[xico]

The Administration Guts Its Own Argument for 9/11 Trials
by Glenn Greenwald

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/11/20

Good article; great comments. A lot of people can see what's happening.

[xico]

The Secret Global Empire(s): Russ Baker & John Perkins

http://www.commondreams.org/video/2009/11/20

Fascinating. I just finished Perkins' book on his sojourn with some Amazonian indians, learning shamanistic healing therapies.

[xico]

Revealed: 50 oil tankers loitering off British coast as they lie in wait for fuel price hikes

By David Derbyshire, Andrew Levy and Ray Massey
Last updated at 9:56 AM on 20th November 2009

Comments (181)
More than 50 oil tankers are anchored off Britain - pieces in a game in which the only winners are market speculators.
The losers are the millions of British motorists paying over the odds for their petrol


More here.

[xico]

Hosted by Back to Google News

Fla. jury awards $300 million in ex-smoker's suit
By CHRISTINE ARMARIO (AP) – 1 day ago

MIAMI — A South Florida jury on Thursday ordered Philip Morris USA to pay $300 million to a former smoker, agreeing that the tobacco company's negligence was the cause of her emphysema.

The award for Cindy Naugle, 61, is the largest to date among thousands of lawsuits filed in the state against tobacco companies.

"Cindy admitted her fault to the jury," her attorney, Robert W. Kelley, said in a statement. "But Philip Morris refused to accept any responsibility for her emphysema, even though she was an addicted customer for 25 years."

More here.

[poochee]

Originally Posted by xico

Hosted by Back to Google News

Fla. jury awards $300 million in ex-smoker's suit
By CHRISTINE ARMARIO (AP) – 1 day ago

MIAMI — A South Florida jury on Thursday ordered Philip Morris USA to pay $300 million to a former smoker, agreeing that the tobacco company's negligence was the cause of her emphysema.

The award for Cindy Naugle, 61, is the largest to date among thousands of lawsuits filed in the state against tobacco companies.

"Cindy admitted her fault to the jury," her attorney, Robert W. Kelley, said in a statement. "But Philip Morris refused to accept any responsibility for her emphysema, even though she was an addicted customer for 25 years."

More here.

Seems extreme, but perhaps will send a message. I have no sympathy for Phillip Morris or any other cigarette company because of the additives they put in cigaretts.

[ekim68]

Cyberattacks on US military jump sharply in 2009

Cyberattacks on the U.S. Department of Defense -- many of them coming from China -- have jumped sharply in 2009, a U.S. congressional committee reported Thursday.

Citing data provided by the U.S. Strategic Command, the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission said that there were 43,785 malicious cyber incidents targeting Defense systems in the first half of the year. That's a big jump. In all of 2008, there were 54,640 such incidents. If cyber attacks maintain this pace, they will jump 60 percent this year.

http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/327075

[poochee]

Originally Posted by ekim68

Cyberattacks on US military jump sharply in 2009

Cyberattacks on the U.S. Department of Defense -- many of them coming from China -- have jumped sharply in 2009, a U.S. congressional committee reported Thursday.

Citing data provided by the U.S. Strategic Command, the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission said that there were 43,785 malicious cyber incidents targeting Defense systems in the first half of the year. That's a big jump. In all of 2008, there were 54,640 such incidents. If cyber attacks maintain this pace, they will jump 60 percent this year.

http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/327075

[xico]

Originally Posted by poochee

We are not alone. The Chinese and the Russians have their share of cyber attacvks too. It's just that we have the cutting edge--or think we do. But what Norbert Weiner of MIT said was that once a scientist knows that something can be done, 50% of the battle has been won. It's only a matter of time before he figures it out.

[xico]

consortiumnews.com

Old Testament Brutalities

By the Rev. Howard Bess
October 16, 2009

Editor’s Note: One of the dangers of religious fundamentalism is that it takes ancient texts written by people with political and social needs reflecting their times and transforms the words into the unalterable dictates of God.

In this guest essay, retired Baptist minister Howard Bess reflects on the brutality and rigidity of passages from the Old Testament, biblical mandates that continue to echo in the violence of the 21st Century:

I decided I needed to do a refresher on basic Old Testament material. I reread the entire books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy. I doubt if many folks have read these two documents, but they are in the Bible, so they must be worthy of our attention.

The material is not unfamiliar to me, but I was jarred anew at the absurdity and the violence, that are contained in the two books. The Ten Commandments and commands to love God and neighbor are found in these writings, but they are not the central themes of the two books.

The first portion of Leviticus lays out detailed instructions about the slaying and burning of animals to appease and please God. Not exactly a topic of current interest.

More here.

[poochee]

Originally Posted by xico

consortiumnews.com

Old Testament Brutalities

By the Rev. Howard Bess
October 16, 2009

Editor’s Note: One of the dangers of religious fundamentalism is that it takes ancient texts written by people with political and social needs reflecting their times and transforms the words into the unalterable dictates of God.

In this guest essay, retired Baptist minister Howard Bess reflects on the brutality and rigidity of passages from the Old Testament, biblical mandates that continue to echo in the violence of the 21st Century:

I decided I needed to do a refresher on basic Old Testament material. I reread the entire books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy. I doubt if many folks have read these two documents, but they are in the Bible, so they must be worthy of our attention.

The material is not unfamiliar to me, but I was jarred anew at the absurdity and the violence, that are contained in the two books. The Ten Commandments and commands to love God and neighbor are found in these writings, but they are not the central themes of the two books.

The first portion of Leviticus lays out detailed instructions about the slaying and burning of animals to appease and please God. Not exactly a topic of current interest.

More here.

I have read both Leviticus and Deuteronomy. I read the OT through once, then I read the NT twice and then start over. IMO, the OT is a history of the beginning and we should be living in the NT. Putting it very simply, cause I ain't getting into one of those loooooooong drawn out conversations about religion. (I'm not referring to you xico)

[xico]

Originally Posted by poochee

I have read both Leviticus and Deuteronomy. I read the OT through once, then I read the NT twice and then start over. IMO, the OT is a history of the beginning and we should be living in the NT. Putting it very simply, cause I ain't getting into one of those loooooooong drawn out conversations about religion. (I'm not referring to you xico)

Yes, I agree. Christians are supposed to be focusing on the NT. Like, "love your neighbor as yourself." and why some Christians wouldn't want to allow their neighbor to have health care is beyond me. Doesn't seem to be very loving, does it?

[ekim68]

Originally Posted by xico

Yes, I agree. Christians are supposed to be focusing on the NT. Like, "love your neighbor as yourself." and why some Christians wouldn't want to allow their neighbor to have health care is beyond me. Doesn't seem to be very loving, does it?

Nope, and when did Christians abandon loving or taking care of their neighbors?

[poochee]

Originally Posted by ekim68

Nope, and when did Christians abandon loving or taking care of their neighbors?

Yep, there are those.

However, there are many many others silently striving to do the right thing.

[ekim68]

Originally Posted by poochee

Yep, there are those.

However, there are many many others silently striving to do the right thing.

I agree, but they seem to be the silent majority...

[xico]

Originally Posted by ekim68

Nope, and when did Christians abandon loving or taking care of their neighbors?

You can meet them on techguy romping against healthcare. Are there any Republicans who are Christians?