Nothing will change since the military is in power and it seems that Saudi Arabia is planning to give the Egyptian army $1.3 billion to match the US moneys, this is to ensure that the Egyptian end up with a government the US, Israel and Saudi want. The repression is starting. To stay abreast of the events in North Africa or in the Middle East check Lede.
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Saudi is Mobilizing Troops to Quail Discontent Reports Al Jazeera and The Guardian
In the press the emphasis has been on the evil Gaddafi, and very little on King Abdullah Aziz of Saudi Arabia who is mobilizing thousands of troops to quail the rising discontent, as reported Aljazeera and The Guardian this morning. The different treatment of the two leaders seems to reflect the US likes and dislikes. Everyone knows Gaddafi is disliked and King Abdullah is liked. King Abdullah is more important for the US and its economy because: he owns 7% of News Corp., he paid $36 billion of the $60 billion the US spent on the Gulf war Wikipedia, he owns part of the US national debt and of course he provides us with oil.
"College the Easy Way", a NY Times story by Bob Herbert
A study recently published shows that students are partying more, studying less and yet are B students. This lack of learning could have catastrophic consequences for the US and its place in the world. Check the story in the NY Times.
Wikileaks Cables and Saudi Arabia
It seems that the royal family is getting outrageous monthly stipends. Check Reuters.
Soldier in Leaks Case Will Be Made to Sleep Naked Nightly, a story by Charlie Savage in the New york Times
The treatment of Manning is torture: no prisoner's should be denied his clothing or be kept in solitary confinement.
See the article in the NY Times.
See the article in the NY Times.
Sudents at Berkeley are protesting state cuts
Finally, the students show some motion towards protecting their tuitions and the quality of their education. Check the article in the NY Times.
Shock Doctrine, U.S.A. by Paul Krugman
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 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.
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?
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.
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.
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
About the Revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa
(Mubarak did not step down because the US and Israel do not want him to, he is their puppet; but if the protests continue he will have to. and he did).
What is becoming clear is that the US has armed many Muslim nations whose leaders are dictators who have used US made weapons against their neighbors and their own people. The people can longer accept their fates under their oppressive governments; they want change. They want to choose and elect their governments, they want their independence from Europe and the US, and they want jobs and equal justice.
Because the US may not like the choices the people make i.e. the Palestinians' choice of Hamas or the Lebanese choice of Hezbolah; it keeps backing dictators like the Mubaraks or the Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz al-Saudr.
Who will fall next?
People once angry organize and eventually prevail, the lesson to the world is making leaders tremble, good because this will inevitably lead to real changes, to social changes. The message to all leaders is that revolutions can happen anywhere and world governments must take notice.
In New Military, Data Overload Can Be Deadly
In February 2010, the drone gamers murdered 23 Afghani civilians, including children, and the excuse is data overload. NY Times report. We don't care about excuses we want the murderers in prison for life and we want the public to put pressure on our government to stop the use of drones.
Comment on financial cuts to public colleges and universities.
The US students are beaten humans accepting cuts which ultimately will make them less competitive in a job market which is starting to leave graduated students stranded without employment for months even years. Their lack of commitment to their cause is a reflection of a cowardly nation; and this cattle behavior will eventually cost the dynamism of this country.
Afghan Panel and U.S. Dispute War's Toll on Property
The military has denied a report by an Afghan commission that the US military operation in Kandahar is responsible for $100 million in damage to homes and farms see NY Times' article.
It seems that the US military is using similar tactics than Israel by deliberately destroying homes; shame on us all for letting our military terrorize populations, and level properties.
We must recall our troops home now.
Thoughts on the Arizona shooting
It should be a wake up call to the rest of the world of the Extreme political Right and its rising power in the US. We know from experience that we must stop the development of such movement. Also, it should alarm US citizens that fascists are among them armed and since the fasco-terrorists associate themselves with the politics of the"Tea Party -ers" , we must consider the "Tea Party-ers" a dangerous group.
We are all in shock by the horror.
We are all in shock by the horror.
Also see Dr. Krugman's paper in the NY Times. Although contrary to him I believe that hate talk is not the only reason we see in house terrorism and certainly it would be an error to criminalize such rhetoric because it is easier to know who the "enemy" is when the "enemy" is loud.
Also, I am against gun control because sometimes a call to arm is necessary. If in Germany anyone who was Jewish had been armed, then Jews could have defended themselves and the outcome could have been changed. And although I am for peace and non-violence I am not for turning the other cheek. It is necessary for people to defend themselves in the face of disturbed enemies like Hitler, Mussolini or Pétain.
Also, I am against gun control because sometimes a call to arm is necessary. If in Germany anyone who was Jewish had been armed, then Jews could have defended themselves and the outcome could have been changed. And although I am for peace and non-violence I am not for turning the other cheek. It is necessary for people to defend themselves in the face of disturbed enemies like Hitler, Mussolini or Pétain.
Flying Machines, Amazing at Any Angle
Scientists at the University of Montana Flight Laboratory are obsessed with bridging the gap in flying abilities between birds and human beings.
A Physicist Solves the City
What makes a city grow and thrive? What causes it to stagnate and fall? Geoffrey West thinks the tools of physics can give us the answers.
A Secretive Banking Elite Rules Trading in Derivatives
More fuel to conspiracy theories: are we sure that Obama is governing? Check Louise Story's article in the New York Times.
In theory, clearinghouses exist to safeguard the integrity of the multitrillion-dollar derivatives market. In practice, they also defend big banks’ dominance.
Published on Wednesday, December 8, 2010 by The Guardian/UK
MasterCard Site Partially Frozen by Hackers in WikiLeaks 'Revenge'
Operation: Payback hacks into MasterCard site over payment network's decision to cease taking donations to WikiLeaks
Compensation and the I.R.S.: It's Not the 'Good' Old Days
In 1941, wealthy people paid about 70% of their income in taxes; now it is around 40%. Check the New York Times.
Few New Jobs as Jobless Rate Rises to 9.8%
The economy added only 39,000 jobs in November, dampening hopes that a recovery was building.
The solution is simple cut the military budget by $400 billion and spend the money on maintenance and creative projects which would establish the US as a leader in urban development and energy conservation.
US Embassy cables culprit should be executed, says Mike Huckabee
Secrets are kept by the government to prevent the people who elected it to know the truth. We must protect the courageous citizens who leaked the information to the press. Check the article in The Guardian.
Can you imagine what would happen if this guy is elected?
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