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31 August , 2011

Jan Lokpal Bill Is Very Regressive: Arundhati Roy
Sagarika Ghose Interviews Arundhati Roy

Arundhati Roy on Jan Lokpal Bill, corporate funding, NGOs and the role of the media

NATO Conquers Libya
By Dan Lieberman

NATO declared its principal objective to be the protection of civilians and refused every opportunity to achieve that objective. Although the most direct means to limit casualties was to negotiate an end to the conflict, the European powers did nothing to convince the NTC to enter into negotiations

Complete English Translation Of German
Military Analysis Of Peak Oil Now Available

By Rick Munroe

Now that a complete translation is available, it is hoped that media throughout the English-speaking world will see the Bundeswehr study for what it is: a comprehensive, realistic analysis of one of the most formidable challenges of this century, the (potentially imminent) peaking of global oil production

Petroleum And Population
By Peter Goodchild

In the year 2050 oil production will be about 2 billion barrels. The same amount of oil production occurred in the year 1930, when the population was 2 billion. The population in 2050 may therefore be the same as in 1930: 2 billion. The difference between 7 billion people and 2 billion is 5 billion, which would therefore be the total number of famine deaths and lost or averted births for that period

National EPA Environmental
Justice Conference in Detroit

By Tom Stephens

A report on National EPA Environmental Justice Conference in Detroit

TIMES Are Changing; Europe Must Recognize
Palestine At The UN

By Salim Nazzal

Even if the Us will use its veto(as always to protect the Israeli murder and occupation) to deprive Palestine one of the oldest nations on earth of its right to become a member of the Un Europe must takes responsibility and vote for Palestine

Obama Widening War In Somalia
By Sherwood Ross

The expanding war in Somalia, largely unreported in America, marks the sixth country in the Middle East----after Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Libya, and Yemen---in which the regime of Nobel Peace Prize-winner Obama is engaged. One wonders how many additional countries does Mr. Obama, (the former secret CIA payroller,) have to invade to win another Peace Prize?

Manufacturing Opinion,
Today's Mainstream Media

By Timothy V. Gatto

The media today explains very little about what is really happening across the world. Today's reporters have a habit of disregarding many of the facts about a story but will go to great lengths to tell you what it all means. Reporting the news today is less important than manufacturing public opinion

The Politics Of The Anna Hazare
Anti-Corruption Movement

By Sanjay Kumar

There are many liberal capitalist societies that have little corruption. What distinguishes them is a very deep and wide practice of citizenship, and an evolved sphere of public morality. Will the institution of Lokpal usher India in that direction? One can not be very optimistic on this point, particularly after looking at the politics of the movement that is bringing the Lokpal into being

Recognizing Structures of Corruption:
Indian Context

By Vivek Kumar

Corruption does not have legitimate structures and caste only; there is processes of initiation in a particular act of corruption in Indian society. Hence, individuals do not hesitate in indulging in the real act of corruption when he begins to perform his role in public life

Bahujan’ Lokpal Bill Makes New Demands
By Yoginder Sikand

In place of the Jan Lokpal of ‘Team Anna’, Uditraj, along with numerous other leaders from the Dalit, Backward Caste and religious minority communities, has proposed a ‘Bahujan Lokpal Bill’, arguing that the draft presented by ‘Team Anna’ and backed by what Udit Raj calls ‘casteist campaigners’ is clearly flawed and inadequate as far as the ‘Bahujan Samaj’—that is to say all Indians other than the minority Savarna Hindus—are concerned

Caste Discrimination And Dalit Rights
Over Natural Resources

By Goldy M. George

Caste discrimination and Dalit Rights over natural resources is one of the most complicated issues that the country is today faced with. Raising this issue would unfold the conspiracy of the upper caste rulers of this country to which they may be obliged to answer

Harud: Season of Despondency And Loss
By Dr. Nyla Ali Khan

Is the condemnation of the Harud festival, which has now been cancelled, by a group of academics, none of whom live in Kashmir, an attempt to objectify the Kashmiri subject

30 August , 2011

Tripoli Faces Humanitarian Crisis
By Bill Van Auken

More than a week after the NATO-led “rebels” invaded the Libyan capital of Tripoli, the city’s 2 million residents are facing a deepening humanitarian crisis, deprived of water, electricity, adequate food supplies and desperately needed medical care

Notes From Tripoli
By Franklin Lamb

Tripoli journal in which Franklin Lamb shields a Nigerian from rebel racists and dreams of Chadian ladies

The Seneca Effect: Why Decline Is
Faster Than Growth

By Ugo Bardi

Could it be that the Seneca cliff is what we are facing, right now? If that is the case, then we are in trouble. With oil production peaking or set to peak soon, it is hard to think that we are going to see a gentle downward slope of the economy. Rather, we may see a decline so fast that we can only call it "collapse." The symptoms are all there, but how to prove that it is what is really in store for us?

A Time Frame For Systemic Collapse
By Peter Goodchild

If anyone really needs a magic number, a good choice would be 2030. That's the date at which, with a 3 percent annual decline in oil production, the year's production will be half of that in the peak year. And half of peak oil means half of everything else in human society. A very important “half” will be population, because the other half will have died of famine. And that's the one item that very few people can mentally assimilate

Toward A New Medical Science
By Peter Goodchild

A new form of medicine does need to arise, but it must get rid of its “outsider” mentality and create a genuine science for the coming hard times

The Great Health Care Takeaway 
By Shamus Cooke

The health care crisis in the United States is getting worse with no visible end. The popular anger over unattainable or unaffordable health care has been diverted away from corporations by crafty politicians, always seeking to exploit a social disaster for their benefactors

The Commodification of Tim DeChristopher
By Gregory Vickrey

Tim DeChristopher, in his own words, acknowledges quite specifically the reasons for his actions, and what he would like climate activists to do to support him and his effort that day in the auction house. It is essentially a two-word suggestion: join him

East Africa Now Facing Drought Induced Famine
By Brian McAfee

Twelve million of the refugees are in danger of starvation and, according to UNICEF, one million children are at risk to die. Moreover, the continued lack of rainfall this year and the drastic rise in the price of corn, the food staple for East Africa, mean this humanitarian crisis will continue for some time to come

Killing, Denial And Manipulation
By Gladson Dungdung

Brutal killings continue in Jharkhand

A Critique Of Land Acquisition Bill 2011
By Chitra.K.P

A note on Draft Land Acquisition and Resettlement & Rehabilitation Bill 2011

Manufacturing Dissent, Making Mahatmas: Manu, Market, Media And The Anti-Corruption Sham
By Democratic Students' Union (DSU)

The ‘Second freedom struggle' is nothing but an attempt of the ruling classes to consolidate themselves

Unveiling The King Monument And King's
Condemnation Of U.S. Wars

By Jay Janson

How shall peace activists react to the forty-four year blackout of Martin Luther King's condemnation of U.S. Wars?

Anna Hazare’s New Plans:
Implications For Democracy?

By Yoginder Sikand

Anna Hazare has, so the newspapers say, announced plans for a new mass movement—this time for changes in the country’s education system and electoral laws, although the media has not highlighted what exactly these would entail. But, clearly, given the critical implications of his overall world-view for electoral democracy, secularism, social justice and Dalit empowerment, not everyone will be enthusiastic about the changes he dreams of imposing on the rest of the country

The Neoliberal Revolution
By Anand Teltumbde

The campaign has already prevented people from seeing the real rot in the system; it's real disease and diverted their attention to symptom. Many people called it a revolution, not knowing what stuff the revolutions are made of. Well, if it qualifies to be a revolution, we may have to call it a neoliberal revolution!

26 August , 2011

The Rape Of Libya
By Bill Van Auken

The pretense that the US and its European NATO allies were intervening in Libya to “protect civilians and civilian populated areas from threat of attack,” as stated in the United Nations Security Council resolution, has effectively been abandoned. Behind the fig leaf of this resolution the naked imperialist and colonial character of the war has emerged

Understanding Clinton’s Statement
On Libya – “We Own You”

By Reza Pankhurst

The far-fetched thought that NATO would leave the people to resolve their own path forward once the obstacle of Gaddafi was removed is now completely disproven. For all talk about “partnership” and “working together” in the words coming out of the State Department, Clinton is effectively explaining to the NTC and Libya – you need access to your own money, and we are the doorkeepers. In effect, we own you

NATO’s Libya Expedition Enters A Labyrinth
By Farooque Chowdhury

NATO’s Libya expedition is over. A “new order” is going to be “stabilized” as the oildom is being controlled by a new regime under the shadow of war planes from an expeditionary force of intercontinental royal-republican coalition bearing marks of breach and competition

What Every Environmentalist Needs To Know
About Capitalism

Interview with Fred Magdoff conducted by Scott Bochert

What Every Environmentalist Needs to Know about Capitalism is a short, accessible introduction to the ecological crisis that is intended for a wide audience

How To Talk About The End Of Growth
By Lindsay Curren

Interview With Richard Heinberg

Tired Of Democracy?
By Gail Omvedt

Corruption can only come to an end when the millions of ordinary people ofIndiafight it: by refusing to indulge in it, by taking action against the small local corrupt officials and powerholders they come against, by taking out morchas, taking action. This is the way out –not “Guardians” chosen by Magsaysay Award winners

On The Lok Pal Bill And
The Anna Hazare Movement

By Dr. Udit Raj

When North Indians were attacked in Maharashtra ,where was he? He has also so far not criticized the Modi Govt. in Gujarat for the atrocities on the Muslims in 2002. Anna Hazare himself should render an account of the expenses incurred on his movement and the sources thereof. Though the current scenario is not acceptable but with Jan Lokpal, the country will head towards bigger evil from lesser evil

Corruption And Its Discontents
By Niranjan Ramakrishnan

Neither the protesters nor the government want to address the issue of corruption in India in its deeper essence. Is it an obscenity only when a government official receives a bribe? What about corruption of the conscience? For instance, is it corruption when someone can build a 60 story skyscraper for a personal residence in a country where millions of children go to bed malnourished?

Some Thoughts On Corruption
By Mukul Dube

I agree with those who hold that the underlying inhumanity is the worst form of corruption, which no Lokpal can dent even slightly. Our societal arrangements are corrupt at the core: no other evil in the whole world even comes close

Brahminism, Hindutva And The Dalit Question
By Yoginder Sikand

The struggle against Hindutva needs to expand from simply being an anti-communal struggle or a struggle simply for secularism and minority rights to become part of the wider struggle for social justice for the oppressed castes and of their quest for emancipation from Brahminical hegemony

UK Riots: The Cracks Beneath The Veneer
By Maryam Sakeenah

Without venturing into moral judgement, the massive rioting in UK has, if nothing else, brought to light the fragility of the ostensible peace of ‘developed’ societies, which stirs an engaging debate bearing strongly upon some central sociological and philosophical questions

25 August , 2011

US, NATO Plan Libyan “Stabilization”
As Fighting Continues

By Bill Van Auken

Discussions on how to impose order in Libya and resume operations by Western energy corporations have taken place in a flurry of meetings over the past two days involving the US, Britain, France, Italy and the Benghazi-based National Transitional Council

An Elegy For The Age Of Space
By John Michael Greer

One of the most difficult challenges of the age of peak oil is the need to retool our dreams and visions to deal with the consequences of the misguided decisions of recent decades. The end of America's space shuttle program, which in all probability amounts to the end of its manned presence in space, demands a look at one of the more popular modern dreams -- a dream that will never become real

Idiot Wind: The Eternal Return Of
The Politics Of The1970s

By Phil Rockstroh

if there is a presiding spirit possessing our age, it is the gray ghost of Richard Nixon who sat, stoop shouldered and scheming, in the Oval Office, in the early 1970s, as the U.S. began hitting the limits of its imperial might and economic power, and who set the tone of duplicity and denial that define daily life in the nation to this day

Israel’s ‘Nice Little War’: Gaza, Egypt
In The Range Of Fire

By Ramzy Baroud

It ought to be said that “new Egypt’ was also credited for facilitating Palestinian unity, a first step towards taking Hamas out of its international isolation. Is it not then possible that Israel’s ‘nice little war’ was a response to such a dangerous shift in Egyptian policy towards Hamas - and Palestine in general?

Israel And The Arab Spring
By Salim Nazzal

The paradox now that the Arab region is changing towards the culture of democracy and human rights, while the state of Israel is moving towards the ultra right wing and the fundamental religious culture. And it is no wonder that the ultra right and neo Nazi parties in Europe and the US view the state of Israel as their model state

We Are All Binayak Sen—And We Are All
Bradley Manning

By Priti Gulati Cox

Binayak Sen’s release was a small victory for democracy in India. But what remains to be seen is if the United States, which claims to be the world’s second-largest democracy, can manage even that bit of justice in the case of Bradley Manning

Anna Movement Reflects Streak Of Fascism
By Sadiq Naqvi

An interview with Anand Teltumbde

Kashmir Is A Human Rights Disaster
By Naveed Qazi

A long lasting peace perhaps would be the biggest tribute to families who have been victimized through violence. People should build intense pressure for action to raise the cost of human rights abuse

24 August , 2011

Fighting Continues In Tripoli After
Gaddafi Compound Is Overrun

By Bill Van Auken

Fighting continued in the Libyan capital of Tripoli Tuesday after NATO-backed forces sacked Muammar Gaddafi’s heavily bombed Bab al-Aziziya compound. While leaders of the Benghazi-based National Transitional Council (NTC), proclaimed the fall of the compound as a symbol of final victory, heavy fighting continued in a number of areas of Tripoli

Tripoli Port Notes
By Franklin Lamb

This observers tentative appraisal of Tuesdays events along the North Tripoli Port area as of late afternoon 8/23/11 is that the “65,000 well trained and well-armed troops” hyped Sunday by the Gaddafi government don’t in fact exist and that the pockets of government troops here in Tripoli and across Libya that do, will continue to resist what it views as NATO aggression designed to usurp the country’s oil and add Libya to Africom

The Conquest of Tripoli
By Reza Pankhurst

While America and other Western nations played a guiding role behind the scenes during the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, successfully managing the situation to largely maintain the status quo and their interests with the regime left in place, in Libya they are using political influence that comes with the military backing provided by NATO to try to manage the direction of the future of the country through their financial and political backing of the NTC

Syrian Revolt Speeds Up Gaddafi's Defeat
By Yahya R. Haidar

Gaddafi is 'defeated' and Mr. Moon quickly joins the troupe in beating the drumbeats of war

Wave Of Illegal, Senseless And Violent Evictions
Swells In Port au Prince

By Bill Quigley

Housing is a human right. Using force to evict homeless survivors of Haiti’s earthquake from one spot to make them homeless in another place is illegal, senseless and violent

The Roads To Our Alternative Energy Future
By Barath Raghavan

A wholesale transition to alternatives seems unlikely to deliver energy at current levels of consumption/production. I'd like to briefly consider a few possible trajectories / scenarios here

Globalizing The Intifada
By William T. Hathaway

As we know too well, this war is creating terrible suffering on all sides. But if we surrender to their implacable aggression and allow the capitalists to dominate the world, the suffering will be far worse. Even the capitalists will be trapped in it because they've lost their humanity. By fighting them now, we are choosing Gandhi's "path of least violence."

The Lokpal Conundrum: Steering Between
Hardened Stances

By S.G.Vombatkere

In view of the stand-off, there is need for a “third position” between the opposing and apparently irreconciliable positions of the Union Government and Team Anna. Best expressed by Aruna Roy among others, it rejects the Union government's weak Lokpal Bill and is in complete agreement with the need for a strong Lokpal Institution. But at the same time it notes that the Jan Lokpal Bill will create an unduly powerful Lokpal Institution

Anna Upsurge And The Social Movements
By Ram Puniyani

While the ‘Anna protest’ is valid, the pressurizing of state-government to bring in a suitable law for Lokpal, one does not understand why the insistence by Anna, that the Bill must be passed in the stipulated time, and only his draft should be accepted. Anna’s group is not the only civil society group, there are other options also, which have come out with probably better alternatives and have tried to overcome the authoritarian nature of the Governments draft Bill and Team Anna’s draft bill

A Lokpal Critique
By Vaibhav H. Wasnik

That corruption is a problem in India or most developing economies is not anybody's secret. But the rampant misusing of the power of suggestion by a ``corporations'' backed media to counter the electorate process by promoting a non-ballot based center of power is even more mischievous

Why Are Dalits Not Enthusiastic About
Anna’s Movement?

By Bhanwar Megwanshi

Babasaheb Ambedkar was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Indian Constitution, and so Dalits have an emotional attachment to the Constitution. If a movement sets itself above the Constitution and challenges democracy, a key pillar of the Constitution, Dalits will refuse to support it. That is why Dalits and other oppressed caste groups remain indifferent to Anna Hazare’s movement

In The Name Of The Cow: Banjaras
Targetted By Hindutva Forces

By Bhanwar Megwanshi

For several years now, across large parts of Rajasthan Hindutva activists have been targeting members of the Banjara community in the name of ‘cow-protection’. Scores of such incidents have been reported—more than 200 in the last decade

Bollywood In Transition For Marginalized
By Surendra Rote

The movie Arakshan extends platform of Hindi Cinema for marginalized to share their issues

23 August , 2011

Fierce Fighting Continues In Tripoli
By Bill Van Auken

After their surprisingly rapid advance into the Libyan capital, the armed groups backed by NATO have encountered stiff resistance from forces loyal to the Gaddafi regime. The crowds that initially greeted the so-called “rebels” melted away and streets remained largely deserted as the two sides exchanged automatic weapons fire as well as mortar and anti-aircraft rounds

Sneak Peak: Oil Age Presentation Script
By Asher Miller & Richard Heinberg

The concept of Peak Oil in a nutshell

Ecological And Economic Reality —
The Relationship Between Ecology And Economics

By Chris Clugston

Our persistent global economic malaise is rooted in ecology. As a consequence of our ever-increasing exploitation since the inception of our industrial revolution, the vast majority of earth's finite and non-replenishing nonrenewable natural resources (NNRs)—fossil fuels, metals, and non-metallic minerals—are becoming increasingly scarce globally

To Save Planet Stop Canada-US
Keystone XL Pipeline

By Dr Gideon Polya

Please tell everyone you can to sign the 350.org petition to stop the terracidal Keystone XL Pipeline and help save the Planet

Monsanto And The Mortal Danger
To Traditional Agriculture

By Siv O'Neall

The greatest threat to the future of food production in the world is the introduction of genetically engineered foods from the bio-tech industry. Contrary to their mendacious propagandized promises of solving the problem of world hunger through the so-called second green revolution, the bio-tech companies are instead in the process of destroying the world's ecosystems, and thus the natural food chains and life cycles

Anna Hazare’s Crusade: Blustering Provincialism
Or A Revitalization Of The Constitution Of India ?

By Dr. Nyla Ali Khan

Kashmir needs an Anna Hazare with a broader vision and a greater understanding of the chapter on fundamental rights in the Constitution of India

22 August , 2011

Whither Gaddafi And Libya?
By Franklin Lamb

Eye witness account by Franklin Lamb who is in Tripoli, Libya

NATO-Backed Forces Move Into Tripoli
By Patrick Martin

The Libyan regime of Muammar Gaddafi appeared on the brink of collapse Sunday night, as ground forces of the NATO-backed Transitional National Council entered Tripoli, the capital city, from the west, south and east

Franklin Lamb Shot At In Tripoli
By Palestine Civil Rights Campaign

The Palestine Civil Rights Campaign-Lebanon confirms reports that Franklin Lamb was shot at approximately 11:45 a.m. on Sunday August 21 in Tripoli, Libya outside of the Corinthia Hotel where he has been staying

Recipe For Climate Change In Two Easy Steps
By Tom Murphy

Today, we’re going to make the world less comfortable, in two easy steps that each of you can do at home. Step 1 shows how easy it is to account for the carbon dioxide excess in the atmosphere based on our cumulative use of fossil fuels. Step 2 bypasses intricacies of thermal radiation to put an approximate scale on the amount of heating we would expect the excess CO2 to produce. Serves 7 billion

Why Fukushima Can Happen Here:
What The NRC And Nuclear Industry
Dont Want You To Know

By Fairewinds Associates

In this video nuclear engineers Arnie Gundersen and David Lochbaum discuss how the US regulators and regulatory process have left Americans unprotected. They walk, step-by-step, through the events of the Japanese meltdowns and consider how the knowledge gained from Fukushima applies to the nuclear industry worldwide

Can Labor Confront Obama Over Jobs?
By Shamus Cooke 

As the seeds of Obama's 2012 electoral campaign begin to sprout, labor unions are being forced either to pledge their allegiance or distance themselves from the incumbent president. There has already emerged some hefty splits in the labor movement over the issue, based on the President's complete lack of action on creating jobs combined with his false promises in the 2008 election

A Fact Finding Report On The Forced Land Acquisition And Repression At Gobindpura
By Democratic Front Against Operation Green Hunt

The struggle of the people of Gobindpura continues. They have refused to part with their lands and houses, braving threats, inducements and severe repression. The women & children, especially girls have played a very glorious role in the struggle

Many Avatars of Indian Corruption
By Satya Sagar

Here is my take on what I think are at least Ten Avatars of Indian Corruption

Jan Lokpal Bill: A Dalit’s Viewpoint
By Pardeep Singh Attri

A young Dalit’s view Jan Lokpal bill and Anna Hazare's movement

Messiah-ism Is The Product Of
Brahmanical System

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat

Anna may say that his Lokpal is to cleanse the system but a majority of Dalits, Aadivasis, Muslims, other minorities and OBCs have growing fear of that this campaign is fast turning into a caste-ist campaign whose agenda is not corruption but reestablish the supremacy of the erstwhile ruling elites of India who are losing their grip over power in the parliamentary process and who are looking to control levers of power through non parliamentary process

Face to Face: A Talk With Anti POSCO
PPSS Leader Abhay Sahoo

By Musab Iqbal

Musab Iqbal, Chief Editor of newzfirst traveled to very heart of resistance in Odisha to understand the overlapping phenomena of resistance and development. He interviewed the leader of anti POSCO PPSS Abhay Sahoo, a man who architected this movement from ground zero and lead it through its all tough time

20 August , 2011

Prevent A Tar Sands Disaster
By Nellis Kennedy-Howard

Why developing the tarsands has been called "world's most destructive project"

Massive Protest At White House Against
Alberta Tar Sands Pipeline

By Suzanne Goldenberg

A protest at the White House against a pipeline from the Alberta tar sands is emerging as the biggest green civil disobedience campaign in a generation

Orwellian Australian Labor Government
Climate Change Lies

By Dr Gideon Polya

Gillard Labor's pre-election promise was “no carbon tax” and its current promise is “5% off 2000 GHG pollution by 2020”. Tackling climate change means that GHG (greenhouse gas) pollution should DECREASE, yet according to Treasury and other analysis Australia 's Domestic and Exported GHG pollution will INCREASE over the 2000 level under the Carbon Price scheme

Three Paths To Near-Term Human Extinction
By Guy R. McPherson

We’re headed for extinction via global climate change. We’re headed for extinction via environmental collapse. We’re headed for extinction via nuclear meltdown

Waiting For The Endgame In Libya
By Franklin Lamb

Unlike his two predecessors in the Oval office and also “VP Joe,” Obama disapproves of officials using colorful language that might offend voters. But he did reportedly tell his friend who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee recently that “We have stepped into a pot of s--- and we need to get out of it!”

Arab Revolutions: Illusions Of Hope
And Delusions Of Possibility

By Nath Aldalala’a

The penetrating question that must be addressed is: do the actions taking place across the Arab world really amount to a revolution?

Aam Jan Lokpal, UIDs: A Third View
By Gopal Krishna

Today, in addition to Aam Jan Lokpal, the country seeks liberation from non-governmental institutions which takes birth due to legislations passed by British Parliament in 1860 and 1882

Activists Critique New Land Acquisition Bill
By Yoginder Sikand

The draft Bill envisages the government acquiring land for itself or with the ultimate intent of transferring it to private companies

19 August , 2011

Global Markets Plunge On US Data
And European Bank Fears

By Andre Damon

Global stock markets plunged once again Thursday after bad US economic figures compounded new fears of a banking crisis in Europe. The renewed turbulence underscored the disastrous impact of the austerity measures being implemented in Europe and the United States

Embedded Energy
By Colin Campbell & Ugo Bardi

An interesting exchange between Colin Campbell and Ugo Bardi

Natural Gas And Fracking Threaten World
By Dr Gideon Polya

All countries and intranational jurisdictions must follow the examples of France and New York State and ban shale deposit fracking. The World is running out of time to seriously tackle the worsening climate emergency

Tripoli On The Cusp
By Franklin Lamb

One does not sense that a Red Army is en route to lift the threatened siege of Tripoli. But maybe Tripoli’s defenders will not need a Red Army to lift a siege of Tripoli

Lokpal Bill: A Search For ‘Balanced Draft’
By Musab Iqbal

Team Anna’s draft is commonly referred as the draft of civil society and hence the difference and clash of these two drafts is concluded as difference and clash between government and the civil society. Hence producing a linguistic of ‘versus’ for a ‘second war of independence’. But interestingly other draft exist as well and an attempt for a more balanced approach is worked upon and hence it can be said that ‘other civil society’ too exist and so is the ‘other draft’

US-Arab Disconnect: Revolutions Restate
Region’s Priorities

By Ramzy Baroud

As the Arab Spring continues to challenge dictators, demolish old structures and ponder roadmaps for a better future, the US remains committed to its failed policies, misconceptions and selfish interests

What About Anonymous?
By Frank Rummel

The Fall brings hope for salvation from the evil tyranny at the blood stained hands of the rich and powerful. A successful operation on September 23, 2011 builds momentum snowballing into a critical mass of the main event at the Washington DC Tent City Occupation organized by Kevin Zeese which begins October 6, 2011

Iran Sanctions: Much Ado About Nothing
By Dr. Ismail Salami a& Kourosh Ziabari

There is indeed much ado about Iran 's nuclear program and despite all evidence that Iran is not pursuing a clandestine nuclear weapons program, the US keeps piling accusations on the country. Who knows? Maybe Iran 's nuclear program is only an excuse for the U.S. government to start another war in the region

Black, White, And Brown
By Dr Murali Sivaramakrishnan

Black, brown, yellow, white—many are the variations of skin tones in the world. But the tension that the discrimination evokes has currently gone beyond the reach of the cultural fabrication of good and bad, desireable and ugly, right and wrong, life and death

Microcredit: Mainstream Questions Mainstream
By Farooque Chowdhury

Mainstream microcredit findings are now being questioned by mainstream. Thus, part of mainstream research system, stakes and stakeholders, and vulnerability of mainstream have got exposed

Hindutva And The Dalit Question
By Bhanwar Meghvanshi

Of late, the RSS has been making a tremendous hue-and-cry about what it calls the ‘social assimilation’ (samarasta) of the various castes. The curious fact, however, is that it has no intention whatsoever of promoting the genuine ‘assimilation’ of, leave alone equality between, the various castes. A clear indication of its attitude to the caste question is that from the very beginning it has been strongly opposed to reservations or any other form of protective discrimination for Dalits, Adviasis, OBCs and religious minorities

Dr. Swamy, Friends And Limits Of
Freedom Of Expression

By Ram Puniyani

This thin line between ‘freedom of expression’ and ‘hate speech’ needs to be delineated to ensure that we are able to enhance the amity in human race, nurture pluralism and diversity to ensure a better atmosphere, congenial for progress of human race and in a particular the rights of weaker sections of society and to curb the ideas which promote divisiveness in the society

Dignity Defiled: Law And Policies
For Manual Scavengers

By Sanjay Kumar Chaudhary

Dry latrines, which are cleaned by manual scavengers, still exist in public establishments and private houses in many parts of India, defying the mandatory provisions of law and morality. While the schemes and policies of the state have had some impact, they have failed to liberate and rehabilitate all the manual scavengers. For this, the approach and behavior of all concerned stake-holders, especially agencies of the state and the dominant castes/classes, have to change in order to serve Constitutional and human rights values

Dalit Rights Group Slams Modi Government’s
Stand On Child Rights

By Yoginder Sikand

Early last month the social activist Rajesh Solanki, Secretary of the Ahmedabad-based Dalit Hak Rakshak Manch (‘Dalit Rights’ Protection Forum’), shot off a memorandum to Kamala Beniwal, Governor of Gujarat, drawing her attention to the absence of a State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights’ (SCPCR) in Gujarat

16 August , 2011

Stock Market Panic Deepens Euro Crisis
By Peter Schwarz

The stock market panic of the past two weeks has clearly shown that none of the problems have been solved that led the world financial system to the brink of collapse in 2008. On the contrary, the global economic crisis has deepened over the past three years

True Cost of Afghan, Iraq Wars
By Nancy A. Youssef

According to a recent Brown University study, the wars and their ripple effects have cost the United States $3.7 trillion, or more than $12,000 per American

The Pentagon's Spending Spree
By Chris Hellman

What almost $8 trillion in national security spending bought you

Egypt’s “Secret Minister”; Behind The Scene,
Still Pulling The Strings?

By Thomas C. Mountain

Asmara, Eritrea: Just exactly what influence Omar “The Secret Minister” Suleiman retains over the military junta that rules Egypt is a question of utmost importance for those who live on the banks of the Nile River. With a resume including 20 years as head of Egyptian Intelligence he is not someone anyone of those who helped bring about the downfall of Mubarak can afford to ignore

Bangladesh’s Political Insanity?
By Dr. Habib Siddiqui

The article in the Economist by someone called Banyan does little good to steer a healthy debate about politics in Bangladesh and for curbing its nasty partisan politics

The Somali Famine: Hunger And Power
By Chandra Muzaffar

Once again, the world is witness to a horrendous catastrophe in Somalia and in other parts of the Horn of Africa which some journalists now describe as “The Horn of Hunger.” The famine that has hit the region has already claimed the lives of 29,000 Somali children under 5 years in the past three months

Public Hearing On Atrocities On Adivasis
And Dalits In Western Rajasthan

By Bhanwar Megwanshi

Oka Ram’s is not a voice in the wilderness. He speaks for thousands of Dalits and Adivasis in this far-flung corner of Rajasthan, who insist that they must fight for their dignity and rights. The public hearing marked a major turning point in that struggle

Sub-Classification Of Dalits: Law And Politics
By Sanjay Kumar Chaudhary

This article seeks to explore some aspects of ongoing debates among Dalits about the need for sub-classification of Scheduled Castes in the light of complaints of particular Dalit castes who feel that other castes have benefitted disproportionately from the reservation policy. It also critically looks at the Supreme Court judgment, delivered in 2004, with regard to the legality and constitutionality of the sub-classification of Scheduled Castes

Hon Judge Don’t Preach, Ugly Can’t Be Beautiful
By Syed Ali Mujtaba

The statement made by former Supreme Court judge K T Thomas, praising Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its style of functioning as an organization is debatable. Notwithstanding the right of freedom of speech, the comments made by the learned judge are disturbing

15 August , 2011

BPing The Arctic, Again — Fast Tracking
Shell’s Dangerous Drilling

By Subhankar Banerjee

One of the riskiest and most destructive extreme energy oil exploration projects on the planet is moving toward implementation without scientific understanding or technical preparedness — Shell’s oil drilling in the Arctic Ocean of Alaska. On August 4, the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) conditionally approved Shell’s plan to drill up to four exploratory wells in the Beaufort Sea of Arctic Alaska starting July 2012

Personal Energy Cubes
By Tom Murphy

In this post, we’ll put a physical, comprehendible scale on the amount of energy typical Americans have used in their lifetimes. No judgment: just the numbers

Capitalism's New Era
By Shamus Cooke 

Many within the labor movement are calling for massive demonstrations across the country for October 1. It will take these types of actions to unite working people to fight for a positive solution to the economic crisis

Seeds Of Despair
By Yoginder Sikand

The growing control of massive corporate houses, including multinational corporations (MNCs), over the agricultural sector has left agricultural labourers and small farmers increasingly at the mercy of market forces, leading, as numerous reports have highlighted, to their increasing pauperization

Into That Heaven Of Freedom From Corruption,
Let My Country Awake

By S.G.Vombatkere

Who can tell what the morrow may bring as India steps into its 65th year of Independence? Whatever it may bring, it is certain that the stakes will be raised

Independence Day Message To Fellow Indians!
By Mike Ghouse

Let’s continue to honor the concept that there is always another side to the story, as finding the truth is our own responsibility

India, The Idea Of Nation And The Subaltern
Indian Woman

By Cynthia Stephen

Chances are that soon the subalterns, who are at present silent and almost invisible in state governance, politics and decision-making especially women, will take their rightful places as representatives of the people and the nation

Kashmir Calm, Youth Face The Brunt
By Fahad Shah

In wake of Indian Independence Day celebrations on August 15 here at a local stadium, Bakshi Stadium, the state has launched crackdown on youths. A local newspaper reported that police have detained more than 45 youth in Srinagar and south Kashmir during nocturnal raids in just two days

13 August , 2011

NATO'S Massacre At Majer
By Franklin Lamb

Family members, eyewitnesses and Libyan government officials claim that NATO's air-strikes at Majer killed 85 people, including 33 children, 32 women and 20 men. Reporters and visitors were shown 30 of the bodies in a local morgue, including a mother and two children

The English Riots In Context
By Rebel Griot

Rioting and looting was not the only violent activity being carried out by Englishmen on Sunday night. Some hours before Cameron's bomber pilots carried out a raid which slaughtered 33 Libyan children, along with 32 women and 20 men in Zlitan, a village near Tripoli. That is the context in which these riots need to be seen

Arab Youth And Social Protest In Israel
By Asma Agbarieh-Zahalka

This new era will bury the fanatical nationalism and extremism of Arabs in Israel, just as it will bury Jewish fanatical nationalism

Comparing Evils
By William T. Hathaway

An interview with Jamal Khan , an Afghan journalist who fled his country because of Taliban persecution and now lives in Germany

Thanks, The Unsolicited Reformists!
By Abdur Rashid Agwan

Muslim society should strive to enhance and improve the system of madrasa education so that it could become more relevant to the contemporary religious and spiritual needs of the community

Construction Of A Unique Kashmiri Identity:
Awakening or Disaster

By Nyla Ali Khan

As a Kashmir observer and someone who has been writing on Kashmir for a while, I am of the opinion that L. K. Advani's recent attempt to resuscitate the ultra right-wing nationalism of the BJP is ludicrous. Such right-wing propaganda ought to be challenged by the intelligentsia, not just Kashmiri, but mainstream Indian as well. It might not be a bad idea for Advani and his cohort to take a quick history lesson

12 August , 2011

168 Children Killed In Drone Strikes
In Pakistan Since Start Of Campaign

By Chris Woods

The Bureau of Investigative Journalism has identified credible reports of 168 children killed in seven years of CIA drone strikes in Pakistan’s tribal areas. These children would account for 44% of the minimum figure of 385 civilians reported killed by the attacks

Economic Crisis Or Nonviolent Opportunity?
Gandhi's Answer To Financial Collapse

By Michael Nagler

Monday’s debacle points out once again that forward-thinking people need to provide a “safe haven” – a plausible, attractive alternative – for every sector of the current system that’s showing signs of potentially terrifying collapse: security, education, healthcare, and of course the economy. Gandhi had eye-opening experiments we can learn from in all these areas, and what we’ve just sketched out would be a great place to start

Can The Aftermath Of Disaster Be Beautiful?
By Anne Thomas

A letter from a Sendai teacher describes the strange and “magnificent” community that survived last spring’s devastating earthquake

Brain Dead Obama
By Joel S. Hirschhorn

Everyone who voted for Obama should feel betrayed, ashamed and disgusted. Anyone who still trusts, admires and respects Obama is a fool

Life In An Age Of Looting: "Some Will Rob You
With A Sixgun And Some With A Fountain Pen"

By Phil Rockstroh

As the poor of Britain rise in a fury of inchoate rage and stock exchanges worldwide experience manic upswings and panicked swoons, the financial elite (and their political operatives) are arrayed in a defensive posture, even as they continue their global-wide, full-spectrum offensive vis-à-vie The Shock Doctrine

Is Britain Baffled By Berserk?
By Farooque Chowdhury

A single shot – Duggan’s killing – ignited berserk in Britain exposing the advanced bourgeois democracy’s terminus ad quem. Questions haunt the governing system baffled with teenagers’ outburst of rage now impacting British political map

Transportation - ‘A Need for Development’
By Nilendu Mukherjee

Tpromote inclusive growth in India , the need of the time is to (a) pursue infrastructure development like roads, electricity, etc., and (b) improve health and education for every section of population in the country

Indian Cricket Team's Bold Decision
Despite The UK Riots

By Anshul Kumar Pandey

Amidst all the brouhaha over the rioting in London and its suburbs from the past several days, one important development that has gone quite unnoticed from the general blabber of political punditry is the Indian cricket team's decision to continue the test series in England despite the riots

Swamy’s Anti-Muslim Diatribe: Recipe For Disaster
By Yoginder Sikand

Swamy’s appeal to the Hindus and the Indian state is a sure recipe for propelling India into the throes of interminable civil war, a prospect that the radical Islamists he poses to oppose would excitedly welcome

11 August , 2011

Land or Lives? Three Farmers Shot Dead Near Pune
By Amnesty International

The deaths took place on Tuesday in Maval near Pune, on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, when 500 farmers gathered to protest a pipeline bringing water to the industrial township of Pimpri-Chinchwad

A Fifty Million Dollar Tipping Point?
By Lester Brown

As the United States closes its coal-fired power plants, it sends a message to the world. With Michael Bloomberg’s grant bolstering the Sierra Club’s well-organized program to phase out coal, we can now imagine a coal-free United States on the horizon. The United States could again become a world leader, this time in stabilizing climate

Salvaging Health
By John Michael Greer

In a post peak oil world will today’s chemical and surgical medicine hold good?

The Peak Oil Crisis: Technology
By Tom Whipple

The real question is whether there are developments in the offing that can be brought into general use in time to prevent the obvious catastrophe that will result from the rapidly declining availability of fossil fuels

Militarism And The US Debt: A Retrospective View
By Dr. Peter Custers

Few analysts took care to analyze the actual causes of the dazzling level of the US public debt, now standing at plus 14 Trillion US Dollars. Hence, the need for introspection and for a brief retrospective on the history of these debt

Gaza, Somalia: Humanity Lives On
By Ramzy Baroud

Gaza. Somalia. Even in its darkest moment, humanity somehow lives on

California Prison Crisis Sparks
Statewide Hunger Strike

By Angola 3 News

An interview with Isaac Ontiveros of Critical Resistance

Jihad After Bin Laden: A Response
To Lawrence Wright

By Dr. Nath Aldalala'a

A critique of Lawrence Wright's article On Spiegel Online dated 5 August 2011 which predicted the diminishing of al-Qaeda

Terror Has Political Goals:
Religion Should Be For Humanism

By Ram Puniyani

To accuse any community of harboring terrorists is wrong, a few Aseemanands or Dayanand Pandeys don’t make all the Hindu community as terrorists

India And The Swamy
By Babatdor Dkhar

A critique of Subramanian Swamy's controversial article

Notes On The Social Crisis In America
By Naomi Spencer

Reports on social crisis that grip the nation from different parts of America

09 August , 2011

Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Tar Sands
May Double By 2020

By Steven Lacey

A newly-released report from the Canadian government reinforces the looming environmental impact of tar sands oil: As producers ramp up their activity, due in large part from a projected increase in demand from U.S. refineries, greenhouse gas emissions from Alberta’s tar sands could double by 2020 compared to 2010 levels

GDP Is Dead: Will The World Be Happier
Without It?

By Richard Heinberg

Memo to politicians: Stop promising to grow GDP and start targeting social benefits you can actually deliver—or prepare to face angry mobs. Nothing grows forever on a finite planet, not even the US economy

Panic On The Streets Of London
By Laurie Penny

Most of the people who will be writing, speaking and pontificating about the disorder this weekend have absolutely no idea what it is like to grow up in a community where there are no jobs, no space to live or move, and the police are on the streets stopping-and-searching you as you come home from school

The ELP Plan: Economize, Localize And Produce
By Jeffery Brown

In this article I will expound on my reasoning behind the ELP plan, otherwise known as “Cut thy spending and get thee to the non-discretionary side of the economy.”

Design For Social Innovation:
An Interview With Ezio Manzini

By Sarah Brooks

Ezio Manzini is an Italian design strategist, one of the world’s leading experts on sustainable design, author of numerous design books, professor of Industrial Design at Milan Polytechnic, and founder of the DESIS (Design for Social Innovation towards Sustainability) network of university-based design labs. His work over the past 30 years in sustainability and social innovation has coalesced around four watchwords: small, local, open and connected

What Could A Post-Growth Society Look Llike
And How Should We Prepare For It?

By Brian Davey

This was the theme of a massive congress held in Berlin last month. Brian Davey attended it and has written a report for Feasta in which he describes the role played by Attac and the Decroissance movement, Vandana Shiva’s critique of economic growth in India, the vision of “Buen Vivir” put forward by representatives of indigenous communities of Latin America and the new relationship being forged between the greens and the left in Europe

Anti-Environment Australian Government's
Carbon Tax Deceit

By Dr Gideon Polya

Australia is a world leader in annual par capita greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution and in fossil fuel exports and there is an unspoken bipartisan agreement in climate criminal Australia that it will keep burning and exporting fossil fuels until the World makes it stop

Straining Every Nerve Against
UN Membership For Palestine

By Josh Ruebner

The Roman philosopher and politician Cicero urged orators to “Strain every nerve to gain your point.” The Obama Administration appears to have taken his advice to heart in its attempts to make the case that the United States should oppose Palestinian efforts to gain membership in the United Nations this fall

Spain’s “Indignados” At The Vanguard Of
A Global Nonviolent Revolt

By Pablo Ouziel

Last night Madrid’s city centre offered a glimpse of what Western democracies have become, as thousands of unarmed nonviolent civilians with their hands up in the air shouting “these are our weapons” and “this is a dictatorship” were beaten by police commandos in full riot gear. This event was the culmination of a month of intense mobilizations across the country by the popular movement known as the ‘Indignados’

What's The Matter With Kids These Days?
By Frank Rummel

Take a gander at the state of affairs of today's youth and you have to wonder... For starters, they have their $90,000 student loan to pay off for waitressing school or hamburger slinging University or whatever their "vital to modern civilization", unduplicated by Asian slave labor, skill is

Namaste And Osama Bin Laden
By Mary Hamer

The purpose of this essay is: To apply the concept of Namaste to the relationship between the West & the Middle East , specifically between the United States & Osama bin Laden

Planet, People And Profit Key To
Environmental Campaign

By Syed Ali Mujtaba

A report on a workshop on climate change focusing youth, organized in Chennai

Revival Of Institutions- A Historic Look
By Fayyaz A. Soomro

It is need of time that all people of Pakistan should stand shoulder to shoulder in bringing transparency in the institutions, proper utilization of the resources and effective implementation of the long term policies at right time with true political will by ensuring democratic values

08 August , 2011

A 50,000-Foot View Of The Global Crisis
By Paul Chefurka

We are now well into a global crisis that may mark the end of this cycle of human civilization. In this note I present a summary of what’s going on as far as I can tell, as well as a scenario for how things might develop over the next 75 years or so

India 's Low Carbon Strategies;
Are They Good Enough?

By Shankar Sharma

The menu of options to reduce GHG emission intensity in critical sectors of the Indian economy as recommended by ‘expert group on low carbon strategies for inclusive growth' clearly falls short of the requirement, and hence much more proactive strategies to reduce the overall GHG emissions are needed

Norway's Mad Killer, Private Justice
And The Future Of The State

By Kurt Cobb

For me firearms smack of klan or private justice. Nevertheless, I condemn no one who chooses to own guns for the protection of his or her home. But I deplore the notion that guns ought to be carried in public as a matter of course. I would prefer to empower my local authorities with the necessary resources to keep the public sphere safe. I desire private justice neither from those who fire the first shot nor from those who fire the second

A Nation-Sized Battery
By Tom Murphy

This post does not proclaim that there is no way to build adequate storage to accommodate a fully-renewable energy infrastructure. It does, however, point out that mapping a path to the future is not a snap: the scale is immense and (unanticipated?) dead ends exist among “obvious” solutions. We should be careful not to issue cavalier statements about how easy it will be to meet future needs

Where Have Libya's Children Gone?
By Franklin Lamb

The quality of life continues to degrade in certain areas of western Libya while public anxiety noticeably rises over missing Libyan children as the first week of an unusually stressful Ramadan passes

UID Aadhaar As If People Matter
By S.G.Vombatkere

This article views the Aadhaar project at the system operational level, with practical considerations based on observed and probable functioning at the service delivery end

Keeping Faith With Peace
By Valerie Schloredt

On the anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Jesuit Priest Bill Bichsel talks about why he went to prison for a future without nuclear weapons

Breivik’s Model Nation And Migrants
In South Korea

By Bonojit Hussain

Breivik’s manifesto might appear to be full of rambling political rants; but it seems he is not radically off the mark in understanding Korea’s hatred for migrants. So much so that right wing groups in Korea must have smiled and said in Unison “Alas! Somebody recognizes our real value”

Blackmail In Washington
By Serge Halimi

The squabbles between President Obama and the Republican majority in Congress over US debt obscure the main point: under covert pressure from his opponents, Obama has agreed without further ado that $3,000bn, more than three-quarters of the budget reduction he wants for the next ten years, will be covered by cuts in social services

The Jobs Crisis Demands Attention 
By Shamus Cooke

The recent troubles in the U.S. economy are forcing working people to reexamine their hopes for a recovery, as has been promised to them for years. They will not wait much longer

The Prisoner Hunger Strike: A Real Inspiration,
A Real Beginning

By Li Onesto

The outrage of mass incarceration in the U.S. and the inhumanity of solitary confinement say a lot about the system we live under. It is extremely important for growing numbers of people to not only become aware of these crimes of the system—but to build mass political resistance against this intolerable situation

Bolivia's Fight For Sovereignty Over Military
By Federico Fuentes

Speaking to CNN en Espanol on July 27, Bolivian President Evo Morales said “When presidents do not submit to the United States government, to its policies, there are coups.” His comments are backed by attempts by the US and Bolivia's right wing to bring down his government

Playing Foul With The Oppressed
By Dr Anand Teltumbde

The current instance of disowning its responsibility towards 13 lakh school students from these marginalised social groups goes beyond callousness; it reveals how the Maharashtra state government plays foul and un-scrupulous games with the oppressed

Mumbai’s Coastal Ecology Faces Oil Spill Disaster
Like Gujarat’s Alang Beach

By Toxics Watch Alliance

The leakage of oil from Panama flagged ship MV Rak once again reveals that repeated reminders of Indian Coast Guard (ICG) to the Inter-ministerial Committees did not have any effect on Ministry of Shipping and Ministry of Home Affairs that remains quite weak in regulating transboundary movement of ships in Indian waters

07 August , 2011

Clumsy Conflict With Credit Rating Of The US
By Farooque Chowdhury

Standard & Poor in an unprecedented move has downgraded the US’ credit rating from AAA to AA+. The Chinese rating agency Dagong Global Credit Rating Co has also downgraded US sovereign credit rating from A+ to A. Dagong downgraded the rating AA to A+ in November. Fitch Ratings would review its decision, affirming the AAA, through August. Moody’s has kept its triple A rating, but that it might still lower it

Nature Bats Last: Notes On Revolution
And Resistance, Revelation And Redemption

By Robert Jensen

The planet on which our civilization evolved no longer exists. The stability that produced that civilization has vanished; epic changes have begun. We may, with commitment and luck, yet be able to maintain a planet that will sustain some kind of civilization, but it won't be the same planet, and hence it won't be the same civilization. The earth that we knew -- the only earth that we ever knew -- is gone

Managing Contraction, Redefining Progress
By Richard Heinberg

Many analysts who focus on the problems of population growth, resource depletion, and climate change foresee gradually tightening constraints on world economic activity. In most cases the prognosis they offer is for worsening environmental problems, more expensive energy and materials, and slowing economic growth.However, their analyses often fail to factor in the impacts to and from a financial system built on the expectation of further growth

Why You Can't Fight Climate Change
Without Peak Oil

By Erik Curren

Climate change can lead to a more democratic, more just and more spiritually connected life ahead if only humans take advantage of the slim chance we still have to get off of fossil fuels as soon as we can

Global Warming, CDM And Coal Power Plants
By Shankar Sharma

India should not build more coal power plants but should focus firstly on efficiency improvements and then only on locally available renewable energy sources

The New Anti-Semitism
By Uri Avnery

Anders Behring Breivik is the prototype of a Nazi anti-Semite of the new wave. His creed consists of white supremacy, Christian fundamentalism, hatred of democracy and European chauvinism, mixed with a virulent hatred of Muslims

Colombia: Pillage, Promise And Peace
By James Petras

Colombia has all the objective ingredients (material and human resources) to be part of the dynamic new order. But first and foremost it must shed its role as the militarized vassal of the United States and an object of exploitation by a rentier oligarchy. Colombia must cease backing US coups (Honduras, Venezuela) and threatening its neighbors (Ecuador)

Truman Lied, Hundreds of Thousands Died
By David Swanson

When Truman lied to America that Hiroshima was a military base rather than a city full of civilians, people no doubt wanted to believe him. Who would want the shame of belonging to the nation that commits a whole new kind of atrocity?

Drone Terrorism
By Ghali Hassan

The use of armed drones by the U.S. to attack defenceless civilians and assassinate individuals is a form of terrorism designed to terrorise the population to achieve political objectives. It is the worst terrorism ever hurled on defenceless population and must be condemned

Sri Lanka, Eelam Tamils And The Ethical Crime
By Karthick RM

The Tamil liberal who infests the elite circles of Colombo 7, who speaks of ‘post-war reconciliation’ or ‘citizen activism’ without addressing the fundamental political demands of the Eelam Tamils is as guilty of ethical dishonesty as his intellectual bedfellow, the Sinhala liberal who, like all liberals of oppressor nations, primarily serves his nation’s interests only

Dalits Denounce Anti-Secular Order Geared To Promoting Caste Hindu Hegemony
By Yoginder Sikand

The continued denial of SC status to Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims makes a complete mockery of the Indian state’s much-vaunted claims of being democratic and secular

Americans’ Disapproval Of “Spoiled Children”
And “Disgusting Jokes”

By Farooque Chowdhury

It will be inappropriate to discern results from recent polls on performance of the US Congress as a crisis. But it is significant. A number of polls show: significant percentage of the Americans taking part in the polls are not happy with their legislature and with both the parties. The disapproval is at its historic low, the lowest ever in more than three decades

Debt Crisis Debate What Was It All About?
By Jay Janson

A larger question for Mankind's future sanity is why can't enough Earthlings become unfooled about who is in charge and has been in charge throughout the age of global finance capitalism in its imperialist stage?

Who Controls Our Seed And Therefore,
Our Food And Farming?

By Kavitha Kuruganti

On Quit India Day on August 9 th this year, hundreds of organizations and thousands of citizens are coming together to resist the most potent symbol of corporatisation of our food and farming . The idea is to save our Food, Farmers and Freedom from such corporate aggression. The call is for Monsanto to Quit India

Human Rights Organisations Express Concern
On Abdul Nasser Ma’dani's Case

By Concerned Citizens & Organisations

We call upon the Indian government and all its agencies to uphold the rule of law and implement the secular and democratic principles of the Indian Constitution and stop behaving as if the country has become a ‘Hindu Rashtra’. In the absence of fairness to the large populations of dalits, adivasis and Muslims living in this country the future for Indian democracy can only be bleak and a recipe for perpetual conflict

Where Is WIPRO's "Strategic Vision
On The UIDAI Project" Document?

By Gopal Krishna

If the Prime Minister scrutinises the 'Strategic Vision on the UIDAI Project' that was prepared and submitted to the processes committee of the Planning Commission by Wipro Ltd (consultant for the design phase and programme management phase of the pilot UIDAI project), he will get sufficient reason to dismantle the project. This vision document is missing

05 August , 2011

Earth's Systems In Rapid Decline
By Stephen Leahy

Protecting bits of nature here and there will not prevent humanity from losing our life support system. Even if areas dedicated to conserving plants, animals, and other species that provide Earth's life support system increased tenfold, it would not be enough without dealing with the big issues of the 21st century: population, overconsumption and inefficient resource use. Without dealing with those big issues, humanity will need 27 planet Earths by 2050, a new study estimates

Probing The Role Of The Sun
In An Era Of Global Warming

By Michael D. Lemonick

Some skeptics have suggested the real culprit behind rising temperatures is increased solar activity. But a wide variety of data and experiments still provide no solid evidence to refute the scientific consensus that greenhouse gas emissions are the major reason the planet is heating up

Volcanic vs. Anthropogenic CO2
By Terry Gerlach

Annual anthropogenic CO2 emissions exceed annual volcanic CO2 by two orders of magnitude, and probably exceed the CO2 output of one or more super-eruptions. Thus there is no scientific basis for using volcanic CO2 emissions as an excuse for failing to manage humanity’s carbon footprint

What Are The Internet's Dependencies?
By Barath Raghavan

In my last post, I looked at the Internet's energy use, broadly construed, and contended that we might offload other societal functions onto the Internet. In this post I'd like to consider in what ways that might be an unwise approach given the dependencies of the Internet

Salvaging Science
By John Michael Greer

The spiralling economic contraction we can expect as the impact of peak oil grows stronger poses a particularly sharp challenge to the institutions of modern science, which are already facing budget cuts and a widening loss of social influence and prestige. In a future where pumping money into research projects simply won't be an option any more, the survival of the scientific method as a way of solving problems is arguably up for grabs -- but there are options for salvaging it

The Peak Oil Crisis: Parsing The GDP
By Tom Whipple

Lost in the furor over the debt crisis last week came the news that the U.S. economy expanded at an annual rate of only 0.4 percent in the first quarter and 1.3 percent in the second. As these numbers were well below what economists were expecting, the revelation that the US was not coming out of the "great recession" was quite a shock for those who have not been paying attention

A Secret War In 120 Countries
By Nick Turse

Somewhere on this planet an American commando is carrying out a mission. Now, say that 70 times and you’re done... for the day. Without the knowledge of the American public, a secret force within the U.S. military is undertaking operations in a majority of the world’s countries. This new Pentagon power elite is waging a global war whose size and scope has never been revealed, until now

Competing Narratives In Syria:
Between Tired Slogans And A Looming Dawn

By Ramzy Baroud

There is only one way to read the future of Syria. The Syrian people deserve a new dawn of freedom, equality, social justice, free from empty slogans, self-serving elites and corrupt criminals. Syria and its courageous people deserve better. Much better

An Island Of Food In Africa’s Horn Of Hunger
By Thomas C. Mountain

The Horn of Africa may be the Horn of Hunger for millions but in the midst of all the drought, starvation and suffering there lives and grows an island of food security, little Eritrea and its five million people

The Rich Take The Gold And We Get The Shaft
By Ron Forthofer

The media circus about the latest insanity from inside the Washington Beltway is finally over. Unfortunately, this latest and totally unnecessary political theater over the debt ceiling means that life will become harsher for most of us, particularly for those barely getting by now

Us Against Them
By Vincent L. Guarisco

Are you tired of government hypocrisy and a lapdog media that eagerly provides damage control and disinformation? Well, a battle is being waged and the stakes are extremely high

Kashmiryat: Religion Or Class?
By Inshah Malik

The author argues that the fabrics of the Kashmiryat in discourse stand on caste, class and not religion

Exploitation: What Else Can They Do?
By Fahad Shah

Contractual lecturers are on hunger strike in Kashmir valley

03 August , 2011

End Game For Benghazi Rebels As Libyan Tribes Prepare To Weigh In
By Franklin Lamb

Libya’s Tribal Council has issued a manifesto which makes clear that it intends to end this conflict, help expel “the NATO crusaders”, achieve reforms while supporting the Gaddafi, Tripoli based government. Before Ramadan is over, it intends to end Libya’s crisis even if it needs to rally its hundreds of thousands of active members to march on Benghazi

How Change Happens: A Three-Fold Strategy
By David Korten

1. Change the defining stories of the mainstream culture. 2. Create a new economic reality from the bottom up. 3. Change the rules to support the values and institutions of the emergent new reality

Lenin Lives!
The Samovar Surrender

By Niranjan Ramakrishnan

If only I could draw, I would whip out a sketch of Barack Obama in evening dress, complete with top hat -- and umbrella. And the caption? "Compromise in Our Time" would say everything

The Debt Ceiling Debate, Global Crisis,
And Savage Austerity

An interview with Raymond Lotta

The debt ceiling debate explained from a socialist perspective

Debt Crisis Debate What Was It All About?
By Jay Janson

A larger question for Mankind's future sanity is why can't enough Earthlings become unfooled about who is in charge and has been in charge throughout the age of global finance capitalism in its imperialist stage

When The Revolution Comes
By Gaither Stewart

The Historical Gastonia Textile Mill Strikes Are Not Forgotten

Bolivia: WikiLeaks Expose US Conspiracy
By Federico Fuentes

Recently released United States embassy cables from Bolivia have provided additional insight to the events leading up to the September 2008 coup attempt against the Andean country's first indigenous president

"We Would Rather Die In Our Dread:"
Moving Beyond The Debt Ceiling Canard;
Much More Is At Stake

By Phil Rockstroh

Given the degraded quality of life in the nation, why do the people of the U.S. stand for this culture of exploitation and diminished prospects?

We Need A Rebellion
By Paul Buchheit

Today, as in 1786, the wealthy and well-connected members of Congress want to make sure they retain control. In 1786 Sam Adams, who had been one of the strongest voices for the Revolution, argued that rebellion in the new Republic should be punishable by death. We need to fight back in 2011 before modern-day Republicans consider Adams' suggestion

Fight To End The Most Base Form Of Exploitation
By Brian McAfee

One of the most significant ongoing scourges that befalls humanity worldwide is the ongoing exploitation and sexual abuse of over two million girls and boys through sex trafficking. UNICEF estimates that two and a half million children, most of them girls, are tricked or forced into the multibillion dollar global sex industry

Namaste I Honour The Divine In You
By Mary Hamer

If a person is Namaste enlightened, then that person will not be violent towards an enemy. An enlightened person will offer: A kind word, a gesture of conciliation to or listen compassionately to an enemy. Furthermore, if a person is truly Namaste aware, then that person will have No enemy

Five Scriptures You Won't Hear
At Rick Perry's Prayer Event

By Jim Rigby

As a native Texan, I'm used to crazy religion and crazy politics. So, the announcement of Gov. Rick Perry's plans for “The Response,” a prayer event scheduled for Aug. 6 at Houston's Reliant Stadium, was not a surprise.The use of the governor's office to promote one religion in a country with such rich religious diversity is obviously unhealthy politics

02 August , 2011

US House Approves Record Budget Cuts
By Patrick Martin

The US House of Representatives voted by a 269-161 margin Monday night to approve the budget agreement between congressional Republicans and the Obama administration that will cut nearly $3 trillion from federal spending over the next ten years, the bulk of it from domestic social programs

Fake Debt Crisis Strikes Blow At Safety Net 
By Shamus Cooke 

The debt crisis has been averted and people across the globe are breathing sighs of relief. But in the back rooms of Congress politicians are celebrating for a different reason. It's the kind of celebration that erupts when a group executes a complicated plan to perfection. The objective in this case was to strike the first blows against the national social safety net without encountering massive resistance. Mission half-accomplished thus far

Lowering America’s War Ceiling?
Imperial Psychosis On Display

By Tom Engelhardt

For months Americans have been focused on raising that debt ceiling, as onscreen countdown clocks ticked away to disaster. In the process, few have asked the obvious question: Isn’t it time to lower America’s war ceiling?

Syrian Regime Cracks Down On Protests
By Niall Green

Syrian security forces allegedly killed around 100 people in the Syrian city of Hama over the weekend. Since April there have been several large demonstrations against the regime of President Bashar Assad in Hama, in the northwest of Syria, and repeated crackdowns by regime forces

The Tent Intifada
By Yacov Ben Efrat

Israel is up in rebellion

When Oil And Gas Are Depleted
By Roy Anderson

If people of the 21st century can apply ingenuity to a declining lifestyle as they did to the improving lifestyle of the 20th century, perhaps the inevitable changes can be made in an orderly way

Madurai Declaration On Climate Change

The Commission on Justice, Peace and Creation of the NCC India was in solidarity with several Climate Justice Action Groups, Civil Society Movements and Originations in holding a state level ‘Conference against Warming the Globe 2011. The Conference was held in Madurai, Tamil Nadu from 22nd to 24th July 2011. The conference began with mass rally participated by over 10000 people and followed by cultural programs, public meetings, 47 thematic seminars, and 52 sale cum exhibition stall related with alternative products. . Finally the Madurai Declaration was adopted by the participants on the 24th July

Odisha's Little Gandhians
By S.G.Vombatkere

Gandhiji non-violently opposed unaccountable and cruel (British) power used against ordinary people. Many decades later in independent India, the people of PPSS and elsewhere in the country are following his example but against their own governments' economically and physically violent anti-people actions. But now there is a new dimension; children are in it. The valiant children of Govindpur, Dhinkia and other villages of PPSS deserve national recognition

No Boundaries: An Extended Chronicle Of
India's Land Acquisition 

By Srestha Banerjee

While Indian and multinational companies are fast acquiring farm lands in India for industrialisation, Indian companies are acquiring hundreds of thousands of hectares in Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Senegal and Mozambique, for the purpose of cultivating rice, sugar cane, maize, lentils, cotton, palm oil, oilseed for their home market

Reflecting Dalit Movement
In The Era of ‘Globalization’

Anand Teltumbde Interviewed By Yoginder Sikand

Mumbai-based Anand Teltumbde is a leading scholar-activist, who has written extensively on issues related to caste, class, imperialism and ‘globalization’. In this interview with Yoginder Sikand, he reflects on the Dalit movement in the era of ‘globalization’

The Oslo Massacre: “Kill Them All
And Come Back Alone”

By Farooque Chowdhury

The Kill them all and come back alone massacre in Norway shatters the tranquil appearing Norwegian socio-political surface standing on a base full with unresolved contradictions. The hatred-stuffed rightist social act through “an” individual is a product of an advanced capitalist economy, not a mindless act by a mindless man

01 August , 2011

Keep Hope Alive
By Rebecca Solnit

If 61 native nations oppose a tar-sands pipeline, it’s because they’ve survived the last 519 years of Euro-invasive attempts to eliminate their rights, their identities, and sometimes their lives. They’re still here. So are the Immokalee workers. And the feminists. And the climate-change activists. And Nelson Mandela. So are you. Do something hopeful about it, just for the hell of it. There’s no reason not to

World Rapidly Running Out Of Time
To Cease Greenhouse Gas Pollution

By Dr Gideon Polya

Top climate scientists and biologists are telling us that reaching zero emissions is not enough – we then have to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration from the current 394 parts per million (ppm) to 350 ppm and thence to 300 ppm

How Much Energy Does The Internet Use?
By Barath Raghavan

The bottom line is that the few previous studies that existed were ignoring a large piece---roughly half---of the energy use in question. Despite this, it seems worth it to keep the Internet going as long as we can because it may help us, for a time, keep our energy use down

A Ray Of Hope For Kamlesh
By Madhu Chandra

Kamlesh, a 9 year old Dalit girl from a village called Trauali Jhanauti in Mathura District of Uttar Pradesh in North India, was thrown onto a burning bush by an upper caste man on April 29, 2008. She suffered 80% burns. It was her punishment for walking on the path reserved for upper caste communities in her village. She is now recovering in a New Delhi hospital

What Kind Of System Needs To Torture Prisoners?
By Li Onesto

The courageous struggle of the prisoners at Pelican Bay should make many more people sit up and take notice and ask—and find the answers to—some important questions about the U.S. prison system

The Norwegian Response To The Terror Attack
And The Challenges Ahead

By Salim Nazzal

Norway has proven beyond doubt its integrity by responding to the terror attack in an impressive manner. The voice of the Norwegian politicians is unanimous: Norway will in the future remain the same democratic country. Comparing the U.S. reaction and the Norwegian reaction, one clearly observes the sharp differences between the two

Terrorism In Norway – How To Avoid It
In The Future?

By Dr. Habib Siddiqui

In a society where anti-Islamic xenophobic sentiments and open bigotry are tolerated, there will be hateful zealots who would feel legitimized in taking criminal measures. The government must make it clear that there is no room for such chauvinism in this age

 



 


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