(2019-02-14). Heat and the End of the World as We Know It. counterpunch.org 
I'm no climate scientist. The best I can say for myself is that I've been a pretty close student of varied specialties associated with climate science for about four decades. My somewhat lengthy acquaintance with climate science hasn't led me to see a lifeless planet, a treeless planet, or human extinction across the entire planet. More
(2019-02-14). We've Been Reduced to Enemy Combatants in Our Own Country. counterpunch.org "There's absolutely no evidence to support the statement that [America is] the greatest country in the world. We're 7th in literacy, 27th in math, 22nd in science, 49th in life expectancy, 178th in infant mortality, 3rd in median household income, number 4 in labor force and number 4 in exports. We lead the world in More
(2019-02-14). Didactic Truancy: Blackface and the Fallacy of "Teachable Moments" counterpunch.org 
What Happens If You Have a Teachable Moment but Nobody Shows Up? History abounds with teachable moments, but they have meaning only if its students show up. The ceaseless onslaught of reports of blackface has proven, well, instructive. It seems that almost daily we are inundated with a flood of blackface incidents. In Virginia alone, More
(2019-02-14). The Trump-Trudeau Venezuelan Achilles' Heel: "Not One Yanqui Soldier will enter Venezuela" globalresearch.ca After spending two days in Caracas on February 3 and 4, including a semi-private meeting with President Maduro, this is my basic impression. The situation in Caracas is the opposite of what is portrayed in the international corporate media in …
(2019-02-14). Cuba — "The Equilibrium of the World" — and Economy of Resistance. globalresearch.ca The Fourth International Conference for "The Equilibrium of the World" took place in Havana, Cuba from 28 to 31 January 2019. The Conference, organized by the José Marti Project of International Solidarity, was sponsored by UNESCO and a number of …
(2019-02-14). Letter of Canadians Calling on the Government of Canada to Cease Its Illegal Attacks on Venezuela. globalresearch.ca The purpose of this letter is to persuade the Government of Canada and all the Members of Parliament to reverse its counterproductive policy towards Venezuela, on the grounds that it contravenes international laws, is unethical, undemocratic and is against the …
(2019-02-14). Hands Off Venezuela: US, Canada Go Home! globalresearch.ca What is happening to Venezuela is a coup d'état and it has nothing to do with democracy, human rights, free and fair elections or international law. The US and Canada represent the antithesis of those values; defying the United Nations …
(2019-02-14). US Air Freight Company that Smuggled Weapons into Venezuela Linked to CIA "Black Site" Renditions. globalresearch.ca The parallels between aspects of the Contra scandal and the current situation in Venezuela are striking, particularly given the recent "outrage" voiced by mainstream media and prominent U.S. politicians over Maduro's refusal to allow U.S. "humanitarian aid" into the country….
(2019-02-14). Mainstream Media Boosts Trudeau's Popularity over Venezuela. globalresearch.ca US presidents have bombed or invaded places like Grenada, Panama, Iraq and Sudan to distract from domestic scandals or to gain a quick boost in popularity. But, do Canadian politicians also pursue regime change abroad to be cheered on by …
(2019-02-14). Means of Control: Russia's Attempt to Hive Off the Internet. globalresearch.ca Such measures were always going to come on the heels, and heavily so, of the utopians. Where there is Internet Utopia, Dystopia follows with dedicated cynicism. Where there are untrammelled means of searching, there will be efforts to erect signposts, …
(2019-02-14). Pompeo, Bolton, and Iran's "Fake Opposition" globalresearch.ca As Iranian people struggle for democracy and respect for human rights and the rule of law, as well as preserving the national security and territorial integrity of their country, two main groups have emerged among the opposition to Iran's hardliners, …
(2019-02-14). What Are Russia and Turkey Preparing for Syria? A Disagreement in Sochi. globalresearch.ca The 14thof February meeting in Sochi between the three Presidents (Russia, Turkey and Iran) is not expected to find solutions agreeable to all parties about the two main problem areas left in Syria: northeast Syria (Manbij to Qamishli/al-Hasaka), …
(2019-02-14). Is Tulsi Gabbard for Real? America Is Ready for a Genuine Peace Candidate. globalresearch.ca The lineup of Democrats who have already declared themselves as candidates for their party's presidential nomination in 2020 is remarkable, if only for the fact that so many wannabes have thrown their hats in the ring so early in the …
(2019-02-14). What You Don't Know About 5G but Will Find Out When Its Too Late. globalresearch.ca The first eight months of WWII with no fighting — was called The Phoney War. Using millimetre waves as a fifth-generation or 5G wireless communications technology is a phoney war of another kind. | *** | This phoney war is also silent, …
(2019-02-14). Year of the Pig Is Here! Literally. globalresearch.ca Gong Xi Fa Cai: happy year of the Pig 2019! Congratulations, the Year of the Pig has arrived! | "According to the Chinese astrology, 2019 is a great year to make money, and a good year to invest! 2019 is going …
(2019-02-14). Taking on Goliath: Irish Journalist Gemma O'Doherty Takes on Google. globalresearch.ca Google's European headquarters in Dublin were surprised when Irish journalist Gemma O'Doherty and Yellow Vests Ireland staged a protest over YouTube shutting down the Livestream facility of her channel. | Gemma is known for her work in exposing alleged corruption in …
(2019-02-14). US Congress Rejects Trump's Warmongering, Won't Support Military Intervention in Venezuela. globalresearch.ca Congress will not support U.S. military intervention in Venezuela despite hints by President Donald Trump that such action had not been ruled out, the Democratic chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee said on Wednesday. | "I do worry about the …
(2019-02-14). Venezuela as the Pivot for New Internationalism? globalresearch.ca Introduction | There is a great deal of controversy about the true shape of the Venezuelan economy and whether Hugo Chavez's and Nicholas Maduro's reform and policies were crucial for the people of Venezuela or whether they were completely …
(2019-02-14). Red Cross, UN Slam 'Politicised' USAID Humanitarian Assistance to Venezuela. globalresearch.ca The International Red Cross has declined to participate in Washington's controversial humanitarian aid plan to Venezuela, it was announced this weekend. | "We will not be participating in what is, for us, not humanitarian aid," stated Colombia's International Red Cross (ICRC) …
(2019-02-14). Union rushing to end Denver teacher strike. wsws.org Denver teachers should take a warning from the experience of Los Angeles teachers and resist any attempt to rush through a deal that abandons critical demands for substantial increases in pay and school funding and a reduction in class sizes.
(2019-02-14). Italy: Mass demonstration in Rome against right-wing government. wsws.org The march was supported by workers, retirees and school students who want to fight the government's right-wing policies. But the union leaders, Democratic Party representatives and pseudo-left politicians lent the rally a pro-business orientation.
(2019-02-14). Australian students endorse rallies to free Julian Assange. wsws.org "I'm going, because I believe Assange should be set free and he should be defended. All people should go to the rallies if they believe in democratic rights."
(2019-02-14). Petition for Houseless Students. indybay.org Sign the petition here: www.change.org/p/university-of-californi……
(2019-02-14). One year since the Parkland high school massacre: A political balance sheet. wsws.org One year has passed since the mass shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, which killed 17 people and sparked nationwide protests by students and youth against gun violence.
(2019-02-13). Chicago Teachers Union strike at CICS charter schools enters week two. fightbacknews.org Chicago, IL – The strike by members of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) at CICS charter schools entered its second week, February 11. More than 175 unionized educators at four schools run by charter operator CICS – Chicago International Charter Schools – are walking the picket lines for better conditions, better pay and the schools their students deserve. The strikers are keeping their spirits high, despite more than a week of picketing in the cold and dark.
(2019-02-13). Atlanta School Cheating Scandal: The Untold Story of Corporate Greed & Criminalization of Teachers. democracynow.org 
As teacher strikes in Denver and Los Angeles join a wave of recent labor actions bringing attention to the plight of the American public school system, we take a fresh look at one of the largest public school scandals in U.S. history. Public schools in Atlanta, Georgia, were thrown into chaos in 2015 when 11 former educators were convicted in 2015 of racketeering and other charges for allegedly facilitating a massive cheating operation on standardized tests. Prosecutors said the teachers were forced to modify incorrect answers and students were even allowed to fix their responses during exams. The case has fueled…
(2019-02-13). Denver teachers strike for decent pay. fightbacknews.org Denver, CO – Over 3700 Denver teachers walked off the job on Monday, February 13 in support of their claim for an increase in their base pay, which is widely regarded as too low to maintain their families. The Denver Classroom Teachers Association (DCTA) called the strike in case collective bargaining failed to gain adequate salary increases. | Collective bargaining occurred in an all-day meeting on the Saturday before the strike. When it became clear that the school board members were engaging in filibustering and refusing to talk about the teachers' claims, DCTA got up from the table to prepare to strike. | Pic…
(2019-02-13). How the Syrian Conflict Sparked the New Cold War? globalresearch.ca In July 2003, Dr. David Kelly, a British weapons inspector who had disclosed to the media that Tony Blair's government's dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction was "sexed up," was found dead in a public park a …
(2019-02-13). US Navy Challenges China in the South China Sea. globalresearch.ca In its second provocative Freedom of Navigation operation in the South China Sea this year, the US Navy sent two guided missile destroyers yesterday—the USS Spruance and USS Preble—within the 12 nautical mile territorial limit claimed by China around Mischief …
(2019-02-13). NASA Calls Time of Death for 15 Year Rover, Mars Mission. telesurenglish.net NASA rover, Opportunity Marsmore affectionately known as Oppy- has ended its mission, engineers announced Wednesday, after the robot went silent eight months ago after a terrible dust storm. | RELATED: | Cuban Meteorite Opens Door to Future Space Research: Experts | "We tried valiantly over these last eight months to recover the rover, to get some si…
(2019-02-13). Executive summary: The economic consequences of the boycott of Venezuela. mronline.org 
The international financial blockade imposed by the United States against Venezuela has caused the South American country to lose 350,000 million dollars in production of goods and services between 2013 and 2017, according to the research carried out by the Economic Debates Unit of the Latin American Geopolitics Strategic Center (CELAG). | Source
(2019-02-13). In Hebron, Israel Removes the Last Restraint on Its Settlers' Reign of Terror. globalresearch.ca You might imagine that a report by a multinational observer force documenting a 20-year reign of terror by Israeli soldiers and Jewish settlers against Palestinians, in a city under occupation, would provoke condemnation from European and US politicians. | But you …
(2019-02-13). Dossier 13: The new intellectual. mronline.org 
These two matters—the battle of ideas and the new intellectual—take up the first two parts of this dossier. The third part enters a brief discussion of our political context and offers a map of our concerns and our research. We look forward to your response to our invitation to a dialogue. | Source
(2019-02-13). New Hampshire Law Illegally Targets Young Voters Ahead of 2020 Primary. aclu.org The state wants students to face criminal penalties if they don't pay to change their out-of-state licenses after voting. | The New Hampshire 2020 primary is still almost a year away, but state legislators are already working to disenfranchise voters. HB 1264, a law set to go into effect in July 2019, will change the definition of what it means to be a "resident" of New Hampshire, forcing people with out-of-state driver's licenses or car registrations to switch to the state versions if they register to vote. | While it may sound like an archaic DMV issue, it's actually a burden on the right to vote. In New Hamps…
(2019-02-13). ACLU Files Federal Lawsuit Challenging New Hampshire Law Targeting Student Voters. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2019-02-13). Betsy DeVos Is Pushing a Terrible Double Standard on College Campuses. aclu.org The education secretary's proposed rules on treatment of sexual harassment and assault claims in school settings discriminate on the basis of sex. | This piece originally ran at The Washington Post. | In her proposed rules governing the treatment of sexual harassment and assault claims on college campuses and K-12 schools, Edu…
(2019-02-13). Finally One of Trump's Racist Dog-Whistles May Come Back to Bite Him. counterpunch.org As a study in contrasts, it will be educational to watch the Democratic contenders in next year's primary debates. Unlike the 2016 Republican debates in which Donald Trump insulted, intimidated and lied his way to the GOP nomination while making up degrading nicknames for his various opponents, I strongly suspect U.S. senators Kamala Harris, Cory More
(2019-02-13). US Company That Smuggled Weapons Into Venezuela Linked to CIA "Black Site" Renditions. theantimedia.com (MPN) — The parallels between aspects of the Contra scandal and the current situation in Venezuela are striking, particularly given the recent "outrage" voiced by mainstream media and prominent U.S. politicians over Maduro's refusal to allow U.S. "humanitarian aid" into the country. Two executives at the company that chartered the U.S. plane that was caught smuggling weapons …
(2019-02-13). China: Prisoner of conscience ill-treated in prison: Lee Ming-che. amnesty.org Taiwanese activist Lee Ming-che has been given rotten food and insufficient clothing in his freezing prison cell. As a result of exposing these prison conditions, his wife is not allowed to visit him again until 22 April 2019. Sentenced in 2017 to five years' imprisonment for "subverting state power", Lee Ming-che is a prisoner of conscience and should be immediately and unconditionally released.
(2019-02-13). British accents are coming! US parents worry over Peppa Pig influence. rt.com 
US parents have reported a mysterious phenomenon affecting their toddlers who have begun speaking in unusual accents. Researchers now believe they have tracked the source of foreign influence: Peppa Pig.
(2019-02-13). And Now This Message From Some Very Rich People: 'Please Raise Our Taxes'. commondreams.org Imploring New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to allow them to contribute to the state's future in a way that benefits all New Yorkers, four dozen millionaires are demanding that lawmakers pass a "Multi-Millionaires Tax" to raise billions of dollars for education, infrastructure, and other programs for the greater good. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files……
(2019-02-13). Denver teachers battle merit-pay system that is backed by unions, Democratic Party. wsws.org Teachers in Colorado's largest city are continuing their decisive fight against low pay, performance-based compensation and underfunding of the schools.
(2019-02-13). The Untold Story Behind the Atlanta School Cheating Scandal. truthout.org As teacher strikes in Denver and Los Angeles join a wave of recent labor actions bringing attention to the plight of the American public school system, we take a fresh look at one of the largest public school scandals in U.S. history. Public schools in Atlanta, Georgia, were thrown into chaos in 2015 when 11 former educators were convicted in 2015 of racketeering and other charges for allegedly facilitating a massive cheating operation on standardized tests. Prosecutors said the teachers were forced to modify incorrect answers and students were even allowed to fix their responses during exams. The case has fue…
(2019-02-13). Women-Led Team of Mexican Scientists Develop Cure for HPV, a Leading Cause of Cancer. theantimedia.com (TMU) — Researchers at Mexico's National Polytechnic Institute (IPN) are celebrating a major scientific achievement: a new treatment that they claim can completely cure the human papillomavirus (HPV), helping to curb a leading cause of deadly cancer among women. Led by scientist Eva Ramon Gallegos, the team was able to eradicate HPV in 29 patients through …
(2019-02-13). Students and Faculty Rally Against Proposed Private Police Force for Johns Hopkins. therealnews.com 
Johns Hopkins Black Student Union President Chisom Okereke says an armed, private police force would endanger students of color
(2019-02-12). Denver Students Take the Lead as Teachers Strike. thenation.com Denver Students Take the Lead as Teachers Strike…
(2019-02-12). Denver Teachers Strike over Bonus-Based Pay System, Demanding Reliable Salary Plan & Better Wages. democracynow.org 
Public school teachers in Denver, Colorado, are striking for the second day, after negotiations between the teachers' union and the school district failed to reach a contract over the weekend. The Denver Classroom Teachers Association is demanding an increase in teachers' base salaries rather than putting money in incentives and bonuses. The Denver teachers walked out Monday following 15 months of negotiations over a controversial bonus-based pay system that educators say leaves them unable to predict their salaries and guarantee financial security. The starting salary for a Denver teacher for the 2019-2020 schoo…
(2019-02-12). Dear House Democrats: Go Easy on Betsy DeVos. progressive.org I'm not looking for gotcha moments or public chastising of the Secretary, I'm after something larger.
(2019-02-12). Medical costs cause two-thirds of all bankruptcies in the US – study. rt.com 
Medical expenses are partly responsible for two-thirds of all bankruptcies filed in the US, new research says. Astronomical healthcare costs mean that most Americans are just "one serious illness away from bankruptcy."
(2019-02-12). Remembering Alison Des Forges, 10 Years Later. hrw.org 
| | Alison Des Forges | Ten years ago today, our beloved colleague Alison Des Forges died in the crash of Flight 3407 traveling from Newark to her home in Buffalo. Alison had recently been in Uganda to meet with her research team that, to my great fortune, included me. A colleague and I had just finished documenting a series of massacres by the Lord's Resistance Army, headed by Ugandan rebel leader Joseph Kony. While in Kampal…