THE HEADLINES

Facebook CEO and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg

MARK ZUCKERBERG: “A CERTAIN MANIA AT WORK.”

(Counterpunch)

The young Facebook co-founder—with a movie about him in his rear view mirror and risky ventures in marriage and stock market lying ahead—approaches the future with what looks like a “juvenile business plan” that minimizes the hazards being encountered.  His behavior suggests to one internet blogger that Zuckerberg is displaying the same “mania” that led him to hack the Harvard student newspaper when he was 19.

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ELECTIONS  IN EGYPT: WITH 60 YEARS OF MILITARY DOMINANCE IN ITS BACKGROUND THE REVOLUTION’S JUNTA IS NOT ABOUT TO YIELD TO CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT.

(IPS News)

A much-heralded “Arab Spring” revolt against the rule of Hosni Mubarak is being celebrated as the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces is about to deliver the promised “elections” at which the idea of popular sovereignty is supposed to be implemented. The process is being rigged so that there is little to no likelihood that the military strangehold on the country will be loosened.

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DRIVE-BY KILLINGS (AS IN BIG PROFITS) ARE DRIVING FAST FOOD OUTLETS INTO NEW VISTAS OF PROFIT.

(USA Today)

Restaurants and grocery stores are learning to accommodate to “fast” life styles by opening drive-up windows at which their wares are offered to busy motorists.  From Panera bread to Starbucks Coffee to Pak-a-Sak convenience stores: increasingly you’re able to shop for food and drink without having to leave the “comfort” of your automobile.

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URBAN RE-VITALIZATION VIA THE SHANTYTOWN AND THE OCCUPIERS: COULD THIS BE THE WAY FOR POPULAR RE-CAPTURE OF PUBLIC SPACES?  

(Dissident Voice)

Ron Jacobs reflects on this question from the perspective of his home in  the unusually democratic city of Burlington Vermont.  His commentary features the ideas of David Harvey in a new book called Rebel Citieswhich develops this thesis.  If revitalization comes in this fashion it will be in direct antithesis to the plans of generations of “urban planners” who plan cities to control people and not allow their needs to interfere with their beautiful plans.

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FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY A “PASS THROUGH” FOR FUNDING OF PROGRAMS TO ASSIST FLORIDA CHILDREN TO BE READY FOR COLLEGE.

(Florida Times-Union)

Investigative report by Florida Times Union in Jacksonville describes the situation in which two state senators and a candidate for Congress have been able to secure millions of dollars in taxpayer money in “grants” that pass through the FAMU budget and into the hands of non-profits in which the three of them are involved as directors.  These grants are “no bid” ones for somewhat “ficitional” programs and their recipients are often not careful at all about declaring their sources of income to the IRS.

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Quote of the day…

If you are born poor in a more equal society like Finland, Norway or Denmark then you have a better chance of moving into a good job than if you are born poor in the United States. If you want the American Dream – go to Finland. This isn’t surprising. It’s harder to climb the ladder when the rungs are further apart.

Liberal Democrat leader of Britain Ed Miliband on new government study showing “alarming” and persistent inequality in the U.K.

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