Speaking of the "commons", here's a suggestion:

Let's nationalize the banks!

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/07/23-7#.UA2nqoGscQ8.facebook

After all, what could be more fundamental to the well-being of every citizen than his money?  Why would you allow some corporation to hold your stuff and profit from it?  It's like allowing someone to use your car as a taxi for free, and after a few years all you have is a worn out wreck and the cabbie has a million dollar condo in the Caribbean.

Magna Carta and its meanings through time

This explains a lot about where we came from and the difficulties that have arisen while trying to maintain a western civilization:

http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/10473-destroying-the-commons-how-the-magna-carta-became-a-minor-carta

The idea of a "commons" is not well understood today, and probably never gets mentioned in schools or colleges anymore.  It's a great idea whose time has come once again.

"Just doing my job" ...

"Just doing my job" has important consequences for others.  Consider this article:

http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/10476-the-careerists

When I was a kid, this was used to explain how Germany veered off the civilized course during the Hitler years.  Is history repeating itself?

Politicisation of the Public Service

Consider this story regarding the respect given Health Canada's scientists by the current Minister of Health:

http://www.care2.com/causes/death-of-evidence-government-ignores-scientists-and-risks-public-health.html

Governance by the brain-dead servants of industry.

The trustworthy Canadian Government ...

... NOT!!

Here's behaviour that defines our current government:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-throws-wrench-in-khadr-repatriation/article4430435/

After knowing where he was for 8 years, cooperating in this child soldier's imprisonment and torture, negotiating and signing a plea bargain agreement for his sham trial, Harper's boys decide not to live up to their end of the bargain.  They had years to ask for and examine the requested transcripts while working on the plea agreement.  Suddenly it's a big issue.  One has to question their competence in all aspects of their work.

Compared to Karla Holmolka (currently living a quiet, married, free life in Montreal), Omar Khadr's purported crimes are trivial.  Our government's behaviour, however, is loathsome, cowardly, illegal, and cringe-inducing.

Portugal's drug policy works

Here's a summary of the Portuguese experience with decriminalizing drugs:

http://www.businessinsider.com/portugal-drug-policy-decriminalization-works-2012-7#ixzz210SiGluR

One cannot help but wonder whether this sort of approach would also reduce the number of thugs seeking to profit from drug sales.  Time will tell.

Evidence-based decision making

I notice that others are upset by the dumbing down of the Canadian public service:

http://www.care2.com/causes/canadian-scientists-mourn-the-death-of-evidence.html

Maybe if we pray real hard to Tsxaheonf we can revers this trend.

The only other option is to learn how to think and vote accordingly.

Privacy insanity, again

I just had to save David Sirota's article regarding the latest ludicrous government excuse:

http://www.salon.com/2012/06/25/nsas_wiretapping_doublespeak/singleton/

Why does it seem that the western world is slipping back into facism?

The descent into darkness

This article rings true for me. Maybe it might help explain the current state of our society:

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/06/18-2

Even Ayn Rand's ideas stem from the concept that reality is not subject to the whim of human wishes.  A=A, n'est-çe pas?

No comment needed

An article about morality and 'terrorism'

Chris Floyd has written an article discussing the reaction to recent US government admissions.

http://www.chris-floyd.com/component/content/article/1-latest-news/2251-unspeakable-things-the-liberals-clumsy-dance-across-obamas-killing-floor.html

Pogo was right, so many years ago.

Judge Andrew Napolitano's concerns

Despite being a FOX News employee, the judge gets some things right:

http://original.antiwar.com/andrew-p-napolitano/2012/06/06/where-is-the-outrage/

A good defense of the rights of the individual vis a vis his government.

Selfish ain't bad if it's consistent with reality

Consider the arguments presented by Joseph Stiglitz in this article:

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/2012/05/joseph-stiglitz-the-price-on-inequality

The filthy rich don't really need slave labour, they need affluent consumers to buy the stuff that they import from the third world.  Right now the rich are behaving like a snake that starts eating its own tail.  Eventually that behaviour will not help the snake.

Rational selfishness forces one to help out the others that exist in the same world as you do, if only for your own survival.

Obama and genocide

Here's another Glenn Greenwald article that brings out an important aspect of foreign policy that needs to be acknowledged:

http://www.salon.com/2012/05/29/obama_the_warrior/singleton/

How long will it take the general populace to admit this, and then embrace it as its own?

Someone else noticed

... that there are war criminals in high places out there:

http://www.politicususa.com/bush-cheney-war-crimes.html

It's interesting to note that there was an effort to get these war crimes trials going in Canada, but that the Canadian government effectively prevented them from happening.  Another moment of infamy and complacence in which all Canadians may bask.

Why do so many people get all wrapped up in fetus rights when there are so many egregious examples of fully mature humans being savaged by our actions (and inaction) in the middle east?  Can we all spell 'hypocrisy'?  How about 'self-deception' and 'self-contradictory behaviour'?  We surely wouldn't want our rulers to be inconvenienced by having to obey our laws and treaties, would we?

Rational Behaviour in a foreign land

It seems that Malaysia has not forgotten all the lessons that the English Empire tried to impress on it during its colonial status, at least the bits about the supposed underpinnings of Western morality, governance and warfare:

http://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2012/05/12/bush-convicted-of-war-crimes-in-absentia/

Maybe there is some hope for our future.

Obama gets rationalized by Tom Englehardt

Here's an interesting read on the path to today's Obama:

http://original.antiwar.com/engelhardt/2012/04/29/the-obama-contradiction/

Not much hope for true freedom or privacy in the near future, is there?

Privacy issues

... are they to become a thing of the past in Britain (and elsewhere)?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/apr/03/privacy-state-snooping-true-democracy

Oh, look! Al Jazeera has a little exposé for us:

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2012/04/20124518519786175.html


Coming soon to your neighbourhood!

End of an era ...

Privacy - what's 'dat?

http://original.antiwar.com/jwhitehead/2012/03/27/everybodys-a-target-in-the-american-surveillance-state/

By any definition, the 9/11 attacks have been 100% effective in causing the destruction of the American constitutional democracy. Interestingly enough, it has been the American government itself which decided to do all the dirty work which killed off the freedoms that were intended to be enshrined in the US Constitution. The expression "They hate us for our freedoms" no longer has any validity.

It's just as if a hockey team decided to shoot the puck at its own goal.

My Alma Mater makes the news ...

... in a manner that makes me wanna puke:

http://www.care2.com/causes/climate-denier-teaches-university-climate-science-course.html

I sure am glad I don't donate money to the alumni fund at this place.