“Pandora’s Promise:” an Infomercial

The recent release of the film, “Pandora’s Promise,” provides a forum for a small group of formerly anti-nuclear environmentalists to affirm their renewed faith in nuclear energy, notwithstanding the opening images of the wreckage of the Fukushima-Daiichi plant which still now continues to spew radioactive contamination into the planet’s air, water, soils, and ultimately into the food chain of all living beings on Earth.

OPEN LETTER TO SENATOR DIANE FEINSTEIN

June 10, 2013

Senator Feinstein:

Am I mistaken?  Didn't you sign an oath upon taking office that you would uphold the Constitution of the United States? How then is it possible that you support the NSA spying on all American citizens (including you, I presume?) Would knowingly voting in the next election for someone who has committed a crime constitute a crime against the Constitution?

TWELVE EASY STEPS TO END A CIVILIZATION: TAKE THE SURVEY

I’ve been coming up for air between dives into Joseph Tainter’s “The Collapse of Complex Societies.” There’s no doubt the man does a thorough job. Civilization by civilization, cause by cause, history by history (Rome, Western Chou Empire, Indus Valley, Mesopotamia—that’s Iraq to you—Old Kingdom Egypt, Hittite Empire, Minoan civilization, Mycene, Olmec,  Lowland Classic Maya, Mesoamerican Highlands,  Teotihuacan, Monte Alban, Tula, Casa Grandes, Chacoan, Hohokam, Hopewell, Mississippian Woodlands, Huari, Tiahuanacao, Kachin, and Ik) he leaves no upturned stone unturned.

IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH OUR DAILY REVOLUTION?

Today Common Dreams runs feature article Andrea Germanos’ banner head:

German Official Warns of Immediate ‘Revolution” if EU Adopts US Model.

Wolfgang Schauble, Germany’s finance minister, opined that a US style economic model will spark a revolution “not tomorrow, but the same day.”

THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION DREAMS UP AN ENERGY POLICY

THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION DREAMS UP AN ENERGY POLICY

At last!  Recognizing that the global atmosphere has now reached 400 PPM, the United States under the fearless leadership of the Obama administration has initiated a new dream energy policy.  You heard it here first: the policy is a real dream—made up of smoke, mirrors, and carbon dioxide. And the appointment of a new Secretary of Energy: Ernest Moniz, a close buddy of the fossil fuel industry.

Days of Wrath or Why the U.S. is in Need of Anger Management

“Leave aside the fact that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has been convicted of nothing and is thus entitled to a presumption of innocence. The reason to care what happens to him is because how he is treated creates precedent for what the US government is empowered to do, including to US citizens on US soil. When you cheer for the erosion of his rights, you're cheering for the erosion of your own.” —journalist Glenn Greenwald, http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article34684.htm

Hugo Chavez Unreported Attempt to Decertify the Elections of 2000

A little known episode from Hugo Chavez’ undercover life has emerged, the result of a Freedom of Information Act Request.  In 2000, during the time that the Bush-Gore election was still in play, when Bush filed a suit before the U.S. Supreme Court claiming personal injury should the election not be decided in his favor, Hugo Chavez was working feverishly behind the scenes to disqualify the American election.  He had received secret information that the electronic voting machines had been gamed by the very corporations, which owned them.  He also learned that the people in suits who descended on the Election Board in the State of Florida forcing a halt to the vote recount had been flown to Florida at the expense of Halliburton in which Dick Cheney held a sizeable stake.   “We think there ought to be a recount,” announced Mr. Chavez, “although, knowing the Americans, it’s probably not going to happen. But, obviously, if there are huge irregularities, we are going to have pretty serious questions about the viability of that government."