THE HEADLINES

(Colorines - Stevie Mann/International Livestock Research Institute)

LAND GRAB IN AFRICA: EVEN HARVARD UNIVERSITY IS GETTING INTO THE ACT.

(Colorlines)

While China is widely condemned for its economic imperialism by buying up productive lands in Africa, it’s a world-wide practice in which entrepreneurs from everywhere are putting a “humanitarian” gloss on some very lucrative operations that fatten their own bottom lines but leave natives in countries like Nigeria without any effective way to make a living for themselves.

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LATEST ELECTRONIC GADGET IN A JAPANESE HOUSEHOLD: A RADIO-ACTIVITY DETECTOR.

(New York Times)

As the government fumbles in efforts to assure public of safety in vicinity of recent nuclear disaster, skeptical residents are purchasing hand-held “dosimeters” to assess for themselves whether radioactivity in an area makes it safe for them to return. Some are finding “doses” in places that the government has said were safe.

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DEBT DEAL: WHAT WALL STREET WANTS, WALL STREET IS ABOUT TO GET.

(World Socialist)

As the stock markets are about to re-open, a last-minute deal for drastic spending cuts is being announced as a condition of raising the debt limit and keeping the U.S. government solvent. This exercise in economic disaster capitalism is just what the financial industry demanded and with muscle behind their demand. The Chicago Mercantile Exchange, for example, jolted derivatives traders by raising the amount of cash down payments for traders buying on that exchange. Congress and presidency prove once again that you just don’t fool with Mother Wall Street.

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IS THE SUN SETTING TOO EARLY ON REGULATORY AGENCIES IN TENNESSEE?

(Memphis Commercial-Appeal)

In this state, as in Florida, a state legislature and governorship are launching an assault on agencies that regulate many forms of business practice in the state. In so doing, they are taking advantage of “sunset laws” designed to do away with agencies that have outlived their usefulness. In the process they may be sweeping away many areas of regulation in which consumers need protection from unscrupulous operators.

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An example of the TSA's new "generic image" body scanners

AIRPORT SECURITY CHECKS MAY BECOME LESS INTRUSIVE FOR “TRUSTED” PASSENGERS IN SOME SOUTH FLORIDA AIRPORTS.

(South Florida Sun-Sentinel)

TSA announces plans to install body surveillance equipment in some airports that, rather than pictures of naked bodies projected on screens, will project a “generic” outline image of male and female bodies, with the capacity to outline boxes on the part of a body where “foreign” matter is found. Though a TSA spokeswoman says this will reduce the burden of inspections on “trusted” passengers, there is no indication in the Q&A of an article describing this program to indicate which passengers will be deemed trustworthy enough to avoid the more intrusive screening. Profiling, anyone?

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Quote of the day…

I can assure you that any person in their right mind would be deterred as to the pattern of conduct of Mr. Drake, looking at what has happened to him in his life in terms of that pattern…I think the average American citizen would take great caution in saying okay, my home was searched, and three years later I’m finally indicted, and then a year after that the government drops the whole case. That’s four years of hell that a citizen goes through.

Federal Judge Richard Bennett, on refusing U.S. government effort to fine Thomas Drake $50,000 after dropping espionage charges that could have put him in jail for 35 years.

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