By Michael Uhl | In the Mind Field | July 21, 2013

American commentators apply an entirely different yardstick to Navalny, while their peer group back home casts Anthony Weiner as the original sinner.

Blue America primarily gets involved with congressional races, but after Digby, John and I met New Jersey state Senator Barbara Buono-- and reflected on the dangers of Chris Christie-- not just in the Garden State, but across America-- we opened this special new ActBlue page for progressive gubernatorial candidates.

by Michael Hoffmanwww.revisionisthistory.orgThe Renaissance Catholic Church's embrace of usury was accomplished under a host of weasel words and euphemisms which have bedazzled and befuddled true believers in the Church of Rome since 1515.

By Lawrence Davidson | July 28, 2013

Part I – Happy Birthday, BDS
The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement directed toward Israel is eight years old. It was started back in 2005, when a coalition of Palestine-based social and economic organizations called for such a comprehensive effort.

International Solidarity Movement | July 29, 2013

Predictably, over the weekend the Louisville Courier-Journal columnists were all buzzing over Kentucky's mega-high profile Senate campaign. Old, steeped in corruption and wily, Mitch McConnell, is facing a mainstream Democrat, Alison Lundergan Grimes, and, in the GOP primary, a very credible Tea Party candidate, Matt Bevin.

By now you're probably well aware that GOP presidential rivals Chris Christie and Rand Paul are already slugging it out-- over national security and governing philosophy. It looks to be pretty ugly, as anything Christie gets involved in always turns out to be. But their disputes aren't just a matter of two ambitious Republicans trying to knock each other out of presidential contention.

Ministry of Defence of Georgia
July 27, 2013
General William Fraser Visited Poti Port

U.S. Transportation Commander, General William M. Fraser and U.S. Ambassador to Georgia Richard Norland visited Poti Sea Port today. The U.S. officials got acquainted with the water areas of Poti Port and its economic potential.

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Anti-war essays, poems, short stories and literary excerpts
Roger Martin du Gard: Selections on war
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Roger Martin du Gard
From Summer 1914 (1936)
Translated by Stuart Gilbert

RT :: July 28, 2013

NSA spying programs give access to US citizens’ private data to low-level analysts with little court approval or supervision, says Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald, who broke the story on Washington’s PRISM surveillance system.

By Noel Brinkerhoff and David Wallechinsky | AllGov | July 28, 2013

In what some experts say may be the beginning of the end for mass incarceration, the U.S. prison population declined for the third year in a row last year.
In 2012, the prison population shrunk by 1.7% (or 27,770 inmates), according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS).

He came and he went: that was the joke that circulated in 1979 when 70-year-old former Vice President Nelson Rockefeller had a heart attack and died in his Manhattan townhouse in the presence of his evening-gown-clad 25-year-old assistant. In a sense, the same might be said of retired CIA operative Robert Seldon Lady. Recently, Lady [...]

Last week’s House debate on the Defense Appropriations bill for 2014 produced a bit more drama than usual. After hearing that House leadership would do away with the traditional “open rule” allowing for debate on any funding limitation amendment, it was surprising to see that Rep. Justin Amash’s (R-MI) amendment was allowed on the Floor. [...]

The sixtieth anniversary of the "end" of the Korean war saw President Obama attempt to rescue that classic example of interventionist failure from history’s dustbin. Addressing veterans of that conflict, he declared: “That war was no tie. Korea was a victory. When 50 million South Koreans live in freedom, a vibrant democracy…a stark contrast to [...]

The main question now on the fate of truth-teller Edward Snowden is whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will see any benefit in helping stop the United States from further embarrassing itself as it prances around the globe acting like a “pitiful, helpless giant.” That image was coined by President Richard Nixon, who insisted that the [...]

PA police attack and arrest demonstrators against negotiations with occupation

One of the 74 New Yorker cartoons that appear in cartoon editor Bob Mankoff's slide-show response to his call for readers to name their all-time favorite cartoon.by KenWe eavesdropped a couple of weeks ago when New Yorker cartoon edi

1) Why was the federal government allowed to kill the journalist Michael Hastings?
2) Why was DHS allowed to conspire to use snipers to kill leaders of the Occupy protests?
3) Why was there no media coverage when President Jimmy Carter said America was no longer a functioning democracy?
4) Why were the politicians and media allowed to lie us into war in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria?

Attacks, mostly against security forces, left 21 people dead and 43 more wounded.

RAVEL: Sonatinei. Modéréii. Mouvement de menuetiii. AniméLeon Fleisher, piano.

John Pilger describes the cynical forces driving the election campaign in Australia, evoking an era of fear and exclusion that many Australians would prefer to forget.

Kinsella on Liberty Podcast, Episode 073. I was a guest today on Freedom Feens radio. We talked about a variety of issues—property rights, education, and the Libertarian Macho Flash, among other topics.

Sunday... And again time for my usual rant about what I perceive is truly wrong and sometimes right in this world..First, for those who have been wondering... My friend, Whitewraithe, is alive and well... She has not posted any new material in a while over at her Pragmatic Witness website (www.pragmaticwitnessii.wordpress.com) because she told me honestly that writing has not been on her mind over the last while...

RepublicanThere's a mirror image in the GOP to the ConservaDems who embrace Choice and equality and other social issues but are nearly as conservative and anti-working family as Republicans. We've talked a lot lately, for example, about gay Democrats who get into Congress and are great on LGBT issues but vote with the GOP on their destructive economic agenda.

The Boycott of Israel Eight Years In

 
by Dr. Lawrence Davidson    Intifada Palestine

We wouldn't have endorsed state Senator Daylin Leach for the open congressional seat in Northeast Philadelphia and Montgomery County (PA-13) if he wasn't pro-choice and pro-environment and pro-equality. The fact that he's been a leader in the state legislature on these matters made it all the easier. But, in the end, we decided to back Daylin because he has been such a strong and effective fighter on behalf of economic justice.

Palestine Information Center – 28/07/2013

Hurriyet Daily News
July 27, 2013
NATO’s two frigates drop anchor in Istanbul shores

The Blas De Lezo

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Anti-war essays, poems, short stories and literary excerpts
Jules Romains: Selections on war
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Jules Romains
From Verdun: The Prelude (1938)
Translated by Gerard Hopkins

International Solidarity Movement | July 28, 2013

Hebron, Occupied Palestine – Stone and egg-throwing, beating and kicking, headscarves torn off and an arrest based on two soldiers lying. This sunny Saturday in Hebron (Al-Khalil) was all about settler youth attacking innocent Palestinians and internationals while soldiers looked the other way.

The day before the big vote on the Amash-Conyers Amendment to protect the 4th Amendment from encroachments by the NSA, someone on a discussion group I participate in asked how the Democratic leaders would vote.

Armed terrorist groups committed a mass massacre against civilians and soldiers in Khan Al-Asal in Aleppo
Syrian soldier make a victory sign before being executed by so called ‘freedom fighters’ .
 
Head of the Syrian Human Rights Network, Ahmad Khazem, stressed that the massacre, during which the terrorists set the martyrs’ bodies on fire, is “a blatant violation of the UN Convention against Torture and a crime against humanity”.

I take a lot of supplements. I'm cutting back drastically. But I still take something like 30 a day. In the essential oils category, I've been taking, a the recommendation of my doctor, two different kinds. I take 3 omega fatty acid softgels-- Udo's 3-6-9 Blend-- made from flax, sesame, sunflower, coconut, & evening primrose.

Webster G. Tarpley Ph.D. TARPLEY.net – World Crisis Radio July 27, 2013 [download audio]

At least 20 people were killed in fresh violence. Another 26 were wounded.

Voice of Russia
July 27, 2013
NATO and the “phantom menace”: a pretext for global expansion
John Robles
Upcoming NATO military exercises envisage an attack on Poland and an Article 5 NATO intervention against a foreign power. To the dismay of Russia, these exercises continue the outdated “Cold War” thinking of the West, which refuses to let go of such stereotypes and continues to eschew peace and understanding between nations.

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Anti-war essays, poems, short stories and literary excerpts
Henri Barbusse: Selections on war
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Henri Barbusse
From Chains (Les Enchaînements) (1925)
Translated by Stephen Haden Guest

RT | July 27, 2013

The European Union is pondering an EU Commission proposal to acquire a fleet of surveillance drones, satellites, and planes as part of an “ambitious action” to boost the European defense industry. It follows revelations of the NSA’s spying programs.

AG Holder promises Russia not to torture Snowden

by KenThis video (which, given its wide-screen format, you might want to watch on YouTube directly) came to me as a pass-along, from an upworthy.com post by Adam Albright-Hanna whose full title is:"Watch the First 54 Seconds. That's All I Ask.

Archbishop Theodosios (Atallah) Hanna: Israel seeks to control the Middle East.

 
Those who bear arms against Syria serve Israel
Edited by Elias Harb      Intifada -Palestine.com

 
 

Obamacare was a flawed, compromised "solution" from day one, based on a mediocre conservative set of ideas that were meant to prevent the passage of a single payer system (Medicare for All) by progressives. At best, people see the benefits, overlook the flaws and are coming to accept it, despite partisan GOP hysteria.

By ROB URIE | July 26, 2013

Wednesday night we looked at some of the amendments to the Pentagon spending bill. Today, let's just single out the one that most people are talking about, Justin Amash's and John Conyer's amendment that attempted to protect the 4th Amendment by limiting the ability of the government and its agents to spy on Americans without warrants and without probable cause. The amendment failed-- though narrowly-- 205-217.

27th July 2013 | Stop Prawer Plan | Palestine

We call on international solidarity activists to organize demonstrations on 1 August in their own cities, and to spread awareness of the biggest impending ethnic cleansing campaign against Palestinians by Israel since 1948 through writing petitions, sharing information on the Naqab and Prawer Plan, or by any other show of activism.

By Finian Cunningham | Press TV | Jul 26, 2013

Egypt’s military strongman General Al Sisi is playing with fire that may engulf the North African country with even more internecine bloodshed. This week on state TV, Al Sisi called for massive street protests to face down “terrorists” who, he said, were destabilizing Egypt’s national security.

Neo-fascist extremist and deranged "pastor," Bryan Fischer wasn't trying his hand at stand-up comedy this week with his demon hunter routine (above). Fischer is an annoying crackpot but Satan has higher-placed surrogates to do his work Inside the Beltway. In his brilliant book, The Machine, investigative journalist Lee Fang introduces us to the Koch Empire's chief political operative, Tim Phillips, one of the sleaziest and most destructive lobbyists in the history of K Street.

Under en vecka i början av augusti kommer jag att delta i en grundkurs för Försvarets fältartister i Höllviken i Skåne. Det kommer att bli någon slags crash course i folkrätt, första förband och gå i kängor innan man eventuellt blir skickad till Mali eller annan oroshärd. Ser i första hand fram emot en spännande vecka med nya människor.