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As China becomes a superpower there is a new group emerging; the middle class.
"Gathering Dust" is a collection of fleeting portraits of migrants in Beijing.
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Dave Matthews Band Saxaphonist LeRoi Moore Dies
LeRoi Moore, the versatile saxophonist whose signature staccato fused jazz and funk overtones onto the eclectic sound of the Dave Matthews Band, died Tuesday of complications from injuries he suffered in an all-terrain vehicle accident, the band said. He was 46. LeRoi Moore, the versatile saxophonist whose signature staccato fused jazz and funk overtones onto the eclectic sound of the Dave Matt... more
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Revealed: the massive scale of UK's water consumption
The UK has become the sixth largest net importer of water in the world, the environment group WWF will tell a meeting of international experts in Stockholm, with every consumer indirectly responsible for the use of thousands of litres a day. Only 38% of the UK's total water use comes from its own resources; the rest depends on the water systems of other countries, some of which are already facing serious shortages. The UK has become the sixth largest net importer of water in the world, the environment group WWF will tell a meeting of international... more
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Republicans Have Handed Democrats a Winning Election Issue
But so far, Democrats have been refusing to accept the gift.
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The Misshapen Mind: How the Brain's Haphazard Evolution Left Us with Self-Des...
Evolution didn't quite hit perfection when it comes to human thought processes.
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AIDS patients arrested for traveling to Beijing
In Central China’s Henan Province, 19 AIDS patients were arrested for planning to appeal in Beijing recently.
Police from Shangqiu City apprehended them on their way to Beijing. They are currently in the Shangqui Pingtai Prison. According to a report from the overseas Chinese website Buxun.com, these patients planned to appeal to the Ministry of Public Health in Beijing during the Olympics.
Tainted Blood Supplies
They are petitioning the government to improve the care of AIDS patients and HIV infected persons. They are also demanding compensation for those who were infected because of the local Department of Health’s poor procedures for transfusions and contaminated needles.
A local resident confirmed to the Radio Free Asia that these 19 HIV patients were abducted on August 15. “In the evening of August 14, he was abducted. He asked me to apply for help. We planned to meet with his wife at 8 a.m. on August 14 to learn further details, but were not able to find her. We kept on calling her on the phone until after 10 p.m., but were unable to reach her."
The resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, indicated that according to unofficial statistics, Henan Province has several million HIV infections. The current treatment relies on first line drugs.
Poor Care and Drug Resistance
“We have used this drug since 2003 and drug resistance will appear after taking it for more than five years. Currently, 10 to 20 percent of the patients have signs of drug resistance; the drug is losing its effectiveness. What we urgently need is the second line of medicine.”
According to the Boxun article, the Chinese government’s funding for an AIDS hospital in Henan was mostly appropriated by the local government for business purposes. The AIDS patients are placed in typical hospital wards, where many patients attempt suicide because of the acute pain.
A Great Tide of Appellants Expected
Because of the Olympics, every level of government puts pressure on its subordinate governments requiring the local authorities to closely monitor these patients.
According to one patient, “Some officials followed me when I walked out of our county. All government levels are very sensitive about appellants because any county or city has appellants, and the upper level will take measures against the lower level officials. That is why all government levels are tightly guarding against it.”
The local resident also revealed that many municipalities have diverted the central government’s AIDs funds away from the patients, and do not provide the second line AIDS drugs. Patients and their families are extremely discontented. He said that there are very tight controls to prevent people from appealing right now. Once the Olympics is over, there will be a great tide of appeals in Henan. In Central China’s Henan Province, 19 AIDS patients were arrested for planning to appeal in Beijing recently. ... more -
The Hillary Clinton memos
The Atlantic Monthly chronicled recently released memos from the Clinton campaign that will make any political junkie salivate. If you ever wanted to witness a giant fall, this is the closest any outsider will get. The Atlantic Monthly chronicled recently released memos from the Clinton campaign that will make any political junkie salivate. If yo... more
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Lawrence Lessig's Reaction to McCain's Technology Plan
In reaction to U.S. republican presidential candidate John McCain's release of his technology policy statement on August 14, Lawrence Lessig has released a video presentation criticizing the tech plan for lack of change to important issues such as broadband penetration declines in the country. In reaction to U.S. republican presidential candidate John McCain's release of his technology policy statement on August 14, Lawr... more
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Joe Biden: I'm not the guy
As speculation rises approaching the VP announcements, Joe Biden's name is on a lot of short lists for Obama. He reported today that he is not the pick. As speculation rises approaching the VP announcements, Joe Biden's name is on a lot of short lists for Obama. He reported today ... more
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China denies all 77 applications for protest during Olympics
Perhaps even more shocking than the fact that Beijing has designated areas for protest during the Olympic games, is the fact that they are empty.
The Chinese Government has denied all 77 applications for protest during the Olympics, the Los Angeles Times reports. Perhaps even more shocking than the fact that Beijing has designated areas for protest during the Olympic games, is the fact that they... more -
" The Great Peace"
I believe in humanity,
I believe the ingredients for world change
lies ready with in humanity now..!!!
all though, i believe humanity currently
understands and sees the world in the following
light;
A quote from Hemingway
"If people bring so much courage
to this world the world has to kill
them break them,
so of course it kills them.
the world breaks every one
and afterward many are strong
at the broken places.
But those that will not break
it kills.
It kills the very good,
it kills the very gentle
and the very brave
impartially".
These words are the echo of a tragic life.
I believe this echo resonates now in the heart of humanity
as truth.
This is what we must change this truth
into a new truth, with the following;
THE GREAT PEACEMAKER
One of our earliest founders lived well before Columbus
discovered America.The Great Peacemaker is said to
have been born in the great Lakes region of North
America sometime around 1000 Ad.
His people, the haudensaunee, now called the Iroquois,
were beset by endless conflict.Village fought village.
Blood raids led to retaliation. No one believed there
was a way out. Then came the time of the
Great Peacemaker.
.....When he comes of age, the Great Peacemaker
tells his grandmother and his mother that his time
has come to seek out other tribes and nations
and bring the a message of peace.
He sets off in his canoe,scanning the horizon for smoke.
Day after day he sees nothing,for all the
settlements are now hidden in the hills to
protect themselves from the war parties plaguing the land.
Finally, the Great Peacemaker sees hunters running
along a barren shore. He beaches his canoe and
says to them, "Go back to your settlement and tell
your chief that a new and good message has come,
the message of peace that is power."
When the tribal chief hears their news,
he asks the hunters," Who told you this?''
" He is called the Great Peacemaker in the world."
The chief wonders at this and asks, his eyes turning
toward the stockades that hold his starving,
quarreling people, " How could it be? From what
source will such peace come?''
the hunters simply reply: " it will come."
the hunters strength of conviction fully opens the chiefs
mind to his own faith that in the world of man
there is a force of peace that can come to the
people if only they will turn their minds to it.
" Truly," he says, " this is a wonderful thing.
This news of itself will bring the beginning of peace
to our people if once they can hear it and understand it
and believe it. It will begin to free their minds of the
hatred that comes from fear." The Great Peacemaker
passed from settlement to settlement, and the same scene
was repeated with each of the chiefs as they were quickly
convinced of the power of peace.
Why should these proud nations and warriors
so readily accept the message of peace?
Not because they were afraid of war. the message
is accepted not only in the hope of being freed of
something negative,but also because they glimpse
a peace that is infinitely more honorable than war
and more active. This peace demands a higher
level of courage and sacrifice than war.
It is neither static nor dull, nor is it fantasy of endless
pleasure.It is a force that can harmonize the
actions and impulses of human life in all their
multiplicity.It is a unifying energy that paradoxically
allows each element to flourish in its individuality.
It is the call to serve that which is far greater
than oneself. Who would not agree to this peace?
(i found this in "Yes Magazine")
I propose such a peace, now..!
"The Great Peace"
I am hear now and i will not go away.
Others have gone before me,
there substance steadies me now.
i am one human but if you add me up
i am legions.
peace, now.!!
gent jim / the traveler I believe in humanity, I believe the ingredients for world change lies ready with in humanity now..!!! ... more -
AP: Joe Lieberman is a Prick
A little bit of rare, accidental truth from the Associated Press.
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Bad Typo: Joe Lieberman a Real #%&*!
By E&P Staff
Published: August 19, 2008 7:55 AM ET
NEW YORK One of the most amusing typos of the season turned up for awhile overnight in a major Associated Press dispatch. Some in the liberal blogosphere, who have often criticized Sen. Joe Lieberman -- the Democrat turned Independent who has endorsed John McCain -- found it all too apt.
The typo, in an article on the upcoming vice presidential picks due from McCain and Barack Obama and written by one of the top AP political scribes, Nedra Pickler, was soon corrected but can still be found viewed via Google at numerous news sites early this morning.
After focusing on Obama, the article discusses several possible McCain picks, and relates, "His top contenders are said to include Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Less traditional choices mentioned include former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge, an abortion-rights supporter, and Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, the Democratic vice presidential prick in 2000 who now is an independent."
It's still up at such sites as the Houston Chronicle, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Cleveland's Plain Dealer and many more. A little bit of rare, accidental truth from the Associated Press. ... more -
Ralph Nader Predicts Hillary as Obama's VP
“I don’t think he’s that dumb,” said Nader, commenting on widespread speculation that Obama’s choices are down to Sens. Joe Biden, Evan Bayh, or Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine.
The smart pick, according to Nader, is Hillary Rodham Clinton. Nader phoned into Politico Tuesday afternoon to offer his prediction that a surprise nod to Clinton is actually what Obama has in store—never mind the talk of mistrust between the Clintons and Obama.
“He just has to swallow hard and do what JFK did” in picking rival Lyndon Johnson in 1960, said the liberal activist and maverick presidential candidate.
According to Nader’s logic, Obama may dislike Hillary, but will conclude he has no choice but to get over it if he hopes to leave next week’s convention in Denver with a unified party and a decent shot against John McCain in the fall: “The polls show 25 percent of her supporters have not gotten on board.” “I don’t think he’s that dumb,” said Nader, commenting on widespread speculation that Obama’s choices are down to Sens. Joe Biden, Eva... more -
What You Didn't See At The Ozone Awards Part 1
Before we get into another edition of “What You Didn’t See…,” the Bad Guys have a question to ask all of our readers.
Have you ever been to a zoo filled with humans and completely devoid of cages? How about a three ring circus of niggatry? If, for some reason, you say yes. Then you will be called a liar because the greatest show on earth was called the 2008 Ozone Awards/TJs DJs Conference in Houston Texas the weekend before last, and “the shit was bananas (B-A-N-A-N-A-S)!” Now before you say that the term “zoo” means something bad, let me explain what a zoo is. A zoo can be fun as you take a look at animals that you probably wouldn’t see anywhere else do uncivilized things. Some of these animals don’t function well with others while some can be a complete blast to be around. There are also a few animals that can be quite dangerous when wandering amongst the common folk. But there’s some others that you just want to pet and feed.
Find out more here....
http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/columns-editorials/id.120... Before we get into another edition of “What You Didn’t See…,” the Bad Guys have a question to ask all of our readers. ... more -
Do Cam'ron and Juelz Santana Have Beef?
The Dipset isn't anywhere near as unified as they once were. After a slew of beefs seemingly broke the camp up, Cam'ron claimed he sold Juelz Santana's contract to Def Jam for a large sum of money. Now, after a long time between albums, Juelz is opening up about the beef, the contract, the new deal and more.
"I was upset about the part of me being 'sold for $2 million,'" he told MTV recently. "At times like this, nobody is trying to 'sell' me. I could have come out and said, 'Oh, yeah, Cam got bought out.' But I didn't go that route. They just gotta watch me move. We gonna make it hot."
Find out the rest here....
http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.7537 The Dipset isn't anywhere near as unified as they once were. After a slew of beefs seemingly broke the camp up, Cam'ron clai... more -
10 Steps Bill Clinton Believes the US Government Should Do for a Clean Energy Futu...
find it more than slightly ironic that the National Clean Energy Summit is being held in Las Vegas, a city that on environmental grounds and water usage alone probably should not exist, but nonetheless it’s happening. Yesterday evening Bill Clinton opened the event will a speech which, among other things, outlined what he believes the US government should do to support renewable energy.
At the Federal level these are his recommendations:
And my comments, where warranted, in italics.
1. Pass a price on carbon via a cap-and-trade system.
2. Tax credits to purchasers or producers of clean energy, must have a 6-10 year time frame.
Yes, yes, yes. Current US renewable energy policy is all over the map in terms of time frames. Without consistent long term policy you simply create market uncertainty and stifle investment.
3. Modernize the electrical grid, both its efficiency and its carrying capacity.
This is something which many people have been highlighting recently. If renewable energy, in particular wind power, is to make a dent in fossil fuel usage we need to build the transmission lines to bring it from where it’s most easily generated to where it’s needed.
4. Utility decoupling ought to be mandatory federal policy rather than left to the states.
If this is done Clinton said that if this is done—separating a utility’s profitability from its power output, utility companies will “pursue conservation with the same vigor with which they have pursued new power plants in the past.”
5. Accelerate replacement of incandescent lights with florescent, and raise appliance efficiency standards.
6. Fund research and deployment of carbon capture and sequestration.
While there certainly is wisdom in this, as well as undeniably more research being needed before this is commercially ready, my fear is that it will continue to be dangled in front of the public as something always just on the horizon as the coal industry continues to pollute.
7. Accelerate the move away from corn ethanol to more sustainable biofuels via a "differential tax incentive."
As I’ve said before and will continue to say until we stop opening corn ethanol plants, corn ethanol is a dead end and of limited utility as even an intermediary step towards better biofuels.
8. Implement a national program to shut down all urban landfills and use the organic material for waste heat or fertilizer.
9. Accelerate the shift hybrid electric vehicles and modernize rail networks.
Hear, hear. Especially on the part about modernizing rail networks. Why the United States continuously refuses to expand the railway system of this country, especially in densely populated areas on the coasts, is beyond me.
10. Demonstrate to rest of the world that "this is not an affectation for rich countries," that it's just as big an opportunity for developing countries. This is how we can restore our world reputation.
Clinton Repeats an Important Message
All of these are important, though frankly nothing new in the sense that many people have been recommending similar steps for some time now. Perhaps if these are simply repeated enough times by high profile people we’ll start truly getting somewhere on this.
Part of this shift needs to be a change in outlook and the underlying civic infrastructure. The 10 Steps Towards a Sustainable Future which the Post Carbon Institute put out a little while ago is a good starting point.
What is your opinion? find it more than slightly ironic that the National Clean Energy Summit is being held in Las Vegas, a city that on environmental groun... more -
Wondering why Big Oil wants the rest of our public lands!
The Drill of It All
This is from the Sierra Club's latest newsletter!
Did you know that oil companies are already sitting on 68 million acres of leases that they aren't even drilling? Which kind of makes you wonder: Why are Big Oil and its allies suddenly desperate to get their hands on the last few places that are still protected -- our natural treasures, wildlife refuges, and pristine coastlines? They wouldn't use the concerns caused by high gas prices as an excuse to grab it ALL, would they? The Drill of It All This is from the Sierra Club's latest newsletter! ... more -
Dave Matthews Band sax player LeRoi Moore dies
LOS ANGELES - LeRoi Moore, saxophone player for the Dave Matthews Band, died Tuesday of injuries suffered in an accident on an all-terrain vehicle in June. He was 46. LOS ANGELES - LeRoi Moore, saxophone player for the Dave Matthews Band, died Tuesday of injuries suffered in an accident on an all-ter... more
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IOC asks Sweden to block File Sharing Site Pirate Bay
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has requested the Swedish government to stop notorious file sharing site The Pirate Bay ( http://thepiratebay.org ) from distributing recordings of the Olympic Games opening ceremony.
"The rights to the opening ceremony cost big money and all forms of pirate copies are forbidden", according to Gunilla Lindberg, one of the IOC's four vice-presidents. The IOC had written a letter to the Swedish government, "requesting the government to ensure that The Pirate Bay remove the recordings."
Justice Minister Beatrice Ask (m) told TT news agency that she understood the IOC's position. "They want to know what the government can do to help them in this issue. They want to find out about their legal rights in Sweden and how we work to prevent internet piracy," she said. However, Ask pointed out that the government could not intervene in an individual case and said it was normal procedure to refer the matter to the police.
But the IOC is not just targeting Sweden. According to Gunilla Lindberg, the IOC has sent out a number of letters to other countries where similar file sharing sites have distributed recordings from the Olympic Games. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has requested the Swedish government to stop notorious file sharing site The Pirate Bay ( ht... more -
Washington's new top 2 voting system
Washington state held their primary today under new rules that abandoned the political party system. Under the new law registered voters choose their favorite candidate despite their political party.
In the past Republicans could only vote for Republicans, and Democrats only could vote for Democrats. The result would be one Republican would run against one Democrat.
Under new rules anyone can vote for anyone and the top two candidates will run against each other in November's general election. Conceivably two democrats could run against each other in November. Candidates are allowed to declare a preference towards a party on the ballot, but they are not allowed to say they are endorsed by a given political party.
The Republican party sued Washington state when voters passed the law in 2006. They objected to the "top 2" concept. The case went to the Supreme Court, and the Court sided with Washington. Washington state held their primary today under new rules that abandoned the political party system. Under the new law registered vot... more -
Kite surfer rides Faye
I thought this video was pretty amazing but the guy is said to be in critical condition.
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