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Doc ACLU fought years to see sat @ Library of Congress, visible to all

FBI locked interrogation manualMother Jones reports on the strange case of the high-security document sitting in the Library Congress, “where anyone with a library card can read it.”

In a lapse that national security experts call baffling, a high-ranking FBI agent filed a sensitive internal manual detailing the bureau’s secret interrogation procedures with the Library of Congress …

For years, the American Civil Liberties Union fought a legal battle to force the FBI to release a range of documents concerning FBI guidelines, including this one, which covers the practices agents are supposed to employ when questioning suspects. Through all this, unbeknownst to the ACLU and the FBI, the manual sat in a government archive open to the public. When the FBI finally relented and provided the ACLU a version of the interrogation guidebook last year, it was heavily redacted; entire pages were blacked out. But the version available at the Library of Congress, which a Mother Jones reporter reviewed last week, contains no redactions. read more

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I can do something!

I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do ~ Edward Everett Hale

Thought of the day via Ken McDaniels. Thanks Ken!

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Join the fight against new Newark Public School Closures

$50K Cami

  1. Attend community organizing meetings. Next one’s a discussion open to the public on proposed school closures and charter incursions. Please come and bring friends:
    South Side Malcolm X Shabazz HS Alumni Association
    Thurs 19 Dec 2013 @ 7pm
    80 Johnson Avenue, Newark NJ
    In the School Library
  2. Sign petition for Supt. Cami Anderson to give back to the schools the $50K bonus she got from Christie for taking over $50 million away from Newark students.
  3. Support Ras Baraka for Newark Mayor in 2014

  4. Arm yourself with information! Here’s important background information from the Malcolm X Shabazz HS Alumni Association correspondence:

Sent: Wednesday, December 18, 2013 12:11 PM
Subject: Urgent: Call out for concerned education leaders and organization representatives

Dear Elected Officials and organization leaders,

Your input is critical to the next steps to be taken in the announced plans by Supt. Cami Anderson to close schools in most areas of our City. We must make strategic plans now to address the privatization of our Newark public schools. And, you certainly have a critical role in making those plans.
 
Besides closing and colocating schools, all 6 to 8pm programs are closing, including recreation and the evening high school. And beyond belief, services to special needs students will also be “absorbed”. Community input and transparency (are being completely) voided.
 
Please come prepared to address fellow Newark alumnae, parents, students and all concerned about Newark’s schools on Thursday, December 19 when the South Side Malcolm X Shabazz HS Alumni Association convenes its meeting at 7pm in the school library at 80 Johnson Avenue, Newark, NJ.
 
We do want all who have pertinent literature to have the opportunity to distribute same. Please bring copies with you. read more

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There will be free wifi for 95 blocks in Harlem, but only outside

Harlem WiFi MapIn a move seemingly designed to make Harlem more appealing to gentrifiers, Mayor Bloomberg announced that the Harlem WiFi network will be completed by May 2014 and it will be the largest continuous free outdoor public wireless network in US. But, residents without broadband access still probably won’t have it, since availability is going to be zoned for outdoor only use.

The coverage area is 95 blocks: 110 to 138 Streets between Frederick Douglass Blvd & Madison Ave.

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Racism in the national Charter School Movement is not new

Charter schools represent resegregationWhat’s known today as the Charter School Movement is not new. The concepts that drives it were born prior to 1954, when students of color won the right to equal education through the historic lawsuit, Brown v. Education, which ushering in the desegregation of schools throughout the country. What we are seeing today is simply a big step forward being taken by racists with money and power to re-segregate schools and make sure that Brown and Black students receive inferior educations.

These 1%ers want to make certain that public schools will never produce another brilliant Barack Obama. And, they want to make sure they get hold of the money public schools’ budget and buildings represent. read more

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The federal budget deal will be death for many Americans

Richard Eskow reviews the federal budget deal in the Huffington Post. He finds it seriously lacking, both in compassion and solutions to prevent today’s vulnerable from being completely consumed by the wealthy.

Man’s inhumanity to man.

I know, I know. That’s a pretty depressing thing to say. But let’s look at the facts: Federal workers will be expected to subsidize this deal with an increase in their out-of-pocket pension costs. There will be cuts to Medicare. Airline passengers will pay a new tax. Military retirees — military retirees — will see their benefits cut. read more

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Men v. Women Oil Change Procedures

Oil Change Procedure For Women:
• Drive into Ultra Tune when the odometer reaches 10,000 miles since the last oil change.
• Drink a cup of coffee , read free paper.
• 15 minutes later, pay bill leave with a properly maintained vehicle.

Money spent:
• Oil Change: $35.00
• Coffee: $2.00
• Total: $37.00

Oil Change Procedure For Men:
• Wait until Saturday, drive to auto parts store and buy a case of oil, filter, kitty litter, hand cleaner and a scented tree, write a check for $50.00.
• Stop by the Bottle Shop and buy a case of beer, write a check for $25. Drive home.
• Open a beer and drink it.
• Jack car up. Spend 30 minutes looking for jack stands.
• Find jack stands under old Buick.
• In frustration, open another beer and drink it.
• Place drain pan under engine.
• Look for 9/16 box end wrench.
• Give up and use crescent wrench.
• Unscrew drain plug.
• Drop drain plug in pan of hot oil: splash hot oil on you in process. • Curse and swear.
• Crawl out from under car to wipe hot oil off face and arms.
• Throw kitty litter on spilled oil.
• Have another beer while watching oil drain.
• Spend 30 minutes looking for oil filter wrench.
• Give up; crawl under car and hammer a screwdriver through oil filter and twist off.
• Crawl out from under car with dripping oil filter splashing oil everywhere from holes.
• Cleverly, hide old oil filter among trash in trash can to avoid environmental penalties.
• Install new oil filter making sure to apply a thin coat of oil to gasket surface.
• Dump first liter of fresh oil into engine.
• Remember drain plug from step 11. Hurry to find drain plug in drain pan.
• Drink beer.
• Discover that first liter of fresh oil is now on the floor. Throw kitty litter on oil spill.
• Get drain plug back in with only a minor spill. Drink beer.
• Crawl under car getting kitty litter into eyes. Wipe eyes with oily rag used to clean drain plug.
• Slip with stupid wrench tightening drain plug and bang knuckles on frame removing any excess skin between knuckles and frame.
• Begin swearing fit.
• Throw stupid wrench.
• More beer.
• Clean up hands and bandage as required to stop blood flow.
• Drink beer.
• Dump in five fresh litres of oil.
• Beer.
• Lower car from jack stands.
• Move car back to apply more kitty litter to fresh oil spilled during any missed steps.
• Beer.
• Test drive car.
• Get pulled over: arrested for driving under the influence.
• Car is impounded.
• Call loving wife, make bail.
• 12 hours later, get car from impound yard. read more

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Privacy? Completely blown now, with the spy in your pocket

NSA Collects 5 Billion mobile records a day
NSA collects 5 Billion cellphone records a day. 2 Trillion a year.
I love Obama, so am always reluctant to place blame on him for doing things I dislike, but this here spying issue is a doozy. Fortunately, I also remember at moments like this, how often the president admonishes us to hold him accountable and voice our feelings about anything he, or the rest of government, does. Responding to his exhortation, I say: Wow, it is time people!

Spying on private citizens has reached the point of cannot be either tolerated or ignored one day longer. We need to keep our attention on this particular ball for longer than the America public’s typical 5 minute attention span. We need to address this issue with vigor and comprehension, because the sum of our civil rights are on the line with this intrusion on our privacy. read more

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Cold? It’s a relative concept.

snow covered bridge
65º
Arizonans turn on the heat.
People in Minnesota plant gardens.

60º
Californians shiver uncontrollably.
People in Minnesota sunbathe.

50º
Italian & English cars won’t start.
People in Minnesota drive with the windows down..

40º
Georgians don coats, thermal underwear, gloves, wool hats.
People in Minnesota throw on a flannel shirt.

35º
New York landlords finally turn up the heat.
People in Minnesota have the last cookout before it gets cold.

20º
People in Miami all die.
Minnesotans close their windows. read more

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Religious leaders may stress over congregants’ issues

Dawn in Menton
Never thought about this. Clergymen may stress over the personal woes their congregants bring to them as they look for guidance and hope in dark times. During these days of darkness for so many, the internal resources of many religious leaders must be stretched quite thin. In my Facebook timeline this morning I spotted these posts and want to pass along Vincent Grove‘s call to pray for our pastors, priests and rabbis … keep them lifted up as so many draw on the wells of their compassion and creativity to inspire hope and strength. It makes sense to help these important leaders say strong in faith and spirit as they serve our friends, family and maybe, even ourselves. read more

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Christie’s people won’t honor OPRA request about conditions in 4 schools

bad school conditions in NJThe Schools Development Authority (SDA) is denying the public information on the facility conditions at Camden High School, Thomas G. Connors Elementary School (Hoboken), Cleveland Elementary School (Orange), and Orange High School.

The Education Law Center made an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request to obtain the SDA’s reports on the facility conditions at these four schools which are badly in need of repair. The SDA said no. This is unacceptable! Communities have a right to know what the facility conditions are at their schools. This is another example of the SDA stalling on urgent repairs. read more

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Steve Kardynal does Miley Cyrus better than herself

Screen shot 2013-11-26 at 6.48.15 PMSteve Kardynal‘s brilliant new Chatroulette video of Cyrus’ Wrecking Ball features him in undies atop a wrecking ball – and eventually, even less clothed – in his own living room. No, I can’t say any more. You’ve got to see Steve in action to understand how funny he is. Look! People sharing his chat session (pictured on left) are definitely having a blast watching his silly antics.

This by the way, is good, clean fun. Steve is the only woman-portraying, bearded, socked and booted man I’ve ever seen who can do full skin on a wrecking ball without even a hint of x-rated sexuality. 1.5 million views only a day after being posted.
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