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President Hugo Chavez: A 21st Century Renaissance Man

Prof. James Petras
Global Research
Mon, 18 Mar 2013 09:25 UTC
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Introduction

President Hugo Chavez was unique in multiple areas of political, social and economic life. He made significant contributions to the advancement of humanity. The depth, scope and popularity of his accomplishments mark President Chavez as the 'Renaissance President of the 21st Century'.

Many writers have noted one or another of his historic contributions highlighting his anti-poverty legislation, his success in winning popular elections with resounding majorities and his promotion of universal free public education and health coverage for all Venezuelans.

In this essay we will highlight the unique world-historic contributions that President Chavez made in the spheres of political economy, ethics and international law and in redefining relations between political leaders and citizens. We shall start with his enduring contribution to the development of civic culture in Venezuela and beyond.
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Magnify

Oxford historian: 'West plays with fire to drive the Russian naval base out of Crimea'


RT
Thu, 27 Feb 2014 06:36 UTC
Rally in Crimea
© Reuters / Baz Ratner
An ethnic Russian Ukrainian holds a Russian flag as Crimean Tatars rally near the Crimean parliament building in Simferopol February 26, 2014.
Crimea's ethnic composition and Western policy towards Ukraine could create a Kosovo-like scenario where the majority of Russian speaking residents would claim independence which could lead to violence on the ground, Oxford historian Mark Almond told RT.

RT: If the EU and the US are concerned about doing what people on the Maidan want, why are they ignoring what people in Crimea want?

Mark Almond: Well one would have thought so if you're going to listen to the crowd on the street on the square and there are many squares where there're crowds including Simferopol and Sevastopol. The basic problem of course is what the Americans, particularly the lead military power in NATO want, is to eventually ease the Russian navy out of its base, out of its lease in Sevastopol in the Crimea. And so of course the fact that the great majority of people in Crimea not only 60 per cent that are actually Russian but many of the rest who speak Russian as their everyday language is something that the EU and NATO countries want to ignore. Of course if you have any kind of push to create a crisis, I'm afraid our democratic basis as in Kosovo where the great majority, where the great majority of Albanians wanted to be independent from Serbia, you would create a Kosovo crisis in Crimea. But of course strangely enough Washington and Brussels suddenly aren't terribly interested in this. I myself think that creating a crisis is not a good idea, but nonetheless they seem to be bent on pushing to increase tension between people on the Peninsula. And of course there is a risk of violence against either ethnic Russians, civilians that are there or against the sailors and soldiers on the base.
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Bad Guys

Obama, upset over Afghan president turning down U.S. security deal, threatens removal of all troops from Afghanistan


Irish Times
Wed, 26 Feb 2014 06:34 UTC
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© Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images
President Hamid Karzai’s refusal to sign a security deal has frustrated the White House, which has been forced to abandon an earlier demand that he sign the deal in weeks, not months.
President Barack Obama has told the Pentagon to prepare for the possibility that no US troops will be left in Afghanistan over President Hamid Karzai's refusal to sign a joint security agreement.

The United States has said that after its formal drawdown of troops from Afghanistan by year's end, it could leave a contingent of as many as 8,000 for counter-terrorism operations against al-Qaeda targets and to train Afghan forces.

But Mr Karzai's refusal to sign a security deal has frustrated the White House, which has been forced to abandon an earlier demand that he sign the deal in weeks, not months.
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Cult

Pope Francis centralizes Vatican's financial department, creating 'corporate-style' management

Carol Matlack
Bloomberg Business Week
Wed, 26 Feb 2014 05:46 UTC
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© Franco Origlia/Getty Images
Archbishop of Sydney Cardinal Pell (second from left) in Vatican City
Corporate-style management is coming to the Vatican. In a sweeping overhaul of the Holy See's bureaucracy, Pope Francis is centralizing its budgetary and administrative functions while naming an auditor and outside experts to scrutinize its finances.

The pontiff has created a new Secretariat of the Economy headed by Cardinal George Pell of Australia and overseen by a 15-member council that includes seven lay experts "with strong professional financial experience," the Vatican said in a statement on its website.

The pope will directly oversee the new structure, which will include an auditor general who can conduct surprise audits "of any agency of the Holy See and Vatican City State at any time," according to the statement.
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Light Sabers

Yanukovich says he's still president of Ukraine, asks Russia to ensure his safety


RT.com
Thu, 27 Feb 2014 05:33 UTC
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Viktor Yanukovich still considers himself the legitimate leader of Ukraine and warns against an internal military conflict, according to a statement. He also asks Russia to ensure his safety against the actions of "extremists" that took power in Ukraine.

"On the streets of many cities of our country, extremism thrives. Threats of bodily harm are thrown at me and my collaborators. I'm forced to ask the Russian authorities to ensure my personal security against the actions of extremists," Yanukovich said.

The southeast of the country and the Crimea don't acknowledge the mayhem in Ukraine under which "leaders are chosen by the crowd," news agencies quote his statement.

Yanukovich also said that he hadn't ordered the Ukrainian army to interfere in the internal political events, and he doesn't order it now, the statement reads.
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Evil Rays

Year 2014: America vs. the World

Margaret Kimberley
Black Agenda Report
Thu, 27 Feb 2014 03:43 UTC
US Imperialism

President Obama has placed whole nations on his Kill List. Syria and Venezuela are to join Libya and Iraq as states that have been made to fail, while Ukraine is snatched into the NATO-EU orbit. "The neo-conservative project for a new American century has reached full fruition under a Democratic president, who now has many notches on his gun."
"A superpower can foment conflict anywhere it wants to at anytime it chooses."
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Bell

China's top news paper slams West's 'Cold War mentality'


Press TV
Thu, 27 Feb 2014 03:21 UTC
Kiev barricade
© Unknown
The photo shows people walking past a barricade on Independence Square in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, February 24, 2014.
China's top paper, the People's Daily, has lambasted the West for being stuck in a "Cold War mentality" against Russia.

On Thursday, the daily staged the strongest reaction so far in China to the rift between the West and Russia over the political state of affairs in Ukraine.
"The theories related to politics, economics and security during the Cold War period are still influencing many people on their concept of the world, and some Western people are still imbued with resentment towards Russia," the daily wrote in a commentary.
It called on Western countries to "abandon their outdated thinking" and expand cooperation.
"Ridding the shackles of the Cold War mentality will reduce unnecessary confrontation, thereby allowing for a smoother transition in international relations."
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Cow Skull

Prophet Kerry says next Afghan president will sign deal with US


Press TV
Thu, 27 Feb 2014 02:52 UTC
John Kerry
© Unknown
Prophet John Kerry declares how democracy works and predicts that the future president of Afghanistan will be begging the Americans to stay.
US Secretary of State John Kerry has said that he is confident the next president of Afghanistan will sign a bilateral security deal with Washington that would authorize an enduring US military presence in the country beyond 2014.

The deal could allow thousands of US troops to stay in Afghanistan for up to a decade after the end of this year. Nevertheless, despite mounting pressure from Washington, Afghan President Hamid Karzai has so far refused to sign it.

"Whether it's signed by him or not we obviously have serious reservations, but all six of the candidates for the presidency of Afghanistan have said that they will sign it," Kerry told a group of reporters on Wednesday.

US National Intelligence Director James Clapper also indicated before the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier this month that it would be better for Washington to wait until after Afghanistan's presidential elections in April, hoping a new Afghan president might sign the deal.


Comment: Isn't it miraculous how quickly the Afghans after only 12 years have learned the art of democracy the American way?

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House

Woman fighting to live 'off the grid' has sewer access capped

Charlene Sakoda
Yahoo! News
Tue, 25 Feb 2014 21:07 UTC
live off grid
© WFTX
Robin Speronis
The fight of Cape Coral, Florida resident Robin Speronis to live "off the grid" has escalated with the city's recent decision to cap her access to the sewer so she can no longer use it. It's a move she calls, "pure evil."

Since November 2013, WFTX Fox 4 has reported on Ms. Speronis' ongoing battle with the city to live without most utilities. The self-sufficient woman has lived for more than a year-and-a-half using solar energy, a propane camping stove, rain water, and eating mainly non-perishable food. However, the day after the station's first profile of her lifestyle Speronis' home was tagged by the city code enforcement with a notice to vacate.
eviction notice off grid
© WFTX
The notice to vacate posted on Robin Speronis' home.
The story of her plight spread and many rallied around Speronis' cause sending Cape Coral officials complaints in support of the woman. WFTX reported that the city clarified that, "...municipalities don't have the power to evict," and that the notice was placed because they, "...merely [wanted] access to the home to provide suggestion so Speronis can live off the grid in Cape Coral." After that incident, Speronis told the station, "Cape Coral needs to be afraid of me, I'm not afraid of them."
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Pirates

History of U.S. 'regime management' in Thailand


Aangirfan
Wed, 26 Feb 2014 00:00 UTC
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In Thailand, in 1980, one third of the rural population lived in absolute poverty.

This could mean one meal a day and no money to buy shoes or typhoid medicine.

In 1980, a child working 11 hours a day, in a workshop in Bangkok, would earn £36 per year!

Great for the Americans getting their cheap shoes and clothes made by child labour.
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