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An Obituary printed in the London Times….

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:

Knowing when to come in out of the rain;

Why the early bird gets the worm;

Life isn’t always fair;

And maybe it was my fault.

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Wkend Jukebox: love, oh careless love ?

1 week ago

Music

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Need a break from the ice and snow?
… Kleenex handy?
… Ticket to Ride?

Fare well, Agonistas ~nymole

Here’s:
Odetta- Love, oh careless love” – a late version

Merle Haggard: Frankie and Johnny

Patti Smith with Dylan’s “Boots of Spanish Leather”
at a memorial to her friend Robert Mapplethorpe in France

The Cars, of course: “My Best Friend’s Girl”

or maybe:
The Pretenders: Pack it Up

Ezra Furman: Anything can happen
Neill Young: My Heart

Christian War Crimes Prize

1 week ago

William Boardman

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Christian College Gives Torture President Honorary Humanities Degree

Texas Baptists confirm Obama’s comments about Christian crimes

By William Boardman – Reader Supported News [2.18.15]

The American torture president and self-professed Christian, George W. Bush, gratefully accepted an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree from the Christian-ideology-based University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, Texas, on February 11, in a “public” event that was closed to most of the public. The only direct media coverage allowed for the event was by Fox News and the college public relations team.

Even though it might have been headlined as “Christians Honor War Criminal,” there were apparently no national news stories about the former president’s award. Five days after the fact, the Washington-insider publication, the Hill ran a short summary noting that Bush had said, “Evil is evil.” Read More

Lawful Evidence, Cell keys, Stingray and Other Breaches

1 week ago

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It appears that a 4-letter agency (UK-based) and a three-letter agency (US-based) have conspired to reduce the security of cell phone users worldwide to approximately zero. Surely, their motives must have been noble; after all, these agencies belong to two governments renowned for their verbal support of democracy and freedom worldwide. To consider them as seeking their own selfish interests is unthinkable.

How nice it is for all Telephone Carriers to be released from all responsibility, especially after a series of record-breaking credit card number heists. We’re sure the incidence of these data beaches and the exposure of cell phone encryption keys is just coincidental.
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Friday Catblogging: Beware of Cats Baring Odes

1 week ago

Cat Blogging, Humor & Satire

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(“bearing” will do as well),
and other strange feline behavior at this strange time…

cat-a strophe

_loyalkng.com

Ukraine: UK and EU’s ‘catastrophic misreading’ of Russia

1 week ago

Europe, Global Politics and Culture, Russian Federation, USA

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BBC – The UK and the EU have been accused of a “catastrophic misreading” of the mood in the Kremlin in the run-up to the crisis in Ukraine.

The House of Lords EU committee claimed Europe “sleepwalked” into the crisis. The EU had not realised the depth of Russian hostility to its plans for closer relations with Ukraine, it said… The committee’s report said Britain had not been “active or visible enough” in dealing with the situation in Ukraine. It blamed Foreign Office cuts, which it said led to fewer Russian experts working there, and less emphasis on analysis. A similar decline in EU foreign ministries had left them ill-equipped to formulate an “authoritative response” to the crisis, it said.

The report claimed that for too long the EU’s relationship with Moscow had been based on the “optimistic premise” that Russia was on a trajectory to becoming a democratic country. The result, it said, was a failure to appreciate the depth of Russian hostility when the EU opened talks aimed at establishing an “association agreement” with Ukraine in 2013.

Mr Cameron rejected claims Britain “sleepwalked” into the crisis in Ukraine.

U.S. fears Palestinian ruin as Israel denies funds

1 week ago

Raja

Israel and Palestine, News, USA: Foreign Relations

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AFP, February 20

The United States voiced fears Thursday that the Palestinian Authority may be teetering on the brink of collapse because of a lack of funding, as Israel withholds taxes and donor aid stalls.

Washington has been in urgent talks with regional leaders as well as other stakeholders in the frozen Middle East peace process in a bid to try to release more funds. “It’s true we’re very concerned about the continued viability of the Palestinian Authority if they do not receive funds soon,” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters. Such funds would include the resumption of monthly Israeli transfers of Palestinian tax revenues, or additional donor assistance, she said.

In January, Israel suspended $127 million in tax revenues which should have been transferred to the Palestinian Authority as punishment for its move to join the International Criminal Court (ICC). The Palestinians’ membership in the ICC, which takes effect on April 1, sets the scene for potential legal action against Israelis for alleged war crimes, in a move which has infuriated the Jewish state.

Obama: Writing the rules for 21st century trade

2 weeks ago

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Let us judge for ourselves what is good for us an what is not. Publish the treaty drafts and list those involved with the treaties and their contributions.

The White House Washington

Unions in the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave

2 weeks ago

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Francis Scott Key’s famous lyric claims we live in “the land of the free and the home of the brave.” Aspirationally, we applaud his word choice. Currently, we’d like to be able to agree, but we have a few problems with the description, given the state of the Union at present.

Affirmation of Rights

Remember the historical lesson: Rights must be defended, if you want to keep them. To defend your rights takes courage and determination. Those qualities are the foundation of heroes, whence cometh F. Scott Key’s praise that our earlier defenders of freedom had given us a place to live, which he called “the land of the free and the home of the brave!”

Stand UP for your rights. That way, you will be able to pass them on to your children. Give your children something to sing about, when they learn the words! Vote in the primaries, and support candidates who support Unions. Vote in the elections, too. Do not leave the voting to others who do not have your interests at heart.
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Immigration Ruling Leaves Millions in Limbo; Obama to Appeal

2 weeks ago