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marmar
marmar's Journal
marmar's Journal
August 7, 2012
WWIII: Great commodities war to end all wars
Commentary: A new era of depletion, collapse and austerity
By Paul B. Farrell, MarketWatch
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (MarketWatch) — Yes, WWIII: The Great Commodities War to End All Wars. We’ve heard that before. Remember WWI, known as The War to End All Wars, 37 million casualties. WWII was bigger, 60 million. Will WWIII finally end all wars? Or end the world, civilization, planet?
And it’s already started folks, ending the Great American Dream.
Fasten your seat belts, soon we’ll all be shocked out of denial. Some unpredictable black swan. A global wake-up call will trigger the Pentagon’s prediction in Fortune a decade ago at the launch of the Iraq War: “By 2020 ... an ancient pattern of desperate, all-out wars over food, water, and energy supplies is emerging ... warfare defining human life.”
And that’s also the clear message in “The Race for What’s Left: The Global Scramble for the World’s Last Resources,” the latest book by noted international security expert Michael Klare. .................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/wwiii-great-commodities-war-to-end-all-wars-2012-08-07
Paul B. Farrell: WWIII: Great commodities war to end all wars
WWIII: Great commodities war to end all wars
Commentary: A new era of depletion, collapse and austerity
By Paul B. Farrell, MarketWatch
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (MarketWatch) — Yes, WWIII: The Great Commodities War to End All Wars. We’ve heard that before. Remember WWI, known as The War to End All Wars, 37 million casualties. WWII was bigger, 60 million. Will WWIII finally end all wars? Or end the world, civilization, planet?
And it’s already started folks, ending the Great American Dream.
Fasten your seat belts, soon we’ll all be shocked out of denial. Some unpredictable black swan. A global wake-up call will trigger the Pentagon’s prediction in Fortune a decade ago at the launch of the Iraq War: “By 2020 ... an ancient pattern of desperate, all-out wars over food, water, and energy supplies is emerging ... warfare defining human life.”
And that’s also the clear message in “The Race for What’s Left: The Global Scramble for the World’s Last Resources,” the latest book by noted international security expert Michael Klare. .................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/wwiii-great-commodities-war-to-end-all-wars-2012-08-07
August 7, 2012
Forty years after the railroad industry teetered on the brink of collapse, officials say a hefty $827 million investment to expand rail line capacity may be needed to accommodate the growth of passenger and freight services in the east metro.
The needs are outlined in a new "East Metro Rail Capacity Study" commissioned by the Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority and the Red Rock Corridor Commission, which hope to use the freight rail lines between St. Paul and Hastings to expand commuter and high-speed rail services.
The $2.1 million, federally-funded study, released in draft form this week, sets the stage for a memorandum of understanding between the state, Ramsey County and freight companies operating in the east metro area, including Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, Canadian Pacific and Union Pacific.
The Metropolitan Council, Washington County and Dakota County also could become a part of an agreement. ...............(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.masstransitmag.com/news/10755714/mn-study-says-827-million-rail-expansion-needed-in-st-pauls-east-metro
MN: Study says $827 million rail expansion needed in St. Paul's east metro
Forty years after the railroad industry teetered on the brink of collapse, officials say a hefty $827 million investment to expand rail line capacity may be needed to accommodate the growth of passenger and freight services in the east metro.
The needs are outlined in a new "East Metro Rail Capacity Study" commissioned by the Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority and the Red Rock Corridor Commission, which hope to use the freight rail lines between St. Paul and Hastings to expand commuter and high-speed rail services.
The $2.1 million, federally-funded study, released in draft form this week, sets the stage for a memorandum of understanding between the state, Ramsey County and freight companies operating in the east metro area, including Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, Canadian Pacific and Union Pacific.
The Metropolitan Council, Washington County and Dakota County also could become a part of an agreement. ...............(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.masstransitmag.com/news/10755714/mn-study-says-827-million-rail-expansion-needed-in-st-pauls-east-metro
August 7, 2012
from Consortium News:
America’s Plutocratic Traditions
August 6, 2012
Some voters are in disbelief that Mitt Romney’s tax plan would raise taxes on the poor and the middle class in order to reduce them even more on the rich. But government strategies favoring the rich date back to the origins of the Republic, notes ex-CIA analyst Paul R. Pillar.
By Paul R. Pillar
I recently read a book by University of Maryland historian Terry Bouton, Taming Democracy, which is an account of the intense struggles over wealth and power that emerged in the earliest days of the United States. Bouton’s detailed research was focused on Pennsylvania, but he describes patterns that also appeared elsewhere in the infant republic.
The core of the story he tells is that the colonial coalition that made possible the political break with Britain fractured even while the Revolutionary War was still in progress, as wealthy interests in the colonies quickly had second thoughts about the democratic fervor that they had helped to set in motion and how it might jeopardize their ability to amass still more wealth.
Those interests then devoted themselves to implementing public policies aimed at protecting and promoting the wealth of the moneyed class, and to structuring politics and government in a way that — per the title of Bouton’s book — prevented the more numerous members of lower classes from overturning those policies.
The story demonstrates that strong class consciousness and class-specific drivers of policy have been a major part of American politics since independence. A key part of that class struggle all along has been a strong sense among a wealthy elite of separateness from the non-wealthy, and of having a right to push hard for public policies that favor their own class even if they are clearly detrimental to others. ..................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://consortiumnews.com/2012/08/06/americas-plutocratic-traditions/
America’s Plutocratic Traditions
from Consortium News:
America’s Plutocratic Traditions
August 6, 2012
Some voters are in disbelief that Mitt Romney’s tax plan would raise taxes on the poor and the middle class in order to reduce them even more on the rich. But government strategies favoring the rich date back to the origins of the Republic, notes ex-CIA analyst Paul R. Pillar.
By Paul R. Pillar
I recently read a book by University of Maryland historian Terry Bouton, Taming Democracy, which is an account of the intense struggles over wealth and power that emerged in the earliest days of the United States. Bouton’s detailed research was focused on Pennsylvania, but he describes patterns that also appeared elsewhere in the infant republic.
The core of the story he tells is that the colonial coalition that made possible the political break with Britain fractured even while the Revolutionary War was still in progress, as wealthy interests in the colonies quickly had second thoughts about the democratic fervor that they had helped to set in motion and how it might jeopardize their ability to amass still more wealth.
Those interests then devoted themselves to implementing public policies aimed at protecting and promoting the wealth of the moneyed class, and to structuring politics and government in a way that — per the title of Bouton’s book — prevented the more numerous members of lower classes from overturning those policies.
The story demonstrates that strong class consciousness and class-specific drivers of policy have been a major part of American politics since independence. A key part of that class struggle all along has been a strong sense among a wealthy elite of separateness from the non-wealthy, and of having a right to push hard for public policies that favor their own class even if they are clearly detrimental to others. ..................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://consortiumnews.com/2012/08/06/americas-plutocratic-traditions/
August 7, 2012
WWIII: Great commodities war to end all wars
Commentary: A new era of depletion, collapse and austerity
By Paul B. Farrell, MarketWatch
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (MarketWatch) — Yes, WWIII: The Great Commodities War to End All Wars. We’ve heard that before. Remember WWI, known as The War to End All Wars, 37 million casualties. WWII was bigger, 60 million. Will WWIII finally end all wars? Or end the world, civilization, planet?
And it’s already started folks, ending the Great American Dream.
Fasten your seat belts, soon we’ll all be shocked out of denial. Some unpredictable black swan. A global wake-up call will trigger the Pentagon’s prediction in Fortune a decade ago at the launch of the Iraq War: “By 2020 ... an ancient pattern of desperate, all-out wars over food, water, and energy supplies is emerging ... warfare defining human life.”
And that’s also the clear message in “The Race for What’s Left: The Global Scramble for the World’s Last Resources,” the latest book by noted international security expert Michael Klare. .................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/wwiii-great-commodities-war-to-end-all-wars-2012-08-07
Paul B. Farrell: WWIII: Great commodities war to end all wars
WWIII: Great commodities war to end all wars
Commentary: A new era of depletion, collapse and austerity
By Paul B. Farrell, MarketWatch
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (MarketWatch) — Yes, WWIII: The Great Commodities War to End All Wars. We’ve heard that before. Remember WWI, known as The War to End All Wars, 37 million casualties. WWII was bigger, 60 million. Will WWIII finally end all wars? Or end the world, civilization, planet?
And it’s already started folks, ending the Great American Dream.
Fasten your seat belts, soon we’ll all be shocked out of denial. Some unpredictable black swan. A global wake-up call will trigger the Pentagon’s prediction in Fortune a decade ago at the launch of the Iraq War: “By 2020 ... an ancient pattern of desperate, all-out wars over food, water, and energy supplies is emerging ... warfare defining human life.”
And that’s also the clear message in “The Race for What’s Left: The Global Scramble for the World’s Last Resources,” the latest book by noted international security expert Michael Klare. .................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/wwiii-great-commodities-war-to-end-all-wars-2012-08-07
August 7, 2012
Man accused of shoplifting book on ethics
Joseph Lord
The Courier-Journal
University of Louisville Police are accusing a Prospect man of stealing a textbook called “Resolving Ethical Issues” and trying to sell it at a bookstore, according to an arrest report.
Terry J. Davis, of the 14200 block of Harbor Place, was arrested Wednesday and charged with theft by unlawful taking by shoplifting, a Class A misdemeanor.
Davis allegedly took the book from 555 S. Floyd St., according to the arrest report. The address is listed as UofL’s Health Sciences Center. ................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20120726/NEWS01/307260033/Prospect-man-accused-shoplifting-book-ethics
August 7, 2012
la dinguerie
PARIS (Reuters) - The French Catholic Church will revive a centuries-old custom next week with an updated national "prayer for France" opposing the same-sex marriage and euthanasia reforms planned by the new Socialist government.
The prayer, to be read in all churches on Aug 15, echoes the defense of traditional marriage by Pope Benedict and Catholic leaders around the world as gay nuptials gain acceptance, especially in Europe and North America.
King Louis XIII decreed in 1638 that all churches would pray on Aug 15, the day Catholics believe the Virgin Mary was assumed bodily into Heaven, for the good of the country. The annual practice fell into disuse after World War Two.
In the text, Catholics will pray for newly elected officials "so that their sense of the common good will overcome special demands." This would include support for traditional families "throughout their lives, especially in painful moments." ..................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://news.yahoo.com/french-catholic-church-prayer-against-gay-marriage-euthanasia-122846382.html
With Socialists in power, the French Catholic Church plans to pray to defeat same-sex marriage
la dinguerie
PARIS (Reuters) - The French Catholic Church will revive a centuries-old custom next week with an updated national "prayer for France" opposing the same-sex marriage and euthanasia reforms planned by the new Socialist government.
The prayer, to be read in all churches on Aug 15, echoes the defense of traditional marriage by Pope Benedict and Catholic leaders around the world as gay nuptials gain acceptance, especially in Europe and North America.
King Louis XIII decreed in 1638 that all churches would pray on Aug 15, the day Catholics believe the Virgin Mary was assumed bodily into Heaven, for the good of the country. The annual practice fell into disuse after World War Two.
In the text, Catholics will pray for newly elected officials "so that their sense of the common good will overcome special demands." This would include support for traditional families "throughout their lives, especially in painful moments." ..................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://news.yahoo.com/french-catholic-church-prayer-against-gay-marriage-euthanasia-122846382.html
August 6, 2012
Texas Set to Execute a Man with an IQ of 61
In 2002, in Atkins v. Virginia, the Supreme Court ruled that the execution of so-called "mentally retarded" people was unconstitutional, a form of cruel and unusual punishment. Yet Texas, which executes far more people each year than any other state, is set to kill Marvin Wilson by lethal injection tomorrow unless the Court steps in. Liliana Segura at The Nation notes:
The evidence against Wilson, Segura notes, is murky at best--he was convicted on eyewitness testimony that has proved shaky, the testimony of his accomplice and his accomplice's wife that he was the primary gunman in the murder of police informant Jerry Williams. ..................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.alternet.org/hot-news-views/texas-set-execute-man-iq-61
Texas Set to Execute a Man with an IQ of 61
Texas Set to Execute a Man with an IQ of 61
In 2002, in Atkins v. Virginia, the Supreme Court ruled that the execution of so-called "mentally retarded" people was unconstitutional, a form of cruel and unusual punishment. Yet Texas, which executes far more people each year than any other state, is set to kill Marvin Wilson by lethal injection tomorrow unless the Court steps in. Liliana Segura at The Nation notes:
Thus, barring a last-minute intervention, a man who has been diagnosed with an IQ of 61 and who sucked his thumb well into adulthood, now faces the prospect of being strapped to a gurney and injected with lethal chemicals until he is pronounced dead. “It doesn't usually get to this point when you have an Atkins claim this strong,” his lawyer, Lee Kovarsky, told me over the phone on Sunday. “This claim is really sort of the worst of the worst.”
Kovarsky grew up in Texas and has seen his share of death row injustices. Yet, clients like his are hardly exceptional. “If getting the death penalty is like getting struck by lightning,” he says, drawing on Justice Potter Stewart's famous quote about the arbitrariness of capital punishment, “then it seems to strike offenders with MR a lot. Because their disability prevents them from effectively disputing guilt or culpability, they end up on death row for some of the least aggravated first-degree murders that are tried to verdict."
Kovarsky grew up in Texas and has seen his share of death row injustices. Yet, clients like his are hardly exceptional. “If getting the death penalty is like getting struck by lightning,” he says, drawing on Justice Potter Stewart's famous quote about the arbitrariness of capital punishment, “then it seems to strike offenders with MR a lot. Because their disability prevents them from effectively disputing guilt or culpability, they end up on death row for some of the least aggravated first-degree murders that are tried to verdict."
The evidence against Wilson, Segura notes, is murky at best--he was convicted on eyewitness testimony that has proved shaky, the testimony of his accomplice and his accomplice's wife that he was the primary gunman in the murder of police informant Jerry Williams. ..................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.alternet.org/hot-news-views/texas-set-execute-man-iq-61
August 6, 2012
I swear it's on every time I flip on the telly.
When did water polo become the premier Olympic sport?
I swear it's on every time I flip on the telly.
August 6, 2012
from Mountain Xpress:
Tactical urbanism: "Parklet" coming to Lexington Avenue parking spots
A "parklet" including plants, benches and a bike rack may soon take over Lexington Avenue parking spots, as the Downtown Commission endorsed the project last week. The initiative is the first major effort from Open Asheville, a new nonprofit, to apply "tactical urbanism" to downtown.
"The overall thought process is to increase open public space: we feel there's not enough of it," Luly Gonzalez, a designer for Open Asheville, tells Xpress. "We're trying to spearhead placemaking as a liaison between artists, designers, and business."
The nonprofit still needs to complete the permits for the project from the city, and staff estimate the process could take two to three weeks. After that, Gonzalez says the parklet could be completed within a month, Open Asheville aims to have it up and running by the annual Lexington Avenue Arts and Fun Festival Sept. 1. The parklet will remain for three to six months.
[font size="1"]The design for the Lexington Avenue parklet[/font]
Open Asheville's approach is something called "tactical urbanism," an idea that's recently gained increasing attention nationwide. It focuses on smaller, faster projects as a way to change an area for the better and create a model for larger initiatives in the future. ..................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.mountainx.com/article/44289/Tactical-urbanism-Parklet-coming-to-Lexington-Avenue-parking-spots
Tactical urbanism: "Parklet" coming to Lexington Avenue parking spots (Asheville, NC)
from Mountain Xpress:
Tactical urbanism: "Parklet" coming to Lexington Avenue parking spots
A "parklet" including plants, benches and a bike rack may soon take over Lexington Avenue parking spots, as the Downtown Commission endorsed the project last week. The initiative is the first major effort from Open Asheville, a new nonprofit, to apply "tactical urbanism" to downtown.
"The overall thought process is to increase open public space: we feel there's not enough of it," Luly Gonzalez, a designer for Open Asheville, tells Xpress. "We're trying to spearhead placemaking as a liaison between artists, designers, and business."
The nonprofit still needs to complete the permits for the project from the city, and staff estimate the process could take two to three weeks. After that, Gonzalez says the parklet could be completed within a month, Open Asheville aims to have it up and running by the annual Lexington Avenue Arts and Fun Festival Sept. 1. The parklet will remain for three to six months.
[font size="1"]The design for the Lexington Avenue parklet[/font]
Open Asheville's approach is something called "tactical urbanism," an idea that's recently gained increasing attention nationwide. It focuses on smaller, faster projects as a way to change an area for the better and create a model for larger initiatives in the future. ..................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.mountainx.com/article/44289/Tactical-urbanism-Parklet-coming-to-Lexington-Avenue-parking-spots
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Number of posts: 77,114