For many poor women, welfare and family assistance was their primary means of escaping abusive mates. Such programs provided support for them and their children. Cutbacks in welfare have now caused a dramatic drop in the number who dare attempt to flee hurtful relationships. Low paying jobs, chronic unemployment, and poverty in general have left many impoverished women with few survival resources.
In desperate attempts at finding means of support and escaping their batterers, some women turn to drug dealing–which, in turn, helps explain the sharp increase in the female prison population. In recent years, the number of women in prison …
White foam, kitschy lights and embarrassing computer generated melodies. Year after year, the same crap. Not tired yet?
Christian families gather; they perform rituals, exchange gifts. All this is taking place under the crucifixion, which has been elevated to the reason, justification and excuse for the most intense, long-lasting and on-going slaughter of human beings in the history of mankind. Merry Corporate Christmas (Photo: Andre Vltchek)
Hundreds of millions, all over the world, have died so that “the message of Jesus” could live. Millions are still dying now, so that …
Bitcoin: The End of Money As We Know It is a 2015 film written byTorsten Hoffmann, starring Andreas M. Antonopolous, Roger Ver, Bernard v. NotHaus, Jeffrey A. Tucker, Michael J. Casey and more.
In 2015, cryptocurrencies have gained wide public attention. If you want to know what Bitcoin is, this is the film to watch this holiday season. The title says it well. This 60-minute documentary film is a masterpiece, depicting both the history and future of money. It reveals the hidden threads in the development of money and where it is …
Flying the Sleigh of Mystification in the Dusk of Reason
by K.J. Noh / December 24th, 2015
It’s on full blast now, Christmas jingles, holiday “cheer”, and the endless exhortations to consume. And here comes Santa.
Why is this myth so powerful? Why does it capture imagination so deeply? Why do generations perpetuate this massive fraud to their children?
Santa wasn’t always so. He was originally St. Nicholas of Myra, in Anatolia (Asia Minor), and was originally known for rescuing women from prostitution. Legend says that he dropped gold into the stockings of three women who, having no dowries, were about to be sold into prostitution. It’s also said that he brought back to life children kidnapped and butchered. …
Pain, suffering, retrograde bureaucracy, blinders on for the elite, drudgery for the rest of us
by Paul Haeder / December 24th, 2015
Universal travel: plenty of haves and a shit more have-nots
Passing through the Columbia Gorge from Portland, Oregon, along the scenic Gorge through Hood River (once a logging place, with apples and cherries, now bloody wind surfing capital of the world), landslides chucked debris on Interstate 84, and these incredible new cataracts of water spewing from the slopes and basalt drop offs. I saw an eagle on the mile post 68, eyeing the SUVs passing by. Tons of mountain goats out, new shoots and mists and fog. There is a hustle and bustle in America, a million trucks criss-crossing the land, …
The big lie is a propaganda technique generally employed when telling the truth would be unfavorable to your side. It goes like this: never admit doing any wrong and instead always insist on a story that portrays your side as the good guys. What really happened is irrelevant. The key is repetition. Do it often enough and loudly enough until most people believe you.
While the big lie is most often associated with authoritarian governments, its use is actually quite widespread. For example, the Montreal Gazette recently published a front page article claiming Jewish students at Concordia University were …
It is quite shocking that no one from the Rick Snyder administration in Michigan is on trial, impeached or in jail for charges such as felony child endangerment. Such charges involve a person engaged in conduct that places a child in imminent danger of death, bodily injury, or physical or mental impairment. It is a charge that can involve an act or even an omission.
The determination usually looks at two different aggravating factors, the first being intent. Was the conduct merely negligent or reckless, or willful or intentional? The former is a misdemeanor, the latter, a felony. The second …
This essay comes from my attempt to understand the stress I sometimes feel when I am with family. How does the individual come to know himself and what he truly wants?
My idea is that each individual, in his early, formative years, develops a deep, central set of desires for his life. This “core of needs” is the foundation on which the individual builds his self-image (inward projection of self) and personality (outward projection of self), and is the source of his motivation, explaining his behaviour.
I try to use this concept to tie together the ideas of several writers that I …
Amnesty International Publishes War propaganda in preparation for R2P Neocolonial Intervention
by Gearóid Ó Colmáin / December 23rd, 2015
Since April of 2015, the Republic of Burundi has been beset by a violent protest movement organised by NGOs financed by the United States and the European Union. These so-called ‘civil society’ organisations have engaged in mass murder, arson, and sabotage in a concerted attempt to spread anarchy in the country on behalf of neocolonial interests.
The Burundian government has become a target of Africom, US neocolonial rule in Africa, due to its independent development policies which advocate the creation of a strong state with a multi-vectored foreign policy. Important contracts have been signed in recent years with Russia and China …
It would certainly be easy to do a piece about 10 horrible events from 2015, from the ongoing war in Syria and the refugee crisis, to the bombings in Beirut, Paris and San Bernardino, to the rise of Donald Trump and Islamophobia. But that wouldn’t be a very inspiring way to bid farewell to this year and usher in a new one. So let’s look at 10 reasons to feel better about 2015.
1. Iran nuclear deal: Despite significant political opposition and millions of dollars spent to try to quash the deal, the nuclear agreement with Iran was passed …
Neocons are Back and Their "Vision" is Darker than Ever
by Ramzy Baroud / December 23rd, 2015
John Bolton is a tarnished character. The once United States Ambassador to the United Nations is now promoted as a ‘scholar’ in the pro-Israel lobby group, the American Enterprise Institute (AEI).
Bolton is not a peacemaker, nor, in his defense, did he ever try to appear as if one. When he was appointed as the US Ambassador to the UN by George W. Bush, his stint lasted for only one year, starting August 2005. His time in this position was marked with discord and conflict. He stole the limelight with such statements as “The (UN) Secretariat building …
Heavy darkness befalls the North; the sun rarely emerges from between the clouds. This year, Russia has noticeably less street illumination, and the spirits are anything but festive. Only the whiteness of the snow and Christmas trees break the gloom and remind us of the forthcoming low point of the cosmic wheel, Yuletide, when days starts to wax and nights to wane. As this stellar event foretells the Nativity of our Savior, this is a period of hope after a very difficult year, all over the world.
Putin supporters are unhappy
The Russians keep guessing what President Putin will tell them in …
Paris COP21 captured the attention of the world for two weeks as over 190 countries agreed to agree for the first time since Dr. James Hansen testified before a Senate committee in 1988, introducing the world to the dangers of greenhouse gases.
COP21, with its profuse sweat under bright lights and sleepless nights, resulted in an agreement praised by mainstream media all across the world but universally panned by climate change advocacy groups.
Still, at the end of the day COP21 may not make much difference. After all, renewable energy is not waiting for COP21 to nudge people to go green. Renewables …
Americans understand the elections are rigged. In the last national election, in 2014, just 36.4 percent of the voting-eligible population cast ballots.
Of the 320 million Americans, about 80 million are under age to vote. of the remaining 240 million about 100 million do not participate in the elections.
There are a great many reasons to be discouraged. The American government does not represent the American people. One may look at any number of polls showing what the American people want, and what they get, often the direct opposite.
For example, citizens want the wealthy to participate in paying taxes at a higher …
“Go west young man, and grow up with the country.” John Soule, from an 1851 editorial in The Terre Haute Express.
The past is a suitcase full of memories, carried throughout our life’s journey wherever it may lead. Growing heavy after a while, it becomes a burden. Carelessly we drag it along the street, bang it against rocks, wearing holes in its shell. It becomes tattered and torn, spilling out bits of the contents to be blown away in the breeze. And all too soon, what we have left is nothing but memories of memories.
Sixteen foot Fleetwood travel trailer loaded with …
This week bring you a recap of the COP21 climate clusterfuck in Paris, with Jim Hansen’s reaction to the historic non-agreement and 350.org’s condemnation of comrades who defied the protest ban. Over in Greece we look at the yearly riots that commemorate the police murder of Alex Grigoropoulos. On the music break, diseased Greek anarcho MC – Killah P with “I Won’t Cry, I Won’t Fear.”
Our featured interview is with three brave comrades who managed to stop the flow of dirty tar sands oil to the entire eastern seaboard of Turtle Island, with three bike locks and some …
“World agrees to historic climate accord” — Toronto Star
“Nearly 200 countries agree to historic pact in Paris to reduce emissions and fight climate change” — Vancouver Sun
“Climate deal: World praises France’s diplomacy, showing it’s still a master of the art” — Winnipeg Free Press
With these headlines appearing in newspapers across the country, Canadians must have been relieved that they don’t need to worry about climate change nearly as much now that everything has been worked out in Paris.
Unfortunately, this assumption couldn’t be further from the truth.
The politicians meeting in Paris, faced with the possibility of total failure, were extremely excited to …
Here in Kabul, young friends with the Afghan Peace Volunteers look forward to learning more about The Tea Project in late December, when Aaron Hughes arrives, an artist, a U.S. military veteran, and a core member of Iraq Veterans Against War. He’ll carry with him 20 plaster replicas of a standard-issue, factory-made Styrofoam cup. They’re part of a set numbering 779 replica cups, each cup dedicated to prisoners detained in Guantanamo. In the entire collection, 220 of the cups bear names of Afghan citizens imprisoned in Guantanamo.
In Guantanamo, with each evening meal, Guantanamo prisoners are served tea in …
Saudi Arabia’s Yemen has a fascist whiff of Franco’s Spain circa 1936
by William Boardman / December 20th, 2015
The first lie about Yemen’s dirty war in the world of official journalism is that the fighting there has been a “nine-month conflict” and that “the conflict started in March,” as theNew York Times put it on December 17. This is simply not true in any meaningful sense. What started in March was a savage, one-sided war backed by the US, all too similar to the Nazi-backed one-sided air war in Spain in the thirties that gave the world …
The following abruptly appeared on our TV screen, apparently due to a fissure in the spacetime continuum.
Host: Good evening, ladies and gentleman. Welcome to the first presidential debate of 2016 between the Republican nominee, Donald Trump, and the Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton. Instead of reporters as questioners, each candidate chose a “second” who will pose questions to both candidates. The “seconds” are Jesse Ventura for Mr. Trump and Samantha Power, for Ms. Clinton. Now let us all introduce ourselves. Ms. Power, please go first.
Power: Good evening. At the outset I must say quite frankly that I can hardly bear …
Western media are reporting headline claims that “new evidence supports claims about Syrian state detention deaths”, saying that “a leading rights group has released new evidence that up to 7,000 Syrians who died in state detention centres were tortured, mistreated, or executed”, noting that this information is a moral wake-up call and demanding that officials being held to account should be “central to peace efforts.”
However, as is usually so, not everything is quite as it seems. So let’s take a look at the facts.
First the timing.
As has been commonplace the timing of the reports like these have almost …
Nations are made up of people. Nations are only as strong as the bonds between the people. Strong social bonds, strong nation; weak social bonds, weak nation. Social bonds have many elements; the most important element is how much people care about each other. If people do not care about each other, if they have a “screw you, I got mine” attitude and are not willing to help others in need, then a nation is ready to topple at the first sign of significant stress. If people have a strong social bond, they will work …
The Texas board of education didn’t find anything wrong with a world geography textbook that said slaves from Africa were workers, but that immigrants from northern Europe were indentured servants.
This is the same school board that five years ago demanded that textbooks emphasize that slavery was only a side issue to the cause of the civil war, and that Republican achievements be emphasized in political science and civics textbooks.
For good measure, the officials also wanted a “fair and balanced” look at evolution versus intelligent design or creationism, and that global warming is only a theory, overlooking substantial and significant …
The corporate media have been filled with news about the growing crisis of Syrian refugees. Politicians and journalists alike ask what the United States ought to do about it. An increasing number of governors declare their intent on rejecting refugees. In a brazen attempt to stand strong against defenseless people fleeing terror, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie harshly bragged that he would not even admit “orphans under five.” This is nothing but political posturing for a dysfunctional party that must appeal to fears of racists to stay relevant as governors do not have the constitutional power to refuse …
Center for Food Safety praises Congress for not including a policy rider in the must-pass federal omnibus spending bill that would have blocked states from implementing mandatory genetically engineered (GE) food labeling laws. Three states, Connecticut, Maine and Vermont, have passed such laws, with Vermont’s slated be to be the first to go into effect in July 2016. All three democratically passed laws would have been nullified, while any future state GE labeling legislation would have been preempted. Over 30 states have introduced bills to labeling GE foods in just the past few years.
One More Reason to Re-evaluate the Toxic U.S.-Saudi Alliance
by Medea Benjamin / December 19th, 2015
After almost a year of civil war, the conflicting forces in Yemen sat down on December 15 in Geneva, Switzerland, to discuss the prospect of finding a political solution to the conflict that has been raging since March 2015. While this is a necessary step towards ending the violence that has killed thousands, crippled infrastructure and led to a critical humanitarian crisis, the peace talks should include a mechanism for rebuilding this impoverished nation. Saudi Arabia, which is responsible for most of the destruction with its relentless bombings, should be forced to pay for the terrible damage it has …
From cell towers to moratorium, to new cell tower ordinance to goofy fake tree towers
by Paul Haeder / December 19th, 2015
You Can’t Fight City Hall?
Sometimes David is Patricia and Goliath is the FCC and AT&T. If anyone has been keeping an eye on rare articles printed in the Spokane (WA) daily and weekly, the reader might have seen the news about one neighborhood – the Grandview-Thorpe – losing the fight to stop Verizon Wireless from building a cell tower in their community, while another neighborhood group –Cliff-Cannon – helped put monkey wrenches (tiny ones) into the gear work of the cell phone-telecommunication engines.
Spokane City council members balked, city planners looked for cover, and the city attorney tried without much success …
As adoptees, we are used to this drill. Adoptive parents, in a fit of what they believe to be enlightenment, deem themselves worthy of writing up our adoption experiences. These narratives are designed to be consumed by those of the very class which allowed our adoption in the first place. Ironically, we are left out of this equation, and this becomes the flip side of a double-edged sword should we decide to try to turn this narrative around. This results in our further rejection, the inscribing of our “outlier” status, and the realization that “flipping scripts” is as useless as …
After nearly five years of civil war in Syria, and over twelve years since the immoral and tragic coalition invasion of Iraq, US mainstream news coverage of events in Syria and Iraq continues to be abysmal. When between ten and thirty million people around the world demonstrated against the Iraqi War in February 2003, US media outlets continually under-reported and underestimated protest movements in the approximately sixty countries that participated. Described as the largest coordinated protest in history, the US and UK governments continued to pressure and threaten potential coalition governments, using media mouthpieces as their stooges. As the democratic …
