Friday, April 05, 2013

5 April - Blogs I'm Following

3pm MDST

OAIS Awards: and the Winners are….

Daniel Nexon at Duck of Minerva - 36 minutes ago
I am currently at the ISA of Madness. Near the top of the list of insanity is the Blogging Reception, which included an overflow crowd and some great “spoken blog posts” by Erica Chenoweth, Rob Farley, Amanda Murdie, and Dan Drezner. I recorded the event, and whatever the camera caught before the battery gave out Continue reading

Friday randomness...

Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 38 minutes ago
*just some thoughts. * * **Imagine a world where little girls will be hitting up the local pharmacy for the morning after pill. These girls should not even be having a "morning after." Where the hell are their parents? * Creative Minority Report: * Unreal: Judge Orders Morning-After Pill Available OTC for All Ages* *Not to worry. Pedophilia will soon be legal. Don't doubt me... * Digital Hairshirt: * Inch by inch, pedophilia comes out of the closet - and is welcomed* *Ever notice all the sexy pictures very young (and some not so young) girls put on their Facebook pages. When... more »

Resisting the State: "I Call It Surviving"

thwap at thwap's schoolyard - 43 minutes ago
Chapter 4 of Scott Neigh's *Resisting the State* deals with Lynn Jones, a black, female trade union and community activist from Truro Nova Scotia. My Mom's family settled in Truro when she was a girl. We went down east once on a visit and my Aunt was driving us around and referred to one part of town as "where all the black people live" with what I sensed was unease. Having grown up in Hamilton on a steady diet of Buffalo, New York news and American television, my 8-10 year old mind immediately thought of practical dangers of poverty and crime and not some visceral dislike. Maybe a... more »

A superb documentary, right on your machine!

bob somerby at the daily howler - 46 minutes ago
*FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013* *We recommend Kind Hearted Woman:* In the past week, PBS stations have been airing a five-hour film by David Sutherland, Kind Hearted Woman. The Frontline/Independent Lens film may still be airing on your PBS channel. But it’s available in full at this PBS site. Did we mention the fact that it lasts five hours? Don’t let that deter you. It’s hard to explain how many things this film is about. We don’t know if we’ve ever seen such an intimate portrait of family life. We don’t know when we’ve seen a portrait of such sophisticated parenting. That said, the fil... more »

Matt Ridley: The Met Office Got It Wrong Yet Again | The Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF)

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 47 minutes ago
Some 'climate change' facts that you won't ever read on the BBC http://www.thegwpf.org/matt-ridley-met-office-wrong/

Obama Trashes Social Security Out Loud and You're Paying THEIR Taxes As Well (Secret Records Obtained by International Consortium of Investigative Journalists Tells All About Covert Companies/Private Trusts in British Virgin Islands, Cook Islands and Other Offshore Hideaways)

I don't think it's an accident that we get the smarmy details about the offshoring of tax-evading income in the same 24-hour cycle in which Obama is revealed as embracing wholeheartedly the Rethuglican Social Security-destroying policies. Kind of reminds me of where Obamacare (whoops!) came from originally. Nope. Neither Jethro Gibbs nor I believe in accidents. And, if I ever got any real

CKNW Hides Radio Segment That Is Very Damaging To The BC Liberals(April 5th..8:45 a.m. to 9:00a.m.)

Grant G at The Straight Goods - 1 hour ago
As you know I have as of late blasted cknw for engaging in yellow journalism.. Last week cknw news department inserted into a news story about Dominion Bond Rating service`s latest assessment on British Columbia, in the news blurb cknw stated..and I quote.. "*Dominion Bond rating service is reporting BC`s credit rating could suffer if the NDP are elected in May`s election and make a lot of changes" *snip. In the report written by Dominion Bond Rating Service nowhere was the word "suffer" used, it was deliberate inflammatory statement employed by a partisan(by order of their corpo... more »

如果中国试图备份踏板,或步行路程,从这个条约,它将失去在亚洲世界的“面子”。

Barbara Diamond at American Scofflaw - 1 hour ago
http://freebeacon.com/shield-up/ 在半个世纪前签署的条约,中国必须“使军事及其他援助,通过各种手段在它的处置,”如果朝鲜受到攻击。 中国已成功地试射了“航母杀手”导弹旨在改变亚洲力量的军事平衡,阻止美国航母作战到1250英里,从中国海岸。因此,中国是一个男人,站起来战斗! 你的奶奶会感到自豪! http://dailybail.com/home/raw-video-north-korean-army-prepares-for-war.htm

"New Age - Game On" A Coming Out Story

Sophia at AMERICAN KABUKI - 1 hour ago
A powerful “coming out” is happening. The way we are DOing is changing, WE ARE changing; we are changing EVERYTHING. The reaching out of a few is exponentially rising. We are leaving FEAR behind. In hearts: http://curiouscatalyst.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/im-with-you.html In our towns: http://fengshuiserenity.blogspot.com/2013/03/new-england-town-declares-food.html In our legislatures: http://oppt-in.com/new-hampshire-legislature-reveals-u-s-federal-government-is-a-corporation-operating-with-a-fraudulent-constitution/ On our land: http://... more »

Moccasins on the Ground Tour of Resistance continues in Lakota/Dakota territory

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 1 hour ago
Moccasins on the Ground Tour of Resistance to Tar Sands Continues By Tarsands Blockade http://www.tarsandsblockade.org/ April 4, 2013 *This weekend a group of Blockaders have been invited to return to Lakota Territory to continue the Moccasins on the Ground Tour of Resistance and stand in solidarity with the Greater Sioux Nation in their preparation to defend their Treaty Territory from the threat of Keystone XL to their Sacred Water. Below is a post from The Lakota Media Project about the tour. * Owe Aku, a grassroots organization on the Pine Ridge, SD Indian Reservation, along wit... more »

Ten Feet Tall

Jonathan Bernstein at A plain blog about politics - 2 hours ago
I completely endorse the distinction that Ed Kilgore makes but appears to feel isn't really necessary between "clear the field" and "dominant opening position" when talking about Hillary Clinton and the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination. I think, that is, that the distinction is necessary. To me, "clear the field" means something pretty specific: that no other plausible nominee would run. So I wouldn't say that Al Gore in 2000 cleared the field; he solidly beat Bill Bradley, and it was probably over before the Iowa caucuses, but Gore had to run a real primary campaign against ... more »

A Hyperinflation Vacation

Greg Mankiw at Greg Mankiw's Blog - 2 hours ago
From *The Atlantic*.

FIRST THEY CAME FOR.......AND THEN THEY CAME FOR ME

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 2 hours ago
Where are the activists as austerity bites? They have been beaten back *Protesters face violence, arrest and serious charges. Only the brave dare face this savage suppression* By Laurie Penny Guardian (UK) First they came for the students. This week, 12 van loads of police arrived at Sussex University, in collaboration with management, to evict studentswho had been occupying a room on campus for eight weeks. They had been taking a stand against privatisation of services at their university, creating a militant "pop-up union" and attracting support from all over the country: they had... more »

Tuscon Arizona Under Martial Law?

        AMERICAN KABUKI at AMERICAN KABUKI - 3 hours ago
This link appeared on one of the forums, seems to be documented...anyone have any other confirming data? Mayor Jonathan Rothschild Secretly Declares Martial Law in Tuscon, Arizona: http://www.thetruthdenied.com/news/2013/03/15/mayor-jonathan-rothschild-secretly-declares-martial-law-in-tuscon-arizona-agenda-21/ This was started on 6 Mar 2013 and has been kept from the public.

Vos (WI-ALEC) - Did you See This One?

2old2care at Because I Can - 3 hours ago
A still shot from a video of the ALEC Snotttsdale, Arizona Protest - November 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTWMFpbcXmE

Holy week with the EU: an insane EU propaganda video

Luboš Motl at The Reference Frame - 3 hours ago
The iDNES.cz news server and other Czech media have brought us a trailer of a new movie funded by the national branches of the top EU institutions. The movie is called "Holy Week With The EU" and it describes the EU from the viewpoint of high school students preparing for the GCSE (final) exam. The trailer is just stunningly repulsive. Fortunately, over 90% of the Czech citizens seem to agree with me. The hugely negative reaction has led the film director to demand that the trailer shouldn't be aired anywhere because it was created by amateurish cherry-picking by some jerks among the... more »

Considering negative credibility findings made by a court in another action involving a party still dangerous

James C Morton at Morton's Musings - 3 hours ago
The temptation to raise negative judicial findings about a party in an unrelated case is strong but as today's decision in Kay v. Caverson, 2013 ONCA 220 shows, perhaps risky: [5] The appellant submits that the trial judge ought not to have rejected the appellant's evidence. Specifically, she argues that the trial judge erred in his interpretation of the Supreme Court of Canada's decision in *British Columbia (Attorney General) v. Malik*, 2011 SCC 18, [2011] 1 S.C.R. 657. We would not give effect to this submission. Assuming (without deciding) that the trial judge erred in... more »

Greg Hunter, "Weekly News Wrap-Up 4.5.13"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 3 hours ago
*"Weekly News Wrap-Up 4.5.13"* By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com "Just three stories today, but they are big ones–North Korea, the Middle East and the ongoing banking crisis. North Korea has rattled its saber in the past, but not this loudly. Any talk that this is another bluff to get the world to back off on the sanctions for its nuclear program is underestimating the seriousness of the situation. North Korea has the 5th biggest army in the world, and it faces the 6th biggest army in the world in South Korea. Could the North win an all-out war? Probably not, but that does not ... more »

Exhausted

Majia's Blog at Majia's Blog - 3 hours ago
I’m usually exhausted on Fridays because I have long days on Thur and teach until 9:00 p.m. Last night in class I was discussing technology and the contemporary workplace/economy. After reviewing how technology has increased organizational efficiency and transparency, I discussed how interconnectivity has actually increased our collective societal risk. The examples I used to talk about systemic risk produced by technology were the financial crisis and the Carrington Effect. First, I talked about the role of computers and algorithms in producing systemic risk in derivatives mar... more »

Hatred-Fueled GOP Obstructionists Join Syria, North Korea And Iran In Opposing An International Arms Treaty

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 3 hours ago
Earlier today someone was reporting about Obama's troubles getting a climate change agenda through Congress. They quoted the president saying, "The politics of this are tough." Maybe he should have thought of that before he decided to be a Black president with a Congress filled with obstructionist racist dogs who detest him and refuse to recognize the legitimacy of his leadership, like the four rotten, bitterly ambitious galoots above. And this isn't just about Obama being unable to make headway on dozens of national priorities (like job creation, gun safety and immigration reform... more »

Who cares about the Atlanta schools!

bob somerby at the daily howler - 4 hours ago
*FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013* *Your tribe doesn’t care about black kids:* Last Saturday morning, the Atlanta public schools topped the front page of the New York Times. A raft of indictments had been handed down in a mammoth cheating scandal. Michael Winerip’s detailed report ran almost 2500 words. Atlanta’s schools are full of black kids (see data below). The misuse of those kids was a massive story, *except* at the place we liberals go to stroke our tribal egos. It isn’t like no one mentioned Atlanta on The One True Channel. On Monday evening, Al Sharpton offered this detailed report: ... more »

A protest that would be worthwhile joining

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 4 hours ago
Lest we forget! Thanks to Theo Spark for the spot.

World Bank chief says global warming threatens the planet and the poorest – ‘If we do not act to curb climate change immediately, we will leave our children and grandchildren an unrecognizable planet’

Jim at Desdemona Despair - 4 hours ago
[image: The World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim outlined a bold agenda for the global community toward ending extreme poverty by 2030 and promoting shared prosperity to boost the incomes of the poorest 40 percent of the population. In a speech at Georgetown University on 2 April 2013, Kim urged developing countries, donors, and development partners to work together to support equitable and inclusive growth, especially in fragile and conflict-affected states, and to fight climate change. Photo: World Bank] By Howard Schneider 2 April 2013 (Washington Post) – World Bank Preside... more »

A Dream of Trees

gail zawacki at Wit's End - 4 hours ago
There is a thing in me still dreams of trees. But let it go. Homesick for moderation, Half the world's artists shrink or fall away. If any find solution, let him tell it. Meanwhile I bend my heart toward lamentation Where, as the times implore our true involvement, The blades of every crisis point the way. ~ Mary Oliver, *A Dream of Trees* * * Yesterday I went to have lunch with first daughter. She and her husband live on a farm with several horses near Frenchtown, close to the Delaware River, a rural area which has its share of abandoned barns. Alongside this cluster, crews a... more »

forbidden archeology

Oberon at GlobaLove Think Tank - 4 hours ago

revelation

Oberon at GlobaLove Think Tank - 4 hours ago
"As a child, my first earth shattering revelation, was that I was going to die."

Khamenei's Nowruz Speech and the "Threat" That Wasn't

Nima Shirazi at Wide Asleep in America - 4 hours ago
On Thursday, March 21, 2013, ABC News ran an alarming headline: "Iran's Khamenei Threatens to 'Annihilate' Tel Aviv." The article, written by reporter Molly Hunter, leads with the claim that the Iranian leader has "issued a fiery threat to the coastal [Israeli] cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa," before actually quoting Khamenei in context: "At times the officials of the Zionist regime (Israel)

Living Paycheck 2 Paycheck? Broke? - Go Directly to Jail

2old2care at Because I Can - 5 hours ago
A recent report from the ACLU – shows little hope for Americans. As our economy continues to stagnate – and our paychecks refuse to keep up with the cost of living – we can end up in jail – for being poor. Considering that ALEC legislators are trying to get rid of the minimum wage, get rid of paid sick time, get rid of decent paying union jobs, removing living wage policies - it is evident that they want Americans poor - ALEC legislators have no concern at all for the general public. NONE. Is this blatant disregard for the American people going to stop – probably not - it will pr... more »

Friday Morning Linkage

Jon Western at Duck of Minerva - 5 hours ago
ISA News: Congratulations to Dan and Patrick! They will be involved with ISQ — ISA’s flagship publication for the next five years. Dan has been selected as the lead editor, Patrick as the web editor. Congrats! I’m not a fan of the new grading software technologies, but maybe I can be persuaded — grading while at ISA Continue reading

Polar Bear in Snow

James C Morton at Morton's Musings - 5 hours ago

“Aloha ‘Oe”… to Lois Tucci (Loie)… Heather’s Mother…

        AMERICAN KABUKI at AMERICAN KABUKI - 5 hours ago
“Aloha ‘Oe”… to Lois Tucci (Loie)… Heather’s Mother… Posted on 2013/04/04by kauilapele [image: loie_passing_image]Heather’s mother, Lois passed over to the other side, yesterday. Here are two posts about her passing. - http://americankabuki.blogspot.com/2013/04/goodbye-for-now.html - http://removingtheshackles.blogspot.ca/2013/04/with-so-much-love-light-to-our-loie.html All I know is that Loie was an integral part of and inspiration for OPPT. And so I offer the following… Aloha ‘Oe… Full song… Download full song here: http://tinyurl.com/bvt2gbj (source: FTLOH ... more »

Personalized Tumblers and My Trick for Applying Vinyl to Curved Surfaces

Debra Hawkins at Housewife Eclectic - 5 hours ago
A good friend of mine recently lost 100 pounds (Becky of Utah Sweet Savings)! I am so proud of her and her amazing accomplishment that I wanted to do something to celebrate. One of the things that I love about Becky is her positive attitude. We have tried lots of new things together, skiing and boxing. Whenever I get the hang of something new, Becky tells me that I am a rockstar, so I thought a play on that was perfect for this. All you need for this craft is an acrylic tumbler and some vinyl. For this kind of project, that is going to get a lot of use, I like to use perma... more »

Cautious Optimism as Negotiations Between Iran and the P5+1 Resume in Almaty

Nima Shirazi at Wide Asleep in America - 5 hours ago
EU foreign-policy chief Catherine Ashton (left) and Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, Said Jalili, on the sidelines of the Almaty talks on February 26, 2013. (AFP) A second round of negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 – the five nuclear-armed permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, and Germany – over Iran’s nuclear program began today, Friday April 5, 2013, in Almaty,

British Columbia Falls to 9th Place in Canada In Job Creation

Grant G at The Straight Goods - 5 hours ago
British Columbia has fallen to 9th place in Canada in year over year job growth, an abominable 000.01 Percent growth in overall employment. BC Jobs plans is an abject failure, this is nothing new, the idea of an advertising campaign creating jobs is and always was absurd, to think jobs are created by advertising feel good messages about potential projects near a decade away, maybe, or never, ... $20 million in advertising, $60 million in federal advertising boasting and bragging about items which they have no control.. Christy Clark and the Liberal bragged about being numero uno in... more »

(Save Us from the) Ball and Chain

Jonathan Bernstein at A plain blog about politics - 5 hours ago
So Barack Obama is including chained CPI in his budget. I've generally defended Obama when he's charged with "bargaining with himself" and other accusations of lousy poker playing, but not on this one. I agree with the liberal conventional wisdom on it: Obama isn't really going to win over the deficit scolds, and if he does, so what? Meanwhile, he's not going to get any closer to a grand bargain that Republicans simply don't want, while he's undercutting congressional Democrats by opening them up to the likely attacks that it's Democrats who are proposing to cut Social Security bene... more »

Murder, Inc.

Karen Garcia at Sardonicky - 5 hours ago
The overseas victims of President Obama's drone attacks no longer need feel so all alone. That's because Barack has just added 330 million Americans to his Kill List. Make no mistake. Coupled with the festering Sequester Sasquatch, his proposed budget will cause people to die. Not only is he forging ahead with his Chained CPI formula for cutting lifetime Social Security benefits, he wants to reduce disability payments, Medicare payments, veterans' benefits and unemployment assistance. He even wants to hasten the demise of the United States Postal Service, perhaps to cut down on the... more »

It Is Time to End Too Big to Fail

        AMERICAN KABUKI at AMERICAN KABUKI - 5 hours ago
Senator Bernie Sanders holds a news conference in Washington, DC. (photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) *It Is Time to End Too Big to Fail* By Matt Taibbi, Rolling Stone 04 April 13 First, a quick housekeeping note: About a month ago, I got a call out of the blue from Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who's one of my favorite people and something of a political hero of mine. Bernie helped me many years ago, back when he was still a congressman, by letting me tag along for weeks for a story about how the House works that ultimately was called "Four Amendments and a Funeral" - an exp... more »

GATEKEEPERS DOWN: The Washington Post flunks a fearful test!

bob somerby at the daily howler - 6 hours ago
*FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013* *Part 5—In praise of computer editing:* Last Sunday’s column by Childress and Childress points to an obvious problem: Even at the Washington Post, our journalistic elites can no longer function! They can’t reason, analyze, judge or assess. Nor do they seem to want to. Well sir, the analysts woke us early today with a solution to this problem—and with a new perspective on that remarkable column by the Childress sisters. (To review the Childress column, see parts 1 qand 2 of this series.) Intriguing! Atop the front page of today’s New York Times, John Markoff... more »

Mohawk Nation News 'Off Shore'

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 6 hours ago
[image: mnnlogo1] OFF SHORE Posted on April 5, 2013 ** *MNN. Apr. 5, 2013**. Hundreds of international journalists sifted through millions of leaked records and thousands of names to produce International Consortium of Investigative Journalists ICIJ’s findings into offshore banking secrecy. **2.5 million files exposed more than 120,000 offshore companies and trusts. Hidden deals of politicians, con men and the super-rich the world over have been uncovered. Concealed companies and private trusts have been set up in the British Virgin Islands, the Cook Islands and other offshore h... more »

GMO's - Food News that will Make You Queasy

2old2care at Because I Can - 6 hours ago
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Knowledge-Movement/473608799319088

In The Navy...

Southern Man at Southern Man - 6 hours ago
...Southern Daughter will, starting next week, Sail The Seven Seas in the *USS Gunston Hall*. Defending The Constitution and kicking ass, wherever asses need to be kicked.

Is It the Gate or the Stuff Inside?

Steve Saideman at Duck of Minerva - 6 hours ago
One of the topics online and at the ISA has been the gated-ness of academic writings. Journal articles are almost always behind a paywall so that ordinary folks cannot get at them. This is likely to change as many folks are now complaining and the threat of ditching academic publishers for the net may force Continue reading

roger ebert, 1942-2013

laura k at wmtc - 6 hours ago
Who would have thought a movie critic could be so loved, and so missed? Of course, Roger Ebert was so much more than a critic. He was a model for the potential of criticism as an important contribution to art and entertainment. He helped audiences discover art and helped artists connect with audiences. He reviewed each film on its own terms, seemingly enjoying all genres and understanding the potential in each of them. Like many of you, if you are old enough, I used to love to watch "At The Movies," with "the fat guy and the other one," as the joke went. In the 1980s and 90s, duri... more »

Short on graves, China turns to sea burials

Jim at Desdemona Despair - 6 hours ago
[image: Workers of the Changchun Funeral Home put the ashes of the dead into the sea during a commonweal sea burial in Dalian in northeast China. With prices of graves skyrocketing, the Chinese government is trying to encourage sea burials. Photo: Fang Xinwu / ColorChinaPhoto / AP] By William Wan 3 April 2013 BEIJING (Washington Post) – In this country of almost 1.4 billion people, life is an unending struggle for resources — money, property, even spouses. And it doesn’t get easier in death. Prices for graves are skyrocketing, driven by decades of unbridled development and scarce... more »

Tarsands Blockade: Dispatches from Arkansas Exxon's Spill Zone

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 6 hours ago
Dispatches From Exxon’s Spill Zone, Day 2 *By Tarsands Blockade* *Posted at Censored News* April 5, 2013 *Mayflower, AR, April 4 – We had hoped to interview some affected residents, but they were too sick to talk to us.* They live on a street immediately adjacent to the ones which were evacuated. Some homes which were not evacuated are actually closer to the spill than those which were – they’re a couple minutes by car but they’re only separated by a small grove of trees. The residents had not been contacted by Exxon or warned in any way about the dangers of tar sands. Both cancel... more »

Billions In Tax Cuts To Canada's Corporate Sector Has Resulted In 54,000 Job Losses This Month ..

leftdog at Buckdog - 6 hours ago
* * * A pillar of Conservative and Right wing ideology is the belief that 'tax cuts to the corporate sector will create jobs as these savings are re-invested in the economy." #FAIL!!* * **Stephen Harper lives and breathes conservative economic ideology .... and he is an idiot. Why? Because his ideology is inaccurate and does not work in the Canadian economy. The Billions in tax cuts that have gone to Canada's corporate sector are being hoarded and stashed away with no benefit to the economy at large.* Canada loses 54,500 jobs in March, unemployment rises to 7.2 per cent *OTTAWA* --... more »

Economist warns millions at risk from climate change – ‘We haven’t been above five degrees Celsius on this planet for about 30 million years. So you can see that this is radical change way outside human experience.’

Jim at Desdemona Despair - 6 hours ago
[image: Lord Nicholas Stern, the British former chief economist for the World Bank, says that both emissions of greenhouse gas and the effects of climate change were taking place faster than he forecast in 2006. Without changes to emission trends, the planet has roughly a 50 percent chance that temperatures will soar to five degrees Celsius above pre-industrial averages in a century, he says. Photo: Collège de France] WASHINGTON, 3 April 2013 (AFP) – The author of an influential 2006 study on climate change warned Tuesday that the world could be headed toward warming even more cat... more »

Untitled

New Orleans Ladder at New Orleans Ladder - 7 hours ago
*The High Cost of Suppressing Academic Freedom at Louisiana State University ~Sandy Rosenthal*

Friday lite Nights

Michael Turton at The View from Taiwan - 7 hours ago
*Lovely day riding on the east coast today.* Happy news. Just so you know, the students who protested against the WantWant media monster are still marching, this time in front of the Legislative Yuan telling it to adopt media reforms to prevent this kind of attempt to dominate the media. Manny Ramirez, now playing for a Taiwan team, hit a home run this week. Apparently the earth's orbit was affected or something, judging by the attention in the media. The Economist reviews the attempt by WantWant to dominate Taiwan's media. After a solid basic review, Hilarity Ensues.... Surpris... more »

Read Stuff, You Should

Jonathan Bernstein at A plain blog about politics - 7 hours ago
Happy Birthday to Everett Morton, 62 (or 63; different sources on this one). The drummer for The English Beat. Not bad! Just a little good stuff: 1. Wait, Bill O'Reilly is getting picked on unfairly? Get out of here. William Saleton has the story. 2. Kevin Drum on automating essay grading. 3. And a good one from Nate Silver looking at the factors in flipping on marriage for Senators.

Labour's moral squalor | Melanie Phillips

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 7 hours ago
It's hard to argue with this by Melanie Phillips: 'Britain's welfare system, in other words, is inescapably implicated in creating lifestyles of profound amorality and barbarism. It not only subsidises them, but actively creates an attitude of mind which is deeply self-centred, regarding the world as owing the claimant a living, sinking into patterns of indolence, hedonism and squalor, and treating those who should be recipients of love and duty instead as objects to be used for self-gratification and as whipping-boys when they dare make any demands of their own. Worse still, it the... more »

The Muqata: Day After Day: Palestinians Smash Magen David Adom Ambulances

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 7 hours ago
The Palestinian attitude in sharp focus. 'In what has become a daily occurrence, Palestinians are routinely throwing rocks at Magen David Adom ambulances, smashing windshields and seriously endangering the MDA medical crews. Despite that MDA ambulances and medics treat wounded without bias to race or religion, Palestinians target these life saving efforts, even when the wounded are Palestinians.' More here.

Obama's Chained CPI-- Great For Republicans, Disaster For Everyone Else

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 7 hours ago
I'm not crazy about how Robert Reich begins his explanation of Chained CPI (above): "The White House and prominent Democrats are talking about reducing Social Security payments." That's a hallmark of Republicans, not a Democratic White House and "prominent Democrats." The Democratic politicians I speak with universally oppose this scheme. Alan Grayson (D-FL), for example, is very straight-forward in his assessment: "I'm against the proposed chained CPI cut in Social Security because it substantially undermines the protection against inflation that Social Security recipients enjoy... more »

LUNCH WITH THE FT - KIM JONG-UN

Anon at aangirfan - 8 hours ago
*Kim Jong Un and his wife Ri Sol Ju at the Haemaji Restaurant* I meet the supreme leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, in a private room at the Toffy Ukai restaurant in Tokyo. Kim Jong-un is visiting Japan on a forged Brazilian passport. Kim Jong-un 'secretly visits Tokyo' - Telegraph Kim is wearing a Chicago Bulls T-shirt and Nike sneakers. Kim Jong Un is reported to have had posters of basketball star Michael Jordan on his wall during his schooldays. I complement Kim on his attire. "I got the this shirt from Madeleine Albright," explains Kim. "That was back in 2000." *Kim at... more »

The Forest And The Trees

Owen Gray at Northern Reflections - 8 hours ago
Devon Black writes that the Harper government suffers from tunnel vision. It is focused on eliminating the deficit. Why? Because, these wise ones say, it will lead to lower taxes. But will it lead to a better Canada? And, to put that question in perspective, Black looks at the legacy of the recently departed everyman of Canadian politics, Ralph Klein: One of Klein’s most striking successes was balancing the budget in 1995, a mere three years after he entered office as premier. In 1992, Alberta faced a $23 billion deficit. Klein oversaw major spending cuts, massive layoffs (includi... more »

The NFL Wants You (Unless You're Gay)

Donna at Screw You Guys, I'm Going Home - 8 hours ago
Here's a new post by my associate, Ryan Price. I think he's spot on with this important issue. If the military survived gays in the barracks, the NFL will survive gays in the locker room. By: Ryan Price Are you ready for some football?!?! The management of several National Football League (NFL) teams hope you are, unless of course you are homosexual. In a not so shocking news story, several NFL teams questioned draft prospects about their sexual orientation at the annual scouting combine. This story came not long after the Manti Te’o scandal, where the star Notre Dame play... more »

Should an Instagram Posting lead to charges?

James C Morton at Morton's Musings - 8 hours ago
Quebec woman faces charges after posting anti-police graffiti to Instagram *Vote in the Poll * A woman who circulated photographs of violent anti-police graffiti online is being accused of harassing one of Montreal’s most prominent cops. Full story

I Don't Want To Be An Old Man Who Can't Stop Making Unsolicited Speeches

thwap at thwap's schoolyard - 9 hours ago
There's the example of the guy in the second video at this post. Then, ... at a talk that I gave (wherein, this middle-aged white guy got himself FORMALLY INCLUDED on the schedule) a respondent, .... a successful in life, now retired, older white guy, went off on a series of extended rants about his own hobby horses, rather than the topic at hand (which, please remember, was formally put on the agenda), and then, at the electoral reform town hall last night at the Church Street Community Centre, I left after the audience started getting restless and then one old white guy took the... more »

Untitled

New Orleans Ladder at New Orleans Ladder - 9 hours ago
*Families of dead O.P.P. inmates in courtroom to at least get a look at Sheriff Marlin Gusman* *Mayor returns volley after Gusman tirade * *Engineer questions State Farm's ethics during testimony ~Anita Lee* Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/2013/04/04/4572232/engineer-questions-state-farms.html#storylink=cpy *Judge to hear BP’s request to block oil spill payouts* *A Disaster for All Seasons | Making Disaster Pay ~Steve Fraser* *Concern that tens of thousands of homeowners didn't correctly use elevation grants ~David Hammer * *Zack Kopplin on “Real Time With Bill Maher” ~Ce... more »

Who knew

sue at Is the BBC biased? - 10 hours ago
* * *Most people think [Gaza] is like a war zone and that everyone here is really depressed and involved in politics. But it's not always about war. It's also about families, friends and love”* Rawan Yaghi Gazan student Cute. Anyone reading that on the BBC website might think. *“Oh! Gaza is not like a war zone after all, and not everyone there is really depressed, nor involved in politics. It’s all about families, friends and love, and quite likely, apple pie.”* But wait. Hang on. We know not whether she told Jon Donnison that she was being creative, as is her wont, or just jokin... more »

film trailer - THE PURGE - survival horror reinvented

Mike Philbin at FREE PLANET - 10 hours ago
one night a year, the Emergency Services betray their Citizens so that THE PURGE can take place: I like the fact that survival horror just got reinvented, but (seriously) we're fucked as a race of slaves. Fucked.

Free Planet novels - three covers finalised - book one out soon in ebook and paperback.

Mike Philbin at FREE PLANET - 11 hours ago
the publication of my new series of novels (based on the Free Planet concepts featured in this blog) will begin soon with the release of book one CUSTODIAN (80,000 words). Though I had the chance of publishing through an established NY-based independent publishing outfit, that would have been about a year or two in the future. I've decided that these novels need to come out NOW and therefore I'll be releasing them on Kindle, Smashwords and Create Space under the CHIMERICANA BOOKS banner. But what are they about, and what is a Free Planet? Well, it's dead simple really ... or so... more »

Poll: 47 Million Know Big Pharma Creates Disease by Anthony Gucciardi

Stranger in a Strange Land at Stranger in a Strange Land - 12 hours ago
Poll: 47 Million Believe Big Pharma Creates Disease by Anthony Gucciardi Natural Society, 4 April 2013 A new major poll from the organization Public Policy Polling over what United States citizens believe to be true about their government and beyond has revealed that a whopping 47 million citizens are privy to the fact that the Big Pharma pharmaceutical industry and the current medical health paradigm are actually generating further sickness within the nation. And that’s just within the United States. The poll, which asked questions about everything from the use of sodium ... more »

Were the banks to blame or was it someone else?

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 12 hours ago
The accepted narrative is that the US property collapse was the fault of evil and/or stupid banks. The truth is somewhat at variance to this and I have blogged about the Community Reinvestment Act before. However I have also just found this 1999 New York Times article from before the problems hit, lauding the Clinton administration's project - (*my emphasis*): 'In a move that could help increase home ownership rates among minorities and low-income consumers, the Fannie Mae Corporation is easing the credit requirements on loans that it will purchase from banks and other lenders. The... more »

AMS: the steep drop is very likely there

Luboš Motl at The Reference Frame - 13 hours ago
*Reconstructing the dark matter particle from sloppily censored data* On Wednesday, Sam Ting gave the talk about AMS-02 at CERN. If you missed the talk, you may watch the 85-minute recorded video here: Recent results from the AMS experiment (CERN web, thanks to Joseph S.) What I want to focus on are the slides 82-85, and especially 85, around 0:48:00-0:49:00. They show some particular events they have seen. The first three slides show a \(1\GeV\) electron and a positron with the same energy; a \(10\GeV\) electron and a positron of the same energy; a \(100\GeV\) electron and a positr... more »

Oxford Skies - Chemtrail Hell - Geo Engineeering or War Footing Comms Links ON

Mike Philbin at FREE PLANET - 13 hours ago
it's been a while since I did a CHEMTRAILS UPDATE but they're back; otherwise it would have been a gorgeous blue-sky start to the day. Here are two images I took *half an hour ago* from the west of Oxford looking North (front) and South (back). This is the mess Commercial Airlines (or private and specifically refitted military airplanes) leave in our gorgeous blue skies with their 'emissions' or 'chemtrails'. And they're back about the same time (in fact late April) as they were last year when I reported on their return. Oh, really, what was happening then? I don't know. I don't k... more »

SANDY HOOK; YEWTREE; OATWAY; SAVILE

Anon at aangirfan - 13 hours ago
*Regarding Sandy Hook, in Connecticut:* *1.* "In 2006, Wayne Madsen Report was informed by an aggrieved Connecticut mother that her attempts to rescue her teenage son from a group of serial child abusers, *embedded in Connecticut's Department of Children and Families and rest of the state government*, forced her to flee the state. "She revealed that two Connecticut high schools, Staples High in Westport and Ridgefield High in Ridgefield, were involved in covering up cases of abuse of students and that *the cover up extended to the police departments of Westport and Ridgefield. * ... more »

HEATHER has a point

        AMERICAN KABUKI at AMERICAN KABUKI - 13 hours ago
http://just4ublogdotcom.wordpress.com/ *HEATHER has a point* Posted on April 4, 2013 by sojournerbe The day that most people don black and go into mourning, Heather is still in the trenches showing us all Absolute data. Amidst more doublespeak, she comes back with valid, salient points. How can one ascend from Eternal Essence already? If we are serious about changing our lives to make ourselves happy instead of the fictional authorities happy, we would be sitting up paying attention and applying the wisdom. How can anyone be a greater authority over us? Just by saying it is so?... more »

EFN Asia 17: Zubair Malik as President of FPCCI

Nonoy Oplas at Government and Taxes - 14 hours ago
The Economic Freedom Network (EFN) Asia facebook page announced today, *Zubair Ahmed Malik has been elected unopposed as the president of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) in the annual elections for the year 2013. He was nominated by the Businessmen Panel Group and has been former president of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 2004.* Zubair, in red dress in the above photo, is a friend since 2004, when I first participated in EFN Asia annual conference in Hong Kong. I would see him yearly since then, except in 2007 and 2008 where ... more »

HonestReportingYet Another Edition of "It All Started When Israel Fired Back" | HonestReporting

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 14 hours ago
More of the same... http://honestreporting.com/yet-another-edition-of-it-all-started-when-israel-fired-back/

BBC Gaza reporting ‘misleads’ | The Jewish Chronicle

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 14 hours ago
The BBC's reported the latest rocket attacks by Hamas terrorists on Israel, as I had predicted, only after Israel responded. The BBC's explanation for headlining the story with the Israeli response rather than the original Hamas attack was this: 'A spokesperson said: "The original story led with Israel's air strike on Gaza because this was a new development and the first time Israel had launched an airstrike of this kind since November. The article fully explained that the strike followed a Palestinian rocket attack on the previous day. As is usual, the story has since been updated ... more »

Roger Ebert’s Legacy

PM at Duck of Minerva - 15 hours ago
Google N-Grams for “two thumbs up” in American English, 1800-2005.

In which the BBC ignores prejudice in Israeli football

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 15 hours ago
'Readers will surely not have forgotten the bout of BBC binge-reporting a couple of months ago on the subject of a group of racist fans of the Beitar Jerusalem football club. At the time, no fewer than four reports on the same subject appeared on the BBC News website in less than a week. ... On March 23rd the Kfar Kama Sports Club youth football team – renowned for its mixed squads of players from Jewish, Arab and Circassian backgrounds and its promotion of tolerance through sport – travelled to an away match in the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the north Golan Heights. The ga... more »

Your moment of Zen

Libby Spencer at The Impolitic - 15 hours ago
In memory of Roger Ebert. Yvonne DeCarlo. [source unknown]

The balcony is closed

Libby Spencer at The Impolitic - 16 hours ago
I'm sure you know by now Roger Ebert died today. I don't have any anecdotes about some personal connection with him. My sense of loss comes only from long memories as a fan so I'll spare you yet another eulogy. Instead I'll just pass on what I thought was the best tribute I've seen since the sad news broke. [Scott Stantis, Chicago Tribune]

April 4, 1973

Jonathan Bernstein at A plain blog about politics - 16 hours ago
John [Dean] called me on the phone to say that his lawyers say the U.S. Attorneys Silbert and Glanzer, and just sat and listened to take their temperature as representatives of Dean, regarding what will happen going to the grand jury. He finds that first, he will be called, probably next week, the same as Mitchell. Same basis -- no cameras, and not announced until afterward. Second, Dean is not a target of the grand jury, also Haldeman is not. They don't believe they'll have to call Haldeman except as perhaps a way to corroborate other statements [...} -- That's from Haldeman's di... more »

Record rains flood Argentina, overall death toll rises to 52 – ‘Such intense rain in so little time has left many people trapped in their cars, in the streets, in some cases electrocuted’

Jim at Desdemona Despair - 16 hours ago
[image: A man with a boy in his arms wades through a flooded street in La Plata, in Argentina's Buenos Aires province, Wednesday, 3 April 2013. At least 35 people were killed by flooding overnight in Argentina's Buenos Aires province, the governor said Wednesday, bringing the overall death toll from days of torrential rains to at least 41 and leaving large stretches of the provincial capital under water. Photo: Natacha Pisarenko/ Associated Press] By Cristian Kovadloff in La Plata and Almudena Calatrava; Debora Rey and Michael Warren in Buenos Aires contributed to this story 3 Apr... more »

Pol. Ideology 38: Branding Via Clans, Not Philosophy

Nonoy Oplas at Government and Taxes - 16 hours ago
* This is my 5th guest post in antipinoy.com, posted today. ------------ Late February this year, I posted this short comment in my facebook wall, “I googled "Nancy Binay", nothing significant, nada. So this is true.” 39 years old, no prior elective post, held only family-managed NGOs. Never joined a prestigious corporation. Simply being a "Binay". She's likely to win, and she will author Senate bills that will regulate private enterprises, private individuals, civil society. A friend told me that she went to UPSE in the 90s, but did not finish there, transferred to another college... more »

Vegan Recipe - Western Scramble & TVP Preparation

Small Footprints at Reduce Footprints - 16 hours ago
*Welcome to the first Friday of the month ... the day we set aside for featuring a delicious vegan recipe. Why does a blog about green living include recipes? Because choosing a meatless meal is one of the easiest ways to live green. Simply put ... plant-based foods are easier on the environment than animal-based foods. Before becoming vegan, we enjoyed special weekend breakfasts ... omelets, frittatas and scrambled eggs. I looked forward to these treats. Vegan breakfast options are great but ... they just aren't the same. In truth, it's been the hardest meal for me to "switch over... more »

Seriously, Is The Republican Party Cracking Up?

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 16 hours ago
Yesterday everyone was talking about the Republican plan in the North Carolina legislature to establish a state religion, something clearly prohibited by the Constitution, not to mention centuries of common practice in the U.S. People were scratching their heads and wondering if the proposal was just something from Tea Party crackpots with no influence. Well one of the sponsors, Edgar Starnes, is certainly a Tea Party crackpot but he's serving his 10th term and he's the GOP Majority Leader of the House. He represents tiny, somewhat backward Caldwell County which voted 23,069- 10,7... more »

Lightning Round--Majority Supports Marijuana Legalization, Chocolate Shortage, Norm MacDonald Doing Video Podcast, Fallon In Leno Out, Arrested Devolpment Back May 26, Jedi Cat, More...

Jay Allbritton at Jay Allbritton - 17 hours ago
*Just Say Now*: For the first time, a Pew poll shows majority public support for marijuana legalization.52% support, 45% oppose. *Hullabaloo*: Will lack of chocolate wake the masses to the perils of climate change? It certainly will if the 52% cited above get their way on marijuana legalization. *Splitsider*: Norm MacDonald has a video podcast. Episodes will be airing live Mondays from 9 to 10pm, but since it's a podcast, you can get it after the fact as well. I do respect that MacDonald, along with a lot of Earwolf shows and an increasing number of podcasts across the board are go... more »

US Trying To Get A New War Started With North Korea: Left In The Dark, Secret US Military Flights Carried Officials And Equipment To North Korea!

Northerntruthseeker at Northerntruthseeker - 17 hours ago
I have watched like everyone else over the last few weeks with increasing alarm the sudden rush to war by the United States and its allies against the nation of North Korea. We have already seen over the last week how the media and other officials have mistranslated Kim Jong Il's official statements, and tried to twist them into somehow being both threats and a declaration of war against America. We have also watched as both the United States and China have been rushing forces to the borders of North Korea.... It does seem that we are just a hair trigger away from this becoming ... more »

Hans Zimmer on Composing

Saman Mohammadi at The Excavator - 17 hours ago
Source: YouTube Channel MastersofWisdom. Source: YouTube Channel Antiga Prime. Source: YouTube Channel ResurrectedXII.·

This Is Hillarious: Alex Jones Now Says The Chinese Control The Media(!)

Northerntruthseeker at Northerntruthseeker - 18 hours ago
I spent yesterday evening visiting my mother in her new digs.... I figure that I would let everyone know who has asked me about her status that she is doing much better and seems happy in her new environment. The ill effects of the stroke have mostly worn off due to the new medication that she has been taking, and the fact that she is now much happier and actually putting in an effort to try to take better care of herself.... Again, I want to thank everyone for their patience with me and this blog! Now, onto other news.... Many are well aware that the so called big kahuna in the "t... more »

Amazing Aerial Footage of Arkansas Tarsands Oil Spill April 2013

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 18 hours ago
Published on Apr 2, 2013 Tens of thousands of gallons of oil have flooded some of the streets and yards of Mayflower, Arkansas. The Exxon tar sands oil spill is small taste of what we would see if the Keystone XL Pipeline is approved. The media is largely being kept away from this spill. In the video you can see that Exxon's plan to clean it up consists mostly of hoses and paper towels. Go to http://www.NoKXL.org and http://www.350.org to learn more and lend your support to the fight of people over profit. UPDATE: The FAA has restricted flight over the area - http://tfr.faa.gov/sav... more »

Sayings of Pythagoras

Saman Mohammadi at The Excavator - 18 hours ago
Video Title: Sayings of Pythagoras. Source: YouTube Channel MastersofWisdom.

"How It Really Is"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 19 hours ago

US Border Patrol responsible for beatings, dragging migrants through desert

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 19 hours ago
*Family Seeks Answers as Customs and Border Protection Abuse Case Reaches Two-Year Milestone* ** ** *By No More Deaths and Border Communities Coalition* *Censored News* *www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com* ***LOS ANGELES --* On March 30, 2011, José Gutierrez Guzmán, a 41 year-old immigrant from Los Angeles, was hospitalized after being beaten unconsciousby border agents inside the San Luis Port of Entry in Arizona. This past Saturday marked the two year anniversary of the case, and the expiration of the federal statute of limitations for civil litigation against the responsible agents. Yet U... more »

THE HISTORY TELLS THE STORY

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 19 hours ago
*US B-2 bombers seen over Korean peninsula last week simulating nuclear attack on North Korea* US presidents like to use the phrase "All options are on the table". The phrase is likely listed on page one of the well worn *US Presidential Manual * that they are handed by the CIA soon after the swearing in ceremony. •1950 Truman threatens Chinese over Chosin Reservoir, Korea. •1951 Truman approves military request to attack Manchuria. •1953 “Operation Big Stick” Eisenhower threatens China to force end to Korean War •1954 Secretary of State Dulles offers French three tactical nuclear ... more »

Greg Hunter, John Williams: “May 2013- End of the Road”

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 19 hours ago
*John Williams: “May 2013- End of the Road”* Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com Anybody who thinks the U.S. is in a so-called recovery isn’t listening to economist John Williams. He contends, “We haven’t had a recovery and we’re not about to have one, and it’s getting worse.” Williams says it’s because, “The consumer is in very serious trouble. The average guy is not making it. His income is not keeping up with inflation.” As far as Congress getting the budget and debt ceiling under control, Williams says, “Both sides are faced with devil’s choices.” If Congress does not get its f... more »

"The gun-lobby goons were at it again" (Dana Milbank)

KenInNY at DownWithTyranny! - 19 hours ago
*By amazing coincidence, the "independent" report commissioned by the NRA, brandished here by old-school loon former Rep. "Itchy Asa" Hutchinson at Tuesday's big armed press conference, is solidly percent behind the its loony scheme to make the schools "safe" by filling them with armed goons. One difference: The "independent" task force wants those goons to be professionals, rejecting the vigilantes envisioned by the NRA.* *"By journalistic custom and D.C. law, of course, reporters don't carry guns to news conferences -- and certainly not when the person at the lectern is the NRA's... more »

Gordon Wilson, Lost In The Wilderness or A Man With A Money Induced Agenda?

Grant G at The Straight Goods - 20 hours ago
*What Happened to Gordon Wilson* *Written by Grant G* There are times when stories need to be told, I had no intention writing about this political has-been, however when Gordon Wilson injected himself into the current political process, a few facts needed to be put on the record.. Gordon Campbell hijacked the BC Liberal party, a political party that Gordon Wilson resurrected from the ashes, at the time I thought Gordon Wilson was a decent man, perhaps I was wrong, Wilson was a man on the rise and maybe it`s something about politicians named Gordon, for a public figure a... more »

The American Nationalist News Wrap Up

John Friend at John Friend's Blog - 20 hours ago
Join us for a brief news wrap up! John and Rodney will be covering a number of recent news items, and offering commentary from a nationalist perspective. Calls will be taken throughout the program. You can download the entire program *here*, or subscribe to the American Nationalist Network via iTunes *here*. Thanks for listening everyone!

DON'T WORRY THE PIPELINES ARE SAFE

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 20 hours ago
- The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has imposed an indefinite no-fly zone over the area in Arkansas recently affected by a broken pipeline oil spill. It's sparked concern that the Exxon Mobil oil company may be trying to keep the TV cameras away from the scene. - More than one thousand protesters snaked though the mansion-lined streets of San Francisco's Pacific Heights neighborhood yesterday in an attempt to convince Barack Obama, in town for a Democratic party campaign fundraiser at the home of Ann and Gordon Getty, to block the construction ... more »

FRIDAY MORNING RAMBLE: The four-day week edition

Peter Cresswell at Not PC - 21 hours ago
*Oh look, it’s Friday…* Shop owners should be allowed to decide for themselves whether they open on Easter Sunday, says the Retailers Association spokesman Barry Hellberg. This I agree with entirely. However … *The Retailers Association Is Confused* – AUCKLAND BANNER Public-private partnerships of the sort that is the Key Government’s flagship policy “are less honest than true socialism.” *The Problem With Public-Private Partnerships* – Fred Smith, OPEN MARKET How bad is both unemployment and the “degrees for everyone” phenomena in the US? Well, you now need a demands bachelor's ... more »

New Zealand drought effects to last well into autumn

Jim at Desdemona Despair - 21 hours ago
[image: In this photo taken on 11 March 2013, farmer Peter Brown walks on the dry ground at his dairy farm near Ohinewai, New Zealand. A drought in New Zealand's North Island is costing farmers millions of dollars each day and is beginning to take a toll on the country's economy. Photo: Brett Phibbs / New Zealand Herald / AP Photo] 2 April 2013 (APNZ) – The drought is likely to be felt well into autumn, as river and soil moisture levels in the North Island take some time to recover, climate scientists predict. NIWA's seasonal climate outlook for April to June has predicted higher ... more »

Music Video: Shining Soul 'Get Up'

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 21 hours ago
Published on Apr 2, 2013 Phoenix Hip Hop duo, Shining Soul, drops their first single 'Get Up' of their next full length project, Sonic Smash. Video directed by: Thug Hippy For more Shining Soul, check us at these links below: http://shiningsoul-music.blogspot.com/ https://twitter.com/shiningsoulphx www.facebook.com/ShiningSoulMusic1 http://shiningsoulmusic.bandcamp.com WHO WE ARE Straight outta occupied O'odham je:wed in southern Arizona, Shining Soul is a grassroots duo based in Phoenix. Shining Soul's unique vintage means of beat production, and down to earth, empowering rhyme ... more »

Poll: 3 in 8 Americans believe global warming is a hoax

Jim at Desdemona Despair - 21 hours ago
[image: Roughly three of every eight registered voters in the U.S. believes that 'global warming is a hoax', according to a national poll released Tuesday by the firm Public Policy Polling (PPP). Graphic: Public Policy Polling] By Nick Wiltgen 4 April 2013 (Weather Channel) – Roughly three of every eight registered voters in the U.S. believes that "global warming is a hoax," according to a national poll released Tuesday by the firm Public Policy Polling (PPP) [pdf]. The automated telephone poll asked 1,247 American registered voters their beliefs on a wide range of topics broadl... more »

Amazon tribe threatens to declare war over Brazil dam project – ‘It is unacceptable and illegitimate for the government to impose dialogue at the tip of a bayonet’

Jim at Desdemona Despair - 21 hours ago
[image: 'We don't want Belo Monte' reads a sign at an anti-dam rally in front of the Brazilian parliament building in Brasilia. Photo: AFP / Getty Images] By Jonathan Watts 3 April 2013 Rio de Janeiro (guardian.co.uk) – An Amazonian community has threatened to "go to war" with the Brazilian government after what they say is a military incursion into their land by dam builders. The Munduruku indigenous group in Para state say they have been betrayed by the authorities, who are pushing ahead with plans to build a cascade of hydropower plants on the Tapajós river without their permi... more »

U.S. scientists warn climate change will double wildfire risk in Western forests – ‘It’s just unprecedented things happening. We’re getting into extreme events that seem to be having more and more effects across broader landscapes.’

Jim at Desdemona Despair - 21 hours ago
[image: The Waldo Canyon fire in Colorado Springs, which ravaged the Mountain Shadows subdivision, proved to be one of the most destructive in Colorado history. The hotter, drier climate will transform Rocky Mountain forests, unleashing wider wildfires and insect attacks, federal scientists warn in a report for Congress and the White House. Photo: RJ Sangosti / Denver Post] By Bruce Finley 3 April 2013 (Denver Post) – The hotter, drier climate will transform Rocky Mountain forests, unleashing wider wildfires and insect attacks, federal scientists warn in a report for Congress an... more »

Secret files expose global impact of shadow banking – ‘I’ve never seen anything like this. This secret world has finally been revealed.’

Jim at Desdemona Despair - 21 hours ago
[image: Secrecy for Sale: A cache of 2.5 million files has cracked open the secrets of more than 120,000 offshore companies and trusts, exposing hidden dealings of politicians, con men and the mega-rich the world over. Graphic: Tim Meko / ICIJ] [*cf*. Shadow banking grows to $67 trillion industry, regulators say] By Gerard Ryle, Marina Walker Guevara, Michael Hudson, Nicky Hager, Duncan Campbell, and Stefan Candea 3 April 2013 (icij.org) – A cache of 2.5 million files has cracked open the secrets of more than 120,000 offshore companies and trusts, exposing hidden dealings of poli... more »

Russian War Games send a Strong Message against NATO Intervention in Syria?

Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 22 hours ago
Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya *Is there a connection between events in Syria (maybe even US tension with North Korea) and Russia’s impromptu Black Sea war games that started on March 28, 2013?* While on his way from Durban in South Africa, where the BRICS — Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa — announced they were forming a new development bank to challenge the IMF and World Bank, Russia’s Vladimir Putin gave the go ahead for unscheduled war games in the Black Sea. By themselves the games mean little, but in a global context they mean a lot. According to the Kremlin, the war ... more »

New Hampshire Legislature Reveals U S Federal Government is a Corporation Operating with a Fraudulent Constitution

        AMERICAN KABUKI at AMERICAN KABUKI - 22 hours ago
http://oppt-in.com/new-hampshire-legislature-reveals-u-s-federal-government-is-a-corporation-operating-with-a-fraudulent-constitution/ April 4, 2013I M PowerNo CommentsNews *New Hampshire Legislature Reveals U S Federal Government is a Corporation Operating with a Fraudulent Constitution -* “the Act of 1871, created a corporation in the District of Columbia called the United States of America. The act revoked prior legislation relative to the district’s municipal charter and, most egregiously, led to adoption of a fraudulent constitution in which the original Thirteenth Amendmen... more »

"ALERT: All Of The Money In Your Bank Account Could Disappear In A Single Moment"

noreply@blogger.com (CoyotePrime) at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 23 hours ago
*"ALERT: All Of The Money In Your Bank Account * *Could Disappear In A Single Moment"* by Michael Snyder "What would you do if you logged in to your bank account someday and it showed that you had a zero balance and your bank had no record that you ever had any money in your account? What would you do if all of the money in your bank account suddenly disappeared in a single moment? If you had not kept any paper records, which most Americans do not, it would be exceedingly difficult to prove to the bank that you actually had any money in the bank. If you don't think that somet... more »

I AM

Sophia at AMERICAN KABUKI - 23 hours ago
Thank you. Your out pouring of love is an unprecedented declaration of unity, support and compassion. Ryan and I are overwhelmed and thrilled with the energy you’ve directed our way; and return it without restraint. We feel you and hear you and know you. We are One. I was woken up about 3 AM this morning with Truth – I sat upright with the power of it. (Not normal 3 AM behavior, for sure!) Shooting through me was a knowing. It is a challenge to put it in English, but I’ll try. I AM Absolute. There is nothing between me and Source. I know who I AM. I AM Po... more »

Remember Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., (Whose True Murderers Were Revealed in Court Over a Decade Ago)

I read the news over a decade ago, oh boy, when it said plainly that a jury had found that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was the victim of a government plot to assassinate him over three decades before. I wondered then why no official action was taken to find and punish the murderers and let the obvious scapegoat off. And why the populace of the US wasn't enraged and in the streets. I'm still

A conservative approach to teacher evaluation

skrashen at Schools Matter - 23 hours ago
Sent to the Washington Post, April 4, 2013 Gates’ suggestions ("A fairer way to evaluate teachers," April 3) assume that there is something seriously wrong with teacher quality and teacher evaluation in the United States. I question both assumptions. We are always interested in improving teaching, but there is no evidence of a teacher quality crisis: When poverty is controlled, American students’ scores on international tests are near the top of the world. Our overall scores are unspectacular because there are so many children living in poverty in the US, 23.1%, the second highest... more »

A Primer on DilBit Spills in a Corporatist State

The Mound of Sound at The Disaffected Lib - 23 hours ago
If you want an idea of what's in store for British Columbia if Harper/Redford/Enbridge/Beijing *et al* manage to drive their pipelines through to the coast, you need only look to the most recent dilbit spill in Arkansas. *AlterNet* offers a handy summary, *6 Things You Need to Know About the Arkansas Oil Spill.* ExxonMobil which is allegedly dealing with the Arkansas clean-up has so much clout it somehow got the FAA to declare the airspace over the pipeline leak a no fly zone. Exxon now has control of the airspace over its damned fiasco and it's even trying to throw a blanket ove... more »

Ron Paul Thinks The Russian Mafia Got Its Billions Safely Out Of Cyprus

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 1 day ago
As you already know, Tuesday, as rumors have predicted, Cyprus' right-wing finance minister, Austerity backer and former chairman of Laiki, the country's second largest bank, Michael Sarris quit the government. Monday evening we looked at the stench of corruption pervading Cyprus' right-wing government and how the new conservative president's family made out like bandits days before Anastasiades shut down the banks. It looks like the Russian criminal oligarchs, like Dmitry Rybolovlev, who helped finance his rise to power, also made out just fine, at least according to Ron Paul's Te... more »

Sample Chemtrail Courtesy Notice

        AMERICAN KABUKI at AMERICAN KABUKI - 1 day ago
Click to enlarge view I received this in my email yesterday, thought I would share one individual's efforts in Washington State against the spraying of Chemtrails. We've been getting them very severely here in San Diego the past two weeks. In June of 2011 after a very heavy chemtrail spraying I came down a lung clot that required 9 months of Coumadin therapy. The doctors could find no source of the clots in my legs or abdomen which where they usually come from. -AK Sample Chemtrail Courtesy Notice

What happens on the first day of school!

bob somerby at the daily howler - 1 day ago
*THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013* *Eduardo Porter writes about kindergarten:* In yesterday’s New York Times, Eduardo Porter devoted his weekly column to the potential rewards of early education, especially for low-income kids. Eventually, he touches a topic we have questioned before. He paints a picture of low-income kids on their first day traditional school, the day they begin kindergarten: PORTER (4/3/13): Research by Mr. Heckman and others confirms that investment in the early education of disadvantaged children pays extremely high returns down the road. It improves not only their cogn... more »

Best Western Hotel Grand Opening in Haiti

John Carroll at Dying in Haiti - 1 day ago
Ismael (Photo by John Carroll--April 4, 2013) Something not adding up here...blogs.pjstar.com/haiti/2013/04/… — John A. Carroll (@haitianhearts) April 5, 2013

How the NRCC redesigned their website

Libby Spencer at The Impolitic - 1 day ago
The GOP decided their only problem is they're not selling their "starve granny to feed the rich more caviar" agenda well enough. So in an effort to win the affection of the cool kidz, the National Republican Congressional Committee redesigned their site by stealing from others. Yes. The committee that elects Republicans to the House is taking BuzzFeed's advice to heart... by copying BuzzFeed itself. The committee spent hours poring over BuzzFeed's site map and layout, studying how readers arrived at its landing pages and bounced from one article to the next. Unsurprisingly, a ton ... more »

Time for some cuteness overload...

Adrienne at Adrienne's Corner - 1 day ago
I'm headed off to work. Today I'm serving up rice pilaf with smoked sausage and chicken. Lovely...

Your moment of Zen

Libby Spencer at The Impolitic - 1 day ago
At the State Fair. (personal collection)

The Fight for Real Journalism: Spotting the frauds in journalism

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 1 day ago
*By Brenda Norrell* *Censored News* http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com A return to authentic journalism requires the halt to 'copy and paste' journalism, which is plagiarism. Before posting news articles from sources like Indian Country Today, or Huffington Post, readers should check the web to see if the article is a rewrite, and the theft of someone's genuine hard work, for the benefit of a paycheck, an ego, or both. Many times you will see the original article on Google, on Google News or Web. If not, e-mail the reporter and ask: 'Were you there?' 'If not, did you use a brief pho... more »

MONTH OF DRONE ACTIONS NATIONWIDE

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 1 day ago
Washington's overseas drone strikes and their surveillance use at home has long attracted the attention of activists. Groups across the U.S. political spectrum say the strikes breach American law and hurt the country's international standing. Now a month-long anti-drone campaign has kicked off, with a protest in Manhattan. Here in Maine our drone effort is focused on trying to get the state government to pass a bill to require law enforcement agencies to obtain a legal warrant before using drones for domestic surveillance.* *Even this will be an uphill struggle for us because th... more »

Educating Girls (Part Two)

Craig at Is the BBC biased? - 1 day ago
*Craig*: Continuing on from Sue's *Educating Girls* post... Rawan Yaghi isn't quite the bookish, apolitical innocent Jon Donnison's article makes her out to be. She has her own Twitter feed which shows a rather different side to her: [image: Rawan] Rawan@MyFreePal We write for Palestine. #*Gaza* #*Palestine* #*Resistance* #*Rights*#* English* Expect babysitting tweets. Gaza- Palestine · http://wresist.wordpress.com/ She's also a blogger: We Resist | Because our children deserve better lives. wresist.wordpress.com/Feb 6, 2013 – Because our children deserve better lives. (by Rawan ... more »

A 'fundamentalist interpretation of Islamic law'?

Not a sheep at Not a sheep - 1 day ago
The BBC report on what they call a 'fundamentalist interpretation of Islamic law'. Apparently: 'The UK has urged Saudi Arabia not to carry out a reported sentencing of paralysis for a Saudi man as punishment for paralysing another man. A Foreign Office spokesperson said London was "deeply concerned" by the sentence, describing it as "grotesque". Such punishment was "prohibited under international law", the official added. Saudi media reports earlier said the 24-year-old man could be paralysed from the waist down if he could not pay his victim £250,000 in compensation. Ali al-K... more »

Ideology Isn't the Natural Basis of Politics

Jonathan Bernstein at A plain blog about politics - 1 day ago
I hope everyone has read the latest Ta-Nehisi Coates NYT item, this one about Benjamin Carson and other Obama-era black conservatives. It's as good as you would expect it to be. It sparked a series of tweets from Jamelle Bouie about a distinction between the people Coates is talking about, "black conservatives," and what Jamelle calls "conservative blacks." Conservative blacks are simply black people with conservative views. They’re folks like my parents: Church-going military veterans. They care deeply about black people, and hold views that are recognizably conservative. In a le... more »

While You Slept

Brian Kelly at AMERICAN KABUKI - 1 day ago
Reblogged from: http://adaptingtograce.com/2013/04/04/while-you-slept/ *While You Slept* *by Eileen Meyer* Thursday Apr 4, 2013 I had a long talk with an old friend yesterday – a fellow light-worker, or angel on Earth. We both shared quite honestly what we were feeling right now at this stage of the awakening, with the current OPPT Movement and all. We both agreed that we held some unexpressed feelings of pain and exhaustion, and both had experienced a very real sense of being “done”, along with a wondering if it was time to move on from this plane. I cannot tell you how heali... more »

Causation

James C Morton at Morton's Musings - 1 day ago
*Ediger v. Johnston*, 2013 SCC 18 restores a multi-million damages award to a B.C. girl whose health and future were severely compromised by a birthing-room error. In a ruling today, the court restored a $3,224,000 damages award to Cassidy Ediger, who is now 15 years old and suffers from permanent spastic quadriplegia and cerebral palsy. The Court held: The Legal Test for Causation [28] This Court recently summarized the legal test for causation in Clements v. Clements, 2012 SCC 32, [2012] 2 S.C.R. 181. Causation is assessed using the “but for” test: Clements, at paras. 8 and 13; R... more »

Bill Maher's Take on Christianity and Just About Everything Else

The Mound of Sound at The Disaffected Lib - 1 day ago
Maher, on Jimmy Kimmel Live, and it is hilarious.

Croatian Language Courtesy Notice

Brian Kelly at AMERICAN KABUKI - 1 day ago
Croatian Language OPPT Courtesy Notice

Agreeing to a summary judgment

James C Morton at Morton's Musings - 1 day ago
It is becoming common in civil matters for parties to agree a case is fit for summary judgment. In effect the parties agree to a modified stated case. The Court of Appeal accepts this - an example is Ivandic v. Bank of Nova Scotia, 2013 ONCA 214 where the Court notes: [1] The parties agree that this case was an appropriate one for summary judgment

Oil Spill: Who Pays for Clean-Up?

Majia's Blog at Majia's Blog - 1 day ago
hat tip: Gail (thanks!) *Exxon's Duck-Killing Pipeline Won't Pay Taxes To Oil Spill Cleanup Fund * [excerpt] “the pipeline was carrying “low-quality Wabasca Heavy crude oil from Alberta.” This oil comes from the region of Alberta where the controversial tar sands are located. Heavy crude is strip mined or boiled loose from dense underground formations that often contain a large amount of bitumen. This oil is very thick and needs to be diluted with lighter fluids in order to flow through pipelines…A 1980 law ensures that diluted bitumen is not classified as oil, and companies transp... more »

Would You Like To See John Boehner Lose His Seat In 2014? Let's Get Started

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 1 day ago
When EMILY's List started they were the bee's knees-- an inspired organization meant to help put progressive women into political office in numbers more commensurate with their share of the population. In recent years, I've come to distrust EMILY's List as I see them backing horribly conservative and unqualified women against sterling progressive men who are better on women's issues-- and everything else-- than their miserable sadsack candidates. The worst example, though by no means the only, was in 2008 when they ran right-wing anti-Semite Nikki Tinker against Steve Cohenin Memph... more »

Mohawk Nation News 'Canada Demonstrates Corporatism'

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 1 day ago
[image: mnnlogo1] CANADA DEMONSTRATES CORPORATISM Posted on April 4, 2013 ** *MNN. APR. 4, 2013.* Canada is the first corporate state that the bankers want to model all other states after for the one world order. Minister of Foreign Affairs, John, Baird is used to the banker-controlled Canadian press, not to answering real questions. He confirmed that Canada is a corporation that depends on money, bribery and lies, as all corporations do. The Foreign Affairs Minister’s job is to deliver the bribe, eg., “Sign this, or vote like this, or you won’t get any money”. [image: "This pres... more »

Last Call for Tony Blair

The Mound of Sound at The Disaffected Lib - 1 day ago
I'm gonna miss the New Democratic Party and, by the sounds of it, I'll be missing it more than they will. At least Tommy didn't live to see it. It seems the New Dems have seen the error of their ways. Or perhaps they've discovered that standing on principles, no matter how lofty, is for losers. And so the NDP leadership is heading to that great outhouse in the woods to take a massive, ideological dump. *NDP brass are taking a second shot at jettisoning some of the socialist baggage that many — including party leader Tom Mulcair — feel might hold them back in the next federal el... more »

Untitled

New Orleans Ladder at New Orleans Ladder - 1 day ago
*Two AmeriCorps teams pulled from New Orleans following member’s death~Uptown Messenger *

Archery Lessons for Businessmen in Toronto

Lilith eZine at LILITH NEWS - 1 day ago
It is not just little kids who are getting into archery as a sport (thanks to the Hunger Games, Brave, The Avengers, Arrow and similar films/TV shows). It is also adults and even people you wouldn't normally see doing archery - including businessmen. That is right. CEOs, bankers, investment managers, stock market analysts... your boss! In other words people you would normally expect to be playing golf or tennis are taking up archery instead. So does this mean that in the future many golf and tennis clubs will start offering archery ranges as an additional service? Maybe. It is en... more »

Lawrence just can’t quit Mr. O!

bob somerby at the daily howler - 1 day ago
*THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013* *The latest from Brokensoul Mountain:* Last night, the constantly horrible Lawrence O’Donnell went out and did it again. To watch the full segment, just click here. Although we’ll warn you: Lawrence devoted a full eight minutes to this latest pile of crap. To understand what Lawrence did, we have to go back to Keith Olbermann. In the old days, KO wasn’t able to spend his whole hour making smutty remarks about young conservative women, or even about Kirsten Dunst. (Conventionally attractive women seem to make KO mad.) For that reason, he devoted endless se... more »

House of Pain

Karen Garcia at Sardonicky - 1 day ago
Here's my problem with much of the media coverage of the gratuitous and cruel imposition of national austerity known as Sequestration -- or if you will, "The Sequester." No human faces or names are even being appended to it anymore. The generic Congress Critters gave birth in their laboratory, and abandoned the baby. And we, to paraphrase a line in H.G. Wells's *The Island of Dr. Moreau*, have become the bubbles blown by the baby. So, instead of "President Obama and hundreds of bought-and-paid-for politicians in Congress are cutting thousands of poor children from Head Start", we'r... more »

BANGING THE WAR DRUMS

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 1 day ago
The media is talking war with North Korea and slapping China around a bit as well. The American people are frozen in fear and depression and most won't be able to respond. The mass of the people are economic basket cases and have yet to verbally connect the US military empire's endless wars to their local financial ruin. Many are worried about losing their guns to the feds, but they don't seem to notice that they've already lost their tongues - and the precious right to speak out and demand real change. If people wait just to use their guns then it will be much too late.

Walmart Employee Cuts Leave Shelves Bare

Majia's Blog at Majia's Blog - 1 day ago
Clifford, S. (2013, April 3). Walmart Strains to Keep Grocery Aisles Stocked. The New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/04/business/walmart-strains-to-keep-grocery-aisles-stocked.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20130404&_r=0 [Excerpted] Walmart, the nation’s largest retailer and grocer, has cut so many employees that it no longer has enough workers to stock its shelves properly, according to some employees and industry analysts.... Before the recession, at the start of 2007, Walmart had an average of 338 employees per store at its United States stores and Sam’s Club loc... more »

Mohawk Nation News 'Sexual Rev'

brendanorrell@gmail.com at CENSORED NEWS - 1 day ago
[image: mnnlogo1] SEXUAL REV Posted on April 4, 2013 **** *MNN. Apr. 3, 2013. *Pedophilia is promoted at the highest level of the Canadian corporate structure, the PMO [Prime Minister’s Office]. The need to indulge in the desire for natural sex is the most potent human emotion to create action. The state is continually trying to control it to their advantage. *The goal of the Sexual Revolution is to change the moral compass off of true north and bring it under the control of evil. By manipulating the data, perversion and the occult have almost become the norm. Dr. Albert Kinsey ... more »