Landed Series Wandering

Links to N.Y. Times, Council on Foreign Relations, Haaretz, Juan Cole, Time.

Argentina unpegged its currency from the dollar and defaulted on its debt, and not only lived to survive these acts, but prospered. Should Greece perhaps do the same? Update.

A few easily implemented actions that would improve the U.S. economy that even tea bags can understand, although those looking only to undermine Obama’s presidency will no doubt demur.

Reuters report on unrest in Guangdong Authorities arrest 19 over S.China riots. Rioting erupted among the large migrant community in Zengcheng city. “simmering resentment among the huge migrant worker community over perceived discrimination and social pressures such as rising inflation” led to the unrest. Other clashes have erupted in southern China in recent weeks, including [...]

Nature’s fury reached new extremes in the U.S. during the spring of 2011, from Jeff Master’s Wunder Blog.

Interesting take on Libya considering the west’s political and military past (colonialism, military actions in Islamic countries and Serbia).

It does not seem that the spirit and hope which brought Obama into the White House in 2008 is anything more than a memory, moving in the shadows of the corporate plutocracy. Oh sweet Obama spirit, we hardly knew ye.

On the rightwing Republican attack on collective negotiating rights of public employees and on the attempt to privatize public property.

A case can be made that Jemen is much more important to the U.S. than Libya. The entangled web of Jemen’s President Saleh with clandestine JSOC special op boys and the back and forth acts of terror and counter terror acts.

Several discussions of states reducing unemployment benefits and low corporate tax contributions leading into a conclusion by David Cay Johnston that in a year or two, given the political struggles present in the land today, we will know if we will be living in a completely corporatized society or if there will be pushback.

Update of LSW Obama administration page. Looks at changes in the White House with perspectives on former and now present appoointees, interpretations of the 2010 election results with a keen eye on possible tea bag weakeness, Obama personality traits and his occupation of Republican policy areas, and Obama White House strategies as 2012 approaches and 2008 more and more seems like it took place in a far away galaxy in a long ago time.

New prime minister but many demands made during uprising remain on the to-be-done list, such as reforming the cabinet, rewriting the constitution, free elections, and fulfilling the demands made by workers.

The Ivory Coast may be facing the return of civil war as female demonstrators are murdered by Gbagbo’s security forces as he refuses to accept the results of the November elections. Thousands flee and electricity and water are cut off in the north of the country.

Jemen President Saleh progressively subjected to increasing pressure.

LSW has set up a page that attempts a concise summary of the struggles in Wisconsin between working people and the governor.

Krugman on the struggle in Wisconsin as seen in the light of Naomi Klein’s “Shock Doctrine” – using a constructed crisis as a smoke screen to implement right wing dreams of privatization and other means to rob citizens of their wealth on behalf of the rich.

Protests about living conditions in Iraq, attacks on oil refinery in Iraq and oil production in Libya.

Status regarding Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Jemen, Bahrain, Jordan, and uprising of the U.S. corporate right wing against labor unions middle class living conditions and attack on the schools.

Out of control CIA contractors on the loose, killing people and maybe spying on a new Pakistani missle, the Barbur?

“…we are well on our way to a real crisis.”

Perspectives on Wisconsin Governor Walker and his claims that public employees don’t pay enough for health care and should be stripped of the right to negotiate salaries.

Libya update based on Juan Cole and ProPublica posts

The causes and severity of the so-called crisis with public employee pensions.

Wisconsin governor’s ties to the billionaire Koch brothers and his desire to lead the Republican assault on public service unions.

U.S. military industrial ties to Libya.

Libya update from Juan Cole and Aljazeera live.

Details of the situation in Egypt on Feb. 21, including legal status of ex ministers, the position of the military on some issues, economic growth favoring only Mubarak’s clique and strikes in the public sector.

“They are taking us for fools”- a sentiment expressed by one of the demonstrators.

Protests against the Iraqi government
Gates expresses doubt about withdrawal by end of 2011
Status of Iraqi government formation

Mubarak morphs into the Governor of Wisconsin, Scott Walker, forcing one to bring up Zappa texts, “cop kill a creep, pow pow pow” and Congressional Republicans are back to acting out their religious fundamentalist fantasies. Right there in front of the nation and God.