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I knew this event was tailor made for a weigh in from the Sisters of Sorcha Faal.. Excerpts in italics:
A shocking report prepared for Prime Minister Putin by the Foreign Military Intelligence Directorate (GRU) states that one of the United States top experts in biological and chemical weapons was brutally murdered after he threatened to expose a US Military test of poison gas that killed hundreds of thousands of animals in Arkansas this past week.
According to this report, John P. Wheeler III, Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C. from 2005-2008, when he became the Special Assistant to the Acting Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Installations, Logistics and Environment, was found brutally murdered and dumped in a landfill..
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Wheeler’s military career included writing one of the most important manuals on the effectiveness of biological and chemical weapons which led to his being hired in 2009 as a consultant to the Mitre Corporation, whose aviation system development department, the GRU reports, is at the forefront of creating the computer command and control systems used by the US Air Force in their fleet of aerial spraying planes.
These aerial spraying planes, this report continues, are based at the Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas that over the past few months have been involved with ‘test dispersants’ of poisonous gasses in the Afghanistan War Theater using chemical weapons stocks obtained from Iraq and held at the Pine Bluff Arsenal, also located in Arkansas.
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According to this report, the US relocated from Iraq to the Pine Bluff Arsenal an estimated 63,000 metric tonnes of the poisonous gas Phosgene that is described as one of the most feared chemical weapons ever used due to its ability to literally cause the lungs and respiratory system to explode.
Nearly immediately after Russia accused the US this past summer of not fully destroying Iraq’s Phosgene poisonous gas stockpile the Pine Bluff Arsenal began an ‘accelerated’ disposal programme injecting it deep into the ground in central Arkansas, but which, unfortunately, since this past September, has caused over 500 minor earthquakes to occur raising the concerns of their local population. (They tied in the earthquake swarm, too--If this weren't such a potentially serious situation, it would be major-conspiracy-sweet..)
The problems I have with this "report"? This theory still doesn't answer why just the blackbirds and fish were effected, not dogs, cats, wild animals, and people. If Phosgene were to blame, wouldn't there be more evidence? Official reports on the birds cause of death have one strange aspect: blood clots in the lungs, accompanied by trauma and internal bleeding. While the blunt force trauma seems to be mentioned frequently, reports of clots are not. That bothers me.
The Wheeler tie-in is really troubling, as this angle feels accurate in a cloak and dagger kind of way, and may cause some other journalists to pursue this direction. But the earthquake swarm? Arkansas is a seismic zone, albeit a quieter one than California or Alaska, but I'm not sure about chemical dumping causing this recent activity..
Also: Blackbirds don't normally fly at night. Why this peculiar behavior? That leads me back to some kind of electro-magnetic disturbance, but again, at this stage, anything is possible.
Every additional piece of information seems to breed more questions. At this point, anyone claiming to have definitive answers cannot be correct. There are far too many circumstances with unanswered questions, but God love Sorcha Faal for trying..
Baker Street singer Gerry Rafferty dies in hospital. Liver failure.
To tell you the truth, I thought he died several years ago, as that seemed to be the general consensus. I guess I missed the follow-up..
While mostly forgotten within the music industry, Rafferty was well known in the 70's and into the 80's for Stuck In The Middle With You(Stealer's Wheel), Baker Street(Maybe the best saxophone hook in rock music..), and a few other hits, including Right Down The Line, Get It Right Next Time, and Home and Dry.
And, evidently, he wrestled with alcohol most of his adult life, and in the end, alcohol, or its after effects, won out. To you, Mr. Rafferty; I hope you've found peace and an end to your suffering. I'm sorry your end of life became so difficult and painful.. Thank you for providing some great, great tracks for my personal, teenage soundtrack. I enjoyed them all..
ALERT!!! This is How the Mass Bird Death Happened - The New Madrid Fault may produce MASSIVE EARTHQUAKE soon! This one combines two unexplained variables I couldn't define: A gaseous or chemical (or influenza strain) release would effect a wider range of species, and the sudden-ness of the kill, and resulting physical trauma to the birds. The poster explains..
Birds are very sensitive to electrostatic charges. A simple thunder cloud will irritate a bird severely. This is why birds fly low to the ground just before a storm, to avoid the very uncomfortable charges in the air.
In Arkansas there is one of the Worlds Largest Quartz deposits underground. Quartz is piezoelectric which means a charge develops over the surface of the quartz when pressure is applied to the crystal. The charge is millions of volts but it happens so fast its nearly harmless to people on a small scale. This is how some lighters work. A hammer hits a quartz device releasing a spark.
Anyways, the recent earthquake has placed new pressures on the quartz deposits in Arkansas. This results in a massive discharge of billions of volts of electricity. Think how a small piece of quartz the size of a pea can light a lighter. Now think about millions of Tons of quartz discharging under the extreme pressures the Earth can push.
At some point, the charges below created a brief surface charge, positive charge, during a discharge event. The electrostatic charge is immense and knocks the birds out cold in flight. The birds are still alive though, just knocked unconscious. The birds that were flying high were the ones killed upon impact. Blunt force trauma. The birds that were in the trees survived. Some birds like to fly high, others fly low. This explains why it was species specific as the birds that flew high were the ones to die.
The poster theorizes that this quartz sparking action means there will be a large earthquake event along the New Madrid Seismic Zone sooner rather than later. As I write this, I am located within what would be the effected area, so I hope not. But I will be buying some extra water in the next few days, just in case..
Edit: I must clarify.. When I said wider range of species, I am making the assumption the original poster assumed the fish and bird kill were unrelated(although it doesn't fully rule out an event relationship), as other types of birds were seemingly unaffected. This continues to develop..
This week's animal double die off in Arkansas seems to have caught the public imagination/pushed the national "freakout" button. Are these events related? What's the root cause for either event? And then, what about these new events?
Mysterious killing of fish in coastal Translated from the original Portuguese article from Brazil.. Excerpts:
A survey conducted by the Federation of Fishermen's Colony of Paraná, Paranaguá on the coast of the state, indicates that at least 100 tons of fish (sardine, croaker and catfish) have turned up dead since last Thursday off the coast of Parana.
Apart from Paranagua, Ferreira said the dead fish are starting to appear in other coastal towns. "The dead fish are going to Antonina, and Guaraqueçaba Pontal do Paraná. We need an urgent solution to this, "he warns.
Captain Edson Oliveira Avila, regional coordinator of Civil Defense in the Paraná region, believes there are three hypotheses for the death of fish. "We will wait to see what happened, but speculations suggest that fish may have died due to an environmental imbalance, dropping a fishing boat or leakage of chemicals," he says.
Or maybe there's a fourth hypothesis..
Japan on alert after finding dead birds
Recent discovery of several dead migratory birds in Japan has raised concerns about H5NI avian influenza, avian experts said.
Bird sanctuaries, poultry farms and zoos were put on high alert last month after the migratory birds in some region were found dead, The New York Times reported Monday. Times article here..
Hundreds of dead fish found at Goytre Wharf
A possible reason is a 30cm drop in the water level at the marina caused by work upstream, but the cold weather, ice and a lack of oxygen are more likely to have killed the fish.
Smaller fish were found alive in the marina and initial tests showed there was no pollution.
(This event is probably a "natural" die off that is more common, but is included because it occurred during the same time frame..)
Uh-Oh.. Mayrbe it is bird flu..
10,000s of Birds found dead in Manitoba
Local reports have circulated that an extremely virulent strain of bird flu has infected both wild and farm birds. At the same time an extremely aggressive winter flu has hit Canada sometime in December and mortality rates are expected to rise alarmingly in vulnerable populations.
(Note: All of this is more than unsubstantiated at the moment, so don't go freakin' out just yet..)
Hundreds of DEAD Black Birds Found In Louisiana
500 dead birds have been found near New Roads Louisiana just days after thousands of birds turned up dead in Arkansas and at least ten identical birds were reported dead in Kentucky!
Is God mad?
Or possibly this person is correct--Are these fish and bird die offs a false flag?
Something, my friends, is afoot. More follow ups shortly..
Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre's extraordinary photographs documenting the dramatic decline of a major American city
These pictures fill me with such sadness. We have allowed our cities, our infrastructures, our cultural and architectural landmarks to fall into a state beyond repair. Detroit fucking Michigan was THE industrial hub of this nation not even 50 years ago, and now it has become an urban wasteland. This city is a metaphor for the gradual decline-into-disintegration of America as Crumbling Empire.
The cancer of concentrated money and power flowing to the Controlling Interests of this country to the exclusion of the rest of society metastasizes first in Detroit, and will spread quickly around the country, destroying cities and spirits alike. The pundit class continues to "search" blindly for the root cause, blaming all those but the ones to blame, those who sign their checks, and sadly, all are unwilling to make any sacrifice to keep us, our country, and our former way of life alive. We will all continue to die slowly, until we begin to die quickly.
And then, the real chaos will begin..
Major 7.1 magnitude earthquake hits Chile
Indiana's magnitude 3.8 earthquake felt in Michigan
Wait; what? Indiana?
When it comes to earthquakes, yes size matters, but so does depth. Take, for instance, this 7.0 non quaker in Argentina..
The most curious current earthquake event is still the earthquake swarm in Guy, Arkansas, with another 2.5 magnitude mini quake earlier this week. The rash of minor quakes might be due to fracking, or not. What might *Might* be a harbinger of some major tectonic activity is the thousands of birds dropping dead in Arkansas skies, and thousands of fish dying and washing ashore in Arkansas lakes.. A possible instance methane out gassing? Which leads to speculation about whether or not there are unknown fault lines in Arkansas, and a possible volcano around Hot Springs.
And the earth change conspiracy theorists have already begun speculating..
Australia flood waters cover area bigger than Texas Inundated excerpts in italics:
Military aircraft dropped supplies to towns cut off by floods in northeastern Australia as the prime minister promised new assistance Friday to the 200,000 people affected by waters. Southern Australia, meanwhile, soaring temperatures and tinder dry conditions have sparked wildfires.
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Authorities warned of rising health risks from flood waters, along with the danger of crocodiles and snakes in flooded homes.
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Officials say half of Queensland's 715,305 square miles is affected by the relentless flooding, which began last week after days of pounding rain caused swollen rivers to overflow. The flood zone covers an area larger than Texas.
While the rain has stopped, the rivers are still surging to new heights and overflowing into low-lying towns as the water makes its way toward the sea.
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The muddy water inundating thousands of homes and businesses has led to a shortage of drinking water and raised fears of mosquito-borne disease.
"This is without a doubt a tragedy on an unprecedented scale," Bligh told Australian Broadcasting Corp.
Bligh warned that drenched communities could be stuck underwater for more than a week, and cleanup efforts were expected to cost billions of dollars.
From Robert Wilkinson at Aquarius Papers. One of my favorite Internet author/personalities, Wilkinson's style is accessible to astrology fans, beginners, or the merely curious. Excerpts in italics:
A tremendous amount of change, new beginnings that rapidly become solid, confronting the consequences of one's willingness to become response-able, and a shift in collective consciousness across the current degree span representing the cusp of where the Age of Pisces slips into the Age of Aquarius. Of course, there's more.
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The first half of the year will be radically different than the second half. The first half shows harvests and entryways, as well as the resumption of what we all saw or realized "for the first time" between June and August 2010. Whatever we've said goodbye to, whatever we've had to forgive, let go of, or view with the eyes of radical compassion, whether for others or ourselves, will rapidly give way to a highly energetic period that will crest in May.
The second half of the year will give substance to, or confirm in some way, the new vision of Summer 2010 that rapidly develops during the first half of the coming year. We will initiate some management forms and skills in February which will be needed to deal with the substantial forms presenting themselves at the end of the first half of 2011.
The first half of the year will show everyone the power inherent in the natural roles we've accepted as part of our transformational process, while the second half of 2011 will give substance to the responsibilities or duties that have been strongly activated in December 2010. We've all been shown ways to "pick up and deliver spiritual power," and this emergence from an old "cocoon" state will be finalized in February and March 2011.
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A few things to consider as we move into a new Era: Though these times are very unstable, the potential is enormous. A broader view of our ability to respond will lead us to new power, resources, and clarity about what will sustain us into the future. Find your vision and tie yourself to that pillar of clarity, since that will help ground your vision in practical, natural, substantial forms.
While there are always limiting conditions, these show us what we do and do not need to deal with as we maintain our inner center of equipoise. Sometimes in history we must rise to our more effective Self regardless of how tough outer conditions can become. The striving is everything, as the creative tension finds an echo in the greater space we all share together.
I hope for each and every one of you every bit of your personal potential realized in amazing, unusual, and specific-to-you ways, thereby re-enforcing the wonder of our collective universe. Happy 2011!
Some hopeful developments on the Korean penninsula this week, laced with some standard passive/nuclear agressive pronouncements.. All courtesy of North Korea, of course.. Excerpts:
North Korea, in a New Year message, said tensions with South Korea should be defused while calling for “intense combat training” for the North Korean army.
“The danger of war should be removed and peace safeguarded in the Korean Peninsula,” the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported, citing a New Year editorial carried by newspapers including Rodong Sinmun and Joson Inmingun. “If a war breaks out on this land, it will bring nothing but a nuclear holocaust.”
And, true to its technological reputation, North Korea sent these greetings via fax. Ringring.. 1994 calling..
Also, as another testament to Kim Jong Il's unique leadership style, "Bend it like Beckham" has been shown on North Korean state television, and is the first western movie to ever be broadcast in North Korea.
"Apparently the people were amazed that a Western film was shown," Hughes told The AP. "And there has been a buzz around the country as people have talked about the film and its content."
Kim Jong Il, the Lady Ga Ga of world leaders, strikes again..
Bored with the same old Korea vs. Korea, Israel vs. Gaza(for now..), Russia vs. Georgia, and U.S. vs. Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts? Foreign Policy has taken the time to compile 2011's new apocalypse all stars line up. Short answer? Most on FP's list lack the firepower to be more than a civil or regional conflict at best. The few breakouts include Tajikistan, Pakistan, and Lebanon, as each country deals with border tensions, proxy nation involvement, and the possibility (or availability by a potential ally or enemy) of escalation involving nuclear weapons.
My guess? Pakistan, drawn into war through a (possibly rogue/possibly government-sanctioned) terror attack, either involving India, the United States, or both.
S Korea: N Korea Builds Up Special Forces Excerpts:
North Korea has faster, more powerful tanks prowling the world's most heavily armed border and 200,000 special forces poised to carry out assassinations and cause havoc in South Korea, a major military review said Thursday.
Seoul's Defense Ministry report, released every two years, signals that the North's military threat has expanded..
The new document says the North intends to rely on its nuclear program, special forces, long-range artillery, submarines and cyber warfare forces as a counterweight to South Korea's high-tech conventional military.
North Korea has 200,000 special operations forces, the report says, an increase from 180,000 in the ministry's last assessment in 2008. Those forces are aimed at carrying out assassinations and infiltrating and disrupting key facilities in South Korea, it said.
So, while nothing has changed and no one has backed down, there seems to be a perception that, since no action has occurred, tension has decreased. I disagree. Looking at this conflict in terms of, say, a puzzle, more pieces keep sliding into place, and with each connected piece, a larger, clearer view of the situation emerges. If a match does indeed drop onto this powderkeg, the explosion will be remarkable.
Including but not limited to two thirds of Missouri, all of Arkansas, and all of Louisiana, and surrounding states.. This forecast comes from weather wunderkind Kevin Martin, so if you live in the affected area, pay attention. This might be nothing, or this might be something, and New Year's Eve is a night when everyone has their guard down. I think Kevin's really intelligent, but I live in the red zone, so I'm really hoping he's wrong. Tornadoes on New Year's Eve? That's some bad juju, huh?
Happy New Year!
Artfully phrased economic Dooooooom! From Gonzalo Lira. Excerpts:
To be sure, there were other important stories in 2010—the Mortgage Mess, Wikileaks, Wayne Rooney. But these three issues—auguries of EMU collapse, successful Fed monetization, and commodity price rises—are the ones that mattered on a macro-economic level this past year.
In 2011, every other financial story will be either a cause or consequence of one of these three issues: Guaranteed.
Europe..
Europe is in deep shit—there’s really no polite way to say it.
All of the EU, really(Germany and France also. Indirectly, at the moment, but they are not insulated from events.) but specifically, Spain..
Not “Spain is in trouble”—that’s obvious, but that’s not my point: Spain is trouble. Trouble for the German banks that own so much of the Spanish debt. Trouble for Germany, which is propping up its insolvent banks (What, you think German politicians are any less craven than American politicians?). Spain is trouble for the European Union, for what a German banking crisis might mean for the EU as a whole and as an institution.
More than anything, Spain is trouble for the European Financial Stability Facility, because Spain is too big to be saved—and there’s really no way to finesse that hard fact.
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How the EU and the ECB handle an eventual Spanish sovereign debt crisis will determine the very future of the European Union.
Because there will be a Spanish sovereign debt crisis—it’s inevitable. The Spanish balance sheet is not improving fast enough, even with so-called “austerity” measures, because even though the Spanish government might be cutting spending, the comunidades autónomas—roughly analogous to states or regions—are expanding their budgets in order to take up the slack, and thereby increasing the Spanish deficit.
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So when Spain goes into crisis—which should take place no later than August 2011, and perhaps as early as this coming March—the European Union’s collective and institutional reaction to this crisis event will determine whether a smaller, healthier European Monetary Union continues to exist, or whether the whole concept of EMU is ripped to shreds by events.
Which brings us to the United States..
There is a limit to sympathy: You can feel sorry for someone—but only up to a point. Insofar as the United States’ fiscal situation is concerned, that point has been reached, at least for me: I can no longer feel sorry for the American people.
Americans want more services and entitlements, but with less taxes—and then they’re all surprised when their local, state and Federal governments cross the edge of insolvency, and into the nightmare land of feverishly staving off bankruptcy.
During 2010, the Federal government debt finally crossed the 100% of GDP mark—and continued rising non-stop. Actually, the debt’s growth accelerated. Why? Because the Bush tax cuts of 2001—implemented when there was an expectation of surplus, with clear sunset provisions, and no massive war expenditures—were extended by the mindless Republican Congress and the spineless President, Barack Obama.
And:
In late 2010, we finally started to notice something which has been festering for years, like one of those yucky worms that winds up eating your brains and driving you mad: The financial condition of the U.S. States and municipalities—they’re bankrupt.
For fiscal year 2010, the states’ combined budget shortfall is $191 billion. Of that figure, $68 billion is offset by the Recovery Act—Obama’s stimulus. Currently, the 2011 combined deficit of the States will be in the neighborhood of $160 billion—but that doesn’t seem credible, considering the ongoing unemployment. Regardless, $59 billion of those will be offset by the Recovery Act—which still leaves at least $100 billion up in the air.
However you look at it, the States have a huge collective hole in their budgets. And this hole is going to get worse, before it gets any better—just like the Federal government’s massive yearly deficit.
Which brings us to Commodities:
Commodities rose drastically all throughout 2010: Every single commodity class, every single one of them rising by double digit percentage points—at least.
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I know I have the reputation for being the crazed hyperinflationista—but you don’t have to buy any of my dollar-hyperinflation arguments to acknowledge the fact that, a., commodity prices have experienced a sustained and enormous rise in their prices, and b., this sustained rise in the prices of commodities will inevitably hit consumers at all levels of the economy.
Therefore, I would expect food, heating oil and gas prices to rise considerably over the winter of 2011—that is, now. This will be a knee to the ‘nads of the American economy—indeed, to the world economies.
There’s really not much more to say, about the issue: A sharp rise in consumer spending on essentials would shove the American and world economies firmly back into recession, this time potentially with negative growth.
What happens after that? It depends on the fools at the helm of the good ship S.S. Depression II.
Lira's bottom line?
So bottom line: It’s looking like 2011 is gonna suck. But hey! At least two of these three story-lines are gonna come to their respective climaxes this year—so 2011 might well suck, but at least it’ll be exciting!
I'm wondering how each of these huge economic phenomenons will effect each other. Any one of these three in stronger economic times would influence, drag, or overlap into the other sets of events. With each of these world engines at critical and vulnerable points, what will happen if they all seize up close to the same time? Could the overall effects be so much more than the sum of its monetary parts? The cynic in me says "Of course."
From Canada dot com.. Excerpts:
PORT-AU-PRINCE - The crisis gripping cholera-ridden Haiti in the wake of disputed elections and a debilitating earthquake could devolve into civil war, the nation's former interim leader said Tuesday.
Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council promised a recount of the November 28 election ballots after official results set off charges of fraud and rioting by angry supporters of a losing candidate.
"This electoral process, at this current stage, could lead to civil war. We will all be both responsible for this situation and its victims," warned Boniface Alexandre, who ruled as interim president from 2004 to 2006.
"I have a suggestion: all of the parties — those in power and the opposition — have something in common, and that's Haiti. We must find a solution,"
The world has forgotten Haiti. If the current situation continues devolving, though, the country will be back in the headlines. And, although the blossoming cholera epidemic is terrible, the "sensational video" from Haiti's upcoming, inevitable civil war will be the world's media re-introduction to Haiti in its Top 20 bid for World's Worst Godforsaken Hellhole. Although it might be the worst country in the Western Hemisphere(maybe it's Bolivia..), it isn't the worst in the world..
It's a testament how horrible and shitty other countries are, as Haiti really should be as bad as it gets..
Who is Julian Assange, and who does he work for? That's easy. He's obviously an asset of Israel.
And he's also, obviously, a Nazi.
The mythology of Julian Assange continues to grow in opposite directions. Assange is a fascinating character, but I find the reactions and behavior of the opposing forces he has created equally as fascinating. Palin as Lightning Rod? Fat fuckin' chance. Assange is the one who incites or inspires, and it is what he's created and creating that is the informational/technological/global political zeitgeist of our time, the time directly before our arrival at The Crossroads of Modern History..
By Bruce Sterling for Webstock. Xymphora's comment on Sterling's article is correct; "Bruce Sterling on Assange is worth reading but it isn't anything near as good as it ought to be."
Sterling makes some terrific observations regarding the rapidly morphing monolith in progress Julian Assange, the process of diplomacy, hacker mentality, the real difficulty in his future prosecution, and some other thought provoking perspectives(Like the incompatible notions of transparency and discretion. Sounds simple enough, right? Think about how both are equally valued in our political system. WikiLeaks has forced, sometime in the future, debate about which we value more, or how to more efficiently compromise both these principles to the maximum displeasure of most citizens..) that will effect policy, politics, and technology from here on out.
My problem with Sterling's work is seemingly at first tangential (And can be partially overlooked due to how many word perfect summations he offers), but still, it bothers me. He dismisses Bradley Manning's motivations and technical ability fairly casually, as he has met many other hackers from similar backgrounds(Sterling is from that community, too), applying a general cyber/geek personality (consumed with boredom and a bit unstable) overview to Manning, but I disagree. While his assessment of Assange feels right(Based on everything I've personally seen..), Sterling seems too jaded to acknowledge Manning as "True Believer," (as opposed to simply bored..)and and fundamentally misunderstands why Manning did what he did.(As an aside, it's not hard to find reference to Manning's consistent-since-childhood, unique, moral resolute-ness, which is why Sterling's misfire is so baffling: With a little research, a completely different portrait of Manning appears, less desperate, less awkward, more concerned with the essence(s) of Right and Wrong (I also find it interesting he's a Sagittarius..) than Sterling bothers to admit or convey. Probably Sterling is not familiar with this type(as they probably few in number in his circles of association), he cannot contend with the idea that Bradley Manning believed (as True Believers would be liable to believe) leaking these cables was the morally correct thing to do. While Sterling understands Assange, Manning and his motives eludes him.
This is not necessarily important to Sterling's narrative, which ultimately describes Julian Assange as: Ray Croc, McDonald's-izing the process of mass distribution of information/leaks, the human embodiment of the Internet, the global diplomatic homewrecker who has forever altered how our State Department proceeds and is seen, and how, despite his cynical expectations, Assange's actions could have a perverting, un-intended consequences effect on the U.S. and global populace regarding State to State interaction. Sterling's understanding of (and empathy for) Assange, clearly stated:
I don’t say these cruel things about Julian Assange because I feel distant from him, but, on the contrary, because I feel close to him. I don’t doubt the two of us would have a lot to talk about. I know hordes of men like him; it’s just that they are programmers, mathematicians, potheads and science fiction fans instead of fiercely committed guys who aspire to topple the international order and replace it with subversive wikipedians.
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Well… every once in a while, a situation that’s one-in-a-thousand is met by a guy who is one in a million. It may be that Assange is, somehow, up to this situation. Maybe he’s gonna grow in stature by the massive trouble he has caused. Saints, martyrs, dissidents and freaks are always wild-cards, but sometimes they’re the only ones who can clear the general air. Sometimes they become the catalyst for historical events that somehow had to happen. They don’t have to be nice guys; that’s not the point. Julian Assange did this; he direly wanted it to happen. He planned it in nitpicky, obsessive detail. Here it is; a planetary hack.
I don’t have a lot of cheery hope to offer about his all-too-compelling gesture, but I dare to hope he’s everything he thinks he is, and much, much, more.
I have problems with Sterling's assessment because he assigns the future power of the entire WikiLeaks phenomenon to Assange and a cynical legion of hackers just like him, and therefore can't see or factor the serendipitous power of other True Believers, how they will(and have) react(ed), and how the other Bradley Manning's of this unfolding event will influence the global direction of what these two very different men have wrought.
What- Will happen- Next?
Comforting, constructive words from Robert Wilkinson at Aquarius Papers.
Pat Robertson Wants the Devil's Weed Decriminalized. (From Gawker) What's next? Cloverfield monsters running for Office? I thought that would be as likely as last week's announcement. Excerpts:
Whatever happened to the culture warriors? Everyone is either a gay soldier or a black president nowadays. Or perhaps even a pot decriminalizing televangelist? This is old Pat Robertson, now. Pat Robertson is sick of the War on Marijuana.
"We're locking up people that have taken a couple puffs of marijuana and next thing you know they've got 10 years with mandatory sentences," Robertson continued. "These judges just say, they throw up their hands and say nothing we can do with these mandatory sentences. We've got to take a look at what we're considering crimes and that's one of 'em.
"I'm ... I'm not exactly for the use of drugs, don't get me wrong, but I just believe that criminalizing marijuana, criminalizing the possession of a few ounces of pot, that kinda thing it's just, it's costing us a fortune and it's ruining young people. Young people go into prisons, they go in as youths and come out as hardened criminals. That's not a good thing."
I don't fucking know who this guy is. I don't want to complain or jinx this development in any way, but seriously: Who is this?
This turn of events begs more than one question.. How long has Pat Robertson felt this way? Why has he chosen December, 2010 (as opposed to, say, October or November, 2010) to publicly voice his support on restructuring marijuana laws? Will his religious contemporaries agree and follow, or disagree, and totally disavow him?
For most of society, this is a curiosity, a cool turn of events, an "are you fucking kidding me?" event.. But for Social Conservatives and Evangelicals, this is HUGE. I'm sure the denouncements are already beginning, but so are the beginnings of Religious Right Wing (as a voting bloc) support for the ultimate legalization of Marijuana. Robertson's stance will be hotly debated, within many religious and political circles for years to come. This is big.
As despicable the man is, Pat Robertson might ultimately be the man who defeated the War on Marijuana.
By "Dingo," I mean "sinkhole," and by "Ate my baby!" I mean, destroyed a back yard in about five minutes..
Excerpts: About 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Luis Hernandez felt the soil trembling beneath his feet.
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He heard air coming up, "Whooo, whooo, whooo," Orpha approximated the noise, as if underground air was rushing to the surface.
Luis knows because he looked at the clock on his phone – in just five minutes, a 100-foot wide sinkhole opened in the sand, gulping pots with palm trees and ligustrum hedges and catley guava.
By Friday, they'd rescued all the nursery plants from the one-acre plot, moving them to the adjoining nine acres. But the hole had swelled 20 feet wider, and at 4 p.m. Friday, the circular mouth was an estimated 140 feet across.
"This morning, there was just a little water in it," she said. But by late afternoon, water was three feet deep and rising in the center of the hole.
"We have a pond," she laughed.
This one's stopped growing--for now. But sinkholes are serious business. Just ask the people of Guatemala City.. Sinkhole? More like an entrance to Hell..
Tired of reading about conspiracy theories, the webbots and astrology? Me neither, but I like music, too, so here's a nice sampling of critic's picks for the best of 2010. Great stuff out there, and a lot of these sites have samples! I probably lost close to four hours reading and listening! Take a break: Indulge! The planned vaporization of Korea and upcoming global economic collapse can wait.. It's time for some music..
Big winners (consistently on most lists): Janelle Monae, Kanye West, Flying Lotus, Beach House., Robyn. Deerhunter, Arcade Fire, and Big Boi. I've left out at least 30 other bands, but there's just not enough time..
(Also, each link is from a different site. Represented are: New Music Express, Pop Matters, Rolling Stone, Spin, Pitchfork, and The Onion.
There's so much more out there, but I'll let you do the work, as it's not really "work." Enjoy!
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