We Owe a Dept of Thanks to Them - WikiLeaks: Africa Offers Easy Uranium

Lord knows WHAT we might NOT know about if not for WIKILEAKS. GO.READ.LEARN

Afghanistan security? According to this UN map and this article, Obama and the rest of the military/corporate/media complex is simply LYING:

By YAROSLAV TROFIMOV

Internal United Nations maps show a marked deterioration of the security situation in Afghanistan during this year's fighting season, countering the Obama administration's optimistic assessments of military progress since the surge of additional American forces began a year ago.

"The country as a whole is dramatically worse off than a year ago, both in terms of the insurgency's geographical spread and its rate of attacks," said Nic Lee, director of the Afghanistan NGO Safety Office. "Vast amounts of the country remain insecure for the unarmed civilians, and more and more areas are becoming inaccessible."

GO.READ

The FCC passed new rules -- written by corporations -- that will end Net Neutrality.

For the first time in history, the U.S. government approved corporate censorship of the Internet, putting the future of online free speech at risk. Unbelievably, the person leading the charge was Obama appointee Julius Genachowski.

This violates President Obama's campaign promise to protect Net Neutrality, but some media are reporting the corporate spin that this is a "Net Neutrality compromise." It's not -- there's no such thing as half a First Amendment. We need to set the record straight. MORE HERE

If the 9/11 terrorists wanted to cause the deaths of many Americans, Republicans in the Senate are aiding and abetting them. VIA TRUTHOUT/BUZZFLASH

If the 9/11 terrorists wanted to cause the deaths of many Americans, Republicans in the Senate are aiding and abetting them.

That may sound like a monstrous, sensationalistic accusation, but there is really no other way to characterize a GOP filibuster last week to prevent funding that would assist the medical needs of 9/11 first responders in serious ill health due to exposures to toxins at the site. ABC Newsheadlined the act of betrayal, "9/11 Health Bill Falls Short in Senate Test Vote: Senate Republicans block bill to help 9/11 responders, survivors sickened by trade center dust."

As far as the federal budget goes, this is small potatoes: $7.4 billion. But the Republicans were sticking to higher priorities at the time for them: a vote on a tax break for the super rich. Now that the bank accounts of billionaires have been padded, Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York holds out hope that the 9/11 first responders will receive financial assistance that could be the difference between life and death, but at a price.

The Republican Senate caucus demands that the $7.4 billion be offset by spending cuts or revenue enhancements in the federal budget, while the GOP demanded no such requirements in supporting their tax cuts for the ultra-rich. The public cost of the tax giveaways to a small group of super-affluent Americans is roughly ten times the cost of the bill to aid responders (which is a one-time allotment to create a fund), and that is for just one year of padding wallets big enough for a horse to choke on.

In another exemplary act of picking up the slack that the corporate media should be carrying, Jon Stewart devoted his last "Daily Show" of the yearto the plight of the ailing 9/11 emergency public workers and lambasted the Republican Party for its hypocrisy. As Stewart pointed out, for years you practically couldn't hear a GOP or Bush message point that didn't solemnly invoke and pay tribute to 9/11 or the 9/11 first responders. Then, as Stewart noted, when it came to a choice between saving the lives of those responders and tax cuts for billionaires, the Republicans shamelessly and unapologetically chose the latter.

It is hard to imagine a more cynical betrayal of such Shakespearian proportions.

Stewart dramatically criticized the corporate media for not adequately covering this story, and particularly drilled in on FOX. In an assemblage of clips, Stewart showed just a small sampling of how FOX had used 9/11 and the 9/11 responders to paint their station and Republicans as super-patriotic, but barely took note of the shoot down of a fund to keep many of those 9/11 responders alive.

So, who is aiding the 9/11 terrorists in letting Americans die?

Why it's the Senate Republican caucus, led by Mitch McConnell. And you can take that provocative accusation all the way to the bank, GOP style.

Mark Karlin

Editor, BuzzFlash at Truthout

some news from the financial fiasco:

The Republicans' move puzzled some observers.
"The four Republicans appointed to the commission investigating the root causes of the financial crisis plan to bypass the bipartisan panel and release their own report."
Puzzling?  Not so much...


The mega-banks behind the meltdown:
What’s missing from this story is the fact that this was a self-inflicted wound for which the rest of us are picking up a massive tab

Wall Street pushes for delay in rules to curb speculation:
Why does it feel as if big bizness has me by my nuts?

What is at the root of the problem?

Repeal wasteful tax cuts for the wealthy. From Progressive Democratic Congresswoman Patty Murray

I am angry and frustrated that national Republicans, yet again, played political games and held the middle class hostage to extend tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans who need them the least. It is irresponsible, selfish, and wrong.

At the end of the day, I voted for this tax package to protect middle-class families from a tax hike while extending unemployment benefits for 13 months, continuing the sales tax deduction, cutting payroll taxes, and doing everything we can to create jobs.

But it came at tremendous cost.

So I want you to join me in telling Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, House Republican Leader John Boehner, and their right-wing colleagues that we won’t forget how they put their wealthy special interest backers ahead of the national interest and ahead of hard-working families all across America -– and we’re going to hold them accountable.

Click here to sign my open letter to Senator McConnell, Representative Boehner, and the Republican Party now -– and join me in committing to repealing these wasteful tax cuts for the wealthy as soon as we can!

While Democrats offered plans to extend middle-class tax cuts for more than 98% of all Americans, Representative Boehner, Senator McConnell, and their right-wing colleagues refused.

Quite simply, they were willing to play a massive game of chicken with the American people and let all the tax cuts expire unless they got billions of dollars to funnel back to their wealthy corporate backers.

There’s no doubt about it: This package will help millions of hard-working Americans who are doing everything they can to get by in these tough times and keep more of their hard-earned money. And it will stop Republicans from cold-heartedly cutting off unemployment benefits to people who are fighting to find jobs, keep their homes, and feed their families during the holidays.

But, to overcome Republican obstruction and selfishness, helping these middle-class families required an unnecessary and irresponsible tax giveaway for the very wealthiest Americans who aren’t facing the same challenges.

It’s outrageous.

Click here to sign my open letter to Senator McConnell, Representative Boehner, and the Republican Party now -- and tell them we’ll hold them accountable for their irresponsibility!

I’m so thankful that by extending middle-class tax cuts, continuing the sales tax deduction, and extending unemployment insurance that we’ll be helping middle-class families and getting our economy back on track.

But I won’t forget the price that national Republicans made us pay to do the right thing.

And, with your help, we’ll roll back these irresponsible Bush tax cuts for the wealthy at the earliest possible opportunity.

Thanks for standing with me and speaking out.

Sincerely,

Patty Murray
U.S. Senator

My Journey Into Kivalina v. ExxonMobil et al.

My Journey Into Kivalina v. ExxonMobil et al.

Wednesday 01 December 2010

by: Christine Shearer  |  Climate Story Tellers | Report

In 2008, a small Inupiat (Eskimo says Joe) village in Alaska sued ExxonMobil and 23 other fossil fuel companies including Peabody Energy and BP for contributing to the destruction of their homeland, and charged a smaller subset with deliberately creating a false debate around climate change science. You might have heard of the lawsuit—Kivalina v. ExxonMobil et al. The suit was framed by some as a David and Goliath story, with people wondering if it would be the first successful climate change claim.

GO.READ

Joe says - this is of great interest to me as is global climate change, as I have been to many of these coastal arctic villages built upon the permafrost.

Well THIS oughta clean up the gene pool a little bit...plus a bit of news

"One of convicted US fraudster Bernard Madoff's sons has committed suicide"
STORY HERE 


Wikileaks has pissed off the pope.  
CHEAP ENTERTAINMENT


Senator Bernie Sanders took the floor and REALLY spoke truth to power for over 8 hours!
GOD BLESS BERNIE SANDERS


News media "only report conflict from the perspective of those who wage war, and not those who are, so often, the victims - the civilians."
FILM: THE WAR YOU DON'T SEE

What WAS important NO LONGER IS, is that the DEAL, Mr. President?

In 2008 Obama said:

Australia's continued export of coal in the face of global warming that of a ''drug dealer'' feeding the world's fossil fuel addiction:

As the pollution from mercury and other toxic heavy metals in burning coal arrive in water supplies in Western U.S., our great ally Australia continues and expands massive coal shipment machine:



HOW MUCH coal is Australia shipping?  CLICK HERE
for a PDF at australiancoal.com

Isn't it nice for Australia that their dollar is doing so well?

There ARE those in Australia who disagree with wholesale
exportation of world-killing-pullution:

mouse over pictures for more links

DEMOCRATS PRE-EMPT NEGOTIATIONS WITH COMPROMISE:

The Most Awsomest Technique For 
Negotiating With Teapublicans EVAH!
clip begins after short advert:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

That said, let's remember that our Democrats and President have done some seriously good legislating:

A tax incentive that’s working
A new study shows that 14 percent more small businesses are offering employees health insurance this year, thanks to new federal tax credits. If you are a small business owner taking advantage of these credits

The pitfalls of gift cards…
Make sure you know the pitfalls of buying gift cards for those on your holiday list. New protections in the Credit Card Act will help make sure the gift card you give doesn’t quickly expire or come with extra fees

hat tip to DRIFTGLASS for the Rachel Maddow vid tip