Hello
This blog’s been created in the hope that knowledge is power, and the
certainty that ignorance is its antithesis. It’s mainly a compilation
of information and insight from various sources that I thought worth
passing along.
I’ll be tossing in my grossly overvalued two cents, as well (denoted
by asterisks). That said, I’d like to think I’m smart enough to know
what I don’t know, and that I’ll make that clear when necessary.
I’m happy to hear from folks. Disagreement is welcome, but only if
it’s civil. You can be as vociferous as you wish, but personal attacks
will simply be flushed as soon as they’re apparent.
Let’s do the mensch thing.
Make sense? If so, you can leave a comment or reach me at unlikelysource@gmail.com .
And a note on DEMOCRACY NOW! posts:
I may be stating the obvious, but it’s a good idea to check the DN!
Headlines every weekday.
There’s a link to them at the top right of each segment I post, and of
course you can go to http://www.democracynow.org on the rare days when
I don’t have anything from the program.
Thanks for visiting. I hope you’ll find it worth your while.
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ADDED 10/27/11 – THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES page
Let me know what you think.
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5/18/12 – I started leaving my comments on Common Dreams pieces on the article page a little over a month ago. Occasionally there’s a response, and I go beyond the initial remarks.
(That’s also the case at the FAIR Blog.)
If you’re interested, click on the links to the articles and search on “Doug Latimer” to view the additional commentary.
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1/1/13 – For about a year, I’ve been working with some Veterans For Peace folks on a public access program out of Madison, WI.
You can view it in real time at http://wyou.org, currently Thursdays at 11am, Fridays at 8pm and Saturdays at 6am.
We also have a YouTube channel, http://youtube.com/vfppeacetime, with a few of the shows posted, and more to come.
Have a look, if you’re so inclined, and pass along any thoughts.
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* Do what your conscience demands
And your courage allows
And never be satisfied with the limits of either *
May 2013
5/22
Rallying Cry: Citizens Worldwide to Unite in ‘March Against Monsanto’
Dr. Vandana Shiva: “The March against Monsanto is a call to end the dictatorship over seeds, over life, over food and over our freedom.”
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/22-9
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New Interactive Map Shows Flight Path of CIA’s Rendition Flights
UK Researchers illuminate CIA rendition: track CIA flights, victims, and rendition details
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/22-1
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Documents Show Exxon Lied in Aftermath of Tar Sands Pipeline Rupture
Oil giant knew of dangerous toxins in Arkansas’ Lake Conway, yet claimed waterway was “oil free”
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/22-6
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Pesticide Producers Turn to ‘Bee-Washing’ to Fight Backlash
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/22-10
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The Discontent of Our Winter
Are reliable seasons gone for good?
by Sandra Steingraber
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/22-4
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Farmworkers Fight Wendy’s, the ‘Last Holdout’ on Fair Food
by Michelle Chen
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/22
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Rahm Emanuel’s Zombie Pigs vs. Chicago’s Angry Birds
by Dave Zirin
*A most flagrant foul
But don’t expect the refs to eject Emanuel from the game.
That will take the folks in the stands storming the court.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/22-7
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Constitutional Rights Attorneys, Media Challenge Secrecy of Manning Court Martial in Civilian Court
CCR new lawsuit in civilian court is last option to open trial
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/05/22-8
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FAIR Blog
What an Anonymous U.S. Official Says About Iranians in Syria
*Whether the FSA actually believes there’s an Iranian presence is debatable.
It’s in their interest to put out such a line, whether they think it’s true or not, isn’t it?
Propaganda may be true, have some element of truth to it, or be wholly fallacious.
Time will tell where this fits on that spectrum.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/05/22/what-an-anonymous-u-s-official-says-about-iranians-in-syria/
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Apple’s Empty Tax Argument
*No, labor didn’t start this class war.
That’s the problem, isn’t it? That’s why these corps have such power.
It’s why they even exist.
Most labor “leaders” work hand in glove with the likes of Clinton and Obama to make sure the system runs smoothly
For those who run it.
They posture about “workers’ rights”, while doing nothing of consequence to prevent their erosion, fulfilling their function of constricting dissent, and creating the illusion of some counterbalance to plutocracy.
But you shall know them by the stench of their fetid fruits.
http://www.accuracy.org/release/apples-empty-tax-argument/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
After 3 Trials, Memphis Prisoner Timothy McKinney Wins Freedom by Pleading Guilty to Crime He Denies
*The state doesn’t give a damn about justice for the victim. It wants a conviction, and any black man will do.
Bastards like Harris and Henderson should be charged with murder if their actions lead to the death of an innocent person, or one who was denied a fair trial and executed, and with lesser appropriate charges in any case that deprives such persons of their liberty due to their duplicity.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/22/after_3_trials_memphis_prisoner_timothy
Other than Honorable: Army Strips Benefits of Wounded Veterans by Kicking Them Out for Misconduct
*This doesn’t have a goddamn thing to do with “downsizing”, other than the fact that the military would rather spend billions on unnecessary weaponry than take care of these shattered soldiers.
And the politicians screaming about “hollowing out the Defense Department” are silent on this, aren’t they?
That’s because, unlike weapons manufacturers, these people can’t fill their campaign coffers every election cycle.
The empire spits out its used cannon fodder once they can no longer serve its needs.
And all the pious proclamations on “honoring the troops” can’t conceal that injustice, can they?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/22/other_than_honorable_army_strips_benefits
Editor of The Progressive Calls for Eric Holder to Resign over Spying on Press, Occupy Protesters
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/22/editor_of_the_progressive_calls_for
Dissent or Terror: Counterterrorism Apparatus Used to Monitor Occupy Movement Nationwide
*Big Brother is watching you
And Big Business gets a gander, too
5/21
A ‘Nonviolent Army of Love’ Rises in North Carolina to Face Down Rightwing’s Assault on Progress
Movement gathers around ‘Moral Monday’ protests aimed at fighting off GOP takeover
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Will this go the way of “The Wisconsin Uprising”, with all this energy funneled into the dead end of Democratic Party electioneering?
We see the fallout from that, with Scott Walker and his smart ALECky henchpeople in the legislature continuing their onslaught on the poor and working class, while those still protesting are constantly harassed by the Capitol cops in the name of “good order”.
May these folks learn the lessons of that catastrophe of cooptation.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/21-2
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Police Use Tasers Against Foreclosure Activists Outside Dept. of Justice
“Stop! Fucking stop!” screams protester demonstrating against too-big-to-jail-banks
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/21-1
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Further Austerity Will Subject Seniors To Even Deeper Poverty: Report
Current levels of poverty are far greater than official Census numbers show and will get worse if cuts continue
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/21-5
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For Climate Solution, Look to the Ground
Soil, that humble brown stuff we call dirt, is part of the answer to saving our future
by Judith Schwartz
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/21
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Afghan Voices Tell the Tales of Human Lives Cut Short by US War
by Kathy Kelly
*This is a moving piece, as are the others I’ve read from Kelly and VCNV over the years about the horrors empire has inflicted on these people.
But I’m always at a loss as to why that “choice” of war is never explained.
It was not for “justice”
And it was not for “revenge”
And only the willfully blind can say it was for “democracy” and “the liberation of women”.
It was for what empires always seek
Wealth and power.
It falls to us to put to lie to those used to justify these iniquities.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/21-6
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America has a Fundamental Problem with People Who Hate Gay People
A recent hate crime in New York City highlights the culture of hate that we have to change to protect people from violence
by Sharon Stapel
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/21-9
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Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
CREW Sues IRS to Revise Rules Governing 501(C)(4) Groups
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/05/21-0
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FAIR Blog
Problems at PBS, From Rose to Koch
*Save public broadcasting
From itself
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/05/21/problems-at-pbs-from-rose-to-koch/
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Whistleblower Coleen Rowley on Obama “Transparency”
*A Nobel Peace Prize
A “Transparency Award”
What’s next?
“The Least Among Us” Award for his tireless efforts on behalf of the the poor and downtrodden?
http://www.accuracy.org/release/whistleblower-coleen-rowley-on-obama-transparency/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
“The Unimaginable Has Happened”: Massive Tornado Kills Dozens, Flattens Suburb of Oklahoma City
*So are the state and national media hounding Coburn and Inhofe with questions about their heartlessness?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/21/the_unimaginable_has_happened_massive_tornado
Why Austerity Kills: From Greece to U.S., Crippling Economic Policies Causing Global Health Crisis
*It is not a “mistake”, and it is not an “experiment”.
It is the deliberate immiseration of the masses as the system falls apart, and its operators try to preserve their position, with no thought to how it all ends.
They are addicted to power and wealth
And unless we eradicate it
Their disease will be the death of us all.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/21/why_austerity_kills_from_greece_to
5/20
Foreclosed Homeowners ‘Move In’ to the Dept. of Justice
‘Banks stole our homes so we’re moving in to the #DeptofJustice.’
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/20-6
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Study: Human Disaster Looms if Global Temps Rise 4ºC
‘A calamity for large swaths of the planet’
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/20-0
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Rise Up or Die
by Chris Hedges
*So, just how do we rise up?
Where are the groupings that mirror within themselves the world they claim a commitment to creating?
Where is that sense of community?
Without it, we have celebrity activism, and atomized actions unconnected to a greater whole.
I haven’t found it.
Has anyone else?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/20-1
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Obama DOJ Formally Accuses Journalist in Leak Case of Committing Crimes
Yet another serious escalation of the Obama administration’s attacks on press freedoms emerges
by Glenn Greenwald
*Yes, this is all outrageous, and dangerous.
But there’s a profound irony in the outcry from the corpress, isn’t there?
If they had done their journalistic duty in the first place, revealing the sins of the powerful to the people, there would never have been the political climate that has made this possible.
But they were mute, or complicit, on so many crimes, as long as it didn’t impact them
And they will remain so on most anything that doesn’t.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/20-3
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The Globalization of Hypocrisy
by Paul Buchheit
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/20-0
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The Chicago Board of Education Votes This Week Whether to Shut Down Fifty-four Schools
by Allison Kilkenny
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/20-7
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Center for Media and Democracy
Dissent or Terror: New Report Details How Counter Terrorism Apparatus Was Used to Monitor Occupy Movement Nationwide
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/05/20
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FAIR Blog
Bum Rap: The U.S. Role in Guatemalan Genocide
*For the corpress, the history of ignoring such history
Alway repeats itself
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/05/20/bum-rap-the-u-s-role-in-guatemalan-genocide/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Coalition of Immokalee Workers Targets Wendy’s in Fair Food Campaign to Improve Wages, Conditions
*So how does Dear Misleader back his endorsement?
And would there be any endorsement if he weren’t posturing for the Latino vote?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/20/coalition_of_immokalee_workers_targets_wendys
Geoengineering: Can We Save the Planet by Messing with Nature?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/20/geoengineering_can_we_save_the_planet
Seattle Teachers, Students Win Historic Victory Over Standardized Testing
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/20/seattle_teachers_students_win_historic_victory
5/17
Unsubscribe: Threat of ‘Koch Hate’ Spawns ‘People’s Takeover’
Campaign attempts to outbid the billionaires as readers vow to flee
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*The Kochs calling the shots would be worse
But isn’t this what the phrase “a difference in degree, not kind” was coined to encapsule?
By all means, cancel subs
But let’s not pretend that the corpress collusion that defines mainstream journalism is a standard worth defending.
Whichever bastards are behind the bylines
The motto remains the same
“All the News That’s Printed to Fit”
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/17-4
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Experts: Fed’s Push for More Wiretapping a Recipe for Security Disaster
A group of 20 security experts warns against FBI’s proposal for “sweeping overhaul of surveillance laws”
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/17
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Aaron Swartz’s Last Gift: Site Launches Whistleblower Safe House
In era of “most aggressive government assaults on press freedom,” new open source dropbox provides “secure route” for leaks
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/17-3
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Gitmo Activists Mark 100th Day of Hunger Strike With Media ‘Storm’
Protests to bring greater awareness to ongoing detention and torture at Guantanamo
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/17-0
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Genetically Modified Democracy: Monsanto and Congress Move to Stomp on Your Rights
by Ronnie Cummins
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/17-4
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Superbugs: Those Uninvited Guests at Your Barbecue
With most samples of several common store-bought meats testing positive for antibiotic-resistant “superbugs,” factory farming practices must change.
by Jill Richardson
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/17-1
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Fighting Poverty Through Wall Street Accountability
by Greg Kaufmann
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/17-7
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Hospitals Should be Care Providers not Loan Sharks
by Deborah Burger
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/17-5
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San Onofre at the No Nukes Brink
by Harvey Wasserman
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/17
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Farm Bill Fiasco: What Next for the Food Movement?
by Christopher Cook
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/17-8
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FAIR Blog
You’re to Blame for Factory Deaths. Well, You and Walmart
*Somehow I doubt Surowiecki would blame the “insatiable demand” for cotton goods for the existence of slavery.
Or that he’d be able to explain the difference.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/05/17/youre-to-blame-for-factory-deaths-well-you-and-walmart/
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Is There Really a ‘Scandal Trifecta’?
*Of course, the corpress doesn’t situate itself between all competing claims
Only those between ostensibly hostile elites
And only when there is some discordance between them.
When all are in agreement, such as on the virtues of “the free market” or righteous US exceptionalism
They can be counted on to add their voice to the harmonizing, can’t they?
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/05/17/is-there-really-a-scandal-trifecta/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Obama Worse Than Nixon? Pentagon Papers Attorney Decries AP Phone Probe, Julian Assange Persecution
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/17/obama_worse_than_nixon_pentagon_papers
Released from Prison, Climate Activist Tim DeChristopher on Civil Disobedience & Building Movements
*What DeChristopher said regarding what he learned in prison displays a much broader view of justice and injustice than most environmentalists have, and it’s one they need to understand is vital for any profound change to occur on the issues they myopically focus on.
You can’t save the planet
If you can’t see what’s at the heart of its peril
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/17/released_from_prison_climate_activist_tim
5/16
Pentagon ‘Rewrites Constitution’ Affirming Endless War
Senate hearing on the Authorization for Use of Military Force confirms congressional war powers rendered ‘null and void’
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Empire on auto pilot
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/16-6
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‘Canary in the Ocean’: Massive Fish Flight Shows Climate Change is Here
Study shows unprecedented worldwide fish migration as waters warm
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/16-2
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Canada Vows Plunder in the Arctic
Arctic states convene in Sweden to “promote cooperation” in the exploitation of the polar region
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Greed to the last drop
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/16-3
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New Fracking Rules Show US Bowing to Industry
Regulations go from minimal to ‘harebrained’ as BLM proposes fracker handout
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/16-7
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Will US Military’s ‘Pivot’ Bring Vieques Redux to Pacific?
Proposals to use entire island of Pagan for air, land and water weapons trainings could bring ‘irreparable harm’
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/16-0
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Know-Nothing Security: No One is Safe
by Robert C. Koehler
*Acutely aware that we seldom fear what we understand
It’s the charge of the propagandist to ensure we remain ignorant
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/16
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New Era for Labor: Creative Defiance from the Factory to the Street
by Laura Flanders
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/16-5
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The Quiet Disaster: European Bees in Trouble
by Melody Ermachild Chavis
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/16-10
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Public Citizen
IRS Controversy Does Not Diminish Need for Fair and Balanced Disclosure of Corporate Political Spending
SEC Should Continue Its Nonpartisan Rulemaking for Transparency
*Using a tea party tempest
To flush transparency down the pot
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/05/16-2
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Food & Water Watch
Electric Utilities Top List of U.S. Toxic Water Polluters
Report shows 20 polluters responsible for 83 percent of the total hazard posed by industrial water pollution
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/05/16-1
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FAIR Blog
The Supreme Court Is an Ass
*By that line of “reasoning” – and I use the term advisedly – you should expect no right to privacy regarding your health care details, as your provider is a “third party”.
Newspeak is old news, innit?
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/05/16/the-supreme-court-is-an-ass/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
“The Other IRS Scandal”: David Cay Johnston on Dark Money Political Groups Seeking Tax Exemption
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/16/the_other_irs_scandal_david_cay
Debate: What Caused Cooper Union’s Fiscal Woes and Is Ending Free Tuition the Answer?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/16/debate_what_caused_cooper_unions_fiscal
5/15
The collapse of journalism and the journalism of collapse: From royal, to prophetic, to apocalyptic
by Robert Jensen
*From courtesans
To clarions
The Lobster Boat vs. The Coal Freighter as Climate Activists Blockade Power Plant
In a David vs. Goliath scenario the Henry David T. puts itself between Energy Enterprise and New England’s largest coal plant
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/15-2
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States Brace for Monsanto’s ‘Big Stick’ in GMO Labeling Fight
As New England states back new legislation, labeling supporters prepare for Big Biotech’s legal assault
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/15-5
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In Ominous Development, US Navy Makes Historic Drone Launch
Experts say aircraft carrier capability will widely expand range and use of pilot-less bombers
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Predators and Reapers aren’t designed for stealth
Because they’re designed to terrorize
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/15-1
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Improve Working Conditions in Bangladesh? Walmart Says ‘No’
Following worst factory tragedy in world history, Walmart snubs workers’ rights
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/15-6
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Mining Project to Unleash ‘Environmental Vandalism on a Grand Scale’
Australian government’s OK to controversial bauxite mining operations will turn “World Heritage Area into a shipping superhighway,” say environmental groups
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*”And nothing’s as precious
As a hole in the ground”
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/15-4
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How the US Turned Three Pacifists into Violent Terrorists
by Fran Quigley
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/15-7
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The Major Sea Change in Media Discussions of Obama and Civil Liberties
The controversies over the IRS and especially the AP phone records appear to have long-lasting effects
by Glenn Greenwald
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/15-4
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The Fire Next Time: Media Advice for Reporting this Year’s Climate Change Stories
by John Atcheson
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/15-1
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Seattle Test Boycott Victory: One Step in the Struggle for Quality Education
by Jesse Hagopian
*Filling in the circle of solidarity
In a high stakes test of will
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/15-3
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The IRS Should Do More, Not Less, Scrutinizing of Political Groups
Since Citizens United, the super rich are using nonprofits to shield their political spending. They need more oversight
by Arn Pearson
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/15-2
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Despite Horrific Repression, the U.S. Should Stay Out of Syria
by Stephen Zunes
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/15-8
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Milwaukee Workers Organizing Committee
Fast Food and Retail Strikes Spread to Milwaukee, Fifth City in Recent Weeks
Inspired by Walmart and New York City, Chicago, St. Louis and Detroit Fast Food Walkouts, Hundreds of Milwaukee Workers Strike Dozens of Major National Fast Food and Retail Chains
Raise Up MKE’s Action Calls for $15 and the Right to Form a Union Without Interference; Aims to Get Milwaukee Economy Moving Again
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/05/15-3
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US PIRG
Proposed Farm Bills Continue Giant Giveaways to Big Agribusiness
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/05/15-5
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Was Benghazi “Consulate” a CIA Front?
http://www.accuracy.org/release/was-benghazi-consulate-a-cia-front/
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FAIR Media Advisory
Justice Department Attacks the Press
AP records seizure a troubling fishing expedition
http://fair.org/take-action/media-advisories/justice-department-attacks-the-press/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Chris Hedges: Monitoring of AP Phones a “Terrifying” Step in State Assault on Press Freedom
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/15/chris_hedges_monitoring_of_ap_phones
Nobel Laureate Rigoberta Menchú Hails Genocide Conviction of Ex-Guatemalan Dictator Ríos Montt
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/15/nobel_laureate_rigoberta_mench_hails_genocide
Allan Nairn: After Ríos Montt Verdict, Time for U.S. to Account for Its Role in Guatemalan Genocide
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/15/allan_nairn_after_ros_montt_verdict
5/14
Revealed: How US State Department ‘Twists Arms’ on Monsanto’s Behalf
Selling seeds, selling out democracy: US State Department does biotech industry’s bidding
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/14-2
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As IRS Scandal Spirals, Progressives Defend Rights ‘Even the Tea Party Deserves’
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/14-1
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Victory in Seattle as Teachers Win Battle in Standardized Test Boycott
Controversial test will not be given in high schools next year, but teachers vow to continue until test is removed at all grade levels
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/14-0
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Angelina Jolie’s Cancer Testing and Corporate Control of Human Genes
The BRCA tests the actress had may be unavailable to thousands because they are held under patents
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/14-4
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‘We Will Be Heard’: NC Mobilizes Against GOP ‘Assault’ on Working Families
NAACP: “Now is the time. Here is the place. We are the people. And we will be heard.”
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/14-3
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Food, Farms, Forests, and Fracking: Connecting the Dots
by Ronnie Cummins and Zack Kaldveer
*No argument with what’s said here
But rather, what’s not said.
None of these goals will be possible without an end to profit as the core motivator of our economic life, and competition as its driver.
That’s how we got here
And consigning them to the dustbin of history
Will be how we get away from here.
Justice and survival are dots that must be connected
And made inseparable.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/14-3
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IRS Fallout: The Real Scandal Is Secret Money Influencing US Elections
by Ari Berman
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/14-12
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Great Plains Tar Sands Resistance
Two Local Oklahomans Shut Down Work at an Active Keystone XL Construction Site in Holdenville, Oklahoma
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/05/14-2
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FAIR Blog
Bursting Benghazi’s Bubble–Only to Boost Bush
*And if you protect the source of lies
You protect the echo chamber in which they reverberated.
But heaven forfend that we should presume that has diddley to do with Diehl’s defense of Dear Leader.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/05/14/bursting-benghazis-bubble-only-to-boost-bush/
Dead Journalists and the Newseum Scandal
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/05/14/dead-journalists-and-the-newseum-scandal/
.
Institute for Public Accuracy
Administration Spying on Journalists
http://www.accuracy.org/release/administration-spying-on-journalists/
As Global Warming Threshold Passes, Fossil Subsidies Continue
http://www.accuracy.org/release/as-global-warming-threshold-passes-fossil-subsidies-continue/
.
DEMOCRACY NOW!
Jailed Civil Rights Attorney Lynne Stewart Seeks Compassionate Release over Worsening Cancer
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/14/jailed_civil_rights_attorney_lynne_stewart
5/13
PETITION
Campaign for Prison Phone Justice et al.
Push for Action on Affordable Prison Phone Rates
Corporate Win: Supreme Court Says Monsanto Has ‘Control Over Product of Life’
Indiana farmer must pay agribusiness giant $84,000 for patent infringement
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/13-3
.
Human Indifference on Climate Imperils 50,000 Species Worldwide: Study
Biodiversity loss related to the impact of global warming will negatively effect 57 percent of plants and 34 percent of animal species across the planet
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/13-0
.
Will Climate Change Make You Homeless?
New report: disasters displaced 32.4 million people in 2012, with most due to weather- or climate-related disasters
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/13-7
.
Tax Rates Down, Havens Thriving: Corporations Win, Workers Pay
Despite tough talk, corporations receiving increasingly friendly treatment from governments as working people carry the burden
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/13-2
.
Guantanamo Prison Documents Reveal ‘Brutality of Force-Feeding’
Doctors not allowed to “act independently” as military performs ‘torturuous’ and painful procedure
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/13-1
.
Diet for a Hot and Hungry Planet: Bugs
A new UN study highlights insects as an untapped, sustainable, healthy resource for food
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*From pigging out
To bugging out?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/13-4
.
Murder Is Our National Sport
by Chris Hedges
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/13-0
.
Atlas Shrugged Off Taxes
by Paul Buchheit
*At least Rand was honest in her misanthropy
Unlike the plutocratic propaganda awash in pious pronouncements of “rising tides”
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/13-1
.
Nuclear Terror in the Middle East
Lethality Beyond the Pale
by Nick Turse
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/13
.
We Won’t Stop Until the Morning After Pill Is Available to All, Regardless of Age
For a decade, we have protested and battled in court for Plan B access. Enough with the Obama administration’s delays
by Jenny Brown and Stephanie Seguin
*A half step
Means it will take twice as long to get where you need to go
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/13-4
.
Grassroots Campaigns Can Stop Fracking One Town at a Time
City councils and local activists have stymied shale gas mining in New York, and could prove an example for others to follow
by Richard Schiffman
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/13-3
.
As the UN Evades Responsibility for the Cholera Epidemic, Haitians Continue to Suffer
by Lauren Carasik
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/13-2
.
Great Plains Tar Sands Resistance
Fourth Generation Oklahoman Halts Construction On Keystone XL Easement
*Shattering the pipe dream
Before it becomes a nightmare
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/05/13-2
.
Food & Water Watch Sues FDA for Concealing Records on Arsenic in Poultry Feed
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/05/13
.
OUR Walmart et al.
Walmart Associates, Community Supporters Launch New Website http://www.ReallyWalmart.org
Associates, women’s rights advocates, environmentalists, small business owners, elected officials and others share their experiences with Walmart
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/05/13-1
.
Institute for Public Accuracy
Following Hawking’s Israel Boycott: TIAA-CREF and Other Companies
http://www.accuracy.org/release/following-hawkings-israel-boycott-tiaa-cref-and-other-companies/
.
DEMOCRACY NOW!
Ríos Montt Guilty of Genocide: Are Guatemalan President Pérez Molina, U.S. Officials Next?
*This is a remarkable and inspiring event.
More remarkable and inspiring would be a crowded dock in some future courtroom.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/13/ros_montt_guilty_of_genocide_are
5/10
The Death of Truth
by Chris Hedges
*The price of truth
And the cost of lies
http://readersupportednews.org/off-site-opinion-section/369-wikileaks/17320-the-death-of-truth
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The ‘Fight for 15′ Grows: Fast Food Worker Strike Hits Detroit
Hundreds of workers walk off jobs on Friday in latest action decrying low-wage jobs, as movement shows no signs of abating
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Fighting for the full meal deal
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/10-3
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‘Secret Deals’ Plundering Africa’s Booming Nations: Report
Africa Progress Panel urges swift action to curb international tax evasion and corruption
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/10-6
.
‘Yuck: A 4th Grader’s Short Documentary About School Lunch’
A brave kid filmmaker goes undercover to reveal the truth about the food service program at his elementary school.
*If we are what we eat
Then we are, and in
Deep shit
http://www.commondreams.org/video/2013/05/10-0
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Global Pandemics: Not If, But When
by Ralph Nader
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/10-7
.
Happy Mothers Day: From Guantanamo to Yemen
by Jodie Evans and Charles Davis
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/10-3
.
Norway, Canada, the United States and the Tar Sands
by James Hansen
*How can someone be so insightful on the consequences of climate change
And yet so naive about the the character of those in power who can do something about it?
If the XL pipeline isn’t approved, it won’t have a goddamn thing to do with Kerry’s “thoughtfulness”.
It will be due to all those who made it politically untenable for Dear Misleader to do so.
Beginning with the blockaders from Texas to the tar sands.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/10-1
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Bill Gates’s $5 Biillion Plan to Videotape America’s Teachers
by Valerie Strauss
*DiscombobulaTED
This is “an idea worth spreading”?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/10-9
.
Center for Biological Diversity
Feds Finally Examining Impacts of Oil Industry’s Seismic Blasts on Marine Mammals
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/05/10-4
.
ACLU Comment on First Day of Immigration Reform Markup
Encouraging Day for Civil Liberties, Including for Racial Profiling Reform
*My momma used to say
“You can’t make chicken salad out of chicken shit.”
Okay … she didn’t put it in quite that way
But you get the idea.
Apparently, the ACLU and other “immigrant advocates” haven’t.
Of course, there are other examples of this failure of alchemy.
ACA, anyone?
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/05/10
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FAIR Blog
L.A. Times’ Distorted Report on USAID
*”The U.S. Agency for International Development doesn’t just offer aid to the poor, it also promotes democracy … “
Thank goodness for objective reporting from the LA Times.
Can you imagine the sort of propaganda we’d be exposed to if the Kochs gain control of it?
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/05/10/l-a-times-distorted-report-on-usaid/
.
Benghazi Bias on One Page
*Of course, this also benefits the administration.
It allows them to portray themselves as victims of vicious unfounded Republican attacks, rallying all the good liberal sycophants
And conveniently ignore the consequences of their actions in Libya, which are the product of a bipartisanly blessed imperial project.
Instead of fixating on the game on the field
We need to focus on the owner’s box.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/05/10/benghazi-bias-on-one-page/
.
When Libyans Die From NATO Airstrikes, It’s Not Benghazi
*Indiscriminate carnage
Selective outrage
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/05/10/when-libyans-die-from-nato-airstrikes-its-not-benghazi/
.
DEMOCRACY NOW!
Despite Evidence of Massacres, Former Guatemalan Dictator Proclaims Innocence at Genocide Trial
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/10/despite_evidence_of_massacres_former_guatemalan
With Father and Sister Imprisoned, Exiled Bahraini Activist Maryam Alkhawaja Condemns Ongoing Abuses
*This and the first segment make plain that, for the US
With friends like these
You do need enemies
To divert attention from their sins.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/10/with_father_and_sister_imprisoned_exiled
Are the FBI and IRS Secretly Reading Your Email Without a Warrant?
*The assumption here is that this is all meant to stop attacks and other illegal activity. No mention is made of the primary purpose of the all seeing eye, which is to protect those in power in this country.
Wizner puts it in the context of “your average citizen” going about their lives, and the consequences of such an invasion of their privacy, which is obviously a concern, but anyone with their eyes open knows that this isn’t about “terrorism”
Other than the type that will be employed to prevent the crumbling of the plutocracy.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/10/are_the_fbi_and_irs_secretly
5/9
Coalition Vows to Fight Koch Bros. Purchase of Tribune’s Newspaper Empire
‘Billionaires Charles and David Koch are more interested in serving their own interests than in providing the news and reporting that people need.’
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*”Millions of Americans rely on the news outlets currently operated by the Tribune Company to provide them with accurate, unbiased information about pressing issues in their communities and around the world.”
Then
They
Are
Fools
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/09-0
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Deeper Than Deepwater: Shell Plans World’s Riskiest Offshore Well
Ignoring risks, Shell gears up for production of world’s deepest offshore well
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/09-2
.
Corporate Fail: Disney’s Attempt to Trademark Cultural Holiday
Disney drops efforts to trademark ‘Día de los Muertos’ following online outrage
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/09-5
.
Ignoring Bee Crisis, EPA Greenlights New ‘Highly Toxic’ Pesticide
Green group: ‘The EPA continues to put industry interests first to exacerbate an already dire pollinator crisis.’
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/09-3
.
What the US Media Won’t Tell You About the “Good” Syrian Rebels
US media and prominent politicians are talking about arming the opposition, but dynamics on the ground betray rampant over-simplifications
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/09-6
.
Fracking Activists Could Face Felony Charges as “Ag-Gag” Laws Spread
New Pennsylvania law would criminalize animal rights and anti-fracking activists
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/09-10
.
Not Lovin’ It: Moms and McDonalds Don’t Mix
by Anna Lappé
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/09-5
.
Thoreau’s Radicalism and the Fight Against the Fossil-Fuel Industry
What would it mean if we were to walk in his footsteps?
by Wen Stephenson
*The question of the use of force is never an easy one, but it is also one that can’t be answered by exalting nonviolence to the pinnacle of principle, superceding even the commitment to justice.
I believe we have a right to defend ourselves, by, in Malcolm X’s words, “any means necessary”.
As with any right, there come responsibilities. Force must be, if not a last resort, one that isn’t employed without deep deliberation as to the consequences.
People bleed. People die. That is the consequence of violence.
The question is whether that sin, or whatever you wish to call it, outweighs the sin of not doing what is necessary to achieve a just world, or a livable one.
If we say that it doesn’t, how do we exercise that right?
It must be disciplined. It must be principled.
Given our often tentative grasp on humanity, perhaps that is beyond our capabilities. Has such restraint ever been evinced in the context of a mass struggle?
And yet, as Thoreau, I can’t accept that under extreme circumstances, a greater morality somehow precludes its use.
To posit the opposite, I believe, is to subordinate our purpose to our perceived purity.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/09-7
.
How School Privatizers Buy State-Level Elections
by Ruth Conniff
*Welcome to the three Rs, a la ALEC
Racism
Religionism
And Reactionism
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/09-4
.
Why the TransPacific Partnership is a Scary Big (Trade) Deal
A super-sized NAFTA, the TPP gives foreign corporations privileges that can override domestic laws on environmental health and citizens’ rights. Here’s why we shouldn’t let it pass without a fight.
by Kristen Beifus
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/09-2
.
Worst Week Since Fukushima: 4 Major Setbacks In 3 Days Are Latest Stumbles For U.S. Nuclear Power Industry
Reverse Renaissance? Experts Point to 6 Reactors on the Chopping Block and Passage of Anti-Industry Florida Law; Beleaguered Industry’s Woes Start With Bad Economics … and Go Downhill From There.
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/05/09-2
.
Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR)
Statistical Study Shows That First Audit of Venezuelan Election is Decisive
Probability of Getting First Audit Results if Vote Count Was Stolen is Less than One in 25 Thousand Trillion
*Hanging chads?
¿Qué es eso?
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/05/09-1
.
National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON)
NATIONAL FAST TO SAY “NOT ONE MORE DEPORTATION”
Institute for Public Accuracy
Bangladesh Dead Approaches 1,000; Renewed Calls for “Real Reform”
http://www.accuracy.org/release/bangladesh-dead-approaches-1000-renewed-calls-for-real-reform/
Transcribing Bradley Manning’s Trial: Group Tries to Ensure Transparency
DEMOCRACY NOW!
Did Police Negligence & Suspect Ariel Castro’s Unpunished Domestic Abuse Prolong Victims’ Captivity?
*Beyond the concept of “innocent until proven guilty”, labeling Castro a “monster”, when we don’t know what psychological factors may have played a role in this, serves no useful purpose, does it?
What occurred to these women, the child, and his former wife is, of course, monstrous, but I think we should always be cautious in equating actions with actor.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/9/did_police_negligence_suspect_ariel_castros
Behind the Cleveland Kidnappings, A Culture of “Toxic Masculinity” & Gender-Based Violence
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/9/behind_the_cleveland_kidnappings_a_culture
Chicago Workers Open New Cooperatively Owned Factory Five Years After Republic Windows Occupation
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/9/chicago_workers_open_new_cooperatively_owned
Prosecutors Seek 75-Year Sentence for U.S.-Backed Guatemalan Dictator Ríos Montt in Genocide Trial
*The US demands a recount for a universally recognized fair election
And remains silent at the possibility of justice for genocide’s victims being subverted.
American exceptionalism can be defined in more ways than one.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/9/prosecutors_seek_75_year_sentence_for
5/8
Disaster Capitalism Strikes as Hedge Funds Circle Near-Bankrupt Municipalities Like Vultures
A troubling pattern emerges as private funds seek to profit from beleaguered cities
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*”[A]ggressive capitalism”
Isn’t that a redundant adjective?
It’s a bit like saying “watery ocean”, don’t you think?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/08-0
.
FBI Uses Loopholes, Not Warrants, to Access Private Emails
Documents show agencies commonly search emails without a warrant
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
*The Fourth Amendment
o Save
o Delete
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/08-5
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Are We Doomed to Food Insecurity?
New study shows billions more people reliant on food imports in 2050
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/08-3
.
Renowned Scientist Stephen Hawking Joins Academic Boycott of Israel
Confirmed reports reveal that treatment of Palestinians, not health concerns, are behind decision to forgo presidential conference
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/08-1
.
Students Sit-In Against ‘Free’ School Tuition Hike
Student: “Cooper is the canary in the coal mine of higher education today.”
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/08-4
.
Whistleblower Ellsberg to SF Pride: Manning Should be Lauded as “Hero That He Is”
Over 100 Manning supporters shut out of public meeting on Gay Pride controversy
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Shameful and shameless Pride
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/08-2
.
Hollow Bee Hives May Threaten Our Lives Too
The United States should follow Europe’s example and ban pesticides that may be wiping out these key pollinators.
by Jill Richardson
*It’s important to remember that there’s only a two year moratorium in Europe.
There will be tremendous pressure from the pesticide industry to declare, as the US’ complicit regulators have, that the evidence is insufficient to make the ban permanent.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/08-8
.
Institute for Public Accuracy
Pakistan Election
http://www.accuracy.org/release/pakistan-election/
.
DEMOCRACY NOW!
Pentagon Study Finds 26,000 Military Sexual Assaults Last Year, Over 70 Sex Crimes Per Day
*Fuck “respectfully disagree[ing]” with bastards like Welsh.
To the Pentagon, this is a PR problem, nothing more, and only cosmetic changes will occur until it’s forced to get to the heart of the problem, which is at the heart of the military mindset
Violence, power and male privilege.
I wish there had been another guest who could have spoken to the issue of male on male assault. It’s a separate, but related, crime that has its own dynamic, and it needs to be explored much more fully.
Both are rooted in the control of others’ lives that defines militarism, both internally and externally.
You can’t effectively confront sexual assault unless you face head on the sociopathic nature of the institution.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/8/pentagon_study_finds_26_000_military
5/7
Regretting the Region’s Right Turn
by John Feffer
http://www.johnfeffer.com/regretting-the-regions-right-turn/
.
700 Deaths and Workers Rising: Is Rana Disaster Bangladesh’s Triangle Fire?
Survivors of the factory collapse near Dhaka block hold sit-in on major highway, demanding pay and compensation for injuries
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/07-0
.
Buzz! Buzz! Silence
New survey shows almost a third of bee colonies in the US died last winter
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/07-8
.
Rallies Slam Private Prisons for 30 Years of ‘Profiting from Pain’
Correction’s Corporation of America’s thirty-year anniversary celebrations draw criticisms and protests
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/07-2
.
‘Let the People In!’: NY Senate GOP Bars Public From Public Hearing
Senate blocks entry to hearing on campaign finance reform
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Notice the security guard wearing an American flag tie?
Irony is in this spring fashion season
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/07-6
.
On Ammonium Nitrate Big Coal is Guilty Too
by Laura Flanders
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/07-4
.
Keystone XL Pipeline Could Cost $100 Billion Per Year in Health and Environmental Damages
EPA Asks State Department for Total Cost to Society of KXL, Oil Change International Spells it Out
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/05/07-1
.
DEMOCRACY NOW!
Robert Fisk on Syria’s Civil War, Chemical Weapons “Theater” & Obama’s Backing of Israeli Strikes
*The powerful play the game
And the powerless pay the price
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/7/robert_fisk_on_syrias_civil_war
Mississippi to Execute Willie Manning Tonight After Rejecting DNA Tests & FBI’s Admission of Error
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/7/mississippi_to_execute_willie_manning_tonight
Breaking News: Mississippi Supreme Court Issues Stay of Execution of Willie Jerome Manning
*This is great news, but think of the hell Manning’s gone through, led to the door of the death chamber before being allowed to step back.
Does that qualify as torture?
“Over the Line”: U.S. Agents Shooting Dead Innocent Mexicans Across the Border With Impunity
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/7/over_the_line_us_agents_shooting
5/6
Climate Change’s ‘Evil Twin’: Ocean Acidification
New comprehensive study outlines rapidly acidifying Arctic Ocean caused by CO2 emissions
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/06
.
House GOP Prepares Fast-Track for Keystone XL
In memo, House Majority Leader declares: ‘We will ensure that the Keystone XL pipeline is built without any further delay’
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*And this would allow Dear Misleader to avoid making a decision that many of those who voted for him oppose
And the mainstream enviros can breathe a sigh of relief at not being forced to confront his hypocrisy, and direct their ire at those horrid Republicans
Which would be front and center in their fundraising appeals, don’t you imagine?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/06-2
.
Wisconsin Bill Would Treat Organic Milk, Sharp Cheddar, Brown Eggs as “Junk Food”
by Rebekah Wilce
PR Watch
*Sounds sorta smart ALECky to me
And of course no mention of these unnatural occurrences in the coverage by the Walker … er, Wisconsin … State Journal.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/06-4
.
Neither Admit Nor Deny: Big Business Allowed To Pay Millions to Avoid Jail
by Pratap Chatterjee
CorpWatch Blog
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/06-0
.
Widely Opposed Nuclear Plant Moves Forward in India
While opponents fear Fukushima-like disaster, Judge says “larger public interest should prevail over the minor inconveniences that may be caused to the people.”
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/06-3
.
Austerity Will Leave Us Crying ’96 Tears’
But America’s wealthy don’t seem to mind.
by Sam Pizzigati
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/06-1
.
Guantánamo Is Not an Anomaly — Prisoners in the US Are Force-Fed Every Day
by Ann Neumann
*The lies we’re force fed aren’t as painful
But they’re just as damaging
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/06-0
.
UN to Review Whether the FBI Killed the Kids at Kent State
by Pat LaMarche
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/06-6
.
Death and Denial
by Michael Jasny
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/06-3
.
Images from the Amazon at the Belo Monte Protest
by Berklee Lowrey-Evans
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/06-4
.
Americans for Safe Access
California Supreme Court Recognizes Legality of Medical Marijuana Dispensaries, But Says Localities May Ban Them
Patient advocates respond with Sacramento press conference today at 1pm, during lobby day for statewide regulations
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/05/06-0
.
Earthjustice
Conservationists Act to Stop Industrialization of the Thompson Divide
Group petitions for reversal of BLM decision that extends illegal oil and gas leases
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/05/06-3
.
Institute for Public Accuracy
“Concrete Suspicions” Syrian REBELS — Not Government — Used Sarin Gas Says UN Investigator
FAIR Blog
Those Who Send Innocents to Prison Are Not Like Innocents Who Are Sent to Prison
FAIR Media Advisory
Syria Skepticism
Chemical claims should be investigated, not used as pretext for war
*Yes, we do live in “a very dangerous world”
And the actions of our government, in the interests of those it and the corpress serve
Are the principal reason for its perilous state.
http://fair.org/take-action/media-advisories/syria-skepticism/
.
DEMOCRACY NOW!
Michael Pollan on How Reclaiming Cooking Can Save Our Food System, Make Us Healthy & Grow Democracy
*A history of mastication
And manipulation
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/6/michael_pollan_on_how_reclaiming_cooking
5/3
The universe is an undifferentiated whole
by Robert Jensen
*The limits of our understanding
Must place limits on our hubris
http://rabble.ca/books/reviews/2013/05/arguing-our-lives-users-guide-to-constructive-dialogue
.
1,856 to Zero: Secret Spy Court Authorizes 100% of US Government Requests
In court where civilians have no representative, government’s “national security” claims win again and again
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/03-2
.
‘Worse Than Syria’? Civil War in Iraq ‘Has Already Started’
Though receiving little international attention, the situation is putting Iraq on verge of “total collapse”
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/03-3
.
‘Things Could Get Ugly’: Fracking Set to Escalate US Water Wars
Nearly half of fracking happens in places short on water
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/03-1
.
US Study Links Pesticides to Honey Bee Deaths, but EPA Won’t Call for Ban
Report shows clear evidence of deadly toxins, but EPA refuses to sound alarms or call for outright ban
by Carey L. Biron
Inter Press Service
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/03-0
.
Move Over, Koch Brothers: A Bigger, Darker Rightwing Funder Is Out to Destroy Public Education
by Ruth Conniff
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/03-7
.
Boston and Beyond: Terrorism at Home and Abroad
When we experience terror at home, we must remember the United States’ use of terror abroad.
by Noam Chomsky
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/03-5
.
The US and Chemical Weapons: No Leg to Stand On
by Stephen Zunes
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/03-0
.
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Statement by Chad Stone, Chief Economist, on the April Employment Report
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/05/03-5
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FAIR Blog
Killing Civilians Is a More Popular Than You’d Think–Especially Among Pundits
*Mere supposition on my part, but I think the lopsided numbers for American Muslims may be a defensive reaction to how they’re falsely portrayed, rather than evidence of their being that much more opposed to terrorism, from any source. It might be interesting to see if the results held for Muslims outside the West, who in general haven’t been subjected to the same sort of vilification in their own countries.
It’s a terribly constructed question, though. What does “Depends” mean? Under what circumstances are killing civilians “sometimes” justified?
I can conceive of an extreme hypothetical situation in which I might answer in the affirmative, as a lesser evil and as an absolute last resort, but that is wholly disconnected from how the killing of civilians occurs in reality
Or how that action is blessed by the corpress, when it is perpetrated by our government.
Guantanamo Prisoners as ‘Reengaged’ Terrorists
*If you consider a credo of “guilty until proven innocent (if then)” an example of “extremist activity”
Then the Post perforce cannot “reengage” in it.
Their perversion of jurisprudence is perpetual.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/05/03/guantanamo-prisoners-as-reengaged-terrorists/
.
DEMOCRACY NOW!
Assata Shakur in Her Own Words: Rare Recording of Activist Named to FBI Most Wanted Terrorists List
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/3/assata_shakur_in_her_own_words
Angela Davis and Assata Shakur’s Lawyer Denounce FBI’s Adding of Exiled Activist to Terrorists List
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/3/angela_davis_and_assata_shakurs_lawyer
5/2
Transcanada Considers Deputizing Local Police for Private Pipeline Security
Pipeline company reportedly discussing ‘security concerns’ with local officials for the not-yet-approved Nebraska leg
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/02-2
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Bolivia’s Booting of USAID ‘No Surprise’
President Evo Morales expels USAID from country following years of fomenting opposition
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/02-7
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‘Deficit Hawk’ CEOs Pocket Hundreds of Millions with Tax Loopholes
Executives behind austerity group ‘Fix the Debt’ make millions off the backs of those whose benefits they want to slash
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Don’t do what I do
Just let me do you
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/02
.
Time for Big Green to Go Fossil Free
by Naomi Klein
*Washing the green
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/02-6
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Loaded: How Gun Manufacturers and the NRA Capitalize on Tragedy
Mass shootings like Aurora drive up gun sales. And after Sandy Hook, the NRA is set to profit by training armed guards in schools
by Sadhbh Walshe
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/02-5
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The Downwinders: Fracking Ourselves to Death in America
In Pennsylvania and elsewhere, big energy equals big pollution
by Ellen Cantarow
*Greed is the deadliest disease
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/02-3
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How to Close the Distance Between Washington and the Reality of Immigration
by Pablo Alvarado
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pablo-alvarado/how-to-close-the-distance_b_3201551.html
.
US Efforts to Block Democracy in Venezuela Harm Hemispheric Relations
by Laura Carlsen
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/02-8
.
Boston, Brazil and Islam: Irrational Rhetoric, Illegal Wars
by Ramzy Baroud
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/02-9
.
Earthjustice
Fracking Ban Stands in New York Town; Victory for Local Communities
In case pitting community rights against the oil and gas industry, industry loses yet again
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/05/02-8
.
Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA)
Statement on USDA Honey Bee Report: More Inaction
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/05/02-5
.
Institute for Public Accuracy
Commerce Secretary Nominee Tied to Bank Scandal
*Regardless of the gender
A bastard’s a bastard
http://www.accuracy.org/release/commerce-secretary-nominee-tied-to-bank-scandal/
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FAIR Blog
NYT’s Beat Sweetener on New Interior Secretary
*bona fides (Noun)
A person’s honesty and sincerity of intention.
Documentary evidence showing a person’s legitimacy; credentials.
Do the items listed fit this definition, as regards Jewell’s “greenness”?
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/05/02/nyts-beat-sweetener-on-new-interior-secretary/
FAIR Extra!
Whose Police State?
National media focus on 2nd Amendment over 4th Amendment
by Josmar Trujillo
http://fair.org/extra-online-articles/whose-police-state/
When Bigotry Is ‘Balance’
Media still worried homophobes aren’t being heard
by Julie Hollar
*Substitute “states’ rights” for “traditional marriage”
And “civil rights” for “gay marriage”
And the prejudice becomes plain, doesn’t it?
http://fair.org/slider/when-bigotry-is-balance/
.
DEMOCRACY NOW!
As U.S. Moves to Arm Syrian Rebels, Questions Raised About Reports of Chemical Weapons Attack
*It doesn’t matter how people are killed, does it?
By gas, by bullet, or by explosion, dead is dead.
I don’t know what the answer is
But I do know what it isn’t.
Any action that’s controlled by the US or those doing its bidding will never lead to a positive outcome for the Syrian people.
How many times does history have to repeat itself for that lesson to be learned?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/2/as_us_moves_to_arm_syrian
Punishing Vieques: Puerto Rico Struggles With Contamination 10 Years After Activists Expel U.S. Navy
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/2/punishing_vieques_puerto_rico_struggles_with
5/1
‘The Gilded Age’ Statistics Corporations Don’t Want Workers, or Anyone, to See
Aggressive lobbying effort fights disclosure of just how big the income disparities are
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/01
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Report: Toxic Chemicals Found in Thousands of Children’s Products
Walmart among major manufacturers selling products without any “standards”
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/01-5
.
May Day 2013 Around the Globe: In Pictures
by Common Dreams staff
*Inspiring
But can you spot the missing hegemon?
I knew that you could.
Addendum:
There were numerous May Day actions in these here United States, some relatively large, such as in LA, which also highlighted immigrant rights, as did other rallies and marches.
But I think the overarching point holds, that labor is woefully unorganized and badly served by many union “leaders”.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/01-6
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Obama Picks One of Telecom’s Most Powerful Industry Lobbyists to Head FCC
Groups say Tom Wheeler is wrong man ‘to stand up to industry giants and protect the public interest’
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Jesus …
Call the bastard what he is
An industry shill who will do their bidding, and who paid for his position with all the corporate cash he dumped in Dear Misleader’s coffers.
“Hope”, my anal cavity.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/01-2
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‘Mission Unaccomplished’: Iraq ‘One of the World’s Most Neglected Crises’
New report outlines deteriorating situation for Iraqi children a decade after Bush’s ‘Mission Accomplished’ speech
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Can you say “reparations”?
Apparently, War Child can’t.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/05/01-8
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Ready for Rationing? Why We Should Put the Brakes on Consumption If We Want to Survive
Robert Jensen talks with Stan Cox about his new book “Any Way You Slice It: The Past, Present, and Future of Rationing.”
*It’s a simple equation
We can share now
Or despair later
Extreme Common Core Rhetoric Clouds Serious Debate
by Valerie Strauss
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/01-1
.
From the I-Word to the I-Deed
by Joseph Nevins
*Language is a virus
But the actions it enables is the greater disease
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/01-11
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Administration Again Fails on Over-the-Counter Emergency Contraception
by Jodi Jacobson
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/01-7
.
International Workers Day: A Reminder of US Progress on Workers’ Rights
by Laura Finley
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/01-4
.
Center for Biological Diversity
EPA Refuses to Curb Deadly Coal Mine Pollution
Agency Says “Other Priorities” Preclude Legally Required Protection of Climate, Public Health
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/05/01-5
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FAIR Blog
How Dare Hamid Karzai Take Our Money!
*I think this all speaks to the myth, propagated by the corpress at every opportunity, that “US interests” are synonymous with our interests, rather than the desires of those in power.
Karzai is their “point man”
As countless other dictators and sham “democrats” have been through the ages.
Don’t expect Williams or any other corporate media shill to acknowledge that historical fact.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/05/01/how-dare-hamid-karzai-take-our-money/
.
Institute for Public Accuracy
Obama Officials at Conference on Corporate Crime
*A fashion trend for fairness
From pinstripes to prison stripes
http://www.accuracy.org/release/obama-officials-at-conference-on-corporate-crime/
.
DEMOCRACY NOW!
As Bangladesh Toll Hits 400, Calls Grow to Grant Workers the Same Protections as Labels They Make
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/5/1/as_bangladesh_toll_hits_400_calls
April 2013
4/30
Backlash, Protests Follow ‘Hateful’ U-Turn of Bradley Manning Gay Pride Honor
‘They say court martial!—We say Grand Marshal!’ exclaim supporters of anti-war whisteblower
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Single issue
Double dealing
Sadly, nothing queer about that
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/30-3
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‘Torture Reinforcements’ Not ‘Medical Personnel’ Arrive to Combat Gitmo Hunger Strike
US Military Calls in ‘Force-Feeding Teams’ as Guantanamo Hunger Strike Continues
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/30-0
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‘Flood of Highly Radioactive Wastewater’ Overwhelms Fukushima Crews
Latest crisis reveals intractable nature of nuclear cleanup
by Common Dreams staff
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/30-1
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Oregon Legislation Aims to Criminalize Environmental Civil Disobedience
ACLU charges that bills that target actions against logging companies “effectively criminalize civil disobedience for one particular group.”
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*A conscience is being defined as a dangerous weapon
Which, if the actions it prompts are worth engaging in
Is precisely what it must be
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/30-7
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In Blow to ‘Water, Culture, Wildlife,’ Feds Back Re-Opening of Grand Canyon Uranium Mine
The Forest Service shouldn’t be “shielding the uranium industry’s dangerous plans from public, tribal, environmental and scientific scrutiny,” warned conservation group
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/30-5
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Dislike: Facebook’s Zuckerberg Under Fire for Promoting Dirty Tar Sands Pipeline
Groups launch campaign, protest against Facebook for Zuckerberg’s promotion of Keystone XL, drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/30-6
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Spreading Community and Love of Books ‘Little Free Libraries’ Sprout Worldwide
“Take a Book. Return a book.”
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Book binding
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/30-8
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Report: Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s Repeated Requests for a Lawyer Were Ignored
There is zero legal or ethical justification for denying a suspect in custody this fundamental right
by Glenn Greenwald
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/30
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Tragedy in Bangladesh: Time for a Different Response?
Empowering workers is one way to prevent more tragedies like the deadly Bangladesh garment factory collapse.
by Ananya Mukherjee and Darryl Reed
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/30-4
.
Institute for Public Accuracy
Obama Can Transfer Hunger Strikers from Guantanamo
http://www.accuracy.org/release/obama-can-transfer-hunger-strikers-from-guantanamo/
.
FAIR Blog
Syria and the ‘Red Line’ Nonsense
*Gummint or corpress
Everybody’s red line is painted with more of the blood of Syrians
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/04/30/syria-and-the-red-line-nonsense/
.
An Invitation to a Live-Action Infomercial
*When money talks
Ethics are silenced
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/04/30/an-invitation-to-a-live-action-infomercial/
.
DEMOCRACY NOW!
Kimberly Rivera, Pregnant Mom of 4, Sentenced to Military Prison for Refusing to Serve in Iraq
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/30/kimberly_rivera_pregnant_mom_of_4
4/29
Warehouse Workers for Justice
Tell Walmart and Great Kitchens to End Wage Theft!
http://org2.salsalabs.com/o/7209/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=13852
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New Research: Economic Austerity in US and Europe ‘Is Killing People’
HIV/AIDS, malaria outbreaks, shortages of essential medicines, lost healthcare access, and an epidemic of drug abuse, depression and suicide
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/29-1
.
Climate Collision Course: CO2 Levels About to Hit 400 PPM
In a first in human history, “it looks like the world is going to blow through the 400-ppm level without losing a beat.”
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/29-2
.
Northeast US Ocean Temperatures Highest on Record: Report
Temperature spikes causing drastic shifts in ecosystem
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/29-6
.
A Win for the Bees: EU Votes to Ban Bee-Harming Pesticides
Victory for bees, but more must be done to ensure safety of bee population, global food
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/29-3
.
TransCanada: Small-Scale Protests Against KXL Not Slowing ‘Overall Construction Progress’
Two arrested after latest tar sands pipeline blockade in Oklahoma
by Common Dreams staff
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/29-5
.
Pharmaceutical Extortion: Pay Up, or Die
Group of global cancer experts criticizes exorbitant drug costs that prevent access to life-saving treatments
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/29-4
.
You and Your Family Are Guinea Pigs for the Chemical Corporations
How Americans Became Exposed to Biohazards in the Greatest Uncontrolled Experiment Ever Launched
by David Rosner and Gerald Markowitz
*The poison of propaganda
The propaganda of poison
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/29
.
Sequester Closes Cancer Clinic Doors, Congress Does Nothing
by Dave Johnson
*A cancer of collusion
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/29-6
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Earthjustice et al.
Wildlife Conservation Groups Join Fight to Ban d-CON Rat Poisons
Manufacturer rejected safeguards against accidental poisonings
*d-CON’s execs should know from rats, don’t you think?
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/04/29-4
.
FAIR Blog
The Sick Madness of Tom Friedman’s Culture
*Friedman understands the reasons behind such an act all too well
Which is why he’s intent on decoupling cause from effect.
His may be a sick madness
But it’s also a calculating one, as well.
And I think we need to be clear that US terrorism in this century is not motivated by “revenge”, but merely a continuation of the violence perpetrated upon other peoples in previous centuries for the same purposes as those in the present
Power and treasure.
You don’t have to condone terrorism against American civilians to acknowledge that its core rationale *is* revenge for the death and destruction wrought by empire, and an attempt to end it.
That motivation may be manipulated by those with another agenda, but there’s no denying that causational link, is there?
Anyone committed to ending terror from all sources must understand that distinction.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/04/29/the-sick-madness-of-tom-friedmans-culture/
.
Institute for Public Accuracy
Obama’s “Economic Race Legacy”
*The audacity
And the inhumanity
Of “Nope”
http://www.accuracy.org/release/obamas-economic-race-legacy/
.
Courage to Resist
Interview with war resister Kimberly Rivera, trial Monday
http://couragetoresist.org/kimberly-rivera/987-rivera-trial-next-week.html
.
Voices for Creative Nonviolence (VCNV)
Ed Kinane’s Closing Statement
DeWitt Town Court
Judge Robert Jokl Presiding
18 April 2013 Trial for “Trespass”
At Hancock Air Base 5 Oct 2012
http://vcnv.org/ed-kinane-s-closing-statement
4/26
PETITION
Warehouse Workers for Justice
Walmart, Tell Your Contractor to Reinstate Javier Rodriguez
‘We Speak for the Bees’: Marchers Urge EU-Wide Ban of Killer Pesticides
‘This is not abstract theorizing. Bees are dying out. Now.’
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*An extremely serious buzzkill
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/26-2
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San Onofre Whistleblower Cites “Potentially Catastrophic” Design Flaw
Inside source tells local news channel that cracked generator pipes at nuclear power plant could cause a full or partial meltdown
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/26-1
.
Arctic Ho! Canadian Official Proposes Yet Another Tar Sands Pipeline
Energy minister exploring northern option for transporting 500,000 gallons a day of tar sands oil to Arctic ports
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Pipe dreams
And northbound nightmares
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/26-5
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Study: Monsanto’s Roundup Herbicide Linked to Cancer, Autism, Parkinson’s
Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, may be “the most biologically disruptive chemical in our environment,” say authors
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/26-3
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As Death Toll Rises, Report Shows Big Retail Brands Chose Profit over Safety in Bangladesh
Hundreds of thousands protest dangerous “sweatshop” conditions as police fire tear gas, rubber bullets
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
*A low price on life
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/26-4
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Everything Is Rigged: The Biggest Price-Fixing Scandal Ever
The Illuminati were amateurs. The second huge financial scandal of the year reveals the real international conspiracy: There’s no price the big banks can’t fix
by Matt Taibbi
*The difference between reformists and transformists
A reformist says the system is broken
And needs to be fixed
A transformist says the system is fixed
And needs to be broken
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/26-7
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Reduce, Reuse, Rebrand? Coca-Cola and Chicago Team Up to Greenwash
by Anna Lappé
*The paws that enmeshes
(Pardon the sacrifice of syntax for symmetry)
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/26
.
‘Obamacare’ Failures Beg the Questions that ‘Medicare-For-All’ Answers
by Donna Smith
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/26-4
.
Why Federal Labeling of Genetically-Engineered Food Matters
by Anna Ghosh
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/26-2
.
27 Years Since Chernobyl and What Have We Learned?
by Justin McKeating
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/26-5
.
Friends of the Earth
Keystone XL: What is Foggy Bottom Hiding?
State Department denies request for quick release of lobbyist documents; appeal filed
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/04/26-4
.
Witness Against Torture
Activists Pressure to Close Guantanamo as Hunger Strike Escalates and Senator Feinstein Calls for Restart of Transfers from the Prison
Protests in DC, Chicago, NY – April 29 Global Fast to “Save Shaker” – Calls to SouthCom – Rolling Fast
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/04/26
.
FAIR Blog
Reporting ‘Says’ Rather Than ‘Says It Believes’ Could Make a War of Difference
*Add AP to the list
“Chemical weapons used, U.S. contends”
The subhead reads
“The proof isn’t solid, the White House says, but lawmakers are impatient.”
So, while it’s to be expected that gummints will “contend” something is the case, without offering “solid” evidence to substantiate their claims
You might expect journalists to look askance at the practice, rather than amplifying its impact.
Well, you might expect that
If you have pronounced psychotic tendencies.
Texas Fertilizer Plant Disaster: Little Coverage, Much of It Wrong
*Ward’s comment is true if you don’t consider the Koch Brothers and their ilk terrorists.
Yet they’re responsible for how many deaths due to their greed and lust for power?
If the definition of terrorism is causing the death of innocents in the service of an agenda, their actions easily fit that category.
And the coverage the corpress gives to their constricted conception of terrorism flows from the same font as their coverup of corporate crimes.
Both are designed to facilitate the control of those in power.
Fear and ignorance are their aims.
And we’re in the crosshairs.
DEMOCRACY NOW!
Did FBI Focus on Controversial Stings Distract from Pursuit of Tsarnaev Before Boston Attacks?
*You continually hear the rhetoric about “creating terrorists” due to US actions abroad, yet these stings do that literally, don’t they?
And they do so for a specific purpose – to sow fear, while at the same time assuring the public that we’re being kept safe.
The only way to be truly “safe”, of course, is to surrender our rights and submit to the dictates of the surveillance state.
So if there is valid criticism of how the Tsarnaev case was handled, that shouldn’t translate into support for increased “security measures” that are ultimately aimed not at ensuring our safety
But our servility.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/26/did_fbi_focus_on_controversial_stings
“Love Has No Color”: Georgia High School Students Set to Hold First Integrated Prom
*Old times there are not forgotten
Because they never really went away.
But this effort by black and white students, and those who’ve supported them, gives me some hope that one day
They will be dumped into the dustbin of history.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/26/love_has_no_color_georgia_high
“The Trials of Muhammad Ali”: Boxing Champ’s Refusal to Serve in Vietnam Was the Fight of His Life
*Ali took a courageous stand, and that should be recognized.
But he was an extremely arrogant person, and while that in part might be a reaction to being devalued as a black person in this country, I still consider it a character flaw, and it makes me hesitant to proclaim him a hero, despite the above.
There’s also an intense contradiction in this hailing of him as a great boxer, given the violence of the sport, and the fact that DN! did a segment not long ago on the impact of and the acceptance of head injuries in sports.
He was an incredible athlete.
I just wish his talents had been on display in a different venue.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/26/the_trials_of_muhammad_ali_boxing
4/25
As Senate Plans to Double-Down, New Report Calls Border Drones ‘Absurd’
New immigration law puts focus on using drones to monitor border activity, but data shows huge cost outlays with paltry results
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/25-0
.
US Accused of Skirting Responsibilities for Egregious Philippine Reef Disaster
‘I don’t buy their alibi’ says Philippine Senator
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/25-10
.
Climate Activist Buries Arm in Concrete Block to Halt Keystone XL
‘Red River Showdown’ week of action takes on toxic tar sands
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/25-3
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Let George W. Bush Discuss His Legacy However He Likes… from the Hague
by Jodie Evans and Charles Davis
*And never will be heard a discouraging word from the present occupant of the White House.
Quite the contrary.
Official congratulations and good wishes will no doubt have been offered
And all the good liberal boot lickers will no doubt dutifully ignore or rationalize them
Just as they do his emulation of his predecessor’s dark deeds.
It’s the American way, isn’t it?
Update:
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/25-5
Shows how much I know.
Dear Misleader, Slippery William, and everybody’s favorite ex-presidential peacenik, James Earl Carter, Jr., all blessed this abomination with their presence at the opening ceremonies.
Never say bipartisanship is dead
Only its victims.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/25-3
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Challenging Einstein: Kerry’s ‘New’ Diplomacy in the Middle East
The United States must oppose the occupation and settlements, and support a Palestinian right to freedom, equality and statehood.
by Phyllis Bennis
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/25-5
.
Scrap the Map
Join the May Day International Day of Solidarity with the Seattle MAP Test Boycott
Seattle’s test boycotting teachers need your support for an “educators’ spring” uprising against the MAP test
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/04/25-16
.
Government Accountability Project
USDA Whistleblowers: Chemical Use in Poultry Plants a Serious Health Hazard
Affidavits Released as Part of Ongoing Two-Year Investigation; Findings Raise Red Flags with USDA Poultry Plan
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/04/25-8
.
Campaign for Peace and Democracy (CPD)
Protest Nikos Dendias, Greece’s Chief of Repression and Anti-Immigrant Violence
https://www.facebook.com/events/376030595839253/
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FAIR Blog
Bill O’Reilly’s Dangerous Islamophobia
*And this from Biden, at a memorial service, no less
“They can never defeat us. They can never overthrow us. They can never occupy us. So why? Why? Whether it’s al-Qaeda central out of the Fatah or two twisted, perverted, cowardly, knock-off jihadis here in Boston, why do they do what they do?”
Ask O’Reilly, Joe.
Of course, they both know the answer
And do all they can to obfuscate it.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/04/25/bill-oreillys-dangerous-islamophobia/
.
Institute for Public Accuracy
Boston Bombing and Immigration Reform: The Risks of Expanding Biometric Cybersurveillance
*Big Brother’s bottomless toy box
DEMOCRACY NOW!
Over 200 Killed in Bangladesh Factory Collapse After Workers Forced to Ignore Building’s Dangers
*It makes you sick to your stomach to hear a comment like Yglesias’, doesn’t it?
You wish he could be forced to work under the conditions he calls “appropriate”.
Underneath the vomitous rationalization, the attitude is clear
“Life is cheap over there.
And it should be.”
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/25/over_200_killed_in_bangladesh_factory
Survivor of Bangladesh’s Tazreen Factory Fire Urges U.S. Retailers to Stop Blocking Worker Safety
*So what are these US unions that back Dear Misleader doing about this?
Is solidarity simply empty rhetoric?
Is that a rhetorical question?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/25/survivor_of_bangladeshs_tazreen_factory_fire
4/24
Low Wage Workers Strike in Chicago for ‘Dignity and Respect’ and a Living Wage
Fast food and retail workers hit the streets of downtown Chicago on Monday in a “fight for 15″ an hour
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Whole Foods
Sparse wages
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/24-1
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GM Salmon’s Global HQ – 1,500m high in the Panamanian Rainforest
Supersized genetically modified salmon grown fast and fat and after years of wrangling, are ready for market – but is the market ready for them? And why is the firm hidden away in Panama?
by Suzanne Goldenberg
The Guardian
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/24-7
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Hundreds of Chicago Students Walk Out of Standardized Test
“We are over-tested, under-resourced and fed up!”
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Flunking the fairness test
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/24-8
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Report: Wealthy Thrive and Poorest Dive as Surge in US Inequality Continues
Researcher: “The income recovery thus far for a wide swath of US households has not existed”
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/24-3
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In Protest, Climate Activists Board Coal Ship Off Great Barrier Reef
Absent action by political leaders, activists call on public citizens to fight climate change by physically preventing fossil fuel expansion through peaceful civil disobedience
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/24-0
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Chileans Rise Up Against Privatization of Nation’s Water Supply
Mining and logging companies ‘leaving all of Chile without water’, due to privatized water management
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/24-5
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Beyond Obamacare: How a Single-Payer System Can Save US Health Care
by Dave Dvorak, MD
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/24-0
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Tackling “Monoculture of the Mind”
Billionaires forgo iron-rich crops in push for GM bananas in India
by Vandana Shiva
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/24-8
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The High Price of Our Fertilizer Addiction
Compared to the lifetime of grieving ahead for the people of West, Texas, a few years of reduced crop yields is a small price to pay for converting from “conventional” to organic farming.
by Jill Richardson
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/24-9
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Public Citizen
10 Questions for the Corporate Witnesses at Today’s Senate Committee on Finance Hearing on the Trans-Pacific Partnership
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/04/24
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Center for Biological Diversity
Sierra Nevada Frog and Toad Proposed for Endangered Species Act Protection, With 2 Million Acres of Protected Habitat
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/04/24-1
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Bangladesh Workers Were “Ordered Back to Work” Before Building Collapse
DEMOCRACY NOW!
As Obama Shuns Hearing, Yemeni Says U.S. Drone War Terrifying Civilians, Empowering Militants
*Although I commiserate with al-Muslimi over the deaths of those in his village, and across Yemen, it’s difficult to listen to this utter disconnect between the America he loves, and the empire that commits these horrors.
The latter is America to his people and so many others around the world, and that view is not something to regret.
It’s something to acknowledge as reality, and struggle to end the reasons for it.
I wish I could concur in his belief that if only Americans knew the facts, they’d reject these crimes committed in their name
But that ignorance, while propagated by government and media, is in some measure willful.
Dark skinned people of other nations just don’t qualify as fully human to many Americans, and coupled with the fear propaganda fosters, that deeply ingrained prejudice short circuits their impulse to empathize.
That’s the America I’ve come to know over half a century.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/24/as_obama_shuns_hearing_yemeni_says
The World Is a Battlefield: Jeremy Scahill on “Dirty Wars” and Obama’s Expanding Drone Attacks
*It’s hard not to believe that “blowback” is welcomed by the administration. There’s no political price to be paid for it, no laying of blame for allowing it to happen.
Instead, it permits Dear Misleader to pretend to be the embodiment of the nation, thundering for “justice”, and lays the groundwork for a further tightening of the screws of the edifice of the national security state.
These “terrorist” stings serve the same purpose, perpetuating a backdrop of fear to our lives that dissuades most people from questioning the Orwellian descent into a police state
One that isn’t intended to keep us safe
But to keep those in power safe from us.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/24/the_world_is_a_battlefield_jeremy
4/23
After More Than 200 Days on Hunger Strike, Palestinian Gains Freedom
Deal designed to avoid massive unrest if Samir al-Assawi was to die in Israeli custody
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/23
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Community Residents Reject ExxonMobil’s Claims of ‘No Oil in Lake’ Following Tar Sands Spill
Mayflower, Arkansas residents say tests prove tar sands has reached Lake Conway as chemist issues warnings of health effects
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*As the poison spreads
The coverage recedes
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/23-4
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No Charges for Police Who Punched, Pepper-Sprayed Occupy Protesters
DA office says alarming videos not enough for conviction
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/23-3
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Report: Deadly Human-Made ‘Cocktail’ Threatening World’s Pollinators
Decline of ‘unsung heroes’ will have drastic impacts on world’s ecosystems, food supply
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/23-5
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Terrorism and Other Religions
by Juan Cole
*Holy terrors
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/23-1
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The Cluster Bombs of Boston and Drone Strikes of Yemen
by Matthew Behrens
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/23-3
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An Explosion the Media Ignores: The Texas Fertilizer Plant Disaster Cannot Be Forgotten
by Mike Elk
*There’s a reason the corpress doesn’t cover work safety or other labor issues
And it has nothing to do with ratings or readership.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/23-11
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The United States Shows Its Contempt for Venezuelan Democracy
Washington’s clumsy efforts to de-legitimise Venezuela’s election mark an escalation of its push for regime change
by Mark Weisbrot
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/23-4
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John Kerry Objects to a Presidential Election – Thirteen Years Too Late
by Tom Gallagher
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/23-2
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Earthjustice
Court Upholds EPA’s Power To Protect Communities From Mountaintop Removal Mining
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/04/23-8
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Senator Bernie Sanders
Senate Panel Examines Ways to Address Primary Care Crisis
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/04/23-5
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FAIR Blog
Erin Burnett Wants a Different Kind of Terrorism Suspect
*If the definition of an enemy combatant is anyone who commits an act of terror directed against the US
Why weren’t Timothy McVeigh, Terry Nichols and Michael Fortier designated as such?
A crime was committed in Oklahoma City. A crime was committed on September 11, 2001.
We have a legal system to deal with crimes. We have a defense structure to deal with warfare.
But what must not be forgotten in all this is that those crimes, those acts of terror, were begotten by the acts of terror perpetrated by that “defense” structure.
Ending terror against this country begins with ending its terror against others.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/04/23/erin-burnett-wants-a-different-kind-of-terrorist/
George W. Bush Is a Swell Guy, Just Ask His Friends
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/04/23/george-w-bush-is-a-swell-guy-just-ask-his-friends/
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Qatar “Deforming” Arab Uprisings
http://www.accuracy.org/release/qatar-deforming-arab-uprisings/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Jeremy Scahill: The Secret Story Behind Obama’s Assassination of Two Americans in Yemen
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/23/jeremy_scahill_the_secret_story_behind
4/22
Fukushima Clean-Up Will Last More Than Forty Years, says Nuclear Watchdog
TEPCO must urgently ‘improve the reliability of essential systems’
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
*There’s a rat problem
And it has nothing to do with rodents
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/22-2
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KXL ‘Public Comment’ Period Ends, But Climate Activists Pledge Renewed KXL Resistance
Activists ready for next phase of fight against controversial tar sands pipeline
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Taylor’s remarks are pretty much the quintessence of the single issue mindset, even if climate change ultimately is the most important issue on the table.
No matter how many people Dear Misleader murders, one way or another, if, as extremely unlikely as it would be, he decides against the pipeline, “he is going to get so much love.”
Of course, even by her myopic standards, that action is only one among many which must be taken to avert the worst outcomes.
Can love endure?
And just what qualifies as undignified civil disobedience?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/22-5
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Chorus of Voices Demands Justice Three Years After BP Gulf Disaster
“The Gulf and its people can’t wait any longer”
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/20-0
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How Capitalism Is Dismembering America
by Paul Buchheit
*”If there’s any way capitalism can work … “
If by “work”, you mean provide a dignified life for every single person on this planet
It’s had centuries to prove its case
And failed not only abysmally
But perversely.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/22-0
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Why is Boston ‘Terrorism’ But Not Aurora, Sandy Hook, Tucson and Columbine?
Can an act of violence be called ‘terrorism’ if the motive is unknown?
by Glenn Greenwald
*”Why did young men who grew up and studied here, as part of our communities and our country, resort to such violence?”
We could ask him the same question.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/22-7
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Released Tim DeChristopher Finds a Movement Transformed by His Courage
A climate justice activist’s cause for celebration
by Melanie Jae Martin
*It’s heartening to hear about PeaceUp’s attempt at mirroring the world they say they want within their group. It’s something that’s all too rare in my experience.
I’m concerned about the potential for cooptation. I think Martin puts too much faith in just how much commitment 350.org and certainly Sierra have to working for the profound transformation necessary to avoid “Game over”, and I don’t want to see the promise of Peaceful Uprising eroded by their practice of realpolitik.
Perhaps that suspicion will turn out to be unwarranted, but I believe my observations of and adventures in activism give me good reason for caution.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/22-8
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Let’s Be on Mother Earth’s Side
by Winona LaDuke
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/22-9
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The Persecution of Lynne Stewart
by Chris Hedges
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/22-1
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What Rights Should Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Get and Why Does It Matter?
The Obama DOJ says it intends to question the Boston bombing suspect “extensively” without first Mirandizing him
by Glenn Greenwald
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/20-6
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U.S. Helps Push Privatization Scheme in El Salvador
A cross-border fight erupts against a public-private partnership law.
by Hilary Goodfriend
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/20-1
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Bangladeshi Activists Bring Fight to Wal-Mart’s Doorstep
by Michelle Chen
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/21-1
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An Earth Day Message: Take Heart from the Abolition Movement
by Bill Bigelow
*Of course, slavery was to a large degree abolished in name only. Exploitation continued under a revised economic model.
If we’re to avoid the end of the world as we know it, we’ll have to achieve a more profound paradigm shift.
I think the odds are heavily against that, but I agree with Bigelow that that is no reason to give in to despair.
We may not save the planet
But we will have maintained our sense of humanity, which is a goal no one but ourselves can control.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/20
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Small Farms Fight Back: Food and Community Self-Governance
by Tory Field and Beverly Bell
*What’s not mentioned here is just how profoundly underregulated factory farming is, which makes the overregulation of small farms that much more of an injustice, although my inexpert feeling is that some level is appropriate to protect consumers.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/20-3
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Great Plains Tar Sands Resistance
Activist Locks Himself to Keystone XL Heavy Machinery Launching a “Red River Showdown” Over KXL South
On the final day of the US State Department’s Keystone XL public comment Texans and Oklahomans send a clear message: This is our environmental impact statement
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/04/22-8
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FAIR Blog
Al Neuharth’s Front-Page Sexism
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/04/22/al-neuharths-front-page-sexism/
Don’t Quote Me by Name, But My Friends the Koch Brothers Respect the Hell Out of Press Freedom
Institute for Public Accuracy
* Neocons Backed Chechens * Bush/Putin Deal
http://www.accuracy.org/release/neocons-backed-chechens-bushputin-deal/
Earth Day: “No Profit” When You Add Environmental Costs
http://www.accuracy.org/release/earth-day-no-profit-when-you-add-environmental-costs/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Apartheid Regime Bomb Victim Father Michael Lapsley on Using Forgiveness to Heal From Tragedy
*Lapsley makes the vital point that forgiveness cannot be given to those who will not do what is necessary to receive it.
They must not only be willing, but dearly desire, to atone for the harm they’ve done.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/22/apartheid_regime_bomb_victim_father_michael
Earth Day Exclusive: Tim DeChristopher Speaks Out After 21 Months in Prison for Disrupting Oil Bid
*DeChristopher strikes me as the kind of activist we need many more of.
He’s humble, admitting that he doesn’t know “the way” – only that we have to begin the journey – and the road he’s traveled so far obviously took a great deal of courage.
And I thought his remarks about “the big greenies” were telling in regards to the deep disconnect between their talk and their walk. I wonder what his view is of McKibben and company, who I don’t see as a viable alternative to the NRDC et al.
This would have been a perfect opportunity to do a second part, and to focus on his critique of those groups, but that would have marked a distinct departure for DN!, wouldn’t it?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/22/earth_day_exclusive_tim_dechristopher_speaks
4/19
Havaar
Sanctions as a Tool of War:
A Comparative Look at Iraq and Iran
https://www.facebook.com/events/528388213870302/
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Study: $6 Trillion “Carbon Bubble” Will Burn Investors and Planet Earth
World’s estimated fossil fuel reserves must remain underground if the global community hopes to avoid ‘climate catastrophe’
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*”We think you’ll do nothing about climate change for decades.”
Seems like a safe bet, given present behavior.
And even if action is taken, it will be too little, too late
Unless there’s a massive movement to end this insanity and force transformative change.
And I’m not talking about photo op arrests in front of the White House.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/19-3
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‘People’s History’ of Gulf Oil Disaster Reveals Deadly Truth Behind Dispersant Corexit
Report released on eve of Deepwater Horizon anniversary tells of BP lies and government collusion in oil ‘clean-up’
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/19-4
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‘Don’t Race On Our Blood’: Protesters Rally Ahead of Grand Prix
Demonstrators repeat call for cancellation of Formula One race on basis of Bahrain’s egregious human rights abuses
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
Pomp
And dire circumstances
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/19-8
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Could Our Deepest Fears Hold the Key to Ending Violence?
Feelings of fear and powerlessness are driving the cycle of violence that surrounds us. To change that, we need to recognize that we need each other to thrive as individuals.
by Frances Moore Lappé
*And those in power have always understood this dynamic, and have made a science of manipulating it to their benefit.
Fear is at the core of the strategy of “divide and conquer”, isn’t it? We are taught to fear “the other”, and to fear the consequences of being labeled “the other”.
Thus the need for belonging is perversely transformed from a motivation for inclusive community, to an incitement to exclusion and hatred.
And with us at each other’s throats
We are oblivious to the chains around our necks
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/19-2
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Exonerated While Black: America’s Guilty Secret about Convicting Innocents
Seeing how the US justice system treats the people it mistakenly locks up, you’d have to call it a racial injustice system
by Sadhbh Walshe
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/19-1
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Shut It Down Vermont
Shut It Downers on Fourth Day of Vermont Yankee Protest
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/04/19
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We Are All Ideological Now (and Always Have Been)
An excerpt from Arguing for Our Lives: A User’s Guide to Constructive Dialog
by Robert Jensen
*I think this points to the imperative of self criticism, and the willingness to accept honest criticism from others, which is vital to the success of any struggle.
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/15665-we-are-all-ideological-now-and-always-have-been
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FAIR Blog
Democrats Can’t Blame Guns for ’94 Losses
*It’s not just the corpress that promotes these fantasies, is it?
Democrats portray them as facts as well, in order to claim that “political realities” prevent them from pushing for policies that poll after poll reveal are backed by the majority of Americans.
The actual “political reality” is that the Democratic Party’s function is to provide a pantomime of populism, to create the illusion that there is some fundamental difference between the two major parties
When time and again its rhetoric is antithetical to its actions.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/04/19/democrats-cant-blame-guns-for-94-losses/
Bill O’Reilly Gets Angry Because He Proved David Sirota’s Point
*Of course, O’Reilly’s reasoning is identical to those who commit acts of terror.
They make no distinction between governments and civilians. In their view, the nation as a whole is responsible for whatever crimes have been perpetrated against the people they claim to defend by their acts.
The difference is that their claims often are valid, whether or not they are merely rationalizations for another agenda.
O’Reilly’s bloodlustful rants are part and parcel of the imperial project.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/04/19/bill-oreilly-gets-angry-because-he-proved-david-sirotas-point/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Genocide Trial of Former Dictator Ríos Montt Suspended After Intervention by Guatemalan President
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/19/genocide_trial_of_former_dictator_ros
Exclusive: Allan Nairn Exposes Role of U.S. and New Guatemalan President in Indigenous Massacres
*As always, a bipartisan bloodletting
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/19/exclusive_allan_nairn_exposes_role_of
4/18
Nebraskans Take on Keystone XL in Public Hearing
Nebraskan: “Our remote, conservative, flyover state seems like an odd place to make a stand for clean water and fertile land, but we will be at the heart of those battles.”
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Pipher nails it, don’t you think?
Only our selflessness will satisfy our self interest.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/18-6
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Sandra Steingraber, Others Get 15 Days in Jail for Civil Disobedience Against Gas Co.
‘My Small, Non-Violent Act vs. Larger, More Violent, Toxic Trespass’ of Inergy Corporation
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/18-7
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Did a Spreadsheet Error Cost You Your Job?
by Dean Baker
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/18-13
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Violence on the Home Front
by Erika Eichelberger
*Home is where the heartbreak is
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/18-10
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The Senate’s Drone and Trigger-Happy Immigration Bill
by Aura Bogado
*Liberty trades her torch for a Taser
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/18-1
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Cutting the Budget, Bleeding Us Dry
by Michelle Chen
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/18-8
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Earthjustice
Tribe Opposes Proposal to Turn Grays Harbor into an Industrial Crude Oil Zone
Full environmental review of “pipelines-on-wheels” requested
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/04/18-15
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Deadly Texas Explosion: Key Facts
*The devastation of Dear Misleader’s deregulatory dance of death
http://www.accuracy.org/release/deadly-texas-explosion-key-facts/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
“Devastation Beyond Description”: Dozens Feared Dead in Texas Fertilizer Plant Blast, 100+ Wounded
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/18/devastation_beyond_description_dozens_feared_dead
No OSHA Inspections at Texas Plant in 5 Years: Are We Doing Enough to Protect Workplace Safety?
*This was an accident waiting to happen
But there was nothing accidental about it.
As long as “Profit uber alles” is the creed of companies such as West Fertilizer, and as long as lip service is paid to workplace safety, rather than paying for the resources needed to ensure it, these tragedies will continue to occur as regular as clockwork
As will the crocodile tears of the politicians responsible for them.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/18/no_osha_inspections_at_texas_plant
A Rush to Misjudgment: CNN Faulted for Racially Charged, Erroneous Reports on Boston Marathon Case
*Awad’s mistaken.
This is extremely “American”
And it has to do with more than simply filling airtime and media competitiveness.
It’s the conscious aiding and abetting of a climate of fear that allows for the demonization of “the other”, and for the continuing evisceration of our rights and freedoms.
Those in power have always understood the necessity to divide and conquer
And the corpress has always stood ready to facilitate that strategy.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/18/a_rush_to_misjudgment_cnn_faulted
4/17
AKNY-Greece Solidarity Network et al.
Greece, April 21, 1967—–NEVER AGAIN!
In Remembrance of the Victims of the Dictatorship
In Protest against State Authoritarianism and Neo-Nazism
In Defense of Democracy and Economic Justice for the Greek People
http://www.akny.org/2013/04/akny_astoria_april-21-2013/
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Stalling on a Burning Planet: World’s Energy as Dirty as it Was 20 Years Ago
“The overall lack of progress should serve as a wake-up call,” says International Energy Agency
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/17-2
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The Orwellian Warfare State of Carnage and Doublethink
by Norman Solomon
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/17
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Corporate Tax Dodgers: 10 Companies and Their Tax Loopholes
by Sarah Anderson and Scott Klinger and Javier Rojo
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/17-1
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Deadly Sins in the Brazilian Amazon
The trampling of indigenous rights, military force used against protesters, impunity, megadams and environmental destruction. Is Brazil returning to the bad old days?
by Bianca Jagger
*This is an object lesson in looking beyond the branding of a particular government, to how its actions affect those it supposedly serves.
That lesson should be applied regardless of the relationship a government may have with the US.
To confront its contradictions is not equivalent to being “an imperialist lackey”.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/17-0
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Congress and Obama Quietly Collude to Undo ‘Insider Trading’ Law
“If there was ever any doubt this latest gutting of transparency and oversight of Washington Insiders by President Barack Obama has surely secured his legacy as just another politician that betrayed the public’s trust.”
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*No, there was never any doubt
At least for those of us with synapses in operational order.
And note that this was done by congressional “unanimous consent”.
That includes all those liberal icons with Capitol Hill offices.
I don’t imagine there’ll be anything about this in Bernie Sanders’ next press release, do you?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/17-8
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U.S. Supreme Court Dismisses Lawsuit Against Shell in Nigeria
by Pratap Chatterjee
CorpWatch Blog
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/17-7
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Use of “Terrorism”
*The name, and the blame, game
http://www.accuracy.org/release/use-of-terrorism/
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FAIR Blog
Thatcher Lifted Millions–Says Who?
*Burns may have meant
“[A]nd, for millionAIREs beyond the coal fields, MORE prosperity.”
What do you think?
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/04/17/thatcher-lifted-millions-says-who/
Al-Qaeda Pressure Cookers?
I think it’s fair to point to the Al-Qaeda (spelling of the day) magazine piece as one possibility, but the overarching impression you get is that there’s much fervent hope that that is indeed the case.
And given the choice between knowing with certainty who’s responsible, and being able to continue to insinuate the above
You have to question which they would choose, don’t you?
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/04/17/al-qaeda-pressure-cookers/
Why We Need the New Yorker to Correct Its Error on Venezuelan Inequality
*Given the decline in readership in the magazine industry, it might be a cost saving measure.
It’s less expensive to make up the facts
Than to make sure of them.
Steve Emerson Gets It Wrong–Again
*Is Emerson trying to “get it right”
Or is he attempting to sow fear and hatred in the furtherance of a policy that requires them?
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/04/17/steve-emerson-gets-it-wrong-again/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Venezuela Accuses U.S. of Plotting Coup After Deadly Post-Election Protests
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/17/venezuela_accuses_us_of_plotting_coup
After Obama Shuns Probe, Bipartisan Panel Finds “Indisputable” Evidence U.S. Tortured Under Bush
*I think Pitter put her finger on the reason for this panel, that it was an attempt to “preserve U.S. moral credibility in the world”, although she doesn’t view that effort in the same light as I do.
First, of course, the only “moral credibility” the US has has been manufactured by its own propaganda, and I think this is essentially more of the same.
This report allows an admission of “mistakes” without making one officially, and whatever superficial actions follow from it will be designed to remove the taint of torture without anyone ever facing justice for having authorized or engaged in it
Or for failing to prosecute those who have.
It also doesn’t speak to the reasons for having done so in the first place.
The policy is assumed to be valid. Only the methods are questioned.
It is a pantomime of penitence
While the pain continues to be inflicted.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/17/after_obama_shuns_probe_bipartisan_panel
4/16
Iranian Official Calls Boston Tragedy a “Source of Sorrow”
Foreign Ministry official: “Acts of extremism and terrorism have to be uprooted across the world and no effort should be made to justify violence”
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Yeah, this is transparent taking political advantage of tragedy
But ask yourself if a State Department spokesman would have made similar remarks were the situation reversed.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/16-3
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We are Better Than This
by Erin Niemela
*Do we need to believe that a world without violence is possible to struggle for it
Or can we see it as worth our efforts regardless?
I understand the power of hope
But I’m convinced of the imperative of obligation, of purpose.
Our better angels don’t need a flight plan
They just need to get airborne.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/16-4
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The Boston Bombing Produces Familiar and Revealing Reactions
As usual, the limits of selective empathy, the rush to blame Muslims, and the exploitation of fear all instantly emerge
by Glenn Greenwald
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/16-3
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How We Can Break the Cycle of Pain From Mass Violence
by Rinku Sen
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/16-5
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San Onofre: NRC Opens Public Comment on Edison’s Dangerous Nuclear Experiment
Friends of the Earth: ‘No significant hazard’ ruling proves regulator ‘in the pocket’ of utility
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/04/16-8
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FAIR Blog
‘Terror Returns’–but When Did It Go Away?
And while “terrorism” in this country may have declined in the past dozen years
Acts of terror perpetrated by its government have increased exponentially around the world.
The GWOT has a misplaced preposition.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/04/16/terror-returns-but-when-did-it-go-away/
USA Today: Venezuelans Voted for High Unemployment and Food Shortages
We need to talk about those “significant problems”, and not simply allude to them in a perfunctory manner, as is usually the case here and elsewhere.
I don’t think we do the people of Venezuela, or the cause of justice globally, any favors by neglecting to engage in an honest critique of Bolivarismo or any other movement that it is opposed by the US.
Indeed, it’s essential to do so, if those movements are to realize their stated goals.
There is no contradiction between that and exposing corpress propaganda about them for what it is, is there?
Institute for Public Accuracy
Parents Boycott Testing
http://www.accuracy.org/release/parents-boycott-testing/
Kermit Gosnell Trial: Separating Truth From Lies
http://www.accuracy.org/release/kermit-gosnell-trial-separating-truth-from-lies/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Boston Marathon a “Horrifying Scene” After Twin Blasts Kill 3 and Leave Scores Maimed, Wounded
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/16/boston_marathon_a_horrifying_scene_after
Peace Activist Carlos Arredondo Hailed as Hero for Aid to Boston Marathon Bombing Victims
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/16/peace_activist_carlos_arredondo_hailed_as
“Like a War Scene”: From the Streets to Hospitals, Citizens Rushed to Help Bombing Victims
*I wish that the impulses that spurred Arredondo and so many others to risk their safety to help others, the profound humanity that evinces, could be present at every moment, that it would be utterly unexceptional, found not only in horrible situations such as this, but in how we interact with each other as a matter of course.
And if we are to give ourselves our best shot at survival, that wish must be made reality.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/16/like_a_war_scene_from_the
Sportswriter Dave Zirin: Prayers For the People in Boston, Baghdad and Mogadishu
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/16/sportswriter_dave_zirin_prayers_for_the
4/15
Does God have a gender?
by Robert Jensen
http://www.nationofchange.org/does-god-have-gender-1366030699
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Corporate Control of Human Genes Before Supreme Court
Corporation’s claim of ownership on human gene threatens “untold cost” to research, medical treatment and patients
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/15-3
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Eco Heroes Win Goldman Environmental Prize
Winners showcase grassroots struggles across the globe to achieve environmental justice
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/15-7
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Tax Havens for the 99 Percent! Art & Activism by Paolo Cirio
by Grit TV
http://www.commondreams.org/video/2013/04/15-0
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The Truth About Extreme Global Inequality
Global inequality is growing in part because of the neoliberal economic policies imposed on developing countries.
by Jason Hickel
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/15-3
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As Marketing to Children Intensifies, What Can Society Do?
by Diane Levin and Christina Asquith
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/15-8
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Sweatshops on Wheels
by Chris Hedges
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/15-1
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Friends of the Earth
Keystone XL: Friends of the Earth Files for Release of State Department Records on Massive Lobbying Operation by TransCanada and Province of Alberta
FOIA request shines light on Kerry and Obama links to pipeline proponents
*How do you get from having direct connections to lobbyists for “Game Over”
To being “a champion of bold action on climate change”?
You can get there from here, can you?
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/04/15-6
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FAIR Blog
Cutting Social Security on PBS–From Left to Right
*If being brave is about hurting those you purport to care about
Then I guess those child abusing priests must be frigging heroic.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/04/15/cutting-social-security-on-pbs-from-left-to-right/
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Institute for Public Accuracy
New Poll: Small Business Owners Reject Corporate Tax Avoidance
http://www.accuracy.org/release/new-poll-small-business-owners-reject-corporate-tax-avoidance/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Will Chávez Revolution Continue in Venezuela? A Debate After Maduro’s Close Election Victory
*I’d have liked to have seen a discussion that looked honestly at the contradictions of Chavismo, without apologies for them, or harping on them.
I think it’s telling that Carroll never once criticized the opposition, and dismissed US skulduggery in recent years, but that doesn’t mean that he might not have some valid criticisms of the government.
Weisbrot came across as more of a defense lawyer than an objective analyst, but he may have legitimately countered some of Carroll’s claims.
But it’s difficult to know what is valid and legitimate when you have this sort of debate, rather than an honest, impartial assessment of the situation.
That said, I think Weisbrot’s view is closer to the reality than Carroll’s.
One lesson we should take from all this is to be clear eyed about any individual or regime that engenders such levels of acclaim and condemnation as this one
And the motivations behind those reactions.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/15/will_chvez_revolution_continue_in_venezuela
Tax Day: While Millions Rush to Meet Deadline, Resisters Continue Longstanding Refusal to Fund War
*The tea party hypothetical is an interesting question. It relates to the tension between acting on your conscience, and the “fairness” principle – that laws apply to everyone, one view is essentially as valid as another (e.g., opposing war and opposing government benefits for others), and laws can’t be violated because one finds them morally objectionable.
I don’t think there is a “logical” answer to that. By that I mean one that satisfies that sense of “evenhandedness”. I believe you should try to do what your humanity demands, that that is voice you should heed.
I don’t know that there is a way to reconcile that with the need for rules for all in a society.
And while it’s a subject worth deliberation
In the end, it’s moot as far as what I consider the higher law is concerned.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/15/tax_day_while_millions_rush_to
4/12
Thatcher’s Funeral: World Elites, ‘Death Parties’… Rubber Bullets?
Police debate how to handle both ‘pomp and circumstance’ and public protest
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*You’re gonna have to disrespect somebody.
Will it be this latter day Bloody Mary
Or those who suffered from her inhumanity
And continue to suffer from her neoliberal legacy?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/12
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Palestinian on 8-Month Hunger Strike Refuses ‘Deportation’
Samer Issawi writes: “I do not accept to be deported out of my homeland. I do not accept your courts and your arbitrary rule.”
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/12-3
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Leaked Report Reveals Egyptian Army Doctors ‘Operated on Protesters without Anesthetic’
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/12-4
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Three Key Lessons from the Obama Administration’s Drone Lies
by Glenn Greenwald
*But what if the administration were only targeting those it claims?
How is the criterion of “an imminent threat” determined?
Is execution the only effective method to protect against that threat?
On those occasions when al-Qaida members are assassinated, are details of those purported threats forthcoming?
We’re talking about extrajudicial execution, and that’s an issue that goes beyond lying about who is being killed
To the legitimacy of the rationales for the killing itself.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/12-2
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States Should Not Curb Health Care for Women
by Cecile Richards
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/12-3
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Look out Monsanto: The Global Food Movement Is Rising
The book Harvesting Justice isn’t just a look at the world’s most exciting food justice groups—it’s also a knockout organizing tool.
by Daniel Moss
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/12-6
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Banks Got Nowhere to Run To, Baby
by Greg Kaufmann
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/12-5
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Food & Water Watch
National Organic Board Decision a Victory for Organics, Preservation of Antibiotics
A joint statement of Consumers Union, Food & Water Watch and The Center for Food Safety
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/04/12-0
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Survivor International
Paris Judge Rejects Attempt to Halt Auction of Hopi Sacred Objects
*Only mammon is sacred in the marketplace
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/04/12-4
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FAIR Blog
Reagan Didn’t Get Thatchered
*I’d imagine the difference can be explained in large part by the lack of class consciousness in these here United States, which, despite the best efforts of New Labour, still exists within Britain.
In other words, the old union hymn, “Which Side Are You On?” has a good deal more resonance there than it does in its homeland.
And, of course, the corporate media have played no small role in the realization of that reality.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/04/12/reagan-didnt-get-thatchered/
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North Korea Has Deliverable Nuclear Warhead! Or Maybe Not!
*This seems to be an attempt at calibrating the fear quotient.
Whether it’s North Korea or Iran, painting your adversary as aggressive and irrational, while appearing to be calm and deliberative about how to respond to them, is the desired narrative.
North Korea, admittedly provoked by US actions, has played to type, making the propagandists’ task that much easier.
The objective is to keep the pot simmering, without reaching a boil.
And the corpress is an able and enthusiastic cook’s assistant.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/04/12/north-korea-has-deliverable-nuclear-warhead-or-maybe-not/
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Institute for Public Accuracy
See Where Each 2012 Tax Dollar Went
http://www.accuracy.org/release/see-where-each-2012-tax-dollar-went/
4/11
PETITION
National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON)
Alabama Worker Denied Prosecutorial Discretion! Why is the New Orleans Office Denying Him A Chance to Stay With His US Citizen Wife?
http://action.altoarizona.com/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=13573
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The State of Nuclear Power in US: Bad and Worse
New report says NRC is ill-prepared for massive meltdown, which former NRC chair says is likely
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
*[T]hey should be replaced with newer technology.”
I don’t think Jaczko is pushing renewables
But we better.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/11-2
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Despite Compromise, Bipartisan Consensus Remains: Assault Weapons OK
Gun safety groups applaud movement on background checks, but NRA’s grip on legislators remains intact
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*So how did we go from outrage to “cautious applause” in the space of four months?
And who’s to blame?
The question is better put
Who isn’t?
Both parties, the corpress, and “gun control advocates” all played their parts in this pro forma pantomime.
I said at the time
“This is about profit.
And that is why, in the end, for all the tears and laments of Dear Misleader, the most we can expect from him and the Democrats is some watered down band aid that doesn’t come close to addressing the problem.
Why would this issue be any different that any other?”
That’s not prescience
Just empiricism.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/11
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Fourth Radioactive Water Leak Found at Disaster-Plagued Fukushima Plant
Newest leak follows TEPCO admission that the “underground tanks are not reliable”
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*”All of the above”?
Look out below
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/11-1
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Avoiding Corporate Crime
by Russell Mokhiber
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/11-8
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How America’s Fast Food Industry Makes a Quick Buck
The gulf between CEO pay and staff McWages is shockingly wide: a strike serves this system of super-exploitation right
by Sadhbh Walshe
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/11-1
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Witness Against Torture
As Guantánamo Hunger Strike Continues, Activists Rally Nationwide for “Day of Action to Close Guantánamo & End Indefinite Detention”
Protests in D.C., NYC, Chicago, San Francisco, and Over 26 Cities Pressure Obama to Close the Prison
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/04/11-4
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Exxon Arkansas Tar Sands Pipeline Gash: 22 Feet Long
http://www.accuracy.org/release/exxon-arkansas-tar-sands-pipeline-gash-22-feet-long/
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FAIR Blog
Who Gets to Remember Margaret Thatcher?
*The monuments rise
As the country crumbles
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/04/11/who-gets-to-remember-margaret-thatcher/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Juan González: Immigration Debate “A Battle Over What America Will Look Like in 21st Century”
*As always, business gets
While immigrants get the business
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/11/juan_gonzlez_immigration_debate_is_a
Sharif Kouddous & Lina Attalah on Egypt’s Media, Sectarianism & State Violence from Mubarak to Morsi
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/11/sharif_kouddous_lina_attalah_on_egypts
4/10
UN: Clean Energy Could Save Millions of Lives
Air pollution, one of the “greatest hazards to human health,” is killing millions while causing climate change
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/10-3
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New Global Warming Education Plan “Buries” Role of Fossil Fuels, Industrialization
New education guidelines introduces climate change for first time but falls short of making important connection
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Acknowledging the obvious
While promulgating the oblivious
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/10-4
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At Occupy the DOE, A Push for Democratic, Not Corporate, Education Reform
by Alleen Brown
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/10-8
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Food & Water Watch
Obama Administration Caves to Poultry Industry By Proceeding With Privatized Inspection
Statement of Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch
*The chicken shit piles up in more ways than one
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/04/10-7
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Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER)
Federal Pipeline Safety Vacuum Magnifies Risks
Lack of Surprise Inspections and Independent Review Targeted in Lawsuit
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/04/10-6
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
The Way of the Knife: NYT’s Mark Mazzetti on the CIA’s Post-9/11 Move from Spying to Assassinations
*Quintessential DN! segment, with a corpress reporter on to talk about his “exposé”, through his own skewed context, and Goodman and company disinclined to confront the contradictions of it.
Nothing “surprising” (as Goodman invariably asks her guests) about that, is there?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/10/the_way_of_the_knife_nyts
4/9
Guantánamo Officials Release Names of Prisoners Tortured by Force Feeding
Attorney: “He said he had never felt anything like it in his life.”
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/09-1
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Report Uncovers ‘Water-Apartheid’ in the Occupied West Bank
Study of Israel’s discriminatory practices links water grab to settlement expansions in occupied Palestinian territory
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/09-6
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The 40 Year Recession: The Modern Economy’s Long Downward Spiral
How the “Long Recession” led to the “Great Recession”
by Barbara Garson
*”The vast majority of them thought that they knew when to get out.”
This speaks to the essential ethic of capitalism, doesn’t it?
Everyone for themselves
But I think it’s misleading, in that these bastards knew they would be bailed out, so why not make as much as they can until it all fell apart?
It may have been gambling
But when your homies own the casino …
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/09-3
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Why Would Anyone Celebrate the Death of Margaret Thatcher? Ask a Chilean
by Dave Zirin
*I will show as much remorse for Thatcher’s death
As she showed for those of her and her “friends”‘ victims.
Fair is fair.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/09-7
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‘Crop Waste’: The Price of Perfection
by JoAnne Berkenkamp
*The ugly truth about pretty produce
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/09-0
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Occupy Toronto
Torontonians Protest with Farmers to Stop Release of GM Alfalfa
38 actions across Canada respond to farmer call for action
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/04/09-0
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Center for Biological Diversity
Court Victory for Opponents of Fracking in California
Judge Rules Federal Agency Failed to Address Fracking Risks in Auctioning Off Monterey County Public Lands
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/04/09
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Great Plains Tar Sands Resistance
Oklahoma Grandmother Locks Herself to Keystone XL Heavy Machinery
Halts Construction of Tar Sands Pipeline
*If only oil spills were as simple to remove from the water and soil as they are from the pages and broadcasts of the corpress.
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/04/09-8
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FAIR Blog
On Thatcher, What’s the Difference Between PBS & Fox News?
*There is a distinct difference between PBS and FOX.
We get a bill for the excrement served us from the former.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/04/09/on-thatcher-whats-the-difference-between-pbs-fox-news/
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Drones in Your Backyard
*A buzz kill for Big Brother
http://www.accuracy.org/release/drones-in-your-backyard/
Equal Pay Day
*A woman’s work is never done
Being devalued
http://www.accuracy.org/release/equal-pay-day/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Undercover Activist Details Secret Filming of Animal Abuse & Why “Ag-Gag” Laws May Force Him to Stop
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/9/undercover_activist_details_secret_filming_of
Debate: After Activists Covertly Expose Animal Cruelty, Should They Be Targeted With “Ag-Gag” Laws?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/9/debate_after_activists_covertly_expose_animal
Former Animal Rights Prisoner on Ag-Gag Laws, Secretive Prison Units & Detention of Daniel McGowan
*A cage for those who would open them
4/8
Climate Change to Bring ‘Superstorm Sandys’ to Europe
Hurricanes and extratropical storms will bring ‘far reaching consequences’
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Sowing the wind
Repeating the whirlwind
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/08-3
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US Navy Gets ‘Slap on the Wrist’ Fine for Ramming Into Pristine Philippine Reef
Philippine officials announce Monday a $1.5 million fine for US government
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/08-2
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The Other Side of the Coin in Spain
by Inés Benítez
Inter Press Service
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/08-1
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The Corporate Betrayal of America
by Paul Buchheit
*Feeding at the trough
While we deal with what comes out the other end
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/08-1
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Farmers and Consumers V. Monsanto: David Meet Goliath
by Tory Field and Beverly Bell
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/08-7
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A Recipe for a Sounder Diet
There are ways to make healthy food affordable that don’t require abusing farmworkers.
by Jill Richardson
*Or we could dispense with the notion of wages and employment altogether, and redefine work as what we do with and for each other as equals, and divorce what we need to live a healthy life from the need to purchase it.
That can be seen as improbable
But I can’t see it as impractical.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/08-5
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The Hijacking of Human Rights
by Chris Hedges
*I don’t see evidence of naiveté or ignorance here.
I do see Machiavellian calculation, callous hypocrisy and inhumanity.
Some contradictions may be the born of the former
But I think you’d have to possess those qualities in some measure yourself to believe that to be the case in this instance.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/08-4
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It’s Time to Start Paying Close Attention to the Mechanisms of the Deregulation Machine
by Ralph Nader
*It is indeed a reactionary fiction that regulation is “anti-business” and “anti-capitalism”.
The reforms that emerged from the New Deal were more than anything meant to save the profit system from its rapacious self, as were the regulations enacted a few decades later.
That these had undeniable benefits, as far as they went, and resulted from hard fought struggles, is beside the point. They were not about transforming, but modulating, capitalism.
That regulation has been unquestionably “modest”, and “necessary” for the system to survive.
That the plutocracy’s addiction to greed may overwhelm that regulatory regime is a testament to the fact that we are the only species willfully incapable of reason.
The question isn’t whether capitalism will end, but how.
With a bang, taking us with it
Or a whimper, as it is replaced by socioeconomic relationships that value our common humanity.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/06-3
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Why the Most Powerful Thing in the World is a Seed
“The Seed Underground” is a love letter to the quiet revolutionaries who are saving our food heritage.
by Abby Quillen
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/06-2
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Center for Constitutional Rights
BOP Invents Special Restriction for Environmental Activist Daniel McGowan: No Publishing Articles
McGowan Released from MDC Prison Friday, Returned to Halfway House
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/04/08-3
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ACLU Asks President Obama to Take Executive Action on Equal Pay
More Than 100 Organizations Urge President to Help End Wage Discrimination
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/04/08-5
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Demand Progress, Internet Defense League Launch Week Of Action To Reform Computer Fraud and Abuse Act
CFAA Criminalizes Basic Internet Use and is Used in Abusive Prosecutions
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/04/08-4
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FAIR Blog
To NYT, Nuclear Facts Become Iranian Claims
*Beyond this issue, the NPT has a profound contradiction, in that it purports to promote the abolishment of one deadly scourge – nuclear weapons
While enthusiastically supporting another – nuclear energy.
Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Fukushima are inextricably linked by those twin pillars of the amorality of scientific “progress”.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/04/08/to-nyt-nuclear-facts-become-iranian-claims/
Cutting Social Security and Medicare? That’s the ‘Middle’
*About the only line “liberal” Democrats won’t cross these days is a repeal of the 13th Amendment.
But give it time …
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/04/08/cutting-social-security-and-medicare-thats-the-middle/
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Institute for Public Accuracy
“I’m a Nation to Myself:” Iraqi Refugees in the United States
http://www.accuracy.org/release/im-a-nation-to-myself-iraqi-refugees-in-the-united-states/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
“The Kissinger Cables”: Three Years After “Collateral Murder,” WikiLeaks Explores U.S. Diplomacy
*”The illegal we do immediately. The unconstitutional takes a little longer.”
Not as catchy as “The audacity of hope”
But as apt for Dear Misleader’s motto as it was for Kissinger’s.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/8/the_kissinger_cables_three_years_after
Icelandic Lawmaker Birgitta Jónsdóttir on Challenging Gov’t Secrecy from Twitter to Bradley Manning
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/8/icelandic_lawmaker_birgitta_jonsdottir_on_challenging
Birgitta Jónsdóttir on Criminalization of Cyber-Activists, Bradley Manning & Iceland’s Pirate Party (Pt. 2)
Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013): Tariq Ali on Late British PM’s Legacy from Austerity to Apartheid
*Maggie and Ronnie
Sitting in a tree
K – I – L – L – I – N – G
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/8/margaret_thatcher_1925_2013_tariq_ali
4/5
National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON)
Art and Organizing to Say “Not One More”
http://notonemoredeportation.com
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Hearts, Minds and Dollars: Condolence Payments in the Drone Strike Age
by Cora Currier
ProPublica
*A bloodless consideration of blood money
Notice not one reference to – or advocate for – the concept of reparations, which encapsules both an admission of a grave wrong on a broad scale, and an honest attempt at just redress for its commission.
Of course, that would require a forthright questioning of the rationale for the GWOT ™.
And that’s not something this piece appears too keen to contemplate, does it?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/05-2
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Fukushima Nuclear Cooling System Goes Down (Again)
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/05-3
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FAIR Blog
Keeping Yet Another Government Secret
*Corpress complicity
Another sort of “secret service”
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/04/05/keeping-yet-another-government-secret/
North Korea’s Attack Plan: Apocalypse Never Mind
*Well, if you can’t cover a real war
The next best thing is to have “experts” theorize about the strategies and tactics for a nonexistent one.
Should we label it “pointer rattling”?
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/04/05/north-koreas-attack-plan-apocalypse-never-mind/
FAIR Extra!
Keeping the Government’s Secrets
Official/press collusion to keep public uninformed
by Steve Rendall
http://fair.org/slider/keeping-the-governments-secrets/
Joe Biden, Aesthetic Populist
A track record of screwing the little guy
by Andrew Bard Epstein
*A natural back stabber
http://fair.org/slider/joe-biden-aesthetic-populist/
Lost in Translation
The Quebec student strike in Anglo-American corporate media
by Isabel Macdonald
http://fair.org/extra-online-articles/lost-in-translation-2/
.
DEMOCRACY NOW!
At National Conference for Media Reform, Activists Hope to Stop Murdoch, Koch-Backed Consolidation
*I think one of the most important issues facing independent media is the lack of self criticism, and the unwillingness to hear it from others, which could be said for most every group claiming to work for a more just world.
I’ve tried to engage both DN! and FAIR in an honest discussion of what I see as their contradictions, not to denigrate, but to push them to walk the walk, only to be met with silence.
I don’t come at this from a position of superiority, as I’m fully aware of my own shortcomings, but I try to be honest about them, and that’s what I think is vital for any struggle to progress.
We must be willing to speak truth to power
And we also must be willing to speak it to each other
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/5/at_national_conference_for_media_reform
Digital Disconnect: Robert McChesney on “How Capitalism Is Turning the Internet Against Democracy”
*The world may be digital
But the threat is the hardest of copy
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/5/digital_disconnect_robert_mcchesney_on_how
Colorado Independent: Suspect in Killing of Prisons Chief Tormented by Years of Solitary Confinement
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/5/colorado_independent_suspect_in_killing_of
“Shadows of Liberty”: New Film Explores How Corporate Control of Media Erodes Press Freedoms
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/5/shadows_of_liberty_new_film_explores
4/4
Exxon’s Unfriendly Skies: Why Does Exxon Control the No-Fly Zone Over Arkansas Tar Sands Spill?
by Steve Horn
DeSmog Blog
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/04-0
.
Study: Global Warming to Intensify Already Extreme Rainfalls
“We have high confidence that the most extreme rainfalls will become even more intense,” said the study’s lead author
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/04-5
.
Tax Haven Leak Promises ‘Seismic Stir’ Among World’s Richest
UK’s Guardian names the financial elite who hide billions in offshore accounts
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/04-3
.
The Global State of Humanity
by Thomas Ponniah
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/04-2
.
Where Are the Activists as Austerity Bites? They Have Been Beaten Back
Protesters face violence, arrest and serious charges. Only the brave dare face this savage suppression
by Laurie Penny
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/04-4
.
To Build a Community Economy, Start With Solidarity
How residents who can’t afford to buy in still get the benefits of co-op work and housing.
by Abby Scher
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/04-1
.
Making Disaster Pay
From the San Francisco Earthquake to Superstorm Sandy, How Capitalism Stacks the Deck on Disaster
by Steve Fraser
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/04-3
.
Food & Water Watch
Privatized Water Systems More Costly than Loans
New Food & Water Watch Analysis Highlights Public Costs Associated With Water System Privatization Deals
*A liquid asset that should never be liquidated
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/04/04-0
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ACLU Report Exposes Debtors’ Prison Practices in Ohio
Investigation into Eleven Ohio Counties Finds Seven Are Illegally Jailing People for Inability to Pay Fines
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/04/04-1
.
FAIR Blog
AP Ditches ‘Illegal’ Label
*How do you drop a term “incrementally”?
You do
Or you don’t
Don’t you?
And let’s award the Don Young Prize for Sensitivity in Media to the Trib for its nonsensical response.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/04/04/ap-ditches-illegal-label/
.
Institute for Public Accuracy
The Koreas: Lurching Towards War
*Deady deja vu all over again
http://www.accuracy.org/release/31393/
.
DEMOCRACY NOW!
New Era of Nuclear-Armed North Korea Forces U.S. to Reconsider War
Games at Regime’s Door
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/4/new_era_of_nuclear_armed_north
On 45th Anniversary of His Death, Martin Luther King Jr. on the Power
of Media and the Horror of War
*I’d like to have heard King’s view on the role of the media in
warmongering, but there’s nothing in the excerpt.
As to what is, there’s a deep contradiction in calling the US “our
great nation” while condemning it for its war crimes, which
it has perpetrated throughout its history, at home and abroad.
The damage done to its image through those acts was not to be
lamented.
As I’m sure King said many times
The truth shall make you free.
That image was, as is, a false one.
Until this country’s deeds align with its claim to morality
Until it earns a reputation for standing for justice
Its opprobrium is richly deserved.
But that said, King’s break with liberal support for empire was his most profound contribution to the cause of humanity, and nothing I’ve said should be construed as a diminution of that.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/4/on_45th_anniversary_of_his_death
Testimony, Recordings at Trial Reveal the Racial Biases and Arrest Quotas Behind NYPD’s Stop & Frisk
*The judge asks what should be done.
Those responsible for these crimes
And they are crimes
Must be prosecuted and sentenced according to the severity of their actions.
That would be the most effective deterrent
And the surest path to justice.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/4/testimony_recordings_at_trial_reveal_the
40 Years After Secret U.S. War in Laos Ended, Millions of Unexploded Bomblets Keep Killing Laotians
*US and Honeywell culpability are soft pedaled here by Khamvongsa, I imagine because she’s trying to secure vital funds for this mission, and believes that condemning these criminals would harm that effort.
If that’s the case, it’s deeply frustrating to hear her mute her criticism
As I’m sure it is for her to do so.
4/3
PETITION
Havaar
Help Iranians Access Lifesaving Medicine
Hanford Nuclear Waste Site at Risk of Hydrogen Explosion, Report Warns
Following report of leaks, nuclear safety board finds dangerous hydrogen build up in waste holding tanks
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/03-1
.
Chemical Disasters, Agent Orange, and GMOs: Monsanto’s Legacy Traced in Exposé
Food & Water Watch highlights toxic ‘corporatization and industrialization of our food supply’
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/03-2
.
Efforts to Deliver “Kill Shot” to Paid Sick Leave Tied to ALEC
by Brendan Fischer and Mary Bottari
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/03-7
.
Water for Profit: Seizing Climate Change as a Chance to Corporatize the Commons
“Not enough people are thinking long term of [water] as an asset that is worthy of ownership,” says one executive
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
*You see remarks like these, and it puts the lie to any notion of those making them being unaware of the consequences of their acts, doesn’t it?
They are fully cognizant of what they’re doing, and the outcome
And they don’t care.
Whatever produced that psychopathy
The only term for its manifestation is “evil”.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/03-6
.
US Intelligence Report: Expect Water Wars Soon
Report sees biotechnology, agricultural exports and virtual water trade as the way forward
by Common Dreams staff
https://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/03/22-7
.
Activists on Both Sides of Atlantic Denounce US/EU FTA as Corporate Power Grab
President Obama’s plan for a trade liberalization called
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/03-3
.
Rewarding Polluters and Locking Up People Who Want to Save the Planet
The climate campaigners should be given a medal for their outstanding bravery and public service, not prison sentences
by Andrew Simms
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/03-8
.
Why the AP’s Choice to Drop the I-Word Is a Crucial Victory
by Rinku Sen
*Nothing “illegal” about removing this label
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/03-6
.
Victory! The Stopping of Owlcatraz
by Dave Zirin
*Prison profit thrown for a loss
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/03
.
Friends of the Earth
Civil Society and Entrepreneurs Call on World Bank to Clean Up Energy Lending
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/04/03-3
.
FAIR Blog
North Korea ‘Rattles Sabres’; Meanwhile, U.S. Pretends to Drop Nuclear Bombs on Them
Keystone Polling and an Oil Spill Time Machine
It appears the timeline’s as reliable as the pipeline.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/04/03/keystone-polling-and-an-oil-spill-time-machine/
Misreporting Israel/Gaza Cease-Fire
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/04/03/misreporting-israelgaza-cease-fire/
.
DEMOCRACY NOW!
Silent on Assault Weapons Ban Defeat and NRA-Backed Dems, Has Obama Collapsed on Gun Control?
*No hope
No change
No surprise
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/3/silent_on_assault_weapons_ban_defeat
NRA’s “School Shield” Call for Armed Guards Seen as Path to Further Criminalize Youth of Color
*The weapons manufacturers sell guns.
The NRA sells fear.
And both want to sell us the first as the solution to the second.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/3/nras_school_shield_call_for_armed
4/2
Fukushima Meltdown Driving Increased Abnormalities Among US Infants
In wake of disaster, children on the west coast almost one-third more likely to suffer from thyroid abnormalities
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/02-1
.
Austerity Continues: Privatization of Greece’s Rail Underway
Greek government made the announcement on Monday as it fulfills the troika-imposed bailout conditions
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/02-3
.
From Growing Profit to Growing Food: Challenging Corporate Rule
by Tory Field and Beverly Bell
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/02-3
.
Communism, Welfare State – What’s the Next Big Idea?
Any attempt to challenge the elite needs courage, inspiration and a truly groundbreaking proposal. Here are two to set us off
by George Monbiot
*I think if we’re interested in true justice, we need to question the concept of “employment” – of working for someone else, rather than with others as equals for the benefit of all.
If our goal is a dignified existence for every single person on this planet
(And if not, whom do we exclude?)
Then the ideals of cooperation and community must be our signposts.
We contribute what we can
And receive what we need.
We may not reach that destination
But if that isn’t the road we choose to travel
I can’t see the point in the journey.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/02-1
.
Challenges of Arab Uprisings Reflected at World Social Forum
by Medea Benjamin
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/02-4
.
Chris Hedges Resigns From Human Rights Organization PEN
by William Pfaff
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/02-6
.
Oil Change International Statement on ‘Ludicrous’ Exxon Tax Break for Arkansas Spill
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/04/02
.
Institute for Public Accuracy
Launch of Campaign to Revoke Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize
http://www.accuracy.org/release/31381/
Paid Sick Days: Spreading Across the Country
http://www.accuracy.org/release/paid-sick-days-spreading-across-the-country/
.
DEMOCRACY NOW!
The Monsanto Protection Act? A Debate on Controversial New Measure Over Genetically Modified Crops
*Jaffe’s views come across as naive at best, but a little cybersearching turned up this bit of intel from years ago that I think still is germane to the issue of just why CSPI takes the position it does:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/gefood/cspi082101.cfm
So, why isn’t this considered relevant to the conversation?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/2/the_monsanto_protection_act_a_debate
Foodopoly: The Battle Over the Future of Food and Farming in America from Monsanto to Wal-Mart
*Force fed a diet of disaster
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/2/foodopoly_the_battle_over_the_future
4/1
Study: ‘Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card’ Doesn’t Exist for Climate Peril
Unintended consequences of geoengineering would harm world’s most vulnerable
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/01
.
Study: Arctic ‘Greening’ Will Bring Global Ecological Consequences, More Warming
“Such widespread redistribution of Arctic vegetation would have impacts that reverberate through the global ecosystem,” said study lead author
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/01-6
.
Arkansas’ Pegasus Pipeline Spill Exposes Dramatic Risks of Tar Sands
by Anthony Swift
*Pipe dreams
And recurring nightmares
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/01-2
.
Atlanta Test Cheating: Tip of the Iceberg?
by Valerie Strauss
*Well, you can’t say the kids aren’t getting a solid education in the way the world works
If nothing else
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/01-5
.
The Methane Beneath Our Feet
by Bill McKibben
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/01-7
.
My Coke Rewards, Pepsi Refresh, and the Rise of “Philanthro-Marketing”
by Anna Lappé
*Soda jerks
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/01-3
.
Modern Capitalism’s Hall of Hypocrisy
by Paul Buchheit
*I guess it makes sense that a top dog
Would act like a son of a bitch
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/01
.
FAIR Blog
Everyone’s Rich Again–Problem Solved!
*”We’re Feeling Rich Again”
This is the only sort of “inclusiveness” the corpress has any interest in, isn’t it?
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/04/01/everyones-rich-again-problem-solved/
David Stockman’s American Economic Horror Story
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/04/01/david-stockmans-american-economic-horror-story/
Did the Public Really Give Up on Gun Control?
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/04/01/did-the-public-really-give-up-on-gun-control/
.
DEMOCRACY NOW!
Texas DA Killed Two Months After Deputy Shot Dead; Aryan Brotherhood Probed in Killings
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/1/texas_da_killed_two_months_after
Prosecutor Seeks Stay of Execution for Texas Prisoner Duane Buck, Sentenced to Death for Being Black
*If a person is a “future danger”, then you don’t release them. It makes no moral or logical sense to put someone to death for that reason, even if the discriminatory testimony weren’t the rationale for it.
But beyond that, we need to rid ourselves not only of the barbarism of the death penalty, but also the concept of life without parole.
It may be that someone can never re-enter society, but that should be re-evaluated on a frequent basis, if we’re going to do more than pay lip service to the idea of rehabilitation.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/1/prosecutor_seeks_stay_of_execution_for
Texas Prosecutor Linda Geffin, Victim of Brutal Attack at Home, on the Killing of DA Mike McLelland
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/1/texas_prosecutor_linda_geffin_victim_of
ExxonMobil Tar Sands Oil Pipeline Ruptures in Arkansas as Obama Ponders Fate of Keystone XL
*You can bet scared money on the corpress downplaying this story, and especially the tar sands aspect.
Forgive me for stating the bleeding – make that leaking – obvious.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/1/exxonmobil_tar_sands_oil_pipeline_ruptures
March 2013
3/29
At World Social Forum, Global Peasant Movement Offers the ‘Peoples Solution’
‘Another world isn’t just possible, it makes sense’
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/29-5
.
Deadly Diarrhea Will Increase on Hotter, Drier Planet
New study found that the second most common cause of death for children is bound to increase under global warming
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/29-6
.
France’s Hollande Proposes New Progressive Tax on the Rich
As austerity reigns, French president tries to renew push for wealthy to pay fair share
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
*”Socialist” …
Can an ideology sue for defamation of character?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/29-2
.
Thousands of Chilean Students March Against ‘Commodity’ Education System
Police reportedly met the demonstrators with police dogs, water canons and pepper stray
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/29-3
.
EPA Loophole Allows Flood of Pesticides to Litter US Ecosystems
Approval process for toxic substance “grievously flawed” says NRDC
by Carey L. Biron
Inter Press Service
*Just whose environment is being protected?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/29-0
.
This Is What Happens When You Rip a Hole in the Safety Net
by Bryce Covert
*Cutting the fingernails
Of those hanging on by them
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/29-9
.
North Dakota Anti-Abortion Activists Attempt to Re-open Roe v Wade Debate
America has no ‘culture war’ about legal abortion rights: only an extreme minority wants to replay the issue in the supreme court
by Nancy Cohen
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/29-2
.
$3.5 Trillion? The Insanely High Costs of Subsidizing the Fossil Fuel Industry
IMF says global subsidies to fossil fuels amount to $1.9 trillion a year … and that’s probably an underestimate
by David Roberts
*Subsidizing suicide
And not a peep from the “pro lifers”
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/29-4
.
FAIR Blog
NYT: If Only Gay Rights Were Unpopular, Then Roberts Might Embrace Them
*Isn’t this essentially the same argument employed by those who want to rescind Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act?
“Times have changed. It’s no longer needed.”
You might ask the folks who stood in line for hours to vote last November about its necessity.
USA Today Covers ‘Lonely Battle’ of Equality Opponents
With apologies to Jagger and company
You can call this
“Sympathy for the Demonizers”
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/03/28/usa-today-covers-lonely-battle-of-equality-opponents/
For NPR, Fracking Fight Is Between Farmers & Movie Stars
It’s one thing when the corpress propagandizes
But we pay for the privilege when “public” broadcasting takes it turn.
So just how much does Jim Lehrer make?
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/03/28/for-npr-fracking-fight-is-between-farmers-movie-stars/
.
DEMOCRACY NOW!
The Other Rosa Parks: Now 73, Claudette Colvin Was First to Refuse Giving Up Seat on Montgomery Bus
*I really don’t understand Colvin’s comments regarding the Parks statue and how that relates to Malcolm X, and Goodman lets it slide.
And that no one mentioned the blatant hypocrisy of Dear Misleader lauding the acts of someone he might well have had surveilled today speaks to the contradictions this program often evinces.
But I’m posting this segment for the historical value, and I want to be clear that my criticisms aren’t meant to detract from Colvin’s courage or the impact of her actions.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/29/the_other_rosa_parks_now_73
3/28
PETITION
Johnsonville Sausage: Stop Being Cruel to Pigs!
*Who are the real swine?
Cyprus: Austerity Test-Case is ‘Biggest Experiment in Financial History’
Banks reopen under tight restrictions means spending in Cyprus being controlled by European “Troika”
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/28
.
New Research Shows Global Warming Speeding Up
Scientists find ‘missing heat’ in deep ocean waters
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/28-1
.
Despite ‘Enormous Risk’ White House Reaffirms Commitment to Arctic Drilling
As US renews pledge to drill in Arctic waters, Greenland places moratorium on new leases
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/28-5
.
No Safe ‘Delivery Mechanisms for the Poison’: 30,000 Gallons of Oil Spill in Minn. Derailment
“The real way to protect our land, water and climate is to break our addiction,” says 350.org’s Jamie Henn
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/28-3
.
Rare Reporting Reveals Afghan Civilians Terrorized by US Drones
‘They are evil things that fly so high you don’t see them but all the time you hear them’
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/28-2
.
Digital Grab: Corporate Power Has Seized the Internet
by Norman Solomon
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/28-1
.
Think Cyprus Confiscation Scheme Can’t Happen Here? Think Again
by Ellen Brown
*Just like so many other policies that have, or would have, public support, it’s not a matter of Obama “not understand[ing] the political appeal of the nationalization option”
It’s a matter of his understanding who wouldn’t find that appealing.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/28-5
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Anniversaries from Hell and the Celebration of American Cowardice
What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You
by Tom Engelhardt
*Dates
And unknown dates
Which will live in infamy
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/28-3
.
Violence Policy Center
Examples of Non-Self Defense Deaths Involving Persons Legally Allowed to Carry Concealed Handguns Hit 508–VPC Concealed Carry Killers March Update
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/03/28-0
.
Institute for Public Accuracy
Shutting Down Chicago Schools
http://www.accuracy.org/release/shutting-down-chicago-schools/
Solutions for Syria
http://www.accuracy.org/release/solutions-for-syria/
Democracy Activists at World Social Forum in Tunisia: Rightwing and Western Powers Colluding
DEMOCRACY NOW!
Debate: Does Marriage Equality Reinforce a Conservative Institution or Support Social Change?
*Nakagawa makes a compelling case for seeing marriage rights as one piece of a much larger puzzle, and DN! got it right in including that perspective, which is often not the case on the program, with a narrow narrative holding sway.
Which is why I often criticize it.
And it appears from Dear Misleader’s comment
“States have defined marriage, and the federal government has followed the lead of the states”
That there’ll be no push from him for a federally recognized right to marriage taking precedence over state laws prohibiting it.
But we knew that, didn’t we?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/28/debate_does_marriage_equality_reinforce_a
3/27
PETITION
Warehouse Workers for Justice
Stop Illegal Firings at the Walmart Warehouse
http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/7209/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=12788
.
Chicago Public Schools Barricades Offices as Teachers Rally Against School Closings
Vowing acts of civil disobedience, teachers, parents and students fight back against plan to close more than 50 city schools
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/27-8
.
SCOTUS Update: It Doesn’t Look Good for DOMA
Marriage equality advocates will be celebrating if high court strikes down discriminatory law
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*I’m no lawyer (one semester, GPA dropped like the Dow in ’08), but it seems to me the states’ rights argument strengthens the hand of reactionary lawmakers should it form the basis for overturning DOMA.
What’s needed is affirmation of a right to marriage in every state, which can only come from the court or Congressional legislation.
The latter is out of the question at present, and if the court rules on states’ rights grounds, any possible future law establishing that right ironically will have to contend with such a ruling.
Or am I evincing my ignorance here?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/27-10
.
Global Left Converges in Tunisia to Promote New Vision for Earth’s Future
‘Together, we can change the course of history.’
by Jordan Flaherty
Common Dreams
*I’d have liked to have learned more about the “infighting” among participants than this mention tacked on at the end, but I imagine some of it has to do with how such forums can become institutions unto themselves, an end in themselves, rather than dedicated to advancing the struggles that are supposed to be their reason for being.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/27-2
.
Ghost Towns Left in Fukushima’s Wake Shown in Google Street View
‘A permanent record of what happened’ in the nuclear disaster
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/27-3
.
Monsanto and the Seeds of Suicide
by Vandana Shiva
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/27-4
.
Corporate Kangaroo Courts Supplant Our Seventh Amendment Rights
by Jim Hightower
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/27-0
.
Chicago Is Ground Zero for Disastrous “Free Market” Reforms of Education
Chicago has turned public schools into privately run charters. The results aren’t stellar and other cities should beware
by Micah Uetricht
*The fetid fruits of a neoliberal education
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/27-7
.
The Sad Death of Kimani Gray and Society’s Bad Choices
The disputed details of the NYPD shooting of a Brooklyn boy highlight the need for a story other than crime and punishment
by Sadhbh Walshe
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/27-11
.
Tar Sands Blockade
Activist Climbs Flagpole Outside LyondellBasell, Hangs Banner Denouncing Investment in Tar Sands
LyondellBasell recently announced its plans to nearly triple its tar sands refining capacity from the Keystone XL pipeline as protests escalate across the continent
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/03/27-0
.
FAIR Blog
How ‘Unlikely’ Is Mark Sanford’s Comeback Really?
*I think there could be another element at play here.
Who are these bastards cheating on?
Can’t the reaction be seen as another manifestation of the misogny rampant in reactionary circles?
And if they can “forgive”
The corpress will assuredly forget.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/03/27/how-unlikely-is-mark-sanfords-comeback-really/
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Debate on Gay Marriage
*Bernstein Sycamore and Rega make valid points about the skewed focus of the mainstream gay rights movement.
That’s not to say that I agree with the former that marriage is perforce an oppressive institution, but I do think that, as with other struggles, strategy begets actions which don’t fundamentally question the structures of society and who controls them, and that speaks to the motivations of their “leadership”.
I do believe that marriage rights are important – not least for the benefit to the children of same sex couples – but as a part of a greater and deeper whole that must define the fight for equality and freedom.
http://www.accuracy.org/release/debate-on-gay-marriage/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Inside the Landmark Same-Sex Marriage Supreme Court Case: Recordings of Oral Arguments, Plaintiffs
*The only “substantial question on standing” is whether the court will stand by the principle of equality before the law
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/27/inside_the_landmark_same_sex_marriage
“A Historic Moment”: California Couple on Decades-Long Legal Struggle for Marriage Equality
*Gaffney’s comparison of his parents’ struggles to his own serves to break down the artificial barriers opponents of gay marriage try to erect to keep the issue separated from the general concept of basic rights and freedoms.
I think Lewis’ comments about oppressive laws once considered “necessary and appropriate” misrepresent the thinking of those who propagated them.
They may have seen them as such in order to maintain their control – of their slaves, their wives, and their workers, and justified – rationalized – them as vital to “the good order of society”
But to intimate that they were thinking about a future in which that control should be ended is to ascribe a humanity that wasn’t evident in their actions.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/27/a_historic_moment_california_couple_on
Widower of First Openly Gay Congressman Fights DOMA for Denying Benefits to Married Same-Sex Couples
*I’m not in a particularly analytical mood at the moment
So I’ll just say
Screw Bill Clinton and Lynne Osterman.
I’ll leave it to you to divine the reasons, but I think they’re fairly obvious.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/27/widower_of_first_openly_gay_congressman
In Challenge to Roe v. Wade, North Dakota Enacts Law Banning Nearly All Abortions
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/27/in_challenge_to_roe_v_wade
3/26
The 6 Most Absurd Prop. 8 Briefs
The Supreme Court has managed to attract some of the most outlandish of arguments from some familiar antigay figures.
by Kristina Lapinski
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/26-4
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The Gay Marriage Snowball and Political Change
The shockingly rapid and radical collapse of the anti-gay framework demonstrates the baselessness of defeatism
by Glenn Greenwald
*Defeatism is indeed debilitating and dangerous
But to me its opposite isn’t optimism.
As Greenwald notes, gay marriage and other rights don’t threaten the core of power, and any struggle that does faces long odds.
But if our existence has any meaning, our actions can’t be predicated on the possibility of success, but on our empathy for each other, regardless of the outcome.
No act of conscience is ever performed in vain.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/26-7
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‘Living with No Future’: Iraqis in the Ten Year Wake of US War
by Dahr Jamail
*Are there any more bitter words on the lips of these desperate people
Than “Operation Iraqi Freedom”?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/26-5
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Guestworkers Alliance
Student Guestworkers Demand Dignity for all Workers at McDonald’s CEO’s Front Door
McDonald’s J-1 guestworkers to march on CEO’s home March 26
*Empty calories
Empty promises
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/03/26
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Jobs with Justice
Tell McDonald’s: Stop exploiting workers
*Isn’t “good corporate citizen” a contradiction in terms?
And how can you restore a reputation you never earned?
http://www.jwj.org/blog/tell-mcdonalds-stop-exploiting-workers#call
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Cyprus Small Part of World of Tax Havens
http://www.accuracy.org/release/cyprus-small-part-of-world-of-tax-havens/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
“Die Free: A Heroic Family Tale”: Cheryl Wills Uncovers Family’s History from Slavery to Freedom
*This is a powerful and important story, but for Wills to use it to blame kids to some degree for the failures of the educational system to engage them, and to ignore the obstacles they face in their lives that lead to their dropping out, is to me problematic.
And of course they don’t know about this history, because, except for a few exceptional teachers, it isn’t taught, which is but one of those failures.
There are other voices that could put the horrors of slavery in proper context, without these distracting and diminishing asides.
But DN! loves those “remarkable” and “legendary” types, regardless of their contradictions, don’t they?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/26/die_free_a_heroic_family_tale
3/25
‘Years of Suffering’ for Cyprus as New Bailout Deal Escalates ‘Austerity Economics’
“The near future will be very difficult for the country and its people.”
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/25-2
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California Investigation Follows Trail of ‘Dark Money’ Across US
Out of state secret donors skirt the rules on California ballot initiatives
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/25-4
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America Split in Two: Five Ugly Extremes of Inequality
by Paul Buchheit
*For me, the strategy has to answer the question
Do we want to reform
Or do we want to transform?
Reform will always leave some out. It’s telling them that their lives aren’t worth as much as others’.
As “utopian” as it would seem, and as admittedly “unrealistic” as it may be
If you truly believe in equality, and justice, and all that other good stuff
How can you reconcile that with fighting for anything less than a dignified life for every person on this planet?
How would you react to someone telling you
“Sorry” … ?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/25-3
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The True Costs of Industrialized Food
by Tory Field and Beverly Bell
*Feeding the monster
Monstering the food
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/25-11
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The Racism That Fuels the ‘War on Terror’
A new Gallup poll finds a majority of Americans oppose the drone-executions of US citizens on foreign soil. Then why do they support the Awlaki killing?
by Glenn Greenwald
*Crusader mentality
Predator and Reaper reality
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/25-10
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Bank on Being Bilked
by Leo Gerard
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/25-7
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What North Dakota and Mississippi Reveal About Anti-Choice NIMBYism and Hypocrisy
by Amanda Marcotte
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/25-1
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Chinua Achebe’s Anti-Colonial Novels are Still Relevant Today
He traced the dehumanising effects of western cultural arrogance that are still at work today in Iraq and Afghanistan
by Nesrine Malik
*I haven’t read Achebe’s work, but if Malik’s characterization of it is accurate, then it contains a vital lesson for today’s struggles.
A group or society that doesn’t allow for, indeed insist on, an honest examination of itself, is courting disaster by denying its contradictions.
Before we can speak truth to power
We must first speak it to each other
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/25-9
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Institute for Public Accuracy
* Obama “Heckled” About Palestinians * Gitmo Hunger Strike * AP: U.S. Arming Honduras Death Squads?
FAIR Blog
102 Years After Triangle Fire, Media Still Wonder How Workers Keep Dying
*Corpress Rule Number 4
(Or is it 3?)
If you can’t ignore it
Obfuscate it
The Media Didn’t Fail on Iraq; Iraq Just Showed We Have a Failed Media
*Don’t ask
Don’t tell
And don’t ever confess
O’Reilly Demands Respect for the Pagan Goddess Eostre
*It’s tempting to label O’Reilly “psychotic”
But he knows precisely what he’s doing, doesn’t he?
His audience, on the other hand …
I had a conversation a while back with a guy who was utterly convinced that Dear Misleader was the head of The Great Muslim Conspiracy ™, and that the gummint had spend hundreds of millions of dollars to build mosques around the world.
Must be why he’s killing them around the world.
It’s a brilliant cover, you see.
Now, this person most likely believes the whole Secular Progressive Conspiracy ™ thingie as well, again with Obama in the lead.
That would seem blatantly contradictory … the secret Muslim jihadist pushing for an end to religion in public life.
But the thing is, if Christianity is castrated here, it will be that much easier for Islam to triumph.
So it all makes perfect sense
If you’re off your Thorazine regimen.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/03/23/oreilly-demands-respect-for-the-pagan-goddess-eostre/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
A People’s Revolt in Cyprus: Richard Wolff on Protests Against EU Plan to Seize Bank Savings
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/25/a_peoples_revolt_in_cyprus_richard
Capitalism in Crisis: Richard Wolff Urges End to Austerity, New Jobs Program, Democratizing Work
*I’ve critiqued pieces by Wolff a number of times, and if you’re interested, you can search on his name here for my comments (then you’ll have to search within the results using your “Find” function, because I’m a technoramus), but the gist is that he advocates improvements within the profit model, but doesn’t question the fundamental role of competition and profit themselves.
Co-ops don’t challenge that model. They lessen the inequality and exploitation that is at its core, but as long as we compete against each other, and as long as profit is how we keep score, there will be winners and losers.
If the goal is a life of dignity for every single person on this planet, making capitalism better will not achieve it.
You can make it better
But you can’t make it good.
I’m not smart enough to posit an economic model that does reach that goal, but I believe its guiding principle must be
From each according to her talents
From each according to his needs
Wolff wants to cure capitalism, as if it’s a patient with a disease.
But it is the disease
And the only cure is to excise it from our body politic.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/25/capitalism_in_crisis_richard_wolff_urges
Watch Extended Interview with Economist Richard Wolff on How Marxism Influences His Work
*What I come away with from this is the idea that Marxism is valuable only insofar as it can be used to make capitalism better, not as a fundamental critique of the system.
The core dictum of Marxism – “From each, to each”, as denoted above – doesn’t enter the conversation, does it?
Wolff has castrated Marxism, to my mind. He’s posited it as a palliative, rather than as a potential prototype for the essential change required for justice to be realized.
I wouldn’t call myself a Marxist. I don’t know enough about it, but even if I were more knowledgeable, I’d eschew dogmatism.
But its basic precepts, as I understand them, are compatible with my moral viewpoint, my sense of humanity.
I can’t say the same for much of Wolff’s.
3/22
FAIR Blog
Time’s Rethink on Drones
*I wouldn’t be too optimistic about any substantial changes in the US’ use of drones.
(And the only change that would matter would be an end to it)
Drones constitute a major aspect of military strategy, and obscene amounts of our tax dollars – one would be too many – have been poured into it.
Paul’s grandstanding would likely never have occurred if Mitt Romney were in the White House, the issue was focused on attacks against Americans here, and in large measure the kerfuffle was about executive “respect” for Congress.
I think we all understand just how much clout “human rights groups” and “international lawyers” have in Washington.
So perhaps some cosmetic changes to smooth the waters will be forthcoming, but that will be the extent of matters.
And the corpress will hail them
Then retire to the sidelines to cheer on the now sanitized strategy of death from above
And continue to ignore the human consequences of the hell raining down half a world away.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/03/22/times-rethink-on-drones/
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A Growing Drought for Some, Flood Warnings for Others, says New Report
‘No relief in sight’ says Spring forecast from NOAA
by Common Dreams staff
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/22-0
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EPA Favors ‘Bee-Toxic Pesticides’ Over Future of Food, Groups Charge
The EPA has refused to protect bees, “so we’ve been compelled to sue,” said food safety group
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/22-2
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More Evidence Guantanamo Will Be Open Indefinitely
NYT: US requested $49 million for new facility for ‘special detainees’ at detention center
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/22-4
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NYPD Racist Quotas Revealed in ‘Stop and Frisk’ Trial
Attorney: ‘That’s why there is such an epidemic in these communities of people getting stopped and frisked—because the police are told to get numbers’
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/22-6
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From Detroit to Cyprus, Banksters in Search of Prey
by Glen Ford
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/22
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New Worries for the World’s Water
by Claire Hope Cummings
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/22-9
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A Safe and a Shotgun or Publicly-owned Banks? The Battle of Cyprus
by Ellen Brown
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/22-6
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Center for Biological Diversity
Three New Bills Seek to Halt California Fracking
Legislation Aims to Protect State’s Water, Air, Climate from Oil Industry Pollution
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/03/22-5
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Institute for Public Accuracy
* “Strangling” Bethlehem * Oppression in Jordan
*A “listening tour”
Arranged to hear only a deafening and deathly silence
http://www.accuracy.org/release/strangling-bethlehem-oppression-in-jordan/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
BBC-Guardian Exposé Uses WikiLeaks to Link Iraq Torture Centers to U.S. Col. Steele & Gen. Petraeus
*I’ll never understand how someone like O’Kane can say, “There hasn’t been the response we expected in America.”
What other response could anyone remotely familiar with how the corpress works in this country have expected?
If doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results, is a sign of insanity
What do you call watching the same thing happen over and over again, but expecting a different result?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/22/new_expos_links_torture_centers_in
3/21
Institute for Public Accuracy
Democrats Agreeing to Cut Social Security and Medicare
*No hope
Plenty of change
http://www.accuracy.org/release/democrats-agreeing-to-cut-social-security-and-medicare/
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Leading Pediatricians’ Group: Gay Marriage Benefits Kids
American Academy of Pediatrics issues statement Thursday supporting gay marriage as being “in the best interest” of children
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/21-1
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CIA Has Plan to ‘Collect Everything and Hang on to it Forever’
Amazon reportedly signs $600m contract to develop vast storage technology for CIA
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
*The Fourth Amendment
o Save
o Delete
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/21-2
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Men Who Kick Down Doors and the War Against Women
Tyrants at Home and Abroad
by Ann Jones
*It’s a man’s world
And a woman’s world of hurt
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/21-4
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Obama and the Blessing of Israel’s Government of Settlers
by Jonathan Cook
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/21-0
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Land Grabs Spread Throughout Developing World
Hunger and human rights abuses threaten fragile rural communities
by Sophia Murphy
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/21-1
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Food & Water Watch
Senate Passes Stopgap Spending Measure Full of Special Interest Favors
*It stands to reason that the meatpacking industry should know a little something about pork.
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/03/21
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People for the American Way (PFAW)
Bush’s Court: How the D.C. Circuit Threatens the Future of Progressive Reform
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/03/21-1
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FAIR Blog
How to Read Stories About Israel in the NY Times (Hint: Very Carefully)
*What do you figure the percentages are regarding the Times or other corpress outlets being on target in their reportage?
3/20
An Illegal Anniversary
by Robert Jensen
*I’m glad to see Jensen include all the reprehensible reprobates responsible for these atrocities.
Too often (once is too often), only the Big Bad Bushites are singled out for censure.
But this was at the time, and continues to be, a tag team terrorizing of the Iraqi people, as in Afghanistan … and Pakistan … and Yemen …
And the list – and the blood – flows on.
http://truth-out.org/news/item/15187
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Tar Sands Resistance Heats Up With Week of Actions From US to Canada
Week of anti-pipeline actions erupt across the country
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/20-5
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‘Sketchy’ Reports from Syria and US War Hawks Mobilize
‘Absolutely, you’ve got to get on the ground. There is no substitute.’
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*A toxic atmosphere
Regardless of the presence of chemical weapons
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/20
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‘Spineless’ Senate Democrats Drop Assault Weapons Ban From Gun Legislation
‘If Sandy Hook Elementary doesn’t make every member of Congress take a stand against assault weapons in this country, then what does?’
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*What do you call a sham
That doesn’t even get a chance to shimmy?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/20-4
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Drilling Deeper: The Wealth of Business Connections for Obama’s Energy Pick
by Justin Elliott
ProPublica
*”But no evidence emerged that Chu had played any role going to bat for BP within the administration.”
When the game’s rigged
There’s no need for a pinch hitter
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/20-1
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Two Reasons Climate Change Is Not Like Other Environmental Problems
by David Roberts
*The future is now
Or never
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/20-2
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Let the Voices of Drone Strike Victims Be Heard on Capitol Hill
On April 16th, let Sarah Knuckey and James Cavallaro testify about what they learned in Pakistan
by Robert Naiman
*I don’t know if Naiman is saying that the purported policy is “just and moral”
But if he is
He should be copasetic with Cuba sending drones buzzing over Miami in search of Bosch and Carriles, and if found, “surgically striking” them into oblivion.
Of course, if we’re talking about “top terrorist leaders”
They’re located a bit farther north
And any number of nations could make a case for similar actions under that theory, couldn’t they?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/20-0
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Friends of the Earth
Top Grocery Stores: We Won’t Sell Genetically Engineered Seafood
Trader Joe’s, Aldi, Whole Foods, Marsh among stores that will reject GE fish
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/03/20-2
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Beyond Nuclear
Nuclear Regulator Majority Vote Disregards Agency Staff Safety Recommendation on Unreliable Mark I and II Containment
Decision requires hardened vent without filter
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/03/20-0
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FAIR Blog
Looking Back at Iraq With…Michael Gordon?
*No “stunning judgment”
Just standard operating procedure
And the reactionaries are trying to defund PBS?
Perhaps they view it as redundant.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/03/20/looking-back-at-iraq-with-michael-gordon/
Bill Maher Urges Vilification of Bill Maher
*It would seem that Mr. Maher’s money
Steers well clear of his mouth
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/03/20/bill-maher-urges-vilification-of-bill-maher/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Dahr Jamail Returns to Iraq to Find Rampant Torture and a Failed State Living in “Utter Devastation”
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/20/dahr_jamail_returns_to_iraq_to
Ten Years Later, U.S. Has Left Iraq with Mass Displacement & Epidemic of Birth Defects, Cancers
*The souls of those who unleashed these horrors are as twisted as the organs and limbs of these poor infants
And they should face just punishment for their crimes
But those who have come after them, who continue to torment this crucified country and so many others
Should stand in the dock with them.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/20/ten_years_later_us_has_left
Right to Heal: Iraqi Civilians Join U.S. Veterans in New Effort to Recover from War’s Devastation
*These connections are essential.
Our struggles can’t be separate, and that is precisely what those in power hope to achieve
To divide and conquer.
When we see our common humanity
We will see our common interest
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/20/right_to_heal_iraqi_civilians_join
3/19
Study: Global Warming Doubles Risk of “Katrina-Magnitude” Events
New research shows that global temperature increase of 1.8F results in ‘two to seven-fold increase’ in devastating storm surges
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/19-2
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Ignoring First Amendment Attack, Judge Dismisses Animal Rights “Terrorism” Case
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/19-11
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NYPD Spent One Million Hours, 440,000 Arrests on ‘Marijuana Crusade’
NYPD marijuana arrests the ‘frontline civil rights issue’ of the 21st century
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Talk about “reefer madness”
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/19-10
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A Decade of Occupation for Iraqi Women
by Yifat Susskind and Yanar Mohammed
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/19-6
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War without End
by Kathy Kelly
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/19
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No More Steubenvilles: How To Raise Boys to be Kind Men
What can we do to help young men respect women, recognize consent, and have healthy sexual relationships? Teach them kindness to others—and the courage to go against the crowd.
by Kim Simon
*Your gender may be male
But your genus must be mensch
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/19-8
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Public Citizen
Winners of ACTA and SOPA Battles Call for Exclusion of ‘Intellectual Property’ From EU-U.S. Trade Talks
Current Talks Favor Corporations, Exclude Public Interest
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/03/19-8
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FAIR Media Advisory
Iraq War, Ten Years Later
‘In a Few Days We’re Gonna Own That Country’
*Everything but the pom poms
http://fair.org/take-action/media-advisories/iraq-war-ten-years-later/
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Obama Comment on 30,000 Vets Injured Criticized
http://www.accuracy.org/release/obama-comment-on-30000-vets-injured-criticized/
How the Iraq Invasion Spawned Sectarian War
http://www.accuracy.org/release/how-the-iraq-invasion-spawned-sectarian-war/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
The Costs of War: 10 Years After Iraq Invasion, New Study Tallies the Massive Human, Financial Toll
*You can call it “indifference”
I’d call it “inhumanity”
The war industry profited, of course, but so did the oil industry, which was the primary reason for this horror.
They may not have achieved the level of control they would have liked
But I think they would consider this in large measure
“Mission Accomplished”
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/19/the_costs_of_war_10_years
“We’ve Lost Our Country”: An Iraqi American Looks Back on a Decade of War That’s Devastated a Nation
*We need to remember that the US is still in Iraq, still contributing to the death and destruction it unleashed.
Until its presence is no more than a nightmare of a memory
We must not forget
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/19/weve_lost_our_country_an_iraqi
Brokers of Deceit: As Obama Visits Israel, Scholar Rashid Khalidi on How the U.S. Undermines Peace
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/19/brokers_of_deceit_as_obama_visits
Part 2: Rashid Khalidi Details How the U.S. Has Undermined Peace in the Middle East
3/18
Cyprus Revolts Following Troika Demand to Seize Individual Savings
‘Your-money-or-your life’ ultimatum leaves critics calling bailout deal a ‘neocolonial’ ‘raid’
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/18
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As Nations Gather to Discuss Global Arms Treaty, NRA Goes into Wacko-Mode
Human rights campaigners can only hope that destructive influence of US gun lobby will not water-down ATT
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/18-0
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Fracking Protesters Arrested Blockading Dirty ‘Inergy’ Site
One of many fracking infrastructure projects that New York State has ‘allowed to slip in the back door’
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/18-4
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American Employment Winter: Beware Reports of Spring
by Laura Flanders
http://www.commondreams.org/video/2013/03/18-1
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Ten Years After: How Not to Teach About the Iraq War
by Bill Bigelow
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/18-4
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The Shame of America’s Gulag
by Chris Hedges
*The gold rises
As the souls sink
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/18-0
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The Catch 22 of Ending Sexual Violence in the US Military
by Lucinda Marshall
*Far from being a bar to enlistment, it may be that a history of sexual assault is seen as an indicator of “the right stuff”, a pertinent pathology for the purposes of empire.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/18-5
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David Frum, the Iraq War and oil
The former Bush speechwriter confirms what has long been the most ridiculed claim about a key reason the US attacked Iraq
by Glenn Greenwald
*See the FAIR post today for another example of comestic chagrin from the cheerleading squad.
And as Madison was a slaveowner and patriarchist
(They all were then, the apologists aver)
The comparison may be quite apt.
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March Madness: The 5th Straight Year of Extreme Corporate Tax Avoidance
by Paul Buchheit
*Nothing technical about these fouls
They’re all flagrant
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/18-3
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Cornucopia Institute
FDA Puts Industry Profit Over Public Health – Defends Safety of Controversial Food Additive
Watchdog Group Releases Report Formally Requests Removal of Carrageenan from List of Allowed Additives
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/03/18-6
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FAIR Blog
Howard Fineman Looks Back on Iraq
*So what questions is Fineman asking of essentially the same policy propagated by this administration now that he is “wiser”?
That to me would evince “good intentions”
Not a pathetically misleading lament for past transgressions.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/03/18/howard-fineman-looks-back-on-iraq/
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Legacy of Iraq War Myths Ten Years Later
*The duplicity of the duopoly
http://www.accuracy.org/release/legacy-of-iraq-war-myths-ten-years-later/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Steubenville Rape Trial: Blogger Who Exposed Case Speaks Out After Ohio Teens Found Guilty
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/18/steubenville_rape_trial_blogger_who_exposed
A New Intifada in Kashmir? Arundhati Roy & Sanjay Kak on the World’s Most Densely Militarized Area
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/18/a_new_intifada_in_kashmir_arundhati
Part 2: Arundhati Roy & Sanjay Kak on Context for Kashmir Unrest After Hanging of Afzal Guru
3/15
North Dakota’s Efforts to Ban Abortion Put Women Back 100 Years
Conservative state looks to push its agenda on the national level as others compete for title of ‘most restrictive’
by Common Dreams staff
*If males could give birth
These laws would never have been born
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/15-0
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EU Vote Allows ‘Disastrous Chemical Armageddon’ on Bees to Continue
Attempt to ban three widely used insecticides linked to harm to bees fails in EU on Friday
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/03/15-2
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An Open Challenge to Michelle Rhee and the Corporate Education Zombies
Boycotting standardized testing in Seattle was a stand for students and a better education
by Jesse Hagopian
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/15
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Does Fracking Make You Queasy? So Will The Trans-Pacific Trade Pact
by Ilana Solomon
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/15-8
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Monsanto: Patenting Death
by Randall Amster
*Patenting pernicion
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/15-7
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Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR)
Judge Approves Landmark Settlement in Immigration Policy Case
FBI, DHS and ICE Agree to Release Crucial Documents Relating to Controversial Deportation Dragnet Program, Secure Communities
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/03/15-2
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Center for Biological Diversity
Court Hearing Focuses on Whether EPA Must Protect Hundreds of Endangered Species From Pesticides
*Ecocide at the stroke of the EPA’s poison pen
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/03/15-0
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Detroit Emergency Manager Scheme Under Fire
*Democracy inaction
http://www.accuracy.org/release/detroit-emergency-manager-scheme-under-fire/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
On Uprising’s Anniversary, a Syrian Opposition Voice Says Country is Victim of a Global Proxy War
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/15/on_uprisings_anniversary_a_syrian_opposition
2 Years After Invasion to Crush Uprising in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia Helps Fuel Conflict in Syria
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/15/2_years_after_invasion_to_crush
Teaching Men Not to Rape: Survivor Zerlina Maxwell Defies Threats After Speaking Out on Fox News
*Maxwell’s dead on about the response proving her point
And I don’t wish them well.
She makes salient points about acquaintance rape, and there are of course non-lethal strategies for coping with attacks from strangers, such as pepper spray
But, as she emphasizes, this is ultimately about a culture that devalues and demeans women, and transforming it is where the true solution lies.
As for consent
“No” means “No”
And no “No” doesn’t mean “Yes”.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/15/teaching_men_not_to_rape_survivor
Pink Smoke Over the Vatican: Women Demand Greater Role in the Catholic Church
*A woman’s place is in the homily
Part 2: “Pandora’s Lunchbox” and the Truth About Soy Protein in Processed Food
*The sordid soy of cooking
And other fetid facts of food processing
3/14
Pesticides for GMOs Driving Monarch Butterfly Populations to ‘Ominous’ Brink
Scientist: “If we pull the monarchs out of the system, we’re really pulling the rug out from under a whole lot of other species”
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/14-3
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Whistleblower: VA Withheld Data Linking Gulf War Vets’ Sicknesses to Toxic Exposures
“Anything that supports the position that Gulf War illness is a neurological condition is unlikely to ever be published,” Steven Coughin told lawmakers on Wednesday
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*If VA officials pose an “imminent threat” to members of the US military
Does that qualify as their being “engaged in combat” against them
And thus eligible for assassination on American soil?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/14-4
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US Spy Agencies to Get Access to Trove of Citizens’ Private Financial Data
‘The intelligence community simply ignores the rules’
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Big Brother’s bank shot
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/14-2
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Inequality and the Social Security Debate
In the richest country in the world, it’s downright insane to even consider cutting back on benefits necessary to provide a dignified retirement for hard-working Americans.
by Sarah Anderson
*Belt tightening
Around our elderly’s throats
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/14-10
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‘Unmitigated Disaster’: Iraq’s Pain Has Only Intensified Since US-Led Invasion in 2003
The country of my birth, already so damaged, is now crippled by fear of all-out civil war. But in the people there is hope
by Sami Ramadani
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/14-0
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Phoenix in the Climate Crosshairs
We Are Long Past Coal Mine Canaries
by William deBuys
*There will be no rising from these parched ashes
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/14-6
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Rand Paul Exposes the Democrats
Rand Paul was denounced as the wrong man with the right message, but most Democrats were too craven to deliver any message at all on the high crimes of their president and his killing assistant.
by Margaret Kimberley
*So, what will all those who delivered flowers and chocolates, literally and figuratively, to their “hero”
Do the next time he votes against the principles they claim they’re fighting for?
Hopefully the same thing they should do whenever anyone from whatever party does so.
But I wouldn’t put scared money on it.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/14-4
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Survival International
Amazon Indians Unite Against Canadian Oil Giant
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/03/14-3
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Pope Francis’ Junta Past: Argentine Journalist on New Pontiff’s Ties to Abduction of Jesuit Priests
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/14/pope_francis_junta_past_argentine_journalist
A Social Conservative: Pope Francis Led Effort Against Liberation Theology and Same-Sex Marriage
*Call it blowing smoke
In more ways than one
It’s pretty obvious what’s going on here, isn’t it?
Bergoglio will be the false face of humility and supposed advocacy for the poor, which the church will try to use to combat the political, economic and social changes it opposes, while also attempting to improve its image vis a vis the sexual abuse and corruption scandals.
The corpress will aid and abet them in those efforts, needless to say.
But why does DN! begins today’s program with a guest who parrots that PR?
Is it to appease “liberal” Catholics in the audience by appearing to offer “balance” to this and the preceding segment?
I guess you’d have to ask Goodman and company.
Good luck with that.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/14/a_social_conservative_pope_francis_led
3/13
Climate Movement Claims ‘Victory’ After Direct Action Suit Dropped by Energy Giant
‘Only a few of us went up that chimney but 64,000 people came down.’
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/13-4
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Despite Efforts to Suppress, Cleaner Energy Continues Inevitable Rise
Though the fossil fuel industry maintains iron grip, attractiveness of common sense renewables trumps all
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*This comes across as a sort of “feel good” piece, with little depth extant.
Two critical questions are absent
Will the purported market gains of renewables make any real difference alongside the continued exploitation of fossil fuel reserves?
Just who will control these new energy sources?
That latter question is almost always absent from the discussion, isn’t it?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/13-0
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Postal Union Members Rally Against ‘Death Spiral of Cuts and Closures’
Beyond a call to save Saturday service, multi-faceted assault on workers, customers must be stopped, says group
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*The privatizers know
The big check is in the mail
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/13-7
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Challenges to ‘Cybersecurity’ Bill Grow as Congressional Hearings Loom
Concerns over privacy and civil liberties raise alarms bells over CISPA
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/13-8
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Wave of “Ag Gag” Bills Threaten Food Safety and Freedom of the Press
by Rebekah Wilce
PR Watch
*If ALEC has its way
The revulsion will not be televised
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/13-1
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What Ryan’s Budget Really Says: ‘I Love Rich People’
It’s not just that he wants to change the ‘relationship between Americans and their government’
by Dean Baker
*A crusade against “bureaucracy”
A jihad promoting plutocracy
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/13-7
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The Myth of Large Numbers
The United States often uses exaggerated civilian casualty numbers to make a case for military intervention in strife-torn regions
by Vijay Prashad
*Doing the Machiavellian math
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/13-1
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Shrinking Fronts on Our Global Battlefield
by Michael Ratner
*These hosannas for Paul strike me as decidedly misplaced.
What was so “brave” about his grandstanding?
Wasn’t it just another way to defame Dear Misleader, regardless of the how deserved it may have been?
Would he have acted similarly had the president been of the same party?
And the spectacle of CODEPINK sending gifts and gratitude his way, given his vote against the Violence Against Women Act, is the very definition of a contradiction, don’t you think?
What is it about so many “progressives” that gets them all wet at the sight of some reactionary who makes a political calculation to go against type?
Do they feel some perverse need to be validated by such acts, to prove to the public that they’re not so “radical” after all?
“Look, this Tea Party luminary agrees with us!
So love us!”
I dunno …
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/13-12
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I Pledge Allegiance… To Resist the Pipeline
by George Lakey
*You can only win
If you don’t play the game
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/13-11
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Institute for Public Accuracy
* Korea Armistice “Dead” * Why Military Exercises?
http://www.accuracy.org/release/korea-armistice-dead-why-military-exercises/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Over 100 Guantánamo Prisoners on Hunger Strike, Citing Threat of Return to “Darkest Days Under Bush”
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/13/over_100_guantanamo_prisoners_on_hunger
As Gitmo Prisoners Revolt, Obama Admin Challenged on Indefinite Detention at OAS Hearing
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/13/as_gitmo_prisoners_revolt_obama_admin
Overturning Citizens United: Is a Constitutional Amendment the Best Path to Limit Dark Money?
*I have to say that I haven’t seen much emphasis put on public financing in the amendment movement, and I think that’s vital to countering the influence of big money in campaigns.
And if there are strict limits on how much any person or corporation can spend, either on a campaign or “independently” in support of it, such that they can’t influence the outcome of an election through the size of their “investment”, I think that makes the corporate personhood issue moot, at least in regard to electoral politics.
I can’t say what’s the best strategy to end this corruption of our political system, but I think it must have those two aspects at the forefront for it to succeed in doing so.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/13/overturning_citizens_united_is_a_constitutional
3/12
Hugo Chavez Depicted As Tyrant for Challenging Western Oil Domination
by Linda McQuaig
*Another paean to Chavez, passed along for the intel on the Achnacarry agreement and OPEC.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/12
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The Conquest of Nature and What We’ve Lost
by Lewis Lapham
*We are the least evolved of species
And the only one willfully incapable of reason
What we do in the coming days
Will evince whether we have the ability
To amend those appellations
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/12-8
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Corporate-Approved State Bills Kick Low-Wage Workers While They’re Down
by Michelle Chen
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/12-1
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Food & Water Watch
Pennsylvania Coalition Launches Push for Labeling of Genetically Engineered Foods
Bipartisan Legislation Would Require Disclosure of Genetically Altered Ingredients Currently Found in Most Processed Foods
*I’d be cautious about relying on the efficacy of current labeling standards for calories, fat, salt and such, given the wiggle room for fudging the numbers.
Ever checked the amount that constitutes a “serving size”?
Does that align with your appetite?
And claims of “natural” or “organic” can insinuate a reality that exists only in the marketer’s imagination
Read the label
But know the limitations
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/03/12-10
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FAIR Blog
‘What Palestinians Said Was Israeli Aggression’: The Death of Omar al-Masharawi
DEMOCRACY NOW!
Daniel Ellsberg: In Hearing Bradley Manning Act Out of Conscience, Secret Tape Refutes Media Slander
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/12/daniel_ellsberg_in_hearing_bradley_manning
After Vowing Greater Transparency, Obama Admin Increasingly Censoring, Withholding Info from Public
*Again, why have this corpress reporter on to mealy mouth about a “balancing act”? Take the report, and talk to the ACLU expert about it. Gillum’s presence serves no useful purpose, does it?
And think about how many times these mainstream media journalists are on DN!, versus someone from, say, the Black Agenda Report.
Draw your own conclusions.
I have.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/12/after_vowing_greater_transparency_obama_admin
3/11
‘Funeral for Our Future’: 26 Arrested Blockading TransCanada Office
Escalating resistance to Keystone XL: ‘If President Obama will not reject the pipeline, we will stop it ourselves.’
by Jon Queally, staff writer
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/11-4
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Official: ‘Catastrophic Threat’ of Antibiotic-Resistant ‘Superbugs’
UK’s chief medical officer warns of deadly threat of untreatable infections in face of mutated bacteria
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/11-2
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Life Expectancy Up… For the Rich
The debate surrounding cuts to popular social programs often neglects disparity between poor and more wealthy seniors
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/11-1
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Reports: US ‘Corporate Tax Dodgers’ Keeping More Money Overseas
‘Why should ordinary taxpayers have to sacrifice while highly profitable corporations are using accounting acrobatics and tax havens to avoid paying their fair share?’
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Those who speak of fair taxation shouldn’t be mentioning “deficit reduction” in the same breath.
We don’t have a deficit problem
We have a destitution problem.
We don’t need to pay down the debt
We need to lift up those in debt.
You can’t change the game
If you’re reading from the same rule book.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/11-6
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The Crucifixion of Tomas Young
by Chris Hedges
*There’s nothing to add.
It speaks for itself.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/11-1
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Fukushima’s Fallout Is Already Harming Our Children
by Harvey Wasserman
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/11-3
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Five Poisons of Privatization
by Paul Buchheit
*Useful intel, but Bucheit’s last comments don’t reflect reality, to my mind.
The common good has always been for sale to one degree or another. Perhaps it wasn’t a fire sale in the Keynesian era, but the “shared prosperity” (which of course wasn’t shared by all in the US, much less around the world) wasn’t due to an altruistic desire to spread the wealth, but to create a consumer base for the booming economy.
That its “pragmatism” compares favorably to today’s rapaciousness in extremis is a low bar to clear, don’t you think?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/11
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Tilling the Soil with Pesticides
by Vandana Shiva
*Nurturing the soil
Rather than soiling nature
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/11-8
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The Global Austerity Resistance Continues
by Allison Kilkenny
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/11-6
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Hugo Chávez and the Middle East: Which Side Was He On?
by Danny Postel
*I’m glad to see a more holistic view of Chavez and his legacy than we’re been treated to lately.
I’ve always been disturbed by the inability of so many who claim to have laudable principles to ignore them when dealing with the contradictions that so often exist in the actions of leaders and movements they support.
Before we can speak truth to power
We have to speak it among ourselves
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/11-0
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The NYT and Obama Officials Collaborate to Prosecute Awlaki After He’s Executed
A joint media-government attempt to justify the assassination of a US citizen ends up doing the opposite
by Glenn Greenwald
*The echo chamber
Doubles as a death chamber
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/11-7
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Greenpeace
Unjust Laws for Nuclear Power Leave Fukushima Victims Suffering
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/03/11-0
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Organic Consumers Association Responds to Whole Foods Plan to Label GMOs by 2018
Food Retailer’s Plan to Label GMOs a Victory for Grassroots Food Activists and Consumers, but Five-year Timetable not Comprehensive or Aggressive Enough
*”Whole” Foods
And empty principles
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/03/11
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Beyond Nuclear
On Fukushima Day, Another Door Slams Shut on US Nuclear Expansion Plans
Beyond Nuclear lauds decision not to green light third Maryland reactor
*The monster may be wounded in the US
But don’t add “mortally” to that just yet
If Dear Misleader has anything to do with it.
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/03/11-5
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FAIR Extra!
The Self-Defense Self-Delusion
Owning guns doesn’t actually help stop gun violence
by Steve Rendall
*Reluctantly, I have been prepared to accept that some persons – with a proven need for self-protection, a thorough background check, and rigorous training – should be able to defend their homes with firearms, while concomitantly every effort by the society was made to obviate that need.
But in light of the study showcased on “20/20″, I have to reevaluate that view.
The odds of successfully defending oneself or others with a gun, versus the astronomically greater odds of tragedy occurring, has to lead any rational person to question whether there is any place for one, even under the most stringent conditions.
We have a right to protect ourselves and others
But that right isn’t absolute as to the methods we may employ.
I still can’t say definitively that no one under any circumstances should own a gun for self defense
But that would be with the proviso that it be the very definition of a last resort.
(The subject of “pleasure”, including the slaughter of other species, will have to wait for another day.)
http://fair.org/slider/the-self-defense-self-delusion/
Seizing the Airwaves
Radio by and for the people
by Betty Yu and Steve Renderos
This is certainly a promising development, and hopefully one that will realize its full potential.
But while the media ownership numbers related are certainly reflective of the bias against women and people of color in our society, I think it’s important to not mark progress based on their improvement.
An outlet owned by a woman or a member of a minority does not perforce guarantee programming that empowers others of those segments of society.
Paraphrasing King’s entreaty
We should judge the benefit of these stations not by the color or gender of their owners
But by the content of their offerings.
http://fair.org/slider/seizing-the-airwaves/
‘Sparing’ the 98 Percent–by Taxing Them
Media fumble impact of ‘fiscal cliff’ deal
by Neil deMause
*Call it the hidden fall trick
Or maybe the hidden mall trick
But regardless, as always it shows the gall of the corpress in fixing the facts to fit the fantasy, doesn’t it?
http://fair.org/home/sparing-the-98-percent-by-taxing-them/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Anwar al-Awlaki: NYT Details How Obama Admin Justified & Carried Out the Killing of U.S.-Born Cleric
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/11/anwar_al_awlaki_nyt_details_how
White House Changing Story on Anwar al-Awlaki? A Debate on NYT’s Inside Account of ’11 Drone Strike
*Besides the “How many ‘terrorists’ can you fit on the head of a drone missile” arguments here, rather than a condemnation of the policy regardless of a target’s nationality and their “operational status”, based on its evisceration of the concept of due process
(Yes, “imminent threat” and all that, but how many gummint and military members would qualify for that designation in regard to another nation’s population, and yet the US wouldn’t countenance a drone strike on them, would it?)
The spectacle of CODEPINK sending “flowers and chocolates” to a senator who voted against the Violence Against Women Act just fills me with … what?
Dismay? Revulsion? Amazement?
Scratch that last one. I’ve seen enough hypocrisy from so called “progressive” organizations to be surprised at very little they may decide to do that is rife with contradiction.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/11/is_white_house_changing_its_story
Fukushima Meltdown’s 2nd Anniversary Brings Protests Against Japan’s Reliance on Nuclear Power
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/11/fukushima_meltdowns_2nd_anniversary_brings_protests
3/8
Rightwing Fraudster Who Helped Sabotage ACORN, Settles Suit for $100K
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Truth in labeling
No one involved in bringing down ACORN “believed” their conspiracy claptrap
And the corpress was anything but “unwittingly complicit” in aiding and abetting them in doing so.
Let’s call spades spades
And flip over all the cards.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/08-7
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US Commander Pushes Congress to Ease Up on Human Rights Law
Rights groups decry move, say will only “reward” violations
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*How about prohibiting training, period?
Isn’t there enough evidence of its consequences, from every corner of the globe?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/08-5
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The 18 For-Profit Companies Fighting to Eliminate the Birth Control Benefit
by Jodi Jacobson
*”Religious liberty” isn’t absolute.
Would a claim to be able to discriminate based on race or gender be considered a legitimate religious right?
There’s supposed to be a separation of church (or mosque or synagogue) and state.
You don’t want to use contraception?
That’s your religious right.
But that wall, in theory, should prevent you from messing with anyone else’s ability to do so.
We’ll see if the courts agree.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/08-5
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Death of Hugo Chávez Gives Venezuela a Choice on Climate Change
Will the oil-rich country become a key engineer in a new global climate deal, or will it sabotage progress?
by Guy Edwards and Susanna Mage
*Until developed nations honestly commit to realistic (as in essential) carbon cuts, Venezuela can always rationalize its contradictions in this area.
Chavez can be rightly criticized for his approach to climate change
But ultimately, what the US and other industrialized nations do, both as producers and consumers, will determine whether the world community as a whole will make the transition to renewable energy.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/08-4
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FAIR Blog
NYT Debates Hugo Chavez–Minus the Debate
*Of course, the economic system cheerleaders like Applebaum champion is based on “things that can’t be delivered” by it.
It can’t deliver justice.
It can’t deliver dignity.
It can’t deliver a livable planet.
So best to not concern yourself with such inconsequential matters
And focus your being on being the best drone you can be.
For all the contradictions of Chavismo
(And the whole mausoleum thing should give pause to even its most ardent supporters)
Compare the tangible gains of the poor in Venezuela to the austerity being shoved down the throats of the same here
And one president who openly championed their cause, whatever you might think of the cult of personality that surrounds him
With another who can barely stand to have the word leave his lips.
(And who has his own worrisome cult following.)
The people of Venezuela will have the last word on Chavez’ legacy
And that sticks in the craw of the corpress and the chattering classes, doesn’t it?
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/03/08/nyt-debates-hugo-chavez-minus-the-debate/
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Institute for Public Accuracy
NYT Report on Selling Post Offices — and Sen. Feinstein’s Husband Profiting from “Manufactured Crisis”
*The big check’s in the mail
And Blum knows it
DEMOCRACY NOW!
New Violence Against Women Act Includes Historic Protections for Native American and LGBT Survivors
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/8/new_violence_against_women_act_includes
Vandana Shiva on Int’l Women’s Day: “Capitalist Patriarchy Has Aggravated Violence Against Women”
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/8/vandana_shiva_on_intl_womens_day
3/7
White House Explores How to Make ‘War on Terror’ Policies ‘Permanent’
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*The war won’t end
Because it was never meant to end.
This is the wet dream of empirists
To always be able to point to a boogeyman to justify the insatiable appetite of their war machine, and its swath of death and destruction across the face of this faltering earth.
And somehow I’m not comforted by the fact that this is being propagated by “the first black president”.
I guess I’m not much of a “liberal”.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/07-8
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‘Indictment of Two-Tiered Education System’: Black Students Hit Most by Mass School Closings in Chicago
New reporting from Chicago Sun-Times shows 9 out of 10 students affected by potential closing of 129 schools are black
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*So is the crime now “learning while black”?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/07-9
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Will ‘Angry Summer’ Report Finally Crack Australian Media’s ‘Climate Silence’?
Observers want to know if Australia’s climate-silent media will ever follow suit
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Keeping climate coverage “down under”
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/07-6
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‘They Profit, You Pay’: Activists Slam Nuclear Industry as Fukushima Remains Too Hot to Enter
At disaster-stricken Japanese plant and worldwide, the nuclear industry must be held accountable, says Greenpeace
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/07-2
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Burwell as Obama’s Budget Director: Walmart Wins, Working Families Lose
As head of Walmart Foundation lobbying, Sylvia Mathews Burwell spent millions to open stores that pay poverty wages
by Bertha Lewis
*A perfect match
Dear Misleader
And the Low Life Leader
But Lewis’ assertion that Walmart solve its PR problems by “doing the right thing” avoids the criminal culpability of its executives in doing the wrong thing.
Doesn’t justice for those Bangladeshi workers and so many others demand they be brought before the bar?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/07-0
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Gun “Background Check” on Pentagon
by Norman Solomon
*Guns don’t kill people
Gummints with guns kill people
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/07
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Quantitative Easing for the People: Default on the Public Debt, Nationalize the Banks, and a Dividend for Citizens
It turns out comedian Beppe Grillo does have a plan for Italy… and though some is silly, there’s lots to like
by Ellen Brown
*This is interesting, but it’s still based on a market system and a currency, and those are perforce impediments to a society that aims to provide a dignified life to every person.
As long as profit plays a role, and competition is the driver, we will be forced into a zero sum and inequitable equation, regardless of our desire to do so.
Only a cooperative system can accomplish that aim, and also allow us to avert the abyss of climate catastrophe.
That is an inexpert opinion
But I believe it to be an eminently rational one.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/07-9
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Has NPR Joined Peter Peterson’s Crusade Against Social Security and Medicare?
by Dean Baker
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/07-3
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Organic Consumers Association
ORCA to Attack ‘Natural’ Products Intentional Mislabeling
New Alliance of Organic Retailers and Consumers to Demand Truth-in-Labeling
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/03/07-0
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Operation Condor Trial Tackles Coordinated Campaign by Latin American Dictatorships to Kill Leftists
*It always amazes me that persons like Dinges can have access to this information, and still make comments like
“I thought we were going to—we had learned the lesson, that you don’t imitate the methods of your enemies and—or those who had been shown to be human rights criminals.”
I think that displays an astonishing amount of naiveté, don’t you?
His assessment of the US’ motivations in regards to Condor is similarly flawed. It wasn’t afraid of communism, but of what gummints responsive to their people might do that would harm their plans for hegemony, and American corporate interests.
Search on “United Fruit, Guatemala, overthrow”.
And you might ask the Sandinistas about “successful revolutions”. Whatever the legacy of Ortega and the party, and it’s by no means unsullied, the fact remains that armed revolt did topple a dictatorship, as it did in Cuba, with the same caveat, obviously, though from a different angle.
And the CIA does do “all these things”. They just didn’t happen to murder Letelier and Moffit.
The US’ prosecution of Townley had nothing to do with justice. It would just look bad to have a bomb explode in the middle of the nation’s capital, and not react to it, wouldn’t it?
And, of course, those who ordered it were never charged and tried, were they?
And (too many “Ands”)
I don’t love Ed Koch.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/7/operation_condor_trial_tackles_coordinated_campaign
The Girl: Abbie Cornish Stars in Film About Tragic Smuggling of Immigrants Across US-Mexico Border
*I don’t mean to parse Riker’s words, but I have to ask
What’s so complicated about the question of who’s responsible for the deaths of these people?
Ask whose boundless addiction to profit and power has compelled them to make such a dangerous journey
And you have your answer, don’t you?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/7/the_girl_abbie_cornish_stars_in
3/6
Doctor: Children ‘Traumatized and Re-Traumatized by Drones’ in Yemen
Children dream of ‘dead people, planes and people running around scared’
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*I have an aversion to this “We’re less safe” meme.
It plays into the fantasy of hordes of jihadis hellbent on coming to the US and other Western nations to wreak death and destruction on innocents.
What these horrors actually do is compel people to fight back against the forces responsible.
Some may rightly be deemed “terrorists”, but the harm they do is almost wholly confined to their fellow countrypersons.
That’s enough reason to work to end these atrocities, isn’t it?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/06-8
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Revealed: The US ‘Dirty War’ Veteran Who Trained Iraqi ‘Death Squads’
Exclusive Guardian/BBC investigation shows how Gen. Petraeus and Donald Rumsfeld unleashed ‘dirty war’ tactics and ‘torture regime’ in Iraq
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Deathly deja vu all over again
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/06-7
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First Nations Group Orders Enbridge Pipeline Off Their Land
Day seven of blockade: Group hopes to slow down the flow of Canadian tar sands oil
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/06-10
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CDC: Alarming Rise in Antibiotic-Resistant ‘Nightmare Bacteria’
“Our strongest antibiotics don’t work and patients are left with potentially untreatable infections.”
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*So how is this related to the massive use of antibiotics in livestock feed?
Are CRE proliferating because our bodies are less responsive to the antibiotics already consumed through animal products?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/06-3
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Dancing the World into Being
A Conversation with Idle No More’s Leanne Simpson
by Naomi Klein and Leanne Simpson
*This is a very long piece, and well worth the investment of time and thought.
Simpson expresses a worldview that is missing from mainstream environmental organizing, one that doesn’t look to a nebulous “green capitalism” as our salvation
One that sees all the assaults on our humanity as connected, and thus all of our battles against them.
The idea of “punctuated transformation” is salient.
We don’t have time for “the long struggle”. In truth, we never did, as someone was always dying as time ticked on.
But now, we’re all facing that fate. We can no longer talk of “reform”, while ignoring the suffering of those left out of it.
We are all now “the other” – the indigenous, the foreign, the poor.
Our survival is inextricably linked with everyone else’s
And if that doesn’t activate our empathy gene
Our demise will be a shared one, as well.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/06
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Hugo Chávez Kept His Promise to the People of Venezuela
The late Venezuelan president’s Bolívarian revolution has been crucial to a wider Latin American philosophy
by Oscar Guardiola-Rivera
*See my comments on the DN! segment on Chávez below.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/05-8
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Strike Debt Declares Healthcare Emergency: It’s a Matter of ‘Life or Debt’
by Allison Kilkenny
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/06-7
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Have a Cold One, Brought to You By the Foodopoly
by Wenonah Hauter
*Consolidating the suds
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/06-1
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ACLU Launches Nationwide Investigation into Police Use of Military Technology & Tactics
Militarization of Local Law Enforcement Erodes Civil Liberties, Encourages Overly Aggressive Policing
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/03/06-4
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The Yes Men
“Actipedia” Crowdsourcing Platform Goes Public
Database of creative activism case studies will inform and inspire a new generation of activists
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/03/06-3
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FAIR Blog
AP: Chavez Wasted His Money on Healthcare When He Could Have Built Gigantic Skyscrapers
*Of course, Sampson won’t be taking a vacation to visit those food markets and health clinics, will she?
DEMOCRACY NOW!
Hugo Chávez Dead: Transformed Venezuela & Survived U.S.-Backed Coup, Now Leaves Uncertainty Behind
*I was hoping this segment would go beyond cheerleading for Chávismo, and incorporate a clear eyed critique of the contradictions not only in Venezuela, but also among leadership in the region as a whole.
Well, we got a critique
But anyone who is hopeful that the opposition can “regroup”, as Shifter is, isn’t someone I would trust to give an honest assessment of the government.
So we’re left with praise, much of it warranted, but not an analysis of the varying factions within the movement, and their differences over the direction it should take, or of, again, the disconnects between the walk and the talk that are inherent in any power structure, regardless of its political orientation.
I don’t pretend to be an expert on the country and the movement
And that’s why I wanted an honest discussion of the faults as well as the accomplishments of the latter.
That will have to wait for another day.
What I can say today is
Anyone or any movement worthy of our admiration
Should also welcome our constructive criticism.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/6/hugo_chvez_dead_venezuelan_leader_leaves
3/5
Our Current Economic Mess, Explained With Headlines
by Dave Johnson
*A rising tide
Drowns those without boats
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/05-4
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‘You’re Not Allowed to Use Public Transportation At All’: A Report from Israel’s Segregated Buses
by Ofra Yeshua-Lyth
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/05-7
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Shadow Lives: How the War on Terror in England Became a War on Women and Children
by Victoria Brittain
*“It could never have happened in our time.”
It happens in every time.
The “other” has always existed
With the need to keep us divided and fearful of each other.
How else have a handful of humans managed to dominate and manipulate the species?
But we are also complicit in our deficient abilities to reason and empathize.
We have the capacity for those attributes
But do we have the will and the courage to embody them?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/05-5
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Institute for Public Accuracy
“Obama’s Department of Fracking and Nukes”
*Doctor Moniz
Or How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love Nuclear Power
http://www.accuracy.org/release/obama%E2%80%99s-department-of-fracking-and-nukes/
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Israel Above Sequestration Cuts?
*AIPAC’s callousness won’t backfire if folks don’t know about it.
And the corpress’ job is to see that they don’t, isn’t it?
http://www.accuracy.org/release/israel-above-sequestration-cuts/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Glenn Greenwald on Bradley Manning: Prosecutor Overreach Could Turn All Whistleblowing into Treason
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/5/glenn_greenwald_on_bradley_manning_prosecutor
New Funding Group Calls for 100 More WikiLeaks to Offset Unprecedented Gov’t Secrecy
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/5/new_funding_group_calls_for_100
Importing the War on Terror: Glenn Greenwald & Activist Trevor Timm on Domestic Drone Surveillance
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/5/importing_the_war_on_terror_glenn
White House Denounces Cellphone Unlocking Ban Hours After Petition Backer Appears on Democracy Now!
*I dunno.
I can see this being Dear Misleader wishing to appear to be all 21st centuryey and appealing to cellphone users
While the contract issue obviates any broad benefit to them, with the White House doing their best Pontius Pilate as they essentially carry the corps’ water.
But I’m no expert, by any means.
I’m just saying
Them chickens ain’t hatched.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/5/white_house_denounces_cell_phone_unlocking
Sharing the Internet: “Commotion Wireless” Technology Lets Communities Create Free Webs of Access
*You’d think the State Department funding would be something Goodman might want to explore in some depth
But, as is often the case, such a seeming contradiction is left hanging.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/5/sharing_the_internet_new_commotion_wireless
3/4
Obama Offers to Cut Social Security, Medicare and Popular Programs (Again)
Move fulfills progressive predictions that deficit fear-mongering will pave the way for inevitable ‘grand bargain’
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*But this *is* “the success of the Obama presidency”, isn’t it?
With a discredited Republican administration bearing the albatross of the recession around its neck, only a Democratic one could push austerity
Regretfully, of course.
A woefully inadequate stimulus allowed Republicans to regain electoral losses, claiming proof of the folly of “gummint intervention” in the economy, and setting up the “stalemate” that lets Democrats bemoan “intransigence” as they “compromise” what’s left of Keynesianism (for all its contradictions) out of existence.
And the corpress provides the fallacious framing for it all.
The man has performed his assigned task with dire distinction, wouldn’t you say?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/04-3
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Third Maine Town Passes ‘No Tar Sands’ Resolution to Fight Pipeline
‘These risks are unacceptable and irreversible,’ says town of Waterford resident Paula Easton
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/04-6
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Enbridge Refuses to Pay for Onoing Damage Study of Michigan Tar Sands Disaster
As Keystone XL tar sands pipeline gets boost to move forward, Kalamazoo River still reeling from 2010 tar sands spill
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/04-2
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Horror Care: How Private Health Care Is Shortening Our Lives
by Paul Buchheit
*The Hypocritical Oath
First do no harm
To our profit margin
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/04-0
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‘We Are Those Two Afghan Children Killed by War’
by Afghan Peace Volunteers and Hakim
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/04
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We Are Bradley Manning
by Chris Hedges
*Just what are “US interests” isn’t very clear here, is it?
If they’re defined as reaping the fruits of imperial aggression, then if Manning’s leaks didn’t “damage” them, his brave act would seem to have not had the impact he, and we, would hope.
And that may largely be the case in the US, but they did do much to open eyes around the world, and so I think you have to say that they did do meaningful harm to the empire project.
Many “progressives” may rue the damage to the US’ reputation
But as long as it is, in the words of Martin Luther King, “the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today”
We must do what we can to make others aware of just why it so richly deserves that title.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/04-3
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Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR)
Attorneys Demand Guantánamo Officials Address Hunger Strike at Camp 6
Most Men Have Not Eaten in Three Weeks to Protest Latest Cruelties
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/03/04-5
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New Demos Report: Job Opportunities Hindered by Employment Credit Checks
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/03/04-6
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Institute for Public Accuracy
10 Years Ago: “The Most Important Leak” Aimed at Stopping the Iraq War
*Regardless of the outcome
Doing what your conscience demands
Is never an act committed in vain
http://www.accuracy.org/release/10-years-ago-the-most-important-leak-aimed-at-stopping-the-iraq-war/
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FAIR Blog
Ten Years Ago, the Truth About Iraqi WMDs Was Published–and Ignored
*I wish terms like “didn’t know” and “forget”, even if used figuratively, would be expunged from work dealing with the lies and distortions force fed to us by the corpress.
Unless you want to believe that the publishers, editors and reporters for these outlets are suffering from mass delusion, or victims of viral psychosis, you have to say that they know exactly what they’re doing
And why.
So say it
At every opportunity.
Let’s call a spade a spade
And try to force them to put all their cards on the table.
DEMOCRACY NOW!
5 Years in Jail for Unlocking a Phone? Petition Led by Former GOP Staffer Prompts Probe of New Ban
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/4/5_years_in_jail_for_unlocking
Municipal Broadband Networks Bridge the Digital Divide as Telecom Industry Tries to Block Them
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/4/municipal_broadband_networks_bridge_the_digital
3/3
Swiss Overwhelmingly Vote to Curb Executive Pay
“Fat cat initiative” reins in corporate pay
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/03-0
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Farmworkers, Allies Embark on March for ‘Rights, Respect and Fair Food’
CIW takes on corporate giant for lack of support for fair labor standards
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/03
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‘Screw the Troika!’ Portugal’s Streets Flooded With Message: ‘Austerity Kills’
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/02-1
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Worker Advocate: Nation’s Biggest Industry Fostering Low Wage, Low Benefit Workplace
Saru Jayaraman: food industry ‘proliferating lowest paying jobs with the least benefits, least amount of paid sick days’
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/02-0
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Hollywood’s Propaganda
“Movies have become a happy arm of the United States government as they advocate for violence and war crimes.”
by Margaret Kimberley
*If it were only just a movie
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/02-5
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Return of the Wild: Will Humans Make Way for the Greatest Conservation Experiment in Centuries?
by Adam Federman
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/03-0
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Who Are the Billionaires Trying to Defeat Steve Zimmer?
“The outcome of Tuesday’s election has national implications in terms of the billionaires’ battle to reconstruct public education in the corporate mold.”
by Peter Dreier
*It seems odd that Dreier details the myriad sins of the corporate brick in the wallers
Then hails the “reasonableness”, “gallantry” and “independence” of a “moderate” willing to “work with them”
Don’t you think?
While I’d no doubt vote for Zimmer were I an Angeleno, given the alternative
Two plus two isn’t adding up to four in the math here.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/03-5
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The CISPA Government Access Loophole
by Kurt Opsahl
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/02-1
3/1
State Dept. Releases Keystone XL Environmental Impact Statement
Green groups expresses “outrage” and “disappointment” over “deeply flawed analysis” that ignores “greatest threat to our children’s future: climate disruption”
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*”It’s hard to understand why the Obama government is even considering this project.”
No it isn’t.
From austerity to climate catastrophe to the fetid flowering of the police state, this administration is assigned the role of “good cop”, to put a smiley face on the end of the world as we know it.
And for a “climate leader” to make such a remark shows you just how high a hill we have to climb
And how it’s made that much more mountainous by such “leadership”.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/01-7
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Michigan’s Shock Doctrine Continues: Governor Appoints Emergency Manager for Detroit
– Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/01-5
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Two ‘Contemptible and Violent’ US Soldiers Sentenced for Rape in Okinawa
Crime just the latest committed by US occupying forces against local Japanese community
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/03/01-4
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SumOfUs.org
Texas Landowner Julia Trigg Crawford Files Appeal Against TransCanada In Texarkana’s 6th Circuit Court
Groups Support Crawford Family as Legal Action Continues Against Keystone XL Southern Segment
*Common carrier?
Common criminal
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/03/01-3
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Center for Biological Diversity
Poll: Most Americans See Population Growth as Threat to Wildlife, Climate
*I’d be more encouraged if the poll had made clear that change won’t come without commitment, and what that commitment might entail for respondents, and the numbers remained at the same level.
Talk is cheap.
How far are you prepared to walk?
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/03/01-2
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International Committee to Ban Landmines
Lend Your Leg to End Landmine Suffering: Nobel Campaign Makes Global Appeal on Anniversary of Ban Treaty
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/03/01
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FAIR Blog
Republican Pals and Their ‘National Security’ Passion
*A “rational observer” might also make the argument that the war on Afghanistan, in addition to being a horror show for its people, also undermines national security, if that’s defined as abrogating the principles that are claimed to be the bedrock of its founding, and wasting its treasure for the securing of profit for its plutocracy.
As all imperial adventures and misadventures do.
So why is it that rationale only extends to the war on Iraq here
And in so many other instances?
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/03/01/republican-pals-and-their-national-security-passion/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
WikiLeaks Whistleblower Bradley Manning Says He Wanted to Show the Public the “True Costs of War”
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/1/wikileaks_whistleblower_bradley_manning_says_he
Salt Sugar Fat: NY Times Reporter Michael Moss on How the Food Giants Hooked America on Junk Food
*Quintessential DN! piece, with a corpress reporter detailing his exposé, with his own constrained and distorted view on the issue, of course, and Goodman only asking what “shocked” or “surprised” him most.
These bastards are knowing murderers. That’s what obesity and heart disease and the other attendant consequences of eating this shit lead to
Death.
For Moss to echo Kellogg’s lament about being “between a rock and a hard place”, or soft pedalling the perfidy of food execs, even as he relates that they avoid the dangers of their products in their own lives, making plain their willfulness, is to be expected from someone in the employ of The New York Times
And it’s maddeningly no surprise that his skewed take gets a free pass on this program.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/1/salt_sugar_fat_ny_times_reporter
Pandora’s Lunchbox: Pulling Back the Curtain on How Processed Food Took Over the American Meal
*Preserving überprofits
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/1/pandoras_lunchbox_pulling_back_the_curtain
February 2013
2/28
Manning: Before Wikileaks, Leaked Docs Offered to NYT, WaPo
Whistleblower reads prepared statement: Wanted documents to reveal “true costs of war”
by Common Dreams staff
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/28-4
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Revealed: British Citizens Stripped of Status Then Targeted For Killing
New investigation finds that secret process revoking citizenship
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/28
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‘Not Enough’: Critics say Obama’s $9 Minimum Wage Too Small
Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) say $10.10 is closer to liveable wage
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*So why aren’t we talking about $16.54, at least (and for single workers, not those with families)?
While $10.10 may be “closer to [a] liveable wage”
It sure as shit ain’t.
Do half measures later blossom into full flower?
Let history be your guide.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/28-7
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‘Fracklash’: Colorado Governor Threatens to Sue Over Fracking Bans
Pro-fracking Governor John Hickenlooper aims to smash democratic moves by cities
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/28-2
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Despite Warning for Women, WHO Report on Fukushima Slammed as ‘PR Spin’
Greenpeace says report ‘shockingly downplays’ increased cancer risk for thousands of Japanese
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/28-0
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Why Isn’t Closing 129 Chicago Public Schools National News?
A Black Agenda Radio Commentary
by Bruce Dixon
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/28-3
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Sam Lovejoy, the No Nukes Movement, and the Tower that Toppled a Terrible Technology
by Harvey Wasserman
*There is inspiration to be taken from this tale, but I fear Wasserman’s breathless prediction of Solartopia soon in Deutschland is to be taken with a salt lick or two.
Nukes may become verboten, but good ol’ fossil fuels will still make their presence felt financially, economically and militarily
Unless you think those German NATO troops are in Pipelineistan to promote democracy and women’s rights.
(And if you do, I have some prime shorefront property in the Maldives you might be interested in.)
And, of course, just who will control all that glorious renewable energy, charging what the market will bear
Even if customers can’t?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/28-4
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Bob Woodward Embodies US Political Culture in a Single Outburst
Washington’s most celebrated journalist hails the values of militarism, lawlessness, and presidential omnipotence
by Glenn Greenwald
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/28-2
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‘Homeland Security’: The Trillion-Dollar Concept That No One Can Define
by Mattea Kramer and Chris Hellman
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/28-6
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Food & Water Watch
Sequestration Could Jeopardize Access to Safe, Clean, Affordable Water
Statement of Food & Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/02/28-2
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Violence Against Women Act
http://www.accuracy.org/release/violence-against-women-act/
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FAIR Blog
Bill O’Reilly, Big Government and Racism
You can imagine the apoplexy if Dear Misleader were in reality not a stalking horse for austerity
Or if Dems actually did “address issues of poverty”.
But the rage red visage of O’Reilly is as much a facade as Obama’s inaugural speech “liberalism”, isn’t it?
One’s job is to rile up the fools who can’t see their own best interests for the fear and hatred he pimps
And the other’s is to calm the fears of those who are the objects of that bile
While diligently doing the bidding of those they should be most fearful of
And who laugh themselves sick at how many of us are taken in by it all.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/02/28/bill-oreilly-big-government-and-racism/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Fascism in the Church: Ex-Priest on “The Pope’s War,” Clergy Abuse and Quelling Liberation Theology
*There is no God, or Jesus
But if there were
They’d have a slam dunk for defamation of character, don’t you think?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/28/fascism_in_the_church_ex_priest
After 40 Years in Solitary, Angola 3 Prisoner Albert Woodfox Ordered Freed for 3rd Time in Louisiana
*So where’s Holder and the DOJ in all this?
That’s a rhetorical question if ever there was.
And why hasn’t Wallace been ordered freed? His circumstances are identical to Fox’s, aren’t they?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/28/after_40_years_in_solitary_in
2/27
Study: Over 100 Million Americans Drinking ‘Toxic Trash’ Water
New analysis from Environmental Working Group shows carcinogenic chemical lurking in nation’s public water
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/27-3
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In Blind Poll, Republicans Choose Progressive Budget Solutions Over Their Own Party’s
Of three major proposals, majority of voters choose one least discussed amid “sequester” madness
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*I agree there’s nothing “socialist” about the CPC plan
But isn’t it interesting that the term gets lumped in with “crazy” and “destructive” in a piece under a Common Dreams byline?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/27-7
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US Ponders Escalated Involvement in Syria’s Civil War
New policy might provide armored carries, flak jackets, night-vision equipment and even military training
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Somehow, the construction of a massive imperial fortress in the heart of Baghdad, inside which I have to believe its inhabitants are sitting around twiddling their thumbs, doesn’t strike me as an “unmitigated failure”.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/27-0
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Three-Quarters of Progressive Caucus Not Taking a Stand Against Cuts in Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid
by Norman Solomon
*It makes you wonder if there are any criteria for membership in this caucus
Aside from appending variously colored ribbons to one’s attire during photo ops for the cause of the day
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/27-0
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We’re All Guinea Pigs
I don’t want to expose the most precious people in my life to an endocrine disruptor.
by Jill Richardson
*The poisons of profit
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/27-10
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The Roberts Court vs. Voting Rights
by David Cole
*We have laws that guarantee the right to vote
But none that ensure anything worth voting for
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/27-9
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Organic Consumers Association
Frack No! Organic Consumers Oppose Pro-Fracking Scientist as Head of U.S. Department of Energy
Out-of-control oil and natural gas fracking will contaminate organic farms, endanger the food supply, poison ground water, threaten public health, and accelerate global warming
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/02/27
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FAIR Blog
Forget Objectivity–Can We Have a Fact-Based Media?
*You’re tempted to call this another example of false balance, but the reality is that the vast majority of the time, there is no balance to corpress coverage or commentary, false or otherwise.
On matters of foreign policy (aka “empire”) or economics (aka “exploitation”), especially, the views of those who question the foundations of those paradigms are absent, with only quibblers permitted a voice, usually muted.
In this instance, there is this faux “objectivity”, equating the rights of one group to be free of discrimination with those claimed by another to discriminate (and despise).
Place it in an earlier (or not) context, with a segregationist complaining of his view of the “inherent inferiority of the coloreds” being given short shrift, and the perniciousness of the argument becomes plain.
In either situation, the objective reality of injustice is obscured
And that is the primary purpose of “the news media”
If we’re being empirical about it.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/02/27/forget-objectivity-can-we-have-a-fact-based-media/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
ACLU Blasts Supreme Court Rejection of Challenge to Warrantless Spying Without Proof of Surveillance
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/27/aclu_blasts_supreme_court_rejection_of
Selling the White House? Obama-Linked Group Promises Top Donors Access to President
*It’s difficult to listen to this crap about Obama getting bad advice, that somehow his rhetoric represents his true principles, and he needs to “get back to them”.
Only the most dangerously naive believe that.
So is Edgar that clueless, or just playing “Duopoly” according to the “grownup” rules?
As for voting rights, their protection is essential, of course, but as long as voting is almost always a choice between bad and worse, if not worse and worst, their exercise is little more than a hollow pantomime of democracy.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/27/selling_the_white_house_obama_linked
2/26
Big Winner in Italian Election? The Five Star Movement
The Big Loser? Austerity
by Craig Brown, staff writer
Common Dreams
*This may be promising. I’d like to know more about Cinque Stelle, aside from how it views itself, and how it compares to radical formations such as Syriza in Greece.
Of course, there’s always the looming danger of cooptation.
Stayed tuned …
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/26-15
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Manning’s Right to a Speedy Trial Not Violated After 1,000 Days, Judge Rules
Pre-trial hearings move to a full court martial trial in June
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
*The facts are moot
And the fix is in motion
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/26-7
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Stop Owlcatraz!: Students Push to Stop Prison Corporation from Naming Stadium
Students at FAU stage sit-in at university president’s office over multi-million dollar gift from private prison company GEO Group
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Moving the chains
Onto the scoreboard
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/26-3
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Oxfam: World’s Largest Food Companies Creating Legacy of Destruction
Corporations relying on cheap land and labor are ruining human lives and the natural world, says campaign
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Reformism is about “urging” corporations to “do what’s right”
Rather than punishing them for doing what’s wrong
(And notice the oh so socially conscious Ben & Jerry’s logo in the accompanying graphic)
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/26
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In ‘Disturbing Decision’ Supreme Court Rejects Challenge of Dragnet Surveillance of Americans
In 5-4 decision, Court rules plaintiffs cannot prove they have suffered from warrantless wiretapping program
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*”This theory is foreign to the Constitution and inconsistent with fundamental democratic values.”
And far from exceptional in that respect, thanks to the Court of Least Resort
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/26-8
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The School Security America Doesn’t Need
After Newtown: Turning Schools Into Prisons
by Chase Madar
*I’m leery of making common cause with contradictory libertarian types who spout platitudes about “personal freedom”, while swearing unending animosity toward environmental and workplace regulations that to some degree save us from residing in a smog filled Walmart of a nation, or who may oppose cell block schooling, but line up with the LaPierres in promoting the bullet the blue sky America that provides the rationale for those lockdowns.
So there.
But all this is by way of preparing our kids for a police state of mind, inside and outside the school grounds, isn’t it?
Get ‘em used to it early on
‘Cause as things fall apart, the plutocrazies will wrap themselves in a security blanket
And will use it to try to smother whatever protections from their road to perdition the Constitution provides.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/26-7
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Jim Crow Isn’t Dead, He Just Got Lawyers
The US Supreme Court’s upcoming decision on the Voting Rights Act could let discriminatory laws make a comback
by Diane Roberts
*Section 5 needs to be applied nationwide, with reactionary legislators in every region doing their damnedest to be smart ALECs.
Voter fraud’s no problem, but there’s plenty of electoral fraud
And it’s a many capitol offense.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/26-8
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Food & Water Watch
Senate Bill Introduced to Stop Fracking in New Mexico
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/02/26-4
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Argo, Fact Check Yourself
*”Argo” or “Zero Dark Thirty”
What a choice
Pick your era
The revisionism, agitprop and empire excusing fill the screen to bursting in both
http://www.accuracy.org/release/argo-fact-check-yourself/
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FAIR Blog
Heard the One About Lazy French Workers?
*Was that piece sponsored by Walmart?
Perhaps not in the direct financial sense …
And calling anyone in Hollande’s gummint a “socialist” (as opposed to a “Socialist”) employs the most elastic understanding of the term, don’t you think?
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/02/26/heard-the-one-about-lazy-french-workers/
Oscar Rights Some Historical Wrongs, Creates Some New Ones
*The above response to the IPA item applies here, as well.
For someone on the board of a media watchdog group, Andersen displays a rather astonishing capacity for naivete in stating that there’s some “fissure” between corporate media – which, after all, is what “Hollywood” is – and the National Security State.
These box office boffo collaborations will become even more frequent, as the financial and propaganda benefits manifest themselves with each “other” annihilating and empire glorifying paean to American exceptionalism that hits the silver screen.
These propanganda pieces aren’t made to win awards
But hardened hearts and addled minds.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/02/26/oscar-rights-some-historical-wrongs-creates-some-new-ones/
Iranians and Their Clunky Propaganda!
*Covering up chest and shoulders
Or covering up corporate and gummint crimes
Hard choice on which to condemn, innit?
Pots and kettles, people
Pots and kettles
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/02/26/iranians-and-their-clunky-propaganda/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
“Makers: Women Who Make America”: New Film Chronicles Past 50 Years of Feminist Movement
*A pretty narrow identity politics segment, don’t you think?
A brief mention of race
But the allied issue of class … ?
Dismissed.
Though not so the plaudits for the corporate collaborator.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/26/makers_women_who_make_america_new
United by Loss, Israeli & Palestinian Dads Call for a Joint Nonviolent Intifada Against Occupation
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/26/united_by_loss_israeli_palestinian_dads
2/25
Former Press Secretary Offers PR Advice for Obama Drone Program
Robert Gibbs explains bizarre silence on program: ‘Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain’
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*The audacity of “Nope”
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/25-1
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‘Make BP Pay!’: Gulf Residents Decry Oil Giant as ‘Deepwater Horizon’ Trial Opens
Prosecutors open with “scathing attack” on company behind devastating disaster
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Until pinstripes are exchanged for prison stripes
There will be no true justice
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/25-2
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The ‘Land of 10,000 Lakes’ Is Running Dry
Minnesota’s depleting aquifers show consequences of climate change, unsustainable water management
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/25-7
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New Campaign Aims to Halt Rise of ‘Killer Robots’
What was once science fiction is not as far off as people think, say Nobel laureates and scientists
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/25
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What If the Iranians Waterboarded an American?
by Tom Engelhardt
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/25
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How Israel Legitimizes Torturing Palestinians to Death
by Charlotte Silver
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/25-13
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Sequestration: Washington’s Stupid, Destructive Game
by Richard Eskow
*This shit makes Keynesianism look positively beneficent.
(And anyone at the bottom of the ladder during those decades can tell you they didn’t feel particularly blessed.)
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/25-3
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For Iraqi Women, America’s Promise of Democracy is Anything But Liberation
Iraq’s jailers learned their abuses from the allied occupiers. And under today’s sectarian regime, women are under assault
by Haifa Zangana
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/25-15
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The 2013 Hypocrisy Oscars
by Paul Buchheit
*I rarely laugh out loud
But I had to at this compendium of callousness, corruption and complicity
Else the bitterness attendant would have had to find another, less agreeable exit from my person.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/25-4
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Zero Dark Thirty, the CIA and Film Critics Have a Very Bad Evening
by Glenn Greenwald
*There’s this false dichotomy between agitprop of the totalitarian variety, and that manufactured here in the good ol’ US and A.
You don’t have to have grown up in an era rife with the former to be fully cognizant of the pernicious impact on American society of the latter, do you?
And “ZDT” continues that ignominious heritage. To posit that the creators somehow were oblivious to that is to ignore the reality of National Security State involvement.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/25-5
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Public Citizen
Suspicious Timing: Inaugural Contribution Linked to $8.3 Billion Nuclear Loan Guarantee?
Statement of Tyson Slocum, Director, Public Citizen’s Energy Program
*We’re talking about nuclear power here.
It doesn’t matter how transparent the dealings are.
The business itself is dishonest and deadly, and our tax money shouldn’t have any connection with it.
Period.
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/02/25-0
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FAIR Blog
George Will’s Stop & Frisk Factcheck
*Not that’s gun control that would bring a smile to the face of Joe Arpaio
And Bull Connor, albeit posthumously.
And it’s of some minor comfort that that perfidious piece of agitprop didn’t win Best Picture, and thus figuratively secured a spot next to Dear Misleader’s nefarious Nobel.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/02/25/george-wills-stop-frisk-factcheck/
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Sequestration, Military and Trade-Offs
http://www.accuracy.org/release/sequestration-military-and-trade-offs/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
EXCLUSIVE: Rarely Seen Film “King: A Filmed Record” Traces MLK’s Struggle from Montgomery to Memphis
*I can’t countenance the “Love your tormentors” rhetoric.
That shouldn’t be interpreted as leave to dehumanize them. I believe that to be both immoral and destructive to oneself, as you can’t do so to another without inflicting the same fate upon yourself.
But until they end their oppression – meaning you’ve forced them to end it – and engage in a process of restorative justice, there can never be any authentic exchange of humanity, can there?
I believe in forgiving those who truly wish to be forgiven, and are willing to do what’s necessary to have their sins absolved.
Absent that, any talk of “love” is foolish, to my mind, and I think that history provides ample support for that position.
Concomitant with that, I feel we have a right to defend ourselves against that oppression. That includes force, as a last resort.
It must be disciplined and principled. Easy enough to say, I realize.
But I don’t find it in the least immoral to protect yourself or others from the violence of repression if done according to those precepts.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/25/exclusive_rarely_seen_film_king_a
2/22
Institute for Public Accuracy
Oscars Use Ranked Voting — Why Can’t We?
http://www.accuracy.org/release/oscars-use-ranked-voting-why-cant-we/
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With Little More Than a Note, Obama Deploys US Troops To Niger
West African nation that will host fleet of US drones will also have armed US soldiers with “boots on the ground”
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/22-1
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In Ancient Caves, Evidence Shows Small Uptick in Temps Could Spell ‘Massive’ Permafrost Melt
’1.5ºC appears to be something of a tipping point,’ says scientist
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/22-4
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Stripped of ‘Country of Origin’ Label, US Agrees to Sell Tear Gas to Egypt
Canisters shipped without company’s name, country of origin
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/22-2
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Rebuking Harper Agenda, Toronto Becomes ‘Sanctuary City’
In historic move, Toronto to “ensure access to services without fear” for all immigrants, regardless of immigration status
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/22-5
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Blackwater Off the Hook Again in Plea Deal With Bush-Appointed Judge
America has the “best justice system in the world,” says Blackwater exec
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/22-3
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Blockadia Rising: Voices of the Tar Sands Blockade
by Garrett Graham
http://www.commondreams.org/video/2013/02/22
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Citizens United 2.0? Supreme Court Could Further Open Door to Money in Politics
by Brendan Fischer
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/22-7
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Perils of the Keystone XL Pipeline Confront Obama
by Ralph Nader
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/22-0
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Obama Officials Refuse to Say if Assassination Power Extends to US Soil
The administration’s extreme secrecy is beginning to lead Senators to impede John Brennan’s nomination to lead the CIA
by Glenn Greenwald
*I don’t agree with Greenwald’s rationale for dealing with the issues of targeting US citizens and foreigners separately.
I understand the reasons proffered, but there’s no reason both can’t be dealt with concomitantly, and a very good reason why they must.
By positing the danger posed to US citizens simultaneously with that for foreign nationals, we break down the artificial barriers of race, religion, nationality and all the other false factors compromising “otherness” that allow those in power to keep us divided and conquered.
Just as those struggling against oppression in other countries need our solidarity, we need theirs in our fight against plutocracy, because in essence our enemies are the same, and we have to confront them on a “global battlefield” if we’re to have any chance of victory.
Lastly
“Every four years, we elect a new criminal because that’s become the precise job description.”
The Native peoples will tell you it was always so.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/22-3
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FAIR Blog
Fox News ‘Liberal’ Isn’t So Sure About College Rape
*Is there a directive at FOX that every discussion include at least one reference to using a gun?
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/02/22/fox-news-liberal-isnt-so-sure-about-college-rape/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Torture at Guantánamo: Lt. Col. Stuart Couch on His Refusal to Prosecute Abused Prisoner
*I find it difficult to believe that what Slahi has been subjected to could not be legally considered torture. If the inducing of mental suffering is the standard, I’m not sure how Couch or anyone else could say that his treatment didn’t rise to that level.
Regardless, as always, it boggles – or should boggle – the mind that human beings can think of how to perpetrate such acts, much less put them into practice on another person.
That it doesn’t seem remotely out of the realm of possibility to me is an indictment of our seemingly limitless capacity for inhumanity, and of the system that leads to the commission of these horrors in the pursuit of power and profit.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/22/torture_at_guantnamo_lt_col_stuart
“The Terror Courts”: An Inside Look at Rough Justice, Torture at Guantánamo Bay
*This is tripe about commission “independence” and some sort of “fairness”, don’t you think?
It’s a classic “forest for the trees” view.
You’ve got dozens of men who’ve been cleared of any charges still held, and yet Couch blithely speaks of their being imprisoned “until the end of hostilities”.
But this isn’t a war. Those who still face charges are criminal suspects, not “enemy combatants”, and should be fairly tried as such.
That it wasn’t deemed necessary to include another guest to challenge the views expressed, or for Goodman or Gonzalez to do so themselves, speaks to the shortcomings of the program that I’ve alluded to ad nauseum.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/22/the_terror_courts_an_inside_look
2/21
Investigation Finds High-Class, Crisis-Peddling ‘Astroturf Supergroup’ Behind ‘Fix the Debt’ Campaign
New investigative project looks to expose deficit debate subterfuge pushed by Pete Peterson, Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/21-6
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UN: No Compensation for Cholera We Caused in Haiti
‘In no rush to right the wrongs that they have done,’ UN rejects claims for compensation on behalf of victims of cholera outbreak
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/21-8
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5 Reasons Why the Keystone XL Pipeline is Bad for the Economy
by Brendan Smith
*Some salient points proffered
But why in a piece about environmental consequences is Smith pushing for repairing natural gas pipelines?
I have no fracking idea.
And I guess his background as a DC politico gives us some insight into the omission of any consideration that energy be a publicly owned service.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/21-0
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Lose Your Lawn
Turning your lawn into something more beautiful and useful would save time and money while curbing pollution and water usage.
by Jill Richardson
*Plant it for the planet
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/21-3
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‘Fix The Debt’ and Pete Peterson’s Long History of Deficit Scaremongering
by Lisa Graves
*Take the money
And run the economy into the ground
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/21-4
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Earthjustice
Obama Administration Delay Leaves Waters of the United States in Peril
White House sits on Clean Water Act guidance to restore protections to waters of the United States
*So you “applauded” him
And you saw what that got us.
So why do you think “urging” him will do diddley?
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/02/21-8
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FAIR Blog
When You’re Cutting Social Security, ‘Wealthy’ Begins at $25K
*Own a cell phone, and you’re a member of the undeserving poor.
Own a cell phone company, and you’re a member of the underserved wealthy.
Orwell lives on
Although I have to imagine he would like to be able to rest in peace.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/02/21/when-youre-cutting-social-security-wealthy-begins-at-25k/
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PETITION
Urgent: Walmart workers need your help
Demand that Walmart take responsibility for conditions at its warehouses
*More low blows from the Low Life Leader
DEMOCRACY NOW!
Sharif Abdel Kouddous: 2 Years into Uprising, Bahrain Feels Like a “Nation Under Occupation”
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/21/sharif_abdel_kouddous_2_years_into
An Interrogation Center at Yale? Proposed Pentagon Special Ops Training Facility Sparks Protests
*Hewing to the Hypocritical Oath
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/21/an_interrogation_center_at_yale_proposed
Bowman v. Monsanto: Indiana Farmer’s Supreme Court Challenge to Corporate Control of Food Supply
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/21/bowman_v_monsanto_indiana_farmers_supreme
2/20
Monsanto Receives Warm Reception in High Court
Reportedly ‘hostile’ justices question ‘basic activity of farming’
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Seeds are inventions
Money is speech
Aggression is security
War is peace
Love is hate
And justice is an illusion
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/20-2
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New Campaign Finance Case Has ‘Potentially Disastrous’ Impact for Wealthy to Buy ‘Access and Influence’
US Supreme Court has agreed to hear Republican challenge to individuals’ campaign aggregate limits
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/20-8
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The Cooperative Way to a Stronger Economy
Co-ops—just like people—can get more done together than anyone can do alone. They come in many forms, and are more common than you might imagine.
by Sarah van Gelder
*Isn’t “predatory capitalism” a redundant term?
Is van Gelder intimating that there is some form of capitalism that isn’t exploitative?
Does she believe that true cooperation can exist within a system encompassing competition and profit?
How much time is assumed by the phrase “over time”?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/20-6
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They Are Coming for Your Birth Control
Pro-Lifers Must “Advocate for Sexual Restraint”
by Robin Marty
*Is it incongruous to say that immaculate conception is New’s ultimate wet dream?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/20-3
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10 Things You Should Know About #TheRealTANF
by Greg Kaufmann
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/20-0
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Aaron Swartz’s FBI File
by DS Wright
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/20-5
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FAIR Blog
Tom Friedman’s Apple Hunch
*Corps hold us hostage
And the corpress arranges the ransom
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/02/20/tom-friedmans-apple-hunch/
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Study: Privatizing Medicare Spikes Overhead Costs
*The only health the insurance bloodsuckers care about
Is that of their bottom lines
http://www.accuracy.org/release/study-privatizing-medicare-spikes-overhead-costs/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Prisoner X: As Secrecy Falls, Doubts Grow on Suicide Claims for Australian Israeli Linked to Mossad
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/20/prisoner_x_as_secrecy_falls_doubts
Throwaways: Recruited by Police & Thrown into Danger, Young Informants are Drug War’s Latest Victims
*I’ve severely criticized DN!, and I believe rightly so, for often wasting its relative visibility, but this segment shines a vital light on the unconscionable law enforcement exploitation of children, young adults and others in pursuit of the inflation of arrest and prosecution stats.
It’s what the program could and should accomplish every day.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/20/throwaways_recruited_by_police_thrown_into
2/19
Who Can Own Life? Farmer vs. Monsanto Before US High Court
Indiana soybean farmer takes on corporate agriculture in defense of ‘essential question’
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/19-6
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‘Some Cuts Don’t Heal!’: Simpson-Bowles Face Protest for Attack on Medicare, Social Security
As influential ‘deficit scolds’ present new plan, community members speak out
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/19-5
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Afghan Civilians Bear Brunt of Death, Injury as US War Continues
UN report shows that as war drags on, the most vulnerable suffer the most
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*”[F]ew seem to understand why the war is still being fought at all.”
It’s still being fought for the same reasons it’s always been fought
Greed and power.
That should be at the heart of the discourse in the “alternative media”.
So you have to ask yourself why it isn’t, don’t you?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/19
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Protest Shuts Down Fracking Wastewater Facility
‘No Frack Waste By Truck, No Frack Waste By Boat, No Greenhunter Waste Down Ohio’s Throat’
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Okay, so Van Jones didn’t make an appearance.
I still think this is important.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/19-11
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UN, WHO Panel Calls Hormone-Disrupting Chemicals a ‘Global Threat’
An international team of experts reported today that evidence linking hormone-mimicking chemicals to human health problems has grown stronger over the past decade, becoming a “global threat” that should be addressed.
by Brian Bienkowski
Environmental Health News
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/19-2
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Playing Golf While the Planet Burns
by Medea Benjamin
*I wonder if anyone chanted
“Let Obama be Obama!”
Trouble is
That’s the trouble
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/19-2
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MSNBC Boldly Moves to Plug Its One Remaining Hole
By hiring long-time Obama spokesmen Robert Gibbs and David Axelrod, the cable news network clarifies its function
by Glenn Greenwald
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/19-12
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Wall Street’s Misdeeds Cost Trillions, But It’s Main Street Who’s Getting Nickel-and-Dimed
by Richard Eskow
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/19-6
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Greenpeace
US Agribusiness Could Carve Ten Manhattans Out of African Forest
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/02/19-6
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Center for Biological Diversity
Obama Administration Finalizes Polar Bear Extinction Plan
New Rule Shrugs Off Dire Climate Threat to Ice-dependent Animals
*Talking the walk
A legless “legacy” for Dear Misleader
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/02/19-2
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FAIR Blog
The NYT’s Problem With Leftist Presidents
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/02/19/the-nyts-problem-with-leftist-presidents/
Friendly Oil–Not the Venezuelan Kind
*It’s a viscous circle
Selling tar sands oil
With snake oil
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/02/19/friendly-oil-not-the-venezuelan-kind/
FAIR Media Advisory
Media and the Keystone March
Little coverage of large climate action
*You can imagine the coverage had an event of this magnitude been for “gun rights” or against reproductive rights.
But it wasn’t, and as the class interests, not to mention the advertising dollars, lay with the entities opposed, the outcome was predictable, wasn’t it?
I just wish this had been a truly “historic” protest, rather than essentially a political pantomime that won’t mean diddley without truly radical followup, such as the direct action occurring in Texas and Canada.
Appealing to Dear Misleader’s concern over his “legacy” doesn’t strike me as facilitative of such actions.
And with life as we know it on the line
We need to leave the political theatre
And get serious about what’s essential in the real world.
http://fair.org/take-action/media-advisories/media-and-the-keystone-march/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
The ATM for Climate Denial: Secretive Donors Trust Funds Vast Network of Global Warming Skeptics
*There’s an intense irony in Morano calling anyone else an “ecoterrorist”, isn’t there?
He and his backers are devoted to the promotion of it.
How else can you label the deaths and destruction from inaction on climate change?
And governments aren’t “confused” about who the real terrorists are.
They’re intimidated by them.
They’re complicit with them.
But they aren’t confused about them.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/19/the_atm_for_climate_denial_secretive
2/18
Georgia Prepares for ‘Another Grotesque and Unjust Execution’
Mentally disabled Warren Hill slated for execution Tuesday
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*A moral retardation
Far beyond a reasonable doubt
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/18
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Victory of Ecuadorian President Correa Hailed as ‘Clear Mandate’ to Continue Progressive Push
Correa: ‘This victory is yours. Everything for you, a people who have become dignified in being free.’
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*It’s important to note the contradictions as well as the contributions of governments under leaders such as Correa, Chavez and Morales.
There have been significant benefits to the peoples of those nations, not least of which is a lessening of US influence within them and in the region as whole.
But if we place them on pedestals – inherently unstable objects – we do those peoples a disservice.
Power – even that which often serves to improve life
Must always be held accountable.
And anyone wielding it worthy of our trust would insist on it.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/18-5
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Industrial Ag Triggers Devastating ‘Web’ of Pollution
New report analyzes impact of excessive nitrogen and phosporous in our ecosystems
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Getting away from the meat of the matter
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/18-2
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Arms Producers Turning to ‘Cybersecurity’: Report
Report from Stockholm International Peace Research Institute shows world’s biggest arms-producing companies ducking austerity by taking advantage of “potential cyberthreats”
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/18-1
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Bulgarian Revelations Explode Hezbollah Bombing “Hypothesis”
by Gareth Porter
Inter Press Service
*Something more than a “reasonable assumption” that the facts are being fixed around the policy, wouldn’t you say?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/18-3
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Thousands Protest ‘Israeli Occupation Prisons’ as Hunger Strikers Press On
Israel arrests brother of hunger striker as families urge end to indefinite detention
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/18-6
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Obama to Receive ‘Medal of Distinction’ in Israel
Obama has made ‘meaningful contribution to strengthening the state of Israel,’ says Israeli leader
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
*A fetid fete
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/18-4
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Sea Shepherd Continues High Seas Standoff After Whalers Attack
Whalers continue attempt to slaughter ‘protected, threatened, and endangered species’ in pristine waters
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/18-0
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Profiting From Human Misery
by Chris Hedges
*Corporate stocks
And human bonds
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/18
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How a Washington Global Torture Gulag Was Turned Into the Only Gulag-Free Zone on Earth
The Latin American Exception
by Greg Grandin
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/18-4
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Food Sovereignty: Think Globally, Eat Locally
by Tory Field and Beverly Bell
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/18-7
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Another Side of the Immigration Debate: Harvesting NAFTA’s Crops
We reap the benefits of cheap farm and meatpacking labor in the form of low-priced food, thanks to the contributions of millions of undocumented workers.
by Jill Richardson
*Take out that sentence about Dear Misleader, and this piece resonates with humanity.
Leave it in, and the contradictions are manifest and manifold.
This is a president who has deported the most immigrants in US history, and is a fierce supporter of “free trade” agreements that have caused the misery described.
You don’t have to be a math whiz to know that two plus two doesn’t equal four more years.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/18-0
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The Premises and Purposes of American Exceptionalism
That the US is objectively “the greatest country ever to exist” is as irrational as it is destructive, yet it maintains the status of orthodoxy
by Glenn Greenwald
*I think there’s a profound moral conundrum in the principle of equal application of the law, although I understand the precept.
It would seem to preclude the right and duty to engage in either civil disobedience or force to protect oneself or others.
Thus, blocking tar sands extraction, or the lunch counter sit ins in the South, would be considered prohibitive behavior under that theory, as would the violent acts of those defending themselves from the terrorism of an oppressive regime.
So, it does come down to the reason, rather than the act itself.
Is the assassination of a dictator by someone suffering under his repression identical to that of Allende or Lumumba?
Sometimes morality can’t be neatly confined to what is lawful.
Obviously, it’s a more complex issue than a few sentences can untangle, but I put it out as food for thought.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/18-1
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The Lamest Excuses Money Can Buy
by Paul Buchheit
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/18-2
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Why the Canadian Right’s ‘Defense Lobby’ Wants Another War
by Steven Staples
*Make that “North American exceptionalism”
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/18-6
2/15
‘Let Us Not Be Deceived’: Cornel West Names Obama as ‘War Criminal’
Like Nixon, Bush, and others the law is suspended for the president, but “applies for the rest of us”
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Call it a case of stating the literally bleeding obvious.
What took so long for the penny to drop, Brother Cornel
And what are you going to do about it?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/15-4
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Environmental Activists Pose Security Threat: Canadian Government
Canadians going to Keystone XL protest ‘better take precautions’
by Common Dreams staff
*A movement had better be a threat to the power structure
Else what’s the point?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/15-10
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Scientists Confirm: Arctic Sea Ice ‘Collapse’ at Our Door
Warming planet and new evidence portend future of ice-free Arctic
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/15-6
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Drones Across US Skies Closer to Reality
FAA solicits plans for 6 domestic drone test sites
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*J. Edgar’s wet dream takes wing?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/15-5
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Investigation Reveals How Charter Schools Betray Promises of “Equal Access”
For-profit charter schools have learned how to dodge requirements that keep doors open to students they’d rather not have
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/15-0
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Quinoa: To Buy or Not to Buy… Is This the Right Question?
by Tanya Kerssen
*It’s doesn’t make much sense to me to say that a law is “demonstrating that political will exists on the part of President Evo Morales to promote food sovereignty and peasant production for local markets”
And simultaneously speak of landless activists “pushing the Bolivian government to make good on its agrarian reform promises.”
As Altieri says
“Discourse must now translate into action.”
Walking the walk is a function of locomotion
Not loquaciousness
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/15-4
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Donors Trust is the Secret ATM Machine for Climate Deniers
by Aliya Huq
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/15-13
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Earthjustice
Congressional Hearing Ignores Poor Record of State Coal Ash Regulation
Lack of federal protections means unregulated coal ash ponds continue to poison rivers, people
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/02/15-1
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Ten Years After Feb. 15 Global Protests, A New Call
*Our only hope for survival lies in our capacity for cooperation and community, and that entails an end to the profit system, capitalism … whatever you want to call it.
That system is kept in control by economic, political, military, and legal force
But as important is the propanganda we’re subjected to every day by our media and educational institutions.
That isn’t addressed here, and it’s a glaring omission.
Before we can act for others
We have to able to think for ourselves.
It’s imperative that we create visible and effective alternative sources of information to counteract the force feeding of fallacies from the corpress and conventional education.
Obviously, the internet plays a vital role in that, and it’s profoundly frustrating to see its potential wasted on reformism, when transformation is essential.
I don’t have the answers to how we change that equation
But we have to keep asking the question as to why we’re frittering away what little time we have left to do so, don’t we?
http://www.accuracy.org/release/ten-years-after-feb-15-global-protests-a-new-call/
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FAIR Blog
Are Iranian Magnets the New Aluminum Tubes?
*One might expect an allusion in the Post article to the scare stories from a decade hence.
One would be living in an alternative universe to do so, of course.
As the US and Israel continue the slow motion decimation of Iranian society with sanctions, cyberwar and assassinations, while they ponder the ramifications of direct attack, the corpress’ assignment is to provide the justification for them all.
There’s no question that these pieces “have only one purpose”, is there?
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/02/15/are-iranian-magnets-the-new-aluminum-tubes/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
An Intentional Fire? Police Use of Incendiary Tear Gas Criticized in Killing of Christopher Dorner
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/15/an_intentional_fire_police_use_of
From Dorner to Waco to MOVE Bombing, A Look at Growing Militarization of Domestic Policing
*In regards to Stamper’s concluding comments, I think the “message” police across the country have gotten is that they are ” to serve and protect” the power structure through intimidation and violence, in preparation for the coming meltdown of societal structures as capitalism eats itself.
The public will become Enemy Number One. Or more precisely, that portion of the public courageous or desperate enough to challenge authority, while others are propagandized into seeing them not as comrades, but as “the other”, to be controlled, and killed if necessary.
Dystopia is a police state of mind.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/15/from_dorner_to_waco_to_move
2/14
Media Silence Criticized as Palestinian Hunger Strikers Verge on Death
UN calls for end to indefinite detention in Israel amidst media blackout
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/14-6
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US Among World Government’s Repressing Journalistic Freedoms
Prosecution of whistleblowers and secretive trials for suspected terrorists show that US press freedoms under attack
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Can you imagine the gummint backlash if the US corpress actually did its job?
Or perhaps if it did, media repression here and abroad would be a far less frequent occurrence.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/14-0
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At Least 20 CIA ‘Black Site’ Prisoners Still Missing
by Cora Currier
ProPublica
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/14-2
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CISPA, the Privacy-Invading Cybersecurity Spying Bill, is Back in Congress
by Mark M. Jaycox
*If you’re building on anything that comes out of the White House
You’d better have a damn good construction insurance policy, don’t you think?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/14-11
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FAIR Blog
If There’s a ‘War Against Boys,’ Why Are Men Still Winning?
*I agree that Sommers is unquestionably a stalking horse for chauvinism
But the idea that more female corporate CEOs and board members would represent some sort of progress for women’s rights strikes me as sophistry, given that in those roles, they would be screwing the rest of us
Regardless of our genitalia.
Identity politics often have little to do with, or is antithetical to, the improvement of the lives of the great mass of those so identified.
See Obama, Barack Hussein
Or Clinton, Hillary Rodham.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/02/14/if-theres-a-war-against-boys-why-are-men-still-winning/
On Transgender Healthcare, NYT Reports Tree, Ignores Forest
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/02/14/on-transgender-healthcare-nyt-reports-tree-ignores-forest/
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Institute for Public Accuracy
If Minimum Wage Kept Pace with Productivity, it Would be $16.54
*Imagine what it would be if it had dovetailed with the increase in executive pay.
Isn’t it funny how those obscene salaries are justified on the basis of “providing incentive”
But that rationale doesn’t apply to working stiffs.
They’re not laughing.
http://www.accuracy.org/release/if-minimum-wage-kept-pace-with-productivity-it-would-be-16-54/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
“Two Years of Deaths and Detentions”: Bahraini Pro-Democracy Protesters Mark Anniversary of Uprising
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/14/two_years_of_deaths_and_detentions
2/13
PETITION
Havaar Launches Campaign
to Help Iranians Access Life Saving Medicine
http://havaar.org/2013/02/havaar-launches-campaign-to-help-iranians-access-life-saving-medicine/
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Nearly 50 Climate Activists Arrested Outside Obama’s White House
We’re not protesting against Obama, say groups, we’re applying the pressure he’s requested
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*I’m sorry, but I can’t help thinking that Brune won’t have any problem making bail
Considering the millions the natural gas industry dumped in Sierra’s coffers.
Civil disobediance sounds righteous, but if McKibben and company were truly serious about stopping XL, don’t you think they should be down in Texas, facing a less hospitable gendarmerie than the Capitol cops?
And heaven forfend they should protest Dear Misleader’s duplicity in sending us over the climate cliff.
A gentle nudge in the ribs of his better angels will suffice.
Yeah, this is a rag
But if we have any hope to pull back from the precipice
We’d better start facing the political reality of presidential perfidy
Instead of engaging in the carefully calibrated pantomime of political theatre.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/13
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Progressive Grassroots Coalition Takes on ‘Fix The Debt’ Fraud
Flip the Debt: ‘Hey one-percent! Pay your damn taxes!’
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/13-5
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Corporatizing Seeds of the Commons: Patents Enabling BigAg Control
New report details how patents allow ‘private companies to assert ownership over a resource that is vital to survival’
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/13-9
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‘Stop the Deportations’: Protesters Call for Immigrant Rights at Senate Hearing
Immigrants to Obama Administration: ‘You are destroying our communities’
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/13-8
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Vital Gaza Tunnels Flooded by Egyptian Forces
Gazans express concern over Palestinian/Egyptian relations: ‘This is the Mursi era’
by Common Dreams staff
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/13-6
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A Conspiracy of Stupidity
A secret CIA drone base, a blowback world, and why Washington has no learning curve
by Tom Engelhardt
*My reaction is
What’s so stupid about it?
No, everything hasn’t gone according to plan, but the Pentagon’s budget has soared, military contractors and other corps have made billions and billions, and the US has an eternal boogeyman to justify its imperial adventures and misadventures.
The US lost Vietnam, but has it lost the Middle East and Central Asia?
It has its foothold. Its major disappointment is being unable to make the dream of Pipelineistan come to fruition.
Engelhardt seems to posit this in terms of “blowback”, but does our gummint give a rodent’s rear about that?
Only in the context of it making it more difficult to extract more profit from the region.
There have been more terror plots concocted by US agencies in sting operations than actual operational plans to attack targets in the country.
And were one to succeed, it would only rachet up support for the GWOT.
Deja vu all over again.
And let’s not forget the concomitant aim of establishing the National Security State to deal with pesky protesters.
So sure, the oligarchers would have loved to have had everything go swimmingly, but all in all, not a bad innings.
And what’s a million dead ragheads, give or take?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/13-6
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The Courage of the Vigilante Feminists is Contagious
In Ireland and Egypt – and beyond – women are coming together to combat sexual violence
by Laurie Penny
*Sisters are doing it for themselves
And to anyone who fucks with them
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/13-0
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Italy’s Ex-Intelligence Chief Given 10-year Sentence for Role in CIA Kidnapping
Such accountability for high-level government officials is inconceivable in the US, highlighting its culture of impunity
by Glenn Greenwald
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/13-3
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FAIR Blog
The ‘Politically Divisive’ Minimum Wage
*It does matter what we call things
And what the words we use mean.
By a “minimum” wage, we’re referring to the lowest pay one can receive
And not the lowest pay sufficient to cover essential expenses.
Now, you can’t call that a “living” wage
But the fact that we’re not even talking about that shows just how devolved the discussion has become
And how our “representatives” offer us crumbs, and how we settle for them
When we should demand the keys to the bakery.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/02/13/the-politically-divisive-minimum-wage/
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Institute for Public Accuracy
SOTU: Obama Poses as Dove while Civilians Bombed in Afghanistan
http://www.accuracy.org/release/sotu-obama-poses-as-dove-while-civilians-bombed-in-afghanistan/
SOTU: * Jobs * Equity * Climate
*Old wine
New bottle
Same vinegar
http://www.accuracy.org/release/sotu-jobs-equity-climate/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Despite Planned Troop Withdrawal, Special Ops & Private Forces Prepare to Continue Afghan War
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/13/despite_planned_troop_withdrawal_special_ops
2/12
New Report Urges Research Into Environmental Causes of Breast Cancer
‘We are all exposed to a cocktail of carcinogens and endocrine disruptors every day that puts us at greater risk for breast cancer, and we need to prioritize and invest in identifying and preventing exposures”: Breast Cancer Fund head
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/12-8
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Innocent Until Proven Guilty; Imminent Until Proven — Too Late!
by Marcy Wheeler
*If you accept this theory of imminence in order to protect innocent lives
Aren’t you making a judgment about which innocent lives to protect?
Unless you want to engage in utter fantasy, you have to acknowledge that air strikes have killed many innocents, and will continue to do so.
Thus, you’re favoring the lives of Americans over those of Afghans, Pakistanis, Yemenis et alia.
Now, that’s again if you accept that these actions are necessary to protect the US from attack.
So, is it possible for one innocent to be more so than another
Or have we fallen down the rabbit hole?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/12-3
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Should An Armed Drone Be Dispatched to Kill Christopher Dorner?
Why should the lives of law enforcement agents be risked to apprehend this suspected domestic terrorist?
by Glenn Greenwald
*Aside from the terribly quaint notion of due process, there’s the distinct possibility that the intel might be faulty, and that drone will obliterate a few “military age males” who were occupying that cabin.
I wonder if offering an apology and a few goats would mollify their kin.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/12-0
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The Real Debt Issue: It’s Not How Much We Will Owe, It’s Who Will Hold the Note
by John Atcheson
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/12
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Global Justice Ecology Project
Genetically Engineered Trees for Bioenergy Pose Major Threat to Southern Forests
*Planting the roots of ruin
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/02/12-0
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FAIR Blog
AP Decides Your Husband or Wife Might Not Be
*Language is a virus
And homophobia is a disease
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/02/12/ap-decides-your-husband-or-wife-might-not-be/
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Institute for Public Accuracy
North Korea “Test”: Aggravated by U.S. “War Games” and “Pivot”?
http://www.accuracy.org/release/north-korea-test-aggravated-by-u-s-war-games-and-pivot/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
North Korea Nuclear Test Sends Message to Washington One Week After U.S.-South Korean War Games
*Shorrock’s comments about the prospective oil pipelines demonstrates the clash that can come between legitimate aims – in this case peace on the Korean peninsula and economic development for the people of North Korea on the one hand, and the imperative to end our addiction to fossil fuels.
That contradiction needs to be acknowledged and addressed, as it does for the broader issue of economic development versus environmental catastrophe in the context of the exploitation of fossil fuel reserves in developing nations.
And I have to wonder just what sort of work conditions exist within that industrial zone, don’t you?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/12/north_korea_nuclear_test_sends_message
After Pope Benedict, Progressive Catholics and Priest Victims Call for a More Inclusive Papacy
*As Blaine says, Benedict, like Dear Misleader, offers words and not action.
And, like Obama, he isn’t just guilty of inaction, but of actions that have cause immense suffering and death.
So I’d like to have seen a call for his prosecution, rather than an entreaty to do the right thing, as well as an acknowledgement of the moral corruption at the core of the institution.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/12/after_pope_benedict_progressive_catholics_and
Remembering the Overlooked Life of Eslanda Robeson, Wife of Civil Rights Legend Paul Robeson
*DN! loves to talk about the lives of radicals
After they’re dead and gone.
But what I take from this segment is the Robesons’ refusal to recant that radicalism, the notion of global solidarity that Eslanda Robeson promoted, and the democraticization of organizations that Ella Baker preached.
These are all vital elements that must be present in the movement for justice – and survival – today, don’t you think?
I was disappointed at the end in Ransby’s backpeddling on her view of Dear Misleader. After Goodman’s foolish question about what he might learn from this history, she makes the salient point that his duplicity doesn’t arise from ignorance.
Then she makes her own silly remarks about hoping he’ll somehow morph into a mensch, which betrays both a lack of understanding of history
And the present.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/12/remembering_the_overlooked_life_eslanda_robeson
2/11
Worse Than Obama’s Kill List? American Support for It
Survey shows Obama has done little to rescue civil liberties from predecessor’s damage and much to deepen concern
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*A majority of Americans will support any policy that purports to keep them “safe”.
Fed a steady diet of fear-based propaganda and dehumanization of “the other”, it’s a wholly predictable outcome, isn’t it?
Only when the policy is seen to be ineffective, or not worth the cost in (American) blood and treasure – a historically high bar to clear – does public opinion turn against it.
In addition, there is a deeply inculcated sense of American exceptionalism that moves them to bless acts by our government that they would scream for war were they to be perpetrated by another nation on US soil.
And they hate us for our values.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/11-0
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Docs Reveal World’s Most Biodiverse National Park Targeted by Gas Company
by Common Dreams staff
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/11-1
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NY Fracking Scandal: Seven Groups Demand Conflict of Interest Investigation of Cuomo Administration
by Steve Horn
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/11-5
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Genetically Engineered Meat, Coming Soon to a Supermarket Near You
by Bruce Friedrich
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/11-4
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A Presidential Decision That Could Change the World: The Strategic Importance of Keystone XL
by Michael T. Klare
*Given these stakes, the decision is a foregone conclusion, isn’t it?
Perhaps some “concession”, such as the rerouting in Nebraska, will be offered as appeasement, but the die has been cast.
So what will McKibben and company, after their oh so respectful appeal to Dear Misleader’s sense of “legacy” proves to be utterly ineffectual, do then?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/11-0
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Washington’s War-Makers Aren’t “in a Bubble,” They’re in a Bunker
by Norman Solomon
*That Wilkerson never once during that debate alluded to the death and destruction visited upon the Iraqi people tells you all you really need to know about his “moral epiphany”, doesn’t it?
And yet he will still be feted by those in the “alternative establishment media” and “anti-war” orgs who adore former power players who’ve “seen the light”, regardless of their sincerity.
You can’t change the game
If you’re playing it.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/11
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The Hanging of Afzal Guru is a Stain on India’s Democracy
by Arundhati Roy
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/11-6
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Institute for Public Accuracy
The State of the Union: Is Rule of Law in Peril or Is it No More?
*A land of the free cannot exist
Without it being a home of the brave
http://www.accuracy.org/release/the-state-of-the-union-is-rule-of-law-in-peril-or-is-it-no-more/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Wanted for Killing 3, Christopher Dorner’s Claims of Racism, Corruption Resonate with LAPD’s Critics
*Of course it shouldn’t have taken a deadly situation such as this, but I’d like to believe that this would compel attention by the corpress and gummint to the prejudice and violence that defines the LAPD.
But that would entail ignoring decades of observation of just how those institutions work, wouldn’t it?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/11/wanted_for_killing_3_christopher_dorners
Despite Offer of Direct Talks, U.S. Intensifies “Sanctions-Centric” Economic War Against Iran
*Well, that was a waste of precious air time.
So what else is new?
Why have anyone on this supposedly “alternative information” outlet who can say with a straight face that the US is “serious” about diplomacy?
It’s serious about doing whatever it can to blunt Iran’s influence in the region, and hopefully precipitate a crisis that will work to its advantage, up to the toppling of the regime and the attendant control of Iran’s oil reserves.
The only question among its enemies is how best to do that, not whether to do so, and you don’t have to view the Iranian government in any positive light to understand that, do you?
There is no nuclear threat from Iran. Parsi accepts that Iran is considering weaponizing their program, which is far from clear, and that even if that were the case, that a nuclear weapon is a danger to the US, the West and the region, when such a weapon would not serve anything other than a defensive purpose.
Which could have positive connotations, deterring aggression against it that could lead to very dangerous consequences.
He adopts what I think is a false equivalency in how each side has approached negotiations, when Iran has made concrete offers to allay suspicions about its nuclear program, all of which have been rejected, needless to say.
If he believes those offers are mere posturing, he should advocate for calling them on it, and let’s see if they’re sincere, rather than his dismissing them out of hand.
The bottom line is that there are more empirically oriented analyses of the situation out there, and this segment could have been used to give them some exposure.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/11/despite_offer_of_direct_talks_us
2/8
Study Finds 80% of All Antibiotics in US Used for Big-Ag
Meat industry consumed record-high antibiotics in 2011, raising risk of superbugs
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/08-1
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States Take On GMOs in Battle Over Labeling
‘This is worse than any slavery that’s ever been known, because it is enslaving the future, it is enslaving nature’
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/08-2
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Pathway to Progress in Israel Runs Through International Law, Local and Global Action
While Israel moved away from the far right in last month’s elections, the new coalition is unlikely to alter the occupation
by Phyllis Bennis
*When port is defined as listing a little less to starboard
An orientation us Yanks should be intimately familiar with, shouldn’t we?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/08-5
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Radioactive Eye Glasses …Silverware…Zippers…Hip Joints… Anyone?
by Karen Charman
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/08-9
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A Recipe for Nonviolent Parenting
by Frida Berrigan
*Another song comes to mind
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FStkcfnpcdk
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/08-0
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Enviromental Working Group (EWG)
California to Overhaul Fire Retardant Rules
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/02/08-4
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Children’s Defense Fund Releases New Report on Zero Tolerance
Marian Wright Edelman Issues Call to Action for Mississippi
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/02/08-3
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Rationally Speaking, We Are All Apocalyptic Now
by Robert Jensen
*Knowledge is power
And ignorance its antithesis
If we’re told a great storm is coming, we don’t debate its existence. We prepare for it.
But when it comes to climate change and environmental degradation, our scientific ignorance short circuits this rational response.
So why are we ignorant?
There are a number of reasons, all related to the fact that those who control our lives also seek to control what we know, through the educational, political and media systems.
It’s the primary manner in which they do control us.
Rather than acknowledging the irrefutable, these institutions have sought to portray it as a “controversy”, when not engaged in avoiding the issue altogether. Although that is slowly changing as the consequences become more and more apparent, every effort will be made to resist the necessary transformation to a cooperative and communally based society.
That’s insanity from any standpoint, including the self interest of those perpetrating the propaganda.
But addicts aren’t known for their ability to rationally deal with their addiction, are they?
So how do we break through this roadblock?
The information’s out there, as this piece and so much other intel makes plain.
But people have to know it is, and they have to know why it’s a life and death situation to act on it.
I believe the internet’s our greatest tool for building mass consciousness, but as yet we haven’t figured out how to use it to effectively counter the misinformation and censorship we’re subjected to from the halls of power.
And unless we can do that, our apocalypse is nigh.
http://truth-out.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=14322&Itemid=228
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FAIR Blog
At Beliefnet, ‘Everyone’ Doesn’t Include Feminists
*I think what’s “softer” here is the stealth attempt to sell these “values” under the guise of a site with “a broad editorial point of view”
And including Holmgren’s blog may have been a stab at providing a patina of “diversity” for that strategy.
I imagine that had she agreed to their conditions, her first post would have been deemed “offensive” to their readers regardless, if her notion of feminism bears any resemblance to mine.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/02/08/at-beliefnet-everyone-doesnt-include-feminists/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Jeremy Scahill: Assassinations of U.S. Citizens Largely Ignored at Brennan CIA Hearing
*This is indeed kabuki oversight
From all concerned.
Wyden and King get to play to their liberal base, without really doing a goddamn thing about the horrors so calmly discussed here.
Brennan will be confirmed
The killing will continue
And all the good liberal politicians will move on to the next meaningless sideshow
Perhaps with some appearing on DN! to pimp their “principled stands”.
Which is another kind of kabuki theatre, isn’t it?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/8/jeremy_scahill_assassinations_of_us_citizens
CODEPINK Repeatedly Disrupts Brennan Hearing Calling Out Names of Civilians Killed in Drone Strikes
*I’m not sure what hiring a lobbyist will accomplish, other than consuming precious resources that could be more productively expended elsewhere.
Certainly no passed legislation will result.
Perhaps it’s an attempt to gain greater visibility by enlisting the efforts of these congresspersons, but I think that could be done more effectively outside of the legislative arena, and without the inevitable contradictions and compromises this would entail.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/8/codepink_repeatedly_disrupts_brennan_hearing_calling
“He Was The Agency”: Ex-CIA Analyst Questions Brennan Claim He Couldn’t Stop Waterboarding, Torture
*Establishing a court of review?
Why does the phrase “All nice and legal like” immediately spring to mind?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/8/he_was_the_agency_ex_cia
2/7
Tunisia in ‘State of Siege’ Following Opposition Killing
Labor leaders call for general strike in protest of the death of Chokri Belaid
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/07-2
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Drones, Surveillance Towers, Malls of the Spy State, and the National Security Police on the Northern Border
Living in a Constitution-Free Zone
by Todd Miller
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/07-5
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Cook Organic, Not the Planet
by Alexis Baden-Mayer and Ronnie Cummins
*Taking a bite
To take the bite out of climate change
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/07
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The Great Tax-Cut Experiment
Has cutting tax rates for the rich helped the economy?
by Gerald Friedman
*What’s “resonated” with politicians is upper class consciousness
And the campaign cash that comes with remaining mindful of it
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/07-1
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Imagining a ‘Just Recovery’ from Superstorm Sandy
by Michelle Chen
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/07-8
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Violence Policy Center
States With Higher Gun Ownership and Weak Gun Laws Lead Nation in Gun Death
Alaska, Louisiana, Montana, Alabama, and Wyoming Have Highest Gun Death Rates
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/02/07-8
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FAIR Blog
Millionaires Are–or Perhaps Aren’t–Leaving California
*The plutocrats stay put
It’s their money that migrates to tax havens
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/02/07/millionaires-are-or-perhaps-arent-leaving-california/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Globalizing Torture: Ahead of Brennan Hearing, International Complicity in CIA Rendition Exposed
*Apologies are meaningless without justice.
Singh sidesteps the question of prosecution, but if we believe that financial criminals should be jailed, then isn’t there a greater moral necessity to do so here?
That goes for the president on down.
As for “damaging the US’ reputation”
That’s almost always posited as a negative consequence of committing these atrocities.
But the harm done to an unearned reputation for upholding human rights is a positive development. The exposure of the true nature of what the rulers of this nation desire, and will do to achieve, is vital to the realization of justice.
Even when critical of its acts, so many persons like Singh still seem to cling to this fantasy of America as some beacon of righteousness that’s simply gone astray.
I’d like to say I’m “surprised” (as Goodman asks her guests ad nauseum) by that
But I’ve sadly seen it far too many times.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/7/globalizing_torture_ahead_of_brennan_hearing
Radio Ambulante: Spanish-Language Radio Program Showcases the Untold Stories of the Americas
*I’d hope the program makes just who’s responsible for this mass migration a central focus.
From the neocolonialism of “drug wars” to the theft of land and destruction of livelihoods perpetrated by multinational corporations, this isn’t a story about people seeking a better life in this country
But of fleeing a worse one in their own, created by the rapaciousness and lust for power of those who control this one.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/7/radio_ambulante_spanish_language_radio_program
2/6
Tunisia to Dissolve Government After Assassination, Day of Mass Protests
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/06-0
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Lake Michigan Water Level at Record Low
Above average temperatures, drought bring water level to second record low in a row
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/06
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Seattle Teachers Spark Rebuke of School Standardization and Privatization
National Day of Action in support of Seattle teachers’ protest prompts cross-country actions
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/06-6
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Corporate America: Saving the Twinkie but Not the Workers
by Dean Baker
*There’s a contradiction here.
Yes, we want these folks to get their jobs back
But look at what they’re producing on the job.
Of course, this conundrum applies to all manner of circumstances, doesn’t it?
Think of all the unhealthy, dangerous and deadly crap – fossil fuels chief among them – pumped out by this economy.
But people gotta eat.
(Not Twinkies, hopefully.)
The point is that concomitant with the cry to end this insanity
We have to make clear a convincing vision of what will replace it
And those jobs.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/06-4
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SodaStream: Set the Bubbles Free? First, Set Palestinians Free
by Lyndi Borne
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/06-6
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350.org
60 Groups Urge Kerry to Continue Strong Leadership on Climate Change
New Secretary of State positioned to advance American climate leadership, should deny the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline
*I’d like to say I found it amusing that an organization that describes its members as “fearless revolutionaries” would publish this paean to an establishment toadie like Kerry.
But there’s really nothing funny about it, is there?
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/02/06-0
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Degraded Postal Service Part of a “Manufactured” Crisis and a “Daylight Heist” of New Deal Art
FAIR Extra!
FAIR REPORT: 13th Annual Fear & Favor Review
Revealing the hidden influence behind the news
by Janine Jackson
http://fair.org/extra-online-articles/fair-report-13th-annual-fear-favor-review/
FAIR Blog
An ‘Informal Arrangement’ to Not Report the News
*Not publishing information is not always a journalistic sin.
It comes down to the consequences of doing so, doesn’t it?
If you accept that the US’ aims are beneficent, and making public information would harm those aims, do you refrain from publishing that information?
If you believe that the US is engaged in immoral and illegal acts for pernicious purposes, do you have an obligation to reveal information that will deter those acts?
We tend to want to codify actions in such situations, and avoid relying on moral judgments.
But you really can’t, can you?
In this instance, you have to decide if whatever benefit that may be derived from “anti-terrorist” actions is outweighed by the detriment of allowing the US to carry out its own acts of terror.
Who benefits? Who is harmed?
We like simple morality plays
And that’s often not the way the world works, is it?
I think we have to acknowledge that our noble intentions may not always result in positive outcomes for those whom we don’t wish to harm.
That doesn’t mean we don’t act on them
But it does mean we need to give serious thought to all their consequences, positive and negative.
In this instance, my judgment would be to inform the public, because I believe the harm of not doing so outweighs that of disclosure.
But regardless of my amply warranted skepticism of the government’s warning of harming its proclaimed goals, or possibly putting lives put at risk, I’m mindful that this may well not be an unalloyed positive action
And I accept that possibility.
It’s the only choice I can make, and remain true to my conscience.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/02/06/an-informal-arrangement-to-not-report-the-news/
When It Comes to Drones, Trust the Churchgoing CIA Director
*Praise the Lord
And pass the joystick
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/02/06/when-it-comes-to-drones-trust-the-churchgoing-cia-director/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Decade After Iraq WMD Speech at UN, Ex-Powell Aide Lawrence Wilkerson Debates Author Norman Solomon
*Given what the time for this segment could have been used for, I don’t see much value in it, other than exposing Wilkerson’s self serving rationalizations, and hopefully diminishing his credibility with the alternative establishment media.
But I wouldn’t put scared money on it. The AEM adores former power players who’ve “seen the light”, regardless of their sincerity, don’t they?
They blow their own bubbles. They don’t ask
And make damn sure no one call tell.
That he never once mentions the untold numbers of Iraqi dead should tell you all you need to know about the veracity of his moral epiphany, don’t you think?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/6/decade_after_iraq_wmd_speech_at
Lawmakers Threaten Funding of Brooklyn College for Hosting Event on BDS Campaign Against Israel
*I haven’t discerned this “much greater tolerance for entertaining a wider range of views” from the corpress that Greenwald sees.
There may be some unease regarding Israel’s increasing extremism, and its refusal to maintain even a veneer of a “peace process”, but that doesn’t signal any fundamental shift in support for its domination of the Palestinian people, only a disagreement over how best to do so.
Elites always have internal squabbles over the most effective methods for achieving their shared goals.
That shouldn’t be interpreted as any hesitancy over whether to pursue them.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/6/lawmakers_threaten_funding_of_brooklyn_college
Bill McKibben: Ahead of Keystone XL Rally, Fossil Fuel Divestment Expands Across U.S. Campuses
*I’d be a lot more “excited” about this if I felt McKibben and company were serious about doing what’s essential to stop and reverse climate change
Which means nothing less than the end of the profit system.
But I’ve seen nothing that indicates that.
We’ve got to change the game
Not continue to play it.
As the man said
If we don’t get it right soon, then we don’t get it right at all.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/6/bill_mckibben_ahead_of_keystone_xl
Part 2: Daniel Ellsberg and Jacob Appelbaum on the NDAA, WikiLeaks and Unconstitutional Surveillance
*I have to wonder if the process would have worked had Vietnam gone according to plan.
Would the corpress have given a rat’s ass about the secret history of US involvement?
Would Ellsberg be rotting in jail today?
Had the war become a failed enterprise, and Nixon more an impediment than an asset to US hegemony?
In some sense, the rule of law prevailed
(Although of course Nixon didn’t serve a day in prison)
But would it have under the scenario above?
2/5
Globalizing Torture: Report Reveals International Rendition Ring
New report details the murky channels of rendition after 9/11, and the many countries who had their hand in it
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/05-0
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US Prison Population Seeing ‘Unprecedented Increase’
by Carey L. Biron
Inter Press Service
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/05-1
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The American Lockdown State
Post-Legal Drones, the Bin Laden Tax, and Other Wonders of Our American World
by Tom Engelhardt
*Call it a case of “law”
And the coming order.
The rationale for the police state is being put into place with each passing day.
A search on “domestic terrorism” will turn up ever more hits.
The “free speech” zones will become bittersweet relics of a seemingly more open age.
And we will be effectively protected
From our dangerously democratic impulses.
That is the nightmare
If we don’t awaken to the reality.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/05-3
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Will a Federal Compromise on GMO Labeling Trump State Law, Forever?
by Michele Simon
*First they ignore you
Then they ridicule you
Then they fight you
Then they “compromise” with you
They they win
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/05-2
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Of Myths and Men: Mark Lynas and the Intoxicating Power of Technocracy
by Eric Holt-Giménez
*Very useful intel
But I think it’s imperative to be precise in our language and meaning.
So when Holt-Giménez states that “Monsanto, Bill Gates and a phalanx of corporate scientists — believe it is the only way to end global hunger”
He’s intimating that these bastards are somehow simply “misguided”, although the rest of his piece makes it abundantly clear that that’s nonsense.
So be consistent.
Ending global hunger is not their motivation.
It’s their machination.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/05-6
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Greenpeace
Major Breakthrough in Protection for Indonesia’s Remaining Rainforests
*Taming a paper tiger?
Time will tell
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/02/05-2
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US PIRG
New Study: Offshore Tax Dodging Blows $40 Billion Hole in State Budgets
Congress Poised to Debate Closing Corporate Tax Loopholes, Bring States Budget Relief
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/02/05-1
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The Campaign for Peace and Democracy (CPD)
25 Groups Call on Obama
Not to Block Food, Medicine to Iran
http://www.cpdweb.org/letters/Iran-sanctions_2-4-13.shtml
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FAIR Blog
60 Minutes Plays Softball With Obama and Clinton
*Note the year of that Bush interview.
Do you think those questions would have been asked when his approval rating was a good deal higher?
Moving from Dear Leader to Dear Misleader
It’s not that difficult to garner “high marks … from the voters for your handling of foreign policy”
When Kroft and cronies
And let’s not forget Hollywood
Aid and abet your basic narrative.
And had that been John McCain entering his second term under similar circumstances
Do you think the softballs would’ve been tossed with any less élan?
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/02/05/60-minutes-plays-softball-with-obama-and-clinton/
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Where Are They Now? The Reporters Who Got Iraq So Wrong
*There’s an unsubtle difference between “getting it wrong”
And “going along”.
We either have to conclude that these “journalists” were at some level complicit in their unquestioning coverage of blatant gummint propaganda
Or they had quite a few faulty synapses in dire need of repair.
The fact that mea culpas aren’t flowing now like the bilgewater gushing from Powell’s lips then makes a compelling case for the former, to my mind
As does the fact that not a damn thing has changed in the intervening decade.
It’s a shame you can’t bet the house on their continued corruptability.
It could keep a lot of folks from losing theirs.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/02/05/where-are-they-now-the-reporters-who-got-iraq-so-wrong/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Kill List Exposed: Leaked Obama Memo Shows Assassination of U.S. Citizens “Has No Geographic Limit”
*What’s not mentioned here is just why any threat exists, to whatever degree it realistically does, and I think we need to be continually reminded of the reasons.
This isn’t about the US minding its own business, when terrorists who “hate our freedoms” suddenly decided to attack it.
This terrorism, as opposed to the US’ own, is a result of that death and destruction suffered throughout the Muslim world in the quest for profits and power.
That doesn’t excuse it, but it’s imperative to understand its genesis if we’re serious about ending it.
Only our steadfast commitment to justice for all will end the horror visited upon victims here and around the world.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/5/kill_list_exposed_leaked_obama_memo
Scouts for Equality: Eagle Scout with Lesbian Parents Pushes Boy Scouts to Drop Ban on Gay Members
*That little exchange over the Scout oath made me wince.
“Obedient”? “Reverent”?
“You got ‘em all”?
And I think it illustrates why I compare this to women in combat roles or gays, females, and minorities in exploitative positions in the political and corporate worlds.
Yeah, it’s a victory for equality of a sort
But look at what the nature of the position is.
The Boy Scouts have been a discriminatory organization for decades. I don’t know their history of racial exclusion, but it’s a safe bet that blacks and other non whites were barred from joining for some extended period of the group’s existence.
Now, if being a Scout meant exposure to positive experiences or worthwhile benefits that weren’t available elsewhere, a case could be made, I suppose.
But anything of that nature can occur outside of scouting, minus the reactionary milieu.
So let the bastards have their Americanismo, but don’t allow them access to one dime of public monies or one inch of public space.
Let them inculcate their reverence for faith, flag and no faggots on private property.
And continue to condemn them for it.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/5/scouts_for_equality_eagle_scout_with
Court: Gov’t Can Secretly Obtain Email, Twitter Info from Ex-WikiLeaks Volunteer Jacob Appelbaum
*A sinister rendition of “Getting to Know You”
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/5/court_govt_can_secretly_obtain_email
Daniel Ellsberg: NDAA Indefinite Detention Provision is Part of “Systematic Assault on Constitution”
*It’s heartening to hear someone talk about “impeachment hearings and convictions” for these crimes
But even Ellsberg signed on to a letter to Obama regarding the Kiriakou case that urged him to not let his war on whistleblowers become a lasting part of his “legacy”.
I want his legacy to be one of being the first president to be convicted and serve just time for what every other president before him has been guilty of.
I can dream, can’t I?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/5/daniel_ellsberg_ndaa_indefinite_detention_provision
2/4
FAIR Blog
When ‘Confirmed’ Means ‘An Official Told Me So’
*Tomorrow being the tenth anniversary of Powell’s perfidious performance at the UN
This bit of corpress co-conspiracy illustrates a simple but profound truism
Some things never change
Unless we commit to making them
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/02/04/when-confirmed-means-an-official-told-me-so/
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Colin Powell’s Infamous U.N. Speech, 10 Years Later: Deceiving Public, Ignoring Whistleblowers Led to War
*This infamous incident reveals a stark truth that isn’t stated nearly enough
Gummint propaganda can’t be effective without corpress complicity.
A media that questions false premises and exposes faked intel dispels the fog before war, and allows democracy to be the arbiter of such a grave decision.
An fully informed public is our best defense against aggression abroad and exploitation at home.
We have to develop the skills and the tools to break through that blockade
Or we will be condemned to interminable déjà vu all over again.
Hundreds Rally in NY: ‘Not One Fracking Well’
Groups to Gov. Cuomo: ‘Protect us and the generations to come from such a true health and human rights disaster’
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/04-4
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Ron Paul Stirs Up Right Wing With Tweet About ‘American Sniper’
‘No Remorse’ Sniper Veteran Shot Dead
by Common Dreams staff
*”They live by putting fear into other people’s hearts and civilized people just don’t act that way”
Transference?
And why is a record for sniper kills kept?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/04-3
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NY Governor Proposes Post-Sandy Conservation Over Reconstruction
Cuomo: ‘There are some parcels that Mother Nature owns’
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*I have grave doubts about this double bonus deal.
I think, if all else fails, homeowners can be legitimately ordered to vacate their properties, provided they receive just compensation for them and adequate assistance in relocating.
But this facet of the plan creates the circumstances for tremendous animosity among neighbors, as holdouts are pressured to accept the deal, and should be jettisoned.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/04-0
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Report: Japanese Whaling ‘Dead in the Water’ Without Millions in Subsidies
Animal watchdog reveals ‘warehouses of whale meat’ as demand plumets
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/04-2
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The Paranoia of the Superrich and Superpowerful
Washington’s Dilemma on a “Lost” Planet
by Noam Chomsky
*An empire
Must always deny the empirical
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/04
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Corpocrisy: The Systematic Betrayal of American Workers
by Paul Buchheit
*Call it a seven step
On our necks
Program
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/04-7
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Egyptians Reject State Authority
by Sharif Abdel Kouddous
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/04-8
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Breaking the Chains of Debt Peonage
by Chris Hedges
*For all the unassailable facets of his speech, Hedges, and Nader by extension, are unwilling to look beyond reforming the ultimately unreformable.
Anytime you qualify the term “capitalism” – “predatory capitalism”, “unregulated capitalism” – you are avoiding directly confronting the very nature of the beast.
I realize I’ve said this ad nauseum, but I think it’s a central tenet of our struggle that can’t be overstated
You can make capitalism better
But you can’t make it good.
A market will always degenerate into a racket.
Does reform have to precede transformation?
Or does reform preclude transformation?
Should we be organizing for a raise in the minimum wage
Or for a living wage
Or for an end to wages, and the servitude inherent in their existence?
These questions are rarely addressed in what passes for critical discourse in this country
And until they are, I fear we’re simply spinning our wheels
As we slowly backspin toward oblivion.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/04-2
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Lawyers Guild Opposes Adding Tasers as SFPD Weapon
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/02/04-0
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Greenpeace
Leaked Arctic Council Oil Spill Response Agreement ‘Vague and Inadequate’
*Stuffing accountability in the deep freeze
And it has bupkes to do with preserving it
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/02/04-1
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
On Rosa Parks’ 100th Birthday, Recalling Her Rebellious Life Before and After the Montgomery Bus
*Although it’s alluded to briefly, I’d have liked to have seen a much deeper discussion of how Parks’ actions have been made to fit the sanitized version of the country’s history of racism, and how that history is used to obscure the ongoing oppression of black folks.
I also would have wanted to see an examination of how black “leaders” like Conyers, for whatever contributions they may have made in the past, have now become part of the problem, as they have found their niche in the power structure as a “loyal opposition”.
But this is DN!, whose idea of a “radical black voice” is Cornel West.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/4/on_rosa_parks_100th_birthday_recalling
2/1
Australia Lodges Complaint After Japan Whalers Confront Sea Shepherd Activists
Whaling fleet headed for ‘the killing fields off Antarctica’
by Beth Brogan, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/01-2
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With Keystone XL in Limelight, Enbridge Plans ‘Aggressive’ Pipeline Push
First Nations call to end all tar sands development
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Pipe dreams
And poison nightmares
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/01-3
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An Economic Alternative to Exploitative Free Market Capitalism
by Thomas Hedges
*Common greed
Or commons sense?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/01-3
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All In: North Dakota Anti-Choicers Seek Heartbeat Bans, Human Life Amendments, TRAP Laws, and More
by Robin Marty
*Hateful hypocrisy
In a heartbeat
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/01-12
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Disaster Capitalism in the Maghreb: War, Refugees and Profit in West Africa
by Ramzy Baroud
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/01-11
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Planned Parenthood Says New Regulations Ensure Women Can Get Birth Control at No Cost
*Those “technical aspects” raise a red flag for me.
When dealing with Dems
The devil is so very often in the details, isn’t it?
See “reform, immigration”.
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/02/01-7
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Food & Water Watch
Hopes For GE Food Labeling Bill Dashed By NM Senate
Questionable twist leads popular legislation to be “lost” but New Mexicans remain committed to pursuing mandatory labeling
*Damned
Or Dammed
(Your choice)
By Dems
Another lesson in how the “lesser” of two evils
Should still be labeled as loaded with the stuff
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/02/01-6
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Greece in Crisis: An Interview with Despina Lalaki
by Doug Enaa Greene and Despina Lalaki
*It seems counterintuitive.
The more power a movement gains
The more susceptible it is to cooptation.
While not a hard and fast rule, it has played out countless times, the history of US labor struggles being but one salient example.
As Lalaki points out, SYRIZA faces a moment of truth in this regard.
The outcome will have profound repercussions not only for the possibility of transformative change in Greece
But perhaps in many other countries, as well.
http://bostonoccupier.com/greece-in-crisis-an-interview-with-despina-lalaki/
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FAIR Blog
Zakaria on Arab Spring: With Democracy, Less Is More
*Zakaria’s comments, especially the last, fit neatly into the niche of Newspeak.
(Ignorance begets insight?)
But I have what I think is a more precise eight letter label for them.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/02/01/zakaria-on-arab-spring-with-democracy-less-is-more/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Mumia Abu-Jamal: “The United States Is Fast Becoming One of the Biggest Open-Air Prisons on Earth”
*Abu-Jamal is sort of DN!’s pet radical, don’t you think?
I don’t say that to demean him. I think he has much of importance to say.
But why don’t others who share similar views so absent from the program’s guest list?
And you also have to wonder whether he would have been given the same level of visibility had he been free all these years.
And as an aside, I’d be interested to hear his honest opinion of González’ assessment of Ed Koch’s reign.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/1/mumia_abu_jamal_the_united_states
“Long Distance Revolutionary”: Mumia Abu-Jamal’s Journey from Black Panthers to Prison Journalist
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/1/long_distance_revolutionary_mumia_abu_jamals
As Suicides, Brain Injuries Mount, Safety of Football Questioned, from NFL to Youth Leagues
*You can’t make football safe.
I played in junior high and high school, and to my knowledge, was incredibly lucky enough to not have had my health impacted by it.
So many others can’t say that.
Is the spectacle worth that reality?
What compels us to relish seeing someone “tattooed”, or doing it ourselves? Of course, I’m speaking almost entirely about males.
Ignorance plays a role. As I slowly became more aware of the consequences, my views changed diametrically. I don’t believe I ever cared for cheap shots, or seeing someone injured, but a “good, clean hit” was something I did have an affinity for, and sought to deliver on the field.
Now I know better.
But so few do, and sadly, many could care less.
You have to draw analogies to “sports” far more inhuman, such as ancient gladiatorial combat. I think the same dynamics of dehumanization are at play here.
I’m no expert.
But again, the game can’t be made safe from the horrible consequences so many of its participants suffer.
If adults, of their own free will, wish to play it, after it is made as safe as it can be, perhaps that’s one thing.
But for everyone else, I think our humanity compels us to consign it to the trash heap of our sad history of “the sporting life”.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/1/as_suicides_brain_injuries_mount_safety
January 2013
1/31
As Predicted, Austerity Policies Send US Economy Downward
As if the lessons of recent European policies weren’t enough or a century of proven economics, the US trudges towards stagnation and financial pain… by choice
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Comparing gummint debt with household debt is a fallacious analogy
But it is true that an effective method for reducing your grocery bill
Is starvation.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/31
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UN Report: Israel Must Immediately Dismantle Settlements or Face ICC
‘Magnitude of violations relating to Israel’s policies of dispossessions, evictions, demolitions and displacements from land shows the widespread nature of these breaches of human rights’
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/31-4
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Seattle Joins Campuses in Nationwide Effort to Divest from Fossil Fuel
Public employees look to remove oil and gas holdings from pension fund
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/31-6
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Why Are Women Angry? Because ‘They Still Have to Protest This Shit’
Answering the clichèd question, ‘Why are Feminists so angry?’
by Jessica Valenti
*I initially wasn’t going to bother with this piece, as Planned Parenthood’s cheerleading for such a manipulative bastard on women’s rights as Obama, and its celebration of women in his administration – including a Secretary of State who has conspired to inflict immense misery on women around the world – blatantly betray the principles it claims to honor.
But I’m glad I didn’t, because Valenti’s remarks made crystal clear the necessity for standing up for those rights paid lip service to by those that organization lauds
Even is she might not perceive the contradictions herself.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/31-5
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Care about Your Food? Then Care about Your Farmworkers Too
It’s organic. It’s local. But did the workers who picked it have health insurance?
by Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern
*Trimming the trees
While the forest festers
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/31-4
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The Hagel Hearings: Murder in Vietnam
The last best chance for the truth about a lost war and America’s war-making future
by Nick Turse
*I have a visceral problem with calling callousness to and complicity in covering up murder “a blind spot”.
I work with some Vietnam vets who are members of Veterans for Peace, and I doubt they’d consider Hagel anything other than he is
When push comes to shove, just another enabler for the blood lust of the empire.
You can seek to qualify it six ways from Sunday, but the bottom lines
Are those streaks of blood on the bodies of the dehumanized “other”.
Ask the residents of those hamlets about Hagel’s “grave misgivings” over unleashing hell on the innocent.
“Bitter” would not begin to describe the laughter that would elicit.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/31-1
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When Truth Tried to Stop War
by Ray McGovern
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/31-11
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Shut It Down
Shut-It-Downers Rally to Celebrate The People’s Payment, Then Block Gate at VYHQ
*Damning Yankee
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/01/31
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FAIR Blog
PBS and the Poor Pentagon
*So, once more, with feeling …
Public broadcasting as a concept should be defended.
Public broadcasting as a reality should be suspended.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/01/31/pbs-and-the-poor-pentagon/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Immigration Activists Win Reunion for Phoenix-Area Family After Deportation Almost Tears Them Apart
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/31/immigration_activists_win_reunion_for_phoenix
Obama Offers Hope on Immigration Reform, But Emphasis on Enforcement Portends More Criminalization
*It’s very disheartening to not hear a full throated condemnation of Dear Misleader’s game playing with the lives of immigrants, as well as no mention of the conniving political calculus regarding Hispanic voters.
Until they are willing to call him on his shit, they will never realize the dream of the reality they say they want to awaken to.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/31/obama_offers_hope_on_immigration_reform
Redemption: Oscar-Nominated Doc Follows the Working Poor Who Survive on Collecting Bottles and Cans
*The man said, “I’m not against the rich; I’m against injustice, greed and injustice.”
An oxymoron if ever there was, wouldn’t you say?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/31/redemption_oscar_nominated_doc_follows_the
1/30
Report: Climate Change Has Already Brought Catastrophe to US Wildlife
‘Only by rejecting dirty energy and embracing clean energy solutions — will we begin to alter the path we are on to catastrophic climate change.’
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*An critical call to action
But until we come to grips with the fact that all the ills of the profit system are interrelated
And thus must be confronted en toto
We’re pissing into the poisoned wind.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/30-4
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Coral Reef Will Serve as Industrial ‘Operating Table’ for US Naval Ship
Operation expected to take at least a month
by Common Dreams staff
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/30-1
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Dutch Court Delivers Blow to Nigerians with Shell Acquittals
Setting terrible precedent, decision largely allows oil giant to walk away from ‘most polluted place on earth’
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/30-0
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Americans Working More, Earning Disappointing Returns
“These diverging fortunes between those at the top and the broad middle class signal that the economy is not working to the benefit of all Americans”
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/30-10
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Don’t Put a Fork in It: On the Perils of Genetically Engineered Salmon
Despite consumer opposition, the FDA is one step away from approving the ‘frankenfish’
by Wenonah Hauter
*A dangerous dip in the gene pool
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/30-8
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Forced Contraception of Jewish Ethopian Women Is Tip of Global Iceberg
A report claims Israel pressured women to reduce its poor black population. Reproductive rights need defending across the world
by Lisa Hallgarten
*It’s an old saw
But no less true for being so.
If men could bear children
Contraception and abortion on demand would be in the Bill of Rights.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/30-3
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Verbal Tics and Political Routines
by Norman Solomon
*Language is a virus
That infects our relation to reality
(Here’s another candidate for the irony board:
“Democrats”)
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/30-0
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As Hurricane Victims Freeze, Billionaire Mayor Gives Away $1 Billion to Wealthy Med School
by Ted Rall
*Pocket change
To keep us in pocket
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/30-1
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Why Palestine Should Take Israel to Court in The Hague
by George Bisharat
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/30-10
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Immigration Reform Must Begin With Moratorium on Deportations and Recognition of Shattered Families
by Jeff Biggers
*One hand whitewashes the other
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/30
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Center for Biological Diversity
EPA Limits Most Toxic Rat Poisons in Homes But Still Leaves Wildlife at Risk
*There’s more than one kind of rat problem in this tale, isn’t there?
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/01/30-4
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Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER)
Vapor Intrusion Standards Relaxed in New Jersey
Public review of new guidance to industry consultants on toxic cleanups
*Remember all that positive press Christie got for his performance during Sandy, for “caring about people’s lives”?
I guess he didn’t want to be typecast.
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/01/30-2
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Hagel Nomination and Abolition of Nuclear Weapons
*Despite Slater’s caveats, she still seems to be engaging in wishful thinking by positing that Hagel’s posturing will somehow lead to a serious discussion of the abolition of nukes, when nothing beyond lip service has been proffered by anyone with any say in the matter.
Which is why we have to force our say into the matter.
She is correct in claiming that nuclear weapons won’t deter terrorism.
That can only be accomplished by constraining the exploitative and deadly actions of our government and the corporations that control it, which elicit the rage from which such retribution arises.
http://www.accuracy.org/release/hagel-nomination-and-elimination-of-nuclear-weapons/
DEMOCRACY NOW!
Is Egypt on the Brink of Collapse? Sharif Abdel Kouddous Reports from Restive City of Port Said
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/30/is_egypt_on_the_brink_of
Ex-CIA Agent, Whistleblower John Kiriakou Sentenced to Prison While Torturers He Exposed Walk Free
*There are some notable contradictions between the portrait of Kiriakou presented here, and the one on display in this item:
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/01/08/is-john-kiriakou-a-whistleblower/
And absent being able to ask him directly how those contradictions can be reconciled, I’ll leave it to you to determine for yourselves how his acts should be seen.
That said, there’s no argument over the injustice of his treatment by the gummint.
I can’t help but wonder, however, if his now outspoken denunciation of torture was motivated more by his need to enlist supporters in his defense, than by any moral compunction.
I’d like to believe my wariness is unwarranted.
I’d like to believe that.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/30/ex_cia_agent_whistleblower_john_kiriakou
Whistleblower John Kiriakou: For Embracing Torture, John Brennan a “Terrible Choice to Lead the CIA”
*It’s difficult to listen to the assumption here that somehow “everything changed after 9/11″.
What changed was that what had before been committed illegally, or through a legal fiction, was now legalized and declared policy.
That makes no difference to the victims, does it?
And you’ll have to explain to me how the US can “reclaim our position as a moral leader in the world”
When you can’t reclaim that which you never had, other than through relentless propaganda.
Lastly
“[B]ad guys” … ?
You’d assume someone who’s just been unjustly convicted might have gained some insight into the corruption of the “justice” system through the experience.
Apparently, your assumption would be invalid.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/30/whistleblower_john_kiriakou_for_embracing_torture
1/29
David vs. Goliath: Keystone XL Multinational Bullies Pipeline Protestors into Settlement
Tar sands activists vow to keep fighting despite repressive tactics
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/29-1
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Groups: Beware Call for a ‘Greener Revolution’ From ‘Purveyor of Poison’
“Their interests lie first and foremost in patenting life for profit.”
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Create the problem
Then offer a “solution” to the problem
That perpetuates the problem
So that another “solution” can be offered.
A circular logic
For a circle of death.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/29-6
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Israel Admits Forced Birth Control For Ethiopian Immigrants
‘We were afraid … We didn’t have a choice … So we accepted the injection’
by Beth Brogan, staff writer
Common Dreams
*What would you expect from the government of a nation that stood foursquare with apartheid South Africa?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/29-0
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Biotech Giants Battle to Stop Generic Competition
Economist Dean Baker: ‘This is a great example of how the rich rig rules to get all the money’
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*First, do no harm
To our profit margins
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/29-2
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The Setting Sun and the American Empire
by Tom Engelhardt
*Weren’t similar epitaphs written forty years ago?
Large scale invasion and occupation is a tactic … a strategy … whatever.
It has likely outlived its usefulness to the ruling class.
But to speak of defeat on a grand scale?
That’s a different sort of “Vietnam syndrome”
And one that ignores the very real battle that remains to rid the earth of the scourge of imperialism.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/29
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Why the Ideas of Karl Marx are More Relevant Than Ever
Marxism enjoys new currency in economic crisis. But as Marx said, the point is not just to interpret the world, but to change it
by Bhaskar Sunkara
*I’m far from an expert, but from what I do know of Marxism, I think it has relevance to our struggles, not as dogma, but as a resource for rational analysis
Especially that core dictum
From each according to her talents
To each according to this needs
But this talk of “leisure” and “abundance” seems to fly in the face of the reality we’re facing, politically and environmentally.
Capitalism is indeed decaying, but its beneficiaries are determined that it will go out with a bang
Many bangs, booms and blasts
And much blood
As they hang on to their power.
Our ecological challenge is no less daunting, and will require societal transformation on an immense scale, from our atomized, commodified existence to one of communal life, of shared resources.
If we can end the era of exploitation, and mold a world oriented toward the horizontal, rather than the vertical, I think what we’ll experience is a time not of leisure and abundance
But of meaningful existence and shared essentials.
Though not as minimalist as the world envisioned in Talking Heads’ “(Nothing But) Flowers”
We will have to “get used to this lifestyle”.
And we may find it to be one that suits the best aspects of our humanity just fine.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/29-5
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Indigenous Nationhood: Beyond Idle No More
by Gerald Taiaiake Alfred
*From pro forma
To pro terra
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/29-0
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Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
New Permit Would Allow Navy to Harm Millions of Marine Animals
More than 31 million instances of harm are anticipated
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/01/29-8
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FAIR Blog
Raddatz Misreports Raddatz on Syrian Weapons
*Something tells me Panetta won’t be demanding a correction
Since the perfidious point of his statements was to infer precisely what Raddatz then claimed to be gospel.
So praise the Lord
And pass the propaganda on the ammunition.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/01/29/raddatz-misreports-raddatz-on-syrian-weapons/
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Immigration Policy Beyond the Hype
http://www.accuracy.org/release/immigration-policy-beyond-the-hype/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
The Gatekeepers: In New Film, Ex-Shin Bet Chiefs Denounce Occupation, Compare Israel to Nazi Germany
*Moreh can’t or won’t admit that this brutality is in service of domination, and not some misguided effort at “security”.
In that, he’s similar to many US liberals, who view the GWOT as an legitimate attempt to protect the nation from terrorism, gone horribly wrong, rather than simply the latest expression of its rulers’ desire for unlimited power, and to control every source of global wealth that it possibly can.
Both accept the “creation myths” of their lands, and view these horrors through them. Their consciences won’t allow them to justify what is done in their name, but at the same time they can’t acknowledge the core corruption at the heart of both their countries.
These Shin Bet heads have no interest in justice. They’ve made a determination that “peace”, which is a wholly other concept, serves the interests of Israel’s power structure better than the status quo.
The same was true for the white leadership in apartheid South Africa. And just as they had willing partners in the ANC in denying justice to blacks, so too does Israel’s leadership in the PA, and perhaps Hamas (apologies for my ignorance on that score), in betraying the struggle for Palestinian freedom.
These are the “pragmatists”, as opposed to those within the elite who believe that there is no necessity for compromise.
They should never be seen as anything other than that – a faction of the ruling class whose means may differ from others
But whose ends are essentially the same.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/29/the_gatekeepers_in_new_film_ex
Seattle’s Teacher Uprising: High School Faculty Faces Censure for Boycotting Standardized MAP Tests
*Passing a test of commitment
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/29/seattles_teacher_uprising_high_school_faculty
1/28
Report: US Shops for New Drone Base in Africa
‘US now considers North Africa to be a theater in the never-ending, non-declared war on terror’
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/28-6
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You Ain’t Gonna Frack Near Maggie’s Farm: Action Blockades Shell Site
In fight against fracking, activists say: ‘Our voices and our numbers are growing’
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Fracturing fracking’s fairy tale
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/28-4
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In Canada, Progressives Stand Against Harper in ‘Common Cause’
Nationwide day of action brings social justice campaigners from all quarters together under one banner
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/28-0
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Groups Slam Senate Immigration Plan for Privacy Violations
‘Enforcement first, green cards second’ roadmap leads to discrimination and ‘undermines privacy of all Americans’
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*A primary part of the new “liberal” agenda for Dear Misleader.
Any bets on how Hispanic “leadership” will react?
Is that snake oil I smell?
(I actually can’t smell
But I don’t really need to, do I?)
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/28-5
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Only Three Choices for Afghan Endgame: Compromise, Conflict, or Collapse
Counting down to 2014
by Ann Jones
*Jones enumerates the many and varied horrors visited upon the people of this sad land
She even makes passing mention of the geostrategic motivation for them
(Although she passes on the pipeline potential)
Which few other articles bother to list
But to castigate Bush for failing to “[finish] the war he started there when he had the chance” … ?
Doesn’t that fly in the face of the moral logic you would assume she was seeking to engage in through her portrayal of the perniciousness of US actions?
That doesn’t add up
While the body count does.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/28-3
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Neoliberalism No More: Making Common Cause to Defeat the Harper Agenda
by Archana Rampure
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/28-10
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FDR’s Four Freedoms: Diminished and Defiled
by Paul Buchheit
*If “they” hate us for our freedoms
Then they should be deliriously delighted with their state of decomposition, don’t you think?
(And if you go by Inhofe’s insight
God is one certifiably sadistic SOB, isn’t he?)
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/28-1
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To End Extreme Poverty, Let’s Try Ending Extreme Wealth
The world’s wealthy gathered in the Alps again last week to discuss how to ‘solve’ the world’s problems. The world’s biggest problem, suggests one top global anti-poverty outfit, may be their fortunes.
by Sam Pizzigati
*The poor will always be with us
Until the rich are not
And Oxfam’s prescriptions consign untold numbers
And each number is a human being, just like you and me
To immiseration and death.
Whatever their intent
That will be the result.
That is always the result of reformation, rather than transformation.
Whatever arguments one may posit for “pragmatism”
That is the irrefutable outcome.
So what do we do if we claim to care about every single person on this planet?
Isn’t that the question we must constantly confront?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/28-9
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Pentagon’s New Massive Expansion of ‘Cyber-Security’ Unit is About Everything Except Defense
Cyber-threats are the new pretext to justify expansion of power and profit for the public-private National Security State
by Glenn Greenwald
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/28-5
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The Poison We Never Talk About in School
Coal.
by Bill Bigelow
*Corporate propaganda disguised as “objective” cirricula
A pollution of young minds
As dangerous as anything dumped into our air and water
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/28-2
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Earthjustice et al.
Groups Sue Interior Department for Failure to Protect Streams
Broad coalition back in court challenging unlawful rule issued by the Bush Administration
*I have to wonder why this litigation was put on hold in the first place. Once the Obama admin acted, then legal proceedings could end.
How much harm has been done by “playing nice” with Dear Misleader?
Is that too harsh a critique?
You might ask those who suffered due to this delay.
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/01/28-5
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Food & Water Watch et al.
Groups File Notice Letter to Sue NRG Energy for Massive Pollution
Documents Show NRG has at Least 2353 Permit Violations for Nutrient Pollution
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/01/28-0
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FAIR Action Alert
PBS Drone Coverage Brought to You by Drone Makers
Lockheed’s Nova sponsorship violates underwriting rules
*You could call it putting their money
Where their mouthpiece is
http://fair.org/take-action/action-alerts/pbs-drone-coverage-brought-to-you-by-drone-makers/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
“Running from Crazy”: Mariel Hemingway Tackles Family History of Suicide, Mental Illness in New Doc
*Although this is dealing with a family that, materially, is far better off than the vast majority of folks, the issue of mental illness is something that cuts across class lines, don’t you think?
The damage done by its stigmatization, both to those who suffer from it, and those who are affected by the actions of its victims, is incalculable.
For those without the wealth of the Hemingways, the pressures on them can magnify the impact, stating the obvious.
This has to be out in the open, devoid of shame, foremostly for reasons of simple humanity, but also to begin to address the immense harm it does to society in general.
And in the spirit of, and hope for, that honesty, I have to – not admit, because that smacks of that self same shame – but declare that I struggle with depression and thoughts of ending my life.
I’ve never gone beyond the musings, and the only way we can prevent others from crossing that point of no return is to let them know that we give a damn about them
And then to do whatever we can to show them that we do.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/28/running_from_crazy_mariel_hemingway_tackles
1/25
New Report Shows Extent of ‘Kochtopus’ Empire of Climate Denial
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/25-5
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Fierce Police Backlash Signals ‘Long Night’ Ahead in Tahrir Square
Scores injured and fatalities reported: ‘The police are behaving the same as they did during the Mubarak years’
by Common Dreams staff
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/25-0
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More Threats From Fracking: Radioactive Waste
Pennsylvania’s DEP begins study on radioactivity from oil, gas development; follows other studies showing high levels of radium, boron
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/25-6
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Reclaiming Our Imaginations from ‘There Is No Alternative’
by Andrea Brower
*If I am honest, I have to say I believe that the changes necessary to provide a life of dignity for every single person on this planet will never occur.
To which I have to reply
So … ?
What is the purpose of life, but to do what we can toward that end?
Is anything else anything other than a waste of our short time here?
Hope, writ large, isn’t necessary for me to do that, however inadequately.
I do hope to find others I can respect and trust, and toil with in the furtherance of that struggle
For there I will find true meaning to my existence.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/25-2
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Why Serving In Combat Does Not Serve Women (Or Anyone Else) Well
by Lucinda Marshall
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/25
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From the Algerian Terror to Al Qaeda Meets Mali: West’s Hidden Agenda and One Big Mess
by Victor Kotsev
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/25-10
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Americans United for Separation of Church and State
‘School Choice Week’ Promotes Vouchers, Undermines Public Schools, Says Americans United
Religious/Private Schools Have The ‘Choice,’ But Want Taxpayers To Foot The Bill, Says AU’s Lynn
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/01/25-2
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FAIR Blog
Why Do Poor People Living in an Abandoned Skyscraper So Outrage the New Yorker?
*This loathing of Chavez isn’t difficult to dissect.
For all his contradictions, his adminstration has done something that all the good liberals at the New Yorker just can’t countenance.
He has backed up his rhetoric with real world results, not the empty gestures and quarter measures that compel them to raise their voices in rapturous praise of the likes of Dear Misleader.
You don’t have to place the man on a pedestal to acknowledge the gains made by those at the bottom of Venezuelan society.
And that’s an example that can’t be allowed to be seen as inspiration for those elsewhere to emulate
Or, heaven forfend, expand upon.
What would the oh so politically correct have to wring their hands over then?
‘Divided’ on Abortion Rights?
*Something tells me this issue wouldn’t be considered “divisive” if those numbers were reversed.
What could that something be?
Empiricism, perhaps?
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/01/25/divided-on-abortion-rights/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Sharif Abdel Kouddous: On Egyptian Revolution’s 2nd Anniversary, Protesters’ Demands Mostly the Same
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/25/sharif_abdel_kouddous_on_egyptian_revolutions
“The Square”: Jehane Noujaim’s New Film Captures Egypt’s Ongoing Revolution After Mubarak’s Fall
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/25/the_square_jehane_noujaims_new_film
Fruitvale: Ryan Coogler’s Debut Film on Bay Area Police Slaying of Oscar Grant the Buzz of Sundance
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/25/fruitvale_ryan_cooglers_debut_film_on
Who Is Dayani Cristal?: Gael García Bernal Traces Path of Migrant Worker Who Died in Arizona Desert
*Silver’s comments about “left wing rhetoric” and “predictable responses”, as opposed to “the humanity side of the debate”, don’t make a bit of sense to me.
What is the condemnation of the policies that lead to such tragedies if not grounded in our sense of humanity, in trying to persuade people to ask themselves the very same questions Silver says he hopes audiences will ponder?
He may have been trying to say, in an extremely clumsy way, that he wanted the story of Cristal’s fate to speak for itself, without explicitly confronting the evils of US immigration policy, and by extension those of corporate greed, which force so many to undertake these dangerous and often deadly journeys, which he felt might allow many to simply dismiss the film as agitprop.
If so, I can name innumerable examples of filmmaking in which both the “human” and the “political” aspects meshed to make a powerful statement.
Indeed, to my mind, they are, or should be, inseparable
If your goal is to change the circumstances you’re attempting to illuminate.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/25/who_is_dayani_cristal_gael_garcia
1/24
Senators Urge Pipeline Approval Amid Groundswell Against Tar Sands
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/24-5
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‘Shameful’: UNESCO Warns Australia Over Destruction of Great Barrier Reef
‘Scathing’ report says status will be pulled unless damaging shipping, coal and gas projects are halted
by Beth Brogan, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/24-2
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Common Pesticides ‘Can Kill Frogs Within an Hour’
New research suggests the chemicals are playing a significant and previously unknown role in the global decline of amphibians
by Damian Carrington
The Guardian/UK
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/24-7
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The Longest War is the One Against Women
A rape a minute, a thousand corpses a year: hate crimes in America (and elsewhere)
by Rebecca Solnit
*It’s a man’s world
Which is one reason why we are rapidly reaching its expiration date.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/24-10
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The Last of the Big Money Elections?
The movement to overturn Citizens United might just make 2012’s record election spending into the end of an era.
by Peter Schurmann
*This is the essence of liberalism, isn’t it?
Stamping out a brushfire, as the forest goes up in flames around it.
Overturning this abomination of a ruling will only return us to the intolerable status quo ante.
Not a word about effective public financing is uttered here, or about serious and rigorously enforced penalties for subverting the electoral process.
A holistic approach is necessary to achieve the goal, not of taking back our democracy
But of finally gaining title to it.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/24-7
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Human Rights Watch (HRW)
US: DC Police Mishandle Sexual Assault Cases
Independent Oversight Needed to Ensure Proper Investigation
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/01/24-0
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Institute for Public Accuracy
As Military Lifts Ban on Women in Combat, 52 Women a Day Sexually Assaulted
*Bolger puts this in perspective.
Given the role of the military as the death dealing enforcer of
exploitation around the world, this has to be viewed as an essentially
hollow victory for equal rights.
We have only to look to the current Commander in Chief to see how form
trumps substance when a member of an oppressed group assumes a
pernicious role previously reserved for the dominant race or gender,
don’t we?
FAIR Blog
Obama: ‘Starkly Liberal’ or Centrist?
*Considering what he’s poised to do to shred that safety net
And what he hasn’t done to protect, let alone expand it
Defending it would indeed be a “radical” act on Dear Misleader’s part, wouldn’t it?
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/01/24/obama-starkly-liberal-or-centrist/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
After Tiller: 40 Years After Roe v. Wade, Abortion Providers Continue Work of Slain Kansas Doctor
*A story like this both restores my faith in humanity
And confirms my deepest fears of its dark side.
That these acts of terror are carried out in the name of someone who preached unreserved love …
Is “pro life” the most ironic term in the English language?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/24/after_tiller_40_years_after_roe
“Gideon’s Army”: Young Public Defenders Brave Staggering Caseloads, Low Pay to Represent the Poor
*And liberty and justice for all
(Your results may vary. See film for details.)
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/24/gideons_army_young_public_defenders_brave
1/23
Google Report Shows ‘Disturbing Growth in Government Surveillance’
Most recent Transparency Report from web giant reveals 136% increase in user data requests from US since 2009
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*The Fourth Amendment
o Delete
o Save
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/23-8
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Eleven EU Nations Take on ‘Financial Elite’ with Robin Hood Tax
Groups call for tax to ‘live up to its moniker’ by funding climate and development projects
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*What do you think?
After the fine print dries, that the amount won’t approach the projections?
That the vast majority of what is collected won’t go to where it’s most needed?
That this “concession” will be used to fend off truly fundamental change?
Cause for “celebration” (see accompanying photo)?
I wouldn’t break out the party hats and noise makers just yet.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/23-7
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Melting Glaciers in Andes Could Spell Continental Water Crisis in South America
Climate change is driving ‘unprecedented’ shrinking of crucial resource
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/23
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Climate Crisis Pushes Sierra Club to End Civil Disobedience Ban
After 120 years of using ‘lawful means,’ group’s executive director says ‘time is running out’ to stop climate disaster
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*I wonder how much of that $20+ million Sierra received from the natural gas industry will be used for this campaign?
Can you say “B … F … D” … ?
I knew that you could.
Is that fiddle music I hear?
It’s hard to tell over the roar of the flames.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/23-2
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Report: Chemicals Most Countries Ban Still Permitted in US Foods
Recent investigations highlight industry preference in FDA, expose frequent use of cheap and dangerous additives
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Truth in labeling
List “greed” as an ingredient
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/23-3
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Mali: The Fastest Blowback Yet in This Disastrous War on Terror
French intervention in Mali will fuel terrorism, but the west’s buildup in Africa is also driven by the struggle for resources
by Seumas Milne
*Riding to the rescue
Of resource raiders
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/23-1
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Global Warming is a Domestic Crisis
by Juan Cole
*Cole soft pedals Dear Misleader’s complicity in building our road to nowhere, but his facts are indisputable.
It’s the context that’s off.
There’s an assumption that climate change will occur over the next few decades on more or less the same canvas that exists today – the basic shape of things to come isn’t seen to look much different than it does now. Thus the reformist prescriptions he lists.
But things will change. Dramatically.
The only question is who will decide how they do.
For the nation, and the planet, to survive, we will have to rethink everything from energy production to social organization to the very meaning of existence.
Needless to say, there are powerful and ruthless forces who will not yield their positions in the current structure willingly, and will seek to make change to their benefit, and our detriment.
Nothing less than a transformation of our species’ relationship with this world, and each other, is needed.
Will we recognize that reality
And then strive to realize it?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/23-0
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Ethical Enbridge? The Real Story of Line 9 and the Tar Sands Giga-Project
by Dave Vasey, Sakura Saunders and Sonia Grant
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/23-9
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Center for Biological Diversity
Old-growth Forest in Humboldt County Spared From Clearcutting
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/01/23-0
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Institute for Public Accuracy
The Case Against Kerry
*Given the case against him
There are no “serious questions” about just whom Kerry serves
Or about the intentions of the administration he pines to be a part of
Is there?
http://www.accuracy.org/release/the-case-against-kerry/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
“We Steal Secrets”: Alex Gibney’s New Documentary Explores the Story of WikiLeaks
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/23/we_steal_secrets_alex_gibneys_new
WikiLeaks Legal Adviser: “We Steal Secrets” Overlooks Key Facets of Julian Assange’s Persecution
*I hope Robinson has a later opportunity to fully address Gibney’s claims.
What I can say is that the US would love to get their hands on him, and could care less about how they do it.
Bradley Manning can attest to that, don’t you think?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/23/wikileaks_legal_advisor_we_steal_secrets
“Fire in the Blood”: Millions Die in Africa After Big Pharma Blocks Imports of Generic AIDS Drugs
*Life saving drugs
Death dealing drug companies
And Bill Clinton should know something about “people [dying] like flies”.
I hope this film makes clear why that is, but off that clip, I’m not sanguine about the prospect.
But you can ask the people of Haiti about his “activism”, can’t you?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/23/fire_in_the_blood_millions_die
1/22
Adventures in Walkerland
The first link is to a video of my friend and public access co-host Lars Prip experiencing first hand what happens when you stand your ground in “the people’s house”.
The second concerns the perverse phenomenon of “breathing while black”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQ7OH3Xl8Gs
Groups: Keystone XL Decision Will Show If Obama’s Climate Promises Are Real or Just Rhetoric
President’s inaugural delivers fine words on meeting the challenge of global warming, but action needed and fast
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*We’ll see?
I’m taking bets
And giving 20 to 1
Make it 2000 to 1
That those well-honed words are as empty as the Koch brothers’ souls.
Any takers?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/22
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Record Support as Roe v. Wade Turns 40
GOP assault on women’s rights galvanizes movement
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/22-4
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Goldman Sach’s Food Speculation Turns Global Hunger Into Wall Street Profit
Financial giant makes $400 million as high-risk commodity trading pushes already fragile food system to breaking point
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/22-5
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‘Roe’ at 40: The Economic Divide That Denies Low-Income Women Their Right to an Abortion
by Bryce Covert
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/22-11
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Powder Keg in the Pacific
Will China-Japan-U.S. Tensions in the Pacific Ignite a Conflict and Sink the Global Economy?
by Michael T. Klare
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/22-3
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Earthjustice
Groups In Court Today Seeking Fracking Chemical Information
Asking court to force Wyoming to reveal information about toxins pumped into ground
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/01/22-7
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Obama: Radical or Rhetoric? * Rule of Law * Climate Change
*Radical or rhetoric?
That’s the very definition of a rhetorical question, isn’t it?
And it’s a pretty goddamn sorry state of affairs when so-called “environmentalists” get all wet at the sound of the words “climate change” passing this bastard’s lips
When only the most naive actually believe they will be translated into anything more than token actions meant to keep them fingering themselves
Rather than pointing the finger at the duplicity that is driving us off an all too real climate cliff.
http://www.accuracy.org/release/obama-radical-or-rhetoric-rule-of-law-climate-change/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Inaugurating 2nd Term, Obama Hints at a More Progressive Domestic Agenda Than in His First 4 Years
*Pomp
And much more than circumstantial evidence
Of hypocrisy in search of hagiography
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/22/inaugurating_2nd_term_obama_hints_at
Dirty Wars: Jeremy Scahill and Rick Rowley’s New Film Exposes Hidden Truths of Covert U.S. Warfare
*Contrast the scene in DC yesterday
The carefully crafted symbolism, the adoration of the multitude, the high minded oratory
With the repulsive reality of the horrors revealed here
And then talk to me about the dream
Instead of the nightmare
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/22/dirty_wars_jeremy_scahill_and_rick
1/21
Martin Luther King Was a Radical, Not a Saint
by Peter Dreier
*King vacillated between radical pronouncements and reformist actions. We tend to see what we want to see in him, without honestly scrutinizing his contradictions.
I think that does a disservice to the cause he died for, and thus to his memory.
I don’t think he’d want to be seen as a infallible icon, and in saying that, perhaps I’m projecting my own skewed perception of the man.
But what I take from his life, and death, is that we all struggle with how to live by our principles, we all will be called on to do what our conscience demands and our courage allows
And we must never be satisfied with the limits of either.
We should never hesitate to critique even those we respect, just as we must be honest about our own shortcomings.
That must be coupled with acknowledging their, and our, contributions.
While I may look askance at King’s seemingly naive view of “democratic socialism”, which to me is essentially “capitalism with a human face”, and at the limitations of his ability to imagine what is necessary for each of us to live a life of dignity that that view appears to reveal, among other positions I can take issue with
The fact remains that the very real break he made with Cold War liberalism was an act of great moral and political courage, and one he knew might well cost him his life.
That is the essence of the inspiration I take from this day.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/21-2
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At Obama’s Second Inauguration, How Emancipated Are We Really?
As Obama’s re-inauguration approaches, Americans celebrate other key anniversaries. But the promised land remains elusive.
by Laura Flanders
*As always, the history we are most ignorant of
Is that which most closely mirrors the present we suffer in
And that is precisely why we are kept from knowing it
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/21-3
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The Extremist Cult of Capitalism
by Paul Buchheit
*Capitalism knows the price of everything
And everyone
And the value of nothing
And no one
Yes, it can be made better
But it can never be made good
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/21
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Our Violent Economy is Hurting Women
There is a connection between the growth of unjust economic policies and the intensification of crimes against women.
by Vandana Shiva
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/21-6
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MLK Injustice Index 2013: Racism, Materialism and Militarism in the US
by Bill Quigley
*I have to say that I’m not celebrating Dear Misleader’s re-election, precisely because of his role in the perpetuation of these abhorrent numbers.
Nor am I celebrating the “success” of blacks who have used their position and power to subvert the cause of justice that King was murdered for daring to step outside the constrictions of acceptable American politics to further.
The question for us is
Do these statistics depress us
Or impress upon us the necessity to struggle in that cause
And see our adversaries for who they are
Regardless of the color of their skin?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/21-0
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Rape is all too normal
by Robert Jensen
*There is nothing politically incorrect about a hard on.
But sex between two (or more) consenting adults has no relation to what Jensen’s speaking to here, does it?
It’s an act we do with, not to, another.
That so many men can’t, or refuse, to make that distinction leads to the objectification of and subsequent harm inflicted upon women, and is directly connected to the broader dehumanization of “the other”, that allows for the horrors we daily witness in the world.
I think the righteousness of his analysis is indisputable, but I would like to know how he, and the feminist folks he works with, view the issue of “deviant” sexual practices such as sadomasochism and dominance and submission, assuming these are consensual.
But what does “consensual” mean? And it’s possible for someone to consent to something that is damaging to her, so how does that factor into the equation?
And what if all the participants are female?
I’ll pose these questions to him, and let you know the upshot.
——————
Here’s his response:
Doug: Thanks for the note. Your questions require considerable detail that I don’t have the time/energy for at the moment. I wrote a section on consent in my book on this subject.
Things I’ve written about these matters are online at
http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~rjensen/articles_gender.html
——————
http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~rjensen/freelance/rapeistoonormal.htm
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
The Big Money Inauguration: Obama Kicks Off Second Term with Help of Unlimited Corporate Donations
*So just what constitutes “two steps forward”?
And why only “one step back”?
In any event, it’s clear that promises are mere pretty words for this bellicose belle of the ball, aren’t they?
He’s dancing with who bought him.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/21/the_big_money_inauguration_obama_kicks
Dr. Martin Luther King in 1967: “We as a Nation Must Undergo a Radical Revolution of Values”
*Not to be found in the pages of history books
Nor in the text of inaugural speeches
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/21/dr_martin_luther_king_in_1967
1/18
Palestinians Forge New Village in Protest of Israeli Expansion
Days after ‘Gate of the Sun’ eviction, activists build ‘Gate of Dignity’ for ‘a life without checkpoints, walls and settlements’
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/18-8
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Pennsylvania Governor: ‘I’m All About Privatization’
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Republican sell offs
Enabled by Democratic sell outs
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/18-6
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Study: Planet’s Lungs Under Assault From Climate Change
Findings show widespread, long-lasting effects from droughts in Amazon rainforest
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*The pulmonary perniciousness of the profit motive
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/18-4
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Exposing US War Crimes or Not, Judge Denies Manning’s Whistleblower Defense
Prosecution highlights ‘government’s unprecedented targeting of whistleblowers’
by Beth Brogan, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/18-5
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Don’t Ignore the Drought: It’s Bad, and It’s Not Going Away
by Brooke Jarvis
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/18-12
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Torture Is Trivial
Compared to its other crimes, that is
by Robert Jensen
*Jensen says this propaganda piece tells the story of American innocence of the crimes of imperialism
And he’s right.
But he seems to accept another tale associated with that lie
That 9/11 was the genesis, rather than the excuse, for the attack on Afghanistan.
In that, he’s sadly hardly alone.
That nation was invaded for the same reason the US nurtured the forces decades ago it now claims to combat.
It is an integral part of Pipelineistan, as Pepe Escobar has labeled it, and is a vital piece of the geostrategic puzzle the US is trying to solve to its advantage.
However 9/11 came about, it was used to justify a war of empire that had nothing to do with “revenge”, or certainly “justice”.
That that isn’t made plain at every opportunity is a failure of moral and intellectual rigor that only serves to make the repetition of these horrors more likely.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/18-9
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The Trillion Dollar Coin: A Debt Solution for the People
Far from being a gimmick, having the U.S. Treasury mint high-denomination coins is a solution that cuts to the root of America’s financial problems. And Benjamin Franklin would have liked it, too.
by Ellen Brown
I don’t think we don’t need to create money
We need to abolish it.
Money may not be the root of all evil
But evil – one way or another – is the route to all money.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/18-1
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Americans for Safe Access
After Being Denied a Medical Marijuana Defense, Another Montana Cultivator was Convicted in Federal Court Yesterday
Former Univ. of Montana quarterback Jason Washington is the latest casualty in Obama Administration’s war on medical marijuana
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/01/18-0
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FAIR Blog
Are Israeli Arabs ‘Apathetic’–or Second-Class Citizens?
*There is a better term for it.
Not “apathy”
“Apartheid lite”
Although the consequences for Arab Israelis are anything but diaphanous.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/01/18/are-israeli-arabs-apathetic-or-second-class-citizens/
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Obama: I Have a Drone vs MLK: I have a Dream
*Only a nation intentionally besotted with ignorance could be blind to the profound contradictions here.
Will U2 perform “Pride (in the Name of Love)” again?
And I always look askance at the meme of “creating new enemies (or terrorists)”.
It implies that the actions that cause this visceral enmity are somehow an aberration, that they are inimicable to “American values”.
But the death and destruction the US wreaks upon the world is a continuation of what it has done for centuries. It is the nature of imperialism.
And when you subject others to these horrors, they will hate you for it.
It shouldn’t be posited as a problem to overcome, but the natural result of the evil extant.
Perhaps in this instance, this wasn’t the intended meaning
But to my mind, it has been in many others.
http://www.accuracy.org/release/obama-i-have-a-drone-vs-mlk-i-have-a-dream/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
“Unintended Consequences of Military Intervention”: Roots of Mali, Algeria Crisis Tied to Libya War
*I think it’s vital to examine the words we use.
“[U]nintended consequences”
“[N]ot brought the results intended”
Just what is the US and the West’s intent?
To control the situation for their economic and geostrategic benefit.
The language above seems to sidestep that reality to focus on the byproducts of neocolonialism, rather than pinpointing it as the core issue.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/18/unintended_consequences_of_military_intervention_roots
“The Tony Soprano of the Cycling World”: Dave Zirin on Lance Armstrong’s Doping Confession
*Cheaters never prosper
And other fairy tales of American fair play
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/18/the_tony_soprano_of_the_cycling
Notre Dame Football Faulted for Covering Up Manti Te’o Hoax While Refusing to Probe Rape Scandal
*Zirin makes some righteous points, but I have to take issue with his closing comment that “our society, right now in 2013, is profoundly different than it was just five years ago.”
Hypocrisy and dishonesty in the service of self-interest have always been essential elements of the American social physiology.
As his erstwhile editor might have said
“When someone lies to advance their interests, that’s not a story.
When they tell the truth in spite of them, that’s a story.”
(Of course, it is a story – an very important one – when those lies are promulgated
But I think you suss my meaning.)
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/18/notre_dame_football_faulted_for_covering
Criminalizing Pregnancy: As Roe v. Wade Turns 40, Study Finds Forced Interventions on Pregnant Women
*Expiration date for professed concern for these potential new lives:
Nine months
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/18/criminalizing_pregnancy_as_roe_v_wade
1/17
FAIR Blog
Copyright for People, Not for Publishers
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/01/17/copyright-for-people-not-for-publishers/
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Corporate CEO ‘Extremists’ Target Social Security, Medicare
‘For the wealthy, pampered, and narcissistic CEOs of the Business Roundtable, sacrifice is always for someone else.’
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
*So what will happen?
These monsters won’t get every single thing they want.
Dear Misleader will declare victory.
And, as always, people will die.
Welcome to the democratic process, American style.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/17-3
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BP’s Big Plan: Burn It. Burn It All.
Showing no concern for climate, CEO of oil giant says notions of Peak Oil are ‘increasingly groundless’
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Apparently there’s no such thing as “Peak Greed”
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/17
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‘Iceberg Cowboys’: Exxon’s Outrageous Plan for Drilling the North Atlantic
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*The junkie will always look for a new vein
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/17-2
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Study: BPA Alternative Also Toxic
New research shows BPA replacement BPS disrupts hormones, is a “cause for concern.”
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/17-5
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Study Shows Impact of Keystone XL Pipeline More Disastrous Than Previously Thought
Unaccounted for byproduct of tar sands: dirtier, cheaper version of black gold
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/17-4
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What Would a Down-to-Earth Economy Look Like?
How did we end up with Wall Street when models for a healthy economy are all around us?
by David Korten
*Certainly some worthy aspirations here
(From each according to her talents
To each according to his needs
Why does that sound familiar … ?)
But that remark about “real markets” is jarring to me.
How does a cooperative economy and society jibe with the competition inherent in the concept of a market, at least as I define the term?
Does a market necessitate a form of currency? How is that currency obtained? Why would one be needed, if the purpose of the economy is to provide what we need, not enable us to purchase it?
I also think there’s a need for centralized and globalized aspects to an economy, to the extent they are truly accountable to us.
Isn’t the heart a centralized facet of our biology, with its workings global in nature?
Localism has many values, but like all ideologies, it must be constantly re-evaluated to ensure those values.
Dogma is not our best friend.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/17-11
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Climate-Friendly Food Demands Animal-Friendly Farming
Why we need labels on all factory-farmed food
by Ronnie Cummins
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/17-5
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Open Letter to Mark Duke, CEO of Walmart: Take the Lead on Raising Minimum Wage
by Ralph Nader
*So is Nader being facetious here
Or is he sincere in aiding the PR efforts of Duke and the other criminals who run this bloodsucking behemoth?
He seems to be advising these bastards on how to head off “a serious unionization drive” by raising wages a relative pittance.
Ten and a half bucks an hour translates into a little under $22,000 a year.
That’s a good deal only in comparison to the slave wages Walmart pays now.
Instead of calling for this exploitive excrement to be charged and convicted under any number of statutes, from the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, to a plethora of labor violations, to negligent homicide for the deaths in Bangladesh and elsewhere, he makes the case for how little it would cost them to carry out this public relations coup.
So again
Is the man serious?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/17-9
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Migrant Workers Can’t Win In Xenophobic Greece
by Michelle Chen
*The Golden Dawn Rule
Do unto “the other”
What is being done to you
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/17-4
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US PIRG
“Elections Confidential” Report Reveals Role of Dark-Money Nonprofits and Shell Corporations in 2012
Nearly one-fifth of all business gifts to Super PACs were contributed by shell corporations
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/01/17-3
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Aaron Swartz: Scientific Legacy “Locked up by a Handful of For-Profit Corporations”
*Of copyright
And corporate wrongs
DEMOCRACY NOW!
Exclusive: Aaron Swartz’s Partner, Expert Witness Say Prosecutors Unfairly Targeted Dead Activist
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/17/exclusive_aaron_swartzs_partner_expert_witness
1/16
Champions of ‘Idle No More’ Stage Blockades Across Canada
Demonstrators and spin-off protests undeterred by mild divisions within fast-growing movement
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Of course the corpress is playing up the divisions, and whatever else it can do to weaken the movement.
That’s their job, isn’t it?
But that doesn’t mean they don’t exist, and the Harper government will try to exploit them by playing on fears of “violence” and attempting to coopt those who are seen, and see themselves, as “leaders”, regardless of pronouncements to the contrary.
For this struggle to be successful, it must refuse to be channeled into the stagnant straits of hollow “reform”, and fight this battle on its own terms.
It takes no courage to say that
But it takes a great deal to do it.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/16-7
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Fears of Mali Blowback Realized? Algerian Militants Attack Gas Field, Seize Western Hostages
Experts had warned that intervention in Mali would not be clear and simple
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*In any discussion of “blowback”, I think it’s vital to recall just what leads to it.
With a long history of imperial bloodletting and exploitation, it is inevitable, isn’t it?
“They” don’t hate us for our freedoms
They hate us for denying them theirs.
That’s not the whole story
But it’s the core of the narrative.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/16-3
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Caving to Corporate Pressure, EPA Dropped Fracking Contamination Probe
‘The deep pocketed oil and gas industry will stop at nothing to protect its own interests’
by Beth Brogan, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/16-6
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Imposing Real Consequences for Prosecutorial Abuse in Case of Aaron Swartz
Accountability for prosecutors Carmen Ortiz and Stephen Heymann is vital for both justice and reform
by Glenn Greenwald
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/16-5
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Pop Quiz on Standardized Testing
by Lisa Guisbond
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/16-1
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In the Wake of Aaron Swartz’s Death, Let’s Fix Draconian Computer Crime Law
by Marcia Hofmann
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/16-3
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Obama’s Race To The Top Drives Nationwide Wave of School Closings, Teacher Firings
by Bruce Dixon
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/16-4
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Food & Water Watch
Cashing Out Our Clean Air and Water with Pollution Trading
New Food & Water Watch Issue Brief Documents Pay-to-Pollute Programs That Undermine Proven Regulations
*A market for mendacity
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/01/16
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Environmental Working Group (EWG)
More Corn Ethanol Means More Harm to Consumers, the Environment
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/01/16-1
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FAIR Blog
The Cure for French Malaise: Cut Worker Pay
Mark Twain said
“Never let the facts get in the way of a good story.”
Or pimping a very bad deal for working folks.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/01/16/the-cure-for-french-malaise-cut-worker-pay/
Journalism by–and for–the Sponsors
*If you’re a corp
It’s always “News you can use”
Isn’t it?
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/01/16/journalism-by-and-for-the-sponsors/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Debate on Armed Police in Schools: Needed for Kid Safety or Part of the Student-to-Prison Pipeline?
*Burke’s alternate reality of friendly officers who make wise decisions exists only in police propaganda, but while Hewitt makes the unassailable assertion that kids of color know the facts on the ground, because they’ve been made to lie on it while hovered over by a cop, his defense of an administration that facilitates that response from law enforcement is just what you’d expect from the NAACP, isn’t it?
And as long as that’s the case, we’d best look elsewhere for folks dedicated to true, rather than comestic, change.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/16/debate_on_armed_police_in_schools
Behind the NRA’s Money: Gun Lobby Deepens Financial Ties to $12 Billion Firearms Industry
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/16/behind_the_nras_money_gun_lobby
1/15
Threats of ‘Revolution’ in Pakistan as Popular Outrage Grows
Supreme Court orders Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf arrested as several factions call for new government
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/15
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Inequality Rages as Dwindling Wages Lock Millions in Poverty
New study shows just how hard ‘working poor’ got hit in wake of 2008 crisis
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*There are lies
Damn lies
And unemployment statistics
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/15-2
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Outrage as “Public” Locked Out of “Public Hearings” on Tar Sands Pipeline
Environmentalist and indigenous groups rally against Northern Gateway and unfair proceedings in British Columbia
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/15-3
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Beyond Torture: ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ and the Promotion of Extrajudicial Killing
Rebranding the War on Terror for the age of Obama
by Deepa Kumar
*As the bread is taken from our mouths
The circuses will fill our eyes and minds
And we will cheer not only others’
But our own oppression
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/15-4
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Monsanto vs. The People
by Charlotte Silver
*Sowing the seeds of sanity
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/15-10
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Canada’s Energy Juggernaut Hits a Native Roadblock
by Linda McQuaig
*Let’s hope INM has more influence on North American gummints than native folks have had on those in Bolivia and Ecuador.
For all the pretty words
When push comes to shove
Indigenous rights are the ones that often get pushed out of the picture.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/15-11
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Worldwatch Institute
Achieving a Sustainable Food System with Organic Farming
New Worldwatch Institute report examines the growth of global organic agricultural practices and their impact on food security and the environment
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/01/15
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FAIR Blog
Ignoring Climate Change When It Stares You in the Face
*Talk about upside-down reality
Which the corpress has developed into a dark art form, from climate catastrophe to poverty to wars of empire.
And there’s nothing complicated about predicting its stream of consciencelessness, is there?
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/01/15/ignoring-climate-change-when-it-stares-you-in-the-face/
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Warning: Your Flu Shot Contains a Dangerous Neurotoxin
by Joseph Mercola
*Health care workers are being fired for refusing to be vaccinated.
That should tell you something about the danger
And the power of those who profit off it.
DEMOCRACY NOW!
Admin Aids French Bombing of Mali After U.S.-Trained Forces Join Rebels in Uranium-Rich Region
*It’s a complex and calamitous situation.
But there’s nothing complicated about France’s motivation, or the US’ support of their intervention, is there?
France may no longer have an empire, but they still reserve the right to behave as one.
And the US is happy to facilitate that, in the furtherance of their ongoing imperial designs.
All stating the literally bloody obvious, I realize.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/15/admin_aids_french_bombing_of_mali
“Kill Anything That Moves”: New Book Exposes Hidden Crimes of the War Kerry, Hagel Fought in Vietnam
*I’ll never understand how someone like Turse can clearly see the horrors of US imperialism, yet say “there are reasons to be hopeful” regarding Hagel and Kerry, when their hands are caked with blood for enabling the same atrocities in other countries over the course of their political careers.
Can you explain that contradiction to me?
As for the hell for the Vietnamese he describes, there’s nothing remotely shocking about it, is there?
Soul sickening
But not shocking
If you know a goddamn thing about what the rulers of this country are capable of.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/15/kill_anything_that_moves_new_book
1/14
Impact of Growth Undeniable in Face of Toxic Beijing Smog
Record-breaking smog prompts questions over industrialization, rare government response
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Not surprising that AP would facilitate the US Embassy’s tweaking of the Chinese gummint’s nose
But guess who subsidizes massive coal exports to the country?
Bingo.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/14-1
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FreedomWorks Putting Its War Chest to Work for ALEC’s Anti-Union Agenda in the States
by Brendan Fischer
*And yet just how many Democratic pols have you heard even mention these groups, much less confront them?
It’s kabuki
Without the makeup
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/14-0
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Flu Outbreak + No Paid Sick Days, No Healthcare = Disaster
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*The greatest danger isn’t from a virulent virus
But from a vile venality
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/14-4
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Indigenous Ecuadorian Village Battles Oil Giant—and Army
‘We may die fighting to defend the rainforest’
by Beth Brogan, staff writer
Common Dreams
*These intense contradictions are not peculiar to Correa, but can be found in the actions of other “socialist” heads of state in Latin America as well.
It again illustrates the danger of putting anyone on a pedestal.
They are inherently unstable objects, prone to topple over on those gathered in adoration around them.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/14
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The Five-Step Process to Cheat the Middle Class Worker
by Paul Buchheit
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/14-2
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Welcome to Blockadia!
The corporate push to construct tar-sands pipelines is transforming the environmental movement across North America by increasing the involvement of local residents and normalizing the use of direct action.
by Melanie Jae Martin and Jesse Fruhwirth
*One question I have is how to persuade these local folks who are solely focused on tar sands to see that it’s all of a piece.
Is that in fact being attempted, and if so, what have been the results?
Martin and Fruhwirth tout the benefits to the environmental movement of their involvement
But how do you get them involved in the wider struggle?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/14-4
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The Pentagon as a Global NRA
For Washington, There Is No Arms Control Abroad
by Tom Engelhardt
*There’s a false dichotomy here.
Dear Misleader didn’t give a rodent’s rear about “gun control” until this latest horror, even after a Democratic congressperson was a victim of a previous one.
And he doesn’t care about it now. He’s trying to massage the issue, and already poor mouthing his ability to push even the wholly inadequate proposals Biden has outlined.
He’s no “hamstrung weakling” domestically.
He’s a kabuki actor in the contrived combat between the two major parties.
Yes, there are differences, and they can be meaningful. You couldn’t maintain the facade of “democracy” if that weren’t the case.
But given that time and again the Democrats have betrayed their avowed principles in the name of “political pragmatism”, when they have solid public support for most of those, should tell us that this isn’t about being hamstrung.
It’s about being a puppet on a string, pulled by the plutocracy.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/14
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The Bombing of Mali Highlights All the Lessons of Western Intervention
The west African nation becomes the eighth country in the last four years alone where Muslims are killed by the west
by Glenn Greenwald
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/14-6
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How to Mobilise $2.8tr to Finance the Global Sharing Economy
There are many policies that governments could implement to raise the finances needed to reverse austerity measures, tackle climate change and prevent needless poverty-related deaths. But we cannot rely on governments to change the current world direction – the only hope is a huge groundswell of popular support in favour of global sharing.
by Rajesh Makwana and Adam Parsons
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/14-1
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Riverkeeper, Inc. et alia
Environmental Coalition Says Fracking Rules Leave New Yorkers Unprotected
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/01/14-5
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Doctors Without Borders
Syria: Airstrike on Market Kills and Injures Scores
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/01/14-4
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FAIR Blog
Jack Lew, One More Anti-Business Obama Appointee
*”It makes you wonder how these pundits would react if the Obama White House really did ever get tough on corporate America.”
I haven’t heard of any porcine aerial sightings, so I think we can safely assume this isn’t a likely scenario.
There are, of course, other reasons for such confidence, aren’t there?
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/01/14/jack-lew-one-more-anti-business-obama-appointee/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
“An Incredible Soul”: Lawrence Lessig Remembers Aaron Swartz After Leading Cyberactivist’s Suicide
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/14/an_incredible_soul_lawrence_lessig_remembers
Freedom to Connect: Aaron Swartz (1986-2013) on Victory to Save Open Internet, Fight Online Censors
*I can take issue with some of the details of Swartz’ story, but the essential moral is unassailable.
As long as we are passive actors
The play will be written by the powerful
And we can forget about a happy ending
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/14/freedom_to_connect_aaron_swartz_1986
1/11
America’s Real Criminal Element: Lead
New research finds Pb is the hidden villain behind violent crime, lower IQs, and even the ADHD epidemic. And fixing the problem is a lot cheaper than doing nothing.
by Kevin Drum
*It really shouldn’t be difficult to understand why this research has been ignored.
If violent crime were seriously reduced, a lot of vested interests would suffer, wouldn’t they?
Crime produces fear, and fear is extremely useful to those in power. It’s a vital element in the strategy of “divide and conquer”, and being able to portray “those people” as inherently disposed to violent crime keeps us from seeing our common interest, makes us focus horizontally on our perceived antagonists, rather than vertically, at those who control and exploit us.
As well, a smarter population might actually put those dots together.
And that can’t be allowed, can it?
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2013/01/lead-crime-link-gasoline
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Campaign for Peace and Democracy (CMD)
Greeks Call for Global Anti-Facist Action
https://www.facebook.com/events/292675974168972/
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‘Idle No More’ Actions Sweep Canada
Protest movement takes message to Canadian capital and beyond
by Common Dreams staff
*As “divide and conquer” is set into motion, it will be crucial to fairly, yet rigorously, scrutinize those who claim to speak for the struggle.
This is no time for naiveté.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/11-2
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Yes, Global Warming Makes the World Hot and Dry (But Also Cold and Wet)
‘Heat, Flood or Icy Cold, Extreme Weather Rages Worldwide’
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*The environment desk is deep sixed
But the entertainment desk is disaster proof
Unlike the planet
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/11-6
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‘Catastrophic Mass Extinction’ Likely if Temperatures Rise 6 Degrees in Next Century
Scientists: Humans, animals will have to adapt to survive
by Beth Brogan, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/11-5
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Farmers Rally at White House to Protest Monsanto’s GMO Empire
As court hears pivotal case for small farmers and organic seed growers, opponents to industrial agriculture speak out
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/11
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A Palestinian Tent Encampment to Thwart Israeli Settlement Expansion
‘without permits from the occupation, without permission from anyone, sit here today because this is our land and it is our right to inhabit it’
by Craig Brown, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/11-3
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‘Death of a Prisoner’ at Obama’s Guantánamo
by Laura Poitras
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/11
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Why Idle No More Has Resonated with Canadians
by Maude Barlow and Ken Georgetti
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/11-1
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Haiti, Three Years After Earthquake: Building Back Better Requires Local Participation
FAIR Blog
Hugo Chavez: Why Does He Hate Us?
You don’t have to believe Chavez is Jesus on a stick
To accept that our gummint was trying to give his the shaft.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/01/11/hugo-chavez-why-does-he-hate-us/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
“Failure of Epic Proportions”: Treasury Nominee Jack Lew’s Pro-Bank, Austerity, Deregulation Legacy
*Welcome to the “Hope” of greater profits for Wall Street
And the “Change” that ensures continuity of complicity in that perfidiousness.
And Reid’s actions are mere kabuki theatre, don’t you think? His record of sellouts would seem to indicate an empty posturing over a principled stand.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/11/failure_of_epic_proportions_treasury_nominee
Matt Taibbi & William Black on Bailout Secrets & How New Foreclosure Deal Spares Banks from Justice
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/11/matt_taibbi_william_black_on_bailout
1/10
Government-Endorsed Fluoride Is the Leading Cause of Death
by Joseph Mercola
*I was ignorant of the issues around fluoridation. I attributed the opposition to it to the reactionary paranoia exhibited by General Jack D. Ripper in “Dr. Strangelove”.
But there is a actual conspiracy, as in so many other instances where corporations want the truth concealed to protect their profits, and gummint wants to protect itself from being held accountable for the dire consequences of its actions.
In addition to this piece, search on “fluoride” or “fluoridation” at the Food & Water Watch and Organic Consumers Association sites to learn more.
This is not paranoid delusion
But ingesting this toxin might induce it.
A Voice for Peace in Afghanistan: ‘Stop This Criminal War’
Malalai Joya pushes back against a decade of war, occupation and propaganda
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/10-7
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Food System Fail: Up to Half of World’s Food Wasted
‘Staggering’ amount of food waste squanders ‘precious resources, including land, water and energy’
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/10-4
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Obama Puts US Drone Program Back into Deadly High Gear
Pending confirmation of John Brennan as new CIA chief has done nothing to quiet controversial program
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/10-3
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Poisoned Planet: Doubling of Ocean Mercury Levels Threatens Global Health
UN report exposes toxic legacy of coal, gold, and a world bent on extraction
by Beth Brogan, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/10-1
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Idle No More: Indigenous Uprising Sweeps North America
Idle No More has organized the largest mass mobilizations of indigenous people in recent history. What sparked it off and what’s coming next?
by Kristin Moe
*From the Trail of Tears
To the Path to Justice?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/10-1
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How ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ Reminds Americans How Much They Love Torture
Seven Easy, Onscreen Steps to Making US Torture and Detention Policies Once Again Palatable
by Karen Greenberg
*Yes, this is “the perfect piece of propaganda”.
So why is Greenberg talking about “carelessness and thoughtlessness”, and stating that Bigelow has “bought in” to the torture narrative?
Or that Dear Misleader concluded that prosecuting those responsible was “far more trouble than it might ever be worth”, rather than the reality that if you’re going to do the same thing, by proxy and very possibly directly, you don’t set a legal precedent that might put you in the dock one day?
Finally, the US has engaged in this behavior since Day One, unless you think that the genocide of native peoples and wars of conquest drenched in the blood of the innocent don’t constitute a depraved sense of “security”.
This didn’t start on 9/11/01
And it won’t end until we exorcise the dark soul of America’s perverted sense of “manifest destiny”.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/10-6
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With or Without Harper, Justice Will Remain Absent
by Daniel Wilson
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/10-8
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Seeking Security in Afghanistan
by Kathy Kelly and Martha Hennessy
*I know enough about VCNV to say that they’re trying to do right by the people of Afghanistan, and have helped many of them.
But quoting approvingly those who have no problem with the invasion and destruction of that country, only qualms about the aftermath
Or those who equate “terrorists” with victims compelled to fight back against their oppressors
Evinces some troubling contradictions in just how they view this imperial project.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/10-10
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The Progressive Caucus: Enabling Obama’s Rightward Moves
by Norman Solomon
*Solomon has every reason to castigate these charlatans, but he shouldn’t be surprised in the least by their actions, or inaction, should he?
He seems to believe that it’s this “pressure” from the party leadership and the White House that compels them to betray their constituents.
In truth, it’s the inherent nature of being a Democratic officeholder.
They know what the hierarchy wants, and the hierarchy knows that they will give it to them.
They fulfill a vital function in the sorry charade that passes for politics in these here United States.
They maintain the illusion that the Democratic Party has some principles, that its occasional populist rhetoric is more than just manipulation of the masses.
And judging by how long some of these bastards have been in office
I guess you’d have to say they do a pretty goddamn good job of it.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/09
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Haiti by the Numbers, Three Years Later
by Dan Beeton and Jake Johnston
*No statistical anomaly
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/10-2
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Debate: With Chávez Ailing, Venezuela’s Longstanding Divisions Threaten New Political Upheaval
*It was touched on here, but there needs to be a serious and honest discussion about just what is the responsibility of fossil fuel producing developing nations such as Venezuela regarding the reduction of carbon emissions, don’t you think?
The main onus is on developed nations, especially the US, or course, but the contribution to climate change of these other countries isn’t insignificant.
Yet to the extent they use their carbon income to improve the lives of their populations, a profound conundrum exists.
In the absence of little more than lip service from the US, Canada and others, what is the obligation of these developing countries to make meaningful cuts in their use and export of these poisons? How would they do that without it being at the expense of the quality of life for their people?
Clearly, those responsible for this catastrophe should pay whatever’s necessary to fund the transition to renewable, clean energy in these nations.
But until they are finally forced to – should that occur – what should these developing nations do to reduce their carbon footprint?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/10/debate_with_chvez_ailing_venezuelas_long
Bronx Residents Accosted by NYPD Win Landmark Court Ruling Deeming “Stop and Frisk” Tactic Illegal
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/10/bronx_residents_accosted_by_nypd_win
1/9
Hurtling Towards Climate Chaos: US Oil Production Set to Explode
Flying in face of dire climate figures, US continues to embrace fossil fuels
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*An addiction to annihilation
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/09-3
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Despite ‘Year of Extremes’ Corporate Media Continues to Ignore Climate Crisis
Record-breaking heat, wildfires, drought, Sandy: Not enough to get them talking
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Covering the crime
Covering up the culprit
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/09-1
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Closing Europe’s Borders Becomes Big Business
As austerity policies squeeze European economies, defense contractors profit from anti-immigrant furor
by Apostolis Fotiadis and Claudia Ciobanu
Inter Press Service
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/09-0
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Will Chuck Hagel’s Appointment Actually Help the Anti-War Left?
by Phyllis Bennis
*I’d argue the opposite – that, like Dear Misleader himself, Hagel embodies the effort to posit “reasonable” actors against the “extremists”, to mollify the easily mollified “anti-war” crowd – think MoveOn – while continuing with the imperial project, only in a more “realist” mode.
Whatever space is opened for true anti-militarist action will be accomplished in spite of, rather than because of, the confirmation of this nomination.
(I’m wearing out that quotes key, aren’t I? But what are you gonna do?)
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/09-9
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Even a Military Judge Recognizes What Many Progressives Deny: Bradley Manning Was Mistreated
The ruling is but the latest repudiation of claims from Obama supporters that Manning was treated fairly and justly
by Glenn Greenwald
*I think this reaction is a prime example of how politics in these here United States are for many “progressives” and “liberals” simply an avenue for the expression of superficial ideals, which are blithely contradicted whenever the facts conflict with their perverse vision of who embodies those ideals.
It’s related to the celebrity culture that promotes image over substance, or in this case uses image to obscure the rotten core of that substance.
And Manning’s treatment is about far more than “embarrass[ing] the Brass and the National Security State”, isn’t it?
Its primary purpose was to compel him to rat on Assange, and he has displayed incredible fortitude in resisting that aim, hasn’t he?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/09-1
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In the Wake of Newtown: Still Clinging to Guns, Religion, and Abortion in Kansas
by Kari Ann Rinker
*I think Rinker’s words are pretty righteous, especially making the connections among religious zealotry, gun worship and misogyny
But why the hell is an image of John Brown used to accompany them?
What does militant abolitionism have to do with these psychotics and the calculating pols and gun makers who enable them?
And what makes him “infamous”?
Anyone?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/09-6
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Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
Brady Center, Victims’ Families, Law Enforcement Urge Federal Appeals Court To Review and Reverse Ruling Invalidating Illinois Restrictions on Carrying Guns in Public
*Groups like Brady are always so goddamn careful when talking about “Second Amendment rights”.
But it doesn’t say a thing about “a limited, narrow right to possess handguns in the home for self-defense”, does it?
It speaks to a “well-regulated militia”, and nothing else. It was also written close to a quarter of a millenium ago.
Now, you might be able to make a case for that right.
But only under – and here is where we can take a bit of wisdom from that archaic codicil – only under the most “well-regulated” of circumstances.
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/01/09-0
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Record Temps: Concrete Solutions
http://www.accuracy.org/release/record-temps-concrete-solutions/
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FAIR Blog
George Washington on Guns…According to Sean Hannity
*My reaction is, so what if it had been authentic?
How do the views of a patrician slave owner who lived more than two hundred years ago have any bearing on a debate about the effects of a gun saturated society in the 21st century?
But it is a hoax, and so poorly constructed as to be laughable. Why would Washington, in an era in which the notion of gun control would be seen as something from an alternate universe, inveigh against it?
Unless, of course, in addition to his sterling moral fiber, he was imbued with the gift of prescience.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph …
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/01/09/george-washington-on-guns-according-to-sean-hannity/
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Bill O’Reilly’s Fact-Free War on Planned Parenthood
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/01/09/bill-oreillys-fact-free-war-on-planned-parenthood/
A Cabinet of Peaceniks?
*Although I’m certain both of these bastards would send troops in a heartbeat to expand empire, the reality is that future warfare will be less about boots on the ground, and more about death from the sky, along with JOSC ops and surrogate local forces “trained” by Americans.
So even though the US is ostensibly at war in only one country, it now and will in future wage it in numerous others without attaching that label to it.
This is nothing new, of course. Imperial aims have been pursued in this manner from time immemorial. It’s just that the deadly technology of warfare has evolved to the point where those goals can be met without large masses of (mostly) men and materiel.
That this can be portrayed as anything other than militarism is a tribute to the narrative control exercised by the corpress in service to those who profit from the death and destruction that are its essence.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/01/09/a-cabinet-of-peaceniks/
Ed ‘Reformers’ Fumble Logic With Foolish Football Analogy
*A true “quality public charter school” will provide a good education.
So will a quality plain ol’ public school.
If you give them the resources that will let them attain and maintain that quality, there’s no reason for a “viable eduction option”, is there?
Unless, of course, you’re trying to destroy public education, in order to institute a privatized system that will manufacture “bricks in the wall” to suit the needs of corporations.
In which case, the term “viable” is utterly out of place, wouldn’t you say?
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/01/09/ed-reformers-fumble-logic-with-foolish-football-analogy/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Australia on Fire: Record-Shattering Heat, Wildfires Engulf World’s Largest Exporter of Coal
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/9/australia_on_fire_record_shattering_heat
Part 2: Al Jazeera’s Sami al-Hajj on His 438-Day Hunger Strike in U.S. Detention at Gitmo Prison
*I’m inclined to believe that al-Hajj is sincere in his desire to end the horrors he endured.
But working for Al Jazeera won’t allow him to do what he needs to do to try to fulfill that purpose.
Neither will a naive view of US history, and Dear Misleader’s role in the continuation of its bloody rampage across the face of the planet.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/9/part_2_al_jazeeras_sami_al
As Brennan Tapped for CIA, Case of Somali Detainees Highlights Obama’s Embrace of Secret Renditions
*The extraordinary rending of the fabric of justice
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/9/as_brennan_tapped_for_cia_case
1/8
‘Smoking Gun’: Tar Sands Report Eviscerates Industry Claims
Research shows toxic contamination caused by mining ‘world’s dirtiest oil’ worse than previously thought
by Beth Brogan, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/08-1
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‘Kill Anything That Moves’: The American System of Suffering, 1965-2014
by Nick Turse
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/08-5
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Bradley Manning Support Network
Breaking: Military judge rules Bradley Manning illegally treated
112 days credit off any future prison sentence awarded—little to keep military from torturing next American soldier awaiting controversial trial
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/01/08-7
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Kristol Attacks Hagel for Saying Iraq War about Oil, with Amusing Results
*I’m not sure who Kristol includes in “the anti-war mainstream”, but while it is true that the oil connection was made by many with Iraq, regarding Afghanistan, very few prominent groups and persons opposed to the occupation have made the same link between it and energy acquisition, attributing it to the thirst for revenge, or even legitimate motives gone awry.
But there is a reason the region has been referred to as “Pipelineistan”, and it’s no small source of frustration that this imperative understanding isn’t made plain at every opportunity.
FAIR Extra!
Covering Sandy Relief in Superhero Mode
Residents’ criticisms and media portrayal at odds
By Josmar Trujillo
http://fair.org/extra-online-articles/covering-sandy-relief-in-superhero-mode/
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FAIR Blog
Is John Kiriakou a Whistleblower?
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/01/08/is-john-kiriakou-a-whistleblower/
Venezuelans Continue to Defy Washington Post
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/01/08/venezuelans-continue-to-defy-washington-post/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
4 Years After Vow to Close Gitmo, Why Has Obama Signed NDAA Bill Barring Transfer of Its Prisoners?
*Why?
Perhaps because Guantanamo was a cause celebre amongst his liberal base, and making such an empty promise, knowing that he could then claim to be thwarted by those nasty Republicans, would give them cover to ignore his inaction?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/8/4_years_after_vow_to_close
Exclusive: As Gitmo Turns 11, Al Jazeera’s Sami al-Hajj on 6-Year Ordeal of U.S. Detention, Torture
*I can’t help thinking about the planning for these horrors, how so-called human beings can bring themselves to speak about instituting these abominations, much less actually put them into practice.
And it is all done in the cause of “righteousness”.
As it always is.
But the Al Jazeera aspect is very confusing to me. Yes, it airs programming critical of US actions, but it’s beholden to the Qatari government, a US ally.
You’d have to think that it was known that there was no al Qaeda link.
So why this horrific ordeal for al-Hajj? What was gained by it?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/8/exclusive_as_gitmo_turns_11_al
VIDEO: Part 2 of Wal-Mart Bribery Scandal Interview with Pulitzer Prize-Winning Reporter David Barstow
*Another example of DN!’s SOP when it comes to exposes by corpress reporters.
Important intel, but colored by the journalist’s constricted and contorted framing, with little questioning of it, and no other guest to offer an alternative analysis.
Not my ideal of “independent media”.
1/7
Tar Sands Blockaders Take Over TransCanada Offices in Texas, Elsewhere
Actions in Texas, Massachusetts and Maine target pipeline company and its financial backers
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/07-1
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‘Idle No More’ Prepares for Global Day of Action
First Nations’ fight for indigenous rights to hit worldwide
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/07-3
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Charter School Moguls Scam State Out of Millions
‘Lack of oversight’ in charter schools encouraging education fraud
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*And this was all supposed to be about “accountability”, remember?
I have to say something about Ravitch’s remark regarding the free market.
What it is good at is producing profit. The main competition is over who can more effectively screw customers through false advertising.
How many items in your home or services you’ve purchased can you say you’re truly satisfied with?
Okay then.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/07-4
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From the Mouth of Babes: President Obama, End Mountaintop Removal Now
by Appalachian Voices
*Shouting it from what’s left of the mountaintops
http://www.commondreams.org/video/2013/01/07-1
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Idle No More: Native Peoples Challenge Canada’s Gutting of Environmental Laws
by Winona LaDuke
*Perhaps I’m romanticizing, but a vital aspect that could arise from this movement is a communal spirit based on native culture.
There is a deep disconnect in so many activist groups between their stated goals and how the participants interact with each other. The world they claim they’re working to create isn’t mirrored in the relationships between and among their members.
That sense of community is not only a moral imperative, but an essential element in effective action, both in steeling those already involved through the bonds of trust created, and attracting others to the struggle who see precious little of it in this atomized society.
We have to have each other’s backs
Or we’ll find ourselves flat on our own
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/07-2
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War and Cold Push Desperation Up in Afghanistan
In Kabul, widows and orphans move up a down ladder
by Kathy Kelly
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/07-9
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State of Fear
by Chris Hedges
*Cut Orwell some slack.
So he was off a few decades.
(I wonder if our little public access program [see blog intro] is next on YouTube’s hit list?)
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/07-0
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Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR)
Federal Court Hears Persecution Case Against Anti-Gay Leader Scott Lively
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/01/07-2
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FAIR Blog
Chuck Hagel, Dove?
*Well, both Hagel and Kucinich voted to give Bush the power to go kill folks in other countries, no matter how they, and others, might rationalize those acts.
And it’s not just corpress coverage that paints a falacious picture of this bastard. DEMOCRACY NOW!’s propensity for hosting mainstream journalists with severely constricted worldviews (I guess that was a superfluous statement, wasn’t it?) was once again on display in this segment:
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/7/chuck_hagel_faces_tough_confirmation_from
The bottom line is that it doesn’t matter who is Secretary of Defense. Whether they relish the carnage they inflict, or are mostly Machiavellian about it, doesn’t matter to those on the other end of drone strikes, night raids, cluster bombings, depleted uranium poisoning and sanctions that immiserate, cripple and kill them and their families.
Democrat or Republican, “realist” or warmongering reactionary, they all serve empire.
And they have the body counts to prove it.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/01/07/chuck-hagel-dove/
Brennan’s Support for Torture Is Not an ‘Accusation’
*Here’s another example of “objective” reportage:
” … Mr. Brennan had supported, or at least had failed to stop, the use of interrogation techniques like waterboarding that are widely considered to be torture.”
So I would guess that the absence of a heartbeat is only “widely considered” to be death?
Well, it’s better than “Some say … “, or “There is a controversy about whether … “, I suppose.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/01/07/brennans-support-for-torture-is-not-an-accusation/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Obama’s Cheney? “Assassination Czar” John Brennan Brings Legacy of Drone War and Torture to CIA Nod
*Wheeler’s remark implies that Dear Misleader has gradually morphed into the murderous bastard he is today
But he was engaged in these crimes from day one, wasn’t he?
No amount of cosmetic rhetoric can hide the deep gashes inflicted on the bodies of national and international law, and on any sense of humanity.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/7/obamas_cheney_assassination_czar_john_brennan
Hacker Group Anonymous Leaks Chilling Video in Case of Alleged Steubenville Rape, Cover-Up
*This is indeed soul sickening, but hardly surprising.
It will be interesting to see how the corpress deals with this. A bit of handwringing, perhaps, and at best superficial attention to the corrupt and debased “heartland” culture that led to this, before moving on.
Goddard is a very brave person, knowing as she must have the reaction her expose would elicit from the locals.
It’s what being a mensch is all about, isn’t it?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/7/hacker_group_anonymous_leaks_chilling_video
1/4
Outrage in Yemen Grows as Deadly US Drone Attacks Expand
Yemen and Saudi governments reportedly working with US, as civilian deaths continue to mount
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/04-4
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Tree-Sitters in Texas Arrested for Blocking ‘Death Machine of Industrial Extraction’
Keystone XL pipeline called ‘the most destructive project on the continent’
by Beth Brogan, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/04-1
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Record Low Water Levels in Lake Huron, Lake Michigan
December’s monthly average level smashes record low set in 1964
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/04-7
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Landmark Wisconsin Mining Moratorium Under Siege
‘Prove It First’ law subject of ‘well-funded mining industry attack on a grassroots and tribal movement’
by Beth Brogan, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Nothing’s as precious as a hole in the ground
http://www.lyricsfreak.com/m/midnight+oil/blue+sky+mine_20093290.html
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/04-6
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The ‘War on Terror’ – by Design – Can Never End
As the Pentagon’s former top lawyer urges that the war be viewed as finite, the US moves in the opposite direction
by Glenn Greenwald
*Forgive me for repeating myself
But in the empire game
You can’t boogie without a boogeyman.
But there’s something more here.
As things break down, the structures that have been erected to “protect us from terrorism” will be utilized to suppress internal dissent. The erosion of constitutional rights and constraints in the GWOT will facilitate the gummint’s imposition of a quasi police state.
The Bill of Rights, never sacrosanct in the eyes of the powerful, will be gutted in the name of “domestic peace and security”.
And the acolytes of Goebbels will have their opportunity to mimic their master, stirring the ignorant into a frenzy of fear and loathing toward those with the courage and desperation to resist.
It goes without saying that I fervently wish this foreboding future will not come to pass.
But it will take far more than wishing to make it so.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/04-6
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Obama Administration Needs to Explain Drone Strikes
by Hina Shamsi and Vince Warren
*Impunity
Immunity
And inhumanity
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/04-11
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Why Schools Used To Be Better
by Marion Brady
*Laying bricks
Or unleashing brains?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/04-1
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Political Football Over Disaster Relief: Another Argument for Public Banking
by Ellen Brown
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/04-12
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Late Stage Capitalism And The Shame Haunted Life: You Can’t Kill Trauma With A Gun
by Phil Rockstroh
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/04-4
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Bradley Manning Support Network
Government Seeks to Block Whistle-Blower Bradley Manning’s Motive from Trial
*A profound sense of duty
A profound sense of betrayal
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/01/04-2
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Americans for Safe Access
Obama Administration Throwing Medical Marijuana Patients Into Federal Prison at Unprecedented Rate
This month will see a number of patients sentenced, sent to prison despite compliance with state medical marijuana laws
*Pot is hazardous to your health
Or maybe you think rotting in a federal pen is therapeutic
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/01/04-1
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FAIR Blog
Will Americans Be Able to Watch Al Jazeera America?
Let’s don’t softpedal the Al Jazeera – Qatari gummint link. While the network has done some useful reporting, it has also avoided or skewed coverage of topics that those in power in that nation wouldn’t want to see honestly explored. In that sense, it’s much like, say, the Guardian in the UK.
There are limits, and those at those outlets know them, and abide by them.
But it’s patently obvious that this isn’t about “objectivity”, as the FOX example makes all too clear.
And if Al Jazeera can’t get on, what chance would a bonafide independent news operation have?
As for the agitprop cable subscribers are forced to subsidize …
I’m glad that price and paltriness of decent programming led me to switch my set off a couple of years ago.
I think we’d be far better off if more folks followed suit, don’t you?
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/01/04/will-americans-be-able-to-watch-al-jazeera-america/
Phony Occupy Link to Weapons Cache
*That’s just the thing.
The corpress doesn’t have to justify diddley. They control the game, or more precisely control it for those who interests they serve, and while we’re not talking about the Goebbelsianism practiced by the Murdoch cabal – though that’s only a matter of degree, and not kind – only the most naive see them as other than essentially propaganda outlets for those interests.
As testament to the depth of their duplicity, we have to ask just what impact have the exposes by FAIR and other media watchdogs had on their modus operandi? Occasionally they’re compelled to retract some baldfaced lie, but they blithely move on to the next one, don’t they?
From the “controversy” over climate change to the “fiscal cliff” to Iranian nukes to the promotion of a GWOT that is defined by the very thing it claims to combat, the corpress can be counted on to twist the narrative to suit the exploiter class.
That’s its raison d’etre – to propagate all the news that printed to fit.
The least we can do is make that plain at every opportunity, and cease pretending to be puzzled by their perversion of journalism.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/01/04/phony-occupy-link-to-weapons-cache/
1/3
Living Your Life Honestly
by Robert Jensen
*Teachers don’t furnish wisdom
They facilitate it
http://www.newleftproject.org/index.php/site/blog_comments/living_your_life_honestly
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The Latest Effort to Fix Election Results: Rig the Electoral College
by Brendan Fischer
PRWatch.org
*Of course, if there were no Electoral College …
Then the bastards would have to fall back on tried and true electoral fraud, wouldn’t they?
http://www.prwatch.org/node/11922
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Time Warner Cable Dumps Current TV Faster Than You Can Say ‘Al-Jazeera America’
Cable giant pulls channel just hours after announcement of acquisition
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*While this is blatant censorship, let’s not make Al-Jazeera out to be something it isn’t.
It isn’t some independent, let the chips fall where they may news outlet.
It is inextricably linked to the interests of the Qatari government, and the last time I looked, that nation was no beacon of justice in the Middle East.
And for Queally and Common Dreams to leave that out of this piece speaks to the self-imposed journalistic limitations that are part and parcel of “the alternative establishment media”.
I’m just saying.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/03
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Obama’s Lawless, Secretive Drone War Continues Over Pakistan
Taliban leader reportedly killed in latest clandestine strike in South Waziristan
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/03-0
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‘Alarmingly High Methane Emissions’ from Natural Gas Extraction
New findings suggest higher than previously noted levels of potent greenhouse gas leaked
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/03-4
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Tar Sands Activists’ Lives on the Line: Back in the Trees to Block Keystone XL
‘Protecting the living systems which we’re a part of is a moral necessity,’ says blockader
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/03-6
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Corporate-Friendly Fiscal Deal Maintains Tens of Billions in Fossil Fuel Industry Giveaways
Deal manages to raise taxes on millions of working class taxpayers while preserving friendly subsidies to world’s wealthiest oil, gas and coal companies
by Beth Brogan, staff writer
Common Dreams
*The gummint’s not broke
The system is
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/03-1
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‘An Accident Waiting to Happen’: As Rail Increasingly Transports Crude, Opponents Sound Environmental Alarm
Rails see ‘game-changing opportunity for their business’
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*So why is this tune playing in my head?
http://www.elyrics.net/read/g/grateful-dead-lyrics/casey-jones-lyrics.html
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/03-7
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Israeli Soldiers’ Suicides: The Untold Story
by César Chelala
*The dehumanization of the dehumanizers
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/03-5
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Institute for Public Accuracy
* Middle Class Taxes Going Up * How Billions Could Be Raised
*I’ll assume Rockeymoore’s question concerning the Democrats’ duplicity is rhetorical.
http://www.accuracy.org/release/middle-class-taxes-going-up-how-billions-could-be-raised/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Indian Gang-Rape Victim’s Attackers Charged with Murder, Protesters Push for Broader
Women’s Rights
*”Developed” or “developing”
“First” or “third”
Woman is the nigger of all the worlds
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/3/indian_gang_rape_victims_attackers_charged
Exposé Reveals Wal-Mart Blocked Improvements Despite Vows to Improve Safety After Deadly Factory Fire
*I marvel at how Greenhouse can be “surprised” and “amazed” by something that is common knowledge, don’t you?
Walmart only cares about squeezing out every last drop of profit, regardless of how many bodies it has to step over to fill their coffers.
How can you have been on the “labor” beat all these years and not have sussed that?
I’d like to say surprised and amazed by that
But he does work for the Times, doesn’t he?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/3/expos_reveals_walmart_blocked_improvements_despite
1/2
Mysterious Court Appearance Proves Rendition Alive and Well Under Obama
Three men were detained for months before appearing in Brooklyn court
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*What is “odd” about the Post rationalizing the crimes of an American administration?
Isn’t that a primary part of its mission, that it performs with an impressive degree of dedication?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/02-7
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World Bank ‘Fights Poverty’ by Investing in Five-Star Hotel
by Cheryl Strauss Einhorn
ProPublica
*Don’t you think it’s a false dichotomy to compare the IFC’s hypocrisy with the World Bank’s facilitation of the facade of show projects while indebting developing nations?
The underlying assumption here appears to be that the “right” kind of capitalism is the solution.
And you don’t have to think that Chavez is Jesus on a stick to look askance at mentioning in the same breath the actions of his administration with Assad’s despotism and brutality, do you?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/02-1
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New Year, New Era for Progressives and Obama
by Norman Solomon
*My question for Solomon and others like him is
Where were you in 2009?
Anyone with their eyes open could see where this adminstration was headed, yet this clarion call for opposition was MIA from “progressives”, wasn’t it?
They were too oblivious to what should have been too obvious.
And even if we accede that there’s been a political epiphany, I’m certain my conception of “fighting to overcome an entire corporatist system” bears little resemblance to his.
This is too little
And too late.
Let’s hope that isn’t our collective epitaph.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/02
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Food Poisoning on a Global Scale
by Vandana Shiva
*In this instance, there is nothing metaphorical about the “poison of greed”, is there?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/02-9
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New Year’s Deal Drops the Ball
While much of the media spin the hurried late-night move as a victory for the middle class, it was a win paid for with new tax cuts worth hundreds of billions of dollars for America’s wealthiest families
by Scott Klinger
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/02-7
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It Ain’t Over Till It’s Over: Wall Street Gears Up for Austerity Battles of 2013
by Mary Bottari
*How many times does this bastard have to “betray” us
Before persons like Bottari, and there are oh so many of them
Get it through their thick skulls that this is SOP for Dear Misleader?
There is no “test”
No “signal”
Only servility to the exploitive class.
It’s political Alzheimer’s
And it has more than a modicum of willfulness to it, wouldn’t you say?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/02-6
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ACLU
Court Dismisses Most of FOIA Lawsuit on Targeted Killings of U.S. Citizens
ACLU Will Appeal Ruling
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/01/02-3
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Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS)
New Year’s Day Farm Bill Extension a Giant Step Backward
Prior Senate Gains for Healthy Food and Farms Lost Out to Big Ag Subsidies
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2013/01/02-2
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FAIR Blog
Some Cluster Bombs More Newsworthy Than Others
If honest reporting is inimicable to US interests
The hopeful dictum that “The truth will make you free”
Holds a bitter irony
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/01/02/some-cluster-bombs-more-newsworthy-than-others/
Tom Brokaw and the Not-So-Rich Wealthy
*Considering the smack Brokaw makes
I imagine a quarter mil does seem like middle income.
Or possibly pocket change.
So cut the guy some slack for being concerned about those less well off.
Well, at least those less well off than him.
But not in such dire straits as to be dependent on those horrid “entitlements”.
Parasytes …
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/01/02/tom-brokaw-and-the-not-so-rich-wealthy/
CBS: Pity the Millionaires
*Call it “The Days of Wine
And Ruses”
And a look at the guy’s home might have served to highlight the relative nature of his claim to be “cash poor”, don’t you think?
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/01/02/cbs-pity-the-millionaires/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
So-Called Fiscal Cliff Averted as Congress Begins New Fight over Spending on Social Welfare Programs
*This stuff can get confusing, at least for me, so there are a number a questions I’d like to ask Schor about her analysis, but the underlying principle is simple.
We’re paying for the fact that the rich aren’t, both with our tax dollars and with cuts to programs that those who need them will be severly harmed by, or just can’t survive.
And no one in either major party is talking about the sort of transformative change necessary to end that injustice.
Band aids won’t cure cancer.
We need neurosurgery.
Now.
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/2/so_called_fiscal_cliff_averted_as
Will 350.org Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaign Be Key Tactic in 2013 Battle over Climate Change?
*I think Parenti makes solid points about the effectiveness of this campaign.
It’s a question of resources, and how best to utilize them.
This may be part of the strategy, but we should think hard about whether it should be the main focus.
McKibben continues to avoid directly condemning Dear Misleader’s role in all this, and his remarks about “open[ing] up some more room for our champions” begs the question of just who the hell he’s talking about.
These politicians are public servants. Our task is to demand they act like they are, and have no illusions about their “better instincts” if only they weren’t afraid of the power of the fossil fuel cabal.
We need to make them fear *us*, don’t you think?
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/2/will_350org_fossil_fuel_divestment_campaign
1/1
Obama Brokers ‘Lousy’ Fiscal Deal in DC to Usher in the New Year
House will take up bill later on Tuesday
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*All this criticism over “caving” and “showing your cards” is utter tripe.
This isn’t about negotiation.
It’s about collusion.
Austerity is to be imposed. A Democrat will encounter less resistance in doing so.
If the powers that be had wanted a Republican administration, as they did in 2000 and 2004
They would have gotten one.
Yes, there are internecine battles among the plutocracy, with fanatics who want nothing less than the end of any sense of social obligation, but the more realistic factions realize that that’s not yet on the horizon, though it soon will be.
The death of what passes for a social contract in this country will be slow and agonizing.
And will be sold via the reassuring visage of Dear Misleader.
Unless we do something about it.
And the first order of business is to understand the game being played.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/01
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Warnings Ignored, Shell’s Arctic Drilling Rig Runs Aground Off Alaskan Coast
Environmentalists: ‘Shell’s costly drilling experiment in the Arctic Ocean needs to be stopped’; rig loaded with 150,000 gallons of fuel
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Oh, it’s worth it.
As long as no consequences of any real consequence are suffered by these bastards, what’s to stop them?
Look at the Gulf.
A slap on the wrist, and back to business as usual.
Gewinn uber alles
And “All of the above” comes crashing down on our heads.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/01-0
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Pope Benedict Slams Capitalism, Economic Inequality
Calls for a new economic model, ethical regulations for markets
by Craig Brown, staff writer
Common Dreams
*If “Practice what you preach” is a principal principle of the faith
How is this message reconciled with the church’s finances?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/01-4
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Afghans Face Massive Humanitarian Disaster as Dire Winter Conditions Set In
Fears of a repeat of last winter’s deadly toll leaves displaced Afghans saying, ‘We are again fighting for our life.’
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/01/01-3
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Israeli Soldiers Open Fire on Demonstrators After IDF Botched Raid in West Bank Sparks Protests
Tensions on the rise in Occupied Territories
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
December 2012
12/31
US War Machine Leaves Ugly Imprint in Afghanistan
Dispatch from remote base reveals physical and political damage left in wake of US occupation
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/31
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Obama Quietly Signs Abusive Spy Bill He Once Vowed to Eliminate
After Senate rejects oversight amendments, bill sails into law
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*No gridlock here
Only a lockdown on liberty
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/31-1
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Philadelphia’s Charter School Expansion Crushing Public Schools
Communities push back against plan to close nearly one in six of the city’s public schools
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Minimal education
Equals minimum wage
Equals maximum profit
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/31-5
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Gang Rape in India Galvanizes Nation
Tens of thousands protest demanding stronger sexual assault laws, focus on women’s rights
by Beth Brogan, staff writer
Common Dreams
*As heinous a crime as rape is, there is no justification for the death penalty or castration.
There is every justification for prosecuting and commensurately punishing the policemen who aid and abet these horrors.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/31-6
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The Financial Elite’s War Against the US Economy
by Michael Hudson
* I’m having a hard time sussing why any gummint would accede to the demands of its creditors if, as Hudson states, it has no reason to.
You might make a case for collusion when it comes to Greece or Spain, but what about a developing country where the leadership to some degree responsive to the people?
Debt is used as a weapon against governments that don’t go along with Western plans.
But if the gun fires blanks, why should it be seen as a threat?
Am I missing something?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/31-8
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Putting It In Drive: What’s Next for Idle No More
by Daniel Wilson
* I’m not clear on Wilson’s definition of a “carrot”.
He speaks of “greater predictability and facilitated process”, in exchange for respect for indigenous rights.
But isn’t the right to breathe the air and drink the water as fundamental as any?
So how does making that increasingly difficult serve the cause?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/31-6
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Earthjustice
Coal Mine Expansion in Colorado Roadless Forest Likely to Face Challenge
Roadless area next to West Elk Wilderness would be decimated by bulldozing & scraping
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/12/31
12/28
Gaza’s Only Fisherwoman Continues to Sail
by Joshua Brollier
http://vcnv.org/gaza-s-only-fisherwoman-continues-to-sail
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Connection to the Land Cannot Not Be Broken
by Joshua Brollier
*The only just solution involves the establishment of a unified state with equal rights for all
And the punishment of those responsible for these atrocities.
Whatever ultimately may be possible
To not acknowledge what would be true justice
Is to deny the reality of those who deserve it
http://vcnv.org/connection-to-the-land-cannot-not-be-broken
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Support Grows as Harper Continues to Ignore Indigenous Upswell
‘Idle No More’ support spreads from Hawaii to Palestine
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/28-5
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‘Where Do the Children Play?’ In Shadow of Fukushima Disaster… Inside
Victims of Fukushima say Japanese government ‘trivializing the disaster’
by Beth Brogan, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/28-4
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Port Workers’ Threat of East Coast Shutdown Knocks Owners Off Stance
Fight by organized labor puts workers’ rights to test
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/28-2
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Seven States Propose ‘Irresponsible and Dangerous’ Laws to Arm Teachers
National Education Association: ‘Guns do not belong in schools, period’
by Beth Brogan, staff writer
Common Dreams
*A gun for a gun
Leaves the whole world in the crosshairs
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/28-3
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Echoes of Arab Spring as Sunni Protests Spread Across Iraq
Week of protests, road blockages against Prime Minister al-Maliki continue
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/28-1
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3 Steps to Build Resilience Through Your Giving
by Yifat Susskind
*Going by the delineated criteria
And my own regarding truly walking the walk
We’re talking a pretty damn short list.
Anyone have any suggestions as to who merits inclusion?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/28-10
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GOP and Feinstein Join to Fulfill Obama’s Demand for Renewed Warrantless Eavesdropping
The California Democrat’s disgusting rhetoric recalls the worst of Dick Cheney while advancing Obama’s agenda
by Glenn Greenwald
*How much “lesser” is “the lesser of two evils”?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/28
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Why Claiming US Has ‘Best Health System’ Is a Sick Joke
The ‘best’ health care depends on your perspective
by Samuel Metz
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/28-3
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Friends of the Earth
San Onofre: Edison’s Experimental Restart Scheme May Violate Terms of Plant’s Operating License
Controversial plan to run reactor at reduced power could require formal legal hearings
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/12/28
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FAIR Media Advisory
The P.U.-litzer Prizes for 2012
Recalling some of the stinkiest media moments of the year
*When you’re a bottom feeder
You never worry about how low you can go
http://fair.org/take-action/media-advisories/the-p-u-litzer-prizes-for-2012/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
The Wilmington 10: North Carolina Urged to Pardon Civil Rights Activists Falsely Jailed 40 Years Ago
*This should not be a request.
It should be a demand.
That the prosecutor hasn’t faced justice for his perversion of it is as much an injustice as the conviction of these persons.
There are countless instances similar to this, in the South and around the country, and the gummint is gearing up for many more, as things break down and people stand up.
Only a fool would be oblivious to the role Dear Misleader will play in that.
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/28/the_wilmington_10_north_carolina_urged
12/27
Support Pours In As ‘Idle No More’ Movement Steams Ahead
Rail blockades, street protests, flash mobs and an ongoing hunger strike give fuel to indigenous rights campaign in Canada
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/27
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TEPCO Can’t Keep Up with Costs of Its Nuclear Disaster at Fukushima
Corporate utility looks for increased public funding yet again
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*When “All of the above”
Comes crashing down
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/27-0
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EPA Chief’s Resignation Imperils Obama’s Already Ambiguous Environmental Policy
Environmentally friendly replacement for Lisa Jackson would face GOP gauntlet for confirmation
by Common Dreams staff
*We already know what Dear Misleader’s gonna do
Because he’s already doing it.
Unless we force him to do what he doesn’t want to do
We’re not doing what we need to do, are we?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/27-3
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New Year’s Revolution: Connecting the Dots, Coming Together and Fighting Like Hell
by Ronnie Cummins
*One essential component of connecting those dots is to create the model of the community we claim to struggle for in the wider world within our own.
There is a distinct disconnect between our talk and our walk on this score.
Until this is seen as an imperative goal – closing the gap between our principles and our practices
We will remain fragmented and isolated.
If we can’t do the mensch thing
I don’t see how we can do the mass movement thing.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/27-0
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Washington Post Pushes Mayan End of the World Story on “Fiscal Cliff”
by Dean Baker
*While the Mayans will tell you that there was never any foretelling of the end of time
The Post and the rest of the corpress will sell you a modern myth of debt and devastation, averted only by the shredding of what little exists of a social contract.
It’s a fearmongering fractured fairytale
Designed to hasten the end of the world of wholly inadequate “entitlements”
And leave us at the mercy of The Big Bad Wolf of privatization.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/27-8
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How Big Business Poisons Academic Research
The energy industry and Big Agribusiness are distorting academic research by wielding corporate influence.
by Wenonah Hauter
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/27-6
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Why It’s So Hard to Get Off the “Fiscal Cliff”: Big Money and the 2012 House Elections
DEMOCRACY NOW!
The FBI vs. Occupy: Secret Docs Reveal “Counterterrorism” Monitoring of OWS from Its Earliest Days
*Practice makes a perfect police state
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/27/the_fbi_vs_occupy_secret_docs
The Other Bradley Manning: Jeremy Hammond Faces Life Term for WikiLeaks and Hacked Stratfor Emails
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/27/the_other_bradley_manning_jeremy_hammond
Tea Party Turmoil: FreedomWorks’ Dick Armey Takes $8 Million Exit Buyout After Failed Coup
*Pity the poor Democrats.
Dear Misleader and the party “leadership” want so desperately to eviscerate most of what passes for meaningful differences between the two major parties
And those nasty tea party types just won’t cooperate.
What’s a unprincipled pol to do?
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/27/tea_party_turmoil_freedomworks_dick_armey
12/26
Record Breaking Deportations in 2012
Nearly half include “parents and breadwinners and heads of American families”
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/26
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On a Wyoming Ranch, Feds Sacrifice Tomorrow’s Water to Mine Uranium Today
by Abrahm Lustgarten
ProPublica
*You’ll notice how this piece sources from the acceptable spectrum, with a fleeting nod to an environmental advocate after countless paragraphs.
This allows for the sort of hand wringing that the mainstream media incessantly engages in on such issues, when not overtly propagandizing for the profiteers.
It meets the “balance” test, you see.
The reality test is a wholly separate matter, isn’t it?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/26-1
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“Blood on Your Hands”: CODEPINK Interrupts NRA’s Wayne LaPierre as He Calls for Guns in U.S. Schools
*The NRA’s playing a double game here.
It, and the gun manufacturers it shills for, profit from the flood of cultural violence drowning our society, yet it hypocritically condemns it to take the focus off its propagation of the actual violence that is the natural consequence of a nation awash in guns.
How much would you wager that there will be no campaign against these blood soaked games and films, only their utilization as a diversion from the NRA’s contribution to the realization of the world they portray?
And how ironic is it that LaPierre excoriates the corporate media, when since this latest tragedy, they have made a concerted effort to blunt the drive for more than a cosmetic change in gun control laws, and the lack of same, as evidenced by this AP piece:
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/26/blood_on_your_hands_codepink_interrupts
As U.S. Faces Gun Epidemic Post-Newtown, Obama Urged to Break With NRA & Back Global U.N. Arms Treaty
*The profits flow as fast as the blood can carry them
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/26/as_us_faces_gun_epidemic_post
Idle No More: Indigenous-Led Protests Sweep Canada for Native Sovereignty and Environmental Justice
*First Nations
Last respected
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/26/idle_no_more_indigenous_led_protests
12/25
Yemen’s Government Tries to Cover Up Death of Civilians by US Drones
by Sudarsan Raghavan
Washington Post
*There’s no consideration here of the inherent illegality of killing suspects, and the framing of these strikes as “mistakes” ignores the reality of their continuing occurrence, indicating a strategy in which civilian deaths are viewed as acceptable “collateral damage”.
The stated goals of the US in the GWOT are accepted on their face. Only the method by which they’re pursued is questioned.
The history of the bloody quest for dominance of the region is left unmentioned.
What else would you expect from the Post?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/25
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Dr. Gabor Maté on the Stress-Disease Connection, Addiction, Attention Deficit Disorder and the Destruction of American Childhood
*Excellent intel on the interconnectedness of not only the mind and body, but of how we behave according to the societal environment we inhabit, or more precisely, we’re forced to inhabit in a profit-driven system.
I thought this was Maté’s most salient point:
“What we have to understand here is that human beings are not discrete, individual entities, contrary to the free enterprise myth that people are competitive, individualistic, private entities. What people actually are are social creatures, very much dependent on one another and very much programmed to cooperate with one another when the circumstances are right.”
Our goal must be to make those circumstances right, don’t you think?
This segment is a repeat from a couple of years back, and well worth the encore. I’ve been what I believe is justifiably critical of DN! for not consistently questioning conventional wisdom, but this is an excellent example of what the program can and should be doing day in and day out.
See if you agree.
http://www.democracynow.org/2011/5/30/dr_gabor_mat_on_the_stress
12/24
Canada’s ‘Idle No More’ Movement Spreads Like Wildfire
Chief Theresa Spence on 14th day of hunger strike
by Craig Brown, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/24-1
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‘Ominous’ New Research: Earth’s Coldest Regions Warming Fastest
Latest research adds to litany that puts climate crisis in stark perspective
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*I have my doubts about us finally snapping to when it comes to seeing the reality of climate change before we’ve crossed the Rubicon, but if I’ve ever hoped I was wrong about something …
What is absolutely necessary is for us to be honest about just what “doing something” entails. I’ve seen far too many (one is far too many) upbeat pronouncements about the future, suggesting that somehow our lives won’t profoundly change were we to do what’s vital to edge away from the abyss, that with some admittedly large tweaks to the current system, we can pretty much carry on as we do today.
I don’t see that. Tremendous damage to planet and peoples has already occurred, and will continue to no matter how “serious” we get. I don’t think we do ourselves any favors by soft selling the wrenching changes that truly confronting this challenge will bring.
I don’t know how we’ll react to that, but I do think that making such predictions, only to witness their demise, will make it that much more difficult to make those imperative changes, as I believe that the sooner we accept the necessity for them, the better our chances of implementing them, and averting the worst of the calamity looming ahead.
We need our eyes wide open
If humankind is to see the way to survival
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/24-0
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A Retort to US Military Expansion in Africa: ‘Dismantle AFRICOM’
As US makes plans to blanket continent with soldiers and drones, an alternative: Don’t
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/24-2
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Iran Warns Citizens About Traveling to ‘Dangerous’ United States
‘Iranophobia’ a trend in the US
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/24
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FBI Investigated Occupy Movement as ‘Domestic Terrorists, Criminals’
‘Coordination between the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and corporate America’
by Craig Brown, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Would Himmler be proud
Or envious?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/23
12/21
NRA Slammed for Push for Guns in Every School
NRA’s Wayne LaPierre’s suggestion to put armed guards in every school is met with scathing reaction
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*The NRA has determined that the best defense
Is an obscene offense to the memories of all victims of gun violence.
If this isn’t the epitome of disaster capitalism …
Create the problem
Then cash in on its “solution”.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/21-6
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‘Extraordinary’: Three Weeks Later, Keystone Blockaders Still in Texas Jail
“I think what they are doing is extraordinary”
by Beth Brogan, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Extraordinary dedication
All too ordinary repression
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/21-4
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Bolivia’s Morales Calls for New Era of ‘Peace and Unity’ to Break Greed of Capitalism
The ‘end of the world’ it is not, says president of Bolivia, but rather an opportunity to dispose of ‘capitalism’s greed’ and unite in happiness and unselfishness
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*There was an end to a world in all this.
It came at the hands of the conquistadors, and those who followed.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/21
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Challenge to UK Role in Deadly Drone Attacks in Pakistan Blocked by High Court
‘Cloud of Secrecy’ over Britain’s complicity in US drone program
by Beth Brogan, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/21-3
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Obama Will Ride to the Rescue… for Republicans
by Cenk Uygur
*It’s good to see someone get it that Dear Misleader isn’t Jesus on a stick, or that he would dearly like to be so, if only circumstances permitted.
But Uygur doesn’t seem to suss that it’s deeper than that. He serves at, and for, the pleasure of the powerful, as does every president.
And in the end, it’s not about making *him* do anything. As even the best policies of a awful lot show, such as the New Deal and the Great Society, the acceptable parameters for change are severely restricted.
It’s about *us* doing something, outside of those parameters. And if we do, and gain momentum, the full fury of those who enforce those boundaries will be unleashed.
How we respond to that will determine whether we are true to our proclaimed principles.
And I have to say that I don’t know whether I will have the courage to do what my conscience demands.
Do you?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/21-8
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Murdoch, Petraeus and the US Media Matrix
by Jonathan Cook
*I have a hard time believing that corpress journalists like Woodward and Bernstein are “incapable” of seeing what’s right in front of them.
They have access to the same information I do, and some level of access to the actors, which I don’t, so to ignore the facts requires a conscious act, don’t you think?
I’m trying to be logical here.
Would that they would, as well.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/21-0
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Will Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid Stand Up to the NRA?
by Medea Benjamin
*I have to ask why there’s no talk of any “action” beyond a reinstatement of an assault weapons ban with more holes in it than a target at a NRA firing range party
And why there’s so much talk in praise of a mayor whose police force is a leading purveyor of the violence that’s part of parcel of the disease the horror of Newtown is but one example of.
If Reid’s a POS
And he is
How does he differ at base from Bloomberg?
Sorry. There I go getting all morally rational again.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/21-1
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The Ultimate Logic of a Society Built on Mass Murder
It’s not a sudden madness, but a long history of mass murder come full circle.
by Glen Ford
*Only the dehumanized
Can dehumanize others
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/21-6
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Center for Biological Diversity
50,000 Endangered Species Condoms to Be Handed Out at Year-end Events
*I’d say the “common root” is greed
But the point’s taken.
Sequester the carbon
And the semen
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/12/21-4
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Coalition to Stop Gun Violence
A Response to the NRA Press Conference
*The NRA has determined that the best defense
Is an obscene offense to the memories of all victims of gun violence
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/12/21-2
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Kerry’s Judgement Questioned Because of Pro-War Vote
*Why is it that progressives are quick to castigate politicians for their support for the Iraq War
But are almost always silent about their original backing for the invasion and occupation of Afghanistan?
If you can make a moral distinction between the two
You have a different sense of humanity than I do.
http://www.accuracy.org/release/kerrys-judgement-questioned-because-of-pro-war-vote/
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PETITION
Pardon the Wilmington Ten
*I grew up in Mississippi in the ’60s, so I know first hand the motivations behind this injustice.
In the intervening decades, relatively little of consequence has changed in the South.
Old times there are not forgotten
Because they never really ended.
That a governor has to be pressured to ensure some measure of justice for these folks makes that plain.
So here’s hoping that this petition is successful, but it shouldn’t delude us into thinking that the ghosts of the past don’t still actively haunt the politics of the present
In the South
And the nation as a whole.
DEMOCRACY NOW!
New Report Sheds Light on Bin Laden Murder, as Pakistan Faces Fallout from U.S.-Led Vaccination Plot
*A couple of things
The administration can disavow torture till they’re blue in the face, but they still outsource its use, if not continuing it themselves, which can’t be ruled out, and so the fact that these filmmakers – propagandists, more accurately – are close to it really doesn’t absolve them of the charge of proselytizing for torture, to my mind.
And just why has the US “had to engage” in “shady moralities”?
Perhaps Aikins misspoke, and meant that the US had engaged in them, rather than implying that it was a necessity. But there’s nothing “shady” about them, in the sense of being dubious, is there?
They are violations of US and international law, and far more important than that, they are emblematic of the immorality and inhumanity with which the US pursues its imperial aims.
That needs to be said cleary and unequivocally at all times, don’t you think?
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/21/new_report_sheds_light_on_bin
As the ANC Votes to Support BDS, a New Film Compares Life in Palestine to Apartheid South Africa
*You’d think that with the farce of the bantustans, and the maintenance of one state in South Africa, there might be some mention of a one state solution here.
Yet, as is almost always the case in “the alternative media”, the subject never arises.
But should it come to pass, let’s hope the Palestinian people are far better represented by their “leaders” than black South Africans have been by the ANC.
The current situation gives little cause for optimism on that count, though.
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/21/as_the_anc_votes_to_support
12/20
In Wake of School Massacre, Tea Party Holds ‘Great Gun Giveaway’
‘Without a word of sympathy,’ group raises funds for pro-gun candidates
by Beth Brogan, staff writer
Common Dreams
*So is the greater threat to effective gun control the insane rantings of robeless Klansmen like these
Or the soothing words of liberal pols as they work out the political calculus to these horrors?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/20-1
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Fight for GMO Labeling Goes On in New Mexico
‘New Mexicans deserve the right to know what’s in the food they are eating’
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/20-2
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Report: Ecosystems in Upheaval, Biodiversity in Collapse
New study documenting climate change shows sweeping changes happening faster than previously recorded and bringing ‘cascading effects’
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/20
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Israeli ‘Surgical Targeting’ of Journalists, Civilians a War Crime: Report
Rights group calls for prosecution of ‘Pillar of Defense’ crimes
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/20-0
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What If All the World’s Debt Just Went Away
by Joe Brewer
*If money is the root of all evil
Its seeds are found within the concept of debt
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/20-1
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Water Is Invaluable
by Mary Grant
*Commodify the best
Pollute the rest
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/20-5
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In Search of Solidarity: Vastly Different Responses to Michigan’s “Right to Work” and Attacks on Right to Choose
by Angi Becker Stevens
*There’s no denying the righteousness of Stevens’ critique, but it has to be said that many reproductive rights and women’s rights groups show little solidarity with the class struggle as well, don’t you think?
How many Planned Parenthood members and supporters would have been at the Capitol had not HB 5711 spurred them to do so?
Stevens’ call is for us all to hang together, or we will most surely all hang separately.
The path to that unity is a two way street.
And I’d be remiss in failing to note that it isn’t just “conservative politicians” who seek to exploit us, is it?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/20-4
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Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER)
Arctic Offshore Drilling Safety Assurance Sought
Lawsuit to Force Release of Key Spill Prevention and Response Documents
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/12/20-0
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Amnesty International
Asylum-Seekers and Migrants in Greece Hounded by Police Operations and Right-Wing Extremists
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/12/20-2
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Institute for Public Accuracy
“Fiscal Cliff” Deal: Are Big Oil’s Billions in Subsidies on the Table?
http://www.accuracy.org/release/fiscal-cliff-deal-are-big-oils-billions-in-subsidies-on-the-table/
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FAIR Blog
Syria’s Mobile Weapons Labs: Where Have We Heard This Before?
So, does Ignatius receive a set salary from the CIA
Or is he compensated for his services on a per piece basis?
Yes, I’m being facetious.
But the effect of his duplicity is the same, regardless, isn’t it?
http://www.fair.org/blog/2012/12/20/syrias-mobile-weapons-labs-where-have-we-heard-this-before/
DEMOCRACY NOW!
Domestic Abuse Survivor Goldie Taylor on Giving Up Her Gun & the Unseen Plague of National Violence
*Whatever little will be done to prevent another Newtown, nothing will be done to deal with the daily violence that ravages communities of color and poverty.
That is one more pernicious permutation of “American exceptionalism”, isn’t it?
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/20/domestic_abuse_survivor_goldie_taylor_on
Louisiana TV Station Fires Black Meteorologist for Responding to Viewer’s Barb About Her Hair
*Given the other issue of the contest response, I think it’s clear what happened, don’t you?
Lee confronted prejudice, and the station management felt that would harm its image with white viewers.
So she had to go.
Separately, the contest itself has intense contradictions, both from the standpoint of being a lesson in uberconsumerism, and obviously its association with Walmart, wouldn’t you say?
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/20/louisiana_tv_station_fires_black_meteorologist
The Bribery Aisle: How Wal-Mart Used Payoffs to Bribe Its Way Through Expansion in Mexico
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/20/the_bribery_aisle_how_wal_mart
12/19
Gun Lobby Speaks: We Need More Guns, Especially in Schools
The NRA, its affiliates and the lawmakers it supports did not stay silent for too long. Now, the familiar arguments and strategies to defang a national push for stronger gun regulations
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*And who will sell those guns … ?
Bingo.
More to the point
Bango.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/19
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Israeli Oppression, Palestinian Unity: the Rise of the Third Intifada?
Hebron unrest to ‘spread to all of Palestine’
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/19-7
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Blowback: CIA Ploy to Kill Bin Laden Puts Pakistan’s Polio Eradication Campaign in Peril
Nine murders of vaccination workers this week has direct correlation to CIA’s faux ‘polio campaign’ in Abbottabad
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*I still find it extremely difficult to believe that the most expensive and expansive intelligence “community” in human history could not locate “the most wanted man in the world”, when he was essentially hiding in plain sight.
So why this obscene charade of a vaccination program?
I can only speculate, but perhaps it was a dry run for other ops down the line, or had other goals from its stated one.
Regardless, it is the embodiment of the inhumanity that lies at the heart of US imperial strategy, don’t you think?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/19-5
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Corporate Power vs. People Power in Colorado Fracking Fight
Oil and gas industry sues city of Longmont contending their right to frack for profits
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/19-1
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‘Take Our Undies Next!’: Austerity Leaves Greek Workers with Little Left
‘We can no longer live on what we earn,’ say workers in Athens
by Beth Brogan, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/19-3
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Canada Slammed for Abysmal Human Rights Crisis
UN Committee, Amnesty urge Canadian government to take action
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
*That remark by Neve sticks in my craw.
“We don’t expect to be perfect … “
Imperfect means someone suffers, or dies.
So you had better expect your government to be perfect, and do what you can to make it so
If your avowed principles are to have any meaning.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/19-4
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Intervention in Syria Risks Blowback and Regional War
The west’s bid to ramp up the war in Syria will simply escalate the killing. Only negotiation can stop the conflict spreading
by Seumas Milne
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/19-4
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Americans for Safe Access
City of Oakland and Feds Go Toe-to-Toe in Medical Marijuana Dispensary Forfeiture Case
Hearing at 10am Thursday may decide whether Oakland’s challenge to federal authority can proceed
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/12/19-1
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ACLU
DREAMers Challenge Michigan’s Policy Denying Driver’s Licenses
Civil Rights Groups File Lawsuit to Ensure Immigrant Youth Authorized to Work in the U.S. Can Drive
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/12/19-0
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FAIR Blog
Journalists Back on the Chained Gang
*I recall an earlier era, when those in power, and those who served them, also thought chains were a good thing.
You’ll notice that no one pushing for this chain – er, change – has to worry about living with the restriction that comes with it.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2012/12/19/journalists-back-on-the-chained-gang/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Exclusive: Leonard Peltier Speaks Out from Prison on Denial of Medical Care, Bid for Clemency
*You want to know what the Democratic Party is really all about?
Ask Jimmy Carter about Leonard Peltier.
Ask Bill Clinton.
Ask Barack Obama.
Whether they reply or remain silent
Their response will provide you the answer.
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/19/exclusive_leonard_peltier_speaks_out_from
12/18
Wealthiest Kissed, Weakest Kicked: Obama’s Ugly ‘New Deal’ Offers to Cut Social Security
President gives away the store in fiscal negotiations
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Can anyone truly be surprised by this?
It’s not about concession.
It’s about collusion.
Recall that many fine liberals and progressives were silent about what they knew would take place after the election as they campaigned for this duplicitous bastard.
Recall that there were similar rumblings from them with the emergence of Occupy, only to fall in line once the electioneering began in earnest.
Deja vu all over again?
I’m laying 100 to 1 odds.
Any takers?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/18
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Corporate-Occupied Government: A ‘Redistribution Machine’ for the Wealthy
‘Redistributing Up’: New Reuters series explores expanding US inequality
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Well, you can’t say they didn’t build *this*
Can you?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/18-2
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Tar Sands Battle Takes Distinct Turns in Vermont, Montana
Environmental victory in Burlington but fossil fuel fail in Montana
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*But the shit strangling the Gulf, spilling out of pipelines around the country, and destroying the planet
Is “your normal everyday crude oil”
Isn’t it?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/18-4
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Hastening Climate Change, Worldwide Coal Consumption to Increase Within 5 Years
China, India expected to lead consumption by 2017
by Beth Brogan, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/18-1
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In Wal-Mart’s Mexico: There’s a Bribe for That
NYT: “The Bribery Aisle: How Wal-Mart Used Payoffs to Get Its Way in Mexico”
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*The low life leader
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/18-0
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Time to Act Now To Restore Our Ravaged Mental Healthcare System
by Deborah Burger
*The greatest mental health problem in this country
Is the wealthy’s psychotic addiction to greed
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/18
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Environmental Groups Call on Cuomo Administration to Open Up Fracking Health Review to the Public
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/12/18-1
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FAIR Blog
Fracking: Too Much of a Good Thing, Says Planet Money Guy
*Davidson has his fantasy
And I have mine.
That every corpress shill for fracking or offshore drilling or mountaintop removal or tar sands oil or nuclear power have to directly experience the consequences of their “downsides” in their own lives.
I think we might see a different narrative propagated were that the case.
Of course, they, and we all, will suffer those consequences, even if some of us have been lucky enough to avoid the worst of them up to now, if we don’t open our eyes and focus on the yawning abyss we’re hurtling headlong toward.
Their job is to keep us distracted.
Ours is to wake up to reality.
And do something about it.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2012/12/18/fracking-too-much-of-a-good-thing-says-planet-money-guy/
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Congo: 5 Million Dead; Calls for Changing U.S. Policy
*There’s nothing “incomprehensible” about it
When you engage in disingenuous handwringing over Congo’s horror show
While promoting the blood drenched policies of the government that directs it
http://www.accuracy.org/release/congo-5-million-dead-calls-for-changing-u-s-policy/
Is Obama About to Cut Social Security?
*I guess all those older folks working at Walmart just want a little mad money
http://www.accuracy.org/release/is-obama-about-to-cut-social-security/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
New Town to Newtown: How ’96 Massacre Spurred Gun Laws in Australia — and No Mass Shootings Since
*Don’t look for anything like Australia’s laws – as inadequate as they may be – to emerge from this. The porous assault weapons ban may well be reinstated, and some improvement in background checks may result, but that’s as far as it’s likely to go, because this is about profit, and about a violent culture that suits the designs of, and is designed by, the powerful.
As violent as Australia’s culture was, it doesn’t approach the blood lust on display in our popular media, or in the Global War on Terror. Our society is a combustible mix of intense pressures on people, leading to deep psychological distortions, the ease of acquiring a gun, and a culture that encourages violent responses.
That societal profile is exactly what the plutocracy craves, for it keeps us atomized, in fear, and distracted from taking the necessary action to confront their control.
The politicians and press who serve them will make soothing noises, but in the end, little will change.
Unless we demand it does.
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/18/new_town_to_newtown_how_96
“Americans Kill People”: Michael Moore on Newtown, Mass Shootings, and the U.S. Culture of Violence
*I’m not a big fan of Moore, because he often talks a good game, as here, but willfully or not, doesn’t then follow his own logic to conclude that we need a transformational change in our economic and political systems, beyond reformist solutions.
Of course, the same could be said of Naomi Klein, or any number of others.
That said, his remarks here put this tragedy in its proper context. We are a sick, twisted society, and as hypocritical a one as has ever existed on this earth.
Those two characteristics are inextricably interconnected, don’t you think?
The more fucked up you are, the more you engage in delusion to avoid facing yourself.
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/18/americans_kill_people_michael_moore_on
As NRA Hides from Public After Newtown, ALEC Ties Reveal Extensive Lobbying Behind U.S. Gun Laws
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/18/as_nra_hides_from_public_after
VIDEO: New “Kochtopus” Graphic Maps the Influence of Billionaire Koch Brothers on Climate Policy
*Solid intel, but if you believe that working with the NAACP and union “leadership” is going to stop these bastards
You need to do a lot more homework
12/17
New EPA Rules Hit Pernicious Pollution
New standards affecting fine particle pollution bring protection from lethal polluters
– Common Dreams staff
*For whatever benefit this brings, it’s a classic example of a half measure presented as a bold action in the face of fierce opposition.
It’s a few crumbs, when our survival depends on the whole enchilada.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/17-2
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Remember All the Children, Mr. President
by Bill Quigley
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/17-3
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New Press Freedom Group is Launched to Block US Government Attacks
Nothing is more vital than enabling true transparency and adversarial journalism, and preventing further assaults on them
by Glenn Greenwald
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/17-8
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How the US Intelligence Community Came Out of the Shadows
by Tom Engelhardt
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/17-0
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Toxic Train Wreck Exposes Weakness in Federal Chemical Policy
by Michelle Chen
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/17-6
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Center for Biological Diversity
Newtown Gun Group Opposed Even Mildest Gun Violence and Enviromental Health Protections
National Shooting Sports Foundation Opposed Bill to Disarm the Mentally Ill, Effort to Eliminate Lead Poisoning
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/12/17
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Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR)
ICE Settles Case on Controversial Home Raids
*Huddled masses
With guns pointed at their heads
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/12/17-2
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FAIR Blog
Meet the Press’s Uncharacteristic Enthusiasm for Balance
*By “pro-gun rights senators”, I assume Gregory means those who believe in the unlimited right to arm oneself to the teeth.
If that term is defined as those unmoved to make laws crafted to keep guns out of the hands of all but those who could prove the necessity and maturity to possess them
I’d say that number inches close to triple digits
If not reaching them.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2012/12/17/meet-the-presss-uncharacteristic-enthusiasm-for-balance/
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What if Children Mattered No Matter Where They Lived–and Died?
*The sins of empire are committed in our names
And with our monies.
That we can ignore our responsibility for them is both a tribute to our manipulation by those in power, and the press that serves them
And to our own failure of humanity.
I’d like to think that Goodman is correct, that brought face to face with the horrors we have wrought, we would seek to end them
But I am far from sanguine in that musing.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2012/12/17/what-if-children-mattered-no-matter-where-they-lived-and-died/
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John Boehner–Philosopher?
*”[H]e was doing what politicians often do: representing the interests of the powerful people and institutions that wanted him to be elected president.”
Or senator … or congressmember … or governor … or mayor …
Isn’t that the unstated, but unquestioned, job description?
http://www.fair.org/blog/2012/12/17/john-boehner-philosopher/
Does the Public Really Oppose Gun Restrictions?
*It should be the primary tenet of polling the public:
If you want a precise answer
You ask a precise question
That the corpress rarely does so, when the response might deviate from the accepted narrative – accepted by them, of course – should tell you something about what it is they want, don’t you think?
http://www.fair.org/blog/2012/12/17/does-the-public-really-oppose-gun-restrictions/
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Institute for Public Accuracy
School Shootings * “The Bully Society” * When is Child Killing Ignored?
*A trigger happy
And profoundly sad society
http://www.accuracy.org/release/school-shootings-the-bully-society-when-is-child-killing-ignored/
“The Corporate War Against Teachers as Public Intellectuals in Dark Times”
*A target for more than the mad
“Big Money, ALEC and the Gun Agenda”
http://www.accuracy.org/release/big-money-alec-and-the-gun-agenda/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Egypt’s Referendum Clears 1st Round, But Critics Seek Revote After Charges of Rigged Polls
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/17/egypts_referendum_clears_1st_round_but
12/15
‘None Dead’ in China: Sensible Laws vs. Maniacal Attacks
8,000 miles away from Connecticut, a vicious attack on school children has only one grace: all survived
by Beth Brogan and Jon Queally, staff writers
Common Dreams
*Guns don’t kill people
People kill people
And more people with more guns
Kill more people
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/15-0
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A Culture That Condones The Killing Of Children And Teaches Children To Kill
by Lucinda Marshall
*An American tragedy
Born of a tragically American mindset
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/15-3
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The NRA’s Wayne LaPierre Has the Blood of Connecticut Children on His Hands
A resume covered in red
by Peter Dreier
*Dreier gets to the heart of the matter at the end.
This is about profit.
And that is why, in the end, for all the tears and laments of Dear Misleader, the most we can expect from him and the Democrats is some watered down band aid that doesn’t come close to addressing the problem.
Why would this issue be any different that any other?
Pierre and the gun pimps he serves like to portray themselves as making it possible for us to protect ourselves from violent crime.
But that’s where the profit comes in, doesn’t it?
In a nation with strict gun laws, the fear factor is muted. Violent crime lessens.
Less fear, fewer sales.
And despite what top cops may say, I have to be skeptical of their commitment to gun control.
That same fear factor is what propels police budgets, along with the militarization of policing.
A populace motivated by fear is willing to see rights abridged in return for the promise of safety. As society continues to melt down due to a rapacious plutocracy and the effects of climate change their greed has engendered, many people will find the courage, born of desperation, to resist.
But many will be seduced by the siren call of “security”, and support the repression already evident as it increases in intensity.
Which is precisely what the gun corps and their brethren in other industries desire, for they know their survival depends on it.
As ours depends on an end to theirs.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/15-5
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Mental Health Reform as Important as Gun Reform
by Ira Chernus
*How many times have you heard of someone successfully defending themselves, their families or others with a gun?
How many times have you heard of deaths caused by them, in massacres such as this, in conflicts between and among persons which likely would not have resulted in death had guns not been present, or in accidents?
What do you think the ratio between the two is?
And do you think that calculus makes clear that owning a gun should be a right subject to the most stringest tests of necessity and responsibility?
For all our sakes, I dearly hope so.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/15-2
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The 2nd Amendment Does NOT Equal Random Slaughter
by Harvey Wasserman
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/15-1
12/14
Tragedy in Connecticut: 20 Children, 6 Adults Dead in Kindergarten Massacre
by Common Dreams staff
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/14-1
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How the Mighty (Mississippi) Has Fallen: Historic Drought Plagues US
Continuing drought forecast for already dessicated US as low river levels thwart traffic
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/14-5
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Updated and Previously Suppressed Report Still Finds: Tax Cuts for Rich Only Help the Rich
A non-partisan government report, pulled after GOP objection, is back. And its finding won’t make elites happy (again)
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*”[S]mall increases in marginal tax rates for wealthy individuals … “
This is the essence of Democratic “populism”, isn’t it?
The report alludes to marginal rates above 90%, yet Van Hollen uses it to argue for this drop in the bucket.
It’s a script we should know by heart.
The Republicans go for the whole enchilada
While the Democrats offer us a few drops of chili sauce
Then proclaim a “principled” fealty to “fairness”.
It may be a dog and pony show
But the end product is pure horseshit.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/14-0
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Texas Landowner to Tar Sands Oil Company: ‘The Fight Is On’
Judge Rules Keystone XL Construction Can Proceed—For Now
by Beth Brogan, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/14-2
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Save the Children: Tears and Tragedy in Connecticut
by Randall Amster
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/14-10
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Monsanto Gets Its Way in Ag Bill
by Jim Goodman
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/14-1
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Making Change at Walmart
Workers in 10 Countries Call for an End to the Silencing of Workers at Walmart
Walmart Worker Protests Spread Globally
*It’s heartening to see the international solidarity, but this tactic of claiming that good wages and conditions are “good business” and will lead to greater profits isn’t exactly the clarion call for worker rights that the old radicals of labor would recognize.
“Everybody wins” doesn’t have quite the resonance of “Which side are you on”, does it?
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/12/14-0
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
Dean Baker: The Biggest Myth in Obama-GOP Spending Showdown is the “Fiscal Cliff” Itself
*Baker’s no enemy of the profit system, but he often does a good job of puncturing some of its myths, and does so ably here.
However, it’s beyond ludicrous to suggest that only one party is in bed with military contractors and Big Pharma.
Both major parties are part of this orgy
But we’re the ones truly being screwed.
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/14/dean_baker_the_biggest_myth_in
Ex-Commissioner Michael Copps on the FCC’s Unrelenting Anti-Diversity Push for Media Consolidation
*A few things here.
This issue is analogous to that of preserving public broadcasting. Fending off consolidation simply keeps a terrible situation from getting even worse. It’s not about defending honest journalism or outlets that serve the community.
But losing would make realizing those goals that much more difficult.
Regarding diversity, I really don’t care about the race or gender of who owns a station or a paper. What matters is whether those entities serve women and minorities.
Lastly, Copps effectively sidesteps Dear Misleader’s and the Dem leadership’s complicity in all this with his professed confusion as to the reasons behind the FCC’s promotion of a corporate agenda.
And Goodman and Gonzalez, as is often the case, make no effort to press him on it.
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/14/ex_commissioner_michael_copps_on_the
As Admin Preps “Enduring Presence” in Afghanistan, U.S. Peace Activists Build Ties to War’s Victims
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/14/as_admin_preps_enduring_presence_in
12/13
Google on ‘Immoral’ Tax Evasion: ‘It’s Called Capitalism’
‘Hypocritical assertion of its corporate motto, ‘Don’t Be Evil’”
by Craig Brown, staff writer
Common Dreams
*You can’t really argue with Schmidt’s assertion, can you?
It is indeed capitalism.
And that such a defender of it would be considered a perfect fit for a Cabinet post in this administration should come as no surprise, should it?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/13-4
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Study Identifies 15 Top Threats to Biodiversity
‘Most of the effects we have on the natural environment continue to give rise to negative consequences for biodiversity.’
by Beth Brogan, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/13-8
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Tunisia Gears Up to Host World Social Forum
by Justin Hyatt
Inter Press Service
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/13-0
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Our Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaign’s Math Is Sound
by Kate Aronoff and Martin Bourqui
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/13-1
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The School-to-Prison Pipeline Gets Its First-Ever Airing in the Senate
by Julianne Hing
*Of course, if the administration were truly committed to ending this injustice, it would change the policies that abet it, such as the prosecution of the war on drugs, and focus on improving the conditions these kids endure, rather than perpetuating them.
Hing noticeably omits this from her piece, and you have to question just why that is, don’t you?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/13-6
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Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR)
Chained CPI Cuts Social Security Benefits while Raising Taxes on Lower- and Middle-Income Workers
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/12/13-2
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ACLU
CIA Rendition & Torture Victim Wins European Human Rights Case
*”[A] nation that prides itself as a global leader on the rule of law and human rights”
Would that false pride cometh before a fall
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/12/13-0
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Institute for Public Accuracy
“Syria is Being Destroyed”
http://www.accuracy.org/release/syria-is-being-destroyed/
On Budget Talks: “Close Offshore Tax Loopholes” Says Anti-Poverty Network
DEMOCRACY NOW!
Exclusive: Native American Activist Leonard Peltier’s Jailhouse Plea for Long-Denied Clemency
*The butcher knows no mercy
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/13/exclusive_native_american_activist_leonard_peltiers
After Rebuff by Clinton, Actor Peter Coyote Joins New Push to Sway Obama on Leonard Peltier Clemency
*I have to doubt whether the strategy of quiet diplomacy would have worked. What political benefit would have been derived from granting clemency to Peltier – for Clinton, Daschle or the party?
Beyond that, of course, is the message meant to be sent to anyone daring to stand up to government repression.
And that holds true as much today as it did then, doesn’t it?
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/13/after_rebuff_by_clinton_actor_peter
12/12
Judge OKs Censorship of Torture at Guantánamo Bay Military Commission Trial
Decision will bar statements about ‘illegal CIA torture, rendition and detention’
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/12-7
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Why We Torture
What do we do once we know?
by Gareth Peirce
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/12-1
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HSBC, Too Big to Jail, and the US Two-Tiered Justice System
by Glenn Greenwald
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/12-4
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The Case Against Taxing the Rich: Still Shaky
The political friends of America’s rich aren’t aiming to convince us that higher taxes on the nation’s highest incomes make no sense. They’re just hoping to keep us distracted.
by Sam Pizzigati
*”If President Obama gets all of the tax hike he’s now seeking in the ‘fiscal cliff’ negotiations, the top U.S. tax rate will nudge up only to 39.6 percent.”
Goddamn socialist …
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/12-2
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Haiti: More Pressure Needed to Get Clean Water
Haiti is vulnerable to water-borne diseases like cholera because of its lack of clean water and sanitation.
by Mark Weisbrot
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/12-3
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GOP Leadership and Violence Against Native Women
by Greg Kaufmann
*If the administration “gets it”
Why isn’t it giving any effort toward more than a half measure?
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/12-7
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Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR)
Report Shows Stop and Frisk Rights Violations Continue
Nearly 100,000 Stops Appear Unconstitutional
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/12/12-3
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Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
Internet Gun Site Sued By Brady on Behalf of Woman Killed with Gun Sold Through “Internet Loophole”
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/12/12-2
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Most doctors don’t warn pregnant patients about environmental risks
by Jane Kay
Environmental Health News
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/2012/ob-gyns-and-environmental-health
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Social Security Facts: Doesn’t Add to the Debt; Is a Bigger Creditor than China
FAIR Blog
Bill O’Reilly Has Had it With the Name-Calling
*If O’Reilly can be viewed as an avatar of civil discourse
Can the Kochs be seen as the embodiment of empathy?
Only through the looking glass, darkly …
http://www.fair.org/blog/2012/12/12/bill-oreilly-has-had-it-with-the-name-calling/
.
DEMOCRACY NOW!
Thousands Protest Michigan’s Anti-Union Law, But Deep Pockets of Right-Wing Backers Prevail
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/12/thousands_protest_michigans_anti_union_law
In Cairo, Egyptian Protesters Continue Revolution’s Legacy in Challenging Morsi’s Referendum
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/12/in_cairo_egyptian_protesters_continue_revolutions
Beyond Benghazi: Partisan Rift over Susan Rice Ignores Sordid Record on War, Africa and Keystone XL
*The Benghazi angle is partisan point scoring, initially meant to aid the Republican election effort.
The thing is, should Rice be promoted, she’ll work hand in hand with those castigating her to advance US interests in exploiting the resources of Africa and elsewhere, and oppressing the people of those nations.
Because that’s what Secretaries of State do, isn’t it?
Fudge is carrying water for the administration, and doesn’t give a tinker’s damn about the blood on Rice’s hands.
And what does that tell you about the Congressional Black Caucus?
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/12/beyond_benghazi_partisan_rift_over_susan
12/11
Poisoning the Well: How the Feds Let Industry Pollute the Nation’s Underground Water Supply
by Abrahm Lustgarten
ProPublica
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/11-0
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Study: World’s Mighty Giants Dying off at Alarming Rate
‘We are talking about the loss of the biggest living organisms on the planet’
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/11-7
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Sea Shepherd Buys Anti-Whaling Ship Under the Nose of Japanese Whalers
Four vessels now heading to Antarctic to halt this year’s catch
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/11-1
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Sport Hunting to be Banned in Costa Rica
Hunting for sport is ‘not a sport but a cruelty,’ say lawmakers
by Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Toto, I don’t think we’re in Wisconsin anymore …
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/11-5
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Israeli Pre-Dawn Raid on Palestinian NGOs Called ‘Retaliatory’
‘An attack on human rights and civil society organizations’ in occupied West Bank
– Common Dreams staff
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/11
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Right to Work: As Goes Michigan, So Goes The Nation
by Ruth Conniff
*Along with the betrayal by union “leadership”, we can’t forget that, aside from pretty speeches, Dear Misleader and most other Demorats (not a misspelling) have not only done nothing of note to stem this tide of union busting, but have aided and abetted it by facilitating these sellouts under the guise of “pragmatism” and “preserving jobs”.
Which side are they on?
Can you spell “rhetorical”?
I knew that you could.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/11-7
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Democracy and the Ecology of Transportation
by John Buell
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/11-5
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The Budget Thugs: What Do They Know About the Economy?
by Dean Baker
*Bursting the bubble of the debt doomsayers
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/11-0
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How U.S. Taxpayers Are Paying the Pentagon to Occupy the Planet
Picking Up a $170 Billion Tab
by David Vine
*The price of putting Sherwin Williams to shame
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/11-3
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Why Race Matters After Sandy
by Manissa McCleave Maharawal and Isabelle Nastasia
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/11-4
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Center for Biological Diversity
Protest Filed Over 800,000-acre Oil Shale Plan in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming
Oil shale and tar sands development would worsen global warming and harm public lands, Colorado River, wildlife
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/12/11-3
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ACLU
Mother of American Torture Victim José Padilla Brings Case Before International Human Rights Tribunal
U.S. Courts Have Denied Recourse
*“The U.S. has historically been a leader in ensuring access to justice for human rights violations around the world … “
When was this?
Or perhaps more precisely, when was this more than window dressing, while pulling the curtain closed on its and its allies’ depredations?
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/12/11
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Institute for Public Accuracy
UN Finally Acting on Cholera in Haiti
http://www.accuracy.org/release/un-finally-acting-on-cholera-in-haiti/
HSBC Case: Are Huge Banks Now Too Big to Indict?
*The most salient “interconnection” here is between corporations
And the “public servants” in their employ
http://www.accuracy.org/release/hsbc-case-are-huge-banks-now-too-big-to-indict/
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FAIR Blog
Jeffrey Goldberg, WMD Expert?
*This really isn’t about “being so wrong”, though, is it?
That supposes that the man is trying to be accurate, but failing abysmally at it.
Even if you allow for an initial error, to repeat the same act over and over again can only lead to the conclusion that this is deliberate disinformation.
And to repeatedly honor such behavior, and to seek to validate it by providing a forum for such propaganda, are likewise not indicative of incompetence
But of complicity.
You don’t have to have a PhD in mathematics
Or political science
To put two and two together here
Do you?
http://www.fair.org/blog/2012/12/11/jeffrey-goldberg-wmd-expert/
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DEMOCRACY NOW!
“Protest Here is Vigorous”: Unrest, Polarization Before Egypt’s Referendum
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/11/protest_here_is_vigorous_sharif_abdel
Charles Glass on Syria’s Mutual Destruction and the Unconvincing Fears of Assad’s Chemical Weapons
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/11/charles_glass_on_syrias_mutual_destruction
12/10
‘Zero Dark Thirty’: Likely US Blockbuster Slammed for Glorifying CIA Torture
Film that recounts hunt for Osama Bin Laden injects torture despite factual inaccuracies
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
*It might be interesting to look into the financing of this film, don’t you think?
And despite Vietor’s comments, I still find it difficult to believe that “the most wanted man on earth” was effectively hiding in plain sight, and this massive intelligence apparatus was unaware of his location.
That strains my conception of credulity, at any rate.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/10-7
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Showdown in Michigan: Labor Fights Back Against Anti-Worker Laws
Obama: Right-to-Work ‘Gives You the Right to Work for Less Money’
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*Talk is cheap theater
And the stage is far from the front lines
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/10-1
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Killing of World Famous Wolf Reignites Battle in the Rockies
Kill programs in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming reveal how fragile protection programs can be
by Jon Queally, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/10
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The PSY Scandal: Singing about Killing People v. Constantly Doing It
Americans would benefit from less outrage at anti-US sentiment and more energy toward understanding why it’s so widespread
by Glenn Greenwald
*They hate us for our freedom
To do to them what we fucking please
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/10-3
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The Honest and Just Path to a Sustainable Medicare
by Jessica Schorr Saxe
*I really don’t think the argument against means testing holds up, at least as far as Social Security’s concerned.
I just can’t see the fairness in someone receiving more, even if they don’t need it, because they’ve earned more, than someone who’s earned less, but needs more. A just system would provide what’s needed, rather than what’s contributed, to my mind.
I don’t think that would lessen the program’s support. The vast majority of folks would need supplemental income to varying degrees, and so would have a vested interest in its continuation.
I think Medicare might be different, in that in deals with health, a holistic concept, an either/or, and as such provides (or should provide) care and treatment based on need, rather than based on what’s been invested in it by the individual.
As long as those less well off receive the same services as those better off for the same health conditions, I offhand can’t think of any reason for means testing.
Any thoughts are welcome.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/10-6
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International Commission for Labor Rights
Right to Work Laws Violate Human Rights and Labor Law
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/12/10-10
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Environmental Working Group (EWG)
No Secret Farm Bill in Fiscal Cliff Deal
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/12/10-9
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Common Cause Presses Case Against the Filibuster in Federal Court Hearing
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/12/10-7
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Mich. Unions Galvinizing to Confront ‘Right-to-Work’ Legislation
Thousands preparing to march to Capitol
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
*We do need to “work to hold elected leaders accountable”.
That includes Democrats who fail to support workers’ rights.
And Bottari’s remark about Chinese workers betrays an utter disregard for that fine old union principle of solidarity.
ALEC has no interest in “helping” them, and to dare to suggest that is to denigrate their struggle against the horrible working conditions so many of them endure.
It’s “American exceptionalism” of a different, but distinctly pernicious, sort.
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/08-2
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US Military Detains More Than 200 Afghan Teens as ‘Enemy Combatants’
‘Children as young as 11 or 12′ detained at Bagram
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
*What’s left out of this, and most every other consideration of the subject, is that, under international law, which provides for the right to resist occupation, the US has no right to detain anyone of any age for armed opposition to its invasion.
But, even in “progressive” critiques of US actions, there is often an assumption that those who do so aren’t analogous to French resistance fighters or others whose acts we have no trouble labeling valorous.
And we have to ask why that is, don’t we?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/08-1
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Is Fracking Coming to the Arctic?
Geologist “highlights the potential of Alaska’s shale resources” at Houston conference
by Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/09-0
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The Senate Report on CIA Interrogations You May Never See
by Cora Currier
ProPublica
*Now let’s be clear here.
Obama may have banned torture by US operatives
(And whether that’s being religiously observed is by no means a certainty)
But the US still outsources torture.
And to the victim, just who is torturing him really isn’t of much
importance, is it?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/09
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Thousands Call on FDA to Stop Turning a Blind Eye to Antibiotics
Squandered in Animal Feed
by David Wallinga
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/08-5
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At ‘Urban Uprising’ Conference, Activists Reimagine the City Post-Sandy
by Michelle Chen
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/09
.
Institute for Public Accuracy
Analysts Criticize Kristof’s Arguments for Cutting Supplemental Security for Children with Severe Disabilities
*Another “liberal” pundit giving cover to the neoliberal agenda
Call it “corpress camo”
DEMOCRACY NOW!
Does the EU Deserve the Nobel Peace Prize? Critics Condemn Role in Brutal Greek Austerity
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/10/does_the_eu_deserve_the_nobel
Norwegian Peace Activist: Top Role in Global Arms Trade Makes EU Unworthy of Nobel Prize
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/10/norwegian_peace_activist_top_role_in
A “Radical Idea” Reversed: Author Says Nobel Committee Has Betrayed Founder’s Anti-Military Intent
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/10/a_radical_idea_reversed_author_says
12/7
Supreme Court Takes On Gay Marriage
Will courts ride wave of support following November’s election results?
– Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/07-5
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Corporate Push for GMO Food Puts Independent Science in Jeopardy
by Vandana Shiva
*Blinding us from science
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/07-5
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A Call to Reject False Capitalist Solutions to Climate Crisis
World’s peasant farmers help cool a warming planet
by La Via Campesina
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/07-10
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For Whom Do You Lobby, Madame Secretary?
by Tom Gallagher
*When it comes to morally principled behavior
All corporations are foreign to the concept
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/07
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Propaganda Deja Vu? Media Uncritically Echoes Unnamed US Officials on Syria’s Chemical Weapons
by Rania Khalek
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/07-1
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Contrary to Claims of Latest Government Report, Natural Gas Exports Will Only Help the 1%
Joint Statement of Food & Water Watch and Clean Ocean Action
*A fracturing fairy tale
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/12/07-4
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Obama Inc.
Statement of Robert Weissman, President of Public Citizen
*I don’t see anything truly “disappointing” about this.
First off, to be disappointed by anything this bastard does betrays a naivete that has no place in the struggle for justice.
And rather than viewing this as a negative, it should be an opportunity to make plain the connections between Dear Misleader and those he serves.
Had he eschewed corporate funding, it would have been but a fig leaf to hide that baleful bond, and yet Public Citizen no doubt would have commended that profoundly political decision as somehow indicative of the presence of positive, if constrained, instincts, don’t you think?
We’ve got to stop viewing this mass murderer as anything other than that, and recall that Frederick Douglass’ famous utterance was not
“Power concedes nothing without an appeal.”
We must demand our rights, and condemn all those who deny them.
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/12/07-6
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FAIR Extra!
Time Gives Up on Factchecking
Corporate media can’t find a way to tell the truth
by Peter Hart
*The whole concept of factchecking fairness is a red herring.
It’s not really an issue of which side lies more or less, but of which lies are challenged, and which aren’t.
Lies that promote the Republican narrative may be “called out” on occasion, but they continue to be included in reportage as though they have some validity.
And Democratic lies which promote US foreign policy, or are “reactionary lite” in a domestic context, similarly are accorded deference in “the national discussion”, which is directed not by the public, but by these selfsame media entities.
“Balance” is simply a method of keeping the focus on the political rivalry between the parties
And off the collusion of both with the plutocracy.
In other words, off who has the bread
And on the political circuses.
http://fair.org/slider/time-gives-up-on-factchecking/
The ‘Raising the Retirement Age’ Scam
What they’re really talking about doing to Social Security
By Jim Naureckas
http://fair.org/slider/the-raising-the-retirement-age-scam/
FAIR Blog
This Time, Trust Anonymous WMD Claims–They’ve Got ‘Specific Intelligence’
*This would seem to be a win/win for US propaganda.
If the weapons are used, it validates their “analysis”, regardless of its veracity.
If they aren’t, then the claim can be made that the warnings to Syria based on that intel prevented their use.
Either way, the corpress will dutifully echo the desired narrative, won’t they?
DEMOCRACY NOW!
“If Not Now, Then When?”: Filipino Negotiator Pleads for Climate Deal After Typhoon Kills 500
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/7/if_not_now_then_when_filipino
Profiting From Pollution: Top Venezuelan Negotiator on the Economic Motives Behind the Climate Talks
*I think Salerno sidestepped the issue of her nation’s responsibility. For whatever mitigation occurs in country, Venezuela is exporting vast amounts of oil to other countries.
And the income from that has fueled the improvements in the population’s standard of living, as it has elsewhere, so the question of how to transition off of fossil fuel income without causing great hardship for those populations is of paramount importance.
And, of course, it’s a question that the developed countries refuse to address.
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/7/profiting_from_pollution_top_venezuelan_negotiator
“The Most Obdurate Bully in the Room”: U.S. Widely Criticized for Role at Climate Talks
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/7/the_most_obdurate_bully_in_the
12/6
Refusing to Acquiesce in Gaza
by Joshua Brollier
http://vcnv.org/refusing-to-acquiesce-in-gaza
.
We Want it to Stop
by Kathy Kelly
http://vcnv.org/we-want-it-to-stop-0
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Speechless in Gaza
Doctors and medics operating under fire and siege put painfulness of situation beyond words
by Joshua Brollier
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/06-1
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Protests Erupt at Michigan Capitol After Right-Wing Legislative Assault
Right-to-work legislation passes Michigan House
– Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/06-13
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Mr. President, Tear Down This Wall: Washington’s Iranian Future
by Pepe Escobar
*I think you can draw a straight line from the geostrategic and economic machinations around “Pipelineistan” to the dog and pony show in Doha.
The “leadership” of the nations involved see no benefit in a world where the equation of fossil fuel equals power and profits is null and void.
The fact that such a world is the only possible one that would allow for the continued existence of humanity as we know it has to be ignored for The Great Game to be played.
And so it is, defying all reason.
Because greed and the lust for power are ends in themselves, more compelling than even the instinct for self preservation.
One way or another, it’s going to be “Game over”.
What we do will determine whether that’s an exclamation of
Or an epitaph.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/06-3
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Greenpeace
Big Fashion Brands Hide Toxic Pollution Scandal in China
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/12/06-0
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Egypt: Who Does Morsi Represent?
*”Radical terrorists” is often an apt description of “multi-million dollar business tycoon[s]), don’t you think?
http://www.accuracy.org/release/egypt-who-does-morsi-represent/
.
DEMOCRACY NOW!
After Deadly Clashes in Cairo, Egypt Faces One of Its Largest Political Crises Since Revolution Began
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/6/after_deadly_clashes_in_cairo_egypt_faces
12/5
Truth and Trauma in Gaza
by Kathy Kelly
http://vcnv.org/truth-and-trauma-in-gaza
.
Tonight I am confused
by Johnny Barber
*”Roof tapping” and other acts of sadism by “the most moral army in the world”
http://vcnv.org/tonight-i-am-confused
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The Neoliberal Assault on Disability Rights
Joining Forces to be Stronger
by Nadina LaSpina
*Exclusion is the most discouraging disability
http://www.cpdweb.org/letters/20120914.disabilityforum.shtml?v=WYjo-XfXymY&feature=plcp#nadina
Beyond the Americans with Disabilities Act
by Paula Wolff
http://www.cpdweb.org/letters/20120914.disabilityforum.shtml?v=WYjo-XfXymY&feature=plcp#paula
Theories of Disablement
by Ravi Malhotra
*Neither working to live
Nor living to work
But a life that works
http://www.cpdweb.org/letters/20120914.disabilityforum.shtml?v=WYjo-XfXymY&feature=plcp#ravi
The Unpaid Labor of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities
in Institutional and Community-based Disability Services
by Jihan Abbas
http://www.cpdweb.org/letters/20120914.disabilityforum.shtml?v=WYjo-XfXymY&feature=plcp#jihan
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Why Divest? Because ‘Exxon Hates Your Children’
New campaigns taking direct aim at fossil fuel industry gain speed
by Jon Queally
Common Dreams
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/05-6
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For Pete’s Sake, What’s Happened to Our Democracy?
One billionaire has the wherewithal to totally redirect America’s political discourse.
by Sam Pizzigati
*One true dick of a Peter
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/05-1
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Obamacare Architect Leaves White House for Pharmaceutical Industry Job
Few people embody the corporatist revolving door greasing Washington as purely as Elizabeth Fowler
by Glenn Greenwald
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/05-0
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Extreme Drought Continues, Could be Most Extreme Weather Event This Year
by Mijin Cha
Policy Shop / Demos Blog
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/05
.
Government Accountability Project
GAP Sues FDA for Wrongful Withholding of Animal Drug Data
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/12/05-1
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FAIR Blog
Poverty on the Front Page…Along With Other News
*I wonder what the ratio of poverty to puffery is on the front page of USA Today, or any other corpress rag?
Whatever the result, it’s a given that you’ll have to look up the spelling of “infinitesimal” to describe it.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2012/12/05/poverty-on-the-front-page-along-with-other-news/
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Walmart Forces Workers on Medicaid as Obamacare Architect Goes to Big Pharma — and the Blogger who Predicted Both
*Uncle Sam (Walton, that is) wants you
To pay for his penny pinching and his “associate” squeezing
And the CAP and SEIU are “liberal” in their aiding and abetting of same
DEMOCRACY NOW!
From Small Island States to Largest Polluters, “Everyone Is Looking to the U.S.” on Global Warming
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/5/from_small_island_states_to_largest
“Get It Done”: After Stirring Durban Speech, Student Anjali Appadurai Initially Banned by U.N. in Doha
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/5/one_year_after_stirring_address_youth
From Fossil Fuels to Global Warming Denial, Koch Brothers May Be Biggest Force Behind U.S. Inaction
*Of course, it’s not just rabid reactionaries like the Kochs that are the problem, is it?
You have a liberal icon of a president ready to rev up this pipeline to perdition as part of his “All of the Above (leaving what’s truly needed below)” energy strategy.
We have to “isolate” every bad actor in this malignant melodrama, not just the bastards in the black capes with the sinister sneers.
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/5/from_fossil_fuels_to_global_warming
12/4
Police Fire Tear Gas on Anti-Morsi Protesters: ‘This is the Last Warning Before We Lay Siege’
Crowds protest ‘illegitimate’ constitution outside presidential palace
– Common Dreams staff
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/04-3
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GOP Opposition Defeats Treaty Protecting Rights of Disabled
Treaty modeled after Americans for Disabilities Act fails to get two-thirds majority in Senate vote
– Common Dreams staff
*Of course this is heartless horseshit, but keep in mind all those bastards like Kerry and Dole have placed in wheelchairs – and in graves – through their actions.
And that the Senate voted 94-0 to expand sanctions on Iran, and how many suffer from that vicious policy.
And no number of “touching moments” will alter that reality, will it?
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/04-9
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Foodies Get Wobbly
Food supply chain workers adopt the IWW’s radical actions to fight abusive employers.
by Michelle Chen
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/04
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Wall Street Manipulates Deficit Angst with ‘Fiscal Cliff’ Fear
Deficit hawks rely on media allies to report budget doom to advance their agenda of cutting Medicare and social security
by Dean Baker
*Our ignorance
Is their bliss
And their business
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/04-3
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It Takes a Cabal of Willing Governments to Maintain Global Tax Havens
When corporations say what they do to shield profit from taxation is “legal” they’re often right. And this is wrong.
by Martin Kirk
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/04-0
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Food & Water Watch
The Value of Nothing: GDP Alternatives to the Alternatives
New Food & Water Watch Issue Brief Emphasizes Importance of Measuring Well-Being Without Extending Market Values to Natural Resources
*This vital concept can be extended to the production of renewable energy, and yet many mainstream enviro groups seem perfectly willing to have the same corporate structure that’s brought us to the precipice also control clean energy as well.
The problem isn’t just the product
It’s the producers, as well.
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/12/04-6
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FAIR Blog
Julian Assange, Erin Burnett and the Battle Over Press Freedom
*I imagine CNN had more of an interrogation than an interview of Assange in mind, don’t you?
But I do think that his initial response – “these little things about Ecuador” – was hypocritical, and gave Burnett’s grilling unwarranted legitimacy.
It mirrors how gummint officials and corporate types downplay issues they’re confronted with, and as such is not to be emulated by anyone claiming a fealty to the facts.
That said, comparing Assange’s transgression to the corpress’ utter disregard for honesty is akin to equating shoplifting with armed robbery
Or the routine operation of the mortgage division of a major bank.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2012/12/04/julian-assange-erin-burnett-and-the-battle-over-press-freedom/
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Think We Live in a Colorblind Era? Welcome to Wet Seal
*The corpress is willfully blind
And it has nothing to do with an indifference to color
http://www.fair.org/blog/2012/12/04/think-we-live-in-a-colorblind-era-welcome-to-wet-seal/
CBS, Cliff Jumping and Your Family’s Tax Burden
*It would be a grave error to rely on these Cliff Notes
http://www.fair.org/blog/2012/12/04/cbs-cliff-jumping-and-your-familys-tax-burden/
.
Institute for Public Accuracy
Uproar Grows as Sen. Feinstein’s Husband Profits from Post Office Privatization
DEMOCRACY NOW!
As Typhoon Bopha Wreaks Havoc, Philippine Negotiator Urges Wealthy Nations to Address Global Warming
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/4/as_typhoon_bopha_wreaks_havoc_philippine
Study: Wealthy Nations’ Fossil Fuel Subsidies 5 Times Greater Than Climate Aid to Countries in Need
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/4/study_wealthy_nations_fossil_fuel_subsidies
12/3
Gaza Quiz
by Stephen R. Shalom
*Certain to be flunked by anyone relying on the corpress for Cliffs Notes
http://www.newpol.org/node/711
.
RootsAction
Apple Censors Drone War
*What you don’t know
Can kill them
http://act.rootsaction.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=6750
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Tar Sands Activists Barricade Themselves Inside Keystone XL
Another act in Tar Sands Blockade’s ceaseless fight against TransCanada’s pipeline
– Common Dreams staff
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/03-1
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UK Uncut Claims Victory as Starbucks Begins to Crack on Tax Avoidance
– Common Dreams staff
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/03-2
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Debtpocalypse, Austerity and the Hollowing Out of America
Modern US history and the archeology of decline
by Steve Fraser
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/03-5
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Five Facts About America’s Pathological Wealth Distribution
by Paul Buchheit
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/03
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How Consolidated Agribusiness Harms The Organic Sector
by Wenonah Hauter
*A natural attraction to profits
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/12/03-9
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International Campaign to Ban Landmines
Finish the Job! Says Nobel Prize Winning Campaign on 15th Anniversary of Mine Ban Treaty
*”[A]nd all of NATO, with the exception of the United States … “
But one manifestation of the true meaning of “American exceptionalism”
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2012/12/03-6
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FAIR Blog
When a Tax on the Rich Is Actually a Tax on the Rich
*Isn’t it curious how those who seem so concerned about the consequences of tax cuts on the middle class on these “roundtables”
Are never actually members of it?
You can call that altruism.
I can think of another word for it.
http://www.fair.org/blog/2012/12/03/when-a-tax-on-the-rich-is-actually-a-tax-on-the-rich/
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Institute for Public Accuracy
Billions in Local Corporate Subsidies Highlighted by New York Times Series
*Them what’s gots, gets
And them what’s not, gets screwed
DEMOCRACY NOW!
Climate Cliff: As Global Emissions Peak, Hopes for U.N. Climate Deal in Doha at All-Time Low
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/3/as_global_emissions_peak_hopes_for
At U.N. Climate Summit in Doha, Arab Youth Activists Stage Qata