Today’s headlines!

Between the election, the corporate duoply wants to fuck you over (because Obama and Romney don’t care about you, they care about their respective corporate friends, despite their “liberal rhetoric”), and Hurricane Sandy, its been an interesting week I’d say. Remember, vote third-party, y’all (write in Stewart Alexander, he’s the man for the job, and yes a socialist. Why vote for him? Why not?)

Here’s today’s headlines…

Truthdiggers of the Week: NYC Marathon Protesters
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/truthdiggers_of_the_week_nyc_marathon_protesters_20121103/

Occupy Leads Relief Efforts In Powerless Red Hook
http://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/440-occupy/14344-occupy-leads-relief-efforts-in-powerless-red-hook

PayPal, Symantec hacked as Anonymous begins November 5 hacking spree
http://t.co/TBCf0ul7

The Bailout Of Russian “Black Money” In Cyprus http://t.co/kLo57bC3

Consulate Security Failures as Excuse for Military Escalation http://t.co/MHGe8wN4

The Dogs of War Are Barking
http://truth-out.org/news/item/12518-the-dogs-of-war-are-barking

Romney’s Lies, the Real China story, and More Robots
http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=9069
(Oh god, maybe MLK was right: “I am convinced that if we are to get on the right side of the world revolution, we as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values. We must rapidly begin the shift from a “thing-oriented” society to a “person-oriented” society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered.”- Beyond Vietnam speech, 1967)

Obama’s or Romney’s Foreign Policy: Does it Matter Who Wins?
http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33&Itemid=74&jumival=911

Why Offline Privacy Values Must Live On In The Digital Age (Like me putting up a VPN everytime I download stuff)
http://torrentfreak.com/why-offline-privacy-values-must-live-on-in-the-digital-age-121104/

Piracy Topsite Operators Handed Suspended Jail Sentences (a sort of victory…)
http://torrentfreak.com/piracy-topsite-operators-handed-suspended-jail-sentences-121104/

ImageShack Server and Symantec Database hacked and Dumped
http://thehackernews.com/2012/11/imageshack-server-and-symantec-database.html

Is This Really The Most Important Election Ever? If So, Then Where Are Our Issues?
http://blackagendareport.com/content/really-most-important-election-ever-if-so-then-where-are-our-issues

Swing State Pickup Lines
http://davidswanson.org/node/3863

WILL A PROPHET ASSUME CONTROL?
http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2012/11/will-a-prophet-assume-control.html

Amnesty International calls for release of Bassem Tamimi, prisoner of conscience
http://972mag.com/amnesty-international-declares-palestinian-activist-a-prisoner-of-conscience/59063/

That’s about it!

6 months ago  /  2 notes

Imperialists at it again…in Mali

Not another goddamn war. This time its not Iran, its not Syria. Its Mali (according to Western diplomats, a war will occur in a few weeks). We already went to 2011 war in Libya which I called “unlawful and unconstitutional” and said there was an “imperialist aspect to the Libyan war.” Then earlier thus year, troops were brought into Uganda and not its another another country in Africa. But why Mali? The Marxist-Leninist Workers World Party says “This planned imperialist intervention is being carried out under the guise of fighting in North and West Africa…The imperialists are using the presence of groups such as Ansar Dine, the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa, and Al-Qaeda of the Islamic Magreb to justify intervention and occupation…The aims and objectives of the E.U., U.S. and U.N. Security Council are related to the overall imperialist strategy for the African continent, which has oil and other minerals indispensable to the world capitalist market.” One has take their opinion with a grain of salt, but still consider what they are saying. But, obviously, it doesn’t seem to be about Al-Qaeda at all.

One should start with an overview by the CIA World Factbook. They write that landlocked Mali, one of “poorest countries in the world…is…highly dependent on gold mining and agricultural exports for revenue” that “Mali remains dependent on foreign aid.” Then one could consider that gold is the third largest source of exports for the country, that there is unexploited proven reserves of other minerals and that two major South African multi-million dollar multinationals are gold mining in the country: Anglogold-Ashanti and Randgold Resources. But, gold may not be the major driver: black gold seems to have a pull.

A website called “Mbendi” started gives some clues. They write that Mali “has considerable mineral resources” but no “known commercially exploitable oil or gas resources.” This is correct, as the country is not producing any oil as of now, but it doesn’t get to the heart of the matter. Since 2005, the government has been trying to generate interest of multinationals in order possibly extract petroleum from a part of the country, the Taoudeni basin. According to a Wikipedia article on the subject, with the push from the Malian government (pre-coup), oil exploration from Baraka Petroleum, Sonatrach, Eni, Total S.A., Woodside and China National Petroleum Corporation have occurred in the basin, but “the remote location and hostile environment…would make extraction expensive.”

In October 2011, one of the companies involved in oil exploration in the country, Algeria’s Sonatrach said there would be “oil drilling by mid-2012.” That didn’t happen but interestingly enough, the US asked Algeria to join in intervention in Mali! But back in 2011, there were some interesting news, the Prime Minister of Mali said Oil Exploration in the country was “Well Advanced” With all of these factors, oil companies have explored and parceled lots for oil drilling in Northern Mali along with Total S.A. (French) and Qatari Petroleum Corporation. As a result, many commentators in the country see the French as engineering the Tuareg rebellion, since it seems France might be jealous of the resources in the country. Energypedia provides an outline of Mali’s oil blocks which is even more important. They write that “drilling for oil in Mali’s section of the Taoudeni Basin by mid-2012…has been slow in the basin…[because] the area is overrun by gunmen, some of whom are linked to al Qaeda.” That basin happens to be only one of the few places that is drilled in the country. As of 2004, there was 4 oil wells in the country, but the country is “underexplored” and “at the center of Oil & Gas development in Central Africa” since there are five basins in the country that can be explored and exploited for oil. This is according to Baraka Mali Ventures Ltd which could be exaggerating and overestimating but it still could be a factor.

One must also consider other factors at play. For one, Africom (African Command) as Michael T. Klare noted in the movie Blood and Oil has one main purpose: protect African oil. Likely, this command will be involved in this operation, this war. But there is more. Mali’s chief exporter is China and the U.S. may want to counter that perhaps, to curb China’s growing dominance in Africa. Consider what Nick Turse notes, that “three U.S. soldiers were killed in an accident in Mali in April” showing that “U.S. special operations forces were operating in…Mali.” Turse also writes that there has been a “more than 200% increase in U.S. personnel there since 2005” and that “today—official designations aside — the U.S. maintains a surprising number of bases in Africa.”

This time, the intervention would result in more blood for oil no doubt, but also would be for gold, validating what the Workers World Party opined. Consider also gold is used for jewelry, sometimes dentistry, high-end CDs, good electrical conductors, expensive electronics cables, used to connect semiconductor devices, for certain computers, communications equipment, spacecraft, and even jet aircraft engines. Also, gold is very expensive and valuable these days. Earlier this month, “the United Nations Security Council unanimously…passed a French resolution approving an African-led force to assist the army of Mali in combating the Islamist militants.” However, “the resolution does not authorise the deployment of force” and “a second resolution authorising a military deployment “is not expected to happen before the end of the year.” So, the imperialists are gearing up for war perhaps. Since gold, untapped mineral resources and under explored oil in the country is at stake, it seems obvious that this isn’t a PR operation for the Pentagon like Somalia, as Noam Chomsky noted. I implore you to write your senators and congressmen at tell them to not intervene in Mali (just input your zip code and send an electronic letter to your members of congress or a paper letter via this website). America is already in drone wars worldwide in countries such as Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen and the longest war in U.S. history in Afghanistan. Tell them enough is enough, and that they must stand against another imperialist war in Africa. UPDATE: I now also believe that this war is about the international drug trade said on Godlike productions forums: “the air fields of Northern Mali are major transit points in the international drug trade. Afghan heroin to North America and cocaine for Europe - the hand-off point is Mali…the international drug trade has important connections with extremism.” (http://www.godlikeproductions.com/forum1/message2024590/pg3?regp=bm9fMTM1MTkyMTc3Nw==)

Sources:
http://www.workers.org/2012/10/24/imperialists-prepare-for-war-in-mali/

http://www.mbendi.com/indy/oilg/af/ml/p0005.htm

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ml.html

http://www.indexmundi.com/mali/oil_production.html

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taoudeni_basin

http://thinksecurityafrica.org/oilgas/oil-and-gas-in-mali/

http://uk.mobile.reuters.com/article/idUKL5E7LQ3DA20111026?irpc=932

http://world.einnews.com/article/121071721?url=%2Fnews%2Fmali-oil

http://mobile.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-08/mali-oil-exploration-is-well-advanced-prime-minister-says.html

http://www.panafricanistinternational.org/?p=1704

http://docs.docstoc.com/pdf/4398814/3f51dd82-5f45-4978-809e-c3729c2f1178.pdf

http://www.tomdispatch.com/blog/175574/tomgram%3A_u.s._africa_command_debates_tomdispatch

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_northern_Mali_conflict#section_4

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold

6 months ago  /  43 notes

Turn off the news and read these daily headlines!

The headline I say here comes fromImmortal Techniquesong, the 4th Branch, which I like very much.

So here are today’s top stories:

- My own post, another one one of my blogs that defines socialism, a question I’ve been working with for a while. I shied away from putting communism as part of the definition of socialism because I don’t believe that it can be considered part of socialism, I believe it is more utopian:

http://interestingblogger.wordpress.com/2012/10/18/what-is-socialism-an-analysis/

- 972 Magazine: Eritrean asylum seeker details recent hunger strike, fear of indefinite incarceration

http://972mag.com/following-hunger-strike-eritrean-asylum-seeker-details-fear-of-indefinite-incarceration/57929/

- The Real News: Are the Big Banks too big to regulate?If somebody understood the economic issues and explained them to the American people, you could easily be elected president by saying you’re going to put an end to the Wall Street hijinks

http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=832&Itemid=74&jumival=927

- The Real News:Families of British men extradited to US feel betrayed by their government and judicial system

http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=767&Itemid=74&jumival=8996

- The Real News:Romney’s tough talk on China is pure campaign rhetoric and his tax math is nonsense; Obama didn’t talk about poverty, climate change, financial regulation, and low wages

http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=767&Itemid=74&jumival=8992

- The Real News:Is there a significant difference between the candidates on foreign or domestic policy?

http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=8993

- Democracy Now!: Minnesota Anti-Gay Constitutional Amendment Fuels National Battle over Marriage Equality

http://www.democracynow.org/2012/10/18/minnesota_anti_gay_amendment_fuels_national

- Democracy Now!:Greg Palast on “Billionaires & Ballot Bandits: How to Steal an Election in 9 Easy Steps”

http://www.democracynow.org/2012/10/18/greg_palast_on_billionaires_ballot_bandits

OccupyWallSt.org:VIA22 Calls for Global Action on #22O

http://occupywallst.org/article/via22-calls-global-action-22o/

Occupy.com: A Vet’s War of Words:“It Is Our Duty to Dissent”

http://www.occupy.com/article/vets-war-words-it-our-duty-dissent

Occupy.com:A Tale of Two Elections: Venezuela and the United States

http://www.occupy.com/article/tale-two-elections-venezuela-and-united-states

CounterPunch: The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s First Big Sellout

http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/10/18/the-consumer-financial-protection-bureau-plans-its-first-big-sellout/

CounterPunch:Militarizing South Korea

http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/10/18/militarizing-south-korea/

The Guardian: Human trafficking to UK is rising

http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2012/oct/18/human-trafficking-uk-rising

The Independent: Burma’s exiles can return - if they promise to be good

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/burmas-exiles-can-return—if-they-promise-to-be-good-8217108.html

Gun Industry thrives during Obama’s term of office, in their words he is the best that happened to them

http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1641362-gun-industry-thrives-obamas-term-office.html#.7518-stage-hero1-2

7 months ago  /  0 notes

Socialism, Imperialism, China, Nukes, Ideas, Syria, internet censorship, Green Party,

Here’s today’s top stories, y’all.

CounterPunch: A Socialist Joins the Presidential Debates
http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/10/17/a-socialist-joins-the-presidential-debates/

CounterPunch: With signs of a global economic downturn mounting, US aggression across the Middle East and North Africa ratchets up. (1986 redux, strikes in Libya again!)
http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/10/17/united-states-imperialism-unleashed/

CounterPunch: The Problem is Outsourcing Not China
America RIP
http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/10/17/america-rip/

CounterPunch: Behind the current impasse among China, Japan and Taiwan over five tiny specks of land in the East China Sea is an influential rightwing movement in Japan that initiated the crisis in the first place, a crisis it is using it to undermine Japan’s post-World War II peace constitution and, possibly, break the half-century taboo on building nuclear weapons.
http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/10/17/japans-right-going-nuke/

Occupy Wall Street: Occupy London celebrates first birthday with launch of The Little Book of Ideas
http://occupywallst.org/article/occupy-london-celebrates-first-birthday-launch-lit/

Occupy Wall Street: Supporting a war in Syria?
http://occupywallst.org/article/oct-20-global-solidarity-day-syrian-people/

EDRI: A draft law on civil liability for insult and defamation related to communication over the Internet, which has passed the first reading in the Macedonian Parliament, may lead to strong censorship of the Internet.
http://www.edri.org/edrigram/number10.19/macedonian-draft-law-defamation-freedom-of-speech

EFF: Myriad’s Dangerous Patents and their Negative Impact on Women’s Health
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/10/myriads-dangerous-patents-and-their-negative-impact-womens-health

Truthdig: Green Party Candidates Arrested at Hofstra Debate
http://www.truthdig.com/avbooth/item/green_party_candidates_arrested_at_hofstra_debate_20121017/

Truthdig: The Assault on Democratic Schooling
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/can_democratic_education_survive_in_a_neoliberal_society_20121017/

Truthout: Koch Industries limits social media to employees
http://truth-out.org/news/item/12150-koch-social-media-policy-may-be-unlawful-employers-still-have-broad-leeway-to-limit-employee-speech

7 months ago  /  1 note

WOW! Now the “libertarian” cultural Marxist pieces of shit are agreeing that America is the most genocidal, most oppressive country ever.

communismkills:

They’re even siding with the communists!

What a surprise, what a surprise.

Yes, while America has done some things wrong, this does not mean it’s the most genocidal, most oppressive country ever… WHICH IS WHAT THE FUCKING POST SAID.

I agree with you that it is not the most genocidal and oppressive, but it is still the no. 1 terrorist state in the world. This may be hard to believe, but if you consider all the violent, horrible things the U.S. government has done since its creation, it would be true. Yes, the Soviet Union, China, North Korea, and other authoritarian governments have done more, but the American empire is still in the top 10 (if not the top 5) worst oppressive and genocidal countries in human history.

11 months ago  /  27 notes  /  Source: communismkills