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marmar
marmar's Journal
marmar's Journal
November 19, 2012
Most Independents Elected to Statehouses Since 1942
Posted on Nov 18, 2012
The 25 alternative candidates elected to state legislatures in the 2012 election might not seem like a huge groundswell, but it represents the highest level of independent representation in statehouses since 1942.
This, according to Ballot Access News by way of Political Wire. Ballot Access News reports another interesting fact: “None of the independent and minor party candidates who were elected in 2012 were elected from states with a top-two primary system.”
Also known as the “Cajun” or “jungle” primary (thank you, Wikipedia), such a system tends to favor the Democrats and Republicans because all candidates run in the same pool and only the top two are allowed to go on to the general election.
http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/most_independents_elected_to_statehouses_since_1942_20121118/
Most Independents Elected to Statehouses Since 1942
Most Independents Elected to Statehouses Since 1942
Posted on Nov 18, 2012
The 25 alternative candidates elected to state legislatures in the 2012 election might not seem like a huge groundswell, but it represents the highest level of independent representation in statehouses since 1942.
This, according to Ballot Access News by way of Political Wire. Ballot Access News reports another interesting fact: “None of the independent and minor party candidates who were elected in 2012 were elected from states with a top-two primary system.”
Also known as the “Cajun” or “jungle” primary (thank you, Wikipedia), such a system tends to favor the Democrats and Republicans because all candidates run in the same pool and only the top two are allowed to go on to the general election.
http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/most_independents_elected_to_statehouses_since_1942_20121118/
November 19, 2012
(Bloomberg) The shadow banking industry has grown to about $67 trillion, $6 trillion bigger than previously thought, leading global regulators to seek more oversight of financial transactions that fall outside traditional oversight.
The size of the shadow banking system, which includes the activities of money market funds, monoline insurers and off- balance sheet investment vehicles, “can create systemic risks” and “amplify market reactions when market liquidity is scarce,” the Financial Stability Board said in a report, which utilized more data than last year’s probe into the sector.
“Appropriate monitoring and regulatory frameworks for the shadow banking system needs to be in place to mitigate the build-up of risks,” the FSB said in the report published on its website.
While watchdogs have reined in excessive risk-taking by banks in the wake of the collapse of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. in 2008, they are concerned that lenders might use shadow banking to evade the clampdown. Michel Barnier, the European Union’s financial services chief, is planning to target money market funds in a first wave of rules for shadow banks next year. ..................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-18/shadow-banking-grows-to-67-trillion-industry-regulators-say.html
Shadow Banking Grows to $67 Trillion Industry, Regulators Say
(Bloomberg) The shadow banking industry has grown to about $67 trillion, $6 trillion bigger than previously thought, leading global regulators to seek more oversight of financial transactions that fall outside traditional oversight.
The size of the shadow banking system, which includes the activities of money market funds, monoline insurers and off- balance sheet investment vehicles, “can create systemic risks” and “amplify market reactions when market liquidity is scarce,” the Financial Stability Board said in a report, which utilized more data than last year’s probe into the sector.
“Appropriate monitoring and regulatory frameworks for the shadow banking system needs to be in place to mitigate the build-up of risks,” the FSB said in the report published on its website.
While watchdogs have reined in excessive risk-taking by banks in the wake of the collapse of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. in 2008, they are concerned that lenders might use shadow banking to evade the clampdown. Michel Barnier, the European Union’s financial services chief, is planning to target money market funds in a first wave of rules for shadow banks next year. ..................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-18/shadow-banking-grows-to-67-trillion-industry-regulators-say.html
November 19, 2012
from Grist's Gristmill blog:
Summer Rupper, a geologist at Brigham Young University, traveled to Bhutan. Her goal in visiting the Himalayan nation in southern Asia was to predict how its glaciers were likely to respond to various climate scenarios over the coming decades. The answer: No matter what, the glaciers are likely to shrink substantially.
Note the point in that first paragraph: “even if climate remained steady.” In other words, even if the climate didn’t get any warmer, which is almost certainly not going to be the case.
Although Bhutan’s glaciers are massive and how they react to climate change will affect those downstream from the nation — read: the populous nation of Bangladesh — melt is a problem for glaciers the world over. And, by extension, for everyone who lives anywhere near the ocean. ................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://grist.org/news/more-bad-news-about-glaciers-and-therefore-sea-levels/
More bad news about glaciers — and therefore sea levels
from Grist's Gristmill blog:
Summer Rupper, a geologist at Brigham Young University, traveled to Bhutan. Her goal in visiting the Himalayan nation in southern Asia was to predict how its glaciers were likely to respond to various climate scenarios over the coming decades. The answer: No matter what, the glaciers are likely to shrink substantially.
Rupper’s most conservative findings indicate that even if climate remained steady, almost 10 percent of Bhutan’s glaciers would vanish within the next few decades. What’s more, the amount of melt water coming off these glaciers could drop by 30 percent. …
In fact, snowfall rates in Bhutan would need to almost double to avoid glacier retreat, but it’s not a likely scenario because warmer temperatures lead to rainfall instead of snow. If glaciers continue to lose more water than they gain, the combination of more rain and more glacial melt will increase the probability of flooding — which can be devastating to neighboring villages.
Note the point in that first paragraph: “even if climate remained steady.” In other words, even if the climate didn’t get any warmer, which is almost certainly not going to be the case.
Although Bhutan’s glaciers are massive and how they react to climate change will affect those downstream from the nation — read: the populous nation of Bangladesh — melt is a problem for glaciers the world over. And, by extension, for everyone who lives anywhere near the ocean. ................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://grist.org/news/more-bad-news-about-glaciers-and-therefore-sea-levels/
November 19, 2012
from In These Times:
In These Times has exclusively obtained a leaked internal Honeywell document outlining an anti-union strategy that includes leveraging Obama administration connections. The documents suggest that the megacorporation is deeply concerned about recent union activity at its factories and the bad press that has resulted (one example cited is a Working In These Times op-ed).
The PowerPoint presentation, downloadable here, was leaked to In These Times by unionized Honeywell workers who downloaded them from company’s internal database. Titled “DRAFT Honeywell Readiness Plan for Corporate Union Campaigns” and marked "Honeywell - Confidential," the slideshow was authored by four Honeywell interns (see correction at bottom). Though the document is undated, it appears to be relatively recent, relying on 2011 data. Its stated objective is “to develop a framework that can be used by Honeywell with the resources required to prevent or react to a nationwide corporate union campaign and dissipate any problems as quickly as possible.”
“Honeywell is at significant risk of becoming the target of a national union corporate campaign and has no readiness plan in place to deal with this possibility," warns the document. A graphic identifies a number of unions and workers' organizations as potential sources of such a campaign, including SEIU, Warehouse Workers United, the AFL-CIO's Change to Win, UNITE HERE! and the United Steelworkers. Honeywell notes in particular the dangers of negative publicity, citing as one example an August 4, 2011 Working In These Times op-ed by Metropolis Honeywell employee and USW Local 7-699 leader John Paul Smith titled “What the Honeywell Lockout Taught Me About International Labor Solidarity.”
The PowerPoint then presents a five-part prevention plan broken down into "1.) Labor Employee Relations 2.) Communications 3.) Government Relations 4.) Legal and 5.) Global Security." ....................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.inthesetimes.com/working/entry/14198/leaked_confidential_honeywell_document_say_obama_administration_connections/
In Leaked Docs, Honeywell Cites Obama administration Ties As Key to Anti-Union Strategy
from In These Times:
In These Times has exclusively obtained a leaked internal Honeywell document outlining an anti-union strategy that includes leveraging Obama administration connections. The documents suggest that the megacorporation is deeply concerned about recent union activity at its factories and the bad press that has resulted (one example cited is a Working In These Times op-ed).
The PowerPoint presentation, downloadable here, was leaked to In These Times by unionized Honeywell workers who downloaded them from company’s internal database. Titled “DRAFT Honeywell Readiness Plan for Corporate Union Campaigns” and marked "Honeywell - Confidential," the slideshow was authored by four Honeywell interns (see correction at bottom). Though the document is undated, it appears to be relatively recent, relying on 2011 data. Its stated objective is “to develop a framework that can be used by Honeywell with the resources required to prevent or react to a nationwide corporate union campaign and dissipate any problems as quickly as possible.”
“Honeywell is at significant risk of becoming the target of a national union corporate campaign and has no readiness plan in place to deal with this possibility," warns the document. A graphic identifies a number of unions and workers' organizations as potential sources of such a campaign, including SEIU, Warehouse Workers United, the AFL-CIO's Change to Win, UNITE HERE! and the United Steelworkers. Honeywell notes in particular the dangers of negative publicity, citing as one example an August 4, 2011 Working In These Times op-ed by Metropolis Honeywell employee and USW Local 7-699 leader John Paul Smith titled “What the Honeywell Lockout Taught Me About International Labor Solidarity.”
The PowerPoint then presents a five-part prevention plan broken down into "1.) Labor Employee Relations 2.) Communications 3.) Government Relations 4.) Legal and 5.) Global Security." ....................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.inthesetimes.com/working/entry/14198/leaked_confidential_honeywell_document_say_obama_administration_connections/
November 18, 2012
from Consortium News:
The Death Toll of Watergate
November 17, 2012
Exclusive: Major gaps in the history of Watergate and Iran-Contra have let Republicans minimize those scandals by comparing them to the fabricated “scandal” over the Benghazi attacks. A fuller understanding of Watergate would reveal its links to Richard Nixon’s prolonging the Vietnam War, writes Robert Parry.
By Robert Parry
Republicans are fond of comparing their scandal-mongering – like the current hype over the terrorist assault on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya – with genuine scandals, like Watergate, which sank Richard Nixon’s second term, and Iran-Contra, which marred Ronald Reagan’s last two years in office.
The GOP’s false equivalence represents both an effort to puff up their latest accusations against Democrats and an attempt to minimize the misconduct of those two Republican presidents. For instance, one favorite GOP comment about Benghazi is: “No one died at Watergate. Four brave Americans died in Benghazi.”
This apples-and-oranges sophistry misses the point that Watergate and Iran-Contra were complex conspiracies that required intensive investigations to unravel their secrets (many of which remain hidden or in dispute to this day) while the Benghazi affair boils down to an easily resolved question as to why the U.S. intelligence community withheld some of the details in the immediate aftermath of the attack last Sept. 11.
The answers seem to be that the Benghazi consulate had evolved into a CIA base for secret operations and that U.S. intelligence didn’t want to tip off the attack’s perpetrators regarding how much the agency knew about their identities. So, the word “extremists” replaced specific groups and the CIA affiliation of two slain Americans was withheld. ....................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://consortiumnews.com/2012/11/17/the-death-toll-of-watergate/
The Death Toll of Watergate
from Consortium News:
The Death Toll of Watergate
November 17, 2012
Exclusive: Major gaps in the history of Watergate and Iran-Contra have let Republicans minimize those scandals by comparing them to the fabricated “scandal” over the Benghazi attacks. A fuller understanding of Watergate would reveal its links to Richard Nixon’s prolonging the Vietnam War, writes Robert Parry.
By Robert Parry
Republicans are fond of comparing their scandal-mongering – like the current hype over the terrorist assault on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya – with genuine scandals, like Watergate, which sank Richard Nixon’s second term, and Iran-Contra, which marred Ronald Reagan’s last two years in office.
The GOP’s false equivalence represents both an effort to puff up their latest accusations against Democrats and an attempt to minimize the misconduct of those two Republican presidents. For instance, one favorite GOP comment about Benghazi is: “No one died at Watergate. Four brave Americans died in Benghazi.”
This apples-and-oranges sophistry misses the point that Watergate and Iran-Contra were complex conspiracies that required intensive investigations to unravel their secrets (many of which remain hidden or in dispute to this day) while the Benghazi affair boils down to an easily resolved question as to why the U.S. intelligence community withheld some of the details in the immediate aftermath of the attack last Sept. 11.
The answers seem to be that the Benghazi consulate had evolved into a CIA base for secret operations and that U.S. intelligence didn’t want to tip off the attack’s perpetrators regarding how much the agency knew about their identities. So, the word “extremists” replaced specific groups and the CIA affiliation of two slain Americans was withheld. ....................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://consortiumnews.com/2012/11/17/the-death-toll-of-watergate/
November 18, 2012
from the Independent UK:
The pachyderm Picasso? Elephant causes a stampede on the abstract art scene
Rob Williams
Sunday 18 November 2012
They have a fantastic memory, are rumoured to be scared of mice (the truth is that ants actually bother them more) and frequently remain unmentioned in rooms across the land - but are elephants any good at art?
A zoo in Bedfordshire has set out to answer just that question by appointing an elephant its artist in residence.
A five tonne Asian elephant called Karishma has been demonstrating its artistic flair at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, and now the resultant art work is being sold online, with her latest masterpiece going under the hammer on auction site eBay.
The abstract work of the fourteen-year-old animal is on sale with bidding starting at just 1p and any proceeds from the 10-day auction, which finishes on November 26, will go towards helping to protect Asian elephants. ............(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/the-pachyderm-picasso-elephant-causes-a-stampede-on-the-abstract-art-scene-8326983.html
The pachyderm Picasso? Elephant causes a stampede on the abstract art scene
from the Independent UK:
The pachyderm Picasso? Elephant causes a stampede on the abstract art scene
Rob Williams
Sunday 18 November 2012
They have a fantastic memory, are rumoured to be scared of mice (the truth is that ants actually bother them more) and frequently remain unmentioned in rooms across the land - but are elephants any good at art?
A zoo in Bedfordshire has set out to answer just that question by appointing an elephant its artist in residence.
A five tonne Asian elephant called Karishma has been demonstrating its artistic flair at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, and now the resultant art work is being sold online, with her latest masterpiece going under the hammer on auction site eBay.
The abstract work of the fourteen-year-old animal is on sale with bidding starting at just 1p and any proceeds from the 10-day auction, which finishes on November 26, will go towards helping to protect Asian elephants. ............(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/the-pachyderm-picasso-elephant-causes-a-stampede-on-the-abstract-art-scene-8326983.html
November 18, 2012
(Guardian UK) The Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, has said it is prepared for a "significant" widening of its Gaza offensive as the bombardment entered its fifth day.
The Palestinian death toll since the conflict began on Wednesday topped 50 after a night of sustained bombing that killed seven civilians, including five children, according to a Gaza health official. Two children died and 12 people were injured when two houses were hit in northern Gaza.
Shells fired from Israeli gunboats off the coast pummelled Gaza for an hour in the middle of the night, causing massive explosions, and six people were injured when two Israeli war planes hit a media building in Gaza City.
Netanyahu told the Israeli cabinet in remarks broadcast on Sunday: "We are exacting a heavy price from Hamas and the terrorist organisations and the Israel Defence Forces are prepared for a significant expansion of the operation." ...................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/nov/18/israel-ready-expand-gaza-offensive
Israel ready to expand Gaza offensive, says Binyamin Netanyahu
(Guardian UK) The Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, has said it is prepared for a "significant" widening of its Gaza offensive as the bombardment entered its fifth day.
The Palestinian death toll since the conflict began on Wednesday topped 50 after a night of sustained bombing that killed seven civilians, including five children, according to a Gaza health official. Two children died and 12 people were injured when two houses were hit in northern Gaza.
Shells fired from Israeli gunboats off the coast pummelled Gaza for an hour in the middle of the night, causing massive explosions, and six people were injured when two Israeli war planes hit a media building in Gaza City.
Netanyahu told the Israeli cabinet in remarks broadcast on Sunday: "We are exacting a heavy price from Hamas and the terrorist organisations and the Israel Defence Forces are prepared for a significant expansion of the operation." ...................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/nov/18/israel-ready-expand-gaza-offensive
November 18, 2012
from truthdig:
Behind the Twinkie Defense
Posted on Nov 17, 2012
By Paul Krassner
The apparent demise of the Twinkie brings back memories for me.
A dozen police cars had been set on fire, which in turn set off their alarms, underscoring the angry shouts from 5,000 understandably angry gays. This was in 1979. I had been covering the trial of Dan White for the San Francisco Bay Guardian. The ex-cop and supervisor had confessed to killing Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk.
Dale Metcalf, a former Merry Prankster who had become a lawyer, told me how he happened to be playing chess with a friend, Steven Scherr, one of White’s attorneys. Metcalf had just read “Orthomolecular Nutrition” by Abram Hoffer. Metcalf questioned Scherr about White’s diet and learned that, while under stress, White would consume candy bars and soft drinks. Metcalf recommended the book to Scherr, suggesting the author as an expert witness. After all, in his book, Hoffer revealed a personal vendetta against doughnuts, and White had once eaten five doughnuts in a row.
Hoffer didn’t testify, but his influence permeated the courtroom. White’s defense team presented that biochemical explanation of his behavior, blaming it on compulsive gobbling down of sugar-filled junk food. Psychiatrist Martin Blinder testified that on the night before the killings, White “just sat there in front of the TV set, binging on Twinkies.” Another psychiatrist stated, “If not for the aggravating fact of junk food, the homicides might not have taken place.” ......................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.truthdig.com/arts_culture/item/behind_the_twinkie_defense_20121117/
Behind the Twinkie Defense
from truthdig:
Behind the Twinkie Defense
Posted on Nov 17, 2012
By Paul Krassner
The apparent demise of the Twinkie brings back memories for me.
A dozen police cars had been set on fire, which in turn set off their alarms, underscoring the angry shouts from 5,000 understandably angry gays. This was in 1979. I had been covering the trial of Dan White for the San Francisco Bay Guardian. The ex-cop and supervisor had confessed to killing Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk.
Dale Metcalf, a former Merry Prankster who had become a lawyer, told me how he happened to be playing chess with a friend, Steven Scherr, one of White’s attorneys. Metcalf had just read “Orthomolecular Nutrition” by Abram Hoffer. Metcalf questioned Scherr about White’s diet and learned that, while under stress, White would consume candy bars and soft drinks. Metcalf recommended the book to Scherr, suggesting the author as an expert witness. After all, in his book, Hoffer revealed a personal vendetta against doughnuts, and White had once eaten five doughnuts in a row.
Hoffer didn’t testify, but his influence permeated the courtroom. White’s defense team presented that biochemical explanation of his behavior, blaming it on compulsive gobbling down of sugar-filled junk food. Psychiatrist Martin Blinder testified that on the night before the killings, White “just sat there in front of the TV set, binging on Twinkies.” Another psychiatrist stated, “If not for the aggravating fact of junk food, the homicides might not have taken place.” ......................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.truthdig.com/arts_culture/item/behind_the_twinkie_defense_20121117/
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