Has the U.S. supreme court stepped into the limelight as the new power in American "democracy"?
How can fascism be stopped? How can we get the right wing masses to unify with the progressives so we have the footsoldiers on the side of the people? Anyway... I will keep dreaming.
Here's an interesting article with the headline Bin Laden claims airline bomb attempt on Christmas; funny how they even bother to mention "There was no way to verify the voice on the audio message was actually bin Laden"
Open thread, welcome to it.
Comments
Cynthia McKinney on Haiti
An Unwelcome Katrina Redux
An excellent article, imnho
Haiti and Canada
Thanks for the link James. You are right. An excellent article.
I have been busy following Canadian politics these days. Big goings on in Canada right now with PM Stephen Harper having prorogued parliament on Dec 31 (for 3 months) for the second time in as many years. Both times they have been to advance his own naked self interest. Last year it was to avoid a vote of confidence in the house. This time it was to shut down the parliamentary committee that was investigating his government's knowledge, and possible complicity in, the transfer by the Canadian military of Afghan prisoners to Afghan authorities that they knew were torturing them.
I participated in my first rally ever, this last weekend, to protest this suspension of our democracy. I have no illusions it will do any good but it felt good to at least do something. It was estimated that 25 - 30,000 Canadians staged protests in over 60 cities in Canada and around the world with the largest turnout being in Toronto (over 10,000). Our media has been diligent about downplaying the numbers so it's hard to know how many actually participated but there are tons of pictures and videos to back up the numbers. It was a surprising, spontaneous uprising of passion from every part of the country. It takes a lot to get us polite, laid back, beer drinking, hockey watching Canadians out into the streets, especially in the middle of January.
Not surprisingly, the Stephen Harper government has been using the Haiti disaster to get his, and his cabinet's mugs, on the news everyday. He held his first press conference in forever at the same time as the rallies were getting started in Toronto, Ottawa etc. This is a guy who shuns and bans reporters, never has news conferences, won't allow his MP's to talk to the press unless what they say is vetted by his office and makes major announcements effecting Canada on US news stations (Fox).
Right now he is being advised by the likes of David Frum and Ari Fleischer.
And then there are the weasels he has in his cabinet which he just shuffled the other day, who seem increasingly to take their orders from B'Nai B'rith. (And that's a whole 'nuther' story.)
The Canadian government just held a conference in Montreal today to discuss what they (Canada, US, Dominican Republic, France and several other UE nations) are going to do to rebuild Haiti. Surprisingly, they invited the Haitian Prime Minister to attend (but then he's a US stooge anyways, isn't he? so never mind. ) AAARGH, I'm in a mood tonight.
"The most unpleasant truth in the long run is a far safer traveling companion than the most agreeable falsehood." Emerson
Committment
Demonstrating on the streets in Canada in January is definitely committment , McJ. Full marks.
I think mass non violent non co-operation is the only thing that will work. But to get a mass movement to work whatever (non)action it entails needs to be able to be carried out at an individual level and to give an immediate individual benefit so it can start small and build. Work out what that action or non action is and we have a winner. And it's not non payment of taxes either, imnho, because they can (and do) function without our taxes.
Canada in January
Well we are having a very mild January in most parts of Canada - hehehe - but - shhsh - don't tell the others. With the exception of the prairie provinces whose demonstrators were out in a snow storm, the majority of us had it pretty easy. We were just above the freezing mark here and under sunny skys. They were pretty much out in their shorts and t-shirts in Vancouver and Victoria, BC. They are all freaked in Vancouver because there is no snow on the mountains and we are hosting the Olympics in a few days. Some are calling them the Global Warming Games.
"But to get a mass movement to work whatever (non)action it entails needs to be able to be carried out at an individual level and to give an immediate individual benefit so it can start small and build. Work out what that action or non action is and we have a winner."
There lies the rub. I have been spending a lot of time over on the Facebook group that started this whole movement (almost 220,000 members in 3 weeks, the largest and fastest growing FB action group in Canada). People are really pumped and enthusiastic especially with the initial success of the demonstrations but wow do they need an education on what our governments have been up to. For many of them it is a complete shock when they begin reading the links people are posting. And if you think we have been piecing together a puzzle here there are lots over there that are just beginning to find the edge pieces. And then there is the support our troops crowd and all the mushy sentiment that entails. I basically avoid that and try to redirect when I can. The phrase 'herding cats' comes to mind . Someone has now put up a forum similar to this one but it is slow going convincing people to go over there and join. Many seem to think it means leaving the FB groups or diluting the message or something. But I have to tell you, based on what I have been reading over the last 2-3 weeks, for the most part, we Canadians really are a polite, fun and funny bunch!! Now if we can only find a way to get them cats focused on finding that special something small that we can build on.
"The most unpleasant truth in the long run is a far safer traveling companion than the most agreeable falsehood." Emerson
Here's a good commentary on
Here's a good commentary on NJT's subject of the late but not forgotten Bin Laden.
That facebook group sounds very encouraging, McJ. 'Herding cats' is a great expression!
I expect the group will be assailed by multiple disinfo agents. You might point the group towards "Twenty-Five Ways To Suppress Truth: The Rules of Disinformation" as a way of educating them. It becomes a 'live learning project' then and open a few eyes
Good to hear
I love Canada and I love Canadians (with a few exceptions) but I don't love the cold (ha - and here i am a polar bear). Funny there's no snow in Vancouver, the mountains in California are covered with deep snow this year.
Good to hear about the demonstrations there. Wish there was more of that going on here. Maybe i should emigrate some day, soon...
-NJT
Emigrating
Heh we would love to have you! Although I don't think you'd be escaping much coming here with the way our government is acting.
Vancouver and Victoria actually have fairly mild climates and lots of winters they don't get snow. The problem is that the freezing levels on the mountains are so low this year they are having to make snow, or bring it in or move it around etc. I've not really paid that much attention -just a bigger tab for the taxpayer.
"The most unpleasant truth in the long run is a far safer traveling companion than the most agreeable falsehood." Emerson
Thanks for the link James
Thanks for the link James that was really good. I'll be sure to post on our Facebook site. I am just going to read your new post now.
"The most unpleasant truth in the long run is a far safer traveling companion than the most agreeable falsehood." Emerson
Could Vancouver 2010 be the next 9/11?
Could Vancouver 2010 be the next 9/11? (UPDATED)
"WARNING: I now believe I have reasonable grounds to bring into suspicion that there may be a “false flag” terrorist attack during the Olympics in Canada, which take place in Vancouver and Whistler from Feb. 12th until Feb. 28th. I have compiled the following suspicious activity that I have found through various media sources. I’m not going to go as deep into each point as I could, and I will try to source information as best as I can, but some of it also comes from my own sources which I am not able to provide a link to."
More at link: http://dprogram.net/2010/01/25/could-vancouver-2010-could-be-the-next-911/
"The most unpleasant truth in the long run is a far safer traveling companion than the most agreeable falsehood." Emerson
Why am I not surprised
I wonder if the body scanner manufacturers might have funded the brainwashing and co-opting of the undie bomber?
Full body airport scanners may not work
-NJT
May not work and may be dangerous as well.
"I wonder if the body scanner manufacturers might have funded the brainwashing and co-opting of the undie bomber?"
http://gawker.com/5437499/why-is-michael-chertoff-so-excited-about-full+...
Heading up the renewed push for those controversial, clothes-penetrating scanners at airports is former homeland security secretary Michael Chertoff. His consulting firm represents companies who make the scanners, but you wouldn't know it from reading the papers.
I have also read that these Perv Scanners (that will perform a virtual strip search for our own safety) may also be dangerous to our health. There is evidence that they may cause DNA damage and be much worse than having multiple xrays. I can't find a link to that article right now but will post it, if and when I do.
"The most unpleasant truth in the long run is a far safer traveling companion than the most agreeable falsehood." Emerson
RMR: A Message From Transport Canada
Transport Canada: A Division of the US Department of Homeland Security
"The most unpleasant truth in the long run is a far safer traveling companion than the most agreeable falsehood." Emerson
Citizen's arrest of Tony Blair
Vancouver legal experts applaud reward offer for citizen's arrest of Tony Blair
"Two Vancouver legal experts have given a thumbs-up to U.K.-based Guardian columnist George Monbiot’s offer of a bounty for a citizen’s arrest of former U.K. prime minister Tony Blair. "
http://www.straight.com/article-283596/vancouver/vancouver-legal-experts...
"The most unpleasant truth in the long run is a far safer traveling companion than the most agreeable falsehood." Emerson
"We confirmed that it was something"!
DND, RCMP mum on UFO mystery
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2010/01/27/nl-ufo-m...
"People who saw a missile-like object soaring through the sky over a small rural community in Newfoundland Monday night are getting no answers about what it was..."
"We confirmed that it was something," Sgt. Wayne Edgecombe told CBC News Wednesday. But Edgecombe said he couldn't reveal what the police investigation uncovered."
"The most unpleasant truth in the long run is a far safer traveling companion than the most agreeable falsehood." Emerson
Defence minister makes joke about recent sighting.
I dont think the Newfoundlanders who saw these missile like objects flying over them thought this was very funny.
CBC News Jan 29, 2010
MacKay promises landing strip for UFOs
Defence minister makes joke about recent sighting.
http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2010/01/29/nl-ufo-follow-129.html#ixzz0...
Defence Minister Peter MacKay said Friday that he doesn't know what people in southern Newfoundland saw recently but he promised the federal government does have plans to help them.
"We will provide money to build a landing strip for UFOs at Harbour Mille," said MacKay, speaking in St. John's to announce federal funding for road construction in the province.
"No, I'm only kidding. I'm joking. That's a joke."
Jokes aside, MacKay said there's no need to worry about the unidentified flying object.
"We've checked with other countries and we'll continue to do so but I don't think it is any cause for panic," said MacKay.
Comments called laughable
A model plane flier said an earlier a comment from the Prime Minister's Office about a mysterious object spotted near Harbour Mille is laughable.
Thursday, a federal government spokesperson suggested people in Newfoundland and Labrador like to launch model rockets.
Ed Welsh, who heads a model plane club in Swift Current, north of where the unidentified flying object was photographed on Monday, said he's not aware of any model-rocket activity in that area.
He also questioned why anyone would launch a model from a boat.
"Why would a model enthusiast, why would they pile everything aboard of a boat and go out offshore, when they could do the exact same thing on land?" asked Welsh Friday.
Welsh also said the object's flame and smoke were too intense to be from a model rocket.
So far, RCMP, public safety and military officials have refused to offer an explanation for the object.
"The most unpleasant truth in the long run is a far safer traveling companion than the most agreeable falsehood." Emerson
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