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marmar
marmar's Journal
marmar's Journal
April 5, 2012
from Consortium News:
GOP Five Like Stripping Americans
April 3, 2012
Exclusive: The Supreme Court’s GOP Five just finished a run as brave libertarians protecting Americans from President Obama’s health-care reform, but now are back to their usual role as defenders of abusive state power, allowing strip searches of anyone arrested for anything – and perhaps particularly protesters, reports Robert Parry.
By Robert Parry
Last week, the five Republican partisans who control the U.S. Supreme Court were all about protecting American “liberties” against the threat of compulsory broccoli purchases. This week, they are defending the rights of prison guards to strip search a nun arrested in an anti-war protest or a black guy who got nabbed by mistake for not paying a fine that he had actually paid.
But the Court’s strip-search ruling on Monday was more about the future than the past. One could almost see the GOP Five rubbing their hands together at the prospect of mass strip searches of young men and women arrested for challenging corporate greed in Occupy protests. Perhaps the justices would like to take a page from Rush Limbaugh’s playbook and suggest the videos be posted online so they could watch.
“Every detainee who will be admitted to the general population may be required to undergo a close visual inspection while undressed,” wrote Justice Anthony Kennedy for the Republican majority.
Of course, the justices don’t expect that they and their powerful friends would ever be subjected to such humiliation. That’s more for the lesser beings – or those with lesser money – especially those who find themselves disproportionately tossed into America’s massive prison system: the poor, the minorities and the protesters. .................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://consortiumnews.com/2012/04/03/gop-five-like-stripping-americans/
Robert Parry: GOP Five Like Stripping Americans
from Consortium News:
GOP Five Like Stripping Americans
April 3, 2012
Exclusive: The Supreme Court’s GOP Five just finished a run as brave libertarians protecting Americans from President Obama’s health-care reform, but now are back to their usual role as defenders of abusive state power, allowing strip searches of anyone arrested for anything – and perhaps particularly protesters, reports Robert Parry.
By Robert Parry
Last week, the five Republican partisans who control the U.S. Supreme Court were all about protecting American “liberties” against the threat of compulsory broccoli purchases. This week, they are defending the rights of prison guards to strip search a nun arrested in an anti-war protest or a black guy who got nabbed by mistake for not paying a fine that he had actually paid.
But the Court’s strip-search ruling on Monday was more about the future than the past. One could almost see the GOP Five rubbing their hands together at the prospect of mass strip searches of young men and women arrested for challenging corporate greed in Occupy protests. Perhaps the justices would like to take a page from Rush Limbaugh’s playbook and suggest the videos be posted online so they could watch.
“Every detainee who will be admitted to the general population may be required to undergo a close visual inspection while undressed,” wrote Justice Anthony Kennedy for the Republican majority.
Of course, the justices don’t expect that they and their powerful friends would ever be subjected to such humiliation. That’s more for the lesser beings – or those with lesser money – especially those who find themselves disproportionately tossed into America’s massive prison system: the poor, the minorities and the protesters. .................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://consortiumnews.com/2012/04/03/gop-five-like-stripping-americans/
April 5, 2012
from Consortium News:
Time to ‘Occupy’ the IRS?
April 4, 2012
As Americans struggle with their tax returns, they are reminded how skewed the tax system has become, with multi-millionaires who live off investments paying a lower rate that middle-class people who go to work every day, a situation that Danny Schechter says deserves protest.
By Danny Schechter
Every year I trek down to a nondescript office building near Wall Street with a bag full of receipts and a belly full of anxiety. When it’s tax time, I always hope for the best but …
I also had an accountant whom I trusted to keep me on the up and up. He was recommended years earlier by the Yippie activist Abbie Hoffman, who wanted to avoid the Al Capone problem of getting nabbed on tax charges.
Abbie had been busted enough for his political activities and didn’t want more jail time for non-payment of taxes. So he had to be like the driven snow to withstand any audit. And he was. He was a revolutionary who held his nose and paid the man.
Back in the day, the government used IRS investigations to threaten political activists and to intimidate activists who paid their taxes, as opposed to those who became tax resisters and refused to pay for wars. ...............(more)
The complete piece is at: http://consortiumnews.com/2012/04/04/time-to-occupy-the-irs/
Time to ‘Occupy’ the IRS?
from Consortium News:
Time to ‘Occupy’ the IRS?
April 4, 2012
As Americans struggle with their tax returns, they are reminded how skewed the tax system has become, with multi-millionaires who live off investments paying a lower rate that middle-class people who go to work every day, a situation that Danny Schechter says deserves protest.
By Danny Schechter
Every year I trek down to a nondescript office building near Wall Street with a bag full of receipts and a belly full of anxiety. When it’s tax time, I always hope for the best but …
I also had an accountant whom I trusted to keep me on the up and up. He was recommended years earlier by the Yippie activist Abbie Hoffman, who wanted to avoid the Al Capone problem of getting nabbed on tax charges.
Abbie had been busted enough for his political activities and didn’t want more jail time for non-payment of taxes. So he had to be like the driven snow to withstand any audit. And he was. He was a revolutionary who held his nose and paid the man.
Back in the day, the government used IRS investigations to threaten political activists and to intimidate activists who paid their taxes, as opposed to those who became tax resisters and refused to pay for wars. ...............(more)
The complete piece is at: http://consortiumnews.com/2012/04/04/time-to-occupy-the-irs/
April 4, 2012
from Grist:
FDA to GMO labeling campaign: What millon signatures?
By Tom Laskawy
It hasn’t been a good week for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) — if you care about public health. If, however, you think corporate interests and politics should trump science, well, then it’s been one red-letter day after another.
First, the FDA announced its refusal to ban the common endocrine-disrupting chemical bisphenol A (BPA). Then, on an unrelated note, The New York Times published a lengthy analysis of the repeated interference by the Obama White House in the FDA’s decision-making process. (The White House meddled in calorie-labeling on movie popcorn, warning labels on low-SPF sunscreen, and an ozone-deplete chemical in certain asthma inhalers). It’s a distressing pattern of political involvement in science that Obama inherited from the Bush administration.
But it gets worse. Or better if you’re Monsanto. The deadline for the FDA to respond to the Just Label It petition for genetically modified food labeling arrived last week. And, as required by law, the agency responded. Sort of. It supplied a letter to the group behind the petition that said, essentially, “Don’t call us, we’ll call you.”
Andrew Kimbrell of the Center for Food Safety — one of the groups involved with the Just Label It campaign — told the Chicago Tribune the letter stated that the agency had “not made a decision yet and when they did they would let us know.” The FDA also suggested the group keep an eye out for the first signs of frost in hell. (Okay, I made that last part up.) ................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://grist.org/food/fda-to-gmo-labeling-campaign-what-millon-signatures/
FDA to GMO labeling campaign: What millon signatures?
from Grist:
FDA to GMO labeling campaign: What millon signatures?
By Tom Laskawy
It hasn’t been a good week for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) — if you care about public health. If, however, you think corporate interests and politics should trump science, well, then it’s been one red-letter day after another.
First, the FDA announced its refusal to ban the common endocrine-disrupting chemical bisphenol A (BPA). Then, on an unrelated note, The New York Times published a lengthy analysis of the repeated interference by the Obama White House in the FDA’s decision-making process. (The White House meddled in calorie-labeling on movie popcorn, warning labels on low-SPF sunscreen, and an ozone-deplete chemical in certain asthma inhalers). It’s a distressing pattern of political involvement in science that Obama inherited from the Bush administration.
But it gets worse. Or better if you’re Monsanto. The deadline for the FDA to respond to the Just Label It petition for genetically modified food labeling arrived last week. And, as required by law, the agency responded. Sort of. It supplied a letter to the group behind the petition that said, essentially, “Don’t call us, we’ll call you.”
Andrew Kimbrell of the Center for Food Safety — one of the groups involved with the Just Label It campaign — told the Chicago Tribune the letter stated that the agency had “not made a decision yet and when they did they would let us know.” The FDA also suggested the group keep an eye out for the first signs of frost in hell. (Okay, I made that last part up.) ................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://grist.org/food/fda-to-gmo-labeling-campaign-what-millon-signatures/
April 4, 2012
Police at a California college pepper-sprayed as many as 30 demonstrators after students angry over a plan to offer high-priced courses tried to push their way into a trustees meeting, authorities said.
"Let us in, let us in," protesters shouted on video posted online Tuesday. "No cuts, no fees, education should be free."
Santa Monica College students were angry because only a handful were allowed into the meeting and, when their request to move the meeting to a larger venue was denied, they began to enter the room, said David Steinman, an environmental advocate.
Two officers were apparently backed up against a wall, and began using force to keep the students out of the room. Steinman said both officers used pepper spray. "People were gasping and choking," he said. .................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2012/04/03/national/a211624D48.DTL
More pepper spray-happy cops on campus
Police at a California college pepper-sprayed as many as 30 demonstrators after students angry over a plan to offer high-priced courses tried to push their way into a trustees meeting, authorities said.
"Let us in, let us in," protesters shouted on video posted online Tuesday. "No cuts, no fees, education should be free."
Santa Monica College students were angry because only a handful were allowed into the meeting and, when their request to move the meeting to a larger venue was denied, they began to enter the room, said David Steinman, an environmental advocate.
Two officers were apparently backed up against a wall, and began using force to keep the students out of the room. Steinman said both officers used pepper spray. "People were gasping and choking," he said. .................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2012/04/03/national/a211624D48.DTL
April 4, 2012
http://www.commondreams.org/further/2012/04/04-1
Black Cop Shot 28 Times by White Cops Charged With Attempted Murder. Really.
by Abby Zimet
An incredible - and grossly under-reported - story out of Chicago, where Howard Morgan, a black 60-year-old former police officer working railroad security, was stopped for an alleged traffic violation, shot 28 times (21 in the back) by four white former colleagues, and inexplicably survived, only to be charged - and tried twice by a prosecutor who argued, "Every bullet he got, he earned" - with trying to kill them. His sentencing is Thursday; he faces up to 80 years in prison. Occupy Chicago is involved. And there's a Change.org petition.
Black Cop Shot 28 Times by White Cops Charged With Attempted Murder. Really
http://www.commondreams.org/further/2012/04/04-1
Black Cop Shot 28 Times by White Cops Charged With Attempted Murder. Really.
by Abby Zimet
An incredible - and grossly under-reported - story out of Chicago, where Howard Morgan, a black 60-year-old former police officer working railroad security, was stopped for an alleged traffic violation, shot 28 times (21 in the back) by four white former colleagues, and inexplicably survived, only to be charged - and tried twice by a prosecutor who argued, "Every bullet he got, he earned" - with trying to kill them. His sentencing is Thursday; he faces up to 80 years in prison. Occupy Chicago is involved. And there's a Change.org petition.
April 4, 2012
Published on Wednesday, April 4, 2012 by Creators.com
Save Wall Street! Congress Passes JO(BS) Act
by Jim Hightower
Hallelujah, Washington has finally heard the people's cries for jobs! In an urgent bipartisan push, Democrats and Republicans have joined hands across the aisle to pass the JOBS Act. In this time of "The Great Hurt" — with widespread unemployment, middle-class incomes tumbling and the price of gasoline skyrocketing — we can all applaud our stalwarts in the capital city for meeting the No. 1 need of America's hard-hit economy: deregulating Wall Street.
Huh? I thought this was a jobs bill?
We'll get to that, but first (as always) Wall Street bankers must be served. Yes, them. The same priests of unmitigated arrogance who caused the disastrous financial crash that continues to rumble across our land. The same Wall Streeters we bailed out with trillions of public dollars. That Wall Street is now sulking and skulking around the U.S. Capitol, insisting that it is an economic victim, held back from its profiteering potential by government regulations to protect the public from finaglers and fraudsters. "Free Wall Street," is their cry!
Clucking with sympathy, Congress' tea party Republicans have rushed to the side of these poor, rich financiers, pledging to unshackle them from "burdensome" regulations. Serving Wall Street is not all that popular these days with voters, however, so the Repubs and their Democratic allies have committed their own fraud in order to pass this bill, deceptively titled it the "JOBS Act" (even though it doesn't actually create any jobs). ................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/04/04
Jim Hightower: Save Wall Street! Congress Passes JO(BS) Act
Published on Wednesday, April 4, 2012 by Creators.com
Save Wall Street! Congress Passes JO(BS) Act
by Jim Hightower
Hallelujah, Washington has finally heard the people's cries for jobs! In an urgent bipartisan push, Democrats and Republicans have joined hands across the aisle to pass the JOBS Act. In this time of "The Great Hurt" — with widespread unemployment, middle-class incomes tumbling and the price of gasoline skyrocketing — we can all applaud our stalwarts in the capital city for meeting the No. 1 need of America's hard-hit economy: deregulating Wall Street.
Huh? I thought this was a jobs bill?
We'll get to that, but first (as always) Wall Street bankers must be served. Yes, them. The same priests of unmitigated arrogance who caused the disastrous financial crash that continues to rumble across our land. The same Wall Streeters we bailed out with trillions of public dollars. That Wall Street is now sulking and skulking around the U.S. Capitol, insisting that it is an economic victim, held back from its profiteering potential by government regulations to protect the public from finaglers and fraudsters. "Free Wall Street," is their cry!
Clucking with sympathy, Congress' tea party Republicans have rushed to the side of these poor, rich financiers, pledging to unshackle them from "burdensome" regulations. Serving Wall Street is not all that popular these days with voters, however, so the Repubs and their Democratic allies have committed their own fraud in order to pass this bill, deceptively titled it the "JOBS Act" (even though it doesn't actually create any jobs). ................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/04/04
April 4, 2012
Yahoo has announced a massive round of layoffs as the troubled internet company struggles to turn around its fortunes.
In a statement, the company confirmed earlier reports that it was cutting 2,000 jobs, about 14% of its workforce. It is the sixth mass layoff in the past four years for the beleaguered company.
"Today's actions are an important next step toward a bold, new Yahoo – smaller, nimbler, more profitable and better equipped to innovate as fast as our customers and our industry require," chief executive Scott Thompson said in a statement.
"Our goal is to get back to our core purpose – putting our users and advertisers first – and we are moving aggressively to achieve that goal.'' ................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/apr/04/yahoo-confirms-layoff-2000-employees
Yahoo confirms massive layoffs
Yahoo has announced a massive round of layoffs as the troubled internet company struggles to turn around its fortunes.
In a statement, the company confirmed earlier reports that it was cutting 2,000 jobs, about 14% of its workforce. It is the sixth mass layoff in the past four years for the beleaguered company.
"Today's actions are an important next step toward a bold, new Yahoo – smaller, nimbler, more profitable and better equipped to innovate as fast as our customers and our industry require," chief executive Scott Thompson said in a statement.
"Our goal is to get back to our core purpose – putting our users and advertisers first – and we are moving aggressively to achieve that goal.'' ................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/apr/04/yahoo-confirms-layoff-2000-employees
April 4, 2012
Joe Flacco’s agent, Joe Linta, raised some eyebrows this past winter when he proclaimed that Flacco is one of the top five quarterbacks in the NFL and should be paid accordingly.
Speaking with WNST Radio on Monday night, Flacco was asked directly: “Is Joe Flacco one of the top five quarterbacks in the NFL?”
“Without a doubt.” Flacco replied, “What do you expect me to say? I would assume everybody thinks they are a top-five quarterback. I think I’m the best. I don’t think I’m top five, I think I’m the best. I don’t think I’d be very successful at my job if I didn’t feel that way.”
Few players are more polarizing than Flacco, who draws a lot of praise after Ravens wins but is a lightning rod for criticism after losses. His record, though, is hard to argue with: He has a career regular-season record of 44-20, and his 44 wins are the most ever by a quarterback in his first four seasons. He also became the first starting quarterback to make the playoffs in his first four seasons in the league. ...............(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.csnbaltimore.com/xfinity/Flacco-on-Flacco-Without-a-doubt-top-5?blockID=682272&feedID=6876
Joe Flacco's delusions of grandeur
Joe Flacco’s agent, Joe Linta, raised some eyebrows this past winter when he proclaimed that Flacco is one of the top five quarterbacks in the NFL and should be paid accordingly.
Speaking with WNST Radio on Monday night, Flacco was asked directly: “Is Joe Flacco one of the top five quarterbacks in the NFL?”
“Without a doubt.” Flacco replied, “What do you expect me to say? I would assume everybody thinks they are a top-five quarterback. I think I’m the best. I don’t think I’m top five, I think I’m the best. I don’t think I’d be very successful at my job if I didn’t feel that way.”
Few players are more polarizing than Flacco, who draws a lot of praise after Ravens wins but is a lightning rod for criticism after losses. His record, though, is hard to argue with: He has a career regular-season record of 44-20, and his 44 wins are the most ever by a quarterback in his first four seasons. He also became the first starting quarterback to make the playoffs in his first four seasons in the league. ...............(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.csnbaltimore.com/xfinity/Flacco-on-Flacco-Without-a-doubt-top-5?blockID=682272&feedID=6876
April 4, 2012
from the Dallas Morning News:
American Airlines Inc. and American Eagle cancelled many of their Wednesday morning flights at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport as their mechanics hurried to inspect aircraft that were pounded by hail in Tuesday's storms.
American spokeswoman Andrea Huguely said American flew in extra mechanics from its Tulsa maintenance base, while American Eagle brought in mechanics from its Abilene base to check over the regional carrier's aircraft.
American originally had 80 aircraft out of service for inspections, and American Eagle grounded 28 of its airplanes. By 7 a.m., American's workers had inspected and cleared 14 of its airplanes.
"Depending on the type of aircraft, inspections take several hours to complete, especially on the MD-80," Huguely said. "Although we have made significant progress over the last couple of hours, we have found some aircraft with some damage to them." .........(more)
The complete piece is at: http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2012/04/american-american-eagle-cancel.html
American, American Eagle cancel 424 flights in and out of D/FW Airport today
from the Dallas Morning News:
American Airlines Inc. and American Eagle cancelled many of their Wednesday morning flights at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport as their mechanics hurried to inspect aircraft that were pounded by hail in Tuesday's storms.
American spokeswoman Andrea Huguely said American flew in extra mechanics from its Tulsa maintenance base, while American Eagle brought in mechanics from its Abilene base to check over the regional carrier's aircraft.
American originally had 80 aircraft out of service for inspections, and American Eagle grounded 28 of its airplanes. By 7 a.m., American's workers had inspected and cleared 14 of its airplanes.
"Depending on the type of aircraft, inspections take several hours to complete, especially on the MD-80," Huguely said. "Although we have made significant progress over the last couple of hours, we have found some aircraft with some damage to them." .........(more)
The complete piece is at: http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2012/04/american-american-eagle-cancel.html
April 4, 2012
from the Boston Herald, via MassTransitMag:
April 01--Don't be frightened if you see snakes on a train -- Penelope and her offspring haven't gotten loose on the T again -- it's just the handiwork of PETA, which hopes to expose Hub straphangers to the "cold-blooded horrors" of the exotic skin trade.
PETA president Ingrid Newkirk told the Herald her international animal rights group is petitioning the MBTA to purchase a week-long ad -- in the form of realistic, rubber snakes coiled around a subway car's straps and poles -- in an effort to call attention to the suffering of snakes, alligators, crocodiles and lizards used to make fashion accessories.
"We thought the T would be the perfect place to launch our campaign, and the Massachusetts member who suggested it had indeed read the story of Penelope," Newkirk said, referring to the 3-foot-long pet boa that escaped from its owner last winter and spent a month riding the Red Line before being found. "I'm hoping the transit authority will say yes. ... Stranger things have happened."
PETA, known for dousing fashion show catwalks with red paint and for posing supermodels and celebrities naked to promote its anti-fur crusades, faxed a letter Friday to the MBTA asking about placing the serpentine advertisements on a subway car. ..............(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.masstransitmag.com/news/10686528/ma-peta-looking-to-put-snakes-on-a-train
Snakes on a Train
from the Boston Herald, via MassTransitMag:
April 01--Don't be frightened if you see snakes on a train -- Penelope and her offspring haven't gotten loose on the T again -- it's just the handiwork of PETA, which hopes to expose Hub straphangers to the "cold-blooded horrors" of the exotic skin trade.
PETA president Ingrid Newkirk told the Herald her international animal rights group is petitioning the MBTA to purchase a week-long ad -- in the form of realistic, rubber snakes coiled around a subway car's straps and poles -- in an effort to call attention to the suffering of snakes, alligators, crocodiles and lizards used to make fashion accessories.
"We thought the T would be the perfect place to launch our campaign, and the Massachusetts member who suggested it had indeed read the story of Penelope," Newkirk said, referring to the 3-foot-long pet boa that escaped from its owner last winter and spent a month riding the Red Line before being found. "I'm hoping the transit authority will say yes. ... Stranger things have happened."
PETA, known for dousing fashion show catwalks with red paint and for posing supermodels and celebrities naked to promote its anti-fur crusades, faxed a letter Friday to the MBTA asking about placing the serpentine advertisements on a subway car. ..............(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.masstransitmag.com/news/10686528/ma-peta-looking-to-put-snakes-on-a-train
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