Seattle Times ELF Al Qaeda (Photo credit: GreenIsTheNewRed.com)
English: Princess Diana dancing with John Travolta in the entrance hall at the White House. Deutsch: Diana Frances Mountbatten-Windsor, Fürstin von Wales mit John Travolta in der Eingangshalle des Weißen Hauses tanzend. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)New information that Princess Diana may have been murdered by a member of the British military ! Scotland Yard looking into this but not calling this a new investigation - not yet !
http://news.sky.com/story/1129902/dianas-death-police-passed-new-information Diana's Death: Police Passed New Information Scotland Yard is assessing new information on the death of Princess Diana to determine whether it is credible. 8:20pm UK, Saturday 17 August 2013 [image: Princess Diana at a ceremony for the return of the Royal Hampshire Regiment from the Gulf War in 1991] Princess Diana died in a car accident in Paris in 1997 - - - - Email New information that alleges Princess Diana was murdered has been passed to Scotland Yard through military sources, accordi... more »
MB & Al-Qaeda In Egypt Desecrates Churches, But Obama Administration Directs World's Ire At People-Backed Army
*Photo Source.* *An excerpt from, "Al Qaeda Flag Flies High Above Christian Churches" by Raymond Ibrahim [Gatestone Institute, August 7]:* Days ago, al-Qaeda’s Egyptian leader, Ayman Zawahiri, portrayed the overthrow of Muhammad Morsi and the Brotherhood as a “Crusader” campaign led by Coptic Pope Tawadros II who, according to Zawahiri and other terrorists, is trying to create a Coptic state in Egypt. Since then, not only are Egypt’s Christians and churches now being attacked in ways unprecedented in the modern era, but new reports indicate that al-Qaeda’s black flag has been r... more »
The FISA court, our supposed guardian against abuse of national-security surveillance, sez "Who, us?"
*Judge Walton says*: "*The FISC is forced to rely upon the accuracy of the information that is provided to the Court. The FISC does not have the capacity to investigate issues of noncompliance.*" *by Ken* You want a good laugh? You know the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, the one created by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to issue surveillance warrants in cases too secret to go through normal court channels? The one that rules on all the government requests for warrants more or less authorized by the Patriot Act and its assorted derivatives? The court that, we o... more »
The Monsters in the Basement
[365 Toy Project: 050/365] The Humans Are Dead (Photo credit: nhussein) [Reposted from: The Conflicted Doomer] August 17, 2013 This week, in Egypt, the Military turned against a segment of the Egyptian populace and killed or wounded hundreds of people in the name of protecting democracy. Last February, Senator Lindsey Graham said, the US drone program had killed 4,700 people across the various MENA countries in the name of our war on terrorism. In the last two years of civil war in Syria and what increasingly looks like civil war in Iraq, thousands of Sunni and Shia Muslims h... more »
America's Top Diplomats Are Psychopaths
*The minute this maniac stepped foot in Cairo he should have been pelted with shoes and eggs by Egyptian patriots like this other warmongering psychopath. *
Enbridge And BP, Environmental Criminals, Not In Our Backyard
Enbridge will never be permitted to build their proposed northern gateway pipeline from Alberta to Kitimat, there will be war in the woods. Enbridge are liars, environmental criminals, a company driven by greed, I can`t fight all the fights, TransCanada has a proposed west to east pipeline, it will carry 1.3 million barrels per day, and once built it will soon thereafter be twinned to carry double hat capacity.. I have waited until now to say anything about that pipeline proposal, my initial thoughts on the west to east pipeline proposal was of acceptance, as you know, and as writ... more »
“Cognitive Dissonance? Or Mass Dissassociative Disorder?”
* * *“Cognitive Dissonance? * *Or Mass Dissassociative Disorder?”* by Zen Gardner "Sounds like a false choice, I know, but it’s not. Unconscious humanity is in a real pickle. A little term defining first since these concepts may seem confusing. Cognitive dissonance, which most people are familiar with, is a psychological phenomenon that takes place in less than conscious human thinking, and a favorite tool for manipulation by social engineers. It pits the experiencer between what they’re being told and the fact that what they’re witnessing is nothing of the sort. The subject the... more »
An Economist Gets Pregnant
Emily Oster looks at the evidence.
Psychology: “Study: Facebook Boosts Connections, Not Happiness”
* * *“Study: Facebook Boosts Connections, Not Happiness”* by Rob Lever "People who use Facebook may feel more connected, but less happy. A study of young adults has concluded that the more people used Facebook, the worse they subsequently felt. "On the surface, Facebook provides an invaluable resource for fulfilling the basic human need for social connection," said University of Michigan social psychologist Ethan Kross, lead author of the study. "But rather than enhance well-being, we found that Facebook use predicts the opposite result- it undermines it." The researchers recruit...more »
Archaeology: “Nevada Petroglyphs The Oldest in North America”
*“Nevada Petroglyphs The Oldest in North America”* by Scott Sonner Ancient rock etchings along a dried-up lake bed in Nevada have been confirmed to be the oldest recorded petroglyphs in North America, dating back at least 10,000 years. The petroglyphs found on limestone boulders near Pyramid Lake in northern Nevada's high desert are similar in design to etchings found at a lake in Oregon that are believed to be at least 7,600 years old. Unlike later drawings that sometimes depict a spear or antelope, the carvings are abstract with tightly clustered geometric designs — some are dia... more »
ancient's BIBLE
I've been having some fun learning to use a free, open source 3D Animation program called Blender to make this test-gif animation. I find tutorials on Youtube related to the projects i have in mind and presto... This book does not follow ANY religions, but instead leads all Spiritual Evolution and Understanding.
America Has No Diplomats With Which To Pressure Egypt
*A man who poses with terrorists and arms them is not a diplomat; He is a 1) terrorist, 2) cheat, 3) bully, 4) fraud, 5) piece of shit.* Below is an excerpt from, *"How American Hopes for a Deal in Egypt Were Undercut"* [The New York Times, August 17]: The Americans heightened the pressure. Two senators visiting Cairo, John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, met with Gen. Abdul-Fattah el-Sisi, the officer who ousted Mr. Morsi and appointed the new government, and the interim prime minister, Hazem el-Beblawi, and pushed for the release of the two prisoners. ... more »
The Monsters in the Basement
August 17, 2013 This week, in Egypt, the Military turned against a segment of the Egyptian populace and killed or wounded hundreds of people in the name of protecting democracy. Last February, Senator Lindsey Graham said, the US drone program had killed 4,700 people across the various MENA countries in the name of our war […]
The Dark Side of God: Theology And Terrorism In The Modern World From The Hostage Crisis To The Arab Spring
*Some see Messiahs, I see Devils. The divine task of Ayatollah Khomeini and Barack Obama: Hypnotize the people while the predatory elite fleeces them and then destroys them.* *Related:* 1.* **A Rigged Revolution: How The Shadow CIA-MI6 Network Put Khomeini And Militant Islamists in Power.** * 2.* **An Epic Deception: America's Overthrow of The Shah And The Secret Quest For A One World Government.* 3. *The British And U.S. Governments Installed Khomeini Into Power In 1979* . 4. *Hostage To False Flag Terror: The Link Between The October Surprise And The September Surprise*. ... more »
Princess Diana
Can any forensic mathematician Explain how in the world a car that was driven and crashed at 63 MPH cause this much damage... This writer believes that the Auto was tampered with...The car's computers were infected with a virus that caused it to accelerate out of control... The black type S280 Mercedes was being driven through the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris at around 61 to 63mph Seed Newsvine
Latest Work From John Kaminski: Stampeding Toward Anarchy
Readers of this blog know that I fully support those writers whom I find speak the truth about the criminal Jewish elite and their insidious plans for world domination... One such writer is of course, John Kaminski... I want to present John's latest work, which comes from the website, The Rebel, at www.therebel.org/kaminski . It is entitled "Stampeding Toward Anarchy", and I have it right here for everyone to view for themselves... I do have my usual thoughts and comments to follow: *Stampeding toward anarchy* Created on 17 August 2013Written by John Kaminski Olympic boycott ... more »
"Greetings, NSA Ashburn!"
*Click image for larger size.* Twice a day, like clockwork, these fine Patriots make sure there are no scary terrorists here posting naughtiness on this blog... I feel so much safer, don't you? - CP
U.S. TAKES THE LOW ROAD ONCE MORE.....
The United States was reportedly able to target an alleged al-Qaeda operative named Adnan al-Qadhi for a drone strike after U.S. allies in Yemen convinced an eight-year-old boy to place a tracking chip in the pocket of the man he considered to be his surrogate father. Shortly after the child planted the device, a U.S. drone tracked and killed al-Qadhi with a missile. He was killed last November, less than 24 hours after President Barack Obama’s re-election. Gregory Johnsen writes about the case in his new article "Did an 8-Year-Old Spy for America?" published in The Atlantic.
"The Problem With the NSA's Illegal Data Collection"
* * *"The Problem With the NSA's Illegal Data Collection"* by Karl Denninger "Let me relate a (true) story while taking the severe risk of burying the lede, which I try very hard not to do around here. Many years ago I worked for a company that you probably have never heard of. It was called VideOcart, and was a spin-off from IRI that then went public. My job was to design and implement a national IP-based network to deliver advertising and control data to what, at its full deployment, would have been roughly 1 million shopping carts in grocery stores- with near-perfect reliabilit... more »
"FEMA Preparing For The Worst In Region 3- Why?"
*"FEMA Preparing For The Worst In Region 3- Why?" * By Susan Duclos "Well, this is pretty creepy. According to a notice sent by Senator Sheldon R. Songstad, Ret. of South Dakota State and published, with a video, which will be shown below, titled “Emergency Fema Region 3 Alert!!!,” the government obviously believes something big is coming. Region three includes, DC, DE, MD, PA, VA, WV. The copied email alert, in full, below: Emergency Fema Region 3 Alert! FEMA Region III: DC, DE, MD, PA, VA, WV Sent: Tuesday, August 13, 2013 6:43 AM Subject: National update from Sheldon: Sen...more »
A TRIBUTE TO THE DREAM 9
Dreams, Courage and FootstepsSaturday, 17 August 2013 09:35By Roberto Cintli Rodriguez, Truthout | Op-Ed How do you begin when there appears to be no beginning? My own memory goes back 7,000 years, symbolically and metaphorically, to the origins - to the creation - of maiz. But even that was not the beginning, although it is helpful in understanding the following stories. Yet, how do you understand that which is often incomprehensible - the meaning of life, freedom, sovereignty, memory or dreams? In March of 2006, Hopi runners went into Mexico from northern Arizona and ran all t... more »
Israel Wants Amended Deal on American Arms
Israel and the U.S. are renegotiating their 30-billion dollar weapons (military aid) deal. Israel wants a clause in the amended deal that commits the U.S. to maintaining Israel's QME or "qualitative military edge." They won't come out and say it in so many words but Israeli officials want America to ensure that Israel gets the latest and greatest U.S. weaponry, not its Arab neighbours.
'The Everlasting Gospel' by William Blake
*William Blake - The Everlasting Gospel (Text)*. The speaker in the video below starts reading at "Was Jesus humble? or did He Give any proofs of humility?" Title: 'The Everlasting Gospel' by William Blake. Source: Blake Society. Date Published: February 5, 2013. Description: This recording is part of the Blake Voice project of the Blake Society. This and many more Blake recordings can be downloaded for free at http://www.blakesociety.org/voice/. If you would like find out more about being involved in this project and making a recording please contact voice@blakesociety.org.
Egypt aftermath - examining the situation after the Wednesday massacre..... Did Egypt Junta Chief General El - Sisi refuse to take President Obama's phone call at the height of Wednesday's violence ? Debka says that is the case....Very recent updates in the exceedingly fluid situation as Friday protests from competing sides ( Pro Morsiand vs Tamarod camps ) loom and the potential for more bloodshed is quite high.... worldwide criticism , outrage and reactions , UN consultations , official death toll close to 700 from Wednesday's massacre , relatively lame US response panned , Turkey taking a firmer stand than the US in consistently criticizing the Military response to the ongoing Pro Morsi protest , marveling at how impotent the US appears - Saudi and Qatar financial aid to Egyptian military has trumped any fear General El- Sisi had of President Obama , Congress or US disapproval of their actions - US looks quite impotent regarding Egypt ! Coupled with impotence , US policies are a worst of all possible worlds set of policies as no one is happy with the US right now ! .
Catharsis Ours - 4 hours ago
http://rt.com/news/egypt-milllions-protest-morsi-458/ Scores are dead as Egypt descends into chaos following a brutal crackdown on massive sit-ins in support of deposed President Mohamed Morsi. Morsi supporters have been rallying since July 3 demanding his reinstatement. *22:28 GMT:* The Muslim Brotherhood has called for "a Friday of Anger" in towns and villages across Egypt, after the deadly crackdown on pro-Morsi sit-ins on Wednesday. * "After the blows and arrests and killings that we are facing, emotions are too high to be guided by anyone,"* said Brotherhood spokesman Gehad El... more »
Republicans May Be Vulnerable... But They Know They Can Count On Steve Israel's Incompetence To Hold The House For Them
Not even factoring in Pelosi saddling the DCCC with the most incompetent loser in the organization's inglorious history, the midterms are all set up for a Republican triumph. Conventional wisdom will point out that the president's party "always" loses the midterm following a second term victory and that Obama's popularity is sinking fast-- among Democrats as well as others. And, of course, the Republican state legislatures have gerrymandered districts all over the country-- particularly in North Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Texas, Georgia and Wisconsin-- to mak... more »
The Unintended Lessons from Florida: Class Grades, pt. 2 | the becoming radical
The Unintended Lessons from Florida: Class Grades, pt. 2 | the becoming radical.
Solon.com: Your mortgage documents are fake!
MONDAY, AUG 12, 2013 04:58 AM PDT *Your mortgage documents are fake!* Prepare to be outraged. Newly obtained filings from this Florida woman's lawsuit uncover horrifying scheme (Update) BY DAVID DAYEN http://www.salon.com/2013/08/12/your_mortgage_documents_are_fake/ Your mortgage documents are fake! Lynn Szymoniak (Credit: CBS News/60 MInutes) If you know about foreclosure fraud, the mass fabrication of mortgage documents in state courts by banks attempting to foreclose on homeowners, you may have one nagging question: Why did banks have to resort to this illegal scheme? Was it ju... more »
"Shocking: 100 Years in Prison for Posting a Link?"
*"Shocking: 100 Years in Prison for Posting a Link?"* by Abby Martin "Abby Martin talks in depth about the curious case of Barrett Brown, the hacktivist/journalist who is facing 105 years in prison for posting a link. We live in a crazy world where they will send you to jail for posting a link but not lying to the public, stealing their private property and keeping the poor, poor! What is the logica behind “100 Years in Prison for Posting a Link?” - http://beforeitsnews.com/
A Retired Marine Colonel Warns of America's Covert Domestic Army
Homeland Security is pre-staging a massive para-military force, a domestic army being assembled because the government fears the people.
“Hey History Guy, What the Heck is Up with Egypt?!”
My favourite online historian, Scott Powell, reckons history is desperately needed to understand how Egypt’s crisis has unfolded, and where it is headed … Content is copyright PC.BlogSpot.Com © Please contact author for permission to republish: (organon at ihug.co.nz)
As “scary” as it gets, a blank parent report. #optout
See how easy this is? No consequences, just a blank report. That’s all. So, parents, what are you waiting for? An invitation? Tagged: data, optout, refusal, report, testing
What's Missing from The Star's Latest on Ford's Felonious Friends?
The first sentence from The Star's latest story on Rob Fucking Ford and his criminal associates: Toronto police are investigating attempts by associates of Mayor Rob Ford to retrieve the crack cocaine video. Notice anything missing there? No? Compare to this poll being run by NewsTalk 1010 at the moment, which, by the way is running 84% 'yes'. The Toronto Star reports that police are looking into Rob Ford's buddies' attempts to get their hands on an alleged video of the mayor smoking from a crack pipe. Do you believe the footage exists? The Star has abandoned the use of the word... more »
Our Corrupt Conservative Gov't Is In Breach Of Canadian Code of Advertising Standards For Promoting A Program That Doesn't Exist
** [image: Progressive Bloggers] *What a corrupt and morally bankrupt Federal Conservative government we Canadians are saddled with at the moment. You would think that there might be at least a few ethical individuals in the Conservative Party of Canadawith the guts and decency to speak up about what their disgraceful Leader is doing!* * **"OTTAWA — A federal government television commercial touting a not yet existent Canada Job Grant was misleading and a breach of the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards, Canada’s advertising watchdog has ruled.* * **In a letter to James Gilbert... more »
Reprise: Corporatism, KIPP, and Cultural Eugenics
Title: Corporatism, KIPP, and Cultural Eugenics (2011) Author: Jim Horn Corporatism is about crushing the capacity for moral choice. Chris Hedges In a 2009 report entitled Parsing the Achievement Gap II, researchers (Barton and Coley 2009) recalibrated the achievement gaps[i] that Barton had first documented in Parsing the Achievement Gap: Baselines for Tracking Progress (Barton […]
Long Walk 4 Photos Indiana by Susan Suhar
. . Photos by Susan Suhar, thanks for sharing with Censored News! Longest Walk 4 Return to Alcatraz in Richmond, Indiana this week. Susan Suhar: "The photos were taken in Richmond, after the meet of the walkers at the courthouse last Sunday. When they came into town there was a drum and dance and feed at the Townsend Fellowship Center there." The walkers arrived in
Your moment of Zen
An allium in the garden. [photo via The Garden Oracle]
Think again, Fran
On that think tank-based study by the centre-right Centre for Policy Studies, a senior BBC editor has seen fit to post a riposte on the BBC's own 'About the BBC' blog.... This week the Centre for Policy Studies published a report claiming to have found a left of centre bias in the BBC’s online reporting of think tanks. They also claim right of centre think tanks are more likely to receive health warnings than their left of centre counterparts. The CPS itself is hardly impartial on the BBC – it argues for a smaller BBC and campaigns against the licence fee. Leaving this aside ther... more »
Defeating the propaganda
Where I come from we call it lying, but as President Obama points out, it's perfectly clear the GOPers are trying to confuse the public about the benefits of Obamacare. Of course, they wouldn't have had so much success in doing so if our "liberal media" was willing to point out the inaccuracies (if they need a polite word) instead of simply acting as stenographers for the GOP's false claims. Our insider media is perfectly willing to analyze the political implications (and subsequent benefits of lying) but only Obama is willing to point out the obvious adverse consequences of the GOP'... more »
Our interview with @henryrollins on education coming up this Tuesday
Yes, reader, some of you might be wondering, “Why Henry Rollins?” Still others, “Who IS Henry Rollins?” I’ve never made it a secret that I am a huge punk rock fan. In fact, I can’t seem to get out of the late 70s, early 80s, musically. I’m “discovering” new bands everyday from that era of […]
Turkey Prime Minister Erdogan and President Gul not only sharply criticize Egypt's military coup and the follow on security crack downs resulting in massive loss of life , but also military exercises with Egypt have been cancelled , as well as Ambassadors recalled ! Apart from Egypt , Syria conflicts continue to edge Turkey further into the ongoing Regional War ....
Erdogan - the voice of courage in the Arab world regarding Egypt's coup ? Egypt committing state terrorism, al-Sisi and al-Assad are same: Turkish PM BURSA Print PageSend to friend » - - - - - Share [image: The Turkish prime minister speaks during the the launching ceremony of an urban renovation project in Bursa, Aug. 17. Erdoğan saluted several times the crowd with the 'Rabaa' sign made by raising four fingers, which has become the symbol of the massacre in Egypt and at the Rabaa al-Adawiya Square where the supporters of the ousted President Mohamed Morsi have ... more »
Video Long Walk 4: Indianapolis press conference!
Michael Lane speaking at a press conference for the Longest Walk 4: Return to Alcatraz in Indianapolis Indiana 8/16/2013 Route and schedule: www.returntoalcatraz.com
White Buffalo Calf Woman Society: Protect women and children from Keystone XL 'man camps'
Faith Spotted Eagle/Photo Melissa Merrick Photo: Native Women's Society of Great Plains Photo Melissa Merrick Statement by the White Buffalo Calf Woman Society, Inc. Censored News Photos by Melissa Merrick, via phone, thank you for sharing with Censored News! August 16 and 17, 2013 Scroll down for live conference updates! PICKSTOWN, South Dakota -- The White Buffalo Calf
Let's Not Be Too Quick to Do Harper's Bidding - Again
Stephen Harper's overarching goal since he signed up with the Reform Party has been to shift Canada's political centre far and permanently to the right. With the collaboration of the Liberals, now Conservative-Lites, and the NDP, now Latter Day Liberals, Harper has succeeded handsomely. A secondary goal was to change Canada's Senate. Either an elected Senate with new rules for distribution or outright abolition. It seems we're all lining up to hand him that win too. It's not easy to hold much regard for the Senate any longer. That in large part results from how Harper has stacke... more »
Is News International at risk of being charging as a corporate suspect - is the entire company at risk of receiving what would amount to a death sentence ?
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/exclusive-met-investigating-rupert-murdoch-firm-news-international-as-corporate-suspect-over-hacking-and-bribing-offences-8771560.html Scotland Yard is investigating News International as a “corporate suspect” over hacking and bribing offences, it can be revealed. *The Independent* has learnt the Metropolitan Police has opened an “active investigation” into the corporate liabilities of the UK newspaper group – recently rebranded News UK – which could have serious implications for the ability of its parent company News Corp to operate in the ... more »
So Maybe harper Implodes On His Own and Nothing Really Changes
harper should have gone down at the hands of an enraged, democratic citizenry. I had a plan, but no resources to carry it through. And the geniuses had no time to even hear me out. I don't think it's because they were too busy with their own plans, because there's been deafening silence from them in that regard. What nonsense.
JP Morgan's previously announced plan to massively slash headcount ( by approximately 15,000 ) in its mortgage banking unit , with most cuts hitting loan servicing and foreclosure depts - anyone wonder how their mortgage originations units will fare in a rising rate environment ?
JP Morgan cutting a lot in August...... http://bizbeatblog.dallasnews.com/tag/layoffs/ ( announced 8/8 ) JP Morgan Chase is laying off 475 mortgage-related employees in North Texas as fewer customers need help with troubled loans, the bank said today. The local job cuts are part of a previously-announced companywide workforce reduction in mortgage banking. In February, JP Morgan said it would cut 13,000 to 15,000 workers over the next year. The bank has 14,500 workers in North Texas, one of the largest work forces outside of the company’s headquarters in New York. The staff redu... more »
Bolivia's economic advances
In *El Diario/La Prensa*, [9 August 2013, p.15] there was an article about Evo Morales' speech on the state of the economy. A basic translation from the Spanish is that at a CAF banking development conference in Sucre, Morales told the listeners that the economic growth gets democratised and the economy comes back. With the gross internal product rate growing well at a rate of 6.5% in the first part of the year, Bolivia is ranked as the third most powerful economy for the region; Morales listed the economic expansion as due to growth in the hydrocarbon, financial services, transport... more »
MONTANA: Moccasins on the Ground Tour of Resistance: Stop KXL Pipeline
Moccasins on the Ground Tour of Resistance in Montana To Stop the KXL Pipeline By the Lakota Media Project of Owe Aku, Bring Back the Way Censored News Tarsands Protest: Debra White Plume arrested at White House WHITE HALL, Montana -- Moccasins on the Ground Tour of Resistance opens the nonviolent direct action training at 5pm on Friday, August 23, 2013 at White Hall, Montana and continues
What Mattered This Week?
I'll go with Egypt. What didn't matter? I guess I can plug my Salon column here: it doesn't matter a whole lot whether GOP presidential debates are on CNN or Fox or whatever. But I'm sure there's more out there. What have you got? What do you think mattered this week?
The New World Disorder or How the West Must Learn to Live With Planet Chaos
It seems that not a day passes without news of some bombing in Iraq or massacre in Afghanistan, atrocities in Syria and Sudan and Somalia. Now we watch Egypt transform into the latest charnel house of brutal misery and despair. And these are just the nations that still make our papers, sometimes. It's interesting how we treat these countries and their woes. There seems to be one category where we act, a second category where we toss around the idea of intervention but hold back, and a third category, the largest, where we just shrug our shoulders and say "meh!" When you look... more »
A Republican Could Never Defeat Mike Honda-- So A Democrat With A Republican Economic Perspective Is Primarying Him
Mike Writing at BlueTheNation, Jonathan Nathan makes the point that "One of the most important races of the 2014 election cycle is one you’re not likely to hear an awful lot about, at least not from the sort of pop-politics talking heads one finds on the news networks and cable channels and major blogs. That’s because it’s an intra-party race between two Democrats. Seven-term incumbent Mike Honda is being challenged by Ro Khanna, a techie, a professor, and a former member of the Obama Administration." Here at *DWT*, of course, we've been covering this race carefully, primarily becaus... more »
NSA spying updates - August 17 , 2013.....Revelations of privacy breaches just the tip of the iceberg ? Stated another way ,just how deep does the spying rabbit hole go - is this like digging the proverbial hole to China deep ?
just the tip of the iceberg ???? NSA revelations of privacy breaches ‘the tip of the iceberg’ – Senate duoAugust 17, 2013 Print Version *Source: London Guardian* Two US senators on the intelligence committee said on Friday that thousands of annual violations by the National Security Agency on its own restrictions were “the tip of the iceberg.” “The executive branch has now confirmed that the rules, regulations and court-imposed standards for protecting the privacy of Americans’ have been violated thousands of times each year,” said senators Ron Wyden and Mark Udall, two leading cr... more »
Talk Like an Egyptian
Today's *Dateline London *(minus Gavin Esler) was an unusually feisty and rewarding affair. Much of it was taken up with a discussion of this week's violent events in Egypt and it began with an impassioned contribution from the programme's* *regular Egyptian contributor, Abdallah Homouda. This came across as something of a cry of frustration at the way in which the events have been covered by Western media organisations, and Mr Homouda gave me the impression of being distinctly nervous about presenting his own point of view on the BBC today - given the BBC's own recent reporting... more »
Doug Noland's August 17 , 2013 missive " Introducing Government Finance Quasi - Capitalism " .......As Doug notes , the bailout really began in 1994 , when the FHLBs and GSE's bailed out traders / banks caught off side in the great bond debacle of 1994..... Since 1994 , we basically have staggered from one episodic bailout to the next episodic bailout - different epicenters , different markets , different bailout mechanisms or schemes - but bailouts nonetheless. .....regarding the global government finance bubble , this has ben a subject of discussion at the Prudent Bear since 2009 - and considering the bubble then and now is fascinating and horrific at the same time .......In an allegedly " non crisis " world , we see full tilt QE from The Fed , the BOJ and ECB alleged committal to open ended bond buying - what happens when the next crisis actually manifests itself ? Government Finance Quasi Capitalism = endgame ? What bails out the Governments when this ponzi scheme hits the inevitable wall ?
http://www.prudentbear.com/2013/08/introducing-government-finance-quasi.html ( h/t to Kev for pointing out this week's missive from Doug ! ) Introducing "Government Finance Quasi-Capitalism"August 17, 2013 posted by Doug Noland Bond yields shoot to two-year highs and equities take notice This week’s CBB evolved from notes prepared for a presentation I was to give. Instead, a lively Q&A session developed and I never got to my notes. So, I’ll take this opportunity to share analysis that introduces “Government Finance Quasi-Capitalism.” Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis President Jam... more »
Obama Champions Your Right to Pay
Let President Obama be perfectly clear. In the richest country on earth, you don't have the same right to health and wellness and treatment for disease as they do in other advanced countries. But you absolutely, positively have the right to *shop* for your own private health insurance (which if you are lucky, might pay some percentage of your actual care.) As your president, he will defend your *purchasing* power to the death, with all the weasel words at his disposal, against the machinations of the Republicans. Because it's not about him, altruistic fellow that he is. It's about ... more »
Fukushima endgame and apocalyse looming - how Japan destroys the world - Tepco and Japan , if left to their own devices ( based on the track record for Fukushima ) , will botch fuel rod removal , set off the next major calamity and destroy most of Japan , by extent a large part of Asia and by further extension the planet ...... the question is - does the world plan to sit idly by while Japan screws this up royally ?
From Energy News........ Focus on Japan 06:55 AM EST on August 17th, 2013 | 11 comments Asahi: Japan in official “state of nuclear emergency” still — Clearly shows Fukushima disaster on going — Crisis far from over… gov’t far too late, commitment far too weak 02:27 PM EST on August 16th, 2013 | 133 comments CNBC: “Cow terrorism” from government’s push to restart reactors — Nuclear power is unwelcome, Japan public fearful and resentful (VIDEO) 01:10 PM EST on August 16th, 2013 | 30 comments Japan TV reveals cover-up of radioactive ‘black rain’ data — Doctor: “This is really surprising... more »
The Politics of Genocide
--> *In this important interview from 2011, internationally acclaimed activist and documentary filmmaker Keith Harmon Snow explains what he calls "the politics of genocide." Tracing the historical progression of the concept of genocide and its politicization, he illustrates the power relations at work in the construction of genocide narratives, pointing out the hypocrisy of what he calls "the genocide industry." Attacking everything from the nonprofit-industrial complex to poverty-pimping celebrities and colonialist exploiters, Keith Harmon Snow illuminates some of the darker co...more »
Philadelphia School District financial Foibles - is there a unspoken 28 million hole baked into the funding cake ( which would be projections for additional tax collections ) ? Mayor Nutter rejects City Council property tax plan , will stick with his plan to borrow 50 million to allow Schools to open on time... City Council approval still needed for Mayor nutter plan to go into effect , so let's see what happens ! Budge reductions and school conditions - from the perspectives of school teachers and parents - grim stuff !
squeezing blood from stones it would appear...... http://thenotebook.org/blog/136315/squeezing-school-funding-tax-delinquents-28-million-in-balance Philadelphia trying to squeeze school funds from tax delinquentsby thenotebook on Aug 16 2013 Posted in Latest news Share on email COMMENTS (19)PRINT *by Patrick Kerkstra for the Notebook and PlanPhilly* As bad as the School District’s projections for this fiscal year already are, the actual bottom line could turn out even worse if the City of Philadelphia fails to deliver on its promise to squeeze an additional $28 million out of tax del... more »
In our view, Krugman goes over the line!
*SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013* *Press corps gets airbrushed away:* Has our political system “been so degraded by misinformation and disinformation that it can no longer function?” That’s the question with which Paul Krugman started yesterday’s column. Plainly, we’d say the answer is yes. We'd say our system has been disabled that way for a rather long time. In our view, misinformation and disinformation were thoroughly clogging the system at least by the start of the Clinton-Gore years. By the end of those years, the disinformation drowned us. In that sense, Krugman was raising a ve... more »
MOVING EVENING AT THE PEACE PAGODA
*Vanessa has become one heck of an activist* I am sitting in a bakery in Bennington, Vermont due to the fact that Highway 9 is closed because of a major accident. Police said the road would be closed for at least 90 minutes as they clear the two-lane country highway that runs east-west. I am heading east. Or I was heading east. Early yesterday I took my scooter from Bath to nearby Brunswick and rented a car to make the six-hour drive to Grafton, New York for the 20th anniversary Hiroshima observance at the Nipponzan Myohoji Peace Pagoda. I arrived early enough to be greeted by B... more »
Pirate Bay decade: Fighting censorship, copyright monopolies bit by bit
Rick Falkvinge Russia Today The phenomenon of sharing culture and knowledge seems to swing in cycles between centralized and decentralized. The Pirate Bay appeared with little fanfare in the fall of 2003. At the time, BitTorrent was not the preferred sharing technology at all, and a Swedish think-tank named The Pirate Bureau wanted to try out the technology, as it showed promise by being decentralized. While we would think that sharing activity would need to be decentralized by its nature, it turns out that this is rarely the case. When we were sharing culture and knowledge in our... more »
No shit Sherlock - Top Gear in new controversy over faked hovercraft scenes on River Avon - News - TV & Radio - The Independent
' BBC motoring show Top Gear is embroiled in controversy over faked scenes after it emerged that actors had been hired to appear in a segment where a home-made hovercraft soaks diners at a riverside restaurant.' Top Gear fake scenes? No shit Sherlock Story here http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/top-gear-in-new-controversy-over-faked-hovercraft-scenes-on-river-avon-8735570.html
Academic Conferences: From “Networking” to Forming and Nurturing Social Ties
I don’t care much for APSA. Indeed, this year I am continuing my recent tradition of skipping it entirely. But it always occasions discussion in the political-science blogsphere. This year the focus of that discussion, at least as it pertains to conferencing as an activity, appears to be on “networking.” Steve recently echoed the substantive Continue reading
Class Grades | the becoming radical
Class Grades | the becoming radical.
Tea Party's Reign Of Terror Just May Save The Incompetent Democrats Next Year
Danton et Farenthold The French Revolution spawned many important things aside from the motto *"Liberté, égalité, fraternité."* Before the French Revolution, for example, a debauched and unaccountable monarchy and aristocracy ruled mankind with impunity and conspired with the Established religions to give that the imprimatur of ruling by "Divine Right." Things really did change because of the monumental revolution, even if they've slipped back in the *ancien*direction-- substitute plutocracy and oligarchy for aristocracy-- in recent years. The whole "left"/"right" dichotomy of looking... more »
BBC News - Mortgages at 'most affordable level' for 14 years
Another housing bubble being inflated? More here http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23736707
Oh, What A Tangled Web
Things are starting to get interesting -- and potentially nasty. John Ivison reports in *The National Post* that Mike Duffy is unhappy: Mr. Duffy’s lawyers have barred him from speaking to the press but he has told friends that he feels he has been thrown under the bus and that the Conservative PR machine is out to destroy him. Sources close to the now-Independent senator at the centre of the expenses scandal said Mr. Duffy was recruited to present a “kinder, softer” face to the Conservative Party in the run-up to the 2011 election. Friends say he was told that political appearanc... more »
95 percent confidence: in HEP vs IPCC
When I saw some reports about the IPCC's 95 percent "certainty" that the global warming is mostly man-made, I couldn't avoid thinking about the huge difference between hard sciences (such as particle physics) and soft sciences (such as the contemporary climatology). Reuters saw documents saying something like that: Drafts seen by Reuters of the study by the U.N. panel of experts, due to be published next month, say it is at least 95 percent likely that human activities - chiefly the burning of fossil fuels - are the main cause of warming since the 1950s. That is up from at least 90... more »
EdWeek and the Gates Love Affair that Just Won’t Go Away
In the Digital Education blog at Education Week, Q&A: Bill Gates on Teaching, Ed Tech, and Philanthropy provides Gates with yet another platform to (this time) continue his re-messaging campaign. Yep, he uses words like “magical” (did you get goose bumps?), but if you read carefully, as Jersey Jazzman did, Gates has simply learned to soften his […]
US Middle East policies in Iraq and Syria - how can the US have a coherent foreign policy when the US : supports Iraq Prime Minister Maliki and opposes Al Qaeda in Iraq ; at the same time , the US opposes Syria' Assad but helps arm Al Qaeda in Syria ; concurrently , Syria and Iraq are allies fighting Al Qaeda - how can that work ? Meanwhile , Lebanon and Hezbollah increasing drawn into the Syria War - what reactive measure will Hezbollah take against the syria rebels after the deadly attack inside Lebanon - essentially at Hezbollah's doorstep ? Yemen appears to have gone back to its prior state of irrelevance - 12 drone attacks , at least 49 killed , if there was a real terror threat from Yemen - it was not prevented by what appears to be wanton and reckless bombing of mostly civilians that will in fact create many more enemies for the US ........ Cynically looking at US's aid to Egypt - this is is just a form of US corporate welfare and US bribery to the military of Egypt ( which the GCC has blown away by pledging 12 billion to Egypt )
http://news.antiwar.com/2013/08/16/us-officials-syria-war-fueling-al-qaeda-in-iraq-resurgence/ US Officials: Syria War Fueling al-Qaeda in Iraq ResurgenceIraqi Govt Seeks US Surveillance Drones Amid Growing Threat by Jason Ditz, August 16, 2013 Print This | Share This July was the deadliest month for Iraq in years, and August looks to be no better. Iraq’s central government is desperate to get support from anywhere they can on security, and apparently having no better ideas has sought EU support as well as floating the idea of US surveillance drones. Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) has always ... more »
My name is...
The Scary Door has been opened in Egypt. Out of it has come all the old horror. This photo, I am reliably told, shows a young Egyptian writing their name on their arm, in case they are killed by the army/police. What bravery in the face of horror.
A chart is worth a Million Words
Removing The Shackles - 16 hours ago
With huge thanx to the research team.... who are having an absolute blast asking "What do I know?" and then clicking on a link and discovering all sorts of fun stuff!!! I dont' even know if it's possible to formulate an article around all that they have dug up and discovered and dragged out from under the carpet. I might just have to post an article that is entirely made up of links and say "Have fun with this!!". A picture may be worth a thousand words.... but a chart is worth a million!!! This first set of charts is from here: http://fairwhistleblower.ca/content/revolving-door... more »
Missing Money
Missing Money I really love it when people put together these visual messages- nothing gets the point across like a picture ...It's like going to the grocery store and by the time you get home, 8 of the 9 bags of groceries you've bought have disappeared and all you have left is one bag that contains a box of saltine crackers, some no name corn flakes and a bottle of ketchup. http://www.masters-in-accounting.org/missing-money/ [image: Missing Money] Image compliments of Masters in Accounting Degrees
Thus Spake Zarathustra
"Mmmm....*Sunday*, with Ed Stourton" My attempts at predicting what's going to up for discussion on *Sunday *have been thwarted once more, as the programme has again published its 'table of contents' a day early. To be covered...an interview with the Archbishop of Lima about the two British women arrested in Peru over suspected drug trafficking; the second half of that 'following in the footsteps of St.Paul' report; an interview with Lord Karan Bilimoria, the first Zoroastrian Parsi to sit in the House of Lords, about Zoroastrianism; a report from Australia about an Anglican ar... more »
EGYPT BATTLES AL QAEDA
*Mysterious agents provocateurs shoot at police in Cairo* *On 16 August 2013 in Cairo:* "As pro-Morsi protesters marched to Ramses Square ... heavy gunfire rang out when residents tried to prevent the marchers from gathering. *"Masked men in plain clothes were photographed shooting into the throng in the square from the October 6th overpass...* *"The security forces claim the Brotherhood burned the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque, the makeshift hospital located there and the bodies therein. * * **Masked men seen shooting protesters* - *Irish Times* *Muslim Brotherhood Played With Fire An... more »
Jon Donnison - suppository of bias
A few days ago we did a piece about how the BBC's biases were already making themselves evident during the corporation's initial coverage of the Australian federal election. Among the points made was that stories about 'gaffes' by right-wing politicians are standard fare when it comes to the BBC's foreign coverage - as the BBC seems to love such stories. 'Gaffes' by left-wing politicians, in contrast, barely get a mention. That opening week's coverage went overboard on one such right-wing 'gaffe' story (concerning a minor candidate from a minor party). "More of the same should p... more »
More thoughts for the Brain...
Some rather minor thoughts re the Laurie Penny article everyone is sharing- while it's perfectly correct to argue that sexism, or any other organised prejudice, is a system and, therefore, it takes more than simple goodwill on any individual's part (Alex Callinicos, I understand, calls it political morality) to overcome it, the headline (and I'm aware authors don't usually write headlines) uses the word "benefit". If you take that strictly literally it's very hard to avoid the implication that despite the history of politics and political parties, the actual objective basis of politic... more »
"Hot Century Ahead: Study Finds Onslaught of Heat Waves Now Inevitable"
* "Hot Century Ahead: * *Study Finds Onslaught of Heat Waves Now Inevitable"* by Sarah Lazare "A new study dishes out some very bad news about the global warming crisis. It is too late to stop a "several folds" increase of deadly heat waves caused by greenhouse gases—and the floods, fires, and storms they bring. The report comes as a record heat wave hits North Asia, killing dozens and sickening far more, flooding hospitals with heatstroke victims amid power shortages that are cutting off air conditioning in some areas. Published Thursday in the "Environmental Research Letters"... more »
CHILD ABUSE - JAPAN
*Child abuse increasing in Japan* In Japan, child abuse cases reached a record high in 2012. Enjo-kōsai is "a form of child prostitution whereby participating girls sell their bodies in exchange for designer goods or money." "In a 1998 survey by the Asian Women's Fund, researchers found that more than 20 percent of all high school girls engage in enjo-kōsai and over 90 percent of the girls interviewed attested to feeling uncomfortable with the exchange or purchase of sexual services for money.[4]" "Teachers, monks, government officials, company executives, and others of high soc... more »
Forced marriages: women hide spoon in underwear to flee parents at airport security | Mail Online
How a spoon in their knickers could save young women from a life of slavery in Pakistan and elsewhere. Read here http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2395478/Forced-marriages-women-hide-spoon-underwear-flee-parents-airport-security.html
"A Look to the Heavens"
“This beautiful cosmic cloud is a popular stop on telescopic tours of the constellation Sagittarius. Eighteenth century cosmic tourist Charles Messier cataloged the bright nebula as M8. Modern day astronomers recognize the Lagoon Nebula as an active stellar nursery about 5,000 light-years distant, in the direction of the center of our Milky Way Galaxy. *Click image for larger size.* Hot stars in the embedded open star cluster NGC 6530 power the nebular glow. Remarkable features can be traced through this sharp picture, showing off the Lagoon's filaments of glowing gas and dar... more »
Manipulation, Lies, Guile And The Real Nuclear Story
*Written by Grant G * Manipulation, deceit, guile, those words plant different imagery and have quite diverse meanings to the individual, however, for me they have one specific goal....and that is control, control the image, control the message, control the mind and yes, you will now control the masses.. Examples are everywhere, here in British Columbia alone, we were told, no we were lied to that we needed run of river private power, Gordon Campbell was an habitual liar, he blathered about how short of power we were, our illustrious local media donned blinders, they allowed thos... more »
Turkey's Erdoğan Talks Nonsense About Egypt, Plus Some Comments And A Video
"Those who resisted against the military coup in Egypt, did not resort to violence, did not use weapons [...] The Egyptian people will gain their rights sooner or later. One day those pharaohs will face a Moses who will end the tyranny." [Source: *"Turkey’s Erdoğan Blasts EU For Egypt, Syria Massacres,"* EurActiv, August 17]. Those are the words of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. He is talking absolute nonsense. Four points:* * *1)* Muslim Brotherhood supporters have used violence against Egyptian security forces and civilians, especially Egypt's Christian minority. ... more »
Muslim Brotherhood Played With Fire And Got Burned (Video Of Their Weapons Stockpile)
"The conflict is between Egyptians and a terrorist group that peddles religion and manipulates the piety of the uneducated, the poor and the gullible," writes Dr. Ashraf Ezzat in his article, *"Ending the Muslim Brotherhood’s "Occupy Egypt" (The unreported story)."* Read the entire article, he has many other great quotes. Here's some more: The protesters you used to watch, on TV news bulletins, occupying the Rabaa and Nahdaa squares are not politically motivated, as a matter of fact most of them are illiterate, politically and literally speaking. Those protesters were shepherded in... more »
Asia Shocks West By Demanding Their Gold Be Sent Home
* * * * *Asia Shocks West By Demanding Their Gold Be Sent Home* After an initial $20 plunge, the price of gold turned violently higher and closed near the highs in After an initial $20 plunge, the price of gold turned violently higher and closed near the highs in what turned out to be almost a $50 trading range. In the aftermath of this turbulent trading, today one of the legends in the business shocked King World News when he said the reason for the wild trading action was that Asian central banks were demanding their gold, some of which is being stored in Western vaults, be sen... more »
US files appeal to block Bernanke from testifying in AIG case
* * * * *US files appeal to block Bernanke from testifying in AIG case* Published: Friday, 16 Aug 2013 | 5:39 PM ET The U.S. Justice Department on Friday asked an appeals court to reverse a judge's ruling last month that Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke must testify in a lawsuit about American International Group's 2008 bailout. Bernanke cannot be forced to sit for a deposition because high-ranking U.S. government officials are generally protected from getting drawn into time-consuming civil litigation, the Justice Department said in its petition. The petition was filed in th... more »
Branding Snowden: Chinese tech firm wants to trademark NSA leaker
*Branding Snowden: Chinese tech firm wants to trademark NSA leaker* Published time: August 16, 2013 14:53 http://rt.com/business/china-tech-snowden-trademark-570/ A woman holds a portrait of former U.S. spy agency contractor Edward Snowden in front of her face as she stands in front of the U.S. embassy during a protest in Berlin.(Reuters / Thomas Peter) A Beijing-based electric car technology company wants to use NSA-leaker Edward Snowden’s name as a brand for their new ‘secret technology’. Electric car technology firm Hong Yuan Lan Xiang (HYLX) submitted an application to the Chi... more »
IS THE ‘BATTALIONS OF AYESHA’ ANOTHER ATTEMPT BY ISRAEL TO SET UP A FAKE ‘AL QAEDA’ GROUP?
The responsibility for the recent bombing attack in Beirut clearly designed to target Hezbollah, has been claimed by a hitherto unheard of group calling itself the ‘Battalions of Ayesha’. The usually reliable news organisation UPI reported that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah had blamed Israel for the attack on the basis that it was in retaliation for last weeks explosions that injured four Israeli soldiers that had sneaked into Lebanon on a reconnaissance patrol. However, the BBC has reported that Nasrallah had blamed ‘Sunni Muslim militants’ for the blast seemingly contradictin... more »
Essential Grids Now in Place and Energized for Rectification of All Requisite Hue-Manity Up-Steps
* * * * *Essential Grids Now in Place and Energized for Rectification of All Requisite Hue-Manity Up-Steps* by ÉirePort Essential grids are now in place and energized for rectification of all requisite Hue-manity up-steps. Cosmic stream assistance comes forthwith, at appropriate moment. Spiraling energies from Gaia Portals which are required for these up-steps will be embraced by sufficient numbers of Hue-Beings to allow Cosmic Upshift in frequencies. Manifestations likely will include instantaneous multi-body (physical, mental, and emotional) healings as well as resolutions of ... more »
Sunday Classics preview: Working back from the "Mikado" and "Yeomen of the Guard" Overtures to "The Gondoliers"
*GILBERT and SULLIVAN: The Mikado (1885): Overture* *GILBERT and SULLIVAN: The Yeomen of the Guard (1888): Overture* *Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner, cond. Philips, recorded February 1992* *by Ken* If you haven't been around Sunday Classics much, you may not be aware that I take my Gilbert and Sullivan right seriously. (See, for starters, the June 2010 post "The Mikado says, 'It's an unjust world, and virtue is triumphant only in theatrical performances.'") I don't think of their run of comic masterpieces, from *Trial by Jury* (1875) through *The Gondol... more »
The Flight of the Lapwing
*The East Coast is now being overbuilt with loud, kitschy hotels. Hurry up and visit before it is destroyed.* I was trawling through the Theological Commons (run by the Princeton Theological Seminary), which has more than 70,000 texts from the 19th and early 20th century on theology and religion in PDF format (including many scholarly works), and found this treasure, The Flight of the Lapwing. The book is subtitled *A Naval Officer's Jottings in China, Formosa, and Japan*. An apt description. Click on READ MORE..... Published in 1881, the book presents tales from three years of voy... more »
Elvis: August 16, 1977...
* RIP* *January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) * *You are missed!*
The National – "Pink Rabbits"
Here's the whole session.
The Daily "Near You?"
Wales, Wisconsin, USA. Thanks for stopping by.
Torture by Design: Saying No to the Architecture of Solitary Confinement and Cruelty --An interview with Raphael Sperry
*Torture by Design: Saying No to the Architecture of Solitary Confinement and Cruelty --An interview with Raphael Sperry * *By Angola 3 News* Friday, August 16 marked the 40th consecutive day of a multi-ethnic statewide prisoner hunger strike initiated from inside the Security Housing Unit (SHU) of California's Pelican Bay State Prison. When the strike first began on July 8, the 'California Department of Corrections and Reform' (CDCR) reported 30,000 participants statewide, which the Los Angeles Timeswrote "could be the largest prison protest in state history." In response, the hu... more »
‘Bloodbath that is not a bloodbath': Why Egypt is doomed
Pepe Escobar Russia Today Egypt's ‘bloodbath that is not a bloodbath’ has shown that the forces of hardcore suppression and corruption reign supreme, while foreign interests - the House of Saud, Israel and the Pentagon - support the military's merciless strategy. Stop. Look at the photos. Linger on dozens of bodies lined up in a makeshift morgue. How can the appalling bloodbath in Egypt be justified? Take your pick. Either it’s Egypt’s remix of Tiananmen Square, or it’s the bloodbath that is not a bloodbath, conducted by the leaders of the coup that is not a coup, with the aim of ... more »
Chet Raymo, "What Is Your Environmental Ethic?"
* * *"What Is Your Environmental Ethic?"* by Chet Raymo "A student from Professor Mooney's environmental ethics class came up to me in the College Commons the other day and asked me, "What is your environmental ethic?" Most environmental thinking begins with a distinction between natural and artificial. Natural is the non-human world. Artificial is anything that is the work of human contrivance. The two are seen in opposition. Natural is good. Artificial is bad. The bad is driving out the good. Hence our environmental dilemma. Here again, it seems to me, we are hung up on a fa... more »
"Are We Humans Dumber Than Chimps?"
* * * "Are We Humans Dumber Than Chimps?"* by The Daily Mail "Could you be dumber than a chimp? That's not as daft a question as it once was. After all, science has proved that chimpanzees share 99 per cent of our DNA. They can learn sign language. They can solve puzzles and even make tools. And this week came the most startling discovery of all. Researchers in Japan have pitted human adults against five-year-old chimpanzees in a test of mental agility and memory - and the chimps won. In a test of short-term memory involving numbers flashed on a computer screen, the apes comfor...more »
Christians Should Stop Whining About Persecution
The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, thinks some Christians living in foreign lands need to "grow up" and stop hyping tales of how they're persecuted. *“When you’ve had any contact with real persecuted minorities you learn to use the word very chastely,” The Guardian reports him saying. “Persecution is not being made to feel mildly uncomfortable. ‘For goodness sake, grow up,’ I want to say.”* * * *True persecution involves “systematic brutality and often murderous hostility that means that every morning you wonder if you and your children are going to live through th... more »
Senate Residence Requirements Are Not a Frivolous Formality
Canadian senators are appointed to represent their home province. Although some, like the barnstorming Cavendish Cottager, may appear to represent their party, not the country and not their province, that isn't the obvious intent of the residency requirement. Senators are supposed to spend most of their time in their home province to make themselves accessible to the people of their province, to hear their concerns, so that they can take those thoughts and interests back and represent them in the Senate. A senator from Prince Edward Island fundraising in northern Alberta is doin... more »
Is it really a great idea for the GOP to have presidential debates moderated by a guy who's sworn to keep one candidate from getting their nod?
*What? You think right-wing hate talker Mark Levin shouldn't moderate GOP presidential debates just 'cause he's said, "I will do everything I can, in my little way, to make sure [Chris Christie] is not the nominee"?* *by Ken* So let's pretend that you're a large-ish political party and you occasionally like to run candidates for high political office, possibly including president of the United States. And let's say that your party tends to attract candidates who struggle to balance teh stupid and teh crazy. This isn't in and of itself a problem, because the people you are hoping w... more »
Just remember as you read this blog the NSA is noting you reading
There was of course no way of knowing whether you were being watched at any given moment. How often, or on what system, the Thought Police plugged in on any individual wire was guesswork. It was even conceivable that they watched everybody all the time. But at any rate they could plug in your wire whenever they wanted to. From "1984"
Mistake in contract
Lee v. 1435375 Ontario Ltd., 2013 ONCA 516: [37] The formation of a legally binding contract requires a meeting of the minds –*consensus ad idem*. When the meeting of the minds is based on a common error as to some fundamental fact, the parties' agreement, viewed objectively, is "robbed of all efficacy": *Ron Ghitter Property Consultants*, at para. 13, referring to M.P. Furnston, *Cheshire, Fifoot and Furnston's Law of Contract,* 14th ed. (London: Butterworths, 2001). [38] The motion judge accepted the test set out by Lord Atkin in the famous decision of the House of L... more »
" The selective enforcement of law negates the very purpose of social order. How can there be a universally recognized limits to mankind’s behavior if a minority are permitted to disregard governing laws? The result is a contradiction – either the law applies everywhere or it does not . " ----- These are basic truths in a democratic society , right ? Now ask if these basic truths are fact based today ? So , what type of society are we in again ?
Instead of reality shows , why are there no surreality shows ? http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-08-16/it%E2%80%99s-law "It’s The Law" [image: Tyler Durden's picture] Submitted by Tyler Durden on 08/16/2013 15:06 -0400 - Great Depression - Ludwig von Mises - Market Crash - Mises Institute - New York Times - Tax Revenue *Submitted by James Miller of The Ludwig von Mises Institute Of Canada* *It’s The Law* [image: law]There is much casual talk about law and order among all classes of people. It is not considered awkward when discussing the peculiarities o... more »
Forgotten Libya Updates - August 16 , 2013.......Prime Minister threatens force to end oil industry production blockades which have essentially shutdown exports for several weeks - note that apart from blockades , are seeing unauthorized oil shipments by the Regional Commander of the Petroleum Facilities Guard ? Libya unable to guarantee supplies ? ? Additional news of note from forgotten Libya....
Zeidan threatens force to end oil industry disruption *By Hadi Fornaji* *Tripoli, 16 August 2013:* Prime Minister Ali Zeidan today launched a fierce attack on protestors disrupting Libyan oil production and sales at four export terminals, which the government says have cost the country $1.6 billion in the last three weeks, as output tumbled below 400,000 b/d. June production had reportedly been nearer 1.3 million b/d. Zeidan said that force would be used to end refinery blockades at Zueitina, Brega, Ras Lanuf and Sidra. Moreover, he vowed that any tanker approaching an export termin... more »
From the White House to America ( the attitude projected seems to be ) : If you were dumb enough to buy what was sold during the campaign - eat your peas ! If you don't like what I'm doing - on Affordable Healthcare " Bait and switches " , NSA spying on Americans , Terror - Rama / Osama Bin Laden fake theaters - kiss my butt because you're stuck with me until 2016 , Fools !
Catharsis Ours - 1 day ago
http://www.michellesmirror.com/2013/08/insane-clown-posse-award.html Which is the offensive cowboy clown ? I can't tell...... * [image: obama-rodeo-clown-mask-600][image: obama-cowboy]* Back to exile for the former body man ? http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/love-obama-played-cards-during-osama-raid-i-can-t-watch-entire-thing-obama-said_748413.html Love: Obama Played Cards During Osama Raid; 'I Can’t Watch This Entire Thing,' Obama Said 2:00 PM, AUG 14, 2013 • BY DANIEL HALPER Send to Kindle Single PagePrintLarger TextSmaller TextAlerts Reggie L... more »
The Canadian Senate - OPEN THE BOOKS ... AND JAIL THE CROOKS!!
[image: Progressive Bloggers] *Canada's Conservative and Liberal parties have used and abused the Canadian Senate for their own partisan and personal reasons for decades. The New Democratic Party of Canada has long advocated for dissolution of this unelected, undemocratic, untouchable disgrace of an institution. We've always been right about this! **Abolish the damn thing!* * **And at the same time, perhaps show the nation what Canada's old line Liberal's and Conservative's have been up to! ** * *"The Senate's internal economy committee has accepted a plan by the federal auditor ... more »
Piffle About Taxes
Four years ago, Stephen Harper declared: "I don't believe that any taxes are good taxes." We've come to expect that kind of piffle from the prime minister. But, Devon Black writes, these days all politicians are singing from the same hymnal: The “Read my lips — no new taxes!” approach to politics is so popular right now that even Thomas Mulcair hopped on the anti-tax bandwagon last week, promising no new taxes if the NDP forms the government after the next election. The problem is, of course, that we need things which we can't afford to pay for on our own: We all benefit from ... more »
Lethe
When her back began alarmingly to creak, and all the earth receded far below, she made herself a bench, a slat of fir between two other slats of fir. Her knees derided her presumption, so she tacked a bit of carpet on, to ease the landings when she launched them out and down, hoping, as she did so, nothing was missing: not the ho-mi, nor the seeds or seedlings in their flat, or soil she'd stolen from the neighbor's molehills, baked and sifted, nor the hose-end with its chilly hand of brass. Any unpresent thing could send her wandering from barn to potting shed to kitchen counter, sweari... more »
Department of Justice files with Federal Appeals Court to block deposition of Bernanke in the case of Starr International vs US ..... Why are they scared of what Ben might say under oath ?
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/justice-seeking-block-bernanke-testimony-19986043 Justice Seeking to Block Bernanke Testimony WASHINGTON August 17, 2013 (AP) [image: Associated Press] The government is trying to block questioning of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke in a lawsuit by the former head of American International Group Inc. The Justice Department told a federal appeals court Friday that high-ranking officials should not have to testify except in extraordinary circumstances. Former AIG CEO Hank Greenberg sued the government over the $182 billion bailout of the i... more »
"I've been to the Mountaintop.." - The Full, UNCUT Last Speech of MLK
Thank you very kindly, my friends. As I listened to Ralph Abernathy and his eloquent and generous introduction and then thought about myself, I wondered who he was talking about. [*Laughter*] It's always good to have your closest friend and associate to say something good about you, and Ralph Abernathy is the best friend that I have in the world. I'm delighted to see each of you here tonight in spite of a storm warning. You reveal that you are determined [*Audience*:] (*Right*) to go on anyhow. (*Yeah, All right*) Something is happening in Memphis, something is happening in our wor... more »
Napoleon's Wise Advice To Egypt In Its Current Period of Transition: "Beware of A Militarist Government"
** Painting by Jean-Léon Gérôme. *Brief Comment on Egypt:* General Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi does not come across as a military despot but a civic-minded guardian of a nation in deep crisis. He did not engineer the coup against Morsi because he is hungry for power, he acted out of a sense of patriotism and concern for the political life of Egypt and the long-term security of its citizens. He saw the damage that Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood was inflicting on Egypt and acted to save his country from a disastrous and unpopular course that was being taken under a dictatorial and ult... more »
Henry Geiger - How Opinions Are Formed (1986)
*Related: * * Henry Geiger - Symbol And Myth (1974).* *Henry Geiger - The Present And The Long View (1979)*. *Henry Geiger - Moonshine And Sunlight (1984).* * * * Henry Geiger - The Uses of Make Believe (1983).* *Henry Geiger - Signs of A New Civilization (1980).* * * *Henry Geiger - We See What We Are (1980).* * * * ** Henry Geiger - An Ancient Question (1986).* * Henry Geiger - The Chains Of Prometheus (1959).* * Henry Geiger - Men and Gods (1973). * * Henry Geiger - Plato's Intent And Method (1976). * *Wikipedia:* Henry Geiger (1908?-15 February 1989) was the editor, publi... more »
FBI finally acknowledges it DOES have documents on murdered journalist Michael Hastings - of course it took a lawsuit to get the truth out of them ! NSA funds a top secret 60 million center to process private emails , cell phone calls and google searches ? Police state updates.......
http://www.infowars.com/fbi-admits-it-has-documents-on-michael-hastings/ FBI Admits It Has Documents On Michael Hastings - [image: The Alex Jones Channel][image: Alex Jones Show podcast][image: Prison Planet TV][image: Infowars.com Twitter][image: Alex Jones' Facebook][image: Infowars store] Federal agency initially denied it had investigated Rolling Stone journalist *Paul Joseph Watson* Infowars.com August 16, 2013 The FBI has tacitly admitted that it possesses documents pertaining to Michael Hastings despite initially claiming that it had never investigated the Rolling S... more »
bradley manning's apology: the triumph of torture
Earlier this week, Bradley Manning's defense ended its case in Manning's sentencing hearing. Manning made a statement to the military court: an apology. Reading it, I thought of *1984*, when Winston faces the terror of being eaten alive by rats, and he tells his tormentors what they want to hear. I read the apology and I thought, *They have crushed him.* Manning has been tortured - physically and mentally. He has been through an ordeal that few of us can possibly imagine. No matter how much we admire him, no matter how we stand with him in spirit or in thought or by donating to his... more »
Does education in America deserve a grade of "F"...
Jim, at Asylum Watch thinks so. So do I. *Education In America Deserves A Grade Of “F” *
Untitled
*Key disagreements remain between levee board, Jindal administration over coastal loss lawsuit ~Bob Marshall, The Lens*
2016's GOP Message: "We're Not Really Romney Any More"
It will be hard for Paul Ryan to distance himself from the stench of Mitt Romney's loss last year. But that's exactly what Ryan's competitors for the 2016 Republican nomination are all doing. Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Rick Santorum, Marco Rubio, Chris Christie, et al, all of whom endorsed Romney and campaigned for him, are now trying to distance themselves from him and from his elitist agenda, an agenda every single one of them has based his career on. Right-wing populism is all the vogue now in Republicanland and that's looking like the emerging play for 2016. None of the new crew wil... more »
Mohawk Nation News 'Warrior Cohorts'
WARRIOR COHORTS Mohawk Nation News Posted on August 15, 2013 MNN. AUG. 15, 2013. The MacDonald-Laurier think tank has published a report on “Canada and the First Nations, Cooperation or Conflict”. The board consists of CEOs of energy corporations and other rulers. Discussed at length is how to start an Indigenous uprising in order to execute the Warriors! This report is their “Mein Kampf” for
I Will Not Be Silent
You've all heard the meme: They came for the whatever, and I said nothing. I have been silent for too long. I've been silent because I work in a field where my views are not welcome and I needed my job. I've been silent because I fear the power of the mightiest government ever known. I've been silent for fear of offending those around me. I've been silent because it's safer to be silent than to speak up. I will no longer be silent. I will not be silent because Bengazi. I will not be silent because Fast and Furious. I will not be silent because IRS auditing based on politic... more »
This is how silly reporting can be!
*FRIDAY, AUGUST 16, 2013* *When journalists talk about studies:* How silly can news reporting be? Especially, reporting on studies? To see how silly such reporting can be, check a recent report from the New York Times about the driving habits of people who own fancy cars. The report appeared in Tuesday’s hard-copy Times. It isn’t important in the slightest, except as a way to see how reporters and pundits constantly talk about academic studies. This is the way Benjamin Preston’s piece started. We include its sweeping headline: PRESTON (8/13/13): *The Rich Drive Differently, a Stud... more »
Your moment of Zen
Cygnets on the water. [Back to Earth - Artworks photo]
From The Essays Of JB Campbell: Jewish Damage!
As I stated in the last article, I have no fear of promoting the fine work of many other writers out there that are fighting this war against Jewish domination... One such writer in particular that I have taken an interest in over the last year is JB Campbell... For this article, I want to post the first of many essays from JB Campbell that I will be presenting here at this blog for everyone to view for themselves... It comes from the website, JB Campbell: Extremism Online, at www.jbcampbellextremismonline.com, and is entitled: "Jewish Damage". It contains a wealth of information ... more »
Why Is That Spoon In Your Knickers?
It was probably a good idea until it hit the papers. A Derby-based charity that helps women escape being sent abroad for forced marriages had advised them to hide a spoon in their underwear. The idea was they would be caught by airport screeners which would give them a chance to seek help from authorities. *Last week ministers warned that young people were at the highest risk of being taken abroad for a forced marriage during the school holidays. The government's forced marriage unit received 400 reports between June and August last year, out of an annual total of 1,500.* *No o... more »
Extremely Speculative Use of NAEP Data by “Reformers”
As much as I respect Steve Sawchuk, his “When Bad Things Happen to Good NAEP Data” is an example of When Good Reporters Face Bad Spin. He recounted examples of “misnaepery” or the misuse of NAEP data. In doing so, Sawchuk demonstrated a false equivalency between egregious violations of scholarship by Joel Klein, Michelle Rhee’s […]
The Geopolitics of the Egyptian Crisis
* **Eric Draitser appears on Press TV to discuss the latest developments in the ongoing political crisis in Egypt. He explains the growing conflict between Saudi Arabia and Qatar as it relates to Egypt and the region more generally. Additionally, he examines the nature of the Egyptian ruling establishment and the role of the United States in this developing crisis.*
Climate Change Fun Fact of the Week - the Rise of Brain-Eating Bugs
Okay, it's not like it's an epidemic but, just sayin'. Our warming climate is manifesting in the northern migration of all manner of lifeforms - mammals, fish, birds, insects and diseases. This week we feature *N. Fowleri* or *Naegleria fowleri. *It's an insidious little bugger, an amoeba that has been detected as far north as Minnesota, and it loves warm conditions. It also loves taking up residence in swimmers and then eating their brains. *It’s a fatal infection without an effective treatment, and one that strikes in a decidedly gruesome manner: An amoebic organism lurking... more »
NOT Vin Ordinaire (Hardly!) But, There Again, Coke, Mary Jane and Meth City?
Talk about a great wine! Certainly a wine whose time has come? Among other cerebral pursuits . . . . Seems to me that with the continuing rampant drug use of the upper classes (although the budget-constrained lower classes lag now), we'll be hearing a lot more about these mindful relaxation solutions. (Not to mention their efficacy in helping people forget the worries of their
Concerning those international scores, Motoko Rich gets it right!
*FRIDAY, AUGUST 16, 2013* *Next time, let’s get it righter:* How often do we get to praise the New York Times’ education reporting? Don’t answer that question! But this morning, Motoko Rich got it right. Some fine day, it would be great if the Times got it even righter! Rich reports on the spreading hub-bub about the switch by many states to the new, more challenging “Common Core standards.” She discussed the recent, major confusion which has surrounded this shift in some benighted locations. Like in the state of New York! She doesn’t note that her own newspaper’s gruesome reporti... more »
'TOP CIA-LINKED TERRORIST DIES IN LONDON'
*Iqbal Mirchi, aka Muhammed Iqbal Memon, and wife* On 14 august 2013, the 'untouchable top terrorist' Iqbal Mirchi 'died in London'. Dawood Ibrahim's close aide Iqbal Mirchi dies in London Mirchi was allegedly among the top global drug barons. He was the right hand man of Dawood Ibrahim, 'the CIA asset and protector of Osama bin Laden'. *Dawood Ibrahim, 'CIA asset'.* According to the US authorities and to a United Nations report, Iqbal Mirchi was the right-hand man of Dawood Ibrahim, head of the 'D' company, a worldwide mafia. Dawood is said to be an asset of the CIA and is kno... more »
Oklahoma Needs A Progressive In Congress Again-- Meet Tom Guild
The "most Democratic" congressional district in Oklahoma is the 5th, which includes Oklahoma City, Edmund and Shawnee. The PVI is "only" R+12 and it's the only district in the state where Obama broke 40-- albeit barely-- against McCain and also against Romney. (Obama won 33% statewide last year.) The incumbent is Tea Party extremist James Lankford and last year his Democratic opponent was Tom Guild, who scored 37%, just a percent below the only Democratic candidate the DCCC got behind, very conservative Blue Dog Rob Wallace in the second district. Tom got more votes than any other... more »
Back in the USSR brought to life...
'Well the Ukraine girls really knock me out They leave the West behind'
Calls for Diplomacy with Iran Come from Unlikely Sources
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (Photo Credit: Abdolvahed Mirzazadeh) As Congress and Israeli leaders continue to make threats and take actions that serve to dismiss and prevent any possibility of real diplomacy between Iran and the West, namely the United States, a number of unexpected voices are now chiming in on the side of moderation, pragmatism and a negotiation.Iranian rhetoric since
Memphis Commercial Appeal Picks Black Scapegoat to Blame for Charter School Cash Drain
The Gates plan for consolidating Memphis and Shelby County Schools has resulted in the kind of community fragmentation that has not been seen anywhere before. At the poor core of Memphis are now almost forty charter chain gangs set up to segregate and contain black children, and they will complement the remaining public schools of […]
New Contest - Your Favourite Tory in Marjorie's Wig
Any guesses what former Conservative senate leader Marjorie Lebreton plans to do with her 30s-something hairpiece when she leaves politics? Maybe it should be bequeathed to the public archives. Or maybe it should be institutionalized and handed down as a badge of office to be worn by future Conservative senate leaders. Hmm. I wonder what Duffy would look like sporting Lebreton's wig. Or Nigel Wright, or Steve Harper. I know, it would look every bit as age appropriate on Joe Oliver, no? So, here's the challenge. Grab a few Marj photos online and photoshop her wig onto you fav... more »
The Other Dimensions of Inclusion (and Exclusion) in Political Science
Dan’s post on his self-experiment in raising citations to female scholars has drawn a critical comment from someone who wonders about whether similar patterns exist with reference to minority scholars and scholars from outside North America. The issues of gender, race, and national (regional) origin are distinct, but if we’re going to have a wide-ranging Continue reading
News from the Jews
*Israeli hasbara campaign and extreme racism, more high level Jewish criminality, & ridiculous fear-driven propaganda* Two news items appearing in the Jewish press this week highlight the extent to which the state of Israel specifically, and international Jewry generally, engage in coordinated, systematic propaganda campaigns to influence public opinion and generate positive public relations for the Jewish state occupying Palestine. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of Jewish organizations in America with direct connections to Israel strictly dedicated to advancing Israel's public ... more »
EYES WIDE SHUT: Muckrakers down!
*FRIDAY, AUGUST 16, 2013* *Part 4—Plutocrats’ tone of voice:* Why is no one talking about Elisabeth Rosenthal’s series? Her reports have been appearing on the front page of the New York Times, a well-known American newspaper. Her first three reports have been very lengthy, quite detailed. So far, this is the rundown: *Sunday, June 2:* “The $2.7 Trillion Medical Bill.” 4165 words *Monday, July 1:* “American Way of Birth, Costliest in the World.” 3176 words *Sunday, August 4:* “In Need of a New Hip, but Priced Out of the U.S.” 3792 words These articles deal with a very important to... more »
Egypt Doesn't Need Pharaohs, It Has Generals
Fascism and the will of the majority often go hand in hand. Mussolini's Italy and Hitler's Germany are the best examples. The fascists may not rise to power on majority support but the majority come to embrace and support them once they have seized or consolidated power. Now it's the Egyptian people who have embraced facism. Leon Weiseltier sums it up in just a few lines in *The New Republic:* *For weeks now people have been puzzling over the liberals of Egypt and their enthusiasm for a violent coup. Perhaps the confusion was semantic. It is time to stop calling these people libe... more »
Elsewhere: Budget, More
I did sort of a summary post at Greg's place yesterday on the whole shutdown/debt limit showdown situation. One of the key differences, it seems, between those of us who think a disaster is relatively unlikely and those (Chait and Benen, for example) who think it's more likely turns out to be views of John Boehner. I think he's pretty good at what he does -- in very difficult circumstances -- while others don't see a long-term plan, and think that's dangerous. I'll toss in another point here that I should have made in one of my pieces yesterday. I talked about the importance for con... more »
The Provincial Offences Court, and the Ontario Court of Justice to which appeals go from that court, are the face of justice to many citizens
R. v. Massara, 2013 ONCA 519: [15] Mr. Massara takes issue with the fairness of the proceeding on the motion before the appeal court judge and with the disposition. The Provincial Offences Court, and the Ontario Court of Justice to which appeals go from that court, are the face of justice to many citizens. They are often self-represented and are not familiar with the court, its manner of proceeding or its arcane rules. [16] As I noted in R. v. Georgalis, [2013] O.J. No. 1921 at para. 8, the assumption behind the high threshold for leave to appeal to this court ... more »
“Obamacare, In One Paragraph”
* * *“Obamacare, In One Paragraph”* By Donald Trump “Let me get this straight... We’re being “gifted” with a health care plan we are forced to purchase and fined if we don’t, which purportedly covers at least ten million more people, without adding a single new doctor, but provides for 16,000 new IRS agents, who have recently demonstrated their objective and professional integrity. Written by a committee whose chairman says he doesn’t understand it, passed by a Congress that didn’t read it but exempted themselves from it, and signed by a President who smokes, with funding admin... more »
THE WORLD'S LAST HERO / NELSON MANDELA
*America has its beloved former president Abraham Lincoln, but the World has its beloved hero and constant inspiration, Nelson Mandela ~ the South African anti-apartheid revolutionary and leader who was jailed for 27 years, served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999 and rightfully won the Nobel Peace prize in 1993. Mandela today is still a unifying call in the universal fight against oppression and apartheid ~ a living symbol of hope, unity, love and peace: Allen L Roland* *"As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew i... more »
Blowing Smoke: The Medical Marijuana Controversy (Documentary)
[image: Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...] Mike Holifield Blowing Smoke is a documentary based on the origins of laws concerning recreational and pharmaceutical prescription use of marihuana. This is the first film about the medical marijuana controversy that lays it all on the table. I'm not pulling any punches. It is what it is! People have been playing by the "rules" for far too long. What rules, I say! The truth is the truth. Sure, this film will make some people mad. That's expected. Their entire belief system will be turned upside down, when they realiz... more »
The Economy: "Expert: Walmart Shows Economy Collapsing"
*"Expert: Walmart Shows Economy Collapsing"* by Newsmax "Wal-Mart issued weak earnings news Thursday, but the company isn’t doing anything wrong, says Howard Davidowitz, chairman of retail consultant Davidowitz & Associates. It’s merely suffering from a weak economy. “Wal-Mart is a terrific operator,” Davidowitz tells Yahoo. “They didn’t suddenly become stupid. The economy is in a state of collapse. That’s what’s going on.” The world’s biggest retailer cut its full-year profit forecast after second-quarter profit came in below analysts’ expectations. The employment situation ... more »
Those Silly Rogues at the NSA
The only question I have about today's *Washington Post* revelation on the thousands of instances of illegal domestic spying by the NSA is: why the hell did they sit on this story for so long? Edward Snowden gave them the documents on which it is based months ago. If the *Post* were truly in the muckraking business and not the semi-official propaganda organ of the Beltway, I'd surmise that they were simply waiting for President Obama to hang himself. Obama, you may remember, last week seemed to categorically deny that anything untoward was going on in Police State USA. His exact wor... more »
Guest Post: Liberals & The Second Amendment
*By Zee* Liberal Professors and Historians of Constitutional Law Who Hold Surprising Views on the Second Amendment The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), has long *generalized** *that the Bill of Rights—or, at least, the first Eight Amendments—protect * individual* rights, an assertion with which I agree. Yet the ACLU—along with perhaps most American liberals—has decided* *to assign a *special,* *“collective rights”** *interpretation to the Second Amendment (hereafter, SA), directly contradicting its/their own *general*assertions. This needless torture of plain language is don...more »
The Justice (sic) Department finally cracks down on the big banks ...well, actually only a couple minnows. The sharks are allowed to go free. Wouldn'd it be nice to have a Justice Department with teeth rather than "sic."
------------------------------ * the**REALnews Permalink* *The Government is Finally Arresting Wall Street Bankers...For Losing Wall Street's Money* The Dept. of Justice will let JP Morgan's London Whale off the hook while prosecuting low-level traders. - August 14, 2013 More at The Real News *Bio* William K. Black, author of THE BEST WAY TO ROB A BANK IS TO OWN ONE, teaches economics and law at the University of Missouri Kansas City (UMKC). He was the Executive Director of the Institute for Fraud Pre... more »
President Obama and many members of Congress claim that Social Security must be cut to reduce the national deficit. Nothing can be farther from the truth! First, Social Security will run a surplus for the next 20 years. Second, Social Security is a $2.8 Trillion insurance policy prepaid by the beneficiaries and by law is not permitted contribute to the national debt. Third, the national debt is now falling on its own accord (the Congressional Budget Office projects the current fiscal year deficit to be 4.0% down sharply from 7.0% last year) ...and any further reduction of the deficit would be a drag on the economy.
------------------------------ * the**REALnews Permalink* *Social Security Act Turns 78* Signed into law in 1935, the Social Security Act launched an integral social safety net program, but is it still sustainable? - August 14, 2013 More at The Real News *Blogger's Note:* The part in my header having to do with the spontaneous reduction in the National deficit was found here: * http://www.businessinsider.com/the-deficit-is-shrinking-2013-8* Cherchez la Verite
Practice Makes Perfect
Gwen LanDOLT is trying to walk back her most recent imbecility. Speaking to LifeShite, she claims her views were misrepresented in the CBC article that implied she was okey-dokey with the death penalty for homosexuality. Then there's this paragraph with a rather breath-taking phrase. Last week REAL Women criticized Minister of Foreign Affairs John Baird, a practicing homosexual, for imposing what it called “his own perspective on homosexuality” in foreign countries such as Uganda, Kenya, and Russia that have passed laws aimed at preserving the traditional family structure. Heh. ... more »
Did Protesters Outnumber ALECers 10 to 1 in Chicago?
Earlier this week I posted an entry where I question the numbers that ALEC is putting out to the public. In their press release for the meeting in Chicago ALEC state: State Legislators, Business Leaders Meet in Chicago Chicago, Ill. (August 7, 2013)—More than 1,200 state legislators, business leaders, citizen groups and policy experts from around the country gather today in Chicago Note that the statement of 1200 attendees includes” legislators, business leaders, citizen groups and policy experts they forgot to mention spouses, kids, legislative staff members and ALEC staff member... more »
Kings of Cannabis (Documentary)
[image: Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...] *Vice* You might not know who Arjan Roskam is, but you've probably smoked his weed. Arjan's been breeding some of the most famous marijuana strains in the world—like White Widow, Super Silver Haze, and many others—for over 20 years. Enter your email address to subscribe to our newsletter: Delivered by FeedBurner Be the Change! Share this using the tools below.
Soviet Collectivization
I'm reading a book. *Lenin, Stalin, and Hitler: The Age of Social Catastrophe* by Robert Gellately. It's got this self-righteous Anglo-American tone to it (Massacres of the First Nations, slavery, two centuries of slavery and mass starvation in India, Africa and elsewhere). But I've always said that the best criticisms of the West come from its opponents and the best critiques of communism can come from scholars in capitalist Western nations. It's a good, detailed introduction into the process whereby communism created fascism and together produced the horrors of the Second World W... more »
Barrett Brown: 100 Years in Prison for Posting a Link?
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Bill Whittle: World Gone Mad...(video)
*"madness is the new normal."*
Become A Chemtrailer
[image: Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...] Jon David Miller *What Are Chemtrails?* If you watch the sky on days of visibility, you may notice unusually long-lasting emission trails from airplanes, sometimes criss-crossing each other. Normal airplane condensation “contrails” are made of ice crystals from the freezing of moisture in a jet's exhaust when the air humidity and temperature are at certain levels. Real contrails usually disappear rapidly. By contrast, “chemtrails” are chemical aerosol sprays that persist and emanate out into fake cirrus clouds, often accumu... more »
Wal-Mart warns of 'challenging' economy
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American Revolution 2.0 Has Begun
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The Citation Gap: Results of a Self-Experiment
Both because of the unexpected direction yesterday took, and because I haven’t worked through my thoughts about any number of pressing current events, I thought I’d write about an experiment that I’ve been engaging in with my recent academic papers. You might recall the Maliniak, Powers, and Walter paper (soon to be out with International Organization) on citations and Continue reading
The USDA Is Pushing Food Stamps Like a Drug Dealer at a Grade School
[image: Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...] Daisy Luther One in 7 Americans receives food stamps and the government wants the number to be even higher. Yes, I said higher. The USDA is soliciting people to receive food stamps in the manner of a drug dealer on a grade school playground. ”Psst – hey you! I’ve got something for you…it’s free…come on, try it. You’ll like it!” Even though we are drowning in debt and going under after a last gasp of air, the government of the United States is encouraging more people to go on the dole, even if doing so had never crossed thei... more »
Death toll in Egypt rises to 525 as Obama cancels military exercise, ‘strongly condemns’ violence
image credit: Zeinab Mohamed/Flickr Madison Ruppert As the death toll in Egypt rises to 525, according to the health ministry, and Christians face more danger than ever, Obama has canceled a military exercise scheduled for next month while saying that the U.S. “strongly condemns” the violence currently plaguing Egypt. Perhaps most troubling of all is that there are no signs of the violence ending in the near future with the Muslim Brotherhood pledging to march in Cairo and bring down the interim government. One of the most notable aspects of Obama’s reaction is that he avoided act... more »
Egypt Is Descending Into Civil War, But Don’t Expect Obama To Cancel His Golf Vacation
[image: Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...] Michael Snyder The largest Islamic nation in the Middle East is on the verge of descending into civil war, the Syrian civil war is starting to spill over into Lebanon, and the worst violence in five years has just hit Iraq, but Barack Obama is way too busy to be bothered with any of that. Right now, Obama is enjoying one of the true loves of his life - golf. According to the Washington Post, Obama has "played 18 holes of golf every day but one this week", and without a doubt he appears to really be enjoying his time up in M... more »
A Bloodbath that is not and the new rebranded Axis of Evil
*Pepe Escobar has done some dam fine work in these two pieces.* *One from Asia Times* *One from RT* I have argued that what has just happened in Egypt is a bloodbath that is not a bloodbath, conducted by a military junta responsible for a coup that is not a coup, under the guise of an Egyptian "war on terror". Yet this newspeak gambit - which easily could have been written at the White House - is just part of the picture. the bloodbath that wasn't. Amid a thick fog of spin and competing agendas, a startling fact stands out. *A poll only 10 days ago by the Egyptian Center for Medi... more »
Is The Military Suppressing Legitimate Protest in Egypt?
[image: Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...] Dees Illustration Brandon Turbeville Only yesterday, August 14, 2013, I wrote an article entitled “Are The Egypt Protests A Foreign Propaganda Campaign,”[1] where I discussed the possibility that the Egyptian “military crackdown” on allegedly peaceful Morsi supporters that was being reported throughout the Western media was not the unwarranted use of force that was being portrayed. Indeed, in this article, I asked whether or not the allegedly peaceful protests were truly peaceful at all, whether or not the claims of governme... more »
Cops Admit On Video That They Targeted Activist
[image: Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...] *Activist Post* The question of who the police really work for was answered by the police themselves following the Jordan Valley Big Loop Rodeo in Oregon on May 19. Whereas it is the duty of true public servants to uphold the Constitution for each individual citizen, such was not the duty of Oregon's Malheur County Sheriff's Department. It all began when an anti-rodeo activist, Steve Hindy, had been targeted for harassment by the rodeo board representing the rodeo he was protesting against. You see, it was *they *who called ... more »
Einstein's Circle of Compassion
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Cryptozoology: Strange Creature Startles Swimmers in Villaricos (Spain)
*Source: Levante - Diario Ideal.es (Spain) Date: Aug. 16, 2013* *Cryptozoology: Strange Creature Startles Swimmers in Villaricos.* Yesterday afternoon (08/15/13) a strange "carcass" measuring four meters long washed up on the Luis Siret Beach in the community of Villaricos. It could be a large fish, but in the advanced stages of decomposition. Once ashore, it was a source of amazement and remarks due to the novelty of the find. The first impression, and the photos circulating on the web, caused many to wonder if that creature belong to "the same species as the Loch Ness Monster". Th... more »
Read Stuff, You Should
Happy Birthday to Evanna Lynch, 22. What about some good stuff? 1. Seth Masket on political science and geography. 2. Paul Krugman on good reporting and the blogs. One point I'll make again: from 2009 through 2010, and then on through the courts and through implementation today, the coverage of health care reform has been outstanding. Outstanding. I'd love to see a study comparing it with coverage of Medicare in the 1960s or Social Security in the 1930s; my guess is that it's night and day. 3. The second and third parts of Sean Trende's look at party makeovers. I agree with a lot ... more »
Common Core Gravy Train: Profit for Coleman, College Board, and Testing Mania
Along with Michelle Rhee’s gravy train of hypocrisy, public education in the U.S. is under assault from the gravy train of profit driven by Common Core: The College Board is redesigning four of its testing programs so they reflect the Common Core State Standards and can be used for accountability, a project that adds yet […]
How Could Any Self-Respecting Conservative In Kentucky Still Back McConnell?
McConnell is an ugly example of the American ruling elites who have perverted democracy for the advancement of their own careers. At this point, it almost doesn't matter if McConnell is a conservative or a liberal; all that matters is that he represents Mitch McConnell in the U.S. Senate, not the working families of Kentucky. His three opponents, Tea Party candidate Matt Bevin, in the primary, and Democrats Alison Lundergan Grimes and Ed Marksberry, all recognize his core vulnerability, which is making one of the Beltway's most influential and powerful players the most vulnerable... more »
Recent Reading List
I have been thinking of listing a bunch of my favorite 2000s+ Political Science books, and a variety of circumstances has inspired me to finally write the list . These books make my list because they made me see the world differently. Most persuaded me of their core arguments, but all made me think and Continue reading
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