this was an exciting interview, made even more sweet by the fact that my guest was the opening guest on Bill Maher's show the previous Friday. We went to some very interesting places-- tips on investigative journalism, observations on spy agencies, power, media, to name a few.
As Ukraine gears up for attack I spent three days with the defense forces asking questions that should have been answered already in Donbass- The media won't ask them because the answers destroy the propaganda leveled at the region.
We have become an occupied nation. The corporate oligarchy that runs the show in Washington uses space-based technologies to spy on us and to direct all warfare on the planet. In a way, you could call today's expensive military satellites the "triggers" that make the high-tech weapons like drones and missiles work.
C R Sridhar examines the phenomenon of tax havens and their role in globalization.Contrary to the conventional view of a fringe activity ,tax havens are an integral part of the world economy.
By Paul Glover
From the Middle Class to the Mutual Class
Millennials can become a prosperous Mutual Class by starting genuinely nonprofit mutual aid systems that enable them to live well by sharing resources. Such programs were widespread and successful one hundred years ago.
From the Middle Class to the Mutual Class
Millennials can become a prosperous Mutual Class by starting genuinely nonprofit mutual aid systems that enable them to live well by sharing resources. Such programs were widespread and successful one hundred years ago.
The U.S. Air Force says it is not halting its use of Depleted Uranium weapons, has recently sent them to the Middle East, and is prepared to use them.
The politicized redistricting process known as "gerrymandering" is "a plague on both our parties," is "a byproduct of a failed democracy," and must be reined in before partisan state legislatures fully disenfranchise voters.
The American Dream Is Leaving America
THE best escalator to opportunity in America is education. But a new study underscores that the escalator is broken.
THE best escalator to opportunity in America is education. But a new study underscores that the escalator is broken.
A senior Dutch prosecutor on the MH17 case told Der Spiegel that instigators were open to the theory that Malaysian flight MH17 was shot down by "another plane." The prosecutor also implied (very strongly) that U.S. and German governments had either not provided key evidence they claim to have or provided evidence that was less than persuasive.
In "Citizen Four," a documentary about the Snowden saga currently being screened at select theaters in the US, Greenwald and fellow Intercept journalist Jeremy Scahill acknowledge that a new source has provided the reporters with information in the wake of the NSA leaks.
Once again, the U.S. is at war. Once again, the U.S. is ignoring international law and choosing to use military force over diplomacy. Erlich's "Inside Syria" should be widely read, because we are once again at war without the slightest idea of where it leads or what its ultimate goals are.
A review of the "Crossing Brooklyn: Art from Bushwick, Bed-Stuy, and Beyond" exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum. Featured are over 100 works by artists and collectives that either live or work in Brooklyn.
By Tom Engelhardt
Studs Terkel on Death and Forgiveness in America
Studs Terkel, who put oral history on the American map with one spectacular book after another, was a small man who had a knack for making everyone around him feel larger than life. He taught me the first significant lesson I learned as a book editor -- and he didn't even know it.
Studs Terkel on Death and Forgiveness in America
Studs Terkel, who put oral history on the American map with one spectacular book after another, was a small man who had a knack for making everyone around him feel larger than life. He taught me the first significant lesson I learned as a book editor -- and he didn't even know it.
Ebola 2014 is Mutating as Fast as Seasonal Flu
The bottom line is that the Ebola virus is changing rapidly, and in the intermediate to long term (3 months to 24 months), Ebola has the potential to evolve.
The bottom line is that the Ebola virus is changing rapidly, and in the intermediate to long term (3 months to 24 months), Ebola has the potential to evolve.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Monday that Israel would fast-track planning for 1,060 new apartments in populous Jewish neighborhoods of East Jerusalem, a move that appears calibrated to appeal to the maximum number of Israelis while causing the minimum damage to Israel internationally, according to Israeli analysts. Netanyahu has refused to outline the borders of a future Palestinian state or the size of the areas Israel intends to keep, or to commit publicly to land swaps to compensate the Palestinians for any adjustments to the 1967 boundary.
Where else in the world, apart from the Palestinian territories, would the international community stand by idly as so many people suffer -- and not from a random act of God but willed by fellow humans? The reason for the hold-up is, as ever, Israel's "security needs." Gaza can be rebuilt but only to the precise specifications laid down by Israeli officials.
Google is different. Google is visionary. Google is the future. Google gives back to the community.
Brazil is slowly but surely moving from the semi-periphery to being closer to the center of the action in international relations; because of its own regional geopolitical relevance and mostly because of its leading role among the BRICS. This is happening even as Washington could not give a damn about Brazil -- or Latin America for that matter.
Dark Money Makes Our Politics Nastier; by Bill Moyers
A roundup of this week's news from our Wild West campaign finance system. We're less than two weeks away from a midterm election that could decide which party controls the Senate, and ultimately shape the final two years of Barack Obama's presidency.
A roundup of this week's news from our Wild West campaign finance system. We're less than two weeks away from a midterm election that could decide which party controls the Senate, and ultimately shape the final two years of Barack Obama's presidency.
The Government Behind the Elected Government acknowledged by Boston Globe
The Constitution was written to keep military and intelligence agencies under the strict control of elected leaders. But that relationship has been turned on its head in recent decades. The President no longer can make policy. He gets his marching orders from the Pentagon and the CIA.
The Constitution was written to keep military and intelligence agencies under the strict control of elected leaders. But that relationship has been turned on its head in recent decades. The President no longer can make policy. He gets his marching orders from the Pentagon and the CIA.
A 93-year-old veteran turned away from the polls exemplifies exactly what happens when lawmakers erect more barriers to voting. As the leading democracy of the world, our voting system should be free, fair, and accessible to all eligible Americans -- including of course those who have served to protect us. Instead, unfair voting laws are being passed by politicians like those in Texas who are trying to manipulate the system for their own benefit -- because they are afraid of what the voters have to say.
Almost two-thirds of working Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. And they're worried sick about whether their kids will ever make it. They need leaders who understand their plight instead of denying it. They deserve politicians who want to fix it rather than blame it on those who have to depend on public assistance, or who need a higher minimum wage, in order to get by.
We don't have to vote then hope for change. We don't have to march in protest. We don't have to stand by and let the oligarchs dictate our future. We don't need to wait for an election or a revolution. We can slow global climate change. We can. All we have to do is change what we eat. All we have to do is start.
Most pollsters agree that the GOP will pick up seats in Congress and likely take over the senate. What will this mean for policy or legislation? Maybe nothing, given the current gridlock and lack of definition between the two parties. One big change would be the realization of Mitch McConnell's lifetime dream of becoming the majority leader in the senate.
Latest Articles
Nepal gearing to protect public health from tobacco industry interference
As implementation of domestic tobacco control laws and global tobacco treaty is advancing, tobacco industry is indeed facing the heat. Not surprising, that the industry has sued governments when they have attempted to implement life-saving tobacco control measures. Nepal is no exception.
As implementation of domestic tobacco control laws and global tobacco treaty is advancing, tobacco industry is indeed facing the heat. Not surprising, that the industry has sued governments when they have attempted to implement life-saving tobacco control measures. Nepal is no exception.
Not all independents are alike. And this reality could have critical consequences for debates over the future of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and a whole lot more, consequences that ought to understood by everyone who is playing the Senate-control numbers game.
Preparing for Wall Street's next crash
If there is a way out of this dilemma it must come from the general public. The long-standing dissatisfaction with politicians, especially on the national level, must be channeled into a popular campaign to free the legislators and policy makers from the influence of narrow interests.
Best News Links from the Web
While this article is about the exclusion of a particular Libertarian candidate in a specific race it illustrates the tactics being used by both major parties to exclude their third party and independent opponents from debates. If there has been a Green candidate in this race he or she would have faced exactly the same treatment.
It wasn't long ago that coal executives were openly discussing their dream of Republicans seizing the White House and making Oklahoma senator Jim Inhofe -- who believes climate change is a "hoax" concocted by greedy scientists -- the head of the EPA. Now, they have a second chance. As dark money groups and SuperPACs backed by millions of dollars from the fossil fuel industry are propelling Republicans to a Senate majority, climate science-denying politicians are likely to seize control of key committee chairmanships, a coup for companies seeking to pollute the atmosphere with impunity.
Cuomo will push new teacher evaluations, vows to bust school 'monopoly' if re-elected - by BY KENNETH LOVETT ; NY Daily
C STANDS FOR CUOMO, CLUELESS & CORRUPT: Vowing to break "one of the only remaining public monopolies," Gov. Cuomo on Monday at a meeting with the Daily News Editorial Board, that he'll push for a new round of teacher evaluation standards if reelected! HE said better teachers and competition from charter schools are the best ways to revamp an underachieving and entrenched public education system. "I believe these kinds of changes are probably the single best thing that I can do as governor that's going to matter long-term, to break what is in essence one of the only remaining public monopolies -- and that's what this is, it's a public monopoly." He said the key is to put "real performance measures with some competition, which is why I I like charter schools." he will push a plan that includes more incentives -- and sanctions -- that "make it a more rigorous evaluation system."
C STANDS FOR CUOMO, CLUELESS & CORRUPT: Vowing to break "one of the only remaining public monopolies," Gov. Cuomo on Monday at a meeting with the Daily News Editorial Board, that he'll push for a new round of teacher evaluation standards if reelected! HE said better teachers and competition from charter schools are the best ways to revamp an underachieving and entrenched public education system. "I believe these kinds of changes are probably the single best thing that I can do as governor that's going to matter long-term, to break what is in essence one of the only remaining public monopolies -- and that's what this is, it's a public monopoly." He said the key is to put "real performance measures with some competition, which is why I I like charter schools." he will push a plan that includes more incentives -- and sanctions -- that "make it a more rigorous evaluation system."
The Internal Revenue Service is supposed to go after criminals who launder money or people who cheat on their taxes, but lately, agents have been going after ordinary Americans who have been accused of nothing, nada, zilch. Bewildered citizens are having their bank accounts seized and forking over thousands of dollars in legal fees to try to combat this gross violation of their rights -- let's just call it outright theft -- often to no avail. Big bankers who commit heinous financial crimes go free. But the innocent little guys just keep on getting robbed, in this case by the very people who are supposed to protect us. This is what's happening in America today. What's on the agenda for tomorrow?
Will This Election Be a Referendum on Privatization ? BY Diane ravitch
This comes from "In the Public Interest," an organization that reports on outsourcing and privatization, which is usually NOT in the public interest. Donald Cohen writes: As we approach Election Day, a number of governors in tight races are finding that privatizing public services isn't good politics. But it may be good for campaign fundraisers seeking donations from corporations that want government contracts.A new report released by the Center for Media and Democracy highlights the intensive efforts of governors seeking re-election to privatize important public services to private firms. Time after time, outsourcing has gone awry, generating worse outcomes for the public, scandals, lawsuits, and scorching headlines that are impacting the campaigns. The report includes examples from Florida, Kansas, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maine, and Wisconsin. Here are examples from the report
This comes from "In the Public Interest," an organization that reports on outsourcing and privatization, which is usually NOT in the public interest. Donald Cohen writes: As we approach Election Day, a number of governors in tight races are finding that privatizing public services isn't good politics. But it may be good for campaign fundraisers seeking donations from corporations that want government contracts.A new report released by the Center for Media and Democracy highlights the intensive efforts of governors seeking re-election to privatize important public services to private firms. Time after time, outsourcing has gone awry, generating worse outcomes for the public, scandals, lawsuits, and scorching headlines that are impacting the campaigns. The report includes examples from Florida, Kansas, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maine, and Wisconsin. Here are examples from the report
'God is not a magician': Pope says Christians should believe in evolution and Big Bang
'God is not a magician': Pope says Christians should believe in evolution and Big Bang. e "Big Bang" and evolution are not only consistent with biblical teachings, Pope Francis told a Vatican gathering -- they are essential to understanding God. "When we read about Creation in Genesis, we run the risk of imagining God was a magician, with a magic wand able to do everything -- but that is not so," the pope told a plenary assembly of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. "He created human beings and let them develop according to the internal laws that he gave to each one so they would reach their fulfillment," Pope Francis said.
'God is not a magician': Pope says Christians should believe in evolution and Big Bang. e "Big Bang" and evolution are not only consistent with biblical teachings, Pope Francis told a Vatican gathering -- they are essential to understanding God. "When we read about Creation in Genesis, we run the risk of imagining God was a magician, with a magic wand able to do everything -- but that is not so," the pope told a plenary assembly of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. "He created human beings and let them develop according to the internal laws that he gave to each one so they would reach their fulfillment," Pope Francis said.
California: Why Marshall Tuck Should Not Be Elected State Superintendent; by Diane Ravitch
California blogger "RedQueeninLA" reviews the contest between Marshall Tuck and Tom Torlakson for state superintendent and concludes that Tuck is unfit for the office. Tuck is the candidate of the power elite, the billionaires who cynically employ fake rhetoric about "it's all for the kids," when their real goal is to demonize teachers and investin technology. They have zero commitment to public education as a civic responsibility.Tuck comes from the world of investment banking. His education experience at Green Dot Charter Schools and at former Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa's takeover schools was a failure. On that ground alone--his dismal experience--he should be disqualified. But his greatest liability is his contempt for public education. With him at the helm, public school students would have no advocate in Sacramento. But the oligarchs would.
California blogger "RedQueeninLA" reviews the contest between Marshall Tuck and Tom Torlakson for state superintendent and concludes that Tuck is unfit for the office. Tuck is the candidate of the power elite, the billionaires who cynically employ fake rhetoric about "it's all for the kids," when their real goal is to demonize teachers and investin technology. They have zero commitment to public education as a civic responsibility.Tuck comes from the world of investment banking. His education experience at Green Dot Charter Schools and at former Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa's takeover schools was a failure. On that ground alone--his dismal experience--he should be disqualified. But his greatest liability is his contempt for public education. With him at the helm, public school students would have no advocate in Sacramento. But the oligarchs would.
Here's Something Your State Can Do to Fight Corporate Money in Politics; by Bill Moyers
In the post-Citizens United era, nearly 90 percent of Americans think that there is too much corporate money in politics. So why isn't Congress doing anything? Nation Action is the political action blog at The Nation magazine website. The editors post initiatives that their readers can get involved with if they want to become more active on a particular issue. This week, the editors pointed to a campaign that RootsAction, Free Speech for America and The Nation are working on to make corporate campaign donations public information. Here are some of the details. Nearly 90 percent of Americans think that there is too much corporate money in politics. With numbers like that, you would think it would be easy to pass legislation to roll back Citizens United and end the flood of out-of-control corporate spending that has poisoned our elections. That has been far from the case. Just this fall,
In the post-Citizens United era, nearly 90 percent of Americans think that there is too much corporate money in politics. So why isn't Congress doing anything? Nation Action is the political action blog at The Nation magazine website. The editors post initiatives that their readers can get involved with if they want to become more active on a particular issue. This week, the editors pointed to a campaign that RootsAction, Free Speech for America and The Nation are working on to make corporate campaign donations public information. Here are some of the details. Nearly 90 percent of Americans think that there is too much corporate money in politics. With numbers like that, you would think it would be easy to pass legislation to roll back Citizens United and end the flood of out-of-control corporate spending that has poisoned our elections. That has been far from the case. Just this fall,
"More Money Than I Could Count": Mitch McConnell's Very Special Relationship With Lobbyists: by Bill Moyers
There may be no Washington lawmaker cozier with K Street than Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.There may be no Washington lawmaker cozier with K Street than Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). DC law firms and lobbying shops are stuffed with ex-McConnell staffers and pals. And he uses them well to preserve his power and position. As the conservative National Review reported, "McConnell has often exercised power in DC by pressuring major donors to withhold donations from a given lawmaker or organization. His allies on K Street are often the people who deliver this message and 'enforce' it." The stats below show just how close McConnell is with the well-heeled lobbyists of Washington, DC -- a relationship that no doubt will serve both sides well, should the GOP win the Senate and McConnell become its majority leader.
There may be no Washington lawmaker cozier with K Street than Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.There may be no Washington lawmaker cozier with K Street than Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). DC law firms and lobbying shops are stuffed with ex-McConnell staffers and pals. And he uses them well to preserve his power and position. As the conservative National Review reported, "McConnell has often exercised power in DC by pressuring major donors to withhold donations from a given lawmaker or organization. His allies on K Street are often the people who deliver this message and 'enforce' it." The stats below show just how close McConnell is with the well-heeled lobbyists of Washington, DC -- a relationship that no doubt will serve both sides well, should the GOP win the Senate and McConnell become its majority leader.
What Does TIME Have Against America's Teachers?; by Diane Ravitch, Lily Eckerson Garcia and Valerie Strauss
Lily Eckerson Garcia says a friend wrote: "I'm just so tired of the new national pastime -- Beat up a Teacher." She had seen the nasty cover of Time with a court gavel about to smash an apple (a good one by the way). She saw the title and knew it was a lie: It's nearly impossible to fire a bad teacher. But what pushed her over the edge was the subheading: A group of Silicon Valley investors wants to change that. The irony drips. The Wolves of Wall Street woke up one day and decided that all the problems with American education could be solved by"firing teachers. Seriously? My dear friend could not even muster outrage at Time -- next up to bat in a long line of cheap swings at teachers.Time could have written about any number of ways to improve our schools--restoring school funding, actually ensuring equity, and ending the insane and costly No Child Left Behind testing regime,...but
Lily Eckerson Garcia says a friend wrote: "I'm just so tired of the new national pastime -- Beat up a Teacher." She had seen the nasty cover of Time with a court gavel about to smash an apple (a good one by the way). She saw the title and knew it was a lie: It's nearly impossible to fire a bad teacher. But what pushed her over the edge was the subheading: A group of Silicon Valley investors wants to change that. The irony drips. The Wolves of Wall Street woke up one day and decided that all the problems with American education could be solved by"firing teachers. Seriously? My dear friend could not even muster outrage at Time -- next up to bat in a long line of cheap swings at teachers.Time could have written about any number of ways to improve our schools--restoring school funding, actually ensuring equity, and ending the insane and costly No Child Left Behind testing regime,...but
SRC's Contract Move Isn't About Shared Sacrifice -- It's Looting; BY HELEN GYM
15,880 school districts, watch the battle in Philie, because this corruption is epidemic everywhere. Philadelphia's leading activist for public education, complains that the School Reform Commission wrongly canceled the teachers' contract while failing to fight for funding from the state. And it's why the School Reform Commission's move last week to tear up that contract is about far more than the dishonest suggestion of "shared sacrifice" and health care contributions. In an op-ed for the Philadelphia Inquirer last Sunday, SRC Chair Bill Green asked you to believe that the SRC made a necessary move to reverse devastating budget cuts from the last two years. It's disappointing that some of his central facts are plain wrong (just read this Public School Notebook article on the inaccuracies by the SRC and District). It's ironic that Green claims ...
15,880 school districts, watch the battle in Philie, because this corruption is epidemic everywhere. Philadelphia's leading activist for public education, complains that the School Reform Commission wrongly canceled the teachers' contract while failing to fight for funding from the state. And it's why the School Reform Commission's move last week to tear up that contract is about far more than the dishonest suggestion of "shared sacrifice" and health care contributions. In an op-ed for the Philadelphia Inquirer last Sunday, SRC Chair Bill Green asked you to believe that the SRC made a necessary move to reverse devastating budget cuts from the last two years. It's disappointing that some of his central facts are plain wrong (just read this Public School Notebook article on the inaccuracies by the SRC and District). It's ironic that Green claims ...
Peter Dale Scott: Deep State and Bias of Official History
This is a teaser for Peter Dale Scott's new book on the Deep State. He contends that since the JFK assassination, America has an un-elected shadow government pulling the strings of the government that we see and read about. How do Wall Street, oil companies and the shadow government agencies like the CIA and NSA really shape the global political order? In the "American Deep State," Scott takes a compelling look at the facts lurking behind the official histories of events to uncover the real dynamics in play. In this exclusive excerpt--the first of several featured at WhoWhatWhy.com--he looks at the revolving door between Wall Street and the CIA, and what that demonstrates about where power truly resides.
This is a teaser for Peter Dale Scott's new book on the Deep State. He contends that since the JFK assassination, America has an un-elected shadow government pulling the strings of the government that we see and read about. How do Wall Street, oil companies and the shadow government agencies like the CIA and NSA really shape the global political order? In the "American Deep State," Scott takes a compelling look at the facts lurking behind the official histories of events to uncover the real dynamics in play. In this exclusive excerpt--the first of several featured at WhoWhatWhy.com--he looks at the revolving door between Wall Street and the CIA, and what that demonstrates about where power truly resides.
The CIA today hotly denied that it is intentionally holding up the release of a Senate report on its role in torturing detainees, charging instead that Senator Dianne Feinstein's intelligence committee is responsible for dragging out the negotiations. But the redactions made by the CIA left the document in tatters, Senate Democrats said -- unintelligible and missing key supporting evidence. The two sides have been negotiating for three months behind closed doors, as deadlines come and go, with no sign of a breakthrough.
