Arizona to Boycott Uncertified Food - Eat and buy only food from citizens

From our Guest Commentator:



A new Arizona bill to be put forward soon, according to unnamed sources, will prevent the State from importing any food from farmers or food processors that is not "citizen certified". According to the bill's sponsor:

"We Arizonans will not eat anything that has been handled by an illegal alien... Not dairy... Not lettuce... Not tomatoes... Not poultry... Not beef... Not bagged salad... Not even canned products unless the producer can guarantee us that everyone working on those farms or in those processing centers is 100% U.S. citizen certified."

Learn more about the new bill here

We wish everyone living in Arizona a long and healthy diet!

Cheers,

The Laughing Hyena

Supreme Court Ruling Humanitarian Law Project

Nov 9th supports the Humanitarian Law Project's right to provide assistance to groups which may be deemed "terrorists" as long as that assistance does not entail military tactics, weapons training, material support, or other advise on how to carry out campaigns of violence for political ends.


Did you know that in 2008 Nelson Mandela was placed on a terrorist watch list by the U.S.? (here)Prior to that the ANC (African National Congress), which had opposed Apartheid, was designated as a terrorist group.

The fact is that who is or isn't a terrorist group often has to do with the foreign policy expediencies of the moment. A case in point is Tariq Ramadan, who was denied a visa to the U.S. for supporting Hamas as now gained the right to travel to the USA.

The Council on Foreign Relations informs us that "some groups widely shunned as terrorists by the international community have managed to beat a well-worn path to negotiations, political legitimacy, and even sovereign power." (here)

The court's ruling against Humanitarian Law Project is a mistake. NGO's such as the Humanitarian Law Project can provide the bridges for groups to move from armed resistance to lawful engagement within a legal process.

Learn more about non-violence on Earth here

Consider alternatives to violence on Pandora here

Terrorist watch list

Desmond Tutu Peace Center

Read more on the court's ruling here and here

Blackwater to Get Afghan Contract

The Company formerly known as Blackwater has received a contract to provide security in Afghanistan - here

View the recent discussion with Jeremy Scahill regarding Blackwater and Special Operations under Obama - here

Interesting quote from Scahill: "Obama is a big fan of this kind of black operation stuff, and it’s really disturbing. It is very similar to Kennedy, Juan, in terms of public perception is one thing of the kind of person that this president is, and then the reality of his foreign policy is hammering far harder than Bush was around the world and doing it with much greater secrecy."

Learn more about Corporate Soldiers on Earth here

Discover Corporate Soldiers on Pandora here

Film "Crude" and the Global Impact of Big Oil

Since the tragic events of April 20, 2010 when the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded, more and more people are asking themselves (or ought to be asking themselves) if what is happening on earth isn't similar to the portrayal of Pandora in the film "Avatar." Deepwater is tragic. But it serves to underlie that the environmental devastation to Earth goes largely unseen by Americans until it is happening off shore.

The film CRUDE portrays the affects of Bil Oil on the Amazon, drawing a close parallel to the film "Avatar". The film is shocking. But the impact of Big Oil goes beyond the Amazon. It is happening where ever Mother Earth is being torn up: Gulf of Mexico; Alberta, Canada; Nigeria; Spain; the Black Sea; and Azerbaijan, to name just a few spots around the world where oil spills have left there mark.

(see also: "Effects of a Brazilian Oil Spill 10 Years On" - here)

There is considerable concerns that new drilling is putting various species at risk. For example, gray whales may be doomed should a Russian rig suffer Deepwater's fate. Learn more.

We also know that oil pollution and spills have occurred through acts of war - learn more and here


"Amazon Crude on 60 minutes" - Part 1 and Part 2

"Oil Sands in Alberta Canada" - Learn more here and learn about the impact on the environment here (WWF) and here and here

The only real answer is a world revolution from oil to alternative energy sources. Time is running out and we need to mobilize at the speed we would if we were facing World War III.

Discover Pandora here

Learn more about Earth here

Private Military Contractors in Latin America

Truthout republished an interesting article on the role of private military in Latin American. Here A few of the highlights of the article include:

"Contractors such as DynCorp and Northrop Grumman working in South and Central America are paid to spray drug crops, work with foreign militaries and police, offer intelligence and operational support, and conduct public relations assignments..."

"Meanwhile, the United Nations is pushing for a new international convention to regulate Private Military and Security Companies (PMSC's).

"This industry, which deals with heavy weaponry in conflict zones is less regulated than the toy industry," said José Luis Gómez del Prado, chair of the UN's Working Group on the use of mercenaries, in April."

Learn more about corporate soldiers on Earth here

Consider corporate soldiers on Pandora here

Raw footage of Israeli attack on aid ship

Cultures of Resistance has released an hour of raw video footage. View it here.

Learn more about non-violence here.

Military Can't Solve Gulf Oil Spill

Following the Gulf Oil disaster there was considerable public feelings that the Department of Defense should step in and take control. Reuters reported that "The Military May Join Fight Contain Gulf Oil Slick." Recently Sen. Nelson (D-Florida) asked the military to help as well, stating ""Americans need to feel that their government is taking an all hands on deck response" (here). However, the reality is that the military does not have the capabilities to solve the problem (here)

Our interest is in teasing out why the American public thought the military should jump in? And, what is the lesson to learning that it can't solve the problem?

During the past several decade the USA has seen the growing influence of the DOD. Diplomacy has been militarized, the State Department has been marginalized, and Americans generally prefer "hard power" and coercion to "soft power" and influence. The military is seen as the ultimate symbol of USA strength while Europe is often laughed at for its effeminate approach to the world.

The fact that the military stands powerless before the gushing oil could be a new lesson for America. The military should be the last resort, not the first. Problems should be solved through other agencies. The military isn't omnipotent.

Let's hope the popular media picks up this lesson.