2017: End Of Year Thoughts.

Well I'm doing this year's EOY late - that in itself probably says something. So I'll make this brief.

Trump - yeah bad. I mean the immigration thing, tax cuts for the rich, attacking countries, threatening other countries, it goes on and on. Honestly I don't think a lot of those things would be any different if it were Hillary. And let's face it - I'm not supporting the Democratic Party with their 'Russia did it'/'metoo witch-hunt' mid-term election platform.

Music - after years or writing records, I decided to take 2017 off and just write as required. So no new album this year. I did write a couple of songs here and there, but I plan to get back and complete the remaining queued material. Then I can really start on the collection of ideas I've truly accumulated over the years.

Work - it continues onward. I did get a raise (well one that supposedly makes my salary more in line with the industry standard, but still below what I think it should be). Good news is I did move into a new role. It's a step closer to where I want to go. I know it's taking longer than it should, but at the same time, I seem to have earned respect for making my own way. So far there's been drama mostly dealing with a couple of people are by their nature assholes, but overall it's been going well. I go back tomorrow to a new manager and team (doing the same role and work), and I know there will be lots of anticipation and expectations, but we'll see how I do.

Family - CV junior arrived this year. He's definitely been the highlight of the year. Lots of changes in my life revolve around him. I was actually able to take some time off from work as a result. Not that I did much, but I did get to know my son some more. The real shame is having to go back.

I aged some more. I decided to make some changes to my appearance after years of ignoring my instincts to do so. I'm sure I'll be the object of ridicule when I go back to work tomorrow, but such is the price I have to pay for taking care of my responsibilities.

I have no idea who Lorde is ...

... but I respect her already.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/lorde-cancels-tel-aviv-concert-after-calls-to-boycott-israel-w514660

Lorde Cancels Tel Aviv Concert After Calls to Boycott Israel

More pictures of the holidays.

Holidays at our house

Hey look who's really trying to influence American politics.

Israel - https://consortiumnews.com/2017/12/23/the-israel-gate-side-of-russia-gate/

Another 'journalist' I won't trust.

Scott Simon - https://www.truthdig.com/articles/political-comedian-lee-camp-create-nprs-propaganda/

I think I should start a list of sorts that tracks these useful idiots in the establishment media. You can sense the fear.

Well look - another company infiltrated by the CIA.

Uber.

https://www.jacobinmag.com/2017/12/cia-fbi-spies-pinkerton-uber

But as the article demonstrates, why be surprised?

East Antarctic ice sheet - something to watch.

https://climatenewsnetwork.net/23618-2/

"This vast mass holds enough water to raise sea levels by 53 metres worldwide. And researchers have confirmed that one stretch of the southern polar coastline has melted many times in the past: by enough to raise sea levels by three to five metres.

A rise of just one metre would render at least 100 million coast dwellers homeless."

This whole sexual witch-hunt going on is just that - a witch hunt.

It's right wing in nature, and it's meant to prevent any real social movement against the global corporate establishment from strengthening, let alone forming.

It's the underside to the debunked 'Russia hacked the election' idiocy.

Case in point - http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2017/12/16/pers-d16.html

"The campaign over alleged sexual misconduct is unfolding against the backdrop of mounting war threats that could unleash a nuclear catastrophe. A growing proportion of workers and young people confront staggering levels of poverty without any prospect for a decent job, even as Congress moves to ram through a massive tax cut for the rich. Every day, 115 workers die as a result of work-related accidents and illnesses. The ruling class is moving to abolish democratic rights and free speech online, as underscored by the decision of the Trump administration to end net neutrality.

All of this is being ignored in the campaign over sexual harassment. Class divisions are covered up beneath the claim that all women, regardless of their income, share the same “experience” of being oppressed by men, who, particularly if they are white, enjoy the benefits of the “privileged.”
The sexual harassment campaign is right-wing, antidemocratic and politically reactionary. It has nothing to do with the interests of the workers, men or women."

From Project Censored: Top 25 Censored Stories of 2017.

http://projectcensored.org/category/the-top-25-censored-stories-of-2016-2017/

Net Neutrality wiped out in the US by the global corporate establishment - you think Congress will step in to save it?

Not these fuckers; they're propped up by the establishment -

1. Mo Brooks, Alabama, $26,000
2. Ron Estes, Kansas, $13,807
3. Thomas Massie, Kentucky, $25,000
4. Ralph Norman, South Carolina, $15,050
5. John Moolenaar, Michigan, $25,000
6. Neal Dunn, Florida, $18,500
7. Mike Bishop, Michigan, $68,250
8. Alex Mooney, West Virginia, $17,750
9. Glenn “GT” Thompson, Pennsylvania, $70,500
10. Blaine Luetkemeyer, Missouri, $105,000
11. Paul Gosar, Arizona, $12,250
12. Richard W. Allen, Georgia, $24,250
13. Kevin Cramer, North Dakota, $168,500
14. Greg Walden, Oregon, $1,605,986
15. Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee, $600,999
16. Billy Long, Missouri, $221,500
17. Gregg Harper, Mississippi, $245,200
18. Brett Guthrie, Kentucky, $398,500
19. Bill Johnson, Ohio, $196,666
20. Jeff Duncan, South Carolina, $41,830
21. Earl “Buddy” Carter, Georgia, $39,250
22. Susan Brooks, Indiana, $168,500
23. Gus Bilirakis, Florida, $234,400
24. Markwayne Mullin, Oklahoma, $141,750
25. Mimi Walters, California, $161,500
26. Joe Barton, Texas, $1,262,757
27. Bill Flores, Texas, $127,500
28. Pete Olson, Texas, $220,500
29. Morgan Griffith, Virginia, $198,900
30. Tim Walberg, Michigan, $131,850
31. Fred Upton, Michigan, $1,590,125
32. Joe Wilson, South Carolina, $104,750
33. Martha McSally, Arizona, $84,936
34. Blake Farenthold, Texas, $64,250
35. Steve Womack, Arkansas, $104,750
36. Tom Marino, Pennsylvania, $130,700
37. Louie Gohmert, Texas, $85,055
38. Walter Jones, North Carolina, $72,800
39. Leonard Lance, New Jersey, $290,550
40. Steve Chabot, Ohio, $332,083
41. Bob Goodlatte, Virginia, $815,099
42. Andy Biggs, Arizona, $19,500
43. Mark Walker, North Carolina, $35,750
44. Glenn Grothman, Wisconsin, $21,200
45. Ken Buck, Colorado, $79,350
46. Larry Bucshon, Indiana, $71,750
47. Chuck Fleischmann, Tennessee, $42,00
48. David Rouzer, North Carolina, $34,300
49. Paul Mitchell, Michigan, $18,000
50. Hal Rogers, Kentucky, $360,450
51. Doug Collins, Georgia, $103,600
52. Ralph Abraham, Louisiana, $27,300
53. Mark Meadows, North Carolina, $14,500
54. Michael McCaul, Texas, $216,500
55. Jeb Hensarling, Texas, $270,198
56. Mike Simpson, Idaho, $125,200
57. Tom Emmer, Minnesota, $28,500
58. Randy Weber, Texas, $13,750
59. Rob Woodall, Georgia, $60,250
60. Ted Budd, North Carolina, $15,500
61. Ken Calvert, California, $219,212
62. Diane Black, Tennessee, $104,750
63. Virginia Foxx, North Carolina, $115,700
64. Sam Johnson, Texas, $219,785
65. James Comer, Kentucky, $22,750
66. Trey Gowdy, South Carolina, $83,250
67. Lamar Smith, Texas, $810,462
68. Steven A King, Iowa, $210,810
69. George Holding, North Carolina, $97,750
70. Rob Wittman, Virginia, $57,250
71. John Lee Ratcliffe, Texas, $53,950
72. Jason Lewis, Minnesota, $21,050
73. Jim Banks, Indiana, $16,303
74. Bill Huizenga, Michigan, $34,000
75. Bill Shuster, Pennsylvania, $202,500
76. Steven Russell, Oklahoma, $23,500
77. Adrian Smith, Nebraska, $165,834
78. Jody B Hice, Georgia, $21,000
79. Richard Hudson, North Carolina, $136,750
80. Douglas L Lamborn, Colorado, $110,543
81. Chris Collins, New York, $151,060
82. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers, Washington, $673,530
83. Brad Wenstrup, Ohio, $33,750
84. Andy Barr, Kentucky, $51,100

Source: https://www.globalresearch.ca/heres-how-much-money-the-telecom-industry-gave-to-members-of-congress-who-urged-the-fcc-to-end-net-neutrality/5623006

Another 'journalist' and 'media' I won't trust.

David Corn and Mother Jones.

Why?

Why support the BSD movement?

Here's a good reason - https://www.globalresearch.ca/israel-amps-up-ethnic-cleansing-in-order-to-further-judaize-jerusalem/5622596

Two parliamentary bills with widespread backing among government ministers indicate the intended contours of Jerusalem’s future.

One bill calls for the annexation to Jerusalem of some 150,000 Jews in illegal West Bank settlements surrounding the city. As well as bolstering the city’s Jewish population, the move will give these additional settlers a vote in Jerusalem’s municipal elections, pushing it politically even further to the right.

Another bill will deny more than 100,000 Palestinians—on the “wrong” side of the barrier—rights in the city. They will be assigned to a separate local council for Palestinians only, in what observers fear will be a prelude to stripping them of residency and barring them from Jerusalem.

Sigh - two weeks left.

Got to make the most of my time off before going back to the office.

#STOPTHEFCC

Is 'certified organic' no longer organic?

It's becoming dubious at best - https://www.counterpunch.org/2017/12/11/what-does-organic-mean/

There are two rays of hope from the article -

1. "I now support the establishment of an add-on organic label that will enable real organic farmers and discerning organic consumers to support one another through a label that represents real organic food. I support the creation of a label, such as the proposed Regenerative Organic Certification, that will ensure organic integrity; for example, that animals have real access to the outdoors to be able to express their natural behaviors, and that food is grown in soil. My hopes are that this add-on certification can be seamlessly integrated with the NOP certification, so that a single farm organic system plan and inspection can serve to verify both NOP and the higher level organic certification, by certifiers that are accredited by both certification systems."
2. "I also am pleased that organic farmers have recently organized themselves into the Organic Farmers Association (OFA), to better represent themselves in the arena of public policy. Too often in the past the interests of big business have overruled the interests of organic farmers – and consumers – when organic policies are being established in Washington. I hope this will allow organic farmers to gain equal footing with industry on issues that affect the organic community."

Jimmy Dore and team knocks another two out of the park.

A two-fer - CNN caught lying and MSBNC caught housing a CIA collaborator.




It should be obvious that they are pushing a false narrative, got caught and are lying about. People should make a note to not trust this reporter (and by extension, CNN) going forward. Same for MSNBC for their casual lying and their housing of a CIA collaborator to distribute false information.

Who - oh yeah this guy - https://theintercept.com/2014/09/04/former-l-times-reporter-cleared-stories-cia-publication/

Nice one ShadowProof.

https://shadowproof.com/2017/12/11/crime-analyst-fivethirtyeight-commentator-concealed-law-enforcement-employment/

Good catch.

A part of the 'US moving embassy to Jersusalem' western societies DIDN'T see.

That part where the rest of the world objected -

https://www.globalresearch.ca/un-general-assembly-votes-for-palestinians/5622234

"What is unreported by NATO media is that following President Trump’s announcement the UN’s General Assembly on December 7th passed nine draft resolutions assuring some protection to the lives and rights of Palestinians, and with such large majorities in favour of Palestine that the world’s nations have indicated an overwhelming opposition to the U.S. president’s decision. The UN General Assembly may be the closest humankind is able to offer as the voice of humanity."

Looks who's caught lying about Wikileaks ...

CNN - https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2017-12-08/cnn-corrects-report-about-trump-campaign-and-wikileaks-tip

Odd that this shows up in this site's business section; as if it's meant to be buried.

Talk about stopping taking censorship to a new level.

https://shadowproof.com/2017/12/07/arizona-contractor-refuses-certify-wont-boycott-israel-sues-officials/

New word learned today - ecocide.

Apt descriptor of where our planet is headed, thanks to the disruptions of our democracies by corporate power.

https://www.counterpunch.org/2017/12/06/how-corporate-power-killed-democracy/

The future of the Internet - will it be gone after December 14th?

https://www.battleforthenet.com/ (h/t to Alternet).

What is net neutrality? Why does it matter?

Net neutrality is the principle that Internet providers like Comcast & Verizon should not control what we see and do online. In 2015, startups, Internet freedom groups, and 3.7 million commenters won strong net neutrality rules from the US Federal Communication Commission (FCC). The rules prohibit Internet providers from blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization—"fast lanes" for sites that pay, and slow lanes for everyone else.

We are Team Internet. We support net neutrality, freedom of speech.

Nearly everyone who understands and depends on the Internet supports net neutrality, whether they're startup founders, activists, gamers, politicians, investors, comedians, YouTube stars, or typical Internet users who just want their Internet to work as advertised—regardless of their political party. But don't take our word for it. Ask around, or watch some of these videos.

Fear of Men: Sadly this is truer than one realizes.

https://caucus99percent.com/content/androphobia-fear-men

But I also feel this is a Western thing, as opposed to anywhere else in the world.

That being said, I strive to teach my kids to be learn to control their fears and learn how to find traits in all people (women are just as much predators as men can be) they can trust.

Eye-opening essay.

https://www.truthdig.com/articles/u-s-elections-poor-substitute-democracy/