DC Court Rules Against Foes of Marriage Equality
BREAKING: By Michael Cole; 7/15, 2010
Sam Harris - TEDTalk
"if questions affect human well being,
then they do have answers, whether or
not we can find them, and just admiting
that there are right and wrong answers
to how humans flourish will change the
way we talk about morality, and will
change our expectations of human
cooperation in the future.
For instance, there are 21 states where
corporal punishment in the classroom is legal"
...
"the rationale for this behavior is
explicitly religious; the creator of
the universe himself has told us not
to spare the rod lest we spoil the child"
...
"But we can ask the obvious question,
is it a good idea, generally speaking,
to subject children to pain, and violence,
and public humiliation, as a way of
encouraging healthy emotional development
and good behavior."
Is there any doubt that this question
has an answer? and that it matters?
E.O. Wilson: TED Prize wish:
Help build the Encyclopedia of Life
TEDtalksDirector's Channel
Cindy: The Promise of Africa's Future
Cindy lost her mother at the age of three
and was taken in by her aunt, who taught
her English. That experience sparked
Cindy's passion for learning.
In this video she talks about her dream of
becoming a lawyer and fighting for justice.
Pacific Trash Vortex To Become Habitable Island?
Software Now Un-Patentable In New Zealand
Vid: Join Michael's fight for clean energy
Large Air Spill at Wind Farm.
NPR; In Politics,
Sometimes The Facts Don't Matter
(If you don't believe in falling violence
statistics, you may be looking for
the birther surfer ticket.)
Robert Naiman
54 Percent Want Afghan Exit,
but Petraeus Could Nix Peace Talks
At last count, the 72 federally-funded
fusion centers around the country
(including two in Massachusetts) seem to
focus less on catching terrorists and
more on tracking people engaged in such
"suspicious" activities as opposing abortion,
supporting third-party candidates (such as
Ron Paul, Bob Barr, and Cynthia McKinney),
defending the environment,
and calling for an end to war.
Police Brutality in America
Submitted by Stephen Lendman 10-07-15
(The Aclu) "In August 2009, the report titled,
"The Persistence of Racial Profiling in the
United States" quoted Rep. John Conyers (D. MI)
saying "Since (9/11), our nation has engaged
in a policy of institutionalized racial
and ethnic profiling,""
Police Attack Journalists and Citizens at Toronto G20
Davis Fleetwood; "Holy police state Batman!!!"
Vid - thank you channel 9!!
Internet audio downloads that get you
high are supposed to be a big concern
to parents! are your kids downloading
the newest dangerous gateway drugs?
Under Threat: A Free and Open Internet
by Stephen Lendman, 2010-07-15
"As a candidate, Obama pledged support
for "network neutrality to preserve the
benefits of open competition on the
Internet."
As president, he reneged across the board,
including for Internet freedom and openness,
Boston.com writer Joelle Tessler headlining,
"FCC votes to reconsider broadband regulations,"
saying: Federal regulators are "wading
into a bitter policy dispute that could be
tied up in Congress and the courts for years."
At stake: a free, open, and affordable Internet,
threatened by powerful phone and cable
giants wanting to privatize and control it,
have unregulated pricing power, and decide
what's published at what speed or blocked."
...
"the following organizations raised
serious civil liberties concerns:
-- the ACLU
-- American Library Association
-- American Association of Law Libraries
-- Association of Research Libraries
-- Bill of Rights Defense Committee
-- Center for Democracy & Technology, and
-- Citizens Committee for the Rights to Keep and Bear Arms.
These groups cited concerns for "free speech, privacy, and other civil liberties interests," wanting changes made to avoid infringement, saying:
"The Internet is vital to free speech and free inquiry, and Americans rely on it every day to access and to convey information. Any cybersecurity action the government requires that would infringe on these rights....must meet a traditional First Amendment strict scrutiny test," as follows:
(1) measures "must further a compelling government interest;"
(2) they "must be narrowly tailored to advance that interest," and
(3) they "must be the least restrictive means of achieving that interest.""
Obama’s Health Care Bill Is Enough to Make You Sick
By Chris Hedges on TruthDig.com, July 12, 2010
"The 2,000-page piece of legislation,
according to figures compiled by Physicians
for a National Health Plan (PNHP), will
leave at least 23 million people without
insurance, a figure that translates into
an estimated 23,000 unnecessary deaths a
year among people who cannot afford care."
...
"This legislation moves us further in the
direction of the commodification of health
care," Flowers went on. "It requires
people to purchase health insurance.
It takes public dollars to subsidize the
purchase of that private insurance.
It not only forces people to purchase this
private product, but uses public dollars
and gives them directly to these corporations.
In return, there are no caps on premiums.
Insurance companies can continue to raise
premiums. We estimate that because they are
required to cover people with pre-existing
conditions, although we will see if this
happens, they will argue that they will
have to raise premiums."
...
"We are still a nation full of health
care hostages," Redmond said. "We live
in fear of losing our health care.
Millions of people have lost their
health care. We fear bankruptcy.
The inability to pay medical bills is
the No. 1 cause of bankruptcy.
We fear not being able to afford medications.
Millions of people skip medications.
They skip these medications to the
detriment of their health. We are not free.
And we won't be free until health care
is a human right..."
Sam Harris makes a joke and a point
New Chinese Rule Requires Real Names Online
Nature Physics Portal Alerts:
A new strategy for energy innovation
John Alic1, Daniel Sarewitz2, Charles Weiss3 & William Bonvillian4
Abstract
"The US government must make the Department
of Defense a key customer for energy
technologies and make greenhouse-gas
reductions a public good, say John Alic,
Daniel Sarewitz, Charles Weiss and
William Bonvillian."
"1. Limiting the concentration of carbon
dioxide and other greenhouse gases in
Earth's atmosphere requires a technological
and economic revolution1,
2. This kind of change takes decades,
even if it is driven by powerful market
and policy forces — which this one is not."
Opinion; Cosmology forum:
Is dark energy really a mystery?
Eugenio Bianchi, Carlo Rovelli & Rocky Kolb
Nature 466, 321–322 (15 July 2010) 14 July 2010
The Universe is expanding.
And the expansion seems to be speeding up.
To account for that acceleration,
a mysterious factor, 'dark energy',
is often invoked. A contrary opinion —
that this factor isn't at all mysterious —
is here given voice, along with
counter-arguments against that view.
Excited-state spin coherence of a single
nitrogen–vacancy centre in diamond
G. D. Fuchs1, V. V. Dobrovitski2, D. M. Toyli1, F. J. Heremans1, C. D. Weis3, T. Schenkel3 & D. D. Awschalom1
Multimaterial piezoelectric fibres
S. Egusa, Z. Wang, N. Chocat, Z. M. Ruff, A. M. Stolyarov, D. Shemuly, F. Sorin, P. T. Rakich, J. D. Joannopoulos & Y. Fink
"The fibres show a piezoelectric response
AND ACOUSTIC transduction, from kilohertz
to megahertz frequencies."
Broadband terahertz wave remote sensing using
coherent manipulation of fluorescence from
asymmetrically ionized gases
Jingle Liu1, Jianming Dai1, See Leang Chin2 & X.-C. Zhang1
"owing to the challenge of dealing with high
ambient moisture absorption, the development
of remote open-air broadband terahertz
spectroscopy is lagging behind the urgent need
for the technology that exists in homeland
security and the fields of astronomy and
environmental monitoring."
...
"We demonstrate coherent terahertz wave detection at a distance of 10 m."
Two deaths of those dear to Greens:
Rwandan Democratic Green Party Vice
President Assassinated
Death Announcement: Rwandan Democratic
Green Party Vice President Assassinated
The First Vice President of the
Democratic Green Party of Rwanda,
Mr.Andre KAGWA RWISEREKA who went
missing yesterday 13th July 2010,
has been found dead this morning of
14th July 2010.
His head was almost completely
removed from his body. He was found
dead in the same wetland of River
Mukula just about 3 Kms away from
Butare town, where his car was dumped.
His brother Antoine HAGUMA
confirms seeing the dead body.
During our visit to Butare yesterday,
we found out that his national ID,
driver’s license, house keys and car
keys were found inside the
dumped car, now packed at Police
Headquarters in Huye-Butare town.
His passport was also found in his
house; TABA-Butare Town.
Issued at Kigali, 14th July 2010
Frank HABINEZA,
Founding President, Democratic Green
Party of Rwanda/ President,
African Greens Federation/
Co-Africa Representative to
Global Greens Coordination (GGC)
Esta Sambita es Pa Ti, Brother.......
Up, You Mighty Nation!
Assassination of Rwandan Greens
Vice-President Mr. André Kagwa Rwisereka
Global Greens demand investigation into the murder
Call on the Commonwealth to act
15 July 2010 • Global Greens Statement
The Global Greens express their deep
shock and sadness at the murder of
Rwandan Greens' Vice President Mr.
Andre Kagwa Rwisereka on 13 July 2010.
Mr. Rwisereka was a prominent member of
the Rwandan Greens which has been
systematically blocked from registering
as a political party. The assassination
of André Kagwa Rwisereka is a tragic
event that requires a strong reaction
from the Rwandan institutions. The
murderers of André Kagwa Rwisereka must
be identified and brought to justice.
Mr. Rwisereka’s murder appears to be
another sign of the growing repression
of Rwandan opposition groups and media
as President Paul Kagame prepares for
elections in August. There is serious
doubt whether the elections will be
free and fair.
The Global Greens call on the international
community to react to the increasing
violations of human rights and democratic
rules in Rwanda.
The Global Greens call on the Commonwealth
to act immediately to enforce its
standards of human rights and democracy.
Rwanda was admitted to the Commonwealth
less than one year ago, in December 2009,
against the clear advice of the
Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative
(CHRI).
If the Commonwealth fails to act,
now that the CHRI warnings about Rwanda
are being bourne out, it will signal
the Commonwealth’s shallow commitment
to its values.
The Global Greens call on Green
Parties around the world to raise
the Rwandan situation with their
governments and to request they take
action to ensure that members of
Green and other opposition parties
are able to safely pursue their
democratic rights
The Rwandan government must also
guarantee the safety of opposition
groups and individuals and their
freedom to speak out against the
regime.
We send our deepest sympathy to
Mr Rwisereka’s family and colleagues.
The Global Greens Coordination
More information: James Tonson,
GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
The Green Party of the United States
condemns the assassination of André
Kagwa Rwisereka, Vice President of the
Democratic Green Party of Rwanda
• Greens urge Obama to press for an
investigation, citing obstruction,
violence against opposition parties
by the Rwanda government
• Green Party Speakers Bureau:
Greens available to speak on foreign policy:
WASHINGTON, DC -- The Green Party of the
United States expressed shock and
sadness over news of the barbaric
killing of André Kagwa Rwisereka,
Vice President of the Democratic
Green Party of Rwanda
Mr. Rwisereka's body, discovered July 14
after he was missing for several days,
showed evidence of murder.
US Greens have joined Green Parties around
the world in extending their sincere
condolences to Mr. Rwisereka's family and
community and the Rwandan Green Party.
Green Party leaders are calling on the
Obama Administration to support a full
investigation of this murder and the deeply
disturbing allegations that André Kagwa Rwisereka's
assassination was politically motivated,
tied to the current political leadership
of the Rwandan government of President
Paul Kagame and his ruling
Rwanda Patriotic Front (RFP),
which has close ties to the US.
The Kagame government has consistently
prevented Greens and other opposition
parties from freely registering as
political parties.
"Rwanda is portrayed by the Obama
Administration as an 'African success story,’"
said Marian Douglas-Ungaro, co-chair of the
Green Party's International Committee
member of the Green Party Black Caucus
and DC Statehood Green Party, and a veteran
international elections monitor.
“Yet, this same government stands accused of
human rights abuses including crimes against
humanity and political repression.
Five times it has prevented the Rwanda
Democratic Green Party from convening,
once violently, thereby bureaucratically
blocking them from appearing on the ballot
for the upcoming August presidential elections.
How is this a beacon of democracy in Africa?”
US Greens are preparing a letter to be sent to
President Obama urging him to press for a full
inquiry into the assassination and for
prosecution and punishment of the assassins.
See also:
"Death Announcement: Rwandan Democratic Green
Party Vice President Assassinated"
Democratic Green Party of Rwanda press release, July 14, 2010
"Rwandan Opposition Leaders and members have been
assaulted, arrested and hundreds are still missing"
Democratic Green Party of Rwanda press release, June 24, 2010
Global Greens statement on the assassination of
Rwandan Greens Vice-President Mr. André Kagwa Rwisereka
"Greens in the US protest attempts by the
government of Rwanda to suppress the
Democratic Green Party of Rwanda"
Green Party of the United States press release, November 2, 2009
"Rwandan opposition parties condemn grenade
attacks in Kigali"
San Francisco Bay Guardian, February 21, 2010
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Former state lawmaker Billy McKinney dies
Thursday, July 15, 2010
By Ty Tagami
Former State Rep. Billy McKinney, the
father of former Congresswoman
Cynthia McKinney, has died.
Billy McKinney was first elected to the
Georgia Legislature in 1973 as a Democrat.
Rep. Tyone Brooks (D-Atl.), a longtime friend of McKinney, confirmed the death.
On Common Ground News reported on
its Web site Thursday that McKinney,
a Democrat who served 30 years as a
state legislator, died among family
and friends Thursday at his home in
southwest Atlanta, according to
sources who were with his wife, Leola.
The newspaper said McKinney had been
ill for a while and that he died
surrounded by people who were close
to him, some of them holding his hand.
“One of Georgia’s tallest pine trees has
fallen. My prayers are with his family,”
former DeKalb CEO Vernon Jones told
On Common Ground News.
Jones is a candidate for Georgia’s
Fourth Congressional District seat,
once held by Cynthia McKinney.
The McKinneys became the first
father-daughter duo to serve
simultaneously in the Georgia House
when Cynthia McKinney was first
elected in 1992.
For Immediate Release; July 15, 2010
For more information contact: Mike Raffauf 404-452-6390
Atlanta, GA - Today at 11:30 am,
veteran public servant and Atlanta
personality, James Edward “Billy”
McKinney passed away after a lengthy
illness. Arrangements are pending.
For additional information please
contact Attorney Mike Raffauf at 404-452-6390.
Silence is the deadliest
weapon of mass destruction.
Help UFW Support Giumarra workers in class action lawsuit
or take more action at first link above
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