Category: All

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Is the US financially swimming, or sinking?

My insightful friend and great truth-teller, Han Broekman, shares this on the United States financial situation:

Disappointed that even Krugman doesn’t talk here about the difference between debt and deficit. Debt is the grand total of all debts the US Federal administration has incurred. The deficit is the difference each year between the outlays and incomes of the US. Sometimes (mostly under Democratic administrations), there is no deficit, but a surplus. Whether or not deficits are really bad, and whether debt is really bad, is a question economists can’t agree on. So small wonder that debt and deficit are huge politically charged subjects … read more

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David Suzuki says why conventional economics is a form of brain damage

David Suzuki

David SuzukiDavid Suzuki explains why,

Conventional economics is a form of brain damage.

Money doesn’t stand for anything. And money now grows faster than the real world. Economics is fundamentally, so disconnected from the real world it is destructive.

Economists call life and biodiversity, “externalities,” yet we rely on the services that plants, insects and animals render to the world.

We are told over and over that the economy is the bottom line. I don’t think so.

Visit davidsuzuki.org/ to learn more about David Suzuki and his foundation
sustainableman.org explores the world of sustainability read more

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“School reform” aka diverting school funds to the rich

profiting by closing schools

profiting by closing schoolsDavid Sirota helps us see that the true mission of the corporate backed charter school initiative is to bust unions and divert public funds earmarked for student education. The goal is to remove barriers to corporate control of society and for rich guys to get all the money in the world (or at least the US). These people didn’t get the memo that you can’t take it with you.

The bottom line is clear: In attempting to change the mission of public education from one focused on educating kids to one focused on generating private profit, corporate leaders in the “reform” movement are pursuing a shrewd investment strategy. Millions of dollars go into campaign contributions and propaganda outfits that push “reform,” and, if successful, those “reforms” guarantee Wall Street and their investment vehicles much bigger returns for the long haul. read more

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Santa Ana residents beg police, “Stop killing us.”

please SAPD no more killing

please SAPD no more killingPolice in Santa Ana, California have killed five unarmed residents this year. Some residents wonder if this is part of a political strategy to create an environment which discourages people from fighting against being run out of their homes and off their land.

Concerns about Santa Ana corruption are more widespread than just shooting the public. Mark Burcaw reported illegal citations issued by the Santa Ana Police Department for the purpose of illegally seizing property.

This writer has been informed by other residents about land grab schemes within the city. People who want other people’s property reportedly have city officials misuse their positions to cite the property for bogus violations for the purpose of later condemning and stealing the desired property. The city has been known to turn off the water of residents and then cite them for not having water as part of this seemingly continuous scheme of corruption. The information provided by residents appears to confirm that Mr. Burcaw’s complaints are common place in Santa Ana. read more

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Nike continues a long tradition of youth exploitation

Nike child labor exploitation

Nike child labor exploitationSome kids buy Nikes. Others kids make them.

When I shared this graphic on Facebook, friend Leen de Weerd-Mosley commented that Nike’s long history of youth exploitation,

… all started with their logo. They held a competition, and paid 50 euros to the student who designed it. Nope, no royalties … Paid $35 in 1971; offered 500 shares worth $150 when it really became public in 1983

The Daily Mail tells us

At the party in her honour in 1983, an early Nike employee joked, ‘As everyone here knows, (Carol Davidson) invented the Nike swoosh and got paid the outrageous sum of $35 bucks for it’ read more

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The Discuss Race Group is open for membership (& discussion)

Keep calm and stop racism

Keep calm and stop racismThe Wei announces the opening of the Discuss Race Group. We will discuss books and issues related to racism, privilege and justice in face to face and virtual meetings (via teleconference, Skype or Google+ Hangout). In August 2013, we kick off with readings and discussion of The New Jim Crow by Michelle West Alexander.

To make it easy for people reliant on public transportation to attend f2f meetings, we hope to hold them in urban centers. In between times, communication will happen through a private email list, and meetings will be announced through this list as well. read more

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English Muffin with butter & jam

fork split english muffinI want to make sure all my friends know that English Muffins must get split with a fork (or another tined object) but never a knife. The point is to preserve the nooks and crannies which after all, is an important aspect of every good American’s civic duty.
English Muffin with butter & jam
Then you toast the muffin. English Muffins must always be well toasted. Apply jam, butter or cream cheese and munch happily away. My sainted mother passed these traditions along to me when I was a girl, and now you know too. Enjoy! read more

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Trayvon’s killer won’t suffer – he lacks a conscience & has money

zimmerman smirk

zimmerman smirkEverybody wants to believe GZ will suffer. Pffff. If smirky George had a conscience, this might be true. If he wasn’t getting his legal expenses paid by private donations, this might be true. But now he’s got money, is nuts, arrogant, self-deceiving and self-aggrandizing. His wife is a lady willing to perjure herself for personal gain. And, George has presently situated himself outside of the US where he might experience trouble, in a secret overseas location where he must feel safe. read more

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GZ’s pampered jurors & one’s Twitter-defeated book deal

Twitter stops b-37's book deal

Twitter stops b-37's book dealI’m interested in knowing if the pampered jurors in George’s trial, who visited gyms, nail salons and movie theaters … ate in restaurants, had alone time visits family, watched TV, checked voice mails and lounged around their hotel – also had opportunity to visit the GZ fundraising website or the show and tell site his lawyers set up to keep fans informed.

Juror B37, whose husband is a lawyer, apparently negotiated a book deal for her while the jury was sequestered. But Tweeter outrage stopped the deal cold. read more

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Act for Trayvon

Trayvon Martin American flag hoodie

Join the movement.

Here’s a list of actions we can carry out to honor Trayvon Martin’s life and protest the Florida government’s handling of his murderer’s trial. Please add yours as a comment.

Trayvon Martin American flag hoodie

  • Trayvon’s Bday was Feb 5th. So, NO SPENDING every month on the 5th.
  • No Florida NOTHING! We are boycotting Florida tourism, travel, spending, entertainment, oranges, orange juice … EVERYTHING!
  • No more BLACK Friday … We are turning Black Friday RED! No spending, period.
  • Vote out bad politicians and replace them with politicians who are caring, fair and who will be accountable to us.
  • Vote in local, state and national elections
  • Boycott products of all companies and brands the Koch Brothers own shares in
  • Increase our civic engagement and bring our voices to the table on every issue
  • Practice community journalism
  • Reduce our spending to the bare minimum
  • Go green and sustainable
  • Move money out of banks and into to credit unions (which are cooperatively owned)
  • Boycott Big Money and their financial institutions as much as possible.
  • Increase entrepreneurship
  • Rethink investments in stocks and insurance. How can we invest in communities instead.
  • Mentor youth of color
    • read more

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    Does Disney World have sovereign nation status?

    Disney World

    Disney WorldWhat’s the status of Disney World relative to United States law? If it exists outside the law and is “detached from” the State of Florida, is Disney World a sovereign nation or …. or, what?

    This and other issues are explored in National Geographic’s brilliant article on the entertainment empire:

    Disney’s new empire in central Florida would be marketed as Disney World. Its official name was, and remains, the Reedy Creek Improvement District. Thanks to a sweetheart deal with the state legislature, the lands Disney purchased were detached from the rest of Florida to form a Magic Kingdom, above and outside the law. Even now, Disney World’s rides are exempt from state safety inspections. Democratic process is excluded, too. Power remains in the hands of a board of supervisors composed of Disney allies. However much you pay for a time-share condo in Disney World, you cannot buy property outright, and therefore establish official residence, and therefore vote for the board. Celebration, Disney’s residential community themed to evoke pre-1940s small-town America, has a city hall but no actual municipal government. read more

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    Watoto children honor Trayvon with hauntingly beautiful music video and original song

    Watoto recreates Trayvon's walk


    Watoto recreates Trayvon's walkThe loving and wonderfully talented young performers from Watoto from the Nile have produced a hauntingly beautiful song they call “Warning”. In their music video, the young people follow in the wake of Trayvon’s fateful footsteps as he walks to the 7-11, singing –

    … Watoto here with a Warning … right now our Nation’s in mourning. Oh Martin Family, we’re with you … I put my hoodie oh I weeping … because this case is so misleading. We come together we must care … Trayvon Martin your spirit is in all of us. read more

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    Google’s word look-up

    Have you tried Google’s awesome word look-up feature? I love it, and use it often.

    In a Google search window, type a word followed by meaning, or significance and hit search (or the enter key) to get back a complete dictionary definition. Try it and let me know how you like it.

    For example, type: intransigent significance or intransigent meaning and get this back:
    Google definition of intransigent

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    Moms, instill manly values in your sons

    make another man

    make another manI just like this budding author’s encouragement to single mothers:

    2pac said it best when he stated “THUGLIFE” stood for the The Hate U Gave Lil Infants Fs Everyone! Single Mothers Bragging about Not Needing A Man but at the Same time Raising their Son to be Gay, or homosexual, a Non Productive Thug, a Gangster, a DeadBeat Dad, everything but a Man. Women, Overstand you have the Power To Produce and Birth Kings, Doctors, Entrepenuers, Scientist, Inventors, Young Gods. The First Teacher is the Mother, You cannot Teach him how to be A Man, But Instill and teach Him Manly Goals, Instill in him to be Strong and Warrior Minded. Because We are at War! Physically, Mentally, Spiritually against D’ Evils read more