Spotlight on Assassin States

The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is conducting an inquiry into state-sponsored assassination programs. The focus is on drone attacks.

Ben Emmerson QC, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Counter-terrorism (link) leads the investigation.

Drone assassinations are increasing around the world. The attacks are typically covert; death & destruction inflicted from far away; nobody admitting responsibility. Over 50 nations reportedly have the technology for drone attacks (link), but presently the most active assassin-state is the USA.

Many hundreds of people have been targeted & terminated by these operations, often outside war zones. Perhaps the UN-led investigation will officially declare some numbers of innocent bystanders have been unjustly murdered, but it's unlikely those responsible will be held accountable.

The assassin teams continue killing with impunity. But assassination activities are unsustainable, promising eventual withering blowback with lethal consequences. State-sponsored extra-judicial assassination must stop !!

Avoid Qatar Airways

I recently made the bad decision to fly with Qatar Airways, attracted to their promise of "5 Star" Service -- but service on Qatar Airways is 5 on a scale of 15.  Frankly, they sucked.

There were assorted shortcomings, but a key problem stemmed from a breakdown in their electrical system; I had to sit in the dark for my eight hour forty minute flight (8hr 40min). This was a business trip, and I'd planned to read & work, which was impossible. Worse, the flight crew could not assist, seemed unconcerned, and subsequent email to corporate complaints were shunted or belittled. (I was told they'd try to make sure the equipment worked on my return).

But what causes such an electrical fault? (My bank of seats and that in front of me were inoperable). Perhaps a rat inside the plane is gnawing at the equipment - next to go will be hydraulics and key avionics... Is this a major safety issue? The staff & service personnel of Qatar Airways seem not to care.

Add to this Doha Airport is one of the world's ugliest. The long bus ride from aircraft to terminal drives along a fortified perimeter fence. Welcome to Doha prison camp! We're finally released to a boxy crowded transit terminal with no character other than being noisy, disordered and unfriendly.

Qatar Airways offers 2 Star Service, 3 Star Marketing

Avoid !

Idle Threat?

Idle No More is a grass-roots effort by indigenous people to assert their sovereignty. The movement was begun in Canada in response to provocation by corporate & foreign efforts to destabilize indigenous communities. Robber interests continue generations of abuse, neglect & outsider-directed exploitation, colonization & genocide.

It's difficult to ascertain how far the effort will carry, but indigenous people worldwide are inspired and moved to action.

And of course these efforts will systematically be demonized by corporate media...

Broken Time Warner Cable

The recent sale of Current TV shows American corporate media weakness. Time Warner Cable decided to censor the new owners immediately, and dropped the channel from those offered subscribers.

It seems Time Warner Cable carries only mainstream programming. Dumb customers are billed forever by the huge corporation. The corporate businessmen impose a "great firewall" and media censorship. Do you need their force-fed bullshit? 

Time Warner Cable is broken. Their many commercials depict friendly community-oriented diversity, while programming is corporate & fascist. Time Warner Cable is not a provider but a censor. If you can switch providers, do it now.

I Don't Support the Troops

Click to read a great essay -- if you dare:

I Do Not Support the Troops

Why those who say "I Support the Troops" really don't

by Michael Moore

 

Happy 2013

Another year finished, a new one begun.

Perhaps this year we can enjoy development of more progressive communities. It may be too much to expect the huge nations to suddenly improve, but hopefully we can generate more dynamic networks & neighborhoods, even if small...

Happy New Year!

Tyrant John Kerry

John Kerry and a sinister gang of American politicians have trashed the US Constitution they swore to defend. The FISA Amendments Act allows almost unlimited government spying with no oversight or accountability. The US government and a handful of subordinate regimes are detaining people indefinitely without charge or trial. Torture & summary execution threaten everyone anywhere at any time. These acts are wrong.

John Kerry survived the horrors of the illegal war waged in Vietnam & surrounding nations. His antiwar activism helped end the killing. But he's now befriended the tyrant class. Judas John Kerry enjoys a fancy payoff...

Votes for & against America

The FISA Amendments Act allows almost unlimited  government spying with no oversight or accountability. The government also continues to detain people without charge or trial. These acts are wrong.

Many chances to better balance FISA were all defeated in the US Senate. The YEAs vote for totalitarian powers -- Fascist USA.

-----------------------------------------
H.R. 5949 - FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012
A bill to extend the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 for five years.

YEAs ---73
Alexander (R-TN) Ayotte (R-NH) Barrasso (R-WY) Bennet (D-CO) Blumenthal (D-CT) Blunt (R-MO) Boozman (R-AR) Brown (R-MA) Burr (R-NC) Cardin (D-MD) Carper (D-DE) Casey (D-PA) Chambliss (R-GA) Coats (R-IN) Coburn (R-OK) Cochran (R-MS) Collins (R-ME) Conrad (D-ND) Corker (R-TN) Cornyn (R-TX) Crapo (R-ID) Enzi (R-WY) Feinstein (D-CA) Gillibrand (D-NY) Graham (R-SC)	Grassley (R-IA) Hagan (D-NC) Hatch (R-UT) Heller (R-NV) Hoeven (R-ND) Hutchison (R-TX) Inhofe (R-OK) Isakson (R-GA) Johanns (R-NE) Johnson (D-SD) Johnson (R-WI) Kerry (D-MA) Klobuchar (D-MN) Kohl (D-WI) Kyl (R-AZ) Landrieu (D-LA) Levin (D-MI) Lieberman (ID-CT) Lugar (R-IN) Manchin (D-WV) McCain (R-AZ) McCaskill (D-MO) McConnell (R-KY) Mikulski (D-MD) Moran (R-KS)	Nelson (D-FL) Nelson (D-NE) Portman (R-OH) Pryor (D-AR) Reed (D-RI) Reid (D-NV) Risch (R-ID) Roberts (R-KS) Rockefeller (D-WV) Rubio (R-FL) Schumer (D-NY) Sessions (R-AL) Shaheen (D-NH) Shelby (R-AL) Snowe (R-ME) Stabenow (D-MI) Thune (R-SD) Toomey (R-PA) Vitter (R-LA) Warner (D-VA) Webb (D-VA) Whitehouse (D-RI) Wicker (R-MS)

NAYs ---23
Akaka (D-HI) Baucus (D-MT) Begich (D-AK) Bingaman (D-NM) Brown (D-OH) Cantwell (D-WA) Coons (D-DE) Durbin (D-IL)	Franken (D-MN) Harkin (D-IA) Leahy (D-VT) Lee (R-UT) Menendez (D-NJ) Merkley (D-OR) Murkowski (R-AK) Murray (D-WA)	Paul (R-KY) Sanders (I-VT) Schatz (D-HI) Tester (D-MT) Udall (D-CO) Udall (D-NM) Wyden (D-OR)

Not Voting - 4
Boxer (D-CA) DeMint (R-SC)	Kirk (R-IL) Lautenberg (D-NJ)

Senior Power

As President Obama and the Republican Party conspire to cut Social Security payments, America's senior citizens should pledge never to vote a Democrat or Republican into national office.

Those who aspire to retired life might make a similar vow.

Professional politicians have ruined countless lives, swindled their constituencies, sold-out the nation. These lying scheming scum should be held accountable.

TEPCO Trouble

The Japanese people are being held to ransom by TEPCO, Tokyo Electric Power Company -- the mismanagers responsible for the Fukushima nuclear meltdown.

The firm paid dividends until the accident, and refused to clawback previous dividend outlays when it was clear TEPCO could not pay disaster costs. Typical of the worst scummy big business, they've forced the public to pay.

In addition their operations have poisoned land & sea. Both the natural world and human lives are damaged, in some cases beyond repair. Jerks. Others elsewhere must learn from Japan's disaster and hold developers responsible for their operations.
 

Idle Death

Canada is embroiled by controversy over Federal efforts to change key environmental & property rights. Indigenous peoples are fighting back via a campaign named "Idle No More" -- while Atiwapiskat First Nation Chief Theresa Spence's hunger strike continues (since 11th Dec 2012).

Hawaiian people join in solidarity with others who must fight to preserve their homelands. Chief Spence's sacrifice for sovereignty -- starving -- is a stark reminder of dispossession & occupation. Pray during Christmas for the little guy, outmaneuvered by larger forces but retaining zest for life.