Wednesday, March 07, 2012
Jewish activist to AIPAC: Stop Silencing Dissent!
I know, people get mad at me for my Israeli/Palestinian views...but I support this organization called the "other" Jewish Voice.
They are doing good work.
Tuesday, March 06, 2012
Sunday, March 04, 2012
الجيش السوري اقتحام بابا عمرو 1-3-Entering into Baba Amr2012
(translated) according to a security source in Damascus today, the source said "This area is under control, the army operation cleansing of the neighborhood, building after building, and house after house. " 03/01/2012
"The soldiers searched all the cellars and tunnels in search of weapons and terrorists."
He continued, "there are still some spots that must be curtailed."
Announced the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights For his part, said in a statement that "the clashes taking place in the vicinity of neighborhood Pope AMR, between the regular army and Syrian dissident groups prevent the attempt to break into the neighborhood, at a time when you hear the sound of explosions and shootings in the neighborhoods of the other city." Is under Baba Amr and other neighborhoods in the city , came under artillery and rocket three weeks ago, hundreds of sign Alguetlymusdr Syrian security confirms the army to storm the district Baba Amr in Homs and activists deny
An official security source in Damascus that the Syrian army stormed the neighborhood of Baba Amr in the city of Homs center of the country on Wednesday, February 29 and is now the process of cleansing it.
Syrian security forces take Baba Amr
After 27 days of bombardment, Syrian security forces loyal to President Bashar al-Asad now claim they have retaken full control of the rebel-held Baba Amr neighbourhood of Homs.
تنسيقية الرستن : مجزرة الرستن 2 - 3 جمعة تسليح الجيش الحرMar3-12 Rastan, Syria
Rastan massacre 2-3 Fri arming the army free. (Free Army...translated direct)
Mortar shells down on peaceful demonstrators in Rastan and kill and injure. This is the reality of war folks...these videos do not spare the realities
Le spettacolari immagini dell'Etna, un misto di lava e neve
Volcano Etna, in Southern Italy, where I offer Photo Workshops is bubbling! Activity of the new crater southeast, lasted a few hours, but the images are spectacular, paerchè the lava meets the snow and the result is all to watch.
Edith Bouvier Escapes from Homs
by: Damien Pearse and agencies
Journalist was left taped to a stretcher inside the tunnel rebels had dung to smuggle her out when Syrian forces bombed it
The French journalist Edith Bouvier feared her escape from the besieged Syrian city of Homs had come to an end after the tunnel through which she was smuggled came under bombardment from Assad's forces.
Her leg broken by a shell, which killed the Sunday Times journalist Marie Colvin and French photographer Rémi Ochlik days earlier, Bouvier was abandoned, taped to a makeshift stretcher, as rebels and dozens of wounded fled the explosions and headed back to Baba Amr district.
"One of them placed his Kalashnikov on me. He put his hand on my head and said a prayer. It wasn't very reassuring. Then he left," Bouvier told Le Figaro newspaper, for which she was working in Syria.
"I didn't know what was going to happen. Was the exit blocked? Were Syrian soldiers going to enter? I wanted to run away before remembering that I was taped to a stretcher."
Bouvier and the French photographer William Daniels, who stayed with her throughout, were finally rescued by a rebel who drove down the 1.6-metre high tunnel on a motorbike and carried them back to Baba Amr.
With the tunnel blocked and Baba Amr close to falling to the army, the two journalists, the objects of a manhunt after their faces were broadcast on Syrian television, decided to risk everything by slipping out of the city in a vehicle under cover of darkness.
"We were exhausted, physically and mentally. We had to get out of there," Bouvier said. Details of their escape route were not published by the newspaper to protect those who helped them.
Moving from safe house to safe house, changing vehicles frequently and taking rocky mountain roads amid a snowstorm, it took the journalists and their rebel escort four days to travel the 25 miles to the Lebanese border. Everywhere strangers greeted them by name, welcoming them warmly.
"They really put themselves in danger for us. They did everything for us," said Bouvier, who called her parents as soon as she crossed into Lebanon under cover of darkness. "I didn't tell them where I was, just that I was safe and sound."
Guardian
How I Escaped Homs Syria.
Javier Espinosa
Guardian
Sunday 4 March 2012
The motley procession seemed like something out of the 17th-century Spain described by the writer Francisco de Quevedo. One injured man was in his underwear, with his legs, head and arms bandaged up, using his working hand to grasp his drip. He could barely walk. Then came a limping man, wounded in his foot, who hopped or was carried on a friend's back. Another young man, his leg shattered by shrapnel, was transported on a blanket held by others.
Ahmed, his arm and leg lacerated by shrapnel from a rocket, leaned on Mohamed, who struggled onwards with a sniper's bullet in his back. Journalists Paul Conroy and Edith Bouvier, both wounded, were part of the same strange troop, along with two other correspondents, including me.
Even the vehicles we travelled in seemed more ready for the scrapyard than this insane venture. The lorries were peppered with bullet holes and shrapnel. One jolted along on a flat tyre.
Fifty or more of us – many disabled by their wounds – were trying to break out of the besieged neighbourhood of Baba Amr, in Homs, fleeing the final attack unleashed by the Syrian regime. It was to be a risky night-time dash through Syrian army lines, which would prove just how desperate these people, abandoned to their luck, had become.
The journey started at 9pm. Lorries full of those trying to flee navigated the deserted, pitch-dark streets at high speed. We drove without headlights, trying not to alert snipers.
The people of Baba Amr have suffered so monstrously that for some of those who found a seat it seemed almost funny. They giggled at the sight of a journalist protecting their head with a laptop. "Silence! Please!" a militiaman ordered. One man was only too aware of the danger; he prayed continuously.
Only part of the journey could be travelled by vehicle. The rest was to be done on foot. Suddenly the sky lit up. Government troops must have heard the noise and begun to fire off flares.
"Get down! Get down! Snipers!"
The group began to splinter. Most went to hide in ruined buildings. The seriously injured could do no more than throw themselves to the ground. On this occasion, the flares lit up an area away from where we were. But it was a taste of the chaos to come.
"Mummy! Mummy!" Terrified children called out as they walked. The Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters tried to quieten them. But it was too late. The firing started as suddenly as the flares. Bullets ricocheted around us. A burst of gunfire forced us to hide in the scrub. Then a hail of bullets broke up the group.
We ran across fields. Bullets whistled past. I followed Mohamed and Ahmed, who seemed to have forgotten the shrapnel in his leg. He hopped and trotted at an incredible speed. Later he would joke about it: "How on earth could I run like that, when I can't even walk?"
The three of us hid in a copse of trees, cowering there for more than an hour as shots continued to ring out nearby.
Ahmed is a 23-year-old Palestinian, born in the refugee camp in Hama. He joined the uprising at the start, fighting with the FSA. He boasted of having destroyed 17 armoured vehicles before he was wounded. Now he hoped to get to Lebanon and find a hospital to treat him. Mohamed was his comrade from the same katiba, or unit. He also wanted to get to Lebanon.
"What shall we do? Which direction do we go?" The three of us were lost. After the firefight, the countryside fell back into silence. The absence of noise was almost as startling as the gunfire.
Sometimes life is ruled by logic. I could just recall that this was the route I had used to get into Baba Amr, so they asked me to lead them. Little by little the muddy paths began to seem familiar. We walked in single file, slowed down by fear and the others' injuries. Mohamed had to prop himself on our shoulders.
Finally we made it to a cluster of houses. The rebellion is widespread in Homs. All Ahmed had to do was knock on a door and immediately a group of youths set about finding us somewhere to hide. Minutes later we were escaping again, four of us on a single motorbike.
The night belongs to the rebels. The motorbike was stopped by an FSA patrol that had blocked the road. They took charge of getting the three of us to a village far from Bashar al-Assad's troops.
Baba Amr's destiny has been decided. The rebellion there appears to have been quashed, but it will continue in many other places. South of Homs, in Qusair, the rebels boast that they control half of the town. People there walk in daylight whenever the bombardments die down. You can even buy falafel.
"They have 70 tanks and 5,000 soldiers surrounding the town, but they don't dare go in," said a member of the FSA's Farouk Brigade – which controls the farming region around Homs and had been in charge of Baba Amr.
That did not mean, however, that one entered the town at less than a crazy speed. It was a wise strategy. A car hit earlier was still burning on the road.
There is no method to war. Nothing you have learned helps you predict who will live and who will join the statistics. On the day I escaped Homs, the rebels said some 64 other people had died trying the same thing. They claim they were women and children.
For Assem, a 36-year-old labourer who has joined the rebels, the defeat of Baba Amr – still not certain when we spoke – would not end the uprising.
"Bashar has not got the message. I, for example, loved him when he took over. I thought he would be different to his father," he said. He pointed to a part of his little finger. "If he had just given us this little bit of freedom, we would have remained quiet. But whenever he slaughters someone from our families he simply increases our desire to kill him."
Guardian
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
International Criminal Court to deliver verdict on Congolese warlord
AMSTERDAM, Feb 29 (Reuters) - The International Criminal Court said it will deliver its verdict on Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga, who is accused of conscripting, training and arming hundreds of child soldiers, on March 14, in the war crimes court's first trial.
Lubanga's alleged crimes took place during the Democratic Republic of Congo's 1998-2003 conflict. He was handed over to the court in 2006 and went on trial in 2009.
An ethnic Hema, Lubanga has denied charges he enlisted and conscripted children under 15, some as young as nine years old, to his Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) movement to kill members of the rival Lendu tribe.
Prosecutors have said Lubanga is guilty beyond "any possible doubt" and that his armed group recruited "hundreds of children to kill, pillage and rape."
More than 30,000 child soldiers were recruited during the Congo conflict, according to some estimates. One girl told the court she was conscripted at the age of 13 and repeatedly sexually assaulted by her commanders.
Lubanga has said he was a politician rather than a warlord, and had never played an active role in the UPC'S militia.
(Reporting by Sara Webb)
Reuters
Lubanga's alleged crimes took place during the Democratic Republic of Congo's 1998-2003 conflict. He was handed over to the court in 2006 and went on trial in 2009.
An ethnic Hema, Lubanga has denied charges he enlisted and conscripted children under 15, some as young as nine years old, to his Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) movement to kill members of the rival Lendu tribe.
Prosecutors have said Lubanga is guilty beyond "any possible doubt" and that his armed group recruited "hundreds of children to kill, pillage and rape."
More than 30,000 child soldiers were recruited during the Congo conflict, according to some estimates. One girl told the court she was conscripted at the age of 13 and repeatedly sexually assaulted by her commanders.
Lubanga has said he was a politician rather than a warlord, and had never played an active role in the UPC'S militia.
(Reporting by Sara Webb)
Reuters
Stunting: The Global Crisis You\'ve Never Heard Of
Suppose I asked you to imagine a courtroom in which a stern judge peers with indifference at a baby — and off-handedly condemns the infant either to death or a life shorter than her peers, with poorer cognitive capacity, more likelihood of disease and less ability to learn at school and earn as an adult.
Of course, you would say this is unimaginable. What judge, or human being, would do such a thing? But this is what is happening to an estimated 180 million children under the age of 5, children whose bodies and minds are limited by stunting. Stunting, or stunted growth, is the result of chronic nutritional deficiencies. A stunted 5-year-old is four to six inches shorter than a non-stunted peer. But lost height is the least of concerns: a stunted child, for instance, is nearly five times more likely to die from diarrhea than a non-stunted child because of the physiological changes in a stunted body. Stunting is also associated with impaired brain development. A typical stunted brain has fewer cells. The cells themselves are somewhat smaller, and the interconnection between them is more limited. This means lasting impaired functioning, which leads in turn to significantly reduced learning. Considering the severe effects, stunting has received far too little attention for far too long.
Stunting: The Global Crisis You\'ve Never Heard Of
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Homs Update: 25 Feb 2012
(Reuters) - President Bashar al-Assad's forces killed 103 people in Syria on Friday in the bombardment of the besieged city of Homs and in attacks on the countryside of Hama and the east and north of the country, the activist group Local Coordination Committees said.
Most of those killed were civilians, including 14 children and one woman, it said.
Anas al-Tarsheh, an activist in Homs who has been filming the bombardment and uploading the footage on YouTube, was also killed by the shelling, the grassroots opposition activists' organisation said in statement.
The group said at least 36 people had been killed in Homs and 32 in the province in Hama. Five were killed in and around the northern city of Aleppo, Syria's main commercial and industrial hub, it said.
Security forces also shot dead 10 people the eastern city of Hasaka, where crowds were fired upon when they tried to bring down a statue of Assad's late brother Bassel, said the group, which has been documenting what it describes as human rights abuses since the popular uprising against Assad broke out 11 month ago.
Other scattered killings took place across the country, it said.
(Reporting by Khaled Yacoub Oweis, Amman newsroom)
Reuters
Most of those killed were civilians, including 14 children and one woman, it said.
Anas al-Tarsheh, an activist in Homs who has been filming the bombardment and uploading the footage on YouTube, was also killed by the shelling, the grassroots opposition activists' organisation said in statement.
The group said at least 36 people had been killed in Homs and 32 in the province in Hama. Five were killed in and around the northern city of Aleppo, Syria's main commercial and industrial hub, it said.
Security forces also shot dead 10 people the eastern city of Hasaka, where crowds were fired upon when they tried to bring down a statue of Assad's late brother Bassel, said the group, which has been documenting what it describes as human rights abuses since the popular uprising against Assad broke out 11 month ago.
Other scattered killings took place across the country, it said.
(Reporting by Khaled Yacoub Oweis, Amman newsroom)
Reuters
Baba Amr-Homs, Syria
Susan Brannon
24 February 2012
Life in Homs Syria
Danny Abdel describes life in Baba Amr is likened to a war zone. "No one is safe here. They shoot at us everyday. They come in armies in tanks, sometimes without us even knowing. I've lost 14 of my best friends, they all have been shot, bombed up or taken to prison and have come out dead...all of them."
Hundreds have been killed by rockets, snipers' bullets as the Syrian regime attempts to regain control of the country. Homs is the third largest city in Syria and known as the capital of the Syrian revolution.There are 28,00 people in Baba Amr that are besieged and they cannot get out. The regime will not let them out and are shelling the civilian areas.
No one has been spared the violence that has reached high levels. UN debated and failed to negotiate a resolution. On February 6th a rocket blew into a local hospital. It is said that the regime patrols the hospitals to arrest people who are injured. They invade in the evening and go to the hospitals in the morning to find those who are revolutionaries. The doctors in the hospitals are not allowed to treat anyone that has been injured in the violence. This means any man, woman or child with their legs blown off, or bullets embedded in their bodies.
Many doctors are now treating people in homes without the proper medical equipment that is needed. In a recent video journalist, Edith Bouvier pleads for her safe exit from the violent country after a shooting that destroyed both of her legs. Her interview is from a room in someone's private home.
American war journalist Marie Colvin was located near Edith and was killed. During Colvin's last interview from Homs, she said that, "It's absolutely sickening...shelling started at 6:30 in the morning...I counted 14 shells hitting this civilian area of Baba Amr within 30 seconds. There's a small clinic, you can't really call it a clinic. It's an apartment that has been turned into a clinic. You have plasma bags hanging from coathangers. I watched a little baby die today. Absolutely horrific. A two-year old had been hit, they stripped it and found the shrapnel had gone into the left chest....This is happening over and over and over."
It is believed that the journalists were targeted because of the signals from using satellites for reporting. Colvin had reported that the regime is bombing any home and the home that she was in before was bombed the week before.
No one in Syria can understand how the international community allows this to happen and they continue to make pleas to the outside world to help them. They are confused because when the revolution occurred in Libya, the International community stepped in.
More than 7,000 people have been killed in Syria since the start of the uprising. They will not stop because if they do, then they will go door to door and gather up all the revolutionaries for mass execution. A Syrian activists said that the regime films the revolutionaries and knows who they are if they give up then things will become much worse for the people of Syria. The activists put their very lives at risk by posting videos on You Tube in the attempt to gather international attention.
Hilary Clinton said, "If this was easy, it would have already been done." On January 30, 2012 the UN attempted to an agreement but failed by 13 for to 2 against. Russia attempted to change the wording to clarify avoiding any calls for military action. Their concern is that any vague wordings could be used by NATO for another Libya-style regime change. Syrian ambassador Bashar Ja'Afari, responded to the agreement by stating "I think that the European and American countries are making the same mistakes. Syria will not be Libya and Syria will not be Iraq"
The humanitarian situation is at a crisis point. Medical supplies and food are not coming in and the resources are limited. Oil needed for heating, babies milk, cutting off the power to phones and electricity and lack of medicine. Aid agencies or others are not allowed to bring or travel around with supplies. If anyone is found with medical supplies or food they will be shot on the spot no questions asked. There are reports of human rights concerns, child torture, raping of women and children, targeted civilian murder, and the use of human shields.
As a reaction to this President Obama says, "I will continue to put pressure and use every tool available to stop the slaughter in Syria. It is imperative for the international community to rally and send a clear message to President Assad that it is time for a transition, a time to move on and a time to stop killing their own citizens."
For Syria, lets hope that they can do this soon.
24 February 2012
Life in Homs Syria
Danny Abdel describes life in Baba Amr is likened to a war zone. "No one is safe here. They shoot at us everyday. They come in armies in tanks, sometimes without us even knowing. I've lost 14 of my best friends, they all have been shot, bombed up or taken to prison and have come out dead...all of them."
Hundreds have been killed by rockets, snipers' bullets as the Syrian regime attempts to regain control of the country. Homs is the third largest city in Syria and known as the capital of the Syrian revolution.There are 28,00 people in Baba Amr that are besieged and they cannot get out. The regime will not let them out and are shelling the civilian areas.
No one has been spared the violence that has reached high levels. UN debated and failed to negotiate a resolution. On February 6th a rocket blew into a local hospital. It is said that the regime patrols the hospitals to arrest people who are injured. They invade in the evening and go to the hospitals in the morning to find those who are revolutionaries. The doctors in the hospitals are not allowed to treat anyone that has been injured in the violence. This means any man, woman or child with their legs blown off, or bullets embedded in their bodies.
Many doctors are now treating people in homes without the proper medical equipment that is needed. In a recent video journalist, Edith Bouvier pleads for her safe exit from the violent country after a shooting that destroyed both of her legs. Her interview is from a room in someone's private home.
American war journalist Marie Colvin was located near Edith and was killed. During Colvin's last interview from Homs, she said that, "It's absolutely sickening...shelling started at 6:30 in the morning...I counted 14 shells hitting this civilian area of Baba Amr within 30 seconds. There's a small clinic, you can't really call it a clinic. It's an apartment that has been turned into a clinic. You have plasma bags hanging from coathangers. I watched a little baby die today. Absolutely horrific. A two-year old had been hit, they stripped it and found the shrapnel had gone into the left chest....This is happening over and over and over."
It is believed that the journalists were targeted because of the signals from using satellites for reporting. Colvin had reported that the regime is bombing any home and the home that she was in before was bombed the week before.
No one in Syria can understand how the international community allows this to happen and they continue to make pleas to the outside world to help them. They are confused because when the revolution occurred in Libya, the International community stepped in.
More than 7,000 people have been killed in Syria since the start of the uprising. They will not stop because if they do, then they will go door to door and gather up all the revolutionaries for mass execution. A Syrian activists said that the regime films the revolutionaries and knows who they are if they give up then things will become much worse for the people of Syria. The activists put their very lives at risk by posting videos on You Tube in the attempt to gather international attention.
Hilary Clinton said, "If this was easy, it would have already been done." On January 30, 2012 the UN attempted to an agreement but failed by 13 for to 2 against. Russia attempted to change the wording to clarify avoiding any calls for military action. Their concern is that any vague wordings could be used by NATO for another Libya-style regime change. Syrian ambassador Bashar Ja'Afari, responded to the agreement by stating "I think that the European and American countries are making the same mistakes. Syria will not be Libya and Syria will not be Iraq"
The humanitarian situation is at a crisis point. Medical supplies and food are not coming in and the resources are limited. Oil needed for heating, babies milk, cutting off the power to phones and electricity and lack of medicine. Aid agencies or others are not allowed to bring or travel around with supplies. If anyone is found with medical supplies or food they will be shot on the spot no questions asked. There are reports of human rights concerns, child torture, raping of women and children, targeted civilian murder, and the use of human shields.
As a reaction to this President Obama says, "I will continue to put pressure and use every tool available to stop the slaughter in Syria. It is imperative for the international community to rally and send a clear message to President Assad that it is time for a transition, a time to move on and a time to stop killing their own citizens."
For Syria, lets hope that they can do this soon.
Friday, February 24, 2012
True America; Where Lies become the Truth
Susan Brannon
25 February 2012
The brief history of America video is to remember who we really are in relation to the Syrian revolution. I do not think that we know how to go and help a country, then leave. We must be able to print money that we don't have and is not backed up to help? Help for what and for who? We all know that Saddam did not have weapons of mass destruction, yet we stayed for years. Our president and his two side kicks smiled and made up more stories to tell us. They never went to jail or before court for their manipulation of the American public. I can say the same about CNN, Fox News, CBS, BBC and others for blasting the same propaganda day in and day out without actual research on the facts that they were told by the pentagon. They just told the stories as though they were facts. Why? Because they bowed down to the social cultural and expected norms mandated by patriot lies and wanted to keep their jobs and continue to be invited to the pentagon press briefings.
These well planned and prepared lies from our top leaders lead to the complete destruction of two other countries and now they are trying the same thing for Iran. It lead to thousands of people killed, men women, children of all ages from all walks of life, and all languages.
Our men went out to fight and be killed based on propaganda. Their mothers, fathers, wives, children and family members will forever have a pain in their hearts for their death. If I as a journalist, provided false information, knowingly, I would loose my career, my face, money, and all. I would not have been able to get away with it. I know photojournalists who altered images and are black listed from the field forever.
Nixons wiretapping was nothing in comparison to what has been going on in our country. This is when the lies become the truth and the truth become lies. I remember coming back for a visit from Iraq and saw the changes in America. I was talking to a friend on public transportation and a women came up to me and said, "You can't be talking like that here. You may get arrested. My advice is to stay quiet" I was saddened.
I noticed that my country has been developing on fear. Fear the enemies strongest ally. If you get people to live in fear, then you will have total control. Everyone has been saying that Saddam was horrible, and yes he was. What did he do? He used fear to control his people. Plain fear and became a very wealthy man. But what was that fear compared to the fear that we have created in Iraq? Citizens are scared to walk down the streets anymore. They did not have to fear that in the past. They just knew that they could not walk across the bridge, so they did not. That fear was much less than the fear of random bombings, shootings and kidnappings.
I ask, Why do we need planes, solders and guns to help a country? I never had to carry a gun in a war zone, I just had to look up. (for snipers) I did not have to point my gun at anyone to defend myself, gather information or to help those that needed help. Words and images are a powerful tool to educate and inform others about a situation. Look at what happened after the killing of Marie Colvin and Remi Ochlik. The news spread like a virus, the reports from the inside started receiving front page news. Assad had to respond and let the medical professionals inside of Homs Amr to assist and evacuate the wounded women and children. There was too much visibility for him to ignore the effects of his assaults on the civilians.
Syria, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia all woke up to the lies that they have been fed from their leaders. They became tired of the inequality, the division of the classes, poverty and walking in that same fear that we do today. America's fear is the "attack from the Terrorists" Really? Who are the real terrorists, I may ask. Who really flew into the towers? We had drones a long time ago, don't fool yourself. There has been too many stories with missing pieces of the puzzle. There has been too many stories that created a false reality based on lies that became the truth and in turn the truth became the wrong way to think.
25 February 2012
The brief history of America video is to remember who we really are in relation to the Syrian revolution. I do not think that we know how to go and help a country, then leave. We must be able to print money that we don't have and is not backed up to help? Help for what and for who? We all know that Saddam did not have weapons of mass destruction, yet we stayed for years. Our president and his two side kicks smiled and made up more stories to tell us. They never went to jail or before court for their manipulation of the American public. I can say the same about CNN, Fox News, CBS, BBC and others for blasting the same propaganda day in and day out without actual research on the facts that they were told by the pentagon. They just told the stories as though they were facts. Why? Because they bowed down to the social cultural and expected norms mandated by patriot lies and wanted to keep their jobs and continue to be invited to the pentagon press briefings.
These well planned and prepared lies from our top leaders lead to the complete destruction of two other countries and now they are trying the same thing for Iran. It lead to thousands of people killed, men women, children of all ages from all walks of life, and all languages.
Our men went out to fight and be killed based on propaganda. Their mothers, fathers, wives, children and family members will forever have a pain in their hearts for their death. If I as a journalist, provided false information, knowingly, I would loose my career, my face, money, and all. I would not have been able to get away with it. I know photojournalists who altered images and are black listed from the field forever.
Nixons wiretapping was nothing in comparison to what has been going on in our country. This is when the lies become the truth and the truth become lies. I remember coming back for a visit from Iraq and saw the changes in America. I was talking to a friend on public transportation and a women came up to me and said, "You can't be talking like that here. You may get arrested. My advice is to stay quiet" I was saddened.
I noticed that my country has been developing on fear. Fear the enemies strongest ally. If you get people to live in fear, then you will have total control. Everyone has been saying that Saddam was horrible, and yes he was. What did he do? He used fear to control his people. Plain fear and became a very wealthy man. But what was that fear compared to the fear that we have created in Iraq? Citizens are scared to walk down the streets anymore. They did not have to fear that in the past. They just knew that they could not walk across the bridge, so they did not. That fear was much less than the fear of random bombings, shootings and kidnappings.
I ask, Why do we need planes, solders and guns to help a country? I never had to carry a gun in a war zone, I just had to look up. (for snipers) I did not have to point my gun at anyone to defend myself, gather information or to help those that needed help. Words and images are a powerful tool to educate and inform others about a situation. Look at what happened after the killing of Marie Colvin and Remi Ochlik. The news spread like a virus, the reports from the inside started receiving front page news. Assad had to respond and let the medical professionals inside of Homs Amr to assist and evacuate the wounded women and children. There was too much visibility for him to ignore the effects of his assaults on the civilians.
Syria, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia all woke up to the lies that they have been fed from their leaders. They became tired of the inequality, the division of the classes, poverty and walking in that same fear that we do today. America's fear is the "attack from the Terrorists" Really? Who are the real terrorists, I may ask. Who really flew into the towers? We had drones a long time ago, don't fool yourself. There has been too many stories with missing pieces of the puzzle. There has been too many stories that created a false reality based on lies that became the truth and in turn the truth became the wrong way to think.
Let Your Life Be a Friction to Stop the Machine
Remember our true history. Okay, it is not about "America" it is about the "program" involved that put us where we are today. It took Egypt 30 years to remember who they want to be and stop believing the lies. It took them 30 years of oppression and poverty to say enough is enough. How long will it take us in America? This is an important question.
Journalist in Baba Amr, Syria
In solidarity to the journalists who risk their lives to tell us the news in war zones. In the city of Homs, the Syrian government shelled the Baba Amr district as a continuation of the Syrian uprising. "There is no safe place here." Ramy Achmid Sayeed, a leading Syrian activist and Two foreign reporters were killed during the siege: CNN reporter Marie Colvin was killed and Remy Otlik from the Le Figaro. Their bodies were buried under the rubble from a shell blasting at their makeshift media center. The journalists entered into Syria illegally to report the news from the inside. Two French journalists were injured, Edith Bouvier and Paul Conory who works for CNN. Edith and Paul need medical attention that they cannot receive in Homs. They are requesting for a safe exit into Lebanon for medical treatment.
Two Syrian doctors report "Romeny was killed because he revealed the true picture of Baba Amr....Our revolution will continue with God's permission and many Romeny's will take his place." "The Syrian government says that the people in Homs are criminal groups and are targeted." They report seeing families and children targeted during the incursion leaving many injured without the proper medical help." The doctor leaves a message for the Syrian people "because there are still many Syrians who betrayed the revolution, there are a lot of doctors that have been let down and no one is helping." They ask why.
The day before Marie Colvin was killed she reported that "No one can walk in the streets. There are snipers all around Baba Amr on the high buildings. I think the sicking thing is the complete merciless nature, they are hitting civilian buildings absolutely merciffily and without caring and the scale of it is just shocking."
Human rights organizers report that 27 men were chased, rounded up and killed execution style my Syrian organizers in the city street. Anyone who attempts to go against the Syrian government, or reports the events have the risk of being targeted for death. There are some reports of the Syrian army using humans as shields during the clashes.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Friday, February 10, 2012
Tuesday, February 07, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Top Cities with High Unemployment for 65 and over
Susan Brannon
24/7 Wall street reports that at the end of 2010 7.3% of Americans 75 and older were employed which is the highest level since 1966. Many older Americans lost retirement money and need to work in order to survive. More retirement-age people are searching for work, more are unemployed, and more are having a difficult time paying their bills.
The high unemployment rates among the 65 and over are not necessarily the same cities that have a high unemployment rate. Metropolitan regions have the unemployment rate lower than the national average, and other cities are harder hit. For those seeking to reenter the work force for 65 and over have a higher challenge in cities that rely on finance, telecommunications and technology.
The highest ranked cities for those 65 and older to find jobs:
Austin, Round Rock and San Marcos, Texas; rate 10.3% general rate: 7.1%
Bridgeport, Stamford, Norwalk, Conn: rate 11.3%; general rate 11.3%
Las Vegas, Paradise, NV; rate 13.4% general rate 14.7%
Seattle, Tacoma, Bellevue, WA: rate 14.2% general rate: 10.6%
Tampa, St.Petersburg, Clearwater FL, rate 14.5%; general rate 11.3%
Charlotte, Gastonia, Rock Hill, NC/SC; rate 15.5% general rate 10.8%
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Remember Why People Occupy: Peer Benchmarking; CEO Payoffs
Susan Brannon
Occupiers feel that the "leaders are not listening" or paying attention to their concerns about the failing of our country. "The banks have been bailed out but the people have been left out"
Some CEO's have been leaving their corporations with high payoffs:
USA News reports that, "Nabors Industries' former CEO, Gene Isenberg, due $126 million when he exits as chairman, and IBM CEO Sam Palmisano, due $170 million. They follow Google's Eric Schmidt, who received $100 million in stock after leaving as CEO."
"Incoming inequality, global greed" Protesters say that their is less communication, more meetings, the "movement has been given an alienation of their voice". The gap between rich and poor, but what is their next move to have their voice heard and to make changes.
Do they need to enter into politics?
"We speak so much truth, the other candidates, do not make a difference, and we stand to make that difference in real values." This is a comment by occupiers who decided to go out and start feeding the poor.
"We are not going anywhere until you address our grievances" In Tennessee, oppose the rise of taxes to the poor by 3%. "We want a bottom up Democracy". "Our representatives are easily bribed by the rich and the corporations, will you take our bribe to work for us?
The Washington Posts explains that the corporate world sets executive pay known as "peer benchmarking, to keep the talented corporates from leaving. "This is how it’s done in corporate America. At Amgen and at the vast majority of large U.S. companies, boards aim to pay their executives at levels equal to or above the median for executives at similar companies. Amgen's board just decided to give Sharer $21 million annually, a 37 percent increase than the previous year.
Research has found that "90 percent of major U.S. companies expressly set their executive pay targets at or above the median of their peer group. This creates just the kinds of circumstances that drive pay upward."
The Washington Post reports, "Since the 1970s, median pay for executives at the nation’s largest companies has more than quadrupled, even after adjusting for inflation, according to researchers. Over the same period, pay for a typical non-supervisory worker has dropped more than 10 percent, according to Bureau of Labor statistics."
Now do we remember why we still Occupy?
Again in DC 17 January 2012
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1253761580001?bckey=AQ~~,AAAACmfagLE~,tb1eLUJJvv9DvHums_c0DU0T_EkmSRg7&bclid=1213650992001&bctid=1411690400001
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Romney backed by Goldman Sacks
By Andrew Henry
Newsmax
The top donor to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign, investment banking and securities firm Goldman Sachs, received over $10 billion in emergency lending and bailouts from the Federal Reserve after the 2008 financial meltdown, according to public sources and published reports.
Goldman backed Obama for election in 2008, and the firm, like many Wall Street institutions, is now backing Mitt Romney for president.
Romney has long had a close relationship with Goldman Sachs. In 1999 Romney purchased initial IPO shares in Goldman that netted him $1.1 million in profits when he sold them in 2010.
And The New York Times recently reported that “many of the assets in Romney’s blind trust” are managed by Goldman.
Today, Goldman is Romney’s largest donor.
And nine of Romney’s top 20 campaign contributors are big Wall Street Banks like Goldman. But Goldman leads all Romney contributors, having donated $367,200 to his campaign, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Six of those nine top contributors received over $161 billion in taxpayer bailouts, reports ProPublica, the independent, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative organization.
Goldman doesn’t contribute directly to candidates like Romney, but does so through its employees.
Romney’s ties to Goldman have already become a campaign issue. During Thursday’s CNN debate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich stated that Romney profited from millions he invested in a Goldman Sachs fund that relied heavily on investments in the mortgage-backed securities linked to the 2008 implosion on Wall Street. Romney said he personally didn’t direct the investment, which he said was made through his trust.
Still, Romney’s close ties with Goldman will continue to nag his campaign.
ProPublica says that the The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., received over $782 million in emergency lending from the Federal Reserve. On Jan. 17, the investigative site reported that the total of taxpayer bailouts received by Goldman tallied a whopping $10 billion.
The relationship between Goldman and Romney goes far beyond its patronage of his campaign. The firm has reportedly managed significant assets of Romney’s in his blind trust.
Read more on Newsmax.com: Romney Backed by Goldman Sachs, Bailout Banks
Important: Do You Support Pres. Obama's Re-Election? Vote Here Now!
Romney’s relationship with Goldman dates back at least to 1999, when he purchased 7,000 shares of Goldman’s initial public offering. The release of those shares was tightly held, and were largely unavailable to ordinary investors.
According to a May 1999 BusinessWeek story, “few of the public shareholders were folks who happened to be lucky enough to snare a few shares.”
One potential political landmine for Romney: Personal financial disclosures from May 2011 indicating he and his family invested millions in a Goldman Sachs fund that invested heavily in mortgage-backed debt obligations.
There have been growing indications that Romney’s ties to Wall Street would be subjected to intense scrutiny in a general election campaign especially the Goldman Sachs fund he invested in that benefited from the housing collapse.
Romney’s disclosure forms show that he invested between $1 and $5 million in the fund, and his wife Ann invested another $1 million plus.
The report is based on Romney’s May 2011 personal financial disclosures, which indicates significant investments in the “Goldman Sachs Strategic Income Fund (institutional class).” Approximately 24.5 percent of that fund is reportedly invested in mortgage-backed obligations.
Romney’s profit taking through his Goldman fund investment remains a sensitive subject in Florida, one of the states hardest hit by the housing meltdown. Romney’s Goldman fund invested in some of the biggest culprits in the housing meltdown, including Bear Stearns, Countrywide, IndyMac and Washington Mutual.
In October, Romney ran into trouble on the foreclosure issue, when suggested the remedy to the turmoil in the real estate market is “don’t try and stop the foreclosure process. Let it run its course and hit the bottom.”
On Tuesday, Romney stood before a foreclosed home and promised a small crowd of Floridians that he would encourage financial institutions to help homeowners. But he also partially defended banking institutions’ role in the mortgage crisis.
“In this case, it’s because of the banks,” he said, according to a FoxNews.com report. “Well, the banks aren’t bad people. They’re just overwhelmed.”
By comparison, only one of the top 20 contributors to GOP rival Newt Gingrich’s campaign is a bank: Wells Fargo donated $5,900 to the Gingrich campaign through Sept. 30.
Then-candidate Barack Obama received strong support from Wall Street in the 2008 cycle. But so far this cycle, the only financial institution listed among his top 20 donors is Goldman Sachs. It contributed $50,124 to his re-election campaign.
Analysts say Wall Street’s lackluster financial support for the president’s reelection campaign reflects the pinch they’re feeling on profits due to the Dodd-Frank financial regulations reforms he has championed.
Read more on Newsmax.com: Romney Backed by Goldman Sachs, Bailout Banks
Important: Do You Support Pres. Obama's Re-Election? Vote Here Now!
Newsmax
The top donor to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign, investment banking and securities firm Goldman Sachs, received over $10 billion in emergency lending and bailouts from the Federal Reserve after the 2008 financial meltdown, according to public sources and published reports.
Goldman backed Obama for election in 2008, and the firm, like many Wall Street institutions, is now backing Mitt Romney for president.
Romney has long had a close relationship with Goldman Sachs. In 1999 Romney purchased initial IPO shares in Goldman that netted him $1.1 million in profits when he sold them in 2010.
And The New York Times recently reported that “many of the assets in Romney’s blind trust” are managed by Goldman.
Today, Goldman is Romney’s largest donor.
And nine of Romney’s top 20 campaign contributors are big Wall Street Banks like Goldman. But Goldman leads all Romney contributors, having donated $367,200 to his campaign, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Six of those nine top contributors received over $161 billion in taxpayer bailouts, reports ProPublica, the independent, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative organization.
Goldman doesn’t contribute directly to candidates like Romney, but does so through its employees.
Romney’s ties to Goldman have already become a campaign issue. During Thursday’s CNN debate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich stated that Romney profited from millions he invested in a Goldman Sachs fund that relied heavily on investments in the mortgage-backed securities linked to the 2008 implosion on Wall Street. Romney said he personally didn’t direct the investment, which he said was made through his trust.
Still, Romney’s close ties with Goldman will continue to nag his campaign.
ProPublica says that the The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., received over $782 million in emergency lending from the Federal Reserve. On Jan. 17, the investigative site reported that the total of taxpayer bailouts received by Goldman tallied a whopping $10 billion.
The relationship between Goldman and Romney goes far beyond its patronage of his campaign. The firm has reportedly managed significant assets of Romney’s in his blind trust.
Read more on Newsmax.com: Romney Backed by Goldman Sachs, Bailout Banks
Important: Do You Support Pres. Obama's Re-Election? Vote Here Now!
Romney’s relationship with Goldman dates back at least to 1999, when he purchased 7,000 shares of Goldman’s initial public offering. The release of those shares was tightly held, and were largely unavailable to ordinary investors.
According to a May 1999 BusinessWeek story, “few of the public shareholders were folks who happened to be lucky enough to snare a few shares.”
One potential political landmine for Romney: Personal financial disclosures from May 2011 indicating he and his family invested millions in a Goldman Sachs fund that invested heavily in mortgage-backed debt obligations.
There have been growing indications that Romney’s ties to Wall Street would be subjected to intense scrutiny in a general election campaign especially the Goldman Sachs fund he invested in that benefited from the housing collapse.
Romney’s disclosure forms show that he invested between $1 and $5 million in the fund, and his wife Ann invested another $1 million plus.
The report is based on Romney’s May 2011 personal financial disclosures, which indicates significant investments in the “Goldman Sachs Strategic Income Fund (institutional class).” Approximately 24.5 percent of that fund is reportedly invested in mortgage-backed obligations.
Romney’s profit taking through his Goldman fund investment remains a sensitive subject in Florida, one of the states hardest hit by the housing meltdown. Romney’s Goldman fund invested in some of the biggest culprits in the housing meltdown, including Bear Stearns, Countrywide, IndyMac and Washington Mutual.
In October, Romney ran into trouble on the foreclosure issue, when suggested the remedy to the turmoil in the real estate market is “don’t try and stop the foreclosure process. Let it run its course and hit the bottom.”
On Tuesday, Romney stood before a foreclosed home and promised a small crowd of Floridians that he would encourage financial institutions to help homeowners. But he also partially defended banking institutions’ role in the mortgage crisis.
“In this case, it’s because of the banks,” he said, according to a FoxNews.com report. “Well, the banks aren’t bad people. They’re just overwhelmed.”
By comparison, only one of the top 20 contributors to GOP rival Newt Gingrich’s campaign is a bank: Wells Fargo donated $5,900 to the Gingrich campaign through Sept. 30.
Then-candidate Barack Obama received strong support from Wall Street in the 2008 cycle. But so far this cycle, the only financial institution listed among his top 20 donors is Goldman Sachs. It contributed $50,124 to his re-election campaign.
Analysts say Wall Street’s lackluster financial support for the president’s reelection campaign reflects the pinch they’re feeling on profits due to the Dodd-Frank financial regulations reforms he has championed.
Read more on Newsmax.com: Romney Backed by Goldman Sachs, Bailout Banks
Important: Do You Support Pres. Obama's Re-Election? Vote Here Now!
Twitter Censorship
Susan Brannon
Is the censorship by Twitter connected to the recent SOPA/PIPA proposal? It seems strange that once everyone blacked out and petitioned the SOPA deal, Twitter decided to censor tweets. Who is to really decide what tweets are approved and which ones are not?
As we know, Twitter was a major resource for the gathering of thousands in the Arab Spring and a resource for thousands to keep people on the outside involved in the situation.
As a journalist, twitter is a main aspect for me to follow issues and concerns and I sure that it is the same for activists. So now what? Will I not be able to follow a tweet from Syria because, the U.S. government decides that I, an American should not know what it going on over there? Will I not be allowed to really know what is going on over there?
I have been covering war, physically from the inside and I know that what makes it into mainstream news, is not really the reality many times over and over. I can understand the global governments are concerned on the Arab Spring spreading onto other revolutions in different countries. Well, it already has.
What about our own 99% vs the 1% Wall Street Occupy sit ins? I believe that this censorship should be scraped, done with and it should not have been a nano second of a thought or consideration for Twitter. Here is why:
This takes away from our freedom of expression
The freedom of the right to assemble and organize
The freedom to communicate with those we want to communicate with from any border
Twitter is selling people out who need a place to have a voice
Twitter is committing social suicide
If censorship starts to happen, then we all loose.
Twitter is putting themselves in the place of the government's mercy. Not run by them, but in the end will be run by the government.
Twitter said, "no plans to remove tweets unless it receives a request from government officials, companies or another outside party that believes the message is illegal."
Okay, so the government can tell us what, who and where we can speak.
There will be a Twitter for Democratic countries and a Twitter for the other.
Is the censorship by Twitter connected to the recent SOPA/PIPA proposal? It seems strange that once everyone blacked out and petitioned the SOPA deal, Twitter decided to censor tweets. Who is to really decide what tweets are approved and which ones are not?
As we know, Twitter was a major resource for the gathering of thousands in the Arab Spring and a resource for thousands to keep people on the outside involved in the situation.
As a journalist, twitter is a main aspect for me to follow issues and concerns and I sure that it is the same for activists. So now what? Will I not be able to follow a tweet from Syria because, the U.S. government decides that I, an American should not know what it going on over there? Will I not be allowed to really know what is going on over there?
I have been covering war, physically from the inside and I know that what makes it into mainstream news, is not really the reality many times over and over. I can understand the global governments are concerned on the Arab Spring spreading onto other revolutions in different countries. Well, it already has.
What about our own 99% vs the 1% Wall Street Occupy sit ins? I believe that this censorship should be scraped, done with and it should not have been a nano second of a thought or consideration for Twitter. Here is why:
This takes away from our freedom of expression
The freedom of the right to assemble and organize
The freedom to communicate with those we want to communicate with from any border
Twitter is selling people out who need a place to have a voice
Twitter is committing social suicide
If censorship starts to happen, then we all loose.
Twitter is putting themselves in the place of the government's mercy. Not run by them, but in the end will be run by the government.
Twitter said, "no plans to remove tweets unless it receives a request from government officials, companies or another outside party that believes the message is illegal."
Okay, so the government can tell us what, who and where we can speak.
There will be a Twitter for Democratic countries and a Twitter for the other.
Monday, January 23, 2012
USA in decline while the war machine rages on
I am so sick of our politicians talking about war during the elections. These guys are just ignoring reality, what the American needs are, ignoring our economical frustrations and just talk the same garbble.
SOPA It's Not Dead
January 13, 2012 - In an incredible turn of events, six Republican Senators have asked Majority Leader Harry Reid not to hold a vote on PIPA (The Protect IP Act), and the Senate version of SOPA. The Protect IP Act (Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act of 2011 or PIPA), also known as Senate Bill 968 or SB968, is a re-write of the Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act (COICA), which failed to pass in 2010.
They write...
"Prior to committee action, some members expressed substantive concerns about the bill, and there was a commitment to resolve them prior to floor consideration. That resolution has not yet occurred."
And as an amazíng validation of the grassroots response to SOPA, led by groups like Fight for the Future, EFF, Public Knowledge, and Demand Progress, they write, "Since the mark-up, we have increasingly heard from a large number of constituents and other stakeholders with vocal concerns about possible unintended consequences of the proposed legislation, including breaches in cybersecurity, damaging the integrity of the Internet, costly and burdensome litigation, and dilution of First Amendment rights."
January 15, 2012 - Various news outlets reported that President Barack Obama said he would not support SOPA. The Obama administration said that it is opposed to the way the bill is currently written because it limits Internet freedom.
January 18, 2012 - Strike! The Internet Goes Dark
In what is being called the largest online protest in history, Wikipedia, Reddit and several other major sites went "dark" to protest SOPA. And while Google didn't go black, it blackened its logo.
How was it done?
A simple piece of code called STOP SOPA, replaced a site's landing page with a black screen. Moving your mouse over the screen revealed a message explaining the need to kill SOPA and a link to anti-SOPA site AmericanCensorship.org.
You can see a complete list of confirmed SOPA strike participants at SOPAStrike.com.
January 19, 2012 - Striking a Obviously Partisan Tone, Senate Minority Leader McConnell Tells Majority Leader Reid to Kill PIPA
"Looks like the next domino in the SOPA/PIPA fight just fell. Tony Romm is reporting that Senate minority leader, Senator Mitch McConnell is calling on Democrats to drop PIPA.
That has a high likelihood of killing off what little Republican support is left for PIPA, because where McConnell goes, so go most Republican Senate votes." (Source: Techdirt)
January 20, 2012 - SOPA and PIPA Postponed Indefinitely After Protests
"When the entire Internet gets angry, Congress takes notice. Both the House and the Senate on Friday backed away from a pair of controversial anti-piracy bills, tossing them into limbo and throwing doubt on their future viability.
The Senate had been scheduled to vote next week on the Protect IP Act (PIPA) -- a bill that once had widespread, bipartisan support. But on Friday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he was postponing the vote "in light of recent events."
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives said it is putting on hold its version of the bill, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). The House will "postpone consideration of the legislation until there is wider agreement on a solution," House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith said in a written statement." (Source: CNN/Money)
Conclusion
While the current versions of SOPA/PIPA may, in fact, be dead, politicians on both sides continue to work on a viable solution to combat Internet piracy. In fact, CNN/Money is reporting, alternative legislation has already been proposed.
"A bipartisan group of senators introduced the Online Protection and Enforcement of Digital Trade Act (OPEN) on January 18 -- the same day as the Wikipedia site blackout.
Among other differences, OPEN offers more protection than SOPA would to sites accused of hosting pirated content. It also beefs up the enforcement process. It would allow digital rights holders to bring cases before the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), an independent agency that handles trademark infringement and other trade disputes."
Stay tuned...this thing is far from over.
David Jackson
The Professor's Compliant Against Age Discrimination
Forced to joke about age...333 years old. McDonald's advertise hiring older people, but ask the age on the application.
He interviewer asked the person to leave or he will call the police, because the man, could not remember his real age.
THE AGED AND AGEISM....PART 1
Aging. Little money, no help, no advocacy. This is in the UK, where they have more involvement with the aging. How is it in the U.S?
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Fracking Contamination in USA
Years After Evidence of Fracking Contamination, EPA to Supply Drinking Water to Homes in Pa. Town
by Abrahm Lustgarten ProPublica, Jan. 20, 2012, 2:58 p.m.
First, the eartharound the rural town of Dimock, Pa., was cracked open as gas drillers usedfracking [1] to tap the vastenergy supplies of the Marcellus Shale.
Then, in April 2009, residents there lost theiraccess to fresh drinking water [2].Wells turned fetid. Some blew up. Tap water caught fire.
Now, nearlythree years later 2014 and after a string of lawsuits and stateinvestigations has ushered Dimock to the forefront of the environmental debateover drilling but failed to resolve the water problem 2014 the EnvironmentalProtection Agency is stepping in to supply drinking water itself.
On Friday, theagency announced it would bring tanks of drinking water to four homes,including that of Julie Sautner, whom ProPublica first interviewed [3] about her water problems in 2009.
201CDatareviewed by EPA indicates that residents2019 well water contains levels ofcontaminants that pose a health concern,201D the agency said in a statement [4]. Testsshowed dangerous levels of arsenic [5], acarcinogen, as well as glycols and barium in at least four wells, and the EPAis apparently concerned that the contamination may bemore widespread.
According to the statement, theEPA plans to test the water supplies in 60 additional homes for hazardoussubstances.
In 2009,Pennsylvania officials charged Cabot Oil & Gas [6], the company that drilled the wells inDimock, with several violations it said had contributed to methane gas leakingout of the gas wells and into drinking water. For a time, Cabot supplieddrinking water to a number of homes in the area but then stopped.
The EPA haswaded into the Dimock issues slowly over the past few months, provoking adefensive stance from the state2019s lead environmental regulator, who earlierthis month called the EPA2019s understanding of the Dimock situation 201Crudimentary [7].201D
But the statehas not undertaken the scope of water analysis the EPA now plans to do, anduntil the EPA stepped in Friday, Dimock residents had found little resolution.
Environmentalgroups are applauding the EPA2019s move. "This finding confirms what Dimockresidents have said for months, that the Pennsylvania Department ofEnvironmental Protection should have never allowed Cabot to end deliveries ofclean water," said Environmental Working Group senior counsel DustyHorwitt.
But they also say the time has come for the EPA to address watercontamination concerns in other communities across the country where residentssay drilling has harmed their water.
In December, the EPA concluded that fracking [8] was likelyto blame for a similar rash of groundwater contamination in Pavillion, Wyo. Theagency is conducting a multiyear national study of fracking2019s effects on watersupplies.
We have previously reported about waterand drilling concerns [9] in parts of western Wyoming, as well as centraland southern Colorado, Texas, Ohio and elsewhere.
SOPA PIPA Supporters 18th and 19th
click on the link to enlarge to see who's what in your government
Censorship in the world's largest democracy - Opinion - Al Jazeera English
Censorship in the world's largest democracy - Opinion - Al Jazeera English
a must read article on the reality of Internet censorship globally. This is fact ridden and a must to read to understand what is really going on.
San Francisco, California - In the world's largest democracy, something is brewing that could have grave implications for freedom of expression. On January 12, in response to a private lawsuit, a Delhi High Court judge, Justice Suresh Kait, told lawyers for the Indian offices of Facebook and Google that, unless they develop the capability to regulate "offensive and objectionable" material on their sites, the Indian government would block their websites, "like China [does]".
The complaint, filed by Vinay Rai, a magazine editor, was filed under laws banning the sale of obscene books and objects, as well as one pertaining to criminal conspiracy. It demands that the companies - as well as companies providing similar services, such as Yahoo - screen content before it appears on their sites.
In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, Rai explained that the evidence he submitted to the court included content offensive to Hindus, Muslims and Christians. "My intention is to ensure that the sentiments of any religion or community are not hurt," he told the Journal.
a must read article on the reality of Internet censorship globally. This is fact ridden and a must to read to understand what is really going on.
San Francisco, California - In the world's largest democracy, something is brewing that could have grave implications for freedom of expression. On January 12, in response to a private lawsuit, a Delhi High Court judge, Justice Suresh Kait, told lawyers for the Indian offices of Facebook and Google that, unless they develop the capability to regulate "offensive and objectionable" material on their sites, the Indian government would block their websites, "like China [does]".
The complaint, filed by Vinay Rai, a magazine editor, was filed under laws banning the sale of obscene books and objects, as well as one pertaining to criminal conspiracy. It demands that the companies - as well as companies providing similar services, such as Yahoo - screen content before it appears on their sites.
In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, Rai explained that the evidence he submitted to the court included content offensive to Hindus, Muslims and Christians. "My intention is to ensure that the sentiments of any religion or community are not hurt," he told the Journal.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Consequence Management Response Force CCMRFs now training on US soil! ...
The government says the training is for "self defense" to dangerous situation on American soil. For civil unrest, natural disasters.
Trained for: 3rd brigade in Iraq (I was inbedded with them, as a photojournalist). They are called CCMRF, they are a "well trained" and trusted brigade.
Ron Paul on FEMA Extermination Camps in the U.S.
"Yeah, there setting the stage for violence in this country, that's for sure" Ron Paul
Thursday, January 19, 2012
click here to sign against SOPA PIPP
Today After The War joins with other sites in a virtual strike to protest two proposed laws in the United States, called SOPA and the PROTECT IP Act. On January 24th, the U.S. Senate will vote on the PROTECT IP Act to censor the Internet, despite opposition from the vast majority of Americans.
Join us to protect our rights to free speech, privacy, and prosperity.
http://americancensorship.org/
Join us to protect our rights to free speech, privacy, and prosperity.
http://americancensorship.org/
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Monday, January 16, 2012
Sunday, January 15, 2012
#JAN1: Occupy Wall Street finds no right to generally assemble
This is all about our civil rights being challenged. Are we really a police state now?
Re-Occupy Wall Street: Protesters back in Zuccotti Park
With the news covering the elections 24/7; I thought that it would be a good idea to talk about other things that are going on in the background.
Wednesday, January 04, 2012
Monday, January 02, 2012
American soldiers describe how they can kill civilians
Permission to kill. Planting weapons on the victims bodies to receive approval in the killings.
iraq war: us soldier tells his story and hands back his awards.
A blurb in the middle of the homeless and Working Poor stream. As a recent war photojournalist, I felt that this video was important for me to insert onto my blog. His description of the house raids, reminds me of the experiences with the Israeli's and their night time house raids in Palestine. I wonder did we teach the Israeli's this tactic, or did they teach us?
Did You Know the U.S. Middle Class is Disappearing. These stats prove it.
The stats are a little outdated and today the numbers are higher as stated in my article, The Working Poor. However, the story is still the same and this is a good video with short clips to get the reality across to what is really going on in America.
Living in the tunnels of New York City
Some may call this man living in the New York city tunnels homeless, but is he?
How to have a home with no house payments and no utility bills!
In these economic times, you may find yourself in a bit of a squeeze for places to live. This video will provide you an option for a different type of living! If you must sell your home, or it is foreclosed, and you know that you have to move with a very limited or no income..but you will need some investment money. This video tells you how to live on "your land" without payments. By this video you will need about 3-4 thousand to start with. Enjoy!
How to survive homelessness with style!
How to build a Gertee for living in using recycled materials. Homeless people can go to the library to get more information on building a gertee...but you will need the space to build it without someone tearing it down before you are finished and once you move in.
How to eat when your homeless, with Papadoc, your homeless Martha Stewart
A homeless tells us how to make a meal in your car while you are homeless. You will need a few things, freeze dried food, a thermos and some hot water from a 7 to 11! I wonder if the companies he advertises would want to pay him for his advertising. What a twist in advertising.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Thursday, December 29, 2011
The Working Poor and Livable Wage
Susan Brannon
28 December 2011
The required Federal Minimum wage keeps the average American family of four living in poverty. According to the Working Poor Families Project study, as of in December 2010 Nearly one in every three American families is classified as the working poor, that is 45 million people including 22 million children. These are the people who can barely make it from month to month, they are two income providers and blue collar workers. The wages and hours are decreasing and the monthly bills keep going up.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics defines the working poor as " people who has spent 27 weeks in the past year either working or looking for work whose income is below the poverty level. "
The Bureau of Labor Statistics defines the working poor as " people who has spent 27 weeks in the past year either working or looking for work whose income is below the poverty level. "
When the minimum wage was first introduced nationally in 1938,it was considered "a livable wage" for an American family of four. but the reality compared to the inflation rate is that the sustainable "value" has been going down.The problem is that the required minimum wage amount is not high enough compared to the real monetary value has kept the American people living below the poverty level since 1938.
One would think that the set minimum wage would be a number to keep people above water and enough to put food on the table, but this has not been the case. For example, in 1968 the minimum wage was $1.60 per hour but in real value compared to inflation it should have been $10.04 per hour to survive. From 1996 to 2006 the minimum wage remained at $4.25 per hour for 10 years without any adjustments. This was a time period of good economic times, yet inflation continued to rise and family's were quickly discovering that they needed two jobs per household in order to maintain their standard of living.
The current minimum wage is $7.25 per hour but in real value terms, it should be $10.39 per hour in order to obtain a livable wage. If inflation does not rise sharply in 2012, $10.39 per hour with a 40 hour work week, should be enough to pay the rent, food, gas and utilities, but not much more. Of course this also depends on the cost of living in your city and state.
The situation gets a bit more complicated considering our current economical problems. Simply comparing the real value vs minimum wage is not enough to get the real picture on the situation with the working poor in America. Corporations and small businesses are feeling the pinch of the faltering economy and in order to reduce their costs, they increase the amount of workers and reduce the work hours for each worker. This process reduces the business cost of providing benefits to the workers. They must maintain a profit in order to remain in business. The result is that the average blue collar worker has found themselves working 20 hours a week without benefits and must another job to make the difference. Many working poor families are now holding four part-time jobs to make their monthly payments. According to the Working Poor Families Project:
One would think that the set minimum wage would be a number to keep people above water and enough to put food on the table, but this has not been the case. For example, in 1968 the minimum wage was $1.60 per hour but in real value compared to inflation it should have been $10.04 per hour to survive. From 1996 to 2006 the minimum wage remained at $4.25 per hour for 10 years without any adjustments. This was a time period of good economic times, yet inflation continued to rise and family's were quickly discovering that they needed two jobs per household in order to maintain their standard of living.
The current minimum wage is $7.25 per hour but in real value terms, it should be $10.39 per hour in order to obtain a livable wage. If inflation does not rise sharply in 2012, $10.39 per hour with a 40 hour work week, should be enough to pay the rent, food, gas and utilities, but not much more. Of course this also depends on the cost of living in your city and state.
The situation gets a bit more complicated considering our current economical problems. Simply comparing the real value vs minimum wage is not enough to get the real picture on the situation with the working poor in America. Corporations and small businesses are feeling the pinch of the faltering economy and in order to reduce their costs, they increase the amount of workers and reduce the work hours for each worker. This process reduces the business cost of providing benefits to the workers. They must maintain a profit in order to remain in business. The result is that the average blue collar worker has found themselves working 20 hours a week without benefits and must another job to make the difference. Many working poor families are now holding four part-time jobs to make their monthly payments. According to the Working Poor Families Project:
- More than half of the U.S. labor force (55 percent) has “suffered a spell of unemployment, a cut in pay, a reduction in hours or have become involuntary part-time workers” since the recession began in December 2007.
- Income inequality continued to grow with the richest 20 percent of working families taking home 47 percent of all income and earning 10 times that of low-income working families.
In most states part-time employees generally have limited or no company benefits, such as health benefits, vacation and sick time, paid holidays, and unemployment compensation. Part time employees are not protected under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) in turn, more and more workers are surviving without medical insurance, paid holidays and sick leave.
I thought I would include here some more statistics that show what the working poor are now facing:
I thought I would include here some more statistics that show what the working poor are now facing:
- As 2007 began, only 26 million Americans were on food stamps, but now 42 million Americans are on food stamps and that number keeps rising every single month. (Wall Street Journal)
- Since 2001, over 42,000 U.S. factories have closed down for good. (The American Dream)
- In 2009, total wages, median wages, and average wages all declined in the United States. (Tax.com)
- Half of all American workers now earn $505 or less per week. (Tax.com)
- In 1976, the top 1 percent of earners in the United States took in 8.9 percent of all income. By 2007, that number had risen to 23.5 percent. (New York Times)
- Since the year 2000, we have lost 10% of our middle class jobs. In the year 2000 there were about 72 million middle class jobs in the United States but today there are only about 65 million middle class jobs. Meanwhile, our population is getting larger. (Zerohege)
If you are a member of the working poor, I wish that I had better news for you but as it looks things are not going to get any better and millions of Americans will be joining you soon.
Thursday, December 01, 2011
Child Abuse: The Silent Epidemic in America
Susan Brannon
28 November 2011
It came to my attention that there are over 3 million reports of child abuse each year in the United States. In 2009 approximately 3.3 million child abuse reports were made involving 6 million children. This is because when the government reports child abuse cases, it is the number of cases, not the number of children, nor how many of them at one time. These numbers make America the worst in developing countries for child abuse. The highest amount of reports came from the state of Texas.
The BBC compares countries by annual deaths per 100,000
- Germany: 0.8UK: 0.9
Japan: 1
France: 1.4
America: 2.4 America is almost double of France; more than double for the other reported countries
According to the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services; Division for Children and Families: A victim is defined as a "child for whom the State determined at least one maltreatment was found to be substantiated or indicated; and a disposition of substantiated, indicated, or alternative response victim was assigned." Does the term substantiated or indicated mean that if there are reports, and there are no signs of physical abuse, is it not counted?
We now know the official numbers but the real questions is; "Why is child abuse so high in America?" It is difficult to find the answers, because there are so many factors that could be involved. The question of violence in movies and television, stress, tension in a working world, poor role models...the list could go on, and on. Considering the facts listed below; child abuse occurs no matter what the race, income, religion, or region. This means that we cannot include poverty, blacks, whites, Asian, Christians, Mormons or po- dunk town rural America. The findings mean anyone can be involved, your neighbor, your boss, your pastor, or your best friend and considering the numbers it is most likely that on your average day, you will have spoken or sat next to someone that is/was either an abuser or a victim. This is a sad and unspoken reality in America, the land of the free where dream can come true.
Dept. of Human Services reports:
- "Eighty-seven percent of unique victims were comprised of three races or ethnicities—African-American (22.3%),
---Hispanic (20.7%),
---White (44.0%). - However, victims of African-American, American Indian or Alaska Native, and multiple racial descent had the highest rates of victimization at 15.1, 11.6, and 12.4 victims, respectively, per 1,000 children in the population of the same race or ethnicity."
- The re-occurrence rate is 94.6% according to the Child and Family Services Reviews.
It seems to me that in order to gather the percentage rate for re-occurrence, then those who gather the reports, know of the crimes, the abusers and the victims; since the re-occurrence rate is so high, then why are the children still with or in contact with their abusers? Why is the child put back into the position of repeated abuse? *Remember, the numbers reflect the cases that are "reported" and there are many more that are not reported.
- Unfortunately, the youngest children are the most vulnerable, 80.8% of the children are either killed or abused during the first three years of their life. I need to write that again, to make sure these facts sink into our minds of denial. The first three years of life. During the most important time in a child's' life where they learn to trust and understand how the world works. UNICEF reports, "These early childhood years are when experiences and interactions with parents, family members and other adults influence the way a child’s brain develops, with as much impact as such factors as adequate nutrition, good health and clean water. And how the child develops during this period sets the stage for later success in school and the character of adolescence and adulthood." and continues, "But the brain’s malleability during these early years also means that when children do not get the care they need, or if they experience starvation, abuse or neglect, their brain development may be compromised" This includes all the key ingredients, All the key ingredients of emotional intelligence — confidence, curiosity, intentionality, self-control, relatedness, capacity to communicate and cooperativeness —
- More than 90% of child sexual abuse victims know their perpetrator in some way. In 2009, those of those abused, 37% was by their mother and 18.6 % by the father. The lowest amount was zero, for a foster parent male relative.
The bottom line? I believe that in light of the current research the mothers need stronger social support that is combined with increased maternal education including listing where the mothers can go for help in their area. Unfortunately, we are in an economic downturn with government cut-backs at every turn. Funding for home based social support is about diminished to help these mothers who are distraught.
To lower the numbers of abuse cases in the United States, is important to promote and advocate as soon as the child is born and hospitals are the best places to distribute educational and local resources to all new mothers. They should be distributed to all new mothers no matter the age, race or income. If someone would know of where they can go for help, then just maybe a child could be saved.
I have noticed in my research on topics such as this, that finding the resources is quite difficult and a person would need to be able to think logically with a clear and concise mind in order to find services in their areas. One website leads to another, many of the phone numbers are wrong, they do not answer their phones or the services are in a different state. In addition, the mother would have to be Internet savvy and have internet access, while at the same time, deal with the stressors of being a new mother.
Here are Some Quick Facts:
- In 2010 there were more than 5 deaths each day due to abuse and neglect. This means that a report of child abuse is made every 10 seconds
- Approximately 80% of children that die from abuse are under the age of 4.
- It is estimated that between 50-60% of child fatalities are due to maltreatment are not recorded on death certificates.
- Child abuse occurs at every socioeconomic level, ethnic, cultural, religious and educational background.
- 30% of abused and neglected children will later abuse their own children.
- About 80% of 21 year olds that were abused as children met criteria for at least one psychological disorder.
- The annual cost of child abuse and neglect for 2007 was 104 Billion dollars.
- 25% of those abused are more likely to experience teen pregnancy.
10.8% physical abuse
7.6% Psychological maltreatment
7.6% Sexual Abuse
Resources:
Child Help
Department for Health and Human Services and Child welfare
BBC
PubMed
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Minimum Wage in Real Value 1938-2010
Susan Brannon
26 November 2011
Did you know that the U.S. minimum wage in real dollars had been going down in relation to inflation? This is one reason why it now takes two or three jobs per household to keep above water. In 1938 the the minimum wage was $0.25 / per hour to 2010 of $7.25. If we adjust the wages to 2010 dollars this shows the real value of minimum wage. In 1968, the minimum wage in real dollars was equal to $10.04 per/hour. That is quite a drop from todays wages.
Even if you take the states that ventured away from the Federal minimum wage amounts, with the highest being in Washington for January 1, 2012 to $9.04 per/hour, that is still a drop from 1968. No wonder the 60's were remembered as the good times.
If that is not enough for reality, if we take the Real Annual Wage since 1938 and compare that to the real poverty level for a family of four, not once has the required Federal minimum wage levels kept any family above the poverty line. Minimum wage varied from a maximum of 90% of the poverty level in 1968, and has averaged two thirds of the poverty level since 1959, when the poverty level was established. In 2006 the minimum wage level was raised for the first time in ten years without any adjustment.
The reality is that as the real value of minimum wage has declined, so has the percent of workers that it covered. Now over 130 cities survive on "living wages".
A living wage is the minimum hourly income necessary for a worker to meet their basic needs during a 40 hour work week. This includes shelter, clothing, food etc. Some cities has passed a living wage ordinance such as San Francisco, California, Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico. This usually totals to be around $3 to $7 dollars above minimum wage.
*http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/anth484/minwage.html
26 November 2011
Did you know that the U.S. minimum wage in real dollars had been going down in relation to inflation? This is one reason why it now takes two or three jobs per household to keep above water. In 1938 the the minimum wage was $0.25 / per hour to 2010 of $7.25. If we adjust the wages to 2010 dollars this shows the real value of minimum wage. In 1968, the minimum wage in real dollars was equal to $10.04 per/hour. That is quite a drop from todays wages.
 | |
| Real Value Minimum Wage Red Squares - Nominal Value Blue Dots . Graph by OSU 2010 |
If that is not enough for reality, if we take the Real Annual Wage since 1938 and compare that to the real poverty level for a family of four, not once has the required Federal minimum wage levels kept any family above the poverty line. Minimum wage varied from a maximum of 90% of the poverty level in 1968, and has averaged two thirds of the poverty level since 1959, when the poverty level was established. In 2006 the minimum wage level was raised for the first time in ten years without any adjustment.
 |
| Real Annual Income Wage /Poverty Line; Graph OSU |
A living wage is the minimum hourly income necessary for a worker to meet their basic needs during a 40 hour work week. This includes shelter, clothing, food etc. Some cities has passed a living wage ordinance such as San Francisco, California, Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico. This usually totals to be around $3 to $7 dollars above minimum wage.
*http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/anth484/minwage.html
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