The Weekly Watch
Emily Dickinson
When Peace was far away—
As Wrecked Men—deem they sight the Land—
At Centre of the Sea—
And struggle slacker—but to prove
As hopelessly as I—
How many the fictitious Shores—
Before the Harbor be—
There have been moments when there was a chance for peace, but I'm afraid Emily is right …
March 26. On this day in 1979, the Israeli-Egyptian Peace Agreement was signed. During a ceremony that was held at the White House, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin signed the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty which was the first peace treaty ever between Israel and an Arab country. During the ceremony, both leaders and U.S. President Jimmy Carter prayed that this treaty would bring real peace to the Middle East and end the violence and fighting that had been ongoing since the late 1940s. Israel and Egypt had been involved in conflict since the Arab-Israeli War, which began directly after Israel was founded. The peace treaty between Israel and Egypt was the result of months of difficult negotiations. Under this treaty, both nations agreed to end the violence and conflict and to establish diplomatic relations. Egypt agreed to recognize Israel as a country and Israel agreed to leave the Sinai Peninsula that it had taken from Egypt during a six-day war in 1967. For their achievement in signing this treaty, Sadat and Begin were jointly awarded the 1978 Nobel Peace Prize. Many in the Arab world reacted angrily to the peace treaty as they saw it as a betrayal, and Egypt was suspended from the Arab League. In October of 1981, Muslim extremists assassinated Sadat.
Rather than peace, several people predict World War III...
Are we headed to WWIII? Max Keiser and Stacy discuss the racket that is war. (1st 15 min) In the second half Max talks to JP Sottile of NewsVandal.com about trumping Trump and howling at the Moonves: how corporate media raked in the big bucks pushing a reality TV star. (26 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWQLxSfFrmA
Have you ever been to a boat show or home and garden expo or the like? How about a special ops fair? It is like the Wal-Mart of weapons. This piece blew my mind to see all the “enemies” marketing their products and shopping together. The business of war (20 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QL_3Qg-SADY
Here's a hopeful sign. Russia, led by supervillain Vladimir Putin, intent on the domination and destruction of the Western world, has just slashed its defense budget — and no one really noticed.
http://www.salon.com/2017/03/19/so-much-for-the-russian-threat-putin-sla...
There was a terrorist attack in London this week... and there is no end to a war on terror!
David Icke talks about the Westminster attack from Iceland in Alþingishús Parliament square with a focus on the Hypocrisy of Western Governments Condemning Terrorism (7.5 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_wF8rBcQcU
Of course there is the ongoing forever war where atrocities are everyday occurrences, but we're so easily distracted with the SCOTUS nomination, the Wealthcare battle, the London terrorists, and RUSSIA...that the world wide destruction wrought by the empire is below the radar.
Sentiment in Washington may not reflect that the U.S. is at war, but two war correspondents described the astonishing extent and toll of recent U.S. military strikes in Iraq, Syria and Yemen on Intercepted, the weekly podcast by The Intercept’s Jeremy Scahill - podcast and transcript
https://theintercept.com/2017/03/22/war-correspondents-describe-recent-u...
The entire podcast is good -
https://theintercept.com/2017/03/22/intercepted-podcast-could-trump-star...
Jimmy Dore lets loose on bombing for democracy, cause we keep hitting hospitals (14 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42mdR10PAv0
It really is all about the oligarchs...
The President is a puppet on a string dancing to the tune of the Mercers. Two recent exposes – a brilliant one by Jane Mayer in the New Yorker and one in the Washington Post – focus on Robert Mercer, the reclusive brilliant computer programmer and hedge-fund manager and how his money helped propel Trump into power. http://priceofoil.org/2017/03/20/the-reclusive-climate-denying-puppet-ma...
Jane was on Democracy Now talking about her article and more. Interesting interview.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HdifKgmPFQ (19 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM1nmKHujPI (15 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCdfgwdk_aM (7 min)
Economist Bill Black discusses the relationships of Goldman Sachs and the current administration. This part of the administrative state will not be deconstructed! (10 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIsXqYFw7BY
Max and Stacy discuss the power of the oligarchs and how they drive our addictions – from tobacco to Oxycontin. (26 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvG0dDkcTyA
Gambling with our future. Chris Hedges discusses our addictions and the way we are controlled with Professor Natasha Dow Schüll, author of " Addiction by Design" (26 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDNzzEWMPhk
Meanwhile ...
Wealthcare suffered at least a temporary defeat this week, and the SCOTUS Nomination in crisis too.
Ryan withdraws Chumpcare and says we'll live with Obamacare for the forseeable future (2 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNFEDLx7dLg
Wealthcare withdrawn. National Nurses United co-director Jean Ross says only Medicare for All can provide care for millions who still remain uninsured under the Affordable Care Act (7 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FcDgMSWbxg
SCOTUS battle
I found this clip interesting. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Eric Lipton of The New York Times speaks about the role of the federalist society. He recently co-wrote a piece headlined "In Gorsuch, Conservative Activist Sees Test Case for Reshaping the Judiciary."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pr83_43RPk (19 min)
Gorsuch was covered extensively on Democracy Now throughout the week including intereviews with college chums. https://www.youtube.com/user/democracynow/videos
There are still issues which have not been explored
https://theintercept.com/2017/03/23/the-life-and-death-issue-ignored-at-...
News you might not have heard?
In a 50-to-48 vote along party lines, the U.S. Senate decided to kill FCC rules blocking your ISP from selling your browsing history to the advertising industry without permission. Should the change pass the House, as is expected, the likes of Comcast and Verizon will be able to make money disclosing what you buy, where you browse, and what you search from your own home, all without asking permission.
https://theintercept.com/2017/03/23/the-senate-just-voted-to-sell-you-ou...
Media
Glenn Greenwald and Noam Chomsky discuss Edward Snowden and the NSA (1.1 hours)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwFUVBLOAeE
Glenn Greenwald speaks with Jordan about the lies the media continue to spread about Snowden (22 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aD7VfJzLGU
https://theintercept.com/2017/03/21/newly-obtained-documents-prove-key-c...
Chris Hedges, host of “On Contact,” was nominated to receive the prize for Outstanding and Informative Talk Show Host. He joins Ashlee Banks to explain the importance of public broadcasting and why dissident voices need airtime. (4 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9YqZutJrsA
Lee Camp's take on the lame stream media (11 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwAbrtTM07A
Abby Martin is a brilliant, cutting-edge investigative journalist and host of the Empire Files. She’s constantly speaking truth to power and calling out the US war machine and the failings of the corporate mainstream media. Lee and Abby discuss all of this, as well as the apartheid state that is Israel-Palestine. (1st 15 min) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_Bjmzs2d-c
Journalist Barrett Brown on Prison, Leakers, and Private Intelligence Agencies
Brown was released from prison this past November after four years behind bars for his association with "hacktivists." (19 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72fq-2dp3XM
Speaking of fake media... it is finally time for The Russians...
Former CIA analyst Ray McGovern shares his insight into the hearings and opine on today's Russophobic media climate and the powers that cultivate it. (6.5 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Chsm2CNB9jY
Jeffrey Tayler, Contributing editor to The Atlantic, tells Paul Jay there are steps the Trump administration can take if it is serious about reducing tensions with Russia (22 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fceHwkFlER8
Glen Ford says that even if the US does prove that Russia interfered in the 2016 elections, the actions don't match the scale of America's interference in elections across the world (14 min).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HytYsRQ9Zgc
Speaking out for Justice ….
Florida State Attorney Aramis Ayala, told assembled reporters that seeking the death penalty is “not in the best interests of this community or in the interest of justice.”
https://theintercept.com/2017/03/24/florida-governor-rick-scott-is-punis...
Ayala’s announcement sparked immediate backlash from the police union and Florida Governor Rick Scott, who called on her to recuse herself from the Loyd case. When she refused, Scott signed an executive order removing her from the case and reassigning it. (6.5 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1y8NvuMum8
The environment
The air pollution crisis in St. John the Baptist may be the best illustration of why we need the EPA
https://theintercept.com/2017/03/24/a-louisiana-town-plagued-by-pollutio...
The Arctic sea ice extent set a record low after a warm winter. Combining the Arctic and Antarctic numbers shows that the planet’s global sea ice levels on Feb. 13 were at their lowest point since satellites began to continuously measure sea ice in 1979. NASA (45 sec)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adQ2tarZyUY
Centre for Sustainable Economy's Ted Gleichman says we need to see the fossil fuel industry as a rogue industry that can no longer be considered just another normal part of the economy (19 min) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMVcYfzoszc
And for some movie entertainment..how about “The Voice of Terror”?
Sherlock will show you how to deal with terrorists! (1.1 hour)
Cryptic radio broadcasts from Nazi Germany are spreading panic throughout the region. Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) and his devoted assistant, Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce), are summoned by British intelligence to find the source of the mysterious "Voice of Terror."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2885_XGXkM
...and a nice version of Dylan's “Masters of War” (5 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2mabTnMHe8
Here's hoping you all find a little peace wherever you are today. Perhaps we can all be a voice for peace and environmental harmony. What this country does in the name of profit is shameful. Maybe we should all hold peace vigils. Well, I'll keep singing and teaching when and where I can, and hope you'll do the same. What's on your mind? It's an open thread!
Comments
Palms up, arms pumping
Happy dance
five blocks away: Community Market opens downtown (Slideshow)
Godot is here, lol I have photos of the place looking empty as hell for a couple years. Oh man, I was afraid to shop there but I finally did and it can be good. Cancel Netflix and spend there instead, probably on bulk. Not very entertaining but wow good food is expensive. It is hard to choose, how'd I get so lucky? Thanks!
Peace & Love
Wear Tie-dye
Hi eyo
Congrats on the fresh market! Last year one of the camps on the mountain (there are 20 of them)hired some young organic farmers from CO. Their main job is to grow food for the kids/campers during the summer, but they offer an open market every Friday evening. They have yard eggs, pastured pork, organic beef, and vegetables in season. We're pretty good gardeners, but these young folks taught us old dogs some new tricks on extending our season into the summer with cool season crops like lettuce. Plus they are great addition to the community.
As a result more young folks are coming in like the young couple running a fermenting business with products like Kombucha, kraut, and ginger beer. They market to several whole foods and green markets in the surrounding cities.
Anyway it is nice to have productive young folks around here and I bet in your community too. All the best eyo!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Good morning
Did anyone watch the movie posted in last Sunday's weekly, Salt of the Earth? It had substance, this weeks film is fluff...with Sherlock fighting the obviously evil Nazis. If only we could see our country has now donned the cape of evil empire and become the force we say we fight.
Fortunately, there is an active peace movement. http://worldbeyondwar.org/
Here's a calendar of events for those who might want to act.
worldbeyondwar.org/eventsforWBW/
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
I am so tired of talk of Russian election meddling (muddling)
and banking meddling, it seems to be a moving target, and some people have bought in! Trumpophobia hits new heights, Paul Ryan got his just desserts (yay) and the Democrats twiddle their thumbs.
Foot disability has me sitting on my ass in front of a computer (with foot elevated on an old peach crate. Dr's orders) or I am horizontal reading one of two Kindles or sleeping. But life goes on, have to put some bill payments in the mail, pick up yesterday's mail and put out trash for tomorrow's pickup. All in the stream that is my driveway. Do not get cast wet. Ha! No one else to do these chores. I am considered noncompliant by my foot surgeon. Big sighs from him. Two weeks more until a dozen or so staples are popped out of incision site.
Upgrades (biggening) of the gas pipeline that does not serve the area have been approved by FERC. Compression station is three miles from my house, which is kinda around a hill. Too close for comfort. They have had toxic spills in the past. Dominion is a creepy name, Handmaid's Tale.
Raining here. The drought should be over, save the time it takes groundwater to percolate to my well level.
Happy Sunday, off to read this great compendium of links.
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.
Good moring RL
Remember the Dr. works for you...I understand that isn't always the perspective. We've had some rain here too. Not sure of your exact location, but there is still some drought in NY, and though we are improving we still are in a drought.
Be careful of your foot and get well soon! All the best...
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Morning, Lookout.
I've had company all week, so missed lots of goings on. Opened your post first to catch up on the week! Actually, I look forward to your comprehensive Sunday post.
Weather was in the 80's here MTW, and dropped to the 60's ThF. Typical NM weather in March, except it has been warmer and the trees are leafing, even in Santa Fe!
Have a beautiful Sunday, everyone!
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
Good morning RA
Sounds like spring has sprung in NM. Glad you find the links useful. I sometimes wonder when just 10 folks drop in on some Sundays if The Weekly is worth doing, so your feedback is appreciated.
The first link where Max and Stacy talked about war stuck with me (1st 15 mins)
I hope Big Al will drop by and catch the second link. It blew my mind to see all the generals shopping for weapons together...numbing really.
The DN interviews with Jane Mayer were worth the time too.
I'm a sucker for Glenn Greenwald and if you can't spare the hour to hear he and Noam the 20 or so min interview with Jordan had much of the same material.
I guess those were the highlights for me this week. Have a good one RA!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Your Sunday post
is completely worth it!!! A million thanks for the time and effort you put into it.
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
Thanks...
It is comments like yours that make it worth my time!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
A couple more interesting links
Here's a nice resource looking at changes to laws, regs, etc. (if any of you watch worker issues) -
The Worker Rights and Wages Policy Watch tracks actions by the Trump administration, Congress, and federal agencies that affect working people and the economy. The goal is to monitor policy actions as they unfold and assess their impact.
http://www.epi.org/policywatch/
And have you heard about the new documentary, The Age of Consequences?
Director Jared P. Scott is back with a new must-see documentary that offers a chilling warning for climate skeptics from an unlikely source — members of the U.S. military.
http://theageofconsequences.com/
http://www.pnas.org/content/112/11/3241
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Thanks for another great news roundup.
I can't get enough of Glenn Greenwald.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Hi otc
I enjoyed the hour long conversation with he and Noam. I love having the computer hooked to the stereo so I can put on a long conversation and piddle around the house doing chores and such while listening. I used to be an NPR fan, but after their hard right turn I've used select pieces from youtube, the intercept's new podcast, Democracy Now, and so on like my news radio. I'm sure better informed, and not tied to a chair in front of a screen!
Thanks for dropping by!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Just because a guy leveraged his computer science
research into billions of dollars by applying it to a system that gave him an advantage at arbitrage, does not make him a "brilliant computer programmer" -- he might not even be a very good computer programmer -- or even a notably talented computer scientist. lots of people were playing with the same math and algorithms as mercer, at the same time mercer was doing so. yeah, they'd all have been smart, but mercer never did anything academically that makes him stand out from the others who were working in the same field at the same time. engineering the software itself is something any grad student in computer science would be able to do. yes, the math is hard -- too hard for me, really -- but there's no great shortage of folks who can do it. i work with some of them on an almost daily basis. most of them will never be financially secure, nevermind billionaires.
The earth is a multibillion-year-old sphere.
The Nazis killed millions of Jews.
On 9/11/01 a Boeing 757 (AA77) flew into the Pentagon.
AGCC is happening.
If you cannot accept these facts, I cannot fake an interest in any of your opinions.
it used to kill me...
and I guess still does when you would hear some Wall Street suit say they had to spend millions to attract the talent to write the algorithms for their derivatives and such. I always thought I bet I could find the talent much cheaper.
As to Mercer's talent? A master manipulator from behind the curtain. Mayer's interviews are worth the listen or read her article
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/03/27/the-reclusive-hedge-fund-ty...
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
just another sociopath
There's a certain "type" of scientist-technocrat, easily recognized by working scientists who have any interest in the ecology of their niche. Usually, such folks have never gotten over their admiration for Ayn Rand, and have an infantile understanding of the philosophical origins of concepts such as "private property", nevermind the political origins of concepts such as the holding company.
The earth is a multibillion-year-old sphere.
The Nazis killed millions of Jews.
On 9/11/01 a Boeing 757 (AA77) flew into the Pentagon.
AGCC is happening.
If you cannot accept these facts, I cannot fake an interest in any of your opinions.
Thanks again
for another Weekly Watch. There's some stuff in here I haven't seen yet.
Here's a mildly amusing little film, if you want something light: Operation Y and Shurik's Other Adventures (YouTube)
It's a Russian slapstick comedy from 1965, sort of a Soviet Benny Hill, an hour and a half, three 30 min. adventures.
We wanted decent healthcare, a living wage and free college.
The Democrats gave us Biden and war instead.
Thanks!
I look forward to catching your link. I'm a founding member of the Society for the Easily Amused.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
@Azazello
Thanks! From there I wound up here, on an old Jimmy Dore video:
The silly man told them that winning elections wasn't the only thing they should be focusing on, but their country was; he actually claimed that they should be thinking about making the people's lives better! No wonder the Dems booed him!
No matter what happens, Bernie does anything he can - at whatever personal cost - to work toward advancing the public good, especially for the most vulnerable of the American people. We need - despite the multi-million-dollar PR campaigns intended to discredit his messages of democracy - to keep this in mind.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArBVniXa6NY
Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.
A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.
Just found your weekly roundup a few weeks ago.
It's really good and the idea of finding major stories in one place at the end of the week, helps a lot.
Never heard of the Mercers. These families like the Dulles brothers, the Kochs, and the Mercers: makes me want a list.
Still reading David Talbot's book on the Rise of the Secret Government focusing on Allen and Foster Dulles. Well documented and reads well.
Missed the Caitlen Johnston piece this week. I read comments saying she was spot on.
Thanks again.
You may choose to look the other way, but you can never say again you did not know. ~ William Wiberforce
If you can donate, please! POP Money is available for bank-to-bank transfers. Email JtC to make a monthly donation.
Glad you dropped by
Here's Caitlin's articles on newslogue
http://www.newslogue.com/profile/6
I've been thinking of the battle of the oligarchs like aristocratic wars. When the Koch's decided to offer money to reps voting against Ryancare...it smells like oligarchs not the work of the people as is being presented.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Firefox browser users...
I recently discovered a "faster Firefox" knockoff called Waterfox at... Waterfox. Waterfox simply is Firefox without the bloat. Upon DL and boot there's nothing to setup. Waterfox opens to the same page your Firefox opened, saving your "look" and settings from Firefox. That is, it will look identical to your firefox, the difference being the faster speed in navigation and page loads due to a more streamlined less bloated browser.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
Thanks wink
I'll look into it. I use firefox.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Thanks, great as usual. When all is said and done, however,
my fave is the "empire in decline" cartoon, just so perfectly true.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Almost picked up the Sunday NY Times today at our supermarket,
but glad we didn't. Subconsciously probably knew that I could spend some time with your OT instead and be duly rewarded for it.
Used to love occasionally sitting around on a lazy Sunday with that enormous bulk of paper, but in the end it would sometimes have me feeling guilty about the waste of both the sheer use of paper to print it and the mind-boggling amount of words to read. Makes me think of George Carlin's joke about airline security, in which he's ripping the silliness of all the things now prohibited from bringing onto flights, makes mention that you could probably beat someone to death with the Sunday NY Times if you really wanted to. That image comes to mind almost every time I walk by a newsstand, which isn't often anymore, and see that ever-bloating, phone book-size contraption which goes for 6 bucks (!) now.
We did keep with one part of that tradition at home today. That was, we treated ourselves to the classic brunch meal of smoked salmon on a toasted bagel, with capers, red onion, tomatoes and tofu cream cheese (and today with a touch of fresh dill). Still one of my all-time favorite combinations of flavors. To compliment that I whipped up a fresh fruit salad of julienned apple, sliced banana, toasted walnuts/almonds and pecans, with a sprinkle of rose water and cinnamon, and made a tall espresso. Perfect.
While I ate I turned on the local NYC.gov tv channel. To my delight they had an indie documentary about an Oakland street fair that mingled with activism, police violence awareness, an open market bazaar, arts and crafts, protest, art galleries, street performers and civic leaders. Was wonderfully made: fast-paced, colorful, and with a few dimensions to it through the eyes of locals. Think it was made by a local activist lamenting the gentrification of her neighborhood, the senseless police murders of young black and brown youth and the loss of a sense of community to rampant capitalism.
Really liked the RT Keiser Report piece too. Sometimes Max and Stacey really hammer things home as expatriates. It's evident that on American tv you rarely if ever will hear reporters so relaxed and unencumbered taking about things that would be too controversial for the corporate-dominated MSM lapdogs here. Calling out the military industrial complex for war-mongering and the financial escapades motivating it is right on target.
Oh, thanks again for the suggestion last week to watch the Hedges interview with the author of the Twain/Teddy Roosevelt book. Was excellent. Though I was a bit surprised that the author seemed unaware of the politically and socially mercurial side of Twain, as he was researching the topic. Glad he was taken in enough by it to find an angle between these two men of their times and write a book around Twain's role in challenging American hegemony. The more I dig into Twain, which I've been doing again a lot lately, the more I love his red hot righteous indignation toward greed, unfairness, imperialism, crony capitalism, business fraud and media cowardice. "A Pen Warmed Up In Hell" for sure. Hedges seemed much more aware of this side of Twain, even to the extent of knowing that Twain was reticent to have certain things printed while he was alive, and cautiously commanding them to be printed posthumously.
Great job as always, Lookout.
"If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph:
THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED
FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
WAS MUSIC"
- Kurt Vonnegut
Hey Mark
Sounds like a nice breakfast...very European. Eggs and grits here.
I read "Letters from the Earth" and woke to Twain in a new way several years back. Much to explore there. He had quite the knack of putting folks in other folks shoes - from Prince and Pauper to Pudd'nhead Wilson.
Enjoy your Sunday.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”