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Kiribati Has Benefitted from Abolishing Its Military
By Richard Turpin, World BEYOND War
Isolation has not prevented Kiribati from suffering the depradations of colonialism, militarism, and capitalism.
David Swanson asked me to write about Kiribati after I wrote to him to point out Costa Rica is not the only “full-fledged and totally independent country to be entirely demilitarized.” Kiribati, and other small countries I suspect, have no military. In Kiribati’s case this was a deliberate decision taken by the first President and Government of Kiribati as it was becoming Independent in 1979. Like Costa Rica it has almost certainly benefitted from that foundational decision. Many other newly independent ex British colonies suffered from coups and military rule as a result of the British policy of promoting nationhood on the British model: Westminster type parliament, independent judiciary, and a military force. It was interesting interviewing Sir Ieremia Tabai, the first President and a leading campaigner at the time when it was an issue, stating that the motivation was heavily economic – we are a small country with very little money so we can’t go wasting it on buying guns. If only more leaders would adhere to such basic commonsense!
But first of all a bit of an introduction to Kiribati, as most people have never heard of us and even fewer know much about us. Kiribati sits right in the middle of the Pacific Ocean but tending to the Western side. It is the only country in the world with a claim to be in all four hemispheres, north, south, east and west, spanning as it does the Equator and the 180 meridian, the International Date Line. There are 33 islands spread over 3000kms from west to east along the Equator. The population is currently 130,000 and rising fast, with more than half living in the capital Tarawa. The population is over 90% ethnically homogenous Micronesian, I-Kiribati, with its own language and unique culture. Kiribati dance is a unique cultural form and is central in the culture, an integral part of every occasion from the opening of Parliament to weddings, birthdays, and public holidays. It is one of the main ways in which the culture preserves itself, the Kiribati diaspora using it as an excuse to come together wherever they are and teach it to the children.
Nuclear Energy and Its Racial Legacy: A History of Environmental Injustice and Exploitation
by Tracy Turner
The preceding nuclear pollution article, "Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster: 2024 Aftermath, Risks, and Insights, " examined the millennial-spanning consequences of nuclear disasters like Chornobyl and Fukushima, atomic testing, and depleted uranium warfare. The article detailed the health risks of radioactive isotopes such as Plutonium, Cesium, and Polonium and their ongoing impact on the environment and human health.
The Legacy of Nuclear Power: Environmental Injustice and Racial Exploitation
The previous nuclear pollution article discussed extraordinary contamination of soil, water, and food items and radioactive long-term health consequences for the affected populations—especially the "downwinders" who are exposed to nuclear fallout. The nuclear narrative previously discussed atomic power from its origin in the Manhattan Project to its modern applications , which have been thoroughly implicated in racial and environmental injustice. The article covered Chernobyl and Fukushima ongoing radioactive disasters, as Infinity Pollution.
Many consider nuclear power a technological marvel, the prospected clean energy of the future. Still, in reality, nuclear is far darker when we consider its historical and continuing impacts: uranium mining, nuclear testing, and waste disposal. The fallout from atomic development has disproportionately harmed marginalized communities, Indigenous peoples, and people of color. From the development of the atomic bomb in the United States to nuclear testing across the South Pacific and the Soviet Union, atomic energy has been part of a long history of exploitation, displacement, and environmental degradation. Nuclear power, in all of its forms, is steeped in systemic racism, ecological colonialism, and the exploitation of vulnerable communities.
The Message and War
By David Swanson, World BEYOND War
I do see a problem with justifying the U.S. Civil War while recognizing the damage done by of regrettable dreams of vengeance...
I wasn’t going to read The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates because I’m doing what I can to end the genocide and occupation, and because Coates seems like such a nice guy that it saddens me that he nonsensically defended the U.S. Civil War.
I’m very glad that I did read it. I did so because someone led me to believe that in it Coates changed his mind about the Civil War. This turned out to be a misunderstanding that grew out of the fact that in the book he does slightly change his mind about a different — much more popular — article that he had written in the same magazine, one about reparations.
I’m glad I read the book because it is full of useful information and perspectives on the life of the author, on racial injustice, on propaganda, and on rebellion. One insight in particular strikes me, and it is related to what Coates regrets about his article on reparations, namely his use of the example of German reparations to Israel.
When Will the General Assembly Suspend Israel?
By Kathy Kelly, World BEYOND War
The Biblical Book of Job chronicles a string of catastrophes relentlessly plaguing the main character, Job, who loses his prosperity, his home, his health, and his children. Eventually, an agonized Job curses his own existence as well as the god that created him.
Numerous interpretations of the story exist, and more than one version has circulated through the ancient Near East. One version concludes with Job avowing repentance. “I know that my redeemer liveth, and so I repent in dust and in ashes.”
The Latin root for the word ‘repent’ is pensare – to think. ‘Repent” suggests an effort to rethink.
Job’s surprising repentance has been on my mind as calls increase, in 2024, for the United Nations to rethink its relation to Israel as a member state. Increasingly, civil society groups are pressuring Permanent Missions to the UN to eject Israel as a voting member of the General Assembly.
To paraphrase Pankraj Mishra, writing for the New York Review of Books, a stunned world has watched with disbelief as the United States provisions Israel with weapons enabling a mass murder spree across the Middle East.
Trump selects Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence
LifeSiteNews
The president-elect praised the former Democratic congresswomen and said she'll bring a 'fearless spirit' to the intelligence community as a member of his cabinet.
President-elect Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he would nominate former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard as the Director of National Intelligence (DNI).
Gabbard, a former Army lieutenant colonel and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, is known for her staunch non-interventionist foreign policy. After leaving the Democratic Party in 2022 over its “warmongering” and “woke” positions, she joined the Republican Party and endorsed Trump’s presidential bid earlier this year.
“As a former Candidate for the Democrat Presidential Nomination, she has broad support in both Parties – She is now a proud Republican!” the statement added. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community, championing our Constitutional Rights and securing Peace through Strength. Tulsi will make us all proud!” Trump said in a statement.
Can Trump Succeed?
Paul Craig Roberts
There’s many a slip between cup and lip
I have been speaking with MAGA Americans and, as I suspected, there is little comprehension of the vast impediments to renewal. The swamp that Trump is to drain is entrenched and institutionalized, but Trump supporters think that with Trump elected and the Senate and House in Republican hands the job is done.
Nothing could be further from the truth. The majority of Republicans in the Senate and House are RINOs, not Trump supporters. They are part of the establishment and comfortable in it. Mitch McConnell is forever as he is in the process of demonstrating. This Wednesday McConnell is holding the election of the Senate Majority Leader. His two candidates, chosen without any input from Trump, are John Thune and John Cornyn, neither being MAGAs. Senator Rick Scott, more likely to be helpful to Trump, is running against the establishment’s candidates. If the establishment prevails, Trump’s strong appointments are likely to be blocked or to languish unconfirmed. The prospect of being blocked can discourage an appointee from accepting the appointment.
The establishment can also hamstring Trump by rushing through many unfriendly judicial appointments. Trump Americans need to understand that the enemy has not folded its tents and left the field.
Vital Philosophers, Authors, Intellectuals and Scientists Who Conceptualized Our Planet
PDF's for Einstein, Dr. Rosaly M. C. Lopes, Darwin, Lorenzo Langstroth, Marie Curie, Shakespeare & Many More!
by Tracy Turner
Shakespeare, Curie, Orwell, Hemingway, Dostoevsky, Lopes, Einstein
Dr. Rosaly Lopes
Director of the Planetary Science Directorate, NASA
Dr. Rosaly Lopes is an internationally renowned Director of the Planetary Science Directorate at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. As an inspiration in the field of volcanology and planetary science, her contributions have significantly enhanced our understanding of volcanic activities in space.
Major Contributions:
- Io Volcanism: Dr. Lopes has played a leading role in discovering the intense volcanic activity on Io, a moon of Jupiter, demonstrating that it is the most volcanically active body in the solar system. Her groundbreaking research has reshaped current views on geological processes beyond Earth.
- Titan Studies: She has conducted pioneering studies on Saturn's moon Titan, exploring the possibility of cryovolcanism and its implications for Titan's geology and atmosphere. These studies open new avenues for investigating conditions that might be favorable for extraterrestrial life.
- Education and Outreach: Dr. Lopes is a strong advocate for science education and public outreach, inspiring young scientists, particularly women and underrepresented minorities, to pursue careers in STEM fields.
- Awards and Honors: She has received numerous accolades for her contributions to science, including being a fellow of the American Geophysical Union and the Geological Society of America. Her work is highly cited, reflecting her significant impact in the field of planetary volcanology.
- Interdisciplinary Impact: Dr. Lopes has woven geology and physics into planetary science, providing comprehensive insights into other planetary bodies and their potential for sustaining life.
'New world order, anachronistic NATO and courageous Trump': Highlights from Putin's talk at the Valdai forum
RT.com
Speaking just one day after the Republican candidate's US election victory, the Russian president explained Moscow's position on a range of global issues
Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed pressing global issues at Sochi's annual Valdai Club forum on Thursday. Interviewed by renowned foreign affairs expert and RT contributor Fyodor Lukyanov, Putin delved into topics ranging from NATO and international security to the ideological roots of current global tensions, openly challenging Western policies and proposing a multipolar vision for the future. Here are the major takeaways from Putin's remarks.
Putin addressed Donald Trump's sensational US election victory, calling him a "courageous" politician who has shown resilience despite apparent assassination attempts and legal challenges. Putin said he is "ready to talk" with the American president-elect.
Putin congratulates 'courageous' Trump and expresses willingness to engage with him
"We see him as a capable leader," Putin said, praising Trump for continuing his political career under what he characterized as "unfair scrutiny." He added that Trump's foreign policy might offer a chance to reset US-Russia relations, though he did not specify any specific agenda items that a future dialogue might tackle. The president has previously noted his opposition to the "anti-Russian" stance he perceives from the current US administration and hopes Trump might pursue a "more constructive" path.
Rare Tracks & Hidden Gems Chrissie Hynde & The Pretenders Rock Review
Early Work, Demos, Remasters, Deep Cuts, Concerts, Clubs and Rare, Hidden Gems of The Pretenders Rock History!
Chrissiehynde.com The Pretenders BMG Chrissie Hynde Shop
THE PRETENDERS Back On the Chain Gang (Live in London, 1995) [HQ] - Original, Familiar Friend, Forgiveness Thematic.
Pretenders - Human on the inside - Live Cannes Film Festival 1999 - Very Reflective and Personal Glimpse of Chrissie
The Pretenders - Thin Line Between Love And Hate - Must see and hear., Hynde Belts Out the Blues, One of the Deepest Cuts of All
The Pretenders Human - On Letterman - The Intersectionof Dreams and Reality
The Pretenders - The English Roses - It is metaphorically a woman being put in a mold of the "Perfect English Rose," ergo, a Plastic Flower that looks good from any angle, crushing the woman's identity. Many men seek airbrushed women, idealized and stylized by suffocating restraints. The antithesis of men who are attracted to raw beauty.
2024 Election: Assessing the Unlikeliness of Trump's Victory and the Dangers to Electoral Integrity
By Joe Granville
When the formula is calculated, it yields a very small probability—around 1.45 × 10⁻¹⁴, or 0.00014%. This result suggests that, mathematically, Trump's victory is extremely unlikely under these assumptions.
A centrist in the Tea Party, I do not take the integrity of the 2024 United States presidential election for granted. My concerns are based not on conspiracy theories, but on statistical improbabilities side-by-side with historical patterns and the potential for deep state (TPTB, a non-partisan gelatinous mass) manipulators. We must view the results of this election through the lens of empirical evidence and the possibility of electoral malfeasance. If Trump’s victory is mathematically improbable among key demographics, serious questions should arise for any keen observer, even for Trump voters.
Improbable Results: Trump's Share Among Key Demographics
The head-scratching proportion of votes that Trump received from women voters—who are traditionally considered a constituency more favorable to the Democratic Party and Feminine Health Rights—may constitute the most salient and statistically improbable outcome of the 2024 election. According to exit polls, Trump secured an astonishing, temples throbbing 60% of the white female vote, a result in stark contrast to historical patterns. Women have overwhelmingly voted in larger numbers for Democratic candidates. Even after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, which galvanized political activism among women, this outcome is highly inconsistent with the historical trend. People are nuanced, polling data is less so. Please continue.
