The cataclysm in Japan pushed it off the front page, but last Friday was a landmark day in America as Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker signed into law a controversial bill restricting the collective bargaining rights of public sector unions.
There's been a lot of talk, here and elsewhere, about whether the standoff in Wisconsin was about pure economics or partisan politics. (See: Wisconsin Lt. Gov: This Is About Balancing the Budget, Not Political Payback)
"It's pretty clear there's an agenda nationwide: Republican governors backed by the Koch Brothers [and] extreme right wing money want to crush the unions," says Columbia Professor Jeffrey Sachs. "The public is against it, but public opinion doesn't count much in this country these days."
Puppet Masters
This week Max Keiser and co-host, Stacy Herbert, report on the rathole to the Walker palace and a secret silver investor. In the second half of the show, Max talks to media historian and critical theorist, Michael Betancourt, about agnotologic capitalism and the aura of the digital.
In what could only be described as a Masterpiece in Incrementalism, the long awaited Real ID System is now mandating that states be in compliance by May 11, 2011.
The REAL ID Act of 2005 requires state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards to meet federal standards by a certain date in order to be accepted for federal purposes. What is that date? All 56 U.S. jurisdictions received an initial extension through Dec. 31, 2009, from the secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).Of particular interest are the latest entries on the NCSL website, which are detailed below.
In December 2009, the secretary issued a statement to waive that deadline. States must now be in full-compliance by May 11, 2011. What is the penalty for non-compliance? Residents in non-compliant states will not be able to use their driver's license to board commercial aircraft, gain access to federal facilities or enter nuclear power plants. - National Conference of State Legislatures
Farrakhan goes on a rant on Chicago radio about Obama calling for Qaddafi to step down, this is from yesterday
© Whitehouse.gov
Victoria Espinel, the first Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator, with Vice President Joe Biden during an event last year.
Victoria Espinel, the first Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator, with Vice President Joe Biden during an event last year.
In a 20-page white paper (PDF), the Obama administration called on the U.S. Congress to fix "deficiencies that could hinder enforcement" of intellectual property laws.
The report was prepared by Victoria Espinel, the first Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator who received Senate confirmation in December 2009, and represents a broad tightening of many forms of intellectual property law including ones that deal with counterfeit pharmaceuticals and overseas royalties for copyright holders. (See CNET's report last month previewing today's white paper.)
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Shah Mahmood Qureshi
Shah Mahmood Qureshi
"It is now time for honest, clean and visionary leaders to come forward and to remove the real rotten eggs from the party", Qureshi said in a defiant tone while speaking at "Meet the Press" programme of Lahore Press Club.
He held what he called "a few rotten fish" within the government responsible for the present mess the country was in, demanding cleansing of political parties and removal of rotten eggs from the PPP. "A very small group is bent upon damaging the whole democratic system", he said.
Despite reporters' insistence to expose those "rotten fish" and "rotten eggs" he was talking about, Qureshi confined himself to saying that "I am not carrying these in my pocket to show them to you". He said he was not here to point fingers at some body. He told the reporters that there existed a group within the PPP which lacked vision and futuristic approach. When asked if he saw any political change in near future, he said people wanted visible change in government's attitude and its style of governance.
Citing his recent visits to various parts of the country, he said that PPP workers were in a state of despair owing to wrong policies of their government. "Many told me that it was becoming highly difficult for them to defend their party's government at Mohallah and street level on different issues", he averred, adding that workers were annoyed with the government and party may suffer great loss in coming elections.
© Reuters
An Iranian airplane which was forced to land sits at the tarmac at Diyarbakir airport, southeastern Turkey
An Iranian airplane which was forced to land sits at the tarmac at Diyarbakir airport, southeastern Turkey
Turkish chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear search teams boarded the plane at the Diyarbakir airport and conducted a thorough search for hazardous substances. They reportedly only found 150 tons of food inside.
The Iranian plane was subsequently allowed to depart - allegedly for Aleppo, Syria.
But there are some confusing accounts surrounding the incident.
For one thing, Turkey's foreign ministry has denied reports the Iranian aircraft was forced to land by two Turkish F16 fighters.
The Iranian plane was reportedly operated by a private company, had two pilots and an unknown number of crewmembers on board.
The government of Iran has denied any links to the plane or its cargo. Tehran exports of arms or nuclear materials are subject to an embargo by the United Nations due to the government's refusal to cease its uranium enrichment program.
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An Spanish Air Force F-18 fighter jet
An Spanish Air Force F-18 fighter jet
The Spanish Defense Ministry said on Saturday that the country has sent four F-18 fighter jets and a refueling aircraft to Italy to take part in the operation over Libya starting on Sunday, AFP reported.
"These planes will carry out patrol missions and will be operational from tomorrow (Sunday)," a statement issued by the Spanish Defense Ministry read.
On Saturday, Norway announced that six Norwegian F-16 fighter jets will be joining the Western-led military operations against Libya over the next few days.
The warplanes will take off right at the beginning of next week and will be based in Sicily, Italy, according to the announcement.
Denmark has announced that it will be contributing up to six F-16 warplanes and a transport plane for the Western-led intervention into Libya.
On Saturday, Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen said parliament supports the decision to deploy warplanes to Libya.
Foreign forces launched airstrikes against Libya after officials of a number countries meeting in Paris on Saturday ordered a large-scale military intervention into the country in order to end the assaults on civilians launched by Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi's forces.
Comment: As major earth changes threaten the entire planet, the only thing our psychopathic leaders can think of is more war.
A bill that would ensure Utah students learn the U.S. is a compound constitutional republic - not a democracy - has passed both Houses of the Legislature and is now headed to the governor for his signature.
HB220 would require schools to teach students that the U.S. is a compound constitutional republic and about other forms of government such as pure democracy, monarchy and oligarchy along with political philosophies and economic systems such as socialism, individualism and free-market capitalism. The Senate passed the bill with no dissenting votes Monday.
And on Tuesday, the House agreed to wording changes made in the Senate.
The bill passed after weeks of debate over the differences between democracies and republics and whether socialism is a form of government or a philosophy.
Opponents of the bill argued that the concepts within it are already being taught and that the Legislature shouldn't get involved in curriculum matters.
But on Monday, Senate floor sponsor Sen. Mark Madsen, R-Eagle Mountain, said in some states children are being indoctrinated in socialism via some curriculum.
"This is happening at least in some places in our country, so I believe this is all the more important in this state, so that we can protect our children from such curriculum," Madsen said.
HB220 would require schools to teach students that the U.S. is a compound constitutional republic and about other forms of government such as pure democracy, monarchy and oligarchy along with political philosophies and economic systems such as socialism, individualism and free-market capitalism. The Senate passed the bill with no dissenting votes Monday.
And on Tuesday, the House agreed to wording changes made in the Senate.
The bill passed after weeks of debate over the differences between democracies and republics and whether socialism is a form of government or a philosophy.
Opponents of the bill argued that the concepts within it are already being taught and that the Legislature shouldn't get involved in curriculum matters.
But on Monday, Senate floor sponsor Sen. Mark Madsen, R-Eagle Mountain, said in some states children are being indoctrinated in socialism via some curriculum.
"This is happening at least in some places in our country, so I believe this is all the more important in this state, so that we can protect our children from such curriculum," Madsen said.
Gadhafi's forces attack rebels in Benghazi in defiance of U.N. resolution
Benghazi, Libya - French President Nicolas Sarkozy said allied air forces had gone into action on Saturday over Libya and were preventing Moammar Gadhafi's from forces attacking the rebel city of Benghazi.
"Our planes are already preventing air attacks on the city," Sarkozy said adding that military action supported by France, Britain, the United States and Canada and backed by Arab nations could be halted if Gadhafi stopped his forces attacking.
French fighter jets, flying reconnaissance missions across the north African nation, entered Libyan airspace to ensure that Gadhafi's forces would not take any action there. Sarkozy said "our determination is total."
On the ground, Gadhafi's forces had pushed into Benghazi, defying world demands for an immediate cease-fire and forcing rebels to retreat.
Benghazi, Libya - French President Nicolas Sarkozy said allied air forces had gone into action on Saturday over Libya and were preventing Moammar Gadhafi's from forces attacking the rebel city of Benghazi.
"Our planes are already preventing air attacks on the city," Sarkozy said adding that military action supported by France, Britain, the United States and Canada and backed by Arab nations could be halted if Gadhafi stopped his forces attacking.
French fighter jets, flying reconnaissance missions across the north African nation, entered Libyan airspace to ensure that Gadhafi's forces would not take any action there. Sarkozy said "our determination is total."
On the ground, Gadhafi's forces had pushed into Benghazi, defying world demands for an immediate cease-fire and forcing rebels to retreat.
Comment: As major earth changes threaten the entire planet, the only thing our psychopathic leaders can think of is more war.
Comment: Readers are encouraged to read this article to understand the truth about smoking
Health Benefits of Smoking Tobacco