Global
Presidential candidate Barack Obama won the Democratic primary last time around largely on the strength of his extremely limited and inconsistent opposition to the war on Iraq. Then he chose as his running mate Senator Joe Biden, a man who had led efforts in the U.S. Senate to support the invasion. Obama's staff told reporters that he would be inclined to keep Robert Gates on as Secretary of War (or "Defense") -- exactly the same plan proposed by Senator John McCain's campaign. Obama said he'd like Colin Powell to be a part of his administration, and repeatedly announced that his cabinet would include Republicans. Obama had approached leading warmonger Congressman Rahm Emanuel about becoming his chief of staff.
Before President Barack Obama’s interview with NBC’s Matt Lauer, aired before the Super Bowl on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu probably hoped that, if Obama discussed Iran, he would give him the strong backing that Israeli leaders crave, freeing them to lash out at Iran — militarily, if they so choose.
Few could have been more keenly interested than he in what the President would say in an interview beamed to a hundred million American TV viewers. The problem was that Netanyahu could not have been completely sure of what to expect, given the confusing mixed signals coming out of Washington in the past several weeks.
President Obama with advisers in the Oval Office (White House photo by Pete Souza)
Some of those signals had been disquieting to Netanyahu and other Israeli hard-liners — for example, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta saying flat-out on Jan. 8 that Iran is NOT “trying to develop a nuclear weapon” – undercutting the key casus belli for war – and Joint Chiefs Chairman Martin Dempsey visiting Israel on Jan. 19, reportedly to repeat that in person and warn his hosts against provoking war with Iran.
Few could have been more keenly interested than he in what the President would say in an interview beamed to a hundred million American TV viewers. The problem was that Netanyahu could not have been completely sure of what to expect, given the confusing mixed signals coming out of Washington in the past several weeks.
President Obama with advisers in the Oval Office (White House photo by Pete Souza)
Some of those signals had been disquieting to Netanyahu and other Israeli hard-liners — for example, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta saying flat-out on Jan. 8 that Iran is NOT “trying to develop a nuclear weapon” – undercutting the key casus belli for war – and Joint Chiefs Chairman Martin Dempsey visiting Israel on Jan. 19, reportedly to repeat that in person and warn his hosts against provoking war with Iran.
BANGKOK, Thailand -- After guests toasted a princess during a royal banquet inside the Grand Palace, dinner talk turned to Thailand's troubled, five-month-old government, stumbling from crisis to crisis, including its newest decision which places one of its cabinet members in the cross-hairs of the U.S. Treasury Department.
Inside the grand ballroom of the palace's Borom Raja Sathit Maholarn Hall, which sits about 150 guests at long, white-clothed banquet tables under massive chandeliers, a small orchestra played "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" as dinner and wine was served.
After some guests chatted about Thailand's gorgeous orchids, ambitious medical system, poor education policies and other topics, they were asked about Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra who was elected in July with a large mandate.
A handful of Bangkok-based Thai guests -- including a teacher, a media director, a doctor and other senior professionals -- condemned Mrs. Yingluck's handling of the July-to-December floods which killed more than 800 people.
Inside the grand ballroom of the palace's Borom Raja Sathit Maholarn Hall, which sits about 150 guests at long, white-clothed banquet tables under massive chandeliers, a small orchestra played "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" as dinner and wine was served.
After some guests chatted about Thailand's gorgeous orchids, ambitious medical system, poor education policies and other topics, they were asked about Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra who was elected in July with a large mandate.
A handful of Bangkok-based Thai guests -- including a teacher, a media director, a doctor and other senior professionals -- condemned Mrs. Yingluck's handling of the July-to-December floods which killed more than 800 people.
Alfred Nobel's will, written in 1895, left funding for a prize to be awarded to "the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses."
The first such prize, awarded in 1901, went to Jean Henry Dunant and Frédéric Passy, two men who held and promoted peace congresses, two peace activists, two men who were not elected officials. Nor were they war makers who had exercised restraint in some instance or other. In 1902, again, the peace prize went to two peace activists. In 1903 the prize went to a member of the British Parliament, but one who had worked for peace and not for war. In 1904, the laureate was what we would now call an NGO, but one that had worked for peace and not for war. In 1905, a woman who had played a role in the creation of the prize, an author and a peace activist, someone who indeed held and promoted peace congresses, was the first female winner. And then came 1906.
The first such prize, awarded in 1901, went to Jean Henry Dunant and Frédéric Passy, two men who held and promoted peace congresses, two peace activists, two men who were not elected officials. Nor were they war makers who had exercised restraint in some instance or other. In 1902, again, the peace prize went to two peace activists. In 1903 the prize went to a member of the British Parliament, but one who had worked for peace and not for war. In 1904, the laureate was what we would now call an NGO, but one that had worked for peace and not for war. In 1905, a woman who had played a role in the creation of the prize, an author and a peace activist, someone who indeed held and promoted peace congresses, was the first female winner. And then came 1906.
Concerning Fracking and other matters
Dear Senator Brown: I am writing you about the technology of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing (often referred to as “fracking”), a mining method for extracting gas from deep in the earth, first drilling down for a mile or more and then angling the drillbore horizontally into shale gas rock.
This method is much more complex than the older method of vertical drilling. Fracking just one well, with perhaps six or more bore holes, requires millions of gallons of clean water, sand, propellants, and chemicals, many of which are consider proprietary information and not available to the public or even to elected officials.
Dear Senator Brown: I am writing you about the technology of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing (often referred to as “fracking”), a mining method for extracting gas from deep in the earth, first drilling down for a mile or more and then angling the drillbore horizontally into shale gas rock.
This method is much more complex than the older method of vertical drilling. Fracking just one well, with perhaps six or more bore holes, requires millions of gallons of clean water, sand, propellants, and chemicals, many of which are consider proprietary information and not available to the public or even to elected officials.
Rock against the Machine at the Roccupy concert fundraiser on Friday, February 10! Featuring music by Connie Harris, Dan Dougan & nephew, Ukulele Man Tom Harker, Victoria "Queen Victrola" Parks, New Pollution, Kique Infante, the Chicken Hawk Bird Getters and Uncle John's State House Band. It all starts at 7pm at Kobo, 2590 North High Street. Donations welcome!
Are you devastated by yesterday's news that the Komen Foundation is severing its ties to Planned Parenthood? Tell the Komen Foundation that this is not the way to help women. The Komen Foundation has raised millions of dollars in funding for breast cancer marketing and research since its inception. Last year alone, they gave $680,000 of that money to Planned Parenthood to fund almost 170,000 clinical breast exams and more than 6,400 mammograms.
For many women in need, Planned Parenthood is the only available, affordable source of life-saving cancer screenings. To deny them this service because of baseless political pressure is not just irresponsible; for some women, it could be literally deadly. Join in the fight to save hundreds of thousands of women. Tell the Komen Foundation to get its priorities straight.
For many women in need, Planned Parenthood is the only available, affordable source of life-saving cancer screenings. To deny them this service because of baseless political pressure is not just irresponsible; for some women, it could be literally deadly. Join in the fight to save hundreds of thousands of women. Tell the Komen Foundation to get its priorities straight.
Last week’s Newsweek magazine contained a truly amazing piece, (“Rich America, Poor America,” Niall Ferguson, 1/23/12). Billed as a “conservative historian’s solution” to the issue of growing inequality in our nation, this piece stands out not because of any true “solution” that is offered here, but for the real peek at how the wealthy actually look at us and the world they live in.
The issue of inequality isn’t seen as a great mystery, most might point to the capitalist class structure of our nation and the ongoing class struggle. There, according to Ferguson, is where you’d be wrong. Not so, he says! The rising inequality has its source in the fact that the “upper class has gotten rich because of the financial returns on brain-power,” and they “produce a disproportionate number of the smartest children.”
If that formulation just slapped you in the face with its open arrogance, Ferguson is just getting started.
The issue of inequality isn’t seen as a great mystery, most might point to the capitalist class structure of our nation and the ongoing class struggle. There, according to Ferguson, is where you’d be wrong. Not so, he says! The rising inequality has its source in the fact that the “upper class has gotten rich because of the financial returns on brain-power,” and they “produce a disproportionate number of the smartest children.”
If that formulation just slapped you in the face with its open arrogance, Ferguson is just getting started.
Danny Berchenko of 350.org Ohio said Speaker of the House, John Boehner is touting false numbers as part of his conflict-of-interest, due to his investments in big oil companies, and due to the $1 million the Republican Congressman has taken from the fossil fuel industry during his time in office.
“He’s claiming 20,000 jobs will be created. Those numbers are from a biased study by the company that will build the pipeline if the permit is approved.” (See also EcoWatch Journal )
Berchenko said independent analyses show that building Keystone XL would create, at most, 5,000 temporary jobs and only 50 permanent jobs.