English: Madeleine Albright, World Economic Forum India summit 2007 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
English: Madeleine Albright speaks during the third night of the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
English: Madeleine Albright with NATO officers (Photo credit: Wikipedia)KOSOVO ELECTIONS
*Kosovo's Prime Minister HashimThaci and Madeleine Albright * On 3 November 2013, there were elections in Kosovo. In the Serb-dominated North of Kosovo, there was a 22 % turnout, and masked attackers stormed three polling stations, releasing tear gas, smashing ballot boxes and stealing the votes. Kosovo is divided. There are Serbs in the North of Kosovo who would like to be part of Serbia rather than Kosovo. *James Ker-Lindsay* *According to Dr. James Ker-Lindsay*, a senior research fellow at the London School of Economics: "The violence and intimidation represents a very seri... more »
Poppy Conformity
Seldom do I read a piece I agree with wholeheartedly, but Harry Leslie Smith's article about the warmongering uses of the poppy is spot-on. Therefore I'm sure it will come as no surprise to readers that I never wear a poppy. But, despite agreeing with Harry, I fail to pin one of those famous facsimiles to my coat for two reasons. Like many readers of a certain age I know, or sadly, knew people who fought in the Second World War. Both of my granddads did. One of them was a sapper in the Eighth Army stationed near Cairo and told me, when I was very little, that he could see the smoke... more »
"The question was, do you get through a lot of eggs?"
One of the funniest bits of A League Of Their Own as Richard Ayode grills Jamie Rednapp about eggs.
The Gays Won
Someone's got to have the best voting record in Congress, might as well be Mark! Wednesday I got an e-mail from the Gay And Lesbian Victory Fund with the subject line "What a Night!" And what a night it was for them! They had helped 56 candidates from the LGBT community win their races, including 2 crucial women in Texas, Annise Parker, who won a third term as mayor of Houston, America's fourth largest city, and Celia Israel, who advanced to a run-off in North Austin to replace our old pal Mark Strama, giving voters the chance to elect a second LGBT voice in the state House. They ce...more »
As Artificial Borders Dissolve, Will Governments Build Walls Or Face Demographic And Cultural Realities?
*The Turkish government is building a wall to physically separate the Kurdish minority innorthern Syria from the Kurds in southern Turkey.* In the last year and a half the cities and towns close to the Turkish-Syrian border have witnessed deadly car bombs, random helicopter shoot-downs, and spontaneous citizen protests against the interventionist policies of the Turkish government. On the Syrian side, al-Qaeda and other like-minded Sunni forces are battling the Kurdish minority for territory and power. The Turkish government has responded to Kurdish battlefield victories by con... more »
For no raisin
This week, unusual things sold on eBay (before we proceed we'd like to stress we do not endorse eBay, there are other ways to sell your valuable worthless crap if you so choose). Ok... Bridgeville, California - the first town to be sold online, in 2002. The Indiana Firebirds The original Hollywood sign Bridgeville, Californian... again, this time in 2006. New Zealand; a man from Australia put New Zealand up for auction in 2006. The bidding got to $3,000 before it was nixed. A MiG-21, sold to a Chinese businessman for $24,000, though the seller never shipped it out. A newly discovered s... more »
Catch of the Day
Gotta go with one for Jonathan Chait, who spots a Republican Member of the House claiming that "Congress should do everything in its power to tackle deficits" and then a few sentences later saying that "he rejects any talk of offsetting the cuts with new tax revenue." Of course, this is familiar as the Republican war on budgeting, in which deficits are basically "unwarranted spending or taxes." As opposed to, you know, the difference between government revenues and government spending. I'm willing to be that isn't not just taxes; I'm willing to bet the Republican here, Doug Collins,... more »
Free Planet - the hardest thing is - just letting go
this might very well be my final FREE PLANET post. Why? Don't worry, I'm not dead (or suicided (or assassinated)) yet nor do I have plans to 'eat polonium' or 'go walkabout and never come back'. It's just a simple statement of fact, brought on by my self-promotionally marketing actions over the last few months aka *the free planet conspiracy theory*. I've been STRONGLY GOING AGAINST all that I'd hoped 'my free planet' would be, and all that I'd preached in self-righteous terms. I've been hammering You The People over the head with my anti-PROFIT slave-freed message of Creativity,... more »
Define Expulsion
First off, I'm not going to cite specifics such as names of individuals or schools because of the possibility of future Civil Rights litigation. Secondly, having said that, let me start by saying that my youngest son got expelled from his high school yesterday. If you know anything at all about my two younger sons, you'll know they're both biracial. And they both look it. It started when my son called me late this morning in a state of high excitement, announcing he'd been expelled. After an anxious serious of phone calls, I finally got his side of the story and, acco... more »
"How It Really Is"
This cartoon is far more horrifyingly true than you may wish to believe... - CP
I am in agreement with Alistair McGowan
I've just watched Room 101 on BBC One and find myself in agreement with Alistair McGowan. He wanted to put children into Room 101 because they are taking over and beer drinking because eating ice cream is better and more civilised. Update: He also wants to ban headphones that force you to listen to someone else's choice of 'music'.
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*Ryan a 'changed man' since joining Saints ~Mike Triplett, ESPN*
Tea Party School Bus Hijack, Muncie, Indiana
*by **Doug Martin* While Douglas Storm and I were exposing the corporate assault on our schools on WFHB radio on Eugene V. Debs’ birthday during the Zinn Read-In at Purdue, Tea Party front men were spreading misinformation in Muncie, Indiana, which stopped a property tax referendum vote from passing, leaving public school children after this year without bus transportation to schools. One Tea Party tactic included lying in a flier to residents of Muncie’s southside, claiming that, if property taxes were not raised, Southside High School, set to close down, would remain open. In ... more »
Something's happening to local news
* * Will Farrell as the fictional news San Diego anchorman Ron Burgundy * * *Something's happening to local news* Submitted: November 7, 2013 - 6:04pm Originally published: November 7, 2013 Last updated: November 8, 2013 - 2:08pm Source: Baltimore Sun Authors: Jenn Topper S Derek Turner http://benton.org/node/166742 Free Press (DC), 501 Third Street NW, Washington, DC, 20001, United States *[Commentary] So far this year, 223 local TV stations have changed hands. This is the biggest wave of media consolidation ever -- and it's all happening in small and mid-level markets, involving co... more »
John Cole hmmm
The BBC's John Cole has died but there was a really odd comment that struck me in one of the BBC tributes. I paraphrase: 'Before John Cole, political journalists said "on the one hand this, on the other hand...". John Cole changed that and said what he thought'. Hmm I do like it when the BBC admit they don't try and see both sides of a debate.
So, My Boss Likes Rob Ford
Tells me that after he buys me lunch and news about the drunken buffoon comes on the radio. He likes the job he's doing so far. Mistakes the St. Clair streetcar line for LRTs. Thinks the cost overruns during construction were caused by ... ? (They were actually caused by lawsuits brought about by people opposed to public transit in the first place.) Ford got the Toronto unions to sign a four-year deal that was tough on them because, at the start of his term he seemed incredibly popular while they weren't, and they knew he was a maniac who would gladly provoke a strike. We should hav... more »
At CBS, we’ll always have Benghazi!
*FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2013* *Our public discourse is gone:* We’ve been buried in test scores in recent weeks. But we recommend Kevin Drum’s post about CBS News and Benghazi. Our add-on would be this: CBS has been hot to trot on Benghazi dating back to last fall, when Sharyl Attkisson was the star correspondent in charge of running down rabbit holes and pimping her bullroar to Fox. We did quite a few posts about Attkisson’s work last year. Logan seems to be her successor. Drum is discussing a thoroughly broken post-journalistic culture. That culture is almost ubiquitous now. Paul...more »
Does VA Gov Explain the 1992 Perot Vote?
One more time into the question about the VA-Gov polls and the election results. I came up with a possible (and speculative) explanation based on the condition of two candidates who were not especially popular among their own parties, along with a sufficiently well-publicized third candidate. Perhaps Democrats trusted the polls, believing that the seven-point lead Terry McAuliffe held was real, and therefore believed it was safe to vote for the Libertarian; meanwhile, Republicans didn't trust the polls, believed it was close, and thus switched at the last minute back to the Republic... more »
The New York Times avoids talking race!
*FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2013* *This is lousy reporting:* Yesterday, the 2013 NAEP scores were released. The National Assessment of Educational Progress is widely described as the gold standard of domestic educational testing. It’s hard to argue with that. In the past decade, the various statewide testing programs have been deeply corrupted. The federally-managed NAEP, more than forty years old, is the only real game in town. For our money, the score gains achieved since 2011 are quite underwhelming. In this morning’s New York Times, Motoko Rich was able to perform some basic reportin...more »
Dangers of eye witness testimony
R. v. Hay, 2013 SCC 61: [40] The credibility and weight that should be given to eyewitness testimony is an issue committed to the ultimate trier of fact ― here, the jury; *R. v. Mezzo*, [1986] 1 S.C.R. 802, at pp. 844-45. It is well established that where the Crown relies on an eyewitness identification, the trial judge has a duty to caution the jury regarding the well-recognized frailties of identification evidence; see * Mezzo*, at p. 845, citing *R. v. Turnbull*, [1976] 3 All E.R. 549 (C.A.); *R. v. Hibbert*, 2002 SCC 39, [2002] 2 S.C.R. 445, at paras. 78... more »
Setting aside dismissal of appeal for delay
Bennett Law Chambers Professional Corporation v. Zareh, 2013 ONCA 686 [2] It is common ground that the following factors are to be considered: 1) whether the appellant formed an intention to appeal within the relevant period; 2) the length of and explanation for the delay; 3) any prejudice to the respondent; 4) the merits of the appeal; and 5) whether the justice of the case requires it. [3] See *Kefeli v. Centennial College of Applied Arts and Technology *(2002), 23 C.P.C. (5th) 35 (Ont. C.A.); *Kirby v. Hope P... more »
Flagstaff: Anti-Colonial and Anarchist Bookfair
http://www.taalahooghan.org/fire/
“Logical Consequences and Conclusions”
*“Logical Consequences and Conclusions”* Compiled by CP “Logical consequence (also entailment) is one of the most fundamental concepts in logic. It is the relationship between statements that holds true when one logically "follows from" one or more others. Valid logical arguments are ones in which the conclusions follow from its premises, and its conclusions are consequences of its premises. The philosophical analysis of logical consequence involves asking, 'in what sense does a conclusion follow from its premises?' and 'what does it mean for a conclusion to be a consequence of ... more »
Your moment of Zen
Down by the river in the Happy Valley. [Bill Dwight photo]
Argentina: Possible Boomerang-Shaped UFO and Explosion?
*Source: PLANETA UFO Date: 11.08.13* *An Intruder in the Night* *By Luis Burgos* On the evening of Monday, November 3 of this year, five members of the Villamea family, members of the FAO in Quilmes, observed from different positions the transit of a boomerang-shaped object from north to south, making no noise whatsoever and with three lights arranged in its lower section. The time was 22:15 hours. Forty-five minutes later, a bizarre explosion made itself heard over various districts of the city of La Plata, covering a broad area with hundreds of witnesses. The local newspaper EL... more »
Progressive Champions Like Eloise Reyes Stand Up To Bigots
The new 31st congressional district, which runs south of L.A. from Upland and Rancho Cucamonga out to San Bernardino, Colton, Loma Linda and Redlands, was carved out of Democratic-leaning areas that were once represented by Jerry Lewis, David Dreier and Joe Baca, 3 conservatives who are no longer in Congress. It's the bluest district anywhere in America with a Republican congressman. And that congressman, Gary Miller, isn't just a standard, garden variety Republican; he's a far right ideologue and has been for his entire sordid career. The people of CA-31 deserve better, a lot be... more »
Canning Lid Ornaments (A Great Christmas Craft for Older Kids)
I am getting a little giddy planning my Christmas tree this year. I think it is going to take everything my husband has to make me keep the tree in the closet until after Thanksgiving. I am just so ready for a little holiday magic. These canning lid ornaments are easy to make and are really beautiful with the lights shinning behind them. They are the perfect craft for older kids, think boy scout age. You will need: Canning Lids Ribbon Hammer A Nail A simple pattern that you want to duplicate printed on paper First cut your pattern out. Make sure it fits on the top of ... more »
Thats Fasinating
I found a great new (to me) blog. I hate curtains blinds and window coverings in general. Consumer ready home windows with adjustable opacity are on the verge of being mainstream. If you buy a 2012 and newer Mercedes SLK the retractable roof can also go from clear to dark according to the drivers preference at the moment. Now an Austrian designerhas invented a device that turns windows into sound filters.
From Spellings to Duncan: Using NAEP as Policy Propaganda
From Spellings to Duncan: Using NAEP as Policy Propaganda. via From Spellings to Duncan: Using NAEP as Policy Propaganda.
Rockefeller Medicine: Keeping you sick and poor.
Can you imagine how it pleases me to see James Corbett address Rockefeller and his creation of our modern medical dis-ease , *not cure,* system? It pleases me very much! One of his references is a book, well worth reading. I know, because I have read it, and* it is a must read book. *Seriously:* A must read! *Wanna understand just how much absolute manipulation for the sake of profit, not health, is behind the creation of our so called 'modern medicine'??? *Read this book.* First linked here in 2011, then in early 2012 when I finally got around to reading it I relinked this gem. *... more »
Rob Ford makes international news again.
This time drunk out of his mind and making threats to kill someone. Read NBC news here.
Friday Nerd Blogging
via Geek in Heels, your friendly Friday Star Wars Meyers-Brigg test. Which character are you? Also: Star Wars VII release date has been, well, released. Doug Mataconis comments.
Can You Trust Governments When They Push Useless Vaccines On Their Citizens?
Can You Trust Known-to-be Corrupt Governments When They Also Push Useless Flu Vaccines – US Talk Radio Dr Michael Savage On The Savage Nation January 11, 2013 Posted on November 8, 2013 by ChildHealthSafety An excellent perspective on the webs of corruption in government and health industry to push useless pharmaceuticals and use health issues to try to exercise control over a population. Dr. Michael Savage on The Savage Nation US talk radio January 11, 2013 on the dangers of and government lies involved with flu vaccines. If you agree governments have lied about so much else, shou... more »
Educational Innovation, Bill Gates and Rocketship, Inc. Style
*That was then,* *this is now, * designed by Gates Foundation & Rocketship Education, Inc. (is that a Sputnik that I hear beeping??): Up close and depersonalized: From WaPo: As the quality of software improves, Danner thinks “Rocketeers” could spend as much as 50 percent of the school day with computers.
SISTER STELLA GOING TO TRIAL
Sung-Hee Choi reports from Jeju Island: Catholic Sr. So Stella who is deeply loved and respected by many people, including me, is told to stand in the court for her activities opposing the Jeju naval base project in the Jeju Court on Nov. 14. It is told for the 1st time in the 200 years of Catholic history in Korea that a Catholic nun gets trial. She is told to have been charged for obstruction of business, obstruction on government affairs and injury, which is unverified. She is not guilty and her acts were by self-defense. Please pray for Sister So Stella whose courageous activi... more »
Fashion Photography on the Streets of Iran, Then and Now
An image from FSHN Magazine’s fashion editorial, photographed in Tehran’s Tajrish Bazaar (Afra Pourdad / FSHN) Making the rounds this past week was a sneak preview of a fashion spread in San Francisco-based Fashionable, Sexy, Haute and Naughty Magazine (FSHN), which the magazine is touting as the “first ever complete high fashion editorial, shot in IRAN [sic].” The photographs were taken by
THE PROGRESS, THE GAPS AND THE SCANDAL: Young Mellie’s magical chart!
*FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2013* *Part 5—Where does literacy come from:* We have very large achievement gaps in this country. As Amanda Ripley notes in her widely-praised but very bad book, our achievement gaps are much larger than those found in places like Korea and Finland. Where do our large gaps come from? Do they come from poverty? Pshaw! Just look at Norway, Ripley says. (For details, see yesterday’s post.) Do our gaps come from funding shortfalls? “Spending on education d[oes] not make kids smarter,” Ripley weirdly says. Does immigration contribute to our large gaps? In Finland... more »
Libya ripe for a second civil war ? Who would the West support this time - new rebels fighting prior rebel forces ? Recent items of note from forgotten Libya !
Is Libya ripe for 2nd civil war? Nile Bowie is a political analyst and photographer currently residing in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He can be reached on Twitter or at nilebowie@gmail.com Get short URL Published time: November 07, 2013 08:06 [image: A Libyan citizen soldiers sits on an armed vehicle flying their national flag in the coastal city of Benghazi (AFP Photo)] A Libyan citizen soldiers sits on an armed vehicle flying their national flag in the coastal city of Benghazi (AFP Photo) Share on tumblr Tags Human rights, Libya, NATO, Security,Terrorism, War The Libyan central governmen... more »
Read Stuff, You Should
Happy Birthday to Alfre Woodard, 61. Good stuff: 1. Ezra Klein reviews *Double Down* and *The Gamble*. 2. Sean Trende breaks out a new explanation for the polling vs. results difference in VA-Gov. 3. While Mark Blumenthal and Ariel Edwards-Levy consider both that and other possibilities. I'm sticking with different switch-away from the Libertarian as my best guess, but I'll admit it's more speculative than solid. 4. And: State of the Parties! The papers are here. This is the quadrennial conference on US political parties in Akron that's always excellent. I'll continue retweeting ... more »
Part 2: Has Corporate Education "Reform" Earned Another 25 Years to Complete the Resegregation and Privatization Agendas?
As noted in Part 1 of our consideration of the 2013 NAEP results, the twenty years of NAEP testing prior to 1990 are not presented this year by Duncan's Little Shop of Horrors. To do so would serve as a reminder of how the dramatic narrowing of the achievement gaps between white and minority children came to a halt, essentially, in 1988, the same year that the resegregation of American schools became visibly represented. Given education reporters who aren't curious enough to look beyond the charts they are handed by Duncan's staff, which focus on what has happened * since* 1990, we a... more »
October Non Farm payrolls exceed forecasts as they almost double expectations ( US equities drop and US treasury yields soar as Taper talk back in focus ) ....... of course , squaring fresh 35 year low in labor participation rate with non farm payroll jumps and unemployment rate of allegedly 7.3 percent means there are a heck of a lot of folks ( 91.5 million to be exact ) not being counted !
Jobs , jobs , jobs......... http://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?post=225821 Payroll Report: +204k -- And It's A RECESSION Print! Hoh hoh hoh... Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 204,000 in October, and the unemployment rate was little changed at 7.3 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment increased in leisure and hospitality, retail trade, professional and technical services, manufacturing, and health care. Well now, so much for the "government shutdown." *Can I vote for one all the time given this result?* Let's look at the household numbe... more »
Beyond Liver Health: Dandelion Has Serious Anti-Cancer Properties by Paul Fassa
Beyond Liver Health: Dandelion has Serious Anti-Cancer Properties by Paul Fassa Natural Society, 8 November 2013 Canadian oncologist Dr. Caroline Hamm of Windsor Regional Hospital noticed a few cancer patients who had been drinking dandelion root tea seemed to be getting better. She was curious whether it was coincidental or if there was something to it. So she urged *University of Windsor* biochemist colleague Siyaram Pandey to look into it further in case there is something about *dandelion root extract that is useful against cancer.* *He and Dr. Hamm were amazed to find the ... more »
Can Pelosi Outmaneuver Boehner On ENDA?
Thursday there were 3 roll calls in the Senate on ending employment discrimination against gays and lesbians. Short version: it passed and now faces a hostile reception from House Republican leadership. The slightly longer version: The first bill up was an amendment by Pennsylvania conservative Pat Toomey allowing employers to use "religion" as an excuse to discriminate. It was defeated 55-43, two reflexively backward and homophobic Democrats-- Pryor (AR) and Donnelly (IN)-- joining most of the Republicans. The only Republicans who voted no on the amendment were Susan Collins (ME)... more »
War Watch November 8 , 2013..... Pakistan and Afghanistan appear to be in lock step these days ... Similarly , Iraq and Syria seem to reflect increased instability due to islamic fighters ......
Afghanistan and Pakistan..... Drone Strike Served CIA Revenge, Blocked Pakistan’s Strategy by Gareth Porter, November 08, 2013 Print This | Share This After a drone strike had reportedly killed Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud Nov. 1, the spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council declared that, if true, it would be “a serious loss” for the terrorist organization. That reaction accurately reflected the Central Intelligence Agency’s argument for the strike. But the back story of the episode is how President Barack Obama supported the parochial interests of the CIA ... more »
Interim Iran nuclear Deal Could be signed Friday between Iran and P 5 + 1 Group .... Senate Hawks and Israel seeking to block Deal - Watch for reactions from Saudis !
Interim Iran Nuclear Deal Could Be Signed FridayKerry Heads to Geneva as Talks Gain Momentum by Jason Ditz, November 07, 2013 Print This | Share This The latest round of P5+1 talks with Iran on their civilian nuclear program is reported to be on the cusp of a “breakthrough,” as Secretary of State John Kerry is making anunscheduled trip to Geneva to participate. “The aim of both sides is to sign the agreement,” according to Iran’s chief negotiator Abbas Araqchi, and while a lot of details still need to be worked out an interim deal may well be signed on Friday. Though details are st... more »
Learning and Teaching in Scarcity: How High-Stakes ‘Accountability’ Cultivates Failure | Alternet
Learning and Teaching in Scarcity: How High-Stakes \’Accountability\’ Cultivates Failure | Alternet. via Learning and Teaching in Scarcity: How High-Stakes \’Accountability\’ Cultivates Failure | Alternet. via Learning and Teaching in Scarcity: How High-Stakes ‘Accountability’ Cultivates Failure | Alternet.
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*East bank levee board at odds with Jindal as he cuts thier state subsidy ~Jeff Adelson, New Orleans Advocate* *The Lens launches a new event series, Breakfast with the Newsmakers* *President Obama in N.O. today to pitch U.S. exports *
Santa Cecilia: Patron Saint of Arizona
In Arizona, all the battles come together... they war against our mind (HB 2281), body (SB 1070) and spirit (16th century mindset here)... but it's like the quote from La Otra Conquista: "They came for our Souls, but they did not know where to look." That's why these mensos will never win against us (we have already won). Next week, the battles will once again come together when as a community we will take on the state's anti-dreamer policies, particularly in regards to Horne's attempt to boot out dreamers from the state's community college system... that's why we once again invok... more »
A Rogue State?
Noam Chomsky writes that the United States has become a one party nation and a rogue state: The U.S. is still a one-party state, the business party. But it only has one faction: moderate Republicans, now called New Democrats (as the U.S. Congressional coalition styles itself). There is still a Republican organization, but it long ago abandoned any pretense of being a normal parliamentary party. Conservative commentator Norman Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute describes today's Republicans as "a radical insurgency — ideologically extreme, scornful of facts and comprom... more »
After battering the Phillipines Friday morning , Super typhoon Haiyan is set to enter the South China Sea Friday night - landfall in the central Vietnam appears likely for sunday afternoon. Vietnam and Laos should expect larger amounts , perhaps a foot or more of rain ......
http://www.thanhniennews.com/index/pages/20131108-super-typhoon-haiyan-to-enter-the-east-sea-tonight.aspx Super typhoon Haiyan to enter East Sea tonight Last updated: Friday, November 08, 2013 16:00 An illustration of typhoon Haiyan's progress. The storm is set to enter the East Sea tonight. Photo courtesy of National Center for Hydro – Meteorological Forecasting After battering the Philippines early Friday and leaving at least three dead, super typhoon Haiyan is set to enter the East Sea (also known as the South China Sea) tonight. Bui Minh Tang, director of the National Center f... more »
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Why I Teach, Where I Teach
Education reforms has truly damaged our ability to understand how chronic poverty affects a student’s ability to learn. Although I can agree with the underlying premise of Rhee’s rhetoric – poverty isn’t an excuse to setting high expectations for students – I can’t help but feel frustrated with how the “no excuses” slogan has hijacked any […]
Alien Agenda II: Softkill
[image: http://www.veteranstoday.com/2013/11/02/alien-agenda-ii-softkill/] Saturday, November 2nd, 2013 by Preston James [image: alien-midway]*As some insiders at the highest levels know, there is an “Alien Agenda” controlling the USG that is administered by top Policy-Makers who sit at the top of the “Pyramid of Control” (POC) comprised of several notorius individuals who occupy the top positions of the Secret Shadow Government (SSG). *(1) ** This POC which controls the SSG is also known by insiders as the top leadership of Majestic-12 (aka Majesty 12 or MJ-12). Some have called ... more »
Friday links+ Event
*Riding on the 128 to Tongluo last weekend.* Enjoy some links - Taiwan, the missing piece in the rebalance - Nat Geo on Taiwan Ghosts and the White Terror - U of Virginia conference on Taiwan Nov 15 has some very interesting people presenting. - Read Italian? I don't. The author sent me this link on two Taiwan artists. - WSJ: Exports fall more than expected - Cooperation agreement signed with Japan - Gov of Az heading to Taiwan - Big news of today: Singapore, Taiwan sign FTA ALSO: LSE Taiwan Corner 14 November (click on READ MORE for full program) The LS... more »
BadBIOS v2.0: contracting HIV from your digital camera
A new version of BadBIOS, BadBIOS v2.0, was detected in the Czech Republic. It infects any computer running Unix or Linux or Android or OS X or iOS or Windows because it runs at the BIOS level. It reflashes itself, heals itself, and – like its predecessors – spreads through USB sticks and microphones and speakers (it transmits itself via sounds). However, v2.0 also uses digital cameras and organisms. Whenever you connect a digital camera to your computer, the camera gets infected. While taking photographs, it sends subliminal if not superluminal flashes and the people on the photo... more »
SPIES PROTECTING THE ROBBER BARONS AND THEIR MAFIAS?
*UK spy chiefs,* *MI5 boss Andrew Parker, MI6's Sir John Sawers and GCHQ director Sir Iain Lobban* US and UK spy chiefs would deny that they run al Qaeda and carry out acts of false flag terrorism. They would deny that they have links to Mafia operations involved in selling nuclear technology and heroin. Terrorism finance expert Loretta Napoleoni estimates *the total value of the trade in narcotics, weapons and people to be about $1.5 trillion annually*, the bulk of which "flows into Western economies, where it gets recycled in the U.S. and in Europe" as a "vital element of the ca... more »
PTSD in Iraq Vets, with Healing Sgt. Warren Author Christopher Goffard
Read: *"Healing Sgt. Warren"* by Christopher Goffard [LA Times, October 6, 2013]. Visit Christopher Goffard's *website*. Video Title: PTSD in Iraq Vets, with Healing Sgt. Warren Author Christopher Goffard. Source: TheLipTV. Date Published: November 7, 2013. Description: PTSD in Iraq war veterans is discussed with Pulitzer prize winner, Christopher Goffard, author of Healing Sgt. Warren. Prolonged exposure therapy and the difficulty in finding adequate resources to treat veterans, plus how outreach to the homeless on Skid Row in Los Angeles has panned out are examined with the LA Ti... more »
Galaxies can't be overrun by bored, suicidal extraterrestrials
Petigura, Howard, and Marcy published a paper in PNAS attempting to count the extraterrestrial civilizations: Prevalence of Earth-size planets orbiting Sun-like stars Whopping 22% of Sun-like stars are said to have Earth-sized planets in habitable zones. So the environment is as perfect as here on Earth almost everywhere. It's not only untrue that "there is no Planet B". In fact, there should be billions of hospitable planets in the Milky Way and the closest culture should be less than 12 light years away. But we haven't heard from any ETs yet. Fermi therefore asked the question ... more »
Greg Hunter, “Weekly News Wrap-Up 11.08.13”
*“Weekly News Wrap-Up 11.08.13”* By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com “Obama Care is the top story, and the problems keep piling up for folks losing their insurance. One reader on the USAWatchdog site told me his family plan doubled to more than $1,600 a month with much higher deductibles and co-pays. I have not had a single person on the site write me and tell me they are paying less. Forget about the website problems in the end, most people are going to be paying more and getting less for health care. This is just the individual plans where millions are finding out you cannot keep ... more »
Dear Liberal Party of Canada: the 1990s are over.
Justin Trudeau's campaign organizers seem to be surprisingly unaware that we are now in the 21st century. The worst excesses of the Clinton years, as exemplified by the _Sex in the City_ TV series and atrocious movies are sooo over. Perhaps someone on his team thought this was deliciously ironic and oh-so-vintage coy? I'm being generous here. I have yet to read one tweet from a woman of any generation or any political stripe who doesn't find the above regressive, patronizing and offensive. It's not the worst recent display of oblivious hipster arrogance ever but it comes clos... more »
Remembering the fallen. Part 2
In part 1 I offered the suggestion that people who were busy, uncomfortable or simply found it inconvenient to attend a Remembrance Day event should do what makes them feel comfortable. Certainly no thinking veteran will find fault in any decision along that line, keeping in mind that any and all are welcome at cenotaphs across the country. I also included a sketched CV, so I won't bore you
Liar Obama tap dances around the disastrous Obamacare roll out with millions of people losing their health insurance...
*and calls it an "apology."* Video via *Freedom's Lighthouse *- and we thank them. You need to watch the whole 5 or so minutes, not just the sound bite, in order to understand how he is twisting this whole disaster. Does he really think this will work?* * Listen to him refer to all that lost coverage as "sub-standard" and how he's going to make sure you have the coverage you deserve, because you're too damn stupid to know what you want or need. Because we all know that 50 year old men need maternity coverage, and 20 something women need Viagra. He only manages to give a half-h... more »
Big Brother’s Loyal Sister: How Dianne Feinstein Is Betraying Civil Liberties-- Guest Post By Norman Solomon
Harvey Milk warned me not to trust her in 1978 Ever since the first big revelations about the National Security Agency five months ago, Dianne Feinstein has been in overdrive to defend the surveillance state. As chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, she generates an abundance of fog, weasel words, anti-whistleblower slander and bogus notions of reform -- while methodically stabbing civil liberties in the back. Feinstein’s powerful service to Big Brother, reaching new heights in recent months, is just getting started. She’s hard at work to muddy all the waters of public discour... more »
what i'm watching: the office (u.s.) finale
In my fine tradition of watching TV shows and movies - and then writing about them - months or sometimes years after their release, I recently finished the final season of The Office (U.S.). I had seen many episodes of this show in re-runs and in random order over the years. When we started streaming Netflix, I re-started the whole series from S1e1. (Watching shows and movies end-to-end is my favourite thing about streaming. I'm completely gaga over it.) There was a brief pause while I waited for the final season (S9) to hit Netflix, then I finished it last week. I was surprised ... more »
more moyers: democracy and plutocracy don't mix
I found the preceding rtod post buried in Blogger drafts, something Allan saved there years ago. I never got around to posting it, but I never had the heart to delete it, either. If you're not familiar with Bill Moyers, he is an American independent journalist, producer, and public intellectual. Earlier in his career, Moyers served as White House Press Secretary under the Johnson administration, but he's better known for the many shows he has produced and hosted on PBS. Moyers has always been liberal, but over the past decade, he has become increasingly radicalized as he reacts to... more »
rtod
Revolutionary thought of the day: The Gilded Age returned with a vengeance in our time. It slipped in quietly at first, back in the early 1980s, when Ronald Reagan began a "massive decades-long transfer of national wealth to the rich." As Roger Hodge makes clear, under Bill Clinton the transfer was even more dramatic, as the top 10 percent captured an ever-growing share of national income. The trend continued under George W. Bush – those huge tax cuts for the rich, remember, which are now about to be extended because both parties have been bought off by the wealthy – and by 2007 the... more »
Imploding The MYTH Of Israel!
I have long said that the criminal and terrorist state of Israel is a nuclear armed madhouse of psychopaths and murderers, that was created by a fraud religion under the false beliefs that their "god" had given them all the land of Palestine, and that their "god given" land stretches from the Nile River, to the Euphrates River.... It is a terrible fact that the majority of the troubles and problems in the world today can be linked to the actions of this truly criminal state, ever since it was created from stolen land back in 1948. To again show how truly sick the state of Israel tru... more »
Flipping the Classroom
I’m going to try it out this spring with my Introduction to International Relations class. (I’ll also post my lectures online, which I believe will make mine the second Intro IR course available to the general public—though if you know of others, please provide links in the comments.) Have any of you tried it? If Continue reading
NBC Nightly News Reports on Iran from 1979 and 1980
NBC Nightly News report: "Iran's American Battleground," November 7, 1980 34 years ago this week - on November 4, 1979 to be precise - Iranian students seized control of the American Embassy in Tehran. Y'know, just like in Argo! Except not at all. Sigh. Below are two reports from NBC Nightly News, one from the day the embassy was taken, the other from a year later, broadcast exactly 33 years
Gingham Dress
* * * * * * *Gingham Dress* http://www.rense.com/general96/gingham.html A True Story By Malcolm Forbes 11-6-13 A lady in a faded gingham dress and her husband, dressed in a homespun threadbare suit, stepped off the train in Boston and walked timidly without an appointment into the Harvard University President's outer office. The secretary could tell in a moment that such backwoods, country hicks had no business at Harvard & probably didn't even deserve to be in Cambridge .. "We'd like to see the president," the man said softly. "He'll be busy all day," the secretary snapped... more »
Dr Richard Mackarness meets low-carb and Paleo pioneers in 1958
[image: MackarnessRichardThm] Dr Richard Mackarness In Chapter 7 of his influential 1970's book on food allergies "Not All In The Mind" U.K. physician Dr Richard Mackarness describes his encounters with the pioneers of low-carb medicine when he visited the States in 1958. That same year Dr Mackarness wrote "Eat Fat and Grow Slim". "His first book, Eat Fat and Grow Slim (1958), exposed the "calorie fallacy" and proposed a non-carbohydrate "Stone Age" diet of protein and fat with no restriction as to the amount eaten. The book was immensely popular and went through six editions." [im... more »
Important Health News: Cancer The Hidden Cures, And How Dichloroacetate Cures Cancer!
I have been busy the last few days catching up on some family business.... Much has been neglected over the last week while I fought off a sinus infection..... It is now that I am basically doing some catching up on what I have been missing... Just the other day, I was shocked when a coworker of mine finally came forward and told myself and a few others that his wife has been going through chemotherapy treatment for Cancer for the last few years... I was especially annoyed when I asked the question if he and his wife had sought out any alternative treatments, considering that radiat... more »
Elizabeth Drew remembers the speakership of Tom Foley, his relationship with Bob Michel, and the horrors that have followed
*"In a cynical age, I still believe that we must summon people to a vision of public service . . . for, in the end, this ethic determines more than anything else whether we will have citizens and leaders of honor, judgment, wisdom, and heart."* *-- from the program for former House Speaker Tom Foley's memorial service, quoted by NYRB's Elizabeth Drew* *by Ken* I don't think we have to pretend that the period when Tom Foley was speaker of the House (1989-94), and Bob Michel was minority leader, was a golden age of legislation to recognize that the House was a fundamentally different... more »
Photo Standing Strong on Mi'kmaq Land
Photo by Marius Paul, published with permission at Censored News, thank you! By Marius Paul Censored News Marius said, "I traveled to Elsipogtog rez, near Rexton, New Brunswick where of recent, our senses were assaulted by images of the RCMP manhandling women, children, and jailing the men who made a stand against such unbridled, disrespectful and hateful display of police powers against
Bank Of Canada Unveils NEW $5 and $10 Polymer Bills ...
(Click on image to enlarge ... ) *The Bank of Canada has unveiled the new Five and Ten dollar polymer bills for circulation.* [image: Progressive Bloggers]
“Inside the Psyche of the 1%
* * *“Inside the Psyche of the 1%- Many Actually Believe * *Their Ideology of Greed Makes for a Better World”* By Don Fitz “Do the rich and super-rich tend to be psychopaths, devoid of guilt or shame? Are the 1% lacking in compassion? Does their endless accumulation of possessions actually bring them little to no happiness? To each of these, the answer is “yes”—but a very qualified “yes” with lots of subtleties. Even more important is what these issues suggest for building a society which does not ravage the last remnants of wilderness and rush headlong into a climate change tipp... more »
Friday Morning Ramble: The sandwich-making edition
Tweet of the week: [image: image] Runner up: [image: image] Nanny’s sense-of-humour bypass continues. *Concern 'end of school year' pranks have gone too far* – NEWSTALK ZB The Wall Street Journal likes NZ’s privatisations, failing however to spot that we haven’t had any. *Privatization Raises Billions in Australia, New Zealand* – Gillian Tan, WALL STREET JOURNAL Great idea! *NZ Taxpayers' Union offers prize to Aucklander with the largest percentage rates increase* – TAXPAYERS UNION Price-fixing, infrastructure failure, monopolistic clusterfuck--thank goodness government can... more »
Satire: “Study: Americans Safe from Gun Violence Except in Schools, Malls, Airports, Movie Theatres, Workplaces, Streets, Own Homes”
* * *“Study: Americans Safe from Gun Violence Except in Schools,* * Malls, Airports, Movie Theatres, Workplaces, Streets, Own Homes”* by Andy Borowitz WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)— “A new study released today indicates that Americans are safe from the threat of gun violence except in schools, malls, airports, movie theatres, workplaces, streets, and their own homes. Also: highways, turnpikes, libraries, places of worship, parks, universities, restaurants, post offices, and cars. Plus: driveways, garages, gyms, stores, military bases—and a host of other buildings, structures,... more »
“Demise of the Global US Fiat Dollar Reserve Currency: Entire Fiat Money System is Bankrupt”
* * *“Demise of the Global US Fiat Dollar Reserve Currency: Entire Fiat Money System is Bankrupt”* by Matthias Chang “Major issues or trends do not change on a daily or even monthly basis. A trend may take a few years to run its course and unless there is a major factor that may affect the trend, there is hardly any need to comment any further on the trend or outcomes. The events unraveling post Bernanke’s decision not to taper QE is most significant because it confirms our analysis that the banking crisis has not been resolved in any significant way after five years of money pr... more »
The Economy: "Aiming for Aristotle’s Head"
* * * "Aiming for Aristotle’s Head"* by Bill Bonner "Wowee! More highs in the stock market. The Dow rose 128 points yesterday. Is the US stock market headed for a bubble? Maybe… but what do we know? Our guess is that the people who are buying stocks today have a lot more confidence in the Fed than we have. As near as we can tell, today’s stock prices owe a lot to the Fed’s manipulation of asset prices and little to the fact that the companies are more intrinsically valuable… or more likely to produce higher earnings per share. In fact, as Chris reported yesterday, earnings-per-sh... more »
Bizarre Asteroid with Six Tails Spotted by Hubble Telescope
*What if its not an asteroid? -Bill* * * *Bizarre Asteroid with Six Tails Spotted by Hubble Telescope* By Megan Gannon, News Editor | November 07, 2013 03:49pm ET http://www.space.com/23506-asteroid-six-tails-hubble-telescope-photos.html Astronomers have spotted a never-before-seen phenomenon in our solar system's asteroid belt: a space rock with six tails, spewing dust from its nucleus like spouts of water radiating from a lawn sprinkler. Scientists using the Pan-STARRS 1 telescope at the summit of Maui's Haleakala volcano in Hawaii first detected the six-tailed asteroid in ... more »
Commodity Central
I didn't know this. Clearly a family of high achievers and the holiday gatherings must be interesting. One can imagine the conversations around the dinner table ... Jon Stewart's brother, NYSE COO Larry Leibowitz, who must get really sick of people pointing that out pic.twitter.com/6prc0MkdyG — John McDuling (@jmcduling) November 7, 2013
Updates On Syria: Turkey May Stop Supporting Al-Qaeda, Kurds Confront Turkey-Syria Border Wall, Turkish Companies Sold CW To Jihadist Terrorists
"A Kurdish mayor on hunger strike in Turkey to protest the building of a barrier on the border with Syria accused Ankara on Tuesday of putting up a "wall of shame"." - Fulya Ozerkan, *"Turkey mayor on hunger strike over Syria 'wall of shame'"* AFP, November 5. An excerpt from, *"Syrian Kurdish leader: Turkey may end proxy war"* by Amberin Zaman, Al Monitor, November 7: Saleh Muslim, the co-chairman of Syria’s most powerful Kurdish party, the Democratic Union Party (PYD), has been holding talks in Geneva with Russian and Western officials in preparation for the planned Geneva II ... more »
Executions of Political Prisoners On The Rise Under Rouhani's "Reformed" Government
*Barack Hussein Obama and Hassan Rouhani are really, really good at executing innocent prisoners and innocent villagers. * An excerpt from, *"Iran Executed Another Kurdish Political Prisoner Without Alerting Family or Lawyers"* International Campaign For Human Rights In Iran, November 4: Ahmad Saeed Sheikhi, one of the lawyers representing Shirkoo Moarefi, a Kurdish prisoner who was executed November 4, confirmed news of his execution and told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, “I learned about my client’s execution from news websites. I tried to contact his f... more »
Update on Syria: KSA And Pakistan Are Pouring Gasoline On The Syrian Fire, USrael Stands In The Background With More Matches
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are al-Qaeda's main regional Sunni backers, along with Turkey and Qatar. Al-Qaeda's international backers include America, Israel, France, and England. *Photo Source: Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia*. An excerpt from, *"Saudis 'turn to Pakistan to train army for Syria war'*" UPI, November 7: Sayigh stressed that Riyadh, exasperated with U.S. indecision and seemingly obsessed with toppling Assad's Iranian-backed regime at any cost, is taking a big gamble. "The Saudi drive to build an unmistakably Sunni army may increase the potential for rebel fragmentat... more »
The Decadence of BAE Systems
1,775 manufacturing jobs go up in smoke and few, if anyone, on the left has anything to say. Mighty organs of the class *Socialist Worker* and *The Socialist* don't mention it - despite the abandonment of ship building in Portsmouth and the loss of jobs on the Clyde being announced on Monday. To its credit, the *Morning Star* does, but our commentariat have been uncharacteristically quiet. It's almost as if these groups of workers are deemed to be in the wrong jobs. Whether you're of the "not a penny, not a man for this system" school of revolutionism, or a "be excellent to each ot... more »
MORE FROM STONE
Oliver Stone speaks about JFK and the untold history of America in this uncensored interview with Buzzsaw. Stone debunks the white lies and mythology of American history, and goes into the roots of the cold war and war on terror, and how they have been used to keep people oppressed from the former Soviet Union to the current American collapse. Obama and the willingness of presidents to play ball with warhawks is laid out cold in this talk with hosts Tyrel Ventura, and Stone's own son, Sean.
Smoke On The Water
With the end of the unnatural abomination that is Daylight Savings TimeSouthern Man actually leaves The Land *after* dawn rather than before on work days and on this cool and crisp morning was greeted by this sight... It's good to live out here. *Thank you, Lord, for beautiful mornings. Amen.*
The Cash Prize: A Decision Experiment
Tomorrow, my great friend and coauthor Dursun Peksen and I will collect our $200 for winning the best paper award at the annual meeting of ISA-Midwest in St. Louis. The paper, which I’ve talked about a little bit before at the Duck, is actually forthcoming now at the Journal of Politics.[1] Dursun has won quite a Continue reading
Is The Tea Party Making Normal Conservatives Quit? Take Jon Runyon (R-NJ)
Run off by some goofballs in tri-corner hats? New Jersey's third congressional district, a swath of the south-central part of the state starting between Toms River and Asbury Park and crossing clear to the Philadelphia suburbs through the Pine Barrens, really is a Democratic congressional district-- despite having a Republican congressman, Jon Runyan. Last year Runyan beat the candidate the DCCC recruited-- and then failed to back-- Shelley Adler, the widow of the Blue Dog Democrat Runyan originally beat in 2010, another victim of the Great Blue Dog Apocalyopse. Last year, while Obam... more »
LATEST FROM FUKUSHIMA
Japan is bracing itself for the most dangerous operation at the Fukushima nuclear plant since it was crippled by a quake and tsunami in March 2011. The company running the facility plans to move radioactive fuel rods to safe storage. RT's Alexey Yaroshevsky is in Japan for us. Christina Consolo, Founder and Host of Nuked Radio, doubts that engineers will be able to pull this off - given the level of damage at the plant.
What happened to the gender gap in Virginia?
*THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2013* *You won’t find out from Rachel:* Tuesday night, we watched Rachel Maddow report Terry McAuliffe’s win in Virginia. As she did, she repeated a peculiar claim three times: “the Beltway press” had been mystified by the gender gap which appeared in Virginia polling. They just couldn't figure it out! For details, see yesterday’s post. That claim seemed highly unlikely to us. As it turned out, Maddow never provided any examples. But as Maddow spoke on Election Night, we were puzzled by the relatively small gender gap which was being displayed on the screen....more »
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*Super Typhoon Haiyan Closes in on the Philippines With 190 mph Sustained Winds ~Dr. Jeff Masters, Wunderblog* ~MODIS satellite image of Super Typhoon Haiyan taken at 4:25 UTC November 7, 2013. At the time, Haiyan was a Category 5 storm with top winds of 175 mph. The Philippines are visible at the left of the image, and the Caroline Islands at the lower right. Image credit: NASA. Super Typhoon Haiyan is one of the most intense tropical cyclones in world history, with sustained winds an incredible 190 mph, gusting to 230 mph, said the Joint Typhoon Warning Center in their 15 UTC (10 am... more »
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*Jonathan Vilma done for season ~Mike Triplett, ESPN* *Lee Zurik Investigation: Contribution questions to Jindal go unanswered ~ WVUE* *The Louisiana sinkhole: It gets even worse ~Stuart Smith* *DHH issues emergency rule regarding drinking water ~WDSU* *With Few Official Resources, a Community Builds Its Resilience From the Ground Up ~Nathan C. Martin, Resilient Cities*
Europe Between the Oceans
I’ve long been interested in learning more about my wild ancestors, the indigenous hunter-gatherers of Europe, in order to better understand who I am. Descriptions of them recorded by the ancient Greeks and Romans were too meager to satisfy my curiosity. Recently, I came across Barry Cunliffe’s book, *Europe Between the Oceans: 9000 BC – AD 1000*. Cunliffe is an archaeologist, and ongoing research is discovering many new pieces for the puzzle. His book serves readers a staggering amount of information. Cave paintings have preserved beautiful memories of the wild paradise of ice... more »
MYSTERIOUS ELVIS PRESLEY
*Nelson Rockefeller, Elvis's father Vernon (2nd from left), stepmother Dee (next to Elvis) and Dee's sons Ricky, David and Billy Stanley who became part of Elvis's Memphis Mafia. *http://www.dailymail.co.uk/ Elvis was mind controlled at an early age? 'Dee' Presley, the second wife of Elvis Presley's father Vernon, died in September 2013, in Nashville, Tennessee. It was Dee who said that: *1.* Elvis had an incestuous affair with his mother Gladys, Vernon's first wife. *2.* Elvis was gay. *3.* Elvis's marriage to Priscilla in 1967 was forced upon Elvis. *Elvis and Gladys.* Dee... more »
Likable Enough
I did a post over at PP a couple of days ago about Christie and personality, pointing out that personality -- whether people actually liked the candidate -- can matter quite a bit in nomination contests, but is mostly unimportant in general elections. It's worth elaborating on that just a bit, because it turns out the way that personality works is actually a bit complicated. I can think of at least three ways that personality matters in nomination contests. In each case, I'm using "like" here to refer to personality, not issues or governing abilities or any of the other reasons some... more »
House Democratic Party Inside Baseball
Becerra, Grayson, Ellison-- actual leaders, not money-grubbers I'm never really comfortable with a corrupt out-of-touch Beltway committee parachuting into an American congressional district and telling the Democrats there who their candidate for Congress should be. In the old days, even the worst DCCC chairmen-- think Rahm Emanuel-- used to tip-toe, at least publicy, around interfering in primaries. Not so the cloddish, reptilian Steve Israel. He's interfering in more Democratic primaries-- and pretty much always on behalf of the more conservative and more corrupt candidates-- than a... more »
You Can Keep Your Plan. Period
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With all the furor of cancelled insurance policies you'd think that the President would be backing away from his false promises but a visit to whitehouse.gov today shows otherwise... Screen shot taken 7 November 2013. Click to enlarge and read the highlighted print. Apparently they meant "If *we* like your plan, you can keep your plan. And we don't like your plan. Period."
An excellent message from Rev. Michael Bresciani...
*and we thank him.* From: Canada Free Press: America Enters Stage Three of the Prophetic Message ObamaCare is now sliding or perhaps slithering into home plate and has finally gotten the attention of most Americans. Democrats, the main stream media and the most goggle-eyed pundits like Bill Maher have all sat up and noticed that the Liar in Chief has put one over on them. So what could an old preacher possibly have to say about ObamaCare; isn’t it totally out of his purview and field of expertise? Not on your life—it is the very heart of my message. For upwards of 38 years I have ... more »
Has Corporate Education "Reform" Earned Another 25 Years to Complete the Resegregation and Privatization Agendas? Part I
With a series of conservative SCOTUS decisions beginning with the Nixon Court, and with a particular hostility by the Reaganites toward the equity and equality agenda that grew from the War on Poverty in 1960s, the resegregation of public schools Original chart by Orfield & Lee, 2006took hold in earnest in 1988, and it has continued unabated since then (click chart to enlarge). It is not surprising, then, that the most recent NAEP 2013 summary report does not include the achievement gap numbers from years prior to 1990, when the achievement gaps between whites and minorities, from... more »
Raised on Hatred - NYTimes.com
'As a child growing up in a Muslim family, I constantly heard my mother, other relatives and neighbors wish for the death of Jews, who were considered our darkest enemy. Our religious tutors and the preachers in our mosques set aside extra time to pray for the destruction of Jews.' More here http://mobile.nytimes.com/2013/01/18/opinion/global/ayaan-hirsi-ali-morsis-comments-on-jews.html
The one hundred and sixty fifth "No shit Sherlock" award
'The newspaper called the White House effort to blame insurance companies "a classic case of misdirection. Between 75 and 95 percent of the problem stems from the effective date, but the White House chooses to keep the focus elsewhere.' More here http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/11/07/two-major-fact-checkers-are-saying-president-obama-isnt-telling-you-the-full-truth Barack Obama lied, "No shit, Sherlock"
Christians are Disappearing from the Middle East except from Israel
'The Christian population in the Muslim Middle East has plunged from 20% a century ago to less than 5% today—and it's falling fast. Arab Christianity, for centuries a dominant force in Middle East culture, religion and politics, now faces extinction in nearly every country in the region. Discrimination and persecution by Muslim governments, as well as murderous attacks by Islamic extremists, are driving Christians from their homelands by the millions. In fact, the only country in the Middle East in which Christians are safe—and where their numbers are growing—is Israel.' More he... more »
Thermoform (TM) Masked al-Nusra fighters harrass Syrian civilians
Just three pictures. So interesting. The masked fighters aka hired killers/mercs Nationalities and identity obscured. So convenient for controlling and promoting a specific narrative and obfuscating of fact & reality [image: http://d24pg1nxua23qm.cloudfront.net/contentAsset/image/03c5d6e4-887f-4d54-b19a-81719800a4ea/image/byInode/1/filter/Resize,Jpeg/jpeg_q/90/resize_w/604]Fighters from the Islamist (not) Syrian rebel group Jabhat al-Nusra search civilians at the Karaj al-Hajez crossing, a passageway separating Aleppo's Bustan al-Qasr, which is under the rebels' control, and Al-Ma... more »
Enbridge Pipeline-Pound Sand
This Time The Straight Goods will let this musical video speak to truth. Created by K Eriksen Music by Adele "*Eyes are placed in front because it`s more important to look ahead than back"* I present you*.....* *Enbridge pipeline-Pound Sand ** * K Eriksen, I personally applaud you for that marvelous composition, you touched my soul.. Good Day. The Straight Goods Cheers Eyes Wide Open
Lessons from the frontlines: If at first you don't succeed, reevaluate
With less than five months left in my Cuso posting, I'm reflecting more and more on how I'm doing. I have the rather challenging and nebulous task of building capacity in communications for the Honduran non-profit that I work for, and as the end draws nearer I am thinking a lot about how it's gone. In all honesty, I had only the vaguest idea of what I was supposed to be doing when we arrived in Honduras in January 2012. I had a great title - Communications and Knowledge Management Facilitator - and an idea that I would be doing work similar to what I'd been doing in B.C. for... more »
R v Vu 2013 SCC 60 - significant Supreme Court search decision
The traditional legal framework holds that once police obtain a warrant to search a place for certain things, they do not require specific, prior authorization to search in receptacles such as cupboards and filing cabinets. The question in this case is whether this framework is appropriate for computer searches. Computers differ in important ways from the receptacles governed by the traditional framework and computer searches give rise to particular privacy concerns that are not sufficiently addressed by that approach. The first issue that... more »
Should Colorado have passed that amendment?
*THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2013* *A wide range of spending on schools:* In Colorado, voters rejected Amendment 66 this week. In this morning’s New York Times, Jack Healy reports the basics: HEALY (11/7/13): Had the referendum passed, the current flat state income tax rate of 4.6 percent would have been replaced with a two-tier system. Residents with taxable incomes below $75,000 would have paid 5 percent; taxable incomes above $75,000 would have been taxed at 5.9 percent. *The measure would have poured money into poor, rural school districts, expanded preschool, bought new technology ... more »
On my last Sunday's post you listened to Bill Moyers interview two savvy economists on the horrors of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) being negotiated in private to enable big business to pick our pockets even more than they are now. Well, today's post treats the "monstrous assault on democracy" that is the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). George Monbiot: "Wake up, people we're being shafted."
------------------------------ This transatlantic trade deal is a full-frontal assault on democracy Brussels has kept quiet about a treaty that would let rapacious companies subvert our laws, rights and national sovereignty ------------------------------ George Monbiot The Guardian, Monday 4 November 2013 20.31 GMT ------------------------------ David Cameron with Barack Obama at a state dinner in Cameron's honour in 2012 at the White House. Photograph: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images Remember that referendum about whether we should create a single market with the United States? Yo... more »
Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville set to rebuild Manchester shul | The Jewish Chronicle
The weirdest Jewish Chronicle story ever? Apparently 'Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs are set to become the first Premier League footballers to own and run a synagogue.' More here www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/112958/ryan-giggs-and-gary-neville-set-rebuild-manchester-shul
How big was the turnout in Virginia?
*THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2013* *We’re always amazed by this:* How big was the turnout in Virginia this week? This morning, Trip Gabriel reports on the way some Republicans in Virginia are responding to the loss of the State House. At one point, Gabriel discusses the size of this week’s turnout in the state. The Times is supposed to be our smartest newspaper. We’re always amazed by this sort of thing: GABRIEL (11/7/13): For Democrats, the great lesson of the night was that they had the ability to reassemble significant parts of President Obama’s coalition even when he was not on the ...more »
NAEP? Nope: Why (Almost) Everyone Will Misread (Again) Data on Gaps
NAEP? Nope: Why (Almost) Everyone Will Misread (Again) Data on Gaps. via NAEP? Nope: Why (Almost) Everyone Will Misread (Again) Data on Gaps.
The Economy: “Are You Prepared for a US Bank Bail-In?”
* “Are You Prepared for a US Bank Bail-In?”* by Jeff Berwick “If you have cash in a US bank, you can expect to have the federal government take it all the next time US banks find themselves in trouble. The days of the federal government stealing money from taxpayers, or borrowing it from the Federal Reserve, to save troubled banks — as in they did in the 2008 crisis — may be over. Congress is considering imitating the theft in Cyprus and letting troubled banks “bail-in” depositor money in order to make themselves solvent. Jim Sinclair, chairman and chief executive officer of Tan... more »
THE PROGRESS, THE GAPS AND THE SCANDAL: “Pshaw,” the widely praised author said!
*THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2013* *Part 4—Where do our gaps come from:* We still have large achievement gaps here in the U.S. (For details, see yesterday’s post.) We have large gaps between different states. We have large gaps based on family income. We still have large gaps based on race. Black kids and Hispanic kids have been scoring much better in recent decades. But white kids have been improving too. The gaps based on race have gotten smaller, but they’re still quite large. This raises a fairly obvious question—where do our large gaps come from? By now, almost everyone knows the...more »
Suck On This
Is it me, or is President Obama sounding more and more like a vacuum cleaner salesman who shows up at your door unannounced, immediately launching into a spiel about how wonderfully well his product sucks? He finagles his way into your living-room before you even have a chance to protest, throws down a handful of his magical pixie dust on your threadbare carpet, and dares you to try out your old clunker. You thought you liked it and could keep it, but once he whips out that $1,000 Kirby of his, you guiltily realize that all this time, you've been endangering your loved ones by allo... more »
Responses to Bazilian and Pielke on Global Energy Access
*Issues in Science and Technology* has just published in its Fall 2013 issue four letters in response to our article, Making Energy Access Meaningful (here in PDF). Three of the responses are constructive, one is somewhat less so. This post offers a summary of our original paper, the letters and a few thoughts in response. In a nutshell here is what our paper argued: Our distinctly uncomfortable starting place is that the poorest three-quarters of the global population still use only about 10% of global energy—a clear indicator of deep and persistent global inequity. Because a m... more »
Please, Please, Please Giuliani Is Not a Christie Comp
Can we please get this stopped already? Chris Christie's presidential campaign is not at all similar to Rudy Giuliani's disastrous 2008 bid. Not similar. Not comparable. Okay? Just cut it out. I'm seeing this all over the place, and it's just terrible. Viable presidential candidates share two characteristics. They have conventional credentials, and they are within the mainstream of their parties in their positions on matters of public policy. Granted, sometimes it's a bit tricky to judge. Did House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt have "conventional credentials" in 2004? No one from... more »
Assessment of a lawyer's account will be allowed customarily
Versailles Convention Centre Inc. (2074874 Ontario Inc.) v. William Ross Gilmour (Gilmour Barristers), 2013 ONCA 674 is another example of when a lawyer's account will be assessed even after the permissible time to assess has passed. As a practical matter it's seldom worth opposing an application for an assessment.
Thursday Morning Linkage
Here are a few articles for your consideration. For those of you interested in conservation, we have had a disturbing pattern of stories about rapid declines in species around the world, some of them due to poaching, what has been described as an “environmental crime wave,” and others as a result of disease. All of this Continue reading
Desecuritization and Iran
It is shocking how little attention Iran’s recent efforts to satisfy the international community’s demands on nuclear question have received in the news media and academic discourse. As I write this, there are 1182 related news stories on news.google.com related to Rob Ford’s struggles with the crack cocaine and only 85 related to Iran’s nuclear Continue reading
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The Hollow MenT. S. Eliot *Mistah Kurtz—he dead.* *A penny for the Old Guy* *I* We are the hollow men We are the stuffed men Leaning together Headpiece filled with straw. Alas! Our dried voices, when We whisper together Are quiet and meaningless As wind in dry grass Or rats’ feet over broken glass In our dry cellar Shape without form, shade without colour, Paralysed force, gesture without motion; Those who have crossed With direct eyes, to death’s other Kingdom Remember us—if at all—not as lost Violent souls, but only As the hollow men The stuffed men. *II* Eyes I ... more »
Currency interventions are immature assaults on free markets
*Expletives appropriate after the insane war was declared against the Czech crown* A few hours ago, the Czech National Bank has done something insane that hasn't taken place for 11 years: interventions against the Czech currency. Within minutes, the exchange rate weakened by stunning 4 and 6 percent relatively to the euro and the U.S. dollar, respectively. Their stated purpose is to encourage inflation (they look like an arsonist who boasts that he set a big building on fire) and they expect this thing to add 1 percentage point to the inflation for the next 12 months. *CZK 2,000 ... more »
Continued Maintenance Work Keeps Iraq’s Oil Exports Down In October 2013
The maintenance work on Iraq’s southern oil infrastructure, which started in September 2013 continued into the middle of October. This is important construction as it is supposed to lay the foundation for further expansion of the industry that is planned for next year. As a result of the work however exports have been down for the last two months. The Oil Ministry wanted to boost output in October to make up for the cutbacks in September. The figures did go up last month, but were still down from the yearly average. October’s export numbers were better than September’s, but still b... more »
Gates, Bloomberg, and Corporate Welfare Are Losers in Colorado Vote
With support from major plutocrats who own the U. S. Department of Education and most state departments of education, the plan to turn Colorado’s PreK-12 urban schools into segregated corporate reform schools has gone down in flames with an overwhelming rejection by Colorado voters, 65-35. For a measure to aid education to be paid for with a tax increase, voters have to know that there is some value to be added. What they know from decades of corporamental meddling in Colorado and elsewhere is that, over the past 20 years, public schools have been retooled by corporate know-noth... more »
Police State updates November 7 , 2013.....Adam Kokesh pleads guilty to gun and pot charges , faces 6 years in prison....One should expect to see the hammer droppe here...... TSA sought firing range for weapons training - two weeks before LAX shooting ? Cops taser Dad trying to save child from burning house .......
http://www.infowars.com/adam-kokesh-pleads-guilty-to-gun-marijuana-charges-faces-six-years-in-prison/ Adam Kokesh Pleads Guilty To Gun & Marijuana Charges, Faces Six Years In Prison - [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] *Kristin Tate* Ben Swann.com November 7, 2013 Libertarian activist Adam Kokesh was arrested in July for uploading a video of himself loading a shotgun in D.C.’s Freedom Plaza. Image: Wikimedia Commons. D.C. gun laws are some ... more »
Bitcoin news of the day November 5 - 6 , 2013 .... On the positive side , we have seen Bitcoin prices surge recently as wider adoption indicates possibilities for Bitcoin as an alternative currency has potential ..... On the negative , note the " Selfish Mining " weakness noted in the Cornell study - Bitcoin subject to cartel attack ? With a market value now almost three billion and Bitcoin still a wild west for hackers and manipulators , just a word for the wise !
Catharsis Ours - 1 day ago
Pro ....... http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-11-06/why-bitcoin-surging Is This Why Bitcoin Is Surging? [image: Tyler Durden's picture] Submitted by Tyler Durden on 11/06/2013 18:13 -0500 - Bond - China - Fail - Federal Reserve - Google - Paul Volcker - Quantitative Easing inShare Bitcoin, an online-only currency scarcely four years old, is breaking out to new highs this week and now sports a total value of $2.8 billion. *Just a few months ago, it looked like this economic experiment as the world’s first decentralized technology-based form ... more »
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