Israel Says One Thing and Does Another: Calls for Halt to Expansion of Settlements While Actually Encouraging Their Development: "Israel approves construction of 28 buildings in the West Bank despite a temporary freeze and mounting calls for an end to the illegal settlement activity in the occupied land.
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Thursday allowed the construction of 28 new public buildings in settlements, Ha'aretz revealed on Friday.
'These public buildings and schools must be completed in time for the start of the new school year in September,' said the defense ministry in an attempt to justify the move.
This is while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier boasted a decision to freeze settlement expansions for 10 months.
Much to the peace brokers' disappointment, however, Netanyahu's decision did not include disputed Jerusalem Al-Quds, which Israel occupied during the 1967 war."
Friday, November 27, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
The Higher Education Fiscal Crisis Protects the Wealthy
Written by Peter Phillips Media Nov 22, 2009
Police are arresting and attacking student protesters on University of California (UC) campuses again. “Why did he beat me I wasn’t doing anything,” screamed a young Cal Berkeley women student over KPFA radio on Friday evening November 20. Students are protesting the 32% increase in tuition imposed by the UC regents in a time of severe state deficits. The Board of Regents claims that they have no choice. Students will now have to pay over $10,000 in tuition annually for a public university education that was free only a few decades ago.
The corporate media spins the tuition protests as if we are all suffering during the recession. For example, the San Diego Union Tribune November 20 writes, “These students need a course in Reality 101. And the reality is that there is virtually no segment of American society that is not straining with the economic recession. With UC facing a $535 million budget gap due to state cuts, the regents have to confront reality and make tough choices. So should students.”
Yet, the reality is something quite different. Our current budget crisis in California and the rest of the country has been artificially created by cutting taxes on the wealthiest people and corporations. The corporate elites in the US, the top 1% who own close to half the wealth, are the beneficiaries of massive tax cuts over the past few decades. While at the same time working people are paying more through increased sales and use taxes and higher public college tuition.
The wealthy hide their money abroad. Rachel Keeler with Dollars & Sense reports that over the years, trillions of dollars in both corporate profits and personal wealth have migrated offshore in search of rock-bottom tax rates and the comfort of no questions asked. Offshore banks now harbor an estimated $11.5 trillion in individual wealth alone, and were a significant contributing factor to the international economic downturn in 2008.
According to the California Budget Project, tax cuts enacted in California, since 1993, cost the state $11.3 billion dollars annually. Had the state continued taxing corporations and the wealthy at rates equal to those fifteen years ago there would not be a budget crisis in California. Even though a budget deficit was evident last year, California income tax laws were changed in February of 2009 to provide corporations with even greater tax savings—equal to over $2 billion per year. California is similar to the rest of the country where the wealthy and corporate elites enjoy economic protection through increased costs to working people.
Higher education has been cut in twenty-eight states in the 2009-10 school year and further, even more drastic cuts, are likely in the years ahead. California State University (CSU) system is planning to reduce enrollments by 40,000 students in the fall of 2010. The CSU Trustees have imposed steep tuition hikes and forced faculty and staff to take non-paid furlough days equal to 10% of salaries.
The students who are protesting tuition increases know they are being ripped off. They know that we are bailing out the rich with hundreds of billions dollars for Wall Street and massive budget cuts for the rest of us. The corporate media doesn’t explain to over-taxed working families how they are paying more while the rich sock it away.
The current economic crisis is a shock and awe process designed to undermine low-cost higher education, force labor concessions from working people and protect the wealthy. We need higher taxes on the corporations and the top 1%, combined with free public college education and tax breaks for working families. And, we must have a media that tells us the truth about inequality and wealth. A true economic stimulus increases spending from the bottom up not the to
Peter Phillips is a professor of sociology at Sonoma State University, President of Media Freedom Foundation, and recent past director of Project Censored.
Daily News at: http://mediafreedom.pnn.com/
Validated News & Research at: http://www.
Daily Censored Blog at: http://dailycensored.com/
Arkansas turns to early parole after prison budget slashed
Arkansas turns to early parole after prison budget slashed: "Because Texas legislators were proactive about preventing prison crowding on the front end, so far we haven't had to release prisoners all at once in crisis mode. But that's been happening in other states, most recently with our neighbor to the northeast.
According to this brief AP report, a new prison 'was scheduled to open partially this year [in Arkansas], but those plans were aborted when $6.6 million was slashed from the prison system’s budget.' As a consequence, 'the Arkansas Board of Corrections has approved early parole hearings for 648 inmates in an effort to ease prison crowding.'
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According to this brief AP report, a new prison 'was scheduled to open partially this year [in Arkansas], but those plans were aborted when $6.6 million was slashed from the prison system’s budget.' As a consequence, 'the Arkansas Board of Corrections has approved early parole hearings for 648 inmates in an effort to ease prison crowding.'
Sunday, November 8, 2009
NY Times Blocks Website Access in Britain
NY Times Blocks Website Access in Britain: "
People who are using the internet in Great Britain will no longer have access to the New York Times, since the publisher of this newspaper fears an onslaught of libel suits for its liberal bias. Ironically, if British readers want to read the New York Times, they would have better luck logging on to the New York Times whenever they visit China, which seems to be a glaring contradiction: Internet access to the NY Times is available in Communist-controlled China, but not in democratically-controlled Great Britain."
People who are using the internet in Great Britain will no longer have access to the New York Times, since the publisher of this newspaper fears an onslaught of libel suits for its liberal bias. Ironically, if British readers want to read the New York Times, they would have better luck logging on to the New York Times whenever they visit China, which seems to be a glaring contradiction: Internet access to the NY Times is available in Communist-controlled China, but not in democratically-controlled Great Britain."
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Network Card & its uses
Network Card & its uses: "
A network card, also referred to as a network interface card or network adapter, is an expansion card that acts as the physical interface between the cable and computer. It is called an expansion card because it is inserted into an expansion slot. It prepares, transforms, sends, and controls data on the network. It converts data coming from the cable into bytes in order for the central processing unit to read it. Network cards can be used in homes and offices. At home, if you have two or more computers, a network card will allow you to do things including but not limited to sharing files, printers, scanners, Internet access, and playing network games. The following items describe the roles of network cards and how to use them.
1. Using a network card will allow peer-to-peer networking or two or more computers to connect and share resources without the need to go through a separate server. To establish a peer-to-peer network, you have to check first that the card is properly installed into the expansion slot. The gold contacts you see on the card must be entirely inserted into the expansion slot on the motherboard. Secure the card in place using a screw, and after affixing the network card and connecting the cables into their proper places, verify if it is properly installed in the device manager. Installation and configuration of the network card may vary depending on the operating system you use. Connect the computers to each other and locate ‘network properties’ from the control panel. Verify if your network card is listed as a network component. Click the ‘file and print sharing’ under the network window if you want to allow file and print sharing on your computer. Enable the same settings on the other computer. Highlight the TCP/IP protocol by clicking the ‘properties’ button in order to set it up for your network adapter. Specify the IP address and note that the other computer must have a different IP address with the same subnet mask.
2. Basic network with file sharing is possible with Ethernet network cards with speeds of 10/100 mbps, a network switch, and standard network cables, and of course two or more computers. Basic configuration to connect the computers to each other is similar to peer-to-peer settings, and again, dependent on the computer’s operating system.
3. Basic network with file and broadband modem sharing will enable all computers in the house to share one modem connection. However, with multiple users in the house accessing the Internet at one time, browsing speed will be sluggish due to the slow connection.
4. Basic network with file and Internet sharing allows computer users in the house to share one Internet connection. It requires additional hardware, Ethernet network cards, a network hub, switch or router. Do the same configuration done with a peer-to-peer network. Your broadband Internet connection must be connected to the WAN port on the router. Connect the network switch to the router and affix each of the computers to the switch. The broadband Internet provider will provide you with network settings that you have to specify in your network router.
Related posts:
"Sesame Street 40th Anniversary
Sesame Street 40th Anniversary: "
This week Sesame Street is going to celebrate their 40th Anniversary, the children’s show was first aired on 10th November, 1969 on PBS. But the news is this that the Google has decided to celebrate with them. It is a well known generosity of Google that they celebrate the birth days and anniversaries of different renowned and famous personalities, tv shows, inventions and many other things by giving them a tribute and that tribute is generally in the shape of Google logo. The show airs on PBS since 1969.
Yesterday, they made Cookie Monster as their logo and Big Bird was featured on the day before yesterday. Now, this time too, they are going to make a new logo featuring, Bert and Ernie. These two folks are pretty close to each other having close relations as a friend and always eager to play games and read books together. Ernie also likes his Rubber Ducky as he makes bath time funny.
Like other characters of Sesame Street, Jim Henderson is the creator of Bert and Ernie. Sesame Street is children’s show which is famous all over the world. There are different characters in the show with different shapes (not like the beings). Ernie, Big Bird and Cookie Monster are the most favorite ones of the children. It is a puppet show in which characters provide the basic knowledge to little children like how to read, how to open the door, how to cross the road and many more.
Related posts:
"Alleged Fort Hood shooter’s motive still unknown
Alleged Fort Hood shooter’s motive still unknown: "
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Initial search finds no exchanges with 'known extremists'
Investigators on Saturday worked to uncover the motives of a Muslim army doctor suspected of killing 13 people and wounding 30 others in a shooting rampage at a US military base.
An initial search of Major Nidal Malik Hasan's computer revealed no direct exchanges with known extremists, but US Army and FBI officials had yet to rule out possible links to terrorist groups, US media reported.
Earlier this year, the Federal Bureau of Investigation learned of Internet postings by a man calling himself Nidal Hasan that expressed support for suicide bombings.
Investigators were not able to determine yet whether the writer and Major Hasan were the same person, but the details fueled concerns that authorities may have missed warning signs prior to the attack at Fort Hood, Texas.
Story continues below...
Witnesses tell of chaos and carnage
Neighbors reportedly said Hasan, 39, was in a rush when he gave away his belongings -- including a Koran -- shortly before Thursday's bloody shooting spree.
'I'm not going to need them,' he told one neighbor, Patricia Villa, according to The New York Times, handing over bags of vegetables, a mattress and clothing.
A US-born Muslim of Palestinian heritage, Hasan, 39, had voiced dismay over US wars in Islamic countries and was distraught that he was about to be deployed to Afghanistan.
He reportedly said the US struggle against terror threats was a 'war on Muslims,' while his family alleged he was the target of prejudice and harassment over his Islamic faith.
Criminal investigators were poring over evidence to determine if the alleged shooter -- who was under guard at a hospital -- was motivated by Islamist political ideology or had snapped under the pressure of his job counseling soldiers traumatized by combat.
Shooting deals harsh blow to exhausted troops
In Texas, poignant details of each of those killed in the rampage drove home the scale of the tragedy.
The victims included a 21-year-old mother-to-be Private Francheska Velez, who was due to return home to Chicago for maternity leave after a tour in Iraq; 56-year-old John Gaffaney, a psychiatric nurse who had just persuaded the military to let him return to active duty for deployment in Iraq; Private First Class Kham Xiong, 23, a father of three whose own father had fought communist forces in Laos during the Vietnam war.
President Barack Obama led the nation in mourning Saturday, and sought to reassure a stunned military.
'Thursday's shooting was one of the most devastating ever committed on an American military base,' he said. 'And yet, even as we saw the worst of human nature on full display, we also saw the best of America.'
The president hailed the soldiers and civilians who rushed to help victims, tearing off bullet-riddled clothes to treat the injured and using blouses as tourniquets.
Obama ordered flags to fly at half-staff at the White House and federal buildings, as troops at home and abroad held a minute's silence to mourn the dead.
The bodies of those killed were taken to the same mortuary at Dover Air Base in Delaware that handles fallen soldiers from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Hasan was moved meanwhile from a civilian to a military hospital, in part for security reasons, Fort Hood deputy commander Colonel John Rossi told reporters.
Hasan was shot and seriously wounded by a female civilian police officer who was being hailed as a heroine for ending his deadly rampage.
Witnesses reportedly heard Hasan shout 'Allahu Akbar!' (God is greatest) as he opened fire in a troop processing center with a semiautomatic weapon and a handgun.
Rossi said investigators believe Hasan fired more than 100 rounds during the incident.
US Army chief of staff General George Casey said the attack was 'a kick in the gut, not only for the Fort Hood community but for the entire army.'
Fort Hood, by area the world's largest US military base, has borne the brunt of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Troops based here have suffered the highest number of casualties and have undertaken multiple tours of duty.
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New 'smart' electrical meters raise fresh privacy issues for consumers
New 'smart' electrical meters raise fresh privacy issues for consumers: "New 'smart' electrical meters raise fresh privacy issues for consumers: 'Madrid - The new ''smart meters'' utilities are installing in homes around the world to reduce energy use raise fresh privacy issues because of the wealth of information about consumer habits they reveal, experts said Friday.
The devices send data on household energy consumption directly to utilities on a regular basis, allowing the firms to manage demand more efficiently and advise households when it is cheaper to turn on appliances.
But privacy experts gathered in Madrid for a three-day conference which wraps up Friday warned that the meters can also reveal intimate details about customers' habits such as when they eat, what time they go to sleep or how much television they watch.
With cars expected to be fuelled increasingly by electricity in the coming years, the new meters could soon be used to gather information on consumer behaviour beyond the home, they added.'
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The devices send data on household energy consumption directly to utilities on a regular basis, allowing the firms to manage demand more efficiently and advise households when it is cheaper to turn on appliances.
But privacy experts gathered in Madrid for a three-day conference which wraps up Friday warned that the meters can also reveal intimate details about customers' habits such as when they eat, what time they go to sleep or how much television they watch.
With cars expected to be fuelled increasingly by electricity in the coming years, the new meters could soon be used to gather information on consumer behaviour beyond the home, they added.'
Mind over matter
Mind over matter: "Stressed? Depressed? Or worse? You wouldn't be alone. Unstable economic times can lead to unstable states of mind. 'As life becomes more unpredictable, levels of toxic....."
True US unemployment rate stands at 17.5%
True US unemployment rate stands at 17.5%: "
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According to figures released by the Department of Labor, the real marker of American unemployment stands at 17.5 percent -- a figure which takes into account under-employed workers and those who have not sought work in the last four weeks, according to a published report.
'If statistics went back so far, the measure would almost certainly be at its highest level since the Great Depression,' reporter David Leonhardt wrote in Friday's edition of The New York Times.
The report continued: 'In all, more than one out of every six workers — 17.5 percent — were unemployed or underemployed in October. The previous recorded high was 17.1 percent, in December 1982.'
While official unemployment statistics were not available during the Great Depression, Department of Labor economists working with the Times estimated that some 30 percent of the U.S. workforce was put out during that period, the report added.
President Barack Obama called the figures 'sobering,' responding to widespread media accounts that placed the figure just over 10 percent, noting the department's calculation of workers who are actively searching for jobs.
Story continues below...
'To that end, my economic team is looking at ideas such as additional investments in our aging roads and bridges, incentives to create jobs and steps to increase the flow of credit to small businesses,' the president said.
Fred Dickson at DA Davidson & Co. said the report "continues to point to an economy that is struggling, but the picture is not nearly as dire as seen at the beginning of the year."
'Slowly, the trajectory is improving, but, given the huge number of unemployed and underemployed, our view of a very slow economic recovery in 2010 and 2011 remains very much in place,' he added. 'This report will not do much to encourage the Fed to raise rates anytime soon.'
The number of unemployed persons increased to 15.7 million. Since the start of the recession in December 2007, the number of unemployed has risen by 8.2 million, the Labor Department said.
The world's largest economy grew at a seasonally adjusted 3.5 percent annual rate in the July-September period. The increase was the first since the second quarter of 2008.
For the US economic community, the recession will not be over until it is declared by a research panel, National Bureau of Economic Research, recognized as the official arbiter of business cycles.
President Obama on Friday signed a measure to extend unemployment benefits and enact a new tax credit for home buyers.
With AFP.
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Rep. Barney Frank Present at Marijuana Bust
Rep. Barney Frank Present at Marijuana Bust: "
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Fox News Boston reports Rep. Barney Frank was present at the home of James Ready, his long-time companion, when it was raided for marijuana. Rep. Frank did not live at the house:
According to a police report, police charged Ready with marijuana possession, cultivation and use of drug paraphernalia in August of 2007. Ready admitted to civil possession and paid a fine. The remaining charges were dismissed in 2008. Sources tell FOX25 that when Frank was questioned he told police that he did not live in the house and that he only smoked cigars.
Here's Barney, in his own words, explaining. [More...]
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