We received our American Community Alert letter today. It explains that we were
"not you personally" selected to participate in the important survey but "as part of a randomly selected sample."
It goes on to say what is surveyed in the soon to arrive survey and how very important it is for our area and everyone to get the proper (tax) money for our "community leaders" to decide how to use this money to "reduce traffic congestion, provide job training,and plan for the healthcare needs of the elderly."
It could be used for "schools,highways, hospitals,and other services".
Gee, that about covers all the things that would make me feel really guilty if Idon't accurately and quickly fill out this survey, because I may cause a child irrepairable damage without a school or grandma no haelthcoverage, or all those important parentssittingincongested traffic to experience road rage... OMG.Iwon't sleep 'til it gets here.
Well, I guess the letter in all politically correctness covers all the important groups, children, old people and Native Americans; federal, state, local tribal governments,....wait it forgot a couple didn't it?We received our American Community Alert letter today. It explains that we were
"not... more
Italy is gripped by crisis and unemployment and with democracy in danger, but is not the only nation in Western Europe in these conditions. Greece experience a similar situation in many respects. Even though recently there the Socialist Party won the election, still isn't ended the social unrest that followed the death of a 15 years old student, killed by police on 6 December 2008. New clashes between students and the Greek police took place on November 17. http://www.inaltreparole.net/en/world/grecia191109.htmlItaly is gripped by crisis and unemployment and with democracy in danger, but is not... more
I was watching Obama's town hall meeting with students in Shanghai last night. As he wrapped up his prepared remarks, stepped away from the podium, and began to explain the format of the town hall portion I realized that this might be absolutely foreign to many of these students. Here is a country's President, a very famous and powerful man, asking them to raise their hands and ask him a question. Whatever they asked him, he'd answer. We obviously take this sort of thing for granted - heck our most recent town halls seem to have devolved into purely shouting at our elected officials. But I couldn't shake the feeling that Obama, who was not joined on stage by any major Chinese official, had smuggled a little democracy into the PRC.
[Video is featured. This video of his introducing the concept is from CNN and their anchor, predictably, talks all over him, but you can hear the second half. If anyone can find a clean video - I'll replace this one with it.]
He also, and this was the headlining remark, asserted the American position that it's okay for everyone to use Twitter.
"President Barack Obama pointedly nudged China on Monday to stop censoring Internet access, offering an animated defense of the tool that helped him win the White House and suggesting Beijing need not fear a little criticism...."I think that the more freely information flows, the stronger the society becomes, because then citizens of countries around the world can hold their own governments accountable," Obama told students during his first-ever trip to China. "They can begin to think for themselves."
If the President's goal was to sneak a little democracy into the People's Republic, it seems to have not reached too many citizens. The event was not broadcast nationally - only on local Shanghai stations - and the live feed from the White House web site was reportedly choppy and hard to watch in China.
The reason why Berlusconi will not and cannot stand on trial is quite obvious: he knows very well that he will be condemned. Because the judges are against him, he says. Because he committed the offenses he is accused for, under the indictment hypothesis of the trials. Many of these crimes relate to classic examples of unfair competition: an entrepreneur who corrupts a judge to take a decision in his favor, falsified financial statements, moved money around, hid his debts. http://www.inaltreparole.net/en/resistance/berlusconistanchezza141109.htmlThe reason why Berlusconi will not and cannot stand on trial is quite obvious: he... more
If tonight the Tg1 (italian state-owned main evening tv news program) opened its evening edition with the save the premier law, calling it so. If it said that the law to shorten the statute of limitation for all but the most serious crimes and those of immigrants is unconstitutional, racist and in fact an amnesty for bribers, polluters, crooks and many others such criminals? If the Tg1 would speak for the first time in its history of all the trials in which Berlusconi stands accused? http://www.inaltreparole.net/en/journalism/tguno131109.htmlIf tonight the Tg1 (italian state-owned main evening tv news program) opened its... more
For many of us, the fall of the Berlin Wall was something we never truly understood the significance of until we learned about it in school. It happened in our lives, but not at a point when we could include it as an historical moment that impacted us--it was too distant.
Oppression in China, on the other hand, was happening then and is still happening now, writes YPNation contributor Genevieve Long. This is of our generation, and we can't be passive about it:
"As a journalist, I have interviewed many people who escaped from China to the United States. One woman lost her husband because he was murdered for being a Falun Gong practitioner. While she suffered a very specific loss, the broad strokes of her story are all too commonplace in China—people are persecuted for their spiritual beliefs, political ideologies, blogging, or running websites on banned topics (i.e. democracy), to name a few. Transgressions from the communist party line aren’t tolerated any more today than they were 20 years ago. But it’s a bigger game of cat and mouse with the advent of the Internet.
"With that in mind, I had to know what the panelists thought about the Berlin Twitter Wall, set up by a German non-profit as a way for people to virtually express their sentiments on the anniversary of the fall of communism in Europe. There were more than 2,000 tweets from people inside Mainland China, many raging for the dream of freedom, in 140 characters or less. It didn’t take long for the site to be blocked by the Great Firewall of China, and tweets from a country of 1.3 billion people ceased."
Read her story: http://bit.ly/4usPTTFor many of us, the fall of the Berlin Wall was something we never truly understood... more
The far too many cases of abuses by security forces in Italy are a very serious threat to democracy in this country, even if only some citizens seem to realize it. The cases of Stefano Cucchi, Marcello Lonzi, Aldo Bianzino, Niki April Gatti, Manuel Eliantonio, Federico Aldrovandi and Riccardo Rasman, came to light thanks to the courageous struggle of families to seek the truth despite the guilty silence of the information. http://www.inaltreparole.net/en/resistance/forzeordine061109.htmlThe far too many cases of abuses by security forces in Italy are a very serious threat... more
private screening at Boston University held; will premeire on History Channel'
on Dec. 13.private screening at Boston University held; will premeire on History Channel'
on... more
200 protesters, 40 sit-in activists risking arrest and 30 others who blocked entrances, shut down Blue Shield in San Francisco Thursday 10/28/2009. http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/10/28/18627064.php200 protesters, 40 sit-in activists risking arrest and 30 others who blocked... more
Tony Blair should be made head of a stronger European Union that would be able to compete with China and the United States on the world stage, the Foreign Secretary said yesterday.
David Miliband said that the new EU president needed to be someone who “stopped the traffic” in Washington and Beijing and was guaranteed the highest access to world leaders.
The Foreign Secretary told the BBC that a Blair presidency would be “very good for Britain as well as very good for Europe”.
Mr Miliband is a Blairite, but Gordon Brown has also supported Mr Blair’s candidacy from the start. Labour MPs believe that the Prime Minister’s short-term ambitions would be helped by an EU president who so antagonised the Tories. In addition, if Mr Brown lost the election and hoped for an international post, having Mr Blair in such a powerful role would be no disadvantage.
Mr Miliband told the Andrew Marr Show that the Lisbon treaty gave Europe a more efficient system for running its affars. “It needs to take that opportunity, otherwise we will find the world run by America and China without any reference to us,” he said. “It all comes down to what the heads of government want the job to be. It’s about whether or not Europe wants a strong leader in that position. I think that hasn’t yet been resolved in the minds of a number of Europe’s leaders.”
It appears us mere humans are missing something here, Tony Blair, one of the most deplorable and hated (by normal thinking people anyway) could rule over the EU, and in turn the EU will rule over us, are people forgetting we chased him out of office as he was so detested?!
Further proof to the fact that this is a dictatorship, not a democracy, and we do not choose our leaders, and we do not make the rules, hell we don't even have the slightest say!
And why Blair? for his wonderful work in the middle east? why didn't he get the Nobel prize then?
also i'm guessing George Bush turned the job down, so second best ey?Tony Blair should be made head of a stronger European Union that would be able to... more
I suggest that all US senators and representatives should be picked at random among the adult population. Like jury duty. Except that if you're chosen you can say no. The job will be prestigious and well remunerated, so most lucky winners will say yes. I've given this idea a lot of thought, that is, as much thought as one can pack in 2.5 seconds, so maybe there's a GIANT flaw but here are the pros and cons.
PROS:
1. We'd get politicians of average intelligence: no difference.
2. We'd get politicians of average honesty: huge improvement.
3. We'd get the thin Bell curve tail of lunatics, sex perverts, and psychopaths: huge improvement. Right now we get a "only-the-crazies-join-the-crazies" power-law distribution that produces the Joe Liebermans of the world.
4. We'd get no elections hence no electoral campaigns hence no campaign financing hence no lobbyists hence no corporate pimping: huge improvement.
5. We'd get true representation of the American people, and not true representation of the super-rich: huge improvement.
6. We'd get more women and minorities in government. We'd get an average of 2 lawyers in all of Congress. Yes, 2! (They'd probably sue each other and cause no harm.) Again, huge improvement.
7. If jury duty is any indication, we'd get people who often take their job seriously: huge improvement.
CONS:
1. You don't get to choose your representatives. Like today. Right now you get to choose people but they are not in any way your representatives, so there would not be the slightest difference on that score.
2..... I dunno. I am sure there's a second flaw somewhere. You have to help me here.
PS: I don't recommend this for the US presidency because the variance is too high.
-------------------------------------------
Would you say yes or no?
What a change this would cause. Come to think of it....it would actually be real change.Jury Duty Democracy
By: Bernard Chazelle
I suggest that all US senators and... more
Billionaires for Wealthcare has a funny and effective approach to the health care fight. Here we see members of the grassroots beast break into song at an AHIP conference. It was beautifully brutal.Billionaires for Wealthcare has a funny and effective approach to the health care... more
Felipe Andres Coronel (born February 19, 1978), better known by the stage name Immortal Technique, is an American rapper and political activist. He was born in Lima, Peru and raised in Harlem, New York.[2] Most of his lyrics focus on political issues. The views expressed in his lyrics are largely a mixture of commentary on issues such as politics, poverty, religion, social class and racism.
We need to get him on CURRENT TV....Felipe Andres Coronel (born February 19, 1978), better known by the stage name... more
"What a HUNK! Notice me Charles....me...the girl through the screen...c'mon...you're staring right at me. UGH! You just missed me and caught sight of that Camilla woman. Shame. Now I'm doomed to be a nobody for the rest of my life and you get to play polo and have servants while I get to look for work and earn a pittance but pay 30% taxes so you can travel in a Bentley! BRILLIANT! Oh Charlie. It could have been us."
SO----What’s your stance? Are monarchies just a rotting appendage to society or do you catch yourself saying “God save the queen!” Read this piece and see what our blogger, who is about to meet a Prince this evening, feels. Leave a comment![Caption under the picture reads]
"What a HUNK! Notice me Charles....me...the girl... more
"The Obama Deception Full Length" = EXTREME RIGHT-WING PROPAGANDA VIDEO
WARNING!!!!! The last 15 Minutes is EXTREME RIGHT WING And Could be offensive to most people.
It is Very Shocking to believe that the group that made this video, openly compare President Obama to Adolf Hitler and Stalin... and show President Kennedy getting his head blown off. This is not with good intentions! The people that made this movie are sick and twisted and want to excite violence... With a desire that one of their "nut case brethren will step up to the task"
I feel that this video's true intent not to educate. But, is clearly to incite violence against President Obama, and that is Criminal !
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS VIDEO?
.
My Review:
First:
The premiss is very Interesting. The History about Wall Street and our Government that is very informative. I liked when they talked about this part... But that's, unfortunately where it ends. It is soon followed by right-wing chest pounding self-serving extreme Right Wing Agenda.
Second:
The Washington DC Hotel location where the Bilderberg Commission meeting was held started interestingly but, soon fell apart also. The footage was way over dramatized with the smell of reality-show with Ballon-Boy type stupidity. Only a Right-Wing believer would drink that Koolade... For those with deductive reasoning they would see as amateur over-done and stupid.
From: 1/4- 3/4 into the Video:
It was difficult to get beyond the over-use of the word "REPUBLIC" used 96 times.
"Still, there is some very interesting subject matter here about "Wall Street" International banking and how this content fits together with all players involved in this bailout meltdown mess. "
I WANTED TO KNOW MORE, But the message was clouded by their right-wing agenda. As photos of the bombed Federal Building in Oklahoma City played in a NRA response to any loss of their much loved weapons... As if is a threat or in planting a seed before the Obama Administration take all their guns away! These are super paranoid Right-Wing Delusions, from a group of people blinded by their very own mono thinking.
My Conclusion: Very Interesting history lesson intended to covert the non Right-Wing. But, was spoiled by their own Flawed Message and over-all Paranoid Right-Wing Political Militant Thinking!
THEY NEED TO REMEMBER, THAT EVERYTHING IN OTHER PEOPLES EYES IS NOT ONLY ABOUT... BEING A "REPUBLIC".
> AFTER LOSING THE ELECTION: IT IS NOW ALL ABOUT DEMOCRACY!
WARNING!!! THE LAST 15 MINUTES OF THIS VIDEO IS TOTAL "SICK" RIGHT-WING FANTASY & PROPAGANDA.
I FIND THEIR CONCLUTION & SOLUTION, SHOCKING:
This video is NOT Free Speech. This fringe group that made this video are comparing "President Obama" to Adolf Hitler and Stalin and then... show President Kennedy getting his head blown off? This was produced with very bad intentions in mind!!!= Showing this movie to any other twisted nut-case: Timothy McVeigh want-a-be... could have VERY VERY UGLY RESULTS!!! But this is the message here... AS I also assume that it is intention of the authors and makers of this Video!!!
BECAUSE OF THAT MESSAGE, THIS IS A DANGEROUS VIDEO !!!! Which is now being sent everywhere.
WE SHOULD ALL BE AWARE... WHAT THESE RIGHT-WING EXTREMISTS ARE UP TOO... AND MORE IMPORTANTLY... OPEN OUR EYES TO WATCH THEM ALL VERY CLOSELY!
Because, this video is a call to excite VIOLENCE and, more!! In my opinion they have crossed the legal and moral line! I am all for free speech, but, this isn't free speech anymore!!! This is much more than yelling fire in a crowded movie theatre! This video is asking for some NUT CASE out there to commit Violence ! "That is Criminal ".
WATCH IT AND SEE FOR YOURSELF AND SEE HOW CRAZY THESE "WELL ARMED"... PEOPLE REALLY ARE.
OPEN YOUR EYES...TO SEE HOW FAR THEY WILL GO, TO STEAL... OUR DEMOCRACY
SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE... THEIR REPUBLIC.
."The Obama Deception Full Length" = EXTREME RIGHT-WING PROPAGANDA VIDEO... more
Over 250,000 calls for healthcare reform in one day, smashing the goal of 100,000. First time in our history. Where is the media on this story?Over 250,000 calls for healthcare reform in one day, smashing the goal of 100,000.... more
Today was published the 2009 press freedom index by Reporters without Borders. And Italy has fallen from 44th to 49th place, the worst country in Western Europe and in conditions worse than many states of Eastern Europe, Africa and South America. The reason is obviously the control of a large part of the media by the Prime Minister in office and his continued attempts to intimidate and censor those he doesn't control.Today was published the 2009 press freedom index by Reporters without Borders. And... more
Today in Rome the greatest italian anti-racist demonstration up to now led 200,000 people to the streets, from Piazza della Repubblica to the stage in Piazza Bocca della Verità. A demonstration to say no to the Security decree that criminalizes immigrants, no to rejections of refugees, illegal under any rule of international law, not to the Centers for Identification and Expulsion where innocent people can be kept in jail for up to six months.Today in Rome the greatest italian anti-racist demonstration up to now led 200,000... more
