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Friday, November 30

29.Nov.2012 - A Decisive Victory for Palestine, Anti-Drone Activists, Fast Food Workers Strike Across NYC, Fight Against Tar Sands, Austerity Crisis, Sucking Up to the Military Brass, Humiliation of Bradley Manning, Price Tag for Allergies Will Rise, Journalism Tips, Taxing the Rich is Good, Julian Assange on Surveillance State, Libyan Revolution Front Lines


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UN: A Decisive Victory for Palestine

Despite objections from US and Israel, 138 nations vote to approve statehood

Anti-Drone Activists Could Get 7 Years for 'Irritating' US Air Force Colonel

A local judge in upstate New York has signed an order of protection for a US Air Force colonel that could make it a crime, punishable by up to seven years in prison, for anti-drone activists to continue their weekly peace vigil outside or near the gates of the Hancock Air National Guard base there.

Fast Food Workers Launch Strikes Across New York City

On the heels of Black Friday WalMart walkouts, hundreds of fast food restaurant workers are planning to strike in high-traffic commercial centers.


Looking for the Revolution Outside a Wendy’s in Brooklyn

The protest at Wendy's was just one of several throughout New York City today, all part of the launch of a new unionization campaign aimed at NYC's fast food workers, one which is backed by several activist groups and big unions and dozens of organizers and is not, I daresay, fucking around.


Historic Fast Food Strike in NYC Fights CEO's for Living Wages

Fast food workers across New York City hit the streets today in a strike against the $200 billion fast food industry, which workers charge pays wages so low that many struggle to meet their basic needs.

Fight Against Tar Sands in Texas Continues: Activists Arrested, Hunger Strike Started

Study: 4 Trillion Tons of Ice Melt Raising Seas at Alarming Rate

Concluding what colleagues are calling an 'unprecedented' and exhaustive study, scientists on Thursday said they can report "definitively" that the ice sheets of both Antarctica and Greenland are, indeed, melting and that as global temperatures continue to soar this melting will lead to continued and drastic sea level increases.

It’s Not a Fiscal Cliff, It’s an Austerity Crisis

Washington is not known for the stunning clarity with which it frames and addresses tough issues. But has there ever been a debate so mired in confusion as the one around the so-called fiscal cliff?

Sucking Up to the Military Brass 
Few things have characterized the post-9/11 American world more than our worshipful embrace of our generals. They’ve become our heroes, our sports stars, and our celebrities all rolled into one. We can’t stop gushing about them. Even after his recent fall from grace, General David Petraeus was still being celebrated by CNN as the best American general since Dwight D. Eisenhower (and let’s not forget that Ike commanded the largest amphibious invasion in history and held a fractious coalition together in a total war against Nazi Germany). 

The Humiliation of Bradley Manning
It is a bitter irony that Army Pvt. Bradley Manning, whose conscience compelled him to leak evidence about the U.S. military brass ignoring evidence of torture in Iraq, was himself the victim of cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment while other military officers privately took note but did nothing.

SNEEZE

U.S. Price Tag for Allergies Will Rise Because of Climate Change

Longer pollen season and wider ragweed exposure will affect more people

Donald Trump in perspective
You don't have to be an Obama fan to appreciate this
The Next 4 Years with Obama and Journalism Tips
New Film 'Stand' Documents Risks of Enbridge’s Northern Gateway Pipeline

Robert Reich: Don’t Listen to Wall Street — Taxing the Rich is Good for the Economy


EXCLUSIVE: Julian Assange on WikiLeaks, Bradley Manning, Cypherpunks, Surveillance State

Smoke Signals: Martin Lee on Growing U.S. Movement to Legalize Marijuana

DOCUMENTARY OF THE DAY:
FRONT LINES OF THE LIBYAN REVOLUTION

Thursday, November 29

29.Nov.2012 - Demanding a People's Recovery, President Signs Whistle-blower Protection Bill, Brutal Face of Global Capitalism, EPA Bans BP from New Fed Contracts, Privacy Groups Challenge Facebook, Military Boycott of Israel, Third World America, more


New Twitter Account
http://www.twitter.com/dustcirclenews 
 
Don't forget to go to dustcircle.com and VOTE for which book we'll be giving away in December There's also a Donation button, if you're inclined to give toward this site. Also, have you written a book? We'd like to read and review it.

A police officer uses a shield to protect himself from milk being projected by dairy farmers, during a protest by dairy farmers against European Union agricultural policies, in Brussels, on Nov. 26, 2012. (John Thys/AFP/Getty Images)Protesting Farmers Spray EU Parliament With Milk 


European farmers protesting in Brussels sprayed the European Parliament building and riot police with fresh milk, demanding that parliamentarians do something to increase milk prices and prevent dairies from going out of business.
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/world/protesting-farmers-spray-eu-parliament-with-milk-photos-319320.html

Demanding a people's recovery
Peter Rugh reports that grassroots relief efforts after Sandy want bigger changes.
http://socialistworker.org/2012/11/28/demanding-a-peoples-recovery

The Real Threat to Internet Freedom Isn't the United Nations

Governments are cooperating on surveillance in other, less obvious ways.


WalMart earns record profits while supporting Republicans who want to slash their employees’ food stamps
Businesses succeed or fail based on providing a quality product consumers demand, but they also depend on delivering good service and it is why courteous and proficient employees are as important an asset as product line. In the service industry, employees are a company’s greatest asset and it is why business owners are wise to take care of their workers and provide incentives for them to give customers an experience that encourages return business. 

Obama's Second Term: The Chance to Unleash the Audacity
Appearing on CNN, retiring Senator Joe Lieberman gave voice to the conventional wisdom: "In my opinion the last two years, 2011-12, have been the least productive and most partisan and uncompromising in my 24 years here." For Lieberman, like much of establishment D.C. -- both political and media -- being a "moderate" or a "centrist" or a "pragmatist" is synonymous with the ability to "get things done." Yet, according to the AP, this year's election resulted in "a thinning of pragmatic, centrist veterans in both parties," and that "among those leaving are some of the Senate's most pragmatic lawmakers, nearly half the House's centrist Blue Dog Democrats and several moderate House Republicans."

President signs whistle-blower bill to protect federal workers who expose fraud, waste

Capping a 13-year effort by supporters of whistle-blower rights, the new law closes loopholes created by court rulings, which removed protections for federal whistle-blowers. One loophole specified that whistle-blowers were only protected when they were the first to report misconduct.

Supreme Court Rejects Appeal Over Law Banning Recording The Police


You may recall that we've been following the ongoing saga of a poorly-written piece of state legislation in Illinois, which would strip citizens of their First Amendment rights if they were to film law enforcement performing their duties. One gentleman was facing a possible75 years in jail for five counts at up to 15 years each, until the 7th Circuit appeals court ruled that the law could not be enforced, because it very likely violated the First Amendment.


The brutal face of global capitalism

The worst factory fire in Bangladesh’s history, which broke out on Saturday night in the Ashulia industrial zone, has exposed the ugly workings of global capitalism.

Doha Climate Talks: USA Makes False Claims Of GHG Emission Reduction
Anticipating an onslaught of criticism from poor nations, the US claimed "enormous" strides in reducing GHG emissions at the opening of UN climate talks, despite failing to join other industrialized nations in committing to binding cuts*.
http://www.countercurrents.org/CC281112.htm

Pillar Of Superstition
During this interlude in Israel’s second unprovoked incursion of Gaza, we might pause to reflect on what is, arguably, the real reasons for Netanyahu and Lieberman to execute their victims corralled in the walled prison of Gaza.
http://www.countercurrents.org/cook271112.htm

Cyrus cylinder

Babylonian relic to visit US with historic message of tolerance
The 539BC Cyrus cylinder, owned by the British Museum, is seen by some as the first declaration of human rights
http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2012/nov/27/babylonian-relic-visit-us-message


5 Ways the GOP (And Obama) Have Undermined Our Democracy

The institutions designed to make campaign finances more transparent and to ensure that election technology is evolving are paralyzed by empty leadership positions.
EPA Bans BP From New Federal Contracts
he Environmental Protection Agency has suspended BP from bidding on any new federal contracts as a result of the company's conduct during the Deepwater Horizon drilling disaster that led to 11 deaths and the largest U.S. offshore spill.
http://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/320-80/14773-epa-bans-bp-from-new-federal-contracts

Privacy groups challenge Facebook data policy changes 
Two privacy advocacy groups wrote a letter [text, PDF] on Monday to Facebook[corporate website] CEO Mark Zuckerberg, urging him to withdraw recently announcedproposed changes [press release] to the the site's governance documents. The letter, signed by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) and the Center for Digital Democracy (CDD) [advocacy websites], noted that some of the changes directly affected the company's privacy policy, and that the changes "raise privacy risks for users, may be contrary to law, and violate your previous commitments to users about site governance."
Shutterstock_34195252http://jurist.org/paperchase/2012/11/privacy-groups-challenge-facebook-data-policy-changes.php

Taxation in Theory and Reality
The debate over the fiscal cliff has spawned a multitude of suggestions for reforming the tax system, including my own. One possible reason for the wide range of proposals, even from mainstream economists, is that the recommendations of standard economic theory may be very different from what the American economy actually needs today.
http://bigthink.com/econ201/taxation-in-theory-and-reality

Tax the Rich, Take Your Hands Off Medicare: Overwhelming US Majority

A large majority of US citizens would like to see higher taxes on the rich and oppose cuts to Medicare as an answer to the US deficit, according to a poll released Wednesday by the Washington Post and ABC News.

Nobel Peace Laureates Call For Military Boycott Of Israel

Fifty-two Nobel peace prize-winners, activists and others today called for an international military boycott of Israel after its latest deadly assault against Palestine earlier this month.

Defending Free Speech in the Digital Age
Across the world, the battle for free speech is pitting governments and corporations against activists and average citizens.

TSA employees get whistleblower protections

President Obama on Tuesday signed into law a bill that expands safeguards for federal employees who report waste, fraud or abuse. The bill (S. 743), which cleared its last congressional hurdle earlier this month, grants whistleblower protections for employees who lacked them before, including Transportation Security Administration officers. It also establishes ombudsmen to educate employees about their rights to expose mismanagement and strengthens the Office of Special Counsel’s authority to pursue punishment for supervisors who retaliate against whistleblowers, among other provisions.
http://www.govexec.com/management/2012/11/tsa-employees-get-whistleblower-protections/59757/

NPR affiliate launches drone program
Missouri NPR affiliate KBIA has launched a "Drone Program" in the hopes of building drones to collect media, the station tells POLITICO.
http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2012/11/npr-affiliate-launches-drone-program-150409.html

Third World America: Drowning in Debt and Choking on Lies 
If a drunk driver crashed his speeding rental car into your house and killed your spouse, you would be outraged if law enforcers took bribes and refused to give the driver a blood test. If the judge then gave the killer a small fine and ordered you to pay the fine and pay for all the damages, you'd be outraged. If the government then handed the drunk-driver keys to a bigger faster rental car, handed the drunk driver an even bigger bottle of whiskey, and then gave you the rental bill; you'd storm Washington, blizzard elected officials with protests and organize friends and associates to vote these malefactors, the elected officials that betrayed your trust, out of office.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article33162.htm

UK Shielding Israel From War Crimes Prosecutions
The Guardian newspaper reported on 27 November that Britain is prepared to back a key vote recognizing Palestinian statehood at the United nations but only if the Palestinian Authority chairman, Mahmoud Abbas, pledges not to pursue Israel for war crimes and to resume peace talks.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article33159.htm

Simple proof the government helps the drug trade`

Pat Robertson Finally Says Something Rational

Robertson Admits he Blew Election Prediction he Received from God


robertson

Does the Universe Have a Purpose?



What Really Happened in Gaza

John Pilger : Media And War Conference

Kucinich: Push the Middle Class Off the Cliff? No WAY!


The Government is Profiling You


Naked Protesters Storm Boehner's Office

Fossil of the Day - Worst Climate Offender Award

Thousands Homeless After Panama Flooding

The electric ride: A roadmap for middle class families



Climate talks: More hot air about hot air?

Let Your Life Be a Friction to Stop the Machine


“Central Park Five”: New Film On How Police Abuse, Media Frenzy Led to Jailing of Innocent Teens



Former GOP Strategist Kevin Phillips on the Roots of American Revolution and Future of U.S. Politics




Wednesday, November 28

27.Nov.2012 - Bradley Manning to Speak, the Welfare System, Ashley Judd to Washington? Food Waste at Restaurants, Siege on Gaza Lifted? Palestinian People Scored Victories, Impact of Global Warming, Misconceptions About the Bible, Wealthy CEOs Want Tax Breaks, UK Floods, much more


New Twitter Account
http://www.twitter.com/dustcirclenews 
 
Don't forget to go to dustcircle.com and VOTE for which book we'll be giving away in December There's also a Donation button, if you're inclined to give toward this site. Also, have you written a book? We'd like to read and review it.

Bradley Manning to speak for first time since arrest in pre-trial testimony
Bradley Manning
Soldier allegedly behind WikiLeaks documents leak to be called as a witness in first public statement since 2010
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/nov/27/bradley-manning-speak-wikileaks-trial

The welfare system is already stacked against the young
The decision to remove housing benefit from the under-25s is just another item on the list of ways our welfare system is penalising the young.
http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2012/11/welfare-system-already-stacked-against-young

Ashley Judd goes to Washington?

Hollywood actress and political activist Ashley Judd is reportedly mulling over a possible challenge to Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). McConnell’s fifth term in the Senate will end in 2014, completing a run of 30 years. This is the Senate leader, of course, who famously declared early in President Obama’s first term that the Republican Party’s top priority was to make President Obama a one-term president. Yes, McConnell is a political powerhouse in Kentucky and the country. He sits on a political war chest of nearly $7 million, earmarked specifically for his re-election campaign in 2014.

For Restaurants, Food Waste Is Seen As Low Priority
The National Restaurant Association says getting restaurants to focus on the food waste problem is a big challenge.
Dumpsters packed with trash are lined up, and they get emptied only twice a week. Which means a lot of food sits here, filling the block with a deep, rank odor.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/11/27/165907972/for-restaurants-food-waste-is-seen-as-low-priority

Will the siege on Gaza finally be lifted?

As the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas seems to be holding, many are hoping that one of the agreement’s main points — the easing of restrictions on people and goods coming in and out of the Gaza Strip — signals a new era for the besieged Palestinian territory.

Haneyya: Palestinian people scored military, political, media victories

He told a ceremony honoring journalists killed in the Israeli aggression and their relatives in Gaza on Monday night that the media victory is no less important than the military and political victories.

Benjamin Netanyahu Is Leading Israel Into Isolation
The Iron Dome kept missiles at bay, but another ‘dome’ shields the people from reality
http://theuglytruth.wordpress.com/2012/11/26/benjamin-netanyahu-is-leading-israel-into-isolation/

The growing impact and dangers of global warming

Climate change, and a clear understanding of its impact on all aspects of life, has taken on acute importance in the past several months. The extreme weather events—the historic drought conditions over large parts of the world, the flash melting of Greenland’s surface ice and the intensity of Hurricane Sandy—are examples of the changes to global weather patterns that can be expected from an overall rise in Earth's surface temperature.

A New Light For Victims of Hurricane Sandy

Art is often said to have healing powers, and beginning tomorrow many people who live in the path of Hurricane Sandy — which struck a month ago — will have a chance to see a piece of art created for them. It’s a “monumental” laser installation by Yvette Mattern called Global Rainbow, After the Storm, launched from the rooftop of the Standard Hotel at the Highline. Designed to illuminate the night sky and be visible for up to 35 miles (depending on atmospheric conditions), the work will aim seven beams of high power light lasers over communities hit by Sandy.

5 Common Misconceptions About the Bible
When it comes to the Bible, modern Americans are at a distinct disadvantage. They know both too much and too little. They know too much because they live in a society in which references to the Bible -- positive and negative -- are frequent, creating a false sense of familiarity. They know too little because they have not read it, or have read only selected portions of it, or have allowed others to read it for them through the filtering lens of later theological doctrines or political opportunism. And that's a pity because the Bible, by which I mean the 24 basic books common to all Bibles (equivalent to the Jewish Tanakh or Hebrew Bible and to the Protestant Old Testament) is deserving of the same careful attention and close reading that we regularly bestow upon other classic texts.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christine-hayes/5-misconceptions-about-the-bible_b_2173965.html

Why Even a Deal on the Budget Is Bad for the American Economy

Outcomes range from slowdown to outright recession. And it's all totally unnecessary.

The intertwined storms of Sandy and capitalism
Michael Friedman, a resident of an area in Queens hard hit by Hurricane Sandy, bears witness to the devastating interaction of climate change and economic crisis.
http://socialistworker.org/2012/11/27/the-intertwined-storms

Connecting two struggles for freedom
Jesse Hagopian, a Seattle activist and public high school teacher, argues that the struggle for Palestinian liberation should be supported by African Americans.
http://socialistworker.org/2012/11/27/connecting-two-struggles

Wealthy CEOs Want Tax Breaks, Cuts to Poor and Elderly


UK floods and Climate Change


Gazans assess economic damage of Israel raids

In Occupied Palestinian territory, the violence has had an impact on children

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