The Weekly Watch
by George Santayana
There may be chaos still around the world,
This little world that in my thinking lies;
For mine own bosom is the paradise
Where all my life's fair visions are unfurled.
Within my nature's shell I slumber curled,
Unmindful of the changing outer skies,
Where now, perchance, some new-born Eros flies,
Or some old Cronos from his throne is hurled.
I heed them not; or if the subtle night
Haunt me with deities I never saw,
I soon mine eyelid's drowsy curtain draw
To hide their myriad faces from my sight.
They threat in vain; the whirlwind cannot awe
A happy snow-flake dancing in the flaw.
('Chaos' is an interdisciplinary theory stating that within the apparent randomness of chaotic complex systems, there are underlying patterns.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaos_theory
T-rump still has the fire hose on full blast. The spin is fast and furious, and the entire world seems to be focused on “tiny hands” and his exploits. It is a well oiled machine... As a quick review - Flynn resigns (amid a feud with the deep state), Putzer withdraws, Pruitt goes in as head of the EPA he seeks to destroy (a week before revealing emails are released), T-rump host a campaign style press conference, we continue all our wars to promote our empire, and the courts continue to rule against the water protectors at Standing Rock. We have already had three close encounters with asteroids this year. In the mean time, we find pollution in the deepest part of the ocean, the Arctic is way too warm, and an elevated solar wind stream flowing from an Earth facing coronal hole continues to brush past our planet creating auroras.
Auroras occur when charged particles from the solar wind interact with Earth's magnetic field
When the insanity of our species gets to me, I find it helpful to remember how minuscule (and unimportant) humans are in the scale of the universe. Sometimes we are reminded of our place in the larger system. This encounter just came to my attention:
Early in the morning on February 6, 2017, thousands of people across Wisconsin, Illinois and other northern U.S. states watched a brilliant meteor streak across the sky. The American Meteor Society later determined that the meteor – a piece of debris from outer space – plunged into Lake Michigan close to populated areas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUQSos2IqOI (30 sec compilation)
The next video, from the American Meteor Society shows the meteor’s trajectory and its plunge into Lake Michigan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8pXqbn6RVc
It is difficult to spot asteroids. Here's how they do it. (3 min clip embedded in this article)
http://www.space.com/35579-bus-size-asteroid-2017-bs32-earth-flyby-video...
In 2017 we've already had three asteroids buzz by earth closer than the distance to the moon. But don't worry too much, asteroids rarely make it all the way to the surface of our planet and when they do, they seem to have an uncanny attraction to remote parts of Russia, where they sometimes go on to inspire science fiction. https://www.cnet.com/news/asteroid-2017-bh30-whizzing-by-earth-at-six-ti...
Learning to look at things in different ways leads to greater understanding. Here is one approach.
"What's so interesting about shooting the sky with long exposures and time-lapse photography is that it can show you far more than the human eye can see." (2.5 min)
I guess it's time to get out of the clouds and focus on the chaos around us. Let's start with the press conference and the Flynn resignation. At the press conference I understood T-rump to say he would have encouraged Flynn to talk with Russia, but because he lied to VP Pence he had to be fired. He is not very clear, and I find it pretty difficult to catch a ride on “tiny hands” logic train. However, I find I agree with him on one issue - the Russia narrative is a hoax, and it is better to have a good peaceful relationship between the superpowers. Here's a Democracy Now highlight clip of the conference (8 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaqARGQflUE
or the full 1.3 hour conference (if you are a real glutton)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5FRUM-AK9k
How is the Press conference playing in Europe? (5 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nvSIRGFkZ0
Glenn Greenwald has an insightful take on Russia and the deep state in a series of interviews:
(Have you tried the intercept's podcast? Hosted by Scahill with Greenwald, Klein and others.
https://theintercept.com/2017/02/15/intercepted-podcast-we-are-all-in-tr... )
While congressional Democrats and some Republicans are pushing for probes into President Trump’s ties to Russia, Trump has focused largely on going after those who have leaked information to the press. Analysis by Glenn Greenwald (7 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GvVQLXJZLA
Glenn continues the conversation about the effect of deep state and the Flynn affair. (10 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jY1MiNfwcRg
Glenn's article
https://theintercept.com/2017/02/14/the-leakers-who-exposed-gen-flynns-l...
Glenn calls out the hypocracy of the Democrats who are now cheering the leak of Flynn's phone call while calling for the prosecution of Manning and Snowden. (7.5 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25_iMRx5JBs
Former Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) on Gen. Michael Flynn resigning as President Trump's National Security Advisor and the divide between the intelligence community and Trump. (8 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7j_ZfKmcnSk
http://www.newslogue.com/debate/342/CaitlinJohnstone
Jimmy Dore discusses Kucinich comments (15 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xxSwH8B31w
The Department of Labor (to insure people must labor long and hard for minimal wage)
Jimmy discusses why Andrew Puzder withdrew his Labor cabinet nomination. (14 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOGHxCQdkKM
President Trump has named longtime Republican lawyer Alex Acosta to be his new nominee to head the Labor Department after his first pick, fast-food CEO Andrew Puzder, withdrew Wednesday. (8 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLlI9stUJCI
Net Neutrality and Public Schools are Threatened
Trump’s newly appointed chair of the Federal Communications Commission, Ajit Pai, has begun to attack net neutrality rules and other consumer protections. (8.5 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18B3b8Eb2Lo
The Trump administration’s national security scandals may have obscured Betsy DeVos’s rough start as the new Secretary of Education.
http://educationopportunitynetwork.org/devoss-stumbles-right-out-of-the-...
Immigration – there's a stay on the travel ban, but ICE deportation is higher than Obummers
White House policy adviser, 31-year-old Stephen Miller, was well known at his Santa Monica High School for heckling his fellow Hispanic classmates, including telling them to speak only English. He’s now best known as one of the architects behind Trump’s Muslim travel ban. (14 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52WoTVqeoJw
Trump's administration is publicly and forcefully rejecting the notion of deploying the military to enforce immigration laws although they very well may be lying.
http://www.salon.com/2017/02/17/relentless-toxicity-wading-through-the-a...
Immigration raids are funneling lots of money to private prisons. (1.5 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qQ448hX8K8
We bring you the voices of some of the thousands refusing to work, go to school, shop and are instead rallying against the increasing RAIDS and deportations being carried out by the administration (5 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDUhFzwY5A0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtQhFXHRADA (30 sec)
Here's Pruitt to destroy the EPA. The Young Turks discuss the nomination. (8 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyvBBDVxA5Y
It's all about the lobbyists.
https://theintercept.com/2017/02/17/after-advancing-scott-pruitt-confirm...
And speaking of the environment. They found toxins outlawed in the 70's in organisms in the very deepest part of the ocean. There is nowhere on the planet to escape our pollution.
http://earthsky.org/earth/toxic-pollutants-pacific-ocean-trenches-pcbs
Why PIPELINES? Because the banks want to be paid back. They've created an unstable over leveraged mess because they invested too much on fracked oil. They fear another collapse if the oil doesn't flow and the loans are not repaid...much like the mortgage crisis of 2008.
Borrowed money fueled the fracking boom. The old money has been drilled into the ground. The new money is starting to dry up. Fracked wells, due to their horrendous decline rates, produce most of their oil and gas over the first two years. And if prices are low during that time, producers will never recuperate their investment in those wells, even if prices shoot up afterwards. And they’ll never be able to pay off the debt from the cash flow of those wells. A chilling scenario that creditors were blind to before, but are now increasingly forced to contemplate.
http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2015/03/wolf-richter-default-monday-oil-g...
http://wolfstreet.com/2015/02/27/the-fracking-bust-exacts-its-pound-of-f...
Who really benefits, and are those benefits worth the risks and turmoil? If the needs being addressed are shoring up a wounded fossil fuel industry or allowing bankers enough time to extract returns on loans, the answer should be a resounding no to any more of them, especially if investment in the development of renewables could help the U.S. economy get the fossil fuel monkey off its back faster and permanently. http://www.uscatholic.org/articles/201701/oil-and-gas-rush-or-last-gasp-...
The rules don't matter. Just don't let anyone know what they are.
https://theintercept.com/2017/02/15/text-describing-federal-fracking-rul...
Shipping by rail is not an answer either. The Yakama have joined with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and others to protest the massive Tesoro-Savage oil-by-rail terminal proposed for the banks of the Columbia River in Vancouver.
http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/36952-northwest-tribes-band-together-...
It's not just DAPL...
Stop the Sabal Pipeline! Professor Tim Canova discusses dangerous oil pipelines in Florida and the future of the Progressive movement. (21 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHszK_7A6PU
Trudeau (who reminds me of Obummer) and T-rump are both pipeline proponents. Clayton Thomas-Muller, a leading organizer and writer on environmental justice and indigenous rights discusses the relationship (13 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mehJJCKHaTM
NYC Mayor de Blasio considering divesting from banks that finance DAPL
http://www.honorearth.org/nyc_mayor_thinking_about_divesting_from_banks_...
ND governor order the closing of the Oceti Sakowin protest camp (an area often flooded in the spring)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4jV4qypoZA (3 min)
LaDonna Brave Bull talks about the situation at Sacred Stone Camp (9 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKTY7Bv_ayE
Jordan Chariton spoke with Joe Plouff, a former Wisconsin State Representative, at Standing Rock about the negative actions government has taken against the environment before the past election cycle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFxr8L52JLM (16 min)
Jordan discusses the camps and pipelines from Sacred Stone Camp (17 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlpcSXXXUb8
Jordan Chariton interviews U.S. veterans who vow to fight on against the Dakota Access pipeline construction. (8.5 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8KMnGl9Rn8
Lee Camp interviews Tangerine Bolen, the founder and executive director of RevolutionTruth.org. She is helping to bring forward the lawsuits that could stop the Dakota Access Pipeline and protect the land and water of the Standing Rock Sioux. (26 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iT9U5TRwIo
The protests we’re witnessing aren’t so much anti-Trump as pro-humanity and pro-Planet Earth.
http://www.commondreams.org/views/2017/02/17/resisting-trump-great-ameri...
Republican Jason Chaffetz (Utah) is forced to cut a town hall meeting early after disgruntled attendees protest for answers. Jimmy Dore covers the story (12 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ql12XM9q-8E
Republican Chaffetz is confronted by a 10-year-old girl about his beliefs in science. (8 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsuqtWHkY2Q
Protestors hold RI democrat Sheldon Whitehouse accountable over his confirmation picks at a meeting forcing him to answer questions. (25 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgVbSal4PlI
Republican Tom McClintock witnesses a peaceful protest in a recent town hall meeting and over-exaggerates what really happened. Jimmy discusses the situation (10 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_ge8ZbDMaI
An elderly woman confronts a GOP politician for wanting to repeal Obamacare at a Town hall meeting. Jimmy explains the story (6 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjVmvGHd9MQ
Professor Paul Mishler, who organized a rally in support of the UAW workers in Indiana, says there’s a need for community support for labor struggles and tactics outside of traditional collective bargaining
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pYfQWozAJE (12.5 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUHdcGC_opw (7.5 min)
It can't be anti-Trump. Caitlin Johnstone suggests:
Bashing Trump Doesn’t Make You A Rebel, It Makes You An Establishment Tool
http://www.newslogue.com/debate/341
Corruption is legal. Prinston study shows your opinion doesn't matter. (6 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tu32CCA_Ig
https://act.represent.us/sign/the-solution/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhe286ky-9A (5 min)
Chris Hedges discusses how the dysfunctional U.S. health care system can be fixed with Dr. Margaret Flowers, a pediatrician and leading advocate for a single-payer system. (24 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVHa_yS2aGk
Good News! Railroaded Alabama Governor Don Siegelman freed; his history in cartoons
http://www.al.com/opinion/index.ssf/2017/02/don_siegelman_out_of_prison....
The (no hope) DEMS
Professor Tim Canova and Jimmy Dore discuss the future of the Progressive movement in this wide ranging conversation. (12 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WMiR8u9Yq4
DNC votes next week on the new chair. Who votes? The super delegates. Oops! Jimmy Dore discusses the situation with Samuel Ronan a young Vet running for chair. (30 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkX56YPaEz0
Chuck Schumer tells Bernie Sanders to play nice with others, and Jimmy takes him to task. (8 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Hta3t8k1aQ
WV denys Sanders use of an Armory to hold his meeting. “If we can't find another building, we'll hold the meeting out in the streets," vowed Bernie. "That town meeting will be held. Poverty in America will be discussed.”
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/02/13/after-cancellation-sanders-v...
Our Endless Wars
Glenn Greenwald on the botched Yemen raid (1 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP2H193z3Sk
The evil empire is using Uranium in their ammunition. Jimmy discuss the use by the US in Syria and around the world. (11 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rq5Cg_Rccns
The cost of a soldier for a year and the demand for more troops in Afghanistan (13 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCfS_vHsiNQ
Trade deals like CETA are in part a result of undemocratic policymaking, says Global Justice Now’s Jean Blaylock. The trade deal will limit regulations (11 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoeMfNzr43M
We speak to Clayton Thomas-Muller about the rise of racism in Canada. A Canadian man shot dead six people at the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City. (2 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMhZSqEcXqk
After 10 years and three terms, Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa’s time in office has ended. Under his administration Ecuador made far-reaching economic and social gains, despite having inherited a country on the brink of collapse. Abby Martin conducts the interview. (19 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwUwzv7cBbk
The new president of Somlia, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, faces many challenges posed by war lords, the war on terror, and U.S. intervention, says professor Abdi Samatar (11 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiX-higv-xw
President Donald Trump on Wednesday ended a long-standing U.S. commitment to the establishment of a Palestinian state, saying he had no preference for either a one-state or two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Glenn comments (4.5 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnwriifzdEI
There's a real need for international debtor rights, says economist Michael Hudson. The IMF loaned Greece money they knew could not be paid back (13 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEKHMuvZ4yA
That's Entertainment?
There is so much more chaos to report, but I'm done with this issue of the weekly watch. Let's wrap it up with a little entertainment (very little I'm afraid). In honor of the scientists who now use vacation days to attend Climate Summits like the one this week at the Carter Center. https://theintercept.com/2017/02/17/as-senate-rushes-to-install-scott-pr...
Here's a somewhat silly and (maybe) entertaining science love song (3.5 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pocNl2YhZdM
And a new movie I learned about this week.
The New Babylon is a 1929 Russian silent film about the 1871 Paris Commune. The Paris Commune was a radical socialist and revolutionary government that ruled Paris from 18 March to 28 May 1871. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Commune Ian Christie, Professor of Film and Media History at Birkbeck College, explains the importance of this film from a political and historic context. (14 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5upNADaDvg8
The entire film with English subtitles (1.5 hours)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyOhcTuFYe0
So what stories do you have from this chaotic week? Please share them below!
Comments
The Russians....
I'm glad I posted the Russian film since I recently read all you c99ers are fans of Russia. I didn't know I was, but hey I posted the film, I must be...
Hope all you Ruskie lovers have a great day!
PS edit to add -
I guess the GOP watched Jimmy's take down of the town hall meetings because they have canceled their meetings with the public during the upcoming recess. What a bunch of cowards!
http://www.alternet.org/activism/cowardly-republicans-are-running-away-v...
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Where's the snark tag? This c99er is NO fan of the
Russkies! I also despise the FRightwingnuts and the Turd Way. Wish they would eat each other alive (tRump would probably cause gas), and leave us in peace. Rec'd!!
Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.
Calm down comrade
It was indeed snark based on an essay posted yesterday am. You may not have seen it. If not, don't bother. All the best. I'm glad Putin (the RW and the DLC turd way) doesn't have you in their power....
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
fire hose is right
thanks for putting all these news links out to be seen
perfect poem
bygorry
Glad you dropped by
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
That time-lapse photography of the night (and days)
is quite calming. Each of us is smaller than a dust particle, depending on perspective.
No snow in a 10-day forecast; rain and highs and most lows above freezing. Yes, there is still March or April. Biggest snowfall I can remember here is early April, maybe '83 or '84, three feet. Had to leave the car at the bottom of the hill with the rest and walk through it, unprepared. Three days of dig out, even with back-to-spring temperatures. Oh to be so strong again.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
We have had a too warm winter
More than 20 days over 70 degrees so far this year - no snow and very few freezes. I fear the summer weather, but must admit these spring days in winter have been pleasant. Our biggest snow was March of '93...over 2 feet with 4 foot drifts.
I hope your foot continues to heal and you can get out and enjoy your weather. Have a good one RL!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
If Trudeau reminds you of Obama,
Ursula von der Leyen reminds me of Jane Harman. Both charming, conservatively social minded and tough cookies who please those overlords, you don't like. I guess. I have no clue...
Thank you for your weekly service. Sir or Ma'am.
https://www.euronews.com/live
Hi mimi
Are the links working for you this week? After your comment last week I got to thinking perhaps I should link directly from democracynow.org or therealnews.com (etc.) websites rather than linking to the clip on youtube. Let me know if they are accessible for you. Thanks.
You made me do some homework. I was familiar with SNAFU, but not FUBAR: short form of "Fucked up beyond all recognition", but also a misunderstandment of the german word "furchtbar", which means horrible or frightening.
"This situation is Fubar!" or "Das ist furchtbar!"
Glad you added the smiley face. Hope all is well for you in your part of the world!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Hi, lookout, I don't think that the video clips
that result in a message: "This video is not available in your geographical area" has anything to do with the place that hosts the video clip, be it you tube or otherwise.
There are video producers that post their videos with restrictions on where they can be seen. I remember vaguely that years ago someone explained to me it has to do with copyright issues. I really don't understand how that works in legal terms, nor who or how the code is written to prevent the videos being available in some countries but not in others. It's nothing that you could have influence on, I think.
Heh, one reason for me to come back to the US. I don't hate you for your freedoms, I love 'em and that includes that I can watch all those videos I want.
PS, my avatar is a cartoon from truthdig.com by Mr. Fish. It appeared with Chris Hedges essay American Psychosis. I thought it was an excellent cartoon.
https://www.euronews.com/live
Story about Netanyahoo going on Fox/Hannity to
spread propaganda about Iran. Pretty amazing, right after meeting with Trump which he said went well. Trump and his chumps are all anti-Iran as everyone on here knows. Something to watch very carefully.
I remember one of Jon Stewart's routines...
where he had a map explaining why we invaded Iraq. We were in Afghan at the time, and his line was the reason we invaded Iraq is that sets us up for tic-tact-toe when we invade Iran.
Comedy often speaks truth.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
just for a change
"over you"
Thanks a million for the weekly watch treasure trove Lookout.
PEACE
It's wierd how world wide...
There's this obsession with old tiny hands. He keeps 'em all worked up. I guess I'm as bad as them. I must admit being a little disappointed not to find an SNL press conference skit this am. Last weeks was great. If you missed it (8 min):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbhz3XcNzGU
Thanks for coming by!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
I got a couple.
The Keiser Report is pretty good sometimes and it's on RT so you know it's Putin approved.
I usually just watch the first half with Max and Stacy but the second half of this one has a good interview with author Nomi Prins. It's worth a look. (25 min.) ☛ Keiser Report/YouTube
If you haven't seen Oliver Stone's Ukraine movie yet you might want to check it out, especially since Putin's in it. ☛ Ukraine on Fire/YouTube
We wanted decent healthcare, a living wage and free college.
The Democrats gave us Biden and war instead.
Thanks Azazello
I love the Boris and Natasha toon!
Yeah, I like The Keiser Report. Didn't get to it this week, but I'll check it out. I appreciate the tip on Stone's Ukraine film too! Just recently caught his Snowden movie which I enjoyed.
Have a good day.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
"Government severely misjudged" not Michigan this time
Congratulations! I know LOL, what's the tla for CRY? wah? omg I feel bad for this guy already, I don't know why.
Government severely misjudged strength of Oroville emergency spillway, sparking a crisis
If that ain't enough Town of Maxwell floods as worry about Oroville Dam shifts to creeks and canals
and
‘Mass chaos’ of Oroville evacuation prompts worry over exit strategy
Flooding fears heighten as another powerful storm takes aim at Northern California
Edit: oops forgot last quote, removed redundancy. Tacked on link to next storm coming why not.
Great work
Grabbing and sharing all this stuff I'd never get to look at.
very appreciated and keep up the good work.
I want a Pony!
Glad you found it useful
I wish more folks would visit and try out the weekly. Glad you came by Arrow.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Our problems continue to be the same, the times are
different and different players in the roles. Thanks for suggesting New Babylon.
Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.