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Saturday, May 31, 2014

BBC News - Chuck Hagel: Beijing 'destabilising' South China Sea

"The US defence secretary has accused China of "destabilising" the South China Sea, saying its action threatened the region's long-term progress.

Chuck Hagel said the US would "not look the other way" when nations ignored international rules.

Mr Hagel was speaking at a three-day summit - the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore - that involves the US and South-East Asian countries.

He also urged Thailand's coup leaders to restore democratic rule soon.

The forum comes amid growing tensions between China, Vietnam and the Philippines, with Japan-China ties also strained over disputed islands in the East China Sea."

Article: Three Reasons Why Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer Might Be Wasting $2 billion - And Three Why He Might Not

The Daily Beast: US Pays High Price for Last Afghan POW

Recommended read from Salon.com: America's middle-class defeat: How Canada shamed the wealthiest nation on earth

"When the conversation turned to politics (as it often did with Canadians during the George W. Bush years), Tom made a statement that would have tabbed him as a Marxist crank on the other side of the lakes.

“I don’t understand why anyone has to earn more than $200,000 a year,” he said. “I mean, honestly, what are you going to do with all that money?”

Right then, my rod bent toward the water, so I had to abandon our discussion of economics to land a six-pound salmon. But I thought about it again in Toronto, when I visited Jane and Finch, an immigrant neighborhood that was reputedly the most dangerous turf in the Greater Toronto Area. I expected to see Johnny Too Bads in beehive rasta caps, and dingy apartment blocks with smoke burns around broken windows. To my disappointment, it didn’t look like a slum at all. It looked like my grandparents’ civil-service ghetto in a suburb of Washington, D.C. The housing projects were clean white monuments. Ranch houses looked out on barbered greensward parks."

Friday, May 30, 2014

INSIDE THE MIND OF EDWARD SNOWDEN: Brian Williams Breaks Down the Snowden Interview - NBC News.com



ICYMI: Brian Williams Breaks Down the Snowden Interview - NBC News.com

Recommended read from Salon.com: White supremacy and slavery: Gerald Horne on the real story of American independence

"It's time to revisit America's heroic creation myth and what really happened in 1776, author-historian tells Salon. "

Obama’s West Point Speech - NYTimes.com

"President Obama’s acknowledgment that “some of our most costly mistakes came not from our restraint but from our willingness to rush into military adventures” should be engraved in stone as a reminder to future leaders."

The campaign for junk food Michelle Obama may not have wanted a political fight on this issue. But she’s got one now.



All In with Chris Hayes on msnbc

One-on-one with Neil deGrasse Tyson Chris Hayes gives a preview of his interview with the amazing Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist and host of “Cosmos.”



All In with Chris Hayes on msnbc

If Shinseki goes, the VA will still be broken Forcing Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki to resign may be good politics, but it won’t fix the Department of Veterans Affairs.



All In with Chris Hayes on msnbc

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Edward Snowden's Motive Revealed: He Can 'Sleep at Night' - NBC News.com

In a wide-ranging and revealing interview, Brian Williams talks with former NSA contractor Edward Snowden about the global impact and debate sparked by his revelations.



Edward Snowden's Motive Revealed: He Can 'Sleep at Night' - NBC News.com

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Neil Degrasse Tyson on Bill Maher(AWESOME!)

Neil deGrasse Tyson - Reason & Faith are Irreconcilable

Neil deGrasse Tyson Destroys Bill O' Reilly(MUST WATCH)

What Did the Framers Really Mean? - NYTimes.com

"The Second Amendment begins, “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State,” and that’s where Waldman, the president of the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law, begins, too. He has gone back into the framers’ original arguments and made two essential discoveries, one surprising and the other not surprising at all."

"The surprising discovery is that of all the amendments that comprise the Bill of Rights, the Second was probably the least debated. What we know is that the founders were deeply opposed to a standing army, which they viewed as the first step toward tyranny. Instead, their assumption was that the male citizenry would all belong to local militias. As Waldman writes, “They were not allowed to have a musket; they were required to. More than a right, being armed was a duty.”

A Cable Merger Too Far - NYTimes.com

"There are good reasons the Justice Department and the Federal Communications Commission should block Comcast’s $45 billion acquisition of Time Warner Cable. The merger will concentrate too much market power in the hands of one company, creating a telecommunications colossus the likes of which the country has not seen since 1984 when the government forced the breakup of the original AT&T telephone monopoly.

The combined company would provide cable-TV service to nearly 30 percent of American homes and high-speed Internet service to nearly 40 percent. Even without this merger and the proposed AT&T-DirecTV deal, the telecommunications industry has limited competition, especially in the critical market for high-speed Internet service, or broadband, where consumer choice usually means picking between the local cable or phone company."

Monday, May 26, 2014

Rockefeller says Obama’s race colors GOP views on Affordable Care Act - The Washington Post

Neil deGrasse Tyson vs. the right: "Cosmos," Christians, and the battle for American science

"The real reason conservatives are freaking out about Neil deGrasse Tyson: He's laying bare their worst hypocrisies"

Muslims and the N.Y.P.D. - NYTimes.com

"New York City’s police commissioner, William Bratton, made the right decision last month when he said he would disband a unit used by his predecessor, Raymond Kelly, to spy on law-abiding Muslims as they worshiped or patronized businesses in their communities. Beyond proving useless for intelligence purposes, the Demographics Unit undermined the fight against terrorism by alienating Muslims who were understandably angry about being singled out, not for illegal conduct but because of their religious affiliation.

This problem has yet to be fully resolved. As The Times’s Joseph Goldstein reported, the department is still running a program that singles out Muslims in a problematic way, this time to recruit them as informants. The department says the program, run by a squad of detectives euphemistically known as the Citywide Debriefing Team, has led to breaks in important cases. But the department has a long history of trampling on people’s rights during investigations of political activity, while making inflated claims about the value of its intelligence operations."

Ta-Nehisi Coates on the Melissa Harris-Perry show

Melissa Harris-Perry on msnbc



Melissa Harris-Perry on msnbc

Sunday, May 25, 2014

The 'Case for Reparations' is solid, and it's long past time to make them | Errin Haines Whack | Commentisfree | The Guardian

" Ta-Nehisi Coates's piece reveals the conversation that Americans need to start about our history of racial oppression"

End Mass Incarceration Now - NYTimes.com

"For more than a decade, researchers across multiple disciplines have been issuing reports on the widespread societal and economic damage caused by America’s now-40-year experiment in locking up vast numbers of its citizens. If there is any remaining disagreement about the destructiveness of this experiment, it mirrors the so-called debate over climate change.

In both cases, overwhelming evidence shows a crisis that threatens society as a whole. In both cases, those who study the problem have called for immediate correction.

Several recent reports provide some of the most comprehensive and compelling proof yet that the United States “has gone past the point where the numbers of people in prison can be justified by social benefits,” and that mass incarceration itself is “a source of injustice.”

Saturday, May 24, 2014

The Case for Reparations - The Atlantic

Two hundred fifty years of slavery. Ninety years of Jim Crow. Sixty years of separate but equal. Thirty-five years of racist housing policy. Until we reckon with our compounding moral debts, America will never be whole.


And if thy brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee. And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty: thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of that wherewith the LORD thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him. And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing today.
— Deuteronomy 15: 12–15
Besides the crime which consists in violating the law, and varying from the right rule of reason, whereby a man so far becomes degenerate, and declares himself to quit the principles of human nature, and to be a noxious creature, there iscommonly injury done to some person or other, and some other man receives damage by his transgression: in which case he who hath received any damage, has, besides the right of punishment common to him with other men, a particular right to seek reparation.
— John Locke, “Second Treatise”


The Case for Reparations - The Atlantic

Nigeria’s Army Holding Up Hunt for Taken Girls - NYTimes.com

Nigeria’s Army Holding Up Hunt for Taken Girls - NYTimes.com

Nigeria’s Army Holding Up Hunt for Taken Girls - NYTimes.com

Nigeria’s Army Holding Up Hunt for Taken Girls - NYTimes.com

Nigeria’s Army Holding Up Hunt for Taken Girls - NYTimes.com

Nigeria’s Army Holding Up Hunt for Taken Girls - NYTimes.com

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

"Cosmos" Explains How Global Warming Threatens Civilization as We Know It | Mother Jones

"The show had already enraged climate deniers by explaining just how big a problem global warming is. But clearly, it wasn't done. On the latest episode, entitled "The Immortals," host Neil deGrasse Tyson explores a grandiose theme if ever there was one: What it would take for our species to get off-world, as well as whether we'll ever be able to successfully contact alien life. Both are, in effect, chances at immortality, since either our species—or at least the information we create and transmit into space—would thereby live on, perhaps even beyond the death of our sun.

But guess what: Both forms of immortality, according to the show, are threatened by factors that can disrupt the stability and the longevity of human civilization—and that includes human-caused climate change.

To understand how that could be so, you need to first understand something that loomed very large in the thoughts of Tyson's predecessor, Carl Sagan, and that underlies this latest Cosmos episode: The Drake Equation. Derived by the astrophysicist Frank Drake, the equation is basically a formula for trying to determine how many technologically advanced civilizations there might be in the Milky Way galaxy, and how likely it is that our own civilization would be able to contact them. It looks like this (for much more detail, visit the SETI Institute):"

Georgia high school senior suspended for racy periodic table yearbook quote  - NY Daily News. Does anyone at this school understand the First Amendment?



Georgia high school senior suspended for racy periodic table yearbook quote  - NY Daily News

Fukushima Workers Fled Plant After Accident Despite Orders - NYTimes.com

TOKYO — At the most dire moment of the Fukushima nuclear crisis three years ago, hundreds of panicked employees abandoned the damaged plant despite being ordered to remain on hand for last-ditch efforts to regain control of its runaway reactors, according to a previously undisclosed record of the accident that was reported Tuesday by a major Japanese newspaper.



Fukushima Workers Fled Plant After Accident Despite Orders - NYTimes.com

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Elizabeth Warren for president? Not so fast, say fans | MSNBC

"CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Elizabeth Warren’s biggest fans don’t just support her. They adore the Massachusetts Democratic senator—her passion, her plainspokenness, and her unapologetic jabs against big banks and Wall Street.

“She’s so articulate, she’s so genuine. She seems so apolitical,” said Pamela Daly, who gravitated toward Warren’s message after being laid off three times in a single year.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean they want her to run for president – at least for the time being."

Fight for higher wages goes global | MSNBC



Fight for higher wages goes global | MSNBC

Friday, May 16, 2014

Atlanta struggling to find its ‘soul’ | MSNBC



Atlanta struggling to find its ‘soul’ | MSNBC

Sixty years after 'Brown v. Board of Education,' the fight goes on | MSNBC

Sixty years after 'Brown v. Board of Education,' the fight goes on | MSNBC

Fast food protests go global | MSNBC



Fast food protests go global | MSNBC

Women at New York Times feel 'let down' | MSNBC



Women at New York Times feel 'let down' | MSNBC

The FCC unveils its net neutrality proposal: 90 Seconds on The Verge

Are White Republicans More Racist Than White Democrats? | FiveThirtyEight

The comments made by Cliven Bundy and Donald Sterling this month demonstrate that the U.S. is far from a colorblind society. And the reaction to their comments has drawn further attention to the fraught relationship between racism and partisan politics. When racist statements by high-profile figures are made public, some news commentators become preoccupied withtrying to discern the speaker’s political affiliation.
We were curious about the long-term trends in racial attitudes as expressed by Americans in polls. Are Republicans more likely to give arguably racist responses in surveys than Democrats? Have the patterns changed since President Obama took office in 2009?
Are White Republicans More Racist Than White Democrats? | FiveThirtyEight

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Neil deGrasse Tyson on religious people

Neil deGrasse Tyson on God

Neil deGrasse Tyson - Reason & Faith are Irreconcilable

Bill Maher Sounds Off

Searching for Fairness on the Internet - NYTimes.com

After weeks of being criticized for a proposal that would have divided the Internet into fast and slow lanes, the Federal Communications Commission put forward a new plan on Thursday. While more balanced than its earlier approach, the commission still seems to be leaning toward creating a two-tiered system that could discriminate against smaller companies and restrict consumer choice.
The F.C.C. has been struggling for years to come up with rules to prevent phone and cable companies from blocking or interfering with Internet content. Last month, the chairman of the agency, Tom Wheeler, appeared to throw in the towel when he proposed regulations that would have allowed telecommunications companies to strike deals with firms like Netflix and Amazon for faster delivery of their videos and other data to consumers.
Searching for Fairness on the Internet - NYTimes.com

U.S. Officials Question Ability of Nigeria to Rescue Hostages - NYTimes.com

U.S. Officials Question Ability of Nigeria to Rescue Hostages - NYTimes.com

Spitting, Stalking, Rape Threats: How Gun Extremists Target Women | Mother Jones

AS JENNIFER LONGDON STEERED her wheelchair through the Indianapolis airport on April 25, she thought the roughest part of her trip was over. Earlier that day she'd participated in an emotional press conference with the new group Everytown for Gun Safety, against the backdrop of the National Rifle Association's annual meeting. A mom, gun owner, and Second Amendment supporter, Longdon was paralyzed in 2004 after being shot in her car by unknown assailants, and has since been a vocal advocate for comprehensive background checks and other gun reforms.



Spitting, Stalking, Rape Threats: How Gun Extremists Target Women | Mother Jones

"Happy Mother's Day" threat from Fla. gun instructor

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

The Kidnapping of a Country - NYTimes.com

CHIBOK, Nigeria — THE road to Chibok is eerily quiet, lined with checkpoints manned by civilians, many of them teenagers, wielding rusty rifles and serving as added security for an area that has little. In this northeast Nigerian village, where more than 300 teenage schoolgirls were kidnapped by the militant Islamist separatist group Boko Haram on April 14, their stunned families were still waiting this week for them to come home.



The Kidnapping of a Country - NYTimes.com

The Kidnapping of a Country - NYTimes.com

CHIBOK, Nigeria — THE road to Chibok is eerily quiet, lined with checkpoints manned by civilians, many of them teenagers, wielding rusty rifles and serving as added security for an area that has little. In this northeast Nigerian village, where more than 300 teenage schoolgirls were kidnapped by the militant Islamist separatist group Boko Haram on April 14, their stunned families were still waiting this week for them to come home.



The Kidnapping of a Country - NYTimes.com

Anger Grows in Vietnam Over Dispute With China - NYTimes.com

HANOI, Vietnam — Thousands of workers rampaged through an industrial area in southern Vietnam on Tuesday in what reportedly began as protests against China’s stationing of an oil rig in disputed waters off of Vietnam’s coast.
The riots were some of the worst civil unrest in recent years and appear to have prompted restraints on the local media by Vietnam’s authoritarian government. An article about the protests that was posted online by a Vietnamese state newspaper on Tuesday was removed by Wednesday morning.
The Chinese Embassy in Hanoi issued a notice on Wednesday that urged Chinese living in Vietnam to “minimize unnecessary outings.”
A staff member at the Chutex Garment Factory north of Ho Chi Minh City said 8,000 to 10,000 workers were involved in the rampage at his factory.
“They burned the office,” said the staff member who agreed to speak on condition that his name not be used. The rioters “burned everything, all of the materials, computers, machines.”


Anger Grows in Vietnam Over Dispute With China - NYTimes.com

Friday, May 02, 2014

Are White Republicans More Racist Than White Democrats? | FiveThirtyEight

The comments made by Cliven Bundy and Donald Sterling this month demonstrate that the U.S. is far from a colorblind society. And the reaction to their comments has drawn further attention to the fraught relationship between racism and partisan politics. When racist statements by high-profile figures are made public, some news commentators become preoccupied withtrying to discern the speaker’s political affiliation.
We were curious about the long-term trends in racial attitudes as expressed by Americans in polls. Are Republicans more likely to give arguably racist responses in surveys than Democrats? Have the patterns changed since President Obama took office in 2009?


Are White Republicans More Racist Than White Democrats? | FiveThirtyEight

Sen. Elizabeth Warren talks income inequality The day after the minimum wage hike was blocked by Senate Republicans, Senator Elizabeth Warren talks about the fight for economic justice.







All In with Chris Hayes on msnbc

Irish leader arrested in connection with IRA killing Chris Hayes talks to Michael Moynihan about the arrest of Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams.



All In with Chris Hayes on msnbc

A Heinous Crime, Secret Histories and a Sinn Fein Leader’s Arrest - NYTimes.com

Wars are always horribly heinous affairs.  There is brutality and war crimes on all sides.  The victors, however, become the only judges.  Their crimes go unpunished.  Look no farther than our own second war in Iraq.  The Bush administration ordered, a non provoked aggressive war killing, according to the U.S. Military, over 100,000 Iraqi civilians.  Who is being held accountable for these war crimes?  President Obama made the politically expedient but morally reprehensible choice to move on and not to formally investigate the war crimes of Bush, Cheney Rice and Wolfowitz.  As Alex Haley said in his most famous book Roots, "The conquerors write the history".



A Heinous Crime, Secret Histories and a Sinn Fein Leader’s Arrest - NYTimes.com