1 Pixel = $1 million

by: Revisionist

Wed Mar 10, 2010 at 13:43:50 PM EST

http://i.imgur.com/C5hAo.gif

NO 2 IDF Chief, YES 2 Gaza & Corrie, Today 5pm NYC

by: fairleft

Tue Mar 09, 2010 at 15:26:21 PM EST

Hundreds set to turn out for anti-Israel Defense Forces demo in NY
Protesters plan to march outside Waldorf Astoria, where Friends of the IDF will host dinner for IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi
By E.B. Solomont
Jerusalem Post
March 9, 2010

. . . The protest is being sponsored by a broad coalition of about 25 left-wing groups, including American Jews for a Just Peace, Codepink, Gaza Freedom March and Jewish Voice for Peace. Organized by Jews Say No!, the protest was endorsed by the Israeli groups Coalition of Women for Peace and BOYCOTT! Supporting the Palestinian BDS From Within.

"We think it's inappropriate for an American organization to be feting the Israeli army, when the Israeli army is implicated in violations of international law," said Rebecca Vilkomerson, director of Jewish Voice for Peace. She said Operation Cast Lead opened up people's eyes to the role that the Israeli army plays. The Goldstone Report also made people consider the notion that the IDF is fallible, she added.

"Definitely, it has opened up a big conversation in the Jewish community," she said, observing that in the past year more Jews have begun "questioning the idea that Israel is always right."

Okay, I admit, the actual Jerusalem Post headline was "Hundreds set to turn out for anti-Israel demo in NY." I.e., equating support for Israel with support for its the criminal actions of its military, like labeling an anti-Iraq war protest an anti-U.S. protest. But, okay, par for the Jerusualem Post course, and we move on. . . . to more important positive news out of Israel/Palestine from a basic humanitarian perspective. Note btw the efforts by Israel to avoid a fair verdict:

Israeli Defense Ministry goes on trial for Corrie death
March 9, 2010
Ma'an News

Open Tehrad

by: Laura

Tue Mar 09, 2010 at 01:22:28 AM EST

                                                                                                          Muzio Clementi                    
                                                                                                       Died March 10 1832

                                                                         

'Avatar' Robbed at Academy Awards

by: donkeytale

Mon Mar 08, 2010 at 00:51:15 AM EST

Predictably, the Whiteysphere was in full metal uproar.

"Clearly, a conspiracy," said noted film critic Stu Piddy. "The American people are simply too depressed and confused to realize that War shortens the useful lifespans of drones. And a locker gets wounded slaughtering millions of Iraqis and wins the Oscar for best picture? Life is good, very good for inanimate objects, indeed."

Piddy cut short the interview, stating that he was late for an evening tete a tete with his newest gal pal, an enigmatic, online seductress who goes by the name of "Miep".

Ormond Otvos registered anger when informed of "Avatar's" rejection by the joooish dominated Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences.

"'Avatar' is the greatest anti-corporate movie of alltime," thundered the rotund grey beard in a video posted to youtube just moments after the result was announced, #12 in a video series entitled  "Jooos, its wahts for dinner."

"Ah well, back to my chemistry set. Did you know that blue litmus paper turns red when you dip it into a testube of liquid Owsley?"

Meanwhile, Avatar, the "greatest anti-corporate movie of all-time" has earned nearly $60 gazillion at the worldwide box office for its producers, the 20th Century Fox Corporation.

Perhaps the most disappointed pwoggie of them all tonite was Fail Yayhoo Reft, the American-born radical Muslim cleric who recently posted another of his interminable cut 'n paste online fatwas urging US soldiers to study "Avatar" and absorb its deep lessons before laying down their weapons and deserting their posts.

But in an exclusive interview, Imam Reft seemed undaunted by this latest in a series of consecutive defeats that has alternative pundits comparing his record favourably with that of the 1972 Philadelphia 76'ers, who finished 9-73.

"Keep readin' Dean Baker!" he exhorted his followers from inside his Chicago based mosque cubicle Sunday night, before heading out to catch a late New Jersey Nets game.  

Open Thread

by: Laura

Thu Mar 04, 2010 at 00:53:09 AM EST

                                                                                           Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyuub

                                                                                                    Died March 4, 1193

                                                                                     

Eighty-two percent of our expenses are personnel issues ... The only thing we can control is employment numbers, which we don't want to reduce. We have to make sure we keep people in Reed City, when you lose teachers you lose students.

Choosing not to fight the fight

by: fairleft

Wed Mar 03, 2010 at 19:00:46 PM EST

President Obama['s] agenda is not bold enough to address the severity of the problems facing the economy and the country's workers.

The unemployment rate is currently in double-digits. The newest projections from the Congressional Budget Office show the unemployment rate staying above 8.0 percent until well into 2012 and not falling back to normal levels until 2014. This is a crisis for tens of millions of workers who will face unemployment solely as a result of bad economic policy and Wall Street greed.

We know the mechanisms through which we can expand the economy and bring the unemployment rate down: a much larger stimulus, more expansionary monetary policy from the Fed, and a lower dollar to bring down the trade deficit. . . .

All of these policies face serious political obstacles, but it is the President's responsibility to tell the truth to the country and to press for the policies necessary to right the economy. President Obama has apparently chosen not to fight this fight. If it is not possible to get the policies needed to restore full employment back on the political agenda, then tens of millions of people will suffer needlessly for years to come.

Instead of leading the fight that needed to be fought, Obama attempts at least rhetorically to be the nation's number one deficit hawk. Baker comments (emphasis added):

The Purpose-Driven Goose-Step

by: Ormond Otvos

Tue Mar 02, 2010 at 12:50:07 PM EST

That's pretty thin gruel for the high-powered intention analyzer called our mind, the one of yours that's reading this and trying to scope out why I'm writing this.

Suppose the "patriots" hijack all these weakly motivated layabouts and teach them to mentally goose-step all over our indecisive progressive asses?

It's how Hitler worked it out, in "Mein Kampf" and you know the corporate parasites that run this world will use any means to stay on top. How you gonna defend yourself when the neighbors come for you because you have an Obama sticker on your bumper?

Afghanistan bans coverage of Taliban attacks

by: fairleft

Mon Mar 01, 2010 at 16:06:53 PM EST

AP - Kabul, a couple days ago.

AP - Kandahar yesterday.

Afghanistan bans coverage of Taliban attacks
Sayed Salahuddin and Hamid Shalizi (Reuters)
Monday, March 1, 2010 2:08pm EST

Kabul - Afghanistan on Monday announced a ban on news coverage showing Taliban attacks, saying such images embolden the Islamist militants, who have launched strikes around the country as NATO forces seize their southern strongholds. . . .

Open Thread

by: Laura

Sat Feb 27, 2010 at 16:32:44 PM EST

I know I should be gratefull for this happy aversion.

So, post the most outrageous scholarly claim/study you've ran across lately, below. Or just post bad music.

(Oh shit! Just found there actually exists an anagram acronym for this cadre of the intellectually depraved. If there's one thing americans are good at, it's useless anagramming acronyming.)  

Student Revolt at the School of Authentic Journalism and Narco News

by: Stu Piddy

Wed Feb 24, 2010 at 21:04:07 PM EST

I have recently written to students and others connected to Narco News and the School of Authentic Journalism both publicly and privately about the strong amicable associations and connections between the ICNC and right wing extremists like Michael Ledeen who has been justifiably accused as being the author of the Niger Forgeries, as he has been exposed as a forger using the same methodology in the past.

Today I read that there was an upheaval at the The School of Authentic Journalism about all the subjects that I wrote about just prior to the school opening in February.

http://narconews.com/lab/node/33

There is no mention of the upheaval in the Narco News bulletin. There is only positive news in the Narco News Bulletin about the school. Instead it's printed in some obscure website that is associated with the School.

I sent information about the queer associations publicly and  privately.  The only people that I know of who have written about these subjects are Eva Golinger a author and Venezuelan journalist who mentions the ICNC briefly as being anti-Chavez and Stephen Gowans. I discovered the connections independently and then read that Stephan Gowans had made the same discovery. His analysis is superior.

In any case, the Students attending the School of Authentic Journalism especially those from Venezuela's Telesur, wanted to know why one of the "professors" there, a Jack Duvall, had been part of an organization that attempted to overthrow the regime of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela.