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Morning headlines brought to you by Carolyn Kay MakeThemAccountable.com Top StoryUS fears Israeli strike against Iran over latest nuclear claim (London Times)
A claim by President Ahmadinejad that Iran has 3,000 working uranium-enriching centrifuges sent a tremor across the world yesterday amid fears that Israel would respond by bombing the country’s nuclear facilities. Military sources in Washington said that the existence of such a large number could be a “tipping point”, triggering an Israeli air strike. The Pentagon is reluctant to take military action against Iran, but officials say that Israel is a “different matter”
The Bush administration, rather than “fearing” that Israel might bomb Iran, is more likely HOPING that Israel will bomb Iran, and may even be encouraging it to do so. I predicted months ago that the way for the U.S. to bomb Iran would be to use Israel. This disclaimer shows that the administration just wants to fool gullible people into thinking that it’s being oh, so reasonable while those crazy Israelis are running around bombing everything in sight. Bear in mind that the Times is owned by Rupert Murdoch, who also owns the Bush administration’s PR outlet, the Fox News Channel.—Caro Off the Wahl (click through to buy a print) 
The WorldPakistan to hold election by mid-Feb.
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Pakistan's parliamentary elections will he held by mid-February, a month later than planned, the country's military ruler said Thursday, a day after President Bush urged him to hold the vote on time.
UN: Israel fuels support for extremists
UNITED NATIONS - The head of the U.N. agency responsible for aiding Palestinian refugees said Wednesday that Israel's near economic blockade of the Gaza Strip is fueling support for extremists and shattering hopes for a peaceful future.
UN envoy to see Myanmar's Suu Kyi
YANGON, Myanmar - A U.N. special envoy will meet Myanmar's detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Thursday, the United Nations said, the last day of the envoy's frustrating mission to try to ease the country's political crisis.
Russia, China agree on nuclear deals
BEIJING, Nov. 7 Russia and China have signed a new deal on nuclear energy cooperation that will increase the number of Russian-built nuclear plants and fueling centers. Atomstroyexport, the state-owned nuclear export company, will add two additional reactors at the Tianwan nuclear power plant in Jiangsu province, The Moscow Times reports.
Australian mortgage belt voters look for change
ADELAIDE (Reuters) - In Australia's most marginal electorate, rising home loan interest rates have put voters in the mood for a change of government at general elections on November 24.
Canadian to face Guantanamo tribunal for 3rd time
GUANTANAMO BAY U.S. NAVAL BASE, Cuba (Reuters) - The U.S. military is reconvening a Guantanamo war crimes tribunal in a third attempt to try a young Canadian accused of killing a U.S. soldier during a firefight in Afghanistan.
Ex-military chief challenges Chavez
CARACAS, Venezuela - A heated falling out between President Hugo Chavez and his former military chief has revealed divisions within the military that analysts say are a constant concern for the Venezuelan leader.
Gunfire erupts at Venezuela university
CARACAS, Venezuela - Masked gunmen opened fire on students returning from a march in which tens of thousands of Venezuelans denounced President Hugo Chavez's attempts to expand his power through constitutional changes.
Sarkozy returns from U.S. to skepticism
PARIS (Reuters) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy returned home on Thursday from Washington to face skepticism about his new transatlantic friendship and a month of strikes that signal a growing pile of domestic problems.
Who owns the poles? (video)
Nov. 7 - A battle is looming over conflicting claims for the resources of the Arctic and Antarctic. The NationIt’s the economy.
A new CNN poll reports that the economy is the “number-one issue on the minds of Americans.” 82 percent said the economy will be extremely or very important to their vote for president, two points ahead of those who cited the Iraq war. Rounding out the top five were: health care (76 percent), terrorism (76 percent), and Iran (73 percent). Charlie Cook writes that there seems to be a political disconnect on the economy. “Among elected officials in Washington, there seems to be little talk about the economy and hardly any mention that the housing sector is in a free-fall,” he writes.
Trickle Down or Bottom Up
Bottom up means giving all Americans what they need to be productive – universal and affordable health coverage, good schools, a chance to attend college, job retraining, affordable child care, and good public transportation to and from the job, for starters. But as we learned a decade ago, this requires money – even more, now. So the question is how the nation can afford it… Even if we cut corporate welfare, eliminated subsidies to agribusiness, and banned all earmarks, we wouldn’t have nearly enough. The only way is to stop obsessing about balancing the budget and start pushing for a serious tax hike on the rich.
Voters OK most bonds, nix stem cell research
NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. voters approved over 80 percent of the nearly $29 billion in bond issues on Tuesday's ballot, agreeing to borrow money for schools, roads and the fight against cancer, but rejecting state initiatives paying for stem cell research.
15,000 want off the U.S. terror watch list
More than 15,000 people have appealed to the government since February to have their names removed from the terrorist watch list that delayed their travel at U.S. airports and border crossings, the Homeland Security Department says… Among those who have been flagged at checkpoints: toddlers and senior citizens with the same names as suspected terrorists on the watch list.
Bush Brother’s Firm Faces Inquiry Over Purchases
WASHINGTON, Nov. 6 — The inspector general of the Department of Education has said he will examine whether federal money was inappropriately used by three states to buy educational products from a company owned by Neil Bush, the president’s brother.
Mukasey Confirmation Looking Likely, but Filibuster Remains a Possibility
Michael Mukasey appears headed for confirmation as attorney general before Thanksgiving, but Senate Democratic leaders are leaving open the possibility that there might be an attempt to filibuster the nomination.
I think they say this kind of stuff just to tease us.—Caro
ACLU Learns of Third Secret Torture Memo by Gonzales Justice Department
(T)he Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) for the Department of Justice issued three secret memos in May 2005 relating to the interrogation of detainees in CIA custody. Until now, the existence of only two of those memos had been reported and it was not known precisely when the memos had been written. The memos are believed to have authorized the CIA to use extremely harsh interrogation methods including waterboarding.
Lawmakers vote to protect gay, lesbian workers
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Democratic-led House of Representatives on Wednesday defied a White House veto threat and voted to protect millions of Americans by outlawing workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation.
House to vote on Peru free trade pact
WASHINGTON - A free trade agreement with Peru, the first under the new Democratic majority that gives labor rights and the environment equal treatment to lower tariffs and greater market access, is set for a vote in the House.
Revolutions must start somewhere (by Doug Thompson, Capitol Hill Blue)
Status-quo politics and the so-called leaders the system spawns not only anger voters but lead to a growing groundswell that signal a growing undercurrent of dissatisfaction in America. Both Bush and the Democratically-controlled Congress suffer the lowest job approval ratings in history. Public confidence in the system is failing at all levels. Americans grow increasingly pessimistic about the future of this nation and anger quickly erupts in any discussion of politics. But while voter anger grows, politics in America is still controlled by a traditional system of big-money donors, powerful special interests and political professionals who have little regard for the will of the people or the future of the nation.
Study: 1 out of 4 homeless are veterans
WASHINGTON - Veterans make up one in four homeless people in the United States, though they are only 11 percent of the general adult population, according to a report to be released Thursday.
Messages from readers regarding yesterday’s article on the supposed reduction in the number of homeless:
Regarding Homeless: (Sent tongue in cheek): When a person becomes homeless and resorts to panhandling on the street they go from being a person to becoming invisible because Republicans who will not give money to poor people cause they just blow it on rent food and medicine, do NOT see them anymore when they drive past them, so they cease to exist. They are now a non-entity and cease to be counted any more. Poor=Invisible, it is as Republican as welfare cuts, and freezing senior citizens. – Ken
It will no doubt come out in a week or two that they are counting differently to make the number lower. Anyone with eyes can see that there are more homeless in the streets now than there were a few years back. – Nancy MediaPermanent link to MTA daily media news
Metro Chicago Media Network forming - Invitation to 11-16-07 meeting
Click here for more information.
The Internet is making us stupid
Freedom of choice is not always good for democracy. This observation is at the heart of University of Chicago law professor Cass Sunstein's book "Republic.com 2.0" (an update of "Republic.com" in 2001), which argues that our country's political discourse is fracturing in the information age. Sure, the Internet has been a boon to democracy in all sorts of ways, Sunstein acknowledges -- but if new technology gives us unprecedented access to information, it also gives us more ways to avoid information we don't like. Conservatives are increasingly seeking only conservative views, liberals are seeking only liberal views, and never the twain shall meet.
It’s not that I seek out only liberal views, professor, it’s that I seek out views that are grounded in reality, not based on ridiculous lies. And as that great patriot Stephen Colbert told us, “Reality has a well-known liberal bias.” And, uh, don’t call me stupid.—Caro
Lie detector: The Big Money (by Josh Marshall at Talking Points Memo)
In the wake of Musharraf's re-coup over the weekend, Condi Rice told reporters that the money we provide Pakistan really isn't to Musharraf or his government as it is to the people of Pakistan. But it turns out that it really is to Musharraf. Spencer (Ackerman) provides the details. But the upshot is that the great bulk of the more than $10 billion we've given to Pakistan since 9/11 has been in the form of unsupervised and unaudited cash transfers. We cut him a check and he can do with it whatever he wants… In other words, we're funding his dictatorship.
Republicans paralyze government, blame Democrats (by Rick Perlstein, Campaign for America’s Future)
My head just about exploded when I heard this NPR report, "Divided Congress Paralyzes Government," last Thursday. It was a repeat of Republican propaganda: the new Congress "can't agree on anything." "Spending bills are in limbo." Since Democrats can't "compromise" on SCHIP, states will be short of money to insure children. The "apparent disappearance of the middle ground," the announcer concludes, is the "very definition of a do-nothing Congress."… The Republican minority has obstructed as much before one half of this Congress is over with than the Demcoratic minority did the entire previous Congress… The conservatives are conning us. Let's not let them get away with it.
State Department Blog Publishes Letter Calling Anti-Iraq War Diplomats ‘Wimps’ And ‘Weenies’
The State Department recently announced that it will force at least 50 diplomats to take posts in Iraq next year “because of expected shortfalls in filling openings there, the first such large-scale forced assignment since the Vietnam War.” Several hundred diplomats swiftly “vented” their “anger and frustration” over the forced posting, likening it to a “potential death sentence.” The right wing has angrily attacked these diplomats… (Tuesday), the State Department joined in the bashing. On its Dipnote blog, it published an open letter by career Foreign Service Officer John Matel. In the letter, Matel insinuates that diplomats who refuse to serve in Iraq are “embarrassing” “wimps and weenies”.
Frontline Program on Extraordinary Rendition
PBS' Frontline/World aired a program on Tuesday, November 6, on extraordinary rendition… The entire program, including additional interviews and resources, is available here.
Jack Bauer Does Not Exist (by Chet Scoville at Shakesville)
Why can't people like Cal Thomas figure this out? “… It is not coincidental that the trailer for the new season of the TV series ‘24’ features Jack Bauer testifying before a congressional committee on the subject of torture. Bauer is asked if he defends torture and responds that if it is needed to save lives, he will use it.” No, you're right, Cal; it's not coincidental. The reason why Jack Bauer says that in the trailer is that the writers made him say it in order to appeal to the show's fans, like, I guess, you. It sells soap, as the old saying goes. But it's not proof of anything. It's an effect of what the show's viewers expect to hear, nothing more than that.
Social Networks Matter Less to Marketers than You (and They) Might Think (by web skeptic Drama 2.0, writing at Mashable)
While Google AdWords, for instance, may not offer the same deep level of targeting that the new Facebook and MySpace offerings can, the effectiveness of AdWords is a result of the fact that it provides good-enough targeting coupled with perfect timing: the AdWords ads I’m served are relevant to something I’m actively searching for. The ads do not compete with my current activity. Ads on social networks inherently do… Facebook and MySpace have convinced marketers that marketing platforms with significant limitations are the best thing since sliced bread. How ironic. Technology & ScienceRecycling a necessity not fad in Cairo
CAIRO, Egypt - In advanced countries, someone whose cell phone breaks down or becomes outdated usually tosses it and gets a new, fancier model. Ditto for the DVD player, Sony PlayStation, and even radios and watches.
Trends & Innovations - Monday
Seeking to combat a growing number of cybercriminals, some law enforcement agencies are ordering their police officers to undergo high-tech computer training.
Sociopaths could be lacking a 'guardian angel of behavior'
In the 1991 film The Silence of the Lambs, British actor Anthony Hopkins paints an Academy Award-winning portrait of a serial killer. Now scientists are studying brain images that may help explain why
Study's Punch Line: Humor at the Office is Serious Business
Kidding around at work is commonly thought of as perilous, as the hit sitcom "The Office" often explores to wincing extremes. Now intense research finds light humor at work is a good thing.
Stem Cells Show Early Promise for Heart Problems
But far more research is needed to benefit heart attack patients, studies show
Regular Exercise Helps Fight Heart Failure
It stimulates tissue repair better than drugs, study finds
Obese, middle-aged women at greater risk for cancer
New research has found that obese and overweight women are at risk of developing various types of cancer. Findings from the Million Women Study reveal that almost 5 percent of new cancer cases among middle-aged and older women can be attributed to them being obese or overweight.
Queen Jezebel: Biblical Bad Girl Had Power
Jezebel, the queen whose name became synonymous with all things lewd and wicked, probably wielded a fair bit of power in ancient Israel, suggests a stone document seal newly traced to the Biblical "bad girl."
She was a Phoenician princess and a queen of Israel. Although the invocation of her name today is the equivalent of calling a woman a whore, her sin was believing in a different god than the Israelites.—Caro
Rethinking What Caused the Last Mass Extinction
The discovery of thriving communities of survivors at the end of the Cretaceous period is giving some scientists second thoughts about the extinction’s causes and effects.
Discovery caps mission with smooth landing
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - The space shuttle Discovery landed safely at its Florida home base on Wednesday after a grueling but successful 15-day construction mission that prepared the International Space Station for new laboratories. EnvironmentMaldives says Warming Threatening Islands
LISBON - The President of the Maldives on Wednesday called for urgent global action against climate change, saying rising sea levels are threatening the survival of his country's low-lying islands.
Florida's Slow Trickle To Sustainability
South Florida is one of the wettest regions in the country, but this year it's caught in a drought. The region has tried to compensate, but experts say it's not enough. That's why South Florida is turning to another solution: water reuse.
Straying whales in Arctic may be sign of climate change
Endangered humpback and fin whales swam hundreds of miles north of their usual habitat this summer in what environmentalists say is another sign of the effects of global warming and the shifting Arctic ecosystem.
UN chief to see climate change effects in Antarctica
Santiago, Nov 8 (Xinhua) UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is to view for himself the worrying effects of global warming when he visits Antarctica this week with the Chilean environment minister.
India plans centre and new satellites for climate change research
Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 7 - India is planning to establish a centre for climate change research and to have new low-orbit satellites to provide data for modelling and monitoring climate change in the country, reports science site SciDev.Net.
Bill Clinton, Green Building Council Launch Effort To Green US Schools
Chicago - Today at the world’s largest green building exposition in Chicago, Greenbuild 2007, former President Bill Clinton announced a joint commitment to green all of America’s schools within a generation.
Biofuels can match oil production
Peering into the future seldom produces a clear picture. But this is not the case with bio-energy. Its long-term impacts on the global economy appear to be pretty clear, making many long-term predictions quite compelling, including the demise of the price-setting power of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and the end of agricultural protectionism.
Surprise Contenders in Global Biodiesel Race
Thailand, Uruguay and Ghana could become the leading producers of biodiesel, according to a new study that ranked the potential of 226 countries to generate large volumes of the fuel at low cost. For more headlines, visit MakeThemAccountable.com. |
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