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8 - 14 April 2019

by Bjinse Mon Apr 8th, 2019 at 09:44:17 PM EST

Your take on this week's news

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8 - 14 April 2019 | 178 comments (178 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)
Europe (none / 0)
EUROPE
by Bjinse on Mon Apr 8th, 2019 at 09:46:03 PM EST
Re: Europe CAMPAIGN 2019 (none / 0)
Polish opposition warns of 'Polexit' ahead of European vote
"Powerful PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski has long been a fierce critic of the strong brand of EU federalism championed by EU powerhouses Germany and France. He is among a growing number of populist leaders in the EU advocating a reform agenda for the bloc that favours national sovereignty over federalism."

< pic teeth, suck vigorously >

"flextension" FTW? Looking good, eh.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Apr 9th, 2019 at 01:05:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe CAMPAIGN 2019 (none / 1)
Polish teachers launch nationwide strike
As part of an international rebellion by teachers, on Monday April 8, over 80 percent of Poland's 400,000 teachers joined an indefinite, nationwide walkout. This is the first national strike by teachers in the country in 25 years, and one of the biggest strikes in Poland over the past several decades. ... Outraged over the [Solidarity] union leadership's deal with the government, teachers from the Solidarity trade union joined the walkout across the country. Many nonunionized teachers also joined the strike.
purportedly, "PiS government ahead of the European elections in May, and the Polish parliamentary elections in the fall" did not properly hide $48B earmarked for arms spending.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Tue Apr 9th, 2019 at 07:03:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]
`Polexit' (none / 1)
Makes for a nice and sexy headline and possibly a catchy slogan for the Polish opposition (although 'poleaxing' has its merits).

The article body reminds that "Poles are overwhelmingly EU-enthusiastic, with nearly 90% backing membership of the bloc". Also: Poland is the biggest net recipient of the EU budget.

Don't mind me if I call bullshit on that one.

by Bernard (bernard) on Thu Apr 11th, 2019 at 06:52:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe (none / 0)
Catalan officials charged with helping organize 2017 independence vote
The defendants in Tuesday's court session include aides to leading politicians in Catalonia's former pro-independence government. They face charges including misappropriation of funds and falsifying documents. Graver charges of rebellion and sedition, faced by the 12 now on trial, were not included.

The Barcelona court set joint bail at 5.8 million euros ($6.5 million) in total for 17 of the accused, an amount equal to the public funds allegedly misappropriated for the organization of the referendum, a court writ said.

archived exits
Democracy on trial
Extradition for embezzlement, rebellion, or both?
Should the EU intervene in Catalonia?

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Apr 9th, 2019 at 02:37:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe CAMPAIGN 2019 (none / 0)
Greek conservative leader eyes EU vote victory, PM post in election by autumn
[CAPTION: Main opposition New Democracy [!] conservative party leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis speaks during an interview with Reuters at the party's headquarters in Athens, Greece, April 8, 2019. Picture taken April 8, 2019. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis]
[...]
By implementing reforms, he says Greece can persuade its lenders, who still monitor the economy even after it officially exited its 280 billion euro financial crisis bailouts, to lower their targets and convince investors that it is out of the woods.

The 51-year-old scion of a powerful family of politicians considers Greece's post-bailout primary surplus targets "too high", but says that they must be respected "at least in the short term".

Greece Clears Debt-Relief Cash Hurdle With EU Commission Nod

m'k

archived SYRIZA
Tsipras says constitutional revision reflects will for reforms

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Apr 9th, 2019 at 02:49:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe CAMPAIGN 2019 (none / 0)
France needs tax cuts in response to 'yellow vests': PM, 8 Apr
"Giving the first conclusions of a 'Great National Debate'which was launched in January in response to the protests, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said French citizens had expressed 'an enormous exasperation' over the heavy tax burden. 'The debates show us very clearly which way to go. We need to lower taxes, and lower them more quickly,' he told an audience in Paris.'"

French Senate cancels controversial meeting with Yellow Vest protesters, 9 Apr
"French President Emmanuel Macron's administration has made no secret of its displeasure with the Senate for extending an invitation to Drouet and the other delegation members."

archived Acte XXI
French [?!] yellow vest protesters hit streets for 21st weekend

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Apr 9th, 2019 at 07:45:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe CAMPAIGN 2019 (4.00 / 2)
To be specific: the meeting Drouet was invited to by the Senate was to discussed the controversial giveaway privatization of the Paris airports. The Yellow Vests do protest, among other things, about the unfair tax burden (tax cuts for the rich, more taxes for the rest) and the abandonment of public services in the name of "competitiveness" (see tax cuts above) such as privatizing highly profitable state assets like the airports.

The "Macron's administration" official who pressured the Senate to disinvite Drouet was no one else than Bruno Le Maire, minister for the Economy and, back in 2005, the architect of the privatization of the state owned tollways companies, sold to Vinci, one of their most profitable businesses today.

Some senators stepped out of the Senate building to meet with Drouet on the street and apologize for the majority's behavior.

by Bernard (bernard) on Thu Apr 11th, 2019 at 06:35:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe REFORM (none / 0)
EU to launch 'direct democracy' petitions service
With the new system, which is expected to come in from January 2020, launching an initiative and collecting signatures will be done via the free central online register - reducing the paperwork campaigns will have to deal with themselves.
[...]
Don Brussels says this puts the European citizenry on a par with the European Parliament and European Council, who also only have the power to ask the Commission to initiate EU legislation. The Commission is under no obligation to actually legislate in response to a petition, but must examine the issue raised.

archived
EU Citizens Push for Better Wages for Gig* Economy Workers
Initiative organizers have a year to collect
From low trust in institutions to the rise of 'critical citizenship'?
[4] "political participation"
WeEuropeans.eu "Citizen Agenda"

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Apr 9th, 2019 at 03:31:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe CITIZENSHIP (none / 0)
MPs call for review of 'derisory' Windrush compensation scheme
"Is this the price that you put on my constituents being deported for no wrongdoing? Is this how this government values the lives of black Britons?": many of the concerns  based on a misunderstanding

archived
UK to pay up to £200m in compensation to Windrush victims

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Apr 10th, 2019 at 02:09:13 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe RECONNAISSANCE (none / 0)
EU, China agree on joint statement as Beijing makes last-ditch concessions
lipstick

Full Text: List of Outcomes of the 19th China-EU Summit

archived diplomacy
LEAK: Europe puts pressure on Beijing ahead of EU-China summit
"rules to scale back subsidies and the forced transfer [?] of technology to China, as well as the elimination of all market barriers to European investors"

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Apr 10th, 2019 at 01:47:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe RECONNAISSANCE (none / 0)
EU-U.S. Trade War Escalates Over Disputed Aviation Subsidies
The two sets of punitive measures are the latest twists in a 14-year-old dispute that the U.S. and EU have fought at the World Trade Organization, with each side accusing the other of illegally subsidizing their main aircraft makers. President Donald Trump's administration on Monday said it would impose tariffs on $11 billion in imports from the EU because of the European aid.

< yawn >

gonna make that up in NOx-mobiles

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Apr 10th, 2019 at 06:47:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe RECONNAISSANCE (none / 0)
China agrees to buy 320 Airbus A320 planes, 10 A350s, 25 March 2019
EU threatens US with €19 billion of tariffs in response to Boeing subsidies, 12 April 2019
"It is part of the preparatory work to respond to US subsidies given by Washington State to Boeing, in the long WTO dispute between the EU and US for the financial aid they provided to their plane makers."

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Sun Apr 14th, 2019 at 12:28:15 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe RECONNAISSANCE (none / 0)
AP | EU threatens to tax $20 billion $21.48B of US goods over Boeing aid

parity watch: EUR:USD, 1:1.1305

Can I get a buck twenty even up in here?! GO TRUMP! BIGLY!!!

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Apr 17th, 2019 at 05:34:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe RECONNAISSANCE (none / 0)
parity watch: EUR:SEK, 1:10.4529
cheaper 'n RMB, yo. needs moar growths.

SPUTNIK | Free Fall of Swedish Krona Compared With 'Countries After Coup d'Etat'
well sourced with third-parties, notably Riksbank-Nordea forward-looking statement, including heh heh heh honorable mention of Zygmunt "until further notice" Bauman.

OOPS. Sweden Exports By Country in U.S. dollars, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Apr 18th, 2019 at 02:15:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe RECONNAISSANCE (none / 1)
The SEK was lower than this during the economic crisis, due to the flight to stability phenomenon. It has been pretty stable around 10,5 vs the euro for a year.

Unless and until Sweden decides to join the euro (a prospect that last poll I saw had support for in single digits), the currency will float. Sputnik chooses the reference point to compare with when the euro was at its weakest in 2012, but that was not because the krona was strong, it was because the eurozone being in crisis.

Russian media's narrative regarding Sweden is mainly the standard "Western country in unmasculine decline", which they serve whether it fits the occasion or not, sometimes flavoured with Charles XII references.

by fjallstrom on Thu Apr 18th, 2019 at 06:02:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]
"Sputnik chooses" (none / 0)
I pointed to third-pary sources linked in the article.

What do you have?

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Apr 18th, 2019 at 07:12:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]
PS, (none / 0)
That said, an argument for indifference, SEK devaluation relative to EUR, USD, RMB, or RUB for that matter, given current trade balance and domestic demand.

Swedish economy isn't exactly Egyptian economy, for example, is it?

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Apr 18th, 2019 at 07:18:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe (none / 1)

by generic on Thu Apr 11th, 2019 at 09:41:13 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe (none / 0)
Everyone knows it is really about the US grand jury investigation into the Manning leak, presumably on espionage charges.

But I am still curious, what is the punishment for jumping bail in the UK? Can he pay a fine and get on the evening train to France?

The Swedish case is closed. It can be reopened, as it was closed due to being unable to advance the case as the accused had fled to Equador. That takes time though, so I don't think it will be relevant.

by fjallstrom on Thu Apr 11th, 2019 at 10:30:37 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe HABEAS CORPUS (none / 0)
will protect neither Assange nor you.

Assume nothing: That is the lesson one ought to have learned well from the last two years of Trump "media" + Brexit "negotiation" + the prior 10 years disposition of the Panic of '08, including precious Greece + 20 or so generations of indoctrination from westworld Enlightenment and the "politics of" ... avocados.

The elite to whom some persons pledge allegiance do not rule by law.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Apr 11th, 2019 at 11:34:42 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe (none / 0)
As always, the "special relationship" will ensure that some agency definitely NOT affiliated with SIS or MOD will keep him on ice until he can be properly bagged and delivered out the back door into the alley to a white cargo van with "USAID" written on its side.
by rifek on Mon Apr 15th, 2019 at 06:17:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe (4.00 / 2)
Nevermind, the US has released its charges and demands extradition.

According to court documents unsealed today, the charge relates to Assange's alleged role in one of the largest compromises of classified information in the history of the United States.

The indictment alleges that in March 2010, Assange engaged in a conspiracy with Chelsea Manning, a former intelligence analyst in the U.S. Army, to assist Manning in cracking a password stored on U.S. Department of Defense computers connected to the Secret Internet Protocol Network (SIPRNet), a U.S. government network used for classified documents and communications. Manning, who had access to the computers in connection with her duties as an intelligence analyst, was using the computers to download classified records to transmit to WikiLeaks. Cracking the password would have allowed Manning to log on to the computers under a username that did not belong to her. Such a deceptive measure would have made it more difficult for investigators to determine the source of the illegal disclosures.

During the conspiracy, Manning and Assange engaged in real-time discussions regarding Manning's transmission of classified records to Assange. The discussions also reflect Assange actively encouraging Manning to provide more information. During an exchange, Manning told Assange that "after this upload, that's all I really have got left." To which Assange replied, "curious eyes never run dry in my experience."

Assange is charged with conspiracy to commit computer intrusion and is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

by fjallstrom on Thu Apr 11th, 2019 at 02:02:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe ANNEX (none / 0)
Try to act surprised.



Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Thu Apr 11th, 2019 at 02:20:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe (4.00 / 3)
Lawyer pushing to reopen the Swedish case:

Lawyer says to push for Sweden to reopen Assange investigation

by Bernard (bernard) on Thu Apr 11th, 2019 at 06:57:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe (4.00 / 3)
In the end, I think it is up to the prosecutor to issue a new European Arrest Warrant. But that would make things interesting.

I have some vague memory, that I fail to confirm, that an EAW comes before extradition to a third country. And while the extradition process to the US has only begun, the extradition process to Sweden has already gone through the courts. And if he is extradited to Sweden he can then (under the rules of Speciality) only be extradited to a third country if both UK and Sweden approves.

I also think that if he is extradited to Sweden, he will not be convicted. Rape cases are hard to prove, a nine year old case doesn't make it easier. Also, and unlike some cases, a rape case is something the courts are used to and have a lot of settled law in. So it would be very hard to get a conviction for the sake of convenience.

So my guess is that pressure will be applied so that an EAW isn't issued.

by fjallstrom on Thu Apr 11th, 2019 at 07:42:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe (none / 1)

by generic on Thu Apr 11th, 2019 at 09:27:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe (none / 0)
WHEREAS THE UK PARLIAMENT IS RECESSED, Guardian fondles slack in de basement of intrigues.

Labour row breaks out over Assange sexual assault allegations

More than 70 MPs and peers have written to Javid and the shadow home secretary, Diane Abbott, urging them to focus attention on the earlier Swedish investigations that Assange would face should the case be resumed at the alleged victim's request.
this.empowerment(dead letters)
The parliamentarians' letter is a pointed counter to Abbott's comments earlier on Friday when she said Assange's current detention was not about "the rape charges, serious as they are, it is about WikiLeaks and all of that embarrassing information about the activities of the American military and security services that was made public."

The letter to Javid and Abbott points out that time is limited for the UK to provide assistance to Sweden, given the allegation of rape has a limitation period which expires in August 2020.

Labour row breaks out over Assange sexual assault allegations
"[Abbottt] urged Theresa May [!] to intervene in the same way she had in the case of computer hacker Gary McKinnon, when in 2012 as home secretary she halted his extradition to the US on human rights grounds; doctors had warned McKinnon was at risk of suicide if sent for trial in the US."

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Fri Apr 12th, 2019 at 07:54:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Cool (none / 0)

I stand with other's victims.

by generic on Sat Apr 13th, 2019 at 12:33:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe CAMPAIGN 2019 (none / 0)
Sunday, 14 April
YLE is funded in part or in whole by Finland government.

Finns Party sprints to second place, SDP hangs on in first, 11 April

Scuffles, suspected assault at Helsinki election event

Police said there had been unruly behaviour on Friday around the populist Finnish Nation First party's booth.
Aggression on campaign trail

Earlier in the week, police said they were looking into whether the party's anti-immigrant and anti-gay posters constitute criminal incitement.



Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Sun Apr 14th, 2019 at 12:51:30 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe CAMPAIGN 2019 (none / 0)
YLE is funded in part or in whole by Finland government.

SDP takes top spot, populists rally, heavy losses for PM's Centre in Finnish election

An upstart in the race according to media polls, the Finns Party made good on pre-election polling and staged a strong finish with 17.5 percent of the vote. Immigration hardliner and party chair Jussi Halla-aho had previously had said he wanted to take the party into the next government.
[...]
The centre-left Social Democratic Party managed a razor thin lead over its rivals, snapping up 17.7 percent of ballots cast, one of its poorest election outcomes ever. But that was enough for the Social Democrats to increase their parliamentary presence by six seats to 40, likely giving the party the mandate to initiate government formation talks.
[...]
The NCP [National Coalition Party] ended the evening with 17 percent voter support, just trailing the populist Finns Party. The SDP and the NCP have not always seen eye-to-eye, but party chair Petteri Orpo did not rule out both parties cooperating in government.
[...]
The overall voter turnout was 72 percent, up from 70 percent in the last general election in 2015. Korpinen told Yle that the outcome reflects the highly polarised nature of the election. "It's going to be very hard to negotiate a government, maybe the hardest ever. Anything can happen."

The election has seated a record number of female MPs in the Finnish parliament. This year women will take up 92 positions as lawmakers, up from the previous record of 85 in 2011. In addition, this year saw more women than ever among the top vote-getters.

a festival of government

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Sun Apr 14th, 2019 at 10:21:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe CAMPAIGN 2019 (none / 0)
YLE is funded in part or in whole by Finland government.

Finnish parties unveil EU election candidates, Soini quits politics

The number of so-called 'double candidates' indicates that the parties have had difficulties attracting enough candidates for the back-to-back elections, says University of Helsinki political science researcher Antti Ronkainen.
[...]
[utgoing foreign minister Timo] Soini co-founded the nationalist Finns Party, the second largest bloc in the new Finnish Parliament, but left the party two years to join the breakaway Blue Reform party - which did not win a single seat in last weekend's election. The party has vowed to press ahead anyway, but suffered a blow as Soini announced in a Thursday blog post that he is leaving politics.


Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Thu Apr 18th, 2019 at 07:29:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe CAMPAIGN 2019 (none / 1)
A minor point about YLE funding: If by government you mean parliament, you're absolutely correct. If you mean government can control YLE by controlling it's funding, that's not correct.

The rumor has been for a long time that ever since Mr. Soini became foreign minister, he gave up his party ambitions. As a populist that was the zenith of his career. Even more so now that his party was taken away from him.

Of course the Blue Future was hoping to get him on the list, since in our system being elected to EU parliament doen't mean you have to take the position. This is why many well recognized members of Finnish parliament are also running for EU parliament -- they are running only to get votes for the party and make sure the "real candidate" gets the seat. Even if it means refusing a seat.

Now it's even more complicated, because the big names in many parties are hoping for ministerial positions in Finland and won't commit to EU. On the other hand, the parties are afraid people are not interested in voting again so soon, so they need the big names in campaign.

by pelgus on Fri Apr 19th, 2019 at 12:39:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe CAMPAIGN 2019 (none / 0)
Fair enough!

I apply GOOG/YouTube formula that identifies suspect publishers of "misinformation" or "fake news" or "propaganda" in receipt of any amount of funding from public offices for their operations.

Because ahh applied research amuses me.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Apr 19th, 2019 at 12:58:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe (none / 1)
Live Blog: 2019 Finnish Election - Europe Elects

Some takeaways, SDP (S&D) dropped much more and Perussuomalaiset (ECR) rose somewhat more than I anticipated. Vihreät (G/EFA) were an overall lackluster compred to expectetations. Still, the winners of the elections are without a doubt SDP, Vihreät and Vasemmistoliitto (GUE/NGL), who all managed to increase their support compared to the 2015 elections.


by generic on Sun Apr 14th, 2019 at 10:00:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe (none / 0)
The dynamics of Finnish politics has changed with the rise of the far right True Finn party (PS), but old structures usually persist, so my guess would be that the rural Centre (Kesk) prefers to go into opposition. That leaves the conservative Kok and social democratic SDP as the possible coalition, and then would need to add at least the Greens, Vihre. That still leaves them short of a majority, but since PS is out, they can invite back in the Swedish minority party SFP.

The only other combination I see is Kesk+Kok+PS. That would be the same coalition as after last election, so it would seem reasonable. But the PS that entered the coalition after last election can now be found as Blue Reform (Sin), after a change in leadership and a party split in PS. After the split Blue Reform was formed from the parliamentarians loyal to the old leadership, and they continued in government. Given that, and the losses for Kesk and that SDP is the largest party, I think this coalition is less likely.

To me, the biggest surprise is how lousy Blue Reform performed. I thought the old leadership of PS would retain some support, but apparently brand name trumps everything.

by fjallstrom on Sun Apr 14th, 2019 at 11:30:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe (4.00 / 5)
I'd say the actual shift in these elections was clear turn to left, although it's rather difficult to assess the degree of the turn. The most obvious sign is that the left-wing parties (Social Democrats and Left Coalition) gained seats. It was the first successful campaign for the Left Coalition in 25 years (their chairperson is the most popular Finnish politician). If one counts the Greens as leftist party (and the right-wing parties do!), the left gained 16 seats in the parliament. So there actually was a shift of 32 seats towards the left of political spectrum in a 200 seat parliament.

Now, the much difficult shift to gauge is the one internal for parties. During last night several talking heads in telly did mention that the Social Democrats were forced to move towards left during the campaign to gain traction in their own base. And at the same time the conservatives, Coalition Party, has been loosing ground in the local elections to the Green party and it could be their social liberal wing is gaining upper hand over their market liberal wing to respond to the threat from Greens.

A god example of this phenomenoma is the mayor of Helsinki, who represents the old guard of Coalition Party, but has gone all pro-LGTB and socially conscious conservative to collaborate with and stand ground against the Greens in Helsinki. The market liberal wing of Coalition Party hates him, since he had a big part in destroying their wet dream of privatizing health care by publicly opposing the policy and getting other big cities to oppose it too. Now, whether he's building his own base for possible presidency, or just honestly defending his city against idiots of his own party is anybody's guess. Anyway, last night Coalition Party leadership seemed to accept a future in opposition, where they may need to fight True Finns for spotlight. They do have the most loyal voter base, though.

While the Greens may have forced the center-right to move slightly towards center, it's difficult to say where they stand themselves. The party makes a lot of noise about being "above" the left-right divide. The group making most of the noise are mainly liberals who found a new home in Greens sometime in the early 90's. Somehow they managed capture the party leadership to the extend that many took the party as a "gardening division of the Coalition Party".

On the other hand, the Greens also have a wing that is aligned quite well with the Left Coalition, but that wing is slowly leaking into the Left Coalition, since that party is about as urbanite green as the Greens themselves. And yet, the base of the party probably is mostly center-left, and so seem to be the party's new members of parliament when skimming trough their personal alignments and stands (all medias in Finland invite all candidates to answer questionnaires that try define where they stand in different issues and electorate can then take the same quiz to find candidates that best correspond to their answers). Basically they seem to be against austerity and for equality in society, but don't really agree on how to get there.

The Center party was decimated, it was their worst performance in over 100 years, and it's quite obvious it was because they did lead the most right-wing government in Finland since 1920's. It seems that their base mostly stayed at home. The chairperson and former prime minister is both a somewhat randian and a devout christian (in a love thy neighbourgh way), so was very confused in his policies and was relatively easy for the Coalition Party to turn to the dark side. By taking the True Finns to his government he also managed to make racism and hate "allowed" in Finland, which most people find hard to forgive him and the Central Party.

The true True Finns (after a minor split to Blue Future, that basically disappeared in the election) managed to held onto their seats, even though many predicted their base to be absent. They remain the second biggest party in the parliament, but several other parties have already declared them to be unsuitable for collaboration. Considering that their main issue is migration policy based on the 2016 refugee masses that have completely disappeared, they really don't have anything there to offer except irrational fears that prevent any decent discussion about migration. They also don't believe in climate change, unlike all the other parties, so there's no common ground there, either. They are also mostly against Euro and EU...well, being populists, they are basically against things, so there's really no fertile ground to form a government program with them. Unless they are willing to lose a big chunk of their base in a collision with reality.

Finally the Social Democrats. It's way too early to say if they will experience this drift to the left, too. They "won" the election becoming the biggest party in parliament, by one seat. As said earlier, they did have to present themselves as more leftists to gain back some of their base. Their most popular candidate is actually aligned more closely to Left Coalition than her own party. And she's not the only one. I guess a rule of thumb could be that members from big cities tend to be more left (or even communist!), from small cities more aligned with right, and from rural areas they are quite centrist (as in aligning  with Center Party agrarian politics).
The current leader comes from labor unions, which have a strong presense in the party. The problem with that is that labor unions have amassed huge fortunes to use for imbursing strikers. Absent of any long strikes, the unions tend to press the party for policies that add to the unions wealth. In other words, not really benefiting the party base.

There's yet a minor possibility, that in today's verification count Social Democrats may loose a seat to Center Party in Western Finland district. Yesterdays count was preliminary, the results are not valid until every vote has been counted again. Usually the preliminary results stand as is, but sometimes the d'Hondt system produces oddities. For example in Lapland, the second most popular candidate, from Greens, did not make it to the parliament, loosing to a Center Party candidate who got only half of her personal votes. There's already a suggestion to change the system for smaller districts (by population) to make it easier for small parties to succeed.

And sorry about the wall of text. I've been lurking here for years, but rarely have had anything to add to the discussion. It seems I did it now all at once...

by pelgus on Mon Apr 15th, 2019 at 01:49:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe (none / 0)
Thank you Pelgus for that insightful analysis!

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II
by eurogreen on Mon Apr 15th, 2019 at 04:11:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe (none / 0)
Thanks for the wall of text.

What I meant with the rise of the True Finns, was that before 2011 Finnish cabinet formation was rather predictable, with the largest of the big three taking the lead and negotiating an agreement with the one of the other two that was less perceived as the loser. And then add the Swedish People's party, and more minor parties as needed for a stable majority. I am sure this is a simplified model, but was rather accurate until 2011.

But nevermind that, how do you see cabinet formation unfolding? If the Coalition party is aiming for opposition, who do the Social Democrats form coalition with? The decimated Centre? The True Finns? Or a minority coalition?

by fjallstrom on Thu Apr 18th, 2019 at 08:19:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe (4.00 / 3)
Thanks! Here's another wall, even if not requested...

You're right about the predictable "old way", as it has been described multiple times by political commentators lately: three big parties, two in government, one in opposition. In this decade both True Finns and Greens have pushed into that "big parties" group, although the Greens still do better in local elections than national.

Mainly because of this everybody was saying in election night that it will be very difficult to form a government, and it will take time, skill and perseverance. References to Sweden's latest process were abundant.

The morning after elections True Finns were making a lot of conciliatory and compromising noises. Then Social Democrats slipped that they had been in contact with some other parties since autumn about possible new government. True Finns immediately figured out that they were not one of those parties, and were infuriated.

Meanwhile the Center party made a big show of "the people" making clear they should be in the opposition, but then Jyrki Sipilä resigned his chairmanship. He was the biggest hurdle for the Center party to come to the new government, so all those "to the opposition" voices faded away immediately. In media people in the Center parties strongest support areas said that they voted for True Finns or Left Coalition since they didn't want their vote to go to Sipilä "or that Berner", Sipilä's privatization-grazed minister of traffic and telecommunications. Berner, though, wasn't a candidate since she's leaving politics to be a board member of SEB, one of the biggest banks in Sweden.

The base and most of the members in the Center party wanted to rule with Social Democrats already in 2015, but the party leadership obviously wasn't listening. I guess now they might be.

The Greens and Left Coalition have not said anything certain, but they do have an air around them of being the parties the Social Democrats have been in contact for a half a year. Their propositions for the policy of the new government don't sound like a starting point for negotiations, but more like statements of reached consensus.

The Coalition party has been more difficult to figure out. They do act almost like they won in the election, although they avoided defeat mainly because Center party did so poorly. They did loose votes, but gained a seat because Center party lost so many that even other losers got some of the spoils. Coalition party was talking about being able to cooperate with any other party. Which raised some eyebrows, because during the True Finns-Blue Future split they said that True Finns had "incompatible values". Apparently those values are now compatible.

Anyway, after Sipilä resigned and Center party came back to the game, Coalition party's stance has hardened. Their play seems to be opening the distance to have ground to give up in the negotiations while pretending to their base that the voters did not reject their (failed) policies.

Everybody seems to be betting that True Finns will be opposition. Not least because the leader of the Social Democrats has repeated many times that he sees no common ground for the two parties. Neither Center party or Coalition party really wants to be in opposition with True Finns, which would be the biggest opposition party and with a right-wing populist agenda. Center party probably abhors that situation more than Coalition party.

So, my hunch at the moment is that there's already been a pre-election preparations for "reddish green" core for the coming government, and the negotiations are more about getting Center party on board than anything else.  Last time Social Democrats were in government with Coalition party, they suffered the same fate Center party suffered this election. After finally making it back they may not have appetite for a renewal.

For Finland SD with Center party governments used to be the norm, mockingly known as "red earth" (punamulta/rödmylla) government. They also likely would prefer to have Swedish National Party in government too, just to be sure. This combination is colloquially know as "national front" government. There might even be space left for Christian Democrats, so they wouldn't have to be in opposition with the right wing parties.

The Social Democrats have already named their negotiators, and will send a questionnaire to other parties right after Easter. They expect replies by the end of the month, and after reviewing the answer will announce the parties selected for negotiations. They plan to make it fast, so that the new government can start at the beginning of June. In July Finland will take the Presidency of the EU Council, so they want the ministers to be ready for that in time.

The published schedule is tight, which gives substance to the idea that there already is an agreement between left parties and Greens.

by pelgus on Fri Apr 19th, 2019 at 12:11:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Europe DISPATCHES (none / 0)
Acte XXII: Sarwar and Betty Boop

Bloomberg understated "ahead of Macron", NYT belligerent "as Macron prepares" policy. REUTERS splits the difference of 31K weekend turnout cross-country.
Clashes erupt in yellow vest protests as Macron prepares policy response

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sun Apr 14th, 2019 at 11:27:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Incendie à Notre-Dame de Paris (none / 0)

○ Cédric Herpson - video

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Mon Apr 15th, 2019 at 05:36:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Incendie à Notre-Dame de Paris (none / 1)
Notre-Dame fire: Paris' historic cathedral ravaged by major blaze
Paris' iconic Notre Dame cathedral was ablaze on Monday evening, with flames pictured leaping from the roof of the historic building, before the iconic spire collapsed along with the central roof. Follow the latest here.

The fire broke out at the landmark cathedral in central Paris on Monday afternoon, potentially involving renovation works being carried out at the site, the fire service said.

The flames and smoke plumed from the spire and roof of the gothic cathedral, visited by millions of people a year, where renovations are currently underway.

A cathedral spokesperson said the roof of Notre-Dame 'is going up in flames'. The roof later collapsed along with the cathedral's iconic spire.

Meanwhile neighbours living in the vicinity had to be evacuated.

On a side note, Macron was due to give an address on national TV tonight at 20:00 (grand debate conclusions, how to quell the gilets jaunes grievances). It has been postponed and the prez is reportedly going to the site of the 850-year old lady who has clearly upstaged him.

by Bernard (bernard) on Mon Apr 15th, 2019 at 06:20:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Incendie à Notre-Dame de Paris (none / 1)
The highest spire has collapsed.

The carpentry work (13th century) is pretty much all consumed. There were important renovation works on the side of the building which was enveloped in scaffolding. Fire might be related to this construction work, but that's speculation, of course.

The whole of Île de la Cité has reportedly been evacuated.

by Bernard (bernard) on Mon Apr 15th, 2019 at 06:29:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Incendie à Notre-Dame de Paris (none / 0)
Damn, awful loss. Unbelievable.

Here a technical Twitter thread.

by das monde on Mon Apr 15th, 2019 at 07:10:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Incendie à Notre-Dame de Paris (none / 0)
An historic blaze ... note the date. Throughout history there have been many destructive fires ... I recall a blaze in 1972 of the St. Rombouts cathedral in Mechelen in Belgium.

So often large fires start through carelessness on roof repair work. This blaze started mid-ship where scaffolding was in place for renovation. I just don't understand where such a precious monument is at stake, the precautionary measures are insufficiënt.

Fortunately no lives were lost ... a monumental loss, so unnecessary. 😢

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Mon Apr 15th, 2019 at 09:36:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Incendie à Notre-Dame de Paris (none / 0)
jobs saved or created

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Tue Apr 16th, 2019 at 03:54:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Brexit (none / 0)
BREXIT
by Bjinse on Mon Apr 8th, 2019 at 09:46:06 PM EST
Re: Brexit (none / 0)
Brexit: Theresa May arrives in Berlin for talks with Merkel - but no one is there to greet her
TAKE 1: "FORCING HER to make the walk inside on her own"; TAKE 2: "the two leaders were then swiftly taken back outside to pose for media photographs"

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Tue Apr 9th, 2019 at 03:34:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Brexit (none / 0)
Still searching reportage for language in the bill describing a penalty for non-compliance by either party to the A.50 in force or A.50 exit attributed to EU rejection of any UK requested extension. Would UK parliament sanction itself or EU gov or randomly selected sovereign state?

Brexit vote: Parliament passes bill to prevent UK crashing out of EU without deal

The Commons backed a series of Lords amendments to the European Union (Withdrawal) (No 5) Act after it was rushed through both Houses of Parliament. MPs accepted the final Lords amendment to the Cooper-Letwin bill by 390 votes to 81, with a majority 309.

The bill was amended by peers to state that nothing in it prevented the prime minister from "seeking or agreeing" an extension, provided it was not earlier than 22 May.

So what version of the Cooper bill is on now?

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Tue Apr 9th, 2019 at 03:54:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Brexit (none / 0)
Consensus Accomplished!
Poll: Tories facing crushing defeat if UK holds EU elections, result
I'm pretty sure that "crushing defeat" doesn't mean what some people want it to mean --either for the HoC or EP or IE. UK general election is still scheduled 2022.
UK will become `Trojan horse' inside EU, British MP threatens
Freak flag flying!

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Wed Apr 10th, 2019 at 04:54:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Brexit (none / 0)
Tesco profits jump by almost one third

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Wed Apr 10th, 2019 at 09:19:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Brexit REFERENCE (none / 0)
A letter from Prime Minister Theresa May to European Council President Donald Tusk, 5 April

Invitation letter by President Donald Tusk to the members of the European Council (Art. 50) ahead of their special meeting on 10 April 2019, 9 April

You may want to refer to thes documents tomorrow night.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Apr 10th, 2019 at 01:59:14 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Brexit REFERENCE (none / 0)
DW is funded in part or in whole by Germany government.

Angela Merkel advocates longer Brexit extension

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Apr 10th, 2019 at 05:35:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Brexit REFERENCE (none / 0)
EU offers May Brexit pause to October 31: diplomats
"told Reuters after French President Emmanuel Macron opposed summit efforts to give her another year."

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Wed Apr 10th, 2019 at 11:08:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Brexit REFERENCE (none / 0)
The EU is making a huge mistake. They're going to get Brexit troublemakers in the European Parliament, they're going to get another six months of business disruption and uncertainty, they're going to get more right-wing nationalism, and they're going to get re-invigorated independence movements all over the place.

One suspects that Macron will take a fair degree of heat as this develops. Trading short-term gain for long term disaster.

by asdf on Wed Apr 10th, 2019 at 11:37:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Brexit REFERENCE (none / 0)
And he already knows he's in trouble.

Emmanuel Macron will not be holding a press conference tonight
by asdf on Wed Apr 10th, 2019 at 11:40:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Brexit REFERENCE (none / 1)
I'm not sure any of that is true. Even if they finally shove the UK out the door the drama is just starting. They might get a lot right-wing crazies or they might not, I haven't even looked at specific EUP polls. But the parliament is already chock full of right wing crazies anyways and the Brexit psychosis isn't worse than all the bellyaching about reugees that filled all airwaves previously.
Comedy option is a strong Labour showing that somehow pushes the Socialists into the top spot and accordingly call dibs on Junker's job.
by generic on Wed Apr 10th, 2019 at 11:53:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Brexit REFERENCE (none / 0)
Yesterday I did something unusual. I connected to Der Schmiegel. Top two featured articles were a requiem for Theresa May and ... panegyric essay to the EPP and M. Barnier, the reluctant "lead candidate" for EC president, whose only impediment to victory is Weber.

So.

SPD has some work ahead.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Apr 11th, 2019 at 02:37:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Brexit REFERENCE (4.00 / 2)
For once, a really scary Halloween in England.
by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Thu Apr 11th, 2019 at 12:19:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Brexit (none / 0)
That --who is frightened, who isn't-- remains to be seen.

The cause célèbre across Europe, for example, remains the fortunes of the elite in government-industry. Their personal struggles, represented as nations, to control the livelihoods of millions appears epitomized by BREXIT. "What happens next is uncertain" is an epitaph published by the Guardian just this morning in one substrate of internet data.

Indeed, every day that I open browser tabs on "newsworthy" current events I find sorrowful evidence of certain uncertainty, deprivation, ill-conceived social services, punishment, assaults, vanity --especially vanity-- and calumny as well as recommendations for resorts or recipes for "sustainable" meals. Seeing this portraiture laid out side-by-side to read comparatively, as if unrelated, is disconcerting to me.

Which suggests, attitudes of the masses of readers --by definition not elite-- toward the worlds they actually inhabit are infinitesimal. But the institutions which imprison their conceptions of well-being are big, untenable, and burlesque. Contingency is the costume of choice, of liberty.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Apr 11th, 2019 at 01:24:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Brexit (4.00 / 2)
(Guardian) Switzerland's supreme court has overturned a nationwide referendum for the first time in the country's modern history, on the grounds that the information given to voters was insufficient.

In a ruling that may resonate in Britain, where remain campaigners have long argued that voters in the 2016 Brexit referendum were not adequately informed, the court said incomplete detail and a lack of transparency had violated the freedom of the vote, which could now be re-run.

"Given the tight outcome of the vote and the seriousness of the irregularities, it is possible that the result of the ballot would have been different," the federal court said.



I used to be afew. I'm still not many.
by john_evans (john(dot)evans(dot)et(at)gmail(dot)com) on Thu Apr 11th, 2019 at 04:29:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Brexit (none / 0)
Duly noted data points in that tax story: Of particular interest to US readers, I suppose, is that implied, "married" persons must file a joint return; in the US married persons may chose joint or separate returns, and joint is usually the smaller tax bill, inter alia, inexplicably and traditionally denounced as the "marriage tax".
::
Since the UK high court ruled that the 2016 referendum result was not legal binding on either parliament or gov and dismissed a suit challenging improprieties of its administration, I'm left wondering who in the UK would proceed to sue parliament for alleged malfeasance.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Thu Apr 11th, 2019 at 04:47:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Labour no deal strategy (none / 0)
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn practicing his archery skills this morning in Halifax. He's at an outdoor activity centre working with young people & ex offenders. @BBCLookNorth pic.twitter.com/I99u9tEeNl

— Emma Glasbey (@emmaglasbey) April 15, 2019
by generic on Mon Apr 15th, 2019 at 12:19:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Brexit (none / 0)
Job cuts and factory closures; the car industry in Britain
(in case you haven't been following Automotive News China, a division of the Automotive News portfolio of titles)

The question remains: In which industries might the worldwide (international? globalist?) top quintile "save" its ill-conceived, "passive-income" gains?

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Apr 16th, 2019 at 04:28:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Brexit (4.00 / 2)
Financial speculation is the sole area remaining that offers returns of interest to the top 1% of wealth holders. Unfortunately such gains are intermittent at best and decreasing along with the productivity of the real economy, which is where 99% of us live.

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."
by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Tue Apr 16th, 2019 at 04:39:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Brexit (none / 0)
SURPLUS INCOME is the first prerequisite for "investment", ie. renting money.

Demand for INTEREST PAYMENT (usury) is the biggest, most invidious, longest running lie in polemic promising "national" economic "growth," allocation, and moralism.

It's got to stop. It should be banned by governments for every, any, and all private sector "capital raising" solicitation.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Apr 16th, 2019 at 05:10:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Brexit (none / 0)
I'll be damned.
I didn't know she could spell U.K.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Tue Apr 16th, 2019 at 11:23:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Brexit (none / 0)
Pelosi climbs on Mitchell's back with her 5 adult children, attempts to communicate
wrong audience, wrong venue

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Wed Apr 17th, 2019 at 05:38:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Brexit SNAFU (none / 0)
Journalist Killed as Riot Breaks Out in Northern Ireland
The riot broke out after police raided a housing estate [one building? or more?] known for its ties to dissidents affiliated with the New Irish Republican Army, a militant group seeking to push the United Kingdom out of Northern Ireland
[...]
"We believe this to be a terrorist act. We believe it's been carried out by violent dissident republicans," [Assistant Chief Constable Mark] Hamilton said in a televised news conference Friday. "Our assessment at this time would be that the New IRA are most likely to be the ones behind this."
[...]
Saoradh [a "radical" political party] called the police raid an "incursion" and part of "a campaign of oppression" against republicans in Derry. It said that republicans were victims of state violence and that police had been warned that actions in Creggan would "be met with resistance, as has historically been the case." Politicians expressed outrage.
Watch: Police investigating murder of Lyra McKee release CCTV footage of gunman
republicans shooting republicans rousted from beds, of course; also two "teenage" suspects apprehended.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Sat Apr 20th, 2019 at 09:35:20 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Brexit SNAFU (none / 0)
Two teenagers arrested over Lyra McKee murder released without charge
Legislative "oversight in the context of oversight committees" study of "intent to collude" in a criminal act developing ...

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Sun Apr 21st, 2019 at 09:10:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Trump (none / 0)
TRUMP
by Bjinse on Mon Apr 8th, 2019 at 09:46:08 PM EST
de jokes, (none / 0)
a post-christian, post-political, post-moral candidacy for POTUA announced:
[Mike] Gravel Declares Presidential Bid to Highlight Anti-Interventionism and Direct Democra
"The former U.S. senator, 89, who read the Pentagon Papers into the Congressional record, and ran for president in 2008, says he's not entering to win but to inject crucial issues into Democratic primary debates."

cold, dead fingers &tc.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Apr 9th, 2019 at 12:25:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes, (none / 0)
Day 573

Rep. Whodat? announces 2020 presidential bid
"'I don't want to do it half-assed,' he said. 'I would want it to be a serious campaign that could be a winning campaign.'"

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Apr 9th, 2019 at 12:34:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes, (none / 0)


Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Tue Apr 9th, 2019 at 05:50:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes, (none / 0)
Biden leans into Obama identification


Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Tue Apr 9th, 2019 at 12:55:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes, (none / 0)
But is he "progressive"?

Does Obama Speak for Progressives?
A/V, transcript opEd
Does Chicago's City Council Speak for Progressives
6/10 in 50 also swing DSA
Does Alexis Tsipras Speak for Progressives
warning from center-right
archived
Does Ro Khanna Speak for Progressives?
Dept. of Commerce approved this message


Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Apr 9th, 2019 at 06:55:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes, (none / 0)
Letters from Joe Biden reveal how he sought support of segregationists in fight against busing

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Thu Apr 11th, 2019 at 10:35:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes, (none / 0)
leaning into Obama identification
"broad and sweeping"

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Thu Apr 11th, 2019 at 10:58:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes, (none / 0)
"Nobody cares how tough your upbringing was. Nobody cares if you suffered some discrimination."

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Thu Apr 11th, 2019 at 11:03:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes, (none / 0)
"Ich bin ein Berliner", 6 April, 2019, running time 01:42:06

Obama Rips Progressives as Purists
Jimmy Dore comedy commentary

reference
The Most Important WikiLeaks Revelation Isn't About Hillary Clinton
"What John Podesta's emails from 2008 reveal about the way power works in the Democratic Party" in case you were still wondering: Froman conferring with Podesta in re: Rubin's instructions. (Wikileaks email ID# 6684) "Harry Hopkins was his model".

(Explaining the joke: Notorious Rbt Rubin might or might not be remembered 60 years from now as Obama's "Brain Trust." Suppose that depends on who ate services in '33 --reward for service-- but didn't trust him much. Hopkins agitated for various titles, one of which, low priority WPA admin, got him high visibility but marginal political capital. FDR also rewarded Harold Ickes with PWA admin which tightly held purse strings from Hopkins' ambition to higher office as well as the CCC and utilities projects. The admins despised each other, but Hoplins got the good press. (Arthur Schlesinger, First New Deal). The current generation scarcely recalls either man or the NIRA back-biting but revere the face of "shovel-ready" recovery.)

archived
Barack Obama gets rock star reception in Germany

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Apr 12th, 2019 at 10:27:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes, (none / 0)
I've been listening to the "Barry Talk" in Berlin. I cannot watch him. This is the first time since the 2004 Democratic convention that I've listened to him speak. I have read his SOTU addresses and a few of his speeches during his POTUS tenure. These I assume now as I did then were written by others.

I have not reached the end of "Barry Talk" yet. The content of this extemporaneous presentation of his political expertise is as inane as anything produced by his predecessors and his successor.

I will say by the way. You Europeans, you guys like a lot of rules and a lot of meetings. And you've got a lot of governments. It's hard to keep up sometimes. Okay. You've got the commission. You've got the parliament and you've got this, and you've got that. When I used to come over for meetings, I'd be like, Didn't I just meet with them? No, that's a different thing. This is this. And, okay. Everyone's talking for a long time. So I understand that frustration.

And that's not all. I've had to stop several times to scream in order to reach 01:17:20.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sun Apr 14th, 2019 at 06:54:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes, (none / 0)
In their haste to "interpret" Trump's nefarious settlement proposal for indigent, jobless, infirm, and estranged "asylum" seeking migrant families in US "sanctuary" cities LIKE DEMOCRATIC PARTY 'STRONGHOLD' San Francisco, the youngsters have fallen to excoriate "bussing", which every segregation-blind American intuits to be a violation of the rights and privileges of freedom-loving Americans: "Not in My Backyard".

Like, yanno, removing blacks poor people of color from ghettos to affluent districts of equal opportunity is sort of like slavery, but separate.

White House: We're not considering busing migrants to "sanctuary cities." Trump: Yes, we are!

According to the [Washington] Post, the original proposal was to bus Central American asylum seekers from the "caravan" to "sanctuary cities" instead of releasing them after processing at the border. But it's not totally clear that Trump isn't also talking about immigrants arrested within the US and currently held in immigration detention -- since he often fails to understand distinctions [!] between the two.
< wipes tears > The Trump administration floated a plan to bus migrants to sanctuary cities
The Trump administration twice discussed a plan to bus migrants to sanctuary cities, as a way of getting revenge [?] on Democrats. ... The idea, according to emails seen by the Washington Post and confirmed by the New York Times, was to bus those migrants -- many of them likely asylum-seeking women and children from conflict-ridden countries like Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador -- away from the border to unprepared [!], so-called "sanctuary cities," like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's district of San Francisco.
< wipes tears > Trump sanctuary city idea could help migrants stay in US
To [Wilson Romero], the biggest problem with being in the Bay Area is the high cost of living. The former textile factory [!] worker relies on his mother's income from waitressing for food and clothing, and he's started thinking about asking legal permission to move to North Carolina [!], where an uncle resides and says it's cheaper to live and work.
The irony. NC industry collapse
The transportation of immigrants [!] who are arrested at the border to large and faraway cities [like Philadelphia] would be burdensome and costly at a time when Immigration and Customs Enforcement is already stretched thin, having released over 125,000 immigrants into the country pending their immigration court since Dec. 21. They are currently being released mainly in border states.

Flights chartered by ICE cost about $7,785 per flight hour, according to the agency, and require multiple staffers, including an in-flight medical professional. The agency also uses commercial flights. Doing longer transports would increase liability for the agency, especially considering that many of the immigrants in its care are families with young children.

reference
VIOLENCE IN PHILADELPHIA IN THE 1840'S AND 1850s
Democratic "gangs" vs. Orangemen "nativists"

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sun Apr 14th, 2019 at 05:29:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes, (none / 0)
Won't apologize for myself. I giggled. Trump's link is a truly hilarious indictment of ahh aspirational "humanitarian" concern in the US (lands of milk 'n' honey on the left coast in particular) for 'fugees.


Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Mon Apr 15th, 2019 at 04:36:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes, (none / 0)
ONE MORE TIME! all together now ...


Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Mon Apr 15th, 2019 at 04:39:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes, (none / 0)
AP is running "The Trump administration floated a plan to bus migrants to sanctuary cities" under a new title today, Vengeance [?] on Sanctuary Cities Could Help Immigrants Stay

And the moral of American retribution a/k/a distributive justice a/k/a poetic justice is still pathetic.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Mon Apr 15th, 2019 at 07:59:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]
hOLyMArYmuTTRgoTt! (none / 0)
North Carolina 'born-alive' abortion bill wins final passage
"Do any of you really think that infanticide is legal in North Carolina?" responded Democratic Rep. Susan Fisher of Buncombe County. She questioned why Republicans who have controlled the legislature for nearly a decade hadn't acted earlier if they believed babies were being left to die or even killed after being born alive.

Fisher said the measure's real purpose was to intimidate health care providers from conducting legally allowed abortions. The legislation would impose prison time and potential $250,000 fines for medical practitioners who fail to provide sufficient care.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported more than 140 infant deaths involved induced terminations nationwide from 2003 to 2014. It hasn't specified what ["]level of care["] those newborns received.

archived
Living on PUBLIC PROPERTY
infanticide, evolutionary biology of

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Apr 17th, 2019 at 12:02:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes, (none / 0)
Bernie Sanders introduces new 'Medicare for All' bill as he tries to set 2020 health care agenda
While four of Sanders' Democratic rivals -- Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Kamala Harris of California and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts -- cosponsored his legislation, none have as fully embraced the dismantling of the private insurance system as Sanders has.
Press getting ahead of itself again! Bernie's transmittal hasn't passed through the clerk yet.
Wendell Primus, the Most Powerful Staffer in Congress, Represents a Generational Divide on the Left
"[Wendell] Primus serves as Pelosi's sharp elbows, particularly on health policy. He is working directly with the Trump White House on watered-down drug-pricing legislation that differs from a bill favored by House liberals."

reference
Sanders, 14 Senators Introduce Medicare for All
"For a copy of the Medicare for All Act, click here."

archived snakes on a plane
H.R.1384 - Medicare for All Act of 2019
introduced by Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., unexpectedly
Faux Accompli

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Apr 10th, 2019 at 06:23:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes, (none / 0)
Schumer stops short of embracing 'Medicare for All'

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Thu Apr 11th, 2019 at 08:46:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes, (none / 0)
567



Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Mon Apr 15th, 2019 at 09:31:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes, (none / 0)
And Gravel at 1%!

Considering that his goal is to get into the debates and his campaign consists of teens on Twitter, that is pretty amazing.

by fjallstrom on Mon Apr 15th, 2019 at 10:54:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]
< wipes tears > (none / 0)


Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Tue Apr 16th, 2019 at 12:58:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes, (none / 0)
Sadly, there is more life remaining in Gravel's ghost from the past than there is in most of the current crop of presidential candidates.

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."
by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Tue Apr 16th, 2019 at 04:43:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes, (none / 0)
It doesn't really matter. I think a Trump 2020 victory is more or less inevitable.
by Zwackus on Wed Apr 17th, 2019 at 12:26:44 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes, (4.00 / 2)
Nah,it is looking more and more like the Democrats got themselves into a Trump situation and end up with a parade of Jeb's of the month before Sanders ends up with the nomination. And Sanders could win, even in spite of the inevitable backstab from the party.
For one, the right has absolutely no idea how to handle people who don't crumble like paper when faced with the accusation of offering people free things. Sanders went on Fox News and had had the audience cheer for his medicare plan. Imagine I inserted the Fox news AOC bullet points with the "replace war with free everything".
by generic on Wed Apr 17th, 2019 at 07:26:11 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes, (none / 1)
Who wants free everything when you can have war? Who can that possibly appeal to?
by fjallstrom on Wed Apr 17th, 2019 at 07:39:03 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes, (none / 0)
Let's see how long any serious Democratic challenger can avoid getting shot.
by Zwackus on Wed Apr 17th, 2019 at 12:20:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes, (none / 1)
 Trump is hardly anything new in the murder department and those things haven't happened in a long time (to people who matter).
by generic on Wed Apr 17th, 2019 at 12:35:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes, (none / 1)
by generic on Wed Apr 17th, 2019 at 06:30:58 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes, (none / 0)
by generic on Fri Apr 19th, 2019 at 10:00:14 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes, (none / 0)
by generic on Sat Apr 20th, 2019 at 03:25:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes, (none / 0)

by generic on Fri Apr 19th, 2019 at 12:36:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes, (none / 0)
Why is that surprising? Naked Capitalism tries to figure out if he's fooling us by claiming lots of small donors (as opposed to some large donors breaking their donations up into small pieces) as Obama did.
by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Fri Apr 19th, 2019 at 01:46:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Trump BUREAUCRATS (none / 0)
Some people have already laid out the data map for Amercian descendants of slaves (vaults by federal bureau and agency).

Some haven't. I think, they must be new here.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Apr 9th, 2019 at 01:55:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Trump BUREAUCRATS (none / 0)
Nielsen out as Homeland Security chief

misogynists!



Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Tue Apr 9th, 2019 at 02:01:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Trump BUREAUCRATS (none / 0)
Trump 'giving strong considerations' to releasing ICE detainees 'in sanctuary cities only'
The strategy was rejected twice in the past year by the Department of Homeland Security.
< pick teeth, suck vigorously >
Pelosi on Friday told reporters that the plan was "just another notion that is unworthy of the presidency of the United States and disrespectful, the challenges we face as a country, as a people to address who we are -- a nation of immigrants*."

Trump's decision to revive the proposal reflects a growing sense of desperation within the administration over the rising number of migrant families arriving at the southern border to seek asylum.

smells like "pro-life" moralizing to me: starts with, ends with unconditional FREEDOM
Several of Trump's attempts to detain and deter the asylum seekers have been struck down by courts in recent weeks. Most recently, a federal judge last week ruled that the Trump administration cannot force asylum seekers to remain on the Mexican side of the border while awaiting an asylum hearing in the United States.

This stark reversal of policy reflects the dearth of ideas within the White House as to how to confront the migration crisis on both a policy level and a political one.

What crisis? Refugees don't need not stinkin' asylum policy ... or segregated "sanctuary".

--
* correct locution historically is "slaves," "servants," or "guest workers"; Please make a note of it.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Apr 12th, 2019 at 06:56:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Trump BUREAUCRATS (none / 0)
National Map of Local Entanglement with ICE
Immigrant Legal Resource Center

archived CALIFORNIA
imported honey-like product.
Supreme Court [DECLINES TO REVIEW US APPEAL OF A LOWER COURT RULING]
National Immigration Law Center
1965 Immigration and Nationality Act

the 1965 law abolished the national-origins quota system. It was replaced with a preference system based on immigrants' family relationships with U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents and, to a lesser degree, their skills. The law placed an annual cap of 170,000 visas for immigrants from the Eastern Hemisphere, with no single country allowed more than 20,000 visas, and for the first time established a cap of 120,000 visas for immigrants from the Western Hemisphere. Three-fourths of admissions were reserved for those arriving in family categories. Immediate relatives (spouses, minor children, and parents of adult U.S. citizens) were exempt from the caps; 24 percent of family visas were assigned to siblings of U.S. citizens. In 1976, the 20,000 per county limit was applied to the Western Hemisphere. And in 1978, a worldwide immigrant visa quota was set at 290,000.



Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Sat Apr 13th, 2019 at 12:23:05 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Trump BUREAUCRATS (none / 1)
USAToday | Inside Trump administration's mysterious plan to secure a 2020 census citizenship question
The district court judges stopped short of speculating on Ross' motivations, but there could have been several:

- Voting Rights Act enforcement: The question would arm Justice Department officials with data on where noncitizens live, which could help them determine that minorities comprise not just a majority of people but a majority of eligible voters in a particular district.

No. The odious really couldn't give a damn anymore. Waning protests against states' tests of ID and signatures, for example, is the direct result of the SCOTUS ruling of Shelby vs. Holder [US Atty General, Eric] (2013) which dispensed with § 4, §5 of the act of 1965, authorizing fed surveillance of states' violations against and remedies benefiting black voters, the largest ethnic minority of eligible voters in the USfuckingA. Enter 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act, "diversifying" the electorate.
-Congressional apportionment: The question would reduce census response rates among noncitizens, which could cost California, Texas, Florida, New York, Illinois and Arizona seats in Congress.

-Redistricting: Information on noncitizens would help state legislatures that seek to restrict voting rights, such as Texas and North Carolina, to draw new districts in 2022 based on citizen voting-age population, rather than total population. The states could pack more people into districts with greater non-voting residents, diminishing their representation.

Enter Census of 1970, 1980, "Reagan Democrats": Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 a/k/a the "Amnesty Act" of the 99th Congress (1985-1986), less so, the mother of all DACA drama.
House:(D) 254/speaker Tip O'Neill, (R) 181; H.R. 3810 roll call #457 (230-166)
Senate:(D) 48, (R) 52; S. 1200 roll call #191 (69-30)

The odious front-loaded the electorate with naive cohorts along side 15th Amd. VRA and CRA remedies for certain disenfranchised citizens, then tried to clean up. Notice the count discrepancies, abstentions. The bill was extremely contentious in its time, so much so one may imagine WHY LOC has since limited web search of Recorded Votes to a rolling set, current session (116th) - 15. That is how to control information and knowledge of government, not to mention one's part in it or the Census, Department of Commerce.

No questions in the press feature, no problems about the legitimacy of collecting name, "race or ethnicity," SS#, or income bracket, lo, these many decades. What a mystery!

USAToday | The dark side of the American dream is killing white men
featuring the limited vocabulary of the civic-minded human rights "activist"

archived odious
Re: It's all Pelosi's fault anyway...
"Electoral votes are allocated among the states based on the Census."
So I get into the hot, NEW! Census Bureau website design


Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sat Apr 13th, 2019 at 05:12:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Trump BUREAUCRATS (none / 0)
As census approaches, many Arab Americans feel left out
Yousuf Abdelfatah already knows the answer he'll give about his race on the 2020 census questionnaire will be wrong.

He's an Arab American, but the only race options on the census are white, black, Asian and categories for American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander. Reluctantly, Abdelfatah will mark white.

Would it be TOO MUCH TROUBLE for a reporter to locate or reproduce the actual racist survey instrument mailed to all households by the US gov for 2010 Census? Would it be TOO MUCH TROUBLE for a reporter to consult OMB public memorandum, classifying fed gov "race and ethnicity".
"If you look at me, my skin is darker, I'm visibly [!] not white," said the 22-year-old research assistant. "I've lived my life as a person of color, but I'm categorized as white."
There is no such race category in USA. In the 80s, responding to agitated persons speaking Spanish, OMB developed questionnaire "content" to capture respondents' ethnicities (country of origin and dominant language) which is about the same time, idiomatically, persons with distinctive "immigrant" heritage began hyphenating US nationality. Since Census 2010 respondents have earned even more opportunities to express "intersectional" race and ethnicity identity!
"Right now we have that 'white' designation on paper but we don't benefit [!] from it," said 24-year-old activist and organizer Naia Al-Anbar. "The truth is we aren't ever going to be white in their eyes and we will still be discriminated against."
Congratulations! More semitic language speakers than ever -whether European, Middle Eastern, and North African heritage-- are compering for "diversity" grants and rare employment opportunities reserved for Women and minorities, although mutually exclusive classes of "protected persons" leave many youngsters uncertain which combination of identity is most advantageous. The least advantageous is a no brainer.
This question would discourage 30% of Arab Americans from taking the survey, a study by the American-Arab Anti-Defamation Committee found.
Keep up the great work chasing your tail. Oppose discrimination. But don't give up racism! Embrace it. Stroke it. Someday you, and only you, will receive personalized access to the top quintile and AI-calculated Freedom to Be A Productive Citizen from the Hamilton! Memorial Manumission Society.

## Misplaced precision

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sat Apr 13th, 2019 at 11:37:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Trump BUREAUCRATS (none / 0)
Tlaib says Dem leadership should do more to support Omar: 'They put us in photos when they want to show our party is diverse'
That's new.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Sun Apr 14th, 2019 at 08:04:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Trump BUREAUCRATS (none / 0)

chumps

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Tue Apr 16th, 2019 at 05:14:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Trump BUREAUCRATS (none / 0)

You'll always have your "swag bags"!

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Tue Apr 16th, 2019 at 05:22:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Trump BUREAUCRATS (none / 0)
It is difficult to get a man to understand something ... (1934)

GAO, Whistle Blower Protection, An Analysis of DOD's Actions to Improve Case Timelines and Safeguard Confidentialy (2013-2018)

Potential violations of whistleblower confidentiality may be reported to DODIG, the service IGs, the Office of Special Counsel, or CIGIE. IGs identified some substantiated violations of whistleblower confidentiality between fiscal years 2013 and 2018. Specifically, DODIG identified 8 substantiated violations of whistleblower confidentiality between fiscal years 2013 and 2018, representing approximately .01 percent of the 95,613 contacts handled by DODIG during that timeframe, according to DODIG officials.88
Pentagon harbors culture of revenge against whistleblowers
"'Your chances of avoiding professional suicide are akin to winning the lottery,' one advocate says."

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Wed Apr 10th, 2019 at 02:59:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Trump BUREAUCRATS (none / 0)
House Dems Weigh Options as Deadline for Trump Tax Returns Nears
The IRS has until end of April 10 to hand the returns over, but members of President Donald Trump's legal team and acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney have urged the agency and the Treasury Department to deny the request. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said April 9 at congressional hearings that the request is under review and the department "will follow the law."

The IRS can expect a second chance from House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.) if it doesn't meet the first deadline. An aide for Ways and Means Democrats told Bloomberg Tax that if that happens, Neal will likely send another letter with a new deadline by the end of this week.



Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Wed Apr 10th, 2019 at 07:31:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Trump BUREAUCRATS (none / 0)
Thank TurboTax If the Government Bans Free Online Tax Filing
Mr Neal for himself and others
Liberals surprised by tax vote vow to kill 'Free File' provision
too little, too late

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Thu Apr 11th, 2019 at 08:49:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Trump BUREAUCRATS (none / 0)
House Democrats give IRS an extension to provide Trump tax returns
new deadline 23 April 2019

reference
CRS | Congressional Access to the President's Tax Returns
Treasury/IRS/keywords: "legislative purpose", Nixon, Obama

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sun Apr 14th, 2019 at 08:02:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Trump BUREAUCRATS (none / 0)
Report On The Investigation Into Russian Interference in The 2016 Presidential Election, 448 pp, redacted

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Thu Apr 18th, 2019 at 04:46:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Trump BUREAUCRATS (none / 0)
Wm. "Drug Czar" Barr's prefatory remarks, summarizing public document.

  • exonerates all US citizens of conspiracy or collusion to interfere with the 2016 presidential election, a < reckless eyeballin'> crime allegedly perpetrated by government agents of the Russian Federation and named Russian nationals;
  • endorses conclusion that GRU agents' theft of DNC email for the purpose of publication;
  • equivocates evidence of Wikileak conspiracy with GRU to interfere with the 2016 presidential election: "Under applicable law publication of these types of material would not be criminal unless the publisher also participated in the underlying "hacking" conspiracy. Here, too, the special counsel's report did not find that any person associated with the Trump campaign illegally participated in the dissemination of the materials.


Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Thu Apr 18th, 2019 at 06:06:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]
The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 0)
tears, sippy cup
40 year clip: "racketeering, forced labor conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy and various sex trafficking charges in connection with her role as a high-ranking leader in DOS, a group secretly led by Raniere that purported to be a women's empowerment sorority."

arcived Mann Act revival

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Apr 9th, 2019 at 02:05:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 0)
Brett Kavanaugh: backlash after US university hires justice to teach in UK
A sexual assault survivors' group from George Mason University --Mason For Survivors-- is protesting him teaching a ConLaw seminar at GMU Antonin Scalia Law School in Runnymede, UK, saying: the "opportunity to learn about the supreme court might not be equally available to women because many will self-select out [sic] of a class taught by a credibly accused sexual assailant".

archived
Conservatives' takeover of Supreme Court stalled by John Roberts-Brett Kavanaugh bromance
according to USAToday

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Apr 10th, 2019 at 01:53:44 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 0)
Announced Next Steps in Combatting Measles Outbreak
County Executive Ed Day and Commissioner of Health Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert announced additional steps being taken to combat the measles outbreak in Rockland County and that an appeal would be filed against last week's decision by State Supreme Court Judge Hon. Rolf M. Thorsen that restrains the County from enforcing the Executive Order, which barred anyone under 18 years of age and unvaccinated against the measles from public places for 30 days or until they received the MMR vaccination.

archived winning
Today -100: August 14, 1918: Of triumvirates, flu, and Czechoslovakias

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Apr 10th, 2019 at 02:48:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Measles Outbreak - Pigs at Fault (none / 0)
NY measles outbreak spotlights religious exemptions from vaccine | Times of Israel |

HAVERSTRAW, New York (AFP) -- Patricia Schnabel Ruppert, the health commissioner of an outlying New York suburban county, is feeling "overwhelmed." Since October she has been waging an uphill fight to quell one of the worst US measles outbreaks in 20 years.


This picture shows a boy walking on the street in a Jewish neighborhoods of Nyack, Rockland County, New York. (Johannes Eisele/AFP)

... the county took the unprecedented measure on March 26 of banning unvaccinated minors from schools and public places for 30 days. Several public health specialists saluted the county's decision.

But a dozen parents of public-school students sued the county, arguing that the measure was disproportionate to the danger, particularly as there have been no deaths to date.



'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Wed Apr 10th, 2019 at 03:24:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Measles Outbreak - Pigs at Fault (none / 1)
New York City declares measles public health emergency in Williamsburg
"New York Mayor Bill de Blasio declared a public health emergency Tuesday for parts of Brooklyn's Williamsburg section following a measles outbreak affecting the Orthodox Jewish community fueled by a growing movement against vaccinations."

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Wed Apr 10th, 2019 at 06:54:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Measles Outbreak - Pigs at Fault (none / 1)
Williamsburg residents sue NYC

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Wed Apr 10th, 2019 at 08:59:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Measles Outbreak - Pigs at Fault (none / 1)
Williamsburg residents' suit trashed
329 measles cases since Sept. 30, 2018, up from 285 about a week ago

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Fri Apr 19th, 2019 at 05:27:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 1)
Why is this getting worldwide coverage, when thousands have got measles in the Philippines, including at least 70 dead?
by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Wed Apr 10th, 2019 at 03:39:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 0)

anti-semeticism season

archived biblical proportions -(cholera + ebola marketing UPDATE)
DW | Why measles is so deadly and vaccination so important
premature declarations of victory, 98 public health care ahh ecosystems: 153 to 76,000

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Apr 10th, 2019 at 03:50:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 0)
Traffic dispute leads to brutal beating of transgender woman by 'mob.' [not really] One suspect arrested, Dallas police say
Friday, the woman was involved in a minor traffic accident at an apartment complex in Dallas, according to police. "Known suspects" using homophobic slurs then beat her in an incident described by Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings as "mob violence." The Dallas Police Department said it was investigating the case as a hate crime.
"mob" network reports, sequestered by Facebook.

public references
WFFA local news broadcaster
phone cam video of the assault
Human Rights Campaing, NGO
Violence Against the Transgender Community in 2018, murders


Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Mon Apr 15th, 2019 at 07:23:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 0)
Avenatti indicted on 36 charges of tax dodging, perjury, theft from clients

archived
Avenatti Intrigue Dominates at Hearing on Cult-Like NXIVM racket
liquor heiress faints
Michael Avenatti arrested for alleged $20 million extortion attempt against Nike
What is a "notion victim"?
representing plaintiffs in R. Kelly suit
"survivor" island UPDATE Oct
Avenatti Esq. Aug
"I'm exploring a run for the presidency"
request denied
Avenatti, Cohen, Pecker gag order
Free Stormy
this.empowerment(Kimba Woods) May

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sun Apr 14th, 2019 at 08:43:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 0)
NXIVM: Clare Bronfman, heiress to Seagram's, pleads guilty in self-help sex cult sex slavery sex trafficking prostitution racketeering case
took a plea deal Friday along with [NXIUM's] longtime bookkeeper [!].

Bronfman, an heiress to the Seagram's liquor fortune, pleaded guilty to a count of conspiracy to conceal and harbor illegal aliens [?!] for financial gain and a count of fraudulent use of identification [?].

hmm, an alias (eg. name, SS#, EIN#) probably relating ahh transportation and hospitality services, or guest extortion, to corporate filing and tax evasion?
She is expected to face 21 months to 27 months in prison and pay $6 million [!] in restitution.
Would that punishment befits crimes against humanity. Wardrobe details.
"Your Honor, I was afforded a great gift by my grandfather and father," Bronfman said in a small voice and slight British accent to U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis, reading from prepared remarks.
< wipes tears >
Prosecutors have estimated she faces 21 to 27 months in prison -- though she faces a maximum of 25 years -- and will owe about $96,000 in restitution payments to a Jane Doe 12. She will also have to forfeit $6 million within 60 days [NY or IRS?], based on the property [!] used to facilitate the harboring charge. [...] Bronfman made false statements to help a woman she called Jane Doe 12 get a work visa for the United States. The woman then worked for Bronfman and for a NXIVM organization, Bronfman admitted, and was not paid.
schweet
[The "bookeeper"] helped a Mexican national named Loretta Garza Davila obtain a TN visa to work in the United States by making false statements to the U.S. Consulate in Mexico.... [The "bookeeper"] faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, but the government estimated she will serve six to 12 months


Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Sat Apr 20th, 2019 at 09:02:23 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Strongly worded letter w/o 7 April (none / 0)
Baltimore City Council

(Word on the street is, Pugh's incommunicado while her attorney cut pleas and pension deal --at least as generous as Ms Dixon's-- before she tenders her resignation. Under the radar, this letter, latest in the series of grifters since O'Malley, arrives as city activists cobble a new charter to sever unilateral mayoral ordinance and spending authorities.)

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Apr 9th, 2019 at 07:15:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Strongly worded letter w/o 7 April (none / 0)
HA! REFORM is floating in the wind...
Behind The Scenes Of A Baltimore Corruption Scandal
JAISAL NOOR: So I want to go back to City Hall for a bit of this discussion, because you're all very familiar with City Hall; reported or worked there at various times. This has also exposed the power of the mayor in Baltimore City. Baltimore City is one of the strongest mayors in the country; controls over spending, appointments, and much more. What kind of reforms would you need to sort of pare back some of that power and distribute it more evenly with other politicians, but also the public as well?

JILL CARTER: Well, people have talked about, you know, should the charter be changed so we have a recall provision? Should the balance of power be changed on the Board of Estimates? Because right now the way it's constructed the mayor dominates that. She has-it's a five member board.

She's a keeper.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Tue Apr 16th, 2019 at 08:10:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Trump ECONOMICS & FINANCE (none / 0)
AP | European Central Bank Holds Rates as Uncertainties Grow, 10 Apr 2019
The ECB has joined the U.S. Federal Reserve in pausing the withdrawal of stimulus measures deployed over a decade to bounce back from the global financial crisis, as central bankers around the world ponder which way the economy is headed. The Fed has already started raising had raised  rates but has backed off plans for further rate increases in 2019.
Fed raises rates for second time in 2018, June 2018
previously March, 2018 meeting
Fed hikes rate, lowers 2019 projection to 2 increases, Dec 2018
"Central bank officials now forecast two hikes next year, down from three rate raises previously projected"

archived enemy of the people
ECB to keep rates at record lows until summer 2019, cuts economic outlook, June 2018
"The Governing Council expects the key ECB interest rates to remain at their present levels at least through the summer of 2019"

Whatever it takes
"ECB's Draghi backs expectations for late 2019 rate hike"

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Apr 10th, 2019 at 03:44:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Trump ECONOMICS &amp; FINANCE (none / 0)
  • Mommy.
  • Yes, cupcake.
  • Sing me th NIRP song!
  • Oh, that's old.
  • Sing it! Sing it.
  • Okay. In Danish or German?
  • German, please, with that Swiss accent.


Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Wed Apr 10th, 2019 at 03:59:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Trump HOUSE (none / 0)
Democrats prepare border bills, say Trump enflames problem
"This is a manufactured crisis," said Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz.
[...]
No one disputes that the number of migrants seeking entry into the U.S. is swelling. Authorities were expecting to prevent 100,000 people, mostly families, from crossing the southern border last month, the most in 12 years.


Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Wed Apr 10th, 2019 at 05:40:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Trump HOUSE (none / 0)

WIKILEAKS

archived OVERSIGHT!
this.empowerment(gina haspel)

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Apr 16th, 2019 at 06:43:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Trump HOUSE (none / 0)
House Judiciary Committee subpoena to Wm. "Drug Czar" Barr:

  1. The complete and unredacted version of the report submitted on or about March 22, 2019 by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, pursuant to his authority under 28 C.F.R. sec. 600.8(c), entitled, "Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election" ("the Report"). This includes, but is not limited to, all summaries, exhibits, indices, tables of contents or other tables or figure, appendices, supplements, addenda or any other attachments whether written or attached in a separate electronic format.
  2. All document referenced in the Report.
  3. All documents obtained and investigative materials created by the Special Counsel's Office.
Justice Department Hit With Served Subpoena for Full Mueller Report
Jerry Nadler, NY-10: "It now falls to Congress to determine the full scope of that alleged misconduct [crime] and to decide what steps we must take going forward."

storage, jobs saved or created considerations

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Apr 19th, 2019 at 05:15:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Trump (4.00 / 2)
Kentucky Republicans Worried Inviting AOC to Meet with Coal Miners Might Backfire - GQ
In response, Kentucky Republican congressman Andy Barr invited Ocasio-Cortez to come meet coal miners in his state "who will tell you what the Green New Deal would mean for their families, their paychecks." His concern, he said, is that the Green New Deal would phase out U.S. reliance on coal and fossil fuel, which would wreak havoc on the lives of people who work in those industries. Ocasio-Cortez accepted

.....

Uninviting Ocasio-Cortez is probably a smart move on Barr's part in the long run. For one thing, there aren't any active coal mines in Barr's district.

by generic on Wed Apr 17th, 2019 at 09:11:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Tragedy, farce and it just keeps going (none / 0)
Twitter Revises Data on Russian Trolls and Their 2017 Activity - Bloomberg
Twitter Inc. this month made a significant revision to its public database of more than 3,000 accounts that it has linked to Russia's Internet Research Agency, fundamentally altering the record about the group's trolling efforts in the U.S. in the year following the contentious 2016 presidential election.

Twitter Revises Data on Russian Trolls and Their 2017 Activity - Bloomberg

On Feb. 8, Twitter removed 228 accounts from the Russian IRA dataset because the social-media company now believes these accounts were operated by a different trolling network located in Venezuela. "We initially misidentified 228 accounts as connected to Russia,"

Twitter Revises Data on Russian Trolls and Their 2017 Activity - Bloomberg
Twitter is reluctant to discuss how it connects accounts to trolling networks.
by generic on Fri Apr 19th, 2019 at 12:48:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Tragedy, farce and it just keeps going (none / 0)
Wikiwtf has already incorporated Team Mueller sources and conjecture (disclosed in 19 April Report) into its article "Murder of Seth Rich". Ignoring the one public statement issued by Wikileaks and Assange in re: disclosing sources, the retcon goes like this: Assange "hints" (recurring press quote, Jul - Oct), Wikileaks knowledge of Rich murder. Participation in GRU conspiracy to "hack" DNC server indisputable; GRU stolen data delivered to Guccifer or Seth Rich for Wikileaks disemmination; and Wikileaks bounty for information about Seth Rich murder corroborates Wikileak conspiracy with GRU.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Sat Apr 20th, 2019 at 11:12:05 AM EST
[ Parent ]
World (none / 0)
 WORLD 
by Bjinse on Mon Apr 8th, 2019 at 09:46:11 PM EST
Re: World REPUBLICS (none / 0)
Thousands of protesters reject Algerian interim president
The appointment of upper house chairman Abdelkader Bensalah accords with Algeria's constitution but many people oppose him because he is part of a ruling caste that has dominated Algeria since independence from France in 1962.

The protest movement demands the overhaul of a secretive political system built around veterans of the 1954-1962 war of independence against France, ruling party figures, big businessmen and the army.

That's new.

archived
Abdelaziz Bouteflika seeks forgiveness from Algerians facing new era

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Apr 9th, 2019 at 02:55:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World REPUBLICS (none / 0)
DW is funded in part or in whole by Germany government.

India elections: Can Narendra Modi repeat his 2014 success?
general election 11 April 2019

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Apr 10th, 2019 at 06:26:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World REPUBLICS (none / 0)
INDIA CAMPAIGN 2019

PHASE I: Lok Sabha (first), Rajya Sabha (second) chambers of parliament

Full schedule of 2019 Lok Sabha elections: 7-phase polling in UP, Bihar , election commission plan
ahh phase change by state and "constituencies" (political divisions within a state; US-Eng. "districts")
"Addressing a press briefing at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi, CEC Arora said: 'The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) comes into effect from today itself in the entire country. Any violation will be dealt with in the strictest manner.'"

India votes in first of seven-phase general election
"Polling on Monday was held for 91 of the 543 parliamentary seats across 20 Indian states and federal territories, which witnessed a voter turnout of more than 60 percent, according to the Election Commission of India." Complete results released 23 May

LS Election 2019 Phase 1 Polls updates: Less than 1 percent of voting machines replaced, 12 Apr
"Election 2019 kicked off to a troubled start with two people being killed in clashes in Andhra Pradesh, IED blasts in Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh, reports of EVM glitches and multiple complaints from voters about their names not being on the electoral list."


Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Apr 12th, 2019 at 06:05:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World REPUBLICS (none / 0)
DW is funded in part or in whole by Germany government.

[Republic of] Sudan's de facto military leader steps down

Sudanese Defense Minister Ahmed Awad Ibn Auf stepped down as the transitional military council late Friday, a day after he announced the removal of longtime leader Omar al-Bashir.
al-Bashir beat a ICC rap, because "lack of cooperation".
Ibn Auf, who is under US sanctions for supporting genocidal militias [!] in the Darfur region, had been under international pressure to establish a civilian transitional government. He said General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan Abdulrahman would succeed him as the council's leader.
"This country has great people and a great army": US boilerplate
But Khalid Omer, who leads the opposition Sudanese Congress Party, told DW: "They (military council) are trying to steal the revolution. If you want to engage in genuine dialogue you wouldn't suspend the constitution."
Instead, you "suspend" it piecemeal.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Sat Apr 13th, 2019 at 03:11:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World REPUBLICS (none / 0)
INDONESIA CAMPAIGN 2019
16 April 2019

(10pp "deep dive" into GOOG results to retrieve US-Eng. independent reporting)

Appreciating Indonesia's Democratic Election, 16 April
historiography: "Indonesia will hold its first ever concurrent presidential and legislative elections on 17 April 2019 -the largest single-day election in the world"; mlitary "dual function"; "trifecta crisis" and "basket case", 1998+, Reformasi; direct election transision 2014

Some overseas Indonesians may vote again after fraud claim

ndonesia's Election Supervision Agency said Tuesday about 320,000 overseas voters in neighboring Malaysia's biggest city should vote again in presidential and legislative elections after finding evidence that postal ballots had been tampered with.
Indonesia's Widodo looks set for election victory - challenger says no, 17 Apr
Indonesian President Joko Widodo appeared set for a second term as "quick count" results from Wednesday's election rolled in, but his challenger claimed that he had won the popular vote and urged supporters not to let his victory be snatched away.
[...]
But Prabowo, a former son-in-law of military strongman Suharto who was overthrown in 1998, told a news conference that - based on internal exit polls and "quick count" numbers - his campaign believed his share of the vote was in a 52-54 percent range. ...In 2014, Prabowo had also claimed victory on election day, before contesting the results at the Constitutional Court, which confirmed Widodo's win.


Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Wed Apr 17th, 2019 at 07:08:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World REPUBLICS (none / 0)
CHINA DAILY | Unofficial results show Widodo leading Indonesia race, 17 April
"With 50% to 80% of sample polling stations counted, the survey organizations showed Widodo winning about 55% of the vote."; voters endorse choices in candidate

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Wed Apr 17th, 2019 at 07:16:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World REPUBLICS (none / 0)
Egypt parliament votes to extend Sisi rule until 2030
Referendum April 20-22: "Deputies also backed other sweeping changes to the constitution including to give the military greater influence in political life as well as granting Sisi more control over the judiciary.

"The amendments will be put to a public referendum set for April 20-22, said Lashin Ibrahim, head of the National Election Authority said at a press conference."

Arab Spring!

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Apr 17th, 2019 at 11:34:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World (none / 0)
UKRAINE* CAMPAIGN 2019

Comedian upsets Chocolate King in landslide
REUTERS | Ukraine enters UNCHARTED WATERS after comedian wins presidency
"[Volodymyr] Zelenskiy, best known for playing a fictitious president in a TV show, trounced him, winning 73 percent of the vote, central election commission data showed after over 99 percent of votes were counted."

DW is funded in part or in whole by Gerany government.
DW | Ukraine election: Volodymyr Zelenskiy wins landslide victory
(10 dayss ago private audiences with candidates)
"Zelenskiy's victory puts the anti-establishment [?] figure at the forefront of the West's standoff with Russia, after its annexation of Crimea and its support for insurgency in eastern Ukraine."

WIKIWTF RAPID RESPONSE BIO | Volodymyr Zelensky

This article is about a person involved in a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The last updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. Please feel free to improve this article or discuss changes on the talk page. (April 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
"anti-establishment" campaign advocacy for EU, NATO membership of Maidan constituency, prosecution of "Donetsk Regional State Administration (RSA)," or Donbass, rebellion, restitution of Crimea to Ukraine (* sovereign state, unspecified declared government)

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Mon Apr 22nd, 2019 at 05:43:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World UKRAINE (none / 0)
The Buried Maidan Massacre and Its Misrepresentation by the West

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Tue Apr 23rd, 2019 at 01:51:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World POWs (none / 0)
Chinese woman arrested at Trump's Florida resort to remain in custody
Prosecutors told FLORIDA Magistrate Judge William Matthewman that Zhang could not be trusted, accusing her of lying to investigators about why she was at the property. They said a search of her hotel room turned up a device to detect hidden cameras, five cell phone SIM cards and over $8,000 in cash.
no batteries

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Tue Apr 9th, 2019 at 02:59:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World POWs (none / 0)
Victim of fabricated spy charges under Park Chung-hee to receive over US$700,000 in reparations
He suffered torture until he "confessed" to being a spy, after which he was sentenced to 12 years for violating national security laws. The Seoul High Court declared Kim innocent in August 2018, 43 years after his wrongful arrest and imprisonment. Kim's life story was the subject of the documentary film "Spy Nation" (2016).


Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Thu Apr 11th, 2019 at 05:09:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World POWs (none / 0)
Sputnick is funded in part or in whole by Russia government.

NYT | Venezuela's Ex-Spy Chief Rejects Maduro, Accusing Leader's Inner Circle of Corruption, 21 Feb 2019

Mr. Carvajal -- who in 2017 criticized Mr. Maduro for setting up a second legislature -- now provided a valuable weapon to the opposition, which for years has contended that the president's inner circle has ties to drug runners and militants.
PANAM POST | Hugo Carvajal, Former Intelligence Chief of Venezuela, Recognizes Juan Guaido, 21 Feb 2019
He addressed Guaidó as the "interim president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela" and added: "here is one more soldier for the cause of freedom and democracy, to be useful in achieving the goal of restoring Constitutional order that we allow us to call for free elections and thus be able to listen to the true will of our sovereign people."
REUTERS | Ex-Venezuelan intelligence chief arrested on U.S. drug trafficking warrant, 12 April
A court spokesman said Carvajal would appear before Spain's High Court on Saturday. The court needs to decide within 24 hours of his arrest whether he will be jailed pending a decision on his extradition or if he will be set free.
Ex-Venezuelan Head of Military Intel Detained in Madrid at US Request - Police
syndicated sanctions propaganda

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Fri Apr 12th, 2019 at 08:52:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World [INCONTINENCE ALERT] (none / 0)
Noticias Univision 23 | Miami, FL, A/V, 12 Dec 2012; *ABC News | Obama refutes a "socialist economic system in the U.S."
OBAMA: [I don't know that there are a lot of Cubans or Venezuelans, Americans who believe that*] The truth of the matter is, my policies are so mainstream that if I had said the same policies that I have back in the 1980s I'd be considered a moderate republican ...
NPR | President Trump Called Former President Jimmy Carter To Talk About China, 15 Apr 2019
Carter said the United States is "the most warlike nation in the history of the world" due to a desire to impose American values on other countries, and he suggested that China is investing its resources into projects such as high-speed railroads instead of defense spending.

"How many miles of high-speed railroad do we have in this country?"

Zero, the congregation answered.

Ron Paul | 'Pompeo Has Lost His Mind!' - China Fires Back On Venezuela, 16 Apr 2019
A/V, no transcript

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Wed Apr 17th, 2019 at 03:19:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World POWs (none / 0)
Peru's former President Garcia dies after shooting himself as police arrived
Garcia, who served as president between 1985 and 1990 and then again from 2006 to 2011, was wanted in connection to the sprawling Lavo Jota (Car Wash) corruption investigation and his ties to the Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht.
[...]
In 2016 the company entered into a plea bargain with the US Justice Department, admitting that it had paid Latin American officials some $800 million (€708 million) in bribes in return for building contracts. The company also admitted that it had paid three successive Peruvian presidents $29 million as part of the scam.
SNC-Lavalin selling off assets

archived graft
Trudeau expels Wilson-Raybould, Philpott from Liberal caucus over SNC-Lavalin affair
Justin Trudeau is uniting all of Canada - against him

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Apr 17th, 2019 at 06:26:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World Progress! (none / 0)
MILITARY SITUATION IN LIBYA ON APRIL 9, 2019 (MAP UPDATE)
bullet-points

COVER BOY: Haftar's forces continue push into Tripoli as Libya crisis escalates, 7 April
"Peace keepers" in order of appearance: Federica Mogherini, Emmanuel Macron, US Marine Corps Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, Sushma Swaraj, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Apr 9th, 2019 at 07:32:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]
"Mike Gravel" (none / 0)
Quotes from Current Affairs
if you want a vision of the future under Cory Booker, imagine a boot stamping on a human face - forever. and every once in a while it stops for an inspirational lecture on how we should never stop dreaming

[...]

Moral culpability falls on every single politician who isn't actively fighting against our empire's brutality. If you sit in a seat of power and stay silent, you are just as guilty as the decision makers.

by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Wed Apr 10th, 2019 at 02:11:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World JURISDICTIONS (none / 1)
ICC reject Afghanistan probe; cite lack of cooperation
It's official: US gov has  made the ICC redundant. The gig is up.

Russia and 'Third World' rules --Duterte and several African nations-- vindicated: "The battle for the soul of international law"

archived "war crimes"
U.S. imposes visa bans on International Criminal Court investigators - Pompeo, 15 Mar 2019
reserved words
Will Ethnocide in Western China Become Genocide?
slide rule
LQD: US Federal Law Eats World,
the EU3
Kenya denies urging Africa to quit ICC - Africa | IOL News | IOL.co.za


Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Apr 12th, 2019 at 05:11:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World JURISDICTIONS (none / 0)
[Republic of] Sudan's [al-]Bashir held in Khartoum prison
Unpaid parking tickets in amount greater than $1200?
Sudan's military leaders transferredousted strongman Omar al-Bashir to prison on Wednesday, a family source said.
[...]
Sudan's foreign minister has said that [council chief General Abdel Fattah al-] Burhan is "committed to having a complete civilian government," but the African Union has threatened to suspend Sudan from the bloc over the coup unless changes are made within 15 days.

With al-Bashir's future uncertain, Uganda said on Wednesday that it would consider granting the ex-leader asylum. al-Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over the deaths of 300,000 people during the insurgency in Darfur over a decade ago. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni [!] has repeatedly criticized the ICC, saying it unfairly targets Africans.

reference
The African Union and the International Criminal Court: The battle for the soul of international law"
Eichmann in Jerusalem

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Wed Apr 17th, 2019 at 06:15:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World (none / 1)
Why China Should Shift Support to Guaido in Venezuela - Bloomberg
The moment has come for Beijing to add its voice to this chorus. China's influence in our region has grown tremendously over the past few years. It's in its own interest to help bring about the climate of peace, stability and well-being to which we all aspire. If it does so, it will find a willing, open and more reliable partner in Caracas.

By Juan Guaido

As the kids, who for some reason are all in their 30s, say: lol

by generic on Wed Apr 17th, 2019 at 06:40:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Living Off the Planet (none / 0)
LIVING OFF THE PLANET
Environment, Energy, Agriculture, Food
by Bjinse on Mon Apr 8th, 2019 at 09:46:14 PM EST
Re: Living Off the Planet (none / 0)
The EU's risky move on (un)sustainable fisheries
Pressures on the EU from industrial fishery lobbies to maintain business as usual in the Western Mediterranean may put both fish stocks and small fishermen's livelihoods at risk, while also undermining the economic sustainability of the industry itself, as we reveal in a three-part investigation, the first of which concerns EU mislegislation.
[...]
Some 230,000 tonnes of  Mediterranean seafood are discarded every year (about 18 percent of total catches), including species or sizes of fish unsuitable for the market.

On 10 April, the EU scientific committee on fisheries released a report confirming the negative trends of Mediterranean fish stocks.



Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Sun Apr 14th, 2019 at 01:00:08 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Living Off the Planet (none / 0)
Pacific Sardines at Risk as Their Numbers are Overfished
Pacific sardines, the small, oily fish favored by salmon, baleen whales and toothed whales, have had their population collapsed by 98 percent since 2006, according to the Pacific Fisheries Management Council, which on Friday formerly declared the West Coast population overfished.
[...]
"I would like to state for the record that the volume of sardines in the local waters from La Jolla to Dana Point has increased dramatically in recent years," [CA charter boat fisherman James] Gardner told the council. "Fish congregate in areas where the condition they like is right and the condition here has improved and the sardine stock is strong."
"overfished"
"That's a word we need changed for many reasons," Smith told Courthouse News. "Sardines are overfished and yet they haven't been fished for four years. We'll step up to the plate and tie our boats to the dock when we have to, but that word tends to take the spotlight off the real issues."


Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Sun Apr 14th, 2019 at 05:51:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Living Off the Planet (none / 1)
Uganda: Kenya Urges Tanzania and Uganda to Ban Plastic
Kenya and Rwanda are the only East African Community [EAC] member states that have banned [single use] plastic carrier bags ... Kenya's National Environment Management Authority director general Prof Geoffrey Wahungu said despite the [single use] ban, the regulator still faces challenges in controlling contraband materials.
[...]
High Court Judge Aaron Makau ruled in favour of the Importers and Small Traders Association of Kenya and two others who challenged the ban, arguing that they had invested heavily through acquisition of machinery, raw material and labour, adding that the ban was bound to occasion massive job losses and curtail the economic rights of many Kenyans who rely on the trade of non-woven carrier bags.
[...]
Kenya is also blaming manufacturers for producing very low gauge bags, warning that the single usage of the bags will eventually lead to environmental pollution due to poor disposal coupled with lack of requisite infrastructure to sustainably manage the waste.
EU Plastics Ban: "Doesn't Go Far Enough", (EN) A/V, transcript
Third-country commentary, synergy in market failure after China banned imports

archived
EU prepares to say adieu to single-use plastics - Euractiv
'upcycling', 'downcycling', recycling waste plastics
PolyMatter1 | Why China Doesn't Want Your Trash Anymore, (EN) A/V, no transcript

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sun Apr 14th, 2019 at 01:22:34 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Living Off the Planet (none / 0)
The NASA Twins Study: A multidimensional analysis of a year-long human spaceflight

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Mon Apr 15th, 2019 at 11:27:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Living Off the Planet (4.00 / 2)
Half of England is owned by less than 1% of its population, according to new data shared with the Guardian that seeks to penetrate the secrecy that has traditionally surrounded land ownership.

The findings, described as "astonishingly unequal", suggest that about 25,000 landowners - typically members of the aristocracy and corporations - have control of half of the country.



I used to be afew. I'm still not many.
by john_evans (john(dot)evans(dot)et(at)gmail(dot)com) on Thu Apr 18th, 2019 at 05:52:04 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Living On the Planet (none / 0)
 LIVING ON THE PLANET 
 Society, Culture, History, Information 
by Bjinse on Mon Apr 8th, 2019 at 09:46:17 PM EST
Re: Living On CHARLATANS (none / 0)
Empirical evidence in O-I Psychology: needs more fMRI, possibly AI

PNAS | The mixed effects of online diversity training

We present the results of a large field experiment* with an international organization testing whether a short online diversity training can affect attitudes and workplace behaviors.
[...]
Recent meta-analyses* suggest that diversity training can be effective with stronger effects on cognitive learning and weaker effects on attitudinal and behavioral measures, albeit with significant heterogeneity (6⇓-8).
"women and minorities" edition
Racial bias** acknowledgment.

We also asked participants questions about perceptions of their own bias and their perceptions of other people's biases with regards to racial stereotyping. The questions we asked were as follows: "To what extent do you believe that you exhibit racial stereotyping?" and "To what extent do you believe that the average person exhibits racial stereotyping?" Participants responded to each question on a scale from 1 (Not at all) to 7 (Very Much). We again calculated the difference between these two items to measure participants' willingness to acknowledge that their own racial biases may match those of the general population.

* a "webinar"; ** here, propounding personal prejudice, "stereotyping", "profiling" rather than research sampling errors

Finally Some Robust [not really] Research Into Whether "Diversity Training" Actually Works - Unfortunately It's Not Very Promising
critique of survey design and results, not "self-selection"

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Apr 11th, 2019 at 02:06:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Living On CHARLATANS (none / 0)
The science of dying
What does quantum physics have to do with the soul?

Not only theologians and esotericists, but also physicists have dealt intensively with the mysterious phenomena of near-death experiences. The basis for a "physically describable soul" is the quantum physical phenomenon of entanglement. Albert Einstein already discovered this strange effect, but dismissed it as a "spooky distant effect". According to it, two entangled particles behave like a pair of twins regardless of the real distance. If the property of a particle is determined by a measurement, the quantum state of the partner particle is also determined immediately.

Numerous quantum physicists today take the view that this effect actually exists. As with particles, there is a dualism between body and soul. But when the question is asked whether quantum physics can "prove" the existence of a human soul, it boils down to a question of faith, whether it is scientifically or religiously motivated.

Transporter, five to beam up.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Wed Apr 17th, 2019 at 06:42:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Living On PUBLIC PROPERTY (none / 0)
HANKYOREH | Majority of S. Korean women support decriminalization of abortion
Survey results show that seven-and-a-half out of ten South Korean women aged 15 to 44 think Articles 269 and 270 (crime of abortion) of the Criminal Act, which punish women and medical professionals for abortion, should be amended.
[...]
The Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs (KIHASA) published findings on Feb. 14 from a survey conducted at the behest of the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) on current conditions in pregnancy termination. The first such survey in the seven years since 2011, it was conducted in the form of an online questionnaire completed by 10,000 women aged 15 to 44 between Sept. 20 and Oct. 30, 2018. The Blue House announced plans for the survey in Nov. 2017 after the number of participants on a citizens' petition for decriminalization of abortion and legalization of miscarriage-inducing medications exceeded 200,000 names. The Constitutional Court is currently reviewing the constitutionality of criminal court provisions punishing women and medical professionals involved in abortion.
[...]
Of the 10,000 survey participants, 3,792 (38%) reported having been pregnant in the past, while 756 of those - representing 19.9% of all respondents who had experienced pregnancy - reported having undergone pregnancy termination. Based on these figures, the researchers estimated a total of around 50,000 abortion procedures performed in South Korea in 2017, representing a major decrease from the estimated 168,738 performed in 2010.
AP | South Korean court orders easing of decades-old abortion ban
Abortions have been largely illegal in South Korea since 1953, though convictions for violating the restrictions are rare.
[...]
The court's nine-justice panel said that the parliament must revise legislation to ease the current regulations by the end of 2020. It said the current abortion law was incompatible with the constitution and would be repealed if parliament fails to come up with new legislation by then.
[...]
It's not clear exactly how many abortions take place in South Korea. In a recent survey of 10,000 women aged between 15 and 44, about 7.6%, or 756 respondents, said they had undergone an abortion. They mostly cited worries about difficulty in continuing their studies and jobs, economic problems and a desire to wait, according to the survey conducted by the state-run Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs. The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 1 percentage point.


Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Thu Apr 11th, 2019 at 05:24:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Living On the Planet (4.00 / 2)
by generic on Fri Apr 12th, 2019 at 05:13:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]
DICTION CORNER (none / 0)
impacted

incorrect "context": Users worldwide appeared to be impacted, with Bloomberg noting that Twitter users everywhere from the U.S. to Israel and Thailand were complaining about the outage.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Sun Apr 14th, 2019 at 08:17:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]
On This Date (none / 0)
ON THIS DATE
by Bjinse on Mon Apr 8th, 2019 at 09:46:21 PM EST
Re: On This Date (none / 0)
Today -100: April 10, 1919: Of heroin, legions, germs, and war cripples
"Fear Outbreak by Men Needing Drugs"

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Wed Apr 10th, 2019 at 07:04:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]
People & Klatsch (none / 0)
 PEOPLE AND KLATSCH 
by Bjinse on Mon Apr 8th, 2019 at 09:46:25 PM EST
Re: People &amp; Klatsch (none / 0)
JOHN PILGER: Assange Arrest a Warning from History

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Fri Apr 12th, 2019 at 10:43:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: People &amp; Klatsch (none / 0)
Chelsea and Julian are in Jail. History Trembles. 692

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Sun Apr 14th, 2019 at 07:19:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: 8 - 14 April 2019 (4.00 / 7)
Thinking of my friends here at European Tribune as I watched the flames in Notre Dame. We have such an awful mess here and I've had such a crappy 4 years that I haven't written. Take care.

"I said, 'Wait a minute, Chester, You know I'm a peaceful man...'" Robbie Robertson
by NearlyNormal on Tue Apr 16th, 2019 at 02:52:29 AM EST
8 - 14 April 2019 | 178 comments (178 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)


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