Mamoon Alabbasi | Baltimore Chronicle

Editorial note by Robert Parry: A year after Barack Obama was elected President, many on the American Left are criticizing him for not achieving all they had hoped for – including an end to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, a complete rejection of George W. Bush’s “war on terror,” and sharp reductions in military spending.

But MIT professor Noam Chomsky suggests those hopes were always naïve and that only a powerful grassroots movement can force such changes, as reported in this guest article by Mamoon Alabbasi that previously appeared in Middle East Online:

As civilized people across the world breathed a sigh of relief to see the back of former U.S. President George W. Bush, top American intellectual Noam Chomsky warned against assuming or expecting significant changes in the basis of Washington's foreign policy under President Barack Obama.

During two lectures organized by the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London, Chomsky cited numerous examples of the driving doctrines behind U.S. foreign policy since the end of World War II.

"As Obama came into office, Condoleezza Rice predicted that he would follow the policies of Bush's second term, and that is pretty much what happened, apart from a different rhetorical style," Chomsky said.

"But it is wise to attend to deeds, not rhetoric. Deeds commonly tell a different story," he added.

"There is basically no significant change in the fundamental traditional conception that we if can control Middle East energy resources, then we can control the world," explained Chomsky.

Chomsky said that a leading doctrine of U.S. foreign policy during the period of its global dominance is what he termed as "the Mafia principle."

USC religious studies professor Kevin Lewis has been thinking about the meaning of being lonesome in American culture. He’s written a new book that explores the theme of loneliness and lonesomeness that is pervasive in American art, from Emily Dickinson’s poems to country music lyrics, and analyzes why solitude is sometimes good.

The State/SC - To be an American is to have buried, deep within our collective DNA, a profound sense of the lonesome.

At least that is what USC religious studies professor Kevin Lewis has speculated during a long - and perhaps lonesome - intellectual trek through the landscape of American music, fiction, art and religion.

For all the cultural reflection on the meaning of e pluribus unum, he believes Americans are a people who understand the solitary ache in the heart, the twist in the gut. After all, he noted, who among us has not walked through "that lonesome valley" or traveled down an open highway with the wail of Hank Williams in our ears?

"That word lonesome seems to do so much more work in our vocabulary than in any other anglophone culture," he said. "Americans like lonesome."

His ruminations have borne fruit in a newly published book titled, simply, "Lonesome: The Spiritual Meanings of American Solitude." In this scholarly work, he explains how we are a people hard-wired to perceive and experience lonesomeness in a way that is far different from that of our counterparts on other continents.

Marina Hyde | The Guardian

While Hubbard's cult gets ever more exposed, it's a shame other religions are not forced to justify their own doctrinal lunacies

Draw near, infidels, for these are dark days for the Knights of Hubbard. Do not despair entirely – the Church of Scientology remains insanely rich, has excellent and rapacious lawyers, and according to the International Scientology News, "every minute of every hour, someone reaches for L Ron Hubbard technology … simply because they know Tom Cruise is a Scientologist". So unless the world's supply of troubled fools is melting away quicker than the Arctic ice cap, they can probably hold off trying to lure disaffected Kabbalists into their cultish communion, after the fashion of Pope Benedict and the Anglicans. And yet, all things considered, it has not been the best of weeks for our operating thetans.

In France, Scientology was found guilty of defrauding its followers after a judge effectively debunked the idea of the church's trusty e-meter, a crude polygraph whose readings are used to encourage Scientologists to purchase everything from books to extreme sauna courses. In Los Angeles, the Oscar-winning (even if it was only for the abysmal Crash) director Paul Haggis cut his ties with Scientology in protest at what he branded their tolerance of homophobia, adding for good measure that the church's claim that they do not tell people to "disconnect" from unsupportive family members was untrue – his own wife had been ordered to do so. Meanwhile, Scientology's chief spokesman Tommy Davis stormed out of a television interview with Martin Bashir, after the latter pressed him on what we might delicately term "certain articles of faith". The alien stuff, basically.

What has caused these synchronous events? Naturally, one's initial assumption is that the everlasting battery which provides the force field which holds the intergalactic tyrant Xenu captive in an unspecified mountain here on Earth is not as everlasting as billed, or was perhaps commandeered when the battery went in some vast cosmic remote control. In humanoid households, of course, a TV remote is the appliance for which all other batteries must be yielded up – including those in the smoke alarm – and the same hierarchy holds true on a galactic scale.

Trey Treviño | Oct 29 | smudailycampus.com

I was browsing through Google News when I came across an article about how the United States is sending three officials to Honduras to facilitate negotiations with the recently ousted president, Manuel Zelaya-who still has a significant portion of public support-and the new leader, Roberto Micheletti.

Apparently, tensions are reaching a fever pitch, and Honduras has been temporarily suspended from the Organization of American States until the crisis is under control.

The first thing that popped into my head when I read this story was: Why the hell are we wasting manpower on Honduras of all places?

Unlike the Middle East, Honduras has no oil, so why should our government actually care what's going on over there? A genuine desire to help impoverished nations, you say? To which I respond: There have been many impoverished nations and many countries which have suffered greater problems than Honduras (Rwanda, Uganda, Europe before Pearl Harbor). We didn't so much as lift a finger for them for the simple reason that they had absolutely nothing of value to offer us.

I'm not necessarily saying that we are an incredibly selfish and self-centered country. We are, however, certainly a pragmatic one. We, as a country, have established a long and cultured tradition of never rendering assistance unless it benefits us in some way.

There are countless dictators all over the world towards whom we turn a blind eye. Do we really care about making the world a better place? Well, what would the point of that be if there was no monetary gain? Perhaps we want other countries to like us? Nah; we have Israel on our side, so we're good.

So there I was, reading the news, wondering what the gain of intervention could possibly be, when I stumbled upon a little factoid: Honduras is the second largest producer of coffee in all of Central America.

Suddenly, it was clear: We did have something to gain, for until this "crisis" is resolved, we lose easy access to a ready supply of coffee, that special concoction that a majority of the population depends upon to function. And that's why we're sending help.

But coffee still isn't as important as oil, so we're only sending three officials, and not the entire god damn army.

Brother of Afghan Leader Is Said to Be on C.I.A. Payroll

NYT - Ahmed Wali Karzai, the brother of the Afghan president and a suspected player in the country’s booming illegal opium trade, gets regular payments from the Central Intelligence Agency, and has for much of the past eight years, according to current and former American officials.

The agency pays Mr. Karzai for a variety of services, including helping to recruit an Afghan paramilitary force that operates at the C.I.A.’s direction in and around the southern city of Kandahar, Mr. Karzai’s home.

The financial ties and close working relationship between the intelligence agency and Mr. Karzai raise significant questions about America’s war strategy, which is currently under review at the White House.

The ties to Mr. Karzai have created deep divisions within the Obama administration. The critics say the ties complicate America’s increasingly tense relationship with President Hamid Karzai, who has struggled to build sustained popularity among Afghans and has long been portrayed by the Taliban as an American puppet. The C.I.A.’s practices also suggest that the United States is not doing everything in its power to stamp out the lucrative Afghan drug trade, a major source of revenue for the Taliban.

More broadly, some American officials argue that the reliance on Ahmed Wali Karzai, the most powerful figure in a large area of southern Afghanistan where the Taliban insurgency is strongest, undermines the American push to develop an effective central government that can maintain law and order and eventually allow the United States to withdraw.

“If we are going to conduct a population-centric strategy in Afghanistan, and we are perceived as backing thugs, then we are just undermining ourselves,” said Maj. Gen. Michael T. Flynn, the senior American military intelligence official in Afghanistan.

_{** U.S. defense bill would pay Taliban to switch sides
** Karzai's Narco-Trafficking Brother Is On CIA's Payroll ~ Newshoggers
** UN staff killed in Kabul attack
** Obama meets with Joint Chiefs on Friday over Afghanistan
** Brit bullets too small to beat high on opium Taliban militants ~ anyone seen this report?
** United Against Afghanistan Escalation}

Iraq goes nuclear with plans for new reactor programme

Iraq has started lobbying for approval to again become a nuclear player, almost 19 years after British and American war planes destroyed Saddam Hussein's last two reactors, the Guardian has learned.

The Iraqi government has approached the French nuclear industry about rebuilding at least one of the reactors that was bombed at the start of the first Gulf war. The government has also contacted the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and United Nations to seek ways around resolutions that ban Iraq's re-entry into the nuclear field.

_{** ‘Occupation’ captures inner battles of war
** USDA-funded project helping revitalize Iraq’s agriculture
** Baghdad provincial Council demands resign two top security officials
** Fate of oil-rich Kirkuk stalls Iraq election law}

Please check comments for updates and related articles, previous updates after the jump

Savio Carvalho | Oct 27 | Reuter blogs

In the early 1970s, rich countries committed to give 0.7 percent of their income in the form of aid to poor developing countries as Overseas Development Assistance. In the past decade a few countries have actually reached this target and others have plans to achieve it in the next few years. This money is used primarily for poverty reduction and long-term development goals in developing countries.

But climate change is now creating additional burdens on poor communities across the world. This means that poor communities need additional support to adapt and cope with climate-related changes, including increases in the frequency and severity of weather-related disasters and other slow changes such as sea-level rise, melting glaciers and shifting seasons.

The poor are least responsible for causing climate change but are most affected. Under the laws of natural justice, that suggests richer nations need to stem climate change, and help poorer nations cope with the damage done.

This week leaders from the European Union are debating if the money they will offer to help developing countries adapt to climate change should be part of the 0.7 percent they promised decades ago or additional funding. That this is even up for debate is deeply worrisome.

always trying to one up us...

It is the greatest animal battle on the planet, and it has finally been caught on camera.

A BBC natural history crew has filmed the "humpback whale heat run", where 15m long, 40 tonne male whales fight it out to mate with even larger females.

During the first complete sequence of this behaviour ever captured, the male humpbacks swim at high speed behind the female, violently jostling for access.

The collisions between the males can be violent enough to kill.

Must see video

The Stanley Cup checked into the lodge tonight. The cup is gorgeous and weighs a ton. A drunk asked the nice minder if he could see it and then tried to grab it - almost dropped it! Some kids parents!

Some of the German Antarctic Receiving Station (GARS) O’Higgins webcams are up and penguins have arrived. :)

The site link is here, scroll down to see which cameras are active. Their gallery is a treat too. Good thing I didn't rely on SP for penguins...

The top field commander of al-Qaeda, in an exclusive interview with Asia Times Online, proves he is alive and well after repeated drone attacks and delineates in broad strokes al-Qaeda's strategy. The Afghanistan trap, baited on September 11, 2001, has been sprung, says formidable guerrilla leader Ilyas Kashmiri, and events from Gaza to Mumbai should not be seen in isolation but as part of the master plan to bloody the United States and its proxies. - Syed Saleem Shahzad Asia Times Exclusive

Thank You for your patience :)

The White House called LGBTs part of pajama-clad 'Internet left fringe' for asking for civil rights
Pam Spaulding | Oct 11

In an NBC report less than 24 hours after the President declared his unwavering support for the LGBT community, the White House has decided to sh*t on citizen journalists on the left who are simply advocating for our civil rights. This is a real shot across the bow. Via Americablog:

NBC News' John Harwood just reported that an Obama administration staffer advisor today called the gay community part of "the Internet left fringe," and therefore the White House is not concerned about the gay community's, and other Democrats', concerns that the president isn't keeping his promises. As part of its report on today's gay march, NBC's Harwood said the following:

Barack Obama is doing well with 90% or more of Democrats so the White House views this opposition as really part of the Internet left fringe.

Harwood then went on to say that the White House thinks that:

For a sign of how seriously the White House does or doesn't take this opposition, one adviser told me those bloggers need to take off the pajamas, get dressed, and realize that governing a closely divided country is complicated and difficult.

more with links at Pam's House Blend

October 9 | Paul Krugman | NYT

If you had to explain America’s economic success with one word, that word would be “education.” In the 19th century, America led the way in universal basic education. Then, as other nations followed suit, the “high school revolution” of the early 20th century took us to a whole new level. And in the years after World War II, America established a commanding position in higher education.

But that was then. The rise of American education was, overwhelmingly, the rise of public education — and for the past 30 years our political scene has been dominated by the view that any and all government spending is a waste of taxpayer dollars. Education, as one of the largest components of public spending, has inevitably suffered.

Until now, the results of educational neglect have been gradual — a slow-motion erosion of America’s relative position. But things are about to get much worse, as the economic crisis — its effects exacerbated by the penny-wise, pound-foolish behavior that passes for “fiscal responsibility” in Washington — deals a severe blow to education across the board.

About that erosion: there has been a flurry of reporting recently about threats to the dominance of America’s elite universities. What hasn’t been reported to the same extent, at least as far as I’ve seen, is our relative decline in more mundane measures. America, which used to take the lead in educating its young, has been gradually falling behind other advanced countries.

Brian Cloughley | Daily Times

Exxon Mobil is a classic case of rampant corporate greed. Its executives and shareholders prosper mightily, while citizens of the many countries which the company exploits are kept in direst poverty

On September 4, the US Congressional Research Service published details of US arms’ sales worldwide. It reported that the United States was responsible for 68.4 percent of global sales of arms in 2008, making $37.8 billion, up from the previous year’s former record of $25.4 billion. Weapons deals for the first half of 2009 totalled $27 billion.

That’s an awful lot of weaponry being sold around the world — and enormous profits for America’s arms manufacturers.

On September 14, President Chavez of Venezuela, who distrusts Washington almost to the point of paranoia, but with certain justification, announced the purchase from Russia of weapons worth about $2.2 billion.

And the following day, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in mega-scolding mode, declared that in acquisition of weapons the Venezuelans “outpace all other countries in South America and certainly raise the question as to whether there is going to be an arms race in the region.”

This would be side-splittingly funny were it not indicative of the arrogant mindset of establishment Washington, in spite of the supposedly liberal inclinations of the Obama administration. In 2006-2007 the US sold weapons to 174 of the world’s 195 countries, yet unblushingly castigates a South American nation that buys weapons from Russia.

The Bible 2.0, now with more smiting! ~ FDL

and

Fighting the 'contraceptive mentality'/ The Quiverfulls

Yano, they are really starting to make the Taliban look moderate ;)

Sep 30 | The Tech Blog

Don't like the idea of your neighbors rudely snooping on the wireless signal you slaved to pay for from the lazy comfort of their living room? It's not just about slowing down your connection; while they're downloading Mad Men via bittorrent, you could be on the hook for their actions.

Wireless security and encryption systems are fraught with problems and insecurity, and other methods to restrict your signal to a small area are cumbersome at best.

Enter a new solution: Anti-Wi-Fi paint.

US envoy removed from Afghan post

Mr Galbraith had been critical of the Afghan election commission

A senior UN official in Afghanistan has been removed from his post following a row about how to handle the country's disputed election, the BBC has learned.

Peter Galbraith had angered Afghan President Hamid Karzai by criticising the country's election commission.

Mr Galbraith, from the US, was said to have called for a complete recount.

AFP - The United States and NATO countries with forces in Afghanistan have told the government of President Hamid Karzai they believes he will be re-elected despite problems with the August 20 vote, the Washington Post reported Monday.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other North Atlantic Treaty Organization foreign ministers reached "consensus" that Karzai would probably "continue to be president" at a Friday meeting in New York with Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta, a US official told the newspaper.

** UN gives fraud a pass
** White House Embraces Fraudulent Win, Calls for 'Reconciliation'
** Afghan government must earn people's trust: Clinton

Turkey seeks to extend mandate to fight rebels in Iraq

Turkey's government said on Tuesday it would ask parliament to extend for one year a mandate that allows its military to attack Kurdish rebels in north Iraq.

The government's move follows pledges by Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan to address decades-old Kurdish grievances and find an end to the conflict with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) that has claimed some 40,000 lives since 1984.

previous updates after the jump, please check comments for updated and current articles

Michelle Roberts | Health reporter | Sept 22

BBC News - Latest autism figures should dispel any fears about the MMR jab being linked to the condition, say experts.

The NHS Information Centre found one in every hundred adults living in England has autism, which is identical to the rate in children.

If the vaccine was to blame, autism rates among children should be higher because the MMR has only been available since the early 1990s, the centre says.

This is the first time the rate in adults has been evaluated.

Tim Straughan, chief executive of The NHS Information Centre, said: "This landmark report is the first major study into the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders among adults to be carried out anywhere in the world.

"While the sample size was small and any conclusions need to be tempered with caution, the report suggests that, despite popular perceptions, rates of autism are not increasing, with prevalence among adults in line with that among children.

Paul Hipp has penned this little diddy celebrating the fact that the World Health Organization ranks the US healthcare system the 37th best in the world.

h/t Charles Lemos at MYDD

Steve Benen - Politics aside, if Perry sincerely doesn't even recognize the economic downturn, he must be living in an impenetrable bubble. Texas has been very hard hit by the recession, and the state's most vulnerable families have struggled to keep their heads above water. Texas is the worst state in the country for residents without health care coverage, and is among the worst for poverty rates.

Dems connect 4 vertebrae, 20 more to go...

Kanye IS a jackass: audio :D