Category Archives: Profiteering

Murder, Incorporated: Guns and the Growing Culture of Violence in the US, by Henry A. Giroux « Algérie Résistance

The widespread availability of guns is the reason for the shooting and killing of children and adults in Chicago, Boston, Ferguson, New York City and in other major cities. The Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence reports that « in 2010, guns took the lives of 31,076 Americans in homicides, suicides and unintentional shootings. This is the equivalent of more than 85 deaths each day and more than three deaths each hour. [In addition], 73,505 Americans were treated in hospital emergency departments for non-fatal gunshot wounds in 2010. » (7) And the toll of gun violence on young people is truly heartbreaking with almost 30,000 young people killed in a 10-year period, which amounts « to nearly 3,000 kids shot to death in a typical year. »(8) According to a Carnegie-Knight News21 program investigation,For every US soldier killed in Afghanistan during 11 years of war, at least 13 children were shot and killed in the United States. More than 450 kids didn’t make it to kindergarten. Another 2,700 or more were killed by a firearm before they could sit behind the wheel of a car. Every day, on average, seven children were shot dead. A News21 investigation of child and youth deaths in the United States between 2002 and 2012 found that at least 28,000 children and teens 19-years-old and younger were killed with guns. Teenagers between the ages of 15 and 19 made up over two-thirds of all youth gun deaths in the United States. (9)

Source: Murder, Incorporated: Guns and the Growing Culture of Violence in the US, by Henry A. Giroux « Algérie Résistance

Shabbat morning in Hebron | “And you shall teach this to your children”

The soldiers are bad here, but the settlers are worse. There is a Jewish woman who is notorious for trying to run over internationals and Palestinians with her car and a Jewish man who pretends to be a paramedic. He drives an ambulance but has no medical training or skills and arrives at scenes of injury to Palestinians for the purpose of impeding real medical assistance and causing further harm.While here, I have come to associate tzizit, kippah, and the star of David as synonymous with rifles, machine guns; harassment and/or impending injury. I have somewhat adjusted to this association, but this Shabbat morning it is more difficult. I find a part of myself wanting to forget that the soldiers and Jewish settlers call me a whore and traitor. I find myself wanting to follow the tallit wearing youth down the hill, wanting to hear the morning prayers. Quietly, under my breath I say the Sh’ma and feel tears well up in my eyes. I wonder what has become, and what will become, of Judaism?

Source: Shabbat morning in Hebron | “And you shall teach this to your children”

Humans of New York

“I came from Malaysia as part of a work-study program where I worked as an au pair. The company assigns you to an American family, and you take care of the children and do ‘light housework’ in exchange for a place to live and $195 per week. My first year was with a family in Connecticut. They were very nice to me. But when they moved away I was assigned to a family outside of Boston. It was a very difficult year for me. I had no car, no friends, and no activities. I was supposed to have free time while the kids were at school, but the mother would always cut it short so I could do laundry or start cooking meals. She criticized everything I did. One time she asked me to wash winter coats during my free time, and then got mad when I didn’t do it right away—even though it was during the summer. She treated me like an employee, but then gave me extra chores because I was ‘part of the family.’ I even had to take care of the pets. I felt trapped because the company made it extremely difficult to get reassigned. My only other choice was to go back home. But I was lucky, I guess. A lot of my friends in the program had it worse.”

Source: Humans of New York

Branded a traitor, Russian sports whistleblower hides abroad | Reuters

The sportswoman who blew the whistle on doping in Russian athletics is in hiding abroad, pursued by a barrage of criticism from former colleagues and officials at home who accuse her of betraying her country.Yulia Stepanova, an international runner who was herself suspended for doping offences, secretly recorded Russian coaches and athletes over almost two years describing how they used performance-enhancing drugs.The 29-year-old’s evidence formed a major part of an investigation that led to Russian athletes being suspended from international competition this month, triggering the deepest crisis in Russian sport since the boycott-hit 1980 Moscow Olympics.

Source: Branded a traitor, Russian sports whistleblower hides abroad | Reuters

Avian Flu Diary: Oklahoma Rattled By Biggest Quake Since 2011

Prior to 2009, earthquakes in Oklahoma were rare events, averaging 2 to 5 small >3.0 quakes per year.   In 2009, there were 10 such quakes, followed by 40 in 2010, and then 60 in 2011.   The number broke 100 in 2013, and has been climbing substantially every year since. Now, Oklahoma residents can easily see 100+ quakes a month.   In the past 24 hours, there have been 8 quakes >2.5 reported by the USGS, and of those 1 was 4.0 and another 4.7 – the largest in Oklahoma since the 5.6 quake of 2011.  Although not strong enough to cause any serious damage, last night’s 4.7 quake near Crescent, OK was enough of a jolt to send a flock of radar-detectable birds into flight.   And no doubt more than a few residents into flight from their beds.

Source: Avian Flu Diary: Oklahoma Rattled By Biggest Quake Since 2011

www.german-foreign-policy.com – Portugal still not safe yet!

It is still unclear how this will develop in Portugal. On November 10, a vote of no-confidence by the center-left parliamentary majority defeated Passos Coelho’s second attempt to form a government. The plan to maintain Passos Coelho in power – with the help of renegade PS parliamentarians – has failed. In accordance with democratic traditions, Cavaco Silva would have at least handed government power over to the left majority by now, which he persistently refusing to do. If he continues to persist, Passos Coelho will remain in office until new elections can be held, which, according to Portuguese law, can take place in June 2016, at the earliest. Passos Coelho could therefore continue governing without democratic legitimacy, for more than six months, in spite of a functional democratic parliamentary majority.No Room for DemocracyWithin the EU, over the past few years, democratic majorities have repeatedly been nullified, if they would not guarantee the implementation of a German-dictated austerity policy imposed on the entire Eurozone. In Italy for example, Mario Monti’s “cabinet of experts” ruled from November 16, 2011 until April 28, 2013. Prime Minister Monti did not rise to power through democratic elections. He was installed under pressure from Brussels. The “Troika” comprised of representatives of the EU, ECB and IMF – without democratic legitimacy – decides varying degrees of national policies in Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Greece and Cyprus. Last July – under German pressure – the EU even disregarded the Greek population’s clear rejection of a continuation of the austerity policy, imposed by Berlin and Brussels. A three-fifths majority had voted “No” in a referendum on the question. Greece was then punished with the imposition of even harsher austerity measures.[4] A leading German daily considered the de facto suspension of democracy in indebted countries to be an appropriate measure, by seeking to apply private law conditions to interstate relations, which are entirely different. “There are a few things in the world, where there is no room for democracy,” the daily wrote, “for example, debts.”[5]The Only WayIn Portugal, Cavaco Silva has repeatedly reiterated over the past few days that he will take his time in deciding on the next government. At the beginning of the week, he ostentatiously made a two day visit to Madeira for business talks, in spite of considerable indignation in Lisbon. Today, he will discuss the situation with board members of several Portuguese banks. Carlos Costa, head of the Central Bank, has already stated his opposition to a possible center-left government, warning that the country will have to “pay for all the mistakes made today,” meaning the sovereign decisions taken by an elected government.[6] The results of Cavaco Silva’s talks today with leading Portuguese bankers will also depend on the concessions the PS candidate for prime minister, António Costa, has made to leading bankers, with whom he negotiated on Monday.[7] Relinquishing all positions critical of the EU and its German-inspired austerity policy is usually the only way to win the acceptance by the EU-oriented establishment.

Source: www.german-foreign-policy.com

Recalled Products Sold by Home Depot After Recalls Were Announced | CPSC.gov

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Home Depot are warning consumers that 28 different recalled products continued to be sold by Home Depot after they were recalled between 2012 and 2015. This involves about 2,310 units of recalled products, including about 1,300 sold by Home Depot to consumers and 1,010 sent by Home Depot to salvagers or recyclers who could have sold them to consumers. Consumers should stop using the recalled products immediately and contact the recalling firms to receive the remedies listed in the recall, which is either a refund, replacement or repair.

Source: Recalled Products Sold by Home Depot After Recalls Were Announced | CPSC.gov

www.german-foreign-policy.com German media pushing WWIII

The current front of Germany’s major national media, orchestrating domestic public opinion and publicistically habituating the population to a “World War” has been broken by a renowned business magazine. Gabor Steingart, Chief Editor of the German Handelsblatt warns, “the West shares the blame for the hostile climate between the cultures.” “Of the 1.3 million lives that the wars from Afghanistan to Syria have cost, the crusade against Iraq, waged under false pretenses – and therefore in violation of international law – alone, accounts so far for 800,000 dead,” explains Steingart. “The majority of these victims were peaceful Muslims – not terrorists.” “The automatism of severity and mercilessness, the premeditated incomprehension of one’s counterpart, the fiery speeches for the respective populations at home, the rapid take-off of bomber squadrons” have “brought us to where we are today.” “This is not how you stop terrorism; this is how you fan its flames. This is not how you obtain peace; this is how you spawn suicide bombers.” In the future, rather than banking on “combat or capitulation,” we should promote “order, respect, and moderation.” “There are alternatives to military escalation.”[13] Among the leading personalities of the German mainstream media, Steingart stands alone with his warning.

Source: www.german-foreign-policy.com

EU report declares glyphosate herbicides safe despite UN results | News | DW.COM | 13.11.2015 {The “fix” is in – follow the money!}

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) said glyphosate, a key ingredient in the Monsanto-made herbicide Roundup, is unlikely to cause cancer in humans through a report on Thursday.The agency advises the European Commission and its report could lead the 28-member European Union to renew approval of the herbicide. Back in March, the UN’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) had classified products containing glyphosate as “probably” carcinogenic.The EFSA is proposing to set a higher safe limit of human exposure to glyphosate, at 0.5 milligrams per kilogram of bodyweight. The previous EU evaluation had set an acceptable daily intake of 0.3 milligrams per kg of body weight.

Source: EU report declares glyphosate herbicides safe despite UN results | News | DW.COM | 13.11.2015