Hoooomans

“Deforestation and pollution, high-risk subjects”

"With the help of its worldwide network of correspondents, Reporters Without Borders has gathered information about incidents in Indonesia, Argentina, El Salvador, Gabon, India, Azerbaijan, China and Morocco. Behind each of these threats and attacks, there were big corporations, criminal gangs or government officials who had been corrupted by money from mining or logging....

... journalists who have been targeted for shedding light on deforestation, which is responsible for at least 18 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions."

National Aeronautics and Space Administration show…. 2009 was the second warmest year since 1880, when modern temperature measurement began.

"...The foundations and routines of modern industrial life — the context for the fabled American dream – assume perpetual consumption; more and technologically improved commodities as symbols of prosperity and even identity. The United States has exported this “dream” throughout much of the world in its films and TV programs. But these “entertainment” products don’t contain warning signs, similar to those on cigarette packages: this product will cause serious environmental damage; future generations will suffer from an unsustainable environment..."

Rachel gets it on the Supreme court

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Yeah, I hate those activist judges also.

Dang it, I don't need anything else to make me nauseous today. My kid is coming home for the summer, and my Filipino neighbors have discovered the joy of fish sauce. How can people eat that stuff? It smells like something that came out of a seal's ass, or fried penguin exhibit waste or gagggggg, wtf?

AT&T security hole exposes iPad users' e-mails

Thursday, June 10, 2010
By JORDAN ROBERTSON AP Technology Writer

"The vulnerability only affected iPad users who signed up for AT&T's "3G" wireless Internet service."


I wonder if At&T will ever spend more on service than they do on advertising?

My disappointments from Tuesday June 8, 2010

Mark my words Californians, these two decisions will come back to bite us in the ass, and in this county, that decision was made by 30-35% of the registered voters.

Politicians, analysts question new open primary system

"...The new system will put candidates of all political stripes on a single ballot, and all voters will be able to participate. The top two vote-getters in a given contest — regardless of political affiliation — will advance to the general election. Supporters say that once the system is in place and voting districts have been redrawn outside of the Legislature, candidates will have no choice but to move to the middle as they compete for voters who are more politically diverse..."

And the failure of prop 15 bums me out, here's why.

Screw it, I'm going to go watch more X-Files , at least there the idiocy is fictional. Sometimes it's funny to watch just how many things they get wrong. I suppose if the only job you ever had was creative writing before widespread Googling, the doofyness is forgivable. Besides, some of the lines Mulder spits out are incredibly funny, intentional or not.

Re-reading

(click on cover for Google shopping link)

(C) 2000 by Chalmers Johnson
excerpt from page 174

"The economic challenge of China is likely to be the most difficult test not just for American economic policy but for its foreign policy in general in the first quarter of the twenty-first century. Unfortunately Americans still remain confused by the idea that the foundations of power no longer lie in military but in economic and industrial strength. They tolerate, even applaud, irrationally bloated defense budgets while doing little to rebuild and defend the industrial foundations of their own nation. When the world economic crisis began in Asia in 1997, the United States responded with the stale formulas of the International Monetary Fund, only worsening the situation. Inadequate political leadership, inappropriate staffing of the government, and an inability to redirect the foreign affairs, defense, technological, and intelligence agencies to pay more reasonable attention to Asia in general and China in particular seem endemic problems for the foreseeable future."

quote of the day

"1. Republicans will do what they are told by their corporate masters."

The Lesson of June 2010: Corporate Power Can Be Beaten
by: Robert Cruickshank ( Calitics )
Wed Jun 09, 2010 at 10:00:00 AM PDT

and yet

"2. Corporations can be beaten.

For the rest of California, however, unlimited corporate power is not seen as a positive thing."

priorities

CONTROLLER REPUBLICAN Precincts Reporting: 100% Updated 8 minutes ago

TONY STRICKLAND 60% 884,592

DAVID EVANS 40% 595,733

Source: CONTROLLER REPUBLICAN NBC San Diego


CONTROLLER DEMOCRATIC UNCONTESTED Precincts Reporting: 7% Updated 7 minutes ago

JOHN CHIANG 100% 116,702

Source: CONTROLLER DEMOCRATIC UNCONTESTED NBC San Diego


Yeesh, it takes about 2 seconds to actually fill the bubble in folks, but this is from the county site, so maybe NBC made a mistake and substituted state for county results

CONTROLLER DEMOCRATIC
Reporting 1671 of 1671 at 100.0% counted.

JOHN CHIANG - DEM 116702 100.00 %

CONTROLLER REPUBLICAN
Reporting 1671 of 1671 at 100.0% counted.

TONY STRICKLAND - REP 96690 61.32 %
DAVID EVANS - REP 60986 38.68 %

Thanks for the laugh Dianne

Voters Approve Term Limits For Supervisors.
By Katie Orr
Originally published June 9, 2010 at 6:18 a.m., updated June 9, 2010 at 9:45 a.m.

"...But Supervisor Dianne Jacob said she doesn’t believe the vote reflects dissatisfaction with the current board..."

The local results are predictably depressing.

I voted

Update - results
and analysis from KPBS
Yeesh, Rethugs actually vote in primaries, Gawd there are a shitload of those assholes in this county. I sure hope it looks better in November. I'm irritable. I've been listening to those goddamned motherfucking jet engines power up all fucking day and my car alarm keeps chirping. I'm at least 5 miles from the airbase, it's pissing me off.

After using a local publication's cheat sheet , looking here and here and here and here and using Google I still needed to talk to my friend about a few things, and I had a wonderful time visiting with my friend. Here is a progressive voter guide from Courage Campaign.

Absentee ballots can be turned in at any county polling place, and I just heard on KPBS that something like 43% of San Diego voters are permanent absentee voters. The station has election information here . You can find your San Diego county polling station here .

I was disgusted at one of the slick ads I found in my mailbox yesterday.

It was a yes on 16 ad which I promptly shredded, as I have done with all of the mailers I've received this election season.

As of May 25, 2010, utility company Pacific Gas & Electric has given $41.1 million to the campaign for a "yes" vote.

I didn't vote for the Mercury insurance thing either, and with glee I marked my ballot for someone other than Mr. "you can tell an immigrant by the way they dress."

Democracy is a good thing, though, so I voted yes on 15 , it looks like a step forward in getting rid of so much money in the politcal system.

And one more thing -- Meg, Carly and Poizner can kiss my ass, I was fed up with their nasty campaigning months ago.

Yes, It's True: California is Banning Plastic Bags

by Brian Merchant, Brooklyn, New York on 06.7.10
Business & Politics

"...Technically, only the practice of handing out bags for free will be banned -- plastic bags will still be available to purchase for a nickel each..."

"...Californians use a stunning 19 billion plastic bags every year, or some 552 per person..."

So, I guess I won't be forgetting my reusable bags when I go shopping, which frankly is as little as possible these days.

Recycling in my area got a slow start, especially construction recycling. Most of my neighbors don't give a crap, but I throw three times more stuff in the recycling dumpster than I do in the trash dumpster.

Ten year gold price chart

Hmmmm. It can't buy clean water, clean air, health, or happiness, so what is the appeal? And who's buying it? I mean where is the stuff exactly when you do buy it? Do people really have gold bars or coins hanging around in the basement? Some do, I guess.

Five women presenters resign from Al Jazeera

"According to the daily Al-Hayat, they resigned last week after complaining of repeated comments and criticism by a member of the management about their attire, which was considered insufficiently conservative."

Autopsies reveal 9 men on Gaza aid boat shot, 5 in head

By Ivan Watson and Talia Kayali
June 4, 2010 -- Updated 1445 GMT (2245 HKT)

"...In one case, Ince said, a gunshot victim had been shot at at extremely close range.

"From the analysis of the bullet distance on one of the bodies," Dr. Ince said, "the gun was fired between 2 and 14 centimeters' distance from the victim's head."...

"...Turkey, once Israel's closest Muslim ally in the Middle East, has accused Israel of committing an act of international piracy.

"From now on, Turkish-Israeli ties will never be the same," Turkish President Abdullah Gul said on Thursday. "The incident has left a deep and irreparable scar."


" Israel has been a major supplier of arms to Turkey, and Israeli firms have been responsible for modernizing the F-4 Phantom fleet of the Turkish air force. Their agreements include cooperation in the "domains of air, sea, land, intelligence; and the manufacturing of aircraft, armaments and missiles," and "prepares the way for mutual military visits, training and exercises, dispatch of observers to oversee military exercises, staff exchanges and military know-how."

Grrr ratsa fratsa ggghhht tuhhhh

Fucking insurance companies. They already raised the premiums 390% in one fucking year, now they want to do whatever they can to NOT cover someone who is too fucking busy to prove eligibility. Between that fact and the fact that the parties involved have some major communication isssues, I'M FUCKING FRIED.

And another thing. Why the hell is the only place in the US now that has call centers populated by syrupy, hard to understand accents and idiots trained to give cryptic and somewhat misleading information? Grrrrrrrrrrr....

The snotty British accent isn't working for me either today.

And the geek pit can't get my computer to crash. wtf? I'm good at crashing the effing thing...

Hmmm. Geeky brother says maybe the drivers need to be updated. Ahhhh, yuh, I try. The good news is I got my new clothes washed and none of my back up files are infected. woot

Doubts Grow Over Israel’s Value as US Ally

Gee, ya think?

43 Years After Surviving Israeli Attack on USS Liberty, US Veteran Joe Meadors Seized by Israeli Forces on Gaza Aid Flotilla

(click on pics for stories behind them)


Previous activists killed by Israel.

Distracting news

Paul McCartney sings Beatles song 'Michelle' to Mrs. Obama at White House Gershwin Prize concert
By Soraya Roberts
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER


This is how I remember Rue Mclanahan



Yeah, I can't deal with the corporate bullshit , the Israeli bullshit , the military bullsit , more military bullshit. And yet even more military bullshit

How many more of these assholes do you create when you kill one of them?

Who paid for this story?

California Proposition 15 facing uphill battle
(ABC San Francisco)
Tuesday, June 01, 2010

The United States Supreme Court make up

is a right-wing Bush created Frankenstein nightmare that might end before I die, but I doubt it.


Court: Suspects must say they want to be silent By JESSE J. HOLLAND (AP) – 1 hour ago

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that suspects must explicitly tell police they want to be silent to invoke Miranda protections during criminal interrogations, a decision one dissenting justice said turns defendants' rights "upside down."


JUNE 1, 2010, 12:38 P.M. ET.Supreme Court Says Suspects Must Disclose Intent to Remain Silent

...Justice Sonia Sotomayor, in a dissent longer than the majority opinion, argued that the majority misread precedent and reached beyond the facts of the case to impose a tough new rule against defendants.

"Today's decision turns Miranda upside down," Justice Sotomayor wrote, joined by Justices John Paul Stevens, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer. "Criminal suspects must now unambiguously invoke their right to remain silent—which, counterintuitively, requires them to speak."...


Wow.

So if I'm understanding this correctly, if I ever get arressted and interrrogated I have to open my mouth and tell them I am going to remain silent.

Good thing I've watched enough cop shows and movies to know that I HAVE a right to remain silent and ask for a lawyer, eh?

Fuck me.

Anyone else wonder just how far pretzel logic can go in this fucked up world?

The Death of Capitalism
Written by Solomon Comissiong Daily Journal (Opinion), Politics May 31, 2010

Memorial Day

is an increasingly bitter pill for me to swallow.

I see the cover of this book now.

Memorial Day, for a father whose son was killed in Iraq
Andrew J. Bacevich
May 31, 2010
To many, it's the start of summer or a day off from work. But as American wars come and go, more families experience Memorial Day in a deeper and more tragic way.

Phillippe Cousteau To Bill Maher: Even Before Oil Spill, The Oceans Couldn't Take Any More (VIDEO)

Mmmmkay Philippe, I like to see someone speak out in language that might get through to right-wing fucktards, but you're on the wrong show for that.


The sanity of envrionmentalism I tried to teach my Econ 101 instructor in 1999 got through to him. I'm not sure I ever completely wrapped my head around the business double-speak (the bullshit) that most business courses employ in order to remain positive and churn out hungry little capitalists for big business to use and then throw away like so much trash. The lengths they go to when they try to explain the term externalities, yeesh, there's probably some internal BP memo with that word on it somewhere.

BP Director On The Defensive: 'Cutting Corners' Is Not The Way We Do Business (VIDEO)

Ummmmmm?

Witness: BP took 'shortcuts' before well blowout
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
By GREG BLUESTEIN and MIKE BAKER Associated Press Writer

Bwaaaah hahahahahaha

my head hurts

I do my geeky learning in "fits and starts." Usually when my computer has a 'fit' and 'starts' acting up (ar ar). By then I've usually killed the damn thing and only the geeky brother can bring it back to life, inheriting it in the process. Then he repeats the procedure for fun a few times - kill, reanimate, kill, reanimate, woot.

I thought I was good about protecting my computer, but it seems that no matter what kind of Internet security program I pick, some nasty bug gets through and I'm out and about freaking computer shopping again. At least this time I backed my shit up and virus checked it. That may be a good sign. I keep hoping that it's a hardware problem, then I'm covered. Strictly conjecture, though, because who knows when they will even get to my computer to diagnose it in the geek pit.

It's a wonder I venture out onto the net at all. Scary shit out there.

BSOD...Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh!!!

Yup. You Geeks know what I'm talking about.

The Blue Screen of Death.

This is a loaner I'm typing on right here. Somehow I didn't get a keyboard with it and I decided it was easier to go buy one since my two year old computer was so ancient that it's ps2 connector is now obsolete.

Unfortunately the 3 year "service contract" doesn't cover software, so I hope the problem is hardware. Another place is bad with hardware and you can buy software service. Oy. I'm afraid the Geeky dad is getting old and I'm afraid of the Geeky brother, he's a bit tetchy.

Yes, BadTux I'm ready for a Mac.

Unfortunately I need to make sure that my kid's Mac gets her through her last year of college first.

*sigh*

Anyway, I hate futzing around with the 'puter till I gets comfortable with it, but at least I got the loaner and I probably won't want to go back to the nightmare called Vista. God that OS is a piece of shit.

Banksters. *sigh*

Banksters Create New Fake "Consumer" Group
Submitted by Lisa Graves on May 26, 2010 - 1:59pm.

Quote of the day

The bankers are playground bullies who are used to getting their way and think that if they’re not getting their way, someone must be cheating them.

Written by James Kwak
May 26, 2010 at 10:15 am

Read the whole article here.

Border Security

President Obama to send more National Guard troops to U.S.-Mexico border
By Michael D. Shear and Spencer S. Hsu
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Well Alrighty then!

That ought to keep out a few hardworking Messicans! It WON'T keep out these deadly, murderous scumbags.

Heh, I'm not the only one thinking that way:

McCain gets political win on border troops

And while Obama is helping get some more Nat'l Guardsman killed, we supply the assault weapons, and the drug market. And then there is NAFTA



Unrelated, but interesting to me:

Witness: BP took 'shortcuts' before well blowout
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
By GREG BLUESTEIN and MIKE BAKER Associated Press Writer

Broke. Damn Broke.

Update may 26, '10 by ,Simon Johnson who I trust after watching him be interviewed by Bill Moyers last year.

EU countries:

The Road To Economic Serfdom

US:

Arizona Graduation Speech Criticizing Immigration Laws Elicits Boos, Jeers

"What's your take? Was Soto's speech inappropriate, or was the audience out of line? Weigh in below. "
This is for Arizona to sort out.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

I can't help but wonder if the recent local case factored in?

The Supreme Court's Decision About Sexually Dangerous Federal Prisoners: Could It Hold the Key to the Constitutionality of the Individual Mandate to Buy Health Insurance?
By MICHAEL C. DORF
Wednesday, May 19, 2010

...Under a program first adopted in the late 1940s and most recently modified by a 2006 federal law , some prisoners who are otherwise eligible to be released because they have served their sentences may be held–potentially indefinitely–as "sexually dangerous" upon two conditions: First, clear and convincing proof must be presented to a court that, by virtue of a mental disease or defect, the prisoner would have serious difficulty refraining from sexually violent conduct or child molestation if released. Second, it must be the case that neither the state in which the prisoner is confined nor the state in which he was tried (if that is a different state) is willing to accept custody over him...."

I can't help but wonder if they thought of the recent case here of John Gardner. The fucker did 5 years for attacking a 13-year old and was released back into an area very close to me and my daughter was 16 at the time. It is still hard for me to look at a picture of Amber Dubois' mother without crying. Amber was on her way to school to buy a lamb for 4-H when Gardner got her.

Fascinating

I've been watching the first three years worth of "The Tudors" and Martin Luther is mentioned in one of the shows. Dudes lived at the same time and did things that changed history. Henry VIII wasn't exactly thrilled with Luther at first.



So naturally I get curious about Luther, so I stream this on Netflix. It's 4 bucks here, or it may be available in your library system. One of the scholars in it says "Martin Luther was probably the first propagandist."

Heh.

I would go so far as to say he changed the history of Western Civilization. Was the man perfect? OH Hell No, but he was a brave man who stirred up the shit when it needed to be stirred up .

Piece it together

I've only been reading non-fiction since September 12, 2001, which is why I get a bit impatient with article titles like Chris Hedges' Why the Enlightened Liberal Class Is Complicit in the Country's Downward Spiral.

I just roll my eyes and think "Duh, no shit, buddy! Who is NOT complicit?"

See, I've been trying to figure out what is behind the news for years now. I take it in now with 4 authors' writings in mind; John Perkins , Naomi Klein , Greg Palast and most importantly, Chalmers Johnson .




Why?

Because these 4 authors not only understand shit that I don't, but they can explain the who, what, where and why it is important for me to understand what they write.

Here is a great new interview with Johnson that I happened to miss while I was attempting to escape into TV series on Netflix.