Wednesday, July 4, 2012

things seem to be moving in a downward spiral. with the economic crisis, the imposed austerity measures on the mass of people, things will probably deteriorate more ... before they get better.

Here's some of recent news items that are particularly revealing of the deteriorating trend.

The war in Afghanistan

Well we all really know that this war is not going well for the western powers. A new book by Rajiv Chandrasekaran spells out the deep trouble between the US and British troops. These 2 articles are revealing:
Amazing, because the US and Britain are supposed to be the best of friends, a truly "special" relationship. Now this book shows us the deep mistrust among these two allies. Are they even allies here ?

Rajiv Chandrasekaran is emerging as the chronicler of American failure abroad. He is famous for his book "Imperial Life in the Emerald City", on the Bush era in Baghdad's Green Zone.
 

Libor banking scandal

 While the Libor banking scandal is the brand new banking scandal of the moment -- with calls for criminal investigations -- the financial and banking sectors are being continuously revealed to be part of growing number of scandals, corruption and vastly inappropriate behavior.

Echoes of the phone hacking scandal. Politicians have trouble chasing the rich.

The banks and other financial institutions have triggered the biggest economic crisis since the Great Depression and have been bailed out. Time to end  unregulated finance ? Get rid of private banking  ?

US vs Wikileaks

Seems like the US is really trying to hit back on wikileaks and other whistle-blowers. Julian Assange may be right to fear the US is chasing him. 
 
This issue is revealing of the prevailing climate.
 

Blowing up the EU

British PM,  Cameron is reading to "impose stringent border controls that would block Greek citizens from entering the United Kingdom, if Greece is forced out of the single currency". 

Who knows where this will stop ?? Completely blows up the treaties and spirit of the EU. Keep a watch on this one, its got potential !
 

Imperialism didn't end...

 ... these days it's known as international law.
I liked this commentary piece, empire-of-capital. It was published under the above heading.


Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Too much oil

It seems that the world supply of oil is not coming to a sudden end anytime  soon.

peak oil supplies

Friday, May 25, 2012

Fukushima radiation estimates double original estimates

New estimates of radiation release from the Fukushiman nuclear accident are much higher.

The WSJ article  (seems like one has to read it carefully to understand it)
online.wsj.com - Fukushima

Greek article on the same subject is much more direct
news.in.gr - Fukushima

genderized manifestation of state control

A deeper look at what is going on in the USA with all the hoopla on abortion and women's rights. To me, the US is not on a good path..

 Article by Naomi Wolf

Some excerpts:
It is all part of the larger crackdown we see on privacy, private space, freedom and personal choice.
...has made the gatekeepers seek every kind of method of control available to them.

Bills have been proposed in Albany, New York to criminalize anonymous postings online – to "protect business people and government officials" from criticism.  And the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act has language legalizing the directing of propaganda at United States citizens. And so on

 http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2012/may/24/what-lies-behind-war-on-women-naomi-wolf


Wednesday, May 23, 2012

G. Delastik interview on greek tv

interesting thoughts. Interview on Greek TV on 01-04-2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pX4LpU7FKY

Occupy the Economy

Challenging Capitalism

http://www.rdwolff.com/content/occupy-economy-challenging-capitalism

also from www.amazon.com

Interviews with David Barsamian.
Today's economic crisis is capitalism's worst since the Great Depression. Millions have lost their jobs, homes and healthcare while those who work watch their pensions, benefits and job security decline.

A cure for capitalism

A new book just recently published (May 2012)
 
http://www.rdwolff.com/content/democracy-work-cure-capitalism
also available from www.amazon.com

A new historical vista is opening before us in this time of change, Wolff writes in this compelling new manifesto for a democratic alternative based on workers directing their own workplaces.

Tsipras in Berlin

Following a visit to Paris on Monday, Tsipras met likeminded, anti-capitalist far-left politicians in Berlin, on the Berlin leg of a charm offensive.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/may/22/greek-leftist-leader-alexis-tsipras-germany-visit

skin tissue from heart attack patients into fresh, beatin heart cells

It's possible to take skin cells from an elderly patient with advanced heart failure and end up with his own beating cells in a laboratory dish that are healthy and young – the equivalent to the stage his heart cells were in when he was just born


 http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/may/23/skin-heart-attack-beating-heart-cells