Top Diaries

Pro-EU coalition narrowly leads Polish polls
Civic Platform (PO/EPP) + Polish People's Party (PSL/EPP) + Nowoczesna (Modern/ALDE) + the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD/S&D) + Greens => Make Poland Influential Again (MPIA)!

archived
practice, practice, practice

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 5th, 2019 at 04:10:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Yeah and our Polish partner Razem (a proper decent party of the left) could have joined too, but decided not to...
So we won't have any Polish MEPs.
I can understand why they don't want to be in a coalition with the EPP... but when your government is PIS, it's like wartime, extreme measures are sometimes necessary.

_{It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue
- Queen Elizabeth II}

by eurogreen on Wed Mar 6th, 2019 at 04:24:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

oops no, it was Wiosna, the new centrist thingy, that Razem declined to join.
Same result.
Due to national gerrymander, the electoral threshold is about 20%.

_{It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue
- Queen Elizabeth II}

by eurogreen on Wed Mar 6th, 2019 at 04:26:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I know what "gerrymander" means in the USA.
What does it mean in Poland?

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Mar 6th, 2019 at 04:39:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

The only thing mandated by the EU is that the election should be proportional. "Details" are under national jurisdiction.
The PIS government has set it up in such a way that the effective threshold to get any seats is something like 20%. Hence the current frantic coalition-building.

_{It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue
- Queen Elizabeth II}

by eurogreen on Wed Mar 6th, 2019 at 04:49:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

m'k.

This explanation does not correspond to the meaning of "gerrymander" in the USA at all.

First of all, there is no constitutional or statutory requirement in the USA governing number of seats allocated to a political party or unaffiliated person ("political group") within any legislature, federal or state.

Statutes ("mandates") limit the total number of "seats" in any given legislature. That number would be proportional only to total resident population (US Constitution), except that federal and state legislatures limit total seats to an absolute value.

Third, to gerrymander refers to a method of districts' design, constrained by the number of districts allocated by each decennial census. Total number of congressional districts (435) limits total number of federal districts per state. (States' legislatures draw separate district maps for own state legislatures.)

Typically, the result of gerrymandering illustrates the concerted effort in each state legislature to control the number of party-affiliated voters within each district. That is, district boundaries are drawn by partisan legislators to maximize the total return of votes needed to elect a particular party's particular candidate, regardless of party-affiliated voters' contiguous or adjacent geographic locations, and eliminate their competition.

Maximum return is the only criterion that determines a district's boundary in the USA.

Finally, recent proposals by ahh civil society either to introduce or quash "rank voting" systems (state by state) -or- unilaterally "award" a state's electoral college delegates a POTUS nominee with greatest "popular" ballots are, in the final analysis, means to avoid a US Constitutional Convention to alter the "supreme law" of the land.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Mar 6th, 2019 at 06:35:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Article I; § 2

Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the several states which may be included within this union, according to their respective numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole number of free persons, including those bound to service for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons. The actual Enumeration shall be made within three years after the first meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent term of ten years, in such manner as they shall by law direct. The number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty thousand, but each state shall have at least one Representative;

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Mar 6th, 2019 at 06:57:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

OK, when I say "proportional", I mean "proportional representation", a concept so foreign to the US polity that you misunderstood it.

For beginners

By "gerrymander", I mean fiddling with the electoral system/boundaries etc. in order to effectively disenfranchise as many as possible of the wrong sort of people. It doesn't correspond to your narrow definition.

At the last election in 2014, the effective cutoff was between the list which got 3 seats from 6.8% of the vote, and the list which got 0 seats from 3.98% -- most countries have a threshold (5% in France)

They have fiddled the system since then (I've had the boondoggle explained to me, but I've forgotten the details), and apparently the effective threshold is now more like 20%.

_{It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue
- Queen Elizabeth II}

by eurogreen on Thu Mar 7th, 2019 at 10:15:51 AM EST
[ Parent ]

I do not misunderstand or dispute your meaning of "proportional representation". I did not address it.

I noticed that it, EU "proportional representation," has no relation to the meaning of "gerrymander"-- a US-English colloquial expression for historical voter disenfranchisement, duly litigated by Article III courts under US Constitution and Voting Rights Act of 1965.

I described the meaning of "proportional representation" in the USA --as none--because statutes limit the number of representatives to a fixed number regardless of the population size of eligible voters or their affiliations, if any. For electoral candidates statutory barriers to entry are low; none of those "mandate" candidate qualification by political group.

For example, the proportion of US house representatives (districts) to eligible voters estimated is 1:409,195 --contravening the instructions of the US Constitution for the ratio which is only total representatives:the whole US population;

US Constitution "mandates" 328,537,021 ÷ 30,000 = 10,951 districts (representatives).

I described the meaning of gerrymander ("fiddling" you say) in the USA. It has nothing to do with qualifying apportionment of seats by political group in a legislative body or the privileges to appoint executive officers that might accrue by proportion of seats taken by a political group or "coalition" of political groups.

US electoral laws qualify individuals for entry in any election: 1. age, 2. electoral district, 3. filing fee, and/or 4. petition by eligible voters in the electoral district of the candidature.

US electoral laws qualify individual voters. Each state assigns each voter to an electoral districtby the geographic location of his or her residence in that state.

Accordingly, legislators draw district territories around residents to limit "electibility" to one of two political parties that dominate state legislatures. The USA has no "multiparty" culture to foster EU political disputes over proportional representation of political groups, to which you've glibly attached "gerrymander".

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Mar 7th, 2019 at 03:46:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

errata (none / 0)

s/b "Accordingly, legislators who gerrymander draw district territories ..."

Gerrymandering is unlawful and illegal in the USA. The appearance or perception of gerrymandering by voters, who may or may not by materially supported by a political party, gives rise to litigation and remedy in re-drawing district territories.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Mar 7th, 2019 at 03:57:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: errata (none / 0)

search election district redrawn

Is that how EU "proportional representation" perceived or how EU "gerrymandering" is resolved?

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Mar 7th, 2019 at 04:05:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Europe SIMILE SUICIDE (none / 0)

Progressive Sefcovic plays the conservative card in Slovakia
< wipes tears >
What message --that corresponds to "the race card" (1995)-- is this reporter attempting to communicate?

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Mar 8th, 2019 at 02:47:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Europe CAMPAIGN 2019 (4.00 / 2)

Small constitutencies?

That was noticed as a loophole in the rules stipulating proportional distribution of seats, ten years ago.

by fjallstrom on Sat Mar 9th, 2019 at 12:59:00 AM EST
[ Parent ]

The US House of Representatives is fixed at 235 members, which is far too few for a country with a population of 325 million.

by asdf on Sat Mar 9th, 2019 at 03:55:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]

435, not 235

by asdf on Sat Mar 9th, 2019 at 03:56:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Correct.

The EP member size is fixed, too, at 751 (although there has been chatter about reducing size by seats vacated by UK or re-allocating these); the salient point is, the formation and authorities ("constitution") of the EP are evolving. Note points on variance in apportionment of allocated MEPs to population ("electoral districts") within member-states in the 2009.

How have these practices changed?

Is it true that to the extent that constitutive laws --treaties and EU Lex-- anticipate addition of member-states and growth of total population, the EP personifies EU political scope ("jurisdiction" of supranational laws)? Is it likely that "transnational listing" will alter EP voters' perception of EU gov political legitimacy?

By contrast, the US Constitution does not "mandate" political representation in the federal legislature by "electoral district" at all.

One might reasonably take as dim a view of gerrymandered electoral districts across the USA as any other constraints on "popular vote". Here legislation by party affiliation ("political group") literally attempts to draw around individual voters in a population. Consequently, territorial constraints and incentives encourage an anti-democratic strategy to vest political authority in one individual.

That, my friend, is the design of a minority, all 535, America's "elite" --the one's with the guns-- US congressional representatives.

archived
The Permanent Apportionment Act of 1929

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sat Mar 9th, 2019 at 05:29:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

The thread that fjallstrom points to is informative and an interesting historical note (2009).

Also, Oui links to a YouTube recording of an EP session, ostensibly to deliberate possible litigation (legal controversy) and political consequences (EP legitimacy) that attend EU Council approval of an "extension period" for UK gov: EU's Verhofstadt updates European Parliament on state of play Brexit talks, running time 1:16:37.

ONE ADVERSE RESULT advanced by an MEP (Ireland) concerns Ireland electoral laws that may require redrawing EP electoral district boundaries.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sat Mar 9th, 2019 at 04:35:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Indeed, this is the sort of stuff that I was pointing to, thank you Fjallstrom. In Poland, in particular, the structure of the gerrymander is described by Dodo in the 2009 thread :

I find that in Poland, the seats accredited to the sub-national constituencies aren't pre-set based on population numbers, but will be determined by the national election commision based on the number of votes cast

The fine-tuning done in the current electoral cycle works by adjusting the size of key sub-national constituencies. For example, if nationally a left list gets 15%, but you have (urban) regions where it gets 40%, then you tailor the size of the constituencies in those regions so that they return, say, five members each.

Result : zero representation for the 15% of electors.
This does not technically transgress the EU rules.

(If that doesn't meet your definition of gerrymander, then I'm afraid there is nothing I can do for you [insert emoticon here].)

_{It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue
- Queen Elizabeth II}

by eurogreen on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 02:36:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

It does not correspond to the US method of electoral district assignment which is illegal.

Just go find different word for whatever it is that goes on in Poland that is illegal by that state's or EU LEX standards of electoral apportionment, by district.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 03:27:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I think I've never heard gerrymander used in the strictly legal sense and very frequently for any change of voting district boundary based on favoured outcome.

by generic on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 05:41:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Is "gerrymander" a reserved word (like "Holocaust" for example), which is no longer available for general use in the English language?

There may be a seat in the Académie Française for you

(viz. linguistic prescriptivism)

_{It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue
- Queen Elizabeth II}

by eurogreen on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 05:57:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

1. Holocaust isn't a "reserved" word. 2. The etymology of "gerrymander" is however a portmanteau unique to US political history 3. SIMILE SUICIDE in any language is not constructive to thoughtful communication between people.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 06:05:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

In may not be a reserved word, but its meaning has changed. If you write "and the holocaust was complete", "hearth fires and holocausts", let alone "in the name of the former and of the latter and of their holocaust. Allmen.", people won't understand what you mean (not a problem in the case of Joyce, of course, though this is one of the easiest passages in the Wake)

As for gerrymander, while the etymology is purely America, it's used today in other countries as well.

by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 10:53:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Pino understand the concept does not apply to Italy.

Non mi pare proprio che oggi ricorrano in Italia le circostanze di questa pratica che, peraltro, non tiene conto della verità storica e statistica che avvolge le leggi elettorali: chi ci mette mano con l'intento di favorire la sua parte alla fine perde sempre, per la ferrea regola dell'eterogenesi dei fini. ...

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Mar 13th, 2019 at 01:40:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

"won't understand" (none / 0)

Joyce's literature is an amusing context to demonstrate your point. He was a poet, practicing prose. He employs many words, phrases, and literary devices to challenge his reader's assumptions about the gravity of meaning.

However, the meaning of holocaust like "tu quoque" has not changed. A lot of people recognize a fallacy --or suspect they do-- dressed as "straw man."

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Mar 13th, 2019 at 01:54:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

denotation, connotation (none / 0)

Let us not confuse these instruments: Appearance is not the thing in itself.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Mar 13th, 2019 at 02:01:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: "won't understand" (none / 1)

The original meaning, implied by my quotes, was a burnt offering to God. I doubt that is the modern meaning. See, for example, Handel's Jeptha, which is clearer

Else had she fall'n an holocaust to God.

I think that is still the meaning in Lazare's reference to the Jews as a "holocauste a Moloch" in his famous attack (around 1900) on Herzl for his support of the Sultan despite the ongoing Armenian massacres. The only online quote I can find of this replaces this phrase by an ellipsis.

« Les représentants [...] du plus vieux des peuples persécutés, ceux dont on ne peut écrire l'histoire qu'avec du sang, envoient leur salut au pire des assassins. [...] et dans cette assemblée, il ne se trouve personne pour dire [...] : Vous n'avez pas le droit de déshonorer votre peuple. »

John Cage borrowed Joyce's Holocaust/Holy Ghost pun for his piece "In the Name of the Holocaust" (1942; even people who knew about the Holocaust couldn't have known its future name) - have a look at the nonsense the idiots commenting on youtube write....

by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Wed Mar 13th, 2019 at 02:10:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]

good thinking! (none / 0)

(I look forward some day to "shooting the breeze" with you over libations of our own choosing. Fireside or curbside.)

"burnt offering"
Annihilation

"to God"
Now there is a kettle of fish: need moar Stout.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Mar 13th, 2019 at 04:32:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

" linguistic prescriptivism" (none / 0)

yeah. no.
HOW ABOUT ... concept attainment?

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Mar 13th, 2019 at 01:44:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: " linguistic prescriptivism" (none / 0)

I'm more of the Humpty Dumpty school of linguistics :

When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean--neither more nor less."

Less hyperbolically, a word means what a plurality of locutors understand it to mean (duh)

I believe the current instance to be a question of "déformation professionnelle" (sorry can't think of an English locution) : I'm quite sure that a conversation between jurists will insist on a restrictive meaning for the word "gerrymander"... however you have no jurisdiction over how the rest of us choose to use it.

_{It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue
- Queen Elizabeth II}

by eurogreen on Wed Mar 20th, 2019 at 10:45:44 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Virginia voters persuaded federal judges in 2017 that 11 of the 12 election districts pictured in this 2011 map were racially gerrymandered by Republican lawmakers. (Image via Virginia's Public Access Project)

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Mon Mar 18th, 2019 at 09:25:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]

You can't tell whether a US district is gerrymandered just by looking at a map. Part of the goal of defining the districts is to try to get some degree of proportionality into the representation, which means you need minority-majority districts. (Otherwise there will be no minorities in congress.) Some of those districts are pretty mis-shaped, but that does not count as "gerrymandered."

by asdf on Tue Mar 19th, 2019 at 12:53:51 AM EST
[ Parent ]

VA compliance with the Voting Rights Act is a pretext. Use of the BVAP formula does not protect voting rights as intended by the act.

Black voters objected to the state's new mapping. The new map does not preserve prior boundaries and voter majority preferences. Instead 11 new boundaries displaced only black voters' assignments, "diluting their strength" in old and new districts.

The new map is f'ugly precisely because VA disenfranchised voters by race ("racial gerrymandering" violating 13th, 14th, 15th Amd). It is assumed in arguments, this discriminatory treatment produces race-based preference in each for RNC candidates.

There are also several questions respecting state sovereignty also.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 19th, 2019 at 08:53:12 AM EST
[ Parent ]

one of the lines dividing two districts was drawn "in the middle of the street with black houses on one side and white houses on another side."

At this point in the racist history of US politics, the objective is to prevent "proportionality" or "minority" representation in congress. That is done by segregating electoral districts by race trait of the population's members, literally, around each one's geographic location.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 19th, 2019 at 09:06:40 AM EST
[ Parent ]

CAMPAIGN 2019 magical margins of error (none / 1)

US CENSUS
AA CENSUS (e): 13.4% of 327,167,434

116th US Congress:
TOTAL AA REPS: 57/435, or 13%
2 RNC, 55 DNC

116th US Congress: Virginia
TOTAL REPS: 11/435, 4 RNC, 7 DNC
TOTAL AA REPS: 2/11, or 18%
*REP:CENSUS PROPORTION -- 1:774,335
*US CONSTITUTIONAL PROPORTION -- 284 (1:30K)

CENSUS: Virginia, 2018 (e)
TOTAL AA: 19.8% of 8,517,685

--
Conclusion: The term "majority-minority representation" is an oxymoron. The term "racial gerrymandering" is a euphemism for bi-partisan electoral control of voter segregation (district "packing") by race. Segregation of voting rights, grouped by any criteria, is a legal offense.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 19th, 2019 at 05:43:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: CAMPAIGN 2019 magical margins of error (none / 0)

Without it, there would be no minorities of any stripe in Congress.

by asdf on Tue Mar 19th, 2019 at 10:48:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Let's Change Europe From the Ground Up by Yanis Varoufakis

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Mar 6th, 2019 at 06:42:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Compare and contrast to : (none / 0)

Europe must abandon these foolish Brussels treaties, by Jean-Luc Mélenchon

_{It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue
- Queen Elizabeth II}

by eurogreen on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 02:24:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Steve Bannon's stuttering European adventure

Orban says Fidesz may leave EPP, look at Poland for alliance
"amid a row over his government's anti-Brussels media campaign"

wut

archived
European EPP members push to exclude Hungary's Orban - AFP et al.
"EU values," Juncker accused of supporting illegal migration, Timmermanns in anti-EU campaign, anti-Semitic tropes, &tc
EU's EPP Party Launches Exclusion Procedure Against Hungary PM Orban - Reports
"Twelve EPP member parties from nine countries ..."

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Mar 8th, 2019 at 02:28:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Europe ANNEX (none / 0)

Enemy of the People
AP | Germany to Strip Terror Fighters of Citizenship in Future

The German government plans to introduce legislation enabling authorities to strip Germans with dual nationality of their German citizenship if they fight for a terror group.
[...]
German law already allows for dual nationals to be stripped of their German nationality if they volunteer for their other country's armed forces without the consent of German authorities.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 5th, 2019 at 07:45:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Europe ANNEX (none / 0)

Wrong claim. Wrong venue. Wrong "race".
US judge dismisses Namibian genocide claims against Germany

In the early 1900s, colonial troops killed tens of thousands of protesting Nama and Herero outright or expelled them to their deaths in the Omaheke desert region within what was then known as German South West Africa under an "extermination order" issued by colonial German General Lothar von Trotha.

archived piracy and jurisdiction
Eichmann in Jerusalem

The Charter accorded jurisdiction over three sorts of crimes: "crimes against peace," which the Tribunal called the "supreme international crime . . . in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole"; "war crimes"; and "crimes against humanity." Of these, only the last, the crime against humanity, was new and unprecedented. Aggressive warfare is at least as old as recorded history, and while it had been denounced as "criminal" many times before, it had never been recognized as such in any formal sense. (None of the current justifications of the Nuremberg court's jurisdiction over this matter has much to commend it. It is true that Wilhelm II had been cited before a tribunal of the Allied powers after the First World War, but the crime the former German Kaiser had been charged with was not war but breach of treaties - and specifically, the violation of Belgium's neutrality. It is also true that the Briand-Kellogg pact of August, 1928, had ruled out war as an instrument of national policy, but the pact contained neither a criterion of aggression nor a mention of sanctions - quite apart from the fact that the security system that the pact was meant to bring about had collapsed prior to the outbreak of war.) Moreover, one of the judging countries, namely, Soviet Russia, was open to the tu quoque argument. Hadn't the Russians attacked Finland and divided Poland in 1939 with complete impunity? "War crimes," on the other hand, surely no more unprecedented than the "crimes against peace," were covered by international law. The Hague and Geneva Conventions had defined these "violations of the laws or customs of war"; they consisted chiefly of ill-treatment of prisoners and of warlike acts against civilian populations. No new law with retroactive force was needed here, and the main difficulty at Nuremberg lay in the indisputable fact that here, again, the tu quoque argument applied:

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Mar 8th, 2019 at 12:33:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Follow the money (4.00 / 2)

However, some European populist parties have tried to put distance between themselves and Bannon.
When asked about a European populists' alliance, a spokesperson for the ENF said the group is "not planning these kinds of meetings."
Last year, Le Pen told reporters at a joint press conference with Salvini in Rome that she is wary of Bannon, because he doesn't "come from a European country" and is an American.
"It is up to us, and us alone, to structure the political force that will emerge from the election because we are attached to our freedom, our sovereignty," she said.
While Bannon has cultivated ties with the League, at least some of the party's senior officials are wary of getting too close to him.
"Bannon is not on the radar," one of them said, describing the American as someone who "looks like he's going after money."

by Bernard (bernard) on Tue Mar 5th, 2019 at 09:10:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Follow the money (none / 0)

2 cheers for european nationalism (I think)

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Wed Mar 6th, 2019 at 06:56:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Follow the money (none / 0)

Political alternative in Montenegro: few pros, many cons

Since joining NATO in June 2017, when Montenegro made a decisive move away from its "older brother" Serbia and their "brother of all brothers" Russia, things have become complicated in the former Yugoslav republic.
[...]
Analysts are now questioning the very nature of the protests. Were they only triggered to make corruption of the ruling elite visible to everybody, or is there a power struggle in the background?

< wipes tears >

## Democracy is not well understood.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Mar 8th, 2019 at 02:36:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

No agreement on asylum possible before EU elections, EU member states admit

Considering the deadlock, an EU diplomat said he "considers it a relief" that the asylum reform is not on the agenda: "We have nothing to discuss anyway."

archived
They are not all going back to where they came from.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Mar 8th, 2019 at 02:13:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

'The compassionate thing to do' - Isil* suspect Lisa Smith will be allowed return home, Taoiseach confirms

under the radar
euractive | Finland's government falls over failed healthcare reform
crypto-liberal narrative

YLE is funded in whole or in part by Finland government
Now what? Brief answers to 8 questions about gov't resignation
dissects "seto", national social and health care policy
As it happened: Finland reacts to surprise resignation of government, podcast (EN)
more info about center-right opposition parties, regrouping for April election
Yle poll: Undecided voters drift toward Finns Party, SDP
real and imagined "left" coalition

archived
European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies
("mixed economy", yo)

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sun Mar 10th, 2019 at 06:57:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Europe SANITY (none / 0)

"But ultimately this is an Irish citizen and we don't believe that removing an Irish citizen's citizenship from her or her family, rendering them stateless, would be either the right or compassionate thing to do," Mr Varadkar said.
"As an Irish citizen, she will have the right to return to Ireland as will her child. But as an Irish citizen, it's not just as simple as coming here and proceeding as if nothing had happened."

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 01:43:42 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Europe SANITY (none / 1)

Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders' ex-ally converts to Islam

For years, Joram van Klaveren fought a relentless campaign in the Lower House against Islam in the Netherlands as a legislator for Wilders' party [...]
But the 40-year-old Van Klaveren said he had changed his mind halfway through writing an anti-Islam book.
The work "became a refutation of objections non-Muslims have" against the religion, he told the respected NRC daily [...]
Van Klaveren is not the first high-profile PVV member to convert to Islam. He follows in the footsteps of Arnoud van Doorn, a former Hague-based PVV city councillor who converted in 2013.
Last year, a far-right politician in Germany, Arthur Wagner, also converted to Islam.

Allah is that great.

by das monde on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 08:19:28 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Europe (none / 0)

archived organized labor
EU orders Ryanair to meet European rules on local contracts
a direct result of defects in Art. 153

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 02:08:21 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Europe (none / 1)

The shameful dead of Europe's Google tax

The celebrated attempt to set up a EU digital tax died
The EU's digital tax is dead, long live the OECD's plans
Despite the strong support by the European Commission and the European Parliament, the decision of around half of the member states to introduce a similar levy and the Franco-German's last-ditch effort to reach an agreement by limiting the scope of the tax, Ireland, Sweden and Denmark still reject the European solution, diplomats from the three countries told EURACTIV.com. ...
today at the Council's table. Killed by the questionable unanimity rule required on taxation, Europe lost another opportunity to become a global rule maker. ...

< reckless eyeballin' >

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 04:29:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Europe (none / 0)

Europe grounds Boeing flights in wake of deadly crash
"An Ethiopia Airlines crash on Sunday (10 March), which claimed the lives of 157 people, prompted an in-depth investigation into whether it was linked to a similar 737 MAX 8 crash that caused 189 deaths in October."
All the countries and airlines grounding the Boeing 737 Max 8 jets
list -- similar to Guido supporters, in number only

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 08:23:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Happy Vanuatu Day! (none / 0)

EU tax haven black[!]list triples to include 15 countries

The five original jurisdictions were Samoa, Trinidad and Tobago, American Samoa, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Now, Aruba, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Dominica, Fiji, Marshall Islands, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu have been added.

blacker than ever!

These 15 jurisdictions are on the list because they were either already on the black[!]list and had taken no commitment to change (original five) or have moved from the 'grey list' to the blacklist because they failed to implement reforms in the one-year deadline
[...]
Member states are discussing other criteria based on beneficiary ownership transparency. The consequences for those on the black[!]list will be more issues with trade and damaged reputation but
No sanctions have yet been agreed on by the member states, but those on the black[!]list will face poorer trade and damaged reputation.

hallelujah!

This tax haven black[!]list is not to be confused with the EU's money laundering black[!]list, which was due to be debated in the European Parliament on Tuesday, after member states rejected it last week. The current list has 16 jurisdictions, accused of supporting money laundering and terrorism. The rejected new draft had proposed 23 jurisdictions.

archived whitelist's blacklist
the EU Council released a raft of documents

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 08:53:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Gilets jaunes attack Disney (4.00 / 2)

Newsagent stand destroyed

They make at least one of their demands clear

by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Tue Mar 19th, 2019 at 09:28:30 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Brexit (none / 0)

BREXIT

by Bjinse on Mon Mar 4th, 2019 at 09:40:43 PM EST

Re: Brexit (none / 0)

Poland adopts plan in case of no-deal Brexit

The government said in a statement after its weekly Cabinet meeting Tuesday that it agreed to a draft bill that will protect the approximately 6,000 British citizens living in Poland who will lose their status as EU citizens.
It said they will be given 21 months -- that is until Dec. 31, 2020 -- to submit an application for residency status in Poland.

21 months? That's new.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 5th, 2019 at 04:00:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brexit PUBIC INTELLECTUALS (none / 0)

Why Did Jeremy Corbyn Support a Second Brexit Referendum?, A/V, transcript
translated into US-English

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 5th, 2019 at 07:47:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brexit (none / 0)

27 Jan archive

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Mar 6th, 2019 at 07:07:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brexit (none / 0)

Well, well, well ....

Irish Times poll: Majority in North unhappy with handling of Brexit by May and DUP

Voters in Northern Ireland overwhelmingly reject a hard Brexit, would vote to remain in the European Union in a second referendum and would prefer checks on goods travelling between Great Britain and the North rather than checks on the Irish Border, according to a special Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll in Northern Ireland.
A parallel poll in the Republic finds that almost half of all voters favour a referendum on Irish unity and a clear majority would vote in favour of reunification.

42% of people in Northern Ireland favor reunification. 62% of people in Northern Ireland believe a united Ireland more likely post-Brexit. In 2018 a poll found "52% said they would vote for a united Ireland after Brexit, with 39% wishing to stay part of the UK." That rises "In the event of Brexit with a hard border, 56% favoured a united Ireland, with 40% choosing to stay in the UK."

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

by ATinNM on Thu Mar 7th, 2019 at 10:06:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brexit (4.00 / 2)

Cox to the rescue ...

Barnier slapping his knees, dying laughing so hard ...

Geoffrey Cox is facing a backlash in Brussels and Dublin after claiming the Irish backstop posed a risk to the human rights of people in Northern Ireland.

Commission spokesman: 'Barnier informed Commissioners that while the talks take place in a constructive atmosphere discussions have been difficult. No solution has been identified at this point which is consistent with the WA including the protocol on NI which won't be reopened.'
— Nick Gutteridge (@nick_gutteridge) March 6, 2019

Ten signs that you have Brexit Derangement Syndrome and what to do about it - Reaction (_link)
— Geoffrey Cox QC MP (@Geoffrey_Cox) February 15, 2019

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Thu Mar 7th, 2019 at 10:24:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brexit (none / 0)

I think every radio station in NI should have to play "Zombie" and "Mistral Boy" until even the thickest, wettest DUP gets an inkling that letting a mob of rednecks across the Irish Sea light the fuse again on The Troubles would be an extraordinarily bad idea.

by rifek on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 12:19:40 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brexit ECONOMY & FINANCE (none / 0)

Zero tariffs on EU goods coming into NI in no-deal Brexit

Under a temporary and unilateral regime announced by the British government, EU goods arriving from the Republic and remaining in Northern Ireland [North-South] will not be subject to tariffs.
However, tariffs will be payable on goods moving from the EU into the rest of the UK via Northern Ireland under a schedule of rates also released this morning.
The British government insists that this will not create a [moron] border down the Irish Sea, as there will be no checks on goods moving between Northern Ireland and Britain.

archived
1
2
3
4

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Mar 14th, 2019 at 12:08:14 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brexit ECONOMY & FINANCE (none / 0)

sounds to me like the UK govt ae trying to fly keeping NI in the Customs Union under the DUP's radar by just doing it unofficially for a few months.

Then they'll announce it officially just past the point where they don't need the DUP anymore.

Although this suggests that Westminster can plan skulldoggery a few months ahead, of which so far evidence is noticably absent.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Mar 14th, 2019 at 02:27:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brexit (none / 0)

Theresa May's full statement on Brexit assurances, 11 March 2019

< pick teeth, suck vigorously >

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 01:50:52 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brexit (none / 0)

Sputnik | LIVE UPDATES: UK Parliament Holds 2nd Decisive Vote on PM May's Brexit Deal

< pick teeth, suck vigorously >

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 04:19:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brexit "assurances," (none / 0)

Protocols, and "alternative arrangements", forthcoming

Instrument relating to the agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 04:36:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brexit (none / 0)

The pound slid to a new day low after the British government released legal advice on the revised Brexit deal https://t.co/PVMhoNbaoz pic.twitter.com/bOHdcV4okX
— Bloomberg Brexit (@Brexit) 12. März 2019

Congrats to Bloomberg for snaring the @Brexit handle.

by generic on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 01:13:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brexit (none / 0)

wow. one USD penny cheaper for a pound

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 04:39:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brexit (none / 0)

It's what @Brexit is all about.

by generic on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 04:49:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brexit (none / 0)

Scale adjustment coming in a few minutes.

by asdf on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 06:53:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brexit (none / 0)

Nope, GBP still at $1.32. I am amazed at how close to the edge even the bankers are willing to take this gamble. Maybe with computerized trading they are all going to be able to unload their GBP at 11:59 or whatever on the 29th???

by asdf on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 11:50:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brexit OFF THE LOWS! (none / 1)

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Mar 13th, 2019 at 08:39:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brexit MEANINGFUL VOTE No. n + 1 (none / 0)

(Second) House of Commons vote on the Prime Minister's Brexit deal, result:

AYES: 242 (+40)
NOES: 391 (-41)
— Britain Elects (@britainelects) March 12, 2019

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 07:40:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brexit MEANINGFUL VOTE No. n + 1 (none / 0)

Attitude Adjustment!

FINAL CALL:

For: 231 (+27)
Against: 405 (-29)

Defeat By: 174 (-56)

Changes w/ Meaningful Vote One.
Figures Include Tellers.#BrexitVote #MeaningfulVote #WithdrawalAgreement pic.twitter.com/HVM7Sd0TPu
— Election Maps UK (@ElectionMapsUK) March 12, 2019

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 07:46:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brexit IDIOCRACY (none / 0)

Proposed by the Tories' Caroline Spelman and Labour's Jack Dromey [!], it would reject a no-deal Brexit outright, without acknowledging that a deal needs to be agreed to prevent that eventuality. Crucially [?!], it also removes reference [!]to the UK leaving the EU on 29 March 2019, paving the way for MPs to agree to an extension of Article 50.

UK lawmaker Spelman says no longer wants vote on her 'no deal' Brexit proposal

I've signed up to the #PlasticPledge @Tearfund because I've heard about the devastating impact that plastic waste has on people living in poverty. I'm giving up [plastic items] for 40 days... at least. Find out more: https://t.co/mmY6aEdkKw #UKAidMatch #PlasticPledge
— Dame Caroline Spelman MP (@spelmanc) March 6, 2019

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Mar 13th, 2019 at 08:36:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brexit IDIOCRACY ANNEX (none / 0)

Senate talks collapse on avoiding Trump showdown over emergency declaration

or is that hoedown?

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Mar 13th, 2019 at 08:49:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brexit DELAY (none / 0)

Britain's Parliament votes to delay EU departure

The House of Commons voted 412 to 202 to ask the EU to push back the U.K.'s departure from the bloc in less than three weeks to at least June 30.

m'k.

Michael Gove, Britain's environment secretary, told Parliament Wednesday night that tens of thousands of businesses were not prepared for a "no-deal" exit.

constitutional story developing ...

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Mar 14th, 2019 at 08:44:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Trump (none / 0)

TRUMP

by Bjinse on Mon Mar 4th, 2019 at 09:40:45 PM EST

Re: Trump (none / 0)

The situation here is still pretty psychotic.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 5th, 2019 at 03:44:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Trump (none / 0)

that's an under-statement

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Tue Mar 5th, 2019 at 06:25:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Trump (none / 0)

I'm trans. I'm a person of color. I'm an immigrant. I'm a lesbian. I'm a gay man. I'm the disabled.

I'm everything. And so are you, Kirk.

Don't be afraid of what you don't know or understand. No one wants to hurt you. We are all just looking for our happily ever after. https://t.co/znkQizV37k
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) March 9, 2019

Actually, her "role" in the Charmed franchise has been "re-booted" with another PYT.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sun Mar 10th, 2019 at 07:02:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Trump (none / 0)

There's a lot of that going around.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sun Mar 10th, 2019 at 07:04:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Trump (none / 0)

This person (co-chairman of a huge international law firm in NYC) is alleged to have participated in a scheme that involved coaching his daughter to fake a learning disability, hiring someone to take classes for her, and finally paying a $75,000 bribe to fabricate test scores! pic.twitter.com/sQazHYC1Oj
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) March 12, 2019

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 05:21:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]

uh oh (none / 0)

This story combines two distinct criminal cases: one DOJ racketeering indictment involving athletic scholarship fraud (notably, female, Title IX beneficiaries);
and another DOJ common mail and wire fraud indictment of a "college prep" business --to which the MSM attaches much glamour, BECAUSE a couple D-list TV celebrities are implicated.

Defendants however of the two cases are entirely different.
Actors, CEOs & Coaches Indicted in Admissions Bribery Case

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 06:22:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: uh oh (none / 0)

class war is breaking out of the AP Style Guidelines

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Mar 14th, 2019 at 05:47:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: uh oh (none / 0)

USC is not a division of the University of California public school system. And, no. It is not a part of "Ivey League" athletic or ahh prestige conferences. Similar yet different horticulture.
At USC, Admissions Cheating Scandal Runs Deeper

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Mar 14th, 2019 at 06:13:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: uh oh (none / 0)

2 Stanford students file first class-action suit in largest-ever college admissions scam

Erica Olsen and Kalea Woods say they were denied a fair opportunity to gain admission to their choice of a top college, and that their Stanford degrees were devalued, by criminal racketeering charges leveled by federal prosecutors.
In the federal complaint, Olsen, from Henderson, Nevada, said she had "stellar" standardized test scores and athletic talent, but was rejected by Yale after paying her roughly $85 application fee.
"Had she known that the system at Yale University was warped and rigged by fraud, she would not have spent the money to apply to the school," the lawsuit states. "She also did not receive what she paid for - a fair admissions consideration process."

fascinating interpretation of torts law

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Mar 14th, 2019 at 06:19:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: uh oh (none / 1)

Had she known that the system at Yale University was warped and rigged by fraud

Surely the fact that GW Bush was accepted by them should have told her that....

by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Thu Mar 14th, 2019 at 06:23:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: uh oh (none / 0)

Succeeding While Black*

Obama, then, is not just telling stories; she is shaping our understanding of the world we live in, which is why it is so critical that we, as a public, interrogate her ideology. When we do, we might see that her story is not in search of the collective experience but is a celebration of personal fulfillment--the kind of self-involved, "live your truth"-inspired homilies that middle-class and rich women tell each other. Becoming normalizes power and the status quo while sending the message that the rest of us only need to find our place in the existing social hierarchy to be happy. This is unfortunate because personal narratives--including Obama's--do have power.

TV celebrities and coaches charged in college bribery scheme

No students were charged, with authorities saying that in many cases the teenagers were unaware of what was going on. Several of the colleges involved made no mention of taking any action against the students.
The scandal is certain to inflame longstanding complaints that children of the wealthy and well-connected have the inside track in college admissions -- sometimes through big, timely donations from their parents -- and that privilege begets privilege.

DOJ | Arrests Made in Nationwide College Admissions Scam: Alleged Exam Cheating & Athletic Recruitment Scheme
--
* Little known fact: I downloaded and read Obama's senior (sociology, Princeton) thesis, back in '07, when it leaked online. (Snope misinforms.) Don't know where it is now, but I do know, she "worked" her theory of black stereotyping and segregation at Princeton to get her degree. Self-servin sumbitch then as now. Incidentally, my bro graduated 3 years later.

archived meritocracy
We constantly navigate being told, mostly by men ...
Where are the young women in this story?
Wilding

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sat Mar 16th, 2019 at 12:15:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

de jokes, (none / 0)

Former Democratic Colorado Governor Hickenlooper joins presidential race

Je hickenloope
Tu hickenloopes
Il/Elle/On hickenloope
Nous hickenloopons
Vous hickenloopez
Ils/Elles hickenloopent
— Jacob Bacharach (@jakebackpack) March 4, 2019

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 5th, 2019 at 04:26:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Hillary Clinton says she's not running in 2020
this week?

archived 712th charm
Curse of the Mummy

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 5th, 2019 at 05:27:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

the DNC's favourite Biden-substitute

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Tue Mar 5th, 2019 at 06:26:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

CNN focus group rejects Biden

The instantly notorious, "viral" CNN Focus group, 5 March 2019
Democratic voters: Biden should stay out of 2020 race
(no transcript)

which is funny, because The Hill is still running (or re-freshing) straw polling that started beginning of February.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 5th, 2019 at 07:24:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Another septuagenarian.

by asdf on Wed Mar 6th, 2019 at 01:17:57 AM EST
[ Parent ]

'I am a member of the Democratic Party': Sanders signs loyalty pledge for 2020 bid

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Mar 6th, 2019 at 05:24:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

But is he a real Democrat?

by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Wed Mar 6th, 2019 at 05:36:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

[INCONTINENCE ALERT] (none / 0)

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Mar 6th, 2019 at 06:43:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

"Is Sanders' Democratic Socialism ... Socialism?", A/V, transcript

Is Ro Khanna "progressive"?
"He was later appointed to the [Obama] White House Business Council.[19] Khanna resigned from the Department of Commerce in August 2011 to join Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, a law firm located in Silicon Valley."

End Venezuela Sanctions Says Rep. Ro Khanna and 15 Progressive Democrats, A/V, transcript

I was just with President Carter, actually, this morning, and I shared a concern that these elections weren't legitimate.
Carter, now 94, no longer travels but told Khanna that he would go to North Korea if the Trump administration wanted his assistance.
I mean, the Carter Center was not allowed [?] to monitor any of the elections. The United States should be calling for clean new elections, and a process of peaceful negotiation that the Pope, Mexico, and Uruguay are calling for. No one is saying that we ought to be defending Maduro when he's committing human rights violations, or getting elected by an election that wasn't transparent.

The Strongly Worded Letter, 7 March 2019
The Strongly Worded Letter, 26 June 2018

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Mar 8th, 2019 at 10:28:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Sanders pledges to support Democratic nominee in 2020
"should he fall short", Anyone Buttrump

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sun Mar 10th, 2019 at 07:43:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

He was born three months before Pearl Harbor.

by asdf on Mon Mar 11th, 2019 at 12:22:07 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Which makes the VP question more pressing than it usually is. But going for an establishment VP is dumb anyway if you want to use small planes. Or big ones.

by generic on Mon Mar 11th, 2019 at 09:09:39 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Tulsi Gabbard seams thoroughly hated by the oligarchs for questioning the gravy trains running from the war eternal. With her as VP the oligarchs might try to keep Sanders alive instead.

by fjallstrom on Mon Mar 11th, 2019 at 04:57:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Rep. Ilhan Omar Defies Dem Leaders By Refusing to Recognize Venezuela's Guaido: 'Absolutely Not' - Democratic Underground

A pitty Omar doesn't qualify.

by generic on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 08:48:35 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: de jokes, (4.00 / 2)

*pity

When asked if she recognizes the opposition as the leader, Omar, who sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said, "Absolutely not."

by generic on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 09:27:40 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Harris on Manafort ruling: 'The justice system is broken in America'
"Harris, a former California attorney general, compared Manafort's 47-month sentence on financial crimes to the 12-year stint a man is currently service for a marijuana charge."

archived punitive. damage.
Kamala-hate
It's a woman who asked a court (unsuccessfully) to keep an innocent man in jail ...
I for one do not long for the day I awake find President Harris, Pence, or whoever from HELL, directing AG Wm. Barr on how to enforce USC --because the last session of Congress forbade the POTUS terminating the commission of any officer of the executive without the permission of a House of odious.
.
CA Senator Kamala Harris' new book
brutal penal law enforced by "top cops"
.
Democrats seek hearings on Trump's ouster of Sessions
why? O, WHY?!

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sat Mar 9th, 2019 at 02:38:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]

In case you're wondering why Joe Biden is running:

This is a Kamala 2020 campaign event on Monday in South Carolina.

HRC 2.0 has failed. pic.twitter.com/QSWZ9YHav3
— Carlo (@yesthatCarlo) March 13, 2019

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Mar 13th, 2019 at 09:14:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I'm really not sure that image is legit. She has hired enough professionals that that shouldn't happen. The dem consultants are not particularly good at winning elections, but not getting blamed for losses is a well practiced core skill.

by generic on Wed Mar 13th, 2019 at 10:36:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Fair enough: Let us work through your incredulity.

There are 353 days until 2020 SC Democratic Party primary.
There are 600 days until the 2020 general election.

Who did Kamala?! professional consultants identify as her "base" in SC? The AKA sorority
What compelling reasons might SC voters have had to appear at Kamala?!'s rally 11 March 2019? Do you see food? Me neither; children don't vote.
Who did the majority of SC elect for POTUS ins 2016? Trump. America's SC poll-smoke signals he'll win again.
Are SC voters waiting for Bernie? Some other "real" Democratic Party consultants think, Yes! When he gets his "ground game" in motion.
Is it possible or likely that Kamala?! operatives sequestered SC voters' at the venue or denied many more entry? Perhaps, yes, in the interest of law enforcement.

So. Is this snapshot, at this time in that place, an accurate, "legit," representation of SC voter attraction to Kamala?!

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Mar 14th, 2019 at 02:15:28 AM EST
[ Parent ]

yea, this far out I don't think numbers count for anything. But a black woman campaigning for Prez needs the visibility an event in SC gives her.

Heck, the only thing you heard about this event was that photo. I dunno but that might be a win.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Mar 14th, 2019 at 02:33:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

et tu, Helen?

a black woman campaigning for Prez needs the visibility an event in SC gives her.

There is a list of reasons why Kamala?! "visibility" in SC is low, but that's all you heard.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Mar 14th, 2019 at 03:25:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

No, what I wrote was;-

yea, this far out I don't think numbers count for anything. But a black woman campaigning for Prez needs the visibility an event in SC gives her.
Heck, the only thing you heard about this event was that photo. I dunno but that might be a win.

So, if you take the sentence But a black woman campaigning for Prez needs the visibility an event in SC gives her, I believe you inferred a whole other things I didn't say. I'll explain better what I meant and we'll see where that gets us.

Harris is a black woman from California, clean the other side of the USA. A little bit of negative press (which I, to my shame, fell for initially), but coming from pos like Politico, that should actually be a badge of honour.

So, the questions her team need to answer is "where can she win?" followed by "how can we boost her national profile with people who might vote for her?"

South Carolina looks to me like a gimme for Harris in the primary. All she has to do is work it and be seen to work it.

Everybody else is all over Iowa and New Hampshire like a rash and nobody gives a shit. But SC? Not usually on the tour this early.

2 ways of making a splash;-

A big rally, the sort of thing Bernie does. But this far out from the Primary middling contenders don't have that firepower.
Do something that lights up the innertubes. So, a bust in the middle of nowhere you've never been heard of seems like a cheap date. So long as there's film. A little ridicule goes a long way on the web so long as you're prepared to ride it.

I just wondered if it was actually a smart and subtle delierate ploy. I don't think I meant anything deeper than that.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Mar 14th, 2019 at 06:25:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Fair enough: "South Carolina looks to me like a gimme [read: "easy" victory, correct?] for Harris in the primary. All she has to do is work it and be seen to work it."

I already linked Harris vs. all, for you (above). Biden leads, and Harris has no "visibility" in the middle. They all lose to Trump by wide margins. So. Why might she be "working" SC? (open DNC primary). Presume a raceless field of Democratic Party candidates. Pretend no one represents Harris as a "black woman" candidate. Pretend that no one heard Nikki Haley did chastise king Clyburn.

why is sc dem primary important? "First in the South"
For RNC, (proportional) delegate allocation is crucial. For DNC, (FPTP) delegate selection ("retail politics") is crucial. The party has started a hiring campaign expected to culminate in November, with or without SC popular participation in the DNC primary.

And how does Kamala?! "visibility" from launch platforms (Oakland and Howard University, Washington D.C.) measure likely Democratic Party voter support for her candidacy in SC primary and general elections? Depictions of likely voter turnout animate DNC delegates' power to select the party's nominee.

Why show up to a rally in SC to watch Kamala?! "work it"?

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Mar 14th, 2019 at 07:52:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Wait, what negative press turned out to be bogus?

Also if a bit of mockery would help then I submit Jeb! would be president.
More seriously: My read on the Clown Car is that the whole dynamic is about uniting the establishment support behind one of the clowns so as to prevent Sanders doing to them what Trump did to the GOP. Harris was the default option as of last week so looking weak is not to her benefit at all. Of course everyone is running anyway. Beto the Obama coplayer already declared and creepy uncle Joe Biden is als inevitable.

by generic on Thu Mar 14th, 2019 at 09:36:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

A Naked Capitalism reader on how Biden operates.

I worked at the Pennsylvania Extruded Tube Company in Clarks Summit for 13 years until I retired eight months ago. As "factory" a place as you will ever find, just north of Scranton. Biden would show up in Scranton just before elections to campaign, talk about how he was from there, and then disappear. Everyone knew an election was coming, because Joe Biden was back in town.
"It's a great place to be from," he'd say. And we'd say, "Yeah, you couldn't wait to leave, and you never did anything for Scranton anyway, except leave." In 2016, Joe showed up to campaign for Hillary. Same tired stories about how great it was to be from Scranton. A kiss of death to an already dead candidate. The factory went overwhelmingly for Trump, because he talked about trade and jobs. When you've been down so long, you have to jump on any little ray of hope that comes your way, even if you know it usually doesn't work out.

by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Thu Mar 14th, 2019 at 09:41:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Biden's day is coming. Dude has close to 40 years of trash in his trunk to air out.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Mar 14th, 2019 at 10:01:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Mar 15th, 2019 at 02:45:54 AM EST
[ Parent ]

pic.twitter.com/Z9kQCdbA9L
— Rob Rousseau (@robrousseau) 13. März 2019

by generic on Fri Mar 15th, 2019 at 11:13:14 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Yeah. Biden will not be president.

by generic on Fri Mar 15th, 2019 at 06:58:15 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Born during Battle of Stalingrad.

by asdf on Fri Mar 15th, 2019 at 11:00:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]

~~Co-Founder~~ Bottom bitch of [NXIVM] Tied to ~~Sex Slavery~~ prostitution Pleads Guilty

a self-help group labeled by prosecutors as a pyramid scheme-turned-sex slavery ring and a floor wax, pleaded guilty Wednesday to racketeering conspiracy charges.
[...]
"I still believe that some what we did was good," Salzman said of NXIVM, which she founded in the 1990s with Keith Raniere. "The problem began when I compromised my principles."
Though NXIVM itself has not been charged with a crime, Raniere has been behind bars awaiting trial since mid-2018. Known in the group as "Vanguard," Raniere is said to have been at the top of the secret sex-trafficking ring within NXIVM known as "The Vow" or "DOS."
Other defendants in the case include Salzman's daughter, Lauren Salzman; actress Allison Mack; Seagram's liquor heiress Clare Bronfman; and reported NXIVM bookkeeper Kathy Russell.

tears, sippy cup

Scheduled to be sentenced on July 10, she faces a maximum of 20 years but prosecutors have recommended a sentence of 33-41 months. Salzman has been out on bail since her arrest in July alongside her daughter, Bronfman and Russell.

archived
Mann Act revival
sex with FOSTA/SESTA

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Mar 14th, 2019 at 04:35:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Beto O'Rourke officially announces run for president

"I just want to serve this country so badly to the highest of my ability, and I believe that is serving as president of the United States," O'Rourke said as his wife, Amy, sat next to him in their 114-year-old home, where more than a century ago Mexican revolutionary leader Pancho Villa met U.S. Army Gen. Hugh Scott to discuss stopping Mexico's civil war along the border.

O'Rourke/Milano 2020. Is there a better app that subtitles videos?

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Mar 14th, 2019 at 03:54:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Gillibrand in 2020 Democratic race as full-fledged candidate
phoned in "Brave" platform, announced her exploratory committee in January in an appearance on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert."

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sun Mar 17th, 2019 at 06:00:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Thought Harris already had the Clinton/DLC faction locked-up.

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

by ATinNM on Sun Mar 17th, 2019 at 07:55:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Rep. Omar won't apologize for new comments, Dems plan anti-Semitism [resolution]

I'm running for president. Let's prove that brave wins. Join me: https://t.co/I1vp93LBUR pic.twitter.com/Giu4u4KEZQ
— Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) March 17, 2019

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sun Mar 17th, 2019 at 10:12:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Trump (none / 1)

AIPAC activist tells NYT the lobby is coming for Congresswomen @AOC @RashidaTlaib and @IlhanMN

"They are three people who, in my opinion, will not be around in several years."https://t.co/CiuU1zMu5Y
— (((YousefMunayyer))) (@YousefMunayyer) March 5, 2019

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 5th, 2019 at 04:44:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Trump (none / 0)

by Cat on Tue Mar 5th, 2019 at 04:59:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

wut (none / 0)

Ocasio-Cortez accuses GOP [?] of targeting female Democrats

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 5th, 2019 at 05:18:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: wut (none / 0)

Ocasio-Cortez questions criticism of Omar: 'No one seeks this level of reprimand' for statements about other groups

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 5th, 2019 at 05:21:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: wut (none / 0)

Ocasio-Cortez on moderates: 'We view cynicism as an intellectually superior attitude'

"When we think about the greatest things we have ever accomplished as a society have been ambitious acts of vision, and the `meh' is just worshipped now, for what?"

And no one heard Diogenes scream. With pain. Sincerely.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sun Mar 10th, 2019 at 07:40:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: wut (none / 0)

'We should be excited about automation,' says Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

this might be is, revenant of a letter John Adams sent to Abigail. IDK.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Mon Mar 11th, 2019 at 03:00:11 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: wut (none / 0)

Volkswagen to Shed Up to 7,000 Jobs Through Automation
"it will create some 2,000 NEW! jobs in technical development"

< reckless eyeballin' >

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Mar 13th, 2019 at 06:29:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Selective truncation (none / 0)

But the reason we're not excited by it is because we live in a society where if you don't have a job, you are left to die. And that is, at its core, our problem."

_{It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue
- Queen Elizabeth II}

by eurogreen on Wed Mar 20th, 2019 at 02:36:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Trump (4.00 / 2)

Just as in the UK, it is in US.

I see there's a new narrative being built that being critical of capitalism is an explicitly anti-semitic political stance. They're flying it as an anti-Corbyn trial balloon in the UK at the moment, but I imagine, if it works with the murdoch crowd, it will be deployed against Omar and AOC.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Tue Mar 5th, 2019 at 06:30:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Trump (4.00 / 2)

Race-baiting is not a "new narrative" in electioneering in either country, because it always works to deflect the attention of masses of exploited people from the source of their misery! Yanno, politcal processes of a tiny number of elected legislators.

yay! Go democracy.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 5th, 2019 at 07:06:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Trump (none / 0)

Blackface and the American Idea of Race
a fine demonstration of a discursive essay which, almost but not quite, explains opposition within the "general" population to material "reparation" owed American descendants of slavery, in particular.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Mar 13th, 2019 at 04:16:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

House Passes Resolution Condemning Forms of Hatred
Standard enemy of the people: No bill number. No bill title.

ROLL CALL #108. No text. No common sense.

H.RES. 183
On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree, as Amended [to H.R.1 ?!]
Title/Description
Condemning anti-Semitism as hateful expressions of intolerance that are contradictory to the values and aspirations that define the people of the United States and condemning anti-Muslim discrimination and bigotry against minorities as hateful expressions of intolerance that are contrary to the values and asperations.

pitiful, craven, useless

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Mar 8th, 2019 at 12:34:22 AM EST
[ Parent ]

H.RES. 183 draft gibberish
(courtesy of Sputnik)

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Mar 8th, 2019 at 02:51:07 AM EST
[ Parent ]

WikiLeaks volunteer has decided to testify.*

"Espionage Act"

David House, a former WikiLeaks volunteer and friend of Chelsea Manning, has decided to cooperate with the US investigation into the release of State Department cables and army field reports from Afghanistan by WikiLeaks' founder Julian Assange, The Daily Beast reported. In exchange, House will be granted immunity.

Chelsea Manning jailed for refusing to testify on Wikileaks

Where is christ Greenwald and his fine, feathered patron Omidyar?
--
* six years of backstory, running through Iceland, behind this canary; search Wired magazine archives, for one.

offsite archive Clinton/Nuland 2020
"That case has nothing to do with us"

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Mar 8th, 2019 at 04:13:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Trump HOUSE (none / 1)

Jailing Chelsea Manning

another fine essay: Who is the new editor at Counterpunch this week?

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Mar 13th, 2019 at 04:43:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

The website says

Jeffrey St. Clair, Editor
Joshua Frank, Managing Editor
Nathaniel St. Clair, Social Media
Alexander Cockburn, 1941-2012

So I don't think anything has changed other than the dates for Cockburn.

by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Wed Mar 13th, 2019 at 04:46:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I am joking.

I skim the titles every day and have done so slightly longer than a decade. So I have noted with interest verisimilitude in selected essays and quality of compositions. It has not changed for the better. Indeed, offsite the editorial ahh board is confronting criticism from several essayists (not Binoy Kampmark, who is published widely) who had been frequent "contributors".

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Mar 13th, 2019 at 05:07:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]

o. snap. (none / 1)

Chelsea Manning Defies Secret Grand Jury, Julian Assange Scoops Michael Cohen
the empty wheels

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Mar 14th, 2019 at 02:27:23 AM EST
[ Parent ]

It looks like MSM to their fingers off the pulse of de people this week. The struggle to keep on message is mighty.

AOC has a post-AMZN NYPost and Daily News problem that just won't quit. Trump twisted H.Res.183 party backbiting into an anti-Israel disgrace rant, because wut. "Knee-gro-whisperer" Jim Clyburn's about to be tossed into the Alabama River without a life preserver.

Jim Clyburn's leadership tested as he defends a colleague accused of anti-Semitism
"Compassionate"? yeah. no. King Clyburn has forgotten who are his constituents -- [SC-6] .
Top House Dem dismisses reparations as 2020 candidates endorse idea

Clyburn, the [oldest] ranking African-American congressman, told the newspaper he thinks "pure reparations would be impossible to implement."
He also said he was opposed to "opportunity zones," an idea promoted by Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.). He told the Post and Courier that this concept, giving tax incentives to developers who work in low-income neighborhoods, "smoke and mirrors."

Which is strange, because he was for it before he was against it. I wonder, Who changed king Clyburn's mind? Bernie, Pelosi, or Trump?

Uh oh. Sure hope Mignon can swim underwater. Or hire someone who can.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Mar 8th, 2019 at 06:34:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

The Obama Boys - Current Affairs | Culture & Politics

US-Born Latinos See Slower Recovery From Great Recession
hmm. #ADOLA?

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Mar 8th, 2019 at 07:24:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Trump (none / 0)

Democrats upset over Omar [are] seeking primary challenger
"Several party leaders said..."

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Mar 14th, 2019 at 04:04:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Trump CITIZENSHIP RULING (none / 0)

Judge Orders Citizenship Question Off 2020 Census
finding violation of federal law and 'fundamentally counterproductive to the goal of obtaining accurate citizenship data about the public.'"
Judge Strips Bosnian War Criminal of US Citizenship

U.S. District Judge Marco Hernandez found Sammy Rasema Yetisen, aka Zolja, lied when she applied for refugee status in 1996 and on her U.S. citizenship application. She concealed her role with a special-forces unit with the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to a 12-page opinion filed Feb. 28 and announced by the Justice Department on Tuesday.
[...]
In one of her responses included in the opinion, Yetisen said the U.S. government does not 'understand war" and that she was only following orders.

o, yes, there's a lot of that going around.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Mar 6th, 2019 at 08:55:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Trump (none / 0)

The Obama Democrats, guided by the "let's just all sit down in a room together and work out our differences" temperament of Obama himself, seemed desperate for Republican approval and shocked when the right proved unreasonable. In 2012, long after Messina had been told explicitly that Republicans were not going to be friendly under any circumstances, Obama invited congressional Republicans to the White House for a screening of Spielberg's Lincoln, in order to show how political adversaries can cooperate for the common good. "Not one of them came," Rhodes laments. Obama held out hope that a party willing to destroy the entire planet in order to preserve the privileges of the super-wealthy would come to his movie nights and work things out amicably.

by generic on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 12:36:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Trump (none / 1)

The Obama Boys - Current Affairs | Culture & Politics

David Plouffe, Obama's 2008 campaign manager, noted that when Obama toured the country midway through his presidency, he found that "no one was happy with him" at the town halls. "It was a really poor reflection on our country," Plouffe commented.

by generic on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 01:58:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Trump (none / 1)

Granted, these men are all devoted admirers of Obama who set out to defend his legacy. But in telling stories intended to make Obama and his staff look good, they end up affirming that the left's cynicism was fully warranted.

Some of the most amusing anecdotes about The Cynic from Sinope

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 03:55:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Trump (4.00 / 2)

oh, if only somebody could have warned them how it was going to be.

Say, back in 2007

{distant sound lof blowing my own trumpet}

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Wed Mar 13th, 2019 at 03:42:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Trump (none / 0)

I did actually at DKos, in a diary about Obama, specifically, and indirectly in an open letter to John Conyers (that I did email with my full name also to his office).

Incidentally, you may recall, that "Plouffe," commenting in his own name, haunted DKos in the run up.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Mar 13th, 2019 at 04:57:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Trump makes sense (none / 1)

TPM

Airplanes are becoming far too complex to fly. Pilots are no longer needed, but rather computer scientists from MIT.

Despite this, he didn't order the 737 Maxs grounded. In the meantime, from Naked Capitalism comments.

This non-MCAS complaint filed by one captain (cited by a commenter in the HN thread) stuck out.
The Internet of Things takes flight:
1565207 At cruise flight, our Wi-Fi stopped working. I then saw that I was unable to access the Pilot Mobile app. Since I do not routinely copy the flight plan to iBook or acrobat (we are not required to do this), I was unable to access the flight plan. I've lost Wi-Fi before but not had this problem. Maybe it's a 737max thing. My First Officer had a copy on iBook and airdropped it to me. Later we were able to restore the Wi-Fi and I could login to pilot mobile but the [flight plan] was not there anymore.
Giving new meaning to cloud computing.

by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Wed Mar 13th, 2019 at 03:51:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Leadership (none / 1)

Trump changed his mind (again?).

Trump grounds Boeing 737 Max models after crashes, following other nations' lead

President Trump grounded Boeing's 737 Max planes Wednesday, following the lead of 51 other countries that have ordered an indefinite freeze on flying the model involved in two calamitous crashes.
"The safety of the American people and all people is our paramount concern," Trump said during a meeting at the White House.
"All of those planes are grounded, effective immediately," Trump said, a move that was expected to spark sizable travel disruptions because there are about 74 737 Max aircraft used by three U.S. carriers -- Southwest, American and United.

by Bernard (bernard) on Wed Mar 13th, 2019 at 07:59:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Leadership (none / 1)

I have previously joked that an aggressor didn't need to subtly break democracy in order to bring down civilisation, you just need to stop the internet.

Everybody under 40's brain would turn to mush and they'd be wandering around, lost and helpless, unable to catch a train, navigate a road or even find something to read. It never occured to me that planes would be crashing as well.

There are aliens planning to invade earth who are going "we never realised they'd make it so easy......"

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Wed Mar 13th, 2019 at 08:55:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Trump (none / 0)

Senate delivers rebuke to Trump by terminating border wall emergency
list of 12 senate republicans who voted with Democrats, veto expected, no tropes identified

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Mar 14th, 2019 at 08:49:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Trump (none / 0)

Donna Brazile Joins Fox News Ahead of 2020 Presidential Race

Former Democratic National Committee head Donna Brazile was signed by Fox News, the company said on March 18.

I'll just pretend the Trump section is now about the clown car.

by generic on Tue Mar 19th, 2019 at 03:42:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]

World (none / 0)

WORLD

by Bjinse on Mon Mar 4th, 2019 at 09:40:49 PM EST

India-Pakistan (4.00 / 2)

Donald Trump Plans to End India's Preferential Trade Treatment

Washington: US President Donald Trump said on Monday he intends to end India`s preferential trade treatment under a programme that allows $5.6 billion worth of Indian exports to enter the United States duty free.

IRNA - 8 arrested for terror attacks martyring 27 IRGC in SE Iran

A Suicide attack on a bus, carrying the Islamic Republic Guard Corps (IRGC) personnel, martyred 27 and wounded 13 in southeastern Iran on February 12. A terrorist group so-called Jaish al-Adl, affiliated to Al-Qaida, claimed responsibility for the incident.

Saudi Crown Prince MBS to visit Pakistan for investment deals | Saudi Arabia News | Al Jazeera

Islamabad, Pakistan - Saudi Arabia's crown prince is due to arrive in the Pakistani capital for a state visit to a key strategic ally that is expected to see the Gulf kingdom sign investment deals worth more than $10bn, government officials said.

Before the recent India - Pakistan spat I still hadn't really reevaluated US policies in the region since Obama's "pivot to Asia".
Doesn't look like there is a lot left of it:
List of active Indian military aircraft - Wikipedia

MiG-21     Russia     Fighter     Bison     113[1][2]
MiG-27     Russia     Ground attack     MiG-27ML     44[3]
MiG-29     Russia     Multirole     MiG-29UPG[4]     66[3]
HAL Tejas     India     Multirole     Mk 1     12[5]     28 on order[6]
Mirage 2000     France     Multirole     2000 H/I     41[7][8]
Sukhoi Su-30     Russia     Multirole     Su-30MKI     242[1]     Total 272 on order[9]
Dassault Rafale     France     Multirole     EH/DH[10]         36 on order[3]
SEPECAT Jaguar     UK     Ground attack     IM/IS[11]     91[12][13]

by generic on Tue Mar 5th, 2019 at 12:56:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: India-Pakistan (none / 1)

And what is the state of this(2015):
Pakistan's parliament votes against entering Yemen conflict | World news | The Guardian

Pakistan's parliament has dealt a blow to Saudi hopes of defeating Yemen's Houthi rebels, with MPs voting overwhelmingly for the country to remain out of the conflict.
Friday's vote, which came as tensions continued to rise between Riyadh and Tehran over the conflict in Yemen, will make it extremely hard for the prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, to offer anything more than symbolic help.

by generic on Tue Mar 5th, 2019 at 01:00:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: India-Pakistan (none / 0)

US strategy is clear: Disconnect from allies, embrace dictatorships.

by asdf on Wed Mar 6th, 2019 at 01:19:19 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: India-Pakistan (none / 0)

Not sure if anything really changed in the grand picture. That's why I copied the inventory of theIndian airforce from the wiki. 8 years of pivoting to Asia yet the US never got around to flogging off a few of their overpriced flying garbage cans?

And what happened in the short term? Just a mustache twitching at the lack of dead Iranians lately? A coke head royal counting his remaining infantry?

by generic on Wed Mar 6th, 2019 at 09:52:42 AM EST
[ Parent ]

No one cares (none / 0)

to arrest the Guido man.
Guaido Returns to Venezuela amid US Threats Against Maduro | Venezuelanalysis.com

Despite official warnings that he would be arrested for violating a Supreme Court-ordered travel ban, the self-proclaimed "interim president" successfully went through airport customs before proceeding to attend an anti-government rally in eastern Caracas.

I'm sure Bolton is disappointed. Hope he doesn't catch fire like the "aid" trucks.

by generic on Tue Mar 5th, 2019 at 01:08:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

< wipes tears > (none / 0)

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 5th, 2019 at 04:14:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: No one cares (none / 0)

hey btw remember what happens when you try to get unauthorized aid into Gaza? don't remember there being quite the same level of outrage over this from the political & media establishment pic.twitter.com/Geyq28f01S
— Rob Rousseau (@robrousseau) February 28, 2019

by generic on Wed Mar 6th, 2019 at 12:49:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: No one cares (none / 1)

Why go as far as Gaza? The Caracazo took place starting Feb 27 1989. Immediately afterwards,

On March 3, 1989, Pérez spoke with U.S. President George H. W. Bush. President Bush offered President Pérez a US$450 million emergency loan.

by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Wed Mar 6th, 2019 at 12:55:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: No one cares (none / 0)

16th Anniversary of Rachel Corrie's Murder - An Interview With Her Parents. A/V, transcript

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sun Mar 17th, 2019 at 09:10:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: No one cares (none / 0)

US to revoke more visas of Venezuelans to pressure Maduro, 6 Mar 2019

Pence tells the Latino Coalition that the U.S. will revoke 77 visas held by officials in the Maduro government or their relatives.
He says "the time has come to liberate Venezuela from Cuba."

archived ebola-like pressure
The United States Revokes U.S. Entry of Maduro-Aligned Individuals and Family, 1 Mar 2019
"we revoked the visas of 49 individuals"

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Mar 6th, 2019 at 07:42:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: No one cares (none / 1)

Sputnik | Trump Extends Sanctions, National Emergency With Respect to Venezuela
"unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States"

reference
Federal Register | Obama | EO 13692, 8 Mar 2015

Federal Register | Trump | EO 13808, 24 Aug 2017

Federal Register | Trump | EO 13850, 1 Nov 2018

Federal Register | Trump | EO 13857, 25 Jan 2019
&tc

archive "stupid" national emergencies
CNN | Trump's wall would be the 32nd active national emergency, illustrated
"26. Blocking Property and Suspending Entry of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Venezuela (March 9, 2015)"
SANCTIONS AGAINST TRADE WITH VENEZUELA since 2006

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Mar 6th, 2019 at 07:58:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Professionalism of the highest order (none / 1)

According to Russia 24, Abrams told the Russian pranksters in a subsequent call that there were no real plans for military intervention, but he wanted to keep the threats active to "make the Venezuelan military nervous." Outstanding operational security on display here.
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) 7. März 2019

Still not beating his all time best though:
Elliott Abrams Isn't Going to Bring "Democracy" to Venezuela

When Congress cut off funds to the Contras, an anti-Sandinista guerrilla force created by the U.S., Abrams successfully persuaded the Sultan of Brunei to cough up $10 million for the cause. Unfortunately, Abrams, acting under the code name "Kenilworth," provided the Sultan with the wrong Swiss bank account number, so the money was wired instead to a random lucky recipient.

by generic on Thu Mar 7th, 2019 at 07:13:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Professionalism of the highest order (none / 0)

Elliott Guaidó rim shot from the tarmac
Huge Power Outage in Venezuela Raises Tensions

Rubio, who has been driving the Trump administration's confrontational stance toward Maduro, seemed to relish Rodriguez's accusations that he was to blame for the power crisis. "My apologies to people of Venezuela," the Florida Republican said in a message on Twitter. "I must have pressed the wrong thing on the `electronic attack' app I downloaded from Apple. My bad."

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Mar 8th, 2019 at 07:33:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Professionalism of the highest order (none / 0)

Venezuela Update: Massive Blackout, US Unconventional Warfare?, A/V, transcript

GREG WILPERT: Communications minister Jorge Rodriguez argued that Florida Senator Marco Rubio knew a blackout was coming. He Tweeted a message about it only minutes after the blackout began, saying, "ALERT: Reports of a complete power outage all across #Venezuela at this moment. 18 of 23 states & the capital district are currently facing complete blackouts."

yathink?

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sat Mar 16th, 2019 at 12:34:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Not going so well (none / 1)

Venezuela News Latest: Colombia Thwarts Plan by Soldiers - Bloomberg

Late last month, as U.S. officials joined Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido near a bridge in Colombia to send desperately needed aid to the masses and challenge the rule of Nicolas Maduro, some 200 exiled soldiers were checking their weapons and planning to clear the way for the convoy.
Led by retired General Cliver Alcala, who has been living in Colombia, they were going to drive back the Venezuelan national guardsmen blocking the aid on the other side. The plan was stopped by the Colombian government, which learned of it late and feared violent clashes at a highly public event it promised would be peaceful.

Venezuela News Latest: Colombia Thwarts Plan by Soldiers - Bloomberg

Moreover, when Guaido was in Colombia, its president, Ivan Duque, expressed frustration to him. Witnesses said Duque complained about the failure of Guaido's promise to bring tens of thousands of Venezuelans to the border to receive the humanitarian aid.

by generic on Fri Mar 8th, 2019 at 12:30:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Not going so well (none / 0)

U.S. presses Latin American allies to turn China against Maduro

"The message we have for China is they're more likely to get a return on their investments if Venezuela is stable, if Venezuela is prosperous, and if Venezuela has a positive future ahead of it," the senior administration official said.

soooooo ...
China offers help to Venezuela to restore power

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Mar 13th, 2019 at 07:58:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: No one cares (none / 1)

Senator @marcorubio, an important transformer exploded in Bolívar and that, in part, again collapsed the Venezuelan Electric System; however it was not in a dam, much less german.
My name is Germán Dam, I am one of the journalists who published the information.
😎🤘😊 https://t.co/DicWDJzlfQ
— Germán Dam (@GEDV86) March 9, 2019

by generic on Mon Mar 11th, 2019 at 10:41:10 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Weird coincidence (none / 1)

US Regime Change Blueprint Proposed Venezuelan Electricity Blackouts as 'Watershed Event' for 'Galvanizing Public Unrest' | The Grayzone

A September 2010 memo by a US-funded soft power organization that helped train Venezuelan coup leader Juan Guaido and his allies identifies the potential collapse of the country's electrical sector as "a watershed event" that "would likely have the impact of galvanizing public unrest in a way that no opposition group could ever hope to generate."

by generic on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 05:37:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Weird coincidence (none / 0)

US Pulls All Embassy Staff From Venezuela
US Envoy Wants Probe of `Horrific' Muslim Camps in China

inconceivable. unprecedented. egregious. kimpossible.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 06:40:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: World (none / 1)

U.S. allows lawsuits against Cuban entities but shields foreign firms for now

Lawsuits in U.S. courts against Cuban enterprises, many linked to military and intelligence services, will be permitted beginning on March 19. But Washington will keep in place until at least April 17 a ban on legal action against foreign firms using property confiscated by the Cuban government since the 1959 revolution, the State Department said.
[...]
Under Monday's announcement, lawsuits will not be authorized against foreign partners in joint ventures with the Cuban government, the official told reporters.

archived Total War
Cuba Adopts a New Socialist Constitution
LQD: US Federal Law Eats World
Warning On Sanctions
JASTA trash

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 5th, 2019 at 02:35:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: World (none / 0)

U.S. lawmakers complain Trump has taken 'no meaningful action' on abuse of China Muslims
"bi-partisan group": Pompeo, Sam Brownback, Engler, Brad Sherman, Chris Smith, et al.

The U.S. lawmakers said it was a particular concern that U.S. firms might be contributing to the Xinjiang persecution, given commercial ties to Chinese tech companies that had profited from a surge in security spending there.
[...]
The letter highlighted a Jan. 31 Reuters report saying that Hong Kong-listed Frontier Services Group, co-founded by former U.S. military services contractor Erik Prince, had signed a deal to build a training base in Xinjiang.

VOA | Analysts: Uighur Jihadis in Syria Could Pose Threat

archived wtf
China is building soft power in U.S. schools, Senate report warns
Duke University Professor Tells Students Not to Speak Chinese
Puhlease, 2018
that's "vocational training centres", not "concentration camps".
China kills seven 'kidnappers' in restive Uighur region - CHINA - FRANCE 24, 2011

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 5th, 2019 at 02:55:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: World SIMILE SUICIDE (none / 0)

Will Ethnocide in Western China Become Genocide?

Humans are highly complex and for the most part racism is entirely a social construct, usually involving essentializing entire populations and persecuting them en masse, virtually always with a veneer of rhetoric to make it all acceptable unless we actually look. The histories are shameful. Thus, we saw all non-Europeans referred to as, what Rudyard Kipling euphemistically called them, the "white man's burden"; Jews and Gypsies sent by Germans to labor camps with sayings such as Work is Freedom; land stolen from Native tribes in the name of "progress"; Tutsis slaughtered by Hutus to "protect" themselves from a minority [?!]; Japanese-American families rounded up into compounds in the western US during World War II to secure the homeland; and millions of Armenian civilians killed by Turkey a century ago to punish traitors, and other horrific chapters in our human story. Almost all the terrible responses in the modern era that target innocent civilians are massive overreactions to violent attack. In China, those attacks from Islamic extremists were in 2013 and 2014 and have been the official justification for mass incarceration since then.

What message --corresponding to "ethnocide", "genocide", "war," "war crimes," "crimes against humanity", piracy and the GWOT-- is the author attempting to communicate?

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Mar 8th, 2019 at 03:22:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: World (none / 0)

Call Out | 15th Annual Israeli Apartheid Week

The 15th Annual Israeli Apartheid Week of actions will take place all around the world between March 18th and April 8th 2019 under the theme "Stop Arming Colonialism"

This will keep Pompeo busier.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 5th, 2019 at 07:52:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: World BOYCOTT (none / 0)

"states' rights
ACLU AND ACLU OF ARKANSAS TO APPEAL RULING ON BOYCOTT BAN

also

Florida advances bill to shield Israel from criticism

archived
War On BDS, Progressive Left Under Attack

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sun Mar 17th, 2019 at 09:52:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

So much winning (4.00 / 2)

North Korea Has Already Started Rebuilding a Long-Range Rocket Site

President Trump's second summit with Kim Jong-un didn't go very well. After months of touting the "friendship," "love" and "special bond" he shares with the dictator, Trump "walked" from negotiations in Hanoi last week without any sort of agreement. Two days later, satellite imagery revealed that North Korea has been rebuilding one of its long-range rocket sites.
"This renewed activity, taken just two days after the inconclusive Hanoi Summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, may indicate North Korean plans to demonstrate resolve in the face of U.S. rejection of North Korea's demands at the summit to lift five U.N. Security Council sanctions enacted in 2016-2017," said analysts at Beyond Parallel in a report published Tuesday. According to 38 North, the "rapid" rebuild of the Sohae Satellite Launching Station began sometime between February 16th and March 2nd. Trump's summit with Kim in Hanoi unraveled on February 28th.

by Bernard (bernard) on Wed Mar 6th, 2019 at 07:18:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: So much winning (none / 1)

Seems like the US NK relations have been in a cycle of the US promising concrete steps, the Koreans blowing up a smokestack or two, the US skipping out on their commitments, the Koreans rebuilding their facilities and finally the US offering concrete steps.

At least since Clinton offered them a lightwater reactor.

by generic on Thu Mar 7th, 2019 at 09:45:44 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Israel threatens war with Iran (none / 1)

Times of Israel

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday accused Iran of secretly smuggling oil to get past economic sanctions, and called on the international community to take action against the activity.
"Iran is trying to bypass the sanctions on it through the covert smuggling of petroleum via the sea," the prime minister said at a graduation ceremony for an Israeli Navy cadets course, held at the Haifa naval base. "As these attempts expand, the navy will have a more important role in efforts to block these Iranian actions.

No comment, on the other hand, about Iranian pistachios.

by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Thu Mar 7th, 2019 at 10:21:35 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Israel threatens war with Iran (none / 0)

Netanyahu must be grossly offended ... not one of his corrupt friends was the leading contractor ... I'm away from home, but there are numerous events I.e. Ofer and others beyond the arms running to the advantage of CIA enterprises in the 1980s ... the worst of war crimes and crimes against humanity ... Iran Contra Affair ... just search Israel contraband oil Iran ... or throw in the UAE ... Israel's newfound friends

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Thu Mar 7th, 2019 at 01:36:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: World (none / 1)

Congratulations to chief counsel of Paul Managort ....

47 months. ;)

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Fri Mar 8th, 2019 at 12:44:35 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: World (none / 0)

Should read: Paul Manafort

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Fri Mar 8th, 2019 at 12:45:52 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: World JURISDICTIONS (none / 1)

Not so fast.
Manafort Sentenced to 4 Years in Virginia Tax-Crimes Case
Ellis is sympathetic, because he didn't care for Team Mueller's high-handed prosecution from the start.

Meanwhile Manafort awaits sentencing in D.C. 13 March
Saying He's Been 'Vilified,' Manafort Pushes for Light Sentence , 25 Feb
Berman Jackson has been assisting Team Mueller prosecution since she tossed Manafort into solitary 9 months ago.

archived
New Transcripts Reveal Manafort Lies to Special Counsel, 15 Feb
Manafort Hobbles Into Court for Hearing on Plea Violations , 25 Jan
Grand Inquistor Ordered to Share Evidence of Illicit Manafort Dealings , 11 Jan
Manafort being kept in solitary confinement 23 hours per day to 'guarantee his safety', July

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Mar 8th, 2019 at 02:32:07 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: World JURISDICTIONS (none / 0)

suspense is thrilling!
~~All~~ eyes on judge as Manafort faces second sentence
concurrent or consecutive years?

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 08:59:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]

[INCONTINENCE ALERT] (none / 0)

Manafort Faces 7.5 Years in Prison After Judge Extends Sentence

Jackson pointed specifically to Manafort's continued insistence that his prosecution by Special Counsel Robert Mueller is unjust -- a claim she noted that Manafort has continued to assert,[!] even after she and U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III in the Eastern District of Virginia both found that the indictments fell squarely within Mueller's mandate [BWAH!].

Grand Inquisitor knows all, sees all ... things RUSSIAN!

Judge Jackson had revoked Manafort's pretrial release back in June after the defendant was found to have been tampering with two potential witnesses in the case. Unlike in Virginia, where Manafort was convicted of various financial crimes, his sentencing in Washington today is connected to his guilty plea to conspiracy and obstruction of justice.

Ex-Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort, just sentenced to federal prison, faces new charges in N.Y. indictment

"No one is beyond the law in New York," Vance said in a formal statement issued with the charges. "Following an investigation commenced by our office in March 2017, a Manhattan grand jury has charged Mr. Manafort with state criminal violations which strike at the hear of New York's sovereign interests, including the integrity of our residential mortgage market."
[...]
A federal judge on Wednesday sentenced Manafort to a total of 7½ years in federal prison, adding 43 months to the sentence he received in another case in Virginia last week.

consecutive years

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Mar 13th, 2019 at 05:48:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: World (none / 0)

Can't Trump just pardon him in twenty months when Trump is either lame duck or re-elected?

by fjallstrom on Sat Mar 9th, 2019 at 01:08:10 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: World (none / 1)

Yes. 1 day or 20 months later, whenever. Annual Christmas and posthumous pardons are little reported.

In general, a POTUS pardon may apply before or after conviction by federal law. The pardon is a privilege vested in the office (Art.II,§2), not the person, ie. a later POTUS could pardon Manaforty.

In general, a governor pardon may apply before or after conviction by state law --this depends on the state's constitution. The pardon is a privilege vested in the office, not the person.

NY attorney general's office (NYC district attorney, "DA") is preparing to prosecute Manafort. If convicted, and failing Article III appeals to vacate conviction, Manafort's only recourse would be pardon ("clemency") by the governor of NY state.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sat Mar 9th, 2019 at 01:19:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: World JURISDICTIONS (none / 0)

Governor Gavin Newsom to Halt California's Death Penalty
"737 inmates on the state's death row, the largest in the country, will receive a reprieve as he plans to sign an executive order to halt all executions"

archived
Exhibit 1

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Mar 13th, 2019 at 06:35:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: World WIDE WUT (4.00 / 2)

Facebook Bans Zero Hedge

To be sure, as a for-profit enterprise with its own unique set of corporate "ethics", Facebook has every right to impose whatever filters it desires on the media shared on its platform. It is entirely possible that one or more posts was flagged by Facebook's "triggered" readers who merely alerted a censorship algo which blocked all content.
Alternatively, it is just as possible that Facebook simply decided to no longer allow its users to share our content in retaliation for our extensive coverage of what some have dubbed the platform's "many problems", including chronic privacy violations, mass abandonment by younger users, its gross and ongoing misrepresentation of fake users, ironically - in retrospect - its systematic censorship and back door government cooperation (those are just links from the past few weeks).

Thousands protest again[st] law to create autonomous Russian internet

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 01:56:51 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: World WIDE WUT (none / 1)

news about news
Facebook temporarily deletes Elizabeth Warren's ads that said it abuses its power
"Politico reported that Facebook removed several ads placed by her presidential campaign that called for the breakup of big tech companies, including Facebook."

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 05:12:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: World WIDE WUT (none / 1)

That's the kind of publicity you can't buy.

by Bernard (bernard) on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 08:41:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: World WIDE WUT (none / 0)

13 March 2019

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Mar 13th, 2019 at 07:16:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: World WIDE WUT (none / 1)

No Venezuela? How can they have no electricity and still have Facebook? Or is this whole power failure story more fake news?

by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Wed Mar 13th, 2019 at 07:58:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: World WIDE WUT (none / 0)

Some people may have power. Some people may not have power.

Let us not generalize (NO ONE HAS ELECTRICITY IN VENEZUELAA!!), especially in the time of great "fake news" war propaganda.

GERMANS EAT BELGIAN BABIES!!!

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Mar 13th, 2019 at 08:17:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: ebola marketing ARCHIVE (none / 0)

UN to Probe Crimes Against Humanity in Congo Massacre
concern for "intercommunal violence [war?] that left at 535 people dead in western Congo"

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 at 06:44:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Living Off the Planet (none / 0)

LIVING OFF THE PLANET
Environment, Energy, Agriculture, Food

by Bjinse on Mon Mar 4th, 2019 at 09:41:39 PM EST

Re: Living Off BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS (none / 0)

GOES-West view of the bomb cyclone that churned across the US this week. Photo: NOAA
"It will move off into central and eastern Canada and weaken."

High winds and dense clouds have hampered military rescue helicopter flights. (AFP)
"Even before the cyclone made landfall on Friday, heavy rains earlier in the week had already claimed 66 lives and forced 17,000 people from their homes in Mozambique, local officials said."

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sun Mar 17th, 2019 at 10:26:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Living Off the Planet (none / 0)

She knitted her suit out of hundreds of Wegmans [plastic grocery] bags. And she has a tote to match.

For her Wegmans-wear project, which she started in November, Ferrigno cut the bags into strips and tied them together to make longer, yarn-like strips and knitted those into the suit. The job required gigantic knitting needles that don't exist in the retail world, so she made those, too, by whittling -- yes, whittling -- points at the ends of wooden dowels bought at a Michaels store. [...] It took her two months (not continuously, but total), from that first stitch to lining both pieces with sheer brown cotton fabric.

Young German designer turns milk into clothing, 2011

But milk fiber can be produced with just two liters of water, and Qmilch makes sure to use only milk that is left over from other production processes and can't be consumed by people.

QMilk | 2 Mio. tons of milk are disposed every year!, 2019
additional applications

archived 18 - 24 February 2019
'upcycling', 'downcycling', recycling waste plastics
PET waste

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Mar 21st, 2019 at 11:10:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Living On the Planet (none / 0)

LIVING ON THE PLANET
Society, Culture, History, Information

by Bjinse on Mon Mar 4th, 2019 at 09:41:42 PM EST

Why and How Writers Unionized : The Role of Credit

More Hollywood labor history: The 1988 writers strike (ignore the typo in the screenshot) got networks interested in reality TV that didn't need writers.

That's how we got "COPS," which is like a comically Baudrillardian version of using law enforcement to break picket lines. pic.twitter.com/fd7gTk9Lpg
— Matt Pearce 🦅 (@mattdpearce) March 4, 2019

by generic on Tue Mar 5th, 2019 at 12:06:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Living On QUIPS (none / 1)

"That's how we got 'COPS'" --"we" meaning WGA-WEST, I guess.

It's difficult, isn't it, to guess from a tweet by an LA Times correspondent --very late to history of US organized labor-- how WGA-EAST (qua NYC) or Baudrillard (France) figures in 80 years of faustian bargaining over IPR in the most litigious, illiterate nation on the planet.

... In 1937, the [SCREEN WRITERS GUILD] sought recognition from the NLRB as the union of Hollywood writers. After a prolonged struggle culminating in a 17-day hearing before the [US Federal NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD] Regional Office in Los Angeles, and then an appeal to the NLRB in Washington, DC, the Board determined in 1938 that screenwriters were employees within the meaning of the [NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS ACT].45 The studios had argued that the writers were not employees because the services they performed were "creative and professional in character, whereas the Act applies to the more standardized and mechanical employments."46
[...]
In finding writers to be employees, the NLRB emphasized the power of producers to dictate the content of writers' work, to assign parts of stories, to stipulate where writers were to write even if rules with respect to hours and location of work were not observed.50 The Board also emphasized the terms of individual hiring agreements
[...]
Were the NLRB to decide it today, the result might be different. Under current labor law, almost all screenwriters and TV writers who are not on the staff of a regular show might be deemed independent contractors under the NLRA. Although they perform functions that are an essential part of the employer's business (writing scripts), they receive no training and almost no supervision from the production company, they are not generally under the control of the company as to the manner and means by which they do their work, they have a substantial proprietary investment in the instrumentalities they use to perform their work (i.e., their personal computers and software), and they have significant entrepreneurial opportunity for gain or loss "through their own efforts or ingenuity."54 In 1938, by contrast, the Board applied a different test for distinguishing employees from independent contractors which placed greater emphasis on the contractual power of the employer to control the worker.55 ...

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 5th, 2019 at 01:06:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Living On QUIPS (none / 1)

which then mutated into scripted reality TV. Just like normal drama, only worse

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Tue Mar 5th, 2019 at 06:32:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]

How `race whisperer' seized control of a US neo-Nazi group | US news | The Guardian

They call him the "race whisperer", a black civil rights activist able to manipulate some of the most noxious far-right figureheads in the US. Now James Hart Stern has triumphed again - and it is possibly his most extraordinary accomplishment to date. Stern, 54, has emerged as the new leader of one of the largest and oldest neo-Nazi groups in the US - the National Socialist Movement.

by generic on Wed Mar 6th, 2019 at 04:40:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Ah... The key is that it wasn't an association or political party, it was a corporation?

... Obvious why they do that really. Corporations have so much more freedom (and human rights) than individuals, or collectives.

_{It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue
- Queen Elizabeth II}

by eurogreen on Wed Mar 6th, 2019 at 05:12:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Reminds me of something.

by generic on Thu Mar 7th, 2019 at 04:26:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Why American Costs Are So High (Work-in-Progress) - Pedestrian Observations

That's a stretch.

Here's how the story played in USA. Last week.
Neo-Nazi Group's Leader is Black Man who Vows to Dissolve it

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Mar 6th, 2019 at 05:20:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Living On SIMILE SUICIDE (none / 0)

They call him the "race whisperer" ...

Who is "they"? What message --corresponding to "knee-gro-whisperer" (2016-2019) or The Horse Whisperer (1998)-- is the reporter attempting to communicate?

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Mar 8th, 2019 at 03:10:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Living On the Planet (none / 1)

I am embarking on a long-term project to investigate why US construction costs are high using case studies, so everything I'm going to say so far is tentative. In particular, one of my favorite theories for most of this decade seems to be false based on the addition of just two or three new data points. That said, having spent the last nine years looking at topline costs and a few itemized breakdowns does let me reach some initial conclusions, ones that I believe are robust to new data. The context is that some mainstream American pundits are asking why, and I realized that I've written more posts criticizing incorrect explanations than posts focusing on more plausible reasons.

Rather too long to excerpt.

by generic on Thu Mar 7th, 2019 at 10:52:08 AM EST
[ Parent ]

It's baaaaaaaaaaaaack: the Mann Act Revival @ USAToday Act V (clean up detail).

How Florida police snared nearly 300 -- including Robert Kraft -- at spas used for sex trafficking
"hidden cameras, billionaire johns, semen-stained napkins and a $20 million suspected network that stretched from China to New York to Florida"

Only one woman, Lanyun Ma, 49, of Orlando, who ran the East Spa in downtown Vero Beach, has been accused by police of human trafficking, but prosecutors have not formally filed that charge and it's unclear whether it will proceed.
[...]
"We would actually see how far we could go in making a case for human trafficking or racketeering," said Snyder, a former Republican state lawmaker who co-wrote one of the state's human trafficking laws. "My sense was: These women don't do this on their own."
[...]
A major challenge remains getting some of the arrested women to cooperate with investigators.

archived sex with FOSTA/SESTA
A non-perfect non-sequitur
"we'd rather them be victims."

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Mar 8th, 2019 at 03:46:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

In deceit proposal: Feds say man wed stranger to stay in US

crimes against "matrimonial love" file? That's new.

Prosecutors say a couple was panhandling along a North Carolina road when a foreigner pulled over with a proposal for the woman: Marry him so he could stay in the country, and they'd receive $12,000 along with payments for a house and car.
Citing court records, The News & Observer reports that 31-year-old Melissa Anne Godshall accepted the offer from 44-year-old Levan Lomtatidze, a [CITIZEN] of the country of Georgia. Her boyfriend, 46-year-old Robert Kennerly, served as a witness during the marriage ceremony.

oh. The legal term of art (in North Carolina, USA) is "marriage fraud."

Which invites quite a few paradoxical ahh propositions.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Mar 8th, 2019 at 04:32:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

DICTION CORNER

"A 30-year-old gorilla at a Florida zoo has become a surrogate mother to a baby gorilla whose mother hasn't shown sufficient interest in her baby."

surrogate-mother: 1. a person, animal, or thing that takes on all or part of the role of mother to another person or animal; 2. a woman who bears a child on behalf of another woman, either from her own egg fertilized by the other woman's partner, or from the implantation in her uterus of a fertilized egg from the other woman.
foster-mother, foster-parent: a person who acts as parent and guardian for a child in place of the child's natural parents but without legally adopting the child
alloparent: "But the thing is, among hunter-gatherers, the way to breed successfully is having alloparental help and provisioning help from others."

archived
Recession alert by fertility
Sarah Hrdy's book Mother Nature, A History of Mothers, Infants, and Natural Selection

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Mar 8th, 2019 at 05:02:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Baby of British-born ISIS Bride Has Died In Syrian Refugee Camp

The 1-month-old [!] baby son of ISIS bride Shamima Begum has died in a Syrian refugee camp. ... She pleaded [?] with the U.K. government to return home to have her baby after leaving an ISIS stronghold.

O Rly?

Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary, called the death of the infant a "stain on the conscience" [!] of the current U.K. government. "It is against international law to make someone stateless ... And to leave a vulnerable [!] young woman and an innocent [!] child in a refugee camp, where we know [!] infant mortality to be high, is morally reprehensible."

Why?

DICTION CORNER: infanticide (n.) the murder of a neonatal offspring by passive or active abandonment or mechanical aid such as blunt trauma and live burial--a selective behavior, observed in all species, which is not unique to the biological parents of the murdered infant; infanticide is not birth control or a substitute for contraception [summarized -ed.]

The index of Mother Nature, A History of Mothers, Infants, and Natural Selection lists 110 references to infanticide among primate humans alone. The author's inferences about infanticide's causal factors derive from Pleistocene epochal conjecture, collected from evolutionary biologists, and international historical data, collected by anthropologists, "psycho-biologists," epidemiologists, "evolutionary psychologists," sociologists, historians, "sociobiologists," and law enforcement from 4th ce. BCE to 20th fin de siècle CE.

In general, Hrdy credits late modern conceptualization of selective pressure on offspring survival (and infanticide) to David Lack, "arguably the first 'reproductive biologist'".

[He] identified the fundamental tradeoff in the life of mothers: whether to produce many offspring, investing little in each, of produce a few and invest a great deal. This idea of "fitness tradeoffs" laid the groundwork for studying the myriad ways that a mother adjust maternal investment in line with ecological conditons. Far from self-sacrificing, the mothers in this Lackian paradigm were flexible, manipulative opportunists.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sat Mar 9th, 2019 at 10:51:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]

UK Home Secretary Javid Slammed Over Death of Daesh Teen Bride's Son

Radio Sputnik is funded in whole or in part by Russia government.

UK Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott [!] slammed UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid [!] for behaving "shamefully," saying that he was responsible for the recent death of a newborn son of a teenage girl who ran away from her family in the UK to Syria, where she joined the Daesh*.

[footnote in original; my own formula (2011-2016) included "al-Qaeda-in-the-*" - ed.]

No girl in the Pleistocene could have reached manarche as early as many twelve-year-olds today. ... In the modern world, however, being fat enough to ovulate is no longer tied to having a supportive social network who will help rear her child. What happens, then, when an unwed teenager, sufficiently well fed to ovulate but lacking social support, finds herself pregnant? The novelist George Eliot was one of the first writers to explore this topic. Her fictional case study accords with what psychiatrists and epidemiologists have lerned since. [Hrdy:288]

Two More Daesh Brides Stripped of UK Citizenship Amid Begum's Row - Reports

Two more Daesh* wives from the UK, sisters Reema (30) and Zara (28) Iqbal have had their passports revoked since marrying jihadists linked to murdering western hostages, The Sunday Times reports, citing legal sources. According to the outlet the young women are in separate camps Syria, where they fled after Daesh* were curbed and squeezed from the occupied territories.
The unwillingness to acknowledge infanticide among creatures like ourselves, except as morally compromised, subhuman behavior, has a sporadic history in the West. The euphemistic catchall term overlaying used to be invoked when infants were "accidentally" smothered by their caretakers. In fifteenth century Florence, for example, 15 percent of deaths among infants sent to wet nurses were attributed to this type of mishap. Taking "overlaying" at face value, and eighteenth-century physician advised Britons to adopt a new invention, the Florentine arcutio, a three-foot-long wooden cage designed to prevent a woman from accidentally suffocating a baby in her bed. Italian nurses were obliged to use them under pain of excommunication.
[...]
Long after the arcutio was first invented, thousands of infant deaths in eighteenth-century England were still being attributed to overlaying. Today, doctors and coroners sweep fairly obvious cases of infanticide under a new euphemistic rug: unexplained sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
[...]
In England, it took a justifiable invasion of patients' privacy by a suspicious British pediatrician to end a massive and futile quest for a will-o'-the wisp --a supposed genetic trait running in families that causes successive infants to suddenly stop breathing. ...In the United States, the highly publicized 1995 murder trial of Waneta Hoyt had the same effect. [Hrdy:291]
The Iqbals, whose parents are reportedly originally from Pakistan , left London for Syria in 2013 [!] after they married suspected jihadists, who were linked the murder of western hostages, who were butchered on camera. The women have five boys [!], aged not older than 8, between them. The younger sister gave birth to two children in Syria, where she travelled already heavily pregnant with her second boy, while her older sister gave birth to children both in the UK and Syria.

Dead men walking: Not a 'optimal' selection strategy, is it?

As the BBC reports, the Home Office refused to comment on individual cases, adding that decisions to strip citizenships were "evidence-based and not taken lightly".

"evidence-based": live births, infanticide, infant mortality (27); child mortality (3); infant survival (41); child abuse and neglect (14); child care, allomothers, and cooperative breeding (108)

"Daughters are no better than crows" observes a Tibetan proverb. Variations on this theme can be heard throughout northern India. "Their parents feed them and when they get their wings, they fly away." Daughters, people complain, leave at marriage; resources devoted to rearing them are lost to the patriline. With them depart substantial dowries, enriching their husbands' families while impoverishing their own. Parents dread the prospect of marrying off several daughters almost (but not quite) as much as they dread potential disgrace should a daughter fail to marry into a family of appropriate status, or be seduced and left pregnant but unmarried. [Hrd:325]

archived
"global limitations"
you may be interested in reading or re-reading Totem and Taboo

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sun Mar 10th, 2019 at 05:22:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]

"separating families"
UK studying how to get children of IS followers out of Syria

British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt says he is looking for ways to help the children of British citizens who joined the Islamic State group in Syria.
Hunt told the BBC on Sunday that he and International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt are studying how the children could be brought to Britain without putting government officials at risk by sending them to Syria.

wtf: this story seems not available to N.A. IP addresses,The Sunday Times | We are working on a plan to rescue British children of jihadists, says Jeremy Hunt
pay wall

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sun Mar 10th, 2019 at 10:10:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]

El Salvador Frees 3 Women Jailed for 10 Years for Abortion

"In all three cases, the court recognized that the women have had adverse social, economic and family situations, and the sentences were disproportionate and immoral," said the Foundation for Research on the Application of the Law.

Judge OKs Wrongful-Death Suit on Behalf of Aborted Embryo
"[Attorney J. Brent] Helms says the case is 'vesting this deceased unborn child with legal rights.' "

archived
The green zone is not what it appears.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Mar 8th, 2019 at 07:15:41 PM EST
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The First All-Female Spacewalk Has Just Been Scheduled by NASA

Incidentally, US yella sheets are looking for "traction" with a cold case in the Mann Act revival period.
Jeffrey Epstein, Alan Dershowitz, and Pals Accused of Sex-Trafficking Ring
"billionaire johns" and one cooperating witness, no anti-semiticism fervor

## Sociopaths teaching sociopaths manners.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sun Mar 10th, 2019 at 05:50:46 PM EST
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Living out of the Planet (none / 0)

It is a big step for women.
If all goes according to plan, on March 29, astronauts aboard the International Space Station are scheduled to conduct the first all-female spacewalk. Anne McClain and Christina Koch will venture out together about 240 miles (400 kilometres) above Earth and make history.
Adding to the significance of their mission, the spacewalk will take place during Women's History Month.
"It was not orchestrated to be this way," said NASA spokeswoman Stephanie Schierholz. "These spacewalks were originally scheduled to take place in the fall -- they are to upgrade batteries on the space station."

by Bernard (bernard) on Sat Mar 9th, 2019 at 07:28:10 PM EST
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Re: Living out of the Planet (none / 1)

It is a big step for women.

No. It is not.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sun Mar 10th, 2019 at 01:49:00 AM EST
[ Parent ]