Over at AmericaBlog Matt Browner Hamlin lays out in simple terms why liberals need to join #OcccupyWallStreet . Hamlin specifically zeroes in on a key passage of a must read Green Greenwald post pushing back against criticisms coming against these movement from certain mainstream progressive corners: But for those who believe that protests are only worthwhile if they translate into quantifiable impact: the lack of organizational sophistication or messaging efficacy on the part of the Wall Street protest is a reason to support it and get involved in it, not turn one’s nose up at it and join in the media demonization. That’s what one actually sympathetic to its messaging (rather than pretending to be in order more effectively to discredit it) would do. Anyone who looks at mostly young citizens marching in the street protesting the corruption of Wall Street and the harm it spawns, and decides that what is warranted is mockery and scorn rather than support, is either not seeing things clearly or is motivated by objectives other than the ones being presented. Seth D. Michaels from Working America’s “Main Street” blog also made similar arguments yesterday: What’s important about this protest, to my mind, is not the particular goals, tactics or supporters. While the protest itself has drawn criticism or indifference from many corners, it illuminates two important points. First, the financial sector in this country has been taking up a larger and larger share of the economy as the rest of us have fallen further and further behind. Second, the big banks and investment firms who helped cause the crisis and the recession haven’t been fully reined in or held accountable. That matters, and people around the country get it. We talk to thousands of Americans in their neighborhoods every week, and they understand the real-life effects of Wall Street’s outsized power: the failure of the economy to create good jobs at good wages, the powerful influence of corporations in our politics, the difficulty of keeping a roof over your family’s head. If you want to get an understanding of the broad scope of this movement, I would recommend reading up Sarah Jaffe’s piece yesterday describing how these protesters are fighting banksters greed and the surveillance state . Obviously I don’t expect the wankers in the DC media to get this. They are too busy slobbering all over former Wall Street lobbyist Chris Christie as “the people’s choice,” shamelessly begging him to run for the White House. Those guys are hopeless. However, I think it is also worth noting that this movement provides a great opportunity for progressive organizations, talkers … well to organize around. The amazing narrative being threaded by these protesters against Wall Street greed and corruption seems to be right in the wheelhouse of traditional progressive groups who have always spoken up against too much money in politics. Thankfully folks like Keith Olbermann and Sam Seder are taking note . Our own Kenneth Quinnell here at C&L has been all over the story as well. But we need more. As MBH noted in his post #OcccupyWallStreet is an expression of anger that represents “99 percent of citizenry,” who doesn’t get a seat at the table of high $$ fancy fundraisers in DC. It is a massive opportunity for the progressive organizations in DC to step up and join them. EDITOR’S NOTE: There are solidarity demonstrations this weekend…possibly one near you. Check out Facebook for more details .
Continue reading …Joe Scarborough Rips E.J. Dionne: ‘He Changes Every Couple of Years Depending on Who’s in the White House’
September 29, 2011 No Comment
For the second time this month, MSNBC's Joe Scarborough has taken on the extreme liberal bias of Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne. On Thursday's “Morning Joe,” after Mika Brzezinski read part of Dionne's pathetic ” Why Conservatives Hate Warren Buffett ,” her co-host replied, “I like E.J., but he changes every couple of years depending on who’s in the White House” (video follows with transcript and commentary): [Dedicated Newsbusters readers! We are up to $2940 of our goal to raise $5000. Help us continue to expose and defeat the insidious bias of the liberal media. Show your appreciation for NewsBusters and get "I Don't Believe the Liberal Media" buttons and bumper stickers, or a Chris Matthews floormat, as our thank you. Donate now! ] MIKA BRZEZINSKI, CO-HOST: Okay, so time now for the must-read opinion pages. “Why Conservatives Hate Warren Buffett.” This is in the Washington Post by E.J. Dionne. And he writes in part this: Maybe only a really, really rich guy can credibly make the case for why the wealthy should be asked to pay more in taxes. You can’t accuse a big capitalist of “class warfare.” That’s why the right wing despises Warren Buffett and is trying so hard to shut him up. Militant conservatives are effective because they are absolutely shameless. Many of the same people who think the rich should be free to spend unlimited sums influencing our politics without having to disclose anything are now asking Buffett to make his tax returns public. I guess if you’re indifferent to consistency, you have a lot of freedom of action. JOE SCARBOROUGH, HOST: Speaking of being indifferent to consistency, E.J. Dionne, go back and see his columns when George Bush was president and Barack Obama was president. There you will find one of the most inconsistent columnists. I like E.J., but he changes every couple of years depending on who’s in the White House. But on this Warren Buffett, we don’t hate Warren Buffett. I like Warren Buffett. We’ve interviewed him. I love his story. He’s living in that same house since 1963. BRZEZINSKI: He’s got a good message. SCARBOROUGH: He was slow and steady as they go when the tech world was booming. He kept his head down, and he kept getting three, four percent. I like Warren Buffett a lot. BRZEZINSKI: Ask Pat. Do they hate him? SCARBOROUGH: I like him a lot. But I’ve been very critical of him because you will get millionaires and billionaires going on going, “Mr. President, I’ll pay more taxes.” Well, no, first of all, nobody’s stopping them from paying more taxes. BRZEZINSKI: Please do. SCARBOROUGH: And secondly, they have a fleet. And it’s fine, it’s their right. They have a fleet of lawyers and accountants and trust attorneys working around the clock to shelter their income so they don’t have to pay taxes, which is fine. That is your right as an American, but if you’re going to work and your people are going to work around the clock to not pay taxes, please, don’t come out at the same time going, “Hey, I, raise my taxes.” Knowing Pat Buchanan cynically, that even if they raise the top rate to 39.6 percent, Warren Buffett will still be paying eight percent tax, eighteen percent of his income in taxes, while people who make far, far, far less than him will be the ones stuck holding the tab. PAT BUCHANAN: You know, it’s, I tend to think he’s a bit of a hot dog, Joe. You know, “I really want to pay more taxes. My secretary pays more than I do.” Why doesn’t he pay her taxes… BRZEZINSKI: That’s what I was thinking. BUCHANAN: …and why doesn’t he tell, I mean, himself, why doesn’t he pay at the rate he could pay? Pay at 35 percent. SCARBOROUGH: I was going to say, Pat, just pay 35 percent. BUCHANAN: Exactly. SCARBOROUGH: If you think the Bush tax cuts are immoral and too low, then instead of paying eighteen percent of your taxes… BUCHANAN: Sure. SCARBOROUGH: …pay 35 percent of your taxes. Exactly. Those interested should also read ” Scarborough Smacks Down E.J. Dionne's GOP Obstruction Charge: Obama 'Owned Washington' for Two Years .”
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Scotland Yard investigates how home secretary’s diary went missing but insists security has not been compromised Scotland Yard has been called in after the home secretary’s personal engagements diary was mislaid. The Metropolitan police are looking into the circumstances of how Theresa May’s diary went missing, but insisted that security has not been compromised. A Met spokesman said: “We are aware that a document was misplaced and are looking into the circumstances of how this occurred. “The paper was not protectively marked. Security was not compromised.” Keith Vaz MP, the Labour chairman of the Commons home affairs select committee, said: “It’s serious that someone with the security importance of the home secretary should have her security compromised in this way. “It is very disappointing that this has happened.” It is understood the diary was left at a Glasgow concert hall on Sunday where May was attending the National Police Memorial Day to remember fallen officers, which was also attended by the Prince of Wales. Theresa May Conservatives Police guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …I’m a hockey fan. A big one. I could go on and on about why I think my Buffalo Sabres could make a run this year, but I’ll skip that for now. When I was a kid, several Sabres were my favorite people on planet Earth. Cooler than the Power Rangers. Dominik Hasek. Michael Peca. Rob Ray. I followed their every move and watched every game I could. I can honestly say I looked up to them. Earlier this week, Philadelphia Flyers player Wayne Simmonds called New York Rangers forward and marriage equality advocate Sean Avery a “f-cking faggot.” Now, when Lakers player Kobe Bryant did this a few months ago, the NBA swiftly verbally disciplined him and handed him a $100,000 fine. Kobe apologized. A model of a mistake and a correction. This case? The NHL comes up with a lame excuse about how it wasn’t verified by the refs and Simmonds glosses over what he did . Thing is, video can be found below: Unless he was using a different language, it’s clear evidence of what he said. Not acceptable, NHL. Today, we at the Courage Campaign are petitioning the NHL to reconsider. Please sign and share this action. You can also tweet: RT @couragecampaign Fight homophobia in sports! Tell @NHL to discipline Wayne Simmonds. Sign here: bit.ly/pOD4AP This stuff matters. Why? Google Wayne Simmonds and you’ll see this is on ESPN, USA Today , Huffington Post . There are kids watching who don’t think calling someone “faggot” matters. There are parents watching who think it’s no big deal for their kids to use that kind of language. Culture and sports set a tone. ESPN’s Johnette Howard gets it right in this piece looking at the history here. The NBA set the bar. The NHL isn’t living up to it. For all the impact of “It Gets Better” videos, it would be nice to start with the source of the bullying and get it right from the start, wouldn’t it? Sign here. Cross-posted at Courage Campaign Institute’s Prop8TrialTracker.com
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Photographer Dale Sutton uses infra-red technology to capture familiar UK animals in stunning details
Continue reading …Amanda Knox ‘crucified’ for crime she did not commit, lawyer tells court
September 29, 2011 No Comment
US student wrongly convicted of murdering Briton Meredith Kercher thanks to flawed evidence, counsel tells judge and jury Amanda Knox has been “crucified, impaled in the piazza” for a crime she never committed, her lawyer told the court hearing her appeal against a 26-year sentence for murdering British student Meredith Kercher. Carlo Dalla Vedova was speaking after another lawyer called the University of Washington student an “enchanting witch” in a case shot through with religious and occult imagery Dalla Vedova said Knox, 24, had spent more than 1,000 days in prison on the basis of “evidence that cannot stand up to other hypotheses”. How many times, he asked rhetorically, had he and other members of her legal team heard her say: “Why won’t they believe me?” The prosecution, and the lawyer for the Kercher family – who have joined themselves to the case – repeatedly emphasised in their final submissions the horror of the crime and the suffering of the victim’s relatives. But that was not the point, said Dalla Vedova. “Be respectful of the pain caused by the death of Meredith Kercher,” he said. “But don’t make the mistake of keeping two innocent people in jail. Pain is not a legal argument.” A verdict is expected on Monday. Knox has been joined in her appeal by her former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, an Italian jailed for 25 years for his part in what the court decided was a drug-fuelled, sexually-motivated killing. A third defendant, Rudy Guede, was convicted separately. The appeal is based on the argument that Kercher was killed by Guede alone after the Ivory Coast-born drifter broke into the flat she shared with Knox. Dalla Vedova began a point-by-point examination of the case against Knox by looking at her statement, made to police after an all-night interrogation, that she had been at the scene of the crime. She had not been given any legal assistance and, at the time she was no more than a “ragazzina” – a young girl – with scant knowledge of Italian on her first trip abroad, he said. Knox had come to Italy less than a month before that date to study, along with Kercher, at Perugia’s university for foreigners. Much of the prosecution case, claimed Dalla Vedova, was based on “conjecture” and unreliable “low copy number” DNA evidence. He cited by way of example the acquittal in 2007 in Belfast of the Omagh bombing defendant Sean Hoey, who had been indicted on the basis of low copy number DNA testing. Meredith Kercher Amanda Knox Italy Europe United States John Hooper guardian.co.uk
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Merkel pushes through rescue package in step towards tackling the eurozone’s sprawling debt crisis Angela Merkel has successfully corralled her government into voting for the revamped euro bailout fund, asserting her authority as chancellor by pushing through the bill without needing to rely on opposition help. Of 611 MPs present in a highly-charged sitting at the Bundestag on Thursday morning, 523 voted in favour of expanding the powers of the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF). Under the plan, the EFSF will be enlarged to €440bn (£382bn). It will also be given the ability to give “precautionary loans” to struggling European countries, buy EU government debt, and provide funding to shore up the capital reserves of European banks. The result was a triumph for Germany’s shaky coalition government and marked a major step towards tackling the eurozone’s sprawling sovereign debt crisis. Some analysts, though, argue that more radical measures will be needed . Eighty-five voted against the motion, including 10 from Merkel’s own Christian Democratic bloc and three from the Free Democratic party (FDP), the chancellor’s coalition partners. Most of the “no” voters belonged to the far-left Linke party, who believe the bailout fund will make banks richer and ordinary Europeans poorer. Only three MPs abstained, meaning that Germany in the future will be guaranteeing loans to the EFSF of up to €211bn, rather than €123bn so far. Just a month ago, test votes suggested up to 25 coalition MPs were planning to rebel after polls showed three-quarters of Germans opposed the bill. Had Merkel failed to pass the vote without relying on support from opposition MPs from the Social Democratic (SPD) and Green parties, many analysts believed her position would have been untenable and the coalition would have collapsed. Yet after a night of intense lobbying, a majority of coalition members – 315 – voted in favour of the measure, enough to have ensured its passage even without opposition help. “This shows the clear determination of the coalition on this issue,” Rainer Brüderle, parliamentary leader of Merkel’s junior partner, the Free Democrats, told the n-tv broadcaster after the vote. “We have made an important decision for Europe.” Yet Frank Schäffler, also of the Free Democrats, argued that bailout measures had worsened Greece’s economic situation. “Despite all arguments, the first bailout did not make the situation for Greece better, but worse,” Schäffler said. “Expanding the fund will make the situation even worse.” Though Merkel described the euro before the vote as “our common future” and said approving the beefed-up bailout fund was “of the very, very greatest significance”, discussions went deep into the night Wednesday, in an attempt to win over dissenting members of her governing coalition. On Wednesday, Finland voted in favour of expanding the fund’s powers despite earlier threats to pull out of a rescue plan for Greece. The fund expansion has to be ratified by all 17 eurozone nations to take force. Germany’s upper house of parliament is expected to pass the measure on Friday. European debt crisis Germany Angela Merkel European banks Europe Helen Pidd guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Aww: London Rioters, Hurt By Cuts in Social Spending, ‘Lacked Hope," Says NY Times
September 29, 2011 No Comment
European-based New York Times reporter Nicholas Kulish filed a big-think off-lead Wednesday from Madrid, “ As Scorn for Vote Grows, Protests Surge Around Globe ,” and became the latest Times reporter to suggest that the rioters who burned and looted shops in London for shoes and smart phones were actually impoverished outcasts engaged in political protest. Hundreds of thousands of disillusioned Indians cheer a rural activist on a hunger strike. Israel reels before the largest street demonstrations in its history. Enraged young people in Spain and Greece take over public squares across their countries. Their complaints range from corruption to lack of affordable housing and joblessness, common grievances the world over. But from South Asia to the heartland of Europe and now even to Wall Street, these protesters share something else: wariness, even contempt, toward traditional politicians and the democratic political process they preside over. They are taking to the streets, in part, because they have little faith in the ballot box. “Our parents are grateful because they’re voting,” said Marta Solanas, 27, referring to older Spaniards’ decades spent under the Franco dictatorship. “We’re the first generation to say that voting is worthless.” Economics have been one driving force, with growing income inequality, high unemployment and recession-driven cuts in social spending breeding widespread malaise. Alienation runs especially deep in Europe, with boycotts and strikes that, in London and Athens, erupted into violence. But even in India and Israel, where growth remains robust, protesters say they so distrust their country’s political class and its pandering to established interest groups that they feel only an assault on the system itself can bring about real change. Kulish relayed arguments of a left-wing writer who sympathized with the rioters, blowing right past the irony that these alleged victims of social-spending cuts were coordinating riots with expensive high-tech equipment.
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Michael Cohen, 42, is stable in hospital after attack by great white shark off Fish Hoek beach in South Africa A British shark attack victim whose leg was bitten off was saved by bystanders who applied a makeshift tourniquet from a wetsuit and two belts, a surgeon has said. Michael Cohen, 42, was attacked by the great white while swimming at Fish Hoek beach in Cape Town, South Africa. He emerged from the water bleeding profusely from his right thigh and left ankle which was also bitten through. A surgeon, Prof Andrew Nichol, said Cohen was critical but stable in hospital after receiving more than seven litres of blood. He paid tribute to those who saved Cohen’s life, saying: “That tourniquet has consisted of a wetsuit applied around the thigh and wrapped around with two belts very, very tightly. It was an amateur tourniquet but it had almost completely resulted in a cessation of blood loss. “I just want to commend the first aid work of those on the beach. The tremendous way in which they responded actually saved the life of this patient.” It is thought those responsible for saving Cohen left the beach without passing on their details. Cohen is believed to be a part-time accountant living in the Cape Town suburb of Plumstead. He was airlifted to Constantiaberg Medi-Clinic where he arrived fully conscious. Medics stabilised him and battled to save his life, taking him into surgery where the tourniquet was removed. Nichol said: “We continued with the resuscitation and stabilisation. In theatre it was fairly obvious that nothing could be done as there was no right lower leg so we just formalised the amputation on that site surgically.” An orthopaedic team was called in to look at Cohen’s left leg because there were worries about blood flow to it, said the professor. Despite the shark cutting through Cohen’s left ankle, painstaking work was done to treat the wound and clean his foot, which was still present. “It is a major injury to his left lower leg,” said Nichol. “With him having lost the right leg it is absolutely imperative we do everything in our power to ensure that left leg remains viable and we will continue to go flat out on that.” Cohen will go back into theatre in 24 hours for his wounds to be assessed and ensure no infection is setting in. The surgeon said he had spoken to Cohen’s parents. “They are obviously extremely traumatised by the whole episode,” he said. It was reported that the beach was closed when Cohen went for a swim and a shark flag, indicating the presence of a great white, was flying. He was said to be the only person in the water. South Africa Wildlife Animals Africa guardian.co.uk
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Figures show gaps in achievement persist between boys and girls, and between poor and more affluent Tens of thousands of seven-year-olds are struggling to master the three Rs, official figures show . The new statistics reveal that after three years of schooling many children can read only the easiest words, such as “cat” or “dog”, and do the very simplest sums. Almost 106,000 seven-year-olds have failed to reach level 2 – the standard expected of the age group – in writing. More than 83,000 pupils have a reading age of a five-year-old or lower. And over 58,000 children are falling behind the expected standard in maths. The figures, published by the Department for Education, are based on teachers’ assessments of pupil achievement at the age of seven. They show that 85% reached the expected level or higher in reading, 81% achieved it in writing, 90% made at least level 2 in maths and 89% reached it in science. These figures are broadly the same as last year. The percentages of pupils achieving level 3 – one above the required standard – in each of these subjects has also remained static this year, except in science, where it dropped from 21% to 20%. The statistics also show that boys are still lagging behind girls. Nearly nine in 10 (89%) seven-year-old girls reached level 2 or higher in reading, compared with 82% of boys. In writing, 87% of girls scored at least level 2 compared with three-quarters (76%) of boys, and in maths there was a gap of three percentage points, with 91% of girls achieving the expected level against 88% of boys. Schools minister Nick Gibb says: “These figures show that many children are doing well. But it is worrying that there are still so many who are behind just three years into their school careers. “Success in later life is founded on an understanding of the 3Rs in the first few years of school. Problems must be identified at a young age and rectified before it is too late.” There is also a gap in achievement between children from disadvantaged backgrounds and their more affluent classmates. Just two-thirds (67%) of pupils on free school meals (FSM) – a measure of poverty – reached level 2 in writing, compared with 85% of all other pupils. And while 88% of all other pupils reached the expected standard in reading, the same was true for only 73% of children eligible for free dinners. In maths, 81% of FSM pupils reached level 2 compared with 92% of other youngsters. Gibb says: “The overriding objective of the government is to close the attainment gap between those from poorer and wealthier backgrounds. “Today’s key stage 1 figures, revealing that a third of boys eligible for free school meals are not reaching the expected level in reading, demonstrates the scale of the challenge and why tackling poor reading is such an urgent priority.” Primary schools The gender gap Schools guardian.co.uk
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