalresearch.ca/ LyndaLovon's musings on science and culture http://lyndalovon.blogspot.com/ Nuclea... more »
The European Under 21 Championships
The European Under 21 Championships are being held in Israel. The BBC in their preview don't show a map of Israel so we can learn where the four venues are, this is unusual as I remember the BBC showing maps of previous tournament hosts. I'll leave you to decide why the BBC don't show a map of Israel. The European Under 21 Championships in Israel are being played at four venues: Bloomfield Stadium (Tel Aviv). Capacity 14,400 Netanya Stadium (Netanya). Capacity 13,800 HaMoshava Stadium (Petah Tivka). Capacity 11,500 Teddy Stadium (Jerusalem). Capacity 30,000 I'm sure most people h... more »
Syria Government declares it has regained full control of Qusayr - if accurate , the West and GCC are rapidly reaching a moment of truth , truth or dare choice ......
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2013/06/20136521957941696.html Syrian forces regain full control of Qusayr area: Syrian TV Wed Jun 5, 2013 5:2AM Syria’s state television reports that Syrian forces have regained full control of the strategic city of Qusayr. Many militants have been killed or injured during the Syrian army operations to cleanse the region of the terrorists. Deadly battles rage on in Syrian cities Missile strike near Aleppo said to have claimed 26 lives as regime forces backed by Hezbollah continue Qusayr assault. Last Modified: 05 Jun 2013 04:12 [image: Listen ... more »
How Far We've Fallen
Enenews today had an important story from Kyodo: Enenews: Kyodo: 27 Fukushima minors with confirmed or suspected thyroid cancer — Almost tripled since last report in February Fukushima survey lists 12 confirmed, 15 suspected thyroid cancer casesKyodo News June 5, 2013 An ongoing study on the impact of radiation on Fukushima residents from the crippled atomic power plant has found 12 minors with confirmed thyroid cancer diagnoses, up from three in a report in February, with 15 others suspected to have cancer, up from seven, sources familiar with the matter said Tuesday. [...] Res... more »
Muslim Brotherhood Takes The Side of Criminal Erdoğan Against Peaceful Protesters
The Egyptian-based Muslim Brotherhood, which so far has been the biggest beneficiary of the Arab Spring in Egypt, is against the people protesting in Turkey for their freedoms and their beliefs because they are protesting against a self-proclaimed Islamic leader. Here is an excerpt from the article, *"Brotherhood leaders slam Turkey protestors"*: Several Muslim Brotherhood leaders accused Turkish protesters of receiving foreign funds from entities which they claim "want to make the highly successful Islamic project fail". They said the crisis in Turkey is not really about the devel... more »
Prime Minister Abe declares he will slay deflation , third arrow underwhelms ....... maybe Abe should just declare he will " Destroy All Deflation Monsters " ?
[image: NIKKEI 225 (^N225)] [image: NIKKEI 225 (^N225)] http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-06-04/abes-deflation-slaying-third-arrow-underwhelms Abe's Deflation-Slaying Third-Arrow Underwhelms [image: Tyler Durden's picture] Submitted by Tyler Durden on 06/04/2013 23:53 -0400 - Japan - Monetary Policy - Nikkei *UPDATE: *Well that escalated quickly... NKY -450 from Abe spike highs, JPY cracked back under 100 ( 80 pips from Abe spike), JGBs surging For about 2 minutes there it looked as if we were back on track and by the power of jawbone alone, Abe could lift... more »
McCain Vs The Wacko Birds
McCain seems pretty bitter. Just 13 years younger than the recently departed Frank Lautenberg, McCain is fighting with everyone these days. Determined to start one more war before he dies, he's especially bitter that Republicans he and Lindsey Graham have dubbed "the wacko birds" are blocking his attempts to involve the U.S. in a war with Iran via Syria. Yesterday on CBS he expressed his displeasure that Darrell Issa, himself a serial car thief and arsonist-for-pay, called White House Press Secretary Jay Carney a "paid liar," something most right-wing groups are applauding. But it... more »
Creator of 'The Wire' David Simon On The War on Drugs
Watch: *The House I Live In*, "documentary about the human rights implications of the war on drugs -- the longest conflict in U.S. history, and the least winnable" (PBS). An excerpt from the video below (David Simon speaking about the war on drugs as a war on the poor) "I'm not entirely unconvinced that it is not largely intended as a war on the poor now. I'm not sure that we can distinguish anymore. It may have begun a long time ago as a war on dangerous drugs, but at some point it morphed to the point where it was really about social control. At this point, it's about doing... more »
Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW) - Your Choice
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 »
Teenage Guest Post: Hey, Inept Test Maker!
This is a guest post. I have been busy traveling lately and haven’t had the energy or the sustained time to really write anything. (Spoiler alert: Except for pieces of the new book!) So here is a post from a debut blogger. She’s my daughter, Kayla! A friend of hers smuggled a writing benchmark question […]
SD DEMS to Fight ALEC in the Media - PLS HELP
I have written several entries about what happened in South Dakota this past spring. They put forth a ruling from their legislative executive committee – that paid ALEC dues for EVERY member of the legislature – forcing DEMS to belong to ALEC. Their legislative executive committee forced the state to pay for attendance to ALEC meetings - when we all know that corporate scholarships - pay 100% of the costs to ALEC meetings. One ALEC legislator (probably Peters) had the balls to say something to the affect of: Now you can't use ALEC against us in the campaigns.”WELL South Dakota... more »
ECONOMICS FOR REAL PEOPLE: The Socialist Calculation Debate
Looks like the Auckland Uni Economics Group will have an interesting discussion on their hands tomorrow night. Here’s what’s planned: [image: Holidays_in_other_peoples_misery]One of the great economic controversies of the twentieth century was known as the Socialist Calculation Debate—drawing in thinkers and economists from Vienna to Moscow, and from Warsaw to Chicago—andwhich included at its climax a joke whose punchline was “New Zealand.” Soviet leader Nikita Kruschev entered the debate in 1956 by banging his shoe on the podium at the U.N., telling the west: "History is on o... more »
Biased ALEC Economic Report - Based on Extreme Partisan Variables
This headline on Google Search has been bugging me for over a week - - so I finally decided to open up the article. And what a gold mine it proved to be. *Texas, Red States Beat Blue States On Jobs, Growth* I have repeatedly written that the economic report released by ALEC if partisan and biased in it’s methodology and it’s results and this article confirms that. *Texas, Red States Beat Blue States On Jobs, Growth* … according to the latest annual report on state economic performance released Thursday by the American Legislative Exchange Council. The ALEC report also find... more »
Global March Against The Media
The *global march against Monsanto* was *blacked out* by the* *global corporate occupation media, especially its branch in the United States. There is a protest going on in England against the annual and secretive Bilderberg conference, which is also being blacked out. Members of the press *aren't allowed to ask questions* to the guests of the conference. Many of the people who are attending Bilderberg are high-level policy makers, elected leaders, and media owners. It is important to march against Bilderberg and Monsanto, but as long as they are protected by a complicit and corr... more »
Socialism Illustrated
Looking for a cartoon to accompany the ad for tomorrow night’s Econ Group, I found this: Perfect, don’t you think? [Hat tip Mark J. Perry] Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Please contact author for permission to republish: (organon at ihug.co.nz)
Great New Article By John Kaminski: Begging To Be Holocausted!
As I stated in last Sunday's rant, I have been an avid reader of a great truth seeker, John Kaminski, for years now.... It was through John that I came to realize that the gloves really do have to come off, and the criminals behind the ruination of our world, the Jews, must be named by name... No more of this "Zionist" or "New World Order" crap... It is the JEWS..... John just released his latest article over at The Rebel website, at www.therebel.org, and it is a must see by everyone..... I have that article, entitled: "Begging To Be Holocausted" right here in its entirety, and I d... more »
"I thank God there is no God to see what we've done to the world" ("part-time pessimist" Charles Simic)
*"Recently a reviewer complained that my new book of poems is much too preoccupied with death. He appeared to suggest that I ought to be more upbeat, dispensing serene wisdom in the autumn of my life, instead of reminding readers every chance I get of their mortality. Just you wait, I said to myself, till you reach my age and start going to funerals of your friends. Nobody warns us about that when we are young, and even if they ever did, it goes in one ear and out the other."* *-- poet and essayist Charles Simic, in a NYRB blogpost,* "Looking It in the Face" *by Ken* I'm not much ... more »
FHA might face previously undisclosed 115 billion loss meaning taxpayers get raked over coals again - another hairball comes from the Obama White House
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-06-04/taxpayers-could-face-previously-undisclosed-115-billion-losses-fha Taxpayers Could Face (Previously Undisclosed) $115 Billion Losses From FHA [image: Tyler Durden's picture] Submitted by Tyler Durden on 06/04/2013 17:28 -0400 - Darrell Issa - House Oversight Committee - None - Stress Test In yet another hit for both the administration's trustworthiness and the hope of some spin-off of the GSEs, the WSJ reports that the *Federal Housing Administration's projected losses over 30 years could reach as high as $115 billion unde... more »
MLB reportedly to seek suspensions for Ryan Braun and A-Rod , up to twenty players - 100 game suspensions on deck for Braun and A-Rod ?This helps to explain comments from Yanks Brass and Ownership concerning A-Rod over the past few days .......
MLB Reportedly Seeking to Suspend Alex Rodriguez, Ryan Braun and Up to 20 Others BY TYLER CONWAY (FEATURED COLUMNIST) ON JUNE 4, 2013 3,564 reads 7 [image: Icon_comment] Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse more storiesNext [image: Hi-res-7402194_crop_north] Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports Major League Baseball reportedly is preparing to take an unprecedented stand against performance-enhancing drugs. According to ESPN's John Buccigross, the network's *Outside the Lines *program has learned MLB is preparing to suspend Alex Rodriguez, Ryan Braun and others involved with the Biogenesis sc... more »
WM - Center bitcoin Exchange seized by US Government .... US Labor Department tried to fleece AP for a million for information required by FOIA rules to be provided essentially without cost.....Lawlessness of US Drone policy coming home like chickens to roost ?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jun/03/ibragim-todashev-drones-policy-obama The shooting of Ibragim Todashev: is the lawlessness of Obama's drone policy coming home? Once a state gets used to abusing the rights of foreigners in distant lands, it's almost inevitable it will import the habit - Share****1419 - - - inShare4 - Email - [image: George Monbiot] - - George Monbiot - The Guardian, Monday 3 June 2013 15.50 EDT - Jump to comments (634) [image: Illustration by Daniel Pudles]‘Under the Obama doctrine, innocent until prove... more »
Coonley House, by Frank Lloyd Wright
[image: Image Gallery]Built in 1907, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Avery Coonley House went on sale a couple of years ago and sold for nearly US$3 million. More importantly, the sale allowed pictures of the masterpiece in its current state to leak out to the internet. [image: Image Gallery] It seems that apart from some previous owner having severed the link between the main house and the bedroom wing (which is a very big “apart from”!) the remaining “main house” is looking in tip-top shape. Almost as beautiful as the day it was born! [image: Image Gallery] Architect Garret Eain offers ... more »
Europe Updates - June 1 , 2013 .... Greece , Cyprus , Italy , Spain , France , Ireland and Germany in focus....
Catharsis Ours - 16 hours ago
http://hat4uk.wordpress.com/2013/06/02/eunatics-eunuchs-confidence-in-euro-up-to-89-4/ EUNATICS & EUNUCHS: Confidence in euro up to 89.4%… …as Greek youth unemployment heads for 70% [image: cahn]*Sir Andrew Cahn…”EU has generated prosperity”* *That’s what Reuters says. Which just goes to show you how utterly pointless confidence indicators are when you use a sample of incurably optimistic clowns who caused most of the trouble in the first place. We can ‘put Cyprus behind us’, say there hasn’t been a suicide in Athens for 36 hours, or rejoice at the coming of the Carneyvore to the Ban... more »
Moral Mondays
It started with 5 or 6 people getting arrested at the North Carolina statehouse a few weeks ago. Every Monday since it's grown until yesterday, about 150 were deliberately arrested by NC statehouse security and over a thousand demonstrators were massed outside to protest the real life tyranny of Republicans ramrodding their insane agenda through the legislature. The craziest stuff makes the national news but it's bigger than just trying to establish a state religion. They've decimated the public school system, they're destroying the social safety net, criminalizing poverty, dismant... more »
Monsanto Fails in Europe
Great article on *Truthout today* *I envy the citizens of Europe. * *Lobbying And GMO Giant Monsanto Buckles In Europe* But now it [Monsanto] threw in the towel in Europe – where its genetically modified seeds have faced stiff resistance at every twist and turn. Even its deep corporate pockets and mastery of lobbying have failed: “It’s counterproductive to fight against windmills,” its spokesman told the Tageszeitung.“We won’t lobby any longer for cultivation in Europe,” Brandon Mitchener, Monsanto’s public affairs lead for Europe, told the Tageszeitung. Monsanto’s largest Europe... more »
Harkins’ “Strengthening Corporate Control of Schools Act for 2013″
This new re-write of ESEA is more similar to NCLB than just the 1000+ pages of corporate lawyerese used to maintain and extend the current power structure over schools. Most of the specifics of NCLB stay in place, and where they are changed, they reflect changes found in RTTT. It is, yet, another document written […]
US " accidentally " uploads secret Israeli missile base plans......Israel intelligence criticized regarding Syria War status and current event relating to same .....
http://www.businessinsider.com/us-outs-secret-israeli-base-2013-6 US Accidentally Uploads Secret Israeli Missile Base Plans To Public Website Geoffrey Ingersoll | 58 minutes ago | 353 | 1 - - inShare2 - - - Email - More [image: Arrow 3 Missile] Wikimedia Commons The Federal Business Opportunities website clearly says "Do not upload ANY classified materials" — but somehow U.S. government employees uploaded at least 1,000 pages of classified Israeli plans for a missile base. The blunder knocked Israeli officials for a loop, reports Sheera Frankel of McClatchy: "If ... more »
LITERATURE / Ron Jacobs : Crime Fiction and Capitalist Reality
Image from ForumFree. Crime fiction and capitalist reality Noir does not pretend that the society its protagonists operate in is worth saving. It's just the only one we have. By Ron Jacobs / The Rag Blog / June 4, 2013 The novel is generally acknowledged to be a bourgeois form of literature. It wasn't until there were enough literate people with time for leisurely reading that this
Negligence
Haiti: mistakes plus negligence equals death -- New Internationalist shar.es/wYgjd via @sharethis— John A. Carroll (@haitianhearts) June 4, 2013
Page with 'Stop Harper' sign fired from Senate Two Years Ago .... (Canada should have listened!)
** [image: Progressive Bloggers] *Two years ago, June 3, 2011, a Senate page was fired for holding a "Stop Harper" sign during the government's throne speech. * * **Too bad more Canadians did not heed her warning ......* *CTV News *
Al Jazeera Spreads Propaganda For Violent Jihadist Extremists In Syria And Iraq
*For Al Jazeera, blood sells. And it is doing everything in its power to make sure business continues to grow.* Al Jazeera's role in inciting violence and instability in countries like Syria, Libya, and Iraq is well documented. Other media companies have also been guilty of this practice. Here is video of *ordinary Syrians telling a BBC reporter* to stop lying and misreporting about events in their country. In late April, the Iraqi government *revoked Al Jazeera's license* because of its involvement in inciting extremists to violence. Al Jazeera feigns ignorance, denying its re... more »
Guest Post: Why My Family is Boycotting the State Field Tests
I previously wrote about the NY State Field Tests, in which unsuspecting students have their learning time hijacked so they can do free research for Pear$on. This piece, from a fellow member of NYC-based Change the Stakes, was originally published on Schoolbook. Why My Family is Boycotting the State Field Tests by Jinnie Spiegler There […]
"Let Me Tell You Why You're Here..."
“Let me tell you why you're here. You're here because you know something. What you know you can't explain, but you feel it. You've felt it your entire life, that there's something wrong with the world. You don't know what it is, but it's there, like a splinter in your mind, driving you mad. It is this feeling that has brought you to me. Do you know what I'm talking about?” - “Morpheus”, “The Matrix”
“Bill Gross Wakes Up”
* * *“Bill Gross Wakes Up”* by Karl Denninger "This article is rather amusing; specifically: "Without the assumption of “carry,” or return over and above the fixed, if mercurial, yield on an economy’s policy rate (fed funds), then investors would be unwilling to risk financial capital and a capitalistic economy would die for lack of oxygen". How long did it take you to figure this out Bill? Shall I quote from "Leverage"? "But it is the omission of two fundamental facts and how they interact that do the real harm to financial understanding by the public. Specifically: 1. N... more »
The Economy: "An Inconvenient Irony: QE Favors the Rich"
* * *"An Inconvenient Irony: QE Favors the Rich"* by Bill Bonner "The Dow bounced – up 138 points yesterday. Gold rose $18 per ounce. Indecisive noise, in other words. Here's something more important. From "The Econommist": "The most recent figures show that the top 10% of households own about 91.4% of outstanding stocks and mutual funds, up from 84.5% in 2001. The richest 1% own almost half of all stock and mutual funds. No surprise then that the recent jump in consumer sentiment recorded by the University of Michigan was led by the better-off; upper-income households (the top ... more »
Why isn’t Christchurch learning from Joplin?
A few of you have asked me why I’ve still got displayed on my blog the little black panel commemorating Christchurch’s disaster-even though, they say, it was over some time ago. Was it? The earthquake was over some time ago, true, although aftershocks still continue. But what the earthquake failed to do, local and central government have been doing ever since: their decision to place the city on welfare has compounded the natural disaster and turned it into a complete political and economic clusterfuck. Nearly two-and-a-half years after the Big One—and nearly three years after ... more »
Alan Waldman : ‘Absolutely Fabulous’ Was One of the Greatest TV Comedy Series
Waldman's film and TV treasures you may have missed: The brilliant Jennifer Saunders starred in and wrote all 39 of the episodes of this hilarious British sitcom. By Alan Waldman / The Rag Blog / June 4, 2013 [In his weekly column, Alan Waldman reviews some of his favorite films and TV series that readers may have missed, including TV dramas, mysteries, and comedies from Canada, England,
The Benign Sounding Trans-Pacific Partnership Is NAFTA On Steroids
Obamabots sometimes waste their time sending me letters asking me to stop exposing negative crap about Obama. Why don't they just write to Obama and ask him to stop generating so much negative crap? When I was deciding the reasons why I wouldn't be voting for Obama in 2012-- which was a big deal to me since it was the first presidential election in my life in which I didn't vote for the Democrat-- one of the many bullet points was his anti-working family trade policies. There were at least a dozen other reasons on the list, but Obama's catastrophic trade policies-- basically the s... more »
That existential moment
The government has decided to include anti-union measuresinto a forthcoming anti-sleaze bill. The headline measure is that third-party organisations will no longer be able to contribute more than £100,000 to political parties in the year prior to election. The bill will also get rid of self-certification (i.e. if you sign a form and pay a sub you are a union member) replacing it with a certification officer empowered to mount investigations into membership lists. In the future you may think of yourself as a trade unionist but the government man may simply disagree. Do you till think... more »
President Barzani Attempting To Manipulate Political System For A 3rd Term In Iraq’s Kurdistan
Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) will be holding its parliamentary and presidential elections in September 2013. The vote is surrounded in controversy, as current Kurdish President Massoud Barzani wants to run for a third term even though the law says he can only hold the office two times. Barzani is pushing a referendum on a new constitution for Kurdistan, which would allow him to run for two more terms. The problem is the Iraqi Election Commission said that can’t happen until after September’s balloting. That means Barzani will likely use some other loophole to run aga... more »
Pseudoscoop of the day: secret email addresses
Another big AP scoop. Administration appointees maintain "secret email addresses" if by secret you mean a separate unpublished intra-office address they use to conduct agency business. AP is not buying the reasoning that they do this to avoid having to filter out extraneous public contacts from their accounts while they engaged in critical communications required to do their job. Because you know, nobody else does that, anywhere. Not ever. And never have before. If by never you forget to mention it was a common practice for years in the Bush administration. Leaving aside that omiss... more »
Privilege Checking and Reflexivity
“Here, take a look at this” the activist brusquely instructed me. It was 2009 and I hadn’t been on Twitter for five minutes and already I was stuck in one of the endless storms systems that circulate around the place. I clicked through and met with a privilege checklist. Was I white? Tick. Was I a man? Yep. Well, the strong implication of her tone was, because my pale, privileged carcass did not bear the scars of multiple oppressions I had very little worthwhile to say. Not the best way to greet someone expressing solidarity with and arguing for trans rights activism, but there you... more »
Paul Mason and the Salford Popular Front
Readers of this blog may recall the post *BBC Correspondents Look Back...In Embarrassment *where I was, as the programme's presenter Owen Bennett Jones was to jokingly put it a week later, somewhat "unkind" about four of the BBC best-known reporters and their powers of prediction. The BBC reporter who came off worst was Paul Mason. All but one of his predictions for 2012 turned out to be wildly off the mark. I had some fun with all his disastrous predictions...plus the spectacularly wrong ones he'd made for 2011 and 2010. He didn't dare make any predictions for 2013! This Marx-li... more »
Removing the Shackles: The One People's Radio show- Gingers Notes LIVE FROM ETHIOPIA, IT'S TUESDAY MORNING!!!!!!!!.....
The One People's Radio show- Gingers Notes LIVE FROM ETHIOPIA, IT'S TUESDAY MORNING!!!!!!!!..... Please excuse my sense of humour- we've been laughing out asses off since yesterday afternoon. ..... and no, Indiana Jones is not with us here in MOROCCO, lol. On a different note, I found it quite humorous that suddenly ZAP(from the office of Poof) and Ben are talking about the "ancient families" and the "old man"..... I've been talking about them for over 6 months and getting in shit for it, but suddenly now it's ok to spill the beans? LOL! *AK NOTE: "Celestials" mention... more »
Terrance Nelson: Time for economic sanctions against Canada
Terrance Nelson recommends a walk to New York from all parts of North America to demand economic sanctions against Canada By First Nation Terrance Nelson Roseau River Anishinabe Censored News If the Defenders of the Lands and Idle No More want to change how we are treated in Canada, we need to change our strategy and First Nations people cannot wait for AFN to lead the charge. The
Even More on Ted Cruz, Elbows, Senators, and Parties
The story so far: John Sides said that Ted Cruz was hurting his chances at the nomination by alienating Republican Senators. Dave Hopkins said: maybe not. I then did a Salon column over the weekend more or less taking Dave's side. John responded: But any nominee needs broader support in the party—support beyond his natural base. In fact, Cohen and colleagues show that it is support from party leaders *outside* a candidate’s base that is truly potent: it appears to drive fundraising, media coverage, and ultimately poll numbers.[...] My point is that the kinds of behavior that wou... more »
GAIA PORTAL: Clarification of Intent for Humanity-General
* * * * *Clarification of Intent for Humanity-General* by ÉirePort Clarification of intent for humanity-general occurs as Higher Dimensional gateways are opened for all. Higher Purpose is revealed in ways that are undeniable to each. Forces of movement previously restricted to Hue-manity are now available to humanity-general. Questioning of all outdated paradigms by humanity-general becomes "the normal". Hearing and trust of Higher Self is now accepted as "the normal". ÉirePort | June 4, 2013 at 17:30 URL: http://wp.me/p2sFUY-m8
THE UNIFIED FIELD, ASYMPTOTIC FREEDOM AND THE URGE TO UNITE
** ** *A Unified Field of love and soul consciousness lies not only deepest within ourselves but also beyond time and space. It is also the strong force within the basic atom as revealed in Asymptotic freedom. The basic property of this Unified Field is the universal urge to unite and we resist it at the risk of extinction: Allen L Roland* *There are two great moments in life* ~ *the moment you were born and the moment you discover why you were born*. I surrendered during the birth trauma and stayed in the light of love, joy and soul consciousness until seeming... more »
Victims of the IRS
In the GOP's ongoing waste of taxpayers time and money, they dug up some aggrieved Tea Party organizers to testify about their alleged victimization by the IRS. Dianne Belsom, president of the Laurens County Tea Party in South Carolina declares this persecution by paperwork is simply unacceptable. Also so very unnecessary because: "I'd like to note that our group is a small-time operation with very little money and this represents a complete waste of time by the IRS in terms of any money they would collect if we were not tax-exempt," Belsom said. If the amount is that small one wo... more »
The Drake/Fulford/Keenan Comedy Show....
What a week! LOL!!! Fulford shows amazing ignorance of geography. His blurb on the OPPT and what we are doing in Africa is hilarious! Fulford has my email address so he could have fact checked the article if he chose to do so... but he'd rather trust the P2? Go figure. I expected better of Fulford. Perhaps its one of his side-ways messages to parties unknown? *Fulford wrote:* There are also 11 members of the One People’s Public Trust, the people behind the so-called galactics pushing for their version of a new financial system on the run from both hitmen and law enforcement... more »
The Real News: 240,000 Turkish Workers Join As Mass Protests Reach More Than 67 Cities
Turkey's protest movement isn't about a *park*. The roots of the society's anger at Erdoğan is deeper, it is connected to existential and identity issues. It's about how Turkey's past is remembered and how its future is going to be shaped. Erdoğan is banning alcohol in public and using state power to dramatically alter the lifestyles of Turkish citizens. Taking these intrusive steps is not popular in any country, not even in traditionally conservative and Muslim countries. Erdoğan is trying to create a lite version of the Islamic Republic on the social and cultural side of things, ... more »
Albert Einstein on Bradley Manning?
Two quotes from Albert Einstein (taken from the book "Einstein on Politics", a compendium of his writings on political subjects), both from 1951, but which could well have been written about Bradley Manning: "The conscientious objector is a revolutionary. In deciding to disobey the law he sacrifices his personal interests to the most important cause of working for the betterment of society." "There is a curious inconsistency in a government which punishes aliens for *not* following their conscience in a given conflict, while penalizing its own citizens for *following* their conscien... more »
Untitled
Drawing The Line! Have you taken on the freedom philosophy, the American dream as your own? I want to inspire you to follow your personal dream. I want to inspire you to help realize the American Dream! I believe in the freedom philosophy cherished by our Founders. Morally bankrupt laws block us from fulfilling the American Dream. Morally bankrupt policies keep world citizens from realizing their dreams of freedom. In order to make our freedom dreams reality our actions and desires have to be in harmony or aligned with and supported by the Holy Spirit or cosmic intelligence and ... more »
Anti-gravity and Inter-galactic travel - Boyd Bushman 2013 update - From Here to Andromeda
this is under the *Science Fiction* label until someone proves this anti-gravity is real! Here we go, Lockheed Martin's now-73 years old senior research scientist Boyd Bushman (who've I've featured before substantiating the wild 'n' insane claims of Bob Lazar(ium) of Element 115 fame) recently interviewed by David Sereda for his forthcoming documentary From Here To Andromeda. Reverting back to Sir Isaac Newton's equations of motion, Bushman has re-calculated Einstein's E=mc² to show that we've so far only discovered five of the *nine major forces* of nature. Regular readers to Free ... more »
Where offence named and statutory section listed conflict should a certificate of offence be quashed on ex parte trial? Leave granted by OCA
R. v. Farah, 2013 ONCA 362 dealt with a situation where a provincial offences certificate of offence named one offence but referred to a statutory provision for another offence. The Court of Appeal granted leave to consider whether such certificate ought to be quashed as irregular on as ex parte trial: [23] This case raises a different question. In *Young*, the defendants were not given the correct set fine amount that applied to the offences with which they had been charged. Here, the moving party received * conflicting* information about the*nature of the offence* with whi... more »
Just a quick announcement, NBD
I am teaching myself to use Xcode. In three months time, by the end of this summer, At the Chalk Face will have a smartphone/tablet application. Perhaps I’m being naive about the app submission and review process. Or, my ability to learn code from scratch. No matter. The goal has been set. That is all. […]
Bill Means: Speaking Truth at United Nations
Bill Means speaks truth at United Nations By AIM West ........ www.aimwestinfo.com Bill Means at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, upon speaking on behalf of human rights defenders including political prisoner Leonard Peltier, took the prerogative to admonish the USA on a statement they made earlier in the day. Bill received a standing ovation.
in which i enjoy my first day as a librarian, and explain something about library work
Yesterday was my first day as a librarian! And it was great! I'm only doing orientation and training right now, but I can tell how much I'm going to enjoy this job. I love the environment; I share the same goals and many of the same values. I have concerns, of course - this is not only a career change for me, it's a complete lifestyle change - but I'm not trying to answer every question in advance. I'm trusting that many issues will work themselves out over time. (Patience, the brighter side of aging.) I'm back at the Central Library, in the Children's department (CNCS), where I sta... more »
Continuing: There are no facts anywhere in the land!
*TUESDAY, JUNE 4, 2013* *Especially concerning the schools, Washington Post edition:* The truth about our public discourse is very hard to fathom. Consider this post by Valerie Strauss. We found it at her Answer Sheet blog for the Washington Post. Strauss is employed by the Post as an education writer. At the start of her post, she describes a Q-and-A about public schools at a live discussion this morning: STRAUSS (6/4/13): Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant (R) said Tuesday that America’s educational troubles began when women began working outside the home in large numbers. Bryant wa... more »
The Inside Scoop - The Wealthy Grab the Money and Make the Poor Pay the Tab (Why Disinformation (Lying) Always Works) The Assads Attempt to Modernize Syria
Happy (belated) Birthday, Bumblehive (AKA Stellar Wind). Not really happy, actually. Thanks to my bestest buddy, Dr. Tricia in the Bronx (or is it Brooklyn now? She moves around a lot) for directing my attention to the following essay, which explicates statistically a subject I've been preaching about for years (check the top line of this blog) to a largely speechless audience (you'd think
It's Tuesday...
*what's going on.* *Guns * McNorman: You Go South Carolina! *Your Privacy and Your Rights * Always On Watch: Big Brother Is Watching WyBlog: SCOTUS: All your DNA are belong to us Cato: Minnesota Supreme Court Punts on Key Privacy/Property Rights Case Canada Free Press: How Extensive is the NSA Domestic Surveillance of U.S. Media? Is it legal? *Scandals * Doug Ross: For the IRS, just like last night's Game of Thrones episode, s*** status about to go to condition "REAL" Bunkerville: Valerie Jarrett: ‘Scandals – What scandals, things happen’Nice Deb: Krauthammer:... more »
Under what circumstances should an action be dismissed by the court following a status hearing?
Faris v. Eftimovski, 2013 ONCA 360 holds that on a status hearing rule 48.14(13) says that the onus is on the plaintiff to demonstrate why the action should not be dismissed for delay. The test requires the plaintiff to demonstrate that there was an acceptable explanation for the delay and establish that, if the action were allowed to proceed, the defendant would suffer no non-compensable prejudice: [39] In the case of a status hearing, however, an opportunity for the court to consider dismissing an action for delay will not arise for a considerable period of time after the ... more »
Hillary Clinton cut her hair...
*and pumped massive amounts of filler into her face.* As seen at the 2013 CFDA Fashion Awards ceremony at the Lincoln Center in New York yesterday.* *
There are no facts anywhere in this land!
*TUESDAY, JUNE 4, 2013* *Bill O’Reilly just keeps pimping those trips to the White House:* Did former IRS head Douglas Shulman visit the White House 157 times? That’s what the Daily Caller reported last Thursday. The site’s latest fraudulent report appeared beneath this summary:“Publicly released records show that embattled former IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman visited the White House at least 157 times during the Obama administration, more recorded visits than even the most trusted members of the president’s Cabinet.”Early in his hapless report, the Caller’s hapless Vince Cogl... more »
The War Between Nuclear Physicsts/Engineers and Geneticists
The War began in the 1930s. Paul Langley documents the 'battle' well at his blog http://nuclearhistory.wordpress.com/ and his book: P. Langley (2012) Medicine and the Bomb: Deceptions from Trinity to Maralinga. (Aldinga Beach, South Australia: Paul Langley), http://pothi.com/pothi/book/ebook-paul-langley-medicine-and-bomb. I also address this war in chapter four of my forthcoming book, Fukushima and the Privatization of Risk. In my opinion, there will be no resolution unless one side wins. The US EPA just raised radiological protective action guidelines, massively, despite e... more »
The Economy: "There Is No Other Way Out, But A Collapse"
* * *"There Is No Other Way Out, But A Collapse"* by Ken Jorgustin "There’s no semblance of a free market whatsoever. That’s completely gone. They’re rigging LIBOR, they’re rigging the treasury market, they’re rigging the gold market, they’re rigging the stock market… Wait a minute… the collapse isn’t coming, it’s already begun…Greg Hunter of USAWatchdog.com recently interviewed David Quintieri, the author of the book, “The Money GPS”, who said “The numbers that you see on the TV and in the newspapers are completely fraudulent. When the collapse happens, those holding real asset... more »
Let There Be Light
There’s only one way to create. “Let there be light”, and light IS. The story is simple, straightforward and clear. It did not go – “Let there be light, and let it show up on Saturday, at 2:00 PM GMT, until precisely Midnight GMT, at only these places, while these 11 people are doing these 7 things, NOT these other things, or with these other people, or on this other day or in this other way.” We are Masters, becoming conscious of that fact. We’ve recently been made aware of our value, our ability, our power and the truth of our multi-dimensional existence. It is n... more »
The one hundred and fifty third weekly "No shit Sherlock" award
Richard Calhoun (@richardcalhoun) tweeted at 5:08 PM on Tue, Jun 04, 2013: UK house prices "significantly overvalued" http://t.co/hPUSgLdODr (https://twitter.com/richardcalhoun/status/341949467462885379) UK house prices "significantly overvalued"? No shit, Sherlock!
Corruption In Ohio
Joe McNamara-- fighting for progressive values and against political corruption 2013 will be a critical year for progressive across the country, as there are many important races, even beyond New Jersey and Virginia, that will help to build the Democratic bench for the future. Ohio is no different, although perhaps in more dire need for solid progressives who fit the independent-minded Sherrod Brown mold. And no down ballot race in the Buckeye State is more important, or offers such a clear choice, as the Mayor’s race in Toledo. Despite Toledo giving President Obama over 70% of the ... more »
Untitled
*Levee, trees sink after week of tremors at sinkhole ~The Advocate, River Parishes Bureau**~BAYOU CORNE — A 400- to 500-foot section of the containment levee around the Assumption Parish sinkhole has gone under water after almost a week-long active period of tremors, parish officials said Tuesday. * *Parish officials said in a blog post that the levee sunk as part of a broader subsidence along the southern side the sinkhole. Trees along the southwest side of the sinkhole are also showing signs of sinking, in some cases as much at 10 feet down, parish officials said.*
Seeking Washington Tourism Expertise
A bit off the usual path: we're finally doing a family trip to Washington this weekend, and I'm looking for tourism suggestions. Specifically, any new stuff I don't know about. I haven't done a touristy trip to Washington since Hector was a pup...well, really, not since my wife and I lived there. I have been over to the (mediocre at best, in my view) FDR Memorial, but otherwise I really haven't done anything touristy in a long, long time. So, helpful people: what should I know that I don't know? What's new that wasn't there twenty years ago that should be on a can't-miss list, or ev... more »
Reggie Watts's Ted Talk
Brilliant comedian and musician strung together thoughts, fake accents and sounds in an effort to break my brain.
IRS Hearings: Some highlights of the crazy, wild eyed, bitter clingers testifying today against the IRS......
*Karen Kenney and Becky Gerritson speak out. *
Apartheid and not apartheid
*Thanks to *fatima costa (@fcrep2007) for the image.
TURKEY - NEW WORLD ORDER UNDER ATTACK
Turkey has been becoming like Saudi Arabia and Qatar. One could use words like 'feudal' and 'fascist' to describe current-day Turkey and its friends. Turkey's prime minister Erdogan came to power on 14 August 2001, just before 9 11. * THE NEW WORLD ORDER AND TURKEY* *Erdogan (right) *TURKEY'S ERDOGAN IS JEWISH? In May 2013, the Sunday Times "published some remarks of an unnamed Israeli official who said that *Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia *were forming a Sunni block in the Middle East and *Israel would actually like to be a part of this partnership."* Turkey, Israel *Turke... more »
Conservative MP Devinder Shory And 16 Other Lawyers Bailed Out By Alta Lawyers Insurance Assc. in Alleged Fraud Case With BMO
** [image: Progressive Bloggers] *Corruption in Canada 's Conservative government is being disclosed so fast and furious at the moment, that some of the smaller cases are being overshadowed by the larger Senate scandal. Here's another example of how some elected Conservative MP's have been operating:* *"The Bank of Montreal has settled with all but a handful of the 160 parties it sued in connection with a sprawling case of alleged mortgage fraud in Alberta, CBC News has learned. The bank first detected a problem in 2006, when bank officials detected "irregularities" in some mortga... more »
Annoying Email of the Day
Dear Karen, Last November, we did something special: we took on the full power of the Koch Brothers, Karl Rove, FOX News, and the energized Republican Right, and *we re-elected President Obama*. How did it all happen? In *The Center Holds*, Jonathan Alter tells the epic story of an embattled President fighting back with the support of millions of us. Buy yourself a copy and savor our historic victory! Bob Fertik This is the same Bob Fertik who co-founded the anti-Bush, anti-war organization called AfterDowningStreet.org (I still wear my ADS tee shirt occasionally, and my A... more »
ISA Theory Section Page at the Duck
We are still mucking around with the official page for the Theory Section. In what I hope will be a temporary expedient, I’ve created a dedicated page at the Duck of Minerva. There you will find: Links to posts directly related to the Theory Section; General Information about the section; Vital statistics about the section awards; Continue reading
China Stakes Its Claim to the Arctic
It's our fault if we don't listen for China has been loud and clear that it considers it is entitled to a powerful, potentially military presence in the Arctic and a stake in Arctic ocean resources. *To date, China’s economic ambitions in the Arctic have been largely thwarted by Arctic states wary of the country’s claim that the Arctic “is the inherited wealth of all mankind,” and that China has a role to play in its future because it is a “near-Arctic state.” * *Iceland, for example, twice rejected a Chinese plan to buy a 115-square-mile farm along its northern coast for a propos... more »
Is Obama waging psychological warfare on Americans?...
*Dr. Keith Ablow thinks so.* Is it working? From* Fox News*: *Some excerpts from the article and my comments: * I believe that the Obama administration is conducting psychological warfare on conservative Americans. Not only that but it is also waging this war on all Americans who previously viewed themselves, their country, their Constitution and their overwhelming belief in God as a force for good in the world. [...]But, deep inside the American psyche, something more malignant could have been planted—the seeds of self-hatred and self-doubt. And I no longer believe that those s... more »
School “Reform” in the Anti-Education Era
Someday, historians of education will have to explain why school “reformers,” who should have been excited by the opportunities created by the 21st century, started a twenty year campaign to turn the clock back to the Model T era. Otherwise dynamic (and often libertarian) Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, liberals like President Obama, and neo-liberals like Bill […]
Rose Memory Frame (with saved dried roses)
[image: Dried Roses Frame] Over the years, I have saved roses from the major events in our marriage. I had a dried rose from almost every anniversary, from when my husband asked me to marry him and our wedding day. Every time my husband gave me roses, I would hang one of them out upside down to dry. The pile slowly dwindled over the years as the roses fell apart. It was time to put them to a better use than slowly falling apart in a box in the closet. I wanted a way to display them that wouldn't be too huge. This frame is perfect, it allows them to be out of the box but it does... more »
Chomsky on Our Appetite for Self-Destruction
Has civilization finally reached our Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde moment? Noam Chomsky maintains mankind has fallen into two camps and Dr. Jekyll's side is winning. *For the first time in the history of the human species, we have clearly developed the capacity to destroy ourselves. That’s been true since 1945. It’s now being finally recognized that there are more long-term processes like environmental destruction leading in the same direction, maybe not to total destruction, but at least to the destruction of the capacity for a decent existence.* ***And there are other dangers like pand... more »
Broad’s Creation, Green Dot, Headed to Memphis to Cash In During School Fire Sale
Update: Daily News reports today that Green Dot will, indeed, claim at least one high school. The corporate wizards who are calling the shots in the new exploded version of Memphis schools have their eye turned toward an Eli Broad charter creation to take over one of the high schools in Memphis. Will the target […]
20 years ago today
Shane Warne's first ball of the Old Trafford Test 1993, poor Milke Gatting. In super slow-mo A short documentary The Duckworth Lewis Method's take on that delivery
Assumption GOP Will Blockade DC Circuit Is Probably Wrong
With the three DC Circuit Court of Appeals nominees finally getting named and sent to the Senate today, I'm seeing a lot of liberal pessimism about the next step. Kevin Drum says "We already know that Republicans are going to oppose all three of Obama's nominees...because, based on its caseload, the DC Court is too big and should be pared back by three seats." Matt Yglesias is even more convinced: "Note that precisely because the stakes are high here the odds of Obama succeeding are approximately zero." I know when I write about the possibility of a GOP blockade in these seats, I re... more »
Think Tank Advocacy v. Measured Researchers
Anthony Cody has offered a powerful argument about the offensive nature of the education reform machine as compared to the always responsive mode of educators, academics, and researchers. A distinct and disturbing example of this dynamic confronted me today when a public school advocate contacted me about the consequences of the Florida model for retaining […]
They Really Are Frankenfish
It's only a question of when, not if, genetically modified Atlantic salmon, popularly known as "Frankenfish" escape into the wild. Oh it will be some horrible mistake to be sure. No one, we'll be told, could have foreseen what happened. Yeah, right. Canadian scientists decided to run a little experiment to see what would happen if genetically modified Atlantic salmon, Frankenfish, escaped and wound up with other species, in the case of their experiment, ordinary brown trout. Their research, published in the *Proceedings of the Royal Society*, reveals that not only did the tw... more »
Just the Sight of Joe Oliver Makes Me Want to Punch Him in the Mouth
*backpfeifengeseicht?* Not that I would, mind you. I do not resort to violence - ever. That said, I sure would like to give Joe Oliver a knuckle sandwich in his greasy cakehole. Joe's a business guy - well, a business guy *and* a damned lair - no, that's redundant - a business guy will suffice. That has come through loud and clear in his barrel-scraping smears of opponents of the Northern Gateway pipeline and the outrageous lies Joe lays on thick in support of the bitumen superhighway. You know who wouldn't be surprised that Joe's such a chronic, persistent liar? Adam Smith, t... more »
Satiric commentary on Honduras news
Very amusing and pointed commentary here about how Honduras tends to get written about. I particularly like the suggested tags. I think I fall into some of this myself sometimes, although I'm really trying not to. The national press here in Honduras doesn't deliver much better than the international media - at least two pages at the back of virtually every print edition of La Prensa is devoted to the previous day's body count, all of it presented with zero context and no follow-up. And man, can somebody teach those people how to ask (and answer) the question, "Why?" in their co... more »
Motions to extend time
*Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, Local S-955 v Lilydale Inc*, 2013 SKCA 56 deals with motions to extend time: [17] The framework of principle at play in applications of this nature is well known. While the judge’s discretion to grant an extension of time to appeal is considered unfettered, it has become customary to assess the merits of such an application having regard for such factors as: (i) whether a reasonable explanation for the delay exists; (ii) whether the appellant possessed a bona fide intention to appeal within the time limited for appeal; (iii) whether th... more »
Your chance to do something political
As a rule, I don't pass along these "add your name" lists that appear in emails. BUT this one is important. It has been circulating for several weeks and has been sent to over 20 million people. To show your support for Senator Mike Duffy, please go to the end of the list, add your name and forward to all your friends. * * ** ** ** ** ** ** ** * * 1. Mrs. Duffy 2.
Oh Yes, Another Scandal, Another Line Crossed
This time it's Elmer MacKay's dull boy, DefMin Peter, himself no stranger to clumsy scandal. It seems enough Harper slime has rubbed off on the defence minister that he's been using the military's National Investigation Service to "*investigate journalists who wrote or broadcast embarrassing information about MacKay and the Canadian Forces leadership*." Question: what can you possibly write about Peter MacKay and the Canadian Forces leadership that they wouldn't find in some way embarrassing? This bunch has gone out of their way to make themselves embarrassing. The latest inci... more »
Turkey + Gladio + NATO = Is pressure being applied to Turkey?
Equals?...... I don't know what. Seriously. It seems plausible that genuine resentment in Turkey was brought to the boiling point to pressure the Turkish government. That type of tactic cannot be ruled out. I spent last night mulling this over. Here is the latest: Erdogan is visiting Africa. His Deputy PM offered something resembling a olive branch, after a meeting with President Abdullah Gul who has been taking an opposing position to Erdogan Speaking Tuesday,* Arinc said that, "in that first (protest) action, the excessive violence exerted on people who were acting out of environme... more »
Untitled
*Who Dats begin arriving at dawn, await opening of Saints minicamp ~WWLTV* ~Hat Tweet *@Saints* Vine view of #*Saints* minicamp presented by *@Verizon * https://vine.co/v/b3T55uHam6K *Drew Brees Talks About Living in New Orleans ~Who Dat Warriors* *Feds say city stalling on consent decree ~Clair Galofaro, The Advocate* *Work proceeds on 3 fronts to return Lakeshore Dr to former glory ~Rob Massan, WVUE* *Engineering Job in NewOrleans: Enterprise Architect – GE Capital Technology Center* *~In this role, you will be responsible for enterprise wide strategy for IT Infrastructure & Appli... more »
Naming Candy Crowley by name, O’Donnell breaks code of silence!
*TUESDAY, JUNE 4, 2013* *“I can’t take it any more,” guild member finally says*: This Sunday, CNN’s Candy Crowley asked a ridiculous question. She was interviewing Darrell Issa on CNN’s State of the Union, one of the big five Sunday programs. Because he’s chairman of the House Oversight Committee, Issa is a very important figure at present. Among other things, he has been trying to whip up a very large scandal about the IRS. Midway through the interview, Crowley asked a ridiculous question. We’ll include Issa’s response: CROWLEY (6/2/13): *What does your gut tell you? What does y... more »
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