NO JOY IN LEOPOLDVILLE: AMERICANS MAY JUST HAVE VOTED FOR FOUR MORE YEARS OF CONGOLESE GENOCIDE.
This is the view of Glen Ford, commenting on a U.S. election whose winner has, under the guise of “peace-keeping” in a “civil war” situations, been fomenting, through proxy African governments, the very genocidal violence that has killed 9 million Congolese people. The story of corporate rape of the Congo in pursuit of its mineral resources is an old one, beginning with Belgian colonialism, with a new twist as Rwanda and Uganda have become the puppets of the U.S. neo-liberal empire. Well, what could American voters have done? Voted for a 99% evil policy of the Democrats or the 99.999% evil intentions of the GOP alternative (estimates only; Congolese genocide was apparently never broached in the presidential “debates.”)
(Black Agenda Report)
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THE HARD LESSONS OF HURRICANE SANDY FOR LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK.
With much of the island still without electric power two weeks after the Oct 29 hurricane, first lesson is that the Long Island Power Authority is quite impotent to provide power for people, and calls are being made for federal intervention with the Authority. Second lesson? It’s the climate change, stupid! Reflection on how the storm instantly destroyed massive investment in “beach re-furbishment” as the sand was washed again to sea drives home the awesome power of nature, when that power is enhanced by the negligence of human beings in contributing to that destructive power.
(Counterpunch)
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IS THERE A PARALLEL IN THE “SEX SCANDAL” RESIGNATIONS OF ELIOT SPITZER AND DAVID PETRAEUS?
Without making the explicit comparison, an article in Global Research suggests a possible scenario of the reasons for sudden resignations of the former Governor of New York and the former head of the CIA. As with most scandals, the “breaking” of a story of sexual misconduct occurs long after “every one knew” that person X had a mistress or patronized prostitutes. The question is of the timing: why now? In Spitzer’s case, it was apparently the fact that the anti-corruption crusading former DA was about to expose some deep secrets of corruption of corporations with friends in very high places. The timing of the Petraeus resignation may be similarly motivated. He was scheduled to testify at congressional hearings on the killing of U.S. ambassador Chris Stevens in a “terrorist” attack on a State Department complex in Benghazi, Libya. As head of the CIA, this testimony might have forced into the open a CIA operation in Libya that provided covert support for the al Qaeda linked Libyan “rebels” who are becoming the key element in “regime change” effort in Syria.
(Washington’s Blog)
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SEQUESTRATION COULD BE A HARD BLOW TO THE EMPLOYMENT ECONOMY OF MARYLAND.
The prospect of automatic budget cuts at the beginning of 2013 has many in Maryland feeling especially vulnerable to cut backs in federal jobs, the source of income for one in ten people in the state. Compare it to the perceived vulnerability felt by people in “one industry” towns who are frequently threatened that such industries will cut back their operations or leave the town altogether: think Flint, Michigan or Gar, Indiana.
(Baltimore Sun)
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DOES THE OWNER OF A PIECE OF CONCRETE HAVE “INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS” VIOLATED IF SOMEONE TAKES A PICTURE OF IT AND THEN SELLS THE PICTURE?
This question arises in South Beach woman who loves parking garages, took photos of them and sold them at her “art show.” The owner of the garage threatens to sue for $7500 of proceeds from the sale: just another episode of high stakes judicial proceedings in south Florida.
(Miami New Times)
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Quote of the day…
To me, the whole Victorian shame game seems seriously outdated. Something like half the marriages in the country now end in divorce, and you can bet a great many of those involved extra-marital affairs. Is it desirable to bar such a large number of public servants from top jobs? It certainly seems fair to question Petraeus’s judgement, ethics, and moral fibre in this matter. But if infidelity wasn’t treated as career-threatening, its value to black-mailers would be much reduced (the fear of a spouse is another matter). In this instance, evidently, there were no crimes. So why again did this blow up as it has? Fans of thrillers, like me, are waiting for more answers.
Jane Mayer, on resignation of CIA head David Petraeus.
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