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A blog interested in the truth, however uncomfortable it might be.  

Shock Doctrine, U.S.A. by Paul Krugman

Published: February 24, 2011
Madison, Wis., is looking a lot like Baghdad in 2003, with government officials exploiting fiscal crises for fun and profit.

Cellphone Use Tied to Changes in Brain Activity writes Tara Parker-Pope in the NY Times

Here is my comment: I think that cellular phones are affecting not only the users, but the non users who get second hand radiation.  Furthermore, we no longer can escape the radiation from antennas on churches' roofs and condominium communities; and from Chernobyl and co. and dental and scanners and mammograms... airports: ionizing radiation cumulates.

The crazy thing is that the resistance to create clean energy affects everyone equally for there is only one atmosphere which the rich and the poor share.  The by-products of polluting industries, resistant to retrofitting have and are contributing to a cancer epidemic.

The Lede: Latest Updates on the Uprising in Libya By Robert Mackey

Here is my comment on The Lede. The message is clear people can be oppressed so much before they will take to the streets to fight for their rights. The Libyans waited until there was a 30% percent unemployment. Where is the breaking point at which populations revolt is a guess the 1% who own 95% of the wealth would like to know so that they can keep stealing the savings of their employees to stay in power and to support their lavish lifestyles without prompting popular movements.

But it is nice to know that people will eventually over throw abusive governments.
The revolutions in northern Africa and the Middle East are giving hopes to all workers and people because they show that unity brings real changes. But it also raises the question: why do Americans show more compassion for the protesters who have been killed than for the hundred of thousands of Iraqis and Afghanis, Palestinians and Lebanese, the US military, the  coalition forces and the Israeli Army have killed?
We praise the courage of the many who still take to the streets when they are met with gases, bullets, and helicopters gunning them down.

US military casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan

Iraq:   4,438 dead
        32,009 wounded

Afghanistan:  1,476 dead
                    9,980 wounded

Total dead:   4,438 + 1,476 = 5,914

Total wounded: 32,009 + 9,971 = 41,980

numbers are from icasualties

How many more lives are we willing to give to protect the interests of the very few?


Budget 2012

Here are some numbers to ponder upon:
      1.  Moneys which would be allocated to spy/homeland security/military/weapons/...
      - $ 55 billion CIA see the Washington Post 
      - $ 671 billion Defense department
      - $ 11.8 billion to National Nuclear security agency (NNSA) oversees nuclear weapons stockpile
      - $ 28.2 billion Justice department (includes FBI)
      - $ 15 billion from State Department budget to go to Iraq/Afghanistan/Pakistan
      - $58.8 billion Veterans affairs
      - $ 43.2 billion Homeland Security

These represent a total of $883 billion which will be used towards the wars machine.

     2.  Moneys for social services, environment, health and education:

      - $77 billion Education department
      - $ 4.4 billion Food and Drug administration
      - $ 41 billion Housing and Urban development
      - $ 79.9 billion health and human services
      - $ 9 billion EPA
       -$ 12.8 billion Department of Labor
      - $ 23.9 billion Department of agriculture

The people's programs would get a total of $248 billion. The numbers scream.

When Democracy Weakens

Check Bob Herbert's article in the NY Times.


Thank you for trying to wake up the apathetic Americans who sit watching their rights dwindle, their jobs gone overseas, their houses being repossessed, university tuitions increased and the creation of a two class system of rich and poor.
The land of opportunity is a myth and so is the American democracy.

CS gas is used on protesters notably in England


This gas damages lungs and the liver; I thought it was a good idea for people to read about it. It was likely the gas used on Egyptian protesters. See Wikipedia