Six months after two states became the first in the nation to fully legalize recreational marijuana use the federal government has yet to articulate an official response to the historic voter-approved measures while simultaneously authoring a vast pot crackdown and refusing to accept even far less sweeping state-based marijuana laws as legitimate. The juxtaposition between [...]
“WITH VARYING DEGREES OF CONFIDENCE.“ White House sends message to Congress saying that Syria “may” (according to U.S. intelligence agencies) have used chemical weapons against its own population. This cautious wording seems both to move U.S. toward a view that a “red line” may have been crossed that would justify (overt) U.S. intervention in [...]
TOO BIG TO PUNISH: U.S. SHIP DAMAGES WORLD HERITAGE CORAL REEF IN THE PHILIPPINES AND BARELY SAYS “EXCUSE ME.” The commander and 3 other sailors are “relieved of their duties” after they ignored warnings and slammed their minesweeper ship into the Tubataha Reef. The $1.5 million fine against U.S. government is castigated as a loose-change “slap [...]
Americans are more tolerant than ever of marijuana use, with a majority believing that it should be legalized and that using the drug should not be considered a “moral” issue. National sentiment is trending alongside many states, with new laws allowing medical pot or decriminalizing most marijuana use altogether being passed or prevailing in voter [...]
EGYPT’S “MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD” LEADERSHIP HAS PRACTICED PRECIOUS LITTLE “BROTHERHOOD” TOWARD ITS MUSLIM BRETHREN IN GAZA. The post-Mubarak regime in Egypt was elected to the immense delight of Palestinians in Gaza as elsewhere, with the expectation that the new government would cease the collaboration of Egypt in maintaining the seige of Gaza by maintaining border [...]
ANTI-DRONE ACTION: IT’S NOT JUST A 13-HOUR RAND PAUL FILIBUSTER ANYMORE. Medea Benjaming and Noor Mir describe an April “month of uprising” against drone use both domestically and in pursuit of U.S. foreign policy interests. This “uprising” is taking many forms, including prohibitions for police use in many cities and states, protests at the [...]
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN? DOWNLOADING ZERO DARK THIRTY FOR LESS THAN A DOLLAR. Government of Antigua is accused by government of the United States of operating a form of “state sponsored piracy” by setting up a website from which users can download Hollywood movies and music industry songs at extremely cheap rates, even though [...]
“A LACK OF EMPATHY, CONSCIENCE, THE INCAPACITY TO FEEL GUILT, AS WELL AS A CALLOUS DISREGARD FOR SAFETY OF OTHERS.” This is part of the DSM-IV manual of illnesses in describing a psychopathic personality. It is, as well, a good working definition of the “personality” of international corporations which, once they were (in 1896) [...]
‘STUDENTS-FIRST’ HAS AN AGENDA; AND IS A HARSH GRADER OF U.S. STATES ON THEIR COMPLIANCE WITH THAT AGENDA. Michelle Rhee, former Chancellor of Washington D.C. schools, heads the advocacy group that pushes an “education reform” movement based on downgrading of teacher tenure and promotion of teacher evaluation based on student performance on standardized tests. [...]
GOOD TIMES ROLL ON WITH THE U.S. ASIA-PACIFIC “PIVOT.” The 2011 decision to increase sales of arms to U.S. allies in the region to counter growing Chinese influence in the area is providing a bonanza of opportunities for the military-industrial complex. As a Reuters report puts it, “Fears resulting from China’s growing military spending [...]
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