Open Thread 09-06-15
Good morning 99percenters!
Morning news dump and music by Blinddog Smokin"
America’s silent-but-deadly billionaires: How our tight-lipped overlords are waging stealth campaigns against the middle class
New research reveals the surreptitious ways in which the richest of the rich try to influence politicsTeddy Roosevelt famously argued that, when it comes to foreign policy, one should “Speak softly, and carry a big stick.” Similarly, an apt summation of the political inclinations of billionaires might be, “Speak softly, and carry a big check.”
While some billionaires, like Warren Buffett, are outspoken on political issues, most tend to say very little, or speak in vague generalities. But a new working paper by political scientists Benjamin Page, Jason Seawright and Matthew Lacombe finds that what billionaires say and what they do are dramatically different. While billionaires rarely go on the record discussing Social Security and taxes, they work behind the scenes to oppose policies favored by average Americans. Often, there are deep disconnects between what billionaires say regarding policies and which organizations they fund.
The new study examines an even smaller and more insular group than the previous work of Page and Seawright: the richest 100 American billionaires. Together, the billionaires were worth $1,291 billion (more than the entire GDP of Mexico). Obviously, the billionaires weren’t going to sit down for lengthy interviews on policy priorities. Instead, the authors combed through nearly every public statement by the billionaires on two subjects: tax policy and Social Security. The project required a massive amount of work: Lacombe spent nearly 400 hours conducting the related searches. One of the first things the authors find is that even the politically active wealthy rarely take overt public stances. They write, “The Koch brothers (David and Charles) are a leading example of this: they generally combine public silence about policy with large financial contributions to political causes.” Though they intend to contribute nearly a billion dollars to influence the 2016 election cycle, they “generally make only vague political comments, if any comment at all.”
Horse Meat in the U.S. Food Chain? Neigh It Ain't So
Just because a package is labeled 100% Angus Beef doesn't mean that's what it is.Scientists have detected the presence of horse DNA in America's food supply chain. The discovery was made by researchers at Chapman University's Food Science Program in two separate studies on meat mislabeling in consumer commercial meat products sold in the United States. Co-authored by Dr. Rosalee Hellberg, a food scientist and assistant professor at Chapman's Schmid College of Science and Technology in Orange, Calif., and published in the journal Food Control, both DNA-based studies discovered products that were labeled as one species but contained other species.
One study analyzed the species found in commercial ground meat products sold by retailers in the United States, including local supermarkets and online specialty meat distributors. The researchers found that out of 48 meat samples tested, 10 were mislabeled. Of those 10, nine were found to contain additional species. Even more worrisome is the fact that horse meat, which is illegal to sell in the U.S. commercial market, was detected in two of the samples.
"We always suspected and now there is proof," the non-profit Equine Welfare Alliance wrote in an email, about the discovery of horse DNA in the food chain.
A Labor Day Worry: The Court’s Right-Wingers Are Sharpening Their Knives
We don’t officially celebrate International Workers’ Day on May 1 in this country, even though the worldwide holiday was originated to memorialize the Chicago Haymarket Square Riot of 1886 and the long and often bloody movement waged by American workers to establish the eight-hour workday. Instead, we hold a watered-down substitute, observing Labor Day on the first Monday of September. Each year, the commemoration grows more tepid and disconnected from the historical and current struggles of working people.
If the U.S. Supreme Court’s dominant Republican majority has its way when the panel’s new term commences in October, we might as well dispense with the holiday altogether, or at least drop the term “labor” from its title. Among the most important cases the court will consider when it reconvenes is Friedrichs v. California Teachers, which poses what some observers have called an “existential threat” to public unions and by extension to the entire labor movement.
At issue in Friedrichs is the right of public sector unions to collect limited “fair-share” fees in lieu of full formal dues from nonunion workers to defray the costs of collective bargaining that benefits all employees. A decision against the teachers association would have the potential to bankrupt government employee unions and turn the nation’s entire public sector into one enormous “right-to-work” jurisdiction.
Growing Doubt: A Scientist's Experience of GMOs
By training, I am a plant biologist. In the early 1990s I was busy making genetically modified plants (often called GMOs for Genetically Modified Organisms) as part of the research that led to my PhD. Into these plants we were putting DNA from various foreign organisms, such as viruses and bacteria.
I was not, at the outset, concerned about the possible effects of GM plants on human health or the environment. One reason for this lack of concern was that I was still a very young scientist, feeling my way in the complex world of biology and of scientific research. Another reason was that we hardly imagined that GMOs like ours would be grown or eaten. So far as I was concerned, all GMOs were for research purposes only.
Gradually, however, it became clear that certain companies thought differently. Some of my older colleagues shared their skepticism with me that commercial interests were running far ahead of scientific knowledge. I listened carefully and I didn't disagree. Today, over twenty years later, GMO crops, especially soybeans, corn, papaya, canola and cotton, are commercially grown in numerous parts of the world.
Depending on which country you live in, GMOs may be unlabeled and therefore unknowingly abundant in your diet. Processed foods (e.g. chips, breakfast cereals, sodas) are likely to contain ingredients from GMO crops, because they are often made from corn or soy. Most agricultural crops, however, are still non-GMO, including rice, wheat, barley, oats, tomatoes, grapes and beans.
Crucial Food Chain Bacteria Altered by Climate Change
Climate change will have irreversible and unprecedented impacts on crucial ocean microorganisms that could trigger dramatic effects further up the food chain, according to scientists.
The bacteria trichodesmium is known for surviving in nutrient-poor parts of the ocean, where it converts nitrogen gas into a material that can be used by other forms of life – from plankton to whales – which all require it to grow.
This process of “nitrogen fixation” makes the bacteria “the fertilizing agent of the open ocean,” says Eric Webb, co-author of the study published in Nature Communications. Although a microorganism, it forms in colonies that can be seen by the naked eye, earning it the name “sea sawdust."
When the scientists placed it in conditions simulating carbon dioxide levels in 85 years’ time, the bacteria went into reproductive overdrive. The scientists say that this could cause it to go into reproductive overdrive in the future, consuming vast quantities of nutrients – such as iron and phosphorus – that are in limited supply in the ocean.
After Canadian Court Ruling, Has Law 'Finally Caught Up With Chevron'?
Decision is 'the beginning of the end of Chevron's abusive and obstructionist litigation strategy,' says Ecuadorian activistIn a unanimous ruling hailed as "a major victory for human rights and corporate accountability," the Canadian Supreme Court declared on Friday that a group of Ecuadorian villagers can pursue a multi-billion pollution lawsuit against oil giant Chevron in the province of Ontario.
"The law has finally caught up with Chevron," the nonprofit Amazon Watch said in a press statement.
As a result of the ruling, the Ecuadorian villagers may now continue with a 2012 lawsuit they launched against Chevron's Canadian subsidiary in Ontario. They claim Chevron's activities have caused "horrific contamination"—and an Ecuadorian court agreed, ruling in 2011 that Chevron should pay $9.5 billion for the destruction it caused.
California EPA mulls labeling Monsanto’s Roundup as being ‘known to cause cancer’
The EPA’s office of environmental health hazard assessment in California wants to label four chemicals, including the most popular herbicide and key ingredient of Monsanto’s Roundrup, glyphosate, as “known to cause cancer,” following the most recent WHO cancer research division’s report.
The “notice of intent” envisions placing Glyphosate within 30 days to the list of chemicals that are known to cause cancer, classification of which falls under the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, or the Proposition 65. Under the Act any chemicals that threatens human life require a businesses to provide a "clear and reasonable" warning label before exposing individuals to a chemical on the list.
In March the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified glyphosate as being “probably” carcinogenic to humans forcing the agrochemical giant Monsanto to furiously reject the conclusions.
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Comments
Morning folks...
I've been kind of quiet lately, totally swamped with work and real life stuff. I'll be around until about 10:00 AM Central this morning and then I'll be around sporadically. Thanks to all for holding down the fort and I'm pretty pumped about joe shickspack moving the Evening Blues full time here starting Monday, thanks Joe. Please talk amongst yourselves if I'm not around, this is my busy time of the year.
PS: There will not be an Open Thread tomorrow morning as I wont have time to fill in. If someone wants to step up and take it, please do. Thanks.
Morning. The study on billionaires confirms,
never trust a fucking billionaire. And don't trust organizations that are funded by billionaires. Like Human Rights
Watch funded by Soros. Or the Intercept funded by Omidyar. Sorry Greenwald fans, I don't make exceptions.
It's like with cops nowadays, hell, there might be some good ones, but the rest of them have tainted the barrel so badly
that it's impossible to tell them apart. So the best bet is to not trust any of em.
"Trumanesque alternative realtiy all around you"
Good video about astroturfing and media manipulation. It's everywhere, not just the false narratives for war, it
invades every part of our life from medicines to how we dress. You can live your entire life unaware or you can
become aware and notice everything.
"Surreptitious astroturfing is now more important
than lobbying our politicians".
Wow.
This is very good, highly recommend you watch.
Only ten minutes, very informative about astroturfing. Amazing what we have to deal with. Her examples about
pharmaceutical products is eye opening. All those commercials on TV, there's a lot more to what they do to make us
think those medicines are needed. Very insidious, and that's from our medical community.
This was worth watching
As far as I know, America and New Zealand are the only two countries that allow tv advertising of pharmaceuticals. If the TPPA is passed, NZers will be screwed by increased pharmaceutical prices. Scary, considering that health care is provided free.
There is always one
This was left as a comment to my diary yesterday about income inequality.
Sounds like an astroturfer
My response
to him was simply post a link to the definition of the word 'sycophant'.
I like
the 'A' words found in definitions of sycophant. 'Apple-polisher' and 'Arse-licker'.
not an unusual comment
that's what you'll often find at Hillary is 45, home of the former Republicans
Russia in Syria
What you were all waiting for
"if reports are accurate"
They should know or not so this indicates to me the reports aren't accurate. Plus, we've received nothing
but anti-Russia/Putin propaganda regarding Syria and Ukraine so it's unless it's proven it's just more words.
Putin has basically admitted that Russian forces
are in Syria. This is no longer an issue.
You should be skeptical, but not for this reason.
The reason the State Department used the words "if reports are accurate" is only because the President and SOS hasn't decided exactly how to respond.
Where you need to be skeptical is in an entirely different way. Namely, why would we denounce Russia for bombing our rebel allies in Syria, and not denounce Turkey for doing the exact same thing?
Weapons and training, which has been known,
but not direct military support with troops which is what the reports are indicating, I think.
Here's a take from RT.
Seems Russia signed military assistance contracts 5-7 years ago and Putin says they've simply been fulfilling their
contracts. He didn't rule out future military support but the reports of Russian fighter jets bombing ISIS and the like appear
to be false propaganda.
how
about Novaya Gazeta?
The Syrian civil war
reminds me a lot of the Second Congo War.
Most Americans aren't even aware that there was a Second Congo War, eventhough it was the deadliest war in the world since WWII and killed around 5 million people.
A couple years back I read Africa's World War, which described what happened there. It's an extremely complicated war with many sides and many agendas, and every side had proxies. IOW, many shades of grey and black with no white hats.
The same is true in Syria today.
Hi Johnny and all
Is anyone else experiencing strange formatting and the inability to rate the post?
Anyway, I went to see "Best of Enemies" last night -- the documentary about the Vidal/Buckley debates in 1968. The concept for the debates was conceived by ABC in an attempt to revive the stations low ratings. It worked; it was fine drama with an intellectual edge. It would be great to see one of the current TV news shows take a similar 'risk' and feature two equally intelligent opposites sparring.
Well, I switched from iPad to laptop
and all is back in order.
Probably been asked before but wouldn't it have been
better for Sanders to shed the socialist label, after all he isn't a socialist anyway, but because it's
going to used to paint him as "extreme" by the Clinton camp, which will work with large numbers of
people. Maybe running on an economic populism platform without reference to socialism would have
been better in the long run. And if he gets by Clinton, the attack on the socialist label would get worse
from the Republicans.
Possibly
it will depend upon how sick of or dismissive of labels the public becomes.
Nope
Bernie owns the label and every time some one casts him as being a scary "socialist," it gives him the opportunity to educate people as to what is a social democrat. For the record, as far as I know, Bernie does not call himself a socialist. He uses the term social democrat.
As to your question, I do think you may have asked this before, Al.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
I've wondered why he uses the label when he's not a
socialist, but not about the tactics of using the label. I noticed today that Clinton is gearing up with her
people to attack Sanders as being "extreme" which will include the socialist thing. So that got me wondering
about using the label as a tactic.
Re: Growing Doubt: A Scientist's Experience of GMOs
Excellent article, not just because I am anti-GMO but because it ties in with the revelation through emails of a Florida U scientist relationship with Monstanto. Montanto has a group of academic scientists who lobby for them. They are not paid outright, that would be wrong! but they get all expenses paid travel to various GMO/Ag conferences. (NYTimes today) The Universities get millions of donations and the scientists can get grants from these millions. Besides that one of the Monsanto lobbyists blurted out that Monsanto has a whole office for oppo-research and shilling. (my terms not his).
Watching Blue Jays right now. I will expand on this in Tuesdays Morning Greens.
To thine own self be true.
Chris Hedges - tough talk about Sanders
The Real Enemy is within
He couldn't be any clearer. Long article worth reading, but tough to digest. It may lead to despair in some people. Sanders begs the people to not despair. It's hard to find arguments that would stand up against Hedges judgments.
https://www.euronews.com/live
Put it this way,
if Sanders did become President, he would also become a war criminal. It's unavoidable, it's part of the job
description. Unless he pledges to end the criminal imperialist activities, he's going to continue them.
I fully agree with Hedges. I just saw that picture of the Syrian toddler washed up on the beach. That pisses me off
to no end and I want those responsible in prison, which starts with our government, Obama on down. Sanders
supports the U.S. war in Syria and supports U.S. imperialism. That can't be ignored.
American remake of a 1950s movie: "Sanctimony at Nuremberg"
Executive summary: Yoo and Bybee … the DOJ of Eric Holder and Lanny Breuer … the President and the Congress … and the entire U.S. federal judiciary… are all on the defense team this time around.
Presenting a united front, arguing that while the leaders of the Empire (and the bankers behind their rise to power) demonstrated "poor judgment," nothing anyone did rises to the level of war crimes.
notwithstanding
that Hedges is correct on the need for the dissolution of empire and the dismantling of American militarism—though he doesn't go far enough, as the true need is for an end to all empires, and all militarism—I am not comfortable with him arrogating to himself the right to determine that if you're not all aboard his particular bandwagon "you cannot count yourself as a member of the left."
For Hedges himself is an ordained minister with a serious Jesus disability that causes him to evince an atavistic 19th Century Victorian prudery in matters of sex and sexual expression. Therefore left cultural radicals, if they were to be so bold as Hedges, might argue this old-and-in-the-way worldview debars him from "count[ing] [him]self as a member of the left."
Just sayin'.
agree only partly, I thought too he shouldn't be the
one to define who is member of the left and who is not. But that doesn't make his argument to fight againt the MIC less true.
I don't get your criticism about his so-called Victorian prudery in matters of sex and sexual expression. Do you have some links for that?
He wrote a pretty tough description of what the current pornographic movie and video industry is all about (I think it's in his book: The World as it is). I thought what I read in his book and remember vaguely - have to reread it - (it might sound different in his articles on truthdig, which I haven't read about this issue so far) was rather a pretty courageous analysis and rough description of a society who has gone sickly and abusive in its pursuit of "sexual expression liberties and rights". Sex slave trafficking and sex worker's on streets and in the movie industry's exploitation is for real. May be it's necessary to actually be confronted personally with such things, it would help to understand that not all what is sold as "culturally radical and progressive" really is. Few self-proclaimed progressive people on the left may have the courage to question themselves on their "progressive cultural radicalism" and be honest enough to not deny there are sides of it that can be at least questioned as being inhumane. To many, many people, some of it is a "non-issue". You want to deny that?
So what is his Jesus disability is all about? Strange, the little I caught from him about his "religiosity" and especially too what he described about his father's ordeals with the churches, being himself a minister, actually rang through with me.
https://www.euronews.com/live
Well, it's kind of like liberals. I used to call myself a
liberal until I experienced the liberals at Daily Kos. Then I decided I wouldn't call myself a liberal anymore because I didn't want to be associated with them. I thought, "how could they call themselves liberals when they support war and imperialism?". No way they can be liberals, but if they're going to use the label, then I won't. I don't even like to call myself the left because that also equates me with those on the left that like Hedges says are in no way lefties in the traditional sense of the term.
What Hedges says doesn't bother me a bit because technically he's right and those who have a problem with it might think it hits too close to home.
you
have to admit that it's amusing, that somebody who drew a paycheck from the New York Times for fifteen years, during which time he was a self-confessed "war junkie," now arrogates to himself the right to determine who is and is not "left."
I don't think Hedges has ever inhaled.
That's always a problem.
he
inhaled death, and he got off on it. He was very honest about that.
You both have inhaled ? And that makes you exactly what?
So, everybody who didn't inhale in his life, is what in your opinion? Why are people proud of having inhaled?
Not that I really care, but I find it a bit "funny" that people judge other people on the basis of them having inhaled or not. So, I am an outcast? Never inhaled and unless someone forces me to, I won't. Big deal? Can't be a leftist? Can't be a socialist? Can't be a DFH ? Can't be a progressive, a liberal or culturally radical, because I haven't smoked a joint? Hmm, how come I really don't care?
https://www.euronews.com/live
inhaling,
as in marijuana, doesn't mean anything to me. I judged no one, on any marijuana-inhalation basis, least of all you. ; )
I thought I answer to AL, sorry...apologies
I know it's kind of insensitive or rude to say on a site, which came out of the DFH kossack area (I assume) that I don't care if someone smokes marijuana or not. I just don't like it if one is "categorized" in some form or the other as a "non-inhaler" to have a "problem". I understand that smoking pot is or was part of an important cultural movement in the US. I happened to not have grown up at that time and have not lived in this movement. Politically that shouldn't make me any different, the same would be true for my sexual preferences, and if it's just a so-called cultural difference, well then, sure, we have tons of cultural differences.
As long as everyone has equal rights and those includes the rights to privacy of your personal living preferences, it's not an issue to be profiled on, imo.
https://www.euronews.com/live
Just a joke mimi. Kind of a take off of Clinton
when he said he didn't inhale. But it also goes to the legalization issue, those that are against it are usually
the ones with a big stick up their asses.
But no smoking the weed means nothing, I think Ted Nugent smokes weed and he's a supremo asshole.
okay, AL, got it, it's also a joke that the "serious" media
types can't help themselves and just have to ask those very important questions and investigate, who smoked what, who slept with whom and when and where, and not to forget to ask what's a candidate's preferred underwear is. These jokes can get on your nerves, if you hear them year in and year out, probably just to some foreign ears though in the news business, who have to archives these stupidities too. Sorry, I shouldn't look back.
https://www.euronews.com/live
hedges
goes in for blood-curdling apocalyptic pronouncements like "Pornography Is What The End Of The World Looks Like." He makes his points, but only his points, which he sees through a condemnatory straw that narrows his vision. He cannot be considered sex-positive, and it is not difficult to slot his screeds with similar censorious soundings from the Eros-fearers on the right.
In my opinion.
My opinion - and I will re-read his book on that later ...
Have you ever seen a sex-negative person? God made us sex-positive, I guess. We are still here, and no matter how sex-negative regulations and mores some idiots in power (church or politics) want to impose on us, hasn't worked so far. Suppression of sexuality has caused brutality, sadism and exploitation.
By nature we are sex-positive. So, what the heck. I find it funny with so many conservatives, religious right-wingers etc., who really are sex-negatively inclined to keep up their social power structure over women and marriage issues, which you could have chosen to attack on these issues, you come with one of the rare leftist guys who has the nerves to even write about it and go against him? Why?
Ok, I read that part of his book may be 8 month ago and I found it over the top in your face descriptive, but in its essence true.
I am going to re-read, though I have not much fun to do so. But I have to get my mind straightened up since you made a mess of my mind with your comment.
Oh and that condemnatory straw that narrows his vision deals with exploitation of women, exploitation of sexual dependencies and profits you can make out of that exploitation, something worthwhile to address straight on. My opinion. Just saying. No offense meant at all.
https://www.euronews.com/live
a lot of
sex workers do not feel exploited, and they do not appreciate preachers like Hedges issuing broad-brush jeremiads about what it is that they do.
And I wasn't intending to "attack" or "go against him"; my point was I am uncomfortable with his arrogation of the right to determine who "cannot count [themselves] as a member of the left," seeing as how, if other people who identify themselves as left, were to arrogate to themselves such power, Hedges might find himself drummed out of the left.
I attribute his readiness to decree who is and is not left to his Jesus disability. For millennia Christians have been consumed with the need to determine who is "really" a "real" Christian. For centuries they fought neverending wars about it.
well then, there is a problem,
if a lot of sex workers don't feel exploited, they are really well manipulated and conditioned. I don't buy into that. May be not all feel exploited, but corrupted or bribed they mostly are and it's a matter of time when they feel themselves as such. Most "sex workers" are not recognizable as such. So, whatever. It's a matter of judgment about an issue which otherwise doesn't interest me much, unless it's sex trafficking, which definitely is an issue that needs to be addressed legally.
Your last sentence... I dunno ... I haven't read so far that Hedges tries to say who is a "real" Christian and who is not. But you just make me read him in more detail.
And risking to be drummed out of the left is not a sign of lack of integrity. Hmm...
https://www.euronews.com/live
I am struggling with this for one main reason
Like so much of Hedges writing, he is very good at analyzing and criticizing, but he offers no viable solutions. I suppose the solution is revolution, but I do not think that the American people are there yet. Regardless of who gets elected, the MIC is greater than any one person or even Congress itself. Nearly every member of Congress is compromised. The problem is now compounded by the NSA being housed within the
DefenseWar Dept.So my question is the same one I ask over and over. What are we supposed to do until the perfect candidate(s) show up? As much as I hate war and have been a small time activist against our military destruction of so much of the world, I cannot see how we can beat this demon down any time soon.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Civil disobedience.
Same thing MLK Jr. advocated. At the very least it should be like Zinn recommended when he said he'd
spend all of two minutes on the elections, the time it took to vote.
But I think we have to take it all down, expose the illusion that this country is a democracy. Sooner or later
we're going to have to do that because like you said, if not all we'll do is keep waiting for the next politician.
I was going to add this to my sig line, which I'll still do:
"Fragmented and confused, we have no plan to combat any of this, but are looking to be saved by the very architects of our ruination."
I am beating my head against a brick wall
which is most of my family. They refuse to believe things are as bad as they are. I am now the family nutcase that no one wants to hear. I have tried rational discussion, but it falls on deaf ears. The combination of 9/11, our propagandist media, and some preconceived ideas are a hard wall to break through. Just recently I was told by one family member that I needed to keep my opinions to myself because people do not care about things they cannot change. I have been called a pie in the sky idealist who has no clue about the real world. I am becoming cynical about trying to change American attitudes when my own family won't listen. It distresses me to no end to think that so many Americans are so closed minded.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
We'll never get everybody, but there is hope
That's why I want the real left, the ones who know the truth and want to change the world, to get together and decide to do it.
Hedges is a Presbyterian Minister
He's on the right side politically but he is deeply religious and that does colour his opinions.
To thine own self be true.
Hedges has lost Moses on the Highway - does that count
as deeply religious?
I will read him again. May be I see then something of what you see at a second look. Actually his lack of the ordinary religiosity was what attracted me in the first place to read more of him. Reminded me of my parents. They both had lost their religiosity during WWII. May be he hasn't lost his faith.
https://www.euronews.com/live
Hey all...
it's 8:36 PM Central, just got home, sorry I wasn't around to tend the OT, I'll have much more free time in a few weeks. Thanks for all the responses.
Hi JtC
I was beginning to get worried about where you were. Good to see you back.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Thanks gg...
work and loose ends, and all things in between, wish I was 18 again.