Marx's theory of alienation - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marx%27s_theory_of_alienation
Marx's theory of alienation describes the estrangement of people from aspects of their essential human nature as a consequence of living in a society structured by private property and wage labour. Developed by the German philosopher Karl Marx and first articulated in his Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844, the theory is a foundational concept of Marxism. At its core, it posits that under the capitalist mode of production, workers are inevitably separated from the products they create, the activity of production, their fellow human beings, and their own creative potential.
Millionaires Love NY: New IRS Data Shows New York’s Millionaire Population Grew Years After the State Raised Taxes on the Rich - Groundwork Collaborative
https://groundworkcollaborative.org/news/millionaires-love-ny-new-irs-data-shows-new-yorks-millionaire-population-grew-years-after-the-state-raised-taxes-on-the-rich/
New York added nearly 2,000 millionaire tax filers in a single year, according to newly released IRS data. The agency’s 2023 Statistics of Income (SOI) data show the number of New Yorkers reporting more than $1 million in income grew about 3%, shortly after the state raised its top tax rate on high earners. Far from triggering the millionaire exodus warned about, the new figures cut at the heart of one of the most persistent arguments against millionaire surtax proposals.
Secret Handshake Installs Arcade Games In D.C. To Criticize Trump’s Iran Policies | HuffPost Latest News
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/strait-to-hell-trump-war-in-iran-gets-video-game-treatment-in-dc_n_6a01df59e4b0cb033e52da7c
See scenes from Secret Handshake's games depicting FBI Director Kash Patel, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the pope and others.
The Banal Horror of Jimmy Fallon
https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-banal-horror-of-jimmy-fallon
This machinery of niceness reaches points of fracture, but only occasionally. The most infamous was back in September 2016, when Fallon hosted Donald Trump. He sat with the then-candidate, not to interrogate or even lampoon him, but to perform a brief, cozy skit culminating in Fallon mussing Trump’s hair. The moment was not just a lapse in judgment; it was the ultimate, logical end point of the show’s ideological structure.
Times New Resistance — Abby Haddican
https://www.abbyhaddican.com/times-new-resistance
Introducing Times New Resistance – a Times New Roman impersonator that autocorrects the autocrats.
Do you have access to the computer of an ICE apologist, white supremacist, Republican mouthpiece, right wing propagandist, or other morally bankrupt American?
Install Times New Resistance and unleash some mischief.
AI and Trust - Schneier on Security
https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2023/12/ai-and-trust.html
A public model is a model built by the public for the public. It requires political accountability, not just market accountability. This means openness and transparency paired with a responsiveness to public demands. It should also be available for anyone to build on top of. This means universal access. And a foundation for a free market in AI innovations. This would be a counter-balance to corporate-owned AI.
We can never make AI into our friends. But we can make them into trustworthy services—agents and not double agents. But only if government mandates it. We can put limits on surveillance capitalism. But only if government mandates it.
The Zurich protocol
https://werd.io/the-zurich-protocol/
They lined up the editors first, zip tying their hands together and leading them into vans downstairs. Then they began to gather the rest of the journalists. Laptops were gathered from desks. The server room, such as it was in the wake of zero trust and enterprise cloud services, had its door kicked in, switches and rack servers ripped out of their frames. One IT support engineer objected and found a gun in his face, the safety off, its owner ready to make them into an example.
So, we're still doing this, huh? - Portland Mercury
https://www.portlandmercury.com/i-anonymous/2026/01/13/48252682/so-were-still-doing-this-huh
This whole "talk about politics on the internet" as if it makes a difference thing? We're still doing this? We think the things we say on the internet matter to literally anyone? We think if we craft the perfect anti-Trump argument, maybe one person will change their mind? I mean listen, go ahead. I'm not saying you shouldn't do it. I'm just saying it's worse than internet porn. Because at least with internet porn, you eventually achieve end goal with that.
Schrodinger's Democracy: Why Isn't Anyone Doing Anything?
https://catvalente.substack.com/p/schrodingers-democracy-why-isnt-anyone
And in the end, it’s impossible to convince people that it’s worth throwing away whatever we have left in this life on an abstract idea of “doing something” when the very leaders whose business is telling us how very serious this is, how awful the fascistic future is going to be, how deeply in danger we all are, won’t risk even a sliver of their comfort to do much of anything but continue talking about how brave they are to talk about how brave they are.
Zohran Mamdani knows how to win - Salon.com
https://www.salon.com/2025/11/03/zohran-mamdani-knows-how-to-win/
Mamdani undeniably has a lot of personal charisma, but the concepts that elevated his campaign can be replicated across the country: Bold ideas that draw attention, and that ideally anger the very people your voters don’t like. Such campaigns should emphasize outreach over fundraising, while being assisted by social media methods that allow the candidates to circumvent the usual gatekeepers to get their message out. They should remember the invaluable lesson of treating conflict as an opportunity to get attention, rather than something to run away from due to the fear of alienating jumpy donors. The establishment may not like it, because it’s a threat to their personal power. But if Democrats want to get their groove back, it will have to be through tactics like this.
The president has never understood that the White House (and government) aren’t his – pbump
https://www.pbump.net/o/the-president-has-never-understood-that-the-white-house-and-government-arent-his/
The metaphor of Trump crushing a portion of the White House as he aims bulldozers at democracy itself is almost too obvious to note. But it’s not just a symbolic parallel: both are rooted in the same indifference to what these American institutions mean to Americans and to America. Both are rooted in Trump wanting to treat those things as his own and now feeling empowered to do precisely that.
Thoughts On Omarchy: Slick Distro, Complicated Ethics
https://tedium.co/2025/10/13/omarchy-linux-distro-commentary/
Omarchy is a reminder that we live in a world where software isn’t just software, but the people who make it. And dhh, despite his rep as a dev’s dev, comes with a hell of a lot of baggage. Recently, the Ruby on Rails community has been through some things, and dhh himself has proven a lightning rod on multiple occasions, most recently for a post many saw as deeply xenophobic, bordering on eugenicist.
The Files | The Secret Handshake
https://www.thesecrethandshake.com/thefiles
WE'VE RELEASED THE FILES. They may have taken down the Trump/Epstein Best Friends Forever statue, but now you can celebrate Friendship Month at home and make your own.
Click below to download a free 3D printable copy of the statue.
As I remember London | Christian Heilmann
https://christianheilmann.com/2025/09/25/as-i-remember-london/
So if people claim that they remember a safer, cleaner and racially homogenous London they either never lived there, or didn’t immerse themselves in it. Or completely talk out of their arse following an utterly different agenda, one that I find despicable, regressive and governed by fear and hate and not inclusion and inspiration.
Charlie Kirk was killed by a meme
https://www.garbageday.email/p/charlie-kirk-was-killed-by-a-meme?utm_source=www.garbageday.email&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=charlie-kirk-was-killed-by-a-meme
The terminally online nature of the messages does somewhat explain the conflicting reports released yesterday. Conservative influencer Steven Crowder published a screenshot of an email “from an officer at the ATF,” which claimed that the bullet casings were engraved with “transgender and antifascist ideology.” This was then corroborated by The Wall Street Journal, though they eventually walked back their story about it. The New York Times reported that that hadn’t been actually confirmed by law enforcement. Crowder is now claiming that his team is being subpoenaed by the ATF over the leak.
Groyper War 2 Turns Hot
https://www.todayintabs.com/p/groyper-war-2-turns-hot
So in summary: it appears that this was a shooting where the victim, an influencer, was answering a question from another influencer when he was shot by a third influencer, after which a fourth influencer documented the ensuing chaos and a host of other influencers registered their takes, before the director of the FBI (an influencer) and the deputy director of the FBI (another influencer) announced the alleged shooter’s apprehension with a quote from Mad Max.
Opinion | Charlie Kirk Didn’t Shy Away From Who He Was. We Shouldn’t Either. - The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/13/opinion/charlie-kirk-assassination.html?unlocked_article_code=1.lk8.syoh.898ezmQg_rnf&smid=url-share
We can mourn Kirk. We can send prayers to his friends and family. We can take stock of the gravity of this event. We can — and should — do all of this and more without pretending he was something, as a public figure, that he was not.
Fascism For First Time Founders | Techdirt
https://www.techdirt.com/2025/07/17/fascism-for-first-time-founders/
The United States became the global innovation leader in part because we attracted the best and brightest from around the world. They came here because we had something other countries didn’t: a stable, democratic system where merit mattered more than connections, where you could build something without worrying that tomorrow’s political winds might destroy everything you’ve worked for.
But that’s been trashed. In mere months.
Aaron Ross Powell | Writer and Podcaster
https://www.aaronrosspowell.com/
Political, cultural, technology, and media commentary from a philosophical and radical liberal perspective.
What if Canada stopped upholding U.S. tech companies’ intellectual property? - CCPA
https://www.policyalternatives.ca/news-research/what-if-canada-stopped-upholding-u-s-tech-companies-intellectual-property/
It’s the only kind of trade war that Canadian politicians can win against Americans: the kind where prices for Canadians don’t go up because of tariffs; where the price of apps, repair, parts, and upgrades goes way down; and where a new, high-tech manufacturing sector pulls in vast sums from customers all over the world.
Why Are People Wearing Masks in 2025?
https://misfitmentalhealth.substack.com/p/why-are-people-wearing-masks-in-2025?triedRedirect=true
most of the people still masking are among the strongest, most self-assured people I’ve known. They are the least concerned about other’s perceptions, the most concerned about others/our collective well-being, are embodying self-care by protecting their health (and mental health), willing to interrogate their choices and motivations, and are committed to accepting and integrating data and new information - even when they want desperately to be wrong about what they learn. They are also among the most alienated, judged, ignored, harassed, invisibilized, and forgotten.
I knew one day I’d have to watch powerful men burn the world down – I just didn’t expect them to be such losers | Rebecca Shaw | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jan/16/i-knew-one-day-id-have-to-watch-powerful-men-burn-the-world-down-i-just-didnt-expect-them-to-be-such-losers
I knew that one day we might have to watch as capitalism and greed and bigotry led to a world where powerful men, deserving or not, would burn it all down. What I didn’t expect, and don’t think I could have foreseen, is how incredibly cringe it would all be. I have been prepared for evil, for greed, for cruelty, for injustice – but I did not anticipate that the people in power would also be such huge losers.
Nobody Cares
https://grantslatton.com/nobody-cares
Why does nobody care about anything? The world is full of stuff that could be excellent with just 1% more effort. But people don't care.
Elizabeth Warren: "There is nobody in this country who got rich on his own" - CBS News
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/elizabeth-warren-there-is-nobody-in-this-country-who-got-rich-on-his-own/
Warren rejects the concept that it is possible for Americans to become wealthy in isolation.
"You built a factory out there? Good for you," she says. "But I want to be clear: you moved your goods to market on the roads the rest of us paid for; you hired workers the rest of us paid to educate; you were safe in your factory because of police forces and fire forces that the rest of us paid for. You didn't have to worry that marauding bands would come and seize everything at your factory, and hire someone to protect against this, because of the work the rest of us did."
She continues: "Now look, you built a factory and it turned into something terrific, or a great idea? God bless. Keep a big hunk of it. But part of the underlying social contract is you take a hunk of that and pay forward for the next kid who comes along."
A vote for Donald Trump is a vote for school shootings and measles - The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/24282022/kamala-harris-endorsement-presidential-election-2024
Donald Trump is a dangerous maniac who can barely complete a sentence, and it is lunacy to believe he can even recognize the existentially threatening collective action problems facing our nation, let alone actually solve them.
Democracy dies on Instagram - by Taylor Lorenz - User Mag
https://www.usermag.co/p/democracy-dies-on-instagram
The company says it will restrict any image, video, or text post that “identifies a problem that impacts people and is caused by the action or inaction of others,” which is an incredibly wide swath of content. If you speak about these things on Meta, your reach will be limited and your account will be surfaced to fewer people.
Kamala Harris May Finally Be the Opponent That Makes Donald Trump Fully Lose It
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2024/08/why-kamala-harris-triggers-donald-trump.html?via=rss
Highlight:Suddenly, Trump seems less like a guy who has his finger on the pulse of an unseen America and more like a man whose own once-pounding vigor has curdled—and who cannot conceal his rage at a brighter, fresher opponent who embodies all the change that he knows will mark his demise.
Her crowd sizes really are larger, and he cannot accept that.
Why AOC's tax plan makes sense: It would help keep oligarchs in check.
https://slate.com/business/2019/01/why-aoc-70-percent-tax-is-smart.html
The main reason to hike top tax rates, in this view, isn’t to keep the deficit in check; it’s simply to keep individuals from becoming too wealthy, because inequality is itself toxic for society.
What Teenagers Think About the Allegations Against Brett Kavanaugh - The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/21/us/brett-kavanaugh-high-school.html
And she worried that if the Senate does not take Dr. Blasey’s allegations seriously, it will reaffirm the idea that “boys will be boys,” and teach a dangerous lesson to teenagers today.
Maine just passed ranked-choice voting. Bravo!
http://www.slate.com/articles/business/moneybox/2016/11/maine_just_passed_ranked_choice_voting_bravo.html
And if we’d had it nationwide, it might have won Hillary Clinton the presidency.
Barbara Lee’s Lone Vote on Sept. 14, 2001, Was as Prescient as It Was Brave and Heroic
https://theintercept.com/2016/09/11/barbara-lees-lone-vote-on-sept-14-2001-was-as-prescient-as-it-was-brave-and-heroic/
Barbara Lee’s Lone Vote on Sept. 14, 2001, Was as Prescient as It Was Brave and Heroic
https://theintercept.com/2016/09/11/barbara-lees-lone-vote-on-sept-14-2001-was-as-prescient-as-it-was-brave-and-heroic
The State Does Owe You A Job or 2 Millions Dollars | The Suburgian
http://www.suburgian.com/the-state-does-owe-you-a-job/
Generations ago we traded our ability to support ourselves off the land for the coordinated, collective action known as The State
The State Does Owe You A Job or 2 Millions Dollars | The Suburgian
http://www.suburgian.com/the-state-does-owe-you-a-job
Generations ago we traded our ability to support ourselves off the land for the coordinated, collective action known as The State
The NYPD Is an Embarrassment to the City of New York
http://gawker.com/the-nypd-is-an-embarrassment-to-the-city-of-new-york-1676173181
The infantile response from the NYPD and the unions that represent it is not worthy of it. It is hardly worthy of a schoolyard bully who can't believe he's finally been called on his bullshit.
Why Can't We Admit That Religion Is F***ing Crazy? | The Daily Banter
http://thedailybanter.com/2013/04/why-cant-we-admit-that-religion-is-fing-crazy/
No, a religious belief doesn’t need to be respected just because it’s a religious belief.
Why Can't We Admit That Religion Is F***ing Crazy? | The Daily Banter
http://thedailybanter.com/2013/04/why-cant-we-admit-that-religion-is-fing-crazy
No, a religious belief doesn’t need to be respected just because it’s a religious belief.
Absolutely Nothing: A Veteran’s Savage Indictment of the Iraq War | Americans Against the Tea Party
http://aattp.org/absolutely-nothing-a-veterans-savage-indictment-of-the-iraq-war/
First, I’m going to need somebody to explain to me exactly what it was that we were fighting for.
Absolutely Nothing: A Veteran’s Savage Indictment of the Iraq War | Americans Against the Tea Party
http://aattp.org/absolutely-nothing-a-veterans-savage-indictment-of-the-iraq-war
First, I’m going to need somebody to explain to me exactly what it was that we were fighting for.
Triumph of the Wrong - NYTimes.com
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/07/opinion/paul-krugman-triumph-of-the-wrong.html?smid=fb-share
But the biggest secret of the Republican triumph surely lies in the discovery that obstructionism bordering on sabotage is a winning political strategy. From Day 1 of the Obama administration, Mr. McConnell and his colleagues have done everything they could to undermine effective policy, in particular blocking every effort to do the obvious thing — boost infrastructure spending — in a time of low interest rates and high unemployment.
Hong Kong's Democracy Protesters Are Doing What No Other Demonstrators Have - Mic
http://mic.com/articles/100234/stunning-images-put-hong-kong-s-democracy-protests-in-perspective
Although the organizers have threatened to kick things up a notch if the government doesn't address their concerns, all you have to do is take a look at their "Manual of Disobedience" to see why things have been mostly smooth.
Mozilla under fire: Inside the 9-day reign of fallen CEO Brendan Eich - CNET
http://www.cnet.com/news/mozilla-under-fire-inside-the-9-day-reign-of-fallen-ceo-brendan-eich/
The co-founder's high-profile exit from the maker of Firefox wasn't just about his gay marriage stance. Insiders describe a revered technologist with management issues -- and a reluctant board.
Mozilla under fire: Inside the 9-day reign of fallen CEO Brendan Eich - CNET
http://www.cnet.com/news/mozilla-under-fire-inside-the-9-day-reign-of-fallen-ceo-brendan-eich
The co-founder's high-profile exit from the maker of Firefox wasn't just about his gay marriage stance. Insiders describe a revered technologist with management issues -- and a reluctant board.
Tina Dupuy | Column: OK, GOP, Defend Speech You Don’t Agree With
http://www.tinadupuy.com/column/ok-gop-defend-speech-you-dont-agree-with/
So here’s my plea to the “decency” police—Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, Gov. Bobby Jindal and their many parrots: Defend speech you don’t agree with. Stand up for the right to an opinion you don’t share.
Tina Dupuy | Column: OK, GOP, Defend Speech You Don’t Agree With
http://www.tinadupuy.com/column/ok-gop-defend-speech-you-dont-agree-with
So here’s my plea to the “decency” police—Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, Gov. Bobby Jindal and their many parrots: Defend speech you don’t agree with. Stand up for the right to an opinion you don’t share.
With A Brooklyn Accent: Letter to Governor Christie from the New Jersey Teacher He Screamed At
http://withabrooklynaccent.blogspot.com/2013/11/letter-to-governor-christie-from-new.html
You are setting up teachers to take the blame for all of this. You have portrayed us as greedy, lazy money-draining public servants that do nothing. I invite you to come do my job for one week Governor Christie. I invite you to come see my students, see how little they really have during the school day as they are being forced to keep learning for a single snapshot of their educational worth. For that one end-all, be-all test, the NJASK. The one that the future of my job and my life is now based upon.
Steve Malanga: The Real Reason the Once Great City of Detroit Came to Ruin - WSJ.com
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324110404578625581152645480.html
The politics of Mayor Coleman Young drove out the white and black middle class.
How to trap a whistleblower - Salon.com
http://www.salon.com/2013/08/16/how_to_trap_a_whistleblower/
Drake’s story puts the lie to the notion that internal channels serve as anything other than a trap for unwitting whistleblowers. What is so revealing is that if Snowden had gone through internal channels, the outcome would have been worse: the United States would have charged him with espionage and he’d be in jail for, in essence, spying on his own country on behalf of the public. It should not require martyrdom for a free citizen to challenge government abuses of power. It should not require choosing one’s conscience over one’s career, citizenship, or freedom.
How to trap a whistleblower - Salon.com
http://www.salon.com/2013/08/16/how_to_trap_a_whistleblower
Drake’s story puts the lie to the notion that internal channels serve as anything other than a trap for unwitting whistleblowers. What is so revealing is that if Snowden had gone through internal channels, the outcome would have been worse: the United States would have charged him with espionage and he’d be in jail for, in essence, spying on his own country on behalf of the public. It should not require martyrdom for a free citizen to challenge government abuses of power. It should not require choosing one’s conscience over one’s career, citizenship, or freedom.
In the House, a Refusal to Govern - NYTimes.com
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/12/opinion/in-the-house-a-refusal-to-govern.html?_r=4&
A refusal to even to sit at a bargaining table is another way of refusing to govern. The nation’s founders created two chambers for a reason, but Republicans, in their blind fury to harm the least fortunate, are forgetting even those fundamental national values.
In the House, a Refusal to Govern - NYTimes.com
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/12/opinion/in-the-house-a-refusal-to-govern.html?_r=4
A refusal to even to sit at a bargaining table is another way of refusing to govern. The nation’s founders created two chambers for a reason, but Republicans, in their blind fury to harm the least fortunate, are forgetting even those fundamental national values.
The Secret to Finland's Success With Schools, Moms, Kids—and Everything - Olga Khazan - The Atlantic
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/07/the-secret-to-finlands-success-with-schools-moms-kids-and-everything/277699/?single_page=true
"It seems to me that people in Finland are more secure and less anxious than Americans because there is a threshold below which they won't fall," said Linda Cook, a political scientist at Brown University who has studied European welfare states. "Even if they face unemployment or illness, Finns will have some payments from the state, public health care and education."
The Secret to Finland's Success With Schools, Moms, Kids—and Everything - Olga Khazan - The Atlantic
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/07/the-secret-to-finlands-success-with-schools-moms-kids-and-everything/277699?single_page=true
"It seems to me that people in Finland are more secure and less anxious than Americans because there is a threshold below which they won't fall," said Linda Cook, a political scientist at Brown University who has studied European welfare states. "Even if they face unemployment or illness, Finns will have some payments from the state, public health care and education."
Secret Tape: McConnell and Aides Weighed Using Judd's Mental Health and Religion as Political Ammo | Mother Jones
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/04/mitch-mcconnell-ashley-judd-secret-tape-senate
A recording of a private meeting between the Senate GOP leader and campaign aides reveals how far they were willing to go to defeat the actor/activist.
What happened to Orson Scott Card? - Salon.com
http://www.salon.com/2013/03/07/end_game_for_orson_scott_card_partner/
What I cannot quite wrap my mind around is how the mind which wrote such a beautiful meditation on empathy can be the same one that argues for the violent overthrow of the American government because of its failure to ban gay marriage and to outlaw homosexuality generally.
What happened to Orson Scott Card? - Salon.com
http://www.salon.com/2013/03/07/end_game_for_orson_scott_card_partner
What I cannot quite wrap my mind around is how the mind which wrote such a beautiful meditation on empathy can be the same one that argues for the violent overthrow of the American government because of its failure to ban gay marriage and to outlaw homosexuality generally.
The AR-15 Is More Than a Gun. It's a Gadget | Danger Room | Wired.com
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2013/02/ar-15/all/
In the past two decades, the AR-15 has evolved into an open, modular gun platform that’s infinitely hackable and accessorizable. With only a few simple tools and no gunsmithing expertise, an AR-15 can be heavily modified, or even assembled from scratch, from widely available parts to suit the fancy and fantasy of each individual user. In this respect, the AR-15 is the world’s first “maker” gun, and this is why its appeal extends well beyond the military enthusiasts that many anti-gun types presume make up its core demographic.
The AR-15 Is More Than a Gun. It's a Gadget | Danger Room | Wired.com
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2013/02/ar-15/all
In the past two decades, the AR-15 has evolved into an open, modular gun platform that’s infinitely hackable and accessorizable. With only a few simple tools and no gunsmithing expertise, an AR-15 can be heavily modified, or even assembled from scratch, from widely available parts to suit the fancy and fantasy of each individual user. In this respect, the AR-15 is the world’s first “maker” gun, and this is why its appeal extends well beyond the military enthusiasts that many anti-gun types presume make up its core demographic.
mini. Quiet Babylon | The Singularity Already Happened; We Got Corporations
http://mini.quietbabylon.com/post/44276219648/the-singularity-already-happened-we-got-corporations
What if the private pursuit of profit was—for a long time—proximate to improving the lot of humans but not identical to it? What if capitalism has gone feral, and started making moves that are obviously insane, but also inevitable?
R. Umar Abbasi subway photo: Google Glass, surveillance means more of this phenomenon. - Slate Magazine
http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2012/12/r_umar_abbasi_subway_photo_google_glass_surveillance_means_more_of_this.single.html
Little Brother is burgeoning, too. More and more people are carrying cameras with them. Typically, these come in the form of mobile phones, but wearable cameras are growing in numbers and shrinking in size. Not too many years from now, lots of people will be wearing “heads-up” camera/display combos (such as Google Glass) that capture videos of pretty much everything they see. Unless we turn from the course we've set as a society, we'll soon arrive at a day when every square foot of every subway station—of just about every place, really—is being recorded at all times, and probably from multiple views. And all of these devices, capturing higher and higher resolution images plus audio, will be connected at high speeds to digital networks.
The Big Budget Mumble - NYTimes.com
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/03/opinion/krugman-the-big-budget-mumble.html?_r=0
Now Republicans find themselves boxed in. With taxes scheduled to rise on Jan. 1 in the absence of an agreement, they can’t play their usual game of just saying no to tax increases and pretending that they have a deficit reduction plan. And the president, by refusing to help them out by proposing G.O.P.-friendly spending cuts, has deprived them of political cover. If Republicans really want to slash popular programs, they will have to propose those cuts themselves.
Daily Kos: Inside the Hostess Bankery
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/11/18/1162786/-Inside-the-Hostess-Bankery
I keep hearing how this strike forced them to liquidate. How we should just take it and be glad to have a job. What an unpatriotic view point. The reason these jobs provided me with a middle class opportunity is because people like my father in law and his father fought for my Union rights. I received that pay and those benefits because previous Union members fought for them. I won't sell them, or my coworkers, out.
Marty Kaplan: GOP Smart on Copyright for 24 Hours
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marty-kaplan/gop-smart-on-copyright-fo_b_2155931.html
It is delicious to watch a young conservative apply conservative principles to demolish oligopolistic claptrap, even if those industries finance the campaigns of the members of Congress who pay his salary. It is sad to watch his bosses -- who never tire of railing against political correctness - place fealty to corporate elites above the spirit of intellectual inquiry.
Who Killed the Twinkie? : The New Yorker
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2012/11/who-killed-the-twinkie.html
Perhaps the most striking response to the Hostess news, in that sense, was the tweet from conservative John Nolte, who wrote “Hostess strikers had pension. PENSIONS! What is this 1962?” It was once taken for granted that an industrial worker who worked for a big company for many years would get a solid middle-class lifestyle, and would be taken care of in retirement. Today, that concept seems to many like a relic. Just as Wonder Bread does.
Republicans skip Benghazi hearing; complain about lack of information on Benghazi | The Cable
http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2012/11/15/republicans_skip_benghazi_hearing_complain_about_lack_of_information_on_benghazi
But although McCain had time to speak on the Senate floor and on television about the lack of information provided to Congress about the attack, he didn't attend the classified briefing for senators Wednesday given to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, of which he is a member.
Now That's What I Call Gerrymandering! | Mother Jones
http://m.motherjones.com/politics/2012/11/republicans-gerrymandering-house-representatives-election-chart
Americans didn't intend to elect a Republican majority to the House of Representatives. Thanks to GOP-engineered redistricting, they did.
A Case Study of Republicans vs. Democrats on FEMA | Mother Jones
http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2012/10/fema-case-study-difference-between-democrats-and-republicans
The lesson here is simple. At a deep ideological level, Republicans believe that federal bureaucracies are inherently inept, so when Republicans occupy the White House they have no interest in making the federal bureaucracy work. And it doesn't. Democrats, by contrast, take government services seriously and appoint people whose job is to make sure the federal bureaucracy does work. And it does.
Reproductive Rights
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/lovejoyfeminism/reproductive-rights
Third, I see birth as a firm dividing line because until then the fetus inhabits a woman’s body. A woman’s body is private property – it’s hers. She shouldn’t be forced to let another creature live in it. Once that other creature is out of her body, that’s when it gets rights. Until then, any rights it gets would be taking away from the woman’s rights over her own body. And to me, that matters.
How I Lost Faith in the “Pro-Life” Movement
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/lovejoyfeminism/2012/10/how-i-lost-faith-in-the-pro-life-movement.html
The reality is that so-called pro-life movement is not about saving babies. It’s about regulating sex. That’s why they oppose birth control. That’s why they want to ban abortion even though doing so will simply drive women to have dangerous back alley abortions. That’s why they want to penalize women who take public assistance and then dare to have sex, leaving an exemption for those who become pregnant from rape. It’s not about babies. If it were about babies, they would be making access to birth control widespread and free and creating a comprehensive social safety net so that no woman finds herself with a pregnancy she can’t afford. They would be raising money for research on why half of all zygotes fail to implant and working to prevent miscarriages. It’s not about babies. It’s about controlling women. It’s about making sure they have consequences for having unapproved sex.
d r i f t g l a s s: Who Is John Galt?
http://driftglass.blogspot.com/2012/08/who-is-john-galt.html
Well, if we had any honest national political journalism left in this country, "John Galt" would be fiery wreck that ended Paul Ryan's public career, and the iceberg that finally sank Willard Romney's presidential dreams once and for all.
Bombshell: Koch-Funded Study Finds 'Global Warming Is Real', 'On The High End' And 'Essentially All' Due To Carbon Pollution | ThinkProgress
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/07/28/602151/bombshell-koch-funded-study-finds-global-warming-is-real-on-the-high-end-and-essentially-all-due-to-carbon-pollution/
Our results show that the average temperature of the earth’s land has risen by two and a half degrees Fahrenheit over the past 250 years, including an increase of one and a half degrees over the most recent 50 years. Moreover, it appears likely that essentially all of this increase results from the human emission of greenhouse gases.
Bombshell: Koch-Funded Study Finds 'Global Warming Is Real', 'On The High End' And 'Essentially All' Due To Carbon Pollution | ThinkProgress
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/07/28/602151/bombshell-koch-funded-study-finds-global-warming-is-real-on-the-high-end-and-essentially-all-due-to-carbon-pollution
Our results show that the average temperature of the earth’s land has risen by two and a half degrees Fahrenheit over the past 250 years, including an increase of one and a half degrees over the most recent 50 years. Moreover, it appears likely that essentially all of this increase results from the human emission of greenhouse gases.
Daily Kos: Elizabeth Warren: 'Why aren’t we rebuilding America?'
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/07/28/1114390/-Elizabeth-Warren-Why-aren-t-we-rebuilding-America
It really is that simple. The nation's roads, bridges, electrical grid, water systems, national parks—the whole infrastructure—is crumbling. At the same time unemployment remains persistently high. Put people to work fixing the stuff that's broken. It's not rocket science.
It would be that simple, except for a Republican Party that won't do what's best for the country, won't attempt to fix these things because fixing these things might help reelect President Obama and Democrats in Congress. Furthermore, making the country work proves that government works, and Republicans want none of that.
Bill Nye to CNN: ‘The two sides aren’t equal’ on climate change | The Raw Story
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/07/02/bill-nye-to-cnn-the-two-sides-arent-equal-on-climate-change/
“There are a couple of things that you can’t really dispute,” Nye explained to CNN’s Carol Costello. “Sixteen of the last 17 years have been the hottest years on record. That’s just how it is.”
“I appreciate that we want to show two sides of the stories — there’s a tradition in journalism that goes back quite a ways, I guess — but the two sides aren’t equal here. You have tens of thousands of scientists who are very concerned and you have a few people who are in business of equating or drawing attention to the idea that uncertainty is the same as doubt. When you have a plus or minus percentage, that’s not the same thing as not believing the whole thing at all.”
Bill Nye to CNN: ‘The two sides aren’t equal’ on climate change | The Raw Story
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/07/02/bill-nye-to-cnn-the-two-sides-arent-equal-on-climate-change
“There are a couple of things that you can’t really dispute,” Nye explained to CNN’s Carol Costello. “Sixteen of the last 17 years have been the hottest years on record. That’s just how it is.”
“I appreciate that we want to show two sides of the stories — there’s a tradition in journalism that goes back quite a ways, I guess — but the two sides aren’t equal here. You have tens of thousands of scientists who are very concerned and you have a few people who are in business of equating or drawing attention to the idea that uncertainty is the same as doubt. When you have a plus or minus percentage, that’s not the same thing as not believing the whole thing at all.”
Chrystia Freeland | Analysis & Opinion | Reuters.com
http://blogs.reuters.com/chrystia-freeland/2012/07/12/the-1-percent-vs-president-obama/
The Democrats are challenging that win-win story of American capitalism. Their contention is that the U.S. economy is failing the middle class. They argue that those at the top need to contribute “a little more” to help rebuild the American middle. Even more threateningly, they point out, as in their critique of Bain Capital, that some of the business strategies that have enriched the elite have actually hollowed out the middle.
Chrystia Freeland | Analysis & Opinion | Reuters.com
http://blogs.reuters.com/chrystia-freeland/2012/07/12/the-1-percent-vs-president-obama
The Democrats are challenging that win-win story of American capitalism. Their contention is that the U.S. economy is failing the middle class. They argue that those at the top need to contribute “a little more” to help rebuild the American middle. Even more threateningly, they point out, as in their critique of Bain Capital, that some of the business strategies that have enriched the elite have actually hollowed out the middle.
Lawmaker Barred After Vagina Comment
http://politicalwire.com/archives/2012/06/14/lawmaker_barred_after_vagina_comment.html
Michigan House Republicans prohibited state Rep. Lisa Brown (D) from speaking on the floor after she ended a speech against a bill restricting abortions by referencing her female anatomy, the Detroit News reports.
Show me what a police state looks like! (Graphic! Dial-up warning!) - Democratic Underground
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002710303
Dear MSM: OWS does not "clash with the police" we are unarmed, peaceful protesters who are savagely attacked by the police. #MSM #noNATO
A federal judge learned to code - O'Reilly Radar
http://radar.oreilly.com/2012/05/judge-alsup-codes.html
The last couple of days, there's been a fair amount of blogosphere angst over Coding Horror's "Please Don't Learn to Code." Ironically, the best argument for learning to code appeared this morning, when it turned out that Judge William Alsup in the Google case could program, and learned Java in the course of the trial, and wasn't going for Oracle's claim that a short range-checking function was days of work. Alsup recognized immediately (and says he wrote the function hundreds of times during the course of the trial) that it's just a few minutes work for a competent programmer.
Straight White Male: The Lowest Difficulty Setting There Is – Whatever
http://whatever.scalzi.com/2012/05/15/straight-white-male-the-lowest-difficulty-setting-there-is/
Okay: In the role playing game known as The Real World, “Straight White Male” is the lowest difficulty setting there is.
Straight White Male: The Lowest Difficulty Setting There Is – Whatever
http://whatever.scalzi.com/2012/05/15/straight-white-male-the-lowest-difficulty-setting-there-is
Okay: In the role playing game known as The Real World, “Straight White Male” is the lowest difficulty setting there is.
Unemployment Rate Without Government Cuts: 7.1% - Real Time Economics - WSJ
http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2012/05/08/unemployment-rate-without-government-cuts-7-1/
One reason the unemployment rate may have remained persistently high: The sharp cuts in state and local government spending in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, and the layoffs those cuts wrought.
Unemployment Rate Without Government Cuts: 7.1% - Real Time Economics - WSJ
http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2012/05/08/unemployment-rate-without-government-cuts-7-1
One reason the unemployment rate may have remained persistently high: The sharp cuts in state and local government spending in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, and the layoffs those cuts wrought.
Fox News guest laments ‘mistake’ of letting women vote | The Raw Story
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/05/07/fox-news-contributor-laments-mistake-of-letting-women-vote/
Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson, a tea party activist that’s appeared several times on Fox News, and founder of an organization where Sean Hannity serves as an advisory board member, said in a sermon recently published to YouTube that America’s greatest mistake was allowing women the right to vote, adding that back in “the good old days, men knew that women are crazy and they knew how to deal with them.”
Fox News guest laments ‘mistake’ of letting women vote | The Raw Story
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/05/07/fox-news-contributor-laments-mistake-of-letting-women-vote
Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson, a tea party activist that’s appeared several times on Fox News, and founder of an organization where Sean Hannity serves as an advisory board member, said in a sermon recently published to YouTube that America’s greatest mistake was allowing women the right to vote, adding that back in “the good old days, men knew that women are crazy and they knew how to deal with them.”
The Real Reason They Still Play 'Mrs. Robinson' On The Radio
http://www.upworthy.com/who-controls-90-of-everything-americans-watch-hear-and-read
Stations haven't been playing "Mrs. Robinson" for 32 years just because everyone likes Simon & Garfunkel (although I really do love them!). It's because 80% of stations' playlists match all across the country. So much for thinking that media exposes us to new and different ideas, eh?
Stephen King: Tax Me, for F@%&’s Sake! - The Daily Beast
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/04/30/stephen-king-tax-me-for-f-s-sake.html
Mitt Romney has said, in effect, “I’m rich and I don’t apologize for it.” Nobody wants you to, Mitt. What some of us want—those who aren’t blinded by a lot of bullshit persiflage thrown up to mask the idea that rich folks want to keep their damn money—is for you to acknowledge that you couldn’t have made it in America without America.
The Truth About the U.S. Postal Service by Jim Hightower on Creators.com - A Syndicate Of Talent
http://www.creators.com/opinion/jim-hightower/the-truth-about-the-u-s-postal-service.html
In 2006, the Bush White House and Congress whacked the post office with the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act — an incredible piece of ugliness requiring the agency to PRE-PAY the health care benefits not only of current employees, but also of all employees who'll retire during the next 75 years. Yes, that includes employees who're not yet born!
The GOP can no longer avoid its Rush Limbaugh problem - The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-gop-can-no-longer-avoid-its-rush-limbaugh-problem/2012/03/02/gIQA1xvVnR_story.html
What we are saying is that Mr. Limbaugh has abused his unique position within the conservative media to smear and vilify a citizen engaged in the exercise of her First Amendment rights, and in the process he debased a national political discourse that needs no further debasing. This is not the way a decent citizen behaves, much less a citizen who wields significant de facto power in a major political party. While Republican leaders owe no apology for Mr. Limbaugh’s comments, they do have a responsibility to repudiate them — and him.
Santorum and the Sexual Revolution - NYTimes.com
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/03/opinion/blow-santorum-and-the-sexual-revolution.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
Rick Santorum wants to bring sexy back ... to the 1950s, when he was born.
Daily Kos: Newt Gingrich is a lousy human being
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/12/11/1044071/-Newt-Gingrich-is-a-lousy-human-being?detail=hide
Newt Gingrich is a lousy human being. Any assessment of his presidential aspirations has to begin with that.
Santorum: Obama is ‘a snob’ who ‘wants everybody to go to college’ | The Raw Story
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/02/25/santorum-obama-is-a-snob-who-wants-everybody-to-go-to-college/#.T0k-8wmWsuw.reddit
“President Obama wants everybody in America to go to college, what a snob,” he said.
Santorum: Obama is ‘a snob’ who ‘wants everybody to go to college’ | The Raw Story
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/02/25/santorum-obama-is-a-snob-who-wants-everybody-to-go-to-college#.T0k-8wmWsuw.reddit
“President Obama wants everybody in America to go to college, what a snob,” he said.
Andrew Sullivan: How Obama's Long Game Will Outsmart His Critics - The Daily Beast
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/01/15/andrew-sullivan-how-obama-s-long-game-will-outsmart-his-critics.html
The right calls him a socialist, the left says he sucks up to Wall Street, and independents think he's a wimp. Andrew Sullivan on how the president may just end up outsmarting them all.
slacktivist » The ‘biblical view’ that’s younger than the Happy Meal
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/slacktivist/2012/02/18/the-biblical-view-thats-younger-than-the-happy-meal/
In 1979, McDonald’s introduced the Happy Meal.
Sometime after that, it was decided that the Bible teaches that human life begins at conception.
slacktivist » The ‘biblical view’ that’s younger than the Happy Meal
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/slacktivist/2012/02/18/the-biblical-view-thats-younger-than-the-happy-meal
In 1979, McDonald’s introduced the Happy Meal.
Sometime after that, it was decided that the Bible teaches that human life begins at conception.
Congrats, US Government: You're Scaring Web Businesses Into Moving Out Of The US | Techdirt
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120216/17154217785/congrats-us-government-youre-scaring-web-businesses-into-moving-out-us.shtml
The federal government has been paying lip service to the idea that it wants to encourage new businesses and startups in the US. And this is truly important to the economy, as studies have shown that almost all of the net job growth in this country is coming from internet startups. Thankfully some politicians recognize this, but the federal government seems to be going in the other direction. With the JotForm situation unfolding, where the US government shut down an entire website with no notice or explanation, people are beginning to recognize that the US is not safe for internet startups.
Obama May Ditch Most US Nukes | Mother Jones
http://motherjones.com/politics/2012/02/nuclear-weapons-reduction-obama
Will Republicans accede to a sweeping drawdown of US nuclear might? Beyond the knee-jerk emotions on top national security issues, there's an awful lot of defense pork—not just missiles, but also bombers, submarines, and scientific research—bound up in our nuclear program. That makes the most dramatic reduction scenarios highly unlikely to pass muster in Congress. But if the White House and Pentagon push one of their more modest proposals—cutting the number of bombs to, say, 700 or 1,000—that could represent a reasonable compromise that still offers compelling financial savings and progress toward greater global stability. Faced with a plan like that, resistant congressmen might end up looking like just a bunch of Dr. Strangeloves.
Komen's Excuse for Defunding Planned Parenthood Applies to Bank of America Too -- So When Will it Sever Ties With BofA? | AlterNet
http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/769680/komen's_excuse_for_defunding_planned_parenthood_applies_to_bank_of_america_too_--_so_when_will_it_sever_ties_with_bofa
To sum up, Komen is perfectly content with accepting millions from an entity under investigation for fraud across the country but when it comes to dispensing a portion of those and other funds to an entity that saves lives but that's facing a sham of an investigation, Komen draws the line.
Rick Santorum On Opposition To Abortion In Cases Of Rape: 'Make The Best Out Of A Bad Situation'
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/23/rick-santorum-abortion-rape_n_1224624.html?ref=politics
GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum explained his opposition to abortion even in cases of rape during an interview Friday, saying that women who face such circumstances should "make the best out of a bad situation."
Nobody Understands Debt - NYTimes.com
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/02/opinion/krugman-nobody-understands-debt.html?_r=2
So yes, debt matters. But right now, other things matter more. We need more, not less, government spending to get us out of our unemployment trap. And the wrongheaded, ill-informed obsession with debt is standing in the way.
Michele Bachmann, America's Perfect Monster | The Awl
http://www.theawl.com/2012/01/michele-bachmann-americas-perfect-monster
Bachmann is a national clown and a global embarrassment, an extremist so foul that she poses nearly as much of a threat to Republican legislators as to Democratic ones. She's a Republican bomb-thrower who forgets the throwing part. Both parties will certainly be glad to be rid of her. But Bachmann's repose only means the absence of the messenger, not the absence of those who paid for the message.
How SOPA's 'circumvention' ban could put a target on Tor | Privacy Inc. - CNET News
http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-57346592-281/how-sopas-circumvention-ban-could-put-a-target-on-tor
A broad interpretation of SOPA's anti-circumvention language would sweep even more broadly than Tor. Software such as VPNs, used by security-conscious businesses, can also "bypass" a SOPA-established blockade. So could DNS software. And even the humble "/etc/hosts" file, part of every major operating system including OS X, Linux, and Windows, can be pressed into service as a SOPA-bypasser as well.
Daily Kos: John McCain is worried House Republicans are making the entire Republican Party look bad
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/12/21/1047366/-John-McCain-is-worried-House-Republicans-are-making-the-entire-Republican-Party-look-bad?via=blog_1
But whether John McCain or House Republicans have done or are doing more damage to the Republican Party isn't something that most people care about. What they care about is making sure that Congress doesn't raise their taxes while the economy is still in recovery. And if Republicans cared more about that, we wouldn't be facing this stalemate now. The American public would be better off, and so would the GOP.
MinnPost - Latest Amy Koch developments complicate GOP plans across the board
http://www.minnpost.com/stories/2011/12/16/33912/latest_amy_koch_developments_complicate_gop_plans_across_the_board
If allegations surrounding Koch, who is married, are true, she would become in the eyes of many a prime example of the double standard surrounding the heated marriage amendment battle.
Lamar Smith is a cheap date - Boing Boing
http://boingboing.net/2011/12/18/lamar-smith-is-a-cheap-date.html
How much has it cost the entertainment industry to convince Rep Lamar Smith to introduce and ram through SOPA, which will cost the American economy billions, which will nuke the games, microprocessor, search, and other high tech companies in his Texas district? A mere $50K a year for 10 years. You know, it's one thing to be a sellout; but to sell out so cheaply -- man, have some self-respect. (via /.)
Dear Congress, It's No Longer OK To Not Know How The Internet Works | Motherboard
http://motherboard.vice.com/2011/12/16/dear-congress-it-s-no-longer-ok-to-not-know-how-the-internet-works
So it was as proponents of the Hollywood-funded bill curmudgeonly shot down all but two amendments proposed by its opponents, who fought to dramatically alter the document to preserve security and free speech on the net. But the chilling takeaway of this whole debacle was the irrefutable air of anti-intellectualism; that inescapable absurdity that we have members of Congress voting on a technical bill who do not posses any technical knowledge on the subject and do not find it imperative to recognize those who do.
Walmart Heirs Worth Same Amount As Bottom 30 Percent Of Americans In 2007: Analysis
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/08/walmart-heirs_n_1137492.html?comm_ref=false&ref=fb&src=sp#sb=2466791,b=facebook
The six children of Walmart's founders, Sam and James "Bud" Walton, had the same net worth in 2007 as the entire bottom 30 percent of American earners, according to an analysis from Sylvia Allegretto, a labor economist at University of California-Berkeley's Center on Wage and Employment Dynamics.
The Bomb Buried In Obamacare Explodes Today-Hallelujah! - Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2011/12/02/the-bomb-buried-in-obamacare-explodes-today-halleluja
This is the true ‘bomb’ contained in Obamacare and the one item that will have more impact on the future of how medical care is paid for in this country than anything we’ve seen in quite some time. Indeed, it is this aspect of the law that represents the true ‘death panel’ found in Obamacare—but not one that is going to lead to the death of American consumers. Rather, the medical loss ratio will, ultimately, lead to the death of large parts of the private, for-profit health insurance industry.
...
If you believe that the end of private, for-profit health insurance is some type of nefarious step towards a socialist society, then you might want to attend church this Sunday to mourn the loss of health insurers being able to worm out of covering the bills of a cancer patient because she forgot to write down on her application that she had skin acne for three months when she was a teenager.
Boehner On Whether Letting The Payroll Tax Cut Expire Hurts The Economy: 'I'm Not An Economist' | ThinkProgress
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2011/12/01/379915/boehner-not-an-economist
Later, Boehner came around to admit that an extension would help boost the economy. To help Boehner out, several actual economists have said that letting the cut expire would, in fact, hurt growth and destroy jobs. According to Macroeconomic Advisers, allowing it to lapse “would reduce GDP growth by 0.5 percent and cost the economy 400,000 jobs.” An analyst at Barclay’s estimated that letting the cut expire would knock 1.5 percent off of first quarter growth next year.
The Rise of the Geek Lobby
http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technocracy/2011/11/stop_online_piracy_act_can_the_geek_lobby_stop_hollywood_from_wrecking_the_internet_.html
In a time of legislative gridlock, the Stop Online Piracy Act looked like a rare bipartisan breakthrough. The bill, known as SOPA, promised a brave new Internet—one cleansed of “rogue websites” that hawk pirated songs and movies as well as counterfeit goods. For Congress, the legislation’s goals...
Occupy George
http://www.occupygeorge.com
Money talks, but not loud enough for the 99%. By circulating dollar bills stamped with fact-based infographics, Occupy George informs the public of America's daunting economic disparity one bill at a time. Because money knowledge is power.
Mayor Bloomberg: ‘I Have My Own Army’ | PolitickerNY
http://www.politickerny.com/2011/11/30/mayor-bloomberg-i-have-my-own-army-11-30-11
“I have my own army in the NYPD, which is the seventh biggest army in the world. I have my own State Department, much to Foggy Bottom’s annoyance. We have the United Nations in New York, and so we have an entree into the diplomatic world that Washington does not have,” Mayor Bloomberg said.
18 Newt Gingrich Quotes That Disqualify Him From Ever Being President | Addicting Info
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2011/11/26/18-newt-gingrich-quotes-that-disqualify-him-from-ever-being-president
Newt Gingrich is currently the leader of the Republican field of presidential candidates. So it’s only fitting that the quotes come out of the skeleton closet. Here are more than a dozen quotes from Newt Gingrich that reveal his lies, his arrogance, his hatred, and his hypocrisy and disqualify him from ever being President.
Did Mayors, DHS Coordinate Occupy Attacks? - Uprising
http://inthesetimes.com/uprising/entry/12303/mayors_dhs_coordinated_occupy_attacks
When a series of crackdowns on the Occupy camps suddenly occurred in, more or less, the same week, many observers wondered if perhaps the attacks had been coordinated at a national level. Oakland Mayor Jean Quan confirmed that suspicion during an appearance on the BBC - excerpted on The Takeaway radio program - when she casually mentioned taking part in a conference call with the leaders of 18 US cities right before the raids.
Raids on OWS coordinated with Obama’s FBI, Homeland Security & others :: News From Underground
http://markcrispinmiller.com/2011/11/raids-on-ows-coordinated-with-obamas-fbi-homeland-security-others
Over the past ten days, more than a dozen cities have moved to evict “Occupy” protesters from city parks and other public spaces. As was the case in last night’s move in New York City, each of the police actions shares a number of characteristics. And according to one Justice official, each of those actions was coordinated with help from Homeland Security, the FBI and other federal police agencies.
The shocking truth about the crackdown on Occupy | Naomi Wolf | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/nov/25/shocking-truth-about-crackdown-occupy
So, when you connect the dots, properly understood, what happened this week is the first battle in a civil war; a civil war in which, for now, only one side is choosing violence. It is a battle in which members of Congress, with the collusion of the American president, sent violent, organised suppression against the people they are supposed to represent. Occupy has touched the third rail: personal congressional profits streams. Even though they are, as yet, unaware of what the implications of their movement are, those threatened by the stirrings of their dreams of reform are not.
OccupyYourBrain - Bloomberg the Book Burner - Bloomberg the Book Burner
http://occupyyourbrain.tumblr.com/post/13276162941/bloomberg-the-book-burner
It was a sorry sight. Only 1,273 books - a third of the stock - were returned to them, they said, and around a third of those were damaged beyond repair. Only about 800 are still usable. About 2,900 books are still unaccounted for.”
Occupy language: the struggle over meaning | Dan Gillmor | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/nov/22/occupy-language-struggle-over-meaning
If we know anything about the recent income and accumulated assets of the now notorious 1%, it is that much of this wealth, by any rational standard, is undeserved. This applies especially to the Wall Street bankers who looted the global economy with sleazy tactics and, sadly, also with impunity.
That is why, if I was the editor in charge of any news organisation, I would flatly ban the use of the word "earned", when "profited" or "made" (as in money) would be much more accurate, or at least neutral. I would not try to say who "deserved" profits; only that profits were made.
Why SOPA endangers America's Internet leadership
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/11/why-sopa-endangers-americas-internet-leadership.ars
America's position of influence over the Internet economy is a valuable form of "soft power." If the US government uses this power judiciously, it can ensure that the Internet evolves in ways that serve US interests.
Instead, American policymakers are rapidly squandering this soft power by giving US law enforcement agencies—and, under SOPA, even private copyright holders—free rein to exercise this power with minimal judicial oversight. The US is home to many of the world's leading search engines, advertising networks, and credit card payment networks. These firms not only serve the US market, they are also widely used overseas. If the US begins to use them as pawns in its war against file-sharing, foreigners and their governments will become more reluctant to rely on them.
Daily Kos: Rick Santorum calls for low-income children to suffer
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/21/1038707/-Rick-Santorum-calls-for-low-income-children-to-suffer
That is not a healthy thing for children, it's not a healthy thing for society ... Suffering, if you're a Christian, suffering is a part of life. And it's not a bad thing, it is an essential thing in life ... There are all different ways to suffer. One way to suffer is through lack of food and shelter and there's another way to suffer which is lack of dignity and hope and there's all sorts of ways that people suffer and it's not just tangible, it's also intangible and we have to consider both.
Fox News Viewers Know Less Than People Who Don't Watch Any News: Study
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/21/fox-news-viewers-less-informed-people-fairleigh-dickinson_n_1106305.html?comm_ref=false&ref=fb&src=sp#undefined
Dan Cassino, a political science professor at Fairleigh Dickinson, explained in a statement, "Because of the controls for partisanship, we know these results are not just driven by Republicans or other groups being more likely to watch Fox News. Rather, the results show us that there is something about watching Fox News that leads people to do worse on these questions than those who don’t watch any news at all."
UC Davis Pepper-Spray Incident Reveals Weakness Up Top | Matt Taibbi | Rolling Stone
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/uc-davis-pepper-spray-incident-reveals-weakness-up-top-20111122
What happened at UC Davis was the inevitable result of our failure to make sure our government stayed in the business of defending our principles. When we stopped insisting on that relationship with our government, they became something separate from us.