I read that Hillary Clinton went to church today. She is a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church, which couldn't be farther removed from her association with a shadowy dominionist group called the Fellowship, which a classier version of the group Ted Cruz belongs to. I wonder if she maintains that relationship? Her past association with these folks belies her claim to being a progressive. Maybe she has evolved again.

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/The_Fellowship

http://www.salon.com/2015/04/25/progressives_cant_trust_hillary_clinton_on_cultural_and_economic_issues

I read that Hillary Clinton went to church today. She is a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church, but also has had dealings with a shadowy evangelical group called the Fellowship or the Family. I wonder if she still does? Her association with these folks always seemed a bit creepy.

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/The_Fellowship

http://www.salon.com/2015/04/25/progressives_cant_trust_hillary_clinton_on_cultural_and_economic_issues_the_problems_are_stark_and_decades_long/

Source: BBC News

"The forest fires are the result of annual slash-and-burn practices by companies clearing land for palm oil and pulp wood plantations."



Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34472085

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I wonder what the chances are the Indonesians will cease this practice?

With the exception of chattel slavery and the wars of genocide waged against the indigenous population, the creation of a billionaire class may well be the singularly most destructive act American civilization has ever committed against itself. We have spawned a class of de facto bourgeois aristocrats who throw money at our government with the same abandon other people toss bread crumbs at pigeons from park benches. The difference is the billionaire crumb tossers want something in return from the pigeons, and they too often get it.

It probably isn't fair to compare our monied aristocracy with a traditional landed one. For all its faults, traditional aristocracy is at least tied into a system of mutual obligation with the lower orders. Ours is not obliged by history or tradition to recognize any such reciprocal arrangements. Its members are more likely to be simple predators or social engineers who consider the country as their private sandbox with rights to determine what's best for those compelled to dig in it.

Such meddling by unaccountable wealth is bad enough in politics and economics, but when a stunningly arrogant billionaire with no more credentials than a high school diploma sticks his nose into a university research department with the intent of suppressing scientific research and punishing those who create it, things have gone way to far.

http://whowhatwhy.org/2015/05/18/oil-billionaire-attempts-to-silence-university-scientists/

Source: Haaretz

Clashes erupted in Tel Aviv's Rabin Square on Sunday as thousands of people gathered to protest police brutality toward Israeli Jews of Ethiopian descent.

At least 41 people were injured - at least 23 of them police officers. Police made 15 arrests.

Police fired stun grenades and tear gas while some protesters tried to break into the Tel Aviv City Hall, located at the square. Other protesters hurled rocks, planks and plastic and glass bottles at police.

Read more: http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel/.premium-1.654728

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This powder keg was apparently ignited when a couple of Israeli cops assaulted an Ethiopian IDF soldier who was in uniform. From what I can gather, the soldier took exception to being treated like a common thief. Apparently, Ethiopian Jews have many grievances with the way they are treated in Israel.

For those who have been following the latest ILWU/PMA fight for control of West Coast ports, this article is actually informative. It gives the union side in detail and explains the main reason for the fight, which is something you will simply never hear from MSM propaganda. Without information that accurately presents the labor point of view, it is impossible to even begin to understand what is actually going on. Which, I suppose, is the idea.

http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/17661/ilwu_ports

A Seattle teacher is suing the city after a police officer allegedly pepper-sprayed him while he was walking by and talking to his mother on the phone, KOMO reported on Thursday.

Teacher and activist Jesse Hagopian said he was leaving a peaceful Martin Luther King Jr. Day protest on Jan. 19 when he was pepper-sprayed by a police officer who screamed for passersby to "get back."

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/jesse-hagopian-seattle-police-pepper-spray


Wow! Somebody needs to be in restraints. But wait! I forgot! The officer obviously felt threatened and reacted in self-defense. OK, now I feel better. Don't you?

Source: TPM Livewire

A Seattle teacher is suing the city after a police officer allegedly pepper-sprayed him while he was walking by and talking to his mother on the phone, KOMO reported on Thursday.

Teacher and activist Jesse Hagopian said he was leaving a peaceful Martin Luther King Jr. Day protest on Jan. 19 when he was pepper-sprayed by a police officer who screamed for passersby to "get back."

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/jesse-hagopian-seattle-police-pepper-spray

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Wow! Somebody needs to be in restraints. But wait! I forgot! The officer obviously felt threatened and reacted in self-defense. OK, now I feel better. Don't you?

was trailing Mark Warner in the Virginia senate race by 11 points on Halloween night. Now, after the votes have been counted, they are tied and there will be a recount. Shades of Florida 2000.

I hold the Democratic Party in utter contempt after supporting it my whole life and working for its candidates. It took a long time and began with the ascendancy of the DLC and the corporatist pandering of the party that has largely wiped away any significant difference between them and republicans. I have come to accept that the Democratic Party has become a wholly owned subsidiary of moneyed interests that intend to create a political plutocracy with the fawning assistance of both these sorry parties.

So, on Tuesday I'll go to the polls, hold my nose and vote for the fucking democrats. The reason I'll do this is not just because I loathe and despise republicans even more than democrats (actually I loathe and despise them a lot more), but also because there is no viable alternative and so I intend to become involved with local democratic politics and be a thorn in its side until it begins to move left. There is absolutely no way of moving the Republican Party left. There never has been. It can only move farther and farther right.

That's why I'm getting involved in local Democratic Party politics. State and National politics have no other use for me than as a cash cow or a zombie voter. Both have agendas controlled entirely by big money and neither could care less about the needs of anyone without a 7 digit income or above. Any hope of political reform rests at the community level. That's where I'm going to be, and if enough progressive people do likewise, someday, sooner than later I hope, we'll be sending democrats to state capitols and to Washington who are actually democrats. So, fuck the Democratic Party. It's days are numbered. I hope.