Fast Track Steamroller

There is no Fast Track -- the whole effort's by definition already a sell-out to industry.

Why should global-level multinational corporations be allowed to negotiate where we citizens are kept in the dark? Industry pays-off politicians and bureaucrats with a "revolving door" of new jobs and sweet corruption.

Obama and his cronies are dirty rotten scoundrels spitting on democracy.

Don't vote for politicos supporting fast-track. They're clearly working for another team, and actively working against you!

Many Clinton, Bush & Obama stooges work now for your enemy...

X-Project Money for Your idea

Korea has launched the X-Project (X-프로젝트), offering ₩5 million plus the Science Minister's Prize for the question judged most capable of spurring future development.

A total of 30 million Korean won will be awarded, with the subsequent goal to launch 100 government-funded research projects to progress in the suggested directions.

A good example is the question posed by 3-year old Jennifer Land in 1943, vacationing with her family. Photos then required a photography lab for developing. "Why can't I see the pictures now?" Jenny demanded. The question pushed her Dad, Edwin Land, to work toward instant film that became the Polaroid camera.

Anyhow, Korea believes itself serious about gathering ideas.
Something bothering you?  One quick suggestion can Win Money !

Korean X-Project

http://xproject.kr

https://www.nextx.kr

"본인인증글로 등록하시려면 로그인 하여 주십시오."

Further steps?
Korea's Science & Technology Policy Institute  STEPI
Public Relations:  suna84@stepi.re.kr
President Jong-Guk Song    jksong@stepi.re.kr

"Why can't Korea open the X-Project to all ideas?" 
Korea's X-Project won't allow Jenny Land to ask a question...

Extrajudicial Killing

The United States of America illegally kills many people overseas in undeclared wars. American politicians and technocrats rain death upon unsuspecting civilians with the flimsiest of reasoning. Sometimes they kill activists and combatants, but when murdering others they generate the seeds for hatred and certain future problems. Only the arms & munition dealers are happy...

But all the murders are not far away. Many are within the USA, when Mr. Policeman beats a sassy colored man to death, shoots a fleeing suspect in the back, or chokes the life from someone dismayed to be confronted.

Look at the spaces depicted on the link below. All are places where our public servants summarily terminated a fellow citizen.

Extrajudicial killing -- a growing Amerikkkan tragedy !

Officer involved ... (link)

Absolute Authority

Have you ever questioned authority?  Maybe didn't follow directions fully? Perhaps you colored outside the lines?

Obey - or suffer consequences !

At a recent high school graduation in the state of Mississippi, USA, Superintendent of Schools Jay Foster requested the crowd hold its cheers and clapping till the ceremony concluded (link). Graduates were introduced and crossed the stage one-by-one.

Then one girl's family spontaneously cheered for her -- Big mistake.

Superintendent Foster had the auditorium security guards forcibly evict the disobedient quartet. Police were contacted, and the four were arrested for disorderly conduct -- they now face up to six months jail time and possible fines of US$500.

Joy turned to woe -- 'cause they didn't OBEY.

Authoritarianistic Amerika:  Free the "Festive Four"

Remember:  "Mississippi" has four i


Of course, it's easier to command, control & administer when everyone acts identically. But America ain't never been a nation aimed at uniform consistency. Bravo Diversity!  Much of America's greatness grew from variety -- not accepting life as mindless clones. America's become tyrannized; corralled chickens...

Boss expects full Obedience - see news report here (link)

MERS & KOMERS

Pandemic disease is a very real threat to modern societies. Yes, a large proportion of mankind may suddenly die. But initial survivors will struggle with poor social foundations, little faith and poorly developed purpose.

Disruption and doubt are poisons. Yet increased authoritarianism brings more suspicion of government.  As I've noted before (link), our communities are increasingly fragmented - people silo themselves in fortified homes, scared of their neighbors and distrustful of authority.

It's essential to build good community foundations now - in times of relative prosperity and freedom.

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Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is a growing public health threat around the world. There's now a persistent outbreak in South Korea, where 30 have contracted the illness and two have died (as of today). More than 1300 people are just now forcibly isolated or quarantined by the South Korean government.

More information is unavailable.

What Korean cities, and what neighborhoods, are affected? (link) It's secret.

Korea is concerned about their reputation & global image. Everywhere hopes to avoid bad publicity and a drop in tourism. But surely there comes a point where openness & transparency is essential - where lack of information increases danger.

There's conjecture (link) the Korean outbreak is a new strain or mutation of the deadly MERS coronavirus which is much more easily transmitted. Secrecy stemming from concerns over economic impact hampers research.

Is the growing epidemic in Korea a new pathogen? If so, it could be labeled
  Komers  =  KOrean Middle East Respiratory Syndrome

Those who remember the Swine Flu (H1N1 influenza A) epidemic of 2009 may recall Israel and Korea labeling the illness "Mexican Flu" ... an unwelcome slur on Mexico! Will Korea now suffer similar mistrust?

=============
Some reported problems (link) with identification and control of this MERS-CoV pathogen stem from biological piracy accusations. Early Saudi samples shared with a Dutch university lab lacked a comprehensive "Materials Transfer Agreement" -- the Dutchies patented the genetic sequence and promptly contracted further work to antiviral and vaccine corporations.

American Shame

The USA Patriot Act is used for mass surveillance and heavy-handed repression; the law gave secret weapons to unelected shadowy operatives beyond oversight. This poisons the patriotic process - it's anti-democratic and unconstitutional.

The USA Freedom Act still allows spying; the owner class (domestic & foreign) is given freedom to shit on the other 99% of us.

Scummy names insult us. The New York Times even comments (link), publicly recording for posterity that they recognize colorful legal titles dupe & make fun of us.

American lawmakers are shameless, Orwellian scum.

Sweden Shame

Julian Assange has been under grave threat since founding Wikileaks in late 2006.

Wikileaks promised to open a window onto high-level corruption and war crimes, and they hugely succeeded. The internet suddenly became a true & real threat to elite & powerful "leaders" around the globe. Wikileaks turned a spotlight on dirty people beyond law who previously could commit high crimes, even genocide, but simply growl "Fuck You" and retreat to their palaces and ill-gotten wealth.

But after taking on Swiss banking corruption, collateral murder by the "Coalition of the Willing" in Afghanistan, and US diplomatic indiscretions, for the past five years Wikileaks has been very quiet.

Why?

Because Julian Assange has been run to ground and effectively silenced by the Swedish Prosecution Authority, Åklagarmyndigheten. Assange is officially sought for suspected rape, three cases of sexual molestation and illegal coercion.

There's no way we can judge here if Assange is guilty of these terrible crimes. In parallel to pissing-off the globally powerful, did Assange suddenly become a despicable sexual predator? His reputation has been tarred and he's effectively been quieted... surely convenient for many far-worse scum. Is Assange guilty or innocent - who knows?

What we can know is Sweden has responded poorly.

The Assange case is shameful to Sweden for many reasons. Perhaps the easiest and clearest criticism is in a simple timeline:

2010 Aug 11
Assange arrives in Sweden amidst huge political notoriety.
Assange stays with "Miss A" at her apartment.

2010 Aug 14
Assange gives a public lecture in tumultuous international limelight. Afterward he returns to the apartment of "Miss A" - that night there's sexual activity between the two parties.

Assange continues to stay at the apartment over subsequent days.

2010 Aug 17
Assange reportedly has sex with ''Miss W'' - a woman he met at the August 14 seminar.

2010 Aug 18-19-20
Sometime over these days, the two women meet and discuss their sexual encounters with Assange.

2010 Aug 20
The Swedish Prosecutor's Office issues an arrest warrant against Assange for two separate allegations- one of rape and one for molestation. Assange is in Sweden but he is not arrested.

2010 Aug 21
The arrest warrant is withdrawn; the molestation charge remains. 

2010 Aug 31
Assange is questioned by police in Stockholm and formally told of the allegation(s) against him; Assange denies wrongdoing (link) and submits these were consensual sexual encounters. Is this a smear campaign against Assange?

2010 Aug 31 to Sept 27
Assange stays in Sweden. Public opinion is polarized: did the 39-year old became a sudden sexual predator? Wikileaks is considered under attack.

2010 Sept 27
Assange departs Sweden for the UK.
Åklagarmyndigheten later issues an arrest warrant for Assange.

The sordid tale still continues... 

One key question for Swedish justice officials:
In 40 days between 18 Aug and 27 Sept 2010, when Assange was in Sweden, he could have been arrested for any crimes. The Swedish Prosecution Authority chronology (link) manages to evade the fact that 40+ days passed when Sweden failed to provide justice for anyone -- but they did manage to shut-up Assange. Dictators, murderers and the ultra-corrupt are surely grateful!

Nonproliferation?

Many years ago I learned in school that most states holding nuclear weapons have agreed in theory to cut back; in exchange, the many states without nuclear weapons promised not to build them. The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) entered into force in 1970.

But the nuclear states have failed to reduce their arsenals, and instead use their nuclear status to aggressively dictate their vision of a New World Order.

Certain states claim "Permanent" world-ruler status at the United Nations Security Council, though unelected. Many smaller states and leaders recognize they've been hoodwinked and marginalized.

The situation is unsustainable. The 2015 NPT Review Conference collapsed without progress, and Israel, India, Pakistan have still not signed the NPT (North Korea signed but later withdrew). Nuclear weapons must be eliminated; the big bad nuclear states must do more for disarmament -- as promised.

Let's expand the Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones. Why can't Japan pledge to be nuclear-weapon-free? Where is the often progressive Swedish government? 

Widen the Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones !   (link)

Korean Walk for Peace

Last weekend a women's group of prominent activists walked to the Korean border, drawing attention to more than 60 years of hostilities.

Gloria Steinem, Nobel Peace Prize laureates Mairead Maguire & Leymah Gbowee, Code Pink co-founder Medea Benjamin, and dozens of others beg us to reconsider Korea's long & tragic militarization.

https://www.womencrossdmz.org

The women planned to walk across the border. But the South Korean government (and American controllers) wanted to manipulate the news images, so only allowed them across in a bus. South Korea's government bullshit claim (quote) was their forces "could not guarantee the activists’ safety" unless they arrived by bus -- but these activists had traveled via North Korea, where surely there's no security guarantee.

South Korea's military & US Military Command
Don't want peace. 

Peacetime militarists lose budget, power, and perhaps their jobs.