"I'm starting to lose my ability to write rationally about this stuff. I just don't know..."
"I'm starting to lose my ability to write rationally about this stuff. I just don't know any longer what I'm supposed to think about a political movement whose primary raison d'être, one they no longer even bother to conceal, is an almost gleeful immiseration of the poor for the benefit of the rich. How is it that the wealthiest country on earth has come to this?"-
Immiserating the Poor for the Benefit of the Rich
Kevin Drum is as fed up with the Republicans as I am.
jayholmies: Denver Comic Con, Day 3 Read More
Harpoon!Sherlock
Waldo
Lego Dalek and TARDIS
Felicia Day and Wil Wheaton
Perfect!
William Shatner
Dipper and Mabel Pines
Howard and Bernadette
Some vendors
Bumblebee and Stay Puft
Denver Comic Con, Day 3
mckelvie: psychosulfur: "Pretty Deadly: Kelly Sue DeConnick...
"Pretty Deadly: Kelly Sue DeConnick & Emma Ríos' Western Revenge Fantasy [Interview + Exclusive Art]", in Comics Alliance.
Em-Ma! Em-Ma! Em-Ma!
jennhasablog: as the Cards Against Humanity community manager,...
as the Cards Against Humanity community manager, i pretty much troll all day. professional internet jerk.
Ten Revelations From Bradley Manning's WikiLeaks Documents
Ten Revelations From Bradley Manning's WikiLeaks Documents:In 2010, Army Pfc. Bradley Manning was detained in Iraq on suspicion of passing classified U.S. government documents to WikiLeaks. On Monday, after more than three years in military jail, his trial finally began at Fort Meade, Md. The 25-year-old intelligence analyst admitted earlier this year to passing documents to…In 2010, Army Pfc. Bradley Manning was detained in Iraq on suspicion of passing classified U.S. government documents to WikiLeaks. On Monday, after more than three years in military jail, his trial finally began at Fort Meade, Md.
The 25-year-old intelligence analyst admitted earlier this year to passing documents to the whistle-blowing website, though he denies the charge of "aiding the enemy," an offense that carries a life sentence or the death penalty. Manning said at a pretrial hearing in February that he leaked information, including diplomatic cables and U.S. military war logs from Afghanistan and Iraq, in order to "spark a domestic debate on the role of the military and our foreign policy."
Below is a list of 10 revelations disclosed by Manning's leaked documents that offer insight into the breadth and scope of what he revealed, help explain his motivation for leaking, and provide context for the ongoing trial. The list, in no particular order, is far from comprehensive but encompasses some of the most significant information brought to light by the leaked documents.
- During the Iraq War, U.S. authorities failed to investigate hundreds of reports of abuse, torture, rape, and murder by Iraqi police and soldiers, according to thousands of field reports.
- There were 109,032 "violent deaths" recorded in Iraq between 2004 and 2009, including 66,081 civilians. Leaked records from the Afghan War separately revealed coalition troops' alleged role in killing at least 195 civilians in unreported incidents, one reportedly involving U.S. service members machine-gunning a bus, wounding or killing 15 passengers.
- The U.S. Embassy in Paris advised Washington to start a military-style trade war against any European Union country that opposed genetically modified crops, with U.S. diplomats effectively working directly for GM companies such as Monsanto.
- British and American officials colluded in a plan to mislead the British Parliament over a proposed ban on cluster bombs.
- In Baghdad in 2007, a U.S. Army helicopter gunned down a group of civilians, including two Reuters news staff.
- U.S. special operations forces were conducting offensive operations inside Pakistan despite sustained public denials and statements to the contrary by U.S. officials.
- A leaked diplomatic cable provided evidence that during an incident in 2006, U.S. troops in Iraq executed at least 10 Iraqi civilians, including a woman in her 70s and a 5-month-old, then called in an airstrike to destroy the evidence. The disclosure of this cable was later a significant factor in the Iraqi government's refusal to grant U.S. troops immunity from prosecution beyond 2011, which led to U.S. troops withdrawing from the country.
- A NATO coalition in Afghanistan was using an undisclosed "black" unit of special operations forces to hunt down targets for death or detention without trial. The unit was revealed to have had a kill-or-capture list featuring details of more than 2,000 senior figures from the Taliban and al-Qaida, but it had in some cases mistakenly killed men, women, children, and Afghan police officers.
- The U.S. threatened the Italian government in an attempt to influence a court case involving the indictment of CIA agents over the kidnapping of an Egyptian cleric. Separately, U.S. officials were revealed to have pressured Spanish prosecutors to dissuade them from investigating U.S. torture allegations, secret "extraordinary rendition" flights, and the killing of a Spanish journalist by U.S. troops in Iraq.
- In apparent violation of a 1946 U.N. convention, Washington initiated a spying campaign in 2009 that targeted the leadership of the U.N. that sought to gather top officials' private encryption keys, credit card details, and biometric data.
Although Manning's disclosures totaled some 720,000 records—the largest security breach in U.S. history—the leak still amounted to less than 1 percent of the almost 77 million documents reportedly classified by U.S. government agencies in 2010. The soldier's actions are at the center of an ongoing debate about a spike in extreme state secrecy in the U.S. since Sept. 11—an issue regularly covered here on Future Tense—that has resulted in several aggressive leak investigations and surveillance of journalists. During the first day of Manning's trial, the government accused the soldier of indirectly assisting al-Qaida and leaking the information to "gain the notoriety he craved." Manning's defense attorney described him as "young, naive, but good intentioned," passing documents to WikiLeaks in a bid to "make the world a better place."
Manning's trial is expected to last through the summer.
Wow wow wow. I'm aligned more with the hero side of Manning than traitor.
nearlya: Shi Zhiying. The Sand Ocean #4, 2012, oil on canvas
Shi Zhiying. The Sand Ocean #4, 2012, oil on canvas
savingthrows: So. This just about sums up my weekend at Denver...
So. This just about sums up my weekend at Denver Comic Con. Aside from waiting in line for a long time, it was cool. "If there's anything nerds know how to do, it's wait in line."
I started off the weekend with a bit of dumb luck, I won a giant panda bear out of a claw machine at Dave and Buster's. I never win anything out of those things, I couldn't believe it! I took it as a good omen for the rest of the weekend.
My Jedi costume went off rather well. It got too hot and crowded to wear the robes for long, though. The Umbrella section at the Con made me cheer. I love me some zombies!
I got to see/meet a few heroes of mine, both in the gaming world and the science fiction world (George Takei, Nelsan Ellis, Felicia Day, Wil Wheaton, William Shatner). I find it a bit amusing that I started this weekend with no intention of getting Wil Wheaton's autograph, but by the time I finished with the panels and all, I was determined to commemorate the inspiration of the weekend.
From tips on bullying, to how to connect to your parents about your passions, to hilarious Cubbie (I hope that's how they spell it) impersonations, to encouragement and enthusiasm about my world, gaming, I heard a little bit of everything in these panels. I was told that "Denver/CO is the Disneyland for beer." I lost The Game. Yet, the feeling of the crowd, the patience of having to wait in line with 1,599 other strangers was phenomenal. We're like one big disjointed family.
What really, really, really drove it home for me was the compassion. I am so very proud to associate myself with the people that attended this Con. People offered advice, jokes, smiles and helped to entertain while waiting in line. They included everyone around them, they didn't just stop at the circle of their friends. It's places like this that I know I can just start talking to the people around me and no one will think it strange, or rude, or creepy. However, that's not the whole thing I'm getting at. The monumental thing about this weekend is the kid, whoever he is, that handed over his VIP badge so I could get an autograph, because Wil was getting ready to get on a plane, and had shut down his line to regular badge holders (I made sure a couple of these that were already waiting went ahead of me). It must have been the look of sheer desperation in my eyes, or maybe a nudge from his friend, I don't know, but I'm eternally grateful for his decision. I am doing my utmost to spy out opportunities to pass this kind act on.
Because of this stranger's kindness, not only did I get to meet my childhood celebrity crush, but I also got to thank him for his inspiration to me as an adult (but alas, I forgot to remind him about my BAMF comment). I suppose the point of this is, wonderful things happen in my world, and I am so very glad that I am a part of this culture, of this community, of this family.
I am PROUD to be a NERD.
Photo
endlessme: Cliff Arch Hangs Like a Jug Handle Against the Wall...
Cliff Arch Hangs Like a Jug Handle Against the Wall of Coyote Gulch
Smallest of the eight Escalante arches that have been measured, this opening is approximately 40 feet wide by 45 feet high. The arch ring varies from 15 to 35 feet in thickness. Here two members of the party explore the steep cliff face for a way to reach the opening; lacking a rope, they had to give up only 30 feet below their goal.
National Geographic, 1955
browsethestacks: hodgman: browsethestacks: Muhammad Ali, Hulk...
Muhammad Ali, Hulk Hogan, Cyndi Lauper, Liberace And Wendi Richter
Your first look at @JossActual's new prequel series "Avengers: 1984"Rebloging Myself Just For The Comment
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think-progress: The scary effect sequestration is having on...
The scary effect sequestration is having on women seeking domestic violence help.
it8bit: Happy 35th Anniversary Space Invaders! The original...
Happy 35th Anniversary Space Invaders!
The original Space Invaders arcade game was released in Japan 35 years ago today. <3
filmchrist: Brad Pitt in the '80s Oh HAI BOY.
Brad Pitt in the '80s
Oh HAI BOY.
dendroica: Mayflower Oil Spill: Exxon Doesn't Want You to Know...
Mayflower Oil Spill: Exxon Doesn't Want You to Know People Are Getting Very, Very Sick
The oil spill in Mayflower, Arkansas has left residents outside the evacuation zone complaining of illness. Exxon says the air is safe, but new documentation shows they lied and attempted to cover up the extent of the oil spill. We should trust residents who are suffering from spill-induced illness, not Exxon.
"I could smell that horrible smell. I got really scared,"says Sherry Appleman, who awoke to a nightmare on March 29. As the Exxon Tar Sands oil flowed through their town, residents of Mayflower reported strong odors that lead to headaches and vomiting in areas that Exxon deemed safe and not in need of evacuation. Some of residents, like Scott Crowe, were deemed safe to remain in their homes where a mere 300 yards from the rupture site. They say they haven't heard from city officials or Exxon, but have experienced headaches, stomach pains, nausea, fainting, and have been prescribed inhalers for the first time.
Ann Jarrell reports that she stayed at home with her daughter and a 3 month old grandchild despite the smells because they were told they didn't need to evacuate and were safe. Ann Jarrell is a beekeeper and found dead, oil-soaked bees on her porch. The state plant board agreed to evacuate her bees to a safe location, but deemed the situation safe enough for Jarell's family. They later learned it was likely they'd been exposed to toxic chemical fumes, and are now suffering from breathing problems and have been placed on inhalers.
A local elementary school outside the evacuation zone had to send home eight students who became ill after breathing petrochemical fumes. Although Exxon had determined the air around the school safe, residents, including school officials, reported strong odors of oil in and around the building. These are just a handful of disturbing examples of illness in Mayflower after the oil spill. One Mayflower resident, despite being able to see the leak from her home, was told by Exxon that residents were merely suffering allergies. Some of the residents affected by the spill have filed a class action lawsuit.
earharting: fellcorbie: I don't know #that's it that's the...
I don't know
Yep, this is pretty much how it went down, if my memory serves me.
"Google reports that 77 percent of searches from mobile devices take place at home or work, only 17..."
"Google reports that 77 percent of searches from mobile devices take place at home or work, only 17 percent on the move."-
The Rise of the Mobile-Only User - Karen McGrane - Harvard Business Review (via vanderwal)
Which is why 'mobile' is the wrong adjective. These are 'proximal' devices: the ones we always have near to hand.
(via stoweboyd)
mostlysignssomeportents: iambradleymanning: I think of Bradley...
I think of Bradley Manning as a hero because he exposed enormous corruption. But even if you don't think he's a hero, even if you think what he did was a terrible crime, a society of laws is one that treats people as innocent until proven guilty, gives them open courts in which to defend themselves, allows them to see the evidence against themselves in their own defense and so on. No matter what you think about Bradley Manning, the way society treats him reflects on all of us.
soupsoup: reuters: Reporters worldwide are grappling with...
Reporters worldwide are grappling with government censorship and limits to reporting. Some are even accused and convicted of activities against governments that are landing them in jail.
In the past week alone, the following reports have been made:
An Egyptian blogger has been convicted of insulting the president.
In China, most mentions of the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre were censored from the Internet.
Turkish protesters accused media of ignoring unrest; reports of anti-press attacks amid Turkey protests raise questions of censorship.
Congo Republic suspended four independent newspapers
Burundi enacted media law that reporters say curbs press freedoms.
Guinea media set strike after government shuts opposition radio.
The Palestinian Authority arrested the general manager of a Bethlehem radio station.
Ethiopia arrested a reporter after he covered the story of evictions in dam region.
Toronto Star reporter was arrested and ticketed after taking photos of injured public transit employee.
Imprisonment of journalists worldwide reached a record high in 2012, driven in part by the use of charges of terrorism and anti-state offenses against reporters and editors, reported the Committee to Protect Journalists in its annual census of imprisoned journalists.
CPJ video summary of the 2012 report on media imprisonment:
Photo: Activists wearing masks of jailed Nobel laureate, writer, professor and activist Liu Xiaobo hold candles during a night vigil at Liberty Square in Taipei June 4, 2013, on the 24th anniversary of the June 4 crackdown on pro-democracy protesters at Tiananmen Square in Beijing. REUTERS/Steven Chen
Nice job by Margarita putting this all together.
quickhits: Another kid shot in his own home. KSLA: A...
Another kid shot in his own home.
KSLA: A 3-year-old boy is at LSU Hospital after being shot with a .22 rifle in a North Bossier Parish home Monday afternoon.
Bossier Parish Sheriff's Office Lt. Bill Davis says deputies were dispatched around 6 p.m. to the home on Scarborough Road off of Butler Hill Road in Benton.
Deputies believe it was an accident that happened when the rifle was knocked over by a sliding glass door after it was bumped by another child.
This keeps happening over and over and over, with sickening regularity. But of course, we shouldn't do anything about it, because… Well, I'm not really all that clear on the because. Because some people are too fucking stupid to understand cause and effect, I guess.
But good thing the family had that rifle handy, huh? Otherwise, some criminal might've busted in and hurt someone in the family. Yes indeedy-doo, a bullet hole in your toddler is really a small price to pay in exchange for keeping your family safe.
The only thing that stops a 3 year-old with a gun is a good guy with a gun.
Fuck the NRA.
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