Daily Headlines
Inside the secret network behind mass surveillance, endless war, and Skynet"---"-part 1
Two decades of free-trade deals have eviscerated the middle class and bloodied the "American dream." If President Obama goes ahead and signs us onto another free-trade deal, especially one as destructive as the TPP, that will be like tying a cement block to the feet of a drowning man.
Two weeks ago, Jeffrey Sterling went to trial at last. He was at the defense table during seven days of proceedings that included very dubious testimony from 23 present and former CIA employees as well as the likes of Condoleezza Rice. Jeffrey Sterling is facing a very long prison sentence. As a whistleblower, he has done a lot for us. He should be invisible no more.
Inside the secret network behind mass surveillance, endless war, and Skynet--part 2
Russia is not Iran -- with all due respect to Iran. If the House of Saud really believes they are talking to the head of a superpower rather than a ventriloquist's puppet -- which is Obama's role -- they are effectively doomed. Nothing Obama says means a thing. The Saudi-launched oil price war is bound to destroy the US oil industry -- against US national interests.
Kabila had telegraphed his intentions while he was carefully grooming the international press, NGOs, and filmmakers to ignore his pathological behavior against the opposition. Kabila successfully triangulated his relationships in order to justify vilification of anyone who successfully protested his regime.
President Barack Obama cut short his trip to India, where he lectured the locals on women's rights, to personally express his warm wishes to the new monarch of Saudi Arabia, a country where women can't drive and are beheaded for crimes including sorcery. In fact, just five days after assuming power, King Salman oversaw his first beheading. It's the beheading capital of the world. They love a good beheading in Saudi Arabia. But don't expect a lecture on human rights from President Obama.
Republicans' Keystone XL pipeline push was stopped short by the first Senate filibuster of 2015 as Democrats blocked Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's bid to end debate on the bill. The new Senate majority will now extend its debate on approving Keystone -- a measure that was seen as an easy GOP win just weeks ago -- as Democrats pressed McConnell to hold more amendment votes as proof of his commitment to a more open process in the chamber than their own party used while it was in power.
The views expressed here are shared by many on the left -and by the President of the Czech republic's neighbor, Hungary, a fact which needs to be further analyzed.
Auschwitz and Standard and Poor - the latest weapons in the anti-Putin war.
Please read Jane Anne Morris' excellent piece about the real amount of energy used to power the Internet. Has anyone written about the amount of energy required to manufacture (and transport to consumers) the devices that access the Internet? In the Atlantic, Yepoka Yeebo recently described the impact that discarded devices (66 pounds per year per Westerner) have on one Ghanaian community.
What is there about northern New Mexico that has drawn artists and writers, including a surprising number of sassy, creative and powerful women, for over a century?
By Janet Weil
Gunman As Hero, Children As Targets, Iraq As Backdrop: A Review of "American Sniper"
The American dead were persons, and they count. The Iraqi dead were objects in a sniper's scope, and they are counted. That in a nutshell is the message of "American Sniper."
Gunman As Hero, Children As Targets, Iraq As Backdrop: A Review of "American Sniper"
The American dead were persons, and they count. The Iraqi dead were objects in a sniper's scope, and they are counted. That in a nutshell is the message of "American Sniper."
Just as Newtonian Physics has been superceded by new physics of Relativity and Quantum Mechanics, so too have Darwin's 19th-century ideas been antiquated and replaced.
By Herbert Calhoun
If Only Adolph Hitler had had Drone Technology?
A Review of Zygmunt Bauman's book "Modernity and the Holocaust," with comments by the reviewer.
If Only Adolph Hitler had had Drone Technology?
A Review of Zygmunt Bauman's book "Modernity and the Holocaust," with comments by the reviewer.
Recent developments in science are beginning to suggest that the universe naturally produces complexity. The emergence of life in general and perhaps even rational life may be extremely common. Scientists are increasingly beginning to discuss how the basic structure of the universe seems to favor the creation of complexity: disordered energy states produce atoms and molecules, which combine to form suns and associated planets, on which life evolves. Life then seems to exhibit its own pattern of increasing complexity, with simple organisms getting more complex over evolutionary time until they eventually develop rationality and complex culture. And recent theoretical developments in Biology and complex systems theory suggest this trend may be real, arising from the basic structure of the universe in a predictable fashion. "You can look at the universe as a kind of 'complexity machine.'"
A Sun-like star with orbiting planets, dating back to the dawn of the Galaxy, has been discovered by a team of astronomers. At 11.2 billion years old it is the oldest star with earth-sized planets ever found and proves that such planets have formed throughout the history of the Universe. The star, named Kepler-444, hosts five planets smaller than Earth, with sizes varying between those of Mercury and Venus. "We've never seen anything like this - it is such an old star and the large number of small planets make it very special." "This tells us that planets this size have formed for most of the history of the universe and we are much better placed to understand exactly when this began happening." "We now know that Earth-sized planets have formed throughout most of the Universe's 13.8-billion-year history, which could provide scope for the existence of ancient life in the Galaxy."
In accepting an offer to address the U.S. Congress, exclusively at the behest of Republican lawmakers, Netanyahu serves short-term Republican political interests and short-term Israeli right-wing interests, but risks a backlash that could destabilize U.S.-Israel relations permanently. This is Netanyahu following the Bush Doctrine: tactics over statesmanship.
Political division may, at times, dominate Palestinian society, but we will always be united by the fact that we are refugees with a common cause: going home. While, for the Palestinians of Yarmouk near Damascus, being a refugee is a matter of life and death -- often by starvation -- for the larger Palestinian collective, the meaning of the word has become more involved: it has been etched onto our skin forever.
A Texas judge on Tuesday refused to dismiss a felony abuse-of-power case against former Gov. Rick Perry on constitutional grounds, ruling that criminal charges against the possible 2016 presidential candidate should stand. Perry has spent more than $1.1 million of his campaign funds on his defense -- and the court's ruling means it will likely continue for several more months at least.
Democrats on a special House committee investigating the deadly 2012 attacks in Benghazi, Libya, have complained that the panel's Republican chairman has excluded them from crucial steps in the investigation while Republicans meet with witnesses. In a strongly worded letter, Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, the panel's top Democrat, said the panel's chairman, Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., has used different standards for Republicans and Democrats and has held secret meetings with witnesses from the State Department and other agencies.
The Prosecutor Who Filed Murder Charges Against The Cops Is Becoming A Police Target
Since DA Kari Brandenburg started floating murder charges against two Albuquerque cops, she has faced a personal criminal investigation by police, and a professional battle to keep her lawyers out.
Since DA Kari Brandenburg started floating murder charges against two Albuquerque cops, she has faced a personal criminal investigation by police, and a professional battle to keep her lawyers out.
Republican leaders like Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) justified cutting Social Security benefits by insisting that half the people getting disability had the sort of back aches and occasional anxieties that we all face. The difference is that they get checks from the government rather than working. For this reason, Rand argued the program is in serious need of reform.
The statistics paint a clear picture: Student debt has soared, and continues to rise. The total amount owed is now $1.3 trillion. Approximately 41 million Americans now carry student debt, a figure which rose 40 percent between 2004 and 2012. Student debt is a dark betrayal at the heart of the American promise, and it must come to an end.
Russian journalists, those independent of American bribes, think that facts matter in the disputes about Russian actions. They think that the assaults on civilians by the American supported Ukrainian Nazis is a fact. But, of course no such fact exists in the Western media. In the Western media the Russians, and only the Russians, are responsible for violence in Ukraine.
Let's face it, the economic crisis was good news for the environment. Greenhouse gas emissions dropped by half during the economic low point in 2008. 'Sustainable Economic Growth' is an Oxymoron.
TPP is a huge "trade" agreement, which will set the rules for 40 percent of the world's economy. It is being negotiated in secret. Corporate representatives are part of the process, stakeholders like environmental, consumer, labor, democracy, health and other groups are excluded from the negotiations.
By Tom Engelhardt
John Feffer: Europe's End?
Remember the glory days of the 1990s, when our interconnectedness -- the ever-tighter embrace of Disney characters, the Swoosh, and the Golden Arches -- was endlessly hailed? It was the era of "globalization," of Washington-style capitalism triumphant, and the planet, we were told, would be growing ever "flatter" until we all ended up in the same mall, no matter where we lived.
John Feffer: Europe's End?
Remember the glory days of the 1990s, when our interconnectedness -- the ever-tighter embrace of Disney characters, the Swoosh, and the Golden Arches -- was endlessly hailed? It was the era of "globalization," of Washington-style capitalism triumphant, and the planet, we were told, would be growing ever "flatter" until we all ended up in the same mall, no matter where we lived.
Did you read this week's New York Times' expose about the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center's experiments to help the meat industry make animals more "profitable"? The Center's experiments, funded by our tax dollars, combine the worst of factory farming with the worst of animal research. And the cruelty, which horrifies even veterinarians, is to help private industry, Big Meat, with public funds. What?
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Homeowner's Associations, created by deed provisions to serve homeowners in condominium developments, are often at odds with individual owners of units. Just last week, news out of New York reported that an HOA was suing a homeowner for parking his own pickup truck in his own driveway. Sometimes these conflicts escalate to the point where the HOA actually forecloses on a homeowner's interest in the unit.
The children's book, A, Bee, See: Who are our Pollinators and Why are They in Trouble, has been released to the public on Youtube.com as a free video. This is a wonderful research to share with anyone who is a teacher or parent
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The segment on the QVC shopping network where host Shawn Killinger and designer Isaac Mizrahi argued over whether or not our Moon was a planet or a star was hilarious. But it was actually comforting that an honest scientific discussion arose spontaneously just from the curiosity of two people. In fact, our Moon is a planet, albeit a minor one. There are 28 planets of all sizes within the orbit of Pluto. The public can be forgiven for not knowing an inside debate within the scientific community of the kind that doesn't get aired very often. The public got a taste of this debate in 2006. In a bureaucratic move that ignored the formal protests of the planetary science community, astronomers demoted Pluto from a "Major" Planet to a "Minor" Planet or a "Dwarf" Planet. But it's still a planet. Just like our Moon. Something Neil deGrasse Tyson knows very well.
Former Fox News employee from Austin affiliate shot himself in front of Fox News headquarters in NYC
A former employee of a Fox News affiliate in Texas shot and killed himself outside the front doors of the News Corporation building shortly before 9 a.m. Monday, a law-enforcement official said. The building houses Fox News headquarters and The Wall Street Journal, both of which are owned by News Corporation. The man, Phillip Perea, 41 years old, of Irving, Texas, shot himself once in the chest outside of 1211 Avenue of the Americas, the official said. Mr. Perea had previously worked for a Fox News affiliate in Austin, Texas.
A former employee of a Fox News affiliate in Texas shot and killed himself outside the front doors of the News Corporation building shortly before 9 a.m. Monday, a law-enforcement official said. The building houses Fox News headquarters and The Wall Street Journal, both of which are owned by News Corporation. The man, Phillip Perea, 41 years old, of Irving, Texas, shot himself once in the chest outside of 1211 Avenue of the Americas, the official said. Mr. Perea had previously worked for a Fox News affiliate in Austin, Texas.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), the former chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, struck back at the CIA Tuesday, blasting the spies for failing to hold personnel accountable for sifting through an off-limits Senate computer drive used to compile a damning report on the agency's post-9/11 torture program. In a lengthy press release, Feinstein engaged in a piece-by-piece dissection of the conclusions of a CIA Accountability Review Board, which announced earlier this month that no agency personnel would be punished for the January 2014 computer trespasses. The review board's report, Feinstein said, was riddled with errors.
Speaker John Boehner is finalizing a plan to sue President Obama again, this time over the administration's decision to grant work visas to millions of undocumented immigrants. Boehner told his conference at a closed-door meeting Tuesday morning that he has a team exploring the best options to challenge last year's executive action, under which the Homeland Security Department will begin granting legal working status to millions of immigrants.
Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who was held captive by enemy forces in Afghanistan for five years, will be charged with desertion, senior defense officials tell NBC News. The officials say the charges could be referred within a week. While a court martial could lead to imprisonment, defense and military officials say it is likely Bergdahl would be given consideration for the 5 years he spent in captivity and be permitted to leave the Army with a "less than honorable discharge." If accepted, Bergdahl would be denied as much as $300 thousand in back pay and bonuses, and reduced in rank to at least Private First Class.
Obama Proposal to Open Atlantic Waters to Oil and Gas Drilling Slammed As 'Horrible'
Despite the objections of environmental groups and local residents, the Obama administration is moving forward with plans to open up large swaths of federally owned waters off the Atlantic coast to oil and gas drilling. The move was revealed by numerous media outlets, which cited anonymous sources, and is expected to be formally announced by the administration on Tuesday. The prospect of drilling in the Atlantic is widely unpopular with many concerned that it could bring a disaster, like BP's 2010 Deepwater Horizen spill, to the eastern seaboard.
Despite the objections of environmental groups and local residents, the Obama administration is moving forward with plans to open up large swaths of federally owned waters off the Atlantic coast to oil and gas drilling. The move was revealed by numerous media outlets, which cited anonymous sources, and is expected to be formally announced by the administration on Tuesday. The prospect of drilling in the Atlantic is widely unpopular with many concerned that it could bring a disaster, like BP's 2010 Deepwater Horizen spill, to the eastern seaboard.
Scientists Are Clear: Big Winter Storms Influenced
As Nor'easter Juno clobbered much of the northeast United States with heavy snow, surging tides and hurricane-force winds on Tuesday, scientists have been quick to note that such increasingly intense weather patterns are simply part of the "new normal" living on a warmer planet.
As Nor'easter Juno clobbered much of the northeast United States with heavy snow, surging tides and hurricane-force winds on Tuesday, scientists have been quick to note that such increasingly intense weather patterns are simply part of the "new normal" living on a warmer planet.
Muslim-Jewish Coexistence: Mark Cohen on its History and Relevance Today - See more at: http://islamicommentary.org/
In this interview, we meet Dr. Mark Cohen, who believes that history can teach us something about the potentialities of Jewish-Muslim coexistence. Interviewer Preville asks, "Do you think Muslims and Jews need to be reminded of their strong historical relationship?" Cohen responds, "It is clear from the Geniza documents that Jews and Muslims coexisted with a much greater degree of harmony than in some other periods of Islamic history and certainly to a much greater extent in Muslim lands than in Christian lands. The situation today has deteriorated so much that people no longer remember those periods of history in which Jews and Muslims lived together relatively peacefully. Jews were always second-class subjects in Muslim lands, as were Christian and Zoroastrians."
In this interview, we meet Dr. Mark Cohen, who believes that history can teach us something about the potentialities of Jewish-Muslim coexistence. Interviewer Preville asks, "Do you think Muslims and Jews need to be reminded of their strong historical relationship?" Cohen responds, "It is clear from the Geniza documents that Jews and Muslims coexisted with a much greater degree of harmony than in some other periods of Islamic history and certainly to a much greater extent in Muslim lands than in Christian lands. The situation today has deteriorated so much that people no longer remember those periods of history in which Jews and Muslims lived together relatively peacefully. Jews were always second-class subjects in Muslim lands, as were Christian and Zoroastrians."
"Flexing its financial might, the political machine backed by billionaires Charles and David Koch on Monday told its allies that spending across its conservative network would approach $1 billion ahead of 2016's elections. The stunning sum from Freedom Partners would dwarf expected spending from official GOP committees and many of the hopefuls expected to seek the party's presidential nomination in 2016. The $889 million budget is almost twice what 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney spent from his campaign accounts. The hefty budget also suggests that the Koch-backed groups are prepared to spend heavily and early to weaken the front-runner for the Democratic nomination, Hillary Clinton. Koch-backed groups such as Americans for Prosperity aired tens of millions of dollars in negative ads against incumbent Democratic lawmakers in 2014 and helped Republicans win a majority in the Senate."
"Echoes bouncing around the universe might be carrying messages from shortly after the Big Seed. The earliest light in the universe is more than 13 billion years old, its photons dating back to an era when plasma generated in the Big Seed cooled enough to let light through. These photons carry information about the state of the early universe, but have been growing ever fainter. Now they form the cosmic microwave background, a low-level sea of radiation permeating the universe. Scientists calculated that events that produce photons -- such as an atom releasing energy -- also create certain echoes in the electromagnetic field, the very field that forms the basis of light. To test how these could carry information, the team imagined someone in the early universe sending a message into the distant future by creating a series of echoes and using them to encode a string of 0s and 1s."
3-D view of Greenland Ice Sheet opens window on ice history
Scientists using ice-penetrating radar have created 3-D maps of the age of the ice within the Greenland Ice Sheet. The new maps will aid future research to understand the impact of climate change on the ice sheet. The Greenland Ice Sheet is the second largest mass of ice on Earth, containing enough water to raise ocean levels by about 20 feet.
Scientists using ice-penetrating radar have created 3-D maps of the age of the ice within the Greenland Ice Sheet. The new maps will aid future research to understand the impact of climate change on the ice sheet. The Greenland Ice Sheet is the second largest mass of ice on Earth, containing enough water to raise ocean levels by about 20 feet.
Using stem cells to grow new hair
Researchers have used human pluripotent stem cells to generate new hair. The study represents the first step toward the development of a cell-based treatment for people with hair loss. In the United States alone, more than 40 million men and 21 million women are affected by hair loss. [May not be of interest to everyone, but could be of great interest to many.]
Researchers have used human pluripotent stem cells to generate new hair. The study represents the first step toward the development of a cell-based treatment for people with hair loss. In the United States alone, more than 40 million men and 21 million women are affected by hair loss. [May not be of interest to everyone, but could be of great interest to many.]
Lefferts Pond: Winter Beauty, Aerial Filming by John David Geery
A cold winter morning in Chittenden, Vermont. My brother has been doing still life photography for a living for many decades (Early Light Photography,johndavidgeery.com). More recently he's gone to "playing with quadracopters" and applying his filming and artistic skills there. My hypothesis is that he's showing the world one of the many proper uses of drones, in this case, capturing the beauty of nature. Hence, I offer this short sample of his work and trust that any viewer will appreciate it. DG
A cold winter morning in Chittenden, Vermont. My brother has been doing still life photography for a living for many decades (Early Light Photography,johndavidgeery.com). More recently he's gone to "playing with quadracopters" and applying his filming and artistic skills there. My hypothesis is that he's showing the world one of the many proper uses of drones, in this case, capturing the beauty of nature. Hence, I offer this short sample of his work and trust that any viewer will appreciate it. DG
Michael Moore disses Fox News and Right Wing Critics in the best way, saying "Well, who would know better about hating our troops than those who supported sending them into a senseless war Iraq in the first place? And, for 4,482 of them, a senseless, unnecessary and regrettable death. If you supported that invasion, if you voted for George W. Bush and the Republicans and Democrats who backed this war, then you are the ones who have some 'splainin' to do. Not me. You." And there's more Moore.
President Barack Obama arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to pay his respects after the death of King Abdullah, a trip that underscores the importance of a U.S.-Saudi alliance that extends beyond oil interests to regional security. Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes told reporters Obama wanted to discuss with the new Saudi King Salman the fight against Islamic State, the volatile situation in Yemen and talks on ending a long running dispute about Iran's nuclear ambitions.
