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Galloping Beaver
The power of oil . . .
ALJAZEERA has a report by Pepe Escobar, who is the roving correspondent for Asia Times, titled "All aboard the New Silk Road(s)",
where he believes that Iran, India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and
the US are all scrambling to get the upper hand across Eurasia. Add
Russia to the mix and we have a three-ring circus here, folks, as the Great Game continues.
Since I was participating in an interesting comments thread, I decided to note the article..
Another oddity would be reports of U.S. troops guarding Chinese mining operations in Afghanistan.
We really read this stuff
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Bullshit Mountain
Never got around to watching this Jon Stewart segment but this is so true: Totally encapsulates the conservative mindset. [More posts daily at the Detroit News.]Private audiences only for Ann Romney
Well it looks like the Mittsters "secret weapon," her royal highness Princess Ann Romney won't be speaking to the press for a while: In Omaha for a closed to the press fundraiser for her husband Friday, Mrs. Romney was supposed to give interviews to several reporters but canceled due to the controversy over her blow up at Republicans on a radio interview, in which she ordered Mitt’s Republican critics to “stop it.” That would be Mrs. Romney's interview with Radio Iowa where she bitched out her dear hubby's GOP critics: “Stop it. This is hard. You want to try it? Get in the ring,”... more »Every State's State/Local Tax System Taxes the Poor More than the Wealthy--And All Exceed Federal Taxes
A new report from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) shows that in every state in the country, the bottom 20% of households pay more of their income in state and local taxes than does the top 1%. Washington state was the worst, where the bottom 20% pay a whopping 17.3% of their income in state and local taxes. This was followed by Florida at 13.5% and Illinois at 13.0%. Though the report hints at an exception, a reading of their appendix shows that the only one is the District of Columbia. As the report points out, such high taxation increases the burden of povert... more »In a second term, can we look for some "real toughness" from the president? Hmm, E.J., I'm not so sure
*Yes, yes, but assuming Willard does go down the tubes, what happens come 2013?* *"If Obama wants to do more than survive, he thus has to fight a bigger and broader campaign that targets not only Romney but also a GOP congressional apparatus that has moved the party far to the right."* *-- E. J. Dionne Jr., in his Monday WaPo column,* "Can this election settle anything?" *by Ken* Funny you should mention that, E.J. I'm guessing you're hearing the same things I am, which is that the White House wants nothing to do with the congressional elections. As I recall, the fear is that such i... more »Creepy Books to Read in October
Halloween may be more than a month out, but it's never too early to start your Halloween book list. After all, you want to make Halloween a month-long affair, not just a one-day frenzy at the end of the month. I'm not much of one to be creeped out, but Halloween just begs to add a little fear in your life. At least with books, I can always stop reading and I'm limited by my own imagination, but when I watch scary shows those images stick in my mind forever. If you're not much of a scary book fan, it can be hard to think of something creepy to read, so I've compiled a quick list of g... more »Little known facts about me
Once I literally bought a tshirt off Abbie Hoffman's back. It's green. It says: My country invaded Nicaragua and all I got was this lousy tshirt. I still have it. Paid eight bucks for it. My only regret is I didn't have him sign it. I had a permanent Sharpie right there in my desk. We talked for a long time. He told me about he time he smoked pot with Mick Jagger. He said it was lousy weed. Afterwards, he tried to take me to his hotel room. I didn't go. [More posts daily at the Detroit News.]Ohana
As we begin our third day, it becomes important that we look at all of the relationships currently in our lives; our physical, daily life contacts. You do not exist in isolation. Even if you live alone, you have a mail carrier, a grocer and a landlord. You have a job and work mates. Each of these counts. It is never true that you can see yourself as One with some of us, but not with others of us. One is a singular mindset. It sort of blows out of the water words like superior, prejudice, privileged, bigotry and segregation. This is not to say those thoughts don’t exist, ... more »ECONOMICS FOR REAL PEOPLE: Hayek v Keynes, on Why Economies Crash (and How They Grew)
*"Instead of furthering the inevitable liquidation of the maladjustments brought about by the boom during the last three years, all conceivable means have been used to prevent that readjustment from taking place; and one of these means, which has been repeatedly tried though without success, from the earliest to the most recent stages of depression, has been this deliberate policy of credit expansion. … "To combat the depression by a forced credit expansion is to attempt to cure the evil by the very means which brought it about; because we are suffering from a misdirectio... more »Sometimes, juxtaposition...
...is all the context one needs (click for larger image).Nunavut man dies in custody
A sad event; the facts are not yet known so let's all wait and see before jumping to conclusions: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/story/2012/09/23/north-nunavut-man-dies-police-custody.html A 26-year-old Igloolik, Nunavut, man died early Sunday morning while in police custody. RCMP say they were called to a house at about 5 a.m. ET and arrested the man for assault. Officers then brought the man to the police station and put him in a cell.From John Miller's blog: Wentegate and the Globe
Blog: Wentegate: "So what should happen now? The Globe and Mail has itself a big, big problem. The Wente Affair makes the newspaper -- and the rest of mainstream journalism -- seem hopelessly out of touch with the internet-savvy hordes who seem to enjoy circling around the decaying corpse of authority these days. ... When Stead was appointed to the job last January, editor-in-chief John Stackhouse said: "The Globe and Mail is among the most respected names in Canadian media, because we've always been held to the highest standards. Credibility is our currency and we want to protect... more »Dangerous and deepening divide between Islamic world, West
For those who believe in a clash of civilizations between the Islamic world and Western democracy, the last few weeks must seem like final confirmation of their theory. Even those who reject the term as loaded and simplistic speak sadly of a perhaps catastrophic failure of understanding between Americans in particular and many Muslims. The outrage and violence over a crude film ridiculing the Prophet Mohammad points to a chasm between Western free speech and individualism and the sensitivities of some Muslims over what they see as a campaign of humiliation. There seems no shortag... more »National Standards publication won’t fix cognitive child abuse
[image: image]*Cartoon by Nick Kim* There’s a lot of cant been talked about National Standards and the publication on a national newspaper’s website of the results thereof. The Prime Minister and the previous National Education Minister both insisted the results of National Standards tests would not be used or published as league tables—when it was apparent to everyone watching that they always would be. The teachers unions complained the testing would be intrusive (true), and confusing (not true), but would overall be bad because it would demonise bad schools and focus only —whe... more »Robotic tuna to patrol US harbours
NDTV Inspired by the speedy tuna capable of swimming tirelessly in the oceans, the US Department of Homeland Security will introduce a fish-like robot for underwater patrols. The 'BIOSwimmer' robot sports features like the real-life fish with replicated fins and a flexible tail to pull off quick manoeuvres. US Homeland Security funded the robot made by the Boston Engineering Corporation in Waltham, Massachusetts with an eye towards missions such as exploring the flooded areas of ships, inspecting oil tankers or patrolling US harbours to watch out for suspicious activity, website Te... more »Syria fires into Jordan, sparking clashes between two nations' armies, Syrian brigade now moving south to Jordanian border
The armed forces of Syria and Jordan clashed Saturday after Syria fired into Jordanian territory, where thousands of refugees have fled from an 18-month-long civil war between the Bashar Assad regime and opposition fighters. According to a report by Al Jazeera, the Syrian army has moved its Unit 61 brigade — whose main function is to block any possible attack from Israel — from the Golan Heights to the Jordanian border. moreRare fishing cat born in Isle of Man zoo
Fishing cats are twice the size of your standard house cat, their paws are actually webbed, and, as the name suggests, they really love water. They are a very rare and endangered feline species and now there's one more of these rare and little-known creatures, after a new kitten was born at Curraghs Wildlife Park on the Isle of Man in the United Kingdom. Curraghs Park staff announced the birth last week, but the kitten is already eight weeks old and is often seen out and about with its mother at the park's Asian Swamp enclosure. It will be weaned in about six months, and matu... more »Fall Colour
Fall colours here are more muted than what I grew up seeing in southern Ontario. Apparently my front yard trees haven't received the memo yet since they are still quite green compared to most other trees in the neighborhood. Anyhow, as time is growing short I decided to take what may be my last walk along the Birchwood Trail to soak up some fall colours.Why Hasn't David Rivera Been Arrested Yet? What About Buck McKeon?
Don't be deceived by the innocuous makeup; these are 2 dangerous felons In his spectacular new book, Twilight of the Elites: America After Meritocracy, Chris Hayes observes that, "[a]long with the other rising inequalities we've become so familiar with-- in income, in wealth, in access to politicians-- we confront now a fundamental inequality of accountability. We can have a just society whose guiding ethos is accountability and punishment, where both black kids dealing weed in Harlem and investment banksters peddling fraudulent securities on Wall Street are forced to pay for their... more »
Model city to use laws of Texas
Some supporters of a plan to build private cities in Honduras have described it as creating "a little Canada" in the country. It turns out the backers of the first city to win government approval want to create a "little Texas" on the country's Caribbean coast. I've written about the model city plan here and here. The notion is that the private cities would be a chance to start from scratch, with the rules made by technocrats and the investors. Instead of fixing Honduras' problems, you create new states within the country with different laws, policing, education and health systems and... more »Tar Sands in Texas-A Carbon Bomb
Episode 03: East Texas from Radical Resistance Tour on Vimeo. The Radical Resistance Tour is an autonomous project by a group of Occupy Wall Street organizers. We're touring the United States and interviewing activists, people participating in direct actions, and people working create a dual power model. We want to show people who aren't on the ground how people are being directly affected by decisions being made by corporations and governments that put profits over people and the environment. We want to inspire more people to fight back by featuring people who are already fighti... more »Northerntruthseeker Rant For Sunday, September 23rd, 2012
Yes, it is Sunday, and of course it is time for my weekly rant. For this rant, I want to present a project that has been swimming in my head for quite sometime, and I figured this was as best a time to show it to my readers.... I call it "Are You Proud To Be Jewish Knowing...." and I am directing it to those few Jewish readers and my usual favorite fan club of Hasbara agentst that come to this site from time to time... Well, here it goes... Are you proud to be Jewish knowing that your entire so called tribe is nothing but a fraud and has real history at all? All evidence clearly s... more »Texas
Episode 03: East Texas from Radical Resistance Tour on Vimeo.East Texas
Episode 03: East Texas from Radical Resistance Tour on Vimeo.Gaia Request: Be in Joy on the Ride
*Gaia Request: Be in Joy on the Ride* http://gaiaportal.wordpress.com/2012/09/23/gaia-request-be-in-joy-on-the-ride/ September 23, 2012 Solitary adjustments, in one by one fashion concurrent among all Hue-beings, stand out at this current moment. All sense these adjustments. Although awareness of such may follow later. Intrusions for purpose of clearing come rapidly at this time and each requires simple non-resistance and release. Gaia global planetary adjustments are on hold until individuals’ clearances are processed. Gaia alignments near completion yet continue for short p... more »Today in History for September 23rd: Birth of Augustus And Bruce Springsteen
Augustus (September 23, 63 BC – August 19, 14 AD). "Instead of using the title of emperor, he preferred to be called "first citizen." Augustus was a wise ruler and knew the empire needed a better form of government." - From *"Streams of Civilization: Earliest Times to the Discovery of the New World"* By Mary Stanton and Albert Hyma.Averroes
*Wikipedia:* "(April 14, 1126 – December 10, 1198) Averroes was an Andalusian Muslim polymath; a master of Aristotelian philosophy, Islamic philosophy, Islamic theology, Maliki law and jurisprudence, logic, psychology, politics, Arabic music theory, and the sciences of medicine, astronomy, geography, mathematics, physics and celestial mechanics. He was born in Córdoba, Al Andalus, modern-day Spain, and died in Marrakesh, Morocco. His school of philosophy is known as Averroism."Iran commander says could launch pre-emptive strike on Israel
*(Reuters) - Iran could launch a pre-emptive strike on Israel if it was sure the Jewish state were preparing to attack it, a senior commander of its elite Revolutionary Guards was quoted as saying on Sunday. * Amir Ali Hajizadeh, a brigadier general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, made the comments to Iran's state-run Arabic language Al-Alam television, according to a report on the network's website. "Iran will not start any war but it could launch a pre-emptive attack if it was sure that the enemies are putting the final touches to attack it," Al-Alam said, paraphrasing t... more »Rand Paul stands alone (90-1) against Senate’s ‘preemptive war’ resolution for Iran
The US Senate voted 90-1 early Saturday on a non-binding resolution to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Voting against the resolution was Sen. Rand Paul, arguing that the bill was a de-facto declaration of war. The measure, which was introduced several months ago by Senators Lindsey Graham, Bob Casey and Joe Lieberman, supports continuing to pressure Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment program. The resolution advocates using methods other than containment to stop Iran, including exerting economic and diplomatic pressure. Senate Joint Resolution 41 “rejects any United ... more »Sunday Question for Liberals
Okay, I know that you're all excited about the prospect of Elizabeth Warren in the Senate, so you don't have to tell me about that one. But which other, if any, of the Democratic candidates for Senate do you have high hopes for if they win in November?Thoughts on thoughts . . .
THE HUMAN BRAIN is astoundingly complex, according to a report on ScienceDaily, "Human Brains Share a Consistent Genetic Blueprint and Possess Enormous Biochemical Complexity". Indeed, the human mind is astoundingly complex in both construction and operation. Scientists at the Allen Institute for Brain Science reported in the latest issue of the journal Nature that human brains share aUS Life Span Declining (for Some Groups)
Life Spans Shrink for Least-Educated Whites in the U.S. By Sabrina Tavernise September 20, 2012 http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/21/us/life-expectancy-for-less-educated-whites-in-us-is-shrinking.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20120921 [Excerpted] For generations of Americans, it was a given that children would live longer than their parents. But there is now mounting evidence that this enduring trend has reversed itself for the country’s least-educated whites, an increasingly troubled group whose life expectancy has fallen by four years since 1990. Researchers have long d... more »Pre-Con...
...federists. Suddenly their obsession with the War of 1812 makes a whole lot more sense. This bit is cringing: "As the Prime Minister [David Cameron] said when addressing the Canadian parliament last year: 'We are two nations, but under one Queen and united by one set of values,'" Hague said in a written statement to CBC News. "We have stood shoulder to shoulder from the great wars of theMISTRESS, MINISTER, CIA
* Indonesian Model Sarah Azhari.* "Sources have confirmed that Purnomo did indeed have a 'special' relationship with Sundari. *Defence Minister Purnomo, educated at the University of Colorado. * "A source close to the Defense Ministry and senior officials at the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) told The Jakarta Post that an intelligence agent had confirmed that Sundari had been Purnomo’s mistress for at least five years. "The source also said that Purnomo had bought a house and car worth billions for the singer." More ministers in trouble over extramarital affairs | 21 S... more »Sunday Question for Conservatives
Which, if any, current Republican Senate candidates do you have high hopes for within the Senate (and perhaps beyond) should they win in November?hercolubus
Iran boosts cyber security with secure domestic network: report
*(Reuters) - Iran has connected all its government agencies to a secure domestic Internet service and plans to link ordinary Iranians up to the same network, an official was quoted as saying on Sunday, in a move to beef up cyber security.* The Islamic state tightened its cyber security after its disputed nuclear program was attacked in 2010 by the Stuxnet computer worm, which caused centrifuges to fail at the main Iranian uranium enrichment facility. Tehran, whose nuclear program is suspected by the West of being aimed at developing a bomb, accused the United States and Israel of d... more »The hidden unemployed, too frustrated to count
*(Reuters) - When Daniel McCune graduated from college three years ago, he was optimistic his good grades would earn him a job as an intelligence analyst with the government.* With a Bachelor of Science degree from Liberty University in Virginia, majoring in government service and history, McCune applied for jobs at the National Security Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other agencies. But after a long hunt that yielded only two interviews, the 26-year-old threw in the towel last fall, joining millions of frustrated Americans who have given up looking for work. "Th... more »Euro zone to boost bailout fund firepower to 2 trillion euros: report ....Still won't change anything, they are still ignoring the fact that the system is flawed
*(Reuters) - Euro zone states are preparing to allow the bloc's permanent bailout fund to leverage its capital in the same way as its predecessor so it can reach a capacity of more than 2 trillion euros and rescue big countries if necessary, Der Spiegel said on Sunday.* The weekly news magazine said that the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) would have two instruments like its predecessor, the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), that would only allow public money to be used for particularly risky transactions such as buying Spanish bonds, while private investors would pr... more »Megan Stammers 'Ran Away With Teacher'
*A missing 15-year-old is believed to have run away to France with one of her teachers, police have said.* More follows...The Shocking Truth About Inequality in the U.S.
Brace yourself. A report by two professors, one from U.C. Davis, the other from Harvard, contends that income inequality in the United States today is more severe even than it was during the Revolution - with slavery factored in to boot. *The conclusion comes to us from an newly updated study by professors Peter Lindert of the University of California - Davis and Jeffrey Williamson of Harvard. Scraping together data from an array of historical resources, the duo have written a fascinating exploration of early American incomes, arguing that, on the eve of the Revolutionary War, wea... more »Well This is Certainly Awkward for Washington
A cabinet minister from America's close ally in the *War on Terror*, Pakistan, is offering a bounty of about $90,000 for the killing of the guy behind the *"Innocence of Muslims*" film that has inflamed the Muslim world. *Railways Minister Ghulam Ahmad Balor said at a news conference in Peshawar that he would personally finance a bounty aimed at the maker of the crude, low-budget video that denigrates the Prophet Muhammad.* *Mr Balor acknowledged that incitement to murder was illegal but said he was ''ready to be hanged in the name of the Prophet Muhammad''. And he invited the Tal... more »Sunday Classics: How Massenet and Puccini make Manon and des Grieux matter to us
*MANON* [*sad and resigned*]: Come now, Manon, no more chimeras, where your mind goes while dreaming! Leave these ephemeral desires at the door of your convent! Come now, Manon, no more desires, no more chimeras! *Beverly Sills (s), Manon Lescaut; New Philharmonia Orchestra, Julius Rudel, cond. ABC-DG, recorded July 1970* *by Ken* This is the 16-year-old Manon of Massenet's Act I, arrived in Amiens by coach where she has been met -- and promptly abandoned -- by her cousin Lescaut for dumping off to a convent. (We're going to hear a fuller version of this scene later.) A few weeks... more »Shh! Ten Reasons Why Iranians are the Kindest People in the World (Don't tell Israel!)
Iran has always fascinated me. A rich history inherited from one of the world’s oldest civilizations, cities filled with beautiful Islamic architecture, delicious cuisine—and the people! Okay, while my acquaintanceship with Iranians has been limited to a few Persian friends back home in America, they’ve always been some of my favorite people, which is why it’s a shame our respective countries just can’t seem to get along. Japan, on the other hand, has maintained a favorable relationship with Iran over the years and travel to the country is perceived to be easier for the Japanese t... more »Rethinking the new Plant Hardiness Zone Map
[image: The 2012 Plant Hardiness Zone Map for the United States. USDA] By JOANNA M. FOSTER 14 September 2012 For gardeners sad to see the summer drawing to a close, there’s some comfort to be drawn from the fall planting season for perennials, trees and shrubs, which is just around the corner. What’s more, there’s the novelty of this year’s updated Plant Hardiness Zone Map, released early this year. The previous version of the map was issued in 2003, but the agency fielded so much criticism over the ways in which it incorporated climate change into the equation — too little and t... more »Expert highlights survival concerns for Pakistan as climate changes
[image: A girl floats her brother across flood waters while salvaging valuables from their flood ravaged home on 7 August 2010 in the village of Bux Seelro near Sukkur, Pakistan. Daniel Berehulak / Getty Images] Islamabad, 22 September 2012 (The International News) – Increasing threats due to negative impacts of climate change are the cause of major survival concerns for Pakistan, particularly in terms of its water security, food security, and energy security considerations. An official of Climate Change Ministry said the government has taken short- and long-term measures that wou... more »Houston Cops 1, Double Amputee 0
Imagine the horror. You're being threatened by a double amputee (one leg, one arm) in a wheelchair brandishing a pen (presumably in the one hand he uses to propel his wheelchair). What are you going to do? Well, if you're a heavily armed, Houston cop, all alone (except for your partner), you draw your gun and plug him. Problem solved. * * *Houston police spokeswoman Jodi Silva said the man cornered the officer in his wheelchair and was making threats while trying to stab the officer with the pen.* *At the time, the officer did not know what the metal object was that the man ... more »4.9 Magnitude Earthquake TURKMENISTAN - 23rd September 2012
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake has struck TURKMENISTAN at a depth of 40 km (24.8 miles), the quake hit at 13:53:58 UTC Sunday 23rd September 2012 The epicenter was 67 km (41.5 miles) East of Türkmenbasi, Turkmenistan No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this timeToxic Sky
It is Sunday Sep 23 and I woke at 8:30 a.m. to abnormal skies. From horizon to horizon the sky is covered with tracks of yellow-tinged haze. No patch of blue is visible from my vantage point in North Scottsdale looking south, east, and west. The haze is not uniform. It is striated. The faint yellow and pink tinges are not natural looking and I fear breathing whatever odd particulates are responsible for the stained sky.What fish can perform medical operations?
A SturgeonUntitled
*Listen to Saints Radio online ~WWL* *Rebuilding? Get a permit* *Isaac could eat into La. budget ~Advocate*4.7 Magnitude Earthquake BANDA SEA - 23rd September 2012
A magnitude 4.7 earthquake has struck the BANDA SEA at a depth of 129.4 km (80.4 miles), the quake hit at 12:33:54 UTC Sunday 23rd September 2012 The epicenter was 213 km (132 miles) NNW of Saumlaki, Indonesia No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this timeThe USDA Knows Global Warming When It Sees It
It's the U.S. Department of Agriculture's business to monitor climate change and changing conditions for agriculture in America. That's why the USDA has released an updated plant zone map informing the public what plants can be grown in what areas of the country. Unfortunately the latest map, the first update since 1990, is already obsolete. *The new USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, which predicts which trees and perennials can survive the winter in a given region, was a long time coming. Temperature boundaries shown in the latest version have shifted northward since the last one a... more »4.5 Magnitude Earthquake TARAPACA, CHILE - 23rd September 2012
A magnitude 4.5 earthquake has struck TARAPACA, CHILE at a depth of 92.6 km (57.5 miles), the quake hit at 12:28:30 UTC Sunday 23rd September 2012 The epicenter was 96 km (59 miles) East of Iquique, Chile No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this timeMitt Romney - Class Warrior
Mitt Romney wouldn't be the first really rich man to enter the White House. But, as Robert Reich points out, he'd certainly be a lot different. *America has had hugely wealthy presidents before — think of Teddy Roosevelt and his distant cousin, Franklin D. Roosevelt; or John F. Kennedy, beneficiary of father Joe’s fortune.* *But here’s the difference. These men were champions of the working class and the poor, and were considered traitors to their own class. Teddy Roosevelt railed against the “malefactors of great wealth,” and he busted up the oil and railroad trusts.* *FDR thu... more »Korea: West Sea tension grows after warning shots at North Korea boats
Tension is escalating around the skirmish-prone western maritime border as Pyongyang vowed retaliation against South Korea’s firing of warning shots Friday at North Korean fishing vessels that violated the territorial waters. The communist regime Saturday accused the South of a “shooting rampage” against boats owned by another country. “What remains to be done now is a powerful strike of our front units which know no bounds,” Pyongyang’s official news agency said. On Friday around noon, South Korean patrol vessels spotted six North Korean crab boats south of the so-called Northern ... more »"Hamas signs binding military commitment to Iran-led war on Israel": 20,000 troops ready to cross over in the south
Hamas leader Mahmoud A-Zahar and deputy commander of its military arm, Marwan Issa, spent the second week of September in Beirut and Tehran finalizing and signing protocols covering a binding commitment by the radical Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip to join Iran, Syria and Hizballah in a war on Israel, debkafile’s exclusive military sources disclose. The protocols set out in detail the circumstances, procedures and terms governing Hamas’s participation in a conflict, whether it arises from an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear program or the involvement of Iran’s allies, Syria and Hiz... more »Coyne On Politics
Andrew Coyne is no Pollyanna. He does not expect much from politicians; and, he says, we should not be surprised by the state of our politics. For politics is rarely noble; and politicians are rarely heroic: Politics has been better before, and it has been worse. But politics, whatever one would wish, has never been a contest of ideas. Occasionally it is *about* ideas, as in the free trade election of 1988. But such debates as do arise are resolved not by persuasion but by combat. There simply isn’t time, people in politics tell themselves — the public hasn’t the patience. You ca... more »Today in NYC: Protest the Lies
*Please consider coming to this event and help spread the word!* PARENTS "*Won’t Back Down"***** FROM FIGHTING THE *CORPORATE TAKEOVER* OF OUR SCHOOLS!**** The film “Won’t Back Down” is backed by conservative billionaires Rupert Murdoch and Philip Anschtuz. The law portrayed in the movie, called parent trigger, claims to be about parent empowerment but actually promotes the privatization of public schools and blaming teachers for struggling schools. * *The movie claims to be 'inspired by actual events' but not a single school in the country has successfully used Parent Trigger. ***... more »The Wang Family Eviction
*Linjiang St Night Market in Taipei* I've looked at student protests on this blog several times. The current generation of students is politically involved but in a way that is orthogonal to the Blue-Green divide: they tend to gather to protest in situations involving social justice issues that are not exclusively of one camp or the other. The Wang family case is a recent case in which students are involved in protesting on behalf of a family who are being evicted from their home as their home is being destroyed to make way for a developer. Under the currentUrban Renewal Act... ... more »The Sun predicts Internet Fail | Dave Schneider.co.uk
http://daveschneider.co.uk/2012/09/the-sun-predicts-internetfail/Still off the grid
Sorry kids. Totally burned yesterday. Didn't get in till after 10:30 and barely had the energy to check the news quickly. Looks like it was a slow day. We're kind of at the point where the campaigns are on a continuous loop of repeating talking points. Romney looks more desperate every day. And no, his release of an executive summary claiming he paid all these taxes for 20 years is not sufficient. It's just another version of, "Just trust me." Looking at a few days off so I expect to be back to whatever resembles normal blogging by tonight.Pain Grief Despair
Recently I told some friends that in my darker moments I sometimes would think perhaps the contrail conspiracists have it right, and there is indeed an evil New World Order plot to rid the earth of useless eaters by deliberately poisoning the skies. This became a bit of a joke because it's almost gratuitously redundant to suggest I can possibly have moments any darker than my usual conviction that we a killing trees with air pollution! The following disturbing film clip might be that, however. Humans are hopelessly self-absorbed. Lest you think dark moments have no levity, tr... more »Dozens of Saudi judges resign in protest at regime pressure
PressTV Saudi protesters hold portraits of political prisoners during an anti-regime demonstration in the Qatif region of Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. At least 50 Saudi judges have resigned in protest at the pressure exerted on them by the Riyadh regime to sentence political activists, *Press TV*reports. The judges said in a statement that they made the decision in protest at the regime pressure. According to Human Rights Watch, the Saudi regime “routinely represses expression critical of the government." The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information has called on regional ... more »Lake Geneva, Wisconsin Used To Be Al Capone's Town... Now It's Paul Ryan's
The Ryan Avenue exit on the I-94... you built that A couple of months ago a wealthy Republican from the beautiful Lake Geneva area of Walworth County, smack in the middle of Paul Ryan's Wisconsin district, approached Blue America with a plan. Never heard of Lake Geneva? It's "the Hamptons of the Midwest," a vacation destination for rich people in Chicago and Milwaukee, from Al Capone and baby Face Nelson to Axl Rose and Gary Gygax, and is always on magazines' "Best Small Towns in America" lists. Our wealthy Republican friend is embarrassed what sociopaths like Paul Ryan have done t... more »Wealth of former Egyptian interior minister estimated at $3bn
Ahram *Official documents obtained by Al-Ahram daily indicate that imprisoned Habib El-Adly's fortunes are around $3 billion, including a 'fleet' of fancy cars and dozens of villas * Egypt's former minister of interior Habib El-Adly reportedly owns 42 palaces and villas, 75 feddens and a 'fleet' of luxury cars, state-owned Al-Ahram daily newspaper reported on Saturday. Al-Ahram has obtained official documents which will be handed to the country's illicit gains authority that include details about El-Adly's wealth, which is estimated at LE18 billion ($3 billion). El-Adly and oust... more »4.5 Magnitude Earthquake SOUTHEAST OF THE LOYALTY ISLANDS - 23rd September 2012
A magnitude 4.5 earthquake has struck SOUTHEAST OF THE LOYALTY ISLANDS at a depth of 112.3 km (69.8 miles), the quake hit at 10:57:44 UTC Sunday 23rd September 2012 The epicenter was 142 km (88 miles) WNW of Ile Hunter, New Caledonia No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this timeIran lawmaker accuses IAEA of passing nuclear secrets to Israel
*(Reuters) - A senior Iranian lawmaker accused the head of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog on Sunday of passing confidential information about Iran's nuclear activities to Israel. * In the latest sign of strained relations with the International Atomic Energy Agency, Javad Jahangirzadeh, a member of parliament's presiding board, said IAEA chief Yukiya Amano would be to blame if Iran reduced its ties with the body. "Amano's repeated trips to Tel Aviv and asking the Israeli officials' views about Iran's nuclear activities indicates that Iran's nuclear information has been disclo... more »Nepal avalanche: 9 Killed
*(Reuters) - An avalanche swept away climbers and their camps on the world's eighth highest mountain in northwestern Nepal on Sunday, killing at least nine climbers, with another four missing, police said. * Five climbers were rescued. Police inspector Basant Mishra said the bodies of a German climber and a Nepali guide were recovered from the snow on the 8,163-metre (26,781-foot) Mount Manaslu, about 100 km (60 miles) northwest of Kathmandu. "Rescue pilots have spotted seven other bodies on the mountain," Mishra said. At least five injured people had been rescued by helicopters and... more »EU U-turn spells doom for biofuels boom
*(Reuters) - European Union plans to cap the use of food-based biofuels are a major setback for an industry once seen playing a central role in the fight against climate change, but now more often cast as the villain following a series of global food price spikes.* Industry sources and analysts predict the plan could trigger a wave of plant closures across Europe while questioning whether so-called advanced biofuels, often made from waste products, can play the greater role now envisioned by the European Commission. The European Commission announced a major shift in biofuel policy ... more »Siemens denies Iranian nuclear sabotage claims
*(Reuters) - Germany's Siemens on Sunday denied allegations by an Iranian lawmaker that it planted explosives in equipment sold to Iran for use in its nuclear program.* "Siemens does not have any business ties with Iran's nuclear program and does not supply any technical equipment for it," a spokesman for the Munich-based multinational company said. Alaeddin Boroujerdi, head of the Iranian Parliament's national security and foreign policy committee, said on Saturday that intelligence and security officials had detected explosive material inside devices supplied for Iran's nuclear ... more »Day Of Reckoning II: Pa. Governor Corbett Greeted By the 47% with Pitchforks & Torches
*I never saw the sentence "THE GOVERNOR HAD TO FLEE UNDER ESCORT" before in a in a major news source in the U.S. Have you? * Remember when the fracking/vote disenfrachisment/austerity/forced vaginal ultrasound Governor Tom Corbett gave one of his first speeches, he said that now that he's governor, there will be a "Day Of Reckoning"? Gov Corbett was in Philadelphia giving a conservative Town Hall and the Pennsylvanians he "RECKONED", FRACKED, & STOLE THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE greeted him with pitchforks and torches. The Town Hall ended with Corbett "FLEEING" under ESCORT. I don't ever re... more »GUEST POST: Instructed to Ignorance, Douglas Storm
[Original post can be found HERE.] [Instructional Hoops for Sale from Pearson] I started out thinking I could assert that the school curriculum (the "what" of instruction) is irrelevant but that is of course not what I would mean to say. Rather, curriculum is ALL possible responses to all possible utterances.* That means the space of instruction (fancy critical theory calls this the "scene")--home, church, playground, friend's home, school bus, school, classroom, hallways, iPad, laptop, Xbox, etc.--and everything flowing into and out of it, is curricular content. Content is utter... more »If we had elected Tsai....
If we had elected Tsai, would the government be sending boats to the Senkakus? Would the government be annoying Japan with Ma's stupid claims that the ROC owns the Senkakus and pointless military demonstrations? Would we be making the US nervous that Taiwan might work in concert with China? What would be the focus of the government's moves, getting the economy going, or this senseless shouting at Tokyo about the Senkakus? Stupid questions, eh? That's right, the Senkakus are a distraction for more than one nation ruled by a Chinese ruling party.... ____________ *Daily Links*: -... more »Simaxianshan Attempt II
*The morning offered spectacular views of the sheer walls of the gorge and the mountains behind. This area is easily accessible from Taichung.* Set out today with my partners in climb Domenic Alonge and Charles Tsai to ride up to Simaxianshan, circle it, and ride back to Taichung. This is the second time I've tried to do this, and the second time I've failed. It was a lovely day, however, and we did manage to get in 110 kms with about 1200 meters of climbing through the gorgeous terrain along the Da-an River. Clad in the pizza delivery scheme of Famous Bikes in Taichung, Dom sets f... more »The causes of Muslim outrage
It is odd what caused 'Muslim outrage' and what doesn't...Barack Obama and the Muslim Brotherhood
Barack Hussein Obama and the Muslim Brotherhood.Listen To Your Own Being - The Wise Words Of Osho
"清" (sei, or kiyoi). It is translated as clear, pure, clean, peaceful, etc. This character is written by Kanzi, Regular script. Source: http://www015uppso-netnejpcalligraphy.blogspot.se/ *"Listen to your being. It is continuously giving you hints; it is a still, small voice. It does not shout at you, that is true. And if you are a little silent you will start feeling your way. Be the person you are. Never try to be another, and you will become mature. Maturity is accepting the responsibility of being oneself, whatsoever the cost. Risking all to be oneself, that's what maturity... more »Back To Basics, Moving Away From Consumerism In Russia
23 September 2012 Moscow draws people from all over in search of success, fame, opportunity, and big money. But are the treasures of consumerism enough to make people happy? Could a policy of reduce, reuse, recycle be a greater source of that happiness? And what happens when a shopaholic finds herself living in a forest? Watch more on RT's documentary channel: http://rtd.rt.com Source: http://www.truthseekerart.com/fantasy-art/anastasias-morning-web-sm-2/Suicide bomber targets Nigerian church, three wounded
*(Reuters) - A suicide bomber blew himself up close to a church in a remote part of northern Nigeria on Sunday, wounding three people, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said. * The attack was in the Wunti area of Bauchi state, Yushua Shuaib, a NEMA spokesman said. Earlier he said there were a number of dead and wounded, but later said only the bomber died. "Three injured victims were rushed to the hospital for medical attention," he said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. The Islamist sect Boko Haram has claimed several attacks on churches and other Chri... more »Obama thanks Egypt's president over embassy protection
*(Reuters) - President Barack Obama has thanked the Egyptian president for securing the U.S. Embassy during protests against a film made in the United States that mocked Prophet Mohammad and sparked worldwide demonstrations and violence.* Obama's rival in the U.S. presidential race, Mitt Romney, called for a tougher line with Egypt after protesters scaled the compound wall and tore down the U.S. flag on September 11. Police clashed with demonstrators for four days after that incident and barriers were erected to stop them getting near the compound. In a letter, Obama repeated Wash... more »Researchers discovery technique to erase short newly formed memories
*Erasing memories has long been a staple of sci-fi films, but researchers now believe they have made a breakthrough in making the process reality.* The groundbreaking research at Uppsala University in Sweden could lead to radical new treatments for sufferers of anxiety and post traumatic stress disorders. It shows for the first time that newly formed emotional memories can be erased from the human brain. This is shown by researchers from Uppsala University in a new study now being published by the academic journal Science. 'These findings may be a breakthrough in research on memo... more »Obama whips out massive wad of cash to pay for sausages at deli.......Is that where America's deficit's hiding?
*When the President goes shopping, he still has to handle his own cash, as he showed on Saturday when he bought sausages from a Wisconsin store following a campaign stop in key swing state. Mr Obama pulled out a wad of bills that looked almost large enough to make a dent in the national debt*. SourcePakistan's 'Day of Love for the Prophet' turns into a show of hatred for U.S. over anti-Islam film - with 19 dead in riots and Stars and Stripes burned and ridiculed
*HOW THE 'DAY OF LOVE' TURNED INTO A DAY OF HATE ACROSS THE WORLD* *PAKISTAN* Tens of thousands protested against the film around the country after the government encouraged peaceful protests and declared a national holiday - 'Love for the Prophet Day.' Demonstrations turned violent and fifteen people were killed, including a driver for a Pakistani television station, who died after police opened fire on rioters torching a cinema in the northwest city of Peshawar during a protest. *AFGHANISTAN* About 900 people have gathered for a protest against the film in the capital, Kabul, c... more »Why I'd Rather Suck Mitt Romney's Dick Than Vote For Obama
By Cyril Blubberpuss, Conservative During a rainy day in New York recently, I was thinking as I walked on a crippled Occupy protester's back on the way to my limo that, while I'm not one of those Nancy boys, I would actually suck on Mitt Romney's cock before voting for Obama again. Thank God it shouldn't have to come to that, although, just between you and me, the prospect of both voting for Romney and sucking on his cock leaves a weird taste in my mouth, the kind you would get if you sucked on a plastic golf tee for no accountable reason. Now, I know what you libs and fulltime, p... more »Where Does the Dance Begin, Where Does It End? - A Poem by Mary Oliver
Where Does the Dance Begin, Where Does It End? *Don't call this world adorable, or useful, that's not it.* *It's frisky, and a theater for more than fair winds.* *The eyelash of lightning is neither good nor evil.* *The struck tree burns like a pillar of gold.* ** *But the blue rain sinks, straight to the white* *feet of the trees* *whose mouths open.* *Doesn't the wind, turning in circles, invent the dance?* *Haven't the flowers moved, slowly, across Asia, then Europe,* *until at last, now, they shine* *in your own yard?* ** *Don't call this world an explanation, or even an education... more »Hague to launch worldwide network of commonwealth embassies to tackle 'superpower' EU
*William Hague will tomorrow launch a worldwide network of British Commonwealth embassies to rival the emergence of the EU as a foreign superpower.* The Foreign Secretary is in Canada where he will sign an agreement to open joint UK-Canadian diplomatic missions abroad. He also hopes Australia and New Zealand will join the initiative whereby the four countries will pool their resources to extend their combined influence on world affairs. The move by Eurosceptic Mr Hague is seen as a counter to the EU’s fast-expanding European External Action Service, which is setting up offices in... more »Home Secretary says death penalty would not have prevented officer deaths and insists fewer killers would be convicted if it returns...Maybe start slowly by stop allowing Murderers out on BAIL
*Home Secretary Theresa May moved yesterday to damp down calls for a return of the death penalty after the murder of Manchester policewomen Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone.* The callous killing of the two PCs, aged 23 and 32 respectively, led to demands for capital punishment, abolished in 1965, to be restored. The calls were supported last week by Paul Beshenivsky, widowed husband of PC Sharon Beshenivsky, who was shot dead in Bradford in 2005. They receive further qualified backing in a new Mail on Sunday poll. But Mrs May told this newspaper last night that the death penalty woul... more »Obama’s Shaky Libya Narrative
*Sources say the attack on the Libyan ambassador was pre-meditated, with the possible collaboration of a Libyan politician. Eli Lake on the continuing collapse of the official U.S. line.* Ten days after the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, the White House’s official story about the incident appears to be falling apart. In the days following the killing of the U.S. ambassador and two ex-Navy SEALs, President Obama and top State Department officials portrayed the attack as a spontaneous reaction to an Internet video depicting the Muslim prophet Mohammad as a lasciviou... more »Medicare Bills Rise as Records Turn Electronic
*When the federal government began providing billions of dollars in incentives to push hospitals and physicians to use electronic medical and billing records, the goal was not only to improve efficiency and patient safety, but also to reduce health care costs.* But, in reality, the move to electronic health records may be contributing to billions of dollars in higher costs for Medicare, private insurers and patients by making it easier for hospitals and physicians to bill more for their services, whether or not they provide additional care. Hospitals received $1 billion more in Med... more »Egypt's New President Warns Obama: USA Must Change
*CAIRO — On the eve of his first trip to the United States as Egypt’s new Islamist president, Mohamed Morsi said the United States needed to fundamentally change its approach to the Arab world, showing greater respect for its values and helping build a Palestinian state, if it hoped to overcome decades of pent-up anger.* A former leader of the Muslim Brotherhood and Egypt’s first democratically elected president, Mr. Morsi sought in a 90-minute interview with The New York Times to introduce himself to the American public and to revise the terms of relations between his country and ... more »Chris Stevens: DIARY REVEALS THREAT WORRY
*(CNN) -- Four days after he was killed, CNN found a journal belonging to late U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens. The journal was found on the floor of the largely unsecured consulate compound where he was fatally wounded. * CNN notified Stevens' family about the journal within hours after it was discovered and at the family's request provided it to them via a third party. The journal consists of just seven pages of handwriting in a hard-bound book. For CNN, the ambassador's writings served as tips about the situation in Libya, and in Benghazi in particular. CNN took the newsw... more »Spain’s Catalonia Region Demands Independence
*Every September 11 the people of Catalonia, an independent region in northeast Spain, celebrate their “national day” — Diada — by taking the day off and parading through the streets of Barcelona. * In past years the celebration was a festival used by some citizens as an excuse to get some fresh air, make some noise, and have some fun. This year, nearly one-quarter of the region’s seven million citizens used the celebration as an excuse to swarm into Barcelona to protest Spain’s austerity measures, which have raised unemployment in Catalonia — referred to locally as Catalan — to ne... more »Portugal in crisis after 1 million say No to austerity
*BRUSSELS - Portugal is facing a massive backlash against troika-approved austerity measures to raise social contributions for employees.* Portuguese President Anibal Cavaco Silva is on Friday (21 September) to convene a rare meeting of the state council in a bid to defuse a political crisis linked to the controversial measure. Over 1 million people took to the streets of Portuguese cities on Saturday in protest at moves to boost social contributions from 11 percent to 18 percent for workers and to lower them from 25 percent to 18 percent for companies. The change would de facto s... more »Report: Troika considering second debt restructuring for Greece
*BRUSSELS - The troika of international lenders is considering a second debt restructuring for Greece, according to Financial Times Deutschland. * "There is such a discussion," a senior official told the paper. The discussion reportedly revolves around writing off Greece's first bailout of €110bn dating back to 2010, when eurozone states, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund cobbled together a bailout via bilateral loans. But neither the IMF or the ECB is willing to take any losses, putting the whole burden on eurozone governments, sources told the newspaper... more »Australia counters Chinese threat
*AUSTRALIA has been quietly building a regional defence coalition to restrain China's increasingly ''aggressive'' and ''autistic'' international behaviour, an influential adviser to the Pentagon says.* Edward Luttwak bluntly contradicts Australian and US denials that they see China as a threat or want to contain its rise. ''Australians view themselves as facing a strategic threat,'' he writes in his coming book, The Rise of China v The Logic of Strategy. The emerging latticework of regional defence arrangements augments ''the overall capacity of the US-Australian alliance to contai... more »Peterborough: Skydiver Dies After Mid-Air Collision
*A skydiver has died and another is in a serious condition after a mid-air collision near Peterborough, it has emerged.* The 53-year-old from London crashed into another skydiver about 50 feet above the ground in Sibson, near Peterborough, collapsing both men's parachutes. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The other skydiver, a 28-year-old from France, was left with severe injuries and airlifted to hospital. An air ambulance from emergency medical charity Magpas was sent to the scene, but paramedics were unable to save the more seriously injured man. A spokeswoman Magpas, which... more »UFO sighted over Carlton Gardens in Melbourne?
* A man claims to have captured footage of a UFO hovering across the city skyline here.* The three-minute clip was recorded as the UFO (unidentified flying object), hovered over Carlton Gardens last night. Tod, who did not want his surname published, said he captured the footage on his phone after he first saw the object about 9.30 PM (local time), the Herald Sun reported. Other witnesses have reported seeing it early in the evening. Tod said the object left the Carlton Gardens area about 11 PM (local time), flying past the Immigration Museum. "It was moving like no other flying o... more »7 dismembered bodies found in western Mexico
*Mexico City (CNN) -- Seven bodies that had been dismembered and burned were found in the western Mexican state of Michoacan on Saturday, authorities said.* According to the state prosecutor's office, the grisly discovery was made along a highway during an early morning army patrol. Seventeen bodies were found in the same area earlier this week. Various drug cartels -- including the Knights Templar, La Familia Michoacana, the Zetas and the Jalisco New Generation -- operate in the region and are battling for control. Michoacan is Mexican President Felipe Calderon's home state. Read... more »Ivory Coast closes Ghana border
(*CNN) -- Ivory Coast has closed its borders with Ghana after a brazen attack against its security forces left eight people dead, the country's defense minister said.* The attack occurred Thursday and carried into Friday morning when gunmen launched an assault against two police stations and a military post in the coastal town of Port-Bouet. The border town of Noe also was attacked, said Defense Minister Paul Koffi Koffi. Those responsible then fled to Ghana, though not before five of the gunmen were killed, officials said. Ivory Coast shares a more than 400-mile border with Ghana... more »Brian Claunch Killed: Houston police shoot wheelchair-bound amputee threatening people with pen
*(CNN) -- A Houston police officer shot and killed a schizophrenic, wheelchair-bound double amputee threatening people with a pen at a group home for the mentally ill after authorities said the man advanced on the officer's partner. * * *The shooting occurred early Saturday morning after police responded to a call that resident Brian Claunch was acting aggressively after his caretaker refused to give him a cigarette and a soda, the owner of the home and police said. "The officers made verbal commands for the suspect to drop whatever he had in his hand, to stay still and to speak wi... more »4.7 Magnitude Earthquake EASTERN TURKEY - 23rd September 2012
A magnitude 4.7 earthquake has struck EASTERN TURKEY at a depth of 21 km (13 miles), the quake hit at 09:10:42 UTC Sunday 23rd September 2012 The epicenter was 23 km (14.2 miles) Southeast of Adilcevaz, Turkey No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this timeKlaus in Telegraph: on final stages of destruction of democracy in the EU
The Telegraph is running a story on Czech President Klaus' view on the EU and promotes his new book to appear in the U.K. next week, Václav Klaus warns that the destruction of Europe's democracy may be in its final phase The book is called The Shattering of Illusions. It has 200 pages and costs £14.44. Our leader blames two-faced politicians not only in the typical PC parties but also politicians such as the U.K. conservatives for the trend. The British daily mentions some other worrying statements. Mr Guido Westerwelle, paradoxically from the German FDP, urges the EU to abo... more »4.2 Magnitude Earthquake OFF THE COAST OF CENTRAL PERU - 23rd September 2012
A magnitude 4.2 earthquake has struck OFF THE COAST OF CENTRAL PERU at a depth of 61.1 km (38 miles), the quake hit at 08:47:16 UTC Sunday 23rd September 2012 The epicenter was 89 km (55 miles) Southwest of Mala, Peru No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this timeWhy the Chinese won't conquer the world...
address-withheld@my.opera.com.invalid (Dr. John v. Kampen) at - 16 hours agoLink: http://youtu.be/wDpuNrA55-A Yet, the instructor was quick on the draw...! JohnChina envoy warns Canada against politicizing Nexen deal
*(Reuters) - China's ambassador to Canada warned in remarks published on Saturday against letting domestic politics drive the Canadian government's decision on whether to approve a Chinese state-owned oil company's proposed $15.1 billion takeover of Calgary-based Nexen Inc.* "Business is business. It should not be politicized," Ambassador Zhang Junsai said in an interview with Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper. "If we politicize all this, then we can't do business," he added, referring to the Canadian Industry Ministry's review of CNOOC Ltd's proposal to buy the Canadian oil and ga... more »Former ECB official Orphanides warns euro risks breakup without bank union
* (Reuters) - The euro zone risks disintegration unless governments can agree on a banking union underpinned by a universal deposit safety net, former European Central Bank policymaker Athanasios Orphanides said on Saturday.* Orphanides, who was a member of the ECB Governing Council until May, said critics of unified deposit insurance - notably Germany - were harming the 17-nation region by allowing marked differences in bank interest rates and the safety of customer deposits from country to country. The European Commission unveiled sweeping plans for the ECB to supervise all euro... more »TOM ENDERS; BOEING TO MERGE WITH EADS AND BAE?
*Enders and Rice* Boeing may soon find that it is no longer number one. OR, Boeing may merge with its European rivals BAE and EADS. The currently proposed BAE-EADS merger would create the world's largest defence and commercial aviation company. EADS, the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company, is a European aerospace and defence corporation run by a very pro-American German called *Tom Enders*. The group includes Airbus. BAE is British. *Enders* BAE is currently a major supplier to Boeing and Lockheed Martin. Why BAE-EADS merger is double trouble for Boeing The boss o... more »Syrian rebels say they've downed a fighter jet
*Sept. 22 - Syrian rebels say they have shot down a government Mig warplane, in video obtained by Reuters.*Pakistan buries those killed during anti-Islam film protest
*Sept. 22 - Pakistanis reflect on the violent demonstrations that killed 15 people and wounded hundreds a day after crowds took to the streets to protest an anti-Islam film. Deborah Gembara reports.*Former Iranian president Rafsanjani's Daughter taken to prison
*(Reuters) - The daughter of influential former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani was taken to prison late on Saturday to serve a six-month sentence for "spreading anti-state propaganda," Iranian media reported.* Faezeh Rafsanjani, a former member of parliament, was convicted in January and sentenced to jail. The conviction is believed to be over an interview she gave to an opposition news site in which she criticised human rights violations and economic policy in Iran. Gholamhossein Esmaili, Iran's prisons chief, was quoted by the Mehr news agency as saying she was take... more »Egypt's Morsi calls on US to fulfill its commitment to Palestinian self-Rule
*If Egypt is to keep its Camp David commitments to Israel, America should also make good on its commitments from 1978, the Egyptian president explained.* On the eve of his first flight to the United States, where he will attend the United Nations General Assembly, Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi called on the U.S. to make good on its commitment to Palestinian self-rule. In an interview with the New York Times, published Saturday night, Morsi equated Egypt's commitment to peace with Israel to the U.S. commitment to the Palestinians. “As long as peace and justice are not fulfilled... more »Drunken driver kills seven at Moscow bus stop
*(Reuters) - A drunken driver ploughed his car into a bus stop in Moscow on Saturday, killing seven people and injuring three others, police said.* The driver, who was detained and could face nine years in jail, had his license suspended in 2010 for drunk driving, police said. Interfax news agency quoted a police official as saying he was driving at about 200 km per hour (125 mph). "As a result of a test that was conducted, it was determined that at the time of the accident the driver was in a state of alcoholic intoxication," a statement on the Moscow police website said. Death r... more »David Villalobos Faces arrest after being Mauled by Tiger
*Before his tangle with a Bronx Zoo tiger, David Villalobos adorned his Facebook page with New Age odes to Mother Earth and affirmations like: "Be love and fearless."* Police said Mr Villalobos had told detectives it was without fear that he leaped from an elevated train into the animal's den. His reason, they said, was that "he wanted to be one with the tiger". Mr Villalobos, 25, also recounted how, after he landed on all fours, the animal attacked him and dragged him around by his foot, said New York Police Department spokesman Paul Browne. Despite serious injuries, the estate age... more »Top Iran Commander Warns for First Time of Potential Israel War
*The commander in chief of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps. for the first time said Israel may attempt to attack the Persian Gulf country, a move he said would result in the Jewish country’s destruction.* “The Zionist regime seeks to go to war with us and it’s unclear when such a war would be,” Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari said yesterday in Tehran, according to the state-run Mehr news agency. “They don’t realize that if they undertake this act they will be destroyed.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak have indicated that, as Iran proceeds with ... more »Anti-Islam film: Pakistan minister's bounty condemned
*The Pakistani PM's spokesman has condemned a minister's $100,000 (£61,600) reward for the killing of the maker of an amateur anti-Islam video. * Shafqat Jalil told the BBC the government "absolutely disassociated" itself from comments by Railways Minister Ghulam Ahmad Bilour. The film, produced in the US, has led to a wave of protests in the Muslim world and many deaths. The bounty offer came a day after at least 20 died in clashes in Pakistan. Friday's violence, which saw protesters pitted against armed police, occurred in cities throughout Pakistan, with Karachi and Peshawar amon... more »Megan Stammers: Family's Plea For Missing Girl To Come Home
* The parents of a 15-year-old girl who has fled to France have appealed for her to come home.* Megan Stammers, from Eastbourne in East Sussex, is thought to have travelled across the Channel with 30-year old Jeremy Forrest. Sussex Police say they do not believe the teenager is at risk but are liaising with French authorities to try to get her back. Her father Martin said: "We just want Megan to make contact with us. We are worried and miss her terribly. Please get in touch, Megan." Detective Inspector Andy Harbour, of East Sussex CID, said she travelled from Dover to Calais at ar... more »Fake Pilot 'Hitched A Free Ride In Cockpit'
*A 32-year-old unemployed Italian man used false IDs, a cap and uniform to convince crew he was a qualified pilot, police say.* An unemployed man wore a pilot's uniform to hitch a free ride in the cockpit of a commercial flight, Italian police claim. The 32-year-old was stopped at Turin's Caselle airport on suspicion of using false IDs, a cap and uniform to convince crew he was a qualified pilot. He managed to fly for free inside the cockpit aboard a flight from Munich, Germany, to Turin in April, according to Carabinieri paramilitary police. The two real pilots flew the Air Dolom... more »5.3 Magnitude Earthquake FIJI REGION - 23rd September 2012
A magnitude 5.3 earthquake has struck the FIJI REGION at a depth of 22.6 km (14 miles), the quake hit at 06:40:53 UTC Sunday 23rd September 2012 The epicenter was 226 km (140 miles) WNW of Lautoka, Fiji No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this timeAlberta NDP’s Brian Mason lays claim to Tory Peter Lougheed’s legacy
Free of his moustache, Alberta NDP Leader Brian Mason addresses his party’s 50th annual convention in Edmonton yesterday. Below: Federal NDP Opposition Leader Thomas Mulcair, who also spoke yesterday; former Alberta Conservative Premier Peter Lougheed. Freshly shorn of his trademark moustache, Alberta New Democratic Party Leader Brian Mason made the implicit explicit yesterday at the ... more »Tipping the Balance of Power
How to really change the world - and it's easier than you think. * *Tony Cartalucci Land Destroyer September 23, 2012 * * Democracy is a Form of Oppression The modern concept of "democracy" is perhaps the most effective form of human oppression ever devised. It has single-handedly convinced billions of people around the world that if only they cast their vote at each election, struggle behind their favorite politicians and pet political causes, they can change the world. And as each side of any given political paradigms struggles against each other, a singular agenda continues to m... more »A Blink Of An Eye Is All You Have Left To Go
*A blink of an eye is all you have left to go.* Michael channeled by Ron Head September 22, 2012 in Michael, Ron's Channeled Messages Today is the day of your equinox. We would not call it autumnal or vernal, as doing so would cheat those living on half of your planet. Whichever it is for you, we hope that you are enjoying this day in good health and good spirits. You are in the home stretch, the ninth inning, the fourth quarter now. Pick your own metaphor. And even though the score is on your favor, it is now time to bear down and drive hard to the finish. Perhaps, all th... more »BOMBSHELL: US Neo-Cons, State Department Behind Terror Wave in Russia
Land Destroyer - 21 hours ago
Barbarians at the Gate: Terrorism, the US, and the Subversion of Russia. Eric Draitser StopImperialism.com August 22, 2012 The shootings and bombings in Ingushetia and Dagestan this week rekindled a long-standing, brutal campaign of violence and terrorism in Russia’s Caucasus region – one that has seen more than its share of terror stretching back to the Chechen “rebellion” of the 1990s. However, in examining the recent attacks, it becomes clear that there are political and geopolitical interests behind the scenes that are actively working to destabilize Russia, with violence as th... more »Too Early To Sift Through The Ashes of The GOP?
Friday an increasingly deflated Noah Millman wrote in the *American Conservative* that what's gone wrong for his team isn't just that Romney is a terrible candidate. He makes a good case that the GOP sucks as well. I wonder how many right-wing congressional candidates read why he's now "convinced that what has changed the dynamics of this election has been a fundamental reevaluation not merely-- or even primarily-- of the two candidates, but of the two parties. This election is becoming nationalized, and it is becoming nationalized in the context of an across-the-board swing in th... more »Occupy The Public Language
*The totalitarian term "conspiracy theory" does not belong in the post-Occupy world.* "A representative Argentine community bound together by memories, historical conditions, and a shared narrative of the past named the period 1976–83 simply *the dictatorship*, all in lowercase. Later in the 1980s it was called *the Process*. *Dirty war* was the name proposed by the military junta, which sought to give the government’s terrorist violence the guise of an internal war, even as its systematic methodology of detentions, tortures, disappearances, and kidnappings of children born in c... more »The Queen of Corporate-Fascist Faux "Democracy"
Aung San Suu Kyi Goes to Washington - exposes US "democracy promotion" as corporate-fascist racket. *by Tony Cartalucci * *Key Points* - Aung San Suu Kyi and her movement are creations of Western corporate-financier interests. - Suu Kyi has recently received a series of suspect "awards" from corporate-financier sponsored institutions. - Awarding institutions represent the antithesis of Suu Kyi's alleged ideals of "democracy," "freedom," and "human rights." - Suu Kyi's movement has been recently exposed as genocidal bigots, which is perhaps the reason the U... more »Drug war ensnares big banks for letting Mexico cartels stash cash
* **Prosecutors in the US and Mexico have banks in their crosshairs for helping drug smugglers and money launderers transfer and hold their illegal earnings.* GlobalPost Nathaniel Parish Flannery Fake notes were hung out to dry during a protest in front of HSBC in Mexico City on July 30. The bank was fined for failing to apply anti-money laundering rules. On the facade of the tall HSBC bank headquarters here, there’s a dark reflection of the Angel of Independence monument, one of the most iconic landmarks in this capital city. The towering bank’s central location at the Plaza of In... more »Subverting Sanctions: Iran’s Strategic Economic Development
Stop Imperialism Eric Draitser The ongoing overt and covert war against Iran, instigated by the United States and Israel primarily, seeks to isolate Iran politically, militarily and, most importantly, economically. The Western imperialists have as their goal no less than full-scale war with Iran, a key regional power and one that the United States has failed to control or otherwise manipulate since the revolution of 1979. Their attempts to demonize Iran as an international pariah and an irrational actor on the world stage have been repeatedly thwarted, most recently at the Non... more »The Myth Of The Jewish Race
I and others in the real truth movement have been trying to get the message out to everyone about the criminals who believe themselves to be the "Chosen Ones", and are out to enslave all of the rest of mankind. I am of course speaking of those who call themselves "Jews". I have always been perplexed about the nature of Judaism itself, and about its true origins. I have long come to the conclusion that we are dealing with a group of people who's entire past is nothing more than a myth and a massive fraud. For this article, I want to present the following very interesting article... more »Winter of the World
To say I've been over the moon this weekend would be an understatement. After waiting for more than a year, the second book of the The Century Trilogy has finally hit the book shelves. Generally I tend to read more academic stuff but since this book fits into the historical fiction genre I'll gladly make an exception. ..and I did get a 30% discount too as it turned out. Truth be told, I only stumbled across this author by accident and had never even heard of Ken Follett before. He's been a published author since around the time I started Kindergarten in the '70's....who knew? ... more »Jon Stewart reports on right-wing "Chaos on Bullshit Mountain" -- and Sarah Silverman's seen the mountaintop too
*Sarah S, exploring the brave new world of voter-ID laws, sez: "Look, you want fair, move to Canada!"* *"No Photo No Voto"*: *"How 'bout this bullshit? Some students, like in Tennessee, because of the new voter-identification laws will not be able to use their student IDs to vote, but -- and this is amazing -- gun owners can use their firearms permits as ID to vote! It makes perfect sense: Get these kids gun permits! Uh, I feel safer from voter fraud already!" Sarah's arming her nana too! (See www.LetMyPeopleVote2012.com.)* *by Ken* Our friend Jack passed along this amazing Sarah Si... more »Gangnam Style and IR
So North Korea has issued a "Gangnam Style" video to mock a South Korean presidential candidate, Park Guen Hye, from the ruling conservative party. According to Malaysia's *The Sun Daily*: "The parody, posted on the official government website Uriminzokkiri, shows a crudely photo-shopped image of Park doing the "horse-riding dance" created by South Korean rapper Psy on the original "Gangnam Style" video. The North Korean version mocks Park as a devoted admirer of the "Yushin" system of autocratic rule set up by her father, Park Chung-Hee, after he seized power in South Korea in a ... more »U.S. Foreign Policy and the Challenge of Spiritual Engagement, by Dr. Douglas M. Johnston
YouTube Video Description [Channel - Rumi Forum For Interfaith Dialogue]: "Dr. Douglas M. Johnston is a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration and a Ph.D. in Political Science from Harvard University. He has served in senior positions in both the public and private sectors. Among his government assignments, he was deputy assistant secretary of the navy; director of policy planning and management in the Office of the Secretary of Defense; and planning officer with the President's Office of Emergency Preparedness. He has ta... more »Frithjof Schuon - The Primordial Man & The Noble Man
*Wikipedia*: Following World War II, Schuon accepted an invitation to travel to the American West, where he lived for several months among the Plains Indians, in whom he always had a deep interest. Having received his education in France, Schuon has written all his major works in French, which began to appear in English translation in 1953. Of his first book, *The Transcendent Unity of Religions* (London, Faber & Faber) T. S. Eliot wrote: "I have met with no more impressive work in the comparative study of Oriental and Occidental religion. Frithjof Schuon - The Primordial Man... more »ANY FIRST STRIKE ON IRAN BY ISRAEL IS IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT THE U.S.
Any strike against Iran by Israel cannot possibly be ‘unilateral’. All talk of such a strike should be treated with the contempt it deserves because it does not reflect reality in any way. There are four necessities that Israel must have in order to be able to launch a first strike against Iran – and all four can only be provided to them by the US. They are: first, fuel. Israel gets all its military fuel from the US. This includes literally millions of litres of JP-8 military jet fuel, millions of litres of gasoline and millions of litres of diesel fuel for its ground forces for use... more »You might be a Conservative if ...
You don't think "The Simpsons" is all that funny, but you watch it because that Flanders fellow makes a lot of sense.Hawk Elder Edna Gordon: The Natural Law of Creation
*Hawk Elder Edna Gordon on Survival and Sovereignty* ** *Censored News http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com* * *Thank you Grandma Gordon, 91 years old, for sharing this message for the people with Censored News, written with your own handwriting! *By Seneca Hawk Elder Edna Gordon* *Broomstick Revolution with Harvey Arden should be out soon. We also have speak in October. I speak to all people to read the Censored News, to become alert to the events affecting our people of all Nations.* *Survival on the Pathway to Peace* The Fundamental Roots of Peace is to abide by our Naturalistic Wa... more »Nineteenth Century English Schools for the Poor in Yuma, AZ: Only the Monitors Have Been Swapped Out
Above is an illustration of cutting edge pedagogy in the early 19th Century for English children who could not afford private schools. The monitorial system was based on older boys monitoring younger ones who parroted back memorized lessons before they could move up to the next row. As many as 500 boys could be schooled in these learning sweat shops by a single teacher. The monitorial system was invented by Joseph Lancaster, who argued for education of the poor based on the need for social control and efficiency. And below is the inside of Carpe Diem Charter School in Yuma, AZ... more »Funniest Economist On the Scene Today, Why QE3 Will Only Jumpstart Those Already Jumping On Your Pocketbook, & Romney Releases Scoundrel Tax Return Records
Funniest economist on the scene today? (Or just too intelligent and courageous for words?) Okay, there are several others. But this guy has my vote for being the best. Par excellence. And if you don't take the time to listen to this, you probably aren't wise enough to survive the coming really bad times (in the U.S. - not in the countries where the U.S. corporations have relocated to, ofAngry White Men Go Crazy, Keep Aged Leader, Lose Sole MLA
The Gods must be smiling down on Crispy Clark. Her right of centre rivals, the B.C. Conservatives, have imploded. After the Cons' leader, Geriatric John Cummins, was backed by a 71% vote, the party's sole MLA, former Lib John van Dongen got into a car and sailed off into the sunset. JvD says he'll sit as an Independent but won't return to the B.C. Libs u so long as Clark is premier. If the B.C. Cons can't attract viable candidates to run an effective campaign next year, the Libs will be in a much better position to fight the NDP challenge. Only in B.C.Mankiw vs. DeLong and Krugman on the CEA’s Real GDP Forecasts in Early 2009: What Might a Time Series Econometrician Have Said?
This post takes its title from a new article at *Econ Journal Watch*. Here is the abstract: In early 2009, the incoming Obama administration’s Council of Economic Advisers predicted real GDP would rebound strongly from recession levels. In a blog post, Greg Mankiw expressed skepticism. In their blogs, Brad DeLong and Paul Krugman sighed. Of course there would be strong growth, they maintained, because the recovery of employment would mandate it via Okun’s Law. Mankiw challenged Krugman to a bet on the issue, but there was no response. Of course we now have a good idea of the likely... more »
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