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3 Charts Showing Just How Boxed-in the Fed Is
3 Charts Showing Just How Boxed-in the Fed Is
The Fed met market expectations by cutting its target for the fed funds rate by 25 basis points, down to the range of 1.75 - 2.00 percent. In this post I want to demonstrate just how boxed in the Fed has now become, with the help of 3 charts.
First, let's review just how low interest rates have been (and still are), in a long-term historical context:
As the chart shows, the (effective) fed funds rate was in this range back during the early 2000s, which helped spawn the housing bubble and bust (as I predicted in this Mises.org article which ran 11 months before the financial crisis). Before then, we have to go all the way back to the early 1960s to see rates this low. And furthermore, to the extent that Mises was right, and artificially low interest rates lead to an unsustainble boom, then the seven years of virtually zero percent interest rates (from December 2008 - December 2015) have fostered a plethora of malinvestments.
Now here's the irony: In the midst of the Fed cutting rates, and injecting $75 billion in repo operations on Tuesday to push down a spike in short-term rates, at least on paper we see that everything seems to be fine. Specifically, consumer price inflation is a bit lower than the Fed's desired level but is still at a "healthy" 1.8% (year over year, as of August), while the official unemployment rate is still at a 50-year low:
Finally, despite the apparently healthy economy (vis-a-vis the Fed's "dual mandate"), there is still an extraordinary stockpile of excess reserves in the banking system, relative to the pre-crisis era:
Medical metaphors for economics are never perfect, but we can certainly say this: Far from being in the midst of a robust "recovery," the patient--i.e. the US economy--is still incredibly weak, needing constant infusions of medicine to stave off a crisis in its circulation.
On the one hand, it's refreshing that Fed officials don't think the economy can be summed up in two numbers, namely the official unemployment and consumer price inflation rates. But on the other hand, the fact that the Fed is cutting rates now, in spite of the "healthy numbers," is an ominous indication of just how deep the rot goes in the economy's capital structure.
Unfortunately, the world may soon see exactly why 7 years of unprecedently loose monetary policy was a very foolish idea.
The Quarterly Journal of Austrian Economics Volume 22, Issue 2 is Now Available!
This issue contains selected lectures, papers, and abstracts of papers presented at the 2019 Austrian Economics Research Conference in Auburn, Alabama. Articles include Daniel Ajamian's "The Cost of the Enlightenment," Michael Rectenwald's "Libertarianism(s) versus Postmodernism and 'Social Justice' Ideology," Edward Fuller's "Keynes and the Ethics of Socialism," Jeffery Degner's "Family Formation, Fertility, and Failure: A Literature Review on Price Increases and Their Impact on the Family Institution," and more.
Prolonged Monetary Easing Paves Way for Wealth Redistribution
Recent Democratic debates focused on rising wealth inequality, as candidates introduced various ideas to roll back disparity by taxing the affluent and redistribute their wealth. This would punish working professionals and small business owners without capital market access nor legislative influence. Meanwhile, malinvestment reliant on central bank stimulus and the unproductive of "zombie firms" sustained by ultra-low rates would proliferate unabated.
Both the GOP and Democrats tolerate monetary stimulus, for elected officials view effects of easy money (higher equities and lower bond yields) as beneficial to economic growth. This enabled the triumph of asset owners over wage earners to create the most potent inequality catalyst of the 21st century.
Inherent risks in the financial market used to decimate malinvestment and define capital gain in terms of risk-adjusted returns. However, central banks' volatility suppression policies such as quantitative easing and negative rates have enabled a decade of policy-fueled capital gain to outpace wage growth. In the case of QE, relentless bond buying and "reach-for-yield" would immediately boost asset prices, while impacts on the real economy (and especially wage earners) would materialize over Milton Friedman's famous "long and variable (policy) lags." Under monetary intervention, fortunes have diverged along the lines of asset ownership.
If central banks release volatility back into the market, malinvestment will reprice and valuations will again couple with risks, while prudent management would reward astute investors. This is an organic path to solve the inequality puzzle, but prolonged easing (as central banks mistaken structural low inflation from globalization for cyclical weakness) have increased developed economies' sensitivity to higher interest rates. As major central banks grab the volatility tiger by the tail, they have fostered a vicious cycle where brittleness under ultra-low rates would beget even more easing:
Wealth Redistribution Follows Monetary Intervention
As rampant asset price appreciation worsen inequality, angry voters left behind by a buoyant market would give rise to anti-establishment candidates unsympathetic to consensus views. As protectionist policies take hold, erosions to global value chains (GVCs) would lift inflation and threaten major economies' debt-fueled growth model. To make matters worse, central banks resorting to money printing would risk sending bonds yields soaring under higher inflation and subsequently threaten risky assets.
Faced with voter anger and eager to counter the rise of anti-establishment challengers, elected officials would resort to another policy intervention to placate voters: wealth redistribution. In other words, wealth redistribution programs are often attempts to "amend" monetary policies' distributional effects . Rather than unwinding policy disruption, authorities would double down with further measures to offset effects of prior policies. In the end, repeated interventions would exacerbate socioeconomic distortions to beget further redistribution.
At the July FOMC meeting, "a number of" Fed officials urged the central bank to be even more aggressive at interventions such as deploying quantitative easing, for they were encouraged by the perception many of the potential costs of the Committee's asset purchases had failed to materialize." The Fed officials did not connect the dots between rapid asset price appreciation, worsening inequality, and the 2016 election. As a result, their actions will likely pave way for further waves of follow-up wealth redistribution, as well as elected officials losing their seats to political insurgents capitalizing on popular discontent.
The US Military Isn't As Invincible As It Thinks
The United States itself has about a zero-percent risk of being invaded from any foreign power. This has been clear since 1945 that the Navy and nuclear arsenal make invasion of the US both politically and practically impossible for any foreign regime. The US Army could be totally abolished this afternoon without in any way increasing the risk of foreign military action against the US in North America.
The invincibility of the military itself, on the other hand, is something different. After all, the US military is mostly in the business of doing things other than protecting the borders of the United States. It primarily worries about projecting its power into every corner of the globe, propping up dictators in places like Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and bossing around foreign regimes that are no threat to the United States.
But most of this has long been based on the assumption that the US can do anything it wants to any country without any fear of significant repercussions to its allies anywhere.
Those days are rapidly coming to an end.
In the UK's Independent last week, Patrick Cockburn noted that some important targets are now sitting ducks, and the US and its allies have no economical defense:
On the morning of 14 September, 18 drones and seven cruise missiles – all cheap and unsophisticated compared to modern military aircraft – disabled half of Saudi Arabia 's crude oil production and raised the world price of oil by 20 per cent.
This happened despite the Saudis spending $67.6bn (£54bn) on their defence budget last year, much of it on vastly expensive aircraft and air defence systems, which notably failed to stop the attack. The US defence budget stands at $750bn (£600.2bn), and its intelligence budget at $85bn (£68bn), but the US forces in the Gulf did not know what was happening until it was all over.
...a middle ranking power like Iran, under sanctions and with limited resources and expertise, acting alone or through allies, has inflicted crippling damage on theoretically much better-armed Saudi Arabia which is supposedly defended by the US, the world's greatest military super-power.
...If the US and Saudi Arabia are particularly hesitant to retaliate against Iran it is because they know now, contrary to what they might have believed a year ago, that a counter-attack will not be a cost-free exercise. What happened before can happen again: not for nothing has Iran been called a "drone superpower". Oil production facilities and the desalination plants providing much of the fresh water in Saudi Arabia are conveniently concentrated targets for drones and small missiles.
In other words, the military playing field will be a lot more level in future in a conflict between a country with a sophisticated air force and air defence system and one without. The trump card for the US, Nato powers and Israel has long been their overwhelming superiority in airpower over any likely enemy. Suddenly this calculus has been undermined because almost anybody can be a player on the cheap when it comes to airpower.
Meanwhile, the US is pouring money into expensive toys like the F-35 which after more than a trillion dollars offer no defense against dirt-cheap drones:
Compare the cost of the drone which would be in the tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars to the $122m (£97.6m) price of a single F-35 fighter, so expensive that it can only be purchased in limited numbers. As they take on board the meaning of what happened at Abqaiq and Khurais oil facilities, governments around the world will be demanding that their air force chiefs explain why they need to spend so much money when cheap but effective alternatives are available. Going by past precedent, the air chiefs and arms manufacturers will fight to their last breath for grossly inflated budgets to purchase weapons of dubious utility in a real war.
It is unknown how long it will take for US military planners to accept "that they command expensive, technically advanced forces that are obsolete in practice. This means they are stuck with arms that suck up resources but are, in practical terms, out of date."
This doesn't mean, of course, that the US has no options here. The US could engage in a full-scale war against Iran, killing hundreds of thousands of Iranians and spending trillions. The number of US casualties would be very small by comparison, but probably not trivial. This bloodbath eventually incapacitate the Iranian state, but not before Iran destroyed the flow of oil out of the Persian gulf, and extracted its pound of flesh from US allies such as Saudi Arabia and Israel.
The effect on rivals like China and Russia would be electrifying as well, since the US would then be viewed as having slipped the bonds of rational foreign policy.
This means the situation now is far different from what it was before. But don't expect the Pentagon to act any differently. It will keep demanding trillions of dollars for weapons of war designed to fight a 1960's-style war. But that all sounds perfectly reasonable in a place like Washington, DC where both Capitol Hill and the Pentagon exist in a world of fantasy built on printed money.
See more:
- "The F-35: A $1.5 Trillion Boondoggle" by Elijah Henry
- "The F-35: Poster Child for Pentagon Boondoggles" by Gary Goldman
- The Trillion-Dollar Military Still Isn't Enough for the War Party by Ryan McMaken
How Entrepreneurs Can Survive the Next Recession
There has been increasing talk of a burgeoning recession, whether because of a historically rare decade-long economic expansion or recent reports of an inverted yield curve, which is traditionally an indication of a downturn. Any recession is hard on all Americans, but it can be particularly devastating for entrepreneurs, who often have more to lose. Not only does an economic ebb add to the uncertainty of owning and running a business, but it also means opportunities become scarcer, with fewer potential partners willing to invest, consume and otherwise enter into deals.
Recessions, of course, are famously hard to predict, but even when there's mounting evidence of a looming crisis, it can be hard to anticipate timing and how it will affect your industry. Simply closing shop is no solution. It might not even be an option. A better strategy is to prepare for the worst and make your business downturn-proof. But how does one do that? Here are four things to think about that can help make your business recession-ready ... just in case.
Full article at Entrepreneur
The Conscientious Objector
"Because liberty is so fragile, its true defender recognizes that war is its greatest enemy, and therefore the true patriot is often the courageous individual who opposes a particular war because he recognizes that it is unjust — that it would be fought for the wrong purposes or that the risk for the loss of liberty is greater than any benefit to be gained by the war." - John V Denson
If we have freedom: are we not responsible for what we do and what we fail to do? History is littered with stories about valor and bravery on the battlefield. Men who went off to war, who fought, and died. But what about the men who refused to fight?
The World War II draft operated between 1940 - 1946, and inducted some 10 million men into forced military service. Of those 10 million men, approximately 72,000 were conscientious objectors, of which 25,000 entered the military in noncombatant roles, another 12,000 went to civilian work camps, and as Robert Higgs points out in the book, The Cost of War :
The government also imprisoned nearly 6,000 conscientious objectors- three-fourths of them Jehovah's Witnesses- who would not comply with the service requirements of the draft laws.
One of those American conscientious objectors was Desmond Doss. During World War II he refused to carry a weapon and kill the enemy. Despite this, he is credited with saving 75 of his fellow soldiers during the Battle of Okinawa. To this day he is the only conscientious objector to receive the Medal of Honor for his actions on the battlefield.
Franz Jägerstätter was not as lucky as Desmond Doss. He was an Austrian conscientious objector during World War II who refused to fight for Nazi Germany. On February 23, 1943, he was drafted to serve and on March 1, 1943, upon entering into the Wehrmacht garrison, he declared his Conscientious Objector status and offered to serve as a paramedic instead. His offer to serve as a paramedic was ignored and he was arrested and later killed for refusing to fight for Hilter. He left behind a wife and three children.
These were men who dared to say no to war and murder and these are just two examples out of 1,000's of men during that war. Why did these men oppose war? People may profit from studying their examples. For, As Lew Rockwell once pointed out :
"We don't oppose the state's wars because they'll be counterproductive or overextend the state's forces. We oppose them because mass murder based on lies can never be morally acceptable. So we don't beg for scraps from the imperial table, and we don't seek a seat at that table. We want to knock the table over."
Conscientious Objectors refused to be pawns and knew that war was morally unacceptable, with some paying the ultimate price. Sadly, in a sense, there is a case to be made that these Conscientious Objectors were the only ones who truly did their job and upheld their oath.1 For all members of the military are instructed: they have a duty to obey all lawful orders, and conversely, they also have a duty to disobey unlawful orders. This principle is embedded in the precedent of the Nuremberg Trials whereby Nazi war criminals invoked the "just following superior orders defense" and were nevertheless found guilty as the orders were found to be illegal. It is worth noting at this point, that illegal orders can happen at any time, wartime or peacetime, civilian or military.
Does 'Conscientious Objection' relate only to war and military personal? Or, are there other circumstances to which this term may be applied? I contend that conscientious objection can and should apply to a variety of circumstances other than war, for example whenever morality and ethics are at play. Objections based on one's conscience may arise in numerous and more mundane circumstances. The world would be a much better place if the principles of conscientious objections were more universally applied, and daily.
Consider this, the category of human action can refer to either an action, or an inaction. Both actions and inactions potentially have value, as Ludwig von Mises noted:
"For to do nothing and to be idle are also action, they too determine the course of events."2
Let's ask ourselves: Is Patriotism defined as blind obedience to governmental authority? Can saying 'no' be more heroic than saying 'yes', when your conscience tells you its wrong that the Government requires innocent blood on your hands? As the Afghanistan war enters its 18th year, it's long past time we reconsider the examples set by those who conscientiously objected to war. In the words of the late Justin Raimondo,
"We have to show the American People that war is not patriotic."
- 1. Murray Rothbard noted that " There have been only two just wars in American history that were, in my view, assuredly and unquestionably proper and just."
- 2. Murray Rothbard also stated in Man, Economy, and State that "Action does not necessarily mean that the individual is 'active' as opposed to 'Passive,' in the colloquial sense."; See also Carl Menger's discussion of useful inactions in Chapter 1, Principles of Economics.
Let Alaskans Decide The Fate of Alaska's Forests
Mother Jones today reports on how the Trump administration is loosening some restrictions on logging in some public-lands areas of Alaska.
In response, a group of indigenous women traveled to Washington to oppose the plan.
Most of the article goes into how the forests — left untouched — are good for local residents, and how the forests are allegedly a defense against global warming.
But it was a phrase in the headline that struck me most: "These Native Women Traveled 3,000 Miles to Stop It."
That is, a group of people from the Alaska panhandle, in order to talk policy about a forest right next door, had to fly thousands of miles to do so.
That strikes me as a bit odd.
I was reminded of the outcry from non-Alaskans when the Feds proposed renaming the state's highest mountain, now called Denali. Back in 2015, I wrote:
Here's the basic story: About 100 years ago, some people started calling Denali mountain in Alaska "Mount McKinley." Eventually they managed to convince the federal government to make "McKinley" the official name. In 1975, however, the government of Alaska petitioned the federal government to change the name back to "Denali." To this day, Alaskans routinely refer to the mountain as "Denali" in spite of the fact that the Federal government, seated 4,000 miles away in Washington, DC, had not respected their request. Then, during a recent trip to Alaska, Barack Obama decided that the federal bureaucracy is going to start using the name "Denali" for the mountain.
Reading this, the whole thing should strike any sane person as immediately absurd. Why do people in Alaska have to ask a bunch of non-Alaskans thousands of miles away to call their name by the locally preferred name? If the Alaskan government, not to mention most of the locals, call a mountain "Denali," then the mountain is obviously named "Denali."
But that's not how it works in the land of the free. Here in America, apparently, people from Ohio (McKinley's home state), 3,000 miles from the mountain in question, get to veto Alaskan petitions. In this article in the Washington Post, a writer from Ohio makes the case (with a straight face, no less) that it's mean and nasty of the federal government to defer to the Alaskans about the names of Alaskan mountains. For the Ohioans, it seems, it is of monumental importance that the United States Congress, composed of 533 non-Alaskans, and three actual Alaskans, decide what that mountain should be called.
This latest controversy over an Alaskan forest just highlights the absurdity of federal control of federal lands yet again. But while Mother Jones highlights the fact Alakans had to travel across a continent to address issues going on 50 miles away, the publication nonetheless considers this to be perfectly right and normal.
This, of course, is to be expected from those with a progressive mindset. For them, policy should be decided by "experts" perhaps 3,000 miles away who ought to control every aspect of life for people who have far less power and far less ability to affect policy than the experts in the metropolitan centers of power.
If this group of Alaskans fails to win the day, then that's just a sign that maybe some California billionaires should get involved bossing Alaskans around from a different ideological perspective.
The idea that It's the same attitude, of course, that we encountered in response to the Brazilian forest fires in recent months. Wealthy, powerful first-world politicians united to boss around impoverished Brazilians and tell them how to run their country. After all, we were told the Brazilian forests aren't really Brazilian anyway. They belong to everyone else because they are "the lungs of the world." Therefore, in their minds, the Frenchman Emmanuel Macron ought to be dictating to the Brazilians on the matter.
The same thinking rules the day in Washington, DC, including among Republicans who have no intent of relinquishing control over federal lands they now enjoy. For instance, when questioned about his willingness to decentralize control of federal lands to the states, Trump appointee Perry Pendley of the Bureau of Land Management called the idea "silly" and "illogical" even though he has admitted that the authors of the US constitution never envisioned the sort of vast federal land holdings that are now common in the US.
If there's anything DC politicians can agree on, it's that Washington, DC should have the final say over everything everywhere. This, of course, even extends to foreign countries.
For them, the idea of leaving Alaska to the Alaskans remains simply a bridge too far.
Joey Rothbard
Today would have been Joey Rothbard's 91st birthday. She was Murray Rothbard's "indispensable framework." She was a scholar in her own right, but she devoted her life to helping Murray. She was a wonderful friend, and I miss her very much.
"This Is Basically Clown World," Jeff Deist Talks Negative Interest Rates on RT
European Central Bank Doubles Down on Ultra-Easy Money
Not that QE ever really went away, but the European Central Bank is taking it up a notch with today's rate cut. According to the Wall Street Journal today :
The European Central Bank cut its key interest rate and launched a sweeping package of bond purchases Thursday that lays the ground work for a long period of ultraloose monetary policy, jolting European financial markets and triggering an immediate response from President Trump.
The ECB's pre-emptive move was aimed at insulating the eurozone's wobbling economy from a global slowdown and trade tensions. It is the ECB's largest dose of monetary stimulus in 3½ years and a bold finale for departing President Mario Draghi, who looks to be committing his successor to negative interest rates and an open-ended bond-buying program, possibly for years.
But the move triggered opposition from a handful of ECB officials, according to people familiar with the matter, while leaving key practical questions unanswered. Primarily: How long can the ECB keep purchasing bonds without significantly enlarging the pool of assets it can buy? Some analysts estimated it might be less than a year.
Meanwhile, the president attempted to use the move to put additional pressure on the Fed to ratchet up its own QE plans, writing: "European Central Bank, acting quickly, Cuts Rates 10 Basis Points. They are trying, and succeeding, in depreciating the Euro against the VERY strong Dollar, hurting U.S. exports.... And the Fed sits, and sits, and sits. They get paid to borrow money, while we are paying interest!"
European Central Bank, acting quickly, Cuts Rates 10 Basis Points. They are trying, and succeeding, in depreciating the Euro against the VERY strong Dollar, hurting U.S. exports.... And the Fed sits, and sits, and sits. They get paid to borrow money, while we are paying interest!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 12, 2019
Trump, apparently is unconcerned by the effects of negative rates on the banking sector or on family budgets.
For example, the European banking sector has been hit hard by negative rates, as shown by Maurus Adam recently at mises.org:
Low interest rates make credit for private banks — and in turn, for consumers — cheaper. But at the same time, the low return on government bonds makes investment in these long-term options unattractive. Inflation and low return on investment options discourage people from saving and investing capital but encourage spending. Moreover, the low interest rates result in a low return for banks on the credit they grant to consumers. High consumption, low investment, and low profit on all banking activities strongly affects the ability of European banks to compete. Consequently, Markets Insider reports :The extremely low interest rates in the Eurozone hit the bank's investment branch hard...
The bank has struggled financially amid rock-bottom interest rates in Europe and fierce competition in the German banking industry, limiting its ability to invest and expand in line with US rivals.
And, as reported by Matt Egan at CNN:
Deutsche Bank's struggles have also been amplified by something the 149-year-old lender never imagined, mostly because it had never happened before in modern history: negative interest rates. In 2014, the European Central Bank wanted to boost the sluggish economy but interest rates were already at zero. The unconventional decision to take them into negative territory was aimed at encouraging growth and avoiding deflation, but it meant banks were charged a fee for parking their reserves with the central bank. The ECB's extreme policies may have injected some life into Europe's sleepy economy, in turn giving Deutsche Bank and other lenders a boost. However, negative rates are also crushing the profitability of all banks, Deutsche Bank included. And this unorthodox policy — one that the ECB is on the verge of doubling down on — is making it awfully difficult to revive the champion of Germany's banking system. But rates don't have to be negative to have a negative impact on savers and pensioners. In order to see any meaningful gains from saving in an economy with ultra-low rates, an investor must engage in yield chasing. but that;s much more difficult for ordinary households who don't have the tools of wealthy investors at their disposal - tools that allow for a variety of risky investments that may bring sizable returns. Ordinary people, in contrast, can't gamble their savings in that way, and can't even access hedge funds and other tools designed to seek out returns in an environment with so few opportunities for yield.
Moreover, pension funds that rely on more safe and traditional investments must pursue riskier investments, or do without the sorts of gains they need. That means future retirees will face far fewer returns and a falling standard of living.
None of this concerns the president, apparently, as he now appears to be champing at the bit to get his over version of European style QE.
Just yesterday, he was demanding the Fed cut the federal funds target rate "down to ZERO, or less":
The Federal Reserve should get our interest rates down to ZERO, or less, and we should then start to refinance our debt. INTEREST COST COULD BE BROUGHT WAY DOWN, while at the same time substantially lengthening the term. We have the great currency, power, and balance sheet.....— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 11, 2019
That is, the president apparently believes savers should have to pay to save money, as is potentially the case under a negative-rate regime.
The president might also want to consider the fact that even after a decade of extreme easy-money policies, the European economy is still weak, and the euro zone's growth has slowed to under one percent.
This won't surprise hawks who understand that easy money is not exactly a miracle formula for economic growth. But this fact is seemingly irrelevant to the president who sees monetary policy as little more than a tool to spur exports.
Although the Fed is now expected to cut its own target rate later this month, one can only hope that it keeps to only 25 basis points.
After all, the good news here is that, with a target rate of 2.25 percent, the US's central bank looks relatively sane compared to the ECB and the Bank of Japan, both of which are employing negative rates. The Fed is even clocking in at well above the Bank of England's target rate of 0.75 percent.
So long as the Fed does not significantly increase its own balance sheet and other QE efforts in response to the ECB and other central banks, the dollar will continue to look relatively attractive compared to other currencies. Predictions that the dollar will quickly devalue in relation to other currencies are likely overstated. It is true that larger geopolitical trends, such as de-dollarization efforts among some major world economies , are a threat. But these efforts lie outside run-of-the-mill monetary policy right now which continues to point to a relatively sound dollar.
A summary of the most recently set rates:
- Canada: 1.75%
- Australia: 1.0%
- Japan: -0.1%
Note: All graphs by Ryan McMaken. Here are the specific key rates discussed here, with links:
- Fed. Reserve: Federal Funds Rate
- Bank of England: Official Bank Rate
- Reserve Bank of Australia: Cash Rate
- Bank of Japan: Overnight Call Rate (Observed); ( Target Rate )
- Bank of Canada: Overnight Target Rate
- ECB: Deposit Facility Rate
America After 9/11: The Terrorists Won
In September 11, 2001, terrorists flew planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Hours later, more than 2,900 people were dead, the overwhelming majority of them in the civilian office buildings at New York's World Trade Center.
Within 24 hours, the US government was doing what it does best. It demanded more power, and set to work coming up with schemes for using its enormous military and national security apparatus — a group of agencies which had received more than half-a-trillion dollars during that fiscal year.
When the US national security state failed on 9/11, not a single person with any significant level of responsibility lost his job.
Notably, the very same people who failed utterly to provide national security on September 11th were the same people who were entrusted with providing security on September 12. Except now, those people, and their government agencies, were granted more power, bigger budgets, and were held to less legal and public scrutiny than ever before.
By November, the federal government had already rewarded itself lavishly for its incompetence. Congress passed, and the President signed, the USA Patriot Act a measure that transformed American jurisprudence and made every American a suspected terrorist, open to surveillance by government agents. DC politicians had also created yet another federal department, the department of Homeland Security, because apparently the Defense Department is concerned with things other than the defense of the US "homeland."
This war against the American people was complemented by ordinary shooting war against other nation states, including ones that had absolutely nothing to do with the 9/11 bombings. The invasion of Iraq, for instance was built upon intelligence manipulated and distorted by the White House and by CIA Director George Tenet. Iraq was not threat to the United States at all. But Washington, DC loves a war, and in the wake of 9/11, the American public was apparently willing to believe anything. So the politicians got their war. And have gotten many since.
Meanwhile, back home, the US government was transforming itself into something that looked like it was modeled more on China than on a government that claimed to revere the Bill of Rights.
As Jacob Hornberger writes :
Moreover, the [Chinese] regime can and does torture prisoners. Again, there is nothing anyone can do to prevent this. The torture is oftentimes so brutal that some independent minded, courageous individuals who were were protesting come out of the prison process as broken people, ones whose minds have been fixed through brutal and tortuous reeducation.
Before the 9/11 attacks, that sort of thing could not happen here in the United States, at least not legally. If the government arrested someone, it was required to file formal written charges (e.g., an indictment) that would notify the person of what he was being charged with. He also would be entitled to a jury trial instead of judge trial or a tribunal trial. He had the right to an attorney to represent him. He also had a right to an independent judge. And no cruel and unusual punishments, such as torture. That's all because our American ancestors had the wisdom to guarantee such rights in the Bill of Rights.
What if U.S. officials did to someone what the Chinese government has done to Simon Cheng. In that event, the Constitution enables him to file a petition for writ of habeas corpus, a right that stretches back several centuries in English history and which actually is a lynchpin of a free society. An independent federal judge orders the government to bring the person to court and show cause why he should not be released. At the habeas hearing, the judge orders the government to charge the person with a crime or release him. No indefinite detention, like there is China. And of course no torture.
All that came to an end with the 9/11 attacks. At that point, the national-security branch of the federal government adopted many of the same powers as the Chinese communist regime, and without any amendment to the Constitution. The military and the CIA, two of the principal elements of the national-security state, now wield the power to take anyone, including both Americans and foreigners, into military or CIA custody by simply labeling them a "terrorist," hold them as long as they want in a military dungeon or secret CIA prison camp, torture them, and even assassinate them. While Americans still have the right to file a petition for habeas corpus, federal judges will customarily defer to the Pentagon and the CIA on their determination that a person poses a threat to "national security."
In today's America, everyone is a potential terrorist. The country is always at war. "National security" demands American citizens be murdered by drone without trial. Or dropped into Guantanamo and forgotten about. Just in case.
In the wake of the terrorist attacks, we were often told that we must go on about our daily lives, or else "the terrorists win." Except it wasn't the terrorists who did the most to change America. For America, the post-9/11 world meant more searches, more regulations, more spying, more debt, and more endless haranguing about how we must all "support the troops" and how "you're either with us or with the terrorists." "We must sacrifice" we were told. Your "freedom" demands it.
What was the upside? So far, there's no reason to believe that there is one. No evidence is provided, especially since the federal government maintains everything is secret, classified, or unfit for the public. "Trust us, we're keeping you safe" is the constant refrain. For some reason, a lot of people buy it.
Meanwhile, the feds themselves didn't sacrifice anything. For the feds, it was just more of what they'd always wanted. More taxpayer money. More power. More untrammeled authority to imprison, spy, tax, search, and control. Their abysmal failures on 9/11 led to no changes, no reforms, and no accountability. For them, everything got better.
If the destruction of American liberties was something the terrorists wanted, then they got what they wanted, too.

subset: commoncrawl


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So can you guess which end of Illinois you'll find Southern Illinois University at Carbondale? That was a rhetorical question. If you didn't realize that, you might not be cut out for higher education. We kid. But all kidding aside, the Carbondale site is but one of three locations in the sprawling kingdom known as Southern Illinois University. They're all generally on the Illinois side of the St. Louis metro area, but you'll be pleased to know that your ID from the Land o' Lincoln will be happily accepted at bars throughout The Lou. SIUC is known for its over 186 academic programs and successful alumni numbering in the hundreds of thousands. Impressed? Well, yes. But we don't want you to begin your academic career with an inflated ego, so keep it under control.
Southern Illinois has a number of what we call "rentables" (no, not really) for you to nail down during your stint at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. You might get sticker shock, or rather the opposite of sticker shock, over the crazily affordable price of a two bedroom in these parts. Without sounding like a TV commercial, you can't beat it! If what you seek is on-campus housing, then you'll be pleased as prairie-land punch to know that you're in good company: 90% of first year students live on campus. The campus has a "rural setting" and is a good 100 miles from St. Louis, so we hope you don't plan on spending many of your nights raging it up at a nearby nightclub. When you decide to leave campus housing behind, there should be a roommate or two lurking in the wings, just waiting to split that already absurdly low rent. With that in mind, read our college life blog for some advice for avoiding an awkward first few days.
So there's a cool ride called the Saluki Express, a Carbondale-wide transport system that helps both natives and students get around town, that it's encouraged you get on board. Popular destinations include...well, school and the mall, mostly. What did you expect? The campus is officially in a rural setting. Anyway, all aboard the Saluki Express! As for that mall, assuming you want to opt for something a little less pedestrian, why not try for a visit to the town's Black History Museum? Because really, you can do better than the food court. You can do history.


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Printer-friendly versionSend by emailI'm editing a compilation of the best articles from volumes 31-35 of Learning & Leading with Technology magazine, and I'd like your help in selecting articles.
Please visit my blog at http://bestofll.blogspot.com/ and nominate the articles you
* Hold up over time
* Help advance the appropriate use of technology in education
* Help teachers understand and apply complex pedagogical principles in the classroom
* Have helped you support teachers in the classroom
* Are enjoyable to read
If you're not familiar with Learning & Leading with Technology, feel free to visit their site (http://www.iste.org/ll/) and read some of the articles nominated. Your feedback will be extremely valuable in selecting the best pieces.
Thank you for your willingness to help with this. Feel free to forward this message to any colleagues you think would also like to shape the course of this compilation. And, feel free to e-mail me with any questions you have.
Jennifer Roland
Freelance Writer and Editor


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The first issue of Action Comics sold for 10 US cents in 1938 and featured a brand new hero: Superman. Fast forward 73 years and that same comic leaps to over $US2 million dollars in a single bound.
That's right, the Man of Steel's debut issue just fetched a whopping $US2.16 million dollars on an online auction at New York-based ComicConnect. The buyer's and seller's identities were not disclosed though there is speculation the comic that changed hands may have been the copy stolen from actor Nick Cage back in 2000. Only about 100 copies of the issue are thought to remain in the world and only a smattering of those are in good condition.
Fun fact: Nick Cage's son is named Kal-El. Odd yes, but still better than Blanket Jackson or Moonunit Zappa. [BBC Image: AP]


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Web Content Display Web Content Display
David Yellen Inaugural Address – November 5, 2016
Thank you, Ellen. It's an honor to receive the Marist charter and be entrusted with helping to shape the future of this wonderful institution.
Today is a day to celebrate all that Marist College has become and talk a little about the future. Let me begin, though, by expressing my gratitude to the people who have made today's festivities possible and all the more meaningful by their presence.
I'd like to thank our speakers for their very thoughtful remarks. I'd particularly like to thank Kurt Schmoke, President of the University of Baltimore, for being with us and addressing us so eloquently. You're someone whose life's work I greatly admire, and to have you play a role in my inauguration is a memory I'll always treasure.
Thank you to Laurie DeJong, Jim Honan, and the members of the Inauguration Committee for their efforts to make today's ceremony so elegant and so in keeping with the Marist spirit. I know how much preparation went into today's events, and I'm grateful to the Committee, the technicians, the McCann Center staff, the housekeeping staff, and the caterers for all the work they've done to plan a flawless ceremony.
Thank you to Art Himmelberger, Sarah Williams, and our alumni and student musicians for the beautiful music we've been hearing today.
Thank you to President Emeritus Dennis Murray for giving so generously of your time and advice. Marist has been one of the great success stories in higher education in recent decades thanks in no small part to Dennis' remarkable leadership. As a new president, I have appreciated the opportunity to learn from the best, and I'm grateful for your friendship. I would also like to acknowledge Dennis' predecessor, President Emeritus Richard Foy. Dr. Foy served as Marist's president for 21 years and led it through another transformative time. Over an incredible period totaling 58 years, these two men guided Marist from its beginnings as a small local school to a nationally and even internationally prominent institution.
I'd like to thank the entire Marist community – faculty, staff, students, alumni – for welcoming me and my family into the Marist family. This community has made me feel incredibly welcome, and I'm so grateful for the cooperation and guidance I've received during the transition process.
I'd be remiss if I didn't thank Chair of the Board Ellen Hancock, the members of Marist's Board of Trustees, and the members of the Presidential Search Committee, led by Ross Mauri, for the confidence they have placed in me. It can't have been easy to choose a new President, particularly after 37 years of great leadership by Dennis, but I promise I'll do everything I can to live up to your expectations and to help Marist achieve even greater things in the future.
Let me acknowledge my friends and family who are here with us today. Friends from many chapters of my life are here. My aunt and a number of cousins are here, too. I'm also delighted to be joined by my father-in-law Dr. George Richards, my sisters-in-law Allison and Lia, and my brother Howard. My incredible daughters, Jordan and Bailey, are here. Unfortunately, Meredith, the middle of our three daughters, couldn't join us – she's a new medical student in Chicago and is about to take exams. And of course Leslie, to whom I have now been married for 30 years, is here. We don't like to gush about each other in public, but let me just say that it was an open secret during the search process that the Committee really wanted Leslie to come to Marist, so they had no choice but to recommend hiring me. Finally, I only wish that my wonderful parents and mother-in-law were alive to join us today, but I know that they are here in spirit. If they are looking down from above, my mom is proud but slightly embarrassed by all the attention, while my dad is busy bragging to anyone who will listen.
As I got to know Marist College better during the search process, I was extremely impressed. Marist has been on a trajectory that is matched by only a small number of colleges and universities. Our academic programs, our finances, and our campus have never been in better shape. There is a sense of dynamism and optimism about the future. In a higher education landscape that is full of challenges, Marist is a real success story.
Let's talk about what makes Marist special. Our college was, of course founded by the Marist Brothers. Even though Marist College has not been a religiously affiliated college for many years now, the values of the Marist Brothers remain central to who we are. Those core values are excellence in education, a strong sense of community, and a commitment to service. I'd like to say a few words about each of these values.
Excellence in education is demonstrated by an emphasis on quality teaching in a small classroom setting – the special relationship that develops between a student and a professor, leading to mentorship, joint research, and intellectual guidance.
Marist also believes that all students, no matter their primary field of study, should receive a broad education across many disciplines, learn to think logically and creatively, and be able to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
Excellence also includes a forward-looking educational philosophy, which incorporates the use of technology and meaningful learning opportunities outside the classroom – everything from internships to study abroad to leadership development programs. Because we know that the best type of education helps prepare students for success after college.
The sense of community is something that you can't help but be struck by as a newcomer to Marist. The way people interact with and support each other – this is a place where students hold the door for you and ask visitors if they need help finding a building. The way the community rallies around someone in need. There's no doubt – Marist is where the goodness in people shines through.
It's also a place where students are actively involved in the life of the College, and their engagement makes us a better, more vibrant institution. There are scores of student clubs; an active student government; exciting Division I athletics, intramurals, and club sports; and first-rate opportunities in music and the arts. I have been so impressed with our students' enthusiasm for all they do.
Although our sense of community is primarily based on the people who work and study here, it is greatly enhanced by our physical setting. I have spent time on a number of beautiful campuses in my life, and Marist compares well with the best of them. It is not just the majestic buildings, but also the incredible natural surroundings. I used to have a view of Lake Michigan, but it is inspiring to watch the Hudson River flow by every day.
Our commitment to service is a very important Marist value. At Marist, we recognize that those of us who have been blessed by good fortune – students, faculty, and staff – have an obligation to give back. The College's commitment to social justice and to helping the less fortunate runs deep, and it's what really sealed the deal and made me want to be a part of this community.
As an institution, Marist runs programs for the disadvantaged, supports a wide variety of programs to meet the community's needs, and sponsors programs that broaden access to education.
We also encourage our students to get involved in community service projects – not only because it's the right thing to do, but because it's also good preparation for life. Our students volunteer in our local community and around the world – everything from mentoring kids right here in Poughkeepsie to building houses in Arkansas to teaching computer skills to kids in Mexico. They raise money to help wounded warriors, fight HIV/AIDS, and defeat breast cancer. And they do it all with a sense of optimism that they can have a lasting impact.
And it's not just our students who are making the world a better place. Each year, led by our wonderful Campus Ministry, the entire Marist community comes together to donate food to the hungry and provide Christmas gifts for kids who might not otherwise receive anything.
If we want our school and country to live up to their ideals, it's important that every one of us contribute to their betterment, whether in large ways or small ways. This is character. This is "doing good quietly," as the Marist Brothers would say. And this is what all of us are called upon to do.
So we remain rooted in these three values handed down by the Marist Brothers – excellence in education, a sense of community, and a commitment to service. By remaining true to these values, Marist has thrived as an institution.
But as we look to the future, we must not be at all complacent. As President John Kennedy once said, "Change is the law of life. Those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future."
Those words are truer today than when President Kennedy spoke them. The landscape in higher education is changing rapidly. The gap between successful and struggling institutions is widening. If we hope to thrive in this environment and enhance, or even sustain, our commitment to our values, we must be nimble, creative, and determined.
Over the next year, we will be developing a strategic plan to guide us over the next five years. But even at this early point, there are a few themes I would like to highlight that are going to be critical to our success in the future.
To enhance academic excellence, we must continue to innovate and diversify. Marist has been very proactive in this regard. We must continue to develop new programs, frequently at the graduate and professional school level, that appeal to students and enhance our reputation and revenue sources. We also must explore new delivery methods to reach new groups of potential students. Distance learning is still in its infancy, but its importance is likely to grow exponentially in the coming decades. We have been, and must remain, a leader in the use of new technologies. We must leverage our most distinctive programs and invest more in our faculty to grow our regional, national, and international reputation. We can do all of this in a way that enhances our central focus on providing a broad education to undergraduates.
To translate our sense of community effectively into the 21st century, we must continue to become more diverse and inclusive. This is both a matter of social justice and enlightened self-interest. America's demographics are changing, and Marist must reflect that to appeal to the best and brightest students.
Over the past several years, Marist has made a concerted effort to diversify our institution, and there is a clear momentum – the Class of 2020 is the most diverse in the College's history, with 22 percent of students coming from diverse backgrounds. Indeed, Marist has students from 48 different states and 49 foreign countries.
Increasing numbers is the first step, but it's important that all students feel valued and supported here. Marist must feel like home to all of our students – students of color, LGBTQ students, students from all religious backgrounds, international students, students with disabilities, and veterans.
Finally, to pursue excellence in education, enhance our sense of community, and serve others, we must maintain financial soundness. This may sound rather mundane, but as the late Governor Mario Cuomo said, "You campaign in poetry, but you govern in prose." The most impressive vision and goals are largely meaningless unless you have the means to pursue them.
Marist's success over the decades has been built upon superb financial management. But new challenges confront us, including demographic trends and family concerns about cost and career outcomes.
All around us, we see colleges that are struggling, even failing. In addition to continuing to make smart decisions about our current resources, we must redouble our efforts to expand our financial base. Many of the goals I have mentioned, such as enhancing our academic reputation through the work of the faculty and increasing diversity and inclusiveness, will require additional resources. We have developed some excellent new programs in areas where there is potential for enrollment growth. We must continue aggressively on this path.
We must also increase our endowment over time. As a young college, we have a relatively small number of alumni who are capable of making transformational gifts. That number is growing, though, and we must make a compelling case for philanthropic support of Marist.
So we know that change is coming. The years ahead will not be quiet ones. They will not always be easy. But we should embrace the challenges and opportunities ahead on our journey. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., the father of the famous Supreme Court justice, wrote, "I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving – we must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it – but we must sail, and not drift, nor lie at anchor."
I also look forward to our journey with great confidence. Marist College has an incredibly strong foundation on which to continue building. The timeless values handed down to us by the Marist Brothers will continue to guide us. Working together, there is no limit to what Marist College can accomplish.
Thank you all so much for being here today, for your support during my first few months at Marist, and for all that you will do in the future.


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Summer houses and potting sheds in the Costwolds
Summer houses from Browns Garden Buildings provide an idyllic getaway in your own garden.
Made from the best quality materials and built to your own specification our summer houses will let you enjoy your garden all year round. All of our garden sheds can be bespoke to your personal needs and tastes whether it's a quiet office space, studio or just somewhere to relax.
Will I need Planning permission for my summer house?
Most garden buildings won't require planning permission however there are some exceptions;
- You live in a listed building and the garden building will be more than 10 square meters.
- You live in a conservation area, national park, area of outstanding beauty or The Broads and want to add a building over 10 square metres.
- You wish to use the building for a business or even to store materials for a business.
- The structure will be more than 3m high or 4m high if it has a ridged roof.
- More than half the original area surrounding your house will be taken up by the new building.
- The new building is going to be nearer to the road than your house.
If you have any questions about planning permission then please visit or extensive planning permission web page
What kind of base will I need for my summer house?
We would always recommend a good solid base for your summer house, preferably concrete at least 100mm deep and with at least 50mm above the ground level to prevent standing water damaging your summer house.
Location – Make sure that you know where the sun shines in your garden first thing in the morning and last thing on an evening and plan to position your summer house accordingly.
Take a closer look at our summer houses and potting sheds our Heritage range page.


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Posted by Contextual Learning on Friday, June 01, 2012 12:05 AM
The month of May saw two new arrivals within the internship network.
Nicolas Christoffels was born on May 5 to interns Stephanie and Anthony Christoffels. Nicolas was 7 pounds, 5 ounces at birth, 19 ½ inches long. Stephanie is interning at Christ Lutheran in Hartford, S.D, and Anthony at the Colton (S.D.) parish.
Annalies Messner was born to Sally and Josh Messner on May 10, weighing 8 pounds, 15 ounces and measuring 19 inches. Sally is Teaching Congregations Coordinator in the Contextual Learning Office.
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Security Watch Interviews Verizon's Head of Security
Later this month, PCMag will host the first (but surely not the last) SecurityWatch Summit in New York City. The evening's highlight will be a panel discussion on mobile security, where lead analyst Neil Rubenking will be joined by Renato Delatorre, director of network technology and security at Verizon Wireless, and several other industry luminaries on the panel.
Interested in attending? We have a limited number of seats available, and if you'd like to attend head over to our signup page ASAP.
To warm up for the coming discussion, I asked Delatorre for his thoughts about a few specific topics in mobile security.
Yin: First of all, what exactly do you do?
Delatorre: My responsibility at Verizon is to protect everything from the device, all the infrastructure that makes a phone call, to the network and all the data that moves through it.
I was hired by Coopers & Lybrand (now PriceWaterhouseCoopers) to do pen testing, mostly for banking clients. There weren't many people doing that kind of work at the time, and you didn't have to be a great hacker because banks just didn't have much security. This gave me the experience of looking at things from the bad guy's point of view.
Yin: What do you see as the greatest challenge to securing mobile devices today?
Delatorre: That's one of the questions I ask myself every day. For us, there are people out there trying to hack into our customers' devices every day. We look at security in two layers: the device layer and the network layer, and we put security controls in both places.
At the network layer we have several different technologies in place. The technology we use to monitor our network lets us see network-based attacks, like botnets, malware, viruses—we can see all these things directed towards our customers. We take this information, analyze it, add information from other sources, and put controls in place at the network layer to protect our customers, regardless of the device.
At the device level we just announced Verizon Mobile Security, a collaboration between McAfee, Verizon, and Asurian. It includes a free malware scanner and site advisor, which warns users of harmful websites before they click into them. These two things together already really reduces the threat of malware and Web-based threats. However the thing to keep in mind is the premium version, which includes the McAfee app alert that blocks malware coming in through apps. (Editor's note: Click here to read more about how Verizon Mobile Security works and various rate plans.)
Yin: Interesting—on that note, who do you think is best suited to provide mobile security? The carrier? The anti-virus industry? The device manufacturer?
Delatorre: Security is an ecosystem. In July we gathered all the members in this ecosystem for a conference, and the goal of the conference was three-fold: one, for everyone to know what role what they played; two, to coordinate all the security intelligence gathering; three, to reduce the zero-day time horizon.
By gathering everyone together and adopting an 'if you see something, say something' approach with vendors immediately communicating threats they see, we can shrink the time for zero-days.
Yin: What threats do you expect you'll be fighting in five years' time?
Delatorre: Five years from now, I think we'll see a lot more threats towards e-commerce, attacks on banking apps. The thing to keep in mind is that mobile devices are becoming so ingrained in our lives today. As we move forward with things like m-commerce and banking transactions over the phone, it'll be a much richer landscape for hackers.
Yin: Thanks, Renato! We'll see you at the SecurityWatch Summit later this month.


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If Lucifer were to put on a music festival in celebration of his bad-assed self, who do you think would headline? Doubtless a certain Mr Osbourne - Ozzy not George - would put in an appearance to mark a lifetime spent dedicated to this world's forbidden pleasures. I'd also like to think the Lord of the Underworld would honour one of his chief arbiters of the cultural apocalypse by putting on a stage solely dedicated to the Syco Music roster.
Doubtlessly though, in the most dank, decrepit and outright harrowing tent to grace an event to tribute Satan, Timber Timbre will be performing the remorselessly bleak Creep On Creepin' On in full.
For this fourth album from singer-songwriter Taylor Kirk, and his two supporting Canadian's Mika Posen and Simon Trottier, positively revels in its dearth of light and tumultuous doses of shade. "It's a bad, bad ritual but it calms me down," croons Kirk, confessionally, on opener 'Bad Ritual'. Yet regardless of the soothing qualities of a turn to morbidity, it's a marked improvement on 2009's self-titled LP.
Though similarly sinister in its slow-tempoed strut, Creep On Creepin' On is a far more fully realised number (of the beast). Founded on the upper registers of a softly stroked piano and elaborated with wailing punctuations of guitar, brass and organ, it's a desolate combination but one which forms a palpable shift away from the acoustic guitar centric Timber Timbre.
An inordinate amount of care and attention has been invested into this record's atmosphere, with three out of its ten tracks restrained to solely instrumental affairs. The cacophonic 'Obelisk', eerie violin lead 'Swamp Magic' and even more sombre 'Souvenirs' act as more than black padding to the funeral party, expanding on the all-enveloping air of dread that permeates this entire album.
Where Creep On Creepin' On falls down, however, is in its tendency to immerse itself within the task of creating a doom-laden environment while leaving little time to capitalise on it. 'Black Water' is the closest the LP treads towards an outright tune, with its withered "all I need is some sunshine" refrain.
Elsewhere, the intro to 'Woman' thrashes wildly to a brass tubular stomp but recoils from the threat of impulsive chaos to a more controlled trudge. This reluctance to break a menacing form by means of tone or pacing is replicated in the overly relaxed 'Do I Have Power' which flounders in the familiar surroundings of thudding bass and lurching horns.
As such, Creep On Creepin' On makes for a captivating record albeit one without many songs that rest easily in the memory. Despite a magnetically bitter prescription, this album's strong dosage of darkness is tough to swallow in one sitting and even more difficult to actively enjoy.
It's said the greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist. Next time, Timber Timbre would be well advised to take Beelzebub's lead and etch a little hope amidst the fear and depravity they accomplish so well.
6Robert Leedham's Score


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Hotel Hotel is a small hostel with big flavor . Located in the quirky art community of Fremont in Seattle this hostel... Plus d'info »
HI - Seattle at the American Hotel is on the edge of the city in the International District. A great value a half... Plus d'info »
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The Baroness Hotel, built in 1931, is an historic, cozy, charming 57 room hotel centrally located in Seattle in the... Plus d'info »


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Western Media Hijack Zimbabwe Vote
Be clear, the United States and Britain's real contradiction with President Mugabe and ZANU-PF has everything to do with African people reclaiming their stolen land and nothing to do with a concern for democracy.
[Zimbabwe: Election Update]
The eight year Western-led campaign to overthrow the leadership of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe and the ZANU-PF Party is quickly escalating.
Western media, in particular CNN and the BBC, are banned from reporting in Zimbabwe, but have nevertheless acted as conduits for disinformation reports circulated by Western intelligence sources--CIA, MI5-- on the inability to hold a free and fair election in Zimbabwe. Before the voting for President took place on March 29th, the Western press had reported that the only way President Mugabe and ZANU-PF would win was by "electoral violence" or "rigging the voting."
This "vote rigging" accusation was a pre-emptive strike against the anticipated victory of President Mugabe and ZANU-PF. It was intended to create the false perception in the minds of the western public that ZANU-PF lacks popular support from the masses of the Zimbabwean people and that any victory could only come from cheating.
The December 12th Movement delegation is in Zimbabwe as one of a large contingent of international observers to the voting. We went to several sites and spoke with polling officials as well as agents from all of the parties running for office. All found the election peaceful with no problems in people being able to cast their votes freely.
By the close of voting yesterday, the West, realizing that it could not play the "electoral violence" card, immediately moved to its next tactic, "vote rigging." Prior to the March 29th voting, all parties agreed that there should be no premature claims of victory until all the votes were counted. Nevertheless, the Movement for Democratic Change, MDC declared victory only a few minutes after the polls closed when it was both physically and factually impossible to have actually known the results. By doing so the MDC laid another brick in the false "pre-emptive strike accusations."
The logic being that when all the votes did finally come in, if MDC lost, it could only happen because the votes had been rigged. Be clear, the United States and Britain's real contradiction with President Mugabe and ZANU-PF has everything to do with African people reclaiming their stolen land and nothing to do with a concern for democracy.
They have unsuccessfully tried to overthrow President Mugabe and ZANU-PF, through vicious economic sanctions, like the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 2002, media demonization and the establishment and funding of opposition parties like the MDC.
The West believes that by "making the economy scream" they can create enough popular discontent in Zimbabwe to remove President Mugabe and ZANU-PF. This election was their last best shot. We urge those in the West to critically analyze Western media reports and to not believe the "vote rigging" hype.
Clay is a member of December 12th Movement International Secretariat, which has sent an Official International Observer Team currently in Zimbabwe
Latest comments
- Ann GarrisonFebruary 22,2018 @ 08:03 PM
I think you have "Filtered HTML" turned on here. If you switch to "Full HTML," it will probably...
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Kikili House is owned and run by Henri Tatham and Kokila Harindra.
Henri moved to Sri Lanka 10 years ago to manage The Taprobane Collection — an exclusive group of villas and hotels in the South of the island. Koki was born and grew up in Galle, Sri Lanka and has a unique knowledge of the area and the country.
Kikili House is sister property to Kikili Beach, a beautiful and flamboyant beachside holiday home nearby.
Together, Henri and Koki have launched Kikili House as an innovative creative, colourful, calm, homestay in Sri Lanka in the southern heritage town of Galle.
Kikili means "Hen" in Singhalese, and Kokila means "Cockerel", so they are obviously a match made in heaven!
Koki's specialist and detailed knowledge combined with Henri's enthusiasm and love of life make them the perfect hosts for your time in Sri Lanka.
Kikili House is a colourful but cosy urban retreat with a tropical garden, a large spacious verandah and a relaxed, welcoming vibe. Solo travellers — women very much included — can feel completely at home at Kikili House.
The house has five double bedrooms, all with a/c & en suite modern bathrooms. Breakfast is home cooked, wifi is free, power is solar. We run an honesty bar, stage cinema screenings and host fun, informal dinners for guests and friends.


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First Published: 15 Mar 2019
This report summarises the findings for Scotland from a cumulative impact assessment of the impact on protected groups of:changes to the tax and social security, public spending since 2010
First Published: 08 Mar 2019
This report brings together desk research into the diversity of elected officials and research with candidates for election at the Scotland local authority elections in 2017.
First Published: 11 Dec 2018
This toolkit is for those involved in housing and planning in local authorities in Scotland. It covers the Public Sector Equality Duty, planning accessible homes, providing adaptations and accessible housing registers.
First Published: 25 Oct 2018
This is the most comprehensive review of how Scotland is performing on equality and human rights.
This is the most comprehensive review of how Britain is performing on equality and human rights.
First Published: 19 Oct 2018
Guidance for disabled people and the organisations that support them, setting out your rights and responsibilities, information and tips on renting from a private landlord or from a letting agency, adapting your home and where to get help.
First Published: 11 May 2018
Report on accessible and adaptable housing for disabled people in Scotland, setting out the challenges they face and our recommendations for the Scottish Government.
First Published: 13 Jun 2017
First Published: 20 Apr 2017
A brief overview of the Equality Act 2010 for advisors in Scotland.
First Published: 15 Dec 2016
This series of factsheets shows the main findings for some of the protected characteristics covered in the Is Britain Fairer? (2015) report.


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OAKLAND — An 18-year-old man shot to death Sunday morning in West Oakland was identified as Elijah Allen by police on Monday.
Allen was shot at 11:06 a.m. in a drive-by shooting at the intersection of 28th and Myrtle streets.
Allen has relatives in the area. Police are still trying to establish a motive but have not ruled out the possibility the shooting was gang-related.
After the shooting, two suspects fled the area in an unidentified car and the victim's friend drove him to a hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said.
The killing is Oakland's 16th homicide of the year.
Police and Crime Stoppers of Oakland are offering up to $10,000 in reward money for information in the fatal shooting and up to $5,000 in reward money for information on the second shooting. Anyone with information can call police at 510-238-3326.


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Baskind has been named the IWLCA Div. I Scholar-Athlete of the Year (Talbot).
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Senior captain Melanie Baskind earned one of the highest honors in women's lacrosse on Wednesday as she was named the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association's (IWLCA) Div. I Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
A two-sport star, Baskind led the women's lacrosse team to its second straight appearance in the Ivy League Tournament in the spring. She paced the Crimson in points (33), assists (6) and caused turnovers (15), while ranking second in goals (27) and ground balls (37). For her efforts, she was named to the Capital One Academic All-District first team, IWLCA All-Region second team, All-Ivy League second team, Ivy League All-Tournament Team and earned three Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week honors. Baskind finished her career as a three-time all-region selection, a three-time All-Ivy honoree and was named to the 2011 Academic All-Ivy League team.
Baskind led the women's soccer team to its third Ivy League Championship in four years in the fall, and capped her soccer career off as the unanimous choice for Ivy League Player of the Year. She was also named the conference's Rookie of the Year as a freshman, earned four All-Ivy selections, was a two-time all-region selection, a three-time Academic All-Ivy pick and was twice named an Academic All-American. She ranks sixth in program history in career points (79), sixth in assists (25) and seventh in goals (27).
Baskind has also put together a very impressive resume away from the field, and graduated this spring with a 3.756 GPA as a neurobiology concentrator with a secondary concentration in global health and health policy. She received the Mary G. Paget Prize at last month's Senior Letterwinners Dinner for her impact on Harvard Athletics over her four-year career, and was also awarded the Francis H. Burr '09 Fund Prize and a Benjamin Trustman Fellowship from the University.
Additionally, Baskind has volunteered at low income hospitals across Boston helping patients connect with resources such as housing, utilities, food and clothing, and has worked at Boston Medical Center as a Maternity Ward Advocate. She serves on the community service board of Harvard's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and volunteers as a peer tutor. Baskind plans to spend this next year in Kenya working with Coaches across Continents.


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'Mad Men' Recap: Season 7, Episode 5: Don's ex-wife Betty is the star of 'The Runaways'
Season: 7
Episode: 05
Air Date: May 11, 2014
It may be Don's story, but ex-wife Betty ran away with this episode – and that was grand. First if not foremost, consider Betty and her chafing dish, her menu of crab louie on toast points, rumaki and little franks with bbq sauce: a walking dictionary of '50s nostalgia, right there uncomfortably located in the '60s. Betty and second husband Henry ("Leave the thinking to me!") are a snapshot of what was sexist, stuffy and outmoded in the Nixon era. Betty is getting tired of being pushed around ("I'm not stupid, I speak Italian.") While daughter Sally sees the depressing truth of their sad lives. Betty is furious that Sally may have broken her nose, her best and maybe only gift to her daughter.
At the office, the hum of the new computer is driving Ginsberg crazy. Literally. Something has pushed him over the edge, may as well blame it on the machine. ("That machine, it came for us!" "Get out while you can!") The shot of Lou and Jim talking, allowing only lip-reading, was a nice nod to HAL9000. Lou reveals his cartoon sideline, and calls his underlings "flag-burning snots."


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|<< Back
|Amazon.com Reveals the Most Well-Read Cities in America
SEATTLE, May 26, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- (NASDAQ: AMZN)--Just in time for the summer reading season, Amazon.com announced its list of the Top 20 Most Well-Read Cities in America. After compiling sales data of all book, magazine and newspaper sales in both print and Kindle format since Jan. 1, 2011, on a per capita basis in cities with more than 100,000 residents, the Top 20 Most Well-Read Cities are:
In taking a closer look at the data, Amazon.com also found that:
"In anticipation of the summer reading season--one of our favorite times to catch up on pleasure reading and unwind with the new titles being published this season--we're excited to reveal the Most Well-Read City list," said Mari Malcolm, managing editor of Books, Amazon.com. "We hope book lovers across the country enjoy this fun look at where the most voracious readers reside, and that everyone gets the chance to relax with some great summer reads."
For summer reading suggestions for adults, teens and kids, please visit:
About Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), a Fortune 500 company based in Seattle, opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995 and today offers Earth's Biggest Selection. Amazon.com, Inc. seeks to be Earth's most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible prices. Amazon.com and other sellers offer millions of unique new, refurbished and used items in categories such as Books; Movies, Music & Games; Digital Downloads; Electronics & Computers; Home & Garden; Toys, Kids & Baby; Grocery; Apparel, Shoes & Jewelry; Health & Beauty; Sports & Outdoors; and Tools, Auto & Industrial. Amazon Web Services provides Amazon's developer customers with access to in-the-cloud infrastructure services based on Amazon's own back-end technology platform, which developers can use to enable virtually any type of business. Kindle, Kindle 3G, Kindle with Special Offers and Kindle DX are the revolutionary portable readers that wirelessly download books, magazines, newspapers, blogs and personal documents to a crisp, high-resolution electronic ink display that looks and reads like real paper. Kindle 3G and Kindle DX utilize the same 3G wireless technology as advanced cell phones, so users never need to hunt for a Wi-Fi hotspot. Kindle is the #1 bestselling product across the millions of items sold on Amazon.
Amazon and its affiliates operate websites, including www.amazon.com, www.amazon.co.uk, www.amazon.de, www.amazon.co.jp, www.amazon.fr, www.amazon.ca, www.amazon.cn, and www.amazon.it. As used herein, "Amazon.com," "we," "our" and similar terms include Amazon.com, Inc., and its subsidiaries, unless the context indicates otherwise.
Forward-Looking Statements
This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Actual results may differ significantly from management's expectations. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that include, among others, risks related to competition, management of growth, new products, services and technologies, potential fluctuations in operating results, international expansion, outcomes of legal proceedings and claims, fulfillment center optimization, seasonality, commercial agreements, acquisitions and strategic transactions, foreign exchange rates, system interruption, inventory, government regulation and taxation, payments and fraud. More information about factors that potentially could affect Amazon.com's financial results is included in Amazon.com's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings.
SOURCE: Amazon.com, Inc.
Amazon.com, Inc.


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Oct. 24, 2007
On Saturday Lipscomb University will host its first ever Atlantic Sun Cross Country Championship meet at Vaughn's Gap in Percy Warner Park.
In addition to Lipscomb University, eleven other teams from the A-Sun Conference will compete: Belmont University (Nashville, Tenn.), Campbell University (Buies Creek, N.C.), East Tennessee State University (Johnson City, Tenn.), Florida Gulf Coast University (Fort Myers, Fla.), Gardner-Webb University (Boiling Springs, N.C.), Jacksonville University (Jacksonville, Fla.), Kennesaw State University (Kennesaw, Ga.), Mercer University (Macon, Ga.), North Florida University (Jacksonville, Fla.), University of South Carolina Upstate (Spartanburg, S.C.) and Stetson University (DeLand, Fla.).
Belmont University is the favorite to win both the men's and women's races. Both teams have been ranked first in the conference since the pre-season ranking and appear ready to defend their 2006 conference titles. Belmont's men have won the past five conference titles, while the women have won five of the past six.
Chasing hard on the men's side will be East Tennessee State University. The Buccaneers have had a terrific season and have even earned first place votes in the A-Sun rankings. Belmont and ETSU should be clear of the field in the team race, with five or six teams fighting it out for third behind them.
The women's team race is a bit more open. While Belmont is the unanimous choice to win, teams from Kennesaw State, North Florida and Campbell are very good and could mount a serious challenge to the Bruins hopes of defending their title.
The individual races should be exciting as well. Defending conference individual champion Colin Magut of Belmont will face steep competition from ETSU's Kenneth Rotich who has posted the fastest 8K time in the conference this season. Other contenders on the men's side include Jeff Crane (ETSU), Ryan Chastain (Lipscomb), John Brigham (Belmont), Hillary Cheruiyot (Belmont), Verelle Wyatt (Campbell), Lucas McAneney (Gardner-Webb) and Peikko Solla (Kennesaw).
In the women's individual race Lauren Weaver (Belmont) will be the favorite. The three time All-Conference selection was the runner-up last year and finished third in 2004 and 2005. Other individual contenders include Mackenzie Howe (Kennesaw), Brittany Thune (Belmont), Emily Tangwar (USC Upstate), Carolyn Latham (Lipscomb), Amanda Davy (North Florida), Erin Sutton (Kennesaw) and Bailie Lock (Campbell).
Lipscomb enters the Championship meet ranked 7th on the men's side and 5th on the women's side. Both teams feel they are better than their ranking suggests. Lipscomb has never finished higher than 5th on the men's side and 6th on the women's side in Atlantic-Sun conference history. Both teams feel they have a good chance to surpass those finishes, though they know it will be tough.
"We've had a terrific season." said head coach Bill Taylor. "These teams have been faced with extraordinary challenges this season and have grown amazingly. Through it all they've come together as strong and close teams. Athletically they've improved in every meet. Most of the men and women have run big PR's. Our season has been an incredible success no matter what happens at the A-Sun Championships. Saturday's championship is like a bonus for us, and we are ready to race. It will be fun!"
The A-Sun women's 5-K race begins at 9 a.m. at Vaughn's Gap in Percy Warner Park (the corner of Hwy 100 and Old Hickory). The men's championship 8-K follows at 10a.m. Awards will be at 11a.m.