At the end of the video, you'll find a bunch of links to other videos, if you want more science.
I particularly liked "Fracking: the Dirty Truth in North Dakota".
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
What is Fracking, Anyway?
Here's a cool Rap Video that will explain it. The title, appropriately, is "My Water's On Fire Tonight":
At the end of the video, you'll find a bunch of links to other videos, if you want more science.
I particularly liked "Fracking: the Dirty Truth in North Dakota".
At the end of the video, you'll find a bunch of links to other videos, if you want more science.
I particularly liked "Fracking: the Dirty Truth in North Dakota".
Monday, April 29, 2013
The Google Test - Don't Panic!!
I'm not giving up the Blog - though I'm most grateful for the concern!
The "Google Test" started when I first posted a screed on the Beat Hotel.
I was trying to find out whether Google's pageview count, etc, made any sense. So I wrote that I wanted "to see how many people read this post - or more to the point, whether Google's software succeeded in counting them properly. There have supposedly been 18 new views of the Blog since I posted this about 10 pm California time, yet Google claims only 2 people looked at this post.
"I think they're fucked up. If you want to confirm that, please email me at thewaronthe60s@gmail.com and say you read it. If more than 2 people did, then we have our proof."
All I meant to say thereafter, was that the test was over. NOT that I was giving up blogging! Blogging is a gas - kind of like having one's own newspaper. Especially since the numbers of readers seems to be climbing, which is really very pleasing! On Saturday we almost broke a century, with Google claiming 96 pageviews - thanks very much, all!
Thanks to the 3 people who sent regrets for the premature burial of the Blog; it's actually only been running since January. I'm still not quite happy with the layout - would rather allow people to choose from a menu of topics - and there are quite a few other changes in layout I'd like to do, but haven't yet been able to figure out how.
And, as you gathered, I'm not impressed with Google's counting software. They say the Blog has no Followers, though I know there are at least 3.
I may later move the Blog to another provider, but do not fear, we won't lose touch with each other!
Peace and Love, all!
Richard.
The "Google Test" started when I first posted a screed on the Beat Hotel.
I was trying to find out whether Google's pageview count, etc, made any sense. So I wrote that I wanted "to see how many people read this post - or more to the point, whether Google's software succeeded in counting them properly. There have supposedly been 18 new views of the Blog since I posted this about 10 pm California time, yet Google claims only 2 people looked at this post.
"I think they're fucked up. If you want to confirm that, please email me at thewaronthe60s@gmail.com and say you read it. If more than 2 people did, then we have our proof."
All I meant to say thereafter, was that the test was over. NOT that I was giving up blogging! Blogging is a gas - kind of like having one's own newspaper. Especially since the numbers of readers seems to be climbing, which is really very pleasing! On Saturday we almost broke a century, with Google claiming 96 pageviews - thanks very much, all!
Thanks to the 3 people who sent regrets for the premature burial of the Blog; it's actually only been running since January. I'm still not quite happy with the layout - would rather allow people to choose from a menu of topics - and there are quite a few other changes in layout I'd like to do, but haven't yet been able to figure out how.
And, as you gathered, I'm not impressed with Google's counting software. They say the Blog has no Followers, though I know there are at least 3.
I may later move the Blog to another provider, but do not fear, we won't lose touch with each other!
Peace and Love, all!
Richard.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Very Cool: The Beat Hotel
Paris, 1957 - the Beats, progenitors of the great 60's cultural movements....
Just finished watching a wonderful documentary, filmed in 2011, at the old "Beat Hotel" in the Latin Quarter of Paris, where in the late 1950s there gathered an extraordinary collection of wayward geniuses including Alan Ginsberg, author of "Howl", ex-criminal wild-man poet Gregory Corso, and William Burroughs ("The Naked Lunch"), followers of Dadaism and inventors of the cut-up technique of novelising.
It's available on Instant Netflix, here.
The film, directed by Alan Govenar, uses an artful mix of old photos, recent interviews with very smart people, black-and-white recreations of scenes using actors to represent the Bohemian originals, and special effects, to show the importance (and lunacy) of this amazing gathering of souls.
One interviewee, Barry Miles, is a vastly prolific author on the counterculture, involved among many other things, with the Beatles and the London underground paper “International Times”. He's the author of a fascinating book called The Beat Hotel: Ginsberg, Burroughs, and Corso in Paris, 1958-1963, and he has this to say:
“... the important thing about the Beat generation was that they looked at life – all of life – as subject matter. Poetry was no longer just daffodils..... they used anything, dirty old shoes, unspeakable sexual acts, they discussed their bowel movements and they discussed the use of drugs – anything and everything became their subject matter.
“They really set about quite intentionally, breaking through the Saturday Evening Post view of middle-class suburban America. Life after Auschwitz and the Holocaust, and after the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki could never be the same, you can't just go back to the old set of values, that's something that had to change. They were looking for answers.”
The tiny, scruffy and above all cheap hotel, at 9, Rue Git-Le-Coeur, was run by an amazing couple, M. and Mme. Rachou, who seem to have gained their love of the gift of freedom from time spent in the WW2 French Resistance.
The Beats' importance, as Barry Miles describes it, was that they “gave a direction to the next generation and to the Hippies, to the young people and the youth movement of the 60s”
“The legacy of the Beat Hotel, I think, was that you don't need a lot of money, or luxury, or comfort, to create. It's the sheer creative energy of endless talking and experiments and projects. By giving them that kind of freedom, they produced incredible works – Ginsberg's “Kaddish”, Burroughs' “The Naked Lunch”, Gregory Corso's [poem] “Bomb”, all of these things came out of this insignificant little hotel on the Left Bank – largely because the conditions were right, and it was Bohemia working at its best.”
And Jean-Jacques Lebel, a notable artist in his own right, who translated the Beats' most notable works into French, adds “one of the proofs of that was that in May '68, which was the most important General Strike in the whole history of capitalism, and a mental upheaval, a mental insurrection, not only a General Strike, … there were bits of poems of Allen Ginsburg written on the walls of Paris. I mean that was the living proof that something had been transmitted of the magical moment of the poetic creativity....
 |
| A shot from David Cronenberg's film of William S. Burroughs' "The Naked Lunch. |
Friday, April 26, 2013
The Fight for your Social Security......
.... continues to gather momentum.
Here's the petition that Congressman Alan Grayson and other Reps are sending around. It's simple and to the point - blunt even, which is appropriate.
As of 10.16 pm Friday, 2,368,239 citizens have signed the petition. By tomorrow it may well be 3 million!
Grayson says "35 members of Congress have pledged to vote against legislation that cuts Social Security, Medicaid or Medicare benefits."
As always, he summarises the situation succinctly: "Every few years, Wall Street Republicans come up with some new scheme to gut these programs. These attempts have always failed, because the voters shout out "NO," in big capital letters. So this time, the bad guys are changing their strategy - they are going to float out vague concepts like "entitlement reform" in the media, and then at the very last minute present an up-or-down vote on vicious cuts, while screaming that the end of the world is nigh. That way, Republicans can pretend that we simply have no choice but to cut these popular programs, without ever having to confess publicly that they are in favor of these cuts.
We, The People are going to have to work hard to prevent this. And we can't afford to wait until the last minute, so we're going to short-circuit this malevolent process now. The way to do that is to get politicians on record right now against cuts. But I can't do it alone; I need you to help me. What I need you to do is simple. E-mail your member of Congress asking whether he or she supports a cut in the cost-of-living increase for Social Security and veterans benefits. Then send me the response, so I can make it public. Over time, we'll compile a list of members of Congress and where they stand on these programs. Then, when the crisis moment of "you must vote for this or the world ends" comes, we'll be ready. We can then say, "You already promised your constituents you'd vote NO."
We've set up a website that allows you to ask your Member of Congress where they stand on cutting cost-of-living benefits.
So let's get your Member of Congress on the record. Click here:
http://www.CitizenWhip.com
In a week or so, we'll circle back with you and ask you to share with us the information you received from your Member of Congress. If he or she hasn't sent you anything, we want to know that as well.
Social Security is a promise, an obligation from all of us to all of us. Let's make sure that your Member of Congress sees it that way."
Here's the petition that Congressman Alan Grayson and other Reps are sending around. It's simple and to the point - blunt even, which is appropriate.
Petition: "We Are Against Any and Every Cut to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits. Not today, not tomorrow, and not ever. No way, no how. Not on your life, and certainly not on mine. N-E-V-E-R. Sincerely, The American People"
As of 10.16 pm Friday, 2,368,239 citizens have signed the petition. By tomorrow it may well be 3 million!
Grayson says "35 members of Congress have pledged to vote against legislation that cuts Social Security, Medicaid or Medicare benefits."
As always, he summarises the situation succinctly: "Every few years, Wall Street Republicans come up with some new scheme to gut these programs. These attempts have always failed, because the voters shout out "NO," in big capital letters. So this time, the bad guys are changing their strategy - they are going to float out vague concepts like "entitlement reform" in the media, and then at the very last minute present an up-or-down vote on vicious cuts, while screaming that the end of the world is nigh. That way, Republicans can pretend that we simply have no choice but to cut these popular programs, without ever having to confess publicly that they are in favor of these cuts.
We, The People are going to have to work hard to prevent this. And we can't afford to wait until the last minute, so we're going to short-circuit this malevolent process now. The way to do that is to get politicians on record right now against cuts. But I can't do it alone; I need you to help me. What I need you to do is simple. E-mail your member of Congress asking whether he or she supports a cut in the cost-of-living increase for Social Security and veterans benefits. Then send me the response, so I can make it public. Over time, we'll compile a list of members of Congress and where they stand on these programs. Then, when the crisis moment of "you must vote for this or the world ends" comes, we'll be ready. We can then say, "You already promised your constituents you'd vote NO."
We've set up a website that allows you to ask your Member of Congress where they stand on cutting cost-of-living benefits.
So let's get your Member of Congress on the record. Click here:
http://www.CitizenWhip.com
In a week or so, we'll circle back with you and ask you to share with us the information you received from your Member of Congress. If he or she hasn't sent you anything, we want to know that as well.
Social Security is a promise, an obligation from all of us to all of us. Let's make sure that your Member of Congress sees it that way."
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
More Glamour from Lise
This beautiful, elegantly-dressed lady hails from... hmmmmmmmm maybe Kurdistan? (I'd better check!)
And this beautiful, elegantly-dressed lady hails from Southern California:
They're both on display at Lise Solvang's glorious blog, A Hand Knit Life.
Lise now has so much beauty on her site that it takes a minute or two to load, but it's worth the wait. She also has some inspiring stories of how Knitting is helping people around the world.
Don't miss it!
And this beautiful, elegantly-dressed lady hails from Southern California:
They're both on display at Lise Solvang's glorious blog, A Hand Knit Life.
Lise now has so much beauty on her site that it takes a minute or two to load, but it's worth the wait. She also has some inspiring stories of how Knitting is helping people around the world.
Don't miss it!
Friday, April 19, 2013
LA Times Festival of Books at USC
The LA Times Festival of Books takes place this weekend, at the USC campus. An exciting 2 days of readings, performances, panel discussions, and literary fun - and admission is FREE!
you can see the full Program here.
The respected Historian and KPFK Host Jon Wiener sent a schedule of guests he has an interest in, and panels he will be hosting:
you can see the full Program here.
The respected Historian and KPFK Host Jon Wiener sent a schedule of guests he has an interest in, and panels he will be hosting:
Saturday 12:30: RH Smith on James Brown ("The One") featured this week on KPFK
Saturday 2:00: Rebecca Solnit ("The Faraway Nearby") frequent guest
Saturday 3:00: Victor Navasky on political cartoons ("The Art of Controversy") featured this week on KPFK
Sunday 10:30: Amy Wilentz ("Farewell Fred Voodoo: Haiti") frequent guest
Sunday 1:30: Pico Iyer ("Man Within My Head") frequent guest
Sunday 3:30: Jeff Wasserstrom "People and Place") frequent guest
and also. . .
Saturday 4:30: "Holocaust Lives" panel moderator Jon Wiener
Sunday 11:00: "Cold War Hollywood" panelist Jon Wiener
Don't miss it! See you there!
Geek of The Week's Economist Brother...
... presents an international comparison of the 1%'s rip-off, across the world stage:
As you can see, the British greedy-pig class is scrambling to keep up with their American buddies, with the Germans following along behind. The Swedes and the Dutch still know what civiized values are - no big surprise, really.
The credit goes to an Oregon Blog (rather dry; sorry, I have to be truthful!): http://oregonecon.blogspot.com/
(Click on the graph to see it bigger and clearer.)
As you can see, the British greedy-pig class is scrambling to keep up with their American buddies, with the Germans following along behind. The Swedes and the Dutch still know what civiized values are - no big surprise, really.
The credit goes to an Oregon Blog (rather dry; sorry, I have to be truthful!): http://oregonecon.blogspot.com/
Thursday, April 18, 2013
UPDATE to "Overthrowing Citizens United: Progress!"
In addition to the material below, People For the American Way tell us that there's a Ballot Initiative in progress right here: "in California, where we've already achieved a major victory in the legislature, an effort to get a referendum on the 2014 ballot supporting a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United JUST launched -- think of the incredibly powerful message it will send if we can get voters in a state of 40 million people to overwhelmingly approve this measure directly!"
They're also "... working with a coalition of state groups and state legislators to draft an advisory referendum to push back on Citizens United in Wisconsin and are engaged in similar efforts in Minnesota..."
Of course, PFAW need money; you can donate here: https://secure.pfaw.org/site/Donation2?3446.donation=form1&idb=349402178&df_id=3446&autologin=true
............................................................................................
People For the American Way report that
- 12 states have passed legislation supporting a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United, including West Virginia just last week...and we're working on getting it passed in New Hampshire, Washington State and Nevada this session...
- We're helping to build grassroots and "grass tops" support in more states, like Delaware, where we've helped organize support for a sign-on letter from state legislators to the congressional delegation, and Wisconsin, where we're building support with a statewide petition effort...
- More than 500 local resolutions have passed, including one we recently helped get passed by referendum in the New Hampshire Senate Majority Leader's district, in part to increase pressure on him to move the state bill...
As they so accurately say,
"The Supreme Court's disastrous 5-4 decision in 2010's Citizens United v. FEC made the longstanding problem of big money in politics exponentially worse, opening the floodgates for unlimited spending by Super PACs, corporate special interests and billionaire right-wing ideologues in America's elections. It's getting worse with each cycle, but PFAW is mobilizing Americans in every corner of this country to build the support we'll need to amend the Constitution and undo Citizens United."
You can check out PFAW and their issues here.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Friday, April 12, 2013
Time to Stop "Too Big to Jail"
From Action for the Common Good/Campaign for a Fair Settlement:
Brian Kettenring
“Breaking the law is not a trade secret.” – Sen. Elizabeth Warren, April 11, 2013
$300. For having your home taken from you illegally.
Is that your idea of justice? The federal bank regulators think it is. Want to know why? Sorry, they can't tell you - that would mean revealing "trade secrets" of the banks.
It true. This week some 4 million families whose homes were stolen by Wall Street criminals in 2009 and 2010 will be getting a total of $3.6 billion in compensation. Most will receive less than $1000. For losing their homes. That amount was arbitrarily determined by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and when asked why in a Senate hearing yesterday, they said turning over the information would mean turning over confidential “trade secrets”.
To which Sen. Warren responded, “Breaking the law is not a trade secret." [1]
Exactly. That’s why hundreds of homeowners from around the country are going to DC this May to demand an end to Too Big to Jail. You can support their fight by signing on to this call to AG Eric Holder and President Obama to start criminal prosecutions of criminal Wall Street bankers.If our system of justice worked, two things should have happened: (1) those responsible should have been prosecuted for their crimes, and (2) borrowers should have been compensated for these violations. You already know that Attorney General Holder and the Justice Department have given the bankers get out of jail free cards. Now the federal regulators have allowed them to pay pennies on the dollar to people who lost their homes. That's what happens with Too Big to Jail.
In hearings on April 10th, Senator Warren posed the right question: “Have the families been protected, or have the banks been protected?” So far the regulators and Justice Department have thrown down with the banks, not with families. That's what happens with Too Big to Jail.
We’ve made calls, sent petitions, written letters – and we’re still not seeing the change we need. So next month members of the Home Defenders League, supported by the Campaign for a Fair Settlement, are taking things right to the steps of the Justice Department in DC.
Add your voice to those going to DC by signing on to the petition to the Administration here. We can guarantee your signature will be delivered as part of dramatic and bold actions at the very heart of law enforcement in the United States.
$300. For having your home taken from you illegally.
Is that your idea of justice? The federal bank regulators think it is. Want to know why? Sorry, they can't tell you - that would mean revealing "trade secrets" of the banks.
It true. This week some 4 million families whose homes were stolen by Wall Street criminals in 2009 and 2010 will be getting a total of $3.6 billion in compensation. Most will receive less than $1000. For losing their homes. That amount was arbitrarily determined by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and when asked why in a Senate hearing yesterday, they said turning over the information would mean turning over confidential “trade secrets”.
To which Sen. Warren responded, “Breaking the law is not a trade secret." [1]
Exactly. That’s why hundreds of homeowners from around the country are going to DC this May to demand an end to Too Big to Jail. You can support their fight by signing on to this call to AG Eric Holder and President Obama to start criminal prosecutions of criminal Wall Street bankers.If our system of justice worked, two things should have happened: (1) those responsible should have been prosecuted for their crimes, and (2) borrowers should have been compensated for these violations. You already know that Attorney General Holder and the Justice Department have given the bankers get out of jail free cards. Now the federal regulators have allowed them to pay pennies on the dollar to people who lost their homes. That's what happens with Too Big to Jail.
In hearings on April 10th, Senator Warren posed the right question: “Have the families been protected, or have the banks been protected?” So far the regulators and Justice Department have thrown down with the banks, not with families. That's what happens with Too Big to Jail.
We’ve made calls, sent petitions, written letters – and we’re still not seeing the change we need. So next month members of the Home Defenders League, supported by the Campaign for a Fair Settlement, are taking things right to the steps of the Justice Department in DC.
Add your voice to those going to DC by signing on to the petition to the Administration here. We can guarantee your signature will be delivered as part of dramatic and bold actions at the very heart of law enforcement in the United States.
Delivering the 333,000 signatures on April 2 was just the beginning. And we've got Too Big to Jail in our sights.
In solidarity,
Brian Kettenring
Executive Director, Action for the Common Good
Campaign Director, Campaign for a Fair Settlement
Campaign Director, Campaign for a Fair Settlement
P.S. If YOU want to join the powerful actions in DC, you can register for more information HERE. Home Defenders League staff will contact you with more details.
[1] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zD7zM9K0X4c
[1] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zD7zM9K0X4c
Sarah Palin Loves Margaret Thatcher, but Thatcher - not so much....
This is from 2011, from (an apparently British) Blog called Palingates, which follows the antics of the loony former Alaska Gov.
Sarah Palin told the Sunday Times:
"I am going to Sudan in July and hope to stop in England on the way. I am just hoping Mrs Thatcher is well enough to see me as I so admire her."
A person close to Margaret Thatcher told The Guardian:
"Lady Thatcher will not be seeing Sarah Palin. That would be belittling for Margaret. Sarah Palin is nuts."
Please read the rest of the article, it's fun!
Thatcher to Palin: "Don't call us, we'll call you (never)" - UPDATE
Sarah Palin told the Sunday Times:
"I am going to Sudan in July and hope to stop in England on the way. I am just hoping Mrs Thatcher is well enough to see me as I so admire her."
A person close to Margaret Thatcher told The Guardian:
"Lady Thatcher will not be seeing Sarah Palin. That would be belittling for Margaret. Sarah Palin is nuts."
 |
| Who's this Palin woman? |
Please read the rest of the article, it's fun!
Thursday, April 11, 2013
When Gerald "Jerry" Conti decided to retire from his teaching career after 27 years at Westhill High School in New York, he went out with a bang.
On March 29, Conti, 62, posted the text of his resignation letter on Facebook, along with a photo of Porky Pig saying "That's All Folks!"
The letter lays out why, after several decades, Conti believed he had to call it quits. Conti points the blame at legislators who "failed us by selling children out to private industries such as Pearson Education," a testing company. He argued the New York State United Teachers union failed its members by not mounting an effective campaign against standardized testing, and said there's now a "pervasive atmosphere of distrust" preventing teachers from developing their own tests and quizzes.
"After writing all of this I realize that I am not leaving my profession, in truth, it has left me. It no longer exists," Conti wrote in the letter.
Read on at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/09/teacher-resignation-letter-gerald-conti_n_3046595.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular
On March 29, Conti, 62, posted the text of his resignation letter on Facebook, along with a photo of Porky Pig saying "That's All Folks!"
The letter lays out why, after several decades, Conti believed he had to call it quits. Conti points the blame at legislators who "failed us by selling children out to private industries such as Pearson Education," a testing company. He argued the New York State United Teachers union failed its members by not mounting an effective campaign against standardized testing, and said there's now a "pervasive atmosphere of distrust" preventing teachers from developing their own tests and quizzes.
"After writing all of this I realize that I am not leaving my profession, in truth, it has left me. It no longer exists," Conti wrote in the letter.
Read on at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/09/teacher-resignation-letter-gerald-conti_n_3046595.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular
Thatcher and Reagan, Tree-Huggers
Interesting snippet on KPFK (Pacifica Radio for Los Angeles) yesterday afternoon, April 10th; they played tapes of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan, each telling the World that Climate Change is caused by human activity and we need to act urgently to prevent disaster......
They also noted that Thatcher studied Science (I believe it was Chemistry) at Oxford, and believed in basing sound policy on scientific data - Imagine!
[The photo I had here yesterday, of Thatcher and Reagan dancing together, seems to have disappeareed - but this is just as good....]
You can hear them here, on the Fine Brad Friedman Blog: http://www.bradblog.com/?p=9959, or on the KPFK Archive at http://archive.kpfk.org/ (scroll down to Wednedsday 3 pm)
(Brad is the go-to guy on everything to do with election-stealing skullduggery.)
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Bankers Weep, Real People Rejoice
Margaret Thatcher is dead at 87.
Just a couple of personal observations; as a bright-eyed young BBC Researcher, I put together the logistics for one of Margaret Thatcher's key interviews (with Robin Day) for the General Election of 1979 that brought her to power. What a heavy burden of guilt!
I grew up in a Britain where the two major Parties, Labour and Conservative, basically agreed on the fundamentals of a Liberal Democracy: quality education and decent housing for all, the National Health Service, benefits and pensions for all who needed them - what we call Civilization. Thatcher threw much of that out of the window, and it seems as though the rest is swiftly following under the present lot. I remember observing at the family dinner-table, "I didn't know what conservative was, till Thatcher came to power." What a happy state that was.
At the time I couldn't understand why she and Reagan were such close pals. Everyone in Europe knew that Reagan was way too dumb to be fit for high office, no matter what they thought of his politics. Apparently no one in the American public noticed that he was senile when he went to the White House, and completely gaga by the time he confessed on videotape that he OK'd the "neat idea" (per Oliver North) of the Iran-Contra balls-up.
Nobody "noticed" that he confessed, either.
Once I got to the USA, and saw real, 18th-Century, dog-eat-dog Capitalist brutality and hypocrisy at work, I understood that Thatcher and Reagan were complete political soul-mates, even though one was brilliant and forceful, and the other stupid and pussy-whipped.
Just a couple of personal observations; as a bright-eyed young BBC Researcher, I put together the logistics for one of Margaret Thatcher's key interviews (with Robin Day) for the General Election of 1979 that brought her to power. What a heavy burden of guilt!
I grew up in a Britain where the two major Parties, Labour and Conservative, basically agreed on the fundamentals of a Liberal Democracy: quality education and decent housing for all, the National Health Service, benefits and pensions for all who needed them - what we call Civilization. Thatcher threw much of that out of the window, and it seems as though the rest is swiftly following under the present lot. I remember observing at the family dinner-table, "I didn't know what conservative was, till Thatcher came to power." What a happy state that was.
At the time I couldn't understand why she and Reagan were such close pals. Everyone in Europe knew that Reagan was way too dumb to be fit for high office, no matter what they thought of his politics. Apparently no one in the American public noticed that he was senile when he went to the White House, and completely gaga by the time he confessed on videotape that he OK'd the "neat idea" (per Oliver North) of the Iran-Contra balls-up.
Nobody "noticed" that he confessed, either.
Once I got to the USA, and saw real, 18th-Century, dog-eat-dog Capitalist brutality and hypocrisy at work, I understood that Thatcher and Reagan were complete political soul-mates, even though one was brilliant and forceful, and the other stupid and pussy-whipped.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Frankenfish Alert: Do you know about this GMO salmon thing?
This just in from Credo:
AquAdvantage by AquaBounty could become the first brand of genetically modified (GMO) frankenfish coming to your grocery’s seafood case - but opposition from supermarket chains could help us stop it.
Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s have already agreed to boycott the fish, but none of the other supermarket chains like Kroger, Safeway, Target, and Walmart -- which account for the vast majority of supermarkets under various brands -- has commented yet.
Tell national supermarket chains: No frankenfish for me. Join the campaign for GMO-free seafood and refuse to sell genetically engineered salmon. Click the link below to sign the petition.
http://act.credoaction.com/sign/grocer_gmo_salmon/?referring_akid=7265.1429594.ltgt0-&source=paste1
Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s have already agreed to boycott the fish, but none of the other supermarket chains like Kroger, Safeway, Target, and Walmart -- which account for the vast majority of supermarkets under various brands -- has commented yet.
Tell national supermarket chains: No frankenfish for me. Join the campaign for GMO-free seafood and refuse to sell genetically engineered salmon. Click the link below to sign the petition.
http://act.credoaction.com/sign/grocer_gmo_salmon/?referring_akid=7265.1429594.ltgt0-&source=paste1
Sunday, April 7, 2013
New Strand - Corporate Horrors
This new Strand to the Blog is for YOU to contribute to!
If you're like me, You are SICK TO DEATH of the ever-repeated LIE that Corporations are good for us.
The Founding Fathers hated the whole idea of Corporations, and, later, when Corporations were chartered at all, it was only to allow them to perform one project, such as building a bridge, after which their Charter was revoked, and the corporation was wound up.
Watch this space for a Post on The Powell Memorandum....
A major part of the LIE is that Corporations are efficient, and Government is not. The truth is that you will almost always have a better experience (in the USA) dealing with a Government Department, than you will with a Corporation, except when they are trying to lure you into giving them money, when of course, nothing is too much trouble....
What I want to do with this "Corporate Horrors" Strand, is to give YOU a space where you can post your horror stories. My own examples are pretty minor, 'cos my Scottish thrift prevents me from throwing away the little money I have, and I watch these bastards like a hawk; I post them below just to start the discussion.
But we know there are people who are bankrupted, even driven to an early grave, by the antics of these business monsters. Almost every day, the average citizen is forced to spend long periods on the phone, being jerked around by Corporate Bureaucrats.
My Bank horror story: (They may have stopped this now, but...) WAMU (Washington Mutual Bank) would deduct all debits from my account before applying credits, so that I appeared to overdraw. Then they'd penalize me for the fake overdraft!
If you're like me, You are SICK TO DEATH of the ever-repeated LIE that Corporations are good for us.
The Founding Fathers hated the whole idea of Corporations, and, later, when Corporations were chartered at all, it was only to allow them to perform one project, such as building a bridge, after which their Charter was revoked, and the corporation was wound up.
Watch this space for a Post on The Powell Memorandum....
A major part of the LIE is that Corporations are efficient, and Government is not. The truth is that you will almost always have a better experience (in the USA) dealing with a Government Department, than you will with a Corporation, except when they are trying to lure you into giving them money, when of course, nothing is too much trouble....
What I want to do with this "Corporate Horrors" Strand, is to give YOU a space where you can post your horror stories. My own examples are pretty minor, 'cos my Scottish thrift prevents me from throwing away the little money I have, and I watch these bastards like a hawk; I post them below just to start the discussion.
But we know there are people who are bankrupted, even driven to an early grave, by the antics of these business monsters. Almost every day, the average citizen is forced to spend long periods on the phone, being jerked around by Corporate Bureaucrats.
My Bank horror story: (They may have stopped this now, but...) WAMU (Washington Mutual Bank) would deduct all debits from my account before applying credits, so that I appeared to overdraw. Then they'd penalize me for the fake overdraft!
Credit horror: My credit rating was wrongly downgraded: I challenged a false "ding" to my credit report, and was told twice that it had been removed from my record. But it's still there, and I still get "offers" to pay it off - Nearly 20 YEARS later!
I've written to Sen. Elizabeth Warren before, suggesting that she investigate the whole Credit report system, wherein Corporations are Judge, Jury and Executioner in their own cases, and the citizen has NO recourse!Furthermore, I've been told by a banker that one's Credit Rating can be harmed by applying for credit, or for checking too often on one's credit rating!
And don't even get me started on Medical Insurance companies - suffice to say that I no longer bother.
So have at it! Let's hear your stories! If we build up a big enough head of steam, maybe we'll even get some action going, to change things.
Remember, when Fascism was invented in Italy, it mean Rule by Corporations!
I've written to Sen. Elizabeth Warren before, suggesting that she investigate the whole Credit report system, wherein Corporations are Judge, Jury and Executioner in their own cases, and the citizen has NO recourse!Furthermore, I've been told by a banker that one's Credit Rating can be harmed by applying for credit, or for checking too often on one's credit rating!
And don't even get me started on Medical Insurance companies - suffice to say that I no longer bother.
So have at it! Let's hear your stories! If we build up a big enough head of steam, maybe we'll even get some action going, to change things.
Remember, when Fascism was invented in Italy, it mean Rule by Corporations!
Too Big to Jail - HUGE support for the Cause!
Following up on my last post from April 4th, "Too big to fail? Too big to exist!" - we learn tha 333,000 signatures have been presented in ONE DAY to US Attorneys across the country, demanding an end to Too Big to Jail and a start to criminal prosecutions against Wall Street bankers.
Here's the report from The Campaign for a Fair Settlement:
"333,000 signatures, 13 groups, eight cities, one demand: End Too Big to Jail. Delivered.
This past Tuesday April 2, groups from coast to coast converged on US Attorney’s offices to hand-in the petition you signed to President Obama demanding an end to Too Big to Jail and a start to criminal prosecutions against Wall Street bankers.
In Charlotte, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Sacramento, St. Louis, and San Diego, members of our coalition of 13 local and national organizations watched either the local US Attorneys themselves or representatives from their offices accept your petition. We even got a police escort to speak directly to US Attorney Richard Callahan in St. Louis!
Here’s the thing. Although we know Attorney General Eric Holder heard that we dropped in across the US backed up by the voices of 333,000 people, we know it’s going to take more action to get him and the White House to change their tunes on too big to fail = too big to jail.
That’s why hundreds of homeowners, foreclosure victims and allies will converge on in Washington DC from May 18-25 and engage in dramatic action at the Department of Justice, holding the Obama Administration accountable for not being willing to jail any bankers. They are planning a host of powerful events for the entire week including non-violent civil disobedience. The Campaign for a Fair Settlement is supporting the Week of Action. Add your voice by socially signing on to a statement of support, powered by ActionSprout, on the Home Defenders League Facebook page.
200 underwater homeowners and foreclosure fighters from around the country organized by the Home Defenders League are leading these actions. Since 2008 not one banker has gone to jail for destroying the economy, stealing our homes, our wealth, and our secure future, even after years of fighting back, a popular movement like Occupy Wall Street, and petition deliveries of hundreds of thousands of signatures like the one this week. It’s time to go directly to DC and interrupt business as usual. Add your voice to this effort by socially signing on to a statement of support on the HDL Facebook page, powered by Action Sprout, for the 200 Home Defenders who will lead these actions in DC in May.
May is going to be an exciting time in the fight to hold Wall Street accountable. We’re looking forward to fighting side by side with you.
In solidarity, Brian Kettenring
PS. You can read the full roundup of Tuesday deliveries on CFS’s Shooting The Bull blog here."
Here's the report from The Campaign for a Fair Settlement:
"333,000 signatures, 13 groups, eight cities, one demand: End Too Big to Jail. Delivered.
This past Tuesday April 2, groups from coast to coast converged on US Attorney’s offices to hand-in the petition you signed to President Obama demanding an end to Too Big to Jail and a start to criminal prosecutions against Wall Street bankers.
In Charlotte, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Sacramento, St. Louis, and San Diego, members of our coalition of 13 local and national organizations watched either the local US Attorneys themselves or representatives from their offices accept your petition. We even got a police escort to speak directly to US Attorney Richard Callahan in St. Louis!
Here’s the thing. Although we know Attorney General Eric Holder heard that we dropped in across the US backed up by the voices of 333,000 people, we know it’s going to take more action to get him and the White House to change their tunes on too big to fail = too big to jail.
That’s why hundreds of homeowners, foreclosure victims and allies will converge on in Washington DC from May 18-25 and engage in dramatic action at the Department of Justice, holding the Obama Administration accountable for not being willing to jail any bankers. They are planning a host of powerful events for the entire week including non-violent civil disobedience. The Campaign for a Fair Settlement is supporting the Week of Action. Add your voice by socially signing on to a statement of support, powered by ActionSprout, on the Home Defenders League Facebook page.
200 underwater homeowners and foreclosure fighters from around the country organized by the Home Defenders League are leading these actions. Since 2008 not one banker has gone to jail for destroying the economy, stealing our homes, our wealth, and our secure future, even after years of fighting back, a popular movement like Occupy Wall Street, and petition deliveries of hundreds of thousands of signatures like the one this week. It’s time to go directly to DC and interrupt business as usual. Add your voice to this effort by socially signing on to a statement of support on the HDL Facebook page, powered by Action Sprout, for the 200 Home Defenders who will lead these actions in DC in May.
May is going to be an exciting time in the fight to hold Wall Street accountable. We’re looking forward to fighting side by side with you.
In solidarity, Brian Kettenring
PS. You can read the full roundup of Tuesday deliveries on CFS’s Shooting The Bull blog here."
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Peace and Love, Man! 60s Rock - Go for it!
The music of one of the greatest decades in human history. This video will get you going!
Too big to fail? Too big to exist!
"If an institution is too big to fail, it is too big to exist."
Finally, a Senator tells us what we've been saying since the hypocritical nonsense began in 2008. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont says “... the six largest financial institutions in this country (J.P. Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley) today have assets of nearly $9.6 trillion, a figure equal to about two-thirds of the nation's gross domestic product. These six financial institutions issue more than two-thirds of all credit cards, over half of all mortgages, control 95 percent of all derivatives held in financial institutions and hold more than 40 percent of all bank deposits in the United States.”
- and he is introducing legislation to do something about it. Here's his announcement in HuffPost:
"Too Big to Jail?
By Senator Bernie Sanders - We are supposed to be a country of laws. The laws should apply to Wall Street as well as everybody else. So I was stunned when our country's top law enforcement official recently suggested it might be difficult to prosecute financial institutions that commit crimes because it may destabilize the financial system of our country and the world.
"I am concerned," Attorney General Eric Holder told the Senate Judiciary Committee, "that the size of some of these institutions becomes so large that it does become difficult for us to prosecute them when we are hit with indications that if we do prosecute -- if we do bring a criminal charge -- it will have a negative impact on the national economy, perhaps even the world economy."
The attorney general was talking about some of the same financial institutions that received billions, and in some cases trillions, of dollars in taxpayer bailouts after their greed, recklessness and illegal behavior plunged the country into a terrible recession. Over my opposition, Congress approved a $700 billion taxpayer bailout of financial institutions that were on the brink of collapse which some in Congress considered "too big to fail."
In addition, the Federal Reserve provided over $16 trillion in total financial assistance to these same institutions during the financial crisis (which only became public after an amendment I inserted into the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act requiring the Fed to disclose this information).
The attorney general's view seems to be that if you are just a regular person and you commit a crime, you go to jail. But if you are the head of a Wall Street company, your power is so great that a prosecution could have destabilizing consequences with national or even worldwide implications.
In other words, we have a situation now where Wall Street banks are not only too big to fail, they are too big to jail. That view is unacceptable.
The attorney general's troubling acknowledgement has revived interest in an idea that is drawing more and more support. It is time to break up too big to fail financial institutions.
The 10 largest banks in the United States are bigger today than they were before a taxpayer bailout following the 2008 financial crisis.
U.S. banks have become so big that the six largest financial institutions in this country (J.P. Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley) today have assets of nearly $9.6 trillion, a figure equal to about two-thirds of the nation's gross domestic product. These six financial institutions issue more than two-thirds of all credit cards, over half of all mortgages, control 95 percent of all derivatives held in financial institutions and hold more than 40 percent of all bank deposits in the United States.
I will soon introduce legislation that would give the Treasury secretary 90 days to compile a list of commercial banks, investment banks, hedge funds and insurance companies that the Treasury Department determines are too big to fail. The affected financial institutions would include "any entity that has grown so large that its failure would have a catastrophic effect on the stability of either the financial system or the United States economy without substantial government assistance." Within one year after the legislation becomes law, the Treasury Department would be required to break up those banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions identified by the secretary.
Breaking up the too big to fail financial institutions is a notion that has drawn support from some leading figures in the financial community. Richard Fisher, president of the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank, wrote this: "The safer the individual banks, the safer the financial system. The ultimate destination -- an economy relatively free from financial crises -- won't be reached until we have the fortitude to break up the giant banks." James Bullard, the head of the St. Louis Fed, also weighed in. "I do kind of agree that 'too big to fail' is 'too big to exist.'" Thomas Hoenig, the former Kansas City Fed president, was an early supporter of the idea of breaking up big U.S. banks. "I think [too big to fail banks] should be broken up. And in doing so, I think you'll make the financial system itself more stable. I think you will make it more competitive, and I think you will have long-run benefits over our current system, which leads to bailouts when crises occur."
In my view, no single financial institution should be so large that its failure would cause catastrophic risk to millions of American jobs or to our nation's economic wellbeing. No single financial institution should have holdings so extensive that its failure could send the world economy into crisis. And, perhaps most importantly, no institution in America should be above the law. We need to break up these institutions because of the tremendous damage they have done to our economy.
If an institution is too big to fail, it is too big to exist"
Bernie Sanders rolls up his sleeves....
Finally, a Senator tells us what we've been saying since the hypocritical nonsense began in 2008. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont says “... the six largest financial institutions in this country (J.P. Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley) today have assets of nearly $9.6 trillion, a figure equal to about two-thirds of the nation's gross domestic product. These six financial institutions issue more than two-thirds of all credit cards, over half of all mortgages, control 95 percent of all derivatives held in financial institutions and hold more than 40 percent of all bank deposits in the United States.”
- and he is introducing legislation to do something about it. Here's his announcement in HuffPost:
"Too Big to Jail?
By Senator Bernie Sanders - We are supposed to be a country of laws. The laws should apply to Wall Street as well as everybody else. So I was stunned when our country's top law enforcement official recently suggested it might be difficult to prosecute financial institutions that commit crimes because it may destabilize the financial system of our country and the world.
"I am concerned," Attorney General Eric Holder told the Senate Judiciary Committee, "that the size of some of these institutions becomes so large that it does become difficult for us to prosecute them when we are hit with indications that if we do prosecute -- if we do bring a criminal charge -- it will have a negative impact on the national economy, perhaps even the world economy."
The attorney general was talking about some of the same financial institutions that received billions, and in some cases trillions, of dollars in taxpayer bailouts after their greed, recklessness and illegal behavior plunged the country into a terrible recession. Over my opposition, Congress approved a $700 billion taxpayer bailout of financial institutions that were on the brink of collapse which some in Congress considered "too big to fail."
In addition, the Federal Reserve provided over $16 trillion in total financial assistance to these same institutions during the financial crisis (which only became public after an amendment I inserted into the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act requiring the Fed to disclose this information).
The attorney general's view seems to be that if you are just a regular person and you commit a crime, you go to jail. But if you are the head of a Wall Street company, your power is so great that a prosecution could have destabilizing consequences with national or even worldwide implications.
In other words, we have a situation now where Wall Street banks are not only too big to fail, they are too big to jail. That view is unacceptable.
The attorney general's troubling acknowledgement has revived interest in an idea that is drawing more and more support. It is time to break up too big to fail financial institutions.
The 10 largest banks in the United States are bigger today than they were before a taxpayer bailout following the 2008 financial crisis.
U.S. banks have become so big that the six largest financial institutions in this country (J.P. Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley) today have assets of nearly $9.6 trillion, a figure equal to about two-thirds of the nation's gross domestic product. These six financial institutions issue more than two-thirds of all credit cards, over half of all mortgages, control 95 percent of all derivatives held in financial institutions and hold more than 40 percent of all bank deposits in the United States.
I will soon introduce legislation that would give the Treasury secretary 90 days to compile a list of commercial banks, investment banks, hedge funds and insurance companies that the Treasury Department determines are too big to fail. The affected financial institutions would include "any entity that has grown so large that its failure would have a catastrophic effect on the stability of either the financial system or the United States economy without substantial government assistance." Within one year after the legislation becomes law, the Treasury Department would be required to break up those banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions identified by the secretary.
Breaking up the too big to fail financial institutions is a notion that has drawn support from some leading figures in the financial community. Richard Fisher, president of the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank, wrote this: "The safer the individual banks, the safer the financial system. The ultimate destination -- an economy relatively free from financial crises -- won't be reached until we have the fortitude to break up the giant banks." James Bullard, the head of the St. Louis Fed, also weighed in. "I do kind of agree that 'too big to fail' is 'too big to exist.'" Thomas Hoenig, the former Kansas City Fed president, was an early supporter of the idea of breaking up big U.S. banks. "I think [too big to fail banks] should be broken up. And in doing so, I think you'll make the financial system itself more stable. I think you will make it more competitive, and I think you will have long-run benefits over our current system, which leads to bailouts when crises occur."
In my view, no single financial institution should be so large that its failure would cause catastrophic risk to millions of American jobs or to our nation's economic wellbeing. No single financial institution should have holdings so extensive that its failure could send the world economy into crisis. And, perhaps most importantly, no institution in America should be above the law. We need to break up these institutions because of the tremendous damage they have done to our economy.
If an institution is too big to fail, it is too big to exist"
GMO's: Congress "Operates with the Same Awareness as a Flatulent Grandpa"
Jon Stewart's "Daily Show" nails it again! Did you know that the slimy criminals who infest our halls of Government are allowed to amend our laws without even having to attach their names to their crimes?
"Wait! They can do what?!?"
Watch the Clip below...
But first, while I'm on the subject of our useless leaders: that habit that Obama-the-haha!-Socialist and the senile Harry Reid have, of not advancing any courageous measure whatsoever, on the excuse that they don't have enough votes to win (remember the Public Option on Healthcare?) - that habit that we all just assumed was the usual Dimmocratic habitual cowardice? Well, that habit also has the consequence of never making them stand up and be on record for what they vote for or against. Not to labor the point, but suppose you're a cowardly Dimm whose constituents are clamoring for Gun Control, but you're quietly stuffing your face at the NRA trough? Thanks to Obama's chickenshittery, you never have to say publicly what you stand for.
[Google apparently only allows us to link to YouTube videos, other sources are SOL.]
Watch on, Brothers and Sisters at this link.... http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-april-3-2013/you-stuck-what-where-now-
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
What the Frack? Tar Sands Doing Their Worst
Tar Sands Crude Pipeline Ruptures, Dumps 84,000 Gallons on Mayflower, Arkansas
From the excellent Locust Fork News-Journal comes this report:
"Forty-five minutes. That’s how much time it took a ruptured pipeline in Mayflower, Arkansas, on Friday to dump at least 84,000 gallons of tar sands crude into a residential neighborhood and force the evacuation of 22 homes.
The evacuations weren’t just because the oil is messy or inconvenient. Highly toxic and carcinogenic solvents like benzene are used to dilute tar sands crude to make it pumpable. During a spill, those toxics evaporate into the air.Just over two weeks. That’s how much time people have left to tell President Obama he should reject the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline, according to the Sierra Club.
“We’ll be living with the consequences of his decision for a lot longer,” Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune said in a statement issued in the wake of the Mayflower Spill.
“The climate pollution that mining the tar sands would create is reason enough not to approve Keystone,” he said. “But last weekend’s disaster in Arkansas is a glaring reminder of the other reason: Tar sands crude is much riskier to transport than conventional oil.”
The ExxonMobile Pegasus pipeline that leaked in Mayflower has only about one-tenth of the carrying capacity that the Keystone XL would."
(Read more at the Link)
All You Fascists Bound to Lose....
I was trawling around the Internet, as you do - came across this great tribute to the mighty working-class-hero folksinger, Woody Guthrie: http://blog.locustfork.net/2012/08/what-would-woody-guthrie-think-of-america-on-his-99th-birthday/
This is just a tad out-of-date, as it was published by the estimable Locust Fork News-Journal on what would have been Woody Guthrie's 99th birthday, August 18th, 2012 - but it's valuable, nonetheless - and fun!
The Blog asks "What Would Woody Guthrie Think of America On His 99th Birthday?" and has some pungent thoughts on the subject:
"Would he be proud we elected our first ever African-American president in 2008? Would he be appalled that these fake revolutionaries flying under a tea party banner would be about to overturn that election with a river of dirty money and a pack of lies? Would he be engaged in the movement to highlight the 99% vs. the 1%?
Woodie Guthrie, forerunner of the 60s folk revival (which happily, is quietly continuing) - playing his trademark "This Machine Kills Fascists" Geetar.
This is just a tad out-of-date, as it was published by the estimable Locust Fork News-Journal on what would have been Woody Guthrie's 99th birthday, August 18th, 2012 - but it's valuable, nonetheless - and fun!
The Blog asks "What Would Woody Guthrie Think of America On His 99th Birthday?" and has some pungent thoughts on the subject:
"Would he be proud we elected our first ever African-American president in 2008? Would he be appalled that these fake revolutionaries flying under a tea party banner would be about to overturn that election with a river of dirty money and a pack of lies? Would he be engaged in the movement to highlight the 99% vs. the 1%?
You bet ya!"
[Apologies: I've been having a hell of a time getting to post a video of Woody to this blog - technology screws us again! However, you can see a cool historic video from the 1940s, by following this link to the wonderfully-named Un-American Bandstand: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwcKwGS7OSQ&feature=player_embedded]
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