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Suzie-Q ★ 66 
Trump’s Rebuttal To Proof Of Obama’s Birth Certificate: ‘Somebody’ Told Me ‘It Doesn’t Exist’
. Trump’s Rebuttal To Proof Of Obama’s Birth Certificate: ‘Somebody’ Told Me ‘It Doesn’t Exist’ Think Progress- By Tanya Somanader at 11:45 am America’s current political jester Donald Trump has fed his unquenchable need for attention by repeatedly touting the disproven “birther” myth. Trump purportedly sent a team of researchers to Hawaii on a quixotic search to disprove the fact that President
Progressive Ad Campaigns Take On Republicans’ Medicare Vote
by Joan McCarter for Daily Kos Mon Apr 25, 2011 at 05:20 PM PDT The progressive advocacy group Americans United for Change is taking on the GOP, running versions of this ad on broadcast television in the districts of Reps. Steve King (R-IA), Sean Duffy (R-WI), Chip Cravaack (R-MN), and Paul Ryan (R-WI). “What are House Republicans thinking asking millions of seniors, the less fortunate and the di
Globalization for the Elite~Same Stage Different Actors
The Corporate State Wins Again Posted on Apr 25, 2011 truthdig By Chris Hedges When did our democracy die? When did it irrevocably transform itself into a lifeless farce and absurd political theater? When did the press, labor, universities and the Democratic Party—which once made piecemeal and incremental reform possible—wither and atrophy? When did reform through electoral politics become a for
American Leftist ★ 9
Typical Davis
I lived in Davis, California for a long time. I went about 20 miles across the causeway from Sacramento to attend the undergraduate program at UC Davis in 1979. Upon graduation from law school six years later, I stayed in the adjacent city until I moved back to Sacramento in 2005. During my time there, the population grew from about 30,000 to just over 50,000 today. There is one important thing
Film Notes: The Battle of Chile
Just before leaving on vacation, I had the opportunity to see Patricio Guzman's epic documentary, The Battle of Chile, at the Pacific Film Archive. In this approximately four and a half hour film, released in 1975, he profiles the intensifying class conflict during the presidency of Salvador Allende that culminated in the 1973 coup. Fortunately, for those of you who are interested, the film is a
Eurocentrism
UPDATE 1: Oh, by the way, if you are a woman, and show silent support for a woman wearing a niqab, you'll get arrested, too: Halima, a 53-year-old mother from Villeneuve-Saint-Georges, who wears a normal headscarf, was detained by police for standing silently with the niqab-wearers at Notre Dame. She said: This is the first time I've ever protested over anything. I'm not in favour of the niqab, I
Egypt Erupts
UPDATE 1: The Arabist has another account of the attack. Interestingly, the person who provided it also says that a sit-in at the Israeli embassy was attacked brutally. David Dietz has also provided a description of the attack that confirms that it appears to have been prompted by the participation of Egyptian military officers in the protest: The desperation turned to delight when 15 army office
Surveillance of Student Protest at the University of California, Davis
I graduated from the University of California, Davis undergraduate program in 1983, and the campus law school in 1986. The intensity of student protests against substantial registration fee increases while the salaries of high level administrators skyrocket has prompted this response from Chancellor of UC Davis, Linda Katehi: Students are questioning their rights to free speech after a Public Reco
Green & White ★ 2
Pepper.Pk’s Early Bird – Email Client for BB PlayBook
Rapid proliferation and adoption of smart phones like Blackberry, iPhone and Android powered handsets have opened new avenues of business and application development. Software development industry in Pakistan has aptly responded to this opportunity as we have seen a number of world’s best selling smart phone applications coming from Pakistan. Pepper.pk is one of the main contributors to online sma
NaanMap goes mobile
Naanmap the halal food finding service has launched apps for mobile phones. Launched for iTunes and Windows 7 Mobile. With this now you can not be out of reach of halal restaurants and store when you are on the road. Details here http://www.naanmap.com/mobile.html NaanMap is the fastest way to experience the near by halal restaurants and stores. Works with only one tap. Instant searches without us
Amygdala ★ 6
April What?
video APRIL WHAT?It's still April 1st on the Left Coast for another two hours and five minutes (when I started this post; an hour and ten minutes when I finished), no matter what date you read above this post. Some foolish links are in order!So, out of order!Japan is on everyone's mind, but we need to remember than it's not all doom and gloom, and yet in the spirit of helping:The Tactical Philant
Blogging Is Like A Simile
BLOGGING IS LIKE A SIMILE. Let's try some news and article dumping throughout the day here, eh? The Amygdala staff has been slack, scattered, and unfocused on posting to this blog; the staffers responsible have been sacked; once again, new staffers for new brain connections!So: 2 US servicemen mistakenly killed by drone attack in Afghanistan. [...] The Marines under fire were watching streaming
Pottery Barn Libya, Part 1
video POTTERY BARN LIBYA, PART 1 What is to be done?Colin Powell famously said of Iraq, quoting Tom Friedman (who got it wrong)'You are going to be the proud owner of 25 million people,' he told the president. 'You will own all their hopes, aspirations, and problems. You'll own it all.' Privately, Powell and Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage called this the Pottery Barn rule: You break it,
Pottery Barn Libya, Pt 2: Anthony Cordesman, One Man Army, Or Give Peace A Chance?
video POTTERY BARN LIBYA, PT 2: ANTHONY CORDESMAN, ONE MAN ARMY, OR GIVE PEACE A CHANCE?Part 1 on Amygdala!In Pottery Barn Libya, Part 1 (or do you prefer ObWi?), I began explaining the situation in Libya. Now, more, and what America and NATO should do.The tactical day to day sway of battle does not matter, save to those brutally slaughtered in it, and suffering from it. Suffering greatly.What matters
WWF - Latest News ★ 19
Governments, business must unite in joint action to stop forest loss
Policymakers and business leaders must quickly back a bold target to stop forest loss as part of efforts to conserve biodiversity and fight climate change, according to a new WWF report. The first chapter of WWF’s Living Forests Report, released today, examines the drivers of deforestation and identifies the opportunities to shift from business as usual to a new model of sustainability, which can
Major trade organization report emphasizes need to rein in fisheries subsidies
WWF applauds the strong language in a long-awaited report that a key World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiating body released Friday, which underscores the urgent need to halt government-subsidized overfishing. “This WTO report is a stark wake up call for anyone who cares about the future of our oceans and our fishing communities,” said WWF Senior Fellow David Schorr. “Governments have the power
Nepal rhino census shows increase
Chitwan, Nepal – Data from the three-week National Rhino Census in Nepal shows that the population of the greater one horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros Unicornis) has increased. There are 534 rhinos in Nepal, marking an increase of 99 rhinos from the 435 recorded in the last census in 2008, according to the census results, which were released Saturday. Of that total, 503 rhinos were recorded in Chi
Deferral of Mekong dam to ministerial level signals recognition of potential negative impacts
Vientiane, Laos: The intergovernmental panel of the Mekong River Commission (MRC) has deferred the final decision on the construction of the Xayaburi dam in Laos to the ministerial level, following concerns raised by Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. The decision comes amidst the submission of a growing body of evidence to the Commission highlighting risks to biodiversity, fisheries and livelihoo
Possible to have same power with less damage with alternative Mekong dams
Phnom Penh, Cambodia: A new study by WWF on aquatic ecosystem connectivity reveals that the Mekong region could have equivalent power but dramatically less damage to river functioning by opting for tributary rather than main channel dams. Poorly evaluated and uncontrolled dam development could also take the Mekong to a tipping point past which vital natural processes, such as sediment- and nutri
New hope for survival for elusive saola
Quang Nam, Vietnam: Indochina’s elusive saola, a recently discovered and critically endangered relative of antelopes and cattle, now has new hope for survival with the establishment of a dedicated nature reserve in the province today. Quang Nam’s People Committee today agreed to the Forestry Protection Department establishing a Saola Natural Reserve in the Annamite mountains along the border of
Universe Today ★ 45
ALL THINGS PAKISTAN ★ 23
Pakistan Petrol Patrol: How Do Our Petrol Prices Compare to Rest of World?
Tamashbeen I saw this picture and wondered how petrol prices in Pakistan compare to what they are in rest of the world. As I searched for an answer I realized that (a) ATP had done a post on the same question back in 2006 and (b) it was not very easy to find information on how petrol prices in different parts of the world compare. So, I thought maybe I should ask readers what the prices of petrol
ATP Poll: Who Did The Most Good?
Adil Najam Back in August 2006 and then again in July 2009 we conducted ATP Polls on the question: “Who did the most good for Pakistan?” We had structured the question carefully to focus on the good that these leaders did (all leaders do bad things as well as good, some more and some less, and in August 2009 we also did a poll on “who did the most harm?” which we may well repeat soon). It seems th
The Greg Mortenson Saga: A Donor’s View
Karen Ansara (Editor’s Note: Much has already been written on the Greg Morenson saga, but little on what the reaction is from those who donated to his Institute. In this post, Karen Ansara - a Boston-based philanthropist, a passionate advocate of international giving, a moving spirit being the New England International Donors (NEID), and a donor to Mortenson – reflects on her own encounters with G
Moin Akhtar (1950-2011): Talent Unlimited
Adil Najam The much- and multi-talented artiste Moin Akhter died on April 22, 2011. The word ‘legend’ is sometimes used rather loosely by us South Asians. Not every one who has been called a ‘legend’ really was. But Moeen Akhtar, clearly was one. Pakistan is poorer today because he is no longer with us. His was a voice, a presence, a wit that I grew up with. I have memories of him from every sta
Mukhtar Mai Case: Supreme Court Rejects Appeal Against LHC Verdict. What Now?
Adil Najam This is a sad and difficult post to write. Today, the Supreme Court of Pakistan gave its verdict on Mukhtar (Mukhtaran) Mai’s appeal against an earlier verdict by the Lahore High Court (LHC). The three-judge bench decided to uphold the LHC verdict. This means that the earlier decision will hold; of the six accused of Mukhtaran Mai’s gang rape, five are acquitted and a sixth will complet
Greg Mortenson’s Half-Empty Cups of Tea: Lessons for Philanthropy and Policy
Mosharraf Zaidi Under the burden of a 60 Minutes exposé on CBS and a blistering, 75-page takedown by adventure writer Jon Krakauer, Greg Mortenson’s phenomenally successful weaving together of fact and fiction has already faced more scrutiny than most pop philanthropy ever receives in its entire shelf life. While opinions about Greg Mortenson have always varied within the international developmen
Hatewatch | Southern Poverty Law Center ★ 23
Nullification Advocates Take Show On The Road
Possibly coming to a city near you: A citizens’ seminar on how to weaken the “united” in United States by canceling federal laws that states don’t like. The traveling conference, called “Nullify Now!” pushes nullification, the notion that a state has the right to invalidate and disregard any federal law. The concept relies on a spurious interpretation of the Tenth Amendment, which reserves to the
Alleged MLK Day Bomber Hit With Rare Federal Hate Crime Charge
The white supremacist accused of planting a potentially deadly back pack bomb on the route of a Martin Luther King Jr. Day unity parade in Spokane, Wash., was arraigned Monday on four charges, including a new federal hate crime charge. His trial was scheduled for May 31 in federal court. The grand jury indictment returned last week against Kevin William Harpham marks only the third time the U.S. D
Koran-Burning Pastor to Protest Outside Michigan Mosque
UPDATE: A report on the April 22 protest has been included at the end of this post. Fresh on the heels of burning the Koran after staging a “trial” of Islam, an act that led to deadly protests in Afghanistan, Florida pastor Terry Jones is planning a rally outside a mosque in Dearborn, Mich., this week, despite pleas from city officials to abandon his efforts. Jones told the Detroit Free Press that
Businessman at Center of Lesbian Custody Case Hawked Hate Pub Subscriber Lists
A prominent Christian direct-mail guru — who for years helped conservative groups market themselves to subscribers of a blatantly anti-Semitic publication — has been implicated for harboring a woman who ran away with her biological daughter after losing custody to a former lesbian partner. According to an FBI affidavit, Lisa Miller and her daughter — missing since 2009 — have been living at a beac
Student Group Leader Tied to White Supremacist Arrested Wednesday
A white supremacist just arrested on federal firearms charges in the state of Washington had ties to a university student leader of a new chapter of Youth for Western Civilization (YWC). Jeremiah Daniel “JD” Hop, previously convicted of child rape in California, is accused in a federal indictment of being a felon illegally possessing a shotgun. Arrested by FBI agents on Wednesday, Hop also likely
Wife of ‘Sovereign’ Who Killed Arkansas Police Officers Sues Police
Since her common-law husband and his son died 11 months ago in a gunfight with police after killing two officers, Donna Lee Wray has issued angry threats, hurled epithets at reporters and accused police of a cover-up. She has even tried to charge Hatewatch millions of dollars for the use of her “copyrighted name” – a claim based on the bizarre ideology of the anti-government “sovereign citizen” mo
infowarsnews at Yahoo! Groups ★ 16
Media Distorts Truth To Propagandize For NATO-Backed War On Syria
Media Distorts Truth To Propagandize For NATO-Backed War On Syria Just like Libya, a civil war fought between a desperate regime and a western-backed force of
Ron Paul 2012: Last Chance To Rescue America?
Ron Paul 2012: Last Chance To Rescue America? The only presidential candidate that can preserve the United States as an economic superpower Paul Joseph Watson
Your Cellphone Has Been Tracking You For Nearly a Decade
Your Cellphone Has Been Tracking You For Nearly a Decade Forget the iPhone scandal, the FCC mandated that all wireless carriers be able to locate their users
Kissinger Calls For US Ground Invasion Of Libya
Kissinger Calls For US Ground Invasion Of Libya Globalists want protracted war to last through 2012 Paul Joseph Watson Prison Planet.com Friday, April 22, 2011
Lukashenko: Globalists Are Preparing To Strangle Belarus
Lukashenko: Globalists Are Preparing To Strangle Belarus "They want to force us to be just like everybody else....we will resist" Paul Joseph Watson Prison
Nanny State Gone Wild
Nanny State Gone Wild The government is overseeing a calculated coup d'état against individuality, and if you complain about it you could be a terrorist Paul
Syria Comment ★ 32
Quelling the Revolt: Will the Opposition Take up Arms?
Bashar al-Assad is determined to quell the Syrian revolt, which is why he has sent in the military with tanks and is now arresting the network of opposition activists and leaders that his intelligence agencies have been able to track. There is an element of “shock and awe” to the operation. Tanks are clearly not useful for suppressing an urban rebellion, but they demonstrate the superior fir
Deraa Encircled – Major Crack Down in Regime Effort at Shock and Awe – Officers Ordered to Shoot to Kill
The Syrian government has surrounded the region around Deraa and has brought in tanks, ordering a major crack down. LA Times reports: …One report by activists said that more than 25 people were killed “but no one could get close to them because of the brutal shooting.” Syrian activists in touch with witnesses in the southern city reported that at least five military officers, including two with th
The Man behind “Syria Revolution 2011″ Facebook-Page Speaks Out
video Administrator of the “Syrian Revolution 2011 Facebook Page” Speaks Out. The official spokesman of the cite lives in Sweden and leads Sweden’s chapter of the Muslim Brotherhood according to the Syrian press. His name is فداء الدين طريف السيد عيسى Fida’ ad-Din Tariif as-Sayyid `Isa, born 1985. Syria Revolution 2011 is the most important webpage of the Syria revolution. It has over 130,000 members.
Great Friday: Over 80 Killed
Maydan in 1840Over 80 dead are reported in the government crackdown on Friday April 22. The government is struggling to contain the demonstrations. Some think that they would not grow indefinitely were the government to permit them to go ahead. Who knows? Clearly the government is not prepared to find out. Many Syrians fear chaos and are staying inside. It is hard to figure out how many are coming
“Who Supports the Regime and Why a New Party Law Will Not Include Eliminating the Supremacy of the Baath Party,” by Ehsani2
Who Supports the Regime and Why a New Party Law Will Not Include Eliminating the Supremacy of the Baath Party by Ehsani2 for Syria Comment April 22, 2011 Nearly 23 million Syrians are mesmerized by the recent events engulfing their country. The seemingly boring, predictable and stable Syrian political scene has suddenly suffered its black swan moment. Once the lid was removed, stability suddenly
The Government Draws a Line in the Sand
The Syrian government has drawn a line in the sand. Now that it has made concessions — canceled the special National Security Court, lifted the emergency law, fired governors of Banyas and Deraa governates, named a new Prime Minister and cabinet and promised a new party law — the president has stated that there is no longer reason to demonstrate. He has called the on-going uprising a rebellion. Th
ArmsControlWonk ★ 28
A Belated, Happy Easter
Read Max Postman sends along a picture of nine easter eggs — one for each state with nuclear weapons He explains: Thought you might find this interesting – the flags of the nine states that possess nuclear weapons, arranged in the order in which they first tested, on Easter eggs. I made these today in about five hours with a department store egg decorating kit. Sheer genius.
William C. Foster
The most successful and longest serving Director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency was the first man to hold this job, William C. Foster. During his tenure, the United States negotiated the Limited Test Ban Treaty and the Nonproliferation Treaty, despite strenuous political, bureaucratic, and diplomatic opposition. Foster’s influence and skills had much to do with these results, and ye
Israel and North Korea
I’ve been doing a lot of work lately on state-to-state nuclear cooperation — especially the connection between Pakistan and North Korea. I recently reread Bamboo and Blood, by James Church (a pseudonym for one of the most distinguished North Korea watchers in the US). Although Bamboo and Blood is a work of fiction, and Church permits himself some artistic license, it is also a pretty decent intr
Rethinking Multinational Consortia
At one point in a wide-ranging op-ed back in March, Frank von Hippel made the case for a global switchover to multinational consortia for uranium enrichment: [It] would make it more difficult for any one country to divert the material to military ends. In fact, Urenco, the West’s most successful uranium enrichment enterprise, is already under the joint ownership of Germany, the Netherlands and Bri
FEPC Info Sheets 4/15-4/20
Here are the information sheets from our friends at FEPC from 4/15, 4/18, 4/19 and 4/20. On a related note, TEPCO has walked back the estimate of Cl-38 on which Ferenc Dalnoki based his paper, What Was The Cause Of The High Cl-38 Radioactivity In The Fukushima Daiichi Reactor #1. I have a couple of real posts in the hopper. Lots of writing toward no particular end lately. Update to Information S
The Advisors
One of Herb York’s many talents was his ability to write clearly with a strong narrative line, despite his training in physics and immersion in technical detail. See, for example, Herb’s book, The Advisors: Oppenheimer, Teller, and the Superbomb (1976). This slim volume tells a cautionary tale about nuclear technology. In the preface, Herb writes, The United States has pursued policies which cau
Phronesisaical ★ 28
Chernobyl
Twenty-five years ago today, I was working on the chemistry of flame and flame suppressants. I got a phone call (not much use of e-mail then) from the Los Alamos Director's Office to attend a meeting on the events at Chernobyl. That phone call probably came a day or two later; it took some time for the world to realize what was happening in the secretive Soviet Union. It turned out that there wasn
A Question and Some Answers
Daniel Little works through some of the numbers on income per percentile of the American population and asks The big mystery is -- why do the majority of Americans accept this shifting equation without protest? And how can progressive political organizations and movements do a better job of communicating the basic social realities of our economy and our democracy to a mass audience? Social justic
Bits and Pieces - April 22, 2011
How low are taxes? Too low.David Frum concludes, with Irving Kristol and Bismarck, that the welfare state is consistent with conservatism.Is it just me, or is there an awful lot of fantasizing these days? Pan-Arabism is back in fashion, although perhaps not among the Arabs. We shall see, I guess.Here's a map of actual measurements of radiation from the Fukushima reactors. Whatta concept, NRC and N
Bits and Pieces - April 21, 2011
I'm still struggling with BEIR VII, to try to get some numbers out on what the various radiation exposures associated with Fukushima mean in terms of people's health. In that regard, the far too many units used to describe those exposures are the subject of four posts at the American Nuclear Society's Nuclear Cafe by Stewart Brand, Steve Aplin, Mimi Limbach, and me.I'm kind of sad to see Russia pu
Centauri Dreams ★ 15
(title unknown) ★ 12
A Haitian History Lesson, Or, Why I LOVE Randall Robinson!
I am reading Randall Robinson’s “Quitting America.” I’ve quit America, too, I just haven’t left this jive plantation yet. Its comin’!! Robinson is my new/old hero. I needed to share this brilliant, powerful black man with ya’ll. Its old history – if you’ve heard it at all – but its relevant. I love Toussaint! I love Randall Robinson!! I love Haiti!!!
“Africa’s Hidden Presidents?” by Nkwazi Mhango
What transpired in Ivory Coast recently, luckily, unearthed a great rot in our education system and upper echelons of power in Africa. Laurent Gbagbo, the professor of History, made a bad history for not understanding history. He mindlessly clung unto power so as to cause many deaths and many casualties. Gbagbo’s saga is a test to our educational intergrity and worth for us as a society. Many wou
easter riddymz
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1: 18
Cote d’Ivoire discussed – Africa – Al Jazeera English
Cote d’Ivoire discussed – Africa – Al Jazeera English.
altmuslim ★ 13
Muslim neighbors: Jihad came to me in its kindest, most gentle form
Because Rep. Peter King, chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, did not invite me to testify at his congressional hearings about Muslim radicalization in America, I’ll share with you my first and most memorable encounter with Islamic Jihad. It was early December of 1998 and I was a young, terrified new mother who had been near death with preeclampsia and just given birth to a sickly, underwe
Interfaith understanding: A Muslim at Passover
Every year, I look forward to the Passover holiday. As a devout Muslim, I do not celebrate the holiday, but, I know that it is the time for the annual broadcast of my absolute favorite film of all time, “The Ten Commandments,” directed by Cecil DeMille and starring Charlton Heston. First released in 1956, it has become an instant classic, being shown every year around the time of Easter. I try not
Appearance: Judging a (holy) book by its cover
There are a number of Latin phrases that have survived millennia, because they contain immortal pearls of wisdom. In a world that is increasingly using Twitter and short SMS text messages to communicate, these Latin phrases may experience a renaissance, because they are often concise and profound. One of my favorite Latin phrases is "barba non facit philosophum", which roughly translates to "a bea
Rebuilding Egypt: Beyond the Egypt referendum
The ”yes” camp in the recent Egyptian referendum for constitutional reform, which was supposed to bring forward early parliamentary elections, got 77 per cent of the vote. The ”no” vote got the rest. And now people are trying to figure out what this means. There are several things both the ”yes” voters and the ”no” voters should now consider, as Egypt heads towards September parliamentary election
Quran burning: Burning the myths about Islam
The recent violent protests in Afghanistan - a reaction to the burning of the Quran by a small church in the United States last month - recalled an inescapable reality. Extremists on all sides - whether in free, democratic America, or in corrupt, occupied Afghanistan - create havoc and chaos, demonstrating the danger brought about by a deadly cocktail of ignorance and idiocy. Ultimately, they caus
The Arab revolution: The Jersey Shores of Tripoli
If you've ever been through New York's Museum of Natural History, and you're a person of color, conscience, or a student of critical race theory, I'm sure you walked out feeling deeply offended. The museum organizes human populations as if they’re animals along a Darwinian ladder of civilizational evolution. All sorts of “exotic” — the right word here, with all the right implications, might be “e
Texas Liberal ★ 42
IPS Inter Press Service Earth Alert: Confronting Climate Change ★ 21
Jamaica Moves to Slash Hefty Food Import Bill
Behind the rusting zinc sheets covering the gates to his inner-city home, Norman Hamilton is one of the army of backyard gardeners who have been called to action in Jamaica's latest efforts to improve food security.
JAPAN: Civil Society Gaining Ground Following Quake
Civil society organisations in Japan have traditionally been on the sidelines in influencing mainstream policy, but the massive Tohoku earthquake and tsunami of Mar. 11 is becoming a catalyst for important change.
ENVIRONMENT: Kiss of Life for DR Congo Pygmies
"Most of the houses in our villages are still made with small branches that we have collected, while our timber and our medicinal plants are taken by people who are enriching themselves elsewhere," said Ampiobo Amuri, a traditional pygmy chief.
A Fair Wind for Clean Energy in Central America
Soaring international prices for oil and gas are driving the expansion of renewable energies in Central America, a region that has plenty of untapped potential for producing hydroelectricity, wind power and geothermal energy.
JAPAN: Quake's Aftermath Weighs Heavily on Women
Since the horrific Mar. 11 earthquake and tsunami that devastated her coastal town of Minato, in Ishinomaki city, Masami Endo's three-year-old daughter has been crying and clinging to her every night.
China's Green Blueprint Raises Stakes at U.N. Climate Talks
China's rise as a leader in the environmentally friendly, low-carbon economy is giving the Asian giant new diplomatic muscle for this year's round of climate change negotiations leading up to the COP17 U.N. summit in Durban, South Africa in November.
Pickled Politics ★ 30
What do the Guantanamo Files tell us?
This is just a summary: » 172 prisoners are still held there. Previous inmates included an 89-year-old Afghan villager, suffering from senile dementia, and a 14-year-old boy who had been an innocent kidnap victim. One man was transferred to the facility simply because he was a mullah and could have had “special knowledge of the Taliban”. He was released after a year. Another was shipped there bec
The BNP and AV
There has been a lot of debate about whether introducing the Alternative Vote (AV) would make it more likely that a BNP or similar candidate would be elected. Given that AV is not a proportional representation system, I think that this is unlikely, but, more importantly, it shouldn’t matter. The problem with the BNP and other extremist groups is not that they might send a representative or two to
EDL’s Guramit Singh responds to ultimatum with hypocrisy
Further to the recent Pickled Politics article highlighting the EDL’s “Sikh” spokesman Guramit Singh’s admission of hatred towards other South Asians, some further information about Guramit himself is continuing to come to light. Doublespeak in action A new Youtube video focusing specifically on Guramit is an excellent compilation and definitely worth watching in full. The repeated juxtaposition o
Obsidian Wings ★ 28
Book report: Japan's Medieval Population
I'll get back to some of the topics I've kind of left dangling, but first I need to put up a review of Japan's Medieval Population: Famine, Fertility, And Warfare in a Transformative Age by William Wayne Farris before Inter Library Loan wants it back. This is what I think of Inter Library Loan, btw: this image taken, by me, from Dürer's "Triumphal Chariot of Maximilian I". (I got
your formless weekend open thread
by liberal japonicus Comments in last week's open thread remind me I've not put this week's up. As Miyamoto Musashi said, water take the shape of it's container without losing its essence. How about you?
Guest Post: A Couple of Thoughts on Greg Mortenson
by Benjamin Orbach I watched the 60 Minutes piece on Greg Mortenson with disappointment. If you haven’t heard of Greg Mortenson, he is a humanitarian that has built more than 100 schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan as well as the best-selling author of Three Cups of Tea (co-written with Oliver David Relin). Three Cups of Tea is the inspirational story of Mortenson’s personal journey from a lost K2
The first obesity epidemic
by Doctor Science A few months ago, I read Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human, by Richard Wrangham. Wrangham marshals many lines of very good evidence to argue that humans are physically adapted to cooked food. One unexplored prediction of his theory is that, when proto-humans starting eating cooked food, they must have experienced a true "obesity epidemic". I'm cutting this beca
scary scary debt
by russell As we all know, the debt load carried by the federal government is a topic of great concern. It's currently in the historically nosebleed territory of 100% of GDP. I thought I was kinda concerned about that until I ran across this, and in particular this graph: Federal debt is that green series. Yes, it's growing, and is starting to approach levels we haven't seen since W
not a good sign
by russell From today's Globe, more doctors gravitate toward boutique practice. The nitty gritty at a glance: six doctors in MA will be converting to a concierge practice this year "concierge practice" means unlimited access to the doctor for an $1,800 rider above your insurance coverage two of the doctors profile will be reducing their patient load from 3,000 to 600, each at 600 p
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