Thursday, May 27, 2010
Israel wans to talk international law.......hahaha
Israel wants to talk international law.......hahaha
Aid Flotilla Approaching Gaza; Israel Vows to Block Ships
Aid Flotilla Approaching Gaza; Israel Vows to Block Ships
A showdown is looming in the Mediterranean Sea as a flotilla of nine humanitarian aid ships approaches the Gaza Strip in an attempt to break the Israeli blockade. Israel is vowing to repel the Free Gaza Movement’s "Freedom Flotilla" after stopping at least three other sailings since January 2009. The ships are expected to reach the Gaza coastline by Friday. Israeli spokesperson Yigal Palmor vowed Israel would stop the ships.
Yigal Palmor: "This is not in the cause—for the cause of the Palestinian people, not for the cause of peace. This is just for the cause of provocation by people who care not about humanitarian aid or about the prospects of peace. And if they try to force their way into Gaza, after they have been warned time and again not to do so, after they have been warned that this is against international law, well, then they will have to be stopped."The flotilla is the largest to attempt to reach the Gaza Strip since Israel imposed the blockade on the coastal territory three years ago.
Chinese Factory worker at Foxconn Commits Suicide
This story of a recent surge of Suicides in a Chinese factory rings very similar to another article in regards to suicide in Asia by Vandana Shiva title "The Suicide Economy of Corporate Globalisation". I wish we could realize the irrationality of our "rational" systems. So that all people could live out their hopes and potential, or their species essence, and lead a life free from oppression and exploitation, a life filled with all the same enjoyments and safeties that privileged folks expeirance today. It breaks my heart that so many people have to apply to work for a Company like Foxconn, fully acknowledging the terrible conditions, because they have no other choice and need to provide for their family. I wish we designed for people not profits (although cliche it is still a vital wish). In this new design all people's happiness, wellness, safety, agency and hopes would be taken into account not cost cutting and production, production, production. People psychological well being in a factory is not found in the I-phone price tag ($300-350), and surely no price tag would be able to cover it in any kind of meaningful way.
Chinese Factory worker at Foxconn Commits Suicide
Another suspected suicide has occurred at a factory in China, the latest in a string of deaths at the plant this year, state media reports.
Xinhua said the male employee jumped to his death hours after a media tour at the plant owned by Taiwan firm Foxconn.
The firm manufactures mobile phones and electronic equipment for top brands including Dell computers and Apple.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Chuck Nelson, A Local Miner,Takes on Massey Energy in the Coal River Valley
CORPORATE CRIME REPORTER
Chuck Nelson Takes on Massey Energy in the Coal River Valley
24 Corporate Crime Reporter 20, May 17, 2010
For 30 years, Chuck Nelson worked in the Coal River Valley in West Virginia.
Mining coal.
For most of those years, he worked in union mines.
Then came Massey Energy.
Massey busted the union at mines up and down the Coal River.
And Nelson had no choice but to work for Massey.
He was forced out of the company in 2000, after complaining about Massey’s impact on the environment in the town he was born in – Sylvester, West Virginia.
Now, he’s a full time advocate for coal mine safety.
And against mountaintop removal.
Prosecute Massey for Manslaughter
Reckless Disregard for Human Life
Prosecute Massey for Manslaughter
By RUSSELL MOKHIBER
A group of citizen activists are calling on the state of West Virginia to prosecute Massey Energy for manslaughter.
The group has set up a web site — prosecutemassey.org – that allows citizens to petition the state prosecutor to bring manslaughter charges against the coal company in connection with the April 5 explosion that claimed the lives of 29 coal miners.
“If there is evidence to support a homicide prosecution, I would not hesitate to prosecute,” Kristen Keller, the prosecuting attorney for Raleigh County, said last month.
Keller says she has been in touch with the West Virginia State Police on the matter.
Prosecute Massey for Manslaughter
By RUSSELL MOKHIBER
A group of citizen activists are calling on the state of West Virginia to prosecute Massey Energy for manslaughter.
The group has set up a web site — prosecutemassey.org – that allows citizens to petition the state prosecutor to bring manslaughter charges against the coal company in connection with the April 5 explosion that claimed the lives of 29 coal miners.
“If there is evidence to support a homicide prosecution, I would not hesitate to prosecute,” Kristen Keller, the prosecuting attorney for Raleigh County, said last month.
Keller says she has been in touch with the West Virginia State Police on the matter.
FBI Linguist Sentenced For Reporting Abuse of Power
Fmr. FBI Linguist Sentenced for Leaking Classified Documents
A former FBI linguist has been sentenced to twenty months in prison for disclosing classified documents to an unidentified blogger. Shamai Leibowitz says he leaked the documents to expose an "abuse of power and a violation of the law" he witnessed while at the FBI. He says he chose to approach the media after his FBI superiors ignored his complaints. A career attorney, Leibowitz says he’s devoted his career to helping people of color, undocumented workers, and refugees through his legal work and his blog, Pursuing Justice. (democracynow.org)
From Leibowitz's Blog:
A former FBI linguist has been sentenced to twenty months in prison for disclosing classified documents to an unidentified blogger. Shamai Leibowitz says he leaked the documents to expose an "abuse of power and a violation of the law" he witnessed while at the FBI. He says he chose to approach the media after his FBI superiors ignored his complaints. A career attorney, Leibowitz says he’s devoted his career to helping people of color, undocumented workers, and refugees through his legal work and his blog, Pursuing Justice. (democracynow.org)
From Leibowitz's Blog:
In 1998, Congress passed a little-known law outlining the proper procedures for reporting on abuses of power and violations of law that involve classified information. The law, Intelligence Community Whistleblower Protection Act of 1998 (full-text version), allows employees or contractors of the US intelligence agencies, including the CIA, NSA and FBI, to complain to Congress about an "urgent concern" -- defined as "serious or flagrant problem," "abuse," or "violation of law or Executive Order," that is related to the funding, administration or operations of an intelligence activity, but does not include differences of opinion concerning public policy matters.
News
BP Admits "Fundamental Mistake" Before Oil Rig Explosion
The oil giant BP has admitted it proceeded with work on the underwater oil well in the Gulf of Mexico shortly before last month’s explosion despite warning signs of a major problem. In a briefing to lawmakers, BP said it may have made a "fundamental mistake" in its work on the Deepwater Horizon rig in the hours before the explosion. BP faces a pivotal day today as it attempts a so-called "top kill" maneuver to choke off the gushing oil by pumping heavy drilling mud and cement into the mile-deep well. On Tuesday, the eleven workers who died in the rig explosion were remembered at a memorial service in Jackson, Mississippi. Chris Rivers, who runs a company that
The oil giant BP has admitted it proceeded with work on the underwater oil well in the Gulf of Mexico shortly before last month’s explosion despite warning signs of a major problem. In a briefing to lawmakers, BP said it may have made a "fundamental mistake" in its work on the Deepwater Horizon rig in the hours before the explosion. BP faces a pivotal day today as it attempts a so-called "top kill" maneuver to choke off the gushing oil by pumping heavy drilling mud and cement into the mile-deep well. On Tuesday, the eleven workers who died in the rig explosion were remembered at a memorial service in Jackson, Mississippi. Chris Rivers, who runs a company that
Obama Expands Militarization of US-Mexico Border
President Obama has unveiled plans to further militarize the US border with Mexico. On Tuesday, Obama said he would deploy an additional 1,200 National Guard troops to the southern border and ask Congress for an extra $500 million for border security.
President Obama: "I’ve been very clear. I think the Arizona law was a mistake. And my Justice Department is looking very carefully at the nature of this law. But I understand the frustrations of folks in Arizona. The fact of the matter is, is that for decades we keep on talking about solving the problems at the border, and we don’t. The truth of the matter is, is that you’ve got hundreds of thousands of undocumented workers coming over the border, and that gets people stressed."The move marks a victory for Republicans who have been pushing for increased border militarization. Republican Senator John McCain said he welcomes the new troop commitment but thinks even more should be deployed.
Sen. John McCain: "I appreciate the additional 1,200 being sent of the Guard, as well as additional $500 million, but it’s simply not enough. We need 6,000. We need 3,000 across the border, an additional 3,000—sorry, 3,000 National Guard troops to the Arizona-Mexico border."Immigrant rights group, meanwhile, are criticizing Obama’s plan. In a statement, the National Day Laborers Organizing Network said, "Instead of addressing a domestic human rights crisis, the president appears to be caving into extremists who are further shattering and already broken immigration system. Any legitimate concerns about border security cannot be resolved until undocumented people are given full equality in our society."
15 Wounded in Israeli Attack on Gaza Strip
In Israel and the Occupied Territories, at least fifteen Palestinians have been wounded in overnight Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip. Most of the victims were civilians. Israel says it launched the attack in response to Palestinian rocket fire into Israel that caused no injuriesFmr. FBI Linguist Sentenced for Leaking Classified Documents
A former FBI linguist has been sentenced to twenty months in prison for disclosing classified documents to an unidentified blogger. Shamai Leibowitz says he leaked the documents to expose an "abuse of power and a violation of the law" he witnessed while at the FBI. He says he chose to approach the media after his FBI superiors ignored his complaints. A career attorney, Leibowitz says he’s devoted his career to helping people of color, undocumented workers, and refugees through his legal work and his blog, Pursuing Justice.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Sheer Arms Suspected to Be Faulty on Rig in 2004, never fixed. (could have prevented spill)
"Investigators are expected to focus on whether the blowout preventer received a signal from workers on the rig. The Deepwater Horizon wasn't equipped with a backup remote trigger that is a common drill-rig requirement in other oil-producing nations, but not the U.S. "
The Interior Department's Minerals Management Service, which regulates offshore drilling, questioned whether shear rams were strong enough to shear through a pipe. In two offshore incidents in 2001, the rams didn't work as expected. The agency issued new rules in 2003 instructing the oil industry to make sure the rams would work reliably.In 2004, a study commissioned by the MMS raised significant questions about the ability of rams to cut through the stronger pipes used in deep-water drilling. Those thicker pipes—as well as the shear rams—must withstand the enormous pressures found at 5,000 feet below sea level.The study noted there was no agreement on how to determine if the sheer rams would work properly in deep-water conditions.
"Despite the study, the MMS didn't issue any new regulations requiring that shear rams be beefed up. MMS spokesman Nicholas Pardi said the 2003 rules—which required operators make sure the shears were strong enough but didn't provide guidance—were the agency's last look at the issue. "
Wall Street Article:
(by Russell Gold)
Federal regulators learned in a 2004 study that a vital piece of oil-drilling safety equipment may not function in deep-water seas but did nothing to bolster industry requirements.
The equipment, called shear rams, is supposed to seal off out-of-control oil and gas wells by pinching the pipe closed and cutting it.
Oil Companies 'SUPPRESSING SCIENCE':
Oil Companies 'SUPPRESSING SCIENCE':
Early efforts to stop the Gulf spill focused on the blowout preventer, which would have almost certainly stopped the oil gusher had it functioned properly. It did not. MMS was warned in a 2004 study that a "vital piece" of blowout preventers -- the shear rams, which use hydrolic pressure to cut and seal a pipe in order to stop the flow of oil -- may not function under the extreme water pressure of deepwater operations, the Wall Street Journal reported earlier this month. "This grim snapshot illustrates the lack of preparedness in the industry to shear and seal a well with the last line of defense against a blowout," the authors of the MMS-commissioned study concluded. Nevertheless, MMS did not issue any new regulations on blowout preventers, nor did it mandate that blowout preventers contain two sets of redundant shear rams, as is common in other countries. Moreover, MMS "gave permission to BP and dozens of other oil companies to drill in the Gulf of Mexico without first getting required permits from another agency that assesses threats to endangered species -- and despite strong warnings from that agency about the impact the drilling was likely to have on the gulf," a New York Times investigation found. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), tasked with safeguarding endangered species, warned on multiple occasions that drilling in the gulf could harm such animals and told MMS that it was granting permits in violation of federal law. A spokesperson for Interior said, "Under the previous administration, there was a pattern of suppressing science in decisions, and we are working very hard to change the culture and empower scientists in the Department of the Interior." The White House and Interior Department have now announced "an accelerated review of all actions taken by the minerals agency" under relevant environmental law.
Early efforts to stop the Gulf spill focused on the blowout preventer, which would have almost certainly stopped the oil gusher had it functioned properly. It did not. MMS was warned in a 2004 study that a "vital piece" of blowout preventers -- the shear rams, which use hydrolic pressure to cut and seal a pipe in order to stop the flow of oil -- may not function under the extreme water pressure of deepwater operations, the Wall Street Journal reported earlier this month. "This grim snapshot illustrates the lack of preparedness in the industry to shear and seal a well with the last line of defense against a blowout," the authors of the MMS-commissioned study concluded. Nevertheless, MMS did not issue any new regulations on blowout preventers, nor did it mandate that blowout preventers contain two sets of redundant shear rams, as is common in other countries. Moreover, MMS "gave permission to BP and dozens of other oil companies to drill in the Gulf of Mexico without first getting required permits from another agency that assesses threats to endangered species -- and despite strong warnings from that agency about the impact the drilling was likely to have on the gulf," a New York Times investigation found. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), tasked with safeguarding endangered species, warned on multiple occasions that drilling in the gulf could harm such animals and told MMS that it was granting permits in violation of federal law. A spokesperson for Interior said, "Under the previous administration, there was a pattern of suppressing science in decisions, and we are working very hard to change the culture and empower scientists in the Department of the Interior." The White House and Interior Department have now announced "an accelerated review of all actions taken by the minerals agency" under relevant environmental law.
The Minerals Mismanagement Service
The Minerals Mismanagement Service
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano will visit Louisiana today to inspect the government's response to the massive BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Meanwhile, following calls from the Center for American Progress, the Obama administration has announced it will establish an independent commission to investigate the disaster. The probe will investigate "industry practices" and potential negligence on the part of BP and the other companies involved, but it will also investigate the Minerals and Management Service (MMS), a deeply troubled federal agency that for years was the "handmaiden of industry." Housed in the Department of the Interior, MMS is tasked with collecting $13 billion a year from energy companies, while also policing them to ensure safety and environmental rules are followed. These conflicting functions have created a "cozy" relationship between industry and regulator and led to an explosive scandal under President Bush, in which regulators used drugs and had sex with industry representatives while flouting federal law. Salazar vowed to clean up the agency, saying in February, "There's a new sheriff in town." Nevertheless, the institutional culture created under the Bush administration has proved difficult to change. The New York Times reports today that despite President Obama's moratorium on permits for offshore drilling following the BP spill, "at least seven new permits for various types of drilling and five environmental waivers have been granted, according to records." Interior Department officials said that "the moratorium was meant only to halt permits for the drilling of new wells" and "not meant to stop permits for new work on existing drilling projects." Obama acknowledged the unhealthy relationship between industry and regulator, saying, "It seems as if permits were too often issued based on little more than assurances of safety from the oil companies. That cannot and will not happen anymore." Salazar has now proposed splitting MMS into three agencies with separate functions in order to eliminate this dangerous conflict of interest that may have contributed to the BP disaster.Obama Vows End to ‘Cozy’ Oversight of Oil Industry (Bull Shit)
High-Lights:
"Mr. Obama reiterated that he intended to break up the beleaguered federal Minerals Management Service, which oversees offshore drilling, “so that the part of the agency which permits oil and gas drilling and collects royalties will be separate from the part of the agency in charge of inspecting oil rigs and platforms and enforcing the law.” That way, Mr. Obama said, “there’s no conflict of interest, real or perceived.”
"David Rothkopf, a former Commerce Department official in the Clinton administration, said that Mr. Obama was trying to walk a fine line between capitalizing on populist anger over the oil spill and alienating the business community, which he needs for his jobs agenda."
"The minerals service short-circuited the process in granting hundreds of recent drilling permits, The New York Times reported Friday. The BP well that blew up in the gulf last month was granted an exemption from the NEPA process because company officials had assured regulators that it carried little hazard. Government officials went along with the company and granted the permit. "
"Kieran Suckling, executive director of the Center for Biological Diversity, said that the steps announced this week by the president and Interior Department do little to ensure the safety of current and future offshore drilling. "Article Link
Monday, May 24, 2010
news
No Federal Charges for AIG Executives
Federal prosecutors have decided not to bring charges against any executives from AIG for their roles leading up to the company’s collapse in 2008. The Justice Department had been considering charging Joseph Cassano and other top AIG officers. Cassano was the chief executive of AIG’s Financial Products unit, which made huge bets on risky mortgage securities.
Homeless from Pittsburgh go to Haiti
Light of Life Rescue Mission to shine in Haiti
It's a reversal of roles for the 10 people heading from the North Side on a relief mission this week
Light of Life Rescue Mission offers its clients a place to sleep, meals, prayers, counseling and, in some cases, an enduring passage from addiction and homelessness.
This week, it is offering a few clients nine days of role reversal.
A team of 10 is leaving this week for nine days of recovery and relief work in Haiti. The January earthquake left an estimated 1 million homeless, killed about 250,000 and injured another 300,000.
This week, it is offering a few clients nine days of role reversal.
A team of 10 is leaving this week for nine days of recovery and relief work in Haiti. The January earthquake left an estimated 1 million homeless, killed about 250,000 and injured another 300,000.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Hatian Farmers Burn Monsanto Seed
“A new earthquake” is what peasant farmer leader Chavannes Jean-Baptiste of the Peasant Movement of Papay (MPP) called the news that Monsanto will be donating 60,000 seed sacks (475 tons) of hybrid corn seeds and vegetable seeds, some of them treated with highly toxic pesticides. The MPP has committed to burning Monsanto’s seeds, and has called for a march to protest the corporation’s presence in Haiti on June 4, for World Environment Day.
In an open letter sent of May 14, Chavannes Jean-Baptiste, the Executive Director of MPP and the spokesperson for the National Peasant Movement of the Congress of Papay (MPNKP), called the entry of Monsanto seeds into Haiti “a very strong attack on small agriculture, on farmers, on biodiversity, on Creole seeds…, and on what is left our environment in Haiti.”1 Haitian social movements have been vocal in their opposition to agribusiness imports of seeds and food, which undermines local production with local seed stocks. They have expressed special concern about the import of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
For now, without a law regulating the use of GMOs in Haiti, the Ministry of Agriculture rejected Monsanto’s offer of Roundup Ready GMO seeds. In an email exchange, a Monsanto representative assured the Ministry of Agriculture that the seeds being donated are not GMO.
In an open letter sent of May 14, Chavannes Jean-Baptiste, the Executive Director of MPP and the spokesperson for the National Peasant Movement of the Congress of Papay (MPNKP), called the entry of Monsanto seeds into Haiti “a very strong attack on small agriculture, on farmers, on biodiversity, on Creole seeds…, and on what is left our environment in Haiti.”1 Haitian social movements have been vocal in their opposition to agribusiness imports of seeds and food, which undermines local production with local seed stocks. They have expressed special concern about the import of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
For now, without a law regulating the use of GMOs in Haiti, the Ministry of Agriculture rejected Monsanto’s offer of Roundup Ready GMO seeds. In an email exchange, a Monsanto representative assured the Ministry of Agriculture that the seeds being donated are not GMO.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Occupation 101-- Doc.
The greatest enemy of knwoledge is not ignorance...it is the illusion of knoweldge" - S.Hawking"
Watch Intro (first 4 mins of Occupation 101) in Entertainment | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com
Watch Intro (first 4 mins of Occupation 101) in Entertainment | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com
Police Kill 7 Year Old Girl in Raid
Girl, 7, shot as officer's gun fires during raid; Police were searching house for suspect in prior slaying Detroit --Charles Jones had just turned in after covering his sleeping 7-year-old daughter on the living room sofa with her favorite Disney Princess blanket when police burst into his east side apartment early Sunday.
"I heard the flash bang and then the gunshot," Jones said about rushing from his bedroom into the hands of Detroit Police officers, who handcuffed him and pushed him to the floor.
An officer hunting for a murder suspect had shot Aiyana Jones through the neck.
The victim's family said police told them the gun discharged because the girl's grandmother, Mertilla Jones, 46, grappled for the officer's weapon. Later Sunday, police spokesman John Roach said the officer and grandmother may have simply collided.
Mertilla Jones was released from custody Sunday afternoon, and it remained unclear if she will face charges. Police held her for more than 12 hours, during which time she also spent several hours hospitalized with what police said were medical issues.
At a press conference in front of the home Sunday evening, Mertilla Jones said there was no struggle: "I hit the floor when I heard them hit the window.
"They blew my granddaughter's brains out. They killed her right before my eyes. I watched the light go out of her eyes. I seen it."
How's your news?
- BP Works to Contain Oil Spill
- Obama Calls Testimony of Oil Execs "A Ridiculous Spectacle"
- Israel Blocks Noam Chomsky from Entering West Bank
- Euro Hits Four-Year Low
- Spanish Judge Garzón Suspended over Franco Probe
- Report Blames Sri Lankan Military on Mass Slaughter
- Episcopal Church Ordains Lesbian Bishop
- Massey Energy Facing Criminal Probe
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Thailand PM Abhisit in pledge to end Bangkok protest
Thai PM promises to end protest
Thailand's PM Abhisit Vejjajiva has said troops will "push forward" with an operation to end an anti-government protest in the heart of Bangkok. He said military intervention was the only way to end the protest.
Clashes between troops and protesters killed six on Saturday, bringing the toll from three days of violence to 24.
There have been running battles around the fortified camp where red-shirted protesters, who want the prime minister to resign, have been based since March.
INSIDE THE RED-SHIRT CAMP
There is a loud explosion a short distance away, and there is panic as protesters rush for cover. For now an area in the commercial centre of the Thai capital is a no-go zone.
In his first televised comments since the violence erupted on Thursday, Mr Abhisit said he was trying to restore normality to the city with minimal loss.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Man Survies Two Weeks Without Food or Water--Under Study
An 83-year-old Indian holy man who says he has spent seven decades without food or water has astounded a team of military doctors who studied him during a two-week observation period.
"We still do not know how he survives," neurologist Sudhir Shah told reporters after the end of the experiment. "It is still a mystery what kind of phenomenon this is."
Prahlad Jani spent a fortnight in a hospital in the western India state of Gujarat under constant surveillance from a team of 30 medics equipped with cameras and closed circuit television.
During the period, he neither ate nor drank and did not go to the toilet."We still do not know how he survives," neurologist Sudhir Shah told reporters after the end of the experiment. "It is still a mystery what kind of phenomenon this is."
Thursday, May 13, 2010
There is a strong case for anyone who can to inhibit the life of Rush Limbaugh.
"we don't need to go too deep in analyzing the babe...I guess she can change her mind. She's a woman."
Immediately after President Obama announced Solicitor General Elena Kagan as his nominee to replace Justice John Paul Stevens on the Supreme Court, the right-wing attack machine kicked into high gear. In the few short days since the announcement, the far right has tried to smear Kagan -- much as it did to Sonia Sotomayor -- with sexist, personal attacks, and misinformation about her background, professional history, ideology, and judicial philosophy. Hate radio host Rush Limbaugh said that "we don't need to go too deep in analyzing the babe...I guess she can change her mind. She's a woman." Michael Savage called Kagan a "radical leftist red-diaper doper baby" who is "out of touch...with mainstream America."
thinkprogress.org
Friday, May 7, 2010
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Corporations are People?
ETHICS
Casting Light On Corporate Influence
In January, the Supreme Court struck down a 63-year old ban on corporate money in elections in the Citizens United case, clearing the way for corporations, unions, and advocacy groups to anonymously spend unlimited amounts of money on political campaigns. The decision drew instant criticism from government transparency watchdogs, consumer advocates, legal scholars, and even some businesses which warned that the ruling would lead to a flood of corporate money into politics that would allow deep-pocketed organizations to "drown out any voices that disagree with them." President Obama called the decision a "huge blow to our efforts to rein in this undue influence," and Democratic lawmakers set to work crafting legislation to limit corporate political influence. Meanwhile, Republicans and corporate lobby groups hailed the decision as victory for free speech, even while polls showed that "Americans of both parties overwhelmingly oppose" the ruling. After months of work, Senate Democrats, along with Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Republican Reps. Mike Castle (DE) and Walter Jones (NC), unveiled a sweeping campaign finance reform bill Thursday to address the Citizens United ruling. The DISCLOSE Act (Democracy is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections) aims to increase transparency and accountability in campaign finance, so voters will know who is behind political advertisements. Obama lauded the bill, calling it the "toughest-ever disclosure requirements for election-related spending by big oil corporations, Wall Street and other special interests...trying to buy representation in our government." The bill's lead sponsor in the Senate, Charles Schumer (D-NY), said the legislation was designed to affect this fall's election "in every way," and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) pledged to bring the bill to the floor before July 4. The House Administration Committee will hold the first hearing on the bill this Thursday.
Phoenix Suns Protest Racism
The Phoenix Suns basketball franchise announced that they will be wearing “Los Suns” jerseys on Wednesday night for Game 2 of their playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs. The game will be played in Phoenix. Team owner Robert Sarver, a Republican, said the jerseys will “honor our Latino community and the diversity of our league, the state of Arizona and our nation.” Sarver also made clear in a statement that the selection of the Spanish-language jersey — which will coincide with Cinco de Mayo — is a political statement against Arizona’s new anti-immigrant law:
The frustration with the federal government’s failure to deal with the issue of illegal immigration resulted in passage of a flawed state law. However intended, the result of passing this law is that our basic principles of equal rights and protection under the law are being called into question, and Arizona’s already struggling economy will suffer even further setbacks at a time when the state can ill-afford them.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
"This is Alambma we speak English, if you live here, learn it."
Tim James is a moron. There are many people that know more than him, and many more that don't know but, intelligently, remain quite. I don't think you can get around this reality, he is not an intelligent-well versed-enlighten individual. A part of me really wishes that all people, including Mr. James, would read books, consider perspectives, discuss with other knowledgeable humans, read countering viewpoints with an open-mind, perhaps even admit ignorance; before opening one's mouths; especially in public places, ESPECIALLY as public representatives that represent "the people" and civic society at large and through which many are influenced. This is ludicrous, but maybe that's just the business man in Mr. James. I just wish we opened our selves up to deeper thought and demand that our politicians open up to philosophic and ethical debate and not settle for anything less than a wider and deeper enlightened discourse-- not dogmas, based in utility wealth and a dominant demographic viewpoints (white rich men from the US). We need a SEE party not a Tea Party. Please watch this video and dedicate yourself, and your future, to fighting ( culturally,physically and intelectualy) people like Mr. Tim James; we need to abose uninteligent dogmatist and get them out of decision making; for the love of the tradition of THINKING, THINKING CRITICALLY, AND THINKING OFTEN.
"This is Alambma we speak English, if you live here, learn it."
"This is Alambma we speak English, if you live here, learn it."
Saturday, May 1, 2010
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