Category Archives: Profiteering

Why are no Israeli officials refusing to meet with Duterte? | +972 Magazine

In the past two years, Duterete’s security forces have purchased significant amounts of Tavor assault rifles, Galil and Gilboa rifles, Negev machine guns, and Masada pistols. The firearms purchases are set to assist Duterte in keeping his murderous promises. During his presidential campaign, he pledged to kill 100,000 people during his first six months in office, and in October 2016, he said people can expect 20,000 to 30,000 more casualties. “Yad Vashem,” Israel’s Holocaust memorial center, hosted Duterte on Monday, even though he is a mass murderer who has threatened to implement martial law, and who has compared himself to Hitler. The tour facilitators at “Yad Vashem” will explain the rise of the totalitarian government in Germany, the dehumanization of Jews, and the extermination process to him. Absurdly, the remembrance center rejected a request to cancel Duterte’s visit, claiming that they are merely obeying the orders of the Foreign Ministry. Yet there is no legal prohibition on defying the protocol . Is it possible that not a single employee at “Yad Vashem” has the conscience to refuse to cooperate with this shameful visit?

Source: Why are no Israeli officials refusing to meet with Duterte? | +972 Magazine

The New Yorker has dropped Steve Bannon from its festival – and played right into his hands | Arwa Mahdawi | Opinion | The Guardian

The New Yorker’s decision to give Bannon a platform was irresponsible and immoral. While it has rescinded the invitation, harm has already been done. Indeed, I imagine that getting invited and then uninvited from the festival was Bannon’s dream scenario. First he gained intellectual legitimacy by having the New Yorker announce him as a headliner. Then he got to do what the far right seems to enjoy doing the most: play the victim. No doubt extremists everywhere are dashing off opinion pieces about how conservative views are being censored by the liberal media.

Source: The New Yorker has dropped Steve Bannon from its festival – and played right into his hands | Arwa Mahdawi | Opinion | The Guardian

How Often Do Smartphones ‘Phone Home’?

The results are pretty clear: even when not used, Android phones send information to Google around 40 times per hour, compared to just 4 times iPhones send info to Apple’s servers. During normal use, that total rises to 90 information requests per hour for Android phones compared to 18 for iPhones. Interestingly Google even collects more data from iPhone users than Apple itself does. This however, only works when the phone is used. In idle mode iPhones very rarely communicate with Google’s servers.

Source: How Often Do Smartphones ‘Phone Home’?

‘Utterly stupid’: Samoan PM hits out at climate change sceptics in fiery Sydney speech

Samoa’s Prime Minister urges Australia to make deeper cuts to carbon emissions to help save Pacific Island nations from the disaster of climate change.

Source: ‘Utterly stupid’: Samoan PM hits out at climate change sceptics in fiery Sydney speech

Trump Administration Proposes to Uproot Ag ResearchNational Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

The most recent reorganization attempt by the Trump Administration would dramatically impact USDA’s agricultural research centers by moving them outside of the nation’s capital.

Source: Trump Administration Proposes to Uproot Ag ResearchNational Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

Opinion | Rug Hunting in Grizzly Country – The New York Times

But this hunt is neither about managing a wildlife population that has exceeded the carrying capacity of its habitat, nor about putting healthy food on the table. Instead, this hunt is about what the great conservationist and thoughtful hunter Aldo Leopold, called a “certificate” — a trophy proving that it’s owner has “been somewhere and done something.” In the case of killing a grizzly, it means you’ve done something that has been considered difficult and dangerous. And it was, when you were hunting with a spear. But anyone who has shot a high-powered rifle knows that knocking off a grizzly bear is no more than an exercise in marksmanship, like shooting an elk. The difference is, you eat the elk. Grizzly bears are not hunted for their meat. Wyoming’s hunting regulations make this clear. If you shoot what’s called a “big game animal” in Wyoming, like an elk, a deer or an antelope, you’re legally bound to bring all the edible portions of the animal out of the field. But if you shoot what’s called “a trophy animal,” like a mountain lion, a black bear and, now, a grizzly, all you have to bring out is its skull and pelt.

Exclusive: U.S. open to lifting sanctions off aluminum giant Rusal… AKA: Vlad says let my people go – so #TraitorTrump obliges!

The U.S. Treasury is open to removing Russian aluminum producer Rusal from a U.S. sanctions list, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Friday, adding the objective was “not to put Rusal out of business.”

Source: Exclusive: U.S. open to lifting sanctions off aluminum giant Rusal…