Politics
BANGKOK, Thailand -- America's Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Homeland Security and other agents are investigating "Russian organized crime networks" who are murdering and stealing in Thailand's most popular tourist beach resorts, according to a U.S. Embassy cable released by WikiLeaks.
Thailand is a staunch non-NATO U.S. ally and this modernizing, Buddhist-majority Southeast Asian nation has attracted criminals from all over the world who exploit its friendly ambiance, low cost workers, corrupt officials, and sophisticated forgery and sex industry networks.
The "confidential" cable was headlined: "RUSSIA LOOKS TO REINVIGORATE BILATERAL RELATIONS WITH THAILAND, AGAIN," dated December 4, 2009, and classified by the U.S. Embassy's Deputy Chief of Mission James F. Entwistle, and signed off by Ambassador Eric John who noted "this cable was coordinated with [the U.S.] Embassy [in] Moscow."
Thailand is a staunch non-NATO U.S. ally and this modernizing, Buddhist-majority Southeast Asian nation has attracted criminals from all over the world who exploit its friendly ambiance, low cost workers, corrupt officials, and sophisticated forgery and sex industry networks.
The "confidential" cable was headlined: "RUSSIA LOOKS TO REINVIGORATE BILATERAL RELATIONS WITH THAILAND, AGAIN," dated December 4, 2009, and classified by the U.S. Embassy's Deputy Chief of Mission James F. Entwistle, and signed off by Ambassador Eric John who noted "this cable was coordinated with [the U.S.] Embassy [in] Moscow."
The timing of the Turkish Prime Minister's two-day visit to Lebanon could not be more judicious. Lebanon's enemies have been banging the drums of war louder than ever before. All the malevolent plans hatched following the assassination of Lebanon's former Prime Minister, Rafik Hariri are about to converge for one formidable goal: to destabilize and weaken Lebanon, disarm Hezbollah and allow Israel to return, uncontested, and wreck havoc on the tiny country, the way it remorselessly did in 1982.
The Turkish premier Recep Tayyip Edrogan seemed clear in his intentions during his Lebanon trip. But considering what is at stake, maybe he wasn't clear enough.
Israel is full of "uncertainties" and it is "not definite what it will do," he claimed, according to Turkey's state Anatolia news agency (AA). "Does (Israel) think it can enter Lebanon with the most modern aircraft and tanks to kill women and children, and destroy schools and hospitals, and then expect us to remain silent?" he asked. "We will not be silent and we will support justice by all means available to us."
The Turkish premier Recep Tayyip Edrogan seemed clear in his intentions during his Lebanon trip. But considering what is at stake, maybe he wasn't clear enough.
Israel is full of "uncertainties" and it is "not definite what it will do," he claimed, according to Turkey's state Anatolia news agency (AA). "Does (Israel) think it can enter Lebanon with the most modern aircraft and tanks to kill women and children, and destroy schools and hospitals, and then expect us to remain silent?" he asked. "We will not be silent and we will support justice by all means available to us."
In September 2010, the Ohio Highway Patrol finally released the photos [reproduced below] of Cindy Stankoski mentioned in the Ohio inspector general's report on Marc Dann's 16-month tenure as attorney general.
Dann had been forced to resign in May 2008 after an internal report supported the claims of Stankoski and Vanessa Stout that they were sexually harassed by Dann’s director of general services, Anthony Gutierrez.
When the internal investigators issued their report on May 2, 2008, they did not have the photos, which were found during the inspector general’s subsequent investigation. The public did not become aware of the photos’ existence until the inspector general issued his report on Dec. 22, 2008.
Without releasing the photos, the inspector general’s report described them this way: “During our investigation, we found several risqué photos of Cindy Stankoski on [coworker] Mariellen Aranda’s cell phone. In each, Stankoski flirtatiously sported Gutierrez’s Attorney General-issued badge at her bosom. Stankoski is now claiming that she was sexually harassed by Gutierrez.”
Dann had been forced to resign in May 2008 after an internal report supported the claims of Stankoski and Vanessa Stout that they were sexually harassed by Dann’s director of general services, Anthony Gutierrez.
When the internal investigators issued their report on May 2, 2008, they did not have the photos, which were found during the inspector general’s subsequent investigation. The public did not become aware of the photos’ existence until the inspector general issued his report on Dec. 22, 2008.
Without releasing the photos, the inspector general’s report described them this way: “During our investigation, we found several risqué photos of Cindy Stankoski on [coworker] Mariellen Aranda’s cell phone. In each, Stankoski flirtatiously sported Gutierrez’s Attorney General-issued badge at her bosom. Stankoski is now claiming that she was sexually harassed by Gutierrez.”
The Columbus Dispatch, Ohio’s capitol city daily monopoly, asserts that Columbus’ seven City Council members are “accountable to the entire city.” The Dispatch professes that the current system “remains preferable [to a system] made up of ward politicians pushing for the interests of their neighborhoods above all others.”
What the Dispatch conveniently leaves out is that the Titans that run Columbus, for the most part, live in the affluent suburbs of Bexley, New Albany, Powell, and Dublin. The Wolfe family with their closely held control of their central Ohio media empire, has long found it easier to deal with seven at-large Council members than to face the wrath of the neglected southwest and east sides of the city.
What the Dispatch conveniently leaves out is that the Titans that run Columbus, for the most part, live in the affluent suburbs of Bexley, New Albany, Powell, and Dublin. The Wolfe family with their closely held control of their central Ohio media empire, has long found it easier to deal with seven at-large Council members than to face the wrath of the neglected southwest and east sides of the city.
The Columbus City School Board has abandoned its role to monitor the district's No Child Left Behind (NCLB) funds. The Board has remained silent after the district's Internal Auditor, Carolyn Smith, revealed the Board had not approved 20 million dollars in purchase orders referred to as Super P.O.'s. for the last four years. With preferential treatment in place and no incentive to provide quality-tutoring services, our students are being miserably shortchanged. (Super P.O.'s)
There is no better example of this shortchange than the district's Effectiveness Reports submitted to the Ohio Department of Education for fiscal year 2010 for Supplemental Educational Services (SES) vendors. The report shows only 4 out of 72 vendors received an effective rating. This means the other 68 SES vendors allegedly serving our students received well over $3,000,000 for FY 2010, but were considered either not effective or needing improvement in tutoring basic reading and math.
There is no better example of this shortchange than the district's Effectiveness Reports submitted to the Ohio Department of Education for fiscal year 2010 for Supplemental Educational Services (SES) vendors. The report shows only 4 out of 72 vendors received an effective rating. This means the other 68 SES vendors allegedly serving our students received well over $3,000,000 for FY 2010, but were considered either not effective or needing improvement in tutoring basic reading and math.
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Increasingly deadly bomb attacks across Bangkok have plunged this Buddhist-majority country into confusion, despair and fear because its military and police, who received years of counter-terrorism training by the U.S., are unable to keep the capital safe.
The Thai government exposed its weakness when the prime minister and other officials -- issuing what sounded like a macabre weather report -- bleakly warned more bomb attacks would occur in October but may taper off in November.
Security officials suspect frustrated pro-democracy Red Shirt revolutionaries may now be unleashing bloody revenge assaults in Bangkok, after the military crushed the Reds' nine-week insurrection last Spring, leaving 91 people dead -- mostly civilians -- and more than 1,500 injured.
"If the conflict is not resolved, it is likely that more bombs will be used in attacks, especially IEDs (improvised explosive devices) because they are easily assembled," warned Explosive Ordnance Disposal Police Lt. Col. Khamthorn Auicharoen.
The Thai government exposed its weakness when the prime minister and other officials -- issuing what sounded like a macabre weather report -- bleakly warned more bomb attacks would occur in October but may taper off in November.
Security officials suspect frustrated pro-democracy Red Shirt revolutionaries may now be unleashing bloody revenge assaults in Bangkok, after the military crushed the Reds' nine-week insurrection last Spring, leaving 91 people dead -- mostly civilians -- and more than 1,500 injured.
"If the conflict is not resolved, it is likely that more bombs will be used in attacks, especially IEDs (improvised explosive devices) because they are easily assembled," warned Explosive Ordnance Disposal Police Lt. Col. Khamthorn Auicharoen.
Vermont has elected a governor pledged to make the state truly green by shutting its decrepit, leaking nuclear plant. And the town closest to that reactor has voted to take it by eminent domain if necessary, a step unprecedented in world history.
In reaction, the nuke’s owner (Entergy) has turned tail and put the plant up for sale. (So far, no bidders).
In direct opposition, this post-election week has been marked by radioactive crowing from a dark age industry demanding massive government loan guarantees from “free market” Congressional Republicans. Armed with oceans of unaccountable corporate/billionaire cash, Karl Rove’s new nuclear GOP wants to dump Adam Smith and pump public billions into a failed industry that cannot compete.
They industry continually points to France’s industry as a model. But it’s mute to the fact that France’s leaky, error-prone nukes are owned, operated and regulated (sortof) by the French government. A national socialist prototype, the EDF/Areva edifice---like its counterpart in Japan---would melt and die in an open market.
In reaction, the nuke’s owner (Entergy) has turned tail and put the plant up for sale. (So far, no bidders).
In direct opposition, this post-election week has been marked by radioactive crowing from a dark age industry demanding massive government loan guarantees from “free market” Congressional Republicans. Armed with oceans of unaccountable corporate/billionaire cash, Karl Rove’s new nuclear GOP wants to dump Adam Smith and pump public billions into a failed industry that cannot compete.
They industry continually points to France’s industry as a model. But it’s mute to the fact that France’s leaky, error-prone nukes are owned, operated and regulated (sortof) by the French government. A national socialist prototype, the EDF/Areva edifice---like its counterpart in Japan---would melt and die in an open market.
On Sunday, when the New York Times put a “tossup” label on three dozen House races with Democrats running for re-election, there were very few genuine progressives involved. In fact, just three of the lawmakers on the list are members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. And only one of them is a progressive standout: Raul Grijalva.
With a record of grassroots activism that goes back four decades, Grijalva is the real deal. Since 2003, his presence in Congress -- representing a heavily Latino district in Southern Arizona -- has been a force of nature for progressive advocacy on issues ranging from healthcare and education to war. And immigration.
Now, the forces of xenophobia and bogus “populism” think they smell blood.
Nowhere in the United States is political courage for progressive principles more on the line this Election Day than in the battle to re-elect Grijalva.
Website
With a record of grassroots activism that goes back four decades, Grijalva is the real deal. Since 2003, his presence in Congress -- representing a heavily Latino district in Southern Arizona -- has been a force of nature for progressive advocacy on issues ranging from healthcare and education to war. And immigration.
Now, the forces of xenophobia and bogus “populism” think they smell blood.
Nowhere in the United States is political courage for progressive principles more on the line this Election Day than in the battle to re-elect Grijalva.
Website
Take it from David Axelrod. “Almost the entire Republican margin is based on the enthusiasm gap,” the president’s senior adviser said last week. “And if Democrats come out in the same turnout as Republicans, it’s going to be a much different election.”
But we don’t get to have a different election. After more than 20 months of White House insistence that the only useful role for progressive canaries is to keep singing the president’s tune, the electoral coal mine is filled with the political equivalent of carbon monoxide and methane.
Like canaries in mines -- providing early warnings -- an increasing number of progressives reacted to politically toxic gases. The base was crumbling.
But the purportedly savvy guys at the top of the administration publicly expressed scorn for that base. Instead of viewing its continual erosion as a harbinger of disaster for the midterm election, the dismissive responses included gratuitous verbal swipes from the White House. But public insults have been the least of the problem. The essence has been the policies of governance.
But we don’t get to have a different election. After more than 20 months of White House insistence that the only useful role for progressive canaries is to keep singing the president’s tune, the electoral coal mine is filled with the political equivalent of carbon monoxide and methane.
Like canaries in mines -- providing early warnings -- an increasing number of progressives reacted to politically toxic gases. The base was crumbling.
But the purportedly savvy guys at the top of the administration publicly expressed scorn for that base. Instead of viewing its continual erosion as a harbinger of disaster for the midterm election, the dismissive responses included gratuitous verbal swipes from the White House. But public insults have been the least of the problem. The essence has been the policies of governance.
I've been going door-to-door canvassing, and it's not that bad—really. It's actually kind of fun. But only because I've found a way to break through people's cynicism.
No wonder people are cynical. Crashing from the sky-high hopes of two years ago, people are worried about jobs, the economy and their own uncertain futures, about the wars we’re bogged down in and the threats to our planet. They don’t like where America is headed, don’t like most politicians or candidates, and are often uncertain whether their vote even matters. But when I talked about the takeover of our politics by destructive corporate interests, culminating in the barrage of anonymous attack ads unleashed by the Supreme Court’s ghastly Citizens United decision, they quickly became willing to listen.
No wonder people are cynical. Crashing from the sky-high hopes of two years ago, people are worried about jobs, the economy and their own uncertain futures, about the wars we’re bogged down in and the threats to our planet. They don’t like where America is headed, don’t like most politicians or candidates, and are often uncertain whether their vote even matters. But when I talked about the takeover of our politics by destructive corporate interests, culminating in the barrage of anonymous attack ads unleashed by the Supreme Court’s ghastly Citizens United decision, they quickly became willing to listen.