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(via ProPublica) A Reading List to Put the WikiLeaks ‘War Logs’ in Context by Nicholas Kusnetz and Karen Weise This morning, the New York Times, England’s The Guardian and Germany’s Der Spiegel published reports on what’s been termed the ‘War Logs’ — nearly 92,000 documents about the war in Afghanistan made public by WikiLeaks. [...] Michael Smith at Bloomberg reports on his eye-opening investigation into the alliance between US banks and Mexican drug smugglers. “Wachovia, it turns out, had made a habit of helping move money for Mexican drug smugglers. Wells Fargo & Co., which bought Wachovia in 2008, has admitted in court that its unit failed to monitor and report [...] So, who’s on the U.S. terrorist list? How does a group get on this list? Whoever they are, you better not be talking to them! Even if it’s to advise them to turn themselves in. “The government can prosecute private citizens for giving advice to a foreign organization – on how to negotiate peace or take [...] It turns out that Afghanistan is mineral-rich. “The United States has discovered nearly $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan, far beyond any previously known reserves and enough to fundamentally alter the Afghan economy and perhaps the Afghan war itself, according to senior American government officials.” In honor of Memorial Day here is a poem by poet/soldier of the First World War, Wilfred Owen. Strange Meeting It seemed that out of the battle I escaped April 19, 2010 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DOW THROWS A DISMAL PARTY, FEW ATTEND Video: Yes Men video coming soon here; other video here Brooklyn, NY — Bucolic Prospect park [...] The Chinese method of public shaming in the Internet age. “Human Flesh Search is a primarily Chinese internet phenomenon of massive researching using Internet media such as blogs and forums for the purpose of identifying and exposing individuals to public humiliation, usually out of Chinese nationalistic sentiment, or to break the Internet censorship in the People’s [...] Design for the First World is a design contest asking developing countries for some suggestions on how the west can deal with problems like obesity, aging populations, low birth rates, over-consumption of mass-produced goods, and integrating immigrant populations. Our fellows in the first world often come to visit and give us their well intentioned but often [...] Some nice statistical analysis at the Guardian comparing national defense budgets. Not surprisingly the United States is number one. A little surprising, we spend nearly 10x as much as number two. We don’t have the political will (or money) to build a train that goes halfway across the Florida peninsula. China is preparing to build (and finance) a train that runs from London to Beijing. “Railway passengers will be able to travel from King’s Cross to Beijing in just two days on a journey that would [...] The presentations from TEDxTampaBay are now up on YouTube. There were a lot of good topics, but I was most impressed with this remarkable talk by Elizabeth Davis of the Akilah Institute. I recommend it. “Elizabeth is currently the Executive director of the Akilah Institute for Women, a school that she founded in Rwanda to [...] Viggo Mortensen reads Howard Zinn’s essay “Empire or Humanity? What the Classroom Didn’t Teach Me about the American Empire,” explaining Zinn’s political awakening. El Traspatio (The Backyard) is Mexico’s submission to the Academy Awards for Best Foreign Picture 2009. Here’s the LA Times review from December of last year. “Reporting from Mexico City — To say the topic of screenwriter Sabina Berman’s latest movie is bleak would be an understatement. So would labeling the decision to film in Mexico’s deadliest [...] Confusing weather and climate is like mistaking a chord for a song, or a sentence for a novel. Because it’s cold outside today in no way disproves the greenhouse effect. But, what about climategate!? Scientists are not heroes, or benevolent benefactors, or above crass human desires. This is the whole point of the scientific method. Since [...] December 8, 2007 [letter from Yoko] In his recent interview with Terry Gross at NPR Sharlet explains Stupak and Pitts role in the secretive, ultra-Christian C-Street cabal The Family, as well as their connection with Uganda’s proposed extreme anti-homosexuality laws. He also explains some about the Ensign affair and Coburn’s role. Florida Senator Bill Nelson is a member in good standing with [...] Foreign Service Officer and former Marine Corps Captain Matthew Hoh resigns and his resignation letter causes a stir. “I have doubts and reservations about our current strategy and planned future strategy, but my resignation is based not upon how we are pursuing this war, but why and to what end.” Me too! What’s the point again? Way [...] Hmmm, if there was only some way to cut through the BS, the politics, the hyperbole, the astroturf, and the inexpert opinion about climate change. Where can we turn to find out what real climate scientists really think about the human influence on climate change? I know! What if we did a survey asking people with [...] Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen hasn’t had anything to say about Honduras since her visit earlier this month. Perhaps she realizes how wrong she was, but thinks she’ll look weak if she admits it. Maybe? Look, the Honduran constitution specifically states that citizens cannot be exiled. Zelaya was exiled. If he committed a crime he should have been [...] The Honduran constitution specifically forbids exiling Honduran citizens. The military shoved Zelaya out of the country. This is clearly unconstitutional. The rule of law demands that Zelaya be allowed to face his accusers in a court. Zelaya was never given this opportunity. So, conservative America (and Florida Rep. Ros-Lehtinen), exactly what part of this criminal scenario do [...] If this Guardian piece is anywhere close to accurate we could be celebrating a GWOT victory by next September 11. “‘Core’ al-Qaida is now reduced to a senior leadership of six to eight men, including Bin Laden and his Egyptian deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, according to most informed estimates. Several other Egyptians, a Libyan and a [...] Feingold recommends pursuing the GWOT without occupying Afghanistan. “Announcing a flexible timetable for when our massive military presence will end would be one of the best things we could do to advance our national security interests in Afghanistan. By doing so, we would undercut the misperception of the U.S. as an occupying force that has propped [...] Interesting article about augmented altruism. “Augmented reality is the hottest emerging trend in technology these days. You may remember an early scene from the movie FIGHT CLUB where Ed Norton’s character is walking through his apartment and price tags pop up denoting how much everything costs. Well imagine if that could happened every-time you held up [...] Fundamentalism strikes another blow against equal rights for women, this time in Afghanistan. “Afghanistan has quietly passed a law permitting Shia men to deny their wives food and sustenance if they refuse to obey their husbands’ sexual demands, despite international outrage over an earlier version of the legislation which President Hamid Karzai had promised to review.” The people of Sudan are protesting their government’s ban on wearing pants. Well, the women people anyway. “Sudanese police fired tear gas and beat women protesting outside a Sudanese court Tuesday during the trial of a female journalist accused of violating the Islamic dress code by wearing trousers in public.” In a show of solidarity outside the [...] Women’s rights are perhaps THE most important issue facing global liberalism, and here’s a perfect example. In Sudan Lubna Hussein is facing a possible penalty of forty lashes for wearing pants in public. In a profound act of courage Ms. Hussein appeared at her court appearance wearing the same green trousers that got her in [...] Connie Mack continues to make inaccurate comments about the coup in Honduras. In a letter opposing the State Department’s revocation of visas for several Honduran officials, Mack writes – “Why is the Obama Administration punishing them for following their constitution and the rule of law?” The coup did not follow the constitution and the rule of law. [...] Connie Mack’s argument – The removal of President Zelaya adhered to the rule of law. The Honduran courts ruled Zelaya’s actions illegal, the Supreme Court voted to have him removed, and the Honduran Congress overwhelmingly concurred. The ruling party did not change, and the government has not been abolished. To call this a military coup [...] This recent op-ed by Jimmy Carter (The words of God do not justify cruelty to women) has been popping up in a few papers and websites. It’s a great op-ed, and it’s an argument with which I’m particularly sympathetic. Women’s rights have come a long way in the Western world in just the last two [...] Not everyone is happy that India recently decriminalized homosexuality. Swami Baba Ramdev thinks homosexuality is a congenital defect that can be treated with the proper breathing exercises and meditation. “The high court’s judgment reversing a colonial-era ban on homosexuality has met with widespread opposition among many religious groups and conservatives.” “In an interview with the Times of India, [...] |
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