December 31, 2019

Mass surveillance blowback: Spies getting caught by facial recognition software and device tracking. “Italian investigators, eager to get to the bottom of the audacious abduction (of Abu Omar) on their streets, were later able to track a web of cellphones communicating only with each other in close proximity to the disappearance, leading them to a series of hotel bills, credit card statements and other identifying indicators…. Italian authorities charged 23 Americans, including the CIA’s former Milan station chief, for their roles in the scheme — most in absentia.” https://news.yahoo.com/shattered-inside-the-secret-battle-to-save-americas-undercover-spies-in-the-digital-age-100029026.html

Man who stabbed five people at Hanukkah gathering had ‘long history of mental illness’ says family. “We believe the actions of which he is accused, if committed by him, tragically reflect profound mental illness for which … Grafton (Thomas) has received episodic treatment before being released.” https://edition.cnn.com/2019/12/30/us/monsey-stabbing-suspect-grafton-thomas/index.html

Mobile, Alabama police officers posted ‘Merry Christmas’ photo of themselves posing with panhandling signs confiscated from the homeless. “The picture, posted to Facebook, showed officers Preston McGraw and Alexandre Olivier holding up cardboard signs confiscated from homeless people around the city.” https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/poverty/476268-alabama-police-officers-allegedly-mock-homeless-with-sign

2011 video shows Pete Buttigieg telling school kids that ‘…the people who wrote the Constitution did not understand that slavery was a bad thing and did not respect civil rights’. “Buttigieg majored in history and literature at Harvard University.” https://caffeinatedthoughts.com/2019/12/pete-buttigieg-our-founding-fathers-and-slavery/ “Benjamin Franklin in Pennsylvania, as well as John Jay and Alexander Hamilton in New York, served as officers in their respective state antislavery societies. The prestige they lent to these organizations ultimately contributed to the gradual abolition of slavery in each of the Northern states.” https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Founding-Fathers-and-Slavery-1269536

Kansas police officer resigns after store video shows that McDonald’s employees did not write ‘pig’ on his coffee cup. “The claim was intended to be a ‘joke’, (Herington Police Chief Brian) Hornaday said the officer told him.” https://www.huffpost.com/entry/kansas-police-pig-insult-mcdonalds-firing_n_5e0ab2a9e4b0b2520d1a3fb0

Thanks to Alabama’s ‘habitual offender’ law, man has served 38 years for $9 mugging. “(Willie) Simmons admitted to being high on drugs when he committed the crime that landed him in prison for life.” https://www.bet.com/news/national/2018/12/22/man-is-serving-a-life-sentence-in-prison-for-stealing–9.html

Michigan State Police settle wrongful death lawsuit with family of 15 year-old who crashed after being tasered while driving an ATV. “Damon (Grimes), 15, died in August 2017 after Trooper Mark Bessner fired his Taser at him from the front seat of a patrol car while Bessner and his partner chased the boy.” https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/family-teen-who-died-after-michigan-trooper-shot-him-taser-n1108681

Liberal Jewish groups opposing increased police presence in their New York City neighborhoods. “I’m… deeply uncomfortable with the optics of cops functioning as security for Jews against (people of color).” https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/dec/30/new-york-antisemitic-attacks-policing

CBS runs story on Congressman John Lewis’ cancer announcement with picture of the late Congressman Elijah Cummings. “In June, Fox News also mixed-up the lawmakers, airing a clip of Lewis and mistakenly labeling him as Cummings during a broadcast of ‘America’s Newsroom’.” https://nypost.com/2019/12/30/cbs-news-apologizes-for-mixing-up-elijah-cummings-and-john-lewis-on-air/

Former Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn jumps bail. “He had posted bail of $9 million and was under close watch by (Japanese) authorities.” https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/30/business/carlos-ghosn-left-japan.html

Bernie Sanders raising more money than other Democratic presidential candidate. “With an average donation of $18 for the year, and slightly less than that now, the numbers suggest he has already raised about $26 million in the fourth quarter — more than any Democratic candidate has raised in any quarter this year.” https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/30/us/politics/biden-warren-fundraising-democrats.html Sanders is mentioned third in the headline and third in the article, with the quote above appearing in the fourth paragraph of the story! The following lines were spaced apart, making it more difficult for readers to draw the obvious conclusion. “(Sanders) has about 1.6 million individual donations this quarter alone and is nearing a goal of five million total contributions…. No other 2020 candidate has announced reaching three million donations for the year.”

Australians take refuge from historic wildfires by fleeing to the beaches. “Thousands of people have fled to a beach in Victoria, Australia, to escape bushfires racing towards the coast.” https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-50952253

More than 70 Afghan civilians reportedly killed in reckless 2008 raid. “Some troops were never warned of Azizabad’s civilian population, and the special operation commanders who did know unleashed devastating force from the air anyway.” https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/investigations/2019/12/29/security-guards-afghan-warlords-mass-civilian-casualties/2675795001/

Opioid deaths 85% higher in counties with closed auto plants, according to new study. “Researchers found that in those counties where automotive assembly plants had closed five years earlier, opioid deaths were about 85 percent higher among people between the ages of 16 and 65 compared to counties where such plants remained open.” https://www.salon.com/2019/12/30/when-auto-plants-close-opioids-deaths-rise-study/ Alcoholism? Crime rates? Divorce rates?

Grand jury resister Chelsea Manning still in jail. “On March 6, 2019, she invoked her First, Fourth and Sixth Amendment protections as she refused to testify in federal grand jury proceedings in an investigation against WikiLeaks…. in an unprecedented move in a grand jury context, another judge, District Court Judge Anthony Trenga, imposed a $500 per day fine after 30 days and $1,000 per day after 60 days of his order. As of December 23, Manning had been fined $176,000.” https://truthout.org/articles/here-are-five-ways-to-support-chelsea-manning-in-2020/

Indian police using weapon of British colonial rulers to control protesters. “Those who have experienced a blow from a lathi, measuring five or six feet and made of stout bamboo or plastic, say it leaves a numbing sensation that lasts for days.” https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/india/the-lathi-indias-colonial-vintage-anti-protest-weapon-1.68715464

Iraqi government condemns U.S. strikes on Iran-aligned militias. “US air raids targeted the Tehran-linked Popular Mobilisation Units (PMU) faction KH both in Iraq and Syria after a rocket attack on an Iraqi military base in Kirkuk on Friday killed an American contractor and wounded several US service members and Iraqi personnel.” https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/us-disappointed-iraqi-condemnation-american-attacks-kataib-hezbollah

Chilean photojournalist found dead after covering protests. “(Albertina Martínez) had been beaten, and a bag containing her camera, laptop and phone were missing.” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/31/chile-photographer-albertina-martinez

Treasury Department cuts corporate taxes even further. “Through a series of obscure regulations, the Treasury carved out exceptions to the law that mean many leading American and foreign companies will owe little or nothing in new taxes on offshore profits… Companies were effectively let off the hook for tens if not hundreds of billions (in) taxes that they would have been required to pay.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/12/30/trump-granting-lobbyist-demands-quietly-handed-billions-more-tax-breaks-huge

U.S. population growth slows as births and immigration both fall. “The U.S. grew from 2018 to 2019 by almost a half percent, or about 1.5 million people, with the population standing at 328 million this year, according to population estimates. That’s the slowest growth rate in the U.S. since 1917 to 1918…” https://www.courthousenews.com/with-births-down-us-had-slowest-growth-rate-in-a-century/

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December 30, 2019

Documents from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) published by Wikileaks throw accuracy of report on Douma, Syria chemical attack into question. “But the case has dramatically fallen apart over the course of the year, with OPCW whistleblowers claiming that evidence was deliberately withheld and manipulated to shape the pre-determined outcome of blaming the Syrian government.” https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/w/opcw-accused-syrian-chemical-attack-cover Wikileaks has posted the documents here: https://wikileaks.org/opcw-douma/

56 anti-government protesters still missing in Iraq. “Acts of violence by unidentified or masked groups extend beyond disappearances, and include protest massacres.” https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/281220192

Mexican avocados may be the new ‘blood diamonds’. “From cultivation through to transportation, violence and corruption now pervade Mexico’s avocado supply chain – particularly in Michoacan, a long-standing hotbed for criminal violence.” https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2019/dec/30/are-mexican-avocados-the-worlds-new-conflict-commodity

Honolulu police officer pleads guilty in federal court, admits he coerced homeless man to lick urinal. “(John) Rabago originally denied the accusations, but admitted Monday in court that he told the homeless man that he would not be arrested if he licked the urinal, according to NBC affiliate KHNL in Hawaii. The man complied, Rabago said.” https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/police-officer-admits-he-told-homeless-man-lick-public-urinal-n1103146

New York Times and CNN reportedly gave Hong Kong protests far more news coverage than other protest movements. “In total, there have been 737 stories on the Hong Kong protests, 12 on Ecuador, 28 on Haiti and 36 on Chile. As the graph illustrates, both the Times and CNN had similar ratios of coverage.” https://fair.org/home/with-people-in-the-streets-worldwide-media-focus-uniquely-on-hong-kong/

AT&T accused of off-loading long-time employees to contractors, replacing them with foreign workers. “Some were told they were needed for a ‘knowledge transfer’ — then tapped to train people on work visas or overseas who would replace them.” https://www.axios.com/trump-att-outsourcing-h1b-visa-foreign-workers-1f26cd20-664a-4b5f-a2e3-361c8d2af502.html

December 29, 2019

Man dies in Bexar, Texas county jail after being arrested for trespassing, did not have the $40 he needed to pay a bail bondsman to cover his $400 bond. “(Stephen) Cole is at least the third person in their 60s to die at the Bexar County Jail in the last year after being arrested on a criminal trespassing charge and being unable to post a bond of less than $100.” https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2019/12/27/man-charged-with-criminal-trespassing-dies-in-bexar-county-jail-unable-to-pay-40-bond/

Taliban releases 27 Afghan peace activists. “The group said this was the fourth time the militant group had abducted (People’s Peace Movement) peace marchers.” https://gandhara.rferl.org/a/kidnapped-afghan-peace-marchers-released-without-harm-/30347228.html

Moscow breaks 140 year-old December temperature record. “The temperature in the Russian capital rose to 5.4C (41.7F) on 18 December, topping the previous record for the month set in 1886.” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/29/moscow-resorts-to-fake-snow-in-warmest-december-since-1886

Former inmates of Chinese prison for foreigners confirm oppressive conditions, one claims to have written the plea for help found on Tesco Christmas card. “Two inmates, one of whom refused to work, described being tortured through sleep deprivation, being strapped to a wooden plank, and in one case, waterboarding.” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/28/tesco-christmas-card-china-jail-inmates-claim-psychological-torture

Video shows Hong Kong police officers beating protester and torturing him with pepper spray. https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2019/dec/28/hong-kong-police-use-pepper-spray-against-people-in-shopping-protest-video

Roots Action official warns that Bernie Sanders will be trashed by the media. “When the Bernie campaign wasn’t being ignored by corporate media during 2019, innuendos and mud often flew in his direction. But we ain’t seen nothing yet. With so much at stake—including the presidency and the top leadership of the Democratic Party—no holds will be barred.” https://www.commondreams.org/views/2019/12/27/here-it-comes-get-ready-stop-bernie-onslaught-youve-never-seen

Unidentified law enforcement officers, who shot Alabama woman ‘several times’ in her own home while searching for a man who was already in jail, arrived in unmarked cars. “None of the agencies involved (have) identified the officers who fired shots at (Ann) Rylee.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/12/24/authorities-shot-teen-during-botched-raid-her-home-suspect-was-already-jail/ It’s unclear from the story if any of the officers who stormed her home were in uniform. In the video here, they appear to be wearing blue jeans. The story says she suffered ‘multiple gunshot wounds’ after she confronted the people entering her home with a shotgun. https://mynbc15.com/news/local/heavy-police-presence-after-reported-shooting-in-wilmer

Vigil held for unarmed Wichita, Kansas man shot on his front porch by police during 2017 ‘SWATing’ incident. “This should not have happened, and we cannot let this happen to anyone again.” http://www.kten.com/story/41501861/family-friends-gather-to-remember-victim-of-police-shooting

December 28, 2019

Michael Moore predicts re-election of President Trump if Democrats nominate ‘another Hillary Clinton’. “They’re going to come out and vote for the fighter,” Moore explained. “For the person who shares their values, and the values of the majority of this country are the progressive values.” https://www.thewrap.com/michael-moore-predicts-donald-trump-will-win-reelection-in-2020-rabid-base/

Released Navy videos show testimony of SEALs who served under pardoned platoon leader Eddie Gallagher. “In the videos obtained by the Times, the platoon members accuse Gallagher of shooting at a 12-year-old, refer to Gallagher as a ‘psychopath’, and tell of rumors that Gallagher had targeted civilians.” https://edition.cnn.com/2019/12/27/politics/eddie-gallagher-navy-seals-video-interviews/index.html

Additional police protection ordered for Jewish communities in New York City after series of assaults. “(Mayor Bill de Blasio) said officers will step up patrols in the Borough Park, Crown Heights and Williamsburg neighborhoods of Brooklyn. Officers also plan to make more visits to synagogues in the area.” https://www.npr.org/2019/12/27/791732222/new-york-to-increase-police-presence-after-anti-semitic-attacks

Washington D.C. area school board to allow junior and senior high school students to miss one day of classes a year for ‘civic engagement’ activities. “Such activities might include marches, sit-ins or trips to Richmond to lobby legislators, said Fairfax (County) School Board member Ryan McElveen, who introduced the policy.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/one-of-the-nations-biggest-school-systems-will-let-students-take-time-off-to-protest-the-conservative-backlash-has-begun/2019/12/26/7c2ebaf8-27e3-11ea-9c21-2c2a4d2c2166_story.html Officially, these will be student-selected activities, but it’s easy to imagine a teacher or school mobilizing students to back establishment-supported causes.

Indian police accused of shooting Citizenship Act protesters. “All of the families of the five dead men say they were shot and killed by police as a protest flared against the new law.” https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/india-protest-police-shooting-islamophobia-muslim-citizenship-a9261216.html Video shows Indian police officer firing pistol at protesters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zaHHqyVmfY

Number of refugees from Syrian government’s Idlib campaign hits 235,000. “Rescue services and witnesses say hostilities have left many towns in ruins and knocked out dozens of medical centers.” https://www.reuters.com/article/us-syria-security-idlib/over-230000-people-flee-idlib-in-two-week-russian-backed-offensive-u-n-idUSKBN1YV19M

Lawsuit accuses U.S. companies operating in Afghanistan of paying protection money to Taliban. “Defendants decided that buying off the terrorists was the most efficient way to operate their businesses while managing their own security risks — even though doing so jeopardized other American lives.” https://edition.cnn.com/2019/12/27/politics/afghanistan-contractor-suit/index.html

U.N. General Assembly condemns Myanmar for its oppression of minorities. “The 193-member body voted 134-9 with 28 abstentions on Friday in favour of the resolution, which also calls on Myanmar’s government to take urgent measures to combat incitement of hatred against the Rohingya and other minorities in Rakhine, Kachin and Shan states.” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/28/un-condemns-myanmar-over-human-rights-abuses-against-rohingya

World’s 500 richest billionaires increased their wealth by 25% in 2019. “In the U.S., the richest 0.1 percent control a bigger share of the pie than at any time since 1929.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/12/27/worlds-500-richest-people-gained-12-trillion-wealth-2019-analysis

5G cellphone technology will interfere with weather forecasting, say meteorologists. “This year the FCC auctioned off 24-gigahertz radio frequencies for 5G transmissions, perilously close to the 23.8-gigahertz frequency at which water vapor molecules vibrate in the atmosphere. Weather satellites continuously monitor that subtle signal of humidity, which is an essential ingredient for accurate weather forecasts.” https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/danvergano/5g-is-going-to-screw-up-weather-forecasts-meteorologists

Colleges using wi-fi to track students’ cell phones to take attendance and monitor their routines. “A classifier algorithm divides the student body into peer groups… and the system then compares each student to ‘normal’ behavior, as defined by their peers. It also generates a ‘risk score’ for students based around factors such as how much time they spent in community centers or at the gym. The students who deviate from those day-to-day campus rhythms are flagged for anomalies, and the company then alerts school officials in case they want to pursue real-world intervention.” https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/colleges-are-turning-students-phones-into-surveillance-machines-tracking-the-locations-of-hundreds-of-thousands/ar-BBYiX9M We noticed that you participated in an unauthorized peace demonstration last weekend….

Future trial of accused 9/11 attackers hung up over whether U.S. military or CIA controlled ‘high-value’ Guantanamo prisoners. “The former Army lieutenant colonel testified on Nov. 1 that he ran the prison from 2006 to 2008 and disagreed with a finding in the Senate Intelligence Committee study known as the Torture Report that the C.I.A. had ‘operational control’ of the high-value prisoners in Camp 7 at the time. A prosecutor, Robert Swann, then declared that any exploration of that opinion would have to take place in a closed, national security session — denying the public the opportunity to know how the commander could come to a different conclusion than the Senate.” https://pulitzercenter.org/reporting/sept-11-trial-judge-faults-secrecy-guantanamo-prison-commanders-testimony

U.N. estimates 100,000 civilian casualties in Afghanistan over last 10 years. “A UN tally found that last year was the deadliest on record, with at least 3,804 civilian deaths caused by the war — including 927 children.” https://sg.news.yahoo.com/afghan-war-caused-100-000-civilian-casualties-last-135652052.html Note that ‘casualties’ includes both dead and wounded.

Prisons have become the country’s new mental asylums according to new film ‘Bedlam’. “Nearly 15% of men and more than 30% of women in jails have a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, major depression or bipolar disorder. For many of them, jail is their first point of entry into mental health treatment.” https://www.democracynow.org/2019/12/27/bedlam_documentary_mental_health_criminal_justice

New film ‘Dark Waters‘ tells the story of PFOA and the contamination of communities by the chemical industry. “Starring Mark Ruffalo, Dark Waters tells of Bilott’s journey from a chemical industry defense attorney to a plaintiffs’ champion who uncovered evidence that DuPont knowingly hid the dangers of PFOA, even as its manufacturing facility near Parkersburg, West Virginia, was spilling the toxin across the landscape.” https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/dec/27/chemicals-dupont-rob-bilott-toxic-america

Bernie Sanders says New York Times article revealing high U.S. health care costs is yet another argument for national health insurance. “Other major countries cover all their people and pay half of what we do. Don’t tell me we can’t afford Medicare for All.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/12/27/dont-tell-me-we-cant-afford-medicare-all-says-sanders-after-nyt-details-insanely

Federal court upholds Obama administration’s Atlantic Ocean nature preserve, ruling against fishing industry challenge. “Designated in September 2016 by then-President Barack Obama, the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument sits 130 miles off of Cape Cod and covers an area roughly the size of Connecticut.” https://www.courthousenews.com/atlantic-oceans-first-marine-monument-survives-court-challenge/

December 27, 2019

Workers in 21 states got raises in 2019 and many will get another in 2020. “Nearly 7 million workers will be getting a pay raise starting Jan. 1, thanks to new minimum wage hikes going into effect, according to the Economic Policy Institute.” https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/24/more-minimum-wage-increases-expected-in-2020.html This is how you boost the economy, not by cutting the taxes of the wealthiest Americans and corporations.

Police raid Moscow office of anti-corruption group for fourth time since August. “(Alexei Navalny) said the latest raid was carried out by the Federal Bailiffs Service (FSSP) and is connected to the refusal to delete a video from the internet originally posted in March 2017. The 50-minute investigation… accuses the Russian Prime Minister (Dmitry Medvedev), as well as other high-ranking government officials, ‘of a huge, multi-level corruption scheme’.” https://www.npr.org/2019/12/26/791572449/russian-opposition-leader-alexei-navalny-targeted-in-police-raid

Writer claims Santa Claus was invented to counter riots and drunken street parties in New York. “These (winter unemployment) riots, paired with alcohol-fueled Christmas celebrations, were distasteful to New York’s very proper upper crust….. They decided to bring the Christmas holiday inside the house and make the focus family and children. And what better way to rebrand a holiday than to give it a face? And what better face for a family holiday than the face of a saint?” https://www.businessinsider.com/heres-why-rich-new-yorkers-created-santa-claus-2019-12

Moroccan man sentenced to 4 years in jail for insulting country’s king. “(Mohamed) Sekkaki’s case comes after other similarly harsh measures against activists and journalists who have spoken out against the government.” https://www.foxnews.com/world/morocco-youtube-star-moul-kaskita-jailed-insulting-king

Record number of Americans have credit cards and are reportedly carrying a collective $1 trillion in debt. “The average interest rate is 17.3 percent, near a record high…. The increase (in interest rates) has been steeper for consumers with lower credit scores, to 25.37 percent compared with 24.34 percent last year. ‘That is interesting in a year when we had three rate cuts,’ (credit card industry analyst Ted) Rossman said.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2019/12/26/americans-near-record-levels-credit-card-debt-is-helping-bolster-banking-industry/

Tulsi Gabbard criticizes ‘war budget’. “Congress and Trump just passed a $738 billion war budget instead of providing for the health, the safety, the security, the well-being of our people and our planet.” https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/475862-gabbard-decries-war-budget-in-christmas-message

Michael Moore: Americans already paying high ‘taxes’ for health insurance. “…we don’t call it a tax here…. We call it ‘copayment’…. The average American pays about $6,000 (a year) between things that aren’t covered, or they have to pay part of; their premium, copay, deductible.” https://www.democracynow.org/2019/12/26/michael_moore_sicko_medicare_for_all

UK prosecuting British YPG volunteers and their families on terrorism charges. “On the one hand Britain supports the YPG militarily as part of the international coalition and on the other hand it is actively persecuting people that have anything to do with it. I have no idea why [the police] have arrested my father and questioned my brother or mother.” https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/dec/27/father-of-british-ypg-volunteer-in-syria-charged-with-terrorism-offences

U.S. District Judge Gina Groh finds fired West Virginia state trooper not guilty of using excessive force during arrest of 16 year-old. “The eight-minute dashcam video taken from a sheriff’s cruiser and released in March showed Kennedy at the center of a group of officers kicking, stomping on and punching the teen.” https://www.whsv.com/content/news/Ex-West-Virginia-trooper-acquitted-in-teens-traffic-stop-beating-566459941.html Judge criticized the prosecutor’s office for releasing the video (in response to a media FOIA request) and the news media for its coverage of the incident. “Prosecutor Catie Wilkes Delligatti withheld the video, citing the exemption in the law for an ongoing investigation. The prosecutor distributed the video to the media only after the investigation was complete and a federal grand jury had indicted (Michael) Kennedy.” http://wvmetronews.com/2019/12/27/federal-judge-misses-mark-in-state-trooper-excessive-force-case/ If a federal judge does not consider this to be excessive force (see video), then we are in serious trouble! It’s amazing that he survived the crash and then the beating. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHbq2XoTsec

Minimum age to purchase tobacco products rises to 21 nationwide. “The new minimum age applies to all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and vaping cartridges.” https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/12/26/tobacco-minimum-age-fda-raises-age-buy-tobacco-18-21/2753807001/

December 26, 2019

Peace activists abducted in western Afghanistan. “…Bismillah Watandost of the People’s Peace Movement of Afghanistan, to which the activists belong, said that 27 of their members were abducted by the Taliban in the Farah assault.” https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/taliban-ambush-peace-convoy-afghanistan-abducting-activists-n1107046

President Trump blames governor of California for the state’s homeless population. “Governor Gavin N has done a really bad job on taking care of the homeless population in California.” https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/really-bad-job-trump-rips-california-governor-over-states-homeless-population Just look at North Dakota! No homeless problem there! (sarcasm)

Oklahoma City cops shoot man holding hostage, man shoots hostage. “The man, identified as Elray Barber, died at the scene, and the woman was taken to a hospital in critical condition…” https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/man-killed-woman-hurt-police-shooting-oklahoma-67925288 Police claim they aren’t sure who fired first. I guess it’s possible that he could have decided the best time to shoot the hostage was while the cops were pointed guns at him, knowing they would immediately shoot him. It’s possible!

Hong Kong police violently disperse pro-democracy protesters. “Hundreds of black-clad protesters, many wearing reindeer antlers, occupied malls and other shopping areas on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day as part of the months-long campaign for democratic and police reforms in the city.” https://edition.cnn.com/2019/12/25/asia/hong-kong-christmas-protests-intl-hnk/index.html

Russia drafts anti-corruption activist. “Ruslan Shaveddinov, a project manager at (Alexei) Navalny’s anti-corruption foundation, went missing Monday after police broke into his Moscow flat and his phone’s SIM card was disabled. He resurfaced Tuesday at a secret air defence base on the remote Novaya Zemlya archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, Navalny said.” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/26/anti-putin-activist-ruslan-shaveddinov-forcibly-conscripted-and-sent-to-arctic

Climate change predictions from 20 years ago were very accurate, but scientists underestimated the increase in severe weather events. “Since 1993, there have been 212 weather disasters that cost the United States at least $1 billion each, when adjusted for inflation. In total, they cost $1.45 trillion and killed more than 10,000 people. That’s an average of 7.8 such disasters per year since 1993, compared with 3.2 per year from 1980 to 1992, according to NOAA.” https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/12/24/climate-change-predictions-2020-carbon-dioxide-weather-disasters/2622212001/

Walmart and Costco closed on Christmas, while Starbucks, Safeway and Albertsons were open. “According to Womply, a small business software provider, 92% of local retailers are closed on the holiday and four out of five restaurants are closed.” https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/whats-open-christmas-day-the-list-includes-starbucks-but-not-walmart/ar-BBYhPSE

Donald Trump has now appointed about 25% of federal judges. “With a dozen confirmations last Thursday alone, Trump hit an end-of-year tally of 133 district court judges out of 677 total, 50 appeals court judges out of 179 total, and two US supreme court justices out of nine total.” https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/dec/25/trump-judiciary-judges-legal-america

Twitter users suggest President Trump read the Constitution after he rants about ‘scam impeachment’. “Why should Crazy Nancy Pelosi, just because she has a slight majority in the House, be allowed to Impeach the President of the United States?” https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/12/26/christmas-night-twitter-eruption-trump-questions-why-house-allowed-impeach-president

Federal appeals court denies American Airline employees class status in overtime lawsuit. “… (the employees) claimed the airline’s timekeeping system did not allow employees to be paid for overtime — paying them only for the hours they were scheduled to work, rather than the time they spent actually working…. ‘The record evidence here … demonstrates that employees were not always working while clocked in and there was substantial variability in what they were doing, even if some of it could be called work… Thus, whether they were actually working pre- and post-shift (or during meal breaks) is an open and inherently individualized question.'” https://www.courthousenews.com/airline-workers-lose-class-status-in-break-time-action/

U.S. military response protocols being used to train poll workers in case they need to battle foreign election meddling. “If democracy is under attack and you guys are the ones at the pointy end of the spear, why shouldn’t we train that way?” https://www.courthousenews.com/u-s-military-trains-elections-officials-for-2020/ Or we could go back to using paper ballots.

Strikes against pension reform in France enter fourth week. “President Emmanuel Macron had called for a holiday truce, but negotiations between the government and unions last week failed to find common ground.” https://www.courthousenews.com/french-transport-strike-enters-fourth-week/

South Carolina police department accused of over-use of tasers by man who claims he was tasered while on the ground and handcuffed. “(Arkein Campbell’s) lawsuit claims North Charleston Police officers used Tasers 825 times from 2010 to 2014. During the same time period, the police department in a comparable Texas city used Tasers only 65 times.” https://www.live5news.com/2019/12/23/lawsuit-accuses-north-charleston-police-former-chief-excessive-force/

December 25, 2019

Man with white beard robs Colorado Springs bank, throws money in the air, yells ‘Merry Christmas’. “A police spokesperson could not immediately be reached for comment, but Colorado Springs television station KKTV reported that eyewitness Dion Pascale recounted (David) Oliver stepped outside the bank and tossed the money ‘all over the place’.” https://www.reuters.com/article/us-colorado-bankrobber/colorado-bank-robber-throws-cash-in-air-shouting-merry-christmas-idUSKBN1YT024

Mobile County, Alabama sheriff’s deputies and Federal Marshals raid home looking for man already in jail, shoot 19 year-old woman holding a shotgun. “Jail records show (Nicholas McLeod) was actually arrested a day earlier on charges including possession of drug paraphernalia and evidence tampering…. ‘They were looking for someone who used to live at that house years ago.'” https://www.al.com/news/2019/12/miscommunication-led-to-alabama-woman-being-shot-by-officers-trying-to-arrest-man-already-in-jail.html

Former CIA agent not impressed by former FBI director James Comey’s claim that it’s ‘incredibly hard’ to get a FISA warrant. “It’s actually incredibly easy to get a FISA. Over its 33-year lifespan, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court has issued 33,942 warrants. It has denied 12.” https://consortiumnews.com/2019/12/19/john-kiriakou-james-comeys-interview-on-fox-news-screams-out-for-correction/

Bloomberg presidential campaign stops using prison labor to staff its phone bank after whistle-blower tips off the media. “Inmates can receive $1.45 an hour working for call centers, working eight hours a day, five days a week.” https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mike-bloomberg-drops-vendor-who-was-using-prison-labor-for-his-presidential-campaign/

Department of Defense memo warns members of the military not to send their DNA to companies. “Moreover, there is increased concern in the scientific community that outside parties are exploiting the use of genetic materials for questionable purposes, including mass surveillance and the ability to track individuals without their authorization or awareness.” https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/dna-test-kit-pentagon-military-us-army-surveillance-medical-a9259481.html

President Trump warns Americans about air pollution caused by wind turbines. “They’re made in China and Germany mostly—very few made here, almost none. But they’re manufactured tremendous—if you’re into this—tremendous fumes. Gases are spewing into the atmosphere. You know we have a world, right? So the world is tiny compared to the universe. So tremendous, tremendous amount of fumes and everything.” https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/12/trump-windmills-fumes-fact-check.html

Los Angeles church purchases $5.3 million of its members’ medical debt for $53,000. “The Christian Assembly Church (claimed) that 60 percent of personal bankruptcies are due to medical expenses, which makes it one of the leading precursors to homelessness.” https://thehill.com/changing-america/resilience/homelessness/475826-los-angeles-church-pays-off-53-million-in-medical

Boeing fires its CEO. “Boeing said in a press release that its board of directors decided to part ways with (Dennis) Muilenberg in part because its customers and regulators no longer trusted the company’s decision-making.” https://edition.cnn.com/2019/12/23/business/boeing-dennis-muilenburg/index.html

Two more women come forward with Jeffrey Epstein allegations. “Jane Doe 4 said Epstein plied her with drugs and alcohol when she was 13 before raping her. The lawsuit also contends that the financial mogul flew her out to New York City on multiple occasions to go to gatherings that contained ‘prominent, wealthy men’ where she was ‘brutally and forcibly’ raped by those men.” https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/new-epstein-accusers-allege-rape-by-him-and-prominent-wealthy-men And none of this was reported to the police at the time because….?

Life in a developed market economy: Los Angeles has parking lots for people who are living in their cars. “A church in Los Angeles’ Koreatown provided the first lot in March 2018. Since then, the charity has expanded to eight lots with about 120 spaces across America’s second most populous city.” https://edition.cnn.com/2019/12/23/us/homeless-living-in-vehicles-los-angeles/index.html

Message allegedly from prisoners in China found in box of Christmas cards. “We are foreign prisoners in Shanghai Qingpu prison China,” it said in English, written in all capital letters. “Forced to work against our will. Please help us and notify human rights organization.” https://www.npr.org/2019/12/23/790832681/6-year-old-finds-message-alleging-chinese-prison-labor-in-box-of-christmas-cards

Life in a developed market economy: Population of Japan shrinks by 1/2 million due to women choosing careers over careers and marriage, and the super-exploitation of its labor force. “…the burst of the economic bubble in the 1990s had led to a so-called ’employment ice age generation’ of school leavers who could not secure regular employment…. (Prime Minister) Abe has also pushed to dismantle antiquated practices by implementing… policies to encourage work-life balance, promote child-rearing among men, reduce waiting lists at daycare centres, and offer free early childhood education.” https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/fewer-than-900000-new-japanese-babies-this-year-for-first-time-since-records-begun-in Actually, companies discovered they could save huge amounts of money by hiring people as temporary or part-time employees, or by classifying them as ‘independent contractors’. We can also see this steep drop in the birth rate in the U.S., where employment has also become precarious and low-paid.

120,000 Syrians flee government offensive in Idlib. “The Turkey-based Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) said on Monday 120,000 Syrians were fleeing towards the Turkish border – higher than Erdogan’s estimate of 80,000.” https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/12/turkey-talks-russia-thousands-flee-bombing-syria-191224012228415.html

140 climate protesters arrested in U.S. Senate office building. “As bush fires fueled by a historic heat wave threaten Australia, high tides threaten to flood Venice, Italy, and the Philippines prepare for a Christmas typhoon, we begin today’s show with a new round of protests calling for action to address the climate crisis.” https://www.democracynow.org/2019/12/24/jane_fonda_fire_drill_fridays_protests

Popular chat app is likely a UAE government surveillance program. “Patrick Wardle, a security expert who said he analyzed the app for the (New York) Times, said that ToTok ‘does what it claims to do’ as a communications app, which is the ‘genius’ of the app if it is being used as a spy tool. ‘No exploits, no backdoors, no malware,’ he wrote in a blogpost. The app is able to gain insights on users through common functions.” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/23/totok-popular-chat-app-spying-tool-uae-government

Saudi hit men in Jamal Khashoggi murder sentenced to death, while ‘Godfather’ who ordered the hit goes free. “When Saudis sentence five to death for Khashoggi’s murder, we fear that it is a way to silence them for ever and to conceal the truth.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/12/23/antithesis-justice-five-saudi-kill-squad-members-sentenced-death-khashoggi-murder

Sanders and Warren campaigns criticized for buying campaign supplies from Amazon.com. “Bernie Sanders… $233,348.51, Elizabeth Warren… $151,240.90” https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-12-23/sanders-warren-campaigns-spend-most-on-amazon-while-trashing-it However, the media outlet publishing this is owned by Michael Bloomberg, so this expose exposes more than the hypocrisy of the progressive candidates.

December 22, 2019

Black man exonerated by DNA evidence after six eyewitnesses had testified against him in court. “Lawyers with the Innocence Project of Texas fought for Grant’s release, as a recent DNA analysis ruled Grant out as a potential suspect and matched with a profile already in the system, for a man with a violent criminal history who lived in Houston at the time of the murder.” https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/New-suspect-charged-in-2010-stabbing-death-14922875.php The story says he was convicted in 2012 and spent seven years in prison.

Sonoma County, California man dies after being violently arrested and tasered after police chase, mistakenly believing he had stolen the car. “…the car David Ward was driving the morning of his fatal Nov. 27 encounter with deputies had been reported stolen in a violent carjacking days earlier…. The deputies didn’t realize… that the driver was Ward, 52, a Bloomfield resident who’d gotten his car back but hadn’t reported that to law enforcement.” https://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/10493652-181/sonoma-county-sheriff-body-cam-footage

More details emerge on arrest of Australian man in Tokyo during search for his children. “In late November, Mr McIntyre allegedly gained access to the apartment block where his parents-in-law live. It’s thought he then knocked on their door, requesting information about his children. The police were called and he was arrested.” https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/desperately-worried-australian-father-faces-jail-in-japan-amid-custody-battle-20191220-p53m09.html

Bernie Sanders raises $1 million in one day, Donald Trump raises $10 million over two days. “The (Sanders) campaign says the average donation is around $18. Fundraising efforts have paid off, with a reported $25.3 million from 1.4 (million) individual donations in the third quarter of 2019.” https://www.newsweek.com/bernie-sanders-raises-1-million-debate-day-while-trump-gets-10-million-over-two-days-after-1478589 I’m not donating until Sanders gets the nomination, which is highly unlikely. If he doesn’t get the nomination, I’ll be voting for whoever the Green Party candidate is this time, as usual.

Trump’s ‘immigration czar’ blames criticism on anti-semitism. “I find the accusation (of racism) to be profoundly offensive and completely outrageous,” (Stephen) Miller said. “And it’s an attempt on the part of the Democratic Party to attack and demonize a Jewish staffer. And make no mistake, there is a deep vein of anti-Semitism that is running through today’s Democratic Party.” https://www.newsweek.com/stephen-miller-tells-fox-host-attacks-him-are-due-deep-vein-anti-semitism-democratic-party-1478609

Senior Trump election advisor Justin Clark says he actually opposes voter suppression, and that his comments to Republican lawyers were misunderstood. “Traditionally it’s always been Republicans suppressing votes in places,” Clark said at the (private) event…. “That’s what you’re going to see in 2020. It’s going to be a much bigger program, a much more aggressive program, a much better-funded program.” https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/dec/21/trump-adviser-republicans-voter-suppression

Rights groups oppose plan to put Baltimore under aerial police surveillance. “During the short (secret) test in 2016, in the equivalent of two weeks of flying, we watched five murders and 18 shootings and provided that information to investigators.” https://www.foxnews.com/us/baltimore-civil-rights-groups-oppose-aerial-surveillance-pilot-program-aimed-at-stemming-violent-crime

Cuba reinstates the office of prime minister. “The position of prime minister was held by Fidel Castro from 1959 to 1976, when a new constitution changed his title to president and eliminated the post of prime minister…. a new constitution divided the president’s responsibilities between (Raul) Castro’s successor, Miguel Diaz-Canel, and the new post of prime minister.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/cuba-names-tourism-minister-to-be-first-pm-since-1976/2019/12/21/0fff9c1c-2414-11ea-b034-de7dc2b5199b_story.html

Russia identifies man accused of attacking its national police headquarters. “(Yevgeny) Manyurov killed one FSB employee outright and wounded five other people outside the agency’s main building, the former headquarters of the Soviet-era KGB, on Thursday evening, before he was himself shot dead. A second FSB employee who had been seriously wounded later died from his wounds in hospital…” https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russia-names-gunman-behind-shooting-security-agency-s-hq-death-n1105876

Life in a developed market economy: Ford recalls 600,000 vehicles, GM recalls 800,000. “Ford says a valve inside the hydraulic brake control unit can stick open, resulting in extended brake pedal travel.” https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/ford/2019/12/20/ford-recalls-midsize-cars-us-fix-brake-problem/40866025/ “General Motors is recalling more than 814,000 pickup trucks and cars in the U.S. to fix problems with brake controls and battery cables.” https://www.wthr.com/article/gm-recalls-814k-pickups-cars-fix-brake-battery-problems

House bill would abolish Selective Service System (a.k.a. military conscription). “Thursday, just before Congress recessed until the new year, U.S. Representatives Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Rodney Davis (R-IL) introduced H.R. 5492, a bill ‘To repeal the Military Selective Service Act, and thereby terminate the registration requirements of such Act and eliminate … the Selective Service System’.” https://www.antiwar.com/blog/2019/12/20/bill-introduced-to-end-draft-registration/ No one is currently being drafted, but the laws and the bureaucracy are still in place.

FISA court to review more FBI surveillance warrant applications. “The review, which was announced in an order released Friday, hints at a comprehensive effort by the secretive court to reevaluate surveillance after the Justice Department inspector general’s report found errors in the (Carter) Page application process.” https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/475547-fisa-court-broadening-investigation-into-fbi-warrant-applications

Former FBI official sentenced to 7 days in jail for hacking Robert Mueller critic’s emails. “After snooping through (Jack) Burkman’s account, (Mark) Tolson sent screenshots of the messages and offered the password to an unspecified journalist, court filings say.” https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/20/ex-fbi-official-mark-tolson-jail-088787

Law enforcement related deaths soar in Brazil under far-right president Jair Bolsonaro. “The number of people officially killed by the police reached a five-year high last year (i.e., in 2018), rising to 6,220 — an average of 17 people each day, according to the Brazilian Public Security Forum, which compiles government data…. There is a parallel form of police violence, masked from the public and carried out by illegal militias that draw their ranks from officers with little patience or respect for due process…” https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/20/world/americas/brazil-police-shootings-murder.html

Bernie Sanders rally in Los Angeles draws an estimated 20,000 people, receives almost no national news coverage. “Presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders campaigned alongside Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in Venice Saturday with a rally that drew thousands of supporters.” https://ktla.com/2019/12/21/bernie-sanders-rallies-in-venice-alongside-rep-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-drawing-thousands-of-supporters/

December 21, 2019

USMCA shifts U.S. trade policy from free trade to managed trade. “As Trump has long complained, that free-trade policy cost millions of American jobs. But leaders of both parties and economic experts considered it worth the price because it boosted American growth, generating many new jobs, and opened new opportunities for many U.S. companies to profit in a global economy. At the same time, it helped cement U.S. leadership in the world.” https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2019-12-19/house-passes-updated-nafta-trade-deal This admission is a historic shift from previous narratives, which claimed free trade policies were actually good for American workers and did not cost the economy any jobs. In fact, free trade created jobs – any lost jobs were supposedly due to ‘automation’!

Pentagon official attempts to debunk conspiracy theory that failure of U.S. military intervention in Afghanistan was concealed from the public. “You are looking at probably hundreds of general officers, State Department employees, CIA, Department of Defense folks. I just don’t think you can get that level of coordination to that kind of deception.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/i-dont-think-anybody-has-died-in-vain-top-general-gives-emotional-defense-of-the-afghanistan-war/2019/12/20/4442ed7e-233f-11ea-86f3-3b5019d451db_story.html It wasn’t a secret that the government was lying about it.

Australia’s pro-coal, climate-change denying prime minister was vacationing in Hawaii during bush fires. “(Scott) Morrison has been heavily criticized for taking a pre-Christmas break in Hawaii, as more than 2,500 firefighters across New South Wales state work to contain raging fires.” https://edition.cnn.com/2019/12/20/australia/australia-firefighter-death-intl-hnk-scli/index.html The air in Hawaii is probably a lot better these days than the air in Sydney!

Camps in Mexico for U.S. asylum seekers are basically homeless encampments, claims reporter. “Some migrants are lucky to find housing in shelters, hotels, or rooms for rent, but for more than 5,000 others, only colorful tents and tarps, some held up by only sticks and stones, stand between them and the elements, even as temperatures drop below freezing.” https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/12/20/20997299/asylum-border-mexico-us-iom-unhcr-usaid-migration-international-humanitarian-aid-matamoros-juarez

Hong Kong police seize $10 million donated to assist protesters. “Police said their investigation focused on Spark Alliance, a non-profit online platform formed in 2016 that collects donations to provide support to political critics of the city’s pro-Beijing authorities. It is one of two crowd-sourced funding platforms that have collected millions of dollars to provide legal and other help for people arrested in pro-democracy protests that have upended the city since early June.” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/20/hong-kong-police-seize-10m-in-donations-intended-for-protesters $10 million?

California governor Gavin Newsom says people with wine caves are not villains. “Newsom added that he owned a wine cave himself and touted California’s wine industry…. (In a debate jab at Pete Buttigieg, Elizabeth Warren) said. “Billionaires in wine caves should not pick the president of the United States.” https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/475454-california-gov-newsom-defends-wine-caves-after-debate-mention Cue the right-wing attacks on wealthy, liberal, wine-drinking elites.

Iowa man sentenced to 16 years in prison for burning flag. “(Adolfo Martinez has) said he tore down the (LGBTQ) flag that had been hanging from the United Church of Christ in Ames and burned it because he opposes homosexuality.” https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/iowa-man-sentenced-15-years-after-burning-church-s-lgbtq-n1105131 This case will be an interesting test for the ACLU – is the burning of some flags protected speech, but the burning of others a hate crime? And even if that can be argued (since burning the symbol of an oppressed group is more threatening than burning the symbol of a government, because governments often do things that make people angry and they are well equipped to defend themselves), is a 16 year sentence proportional to the crime?

Iowa motorist accused of hitting Hispanic teenager on purpose. “(Nicole) Franklin told investigators that she ran the girl over because, in her words, ‘She was Mexican’.” https://www.kcci.com/article/watch-police-say-hit-and-run-crash-was-racially-motivated/30296571

International Criminal Court chief prosecutor to investigate war crimes in occupation zones in Israel. “Fatou Bensouda said ‘war crimes’ had been or were being committed in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip, and asked for a ruling on the court’s territorial jurisdiction.” https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-50871337

Brexit bill passes test vote in UK House of Commons, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn makes a prediction. “…under the Conservatives this deal will be used as a battering ram to drive us down the path of yet more deregulation and towards a toxic deal with Donald Trump that will sell out our NHS and push up the price of medicines to benefit the giant US drugs corporations.” https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7814601/Jeremy-Corbyn-humiliated-six-Labour-MPs-PMs-Brexit-deal.html

UK authorities charge wife of U.S. spy with ‘death by dangerous driving’, request her extradition back to the UK. “This afternoon Sacoolas’ lawyer Amy Jeffress, said in a statement that the diplomat’s wife remains ‘devastated’ by the ‘tragic accident’ that killed Harry (Dunn), but doesn’t plan to voluntarily return to the UK…. Later it became clear that (Anne Sacoolas’) husband was an intelligence officer and not a registered diplomat in a recognised role, and therefore neither he nor his wife are entitled to diplomatic immunity. ” https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7814093/US-spys-wife-Anne-Sacoolas-charged-causing-19-year-old-Harry-Dunns-death.html

UK intelligence watchdog rules that intelligence agents and informants are authorized to break laws, but are not immune from prosecution. “Privacy International, Reprieve, the Committee on the Administration of Justice, and the Pat Finucane Centre (had) asked the (Investigatory Powers Tribunal) to declare the policy unlawful and grant an injunction ‘restraining further unlawful conduct’.” https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-50870307

Only about 1/3 of New Zealand’s banned firearms turned in by deadline. “‘Despite our best efforts to encourage compliance, we know owners have been so disappointed by the settings of the ban and its poor implementation that many can’t bring themselves to comply,’ (Council of Licensed Firearms Owners spokeswoman Nicole) McKee said in a statement.” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/20/questions-raised-about-new-zealands-gun-buyback-scheme-as-amnesty-ends

West Point investigation finds that cadets caught making ‘white power’ hand gesture during football game were actually not making a ‘white power’ hand gesture. “The investigation concluded the cadets were playing the ‘circle game’, where the hand sign is made below someone’s waist and — if another person looks at it — the person making the symbol punches the other person.” https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-circle-game-west-point-military-academy-investigation-concludes-cadets-did-not-flash-white-power-sign-2019-12-20/ Meanwhile, we are winning the war in Afghanistan. I guess this means there is also video of cadets punching each other?

Despite protection from steel tariffs, US Steel to shut down Great Lakes Works and lay off 1,500 employees. “The company and the rest of the domestic steel industry were supposed to get help from a 25% tariff on steel imports put in place in 2018 by the Trump administration. But after a short-term rise in steel prices, they have retreated and problems have returned to the industry.” https://edition.cnn.com/2019/12/20/business/us-steel-mill-closing/index.html

Former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick has reportedly sold 90% of his shares in the company. “(Shares of Uber stock), which traded at $41.57 when the company went public on May 10…. were trading (at) about $30 on the New York Stock Exchange Thursday.” https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7811343/Ousted-Uber-CEO-unloads-90-shares-company-selling-2-5-BILLION-stock-lockup-expires.html Selling off $2.5 billion worth of shares will do that.

December 20, 2019

Washington state politician accused of extremism, booted from Republican Party caucus. “(Rep. Matt) Shea last year lost a House leadership position after acknowledging he distributed the ‘biblical basis for war’ document that also calls for killing non-Christian males who refuse to follow fundamentalist biblical law.” https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/washington-state-lawmaker-engaged-domestic-terrorism-report-says-n1105311

Facebook bans census disinformation, even by politicians. “Beginning next month, Facebook will enforce its new standards, which prohibit misrepresentation of how to participate in the census, claims about bogus law enforcement risks for participating and calls for coordinated interference with others’ participation in the census.” https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/19/facebook-bans-misleading-census-info-even-from-politicians.html

57% of Americans making less than $50,000 a year did not get a pay raise in 2019, while 2/3 of employees making less than $30,000 (about 66%) did not get raises. “Roughly 53 million Americans — 44% of U.S. workers — are defined as ‘low-wage’, according to a November analysis by the Brookings Institution.” https://www.cbsnews.com/news/half-of-u-s-workers-didnt-get-a-pay-raise-this-year/ I guess that corporate tax cut money is not ‘trickling down’ to employees after all.

French court finds telecom company and three of its executives guilty of ‘institutional harassment’ in suicides of employees during campaign to reduce the size of its workforce. “(Ex-CEO Didier) Lombard denied that management bore any responsibility for the deaths, despite having told managers in 2006 that he would ‘get people to leave one way or another, either through the window or the door’.” http://www.rfi.fr/en/wires/20191220-after-suicides-france-telecom-ex-bosses-convicted-harassment

A day after federal prosecutors claimed in court that surveillance video from outside Jeffrey Epstein’s cell, recorded during his alleged attempted suicide in July, had not been preserved, they claim it has now been found. “Epstein’s cellmate at the time Nick Tartaglione, who was awaiting trial for four counts of murder, had formally requested that video be preserved two days after the suicide attempt as evidence.” https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7812229/The-missing-surveillance-footage-Jeffrey-Epsteins-suicide-attempt-FOUND.html

Italy accuses Egyptian police of cover-up in death of Italian student. “An Italian post-mortem revealed that (Giulio) Regeni was tortured in ‘stages’ between 25 January and his death, dying from a broken neck and sustaining injuries consistent with ‘kicks, fists, sticks and clubs’, (prosecutor Sergio) Colaiocco said.” https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/2019/12/19/egypt-covered-up-murder-of-giulio-regeni-italy-says

Former Argentinian police officer extradited from France to face torture allegations from U.S.-backed ‘Dirty War’ of 1973-83 targeting leftists. “Mario Sandoval lived in France for more than 30 years, where he lectured at the New Sorbonne University. He was finally extradited Monday, more than a decade after his role in Argentina’s brutal dictatorship was revealed by an investigation in the Argentine newspaper Página/12.” https://www.democracynow.org/2019/12/19/headlines/argentine_accused_of_torture_under_dictatorship_extradicted_from_france

Topic of big money donors comes up at latest Democratic Party presidential debate. “My good friend Joe (Biden), and he is a good friend, he’s received contributions from 44 billionaires. Pete (Buttigieg) on the other hand, is trailing, you only got 39 billionaires contributing.” https://theintercept.com/2019/12/20/elizabeth-warren-traps-pete-buttigieg-standing-billionaires-wine-caves/

Bernie Sanders apologizes for voting in favor of invasion of Afghanistan. “Well, only one person, my good friend, Barbara Lee, was right on that issue,” responded Sanders. “She was the only person in the House to vote against the war in Afghanistan. She was right. I was wrong. So was everybody else in the House.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/12/20/i-was-wrong-bernie-sanders-admits-barbara-lee-only-member-congress-2001-who-had-it

Sanders proposes spending money on fighting climate change instead of on war. “Instead of spending money to kill each other, maybe we pool our resources and fight our common enemy which is climate change.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/12/19/after-telling-moderator-climate-question-misses-mark-sanders-says-real-issue-will-we

Other crimes and misdemeanors that the Democrats could have impeached President Trump for. “Local officials in Puerto Rico have blamed presidential negligence and incompetence for the deaths of nearly 3,000 people in Puerto Rico, in the wake of Hurricane Maria in 2017…. According to the Washington Post, Trump told White House officials that “he did not want a single dollar going to Puerto Rico. … Instead, he wanted more of the money to go to Texas and Florida.” https://theintercept.com/2019/12/19/a-z-trump-impeachment/

Asarco copper mining strike enters third month. “We’re doing twice as much work and we haven’t had a raise for 10 years.” https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/dec/20/us-miners-strike-wages-safety-healthcare

Canadian police were armed with assault rifles and protected by snipers when clearing protesters from road through tribal land. “Notes from a strategy session for a militarized raid on ancestral lands of the Wet’suwet’en nation show that commanders of Canada’s national police force, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), argued that “lethal overwatch is req’d” – a term for deploying snipers.” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/20/canada-indigenous-land-defenders-police-documents Killing even more indigenous people would look REALLY bad Justin Trudeau!

Sweden gives jailed book publisher human rights award. “…Gui Minhai, a Chinese-born Swedish citizen who is known for publishing scandalous books about Chinese political leaders out of a Hong Kong book shop, disappeared in 2015 before resurfacing on the mainland.” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/20/china-cools-sweden-business-ties-after-minister-awards-prize-to-gui-minhai

Japan arrests Australian man looking for his children. “Scott McIntyre, the former SBS sports reporter, will spend Christmas and New Year in detention in Japan after he was arrested for illegal entry, reportedly during an attempt to track down his school-age children.” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/19/former-sbs-reporter-scott-mcintyre-arrested-in-japan-reportedly-over-search-for-his-children Apparently this is in connection with a child custody dispute. He reportedly entered the lobby of his in-laws apartment building in an attempt to locate his children.

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