10 pm MDT
Midnight Meme Of The Day!
*by Noah* The above cartoon (You can click on it to enlarge) goes a long way in summing up the idiocy of our American culture these days. I especially like the Schrodinger's Impeachment explanation depicted in the first frame. On the one hand we have Rep. Nadler at least saying the right words, effectual or not, that would steer us toward the possibility of impeaching the disease called Trump. On the other hand, we have Speaker Pelosi who has chosen, of her own free will, to be an accomplice to Trump's treachery, if not outright treason, and represent the impossibility of impeachi... more »
Stop Dreaming: Battleships Would Get Crushed in a War Today
*Justin Mohn* *Security, * They are never making a comeback. Never. *Key Point: *We have our generation’s battleships in nuclear aircraft carriers. They are majestic, imposing, ocean-going and potentially fading into obsolescence as missiles threaten to outrange and outpunch their organic fighter complement. The future is not bigger ships with more armor. Recent discussions of how to answer current naval challenges in the Pacific would do the old U.S. Navy “Gun Club” proud. The last few years have seen calls to bring the Iowa-class fast battleships out of retirement (again) and... more »
The Ultimate Weapon: Could China Build a 'Nuclear' Aircraft Carrier?
*Robert Farley* *Security, * Credible reports confirm that the PLAN is already building at least one conventional carrier in the 80,000-ton range. Given how quickly Chinese shipbuilding has accelerated, does it make sense for the PLAN to think nuclear for its next generation of ships? *Key Point*: Will the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ever take the leap into nuclear propulsion for its aircraft carriers? Credible reports confirm that the PLAN is already building at least one conventional carrier in the 80,000-ton range. Given how quickly Chinese shipbuilding has accelerat... more »
Rudy Giuliani Challenges The Media Over Ukraine: “Take Me On”…
Rudy Giuliani was fired-up when he appeared on Fox News to discuss the story of Joe Biden’s influence campaign toward Ukraine; and how the media are covering-up the most explosive aspects to the story. Rudy Giuliani Drops Ukrainian Collusion Bomb … Continue reading →
Telegus from India are Calling Bernie’s Hotline to Push for S386; Americans: Call Bernie’s Hotline & Your Senators to Stop S386 & Related Bills; Demand Hearings
Call your Senators ASAP to oppose S386, which needs to have public hearings and be debated rather than rammed through: … Continue reading →
Greg Hunter, "First Ever Triple Bubble in Stocks, Real Estate & Bonds"
*"First Ever Triple Bubble in Stocks, Real Estate & Bonds" * By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com "We are living in an age of records in the financial world. The stock market is in its longest bull market in history and near all-time highs. The world has more debt than ever before while interest rates are near record lows, and some are negative in many countries for the first time ever. Nick Barisheff, CEO of Bullion Management Group (BMG), is seeing a dark ending for the era of financial records. Barisheff explains, “I have been in the business for 40 years, and this is the first time... more »
Brexit: Past the Event Horizon
Slouching towards Brexit.
Germamy Looking to Impose a CO2 Tax
In Germany, the Federal Minister of Research has said that the introduction of a special tax on carbon dioxide is virtually certain. Global warming research is funded by governments in order to raise taxes. They refuse to fund any research to the contrary because this is all about raising taxes. Germany will soon join Canada […]
Working Conditions on Digital Labour Platforms: Opportunities, Challenges, and the Quest for Decent Work
A large scale study confirms that labour platforms, also known as crowdwork, are exploitative.
Tweets For Today
pic.twitter.com/J7g5L8LzrV — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 22, 2019 Pompeo says U.S. mission is to avoid war with Iran but measures in place to deter https://t.co/8odRe8gdMZ pic.twitter.com/8zVR7fyvYb — Reuters Top News (@Reuters) September 22, 2019 'Stay away!' Iran president Rouhani issues chilling warning to the west as he shows off nation's military might https://t.co/skjboHcVZn — Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) September 23, 2019 Israeli elections: Arab parties back Gantz to oust Netanyahu https://t.co/QjO06VTG2R — BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) September 22,... more »
Quote of the Day
“Here is your country. Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage, for your children and your children’s children. Do not let selfish men or greedy interests skin your country of its beauty, its riches or its romance.” ― Theodore Roosevelt
Being Fashionable is Bad for a Philosophy
When a philosophy becomes fashionable, it is a sign that it has peaked—at this point, it dies. This is because a fashionable philosophy is a magnet for dumb people who are bad at philosophizing but are quite good at creating controversies and conflicts which will drive away the good scholars. This leads to a decline in the school’s intellectual and moral standards, and eventually makes it irrelevant. The schools that survive and thrive are those that are backed by a significant body of work dealing with problems which are complicated enough to keep the good scholars enthused while i... more »
It Will Be Months Before Repairs To The Saudi Oil Facilities Damaged In Last Week's Attacks Have Been Completed
A metal part of a damaged tank is seen at the damaged site of Saudi Aramco oil facility in Abqaiq Reuters *Business Insider:* *Repairs to the Saudi oil facilities after devastating attacks could reportedly take months* * The Saudi Arabian Oil Co.'s (Saudi Aramco) repairs to its facilities that suffered devastating attacks last week are in emergency mode, but it could still be months before they are fully operational, according to the Wall Street Journal. * Saudi officials and oil contractors told the Journal that the estimate of 10 weeks that company executives have promised for a... more »
The Zero Carbon Bill analysis – 4
New paper kills the Zero Carbon Bill dead Essay 4: Climate scare could be gone by 2030 The Hon Barry … Continue Reading →
CNN: Sea turtles have been targeted multiple times this year in Florida. Another was just found with a spear in its neck
A green sea turtle was found and rescued with a 3-foot-long spear stuck in its neck, according to o nonprofit Turtle Hospital in Marathon, Florida. The sub-adult turtle, which weighed 150-pounds and is named Splinter, was taken into surgery so the spear could be removed. Bette Zirkelbach, Turtle Hospital manager, told CNN affiliate WPEC that […] The post CNN: Sea turtles have been targeted multiple times this year in Florida. Another was just found with a spear in its neck appeared first on Health Nut News.
September 23rd – 2019 Presidential Politics – Trump Administration Day #977
In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and … Continue reading →
Monday September 23rd – Open Thread
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those … Continue reading →
The 9 Most Terrifying Words
Burt Prelutsky ~ It was the Hollywood sage, Ronald Reagan, who once remarked that the nine most terrifying words in the world were “I’m from the government and I’m here to help!” If anyone ever utters those blood-chilling words to you, just hand over your wallet and walk away quickly. Most bureaucrats aren’t evil. […]
Earth Worship And Climate Confessions
By Brent Bozell and Tim Graham ~ Gaiaism is alive and well in what we call Western civilization. In advance of the United Nations “Climate Action Summit” on September 23, leftists are actively practicing their faith. Man has despoiled the Earth, and now must…confess to the Earth? Think we’re exaggerating? On September 18, New York’s Union […]
Ohio’s Renewables Subsidy Sausage
From the team at CFACT ~ By Mark Mathis of The Clear Energy Alliance ~ The people of Ohio recently witnessed a Sausage-O-Rama of energy policymaking. HB-6 is a mish-mash of energy legislation that bails out nuclear and coal, subsidizes solar, while completely ignoring wind. Natural gas, of course, needs no subsidy. These days it […]
College Admissions Scandal Ensnares 52nd Defendant And Counting
By Cully Stimson and GianCarlo Canaparo ~ Fifty-two defendants and counting. That’s how many people have been indicted or otherwise charged in the college admissions and testing-bribery scandal. When the story first broke last spring, we wrote that the first round of indictments had to be the tip of the iceberg, because over time, those […]
Dr. Bronner’s makes large contribution to Oregon magic mushroom campaign
Thomas and Sheri Eckert found a friend in David Bronner, CEO of the top-selling natural brand of soap. Dr. Bronner’s is matching up to $150,000 in contributions to the Eckert’s campaign to pry open the door for using “magic” mushrooms in Oregon. The scientific name is Psilocybin mushrooms, a Schedule 1 drug under the federal... Continue Reading
African swine fever’s lesson: Big animal ag is fragile and biohazard suits are not unusual
Opinion Editor’s note: This column is published here with the permission of the author, Leah Garcés. Over the past few months, news reports of China’s African swine fever problem, which is decimating the country’s pig population, has dominated agriculture and trade headlines. The disease outbreak has affected markets across the globe, from Brazil to the... Continue Reading
FDA warns firms for Listeria, rodents, potentially harmful drug residues in livestock
The Food and Drug Administration recently sent warning letters to a baked goods manufacturer in New York, a ready-to-eat (RTE) food manufacturer in Georgia, and livestock auctioneer in Ohio, because inspectors found significant violations of U.S. food safety laws at their operations. Businesses have 15 days to respond in writing to the FDA after receiving... Continue Reading
Picture Of The Day
Workers are seen at the damaged site of a Saudi Aramco oil facility in Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia, September 20, 2019. Saudi Arabia took media to inspect oil facilities hit by attacks that Washington and Riyadh blame on Iran, showing melted pipes and burnt equipment, as Tehran vowed wide retaliation if heightened tensions boil over into hostilities. REUTERS/Hamad l Mohammed *WNU Editor:* The above picture came from this photo-gallery .... *U.S. blames Iran for Saudi oil attack *(Reuters).
I Was Aboard A Sinking World War II Aircraft Carrier (It Was Hell)
*Warfare History Network* *Security, * How the USS Yorktown went to the bottom. *Key Point: *After being rescued at sea by the destroyer Hughes on June 4, Daves and the other survivors watched in helpless horror two days later as a lone Japanese submarine evaded the destroyer screen and fired four torpedoes at the dead-in-the-water Yorktown and a destroyer, the Hammann. The Hammann was sunk immediately and the carrier went under the next day. Daves and the remaining crew returned to Pearl Harbor, where new assignments in the long war awaited them. After working in a Civilian Co... more »
‘Vaguely Troubling’: BIS Warns Of Financial Disaster Amid $17 Trillion In Negative-Yield Debt
‘Vaguely Troubling’: BIS Warns Of Financial Disaster Amid $17 Trillion In Negative-Yield Debt by Tyler Durden, https://www.zerohedge.com/ When the central bank for central banks publishes its quarterly review, the world should take note. – Claudio Borio, Head of the Monetary and Economic Department at the BIS, published the BIS Quarterly Review, September 2019 on Sunday, revealing …
Hong Kong Rioters Desecrate China Flag & Ransack Sha Tin Shopping Mall
RT Thousands of masked #protesters descended on a #HongKong satellite town, vandalizing a mall and rail stations. Clashes with police ensued in nearby streets where police used tear gas and activists set barricades on fire. The action in #ShaTin, a neighborhood in Hong Kong’s New Territories, on Sunday followed the template set on the previous …
Fund Manager: Financial System Unsustainably Over-leveraged, Something Big Is Happening
Fund Manager: Financial System Unsustainably Over-leveraged, Something Big Is Happening by https://www.silverdoctors.com/ Dave Kranzler says something big is happening under the surface, and the move in gold over the summer is only one indicator… – by Dave Kranzler of Investment Research Dynamics “We can ignore reality, but we cannot ignore the consequences of ignoring reality.” – Ayn Rand …
Yuen Long Sit-In Turns Violent in Hong Kong — Violent Rioters/Protesters
South China Morning Post A sit-in planned for to mark two months since the ‘Yuen Long Attack’ ended with a night of tear gas and petrol bombs. The site of the attack, the Yuen Long MTR station, was closed from 3pm, so protesters occupied the adjacent Yoho Mall instead. Many protesters confronted police outside the …
Funeral Held for Palestinian Teen Shot Dead by Israeli Forces
Press TV Palestinians held a funeral procession on Saturday (September 21) for a 14-year old boy, shot dead by Israeli forces. end
Saudis, Israel Attack Pro-Iran Militias on Syria-Iraq Border – Report
Saudis, Israel Attack Pro-Iran Militias on Syria-Iraq Border – Report by TZVI JOFFRE, https://www.jpost.com/, 19 Sept 2019 “Saudi fighter jets have been spotted along with other fighter jets that have attacked facilities and positions belonging to Iranian militias.” – Both Israel and Saudi Arabia have been blamed for recent air strikes targeting pro-Iranian militias in …
Syria Says It Captured Explosives-Laden Drone Near Golan Border
Syria Says It Captured Explosives-Laden Drone Near Golan Border by AGENCIES and TOI STAFF, https://www.timesofisrael.com/ State news agency also reports Syrian forces found Israeli-made vehicles and material in village near Quneitra – Syria’s state news agency said authorities have captured and dismantled a drone rigged with cluster bombs near the border with the Israeli Golan Heights. SANA …
US Purchased Weapons for ISIS? (Full Show)
RT America RT America’s Michele Greenstein (in for Rick Sanchez) reports on the unprecedented escalation of US sanctions on Iran and how they impact everyday Iranians. Then we report on allegations that the US is arming Islamic extremists abroad. International human rights activist Ajamu Baraka discusses the creep of militarism in US foreign policy and …
The Egyptian Army Is Making a Fortune in Sinai
The Egyptian Army Is Making a Fortune in Sinai by Zvi Bar’el, https://www.haaretz.com/ Cairo sees investment in the peninsula as an investment in national security, but the military receives tax and other benefits that crowd out the private sector – “You can’t even imagine the amounts of money that we’ve invested in Sinai,” said Egyptian …
These Are The Banks Where The Fed’s $1.4 Trillion In Reserves Are Parked
These Are The Banks Where The Fed’s $1.4 Trillion In Reserves Are Parked by Tyler Durden, https://www.zerohedge.com/ Over the past few days there has been much confusion over the repocalpyse that shook the overnight funding market, and just as much confusion over the definition of reserves which some banks were unwilling to part with, other banks …
[BANK MANIPULATIONS?] Top JPMorgan Traders Charged Over Years of Price Manipulation | 2019
RT Top traders from America’s largest bank JPMorgan Chase have found themselves at the centre of a Justice Department investigation. They’re accused of manipulating the price of precious metals over some eight years. READ MORE: https://on.rt.com/a1uo end
"Schiff: Market Forces Are Beginning To Overwhelm The Fed's Defenses"
*"Schiff: Market Forces Are Beginning * *To Overwhelm The Fed's Defenses"* by Tyler Durden "The Federal Reserve did exactly what the markets expected this week, cutting interest rates by another 25 basis points, but the central bank sent out mixed signals about what will happen next. Markets widely construed the Fed’s messaging as somewhat hawkish. In its policy statement, the Fed said the US economy is growing at a “moderate” rate and the labor market “remains strong. It cut rates, “in light of the implications of global developments for the economic outlook as well as muted inflat... more »
This couple live in a GWS Giants shrine — but there's one thing missing
Seb and Kat Dell'Orefice have been there from the start, and they are set to join thousands of GWS fans making the pilgrimage down to Melbourne for the club's first AFL grand final appearance this week.
'Flying in space at the best of times is difficult': Astronaut speaks out on US Moon plans
Australian astronaut Andy Thomas welcomes Australia's renewed commitment to space exploration, but expresses concerns about people returning to the Moon by 2024, saying "unrealistic" expectations could put lives at risk.
Full list of winners from the 2019 Emmy Awards
The 71st Primetime Emmy Awards are over. Here's everyone that took home an award.
Pop-up Meetup in NYC (with Michael Hudson and Jerri-Lynn) Tomorrow
Pop-up Meetup in NYC with Michael Hudson and Jerri-Lynn tomorrow.
Are U.S. Aircraft Carriers Easy To Sink?
Top to bottom: USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) alongside Nimitz class carriers USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) & USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76). Pinterest *National Interest: **Iran Might Need a Nuclear Weapon to Sink an Aircraft Carrier* *5 reasons killing these warships would not be easy in a war. * Key Point: The bottom line on aircraft carrier survivability is that only a handful of countries can credibly pose a threat to America's most valuable warships, and short of using nuclear weapons none of those is likely to sink one. Large-deck, nuclear-powered aircraft carriers are the signature ex... more »
Saudi Arabia Says It Would Be An Act Of War If Last Weeks Oil Attack Was Launched From Iran
*CNN:* *Saudi Arabia says if attack launched from Iran, it would be an act of war: CNN* RIYADH (Reuters) - If an investigation shows that last week’s attack on Saudi Arabian oil facilities was launched from Iranian territory, the kingdom would consider it an act of war, but Riyadh is currently seeking a peaceful resolution, a senior Saudi official said. “We hold Iran responsible because the missiles and the drones that were fired at Saudi Arabia...were Iranian-built and Iranian-delivered,” Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir told CNN late on Saturday. “But to lau... more »
He Sits Behind The Resolute Desk But... He's Not-- Meaning Bolton's Dream Never Came True
Trump's personal cowardice-- something he's demonstrated for his entire life-- is not one of his more attractive personality traits. But as president, it has served the country well... so far. This morning, Peter Baker, Eric Schmidt and Michael Crowley wrote the inside story of Trump's aborted attack on Iran last June. They wrote that by the time Trump met with congressional leaders on the afternoon of June 20, "he had already decided to retaliate against Iran for shooting down an American surveillance drone... But barely three hours later, Mr. Trump had changed his mind. Without ... more »
Treadmill of Magic Seeds and Broken Promises: The Myth of Bt Cotton Success in India
OffGuardian, CounterPunch, Dissident Voice, Global Research, Countercurrents Political posturing aligned with commercial interests means that truth is becoming a casualty in the debate about genetically modified (GM) crops in India. The industry narrative surrounding Bt cotton is that it has been a great success. The current Modi-led administration is parroting this claim and argues its success must be replicated by adopting a range of GM food crops, amounting to what would be a full-scale entry of GM technology into Indian agriculture. Currently, Bt cotton is India’s only officially... more »
Boris Johnson, GMOs and Glyphosate: Irresponsible, Negligent and Criminal?
New Age Morning Star, New Age (Dhaka), CounterPunch, OffGuardian, Global Research, Dissident Voice, Countercurrents In his first speech to parliament as British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson said: “Let’s start now to liberate the UK’s extraordinary bioscience sector from anti-genetic modification rules and let’s develop the blight-resistant crops that will feed the world.” Johnson reads from a well-rehearsed script. The ‘GM will feed the world mantra’ is pure industry spin. There is already enough food being produced to feed the global population yet around 830 million are classe... more »
Offering Choice but Delivering Tyranny: The Corporate Capture of Agriculture
Article in 20 Aug edition of Dhaka-based New Age newspaper OffGuardian, Dissident Voice, CounterPunch, TruePublica, Countercurrents, Global Research, New Age (Dhaka) Many lobbyists talk a lot about critics of genetic engineering technology denying choice to farmers. They say that farmers should have access to a range of tools and technologies to maximise choice and options. At the same time, somewhat ironically, they decry organic agriculture and proven agroecological approaches, presumably because these practices have no need for the proprietary inputs of the global agrochemical/ag... more »
Poisoned for Profit: We Are Not the Agrochemical Industry’s Guinea Pigs
OffGuardian, Dissident Voice, CounterPunch, Global Research, Countercurrents Environmentalist Dr Rosemary Mason has just written to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Chemicals Regulation Division (HSE) in the UK claiming that the glyphosate-based weed killer Roundup has poisoned her nature reserve in South Wales and is also poisoning people across the UK (she includes herself here, as she struggles with a neurodegenerative condition). She notes that the widespread spraying of glyphosate went against the advi... more »
Sick to the Stomach: Pesticides and the Cocktail of Toxicity
Morning Star, TruePublica, Global Research, CounterPunch, OffGuardian Dame Sally Davies is the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for England and recently released the CMO annual report for 2019. The report focuses on British engagement with global health and forging partnerships. However, there appears to be no mention of cancers in the report, a serious omission according to environmental campaigner Rosemary Mason. Like many others, she has been campaigning tirelessly for many years to draw attention to the links between agrochemicals and certain cancers and health conditions. In response... more »
India’s Tryst with Destiny: Freedom Struggle from Exploitation and Degradation Is Global
Dissident Voice, Global Research, OffGuardian, TruePublica, Countercurrents and in CounterPunch magazine (print) (Vol 26 no 3 2019) Today, we are in the grip of a globalised system of capitalism which drives narcissism, domination, ego, anthropocentrism, speciesism and plunder. A system that is using up oil, water and other resources much faster than they can ever be regenerated. We have poisoned the rivers and oceans, destroyed natural habitats, driven wildlife species to (the edge of) extinction and have altered the chemical composition of the atmosphere with seemingly devastating... more »
Food Scandals and Agrochemicals: Time to Put Public Need Ahead of Private Greed
Dissident Voice, Global Research, CounterPunch, OffGuardian, Countercurrents Mad cow disease is a fatal epidemic neurological syndrome created by the agricultural industry, farmers and food processors explains *Rosemary Mason in her new fully referenced report on pesticides and mad cow disease (it can be read here**). * In 1987, an epidemic of a fatal neurological disease in cows suddenly appeared in Britain. Cows became uncoordinated, staggered around, collapsed and finally died. The disease was called Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) because there were holes in the brain wher... more »
From the Green Revolution to GMOs: Toxic Agriculture Is the Problem Not the Solution
Countercurrents, RINF, OffGuardian, Global Research, CounterPunch, Dissident Voice Why did the European Food Safety Authority claim that glyphosate was not ecotoxic? This is the question environmentalist Dr Rosemary Mason poses in her new 23-page report which can be accessed in full here. In places, the report reads like a compilation of peer-reviewed studies and official reports that have documented the adverse impacts of chemicals used in modern agriculture. Only a brief outline of Mason’s report is possible here. Readers are urged to consult the document to grasp more detailed ... more »
‘Modified’: A Film About GMOs and the Corruption of the Food Supply for Profit
CounterPunch, Countercurrents, Global Research, Dissident Voice, RINF, OffGuardian Parts of the documentary *Modified* are spent at the kitchen table. But it’s not really a tale about wonderful recipes or the preparation of food. Ultimately, it’s a story of capitalism, money and power and how our most basic rights are being eroded by unscrupulous commercial interests. The film centres on its maker, Aube Giroux, who resides in Nova Scotia, Canada. Her interest in food and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) was inspired by her mother, Jali, who also appears throughout. Aube says tha... more »
Encouraging Illegal Planting of Bt Brinjal in India: Political Posturing, Displaying Contempt for the Wider Public Interest
Kashmir Times, OffGuardian, Countercurrents, CounterPunch, Global Research, Dissident Voice, RINF In February 2010, the Indian government placed an indefinite moratorium on the commercial release of Bt brinjal. Prior to this decision, numerous independent scientific experts from India and abroad had pointed out safety concerns regarding Bt (insecticidal) brinjal based on data and reports in the biosafety dossier that Mahyco, the crop developer, had submitted to the regulators. The then Minister of the Ministry of Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh had instituted a unique four-... more »
From Glyphosate to Front Groups: Fraud, Deception and Toxic Tactics
OffGuardian, RINF, Global Research, CounterPunch, Dissident Voice, Countercurrents Environmentalist Dr Rosemary Mason has just written to the Editor-in-Chief of the British Medical Journal and the British Medical Association Council Chairman, Chaand Nagpaul. Her purpose is to not only draw attention to the impact of biocides, not least that of glyphosate, on health and the environment but also to bring attention to the corruption that allows this to continue. Along with her letter, she enclosed a 13-page document. Readers can access the fully referenced document here: European Che... more »
Illegal Bt Brinjal In India: A Call To Initiate Criminal Proceedings Against Regulators And Corporations
OffGuardian, Global Research, Dissident Voice, CounterPunch, RINF, Countercurrents What is the point of central government orders and carefully thought out regulatory norms if government officials and regulators act with blatant disregard? This is precisely what we now see happening in India where genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are concerned. India has the greatest brinjal germplasm in the world with 2,500 varieties, including wild species. Following news in April that (genetically engineered) Bt brinjal is being illegally cultivated in Haryana, prominent campaigner and e... more »
Bt Brinjal Illegally Growing in India: Who Is Really Pulling the Strings?
CounterPunch, Global Research, Dissident Voice, OffGuardian, Countercurrents, RINF In February 2010, the Indian government placed an indefinite moratorium on the commercial release of Bt brinjal. Prior to this decision, numerous independent scientists from India and abroad had pointed out safety concerns regarding Bt brinjal based on data and reports in the biosafety dossier that Mahyco, the crop developer, had submitted to the regulators. Campaigner Aruna Rodrigues explains: “The then Minister of the Ministry of Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh instituted a unique four-mont... more »
As the 2019 Indian General Election Takes Place, Are the Nation’s Farmers Being Dealt a Knock-Out Blow?
CounterPunch, RINF, Global Research, Dissident Voice, OffGuardian, Countercurrents In 1830, British colonial administrator Lord Metcalfe said India’s villages were little republics that had nearly everything they could want for within themselves. India’s ability to endure derived from these communities: “Dynasty after dynasty tumbles down but the village community remains the same. It is in a high degree conducive to their happiness, and to the enjoyment of a great portion of freedom and independence.” Metcalfe was acutely aware that to subjugate India, this capacity to ‘endure’ h... more »
2019 Indian General Election: Manifesto Demand for Indefinite Moratorium on GMOs
OffGuardian, Global Research, Dissident Voice, CounterPunch, RINF, Countercurrents A new ‘Political Manifesto’ has demanded an indefinite moratorium on the environmental release of GMOs in India pending independent and rigorous biosafety risk assessment and regulation. The documents states: “GMO contamination of our seeds, our foundation seed stock, will change the structure of our food at the molecular level. Any harm or toxicity that there is will remain, without the possibility of remediation or reversibility.” Signed by high-profile organisations and individuals, including fa... more »
India’s Agrarian Crisis: Dismantling ‘Development’
Kashmir Times, CounterPunch, RINF, Dissident Voice, OffGuardian, Global Research, Countercurrents In his 1978 book ‘India Mortgaged’, T.N. Reddy predicted the country would one day open all sectors to foreign direct investment and surrender economic sovereignty to imperialist powers. Today, the US and Europe cling to a moribund form of capitalism and have used various mechanisms to bolster the system in the face of economic stagnation and massive inequalities: the raiding of public budgets, the expansion of credit to consumers and governments to sustain spending and consumption, fin... more »
From Late Victorian Holocausts To 21st Century Imperialism: Crocodile Tears For Venezuela
Countercurrents, Dissident Voice, Global Research, RINF, CounterPunch, OffGuardian On 26 February, Stephen Hickey, UK political coordinator at the United Nations, delivered a statement at the Security Council briefing on Venezuela that put the blame for the situation in that country on its government. He said that years of misrule and corruption have wrecked the Venezuelan economy and that the actions of the “Maduro regime” have led to economic collapse. He continued by talking about the recent attempts to bring ‘aid’ into the country: “… use of deadly violence against his (Maduro) ... more »
Oil, Agriculture and Imperialism: Averting the Fast-Track to Armageddon?
Supporters of President Nicolas Maduro hold up an anti-American banner during a rally in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019. Maduro called the rally to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the late President Hugo Chavez's rise to power. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) ZeroHedge, CounterPunch, Global Research, RINF, Dissident Voice, Countercurrents, OffGuardian, US National Security Advisor John Bolton has more or less admitted that the ongoing destabilisation of Venezuela is about grabbing its oil. He recently stated: “We’re looking at the oil assets… We’re in conversation with ma... more »
Reckless Gamble for Profit that Placed Indian Cotton Farmers in Corporate Noose
First page of the article in Third World Resurgence magazineThird World Resurgence magazine, Countercurrents, CounterPunch, RINF, Global Research, OffGuardian, Dissident Voice The dubious performance (failure) of genetically engineered Bt cotton, officially India’s only GM crop, should serve as a warning as the push within the country to adopt GM across a wide range of food crops continues. This article provides an outline of some key reports and papers that have appeared in the last few years on Bt cotton in India. In a paper that appeared in December 2018 in the journal Current ... more »
The GMO Issue Reaches Boiling Point in India: Interview with Aruna Rodrigues
Image courtesy of the People's Archive of Rural IndiaCounterPunch, Countercurrents, RINF, Dissident Voice, OffGuardian, Global Research In a recent article published on the India-based News18 site (CNN), prominent US biologist Nina Fedoroff was reported as saying it is time for India to grant farmers access to genetically modified (GM) crops. In an interview with the site, she says there is no evidence that GM crops are dangerous when consumed either by people in food or by animals in feed. Fedoroff says that the commercial release of various GM crops in India has been halted by th... more »
Agrarian Crisis: Father of Green Revolution in India Rejects GM Crops as Farmers Demand Justice in Delhi
CounterPunch, OffGuardian, Dissident Voice, Countercurrents, RINF, Global Research Genetically modified (GM) cotton in India is a failure. India should reject GM mustard. And like the Green Revolution, GM agriculture poses risks and is unsustainable. Regulatory bodies are dogged by incompetency and conflicts of interest. GM crops should therefore be banned. You may have heard much of this before. But what is different this time is that the claims come from distinguished scientist P.C. Kesaven and his colleague M.S. Swaminathan, renowned agricultural scientist and geneticist and wi... more »
Approaching Development: GMO Propaganda and Neoliberalism vs Localisation and Agroecology
Dissident Voice, Global Research, CounterPunch, RINF, Morning Star, Countercurrents, OffGuardian What people communicate is a matter of choice. But what can be more revealing are the issues they choose to avoid. There are certain prominent pro-GMO activists who describe themselves as ‘science communicators’. They hit out at those who question their views or who have valid criticisms of GM technology and then play the role of persecuted victim, believing that, as the self-appointed arbiters of righteousness, they are beyond reproach, although given their duplicity nothing could be f... more »
India's Farmers Plan Mass March to the Nation’s Parliament as Agrarian Crisis Reaches "Civilization Proportions"
CounterPunch, OffGuardian, Morning Star, RINF, Countercurrents, Dissident Voice, Global Research, With over 800 million people, rural India is arguably the most interesting and complex place on the planet. And yet it is also one of the most neglected in terms of both investment and media coverage. Veteran journalist and founder of the People’s Archive of Rural India P. Sainath argues that the majority of Indians do not count to the nation’s media, which renders up to 75 percent of the population ‘extinct’. According to the Centre for Media Studies in Delhi, the five-year average ... more »
From GM Potatoes to Glyphosate: Regulatory Delinquency and a Toxic Post-Brexit Trade Deal
CounterPunch, RINF, Dissident Voice, Global Research, OffGuardian, Countercurrents Food and environment campaigner Dr Rosemary Mason has just produced the report ‘Shockingly high levels of weedkiller found in popular breakfast cereals marketed for British children’. In this 68-page document, she draws from new research in the UK that mirrors findings from the US about the dangerous levels of glyphosate found in food, especially products aimed at children (glyphosate is the active ingredient in Monsanto’s weedicide Roundup). Readers can access this report here (which contains all r... more »
Food, Justice, Violence and Capitalism
New Age, CounterPunch, OffGuardian, RINF, Global Research, Dissident Voice, Countercurrents, The Australian Socialist Journal In 2015, India’s internal intelligence agency wrote a report that depicted various campaigners and groups as working against the national interest. The report singled out environmental activists and NGOs that had been protesting against state-corporate policies. Those largely undemocratic and unconstitutional policies were endangering rivers, forests and local ecologies, destroying and oppressing marginalised communities, entrenching the corporatisation of... more »
It’s Deja-Vu All Over Again – The Ukraine Effort is Simply “Obstruction 2.0″…
[Background] As I’m wiping down the white-board to outline the corrupt purposes, intents and connections, suddenly it becomes obvious. The Ukraine story is Obstruction 2.0. To assemble a quick elevator explanation of the Muh Russia obstruction construction, and to better … Continue reading →
Iran's Foreign Minister Is Not Confident That War Can Be Avoided
.@margbrennan: Are you confident that you can avoid a war?@JZarif: No, I'm not confident that we can avoid a war...I'm confident that we will not start one... Watch the clip below, and tune in tomorrow for more of our interview with the Iranian foreign minister. pic.twitter.com/YQvsIV7MA1 — Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) September 21, 2019 *The Hill:* *Iranian official: 'I'm not confident that we can avoid a war'* Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that he's "not confident that we can avoid a war" but stressed that Iran will not start one amid escalating tensions ... more »
loveliest dictation
audio/visual at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzvfL_vFiWA ................................................................................................................................................................
At The Movies: “Rambo-Last Blood”
This review from Daily Beast alone is enough to make me buy a ticket : ‘Rambo: Last Blood’ Is a Trumpian, Anti-Mexican Nightmare.” “Rambo gets his very own Alamo to win in Last Blood—against, notably, the very types of Mexican “monsters” that our present commander-in-chief warns are intent on overrunning (and overtaking) our nation. “ In the movie, Rambo has returned to the United States and is living a quiet life on an Arizona ranch. His tranquility, however, quickly ends when Rambo’s niece is snatched by a Mexican cartel while she is south of the border. As one can imagine, this s... more »
Morrison, Modi try to show their worth to transactional Trump
These appearances seemed an attempt by both leaders to show their worth to Mr Trump but getting close to this President comes with some risk, writes James Glenday.
Notoriously polluted creek runs red in Melbourne
Melbourne residents are told to "avoid contact with the water" after Stony Creek, contaminated by chemicals last year, starts running red over the weekend.
Russian diplomats flout Canberra parking laws
Foreign officials are immune from local prosecution, but collectively they owe the ACT Government almost $60,000 in fines for breaching parking laws — and Russia is responsible for more than $20,000 of them.
NBN fibre alternative hits hurdle over community legal fears
Residents in Wamboin, near Canberra, fear a plan to replace their NBN satellite connections with high-speed fibre in a NSW Government-backed, community-led project might never be realised.
Could you live on less than $7 a day? For some Australian renters, it's the norm
In all Australia's capital cities, average share house rents in the inner suburbs — where jobs are concentrated — leave people without enough money for food and other basics, new research shows.
Dumped gravel and rocks blocks water from flowing into Murray-Darling forest
An irrigation channel used to release water into a forest along the Murray River in NSW is filled with earth and rocks, with an irrigator saying it's a sign of frustration boiling over in the area.
More than 600,000 people stranded abroad as Thomas Cook collapses
Thomas Cook, the world's oldest travel firm, collapses stranding hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers around the globe and sparking the largest peacetime repatriation effort in British history.
'We are all still in shock': Daughter of murdered woman thanks police, as Victorian man extradited
The daughter of 1993 Adelaide murder victim Suzanne Poll has thanked police for their efforts in investigating her mother's death. A Victorian man has been extradited to South Australia charged with Ms Poll's murder.
Plane's propeller stops mid-air, passengers break out in applause after safe landing
Passengers on a regional Queensland flight describe the moment one of the propellers on a twin-engine plane stopped in mid-air.