Government Favored Oil Companies Over Shelter For Children
The devastation in Moore, Oklahoma is unimaginable. A deadly F-5 tornado hit this town on May 20th, 2013 and the death toll continues to rise as time passes by. Plaza Towers Elementary school was directly in the path of this horrific storm. Even though Moore, OK, resides in the middle of tornado alley, Oklahoma politicians denied the children of this school, a tornado shelter. These children were denied the freedom to be properly sheltered from Mother Nature’s wrath. Instead, these kids were forced to depend only on the walls of the school to protect them from an F5 tornado. The…
Of Massachusetts And Men: The Burial of Tamerlan Tsarnaev
I realize that, by writing this, I am bringing unnecessary tsuris into my life. So be it. Since when did we become a gaggle of punk haters (read: not punk-haters)? If I understand this correctly, many of you would like to have the body of Boston Marathon bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev “fed to the sharks” or “mutilated….desecrated” or “incinerated” or “shipped to Russia”. Are we in agreement so far? OK. I’d like to know what I’m missing here because I don’t think this is how we, as Americans, behave. This is not how we treat the dead; yes, even that dead…
The Tale of Uncle Tsarnaev, CIA Chief Graham Fuller and a Turkish Islamist Who Lives in USA
What could be the connection between the Boston Marathon bombing suspects’ uncle Ruslan, an ex-CIA Fuller and a Turkish Imam named Fethullah Gulen? Turkish preacher named Fethullah Gülen has been living in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania since 1999. Despite not having an education goes beyond the 5th grade, he has several hundred educational organizations such as K–12 schools, universities, and language schools (mostly English) that have been established around the world, mainly Central Asia, Caucasus, Balkans, and including U.S.A. How did he receive his US residency status while he was ‘wanted’ by the –then- Turkish Government, is still a mystery. Now, this…
The Secret Story of the World’s Oil Domination: Who Are the Seven Sisters?
Yesterday, Al Jazeera News Network aired the first episode of a four part documentary series titled “The Secret of the Seven Sisters”, which reveals how a secret pact was signed in 1928 to form a cartel that controls the world’s oil to this day. In 1928, three main global petroleum producers met in the Scottish castle named Achnacarry, to sign a secret contract in order to control and distribute the world’s oil and the profits from the oil business. The agreement is known as the Achnacarry Agreement, or “As-Is” Agreement, was signed on September 17th, 1928. Documentary depicts how the…
Myanmar Muslims Brace for Possible Genocide
Human rights advocates throughout the globe are working overtime today to draw attention to the increasingly dire state of affairs in Myanmar. In recent decades, the centuries old ethnic tensions between the majority Buddhist population and the minority Muslim population (known as the “Rohingya,”) have led to increasingly bloody clashes between the two communities. This month alone over thirty people have died in waves of violence carried out against the Rohingya villages and neighborhoods by Buddhist mobs. Some reports claim that many of the mobs were led by area monks, who have allegedly been publishing anti-Muslim propaganda and inciting acts…
It’s Time for a Worker’s Movement in USA
The labor movement has a history that is marked by violence, bloodshed, employer intimidation and oppression. The deck has always been stacked against the unions. It has never been easy for workers to have their voice be heard in the workplace. The modern American labor movement can be traced directly back to the 1930s and Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s “New Deal” legislation which created a real social safety net for the working class and the poor. Social Security, which the labor movement helped lobby into law, was a major development for the working classes. It meant that the elderly in this…
Detained For Silence: The Return of McCarthyism
Civil liberties advocates are raising alarm over the treatment and detention of three Seattle area activists with ties to area anarchist collectives and the Occupy Wall Street movement. “The Grand Jury Resistors,” as they’re referred to by the area bloggers, have become subculture icons within the activist circles since their detention in September, for refusing to answer questions regarding their political affiliations and contacts. The questions come purportedly as part of a larger federal investigation into the May 5th “May Day” protests, during which substantial amounts of property were damaged and vandalized. According to Matthew Duran, Katherine Olejnik and Maddie…
Death of Organized Labor: Death of Middle Class
There has been quite a bit of talk recently, about the death of organized labor. With labor on its so-called “death bed”, perhaps now would be a good time to reflect on some of the things organized labor did for Americans in the 20th century. A typical anti-union argument that people will often invoke is “unions were once useful, but they are no longer necessary.” With this argument, critics of unions are admitting that unions helped build the middle class by establishing the 40 hour work-week, the weekend, paid time off, increased wages and benefits, and increased safety in the…
Dirty Oil Meets its Nemesis: American People (Video)
Today, over 30,000 people (video) rallied in Washington DC, calling on President Obama to take action on climate change and reject Keystone XL pipeline. Named ‘Forward on Climate‘, the rally was planned and sponsored by Sierra Club, one of the largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organizations in the United States. Many other grassroots organizations such as Hip-Hop Caucus, 350.org, Occupy Movement and Us Uncut supported the initiative through social media and their own networks. So, what the heck is this pipeline and why are all environmental organizations and many people are up in arms about it? Keystone XL pipeline…
Outspoken Icelandic MP Gears Up For Privacy Fight During Visit To U.S.
Birgitta Jónsdóttir is no stranger to headlines or media scrutiny. A former volunteer activist with the hacktivist group “Wikileaks,” and a current member of the Icelandic Parliament, Jónsdóttir has made a name for herself with her outspoken support of imprisoned US Army Private Bradley Manning. She is also a subject in the US’ investigation into the cases of Wikileaks and Pvt. Manning. Her international profile has become a lightening rod in the growing debate over online privacy in the twenty first century. She is a staunch opponent of US counter-terrorism legislation such as the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and…
Beyond Bars: Prison Labor, Mass Incarceration, Private Prisons; An Interview with Jesse Lava
The United States claims the world’s highest incarceration rate. Currently, there are 2.3 million incarcerated people in U.S. Jesse Lava, Campaign Director of Beyond Bars at Brave New Foundation talked with Emine, our managing editor, about the causes and the results of mass incarceration, and possible solutions to lower it. Emine: Jesse, can you tell us about Beyond Bars and its mission? Jesse: Beyond Bars is a campaign that is part of the national movement to curb mass incarceration. We produce videos, graphics, and other media to say our country should be much less focused on incarceration and much more…
‘Let the Banks Fail’ Says Iceland President
Iceland is in economic recovery with lower unemployment rates than Europe, and its President says “let the banks go bankrupt”, speaking at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland (23-27 January, 2013.) In an impromptu interview with the Al Jazeera News Network’s Stephen Cole, Iceland’s President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson explains that his country was able to rebound from the worldwide financial crisis better than all other countries that faced the same problems, by doing just that, allowing the failing banks to go bankrupt. He says “we did not follow the traditional, prevailing orthodoxies. We introduced currency control. We let…
Cayman Islands to Disclose Tax Shelter Companies
After decades of secrecy, the tax-haven country is considering a public database that will make the names of thousands of previously hidden companies and their directors, public. CIMA, the three-islands’ monetary authority has outlined plans to create a public database of funds domiciled on the island for the first time, reports The Telegraph. The island nation is a group of three islands; Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac in the Western Caribbean Sea. The country is a British dependent territory and has gained popularity around the world for its offshore financial centre. The Cayman Islands is the world’s fifth…
Study: Working Poor Cannot Meet Basic Needs
According to a new policy brief by The Working Poor Families Project, 32 percent of working families do not make enough money to support their basic needs. The brief defines families as “working” if they work at least 39 weeks per year. “……in 2011, more than 7 in 10 low-income families and half of all poor families were working. They simply didn’t earn enough money to pay for basic living expenses.” The brief attributes the rise in low-income working families – from 10.2 million families in 2010, to 10.4 million families in 2011 – to a lack of middle-class jobs. …
Gov. Brown Miracle in CA: Deficit to Surplus in 2 Years
The state of California has faced high unemployment and massive budget shortfalls for years. Only 2 years ago, the state had a deficit of $25 billion. Governor Jerry Brown (D) has projected that fiscal year (FY) 2012 which ends June 30, 2013, will show a surplus of $285 million. As recently as November, 2012, the Legislative Analyst’s Office predicted a nearly $2 billion deficit. Now, in addition to the FY 2012 surplus, the Governor projects a FY 2013 (ending in June 2014) surplus of $851 million, while increasing Education and Healthcare expenditures by 5%, and putting $1 billion into a…
Don’t Call it an Accident: 700 Veterans Possibly Exposed to HIV
More than 700 patients in the Buffalo Veteran’s Administration Hospital may have been exposed to HIV, various forms of Hepatitis, and other blood-borne diseases. A number of news outlets such as ABC, and the Huffington Post have used the word “accidental” in their reports of this recent development. When considering the means by which this exposure has occurred, however, it is clear that a more appropriate word would be “negligent.” A memo released by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs reported that between October 2010 and November 2012, single patient use insulin cartridges were used on multiple patients. Diseases could…
The Origins of “So Help Me God” – Swearing in Our Leaders
We’ve all seen our President and other elected leaders take their oaths of office, most often placing their hand on a Bible, settling their oaths finally with the words “So help me God.” Many say, “Aha! So our Founders never meant for separation of church and state!” This is not so. Our Constitution does not require that Presidents or other leaders take oath upon the Bible – nor does it require the repetition of “So help me God.” In fact, the Constitution clearly spells out that oaths are to be duly secular in content. The Presidential oath of office, Article…
UAE paying men to marry women over 30
The government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has decided to pay men to marry women who are over 30 and therefore considered too old to be single by UAE standards. The Gulf state is facing a serious demographic problem with over 60 per cent of single women being over the age of 30. The Federal National Council (FNC), the country’s consultative body, is extremely concerned. FNC member Said al-Kitbi said in an interview with Agence France Presse that: “this is very worrying, there are now more than 175,000 Emirati women who are over 30 and unmarried.” The real problem,…
Canadian Missing Women Inquiry plagued by scandals
Dozens of Canadian women, mostly sex workers and aboriginals, started going missing in the early 70s. Then in the 90s, a new cluster of missing cases provoked friends and families to start asking questions about the lack of arrests. After many marches, vigils and protests, the Canadian government finally decided to open a public inquiry last October, called the Missing Women Inquiry. But earlier this month, 15 groups, announced their decision to boycott the policy forums next month of the flawed inquiry in an open letter to Commissioner Wally Oppal. Since it was set up, the commission has been beset…
How the gas prices are manupilated by Koch Brothers and other Wall Street players
Why are gas prices surging to levels unseen since the 2008 oil spike again while the oil companies report record profits? Much of the problem is actually created by Wall Street traders here in the USA who gamble on oil prices, and powerful multinational companies that manipulate the supply and demand by stockpiling oil when the price is low and expected to rise in near future. And yes, so far this practice is perfectly legal. Chilton, a commissioner at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the federal agency that regulates commodity futures and option trading in the United States, says…
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