A CLOSER LOOK: JODY PATERSON
Opioid crisis: Those who manufactured it owe us al
I like a good analogy for figuring out complex problems with moral overtones. I got to thinking about which one might work for understanding the opioid crisis after I saw the comments from my Facebook post today linking to the BC government’s announcement of a class action law suit against the opioid manufacturing industry. How’s this: Reimagining the issue as if it were the use of pesticides. Li
Don't you be calling me adorable: A reflection on ageism
These are times of calling people on their shit. So I’m going to call out ageism, and more specifically that insidious kind I think of as “compliment-based ageism,” which I’m now experiencing in my own life. Some recent examples: I scrambled up the rock at my favourite Upper Thetis swimming hole a few days ago and a woman watching me from the top told me what a good climber I was. When travelling
VAGABOND SCHOLAR
Labor Day 2018
Vagabond Scholar / 7d
Happy Labor Day! These videos are repeats, but they're good. Here's Robert Reich from 2013, about celebrating labor on Labor Day. This a Woody Guthrie classic, performed at the Pete Seeger 90th birthday concert: Given the latest pushes from conservatives to further concentrate wealth and power with the wealthy, to let wages stagnate, and to slash the social safety net, it's a
NEWS FROM ATLANTIS.
Killed With Kindness, by Paul Dutton
News From Atlantis. / 10d
Killed With Kindness, by Paul Dutton The scene is set in Fallowfields Chesterton Cambridge there is an elderly lady in her 90’s her name is Matilda she used to sell ticket for Cambridge football club, she also put up a lot of players when they came to Cambridge back in the old days she also helped dig the holes for the spot lights when they were fitted she stopped helping Cambridge united football
NOLANCHART.COM
CNN’s Poll says 57% of Americans are happy with America!
NolanChart.com / 5d
Great timing! Laura Ingraham asked; why would America vote Republicans out if most Americans see our nation as doing well! Laura is a true advocate […]
Impeachment is a political, and not a legal, process!
NolanChart.com / 10d
The Constitution of the United States lays out how a President can be removed by the Legislative branch of the United States government. In that […]
East Texas important in mid terms – your vote counts!
NolanChart.com / 12d
The 2018 mid terms are of unusual significance in that they will either be a popular endorsement of the “Making America Great Again agenda” and […]
Wrestling away GOP control
NolanChart.com / 15d
Each time we vote for Republicans, we help establish a deeper and more entrenched plutarchy, a government dedicated to and for the rich. Most assuredly, […]
Amendments we should consider to return classical liberalism to the Constitution
NolanChart.com / 27d
It’s very well-known that over the years countless proposals have been made to amend the US Constitution, but it’s somewhat fallen out of favor except […]
THE RULES OF EXPOSITION
"Infinite" versus "Endless"
The Rules of Exposition / 19d
"Infinite" is a practical impossibility. "Endless" happens all the time. Almost 70 years old before I figured out the difference.
THWAP'S SCHOOLYARD
The World Doesn't Owe Us a Living
thwap's schoolyard / 6d
This is one of the most pervasive assaults on left-wing calls for social justice; that we expect that the world owes us (and everyone else) a living, simply by virtue of our having arrived on the planet. It is at this point that those who champion an economic system of unlimited growth on a finite planet begin to shriek about "scarce resources" and how we can't just give people riches without the
A Good Essay From "CounterPunch"
thwap's schoolyard / 8d
This piece - "Workers' Power vs. Climate Destroyers: What It Will Take to Save the Planet," by Bruce Lesnick, is the kind of thing I'm talking about here: Asking those few with wealth and power to please do the right thing is not a very effective strategy and it hasn’t gotten us very far up to now. A much better approach would be to take the power and wealth into our own hands – into the hands of
The Inevitability of Steady-State Economics
thwap's schoolyard / 12d
You cannot have unlimited growth of anything on a finite planet. Obvious, right? Not to the geniuses in charge of the world's political-economic system. Or to humanity in general. The inherent lack of empathy in our species is evidenced by the continued desires of many of us for lots and lots of offspring. I once asked "Do you suppose that a Petri dish of bacteria had individuals in it saying 'Do
Soldiers and Cops
thwap's schoolyard / 15d
In our system the state has a monopoly on the use of violence. The police and the military are the main tools by which the state exercises its monopoly on violence. The only message that I want to convey with this post is that if you have access to members of the police or the military (or, really, any other enforcement arm of the state that can cause serious damage to a person's life), that you
Change the Narrative, Create an Alternative Narrative, and Destroy
thwap's schoolyard / 20d
George Orwell's 1984 describes how a totalitarian government can manipulate people into believing the most grotesque, inhuman absurdities. It can delude people into thinking they're free, even though they're miserable and trapped in a system they can't control. It robs them of the words, the capabilities, to even understand what is wrong, to explain it to themselves. To a great degree WE live in
Thwap Is Back!!!!
thwap's schoolyard / 21d
Sort of. I still think humanity is too stupid to survive. I still think blogging is a waste of time. But it seems to me that living a lie is also a complete waste of time. Recently, I've been seeing a lot of click-bait titles about how to have a better life. You know these sorts of articles: "Yoga hacks for greater energy." "This Billionaire CEO Avoids These 5 Bad Habits." "The BEST Way To Respon
PAYING ATTENTION
My Tyee column: Skip the Dishes lawsuit signals need for new employment laws
Paying attention / 21d
If governments were doing their jobs, a Skip The Dishes food delivery driver wouldn’t have to sue for basic employment rights. Charleen Pokornik, who started driving for the company in Winnipeg two years ago, says the company is wrongly claiming the drivers are independent contractors, not employees. Increasingly, jobs have been changing — and generally for the worse. More part-time work, more pe
PESTICIDE ACTION NETWORK
The Farm Bill is up — & it matters
Congress is taking up the Farm Bill again this week, and many issues key to our food and agriculture system are on the table — including how we deal with pesticides. Earlier this summer, the Senate passed its version of the 2018 Farm Bill. While flawed, the Senate bill was much better than the widely-criticized House version of the bill, which narrowly passed a week prior. A small group of Senato
Court to EPA: Chlorpyrifos ban is on!
Victory! Court orders EPA to ban chlorpyrifos. The Agency now has 60 days to finalize its ban of the neurotoxic pesticide. Learn more Slideshow Category: Flex Slider
A landmark victory: Monsanto, Roundup & cancer
In a historic ruling in the San Francisco Superior Court earlier this month, a jury found the Monsanto corporation (recently merged with Bayer) fully liable for health damages caused by its herbicide, Roundup. The plaintiff, DeWayne Johnson, was awarded $289 million in damages. This victory is a landmark moment. It signals the beginning of real change — a loosening of the grip that corporations h
In the U.S. and the world, pesticide use is up
From 2009 to 2012, pesticide use in the U.S. rose on the order of 100 million pounds. That's a remarkable increase. Learn more Slideshow Category: Flex Slider
PAN Fellows build a brighter tomorrow
T he PAN Fellowship Program supports a pathway to leadership for food and farming activists from frontline communities . Learn more Slideshow Category: Flex Slider
Guest blog: In my community, you are what your plants eat
Pesticide Action Network / 13d
Adam Vega is a community organizer with Californians for Pesticide Reform. In this blog, he shares his experience living in the agricultural community of Ventura County, California, where pesticide use is high, children and farmworkers are at risk, and community members are stepping up to take action together. I am very fortunate to call California — Ventura County specifically — home. The Golden
THE STRAIGHT GOODS
Is It ‘Reporting’ or ‘Creative Writing’ in the province of Alberta?
The Straight Goods / 29d
Is It ‘Reporting’ or ‘Creative Writing’ in the province of Alberta? Written by Robin Mathews , August 2018 Looking at the article “ Freedom and Loathing in Lethbridge” by Tadzio Richards for Alberta Views is a depressing undertaking. Dressed, apparently, in the clothing of serious investigation – the reality of its sham nature is disappointing … for there is no question that clear light needs to
SCHOOLS MATTER
St. Hope Charter School Students Have Had Enough
St. Hope Charter Schools, Inc . is a small charter school chain owned by Kevin Johnson and his wife, Michelle Rhee . These are "no excuses" KIPP Model schools that enable Kevin and Michelle to live the lavish lifestyle to which they are accustomed, while providing the total compliance training and cultural sterilization pedagogy that makes this model so attractive to white philanthropists and the
Why Parents Want Their Kids to Stay Out of Teaching
Schools Matter / 10h
This year's annual PDK/Gallup Poll of public attitudes toward public education found for the first time a majority of American parents unwilling to advise their children to become teachers: Two-thirds of Americans say teachers are underpaid, and an overwhelming 78% of public school parents say they would support teachers in their community if they went on strike for more pay, according to the 201
At least 920 Florida teachers out of jobs after failing state test, desp...
ABC affiliate is on the story of how the State of Florida is using a standardized test to weed out qualified teachers across the state. Two reports below, the first from July of this year and the second a follow-up attempt to get a straight answer from Commissioner Pam Stewart, who is more concerned with losing her lunch break than providing a sensible answer to a very good question.
Edu-Blocks Arrive in New Hampshire
Schools Matter / 28d
Roughly two months ago I discovered Southern New Hampshire University had become the first academic institution in North America to issue a diploma credential / education transcript on the Blockchain. It surprised me. I knew Learning Machine (MIT) was working on this in Malta, but I had no clue there was a domestic trial underway. I dove in, did a lot of research, and created the map below. To vi
SCREW YOU GUYS, I'M GOING HOME
New EEOC Miami Policy: No Opportunity For Employees To Respond
In the bad old days, after an employee filed a Charge of Discrimination, employers would file a position statement and then one of two things happened: either the investigator would read a summary of the position statement quickly over the phone, or the investigator would write up a summary of the position statement. Then the employee would have 10 days to respond. I say the bad old days, because
Is It Legal To Record A Conversation At Work?
In light of Omarosa's recordings of conversations with her bosses at the White House, I thought I'd discuss a question I'm asked all the time in my law practice: Is it legal to record a conversation at work? Unfortunately, there's no easy answer to this question, and a mistake can land you in jail. Illegal tape recording can have both criminal and civil penalties. My advice is almost always: When
SYRIA COMMENT
Loyalty over geography: Re-interpreting the notion of ‘Useful Syria’ — By Matthias Sulz
Loyalty over geography: Re-interpreting the notion of ‘Useful Syria’ By Matthias Sulz * For Syria Comment : Sept. 6, 2018 As the offensive to reconquer Idlib starts, it is useful to recall that the notion of ‘Useful Syria’ as geographic reference to the population-rich axis of Aleppo-Homs-Damascus, as well as the coastal areas of Latakia and Tartus, does not accurately reflect the regime´s intent
60 years after Iraq’s 1958 July 14 Revolution by Christopher Solomon
60 years after Iraq’s 1958 July 14 Revolution by Christopher Solomon @Solomon_Chris The black, white, and green tricolor flag emblazoned with the eight-point red star of Ishtar fluttered amongst the marchers. The flags waved by members of the Iraqi Communist Party (ICP) had previously flown over a period of Iraq that had long been forgotten by the rest of the world. A distant, but positive memory
WWF - LATEST NEWS
MIDDLE CLASS POLITICAL ECONOMIST
New article on tax increment financing in Missouri shows impact of KS/MO border war
After several years of work, my colleague Susan G. Mason (Boise State University) and I have published a new article on TIF in Missouri, specifically in the St. Louis and Kansas City metropolitan areas. "Exploring Patterns of Tax Increment Financing Use and Structural Explanations in Missouri's Major Metropolitan Regions" appeared in the July 2018 edition of the HUD journal Cityscape , downloadabl
LAND DESTROYER
Idlib: Al Qaeda's Last Stand
September 7, 2018 ( Tony Cartalucci - NEO ) - The United States has raised tensions further amid Syria's ongoing conflict. It has issued a threat in the form of a "warning" against Damascus against retaking the northern region of Idlib. More specifically, the US has accused Damascus of preparing chemical weapon attacks as part of its alleged strategy to retake the territory. No evidence has been
US-Saudis Enlist Al Qaeda For Yemen War
August 22, 2018 ( Tony Cartalucci - NEO ) - Associated Press has revealed that the US-backed, Saudi-led war against Yemen includes the use of Al Qaeda as a mercenary force against Houthi rebels. This confirms as fact what was widely dismissed by Western politicians and a complicit Western media as a "conspiracy theory" since 2011. Evidence that the US and its allies enlisted Al Qaeda and other ex
Washington Post Covers Up US Meddling in Malaysia
September, 3 2018 ( Tony Cartalucci - NEO ) - The Washington Post has now repeatedly used its platform to systematically cover up extensive US political interference across Southeast Asia. Last month, the Washington Post attempted to deny US interference in Cambodia . Its article - however - did more to reveal US meddling in the process - exclusively citing opposition organizations and individual
America's War on Yemen Exposed
August 14, 2018 ( Tony Cartalucci - NEO ) - As atrocities and scandal begin to mount regarding the US-backed Saudi-led war on the impoverished nation of Yemen, the involvement and hypocrisy of the United States and other Western backers is coming to full light. Global condemnation of Saudi airstrikes on civilian targets has brought public attention to Washington's role in the conflict - a role th
US Meddling: Washington Backs Fugitive, Terrorist in Thailand
America's bid to install a compromised Thai politician into power is part of a larger bid to encircle China with hostile and dysfunctional client states. August 20, 201 8 ( Joseph Thomas - NEO ) - The US is currently pressuring the Southeast Asian Kingdom of Thailand to hold immediate elections in a bid to return billionaire former prime minister and now fugitive Thaksin Shinawatra to power. The
US-British Neo-Imperialism and its Modern Day 'Missionaries'
September 2, 2018 ( Tony Cartalucci - NEO ) - The worst sort of deception is that perpetrated by those who pose as defending the most vulnerable when in reality, are leveraging their circumstances, exploiting their suffering, and in many cases, playing a direct role in perpetuating both. This is an apt description of Washington, London, and Brussels' global-spanning human rights racket - used rep
CENTAURI DREAMS
Dawn at Sunset
The announcement that the Dawn spacecraft is running out of its hydrazine fuel was not unexpected, but when we prepare to lose communications with a trailblazing craft, the moment is always tinged with a bit of melancholy. Even so, the accomplishments of this mission in its 11 years of data gathering are phenomenal. They also speak to the virtues of extended missions, which in this case gave us v
‘Rogue’ Planet Population in the Galaxy
We’ve recently looked at gas giant planet formation, and specifically the stages in which Jupiter seems to have formed — this is the work of Thomas Kruijer (University of Münster) and colleagues as summarized in A Three Part Model for Jupiter’s Formation . Whether or not the details of Kruijer and team’s model are correct, it seems evident that gas giants must form quickly, based on current theor
Transiting Debris around a White Dwarf
Who among us hasn’t speculated about the ultimate fate of the Solar System? The thought of our Sun growing into a vast red giant has preoccupied writers and readers since the days when H. G. Wells so memorably captured a far future scene through the eyes of his Time Traveler. And what a scene that was: “I cannot convey the sense of abominable desolation that hung over the world. The red eastern s
Extending the Habitable Zone
Not long ago, Ramses Ramirez (Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo) described his latest work on habitable zones to Centauri Dreams readers. Our own Alex Tolley (University of California) now focuses on Dr. Ramirez’ quest for ‘a more comprehensive habitable zone,’ examining classical notions of worlds that could support life, how they have changed over time, and how we can broaden current models.
New Horizons: Checking in on Approach Operations
Here’s another, wider look at New Horizons’ view of Ultima Thule (MU69), its next target, which we first saw in late August, though the image was acquired at mid-month. I like this view because it gets across just what a tricky acquisition this was. Look at the background star-field! Consider that Ultima is still 100 times fainter than Pluto as seen from Earth, making it about a million times fai
The Prevalence of ‘Water Worlds’
The first time I ran into the term ‘water world,’ it had a seductive quality. After all, we think of habitable zones in terms of water on the surface, and a world with an overabundance of water suggested a kind of celestial Polynesia, archipelagos surrounded by a planet-circling, azure sea. But we immediately run into problems when we think about planets with substantially more water than Earth.
WEEKLY GEO-POLITICAL NEWS AND ANALYSIS
Pandemic scare brewing as cabal faces doom
A pandemic scare is looming as airplanes in multiple countries reported to be full of “diseased” people are landing and being put in quarantine. However, Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) sources say the incidents all appear to be fake ones involving crisis actors. The pandemic scare comes as the execution of U.S. Senator John McCain sent shock waves through Khazarian mafia ranks, who are now act
“Good side” of Rothschild family says Trump will stage financial reset
The deadlock has ended in the undeclared U.S. civil war that lasted all summer, and the good guys have already begun a series of stunning moves against the cabal, including shooting down their secret satellites, multiple sources confirm. Also, a complete reset of the global financial system has already begun, assert CIA sources connected to the self-described “good side” of the Rothschild family.
U.S. civil war stalemate to end soon; Next phase of planetary liberation to begin
The death, probably by execution, of the traitor John McCain, signals a new phase in the removal of the criminal cabal that has controlled the U.S. since 1913, Pentagon and agency sources agree. “Traitor McCain may have been the first death penalty by military tribunal, allowed to die with honor like Rommel to protect the Navy’s reputation while spooking the deep state,” is how one Pentagon sourc
Issues simmering over the summer may lead to war in the autumn
Several issues could trigger a brief, sharp war inside the U.S., in the Middle East, and possibly even in Japan this autumn, multiple sources agree. The key issue remains 9/11, a mass-murder event that remains unpunished and officially unacknowledged to this day. The 9/11 war crime was used as an excuse for the mass murder of Iraqi, Syrian, Afghan, and other peoples. Furthermore, if you dig deepe
China’s AI “Goddess” and the East/West AI competition
Notice to readers: This is the last of our three pre-written reports. We will return to our usual weekly news format next week. Your patience and understanding have been appreciated. Last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin said whoever leads in AI (Artificial Intelligence) “will control the world.” The Chinese took these words seriously and are investing huge sums of money in an effort to cre
Questions from a military man
Benjamin: I’ve been a follower for a while, and I’m a retired military with a high clearance. I have a couple of questions. First, what part of DoD are these folks working in who are discussing the cabal? I worked in both the agencies and the DoD and never saw any of the things you mention. I’m curious how they can keep things a secret within the ranks. Bear in mind that I was privy to a lot of i
MAJIA'S BLOG
San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant "Near Miss" Incident
Majia's Blog / 7h
I am sharing this statement by Dr. Tom English, of the Samuel Lawrence Foundation: Some Implications of Basic Physics to the San Onofre “Near Miss” Incident Dr. Tom English Samuel Lawrence Foundation https://www.samuellawrencefoundation.org/nuclear-energy There has been a “near miss” at the San Onofre nuclear power plant. The lives and economic well-being of 8.4 million people within a 50-mile ra
Making Risk Decisions at Fukushima Daiichi
Majia's Blog / 2d
Contaminated water production at Fukushima Daiichi continues unabated. Storage is limited and there are explosive risks for containment of highly contaminated water. The various water filtration systems that have been adopted have had limited success because they have only removed certain radionuclides - such as radiocesium - leaving filtered water contaminated with radioiodine and tritium. In my
The Earth is Active!
Majia's Blog / 4d
Large earthquake in Japan followed by a large earthquake not too far from Fiji: Deep Magnitude 7.8 Quake Hits Offshore From Suva, Fiji: USGS https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2018-09-06/magnitude-81-quake-hits-offshore-of-suva-fiji-usgs The earth is active and our failing nuclear infrastructures are at catastrophic risk, for humans and ecosystems alike. The earthquake in Japan reminds us
Earthquake in Japan: Is Another Nuclear Disaster Pending?
Majia's Blog / 4d
A 6.7 earthquake shook Hokkaido Japan Thursday, producing catastrophic effects including loss of life. The Tomari nuclear power plant has lost energy and is running cooling operations for spent fuel at the site using back up diesel generators. Thankfully the reactors were not running so a Fukushima-style reactor meltdown is not going to happen, although the risks for spent fuel burning remain if
Stigma and Radiation Contamination II
Majia's Blog / 7d
A few days ago I posted about the contradictory imperatives to avoid stigmatization while still acknowledging harmful effects of radiation contamination: http://majiasblog.blogspot.com/2018/08/stigma-and-radiation-contamination.html Once again this tension is evident in Fukushima Prefecture, where a New Zealand reporter is potentially facing charges for illegal trespassing amid concern he is prom
McCain on Torture and Commodity Market Manipulation
Majia's Blog / 9d
I'm far too left to be a fan of former Senator John McCain, but I did very much appreciate his willingness to stand up against torture and to rebuke the most powerful financial firms for endangering national security, particularly where uranium trading was involved. Going back through my files, I found the following letter pasted below that I had sent McCain on behalf of my university students wh
CRAIG MURRAY
The Impossible Photo
Russia has developed an astonishing new technology enabling its secret agents to occupy precisely the same space at precisely the same time. These CCTV images released by Scotland yard today allegedly show Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Borishov both occupying exactly the same space at Gatwick airport at precisely the same second. 16.22.43 on 2 March 2018. Note neither photo shows the other followin
Skripals – The Mystery Deepens
The time that “Borishov and Petrov” were allegedly in Salisbury carrying out the attack is all entirely within the period the Skripals were universally reported to have left their home with their mobile phones switched off. A key hole in the British government’s account of the Salisbury poisonings has been plugged – the lack of any actual suspects. And it has been plugged in a way that appears br
Skripals – When the BBC Hide the Truth
On 8 July 2018 a lady named Kirsty Eccles asked what, in its enormous ramifications, historians may one day see as the most important Freedom of Information request ever made. The rest of this post requires extremely close and careful reading, and some thought, for you to understand that claim. Dear British Broadcasting Corporation, 1: Why did BBC Newsnight correspondent Mark Urban keep secret fr
When They Decide to Get You
Alex Salmond’s jeopardy has caused me a dreadful shudder of recognition and empathy. I too was accused of hideous offences under a civil service disciplinary code and barred from taking any action to defend myself. I was not allowed to speak to anybody at all about the charges, and particularly not allowed to know the identity of my accusers, or to organise witnesses in my defence – which appears
Facebook Censorship, Mad Ben Nimmo and the Atlantic Council
Facebook has deleted all of my posts from July 2017 to last week because I am, apparently, a Russian Bot. For a while I could not add any new posts either, but we recently found a way around that, at least for now. To those of you tempted to say “So what?”, I would point out that over two thirds of visitors to my website arrive via my posting of the articles to Facebook and Twitter. Social media
A Short Article Not Mentioning Alex Salmond
An Ambassador is evidently not as important as a Scottish First Minister, but there is one interesting similarity. You get to live in a palatial Residence at public expense, and you host numerous social events there, from intimate lunches to grand dinners to receptions for many hundred people. Indeed as a diplomat you do this throughout your career – as an Ambassador, Deputy High Commissioner, Fi
A VERY PUBLIC SOCIOLOGIST
Support Novara Media
I've become appreciative of the good works Novara Media are doing. But they do need an injection of cash to not just keep the operation going, but to expand it. A left wing media shouldn't be happy just reporting things, but strive to explain what's happening and seek to drive the political agenda itself. This is the ambition Novara are trying to live up to, and they're asking would-be subscriber
Our Decadent Tory Elite
As claims making goes, accusing Theresa May of "wrapping a suicide vest around the British constitution and handing the detonator to Michel Barnier" is strong stuff. Then again, in a political economy of, um, politics in which there is a lot happening, you have to do something really attention seeking to command the spotlight for more than five minutes. Even if you're a favoured Westminster perso
Can Blairism Win Back the Labour Party?
The world is a complicated place, so pity those who do not possess the tools to understand it. That Tony Blair for instance is one of many from the politics of yesteryear having a hard time adjusting to our polarised times . As you've probably heard, in conversation with Nick Robinson he cast doubt on whether moderates (sic) could ever win back the Labour Party from the left. With politics domina
Here Come the Cranks
One of the very first things I learned about radical politics (thank you Class War !) is that your enemy's enemy isn't necessarily your friend. This always comes to mind when Russia is in the news because, in a pathetic echo of the Cold War official CPGB apologias of the old Soviet Union, we find people happy to go to great lengths to prettify or explain away the activities of the Russian state.
On the Campaign against Corbyn
As the dust settles after another episode in Labour's interminable anti-semitism wars, one in which we're told there's a "fine line" between opposing Israel's oppression of Palestinians and anti-Jewish racism, it seems even the most gutter
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