Author: Cathleen

LA Times – by Michael Hiltzik

At last the actual language has been released of the backroom, last-minute congressional deal allowing benefits of millions of retired workers to be shredded.

It’s even worse than its critics anticipated.

We’ve tracked this inexcusably hasty, secretive maneuvering during the last week, reporting that it allows extreme, potentially premature cuts in benefits for retirees who are members of multi-employer pension plans. Such plans typically are sponsored jointly by unions and employers in given industries, like trucking. See our posts here and here for more background.   Continue reading “Congress’ backroom pension-cutting deal is even worse than expected”

Zero Hedge – by Tyler Durden

The Department of Treasury is spending $200,000 on survival kits for all of its employees who oversee the federal banking system, according to a new solicitation. As FreeBeacon reports, survival kits will be delivered to every major bank in the United States and includes a solar blanket, food bar, water-purification tablets, and dust mask (among other things). The question, obviously, is just what do they know that the rest of us don’t?   Continue reading “Why Is The US Treasury Quietly Ordering “Surival Kits” For US Bankers?”

They’re trying really hard to put many of us out onto the street.

MSN

A bipartisan group of congressional leaders reached a deal Tuesday evening that would for the first time allow the benefits of current retirees to be severely cut, part of an effort to save some of the nation’s most distressed pension plans.   Continue reading “Deal reached to allow pension plans to cut benefits”

Craigslist 

Project Job Title: Civilian Role-Player
Location: Fort Hunter Liggett, California
Dates: 31 JAN. — 04 FEB., 2015

About the Organization:
CWU provides superior, specialized training and support services to our corporate, and U.S. Government clients in cultural awareness, linguistic services, training support services, government operations support, corporate contract management, risk analysis and mitigation. We serve as an extension of our client’s operations providing work force multiplication.   Continue reading “Part-Time Role Players (Fort Hunter Liggett)”

Chicago Tribune

The Hershey Co. may replace corn syrup with sugar in some products, the latest sign of waning demand for the syrup and growing competition in the sweetener market.

“One of the things we are actively exploring is replacing high-fructose corn syrup with sugar in some products,” company spokesman Jeff Beckman said in an e-mailed statement, citing consumer demand.   Continue reading “Hershey may switch to sugar from corn syrup to satisfy consumers”

Personal Liberty – by Brandon Smith

Many times in the past I have discussed the concept of what I call the “non-participation principle,” but often people misinterpret what “non-participation” really entails. Such a strategy does not mean an individual activist or group simply refuses to support the system by not using Federal Reserve notes, or not paying taxes, or not buying Monsanto-generated frankenfoods. That kind of thing is all well and good. But ultimately, non-participation means taking away power from the corrupt political and financial elite. Sometimes, this is done through force of arms — but not always in the way some might believe.   Continue reading “The Ferguson conundrum solved by community security”

News 24

Los Angeles – Torrential rain deluged swaths of drought-hit California on Tuesday, bringing floods and traffic accidents across the state and prompting evacuations amid fears of destructive mudslides.

After a scorching drought which is the worst in California since records began, a powerful storm front lashed the region from the southern border with Mexico to the northern boundary with Oregon.   Continue reading “Drought-stricken California doused with storms”

Georgi Stankov, December 2, 2014

Only yesterday I wrote that Russia is now in an alert state for a new global war. Given the current highly unstable political and economic situation worldwide, there is no way to avert this war, unless a divine intervention takes place before that. We know this and we know what kind of intervention it will be.   Continue reading “The World War Is Coming Closer: The US Congress Will Vote to Go to War With Russia”

The New American – by Joe Wolverton, II, J.D.

Utah state Representative Marc Roberts is ready to try again to cut off the water to the massive National Security Agency (NSA) data center near Salt Lake City.

Although the legislation won’t be considered by the state House of Representatives until sometime early in 2015, Roberts’ bill, H.B. 161, is already facing scrutiny from some of his fellow lawmakers. Members of the Public Utilities and Technology Interim Committee met to conduct preliminary hearings into the ends and means of the measure. As reported by the Salt Lake Tribune:    Continue reading “Utah Rep. Introduces Bill to Cut off Water to the NSA Data Center”

BBC – by Rory Cellan-Jones

Prof Stephen Hawking, one of Britain’s pre-eminent scientists, has said that efforts to create thinking machines pose a threat to our very existence.

He told the BBC:”The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race.”

His warning came in response to a question about a revamp of the technology he uses to communicate, which involves a basic form of AI.   Continue reading “Stephen Hawking warns artificial intelligence could end mankind”

DW Ulsterman

For some time now there have been various reports suggesting Barack Obama to be, even by typical U.S. presidential standards, an aloof  character with seemingly few friends and even less personal interest in things and events outside of himself. Now entering his next to last year as President of the United States, rumors are circulating via Capitol Hill sources of a man lost in his own manufactured past who is desperate to be free of a White House he loathes, and an America he despises even more.   Continue reading “D.C. Whispers: Barack Obama “Isolated, Insolent, & Inebriated””

Queens Crap

A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package.

“What food might this contain?” The mouse wondered – He was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.

Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning.    Continue reading “Parable of the Mouse”

Yahoo News – by GOSIA WOZNIACKA

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An African-American boy holding a “Free Hugs” sign stood crying in front of a police barricade at a Ferguson rally in Portland. A white police officer motioned for him to come closer. The officer then asked the boy for a hug — and they embraced, the boy’s anguished face streaming with tears.

A photographer captured the encounter earlier this week, and the photo has become popular on social media. It’s an unusual image as people around the country protest a grand jury’s decision to not indict a white police officer in the fatal shooting of an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri.   Continue reading “Encounter at protest leads to hug for boy, officer”

End Of The American Dream – by Michael Snyder

If the United States and Russia fought a nuclear war, who would win?  You might be surprised by the answer.  Under the Obama administration, the rapidly aging U.S. strategic nuclear arsenal has been shrinking.  Meanwhile, the Russians have been developing an entirely new generation of bombers, submarines and missiles that have the capability of delivering an absolutely crippling first strike.  At this point, most Americans consider a full-scale nuclear war to be inconceivable.   Continue reading “10 Signs That Russia Is Preparing To Fight (And Win) A Nuclear War With The United States”