It's celebrity time again. The Golden Globes have been, and the Oscars are coming. This is a "vintage year", say Hollywood's hagiographers on cue. It isn't. Most movies are made to a formula for the highest return, money-fuelled by marketing and something called celebrity. This is different from fame, which can come with talent. True celebrities are spared that burden.The post It’s the other Oscars – and yet again the winner slips away appeared first on BSNEWS.

Xinhua News
January 30, 2014
CELAC declares region nuclear-free
HAVANA: The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) has declared the region a nuclear-free zone, Cuban leader Raul Castro announced Wednesday on the final day of the summit in Havana.

-by Mike LuxShe has always been willing to push for what is right no matter how powerful the lobbyists on the other side are. And it was fitting that the event we did with her was in a church, because the politics she preaches are deeply moral-- the politics not of right and left, but of right and wrong.President Obama gave a terrific State of the Union speech Tuesday night.

RT
January 30, 2014
 

Over 300 US drone strikes in Pakistan since 2006 – leaked official data

Supporters of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa Islamic organization hold placards and party flags as they shout slogans during a protest against U.S. drone attacks in the Pakistani tribal region, in Peshawar November 29, 2013. (Reuters/Fayaz Aziz)

Barack Obama, who has presided over the sharpest increases in economic inequality in U.S. history, adopts the persona of public advocate, reciting wrongs inflicted by unseen and unknown forces that have “deepened” the gap between the rich and the rest of us and “stalled” upward mobility. Having spent half a decade stuffing tens of trillions of dollars into the accounts of an ever shrinking gaggle of financial capitalists, Obama declares this to be “a year of action” in the opposite direction.

Interfax
January 30, 2014
NATO lauds effort to fight corruption at Georgian Defense Ministry
TBILISI: NATO welcomes the effort to fight corruption and to lower corruption risks in the Georgian Defense Ministry, Georgian Deputy Defense Minister Tamara Karosanidze told a press conference on Thursday.
She said NATO experts had drawn up a report on reforms carried out by Georgia consistent with the NATO Building Integrity program.

There’s little doubt that if the Obama administration ever managed to bring NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden before a jury on American soil, the unfolding drama would quickly become the trial of the new century.

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Anti-war essays, poems, short stories and literary excerpts
Arthur Schnitzler: Cannot praise war in general and oppose individual wars

Hate the super rich because their greed is ungodly. If true democracy is to be restored, then Americans need to be much more than dissatisfied. They need to get more emotional. They need to hate. Then they must convert that hatred into political demands and actions.The post Hate the Super Rich? appeared first on BSNEWS.

In Paine’s time, the enemy was a distant and easily identifiable king, but in ours, the enemy is within and mostly invisible. Our public officials are only the cabana boys and girls, or waiters, of this sick system, and they’re certainly not serving us. In fact, we can’t even press our noses against the glass to see who are dining within. Standing out back, we fight among ourselves for the discarded scraps and that, for now, is our only battle. We’re sad.The post American Crisis appeared first on BSNEWS.

We are joined by Dr. Paul L. Maier, Russell H. Seibert Professor of Ancient History at Western Michigan University, for a wide-ranging, informative and entertaining interview on the evidence for Jesus' existence outside the Bible, and on the historical reliability of the New Testament. In characteristically ebullient and academically-combative style, Dr. Maier dismisses popular claims that "Jesus never existed" and that "Jesus is a myth", and demonstrates that the New Testament evidence for Jesus is corroborated by secular writings from antiquity. Dr.

We are joined by Dr. Paul L. Maier, Russell H. Seibert Professor of Ancient History at Western Michigan University, for a wide-ranging, informative and entertaining interview on the evidence for Jesus' existence outside the Bible, and on the historical reliability of the New Testament. In characteristically ebullient and academically-combative style, Dr. Maier dismisses popular claims that "Jesus never existed" and that "Jesus is a myth", and demonstrates that the New Testament evidence for Jesus is corroborated by secular writings from antiquity. Dr.

I was a guest on the Josh Tolley Show on January 28, 2014, and I talked about economic freedom and the an entrepreneurial economy vs. an employment economy (from 14 mins. to 37), especially vis-a-vis Canada and the U.S., and how Canada has increased its freedom relative to the U.S. for five straight years according […]

Here is the summary I prepared of Fakeologist Radio Episode 85 with Simon Shack and Onebornfree, consisting mostly of the last two hours. Some interesting things were mentioned in the first hour, so be sure to check out the archive. For my summary of the last episode with Simon Shack, see here. 54m – Eric […]

 

 
Vacy Vlazna            Intifada Palestine
 
 

 
 by Lillian Rosengarten

Jan 20, 2014
Phil interviews Eva Bartlett, who worked with Gazan farmers, fishers, and schoolchildren in the face of naked aggression by the Israeli occupational forces. Ms. Bartlett maintains the blog ingaza.wordpress.com and lectures extensively on the illegal Israeli blockade of Gaza across North America.
listen here

The latest NAFTA-like, jobs-destroying "free trade" treaty, the Transpacific Partnership, could become an issue in the Hawai'i Senate race, where notoriously corrupt New Dem corporate shill, Colleen Hanabusa, is trolling for Big Business cash by backing the TPP and progressive champion and incumbent, Brian Schatz, has grave concerns which he is insisting be seriously addressed.

Some territory in Anbar province was recovered from militant control perhaps that is why casualties were low there. Baghdad, however, suffered several bombings. Overall, at least 45 people were killed and 71 more were wounded across the country.

Regime sends "red shirt" enforcers to threaten farmers and their families for protesting 6 months of unpaid subsidies - smashing the myth of "rural support." Image: Rice scheme has left industry & farmers in shambles.  January 30, 2014 (ATN) - While the US, UK, and others across the West

ST. LOUIS (AP) – With lethal-injection drugs in short supply and new questions looming about their effectiveness, lawmakers in some death penalty states are considering bringing back relics of a more gruesome past: firing squads, electrocutions and gas chambers.
Full Article

Or, if you need stronger stuff, we'vegot a new jeremiad from Chris Hedges(Plus Dilbert update -- see below)Here on the Pequod: Yes, that's Gregory Peck as Captain Ahab. Says Chris H: "We, like Ahab and his crew, rationalize our collective madness. All calls for prudence, for halting the march toward economic, political and environmental catastrophe, for sane limits on carbon emissions, are ignored or ridiculed. . .

Vera Scroggins, an outspoken opponent of fracking, is legally barred from the new county hospital. Also off-limits, unless Scroggins wants to risk fines and arrest, are the Chinese restaurant where she takes her grandchildren, the supermarkets and drug stores where she shops, the animal shelter where she adopted her Yorkshire terrier, bowling alley, recycling centre, golf club, and lake shore.

The US spy chief has demanded intelligence leaker Edward Snowden return the documents he has “stolen”.
At a US Senate hearing, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper harshly condemned the fugitive ex-intelligence contractor, saying his leaks caused “profound damage”.
Mr Clapper said the leaks had gone “way beyond [Mr Snowden's] professed concerns” about domestic spying.
Mr Snowden remains in Russia on asylum but faces espionage charges in the US.

Rejecting Obama’s call to address income inequality, GOP-controlled House votes to cut deeper into Food Stamps, expand farm subsidies….Click here for free audiobook download from Audible, and generate $15 to the PBC Podcast!
Cee-Lo Green’s F-bomb song opens the podcast, as Republicans flip off Obama’s call to address income and wealth gaps.
–Rep. Grimm (R-NY) threatens harm to reporter in post-speech interview
–Gen. Clapper testifies before Senate Intel Committee, appears to avoid perjury this time

http://youtu.be/ndaCu8uphdo Eric Draitser of StopImperialism.com appears on Press TV to give his analysis of President Obama’s “State of the Union” speech.  Draitser contends that Obama’s words are just that, merely words.  He points out that Obama distorts the facts regarding unemployment, the economy and US plans for Afghanistan.  He also contends that the President never had any intention of fulfilling campaign promises, nor does he intend to fulfill any of the promises he outlined in the speech.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Allied Command Transformation
January 28, 2014
NATO ACT and CSIS host Transatlantic Forum
Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Adam M. Bennett

NATO Allied Command Transformation (ACT) and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) hosted the Transatlantic Forum in Washington, D.C. January 27 and 28.

Jacob Heilbrunn, editor of The National Interest, spoke with Chicago University professor and renowned international relations theorist John Mearsheimer about the apparent shifts in attitudes in both the country and in Washington on foreign policy issues:

Matt Cartwright: "I did not come to Congress to kick the most vulnerable Americans off of food assistance."After all Obama's talk about equality of opportunity in the State of the Union last night, at 11 this morning House conservatives rammed through a horrendous $100 billion farm bill taking another $800 million a year from the food stamps program and preserving subsidies for wealthy farmers.

By Paul Craig Roberts | CounterPunch | January 29, 2014

A few days ago, I explained how economists and policymakers destroyed our economy for the sake of short-term corporate profits from jobs offshoring and financial deregulation.

Palestinian Students’ Campaign for the Academic Boycott of Israel (PSCABI) | January 28, 2014

Ma’an – 29/01/2014

RAMALLAH – Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian man near the Ramallah village of Ein Siniya on Wednesday.
A Ma’an reporter identified the victim as Muhammad Mahmoud Mubarak, 22, from al-Jalazun refugee camp.
Israeli forces in the area denied Palestinian ambulances access to the body before medics were eventually allowed to transfer the man to Ramallah Medical Complex.

The Killer (his alleged male prostitute boyfriend) is already out of jail, and “Gay Ray” aint talkin. This is more than we know about our 44th prez. What is the rest of the story? Recently the Hawaiian woman who “approved” Obama’s BC died in a plane crash. If you know something about Cousin Barry…. RUN!
 
EXCLUSIVE: Obama’s high school pot dealer who he thanked for the ‘good times’ was beaten to death with a hammer by his gay lover

It has been a while since I last put up any articles concerning the still ongoing disaster at the Fukushima Daichii Nuclear Power Plant at Fukushima Japan....

This episode of Trans Resister Radio is an update for listeners. Aaron shares his opinions and ideas on affiliate advertizing, copyright law, and Youtube. Sincere hopes and encouragement go out to all who may be planning any sort of life adventure. Perhaps we could make your adventure a group project.

by Dagfinn Reiersøl The Big Question in the climate change debate, as traditionally and conventionally posed, is: “is global warming caused by humans?” To those of us who know a little about climate science, it’s clearly an over-simplification, since climate … Continue reading →

Israel never turned over any of the tainted Madoff cash that flowed his wayThe DCCC is making a lot of hay lately about all the trouble Michael Grimm (R-NY) is in with the law-- and they should. He's lowlife scum who disgraces Congress with his very presence.

In last night’s State of the Union speech, President Obama put the spotlight on one of his invited guests, Army Ranger Sgt. 1st Class Cory Remsburg, a severely wounded veteran who was nearly killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. Here’s Reason‘s Nick Gillespie in Time on why using the wounded vet as a political tool is “morally dubious.”

By Noel Brinkerhoff and Danny Biederman | AllGov | January 29, 2014

Privatization of the criminal justice system has extended beyond prisons that are run for profit and now includes probation operators making a buck off Americans who have violated the law.

By Eric Draitser | RT | January 28, 2014

​Article 5 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights expressly forbids that any person “be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”

After months of silence. Carl Campeau  is speaking exclusively to the CBC.The CBC being Canada's premiere propaganda corporation. Much like the BBC. Keeps official narratives in order. Misleads Canadians. Typical stuffExclusive: How Carl Campeau, abducted in Syria, escaped al-Qaeda's clutchesYou can read the whole article at your leisure.

jasirix · January 28, 2014

“Checkpoint” is based on the oppression and discrimination Jasiri X witnessed firsthand during his recent trip to Palestine and Israel “Checkpoint” is produced by Agent of Change, and directed by Haute Muslim. Download “Checkpoint” at https://jasirix.bandcamp.com/track/ch….
LYRICS
Journal of the hard times tales from the dark side
Evidence of the settlements on my hard drive

Lithuania Tribune
January 30, 2014
Italian Air Force is getting ready for the first rotation in NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission
On 27 January 2014 two members of the Italian Air Force flew in at the Air Base in Šiauliai with two Eurofighter Typhoon fighter-jets and a Boeing KC-767A refuelling tanker, the Ministry of National Defence of Lithuania, has informed.

By Mike Masnick | Techdirt | January 29, 2014

Other than whining to Jay Leno about how Members are always getting into trouble, Boehner hasn't done anything about disciplining several of his own most blatantly corrupt Members, particularly Staten Island Mafioso Michael "Mikey Suits" Grimm and Peoria bad boy Aaron Schock.

Voice of Russia
January 29, 2014

US wants control of Afghanistan’s resources – Kathy Kelly
John Robles

Photo: © Flickr.com/familymwr/cc-by

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Anti-war essays, poems, short stories and literary excerpts
Friedrich Schiller: Oh, blessed peace, may the day of grim War’s ruthless crew never dawn
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Friedrich von Schiller
From Wallenstein’s Camp (1798)
Translated by Charles E. Passage

America’s mass media must’ve missed out on this story, in making such a big deal about Shariah law allegedly coming to American cities, when Orthodox Jewish law is already here in New York City, according to this January 19, 2014 video. “Showdown In BP Between TLC Police & Residents The NYC’s Taxi & Limousine (TLC) […]