Eco-localism: A Constructive Critique

Published on ZNet, by Robin Hahnel, November 13, 2013.

In the aftermath of the collapse of communism, debate about alternatives to capitalism has divided into three camps: advocates of market socialism, proponents of democratic planning, and supporters of community-based economics.[1] Few anti-capitalists—whether they favor market socialism, democratic planning, or community-based economics—deceive themselves that there is more than a tiny minority in any advanced economy who are ready to replace capitalism at this time. Continuer la lecture de « Eco-localism: A Constructive Critique »

The Untold Story of War

Video on Veterans Day on Democracy Now News, from 42.20 min – 58.56, min, Full Interview with Ann Jones, by Amy Goodman, November 11, 2013:

U.S. Veterans Face Staggering Epidemic of Unemployment, Trauma & Suicide

(Book: They Were Soldiers: How the Wounded Return from America’s Wars – The Untold Story, by Ann Jones, on Haymarket Books: Ann Jones shines a much-needed light on the dead, wounded, mutilated, brain-damaged, drug-addicted, suicidal, homicidal casualties of our distant wars, taking us on a stunning journey from the devastating moment an American soldier is first wounded in rural Afghanistan to the return home. Beautifully written by an empathetic and critical reporter who knows the price of war).

Today marks Veterans Day, the federal holiday honoring U.S. men and women who have fought in the armed forces. Veterans continue to face extremely high levels of unemployment, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress and homelessness.  Continuer la lecture de « The Untold Story of War »

BBC Documentary on WikiLeaks, and more

See on Economy and Society: WhistleBlower Head of FBI … tells all from NWO.

Tide Thefts, Cargo Hijacking and Cattle Rustling

… why is an epidemic of thievery sweeping America? – Published on The Economic Collapse, by Michael Snyder, November 3, 2013.

Desperate people do desperate things, and it appears that Americans are rapidly becoming a lot more desperate.  An epidemic of thievery is sweeping across America, and authorities are not quite sure what to make of it.  Down in Texas, cattle thieves can get up to $1,500 per head of cattle, and cattle rustling was up nearly 40 percent last year.  As you will read about below, cargo hijacking is becoming much more sophisticated, and it is being estimated that losses from cargo thefts will total about $216 million this year alone.  And for some reason, Tide laundry detergent has become a very hot commodity among common criminals all across America.  Continuer la lecture de « Tide Thefts, Cargo Hijacking and Cattle Rustling »

UTOPIA – A film by John Pilger

with his article on the Aboriginal People of Australia – Published on Axis of Logic, by John Pilger, Nov 7, 2013.

… Utopia, a new, epic film on Australia by John Pilger, will be released in cinemas in the UK in November and shown on ITV in December. Tickets are on sale at www.picturehouses.co.uk

In an article for the Guardian, John Pilger describes the suppression of Australia’s bloodied history while veneration for its colonial wars and the rise of militarism excludes the true story of the ‘the greatest expropriation of land in world history’.   Continuer la lecture de « UTOPIA – A film by John Pilger »

local agriculture for and with communities

  • Kenyan Women Learn Bio-intensive Farming KHSP, 3.23 min, uploaded by ajwstv, Nov 3, 2011: Kenya—a country of nearly 35 million people—presently produces less than 50% of the food that its population needs to survive. Much of the agricultural land has been depleted by years of chemical-heavy industrial farming, and small-scale growers were long ago forced out of business by cheap subsidized imports from Western nations. Without a strong local agricultural economy, Kenya’s people are at the mercy of international market prices for food, and when prices rise, the poor go hungry …;    Continuer la lecture de « local agriculture for and with communities »

Web of financial secrecy: Britain, satellites dominate tax haven rating

Published on Russia Today RT, Nov 8, 2013.

The UK is “by far the most important” player on the global financial secrecy market. While only ranked 21 on the Tax Justice Network index, the aggregated web of jurisdictions around the world makes Britain the top router of global financial secrets … //

… Overall Tax Justice Network ranked 82 global financial jurisdictions, 10 of which are directly connected to UK, whose head of state is the British queen. They include places like the fourth-ranked Cayman Islands, fourteenth-ranked Bermuda and the British Virgin Islands ranked 20th.    Continuer la lecture de « Web of financial secrecy: Britain, satellites dominate tax haven rating »

Mass surveillance: 10 key questions for UK intelligence agency chiefs

The directors of GCHQ, MI6 and MI5 are to face questions from a parliamentary committee. Here’s what they should be asked – Published on The Guardian, by Nick Hopkins, Nov 6, 2013.

The heads of Britain’s three intelligence agencies – whose identities were once regarded as top secret – will on Thursday give evidence before a parliamentary committee for the first time.

Sir Iain Lobban, the director of Government Communications Headquarters GCHQ, the MI6 (foreign intelligence) chief, Sir John Sawers, and the director general of MI5 (UK’s domestic counter-intelligence), Andrew Parker, will face questions from the intelligence and security committee in a 90-minute session … // Continuer la lecture de « Mass surveillance: 10 key questions for UK intelligence agency chiefs »

Swiss may grant unconditional income for all

Eisenhower's Drones

Published on War us a Crime.org, by David Swanson, Nov 1, 2013.

President Dwight Eisenhower is often admired for having avoided huge wars, having declared that every dollar wasted on militarism was food taken out of the mouths of children, and having warned — albeit on his way out the door — of the toxic influence of the military industrial complex (albeit in a speech of much more mixed messages than we tend to recall).

But when you oppose war, not because it murders, and not because it assaults the rights of the foreign places attacked, but because it costs too much in U.S. lives and dollars, then your steps tend in the direction of quick and easy warfare — usually deceptively cheap and easy warfare.  Continuer la lecture de « Eisenhower's Drones »

women concerns

Dirty Money: Will Singapore Clean Up Its Act?

Published on Spiegel Online International, by Martin Hesse, November 1, 2013 (Photo Gallery).

Singapore has become an increasingly popular haven for money laundering and tax evasion. But now it faces calls for reform and a difficult dilemma: Can it be both a home for fortune hunters and a bastion of integrity? … //

… Singapore’s Ambitious Plan: … //

… Sketchy Money:   Continuer la lecture de « Dirty Money: Will Singapore Clean Up Its Act? »

Report: State lawmakers enable wage theft, child labor

Published on People’s World, by Mark Gruenberg, Nov 1, 2013.

WASHINGTON – Corporate interests, led by the American Legislative Exchange Council ALEC and including the National Association of Manufacturers, the (US) Chamber of Commerce and retailers‘ groups, have undertaken – and continue to undertake – a wide-ranging attack on workers, union and non-union, a new Economic Policy Institute EPI report and a panel discussing it says.   Continuer la lecture de « Report: State lawmakers enable wage theft, child labor »

Infra-Theory, the State Effect, and the Technopolitics of Oil

Interview published on Theory Talks, with Timothy Mitchell, Theory Talk no. 59, Oct 25, 2013.

The unrest in the Arab world put the region firmly in the spotlights of IR. Where many scholars focus on the conflicts in relation to democratization as a local or regional dynamic, political events there do not stand in isolation from broader international relations or other—for instance economic—concerns. Among the scholars who has insisted on such broader linkages and associations that co-constitute political dynamics in the region, Timothy Mitchell stands out. The work of Mitchell has largely focused on highly specific aspects of politics and development in Egypt and the broader Middle East, such as the relations between the building of the Aswan Dam and redistribution of expertise, and the way in which the differences between coal and oil condition democratic politics.   Continuer la lecture de « Infra-Theory, the State Effect, and the Technopolitics of Oil »

Growing wealth disparities